Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all it's characters and situations are property of Amy Sherman-Palladino and The WB/The CW. I do not own anything and will not make any profit from this story.

A/N: This is kind of a season eight. Takes place three years after season 7. Rory and Jess are 25. Rory finished the Obama Trail.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!

"So..." Lorelai said as she and Rory plopped down at Luke's.

"So what?" Rory asked, putting down her bags and throwing her mother a wary glance.

"So when are you gonna tell your grandparents about the rock on your finger?"

Rory grimaced. "Right, I forgot about that." She sighed. "I dunno. Never?" She suggested.

Lorelai gave her a look. "Rory, she will find out. She's Emily Gilmore. Remember how she found out you broke up with Dean? And then conned you into bringing Jess over for dinner?"

Rory let out another sigh, this time a bit bigger and louder. "I guess I'll tell her this Friday." She grumbled.

"Good child." Lorelai smiled, patting Rory on the head.

"Jess?" Rory yelled, closing the front door behind her and placing her bags on the floor.

"Upstairs." Came his reply.

She took one of her shopping bags and bounded up the stairs. She found him typing at his laptop. Probably working on a new book.

"Hello." She greeted him, breaking him out of his trance. He looked up and smiled.

"Hey, did you have fun?" He typed a few more words before closing the document.

"Yes, I did." Rory replied, giving him a kiss.

"And look what I got." She said proudly. She pulled Almost Famous out of a plastic bag. "I was thinking, tonight we could watch it and order pizza."

Jess cheekily smiled back. "That's all great Rory, but whatever you're planning, I'm not doing it."

"Doing what?" Rory asked innocently.

"Don't play blonde, Rory. Whatever you want me to do that's so bad you need to butter me up first."

Rory rolled her eyes. "You have trust issues."

Jess stared at her, arms folded over his chest, waiting for her to crack.

"Fine." Rory relented after about 2 minutes of silence, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Friday night: you, me, my mother and Emily & Richard Gilmore."'

"Oh, hell, no." Jess replied, turning back to his laptop.

"Jess-" Rory started to whine.

"No way, Rory! Your grandmother hates me."

"No, she doesn't. She just doesn't know you.

"You do realize that that's what people say when they know they're wrong? That person actually hates the person they're trying to convince? You know that, right?"

"Look, it'll be fun-"

"At least tell me Luke will be there."

"He has to work." Rory replied in a small voice.

Jess sighed.

"Look, Jess, it'll be the perfect time to announce our engagement."

"Won't they get it when they receive the wedding invitation?"

"Jess, please. Just this once. Then it'll be over and one with. Please."

"Fine, but I will not be held responsible for any deaths and/or injuries that may occur."

"Duly noted. I'll take the rap. As long as you come visit me in jail."

"Conjugal visits. The phrase alone. Of course I'll come."

Rory smiled.

*Ding Dong*

Lorelai rang the bell. "How did you get Jess to agree?" She whispered in her daughter's ear.

"Just asked, you know." Rory shrugged.

Lorelai grinned. "You bribed him, didn't you?"

"It was the only way." Rory whined before the maid opened the door. She took everyone's coats and motioned them towards the living room.

"Lorelai, Rory, hello." Richard greeted them, not having noticed Jess who was hanging behind Lorelai.

"Hey, dad." Lorelai greeted as she sat down.

"Hi, grandpa." Rory greeted, kissing him on the cheek. She turned to her fiancé. "Grandma, grandpa, this is Jess Mariano. Grandma, you remember him, right?"

"Oh, yes, how delightful." Emily said, the light sarcasm evident in her voice.

Richard just extended his hand jubilantly, clearly eager to meet the young man.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore." Jess said, shaking Richard's hand and then turning to smile at Emily.

Rory smiled hopefully at her mom, if this was how the rest of the night went, then maybe there wouldn't have to be any casualties. Richard served their drinks and sat down next to Lorelai, leaving Rory and Jess together on a couch and Emily alone at the 'head'.

"Hey, dad, did you know that Jess has written two books?" Lorelai said as she saw her mother about to comment on something. She would not let Emily Gilmore ruin the night.

"Did you now?" Richard asked, clearly interested.

"Yes, sir, I did. But they're published by a very small independent publishing house."

"Jess owns half of it, and a bookstore too." Rory chimed in, proudly. "Plus, The New York Times called him one of the great writers of our time. And I think it was the Wall Street Journal, but I'm not sure, they said that his style was reminiscent of Hemingway."

"So I take it you like Hemingway." Richard remarked. He smiled at the boy, finally someone of the younger generation with some good taste in books.

"Yes, sir, I do." Jess replied, relaxing a bit. Rory wrinkled her nose, which caused Richard to chuckle.

"I know how much Rory dislikes him, she prefers... what's that woman's name?"

"Ayn Rand." Jess and Rory replied at the same time. Lorelai smiled at the little moment while Emily rolled her eyes.

"Well, I have a first-edition Hemingway if you would like to see it."

"I would love to." Jess replied as he followed Richard into the study, the same one he had had that ridiculous fight with Rory about five years back.

"Rory, are you coming?" Richard asked, when he saw his granddaughter sitting on the couch.

"Oh, yeah, sure grandpa." Rory replied. She had actually hoped to hear what her grandmother really thought of Jess, but headed towards Richard's study.

"Lorelai, how could you let her date that... that... hooligan again?" Emily hissed as soon as Rory was out of earshot.

Lorelai rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Mom, he's a good guy, he's not a boy anymore." She defended him.

Emily pursed her lips. "I don't see what was wrong with Logan."

"Euhm, everything.

"Well, I still think he was better."

"Excuse me, ma'am. Dinner is ready."

"Yes, thank you. Please go fetch Richard and our guests in the study." Emily replied as she headed for the dining room. Lorelai downed the rest of her martini.

"It's gonna be a long night." She muttered to herself before following her mother.

--

Dinner was going well, everyone was enjoying themselves, especially Jess and Richard, who were discussing the best and worst works of Hemingway. Suddenly there was a lull in the conversation and Emily saw her chance in the opening.

"So Jess, you were the one that crashed Rory's car, am I right?" Jess immediately tensed up, Rory and Lorelai shot Emily death glares.

"Mom." Lorelai scolded. "That was a long time ago."

"Not to mention that it wasn't his fault." Rory said, pointedly looking at her mom.

"Yes, Ma'am, that was me." Jess replied, keeping his temper in check. It was a testament to how much he'd grown that he didn't lose his cool. Rory ignored her fiancé.

"Well, he was driving." Emily said, sipping her wine and also ignoring Jess' answer.

"Yeah, and I'm sure he asked a possum to jump in front of the car so he could swerve and crash it into a pole." Rory said sarcastically.

"Lorelai, did you hear her tone?" Emily said shocked.

"Personally, mom, I think she's right."

"And even so, he's just a writer." Emily said, finding a new tactic.

"Now, Emily." Richard started, getting offended. "There's nothing wrong with writers. Some of the greatest minds in history were writers."

"Plus, he co-owns a bookstore and publishing house." Rory added.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry if you-" Jess started to say when Lorelai interrupted him.

"No! You don't have to apologize for anything. She does." She glared at her mother.

"I most certainly will not."

Jess stood up. "Are you going to run away like last time?" Emily asked coldly.

"Mom!"

"Grandma!"

"Emily!"

The three Gilmores exclaimed at the same time.

"No, ma'am. This seems like a family matter, I was gonna catch some air and come back when you guys sorted this out." He replied courteously.

"Jess, sit." Lorelai ordered. "You're family now, meaning you can stay."

Emily rolled her eyes. "You weren't this hospitable when your daughter was dating Dean or heaven forbid, Logan."

Rory showed her ring. "He's real family, grandma."

Emily and Richard's eyes widened in shock.

"Congratulations!" Richard said.

"Is this why you turned Logan down?" She shrieked, ignoring her husband.

"I did not want to spend the rest of my life with Logan!" Rory yelled, hoping that once and for all, her grandmother would get it. She was sick and tired of always having to defend her decision.

"He was such a nice boy." Emily sighed wistfully. Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"Logan slept with five different girls while we were dating and stole a yacht. Jess apparently bribed a possum to run in front of a car, and Logan is the good guy?" Rory said in disbelief.

"Mom, where would you like us to have you committed?" Lorelai deadpanned.

"Look, Mrs. Gilmore, I really do love Rory-" Jess tried, trying to calm the situation down.

Emily snorted.

"Dad, I'm sorry, but I think it's time we leave." Lorelai said, coldly looking at her mother.

"It's quite alright." Richard replied, standing up and guiding his guests to the door.

"Rory, I'm terribly sorry about your grandmother's behaviour." He apologised.

"It's not your fault, grandpa." She said, giving him a hug.

"Jess, I do apologise." Richard shook the young man's hand.

"It's alright, it was a pleasure to meet you sir."

Richard smiled. "The pleasure was all mine." He turned to his daughter. "Goodbye, Lorelai."

"Father."

"Drive home safely."

"Yes, watch out for the possums." They heard Emily yell.

"Dad, may I close the door?" Lorelai asked politely.

"Yes. Yes, you may." He replied, confused.

"Okay-dokey then." Lorelai smiled at him before yelling out to her mother. "Goodbye, mother!" She slammed the door as hard as she could and made her way to the car where Jess was hugging Rory.

"She went too far this time." She grumbled as they all got in the car. "It's one thing to attack me, but to attack you and Jess." She turned on the ignition and screeched out of the driveway.

"Jess, I am so sorry-" Rory started.

"So sorry." Lorelai added.

"If I had known-"

"She had no right-"

"We should disown her-"

"Can we do that?"

"I don't know. I'll check online."

Jess smiled. "It's fine. I was kind of expecting it."

"No, it's not fine. You're a great person and her blaming you for everything is not fine." Rory added, clearly still hurt by her grandmother's actions.

"By the way, brownie points for not shivving her." Lorelai said as she turned into Stars Hollow.

Jess chuckled. "By the way, Rory, a possum?"

"Well, it was the only way I could bring my point across." She protested. They all laughed and the rest of the ride home passed by in silence. But a comfortable one.

"Do you guys wanna go to Luke's? We never got to desert." Lorelai asked as they neared the town square.

Jess looked at Rory and raised his eyebrows in question. She shook her head.

"Rain check. We'll just walk home."

"Jess, I am so sorry, I never should have forced you to come along." Rory started as soon as Jess had opened the door and she went in.

"Rory, it's fine." He said, stressing the word 'fine'. "I knew what I was getting into at the start of the evening. I love you, okay?"

"And my disturbing family?" She pouted.

He smiled at her. "And your disturbing family. Although your grandfather is a very nice guy."

Rory smiled. "He is, isn't he? And he adores you. Your love for literature helps."

"At least this dinner went over better than the last Gilmore dinner I attended." He mused, remembering his last venture into Emily Gilmore's world.

"Oh, yeah, and we fought about your football eye." Rory smiled, thinking back on their ridiculous fight.

Jess fidgeted. "Actually…"

"Rory looked up at him. "What?"

"I have a confession." He smiled slyly. Rory wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing.

"I didn't get that black eye from a football."

"You didn't? Then where-" She knew it wasn't from Dean, that much had been cleared.

"A swan."

"A swan?" She asked sceptically.

"It beaked me!" He defended himself.

Rory tried to hold back her laughter. "It- it beaked you?"

"Ha ha. Laugh, why don't you. It was a vicious bird, it could have blinded me.' He defended himself using the same arguments he had used 5 years ago. Rory burst into laughter.

"Uh-huh." She said, still giggling.

"Fine, laugh. I'm going to go get out of this suit. When you're done, maybe we'll talk."

He made his way to the stairs.

"Aww, Jess, "Rory said, following him up the stairs. "I'm sorry about laughing." She said sincerely, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Tell you what, to make up for the lousy evening and for laughing at you, we can watch Almost Famous again. And I'll even let you pick desert."

"I'm gonna need that in writing."

"I'll gladly put pen to paper."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Pinky promise?"

"Jess!"

"Pinky promise?"

"Fine." She sighed. "Pinky promise."

He kissed her forehead.

"But first, let's get you out of that suit." She practically shoved him up the stairs.

Lorelai pushed open the door to Luke's Diner with a sigh. It had been a long night so far.

"Hey." Luke greeted, a coffee pot in one hand, and leaned over to give his wife a kiss. "Back so early?"

Lorelai plopped down on a stool at the counter.

"Rory and I got into a fight with that woman who calls herself my mother. Seriously though, how do I know that I'm not adopted?"

"Lorelai-"

"No, really, that would explain a lot. I mean, look at her and then at me. Worlds apart, right?"

"Lorelai!"

"What?" She replied exasperatedly.

"You're rambling. What was the fight about?"

"Jess."

Luke snorted. "Shocker." He deadpanned.

"Oh, no, not like that. Jess was great, the whole evening. He didn't do a thing wrong."

"Then what happened?"

"My mother started tearing Jess down-" Luke started nodding in understanding. "- and so naturally Rory and I came to his defense." She took a sip of her coffee before adding, with an air of surprise, "My dad defended him too."

"Your dad?" Luke asked, equally surprised.

"Yeah, when my mom started hating on writers."

"What else did she bring up?" Luke sighed.

"The car crash of '02, the writing thing, that she thought Logan was better for Rory and Jess and Rory's engagement." Lorelai smiled, relishing the memory of the face her mother had pulled when she'd seen Rory's ring. "I thought she was going to go meet Stalin then and there."

Luke chuckled. "Isn't the expression 'meet your maker'?"

"Exactly."

"So how're Jess and Rory?" He asked, refilling her cup.

"Rory is more upset than Jess, obviously."

"Obviously."

Lorelai turned serious. "If you could find out how Jess really feels about this… this attack by Stalin, that would be nice. I don't think he'll tell me or Rory."

"I'll talk to him." Luke said, comforting Lorelai. "Man to man."

She smiled. "Monosyllable sr. versus Monosyllable jr."

"Ha. Ha." Luke deadpanned.

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