Jess felt violent shaking. He opened his eyes and saw his uncle; with a hoarse voice he whined. "Hey what's with the shaking?"

Luke put his hands on his hips. "Jess you realize that the diner opens in about fifteen minutes and being a Saturday I need you there. And what's this crap you go out for a smoke and never coming back?"

Jess's head hurt, he needed some Advil badly. "Look Luke, I'm sorry, I was having a bad day. It wasn't busy, so I took a little time off.

"You know Jess: I pay a salary. It would be nice if you were here for some of the hours I pay you."

"Yeah, yeah, Luke let me shower and I'll be down in about twenty."

Luke nodded at him, rose from the chair and went down the stairs to the diner.

Jess lit a cigarette, He'd smoke one before he showered. He thought back to the uproar his return to Stars Hollow with Rory had caused. Actually his return caused the breakup of his uncle and Lorelai. Luke defended him and all Loreali could see is that he ruined Rory's life. Jess did not really care about his uncle's love life. He figured it was his business and why should he even give a shit. Eventually Lorelai stopped coming into the diner, which suited Jess just fine. Jess rose from the bed and walked into the bath room. He flicked his cigarette into the toilet and started showering. His life sucked, for a long time Luke was sharp and terse with him, as he caused a rift between Lorelai and his uncle. Rachel reappeared and his uncle started seeing her again. With Luke being preoccupied with Rachel, he got off of Jess's case.

XXXXX

Dean didn't mind the monthly visits to Stars Hollow with his wife. She had a high pressure job and it was her way of unwinding. However he did get a kick out of his wife playing Suzie Homemaker; helping her mother in the kitchen and doing all sorts of domestic chores.

Actually back home in Fairfield he did most of the cooking when they didn't go out. A fulltime maid took care of cleaning the house. He and Lindsay were lucky. Dean could now admit to himself that he married her on the rebound and their first, couple of years together were rocky. His wife was a fun loving girl who took the rite of marriage very seriously.

Once He realized that he married a great girl who loved him and he started working on the marriage it all fell into place. Dean could not even conceive of not loving his wife. But in a left handed way he owed it all to Jess.

Dean took a deep breath and thought back to the mistake he almost made. He and Lindsay were having an especially rocky time and Rory appeared on the scene. He started falling under her spell again. Rory was also going around town bad mouthing his wife. Lindsay overheard her in the market one day and asked him why it was Rory's business what they did.

He was out shooting pool with some friends when the call came. Rory was stranded in some bar in New Haven, would he come and get her. Like a fool he did. He never wondered why she didn't call her mother, or grandparents, Luke or just take a cab. He found her at some college frat boy bar. They ordered a couple of burgers and a beer the drove her to the dorm. While they were talking by her door he had feeling she was about to invite him in. If he had entered her dorm room; Dean knew what would have happened.

At the time he was totally pissed. Jess came out of nowhere and told Rory he needed to talk to her. She told him to go and led jess into her room. He was hurt and angry, but a small part of him was relieved. A few days later he heard that Rory had went off with Jess to New York City. For some reason he was not as disappointed as he thought he would be.

Finally he and Lindsay did something they should have done before they were married. They sat down and told each other what they wanted out of life and the marriage. That's when the plan was hatched for both of them to go to college. They both enrolled in a junior college and Lindsay got a job waiting tables. The first few years were hard. Seemed like all they did was work and study. The two of them graduated junior college and were accepted into the University of Connecticut. He took out a student loan and Lindsay had won a scholarship. Life became somewhat easier. They both graduated and Lindsay was accepted into law school.

Now both of them had salaries in the excess of six figures and they lived comfortably. If it wasn't for Jess appearing when he did; He would have given in to temptation and now and probably still be working for Tom.

Lindsay shook him out of his daydream. "Come on lazy, drop me off at Luke's."

Dean stretched and stood up. "Okay dear, but why must you meet there?"

"I guess because that is where we used to go after school. I know you don't like the place, but the rest of us do."

Dean took a quick look; Lindsay's parents were not around. He patted her on the ass and kissed her. Let's go, your chauffer awaits you."

The deep gash on the side of his Yukon stopped him in his tacks. "Linds, come here."

Lindsay figuring her husband wanted another kiss walked over. Dean just pointed to the side of the Yukon. "Didn't you see this when you came home?"

Lindsay's mouth dropped open. She knew how Dean was attached to his Yukon. Instinctively she clutched his hand and joined her husband staring at his pride and joy. "I'm sorry honey."

Dean kissed the top of her head. Nothing to be sorry about, one of the immature idiots in town did it. It was dark when you came home. Don't worry about it.

Five minutes later Dean arrived in front of Luke's diner and stopped. Lindsay leaned over and kissed him; then jumped out curious to see which of her former classmates had shown up.

XXXXX

The diner was busy and the morning swiftly passed. Jess was about to take a break when the door swung open and a group of laughing women walked in. Among them to his surprise was Lindsay Forester again. He wondered why her sudden attachment to the diner. Jess was startled by the appearance of his old girlfriend, Shane who he hadn't seen in years. Jess was staring at them from the safety of the kitchen, hoping that Luke or Lane took the table. Then it came to him. He knew all these girls. They all went to high school with him. Jess ran his hands through his hair and adjusted his belt. He would wait on the table; maybe he could score a date with one of them.

Jess sauntered over to the tables the women had pushed together and cheerfully spoke. "Good morning Ladies what can I get for you?"

Jess could see that one by one they started remembering him. The table fell silent. Jess scanned their faces and noticed the gamut of their emotions ran from indifference to disgust. Silently Lindsay rose from the table. Shortly she returned with Luke.

Luke took a quick look at the women seated at the table. He put his hand on Jess' shoulder. "Take care of the counter, I got this."

Jess turned on his heel and slowly walked toward the counter. He was boiling. Muttering to himself "Who in the hell did these bitches think they were. They didn't even want him to wait on them. Screw them."

Jess kept watching the table out of the corner of his eye. He hadn't seen Shane in years; maybe he'd have a chance to speak to her when the group broke up.

Jess and Luke looked at the woman splitting up the bill; as in any group of woman each one figured out exactly what they had and put in the exact amount of money. Jess shook his head and turned to Luke. "They're going to be longer figuring out the bill that they spent eating.

Luke shrugged his shoulders. "Who cares Jess? At least it isn't one person picking up the tab all the time; then gave Jess a hard look.

Noticing that Shane was just about the only one left, Jess decided he would talk to her. After all she had been his girlfriend for a summer. As soon as Shane exited the diner, Jess was right behind her. For some reason she was lagging behind the others. Maybe she wanted to talk to him also?'

Running up on Shane he put a hand on her shoulder. She quickly whirled. For a moment she looked at him speechless; then she spoke. "Get your damn hands off of me asshole.

Her reaction surprised Jess. "What's your problem Shane?"

Shane smiled wickedly at him. "Well Jess that is a fifty percent improvement."

Puzzled Jess replied. "What do you mean?"

"Let's see Jess our last conversation was your phone call to me, telling me you were breaking up with me. I asked why and you told me that you were moving on to better things and then hung up... If that wasn't bad enough, in school you would walk past me like I didn't exist. I mean, that is when you bothered to attend school. So what do you want Jess?"

"Oh come on Shane that was in the past. How come you are all in town together?"

"I'm on the committee for planning the ten year reunion for Stars Hollow High. Why would you care?"

Jess took a step closer to Shane and stared into her blue eyes. Maybe I would like to attend."

Shane did not step back. "Why Jess? We all know about your conversation with the principal when he informed you that your attendance record would not permit you to graduate."

"Where are you going with this Shane?"

"Well Bill Ross and Alice Cole were in the next room waiting to interview the principal for the school paper. They told us how you told the principal you were smarter than anyone in the school and he knew it. Well when that word got around it was generally thought among the student population that you were an arrogant jerk. Good thing you stopped attending school right about then. You see Jess; you think you're too good for us. So get away from me, don't touch or talk to me again." Shane slowly turned and continued walking to her car.

Jess watched her walk away. He couldn't help but notice the car she got behind the wheel of was a BMW.

Again he walked into the diner and threw his apron on the counter. Luke looked at him. "Where are you going?"

"You're not busy, so I'm taking off." Before Luke could answer Jess walked out the door and headed for the Tavern.

Jess walked out of the bright sunlight into the dark confines of Rose's tavern. He was momentarily almost blinded. Carefully he walked to the bar and ordered a Pabst's blue ribbon beer.

Just as he was about to finish his glass his vision adjusted to the dark confines of the bar. The first thing he noticed was Dean quietly sitting at the end of the bar nursing a beer.

To Be Continued….