Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that previously appeared on the Gilmore Girls, or the storyline before this story takes off. Any new character (Rafael Holland, Maria Lorenti, Jane Burroughs and Eddie Ford so far) and plot is mine, and fictional.

Summary: Takes off after episode 4.13, "Nag Hammadi is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels," when Jess leaves Stars Hollow. What happens to him now that he has finally told Rory how he really feels?A "Jess in New York" story.

Rating: PG-13, or T now, I guess.

Mariano's Misfortunes

The drive back to New York went by in a haze of thoughts. Jess just told Rory, after all this time, that he loved her. And he didn't give her the chance to respond. He didn't need to. Once he uttered the words, their meaning became clear to him. They were true, ofcourse, that was not the point, but they meant something else. They meant closure.

He had spent months thinking about her, mentally kicking himself for not saying goodbye in a proper way, leaving like that, hanging up like he did. Before he had stood in front of her, said those three words, he thought he would say them to get her back, to be together again. And even though he'd like that, he was realistic enough to know that it wouldn't happen, not for a long time, maybe never. Somehow, it was enough. He'd closed the chapter.

xxxxxx

Without thinking, he made it to the small appartment he shared with a dubious guy. He didn't have much choice, back when he came to New York, being cashless and without furniture. Rafael Holland seemed like a nice enough guy, with enough space and furniture, but had turned out rather more peculiar than he'd expected. Almost ten years Jess' senior, Raf was an unacknowledged artist, funded by his real-estate tycoon father, and spent his days surrounded by paint and pot. The atmosphere was comfortable to Jess, but even he raised his eyebrows sometimes, seeing the various art-groupies dropping by. If Maria hadn't lived so close by, he'd probably moved ages ago.

Maria Lorenti, ah, she was something. His best friend when he was a kid, his first love when he was a teenager. Now, she was the closest thing he had to a sister, and to top that of, his best friend. She lived in the same building, with her terrifying roommate - also best friend - Jane Burroughs, and was the one that gave him Raf's number. Maria had a small crush on the guy, always falling for artsy types, even though she'd never admit to it when confronted. She spent a lot of time at their place, often even staying to cook them meals, desperately trying to teach them something while she was at it. He smiled at the thought of her, grateful that she had still been around when he came back from California last summer.

After parking his car almost two blocks away from the building and walking the rest of the way with two heavy bags, he climbed up the stairs to find the place emptied out. Judging by the faint smell of pot, Raf hadn't been gone too long yet. Jess dumped his bags in his room and went up another two flights of stairs. He knocked on the door of 6A lightly and waited until he heard someone cursing and stumbling his way.

"Jane," he smiled in a forced manner.

"Always a pleasure!"

A pair of sarcastic grey eyes stared back at him.

"Oh, it's you, Sir Comic. Kicked out of Stars Hollow again, huh? Can't say I'm surprised."

She kicked the door open and stepped aside in an unwelcoming way.

"Is Maria in?" Jess asked, while looking around already.

"Nah, probably off with her lowlife boyfriend. Don't get what she sees in him. You'd like him." She wandered off to her room again. "You know the way out!"

Jess rolled his eyes. He typed in Maria's number on his cell-phone, but shortly after heard the familiar tone right next to him. Her phone lay discared on the couch, not being much use. He sighed and stared at the phone, wondering who this new 'lowlife' boyfriend was. Granted, Jane was not much of a flatterer, but even for her these were harsh words for one of Maria's boyfriends.

xxxxxx

After a fresh night of sleep - unfortunately still filled with dreams about a possible make-up with a certain someone - he called in sick at work.

"Dude. You're not sick." Eddie Ford stated after yawning audibly.

"You're right. I'm not. Went back yesterday, and well, things went a bit different than planned. Not in a bad sort of way, but still. A me-taking-a-sick-day sort of way."

"Cool. As long as your sorry ass shows up tomorrow, bright and early. Got some new books laid aside for you." A click sounded and Jess hung up.

He crawled back into bed, taking one more day of processing his new plans for the future.