10 Years Later

A lot had changed in the 10 years that had passed in the Danes house. First and foremost, Luke and Lorelai had gotten married a year after they had begun dating. It was a small outdoor wedding where all their closest friends and family had attended to celebrate the union of two people who were always meant to be together. Rory was thrilled with the thought of her parents getting marrying. Soon after came the twin boys, William Nicholas and Richard Daniel, whom Lorelai and Rory insisted on calling, "Nicky" and "Danny". Luke, and the twins, however, hated the nicknames, and preferred "Nick" and "Daniel", but they knew better than to change the minds of a true Gilmore Girl. The boys grew very close to their two grandfathers, so it took a huge toll on them when, at the age of 7, their grandfather William passed away. It was hard on the entire family, but with the support of each other, they got through it. Chris, on many occasions during the 10 years, had made an attempt to reconnect with Rory, but eventually they filed for a restraining order. He finally grew up, got married, and had a family of his own. Rory figures that one day she will be ready to reconnect but for the time being, she loves her family the way it was. Rory, Lane, and Jess continued on their strong friendship, and though, Rory and Jess both attend Chilton, they make it a point to hang out everyday after school. For the past three years that Rory had attended Chilton, she dated Tristan, the class "King", and also Jess' best friend. However, Tristan's father felt that the two were growing too close, and decided to ship Tristan off to military school, which left Rory heartbroken. He did, however promise, that he would be back no matter would, and that the two of them would attend Harvard together. Jess, on the other hand, had filled in all three of his years at Chilton by trying to swoop Paris Geller off her feet. He didn't study much, not that he needed to, which made Rory furious. School work just came so easy to Jess while she had to work extra hard to get her grades.

"So where is Rory tonight?" Emily asked her daughter and son-in-law who sat at one side of the table with their twin boys across from them. It was a typical friday night dinner for them except that Rory wasn't present.

"One of her friends from school was throwing a party for her and Jess." Lorelai informed her mother as she gave Nick a glare because he was goofing around with his brother.

"How wonderful." Richard smiled proudly, "Are there any hard feelings from Jess since he's Salutatorian while Rory's Valedictorian?"

"Not at all, I think he knows how hard Rory worked for this and how much it means to her. He is too much of a supporting cousin to be jealous." Lorelai explained.

"Are they ready for the big day tomorrow?" Emily asked.

"We sure are." Nick smiled deviously.

"You two better behave yourself or else we're going to leave you home with Kirk." Luke warned.

"Oh brother..." Daniel groaned, "We'll be on our best behavior."

"They always are." Richard smiled proudly down at his two grandsons.

"They really are well behaved young boys. You two must be very proud." Emily smile graciously.

"You two are just saying that because you haven't seen them in their own habitat." Lorelai joked tossing a carrot at them with a wink.

"Lorelai! If anyone is misbehaved, it is most certainly you." Emily scolded her as she leaned over to grab the thrown carrot and threw it right back at Lorelai.

Lorelai laughed out in hysteria, while Luke just turned to Richard and sighed. "This is why we need Rory here for every Dinner. To keep these two in line."

"I agree with you, my man." Richard laughed. "These women are a tad bit insane."

"Hey, mom, can we go swim now?" Daniel asked hopefully.

"Fine, Fine." Lorelai waved them off as they sprinted out of the Dining room to the backyard.

"How about we take a bottle of whiskey and join the lads." Richard suggested to Luke.

"Sounds good." Luke agreed as they stood up giving the woman warning looks before exiting the room as well.

"So, Rory and Jess decided to go to Yale?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, they want to be close to home for the boys, and Rory wants to follow in my brilliant footsteps." Lorelai joked as she batted her eye lashes.

"And Tristan?"

Lorelai sighed, "Well, Rory hasn't gotten a chance to tell him, but it's going to be hard considering they both planned on going to Harvard."

"Yeah." Emily looked at Lorelai for a long time as if she was debating on whether or not to ask her something until she finally broke, "So I heard a little rumor the other day..."

"Mom, I'm not pregnant again." Lorelai teased.

"It's not that, although I'd be thrilled if you and Luke decided on having another kid." Emily hinted while Lorelai rolled her eyes. "No actually this was a different rumor..." Emily continued, " I heard that a certain someone was offered the job as Executive Editor at the New. York. Times." Emily said the last part slowly.

"What a lucky person!" Lorelai said with a huge grin.

"So it's true!" Emily asked excitedly as she stood up and pulled her daughter up with her to hug her tightly.

"Mom. Mom. Mom." Lorelai said pulling away.

"What?" Emily asked in confusion.

"I turned it down." Lorelai told her softly.

"Why on earth would you do that?" Emiy shrieked.

"Because the job position required me to go back to the office in New York." Lorelai informed her mother with a simple shrug.

"So just like that you turned down a job offer that... that... you've been dreaming about you're whole life?" Emily questioned on the verge of yelling. "Did you even talk to Luke about this before you made your decision."

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "No, I didn't, because ever since he found out I was Rory's mother he has been touchy about certain topics like these."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the way he sees it is, I put Rory up for adoption because one, she deserved a good family, and two, I wasn't ready to be a good mom because I had so many dreams. One of those dreams, was in fact being Executive Editor of The New York Times. So now that I'm back in Rory's life and we have this wonderful family, he feels that every little thing that I have to give up in my career is his fault."

"Why would he think that?" Emily asked in confusion as she took a sip of her wine.

"Because, Mom, If I hadn't met him, then I would've without a doubt taken that position." Lorelai sighed.


"They can take a shower in the morning." Luke whispered as they walked into their house each holding one of their sons. "They're already out."

Lorelai smiled as she laid Nick in his bed and tucked him in. "They had such a long day." She whispered, walking over to hug Luke.

"Tomorrow will be an even longer one. You ready?" Luke asked.

"To see our baby grow up and leave us? I don't think so." Lorelai buried her head into Luke's chest and shook it.

"Let's get to bed." Luke suggested as he took her hand and guided her to their bedroom.


"My graduate!" Lorelai yelled as she jumped on to Rory's bed the next day. She simply groaned and shoved her mother off. "Hangover." Lorelai joked in a sing-song voice.

"No. Just tired." Rory threw back crankily.

"My poor baby." Lorelai teased. "How about some of Daddy's delicious pancakes.

Rory's eyes lit up, "Crankiness, gone!" Rory jumped out of the bed and ran to the kitchen and kissed each of her brothers on the top of their head.

"Morning Nicky, Morning Danny."

"Morning Ror-" They replied with their mouths filled with pancakes.

"Good morning my family, who's ready for the graduation." Jess said loudly as he walked into the house already dressed in his graduation robe.

"Jess, the graduation isn't for another 3 hours." Rory laughed humorously.

"Hey, leave the kid alone. He's excited." Luke defended his nephew before leaning in, "Go change, you look like some sort of geek or something."

Jess frowned, "I am going back home where I'm loved."

"You'd choose Liz over us?" Luke laughed.

"And me?" Lorelai smiled innocently.

"And pancakes!" Nick and Daniel both said as they held up their forks with chunks of pancake on them.

"And me..." Lorelai batter her eye lashes.

"And freshly brewed coffee." Rory said dreamily as she took a long sip of her coffee.

"And me..." Lorelai repeated.

"I guess I will stay... for pancakes." Jess said warningly at Lorelai.

Lorelai pouted, "Lukey, our nephew doesn't love me."

"Don't call me that!" Luke muttered.

"Yeah, and stop calling me Nicky!" Nick said angrily.

"And me Danny." Daniel jumped in.

"Gosh, everyones so cranky." Lorelai commented before walking out of the kitchen.

"Mommy's nuts." Nick muttered.


"It's a distinct pleasure for me to introduce to you our valedictorian. This young lady was a second-year transfer from a modest school where she distinguished herself immeasurably. She is humble, hard working, competitive when need be, and unparalleled in her academic achievements. Ladies and Gentlemen, Rory Danes. " Headmaster Charleston announced as he welcomed Rory to the podium.

"Headmaster Charleston, faculty members, fellow students, family and friends, welcome. We never thought this day would come. We prayed for its quick delivery, crossed days off our calendars, counted hours, minutes, and seconds, and now that it's here, I'm sorry it is because it means leaving friends who inspire me and teachers who have been my mentors - so many people who have shaped my life and my fellow students' lives impermeably and forever. I live in two worlds. One is a world of books. I've been a resident of Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County, hunted the white whale aboard the Pequod, fought alongside Napoleon, sailed a raft with Huck and Jim, committed absurdities with Ignatius J. Reilly, rode a sad train with Anna Karenina, and strolled down Swann's Way. It's a rewarding world, but my second one is by far superior. My second one is populated with characters slightly less eccentric but supremely real, made of flesh and bone, full of love, who are my ultimate inspiration for everything. Richard and Emily Gilmore are kind, decent, unfailingly generous people. They are my twin pillars without whom I could not stand. I am proud to be their grandchild. Nicky, Danny, and Jess are the most eccentric, loving people I know, without whom, I'd be lost. Luke Danes, the man who raised me into the person I am today, is the definition of World's Best Dad. If it weren't for him, I would not be here. But my ultimate inspiration comes from my best friend, the dazzling woman from whom I received my name and my life's blood, Lorelai Danes..." Rory locked eyes with her mother and gave her a teary eyed smile.

"As she guided me through these incredible years, I don't know if she ever realized that the person I most wanted to be was her. My incredibly parents never gave me any idea that I couldn't do whatever I wanted to do or be whomever I wanted to be. They filled our house with love and fun and books and music, unflagging in their efforts to give me role models from Jane Austen to Eudora Welty to Patti Smith. Thank you, Mom and Dad. You are my guidepost for everything." Rory finished off.

"Now, it's my pleasure to introduce you to one of the most inspiring, intelligent, and caring man you will ever meet, my cousin, Jess Danes." Rory smiled proudly as Jess came up the podium and hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"You did great, Rory."

"Break a leg, Dodger." Rory grinned before walking off.

"Good afternoon." Jess smiled awkwardly, "I woke up this morning filled with nothing but excitement for this day. I couldn't wait to come here and see all my friends close the door to their childhood and open the door to the rest of our lives. I woke up this morning filled with confidence that I could give you this speech that I worked really hard on, but as I stand before you now, I realize that, that speech is just a bunch of words." Jess paused and looked over at Rory who was looking up to him in confusion. He smiled and winked over at her, "I've learned a lot these past three years that I spent here at Chilton, but I've got to say, the most important thing I learned was not taught here at Chilton. The most important thing I learned was that family is everything. It was Dr. Seuss who said, "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind, don't matter, and those who matter, don't mind." That is one quote I try to live my life by, and I have learned that the moments where I am truly happy, with myself, with life, with everything, are the moments when I am with the people I call my family. I can go on and on about those "dazzeling" people, but my cousin Rory has already covered it for me. I do, however, have to thank my mom. Without her, I would still be walking around saying "My favorite animal is Ephalant." Thanks, Mom." Jess' joked made the croud erupt in laughter. "So, that's all I have to say, "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind, don't matter, and those who matter, don't mind." Jess nodded his head slightly and walked off the stage as everyone clapped.


"Rory!" Rory heard her name being called but she looked around through the crowds and couldn't see anyone who would be calling her name. Well, that's not true, she saw her parents but they were talking with Liz, Emily, Richard, and Jess, but they weren't even looking in her direction. "Rory." Rory turned around and between the crowds she saw Tristan standing there. She grinned and ran through the crowds, dodging people, and practically pushing people to get through.

"Tristan!" She cried as she jumped into his arms. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Mary." He smiled.

"Tristan." Rory said suddenly serious, "I need to talk to you."

Tristan nodded sadly, "I need to talk to you too."

"You first." Rory suggested.

"No you." Tristan gave her a weak smile as he nudged her.

"I've decided to go to Yale." Rory looked down at her feet, but 5 seconds later she felt Tristan lift her chin to look at her. He was grinning.

"What?" Rory asked softly.

"That's what I needed to talk to you about, also. I had decided to go to Yale, too, but I didn't want you to be mad that I was breaking our pact."

"Oh my god!" Rory grinned as she threw her arms around him, "I'm so happy,"

"Me too, Mare, me too." He whispered into her hair.


"So why aren't you in there singing Karaoke with Jess and Tristan?" Lorelai asked jokingly as she sat down next Rory on the patio.

"I'm just thinking." Rory shrugged as she leaned onto her mom.

"About what?" Lorelai asked.

"About how a person could turn down Executive Chief at the New York Times." Rory said nonchalantly.

"How'd you find out?" Lorelai asked after a few seconds of silence.

"You keep forgetting that Paris' dad works there."

"Rory..." Lorelai started slowly.

"No, Mom." Rory sat up angrily, "Why would you do that?"

"We'd have to just up and move to New York." Lorelai told Rory.

"Mom, it's your dream." Rory whispered.

"Rory, you need to listen, and listen close. When I was 16, I had one big dream of one day becoming Executive Chief at The New York Times, but then I got pregnant, and my dreams changed. My only dream after that was for my daughter to be happy. Then, with some kind of fate, we were brought back to each other, and I fell in love with your father. Then the twins came, and again, my dream changed. My only dream was for my children to get everything they ever wanted. Now, I get both things, I work for the New York Times still, and my kids are happy in a safe home-y town."

"For once, Mom, I want your dreams to come true. I wish that you wouldn't have gotten pregnant with me." Rory cried softly.

"Rory." Lorelai kissed Rory's forehead, " Rory, I love you SO much. Getting pregnant with you was the best thing that has ever happened in my life. I have no regrets, besides wearing that one outfit to the christmas party two years ago, but other than that, no regrets. You are my dream, Rory. The New York Times means nothing compared to you, Nicky, Danny, and your father."

Rory smiled weakly, "I love you, Mom."

"Love you too, Rory. Who would've thought a little bit of fate would've made so many people happy." Lorelai smiled looking into the window at her family and friends sitting around the living room singing Karaoke and dancing.

THE END :)