A/N: Okay this is hard to say. Either this chapter or the next one will be the last. I could write this story forever if I don't stop myself to be honest.
When I first started writing this, I knew what place I wanted to get to at the ending. I wanted to get to Lorelai having her baby, especially since her pregnancy led both Rory and Jess back to Stars Hollow and set the story in motion. I wanted them to be in a good place, I didn't want to leave loose ends about them. I wanted Jess to have written a new novel and for them to talk about the past.
This story has been a part of me for eight months. And now, fifty six chapters and over 190k words later, I feel like its complete. It's the story I wanted to tell and I have other stories in me that I want to tell as well for literati. So I hope in the ending of Nine Years Gone, you'll read my other stories for these two and that you'll like them as well.
But I want to say thank you for everything. For reading, for reviewing, for any posting or recommendations you might have done. You all mean so much to me for taking the time to read this story and for telling me your thoughts on it. You're the greatest gift a fanfic writer or any writer can ask for. You inspired me to continue along and tell their story.
And lastly, I hope the revival how's beyond our expectations. I cannot wait to see it and see new Literati scenes.
When Rory had returned with her coffee, Jess sat on a chair with a bag. She looked at him skeptically as he held it out to her and explained to her he brought a change of clothes. Gratefully she took it from him and excused herself to the restrooms.
Jess had also changed his clothes which annoyed Paris because she was the only one still dressed for a Christmas party. Finally, she had called Doyle to not bring her home but to bring her clothes. When Rory came back, she was glad her friend had wanted to stay with her.
Now, however, the hospital was quiet. It was near 2 am by now and they'd been in the hospital for hours. The doctor had come back out, with Luke and he told them happily how he has another daughter. The look he gave Rory as he said so clearly showed that she was one of them.
Luke soon left to go back to his his newborn. He didn't want to leave her alone with Emily too long. She had probably broke hell on anyone who tried to part her from her granddaughter.
Rory's head leaned on Jess' shoulder as she slept in the chair. She had made herself as comfortable as she could and rested her eyes. He wrapped his arm around her and snuggled her closer.
Doyle came and went. He handed Paris a bag to his wife and gave her an update on how the kids are. They were with Nanny, who was at The Dragonfly along for the trip. Their tones were whispered as Rory slept and they glanced over at her and Jess to make sure they hadn't woken her.
Finally, a very familiar voice came through the hall, at 2:30 am. Jess and Paris both looked for the source of the voice and he shook Rory slightly to wake her up. She made a sound and moved closer to her boyfriend which made him smile but he shook her again anyway.
Emily found them in their chairs and looked exhausted but happy. "Lorelai is awake and the baby is with her."
"Rory," Jess shook her again and this time she woke having heard her grandmother's voice.
"Mom's awake?" She asked.
"And asking for you," Emily smiled. "Oh, you must see the child, darling. She's precious."
"What's her name?" Paris asked.
"She told me to let her tell you all altogether," the older woman said.
The three of them stood up and followed to the intended room. The walk was quiet and Emily took excited glances towards Rory. She wondered when the last time she'd seen her look like that was.
They walked into Lorelai's room. Luke stood beside her at the bed and there was a wheelable little bed. Rory wasn't sure what it was called but she'd seen them before in the maternity ward. She walked slowly over to it.
Lorelai smiled at her daughter who headed straight for her baby sister. "The doctor allowed her in here for a short period of time. He's gonna come back soon so everyone go see her."
Jess and Paris came behind Rory, Emily headed for her as well. Luke smiled at his wife. "You want to tell them or should I?"
"Is this about her name?" Rory asked.
"Yes," Lorelai smiled as they stood beside the baby. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet the newest addition to the Gilmore-Danes household, Emily Elizabeth Gilmore."
"Emily?" Rory asked, tears forming in her eyes.
Lorelai nodded, her own tears shining. "We talked about it a lot and lord knows we don't always get along, right, Mom?"
"Yes, Lorelai," Emily smiled. Her usual snark that would appear at a comment about their relationship was nowhere to be seen.
"And it really seemed to fit," she continued. "Plus, you know, she looks like an Emily."
"Yeah, she does a little bit," Jess remarked. He smiled at the baby and nudged Rory closer to him.
She smiled at the closeness. "I like it."
"Thanks, kid," Lorelai smiled brightly. She couldn't seem to stop smiling since she woke up.
"I actually have a present for you I was waiting to give you," Luke said as he pulled out a brown bag and a steel mug.
His wife gasped. "Did you bring me coffee?"
"I may have sent a messenger out for this," he looked at Paris.
"Paris?" Rory asked.
"I was wondering why it took you so long to change," Jess commented.
"It was no big deal," she waved it off.
"What's in the bag?" Emily asked.
Another gasp came from Lorelai. "There's apple tarts in here!"
"Where on earth did you get those?" Her mother asked Luke.
"Another messenger," he replied and Jess coughed.
"When?" Emily asked.
"I asked the caterers to wrap up a few and hide them where no one would guess what they are," he said.
Lorelai smiled even bigger. "I have the best family, don't I?"
Before Rory could tell her she thought so, too, the doctor walked into the room. "Sorry to break this up but I've got to bring the little one back."
"A few more minutes," Lorelai pleaded.
"I promise you can see her soon," he explained.
She pouted but agreed. "Okay."
Everyone say goodbye to little Emily Elizabeth and the doctor wheeled her out in the direction of the other babies. Paris was the first one to speak after he left. "So she's healthy?"
"Yes," Luke told her. "The doctor sent through everything with us and they've checked her nurmerous times. They're just keeping a watch on her but she's gonna be okay."
"Thank god," Rory said.
"She'll have the best care possible," Emily said. "No granddaughter of mine gets nothing but the best."
"Thank you, mom," Lorelai said with tears still in her eyes.
"Now that we've seen her, I think I should go back to the inn," Paris cut in. "I need to check in on Doyle, Nanny and the kids."
"We should probably go, too," Jess said. "Rory's been sleeping for ten minutes at a time."
"Have not," she argued though she knew he was close to the truth.
"Come on," he pulled at the bottom of her jacket. "You'll get sleep and come back in a few hours when its bright."
"Mom?" She asked.
"Go," Lorelai made a shooing motion with her hands. "Sleep."
"Okay," she nodded.
Rory said her goodbyes to her mother, grandmother and Luke. She hugged each of them and told them congratulations. Jess shook his uncle's hand and even hugged Lorelai before he left. Paris hugged each of them as well, stopping first in front of Luke because she wasn't sure.
Jess made a promise to Luke when they came back, they'd bring his truck. The older man said he didn't have to do that but he didn't mind. Emily actually came with them as they drove Paris as well.
The car ride was mostly silent. Emily sat up front as Jess drove through the night. Music was at its lowest and everyone struggled to stay awake. Jess left Emily off at her house and Rory got out of the car for another goodbye.
Next they drove down to Stars Hollow and went to the Dragonfly. Paris went in alone and waved goodbye after having hugged her best friend. Jess smirked as he turned off the road to her mother's place of business.
"What's the smirk?" Rory wondered.
"Nothing," he shrugged.
"Tell me," she urged.
"Remember you told me you and Paris kissed?" He reminded her.
Rory laughed. "Oh my god."
He laughed, too. "Thought I forgot, didn't you?"
"Was hoping," she replied.
"Nope," he shook his head and held his lips together for a laugh.
"Shush," she said as he continued to hold his mouth shut. When they were close enough to the diner, she put her hand on his arm. "Park the car and I wanna walk somewhere."
He looked at her curiously. "Okay."
Once the car was parked, Rory grabbed Jess' hand and began a quick pace. He managed to keep up with his girlfriend and even found himself surprised when he noticed they were headed to the bridge.
"We're going to the bridge?" Jess asked out loud.
"Yep," she said quickly.
"Why?" He questioned.
She smiled at him then looked ahead of herself again. "You'll see."
It wasn't long before they reached their destination. Rory let go of his hand and turned to face Jess. His eyebrow raised at her. "Okay what are we doing here?"
"It is Christmas," she started. "Christmas, Jess. And we just spent hours in a hospital. I don't know about you but I need a moment where I just break loose and have fun right now."
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," he agreed.
"Good," she smiled. "Now strip."
"What?" He let out a small laugh.
"You heard me," she said. "Take off your clothes."
"Why?" He asked.
She pulled off her jacket then her T-shirt. "Because we are skinny dipping."
"Here?" She nodded. "In the lake of Stars Hollow?"
"That's exactly where," she started to undo her jeans. "Either you do this with me or I go in alone."
Jess practically threw off his jacket then pulled his own shirt over his head. He quickly caught up and when they were down to their underwear, Rory picked up their clothes and put it close to the trees. He didn't comment but he suspected she was just being careful.
Rory jumped into the water and he resisted a laugh. She really had went into the water naked and he shed the last of his own clothes and went in after her. A laugh escaped her lips.
"God, I needed this," she exclaimed at the cold water.
"I'm actually surprised right now," Jess said to her.
"Why?" She asked.
"Skinny dipping is frowned upon in a town such as this, isn't it?" He asked.
"I don't think there are any rules against it," she teased. "I guess no one expects anyone to do it either."
He was about to respond when water splashed at him. Jess looked over at a grinning Rory. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that."
"Am I?" She teased and swam further away.
"Get over here," he swam behind her.
Rory laughed but she let Jess catch her. She was out of breath from the laughter and the swim but she kissed him anyway. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed her body to his. Jess groaned and she smiled against his lips.
"You're a little tease, aren't you?" Jess asked when he pulled away.
She smirked. "Who says I'm teasing?"
Jess crashed his lips to hers once again and this time she groaned. Now his arms wrapped her and pulled her even closer. She felt him against her thigh and another sound made it out of her. That made him smirk this time.
"I really suggest we get out of here before I do something I swore I would never do," Rory said.
"Really?" He grinned. "What's that?"
"Have really loud sex outdoors," she whispered in his ear.
"Now youre definitely teasing," Jess said back.
She shrugged indifferently. "Maybe, maybe not."
"Come here," he said and leaned into to kiss her again.
The kiss had just deepened when it happened. Rory froze and Jess noticed as he pulled away. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" He asked.
"Ssh," she said and instructed him to swim with her.
Jess followed behind without a word as she swam as close to land as she could. Rory ducked down as much as she could in the water and he did as she did. First they heard the footsteps then they saw a flashlight.
It was a strange feeling, naked and in the water as you watched someone stroll the bridge for trespassers. Both of their eyes widened as they saw just who it was and without a word, they ducked in lower.
Taylor Doose turned to both his left and right as he searched for the source of noise he heard. He could have sworn he had laughter and conversation but as he scanned the bridge and its surroundings, he found nothing.
"I could have sworn I heard something," he said to himself.
If it was any other situation...hell, if they had been wearing anything, both of them would have found this hilarious. As of this moment, they were screwed and it was about Taylor leaving before they were caught.
He searched once more and his flashlight almost hit Rory and Jess' hiding spot. Both of them slammed their mouths shut and went under and hoped the water wouldn't show signs of them. It must not have because he sighed in defeat.
"Must be my imagination..." Taylor muttered as he turned and left the way he came.
As soon as he was far out of sight, Rory let out a breath she'd been holding and jumped out of the water. She scrambled to put her clothes back on but wasn't succeeding. Her skin was too wet to make this easy so Jess smirked in amusement as he watched from the water.
"Come on," she said. "We have to get out of here."
"You're the one who wanted to be free," he pointed out as he climbed out of the water too and picked up his own clothes.
"Yes, free," she nodded. "Not caught naked by someone in town and definitely not by Taylor."
"I'll give you that," he agreed.
When Rory was dressed, she grabbed his hand. He protested at first because his jeans were fully done and his jacket was on the bridge. But he grabbed it quickly as she ran, her hand held to his, back to the diner.
Once inside and the diner all locked up, she collapsed on the bed. Jess stood in the doorway and broke out in laughter. "That was definitely new."
"That was horrifying," she exclaimed. "What if he found us?"
"Then things would have been very awkward," he said as serious as he could.
She sat up. "Be serious. Imagine he caught us and told us to get out of the water."
"Could you imagine his face if we did?" He countered.
"Jess!" She covered her face in her hands.
"You gotta admit its funny," he walked closer to her and sat on the bed.
"Maybe later when my heart stops pounding," Rory replied.
He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair. "You're the one who wanted to do that."
"I don't think I was thinking straight," she said. "I forgot about town watchmen."
"And by that, you mean Taylor?" He asked.
"God, I don't know how he missed our pile of clothes but I'm so glad he did," she said.
"It was a Christmas miracle," he said in a voice that almost could pass for Scrooge.
She nudged him. "Shut up."
"We're inside now, its funny," he nudged her back.
"I'll laugh later," Rory said.
Jess stood up. "I got an idea, too."
"What's that?" She eyed him skeptically.
"Let's take a shower," he answered. "We've been at the hospital all night and its now past 4 am. Let's take a shower and go to sleep and we'll be refreshed to go back then."
"Or...we could not," she said. "We could stay right here."
"You're passing on being clean?" Jess asked surprised.
"Maybe I rather be dirty," she made a face and he laughed. "Okay, that came out weird and not sexy at all."
"It was a little sexy," he grinned at her.
"Huh," she grinned back.
"You're still thinking about the lake,aren't you?" He asked as he came to kneel in front of her.
"Little bit," she replied and leaned forward to kiss him.
"Hey Ror?" He asked.
"Yes?" She opened her eyes that she had only just closed.
"When we were at the hospital," Jess began his confession. "Remember we were talking about kids not too long ago?"
She nodded. "Yes?"
"I was thinking..maybe sooner wouldn't be so bad," he admitted.
"Sooner?" Rory wondered. "How much sooner?"
"I don't know," he shook his head. "But there is something else I want to do first."
He stood up and Rory watched him walk over to the kitchen and grab something out of a drawer. She wasn't sure what he was up to but she couldn't look away either.
"What's that?" She asked when he returned.
"Well, this is a prop," he chuckled. "I kind of hoped if I ever did this that I'd have the real thing and not a stand in."
"Ever did what?" Rory asked and ignored her pounding heart.
Jess took a deep breath and kneeled again. "I'm shit at speeches. You know that. I'd be better off writing you something but this is kind of spontaneous so I didn't have time to wrote anything."
"Oh my god," she took a deep breath herself.
"I know what I want," he said. "I want you. I always have and I never even stopped. You were just always there in the back of my mind and now that I have you with me again, I don't want to ever let you go. So, Rory, I guess I'm asking if -"
"Yes," she cut him off.
"You didn't let me finish," he smirked.
She laughed and kneeled down so their heights matched. "I don't need to. Jess, I love you. We were terrible at relationships in high school but I think I always considered you as the one that got away. And this time, I'm not letting you anywhere without me."
"Good because neither am I," he said and pulled her to him.
They kissed deeply. Rory crawled herself to as close as she could get to him. His arms went around her back as the object he took from the kitchen was still I'm his fist. Their balance threw off and she fell on top of him and they both laughed.
"Now what did you take out of that drawer?" She asked curiously.
Jess pulled one of those bread ties from his fist. "Placeholder for a ring."
"Its perfect," she smiled and kissed him again.
"Hey, Rory," he whispered. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Jess," she said then gasped. "That reminds me! This is so much better than my present!"
"What's your present?" He asked.
Rory smiled. "Paris has all my old books you wrote in. I was gonna show you the notes I put in there as well as one of the Hemingway I read because you were still there in my heard telling me Ernest had lovely things to say about me."
"I like that present," he told her and she could tell he meant it.
"Really?"
"Really."
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"I don't know about you but the dirty suggestion still stands," she commented.
"Oh, I have a few suggestions myself," Jess smirked as he lifted her off the ground and put her on the bed.
A/N: like it? I hope so! And I think there is another after this, either an epilogue or just a ending chapter. We'll see which I call it. But again, thank you ALL. I hope I did you justice as fans and gilmore girls and literati justice as well in my writing. and I hope you loved the story as much as I loved writing it!