The Invitation

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did, I do not own Gilmore Girls.

Summary: Rory receives a life-altering invitation. 'You have ben cordially invited to Jess Mariano's wedding'. Future fic – Jess/Rory.

After a long day at the office proof-reading yet another ten hundred articles submitted by freelance writers, Rory Gilmore arrived at the front door of her apartment building. Exhausted by the long commute to the centre of New York City, Rory hastily pushed open the lobby door and stumbled through it with a pile of folders in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Today had been a long day which meant a quick cup of coffee before bed time was in need. Carefully without anything spilling or toppling over, she absentmindedly opened up her mailbox and collected her stack of mail and balanced it on top of the folders. She shuffled everything in her arms making sure everything was steady and started her ascent to her apartment on the fifth floor (the elevator was broken, again).

Finally, after completing her daily exercise routine, she reached her apartment door. Slowly without spilling a drop of the hot, precious liquid which she was desperately craving after a hard day at work, Rory placed the coffee on the floor and fumbled through her brown leather bag for her keys. The hunt was on and eventually after picking up her phone, iPod and pens multiple times she managed to grab her keys and pull them to the surface. She slotted the keys into the keyhole and managed to jiggle the door open without too much physical exertion. After picking up her coffee, she made her way into her living room, flicked on the light switch and propped everything down on the kitchen formica.

The one bedroom apartment was of standard size for a girl like Rory. It was neither too big nor too small. Just cosy enough so that she didn't feel too claustrophobic. The living room was painted a soft cream and was furnished well with a caramel coloured couch, a strong oak coffee table covered used coffee cups and a well-used TV permanently stuck on ESPN. The bookcases were overflowing with books and CDs when Rory decided to throw the day's folders on the desk that was aready immersed deeply in a number pending articles. Usually such an organised person, Rory was already behind since moving in to her new apartment just over a week ago.

Rory walked into her bedroom, sat on her twin size bed and took off her patent black courts. Just standing in those shoes was tiring enough, not to mention walking up and down office corridors delivering numerous amounts of articles to her boss. Rory gently massaged her feet before getting changed into a comfortable set of matching Yale sweats draped across the chair by her vanity table. Even though it was small, Rory's bedroom was her favourite part of her apartment. It was her solace, her sweet escape from work. It was painted in a pale pink and offered a small en-suite bathroom featuring a white porcelain bath, toilet and wash basin. The wardrobe just about fit all the clothes which she had collected over the years and had no heart to give away just yet while the bedside table held a lamp which was already becoming dimmer by the second due to overuse and a small collection of her favourite books, all bent and well read.

After settling down on the couch in the living room and taking what she thought was a well deserved gulp of coffee, Rory pressed the answering machine button and listened to the messages saved inside. The first few were from her boss asking her to read through and edit a couple of editorials while the others were from Lane asking if she could drop the twins over to their favourite aunt's house at five – no wait, could she possibly take them at four? - while she and Zach played with the band. Eventually after another flurry of messages from her editor, again, the voice of Lorelai cut through Rory's weary mood and brought her back to happiness.

'Hey babe,' her mother began in that chirpy voice of hers, 'it's me, Kate Hudson. Just wondering if we could reschedule our interview again to next Thursday?' Lorelai joked causing Rory to smile.

'It's just that I have to take the private plane and fly to London to see my boyfriend's band, Muse, play. They're amazing, don't you think?'

Suddenly, Lorelai broke out of character as Rory thought that her mother could never be a convincing actress as much as she tried.

'Okay, it's not Kate Hudson but me, your mother. I bet you were sure it was Kate Hudson though. I do such a great impression of her. Anyways, I was hoping to catch you when you came home but I guess you have to work late at the office again. When will those hard-headed journalists let you go home on time? I just thought I would let you know that I taught a new trick to Paul Anka and Luke, as a matter of fact. I'll have to show you when you come home to Stars Hollow. I promise you it's not kinky; the trick to Paul Anka that is.' Her mother was rambling and when Lorelai was rambling you automatically knew something was up. Rory just wished that she could get to the point sooner rather than later.

Suddenly, there was a pause and then Rory braced herself as Lorelai sighed.

'Have you checked your mail today?' Lorelai said, 'You have, haven't you? So I guess you know what's coming, right?'

Rory's eyebrows suddenly knitted and a confused expression grew on her face. What's coming? She thought, what's happened? Rory sat up and gazed at the answering machine as if she could see Lorelai's face for any clues.

'I can't believe he's actually getting married.'

Getting married? Who's getting married?

Rory quickly rose up from the couch and made her way to the kitchen counter. She sifted through the mail quickly as her mother continued to talk.

'I mean why would a commitment-phobic guy like that ever propose to someone? It's incredible. Anyways, Luke told me that he sent you an invite after he asked for your address. He was reluctant, you know, Luke, but he was persuaded. You know what Luke's like with him.'

Suddenly, Rory was hit in the face with a light pink envelope and her mother's voice melted into the background. In neat, cursive handwriting, her name and address was printed with expertise. Rory's heart beat began to quicken and she turned the envelope over to find the return address. Philadelphia. Slowly she reached for the letter opener and peeled open the seal, apprehensive of what was to come within.

Inside laid two cards bleached off-white. She took out the first and examined the silver lettering carefully. The handwriting was identical to the one found on the envelope, however completely different from the one left in the margins of her books by her bedside table. Maybe this wasn't from him. His handwriting was scruffy and rushed as if he had too many thoughts he had to share with her. The script here was clearly presented and was carefully thought out. It was definitely, without a doubt, not his. Eventually after studying the handwriting under the fine microscope of her eyes, she read the text, word for word.

"To: Rory Gilmore and guest,

You have been cordially invited to witness the holy matrimony between

Jess Mariano and Olivia Caulfield.

The ceremony will start promptly at 2pm on Friday, the twelfth of June.

RSVP as soon as possible.

We will be looking forward to your attendance."

The address lay underneath. It was to be held in Philadelphia.

He's getting married? Rory thought. He can't be.

She managed to steady herself by sitting down on a nearby stool. All the memories of him from Stars Hollow flashed before her eyes, just like in the movies before the sudden death of a heroic character. However, this wasn't a death of a character; this was the death of a relationship. Each grand event was becoming more and more potent in her mind. Meeting him for the first time and calling him Dodger, kissing him for the first time at Sookie's wedding, kissing him for what would now be the last time in his bookstore when his heart belonged to her and hers to another. While these events could be related to in almost all her relationships – first meetings, first kisses, last kisses - her heart was fond of memories that were shared secretly between them and only them. When he called her a book tease during their countless in-depth conversations about novels and their authors, when he caused shivers to run down her spine whenever he touched her hand across the counter at Luke's diner, when he asked her what made her drop out of Yale and she was speechless.

It was these memories which she held close to her heart. These were the events which stirred something inside of her, sending those minuscule butterflies fluttering and those joints to become weak. These recollections were what made her believe that what they had was special and unique; something that no one else could recreate, no matter who they were with. They were Rory and Jess, Jess and Rory. Two people who would always find they way back to each other. Didn't the last few years prove that? He came to show her his novel and she went to visit his bookstore. But that was the past and this was the present and he was with someone else. It was now Jess and Olivia, Rory and... the endless supply of articles on her desk?

'Remember,' her mother's voice echoed from the distance, 'you don't have to go if you don't want to. I know it must be hard for you with your history and all; just call me when you get this, okay? I love you and you should call your mommy more often. She misses you. Mhmm... bye.'

There was a thick silence before the answering machine said robotically, 'End of all messages'.

Without another thought, Rory took out the RSVP card from within the envelope. A light floral scent wafted from inside and captivated her senses. This wasn't Jess. He would never have allowed such a sweet scent to be dusted all over an invitation like this. He liked the smell of new paper in new books and she was the only one who knew it. Quickly, she grabbed a black ballpoint pen from the counter and circled the appropriate response. She copied out the return address onto a clean envelope, plastered a stamp in the top right hand corner, grabbed her keys and made her way to the nearest mailbox. There was only one thing she was absolutely certain about.

And that was that she had to see him.

This is my first Gilmore Girls fic so I would love to hear your thoughts!

The Invitation is a three-parter and I already have the next two parts drawn up so I will hopefully have them up soon.

Thanks for reading. xoxo.