Jess felt a little skip in her step this morning as her room began to resemble its old self again. Gone was the sewing machine and suitcase. Gone were the clothes on the floor. She had spent the morning doing tons of laundry.

It had been a hard week for her. She threw herself into work staying late everyday. Nick hadn't been home much as she assumed he had late shifts every night. Now she had the whole weekend ahead of her and cleaning made her mind feel clearer.

The dryer buzzed it was done. She took the sheets and blankets out and walked back to her bed to make it up. She always loved clean sheets on her bed. They were the best.

As she separated out the sheets, she found their blanket. She didn't know how it had gotten in her stuff but there it was. Her chest tightened at all of the memories surrounding that blanket. She swallowed down the sadness willing nothing to stop her happier mood today.

Turning towards Nick's room, she tapped on the door to give it back to him. She thought of leaving it on the floor but thought better of it. She had put a lot of time into it and leaving it on the floor might say something she didn't really mean to say.

She pushed on the door and was surprised to find he wasn't home. Her heart immediately skipped knowing he was probably with a woman. "Oh god" she said out loud. She hadn't thought that might be a possibility so soon.

She shook her head "no, he isn't gonna do this to me." She physically smiled remembering her Mom telling her that if you actually smile, you feel better. Why not try it right now.

She walked over to his bed and spread the blanket over it. She hadn't actually seen it in his room before and it warmed her a little bit to know he would be sleeping under it tonight. It looked good. The reds and greys looked masculine in a room that clearly belonged to a man.

His room was filled with light and in its normal disarray. Clothes were strewn around the room, wads of bills from tips, shoes thrown in the corner and beer bottles on the bedside tables. She walked around touching things like the photos on his walls, a painting and a jar of pencils on his desk.

Her eyes caught an abnormally organized pile of what looked like garbage on the corner of his desk. There she found a Pop Rock envelope, a dried red rose, a champagne bottle label, seashells and what looked like a shingle from the cabin. She sucked in her breath and rode a wave of sadness. Her eyes filled with tears that once again, she let silently fall down her face. Nick had saved these things Secretly, from their trip. She touched each one as if trying to absorb the memory.

Hanging on the back of his chair was the flannel she had worn that night in the cabin when the bear tried to break in. She remembered the next morning when they had woken up in each other's arms and he had touched her body everywhere. He had touched her or perhaps awakened her. Her skin burned at the memory and she could feel it flush with heat. She picked up the flannel and smelled it. It had Nick on it. Swallowing hard, she walked out of his room and swore to never return.

Hey Jess, are you the one that didn't clean out the lint catcher in the dryer?

Ah, yes, Schmidt, that was probably me.

I don't appreciate your polyester lint mixing in my cashmere. It is unsanitary.

OK, Schmidt. May I make a suggestion?

Oh please, does it involve glitter signs with directions on how to use the dryer because that didn't work last time and it took forever to get the glitter out of my Ashton cardigan.

Schmidt, that wasn't my idea.

What was it then?

I was thinking that maybe you could simply check the dryer before you put your clothes in it so they don't get ruined.

Oh thanks Jess. Great advice. How did I, never ever think about. Whatevs.

On Wednesday Rick had found her during office hours hinting they should go out again. He bugged her in a weird way she couldn't put her finger on. She had been trying her hardest to not think of her bearded roommate hoping to stop the dehydrating tear fest she had been on all week, and he caught her off guard.

"Sure, we can go out again Rick."

"Great, how about Saturday night. Somewhere nice. We can have some cocktails before dinner. Get loosened up."

Grumpy roommate had rubbed off on her as her eyes were begging to roll at his douchebagy remark.

"OK, sure, we can do that."

Now it was Saturday afternoon and she needed to think about what she was wearing. Staring into her closet, she heard the guys come home from lunch. They were laughing it up about some "bozo" at the restaurant that came in with two hot blondes and then his credit card got denied when he bought them lunch.

"I am surprised he didn't call his wife to pay for it" said Winston.

"Yeah, his wife or his Mommy" piped in Nick.

"Jealousy is not a pretty color on you two. Given the opportunity, either one of you would do the same."

"No, I would not" said Nick.

"Yes you would man. Two hot betties on your arm, knowing you're getting double the pleasure after dinner. Come on Nick, you know you would dip your chip in that cheese sauce."

"Schmidt, that's disgusting. And no, I wouldn't. Not my style."

"Please, you have no style. Your style is going home with barflies you hope cannot remember what bar they met you at the next morning. I am assuming that is where you have been all week?"

"Shutup Schmidt. You have no idea what you are talking about." His tone had suddenly changed. Winston gave him a look of pity and Schmidt turned and headed into the kitchen knowing Nick could take no more teasing.

"Hey man, are we watching the game tonight?" Winston said to Nick hoping to change the subject.

"Yeah, that would be great."

Jess had listened from her room. Damnit, she had to stop this crying stuff before she permanently looked like an allergy sufferer. Nick was already sleeping with other women?

Schmidt answered the door when Rick knocked loudly. He was holding a bouquet of daisies as he walked in nodding to Nick and Winston sitting on the couch.

"Jess, your date is here" Schidt yelled through the loft.

Nick was looking at the guy at the door, nostrils flared, disgusted at his gelled hair and creased pants.

"Hey Rick" Schmidt said as he held out his hand. "Good to see you again man. I'm loving this button down, what thread count is that?"

"Ah, I don't know" Nick said dodging Schmidt's hand from flipping up his shirt collar to read it like he had last time.

"Hey Rick, I'm Jess's roommate. Come on in, take a seat."

Winston felt the air become suddenly tense at Nick's unnoticed snide invitation to Jess's date.

Rick put out his hand to Nick "Hi, I'm Rick".

"Yeah, I knew that cuz I just called you Rick."

Rick looked around nervous. He didn't understand why this guy was coming off so aggressively towards him.

"Ah yeah, what was your name, I didn't catch it."

"It's Nick, Rick. Haha, funny. Nick...Rick, get it."

"Yeah, I got it."

"Where you taking our girl tonight Rick. Somewhere special I presume? Gonna get her all liquored up and take advantage of her?" He winked at Rick with a big grin.

"Nick, stop" said Winston.

Schmidt whistled loudly as Jess entered the room "Holy cow woman, I didn't know you had that body under all those cardigans. I see you're taking the little ladies out for a drive tonight."

Nick looked at Jess realizing she was wearing the same dress from Chicago. The same dress that made him so crazy he grabbed her before their actual date attacking her lips in that hotel room. He looked down at the ground, fists tightening on his beer bottle. He couldn't meet her gaze. She would know. She knew him so well she would know she got him this round.

"Oh hi Jess, wow, you look really good" Rick said as he handed her the daisies.

"Thank you. I love daisies" she said as she walked to the kitchen for a vase.

She had seen Nick look at the ground. She had worn this dress specifically to get to him but now she just felt bad. It had obviously shaken him up a bit and she was starting to somehow lose her fight with him. She missed him so much. She didn't care if they would be just friends. The last thing she wanted to do right now was go on this date but she was bound and determined earlier in the week to get over him. For some reason though, now she wanted only to sit on the couch with the guys and watch a game. Game face Jess. Time for game face.

She turned back towards Rick "you ready to go"?

"Sure" said Rick as he opened the front door walking out without saying good-bye to anyone.

Jess grabbed her purse checking for her keys and phone and turned for one last look at Nick. He looked up at her, their eyes locking on one another and she attempted a small smile that he returned with his eyes softening a bit on the edges. She sucked in her breath and turned to walk out the door.

"Hey Jess" said Schmidt. "You have condoms?"

"Shutup Schmidt."

"I'm just saying Jess, you wear something like that out on a 3rd date, you're gonna need a condom."

"Shutup Schmidt" said Nick.

"What is with you guys. You don't practice safe sex. Come on guys, it's a new century!"

Nick heard the front door shut and he swallowed a swig of his beer. It was time to get rip roaring drunk.

Hey where are you right now?

I am at Club DV8, why?

I am on this date and this guy is coming on really strong. I was hoping you could drop in for drinks with us and lighten the mood.

Sure honey, I'm a little bit tipsy though. Where you at? I'll take a cab. I wasn't liking the DJ tonight anyway. I used to date him.

Cece and Jess walked into the loft with Rick. Jess was the only sober one and was feeling the fatigue after a night of keeping Rick's hands off her body. He was like a ferret moving so quickly to her ass or her waist. She needed to call him a cab to get him home before he killed someone attempting to drive home, which is what he insisted on doing at the restaurant.

Schmidt was in the kitchen when they came in and his face brightened when he saw a drunk Cece walk towards him with purpose.

"Schmidt, now."

"Yes my Cleopatra, I am here."

Cece took his hand and pulled him into his room leaving Jess and Rick alone in the loft.

"Hey Rick, how about I get you some water and some coffee? How about that?"

"I'd rather have something else, if you know what I mean?"

Ugh, so creepy he was.

She started making coffee and reached up for some mugs when she suddenly felt him leaning against her from behind.

"Rick, could you move away please?"

"I am ready Jess. I have been ready since the day I met you." She could feel his erection pushing up against her backside. Her senses immediately up on high alert.

"Rick, I am gonna say this once, back away from me right now. Back away."

He leaned over her body putting his sour breath near her neck and his hands resting on hers on the counter holding her there firmly.

"Hey, stop that, back up."

"Come on Jess, you know you want it. I know you picked that dress out just for me. You wanted to tease me all night, working me up into a lather until I grabbed you and treated you like the bad girl you are." He smacked her ass hard and she whimpered from the pain of it but also realized that she was in trouble. She could scream. Why couldn't she scream? Cece and Schmidt were not far away but she also knew that he could put his hand around her mouth at any minute.

He tightened his grip on her hands and turned her body around to face him. The look in his eyes were different than the drunk ones that lingered on her body all night. These eyes were intense, focused and very alert. Her bottom lip began to quiver and she concentrated on her breathing to stay calm.

"Rick" she said in the calmest voice she could. "You don't want to do this Rick. We work together. Come on, lets just have some coffee and sober up and you can take a cab home."

"No way Jess, I'm not leaving until I get to lick all that is under that dress."

She flinched at the idea and began to count to three preparing herself to scream as loud as she could. She moved her leg into position to knee his balls as hard as she could as well. For some reason, her body moved so slowly, she couldn't keep up with the events going on around her.

He surprised her when he quickly took both her hands behind her back holding them tightly, bruising her wrists while he untied her dress from the front. Jess became so scared she forgot to scream. She was terrified now. He pressed his lips on hers violently. "Rick, stop, no, stop Rick" which came out only in muffled tones through their mouths. She could taste the blood in her mouth and closed her eyes knowing what was gonna happen unless she screamed.

Then she heard it. She felt Rick's body get pulled away from her releasing her hands and heard the sound of him getting the wind knocked out of him. She opened her eyes and saw Nick land his fist on Rick's eye with a sound she was sure broke his hand. Rick flew backwards onto the ground, completely knocked out.

"Oh my god" she finally screamed. "Oh my god Nick".

Cece and Schmidt came running out of the room in only their underwear and Cece immediately ran to Jess wiping the blood off of her lip. Jess stood there staring at Nick with tears beginning to fill her eyes up again.

Nick stood there locked on Jess's face. He was breathing deeply pumped with adrenaline. His hand was quickly swelling and yet he didn't care. The anger running through his veins was volatile and he knew that if Jess looked away from him right now, he might just kill this guy.

"Schmidt, call the police" he calmly said.

"Of course" Schmidt for once not arguing as he took in the gravity of the situation.

Cece was washing Jess's face with a wet paper towell.

Winston had walked in behind Nick and was checking on Rick, making sure he was still breathing.

"Cece, the cops will be here, you should probably get dressed."

"You OK sweetheart" Cece asked Jess before she turned to get her clothes back on in Schmidt's room.

Still staring at Nick "yeah, I am Ok".

Winston chimed in "I think he is actually just asleep. He smells really drunk." He stood up and saw Nick and Jess staring at one another and decided to go downstairs and wait for the police.

As soon as Winston left, Nick closed the gap to Jess and enveloped her into his arms. He held her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his waist and put her head in his neck while she muffled her sobs. She could feel his breathing deep and shaky. He touched her hair and kissed her cheek softly as they pulled apart.

He took her dress and tied it back together as the tears rolled off her face dripping onto his hands. She looked down and saw his swollen hand turning blue already.

"Oh god Nick, we need to get you to the hospital."