Rudy Can't Fail #11

Jess groaned as the phone rang. "Dammit…"

He was buried under the covers of Jess's bed; one sheet and four blankets.

Jess reached over for the phone, and brought it underneath his ultra-warm cocoon. "Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hey, Luke."

"Where are you?" Luke asked. "You sound kinda muffled."

"I'm under my covers," Jess replied. "I have the superintendent from hell. It's been two weeks and he still hasn't fixed the heat."

"Jeez…" Luke muttered. "If you need someplace warm to stay, I can stay at Lorelai's and you can have the apartment, you know."

"Thanks, but I've got work," Jess replied. "And the roads are horrible. Driving to Stars Hollow isn't exactly the safest move."

"Right," Luke replied. "Nadia there?"

Jess sighed. "In the bathroom, taking a shower…using up all the hot water."

"You know, it's weird how alike we are," Luke commented. "Because if it were Lorelai in my shower, I would say the exact same thing."

"Are you trying to get me to picture your girlfriend naked?" Jess joked.

"Shut up."

"So how's the snow by you?" Jess asked.

"We got about three feet," Luke said. "And we had the annual reenactment."

"Old guys standing in the freezing cold?"

"Kirk put on a dress, and pretended to seduce Taylor," Luke corrected.

Jess bolted to an upright position. "Good god. Please tell me there's video."

"Lorelai has it," Luke chuckled. "I'll steal it for you."

"Thanks." Jess sighed and lay back down. "So…first snow dating a Gilmore. How was it?"

"She woke me up at three in the morning, and dragged my ass outside just as it started snowing," Luke grumbled.

Jess snickered. "It's your own fault."

"Shut up." Luke sighed. "Are you okay from New Years?"

"Yeah," Jess muttered. "It was just…hard going through all of Grandpa William's stuff…"

"I know," Luke said solemnly.

"Topped off with Rory being an idiot, and I just didn't feel very sociable."

"I don't want you to ever feel like you can't come see me because of her," Luke said gruffly.

"I don't," Jess replied. "Besides, I think I'm coming to visit next weekend. Mom wants to see me."

There was complete silence.

"Did you just call Liz…?"

"No," Jess replied quickly. "I called her Liz."

"You called her mom."

"I did not," Jess insisted.

"You haven't called her that since you were nine," Luke pointed out.

"I didn't call her mom," Jess snapped.

"Whatever you say, Jess," Luke placated. "Hey, I gotta go. Brave the roads if you get too cold," he ordered.

"Bye," Jess muttered. He hung up the phone and sighed, just as Nadia walked back into the bedroom.

She crawled under the covers and rested her head on his shoulder. "Hey."

He grunted.

"Who was on the phone?" she asked.

"Luke."

"Cool," Nadia smiled. "How's Stars Hollow?"

"Fine."

"My, aren't we talkative today?" she snickered.

"Just cold."

Nadia smirked and reached up, kissing him slowly. "I think I might be able to help with that."

He smirked back at her, and kissed her, pulling her closer.

xxxxxxx

"Guess what?" Luke said, as he set a cup of tea in front of his sister.

"What?" Liz asked with a smile, as she blew on the top of her mug.

"Well...don't tell him I told you…" Luke grinned. "But your son just called you Mom."

Liz smiled widely and sat back in her chair at the diner. "Huh."