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On Saturday Rory drives to see Lane. She's still tired from last night at work, her feet aching, but hasn't seen Lane in a while. The roads are mostly clear.

Rory parks the car, looking sadly at the scratch on it as she gets out. She's trying to save some cash for a repair but it's starting to feel like a Sisyphus deal. Quickly looking around in case Lorelai is near, Rory knocks on Lane's door. There's what sounds like a crash of a cymbal and Lane opens the door, flustered as she says, "Hey, Rory."

"Hey. Everything okay?"

"Zach and Brian tried moving my drumset."

"Oh no."

"To have more space," Lane says angrily. "Like we have any space in general!"

"I know the feeling." Rory follows her friend in and eagerly takes the can of cola offered. She resisted stopping at Weston's today.

"So tell me your news," Lane says, tucking her legs up on the couch. "How are things with Jess?"

"Things with Jess are good," Rory says, turning the can in her hands. "They're great. I actually, um, kind of decided something. I might not go back to Yale."

Rory takes a long drink of soda to avoid an immediate question and when she puts the can down Lane is staring at her.

"You're kidding. You'd drop out of school?"

"Not drop out exactly..I might just miss a semester."

"But why? I don't get it, Rory. You wanted it your whole life."

"I thought I did."

"I know you did," Lane corrects. "You worked so hard for it. That was why you did the whole Chilton thing."

"I know," Rory says uncomfortably. It feels like much longer than a year that she was there, a schoolgirl in plaid skirt and blazer, working on the school paper and writing speeches. It had seemed so important at the time and is already hazy in Rory's memory. "I just..."

"What?"

"Everything's different. I live with Jess now."

"He doesn't want you to go back? Because -"

"It's not that," Rory interrupts. "Jess hasn't said anything, it's me. I feel like my life has changed. I work as a waitress, I live in that apartment with him...it just seems weird to go back to being in a dorm and studying."

"It might be weird but you should still do it," Lane says. "I don't think you should quit school over a guy."

"It's not for him."

Rory takes another gulp of soda and Lane says, "What'll you do instead? Do you still want to be a journalist?"

"Maybe. But maybe I don't have to go to school right away...maybe I should travel, see some of the world before I write about it. It feels more real now, you know?"

Lane nods but seems unconvinced. Rory asks her about Hep Alien and conversation changes to band practice and mutual laughter over the grossness of living with guys. The girls share a snack of chips and cheese before Lane has to go to work.

"I'll say hi to Luke from you, if you want," she offers but Rory shakes her head.

"That's okay."

"He'd want to say hi," Lane protests. Rory looks down and her head snaps up as Lane adds, "Especially as he's dating Lorelai."

"What?"

"You know, since the test run at the inn and - oh..." Lane's voice trails off. "You didn't know?"

"It's fine." Rory tries to sound casual. It stings not having known her mother's news, especially as how not too long ago Rory knows she'd have been the first to hear. Now she's the last.

"I figured Lorelai would've told you but you guys are fighting and...I'm so stupid."

"No," Rory argues, looking into Lane's eyes. "You're definitely not stupid. We're just having a thing, that's all."

"Do you think you guys will make up?" Lane asks tentatively and when Rory shrugs she insists, "You have to. The universe is all out of order with you two not talking."

"She's so mad at me. She's so judgemental, Lane, she..."

Rory stops mid-rant at the look on Lane's face and feels the fight fall from her. "I'm mad at her," she says quietly. "But I miss her."

"I know you do, Rory. She misses you too."

"Right."

"She does! I can tell."

Rory nods, trying to smile. "Well. I should go, anyway. Thanks for having me over. You should come to my place sometime."

"I will," Lane promises and, as the friends hug, Rory thinks over Lorelai missing her. Maybe her mother does, but it doesn't help. Missing each other isn't enough to mend their fight.

Rory is going to drive straight back but her eye catches a sign in the window of Doose's for a deal on bread. Deciding to duck back out if Taylor is manning the register, Rory grabs a basket and quickly tosses some loaves in. She's just wrestling if she should pick up anything else she can spare when Rory's eye catches Dean and, without thinking, she puts the basket down and marches over.

"Hey."

"Hi," Dean says nervously. He glances around before looking back at Rory who demands, "What did you say to Jess?"

"He told you about that, I take it."

"You said there was something going on!" Rory exclaims. "There was nothing!"

Dean looks around again and says in a low voice, "This is where I work, Rory. I can't talk about it here."

"There's nothing to talk about!" Rory shouts. Some customers turn to look at them and Dean starts taking off his green apron, stuffing it into his pants pocket.

"I'm done for the day. If you want to talk about the nothing that happened, we can do it at my house."

Rory almost tells Dean to forget it but is too incensed. She walks back with him to his house, so angry she doesn't even think to check that Lorelai isn't around, and silently waits for Dean to unlock the door.

"We can talk in here. Lindsay's out shopping with her mom."

"Really?" Rory echoes disinterestedly. The house is sort of Martha Stewart-y, new furniture in the living room and cross-stitches with cheerful messages hanging up on the walls. There is a large framed wedding photo of Lindsay and Dean in the corner and the embroidery wishing to 'bless this happy home' reads almost sarcastically to Rory. Everything is meticulously clean. She follows Dean into the kitchen who says, "Lindsay shops a lot. It's her favourite thing to do - she probably won't be home for hours."

Rory isn't sure if Dean expects a response to that. She stands at the other side of the small table, taking in the sight of the china ornaments decorating the shelves. Somehow the house doesn't seem lived in. Rory shakes her head at the offer of a drink, watches Dean take the apron from his pocket and throw it into the corner before asking angrily, "What were you doing talking to Jess?"

"I was making conversation."

"Making conversation? Conversation where you say we were together before he came to see me? That's not true, Dean!"

"Why did you call me?"

"What?"

"You called me," Dean repeats, moving around the table to her. "When you were stuck at the bar."

"I had your number, that's all."

"What about your mom?"

"Mom's busy."

Dean laughs, shaking his head. "And Lane? She was busy too, right?"

"Look, I just figured you wouldn't mind picking me up," Rory says, feeling her cheeks warm. "We'd been hanging out. I thought we were friends."

"Right. That's all we were."

"It is all we were!" Rory exclaims, her voice rising. "What about Lindsay?"

"If Jess hadn't shown up I was going to tell you it was over with her. You know it was."

"It doesn't matter," Rory says staunchly. "You got married and -"

"I don't care!" Dean shouts, bringing his hand down onto the table with a slap. "I wish I'd never gotten married! It was stupid, I figured that out pretty soon. I thought I wanted that but I don't. No one tells you how marriage becomes your whole life. I missed you - I do miss you, Rory. And I thought there was still something between us. Call me crazy, but I thought maybe you were going to ask me in or something after I walked you back."

Rory stares at him and Dean demands, "Well? Am I?"

"It would have been wrong," Rory says eventually. "It would have been stupid. And Dean - you're still married! You tell me it's over and you're still in this happy home with Lindsay!"

Dean snorts and Rory goes on, "Maybe I did feel something, but I'm with Jess now. I live with him, I love him."

"The guy who left you?"

"He came back. We're making it work."

Dean gives another snort and over Rory's glare he says, "So what? You're going to come back to Yale in the fall while he loafs around New York?"

"No."

"No?"

"I'm taking some time off," Rory says. "I'm not sure if Yale's right for me anymore."

Dean stares at her and then shakes his head. "No. No way. After the hard time you gave me to do more and for dropping out to work instead, you're telling me you're quitting school?"

"I know I was kind of judgemental -"

"Kind of?" Dean shakes his head again and then says, "You wanted me to get an education. And now you're saying you're not finishing college because that jerk is back in town?"

"He's not a jerk!"

"Maybe it would have been a mistake, you and me," Dean says, looking at her. "But I'd never ask that of you."

"Jess didn't ask me!" Rory shouts. "I decided! You know what, Dean? I'm glad I left! Everyone in this town acts like I have no mind of my own, like I just do anything he wants and don't think for myself! You just think I'm helpless and need protecting!"

"And you act like you can save him from whatever stupid path he's going down."

"You don't know anything about Jess. Or us."

"He doesn't treat you right," Dean says. "I would treat you right." His voice is gentle and he steps towards Rory, a soft look in his eyes, the look Rory remembers from the night he took her home. Yes, she thinks. She would have kissed him, maybe more, she knows he loves her. She can't pretend he doesn't, but Rory also knows it's over, whatever it may have been. Dean is simply Dean to her now. Rory walks back, putting the table between them.

"Jess does treat me right," she says. "I'm happy with him."

Dean stops, sighing and stares at Rory. The soft look has gone.

"Why do you want a guy like him?"

"What does that mean?"

"He's got no plan for anything."

"You don't need a plan all the time," Rory says. "And Jess is good - we both are."

Dean gives a sort of nod.

"Are you going to stay married?" Rory asks. "If you think it's over..."

"I don't know what I'd do if I left."

"Dean -"

"Look, it's fine. Lindsay will be home soon," he says abruptly. "You should leave."

Rory doesn't remark on her supposedly being gone for hours before. She doesn't want to think about what Dean had in mind if their conversation had gone a different way. Silently, she picks up her purse and walks out of the house, turning to look in farewell. Dean is watching in the doorway, his strong stability starting to break.