A/N: Ahh! We've finally arrived at the penultimate chapter! And what an important chapter it is. You guys... I've edited this one so much, wanting it to be absolutely perfect. I hope it makes you as happy as it makes me. As always, read, review, and I'll see you next week for the final chapter!

Chapter 19

Rory awoke with a start. She sat up and glanced around the room, which was dimly lit by the rising sun, and tried to figure out where she was and why she had woken up. She hadn't had a nightmare, but she was having a hard time staying calm.

"Rory?" Jess whispered from beside her, reaching up and rubbing her arm without opening his eyes. "Y'okay?"

Right, they were in the apartment above the diner. She and Jess were staying there that weekend so Luke and Lorelai could have the house to themselves after the wedding.

Wedding.

A smile crept across Rory's face.

It was June 3rd.

It was her mother's wedding day.

That was that anxious, giddy feeling keeping her from sleep.

"Yeah, yeah, just excited for today," she whispered as she laid back down and curled into Jess's arms, who tilted his chin and placed a small kiss on the crown of her head.

"What time is it?" he mumbled, half asleep.

"Early," she replied.

"How early?"

"Looking at the clock requires opening my eyes again," she pouted.

Jess grumbled something incoherent and sleepy as he propped himself up on his elbow and squinted at the clock on the nightstand. He flopped back down into bed with a groan.

"It's six thirty."

Rory whined and pulled the blanket up over her eyes. "Too early. Not enough sleep."

Jess climbed out of bed and pulled the blanket off Rory, eliciting a small shriek and a glare.

"Jess!" she chastised, curling into the fetal position and wrapping her arms around her knees as chilly goosebumps arose on her skin.

"Hey, I'm under direct orders to get you to the inn by eight sharp, showered, fed, and caffeinated. Now, I have no idea why you have to start getting ready for a wedding seven hours before it starts, but I'm not going to be the one to argue with your grandmother on this."

Rory sat up, dragging her arms like a ragdoll, and pouted at Jess. She raised her arms and reached out to him. "Carry me."

Jess snorted. "Where?"

Rory smiled. "The shower."

Jess wasted little time in hoisting Rory over his shoulder and carrying her off to the bathroom, Rory laughing hysterically the whole way there.

"Ugh, late, so very late…" Rory grumbled as she jumped out of the car and ran to the trunk to get her things.

Jess smirked. "I hope you're not trying to blame me, you're the one that lured me into the shower." He walked around the car and met Rory at the trunk. "Plus," he said, opening the back and getting Rory's bag out, "fifteen minutes late isn't the worst."

"Um, have you met my grandmother?" Rory asked incredulously.

Jess grimaced. "Okay, yeah, I see your point now."

Rory groaned, took her things from Jess, and ran towards the inn, leaving Jess to lock the car and follow her inside.

"Rory, there you are!" Emily scolded as soon as Rory was in the door.

"Sorry, Grandma. Slept through the alarm."

"Both of you?" Emily asked dubiously.

"Uh, yep, we were just really tired after the rehearsal yesterday."

Emily looked back and forth between Jess and Rory, obviously not believing Rory's lie but deciding not to push it any further.

"Jess," Emily said curtly.

"Mrs. Gilmore," Jess responded with a polite nod of the head.

"Well, there's no use wasting any more time. Rory, your mother and the girls are all upstairs getting ready, why don't you go join them."

Rory nodded and kissed Jess on the cheek before running up the stairs and disappearing into the inn. Jess was just about to make his escape to go find Luke when Emily stopped him.

"Jess."

Jess froze. "Yes?"

"I'd like to talk to you, do you have a moment?"

Jess considered his options. Lie and get to leave, or be honest and get the conversation over with. He decided the latter was the safest option.

"Um, sure. What can I do for you?"

"I understand that Rory is going to be moving to Philadelphia to live with you this summer."

Jess swallowed hard. "Yes, that's correct."

Emily gave a small look of disapproval before continuing. "I take it this means you're serious about your relationship with her."

"Yes ma'am." Sure, he'd told her that before, but he figured it would take some convincing to get Emily Gilmore to trust him, if she ever did.

"I'm sure you're aware that I don't exactly approve of you."

Jess didn't miss a beat. "Yes, I'm aware."

Emily shifted her gaze out the window. "But I have to say, she seems very happy. She has direction and focus for the first time since…" She paused. "Well, never mind that."

Jess blinked, unsure of how to respond.

"This doesn't mean I like you any more than before"

Jess slowly shook his head. "No, of course not."

Emily paused. "But it doesn't mean I like you any less."

Jess hesitated. "Um…"

"Luke is in the dining room if you'd like to see him, I'll be upstairs with the girls." And with that, Emily turned and walked up the stairs.

Jess remained frozen in place. He chuckled and smirked at the now empty staircase.

"What the hell just happened?" he mumbled to himself.

Rory went upstairs and followed the sounds of laughter and talking, eventually coming to the room that contained her mother and the other women. She knocked and entered, finding it to be the center of hair products, makeup, and champagne. Her mother beamed at her as she walked in.

"There you are! I made Mom let us wait to start getting ready until you were here, but she just about bit my head off. I think the only thing that saved me was that it was my wedding day."

"Oh, trust me, I expect to get a classic Emily lecture later," Rory grumbled, setting down her things and taking the glass of champagne Sookie was offering her. "Thanks, Sookie. Let me guess, everyone's had champagne for breakfast?"

"Maybe," Sookie giggled.

"Not April!" Lorelai shouted.

"I'm twelve, I'm pretty sure that would be illegal," April chuckled from behind her glass of sparkling cider.

"Of course…" Rory smiled and shook her head. "I'll try and convince Jess to find us some real food, otherwise Mom's going to have to stumble down the aisle."

Rory found Jess, acquired said food, and returned to the bedroom-turned-dressing-room. Once they had eaten and Emily joined them, the getting ready began.

After many hours of makeup, hair, and happy, tearful, reminiscing, they were ready. Rory stood in her long, flowing, powder blue bridesmaid dress, gazing at the women around her. Lane, though she was to be standing on Luke's side as a groomsman, and Sookie wore dresses the same cut as Rory's, though Lane's was a stunning emerald and Sookie's a bright seafoam. April was happily putting the finishing touches on her makeup, feeling the most beautiful she had ever felt in her teal, tea-length flower girl gown. But as Rory's eyes fell on her mother – her stunning, radiant life-giver – her eyes welled up with tears and a grin spread across her face.

Lorelai was dressed a strapless blush gown with a cream-colored sash around the waist and floral appliques on the bust. She wore her hair in a loose, curly up-do with a medium length veil affixed to her head with a delicate tiara, and she held her bouquet of roses and wildflowers. She was standing in front of the mirror, oblivious to anything around her, as she took in her reflection. It took everything in her to not let the waterworks start too soon. It truly was the happiest day of her life.

"You look beautiful, Mom," Rory whispered, coming up behind Lorelai and resting her chin on her mother's shoulder.

"Yeah?" Lorelai whispered back, grinning widely.

"Yes, you do," Emily said somewhat hoarsely, a soft smile resting on her face and the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over.

Lorelai turned to face her mother, eyes welling up further. "Thanks, Mom," she whispered.

Rory's chin started to wobble as she searched for the tissues. She quickly passed them around the room to the tearful women. They collectively took a wobbly breath, inadvertently triggering a bout of teary giggles.

"Oh, God, I'm already a mess and the wedding hasn't even started yet," Sookie cried, dabbing at her eyes.

"You're a mess? I'm a mess!" Lorelai chuckled tearfully.

"I think it's safe to say we're all messes," Lane said.

Rory sniffed loudly and simply nodded and grinned, scared that speaking would trigger another round of tears.

A knock sounded at the door and Luke's sister Liz stuck her head into the room.

"Five-minute warning, guys." She paused, her eyes resting on Lorelai. A soft smile appeared on her face. "Wow, Lorelai. You look incredible. My big brother will never know what hit him," she said.

Lorelai laughed. "Thank you, Liz."

Liz nodded, a little tearfully, and left to go find her seat.

Rory turned to Lorelai.

"Ready?" she asked.

Lorelai sighed, smiling wider than Rory had ever seen before. "Ready."

On Saturday, June 3rd, 2006, at three o'clock in the afternoon, Lorelai Gilmore and Luke Danes were married.

The day was bright, but not too warm, a gentle breeze floated in the fragrance of honeysuckle from the inn's garden, and every member of Stars Hollow was in attendance.

Luke stood at the front, looking proud and just about as happy as anyone had ever seen him. Rory and Jess, Maid of Honor and Best Man, walked down the aisle arm in arm. They each had their own silent thoughts and hopes for the day they would be walking down an aisle of their own. Lane and Sookie walked behind, followed by April delicately tossing rose petals and Paul Anka carrying the rings in a little box affixed to his collar.

Once the party was at the front, the congregation stood up, the music was switched to an instrumental version of Reflecting Light, and thus entered Lorelai, walking down the aisle with her parents on either side of her.

Luke, Rory, Sookie, and Lane immediately started blubbering, quickly followed by Lorelai herself, who giggled through her tears at the pure bliss of it all. Emily and Richard were barely holding it together as they slowly walked down the aisle to give their daughter away in marriage.

Luke beamed at his bride and stood tall and strong. She took his breath away. Not a day went by when he didn't find her supremely beautiful in every way, but as she walked down the aisle toward him, he was pretty sure she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life.

As the bride and groom stood under their very own, brand new chuppah on the lawn behind the inn and shared their vows, there was not a dry eye in the group. But as everyone had their gaze fixed on the happy couple, Jess's eyes kept flitting back to Rory. Her beauty was beyond words, and he smiled widely as he caught her tearful eye. She gave a bright grin in return before refocusing her attention on her mother and Luke. Jess felt his heart skip a beat, reminding him how lucky he was to be there in that moment. That was when even Jess felt the happy tears stinging his eyes and he had to take a deep breath to keep from blubbering in front of the entirety of Stars Hollow.

The ceremony ended, the reverend said those last five words, and Luke leaned in and placed a firm and passionate kiss on Lorelai's smiling lips. Everyone leapt to their feet and cheered.

Finally.

Held in the town square, the reception was the biggest party Stars Hollow had ever thrown. Which was saying something considering Taylor Doose and his famous festivals every season. Everyone in attendance ate, drank, and were merry as they danced the night away, celebrating their favorite couple. Lane had outdone herself with the setlist for the dancefloor and the five different cakes that Sookie made were more than enough to feed the entire town twice.

Rory's smile never once left her face all day, and it only grew bigger every time she caught a glimpse of Lorelai and Luke. Her mother's happiness was contagious, especially to Rory, as she watched her mother finally get her happily ever after with the man of her dreams. The joy only hit harder every time she remembered that Luke was finally and officially her stepfather.

She stood aside the makeshift dancefloor in the middle of the street, gazing at Luke and Lorelai swaying together and looking so very in love when she felt Jess's arms wrap around her waist from behind and his chin rest on her shoulder, sending shivers through her body. She closed her eyes and reached up to place her hand on his cheek.

"Have I told you how incredible you look today?" he asked in a low voice.

Rory chuckled. "Only about a thousand times."

"Well, you do. Seriously, that dress and those eyes…"

Rory grinned turned herself around in his arms and draped her arms on his shoulders. "Well, you clean up pretty well yourself, Mister."

"Yeah?" he asked with a smirk.

Rory nodded. "Oh yeah, that suit and that smile…" she teased.

Jess chuckled before leaning in to kiss her.

"Hi," he whispered with a soft smile.

"Hi," she whispered back.

They heard someone clear their throat next to them and jumped apart.

"It's time for the bouquet toss, your presence is requested," Emily said haughtily before walking away.

"O-oh, yeah, be right there, Grandma," Rory stuttered as Jess winced at the ground and rubbed his neck in embarrassment.

As soon as her grandmother was no longer in earshot, Rory started laughing.

"Guess we need to save the making out until we're alone," she said, turning back to a red-faced Jess.

"I mean, isn't it tradition for the Maid of Honor and Best Man to get wasted and leave together?" Jess teased.

"Oh, of course. And I'm all for keeping tradition," Rory said assuredly before kissing Jess on the cheek and walking towards the group of women gathering for the bouquet toss. "Get me a drink and meet me in the gazebo!" she called over her shoulder.

Jess watched on as Lorelai stood with her back to the unmarried women of Stars Hollow, preparing to toss her bouquet into the chaos. She, in true Lorelai fashion, kept faking them out, and Emily stood to the side scoffing at her daughter and telling to get on with it. Rory and Lane stood in the middle of the group, laughing at Lorelai nudging each other playfully. Jess smirked. Sure, he'd get an earful from the town if Rory caught the bouquet, but there was something in him that wanted her to be the lucky one.

When Lorelai finally threw the bundle of flowers in the air, April ended up being the one to catch it. She stared down at it and blushed furiously as a grin spread across her face and she looked up at Luke, who looked downright terrified. April started giggling as the group of women around her rushed her, oohing and aweing and teasing her. Jess laughed out loud and shook his head at the look on Luke's face and saw that Lorelai was almost doubled over in laughter at the same sight. Then, Jess caught Rory's eye as she was gazing at him and grinning. His own smile widened and he winked at her, gesturing with his head towards the gazebo. She nodded silently and made her way there as Jess went to snag a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

As he walked up the stairs to the gazebo, he found Rory sitting on a bench, lit only by the twinkle light strung around the banister, with her eyes closed and a blissful smile on her face.

"Falling asleep on me, Gilmore?" he teased as he sat down next to her.

Rory opened her eyes. "No, just enjoying the moment."

Jess set the glasses on the bench between them and filled them with champagne. He lifted one for himself and handed Rory the other. He raised his glass.

"To Luke and Lorelai."

"Aw, you sap," Rory beamed.

"Shut up and let me toast them! Even I'll admit that this has been a long time coming." He turned at looked where Luke and Lorelai were sitting at their table, looking tipsy and as enamored as ever. "They're kind of made for each other."

Rory blinked away her happy tears. "I'll drink to that," she said in a hushed voice. "Also, to life finally feeling right again," she added.

Jess turned to smile softly at her. "And I'll drink to that."

They both took a sip of their champagne and Jess grimaced.

"God, I forgot how much I hated champagne," staring at the contents of his glass in disgust.

Rory laughed and stood. "One sec, I'll go find us something else. Whiskey? Tequila? Pick your poison!"

Jess caught her wrist and stopped her from walking away. "I'm all for getting drunk with you, but first…" he stood and faced her. "Dance with me?"

Rory's jaw dropped. "Jess Mariano, are you really asking me to dance?"

Jess shrugged. "The newlyweds are going to leave soon, and I figured you'd want to dance adjacent to your mom. Plus," he smirked. "I owe you for prom."

Rory grinned slowly and nodded.

Jess led her to the dance floor and took her hand in his, placing his other hand at her waist as Rory placed her hand on his shoulder. It was a little awkward and bumpy at first, neither of them were exactly the most graceful beings, but they laughed at themselves and eventually found their slow and swaying rhythm. Rory grinned and tucked her head onto Jess's shoulder who smiled softly and held Rory a little closer. They felt the familiar warmth that radiated off of each other's bodies and savored the security of being wrapped in each other's arms. Rory's breath tickled Jess's neck and it sent goosebumps down his arms, and Rory relished the feeling of Jess's arm wrapped around her lower back, feeling safe and thrilled at the same time. They stayed like that for three whole songs.

Eventually, Luke and Lorelai made their way back to the house, giggling and practically skipping the whole way there. The party went on without them, townsfolk, friends, and family dancing into the night. Jess kept his promise to Rory to keep with tradition, and they sat on the floor of the gazebo drinking whiskey straight from the bottle, whispering and laughing together between kisses and sips. Soon, their faces were flushed, their minds were mushy, their bodies felt electric and giddy, and there was much more kissing than talking. Eventually there was a silent agreement between the two of them to sneak away to the diner above the apartment. Rory grabbed the shoes she had discarded, and Jess grabbed his coat and the whiskey, and they stumbled their way to the diner between sloppy kisses.

They staggered up the stairs, laughing and kissing and shedding top layers of clothes as soon as they made it through the door to the apartment. Jess planted tiny kisses up and down Rory's neck, sending electricity through her entire body. She tilted her head and kissed Jess passionately as his hands ran up through her hair and down her side. She guided him across the room and to the bed, both abandoning the last layers of clothes separating them. They collapsed on the bed and Jess gazed into Rory's eyes, both feeling blurry and passionate from the alcohol and, as cheesy as it sounds, from being surrounded by absolute, true love, all day long.

"I love you so damn much," he whispered, meaning every word with every fiber of his being.

Rory smiled. "I love you, too."

Jess closed the space between them, kissing Rory as deeply and intensely as he possibly could, trying his best to convey just how important she was to him.

Rory and Jess woke the next afternoon with pounding heads and fuzzy-feeling mouths amid twisted bedding and long forgotten clothes. Rory blinked her eyes opened and groaned.

"Why do I keep drinking when I know what it feels like the next morning?" she muttered.

Jess simply groaned in reply, grabbing his pillow and placing it over his head.

Rory lifted her head and blinked blearily at the clock before collapsing back down next to Jess.

"Mom and Luke leave in an hour."

"Good for them," Jess grumbled.

"We said we'd see them before they left."

Jess replied with what Rory assumed was cursing, but through the pillow she only heard incoherent syllables.

Rory stumbled out of bed and managed to fall into a crumpled t-shirt and a pair of jeans while Jess continued to lay in bed. She brushed her teeth before making coffee and finding aspirin for the two of them, desiring to feel at least slightly human when she saw her mother off on her honeymoon.

Jess managed to crawl out of bed and into some wrinkled clothes and shuffled over to where Rory was drinking her coffee at the kitchen table. She looked up at him as he stood there with his mussed hair and pillow marks on his face and smiled at how adorable he looked.

"What?" he growled, taking the aspirin with the black coffee.

Rory chuckled and shook her head. "Nothing," she said.

Eventually, they made it to the house and saw Luke and Lorelai off on their honeymoon and then, the next day, assumed their roles for the next few weeks. Rory stepped in to help keep the inn in order and Jess temporarily resumed his role in the diner. The young couple had way more fun than they'd ever admit playing Luke-and-Lorelai and giving living together a try before Rory made her way with Jess back to Philadelphia.

Those three weeks were the most time Jess and Rory were in the same place since they had restarted dating and, as they were staying together, the most time they'd ever consistently been around each other, day after day and night after night. But living together came easily to them. They found comfortable silences and enjoyed loud moments of music and shared whispers of novels and affection. They had movie nights and ate breakfast together and overall couldn't imagine life any differently.

When Rory wasn't at the inn or at home, she was with Lane, planning the second wedding in which she was Maid of Honor. Lorelai had already rescued Lane's beyond-full-coverage wedding dress and turned it into something flattering and very "Lane", and it was Rory's job to make sure the bride stayed calm and didn't inadvertently kill her mother or her fiancé during the planning process, as well as to coordinate the bachelorette party. Lane would be getting married in less than a month, and Rory had already started to become very nostalgic. Her mother had just gotten married, her best friend was getting married, and she was preparing to enter her final year of college after living with her boyfriend for almost three months. Life was changing, and though they were good changes, it was all happening a little too quickly for Rory's liking.

She was sitting on the couch her living room with Jess one evening after a last-minute planning session with Lane, a couple nights before Luke and Lorelai were due to return and a week before Lane's wedding. She was attempting to read, but she had been staring at the same page for ten minutes, her brow wrinkled deep in thought. Jess looked up from his own book and saw Rory staring into space with a troubled look on her face. He frowned.

"Hey, everything okay?"

Rory continued to stare dazedly at her book.

"Rory?" He reached over and put his hand on her knee, startling her back to reality.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

Jess looked at her with concern. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay, you looked pretty lost in thought there."

Rory nodded and mustered a small smile that had no feeling in it. "Oh, yeah, just… thinking."

This didn't comfort Jess in the least.

"Did something happen with Lane today?"

"No, nothing out of the ordinary."

"Then what's going on?"

Rory's eyes started to fill with tears as she shook her head, trying to compose herself.

Jess quickly put his book aside and scooted over to Rory's corner of the couch, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Whoa, hey," he said softly as Rory quietly cried into his chest. He ran his hand over her hair and softly shushed her, attempting to comfort her despite being more confused than ever.

"What is going on?" he asked once Rory's tears had subsided a little.

"Everything's changing," she choked out.

"What's changing, Rory?" he asked quietly.

"Mom and Luke are married, and Lane and Zach are getting married, and I'm about to graduate college, and it's all good, it's just all so… so…"

"Different," Jess nodded understandingly.

Rory nodded tearfully.

"It's okay. It's all pretty… big. It's understandable to have mixed feelings about everything." He paused. "It's also okay if you're having second thoughts about coming to Philly this summer," he added quietly.

Rory sat up and shook her head vehemently. "No, not at all. I think being in the same place as you is the only thing that's going to keep me sane through all of this."

Jess smiled softly. "Well, if you're sure."

"I'm very sure." Rory settled back down onto Jess's chest and Jess absentmindedly rubbed Rory's arm.

An idea he'd been mulling over came to mind again.

"Hey, about that editing thing."

Rory looked up at him curiously. "What about it?"

Jess avoided eye contact. "Well, I…" he faltered, suddenly becoming nervous and self-conscious.

"Jess, what is it? Am I fired before I even have a chance to start?" she joked anxiously.

"No! God, no, sorry," Jess insisted, eyes wide.

"Okay, then, Mystery Man, what is it?"

Jess cleared his throat. "I… may be working on something new."

Rory sat up eagerly, her mouth agape. "Jess! You mean a book?"

"No, a new talent, thought I'd learn how to play the flute while hopping on a pogo stick," he replied with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Jess, be serious! You're really writing something new? Is it a sequel to The Subsect?"

Jess smiled and shook his head. "No, not a sequel. It's something all its own, and it's barely even something yet."

Rory squealed in delight as she threw her arms around his neck. She pulled back suddenly, looking confused.

"Wait, what does this have to do with my editing?"

Jess smirked.

Rory's jaw dropped once more.

"No. You're kidding. No!" she shouted, grinning widely.

Jess laughed. "Is that you saying no or are you just in disbelief?"

Rory smiled. "Well, that depends, what are you asking me?"

Jess rolled his eyes, but his smile negated any actual annoyance. "I was wondering if you'd like to help edit my new book."

Rory smiled. "You're serious."

"As a heart attack."

Rory frowned. "I don't like that phrase."

"Sorry. But I am being serious."

"You really want me to be your editor."

"Keep asking if I'm serious and I'll retract the offer," Jess threatened.

"Well, in that case… yes, Jess, I'd love to be your editor."

Jess smiled. "Thank God, I don't know what I would have done if you'd said no. It's a piece of crap, I need someone to whip it into shape."

Rory paused. "How much of this is because I'm sad and how much of this is a thought-out plan?"

"I'd say 60% because you're sad, 40% plan."

Rory smiled. "Eh, I'll take it." She settled back down into his side. "Won't it be a conflict of interest?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're sleeping with your editor."

Jess snorted. "I've seen how you tear apart articles, I have no worries that you won't be just as brutal with my writing."

"Alright. Promise you won't cry when I tell you to rewrite everything you've written?"

Jess grinned. "Promise."

Rory closed her eyes and sighed. "Read to me?" she asked quietly.

Jess reached across the couch and picked up his book, starting where he'd left off earlier, until Rory drifted off. Jess carefully shifted Rory off of his shoulder and stood up before picking her up and carrying her to her bedroom. He gently laid her in bed, changed into a t-shirt and boxers, and climbed in next to her.

He lay awake, listening to Rory's steady breaths. He hated to admit it, but the changes around them were freaking him out a little, too. Not in a bad way, per say. But it was true, in less than a year, everything would be different. Rory would be done with school, he'd probably have completed his second novel… who knows where they might end up. Jess closed his eyes and buried his face in Rory's neck, sighing deeply and breathing in the floral smell of her shampoo in the hair that cascaded down her shoulders. As long as he was with her, he didn't care what happened.