A/N: This picks up after the Thanksgiving episode. Rory finds out about the
almost-fight. The title explains the rest. Please read, review, and enjoy!
Oh yeah, BTW, Happy Holidays! I love Christmas Eve. It's great. And, yes, I know that probably some of you don't believe in Christmas because of your religion, so Happy Hanukah, Kwanza, or whatever you do believe in. It's all good. Just Happy Holidays to everyone!
**Disclaimer: I own a Discman, a shelf full of books, and this laptop. I don't own anything related to this show. And even if you do sue me, all you're getting is the Discman and the books because there's no way in hell you're getting my laptop.**
Hitting the Fan
by Angel Monroe
Chapter 2: Supermarket Blowup
Rory walked lividly out of the diner. Turning the corner, she was only half aware of where she was going. She didn't notice those around her as she turned the corner again, walking into the market half-crowded with after- Thanksgiving shoppers.
He was working today. She remembered in the back of her mind that he had wanted to work today to get time and a half. He was saving up for new wheels for his car. She looked around from the front door.
There he was, stacking cans in isle three. Her eyes flickered over him, the guy she had spent so much time with. Her first boyfriend, the one she had been in love with. He looked almost small now, pathetic. The apron tied around his waist made him look childlike, a little boy playing dress-up. How quaint. (A/N: Can you tell I don't like Dean right now? Wait, it gets better. Hehehe.)
Red dots bounced in front of her eyes as she thought of what he had done to Jess. Her agitation grew with every second she stared at him. 'What right does he have to pick a fight with my boyfriend just because I'm not in love with him anymore?' she thought. 'Who the hell does he think he is to put himself in my business?' Before she knew what she was doing, Rory was standing in front of him, her palm stinging. He had the most surprised expression on his face, his hand gently cupping his cheek.
'I just slapped him,' she realized, slightly taken aback herself. Then, 'Good, he deserves it.'
"What the hell was that for?" he demanded still touching his cheek.
"How dare you?" she yelled at him, her anger rivaling his.
"What did I do this time?" he asked turning away from her to stack cans again.
"Think real hard," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. When he said nothing, ignoring her comment, she continued. "You, Jess, last night. You picked a fight with him."
"I can't believe that little wimp sent you to fight his battle for him," Dean chuckled a little. She really wanted to wipe that smug sneer off of his face.
"Shut up, Dean," she told him forcefully. "I have so had enough of you. And by the way, Jess doesn't even know I'm here. He'll probably be mad when he finds out I am, but this is about you and me. Now did you or did you not pick a fight with my boyfriend last night?"
"Yeah, so," Dean said, his voice an attempt at casual. "He was getting on my nerves."
"Bull," she said, his flimsy excuse making her lose what little self- restraint she had maintained up to this point. "You picked a fight with him because of me, and you know it."
"A little self-involved, are we?" he scoffed. "Not everything in my life revolves around you. Not anymore."
"Don't give me that crap," she said, grabbing his hand as he went to pick up another can. "You're angry because I'm with Jess, and you're taking it out on him."
"So what if I am?" Dean replied pulling his hand away angrily. "It's his fault."
"No," she objected her voice demanding his attention and respect, "it's not. It's mine. I'm the one that couldn't stop thinking about him. I'm the one who couldn't stay away. I'm the one who strung you along. Me, Dean, all me. Don't you dare come in here and act like he came to town and brainwashed me into liking him."
"But he-"
"No!" she yelled back. "If you have a problem with me and Jess, you take it up with me or just keep your damn opinions to yourself. Otherwise, stay the hell away from us both!"
Before he could reply, she stormed out of the market leaving Dean to deal with the awestruck shoppers. Again she wasn't sure where she was going. She just needed to clear her mind, put things into perspective. She so wanted to hurt him right now. She wanted to make him feel every bit as angry and betrayed as she had felt when Jess had told her about the incident.
She sat down on the edge of the bridge almost unconsciously. When she finally came out of her trance, she looked around and was almost amazed by her surroundings. She hadn't even meant to come here. It was just automatic. Lying back onto the cool surface of the bridge, she closed her eyes and wished for the anger and hurt coursing through her to subside. Lying in this position, she didn't even see or hear the footsteps as they approached her.
"Hey," he called his usual monosyllabic greeting.
She opened her eyes, still lying on her back. "Hey," she responded. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Not long," he said, his voice even and revealing nothing.
"I didn't hear you walk up," she explained. She closed her eyes again, trying to will her face to cool down. It was burning hot and she knew it was probably a shade of crimson by now.
"You looked so cute and peaceful," he replied. "I didn't want to disturb you."
Rory saw a shadow move behind her eyelids and knew that he had sat down beside her. "I yelled at Dean," she told him after a minute or two of hesitation.
"I know," Jess replied. "Miss Patty was in the market and called Babette in the diner. It was all over town in less than ten minutes."
"I'm sorry," she said sitting up and opening her eyes, but still not allowing them so wander to his.
"Why?" he asked taking her hand and intertwining their fingers.
"I know that you could have taken care of Dean on your own if you'd wanted to," she said finally looking up at him. "I just got so angry when I thought about how he made you feel. I don't want him messing with your head because he's mad at me."
"You don't have to apologize," he assured her. "I understand. And yes, I could have fought Dean if I'd wanted to, but I really didn't want to get caught up in his macho stupidity. I'm perfectly content knowing that I actually have an IQ." He lifted their intertwined fingers over and around her head so that his arm was around her shoulder. "I just don't want to mess with what we have by beating the crap out of your stalker ex- boyfriend."
"No matter what he does or what you do to him," Rory reassured him, "he will not ruin this for us. I promise you, I could care less what happens to Dean."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, his arm still slung across her shoulder and her hand still in his. They weren't sure what their relationship had in store for them, but they were positive that they could handle it together.
**So, what'd you think? I won't know if you don't tell me. Hint hint, wink wink. I'm not sure if I want to continue on from here or just leave it as is. If you guys want another chapter, let me know! Ideas are always welcomed as well. In fact, if you want another chapter, you should give me some kind of idea because I have no clue what I should do next. So write people! I'll love you forever! Anyway, thanks. O:)**
Oh yeah, BTW, Happy Holidays! I love Christmas Eve. It's great. And, yes, I know that probably some of you don't believe in Christmas because of your religion, so Happy Hanukah, Kwanza, or whatever you do believe in. It's all good. Just Happy Holidays to everyone!
**Disclaimer: I own a Discman, a shelf full of books, and this laptop. I don't own anything related to this show. And even if you do sue me, all you're getting is the Discman and the books because there's no way in hell you're getting my laptop.**
Hitting the Fan
by Angel Monroe
Chapter 2: Supermarket Blowup
Rory walked lividly out of the diner. Turning the corner, she was only half aware of where she was going. She didn't notice those around her as she turned the corner again, walking into the market half-crowded with after- Thanksgiving shoppers.
He was working today. She remembered in the back of her mind that he had wanted to work today to get time and a half. He was saving up for new wheels for his car. She looked around from the front door.
There he was, stacking cans in isle three. Her eyes flickered over him, the guy she had spent so much time with. Her first boyfriend, the one she had been in love with. He looked almost small now, pathetic. The apron tied around his waist made him look childlike, a little boy playing dress-up. How quaint. (A/N: Can you tell I don't like Dean right now? Wait, it gets better. Hehehe.)
Red dots bounced in front of her eyes as she thought of what he had done to Jess. Her agitation grew with every second she stared at him. 'What right does he have to pick a fight with my boyfriend just because I'm not in love with him anymore?' she thought. 'Who the hell does he think he is to put himself in my business?' Before she knew what she was doing, Rory was standing in front of him, her palm stinging. He had the most surprised expression on his face, his hand gently cupping his cheek.
'I just slapped him,' she realized, slightly taken aback herself. Then, 'Good, he deserves it.'
"What the hell was that for?" he demanded still touching his cheek.
"How dare you?" she yelled at him, her anger rivaling his.
"What did I do this time?" he asked turning away from her to stack cans again.
"Think real hard," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. When he said nothing, ignoring her comment, she continued. "You, Jess, last night. You picked a fight with him."
"I can't believe that little wimp sent you to fight his battle for him," Dean chuckled a little. She really wanted to wipe that smug sneer off of his face.
"Shut up, Dean," she told him forcefully. "I have so had enough of you. And by the way, Jess doesn't even know I'm here. He'll probably be mad when he finds out I am, but this is about you and me. Now did you or did you not pick a fight with my boyfriend last night?"
"Yeah, so," Dean said, his voice an attempt at casual. "He was getting on my nerves."
"Bull," she said, his flimsy excuse making her lose what little self- restraint she had maintained up to this point. "You picked a fight with him because of me, and you know it."
"A little self-involved, are we?" he scoffed. "Not everything in my life revolves around you. Not anymore."
"Don't give me that crap," she said, grabbing his hand as he went to pick up another can. "You're angry because I'm with Jess, and you're taking it out on him."
"So what if I am?" Dean replied pulling his hand away angrily. "It's his fault."
"No," she objected her voice demanding his attention and respect, "it's not. It's mine. I'm the one that couldn't stop thinking about him. I'm the one who couldn't stay away. I'm the one who strung you along. Me, Dean, all me. Don't you dare come in here and act like he came to town and brainwashed me into liking him."
"But he-"
"No!" she yelled back. "If you have a problem with me and Jess, you take it up with me or just keep your damn opinions to yourself. Otherwise, stay the hell away from us both!"
Before he could reply, she stormed out of the market leaving Dean to deal with the awestruck shoppers. Again she wasn't sure where she was going. She just needed to clear her mind, put things into perspective. She so wanted to hurt him right now. She wanted to make him feel every bit as angry and betrayed as she had felt when Jess had told her about the incident.
She sat down on the edge of the bridge almost unconsciously. When she finally came out of her trance, she looked around and was almost amazed by her surroundings. She hadn't even meant to come here. It was just automatic. Lying back onto the cool surface of the bridge, she closed her eyes and wished for the anger and hurt coursing through her to subside. Lying in this position, she didn't even see or hear the footsteps as they approached her.
"Hey," he called his usual monosyllabic greeting.
She opened her eyes, still lying on her back. "Hey," she responded. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Not long," he said, his voice even and revealing nothing.
"I didn't hear you walk up," she explained. She closed her eyes again, trying to will her face to cool down. It was burning hot and she knew it was probably a shade of crimson by now.
"You looked so cute and peaceful," he replied. "I didn't want to disturb you."
Rory saw a shadow move behind her eyelids and knew that he had sat down beside her. "I yelled at Dean," she told him after a minute or two of hesitation.
"I know," Jess replied. "Miss Patty was in the market and called Babette in the diner. It was all over town in less than ten minutes."
"I'm sorry," she said sitting up and opening her eyes, but still not allowing them so wander to his.
"Why?" he asked taking her hand and intertwining their fingers.
"I know that you could have taken care of Dean on your own if you'd wanted to," she said finally looking up at him. "I just got so angry when I thought about how he made you feel. I don't want him messing with your head because he's mad at me."
"You don't have to apologize," he assured her. "I understand. And yes, I could have fought Dean if I'd wanted to, but I really didn't want to get caught up in his macho stupidity. I'm perfectly content knowing that I actually have an IQ." He lifted their intertwined fingers over and around her head so that his arm was around her shoulder. "I just don't want to mess with what we have by beating the crap out of your stalker ex- boyfriend."
"No matter what he does or what you do to him," Rory reassured him, "he will not ruin this for us. I promise you, I could care less what happens to Dean."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, his arm still slung across her shoulder and her hand still in his. They weren't sure what their relationship had in store for them, but they were positive that they could handle it together.
**So, what'd you think? I won't know if you don't tell me. Hint hint, wink wink. I'm not sure if I want to continue on from here or just leave it as is. If you guys want another chapter, let me know! Ideas are always welcomed as well. In fact, if you want another chapter, you should give me some kind of idea because I have no clue what I should do next. So write people! I'll love you forever! Anyway, thanks. O:)**