TITLE: Homesick

SUMMERY: Post kiss fic. The third season "my" way. You'll get Rory's return from D.C., her confrontation with her mom, Jess, Dean, and others, depending on where I go with the story. DEFINATELY a Literati. well, eventually

DISCLAIMER: Nope, don't own 'em. Wish I owned Milo, but then again, anyone in their right mind wished they owned Milo! The title comes from the song Homesick by Train. Nope, don't own any rights to that either. Again, the title foreshadows...~

SPOILERS: Anything and everything you've seen and read.

E-MAIL: *NEW EMAIL* someone18_13@yahoo.com

A/N: Okay, I've been postponing this chapter because it was really hard. I know what I want to happen later, but its the transition that's difficult. I have to set it up and give information and filler chapters with subtle hints at things, etc. So in short...SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! Anyhoo this chapter is later in the day still Wednesday at the diner mostly. Hope you like...

" If everything is going your way, you're obviously in the wrong lane"



It was about six o'clock in Stars Hollow and the entire town was abuzz with gossip. A rumor was floating around that Dean had been seen with a girl --not Rory-- earlier in the day (A/N: Dean/seen rhyme is unintential). Then, if only to confuse matters more, Patty had seen Rory and Jess walk into the diner earlier talking and laughing hand in hand. She [Rory] stayed for about an hour and left at noon. Needless to say, the entire town knew about that within twenty minutes. Lorelai headed for the diner recieving sympathetic nods and whispers the whole way.

"What in the hell is wrong with this town?" she asked no one imperticular as she let the 'Luke's' door close behind her. The diner was basically empty sice everyone was outside gossiping. She headed for a table by the window, but opted for one closer to a corner, as to not attract stares from the crazy townspeople.

"Please tell me that was a rhetorical question?" Jess responded from the counter. "I mean, come on, this" he said gesturing towards the windows, "is a reanactment of 'One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest'."

"Ooo, clever comparison, great movie"

"Better book"

"I'm not the reading type. If its on film, I'm there"

"You should try it. I think you'd get a kick out of it"

"Maybe...Oh my God!? Did we just have a civil semi- conversation?"

"I think so" They both looked surprised. "Oh, you want anything?"

"Just coffee. I'm waiting for Sookie. and Rory." She paused before she said Rory's name, wanting to catch his expression. A small smile crossed his face that he quickly hid. Lorelai caught it though. Sookie walked in just as Jess brought over the coffee.

"Hey Sookie"

"Hey Lor"

"How's the produce?"

"Ah, just perfect. Jackson's so excited."

"Go figure. So, should we eat first or talk first?"

"Lets eat. Hey, shouldn't we wait for Rory?"

"Nah, she can catch up. Hey, diner boy!" Jess looked up from 'My Antonia' at the sound of Lorelai's voice.

"Whatcha want?" he asked, heading towards the table.

"Two burgers, two fries. What about you?" Lorelai said looking at Sookie.

"You're crazy" Jess mumbled under his breath.

"Aw, you're sounding more and more like Luke everyday. Speaking of Luke, where is he?"

"He went to Doose's to get some stuff. Probably got in an argument with Taylor."

"And he trusted you, here, alone, with the diner?"

"Yep. I think he's lost it."

"Or maybe he trusts you."

"He'd be the first"

"No he wouldn't." Lorelai looked at Jess. He knew what she meant. She meant Rory. There was a secret apology in those three words that only Lorelai and Jess understood. Rory trusted him would no one else would. And it turned out that everyone else was wrong. Jess just half-smirked, half-smiled and headed back to give the order to Caesar.

"Wow. He was kinda nice" Sookie looked surprised.

"Okay. Can I tell you a secret that I don't think is a secret anymore, but even if it is it won't be soon?

"Huh?"

" Rory broke up with Dean. She kissed Jess at your wedding, went to Washington without talking to him, came back, told me, and decided to break up with Dean because she likes Jess." Lorelai looked almost excited.

"Wow. At my wedding? Wow. Is this good or not?" Sookie asked, trying to contain her excitement for fear that Lorelai wasn't happy with this.

"Oh, this is good. I think." Lorelai looked puzzled for a minute. " Rory really likes Jess, she might even love him. And I think Jess is trying to be an okay kid and I have to at least try to accept this because of her..."

"Hence the friendly conversation..."

"Right. Plus, I think he really cares about her."

"Oh, this is so romantic! Big city bad boy falls for small town good girl. It reminds me of that Journey song, 'Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world, she took the midnight train going anywhere."

"Sook, no need for the singing"

" 'Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit, he took the midnight train going anywhere' " She continued singing just as Rory entered.

"What's going on? The town is acting weird." Rory asked, sitting down next to Sookie.

"Since when is it not acting weird?" Lorelai asked. Sookie pipped up.

"I think I heard Kirk say that he heard something about Dean and some girl and then you and Jess in the diner. I don't really pay attention to Kirk, so I didn't catch it all."

"Oh, nobody knows that Dean and I broke up yet."

"And what about you and Jess?" Lorelai wiggled he eyebrows.

"Still in negotations" Just then, he brought the burgers over.

"Hey Ror. What something?"

"Same please. And coffee."

"Sure" He headed back just as Luke stormed into the diner.

"Jess!" he yelled.

"I didn't do it"

"What this about you and Rory making out behind the diner this morning"

"What?"

"Jess, I just spent thirty minutes listening to Taylor tell me how its my fault that you're corrupting Rory 'cause I brought you here, twice. I swear, if you..."

"Look, I don't know what your talking about. I went over to her house, we talked, she came here, we talked, she went home, now she's here again. That's all that happened. Since when do you take Taylor seriously?"

He ignored Jess' last question and turned to Rory. "Jess is telling the truth. Nothing else happened."

"Jeez, Luke lighten up." Lorelai said. "Its just the crazy town being, well, crazy. Just ignore it. Actually, watch it, its quite amusing." Luke just sighed, glared uncertainly at Jess and went to the back to unload the groceries. Rory had just recieved her food.

"RORY!" Lane barreled into the diner. "Guess what?"

The three at the table focused on Lane as she sat down with them.

"What?" they all asked at once.

"Oh, wait. How's the whole Jess/Dean thing going?"

"Fine. Jess and I talked and I think we're okay. Now, whats your big news?"

"Right, big news. I just wanted to make sure that everything with you was okay before I came in here all happy in case you were not-so-happy and...."

"Lane! Info please!?!" Lorelai interupted, interested to see what Lane's new prediciment was.

"Oh, right. K, first of all, I'm in a band!"

"Woa, cool" Rory responded.

"And there's this guy..."

"Ooo, two romances in one day" Sookie stated, clearly excited.

"His name is Adam and he plays the bass and he's tall and handsome and he likes music, not just the new stuff, EVERYTHING. He's American and he wants to tour after High School and my mother would absolutely hate him!"

"A match made in heaven" Lorelai was not surprised that Lane's new infatuatiuon would be forbidden by Mrs. Kim.

"He's perfect."

"I can't wait to meet him." Rory:)

"I let you know when our next practice is. Oh jeez, I'd better go sneek back in before my mom notices that I'm not doing my biology. Bye guys!"

"Someone's excited about her new venture." Lorelai laughed. The three women continued eating and laughing for about an hour before they parted. Lor and Rory arrived home at about seven-thirty. They each headed to their rooms to change into their pj's and they settled on the couch.

"Rory, the answering machine is blinking. Hit the button."

"But I just sat down"

"So did I. And I have this nice warm spot that my butt fits into perfectly."

"Fine, just quit whining." Rory begrudgingly got up and hit the 'PLAY' button on the machine. A familar voice echoed off of the walls.

"Hey, um, its me, Christopher. Guess you guys are out, or are just avoiding me. Come on, please talk to me Lor. I didn't mean for this to happen. But I have to be with Sherry and......." Rory hit the delete button. It was the fourth message he'd left that week. "I can't believed he called again." Rory was visibly frustrated.

"Hun, come sit down. Ya okay?"

"I guess. He just makes me so mad!"

"Me too."

"You okay."

"Sure. Hey, we'll live, remember?"

"Yep"

"What about Dean? You know, with the other girl?"

"Oh, I'm, fine with that. I mean, I don't know what's going on with me and Jess yet, but there's something there, I think. I honestly don't care what Dean does, as long as he's happy."

"You sure? 'Cause you can tell me"

"Positive"

"Lets get this evening started! The night is young, we could easily fit in three movies."

"You have work"

"Okay, two?"

"Two it is"

"We'll start woth Willy Wonka, of cousre and end with..." Lorelai trailed off and looked to Rory.

"I don't know. You choose both. I insist." Lorelai thought for a moment before responding.

"How about One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* A/N: What'd ya think? I hope the ending wasn't too corny. Tell me what ya think. Again, I'm sorry it took so long to write it. More soon.

'And now for a taste of things to come...' (again, Mortal Kombat)

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER! {Dun Dun Dun}