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CHAPTER 8… AND GO!

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but Michael.

FLASHBACK

Michael and Rory walked into their apartment after their drive back from Stars Hallow.

"I'm going to change," Rory said as she walked into the bedroom.

"What do you want to eat?" Michael called as he headed for the kitchen.

"Hmm… How about a melted ham and cheese sandwich?" Rory called back.

"K."

It was silent for a moment and then Rory emerged from the bedroom tying the tie on her pajama bottoms. "Michael, I just want to apologize again for what happened back in Stars Hallow. I was out of my mind for a second there. I'm so happy to be-" As Rory looked up she slowed her pace to the kitchen, and with it slowed down her words. "Engaged… to you." The look on Michael's face was the look he got every time he would lay a hand on her. She knew that look like she knew her name. "Michael…" He took a step towards her. She stepped back. "Michael… what are you doing?" He didn't answer. Instead, he walked towards her at a fast speed and Rory crouched down. "MICHAEL, DON'T!"

END FLASHBACK

Rory touched her lip as she went over what happened again and again in her mind. She was waiting for Michael to get home. Her suitcase was packed and she was ready to leave him, but she needed closure. She had blamed herself too many times for everything Michael did, and as she took in Jess' last words, she knew it really wasn't her fault. Michael did have a problem.

She heard him unlocking the door and got up from the couch. She watched him walk in and throw his keys on the counter. He hung his coat up, and picked up the mail. He began looking through it when he looked up and saw her standing there.

"Oh, hey babe. Why are you up?"

"I was waiting for you," Rory replied as she fidgeted.

"Oh really? And why is that? Couldn't wait to get your fiancé in bed?" He smiled as he sifted through the rest of the mail. He looked up to an expressionless Rory. "What?"

"I'm leaving."

He put the mail down. "Excuse me?"

"I'm leaving. I can't stay here anymore. I can't be with you anymore. I'm not some prized possession that you can knock around whenever the hell you feel like it. I'm a woman. I'm a human being for God's sake. And if I remember correctly, abusing someone is against the law. So you'll let me go, or I will go to the cops. Now, I don't want you giving me the petty 'I love you' act, because it's all a joke. You don't love me. Maybe you did at some time, but you don't anymore. You don't abuse someone you love. YOU DON'T LOVE ME… but I know someone who does." She picked up her suitcase and walked to the door. "And I'm not letting you stand in the way of him anymore."

Michael grabbed her with force and threw her up against the wall. "HOW COULD YOU SAY I DON'T LOVE YOU RORY?"

"MICHAEL! STOP!"

He grabbed her and punched her in the face. Rory couldn't handle the pain. He had never hit her in the face other than her lip. She felt as if her eye had been burst open. "WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF RORY?"

Rory gathered her thoughts quickly and just as he was about to slam her head down onto the floor she bit his arm. He screamed out in pain and let go of her. She got up quickly and stomped on his stomach. His arms flew to his stomach and he let out a yelp. She kicked him once in the head and grabbed her keys. He reached out for her but she kicked his arm away. She ran out the door and into the parking lot. As she approached her car she could hear him coming after her. She said a silent prayer to God, thanking him for remote control locks, and got in her car quickly, locking the doors as soon as she closed hers. Michael ran up to the car and tried opening the door. Rory started the car and put it in reverse. As Michael pounded on her window, she started driving away… to home.

Rory should have gone home first, but she needed to see him. So there she was, at 3AM, knocking on the door to Luke's diner. "Jess! I need to talk to you! Open the door!" She saw a sleepy Jess walk into the diner in boxer shorts and a t-shirt. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Rory. As soon as he saw who it was, he ran to the door and unlocked it.

"Rory… what happened? Are you okay?"

Rory hugged Jess tightly. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"Sorry I told you to leave- sorry that I left at all." She pulled away while looking down. When she finally looked up, Jess gasped.

"Oh my God… Rory… look at you!" Rory had a big black eye and had a blood stain on her cheek.

Rory nodded. "It's pretty bad."

"I'm gonna kill him."

"Jess, no. I don't want him to have anything to do with you."

He pulled her into a hug. He shut the door and locked it before guiding her to a chair. "What happened?"

Rory let out a little laugh to cover the tears that were now spilling down her face. "I told him I was leaving. It must have been some kind of departing gift."

"Ror, don't joke about this. It's not something to joke about."

Rory nodded and sighed. "How am I going to tell my mom about all of this?"

"Don't worry about that now. What you need is a good night's rest. Come on upstairs. You can sleep in my bed."

"No. I don't want Luke to see me," Rory said forcefully.

"He's not here. He's at your house."

"Oh. Okay." Rory got up and Jess took her hand. He led her upstairs. She looked at his bed and then down at her clothes that had a few bloodstains on them. "Um, I couldn't grab my things. I don't have anything."

Jess gave her a half smile and walked into his closet. He emerged a moment later with a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.

"Thank you."

"You can take a shower if you want. Towels are in the closet in the bathroom. Use whatever you need."

Rory smiled and walked to the bathroom. She stopped halfway there and turned around. "Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"Really… thank you." Jess smiled. She turned around a walked a few more steps, then turned around. "Oh, and- I love you too." With that, she walked into the bathroom and shut the door, without seeing Jess' smile grow bigger.

Rory came out of the bathroom dressed in Jess' baggy sweatpants and t-shirt that was twice the size of her. Her wet hair was combed and she smiled at Jess. "I used your toothbrush."

"Huh."

Rory laughed and walked over to the bed, which he had remade for her. "I'm feeling better. Thank you."

Jess smiled and walked towards her. He grabbed her hand. "This isn't over, you know."

Rory sighed. "Can we just pretend it is, for tonight?"

"For tonight, yeah. But tomorrow, we talk." He looked at her with seriousness in his eyes.

"We talk," she confirmed. He placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Now get to bed," he said.

She climbed into his bed and he went over to Luke's bed and sat down. He watched Rory for a bit as she twisted and turned.

"Jess?" She said about 15 minutes later.

"Yeah?"

"Will you come lay with me?"

He smirked in the dark and stood up. When he walked over to the bed he laid beside her and brought her close to him. "Better?"

"Much, thank you."

He smiled. "Goodnight Rory."

"Goodnight Jess."

What'd you think? Do tell. The story is not over yet, cause that would be too easy… and too soon. I don't think anyone is ready for the end yet. COMMENT!