Title: I Hope You Dance

Author: Bent137

Rating: R

Improv: sudden - casual - honor - olive - observe - learn

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Gilmore Girls, Hilton, Disney, or Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance".

Author's Notes: This is a future fic, and mostly a flashback fic. A song triggers memories, some Jess didn't want to remember, and some he needed to. I tried to do my research for the first part of this, but I hit a couple road blocks, so I'm trying to be accurate.

Spoilers: May Reference Characters and Events Not in Season One.

Chapter Three

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Tristan and Jess wound their way through the streets of New Haven. It was quiet in the car, Tristan assumed it was because Jess was taking in the sights. In actuality it was because Jess wasn't sure how to react. He needed to say something, anything to make him not seem like an idiot now.

"So, does your cousin go to Yale?" Jess asked Tristan casually as they passed the university.

"Yeah," Tristan replied as he turned a corner, "It makes it harder on me though. My parents want me to go to Yale. I don't want to go there. They thought sending me to Military School would teach me honor, and respect for the family. It didn't change the fact I don't want to go to Yale."

"Where do you want to go?

"I'm not really sure. New York University would be nice. Maybe some place in California. All I know is I don't want to go to Yale, or any of the other ivy league schools. That's what my parents want."

"Oh. Well shouldn't you know by now?"

"I'm taking a year off." Tristan cast a curious glance at Jess out of the corner of his eye, "So, where are you going?"

Jess sighed, it was now or never. "I really don't know either. I've applied at a few schools, but it doesn't matter to me. Columbia's the best one, but I'm hoping for something near Boston though."

"Why Boston?"

"One of my, well, I guess you could call her my best friend here, she's going to Harvard. She hasn't even been accepted yet, but she's a shoo in. She's been wanting it for a long time and worked hard to get it. Maybe I'll go to a community college in Boston to be near her. At least it would get me out of Stars Hell-Hole"

Suddenly the car swerved a bit and Jess gripped the side of the car. "Out of where?" Tristan asked.

"Well it's actually called Stars Hollow, but I refer to it as Stars Hell-Hole. It's near Hartford."

Tristan nodded and suddenly turned into a parking lot at the bay. He slipped the car into a space and turned off the engine. "This girl you were talking about," he began, "what is her name?"

Jess swallowed, "Rory."

"Gilmore," Tristan finished for him, "Damn. Who would have thought it?"

"What?" Jess asked, though he already knew.

"I used to go to high school with her," Tristan said thoughtfully. "Man was she something, all innocence and light. Eyes that could make a man commit a felon," he paused and slightly chuckled, "or maybe just a misdemeanor." Jess looked at him curiously when he paused again, "The sharp wit, everything about her amazed me. She was so different than anyone I knew. Of course, I alienated her and blew my chances. To this day I'm still haunted by our kiss," Tristan sighed wistfully.

Jess nodded, "That's her. She's still all of those things."

Tristan eyed the young man, "You love her, don't you?"

Jess looked up, "Yeah I think I do."

Tristan grinned wistfully, "Then for god sake don't lose her. My chance is gone, but you still have hope." Tristan got serious, "You have to understand that she is incredibly special. So much so, that you will never stop thinking of her, not now, not tomorrow, not when you're 80 and living in an old folks home. There's just something about her." He looked straight ahead, There's something about Mary. He turned back to Jess, "Don't you hurt her, for I will find out, and I will hurt you."

Jess nodded.


Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

Jess had gotten settled into his dorm room in Columbia and was heading for the library. He needed a job. He didn't necessarily want one, but he needed one for many reasons, not the least of which was money. However, he also needed some way to keep his mind off of Rory. So he formed a plan of attack. He was going to the library to see if they had a paper he could look at, thereby saving himself money. He would write down any interesting jobs in the spiral notebook he was carrying. Hopefully one of the would prove to be promising.

However, upon entering the library he found himself awash in the familiar feeling of want and couldn't help but wander through the stacks examining the collection. He paused to closer examine an interesting book. Before he could read the spine, however, the shelf above decided to throw books onto his head. Gingerly rubbing the bump on the top of his head he cursed under his breath and stepped back.

"I'm sorry," a distinctly female voice said with a distinctly female giggle.

Jess' head shot up and he glared at her as the librarian approached.

"Young man! What is this mess?" Before Jess or the girl could respond the librarian continued, "You'll have to pick that all up, and make sure they're back in order! We're short staffed as it is so we don't have time to dilly dally with hoodlums like you."

Jess stifled a smirk, "Yes ma'am." The librarian walked away just as his mind processed the fact that they were short staffed.

"A hoodlum huh?" a voice said, snapping Jess back into reality.

Jess spun and saw the girl had come to this side of the bookcase. She was a good deal shorter than him with shoulder length dirty blonde hair. Tucked nearly out of sight a strand of it was dyed a bright blue. Jess smirked as he took in her olive colored shorts and cut up shirt; it looked like it had once been a plain blue t-shirt, but she'd cut off the arms and the bottom. He couldn't tell if the silver glittered star had been there before it's dissection or after. "Yeah," he said with a snort, "a hoodlum. Though I think it was more you than me."

"That's why I came over, to help you silly," she said airily as she gathered a few of the fallen books and began placing them back on the shelf.

"Thanks," Jess said as he assisted her.

"No problem," she grinned at him as she slid the last book on the shelf. She picked her bag up off the floor and turned to leave, "See you around."

"Wait, what's your name?" Jess called.

She turned and grinned, "Faith."

She disappeared around the corner and with a sigh Jess gathered his things and walked to the librarian's desk. He set his things on the counter and waited for the librarian to finish with another student. His mind wandered as his gaze drifted over the library, subconsciously looking for Faith.

"May I help you?" the librarian asked and he jumped.

"Uh, maybe," Jess said, "You said you were short staffed, and I'm looking for a job, does it pay?"

"Yes, it does, but you'll have to fill out an application."

"Thanks," Jess said taking the paper she handed him and walking to a nearby table to fill it out.


Promise me that you'll give faith the fighting chance

Jess pulled the tape across the top of the last box. "That's it," he said standing up and looking at Luke.

"Okay I'll take it down, why don't you do one last sweep and make sure you're not forgetting anything," Luke said picking up the box.

"Yeah sure," Jess said. He turned and began looking under his bed and in his closet. Nothing, his roommate had cleaned out three days ago so Jess checked his side too. Nothing. He turned and went out the door to leave. Faith was coming up the hall.

"Hey," she said with a grin, "Came to say goodbye."

He hugged her to him, "Thanks, Faith."

"I'll miss you," she said.

"I'll miss you too."

"Good luck with that girl."

"Thanks, I'll need it."

Faith grinned wistfully, "Nah. You won't."

They smiled at each other and went downstairs. A few hours later Luke and Jess were pulling in front of Luke's Diner. They climbed out of the truck and Jess looked in the windows, "What the hell?"

He walked inside with Luke. "Surprise!!!"

All of Stars Hollow was crammed into the diner, a large "Welcome Back Rory and Jess" banner was hanging over the counter and there decorations all over the place, Lorelai's handiwork he assumed. Just then she walked up to him and hugged him.

"I'm proud of you Jess," Lorelai said, before releasing him back into the fray.

Babette gushes over him, and Kirk shakes his hand but Jess doesn't really hear any of it as he's passed from one person to the next. When Miss Patty pinches his butt he has had too much and heads for the stairs. He manages to slip behind the curtain relatively unnoticed and finds Rory sitting on the steps.

"Hi," Jess says, "Fancy meeting you here."

"Hi, Jess," Rory responds, "Congrats."

"Thanks."

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Jess straightens his tie in a mirror and smiles at his reflection. However, the smile wavers and he sighs as he wipes his palms on his pants. He fleetingly realizes he looks good in a tux before reality sinks in, "I'm getting married," he groans aloud.

Luke sticks his head in the door just then, "Come on, it's time."

Jess follows Luke out to the altar. Tristan comes up behind Jess and claps him on the shoulder, "Good going man. You won."

"I didn't realize this was a competition."

Just then the organ started and Jess smiled at Lorelai in the front pew as he turned towards the back of the church. Rory's little sister Aimee begins walking up the aisle. Behind her is Lane, behind Lane he could see Christopher with Rory. His heart skipped a beat as they began walking towards him. He cast a quick, nervous, glance at Lorelai and observed the tears running down her face.


Dance, I hope you dance

Jess splashed his face with water and left the bathroom. Time to get back to the party. It'd been five long, wonderful years with Rory. And tonight was going to be yet another special night. They had both learned so much, yet they had much more they needed to learn now. When he entered the ballroom Rory motioned towards him and he joined her near the front. Together they turned and gave Lane the cue. She eased the music out as Jess and Rory took a microphone. They stood together at the front of the room and faced everyone.

"We'd like to thank you all for coming," Jess began, "It was important for us that you all be here celebrating this day with us. Five years ago I married this beautiful woman beside me and we're just as happy now as we were then."

"Maybe more so," Rory cut in, "However, you are not only here to celebrate our fifth anniversary," she paused. "You're here for the cake of course, and the coffee."

Jess glanced at her, "But the truth is, we also have an announcement to make."

Rory smiled at him then looked out over the crowd and locking eyes with her mother, "I'm pregnant."


I hope you dance, I hope you dance.