Disclaimer: Um... yeah, everything belongs to the CW and AS-P,... except Lucas :P ...

Chapter 9

Rory pulled into Dean's driveway. She watched him struggle to get out of the car, nearly falling as he tried to reach into the backseat and grab his crutches. She sighed, jumping out of the car and rushing to the other side to steady him.

"You're going to break your neck," she muttered. As he held onto the top of the car, she opened the backseat door and pulled the crutches out.

"Thanks," he mumbled, limping up the walk to the front door.

Rory followed, fretting over him falling the minute she turned her back. He reached up above the door, on the ledge where he kept a spare key. Rory held her hands at either side of him to be careful, never fully touching his arm or side. He stuck the key in the door and turned the knob after the resounding soft click, turning to grin back at her sheepishly.

He hobbled into the house, eyeing the stairs warily. How was he going to get to his bedroom for some R&R?

Rory stayed by the door as Dean disappeared into the kitchen. There was a loud bang, and she hurried back to see if he had fallen.

"I'm not clumsy," Dean responded, grinning at her, his hand laying flat on the kitchen counter.

Rory seriously wanted to glare at him, trying to scare her to death like that, but she pursed her lips to keep the grin from escaping.

"Hit that, would you?" He asked, pointing to the answering machine.

Rory nodded, pushing the black button as the first recording came on.

"Hey Dean, it's me," Clara's voice echoed in the silence. "I hope you're doing better by the time you get this. Um, it looks like I'm stuck for awhile. I'm stuck watching Wade and Carly's little girl since they're still on their anniversary. I'm sorry. I was hoping to be back to help you out around the house. I'll try calling in a couple days to check up on you."

There was a beep and silence. Then, "She should've just called the hospital in the first place," Dean muttered, rubbing his head.

Rory looked up. "What?"

"She called me at the hospital just two minutes after she left that."

"Oh." Rory looked around, noting how clean the kitchen was. Well, actually, she was looking for something to focus on as her mind kept drifting to her and Dean's conversation from the car. His mood had shifted back and forth, and then he had blurted out that he loved her? Where did that come from?

"I'm sorry. They gave me some medicine before you came and got me," Dean replied suddenly, as though he read her mind. He patted his thigh very lightly. "It makes me a little drowsy and loopy."

"I never would've guessed."

Dean shifted on his feet, leaning his good hip against the counter and loosening his grip on the crutch in his opposite hand. Rory noted that the second crutch was lying on the floor in front of him. He was still rubbing his eyes, letting out a yawn.

"Are you tired?"

Dean dropped his hand and gazed over at her. Slowly and hesitantly, he nodded.

"Let's get you to bed, then," Rory also gave a nod, moving to grasp his right arm and help hold him up. She was becoming business, letting personal issues aside. Dean had been a friend, a lover once, but first and foremost he was in need of assistance. All the formalities could be discussed and dwelled upon once they'd both gotten a good night's sleep.

Somehow, and Rory's not even sure how, they managed to climb the stairs and get Dean into comfortable sweats and a tee and into bed. He had complained at first about her dressing him, and she had blushed as she tried not to stare at him sitting on the bed in only his boxers, but then they both got over it and she helped him pull the sweats up.

He laid back against his headboard, watching her through half-lidded eyes as she set two pills and a glass of water on the bedside table beside him. She then went about picking up his clothes and throwing them out in the hall, because he obviously wasn't going to be able to climb up and down the stairs doing laundry. Finally she stopped at the foot of his bed, her hands on her hips, looking around for something, fishing for something to say.

"Rory," Dean suddenly started.

Rory took note of how groggy he was from the medication he was taking, and steeled herself for what could possibly come out of his lips. "Hmm?"

"What are you doing here?"

It brought back all sorts of horrible memories for Rory, and she felt like weeping remembering that night, so long ago, when Dean had said he didn't belong with her anymore.

"Rory. What am I doing here?"
"You're picking me up."
" I don't belong here anymore,… do I?"

She had been stupid that night. She never gave him an answer; let him drive out of her life for the third time when there should have never been even a first. He had always been that perfect guy for her. Why hadn't she seen it? Everyone else had. Her heart ached.

But she couldn't let him go again. He still made her laugh and smile unlike any other guy. He still held that part of her heart most desired by men, but never offered. Of all the things Rory Gilmore had set her life out to have and need, never did she imagine she'd need to add Dean to that list.

"I'm loving you," she whispered with a smile, and watched a lazy smile creep across his face before his eyes closed to sleep.

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The next six hours were spent making pros and cons lists on Dean. Well, not Dean the person, but Dean the concept -- the relationship he and she had. Granted, Rory could spend weeks making the lists, but she had the feeling one would still far out-weigh the other no matter how much time she spent on it.

She was utterly confused on her feelings for Dean. She loved him -- always had, always would -- but there was this strange underlying mistrust between them. Or rather, she assumed there was after their awful last goodbye. Part of her felt like she had betrayed him and he could never trust her again because, all things considered, she wouldn't trust herself if she'd been in his shoes. On top of it all, Dean seemed to hate her, or to distance himself as far from her as possible, and there had once been a time when the two could've been friends without all the complicated relationship stuff thrown in the way. She sometimes wished they could go back to that time, when there wasn't any awkwardness between the two of them.

The next minute she'd be angry with him. He was too pushy and over-jealous. If she even looked at a passing guy on the street Dean would get angry. But was that really his fault? She never did offer him good reason not to. First she ran off to Jess, then Logan. Just thinking about it made her hate herself, and she regretted it all. She would have done things so differently in the past. If only she'd known then what she knew now.

It was 9:00 already, the sky dark outside. Rory stacked all of her papers nicely into a pile on the kitchen table. A battle of debates was going on in her head as she ascended the stairs to check on Dean. Should she leave and come back early tomorrow to check on him? His spare key was still sitting on the kitchen counter. Or should she stay the night, sleeping on the couch, believing something bad would happen the several sleeping hours she was gone? It wasn't like Dean would be awake enough to climb out of bed or fall down the stairs.

She drew the curtains closed in his room, looking around at the work she'd done. She smirked in spite of herself. She'd cleaned up all the dirty clothes on the floor, washed them, and stacked them in two piles on the top of Dean's old dresser. She had actually done the typical housewife routine -- or half of it at least -- for a man she was continuously fighting over internally.

Rory glanced at the bed with the sleeping form. There was this magical essence in watching Dean's chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm. It was just… relaxing to some strange extent, and Rory finally understood why people -- mothers with their children, husbands with their wives -- sat back to take in the scene of a sleeping form before them. It was just so extraordinary to watch a person you love in the most peaceful state of mind as they'll ever be in. Ever.

She decided she'd stay the night and sleep on the couch.

The blankets were already kicked halfway down his long body, and Rory wondered how he'd managed to do that with a broken leg. She fixed them and pulled them up to his chest. For a moment she was daring, and placed a feather light kiss to his forehead, holding her breath to see if he'd stir. He remained peacefully asleep and she smiled. She switched the bedside lamp off and made to move away from the bed when Dean's hand shot out to wrap around her wrists.

She placed her free hand to her heart, taking a deep breath. She thought he'd been asleep, so his sudden brash movement scared the hee-bee jee-bees out of her.

"Don't leave," Dean whimpered, though Rory decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and call it a mumble. Looking closely, his eyes were squeezed shut tightly, his head half buried into the pillow. "Stay with me," he begged, and Rory could then make out the slightest glint of moss green specks underneath half closed eyes.

Rory's throat closed up, and she didn't know what to think. It seemed like everything was going either too fast or too slow. Finally, due to the pleading look in his half-lidded eyes, she nodded and moved around to the other side of the bed. With all her day clothes still on, she pulled the covers back and climbed in, immediately feeling the heat of Dean's body next to hers. His head was turned toward her, studying her in a questioning type of expression. She sighed awkwardly and moved closer, allowing him to rest his head on her shoulder, snuggling closer to her in a way that made Rory think he figured she wouldn't be there if he didn't hold onto her tight.

She allowed the comfort to overtake her, and brushed her fingers through his hair idly, waiting for his breathing to deepen as he fell back asleep. It took a couple minutes before it leveled out, and she felt the strain in his body fall away. And all she could do was wish it could be like that forever. Safe in each other's arms, letting the world pass them by, as long as they were together. And she kissed his forehead again, and hugged him just a little bit closer.

Author's Note: First off, let me apologize for this being so late and not as long as I wanted. I was away for the week (with no computer, how torturous) babysitting my neice. I actually had this done before I left, but stupid me, I forgot to post it. Sorry. And I am on the fence with this chapter too... not too sure whether I like it or hate it, and hopefully you guys will be able to tell me what you think.

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