A/N: So, it seems unanimous that we would all punch Logan in the face in the given circumstances; therefore, no-one can blame Jess for his behaviour, right? Wrong! ;)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 11
"Are you stupid? Did you take a blow to the head and lose vital brain functions?"
"Paris, stop!"
Jess knew saying it was pointless, but he did it anyway. Paris was a juggernaut, she didn't stop for anyone or anything, ever. He was a damn fool because he was the one who called her to confess his sins, but he needed someone to talk to, and Rory was not the right person in this situation. He had come to rely on Paris almost as much a she relied on him, even if he wasn't anxious to admit it most of the time.
"You hit Logan Huntzberger!" she exclaimed, as if Jess didn't already know. "Not that I'm suggesting for a moment you weren't probably provoked, or that he didn't have it coming, but he's Logan Huntzberger!"
Jess moved the phone away from his head a moment, wincing at her volume. Like he needed any assistance in having a headache. The bruise on his forehead proved that wasn't true, though of course Paris couldn't see that from Stars Hollow.
"If you could stop saying his name, that would really help," he assured her, returning the phone to his ear.
Paris scoffed. "You have to tell Rory."
"Why?"
"Because, this was in some misguided, knight of the round table, idiocy to protect her honour or something," said Paris, without missing a beat, "she should know that she's the ridiculous reason for your stupid and thoughtless crime."
Jess sighed, knowing she was right. He hated that she was right, but she most definitely was. As if she wasn't going to notice the split lip and the bruises when they got back on Monday. At least Paris wasn't threatening to go hand over the phone right now or spill all his secrets the second they hung up from their call. He had deliberately text Paris to ensure she wasn't with Rory before he made his call. He got lucky. She was with Lane for now, and Paris was free to talk in the privacy of her own car where no Stars Hollow residents were likely to hear.
"I'll talk to her when you guys get back," he said, thinking of Rory and feeling just a little sick about the conversation they were going to have to have later. "I don't want to ruin her weekend."
Paris sighed audibly.
"My God, Jess, we leave you alone for one day."
"I'm not a puppy that peed on the rug or a kid that pulled a Risky Business, Paris," he snapped at her. "So, I hit a guy, so what? You know he had it coming."
"I know he probably deliberately said things to provoke you," she countered, knowing that much was true. She didn't like what she was about to say, knowing how it would hurt him, but she really didn't see she had a choice. "He really likes Rory," she said regretfully, "and what those people want, they usually get."
"Not this time," said Jess immediately, steel in his voice.
"You do realise that's not your decision to make?" Paris reminded him, wishing she was there to put a comforting hand on his shoulder and take some of the sting out of what she was telling him. "As much as it pains me to say it, if Rory chose Logan, you couldn't stop her."
There was a long painful silence on the other end of the line before Jess spoke again.
"You think she would?" he asked, sounding as scared as Paris had ever heard him - she hated that.
"No, not really," she replied immediately. "I mean, he's cute, he's rich, he has power in the industry she loves, or at least his father does, but Rory tends towards the less shallow end of the spectrum. She loves you, I know that much. Tempting as Huntzberger may be, unless you hand her a reason to dump you, I don't think she would."
"Huh," said Jess, clearly giving that one some thought.
Paris heard a knocking on her window and turned to glare when she realised it was Taylor. Right now was not a good time for him to talk to her about minor parking infractions, and she was pretty sure the look on her face told him that. Unfortunately, with Doose, he didn't always pick up on such obvious hints.
"Does punching out her new friend count as a reason?" asked Jess in her ear.
"Depends," she told him, wondering if she could get away with a similar move on Taylor - probably not. "Look, I have to go. Try not to do anything else stupid until we get back, okay?"
"I'll do my best," Jess promised, smiling in spite of the everything now. "Thanks, sis."
She told him he was welcome and they ended their call. Jess dropped back onto his bed, and stared unseeing at the ceiling. He really should not have gotten into that fight with Huntzberger, and he could really live to regret it yet. Logan was probably the kind of guy to call the cops or at least report Jess to those in power at Yale. No matter what, Jess was going to have to face Rory and she was unlikely to be impressed by his pugnacity. All in all, it wasn't the best day of Jess' life, and despite her best attempts, Paris hadn't made him feel all that much better about it.
"Okay, Paris. No, it's fine, I understand. I'll see you tomorrow. Okay, bye."
Rory ended the call and frowned at her cell for a moment.
"She okay?" asked Lane, as they walked around the town square together.
"I think so, but she sounded kind of weird," said Rory, shaking her head. "She said she wanted to head back to Yale now the festival was over. Something about some work to do that she forgot before."
"Oh, well, that makes sense, I guess," Lane considered. "So, pretty crazy weekend, huh?"
"I'll say!" Rory agreed, shoving her cell back into her pocket and giving all her attention to the best friend she felt she really hadn't given enough time to of late. "I mean, with the festival, and Sookie having the baby, and you guys getting a new guitarist."
"I know." Lane nodded her agreement. "Gil is great, but it is a little weird him being so much older."
"Plus, he's no Dave Rygalski," said Rory with a smile, that expression fading when she noticed how Lane looked away. "I'm sorry," she apologised immediately. "Should I not have mentioned-?"
"No, it's fine. It's fine," Lane insisted. "It's just... Well, I've hardly heard from him since he went to California, even though he promised to keep in touch," she said, fingers lacing and unlacing in front of her as she walked in some awkward gesture. "I've been spending a lot of time with the other guys though, and... I don't know, Zach is always really nice. He talks to me like a person. It's different to how he is with other girls, you know?"
She had a particular smile on her face that Rory recognised of old. She wasn't sure whether to be happy about it or concerned in the circumstances. Technically Lane and Dave didn't break up. They were supposed to be doing the long-distance thing, and yet suddenly, Lane was noticing Zach, and mentioning him more than a little in the few conversations they had squeezed in since Yale began.
"You talk about Zach a lot lately," she noted, as casually as possible. "Is something going on there?"
"Of course, not," said Lane, almost too quickly. "I mean, well, you seemed mention Logan Huntzberger a lot recently. What's going on there?
"We kind of got to be friends, I guess, and he's going to help me with a story on the Life and Death Brigade, but that's all," said Rory, shrugging her shoulders.
"And Jess doesn't mind?"
"Of course not!" Rory scoffed at the suggestion. "He trusts me" she insisted, biting her lip before she continued, "and he kind of doesn't know how much time we've spent together," she admitted, looking sideways at Lane.
Her friend's eyes widened. "Wow. Playing with fire," she noted with a look. "Be careful, Rory."
"It's fine," she insisted, finding a smile.
Lane didn't look entirely convinced, but she said no more about it, for now.
"You didn't have to come back, I'm fine," said Jess when he opened the door to his dorm and found Paris on the other side.
"You're fine now," she agreed, following him to his bedroom, "but what about when the campus police come calling?"
"You don't think they would've come by now if Huntzberger reported me?" he said, at least half-curious to hear her opinion, even though he had fooled himself into thinking it would be fine.
"Maybe," Paris considered, dropping down into the desk chair as he sat down on the bed. "Jess, I love you, but you're an idiot."
"Thanks, sis," he said, with a smirk that made the wound on his lip pull tight and hurt like hell.
"I'm serious," she insisted. "Do you want to get kicked out of Yale?"
Jess met her eyes and considered his answer carefully. Eventually, he decided the truth was probably the way to go.
"Sometimes," he admitted, trying not to hear her gasp or notice the range of emotions that crossed her face, but it was impossible. "No, I just... That guy is a tool, okay? He had it coming," he said instead, glad of the subject change, but also meaning every single word very definitely.
"Agreed," said Paris, nodding once, "but you have to be smarter than this, Jess. I need you here right now."
He sighed too heavily, dropping his head into his hands for a moment, dragging his fingers back through his hair. He knew this. He understood Paris' need for support right now, and Luke's need to see him do well, and Rory's need to have him close. It was why he was still here so far, no matter what.
"I'm sorry," he said, glancing up at Paris again.
She shook her head, not denying his apology, he was certain, just unsure what to say to him for the best. A sigh escaped her and she leaned forward towards him, the slightest hint of a smile curving her lips.
"Did it feel good?" she asked him then. "Popping him like that?"
"It really did," Jess admitted, glancing away, "but Rory is not going to like it."
"I don't know," Paris considered. "So long as you tell her the kinds of things he was implying about her, she might be okay with it. Women like her, they're into that whole 'protector of my virtue' thing," she said with a smirk to rival any Jess had ever worn himself. "Which is ironic, since you're the one who also took her virtue."
Jess might've laughed if he didn't think it would hurt. He at least managed a smile as he picked up a pillow and threw it at his sister.
"Shut up, Paris," he told her, but man, was he ever glad to have her to talk to right now.
To Be Continued...
