Smoke Signal
Jess looked up from his desk when he heard his name being called. "What?" he yelled.
His coworker, Chris, jerked his head towards the door. "You got a delivery."
Jess frowned and closed the laptop he was working at, before pushing out his chair and heading to the front door. A man in a tan Fed-Ex uniform was holding a basket of some sort, and motioned for Jess to sign a clipboard.
He scribbled his name, brow furrowed curiously and thanked the man before carrying the basket over to his desk.
Sitting down, he gently pulled at the paper covering the white wicker.
His confusion increased furthermore when he look what was inside. It held a different assortment of fruits, a box of matches and two wooden sticks, a postcard, and a letter.
Jess picked the postcard up first, and noticed that it had what looked to be the Yale Campus on it…and a 'Greetings form New Haven' printed across the picture.
He was pretty sure who everything was from now, but still had no idea why she would send it.
The postcard didn't say anything more on it, so he moved his attention to the letter.
He read it silently, a smile growing in his face, the farther along he got.
Dear Jess,
You're probably wondering why I would send this…I would be, too. Wondering, I mean.
So, the point of the letter...and the rest of the stuff…
I was thinking of a way to say something to you, and I suddenly thought back to that fight…er, conversation…we had at Doose's after I got back from Washington
Remember how you got kinda upset at me because I didn't talk to at all after the kiss? You asked me if I called you, sent a postcard or letter, a smoke signal, or even a fruit basket…well, I hope I'm not too late this time.
My life has become downright…awful in the last few years…a downward spiral that kept sucking me in…and I didn't know how to get out. Until you came.
You don't understand how…proud I was when you showed me the book. I always knew you could do it…and you finally doing it was like…the best feeling in the world.
I think it was the first time I smiled…really smiled in months. And I want to thank you.
My life is far from perfect, but it's slowly getting to how it was. I
I'm back in Yale, my mom and I made up, I broke it off with Logan…everything is just going so much better, all because of what you did…and showed me.
So this is a thanks…and maybe…a second chance. To do things right. I hope that me doing all of the things you accused me of not doing over three years ago will make up for some if it. I'm sorry. I really am.
Anyway, I'll stop now, let you get back to doing whatever you were doing. I hope you forgive me.
Love,
Rory
Jess shook his head disbelievingly and leaned back in his chair. He stuck his hands behind his head and chuckled. This was something Rory would do. Old Rory. His Rory.
He was curious what she meant by all of it though. Just a thank you? A second chance? If so, what did that mean?
He lived in Philly, she went to Yale...a four hour trip.
But, she did break up with Logan. And she signed it, 'Love, Rory.'
The sound of his cell phone ringing broke him away form his thoughts. He didn't recognize the number, nor was it a local area code, so he hesitantly answered it. "Jess Mariano."
"Hey," she spoke softly.
His eyes widened. "Rory?"
"Yeah. I was wondering if you got my basket?"
He laughed. "I did, actually. Just a second ago. You have great call-timing."
She giggled. "Thanks…but I had to do it this way, you know? I should've called that summer…so, here it is now…with all the other stuff, too."
Jess sobered. "Rory…you really didn't have to do this."
"No, I did. If it wasn't for you…I wouldn't be me again." He heard her sniffle. "I'd still be running the DAR, living with my grandparents, partying with Logan…that's not who I am. At all."
"I know," he said. "That's what I was trying to tell you. But you fixed it."
"Because of you. Thank you."
He smiled. "No problem."
No one spoke for a few minutes; there was just a comfortable silence.
"Jess," Rory started. "I have one more surprise."
He raised an eyebrow. "Huh. What is it?"
"Well, if I told you, it would be a surprise, silly."
He rolled his eyes.
She continued. "Turn around."
He uncertainly turned in his chair. And there she was. Smiling, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, hair done simple. Just like the old Rory.
He faltered for a second before smiling and standing up. He closed his phone and dropped it on the desk before pulling Rory in for a hug.
"You look great," he murmured.
She hugged him back tightly, tears in her eyes. "You do, too. You do, too."
A/N: I don't own anything.
It's a one-shot...not gonna continue. I wanted to write this because I can't seem to write my other fic...please review and maybe I'll get something else out soon. :D
Thanks!