Rory was completely confused as to what Lisa had done. She'd gotten away, that was for sure, but the question was how. Lisa couldn't have come through the front of the store to steal a car or something, as Jackson had been watching her from inside, Rory assumed, and besides, Jess was out here. She could have gone out the back, maybe, if there had been a way, but still. Jackson was in good shape, and Lisa was pregnant and didn't work out regularly to begin with. After all, her best friend was Lorelai. Lorelai had strong issues with people who were gym rats.

Rory was hoping she was okay and she was relieved that her friend had escaped, but deep down she felt a little hurt. Lisa had left her to deal with Jess and Jackson alone. She'd deserted her. Rory had no idea what to do now, but she had to do something. She was panicking as Jackson pulled into Stars Hollow.

"What are we doing?" she piped up innocently. She knew good and well what they were doing and knew that Jackson wouldn't fail this time, but she had to try. She couldn't let him get Lisa again.

Jess glared at her. "Don't ask questions you already know the answers to."

"If you're looking for Lisa here, you must be idiots," Rory snorted. "She's not that stupid. She knows not to come back here."

"If she's not here already," Jackson hissed. "Someone will be. We'll make her come back."

"What, you mean like my mom or something?" Rory cut her eyes at him. "Do you honestly think she'd be here either? There'll be search parties everywhere by now, and she'll be leading."

"Even with a bullet hole in the leg?" he replied cynically. "Wishful thinking, sweetheart. Stop trying to buy yourself time. I'm the one driving."

"I'm just trying to drill a little logic into that brain there, Spongebob Squarepants," she snapped. "Didn't think an important guy like you would want to waste his time here."

Jackson rolled his eyes and sped past the diner. Jess watched and turned to Rory once they were past.

"No one's there," he informed Jackson. Jackson turned around and went back.

"Bitch's house is burned," he growled. "Where else would she be?"

"Like I said, out looking for Lisa and I," Rory spat. Jackson turned around and lividly glared at her, and Rory braced herself for the oncoming blow, but none came. She grinned at him and he turned back around.

"Go in, Jess," Jackson demanded. "See if anyone's there. If they are, wave your gun around a bit. Rory, go with him."

"Why should I?"

"Because I told you to and if you don't..."

"If I don't, what, Jack? You don't have anyone to threaten anymore other than me, and you might have noticed that I don't really care."

Jess unbuckled and turned to face her. His green eyes burned her own blue ones. "That's not true, Rory. You do care. You care about yourself, because you care about Dean."

Rory's eyes burned with liquid at the thought of her comatose boyfriend. "I do care about Dean."

"Don't."

She frowned angrily. "Why not?"

Jackson was watched the scene unfolding like a tennis match. Rory half-expected him to pull out some popcorn and egg them on.

"Because, Rory, he's dead. Ok? He's dead. While you were asleep I got a call from our guy. They pulled the plug, Ror, Dean is dead."

The reality hit her like a ten-ton brick. "He's not dead, Jess. Stop screwing with me."

"He is dead. His parents didn't think he would want to live off a machine, so they pulled the plug. Sorry."

"You're not sorry," she hissed, tears running down her face. "You're a liar! You're not sorry, and he's not dead! Dean's not dead! You're saying this all so I'll come running back to you!"

Now Jackson looked almost mournful, if Rory hadn't known him better.

"He is, Rory. I don't lie. He is," he told her, looking away as she screamed.

"No, he's not! He's not dead, he can't...he can't be..." she cried, pressing her head into the seat behind her. "I hate you. I hate both of you. Its all your fault..."

"Go on in, Jess," Jackson told him quietly. "We'll wait for you."

A/N-Just a quick little mean chapter that I wrote up briefly to hold you off until I can write something of substance. Rory finds out that Dean died, yadayada. Okay. New chapter up pretty soon, most likely tomorrow. :)