Title: Picture
Author: Bent137
Rating: R, for the lyrics mostly.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Gilmore Girls, MTV, Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow,
or their song "Picture"
Author's Notes: This is a future fic, it takes place 3 years after graduation
and yes there will be a sequel..... infact I started the sequel before I even
started this. Oh and for the record, Jess is 21, Rory is only 20.
Spoilers: Will reference characters and events not found in Season's
One or Two, as well as events that may never happen.
Chapter One: Jess
Living my life in a slow hell
Different girl every night at the hotel
I ain't seen the sunshine in three damn days
Been fueling up on cocaine and whiskey
Wish I had a good girl to miss me
Oh I wonder if I'll ever change my ways
Jess Mariano tipped the glass back letting the liquid burn the back of his throat. Satisfied for the moment he sat the glass back on the bar. The bartender approached him, "Another?"
"Yeah, sure," Jess said halfheartedly, pulling out his wallet. The bartender poured more whiskey into Jess' glass and accepted the bill Jess held out to him. Jess fell back into his silent state of reflection as the bartender walked away.
"A Cosmopolitan please," said a distinctly feminine voice, jerking him out of his reverie. Jess glanced to his right in time to see a pretty brunette settle herself onto the stool next to him. He turned back and went back to trying to figure out why the left side of his body seemed to be pulsating. He guessed it could either be the liquor or the bass speaker a mere foot to his left. "Hi," the voice said again. Jess turned his head quickly to look at her. Once she stopped being blurry, and became more focused he realized she was looking at him.
"Hi," Jess replied.
"I'm Sandy," the woman said, extending her hand.
"Jess," Jess took her hand and gave it a brief shake.
Sandy reached for the drink the bartender had set in front of her. "Jess," she contemplated. "I used to have a friend named Jess."
"Really?"
"Yeah, except she was a girl."
"Oh. So I imagine it was short for Jessica."
"Yeah." They were silent for a moment, each drinking their drinks. "So, Jess," Sandy began, "What do you do?"
"I work for MTV," Jess said.
"Is that what you tell all the ladies?" Sandy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah." Jess nodded.
"Does it work on the others?"
"Not usually." Jess shrugged.
Sandy smirked, "Then why do you keep using it?"
"Because it's the truth."
"Oh," Sandy said, her smirk disappearing. "Sorry."
"That's okay," Jess said as he played with his drink. "I get that a lot."
"I'd imagine," Sandy agreed. "So, what do you do there?"
"I'm just a low man on the totem pole, I help out wherever and whenever they need it. Usually with security or production. I don't do it often though, I'm just a backup."
"That's still kind of cool."
"Yeah, They've had me help out with some of the big events, like the VMA's and New Years Eve Bash." Jess shrugged. "It suits my lifestyle, I wouldn't want it any other way really."
"Why not?"
"Most of the time I'm in school, and when I'm not I'm either working for MTV or working at the used bookstore around the corner from school."
"Oh," Sandy sipped her drink, "Where do you go to school?"
"City University."
"Cool, I have some friends who went there."
"Oh."
"What year are you in?"
"Third," Jess said drinking some of his whiskey.
"Oh, what are you majoring in?" Sandy asked.
"Adolescent Education."
"That's nice. So have you ever met any stars?"
"Carson Daly, and Kid Rock."
"That's cool."
"Yeah," Jess agreed. They were silent for a moment before Jess finally grew tired of the seedy bar. "So, you want to come back to my place?"
"Sure." Sandy and Jess gathered their things and walked out of the bar.
*************************************************
Jess fumbled to get out of bed in the dark. In his haste to get to the bathroom he knocked a few things off of a shelf. When he returned he crouched and picked them up to return them to the shelf. One item was a book, a copy of Oliver Twist. From it fell a 3x5 Photograph. He picked it up, sat on the bed and examined it in the pale moonlight streaming through the window. He remembered when it was taken, so well in fact he could practically see the breeze tousling Rory's hair. It was just before Graduation, and in celebration of passing their finals they had gone to the beach, him, her, Lane and Dave. Lane had taken the picture, and had done a wonderful job. Rory had been playing tag in the surf with Jess and Dave when Lane had taken a break to get her camera to record the moment. In this particular picture Rory was beaming, mid-laugh as the waves crashed around her, the spray landing on her body and glistening. Just the sight of her, and the memory of that happy day, brought back the memory of the weeks that followed, the weeks when everything came crashing down around them, just like the surf had crashed against the shore that day. The memories were enough to bring Jess to tears. Sandy made a whimpering sound as she rolled over, and Jess looked down at her. His eyes then returned to the picture, and sighing he resolutely shoved the photo back into the book and got up. He walked to his closet and shoved the book into the farthest corner of the shelf above his clothes. He closed the door and slipped back into bed next to the warm female body, one of many that had frequented the bed since he had moved in.
I put your picture away
Sat down and cried today
I can't look at you
While I'm lying next to her
I put your picture away
Sat down and cried today
I can't look at you while I'm lying next to her