Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just the ideas in my pretty little head. All the chapter titles have come from Dashboard Confessional's 'Hold On'.
AN: I really wish I could take the time to thank all of my reviewers individually. You all rock so, so much. Thank you to all of you who have stuck by this story and encouraged me. Thanks you for all the support, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Epilouge (A Time For Us)
To fit something into a mold, it is entirely important that you do push, pull, or distort it in any way. If something is supposed to be, you shouldn't have twist it, mangle it beyond recognition, it will be on it's own.
Some things just need time to grow, to fit the mold, no need to force them in. In the end, everything will find its place. If doesn't, well, that's not much of an ending, is it?
ooo
Cut to June of 2006.
Luke and Lorelai are getting married. Rory is the maid of honor, Jess stands in the back, hoping to pass inconspicuously. (No such luck, of course, they are in Stars Hollow, after all.)
She meets him after the ceremony, off to the side of the reception. Jess is nervous, all of sudden, realizing his surroundings. A wedding, lush greenery, and a kiss that went by to fast.
Damn those memories, damn her.
Initial nervousness aside, they are able to talk quite easily. They agree to be friends, and begin to update each other on the past few years of their lives. Jess is working at an independent bookstore now, Rory is interning at a paper in Hartford.
Rory has a new boyfriend. Logan. Jess has always hated that name.
Jess has met a girl, Alyssa. Rory feels a wave of relief as he explains it was nothing serious (yet), and she isn't sure why.
ooo
Two years pass, and Rory is offered a job in New York. She calls Jess, sounding euphoric. He congratulates her, and they meet up for a celebratory dinner in the city.
A few weeks later, he's helping her move her things into a new apartment. She complains about having to lug the heavy boxes up the stairs, since the elevator is closed for repairs. Jess gently teases her about her strength, and mockingly lifts up with ease a box that she had dropped in surrender. ('It's fighting against me!' she had exclaimed.)
ooo
A year later, and he answers his phone groggily one night, only to hear her voice shaking on the other end. She got into a fight with Logan, she explains, and he can hear her choked back tears. Damn him for making her cry. (Though he knows he's done that many a time.) Logan had left, and now she's by herself at the restaurant. She says she feels like a child, but she's never felt comfortable walking by herself at night in this city, and won't he come pick her up?
He rushes to her rescue, of course. (Funny image, that, him playing a hero.) She thanks him profusely, and he awkwardly waves it off as nothing.
The next night, she's dragged him to her apartment for a 'wallow fest'. Jess had had a bad string of luck considering girls, and she insisted he wallow with her.
Not that Jess would ever wallow. He came simply to mock the horrible selection of chick flicks Rory had rented.
So Jess mocked, Rory scolded. Massive amounts of junk food were consumed, except the portion of the popcorn Jess had designated for throwing at the television when the sappy scenes were especially unbearable.
Rory fell asleep that night with her head against Jess's shoulder, smiling.
ooo
They had decided on a designated movie night, once a week. They were at Jess's apartment, which meant Rory had picked the movies. Which, tonight, meant Jess was watching Willy Wonka. Again.
He had tickled her down to the floor in an attempt to stop her from singing along with the movie.
Suddenly, he stopped, and she grinned up at him brilliantly. Her smile was beautiful.
Then he realized that he was lying on top of her, pinning her down to the floor. His mind went into panic drive, and he began to get up.
She pulled him back down.
He stared at her curiously for a moment, but she wasn't done shocking him. She pulled him into a kiss, short, sweet, and tender. She pulled away, smiling sheepishly. Without thinking, he kisses her back. This time it's drawn out, trying to make up for lost time. He cups her face in his hands, and she runs her finger tips down his neck. She feels him shiver, and she feels powerful. He hears her utter a soft moan, and he wonders how he of all people could affect her like that.
The break away from the kiss, and Jess rolls to lie beside her on the floor. She rests her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes as he runs his fingers through her hair.
"Jess," she asks, " Is it our time yet?"
"Yeah," he responses, his voice cracking slightly. "Yeah, I think it is."
"Oh," she replies. "That's good."
He smirks, kissing her lightly on the forehead.
They're both at the same place now, and they rather like it there.
END.
Yep. That's the end. It's been a fun ride, kids. I may, possibly have something in conjunction with this story, coming soon. Maybe. We'll see.
Please tell me what you liked, what you hated. If you don't tell me, I'll never know!