Disclaimer: I own nothing except Catherine Renatta and Leo Howard.
Where She Belongs
Rory Gilmore laid awake, head against the head board of their bed. She looked over and saw the person next to her. She couldn't help but wonder, 'Is this what I really want?' She looked around the apartment and saw that every luxury was made available to them. She didn't like the thought at all. She wanted to have to work for what she had. She didn't want to live her life with all things handed to her. She could think of the only two people who had made their dreams come true despite tough times and hardship.
Her mother and Jess. Her mother had run away at sixteen with a baby and made a life out of nothing and opened a beautiful inn with her best friend and she truly admired her for that. Jess had been the monosyllabic, sarcastic rebel who had flunked out of high school and wrote a book! What was she doing? Nothing.
She hated the way Logan treated Jess when he unexpectedly showed up at their dinner ruining any chance she had to catch up with him.
She sighed and put her head back against the head board. She was pondering and attempting to analyze the dream she just had.
She woke up and saw that the people next to her were still asleep. She wondered when the two younger of the three had come in. Then she remembered they came in at about two in the morning at the peak of the storm earlier that morning.
As she stirred, the little boy and girl opened their blue eyes and she couldn't help but smile.
The little girl said softly, "Mommy is the storm over?" and her and her brother proceeded to hold their breath and close their eyes tightly.
She chuckled then answered, "Yes honey." And the two children let their breaths go. They were both five. Identical twins. Catherine Renatta and Leo Howard Mariano.
Just then her husband Jess Mariano woke up and gave her a little peck on the lips. "Morning, why are our kids in here?"
Rory laughed, "They came in because of the storm last night."
"Morning Daddy!" They both said in unison.
"Come on, I'll make you guys breakfast and Rory you cannot help me because last time you did you set off the smoke alarm." Jess said and the kids were out of bed waiting for their dad to hurry up and make them breakfast. "Apparently they have inherited your eating habits. Hurry up."
"I'll be right there." Rory said.
"Okay." He said as he and the kids quickly exited the room.
Rory then rushed to the restroom and closed the door. She was almost immediately on the floor, attempting to pull her hair back to keep from vomiting all over it. When she finished she stood up and found the pregnancy test she left there, that marked positive, from the previous night. She was slightly relieved he hadn't found it. She had decided she would tell him today when she went into the kitchen for food.
She walked into the kitchen and saw Jess standing at the oven making chocolate-chip pancakes. She walked up to him and put her arms around his waist and he turned around and kissed her passionately.
He turned back around and gave her the pancakes on a plate. She walked over to the table where the kids were eating fiercely. "Leo, Catherine, pace yourselves." Rory said and the two nodded.
Jess walked over and brought coffee. Rory took it but quickly remembered what she had to tell her family and put it on the table. Jess saw this and looked concerned. "Rory, is something wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong I just have something to tell you guys." Rory replied.
"Oh yeah, what?" Jess asked and took a sip of his coffee.
"Well, your gonna be a daddy…again and you guys" Rory said pointing to the twins, "are going to have a younger brother or sister." Everyone was silent. Jess was first to get up and give Rory and huge hug and kiss her passionately. The twins got up and hugged her as well. "I am the happiest woman on the Earth!" Rory said to no one in particular.
That's when she woke up. She doubted if what she was currently doing was right or even what she wanted. She came to a realization. She was only with Logan to escape what she really wanted. Jess.
Jess who stole and wrote in her copy of Howl. Jess who faked a murder scene outside of Doose's. Jess who jumped in a moving sleigh just to talk to her. Jess who paid ninety dollars to spend time with her. Jess who cleaned her rain gutters and attempted to get along with her mom. Jess who she tutored and went out for ice cream with and told to go right and then swerved to avoid hitting a furry thing in the road and ended up fracturing her wrist and got sent back to New York. Jess who she visited in New York and missed her mother's graduation for. Jess who she kissed when he told her he moved back. Jess who turned off the sprinklers for her. Jess who went to the Dance Marathon to watch her. Jess who didn't smoke a cigarette to kiss her. Jess who went to the Winter Carnival with her even though he didn't want to. Jess who went to Friday Night Dinner. Jess who looked up the distance from Stars Hollow to Yale. Jess who told her he loved her. Jess who asked her to go away with him. Jess who wrote a book.
Rory got up and wrote a note that said, 'Logan, I'm sorry but I'm leaving. I just realized you and I are not destined to be together. If I stay with you I will not be happy. Don't take this too personally. I just don't think we are soul mates who were born for each other. We will both be happier this way. Take Care, Rory.' Then she left feeling like she had a big weight lifted off her chest.
She headed to Philadelphia not exactly sure where she was going. So, she pulled over and pulled out Jess' book from her bag. On the cover there was a note attached that had Jess' address and phone number on it in case she ever needed anything.
She finally got there after about three hours and was standing right outside his apartment nervous as hell. She knocked and got no answer so she knocked again a little louder. She finally heard some movement from inside and someone coming to the door. He opened the door and saw her and immediately opened his eyes widely.
"Rory?" he said. "Two things 1) what are you doing here at this godforsaken hour and 2) come in." She walked in and cut right to the chase.
"I realized you are the one I want to be with. You are the one who completes me. You are the one I love. You are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. You are the one I want to have kids with. You are the one I want to grow old with. I love you! I want to be with you Jess!" Rory rambled.
Jess stood there in awe. He then cupped her head in his hands and kissed her softly. She responded quickly.
She then knew this is where she belonged.
Rory Gilmore and Jess Mariano married on November 19th, 2007 and a year later had twins named Catherine Renatta and Leo Howard on December 13th, 2008.
Jess and the kids had just received the news that Rory was expectant yet again.
Rory thought, 'Just like in my dream.' She merely laughed.