Disclaimer: I own nothing… I bow down to ASP

A/N: Ok… this story is like a re-write of episode 4.12. When the cops bring Jess to the diner. What if it was Rory who was at the diner, instead? Lorelai and Luke are together.

Rory stood behind the counter reading a book by Jane Austen that she promised Paris she would read, eventually. Finally getting bored of the book she slammed it down on the counter.

The phone rang, and she turned around to answer it, "Luke's."

Lorelai's voice rang through the phone, "Hello offspring, Luke said to thank you for closing up the diner tonight. You staying there?"

Rory nods, and leans against the counter, "Yea. I think I am, the drive back to Yale is too long, and I will give you and Luke some alone time."

Lorelai smiles, "So you didn't have any problem working there tonight?"

Rory shakes her head, smiling, "No… everything went well."

Lorelai shifted the phone to her other ear, "And you're not disappointed about missing dinner at the grandparents?"

Rory laughs, "Believe me… I'm fine with it. Did you and Luke have fun?"

Lorelai moans, "Besides the interrogating, yes. The food was nice, the new maid was interesting, and mom was just mean enough."

Rory laughs, "Tell Luke I'm sorry."

Lorelai smiles, "I will… well Luke is starting the movie. You are welcome to come home, tonight. I mean you don't have to stay there."

Rory rolls her eyes, laughing, "You and Luke are going to have a night to yourselves. Behave. See you tomorrow. Love you."

Lorelai smiles, "You're too good to me. I love you, too. Bye, sweetie."

Rory hangs up the phone, and picks up the book. After a few minutes she hears a tow truck coming from outside. Coop comes in and knocks on the door. Rory walks to the door, and opens it, "Hey Coop."

Coop walks in and sits at the counter stool, "Hey Rory. Do you know where Luke is?"

Rory nods, "Yea… he's with mom. Is something wrong?"

Coop shakes his head, "No… we found the car."

Rory furrows her brow in confusion, "The car?"

Coop nods, "Yea you know. The brown beat up car that was stolen."

Rory laughs, "Coop, that car was stolen a year ago."

Coop looks out the window, "Well all I know is Luke called me yesterday and told me the car was stolen. We looked for it and found it. The thing is we can't do anything. The boy who stole it says he owns it."

Rory looks at the registration form, and sees the name, "Jess Mariano." She half whispers. She shakes her head, and hands the slip back to him.

Coop nods, "Yup… he says Luke's his uncle. The registration is long expired, too. Now, I figured this was a family matter so I decided to bring the car and the kid back to Luke. I know you and your mother are really close to Luke, so I'll leave you in charge of what we should do."

Rory nods, still shocked, she sees the cop car pull up in front of the diner, and Jess get out. Her heart jumps up into her throat, and she quickly looks away and back to Coop, "Thanks. I won't bother Luke right now, though. I'll just deal with it until Luke gets back."

Coop nods, "Follow me, then." He walks out the door, and Rory reluctantly follows him.

When they get outside, Rory doesn't look at Jess, at all. She keeps her eyes on the car, and on Coop.

Jess looks at Rory and his face is pale, almost ghostlike. Why is she here? I can't do this right now… Is all he could think.

Coop guided the tow truck in front of the diner, "Where do you want it?"

Rory took a shaky breath, "Ri-right there is fine." She stuttered the words out.

Coop nodded to the truck driver, and he stopped and lowered the car down, "You'll take care of the registration?"

Rory smiled to him, "Yea, I'll get Luke right on it. Thanks Coop."

Coop tipped his hat to her, and then turned to Jess.

Jess looked up quickly, and muttered just loud enough for Coop to hear, "Yea… thanks Coop."

Coop got into his car, "Let's go Frank." Frank got into the passenger seat. They drove off.

Rory turned to Jess, "Well look who's back."

Jess turned away from her, not making eye contact, "I just came to retrieve my property." He said almost too quietly.

Rory crossed her arms over her chest, "You've got a lot of nerve…"

Jess shook his head, "Look. I came to get my car. I didn't know you were going to be here."

Rory laughed bitterly, "Come on, it's Stars Hollow!"

Jess shook his head, "I figured you were at Yale!"

Rory looked to the car, "You figured wrong."

Jess looked to the car, "He could've washed it once in a while."

Rory turned to him, "Look, I get it you want the car and then you're gone, again. No surprise there, our business is done here. Goodbye. Have a nice life."

Jess watched her walk back into the diner, "Our business is not done."

Rory turned to him, "O? What makes you think our business is not done?"

Jess shrugged, "I just won't to know where Luke is… I mean my car is wrecked because of him. Three of the tires are leaking, it's got no oil, and the floats in the carburetor are probably cracked, so it's backfiring. I mean people were ducking when I was driving by, and then it stalled and wouldn't start."

Rory obviously had no clue what any of that meant, but she spit out a smart-aleck remark, "Well you can find Mr. Good wrench in the yellow pages. I think it's under M, or is it G? I can just never tell with those kinds of things."

Jess rolled his eyes, "Jeez… I thought you went to Yale."

Rory sighed, "Sorry we skipped How to Read a Phonebook 101."

Jess clenched his jaw, "I don't need this from you. I just need Luke so he can pay for the re-pairs."

Rory snorted back a laugh, "Don't make me laugh. You really think Luke is going to pay for the re-pairs?"

Jess shrugged, "It's broken because of him."

Rory looked at the car, "Please, that car was a piece of junk anyway. The paint was the only thing holding it together."

Jess furrowed his brow, "And the expired registration… Damn! I'm going to have to pay a fine!"

Rory changed the subject, "Guess it didn't work out in California, huh?"

Jess looked to the ground, "It worked out fine."

Rory threw her hands in the air, "Then what in the hell are you doing back east? Girls wouldn't sleep with you there, either?"

Jess glared at her, "You know that isn't why I left!"

Rory looked at him, "I could care less, I would've cared, but you didn't even bother to send any postcards, letters, a call; nothing."

Jess faced her, "What are you expecting? A candy-gram? I couldn't do it, Rory! Luke kicked me out! We were on the outs."

Rory frowned, "Luke didn't kick you out, Jess. You got yourself kicked out."

Jess stepped back, "Nice spin, Ror. You should work for Bush."

Rory, "So what did you get out of this great trip of yours? Did you write the Great American Novel? Learn how to play the harmonica?" She knew she was being cold, but this was Jess. The boy who broke her heart.

It was Jess's turn to bite back, "What do you care? You're not my girlfriend anymore."

Rory felt like she had been hit by a ton of bricks, but she didn't show it, "And I bless everyday that I'm not." Of course she didn't mean it.

Jess nods, feeling pain, "Glad to hear it."

Rory fought back tears, "Are you staying in town?"

Jess shrugged, "Unless Gypsy decided to go 2 hour with her auto shop, then yea, I am."

Rory, "Where are you staying?"

Jess looked at his car, "In there."

Rory pretended she didn't care, "If you die of frost bite it isn't my fault."

Jess nodded, "Dually noted."

Rory turned to the diner, but turned back, "Get it fixed fast."

Jess held out his hand, almost touching her, "Believe me no one wants it fixed faster than me."

Rory bit her lip, trying her hardest to keep the tears tame, "And just… stay away from me."

Jess took a deep breath, "Fine."

Rory turned to the diner, and walked inside, slamming the door in the process. She ran upstairs, and went to bed.