Too Close For Comfort

A/N: Episode 8? You see, this is what happens when you don't get to be on the computer for the summer and have to rely on your best friend for information on a show that she doesn't even like, about an actor that she has never heard of.

sweet raine (iluv2danceandwrite)Wonderful and completely hysterical. The best thing you've ever written. Really. Flaming over a personal vendetta without even reading the story? You've stooped to a new low. Congratulations. And did you just copy and paste this into JesseLover's story as well or did you tweak it a bit, just for laughs?

Josiah (Joe-Sigh-Ah)

Mikeala (Mick-Kay-La)

On with this 'shit hole of a story'…

Chapter Two

The weeks that Rory had been in Washington were pretty close to uneventful. Yes, the news of her departure had hit the town hard and there hadn't been a spectacle worth talking about since Kirk had spilled ten gallons of orange juice into the duck pond behind Taylor's house. Even the infamous Jess Mariano had stayed out of trouble. Perhaps he had just gotten bored of putting on a show or maybe it was the summer heat.

Either way, the town was too quiet and it left Ms. Patty in a rut. What good was it to be a gossip queen when there was nothing to gossip about? But lucky for Patty, she always seemed to be in the right place at the right time (for her liking anyway) and this time was no different. She was there, in aisle three of Doose's just in time to overhear an exchange between Taylor's bagboy and his cell phone.

"I can't believe you!" the tall floppy-haired boy all but yelled as he paced back and forth on the old linoleum flooring.

"Two years! It's been two years and you…you! Now? Why now? We're on the phone! We're not even in the same state!" Patty couldn't help but wince at the tone of his voice. She knew from experience that long time relationships were the hardest to end and Rory Gilmore wasn't exactly the epitome of romantic knowledge. "Don't you think I deserve better? Because I sure as hell know that I deserve better!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. Believe me, I'm sorry and I hope you two are happy together." He stated sarcastically through clenched teeth. "Don't even try to tell me that it's not about him. I'm not stupid. Yeah well, you two deserve each other."

You two. So Rory was dumping him for another guy, over the phone? She cringed, Poor boy.

"I don't…I gotta go." Click.

As he hung up the phone and walked away, Patty shook her head. This was big. The whole town needed, or rather, deserved to know about this. But Patricia did have a heart, a rather large one at that, and she wasn't one to pour too much salt on an open wound.

Maybe it would be wiser to delay the spread of this delicious piece of information? Maybe only tell a few select people about the details and let the rest spread on it's own? That seemed reasonable and Patty was a firm believer in the town gossip chain. New information spread like a forest fire until everyone knew and it became old news.

And that was her decision, to tell everyone tomorrow. To give poor Dean a chance to sort through his thoughts. It was a decision made with the best of intentions, and it had worked out extremely well for Mr. Forrester.

But the funny think about small town gossip is that there is always someone that hears everything last. And the news of Rory's break-up never breached the apartment above Luke's Diner where a seemingly absent dark-haired rebel sat drowning his sorrows in a book.

It was dark by the time Luke pulled up the dirt path that led to Matumbla Mountain. He parked just as the trail widened into a crudely designed parking area, and shut off the car.

The only sound that could be heard was light buzzing of Jess's headphones, a sharp contrast to the chirp of the crickets that surrounded them. It was peaceful and familiar at the same time.

He glanced to the side of him at a sleeping Lorelai and contemplated walking her up.

"…Luke…" She mumbled incoherently and he smiled. "…need coffee…" He frowned.

"Well at least you know what you're competing against." Came Jess's voice from the back seat. He could tell without turning around that the teenager was smirking, and Luke's frown quickly turned into a scowl.

"Shut up and help me carry some of this stuff inside." He replied as he opened the car door and stepped out.

"Whatever you say Uncle Luke." He mumbled, as he followed suit.

"So…this is it, huh?" Jess asked as he scanned the small cabin from front to back. It was only one big room, separated into two areas, a kitchen and a living room. He counted two doorways, which he assumed contained bedrooms and an open hallway that led to a makeshift porch with screened in walls.

"Pretty much. Now there's only three beds, one in each bedroom and then this one." He pointed to the small cot in the corner of the living room. "But if you look under it there's a mattress which you can pull out against the wall. That will be yours."

"I can hardly contain my excitement." Replied Jess as he tossed his things onto the cot and sat down. The tone in his voice did nothing more than show Luke how badly Jess hated being forced into this trip and how much he resented being helpless to stop it from happening.

"Yeah well, I'm gonna go finish bringing the rest of the luggage in." he stated after a moment of silence. Jess just pulled out his book an began to read.

"Have fun." He stated simply without looking up.

Luke sighed. "Look…Jess…I know you don't want to be here." He started. "But you could at least-"

His argument was cut short by a scream that he immediately recognized as Lorelai's. His suspicion was confirmed as the quirky brunette sprinted through the door with her daughter in tow. Both were breathing heavily as they slammed the door behind them.

"I think-that was- the most exercise-we've had in the last-I don't know how long." Gasped Rory as she clutched the cramp in her stomach.

"I know! Did you see the size of that thing?"

"Somebody please tell me what the hell is going on." Interjected Luke as he headed for the door. Lorelai quickly jumped in front of him, waving her arms in a frantic motion.

"Luke, there was this small gray furry thing and it was just sitting there when I got out of the car, with it black beady eyes." She explained while motioning with her hands. "And I moved and then it moved and then Rory, bless her heart, opened the car door and I think it knew it was outnumbered because it ran and… God, I think I just had a heart attack." And with that she collapsed on the couch dramatically.

Luke raised an eyebrow. "You got attacked by a raccoon?"

"It was vicious I tell you! It could have eaten me!"

Luke sighed and looked at Jess who simply shrugged.

"Hey, don't look at me. This was your bright idea."

A/N: Yes, I will cover Rory's feelings on her pathetic break-up with Dean and her reasons for it. I will cover the conversation that resulted in Lorelai and Rory coming on the trip. And I will also stick in some flashbacks from Luke's childhood camping trips with his Dad and some Lit interaction. Never fear.