Hugs to Elise for being awesome!

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

The phone rang at four in the morning a week later, and Jess did his best to ignore it. He wanted to sleep. He had to open in a few hours, and he really couldn't afford any disturbance.

But the phone was persistent.

He groaned and picked it up. "If this isn't damned good, I'm gonna-" He stopped and listened. "Well... I..." He trailed off and sat up in bed. "No... Yeah... Well... Oh. Christ." He felt his breathing become shallow. "Uh... No, don't... I can... I know... No, I can call in sick, Jamie... It's fine... Fuck! I said it's fine!" He shook his head. "Sorry. Stop crying, will you? You hated her..." He sighed. "I'll be there."

He hung up, and then began to dial another number.

Four tired moans were heard throughout the suite.

Paris got to the phone first. "What in god's name could you possibly want from any of us at four in the damned morning?! My god, are you insane?! Some people have classes to get to in a few hours! We value our sleep! Curse you! Curse you for waking us!" She stopped. "Jess?! Oh, you are a dead man, Mariano! I am going to- What?! No! Just- UGH!" She handed the phone to Gloria. "It's for you."

Rory gave Gloria a tired, confused look. "Jess?"

Gloria sighed. "What in hell do you-"She stopped and blinked. "Huh?" She shook her head. "You're shitting me... She's... no way... She's messing with you again, you know she is... Well, then Jamie is messing with you! She's not dead, Jess. She's not dead. Shut up! She is not!"

Rory took the phone from Gloria. "Jess?"

His voice was a sigh of relief. "Rory."

"What's going on?" She sat down in a chair in the common room.

"Leslie died."

"W-wh... Leslie died?"

Gloria rolled her eyes and stormed back into her room, slamming the door behind her.

Rory watched her go, but quickly turned her attention back to the phone. "Jess, I... Jess?"

All she got in response was a dial tone.

Gloria had refused to go with Rory to his apartment, and so she went alone. She knocked on the door lightly, wary of waking his neighbors. When Jess didn't answer, she sighed and looked around the hallway. She tried the knob, and found it locked.

"Jess?" she whispered. "Jess, it's me. Open the door."

The door opened softly, and Jess appeared on the other side. He was disheveled from sleep, his hair messy. He wore his usual nightclothes; an old t-shirt and his boxers. And his hand was bleeding.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Jess!"

He shushed her and pulled her into the apartment with his uninjured hand. "Keep it down, it's four-thirty."

She took his shaking, bloody hand and began to examine it. "What did you do?"

"Hit a wall."

"Looks bad."

"It's fine."

"You're bleeding."

"It's fine."

She sighed and let go of him. "I'm gonna go find something to clean that up."

He nodded vaguely and watched her walk into the kitchen and find a dish towel, which she wetted under the faucet. She rushed back out to him and wrapped it around his hand. He hissed a little, but didn't move.

Rory looked around and spotted a depression in the wall. "You dented it?"

He shrugged and looked at his feet.

"How many times did you hit it?" Rory asked.

Jess shrugged again.

She sighed. "When are you going?"

"Sometime after the sun comes up," he replied.

"I'm going with you."

"No."

"Jess..."

He shook his head. "You have class."

"I can miss."

"Rory..."

"I'm going with you."

He sighed. "Fine. Whatever."

She wrapped the dish towel tightly around his hand. "Come on... lets go get more sleep."

He didn't move.

"Jess?"

"I'm not sleeping anymore," he told her. "I'm just gonna read."

Rory nodded. "I'll read with you."

"You sleep. You look tired," he told her, running his thumb across her cheek.

She took him by the shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "You're scaring me."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"I'm going for a walk."

"It's almost five am," she replied.

He walked to the door and left; dish towel and no shoes.

She sat on the couch and stared at the dent in the wall.

Rory forced Jess to take a detour to the hospital in New Haven before heading to New York. He'd broken a couple of fingers, and bruised his hand badly. They wrapped it expertly, and Rory insisted on driving into the city.

When they reached Sofia's apartment, Jess looked even more drained than he had the night before.

Sofia looked him over as he stood next to Rory.

"What did you hit?" She gestured to his wrapped hand.

"The wall," Jess replied.

"Why would you do that?" Sofia asked.

Jess shrugged with a blank stare.

Sofia shook her head. "Come in." She stepped aside and let them in. She hugged Rory lightly, and then took Jess's face in her aging hands. "Jess."

He didn't reply.

"You knew this would happen sometime."

He still didn't reply.

Sofia sighed and let him go.

Rory looked around the apartment and found Jamie and Gloria curled up on the couch together. "Gloria?"

She looked up and sniffed a little. "Hey, Rory."

"I thought... you were staying at the dorm...?"

Gloria shrugged a little and looked down at her lap. "Jamie came and picked me up."

Rory nodded slowly and wrapped an arm around Jess as he walked to stand next to her.

Gloria got up and tried to hug him, but he peeled her off quickly. She stood back, looking hurt, but he pretended not to notice.

"Where'd they find her?" Jess asked, turning to Jamie.

Jamie sighed and leaned forward. "Her basement."

Jess stared at the floor.

"Logan and Dora want us over tonight," Jamie said quietly.

Rory gave a questioning look to Jess. Logan? Dora?

Jess didn't look at her. "When?"

"Soon," Jamie replied.

Jess nodded. "We should get going then." He glanced at Gloria. "You coming?"

Gloria nodded. "Just lemme get my coat." She disappeared down the hall.

"Me, too," Jamie muttered, getting to his feet and following her.

Rory turned to Jess. "Where are we going?"

"Sit this one out," Jess muttered, zipping his jacket up.

"Jess-"

He took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Rory... Please."

"Where are you going?"

"A friend's house."

"Why can't I come?"

Jess sighed and leaned his head back. "Rory..."

"Who are Logan and Dora?"

"Friends."

Rory nodded. "From where?"

"Just stay here, alright?"

"Why?"

Jess met her eyes, and paused for a moment. "Because this isn't your business."

They stared at each other, before Jess broke eye contact.

"Come on, you two, we don't have all night," he snapped. "Let's go."

Jamie sighed from inside Gloria's room. "We'll be right there!"

Gloria shook her head as she pulled out a coat. "He's taking this badly."

Jamie snorted. "You're not better. You yelled at me on the phone."

"You cried like a girl," Gloria smirked as she shoved her arms through the jacket sleeves.

Jamie rolled his eyes. "She and I had a thing!"

"So did she and Jess."

"Jess doesn't cry. Do you remember that last time Jess cried?"

Gloria shook her head. "No. I don't."

"Hey!" Jess called, his voice angrier than it was. "Stop fucking around and let's go!"

Gloria's rushed out of her room, Jamie on her heels. She looked at Jess with worried eyes. "Maybe you shouldn't come."

He glared.

"Maybe she's right," Jamie said. "Maybe you should-"

Jess turned and stalked out the door.

Gloria sighed and turned to Rory, who was standing in the middle of the small living room looking slightly upset. The darker-haired girl shook her head. Her cousin had been at it again. She'd never understand him. "Whatever he said... don't... don't worry about it," she told Rory. "He's just... this is hard for him."

"He hated her," Rory said quietly.

Jamie nodded. "Sometimes hate isn't enough to make you stop caring... we'll keep an eye on Jess tonight."

Rory nodded slowly.

"Feel free to go through any of the movies in my room," Gloria said, offering a small smile. "And if you're in the mood for a laugh, I've got some old Harlequin Romances lying around."

Rory gave a smile back. "Thanks."

Gloria moved forward and hugged her roommate. "We'll bring him back in one piece."

"Yeah, if I don't kick his ass before we get back," Jamie muttered.

"I'll be the one doing the ass-kicking," Gloria snapped as she let go of Rory. "We'll see you later."

Rory nodded and watched them walk out the door.

His knock was answered by a tiny blond, who stood in shock, leaning against the apartment doorway.

"Oh, my god."

Jess's lips twitched into a slight smile. "Hey, Dora."

"Oh," Dora said sentimentally. She walked forward to hug him, but he moved back. She frowned. "This again?"

He shrugged awkwardly.

"Where are Jamie and Gloria?"

"Not here yet," Jess replied shortly.

She shook her head, and grabbed him by his leather coat sleeve. "Get in here. It's freezing and they don't heat the halls."

Jess let her pull him in, and looked around the tiny apartment. It was only two rooms, and one happened to be the bathroom. The open space was filled with a large mattress, a refrigerator, a table and chairs, and a small, beat-up couch in front of a small coffee table that was the seat of three six-packs of beer, a bottle of wine and a bottle of whiskey.

He remembered this place well. Too well. He shuddered ever-so- slightly.

On the couch, a beefy-looking brunette was lying belly-down. "Who's here?" he grunted.

"Jess, Logan," Dora replied.

Logan snorted. "Fucking lying."

"Look up and see," Dora said.

Logan shifted onto his back and looked over. "Well fuck me silly and call me Cleopatra. It's Jess fucking Mariano."

Jess nodded. "Logan." He turned back to Dora. "He started drinking without out?"

Dora rolled her eyes. "He hasn't been completely sober since we found out."

Jess nodded stiffly. "He's got the right idea."

Logan reached over to the coffee table and picked up an unopened can of Bud. He hurled it at Jess, who barely caught it before it smacked him in the face.

Dora snickered. "Are you allowed to drink? Jamie tells us you're dating the Virgin Mary now."

Jess rolled his eyes and opened up the beer. "Don't believe Jamie. Rory's got a bit of the Magdalena in her."

"Is she hot?" Logan asked, sitting up unsteadily.

Jess nodded. "Yeah."

And at that moment Jess wanted to kick himself. He'd really screwed up in how he'd handled things with Rory. He shouldn't have been so cold. He took a long chug of his beer. The knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts as he watched Dora open it and hug both Jamie and Gloria. He took another long swig.

Jamie walked over to the coffee table and picked up a can of beer and cracked it open. He sauntered over to Jess and held his can up. "To Leslie."

Jess nodded and raised his own beer. "May she burn in hell."

Sofia sat slowly next to Rory on the couch and sighed. "My grandson is an idiot."

Rory frowned and crossed her arms tightly.

"Leslie was never worth it," Sofia went on. "He knows that."

"What were they like...?" Rory asked finally. "Together, I mean."

"Stupid," Sofia replied calmly. "Drunk, mostly."

Rory nodded, still not looking at the older woman. "Did they love each other?"

Sofia rolled her eyes. "Love had nothing to do with it." She sighed. "Frankie always said that she would only bring him heartache. I think it was the only time Jess never listened to him."

Rory finally looked up with interest. "Jess never... he never talks about this stuff..."

"He was never one for sharing," Sofia replied.

"I know."

"Leslie was bad for him," Sofia went on.

"What... what did she do?"

They were all on the floor.

Jamie laughed sloppily. "Dude... Jess... you 'member when she stabbed you with a kitchen knife?"

Jess laugh loudly. "Yeah, that sucked."

Dora giggled and leaned on Gloria. "You 'member when she tried to stuff coke up your nose?"

Jess nodded, still laughing. "Yeah, that sucked, too!" He took another swig of beer.

"You remember when she asked to fuck both of us at the same time?" Logan asked with a snort.

"Yeah," Jess giggled, obviously drunk. "That sucked most of all!"

They all laughed.

Rory blinked in shock. "She... wow..."

"She was an awful girl. Dumb and dangerous," Sofia replied grimly. "And she never let Jess let go." Sofia wearily got to her feet with a sigh. "I'm going to bed. If you like, you can stay in Gloria's room..."

"No thanks," Rory smiled a little. "I think I'll wait up."

Sofia nodded and watched Rory take a book out of her bag before walking herself down that hall.

Jess shook his head as he swigged from a scotch bottle. "'M such a fucker."

Gloria giggled. "Yeah." She was lying on the floor, nursing her umpteenth can of beer.

"LOGAN!"

"I'm right here, jack-ass!" Logan yelled from the kitchen where he was stumbling around, trying to mix himself a margarita. "Whadaya want?"

"Wanna use'a phone," Jess replied. "Where'sa phone?!"

Dora pegged him in the back of the head with a cordless and he turned around and glared at the tiny blond, who was giggling.

"I got good aim for a drunk girl!"

Jess grabbed the phone and dialed slowly.

Rory had been nodding off on the couch when her cell phone rang. She squinted and dug it out of her purse. "Hello?"

"Rory?"

Her name came out slurred, but she would recognize that voice for the rest of her life. "Jess?"

"Hi."

"Where are you?"

"Out."

"O...okay..."

He sighed. "'M really... really sorry 'bout before," he tells her. "I was a fucker."

Rory blinks and lies down. She wished she knew where he was. "Okay..."

"I shouldn'a said all that stuff."

"Jess..."

"'M sorry."

"When are you coming back?" She asked quietly.

"Iono," he replied. "Soon I guess... Hey Rory?"

"What?"

"Will you marry me?"

She wasn't tired anymore. "Uh..."

He laughed.

She hung up.