*2 weeks later

Faculty Room—Rory is sitting at the table reading the paper when the loud speaker comes on.

*Mrs. Mariano You have a phone call*

Rory gets up and heads to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Feel like some coffee?" Jess gruff voice booms through the old telephone.

"Yea…but I have to be back in 20 minutes for a class."

"Meet me in the lobby in five."

*5 minutes later. Rory walks quietly down the hall, leaning slightly to the left under the weight of her backpack. She smiles as Jess comes into view, sitting on the bench, legs swinging back and forth.

"Hey there."

Jess smirks at Rory holding out two cups of coffee. "Come on." Jess reaches for Roy's arm but she pulls away.

"I'm really sorry, but I still have some papers to grade before my 5th period class—

"5th period, the punk class? Come on I'm sure they won't mind getting there tests back a day late—

"Jess I just can't leave—

"Yes you can come on. Here, let me take this thing." Jess takes Rory's backpack and slings it over his left shoulder he stumbles for a moment but catches his balance. "Shit, are there bricks in this thing?"

"Just text books." Rory's face goes pink as she follows Jess outside.

Jess stops in front of a blue suv Rory keeps walking. "Earth to Rory."

She turns to him, "What?"

Jess veers his head in the direction of the suv; "Get in."

"What happened to your car?"

"Nothing, this is Sean's I borrowed it. My car can't handle those narrow roads."

"What narrow roads?"

"…the narrow mountain roads of upstate New York."

"Jess…"

"What?"

"I told my mom we weren't going."

"…And I told her we were."

"Well, call her and tell her we can't come." Rory replies sternly.

"Sorry…She already left…and I'm sure she left her phone off." Jess smirks and then continues. "Come on, we got to get going if we want to be there by 4."

"I can't just leave work and not come back."

"Well then…you'll just have to call in sick won't you?" Jess' eyes sparkle for a moment at which Rory smiles and gives in.

"Hand me the phone..."

*3 hrs later—Somewhere in upstate New York—After a 2 and a half hr nap Rory wakes up violently to a quiet car.

"Whoa, you ok there?" Jess raises an eyebrow in her direction.

"I think so…" Rory trails off.

"Here, call your mom, I told Luke I'd let him know when were a half hour away."

Rory takes the phone and hits the speed dial. "Hello. Hello? Mom?"

"Hi Ror—what's up?"

"We're almost there…what's all that noise?"

"Oh that'd be the two screaming kids otherwise known as Elliott and Andrew."

"Oh wow. I totally forgot about them. When you said Sookie and Jackson were coming…"

"I know. You forget they have two kids."

"I better prepare Jess…"

"Yea. Hey maybe he'll trip over Elli again and break his foot."

"Bite your tongue. Jess is family, you love family."

"I know…but come on that was fall on butt funny…a 5'8 punk brought down by a 5 yr old girl.

"Hehe. Oo, Jess is giving me a dirty look, I better go see you soon."

"She brought it up again didn't she? She promised she'd let it go."

"My mom let anything go...i don't think so. Besides it was kind of funny…in an oh no my got hurt but he's not hurt bad so I can laugh way."

"So that means they're going to be there?"

"Well they are sort of part of the whole Sookie Jackson package." Jess sighs uncontrollably. "It'll be ok, they'll stay out of your way, it'll be fine."

"It's 3 days before Christmas, it won't be fine, they'll be jacked up on sugar and running around like animals."

"I'm sorry, but hey it's been a year. Maybe they've grown up a little bit."

*20 minutes later—Cabin (Lorelei has rented to adjoined cabins.

"Hey there, sweets."

"Hey mom!" Rory says getting out of the car. "Luke, hey."

Luke nods at Rory and heads towards the trunk. A moment later he and Jess haul two large black bas towards the larger cabin.

Lorelei takes Rory inside where Sookie is busy at the stove Andrew is playing with cars on the floor.

"Rory!" Andrew exclaims as he runs towards Rory.

"Hi, Andy, how are you?"

"I'm good…guess what?!"

"What?"

"Daddy let me pick which carrots went into the soup."

"Cool!"

Rory turns her attention to Sookie. "Hey Sook."

"Oh hey sweetie. Merry Christmas. Just making some soup…I thought some good ol' chicken soup would go good with the whole wintry theme."

"Okey Dokey." Rory rolls her eyes. "Mom. Bathroom?"

"Take a right then a left."

"Got ya."

*A moment later Rory emerges from the bathroom practically slamming into Jess.

"…Jess? What's the matter."

"Hide me, save me. Anything just get me away from her."

Rory looks down the hallway spotting a angelic red headed girl beaming back at her. "She's six."

"She has a curly iron thing in her hand."

"It's plastic."

"It can still do damage."

Rory rolls her eyes and motions for Elliott to come closer. As she approaches Rory, Rory grabs Jess' hand. "Elli, take Uncle Jess and go watch the frosty tape…and don't tease him…you know how sensitive he is." Rory smirks as Jess is led away by the 6 year old.

Rory returns to the kitchen. "Hey, Andy Elliot's watching frosty." The chunky 8 years old runs into the living room.

"Where's Jess?" Lorelei says grinning.

"Living room…left him to the wolves."

Sookie turns around "My kids are not wolves."

Lorelei peers into the living room, "Uh Sook, right now I'd have to say there some form of cruel animal."

Sookie leaves the stove and heads to the living room where Andrew and Elliot are running circles around Jess. "Knock it off or no desert tonight." At her threat the two children sit in front of the tv without a word. Jess mouths thank you to Sookie and then rolls his eyes towards Rory.

*An hour later.

Andrew comes running into the kitchen. "Mommy! Uncle Jess turned off the movie."

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know. Elli was singing along and he asked for the clicker, when he got it he grumbled and then turned it off…and went to sleep."

Rory gets up and follows Andrew.

"Jess…" He mumbles in reply. "Come on, they're only kids, it's Christmas—

"They've watched this four times since I've been laying here." He grumbles.

Rory sits on the edge of the couch, quickly grabbing the remote. "Here guys, why don't you put something new on. Now you come with me." 'Rory says sternly to Jess.

Rory leads Jess to their bedroom, "If you want to nap, nap here…and stop being a grinch it's Christmas."

Jess already collapsed on the bed looks up at Rory and sighs. "I'm sorry…I really am. I just don't have patience for kids…they're too loud and aggressive."

"…Just like you." Rory says smiling at Jess.

"…Shut up." Jess says flatly grabbing Rory.

*an hour later. Lorelei knocks on the door.

"Ahem. There's dinner in the kitchen…and little ears with in a 10-foot radius.

"Ok mom. Be out in a minute."

"Do we have to go out there…they're going throw things at me."

"If they do, they won't get desert…so more pie for us!" Rory says cheerfully.

"Pie?"

"Hot apple."

"Maybe I should provoke them…"

"Maybe."

Rory smirks at Jess playfully bumping her hips into his as she passes him.

"Hey look! It's uncle grumpy!" Elliot exclaims as Jackson attempts to quiet her down.

"Elli, that's enough be nice—

"Yea be nice or you don't get pie." Jess raises an eyebrow in her direction."

"Can I have their pie?" Lorelei chimes in.

"No. I have dibbs." Jess retorts.

"Wow, he really his Uncle Grumpy." Lorelei replies sulking.

"You said it." Replies Andrew in between bites of his baked potato.