"I'm coming to New York!" Lorelai screamed into the phone so loudly that her daughter had to pull it away for a moment.

"Any louder and I'm sure I would have heard you without the phone," Rory joked.

"Shush, child," Lorelai laughed. "I'm coming to see you soon so you better tell the man that's been defiling my daughter so he can prepare."

"Prepare for what?" She asked. "The puppy eyes you're bound to give him to convince him to give you coffee?"

"That and that he won't be getting any for...drumroll please!" On the other end, there was brr-ing sound that vaguely resembled drums. "A week!"

Rory gasped in happiness. "A week! Really?"

"Really," she could her mother's smile. "Luke, of course, is coming, too. Lane and Zach are running the diner for him and we will probably actually need a hotel because I don't think your apartment is built for the five of us."

"We'll make room," Rory smiled. "You can stay in our room and Jess and I will stay on the couch."

"Ew!" Lorelai whined. "I don't know if I want to stay in a room where you and Jess have...bleh."

"And you think I like knowing where you and Luke have...wait, this has taken a creepy turn," Rory made a face.

"Yeah, let's never speak of it again," her mother added.

The younger girl nodded. "Deal."

"So we will be there in maybe three days," her mother told her. "Clean up and make the place pretty. Hide anything mommy won't want to see."

"Where can I put Evan?" Rory asked.

"He probably won't care where he stays, but..." Lorelai was silent for a few seconds than she spoke again. "I'll have to ask him. Do you have any extra beds?"

"You think I have extra beds?" Rory raised her eyebrow though her mom couldn't see her.

"Well, I don't know!" She shrugged. "I haven't been to your apartment since you moved in!"

"You could have come," she teased.

"I know," another whine. "But baby had other plans."

"Right," she nodded then smiled again. "That actually reminds me of something."

"Reminded you of what?" She asked wonderingly.

"Me and Jess were having a pretty serious conversation about the future the other day," she said.

"Oh yeah?" She sounded almost surprised. "So he's staying in New York?"

"Not only is he staying in New York but he's gonna sell his apartment in Philadelphia," she answered. "If he goes back for work, he's gonna stay at Truncheon."

"Wow, hun, that's fantastic," her mother said and she meant it. "I'm glad because all that stuff lately, I know how it made you feel."

"All of that is over," Rory waved off. "There's more."

Lorelai's next words sounded stunned. "Oh my god. He proposed."

"No," she laughed.

"Then what else is more?" She wondered. "Are you..."

"No, I'm not," Rory replied. "But we were talking how maybe, in the future...It wouldn't be so bad."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"You said that already," Rory said.

"I know," Lorelai said. "I'm just processing."

Rory waited a few seconds before she got impatient. "And?"

"And I'm wondering what I should call the kid," she answered. "My grandchild or my great nephew."

"Not that again!" She blew out a breath but laughed anyway. "It's not a blood relation!"

"Evan and this little one is, though!" Lorelai pointed out.

Rory paled. "Okay, I'm gonna pretend that sentence didn't happen."

"Yeah, that was weird," Lorelai replied. "Another subject?"

"Yes, please," Rory quickly said as Lorelai told her Stars Hollow news.

...

"My mom's coming," Rory jumped on the bed right on top of her sleeping boyfriend.

"What?" He asked. "What time is it?"

"Eight," she smiled.

"In the morning?" She nodded. "And youre up? Before me?"

"The phone rang," she shrugged.

"So not only are you up at eight am but your mom is too?" He looked almost scared. "Is the apocalypse here?"

"Shush," she smiled bigger. "I can wake up early."

"You might be able to occasionally but your mom can't," he pointed out.

"That was before she had a diner owning husband who wakes up insanely early," she pointed back.

"Fair point," he agreed and shifted so he was on his back rather than side. Jess held Rory to him as he moved so she wouldnt leave. "When?"

"Three days," she said.

"Three days?" He asked. "Where will they stay?"

"Here," she gestured to the room.

"Where will we stay then?" Jess continued.

Rory pointed to the living room area. "Out there."

He made a face. "We're gonna fit on the couch?"

"Okay, you sleep on the floor and I get the couch," she grinned down at him.

"Sounds fair," he said sarcastically.

"Come on, Jess," she pouted. "My mom is coming. Luke and Evan are coming. Its gonna be fun."

"We have very different opinions of fun," he replied.

"Jess," she pouted even more.

"Okay, fine," he said and she brightened immediately. "But this is your apartment. You don't need my input on whether or not your mother stays here."

"Its your apartment too, now," Rory said. "Once the Philly apartment is sold, this will be your one and only residence."

"That you know of," he smirked. "You're right. I probably should get used to that, huh?"

"Yes," she leaned and kissed him quick. "And soon because it might be weird if we have guests and you don't call this home."

"Crazy girl," Jess teased and held onto her tighter by her hips. "You are my home."

The smile that broke out on Rory's face was undeniably happy. She kissed him again then climbed off of him despite his protests. "Get up. Come on."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because you just said something incredibly sappy," she answered and held out her hand. "So now you're gonna make me breakfast as to continue this moment."

"Fine, deal," Jess said and took her hand as she pulled him out of the bed.

...

Later that night, after dinner, Jess cleared away the take-out containers and turned to his girlfriend. He leaned against the counter and sighed. "Matt called me today."

"What'd he want?" Rory looked at him curiously.

"Two things, actually," he answered. "Or three."

She laughed. "Is it two or three things?"

"Three," he finally said. "The first two are good. I finished editing Garret's book and sent it to them."

"Oh, good!" She smiled. "I know you told me the stuff about the character's parents was hard to read through."

He nodded. "To say I got frustrated thinking of my own mother or absentee father would be an understatement."

She sat down on the single couch seat and curled her legs under her. "I'm glad you finished. Are they publishing it?"

"There's some stuff they got to do first but yeah, I think so," Jess told her.

Rory smiled softly at him. "And what's the second thing?"

"In addition to my finished editing work, both Matt and Chris have finished reading my book," he said.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed, obviously much more excited about this news. "What did they say?"

"They're planning on publishing it next," he confessed.

Rory held her hands over her mouth to hold in her smile. "That's amazing. Isn't it? Jess."

He looked up from the spot on the floor he'd just become occupied with. "It is amazing."

"Why don't you seem more excited?" She pouted.

"That's adorable," he pointed at her and smiled.

Rory climbed off the couch and walked into the kitchen. "Are you not happy about the book?"

He nodded slowly then shook his head, conflicted. "I'm not sure. It kind of kicked in that this novel I wrote for you was gonna be out there for everyone to read."

"And?" She waited.

"And I liked it being between us," he replied. "Maybe I shouldn't have given them it."

"Don't be ridiculous," Rory shook her head. "Of course you should have. You're nervous everyone will know how you feel about me?"

Now he shook his head. "I guess I liked it was our thing. I probably didn't think through it all enough."

She smiled at him. "The way I see it is you wrote this amazing book. A novel just for me. So what if others see it and read it? Its still me and you and honestly, I couldn't be prouder of you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Jess moved away from the counter and brought Rory to him, hugging her tightly. Both of their arms wrapped around the other and he kissed the side of her head. "I love you, you know that?"

"No, tell me again," she smiled against his chest.

He smiled too. "I love you, Rory."

"Always have, always will," she quoted his letter with another smile.

Jess let out a small laugh at that. "You're gonna use that forever against me?"

She moved her head from its place against his chest to look at him and shook her head. "Not using it against you. More like...remembering this incredibly romantic thing you said to me in this incredibly sweet letter."

He kissed her forehead this time. "The way you love me astounds me."

"That makes two of us," she laughed but stopped and made a face. "Hey, what's the third?"

"Oh, right," he sighed again. The happiness from seconds ago faded. "Matt also said that...Jen called."

"Oh," she said, her own laughter gone. Jen had become a sore subject since what had happened on her birthday. "Did she leave a message?"

"Yeah," he moved out of her arms and walked into the living room part of the apartment. "She was looking for me."

"What did she want?" Rory wondered as she followed him.

"To apologize again, I guess," he shrugged.

"She tried already?" She asked.

"Yeah, a few times," he nodded. "I answered once but the other times I just got a voicemail."

"Did you call her?" Rory asked.

"No," he shook his head. "Have you talked to her lately?"

"Not really," she shrugged. "Since they offered me editor, they paired someone else with her."

"What do you think I should do?" He asked genuinely. "I don't really want to get into all of that again, either."

She moved closer to him and put her hands on his arms. "I think you should call her back. The whole thing was my fault, not hers and she doesn't deserve the silent treatment."

"Rory -"

She shook her head and cut him off before he could lie and say it wasn't her fault. "Jen was your friend first. And she was your friend after. I think that you should let her apologize and move on."

"You think so?" Jess asked and she nodded in reply. "Okay. I'll call her tomorrow. I'd rather not have this hanging over us when your mom comes, either."

"Good idea," she nodded again with a face that said she agreed. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he said with a small smile. "Yeah. Juat trying to process one thing at a time."

"I have an idea," she smiled brightly and he raised his eyebrow questionably. "Not that."

He smirked then and wrapped his arms around her waist. "What then?"

"How about a movie night?" She asked. "Completely relaxed, sitting on the couch together..."

Jess nuzzled her neck. "The other idea might help distract me more."

She smiled but didn't fall for it. "We could watch Almost Famous."

He perked his head to look at her. "You hate Almost Famous."

"I don't hate-hate it," she defended but he didn't believe her. "I don't! Just the idea of Kate Hudson always committing suicide because you made me watch it so many times..."

He smiled at her. "You hate it."

"Fine, I hate it," she sighed. "But I love you and you love it, for some reason. So I will be willing to watch that dreadful movie for you."

Jess kissed her quickly. "You're the best girlfriend, do you know that?"

"I doubt that but I'll take it," Rory laughed.

"Really," he said. "And maybe one day soon, after your mom, Luke and Evan leave, we can watch Ed Wood."

Rory gasped and smiled huge. "Really? We haven't watched that together in so long!"

"Because the way you feel about Almost Famous is the way I feel about Ed Wood," he laughed.

"I'll deal with Kate Hudson trying to overdose some pills for little old Ed Wood," she beamed.

He hugged her tightly against his chest. "Like I said, the best girlfriend."

Rory pulled out of the hug and untangled herself. "I'll go get the dvd."

Jess watched as she went to take the disc out of the cover and smiled. His whole life, he wasn't sure what happiness felt like but right now, the past few months, he knew what he found must be pretty close.

...

Three days later, Rory finished throwing new sheets onto her and Jess' bed. She had cleaned just about everywhere she could as she waited for her mother's arrival. It still made her nervous to have the three of them here and she wasn't sure why.

At first, she figured because they hadn't been to this apartment in months. Then it flicked to how this was now her and Jess' place.

After their talk about him selling the Philly apartment, Jess had called the next day to put it on the market. They weren't going to do it yet partly because he needed to pack. After their three guests had left, he was headed to Philadelphia to get the apartment ready for sale.

Right now, however, she missed him. Jess had called Jen after all and they had met up for lunch today. When he first mentioned it, she was jealous. The jealousy turned to annoyance when Jess laughed in her face at her admittance.

He finally stopped laughing enough to ask if she ever noticed the wedding ring she wore. Rory had felt silly after that and didn't comment how the ring doesn't always matter. Jess knew that pretty well already so she felt no need to bring it up.

So, here she was, tucking in a quilt on the edge corners of her bed and thinking of her boyfriend and his ex-girlfriend having lunch even if it wasn't romantic. A knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts and Rory moved to the open it. A giant smile broke out on her face when she saw her mother stood there, Evan's hand in hers.

"You're early!" Rory beamed as she hugged her family. "You weren't supposed to be here until tonight!"

"What can I say?" Lorelai shrugged, smile on her face. "Wanted to come see my baby girl."

"Where's Luke?" She asked, worried for a moment.

"Daddy's parking the car," Evan answered for his mother.

"And bringing our stuff up," Lorelai added. "Which I apologized many times to him for before we even left."

"Paul Anka get settled with Babette okay?" The younger girl asked.

"Oh, yeah," she nodded. "He loves her so he was happy to get some time with her."

"Good," Rory smiled. She missed that dog. "Don't stand out there, come on. Come in."

Rory moved aside so Evan and Lorelai can come in and she checked the hallway to see if she saw Luke. There was no sign of him yet so she moved inside, keeping the door open for him. Evan let go of his mom's hand in search of the apartment.

"He's investigating," Lorelai told her daughter.

"I see," Rory smiled. "Hey, did you figure out where he will stay?"

"He wants to sleep on the floor, apparently," she answered. "Brought a sleeping bag and everything. Wants to treat this like a sleepover with his favorite people."

"Aww," she smiled as she watched Evan enter their bedroom. "I'm glad I got a headstart on everything for you. I didn't expect you to be early."

"And I didn't expect you to be done getting ready," Lorelai replied. "Where's Jess?"

"Jess is out," she nodded. "He's having lunch with a friend."

Lorelai nodded, too. "Oh that's nice. What's her name?"

"It's Jen," Rory told her. "Wanted to apologize for what happened. He wasn't sure about going but once the lunch is over, its all behind us, right?"

"Right," she agreed. "Hun, are you jealous?"

"I'm not," she said. "I'm really not. I just really don't want this stir any of that back up. He's gonna be thinking about it and I just hope he doesn't follow those thoughts."

"He do anything to make you think he will?" She questioned.

Rory shook her head. "No. Actually, we've been even better than before all of that."

"Then push it aside," her mother explained. "Don't let it fester into something it doesn't need to be."

"I'll try," the corners of her mouth quirked up in a smile.

Right then, someone appeared at the door, panting and carrying a large load of baggage. "I am getting too old for this."

"Hi honey," Lorelai smiled sweetly.

Luke put down the bags and suitcases and shut the door behind him. "Hi, Rory."

"Hey, Luke," she walked over to him and hugged him.

"Where'd Evan go?" He wondered and looked around the room.

"I think he's checking out the bathroom now," Lorelai answered.

"Huh," the man said and reminded Rory very much of Jess. "What about my nephew?"

"Out," his wife answered for her daughter.

"He should be back soon," Rory added and grabbed her phone from the kitchen counter. She sent Jess a quick text telling him their guests are there early and put it back down.

"I think we need to talk plans," Lorelai said from the couch. "I don't wanna be completely touristy but I also want to do some touristy things."

"We can do that," Rory nodded in agreement. "I did some of that when I first got here but not all of it."

"Youre not going crazy though," Luke warned.

Lorelai looked mock surprised. "When have I gone crazy?"

Both Rory and Luke gave her a look. She pouted and leaned back onto the couch, her soon to be eight months pregnant belly covered by her winter coat. Evan soon stopped his investigation and returned back to his family. The four of them sat on the couch and caught up on little things like the inn and work.

Rory looked at the door excitedly when she heard keys jingle and the lock turn. Lorelai smiled at her daughter as she saw a younger version of herself in her. The door opened and before Jess could process anything, say hello even, his girlfriend's arms were around him.

"Did you miss me or something?" He teased her and kissed her hair.

"Of course," she mumbled into his chest and he smirked at her words.

"Not to cut this short or anything," Lorelai said from the couch. "But some of us are big and huge and don't want to move but want to greet the step nephew."

Jess made a face as he and Rory walked into the apartment, shutting the door behind him. "That just sounded weird."

"I'm not gonna say it again," Lorelai promised.

Luke stood up and hugged Jess as Evan came and hugged his leg as well. Hellos were made and Jess moved to even hug Lorelai. They continued talking and before long it had become late enough for dinner. Jess ordered pizza despite Luke's objections and because of Lorelai, Rory and Evan's cheers. It was going to be an interesting week.

A/N: just a small note. Me, personally, I loved Almost Famous. I haven't watched it in a while nor am I as crazy addicted as Jess was. I have never seen Ed Wood however, despite being a huge Johnny Depp fan. That definitely needs to change lol