AN: Been on vacation for Christmas, back East with the fam. Sorry for the delay, but here's the next chapter.

Ella came down the main staircase of the Dragonfly Inn the following morning, not wholly awake, but lured by the promise of Sookie's Apple Pancakes before hitting the road. It wasn't often that she got such a treat, and knew better than to turn it down. Not that her parents couldn't cook—both could boil water and make edible food. But there was nothing normal about Sookie's food. It was like ingesting heaven. When she reached the dining room, she found Billy and Jane, already seated and drinking coffee.

"Hey, Popcorn," Sookie greeted her as she came out to see the group before they took off. She was glad Billy was going along, if only to expose himself to the possibility of achieving higher education goals than he currently held. She liked Ella, and was glad that they seemed to be getting along so well, but that wasn't her main concern. She was hoping more of her academic aspirations than lipstick would rub off on him this weekend.

"Morning, Sookie," Ella smiled, sliding into a seat and pouring coffee into her mug. She looked around, noticing there were only two other patrons in the restaurant. A server came out, and placed three plates of pancakes in front of the teens.

Jane looked at the pancakes, then at Sookie, and smiled hesitantly. Words were clearly being held on the tip of her tongue, as if she wanted to swallow them, but she was unable to.

"Is there a problem, there, Jane?" Sookie asked, a bit too politely.

"Uh, no. No problem," came her quick response.

"No, seriously. What's wrong?"

"It's just, this seems a little heavy for breakfast."

"Uh-oh," Billy muttered, leaning in Ella's direction. "Incoming."

Ella cringed and couldn't seem to take her eyes off of Sookie, who obviously was ready for a challenge.

"I'm sorry, a little heavy? My food is too heavy?"

"Well, pancakes are just a dense weight in your stomach, when what you really need in the morning is something light to get your metabolism going," Jane said sensibly, showing off her relation to her mother.

"Umm-hmm. I see, now, so what would you suggest, I mean, since you're so obviously a culinary expert. I mean, what do I know, I've just been a five-star, internationally acclaimed chef for twenty years? Please, enlighten me," Sookie barked.

"Hey, Sook," Tristan soothed, coming up behind her. "I think John needs you in the kitchen. Something about an egg shell dropping into the mix," he shrugged.

"What!? JOHN!" she yelled, startling the other two guests slightly, and took off into the kitchen.

"So, now perhaps you've learned never to say anything contrary about Sookie's food?" he smiled at Jane, who blushed.

"I didn't mean--," she said, wide eyed.

"No one does. She just doesn't take the criticism too well," he assured the younger girl. "So, apple pancakes?" he asked, taking an extra fork and digging into Ella's.

"Hey!"

"What?"

"Mine!"

"You can't finish all of that," he countered.

"Hah!"

"Okay, fine. I'll wait for my own," he said, holding his hands up in defense, though smiling showing off the fact that he wasn't particularly sorry for his actions.

"So, when are you leaving?" he asked immediately just before she was able to raise her first bite to her lips.

"After breakfast."

"Got gas money?"

"Yep."

"Cell phones?"

"Yep."

"Plenty of snacks?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Mad money?"

"Ooh, well, I could always use more of that."

"Your mom gave you some, didn't she?" he asked knowingly.

"It's always smarter to try for both of you," she smiled, ducking his attempt to muss her hair.

"So, Billy, could I just talk to you for a moment, in the main lobby?" he asked, looking serious all of a sudden.

Billy looked from Tristan to Ella in surprise, then back at Tristan. "Uh, yeah, um, yes, Sir."

The two stood up and headed into the lobby, Tristan strolling along confidently in front of a not so confident looking Billy. Ella and Jane watched the two walk off until they disappeared from view.

"What's that about?" Jane asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just my father trying to scare any sexual impulse Billy might ever have in his life out of him," Ella sighed, cutting into her pancakes again.

&&&&

His alarm went off, seemingly too early, but the realization of why music was blaring from his alarm clock radio hit him after a few seconds. He had to pick up Anna for the line-up identification. Today was going to be a hard day for her, he imagined. He groaned a little, and lengthened his body, letting his whole body feel a stretch. Just as he was relaxing his muscles, his door swung open. He craned his neck up, to see Dave slump into his room and almost fall down on the foot of his bed.

"Morning," he offered, not sure why Dave was up this early, not to mention why he was in his room.

"Morning."

"Dave," Will complained, trying to shove him off his feet, where he landed.

"What?"

"Can I do something for you?"

"Dunno, why do you ask?"

"Are you even awake?" Will sighed, shoving him with the one foot he'd managed to pull out from under Dave.

"No, not really."

"Then go away," with one more half-kick in Dave's direction.

"No, I had a reason. What time is it anyway?"

"Six-thirty."

"In the morning?" he asked in disbelief.

"Dave, come on."

Dave rolled over and tried to prop himself up on his elbow. He scratched his head, as if trying to allow the reason to formulate into a cohesive sentence.

"I know, I know—last night. Around the fire."

Will looked at his friend in confusion. "You really shouldn't try the thinking thing before noon, Dave."

"I just meant that it was a big step."

"I'm sorry. I'm still lost."

"Will, you sat with her. Around the fire."

"So?"

"So, that's like the most sacred of all sacred spots for declarations of love in Stars Hollow. Showing that you're serious about someone, making that statement—the best way to do that in this town is to sit with that person around the fire at your folks house after the Christmas party."

Will opened his mouth, but shut it again before emitting a sound. Unfortunately, the more he played Dave's words over and over in his head, the more sense it made. He hadn't thought about his actions last night, per say, he'd just moved into the living room and gotten comfortable. With Anna.

"I mean, why else would you do that?" Dave asked his still silent friend.

"I don't know. I mean, it just sort of happened," he answered, his brow perhaps permanently furrowed.

"Will, do you remember in high school, how we used to wish we could join everyone else, and the big deal that it was when you and Bree first went in there? That was the first night you told her you loved her, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. It was," Will said softly, still deep in thought. "Oh, my God. I'm so stupid! You don't think, I mean, Anna," he said, looking into his friend's face.

"Yeah. I think she does."

Will nodded, solemnly. Without another word, he threw back the covers and got out of bed, getting ready to go pick up Anna.

&&&&

Tristan took his time, knowing every extra moment he took to himself, made Billy worry and sweat it out just that much more. A smile almost spread over his face, but he held it in, not wanting to ease Billy's nerves.

Clearing his throat, Tristan put one hand on Billy's shoulder, and looked into his eyes.

"I just wanted to make sure we were perfectly clear on what would be going on this weekend."

"Uh, okay."

"See, I'm allowing this trip to happen because I trust my daughter. However, I realized that you and I haven't spent much time together, and I wanted you to know what I expect of you."

Billy nodded, his throat and mouth suddenly as dry as sawdust.

"Basically, I'm entrusting you not to do anything that would encourage my urge to have any appendages permanently removed from your body. I don't want a hand of yours on my daughter in any way, shape, or form; unless it is to remove her from a dangerous situation, i.e., pulling her from a burning building, out of the way of an oncoming bus, etc," he sighed, rolling his eyes, "My wife seems to think Ella likes you, and I suppose this involves the whole kissing thing, but try to keep that in check, as well. 'Cause I'm not kidding about that urge to do some bodily harm."

Billy nodded again, seemingly the only thing that he had control over in his whole body now were his neck muscles.

"So, we're clear here?"

"Clear, yes, we are. Sir."

"Oh, and quit calling me Sir. It's sort of creepy."

"Yes, S—Mr. Dugrey."

Tristan smirked, and clapped the younger man on the back. "Better get going. Don't want to keep those lovely ladies waiting, now do you?"

Billy walked as quickly as he dared from Ella's dad, happy that that particular conversation was over. He joined the girls, now finished eating, and picked up as many bags as he could, to occupy all hands and get towards the exit as fast as possible.

"Billy, hey, Billy! Aren't you hungry?" Ella called after him, as she hugged her father goodbye.

"No. I'll be in the car," he said, already out the front doors.

Ella turned towards her father and gave him the same look that her mother conjured up to get the truth out of him. He had never seen his daughter form that particular look, and to be honest, it wigged him out a little. This sealed it, it was genetic—Lorelai and Emily could both do it, too.

"Have fun, Sweetie," he said, kissing the top of her head, trying to evade her eyes.

"Can't you just be nice to him?" she sighed.

"I was! What? I gave him a warning. That's nice," Tristan assured her.

Still looking like she didn't believe him, she turned and walked out next to
Jane, ready to hit the road towards the Ivy Leagues.

&&&&

Rory lie on her stomach, draped across the bed, headphones on her ears and head bobbing to the music that only she could hear being piped through from the Discman.

"How come there was only one album? This is great," she commented.

Jess moved the phone off of one of her ears before replying to her. He was used to automatically doing things like that for her. Sometimes her concentration on small details waned when the big picture was overwhelming her.

"Lead guitarist O.D.'ed back in '07, and they sort of just disintegrated from there," he informed her, as she rolled up onto her side to look at him. He was seated on one of the pillows, sifting through some CD cases, selecting ones he deemed to necessary for her to hear.

"And not even around long enough to get a good Behind the Music out of it," she shook her head in shame.

"Yep. So, where's the hubby?"

"Well, he came back from scaring the hell out of Billy, then said he was going to shoot hoops with Jake. They'll be out there for hours."

"Having 'the talk'?" Jess used air quotes and his cheesy overly-concerned parent voice.

She giggled and rolled her eyes. "No. That already took place."

"Oh really?"

"Yep. He gave it to Jake when he was thirteen. He said he wanted to inform Jake a year before he himself had become 'popular' with the ladies," she looked at Jess and grimaced.

"So, are you giving Ella the talk this year?" Jess laughed.

"Shut up!" she reached out and smacked him with an open fist on the bicep.

"Sorry, sorry. Go on."

"I gave Ella the talk when she was eleven, when all the girly issues started."

"Wow. We so need to change the subject right now," Jess shifted uncomfortably on the pillow, and paid way too much attention to the CD case in his hands.

"Sorry. He didn't take Jake out for a talk. Just some father/son time."

"Ah. I should probably do some of that. Hey, did you ask Jake about tutoring Jules, or should I do that later?"

"Ooh, Jess, I'm sorry. It slipped my mind, what with all the insanity going on," she apologized, pulling the headphones the rest of the way off of her head.

"No problem. I'll do it later. I just hope something can get her back into school. She's a good student, I hope she doesn't start the stuff I used to do, she can do so much better," he sighed.

"Hey, you turned out okay. She'll be fine," Rory encouraged, sitting up to pull him into a hug. He returned the hug, letting her rub her hands soothingly over his back. There were only two people in this whole world that he let comfort him like this.

"I miss her."

His voice was soft and almost inaudible. It probably wouldn't have been heard if his mouth wasn't just inches from her ear.

"I know."

She just hugged him tighter, before letting go as he began to pull back. He handed her another CD, and she smiled, exchanging out the first CD and taking his next recommendation. She slipped the headphones back over her ears and pressed play, falling back into the silent comfort of their earlier activities.