Thank you for your continued support! :) Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 12

Rory had just gotten out of the shower after the drive back to New York when her cell started ringing. She wrapped her towel round her and went over to it. She smiled when she saw the caller ID. "Miss me already?" She said, answering it.

"Just wanted to make sure you got back ok." A familiar voice said.

"You missed me!" Rory grinned.

"Yeah alright, I missed you." Jess chuckled. "But I did want to make sure you got back ok."

"That's sweet." She smiled. "Yeah, I got back about an hour ago. How about you?"

"Just got in now." He said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot Philly is further than New York." She said.

"Yeah." Jess said. "So..uh.." He started but then stopped.

"What's up?" Rory said.

"You're not having any second doubts?" He asked hesitantly.

"About what?"

"About...what we spoke about before we left Stars Hollow." He said.

"No, why? Are you?" She frowned.

"No!" He said quickly. He then sighed. "I just...wanted to make sure. I mean I know I screwed up before...numerous times. But I don't want to screw it up this time. I'm not going to screw it up."

"Jess..." Rory said softly, hearing the vulnerability in his voice.

"I just want you to be sure. I want you to be sure that you really want this." Jess said.

"I want this." Rory said. "I want you, Jess. I know things got messed up before but that wasn't all on you. I could have been more supportive of you and I was a jerk playing you and Dean against each other. It wasn't fair for either of you."

"I didn't make that easy for you though. I should have backed off when I knew you were with Dean." He said.

"Jess, stop." She said softly. "We both screwed up ok. I guess the timing just wasn't right before. But...I feel like it really is now. It...this...feels different. Doesn't it?" She said.

Jess smiled slightly. "Yeah it does." He said.

Rory nodded. "Good. Well then, that's that then. No more talk of the past. The past is the past and I really want us to start something good. If you're still in?" She said.

"I'm still in." He said.

"Good." She smiled.

"So we're doing this then? We're giving us another go?" Jess checked.

"Looks like it." Rory said.

"Huh." He said.

"What now?" She laughed.

"Nothing." He chuckled. "Just...I guess I never thought there would be an 'us' again."

"Yeah, me neither." She admitted.

"It feels good."

"It really does." Rory smiled. "Oh, hang on, I'm getting a call coming through from mom! Can I call you back?"

"Sure." He said. "Oh, seems like Luke is trying to get through to me as well. Speak later?"

"Speak later." She said.

"I'm exhausted!" Lorelai exclaimed, collapsing onto the couch in the living room of the Crap Shack after having just returned from the Gilmore Mansion.

"I'm not surprised. It's been a long day." Luke said.

"It really has been." She sighed. She glanced at Luke. "Mom seemed ok though, didn't she? I mean I felt bad leaving but she said she was ok."

"She seemed ok." He nodded, pacing a little.

Lorelai noticed his pacing. "Are you ok?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." He said stopping. "Actually...uh...no, forget it, I'm fine." He said.

"Luke, what's going on?" Lorelai said.

"Now isn't the right time. I was stupid to think it would be." He said.

"Right time for what?" She said confused.

"It doesn't matter." Luke said, sitting down next to her.

"You're making me nervous now..." Lorelai said. "What's going on?"

Luke sighed. "Ok...well, I wanted to ask you something. But I don't know whether it's the right time. I thought it might be because I didn't want you to have to look back on this day with sadness but then I thought that's stupid and it's disrespectful to your dad and to you..." He said quickly.

"Wow, you've really learnt that rambling business from me and Rory." Lorelai joked.

Luke smirked slightly. "Sorry." He said.

She smiled at me. "Talk to me, Luke." She said softly. "What did you want to ask?"

He took a deep breath. "Ok." He said, getting up and started to pace again. "Ok, I'm going to do it." He said.

"Do what?"

"Lorelai, I know we've only recently got back together and I know things got messed up before. I messed things up between us so much and I will regret that forever." He said.

"That wasn't all down to you." Lorelai said quietly.

"I know and I know we've talked through all of this but this part of it was definitely messed up by me." He said.

"What bit?"

He stopped pacing and faced her. "Lorelai, I want you to know that I've wanted this all my life. You and me. I've pictured our lives so many times and it always ends with us living together, happy and...husband and wife..." He said nervously.

"Luke..." Lorelai said softly.

"And I know I messed up our engagement before and I know we've only just got back together but...uh..." He said before going to a cupboard in the hallway and taking a small box out and heading back to her. "Lorelai..." Luke said softly, getting down on one knee.

"Oh my god, Luke..." Lorelai said softly, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Things may have gotten derailed before but I want this. I want you. I want a proper family with you, Rory and April. I just want to make it official so..uh..Lorelai..." He said, opening the box and revealing a ring. "..Lorelai, will you marry me?" He said. "For real this time."

Lorelai felt tears fall down her cheeks and she wiped them away before grinning tremulously. "Yes, Luke. Yes, I'll marry you." She said.

Luke grinned before taking the ring and putting it on her finger and getting up to kiss her. "I love you, Lorelai."

"I love you too." She said softly. "And this...today...was the perfect time." She said.

"Really?" Luke said letting out a breath.

"Really." She smiled leaning in to give him another kiss. She then got up suddenly. "I've got to ring Rory!" She said excitedly.

Luke chuckled. "Of course. I've got to make a couple of calls as well." He said.

She grinned at him. "We're getting married!"

He smiled back at her. "We're getting married." He said, smiling as she raced upstairs to call Rory.

Luke looked up a while later when he heard movement on the stairs. He saw Lorelai on the last step, biting her lip. "Is everything ok?" He said.

"What?" She said coming out of her daze.

"Your call with Rory. Was it ok?" He said starting to get nervous. What if Rory wasn't happy about this? What if it was too fast?

"What? Oh, yeah!" She exclaimed, seeing Luke's nervous expression. "Yeah, Rory was ecstatic for us. Really. There was a lot of shrieking. On both ends." She laughed.

Luke let out a relieved breath and chuckled. "Ok good." He said. "So, what's wrong?"

"I was just thinking..." She said.

"About what?"

"About...whether I should call my mom." Lorelai admitted, glancing at him.

"Ah." Luke said understanding.

"It's just...I've opened up a lot recently to her about you and she actually seems genuinely happy that we're working things out." She said. "I mean, she mentioned wanting to move closer so she can be involved in any future grandkids from the beginning." She laughed slightly.

"Grandkids?" Luke said surprised.

"Oh..uh..yeah, but I told her we hadn't spoken about that. I mean, we'd only just gotten back together." She said quickly.

"Right..." He said. He glanced at her. "I think you should call her." He smiled softly.

"Yeah?"

"I think she'd appreciate it." He nodded.

Lorelai nodded. "Yeah...Yeah ok, I'm going to. And then we can watch a movie before heading to bed?" She suggested.

"Sounds good." Luke nodded.

"Great!" Lorelai smiled. "I'll only be a minute." She said heading into the kitchen. She sat down at the table and took a deep breath before ringing a familiar number.

"Hello?" Emily answered.

"Hi mom." Lorelai said nervously. "Sorry to call late. Are you in bed?"

"Not yet." She said. "Is everything ok? Did you forget something here?"

"No, I didn't forget anything. I just..." She said before taking a deep breath. "I have some news."

"Oh. Ok." Emily said. "What news?"

"Well..uh..Luke asked me to marry him tonight. Well, just now actually." She said.

"I see." She said.

"I know you're probably thinking that this has happened before and that the wedding bit didn't actually happen last time but we both want this. It's really happening this time. We both really want this. I know it might seem fast since we only just got back together but if you think about it, it's not fast at all. I mean, this was always meant to happen. It was always meant to be Luke, mom." She rambled.

"Lorelai..." Emily said softly.

"Yeah?" She said letting out a breath.

"Are you happy?" She asked.

Lorelai smiled. "Yeah, mom. I'm really happy." She said softly.

"Then I'm happy for the both of you. Please pass my congratulations on to Luke." Emily smiled.

"Thanks mom." She said tremulously.

"And Lorelai?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell him if it doesn't happen this time, he'll have me to answer to." She said smirking slightly.

Lorelai let out a laugh. "Yeah, I'll tell him, mom."

"Goodnight, Lorelai." Emily said softly.

"Goodnight, mom." Lorelai smiled. She went back into the living room and sat down next to Luke.

"Everything ok?" Luke asked.

"Everything's perfect." She smiled.

"Good." He smiled.

"Although, my mom did tell me to tell you that if this wedding doesn't happen this time, she will kick your ass." Lorelai grinned.

Luke chuckled. "I definitely believe that she would!"

Lorelai laughed. "So what are we watching?" She asked.

Rory was finally in bed for the night when her cell rang again. "Hey!" She smiled.

"So I guess we're going to be related..." Jess smirked.

"Eww, please don't ever say that again!" Rory laughed.

Jess chuckled. "Good thing it's not by blood."

"Jess!" She exclaimed.

"Sorry." He smirked. "So they're finally going to do it..." He said.

"Yeah, for real this time." Rory smiled.

"I believe in them." Jess said.

"So do I." Rory said.

"So are you in bed yet?" He asked.

"Just got in now."

"Cool. I'll let you sleep. Are you back at the Times tomorrow?"

"Yep, back at it." She nodded. "You back at Truncheon?"

"Yep." He said. "So, I'll call you in the evening then?"

Rory smiled. "Yeah, speak to you in the evening."

"Night Rory." Jess smiled.

"Night Dodger." She grinned.

So I hope you enjoyed it! Please keep the reviews coming! I love reading what you all think and they really do mean so much to me so thank you! And thanks again for all your support. :)