** Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Gilmore Girls. If I were that all powerful then Jess would be staying put! So, in summation... Please don't sue me!**

Luke looked up from wiping down the counter in the diner. Jess, Rory and Lorelai sat at the table by the window. They were the only other people in the diner besides him.

He smiled at them as he walked over and turned the 'Open' sign to 'Closed'.

Loreali finished the last drop of coffee in her cup and held it in the air.

"I loooooooove you!" She sang at Luke.

Luke rolled his eyes and walked back to the counter to retrieve the coffee pot.

"Anyone else want anything, kitchen's closing." He said as he refilled Lorelai's cup.

"Could I get some fries?" Asked Jess.

"Oooh, can I share?" Rory smiled at him.

"Sure." He said, kissing her lightly.

Luke smiled again and walked away.

"So anyway, as I was saying, there's this rabbit…" Started Lorelai, giggling to herself. "…and…"

"And the rabbit says, 'How about that schnitzel!'." Sighed Rory, looking at Jess to see his reaction.

"Uh! You totally ruined my joke!" Pouted Lorelai.

"I don't get it." Frowned Jess, as he looked from Lorelai to Rory in confusion.

"Don't worry about it, there's nothing to get." Smiled Rory.

"How about that schnitzel is a great punch line, if used appropriately!" Said Lorelai.

"It's not a punch line." Rory said, shaking her head.

"Ah, what would you know, you're young and naïve."

"And you're old and insane, so I guess we both have issues." Smiled Rory sweetly.

"I resent that!"

"I thought you might."

Jess watched them arguing and smiled to himself.

He had been in Stars Hollow for almost 4 months. He still didn't feel like he was a small town kind of guy, but he was getting used to living like one.

Rory was the one thing that made it bearable, but Lorelai had definitely taken a liking to him since he arrived. He knew it was because Rory had been her old self since he moved to town, but he also knew that he and Lorelai had some things in common too.

Luke hadn't known what to do with him at first. He had no children of his own, so he was at a loss. Lorelai had helped out there also. She calmed him down when he panicked, and gave him rational alternatives to his irrational ideas.

Hearing the phone ringing and his name being said, he was pulled away from his thoughts.

"What?"

"I said, don't you agree that, 'How about that schnitzel!', is a great punch line?" asked Lorelai.

He looked at her pleading eyes, and then looked over at Rory, who was pleading just as hard.

"I uh… don't think I should comment." He smiled.

"Wussy." Said Lorelai, rolling her eyes. "You'll never marry my daughter, I'm telling you now!" She teased, shaking her finger at him. "She needs a good strong man who stands up for what he believes in."

"Yeah, and you need a straight jacket and a few good strong men in a white coats." Smiled Rory.

Lorelai smiled and scrunched her nose up at Rory, and Rory did the same back at her. She looked at her watch and sighed.

"Ok missy, time to get home. You have school tomorrow."

"But… the fries!" Pouted Rory.

"Luke, what's taking so long?!" Lorelai shouted at Luke, who was deep in conversation on the phone, he held up his hand, requesting that they didn't interrupt.

"You can't do that." Said Luke. "I don't care, it's not right. You're being selfish. This is just like you! You're only ever thinking about yourself, screw everyone else, right?!" He looked angry.

"That'd be mommy." Said Jess, faking a big smile.

"How do you know." Frowned Lorelai.

"I heard the word's 'you're being selfish' and 'you're only ever thinking about yourself'. I put two and two together." He sighed, Rory put her arm around him.

"Yeah well, I'll tell him, but if he doesn't want to I'm not making him. Yeah, yeah you do that!" Said Luke, slamming the phone down. He looked over at Jess.

"So? What's she done this time?" He asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"She uh… she just broke up with that… Barry guy." He said.

"Wow, and here's me thinking that was for life." Said Jess sarcastically.

"Yeah, well, he's gone. And she's lonely."

"Poor Baby." Sighed Lorelai.

"She doesn't wanna' spend the holidays alone." Said Luke, looking at the floor.

"She wants you to go home for Christmas?" Asked Rory, looking sad. "I thought you were spending Christmas with us."

Jess was still looking at Luke, who was trying his best not to make eye contact with any of them.

"She doesn't want me to go home for the holidays, does she?" He asked.

"No… she wants you to go home for good." Sighed Luke.

"Are you kidding me?" Asked Lorelai.

"No." Said Luke.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No." He repeated.

"If I ask a third time, do you think the outcome will be different?" She asked.

"No."

"But… she can't make you go." Said Rory, hugging Jess tighter. "Can she?" She asked Lorelai.

Lorelai looked at Luke.

"Pretty much. I mean… she's his mother." He said.

"If you use the term 'mother' loosely." Sneered Jess.

"Anyway… she can. He's not 18 yet and until he is, she can have as many insane episodes as she wants, and they can affect him as she pleases."

"I'd call that child abuse." Said Lorelai.

"I'd call that my sister." Sighed Luke. "She wants him home for Christmas, or she's coming here to get him."

"Oh, joy." Laughed Jess.

"Jess, this is serious." Said Luke.

"Yeah, well, I'd like to see her force me to do anything." He said, just as seriously.

"She forced you to come here." Sighed Lorelai.

"Yeah well, part of me was glad to be getting away from her. But…" He looked at Rory. "I'm not going anywhere this time."

"Jess…"

"Luke, I mean it. I'm not. I've spent my whole life watching people come running when she snaps her fingers. I'm not gonna' be one of those people." He said, shaking his head. "She can keep snapping her fingers until she gets down to bone if she wants to. And then maybe I'll take her a band-aid or something, but…" He said, still not taking it seriously.

"Jess, if she wants you back in New York, she'll get her way. She can… call any number of people to have you sent back… I'm sure." Said Lorelai sympathetically.

"I'm betting she can have me arrested if I don't send you back or if I try and stop her taking you." Said Luke and Lorelai nodded in agreement.

"Then don't stop her. I just won't go."

"I'm betting she can have the police escort you." Said Lorelai.

"Seriously?" Asked Rory.

"I don't know, babe. Maybe." Said Lorelai, reaching across the table and squeezing Rory's hand.

Jess sighed deeply, he could feel them all watching him.

He got up, walked over to the phone and started dialing. There was a pause while he waited for Liz to pick up.

"Hey." He said. "Yeah, he told me. No… I'm happy here. I'm sorry to hear that but… Look… you're the one who sent me here, ok, so don't …. No, I don't want to come back. You can try, but you won't succeed! I'm not talking back to you, I'm telling you, you're not taking me back to New York. No! Yeah, good luck with that!" He shouted into the phone before slamming it down just as Luke had.

"Well, I know what I'm getting you for Christmas." Said Lorelai, nodding towards the phone. Luke smiled softly at her attempts to lighten his mood.

Jess stood for a minute, taking deep breaths.

"God, Damnit!" He yelled, startling them all.

Rory got up and went over to him.

"Hey." She said softly, reaching up and touching his cheek with her hand.

His features softened when she touched him. He looked at her.

"It's ok." She said reassuringly, kissing him. He hugged her.

"Poor kid." Said Lorelai quietly as Luke sat beside her.

"I know. He didn't ask to get a whack job for a mother." Sighed Luke and they watched the affection between Rory and Jess.

"There isn't anything we can do?" Asked Lorelai.

"I don't know. I hope so…"

Luke looked at Lorelai.

"You ok?" She asked softly.

"I'm fine. I just feel bad for the guy." Lorelai nodded.

She planted a small kiss on Luke's cheek and then used her thumb to rub away any traces of lipstick.

"What was that for?" He smiled.

"'Cos…" She grinned at him.

"That's not a reason."

"I don't need one." She smiled, doing it again on the other cheek.

"You're incorrigible, you know that?"

"Fully aware and totally proud! Now, kiss!" She said, pointing at her lips.

"You can't command…"

She placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled him towards her, forcing him to kiss her.

"Thank You!" She grinned. He smiled and shook his head.

"What have I gotten myself into?" He asked and she winked at him.

"Rory… hun…" Started Lorelai, hating to break up the embrace she and Jess so obviously needed.

"I know… I'm coming." She sighed, letting go of Jess slowly. "I'll see you tomorrow." She said quietly to him. He nodded and kissed her.

"Bye." He said, forcing a smile and half waving to Lorelai.

"Bye." She smiled supportively at him as she opened the door. "See ya' bright and early." She said, kissing Luke one last time.

"If 9am is bright and early." He said, rolling his eyes.

"It is." She stated, not allowing him to argue,

"Ok, bright and early." He smiled at her, holding the door open so she and Rory could leave.

Lorelai put and arm around Rory and they left. Luke looked over at Jess who was still standing in the same spot. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything at all.