Chapter 2: You Don't Own Me

"Jess? What are you doing?"

Jess's head snapped up as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He quickly shut his computer closed and shoved it under his bed, grabbing a book and opening it just as the apartment door opened.

Luke walked into the room and glanced at Jess. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Uh, reading," Jess answered.

"You read upside down, now, do you?"

Jess focused on the book in his hands and his face turned red as he righted it.

"You've been acting weird today," Luke observed.

"Huh."

"Are you--"

"No."

"You don't even know what I was going to ask."

"No, but I'm sure the answer would have been a 'no'."

Luke looked at his nephew suspiciously, but let it drop. He mumbled something under his breath that could only have been understood as 'At least I tried', and went back downstairs.

Jess pulled his computer back out and set it on his lap. He opened it and signed back online. She wasn't on, which wasn't exactly surprising since she had just told him she had to get off. Sighing, he had to ask himself why exactly he cared.

He opened a new e-mail and typed in her screen name. After some hesitation, he started typing her a letter.

'No, that sounds too...not me.' DELETE MESSAGE

 Hey. I was just thinking about you, and...

'No! God, no. I can't tell her that.' DELETE MESSAGE

Jess shook his head, signing offline. He desperately needed to get away from this computer.

"When's Dean getting back?"

"Two o'clock," Rory answered with a smile.

"Good, are you two going to...hang out?"

"Yeah, he's coming over after he drops off his things at his house."

"Okay. Well," Lorelai sighed, "I guess I should go to work."

"Okay."

Lorelai stood there a second longer, until Rory started ushering her out the door.

"Work," she stated. "Go."

"Oh, fine."

Lorelai left, shutting the door after her. Rory glanced around, contemplating on whether she wanted to read, watch TV, or...get online. The guy she had been talking to hadn't been online in a few days, and other than talking to him, she got bored pretty quickly being online.

It was only ten in the morning. Four hours until Dean was supposed to get home from Chicago. Four hours of amusing herself...Lane wouldn't even be home until the following week.

She finally just decided to go hang out at Luke's. Maybe he wasn't that busy.

She grabbed some money and shoved it into her coat pocket. Then she left the house and headed to Luke's.

Jess looked up as Rory entered the diner. She walked over and his head shot back down before she could see him staring at her.

"Hey Jess."

He glanced up again. "Oh, hey."

"Where's Luke?"

"Not here."

"Good answer."

He smiled, going back to wiping the counter. Rory studied him for a moment.

"What?"

"Uh, nothing."

"So how are you liking the internet?"

"It's okay. Kind of boring, though. The person I met online hasn't been on for a few days."

Jess looked thoughtful. "Oh..." He chewed on his lip. "You could always find someone else to talk to."

"Like wh--"

"Rory!"

Rory spun around and her eyes widened. "Dean! What are you doing in Stars Hollow?"

"I live here," he said, a confused smile on his face. "I missed you," he added. He leaned over and gave her a kiss.

"Touching," Jess said flatly as they pulled apart.

Dean narrowed his eyes, noticing Jess for the first time. "Jess."

"Bagb--"

"So," Rory interrupted, "you didn't tell me you were coming home early."

"I wanted to surprise you," Dean answered, pulling her away from the counter. His eyes darted quickly to Jess before focusing on Rory again. "So listen, I was thinking that maybe you wanted to go to the movies tonight."

"Oh. But I thought we were going to watch movies at my house?"

"Yeah, but your mom's there."

"Since when do you not like my mom?"

"I didn't mean that. It's just I haven't seen you for a few weeks. I'm sorry, but I just wanted to spend some time with my girlfriend."

Rory sighed. "I know, but--"

"You know what, forget it."

Dean threw up his hands, stalking out of the diner. Jess waved as Dean passed him, glaring.

Rory folded her arms across her chest, locking eyes with Jess for a brief second. He fixed her with a stare so intense, she felt compelled to look away. She felt she should go after Dean, but something stopped her. Instead, she walked back over to Jess and asked for a cup of coffee.

He immediately grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee, setting it in front of her. She sipped it slowly.

"Why'd he do that?"

Rory raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"

"Pick a fight with you."

"Jess--"

"I mean, you were just standing here, saying you would rather be with him in private instead of some crowded movie theater, and--"

"You don't know Dean."

"So."

"So don't judge him, okay?"

Jess shrugged. "Whatever. Are you getting online later?"

"Why?"

He shrugged again.

"Yeah, probably."

"Oh."

"Do you want to--"

"Hey Rory."

Rory jumped at the sound of her name, smiling at Luke as he walked over.

"Hey."

"Your mom here?" he asked casually, glancing around but trying to be nonchalant about it.

And she says he doesn't like her, Rory thought with a grin.

"What?"

"Nothing. She's at work."

"Oh."

Rory exchanged a grin with Jess. He was thinking the same thing she was.

"What!" Luke protested.

"I'm gonna go," Rory said, laughing.

"You haven't even finished your cup of coffee yet," Jess pointed out.

"You want me to stick around?" she teased.

"Beats hanging out with Luke," Jess responded.

"We don't 'hang out' anyway," Luke mumbled.

"Well I'm sure Lorelai will get off work soon, then you can hang out with her."

Luke walked off and Jess turned to Rory, nodding at her.

"You in a hurry to get home?"

"Not at all."

Rory and Jess walked over to the bridge by the lake and sat down, dangling their feet over the water.

"You didn't feel obligated to come here, right? I mean--you wouldn't rather be on the computer or something?"

Rory shook her head. "No, this is fine."

"Okay. So, when is Lane getting back?"

"Next week."

"Huh. And Bagboy--are you going to go kiss-and-make-up with him later?"

"Excuse me? That's none of your business."

"Relax. I was just trying to ask if you were busy later."

Rory's face turned pink. "Oh. Well--I don't know. I'm probably just going to stay home."

"Oh." Jess stared at his feet in sudden fascination.

Rory jumped up. "I should get going..." she told him.

He nodded, glancing at her.

She gazed back at him. "Walk me home?" she asked hesitantly.

He raised an eyebrow, slowly standing up. "Dean won't get--"

"I'm not doing anything wrong," she cut in. "It's just a walk."

'Somehow,' Jess thought, 'I don't think Dean will see it that way.'

But that sure didn't stop Jess from taking her up on her offer.