Chapter four

"Rory!  You up yet?" Lorelei called opening Rory's bedroom door.  "I was thinking we could go to Luke's and get coffee and then go to- Rory?"  Lorelei ran over to her daughter's empty bed.  She saw that Rory's coat and boots were gone.  "That evil child of mine went off again to Luke's without me.  How could she leave her wonderful, spectacular, beautiful, loving, caring, talented, and much, much more mother?"  Lorelei said aloud to herself.  "I have trained grasshopper well."

Lorelei ran upstairs to get changed.  She figured she would go to Luke's and meet Rory there.

*****

On the bridge Rory and Jess were cuddled together sleeping, both shivering.  Jess woke up and saw where he was and who he was with and started to panic.  They were going to get in so much trouble and especially Rory, and they hadn't even done anything but read and kiss.  They didn't fall asleep on purpose.

"Rory wake up. Rory!"  Jess shook Rory trying to wake her up.  He didn't want to 'cause she looked so beautiful lying there, but he knew he had to.

"Mom, I don't want to go to school.  I hate it and I wanna quit- Jess?  What are you doing in my room?"

"Look around Rory.  Were not in your room."

"You mean it wasn't a dream?"

"Yeah.  It was real."

Reality started kicking back in with her and then she started to panic.  "My mom is going to kill me!  I need to go.  I'm sorry.  Bye!"  She ran off toward her house, snowflakes falling.

She ran past Luke's wishing she could stop for coffee.  "I guess one cup wouldn't hurt."

She ran to the door and saw it was closed.  "Luke's is closed at 10:30 on a Sunday morning?"  She knew where a hidden key was so she unlocked the door and went inside.  She heard some noise from the kitchen and went in.  "MOM!?"  Lorelei Gilmore and Luke Danes were making out in the kitchen at Luke's diner!

"Oh my God, Rory!"  They both said at the same time.

"We were just um, your mom was upset that um, you weren't here and she didn't know where you were and she started panicking and-"

"And it just happened sweety.  We didn't mean it to happen.  Nothing really did happen.  YOU NEVER SAW THIS HAPPEN!"  Lorelei knew if Rory told one person, just one, it would be all over town.

"Ok.  I guess I should leave."

"No, Rory, wait, have some coffee before you go."  Luke said.

"Yeah, and plus I need to talk to you."

"Ok."

Luke went to go get some coffee for them while Lorelei and Rory went to sit down on a barstool.

"So where were you this morning?  I thought you went to Luke's without me and then when you weren't here and Luke said he hadn't seen you since yesterday I was so worried."

"I was, um, just-"

"Wait one minute.  I'll be right back."  Lorelei went into the kitchen practically running.

"Luke?"

"Yeah."

"Is Jess here?"

"Um, no, I don't think so.  Now that you mention it I don't remember him coming back upstairs last night."

"Oh my God."  She ran back to Rory.  "Were you with Jess last night?  Is that why you weren't home or here?"

"I just went out for a walk last night and found myself at the bridge and Jess saw me passing the diner so he brought me some coffee, a book, and a blanket, and we just read some then had a tickle fight and-"

"Oh know.  Not the tickle fight!  I've warned you about those!  You kissed him didn't you?"

"Yeah, but nothing else happened.  I swear!  We just fell asleep on accident.  You and Luke probably did more than we did."

"Now young lady, it is rude to speak to your mother that way you know.  Well, I guess I'll forgive you this time, but if you ever do this again, you will be in so much trouble you'd think I was your grandmother punishing you!"

"Yes mom."

"Can I just ask you one question?"

"You just did."

"That is so old Rory!  What am I going to do with you?"

"I don't know.  What did you want to know?"

"Why Jess?"

"Well, because, he's really nice and we have a lot in common, you know, with books and music, and there's just something about him.  I don't know.  I just wish that you would like him."

"Oh honey I do like him!  I just think he is dangerous."

"He would never do anything to hurt me-"

"On purpose."

"Mom!  Please.  Just trust us, ok?"

"Ok.  Sorry.  One more thing.  How was the kiss?"

"Mom. . . . ."

"Come on!  Tell me or you can't date him."

"Ok, ok.  Fine.  It was wonderful!  It was so much better than Dean's.  His were always so boring and dull, but Jess's, his are exciting and mysterious, yet sweet and soft.  I feel safe with him mom, I can't help it.  I can't stop thinking about him."

"I know the feeling."