Epilogue

"I think that ought to do it." Sam said, giving one last good tug at the fencing to ensure it was once again sturdy. He pulled off is dusty gloves and wiped his brow with a small smile to the pretty blonde.

"Thank you, Joe, don' know what I woulda done if Bubba had broken loose again." She smiled appreciatively and kissed his cheek.

"Aw, gee, Nelly," He blushed, "It wasn't nothing anyone else wouldn't'a done."

"Nonsense, Joe Walker," She shook her head affectionately at him, "You're my hero."

Suddenly Sam felt the familiar tingle of electricity thrill through him as he began to leap once again. His vision blurred and sparkled as the transition began. An indeterminable moment later, his surroundings began to come into focus again.

Sam blinked to clear the light points from his eyes as he took in his new location. He seemed to be in a beautifully decorated party venue, and if the cake was any indicator, he was at a wedding reception. Sam looked down and saw he was dressed in a tux, Am I involved in this or just a guest? He wondered, looking around. He thought he recognized some of the guests, but what caught his eye was the three women who were dancing together in the middle of the floor. The dark haired bride beaming at the two lilac-clad younger women as they shook their collective groove thing.

"Congratulations," A tuxedo-clad young man with dark hair strode over to him, handing him one of the beers in his hand before clinking his own bottle against Sam's. "At least one of us finally got the girl."

"I am a lucky man," Sam nodded taking a sip of the hoppy liquid as he looked towards the bride who met his gaze with a radiant smile and a small wave of her hand, an action that was then copied by the two bridesmaids. Sam returned with a solute of his drink.

"You're hopeless." The young man teased him.

Sam smirked as he followed the young man's unbroken gaze that had settled on the older of the two bridesmaids. The girl was a younger, shorter version of the bride. It was clear that she was the bride's daughter as well as the object of the younger man's affections. "Pot meet kettle," Sam chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah," The boy groused.

"You never know," Sam remarked, "She just may be as interested in you."

"With the history we share, it's doubtful." The kid shook his head sadly, "I know things have gotten a little better since the open house last year, but it's hard. When she came by she had told me that everything was fixed, I thought she truly meant everything and that I could finally had a chance to make things right with her. Turns out everything was fixed except him, the jackass in the Porsche." He sighed, "We still talk on rare occasion, but never anything too deep, aside from when we were helping out with the custody hearing. I don't know if she's even still with him."

Sam was at a loss for what to say when the music changed to a slower tempo. He watched at the women moved off to the side of the floor as scattered couples took their place. Noticing no one had approached the young woman in question, he turned to the younger man. "You know, I don't think I've seen anyone with her all night. This might be your chance."

"Chance at getting my heart stomped on again?" Came the challenge.

"You might be surprised," Sam countered, "Ask her to dance and see where it leads. What could it hurt?"

"You mean aside from my pride?" The young man scoffed.

"Just hand me your beer and ask her already." Sam rolled his eyes, "If all goes well you may be next."

"Yeah right," The boy huffed before catching the serious look in his uncle's eyes, "Fine, I'll ask, but for the record I'm just looking to get out of this ridiculous conversation, not because you told me to."

"Noted." Sam nodded, smiling at the young man's receding back.

The young man paused for a moment, saying something to the bride before the boy looked back at the groom. The young man then turned and escorted the object of his affection onto the dance floor. Sam smiled as the awkward embrace of the young couple slowly eased into a more comfortable one as the song progressed. He almost didn't notice the bride approach him. As she drew closer, he recognized the dark haired, blue eyed, beauty s one he'd encountered on a previous leap.

He smiled to himself as he noticed the small change in the woman's expression. On some level she was aware there was something different about the man before her. He knew it, she knew it, and he knew that she knew it.

"Well hello again, Angel Boy," She smiled up at him as she took her place beside him, "Long time no see."

"Jeez, Lorelai," Sam sighed, "You make it seem like it's been forever."

"Not forever," Lorelai shrugged, taking a sip of her drink, trying not to giggle as it tickled her nose. "But it's been a little over a year at least since we started down the April custody-thing road."

"You're nuts," Sam scoffed.

"Whatever you say, Angel Boy." Lorelai quipped.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Sam asked, casting a sidelong glance at Luke's bride.

"Because I don't know your name." She responded as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"I knew I always liked her," The gravelly voice of his friend and co-worker made him jump.

"Al…" Sam started.

"Huh," Lorelai responded, a thoughtful look on her face, "I never would have guessed…"

"What?" Sam asked before catching up to her stream of thought, "No, what I was going to say is I'll be right back."

"Hurry back, Angel Boy," She smiled up at him, "My office is open if you need some alone time for your rhetorical conversations."

Sam just shook his head and walked toward the lobby and Lorelai's office. Making sure the door was locked, he turned toward his friend.

"Wow, she sure has your number." Al chuckled around his cigar. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say she knows."

"She does," Sam sighed.

"She what?!" Al demanded, "You didn't…"

"No!" Sam huffed, "I know the rules; I wrote the rules! She figured it out on her own the last time I was here. Speaking of which, why am I back in Stars Hollow? I would really like to get out of here as soon as I can considering what day I just leapt into."

"I'm pretty sure you do." Sam laughed, "If it makes you feel any better, Luke is of the same mind and doing a remarkable impression of a caged tiger. He's been doing nothing but pacing the waiting room and ranting since he first arrived."

"So?" Sam drawled, giving Al a pointed look.

"So what?" The old admiral asked, playing with his cigar before catching up and punching buttons on his comlink. "Oh right, you are here to kiss." Both men looked perplexed before Al knocked the side of the device with the palm of his other hand, "Knock! You're here to knock some sense into your nephew, one Jess Mariano. Huh, good Italian boy."

Suddenly the comlink started going crazy, beeping and flashing. Al punched a couple buttons, "Huh, well that's different…" He murmured.

"What?" Sam asked, "What's different?"

Al just gave him a sly look, "You'll see, but I suggest you unlock the door."

Giving his friend a questioning look, he reached over and flipped the lock on the door. Almost instantaneously he heard a unified feminine squeal followed by a masculine groan that was equal parts complaint and humor. Sam heard the click of heels and dress shoes on the hardwood lobby floor moments before the door to Lorelai's office came crashing open.

"Luke!" "Dad!" He heard the girls cry out jubilantly as Lorelai's "Angel Boy!" joined the cacophony.

"'Angel Boy?'" Rory questioned her mother.

"Just trying out something new," Lorelai shrugged, "Don't dwell."

"Now we've moved on to Bewitched…" April joked, causing Lorelai and Rory to look at her proudly.

"Focus!" Lorelai teased, "There is a more important reason we rushed in here." She explained, bouncing excitedly from foot to foot looking expectantly between the young adults and Luke.

"Well?" Sam led in, "What's up?"

The look that passed between Rory and Jess was not missed by Sam. Rory met Jess' eyes and nodded toward Luke before she mouthed, "Tell him."

Jess rolled his eyes despite the half smile that gave him away, "I guess it falls to me." He sighed exaggeratedly, "I suppose I should thank you." He started before he was interrupted by a blonde woman a couple years older than Lorelai bursting through the door.

"Did they tell you?" She asked loudly, but didn't wait for confirmation before continuing, "Can you believe my baby is getting married?"

"What?" Sam asked, vaguely aware of the woman's relation to Luke and the dark-haired young man who stood with a proud smirk on his face which was only rivaled by the blinding smile that shone on Rory's lips.

"Why are you so surprised?" Jess challenged, "It was your idea."

"No it wasn't," Sam protested, "All I said was to ask her to dance. The rest is on you, my friend." He ignored the small chuckle from Al behind him as Jess spoke up again.

"And I quote, 'You never know, you may be next.'" Jess repeated smugly.

"I didn't mean tomorrow!" Sam enthused before looking at Lorelai, "You're okay with this?"

"Like you didn't want this day to eventually come when they were 17." She teased, "If memory serves you were the president of the Jess and Rory fan club back in the day. I admit I wasn't the biggest supporter back then, but even I can tell that Jess has grown up. Besides, this opens up so much mocking opportunity! They are cousins now, after all. Maybe we should make them move to Virginia once their wed."

"Lorelai," Sam warned at the same time that Rory giggle-scolded, "Mom!" and April rolled her eyes with a, "Gross," while Jess simply laughed.

"Come on, let's get back out there before everyone - and by everyone I mean Patty and Babette - realize that nearly the entire bridal party is missing." She smiled, "You go on ahead; Luke and I will follow in a minute."

The rest of the family nodded and left the tiny office. Lorelai closed the door behind them and turned back, "Thank you." She smiled warmly as she laid her hand on his forearm, "They would have been circling each other for years if you hadn't pushed Jess."

"Say goodbye, Sam." Al warned him as he started to feel the familiar tingle again.

"Goodbye, Sam." He repeated.

"Sam?" Lorelai questioned, "Is that your name?"

Sam just smiled and gave a small nod as the leap overtook him.

A moment later, Luke gave a little start, blinking his eyes as he reoriented himself. He was in his wife's office with the woman herself, looking lovingly up at him.

"Welcome back, Burger Boy," She kissed him, "Let's go wish Jess and Rory congratulations on their engagement."

"He finally got his act together, huh?" Luke asked, following his wife back to the banquet hall.

"Seems that way," She smiled, taking his hand, "What I would like to know is where he got the ring on such short notice."

"I gave it to him a long time ago." Luke informed her, "It was my mother's, I thought he should have something of hers."

"And he just happened to have said ring on him?" Lorelai challenged.

Luke just shrugged, "With all the traveling he does for his books, he's been keeping it in the safe in my office. He must have taken it out at some point the last couple days."

"You okay with this?" She asked.

"Completely okay with this," Luke smiled, "Been waiting for this day since he got his act together and she ditched the 'Blond Dick from Yale.'" Luke put air quotes around the title Jess had given Rory's ex a couple years before.

"I never really liked him." Lorelai murmured.

"Me either," Luke agreed.

"I didn't really like this one either," She continued, allowing a moment for her words to sink in. She gave a small smile to his concerned look, "But I like him now. Like you said, he finally got his act together and is a somewhat respectable adult. I like who he has become, polite, intelligent – although he's always been smart, and totally in love with a Gilmore Girl. He's basically a younger, bookier, you."

"And Rory is a quieter, bibliophilic version of you." He smiled down at her before turning his sights on the newly engaged couple.

"They're going to make it." Lorelai sighed.

"Yeah, hopefully without the drama we've had to endure the last few years." Luke agreed.

"You're conveniently forgetting how dramatic their teens and early 20's were." She pointed out, looking between her daughter and Luke, "Hey, I've got an idea. You know how they say the ones who catch the bouquet and garter will marry next?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you think of a better way for them to tell the town?" She smiled mischievously up at her husband.

Luke laughed and kissed his wife, "I love you, Crazy Lady, but we should probably run it past the princess and the hooligan."

"You're probably right." Lorelai agreed.

Rory loved the idea, Jess less so, but he went along with it. Later that evening when all the couples were dancing, Lorelai lifted her head from Luke's shoulder, "What do you think of the name Sam?"

"Huh?" He asked, giving her a puzzled look, "For what?"

"A baby," She shrugged.

"A… you… we're…" Luke stammered.

"Yes," Lorelai beamed up at him, "I was craving apples all week, so yesterday I gave in and took a test… okay I took three tests. What do you think?"

"I think that had better have been sparkling cider you've been drinking all night." Luke smiled as Lorelai nodded the affirmative before he pulled her back into his arms. "I like the name Sam."

"Samuel William Danes, if it's a boy." Lorelai stated, "Without the first we wouldn't be here, without the second, I wouldn't have you."

"You knew?" Luke looked down at his bride.

"I knew," She confirmed, "It was the eyes, no one has your eyes. Although I really hope this little one will."

"I love you Crazy Lady," he kissed her and lowered the palm of his left hand to her abdomen, rubbing his thumb over the covered flesh that would soon show the presence of his child, "You too, little Sammy."

"We love you too, Daddy." She smiled lovingly up at him before lowering her own left hand to join his. She took in the sight of their conjoined hands, ring winking and glittering in the twinkle lights that had been strung up around the room. She couldn't have been happier in that moment when she raised her eyes to heaven and whispered, "Thank you, Sam."

"Yeah, thanks Sam," Luke agreed, "Wherever you are now."