A/N: I got elbowed in the nose, so as I'm writing this, my nose hurts really badly. It gave me the worst headache so that I couldn't even put my glasses on. Horrible. Anyway, I'll do my best to finish this by Friday (it's Wednesday now), but I make no promises.

Disclaimer: Tab and Mads are ours.

On with the story…

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Chapter 16: A Hug Then a Lunge

Rory's POV

I didn't cry. No matter what, after that single tear left my eye, I wouldn't let anymore leak out. I burrowed my face into Jess' chest as my mom stood next to us and rubbed my back soothingly. My arms were tightly wrapped around Jess' lower back as he stroked my hair comfortingly. I could sense that Tabitha wasn't far away. And as soon as I thought this, I felt her grasp my hand from behind Jess. She set her chin on the shoulder that I laid my head on and kissed my temple. It was in times like these when I realized how good I had it.

I took a deep breath and tried to disentangle myself from Jess. He immediately rejected the idea and pulled me by the waist to him.

I smiled slightly at him, "I'm fine," I insisted and convinced him to let me go.

I turned around to face my mother and grandparents where they were talking about the trial.

My mom caught my eye and gave me a half smile. My grandparents both rushed towards me and engulfed me into a bone-crushing hug. I reassured them that I would be fine, but they wouldn't hear it.

"We're going to appeal that bail Rory!" Grandma rushed to say.

"Grandma, I don't think that'll work," I smiled a closed-lip smile, "They've got a cop following me everywhere for the next three weeks. Everything will be fine. I promise."

I felt someone behind me and when I felt an arm slip around my waist I instantly knew it was Jess, "I'll keep her safe Mrs. Gilmore."

"Who are you?" Grandma asked with disdain.

"Jess Mariano, ma'am," Jess stuck out his hand, "I took Rory to the hospital the first time."

Grandma's face softened considerably, "Oh," she accepted, "Well I expect that you'll keep her safe until the trial young man. Do not disappoint me."

"Yes ma'am," Jess replied.

Grandpa had left to talk to Miss. Landry about what our angle was for the case.

"Rory dear, come here," he called to me and I slipped out of Jess' grasp, but instead grabbed his hand and pulled him with me.

"Yes grandpa?"

"Miss. Landry would just like to go over the court procedures quick before we leave," he explained and gave me a small smile.

Miss. Landry smiled at me also, "Let's go out in the hall and we'll get you out of here as quick as possible."

I nodded and followed her out. Once we reached the hallway, mom was instantly by my side as was Jess and my grandparents. Tabitha and Luke were off to the side, in earshot, but not overstepping family boundaries—even though they were very much my family.

"Okay," she started, "First up we'll have the doctor who treated you at the hospital, Mr. Mariano, and our psychiatrist. Our evidence will be the reports from the doctor and the pictures of the injuries sustained most recently. I think we'll also have your orthopedic talk about your surgery and how such an injury can be obtained," Miss. Landry explained to me and I nodded my head in understanding, "Well, that's all. I'll call you periodically throughout the three weeks to see how you're doing. Don't worry Rory, he's going to be put away for as long as I can get," she placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently before walking away.

I said my goodbyes to my grandparents and watched them walk out before turning to my mom. Jess recognized that we needed a moment, kissed my cheek, and went to stand with Tabitha and Luke.

"Baby," my mother cooed and pulled me close to her in a hug. She held the back of my head and my shoulders as I wrapped mine around her back. My arm was still in a contraption thing for my elbow from surgery; so all this hugging was proving to be a difficult task. "Everything is going to be okay in the end."

"I know mom," I assured her and gave her one last squeeze before pulling back and giving her a watery smile. I dabbed at my eyes, "I love you, mom."

She pulled me back into her chest, "You have no idea, kid," she said with a shaky breath.

After a few more seconds of squeezing, we released each other and silently made our way over to Luke, Tabitha, and Jess.

Nobody's POV

One Week Later

"Tom! I'm going to the diner. Are you coming?" Rory called throughout the house to one of the two police officers watching over her.

"Yeah Ror, I'll be there in a second!" Tom called back as he watched the last few seconds of The Young and the Restless. Tabitha walked down the stairs just as Tom was standing, poised to turn off the TV any second.

"Let's go Tommy; you wouldn't want to let your damsel in distress leave without you, right?" Tabitha teased playfully as she walked past the plump older man on her way to the foyer.

Tom rolled his eyes and turned the TV off before following behind Tabitha muttering about annoying teenage girls.

Rory chuckled and walked outside into the crisp Connecticut air. She took a deep breath and smiled as she felt Tabitha come up next to her and sling an arm around her waist. Rory smiled over at her and returned the favor as Tom followed behind, smiling as well.

The past week had been…uneventful. Rory and Lorelai had had to get used to having Tom and Kyle around all the time, but seeing as they were wonderful with people, it was quite easy. Tom slept on their couch while Kyle stayed at the Independence Inn—expenses paid of course. Tom followed Rory around constantly. He was with her wherever she went—home, school, the diner, and the inn—everywhere. Kyle, on the other hand, served as a cop for all of Stars Hollow. His job was to walk around the Hollow all day making sure Dean wasn't looming around outside his house cooking up some master plan—which they didn't suspect seeing as it would get him in even more trouble. Then there was Bob. Bob was the cop standing guard outside of Dean's house making sure that he didn't leave without him by his side. Dean was restricted to only leaving the house for school. He had no job any longer, so school was all he could do anyway. Everyone hated him, all his friends had abandoned him and his parents…his parents didn't talk to him much at all. Of course they were behind their son, but with the evidence presented to them, it was hard to believe that Rory would lie about it.

Nevertheless, things were going pretty smoothly considering the circumstances. With Dean holed up in his house and three cops roaming around, Rory felt pretty safe—not to mention Jess, Tabitha, Lorelai, and Luke by her side as well.

"Come on Tom! Keep up!" Rory called and outstretched her arm to him. He jogged up to them and linked his arm with hers with a chuckle.

"You girls keep me young," he smiled down at them as they made their way to Luke's.

"We try Tommy, we try," Tabitha smirked.

They mindlessly chatted as they walked the short distance to the diner and as they reached it, they found that there was a lull so Jess was behind the counter reading. Rory smirked and hopped on the stool. Jess didn't flinch.

"Well, what kind of establishment it this anyway? Not even a person to talk to, only this very sexy statue to ogle over," Rory said as Tabitha and Tom joined her. Tabitha giggled then turned serious.

"Yeah," Tabitha agreed shaking her head adamantly. "This is a poor excuse for a restaurant, right Tommy?"

The older, pudgier man grinned, "Woman are evil, evil creatures," he said and Jess chuckled. Throwing his book in his back pocket he leaned forward to Rory. They were nose to nose when Jess opened his mouth.

"But what would we do without them," he smirked and walked away without giving Rory a kiss. The two had finally initiated an official relationship just three days ago.

"Tease," Rory pouted and Jess shrugged his shoulders. "You're evil," she admonished as the door jingled. Kyle came running in holding his chest. Tom jumped up, Rory's smiled faded and Lorelai walked behind Kyle.

"There's been a hostage situation. Mr. Forrester's got a girl held up in his house. His mother and father have both been shot, as well as Bob," Kyle said and Rory looked at Tom.

"Who could he possibly have?" She questioned as Jess came to her side of the counter.

"Let's go upstairs," he suggested and Lorelai nodded. She led her daughter up the stairs as Tabitha and Jess followed. They sat in the apartment silently for the next hour. Lorelai took one corner of the couch with Tabitha splayed in her lap as Jess and Rory took up the other half of the couch. Jess held Rory close, but no words were shared between the four.

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After Rory was led up the stairs Kyle beckoned Tom out to the house. There were three Hartford police cars, an ambulance, and tons of town's people stationed in front of the house.

"The mother was shot in her arm, father in the well—manly area. They say that the woman he has is his father's girlfriend who's also pregnant," Kyle briefed Tom as they shared a knowing look on the last fact. Tom nodded and bent in the nearest car to grab the radio as a huge noise was heard. The swat team broke in a window as the shot was fired.

"I'm going in," Tom yelled as Kyle clung to him.

"Tom, don't you have a family, let me go," he offered and Tom shook his head.

"I wouldn't be able to call myself a cop if I didn't," he argued and pulled the velcro on his vest. Grabbing a gun, he started towards the back of the house. Dean stood there with a young girl.

"Son, put the gun down," Tom said slowly, calmly. Dean turned franticly to Tom.

"I can't, I'm in too much trouble already," he breathed. Tom shook his head, hating this boy but wanting to save the twenty something year old in his arms.

"If you let her go, you won't be in as much trouble—"

"Don't fuck with me old man, I watch CSI," Dean said.

"Well, son, that's TV," Tom offered and lowered his gun.

"I can't let her go, she's the reason all of this happened," Dean said tightening his grip on the girl as she whimpered.

"What did she do?" Tom asked, recalling those psyche classes he took.

"She slept with dad, my dad. The man who married my mom until death due them part and well, death will—in this instance—keep them together," Dean said and Tom lunged…

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A/N: Done. No not the end, just this chapter!

A/N: You like? Short, I know, but deal please. I promise the next one will be longer. Reviews are love so press the pretty little button!