Sorry it's been a few days! I was in London during the week as it was my mum's birthday so didn't have time to write! Here's the next chapter! :)

Chapter 9

Jess was walking back to the diner after getting a movie for him and Rory to watch when he felt a hand grab his arm and drag him down a road and into a side passage. "What do you want?" He snapped, realising who it was.

"I told you before. You need to be taught a lesson." The man, who was Liz's ex, growled. "But I have something for you to do for me first."

"I'm not doing anything for you! I've done enough for you!" Jess growled, glaring at him.

"Now I think you will do this for me." Carl snapped. He put his hand into his pocket and brought out a small bag with drugs in them.

Jess' eyes widened. "I'm not dealing for you again. You can't make me!" He snapped.

"Oh I think you will." Carl said. "Because otherwise I might have to pay your uncle a visit or even your pretty girlfriend." He smirked.

Jess clenched his fists. "You touch them and I swear I'll kill you." He spat.

"You do this for me and I won't. And then we're even." Carl said.

Jess narrowed his eyes. "I don't believe you."

"That's your prerogative." Carl shrugged. "But you're doing this for me now. Take it to 5th Avenue. My mate will meet you there."

Dean was walking towards Doose's to start his shift. As he was walking towards the door, he heard some arguing and he looked down the road to see Jess arguing with an older man who dragged him down a side alley. Intrigued, Dean walked down the road quietly and peeked down the side alley where he saw the man pinning Jess against the wall. His eyes widened when he saw the man give Jess what looked like drugs and he was even more surprised to see Jess take them. He waited until Jess appeared and started walking away when he ran up to him. "What, so you're a drug dealer now?" He snapped.

Jess turned to him and glared when he saw who it was. "None of your business."

"It is my business. And do you know who else's business it would be? The cops! And I wonder what Rory would think about your secret career." Dean threatened.

"You can't tell anyone." Jess glared at him.

"Yeah? And who's going to stop me?" Dean glared at him. "Even I didn't think you would stoop so low! You're finally going to get what you deserve!" He snapped and started walking off.

"Stop! Dean, please!" Jess exclaimed.

Dean stopped and was surprised by how desperate Jess sounded. "Why?"

Jess sighed. "He said he'll hurt Rory if I tell anyone." He admitted.

Dean frowned. "What?"

"He must have seen me with Rory around the square and he said if I don't do this for him, he'll hurt Rory." Jess said. "I know you hate me and I'm not the biggest fan of you either but I know you care about Rory. So please, just let me do this." He begged.

Dean was quiet for a moment. "That man was serious about hurting Rory?" He asked.

"You don't mess with someone like that, Dean. If he says he'll hurt Rory, he'll hurt Rory. So please, if you don't do this for me, do this for her." Jess said. "I have to go." He said before walking off.

Dean watched him for a moment and then slowly start walking back to Doose's but on the way back, he heard the same man still in the side alley. He hid round the corner to listen in.

"Yeah, he's on his way. Yeah I told him it was a simple exchange. I don't care what you all do, just make sure he pays. He needs to be taught a lesson. Yeah ok. I'll call you later. Bye." Carl said on the phone.

Dean heard Carl starting to walk towards him so he rushed off to Doose's. He was torn about what to do though. He realised the guy had totally set Jess up. Now he didn't like Jess, he'd made that clear, but no one deserved this. He saw Carl walk off in the direction that Jess had walked in and he knew then, that he had to do something. He looked around and he saw Lorelai heading towards the diner. "Lorelai!" He called rushing over to her.

"Oh...hi Dean." She said surprised.

"I need to talk to you. It's about Jess." Dean said.

Lorelai sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about what's happened between you and Rory, Dean, but she's chosen Jess. She's happy." She said.

"No, it's not that. I think Jess is in trouble." He said.

"What?" Lorelai said surprised, firstly about the fact that Jess was in trouble but also because Dean actually seemed concerned about it. "What do you mean?"

"I saw him with this man. I don't know who he was but he...uh...he gave Jess some drugs." He said quietly, glancing round to check no one could hear.

"What?" She exclaimed.

"That's what I thought and I confronted Jess but he said if he didn't do this, this man said he'd hurt Rory." Dean said. "You know I don't like Jess but he seemed desperate."

"Oh my god...What did the man look like?" She asked, suspecting it was the same man from before.

"Uh, brown hair, tall, I don't really know. I wasn't really paying attention. But that's not it. It's a set up." Dean said.

"What do you mean?"

"I overheard the man on the phone after Jess had left. I think he's set up an ambush. He said Jess needed to be taught a lesson." He said.

"Oh god, ok...Uh well Rory's at Lane's at the moment so she's ok. I'll go over and check and tell her what's going on. You go get Luke. Do you know where Jess has gone?" She asked trying to stay calm.

"Yeah I heard the address." Dean nodded.

"Ok, go get Luke. I'll go and find Rory."

Dean nodded and rushed off to the diner. He rushed in and saw Luke behind the counter. "Luke, I need to talk to you."

"I'm busy, Dean." He grunted.

"Jess is in trouble." Dean said.

This got Luke's attention. "What?"

"Not here." Dean said leaving the diner.

Luke watched him and then called to Caesar that he was in charge and he followed Dean out. "What do you mean Jess is in trouble?"

Dean explained everything to him. "I've got the address."

"Ok get in the truck." Luke said opening the door to his truck.

Dean hesitated but then got into the passenger seat and Luke drove off.


Meanwhile, Lorelai rushed into Lane's. "Rory?" She called. "Please still be here..." She muttered. She felt herself sigh in relief when she saw Rory and Lane coming down the stairs. "Oh thank god..."

"What's wrong?" Rory frowned.

"We need to go home." Lorelai said.

"What?"

"Please Rory! I'm not kidding around here." Lorelai exclaimed.

"Ok! I'm coming." Rory said taken aback. "I'll call you later." She said to Lane.

"Sure." Lane nodded.

Rory followed Lorelai out. "What's going on?" She asked as she got into the jeep after her mom.

Lorelai sighed. "It's about Jess..." She said.

"What about Jess?"

"We..We think he's in trouble." Lorelai admitted.

"What? What do you mean trouble?" Rory asked starting to worry.

Lorelai explained everything that Dean had told her.

"Oh my god..." Rory said quietly, scared. "Mom, we have to go! We have to help him!"

"No we're staying at home. Where we're safe." Lorelai said firmly.

"But Jess could be..." Rory choked out not even being able to get it out.

"He will be fine. Dean went to get Luke and they'll make sure Jess is ok." Lorelai tried to reassure her.

"But..."

"No buts. You're staying with me. No questions." Lorelai said standing firm.


Meanwhile, Luke had driven to the address that Dean had heard. He turned to Dean. "You stay in the truck." He said.

"But..." Dean said.

"I mean it, Dean. These guys are dangerous. Stay in the truck." He said.

Dean nodded.

Luke got out and then locked the door before running off, looking round to see if he could see any sign of Jess. He suddenly heard shouting and he ran round the corner to see several men surrounding Jess.

His heart dropped and he ran over in time to hear one of the man speak up. "You're about to learn you don't mess with one of us."

"Over my dead body!" Luke growled, making his presence known. "The police have been called." He lied.

"You told someone." Carl glared at Jess, whilst the other men scarpered knowing they couldn't get in trouble with the cops. "I told you what would happen if you told anyone."

Luke grabbed hold of Carl realising he must have been the man that Dean had seen and who threatened to hurt Rory. He pinned him against the wall. "What, does it give you thrills to threaten to hurt young girls? What sort of monster are you?" Luke said angrily. He glanced over at Jess who was looking relived but also shaken. "You ok?" He asked.

Jess just nodded.

"Good." Luke said turning his attention back to Carl. It was then that he heard the sirens. He was surprised as he knew he hadn't called them. Maybe it had been Lorelai as he knew Dean had told Lorelai everything. He smirked at Carl. "Looks like your time is over." He said. He turned to Jess. "Give me the drugs."

"What?" Jess said surprised.

"Give them to me." Luke said.

Jess handed them over and Luke put them in Carl's pocket. "Looks like you'll be getting a lengthy sentence." He said.

Just then the cop cars pulled off and Luke kept hold of Carl until he knew he wouldn't get away. He watched as the cops put him in the car and drove off after taking brief statements from the two of you. It was then that Luke focused on his nephew. "Are you sure you're ok? They didn't hurt you?" He asked.

Jess shook his head. "No. I'm fine." He said quietly. He was quiet for a moment. "How did...How did you know where to find me?"

"Dean." Luke said.

"What?" Jess said surprised.

"Yeah, kind of my reaction too. But he overheard that Carl guy on the phone and realised it was all a set up." Luke said. "He told Lorelai who told him to come and find me."

"Rory..." Jess said.

"She's fine. Lorelai went to find her." Luke assured him.

Jess let out a relieved breath.

"Come on." Luke sighed. "Let's get back and then you can tell me what the hell has been going on." He said.

Jess nodded and quietly followed his uncle. He glanced at him. "Uncle Luke?"

"Yeah?" Luke said, slightly surprised the uncle bit hadn't said sarcastically.

"Thanks." Jess said.

Luke gave him a small smile. "Come on." He said leading him to the truck.


The three of them arrived back in the square and they saw Lorelai and Rory waiting outside the diner. Luke had rung them and told them everything was fine. They got out and Rory immediately ran to Jess and launched herself into his arms. "Are you ok? God Jess, don't ever do that to me again!"

"Sorry." Jess said quietly, hugging her back tightly.

Rory sighed. "I was so worried."

"Sorry." He repeated.

Lorelai went up to Luke as well and gave him a hug. "Are you ok?" She asked.

"I'm fine. That Carl guy got arrested." He said. "Was it you who called the police?"

"No." Lorelai said. "I wasn't sure whether I should or not as I didn't know where Carl was."

"Then who did?" Luke asked surprised.

"Uh...I should get going." Dean spoke up awkwardly.

Luke glanced at him. "It was you wasn't it?" He said surprised. "You called the cops?"

Dean shrugged. "I figured you'd need them. Plus I saw that Carl had followed Jess so I had a feeling he would be there." He said.

Everyone stared at him for a moment.

"Well I should get going. Uh bye..." He said awkwardly walking off to Doose's where he was now very late for his shift. He heard footsteps behind him and he was surprised when he heard Jess' voice.

"Dean, wait..." Jess said.

Dean turned round and they stood awkwardly for a moment.

"Uh...I just wanted to say...uh...thanks." Jess said awkwardly. "You didn't have to help. So...uh...thanks."

Dean shrugged. "Rory would have been upset if something had happened to you."

Jess was quiet for a moment. "She did love you, you know." He said. "She told me."

Dean shifted uncomfortably.

"I just...I can't help how I feel about her and how she feels about me. For what it's worth, I'm sorry." He said awkwardly. "I know you loved her."

Dean just nodded. They stood there awkwardly for another moment before Dean sighed and held his hand out. "Truce?" He asked.

Jess shook his hand. "Truce." He nodded.

"Well I better go..." Dean said glancing at Doose's. "Just...take care of her ok? She deserves the best."

"I will." Jess said.

Dean nodded and then walked off.

Jess watched him before going back where Luke, Lorelai and Rory were all staring at him shocked. "What?" He grumbled. "I owe him." He said before going into the diner.

So I wanted to redeem Dean a bit. I never really liked him that much but I know he wasn't a bad guy deep down. I hope you liked the bit of drama! Please keep reviewing as I love reading what you think! Thanks! :)