Chapter 4
Back at the diner, Luke was sitting at the counter, drinking a cup of tea, and tapping nervously on the counter top. The diner was empty, and dark around him. Waiting for Jess and Rory to come back felt like an eternity. He didn't even know what he'd say when they got there. When he heard a light knock on the door, he got up and let them in. He noticed they were holding hands, but as he opened the door, they awkwardly let each other go, and made their way to the counter.
Luke: Hungry?
Rory: Pretty hungry. ::turns to Jess:: You?
Jess: I could eat.
Luke: Pancakes?
Both nod, and Luke looks relieved to be headed to the back with a mission. Jess and Rory shift uncomfortablly in their seats.
Jess: What do you think happens when your mom gets here?
Rory: I have no idea. Nostradamus would have no idea. This is my mother we're talking about.
Jess: So..um.. (notices Lorelai walking towards the diner) Speak of the devil.
Rory: ::Turns around and sees her mother - when she looks back, Jess is gone::
Lorelai: ::opens the door to the diner, walks over to her daughter and sits down:: So.
Rory: ::nods:: So.
Lorelai: I'm not mad.
Rory: ::disbelief:: You're not?
Lorelai: No. I believe you. I trust you. I don't ever in my lifetime want that to happen again, but, I'm not mad.
Rory: You're not mad.
Lorelai: No. ::motions for Luke:: But next time, he needs to use the door. And at a reasonable hour. If he can't sleep, he can turn on a TV, at his own place. Or maybe even pick up a phone, so long as it doesnt wake me up.
Luke: Morning.
Lorelai: Ah, that it is. Coffee please.
Luke: ::puts down a mug, and pours, then walks back to the pancakes hes cooking::
Lorelai: ::Takes a sip:: So, where is he?
Rory: I'm not sure. He was here a minute ago.
Lorelai: Ah, Mr. Dependable.
Rory: ::gives her a look::
Lorelai: What? ::smiles at Luke as he puts down two plates of pancakes, in front of her and Rory:: So, Luke. Where did you find him?
Luke: At the bridge. The one that I shoved him off of not long ago.
Lorelai: Did you push him again?
Luke: No.
Lorelai: Can't blame a girl for asking. And where is he now? ::looks down at the pancakes, but doesnt begin to eat, even tho Rory digs in::
Luke: ::glances around:: Damned if I know.
Lorelai: ::Gets up from her stool, walks over to the stairs that lead to the apartment and calls up: Jess! ::gets no answer, so she walks up the stairs, to Luke's door and knocks:: Jess, you in there?
Jess: ::opens the door, but says nothing::
Lorelai: ::smiles brightly as genuinely as she can:: Mind coming down to the diner for a few minutes?
Jess: ::restrains his smart comment, and just nods. He shuts the door. Moments later, with a fresh shirt on, he opens the door again, while pulling a comb through his hair. He is suprised to find Lorelai still standing there:: Alright.
Lorelai: Just wanted to make sure you were coming.
As Lorelai walks downstairs, with Jess right behind her, Luke looks up from whiping tables, and Rory glances over at the two. Unsure of what transpired upstairs, her face is marked with a nervous look.
Lorelai: ::to Jess:: Sit please.
Jess takes a seat at the counter, next to Rory. Both turn around, facing Lorelai. Lorlai motions to Luke, and he walks over to her. Lorelai pulls two chairs out from a table, and sits down on one facing Jess and Rory. Luke walks over, spins the chair around, and sits down, stradeling the chair, resting his chin on his arms on the back of the chair.
Lorelai: We need to lay down some ground rules.
Jess: ::lets out a tiny snort::
Lorelai: ::looks directly at Jess:: You, especially need to be appriciative that you didn't meet your end from a brutal umbrella attack this morning. ::glances at Luke:: Anyhow. You two have made it very clear, that despite my better judgement, and my opinions on the matter, your plans to end whatever relationship it is that you have, is not going to happen. ::shakes her head:: So I may as well lay a few things on the table here. ::pause, she looks at Jess directly:: First rule. Absolutely no sneaking into my house in the middle of the night, for any reason, no matter how urgent the reason- whatsoever. That will never, ever, in my lifetime happen again, understood?
Rory: Absolutely. ::glances at Jess::
Jess: Yes ma'am. ::tiny smile directed at Rory::
Lorelai: Secondly. ::looks directly at Jess again:: You will not be in my house when I am not there.
Rory: Mom! That's unreasonable.
Lorelai: Life's not fair. This may be a small town, but during the daylight hours, while I am at work, there is absolutely no reason that you need to be holed up in the house. Take this as an opportunity to expand your horizons.
Jess: ::cuts her off:: That's fine.
Lorelai: Thirdly. ::makes a face:: Is that a word?
Rory: I'm pretty sure.
Lorelai: Thirdly. ::looks directly at Rory:: I fully expect us, you and I, to go back to the way things have been for the last seventeen years. I don't expect to be lied to, to have things hidden from me. I never intended to make you feel as if there were things you couldn't trust me with, or that you didn't want to tell me. Understand?
Rory: Perfectly. ::stands up, reaches out and gives her mom a hug::
Luke: Wait. I've got something to add to all this.
All three looked up at Luke in suprise. He'd been very quiet throughout Lorelai's entire speech.
Luke walked over to Jess, and stood over him, just inches away.
Luke: ::points at Rory:: If you do so much as.. ::Flustered, he stops:: If you... I don't want to find out.. ::Stops, he points at Rory:: Don't touch her. You can like her, you can date her, you can talk all you want - but don't touch her. You got that? ::picks up his rag, and walks into the kitchen::
Jess: ::smirks, smiles at Rory, and turns back to the counter::
Lorelai: ::to Jess:: What's with the smirk? ::following Luke:: I don't like that smirk. Did you see that smirk? The kid definately smirked. What would posess him to smirk like that?
Luke: ::looks up from the pans he's putting into the sink:: Hmph.
Lorelai: What?
Luke: I don't trust him.
Lorelai: How ironic. How utterly ironic. ::pouts, for just a moment, and then walks back out to the front of the diner:: Have a good day, you two - I've got to get back to the house and get myself in order so that I can make it to work today.
Rory: ::gets up from her stool:: Talk to you tonight?
Lorelai: Of course. Stop by the Inn if you can.
Rory: Bye. ::sits back down next to Jess:: Sooo... now what?
Jess: Good question. ::picks up a fork, and begins to eat the pancakes Lorelai left behind. A few seconds later, he looks back up to find Rory still staring at him:: What?
Rory: Nothing.
Jess: I'm just irresistable. That's all.
Rory: Annoying. Aggrivating. That's more along the lines of what I was thinking.
Jess: Mm-hmm. ::takes another bite of his pancakes::
END CHAPTER 4
Back at the diner, Luke was sitting at the counter, drinking a cup of tea, and tapping nervously on the counter top. The diner was empty, and dark around him. Waiting for Jess and Rory to come back felt like an eternity. He didn't even know what he'd say when they got there. When he heard a light knock on the door, he got up and let them in. He noticed they were holding hands, but as he opened the door, they awkwardly let each other go, and made their way to the counter.
Luke: Hungry?
Rory: Pretty hungry. ::turns to Jess:: You?
Jess: I could eat.
Luke: Pancakes?
Both nod, and Luke looks relieved to be headed to the back with a mission. Jess and Rory shift uncomfortablly in their seats.
Jess: What do you think happens when your mom gets here?
Rory: I have no idea. Nostradamus would have no idea. This is my mother we're talking about.
Jess: So..um.. (notices Lorelai walking towards the diner) Speak of the devil.
Rory: ::Turns around and sees her mother - when she looks back, Jess is gone::
Lorelai: ::opens the door to the diner, walks over to her daughter and sits down:: So.
Rory: ::nods:: So.
Lorelai: I'm not mad.
Rory: ::disbelief:: You're not?
Lorelai: No. I believe you. I trust you. I don't ever in my lifetime want that to happen again, but, I'm not mad.
Rory: You're not mad.
Lorelai: No. ::motions for Luke:: But next time, he needs to use the door. And at a reasonable hour. If he can't sleep, he can turn on a TV, at his own place. Or maybe even pick up a phone, so long as it doesnt wake me up.
Luke: Morning.
Lorelai: Ah, that it is. Coffee please.
Luke: ::puts down a mug, and pours, then walks back to the pancakes hes cooking::
Lorelai: ::Takes a sip:: So, where is he?
Rory: I'm not sure. He was here a minute ago.
Lorelai: Ah, Mr. Dependable.
Rory: ::gives her a look::
Lorelai: What? ::smiles at Luke as he puts down two plates of pancakes, in front of her and Rory:: So, Luke. Where did you find him?
Luke: At the bridge. The one that I shoved him off of not long ago.
Lorelai: Did you push him again?
Luke: No.
Lorelai: Can't blame a girl for asking. And where is he now? ::looks down at the pancakes, but doesnt begin to eat, even tho Rory digs in::
Luke: ::glances around:: Damned if I know.
Lorelai: ::Gets up from her stool, walks over to the stairs that lead to the apartment and calls up: Jess! ::gets no answer, so she walks up the stairs, to Luke's door and knocks:: Jess, you in there?
Jess: ::opens the door, but says nothing::
Lorelai: ::smiles brightly as genuinely as she can:: Mind coming down to the diner for a few minutes?
Jess: ::restrains his smart comment, and just nods. He shuts the door. Moments later, with a fresh shirt on, he opens the door again, while pulling a comb through his hair. He is suprised to find Lorelai still standing there:: Alright.
Lorelai: Just wanted to make sure you were coming.
As Lorelai walks downstairs, with Jess right behind her, Luke looks up from whiping tables, and Rory glances over at the two. Unsure of what transpired upstairs, her face is marked with a nervous look.
Lorelai: ::to Jess:: Sit please.
Jess takes a seat at the counter, next to Rory. Both turn around, facing Lorelai. Lorlai motions to Luke, and he walks over to her. Lorelai pulls two chairs out from a table, and sits down on one facing Jess and Rory. Luke walks over, spins the chair around, and sits down, stradeling the chair, resting his chin on his arms on the back of the chair.
Lorelai: We need to lay down some ground rules.
Jess: ::lets out a tiny snort::
Lorelai: ::looks directly at Jess:: You, especially need to be appriciative that you didn't meet your end from a brutal umbrella attack this morning. ::glances at Luke:: Anyhow. You two have made it very clear, that despite my better judgement, and my opinions on the matter, your plans to end whatever relationship it is that you have, is not going to happen. ::shakes her head:: So I may as well lay a few things on the table here. ::pause, she looks at Jess directly:: First rule. Absolutely no sneaking into my house in the middle of the night, for any reason, no matter how urgent the reason- whatsoever. That will never, ever, in my lifetime happen again, understood?
Rory: Absolutely. ::glances at Jess::
Jess: Yes ma'am. ::tiny smile directed at Rory::
Lorelai: Secondly. ::looks directly at Jess again:: You will not be in my house when I am not there.
Rory: Mom! That's unreasonable.
Lorelai: Life's not fair. This may be a small town, but during the daylight hours, while I am at work, there is absolutely no reason that you need to be holed up in the house. Take this as an opportunity to expand your horizons.
Jess: ::cuts her off:: That's fine.
Lorelai: Thirdly. ::makes a face:: Is that a word?
Rory: I'm pretty sure.
Lorelai: Thirdly. ::looks directly at Rory:: I fully expect us, you and I, to go back to the way things have been for the last seventeen years. I don't expect to be lied to, to have things hidden from me. I never intended to make you feel as if there were things you couldn't trust me with, or that you didn't want to tell me. Understand?
Rory: Perfectly. ::stands up, reaches out and gives her mom a hug::
Luke: Wait. I've got something to add to all this.
All three looked up at Luke in suprise. He'd been very quiet throughout Lorelai's entire speech.
Luke walked over to Jess, and stood over him, just inches away.
Luke: ::points at Rory:: If you do so much as.. ::Flustered, he stops:: If you... I don't want to find out.. ::Stops, he points at Rory:: Don't touch her. You can like her, you can date her, you can talk all you want - but don't touch her. You got that? ::picks up his rag, and walks into the kitchen::
Jess: ::smirks, smiles at Rory, and turns back to the counter::
Lorelai: ::to Jess:: What's with the smirk? ::following Luke:: I don't like that smirk. Did you see that smirk? The kid definately smirked. What would posess him to smirk like that?
Luke: ::looks up from the pans he's putting into the sink:: Hmph.
Lorelai: What?
Luke: I don't trust him.
Lorelai: How ironic. How utterly ironic. ::pouts, for just a moment, and then walks back out to the front of the diner:: Have a good day, you two - I've got to get back to the house and get myself in order so that I can make it to work today.
Rory: ::gets up from her stool:: Talk to you tonight?
Lorelai: Of course. Stop by the Inn if you can.
Rory: Bye. ::sits back down next to Jess:: Sooo... now what?
Jess: Good question. ::picks up a fork, and begins to eat the pancakes Lorelai left behind. A few seconds later, he looks back up to find Rory still staring at him:: What?
Rory: Nothing.
Jess: I'm just irresistable. That's all.
Rory: Annoying. Aggrivating. That's more along the lines of what I was thinking.
Jess: Mm-hmm. ::takes another bite of his pancakes::
END CHAPTER 4
