A/N- Fair warning, guys. This chapter is definitely action-packed but I'm going to make you hate a very beloved character a little. I'm sorry! It hurts me too. But it's for the greater eventual good.

If parts of this seem OOC for said character, or for anyone else, feel free to comment, but remember again that time has passed and that sometimes what's going on in people's heads aren't what we see on a television screen, and take a while to show themselves.

Finally, thanks for all the reviews, especially those who like the way this story is going and being set up. It means a lot. I do have one request: Please do not plug your own stories in my review space. You can say whatever you'd like about this story there, good or bad, but it's not meant for the purpose of advertising your own things. If anyone really wants me to check out their stories and maybe recommend them to this audience, I would be more than happy to consider it if you privately message me. It's just more courteous. Please and thank you :)

As always, read, review, and recommend. I do not own Gilmore Girls or any of its concepts or characters. ASP was enough of a genius for more than their lifetimes. (and for those who think they see her influence in where I've taken them, I try to. I have endless respect and admiration for everything ASP did with this show and these characters). Hope you like this! Bring on the fireworks...


Chapter 24

The next day, Jess, Lorelai and Luke decided to get coffee at the corner shop before deciding how to spend the day.

"You know, I had a plan," Jess grumbled.

"Yes, and your plan may be perfectly acceptable," Lorelai retorted, a smile on her face, "But I will not have any appreciation for it until there is caffeine in my system. If you told me right now that the plan included a historical fiction book tour…"

"Or a lobotomy," Jess muttered under his breath, catching Luke's eye and seeing him nod in agreement.

"I'd probably be okay with that," Lorelai finished, "So I'm sure you see why caffeine is necessary."

"Absolutely," Jess rolled his eyes.

"Hey, if I don't get coffee, you don't get coffee," Lorelai warned. Jess turned around and narrowed his eyes.

"I really hate it when you make sense."

"And you love it when I…?"

"Fair point."

They walked into the coffee shop and placed their orders, including breakfast.

"I do actually really like this place," Jess admitted, sitting down at a table, Luke and Lorelai joining him. "Found it a couple weeks ago. For some reason I'd just never gone in."

"Why'd you finally do it?"

"Pissed off the waitress at a usual spot," Jess smirked. Luke rolled his eyes.

"What a surprise," he grumbled. Turning his attention to Lorelai, who was inhaling her coffee, he said, "You're going to go into cardiac arrest."

"If drinking coffee is a crime…"

"I give up," Luke relented, putting his hands in the air and then picking up his tea. Sipping it, he turned to Jess again. "So anything new at work?"

"Not really," Jess answered casually, "A couple people I'm interested in but we'll see what comes of it."

"He didn't ask about your personal life," Lorelai teased, earning a simultaneous glare from Luke and Jess, "Which…oohkayy, is definitely a sensitive topic. Mental note. Anyway, that sounds like good news."

"Could be," Jess shrugged, "Don't want to get attached in case it falls through."

"You're making it way too easy," Lorelai chortled, and with that Luke and Jess proceeded to ignore her for the next half hour.

As they walked out, Luke and Jess continued on as though Lorelai weren't still trying to break what they had going.

"So anything new at the diner?"

"New special. The town went into shock. Look on Taylor's face was priceless."

"So…"

"Beer-battered chicken strips."

"You're screwing with me."

"Nope. His eyes almost fell out of the sockets. Best part of the whole damn thing." They walked into Truncheon, continuing the conversation.

Suddenly they noticed Lorelai had stopped speaking. Stopped walking too. They turned to see what she was looking at.

"Rory?" Lorelai finally said, approaching her daughter, who was standing awkwardly next to a bookcase. It was clear from the paperback in her hand that she was browsing.

"Mom?" Rory replied incredulously, "What…wait…why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Lorelai answered, folding her arms across her chest, "Where have you been? I haven't heard from you in a week. Is everything okay? Why aren't you in New York?"

"Everything's fine," Rory mumbled, quickly returning the book to its shelf. Then, turning to her mother, a look of realization and indignance spread across her face. "I cannot believe you came here to look for me, just because I didn't call you for a few days! All the way to Philadelphia! And why Philadelphia? Did you really think that I was running away to see Jess? A guy, mom? I don't check my phone for a couple days while I'm out of town on business, and you assume I ran away to Philadelphia to be with my high school boyfriend. Wow."

"To be entirely fair, I found you here," Lorelai replied, before seeing Jess' death glare, "But no! That's not why I came! I came with Luke! See, Luke? He's right here! Visiting Jess!"

"And you're visiting Jess with him?" Rory scoffed, "Come on, Mom. Don't act like I'm still a little kid you can buy off with any stupid white lie you come up with. I know that the stove isn't the devil's hands and I know that you're completely exceeding normal behavior for when your kid is, shockingly, a fully functional adult."

Lorelai looked stricken. Even Jess was a little thrown by Rory's level of anger.

"Ror…" Jess started, stepping towards her.

"No!" Rory said, far too loudly. Matt turned and looked at her in confusion. Immediately she lowered her voice and hissed, "I cannot believe this! If I don't call my mother for five days you form a search party?! What is this, the Kim household? Why don't you find a bible and I'll go look for some drums and we can reenact some of the worst parenting Stars Hollow's ever seen? "

"Rory, it's not like that," Luke said quietly.

"Luke, I'm not mad at you. Please don't get in the middle of this. You either, Jess. This is about mom," Rory cut him off bitingly, "I don't need to hold your hand all the time. I'm not off stealing a boat or dropping out of school every time I choose not to talk to you! Sometimes, as hard as it may be for you to believe, I just don't want you around."

"And you'd rather come here? To Philadelphia? To see Jess?" Lorelai demanded, tears now stinging her eyes, "Rory, what the hell is going on? I thought we were past you keeping things from me. And even if we weren't, why here?"

"I can breathe here!" Rory exploded again. Noticing the quieting around her, she stormed out of the store. On the street, she continued, "I'm not madly in love with Jess or trying to get back with him or guy obsessed or needy or any of the stupid things I know you'll assume because needing a guy makes you weak. I know you think that, Mom, I learned it from you most of my childhood. And guess what? That's not what I'm here for. I need space and to think and just… to not have you driving me crazy all the time!"

"Rory, this isn't you," Lorelai said, her voice low, following as Rory turned her back and started to walk away.

"You don't know that. You think you know everything about me? How true has that been before, Mom? Did you think your perfect, flawless daughter would ever sleep with a married man? Let's check your past performance in understanding me and realize that maybe you aren't as on point as you think you are. Jess, I'm sorry for coming here unannounced, I had no idea that you entertained my mother, under any circumstances. Given that information, you won't have to worry about it happening again. Luke, sorry you had to see this and everything, and I'm sorry for raising my voice. I'm sure I'll talk to you soon. And Mom?" Rory choked, tears in her eyes by now, pulling away from Lorelai who was trying to put her arm around her daughter, "I love you, but right now, you need to Leave. Me. Alone. I don't want to talk to you or hear from you right now, at all." And with that, Rory walked to the corner and opened the door to her car. She drove away, leaving everyone, especially Jess, frozen from shock in her wake.