Title: The Mariano Agenda
Author: Bent137
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Characters of Gilmore Girls(as well as anything else associated with it) aren't mine, the title is a spin of the Dark Angel episode "The Berrisford Agenda".
Spoilers: Up to the Season 2 Finale
Music References: All lyrics can be found on MxPx- "Thoughts And Ideas"
Authors Note: I've had this bouncing around for a little while. I finally got the chance to sit and write it out. This is the first time I've done script format. Thanks to Rea for beta reading for me.

High School Politics

Previously

Rory: Bye Mom! Bye Luke! Tell Lane and (makes a painful face) Jess I said goodbye.

Luke: Will do!

Lorelai: Bye honey, call me! I'll miss you.

(Rory is about to respond but is dragged through the gate by Paris. "Leaving On A Jet Plane" by Chantal Kreviazuk begins to play as we cut to a scene of a plane taxiing down the runway. The scene switches to Rory and Paris sitting in seats in what appears to be the first class section. Paris is speaking, but the song is drowning it out so it is not clear what she's saying. Rory is staring straight ahead. She has a flashback of her and Jess kissing at Sookie's wedding, and that night in Luke's apartment, as the lyrics of the song sing "So kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you'll wait for me. Hold me like you'll never let me go." The flashback ends as the song sings the lyrics "'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again. Oh, babe, I hate to go." Rory turns her head and looks out the window past Paris.)

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("Thoughts And Ideas" by MxPx is playing. The camera moves through Luke's apartment and we hear running water. It comes across the bathroom and we see Jess inside at the sink. The camera zooms in and we see he is rinsing out a paint brush. The water is running clear now so he turns it off and sets the brush on the edge of the sink. He walks out and looks at a clock nearby, it reads 6:00. He grabs a book off a nearby stand and shoves it in his pocket then walks to the door, grabbing his vest on the way out. Cut to Jess walking up to the bus stop, he sits down and looks around. Suddenly the bus pulls up, he gets up and climbs aboard, he walks all the way to the back and sits down next to the window. The bus pulls away. Cut to Luke's truck pulling up to the diner. Luke parks it out back and goes in, he moves to the front door and unlocks it letting in Kirk and a few other random people. They take their seats and Luke goes from table to table presenting them with menu's and greeting them. Caesar walks in just then and Luke stops him on his way to the kitchen. The song fades.)

Luke: Watch the place a second.

(Caesar nods and Luke goes up the stairs. Cut to Luke walking into the apartment. He looks around.)

Luke: Jess?

(When he receives no answer he walks to Jess' room and looks in. The walls are still taped off, but the walls now sport a very dark shade of blue, almost black. He looks around in with a mix of terror and awe on his face.)

Luke: What have you done?

(Cut to Lorelai walking into the inn. She walks up to where Michel is sitting at the front desk.)

Lorelai: Any messages? (Michel silently hands her a few small papers. She looks down at them.) Manny's going to be late?

Michel: Keep going.

Lorelai: (moves to the next paper) Oh. He'll be here by four.

Michel: Keep going.

Lorelai: (moves to the next paper) My mother called? (makes a face and moves to the next paper) He meant four tomorrow? We can't wait until four tomorrow!

Michel: I told him that.

Lorelai: And?

Michel: And what?

Lorelai: And what did he say?

Michel: Four tomorrow.

Lorelai: (groans and picks up the phone, dials a number) Hi, Sophie, it's Lorelai. Listen, I need to talk to Manny. Yes I'll hold.

(The other phone rings and Michel picks it up.)

Michel: Independence Inn. Yes, one moment. (places hand over mouth piece and looks at Lorelai) It's your mother.

Lorelai: Ugh.

(Cut to a bus station. One bus has just arrived and as it opens it's doors another pulls in next to it. People get off both buses and begin walking through a set of doors in front of them. Jess gets off the first bus and follows the crowd through the doors. Cut to Jess emerging onto a sidewalk in the street from another pair of doors. Above the doors is a sign that reads "Hartford Bus Station". Jess turns and begins walking down the sidewalk. Cut to a cab pulling up in front of a large brick building. It stops and Rory and Paris climb out. The cab driver gets out and opens the trunk. They take their luggage from him and Paris gives him the money. Rory stares up at the building.)

Rory: Wow. So, we're actually here.

Paris: Yeah, we are. So I guess we're supposed to go ahead in and check in and they'll give us our assignments.

Rory: Yeah.

(Both girls walk up and in the doors. Cut to the inside of the building. Paris leads the way into a door on the right that reads "Office." Rory sighs and follow her in. Cut to the inside of the office. Another pair of girls are just turning from the desk to head out. They stop and smile.)

Girl #1: Hello, I'm Holly.

Girl #2: and I'm Stephanie.

Rory: (smiling) Hi, I'm Rory. (gestures towards Paris) This is Paris.

Paris: Hi.

Stephanie: Wow. So have you ever been to Paris, Paris? (giggles.)

Paris: Yes, yes I have.

Rory: So what school are you guys from?

Holly: Anderson Boarding School. I'm president, Stephanie's vice.

Rory: Well, Paris is president, and I'm vice. We're from Chilton Preparatory School, it's in Connecticut. Where is Anderson Boarding School?

Stephanie: It's in Missouri.

Rory: Wow.

Paris: (fidgety) Well, it was nice meeting you both but we must check in now. I'm sure we'll see you sometime.

Holly: (shakes Paris' hand) Absolutely. (she smiles and shakes Rory's as well.)

Stephanie: (shaking Paris' hand) Perhaps tonight at the dinner. (shakes Rory's hand as well.)

Rory: Dinner?

Holly: They'll inform you when you check in.

(Rory nods and the girls part ways.)