Disclaimer: I own nothing. A/N: Set during 3.20, "Say Goodnight, Gracie".

"I'm not graduating." The moment those words left Jess Mariano's lips he regretted saying them.

"What?" Luke demanded. "What do you mean you're not graduating?"

"I skipped too many days."

"So Lorelai was right!" Luke exclaimed.

"Yeah, Lorelai Gilmore was right again." Jess said sarcastically.

"You don't talk about her that way." Luke defended Lorelai's prying ways. She meant well. "If nothing else, she's Rory's mom."

"I don't care."

"Obviously not, Jess. You don't. Or else you would care enough not to have missed school. What did the principal say? I assume you saw him?"

"He said I had to repeat senior year."

"Then that's what you have to do."

"I'm not going back there." Jess said with vehemence.

"Then you've got to go." Luke nodded to the door. "You finish school; that was our agreement. Otherwise, you can't live here."

"Where am I supposed to live?" Jess asked.

"You will go back to New York." Luke decided. "And I won't let you come back again. Not under my roof."

"Luke, please." the anger evaporated from Jess's voice. "Don't send me back there."

"Not so tough now, huh?" Luke's words jabbed Jess.

"No." Jess shook his head. Luke kicking him out was the last straw. He had really hit rock bottom, and there was nothing to lose. "I can't go back to Liz's."

"Why not?"

"Because." Jess tried to keep from letting his emotions show, but failed. The truth, barren and raw, showed on his face. "I'd rather not have a black eye or concussion tomorrow morning."

"What?" Luke asked, all anger towards Jess stripped away.

"Liz can't keep control of her boyfriends, that's all." Jess shrugged. "I'll be okay. I was before."

"Jess, hold on."

"No." Jess shook his head. He knew he was risking a new chance to stay with Luke, but the anger and frustration and fear he had been holding in for eighteen years had to come out. "You sit up here, in your diner kingdom, and pass down verdicts for your subjects. Everyone listens to your good advice. No one challenges your word. You get to sit up here and pass judgement on everyone around you. I'm nothing but your loser sister's loser kid who causes nothing but trouble and is probably better off dead in the gutters of New York, right? I hurt this town's princess not once, but twice now, and I'm no better than the dirt road leading out of this one light town. So I'll leave, okay?"

"Jess--" Luke stepped toward the teen and enveloped him in an awkward, but well-intentioned hug. Jess melted in his uncle's arms, and seemed to lose all strength to stand. Luke half-carried Jess over to the couch and settled him there.

"I can't do this anymore." Jess whispered brokenly. "I can't pretend like everything is fine."

"You don't have to." Luke placed an arm around his nephew's shoulder. As he held Jess, Luke knew that whether Jess returned to school or not, Stars Hollow was the best place for him to be, no matter what.