"I'm so whipped." Jess muttered to himself, sitting in the back corner of the Stars Hollow Bookstore. He leafed through a copy of Catcher in the Rye, attempting to distract himself.

In many ways he was like Holden Caulfield, a young rebellious youth; a bit jaded and confused, unworried about how anyone thought of him. But there was one difference between them and that was women. While Holden had not spent much time around them, Jess had. He lived for them, but he'd never been so stuck on one as he had been on Rory. He couldn't believe he was really sitting here mopping about a girl. This was not the Holden Caulfield thing to do, but he did it anyway. Was he insane? Had he seriously proposed living with her in New York? She'd never go away with him. Was she back with Dean again? Didn't know, but he had asked her to go and damned if he didn't still want to. He sighed, shut the book and placed it back on the shelf. The bell that hanged from the front door jingled as he left.

----------

Lorelai awoke that morning in Luke's arms, fully clothed of course. They'd fallen asleep after several hours of talking about last night's "situation."

"Hey." She smiled as he stroked her face and brushed a hair into place.

"Hi. I'm glad you're here."

"So am I. I can finally act normal around you." She answered.

"You haven't been normal?"

"I've been in flirt mode and now that we both agree, I can be in love mode." She smiled and poked at his chest playfully.

"Oh, okay." He agreed.

"Thanks for always being there for me, Luke."

"It's what I do," He smiled. "Want some breakfast?"

"Of course," She replied and he kissed her softly before going downstairs. She followed a few minutes later after fixing her hair.

"We need to talk!" Rory bombarded her mother as soon as she entered the diner.

"I know." Lorelai nodded.

"I didn't do anything with Dean. I wouldn't. I know better than that. Remember? I'm your good daughter?"

"What about Jess? Why was he there?" She looked at Luke who gave no response.

"He wanted me to reconsider our relationship."

"And....?"

"I've done some soul searching and I've forgiven him for running out, but I don't know."

"I'm sorry, Rory. I should have more trust in you but Dean was a close call and Jess is basically a jerk. Don't go back to him, trust me, you'll regret it. I know these things."

"Mom, you don't know. You don't understand at all, you don't understand about Jess and me, or Dean and me. Stop making, or trying to make me make all your decisions for my life." She ran out of the diner almost crying and half way down the block her face was wet.

"So, Jess is back in town?" Luke sat down, placed a plate in front of her and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

----------

Rory ran down the street, tears streaming. OOF! She looked up and realized she'd run into Dean.

"Rory, no, wait!" He yelled as she sidestepped him and ran on.

"No! There's nothing to talk about Dean. You're wrong about us and I never want to see you again! Go back to Lindsey." She turned back around, jogged back to the Gilmore house and collapsed on the sofa. Lorelai did not come home that night.

----------

Day after day, Jess sat in the back bookstore corner. He'd read Pride and Prejudice, Old Man and The Sea, Tuesday's with Morrie, To Kill a Mockingbird, and 1984 since he'd been there.

He'd told Rory he'd be around a few days, but that time was almost up and she'd never found him.

Today he was reading The Great Escape, which was an all right book, not the best he'd ever read, but it was okay. As his eyes scanned the middle of page 87 the bell above the door rang and he heard footsteps nearing, probably Kirk again, shelving new books as he had been all week. At the end of page 87 he looked up.

"I knew you'd be here...ah...hey." Rory waved a little. She looked understated but beautiful. Her hair was a little different than usual and she had a pink top that matched her lipstick, and she had a wonderfully subtle scent that made Jess go wild.

"I guess you know me too well." He quipped.