Title: Interviews, Memories, and Everything Else
Author: Alysinomo (alysinomo@hotmail.com)
Rating: PG
Archived: 9/25/2002
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Rory has grown up and is now a successful, 28-year-old journalist for the New York Times. She gets the surprise of her life (and one of her biggest career hurdles!) when she is assigned to interview a brilliant new author, Jess Mariano. What will come of Rory and Jess? Will old memories and feelings resurface?
* * *
Four days later, Rory Gilmore stood outside her apartment, coffee cup in hand. Jess threw her bag in the trunk and stood back, looking at her.
"Well, you're ready to go, I guess."
"Jess. Come with me." Rory responded, grabbing at his arm.
"No, it's ok. I think I'll just stay here, you know, hold down the fort."
"Keep the rebels out?"
"Something like that."
"Thank you for driving over here this morning."
"Thought I'd see you off," replied Jess.
"Because you know, I'm going to be gone for DAYS."
"I miss you already."
Rory leaned in for a kiss. "I should get going, want to get ahead of the rush."
"It's New York City, it's always rush hour."
"You know what I mean."
"Go. Leave." Jess waved her away, "Did you want me to pick up your mail or anything?"
"No. That's ok. Artie, the doorman, knows I'm gone and I gave my neighbour a key, so she can check if anything comes up." Rory smiled softly at Jess and climbed into the car. Standing on the curb, he watched her until she disappeared into the New York morning.
* * *
Several hours and coffee cups later, Rory Gilmore pulled into the cozy town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. It looked the same, but that was a given, because it never changed. Luke still ran the diner, Babette and Morey still lived next door, and Kim's Antiques was still in business. Actually, if you think about it, the older generation was exactly the same – but the crazy youths of the town had all grown up, changed, and some moved out. All the people Rory knew growing up had moved on. Lane was in a band, Jess wrote a book, Paris had fulfilled her dream of Harvard and Dean was in investments out on the west coast.
Rory drove past her mother's house, checking for a car. Not seeing the jeep, she moved onto the diner, where it was out front. A smile crept across her lips and she parked next to her mother's car. Entering the diner, Lorelai's back was to her, but Luke looked up.
"Rory!"
"Luke!"
Lorelai spun around and lept off her stool, "Kid! How are ya?" She ran over to give her daughter a big hug.
"I'm great mom," Rory replied, grinning at her mom, "Jess is sorry he couldn't make it."
Lorelai nodded knowingly, "Give him time."
"I am. So Luke, how's business?"
"Good. But it's slumped a little, you haven't visited lately to order ridiculous amounts of food."
"I'll get right on that, then. Could I get a coffee, cheeseburger, French fries and an ice cream…oh, and a cookie!"
"Should I get a U-Haul or do you just want that in separate courses?"
"Hey, you asked me to order a lot!"
"I merely said I missed your patronage."
"Same thing."
"So, Gilmore." Lorelai interjected, "What have you been up to?"
"Nothing, really. Working at the Times, hanging out with Lane, seeing Jess…"
Luke's head shot up at Jess' name, "How is he?"
Rory looked uncomfortable, "He's good, Luke. The book's doing really well-"
"Thanks to you!" exclaimed Lorelai.
"Yeah, I did an interview with him on the book, that's how we reconnected…"
"Oh. Well, that's good." Replied Luke.
"Yeah, it is." Rory shuffled nervously. Lorelai sensed the tension in the room, "So, Ror! What are you doing to do with your mother tonight?"
"Movies and Al's?"
"Sounds like a plan!"
* * *
Later that night, Rory sat in her old room. She was staring at the phone, should she call him? She'd seen him like 12 hours earlier; maybe it'd look really needy. But she missed him, a lot. Even though she didn't see him everyday in New York, it was still comforting to know he was 10 minutes away, instead of 3 hours. All of a sudden, the phone rang.
"Hello?" Rory spoke into the receiver.
"Hey, you."
"Jess! I was just going to call you." Rory smiled.
"Beat you to it. How are you?"
"I'm okay. It's nice to be home, I saw everyone, caught up with my mom – we watched Gross Pointe Blank and High Fidelity. It was a John Cusack marathon."
"Sounds fun."
"It was, but I miss New York, a lot."
"New York misses you, even more."
"So what'd you do today?" Rory asked.
"Not a whole lot actually. It was a quiet day, no book promotions or anything. But I did go grocery shopping, which is a plus, because I now have food to eat."
"The 5 day Chinese food not agreeing with you anymore?"
"Not really. Apparently buying take-out in bulk is not the best thing for you."
"So you're saying you're going to cook now?"
"Well, I did spend 2 mis-bent years in a diner."
"I'm hoping you learned to make cheeseburgers somewhere during that time."
"I think I know a thing or two…you take the dead cow, cook it, add some cheese and other various condiments?"
"Right on, Emeril."
"Maybe I'll get my own cooking show."
"Will you speak with a heavy accent and throw food around?"
"Of course."
"Good. Because cooking shows these days are far too rigid."
"I agree." Replied Jess.
"Well, I should get going," concluded Rory, preparing to say goodnight.
"Ok."
"So, I'll talk to you-"
"Ror?" interrupted Jess.
"Yeah?"
"I love you." Rory paused for a moment, letting his words sink in.
"I love you, Jess." She replied softly, hanging up the phone with a smile.
Sitting for a moment, Rory climbed off her bed and wandered into the living room.
"Mom?"
"Offspring?"
"I think I'm going home early." Lorelai turned around suddenly,
"Why?"
"Because Jess loves me."
* * *
Two days later, Rory had just finished packing the last of her clothes.
"Rory!" whined Lorelai.
"What?"
"Why do you have to go home?"
"Because I miss Jess."
"So?"
"What do you mean, so? I've been here for 2 days, I've spent time with you, I'll see you again." Laughed Rory.
"It's still not fair!"
"Life's not fair."
"What kind of idiot invented that phrase?"
"I dunno, some one smart." Rory responded with a grin, knowing she was baiting her mother.
"Will you at least come to Luke's for breakfast?"
"Of course, I was going to anyway."
"Yay! Let's go now!"
"Ok," replied Rory absentmindedly, looking around at her room. "I think I've got everything."
"Good. To Luke's!"
"To Luke's."
* * *
One misplaced shoe and an outfit change later, Rory and Lorelai approached the diner. However, Rory immediately noticed something out of place. She stopped, staring at the alien object.
"What?" asked Lorelai, curiously.
"It's just…it's just. Have you seen that car before?"
"No…it's fancy though. Very pretty. Shiny."
"I think I know the person who owns that car," muttered Rory, walking quickly the rest of the way to Luke's.
"Rory! What the heck? Wait for your old mother!"
Rory burst into Luke's diner, scanning the room. Immediately, she noticed a familiar mop of dark hair, talking to Luke. What the heck was he doing here? He didn't want to come before…
"Jess?"
"Rory, hey."
"Jess, what are you doing here?"
"Am I not welcome?"
"Well no but, wait yes, yes you are. It's just, why are you here? Are you sick? Tired? Were you traveling? Did you need to stop for food and water? A pee break?"
"I came here for a few reasons."
"Which are?" Rory inquired.
At that moment, Lorelai burst into the diner, "What'd I miss?"
"To apologize to Luke, to visit those who still remember me, to ask you to marry me," replied Jess, staring at Rory.
The whole diner went silent, even Lorelai sensed that this was perhaps a wise moment to be quiet.
"What?" exclaimed Rory.
"I'm a very busy guy. Should I get down on one knee? I don't really know your style, I want to do it right."
"I don't really care how you do it; I just want you to do it."
"Okay." Jess slowly climbed off the car stool and knelt onto the grimy floor of the diner, "Lorelai Gilmore, will you marry me?"
"Yes."
* * *
A/N: And that's all, kids! I'm done! Finished! But how was it? I liked the end, different from other stories I write. I usually have a couple of romancesque type scenes in the end, kissing, "I love yous," the usual. Well, this story had a similar ending, but it was less mushy and corny, but was still very romantic. I want to thank everyone who supported my first try at fan fiction, I have always been an originals writer. I find myself writing fan fiction a lot more now, because honestly, my characters in my originals annoy the living shit out of me! LOL. If you want to see my other stories, you can look me up at fictionpress.net. I have 2 completed stories and 2 that I started but haven't gone anywhere with. Anyway, I'm in the process of getting ideas for my new fic, if you have any suggestions – give me a shout! I'm totally open. One last thing before I end this VERY LONG author's note, does anyone else find Jess' character as of late, extremely annoying? He's being such a brat and is treating Rory like garbage. Before, when he was all rude and rebellious, it was really sexy. Now it's just jerk worthy because he's hurting the girl who really likes him, and wants to have sex with him! Now that's just bad. Also, I'm anti-Jess spin-off. Let Jess and Rory stay together, and let Jess get his shit together!
Completed: February 20, 2003
Copyright: Neurotic Coffee.