"To Remember"

I looked inside the cup of coffee, which was resting on the kitchen table. I think it was my 5th cup today.

I watched the coffee swirl and swirl and swirl, trying to taste it through its scent.

It was still Saturday, that same Saturday. I just wanted this day over. The last few weeks were definitely not the best weeks of my life. I grabbed the cup of coffee and took another sip.

"You are so not my child!" My mom said, just as she refilled her cup of coffee. "Mom…" I frowned, "It was 10 am! I just woke up, and… And I had less than one cup of coffee! You know how un-clear my mind is at this time of day! And with that amount of coffee, how did you expect me to think?" I said, looking back into my coffee. I hate being so stupid. I'm supposed to be smart! I'm an A+ student, for god's sake!

Mom just sighed. "We should really get the coffee injected right into our blood. It will do us a lot of good." She said. I smiled, taking another sip.

"You know… I think…" mom started saying. I looked up at her, curious. "Jess has changed a lot lately." She said, smiling a bit.

He really did change a lot lately. He's more open with talking about his feelings. He's more serious. He's more vulnerable.

Did I do this to him?

I was quiet. Mom looked at me. I guess she knew what I was thinking.

"Do you think it's my fault?" I asked her, uncertain. "It's not a fault." Mom said, reaching her hand to touch mine, "And, yes. I do."

I looked down, wanting to drown myself in that coffee cup of mine. But there was no use – There was no coffee left in it. I decided to ignore my need to a refill and try to cope on my own, without that brown liquid, which has always been my savior.

I leaned my elbows on the table and rested my head on my palms. I tried to hide. I didn't know if to laugh or to cry, if to blame myself or if to be proud.

I didn't know what to do. With myself, with him, with 'us'… I didn't know what to do. At all.

I just sighed. "What am I supposed to do now?" I asked, looking up at my mother. She gazed into my eyes and smiled. "Well," she started, as I let my hands drop on the kitchen table, leaving my head hanging, "You can tell him how you feel." She finished. "Again?" I said, flashing a tired, cynical smile. "Again." Mom replied with a small laugh. I was about to give in to the refilling need when mom offered me an "Or…"

I looked at her, curiously. "You can be the one to make the first step this time". I smiled at her and nodded. I stood on my feet and walked towards my bedroom.

It was windy outside. Not too windy, though. The wind was calm and soft. It's a nice weather to walk in. Nice and quiet and… Nice.

I walked towards the diner. Each step seemed like eternity. I was scared. I was petrified.

I was thrilled. A small smile spread on my lips as I saw the large wooden sign with the writing "Luke's" on it. I was close. So close.

I was hoping that he will be there. That he will agree to see me. That he will come with me. I was hoping that he wouldn't hurt me like I hurt him. Like I hurt myself.

I took a deep breath as I entered Luke's. The chime that was heard echoed in my mind, causing me to come back to reality. Luke was standing behind the counter, filling someone's cup with coffee.

"Hey, Rory." He greeted as I walked in the door. He smiled as I came to the counter, gently leaning on it. "Coffee?" he asked, showing me the coffee pot he was holding in his hand. "No thanks…" I replied with a small grin, "Maybe later." He nodded and rested the pot behind him, walking over to serve another costumer.

I don't need coffee. Hell, I had like 6 cups of it today. Not that I would mind having another one, but I think that one more would actually harm the sanity I have left in my mind.

I need to keep my sanity. I need to keep on standing. I need to be strong. I need…

"Hey, Luke?" I called. He looked over at me while still taking an order. "Is Jess upstairs?" I asked, more quietly. "Yeah, I think so." He replied. I nodded and let go of the counter. Just what I need.

Him.

I felt like he was following me with is eyes as I started walking towards the apartment. I went through the see-through nylon curtain leading to the apartment. I felt like everybody were staring at me, but I couldn't care less.

However I felt when I walked down the street felt twice as slow as I walked up the stairs. It took my infinity to climb up those stairs. It felt more like climbing up the Everest than climbing up some stupid stairs.

I was there. I was standing in front of the door. The door that was the only thing that came between him and me at the moment. I lifted my arm, ready to knock. Infinity times four.

I closed my eyes as my hand finally came in touch with the glass. 3 knocks. 3 slow, hesitating knocks. I took one long breath until I heard the sound of the doorknob twisting and the door unlocking. The door opened in a swing, and he stood there. He looked at me. He looked surprised. I felt like my breath stopped. I couldn't move… I couldn't breath.

"Rory." He said, offering a small, curious smile.

I couldn't speak. I took another deep breath. I think time has stopped moving.

"You want to go for a walk?" was the only sentence I could get out. The way I said it was loaded in tension and fear. And excitement. Lots of it.

"Okay" he said, keeping that smile of his. He disappeared for a moment but then came back with a coat in his hand. "Come on." He simply said as he walked out and closed the door behind him. He started walking and I just stared at him. Then he stopped. Why did he stop? He turned around, a smirk playing on his lips. "Do you want to take a walk or do you want to stare at me as I walk?"

I let out a small laugh, bowing my head. I think I was blushing. Was I blushing?

I looked up and him and started walking by his side, down the stairs and through the diner, which seemed to entertain to costumers. But again, I couldn't care less. It didn't take forever this time.

We just walked, often looking down to stare at our shoes. I wasn't scared anymore. I wasn't petrified. I was glad. And comfortable. I glanced at him and smiled.

"So, where are we going?" he asked, breaking the silence. "You will see." I said, smiling. He looked at me. I looked at him. He smiled. I turned my head back. He turned his head back. We kept walking.

I stopped walking. It was bright enough to see but also dark enough to be vague, if I wanted to. My hands had slipped into my pockets as I looked around.

"So?" he asked. "So?" I asked in return. He raised an eyebrow. "Is that it?" he asked. I looked around again. "That is it." I said. I began feeling nervous again. I felt the tension building up again. He looked around. "What are we doing here?"

"It's a beautiful place." I said, glancing down at the green grass, looking aside at the young kids, swinging on the swings or sliding down the slides.

"Rory," he said, gently touching my arm, "What are we doing in here?" I couldn't move. Again. His touch was so gentle. So warm. So kind. I inhaled and exhaled, taking my time to think.

"About three months ago. In Sookie's wedding. In this very place," I said, looking around, "I…" "You kissed me." He said, gazing into my eyes. "I kissed you." I continued, gazing into his eyes.

Without noticing, I was somehow drawn to him. Our eyes locked, as we were suddenly inches apart from each other. I slowly wrapped my arms around his neck and got closer to him. I could hear him breathing. I think I could hear his heart beating. My own heart was racing as I closed the gap between us, placing my lips on his.

I felt his hands slowly rising up, gently brushing my arms. I felt shivers going up and down my spine as he did that. He rested his palms on my cheeks as he moved his mouth on mine in reply to my actions.

It was so… Wow. I felt like I was floating. It was so soft, so gentle. So passionate, so loving. No one had pulled away. No one has dared to stop. It seemed like a year had passes.

I pulled away slowly, and lowered my head. He stroked my cheek, moving his hand to touch my chin. "Rory?" he asked, silently, his tone a bit concerned.

"Three months later. In the same very place," I started, "You kissed me." He said. He sounded happy. "I kissed you." I said, looking up at him. He was smiling. He looked happy. He was happy. I was happy.

He took his palms off my face and wrapped his arms around my waist instead.

"So," He said, silently, still with a smile on his face. "This is it?" He asked, arching a teasing eyebrow. I giggled. Giggled like a thrilled, little girl. "This is it." I said, a huge smile spreading on my lips. "Me and you." He said. "You and me," I replied, "Us."

He smirked. "We're an 'us'?" "Oh, yeah," I replied, laughing. This was definitely one of the happiest moments of my life. I looked into his eyes. I saw no pain, no fear. All I saw was happiness.

He leaned his head a bit forward. "I love you." He whispered in my ear, planting a small, soft kiss on my cheek. I could feel his warm breath on my skin. He was so close, so… I don't know. I just feel like I couldn't get away. But who said I wanted to? Oh, wait, he told me he loved me.

He looked back at me. I felt so enthusiastic. My heart had just gotten wider. It felt so warm and fuzzy in my stomach. Now I know what the term 'butterflies' means.

I just smiled. "I love you too." I declared, softly. Before I knew it, his lips were on mine again. I felt so safe, so loved. I kissed him back, my kiss full of feelings – All kinds of them. We just stood there, wrapped in each other's embrace, our lips moving together. It was nothing like our first kiss. It wasn't rushed or full of surprises. It was slow and sweet. He pulled away this time, his arms pulling me closer to him.

"You're mine…" He said, his gaze examining my face, "My preciousss…." He said with a smirk. His last word swallowed by another kiss. A short one. "How very Gollum of you." I said, widely smiling. We looked at each other. Happy. We were happy.

I leaned my head on his shoulder as his hands rose up to my back, embracing me into a hug. I don't want to let go. But even though we will eventually let go, I will never want let go.

Never.

They say that some bad things have a happy ending.

They were right.

The end.