The girl smiled and walked into her favourite shop in the whole world. Mariano's; a small independent bookstore in New York City. An old fashioned bell jingled when the door opened and the girl stepped into the cool interior. The walls were a light beige colour with a dark wooden trim and there were matching wooden shelves lined up, all full to the brim with books. Squishy armchairs were strategically placed in between the shelves with small tables for you to place your coffee mug. Along the back wall ran a long wooden counter. On one side was an old fashioned cash registrar similar to one in a diner in a small town known as Stars Hollow. Along the rest of the counter were several bar stools for customers to sit and drink a cup of coffee from one of the multicoloured cups along the wall behind the counter, maybe discuss literature with the shop owner.

The owner was at the moment sitting behind the counter scribbling away, his curly black head bent over a notebook. The girl walked straight up to him and asked; "Excuse me, but do you stock the Fountainhead?"

Jess's head jerked up and his dark eyes met the startling blue ones. He grinned and leant across the counter to kiss her. Rory responded eagerly. "I'm terribly sorry ma'am, but I don't stock the work of but cases."

"Really!" Rory shot back, a smile dancing on her lips, "But I have noticed that you have Jess Marino's book!"

Jess grinned. "I'm just about to close up. You coming up?" Rory nodded and waved a rental bag in the air before disappearing upstairs to the apartment above. The apartment contained nearly as many books as the shop downstairs. The largest wall in the living room was devoted entirely to books, shelves reaching from floor to ceiling. Rory chucked her bag on the floor near the sofa and turned on the TV and put in her boyfriend's favourite film.

Jess watched the credits of Almost Famous roll on the screen and played idly with Rory's hair where she lay, sprawled across his chest. She sighed contentedly. "Move in with me." He said softly.

Rory sat up and stared at him, "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack." He replied. "Why not? You're over here all the time anyway, you sleep here practically every night, all of your books that I don't already have copies of and some that I do are here, it's nearer to your work and… y'know… I want you to live with me."

Rory just looked at him. "Huh." She said. He frowned his brows a little and she grinned before launching herself at him and catching his lips in a fierce kiss. "I'm gonna call Mom right now!" she said excitedly and clambered off the sofa and towards the phone. Dialling the number she grinned at Jess, "Mom!"

"Offspring!" Lorelai cheered down the phone. "It's nearly midnight! Whadya want?"

"I'm moving in with Jess!!" She squealed excitedly.

"Oh I see, living in sin are we?"

Jess grinned.

A week or so later…

Jess smiled sleepily at Rory. He loved morning. He adored waking up next to someone e loved everyday. And he was growing curiously fond of the t-shirt her mother and bought her. Rory slept in it every night. It proclaimed; "LIVING IN SIN" in hot pink letters.