As Luke carried Rory through the diner and upstairs Jess grabbed the phone and dialled the Gilmore house.
"Hello." Lorelai answered.
"Lorelai, it's Jess. I need you to come to the diner."
"Hello to you too. Why do I need to come to the diner?"
"Rory passed out. Luke too her upstairs."
"Wake her up, lie her down, raise her feet, give her some apple juice and something to eat. I'll be right there."
"Okay." He hung up. He had apple juice upstairs so he ran up the stairs.
Rory was just waking up when he burst through the door.
"Lorelai said to raise her feet." Jess told him.
"What happened?" Rory asked.
"You passed out." Luke told her as he stuffed Jess's pillows under her feet.
"I what?"
"Blacked out, fainted." Luke said. "One minute you were talking to Jess the next you passed out in his arms."
"Lorelai said to give you this." Jess handed her a glass of juice and some cookies.
"Thanks." Rory accepted them. "You should get some ice or steak or … peas on that."
"I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you."
"I'm fine." Rory replied.
"I don't think passing out counts as fine." Jess sat on the edge of the bed.
"It can happen." Rory shrugged.
"Drink the juice."
Lorelai burst in five minutes later, Luke had gone downstairs to the diner leaving Rory with Jess.
"Rory."
"Hey Mom." Rory greeted her.
"Are you okay?" She sat on the edge of the bed which Jess had vacated when he had heard her coming up the stairs.
"I'm fine. I'm not even dizzy." Rory insisted. "I just blacked out for a minute."
"What were you doing when you blacked out?" Lorelai questioned.
"Asking Jess if he was okay. He caught me before I hit the ground."
"Why were you asking Jess if he…" She turned to glance at him. "Ouch, what happened to you?"
The bruises were already forming and his lip was swollen.
"Wrong end of Dean's fist." Jess replied.
"Dean hit you?"
"Several times." Jess rubbed his jaw. "He almost hit Luke when he pulled him off."
"Why did he hit you or were just being your usual charming self?"
"Why do you think?" Jess scowled.
"I think you should put some ice on it." Lorelai suggested. "Or frozen peas."
"That's what I said." Rory pointed out.
"As long as he didn't break anything, back to you." Lorelai turned to look at her. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." Rory insisted.
"I'm going to call the doctor and see what he says." Lorelai told her.
"Mom it was just probably a case of the fact that I shouldn't have run to get Luke to break it up, the fact Jess's lip was bleeding and I hadn't eaten in a few hours."
"I'll just call the town doctor and see what he says and then your OB/GYN if necessary."
"Fine. I have the number on a card in my purse."
"So do I." Lorelai said. "Jess, get some ice and then sit with her while I make the call."
Jess checked the freezer; he only found half a bag of frozen peas.
Rory patted the empty side of the bed. Jess laid down and put the peas on his face.
"I'm sorry." Rory said.
"We had this conversation before you passed out." Jess pointed out. "It's not your fault and it's not the first time I've been in a fight."
"He still had no right to hit you; it's none of his business."
"I would have probably hit me too." Jess admitted.
"It really is going to be a nasty bruise."
"I'll live. But you need to take things easy."
"I'll stay in bed until have to go back to school tomorrow." Rory offered. "If you wait on me hand and foot."
"Deal."
"Right." Lorelai walked back over. "He says it was probably just a one off but you should have your doctor check your blood pressure when you get back to New Haven. But for now keep your feet up, make sure you eat and take it easy."
"I'm going to stay in bed until tomorrow." Rory told her.
"Good."
TBC