Disclaimer: Still don't own them. But it's a nice thought.
AN: In case you didn't read the chapter title you are finally going to find out why Jess has a stick up his ass in this chapter. Hope you guys like that.
Rory walked into Luke's to almost running into Jess. He said an apology over his shoulder telling her to find a seat. Things were slowly starting to get better for them. She hadn't seen much of him since the last time they were here. He was always gone, and when he was home he would refuse to be around her. She smiled hoping things would get better soon. Her mom came in a few minutes later.
"Do you know what you want yet?" Jess asked coming up to the table.
"Just coffee for right now." She said watching her mom with Luke.
"You know, there isn't a rule about ordering when she isn't here."
"You know how she is."
"Yes I do. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Lorelai walked over glaring at Rory. Rory knew what was coming.
"Who are you? What be your name?"
"Mom, come on." Rory said rolling her eyes.
"So you decided to come up? What Blonde Wonder had plans?" Lorelai asked teasing her.
"He's in Hartford."
"So how are you?"
"Fine." Rory said giving her mother a weird look.
"What's new?"
"Not much, Megan's pregnant. And Paris is getting married."
"Paris is getting married? To who?"
"You've met him actually. He's a friend of Logan's. You remember Colin right?"
"He was the nice one, right?"
"Yes, he was the one that didn't come onto you." Rory said with a smile.
"Hey I said he was nice, not smart." She said with a wave of her hand.
They talked for another half an hour before Sookie came in with the boys. Rory didn't understand her sometimes. She had two kids of her own to take care of, and they were a handful. But she would be the first one to volunteer to take the twins when Lorelai and Luke needed a night to themselves. Landon reached out for Rory and she sat him in her lap. He ate her fries as the woman talked. And JJ would throw things at him until Lorelai bought him fries of his own. Once he finally settled down Lorelai resumed grilling Rory.
"So have you seen Logan?"
"No." Rory said with a sigh.
"Well you're going to have to see him eventually right? I mean at Paris's wedding."
"It's not until February. So I've got another month and half to avoid him."
The conversation died down again as Jess came back to the table to bring them their desert. He stole the cherry from Rory's ice cream and she smack his arm.
"Hey!"
"I'll get you three more." He called from across the restaurant.
"You better!" She said sounding threatening.
A little while later Rory left to finish her Christmas shopping. She was walking through a music store when she bumped into someone. Her bags landed on the floor everything scattering everywhere.
"I am so sorry!" The person said helping her pick everything up.
Rory looked up in surprise. Granted she saw Dean every once in a while but she hadn't seen Lindsay since everything had happened. She had left Dean not long after she found out. She looked up realizing who Rory was. She glared at her before standing up to walk away. Nothing else was said. And Rory wished she had gotten up the nerve to say something. She pushed the thought from her mind as she left the mall.
She was at the Dragon Fly that night when she heard someone knock on her door. She knew it wasn't Jess; he was staying at her mom's to help Luke tomorrow. So she took a little while longer to answer the door. She was surprised to see Dean on the other side.
"Hi." She said after she let him in.
"Hey." He said sounding nervous.
"How did you know I was here?"
"I asked your mom. She didn't tell me willingly."
"Did you expect her to?" She asked giving him a worried look.
"I did hurt her baby girl. But that's in the past, we've dealt with that right?"
"I forgave you for that years ago."
"Good. I know we haven't talked that much since you left, but I figured you'd like to know that I'm getting married."
"Oh yeah? Who is she?"
"Her name is Erin, I'm pretty sure she came into town after you left. She works over at Miss Patty's."
"Does she treat you good? Because you deserve that, you know that don't you?"
" She does. I can't believe you haven't met her yet."
"Bring her by the house."
They talked for a few more minutes before he left. They had slowly built up to the friendship they had now. It had taken a while for her mom to approve. She didn't want Rory to get hurt. Once she saw that things were fine she had finally backed off. Now they talked whenever she came into town.
XXXX
Jess was stringing twinkle lights across the roof as Luke watched him from below. Rory had told him Jess was acting different, and he had noticed something was up when Jess voluntarily said he would over the night before. He needed to talk to him, which wasn't something he was looking forward to. Luke knew it wouldn't be easy to get whatever was bothering out of him.
Jess came down the latter a few minutes later. Lorelai came out of the house with a list of things for Luke to do before tonight.
"I don't why I let you talk me into this every year."
"It's so we don't have to go over to my mother's."
"She just comes here!" Jess said in exasperation.
"Yes, but I get to tell her when it's time to leave."
"You're lucky I love you." Luke said kissing her quickly.
"It's only one night." She said reasoning with him.
Luke and Jess walked away shaking their heads. Luke figured it was a good time as any to try and talk to him.
"Rory says she hasn't seen you much lately."
"What are you my dad?" Jess asked giving him a weird look.
"No. I just thought you might want to talk about it."
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
"You trying to tell me that you Lorelai got pregnant with the boys out of wedlock?"
"What?" Luke said stopping in his tracks.
"It's a long story."
"You better tell me and you better tell me now." Luke said getting in Jess' face.
"Back off, I'll tell you." Jess said adjusting his jacket.
Jess told him, even though he didn't want to. He made Luke promise not to tell anyone. He would tell them, he didn't have much choice now that Luke knew. The guy would hound him until he came out with it.
XXXX
Rory was reading in the main room of the Inn when Jess found her. He walked over to her without saying a word. She looked up in surprise when he put a hand on hers.
"Don't do that!" She said moving over so he could sit down.
"Didn't mean to scare you." He said giving her a teasing smile.
"Did you need something?"
"I need to talk to you. Can we go up to your room? It's private."
"Sure." She said closing her book and she followed him upstairs.
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Rory gave him a worried look.
"You okay? Whatever it is, it can't be that bad."
"I'm moving."
"Okay, is that the big news?" She asked laughing lightly.
"I'm moving to Atlanta." He said looking her in the eye.
"With Corey?"
"Yeah."
"Any reason why?"
"I've been going to see her twice a month for the past two months."
"When did this happen?"
"Over the summer. She came to New York to see her sister. And we ran into each other. I've been seeing her ever since."
"And why the frequent trips to… You got her pregnant didn't you?"
He nodded not knowing how she would react.
"Aww Jess, that great!" She said pulling him in for a hug.
"Uh, thanks." He said patting her on the back.
She laughed knowing he felt uncomfortable. He hated to be hugged, but the situation called for it.
"Have you told anyone?" She asked letting him go.
"Just Luke." He said raking a hand through his hair.
"You could have told me sooner. I would have understood."
"I didn't know where I stood with her. Not until last weekend."
"Yeah?" She asked nudging him.
"I asked her to marry me."
Rory stared at him with her mouth-hung open. That was the last thing she expected him to say. He had always been adamant on not getting married. He didn't want to turn into his parents. Rory honestly was happy for him. If Corey meant that much to him, than Rory guessed that Corey was worthy enough. I mean she already knew her, and they were friends. She knew he would never hear the end from her mom though.