One cut from a rusty nail. That'll all it took. Jess Mariano looked at the small scrape from the nail on his leg. It was now puffy and swollen, some white goo oozed from it.

"Ah come on..." Jess murmured to himself, doing his best to clean and bandage the small abrasion. Once it stopped oozing, the blood started. Jess muttered a couple curses before continuing to clean the wound.

The rusty nail had been from his car. One night while he was working on it, he slipped. It was winter and the sidewalks were icy, so an occasional fall was to be expected. He slipped close to  the nail, it ripping through his jeans and grazing his skin.

"Jess! You're taking forever!" His uncle, Luke Danes, yelled from the other side of the door.

"Give me another minute!" Jess yelled, sighing as he wrapped a bandage around his leg and walked out. Annoyed, Luke walked into the bathroom and returned a couple minutes later.

"It's a mess in there, what did you do?" He asked, motioning to the bathroom. Jess sighed and smirked, his signature expression.

"I just got a small cut in my leg last night, it's nothing to worry about or get into a twist over." Jess explained, collapsing into a chair and picking up a book. He opened to the first page and began reading, ignoring his uncle.

Luke sighed and just went back down stairs. The instant he left, Jess unwrapped the bandage again and looked at the cut. Wincing, he poked it. The skin around it was swollen and red, infection had really set in.

Jess had never really had to take care of himself, or anyone for that matter, with an infected cut. The only things he knew was from books or school, when he bothered to show up of course. Unsure of what to really so, Jess decided it would be best to get a book on it.

Grabbing his leather jacket, Jess walked out of Luke's small apartment and walked down to the diner. "Good, now that you're here, you can bust some tables. Get moving." Luke said, noticing his nephew walking down the stairs.

"Can't. Going out to get a book." Jess said, flipping the jacket on.

"Where?" Luke asked, now looking up from the notepad he was writing on before.

"At the book store in town, jeez don't over think it." Jess said, walking out the door and to StarsHollow Books. He purchased a book in infections and other medical stuff. Really only for the intent of the infections.

When he got back to the Diner, he somehow managed to sneak past look and upstairs. There, Jess laid back on the couch and began to read.

Infections
Signs if not treated properly;
Fever
Headache
Cough
Vomiting
Possibility of septic shock is not treated properly.

"Well doesn't that just sound pleasant." Jess muttered, tossing the book onto a nearby table. He stood up and looked at his leg again, sighing. Septic shock from infection could happen with the smallest cut. That's all it took.

"Why'd you get a book like that?" Luke asked, walking back upstairs I the apartment. Jess shrugged.

"That cuts infected. Don't worry, I've got it." Jess assured, sighing. He grabbed another book and started reading once again.

"Can I see it?" Luke asked, taking the book from his nephews hands to get the attention back again.

"What was that for!?" Jess yelled, trying to snatch the book back. Luke set it one the table.

"Where's the scrape? Cut? Whatever it is." Luke asked again, crossing his arms. Rolling his eyes, Jess tucked up his pant leg and unwrapped the gauze bandage. Luke examined the infected cut, looking mildly concerned.

"It's fine Uncle Luke-"

"Please don't call me that. Just Luke." Luke insisted, re-wrapping Jess' ankle.

"Yes Luke. Am I free?" Jess asked, standing up and grabbing his jacket again.

"Where are you going?" Luke asked. Jess just shrugged.

"Out." He answered, closing the door and walking outside from the diner. His leg aching, he walked through the streets of StarsHollow, looking for something to do in the small town.