Summary: If Jess couldn't marry her, then he was going to give her a bacholorette party she would never forget. But will one night of alcohole driven fun lead to something more? Set in season 6, Rory never visited Jess in Truncheon.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Chapter 1
Rory knocked hesitantly on the old apartment door, folding the worn envelope through her hands. She had thought about this a lot and she knew she was making the right decision. So why did she have to feel so nervous? He would want to come. After all, he was her friend, right? Their past was behind them, and they were friends. Friends invite friends to their wedding, so why should this be or feel any different?
Rory heard muffled footsteps from inside, the predictable sounds of 'The Clash' coming to an abrupt stop as he obviously thumbled to turn it off.
"Who is it?" she heard him call gruffly from inside, before hearing a dull thud and an almost whispered, "Shit!"
Rory felt the corners of her lips curving into a small smile. "Uh, it's Rory."
First she heard silence, all thuds and thumbling from inside the apartment forgotten, and then the sounds of more footsteps and the door opening. She looked up at him with a smile, "Hi."
"Hey." He smirked, moving aside as a silent invitation for her to come in. She stepped past him, taking in everything about the apartment. There were bookshelves all along the walls of his living room, accompanied by a few piles of books beside them that were unable to fit. She smiled as her eyes wondered to the kitchen. It was clean and well looked after. The whole apartment was actually quite clean, with the exception of a few misplaced cd's and books. It was much bigger than she had imagined. He really had it all. His life was together and he seemed... happy. She felt a slight jolt that she couldn't quite put a finger on.
"You want coffee?" He asked casually.
"Thanks." She smiled, glancing down at the folded envelope once more.
"You know you can sit if you like." Jess smirked at her.
"Oh... right." She glanced around the room at the couch and at the stools by the kitchen bench. After a moments hesitation she chose to sit at the bench. She silently watched him pull out a coffee mug from the cupboard and fill it with the sweet smelling coffee. For the first time since she had gotten there, she noticed that his hair was wet, and was suddenly greeted with an image of him falling (with a dull thud) to the floor as he tried to pull on his shirt after his shower ('Shit!'). She held back the urge to laugh.
"This place is bigger than I imagined. It's really nice." She said, trying to fill in the silence as he placed the coffee in front of her.
"Coming from the girl living in a penthouse."
Rory's face grew serious, as she looked down at her hands. "I mean it, Jess. You look happy."
She glanced up at him and he nodded slightly, his jaw tencing, "How's the blond dick at Yale?"
Rory sighed. " Logan," She said warningly, " Logan... is fine."
"Trouble in paradise?"
"Jess..." (Some things never change).
He sighed, almost in defeat. "Sorry... You look happy, too."
Rory nodded with a small smile, "I am."
They sat in another awkward silence for a moment as Rory took a sip from her coffee. It almost tasted as good as Luke's.
"Your books doing well." Rory stated as she placed her mug back down on the counter.
"I heard." Jess smirked.
"I've read it twelve times." She said, blushing slightly; she hadn't exactly planned on telling him that.
Jess raised his brow at her.
"Okay, fine. I read it eleven times," she said, trying to keep any dignity she had left, "But it's amazing. Really."
"It's still kinda weird. Having a book with my name on it and everything." He laughed, running a hand through his hair like he always did when anyone tried to complement him. She couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Everyone's so proud of you. I'm not the only one who worships it. Luke bought ten copies." She added.
Rory saw something flash behind his eyes that was to big for him to conceal. Sadness? Appreciation? Love? "He didn't have to do that." He said defeatedly.
"He wanted to. He's so proud of you." She repeated.
Jess nodded slightly as the awkward silence befell them yet again.
"So... um. I actually came here for a reason."
Rory placed the folded and worn envelope in front of him, and he stared down at it with confusion.
"I'm getting married." She said with the slight air of announcement, though it sounded strange as it echoed in the silence. Jess stared at her stoically as she continued.
"In a week. I'm sorry about the late notice, I just wasn't sure... but you've been sending those emails and I just thought... I mean..."
Jess continued to stare, as she began to panic inside. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea at all. Had she interpreted the emails the wrong way? Afterall, alot of things had happened between them, maybe they couldn't just forget everything and be friends.
What the hell, she thought, sighing, "I just really want you to be there, Jess."
She looked up nervously and her eyes met with his. And he nodded slowly, an expression hidden behind his eyes she couldn't quite place, or more likely didn't want to place.
"Okay," She said as she began to feel even more awkward, "Um, I guess I should be getting back, then."
She stood up, making her way towards the door.
"Rory?"
She turned around rather quickly, surprised at the sound of his voice after that long moment of silence. "Yeah?" She looked at him expectantly.
"You really do look happy."
"Oh... Thank-you."
Jess nodded again. Then suddenly, as if he surprised even himself, he said, "Can I see you?"
"What?"
"The night before your married, can I see you? I mean I know Lorelai will probably be throwing you a bachelorette party. Lorelai is your maid of honor, right?"
Rory nodded silently.
"But, afterwards, I mean. I'll throw you one that doesn't involve scurrying around that dully innocent town looking for a trace of a good time."
She thought for a moment about what he was suggesting, and a bacholorett party with her ex-boyfriend the night before she was to be married didn't exactly sound like the best idea. But then he looked at her. "Sure," she felt the words slip from her lips before she could comprehend what she was actually agreeing to.
Slowly she turned to the door, when she turned back again.
"Jess?"
"Yeah?"
"I read your book twelve times."
Jess smirked at her as she turned back towards the door, this time closing it behind her.
AN: Sorry for the short length, this was just to basically introduce the story. Please review!
