Jess managed to work in the diner with relative ease for most of the morning, but as word of the forthcoming arrival of Star's Hollow's newest citizen spread like wildfire, the diner began to fill with people who passed on the hushed gossip.

But no-one had said anything to Jess directly, which was beginning to annoy him. Jess would rather someone say something so he could deal with it head on than talk about it behind his back.

Luke could see the agitation radiating from his nephew when he returned, so he had sent him upstairs, telling him to take the weekend off. So Jess lay on his bed reading one of the books he'd borrowed from Rory.

He looked up when the door opened and Lorelai appeared.

"Jess." She said.

"Lorelai."

"Hiding?" She questioned.

"Luke banished me." He replied.

"Are people asking questions?"

"No, just gossiping." He told her. "Which is more annoying."

"I still can't get used to you speaking in sentences to anyone other than Rory."

"With most people in this town, why use 3 words when one will do." He shrugged.

"A reasonable theory."

"So did you come for a reason or just to annoy me?"

"And I thought we were making progress." Lorelai said.

"Sorry." He paused. "What can I do for you?"

"Needs work." She walked over and handed him a piece of paper. "Rory's address and phone number."

"Thanks."

"And this is for you from Paris." She handed him a paper bag.

"Paris?"

"She's a strange and highly strung, but she's Rory's friend." Lorelai said.

Jess opened the bag and pulled out a book.

"Literary Baby Names." He read from the cover.

"That should cause some debate." Lorelai said. "By the way have you seen a black shirt it says 'I'm dressed and out of bed – what more do you want?' on it in pink letters?"

"I'm not even going to ask what you wore home if you left your shirt here." He paused. "And no I haven't seen it. Try under Luke's bed or maybe Rory took it."

Lorelai went to look under the bed while Jess grabbed the phone which rang.

"Hello." He answered.

"Do you miss me yet?"

"I'm sorry you must have wrong number."

"Funny Jess." Rory told him.

"Well I'm a funny guy."

"How is everything?"

"No-one said anything, but Luke banished me when he got back and now your mother is crawling around the floor looking for a black shirt with something about being awake on it."

"Tell her it was in the pile of laundry I did yesterday when she went to get more marshmallows from Doose's."

"Lorelai." Jess said.

"Yes?"

"Rory said to tell you it's in the pile of laundry she did yesterday." Jess informed her.

"That's Rory?" She questioned. "Let me talk to her."

Jess handed the phone over and Lorelai talked to Rory for a few minutes.

"She called you." Lorelai handed the phone over to Jess when she was done. "I'll see you later."

"Bye. Rory?"

"Sorry about that." She apologised.

"It's okay. Don't you have to unpack?"

"Paris was annoying me having people move the furniture around so I thought I'd take a walk."

"How exactly do you live with her?"

"You get used to her." Rory replied.

"Tell her thank you for the book."

"What was it?"

"Literary Baby Names." Jess replied. "With a nice note to 'For the world's sake pick something sensible.'"

"Make a list." Rory suggested.

TBC