rory spends the season in a relationship with dean, while tristan, the main rival for her affections from the first season, is sent away to military school. luke's nephew jess comes to stay with him after getting into trouble at home in new york and his interest in rory is plain. jess and rory are involved in a car accident that destroys the car dean refurbished for rory and leaves rory with a fractured wrist. despite rory's protests, the whole town blames jess, who goes back to new york. the incident causes a rift between lorelai and luke.