"Jess! Is the car packed and ready?"

"Uh-huh. It feels like that's all we ever do anymore," Jess sighed, coming in the door and pulling it closed behind him. Rory frowned.

"It's Christmas. You don't want to go?"

"I do," Jess explained, "I always want to go. It just feels like a lot of back and forth. But I guess that's what it's going to be like for us, you know?"

"I mean, I don't like the back and forth either," Rory replied, picking up her bag and throwing it over her shoulder, "But yeah, I love being closer to Mom again, and Luke, and Lane, and everyone. Still, it's got to be a big change for you."

"Worth it," he said simply, leaning over to kiss Rory, "Without a doubt. But yeah, I know it comes with the territory. I just wish I had help with the manual labor."

"Well, half the time you do, with Luke. We could always bribe Matt and Chris."

"It may come to that."

Fifteen minutes later, they were on the road to Stars Hollow. It was their third weekend in a row either going there, or having Lorelai/Luke/Lane/etc. stay with them in Philadelphia, so Rory could see why Jess was getting tired out. It was nice that it was so close, but still…three hours isn't a short drive when you're making it that frequently. It was even starting to get to Rory, and usually Jess drove, leaving her to read in the passenger seat or talk, as she saw fit. Not totally fair, now that she thought about it. But he honestly seemed to prefer it that way. Usually they'd be wrapped up in conversation for at least part of that time, and then Rory would read and Jess would listen to music that she'd completely tune out. They weren't bad drives. All things considered, they were great. But it was a whole lot of their time.

Still, Rory was grateful that they were spending so much time in Stars Hollow, or with Stars Hollow coming to them. Specifically her mom. So much change had happened for her over the last few months, and almost all of it good, but she was shocked at how much having Lorelai back to being an integral part of her life more of the time made her happier. And Jess too, it seemed, other than the driving. Of course, Rory wasn't surprised at all to see how much happier he was seeing Luke on a regular basis. But even being around Lorelai seemed to bring him a measure of happiness now, which definitely had surprised Rory. He had almost seemed to be looking forward to her last visit, and had seemed geniunely entertained by her banter once or twice. It almost seemed like, after all these years, he might finally, truly be letting his defenses down around Lorelai.

And Rory might be crazy, but she thought she was seeing the reverse too. It seemed like Lorelai was genuinely pleased to see Jess as well. Of course, when Lorelai saw Rory, Rory knew she was basically the only thing in her mother's line of vision, and that when Lorelai saw her, she saw sunshine and rainbows and tiny purring kittens and a world without any wrong. But, setting that aside, she saw her mom joking with Jess in a way that no longer seemed forced, and she seemed to sort of…look back, less, to see how he was reacting to her, or over to Rory to see if everything seemed okay. At the beginning, it kind of seemed to Rory like her mom felt like she needed to impress upon Rory that she and Jess were okay, and that she needed to prove to Jess they were okay, and make sure they were okay, and so that she was just running through a lot of mental gymnastics in every interaction. The last few times they'd all been together, that seemed to be the case far less, if at all. Lorelai genuinely didn't seem to mind times that Jess joined them for coffee, or a bite, when it used to seem like she was relieved when she got most of the time with Rory by herself. There were still endless hoodlum and Holden jokes, and she kind of assumed there always would be. But it all really, authentically seemed to be in good fun now. She was glad that they all seemed to be enjoying the additional time together and that things felt much smoother and closer, in a way that wasn't forced.

That said, Rory wouldn't mind forcing her and Jess's visits on Lane more often, or trying to get her to visit them. She'd listened to and understood what Lorelai had said about Lane's life, but this was her Lane. Her best friend. Since she was just a kid. And it was heartbreaking to see her in this situation. Rory hoped that she could help, even if just by being around to be vented to, or to have a sort of escape from what, to Lane, felt like a hopeless situation. Of course Rory was still hoping Lane would leave him, but ultimately, she knew Lane wouldn't. And it was so hard to know that this was just going to be Lane's life. She knew Lane deserved to be happy, and (in Rory's not-so-humble opinion), Lane deserved that more than most anybody. But Rory was going to respect her choices. Still, if she had to, she was going to at bare minimum be there for Lane. And she wished she could do more.

This visit, however, was a happy one. They were heading to Stars Hollow for Christmas at the Inn. This was a tradition that Lorelai had started several years ago. She had noticed that several of the Stars Hollow residents were aging, and didn't really have anyone to spend Christmas with, besides maybe their spouses. Lorelai, always the one to try to make everyone feel at home and to give everyone a sense of belonging, had the thought of hosting an enormous Christmas Eve to Christmas Day celebration at the Inn every year, sort of in the spirit of the Bracebridge Dinner. Lorelai and Sookie lsot money on it every year, and wouldn't change it for the world. Rory had missed a few during her reporting years, and it had taken a couple years for some of the folks with families (like Lane) and Emily and Richard to come around fully to the idea, but ultimately, just about everyone spent Christmas at the Inn now, and it was just the way they liked it.

This would, however, be Jess' first time. He'd always begged off Christmas with Luke in the past, knowing that Luke would want to spend it with Lorelai, and that Lorelai would feel obligated to have Jess, and feel awkward, and that it wouldn't be good for anyone. He'd spent it with Matt and Chris for the last several years, except for one ill-advised attempt with Liz, TJ and Doula that had failed spectacularly and that made clear it was not destined to be repeated. Jess was extremely happy to be spending it with Luke this year. And Lorelai, for that matter. But most of all, Rory. She'd told him all about the traditions at the Inn for the season, and obviously he'd seen the decor (since he'd helped put it all together after the robbery). The Inn was still getting back on its feet after that mishap, which still hadn't turned up any solid leads, but it was in good enough shape to continue the tradition that it was clear the entire town loved. And it did, admittedly, bring Jess back a bit in his mind to the Bracebridge Dinner. Not just the carriage ride that he'd hijacked, but mostly just the look he had exchanged with Rory in the middle of the Inn, a look of such connection and understanding that it had set him on fire, even before they'd started getting together. That dinner had him falling in deep with Rory. He knew it would be a weekend filled with some crazy, bizzare Stars Hollow traditions. A Cozy Carol Chugging Contest seemed particularly grim, among other things he'd heard. He certainly wouldn't be participating, but he figured he could manage to spectate if it meant making Rory happy, and getting to spend the holidays with what was now becoming his family. The one he'd always hoped for, but never truly had…it was all coming together. It almost didn't seem real, or possible. Which was probably the real reason Jess was on edge. It was still sort of surreal for him, some of what his life had now. And to think that so much of it had started with making Luke a bed. Jess shook his head as he jumped in the car.

"Any interesting thoughts?" Rory smiled, snapping him out of his reverie. He turned to her and shook his head.

"Just trying to figure out how to avoid Taylor and Kirk this weekend."

"You should be good until bedtime. Kirk sleepwalks."

"You can't be…"

"Luke never told you this story?"

"He will now."

"I mean, he swore never to repeat…"

"Rory."

"Mom'll tell you."

"And?"

"I'll lock the door."

"Good. Or we're staying at the diner."

"Deal."