Disclaimer: I don't own anything that's worth anything, and that included Gilmore Girls. lol

A/N- I'm having so much fun writing this story and I hope you are all enjoying it as well. Here's the next chapter. Oh, and I went back and changed Jess's dad's name. Thanks for pointing out my mistake.

-Chapter 4-

"No way!" Rory exclaimed as her and her mom excited the movie theater.

"Yes way!" Lorelei shot back and spun around to face her daughter. "How can you disagree with me on this?"

"Because you're wrong." She stated simply.

"Puh-lease!" She rolled her eyes. "Mall Rats was by far the best Ben Affleck movie ever made."

Rory shook her head. "He played a total creep and had a supporting role at best. It doesn't even qualify as a Ben Affleck movie."

"He was in it, he spoke, he looked hot, it qualifies." Lorelei informed her.

"No it doesn't." Rory argued. "Armageddon, Good Will Hunting, Forces of Nature, Daredevil," She looked over her shoulder at the theater as she said the last movie title, "All qualify as Ben Affleck movies, but Mall Rats does not. It could be called a Jeremy London movie, but not a Ben Affleck movie."

Lorelei groaned in protest, but compromised. "While I think you are wrong, maybe we can agree on one thing."

"What?" She asked skeptically.

"Daredevil." She paused for dramatic affect. "So not the best Ben Affleck movie ever."

"Agreed." Rory gave a firm nod and they finally continued walking home. "But he did look good in tight leather."

"And shirtless in a bathtub."

"And kicking a little bad guy butt!"

"And being all threatening to the big meany in the court room."

"And walking down the street in the T-shirt."

"Oh, oh and talking in general."

"He just looked good period."

"That he did." They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment. "But he looked good as a creep in Mall Rats too."

"He was a sleaze! Statutory rape, remember? The whole sleeping with a fifteen year old thing."

"I remember." She sighed before speaking again. "But if I were fifteen and Ben Affleck was, well, Ben Affleck." She trailed off and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Rory made a face. "Bad, bad visual." She stated. "I guess it's good that you're not fifteen and he's going to marry Jennifer Lopez."

"It's the butt isn't it?" She tried to turn and look at her own.

"Could have something to do with it."

Lorelei rolled her eyes at a sight across the street. "Those two should really get a room."

Rory turned her head to the side and frowned. Jess had Shane backed up against a tree and was devouring her face. "I guess she figured out how to comfort him in his time of need."

"You ok?" Lorelei asked softly, her hand on Rory's arm.

"Yeah, why?" Her eyes never left the couple as she spoke.

"Well, hun, you seem a little upset. A little jealous."

"Hardly." She ground out and started walking once again.

"Right." Lorelei muttered and hurried to catch her daughter.

`````

"You should skip school today." Lorelei declared as they walked to Luke's the next day.

"I don't think so." Rory replied, adjusting the straps on her backpack.

"Why not? You need to live a little, and playing hooky is just the way to start."

"But," She began, "By skipping school I would miss an important lesson, leading to my failing a very important quiz. Then, my self-esteem is shot and I'll start failing everything left and right. Next thing you, I'm getting my "I'm sorry Miss Gilmore, but." letters from Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Star's Hollow Junior College, if there was one of course. Anyway, before you know, I'm forty years old with no job, sitting on your couch in your house eating your bon-bons, while I play along with Wheel of Fortune and cry for hours over soap operas on your television set."

Lorelei simply shrugged. "I can deal with that."

"You have the day off?" Rory asked knowingly.

"Yes." She answered bitterly. "And I'll be lonely." Opening the door, she entered Luke's but suddenly stopped and spun back around. "You'd really eat my bon-bons?"

"In a heartbeat."

Lorelei ushered her to the door. "Go, go, fast! Hurry up and get to school and learn lots of interesting things and pass all your tests and quizzes and get into Harvard and move out of my house. And most importantly, buy your own bon-bons."

"I will," Rory assured her. "After I've had my morning cup of coffee." She brushed past her mom and sat at the counter.

"Morning." Jess said coming up to them.

"Enough with the pleasantries, poor the coffee so I can get rid of Rory." Lorelei demanded.

Jess raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you want to get rid of Rory?"

"Since she ate my bob-bons." She explained with a 'duh!' expression on her face.

"I'm not even going to ask." He poured them each a cup. "Can I get you anything else?"

Rory thought for a short moment. "Pancakes. With whipped cream. Oh! And can you make a smiley face out of the whipped cream?"

"No."

"Faceless pancakes it is then."

"And I'll have eggs, and bacon, and sausage, and toast, and."

"One of everything?" Jess cut her off with the question.

Lorelei faked anger. "Do I look like a pig? Do I come off as a big eater? Everything but waffles, buddy."

"Ok then."

Rory added, "And make it snappy."

"Yes, ma'am." Jess saluted and went into the kitchen. The bells jingled above the door and Shane walked in, glanced around quickly before leaning against the counter to wait for Jess.

"I don't think I've ever seen her up close before." Lorelei whispered. "She's not that pretty."

Luke approached then. "Can I get you two something?"

"Nope," Lorelei answered. "Lover-boy already took our order."

"Ok.Wait, lover-boy?" Lorelei cocked her head in Shane's direction. "Oh." Was all he said, before shaking his head and going to wait on another customer.

Rory glared at her mom for a moment. "Lover-boy? Listening to Mariah Carey again?"

"Just cause you're jealous." She began, but Rory didn't let her finish.

"I'm not jealous."

"Right."

"I'm not."

"I believe you."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

Jess appeared then. "Food's done." He said placing a plate in front of each of them.

"Yay!" Rory exclaimed after one glance at her food.

Lorelei was busy with her bacon. "What?" Her mouth was full, and the word was slightly muffled.

"Happy pancakes." Rory answered and Lorelei looked at her daughter's breakfast. The pancakes had a whipped cream smiley face.

"Softy." Lorelei teased Jess.

Jess didn't seem phased. "It wasn't me. Blame Caesar."

"Sure, sure." She placed her hand over her mouth and whispered to Rory. "Major softy."

"I heard that."

Shane finally spoke. "Jess, can we go somewhere? Do something?"

"Very whiny." Lorelei commented.

Luke's head popped up even though he was a few tables away. "Jess is working."

"Let's go." Jess said, coming around the counter. After kissing her, he put his arm around her shoulder.

"Jess!" Luke called after him, but Jess didn't even look back. "Glad I was blessed with a dependable nephew."

`````

Rory slowed her pace as she approached the bridge. Her mouth dropped at the sight in front of her and she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. Jess was there, but Shane was with him. She saw them pull apart and start to walk off the bridge, but Jess stopped at the end. "I'm gonna hang here."

"Ok." She kissed him again, long and hard, before leaving.

Slowly, she tried to back away. He had turned to face the water, his back was to her, and she thought it would be the perfect opportunity. Watching him as she crept backwards, she took one small step after another, then something crunched under her feet and Jess' head shot up. "Rory." He said after a long pause, he almost looked guilty. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Obviously." She snapped back.

Jess gave her a curious look. "Here for a reason?"

"I needed to think, I didn't mean to interrupt your little make-out session."

"Huh."

Rory narrowed her eyes at him. "Huh, what?"

"Nothing."

"Uh-uh. Nice try. You said huh for a reason, what is it?"

Jess crossed his arms across his chest. "You seem upset."

"I'm not."

"Ok."

Rory turned to walk away, but stopped herself. "Why did you bring her here?"

"Her Shane?"

"No, her Britney Spears, yes, her Shane."

"Is there a reason I shouldn't bring Shane here?"

"Yes! No, it's just." She let a breath out slowly. "Nevermind."

"Ok."

Rory groaned. "Stop that!"

"Stop what, Rory?"

"Stop acting like you don't know what I'm talking about. Or why I'm upset."

"I thought you weren't upset."

"I'm not."

"But you just said."

Rory held up her hands to stop him. "Forget what I just said. Forget everything, ok?"

"Jeez, Rory, you're acting like this bridge is sacred. Like it's ours."

"I am not." She denied.

"Then who cares if I bring Shane here?"

Rory shrugged. "Not me." She didn't give him a chance to respond before she stalked off, her anger reaching it's peak and mixing with hurt.

``````

Jess watched as Rory laughed at something Dean said. A slight scowl formed on his face, but he approached them anyway. "Rory, bag boy." He greeted.

"Go away, Jess." Dean replied.

"Hello to you too." Jess shot back sarcastically.

Rory didn't look at him during the exchange. "I don't want to fight with you." Dean informed him.

"That's nice, but I'm here to talk to Rory." He almost smiled at the look on Dean's face. "Rory?" He asked in a soft voice.

"What?"

"Can we talk?"

"Sure." However, she didn't move.

Jess sighed. "Alone."

Dean glanced at Jess and then Rory, but waited for her answer. "Fine, I'll be back in like two seconds, Dean." She told him before walking a few feet away.

"I'm sorry." Jess spoke up first.

Rory looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"I upset you and for that I'm sorry." Rory nodded. "Am I forgiven?"

"No."

"Ok, can I ask you something anyway?"

"You can ask, but I don't have to answer."

"Understandable." He paused for a long moment. "I need a favor."