Rory and Jess ambled down the stairs slowly and carefully so that Jess's giant suitcase wouldn't kill anyone.

Luke looked up when he saw the two coming from upstairs.

"Everything okay?"he whispered to Jess.

"Yes", Jess replied at a normal volume.

"And don't whisper in my ear."

"Fine. Where are you going?"

Rory responded, quite loudly, "To Boston!" She looked at Jess. "Sorry."

"What?" Luke asked.

"We're going to live in Boston. I'll send a postcard," Jess smugly replied.

Rory grinned and they made their way to her house to get her stuff together.

As they approached her front yard, Rory began to worry that Lorelai might be unhappy. Harvard had been her dream just as much as Rory's before Yale. It would be an adjustment, though.

"Mom, are you home?"

"Kitchen!" Lorelai shouted.

Rory and Jess walked through the living room and into a dough-covered kitchen. The walls were plastered with cookie mix. The whole room smelled like a gingerbread house.

"What are you doing in the kitchen?" Rory said, panic in her voice.

"I love how that's your first question. Oh, hey Jess", Lorelai said as if it was no big deal that Jess Mariano was hiding behind Rory.

"Hey", he said nervously.

"Don't tell me you were trying to make cookies!" Rory said.

"High-pitched voice" grumbled Jess.

"No, I was making hamburgers. That's why there's empty boxes of cookie mix on the floor."

"You know you can't cook!"

"But this wasn't cooking! It was baking!"

"You don't bake either!"

Lorelai switched over into pout mode. "Why do I mess up the easiest things?"

Rory muttered, "Geez, the pregnancy's taking effect already."

"It's baking! I want cookies."

"We can go to Doose's and get you cookies!"

"Okay."

"I'll be back. Let's go, Jess."

He raised his eyebrows, shrugged, and followed Rory. Why didn't you tell her?" he asked on the way to Doose's.

"You never ever tell Lorelai Gilmore anything when she's upset to begin with."

"But we have to leave tonight!"

"We will, I promise."

Taylor was stocking bread when they entered the market.

"Rory!" he said with a cheerful smile. "You're home from school?"

"Oh, uh…yeah."

Taylor noticed Jess behind Rory.

"Oh no", he said. "You aren't back together, are you?"

Before Jess could punch Taylor, the Doose's Market bells jingled, indicating someone had entered the store.

"Excuse me", Taylor said, and he was off.

Rory smiled weakly at Jess and he sighed.

They headed back to the Gilmore house, but when they got to the driveway, they noticed Lorelai's car wasn't under the tree.

Inside, there was no sign of Lorelai either. Rory looked everywhere for her, but she wasn't in the house. When she went to the phone to try her mother's cell, she noticed the answering machine flashing and pressed the button to listen to the messages.

"Hey, Hon, it's me. I just left for Hartford. Long story but the call came the second you left and your cell was off. I'll talk to you when I get back", Lorelai's voice boomed through the house.

Jess eyed her…"Rory!"

"I know, I know!"

"So…?"

"Go home. I'll figure something out and I'll meet you in front of the bus stop at 6."

"Fine."

He left Rory, her mien a puzzled and worried shade of puce.

Bye 5:50, Lorelai still wasn't back from Hartford. Now HER cell phone was the one that was off, so they couldn't get in touch. By 5:55, Rory had packed another giant suitcase. By 5:59, she was gone.

A/N: Short, I know. I tried to add a few more details because I know I'm one for lots and lots of dialogue. I didn't do too good of a job, since this was already written for a month, but I'll aim higher in the coming chapters, which should be up this weekend. Please review!

Next up: Rory and Jess are headed to Boston.