Sorry it took so long for this new chapter, writers block. Here is the new chapter, hope you'll enjoy it.

Chapter 5 Mariano's tale part 2

Matt sighted then began to speak "Jess was tense the entire ride over, I tried to find out why and who it was on the phone earlier but Jess kept changing the subject so when we arrived in New York…"

Flashback

"So where exactly are we in New York and more importantly why are we here?" Matthew asked Jess as he parked the car.

"Visiting an old friend of mine because her sister got in over her head about something as usual." Jess replied vaguely.

"If se's in trouble why does your friend call you and not the police?" Matthew asked.

"Because she knows I'll come through for her and not lock her sister up." Jess answered.

"So how do you know this girl?" Matthew asked him.

"First crush, first girl I had sex with. I liked her, we were both messed up but helping each other by making then think about other stuff and just acting out." Jess replied.

"So what happened?" Matthew asked.

"Party, she took drugs, slept with someone else. I asked her not to take drugs anymore, tried to help her, but ended up severing all ties to her because she didn't want to be helped. I started to hang out more with people who got me into more trouble. Finally Liz had enough and shipped me off to Stars Hollow to live with my uncle." Jess explained then added "I always felt kinda bad that I couldn't help her…."

"If you did stick with her then you might have started taking drugs too. People don't change because you want to, they have to want to. Besides you're helping her out now." Matt told his friend.

Jess gave his friend a small smile before parking the car near a cheap-looking apartment complex.

After knocking Jess and Matt waited, after about 30 seconds the door went slightly open and a gun was pointed at them.

"Who are you and what do you want?" a harsh female voice demanded.

"Iz, it's me. Jess" Jess replied.

"Jess?" The voice asked questionably as the gun was joined briefly by a head before the door closed and the chain was removed.

"She's a bit jumpy, ain't she?" Matthew commented.

"Just cautious" Jess replied as the door opened and a young woman with black hair that reached till her shoulders could now be seen.

Isabel Valenti stared at Jess, taking in the changes since she last saw him. She then smiled at him and pulled him a long hug as she said "thanks for coming."

When she pulled back she kept their faces close so she could feel his warm breath on her face.

"Iz" Jess said not comfortable with her staring at him like that. Sure she was hot and at one time he did have feelings for her but he came to help her. He didn't have those feelings for now, only feelings he still had for her were that of a sorta old friend. He had only really loved one girl and he had screwed that up a long time ago. And now that he was finally ready to be with her she was with that blond d…. He stopped there and put the thoughts and feelings for a certain young Gilmore woman back in the box in the corner of his mind, sealing it tightly.

"Sorry, old habit" Isabel said stepping back from him and then looked at Jess's friend Matthew. "Boyfriend?" she asked half kidding, but part of her wanted it to be so that the rejection from to long ago would be easier to take.

"He'd wish, I'm just a friend. Name's Matthew" Matthew told her smirking as Jess glared at him. "Although if you and Jess didn't have a history…I'd be interested in being yours." He commented as he let his eyes over her body, 'yeah that and the drugs problem she might still have' Matthew added in his head.

"I'm not gay" Jess then said.

"No you're hung up on that girls whose picture you carry in your wallet. You know he won't even show it to me." He told Isabel.

"We're not here to discuss my love life." Jess told him. "I'm over Rory Gilmore" he then added lying but trying to convince himself that he was over her.

Isabel smiled then said "come in."

Once inside Jess said "so what trouble exactly did she get herself into this time?"

Just as Isabel was about to answer a boy about 6 years came running at them. "Mommy" he called as he showed her a fairy tales book. "I found it, will you read it to me now?" he asked.

Isabel smiled at her son and said "Not right now, mommy has guests. Why don't you go watch some TV and I'll be with you when I'm done here."

"Ok, hurry." The boy said before he ran off.

Isabel turned back to Jess and Matthew "My son James, or Jimmy as he likes to be called."

Jess looked at her and asked "Jimmy? After my father?"

Isabel laughed "sorry" she then apologized and with a more serious face explained "You're not the father Johnny is. When I found out and told him he told me to take care of it." She shook her head "I couldn't, he left me. I tried to get my life together, I met Kyle." She smiled at that thought before continuing "Kyle was great, and we fell in love. When the baby was born we named it after his father James Valenti. Not long after we got married. About a year ago he was killed in a car crash with my parents. Things went downhill from there, Rachel, my little sister went to live with me and Jimmy. But she is so much like me when I was her age and now she started taking drugs. I just can't deal with her anymore. I have a son to raise and protect and it's hard enough that I have to do it alone. I thought she would be different after mom and dad…but she's not. I don't want to sent her to foster care, besides Jimmy she's the only family I have left. But it can't go on like this. Yesterday I got some guys at my door looking for her and the money she owed them for drugs. I can't get through to her Jess. I thought maybe you could try and talk with her. I don't know who else to call and I hate asking you this but…."

"It's ok, I won't promise anything but I'll try to help." Jess told her.

Isabel smiled "thanks Jess, I owe you."

"Let's just call it even. And I don't know how much help I'm going to be." Jess told her.

"I know, but thank you anyways." Isabel told him.

Jess and Matthew arrived at the place Isabel told them they could probably find Rachel. It was another apartment but this one even smelled bad and Matt wrinkled his nose at it. Jess checked the apartment numbers and stopped at 14B and knocked.

"Go away" a male voice called which Jess ignored and stepped back kicking the door in.

The place was a mess but Jess ignored it and walked over to Rachel pushing the man coming at him away with one single hand. When he reached Rachel he stopped and asked "What the hell do you think you're doing Rachel?"

Rachel studied him and smiled "Hey, well if it isn't my sisters old boyfriend Jess."

"Would you look at yourself? Is this how you want to live? In filth owing money to drug dealers and making life even harder for your sister?" Jess asked.

"I live it that way I want! Not my fucking sister, my dead asshole parents and certainly not the way you want me!" Rachel yelled at him and angry stood up to look him into the eyes.

"Right, don't even try that I hate the world and I live it the way I want to crap on me. Because like it or not Rachel, I know you don't want this. It was an escape from your parents, now it an escape of dealing with their deaths. You hate yourself because part of you wanted them dead but now that they are you feel guilty and instead of dealing with your feeling you try to escape them by drinking and taking drugs. Tell me has it helped? Are you proud of who you are becoming? Some drunken junkie deadbeat?" Jess asked her.

"I, I don't have to explain myself to you. You are not my father. You are not family, I don't even know you that well." Rachel told him.

"What about explaining yourself to your sister? You don't think dealing with the death of her husband and parents is hard for her? And on top of that she has a son to take care of while instead of helping her and letting her help you, you run and cause more trouble for her to deal with. You know that the drug dealers you didn't pay came to her apartment? What if they had decided to break the door down to look for you. Drug dealers are dangerous, something could have happened to your sister, not to mention your little nephew." Jess told her.

"I, I…I didn't know they went over there. I'm sorry they did ok! I just, I needed it to take my mind off…." Rachel said as tears began to roll off her cheeks.

"It's ok" Jess said now gently and glanced at Matt who was holding the guy who had been with Rachel away from them. Rachel grabbed a hold of Jess and started to sob against him.

"It's ok, there are people who can help you. Your sisters had a drug and drink problem as well. She managed to quit." Jess told her.

As the three of them headed back to Isabel's apartment three large men suddenly stepped in front of them and Rachel froze "Aaron" she said softly.

"There you are Rachel, I see you found some new friends. Where is my money?" the middle guys, Aaron, asked her.

"How much does she owe you?" Jess asked staying calm.

"500 dollars + interest makes 1000 dollars" Aaron told Jess.

"Here is 400, she'll get you the remaining 100 tomorrow." Jess told him.

"Great, now that's another day of interest which makes it to still a 1000 dollars that you still owe me." Aaron told them.

"How do I make myself clear to the few remaining brain cells you still have left. You are not getting the interest." Jess told him.

Matthew pulled out his wallet, "here is the remaining 100. She's paid you back now."

"I'll pay you back" Jess told Matthew "Let's go." He told Rachel as they walked away from the drug dealers and towards Isabel's apartment.

"Hold up, the girls still owes me another 500 dollars interest." Aaron said as he pulled out a knife.

"You do not want to do this." Jess warned them "Just take your money and leave Rachel alone from now on."

Aaron laughed "right, as soon as I get my 500 dollars interest. Now cough it up." He demanded getting right into Jess face the knife in the air.

Jess ignored and stared right back at the drug dealer. "If you want it so badly go ask Santa Claus, but you should probably give up dealing drugs or you'll stay on the naughty list." He commented.

Aaron glared and moved his arm to slash Jess who grabbed his arm twisted it so Aaron dropped the knife and then pushed him into his friends. "Now go."

Matthew kicked the knife towards them "you heard him." He said.

But Aaron wasn't about to give up that easy and pulled a gun out of one of his buddies pants and aimed it at Jess "you shouldn't have done that" he said as he pulled the trigger before any of them could move.

"Shit let's go" Aaron's buddy who the gun belonged to said to them and they ran off.

Jess felt a pain in his chest and looked down seeing blood form over his shirt, "huh" he said then fell backwards to the floor which caused Matt to snap out of his shock and yell at Rachel "Go to your sisters, stay there with her." He pulled out his cell phone and called 911 as he tried with the other hand to stop the bleeding.

End flashback

"After a few minutes the ambulance arrived and I went with them to the hospital where Rory saw us come in." Matthew finished.

Liz came back in looking exhausted and heartbroken.

"Hey, how is he?" TJ asked his wife.

"He's just laying there, hooked up to all those machines…not moving. I don't even know if he knew I was there. He was so pale and quiet." She said as her resolve she had build up to be strong for her son broke down and she cried into her husbands arms who tried to comfort her.

After a few minutes she stopped and wiped the tears from her face as she looked at Rory "You should go next." Liz told Rory.

"Matt should be next." Rory said slightly panicked. She didn't know if she could face him hooked up to all those machines, she also didn't know what to say to him. She told him earlier to fight, that she couldn't lose him. But she had a boyfriend, who was also hurt. She loved Logan, right? Of course. She tried to convince herself. "I should check on Logan." She told them.

"Ok" Liz said as she looked at Rory trying to figure out what was going on with her.

"I'll walk with you Matt, Logan's room is right next to his." She told him and they headed off.

Lorelai watched her daughter go and looked at Chris.

End chapter 5, hope you liked that, review please.