Rory hadn't been to Stars Hollow properly for ages. She'd dropped off Leah to Lorelai's every once in a while, just like she had done that day, but that was about it. Even the beloved Luke's had grown distant, as Luke offered their favourites at Lorelai's.
Today she had been visiting Lane, who was helping her pick out the music for her wedding. Logan had already organized a band to play, but the rest of the evening still required a playlist, and there was no-one better than Lane for that job. It was her wedding gift to Rory, as they'd agreed. She'd spent an entire afternoon listening to music and eating junk food like they once used to, catching up. For a moment it was like she had gone back in time, almost forgetting everything she had going on. It felt close to a holiday.
She headed to Luke's afterwards needing a dose of caffeine before driving home, her nose in her phone, replying to Logan about her time of arrival.
"Watch it!" a familiar voice scolded, as Rory walked right into him from around the corner.
"Sorry," she said apologetically, raising her gaze from her phone.
"I see you've exchanged from books to Android," Jess commented, teasingly.
"Jess?!" she exclaimed, reaching out to hug him.
"I was visiting mom and Luke," he replied briefly, anticipating the question.
"I haven't seen you for years," she began, adding, "and I am sorry for not keeping better touch."
"It's fine, I've been in Philly mostly, not exactly around the corner. I heard your book did well, congrats," he noted.
"Let's go sit somewhere, catch up," she suggested, gesturing towards the town square benches.
"Sure," he replied, checking his watch.
"Do you have to be somewhere, am I keeping you?" she asked hesitantly.
"Nah, I can spare half an hour," he replied.
"So what have you been up to?" she inquired.
"Publishing, editing, have been writing a little again, nothing new published yet," he summarized briefly.
"I've started a new book," Rory said excitedly. Strangely enough their professions were not too different in the end, while different in their paths to get there, their joint love for books was still there.
"Oh yea, what's it about?" Jess asked.
"It's a little darker, but sort of self-help book. I know it's perhaps not quite the genre as what I wrote before, but for now I think I need to do this," she explained.
"Can't wait to read it," he sighed, "Picking up the Gilmore Girls always gives me some chills, it's like a trip back in time or something," Jess added.
"You'll get a copy, I promise," she said. "I never really thanked you for encouraging me to write it," she added, referring to her previous book.
"I just wish I could've been more help getting it published," he replied, regretfully.
"Oh, and I haven't RSVP-d your wedding yet," he said a moment later.
"Are you coming? I would love it if you could," she inquired hopefully. She realized there was a slight chance he'd be weirded out by that idea, but she hoped enough time had passed. She also knew that Jess never was the biggest fan of Logan, which could also be a factor.
"I was thinking about it," he replied, "I'd be bringing a plus one too," he added.
"You really should," Rory urged. "Who's the plus one?" she inquired curiously.
"My wife actually," he replied apologetically, not having invited her to his wedding or not so much as told her about it.
"You're wife?" Rory's mouth fell open.
"We eloped last August," he explained. "Her name is Sadie, and well I suppose it's really more like plus two. She's expecting," he added, with a proud smile.
"That's wonderful, Jess, I'm happy for you," she exclaimed.
"So do I still need to RSVP or can you just factor me in, these big official events are not really my comfort zone," he asked practically.
"I'll let grandma know," she replied, adding "she's been handling the planning."
"Glad to skip making that call," he laughed, not having the best history with Emily Gilmore.
"Paris, can you drive me somewhere," Finn asked on a Saturday afternoon while her kids were at a birthday party with their nanny. It was his right leg that was fractured and he'd resorted in using Uber for his work trips the entire week.
"Sure, where do you want to go?" she inquired, putting down her empty coffee cup on Finn's kitchen counter.
"I have to pick up something," he replied.
Half an hour later, they'd parked in front of a row of stores in East Hartford.
"You need me to come help?" Paris offered, glancing at her phone.
"I'll be alright, love," he replied, shuffling his body around, placing his right leg out the door carefully, before rising and leaning on to his crutches.
"You sure?" she called after him.
"I'll just be a moment," he replied, limping forward.
Paris had just noticed a new e-mail from her assistant, which usually meant bad news on a Saturday. Her mind drifted to work while she waited.
Finn returned roughly fifteen minutes later, his limping significantly slowing his pace.
"Got everything you needed?" she asked, finishing typing her e-mail.
"I do," he replied.
"What did you get?" she inquired casually, turning on the engine and shifting the gear to drive.
"This," he said, holding out a classic ring box, adding, "I know I probably should've made more of a gesture out of it than this, but I am not much for kneeling at this point."
"Finn," Paris sighed, shifting the gear to park again, "now I feel stupid, for not realizing you were up to something like this," she added. Reality had hit Paris just as their feet touched US ground, but she had no intention in backing out on what she'd said.
The box held a somewhat unconventional brushed white gold ring with a single pearl. It was probably visually the furthest from the previous gold and diamond ring she'd gotten from Doyle she could imagine, and it was perfect.
Finn took the ring from it's box, asking simply, "May I?"
For once Paris was out of words and simply nodded. The gesture in its simplicity had been so effortless and organic.
Rory waited patiently as Mitchum finished up his last meeting, which had ran over. Unlike the last time she'd been in this position, preparing herself to ask for his funding, she was no longer terrified.
"Rory," he greeted her finally, gesturing her in. "What do I owe this pleasure?" he asked.
"I wanted to thank you for the flexibility you've enabled me in regards to the editing position," she began, "but unfortunately I need to ask for some extra time," she added. He hadn't set a time limit, but she felt it was only polite to speak to him as she intended to spend the same amount of time she'd spent on another assigned manuscript on her own book instead.
"Rory you do realize that your research funding was conditional, right?" he said, trying to intimidate her a little.
"I do, but I am not just killing time either - I'm writing another book actually. I've spoken to Maxwell already and he seems to think it is likely to show the company in good light as well," Rory explained. She felt she had at least some leverage knowing what he'd told Logan over Christmas.
"So what is this new book about exactly?" he asked, somewhat surprised by her confidence.
"It's non-fiction about my experiences, mental health issues and dealing with them," she explained briefly. It wasn't something she was used to announcing like that, hence the touch of hesitation. But she needed to grow accustomed to it fast, her interview fast approaching.
"So you're turning a weakness into a strength essentially?" Mitchum reflected, almost sounding proud.
"That's the plan," she replied.
They agreed they'd revisit the idea of her returning to work in September, almost making it sound like their working relationship was conventional. Rory realized that living from Logan's graces and savings was not ideal, but this had to take priority over her pride.
