There's The Rub
Summary: There's The Rub with a few...subtle differences: Paris never stayed and Dean arrived earlier than in the show.
A/N: Sorry it's been a while, guys, but thanks so much for all the positive reviews, they really mean lot. Anyway, if you read my A/N that I posted earlier (which I'll have probably taken down by now), you'll know why I've been away for a while. So, I'm not going to ask you not to be too hard on me again because I think I've done that every time so far, so be as hard on me as you like, it's completely my fault if it's bad since I've neglected this fic for ages. Anyway, here goes, wish me luck.
Disclaimer: Still own nothing, not even Tom. Just in case you were wondering.
Rory was really tired of feeling confused by now.
First off, there was her and Dean's first break-up, which had confused her enough as it was, what with first wondering whether she reciprocated his feelings, then wondering how to tell him so. Then, after they got back together, things were simple again, easy; it was pleasant, if a little boring. And then, all of sudden, comes along this book-reading, leather-wearing, sarcastic, witty, attractive "hoodlum" (as named by Taylor) and everything got confusing again.
Suddenly 'pleasant' wasn't good enough anymore, suddenly she found herself yearning after words like 'unpredictable', 'exciting' or even just 'fun'. Words that she'd always thought she'd identified with, before experiencing their meanings first hand. She supposed it was unfair to say that; she had had fun with Dean, and she had loved him. It was only after he came along that things started to change, and she started to question feelings that she had always thought of as secure and untouchable.
Anyway, all of this had led her to where she was now: standing, with her mother, watching bemusedly as an angry, hurt looking Dean charged towards her.
She quickly glanced towards her mom, who looked just as surprised as she was; considering the way they'd avoided each other after the last break-up, this was the last thing Rory thought he'd do. He must have a good reason, she thought to herself, bracing herself for whatever was to come.
When he finally reached them, he just stood there for a minute, a mixture of rage and betrayal seeming to emanate from him. Rory flinched back a bit, instinctively. It wasn't that she was frightened; it was more of an overwhelming sense of guilt, really. She still did genuinely care for Dean, and she didn't like seeing him like this, and the thought that it was her that had done this to him conjured up a bad taste in her mouth.
After what seemed like an eternity, Dean finally spoke, "How long?" he asked, quietly, trying to keep his temper under control.
Yet more confusion clouded Rory's eyes. "What?" She asked, honestly not knowing what she'd done, this time.
"How long has this...thing," he spat the word out, "being going on between you and Jess? Has it been a while now? Or did you just take the your first opportunity after we broke up to- to-"
Before he could finish, Lorelai cut him off, "Woah there, I'd be a bit less forthcoming with the accusations, there, Hanns Scharff!"
Rory winced at Lorelai's (failed) attempt to lighten the mood, finding it difficult to tear her eyes away from Dean's.
"Please, Rory, I just need to know, how long?" It sounded strange, hearing something that was essentially a plead said in a tone of such carefully controlled anger.
Rory took a deep breath, trying to sound as sincere as possible, despite a slight feeling of indignation at the things he was implying she'd done, "Dean, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."
At this Dean couldn't take it anymore: not only had she...he couldn't even think it; but not only that, but now she had the audacity to deny it? This was too much. He let go of all the restraint he'd been trying to exercise, and everything came out in one fell swoop.
"Really? So Jess just happened to stay over at your place last night without your knowledge?" he let out angrily, watching as her expression began to sink into a mixture of realisation and horror, "And then it just so happened that he emerged from your place wearing the same clothes that he was wearing the night before?"
Rory stood there in shock, a thousand thoughts flitting through her head. How did he know? If he knew, who else did? The whole town? Had news of this supposed liaison reached the diner yet? Oh God, how would Luke react?
Rory stood there, unable to do anything but gape blankly at Dean, who took this to mean that his assumptions were correct.
"How could you, Rory? How could you?" He asked, betrayal showing through his anger now, "I thought you were different, I liked you because you were different! But no, it turns out that you're just like every other girl out there! But the thing that gets me is that you couldn't wait a month, a week, even a day after we broke up to just- just jump into bed with Jess!"
At this, Rory found her voice again, "Dean, I swear, nothing happened! I was upset, I didn't want to be alone, and-"
"I didn't want to be alone," he repeated, "isn't that what they all say, though? Anything so that you don't have to face up to what you did! It's just so ironic: I go through our whole relationship, never pushing you, never expecting anything, and then the second we broke up, all that crap about wanting to wait no longer applies! It just shows what ou relationship meant to you."
Rory shook her head, starting to get rather angry, "Don't you dare accuse me of that, of not caring about us or our relationship, because I did, okay? I did! And I've already told you: nothing happened! I was upset, I asked him to stay just so I wouldn't have to be alone, then a few seconds - literally, seconds! - after that I fell asleep! He slept in the chair, okay? He was being a good friend! Just because you could never accept that I would want to be just friends with another guy doesn't make me into some kind of slut, so do not accuse me of that!"
Dean just stared at her, his anger dissolving into nothing but hurt. She couldn't tell whether this was because he didn't believe her, or just because of the fact that this is all that came of a relationship that used to be so nice, so innocent.
Lorelai broke into Rory's thoughts, saying quietly, "Dean, I think it would be best if you left now." And Rory was suddenly very glad that her mom had noticed Jess' jacket earlier, so that she'd been able to explain everything to her before this little incident.
Dean paused a minute and, taking one last look at Rory, turned back around and walked back to Doose's, looking deflated.
Lorelai turned to Rory, "You okay?"
Rory let out a humourless laugh, "What do you think?"
Her mother gave her a sympathetic smile, "How about we get you home? How does ice cream and some movies sound? A bit of a wallow, maybe?"
Rory smiled at her mother's efforts, "Maybe later," she agreed, "I think I better head to the diner now, and just hope that this "news" hasn't reached there yet."
Lorelai nodded, "Want me to come with you?"
"No, I think I'll be okay." Rory said with a sigh, "See you at home?"
"Okay. Good luck, hun." Lorelai said, offering a small, reassuring smile, before turning away to head back home.
Rory sighed, and started to head back to the diner, praying to whatever God there was that Taylor hadn't found out yet.
Jess clenched his fists, glaring at the man in front of him in the ridiculous sweater. Seriously, it's as if he only owned one piece of clothing, which he insisted on charging around the town annoying people in.
He had come in shortly after Rory left.
After she'd left the diner, Jess – assuming that he'd have no one else of any interest to talk to for the rest of his shift – had pulled out his book, which he'd been absorbed in when the aforementioned man had charged in.
"Jess, if you don't mind, I'd like a word with you." He'd said, severely, obviously trying to sound intimidating.
Naturally, Jess had completely disregarded his existence, hoping he'd go away.
"Jess? Hello?" He pressed, frustrating edging into his voice.
No such luck.
Rolling his eyes, exaggeratedly, Jess put his book to one side and cast his gaze – trying to muster up as much scorn as he could – onto Taylor.
"Yes?" He said, hoping that this would be a brief visit.
"I'd like to discuss the rumours that have been currently circulating around town." Jess could tell he was trying to sound professional to mask the natural indignant tone that his voice took on. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes a second time.
"And what rumours would those be, Taylor?" He asked, wondering what the hell these imagination-starved townsfolk had thought up this time.
At this, Taylor dropped all pretence of civility, "The fact that you don't even know about the event to which I'm referring proves my point!"
"That's funny, Taylor, I wasn't aware that you had a point."
At this point, Kirk decided to chime in, "He's talking about the rumours about you and Rory. You know, the ones saying that you spent at the night at her house last night. As to what you were doing, one can only make an educated guess; personally, I've seen it coming a long time, the way you two-"
"Okay, that's enough, Kirk!" Taylor interrupted, frustrated.
Jess frowned, actually beginning to take this conversation seriously for the first time, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"You know full well what I'm talking about, young man, and I'll have you know I won't stand for it! Don't think that you can just march in here and corrupt a perfectly innocent young girl, I won't have it!" Taylor announced, puffing his chest out.
"Corrupt?" Jess repeated, bemused, "I repeat: what the hell are you talking about?!"
At this point, an extremely embarrassed looking Rory burst through the door, looking from Jess, then to Kirk, then to Taylor, flustered.
"Care to explain what's going?" Jess asked her, tiring of the situation.
"Well, err...basically, someone must have seen you coming out of my place this morning-"
"Wearing the same clothes as the night before." Kirk added, not so helpfully.
Rory continued, looking even more embarrassed, "I dunno who saw...probably Babette or Mory...but the point is, the whole town seems think that we..."
"Had sex." Kirk finished, after Rory had broken off, causing her to blush more than she was doing already. Jess couldn't help but smirk.
"You did what?!"
Unnoticed by all of them, Luke had emerged from behind the curtain, obviously picking up on the most recent part of the conversation.
"Oh, God..." Rory said, wondering how this situation could get any worse.
"I'm surprised you hadn't heard by now," Kirk said to Luke, "practically the whole town knows – even Tom!"
"That's right!" Tom called over from where he was working.
"And you didn't think to say anything?!" Luke asked, looking at Kirk, Taylor and Tom.
Tom shrugged, "I was staying out of your way in case you found out I hit the water-line again..."
Luke turned to Kirk and Taylor, before taking in what Tom had just said and turning back to him, angrily, "You did what?!"
"Gentleman!" Taylor exclaimed, "You're ignoring the situation at hand! This- this hoodlum has defiled Rory!"
At this point, despite everything: her embarrassment, the horror of this whole situation, Rory couldn't help but laugh.
Jess took the opportunity while the whole party was distracted to say, "Look, there is no "situation at hand", okay? All that happened was me and Rory were hanging out as friends, and we both fell asleep, so you can all just put your crazed little small-town minds at rest!"
Rory shot him a thankful look for not mentioning her breaking up with Dean, she didn't think she could handle anymore drama today.
Luke looked from Jess to Rory, "Is that the truth?"
"Yes!" They exclaimed, simultaneously.
"Nothing happened?" Taylor asked, suspiciously.
"No!" They said again, in unison.
"Well, okay then..." Taylor said, making an obvious attempt to try to regain his dignity, "I'll just, um, be going then..."
He turned back around, slowly walking out, casting one last wary look over his shoulder at Jess, who waved at him, sarcastically.
Rory turned to Kirk, "Will you try to spread the word that nothing happened?"
Kirk nodded, dutifully, "Right, I'm on it," He said, getting up immediately, walking out into the street, shouting "Rory and Jess didn't have sex!" repeatedly.
At this point Rory couldn't take it anymore, she collapsed onto the seat by the counter, laughing, almost forgetting all that had happened that day.
Luke just shared an incredulous look with Jess before returning to his previous occupation: yelling at Tom.
"This is a crazy, crazy town." Jess said, shaking his head, disbelievingly.
Rory, regaining her breath, managed to say, "Oh, come on, admit it: living here is fun!"
Jess gave in and let out a short laugh, "Well, it definitely scores points for unpredictability." He amended, "You staying for a cup of coffee?" He asked, trying not to sound hopeful.
Rory shook her head, somewhat regretfully, "Nahh, I better get back, my mom's waiting for me. Hopefully there won't be any more people in here harassing you, today."
"I think I can handle it. I mean, what could be worse than Taylor?"
Rory shrugged, getting up, a teasing grin on her face, "I dunno," she warned, gravely, as she started to leave, "I'd watch out for Miss Patty."
She stayed just long enough to see a brief look of dread cross Jess' face, before stepping out, watching amusedly as Kirk went from person to person, informing them of the change of events. It was funny: despite all that had happened the night before, Rory left the diner not feeling half as bad as she felt she should.
A/N: Okay, that's it for now, hope you liked it! Sorry if there's any typos – I usually write on my laptop keyboard, but it's broken, so I have to use this really old one, and they keys are much heavier than I'm used to, so I hope I didn't miss any letters or words out. I'm not too sure about this chapter, to be honest particularly the first half, but oh well, hope you enjoyed it, all the same, though I can't help thinking that it's extremely OOC...
Oh, and by the way, for those of you who don't know Hanns Scharff is, he's this famous interrogator person. To be honest, I just felt I should have a reference in there, so I just typed into Google 'Famous interrogators' and he was what it came up with. I figured, if Lorelai can put 'Il Duce' into her every day conversation, Hanns can go in there, as well.