Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.

Chapter Twenty One- Tuesday- 11 AM- Jess

I'm clean and I'm gonna stay clean. It was the one good thing about jail. Course, I need to get the hell out of this city, and my probation officer agrees. She's transferring me back to New York. I can't wait to go home. But I'm not going to hang out with my old friends. Nope. Jess and I are starting over. We're gonna make it this time. If I can get him to talk to me, he's such a silent little shit. I wonder if he misses his foster family? He probably had tons of fun while I was locked away.

Jess knew the guy in the diner was a cop. He could see it in the way the man carried himself. The relaxed line of the body coupled with the watchful eyes. The way the man had scoped the exits, the windows, and every patron in the minute he stood in the doorway while theoretically choosing an empty table. Closing the register drawer, Jess grabbed the fresh coffee pot and a cup, stealing himself in case the guy was in the diner for information on Ray.

"Coffee?" he asked, watching the cop's fingers drum against a stack of notebooks.

"Yeah, and when you have a minute, I'd like to talk to you."

Jess set the pot of coffee down, and crossed his arms. Raising an eyebrow, he gave the officer his best blank stare. He listened to the diner get quiet as the regulars began to pay attention. A few of the faint at heart types, including Kirk, scurried out of the diner to let Miss Patty and Babette know something was going down. The cop surprised Jess by chuckling.

"How long before the lead gossip arrives? I feel like I'm in an episode of the Twilight Zone. There's a store out there changing its name from The Magical Unicorn to The Prancing Puppy. I'm Detective Blake from Denver, but I'm not here in any official capacity," Blake said, watching Mariano stiffen. He knew he'd have to tread lightly with the obviously prickly author. One misstep here, and he'd be thrown out on his ass. He picked up his coffee, took a sip, and smiled. "Damn good coffee, by the way."

"Why are you here?" Jess asked, narrowing his eyes at the Detective's relaxed attitude.

"To talk to you. To give you these," he added, tapping the notebooks again, but not making an effort to hand them over. A chill snaked itself down Jess's spine. His arms dropped to his sides and his fists clenched before he realized what had happened. Forcing himself to relax, he took a breath, and slowly slid the chair away from the table lowering himself into it. Trying to force his thoughts elsewhere, he wasn't a hundred percent sure his legs would hold him. Those damn notebooks. Were they really the notebooks?

A sigh rippled across the dining room as the Reverend Skinner, Taylor and Morey let out the breath they'd been holding. It soon became apparent their relief was misplaced, the line of Jess's body grew stiffer, and his shoulders tighter, as he stared at a spot above the Detective's head. As he flashed back to the last time he'd seen the notebook. Detective Blake narrowed his eyes as Jess blanked out in front of him, lost in his thoughts.

Jess was rummaging through the drawers when Liz let herself into the apartment. He'd seen notebooks one day when putting the laundry away, and needed a new one for school. One second he was standing, and the next, he was staring at the ceiling, trapped between the bed and the wall. It took a second for the words screamed in his face to register, because he had hit his head on the corner of the dresser when she knocked him away. Holding his hand to the wound to stem the bleeding, he looked startled and confused from his position on the floor.

"What are you doing? Don't touch those you little shit! Don't ever touch those," spit sprayed his face as she leaned down and screamed.

"Mom! Stop, I just needed a notebook for school. I swear, I wasn't going through your stuff," Jess yelled, trying to catch her attention, as she slammed drawers open and closed.

"School? Who cares about school. You're never gonna amount to anything anyway. Look at your father! You'll be nothing, just like him."

Pulling himself up off the floor, Jess couldn't hold in his anger. He'd had enough.

"Fine! I needed a notebook for school, but you know what? I'm done. I'm done with it. You're right. It's full of assholes who pick on me anyway, and the teachers are idiots. You won't let me have a notebook? Fine. I hate school, and I hate you. I'm out of here."

"You'll be back! It's not like you can leave at twelve. Bring me cigarettes when you come crawling home," Liz yelled as he slammed the door behind him.

Shoving the chair away from him, as he lurched to his feet, Jess ran his hand through his hair, glared at Detective Blake and left the diner. The chime of the bell above the door signaled the townspeople.

"Don't you think he's been through enough?" Taylor asked.

"Not cool, not cool at all," Morey added, shaking his head. Detective Blake scooped up the notebooks, and turned to the occupied tables.

"I'd say it went about how I expected. Any clue where I can find him now?" Blake asked. Morey shrugged.

"He'll either go to Rory, or the bridge."

"Or he will head back in," Reverend Skinner said, a smile playing across his lips, as he watched Jess pace in front of the gazebo before striding toward the diner.

Blake resumed his seat as Jess walked into the diner, calm and collected. He righted the chair, and moving to the counter, ordered burgers and fries. Everyone watched as he wiped down a table, and refilled coffees. When Caesar announced the order was up, Jess gave one plate to the Detective, and sat down in front of the other to eat. Taking the time to pass the ketchup and nodding approvingly when the cop followed his lead and made a little salt and pepper pile to dip his fries into. Kirk crept into the diner, as surprised as everyone else to see Jess calmly eating a burger. Eventually, the quiet became too eerie, and the residents began to chatter amongst themselves.

"I like this place," Blake said, using a fry to mop up the last of the ketchup on his plate.

"Huh," Jess smirked. During his little trip outside, he'd come to the decision he wanted the notebooks. But sitting here, across from them, he knew wanted was the wrong word. No. He needed the notebooks. The night from his memory was the night he'd almost died, and been saved by Ray. It was a week before he went home again, and he didn't take any cigarettes. Touching the notebooks had changed his life, and he wanted them because of it. But more than that, he needed to know what she thought was important enough to write down. And although he'd do almost anything for the notebooks, it didn't mean he had to make it easy on the cop who had butted into his life.

"So the tall guy, he said you'd either go to Rory or the bridge. I read about both. About your wedding on the bridge, how beautiful it was. I read about Liz's hopes for you and Rory. In these. It isn't all bad," Blake said, shrugging his shoulders. Hoping the thought of something good would be an enticement. Obviously Mariano was interested. He wouldn't have returned to the diner if he wasn't. Jess met the guy's eyes evenly.

"Is this part of your investigation?"

"No, completely unofficial. I'm using vacation time. I'm here because I've been popping Tums like candy. From the first time your uncle said you weren't going to the funeral, my stomach has hurt. Over the years, I've learned to listen to it, because it doesn't stop hurting, and bad things happen when I ignore it," Blake said, swirling his last sip in the almost empty coffee cup. Catching Caesar's attention, Jess held his cup up for more coffee, and waited to speak till after Caesar had filled their cups.

"So you aren't here to give me the notebooks."

"No, I want you to come back with me, to go to the funeral. I'll give you the notebooks, but I think you should read them there. In Colorado."

"Why? Why do I have to go to her funeral? I've said my goodbyes. Truthfully, I said my goodbyes a long time ago. Just give me the damn things. Let me read them here. On my bridge. Or with my wife. Where I have support. Why does it have to be on Liz's turf?" Jess's whisper was harsh in the quiet dinner. Glancing around, he noticed the townspeople literally leaning his direction, hoping to catch a word. He pushed himself up from the table, and walked to the door. Holding it open, he began to speak, and then bellow in a passable imitation of Luke.

"Everyone needs to leave. Everyone. Out. Now! Kirk, that isn't even your sandwich! You haven't ordered lunch yet. Out!"

Detective Blake watched as the townspeople rushed out, and after shutting off the grills, Caesar hung his apron up and was leaving to take a break as Rory came running in. Jess was conflicted about her presence. On one hand, by being there, she made any uncomfortable situation bearable. On the other hand, she would probably side with the Detective, because she definitely had her own agenda. He was turning away when he noticed how pale and panicked she looked.

"Jess! It's Grandma. She's in the hospital. Grandpa says she's fine, that it wasn't a heart attack, but I want to go. I need to see her for myself. He didn't call us last night because of Garret, and because he was waiting to hear. Then he just thought he'd call after she woke up," she said, throwing herself against his chest and clinging tightly. Jess ran his hands up and down her back as he soothed her. "She's been there hours without us, Jess. We need to be there."

"Of course we'll go, right now. Come on," he said and gestured to the Detective to follow them as they darted across Stars Hollows streets on their way home.

"Grab a book and the keys, I'll meet you at the car," Jess said, dropping a kiss on Rory's forehead as he pushed her into the house. Facing Blake, he shrugged and turned his thoughts inward for a minute before speaking.

"I don't want to let you in my house. I don't know you, I don't trust you. On the other hand, I don't want the notebooks out of my sight and since it would be too difficult to explain your presence at the hospital, I'll settle for knowing where they are. I feel compelled to know where they're at, to know they're waiting, I guess. And I want them on my property, so come in. Garret, our brother, won't be home until three. We should be back by then, but I'll text him to let him know you're here in case we aren't," Jess said, gesturing Blake in. "This is the living room, TV area, feel free to watch whatever. Library is through there, and the kitchen is back there. You can help yourself to something to drink and eat if you get hungry. I wouldn't be surprised if townsfolk show up. Just let them in. They'll want to keep an eye on you after my – reaction in the diner," Jess added, giving the Detective another long look before smirking and striding out the back door. By trusting him not to snoop, and welcoming him, Jess knew the Detective would be honor bound not to. Blake was just that type of guy.

Glancing around, Blake tried to process the strange morning, before deciding he needed a nap. He'd been up before dawn to get to the airport for his flight. Kicking off his shoes, he turned the TV on to a sports station, and lay back on the comfortable couch.

A/N- I struggled with this chapter. For a while, Jess was much more violent. Which seemed both in character and out. I toned down his reaction because he has matured, season 6 Jess would not have overturned tables (let alone the man I've been writing) and I couldn't see him throwing the chair in a public setting anymore. Anyway, read and review…