Chapter 8: Question My Morals, Because I Won't

Our choices Change

Where Our Path leads

And I'm not too sure

If I've switched Lanes.


Luke peered out the window of the diner, wondering just what his nephew was smiling at. From Lizzy's descriptions, he hadn't smiled much since Dad died. Maybe she just didn't see it. She was a pretty bad parent. Or maybe, just maybe, her idea was working for once. Maybe, he was getting through to him. Maybe, Stars Hollow was good for him. Maybe, just maybe.


Jess reentered the diner, a faint shadow of the smile he'd worn early still lingering. Luke said something to him, but Jess was to wrapped up in his own thoughts to be paying attention.

"JESS!" Luke said slapping him upside the head.

"Huh?" Jess came out of his reverie.

"Go to school!" Luke urged.

"Oh, yeah. Later, Luke." Jess grabbed his bag from behind the counter and walked out the door. Today would be interesting.


Rory sat with her back slouched slightly as she struggled through Hemmingway. She did not like this guy. He was boring. Sooooooooo boring. 'I'll just have to ask Jess to help me. Cause this sucks.'

Rory wasn't aware of the boy sitting in the seat across the aisle, watching her. Not until he moved next to her.

"Mary." He said softly in her ear. She jumped.

"Holy, Tristan?" She exclaimed. Screw Hemmingway. She shut her book. She hugged him as best she could.

"Miss me, Mare?"

"Nope, not at all."

"Really?" He made a pain movement.

"So, how was Military School? Why are you back?… Why are you on a bus!" Her questions flew.

"It sucks, I'm on break. I don't have my car. I wanted to see you."

"Oh, wow. Where's your car?"

"Dad took it from me."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. So, how's bag boy, or did you finally get some common sense and break up with him?" He joked but saw a shadow pass over her eyes.

"Dean's… fine. No, we haven't broken up."

"Seems like you might want to."

"Sorta. This new guy came to town, Luke's nephew Jess. And, we've become really good friends and all, but Dean hates him, and I really like him… and you probably don't care."

"Nah, tell me. So what is so amazing about this Jess?"

"He reads, he's sarcastic and witty. He understands me so well. He wakes up this side of me that I blame on you. He makes me want to, do things I shouldn't. Ooh and he can make/give me Luke's coffee."

"What did I do?"

"You and your innuendoes." She glared slightly.

"Aw, is Mary not a Mary anymore? I thought I'd get that pleasure." Rory smiled.

"No, still a Mary, just barely." Tristan quirked an eyebrow.

"Dean's too much of a simplton. Jess on the other hand…" SHe trailed off letting his imagination roam. "Anyway, what about you? Anyone in oerticular or are you still the player?"

"Actually, there is someone. Amazingly, her name is Mary." He smiled thinking of his girlfriend. Rory laughed.

"And is she?"

"Yeah, she is. And believe me I want to, but I don't. She's so, different. She's a lot like you, but in her own way. Making you both still two that broke the mold."

"That's great Tristan." Rory smiled sincerely at him.

"So, why don't you just leave Bagboy for this Jess guy?"

"I can't. I, I'm not sure. I just can't."

"Makes sense."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I wasn't willing to let go of this amazing girl I fell in love with. She was the first girl to knock me off my feet. But then, I met MaryAnn. And at first I resented her for making me have feelings for her. For her name, for everything. But, eventually, I realized I just needed to let the past go and more forward. That's why I came to visit you. I've mostly but my past behind me. But I needed to actually prove to myself that it's all gone."

"So, you're saying you don't love me anymore?" Rory cried over dramatically.

"Not the way I used to. I'll always love you, as the one person to change my life the most, but not as the one person for the rest of it." Rory nodded.

"You think I should take a chance with Jess?"

"That's up to you. Plus, I don't know this guy. And I'm not sure if I like my Mary un-Mary like." he joked.

"Isn't your girlfriend your Mary now?" she asked with a soft fondness in her voice.

"Nah, she's my Gil."

"Huh?"

"Gilligan's Island. MaryAnn, because she the exact opposite."

"Aw."

The bus driver announced Stars Hollow.

"Well, this is my stop. You?" She asked.

"Sounds good." They stepped off the bus together and headed for the diner.


Jess smiled as he saw Rory step off the bus. He was wiping off the table by the window for them. But then he saw the blond trailing behind her. He looked rich. Jess scowled slightly. He went to the counter to read. Leaning forward on it, book in hands is how Rory found him 2 minutes later.

"Jess! Coffee! Ooh, and help! Hemmingway is trying to kill me…" She whined sitting at her normal table against the window. Tristan sat in what is usually Jess' seat. Jess scowled a little more.

He placed a regular sized mug of coffee in front of her with no emotion. "What do you need help with?" He asked monotone. Tristan gave him a weird look. This couldn't be the guy Rory was raving about.

"Hemmingway. He's soo boring." Rory whined. She looked at her coffee. "Jeeess. I have to do homework. Why do I have a little mug?" She pouted.

"Because."

"Are you okay?" She asked genuinely concerned.

"Fine." He turned and walked back to the counter. He continued reading. Rory followed him up to the counter.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly, urgently.

"Nothing."

"Jess…"

"Who is he?" Jess asked so suddenly, Rory almost fell over.

"Who- oh! Tristan. A friend from Chilton."

"Tristan, isn't he the one that you… never mind. I have to work." He moved away from her and started refilling coffee. Rory stared after him for a second before heading back to the table.

"So that's the infamous Jess?" Tristan looked at him oddly.

"He's not usually like that. I mean, monosyllabic yes. But not to me. I usually get him to form sentences."

"Well, anyway. How's good ol' Chilton?" Tristan asked switching topics.


Rory and Tristan had been talking for the past 40 minutes. Jess had spent those minutes watching them both. Finally, Tristan whispered something, and Rory blushed and laughed, before whispering back. Jess had had enough. He yelled into the kitchen.

"Luke! I'm taking my break." And stormed up stairs. This caught Rory's attention.

"Something's bothering him. I should go find out." She said full of worry and concern. Tristan nodded.

"Yeah, I have to get going anyway. The last bus leaves soon." They both stood. Tristan laid down some money for their coffee.

"Oh, thanks." Rory smiled. They hugged, promised to keep in touch more, and he left.

"Luke?" She poked her head into the kitchen. He turned to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"Can I go upstairs. Something's bothering Jess."

"Sure." He could see her emotions plainly on her face.

Rory bounded up the stairs.


She knocked softly, but didn't receive a reply. She could faintly hear music in the background. She opened the door and made her way to Jess' bed.

"Hey, sad boy." She said sitting next to where he lay.

"What are you doing up here?"

"Finding out why you're so upset?"

"Who said I was upset."

"Jess, come on! Is this because of Tr-"

"What, Rory, what? You think I'm upset over pretty boy? That I'm jealous? Why should I be jealous? I have no claim on you!" He was now standing, and stormed out into the kitchen.

"Is that what this is? You're jealous… of Dean?"

"No, I'm not jealous of Dean!"

"Then what is it?"

"I, don't know. I guess, if you can do what we do with me, then what's stopping you from doing it with anyone else?" He said softly. She was in front of him. She brought her hand up to his cheek and caressed it.

"Because they aren't you. They aren't the one person who knows me better than anyone." He leaned in at her words. Their lips met in a soft tender kiss.

"What am I?" He whispered

"You're Jess." She giggled softly

"I said what not who. As in what am I to you?" His voice was gentle with an ounce of pleading.

"My escape." She whispered honestly. And kissed him again, just as softly.

After a few minutes they broke apart from their gentle embrace. "You needed help with your homework?"

"I can do it tomorrow. Cause now I have to go home and get in the shower for dinner."

"Having dinner in the shower? Hmm, I thought guys were the only ones who could eat in the shower." He smirked at her. She playful hit his arm. "Okay," he conceded, "Les's, too." That earned him a hard smack.

"I should go." She was staring in his deep eyes again, and getting lost.

"I should get back to work." He was staring in her stormy eyes again, and getting lost.

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

"JESS!" Was heard from the stairwell. Their trance was broken. They shuffled to the door. Being gentlemanly, Jess walked behind her, and opened the door for her.


"Ugh. I didn't think Friday Night Dinner's could get more annoying." Lorelai whined as they pulled out of the Gilmore Mansion's driveway.

"Hm?" Rory was paying attention.

"You okay, sweets?"

"Just hungry. Can we stop at Luke's before we go home? That horse liver was… less than filling."

"That's cause it wasn't eatable. Yeah. Sure, we'll go to Luke's." Rory nodded and switched on the stereo. She went back to her thoughts.

She kept thinking Jess was jealous earlier. But why would he be jealous? He's the one getting all the benefits Dean isn't. He gets her in ways no one else does. Her body is his. So, what does he have to be worried or jealous about? Rory shook her head not knowing the answers. She just started singing along with the stereo.


Once they were at Luke's, Lorelai and Rory sat at a table in the center of the deserted diner. Luke and Jess were cleaning up.

"Diner boys, feed us, join us, give us coffee!" Lorelai called out merrily. Luke went and made the girls and Jess burgers, and himself a sandwich. Jess poured them steaming cups of coffee.

They sat eating and talking, happily. Like a family. Each evaluated the situation in their own way.

Luke: This is nice. Sitting here, eating and talking with Lorelai. Oh, and the kids. It's like one big happy family.

Lorelai: I wonder if I'll ruin the mood by asking for more coffee. Luke's looking at me with a far off look in his eyes. I wonder if Rory sees it? No, she;s too busy talking to Jess about those damn books. This is nice.

Rory: Wow, Mom is getting along with Jess, Luke is openly admiring Mom, and Jess is… staring at me…

Jess: I never knew just eating with Rory, Luke, and even Lorelai could make me feel like this. Like I have a family. Like I'm loved.

"This is fun." Lorelai said looking at Luke.

"What is?" He said coming out of his thoughts.

"The four of us. It's nice. It's like were a family almost." The other three let her words settle over them

"Yeah, a family." Jess nodded sincerely in agreement.


Dean was watching the scene in the diner. He knew he was losing her. She wanted him He didn't know why, put she did. But he wasn't willing to lose her. Not yet.