~~
"Dean...I'm really sorry, but I don't love you anymore."
"It's Jess isn't it?"
"Yes. I've fallen in love with him"
"I knew it! I knew his whole friendthing was just an act! That guy is no good Rory! He will just sleep with you and dump you like trash in the morning."
"No he won't!"
"How do you know?!"
"Because I've already slept with him!" She didn't mean to say it, but it came out in the heat of the argument. As soon as she saw his face she regretted saying it.
He threw down his apron and walked out of Doose's. She ran after him, Taylor following her. He was shouting something, but neither of them paid attention. Dean just ran over to the diner, and stormed inside.
"Where is he?! Where is that guy?"
Luke tried to calm Dean, but he wouldn't listen. He grabbed the hem of Luke's shirt and looked as if he was going to punch him. "Where is he?!"
"Are you looking for me?" Jess leaned against the counter, looking relaxed. He knew he could take Dean on if he had to. He knew Dean knew that too. So he didn't expect there to be a fight.
Without a warning Dean attacked him. His first punch surprised Jess, and he stumbled over his own feet. A napkin lying on the ground did the rest of the job. Jess slipped and his head hit the counter. He fell down on the ground and blood formed a pool around his head. His eyes were closed, his face pale, and he didn't move.
~~
"Jess!" Rory knelt down beside him. He didn't reply, and his face was still pale. His breathing was shallow, and he was obviously still unconscious. Lorelai, who had been in the diner when everything happened, walked up to Rory and gently pulled her away from Jess.
"Come on sweets, I need you to be strong now. Jess needs you to be strong" Although Lorelai wasn't really fond of Jess, this being the understatement of the year, but she knew Rory had developed a liking for the boy. She cast a quick glance at Luke, who was obviously in shock. "Can you call 911 for me babe?"
Rory nodded and got up. Lorelai started ordering people around and when Rory returned from the telephone the diner was almost empty. Luke was busy making coffee and Lorelai was quietly talking to Dean.
Dean. Just seeing him made her angry. How could he have done something like this? And suddenly the guilt started gnawing at her. If she hadn't told him what happened between them he would never have hit Jess. This was all her fault!
A little while later the ambulance had arrived and taken Jess to the hospital. Lorelai had driven Luke to the hospital after an argument with Rory. She understood that Rory really wanted to be with Jess, but somebody needed to stay at the diner to take care of everything. So Lorelai promised Rory she would pick her up as soon as possible.
So there she was. All alone in the diner. All alone? No, one person was still sitting at a table, looking dazed. She really didn't want to talk to him, but a part of her would have settled for anybody right now. She needed to talk, for someone to comfort her, to tell her everything would be alright. So she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down opposite to him.
He didn't dare to face her, his face was almost as pale as Jess's had been. "Dean" It came out softly, and he looked up at her for the first time. She was surprised to see tears in his eyes.
"I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to put him into the hospital."
She nodded and took a sip of her coffee.
"I am so sorry Rory...I just went crazy when you told me. But I never meant to hurt him like that."
She looked up at him again, with tears stinging in her eyes. This was all her fault.
"I'm sorry Dean. I never meant to cheat on you."
Was that even true? She knew what she had been doing before it happened. You could even say she had planned it. But she had never meant to hurt either one of them.
His eyes had turned cold again. "Why did you? Cheat on me that is..."
She didn't know if she should tell him the truth. After all, the truth had put Jess in the hospital. She decided to twist the truth a bit to prevent things from escalating. "We were studying in his room. And then it just happened..."
"I knew it!" He shook his head in loathing for the dinerboy. "I knew he wanted to get you in bed. I knew he would try"
She put her empty coffeecup on the table. "You're missing the point Dean. I let him."
"Ofcourse you did. That guy is a player. He knows how to get girls in bed."
She sighed. She was too tired and too worried about Jess to fight anymore, so she just let it slip.
"I'm scared Dean" She kept fighting down her tears. "He looked so pale and there was so much blood..."
Suddenly he was holding her, soothing her just like she needed to be soothed. Her tears soaked his shirt as soon as her head came to rest at his chest. His strong hands carressed her back in a comforting manner.
A while later her cellphone rang and Rory reluctantly pulled out of his hug. Her hair was all messy and Dean tucked a strand of it behind her ear. She smiled a bit before pushing the 'talk' button on her phone.
"Rory?" Her mother sounded calm, and the tone of it relieved Rory a bit. She knew her mothers voice couldn't sound like this when something was wrong. "everything is okay hun. They've put a few stitches in his head, and he might have a concussion, so the doctors want to keep him in for the night."
"Mom?"
"Yeah sweets?"
"Can I come and see him?"
"I'm on my way babe. See you in a bit"
Rory put the cellphone back in her pocket and resisted the urge to dance and sing. Dean saw the look on her face and let out the breath he had been holding. He was happy Jess wasn't badly injured, but the way Rory reacted saddened him. It was so obvious she felt for this guy that he wondered why he hadn't seen it before. Maybe he had just not wanted to see it. He loved her, and he had fooled himself into thinking she loved him back. But she didn't, and he lost her 'cause of that. And he knew he wasn't going to get her back.
Dean put on his jacket and pulled Rory in for a hug. His lips lightly brushed hers as he tucked another strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm so sorry Rory" She could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth. "I hope we can become friends"
She smiled a bit as he left. He still thought Jess had seduced her, but at least he wasn't going to jurt Jess even more.
"Mini-me!" Lorelai stepped into the diner. Rory ran up to her mother and gave her a big hug.
"I'm so glad he is okay"
Lorelai hugged her daughter back. She had to admit she hadn't been worried about Jess so much, but more about something Dean had said when they talked. She knew something had happened between Jess and Rory, and she hoped it wasn't what she thought it was. She knew her daughter wasn't her little baby anymore and the thought made her eyes sting and hug Rory even tighter.
"Let's go see Jess" Rory's voice sounded eager, and Lorelai's heart broke a little more. She was sure Rory had feelings for Jess, and she didn't like it one bit.
"Yeah. Come on sweets. He is waiting for you"
~~
"Jess!" She ran into the hospitalroom and had to stop herself from hugging him. She didn't want to cause him any more pain.
"Hey Ror" he smiled and winced with pain. A little cut in the corner of his mouth started bleeding again.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah...what was his deal?" He tried to frown but moaned with pain again. Silently he cursed the guy who was responsible for this.
"We broke up...and I kinda...told him we slept together" She blushed and looked down at her hands.
"Why?"
"Cause he said you would just want me for sex and dump me right after...but he still believes that...cause I kinda didn't tell him that I went to you...I just said it was an accident."
That hurt. An accident. Was that all it was? Something she wanted to forget? Something that never should have happened?
"I'm sorry he broke up with you"
"I broke up with him" She hesitated "and I don't regret it. Jess...I..." The words `I love you` were already on the tip of her tongue when Lorelai stormed in.
"Coffee!"
Rory sighed, for once not happy about the coffee. It ruined the moment, and she couldn't summon up the courage to say it again. So she let it slide, pretended not to see the hurt look on his face when she left. She knew she would have to tell him soon, if she didn't want to lose him, but right now, it was just too hard.
"Dean...I'm really sorry, but I don't love you anymore."
"It's Jess isn't it?"
"Yes. I've fallen in love with him"
"I knew it! I knew his whole friendthing was just an act! That guy is no good Rory! He will just sleep with you and dump you like trash in the morning."
"No he won't!"
"How do you know?!"
"Because I've already slept with him!" She didn't mean to say it, but it came out in the heat of the argument. As soon as she saw his face she regretted saying it.
He threw down his apron and walked out of Doose's. She ran after him, Taylor following her. He was shouting something, but neither of them paid attention. Dean just ran over to the diner, and stormed inside.
"Where is he?! Where is that guy?"
Luke tried to calm Dean, but he wouldn't listen. He grabbed the hem of Luke's shirt and looked as if he was going to punch him. "Where is he?!"
"Are you looking for me?" Jess leaned against the counter, looking relaxed. He knew he could take Dean on if he had to. He knew Dean knew that too. So he didn't expect there to be a fight.
Without a warning Dean attacked him. His first punch surprised Jess, and he stumbled over his own feet. A napkin lying on the ground did the rest of the job. Jess slipped and his head hit the counter. He fell down on the ground and blood formed a pool around his head. His eyes were closed, his face pale, and he didn't move.
~~
"Jess!" Rory knelt down beside him. He didn't reply, and his face was still pale. His breathing was shallow, and he was obviously still unconscious. Lorelai, who had been in the diner when everything happened, walked up to Rory and gently pulled her away from Jess.
"Come on sweets, I need you to be strong now. Jess needs you to be strong" Although Lorelai wasn't really fond of Jess, this being the understatement of the year, but she knew Rory had developed a liking for the boy. She cast a quick glance at Luke, who was obviously in shock. "Can you call 911 for me babe?"
Rory nodded and got up. Lorelai started ordering people around and when Rory returned from the telephone the diner was almost empty. Luke was busy making coffee and Lorelai was quietly talking to Dean.
Dean. Just seeing him made her angry. How could he have done something like this? And suddenly the guilt started gnawing at her. If she hadn't told him what happened between them he would never have hit Jess. This was all her fault!
A little while later the ambulance had arrived and taken Jess to the hospital. Lorelai had driven Luke to the hospital after an argument with Rory. She understood that Rory really wanted to be with Jess, but somebody needed to stay at the diner to take care of everything. So Lorelai promised Rory she would pick her up as soon as possible.
So there she was. All alone in the diner. All alone? No, one person was still sitting at a table, looking dazed. She really didn't want to talk to him, but a part of her would have settled for anybody right now. She needed to talk, for someone to comfort her, to tell her everything would be alright. So she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down opposite to him.
He didn't dare to face her, his face was almost as pale as Jess's had been. "Dean" It came out softly, and he looked up at her for the first time. She was surprised to see tears in his eyes.
"I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to put him into the hospital."
She nodded and took a sip of her coffee.
"I am so sorry Rory...I just went crazy when you told me. But I never meant to hurt him like that."
She looked up at him again, with tears stinging in her eyes. This was all her fault.
"I'm sorry Dean. I never meant to cheat on you."
Was that even true? She knew what she had been doing before it happened. You could even say she had planned it. But she had never meant to hurt either one of them.
His eyes had turned cold again. "Why did you? Cheat on me that is..."
She didn't know if she should tell him the truth. After all, the truth had put Jess in the hospital. She decided to twist the truth a bit to prevent things from escalating. "We were studying in his room. And then it just happened..."
"I knew it!" He shook his head in loathing for the dinerboy. "I knew he wanted to get you in bed. I knew he would try"
She put her empty coffeecup on the table. "You're missing the point Dean. I let him."
"Ofcourse you did. That guy is a player. He knows how to get girls in bed."
She sighed. She was too tired and too worried about Jess to fight anymore, so she just let it slip.
"I'm scared Dean" She kept fighting down her tears. "He looked so pale and there was so much blood..."
Suddenly he was holding her, soothing her just like she needed to be soothed. Her tears soaked his shirt as soon as her head came to rest at his chest. His strong hands carressed her back in a comforting manner.
A while later her cellphone rang and Rory reluctantly pulled out of his hug. Her hair was all messy and Dean tucked a strand of it behind her ear. She smiled a bit before pushing the 'talk' button on her phone.
"Rory?" Her mother sounded calm, and the tone of it relieved Rory a bit. She knew her mothers voice couldn't sound like this when something was wrong. "everything is okay hun. They've put a few stitches in his head, and he might have a concussion, so the doctors want to keep him in for the night."
"Mom?"
"Yeah sweets?"
"Can I come and see him?"
"I'm on my way babe. See you in a bit"
Rory put the cellphone back in her pocket and resisted the urge to dance and sing. Dean saw the look on her face and let out the breath he had been holding. He was happy Jess wasn't badly injured, but the way Rory reacted saddened him. It was so obvious she felt for this guy that he wondered why he hadn't seen it before. Maybe he had just not wanted to see it. He loved her, and he had fooled himself into thinking she loved him back. But she didn't, and he lost her 'cause of that. And he knew he wasn't going to get her back.
Dean put on his jacket and pulled Rory in for a hug. His lips lightly brushed hers as he tucked another strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm so sorry Rory" She could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth. "I hope we can become friends"
She smiled a bit as he left. He still thought Jess had seduced her, but at least he wasn't going to jurt Jess even more.
"Mini-me!" Lorelai stepped into the diner. Rory ran up to her mother and gave her a big hug.
"I'm so glad he is okay"
Lorelai hugged her daughter back. She had to admit she hadn't been worried about Jess so much, but more about something Dean had said when they talked. She knew something had happened between Jess and Rory, and she hoped it wasn't what she thought it was. She knew her daughter wasn't her little baby anymore and the thought made her eyes sting and hug Rory even tighter.
"Let's go see Jess" Rory's voice sounded eager, and Lorelai's heart broke a little more. She was sure Rory had feelings for Jess, and she didn't like it one bit.
"Yeah. Come on sweets. He is waiting for you"
~~
"Jess!" She ran into the hospitalroom and had to stop herself from hugging him. She didn't want to cause him any more pain.
"Hey Ror" he smiled and winced with pain. A little cut in the corner of his mouth started bleeding again.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah...what was his deal?" He tried to frown but moaned with pain again. Silently he cursed the guy who was responsible for this.
"We broke up...and I kinda...told him we slept together" She blushed and looked down at her hands.
"Why?"
"Cause he said you would just want me for sex and dump me right after...but he still believes that...cause I kinda didn't tell him that I went to you...I just said it was an accident."
That hurt. An accident. Was that all it was? Something she wanted to forget? Something that never should have happened?
"I'm sorry he broke up with you"
"I broke up with him" She hesitated "and I don't regret it. Jess...I..." The words `I love you` were already on the tip of her tongue when Lorelai stormed in.
"Coffee!"
Rory sighed, for once not happy about the coffee. It ruined the moment, and she couldn't summon up the courage to say it again. So she let it slide, pretended not to see the hurt look on his face when she left. She knew she would have to tell him soon, if she didn't want to lose him, but right now, it was just too hard.