Chapter Fourteen.

Jess and Rory drove out of Stars Hollow, heading to wherever their date was going to be, excitement bubbled inside Rory, though as she looked over at the overly quiet Jess she got worried. He looked distracted, and upset about something, and he had barely said two words to her since picking her up, he hadn't greeted her with a kiss like she'd hoped, and now as they drove out of town, he rolled down his window and put the music up higher.

'Jess? Are you ok?' Rory asked twisting round in her seat so she could get a better view of him, she saw a flash of something cross his face, anger? Annoyance? Pain? She wasn't sure.

'I'm fine.' Jess shrugged evasively.

'You're quiet.' Rory said placing her hand on his arm, he sighed slightly.

'It's just something Ally said last night.' Jess said turning to Rory for a moment.

'Oh? What did she say?' Rory questioned.

'Just…nothing it's not important.' Jess said hitting his hand against the steering wheel he pulled the car over and turned to Rory. 'My life in New York was messed up, and there was a lot of stuff that happened that I'm not proud of.'

'Jess…it's ok.' Rory said quietly.

'It's not, because there was something that happened and I hate that it did, and I wish I could just forget it, but Ally's threatening to tell people…you, and I'm just scared that you'll hate me once you know.' Jess said turning away. Rory shook her head and pulled his gaze back to her.

'Jess whatever it is I won't judge you for it, I love you…I love the guy who I met here, who's been sweet and kind and who loves me back. So whatever it is you don't need to tell me, and even if Ally does tell me then I won't care, because you're not that person anymore.' Rory said holding his hand.

'I want to tell you, and not just because Ally's threatening to, I want you to know me…all of me not just who I'm trying to be. I don't want to keep anything from you.' Jess said quietly.

'Ok.' Rory whispered, taking a deep breath.

'Back in New York I had this friend…Johnny, we met in junior high and just always hung round together, but Johnny got in with a bad crowd, and at first I just stood by and thought it was kind of cool, I went along with it, the smoking and drinking…but things started getting worse and I knew it was wrong, I tried to tell Johnny but he was too deep in with them all, he'd started taking drugs and I tried to help but he pushed me away.' Jess stared out the front windscreen and sighed heavily. 'I gave up on him…I left the little gang and for a while at least I started paying attention in school, working on my grades, that was when I was about fourteen, but a couple of months later he shows up on my doorstep, he's totally messed up and says he needs help because his new friends are after him because he owes them money that he doesn't have.' Jess pauses, shaking his head. Rory moves closer and holds his arm.

'It's ok, you don't have to tell me.' Rory whispers as she see's tears shine in his brown eyes.

'I need to…' Jess replied. 'Johnny asked me for money and I said no, I had to because I didn't have any, he gets real mad yelling that I'm a terrible friend and that he needs the help, he says that he's going to run away and live in the streets then he runs out of my place. I go after him…and it's dark and raining and he's just running like mad and I'm yelling at him, telling him he needs to stop, but he won't until I agree to give him the money. We run for ages until we're in this alley and suddenly all his new friends are around…he looks so scared and I can tells he's in real trouble. They start beating him, I tried to stop them but they pulled out a knife, and one of them used it on me to get me to back off.' Jess is visible shaken now, Rory puts her arms round him, holding him tightly tears shining in her own eyes. 'They don't stop hitting him, and I could have done something, I should have tried to stop them, tried harder…but I was scared…I just sat there and watched him get attacked, and then when they go I run onto the street begging someone to call an ambulance…when we get to the hospital I find out that he'd been paralyzed, and I go to see him but he won't talk to me, just yells that it's all my fault, I should have helped him, given him the money….' Jess breaks down, 'I should have helped him….'

'Jess you did everything you could.' Rory tries to persuade him.

'No! I should have told someone when he started using drugs, when he got into trouble..' Jess shakes his head.

'You were fourteen, you tried to help him but he didn't want your help. Jess! You got stabbed trying to protect him, none of this is your fault.' Rory looked him straight in the eyes. 'Jess it's not your fault.'

'I could have…'

'No! Jess don't do this to yourself, he was the one that made all the choices, ignored your warnings and offers of help, if he hadn't had your help he may have ended up much worse.' Rory said confidently, brushing away his tears.

'You really don't think it was my fault?' Jess asked.

'It wasn't.' Rory replied kissing him. 'You've got nothing to feel ashamed about.'

'I don't really feel like going out today…do you mind?' Jess asked.

'Course not, come on we can just hang out at the diner for a while.' Rory replied.

'I want our first date to be special, me breaking down in the car isn't what I pictured.' Jess said trying to calm himself.

'You've pictured this?' Rory smiles, trying to lighten the mood.

'Everyday since I met you.' Jess said quietly. Rory smiles and kisses him.

'Ok so back to the diner, it's good actually because I want to see your sister.' Rory says sitting straight again as they pull away.

'Why?'

'Because she shouldn't be allowed to get away with making you feel bad about something you had no control over. I'm just going to calmly tell her that.' Rory replied.

Ten minutes later they were walking into the busy diner, Rory smiled at her mum and Luke briefly, spotting Ally and Dean in the corner.

'Hey hun, aren't you two meant to be off on your date.' Lorelai said as Rory entered.

'Small change of plans.' Rory said marching up to Ally and slapping her round the face.

'Hey! What was that for?' Ally yelped, everyone's attention was caught, more than one person staring in shock, including Jess, Lorelai and Luke.

'That was for your little chat with Jess last night! How dare you!' Rory shouted.

'He actually told you what happened.' Ally looked at her in disbelief. 'Wow I didn't think he'd have the guts.'

'How is it that you can be such a horrible person?' Rory shouted.

'Me? Jess stands by and watched his best friend get beaten until he's paralyzed and I'm the bad person?' Ally shouts back loudly. Rory lunges out and slaps her again, shoving her backwards.

'Rory!' Lorelai calls. 'I don't think violence is really the way to solve this.'

'Sorry.' Rory replies still glaring at Ally. 'Jess did everything he could…don't you dare ever say anything else about it because you haven't got a clue.'

'Oh I suppose he used the whole "I was stabbed" thing to make you feel sorry for him. Did he tell you that he'd been a part if their little gang, that he was too scared to do anything about it…I bet he didn't.' Ally pushed Rory backwards.

'Yeah he did actually, he told me the whole thing and none of it was his fault.' Rory shouted. 'So stop acting so high and mighty.'

Ally pushed her backwards again, knocking Rory into a chair and causing her to trip backwards. Jess caught her before she could fall.

'Enough!' Jess shouted.

'Yeah I second that…Jess, Ally, Rory upstairs now! I want to sort this all out.' Luke said, wanting to find out what this was all about, the three teenagers all annoyed and angry made their way upstairs.

'Lorelai do you mind coming up, since Rory's up there…' Luke trailed off as Lorelai jumped up.

'Oh good because this is getting interesting.' Lorelai raced up the stairs, going into the apartment where the two girls were in a shouting match.

'Hey Paris, Nicole knock it off.' Lorelai said. 'And yes Rory before you say it I know that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie may not be the best people to compare you too but they fight and you guys fight so…'

'So, someone better tell us what's going on right this second.' Luke said trying to regain some control. Both younger girls started speaking at the same time. 'One person tell me.'

'Jess how about you, since it seems to be your story.' Lorelai suggested. For the second time that day Jess relayed the painful story, Rory trying to offer what comfort she could.

'You were stabbed?' Luke shook his head. 'How did I never know about this?'

'Liz isn't much for sharing…' Jess shrugs, 'I have a scar.' He lifts his top slightly showing a scar across his abdomen, Rory inhales sharply seeing the scar, she trails her fingers across it lightly.

'Does it hurt?' Rory asks.

'Not anymore.' Jess replied, dropping his shirt down again. 'but that's the story, I'm not proud of my part in it but that's the truth.'

'Jess, Rory's right none of that is your fault, maybe you should have told someone, but you were fourteen and scared and trying to do what was best for your friend, who asked you repeatedly not to tell anyone. You can't blame yourself for what happened.' Luke said turning to Ally.

'Now you…I want to speak to you privately.' Luke said, taking the hint the others walk out of the apartment, into the sunshine outside.

'I uh guess I should talk to you as well.' Lorelai said turning to Rory. 'Uh…don't hit people, even when they deserve it.'

'Ok mum.' Rory smiled.

'But man was that a good show.' Lorelai laughed, 'I so didn't see it coming, I mean you just walked up to her and wham!'

'Mum!' Rory cringed.

'No she's right it was kind of impressive.' Jess smirked. She batted his arm away and blushed deeply.

'I shouldn't have done it, I was just so mad at her.' Rory said.

'Of course you were, she was attacking the boy you love and people tend to go crazy when they are in love.' Lorelai smiles.

'Don't we know it, doing stuff like knocking everything of tables in diners.' Rory smirked.

'Hey, hush you.' Lorelai said nodding to Jess.

'He knows.' Rory said.

'You told him!' Lorelai gasped.

'Yeah…besides I don't think I needed to tell him, it was kind of obvious.' Rory laughed, 'Besides he knows more than you know, he knows stuff that Luke knows.'

'You better spill what you know punk, or Rory won't be the only one getting violent with a Mariano today.' Lorelai stepped toward him. Jess smirked a little but eventually told her what he knew.

'He really likes me?' Lorelai smiled giddily.

'Likes is putting it mildly.' Jess replied. Before he could finish Lorelai had marched into the diner, where Luke had returned to and kissed him.

'Well at least the town won't be talking about your outburst now.' Jess said as they watched in shock.

'This town has a lot of drama today.' Rory smiled, walking away hand in hand with Jess.

A/N- Hope you like it, sorry it took me so long to update this. I feel like I've been saying that for all of my fics lately. Anyhow you know the drill, read and review, I love to hear your views.