Author's Note: Ok, just to make something clear, Rory would be an idiot to think that Tristan had just been sitting there innocently and then Jess attacked him. She knows that the two had gotten into some sort of argument. What she was mad about was that Jess had actually threatened him. She's letting "Tris" (ewwww) off the hook because she thinks that he's just insecure in his new relationship (Ha. Tristan. Insecure. That's a good one), but Jess, she believes, should know better. It's the fact that he wasn't being supportive of her that made her upset.

Thanks so much for all the fav. quotes. I love love love love love reading them. I'm still getting a few people just saying "great job, update soon," but considering how many people have read this vs. how many people have reviewed, I'm not going to complain. Ok, I think you'll like this chapter. In case you are wondering, we are looking at Jess and Rory FINALLY getting together in approx. two chapters.

Important: For the purpose of this fic, we are going to pretend that this is some time in the middle of June, toward the end of Rory and Jess's sophomore year. I know I never said when during the year it was before, but I am now.

Ok, I'll shut up now and let you read...

"Rory?" Jess said quietly through the window of her bedroom. "Please, talk to me," he said. It was the next morning, and Jess was going through the same thing he had gone through only a few short weeks ago. Only the last fight that the two had had was so much worse than this, because this time, Jess truly felt that he wasn't entirely in the wrong. He thought that if he could explain what had happened, Rory would really have no reason to stay mad at him.

Rory closed her eyes in frustration and went to the window, sliding it up fiercly.

"What?" she lashed out at him, her arms folded across her chest. Jess flinched.

"Hey, you don't really believe that Tristan was all innocent in this, do you?" he said, disbelieving that anyone- especially Rory- could be so naiive.

She sighed deeply. "Look, I know he probably said something to make you angry, I know that you guys were just being- guys, and I know that you were doing what you did because you care about me. I got upset because I thought you were on-board with this. I mean, I thought you respected my judgement. Jess, you need to trust that I can take care of myself."

"I know you're strong enough to take care of yourself, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about you. He was talking about you like you were a piece of meat, and I just couldn't take it, so I told him to be good to you, or I was going to kick his ass. And it's true, you know. He hurts you, he's going to wish he was dead," Jess said, his eyes glinting murderously.

Rory smiled slightly and opened the window wider, a silent invitation for him to enter her room. The moment he was inside, she wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I don't want to fight," she said into his chest.

"Neither do I," he said, his eyes closing. He was beyond relieved that she had forgiven him so quickly. "I'm sorry, you know. I should have trusted you."

"It's ok," she said, looking up at him affectionately.

"No, it's not. It's just that no one is ever going to be good enough for you, and I'm going to find something wrong with anyone that you date,"

"Hey, I said it's ok, relax," Rory said, kissing his cheek softly. "So. You want to go do something today?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, smiling.

Walking around town after looking at the bookstore for awhile, the pair were eating ice cream cones. Jess had his arms draped casually across her shoulder. They were laughing and joking like there was no Tristan, and everything was going to be ok. If only they knew how much more drama they had ahead of them.

Jess was staring, quite openly, at Rory as they strolled slowly down the street.

"Wha?" she said through a mouthful of ice cream.

"Did you know that you are absurdly beautiful?" Jess said. He didn't know what had made him say it, but her question had thrown him off and he had simply blurted out what he was thinking.

"Jess, stop," Rory said, blushing.

"What? I'm serious," he said. Might as well, there's no backing down now, he thought.

"Well, you're my best friend, don't you think it's possible that you're just a little biased?"

"Of course I'm biased. That doesn't mean it's not true," Jess said. His eyes were smoldering. Rory had a Twilight flashback and thought of the several descriptions about Edward and his amazing eyes. She hadn't believed that it was possible for eyes to look like they were slowly melting liquids, burning into you in a way that made you think all your inner-most thoughts were written clearly on your forehead. But Jess was doing it right now. Two pools of chocolate were staring at her so seriously that she blushed deeper and looked away.

"Thanks," she said softly. She looked so shy and innocent that Jess couldn't help dropping a chaste kiss against the side of her head. That's when they saw Tristan walking towards him.

Jess removed his arm from around Rory quickly, but he didn't move away, so they were still standing in a way that made their arms touch.

"Hey, Tristan," Rory said nervously, stepping away from Jess and giving Tristan a quick kiss.

"Hey," he said. He was talking to Rory but his gaze was fixed on Jess. His glare clearly said: Stay away from her. Jess's glare was a clear response. Make me.

"So... Mary. You want to catch a movie later?" he asked, his eyes still not leaving Jess.

"Um... yeah? Yeah, a movie would be good. You'll call me?" Rory asked, somewhat desperate to get rid of Tristan. She cared about Tristan deeply, but he seemed to be an obvious sore spot with Jess.

"Ok, I'll call," he said, smiling and kissing her deeply and walking off.

"He came all the way down here to ask you out tonight?" Jess said, incredulous.

"I... guess," Rory said, kind of confused. "Whatever. Let's go eat something."

"You just had ice cream," Jess said.

"Yes, but that was dessert. Now we need lunch."

"Right. Should have known," he said, smiling, placing his arm back around her shoulder.

"Yes. You should have," Rory smiled and leaned against Jess as they walked along.

Jess looked up as the bell above the diner rang. It was late- almost 10:00pm, but he had procrastinated and Luke was already asleep in anticipation of an early delivery the next day. He was stuck closing the diner. He was shocked that someone had entered so late, when the sign clearly said "Closed". The only people allowed to do that were Rory and Lorelai, and this was certainly not either one of them.

"Tristan," Jess said shortly.

"Stay away, Jess," Tristan began, staying in the doorway. Jess came around so he was leaning against the counter facing him.

"I don't think I will," he said, his voice boyishly cocky.

Tristan scoffed. "I said, stay away from her, Jess."

"She's my best friend, I'm not staying away from her. Look, for whatever insane reason, she wants to be with you. And she's happy. I have done nothing to get in the way of that, but I'm not going to stop spending time with her."

"You have done something to get in the way. Just you existing is getting in the way," Tristan responded, taking a few steps toward him.

"Well that's too bad," Jess said. He started to turn around to continue to wipe down the counter, but in three quick strides Tristan had crossed the Diner, spun him around with one hand, and punched him square in the eye with the other.

Jess was thrown back and his head hit the counter. He went down, the breath completely knocked out of him. Tristan was already out the door by the time Jess's breathing slowed down enough for him to get up.

He had sported quite a nice black eye by the time it was the next morning. Luke had started to ask what had happened, but when he saw Jess's glare he changed his mind. The entire town was gossiping about it, but even Miss Patty seemed to get the memo that talking to him about it wasn't an option. Rory was the only one exempt from this apparently, because the moment she saw his eye as she walked in to the diner that Monday morning, she gasped and ran up to him.

"Jess, what-" she started.

"Don't Rory. It's nothing," he responded.

"It doesn't look like nothing. Were you in a fight?" she asked.

"No."

"Jess, what happened?"

"Don't want to talk about it," Jess tried to walk away but Rory grabbed his arm.

"Tell me what the hell happened to you, Jess!" she said, raising her voice.

Jess covered her mouth with his hands and called out "Taking my break," to Luke before dragging her upstairs to the apartment.

"Rory, I really really don't want to tell you this."

"Too bad," Rory was indignant and stubborn.

"It's going to hurt you," he warned.

"Who were you fighting with?" she said accusingly.

"No one! God, let me finish."

"Right, sorry."

"You aren't going to believe me, Rory," he said, looking down.

"Yes, I will. Why wouldn't I?" she said. At this point she was beyond confused about what Jess could be talking about.

"I- do you promise you'll believe me?"

"Yeah, of course."

"It- was- Tristan," he said, muttering his name. She still heard him.

"Tristan?!" she screeched.

"Yeah, he came into the diner last night after it was closed and he told me to stay away from you. And after I told him no, he punched me and walked away,"

Rory's demeanor changed suddenly from shocked to angry.

"And you didn't hit him first?"

"What? Rory, no, I just told you what happened."

"He wouldn't just go around punching people."

Jess nodded his head slowly and turned away from her. "Figures," he muttered to himself.

"'Figures' what, Jess?" Rory said, practically screaming.

"Figures that you would believe your boyfriend of less than a month over me! I'm supposed to be your best friend! You're supposed to trust me, to believe me!" his voice was raised too, a sure sign of trouble. Jess was generally very good at keeping his cool. "Do you remember promising me that Tristan wouldn't come between us? Do you?"

"Yes, but that's not the-"

"Look, Rory, I tried to be supportive, I figured that having a boyfriend would take some getting used to so I thought I'd give you some time to adjust. But how long's this going to take? You take his side before mine and every time I want to call you on the weekends I don't because I figure you probably have plans with him. We've already fought because of him once. And now, this?! You don't believe me? Why would I make that up?!"

"Well, you've lied to me before, SO WHY SHOULD THIS BE ANY DIFFERENT!" It came out loudly, and then Rory clamped her hand over her mouth. "Oh, God..."

"What?" Jess said, still snapping at her. Rory, being the stubborn person that she was, didn't back down.

"You lied to me about Shane, so how can I trust you, now?" she said. She felt tears coming.

"I don't know, Rory. Maybe you can't," he said, sighing and brushing past her, down into the diner and out the door.

Jess walked up to the phone in the diner and picked it up hestitantly. He had gone to the bridge to attempt to cool down for a few hours, half expecting Rory to show up and apologize. He knew that if she had come, he would have said sorry and everything would have gone back to "normal". But he also knew that there was bound to be several more fights of the same kind if she stayed with Tristan.

He chuckled humerously. Every fight the two had gone through had something to do with one of them dating someone else. Perfect.

Picking up the phone, he dialed a number that he had memorized, for whatever reason.

"Hello?" a voice said on the other line.

"Liz, it's me, Jess."

Author's Note: gasp gasp gasp gasp gasp gasp gasp OH NO!! But it's ok. It'll be good. Need ten reviews, please and thank you. And also... in your review, along w/ your fav. quote/moment, I'd like to know whether you want me to end this story like... a few chapters after Rory and Jess get together, or if you want me to keep it going and make it really long. If I keep it going, I'll keep on updating with the regular frequency. If you want it to end pretty soon, I'll write another Lit story later that has another plot idea, but I probably won't start it for a while. Let me know!