A/N: Thank you for all the great reviews!

Jess chewed on his pills and wrinkled his nose. "Chalky."

Luke sighed. "Jess, you can't chew, you have to swallow."

Jess snickered. Swallow. He wasn't even sure why it was funny.

The older man shook his head and handed his nephew a glass of water. "Don't drop it."

Jess took the glass, and stared. "No. Can't drop it. Don't wanna drop it. Dropping bad." Where had he seen a glass like this before, again?

"Drink it, Jess."

He put it to his lips and spilled a little as he drank, getting his shirt wet.

"Aw, Jeez, you're spilling," Luke complained, and started digging for paper towels.

Jess looked upset all of the sudden, holding the glass much tighter than he should. "I'm sorry," he moaned. "I... I can't... it...it's not my fault!"

Lorelai sighed and walked over to them. She'd been watching from the couch. "It's okay," she told them. "It's just water." She took the glass from Jess, which took a little work, considering his grip on it, but she managed to take it and set it on the counter.

Jess stood there staring at Lorelai, and then back at Luke, and then at Lorelai again.

"What's up, Jess?" Lorelai asked, as Luke handed her the paper towels and she began to wipe Jess's shirt.

Jess merely looked down at his shirt. "I'm all wet!"

Luke sighed. "Jess, you wanna help in the diner today?"

"Always in the way," Jess blurted out.

"You are not," Luke argued. "You're a big help. Come on, it'll be great. Like old times."

This seemed to confuse the younger man.

"Luke really needs your help," Lorelai said calmly to Jess.

Jess tried to think this over. Help. Help, help, help. "Okay," he said. "I'll help. I can help. I'm not bad."

"It's so hard to believe," Lorelai said softly as she played with her coffee mug. She'd been in the diner, watching Luke and Jess work the entire day.

Luke sighed. "Yeah, well, believe it."

"Wasn't I devilled egging his car a year ago?" Lorelai asked. "W-wasn't he stealing my beer a couple of years back? Dating my daughter? Being a jerk?"

"At least the medication seems to be helping," Luke replied. "He's quieter, and he hasn't dropped anything yet. Although I can't make out what the hell he writes on the order pad."

Lorelai looked sad all of the sudden and drank her coffee. "I once found a book of Rory's that he wrote in... everything was so neat and articulate..."

Luke shook his head as he rung Andrew up. He really didn't know what to say anymore. He took the coffee pot and walked over to give Ms. Patty a refill as she waited for her food.

"Oh, Luke, honey, I am so sorry about Jess," Patty said sympathetically. "What happened?"

Luke shook his head yet again. He should have known it would get around. "He's just... not himself anymore."

"We'll he ever get better?"

Luke nodded. "Gonna take time."

"Well, you give him a kiss for me, the poor dear," Patty said.

Luke gave another numb nod. "Yeah."

The bell on the door rang gently, signifying the arrival of another person.

"Oh, my god! Again?!"

Jess squeezed his eyes shut and tried to ignore her voice.

Not here not here not here.

He walked over to Kirk's table and set his food down.

"What are you doing here?!"

'Not here!' he thought. 'Can't you hear the music?! You're not here!'

Luke walked behind the counter, and just watched, along with Lorelai. He knew neither would want him to interfere, even if Jess really didn't know which way was up anymore. He took Lorelai's hand, and she squeezed his gently.

Still, Jess stayed silent.

"Why can't you just stay away?!" Rory yelled.

"I tried," he told her quietly.

"Try harder," she snapped.

He turned finally and gave her a smile. "As you wish, Princess." He pushed up his sleeves and began to try and tear at the professional-looking dressings that adorned his wrists. Why did he need them, anyways?

Rory's eyes widened and she stared at him in shock.

"Can't get it," he muttered, still trying to rip at the bandages. "Little help?"

Rory backed away from him, nearly tripping over a chair leg. She turned and ran out.

Jess didn't seem to notice. He only kept trying to peel back the gauze. "Stupid."

Luke slowly walked out from behind the counter and stood in front of Jess. "Hey, don't do that," he told him quietly. He gently pulled Jess's hands away from his wrists. "Go on upstairs for a little, okay?"

Lorelai got up and walked over. "I have to go after her."

Luke nodded. "Yeah, go. I got him."

Lorelai nodded back and kissed Luke's cheek as she left him to struggle to keep Jess's hands apart. She heard Jess's distressed protests and closed her eyes before walking out the door.

There was Rory, sitting on the curb, face in her hands.

"Rory."

She didn't look up. "This is some kind of joke, right?"

"No, Rory," Lorelai said softly. "It's not." She sat next to her daughter and pulled her closer. "You didn't hear?"

"I don't like gossip these days," Rory muttered. "Most of it tends to be disparaging remarks about me."

Lorelai shook her head. "This is all Jess... although a lot of people think it's your fault."

"Isn't it?"

"Of course not," Lorelai said, a little upset. "Rory, Jess has problems. You knew this when you dated him."

"I knew he was a jerk!" Rory cried. "I didn't know he was mentally unbalanced."

"He wasn't then."

"I don't want him here," Rory said. "There's too much going on right now. I can't handle him being here and... crazy... god! He tried to kill himself?"

Lorelai nodded. "Luke is taking care of him."

"What about his mom?" Rory asked. "Why does he have to be here?"

"Because Luke is here, and he needs Luke. I've met Liz...I don't think she and her husband would last an hour taking care of Jess."

Rory sighed. "God."

Luke walked into the apartment and sat next to Jess, who was reading a book. Luke wasn't even sure if he was reading. He could have just been staring, for all he knew.

"You okay?" Luke asked.

Jess threw the book onto the coffee table. "She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Luke replied. "She was just surprised to see you here."

"She hates me," Jess went on, as if he hadn't hard Luke. "She hates me. She always yells, now, and I don't know why. She never used to yell. Was I bad?"

"Kind of, but that was last year," Luke replied. "You're not bad now. She's just going through a tough time."

Jess nodded a little and stared off.

"Hey," Luke said. "You wanna come back downstairs?"

Jess shook his head. "Eyes."

"What?"

"Eyes!" Jess cried. It was like no one ever listened anymore! It's not like he was crazy or... anything... was it? "Eyes! They stare, and they whisper and they don't away go!"

Luke blinked. "Go away?"

"Word order!" Jess cried frantically, getting to his feet.

Luke got up as well. "Okay... Hey, why don't you go and just go lie down and take a rest."

Jess stood still, staring at Luke.

Luke sighed. "Come on. Let's get you to bed for a while. You're tired."