Troubled Pasts

Ch. 3: Package at the Door

by StoppedaLight

Disclaimer: If I owned it, I wouldn't be here.

PLEASE REVIEW!!! IT HELPS ME FIGHT MY ANNOYING WRITERS BLOCK!! PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR ON TOP!!

Jess unlocked his apartment and entered the small studio style space. It was all one big room and since he had little furniture, the place had a very empty feeling to it. A cot sat against the far wall, and a tv on a crate faced a pillow on the floor. The only real piece of furniture was a large desk that sat alone on the other wall. Next to it five boxes were stacked on top of each other, his books. They were the only thing he really care enough about to move. He had a box of clothes of course, and one with crappy silverware and plastic plates, even a microwave sat on the floor near the "kitchen," but his books were his only real possession.

He threw his jacket and keys on the only table besides the desk, the kitchen counter. After he had kicked off his boots he wandered aimlessly around and started opening the box that sat on the top of one the stacks. He sorted through them and picked out his favorites to put on the desks two shelves.

Then, taking him by surprise, the phone, which he had only plugged up in the first place last night so he could order some Indian food, rang obnoxiously. He tried to ignore it, but the ringing persisted annoyingly.

"What?!"

"You know you might want to answer your damn phone before the tenth ring sometime." His uncles deep voice came over the line.

"Usually when the person hasn't after ten rings, it either means their not home, or they don't wanna talk. Either way it means hang up."

"Too bad, I don't know that one."

"Well you should learn it sometime."

"Jess."

"Fine. What do you want?"

"When are you coming up to visit?"

"I don't know, I don't think I can get off work."

"Don't give me that."

"What?! I can't!"

"I haven't seen you in over three years, Jess."

"I came to the wedding."

"I know you did, and I understand you didn't want to see Rory, just like I understand that now, but she's not here, you can come by."

"What do you mean she's not there? She's still going to Yale isn't she?"

"Yeah, she went up early to get settled in. She won't be back for two weeks."

"Oh." He stared at the book in his hand, and opened the flap. Rory Gilmore, it was hers. Her name was neatly written inside the hard cover, he just hadn't noticed it before. He had probably borrowed it whole they were dating and never gave it back.

"Jess?"

"Yeah, look I gotta go. I'll see about getting off." He hung up the phone before Luke could protest.

Jess grabbed his jacket and keys, and pulled on his boots. After locking, the door, he headed to his car, book in hand.

"Rory." He stated it slowly, as though he wasn't sure if she was really there. Tristan couldn't believe it.

Five years. Five years since he'd seen her. She looked the same, if anything more beautiful. Her brown hair was shorter, she was maybe an inch taller but not much.

She seemed to have more of a confident grace than she did in high school. Less awkward, make sure of herself.

"Oh my God." She said, shaking her head. "I haven't seen you since..." Her voice trailed off, remembering their last night.

"Romeo and Juliet... Five years." He finished for her.

"Yeah," her cheeks got a slight blush, remembering his last words before he left. "So... what have you been doing? I can't believe we both ended up at Yale."

She smiled, she was trying to make nice small talk, he knew it. She knew it. They both did.

"Been pretty good. I just transferred here."

"Really? From where?"

"Oh, I was in the army after military school, I'm in the reserves now."

"Hence the buzz cut," she said laughing.

"Oh yeah." He rubbed his hand over his head. They had made him cut it in school. At the time, he hated it, he hated everything. Military school had made him bitter towards everything. But he actually had grown to like it over time. It was less to deal with and in a way marked a new chapter in his life, it reminded him of what he had went through, and how bad things could be.

"So you're starting as a freshman?"

"Oh, no. I was only in the army for about a year and a half after graduation. Then I went to Harvard for two. Actually, I'm surprised you're not there. Wasn't that always you're life long dream?" He smiled and she smiled back.

"Well, it was an option but I decided that Yale was more for me. Plus, it's closer to my mom, that's a big plus."

"It was the opposite for me. Being this close to Hartford was a major draw back." He said laughing.

There was an awkward silence that fell between them.

"You know, I was about to take a break and maybe get something to drink. I remember that you're never the one to give up free coffee. Why don't you join me, we can catch up."

He could see she was hesitating so he quickly added, "Come on, I promise I'm not nearly as annoying or cocky as I used to be."

"Yeah right."

"I wasn't that bad." She gave him a look that said 'Wanna bet?"

"Ok, Ok, maybe I was. But you know you loved it, Mar." He smiled, calling her Mary again.

"And he's back!" She laughed.

Tristan shook his head and pulled on some shoes. "Well, I'll just have to make it up to you."

He lightly took her by the arm and headed the way put the door, pulling a sweatshirt over his head.

Rory laughed. "Uh... Tristan? You're sweatshirt inside out." He looked down and was embarrassed to see it was, the tag sticking up under his neck.

When he pulled the sweatshirt off, his t-shirt rode up and her breath caught when it revealed a firm six pack.

Rory was sitting on her stool at her kitchen counter, waiting on Tristan. After getting coffee, they had walked around campus. Two and a half hours, and six coffees later, Tristan was dying to pee, and she offered her bathroom, after they decided he was going to stay over for a movie.

She couldn't believe how they got along. It was so random, running into him, especially after five years, not to mention them getting along. Back in high school they had been sworn enemies, and now, dare she say it, it was almost like they were becoming friends.

Her thought were interrupted by a quick paced knocking on the door. Her eyebrows knitted, wondering who it was. Paris wasn't due back for a week, Lane was visiting Dave in California... when she opened the door, no one was there.

She looked both ways, and far off the big double doors at the end of the hall slammed shut.

She was about to close her door and chalk it up to someone's idea of joke or prank, when something caught her eye. On the door step was a book, a thick one, a thick book of hers. She recognized the name, and the stain on the cover.

When she bent down to get it, she checked the inside. Sure enough, 'Rory Gilmore' was printed neatly inside in her cursive. Then she noticed a guys scrawl on the opposite page. Jess's. She would recognize it anywhere. It was in the margins of almost every book she owned. Her mind raced with questions.

Rory,

I'm sorry for everything I did. I've grown up a lot in the past few years and I want to apologize for everything that happened. I shouldn't have ran..any of the times. I'm back in the area to go to college. You always said I could do it, and now I really am.

I've always loved you Rory, and I always willl.

- Jess