Epilogue

"Tell me I'm not an idiot."

It's been a month since they've last seen each other. A month since California.

That night, he opens the front door, getting ready to yell at whatever lunatic was knocking at almost midnight only to find her standing there, a small smile on her lips while her hands are playing nervously with the strap of her purse.

"Tell me I'm not an idiot, Jess." She repeats, biting her lip and looking at him.

"I don't know. Did you marry him?" He asks.

Lifting her left hand in the air so he can see that there was no ring there this time, she shakes her head. "Nope."

"Then you're not an idiot." Jess replies, smirking.

"It's not what I meant."

"Then what do you want? Because it's a bit late for an IQ test. And I have no idea what made you think this would be the appropriate venue to take one." He teases her, finally relaxed.

"I just…" She looks down at her feet, the same pair of Chucks she had had on the plane covering them, and traces a small line on the concrete with her toes. "I want to know I didn't destroy everything by leaving the way I did. That you didn't change your mind while I was still trying to make up mine."

"Depends."

"On?"

"On what made you come here."

"Casablanca." She smiles, getting a smile in return from him.

Earlier that night, back at the Gilmore house.

"I cannot believe we haven't watched 'Casablanca' in almost 3 years! This should be against the law. We should be shot. Hung! Tortured with some medieval device!"

"Ok, mom, you've made your point. Repeatedly throughout the night, in fact."

"But it is a good movie."

"One of the best." Rory sighs, grabbing a slice of pizza from the box. As the final scenes of the movie roll on the screen, Lorelai looks at her daughter only to see a couple of tears rolling down her cheeks. Putting a hand on her shoulder, she squeezes it gently.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just…why does he let her leave? They're supposed to be together. He shouldn't have to give her up."

"Rory, we've seen this movie a billion times. You knew this is how it ends. You've known that since you were 7."

"But…it shouldn't. She's being an idiot by leaving! She's…she's giving up on the one guy that loved her that way."

"What way?" Lorelai asks, finally realizing what Rory was talking about.

"The way it's supposed to be. Madly, completely, can't breathe when he's not around, the rest of the world doesn't exist when he's with you. That way. The 'just holding his hand makes me happy' way." She smiles sadly through the tears at the memory of Jess' words. "She settled for the safe guy and let that go. I let that go."

"Rory, I know you said you don't want to talk about what happened in California, but it's been a month. You have to give me something here if you want me to help you."

"We kissed."

"And?"

"And he said he used to love me that way. Well, technically that was before we kissed. And then he said he wanted to try and make me happy again and I am stupid and I left and I got on the plane! Why did I get on the plane?"

"Because…you were still engaged to another man?"

"But Jess makes me happy and he did all that for me, he dragged me to the other end of the country because I was miserable and why am I so stupid? Why did I leave that note? Why did I give him a chance to reconsider?"

"Hon, I really can't answer that. But…can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Why are you telling me all this? Go change the ending, Rory. Go tell him all that and hope it's not too late.

"And if it is?" She asks her mother, biting her lip.

"There is only one way to find out."

"Go see him." Rory states, standing up. "I…thanks, mom."

"What for?"

"Just…thanks."

"So…can I still change the ending? Or am I the biggest idiot that ever lived?"

"Rory, I…" He hesitates and she looks at him.

"Can I say something more before you answer that?"

Jess nods, waiting to hear what she has to say.

"I know I shouldn't have left like that. I said it in my note and I will say it again. I am sorry. But I needed to solve things by myself and I honestly wanted to give you a chance to change your mind as well. And, despite the fact that I still think it was the best way to handle things at the time, you have no idea how much I regret it right now, when I am actually facing the possibility that you have but that's how I felt at the time. I should have stayed, I should have talked to you in the morning and asked you for some time, hell, I should have called you in the last few weeks and said I needed time. But it's been stressful and emotional and I've had to deal with a lot of crap and I don't know if I wanted to admit that this is what I wanted to do."

"Rory…"

"Just give me a couple more minutes and then you can ask me to leave if you want to. I did love you that way as well and I was an idiot for not fighting harder for you back then or for not seeing things as they were but we can't change that so I am fighting now. If you don't want this anymore, it's fine, I will be fine and, really, I am grateful for all you've done for me that week. But I do want more and you said you wanted more and we don't have to jump straight into a relationship. We can just go for coffee sometime and spend some time together and see where it goes. Figure it out together, I think that's how you put it. Just…tell me you haven't changed your mind."

"Will you please shut up for a second?" He asks, trying not to laugh.

"Why?"

"So I can kiss you."

Nodding, she smiles as he takes a few steps towards her. When he's close enough, she laces her fingers through his, closing her eyes. His lips touch hers, slowly, hesitantly and she responds, moving even closer to him. As the kiss grows more passionate, he lets go of her hands and wraps his arms around her waist, as she circles his neck with hers. Pulling back, he rests his forehead against hers.

"If I see you running away when I open my eyes…" He whispers and she just smiles, opening hers and placing a small kiss on his mouth.

"Open them." He opens his eyes, kissing her forehead softly.

"Still here."

Hugging him closer, she smiles again. "No other place in the world place I'd rather be."

A/N: This seems like a good place to end it. Thank you so much for reading this and for the reviews. You are all truly you again.