Title: It Was Always You

Author: Angeleyez

Summary: Future Fic: Rory left for college on bad terms with Jess.  Now six years later Rory is happy and successful working as an advice columnist at a newspaper in New York City.  Her best friend's sister just got engaged and Rory can't believe who the groom to be is. 

Rating: PG: 13

Disclaimer: Seriously, these things are pointless.  Who would sue me over a fanfic?  Although with all the ridiculous lawsuits floating around right now (i.e. McDonalds being sued for making children fat) this kind of thing would fit right in.  Anyways, I obviously don't own Gilmore Girls so please don't sue me.  Oh and I am also extremely lacking in the money department so you would not get much anyways. 

I know that there are a lot of these future fics floating around right now so I decided to give the future thing a try.  This is my first future fic.  This is my first Gilmore Girls fic.   (Insert dirty joke about this being my first time here.)  Heh.  So please review!  I want your honest opinion so even if you hate it, tell me.  Just be honest and let me know how I can improve this.  =)

It was raining outside and she was sitting in the middle of it.  She was quite aware of the hard bridge underneath her.  She was sitting in an uncomfortable position and shivering from the cold.  Then she felt his hand on her shoulder.  He sat down beside her and let his feet dangle over the lake.  He took her hand and smiled.  Brown eyes met blue and no words were needed.  They both began to lean forward.  Suddenly the cold and the rain didn't matter.  It all melted away as their lips touched.  "Rory," he whispered.

"Rory, Rory." Her name over and over again.  "Rory!"  No, not his voice.

"Rory, I swear I am going to get the ice water if you do not get up!"  Lane yelled shaking her best friend at the same time.

Rory shot up in bed causing Lane to jump backwards.  "Up.  I am up.  Up I am," she muttered.  Her brain was not quite up to speed with what was happening.  Part of her was still on the bridge.  With him. 

"You have to get to work.  Like, well, now!"  Lane said sitting on the bed. 

"Work?"  Rory asked, still a bit confused. 

"Unless you are planning on never working again.  Just staying home for the rest of your life.  Sitting on the couch in your underwear all day watching TV and eating stale cere-"

"Alright!"  Rory interrupted.  "I'm getting up."  She slowly get out of bed and began shuffling toward the kitchen for her morning cup of-

"Work!" Rory shouted.  "I have work.  I'm late!" 

Lane stared at her.  "This is now just clicking?" 

This was not the first time this had happened.  Often a deadline would come out of nowhere and Rory would be stuck writing until the early hours of the morning.  She would then sleep through her alarm and Lane would be stuck shaking her awake.  Then Rory would proceed to run around their shared apartment like a chicken with her head cut off trying to get ready. 

"I need coff-"Rory began but Lane held up her hands. 

"Get dressed, I'm on it."

"Thanks." 

Lane headed out to the kitchen and Rory took a deep breath.  His brown eyes were stuck in her mind.  Nope, she thought.  No time for this.  She pushed the dream from her mind and began to get dressed. 

It had been two years since Rory had graduated from Harvard.  She was twenty-four and working at a major newspaper as an advice columnist.  She and two other women, Holly and Lily, wrote the column Dear Hallie. 

They divided the letters they received among themselves and did their best to answer every one.  Most came from women with troubles of the heart.  Rarely did a man write in.  But when one did, whoever had the letter would share it with the other two.  It was always interesting to read about a man with love troubles.

It was not exactly Rory's dream job, but she was working at a newspaper.  She was given an occasional article to write.  They were never of much importance but they were something.  Rory was slowly working her way up.  One day she would be that star reporter she had always wanted to be.  You had to start somewhere.

"Here's the coffee!"  Lane called as she came into Rory's room a few minutes later.

"Bless you!"  Rory said as she grabbed the cup from Lane.  She then proceeded to gulp it down. 

"Wow, you didn't even take a breath."  Lane stood in awe of her friend.  "You do know that was burning hot, right?"

"No time for little things like my tongue being on fire.  I'm going to be late!" 

Rory ran over to her mirror.  She looked presentable enough. 

Running a hand through her hair she sighed. 

She wanted to go back to sleep; it had been a really late night.  But then the dream popped back into her head.  At least at work she could distract herself from thoughts of him.  On that final thought she yelled a goodbye to Lane and went out the door.

"You're late."

"No, I'm not.  Well okay a little.  But there was this huge tragedy!  Terrible accident with my… cat?" 

"Rory, you don't have a cat."

"No, not anymore," she said solemnly.

Christine tried hard not to smile.  She was unsuccessful.  "Get to your office before the boss comes out.  And do some actual work!"

"I'm on it Chris."  Rory mock saluted and then ran off to her office. 

Christine was a co-worker of Rory's and her best friend next to Lane.  On her first day there, Christine had showed her the ropes and was very patient with all of Rory's questions.  She had even showed her where to get the office coffee which made her a god in Rory's book. 

After working there for a year, Rory and Christine had become great friends.  Christine was only a couple of years older than Rory.  They surprisingly had a lot in common and got together often.

Rory sat down behind her desk.  Pushing brown eyes and rainy nights out of her mind, she began to read about the woes of other women.

You would think with all of the bad luck Rory had experienced with dating and love that she would not be good at dishing out the advice.  It was actually quite the opposite.  With all of her experience she was quite an expert.

Rory had been in love. 

She had cheated and been cheated on. 

She had liked many different guys including every cliché imaginable; from the perfect guy to the player (who was really soft on the inside) to the rebel. 

She had dated a guy who liked to walk around in his underwear (no matter who was around) and another guy who liked to walk around in her underwear. 

Once she had even gone out with a "furvert" but that was one of her better kept secrets.  To this day the sight of squirrels made her squirm.

She had dated a lot in college.  To make up for lost time she supposed.  But none of them ever worked out.  Not that she expected to instantly fall in love.  Now all of her failed relationships helped her give advice to these women.  Save them from the pain she went through.

I really love him.  What should I do?

Sincerely,

Confused in NYC

Rory sighed.  It was amazing how many letters ended that way.  Stretching her fingers over the keyboard she began to type a response. 

"Rory, oh my god!"  Christine had come running into her office.

"What?  What's the matter?" Rory asked quickly.

"Do you remember my sister?"  When Rory's face showed no recognition Christine explained, "She visited a few months ago.  We look nothing alike but she tends to talk fast like me?"

"Yeah, kind of.  Angela, right?"

Christine nodded.  "She moved back to New York last week with her boyfriend and he just proposed!"

"Oh my god Chris.  That's great!"  It was hard to be happy for someone you really didn't know.  Rory stood up and hugged Christine.  At least someone was going to get their happily ever after.

"Listen, I have only met her boyfriend a couple of times so I am going to lunch with them this Saturday.  Angela said I should bring my boyfriend and ha ha as you know I don't have one.  She is always bugging me about that.  Yeah, so, anyways I don't want to go alone because you know they are going to start kissing and I'll just be stuck sitting there feeling all awkward.  So, I told her I was going to bring a friend."  Christine said at high speed. 

Rory looked at her for a second, processing everything she said.  "You want me to come with you?"  Christine nodded.  "I don't know."  She wasn't sure if she could stand to be around a lovey dovey couple. 

"Please Rory.  Please oh please."  She started giving her the take-pity-on-me look.  "I'll be your best friend," She said in a sing song voice.  Rory rolled her eyes.  "I'm going to pay for your meal."

"Well that changes things."  Rory said smiling. 

Why not go?  Chris's sister was pretty nice and Rory was always going out to eat with Chris.  As long as she didn't look directly at the happy couple she should be fine.  Couples in love were like the sun.  You look right at them and you lose your sight.  Well either that or you get sick.

 "Okay.  This Saturday?"

"Yes!  Thank you so much!  Dino's Café around 12, okay?" 

"Yeah.  Sounds great." 

"Thanks doll."  With another smile Chris was out the door. 

It seemed like love was everywhere.  Rory read about it and wrote about it.  It was there at work and at home where Lane constantly had her boyfriend over.  So what was a Saturday afternoon with a sickeningly sweet couple?  It was just a lunch.

A/N:  Yeah, I know not much happened in this chapter.  I was just trying to set the story up and I will have more info on what happened between Rory and Jess.  Please review!  I have every intention of continuing this story as long as I get some type of response.  Please be honest! Oh and if anyone knows a good newspaper in New York City with an advice column in it, please let me know.  I don't know any.  Thanks!!