Lorelai sighed and dejectedly flopped into the booth next to Luke.

"Nice job with the matchmaking, Mr. Parent Trap," she grumbled. He slid an arm over her shoulders and frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"They're exes," Lorelai said exasperatedly. "Lisa and...what's his face..Jack?"

"Son," Luke corrected. "Jackson."

"He's kinda scary looking," Lorelai admitted. "How do you know him again?"

"Just hired him at the diner."

"Did you bother to do a background check? He just moved here. For all we knew he could be a serial killer or something."

"What about Lisa?" Luke countered defensively. "You do a check on her, there?"

"No-wait," Lorelai frowned. "How did you know I hired Lisa?"

"Sookie told me," Luke answered smugly.

"God, you're like my mother," Lorelai said in a horrified realization. Luke just laughed.

"But anyway, Luke, I know her pretty well by know," Lorelai pointed out. "I hung out with her nearly all day yesterday. She's a sweetheart who just needs an escape from the sucky stuff in life."

"Like?" Luke asked sympathetically.

"She's just had a tough time lately," Lorelai shrugged. "Got...raped...four years ago, and then, two years later, once she found herself liking a man, he ended up trying to kill her and her father. Don't ask," Lorelai insisted as Luke opened his mouth. He shrugged in confusion and sipped his water.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lisa awoke in Jackson's arms. She let out a shriek and pushed him in the chest, which caused her to tumble back to the hard pavement of the alley.

"You weren't out long," he noted with a smile. Lisa brushed the dirt off her aching body and glared wildly at him.

"Yeah, that's what you were looking for," she accused. "To get me half-unconscious so I'd be in a state to do something I'd later regret."

"Geez, Leese, give me some credit," Jackson shook his head. "Anyone ever tell you that you'd make a great lawyer?"

"Whatever," she began to stalk away.

"Ah, ah, ah," he grabbed her arm. "Hold on. Time to set a few ground rules."

"I'm not a pet for you to boss around!"

"No, you're not, but my associate is, and remember," he tapped his pocket where his phone was. Lisa fell into an angry silence. "Okay, first of all, we've gotten back together," he said pointedly.

"What!" Lisa shrieked. No way in hell would she agree to PDA, however fake it was, with Jackson Rippner.

"Second of all, you're not to hang out with any of these Stars Hollow people if I'm not around," he informed her. "As long as you behave on your own, I won't be forced to make you stay with me 24/7. I promise, as soon as my job is done, I'll leave you alone for good."

"Fine," Lisa grumbled, not looking at him.

"Now," he took her hand cheerfully. She fought the strong urge to vomit. "Let's go have some lunch, shall we, darling?"