Author note: this story continues, again based on the premise that Dean never married Lindsay, and he didn't pine for some relationship with Rory once he started working at the Dragonfly. Rory choosing Jess didn't make him some pathetic, timid fool. He knows deep down that Rory isn't it, and he never wanted her in a sexual way, he just loved the idea of dating someone pretty who was Harvard bound. Dating her made him more driven. Dean would have gone to college right after graduation but his family was having financial trouble, and even with scholarships, he had to pay the difference, on his own. Lorelai is more compatible, someone who struggled financially to build a life, but of course, the age difference is a factor, the daughter/ex girlfriend element makes it weird, and Luke is always on the periphery, so this was complicated.

Well, that was a wasted trip to the city. Brian drove Lane's drums in the van by himself and got horribly lost, and they had to cancel. Why did the others drive in Gil's car? Vexing. Maybe mom will watch Billy Jack with me. Was there ice cream in the fridge? Everything in town will be closed so stopping at the 7 11 gas station at this approaching exit is necessary.

I should have gone to Lorelai's house and stopped her. She belongs with Luke. We are opening the inn, and she starts sleeping with Dean? How much more stress can either of us take? What is she thinking? Even though they don't LOOK far apart in age, they are. The town knows their ages. What is she thinking?

Is Lorelai on a date with some guy already? Something's up. Rory asking me if I've seen her, that weird Sookie choking thing at the pub, why is that still on my mind? Tomorrow I need to talk to her, alone. Can I do this? Nah, it's too soon to give her some serious proclamation. She has to focus on the inn opening, THEN I can tell her how I feel.

Are you kidding me? My bladder is going to burst. We have to pull off at the next exit. I cannot be mentally AND physically uncomfortable for 1 more minute. "Dean, I really need to use the loo. Please take this next exit."

"Sure, this rest area's well lit. Your wish is my command." May as well hit the men's room while we're here.

Dean smiles watching Lorelai try to run in her heels at lightning speed. He heads to the men's room.

Oof, it smells disgusting in here. Savages.

Dean is walking back to the car and notices some stranger at the passenger's door, dumping Lorelai's purse on the seat.

"Hey! Back away from my truck!"

"Fuck off. I need money. Give me $200."

Do I rough this guy up? Not with Lorelai here.

"Take whatever cash is in there. Here, I have $75 right here."

"Dean, what are you…"

A second guy appears on the sidewalk, blocking the path between Lorelai and Dean, and he let's out a loud whistle at the sight of Lorelai.

"Damn, you are one fine looking woman."

Don't be stupid, don't say anything Lorelai. Oh god, there's a guy at the truck. This stop is deserted. What do I do? How do I get us out of here?

How do I get us out of here? "Hey Lorelai, the guy in the truck just needs some money. Do you have cash in your purse?" He calmly but assertively starts walking towards her.

"What? You don't think we make a good couple?" and the stranger hooks an arm around her shoulder. Lorelai. Dean becomes enraged and he's gunning for the guy.

"Don't touch her!"

Dean punches the guy with great force in the face, sputtering the guy off-balance and the guy falls.

"Dean! Behind you!"

The truck guy is lunging at him with a knife. Dean turns around and blocks the guy's slice motion, and kicks him in his side with what looks like a karate move. Other guy is back on his feet and Lorelai takes off her heels and tries to tackle him, but ends up vice gripped in his wiry arms and he starts to drag her, kicking, away from the lit sidewalk. "We're gonna enjoy this! Is that pussy as sweet as your ass?"

Dean catches this out of the corner of his eye "NO!" and launches towards them, putting the guy's head in a headlock, threatening to snap his neck if he doesn't release her right now.

The guy's grip loosens as he coughs trying to get air. Lorelai is released and she sees Dean who looks possessed and the guy whose face is turning blue. He is going to kill this guy.

In a blink the guy with the knife plunges it into Dean's side, Lorelai clocks him in the face, stunning him enough so Dean can drop her attacker and send a final blow to knife guy with the arm opposite the gash, crashing his sledgehammer fist into the guy's jaw, knocking him to the ground, with Dean plummeting to the rough ground beside him.

Just as the attack commenced, a travel-weary family had pulled in, saw what was happening and from the safety of their car called 911.

"DEAAAN!" Lorelai screamed so loudly she thought she'd shatter her own eardrums.

"Dean, oh god, talk to me. Dean! Come on, stay with me, Ihearsirens. WhatcanIdo? Deanyousavedme, Ican'tloseyou, DeanI…"

By some miracle, a state trooper was passing the area on the other side of the highway when he heard the dispatcher over the radio. He pulled a U-turn at the break in the divider, and drove up to the fracas, counting two men on the ground, and one woman bent over a third.

"Police! Freeze! Put your hands up and step away from the victim!"

"No officer, my husband is bleeding on the ground, stabbed by knife, we were attacked…"

"Face down on the ground now, hands behind your back NOW!"

Dean is losing consciousness, bleeding profusely, and I can't help him. This cop is going to let him die while he deals with me. LORELAI FOCUS! Listen to the cop, be calm, then explain when he sees you aren't a threat.

"You have the right to remain silent." He's mirandizing me. Does he think I did all this? What is happening?

Jesus, did this prostitute stab that guy? Who are those other guys? Where is backup? Are there guns?

"Officer?" Lorelai whimpered in a slow, quiet, strained voice.

He had walked over to the men on the ground. She wasn't facing them, facing Dean. Should she move? Her wrists hurt. Why was this happening? Was Dean unconscious? Why didn't she shout "I love you" to this man who saved her from…

"Ma'am? We need you to stand up. I'm going to help you to your feet."

She didn't even hear the other sirens, the police backup, the ambulance, she didn't notice the family off in the distance giving a statement. Her eyes were flooded with tears and dirt, she couldn't see Dean. She was so disoriented.

"Officer, please, I'm not the criminal. Is my husband okay? He's the man with the bleeding stab wound in his side." She was on a full-blown crying jag now.

Lorelai was cuffed in the back of a police car. Numb.

Her door is opened. "Ma'am, we need your statement."