Chapter 3

The next day Jess went upstairs to the apartment above Luke's where he was staying. It made the most sense, there wasn't much room at his mom's place and Luke rarely used it anymore since he was always at Lorelai's anyway. He finally fell asleep around 12:15 but by 12:30, his phone was going off. "Luke, this better be important."

"It just started snowing, you know what to do right?"

"Yup, want to me to leave in about ten minutes?"

"Sounds great, I'll leave the door unlocked, Rory's staying in her old room, just knock or go in, I doubt she's been asleep very long."

"Again, you so owe me"

"Lorelai, wake up."

"hmm?" Lorelai answered sleepily.

"Its snowing. It's the first snow of the year, it came late this year, but its here."

"I'm confused, aren't I supposed to wake you up at the first snow of the year? You hate this stuff"

"Come on, I have an idea. Come with me"

Luke got her out of bed and started toward the town square, stopping at the diner to give Jess a chance to catch up and get Lorelai coffee. "Coffee first, ok?"

"When have you ever known me to turn down coffee? Yes please."

Meanwhile, Jess carefully let himself into the Crap Shack and headed towards Rory's room. He knocked softly while saying "Rory, Rory wake up."

"Jess! What are you doing here? Its like almost 1:00, you're going to wake up my mom."

"She's not here, she and Luke are at the diner. I need you to get up and go with me to Sookie's."

"Jess have you lost your mind?"

"No, this is all part of the secretive plan Luke has. We have to get to Sookie's and then the gazebo in the town square in like 10 minutes."

"I still think you're crazy but ok let me grab a coat. Oh its snowing! It's the first snow of the year!"

"I know, that was part of the plan, now come on."

After having a similar conversation with Sookie, and being amazed that Jackson slept through it all, Jess, Rory and Sookie made it to the gazebo.

"Ok, I'll text Luke and tell him we're here."

"What exactly is going on? My husband and kids are still at home why am I up at 1:00 am in the gazebo?" Sookie asked again.

"You'll see. Now this part is going to seem even crazier but I need you both to duck behind the gazebo. While we're down there, open this champagne and pour out five glasses, here they come, duck now"

"Luke, you got me out to see the first snow? That's so sweet. No one expect Rory has ever gotten me up for the first snow before."

"Well, I know how much you love snow. Here sit down at the gazebo. Do you remember a few years ago? We were talking about the snow and you said it was just like this friendship you had, that most big events in your life happened while it was snowing? Rory's first steps, that kind of thing?"

"Briefly, I'm surprised you remember it though"

"Well, I wanted one more special even to happen while it was snowing"

"Get ready" Jess whispered from behind them.

"He's not, oh my gosh, he is!" Rory whispered excitedly. Sookie caught on and could barely contain her excitement.

"Luke, what are you talking about?" Loreali asked confused.

"Lorelai, I know we've had our ups and downs. And last time, well, it was mostly my fault, and it was bad, but I want it to work this time, I know it will work this time. And I know we haven't been back together but a few months, but I feel like we've kinda always been together, you know? So what I'm saying is," He paused as he got down on one knee and got a velvet box out of his pocket "Lorelai Gilmore, will you marry me?"

"Oh my gosh, yes, Luke, yes, I'll marry you."

"AHHHH!!! You're getting married!" Sookie couldn't contain her excitement anymore and she and Rory and Jess popped out from behind the gazebo, champagne in hand.

"Oh! What are you guys doing here?" Lorelai exclaimed

"I thought you'd want your two best friends here, so I had Jess arrange it. Along with the rest of this, Jess is actually a romantic if you push him hard enough." Luke replied. Jess just groaned in reply.

"Mom, I'm so happy for you! Here's some champagne, lets toast!" Rory stated with elation in her voice.

"To Luke and Lorelai, finally" Jess half grunted half exclaimed.

"To Luke and Lorelai!"

After the excitement wore down, Sookie went back home knowing if she stayed much longer Jackson would wake up worried she wasn't there.

"Mom, why don't you and Luke go on home, I'm sure you want some privacy. Luke, is it ok if I stay on the extra bed in the apartment above the dinner?"

"Sure, as long as Jess doesn't mind, he's staying up there right now"

"Oh, well I'm sure I can figure something else out"

"No, Rory its fine, there are two beds, that would be stupid." Jess replied.

"Ok, good night Mom, congratulations, make it work this time ok?"

"Night sweets, I will, it will."

"So, I guess we should get to the diner, customers will get there in a few hours and I don't know about you, but I need some sleep." Rory said to Jess.

"Agreed. Come on."

They walked back to the diner and Rory kept going on and on about the proposal. "I mean, I can't believe you guys pulled this off and no one found about it. Luke isn't usually able to keep a secret. So this is the reason Luke wanted you to come?"

"Yeah, he needed some ideas and basically just someone to tell him to stop being such a coward and just do it."

"Well I'm glad you helped. Plus, I had been feeling bad about the night in Philly for almost 2 years, so I'm glad we got to clear the air, you know, be friends again. We are friends again?"

"Yeah, we're good. Come on lets go upstairs and get to bed, we can talk more later, I'm here for a couple of weeks, we've got time." They headed upstairs and started making their beds.

"Ok, good night Jess."

"Good night Rory." Yup, he thought, a very interesting time in Stars Hollow indeed.

Author's note: Don't expect me to update this often all the time, I've just been a roll with the story just starting. Thanks for the reviews so far, hope you're enjoying the story.