Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, characters, or any original dialogue from our lovely ASP — this is for fun!

Rated M for swearing, suggestive themes, and sexual content in later chapters.

...

Chapter 2: Austen Likes Bukowski

Soundtrack: No One Else by Weezer 1994 | Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill 1992

Rory didn't plan on having company tonight, especially not company like Paris or Jess. She had wanted one night to herself for laundry and Indian food. One night of "Me Time" while her mom was away at a spa with her grandmother. She even had to pacify Dean's neediness. He had assumed that a night alone meant a night alone with him.

But as it turned out, she couldn't think of another time she had so much fun with people who weren't her mother or Lane. Paris and Jess were busy discussing the merits of the Beats movement. Rory could have added to the discussion, but she was silently basking in the glow of an excellent literary debate at her kitchen table.

"A tragic waste of paper."

Jess scoffed at Paris, "I can't believe you just said that."

"Well, it's true, the Beat's writing was completely self-indulgent. I have one word for Jack Kerouac: edit."

"It was not self-indulgent. The Beats believed in shocking people, stirring things up."

"They believed in drugs, booze, and petty crime. "

Rory defended The Beats, "Well, then you can say that they exposed you to a world you wouldn't have otherwise known. Isn't that what great writing's all about?"

Paris retorted quickly, "That was not great writing. That was the National Enquirer of the fifties."

Jess pointed a french fry at Paris, "You're cracked."

"Typical guy response. Worship Kerouac and Bukowski. God forbid you'd pick up anything by Jane Austen."

"Hey, I've read Jane Austen." Jess thought this was probably not something he would usually admit but damn if this crazy girl was going to get a literary leg up on him.

Paris was surprised, "You have?"

"Yeah, and I think she would've liked Bukowski."

Rory could watch this exchange all night and twice on Thursdays. She loved seeing Jess in rare moments like the picnic on the bridge — talkative, witty without being snide, and passionate about books. She believed he was almost as passionate about them as herself, if not as vocal. It was unfortunate, then, that she was pulled out of her reverie by the phone ringing. Picking it up, the voice on the other end made her face drop.

"Oh, hey. Where are you?" Rory asked out of nervousness.

"On my way to see you, if that's okay?"

"Oh, well…" is all Rory got out before Dean interrupted because he just wanted the answer to be yes.

"I know you wanna be alone, so I'll only stay a minute. I just wanna say hi. "

"We just said hi."

"Well, I wanna say hi a little closer."

Rory quickly thought of an excuse. There was no way this situation went over smoothly with a truthful explanation. "But, I'm a mess, really. It's not pretty. You won't recognize me," she said while fully dressed and presentable.

"Well, then put a name tag on 'cause I miss you."

What Rory thought was, but you don't give me a chance to miss you, instead she told Dean, "I miss you too, but…."

"But what?"

Dean still wasn't listening, so she had to think of something else, "Paris is here."

"Why?"

"She freaked out about a grade, and she wanted to go over some notes, and you know Paris, she will not be denied," which was the truth, but it backfired because now Dean knew Rory wasn't alone anymore.

"Okay, then I'm not really ruining your alone night; someone else did that."

"Yes, but…"

"I'll see you in a sec," Dean interjected again and hung up on her.

Annoyed and anxious, she walked back to the kitchen and announced to the table. So much for my good time and literary debate. It was going to be a slaughter if she didn't act fast. "Wow, you know, I just noticed the time, and it's getting really late."

Jess glanced at his watch, confused, "It's seven o'clock."

"I know, but Paris and I still have a lot more studying to do. Jess, please thank Luke for me. It was really nice of him."

It took Jess only a second to realize what was happening and why he was being ushered out so suddenly. Then, he asked who was on the phone, already knowing the answer.

"No one," Rory evaded.

"No one wouldn't happen to be heading over here now, would he?"

"Jess." Rory looked at him. She didn't want to ask him to leave. She just knew that this was the easiest way out.

Paris was trying to read the room but came up empty, "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Rory evaded again. Why am I lying to my friends? Rory was ashamed that it was coming to this, but she still had to correct the wheel before the boat crashed.

Jess explained to Paris, "Dean's on his way over, and Rory doesn't want him to find me here."

Paris still didn't understand, "Why?"

Giving Rory a hard time was usually fun for Jess, but this time, he wanted to help her see why this situation was lousy. So he asked again, "Yeah, why?"

"You know why."

"We're just eating dinner," and talking over the Jolly Green Giant's head which isn't hard to do. He kept the last part to himself.

Rory implored as she finally looked Jess in the eyes, "Jess, I'm asking you as a friend. Just please leave now." She appealed to the version Jess she had seen in the foyer —who admitted to keeping her bracelet.

He held her eyes, "Really want me to go?" He wanted her to have to say it aloud, to hear herself. Bag Boy wasn't going to win that easily.

But Rory knew the truth wouldn't get Jess out of the house. She wanted Dean to be at his own home, and Paris, Jess, and herself lounged in the living room talking about literature. That was the truth, but it would make Dean furious. So, she evaded again, "I really wanna avoid a fight with Dean."

Jess saw the struggle on Rory's face. She didn't yet see Dean for what he was — a daft, barnacle weighing her down. Jess thought after Dean's tantrum about the basket auction and her freak out over the bracelet a month ago, she would begin to see the problem. But after weeks of the same shared smirks, casual run-ins, and quick chats at the diner, he realized she wasn't quite ready to see. So he acquiesced, "Okay, I'm going."

Rory gave him a curt thank you and handed him his jacket. The first battle had been won.

Jess couldn't help himself from giving Rory one more tease to leave with her a giggle and not on a sour note. He poorly faked a twisted ankle and suggested he needed to lie down. However, it didn't elicit the response he was hoping for, and instead, Rory started walking him backward with her hands on his chest toward the front door. "God, you're no fun when you're tense. Are you sure you want me to go? Cause maybe this whole thing can be solved between me and Dean if we just sat down and had a little heart-to-heart. He can tell me his issues. I'll tell him mine."

Then, Rory felt Jess through her palms — firm & lean. He emitted electricity like static from one of those neon electricity balls at the Discovery Channel store. The embers crackled and came to life, and she was out of her realm again. I shouldn't think that right now. Wait, I shouldn't think that at all! Stay focused!

Jess interjected her thoughts, "I promise I'll speak slowly." He goaded while their faces were inches apart. He was disappointed to see angst when she looked back at him, so he stopped struggling.

Rory told Jess bye as she pushed him out the door, and he flippantly said to give Dean his best. But to her dismay, Dean was already there in the front yard. Damn! Dean always uses the back door. She knew tonight was turning out very differently than she could have imagined. So she shifted into defense mode again. "Dean, Jess just came by to bring me some food."

Jess added, "From Luke's."

"He wanted to make sure I ate," Rory tried to make it a worthy cause for why Jess was there, but Dean would find no worth in Jess being anywhere near Rory.

"Luke did," Jess corrected.

"Right, Luke did." Rory thought Dean couldn't get mad if it was Luke's idea.

"Personally, I could care less if she eats," Jess lied.

"Yeah, true, he could care less," Rory lied.

Just when she thought they might come out relatively unscathed, Jess pulled the pin on the grenade and tossed it into the yard. Anyone else would just see it as Jess' nature, but Rory knew it was because Dean was not showing any signs of understanding. "I see you brought a little something, too. Is that ice cream? That's so nice. A tiny little ice cream package just big enough for two. Hey, are you guys gonna feed each other 'cause that's just so darn cute." Rory had to keep herself from being disgusted. Dean had listened long enough and used his only advantage to intimidate Jess — standing taller. He walked onto the porch to loom over Jess, but Jess wouldn't back down. "Oops. You're doing that towering over me thing. Huh. I tell you, you've really got that down. It helps that you're twelve feet tall, but this Frankenstein scowl really adds to the whole…."

"Jess," Rory intervened.

"Okay, I'm going. Look, man, I really was just dropping off some food, so don't get all West Side Story on me, okay." With that, Jess finally walked away.

Rory followed Jess' path across the yard. But then turned to find Dean scowling at her. "So, do you wanna. . ." But true to form, Dean cut her off and marched into the house. ". . .come in?" Rory finished her sentence on an empty porch. Once more unto the breach, she thought to herself as she followed Dean inside.

Dean looked over the table and at Paris, then barked, "What the hell is going on?"

To try and calm Dean, she pretended it was a typical introduction, "Dean, you remember Paris, right?"

"Yeah. Hi," Dean barely touched on pleasantries to get to the scene in the kitchen, not adding up in his mind, "So Jess just dropped this off, huh?"

Rory was finally at a loss for what would improve this. She thought he would calm down once Jess was out of the way, but now, she was the target. Rory had minimal experience in confrontation. She prided herself on doing the right thing consistently, so she began to stumble, "Oh, well. . . "

"Now, I know you eat fast, but this is a lot of food to put away that quickly, even on your best day."

"Okay, so he didn't just drop it off, but…," Rory couldn't make sense of Dean's level of anger or his volume. Jess was right; they were just having dinner.

"You told me you were doing laundry tonight."

Rory was adamant about this truth, "I was."

"And now you are here with Jess."

Geez, could he not let this go? He was not seeing the whole picture, so she emphasized, "And Paris!"

Rory pointed at Paris, and she gave a small wave, mouth still full of food. This was too much scrutiny for Paris' liking. She had come here to escape her parents' fighting and was right back in the middle. The universe had no shortage of irony. As the bickering resumed, Paris grabbed the to-go bowl of mac & cheese, her bag & jacket, and slipped out the door. She felt terrible for leaving Rory in a situation like that but knew she didn't want to get in the middle.

Jess lingered at the edge of the yard smoking. He thought Dean would behave himself if there was still a witness in the house, but Paris had just walked out. Paris shrugged when they saw each other and climbed into her car. Jess understood - it wasn't over in there.

At that moment, Jess remembered every one of Liz's deadbeat flavors-of-the-month bitching at her. And he wondered if this argument would ever turn physical like those had. Jess overheard his name being yelled from inside and thought, I'm in this already, so I might as well. In a few quick strides, he made it back through the front door and the house toward the kitchen, ready for whatever Forester was about to throw at him. Jess stood in the hallway just out of sight and paused briefly to brush aside the memory of the last time he stuck his nose into an argument - the infamous punch thrown at the latest deadbeat, which landed him here, in the land of the Lollypop Guild. He ultimately decided that if he could finally stand up to a scumbag on behalf of his mother, who didn't deserve his protection, he could damn well stand up to an ill-tempered dolt on behalf of Rory.

Jess' thoughts promptly came back to the Gilmore house as he heard Rory stammer, "Well, he was. . .and the diner, the diner was. . .and I. . ."

Dean barely let her finish her sentence before he interjected, "And you what? What? Say something!"

"Stop yelling!"

Jess wouldn't hold his tongue any longer, and maybe not even his fists, if the boy wonder didn't back down.

"You totally lied to me!"

"I didn't!" At least not about this, Rory thought to herself.

"Turn the situation around, Rory! How's it looking?"

"It's looking complicated, and I'm trying to explain it to you!"

"Ugh, that's crap!"

Jess stepped around the corner as two sets of eyes whipped around to find him still there: in one, he saw daggers, and in the other, panic but with the slightest hint of relief. "Damn, Forester, I know the wallpaper here is yellow, but I hope you haven't bolted her bed to the floor yet."

Dean didn't direct his question at the intruder but snapped back at Rory, "What the hell is he still doing here!? Did you ask him to stay!? You still owe me an explanation."

Jess thought to himself, Fatal Attraction much? Fucking psycho. He watched as Rory started another round of entreaties, so he stepped further into the kitchen and chose a different approach, "Rory. Stop." She turned to look at him, and he could see the well of tears building up over her crystalline blue eyes. He knew it would be easier for Rory to calm down and keep his temper in check if he ignored Dean as much as he could manage. He also knew this wasn't like stepping into one of Liz's situations. Liz couldn't be reasoned with and would, as evidenced, always come to her boyfriend's defense. He knew Rory was more intelligent than that, even if naive. He needed to get her away from Dean. Jess held her gaze and continued, "Stop insisting on clearing your head — clear your fucking heart instead." Bukowski would never fail him.

Rory felt herself nod and relax under Jess' intent stare and Bukowski's words. Feeling it everywhere and all at once, she wanted it to be just her and Jess in the room. She felt it earlier, but fear took over, and she invited Paris to stay as a buffer. I just wanted to be near him. I just wanted to keep talking to him. I just wanted to keep talking about books. Books they both loved. Books they both hated. Books she knew that Dean would never understand. She knew he didn't even understand the references Jess had made since walking back in the house. She swallowed hard. Dean was the unwanted factor in this equation. Through every realization, Rory never left Jess' gaze.

The room was still. Dean choked on Jess' statement. He was bothered that Jess was talking to Rory and that he could never fully understand what Jess was saying. He fumed at the exchange but was frozen. Until Rory made the slightest lean toward Jess and away from Dean. Dean locked in on Jess as every muscle in his body tensed. Dean needed to break their connection. He needed to get her away from Jess.

The air shifted, and the room burst from the tension. Dean stepped toward Jess and bellowed, "Stop talking to my girlfriend and get out!" He reached back to position Rory behind himself and further away from Jess.

Rory felt Dean's arm reach across her torso. This was not the unexpected affection she was used to when Dean would sneak up to hug her from behind. Instead, he reached around her at an awkward angle and planted his hand on her belly. Before she could register his action, he pitched her backward. She stumbled for only a step until her back bashed into the refrigerator.

Jess had a thousand thoughts surging, trying to rectify themselves simultaneously. Kill Lurch... Help Rory… Don't break anything… Help Rory… Luke? Lorelai? One thought won out: Help Rory. Dean lunged at Jess but came up empty-handed as Jess darted back down the hallway, having formulated his plan. He dashed out the front door with Dean at his heels, bumbling behind. Jess knew Dean's strides were longer, but after a lifetime of navigating dark alleys out of the reach of other predators, Jess had the sight and agility of a New York sewer rat. He led Dean around the left side of the house in an arc toward the back door. Jess slipped back into the kitchen, slammed the door, and locked it quickly on an enraged giant. He registered that Rory was on the floor, but he had to lock the front door, or this would have been for naught. He darted through the house again and reached the front door latch just as Dean came up the steps. Jess didn't flinch when Dean slammed both fists on the door in defeat.

Jess took a deep breath and turned heel back to the kitchen. The scene before him was enough to make the Grinch's heart grow three sizes, let alone his own. In one dive around the table still full of food, he was on the floor in front of a sobbing Rory in a pile of absurd but Gilmore-appropriate refrigerator magnets. Damnit, Mariano! I was just trying to help. I was trying to make the situation better, not worse. I fucked up — again. He wanted to be sorry about being the catalyst for this situation, but he wasn't. However, he was sorry that Rory was hurt. He nervously reached out to her, grazing his hand softly down her shoulder to her arm. "Rory, I'm…."

Rory jerked away briefly, making Jess' stomach drop, but she quickly looked up to see Jess — not Dean. Jess! She instinctively threw her arms around his neck. It's what she had wanted to do earlier instead of pushing him out the door. She held on with every bit of strength she had left. Stupefied, Jess fell back on his heels with his legs folded under him. He quickly braced himself and held her back with an unforeseen need. He was so far out of his realm.

Rory sobbed and gasped. She realized after a while that Jess was stroking her back and shushing her cries. She finally began to breathe to the rhythm of his consoling and calmed. She had no idea how long they had been sitting on the kitchen floor together until Jess spoke softly in her ear, "Ror, I won't let go of you, but I have to move before my legs fall asleep." Jess wanted more than anything to keep hold of Rory but he knew she needed more than his affection right now.

"Oh god, Jess, I'm so sorry." Rory jerked away, but he kept his word, not releasing hold of her hands, even as they stood up. She had to ask for her peace of mind, so her voice squeaked out, "Where did he go?"

"I don't know. I locked the doors," Jess assured her.

Rory nodded and wiped her face working out that she actually looked like a mess now. Not pretty. Unrecognizable.

They both winced as the phone rang. Rory didn't want to talk to anyone, but if it were Lorelai, her mom would worry if Rory didn't pick up. She didn't let go of his hand as she walked them to the phone. It wasn't Lorelai; it was Luke. "Rory, are you okay? Babette called to say Lorelai was gone tonight, and she heard some yelling and saw Jess & Dean running through the yard. What's going on? Where's Jess? What did he do?"

At Luke's voice, Rory felt lightheaded again. She wanted to tell him everything Jess did. He did everything, Luke. For me. Jess had been listening and understood that this wouldn't be the last time recounting this night would hit Rory like a wave and wash the sand from under her feet. But he could bear the brunt of this wave for her. He took the phone from Rory's hand, "Luke, I'm here. Forester started yelling at her, and I stepped in. I got him outside and locked him out. I swear, I didn't even touch him. Rory's fine now, but…," Jess trailed off, not wanting to make Rory uncomfortable reliving all the details.

"But what? Jess?" Luke prodded through the phone with his anger already boiling from the abbreviated details Jess had given.

"…he pushed her into the fridge, and she fell."

There was silence on the other end of the line, then a dial tone. Jess was familiar with Luke's dramatic pauses and knew Luke was pissed. At least Jess wouldn't be on the receiving end; it was Forester this time. Good luck, Bag Boy. Jess chuckled aloud, and Rory looked bewildered. He looked into her eyes full of worry & confusion and shook his head. He gave her a patented smirk until she softened.

They looked down at their adjoined hands but made no move to separate. Jess had the absent thought that he had never held hands with a girl this long. Holding hands was always too sweet for him. It was a waste of his time. Holding Rory's hands would always be a good use of his time. But it's a waste of her time. Why is she holding me like this? Why is she looking at me like a savior? I can't save anyone. I can't even save myself from this Fellini hell.

Rory wanted to take the time to appreciate getting to do what she wanted to do a month ago, but her mind was in disorder. She knew she should let go of him, but of all the unlikely characters, Jess was her lifeline right now. Rory felt like she couldn't make sense of anything. What did I do wrong? Why is Dean so mad? Did he mean to push me? Why did Jess come back? Why can't I let go of him?

They were pulled from their internal questions by loud footsteps scuffling across the porch. Rory recoiled, "Oh god, he came back!"

Jess moved toward the door, but Rory pulled him back, pleading, "No, no, no. Don't, Jess." But Jess heard something Rory didn't. Jess slept lightly and read footsteps to be ready for anything. He knew when Liz was drunkenly stumbling to her bedroom. He knew when Liz's boyfriends were angrily stomping toward his room. But more recently, he knew when Luke was marching up the apartment stairs to lecture him. Which is exactly what he heard now. Another loud thud hit the wall of the house. Jess unlocked the front door and found Dean pinned to the wall by his uncle. Luke seethed, "You like how this feels, Bag Boy?!"

"Get off me, Luke! You don't know what happened!" Dean choked out.

Luke's voice was eerily calm and guttural, "Did you fight with Rory?"

"Yes, but…"

"Did you yell at her?"

"Yes, but he…."

Luke growled, "Did you… push… her… into the refrigerator?"

"Yes… but they…"

"So I know exactly what happened. And I know exactly what's about to happen to you. I knew you were trouble from the first moment, you floppy-haired son-of-a-bitch. I have been waiting for this since Lorelai stopped us in the street last time."

Restrained under Luke's forearms with his back digging into the siding, and now remembering being attacked and embarrassed by the same guy outside the diner a year ago, Dean had had enough of this scene. The whole Danes family could go to hell. "At least I got the girl. You're still Lorelei's little errand boy. Pathetic."

At Dean's insult to Luke, the only father figure who had consistently been there for her, Rory snapped, "You take that back!"

Dean spat back, "Like hell I will."

"You know, I tried to ignore this. I really did, but I don't know what the hell I was thinking."

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't wanna be with me, Dean."

Dean strained his head toward Rory while still in Luke's vice grip. He replied earnestly, "Yes, I do." Unfortunately, at the same time he responded, he glanced down to see that she and Jess were holding hands and wished instantly to take back his answer.

Rory felt something inside her implode. She used to have a solid plan. She knew what she wanted, and nothing would get in her way. But when Dean came into the picture, she lost her logic. She had become a people pleaser — a Dean pleaser. He even made her feel guilty about Harvard! Since she was with Dean, her character had lost agency.

Rory then felt something inside her bloom. She would channel every respectable literary heroine she had ever read in her books. She wasn't going to let the plot drive her. Damnit! I'm not Miss Daisy. She was going to make her own decisions. Jane Austen had taught her years ago, "My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me." She finally felt Austen's words.

Rory dropped Jess' hand and launched herself at Dean, "Oh, please! You've been more focused on Jess since he got to town. You see me as this possession that someone else can take away from you, and I have spent weeks, months, actually trying to convince myself that it wasn't true, that everything was fine between us. That I was the one in the wrong for not giving YOU enough attention. But now I know that I was an idiot. It's so damn obvious."

"What's obvious? What did I ever do?" But, of course, he was defending his damaged pride.

"What did you do? You… you…" Rory tripped over her words and grabbed the first thought that occurred to her, "You judged me for Colonel Clucker the first time you went in my room!"

Dean scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Are you serious?"

Rory heard the blood rush through her ears. Dean was still patronizing her. His past behavior washed over her. He wanted serious. So she took a deep breath and dove in headfirst. "You broke up with me when I couldn't say I love you! You fought with my grandfather and with Luke. I had to beg you to go to a dance with me, and you threatened to kill a guy while we were there. I had to bribe you with Battle Bots to do that coming out ceremony with me. You tattled to my mom when I went with Jess for the bid-a-basket picnic. I had to apologize to you for staying too long at a book fair, then I had to watch Lord of the Rings AGAIN. I am so SICK of that movie I could puke. Read the freaking books already! They're so much better! Speaking of which, you guilt me for reading, doing schoolwork, spending time with anyone who isn't you, and even wanting time to myself. And even when I tell you what I want, you don't listen to me and do what you want anyway… you came here tonight even though I asked you not to." She only paused long enough to take a breath and pull Dean's bracelet from her wrist. The leather band ripped in two. She held it up momentarily, "You know what else? I LOST this bracelet and lied to you because I was terrified of your reaction! It was gone for TWO WEEKS" She threw it to the porch floor. "So, yes, I have lied, but it was only to spare your feelings... no, your temper. I was scared of you tonight, Dean. You're no saint! And to you, I'm just your girlfriend. Saint Dean's girlfriend. Cavewoman of your dreams, unga bunga! Everyone can see, Dean! Everyone. And I don't want to be Donna Reed ever again, and I'm tired, but I'm over it, so go ahead, go. Cause you're out." With that, she pounded back into the house, leaving all three guys stunned on the front porch, having witnessed a proper Gilmore tirade.

Luke released Dean from the wall knowing that the boy wouldn't have any fight left after a berating like that. "You heard her. You're out." Luke threw his thumb over his shoulder as Dean looked at Jess, who tried to straighten his crooked smile by tugging at his bottom lip. Dean straightened his jacket and slunk between the two down the steps. Luke turned to watch him go and added, "Hey Forester, if you ever…."

Without turning around, Dean cut him off and threw his hands up, "Yeah, right! She's not worth it anymore," his voice dripping with contempt.

Luke's hand shot out to hold Jess back. He knew nothing good for Rory would come out of letting Jess off that porch. Although, Luke didn't hold himself back from daydreaming of his feisty nephew pummeling Dean into the ground. Luke just called out, "Keep walking, Bag Boy."

Once Dean was out of sight, Luke stepped inside softly and looked around for Rory. He found Rory pacing the hallway toward the kitchen. She turned back toward the living room and found Luke in her path. He didn't speak but assessed her, unsure what to do next. Rory made the decision for both of them when she nearly ran the small distance between them and fell into Luke's embrace. He didn't hesitate like other times he had tried to hug Rory. Luke was always awkward with affection. But tonight, she needed him. He held Rory with every unknown paternal part of himself. Luke walked them over to the couch and kept Rory tucked into his side. She burrowed her cheek onto Luke's chest and let her hot, silent tears soak his flannel.

Jess took in the scene feeling what he could only partially discern was jealousy. He wasn't sure if he was jealous of Luke holding Rory or of Rory being held by Luke. Jess pushed the thoughts out by making himself useful. He covered Rory in a blanket, turned on the t.v., and popped in a VHS tape he found on the shelf. As a grandfather started telling the story of Wesley & Buttercup to his grandson, Jess settled into the chair in the corner. They all slowly drifted to sleep by the time Wesley tumbled down the hill, calling out, "As… you… wish!"

This is how Lorelai found all three of them when she made it back that night from the spa. She stood dumbfounded. It was inexplicable, but Lorelai was sure she wanted to see this again one day. Jess repositioned and woke up to Lorelai confusedly appraising her living room. He stood and pointed to the kitchen. Jess had forgotten to clean up the magnets, so he bent to replace them on the face of the fridge. Lorelai joined him and anxiously asked, "What happened?"

Jess wasn't tight-lipped or evasive with Lorelai this time. Instead, he filled her in on the night's events as if he were writing a novel. Jess thoroughly enjoyed recounting the bag boy getting slammed against the wall. Lorelai sat enthralled as if listening to a best-selling thriller.