***** Hey everybody! I'm back (duh, otherwise I wouldn't be writing this, right?). I had a great time in Germany, but I'm glad to be back. I really felt like I was kinda abandoning all of you, I hope you can forgive me. Anyway, here is the next chapter. Enjoy it, because there are only three more chapters to go (this one included)! Nice one *****

R: "Hey"

Dan: "Hey"

She hesitated for a moment and looked at her hands, they were shaking. She was nervous. She sat down at the table.

Dan: "How's my princess doing today?"

R: "I'm not your princess"

Dan: "You're right, your more than that. You're a queen.....you're the queen of all princesses"

R: "No, I'm not. Look, Dan....we have to talk"

D: "Okay"

She saw how Dan was about to take her hand in his' , so she quickly took her hand back.

D: "Is something wrong?"

R: "Yeah, yeah. You could say that"

D: "Then tell me"

Rory looked up at Dan. She was afraid to look in his eyes.

R: "Look, I don't know what you want from me, but I have a boyfriend"

D: "I thought you were gonna break up with him?"

R: "No, you decided that I should break up with him, you didn't give me much of a choice. If....and I say, if I'm gonna break up with Dean, then that's because I don't love him anymore, not because I want to be with you"

D: "What are you talking about?"

R: "I'm talking about the fact that I don't like it when guys break into my house at night and scare me to death"

D: "I didn't scare you to death, I just left a rose on the kitchen table"

R: "Yeah, I noticed that. You know, I think it's best if you leave me alone from now on. No more flowers, no more phonecalls, no more visits"

D: "How can you say this? I love you"

Rory suddenly felt a bit sorry for him. She looked at him and saw how desperate he was. She really couldn't imagine that this was the same guy who scared her so much last night. He was just some guy who couldn't except the fact that she didn't want him.

R: "No, you don't. Don't you see that? You don't know me. You don't know about all my bad habits. I know that if we get to know each other, you are so gonna change your mind. I'm not the perfect girl I might look like. I'm really not."

D: "You are in my eyes"

R: "Well, then you should see me when I get out of bed in the morning..........You haven't seen that, have you?"

D: "No....."

R: "Good.....cos it's not pretty. My hair is all messed up and I usually forget to take my make-up off at night, so....in the morning, I usually find mascara on my chin....."

D: "I get the picture"

Rory now saw him again as the guy she had met a few days ago. The funny guy, the mystery guy......Not the crazy psycho she thought he was. She started to relax and figured that she and Dan could work things out.

R: "You are a nice guy, you really are, but.....I don't wanna be with you and I just hope you can accept that. I want you to leave town and to forget that I ever existed. Believe me, it's for the best. For the both of us"

A silence fell. Rory wasn't sure what to do now. Should she just get up now and say goodbye? Or should she wait for him to say something? She looked at the expression on his face, but didn't show any emotion at all.

D: "You know, Rory? I really agree on everything you just said, but there's one problem......"

R: "There is?"

D: "Yes......"

Suddenly he looked up at her. Their eyes met. Then he suddenly grabbed her arm.

D: "I want you. So I'll do whatever is necessary to get you....."

Rory looked in his eyes. His beautiful dark brown eyes were almost black now. And they were full of anger. Rory wasn't sure what to do.

R: "Could you please let go of me?"

Dan didn't answer. He just tightened his grip.

R: "You're hurting me, Dan. Please...."

She tried to get the attention of her mom, who was still talking to Luke without making a scene. Then she saw Jess coming down the stairs. When Jess saw what was going on, he immediately ran to the table. Dan let go of Rory. Jess grabbed Dan's shirt and pushed him against the window. It was a miracle it didn't break. Rory got up from her chair.

R: "Jess...."

She looked around the diner. Everybody was looking at them now. Her mom with a puzzled look on her face. Luke walked towards them.

Luke: "What's going on here? Jess, let go of him"

Jess ignored his uncle. He didn't let go of Dan. He just kept looking at him. Rory saw how angry Jess was.

R: "Jess, Jess.....Don't hurt him"

Jess ignored her too.

J: "You are so gonna pay for this.....Dan. I think Rory just told you to leave her alone. And it's not the first time she told you that, is it? So when are you gonna listen? She doesn't want you, casanova. And if I were you, I would listen to her, cos there's this thing. The thing that Rory is really loved around here. Everybody knows her and when the town find out you're hurting her, you'll have a much bigger problem than just me, cos they're all gonna come after you, Dan. No doubt about it."

Rory watched Jess. She was amazed by him. Just a minute ago he had seemed so angry and Rory really thought they were gonna get in a fight, but something in Jess' voice made her change her mind. He seemed so calm now. Like he wasn't angry at all. Instead of fighting he actually tried to talk to him. Then Dan started to laugh.

J: "What's so funny?"

D: "You know what it is, Jess? You want this girl just as much as I do. And isn't it ironic that she doesn't want you either? The only difference between us is that at least I'm trying to get her. You're doing nothing........You're just praying that she'll fall into your arms one day"

J: "Oh please, shut up"

D: "What? You don't like hearing the truth?"

Rory saw how mad Jess was getting. She walked towards Jess.

R: "Jess. Please let go of him. Don't hurt him"

J: "Why not? After everything he has done to you....."

R: "He never hurt me, he just.......scared me"

Lorelai got up from her stool.

L: "Okay, hold on. What the hell is going on here?"

R: "Jess, please let go of him"

Jess hesitated for a moment, then he slowly let go of Dan and took a step back. Rory took his arm and pulled him a few steps towards her, away from Dan.

R: "Thank you"

L: "Okay, now everybody sit down"

Nobody listened.

L: "Sit down!"

Rory sat down on her chair. Jess sat down next to her. Lorelai looked at the other two customers in the diner. She walked towards them.

L: "Hi, my name is Lorelai Gilmore and I realize this is a pretty weird question, but do you think it's possible to finish your breakfast somewhere else? Cos we kinda have a situation here, you see........Bad neighbourhood........Anyway, I understand that you want to finish your breakfast, so......I could recommend the Independence Inn to do that, it's very nearby and they have the most delicious food...."

Luke: "Lorelai, what are you doing with my customers?"

L: "Nothing. They wanna leave. I guess they don't like your food...."

Lorelai helped the old lady to get up from her chair.

L: "Oh, thank you so much....and take yourt husband with you"

They all watched how the old couple left the diner.

R: "Oh, you're so mean"

L: "What?!"

R: "Those people were old.....and deaf probably....."

L: "But not blind, if they see the violence I'm going to use here......"

R: "Mom, calm down"

L: "You know, if I remembered well, I just asked everybody to sit down"

Luke: "Asked?"

L: "Sit down"

Luke sat down.

L: "Dan?......"

Dan hesitated, then he sat down.

L: "Thank you"

R: "Mom, please don't do this"

L: "I just wanna find out what the hell is going on here"

R: "And I will tell you.......at home"

L: "uhuh....no, you're going to tel me right here, right now"

Rory looked at Jess.

J: "What do you want me to do?"

Suddenly Dan got up again.

Dan: "I'm so not in the mood for this"

Luke: "I don't think anybody is in the mood for this...."

Without saying anything Dan left the diner. Lorelai didn't react.

Luke: "If I would have done that......"

L: "Then I would have taken over your diner....."

J: "I think the main suspect just left the courtroom"

L: "I know"

R: "Mom, I'll tell you what's going on......but please come home with me."

L: "No"

R: "Mom. Everything is solved now. Dan will leave me alone and there's nothing to be worried about anymore. I'll fill you in on the details at home, promise"

Luke: "So, who was this guy anyway? You had a stalker?"

J: "More of a secret admirer"

R: "Just not so secret...."

J: "Maybe you should go to the police"

R: "And tell them what? He didn't do anything illegal"

J: "He broke into your house"

L: "He did what?"

R: "Yes, he broke into my house, but he didn't take anything......They can't arrest him for that and even if they can, I'm not sure I want them to"

J: "After everything the guy has done to you?"

R: "The only bad thing he did to me was breaking into my house"

J: "Listen, he caused you a lot of trouble."

R: "I know he did, but let's face it......he sent me flowers......he left a message on my answering machine.....nothing incriminating"

J: "He followed you"

R: "We're not sure about that......and besides, Dan isn't a criminal. He just not 100%........... He doesn't belong in jail"

J: "No, he belongs in a mental institution"

R: "Maybe...."

L: "Okay, could you please fill me in here?"

R: "Yes, I can. At home. Let's go"

Rory looked at Jess before she got up.

R: "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you"

J: "Don't worry about it"

Rory hesitated for a moment, then she gave him a hug. She was so glad he was here.It was over now. Dan probably wouldn't dare to come near her ever again. But all this made her realize something. It made her realize that she didn't love Dean anymore. She had once, but the love was over. They started to become friends. She felt really bad about it, but she knew what she had to do. It wasn't fair to stay with him when she didn't love him anymore. And the weird thing was that it was Dan who made her realize this. If it wasn't for him, she probably never would have found out how she feels about Jess. She let go of Jess and stared in his eyes. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Then she got up. She took her moms hand and left the diner.