Chapter Six

A/N: The book mentioned in this chapter hasn't technically been written yet, but it's a book that I'm pretty sure that Rory would like. Really sorry for the long wait, hopefully the next chapter will be ready in a month or two.

"Ughhh…" Lorelai groaned as they got in the car. "That was awful."

"I concur," Rory agreed, leaning back against the seat. "Can we stop by Luke's?"
"You just want to see Jess again!" Lorelai teased.

"And food," Rory said forlornly. "I need pie."

"Agreed," Lorelai said. "Solidarity, sister!" Lorelai pulled out of the Gilmore driveway to begin the trek home. The drive was mostly silent (aside from Lorelai pointing out a stupid vanity license plate on a Porsche that read: BOOYAH), both girls contemplating their night. When they pulled up out in front of Luke's there was a surprise waiting for them. Not a good one, in Rory's eyes. Dean was sitting at the window, sipping a cup of coffee. He noticed the jeep, and one corner of his mouth lifted up. Lorelai and Rory tramped through the door, with Lorelai calling out: "Luke, please, need coffee!" She whirled away from Rory to sit at the counter, not noticing Dean waving Rory over. She slowly walked over to the table, aware that Jess was watching out of the corner of his eye. She sat carefully, and Dean greeted her.
"Hey Rory. Where've you been?"

"Um, Friday Night Dinner… why?" Before Dean could answer Jess came over with a piping hot cup of coffee.

"Here. Do you want pie?" Jess asked, giving her a look that said, are you good here, or do you need me to kick him out?

Rory awarded him a small smile, and said, "pie would be amazing." Jess gave her a small kiss, not missing the way Dean grimaced. He turned towards Dean, his hand on Rory's shoulder.

"Refill?" He asked simply, holding up the coffee pot.

"No," Dean said, glaring at Jess.

Jess turned back to Rory. "I'm off in five. I'll bring you pie, and a new book I found, I think you'll like it."

"Ooh, what is it?" Rory asked, her interest piqued the second Jess mentioned a book.

"Patience is a virtue." Jess smirked.
"That neither one of us have," Rory teased, turning away, and went back to her coffee. Jess kissed the top of her head before he went back to work, and Rory unconsciously smiled. Dean watched this interaction with furrowed brows, now more determined than ever to win Rory back.

"So Rory, how's Chilton going?" Dean asked her, pulling her attention away from the cup in front of her.

"Um, it's fine. Paris is Paris, and she's the president of the school, so…" Rory trailed off with a nervous laugh. "Jess said that you guys are doing Macbeth." She said awkwardly.

Dean scowled when she said that, either because she brought up Jess, or school, or quite possibly both. "Yeah, it sucks. Why do we even have to read this guy's plays when he died like a million years ago?"
"Actually, he died 386 years ago, and his plays are still very relevant. His knowledge of human nature still very much applies to life as we know it today. Sure, some parts are different, but the themes and morals still remain the same." Rory said, taking a sip of her coffee. Jess had come over in the last part of her statement, with two plates of blueberry pie and a giant book called (fittingly) Fall of Giants.

"Here," Jess said, setting down the book in front of Rory. "It's part of a trilogy."

"Ooh, what's it about?" Rory asked interestedly. The book was ginormous, at least a thousand pages.

"World War One. It follows the lives of different social classes in different countries. It goes from an English Earl to Russian peasants. It's prologue is set in 1911, then starts in 1914 before the war." Jess gave her a brief summary of the book, and Rory flipped through it with interest.

"That sounds really interesting, thanks Jess." She smiled at him, and gave him a sweet kiss.

"Oh, my mom and I are having movie night, and I want you to come. I think it would be good for you to spend more time with her, and get to know her."

Jess sighed, but eventually said, "fine. This time only."

"Unless you have fun," Rory countered with a smile. Jess gave a reluctant laugh.

"Unless I have fun," Jess agreed.

Lorelai was sitting at the counter watching her daughter, her daughter's boyfriend, and her daughter's ex-boyfriend having dinner together. She could see the tension between the group, and Dean shooting daggers at Jess. "What's that all about?" Luke asked her, startling her out of her reverie. He gestured his head over at the three teenagers in the corner, while pouring Lorelai some coffee.

"Haven't you heard? They're all best friends now." Lorelai said sarcastically. "Dean's completely over Rory, and him and Jess are having a sleepover tonight."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Want some pie?"

"Always," Lorelai answered. Luke cut her a slice, as Rory appeared by her mother's side.

"Mom, can Jess come to movie night tomorrow? Remember, you said you'd give him a chance," Rory said.

"Rory, I don't know. Movie time is for us…" Lorelai whined.

"Please, Mom, I want for you to get to know him like I know him." Rory pleaded.

Lorelai pouted, but eventually conceded. "Fine, but he has to be nice."
"Of course, but you have to be nice to him too." Rory said.

"Fine," she waited until Rory had gone back to the table, before she turned back to Luke with puppy eyes. "Please come too!" Lorelai blurted out.

Luke's eyes widened. "No, thank you. I'd really rather not." Before Lorelai could start to beg, the door opened. It was a blonde woman who looked kind of familiar, and Lorelai squinted, trying to place her.

"Ms. Taylor?" Jess's voice came from the corner.

"Hello, boys. And, Rory, is it? You moved to the school in Hartford didn't you?" The woman, Ms. Taylor asked.

"Um, yeah I did. You teach at Stars Hollow High, don't you? You were my English teacher's teaching assistant!"

"Guilty. I'm a regular teacher now, though. Isn't that right, boys?" Said Ms. Taylor. Both Jess and Dean mumbled under their breaths, agreeing with her. "Would it be too much trouble for me to get a cup of tea?" She said. "I've been stuck at the school all night grading."
"Of course not," Luke startled, and he went to get her a cup, and poured hot water over the tea bag.

"You're a lifesaver, thanks love," Ms. Taylor said. "My name is Melanie, by the way." She introduced herself to Lorelai, who smiled.

"I'm Lorelai, Rory's mother."
"You run the inn, don't you?" Melanie asked.

"Yes, the Independence Inn." Lorelai confirmed.

"That's really cool," Melanie said. Lorelai was gazing at the woman next to her, and when Melanie shifted uncomfortably, Lorelai spoke.

"Do you like vegetables?"

She looked confused, but she answered anyway. "Um, yeah. I'm vegetarian. I have been for six years." Melanie said, downing the rest of her tea. She dropped a couple bills on the counter. "Thank you…" she said, looking at Luke expectantly.

"Oh, uh, Luke, Luke Danes." Luke offered.

"Thank you, Luke." She smiled at him, touched Lorelai's shoulder, and waved to the kids in the corner, and disappeared out the door.

"She's pretty," were the first words out of Lorelai's mouth. "She seems to like you."
"No, she was just a customer. That's insane," Luke grunted.

"I think she was into you. And you'd make a cute couple. She has nice hair, nice skin, nice teeth, she seems to not like coffee, and she's vegetarian. No conflict there. You should ask her out."

Luke looked at her with an expression that Lorelai couldn't quite place. "Yeah, maybe." Luke disappeared into the storeroom before Lorelai could keep talking. She stared at him with a hurt expression on her face.

"What's up with him?" Jess asked walking over with his and Rory's empty plates and cups.

"I have no idea," Lorelai said.
"Was he freaked out by my English teacher talking to him and not saying anything bad about me?" Jess said sarcastically.

Lorelai chuckled. "Maybe. She seemed to be interested in him."

Jess raised an eyebrow. "Did you point that out to him?"
"Yeah. She's perfect for him. She's even vegetarian."

"Oh. I see. I get it," Jess said cryptically. Lorelai frowned.

"What does that mean?" Jess just smirked, and Rory came up.

"Mom, are you ready to go?"

"Sure hun, just let me pay." Lorelai pulled some bills out of her purse, but Jess stopped her.

"It's on the house."

"Really? Thanks Jess." The girls left, leaving Jess and Dean alone in the restaurant. Dean stood up menacingly, and stalked over to the counter.

"Are you going to pay and get out so I can be done?" Jess asked politely.

"Are you going to serve me or not?" Dean growled.

"What do you want?"

"I want my girlfriend back," Dean said.

"Not your girlfriend."
"She was until you swooped into town, with your stupid bad boy thing, and your books, and your horrible attitude, but she'll be my girlfriend again soon enough."

"Great. I'll be sure to let her know. Goodbye."

Dean glared at Jess, but stomped through the door anyway, slamming it behind him. Jess sighed, relaxing his shoulders. God, he hated Dean. He made everything so hard in his relationship. Did he really not know that he was awful to Rory? At least Rory had figured it out, and left him before she got hurt. Jess whipped up the stairs lost in his own head.

When Luke came out of the storeroom, the diner was empty. He grumbled under his breath about how Jess never helped him with anything. He started to wipe down the counter methodically, like he always did. He thought about what Lorelai said, that Melanie liked him. It can't be. She'd never go for someone like me. And just the fact that Lorelai said it hurt. He never really pictured them together, but Jess seemed pretty insistent that she liked him. Luke snorted. Not likely. Why would she bring up the fact that Melanie liked him if Lorelai had feelings for him? All of this thinking was starting to make Luke's head hurt, all of his thoughts were twisted and jumbled up. Melanie was pretty, but it made him feel weird that Lorelai had brought it up. Ugh. Relationships. When Luke was finished cleaning, he turned off the lights, and went upstairs.

Again, sorry for the long wait, but school's really been kicking my butt, lol. Reviews are always appreciated!