Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine. Even the basic plot isn't mine. It's based of a musical titled "Mary Lou" (only in Israel ;)), with a change of some things to suit the plot and characters better.

A/N: This is an AU (Alternate Universe) story. Some characters are not where they are supposed to be or not how they're supposed to be or not in the place you're used to see them at. You'll see.

2001

It was late. Very late. So late that it was actually early.


He was smoking his cigarette, making his way back from the store, towards 'his' house. It was only a few blocks away, and he preferred walking on bus-rides. He also knew there aren't any within-the-area busses at this time. So he walked. He hated busses, anyway.


He hated a lot of things. He hated working long hours, but he was able to do so and he had to do so.
The bookstore was always opened 24 hours, 7 days a week. Ever since he remembered himself going to the store, it was opened 24/7. The store could've been dead empty at nights as stars were in the morning skies, and still, closing the store even one hour earlier was unacceptable.

His dad hired a worker a few years before. Ralph something-somethingson. He usually took over while Jess went to catch on his missing sleep hours.

Something caught his eyes. A delicate image wrapped in the soft light of the beautiful sunrise.

"She didn't let the night stop her." He started with a smile as the hurled his cigarette to the ground, choking the fire as he stepped on it on his way to her. His mind was scrabbling words, which incautiously left his mouth. "It was dark. But even in the darkness, she shone. The brightness blessed her only. She was the sun."


She recognized him and looked down, smiling widely, giggling embarrassedly.

"It was time for the sun to set, but her smile didn't allow it. It was eternal, she knew, and she was one to cause it."
She held on to the back of the bench in the old-looking bus-station he was passing through everyday on his way to the store and back. Her eyes darted to examine his sweet but teasing smile, his cheerful but sad hazel eyes.

"I've never read that one." She said, fiddling with a loose nail, which she earlier found on the ground.

"It was never published." He replied, joining her on the bench.

"It's beautiful." She admitted. "Sappy, but beautiful."

He chuckled, moving his fingers to her face in order to gently remove a string of hair away. She proceeded to blush and to look down, allowing his fingers to travel into her hair.

She had nothing to say. She had no idea who he was.

"Her light-brown hair fell upon her face. Her ice-blue eyes turned to the ground, burning holes that will forever grace her presence." He kept going, his fingers running on a thin piece of her hair. "She was everything. It was all about her. All about..." He dropped his hand, letting her fill in the blanks.

"Rory." She completed with a coy smile.

"Rory." He repeated, making a mental note, and she nodded. "And who shall King of Sap be?" She asked, tilting her head at him.

"Jess." He replied as simply as possible.

She sat straight, smiling at his nonchalant expression. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She announced, slowly nodding her tilted head.

"Likewise." He agreed with a sole nod.


She looked around and he looked around, until she kept talking.

"So, what was with the stream of poetic thoughts?" She asked, placing one of her legs on top of the other, leaning on it.

"Was just inspired." He stated with a shrug.

She ran a hand through her hair, feeling her cheeks warming again. "Do you say that to all the girls you meet?" She asked, mildly hoping to put him in a slightly uncomfortable position, if he deserved to be put in one.

He didn't take on her attempt and replied with a short, simple "Nope".

She smiled, satisfied. "I shall now proceed to sigh with relief." She mused, and he replied with a "You do that."

She looked away at the horizon, and he tried to search and follow her gaze.

"You own that bookstore?" She asked, surprising him, her voice trailing with hints of confusion.

He shook his head. "It's my dad's." He replied with a bittersweet grin.

"Mariano's?" She asked, referring to the name of the store.

He nodded. "That is us."

"Family business?" She asked curiously,

He shook his head again. "Not necessarily." He replied, and she swallowed the information in with a nod.

"Do you read?" She showed interest, narrowing her eyes.

"I can." He smirked.

"Do you like to?" She perked an excited eyebrow.

"You can say that." He smiled at her excitement.

She smiled as a reply to his smile. "Fascinating."

He nodded in agreement. "I think so."

They sat in silence. It was perfect.

"So." He broke the silence. "What is a girl like you doing here in a time like this?" He asked a little late, glancing at the sunrise, then back at her.

She followed his glance. "Waiting for a bus." She answered, her eyes still set on the sun's glory.

"Where to?" He narrowed his eyes, watching her watching the sun.

"Hartford." She sighed, turning to look at him.

And his heart sank. Hartford. That's not in New York.

"Hartford?" He said, his tone a mixture between a question and a statement.

"Hartford." She echoed in agreement.

He shifted uneasily on his seat. "You have friends in Hartford?" He asked, hopingly.

She looked down, wishing she was able to dig her head into the ground. "I live near Hartford." She admitted, her voice quiet and gentle.

She lived in Hartford. Hartford was at least a few hours away.

Only five days had passed since he first saw her. And now, she was leaving.

"Will I ever see you again?" He asked, narrow eyed, hoping not to sound too pathetic but also not caring if he does.

"You might." She nodded, "My dad lives somewhere around this area, so..." She trailed off and lightly smiled.

"Okay, then."

She smiled again, but it faded as soon as she heard the sound of a bus coming from afar. "I have to go." She announced with disappointment, standing up, taking her light-orange backpack with her.

"Oh." He muffled, watching her preparing to walk away and out of his life. Suddenly, remembering something, he reached to grab her arm. "Listen!" He said, almost too intensely. She turned to him and he let go of her arm. "There's a party."

She frowned at him, confused. "Two days from now, on 23rd." He continued. "You should come." He recommended.

She pondered for a moment and then crooked a smile. "I'll think about it."

The bus pulled by the curb and he looked at it with awe. She looked at him, pressing her lips together, not wanting to say anything. She turned to walk away when something fell out of her bag.

A book. It fell spread, and he hurried to pick it up before she left without it. "You dropped..." She turned at the sound of his voice, looking at the book. "Oh." She sighed with a smile, taking it from his hand, meeting it for a split second.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He smiled back. They stood there, looking at each other, interrupted only by the horning sound the bus-driver made to get the passenger's attention.

She frowned, glancing backwards at the bus, then back at him.

"Goodbye, Rory." He said, trying to stay as cheerful as can be. "Goodbye, Jess." She replied before she turned to walk away, stepping up on the bus, disappearing inside of it.

He kept watching until the bus drove away. He walked backwards and leaned against the station pole, wishing he had another cigarette in his pocket.

He closed his eyes and breath deeply. Opening his eyes after that, he noticed something.

He walked towards it and bended, taking it in his hand. It was left where her book fell earlier.

It was a bookmark. A simple but very special bookmark. It was plain white, but it seemed a bit worn-out. It had the name 'Gilmore' written on it with golden letters.

He traced his fingers along the letters, then stuffed it in his pocket.


This was one to remember.