Stars Hollow Aligned

He had to have it. She had checked the tracking number on the carrier's webpage a million times and it always said the same – that it was delivered at 4:16pm. She had also rang the company just to make sure. Twice. He could be reading it at that exact moment. Or perhaps someone else in the office had got it and he wasn't reading it yet. Or worse, maybe he had thrown it away it as soon as he saw who was sending it. The wait was killing her. He was a fast reader, he should have finished it already. She was nervous and mortified. What was she doing, speaking about herself so openly? She was mad. She had to be. Still, Jess was going to be the harshest reader she would ever get, even more so than Logan. It made sense for him to be the first one. She hoped her mom didn't hate her for it. If it was bad she would dump the thing and stick to teaching.

Her phone lit up with a message. She couldn't see what it was in her blocked screen because there was an image attached, but the screen couldn't lie, the sender was Jess Mariano. Fuck. Fuck, she had never been so nervous in her entire life. She unblocked her phone but left it on the bed, taking a couple turns around the room as preparation before diving right in.

At first she couldn't understand what she was looking at. Her heart sank when she thought that perhaps he had sent her a meme that was meant for someone else. But then she recognized Doula in the picture and she understood. The guy that was hugging her was Jess, with a complete makeover: he had lacquered fuchsia nails, lipstick, blush and what looked like a Disney princess crown. He seemed embarrassed, but Doula was beaming. Rory let out a sob that was also part laughter. That had to be the most hilarious and endearing picture she had ever seen. She couldn't imagine any document in the world that could be more shameful to Jess. "But why did he send it?" she asked herself. And then it hit her.

Not caring about her attire she grabbed her coat, put on some sneakers, grabbed the car keys and darted out of the house. There, leaning on her car, 6 feet away from her, was Jess. He was smiling.

"Jess…"

He made a gesture to speak, and so did she, but both stopped. They looked at each other for an instant and both smiled shyly. And then, just at the exact moment that Rory forwent every intention of talking and closed the distance between them, giving up to the desire to hold him, Jess jumped at her, so both met half way in a heated kiss that promised to consume them. But it didn't matter, it didn't matter that they loved each other so much that their skin couldn't take it, because both knew that there was nothing to worry about anymore, and that their long separate journeys, the ones they had to take in order to find each other, had ended. Jess broke their kiss and caressed Rory's face, smiling.

"You cheated, you… temptress."

"Hey! What do you mean?"

"You know those duck pajamas drive me crazy."

Rory blushed and laughed. "I'm so ashamed. For everything. I think… I will not be able to talk to your face for a while."

Jess stroke her neck and kissed her cheek. "Then don't. Let's go to bed and never get out until you go on labor."

Rory repressed a sob. "Do you mean it? I mean… that we'll be together, by then?"

"Yeah. If you'll have me."

"And after?"

"Whatever works, Ror. I have never minded. I never cared about the baby being someone else's, and I don't want to take anyone's spot. I'm sorry I freaked out. But I'm here now, and ready for whatever's coming. We'll figure it out." Rory started crying. "Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing! I'm just so happy."

Jess beamed. "Me too, Ror. So don't cry."

"But the thing is that I'm going to get so huge! We won't be really able to go to bed together, we'll need to get a spare one so I can actually fit right beside you, otherwise you'll have no room."

"Is that what's worrying you right now? After I made an ass of myself again?"

"Yeah!"

Jess kissed Rory in a way that told her that there was nothing to worry about. "God, I love you and your hormones so much. I can't wait to spend all the periods and your menopause beside you."

Rory cried. "That is the sickest, most beautiful thing no one has ever told me."

"Get used to it. I'm a noob at serious relationships and couldn't draw a line between crude and romantic if my life depended on it. And I'm a complete idiot, too, although you know that already. But I promise you this, Rory Gilmore: I will never ever make a decision again without making sure that we both know for real what's on each other's minds. And I'll make sure that you don't either. And if you do, I'll kick your ass, not because I want you to be something that you are not, but because I want to make sure that you always stay true to who you are. And I hope that you'll do the same with me."

Rory hugged Jess with all her strength, nodding. "Yes, and a thousand yes. Let's help each other stay true to ourselves."

"That's a done deal. If we get that right, the rest is easy as pie."

Rory stepped out of the hug and gave Jess a sultry smile. "Shall we go to Luke's apartment?"

"Hell, yeah. I was freaking out a bit about doing it right below Lorelai and my uncle. Because we're doing it, Ror. I'm going to make love to you like there's no tomorrow."

Rory blushed furiously and lowered her head, bursting with joy. They held each other's hand and walked quietly through Stars Hollow, and the town didn't seem to Jess the ring of hell it once had. On the contrary, he was linked to that place forever, and was happy to be. As they crossed the town square, they passed near an absorbed Taylor. Jess felt so optimistic that he greeted him cheerfully.

"Good night, Taylor!"

At first Taylor didn't even see who was talking to him, but his jaw dropped when he noticed the happy couple holding hands and waving at him.

"You! You… hoodlum! And you! With him! Again! Oh, I would have never expected this from our dear Rory, you were supposed to have outgrown your rebel phase by now! And pregnant! Wait, is he the father? Because that, young miss, is scarier than Rosemary's Baby! The town will have a lot to say about this. I'm keeping an eye on you, rascal! I know that crime scene was your doing!"

Jess and Rory looked at each other and laughed, resuming their way to Luke's apartment. When they were at the door Jess got the key from Rory's hand and opened the diner, but she didn't go in.

"Jess?"

Jess turned, giving her his signature smirk. "Yeah?"

"I love you."

In that moment he made peace with all the times he had been in that town hoping that his and Rory's heart were in the same place. It didn't matter anymore – their starts had finally aligned. No, Stars Hollow was not bad at all, once one was sure of their true place in the world.

A/N: There will be a small epilogue to wrap things up. Thanks everyone for reading, and loads of love.