I own nothing of Gilmore Girls or the songs used in this fanfic
A Song For You
"You've to come sing at my wedding. Consider it a wedding present if it'll make you feel better." Lane paces up and down in the living room, phone in one hand. "Come on, please! You have one of the best voices I have ever heard and the music that you write is unbelievably good. Impossibly good if you consider that its you who wrote them. Your song is still top 10 on the billboard charts! Its already considered one of the best love songs ever!"
Lane can practically hear the eye roll. She giggles as she knows that she's close to getting what she wants.
"Lane, you know I would like nothing more than to be there for your special day but she will be there and I just really can't handle that right now." As he hears her inhale a breath, in what is sure going to be a rant worthy of her best friend, he quickly carries on talking. "Besides, she'll bring along the boyfriend. She doesn't want me there anymore Lana. She made that abundantly clear last time we spoke."
They are both silent after that admission. So silent in fact, that he is able to hear her soft reply.
"She's not the same Rory anymore." He closes his eyes in an attempt to ignore the tears flowing down the face of someone he cares so much about. "She hardly ever smiles or laugh these days. She's completely miserable. He really isn't good for her –"
"Lane, we both know I wasn't good for her eith-"
"Bullshit! You pushed her to do the things she always wanted to do, not to steal yachts! Or join the DAR! Or run away from Lorelai! Jess she needs you!" The line goes silent again as he sighs in frustration. "She loves you… Jess, she's never stopped loving you. You have always ran away, don't you think that maybe its time that you actually fought for her?"
"Don't you think she'll be mad at you for keeping our friendship a secret from her for so many years?"
"Oh please, like she's never kept any secrets from me." Jess smirks at the sarcasm that can be easily heard. "You are my closest guy friend. I want you at the wedding, making my best friend realise that she's meant to be with you, and getting rid of that Blond Dick of Yale!"
"Lane…" he sighs, knowing he's going to regret this, "fine, I'll sing a couple songs for you at the wedding."
"Her. I want you to sing for her Jess."
There's a click before beeping tone indicates the end of the call.
"She's the only one I ever sing for." He whispers into the empty store.
Jess walks upstairs to the apartment atop of Truncheon. He glances at his desk that is covered in pages of ideas and lyrics for new songs and books he was working on. The only space on his desk that is in order is the lone left hand corner, which holds what is probably his only picture he owns.
In the photo a younger Jess has his arms around a younger Rory's waist while her hands are twisted in his hair. It was, in all likely hood, the only time where a true genuine smile was ever caught on camera. They were cuddled up on what used to be their bridge, both of them asleep.
"It is what it is. You. Me."
(line break)
"So where is the bar?" Lorelai asks innocently.
"Mom! Not so loud." Rory hisses in reply. "At least wait until Mrs Kim has gone home before you decide to have some of the punch."
"Fruit of my loins! It was one time! No one will ever remember-"
Chris and Logan stand next to their dates, both switching gazes from one Lorelai to the other as if they are attending a tennis match.
"Anyway, that was a good speech you made up there Ace."
"Thanks Logan."
Things between them still weren't right. After Rory came back from Truncheon she has had the feeling that something was missing. Being with Logan just wasn't what she wanted anymore, if it ever was. After walking away from Jess, Rory spent the entirety of the car ride back thinking about what she wanted and how she felt. Jess made her happy; Logan was security.
Rory comes backs to reality when she notices everyone else paying attention to the raised platform again. Speakers are being set up along with cameras being put up all along the town's square as Lane walks to the middle of the stage with a mic stand.
"Hi everyone! I would just like to say thank you to everyone for coming today. Now as you can see," Lane gestures wildly at the happenings going on stage, "we have a special treat about to happen. I'm sorry for all the cameras and everything but it was the only way I could get this to work. Now in a minute, as soon as he mans up, a very good and dear friend of mine will be stepping on stage to perform a couple of songs. I won't say his name because most of you here will already know him."
Someone walks up to Lane and whispers in her ear. It was obviously good news cause as she soon started swinging her head back and forth as if she was looking for someone. Eventually she went back to speaking to the crowd but kept sweeping her gaze over everyone in an attempt to find who she was looking for.
"I will however, tell you about some of what he has accomplished since he left our friendly Stars Hollow. A very well kept secret is that he is a singer and a song writer. In fact, he is so good at what he does that he has a number of songs on the Top Billboard 100. For those who don't know, that's one of the biggest musical charts in the world. He has been a dear friend to me for years now. Even going so far as to keep our friendship a secret because he didn't want anyone to look at me differently. I am so glad that he is here today, both for Zach and myself. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you."
As a band walks onto stage and gets into their position, it becomes very obvious that they were missing their lead singer as no one was standing by the mic that Lane vacated.
Rory's breathing suddenly begins to pick up, along with her palms getting sweaty. She looks around frantically for the cause. Only one person has ever had this effect on her and no matter how much she tried to ignore it, she was always addict to the feeling swelling up inside her.
"Excuse me."
Everything around her fades into the background. One single sentence is all it takes for her entire world to shift back to him again. She doesn't turn around yet she can feel his presence right behind her. Her mother's gasp and her boyfriend's jealous growl do nothing to take her attention away from him.
Suddenly his right there; his chest up against her side as he moves past her with an excruciatingly slow pace. She cant help they deep inhale she takes just as he can't help the hand that brushes a strand of hair behind her ear. He lingers for just a moment longer before making his way to the stage.
Its as he's walking away that she allows herself to fully take him in. The way he walks with absolute confidence in his stride, like he has all the time in the world, is a new aspect of him that she was still getting used too. He just radiated an aura of calm that was so extremely difficult for her not to get sucked into.
Its as she feels Logan's hand grab her arm that she realised she started stepping in the direction Jess took. She glances back at her mother only to see her switch her gaze from her to Jess in confusion and apprehension. She looks at Logan and sees the look of anger and jealousy in his eyes. She knows that he just saw everything and that she was probably going to have to explain things later but right now she didn't care.
Jess was here.
And for that small moment they just shared, she felt like herself for the first time in a very long while.
(line break)
Jess walks on stage towards the mic. He looks out at the whole town of Stars Hollow yet his gaze keeps returning to one person. Eventually he turns towards the camera right in front of him.
"Hey. Hope everyone is doing well. I know this is a little odd but my friend practically demanded I sing at her wedding and my manager decided that it would be a good idea to film it live for all my fans out there. So for those of you who don't know me, I go by the stage name Dodger." He glances at Rory as he says the name and a feeling of pride and satisfaction makes its way into his chest as he watches her hands fly up towards her mouth in shock. "I'm going to be doing three songs tonight. The first will be my most popular song to date, the second will be one I feel deserves to be sang on this occasion, and the third and final one I'll explain later."
Jess sets the mic on the mic stand and takes a moment to compose himself before signalling the band to start the song.
Style of your hair
Shape of your eyes and your nose
The way you stare as if you see right through to my soul
It's your left hip and the way that it's not quite as big as your right
The way you stand in the mirror before we go out at night
Our quiet time, your beautiful mind
All of Stars Hollow are shocked into silence at what they are witnessing. Jess Mariano is singing a love song. Whats more shocking, if what they heard is proven to be correct, a long song that he himself has written.
None were more shocked than Rory. This is the first time she has ever heard him sing and to say that she is awed would be the greatest understatement ever. Jess, her Jess, was up on stage singing, with the most beautiful voice she has ever heard, a song with lyrics that are bringing up memories she forced herself to forget about in order to numb the pain they invoked.
They're all part of the list
things that I miss
things like your funny little laugh or the way you smile or the way we kiss
what I notice is this
I come up with
Something new every single time that I sit and reminisce
Lorelai could understand how Jess was so popular in the music industry. The amount of emotion he was putting into this song alone made her realise just how much she was wrong for judging him before she ever really knew him. Looking at her daughter, Lorelai could see plain as day that Rory never fell out of love with Jess.
The way your sweet smell lingers when you leave the room
Stories you tell as we lay in bed all afternoon
I dream you now, every night, in my mind is where we meet
And when I'm awake staring at pictures of you asleep
Touching your face
Invading your space
Jess closes his eyes as he gets losts in the second verse. He unconsciously moves his hands in front of him to mimic the lyrics as he sings them. Opening his eyes, his gazed is locked onto memories he has shared with one other person.
They're part of the list
Things that I miss
things like your funny little laugh or the way you smile or the way we kiss
what I notice is this
I come up with
Something new every single time that I sit and reminisce
Oh
Will you live in my memories forevermore I swear
and you live in my memories forevermore I swear
Rory finally understood. This was Jess' way of speaking to her. Of opening himself up to her. Communication was never a strong point for them. Without knowing, a smile graces her lips. It was so like Jess to go to the extreme when it came to them.
They are part of the list
Things that I miss
Things like your funny little laugh or the way you smile or the way we kiss
What I notice is this
I come up with
Something new every single time that I sit and reminisce
Whoa said whoa I whoa whoa whoa
Whoa said whoa I whoa whoa whoa
As the final cords of the song fade away the town square falls into silence before Lane stands up and claps her hands enthusiastically. Soon a lot of the town's people join in. even though a lot of them never liked Jess, this was the first time they were getting a glimpse at who he really is.
In the back, Rory was so overcome with emotion that she fell back into the seat behind. Tears were streaming down her face yet she couldn't look at anything but Jess.
"Okay this next song is a bit personal. I wrote this after I learnt to deal with the mistakes I have dealt in the past. Most of my songs were written for one person. My music is the only way I can properly communicate my inner most thoughts too her."
A lot of the town's people turn around to glance at Rory. This catches the attention of the camera crew who decide to put attention on her. The attention goes back to Jess when he speaks up again.
"Stars Hollow, I want you all to listen to this song. Hopefully you'll understand the extent of my feelings for your princess after this."
With a nod of his head, Jess signals the band to start. As the cords begin to play Jess surprises everyone by jumping down off the stage and walking amongst the town's people.
When the sun goes up, you're searching for a love
So your heart won't lead you to anyone
When the sun goes down, I know what you become
You become awake, unlike the rest of us
I lay my head on a thousand beds
It's been a test to see how far a man can go without himself
I think I lost the only piece that held it all in place
Now my madness is the only love I let myself embrace
I could've stayed
But I chose the life
I chose the life
Then I realized
She might have been the one
I let it go
For a little fun
I made a trade
Gave away our days
For a little fame
Now I'll never see your face
But it's okay I adapted anyway
Once again the town is shocked into silence besides the music being played. Jess Mariano, the town 'hoodlum', is opening himself up to not just them but everyone watching this live performance. The sincerity in his voice and the way he loses himself to the music is enough to convinve anyone that the words being sung are the real deal.
Adapted to these models
Who's adapted to the bottle
They take it down like water
Just to burn away their sorrows
I'll stay up till tomorrow
Just to tear down all their morals
And all is fair in love and war
She's pure, so pure, like the love that's so uncut and raw
And clean, so clean, as opposed to what I offered
Jess gestures wildly to Rory before hitting his chest with his hand. Everyone realising that he has always held Rory above everything and everyone else while at the same time thinking he could never be good enough for her. The emotion in his voice so raw that it brings many watching his performance to tears. Even Lorelai has tears streaming down her face as she watches, who she now realises is a changed young man, Jess lay down everything in an attempt to get the town to understand just how deep his feelings ran for their princess.
Because I chose the life
I chose the life
Then I realized
She might have been the one
I let it go
For a little fun, oh
I made a trade
Gave away our days
For a little fame
Now I'll never see your face
But it's okay I adapted anyway
She might just be the one
[x4]
While singing the last line, Jess turns around and gazes intensely into everyone's eyes. He doesn't even attempt to hide the raw emotion being shown in his eyes: Pain, fear, love, happiness, regret... Pleading with them all to understand. The look in his eyes so intense that its enough to make many of the town's people hang their heads in shame for the part they played in the pain of this young man.
As the song comes to a close Jess takes a moment to compose himself. The camera zooms in on his face at just the right moment to capture the single tear slowly making its way down his cheek. Whether he notices it or not, no one knows as he doesn't even make an attempt to wipe it away as he walks back onto the stage.
He gazes out over the small crowd. Only one person doesn't have a tear rolling down their face and that's the Blond Dick of Yale fuming in the back. Jess couldn't care less as his gaze falls upon the person all his songs are about. The cameras follow his line of sight and all zoom in on Rory.
Rory gave up trying to wipe away her tears long ago. She realised at the end of the second verse that no matter what, she would be with Jess once all of this is said and done. As she sits there looking up at him, she can't believe it took her so long to relealise that he is exactly the thing that she has been missing all along. As she locks gazes with him. He sends her a pure geniune smile. Something which before that moment, only she had the pleasure of seeing. Now however, the whole of Stars Hollows and all of his fans saw the smile he sent her way.
"Matt, Chris, Luke, can you please bring Rory's chair to the front of stage."
She almost jumps out of her seat as she feels herself being lifted off the ground by the affore mentioned men. Once set down they each dissappear into the crowd. Luke goes back to Lorelai, completely ignoring Chris who is standing close by.
"You and me are forever. I don't want to wait any longer. As soon as the kids are done lets get the priest to marry us right here and now."
Lorelai's answer is a tearful, sloppy kiss. All her doubts and worries extinguished by the man before her. She turns her attention back to the stage when she hears Jess adress her daughter for the first time when not in song. He places the mic back on the stand before walking away from it.
"This was the first ever song I wrote. It was when I ran away to California. I can never express just how sorry I am for everything I have put you through. I was never good at the communication thing it comes and goes, but I want you to know that I mean every single bar, chord, lyric in this song." As the song begins to play Jess sits on the edge of the stage right in front of Rory, a single piano the only thing that can be heard at the moment. The two of them so lost in each other that they don't even notice everyone else create a circle around them, allowing the couple to have this moment. "I named this A Song For You."
I've been so many places in my life and time
I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad rhymes
I've acted out my life in stages
With ten thousand people watchin'
But we're alone now and I'm singin' this song for you
The vocals Jess was using to sing this song was enough to have everyone in tears. Even without the mic, he's voice was so powerful that it corried out clearly to everyone listening. Without breaking eye contact with Rory he slowly walks over to her and kneels down in front of her as he sings the next part.
I know your image of me is what I hope to be
I've treated you unkindly, but girl, can't you see
There's no one more important to me
So darling, can't you please see through me
Cause we're alone now and I'm singin' my song for you
Jess gently takes her hands and stands her up. Even with tears running down her face she is still the most beautful thing he has ever seen.
You taught me precious secrets
The truth, withholdin' nothin'
You came out in front and I was hiding
Ooh, but now I'm so much better
So if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody cause my love's in there hiding
As the piano solo plays, Jess takes Rory into his arms and gently sways to the music.
"This is me making up for prom." He whispers gently in her ear.
As the solo begins to come to a close he steps away from her and spreads his arms out wide. He puts everything he has into the last verse, his last chance at her heart.
I love you in a place where there is no space or time
I love you for my life, cause you're a friend of mine
And when my life is over, remember when we were together
We were alone and I was singing my song for you
He walks up to Rory and gently cups her cheeks with his hands. He softly whispers the last lines as he slowly leans in.
And when my life is over, remember when we were together
We were alone and I was singing my song for you
His kiss is feather light upon her lips. Rory takes a moment to realise what was actually happening before she bunches the front of his shirt in her fists to pull him tight against her. Just as the kiss is about to intensify it comes to an abrupt end.
Jess stumbles back clutching his now aching jaw as Rory is being pulled away by Logan, who up until now was completely forgotten by everyone. Instead of rushing after them in anger, Jess once again surprises everyone by letting out a humourless chuckle before calmly walking after them.
"You know, theres a couple things you have to understand about the situation you are in right now. Number 1, right now my fans are watcching live as you try and drag away the love of my life away from me. Against her will might I add. Number 2, you are surrounded by people that are very protective of their town princess. I should know. For the longest time it was me they were protecting her from. Number 3, I had a really rough childhood which included more fights than I could count. So believe me when I say that there's no way you are actually getting away unscratched. And last but not least, you threw the first punch."
Jess grabs Rory's hand before jumping forward and driving his fist into Logan's cheek. As Logan falls to the ground Jess hands Rory over to Luke for safe keeping. He watches as Logan quickly stumbles up before trying to charge him. Jess ducks the wild left and puts his entire weight behind his left hand, punching Logan right below the ribs. As Logan falls to the ground grasping for air, Jess calmly kneels down in front of him.
"I hope you know now, I don't want you around my girl. You think I care about people's opinions of me? I only care about what two people think. I have it on good authority that both of them care deeply for me." He sends Logan a mocking smile and gently pats his head like he would a dog.
Jess gets up and turns around to find Rory standing right there in front of him. She slowly reaches up to cup his cheek. He instinctively leans into her touch and she mesmerised by the look of pure love that is shown in his eyes as he gazes at her. She stands on her toes and kisses him tenderly, sending him all the love she can.
"It is what it is."
"You."
"Me."
the first list is:
neyo - part of the list
the weekend - adaptation
Michael bible's cover of - A Song For You
Okay so i meant to make this just a one shot since I never planned on anything more than this scene. if you would like me do do more one shots like this then let me know in the reviews.
If there are any songs you might want me to create a chapter around then let me know by putting down the name of the song and the artist who sings that particular version (since some covers of songs are just as good as the originals)