Chapter 4

Oompah Loompahs and The Haydens

Disclaimer:  I got nothin'…

Recap: Christopher is back, and an upset Rory seeks comfort in Jess's arms.  And now, on with the show!

At the bridge:

Rory and Jess had been sitting there for almost an hour.  Her tears had slowed, but Jess continued to hold her. 

Rory looked up at him, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Leaning on you like this… it's not that big of a deal- I mean, I'm going to have to face my dad eventually.  It might as well be now, right?"

Jess lost himself in Rory's entrancing eyes, "Ror it's not a problem.  You can lean on me any time you want you know that right?"  Rory nodded.

After a moment of silence Jess spoke again, "You want me to take you home?"

Rory smiled weakly, "Yeah."

Jess stood and offered a hand to Rory.  She took it and he helped her up.  Together they walked hand in hand to the Gilmore household.  They soon arrived and went inside.

Rory plopped down on the sofa, exhausted.

"Coffee?" Jess suggested.

"We didn't make any this morning…"

"I didn't ask if you had coffee Ror, I asked if you wanted any."

A genuine smile found its way to Rory's face, "That'd be great."

Jess went into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee and Rory dug Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory out of the most recent pile of movies on the floor.  Jess entered the living room carrying Rory's coffee when the phone rang.  Rory put down the video.

"Aren't you going to get that?"

"I'm not supposed to be home."

"Shouldn't you get it anyway?"

"You can."

Jess groaned and picked up the phone, "Hello?"

"Uh, yes I'm calling for Lorelai?"

"She's not in."

"Who is this?"

"Who's asking?"  Rory elbowed Jess for his rudeness.  He leaned closer to her and she put her head against his so they could both hear the woman on the line.

"This is Sherri Hayden.  I'd like to speak with Lorelai." [A/N- I decided Chris and Sherri got married…]

Jess glanced at Rory, whose eyes were filled with surprise.

"Lorelai isn't here."  Jess said simply.

"Is Rory there?"

Jess looked at her, and Rory nodded, "Sure, one moment."

Rory took the phone, but continued to let Jess listen.

"Hello?"

"Rory darling!  This is Sherri!"

"What do you want?"

"Oh, Rory that's no way to speak to your stepmother is it?" Sherri asked a little too cheerfully.  Her tone disgusted Jess, and his expression made Rory laugh.

"Why did you call?" Rory got to the point.

"Have you seen your father?"

"You know Sherri, I actually have seen my dad once or twice."

"Rory, honey I meant recently."

"Yes."

"You have?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Today."

"Is he there now?  That didn't sound like him on the phone before…"

"It wasn't."

"Oh.  Well if you see him will you have him call me?"

"Uh huh."

"Thanks sweetie!"

"Bye."  Rory hung up the phone frustrated.  She picked up her coffee and took a long sip.  Jess looked at her expectantly.

"What?"

"You okay?"

Rory smiled, "Yeah.  I have officially forgotten she called."

Jess put his arm around Rory's shoulders, "Maybe you ought to remember long enough to tell Lorelai." He suggested.

"Okay" Rory laughed in agreement.  She put her cup down and reached for the video, "Movie?"

"Yeah."

Rory stood, and put the tape into the VCR.  She hit play and snuggled back into Jess's arms.  The opening sequence began and Jess groaned, "Aw Ror, not Willy Wonka again!"

She playfully hit him, "You know you like it."

Jess acquiesced, and allowed Rory to rest her head on his shoulder.  He kissed the top of her head and she looked up at him beaming.

"I love you Jess."

"I love you too Ror."

They settled in to watch the movie.

Luke's:

Amber enters Luke's diner to find Luke serving coffee to Kirk.

"Hey!" she greeted him.

"Where's Jess?"

"With Rory."

"She okay?"

"Dunno."

Kirk, who had obviously already heard that the two were related, turned to Luke, "Does your whole family speak in that monosyllabic manner?"

Luke glared at Kirk and went back behind the counter.  Amber took a seat on one of the stools, "Sooo…"

"What?" Luke asked, seeing Amber's expression.

"Isn't it kind of disturbing to have an obsession with the mother of your nephew's girlfriend?"

"No." Luke said defensively, "Wait, what?"

"You heard me.  You like Lorelai."

"I do not."

"You can't lie to me Luke Danes."

"Oh yes I can."

"So you admit you're lying?"

"What?! NO!"

Luke was very frustrated, and turning red in the face.  Amber laughed and dropped the subject just as Miss Patty entered.

"Hello Luke!" she said excitedly.

"Hi.  What can I get you?"

"Oh, honey, I'd love an introduction…"

Luke groaned, "Patty, Amber.  Amber, Patty."  He picked up his order pad and walked away.

"Mmmm" Miss Patty sighed as she watched Luke walk away.  She then noticed Amber's look of confusion, "What I wouldn't give for a little of that!"

Amber, shocked, and quite disgusted, quickly excused herself and went upstairs.  She wandered into Jess's room and lay down on his bed, her head filled with thoughts of this crazy town's insane inhabitants.  She soon fell asleep.  She didn't even hear Lorelai come into the diner downstairs begging for coffee a few hours later.

RING

"Luke's." he answered gruffly.

"Luke?"

"Jess?"

"Yeah, listen, when Lorelai gets there tell her Rory's at home okay?"

"Sure.  Is she alright?"

"She will be…"

Luke hears Rory singing along with the Oompah Loompahs in the background, "You're not watching that with her are you?"

Luke could almost hear Jess's smirk, "Anything for Rory."

Gilmore house:

The movie had ended, and Rory had fallen asleep with her head in Jess's lap.  He was playing with her hair when the doorbell rang.  He got up carefully, gently putting a pillow under Rory's head.  He then went to the door and opened it to see Christopher standing there.  He slammed the door shut, only to hear more pounding from the other side.  Jess breathed a deep sigh and opened the door again.

"Who the hell are you?" Christopher demanded.

"You talk like that with your kid present?" Jess inquired, motioning towards the baby.

"I said who the hell are you?" Chris repeated, this time yelling.

"Oh, don't get so excited."  Christopher glared at Jess and started to yell again, "Listen kid-"

"My girlfriend is asleep, I'd prefer you didn't wake her."

"Your girlfriend?" Chris asked with disdain.

"Yes.  She's had a rough day, you know with her father randomly showing up and all."

"Rory's your girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"What happened to Dean?"

"With any luck he died."

"What?"

"Nothing.  They broke up."

"Oh.  So who are you?"

"Jess Mariano."

Christopher extended his hand to Jess, but he didn't take it.

"Listen, Rory's asleep and Lorelai's not here.  You should probably go."

"Fine." And with that, Christopher left.  Jess rolled his eyes and went back inside closing the door silently behind him.  Rory was awake and sitting up one the couch.  Jess sat beside her and she leaned in to him, "I thought you left."

"Nah just had to get the door."

"Who was it?"

"No one."

"Liar."

"Yeah well, it was your dad… I got rid of him- I doubt he'll stay away though."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"Did the movie end?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"A while ago…"

"I missed the best part!  We have to watch it again!"

"No way."  Jess stated firmly.

Rory giggled and hugged Jess, "You wanna watch something else?"

"Whatever you want."

Rory thought for a moment, then got up and went to her room, motioning for Jess to follow.  Jess sat down on Rory's bed when he saw her looking through her bookcase.  Rory finally decided and handed the book to Jess.  She curled up next to him on her bed and listened as he read to her.

Luke's

"PLEASE???" Lorelai whimpered, "Luke I REALLY need coffee!"

"No."

"Please?  I'll love you forever!"  she promised.

"Have you been home yet?"

"What? No, why?"

"Rory's waiting for you."

Gilmore House:

"Rory?" Lorelai called as she entered the house around 10 p.m.

"Sorry I'm so late!  Michel was-" Lorelai stopped, realizing she didn't know that Rory was home or even listening to her.

"Ror?" She proceeded into the living room where she saw the 'snowy' TV screen and the Willy Wonka video box on the coffee table. 

"Rory? You home?"

Lorelai went into Rory's room to see Rory and Jess asleep with a book in between them.  She quietly left and sat on the couch in the living room with a pint of Ben & Jerry's.  Lorelai sighed; she still couldn't get used to Rory and Jess together, "I guess I'll have to…" Lorelai thought to herself, and then picked up the phone.

RING

"Luke's."

"Hey."

"Hey.  Did you talk to Rory?"

"Nah she's asleep."

"Jess?"

"Asleep too.  I'll send him your way in the morning."

"Okay."

"Is there something I need to talk to Rory about?" Lorelai asked, now worried.

"Uhhhh, well………"

"Luke!"

"I think she'd want to tell you herself."

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah I think she'll be fine.  She's got Jess."

"Ugh."

"Lorelai."  Luke warned.

"Okay, okay.  I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright.  Goodnight Lorelai."

"Be sure you have coffee ready for me Diner-Man!"

"Goodbye Lorelai."

"Night Lukey."