**Violence. Swearing, and Sexual Content. Do not read it if these things tend to offend you**

It wasn't as if he didn't know that he would eventually be back here, the city of his birth, his raising. It was just now that he was here, he didn't know what he was going to do. He'd crashed at his friend, Jake's , for a few nights, trying desperately to get his bearings. No matter what he tried he couldn't get back into the swing of things. Something was missing inside him. It had been since he boarded the bus in Stars Hollow. He had felt a physical pain when he saw the sign: You are now leaving Stars Hollow. Happy travels! He had quickly pushed it aside and refused to think about it. It occurred to him that he had been trying to do that a lot lately. He thought about this as he wandered through the Park.

When people looked at him, they saw a teenage boy taking a nice stroll. But Jess wasn't strolling, he was wandering, lost. He had to go to his mother's, he had to find a way to get her to take him back. That's going to be fun, he thought. He didn't want to go back to Liz's but he really had no choice.

Did Rory know he was gone yet? Did she miss him? He had a feeling the answer to those questions were yes. Would she come after him? No. She wouldn't. Exasperated, he sat down on a bench and opened The Fountainhead muttering about the author being a crazed lunatic.

The inevitable could wait a couple of hours while he tried to figure out what the hell was going on in this book.

Rory heard Lorelai come in from her spot curled up on her bed. She had no intention of going out to meet her Mom. Honestly, she hadn't really seen Lorelai since the day Jess had left. She blamed Lorelai and Luke both for him leaving. If Lorelai hadn't taken it the wrong way and immediately called Luke then maybe Jess wouldn't have had to leave. She really missed him, and didn't care to think about all the reasons why.

Lorelai had pretty much given Rory her space. But enough was enough, and she was getting worried.

"Rory? Sweetie, we need to talk about this." Lorelai came in and sat down.

"Go away." Rory rolled over on her other side, turning her back to Lorelai.

"No, sweetie. We need to talk about this, honey. I know you miss Jess, but you can't stay locked in this room forever."

"And why not?"

"Because there are great things to do in the world. And if you stay in here you won't be able to do them."

"So?"

"Honey...I understand that you felt something for Jess, something very real." Lorelai began, obviously having no idea where to take it.

"No, Mom, you don't understand. Granted I may have felt...may feel something for Jess, but that really isn't the issue here now is it? The issue is that I slept with Jess. Well, for your information, I didn't sleep with Jess. I wanted to, changed my mind and Jess had been very gentlemen-y about it. We stayed up talking about books and stuff. No sex. Nu uh. Good day." She laid back down turning her back to Lorelai once again.

"Then what was he doing in your room, then? Huh? Answer me that little Missy."

"That is none of your concern."

"Oh, no, I'm your mother, if there are boys in your room during the night I have the right to know about it." Lorelai said, pulling the mother card.

"We talked! Okay, we talked. My boyfriend was just killed."

"Supposedly by him."

"Exactly."

"Exactly what?"

"Exactly, he is having problems, I am having problems. We talked." She sat up exasperated.

"Did you really not sleep with him?"

"No! I did not sleep with Jess. Are we done here?"

"One more question."

"What?" She said irritated.

"Did Jess kill Dean?"

Rory shot her a stony glance of pure irritation.

"Oh my God. He did. Jess killed Dean."

"Mom...."

"No, he did. Why?"

She gave up. "Dean tried to rape me..."

"Huh. So Jess killed Dean. Who else knows about it?"

"It goes far deeper than you could ever imagine." She said.

"Huh." She said again.

"Mom, you can't tell anybody."

"We going to be okay?" Lorelai asked.

"We always are aren't we?"

"Good. So...Luke's?"

"I'm not so sure."

"Come on, it'll be fun."

"I guess."

"Luke's Diner." Luke answered the phone after five rings.

"Luke." The voice on the other side of the phone said.

"Jess."

Silence.

"So how are...." Luke stumbled. "I mean..."

"Good. Good. You?"

"Oh. Uh..."

"That bad?" He asked with a humorless laugh.

"No. Good."

"Ah. Alright. Good. Uh..."

"She's having a rough time. But she'll get through it." Luke said, guessing that he wanted to ask about Rory.

"Good. Have you...." Jess was immensely relieved.

"No. But she'll come around in time."

"Okay."

"So really...."

"I'm fine."

"Got a place to stay?" Luke knew Liz didn't want him there, and probably wouldn't let him stay for long.

"Temporarily." Jess said, thinking about how Liz had told him he could only stay until he found another place to live. Which, he sighed, was one of the reasons he was calling.

"Oh. Do you need..."

"Nah."

"Are you sure 'cause I could probably... help you out a little?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Until you get a job or something."

"Oh. Uh. Yeah." Jess never was good with thanking people.

"Okay then."

"Okay. See ya."

"See ya."

Jess hung up the phone. That was good, Luke was going to hook him up with an apartment. Of course, that meant he'd have to get a job to pay rent, but it was better than where he was. Rory was okay, hurt but okay. Luke had told her most of why he kicked Jess out, apparently. Lorelai was still a stalemate. He shouldn't have expected anything else. The cops knew nothing, they believed Luke's phony alibi, for now. And to top it off Luke was busy as hell, had just had an argument with Taylor, was trying desperately to ignore Kirk, and was hoping that Lorelai would show up....with Rory... very soon.

It slightly unnerved him that he had gotten so much from so few words and wondered what Luke had gotten from him. Maybe that he was miserable, unwelcome, and pretty much desperate for anything positive. That he missed Rory immensely and was pondering the fact that she might be a girl he may someday actually love. That he wanted to go back to Stars Hollow so much it hurt. Luke had gotten that Jess needed an apartment, and that he was willing to pay for it himself, if only Luke would help him until he got a job. Could he have gotten those other things too?

Giving up on guessing what Luke knew, Jess picked up a copy of the classifieds. Time to look for an apartment.

"Hey, Luke." Lorelai chimed walking in.

"Lorelai." Luke said looking to Lorelai. "Hi, Rory." This was said much softer.

"Hi, Luke."

He turned back to his conversation with Kirk. "No, Kirk. They are $2.50, have always been $2.50, and will always be $2.50. Do you want one or not?"

"Fine. But it's blasphemy." Kirk said.

"Lorelai, can I talk to you for a minute?" Luke asked a moment later after serving Kirk.

"Uh, yeah sure." She walked up to the counter. "What's up?"

"How is she?" He gestured towards Rory.

"Not good."

"I'm sorry. But...uh.... do you know anyone who might have an extra bed and some spare furniture?"

"Maybe, why?"

He gave her his 'you honestly don't want to know and I don't want to tell you' look. She nodded.

"I'll look around."

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

He stopped her before she could walk back to the table. "He's fine."

"Good to know."

A/N: It's kind of short. And not a lot happens. Next chapter will be crammed with action. I'm sorry it took so long, my Uncle had a stroke and we all thought he was going to die. He's okay now, for the most part. He's going home sometime this week. Oh, it may take me a while to update this anymore because of school and everything. But have patience because updates will be forth coming.