AN: This chapter is the big day. It takes place two months after the last chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. Sad, but true.
He stared up at the ceiling thinking of all the things that could go wrong. He thought that was Rory's job. But that didn't stop him from counting off all the things that still had to be done. He looked over at the clock and realized only five minutes had past since the last time he had checked. This was going to be a long night. His cell phone vibrated making him wonder who would call him at one in the morning.
"Hello?"
"Hi."
"Hi." He said rubbing his eyes.
"I didn't wake you did I?"
"No. What are you doing still up?"
"The same reason you are."
"I knew you'd be nervous."
"I didn't think you would be."
"Why?"
"You've gone through this before. I haven't."
"That doesn't mean that I can't be nervous." He said with a laugh.
She had a point. He had been through this before. But the last time had been a spur of the moment thing. He was married to Rachel three weeks after they got engaged. He had no time to let everything sink in before he went through with it. Why hadn't he talked Rory into getting married at the courthouse like he wanted to? Because he wanted her to have everything she wanted. Granted she wasn't asking for much, less than a hundred people would be there. She wanted things simple. She had even talked him into having the wedding in Stars Hollow. He liked the idea, which is why she hadn't had to ask him twice. They were getting married in the gazebo. She had mentioned that Dean had been married there, but had assured him that she had always wanted to get married there. Dean had just beaten her to it.
He didn't know if he liked the idea of her inviting Dean though. She had said that they were friends, and that he was bringing his fiancée. But Tristan would have to wait and see if he tried anything.
"You fall asleep on me?" She asked breaking him out of his thoughts.
"No. Just thinking."
"About what?"
"Tomorrow."
"Nothing bad will happen. You're not going to jinx our wedding. I will not let you."
"I know you won't." He said with a laugh.
"I better let you go. I heard someone walking around a minute ago. I think Luke or Jess is on patrol."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
He lay back against the pillows trying to clear his thoughts. If he didn't sleep now he would never make it through tomorrow.
XXXX
Rory bolted up right in bed when she heard a blood-curdling scream. When she heard it again she put on her bathrobe to see what was going on. She made it to the top of the stairs when she heard it yet again.
"Lorelai honestly, must you be so dramatic?" Emily asked when Lorelai screamed for the third time.
"She said she didn't want you to butt in anymore mom. Go home!" Lorelai said banging her head against the table.
"But the idea of having the reception at the Inn isn't going to work."
"Because you've invited thirty extra people. If you had stuck to the list we wouldn't be having this problem."
"So this is my fault?" Emily asked crossing her arms over her chest.
"Yes!" Lorelai said sighing in frustration.
"I just wanted this to be nice for my granddaughter."
"Making today nice is the parent's job mom. Not yours."
"Why are Christopher and Luke both walking her down the isle anyway?"
"Because I want them to." Rory said walking into the room.
"I give up!" Emily said before throwing her hands up in aggravation.
Rory and Lorelai heard the front door slam a few seconds later. Jess came out of the living room with JJ following him. Jess glared out the window at Emily before pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"Good morning sunshine." Lorelai said once he sat down at the table.
"How can anybody sleep with her around?" He asked after he took a sip of coffee.
"I've been asking myself that my entire life. I still don't know."
"She's gotten worse in the past month." Rory said sounding shocked.
"You're the one that said she could help." Lorelai stated matter of factly.
Landon came into the room a few minutes later and crawled into Rory's lap. She kissed the top of his head as she read the paper. Lorelai watched the four of them interact as she drank her coffee. JJ was trying to climb on the table so that he could get to Jess and Rory would pull him back down every time. Jess was holding his arms out asking JJ to come to him. Rory glared at him before he got up and walked around the table. He picked up JJ and carried him out of the room.
"Come on little rebel. Let's go wake up your dad."
"No Metallica!" Lorelia said warning him.
"You think he'll listen?"
"If he doesn't I'll kill him."
They could hear Jimmy Buffett from the other room and Rory giggled. Lorelai hung her head in shame trying not to laugh.
"Being in Georgia has softened him up."
"He's a wimp."
"I am not impressed." Rory said shaking her head.
Luke came down a few minutes later giving Jess a weird look.
"What?" Jess said shrugging his shoulders.
"Is that the best you got?" Luke asked raising an eyebrow at him.
"I left most of my CD's at home." Jess said getting defensive.
"You're a Buffethead." Rory said pointing at him and laughing
"Hey Jess, ever feel the urge to slip away to Margaritaville?" Lorelai said fighting the urge to laugh.
"I'm leaving now." He said putting on his jacket.
Luke left a few minutes later and took the boys with him leaving Lorelai and Rory alone. It was an unspoken rule that the two of them would be alone before the wedding. Sookie had offered to watch the boys until the wedding. She had been more than helpful over the past few months. Rory hadn't always been able to make it to Stars Hollow to help with things. So Sookie would go in her place. Rory trusted her judgment, more than she trusted her moms at times. And that was saying a lot.
XXXX
Tristan sat on his bed holding the box that held their rings. He had been staring at it for the past ten minutes. What if she got decided not to go through with it? Would she not show up at all? Or would she back out at the last minute? Rory didn't seem like the type to do that. That's what he kept telling himself. If she had doubts about this she would have told him before now. It didn't stop him from worrying. He heard someone knock on the door and decided to ignore it. If it was important they could come back. The doorknob turned making him look up. The door opened and Megan stepped in. Tristan went back to looking at his hands as she made her way over to him.
"Would you stop sulking? I don't need you to revert back to ten years ago. I've been through that once. I don't need to go through it again." She said rolling her eyes.
"What do you want Megs?" He said looking up at her.
"I want you to help me sit down." She said holding out her hand.
Tristan took her hand and helped her down onto the bed. She sighed before putting a hand on his knee.
"You have nothing to worry about. She loves you, she'll be there. And if she's not, I can fire her." She said shrugging her shoulders.
Tristan shook his head trying not to laugh. He needed to talk to her. But Paris had taken his phone away and every time he tried to use one of the Inn's phones she was right there. It was like she was possessed. He knew Megan wouldn't let him call her either. All he would do was make her worry.
"Listen little brother, I have confidence in her. She is the first one of your girlfriends that I have liked since Rachel. Does that tell you anything?"
"Yeah."
"I'm not losing a brother I'm gaining a sister. That's how I see it."
Tristan shook his head again and finally laughed. She was usually the only one who could make him loosen up and relax. Rory and Maddie were the only other two people that could do that.
"So are you ready?"
"I wasn't. But now I am."
"That's what I like to hear." She said before hugging him.
XXXX
Rory looked around the room that she had grown up in while she waited for her mom. It might have been the boys room now but it hadn't changed that much. In her old beds place were two small racecar beds. Her old dresser had been moved upstairs for Luke. The room had been painted blue because Lorelai said all boys needed blue rooms. But other than that the room hadn't changed. She stood at the window remembering all the times she had climbed in and out of it over the years. She had been lucky she had never gotten caught. Lorelai stood at the door watching her. She had noticed a bead was loose on Rory's bodice so she had gone to get a needle and thread to sow it back on.
"Do you want me to sow it on while your wearing it or do you want to take it off?" She said breaking the silence.
Rory turned to her and smiled. She looked down at the dress and then back at her mom. She had fighting off the tears all day. She had sworn to herself that she wasn't going to cry.
"I can leave it on." She said giving her mom a small smile.
Lorelai walked over to her and pulled her to her. Rory rested her chin on Lorelai shoulder as wrapped her arms around her neck.
"You made it kid. Can you believe it?"
"No." Rory said with a laugh.
"In a couple hours you are going to be Mrs. Tristan Dugrey. Think about that."
"It's nice to think about."
"It is."
"Thank you. For everything."
"You don't have to thank me. Just name your first daughter after me."
"You mean me." Rory said pulling away to look at her.
"Whichever." Lorelai said sarcastically.
Rory laughed as Lorelai sowed the bead back in place. Lorelai glared at her making her bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"All set." Lorelai said stepping away.
"Do I look okay?" Rory asked smoothing out the skirt.
"You look beautiful." Lorelai said nodding.
Rory smiled shyly as she looked down at her hands. She wanted the next couple of hours to hurry up and be over. She wondered if Tristan wanted the same thing.
XXXX
Tristan stood at the alter with Colin standing next to him. Making Colin his best man had been an easy choice. The two had become friends over the years. He couldn't think of anyone else better for Paris. She had mellowed out a lot over the years thanks to Colin. Everyone was watching Gigi walk down the isle. She held her head high and smiled for the cameras like Rory had told her. Jess walked JJ and Landon down the isle next. Rory and Tristan both agreed that they should be the ring bearers as long as someone walked them down the isle. Maddie came down next throwing down pedals in her wake. She giggled at Lorelai when she past. Lorelai had said she was going to try hardest to break someone and she had done it. Tristan shook his head and laughed as she took her place beside Paris.
'More Than Words' started to play as Rory made her way down the isle. Christopher was on her left and Luke was on her right. She smiled at him as she slowly walked towards him. He had never seen her look more beautiful. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and Christopher handed her off to Tristan. He walked her up the stairs then they turned to face the minister. Tristan tightened his grip on her hand as they turned to face each other. She smiled at him before looking down at their hands. She looked back up at him as he started his vows. Her eyes filled with tears as he mouthed 'I love you' when he finished. Rory was able to get through her vows without too much trouble. And when the minister finished Tristan cupped her face in his hands as he kissed her. Neither of them heard the clapping and cheering as their foreheads touched.
"I love you so much." She said just above a whisper.
"Right back atcha." He said before kissing her again.
XXXX
Lorelai was in the kitchen checking to make sure everything was ready when she heard someone come in the room. She looked over her shoulder and smiled at Christopher.
"She's not our little girl anymore." He said leaning against the counter next to her.
"She hasn't been our little girl since she was thirteen."
"I forgot, what happened when she was thirteen?"
"That is when she decided what she wanted to do with her life. It's been non stop talk about journalism ever since."
"Right, now I remember." He said nodding his head.