Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gilmore Girls in any way, shape or form.

It came to her almost comically. The panic set in her eyes, her heart began to beat faster, her throat constricted, and slowly she turned to him, her small hand touching his forearm in dread.

"Jess!" She exclaimed, and he turned to look at her, the question in his eyes. It was taking all of his self-restraint not to touch her face, or kiss her lips, and her hand on his shoulder was driving him nuts.

"What?" He asked, and the world slipped out harder than he'd anticipated. He swallowed. She reeled back as if she'd been slapped, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, what's up? You seem worried."

"Where am I going to stay?" He gazed at her dumbly for a moment. "Obviously I can't go home. I mean, what if she doesn't even want to see me?" Jess highly doubted that. But, he mused, considering Lorelai didn't know about their little plan yet, keeping Rory as far away from her as possible was probably the best course of action.

"I think that the best course of action would be to-" He stopped at the look on her face. The color had drained out, but she looked angry as hell. "Rory?" He asked, treading lightly, completely unprepared for what he'd stepped into.

"The WHAT?" She asked, jumping to her feet, her hands balled into little fists at her sides. Her eyes were ablaze with anger, and her mouth set into angry line.

"All I said that I thought the best course of action-" He stopped again, at the look on her face. It had gone from pale to red, and in an instant she had turned and stomped from the gazebo.

"Best course of action, my ass." She muttered under her breath as she stalked away. She was here to patch things up with her mother, to try and spend as much time with her as she could in case her condition worsened, not have her life managed by another idiot male.

"Rory!" His voice made her steps falter. She bit her lip, remembering belatedly that she hadn't seen him in years, and that he couldn't possibly be trying to shake up her life. At least not on purpose.

"I'm sorry," She mumbled as she walked closer to him. "It's just…the last person who told me what the best course of action was dumped me and moved out of our apartment." She sighed, and collapsed on the steps to the gazebo. Jess was shocked at just how strong the jealousy that surged to his gut was. He didn't trust himself to speak, so he absently patted her on the shoulder. Apparently that was all it took to catapult her into his arms, sobbing soundlessly. After a few moments she stepped back, wiping her eyes. "Oh God, I'm sorry. I don't know what my problem is." Jess frowned. It could be the sleazy boyfriend, Jess thought, but didn't voice his opinion.

"There's nothing wrong with you. Being uh…broken up with sucks." He cringed as he thought back to the way he had left her. He was no better than her most recent sleaze, and he hated himself for it.

"I just…this is so hard. And I mean, this…this just tops it." She sighed. "I mean, even though we haven't been speaking recently…Lorelai Gilmore isn't the type of woman who gets sick, y'know?" She paused, looking down at her hands, which had started their almost imperceptible shake once again. "I always thought of her as Wonder Woman." Her voice softened as she wrapped her arms around her jean-clad legs. "Even when we weren't speaking, even when I hated her for thinking she could make my decisions for me…she was still spectacular. I don't know what I'll do if I lose her." Jess felt like the worst sort of bastard. In his supposed moment of genius he had shattered stability of Rory's entire existence. And when she figures it out, because you know she will, his conscience taunted him, she will hate you. And this will all have been for nothing. He tried telling himself that it wasn't true, but the look in Rory's eyes told him differently. He had broken her heart intentionally this time, and there was nothing he could do to make up to her.

Author's Note: This one was written in one sitting while listening to Rilo Kiley. Haha. I'm not sure if I like it yet, but I hope that you enjoyed reading it!