A/N: So I got a few reviews for this chapter, and I was pleasantly inspired to create a chapter for my friend, to make her smile and maybe make light of her life. So this one- like all the others, but especially this one- is to Captain Jack Sparrow! Please review!

Picking Up The Pieces

Isn't it funny how pain seems to rear its ugly head at the worst of times? It just comes upon us when we least expect it and leaves us lying there, in a pile of forgotten woes that are brought to the surface by our insecurities. We can never really anticipate the pain; it just comes and goes when it feels like hurting us. As children, pain for us is as insignificant as a scrape on the knee- nothing a good cry and a lollipop can't fix. So why is it that as we grow into our adult selves, the same remedy doesn't work? Is it that our emotions are more complex and become harder to fix? Is it bringing in the factor that most of our pain deals with love rather than a scrape on the knee? Or is the simple fact that when in love, you're equally in pain?

"Did you get everything?" Kimiko asked rummaging through the shopping bags Rory had brought to the apartment for their party this evening.

"Yes, I got everything. Oh shit, no I didn't. I forgot to get the alcohol," she smiled evilly at Kimiko who stared back innocently.

"Funny, I'll get it from the car," she turned around and left Rory to unpack the groceries in silence.

As she piled the drinks into the fridge she turned to meet a very cheery Katie beside her. "Hello friend," she said dripping with perkiness.

"Um hi," Rory continued to pile the drinks in the fridge as Katie circled around the kitchen table. "What are you doing?"

"Being happy," Katie sighed and sat down in a chair.

"What's got you in such a good mood?"

"I just met the man of my dreams last night and had the most incredible date ever!" she squealed happily and began to fidget with the flowers in the centre of the table.

"Oh, and who is this man?"

"He's part of this military program thingy- but such a nice guy!"

"Did you invite him tonight- I'm sure we'd all like to meet him," Rory said with disinterest, feigning her support. This went unnoticed by Katie as she sprang up from her seat and embraced her friend.

"I'm sure you'll love him. He's coming around nine, oh I'm so excited. So, what can I do to help?"

Ding Dong!

"I'll get that!" Rory yelled over the music as she excused herself from the current entourage of people she was speaking with. She made her way to the door, past the couples with tongues down each other's throats, around the alcohol set up and through the mini-game of indoor foosball with her remote control.

She opened the door widely and greeted the guest with a wide smile. He walked in at her grand arm gesture and shed his jacket. "Nice place you got here," he commented as she handed him a beer.

"Thanks, how about a tour?"

He nodded in response as they wove around the dancing, making out, and foosball game. She began with the kitchen: "This is where I create my famous Mac and Cheese. Really it's a delicate procedure and maybe if you're nice to me I'll show you how it's done!" she winked at him which he responded to with a smirk.

"I should hope to be so lucky,"

Ignoring his sarcasm, she made her way to the living room, "This is the movie den- If you catch me on a good night or bad night, and I'm here watching something amusing,"

"Maybe I'll watch a movie with you sometime," he suggested, Rory responding with a delicate smile.

"And this is my bedroom," she opened her door to reveal a cluttered array of books and magazines along with posters of bands and movies. "Small, cluttered, but its mine and I love it," she sat on the edge of her bed and he fell back beside her.

"It's a nice room," he said, she fell back beside him, turning her head to look at him.

"Umhmm," her eyes focused on his perfect lips as their faces inched closer together.

"Really nice," he breathed in a whisper, his breath tracing her lips with warmth.

"Yeah," she agreed and closed the distance. Mere inches away now, their lips offered to one another, closer and closer…

"Hey Rory, guess who just showed up," Kimiko barged into the room and suddenly blushed realizing she'd ruined a moment. "Uh, sorry- I always seem to be ruining her moments," she whispered to herself and closed the door behind her.

They lay beside each other, a huge sigh escaping his lips as he sat up. "You want to check out who this intriguing mystery guest is?" he asked, offering his hand to help her up.

"Sure, why not!" she grabbed the offered hand and they left- hands entwined- and entered the entrance way. She paused when she saw who it was; she wasn't expecting to run into him so soon.

"Rory darling, how are you?" a bubbly blonde asked as she kissed Rory's cheeks gently.

"Not bad Paris, you?" she returned politely.

"I'm amazing. Katie invited us, we just wanted to come by and say hello!" she gushed, holding onto Rory's elbow like they'd been friends forever. Hehe! Please!

One dramatic, yet secret eye roll later, Rory forced a smile on her face. "Well that sure was nice of you. Oh, this is Ben," she introduced the boy standing shyly beside her. "Ben this is Paris … and Eiren," she said finally acknowledging the beaming boy beside the bubbly blonde. What a terribly perfect couple! NOT!

"Uh, nice to meet you," he shook Eiren's proffered hand and gave him a shy smile. Rory grasped Ben's hand and began to swing it back and forth grandly. He looked down at their hands and smiled at her. The boy was too sweet to use as a jealous rebound, but she had to start somewhere!

"Well you guys enjoy yourselves and we'll see you later," Rory gave them both a broad smile and led Ben back into her room before falling desperately onto the bed.

"I take it that was an ex," he said sitting next to her face down form. She nodded and moaned loudly.

"They want me to be a bridesmaid! I don't even like the woman and she wants me to be a bridesmaid! And another thing, I never really even dated the guy- but we had huge crushed on each other! I really don't know why I'm jealous!" she began to pace around her room searching for some sort of distraction from her current dilemma.

"Do you want my advice on this?" he asked. Strange- a total hottie, a total stranger, was going to give her advice on her love life. Interesting, but strange.

"Um, go ahead," she was slightly intrigued by his offer.

"Well I think that you're just jealous because he's getting married and totally in love with that chick and you probably are still dealing with getting over him. He's not worth it and I think you should just move on," he had come very close to her now. Mere inches from her lips as his eyes bored into her own. She licked her lips trying desperately not to do what she wanted to do most. If only he knew why she was really upset- who was really hurting her so much. Then would he still understand, would he still have the same desire for her?

Obviously at this moment the only thing that mattered was the touch of his lips against her own as he pushed his against her. His kiss was sweet and delicate- not rough or passionate, but…umm…nice? Still, despite the lack of spark, he was a sweet boy who deserved someone who could at least pay him attention. Fuck that! Rory pushed her lips harder to his, desperate for a touch that she'd missed for so long. She'd been without the opposite sex for six whole months- how was a girl to cope? I'll tell you- by making out with a complete stranger in her room for what would probably lead to mixed messages later on.

She snaked her arms around his neck as he lowered her to the bed slowly. His hands traveled under her shirt, caressing the skin on her back smoothly, delicately. She broke from the kiss momentarily to stare into his eyes, but he had moved to her neck, biting and sucking each spot dangerously. She moaned at the pain and began to push away. This wasn't right, she didn't know this guy, and she wasn't like this. What the hell was she doing?

He stopped at looked at her, sitting up and away from her. "Sorry, I got carried away," he blushed and turned to stare at the very interesting wall in front of him.

"Don't be, I shouldn't have kissed you back. It's just, I've been confused lately and I don't know what's going on. I saw my real ex today and it brought back some old feelings, I'm sorry," she grabbed his hand and he smiled at her.

"Yeah, I saw mine the other day. You've really got to hate seeing them happy with someone else, you know?" he looked at her then down at the bed.

"Yeah, he has a new girlfriend. It's been six months, but we had a rough relationship," she trailed off leaving it at that.

"Oddly familiar to the one that I had with Sandra…" he left his own story there- maybe another day.

"Sometimes its easier to just mask the pain and take it out some other way- like this," she gestured to the bed and him as she rested her head onto his shoulder.

"I know that story all to well…"

"So now what do we do?" she asked unsure of where to go from here.

"I don't know. All I really know is I don't have time for a relationship," he said glumly,

"It's not that I don't have time, I just don't know if I want to," she sighed heavily and he wrapped a steady arm around her shoulders.

"Then it'll be me and you against the world- friends…?" he asked leaning his own head against hers.

"With benefits," she smirked devilishly and gave him a chaste kiss to the lips.

"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"

And so Rory has found solace with a new companion and although it's not serious it should have some meaning. What is to come of the upcoming wedding and how will this stressed out party girl deal? Until then, stay tuned!

A/N: Do you prefer song fictions or just straight stories- let me know. The reason this chapter didn't have one was because I wasn't inspired by any song. But please name a good song you like in your review and I'll see what I can do! Thanks!