Lisa said nothing, her cheeks red with anger as Jackson led, or rather, dragged, her to Al's Pancake House.

"Be a good girl and I'll buy your lunch," Jackson said patronizingly. Lisa glared at him as he opened the door.

"Say that again and I'll punch your face in."

"Now, Leese, people are watching," Jackson scolded.

"Oh, excuse me," she plastered a grin on her face. "I'll punch your fucking face in."

"That's my girl," Jackson grinned as they walked to Lorelai and Luke's table. Lisa would have shot back in with another biting comment but she had no time.

"Hey," Lorelai greeted, pocketing her phone. "My daughter and her boyfriend are coming in a few minutes. We can triple-date!"

"Great," Jackson beamed, and Lisa saw he was back in managerial-I'm-pulling-something-over-your-eyes mode. Lisa scowled and looked down at the menu.

"So its really a small world, huh?" Luke chuckled amiably. "I mean, both you guys ending up here, together, after all these years."

"Actually," Lisa corrected, it wasn't all that long ago.

The waiter arrived to take their orders just as Rory and Dean arrived.

"Hey," she said breathlessly. "We just got back from Lane's."

"How's Mrs. Mao Te Zung?" Lorelai asked nonchalantly, fiddling with the sugar packets.

"Mrs. Kim is fine," Rory said firmly. "She just made a huge sale so she made us some rice cakes." Dean looked likely to vomit soon.

"So...what are you saying, you want me to buy your lunch?" Lorelai frowned. Rory grinned and hugged her mother's arm.

"I like you," she begged.

"Brownnoser," Lorelai rolled her eyes and looked at Jackson. "So what are you doing in Stars Hollow? You look like kind of a city boy."

"I am," he nodded. "Miami. I'm working on a job, actually. I had a little mishap a while back and got demoted. Now I'm on the recruit."

Luke shot him a warning glance as the food arrived. Jackson smirked and Lisa kicked him under the table. She really didn't know what they were nervous about, but kicking Jackson was fun.

Jackson winced and glared at her but said nothing.

"So, Lisa," Luke ignored Jackson's anger. "I hear you're going to be working at the Dragonfly."

"Yeah, I am," she beamed.

"You are?" Jackson raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, diner boy, I am, get over it," she snapped.

"Lisa, are you sure you want to get started on a job when you'll be leaving so soon afterwards?" Jackson pressed pointedly.

"Excuse me?" Lisa asked irritably.

He sighed. "We'll discuss this later."

"Yes, sir," Lorelai popped in, throwing a fake salute. Jackson scowled but as laughter erupted around the table he stopped and cracked a smile.

The food arrived shortly, as Lorelai was finishing her sculpture. Lisa frowned at the array of Splenda packets.

"You like?" she said proudly. "It's the Eiffel Tower."

"You have a true talent," Lisa laughed. "Have you ever been there?"

"Yes, me and Rory went...last summer, I think it was, and it was amazing," Lorelai said excitedly.

"Mom touched the Pope!" Rory added.

"The Pope?" Lisa asked impressively. "Wow."

"Well, I touched his car," Lorelai admitted cheerfully. "But still."

Lisa laughed along for the rest of the meal as Lorelai, Luke, Rory, and Dean made cheerful conversation with her and Jackson. Yet the whole time she was nervous. What was Jackson trying to insinuate with the job thing? She hoped he didn't have yet another plan to dominate her life.

Once the plates were cleared, Luke suggested they go back to his diner to have coffee and desert, grumbling that Al's prices were, "astronomical sky-high." They all agreed, Lorelai chipping in that Luke's pie was, "the best this side of anywhere."

Jackson pulled Lisa's chair out for her, and while she was furious with him, she had to admit it was a nice gesture. She ignored the "aww, isn't it cute" looks Luke and Lorelai were exchanging and waited for Luke to bring the coffee and magical pie.

"Well, we're off," Rory yawned and stretched as Dean stood next to her. "Dean's going to drive me back to the dorms for the night."

"You're not going to the festival?" Lorelai asked with a hint of disappointed.

"No, I'm swamped with homework," Rory said sadly. "And Dean has to work, so I don't feel like going by myself."

"I'd go with you," Lorelai persisted.

"Yeah, but you're going with Luke," Rory smiled. "It's fine. You'll have Lisa and Jackson to hang out with, plus Sookie...and the other Jackson...and baby Davie. Plus there's always-"

"I get it, Mary Poppins," Lorelai grumbled. "See you. When are you coming back?"

"Um...next weekend?" Rory offered. "I'll be done with finals then."

"Fine," Lorelai sighed theatrically. "Bye, toots."

"Bye!" The bell clanged as they left.

"Be right back, I have to go tell my boyfriend about my treacherous daughter," Lorelai said, cackling demonically as she slipped behind the counter.

"Tell me what you wanted to discuss, Jackson," Lisa insisted as Lorelai began chattering.

"I don't want you working," he sighed, running a hand through his long brown hair.

"I really don't think you get to decide this," she snapped. "It's my life."

"Right now, Leese, it's not," he argued. "It's a life that I get to control or your dad dies. I can't have you fucking up this job for me."

"I'm not going to," she whined. "What am I supposed to do, just wait back at my room for you to take me off my leash like a good dog?"

"Sure, if you want," he smirked. Lisa frowned, and then, comprehending, smacked him on the arm.

"That wasn't supposed to be dirty!" she cried. "Jesus Christ, Jackson, stop being such a control freak!"

"Because I don't want you telling everyone about the Organization, that means I'm a control freak?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, it does!" she snarled. "Why can't you just trust me? I'm supposed to be your girlfriend right now, don't relationships require trust?"

"It's nothing real, Lisa," he assured her.

"If its not real, then why do you get to control me?"

"Because I have the only key to your father's life," he whispered angrily. "So here's the deal: no working. You stay wherever you plan to stay, and I'll be keeping an eye on you. You screw up once, Leese, I mean it, ONCE, and your father gets a nice warm greeting by my guy. Not only that, but you will cease to live by yourself. Understand?"

"I hope you die," Lisa choked out.

"Aw, well," he shrugged. Lisa glared at him and pushed away from the table, running from the diner with tears burning in her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lorelai shimmied over to Luke seductively.

"Hey," she winked.

He sighed and relaxed into a smile. "Hi."

"So...Rory isn't coming," she complained, leaning over the counter as she watched Lisa and Jackson talking.

"That's too bad," Luke shrugged. "What about those two, they coming?"

"I don't know," Lorelai frowned. "I hope so. They're sweet, aren't they?"

"I guess," Luke scowled. "Something about this Jackson though...seems a little shady."

Lorelai raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh? Luke, geez...little paranoid. God, I mean...you hired him."

"I know," Luke admitted. "But look at him. Something seems weird. Look at Lisa's face."

Lorelai moaned and rolled over to look at Lisa.

"...no working..."

Lisa's eyes were brimming with wide tears. A few seconds later Lisa abruptly stood from the table and ran from the door. Lorelai jumped to Luke.

"I got Lisa."

"I got Jackson."