Disclaimer: I don't own the series Gilmore Girls or any of the original characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.

A/N: It's been a while since I delved into the world of the Gilmore Girls (and their guys), but inspiration struck me from out of nowhere and this is the result. It's based on the episode where Jess opens his own publishing office or something like that. I think you know which one I mean. :) I hope you'll like this one piece.

Trophy Girlfriend

''I can't stand seeing you this way.''

Rory was the last to arrive at the opening of a small publishing office on some street corner in New York, the perfect location she thought, and so did the owner of the office who always had more of an open heart and mind for the small writers out there who were trying to make it big. He had always been one of those, as had she, even if the latter had outwritten the previous by far, though he now had the chance to catch up because she hadn't been writing for a while.

Other things occupied her time. Things such as being by her boyfriend's side whenever he needed her, which was always, yet he never seemed to pay the amount of attention to her that she felt she deserved and he owed. He asked for so much and gave so little of himself to her. There wasn't enough of him to spare: he was always too busy entertaining his friends and making sure that they were having a good time, or contemplating his next career move, and basically just satisfying himself—too busy to really even care that, lately, she hadn't always been at his side.

Tonight, for instance, she should have gone to a house-warming party of one of Logan's friends to celebrate another big house that came with a pool and a tennis court, but instead she came here, dressed up as Logan Huntzberger's girlfriend, like she had to impress, in her orange red cocktail dress and sparkly silver shoes with her hair down in long straight locks.

She spotted her first familiar face seconds after she had entered the place, not caring that she stood out between the dark jeans and even darker shirts. She had become used to the attention because it came with the territory and was, therefore, unavoidable. She politely made her way through the crowd. ''Luke!'' she called his name.

Luke recognized her instantly and welcomed her with a warm smile. ''Rory, hey.'' He leaned in to give her a hug. ''It's been a while,'' he noted when puling back. ''You look nice, though.''

She smiled and nodded. ''Thanks, and I know it's been a couple of weeks since I've been in town,'' she apologetically began, because she knew that it had, in fact, been much longer than that, ''but I've been really busy. I called mom a few times to check in and she seemed to be doing fine. Is she?''

Luke nodded. ''Yeah, you know, she misses you, but I've been keeping her company as much as possible and I'd like to think I'm a good substitute.''

''You're more than that to mom, you know that, Luke.''

He nodded. ''She just misses you, kid. We all do.''

''Me too,'' Rory told him and smiled, even though she didn't feel like smiling. She hadn't for a while now. ''So,'' she started to change the subject, ''have you seen Jess yet?''

Luke nodded. ''He's around here somewhere, but I've barely gotten the chance to talk to him myself. Apparently everybody in the room needs to talk to him tonight.''

''That's okay. I'll find him. I have to go to the bathroom anyway.''

''Okay,'' Luke replied. ''Oh, I'm leaving soon because this really isn't my thing, so if I don't see you anymore tonight…''

Rory nodded. ''Tell mom hi for me and I'll stop by as soon as I can. I promise.''

''I'm going to hold you to that, as will your mom.''

''I know.''

''See you, Rory.''

''Bye, Luke.''

They shared one more smile before they lost sight of each other in the crowd, though she didn't stay in it much longer than Luke did. She went through a door and escaped into an empty hallway, glad to get away from all of the people for a while. She always seemed to be around people and never had any time for herself, or her family and friends.

She sighed and began walking, hoping to find a bathroom along the way. She did, though she didn't dive back into the sea of people immediately; instead, she lingered, standing with her back against the wall and staring at the one opposite to her. She was contemplating leaving the hallway, but was glad, relieved even, when the ringing of her cell phone kept her there for a few more minutes. She took her time retrieving it from the shimmering silver disco ball that was her bag and flipped it open before bringing it to her ear.

It was Logan.

The conversation didn't last as long as she hoped it would, even if she should have known that. It was hard enough to talk to Logan without his friends being in the background, and he would do whatever he wanted regardless of what she thought or how she felt about it.

It had turned into a lost cause and she no longer knew why she was even bothering.

She dropped her phone back into her bag and made her way into one of the empty offices. She turned on the lights and sat down on the only piece of furniture that yet occupied the room: a desk. It was where she decided to stay for the time being, even though she knew he would come looking for her eventually, knowing that she had come here especially for him.

It took him less than ten minutes.

''That's my desk, you know?''

Her eyes found Jess's in a flash and she smiled, trying to make it come from the heart as much as possible. ''Hey.''

He ducked his head and smirked, slipping his hands deep into his pockets. ''You came,'' he observed after bringing his head up again.

''You know I would.''

He nodded and walked over to her and sat down on the desk as well as she quickly looked down at her hands. It had been a while.

''You know, out of all the people I invited, I really wanted you to be here. Well, you and Luke actually, but you more,'' he admitted to her.

His words made her smile again and she looked at him. ''Thanks for inviting me, Jess. You know I wouldn't have wanted to miss this for anything in the world.'' His eyes ran across hers and she turned her head, sensing the intensity of a history that was still more than present between them. ''The place looks great,'' she remarked. ''Though your office still needs some work, and a chair.''

Jess chuckled. ''Good point, but is there any particular reason why you're in here instead of in the main room, where everybody else is?''

Rory shrugged. ''I don't really like crowds.''

He nodded. ''I remember something like that.''

She didn't go into it and even steered away from it. ''Did you talk to Luke tonight?''

''Yeah. He was one of the first here. He caught me up on some stuff.'' He threw her a sideways glance. ''I heard that it's been a while since you've been in Stars Hollow.''

She nodded because lying was something she had never done to Jess. ''Yeah, it's been a few weeks… A couple of months actually. I just haven't had the time.''

''That's not you,'' he declared without sounding too judgmental. ''You always find time to go and see your mom, no matter how busy you are.''

''I know,'' Rory answered him while averting her eyes and lowering her head in shame.

''So what's changed?''

''I…'' She bit her lip. ''I have this boyfriend…''

''The same one we went to dinner with?''

''Yes,'' she confirmed. ''He's been taking up most of my time. Well, more like all of it, but I guess that's what I bargained for when I became Logan Huntzberger's girlfriend.'' She crossed her arms across her chest as Jess continued to listen patiently. ''He expects me to be by his side for all of his social gatherings and whatnot, which was okay, until I realized that he was never really paying any attention to me. The only attention he gives me is when he's buying me clothes so I can impress his friends. He doesn't care that I haven't had time for mine ever since I met him.''

''You look really nice,'' Jess complimented her, and she smiled, though the smile she gave him wasn't a happy one. He knew that and didn't need the glazed over eyes to tell him what he already knew.

''Thanks for noticing,'' she said. ''You're the only one who does.'' Her bottom lip began to tremble and the first tears began to fall down her cheeks. ''You want to know what really hurts? He didn't even notice that I wasn't with him tonight, at least, not until he had to call me. And do you want to know why he called me?''

''Rory.''

She didn't listen to him. ''He called me to let me know that he was on his way to Miami with his friends. Apparently one of them had never been to Miami before, so naturally Logan felt compelled to take him. He didn't even ask about where I've been all night.''

''Wow, he sounds like an even bigger jerk than I was during our relationship.''

Rory shook her head and looked at him. ''You were never indifferent to me, Jess. And you tried. With him I just feel like an accessory.''

Jess shook his head. ''You shouldn't allow him to make you feel this way. You know he doesn't deserve you crying over him, and you know you deserve better,'' he declared in a hushed voice while leaning in to wipe her eyes for her. ''And I have a few suggestions on what you should do to him, though you probably already know what would be the best thing to do. That's not what you need me for, is it?''

Rory shook her head. ''I just don't want to be in his apartment.''

Jess nodded. ''So, stay with me tonight. My apartment will probably be nothing like his and I don't have a car, so we would have to walk a block or two, but I have the room and I would definitely not mind the company.''

''Are you sure you don't mind?''

''Rory,'' he said while taking her hand in his, ''when have I ever minded your company?''

She lightly blushed and gave him an appreciative smile, one that was genuine and came fully from her heart. ''Can we get pizza?''

He nodded. ''I know a place.''

She nodded. ''Okay.'' She reached for her bag and got off the desk, waiting for Jess to do the same so they could leave the office together.

She didn't stay by Jess's side the entire evening, but did meet some of his friends and co-workers before finding a quiet corner where she could overlook everything, although Jess's eyes did scan the crowd for her every now and then to let her know that he hadn't forgotten she was there.

He cared, and he always had.

The following day, about an hour after leaving Jess's apartment, she called Logan on his cell phone to tell him that she was on a bus to Stars Hollow.

Please review? (: Literati all the way, as you can tell from his story. And, no, I don't dislike Logan, at all, I just think that he could've treated Jess a little better when the two met, so this is my payback. :) Please drop me a few lines and tell me what you thought, especially since I haven't written for this pairing in a while. Thanks. :)