"Adios!" Jess called as the last guest left his open house. With a sigh, he fell onto the couch right next to Rory. "Holy crap, what's wrong with people? Don't they ever leave?"
"Of course not!" Lorelai proclaimed coming out of the kitchen with a soda in her hand. "This place is great Jess; you really have done something here." Jess gave her a small smile from his place on the couch.
"Where's Luke?" Rory asked
Lorelai rolled her eyes, "He found some book that he refuses to put down until he at least understands the first paragraph."
"In other words," Jess began, "It's going to be a long night, a long freaking night." Rory laughed and laid her head on his shoulder.
Lorelai coughed and appeared to be slightly uncomfortable, "Yeah well maybe I'll go help him with that," she said pointed towards where Luke was, "It will make the time go by quicker… yeah." Lorelai scurried off leaving Rory and Jess alone."
"Hey Jess?" Rory asked still having laying her head on his shoulder.
"Hm?"
"I was just thinking... what are we going to do when the summer's over? I have to go back to school in less than a month. I think we should figure something out ya know?"
"I can go visit you and you can come visit me. Same as it is now." Jess said nonchalantly
Rory brought her head up to meet his eyes, "That's not always going to work Jess. I have classes."
Jess lightly touched her chin, "Hey we will figure it out Rory. No need for the freak out." He brought her in for a quick kiss. Rory smiled and kissed him back. "Hey are you staying her for the night?"
"My mom rented a Hotel and I don't wanna weird her out by sleeping here ya know? I mean I'm an adult but it's still probably awkward for her to think about her daughter spending the night with a guy. I also doubt she wants to sleep alone."
"I don't wanna sleep alone!" Jess whined
Rory rolled her eyes and stood up, "Get over it!" Standing over him, Rory leaned down and gave him a passionate goodnight kiss. "I will see you in the morning." She made her way towards the door and called out for her mom.
Lorelai came out of the room dragging Luke by the arm. His head was glued to the book in his head, "Lorelai wait, I still don't understand what this line means. What the he-"
Luke was cut off by Lorelai, "Bye Luke! See you in the morning."
He sighed and threw the book down, "Eh it's useless anyway. Jess, don't you have any books in here for people with a normal intelligence level?" Jess sighed and shook his head, annoyed by his uncle's stupidity. Luke shrugged, "Whatever, Jess I'm going to go in my things out of the car for the night." With that, he walked out.
Rory waved at Jess one last time and followed Luke out. Lorelai headed for the door but Jess's voice stopped her. "Hey wait." Lorelai turned around.
He stood up and walked near her and actually appeared nervous, "Okay look, I think you should sit down."
"Jess what is it?" She asked with fear creeping into her voice, "What's wrong?" Lorelai and Jess both walked back over to the couch and sat across from each other.
Jess took a deep breath, "Okay before you go off on one your random freak outs, I have thought this through, like really thought it through."
She crossed her arms nervously, "What are you trying to say?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. I just… I love her and she's the only girl I can imagine myself with."
"The only girl you can imagine yourself with for right now? Or… forever?"
Jess didn't say anything for a while. He stared at the carpet with a blank look. After a long silence, he looked up and said, "Forever. I'm going to ask her to marry me."
Rory opened the passenger door to Luke's truck and took a seat. He was letting them borrow it for the night so they could get a hotel and he could just stay with Jess. Luke got his things from the back and said goodnight to Rory before heading back inside. Finally, she was alone. Even if it just for a minute.
She need sometime to think; it had been one crazy night. First the thing with Tessa, which in fact did freak her out but it ended up okay. The one thing she couldn't get out of her mind was her small talk with Jess.
"I was just thinking... what are we going to do when the summer's over? I have to go back to school in less than a month. I think we should figure something out ya know?"
"I can go visit you and you can come visit me. Same as it is now." Jess said nonchalantly
Rory sighed; he wasn't taking it seriously enough. They really needed to figure everything out or they would fall apart. It was as simple as that. She leaned back in her seat. What did she want? Was she looking for long term? Rory was happy with Jess, but did she think it was going to be a silly summer love? She honestly had never thought about it really. Rory had been living in the moment recently and part of her needed to grow up. She had to figure out her future and most of all; if her future involved Jess.
Rory took a big deep breath and closed her eyes. She loved him. There was no doubt in her mind about that. Even though everything else was a big ball of confusion then at least she knew that much. It always came back to Jess, always. When she was with Dean, it came back to Jess. Then she dated Jess. After they broke up, it still came back to him. The boy she could never truly get over. That had to mean something right?
Rory needed inspiration. A sign of some sort to tell her what to do. She dug through her purse for Luke's car keys. She turned on the car and then the radio. The first song she heard was "You're all I have" by Snow Patrol and her finger slowly lowered from the radio. She sat and just took in the lyrics.
…Just give me a chance to hold on
Give me a chance to hold on
Give me a chance to hold on
Just give me something to hold onto
It's so clear now that you are all that I have
I have no fear cos you are all that I have…
Rory had tears in her eyes. Rory was all Jess had, and he was all Rory had. She couldn't let go of that. They needed each other; she needed him. She let the tears fall as she sat and listened to the rest of the song. It was therapy to her in some ways. Slowly, all the pieces began to come together. All her doubts and fears and concerns washed away and she knew what she wanted. This wasn't some stupid summer love; this was something real. This was something she needed to hold on to.
Lorelai stopped breathing. Did he really just say he was going to ask Rory to marry him? She had to have heard him wrong," Jess I'm sorry but what did you just say?"
He gulped, "I'm going to ask Rory to marry me."
She had heard him right after all. Lorelai was speechless, just completely speechless.
Jess read the blank expression on her face, "Okay I know you think I'm insane but we're old enough for this."
Lorelai shook her head, "Jess, she's so young; you're both so young. Are you sure you know what you're talking about here? Marriage is a life time commitment."
"I know what it is and I also know what I want. Look, for as long as you have known me, have I ever been fixed on a girl other than Rory seriously?"
Lorelai nodded and laughed, "Uh yeah. There was Shane and there was Tessa. Those girls aren't Rory."
"I said fixed on a girl seriously. Those relationships weren't serious. I didn't love them."
"Jess, just because you love her that does not mean you want to marry her."
He was getting mad now. Lorelai wasn't getting it, "God I have gone through a lot of crap but in the end, it always comes down to her. Why is that Lorelai?" He was yelling now, "Tell me! Why is that?"
Lorelai sighed, "Jess, I'm on your guy's side here okay? I just want you to realize what you're getting into. I know you love her, and I know it's always been her and only her. I get that Jess."
He covered his face with his hands. After a moment, his head shot up, "Well then what don't you get?"
Lorelai bit her lip. He had a point. What was she getting at with this? They obviously had something. She had said herself; she had never seen Rory so happy. Lorelai was just afraid of the idea of her daughter getting married. It was a frightful thought. Was that why she was fighting this so much? Not because of them but because of her own selfish thoughts? She placed her hands in her lap, "Jess?"
He looked straight at her,"What?"
"You really want to marry her?"
He nodded, "Yeah, I really do."
"I have never in my life thought I would say this to you, but you have proven yourself to me. You have showed me what Rory has said all along; you're a good guy. Jess, if you want to marry her then I give you my permission." Lorelai sat up a little straighter, "I give you permission to marry my daughter."
A/N: I'm about to go "ahhhhh" but for two reasons.
AHHHH! I went into some serious "I hate you 'What we left behind' mood where I didn't want to write. That's why this chapter took 8 years. Thank the lord I got over that. Sorry guys /
AHHHH! Lorelai gives her permission :o What will come of this? I guess you will have to wait and see... hehe I'm evil
One more chapter guys! Then my baby is over! But a sequel? I have said yes but I'm not sure anymore since I started a new story that I'm excited about. I want to concentrate on that but who knows? Maybe after I'm done with that story or at least have a good hold on it will write a sequel.
Review thanks: Thank you thank you thank you to all of you! You seriously are amazing. Final chapter is the next one guys! Then this story will be complete, that's it! One more chapter! ahh!
Keep reviewing, I love you guys.