Disclaimer: I don't own the show and unfortunately I don't own Jess or Rory so I can't make them act the way I want them to on the show. I did create Rachel and all the little brats at Rachel's school, though. I'm a very busy woman, aren't I?

A/N: Aw! I love you guys! I'd trade my left hand for any one of you. I'm glad everyone seems to like this story, because I certainly like writing it! Rachel's cute, she's fun to write, because for one thing, she does have some Jess in her, being raised by him and everything, and another reason she's cool is she can't be out of character! I could make her decide to be Coco the Chanting Cowgirl and it still wouldn't be out of character. Well, if I waited too many chapters it would, because you'll get to know her, but since I created her it's just so darn easy to know how to write her. Right, the ramble is over now.

So, I wish I could go to New York, but since I can't I'm going to Internet surf for any information I may need because I'm a fact freak and I can't write anything without stupid facts to back it up. I'm so annoying sometimes. But since it's set in the future the fact-finding thing has pretty much no rules. It's cool.

Wednesday Jess was picking Rachel up after work.

"Bye," she called, waving to her friend and giving Jess her backpack.

"Have fun?" Jess asked.

"Uh huh, the crazy man from upstairs sat in the hallway and started doing something weird with yarn," Rachel told him. "It was funny."

"Huh. Sounds ...odd, but okay."

"Yeah, well, he's crazy," Rachel explained.

"He probably isn't crazy."

"Dad, he sat in the hallway and wound yarn around his hand."

"Okay, that is weird," Jess relented, nodding.

"I can't wait to go home, I'm hungry."

"We'll have to grab something while we're out, we have to go grocery shopping."

Rachel groaned. "Dad, I hate grocery shopping."

"Well, it's not my favorite passtime, either, but we have to do it."

"Why do I have to go?" Rachel whined.

"Because you're too young to stay home alone," he told her.

"I am not," she said.

"Yes, you are. Do you want me to go to jail?"

"No, you wouldn't last a day," she said.

He had to smirk at that. "Why not? I'm not tough enough?"

"No; you're a dad," she stated as if that explained it all.

"Well, they'd throw me in jail if they caught you home alone, and then who'll cut the crusts off your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?"

"Rory," Rachel said simply.

He rolled his eyes. "Trading me in for a female model, huh?"

"Rory's a model?"

"No, I meant... never mind. I sometimes forget you're not 16," he said.

"I can't wait to be 16, then I can stay home alone and make you go to the grocery store without me."

"Then who'll keep me company?" he asked as he ruffled her hair.

She growled at him. "Nobody, you'll have to go alone."

"Well, you're not 16 yet, so you have to."

"Can't someone babysit me?"

"Oh yeah, I'm gonna pay someone to watch you so I can go grocery shopping," he said sarcastically.

"Ask Rory," Rachel suggested.

"No."

"Why not?" Rachel asked with a pout.

"Because Rory's not a babysitter," he said.

"Rory likes me," Rachel said.

"Yeah, Rory likes you, but she's not the babysitting type. In all the time I've ever known her I've never known her to babysit."

"Give me her number, I'll call and ask."

"No."

"Please?" she begged.

"No. You'll just have to rough grocery shopping."

"I don't want to be your friend right now," she told him.

"That's okay, I never wanted my parents to be my friends either."

"Is Rory in your cell phone?"

"Yeah, I keep her there in case I ever need to take her out and make her pick a lock for me."

"No, I mean the phone book thing," Rachel said.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, all you have to do is push the button..."

"No, I'm not calling Rory, end of discussion."

She gave him an exaggerated pout and sulked for a few seconds before finally sneaking her hand over and starting to pull the phone off his belt.

"Touch it and we're going to the organic food store," he said.

She sighed. "How did you know?"

"I'm a dad, I know all."

"Just call Rory," she said.

"Would you stop? I'm not calling Rory."

"I'm not talking to you," Rachel informed him.

"You just did," he said.

"Well I'm not doing it anymore."

"Did it again."

She glared at him and crossed her arms.

They walked in silence for a couple minutes. "Even if I did call Rory, I can't just ask her to babysit," he finally said.

"Yes, you can. Rory likes me, she'd want to," Rachel insisted.

"Rory has her own life, she's not just going to drop everything so you don't have to grocery shopping."

"She's probably bored and she wishes she had someone to talk to, and she doesn't because you won't call her and ask her if I can come over."

"Oh, wow, you can read Rory's mind now? Thanks Miss Cleo."

"She doesn't have any kids, she's probably lonely."

"Let me guess, if she babysat you she wouldn't be lonely anymore?"

"Well, she probably wouldn't," Rachel said.

"You're going to extreme measures to try to get out of going to the grocery store."

"I want to go see Rory," she said.

"Well, you can't. You'll see her on your birthday," Jess said firmly.

Rachel sighed and stayed quiet for a few minutes. Then she finally said, "Dad, what's a bra for?"

His eyes widened slightly and he pulled out his phone, dialing some numbers. "Rory? Rachel wants to talk to you."

===

"Aren't you a little young to be wondering about that?" Rory asked as Rachel finished explaining the situation over looking through books.

"Well, if I tell you something will you promise not to tell Dad?"

"Um...well... should he know?"

"No, not really." Rachel shook her head. "It's a girl thing."

"Okay, then... I guess."

"I didn't really wonder that, but my friend said that her sister always asked her dad a question like that or about sex and he would immediately send her to see her mom, so I figured he'd let me come see you if I did."

Rory tried to hold back a smile. "You really shouldn't send false alarms like that, I think he almost had a heart attack."

"But I'm here with you, so you see, it worked."

Rory couldn't argue that. "You're too smart for your own good. Or Jess'," she corrected.

"It's his fault, he's the one that started reading to me so young," Rachel stated.

"And he passed the genes," Rory said with a nod. "I guess we couldn't expect Jess' daughter to be completely without Jess qualities."

"Hey, can I get this one?"

"What's that?" Rory asked, peeking over the shelf.

"School Spirit..."

"Sabotage," Rory finished, looking at the book.

"Yeah, School Spirit Sabotage." Rachel nodded.

"That depends, will it give you any ideas?" Rory asked, only half jokingly.

"Huh?" Rachel asked, looking slightly confused.

"Never mind. Yeah, you can get it."

"Can I get this one?" She held up another one.

Rory took the book and loked at it. "Evangeline Brown and the Cadillac Motel. What's it about?" Rory aked, turning it over.

"I don't know, but it looks good."

Rory shrugged. "Well, I can't argue with a book purchase."

When they finished Rachel had selected one last book- Anne of Green Gables- and Rory had two.

"So, should we get something to eat now?" Rory asked Rachel.

"I am hungry," Rachel said.

"Okay. What are you in the mood for? Hot dogs? Pizza? Burgers?"

"We should make Dad cook for us, he's the best."

Rory smiled. "Is he?"

"Yeah, he's a very good cook," Rachel promised, nodding.

"Well, Luke is, so I suppose it makes sense he would be," Rory said with a small smirk.

===

Rory walked Rachel in the apartment, carrying her bag of books.

"Dad, we're home," Rachel called.

"Lucy," Rory called out.

"Coming, Ricky," Jess responded dryly as he walked in the room.

"Hi, I brought books." Rory grinned.

"Any for me?" he asked.

She nodded and handed him one. "I got you a copy so you wouldn't ask to borrow mine."

"And I let you borrow my daughter all evening," he said, shaking his head.

"I know, I'm so ungrateful. Rachel said you'd cook for us, is it true?"

"Ah, she's offering my services, is she?" He looked at Rachel with an eyebrow raised.

"Dirty," Rory said.

"Too much like your mother," he said pointing at her.

"And you're Luke, so we're a perfect--" She cut herself off. "I'm starved. Looking through books works up an appetite and she can look through books even longer than I can," Rory said. "I swear, I'd say it's unhealthy but I was probably the same way as a kid and so were you. Besides, it's better she's reading than... I should go," she said, deciding to stop her ramble.

"No, you have to stay, Dad made pasta salad and I told you he's a really good cook." She looked at Jess. "You did make the pasta salad, right?"

"Yes, I made your pasta salad."

"See, he made it, so you have to stay so you can try it," Rachel insisted. "You'll love it."

"I..."

"Please?" Rachel asked giving her puppy dog eyes.

Rory sighed. "Okay, I'll stay."

"Yay!" Rachel clapped.

"I've never known a Gilmore to turn down food," Jess said.

"When we're done eating you can watch A Little Princess with us," Rachel told Rory. "How come we've never had you over before we went to Stars Hollow?"

"Well... I didn't know you lived in New York," Rory said.

"Well, we should've told you sooner, you're more fun than Dad. He's kind of boring sometimes."

"Jess? Boring?" Rory smiled teasingly at Jess.

"Oh yeah, to her I'm boring." Jess nodded.

"He never even dates."

"Okay, squirt, you talk too much," Jess said, escorting her into the other room.

Rory smiled. "Why not?"

"My standards are nearly impossible to meet," he stated. "I have food in the kitchen, Rory want a cracker?"

"No, but Rory wants coffee," she said.

"I'm glad you have a small attention span," he said, walking in the kitchen.

"I resent that," Rory said. "I do not have a small attention span, my attention span is--"

He sat a cup of coffee in front of her. "Here."

She grinned. "Thank you."

Rachel smiled. "You do remind me of Aunt Lorelai," she said.

"Well, she is getting older, she'll probably be exactly like her in a couple years," Jess said.

Rachel smiled. "Yeah, and you'll be like Uncle Luke."

Jess glared at her and Rory laughed behind her coffee cup. Then Jess glared at her and she covered by saying, "Oh, the coffee told me a great joke, wanna hear it? It's about flannel."

Rachel giggled and sat down with the bowl of pasta salad Jess had given her.

"You're both awful," Jess told them.

"Thank you," Rory said with a nod.

Jess rolled his eyes and went to get Rory some food.
A/N: Sorry, this was meant to be longer, it turned out sort of filler-ish. Actually it is a filler; this was supposed to be the birthday party. But I felt bad for taking so long. But the next chapter will be the birthday party. Just let me know what you think, please! [grins] It'll make me happy! [chants] Review, review, review, review [clap]! Yeah, I don't know why I clapped either.