Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls

A/N: Well everyone, this is it, so thank you for sticking around for the ride (and the three year gap), I'm happy to have written some closure into this story, and a happy (drama free!) ending! Please read, review & enjoy

Chapter 16

Jess was watching as the chaos at Rory and Logan's house occurred around him. He and Kelsey had been in Connecticut for the week, they had spent the first portion of their visit in Stars Hollow, and the weekend would be spent in Hartford with Rory, Logan and Charlotte. He couldn't help but think of how a year ago he would have been doing more. He wouldn't have been a guest, but he wouldn't have been a host, he would have been something a little bit more. He was glad though, he could see that things were as they should have been. Rory's second book was a success, and it had helped to put Truncheon on the map given her connection to the Huntzberger family, he supposed he owed Logan for that. In the moment though he would just watch, watch as their lives went on around him. Jess smiled as he walked upstairs to the room that his girlfriend was asleep in, and he couldn't help but marvel at just how far they had all come.

Rory was furiously running around the house trying to set things up for Charlotte's party. She had twenty five kids and their parents coming over in less than three hours, and she wasn't completely sure if she had brushed her teeth that morning. Lorelai had taken Charlotte out for an impromptu shopping trip that morning to give Rory and Logan the chance to get things done at home. As Rory walked out to the backyard she noticed an enormous fan blowing and a castle taking form on their lawn, "Logan! There is a bouncy house being set up outside?" Rory laughed as she saw two teens struggling in the backyard with the oversized contraption.

"It's cool, right?"

"Logan…we said low key?" Rory laughed. It was June, they had finally settled into a routine with Logan at work, Rory worked on some charities focused on literacy and access to education, as well as her decision to write her third book. Logan had been travelling for the last couple of weeks, and as promised, had made it back to town for Charlotte's fifth birthday. To say that they were in love was an understatement. Rory and Logan somehow managed to bring out exactly what the other person needed. To Logan, Rory was a calming factor, she centred him, she was his home, and to Rory, Logan challenged her, he pushed her just far enough to the edge that she wouldn't fall off, but she would take the necessary risks.

"This is low key. It's a bouncy house, I said no to the petting zoo!" he told her, wrapping an arm around her waist as he rested his chin on her shoulder, "Just think, it will wear her out for bedtime."

"Well, when you put it like that." Rory spun around to face him, "I don't think I can resist." she kissed him.

"Sorry I've been gone so much." he held her close. "I feel like a shmuck."

"You were gone for two weeks. Since your Dad died in March, you have only been gone for two weeks…I would say that is pretty good for a man running the world."

"The newspaper world." Logan corrected her.

"I'm proud of you."

"And she settled." Logan added.

"I don't want to talk about her." Rory shook her head, "Not today, today is Charlotte's birthday."

Logan nodded his head to agree. Rory hadn't been happy with his decision to sue his ex wife for violating their agreement, but she understood his need to protect them. Sarah Brown had been sued as well and they had both settled. A retraction was issued and no new statement came from Huntzberger on the subject. The settlement would be donated to several charities chosen by Honor and Rory. "So, a year ago…I was a few hours away from having my world blown up in the best way." he admitted.

"And a year ago…I was doing this exact same thing…but without you." she admitted. "And with a much smaller bounce house."

"Well, I would say the bounce house alone is worth the upgrade." Logan laughed. "Are you happy?"

"I am happier than I ever thought possible." Rory admitted.

"Well, before your Mom brings the birthday girl home, I have one thing I want to talk about with you."

"Come into the living room," Rory nodded, taking his hand and leading him through the french doors. "You did not buy her a pony?"

"I didn't buy her a pony." Logan smiled. "I want to say thank you. Thank you for not slamming the door in my face when I knocked on your door that morning. Thank you for raising an amazing kid, and for letting me be a part of it."

"Logan, you are just as much a part of her as I am." Rory put a hand on his cheek, "I'm just…I'm so glad that we got our chance. After everything that could have gone wrong, I'm glad that our daughter gets to have two parents who love each other and is surrounded by family. When I was a kid, it was all I wanted for her."

"Ace," Logan smiled as he dropped to a knee, "I love you and I hope that you will not make me ask you again, because this is now the third time I will have asked you this question in this house." Logan produced a beautiful oval cut diamond with a band of diamonds from his pocket, "Rory Gilmore, you are the most beautiful woman in the world, inside and out. Will you marry me?"

Rory smiled as the words escaped her lips, her hand covered her mouth as she saw the ring in front of her. "Of course. Yes. Yes. Yes!"

"You sure about that?" Logan asked as he stood up, kissing her sweetly, "Do you need some time to think?"

"I need," Rory paused as Logan slipped the ring on her finger, "absolutely no time to think. I would marry you tonight, or tomorrow or the next day." she told him, "I would marry you here, or in Vegas or at the Inn, at City Hall…hell, Finn could marry us. As long as I get to spend the rest of my life being your wife."

Logan grinned. His silly grin that spanned from ear to ear. "Well, all of those things can be arranged as long as we are here with Charlotte."

xxx

"So you're getting married?" Jess smiled at his best friend.

"I am." Rory told him, "And I need something from you?"

"Getaway car?" Jess joked as he watched Logan chase Charlotte and his nephews around the bouncy house.

"I am writing another book."

"Another book? And what could you possibly need from me?"

"A publisher." Rory told him with a smile, twirling the ring around her finger.

"Rory Gilmore, something tells me you have access to plenty of those."

"I do." Rory agreed, "Plenty of people who would tell me how great I was. But what I need is for you to publish this book."

"What is it about? Do you have another kid somewhere? Is Dean the dad?"

Rory rolled her eyes. "I'm telling our story." she nodded to Logan, "I've been vague. Whenever I've discussed he and I in the other books. So this will be it. The truth. Yale, dropping out of Yale, his time in London, his family," she laughed, "the truth about our agreement and how our daughter came into this world. How we found each other again, how we fixed it all."

"You want that out in the world?" Jess asked her honestly, "Charlotte is going to be able to google that?" it wasn't lost on him that he had told Rory something very similar almost exactly a year earlier.

"That is why I want it out." Rory admitted. "I want my spin on it. It can be salacious, it can be over simplified. But if I put it out there in my words…that is our truth. No matter what Odette or anyone else has to say about it."

"You're pretty amazing, you know that?" Jess tipped his beer to hers.

"I have heard." Rory grinned, "So you'll do it? You'll publish the book?"

"One condition." Jess agreed.

"Anything."

"I can take Charlotte camping for Labour Day again this year?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Rory laughed, "It's almost time for cake, you want to get her while I get it set up? And tell her I want a picture, I sent Logan over to tell her, but clearly that didn't work out!"

"Men, you can't trust them to do anything. I'll be right back." Jess agreed. He smiled as he saw his girlfriend, Kelsey, talking with Luke and Lorelai on the other side of the pool. He approached Charlotte slowly as she bounced and laughed with her cousins, "Hey Char, come here."

Charlotte gave him a pout as she stopped jumping, "But Dah, it's my party, and I'm playing." she stuck out her bottom lip.

"Well ok, I guess I will tell your Mom that you don't want cake? Your Dad can tell her?" he laughed and looked over his shoulder for Logan, "Logan, Huntzberger, come here man!"

"What can I do for you, Jess?" Logan smiled, clapping a hand on the dark haired mans shoulder.

"Charlotte doesn't want cake."

"No cake?" Logan played along, "Well, I guess I'll just have to eat it. It is my favourite after all. Chocolate."

"Dad!" Charlotte squealed, "Don't eat my cake!"

"You better listen to him then." Logan grinned, "Come on guys. Mom wants a family photo." she looked at Charlotte who made a face, "So I'm betting she wants that before you are covered in cake. Char, you go get Aunty Honor and Uncle Josh," he then turned to his nephews, "Guys come on, picture. Go get Nana." he added before turning to Jess, "Come on man, we need everyone."

"You sure?" Jess had to admit, he was surprised. They had certainly settled into a version of modern family, but Jess was never really sure where he stood with Logan.

"Are you sleeping with my fiance?" Logan gave him a serious look.

"What the hell are you talking about? No." Jess was momentarily concerned that he was serious. "I mean, not since…not since before you were around."

"Then come on, we're family, and we need to take a family picture." Logan put an arm around Jess as the two walked towards the rest of the family. "I have never…" he paused and looked at Jess, "I have never thanked you. For taking care of them. Why I wasn't there doesn't matter. When I first found out, I was pissed, and I know you were too. You were this guy who had my life, and I was this guy who was taking yours away. But…you kept them safe, both of them. I can't thank you enough for that." Logan told him honestly, "Rory told me when I first came around, the more people who loved Charlotte the better, and I didn't really get that at first," he admitted, "but now, seeing how you care about her and hell, even how Kelsey has embraced her. I couldn't want any more for her than this, we will always be family Jess."

xxx

The guests had mostly left the party, Charlotte's classmates, her cousins, a few of Logan's colleagues with their kids had all gone home for the night, and just family remained. Lorelei and Luke were spending the night in the pool house, the irony of that situation was not lost on any of those involved. Emily had chosen to return to her condo for the evening, explaining that it was much too late for a woman of her age to still be out. Honor and Josh were enjoying a nightcap after their boys had gone home with Josh's parents, Colin, Finn, Stephanie, Rory and Logan were sitting in the living room catching up while Shira watched them all tentatively from the doorway.

"I should go." Shira interrupted the conversation, "Thank you for a wonderful night, and my amazing granddaughter."

"Mom, do you want to stay?" Logan imagined it must be lonely for his mother to return to their family home after these events. "There is plenty of room."

"Don't be silly." Shira hugged him, "You kids have fun," she turned and hugged Rory, "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you." Rory smiled, she had to admit, her excitement over the engagement was showing on her face and had been all day. "We'll see you in the Hamptons?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Shira smiled, "Logan, walk me out?"

"Of course." Logan agreed as Honor said her goodbyes to her mother. "Did you have a good time Mom, really?" Logan asked as they made their way to the front door.

"It's strange," Shira admitted, "I know I'm surrounded by people, and I know things with your father were certainly not perfect…but I feel rather alone."

"You're not alone, Mom." Logan assured her.

"I want you to have a happy life Logan." Shira hugged him, "Seeing you with your family, I know that will happen. So thank you for having me tonight. Maybe we can all fly to the Hamptons together?" she suggested.

"Of course Mom, just call Rory or my office."

"Goodnight."

"Night." Logan watched as she walked to her car, seeing her drive away before he returned to the house, noticing that Lorelai and Luke must have gone to the pool house "No more parents." he laughed as his family looked at him.

"What kind of trouble can we get into without adult supervision?" Finn joked, "Sink a yacht?"

"Steal one?" Logan laughed.

"Hey Colin," Rory nodded to her friend, "do you still own that B&B? In New Hampshire."

"Why I believe I do." Colin laughed, "it seemed like such a good investment, why?"

"Thought it might be a fun place to get married." she laughed, "What could possibly go wrong there?"

"I think," Logan put his arms around her and whispered in her ear, "that is where everything finally started going right for us."