As I returned from my musings, I finally comprehended what Rory just said. She'd just said his feelings from age thirteen still held true today three years later.

"Rory," I began, but she held up her hand.

"I all ready know you'll never felt anything like that for me, but I never lost those feelings for you, Jess," she confessed.

I studied her wide blue eyes, how they held mine with emotion. She was so beautiful, so perfectly beautiful, and with her soft spoken declaration I realized that I'd been waiting for this moment my entire life, I just hadn't been able to realize it until it was nearly too late.

I'd know for three years that Rory's feelings were genuine, I knew Rory, she'd never put her feelings out there unless she'd carefully analyzed them. I also knew what was in my own heart. I'd loved Rory Gilmore since she was four. Sure that loves had changed over time from a protective brotherly love, to the cherished love of friends, to something was more mature, real and substantial, something that lives were built upon, a foundation, if you will, for our future together. Rory had seen it, felt it long before I did, but I had seen it, I had felt it grow, even if it was at a distance.

In the three years I was gone, I never forgot about Rory or what she'd said. As I met girls in California, I compared them to her, measured them against her. No one measured up to the one person I held everyone against. No one had her beauty, her intellect and her charm all wrapped up in one neat package, in short, none were Rory. I'd never be able to give my heart to any of those girls, and it wasn't until I tried nearly to years that I realized that was because my heart was still in Stars Hollow, Connecticut, held tightly in Rory's hand.

"Rory," I began. "You are the only constant thing in my life. You are the only person who really loved me, I mean besides Uncle Luke and Aunt Lorelai. You are the one person who knows all the details and still loves me and doesn't judge me. I know that now, even more than I did before I left," I reached out for her hand.

"I never stopped regretting what I said that day. I should have let you apologize," she declared.

"I think its good you didn't," I said. "If you had I never would have had the time to realize how much truth was in your words. We are perfectly suited, Rory. We have history and we are a perfect and snug fit." I ran my hand down her arm. "These last three years made me see that, especially when no one else ever made me feel like you did. No one."

"Jess," Rory said steadily. 'What are you saying?"

"I'm saying yes. I'm saying I agree with you. I'm saying what I should have said three years ago," I declared. "I'm saying..."

This was so hard to say. At nineteen I was not the most experience in matters of the heart. However, with Rory, it seemed natural the way of things. "I'm saying I love you, out loud," I finally managed.

Rory was stunned. I could tell by the wide eyes expression on her face and the way her jaw slackened.

"Jess..." she began but I stopped her. "Rory, I know I treated you horribly in the past. I hurt you and cut you out of my life for three years. I wouldn't blame you for not forgiving me..."

I knew I was rambling but I was having a hard time confessing my feeling. Like Uncle Luke I was more demonstrative.

"Jess," she said again laughing this time. "Didn't you hear what I said? I said my feelings were true, they are still true," she confessed.

My words left me as I gave in to my more instinctual demonstrative nature. I slipped a hand across Rory's porcelain cheek and with the gentlest pressure pulled her lips towards mine. Using my lower lip, I slipped it between Rory's slightly parted ones in a gentle, promising kiss.

It was a perfect kiss, with enough pressure to let her know I was serious, but soft enough not to frighten her. I slowly moved my lips over hers for only a moment, and then I pulled back and looked into her eyes to gage her reaction.

Rory raised her hand to her lips touching them lightly. Her blue eyes shimmered with tears of emotion until finally she said, "Thank you."

I couldn't help but laugh at that reaction. "You're welcome," I replied. "I've never gotten that reaction before."

"Well, it a first for both of us. I've never been kissed before," Rory confessed blushing.

I gently caressed her silky hair again. "So Sweet Sixteen and never been kissed is no lie, hmm?" I asked.

"Well, it is now," she replied a hint of mischief in her smile, as she leaned over and kissed me. It as a shy kiss, but she seemed to welcome my advances. As I responded I deepened the contact. Gently, I teased her mouth opened with my tongue. She granted me admittance and after some coaxing her tongue entwined with mine. I pulled back a moment later and quickly returned for a small peck.

"For it being your first time, you're pretty good at this," I complemented.

"I must have a good teacher," she quipped.

I took both of her hands in mine, "Okay, Pretty Girl. What do you say we go downstairs? Everyone is probably missing the birthday girl."

Rory nodded and rose from the bed. I watched her straighten her dress and fix her hair in the mirror. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at her really looked at her all grown up. She noticed my smile and gave me one of her own.

"What's the smile for?" she asked me.

"It's for you," I replied. "I was just thinking how you've grown up right before my eyes. I remember beating Alan Lowry like it was yesterday."

"So do I," she sighed. "Things sure have changed."

I shrugged. "I'm not sure I'd say change, maybe evolved."

Rory smiled again, "Okay, evolved," she relented.

I opened the door ad let her step through it, before following behind her.

"Should we tell Mom and Luke?" she asked taking my hand as we headed downstairs.

"I think we should let them figure it out for themselves," I replied with a gleam in my eye for I had all ready formulated a way of telling the world that everything was finally right again.

A/N: One more chapter. It will be Rory's POV but pick up when they get downstairs. Enjoy.