Chapter 5: You've got a friend in me!

Later that same day, Rory is closely following Lorelai around the inn for the remained of her shift.

"Rory is something wrong?" Lorelai asked.

"I'm bored," Rory exhaled.

"Why don't you go read some of your book?"

"I can't," Rory answered.

"You forgot how?" Lorelai laughed.

"I promised a kid in my class I wouldn't read any more tonight so he could catch up," Rory explained.

"There's a kid in your beginning swim class who's also reading 20000 Leagues Under the Sea?" Lorelai asked surprised.

"Yeah, Jess and I decided to read it together," Rory continued to explain her agreement with Jess to her mom, "So we can discuss main ideas and themes, like school."

"Jess? Is that short for Jessica?"

"HE'S nice. We're both new, so they paired us up in the last lane," Rory told her mom.

"Hey, It's no problem. I was just wondering who Jess was, that's all," Lorelai defended.

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Luke had been trying unsuccessfully to get his nephew's attention for the past couple of minutes. He finally took the book out of Jess's hands.

"Hey, that's mine1" Jess yelled quite defensive of his property.

"I know, but it's ten thirty and you need to sleep."

"I'm fine," Jess yawned.

"Sure," Luke answered fully aware of Jess's yawn, "You've been reading non-stop since we got back from the pool. You need sleep," Luke ended sternly.

"But I promised Rory I'd finish chapter ten read before class tomorrow…" Jess stated as he fell asleep.

"Who's Rory?" Luke asked. However, his question would remain unanswered seeing as Jess was already sound asleep in his pillow.

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The next morning when Jess walked into the diner still in his clothes from the previous day mind you. Luke asked, "So who's Rory?" he wasn't sure why he was so curious.

Jess looked at this uncle a little shocked wondering how his uncle knew about his new friend; did he have him bugged.

"You said something about him and your book last night before you dozed off," Luke remarked after noting Jess's stunned look.

"Oh! We're reading the same book," Jess explained, "and Rory's a girl."

"Ok," Luke was just pleased that Jess seemed to have found a friend already, "So breakfast?"

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The rest of the morning again went very differently for both kids. Jess stuck his nose directly back in his book after some health oatmeal mush for breakfast; he didn't he reemerge until Luke called him downstairs for lunch. Where as Rory's nose was nowhere near a book, well at least not a typical book. Rory had spent the morning helping Mia pick a new florist by looking through dozens of magazines and brochures. The old florist had retired and was planning to move to a warmer climate.

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Litchfield pool:

Today drop Rory of at the pool was a totally different experience for Lorelai. Where yesterday Rory made her mom hold her hand, walk her up to the door of the pool, and wait with her until the coach had shown up; today Rory jumped out of the car as soon as Lorelai parked, yelling goodbye as she ran to meet a young man, Lorelai could only assume was Jess, who was leaning against the outside wall of the pool talking to a tall men in a backward baseball cap.

"Jess, did you finish?" Rory ran up asking only noticing the grown-up after she had reached Jess.

"Yep," was the only answer Jess offered.

It didn't really matter because Rory was too busy starring at the tall, intimidating man standing next to Jess.

Feeling quite out of place Luke decided to make his leave, "Jess," he said getting his nephew's attention, "Don't drown." And with that Jess and Rory were alone waiting for class to start.

"Did you know that "Nemo" means "no one" in Latin?" Jess offered having reading it in the margins of his book; apparently it use to belong to a diligent student of some level.

"No," Rory smiled finally finding a friend who loved books and language as much as her.

"And the name of the submarine, the Nautilus, is actually a type of mollusk," Jess tried again enjoying Rory's excitement a lot more than his uncle grunt of acknowledgment and his mother's silence.

"No," Rory replied, "But did you know the Nautilus was actually named for one of the earliest successful submarines built by Robert Fulton, who later invented the first commercially successful steamboat," she quoted from the twenty page introduction of the story she read.

This "game" went on until the coach called the kids in the pool.

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After class Rory and Jess decided to ask their subsequent parental figures if their could see each other outside of swim class; to continue their discussion of course. They were waited together at the pool's front gate for their rides. Lorelai had to borrow Mia's car to get Rory to class in Litchfield, and so would run any and all errands Mia asked of her during Rory's swimming time. So she was commonly late. Luke on the other hand had no problem getting Jess to class, and found a great use for his time in Litchfield running the track at the high school just a few blocks from the pool.

Lorelai arrived ten minutes late; she was still in her maid's uniform because she had run out of time to change earlier that afternoon, and was clutching a large cup of coffee.

"Mom"

"Yes Rory"

"Could Jess come over and play with me this afternoon?" Rory asked ever so sweetly.

"Well I don't know. I guess if it's okay with his parents?"

"Uncle," Jess corrected.

Just then Luke came jogging up, in a t-shirt, track pants, and his signature backwards baseball cap, holding a water bottle and tripping with sweat. "Sorry I'm late," he told Jess. Then turned to Lorelai and said, "Thanks for waiting with him; I hope I didn't inconvenience you."

"You didn't; I just as late as you are," she told the handsome sweaty man who stood before her, "But I do believe our charges have something to ask you."

Luke turned and gave Jess a fun look. "Yes?"

"Rory and I were wondering, if it's okay with you, if I could go play with her for the rest of the afternoon?" Jess questioned.

"Are you good with this?" Luke directed his question at Lorelai, or Rory's mom, as he assumed.

"Yeah it's fine with me… Oh wait, Rory what about the town meeting tonight?" Lorelai exclaimed.

"Oh," Rory had forgotten all about the emergency town meeting Mia had told her about just that morning.

Luke stood there listening to them debate, a little shock by their subject matter; he only knew one town that was crazy enough to have an emergency town meeting on a Tuesday night. "Do you mean the assembly of the insane in Stars Hollow."

"Yeah," Lorelai answered surprised that the stranger would know anything about the small town, "Are you familiar with Stars Hollow?"

"You could say that," Luke offered.

"Great. So we could just meet you there," Lorelai added, "I'm Lorelai by the way."

"Luke," he answered and then turned his attention to Jess, "Be good."

"No problem, " Jess said with one of the biggest smiles Luke had seen.

And with that Lorelai, Rory, and Jess were off to the Independence Inn in Mia's car; leaving Luke to return back to his diner alone.

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Lorelai drove Jess and Rory back to the inn listening to their animated conversation about sailing aboard a former president, the Abraham Lincoln. They didn't even notice she turned the car off when they reached the inn.

"Ok. Everyone out!" Lorelai called back into the car amazed by their concentration.

They got out and followed Lorelai inside; she dropped the keys off at the front desk and went to work, "Ok guys have fun, but don't go in the kitchen or Eugene (the head chef) will serve me for dinner."

After her mom had left Rory turned to jess, "Do you want a tour?"

Jess then noticed just where he was standing, the lobby was alone was bigger than any apartment he had ever lived in, "Sure," he swallowed.

So Rory started leading Jess around, "There are six room on the first floor along with a dining room, a library, two offices, and of course the kitchen. Then there are another twelve rooms upstairs and a meeting room."

Just then Mia interrupted the tour, "Who's your friend, Rory?"

"This is Jess," Rory answered the beloved older woman.

"Jess... It's nice to finally meet you," Mia immediately smiled at Jess.

"Finally?" Jess and Rory asked at the same time.

"Yes. I've known your mom and uncle for years, but I have never had the opportunity to meet you," Mia answered the youngsters query tapping Jess on the nose, "Well… I won't keep you from your fun. It was nice seeing you."

Rory then lead Jess to her favorite part of the inn, the "cottage." They spent to rest of the afternoon reading together in the shade of a tree by the pond. At times reading a favorite piece of dialog out loud for the other. They had remarkably similar reading speeds.

Jess started out loud:

"What are they, Captain?"

Rory jumped right in and answered him:

"That involves my telling you how the Nautilus is worked"

Jess returned:

"I am impatient to learn."

Rory laughed at Jess attempted to read in a deep British accent.

As Lorelai walked to the cottage she heard her daughter's voice carrying over the pond.

"One last question, Captain Nemo"

Then the answer came in the form of Jess's attempt at a deeper register.

"Ask it, Professor."

Rory continued:

"You are rich?"

Jess concluded:

"Immensely, rich sir; and I could, without missing it, pay the debt of France."

The only other noise that came from the other side of the pond was the delightful sound of childish laughter.

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7:55 Stars Hollow

Because Mia was driving Lorelai, Rory, and Jess had arrived to the meeting five minutes early. Mia immediately found Fran and starting talking to her about a cake for a future wedding at the inn.

Lorelai, Rory, and Jess had just spotted Luke in the back of Miss Patty's studio, as the emergency town meeting was official started by Taylor Doose, town selectman extraordinaire. They hurried to get seated.

Taylor began, "Ladies and gentlemen, the issue I wish speak to you about tonight is a matter of foremost importance. The safety of our children… nay our entire town is in jeopardy. One of your fellow citizens lives was put in grave danger yesterday when he was forced to take refuge in a tree from a wild beast. This way why I gathered you all here to reintroduce the idea of leash laws."

"Taylor, who was stuck a tree?" Miss Patty asked surprised she had heard anything about it.

"Yeah, babe who was struck up the tree?" Babette chimed in.

"Well I was not at the scene, but a reliable source told me a young helpless citizen forced to find sanctuary in tree," Taylor said his answer getting vaguer as he continued.

Jess saw his uncle try not to smile and leaned in, "Is Taylor talking about what I think he's talking about?" Luke just nodded yes. "Are you going to tell him?"

"No" Luke whispered back.

"Who was it Taylor?" Miss Patty still upset she didn't know anything about the whole incident.

"Just an anonymous citizen, who was brave enough to stand up for change,"

"How brave can he be if he wants to remain anonymous?" Babette questioned.

"That's not the point," Taylor tried to focus the group again.

Lorelai and Rory were listening intently to the discussion when they noticed Luke and Jess had started playing hangman on the flyer Taylor had passed out, not the least interested in the poor fellow who had been attacked. "How can you two be so glib about this?" Lorelai exclaimed placing her hands on her hips wondering what kind of connections her daughter had made. Rory mirrored her mother stance.

"He's talking about a goldfish," Luke retorted.

"What?" both girls laughed.

"Quiet in the back," Taylor yelled over the crowd, "Now where was I?"

"Goldfish in a tree," Jess yelled back. Luke shot him a look after he had done so.

"Right. A what?" Taylor started to repeat, "What did you say young man?"

"Ask your anonymous source," Luke shot back.

"Taylor, what's this all about?" Miss Patty asked; she had lost her interest and wanted a cigarette.

"Nothing. We are here to pass a new leash law to protect the children," Taylor explained trying desperately to sound dignified.

"What does a goldfish have to do with anything?" Gypsy yelled back up at the stage.

"Nothing," Taylor repeated, "Clearly this boy is confused."

A collective rebuttal was shout out from the group in the back.

"What about the Gilligan law," Kirk called out as he stood.

"Sit down," Taylor hissed from the podium.

"Who's Gilligan?" Patty asked.

"Gilligan is the citizen, whom this law will be named for," Taylor tried to play the outbursts off.

"Is Gilligan the fish?" Andrew asked Taylor.

Taylor turned white before the town's eyes. Then tried to explain, "This doesn't change the fact we need a leash law in this town."

A groan rippled through the crowd as people started heading for the exit. During which time, Taylor cried out something about not officially hitting the meeting out.

"How did you know?" Lorelai turned and asked Luke and Jess.

Jess proceeded to tell the girls the whole story about Kirk's goldfish tree.

"Wow," was the only thing Lorelai could say.

Mia then rejoined the group after spending the meeting catching up with Fran and Harry the twinkle light guy. "So Lucas I could use a good cup of coffee. Know where I could get one?"

"Coffee?" Lorelai perked up when she heard the magic words.

Luke debated for a moment, "Fine, follow me."

So your still here! Either that or your computer has frozen on my page and it won't let you move (My computer virus is working). Anyway… I hope someone out there is reading.

As for the chapter: I have no idea how many room the Independence Inn, so I fibbed my way through that dialog. Sorry if I was way off.

Now for the tunes: This is going to sound crazy but if you can find it's amazingly funny: "Underdog" as sung by The Blanks (otherwise known as Ted's band from Scrubs).

And again please, pretty please review. Drop me a line.