Jess and Rory were yelling at one another in her dorm room. Marty was coming down the hall stairs when he heard her stressed voice. Rushing to the door, he swung it open to find some biker wanna be gripping Rory's arm.

"Hey! Let go of her! Rory, are you okay?"

"Who is this? Do you know every Larry Bird within a 10 mile radius? Beg off!"

"Marty, I'm fine. Jess, leave!"

"Rory, you're leaving with me."

"No I'm not. I don't love you."

Marty planted himself behind Rory's small frame waiting for this loser to leave the room.

With a sneer and an angry huff, Jess turned and stormed out the door.

Rory was quiet, eyes cast downward at her shoes.

"Rory, are you alright? Who was that joker?"

"An old ex-boyfriend. He wanted me to, um, run away with him to NYC. I hope I never see him again. Thanks for the backup."

Marty smiled to himself, glad he was able to shoo that guy away, glad he was here for Rory, glad he forgot his wallet behind his emptied desk. He was glad he was alone with Rory. He dug his hands into his pockets and traced an imaginary triangle shape into the floor.

"So, are you finished packing? Want to go with me to a party? This guy I bartend for is throwing a blowout bash and it may rival Jay Gatsby."

"What? Um, yeah, sure, this night continues to surprise me. Gatsby you say? Shall I grab a canary yellow boa and give myself a quick bowl cut?"

They laughed and headed off campus to that unsavory neighborhood nearby. As they approached this abandoned looking Victorian, Rory noticed lights strung through open beams and ragtime music blaring from broken panes of glass.

A dude with a monocle greeted them at the door, handing them some glowing toxic green concoction.

"What IS this?" Rory questioned.

"West Egg Gin n Tonic of course," and the odd fellow slipped out of view.

Drunkenly people swayed around an immense dance floor with a ring of drunken observers standing on the periphery.

"Heyyyyyy Marty, glad you could make it. Rest up this summer because I'm pre-booking you for my senior year back to school extravaganza! And you look familiar. Have we met?"

Scowling, Rory murmured, "Yes, I'm Rory Gilmore. We work on the Yale Daily News together, and…"

"Right, you're the ace reporter who warned us against rhino ballet."

"Actually, I never used the word rhino, I used the word hippo."

"Yes, fine. Well, enjoy your West Eggs, take a spin on the dance floor and scatter if the cops show up!"

A tall lanky blond woman pulled him into the center of the dance floor and they did the Charleston to the amusement of all revelers.

He was really handsome, Rory thought, but too full of himself. Like he knew how attractive and witty he was, and you were lucky to be in his presence. Still, she couldn't take her eyes off him.

Feeling a little drunk after gulping a 3rd or 4th cocktail, Marty impulsively took Rory's hand and whisked her to the dance floor, figuring this was his opening so he'd better take it.

"Wow Marty, I didn't peg you for a Tommy Tune type!"

"There's a lot you don't know about me," he dipped her and snapped her back up so they were almost touching noses. "You are beautiful."

Blushing, Rory averted his gaze and stepped back. "And you dahhhling are swell."

Is Marty making a pass at me?

Across the room Logan watched Marty and Rory dancing, displeased to see her smiling at Marty. Were they a couple? Surely she could do better than a bartender. He knew her name, and he never stayed at the paper unless she was present. He'd noticed her around campus, patronizing coffee carts and studying under trees. She was simply gorgeous. And unlike most females, she wasn't impressed with his family name, his wealth, anything really. He wanted to get to know her better.