DON'T WORRY BABY

CHAPTER 9 – Phase 1 - Jess

The next morning, Rory walked into Luke's diner, looking glum.

"Hey Ror.  What's wrong?"  Luke asked.

"Huh?  Oh, nothing."  She faked a smile.  "Is Jess around?"

"His shift started 25 minutes ago.  So of course he's still in bed" He smiled and gestured to the stairs.  "Go on up."

"Thanks Luke."  She faked another smile and went upstairs.

When she reached the apartment she walked right inside and found Jess still in bed.  She sat down beside him and he woke up.

"Mmmm.  Hey there."

 "Hi Jess."  She gave him a quick, half-hearted kiss.

"What's wrong?"  He asked.  "Do I have really bad morning breath?"

Tears started forming in her eyes.  "It's my mom."

"What happ… oh."  Jess realized what the problem was and pulled her into a hug.  "Oh.  So she…"

"..She didn't take it too well."

"Oh Ror.  I'm sorry."  He hugged her tight.

"Jess, I'm scared."

"Rory…"

"No Jess.  You didn't hear how she was talking."  She pulled away.  "She was really mad.  Going on about how you're supposedly going to leave me after you get a bit more, and you're going to leave me broken hearted.  It was really bad."

"Rory, you know that's never going to happen."

"Do I?"

"Rory…"

"No.  How do I really know that you're not going to leave me after we f*** a bit more."  She stood up and started pacing.  "Cause that's all it probably is to you.  Just f***ing."

"Rory, you know that's not true."  He stood up and tried to hug her again, but she pulled away.

"No!  I just… it was a mistake to come up here.  I have to go."  She left the apartment.

Jess ran out after her as she made her way into the diner in just his boxers, where Lorelai was standing with an evil look in her eyes.

"Jess."  She stated simply.

"Lorelai.  I would never…"  He started, oblivious to the rest of the customers staring at him.

"Never what?"

"I would never hurt Rory.  She's really special.  And I love her."

"I know."

"…and I… What?"

"I know."

"You…"

"I know that you would never do anything to hurt Rory."  Lorelai smiled.

"Then what…?"  He saw Rory smiling.  He pointed, confused.  "You.  I.  You."

Lorelai and Rory started laughing.

"You planned this?  What?" 

"Gotcha!"  Lorelai said.

"You.  I.  You."  He started to smile, then realized he was wearing only his boxers.  "That's really mean."

Lorelai laughed.  "My daughter, the drama queen."  She turned to Rory.  "Hun, did you ever think of taking drama?"

Rory smiled and nodded satisfactorily.  "I was pretty convincing, wasn't I?"

"You.  I.  You."  Jess said.

Lorelai kept laughing.  "I think we established the whole 'you.  I.  You.' thing."  She got another mischievous look in her eyes.  "So Jess, do you wanna put some clothes on and be in on phase 2 of our evil plan?"