Notes: Glad ya'll liked my anniversary chapter. I'm just glad I made it that far because I've never been able to before. Hopefully I can do better for the next big chapter (I would expect Luke and Lorelai will be together by then). Actually, since I know where I'm going with this, you can expect that Christopher doesn't have that many chapters left. Rejoice. Read. Review. All that good stuff.

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Luke's Diner

Rory walks into Luke's Diner, apparently frustrated with life, and settles into a chair at the table by the window. Luke looks up from wiping down the counter and watches Rory slouch into the chair. He grabs a coffee cup and the coffee pot and walks over. "Looking for this?" he asks. Rory smiles faintly.

"It's all I've got going for me right now," Rory says. She stares at the table sadly, her arms crossed on the table. Luke pours her the coffee watching her reaction, but she just takes the cup and drinks the coffee without a response. Luke sighs, sitting down in the chair by her.

"What's going on?" Luke asks. Rory looks at him, shocked. "Anna says I need to work on my paternal skills, so I'm working on them. Is that okay?" Rory smiles.

"Sure thing. I'd be glad to be your guinea pig daughter."

"I'd listen to you anyways, you know," Luke tells her. Rory nods, still smiling. "So, tell me what's got you looking so un-Rory-like."

"It's Paris. You met her?" Luke nods. "Yeah, she thinks I did something that I didn't do, I swear, but she's mad and she's trying to destroy my articles for the paper and my pictures in the yearbook and…" Rory trails off, watching Luke's blank face. "You could really care less, couldn't you?" Luke chuckles.

"No, it's not that, it's just – you're better than this Rory. You're not some airhead who spends the day wondering if every strand of her hair is perfect. You love to read. You want to go to Harvard. You want to be something."

"Yeah… that's true."

"In a few months you're going to graduate from that school and you'll never see those people again. You'll never care what you looked like in the yearbook until they do a documentary of you on 'Before They Were Stars'."

"You've watched that show?" Rory asks, an eyebrow raised.

"No, it's probably just something your mother's mentioned," Luke replies. Rory laughs. Luke smiles, pleased to have gotten her out of her bad mood. "Don't worry about it Rory. When I met Paris, she didn't seem like someone who would put anyone on her good side for a long time."

"Wow you do know Paris." Rory nods, thinking about what Luke's said. She looks over at him. "April should be proud to have you as a dad."

"Thanks," Luke responds. Jess walks over. "Hey," Luke says, standing up.

"No, sorry, keep talking. I'm invisible," Jess says.

"Clearly that can never be true," Luke responds.

"I'm just playing guinea pig," Rory says. She winks at Luke. He nods.

"Okay, I'll leave you two. And I'll get you a donut," Luke says.

"Two?" Rory asks.

"Being a little greedy today?"

"One for Mom."

"Your mom needs to lay off the donuts and eat an apple once in awhile," Luke crabs.

"I'll be sure and tell her that," Rory kids. Luke taps the table and then walks away. Jess pulls the chair up next to Rory and sits. They share a kiss. "So, what are you doing on April 20th?" Jess looks at her strangely.

"Rory, it's barely February. I don't even know what I'm doing tomorrow," Jess says.

"You're working tomorrow," Rory informs him. "But on April 20th is my mom and dad's wedding so I want you to have the date saved now." Jess doesn't look like he wants to do any such thing.

"Do I have to? Your mom doesn't really like me."

"Yeah, but my mom isn't the one asking you. I am. You're my boyfriend and you'll come for me. Won't you?" Rory gives him her best puppy dog eyes. Jess looks down shaking his head.

"I can't believe you're going to make me do this."

"It'll be fun, I promise," Rory says. She stands and picks up her backpack. "I've got a lot of homework today, so let's plan for tomorrow." Jess sighs, standing. He wraps an arm around her shoulders.

"Is it possible when you go to school that you might have more time for me?" Jess asks. Rory shakes her head, grinning. Jess rolls his eyes but leans over and kisses her. Luke walks over with a bag of donuts and hands the bag to Rory.

"Thanks, Luke."

"I put an apple in there for your mom." Rory giggles. "Don't tell me if she doesn't eat it, I like to keep my ideals about the two of you. And try to eat the bigger of the two donuts."

"Aw, so sweet of you to care if my mom balloons up to 800 pounds."

"It hasn't happened yet, but there's still tim,." Luke notes. Rory laughs.

"Well thanks Luke." She kisses Jess quickly and walks out. Jess glances up at Luke, who is watching Rory cross the street.

"That was a lovely scene," Jess says sarcastically. Luke glares at him. "So, you ready for April 20th?" Luke furrows his eyebrows, confused. "When Rory's mom is getting married…" Luke tries to contain his surprise. "She didn't tell you they set a date? Wow." Jess actually does seem surprised.

"She doesn't keep me apprised on every small moment of her life," Luke says. Jess shakes his head in disbelief.

"You know, you should have told her," Jess tells Luke.

"Told her?" Jess glares at Luke, hoping Luke will just figure it out for himself. Luke nods sadly. "It's just – we're not right Jess – I feel like Beauty and the Beast around her."

"She's not the beast is she?"

"No, Jess. She's beautiful and smart and amazing and everyone loves her and when she looks at me all she sees is this, a diner owner, a guy who wears flannels and grumps about everything." Luke sighs.

"Maybe that's true and maybe it's not," Jess comments. "You'll never know until you try." Jess looks at him pointedly and walks away.

"It is true," Luke mumbles knowingly, still staring out the window. He sighs, disappointed that things never seem to turn out right for him.