Disclaimer:  I do not own these characters.

Summary:  After the tragic death of her fiancé, Rory changed the path that she was following only to meet an old friend who might just be the one to ignite past dreams and feelings. Future literati.

           Rory closed the gap between them as she inched closer and closer to him.  He had closed his eyes expectantly and she now closed hers.  His breath lingered on her neck and she shivered.  What am I doing? But she still continued closer.

           Just as their lips were about to meet, they were both struck with differing thoughts.  For Rory, it was too soon.  She couldn’t do something like this to Jack, especially not on the anniversary of his death.  And for Jess, he didn’t want to get too close.  He was still upset, considerably less upset, but still upset. 

           And so they jumped apart. 

           Rory quickly walked over to her suitcase and began perusing the contents while Jess looked forlornly out the window onto the relatively busy street.  He missed New York.  He missed the way things used to be…

           “I’ll see you tomorrow at 6 then, ok?” He said, trying to close off this meeting and head to bed.  To get away from the discomfiture.

           Rory snapped out of her daze.  “Yeah, that’s fine.”  She replied.

           Jess walked to the door and just as he was about to close it, he whispered ‘goodnight’.  Rory heard his faint utterance and she herself nodded in acknowledgement.

           They simultaneously thought:  This is going to be a looooooooong trip.

********

           At 5:30 the next morning, Rory awoke at the sound of a knock on her door.  She figured it was Jess, considerately waking her up.  She drowsily stretched her body out and slowly opened her eyes.  She decided that this was the first day of the second chapter of her life.  Reconstruction.  Just like the famous post-Civil War movement.  Now was her time to rejoin the union, but it wouldn’t quite ever be the same as it was.  She would forever have the reminder of the separation. A reminder of the precious time she lost in her mourning.  But, she reminded herself, she was still mourning.  She would never stop mourning.  But honestly, she wanted to stop.  She wished she had stopped a while ago. 

           Rory finally pulled herself together and slowly stepped out of bed.  She quickly dressed in khakis and a sweater before brushing her teeth and applying her makeup.  But when she looked at herself in the mirror, she frowned.  It was still too... fake.  After all the progress she had made yesterday, Rory still looked like not at all like herself.  Or maybe, that’s just how she looked now.  She prayed it wasn’t.  She didn’t like the new Rory.  Not one bit. 

           When she realized that she could do nothing to remedy this situation before the train left, she reluctantly packed up her belongings that she had unpacked the night before and walked into the hallway with all of her things.  Jess was sitting in the kitchen area, reading a newspaper.  She wondered if he was reading an article about the accident.  But she didn’t dare ask. 

           When Jess felt the presence of another being in the room, he put down his paper and looked up at her. 

           “Editorials.” He smiled sheepishly, knowing she was wondering if he was reading about the accident.  Rory just nodded, still slightly embarrassed by her audacity the night before. Seeing he wasn’t going to get a proper response, Jess continued.  “Ready?”

           Rory shrugged,  “I guess so.” That will have to do, he thought.

           “Alright, well the driver is waiting downstairs.”  He grabbed her bags and opened the door for her.  Rory wondered where his bags where.  Probably the driver already took them down, she thought.  Driver? Wow.  It was impressive.  Very impressive.

           Her questions were answered when they got to the front driveway outside of the hotel.  Sure enough, Jess’s bags were already neatly placed in the trunk of the car.  Jess carefully placed Rory’s luggage in the trunk also as the driver opened the door for Rory.  She stepped in and slid over the seats to the far end, leaving plenty of room for Jess.  Rory waited for him to enter the car, but he didn’t.  And minutes passed, and he still hadn’t.  She looked around but couldn’t see him anywhere.  And where had the driver gone off?

           After waiting impatiently for another several minutes, the door opened and Jess was revealed with two coffees in his hand.  He wordlessly stepped in and handed Rory one of the coffees. She took it hungrily, and shyly at the same time, and offered a grateful thanks.  He smiled.

           “I didn’t think you had given up your coffee.”

           “I could never.” Rory replied and immediately hated herself.  She couldn’t give up her beloved coffee, but she left her family and friends behind.  She was shocked at her frivolity and was suddenly not in the mood for her coffee.  Jess noticed that ten minutes into the ride, she had yet to imbibe.

           “Did I get the wrong kind?” He asked, feeling a bit embarrassed.  I should know what kind of coffee she drinks, he thought. 

           “Oh no, that’s not it.  You got it right.”  Rory didn’t want him to feel bad, for he was right in getting her favorite.  He nodded in understanding, and when he saw she still didn’t take a sip, he questioned no further.

           The rest of the short car ride to the station was so awkwardly quiet that Jess almost hoped Rory would back out so he wouldn’t have to endure a four day train trip under these conditions.  He shuddered at the thought, but he wanted her to go home.  Something, anything, needed to be done. 

           Once at the station, the driver took care of the bags while Jess walked up to the ticket counter, Rory not far behind.

           “Good morning sir, your tickets?” A cheerful, middle-aged woman greeted.

           “Good morning.” Jess said as he handed over the tickets for 321 and 322.  No, he would not be rooming with her.

           The woman typed some information into her computer before handing Jess the tickets that had now been stamped.  “Well, sir, I hope you and your wife have a nice safe trip.”  She winked.

           “Oh, she’s not my wife.” He was quick to correct and Rory noticed.  She sighed.  He must really hate me still or else he would have just let it go. 

           “Whatever you say, sir.”  She winked again and motioned for the next in line.  Jess looked at her, puzzled.  Surely she would have figured that two people rooming separately were not a married couple.  He shook his head in disbelief and walked on.  But he couldn’t help but smile all of sudden.  Someone had thought that they were a couple. 

Along the way to the train, Jess decided to pick up some reading material at the small newsstand.  As he was about to pay, he came upon a poster for his book.  And sure enough, there was a picture of him.  When he had written the book, he had no idea it would be this popular.  And it didn’t particularly like all of the extra attention that was paid to him.  Well, except that he got a driver.  And a new apartment.  So, there were a few perks, but the teenage girl fan base was not one of them.  He silently prayed no one would recognize him as he took out his money.  From the corner of his eye, he could see Rory looking at him and laughing at his hilarious antics: he had rolled up the collar of his jacket and had put on some sunglasses.  But when Rory spotted him looking at her, she immediately stopped.  She figured they just weren’t good enough friends again yet.  Oh, but she wanted to be.  She missed joking with him.  Mercilessly making fun of him.  All of it.

Jess sighed with relief as he left the small store without being recognized and waited for Rory to rejoin him.  He heard the speakers boom as the boarding of their train was announced.  Their luggage had already been stored away in the baggage train except for a few small bags that would sustain them for the trip.  And so the two of them waited in line to board and when they finally had, they were pointed in the direction of their rooms.  They were walking down the short hallway when Rory froze. 

“I thought you said we had two separate rooms?” She asked.

“We do.” He replied as he kept looking for the rooms.  But she grabbed his arm and stopped him.  She pointed to a door that had a worn “321-322” posted on it.

“Shit.” He said as he used the key for 321 to open the door.  There better at least be two beds.  There were, but not much else.  Not even a door to the bathroom.  The trip would be so much longer now.  No privacy.  How would they deal?

“Well, now I understand why that woman thought we were married.”  Rory tried to break up the tension, but it just made things worse.  Bringing up marriage.  Never a good topic.  She sat on one bed and looked up to him, as if she were silently asking him what the hell they would do.  He didn’t have an answer.

So he would dodge.  Live up to his nickname she had given him all those years ago.

“I’m gonna go check out the bar.” And get drunk off my ass, he added to himself.

“Wait.” She pulled him down onto the other bed.  He sat across from her.  Both had their legs facing what there was of an aisle.  Their knees briefly touched causing Rory’s heart to leap.  He looked at her expectantly and she inhaled sharply before she began.  “I meant to tell you this last night.”  She paused for a while.  “If I had known,” she decided to clarify, “If I had known about how you were going to, well, make your move, I would have, um…” This is hard.  “If I had known you had felt that way, I would have chosen you.” She sputtered out.

At the utterance of just those words, he felt as though his heart had stopped altogether.  He looked down at his feet, which suddenly were wholly deserving of his attention.  He looked to the window.  He looked to his bag.  He looked everywhere, except for at her. 

After several moments of silence, she spoke up.

“Jess, say something.” She pleaded, her voice wavering.  She wasn’t looking for him to tell her he loved her.  She just wanted a friendship to be reconciled.  Maybe he wouldn’t be as spiteful knowing this new bit of information.

He sighed and picked up her hand and rested it in his own.  With his other hand, he began to trace along her fingers.  He still didn’t say anything, but Rory began to worry less.  Her heart though, began to beat out of control.  His fingers…Her hand…

Jess began tracing something on her palm, but Rory wasn’t able to discern any letters besides an F and S.  She looked up to him and for the first time, their eyes met.

“Friends again?” He finally spoke, holding her gaze.

She heaved a sigh of relief.  “Friends again.” Rory smiled, and even though she couldn’t see it, it was the first time she had looked like Rory in a year.  This was good.  He smiled back.

“Sounds like some corny Judy Blume title.”

“Oh, Jesus, don’t even get me started.” She laughed.  Back to the jokes.  Back…little by little.  He was bringing her back.