Authors Note: Sorry it's taken me a couple of days to get this up. I've been busy. – But thank you too my reviewers! I'm glad that you all like it so far. Every comment made my day, and I haven't been having very good days lately. So thank you to all who commented! You cheered me up.

To: a tattered rose; I did write 'speaked,' didn't I? Oops. I meant 'spoke.' Hah, I feel dumb now. My mind must not have been working right when I wrote that. :D

To: Amanda; you lost me in your comment. Box? lol. You're right, you weren't making much sense. But I'm glad to hear you don't find this boring. :D Thanks.

To: Everyone reading this; Tomorrow morning, I'm having surgery, so I don't know when the next chapter to this will be up… I'm hoping to make this a long chapter, or too write more then one chapter to make up for the time that I'll be bed-ridden.

Oh yeah, also… the way that some things happened when Jess got there, I'm… you know, changing it around some. This is my fiction, so… yep. Just thought I'd get that across. – On with the story now! [Haha, that reminded me of "Oy with the poodles already."]

OH OH! Also! There's no Dean in this one! Well, actually, he's in here, but him and Rory aren't together. Yeah. That's all. Promise.

Disclaimer: if I owned them, wouldn't you think my ideas would be on the show? Though I am taking some lines directly from Nick & Nora, Sid & Nancy

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            Mom and I listened to Luke babble on about his sister calling, asking if his nephew could crash there for awhile; and being the family guy he is, agreed. But now he was wigging. He was so cute when he got this way.

            "I begged my mom for a brother or for no sibling at all! But no, she had to have Liz. Jeeze." He said exasperated.

            "Luke, calm down. If you need any help, which you will; Rory and I will be here for you." Mom told him. He smiled at her. Smile at me, smile at me! My thoughts screamed.

            "Thanks." He turned to me, "You're a teenager, so you'll be a large amount of help." I grinned shyly up at him.

            "Hope so." He chuckled.

            "Will we be rewarded in coffee?" Mom ruined the moment. He was smiling at me, I was smiling at him. I sighed. He even asked for my help. He did when he first walked in actually. Helping Luke; I'd do that anytime.

            "If he doesn't run away, sure."

            "How about a down payment?" I asked.

            "What do you think I am?" He asked, grabbing to cups and a pot of coffee.

            "Made of coffee." Mom answered. I giggled, bringing the cup to my lips and taking a sip of the steaming coffee. I looked up at Luke, who was smiling at mom.

            "I better get to the other customers." He stammered. Mom smiled and nodded as I frowned.

            "So, plans for tonight?" Mom's attention was turned back to me.

            "Studying."

            "Studying? What do you need to study for? Your darling mother was hoping for some quality time with her favorite daughter."

            "You're spending quality time with me right now." I looked into my half full coffee cup. Or was it half empty? I had just drunk half, so yeah, it's half empty. If he had only filled it half way, then it would be half full.

            "But there are other people around right now. I meant alone time. In the privacy of our house. With movies. And junk food. And coffee."

            "Tomorrow, okay mom? I really need to study tonight." I looked from her to Luke, who was filling Kirk's coffee cup. He looked up at me and smiled, causing me to smile back and the butterflies to fill my stomach.

            "Fine. I'll get you though."

            "Tomorrow. You'll get me tomorrow."

            "Rory…" Her hand waving in front of my face startled me, "Why are you staring at Luke like he's a giant cup of coffee?"

            "What are you talking about? He's holding a pot of coffee and I'm almost out!" I defended myself.

            "Well, instead of staring like that, call him over here. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were undressing him with your eyes." I felt myself blush when she said that. "I bet that man's skin is made of flannel." I noticed her gaze at him the way I had been; it was a look of longing. The feeling of jealousy overcame me, but I immediately pushed it away. It wasn't like that between mom and Luke. It couldn't be. I'd make sure of it.

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            "Luke's nephew is here." Mom said as I walked through the front door.

            "Oh? Did you meet him?" I walked into the living room, taking a seat next to her on the couch.

            "Yes, as a matter of fast I did. His name's Jess, not very chatty. But hey, what can you expect? He's new in town." I nodded. "Cute though. I bet you'd like him." She grinned at me.

            "Why do you keep trying to hook me up with guys? My priorities are on school right now. It has my undivided attention."

            "Obviously. I couldn't believe when you wouldn't even give Bag Boy a chance."

            "I don't need a boyfriend. I don't want a boyfriend." Unless it were Luke, I thought. We were meant to be; it's destined for us to be together. I just know it is.

            "You're the weirdest kid I know."

            "Thank you." I grinned at her. "And it is now time for your weird kid to go study."

            "No! Stay and play with mommy." She pouted.

            "Mom," I said sternly.

            "Fine. Go study." I left to go to my room. Reaching the kitchen, she yelled, "Oh yeah, company tonight! Luke, Jess, Sookie and Jackson are coming over. Sookie's on her way now, she's going to cook us a feast."

            I groaned, "Why aren't you allowing me to study?"

            "You can study until they all get here, eat, then go back to studying; you boring little rat."

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            "Jackson grows fruit and then scare people with it." I heard mom say as I finished up an assignment on my computer. "Rory, they're here."

            "Coming," I turned in my chair to see who I assumed to be Jess. "Hey." I smiled at him.

            "Hey." He said, casually walking into my room. Without realizing it, I checked him out.

            "I'm Rory."

            "Yeah, I figured." He was cute. Really cute. Other than Luke, I had never really looked at any guy long enough to even notice. I didn't even have to look long to realize this guy was wall material. You could definitely put a picture of him up and never be ashamed. In the words of mom, 'hubba, hubba.'

            "Nice to meet you." Nice to meet you? God, what a dork I am. Jess walked over to my bookshelf, his eyes scanning over the titles.

            "Wow, aren't we hooked on phonics."

            "Oh, I read a lot. Do you read?"

            "Not much." Of course he didn't read much. Look at him; he's too gorgeous to read. He's too bad ass. God Rory, stop! You don't know this guy. Now Luke, you know.

            He took my copy of Howl out of its place, looking it over. "I could loan you that if you want. It's great."

            "No thanks." He said, putting it down.

            "Well, if you change your mind…"

            "Okay, we really need to get Jackson away from the lemons now, so we're moving the feast into the living room." Mom poked her head in the door, and then walked away.

            "Be right there." I said, then turning to Jess.

            "So do these open?" He was standing at my window.

            "Oh yeah, you just have to unlatch them and then push."

            "Great, shall we?" He reached out his hand to unlock them.

            "Shall we what?"

            "Bail."

            "No."

            "Why?" He asked. I wasn't about to bail on a night that Luke was in my house… oh my God! Luke's already here… I'm wasting my precious time with Luke in here with this… this… guy.

            "Because it's Tuesday night in Stars Hollow. There's nowhere to bail to. The 24-hour mini-mart just closed twenty minutes ago." I stammered.

            "So we'll walk around or sit on a bench and stare at our shoes." Wow, this guy doesn't give up.

            "Look, Sookie just made a ton of really great food, and I'm starving and though it may not seem like it right at this moment, it's gonna be fun. Trust me." Man, I want to get out of here and in there with Luke.

            "I don't even know you."

            "Well, don't I look trustworthy?"

            "Maybe." Give it up kid, we're not going! My mind screamed.

            "Okay, good. Let's eat." I walked out of my room into the kitchen. "You want a soda?"

            "Oh, I'll get it." He said, starting over to the fridge.

            "Okay." I nodded, scurrying off into the living room. I grinned when I spotted Luke. I sat next to him, "Hey."

            "Hey, did you meet Jess?" He asked. I noticed mom leave and go into the kitchen.

            "Yeah… interesting kid."

            "Doesn't have very good verbal skills, wouldn't ya say?"

            "I'd say a certain someone I know isn't very well at the communication thing as well."

            "You shouldn't talk about your mom that way." He joked. I grinned, nudging him. I loved being next to him. He smelled of cheeseburgers and onion rings. God, he smelled good.

A.N.: Soooo. What'd ya think? Comments sure would be nice. :D