AN,

A big thank you to all those that reviewed.I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far. Italics are the sections of Jess's book.

Have you ever stood on the bank of a river at sunrise and watched the sun bounce across the water, allowing the kaleidoscope of colors to burn behind your eyes. Or even stood under a Willow tree at that moment when the sun, would filter through the leaves and leave you with the warmth of their touch.

Being a city boy I really didn't see this in my lifetime until someone showed me.

This is not your normal story of troubled boy meets secure and beautiful girl, it a story of how I was convinced I would never fit in only to be shown otherwise. In my late teens I was sent away by my mother who took it upon herself to decide she could no longer control my wild behavior, so her answer was to send me to her grumpy brother that lived in a small town in Connecticut.

I was a normal misunderstood teen, I was quiet I kept myself to myself, and yeah I had an attitude. And it would take exactly two people to see right through the exterior I built years to perfect.

I arrived in that town on a midweek afternoon, as I stepped off that bus and looked around I knew I was officially in hell. Grinning townspeople through the day and axe murderers by night, my bewildered and grumpy Uncle believed without a doubt that he could save and rehabilitate me, but as I look back I pushed him to the outer edges of his anger.

After a few days hiding in the apartment above his diner, he forced me to go to a friend's dinner. I knew exactly how I would behave I didn't have to please anyone and I sure as hell wouldn't expect to sit there all night. I hardly acknowledged anyone and I'm sure my Uncle was secretly spitting nails; I didn't want to be there so I was going to make it damn difficult for them to direct any kind of conversation my way.

But something changed that night, someone that had long chestnut colored hair and the bluest eyes I had ever seen. Sometimes when I look up at the summer sky I can still see that color piercing back at me.

Rory shifted on her bed and cleared her throat; her finger swiped away the stray tear across her cheek. Grabbing the phone she swiftly ordered room service, if her mother had taught her anything it would be how to perfect room service ordering. She ran her hand across the pages of the books, smiling as the words seemed to glide over the paper. Was this way of saying goodbye? Something that he needed to do? She couldn't blame him though; she didn't give him too much opportunity the last time.

I'm not a firm believer of love at first sight for me there was no such thing, but intellect at first sight or first speech speaks for itself. I would rather talk to someone to find out if they could carry an intellectual conversation before finding out she was is as dumb as she looks.

I found that she would talk animatedly about books especially epics novels like War and Peace, and try and convince me to read books that she thought I didn't obviously read, and then become annoyed when I would write notes in the margin.

I soon found out that she had a boyfriend; I don't know why I thought that she didn't. He was the usual tall jock of a guy that would probably beat his fists upon his chest if he threatened. So I did what any normal guy would do I pushed until he would fight back, I watched as she held back in their relationship. Every time he was around I would act like a jerk to see a reaction from him and more purposely her, but when we were alone I was interested in what he thought I just wanted to be in her company. And she had a way of making me see things differently.

I would push her threshold just to see how far she would go; it wasn't until I messed up. I left the town knowing I wouldn't be missed by the town or at least anyone I knew, I fled to New York spending most of my days reading in the park.

Just as I thought I wouldn't see her again she was standing there, the same smile and piercing blue gaze. We spent the afternoon together before I walked her back to the bus station, as she climbed on the bus I suddenly wanted to know why she had come to see me in the first place.

She looked at me and replied that I never said goodbye, it was just that simple.

Every time I turned a street corner I would think of her, so much in fact I ended following her back to that crazy town. I stood watching her by the bank of the river, she walked towards me and underneath the sloping Willow tree her lips were just as soft as I imagined.

Rory looked up abruptly to see her cell vibrating on the night stand, reaching over she grabbed it glancing quickly at the caller display.

"Hello?"

"Hey Doll." Rory grinned and turned the book over to rest on its opened page.

"Mom how's things?"

"The usual. I'm busy; Sookie's busy in the kitchen."

"And how is Luke?" She heard the soft sigh escape her mother's lips.

"That is sailing along the tide nicely, although he's tried to give me decaff."

"Well as long as you know the difference."

"So the campaign it's going well?" Rory sighed and tucked her knee underneath her leg.

"Apart from the long hot hours on the bus, it's a good experience for me. I miss you and the town and even Taylor."

"No…la ...la...la."

"Sorry no more talking of Taylor."

"Thank you, oh by the way a package came for you a week ago. "

"Who from?"

"That's the weird thing no senders address, just a faint postmark looks like Philadelphia but I'm not sure." Rory lowered the phone slightly from her earlobe; pressing her lips together she rubbed her head agitatedly.

"Mom? Can you open it for me?" Rory heard the rustle of paper over the phone.

"Huh, it's a book."

"A book, Is there a note?" Lorelai looked in the box and turned it upside down, looking at the cover frowning.

"What is it?"

"Well the name on the book it can't be, Jess's name's on the front. But he doesn't write. "

"He wrote a book a few years ago, it was really good." Lorelai opened the book the cover creaking as she smoothed the page with her fingers, opening the first few pages she glanced over the dedication.

"There's a note inside the book hon."

"Okay read it to me."

"Honey it's a little private, maybe you should wait." Rory was becoming frustrated.

"Can you just read it to me please?"

She heard her mother's sigh over the line; she probably should have waited till she saw the book.

"Rory, I want you to have a copy of this book. And hopefully this will give you the finality it has given me, although that was never the case. Always Jess."

Rory blew out a shuddering breath, just what was he trying to say? He didn't feel anything anymore? That was it the book was his release? Rory didn't know whether to be relieved or hurt.

"Wow, should I be worried?"

"Mom, I haven't seen Jess in a few years. And the last time I saw him I treated him terribly, he's made something of himself he even has his own business."

"Yeah I know, he seems settled. Which I thought there would be more chance of Van Halen re-forming."

"Hmm you're speaking fondly of Jess; I never thought that would happen."

"Well what can I say I've mellowed, plus I've answered the diner phone a few times. Surprisingly we actually have held a few sentences, shocking even a possible small conversation."

"Mom, what am I going to do?" Lorelai sat on the couch and rested her feet on the coffee table.

"Oh hon, you have to make that decision yourself. You and jess have always had this great understanding of one another; make sure this is what you want." Rory nodded slowly and leaned back against the headboard, whispering her good bye she closed her cell.

She felt her eyelids begin to droop, stifling a yawn she laid down the book still mocking her from its position on the bed. Three hours later Rory was still awake her eyes slowly memorizing the words along the page.