Chapter Six

When Rory woke up the next morning, surprised that she had gotten some sleep, Dean wasn't there, but a note was, which said that he went out to get them breakfast, and would be back soon.

There was a tap on her door, and Rory looked over to see her mom, who came inside.

"How you holding up?" Lorelai asked. She looked a little bit better than she had the previous night.

Rory shrugged. "I'm holding," she replied. "How about you?"

Her mother grimaced. "I don't know. Every time I think about him, about it, I start gushing like a waterfall, and I don't want to do that anymore. At least not right now, maybe later."

Rory nodded. "Are Grandma and Grandpa still here?' She asked her mother, who nodded.

"They've been here all night," Lorelai said. "They're really upset, too."

Rory pushed her covers away from her. "I'm going for a walk. Be back in a bit."

On her walk, Rory thought about how angry she was about her father's death because it wasn't even his fault. He was riding on his motorcycle, on his way to pick her up for her surprise, and he was hit by a drunk driver.

His funeral was the next day. Unreal, she thought as she went to pull her jacket tighter around her then saw she wasn't even wearing one. Still in her pajamas, Rory hadn't even bothered to brush her hair or wash her face. She didn't care what she looked like right then.

As she neared Luke's, however, she saw a couple in the gazebo. They were kissing.

At least somebody's happy, Rory thought miserably, and then, to her horror, recognized them.

Dean!? And Lindsey? Rory felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach, and started to tremble. How could he do that to her? Especially right then?

Speeding up, she ran to Luke's, not noticing the figure watching her.

"Dammit Luke, where are you?" She pounded her fists on the door. It was locked, and he seemed to be upstairs, or out.

"I have a key," a familiar voice said from behind her.

Couldn't be. Rory spun around to see Jess standing a few feet away, and her jaw dropped, her face streaked with tears that Jess hadn't noticed.

"J-Jess?" She whispered, a million different emotions surging throughout her.

Suddenly they both saw Dean approaching them. "Rory what happened? What did he say to you?" His fists clenched up.

"Get away from me," she told him angrily. She trembled as Dean stepped closer.

"Hey! Can't you hear her? She said to back off!" Jess stepped in between them, glaring at Dean who glared back.

"You love Lindsey, Dean. Go back to her," Rory told him. "I saw you two just now. I am not going to be played by you, especially at a time like this, so I'm breaking up with you."

"Rory, I'm so sorry-," Dean started, but she held up a hand. "Just go," she ordered.

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Jess felt really bad for Rory. Her father had just died, and then she catches her boyfriend cheating on her.

"I'm so sorry about your dad," he told her, taking one of her hands in his. He unlocked the diner, and led her in by the hand, then locked the door behind them. "I would say Happy Thanksgiving to you, but I'm sure you're not feeling very thankful today." He got a small smile out of Rory.

He sat her down at a stool, and went to go make her coffee. He didn't notice the large shard of glass on the counter, and by the time he did, it was already too late.

Rory whimpered as she drew her hand back, looking at a large cut that guickly started to bleed.

"Upstairs, let's go." Jess checked her hand once they got up there to make sure that there was no glass buried inside, and then he got the first aid kit, cleaning her wound and then bandaging her hand.

He brought her a glass of water, which she sipped, and then he saw her shiver. "Are you cold?" He asked her, then wrapped his blanket around her. They were in his room, where he had stayed before, and now, again.

She looked at him so innocently that he wanted to cry. "Can I take a shower?" Rory sniffled.

"Um, sure." Jess fetched her a towel and washcloth. While she showered, he took out a pair of boxer pants and a shirt for her to wear. He thought of how fragile she had looked. All he wanted to do was hold her. Not saying that everything was gonna be all right, cause that was a lie, but just to hold her.

As soon as he heard the water stop, he placed his clothes outside the bathroom door. "Rory?" He called. "I put a pair of clothes outside the door for you."

A moment later, the door opened and she picked up the clothes and closed the door. When she came out, Jess noticed that the bandage had ruined by the water. "Come here," he said softly, and she obeyed. He fixed her up with a clean bandage. Where his uncle was, he did not know.

"You must be really tired," Jess said to Rory.

"I must've had a little sleep," Rory mumbled. "When I woke up this morning, Dean was gone."

Jess wanted to kick the crap out of the kid. Why would he do that to Rory? "Why don't you take a nap, get some rest?" He suggested. "Let's read a story," she told him. So they did, both lying on his bed, Rory cuddled up against his chest.

After a while, Jess noticed that they were both getting sleepy. He glanced down at Rory, whose eyes were closed.

Jess finished the paragraph he was on, then he shut the book, and gently tossed it on the floor.

"Jess?" Rory's sleepy voice made his heart pound harder.

"Yeah?" He licked his lips.

"I still love you."

"I still love you, too," he replied, then kissed her on the top of her head.

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