I know what you're thinking but I've been reading lots of post series fics and have really been inspired so thought I'd give it a go myself. :)

Everything in the show has happened but instead of going on the campaign trail, Rory got the internship at the New York Times. She is still leaving the same day though so the surprise party still happened. This starts just after Luke and Lorelai kiss. :) It will mainly be a javajunkie but there may be a bit of Literati as well. I'm not too sure who to put Rory with yet so bear with me. :)

Chapter 1

Lorelai and Luke just stood there for a moment facing each other after the kiss. "Uh that was..." Lorelai said nervously.

"Unexpected?" Luke said with a slight smirk.

Lorelai smiled at that. "I was actually going to say that was nice..." She said.

"That too." Luke smiled.

"I've missed you." Lorelai said sincerely.

"I've missed you too." Luke admitted.

"I think, though, we need to...talk..." She said hesitantly. "Before anything more happens..."

Luke sighed and nodded. "Yeah...you're right..." He said.

"But not tonight. Tonight's..."

"Rory's night." Luke smiled. "I get it."

Lorelai smiled. Of course he got it. He always got it when it involved Rory. "We should get back." She said.

Luke nodded. "Want to walk together?"

"That would be nice." Lorelai smiled and walked beside Luke as they headed back to the party. She looked around for Rory and saw her chatting happily to Lane so she followed Luke to the food, hoping she could finally eat.

Luke glanced at her and smirked. "I'm guessing you want some food?"

"Yes please. My parents have left so now there are no more distractions." Lorelai grinned. "Plus I like looking at you." She added.

Luke smirked. "Sure. Who wouldn't?"

Lorelai laughed and it felt nice to finally be back into that banter stage with Luke again. "Cheeseburger please!" She grinned.

"Coming right up." Luke said, grabbing a plate and making her burger up for her.

Meanwhile, Rory was sat with Lane and Zach at a table. "I can't believe you guys did all this for me. How did you manage to get it all done in time?" Rory asked.

Lane and Zach glanced at each other.

"What?" Rory asked noticing the glance.

"Well, to be honest, we don't know how it was done. All we heard was that Luke stayed up all night sewing the coats and tarps together so that we could still have the party." Lane said.

"Luke did?" Rory asked surprised.

"Yeah the party was all his idea. He arranged the secret town meeting and organised all the planning for it. When we found out it was going to rain, we thought we'd have to give up." Zach said. "But I guess Luke had different ideas..."

Rory glanced over at Luke who was chatting with her mom. She smiled as her mom laughed at something he said. "Luke organised everything? I thought it was Sookie and Taylor." She said quietly.

"Nope. Sookie did the desserts. Otherwise, this was all Luke." Lane smiled.

"Wow.." Rory said quietly. She glanced at her best friend. "I'll be back." She said.

Lane nodded and watched Rory walk over to where Luke was.

"Hey!" She said going up to her mom and Luke.

"Oh hey hon! You enjoying the party?" Lorelai smiled.

"Yeah it's great." Rory said. She glanced at Luke. "A little bird told me it was all your doing."

"Ah geez, who told you?" Luke said, embarrassed.

"Lane." Rory said with a slight smile.

"Yeah well her salary's getting docked." He grumbled.

"Thank you." She said sincerely.

"It was a town effort." Luke shrugged it off.

"Really? Because I heard different. I heard you stayed up all night making sure the party was going to happen despite the rain." Rory said.

Luke finally looked at Rory and sighed. "Yeah well I wanted to give you a good send off. You deserve it." He said.

Rory then took him by surprise by hugging him. "Thank you." She repeated. "I'll miss you too, you know." She added quietly.

Lorelai watched the interaction and felt tears in her eyes as her daughter and the man who meant everything to her share a loving moment. She could see even Luke was getting emotional.

"Right back at you, kid." Luke said quietly.

Rory pulled away and gave him a small smile. "Although I will also miss your coffee and burgers." She joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Luke chuckled. "I would expect nothing less." He said. "When's your flight tomorrow?"

"Urghh really early." Rory groaned. "It's at 8 which means we have to get their for 6." She said.

"Pop round the the diner before and I'll make you breakfast, anything you want. And I'll give you a care package for the journey." Luke said.

"Luke, you don't have to..." Rory protested. "You've already stayed up like 24 hours."

"I don't mind." Luke said. "I want to."

Rory smiled. "Ok. Thanks." She then turned to her mom. "I'm going to start saying goodbye to everyone then I think I'll head home." She said.

"Ok hon. Come get me when you're ready." Lorelai smiled.

"Ok." Rory smiled and then headed off to make the rounds.

"So you and Luke...?" Rory said innocently as she and her mom were finally walking home.

"What about us?" Lorelai asked.

"Are you back together?" Rory asked.

"What?" Lorelai said surprised. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well because...that was some kiss..." Rory said with a slight smirk.

Lorelai cringed. "You saw us? Did anyone see us? Oh please god, don't say my parents saw!" She exclaimed.

Rory laughed. "No, no one saw. Just me." She said. She glanced at her mother. "So...?"

"So what?" Lorelai asked.

"Mommm!" Rory exclaimed.

Lorelai sighed. "Ok yes we kissed and yes it felt amazing. But...there's a lot of stuff we need to talk about. We need to do that before we can start anything up again." She said.

Rory nodded. "I understand." She said. "But you both want to get back together right? I mean after you talk and stuff..."

Lorelai glanced at her daughter and gave her a small smile. "Yeah I think so. But..."

"You need to talk first. I get it." Rory smiled. "Just...keep me updated ok?"

"Of course." Lorelai smiled. She hesitated. "You would be ok with it, wouldn't you? I mean I know me and your dad..."

"Mom, it's fine. You and dad were never meant to be. I understand that. But you and Luke...well you just..fit.." She said.

Lorelai looked at Rory in surprise. "You think so?"

Rory nodded. "You and Luke love each other. I know you need to work through issues and stuff but you just...fit. I don't know how else to say it. You two are meant to be together. He makes you happy, mom."

Lorelai smiled at her daughter's obvious support. "Thanks hon."

They arrived at the house and went inside. They sat down on the couch. "Wow, I can't believe this time tomorrow I'll be in New York." Rory said quietly.

"Yeah." Lorelai said quietly.

"Another new era." Rory said glancing at her mom.

"But another great one." Lorelai said forcing a smile on her face. "You're going to be great, Rory. I know you are."

Rory gave her a watery smile. "I'm going to miss you so much." She said.

Lorelai felt tears prick her eyes but she forced them back, determined not to cry. "I'm going to miss you too, sweets."

Rory then let out a huge yawn. "Urgh I guess I better go to bed. Long day tomorrow." She said.

"Good idea." Lorelai said, getting up too.

Rory looked at her mom. "Mom.." She said choking up.

Lorelai shook her head. "Not yet. We still have time. We have breakfast at Luke's to look forward to yet." She said giving her daughter a tremulous smile.

Rory nodded, wiping some tears away. "You're right." She said quietly. "We still have time." She kissed Lorelai on the cheek. "Night mom."

"Night hon." Lorelai said watching her daughter head to her room and then shut the door. It was then that she let the tears fall. She slowly headed upstairs to bed herself, quietly dreading the coming day.

I know it's short but the next chapters will be longer, I promise. I just wanted to make a start on this before I went to sleep. Hope you liked it! Please let me know what you think and whether it's worth continuing! Thanks! :)