For disclaimers and such, see chapter 1.
~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 2: The Truth is Out ~*~*~*~*~*~
Lorelai couldn't sleep. She kept wondering what Rory was doing with a guy like Jess. He was mean, rude, and disrespectful. Even the fact that he was recently behaving didn't calm Lorelai's fears.
She only got about 2 hours of sleep before waking up. Groaning about how early it was, she made her way out of bed, knowing she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.
After leaving a note for Rory, she made her way to Luke's.
"Gimme some coffee," Lorelai grumbled, sliding onto a stool.
Luke looked at Lorelai and did as she asked. "You okay?"
"Rory wants to break up with Dean to be with Jess," Lorelai cried.
"JESS!" Luke yelled, up the stairs. "Get down here, NOW!"
"What?" Jess sighed, appearing in the diner.
"I told you to stay away from her. I told you to leave her and Dean alone," Luke spoke loudly. Luckily there was no one else in the diner to hear him.
"I did, she came and found me," Jess explained. He was tired of everyone blaming him for everything bad that happened to Rory Gilmore. Somehow, it always managed to be his fault.
"And you didn't do anything to make her want to break up with Dean?" Luke questioned.
Jess was about to lie, but after seeing the look on Lorelai's face, he knew he should tell the truth, for she already knew. "Fine. Maybe I kissed her. But maybe she kissed me first."
"That doesn't sound like Rory, Jess. Don't lie," Luke warned, unaware that it was the truth.
"He's not lying," Lorelai piped up. "Rory told me last night. She kissed him at Sookie's wedding."
"Jess, I told you not to go down there," Luke repeated.
"I went to the river. And Rory happened to show up where I was standing. I didn't run around screaming her name!" Jess yelled. He'd had enough of this. This wasn't his fault. Rory kissed him. Rory wants to break up with Dean. Rory was the one who came to see him last night.
Silence settled among the three. Each thinking about the current situation.
"If you don't need me now, I'm gonna.." Jess trailed off.
Luke and Lorelai waved him out and he left with a book to the bridge.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Rory woke up to find her mom's note. After a shower, she left to go find Dean. Better to tell him now, rather than later.
Rory checked all of his usual spots but couldn't find him. After an hour of searching she decided to head over to Luke's for some much needed coffee.
"Hey, mom. Hey, Luke," she waved walking inside.
"Jess isn't here," Luke said.
"Oh," Rory replied, disappointed.
"Hey, hun, what's up?" Lorelai asked.
"I'm trying to find Dean, do you know where he is?" Rory asked.
"Oh! I forgot, he went away with his parents for a vacation," Lorelai remembered. "He said he'd be back this week, and he would be sorry if he didn't make it back before you got home."
"Thanks mom. Luke, can I have a coffee to go?"
"Coming right up," Luke said, pulling out a foam cup and filling it with coffee.
"Thanks, bye," Rory said, heading out the door.
*If I were Jess, where would I be?* Rory asked herself. She immediately knew the answer and headed for the bridge.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Jess got up when he heard her coming and greeted her with a kiss. "Hey."
"Hey," she smiled, kissing him again.
The two sat down on the edge of the bridge. He gave her the book he was reading and pulled another one out from his pocket. The two sat contently, reading their books, and enjoying each other's company.
"Done," Rory chirped, and smiled up at Jess who was now reading the book over her shoulder.
"Me too," he said.
"What now?"
Jess looked at her, with a grin.
She smiled back and kissed him.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"RORY!"
Jess and Rory broke apart. The voice yelled again.
"RORY!"
It was Dean.
Rory quickly cleaned herself off, so it didn't look like she had just been making out with Jess. She opened up the book and pretended to read when Dean reached the bridge.
"Rory," he breathed upon seeing her. It had been a long 6 weeks with out his girlfriend. He missed her. All he wanted to do now was go and spend some time with her. But when he saw Jess beside her, he immediately freaked out.
"Dean!" Rory cried. Not getting up to hug him.
"What's going on?" Dean asked.
"I'm reading," Rory replied, innocently.
"What's he doing here?" Dean snarled at Jess.
"Also reading," Jess replied, a short answer as usual. He knew that his lack of extensive answers made most people, including Dean, mad.
"Rory?" Dean asked.
"Yes?" She replied.
"You're reading your book upside down," Dean commented.
Rory looked at the book, and sure enough, it was upside down.
"Didn't you know? If you read upside down, you learn more," Rory tried to come up with a believable explanation.
"Rory," Dean said sternly. "What's going on?"
"Dean, I need to talk to you," Rory said, pulling him away from Jess.
"I guess there's no easy way to say this," Rory sighed, once they were off the bridge. This was the hardest thing she ever had to do. "But, I don't think we're going to work."
Dean stood, shocked. "What?"
"I've been doing a lot of thinking. A LOT, of thinking," she emphasized a lot so Dean knew she had put time into her decision. "And I just don't think we're working out. I want to be honest with you, and tell you before I keep leading you on."
"You want to be honest with me?" Dean yelled. "Then, honestly, tell me that you're not breaking up with me for that jerk!" He pointed at Jess, who sat quietly on the bridge, listening to every word they said.
Rory said nothing. She didn't want to lie to Dean, but she didn't want to hurt him either.
"I don't believe this," Dean cried, holding his head in his hands. "You're breaking up with me for him?!?!"
"Dean, please. Things haven't been the same for a while. Even if Jess wasn't here.." Rory couldn't figure out how to phrase it. "Dean, I'm bored. Of this. Of us. There's no excitement."
"But Jess excites you? With his bad boy ways?" Dean shook his head, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. "God, I just.. JESS? YOU'RE BREKING UP WITH ME FOR JESS?!?!"
"Dean, calm down," Rory touched his arm in an attempt to get him to settle down.
At her touch, Dean exploded and ran onto the bridge to kill Jess.
"Get up you ass hole," Dean yelled, running towards him.
Jess jumped to his feet, ready to defend both him and Rory.
"What did you do to her? Huh?" Dean asked, sure of the fact that Rory wouldn't willingly date Jess.
Jess remained calm. "What are you talking about?"
"Rory. How did you do it? How did you make her like you?"
"Why don't you ask her?" Jess replied, still cool as stone.
"Don't bring her into this," Dean yelled.
"But-"
"Stay away from her, Jess. Or else," Dean threatened.
"Or else, what?" Jess asked, curious as to how far Dean would go.
"Or else, I'll have to hurt you," Dean smirked.
"I'd like to see you try," Jess taunted.
That made Dean crazy and he charged at Jess. Jess easily sidestepped him, and turned to face his attacker, whose fist went into his face. Jess crashed to the ground.
"Jess!" Rory cried, running up to him. "Dean! STOP!"
"No, Rory, he needs to learn not to mess with you," Dean said, drunk on anger.
Jess got back up and punched Dean, knocking him down. Jess then straddled Dean and continued to punch him. Dean put his hands up against Jess's shoulders and rolled him into the water. Jess hit his head on the bridge as he fell in.
"Jess!" Rory jumped in after him. "Jess!"
Jess stood in the water, holding his head, which was now bleeding. Rory swam up to him and hugged him and inspected his cuts.
"Rory, I'm fine," Jess assured her, but winced when he touched him.
Rory rolled her eyes and continued checking his cuts.
Dean stood there, quietly watching the two.
Rory helped Jess up, out of the water. Once Jess was out, she made her way to Dean for one last confrontation.
"If you ever, ever, come near me or Jess again. Or hurt either of us in any way. I will have the whole town on you so fast, you'll never know what hit you." Rory left it there. Dean knew the town. He knew that they loved Rory. And he knew that if he ever did anything to upset her, she would turn the town against him.
Dean nodded and ran off to deal with his bleeding face.
As soon as Dean was out of sight, Jess keeled over onto the ground.
"God, Jess," Rory slid down next to him. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, Rory," he said, giving her a kiss. "I'll be fine. I just wish my head would stop throbbing."
"Common, let's get you home," Rory got up and helped Jess to his feet. He leaned on her for support on the way back to Luke's.
~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 2: The Truth is Out ~*~*~*~*~*~
Lorelai couldn't sleep. She kept wondering what Rory was doing with a guy like Jess. He was mean, rude, and disrespectful. Even the fact that he was recently behaving didn't calm Lorelai's fears.
She only got about 2 hours of sleep before waking up. Groaning about how early it was, she made her way out of bed, knowing she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.
After leaving a note for Rory, she made her way to Luke's.
"Gimme some coffee," Lorelai grumbled, sliding onto a stool.
Luke looked at Lorelai and did as she asked. "You okay?"
"Rory wants to break up with Dean to be with Jess," Lorelai cried.
"JESS!" Luke yelled, up the stairs. "Get down here, NOW!"
"What?" Jess sighed, appearing in the diner.
"I told you to stay away from her. I told you to leave her and Dean alone," Luke spoke loudly. Luckily there was no one else in the diner to hear him.
"I did, she came and found me," Jess explained. He was tired of everyone blaming him for everything bad that happened to Rory Gilmore. Somehow, it always managed to be his fault.
"And you didn't do anything to make her want to break up with Dean?" Luke questioned.
Jess was about to lie, but after seeing the look on Lorelai's face, he knew he should tell the truth, for she already knew. "Fine. Maybe I kissed her. But maybe she kissed me first."
"That doesn't sound like Rory, Jess. Don't lie," Luke warned, unaware that it was the truth.
"He's not lying," Lorelai piped up. "Rory told me last night. She kissed him at Sookie's wedding."
"Jess, I told you not to go down there," Luke repeated.
"I went to the river. And Rory happened to show up where I was standing. I didn't run around screaming her name!" Jess yelled. He'd had enough of this. This wasn't his fault. Rory kissed him. Rory wants to break up with Dean. Rory was the one who came to see him last night.
Silence settled among the three. Each thinking about the current situation.
"If you don't need me now, I'm gonna.." Jess trailed off.
Luke and Lorelai waved him out and he left with a book to the bridge.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Rory woke up to find her mom's note. After a shower, she left to go find Dean. Better to tell him now, rather than later.
Rory checked all of his usual spots but couldn't find him. After an hour of searching she decided to head over to Luke's for some much needed coffee.
"Hey, mom. Hey, Luke," she waved walking inside.
"Jess isn't here," Luke said.
"Oh," Rory replied, disappointed.
"Hey, hun, what's up?" Lorelai asked.
"I'm trying to find Dean, do you know where he is?" Rory asked.
"Oh! I forgot, he went away with his parents for a vacation," Lorelai remembered. "He said he'd be back this week, and he would be sorry if he didn't make it back before you got home."
"Thanks mom. Luke, can I have a coffee to go?"
"Coming right up," Luke said, pulling out a foam cup and filling it with coffee.
"Thanks, bye," Rory said, heading out the door.
*If I were Jess, where would I be?* Rory asked herself. She immediately knew the answer and headed for the bridge.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Jess got up when he heard her coming and greeted her with a kiss. "Hey."
"Hey," she smiled, kissing him again.
The two sat down on the edge of the bridge. He gave her the book he was reading and pulled another one out from his pocket. The two sat contently, reading their books, and enjoying each other's company.
"Done," Rory chirped, and smiled up at Jess who was now reading the book over her shoulder.
"Me too," he said.
"What now?"
Jess looked at her, with a grin.
She smiled back and kissed him.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"RORY!"
Jess and Rory broke apart. The voice yelled again.
"RORY!"
It was Dean.
Rory quickly cleaned herself off, so it didn't look like she had just been making out with Jess. She opened up the book and pretended to read when Dean reached the bridge.
"Rory," he breathed upon seeing her. It had been a long 6 weeks with out his girlfriend. He missed her. All he wanted to do now was go and spend some time with her. But when he saw Jess beside her, he immediately freaked out.
"Dean!" Rory cried. Not getting up to hug him.
"What's going on?" Dean asked.
"I'm reading," Rory replied, innocently.
"What's he doing here?" Dean snarled at Jess.
"Also reading," Jess replied, a short answer as usual. He knew that his lack of extensive answers made most people, including Dean, mad.
"Rory?" Dean asked.
"Yes?" She replied.
"You're reading your book upside down," Dean commented.
Rory looked at the book, and sure enough, it was upside down.
"Didn't you know? If you read upside down, you learn more," Rory tried to come up with a believable explanation.
"Rory," Dean said sternly. "What's going on?"
"Dean, I need to talk to you," Rory said, pulling him away from Jess.
"I guess there's no easy way to say this," Rory sighed, once they were off the bridge. This was the hardest thing she ever had to do. "But, I don't think we're going to work."
Dean stood, shocked. "What?"
"I've been doing a lot of thinking. A LOT, of thinking," she emphasized a lot so Dean knew she had put time into her decision. "And I just don't think we're working out. I want to be honest with you, and tell you before I keep leading you on."
"You want to be honest with me?" Dean yelled. "Then, honestly, tell me that you're not breaking up with me for that jerk!" He pointed at Jess, who sat quietly on the bridge, listening to every word they said.
Rory said nothing. She didn't want to lie to Dean, but she didn't want to hurt him either.
"I don't believe this," Dean cried, holding his head in his hands. "You're breaking up with me for him?!?!"
"Dean, please. Things haven't been the same for a while. Even if Jess wasn't here.." Rory couldn't figure out how to phrase it. "Dean, I'm bored. Of this. Of us. There's no excitement."
"But Jess excites you? With his bad boy ways?" Dean shook his head, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. "God, I just.. JESS? YOU'RE BREKING UP WITH ME FOR JESS?!?!"
"Dean, calm down," Rory touched his arm in an attempt to get him to settle down.
At her touch, Dean exploded and ran onto the bridge to kill Jess.
"Get up you ass hole," Dean yelled, running towards him.
Jess jumped to his feet, ready to defend both him and Rory.
"What did you do to her? Huh?" Dean asked, sure of the fact that Rory wouldn't willingly date Jess.
Jess remained calm. "What are you talking about?"
"Rory. How did you do it? How did you make her like you?"
"Why don't you ask her?" Jess replied, still cool as stone.
"Don't bring her into this," Dean yelled.
"But-"
"Stay away from her, Jess. Or else," Dean threatened.
"Or else, what?" Jess asked, curious as to how far Dean would go.
"Or else, I'll have to hurt you," Dean smirked.
"I'd like to see you try," Jess taunted.
That made Dean crazy and he charged at Jess. Jess easily sidestepped him, and turned to face his attacker, whose fist went into his face. Jess crashed to the ground.
"Jess!" Rory cried, running up to him. "Dean! STOP!"
"No, Rory, he needs to learn not to mess with you," Dean said, drunk on anger.
Jess got back up and punched Dean, knocking him down. Jess then straddled Dean and continued to punch him. Dean put his hands up against Jess's shoulders and rolled him into the water. Jess hit his head on the bridge as he fell in.
"Jess!" Rory jumped in after him. "Jess!"
Jess stood in the water, holding his head, which was now bleeding. Rory swam up to him and hugged him and inspected his cuts.
"Rory, I'm fine," Jess assured her, but winced when he touched him.
Rory rolled her eyes and continued checking his cuts.
Dean stood there, quietly watching the two.
Rory helped Jess up, out of the water. Once Jess was out, she made her way to Dean for one last confrontation.
"If you ever, ever, come near me or Jess again. Or hurt either of us in any way. I will have the whole town on you so fast, you'll never know what hit you." Rory left it there. Dean knew the town. He knew that they loved Rory. And he knew that if he ever did anything to upset her, she would turn the town against him.
Dean nodded and ran off to deal with his bleeding face.
As soon as Dean was out of sight, Jess keeled over onto the ground.
"God, Jess," Rory slid down next to him. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, Rory," he said, giving her a kiss. "I'll be fine. I just wish my head would stop throbbing."
"Common, let's get you home," Rory got up and helped Jess to his feet. He leaned on her for support on the way back to Luke's.
