Author's Note: My story, "Accidents Happen," is based on the wonderful "Gilmore Girls" television series and the amazing characters created by…not me!

Accidents Happen

Chapter 19 Moving Forward

Rory wanted closure and closure is what she got when she read the letter from Logan. She finally had proof of why, she had proof to have justice be completely served. She did one last thing for Logan and for herself to put the accident and the trial behind her: she delivered the letter to the district attorney's office.

"Rory, thank you so much. This letter will make all the difference in this next trial," ADA Jennifer Oliver said after reading the letter.

"About this trial," Rory started. "What role do I need to play?"

"As much as you'd like," Jennifer said. "You aren't necessary like you were before. And I am guessing from your tone and from your face that you don't want to be a part of it."

"I'm sorry."

"Rory, it's okay. I completely understand and it's exactly what I would do if I was in your shoes."

"Thank you again for all your help," Rory said as she stood to leave.

"Just doing my job." Jennifer Oliver shook Rory's hand and walked her out. "And, Rory, if you need anything, just call."

When Rory left the DA's office, she finally felt the closure she had needed. It wasn't just closure from the accident, but it was closure from the end of her relationship with Logan. It was the closure that she needed to move forward with her relationship with Jess.

The Jess Mariano that she was involved with now was the man that the boy she loved had grown up to be. She had always loved him. She now knew that she always would. He was the man that she needed now and forever.

"Where are you?" she asked when he answered his cell.

"At the diner. Where are you?"

"We need to talk. Meet me at the bridge in fifteen minutes."

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything is perfect."

Jess clicked his cell off in mix of confused feelings.

"What's wrong?" Luke and Lorelai asked in unison. Luke was working behind the counter and Lorelai was sitting at the counter drinking a cup of coffee.

"Apparently nothing," Jess said. "Which could mean everything. We're meeting at the bridge."

"Here," Luke said, handing Jess a thermos of coffee and a bag of doughnuts. "You're going to need them."

"What do you think this is all about?" Luke asked Lorelai when Jess left the diner.

"I don't know," Lorelai said. "And it's driving me crazy! They're up to something, Luke, and I have no idea what it is."

"They're probably planning something for the wedding," Luke said. "Like a surprise for us or something."

"You think?"

"Just an idea, but the maid of honor and the best man meeting with each other five days before the wedding could have something to do with a surprise shower or something."

"I don't know. Jess seemed pretty clueless."

"He looks that way a lot," Luke pointed out. "Or it could just be some Rory-Jess relationship talk. Did they have a fight or something?"

"Like I said, I don't know, hence the crazy!"

"Lore, everything will be perfect for the wedding," Luke said. "I promise."

"So I'm blowing this out of proportion?"

"Way out of proportion!"

When Jess got to the bridge, he stood and watched Rory as she paced. He could see that she was rehearsing whatever she was about to say.

"Hi," Jess called to Rory.

"Hi," Rory said, turning on her heel and facing Jess. "Come here."

Jess walked to Rory and she wrapped her arms around him in a big hug.

"What's going on?" Jess said. "Not that I don't love holding you, but what's up, Rory?"

"I had closure," Rory said excitedly. "I realized that I needed to put my past behind me before I can move forward. So, I did."

"You did?"

"I had closure," Rory repeated. "You need to keep up."

"Rory, what closure?"

"I put my past behind me. I realized when I read the letter that I had never had closure with my relationship with Logan. We broke up and when I started to move on, he hit me with his car, making me lose my memory and the use of my legs. Once I got my memory back, there was the trial and then there was the letter."

"Rory, you're killing me here."

"I am ready to move on again. I didn't realize that I had stopped moving on until I read the letter. I need to start moving on again. We need to start moving forward again."

"What do you mean?"

"You've been amazing to me the past months after the accident, with my recuperation, and with the trial. But I haven't been the best to you, and I am so sorry for that. So, I want us to focus on us again."

"I didn't think you were ignoring me or ignoring us," Jess said with a hint of defensiveness in his voice.

"I know you didn't, which makes me love you even more. We talked before about starting over and trying again. You hinted that we should live together. I think we should talk about it."

"Well," Jess said, sitting down on the bridge. "Let's talk about it."

"First off, I love you."

"I love you, too."

"And Mom and Luke are getting married on Saturday. They need their own time alone together to start their own family. They don't need me around all the time."

"Your mom might not agree with that," Jess pointed out.

"It doesn't matter," Rory said. "I can't live with my mommy my whole life."

"I don't want us to move in together because you're ready for a change, Rory."

"I know that. But, what you don't completely understand is that I was planning on moving to Philadelphia before the accident. I was going to get a job, get an apartment, and try to see if we could start again."

"That was then. Some things have changed."

"You're right. I've got a job that I can do anywhere. We've already started again and I still want to move forward with our relationship. Now all I am lacking is a place to live."

"And you want to live with me?"

"You don't want to live with me?"

"I didn't say that. It's just that I've been doing some thinking of my own."

"What about?"

"That it might be time for me to make a change, too. I've spent most of my life moving away from what's the best for me. I want to come home."

"What?"

"Rory, I got offered a new job in New York City for Embry-Masterson Publishing. I would be a associate copy editor."

"Jess, this is amazing! Why didn't you tell me before? I am so happy for you!"

"I was going to wait until after the wedding. I didn't want to take anything away from Luke and Lorelai."

"This will take nothing away from them," Rory assured him. "They'll be thrilled for you. I am thrilled for you. Are you taking the job?"

"I'm thinking about it," Jess confessed. "And this conversation is making my decision a lot easier. I don't want you to give up everything for me, and I don't want to give up everything for you. Relationships are about compromise, so I think us moving to New York would be a pretty good compromise."