Lorelai had been worried that everything wouldn't be ready for the Dragonfly's test weekend she had scheduled, and that she would have to delay it for another week. However, with the arrival of the linens, it looked like everything would be ready.

Except for one thing. Lorelai had no doors. None of the rooms had doors, even though they should've arrived at least two weeks ago. Tom, her foreman, had contacted the door people and found that they should arrive in a few days, but today was Tuesday and the weekend started on, well, the weekend. She didn't have a few days to wait.

While most of the people who were coming for the test weekend were friends (and Taylor) who wouldn't mind if their doors were a little late, Lorelai didn't want to start her business that way. So she needed doors.

Unfortunately, Tom's carpenters were all busy making sure that the stairs wouldn't collapse or anything like that. They didn't have enough to time to whip up a couple of dozen doors. And while Luke would probably happily make them for her, he also had a diner to run. She didn't want to pull him away from that. She wasn't even entirely sure if they were dating or not.

Fortunately, Lorelai knew that there as another carpenter in town who had some free time on his hands. And given that Xander, when he'd first come to Stars Hollow, had said that he'd help work on the Dragonfly as payment for being allowed to stay with her only to leave town early(admittedly because Lorelai had told him too) she was pretty sure that she could convince him that he owed her. If push came to shove, she could even pay him the $100 that she owed him for pulling a Valley Jesus skit on her mother.

She just needed to find him.

After the town meeting, Xander hadn't spoken to Giles - he doubted that Giles had worked out all his snarkiness on Taylor, and Xander didn't relish having Ripper turn on him.

However, the following morning, Xander said "You know, once we actually start building the convalescence place, Taylor will probably try to make things as difficult for us as he possibly can."

Giles shrugged moodily over his tea. "We've already blown up one mayor. One more shouldn't be too hard."

"Yeah, but this one's human."

"So?"

"You don't mean that."

Giles sighed. "No, I guess not."

"Ethan really put you into a bad mood, huh?" Xander said sympathetically.

"Yes." Giles said. Although not for the reasons that Xander probably expected.

Giles had iliked/i Ethan, even when he was a troublesome chaos mage. Sure, Giles had beaten him up a few times, and Ethan had hexed him more than once, but they'd also gone out for drinks a few times. Now it turned out that Ethan kept showing up just because it wasn't boring, not because he was Giles' friend.

Xander decided not to press him. "By the way, have you got planning permission and all that stuff for the convalescence house yet? I thought I might start putting together a construction team soon, now that everything's settled down somewhat."

"We just need to sort out the insurance. I had an appointment to deal with that, but the man I was going to see had a lawsuit brought against him. Once we get insurance, you're good to go."

"Insurance, hmm?" Xander said thoughtfully, the beginnings of a diabolical plan coming together in his head.

Luke woke up early that morning to open his diner, as he always did. However, his routine was interrupted by the sight of a cigarette packet taped to the wall opposite his door. He knew that it hadn't been there when he'd gone to bed, which meant that someone had unlocked the diner, come upstairs and left it there.

Naturally, Luke suspected Jess. Jess was the only person who knew where he kept his spare set of keys, and he also smoked. However, when Luke looked closer he saw a note attached to the carton. A note written by someone with girly handwriting.

Luke knew Rory's handwriting when he saw it. He knew that this wasn't it. The only other girl that Luke could imagine leaving Jess cigarettes was Dawn, given the fact that Jess had bought her basket and danced with her at Liz's wedding and all that.

That meant that Dawn had broken into his diner to leave a present and a message for Jess. Luke was hardly an expert on these things, particularly when it came to Jess, but he was pretty sure that that meant that there was something going on between those two.

Luke smiled to himself and shook his head, leaving the cigarettes where they were.

"Valley Jesus! Hey, Valley Jesus!"

Xander sighed, turned around and waited for Lorelai to catch up with him. "Morning, Lorelai."

"I need a favour."

"Oh, good morning, Xander, how are you doing today?"

"What?"

"That should've been your line."

"What iwas/i my line."

"No, not that, what I said before that."

"Morning, Lorelai? Why would I say that? While I do occasionally talk to myself, I don't normally wish myself a good day."

"Never mind. What was it you wanted?" Xander said exasperatedly.

"Doors."

"Is that code for something? I know I told you I was in a gang, but it wasn't really that kind of a gang..."

"No, I'm not asking for drugs. Do I look like I'd ask for drugs? Don't answer that. I need doors."

"Doors as in those things that are attached to the wall by hinges and open and shut?"

"Are there any other kind of doors?"

"I don't know. Probably. What do you need doors for?"

"Sledding down the hill."

Xander blinked. "Lorelai, you do know that it's nearly August, don't you?"

"I was being sarcastic. I need doors so I can use them as doors. Duh."

"Why? Were you targeted by the door bandit?"

"There's a door bandit? Maybe that's what happened to my doors."

"I think this conversation is getting away from me. Can you tell me, simply, what you need doors for? Please don't be sarcastic."

"The Dragonfly has no doors. I need doors."

"Couldn't you have said that to begin with?" Xander complained.

"I could have." Lorelai conceded. "But where's the fun in that?"

"Where's the fun in being involved in a massive misunderstanding?" Xander countered.

"Well, right here."

"You're impossible."

"I exist, so actually I'm only improbable."

"I... I don't know how to respond to that."

"By making me two dozen doors by Saturday?"

"Hold on. You want ime/i to get you those doors?"

"Yes. That's why I'm talking to you."

"You know making doors takes time, and I'll have to make them fit in with the decor of your inn. It's not as easy as you might think."

"But you'll do it, right?"

"Most of my tools are buried in Sunnydale." Xander pointed out.

"You can get a new set."

"Fine, I'll do it."

"Thank you. I knew you were a miracle worker, Valley Jesus!"

"On one condition."

"Why, yes, you can take me home and ravish me. Just don't tell Rory. She wouldn't understand."

Xander, to his credit, didn't react. "How much coffee have you had today?"

"I haven't slept in about three days, so... a lot?"

"I want your father's phone number."

"Seriously?" Lorelai said, surprised. "Why?"

"It's a surprise. Don't worry, you'll like it."

"If it involves my dad, I doubt it."

"Trust me."

"Well, when confronted with such overwhelming persuasion, how can I refuse?" Lorelai pulled out the pen and notepad she had taken to carrying around in case any ideas for the inn struck her while she was walking around and jotted down a number and handed it to Xander. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Xander said, pocketing the note. "I'll get right on those doors, boss."

When Jess finally stirred, his response to seeing the cigarette packet and the note was superficially similar to Luke's. He too stared at it. However, Jess already knew that Dawn had no problem stealing things, and given that Luke kept his keys on the lintel above the diner door, it wasn't exactly hard to break in. If Luke opened up shop in New York, he'd be robbed blind within three days.

Jess took down the cigarettes and headed out, slipping out of the diner without saying anything to Luke. Luke noticed him go, but didn't say a word to stop him.

He found Dawn sitting on the same bench that they'd first met on, reading what appeared to be a biography of Pitt the Younger. "Hey Jess." Dawn said without looking up. "Did you get my note?"

"'Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know, because I've done it thousands of times.'" Jess read. "Can't go wrong with a little Twain."

"I can agree with you on that, at least."

"Although I've got to say that giving me cigarettes isn't exactly the best way to get me to give them up."

"You said you weren't planning on going cold turkey anytime soon. Besides, I've always had a thing for guys who smoke."

"Really?" Jess said thoughtfully. "I wouldn't have thought that Xander was the type."

Dawn slid a bookmark into her book and only then did she look up. "He isn't."

"So it's just me then, is it?" Jess said blandly, sitting down next to her.

Dawn swatted him. "No! It's some guy I kn- oh!"

"What?" Jess said curiously.

"I just realised why Xander called you Pitt the Younger."

"Really? Do tell."

"No. I've got to go do something." Dawn said, standing up hurriedly.

Jess watched her walk away, bemused, before shrugging and heading back to the diner.

Xander was just about looking for his car keys so he could drive into Hartford to get the things he needed for Lorelai's doors when Dawn rushed in and declared loudly "I don't have a crush on Jess!"

"Okay." Xander said noncommittally.

"I got the reference. iWilliam/i Pitt the Younger? Okay, so I might've had a crush on Spike, and Jess might be a younger human version, but that doesn't mean that I have a crush on him!"

"I'm sure it doesn't. I think he has a crush on you, though."

Dawn looked like she was going to continue yelling, but then she processed what Xander has actually said and it took the wind out of her sails. "What?"

"C'mon, Dawnie! He bought your basket, and danced with you at the wedding, and he watched Pride and Prejudice with you. Sounds like a crush to me."

"How did you know we did that?" Dawn said weakly.

Xander shrugged. "I have ears, don't I?"

"Bu-but he's still in love with Rory!"

"Yeah, but besides pushing me in the lake what evidence of that do we have? You've got to face the facts, Dawn."

Dawn thought about mentioning all the times Jess had said that he still had a thing for Rory, or how he'd been in such a foul mood when Rory had told him that they were just friends. However, she fully realised that saying all of that to Rory's current boyfriend would be a sure fire way of getting Jess beaten to a bloody pulp. Dawn didn't want that.

Dawn was sure that Xander was wrong, that Jess was still hung up on Rory. That his actions towards her had only been those of a friend.

But, now that Xander had mentioned it, Dawn wasn't sure any longer. Not completely.

"So, you and Dawn, huh?" Luke said when Jess came back.

"Dawn and I what?"

"Andrew says she's been buying all kinds of books from him. I know you like well-read people. And she doesn't seem to have a problem breaking into to other people's houses. She seems like just your type."

"What are you talking about?" Jess said, nonplussed.

"Oh, you haven't figured it out yet? She likes you."

"iWhat?/i"

"C'mon, have you really not seen the signs? People don't break into each other's houses to leave cigarettes unless there's some sort of attraction going on."

"She likes Xander."

"Really? Could've fooled me."

"She told me so."

Luke shrugged. "I must be wrong." he said, with a little smile indicating that he didn't really think that he was.

Jess did, though. Dawn had told him multiple times that she liked Xander.

On the other hand, he'd also told her he liked Rory. It wasn't exactly likely that Dawn would admit to liking him after he'd said that.

Suddenly, Jess wasn't quite so sure. He turned around and left the diner again.

They met on the bridge.

"Do you have a crush on me?" Dawn demanded.

"I was just about to say the same thing."

"Xander told me you did."

"Luke told me iyou/i did."

Dawn looked at him, then smiled slightly. "'I may sit in a corner and cry heigh-ho for a husband.'"

Jess smiled back "Nice to see you, Beatrice."

"Hey! You got the Shakespeare joke!"

"I did."

"No one ever gets those."

"Well, I'm special."

"So, Benedick, do you have a crush on me?"

"Do you?"

"I asked you first."

Jess rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'm going to do something. Don't throw me in the lake or anything."

Then he took Dawn's head in his hands and gently kissed her.

Some moments later, he broke off. "Well, I think that answers that question."

Dawn took a deep, shuddering breath. The first she'd taken since she'd realised what Jess was going to do. "You need to give up smoking. That was like kissing an ashtray."

Jess smirked. "Planning on doing it again, are you?"

Dawn smiled back, a little shyly. "Yeah, Astrophil, I think I am."