Hello, Dolly! #4

"You gonna be okay?"

Rory nodded as she got out of Luke's truck with Jess behind her. "I'll be okay."

"Maybe you should come with us," Luke suggested.

She shook her head. "I can't. I have to meet my mom and grandma for lunch."

Luke sighed. "If you see Dean coming toward you, scream."

"I'm just gonna… stay at the inn with my mom," Rory told them.

Jess nodded and kissed her gently. "We'll be back soon."

She nodded and watched him get back into the truck. They drove off, and she sighed before making her way cautiously to the Dragonfly.

oooooooooo

"Rory, my offer still stands."

"What offer, grandma?" Rory asked, snapping back to reality after zoning out during one of Lorelai and Emily's bickering sessions.

"To take you around Europe properly," Emily replied.

"Oh…" Rory stammered. "Actually, Grandma… I was really hoping to spend the summer at home…"

"Oh," Emily snapped slightly. "Well…"

"I'm really sorry," Rory told her. "This year has been so hectic and I want to spend time with Mom and Lane and Jess, and I-"

"Jess?" Emily asked in surprise. "You want to spend time with Jess?"

Lorelai sat back. "Here we go," she muttered.

"I had no idea you were back together," Emily said.

"We are," Rory stated. "It's very recent-"

"How recent?"

Rory sighed. "Last night."

"Why on earth would you want to be with him again?" Emily asked. "He left you."

"He's changed, grandma," Rory said. "I love him."

"He treated you so badly."

Rory shoved up to her feet, looking frantic. "At least he's nice to me. At least he's careful with me when I'm with him! He loves me! He'd never push or grab or-…" She trailed off, blushing furiously. "Excuse me," she muttered as she rushed off.

"What was that all about?" Emily asked, shocked.

Lorelai shook her head, getting to her feet. "I'm gonna go find out."

ooooooo

Jess sighed as he, again, switched the radio station in the truck.

"Would you cut that out?" Luke snapped. "It's annoying."

"Y'know what's annoying?" Jess asked. "Your bad taste."

"I have good taste!"

"Jethro Tull?"

"Shut up."

Jess's phone rang. "As you wish." He picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hi."

"Rory?" he asked worried. "What's wrong?"

"I just blew up at my grandmother."

"What?"

Rory's voice cracked slightly. "She doesn't really like us together and I blew up."

"Rory…"

"I need to calm down."

"Yeah," Jess nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he told her. "Just… get a drink of water, and try and relax… and talk to your mother."

"Okay."

"Okay," he nodded.

"I love you," she told him.

"Love you, too," he said quietly. He sighed turned the phone off.

Luke gave a concerned look. "She okay?"

Jess shrugged. "She went off on Emily."

"Yeah?"

Jess nodded.

"Knew you'd have a bad influence on her," Luke mused with a chuckle.

"Just drive."

ooooooo

"Rory?"

She looked up from the chair in her mother's office. "Hi."

"Hi," Lorelai replied warily. "What was that?"

Rory sighed and looked at the desk.

"Rory…"

She put her face in her hands and started crying.

Lorelai rushed around the desk to her and knelt down. "Oh, honey… what happened?" She frowned. "Was it Jess? No, wait you were defending Jess…" Her eyes widened. "What did Dean do?"

Rory shook her head.

"Rory, you have to tell me," Lorelai said seriously. "If he-"

"He t-tried to… I don't know," Rory's voice wavered. "He tried to kiss me, and he g-grabbed me…I just… Luke pulled him off of me before…"

Lorelai smoothed out Rory's hair a little. "Oh, Babe… why didn't you tell me?"

She shook her head and wiped her eyes. "I didn't want to worry you."

Lorelai sighed. "You're my kid, Rory. It's your job to worry me."

Rory looked down again.

"Okay," Lorelai said soothingly. "Why don't you lie down on the couch over there? I'll ask Sookie to make you some soup, and you relax. Grab a book or something."

Rory nodded and let her mother help her out of the chair and lead her over to the couch.

"Do you have The Fountainhead?" Rory asked.

"The book?" Lorelai replied, a little confused.

Rory nodded.

"Uhh…no, not here," Lorelai said. "Why don't you try and sleep a little. I gotta go talk to your grandma."

Rory nodded again and leaned against the couch.

Lorelai sighed and shook her head before walking out.

ooooo

Emily got up as Lorelai came toward her. "Is she alright?"

Lorelai crossed her arms tightly. "Dean tried to force himself on her this morning."

"What!"

The younger Gilmore nodded. "I can't believe it. God, what happened to the nice kid I used to know?"

"I'm calling the police," Emily said, pulling out her cell phone.

"There's nothing they can do now," Lorelai said. "If he tries it again, you're gonna need to call the police to haul me off of him, because I'll kill him."

Emily gave her a warning look. "This is a serious matter, Lorelai, your daughter could have been…"

"I know," Lorelai nodded slowly. "She's sleeping in my office right now. God, she's so shaken up." She sighed and looked to her mother. "Do you think…that maybe you could stay for tonight? I think Rory would really like that."

"Of course I'll stay," Emily replied.

Lorelai nodded. "Good…Let's go set you up with a room."