Until Tomorrow

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I associated with, Gilmore Girls

Note: Takes place during 3x19 "Keg!Max!". What if Jess had told Rory the truth about not graduating?

Note 2: Dean is an asshat in this

"Sad boy," Rory said, cupping the side of Jess's face with her hand. "What's wrong?"

Jess shrugged, but Rory stepped closer to him.

"Jess," she held his face in her hands and raised is until he was looking her in the eyes.

"It's me, come on. Tell me what's going on."

Jess stared at her and thought about lying. If it were anyone else he might have, but this was Rory, his girlfriend. The girl he loved, though he wouldn't say it out loud yet.

"I'm not graduating," he finally said and Rory's face changed to one of concern and confusion.

"What? But I thought everything was fine?" she asked.

"I thought it was," he shrugged, "Apparently it's not though. They said I missed too much."

"But you can catch up can't you?" Rory asked, taking a step back so they could talk easier. "You're so smart, it shouldn't be hard-"

"They won't let me," Jess interrupted, "Said I have to take the whole year over and I'm not doing that which means Luke isn't gonna let me stay either."

Rory didn't say anything and Jess looked up from the spot on the carpet he'd been staring at. She was thinking hard right now, he could tell, she had that same face when she was doing homework.

"I can't go to prom either," he added. "Sorry."

"Jess-" she started softly.

"I gotta go." He walked quickly out of the room. He knew he was being a coward, running like this, but he didn't think he could handle Rory breaking up with him on top of everything else today which he knew was inevitable now.

"Jess wait!"

He glanced over his shoulder, but didn't stop moving, making his way down the stairs. He missed the bottom step at the landing and tripped. Right into Dean.

Dean spun around and scowled.

"Watch it," he snapped, pushing Jess away from him.

"Jess!" Rory came up behind him and Dean looked back and forth between the two of them, sneering.

"I gotta go," Jess repeated, making his way down the last few steps.

Dean took one more look at Rory before taking off after Jess. He grabbed the other teen's shoulder and spun him around before punching him in the face.

"Dean!" Rory yelled in shock, but it was no good, everything exploded.

Jess threw a punch back and then the pair were brawling all over the house, tumbling from one room to the next, breaking things along the way until they finally stumbled out the front door, still swinging.

"Jess!" Rory called as soon as she was outside. Police cars were starting to pull up and their lights were flashing.

"Jess," Rory walked over to him and lifted his face so she could see it. Dean had been swinging to hurt. Jess's eye was already starting to swell and his lip was bleeding.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

"Fine," he shrugged her off.

"Jess," she gently, but firmly, sliding her hand down from his face to link her fingers with his. "Don't run again, okay?"