Finding Rory

Chapter 3: Once More With Feeling

Rory was sitting at her desk at the Gazette on Monday, typing a story quickly in order to keep up with her whirling mind when she sensed someone watching her. Turning to the window behind her, she grinned as she saw none other than Jess Mariano. She smiled broadly at him and waved him into the office.

"Hey there, Dodger!" she greeted him happily as she stood and hugged him.

"Gilmore, how are you?"

"I'm good," she half-lied.

"You've never been a good liar, Ror. Why don't you try that once more with feeling?"

"Okay, I'm better than I was two weeks ago. How's that?" she tried again.

"What's going on?" Jess asked, concern obvious on his face.

"It's just...life isn't what I thought it would be, you know? I coulda been a contender," she sighed.

"You are a contender, Rory," Jess admonished her.

"I don't feel like it, but I'll get there again somehow," Rory said quietly.

"So, what's with working here at the Gazette? I would expect you to be anywhere but here, frankly."

"I don't have anywhere else at the moment. I have no job, no real home of my own, and no prospects for either," Rory lamented. Both were so involved in conversation that they didn't notice the blonde-headed man walking in the door, standing off to the side and observing the conversation.

"What's your dream job, Gilmore?"

"I...I don't know anymore. I want to write, but writing news stories just doesn't drive me anymore. I guess I could become a professional book sniffer," Rory joked, trying to break the serious atmosphere.

"So write what you know best, Ror. Write your story."

"My story?" Rory asked, surprised.

"Yeah, write the story of the Gilmore girls. I guarantee you that people would love to read it," Jess encouraged her.

"He's right, you should write your story," the blonde told her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help but overhear."

"Tris! You're here!" Rory greeted him happily, walking over to embrace him.

"Of course I'm here; I told you I would be," he chuckled.

"Tristan, this is Jess. Jess, this is Tristan."

"It's nice to meet you, Jess," Tristan greeted warmly.

"You, too, Tristan," Jess returned.

"You two could probably bond all night long over your shared hatred for Dean," she joked.

"Any man who hates Bag Boy is a good man," Tristan chuckled.

"I'll drink to that," Rory said with a laugh, taking the bottle of scotch and three glasses out of her bottom desk drawer.

"No way, Mare," Tristan told her, quickly snatching up the bottle before she could pour it. "Trust me when I say that you do not want to do that before our run."

"I'm sorry, did you just say that Rory Gilmore is going to go for a run?" Jess asked in shock. "Gilmore girls don't exercise; I'm sure you'll even put it in that book that you're going to write."

"It's a new thing - trying to make some changes and take control of my life again, and it seems to help," Rory answered sheepishly.

"And you got her to run?" Jess asked Tristan.

"She's totally into my body and would follow me anywhere," Tristan whispered conspiratorially to Jess.

"And there's the Evil Tristan rearing his ugly little head again," Rory retorted as she rolled her eyes.

"You know you want me, Mare," Tristan teased.

"Oh yes, Tristan, I want you, baby," Rory agreed doing her best bimbo impression. "Take me, you stud."

"All you had to do was ask," Tristan leered jokingly as Rory slapped him playfully, both collapsing into a fit of laughter.

"I like this one, Ror. You need to keep him around," Jess chuckled.

"Go get changed, Mary. We need to get our run in so we can look through those financials."

Rory grabbed her bag and went into the bathroom to change, leaving Jess and Tristan alone.

"She needs someone like you in her life," Jess told Tristan.

"Someone like what?"

"Someone who doesn't handle her with kid gloves and isn't afraid to manhandle her when necessary. I've been the only one who wasn't afraid to kick her ass, figuratively, of course, when needed until now. Maybe between the two of us we can get her back on track."

"That's my goal. She's lost that spark and any sense of direction, and it kills me to see that," Tristan confided.

"Well, I'm in Philly, but if there's ever anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to call," Jess said as he handed Tristan his business card. "And if we can get her to write her book, my publishing house will take a look at it. I can't imagine that we wouldn't want to publish it."

"Thanks, man. I'll drop you an email with my contact information as well just in case you need to get in touch with me."

Just as the two men finished their conversation, Rory emerged in her running clothes.

"Still wearing my Stanford shirt, Mare?" Tristan chuckled.

"Hey, it's soft and comfy and I like it," she defended with a pout.

"It looks better on you anyway. Play your cards right and maybe I'll let you steal my Stanford hoodie this fall."

"My hero!" Rory fake swooned as they all descended into laughter.

"Well, I'll let you two get on with your run. It was good seeing you, Gilmore," Jess told Rory as he hugged her tightly and left.

"Alright, lead the way, Mare," Tristan instructed Rory.

She led him through the back way to the old Independence Inn, where they could safely run without becoming the newest fodder for the town gossips. She found that this run wasn't quite as hard as the last, although she was still a bit sore from Saturday's run, but once again it allowed her to clear her mind. When they finished their run they went back to the Gazette and poured over the financials while eating takeout from Al's, and by the end of the evening they both felt confident that they had a solid presentation to make a case to Taylor for paying Rory for her work at the Gazette.