Chapter Five Starts Now- With A Patented Lindz Dream Sequence

"Damnit, Mark!" Jess shouts at him, 15 here, angry and tired and betrayed all at once. Jess couldn't even be bothered to make his face emotionless, like he usually does when they duke it out. "You always do this! Always!"

"Jess..." Mark protests weakly. What could he say? Jess was right.

"How can you leave me alone with them again?" He asks, spitting the word 'them' out venomously. "You promised me, Mark!"

"I.." Mark couldn't defend himself. He was standing there in front of his little brother, who had caught him red handed.

"Last time you left, you said you wouldn't ever leave again! You said it! You promised me!" Jess's anguished face stared at him pleadingly. Mark and Jess both know that he'd resorted to childish arguing, and it hurt Mark to think that he'd reduced his brother to this. "She's back with Frank again, Mark! You know how bad he is.."

"I have to go, Jess." Mark said pleadingly back. Jess's mouth opened to continue the long played out argument, but suddenly, Mark's cell phone went off. He blinked in surprise, his duffel bag- half packed and opened, slipped from his hands and onto the ground. He'd played this scene out in his head a hundred times before. This was something new. Jess was staring at him. Mark's hands clumsily gripped his black cell phone, opening it and pressing it against his ear.

As the voice on the other end spoke, Jess lipped the voices words silently in front of him, his anguished expression never once leaving his face. "Is this Mark Mariano speaking? It is? You've been listed under a Jess Mariano's emergency contact list- I'm afraid there's been an accident..."

Mark sat up straight in bed suddenly, clutching his chest instinctually. Realizing he had only dreamed it, he slowly eased himself back onto Jess's bed. He glanced at the clock- 9 am. He was surprised at how late he'd slept, but at the same time knew that it was due to emotional stress and travel. Mark rolled out of the bed, and got to his feet.

He changed into some fresh (ok, not really all that fresh. More like 'only been worn twice since last washed') clothes. He brushed his teeth, washed off his face, and came down to the diner. There he met the sight of a near full diner, bustling with life. His uncle was arguing with a bearded man.

"Damnit, Taylor. He had nothing to do with your missing egg plants!" Luke looked.. broken? He seemed tired and sad, and wasn't putting up much of a fight. Mark thought hard. Taylor? Fascist? Ah.

"You hoodlum! Where are my egg plants!" Taylor shouted at him.

"Look man, I didn't take any egg plants." Mark protested, holding his hands out defensively, eyes wide. Luke laughed slightly, knowing Taylor had mistook him for his brother. He wondered vaguely if anyone had taken the time to ever really look at Jess and be able to tell the difference between him and Mark. His question was answered when Lane approached them, smiling.

"Jess! You're out of the hosp- hey. You're not Jess." Lane murmured, frowning slightly at Mark, who scowled in a freakishly Jess-like way.

"I know I'm not Jess. Can someone tell me what the hell is going on? And who are you?" He asked rudely. Lane flinched. He sighed. "Sorry, it's been a rough day. Wait-" Short, only Korean teen in Stars Hallow-" You're not Lane Kim, are you?"

"That'd depend on who you are. Ian McKaye? Yes, I'm Lane Kim. Barry Manilow? No, and I've never heard of such a girl." Lane said unabashedly. Mark smiled. He liked her already.

"You dig Minor Threat, or are you a Fugazi-lover?"

"Die-hard Fugazi fan, sorry to disappoint. And you are...?"

Totally in love with you. "Mark Mariano." They shook hands.

"Lane Kim!" Lane's mother growled from Luke's doorway. Lane flashed him an apologetic smile.

"Coming, Mama." She left with a wave shortly after.

"I'm having a friend watch the diner, and I'm going to visit Jess. Coming?" Luke asked while pulling a jacket on.

"Of course."

They arrived at 9 30 am sharp, the time when visiting hours started. Luke and Mark walked in to the room slowly, and watches as Jess writhed on the bed and moan in his sleep.

16 year old Jess Mariano ran threw the streets at an impossibly fast rate. A bullet careened over his shoulder and hit the side of a building. Jess forced himself to go faster, his legs burning. A strangled groan made its way from his mouth as his calves felt like they were being torn apart. But he had to keep running. Another bullet missed him by about a foot and a half.

People stood on the streets, surprised, but not doing anything to help. Not doing anything to stop his pursuer, a drug dealer who was convinced Jess owed him money. No one would stop the man. After he'd killed Jess, no one would dare com forward to identify him as the killer. Jess was all alone and he knew he was going to die.

It was only 5 pm, but it was already dark. Another loud crack resounded as the man shot another bullet at Jess. Jess knew instantly that he had been hit somewhere, but didn't pause to think or figure out where he'd been hit. He just kept running. The man was gaining on him, and he prayed.

Oh god, oh god, oh god oh god ohgodohgodohgod!

His mind was blank, and his mouth filled with a metallic taste. Adrenalin. Where was his brother? Another crack resounded, and he felt a bullet skim past his neck, staking some skin with it. Silent tears fell down his face as he ran, since his eyes were burning from lack of blinking. He tripped, and let out a strangled scream-

"MARK!" '

Mark jerked suddenly as his little brother yelled for him. Jess jerked away, sitting up, and letting out a yelp, and then laying back down again. His left hand gripped his stomach area, and his jaw clenched.

"Buddy, hey- are you ok?" Mark asked, leaning over Jess. Jess's heart raced, the dream/memory still too fresh in his mind. His hands shook uncontrollably, and Mark clasped his hands around Jess's. "Jess! Get a grip!" Jess flinched slightly, and sat up.

"Jesus," He murmured weakly, wiping his brow. "I thought I was over that." Luke stood back and watched the pair awkwardly.

"You know there's no way in hell you're getting off with not telling me what that was about, right?" Mark asked harshly, sitting down heavily. Jess swallowed and nodded, his face becoming emotionless again.

"Ah- About a year after you left, Mike-"

"86th street Mike or 103rd street Mike?" Mark interrupted.

"86th street Mike." Jess replied. "He was convinced I owed him money, and he decided to try and get it back." He shrugged and revealed no more.

"How bad were you hurt?" Mark asked, tight lipped and guilty-faced.

"I got shot in the guts, but I was ok. I tripped when I was running from him, and he tripped over me. I wrestled the gun off him. It was ok. I was ok." Jess replied, in full shut down mode. His face was freakishly emotionless as he tried to convince the people in the room of his 'ok-ness'. Luke quietly exited the room.

Outside, Luke leaned against the hallway vending machine. He really didn't know anything about his nephew's life, and, he realized with growing horror he didn't want to know. Jess- the skinny seventeen year old kid who was sent here by his mom- had been shot before.

He thought to all the other teens of that age he knew. Rory, who's worst injury has been a fractured wrist. Who's main thought in life is going to college- Harvard. Who's never even met a drug dealer before. Dean, on the basketball team, working at Dooses Market as a bag boy. Luke shook his head slowly, and walked back into the room.

End

Hope not too

short/sappy for you

don't worry, jess is still jess