A/N- Hello all! I'm sorry for the shortness of this chapter but let's try to remember that size isn't everything (dirty!) and please have sympathy because I just returned from 21 hours of travel and I hadn't written anything all day. So this is what tonight is. Hope JJs (AKA all people in the world with a soul, no offense) are dying of suspense. Please keep reading and reviewing. Thanks for those who posted or sent me nice things about the apartment! So sweet of you guys. It's kind of like a tiny escapist family here. I do not own Gilmore Girls, but I do go try to live in their universe whenever my life is too hectic or just missing things.


Chapter 70

An hour or so later, Rory resumed her attempts to break Jess' composure.

"Why won't you tell me?" Rory pouted, her Bambi eyes in full swing. Jess dodged them and headed to the one occupied table to fill his coffee. When he returned she smirked.

"Forgot something," Rory said casually, holding up a small yellow notebook. Jess' eyes narrowed.

"Seriously?" he sighed, "You're going to deprive innocent people of food because I won't tell you something that isn't either of ours to tell? That's really only Luke's business at this point?"

"But it doesn't only involve Luke," Rory challenged, "I could tell by the way he accused you. He thought you might tell me. Therefore, there would have to be a good reason that I would have a vested interest in knowing."

"Or, since he somehow figured out something's going on between us, he assumes I converse with you about any and all matters I so choose. Which, actually, I always have. Have you considered that you might be making a mountain out of a molehill?"

"Have you considered that if this has to do with my mother and you aren't telling me I'm going to murder you in your sleep?"

"First time you try that I'm going to jack up your rent."

"I don't pay rent."

"Well. I'll devise a rent system."

"So it does have to do with Lorelai?" Rory ventured. Jess looked heavenward, dramatically shaking his head. "Is he…"

"Rory, think about it," Jess turned to her sharply, finally meeting her excited, hopeful eyes, "If it is, do you really want to hear that news from me? And if it isn't, do you really want to resent him for not doing it and me for passing the message? There's no advantage to this conversation."

Rory looked at his quietly and then sighed. "Damn your logical reasoning skills," she muttered, grabbing the pad of paper and going to take the customer's order.

"I have an idea of how to take your mind off of it," Jess offered, a few minutes later. Rory raised her eyebrows.

"No, not…" Jess blushed furiously, "God, that's one of the worst lines in the book. I was being sincere about an idea."

"Which is…"

"Why don't I teach you to cook?"

Rory burst out in laughter so loud that the one customer turned and looked at her like she was having a fit. In fact, she was very close to it.

"You…" she choked back tears of amusement, "Are going to try to teach me to cook?"

"Succeed," he challenged and the laughter began again. He narrowed his eyes.

"What, don't think you can do it?" he asked her, his tone condescending, "It's okay if you need a man to provide for you."

She glared at his sarcasm. "You know, at one point I thought you were funny," she countered, "And I am perfectly capable of providing for myself."

"Unless some sort of radioactive war takes out all the take-out," Jess pointed out, "Then you'd need…someone."

"Well…" Rory said thoughtfully, "I mean, I guess I can't do that much damage supervised. What are you gonna teach me to make?"

"Bacon."

"Ooh! Can we do pancakes too?" Rory pleaded, her eyes shining with anticipation again. Jess laughed.

"Wow, you really do have shiny ball syndrome," he smirked, "No way. Too hard."

Rory looked at him with disapproval and he sighed in defeat.

"But I'll make them for you to go with."

"Deal."