A/N: Here you are! Another fast update! I'll let you get to your reading!

Love,

Brianne

The bell above the diner door rang cheerfully as Rory and Lorelai walked into Luke's chatting away.

"So we're cool right?" Lorelai asked still feeling unsure.

"Sure mom." Rory says rolling her eyes. "You can stop asking any time now!"

Dani shoved past Jess, not bothering to be gentle and took an order and came back to where Lorelai and Rory were sitting at the counter.

"Hey Dani." Lorelai greeted.

Dani rolled her eyes and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "What can I get you?" Dani asked, boredom evident in her tone.

"Whoa there, everything ok?" Lorelai asked concerned.

"It's fine, what can I get you?" Dani snapped.

"You don't seem fine. You know you can talk to me, no judgment" Lorelai tried.

"Just like last night with Rory and Jess?" Dani snapped, before turning and walking back upstairs.

"Was I that bad?" Lorelai asked a little shocked at Dani's attitude.

"Ouch." Rory watched her go upstairs, before turning to her boyfriend. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" Jess lied.

"Liar." Rory caught him.

Jess turned to Rory "Does it really matter to you? It is between Dani and myself, so back off"

"Sorry." Rory said, wondering what had taken place between the two.

Rory turned to Lorelai who had heard their conversation and shot Rory a look of sympathy. "Sweetie, you ok?"

Rory nodded, tears flooded her eyes "yeah" She said quietly fighting to keep her tears at bay.

"You want me to talk to him?" Lorelai asked.

"No, I'll do it." Rory's tears were replaced by fury. How dare he treat her like this!

Rory stomped purposefully toward Jess jerking his arm pulling him into the storage room.

"What the…" Jess was cut off by Rory.

"No I talk, you listen!" Rory started to pace in front of Jess looking similar to a caged animal. Jess was following her with his eyes and barely registered that she was talking to him. "When do you get off telling me that it isn't my business? The minute we started this thing you became my business, especially when you are treating me like crap!" Rory shouted, not really caring who heard her.

"I'm not-" He started.

"No, you are! Don't you dare try to deny it!"

"But-" Jess started.

"Don't you dare try to deny it, Jess Mariano!" Rory shrieked.

"Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?" Jess mocked.

"No, I'm not your girlfriend! Because that would mean that we have an open tunnel of communication!" Rory corrected.

"Well, what a stupid mistake!" Jess said sarcastically.

"Yeah, not telling me was a stupid mistake!" Rory yelled.

"Rory." Jess tried to quiet her down.

"What happened?" She asked as he took a seat.

"I was an idiot at 3 in the morning." He told her.

"What were you doing up at 3?" She asked, standing in front of him and putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Dani had a craving." He said, purposely leaving out the finer details.

"How much of an idiot?" She asked.

"A huge idiot."

"Why is Dani so mad though?"

"I kind of, um, accused her of doing drugs." He told her, studying his hands.

"Jess." She groaned, sitting in his lap.

"I know."

Deciding that he felt bad enough, she smiled devilishly at him. "You never told me good morning." She pointed out.

"I'm sorry." He teased, bending down to kiss her. "Good morning." He whispered, just before he kissed her again.

When they finally separated, she bit her lip and looked at him. "That's better."

"So do you accept my apology?" He asked, looking at her.

"One more kiss and I will." She told him.

"I can fix that." He kissed her, deepening it until they had to break apart for air.

"But, I'm not the one you need to be apologizing to." She pointed out.

"Why can't I stay in here with you?" He whined.

"Because Dani is upstairs, probably blasting some really loud country rock on the stereo." She said, knowing she was right, partly because of the noise she could hear from the apartment above.

"But I don't want to." He pouted, sticking his lower lip out.

"Poor baby." She kissed him and got off his lap. "I want coffee and a happy Dani in ten minutes." She warned.

Jess sighed and looked at the ceiling "Make it 20 minutes and we got a deal"

Rory giggled pushing him toward the door "Deal you big baby!"

"I'm not going up there." Jess complained, crossing his arms as he followed her into the diner.

"Yes you are, now go!" Rory demanded.

Jess sighed and accepted defeat as Rory walked over an sat beside Lorelai. He watched her for a minute before shaking his head and walking behind the curtain and up the stairs to talk to Dani.

Lorelai watched Jess go and leaned down toward Rory, "Everything all good now?" she asked generally concerned.

"Better, but not back completely to good." Rory replied still looking into her coffee mug.

"Hun," Lorelai started but was cut off by Rory.

"He is going to make it good again right now, be prepared to hear yelling in 3, 2, ..."

"I don't care Jess!" Dani's voice echoed through the diner as the inhabitants turned to stare at the ceiling all wondering what was happening up there.

Meanwhile at the same time Dani's face was bright red as Jess tried desperately to calm her down.

"Dani…" Jess tried in an unusually soft voice as Dani paced in front of him mumbling under her breath something that sounded like 'inconsiderate donkey's rear' which made Jess smirk.

"What are you laughing at?" Dani demanded, coming to a stop in front of him placing her hands on her hips.

Jess's face fell into innocence, "Nothing"

"Whatever." Dani resumed her pacing.

When she took off her sweater that been covering her sleeveless shirt, black and blue bruising covered her upper arms.

Jess stood and walked up to her stopping her pacing. "You're wearing a hold in the floor and what is up with your arms?"

She avoided his gaze and covered her arms with her hands, making sure he didn't touch them. "Nothing." She said quietly, anger deflating like a popped balloon.

"Kris..." Jess looked at her intently. "Please talk to me!"

"Listen I know I was a jerk and I'm sorry! Just don't shut me out" Dani looked at his face seeing nothing but concern and love.

"You were a jerk." She said, walking to the freezer and pulling out ice packs. "So, tell me why I shouldn't hate you."

"You did this." She looked at him and indicated her arms. "You did this." She repeated.

Jess's mouth fell open "Kris, I…" He stopped sighing deeply and running his hand through his hair. "I didn't realize...I'm so so sorry."

"You should be" Dani said. Her tone was one not to be questioned.

"You're right." Jess admitted.

"I know that!" She shrieked. "I tried to tell you that this morning! But did you listen? No!"

"Kris I thought that when you were talking about chemicals and were acting like someone who was high...well I thought that you had tried something." Jess tried his voice raising loud enough for the occupants of the diner to hear.

Lorelai looked to Luke and he simply nodded before returning their gazes to the ceiling.

"Oh, my God! Are you insane?" Dani shrieked. "Jess I'm not that stupid, you're the only one who has smoked pot!"

"How am I supposed to know that? You don't open up to me anymore!" He yelled. "Just open up. Please." Jess pleaded.

"I don't know how to explain it Jess. This is killing me literally and figuratively!" Dani fell to the floor sobs racking her small frame.

When he walked toward her, she leapt to her feet. "Don't touch me." She hissed, eyes narrowed, before walked out the door.

When she brushed aside the curtain to the downstairs, she felt every eye in the place on her. She suddenly realized she didn't have on her sweater, showing her arms to everyone. She brushed her tears from her face and hurried though the breakfast crowd, barely getting the door shut before the town gossips started to talk.

Jess appeared seconds later looking extremely guilty. "What are you looking at? Mind your own business! " He shouted running after Dani.

The diner buzzed with speculation, "Jess definitely caused those bruises" Kirk announced.

"Or that guy that raped her." Miss Patty suggested.

Lorelai, Rory and Luke were still in shock. Rory meekly said "Jess wouldn't have done that to Dani." Looking up to Luke for confirmation.

Luke shook his head. "No, he wouldn't."

"Good, really good" Rory mumbled and stood to go find Dani or Jess, hopefully both.

"Stop following me." Dani yelled at Jess, stalking down the streets of Stars Hollow.

"I can't do that." He told her.

The various members of the community stopped to watch the duo as they weaved through the streets noticing Rory following the duo making them look like one of those dragons from China on New Years.

"Jess, Dani, please stop" Rory yelled running out of breath. "This is why Gilmore's don't exercised she muttered."

"Dani, stop and talk to me." Jess caught her hand, being mindful of the bruises and spun her around to face him.

"No." She hissed, her eyes blazing with fury.

Rory stood there panting. "W...would some,...whew" Rory stood catching her breath. "Would someone tell me what is going on?" Rory finally panted out.

"I'm sure Jess can. Jess, one last thing." Dani made a bridge with her hands. "Build a bridge and get over it." With that she stalked off, heading for Sophie's Music.

"Rory, can we please not talk about this right now?" Jess pleaded never removing his eyes from Dani's retreating figure.

"No, I want to know what's going on." Rory told him, standing between him and where Dani had been, finally capturing some of his attention. "You can leave out parts of it, but please Jess. I want to know more than what you told me in the storage room."

"If you must know!" Jess looked at her and sighed. "Nope, I can't tell you!"

"Yes you can and you will" Rory demanded folding her arms.

"Like I said, I was tired and flipped out on Dani. She's temperamental because of the chemo and she taking it out on me." Jess explained.

"There's something deeper." Rory probed gently. "Stop hiding it and just tell me"

"I think she's jealous." Jess told her flatly.

"Jealous" Rory said flatly "What?" Rory looked bewildered.

"Yeah, she's always been my girl. You know, my best friend and sister. And now I have you and she feels shoved aside."

"Stop, Rewind and Pause. You think Dani is jealous that we are spending time together?" Rory looked at Jess's squirming figure "Bull!"

"Don't ask me to explain the mind of a girl." Jess defended.

"Again I say Bull! Jess honestly just tell me the truth and stop jerking me around!" Rory gave him the puppy dog look and puckered out her lip.

Jess leaned in to kiss her and she pulled away. "Truth first!"

'She isn't playing fair' Jess thought

"Rory." He sighed, looking away.

"Tell me now." She told him.

"Do I have to?" Jess said sounding like a little boy who wasn't getting his way.

"Yes." She said firmly, crossing her arms to emphasize her point

Rory watched him as he started to look around to see who could possibly be listening in.

"No one's here." She told him after a few minutes. "So tell me now."

"Rory, please don't hold this against me! I really didn't mean to!" Jess pleaded.

"I won't. Now tell me." She said impatiently.

"Last night when Dani was having her weird craving and acting like she was on something, I may have gr.. Rory I really don't want to tell you this!" Jess was starting to panic.

"Jess just tell me, I promise not to be angry." Rory tried

When he continued to look uncomfortable, she leaned forward and kissed him deeply. When she drew away, she looked into his eyes. "Promise."

"Ok, I kinda was angry and when she was acting all weird I grabbed her telling her to tell me what she was on.: Jess avoided Rory's eyes and winced as he heard her gasp.

Rory's voice was almost inaudible. "The bruises are from you."

He sighed and turned away from her, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, they are."

Rory took a deep breath, "Jess have you apologized?"

"No." He sounded, she struggled to find the right word. Ashamed.

"Don't you think that you need to apologize?" Rory tried gently.

"When we get close to one another lately we end up shouting." Jess protested

"Besides, I've tried! You heard, the diner heard, the whole freaking town heard!"

"Forget who heard, just make her listen and clean up this mess that you caused." Rory said starting to get more upset.

"It wasn't just me!" Jess said stubbornly.

"I know that, but you were the one who was at the most fault, so suck it up and fix this!" Rory demanded shoving him in Dani's direction.

"Wait, I have an idea!" He hurried back to her.

"What?" She asked, exasperated.

"You talk to her!" He sounded like a little kid at Christmas.

"No way, It wasn't me that caused this mess" Rory protested waving her arms in front of her.

"But she likes you." He pointed out."Besides, she'll listen to you." He insisted.

Rory scowled, "NO!" forcing him backwards making him stumble and fall into a semi frozen puddle.

Jess glared up at Rory "Can I at least change first?"

Rory tapped her chin as if in deep thought before saying "I guess if you must." Laughing at his attempts to stand. "It's your fault you're wet." She stood over him, her arms crossed.

"Bye." He stood up and hurried back to the diner.

Dani admired the black guitar that was set up in Sophie's. "It's 200 bucks." She jumped and spun around, revealing Sophie.

"God, Sophie!" Dani exclaimed.

"You want it or not?" Sophie asked.

Dani felt Jess's wallet that she had taken as payback, burning a hole in her purse.

"Well?" Sophie insisted. Dani mentally counted their combined money. "I'll take it."

Jess was going to kill her. 'It is totally worth it' Dani thought imagining Jess's face.

Dani stood waiting for Sophie to ring up her new guitar and wondered if she should have really done this. "Hey Sophie, what is you policy on returns?" Dani asked unsure.

Sophie just sighed "No returns, do you still want it?"

Dani stood admiring the guitar, "Defiantly yes!" she said with a evil smile on her face.

Jess found Dani at the bridge, playing her new guitar. "Where did you get that?" He asked.

Dani smiled evilly at him. "Sophie's."

But Sophie over-charges." He pointed out.

"I didn't pay much!" she said keeping the evil smirk on her face, waiting for him to figure it out.

Oh, my God." Jess pieced it together. "Dani, give me my wallet back."

"Here." She tossed it to him. It felt very light.

Jess frantically opened his wallet to find it empty. "Kris, where is all of MY money?" he said emphasizing my.

"Gone." She said cheerfully.

"What?" His tone was deadly.

"Some call it payback." She stood up and walked past him.

"Kris, wait." His tone sounded tired. She turned around, barely breathing. "I'm sorry." He turned too.

She smiled slightly. "I know." She was setting down her guitar and hugging him before she realized what she was doing. "I know." She repeated. She lifted her legs and he spun her around and 'accidently' falling off the bridge. "Jess!" She screamed when they landed in the cold water.

"It's cold isn't it?" He teased.

"You think?" She shrieked, jumping on his back.

He did a high pictched scream(on purpose) and fell backwards. When she surfaced, she started hitting every part of him she could reach. "You dork!" She screamed playfully.

"I'm a smart dork, thank you very much." He corrected.

Dani pulled herself onto the bridge, being careful not to get near her guitar. "You owe me both 'Legally Blondes' and 'Summerland' marathon." She informed him.

"Summerland?" He complained.

"Yes, it has both Zac Efron and Jesse McCartney. What's not to love?" She teased.

"I could give you a couple reasons." He grumbled, grabbing her guitar as they stood up.

She kissed his cheek quickly. "I'm sure you could, Bagel Boy."

"Bagel Boy?"

"Yes, symbolizing that you will be playing bagel hockey with me for an hour after closing."

Jess's groan followed them back to the diner.