Jess's eavesdropping of Lindsay and Dean was violently interrupted when a hand grabbed his shoulder. He spun around to see his ex-wife. "What's your problem Rory?"

Rory with her voice rising. "You have custody of our daughter this weekend and I find you in a bar. What is your problem? Is this where you take Lynn when you have her?"

Jess felt his nerves tauten. Lynn was being well looked after. For a brief moment he wondered what he had ever seen in the harridan that was screaming at him. "Shut up you damn bitch. I don't need this crap from you. Lynn is with Rachel and I'm just getting lunch, so why don't you disappear till Sunday and leave me in peace."

Damn you Jess why do you even insist on seeing her when you don't even spend any time with her?"

"Screw you Rory. Lynn is well looked after, probably better than you and your faggot husband look after her. You two both work; so don't give me crap about how I spend my time with my daughter." With that said Jess looked over to Tristan, daring him to say something.

Tristan was furious. He knew the worst thing he could do is drag Jess off of his bar stool and beat the crap out of him. He never considered the overly moussed Jess to be a physical threat to him. "Jess, get a grip. Your insults mean nothing to me, because you're nothing."

Jess saw red and lunged at Tristan. Then stopped; that's all they wanted. A physical attack by him in a bar and they would gain full custody of his daughter. "Watch yourself pretty boy. One day we will settle this."

Rory was standing to the side with her hand to her mouth covering her shock at the almost violent turn of events unfolding in front of her. "Come on Tristan; we don't need this. We'll figure this out later."

Tristan allowed himself to be led away from Jess till he saw Dean and Lindsay who were staring in disbelief at the confrontation that was unfolding. He broke away from Rory's grip and strode over to Dean. "I don't know what kind of crap you're filling your wife's head with about Rory, but I don't need my wife verbally assaulted in the middle of a grocery store."

Dean rose from his stool. "Tristan, go away."

"No Dean I won't, I'm tired of you Stars Hollow yahoo's giving my wife a hard time."

Lindsay jumped up and stood in front of Dean and loudly replied to Tristan. "Nothing she doesn't deserve."

"That's bullshit. Grow up; you don't shout at people in the middle of a grocery story. What are you ignorant or something?"

Dean started to go after Tristan. "You don't call my wife ignorant."

Lindsay jockeyed herself to stay between Tristan and Dean. It was a good thing she was a tall athletic girl.

"HEY" The loud crack of the ash bat hitting the badly scratched mahogany bar shook the few customers who were not aware of the raised voices out of their alcoholic fueled fantasies. Meredith, the bartender, brandished the bat in a menacing manner. All heads turned to the blonde bartender. "What in the hell is the matter with you people. Then she pointed at Tristan and Rory. You two out; it was peaceful till you two showed up."

Meredith then held up a cell phone. "Make it quick or I'm going to call 911 and have you two hauled out of here."

Once out in the street Tristan shrugged off Rory's hand. "What just happened in there?"

Rory looked at Tristan blankly. She could not believe that she was tossed out of a bar and a bar she would not normally ever consider walking into. "Jess, we were talking to him and, he got nasty."

Tristan shook his head. "Not that Rory, What did Dean's wife mean when she said, nothing you didn't deserve. I don't get this, how do you even know her?

"It's not worth talking about Tristan, I really don't care. I just want to be away from here."

"Okay, fine, but tell me how you know her?"

Exasperated Rory replied. "Grade school and she was in some of my high school classes before I went to Chilton."

"You mean this is all over some school girl misunderstanding?"

"I guess so, let's just drop it. I'm sure we won't be crossing their paths again anytime soon."

"But Rory isn't she going to be at the Stars Hollow High reunion?"

"Come on Tristan, let it go. We don't have to attend the reunion?"

Puzzled Tristan stopped walking and turned to face his wife. "I thought you wanted to go on account of Lane."

After a moment of silence Rory replied. "Dear, we have other issues besides Dean's wife. I think our situation with Jess is where we should be concentrating our energies."

Tristan nodded in agreement, but he instinctively knew there was something his wife was not telling him. "You're right." Then he paused momentarily. "Let's go to the inn, I could use a scotch and soda, and I don't think we're going to get one here."

"Don't you want to look at more antique shops dear?

Tristan took a deep breath. "No, I'm not in the mood any longer. Actually Tristan felt disappointment. He wondered what Rory was keeping from him.

XXXXX

Back in the bar Jess fought down an urge to order bourbon, but he did give into having a second beer. He was furious with Rory. How dare she come into the bar and publically try and humiliate him. One day he was going to knock her off her high horse. Which brought him to his second thought; what was going on between Lindsay and Rory. From what he gathered from the qusai yelling match between Tristan and Dean, Lindsay said or did something to Rory in the market. It was tempting to walk over to the couple and ask them what happened, but Dean would probably get in his face. In fact they hadn't spoken to each other since the fight. Maybe if he ran into Lindsay alone he'd ask her. Speaking of Lindsay he wished Dean would get out of the way so he could check her legs out again.

"Jess."

He looked up to see Meredith the barmaid standing in front of him. "Yes"

"Do you want another beer?"

Jess sighed. "No, I have my daughter this weekend and I need to get back. What are the damages?"

Meredith walked to the register and returned with his bill. She handed it to him. Hesitated then spoke. "I take it that was your ex-wife?"

Jess thought everyone knew that Rory was his ex-wife. Then he realized that Meredith did not grow up in Stars Hollow. "Yeah that's her and thanks for running her off."

Meredith nodded. "No problem." She considered Jess an ass, but he was a solitary drinker and did not give her any trouble. She picked up the crinkled twenty Jess had carelessly tossed on the bar and returned with his change.

Jess scooped up the change and threw a couple of bills on the bar and started walking out. He glanced back at Lindsay and Dean and wondered what they were laughing about. During the walk back to Luke's apartment he wondered why Rory wanted to talk to him. She had mentioned it several times but still had made no move to have a conversation with him. Jess shrugged his shoulders; whatever she wanted he'd say no just out of principal.

Dean's combative stance turned to laughter as he watched Meredith toss Rory and her husband out of the tavern. Startled by Dean's laughter Lindsay turned puzzled wondering what he was laughing about. Then it hit her. He was laughing at the irony of goodie two shoes being tossed out. Lindsay then realized that Meredith, not being a local did not have Rory on a pedestal like most of Stars Hollow. With a smile she playfully punched her husband in the arm. "Come on Dean you're making a scene."

"I know, I can't help it, I never thought I would see the day Rory would get tossed out of a bar in Stars Hollow. Hey, speaking of Rory is she invited to the ten year reunion?

"Yes, I thought I told you. Anyone who was in our class over the four years was invited. Rory did her freshman year with us so she was sent an invite.

Dean thought for a second. "Does that mean Jess is invited also?"

Lindsay laughed. "Of course he was but I have it on good authority his invitation was lost on the way to the post office."

Dean chuckled. "I wonder how long it will be till he figures it out."

"Actually Dean I don't think he would really care. It's not like he had any friends in the school."

XXXXX

Their visit was almost at an end. It was late Sunday afternoon. They were sitting at a corner table drinking coffee till it was time to pick Lynn up. They knew Jess would not give her back until the last minute. The large ornate mariners clock over the bar struck three bells. Rory glanced up at her husband. "Almost time to pick Lynn up"

Tristan nodded silently and took another sip of his coffee. He was disappointed with his wife. They never kept secrets from each other, but she was keeping one from him now. The intensity of Lindsay's outburst in the market told him that it was much more than a school girl disagreement, but all attempts to garner more information were stonewalled. Tristan sighed and spoke. "Rory do you really understand what time it is from the ringing of the clock bell.

Smiling Rory looked up. "Yes, when I was living with my grandparents, one of my grandfather's friends was retired navy. In his conversation he kept saying things like eight bells and two bells. Well I was curious and asked what he was talking about." Rory laughed. "That was a mistake. For the next hour he explained it to me and wouldn't stop till I understood it. Tristan I want to talk to Jess alone. I think if you're not there he may be somewhat rational."

Tristan took the car keys out of his pocket and placed them on the table. "I think you're right. Put it to him and see if he will let us take Lynn out of state so we can move to Boston."

Rory approached the front door of Luke and Rachel's house with some trepidation. Usually picking up Lynn was Jess saying goodbye to his daughter and ignoring her. Hopefully Jess would react rationally to her request. Hesitantly she knocked on the door. Jess appeared; stared at her for a minute, glanced at the clock. With an emotionless tone he spoke. "You're ten minutes early." And then he started to close the door.

Quickly in a pleading voice Rory spoke. "Jess, please, I need to talk to you."

Jess hesitated, stepped out and closed the door. "I thought we had said everything we need to say to each other." Jess looked over to Rory's car. "Where's your douche of a husband?"

Rory bit her tongue. The last thing she wanted was to get into an argument with her ex. "He's back at the inn. Let me talk, okay?"

"Go ahead and talk then."

Rory took a deep breath. She wanted to get it all out at once. "Jess, Tristan and I have received wonderful job offers in Boston. We'd like to live there-"

Jess interrupted. "So you want to leave Lynn with me full time?"

"No, no Jess she'd come with us. There would be no change in your visitation rights and we would have her here just like before. Boston is only two hours away." Rory looked at Jess for some sign of what he was going to say.

Jess shrugged his shoulders. "Not happening." Turned and walked back into the house and closed the door.

Rory knew he would come back out when it was exactly six P.M.

Rory walked back to her car, reached in and took her cellphone off the center console; then dialed her Husband. Tristan answered on the first ring. "How did it go?"

Seething with frustration Rory replied. "It didn't go."

Quietly Tristan replied. I'm done playing games with that jerk. We need to take this back to the courts. I'll speak to my father tonight and see what he recommends.

To be continued.