Dean was brokenhearted after Rory departed. He knew she was right. She knew him better than anyone else did. That night, he couldn't sleep. He shifted around on his cot until he was on his back, and stayed there. He closed his eyes, but sleep evaded him. It was unreachable. He sighed, and rolled over onto his stomach. He curled his arms around his pillow, and broke down into silent tears. He fell into an exhausted and troubled sleep. He dreamed that instead of Jess, he had pushed Rory down the hillside near the inn, and that she had died. He woke in a cold sweat, panicked. He relaxed as he realized that Rory was safely at home, but then guilt crept in as he remembered that Jess was not. Dean did not sleep again that night.

Dean contacted his lawyer the next day, and admitted to him that Jess's fall was not entirely innocent. "I only meant to punch him. I didn't want him to fall." The lawyer commended Dean for his honesty.

"I'm one lawyer that does not tolerate lying clients. Hard to do, when one is a defense attorney, but I get by." John McCoy told Dean. "I'm glad that you were honest with me."

Dean was also honest before the judge. Dean's mother called Rory that afternoon. "Dean wants to see you, Rory. He has something important to tell you."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Forrester. I can't."

"Rory, I understand, but I have to insist. He needs you to hear him out."

"Okay." Rory agreed. "I'll come."

"Thank you, Rory."

Soon, Rory was once more at the jail. Dean was about to be transferred to the Hartford Youth Detention Facility. "Rory--" Dean faltered when she sat down across from him.

"What do you want?" she asked bluntly.

"After you left, I thought a lot about what you said. Last night, I couldn't sleep. When I finally did, I dreamed that you fell down that hill and died. I knew that you were really okay, but I also knew that because of me, Jess isn't. And I am truly sorry." Dean said. "I told the judge the truth. We're setting a date sooner than the trial for a plea bargain. I'm going to accept whatever I'm given, and I hope that it's enough for you to forgive me someday."