Author's Note: Hi everyone! As always, thank you very much to those who left a review! Much appreciated! This chapter took a little longer to write because I got hit with writer's block and had trouble deciding how things should play out. Please leave a review if you have a chance! It helps motivate me to keep writing. Hope y'all enjoy!

5

Loralei's eyes opened wide in realization. Dean knew from her expression that Rory had lied to him.

'Hey Dean." Rory said smiling but she was met with an unwavering glare. "What's going on?" she asked, looking from Dean to her mom.

"That's exactly what I'd like to know, Rory. What is going on?!"

Lorelai looked at Rory with confused and apologetic eyes. "I-"

"No. Don't say anything Lorelai. I need to talk to Rory alone." Dean gestured for Lorelai to leave but she looked at Rory first to make sure it was what she wanted. Rory gave her a slight nod. Loralei left the two alone heading home as she had planned to. She knew Rory would tell her what happened in the end.

"Listen, Dean I-" Rory began to tell Dean but his anger was explosive.

"YOU LIED TO ME!" he screamed, not caring who could see or hear them.

"Dean, please. Just let me explain," she pleaded with him.

"He was there wasn't he." Rory made to say something but Dean continued, "Jess was there last night and you LIED to me!" Dean shook his head in disbelief and anger. His screams could be heard from inside the diner. The town began watching them with alerted and curious eyes.

"It's not that simple."

"Yes it is! You told me he wasn't there. Unbelievable! That's why you didn't let me come inside. It wasn't because of Paris and having to study; it was BECAUSE OF JESS!" Everyone in the diner looked at Jess who could feel the judgement in everyone's eyes. Jess wasn't paying attention to anyone in the diner though, his attention was glued to Rory and his instinct to protect her was coming to the surface.

"Dean! Stop. Let me explain! You don't know the whole story." She was crying now. She didn't like fighting with Dean. She didn't know how she was going to fix this.

"Really? Because I think you preferred to have Jess over last night instead of me. Did you two plan this?!" He bellowed looking at her with eyes that showed nothing but anger and betrayal.

"Stop! Dean you know I would never do that to you. Can we please just go and talk away from this place? People are staring and I don't want to explain things to you here." Rory quickly panned her eyes in the direction of the diner. Dean followed her eyes and scoffed.

"Why? Shouldn't everyone know what you did?" At that moment, Jess made to move around the counter and intervene. He had heard enough of Dean attacking Rory but Luke stepped in his way.

"Let it go, Jess. This is not the time. They need to work this out on their own." Luke tentatively put a hand to his shoulder. Jess gimmaced. He didn't say anything but he understood now was not the time.

"I didn't do anything! It's not what you think Dean."

"Then what is it? God, Rory. I tried. I really thought we had something but I guess we didn't."

"Dean, please. Just let me explain what happened."

"Why should I listen to you?"

"If you love me, Dean, please give me a chance to explain!"

Dean exhaled a tired breath. He wanted to hear her out but he just felt so angry at her betrayal. She broke his trust.

"Dean? Can I explain to you?" She asked timidly but received no response. Behind the anger in his eyes she was the hurt and realized that his small crack in his demeanor would be her only opportunity to tell him the truth. She grabbed his arm and led him away from the diner. Dean let himself be taken away if only to let his thoughts settle. When they made it to a secluded part of the square, Rory turned and looked him directly in the eyes standing a foot away from him.

"Dean, yes. Jess was there last night but it wasn't because I had invited him. Paris came over last night because she wanted to study for the test on Monday. While we studied Jess arrived with food from Luke because Luke wanted to make sure I ate since Mom was gone. There was enough to feed twelve so, he ended up staying for dinner-even though I didn't technically ask him to. Then, you came and I saw how angry you were before even knowing he was there and I didn't want to get into a fight with you so I made a rash decision and said Paris was the only one there. I shouldn't have lied to you. I know I messed up but Dean please believe me I never meant to hurt you."

Dean looked at her trying to process everything that she said. He looked at her with steady eyes seeing her in a different light for the first time in his life. No longer was she his Rory. She was turning into someone else.

"Dean, say something, anything please."

"Did he only stay for dinner or is there something else?"

Rory swallowed slowly, her mouth going dry. She found herself at a crossroads. She knew if she told Dean about the movie and accidentally sleeping on the couch, he would never forgive her and she didn't know if that was something she could do. She knew deep down that it wouldn't be fair for her to keep this from him but she didn't want to lose him.

"Rory. Is there anything else?!" he said through gritted teeth raking his eyes over her facial expression trying to read her. Rory cleared her throat and nodded her head wordlessly.

"After you left, Paris went home and Jess stayed. We watched a movie, read a little, and…and we fell asleep on the couch."

Dean looked at her and couldn't believe it. Hearing the last part wrecked him. All the anger was still pulsating through his veins but his eyes showed her the hurt she had caused him.

"Rory…" he looked at her taking her in and seeing that she was no longer his Rory, "I'm done. You want to be with Jess, go ahead. I'm not going to be the person that stands in your way when it's obvious how you feel for him."

"Dean, I-"

"No. There's nothing left to say. You wouldn't have lied to me or let him spend the night if you didn't want it to happen. I can't do this anymore. Bye, Rory." Dean walked away leaving Rory alone tears streaming down her face and guilt ridden. Rory watched him walk away until there was nothing but a silhouette. Rory felt horrible. She had destroyed Dean and in the process destroyed a piece of herself. She tumbled to the ground letting all her emotions consume her.

The diner remained shocked at the scene that unfolded before them. There were hushed whispers that included Jess' name. He rolled his eyes as Luke heard them too.

"I'm leaving." Jess said as he put down a table rag and made his way to the front door.

"Where are you going?" Luke called behind him but it was too late. Jess was already out the door leaving Luke and the diner customers watching in disbelief.

Jess didn't know where he was going. No, that was a lie. He was on his way to find Rory and see how she was doing but where to start looking for her, that was the question. Jess roamed the town searching for her. He didn't know if she was still with Dean or if she had gone home but he was determined to find her if she was out here. He looked everywhere but still he didn't see a trace of her. Then it hit him, the bridge! Of course, he hadn't checked the bridge where Luke had pushed him into the water, the one place he actually liked in Stars Hollow. He found her there sitting looking at nothing in particular. She just looked dazed, fragile...broken.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"How are you?"

"I've been better." She replied keep her eyes locked on her reflection in the water.

"I'm really sorry how things happened. It wasn't right. I heard my name come up and I didn't mean to cause any of this."

Rory looked at him for the first time since his arrival. He looked sincere and genuine. She knew it wasn't completely his fault. She wanted him to stay, preferred him over Dean last night if she was being honest with herself.

"I just…" Rory began. She was searching for words but she was having a hard time. "I don't know what to do. Dean broke up with me. I'm a terrible person for what happened and I just… I don't know what to do with all this."

Jess stayed silent for a moment; he didn't know what he was supposed to say. This was not the moment for him to confess his feelings for her or was it? Jess stepped closer to her taking a seat next to her. Against her will, her heart sped up at his closeness.

"Rory...you know about last night...I…" She looked at him, eyes watery, but firm. "I…" he cleared his throat, nervous about what he was going to say next, "I didn't plan for it to happen but I'm glad it did." Rory took a moment to digest what he had just said. She felt her heart increase erratically. A new pink flush appeared on her cheeks.

"Last night was one of the best nights of my life." Jess softly placed his hand on hers. Her breath hitched at the contact but she didn't move her hand away. "You, the movie, the reading, sleeping...I have never felt this way before." Rory felt a tug on her heartstrings. She gave his hand a comforting squeeze but wanted more. "You are the one person who I feel at home with. You're the one I…" Before she could even think about what she was doing, she had closed the gap between them and sealed his lips with a feverish kiss. Jess was stunned for a split second but he responded without hesitation letting the electricity he felt from the touch of her soft lips propel him into insurmountable happiness. When they broke apart, they were both panting for air.

"I guess that answers my unasked questions," Jess said breathlessly. Rory looked stunned. She didn't know what had come over her. There was a rush of emotion building up within her the moment Jess had walked up to her. When he sat down and expressed his feelings, she couldn't contain what she had so desperately wanted to do the night before. With no reservation, she had launched her heart into that one kiss. They looked at each other awkwardly smiling, nervous and shy all the while keeping their eyes flirtatiously playful.

"I have to go." Rory said suddenly.

"What? Why?"

"I just have to go. I will find you later okay but for right now I have to go." There was worry in her eyes. She looked as if she was about to cry. Rory stood up and with one final look at Jess she took off half jogging leaving him looking at her slightly perplexed.

"How's Dean?" Lorelai asked her daughter the moment she walked into the house.

"He's hurt. He broke up with me." Rory replied, distraught.

"What?! How...Why? It's not like you had planned for Jess to show up he just did."

"I know, Mom, but I broke his trust and well, there's something I failed to tell you…"

"What do you mean, Rory? About Jess? About last night?"

Rory nodded her head slowly as a single tear slid down her flushed cheeks. "Paris was here last night, and Jess brought food but that's not the end of the story." Lorelai looked at her daughter with measuring eyes keeping her cool while she prepared herself for what she was about to hear.

"Go on."

"Paris left after Dean did but Jess stayed. I asked him to stay because the truth is I wanted to spend more time with him and I know it sounds messed up and wrong but I couldn't stop myself Mom." Lorelai kept her temper in check as she registered how tormented Rory looked. "We watched a movie and before he was to leave I gave him a book to read so we could talk about it later but then he began to read it aloud on the couch and it was so nice to just sit and listen to him read. It was getting late and I must've dozed off and then next thing I know it's morning and Jess is my pillow on the couch."

"Jess was your pillow?"

"Yes, he was my pillow. I didn't mean for him to become my pillow, it just happened."

"So, this morning when I found you dressed it wasn't because of Paris, it was because of Jess?" Rory nodded her head sheepishly.

"Mom...are you disappointed in me?"

"Rory, I know you don't have control over who your heart decides to fall for. I just wish it wasn't Jess."

"Mom I know you don't like Jess but if you give him a chance, I swear he's a good person. He's not what everyone thinks he is."

Lorelai gave her daughter a stern look. She was angry but she didn't want to lecture her about Jess in a moment where her daughter was baring her soul. She hugged her and whispered comforting words to ease her troubled heart.

"Rory, why don't you rest and I'll order us some food."

"Okay. I love you Mom."

"Love you too."

"How is she doing?"

Jess looked at his uncle Luke, "I don't know. She's...I don't know. She looked broken when I first saw her but…"

"Buuut? C'mon Jess, what is it?" Luke looked at him with anxious eyes.

"She kissed me."

"Whoa, well, wow. That's good right?"

Jess nodded his head. "Yes, I think so. She kissed me but she actually didn't say anything to me. She kissed me and then she left."

"She left? Where did she go?"

"I don't know."

There was a chime as the door to the diner opened and in came Lorelai. Luke and Jess both looked up at her. She looked furious.

"Lorelai," Luke said as a way of greeting her. She ignored Luke and kept her eyes locked on Jess.

"This is your fault, you know that right?" Lorelai turned her anger to Jess. "If it wasn't for you, Dean and Rory would still be together. You had no right to get in the way. You have no idea what you have done to her! She is a mess. I have never seen her this tormented in her life and it's all because of you! Stay the hell away from my kid!" She practically screamed at Jess before she made her way to leave the diner.

"Hey! This isn't his fault, Lorelai."

"And you, you're the one that brought him here! This is as much your fault as it is his."

"No, you do not get to come into my diner and scream for something that isn't completely his fault."

"Did you know?! Did you know he spent the night at my house?!"

"Well, yes but.."

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"I-"

"No. Luke just stop! Jess, I want you gone, out of our lives. Don't come near me or my kid again."

Jess didn't say a word. He looked at Lorelai with fiercely defiant eyes all the while he let every single one of her words slice into him. Lorelai looked at him with one more look of disgust and she left taking one angry look at Luke before leaving the diner.

"Look Jess…"

"She's right you know. Maybe I should just get the hell out of here. It would make everyone else's life easier."

"So that's it? You're just going to run away?!"

"I'm not running."

"Yes, you are."

"Well, what else can I do? I've already screwed up so much here. No one wants me here anyway."

"That's not true, Jess and you know it. I want you here. I know Rory wants you here."

"How do you know what she wants? You didn't see how broken she looked when I first saw her and now to know that she's tormented..."

"Don't run Jess. Stay. Fix what you did but don't run or they'll all be right about you and I know you're better than what people think about you Jess."

Jess didn't say a word. He looked at Luke with distant eyes but he heard every word. He didn't want to leave but didn't see what he could do. She had kissed him. That had to mean something but she also didn't say how she felt about him. She just left him like everyone else in his life. He turned from Luke and headed upstairs. He grabbed his bag and began stuffing his clothes in it.