Sorry about the delay! Had a busy weekend. Also, I'm away from Friday for a week so will not be able to update for a while, sorry! Here's the next chapter! :)

Chapter 16

"Tristan! Can you get the door?" Rory called from her room where April was helping get her ready for her date. She frowned when there was no answer. The doorbell rang again. "Tristan!" Rory called. Still no answer. "Guess I have to do everything around here then." Rory joked, pulling her hair up into a ponytail and going to the door. She was slightly confused when she passed through the living room and there was no sign of Tristan. She opened the front door and smiled. "So that's why you couldn't answer the door..." She said.

"I'm here to pick up my date." Tristan smiled, holding a bouquet of flowers. "Have you seen her?" He smirked.

"Oh well I don't know. I don't know who would want to go out with you." She smirked.

Tristan smirked. "Hey." He said softly.

"Hi." Rory smiled and leant forward to kiss him. "These are beautiful." She said taking the flowers.

"Only the best for the best." Tristan said.

Rory grinned. "I would say that's the cheesiest line I've ever heard but I don't care. Flattery will get you anywhere." She said giving him a kiss again.

"You ready?" Tristan grinned.

"Yeah." Rory nodded. "April!" She called.

"Yeah?" April said appearing from Rory's bedroom.

"Do you want a lift to the diner?" Rory asked.

"Yeah like that'll be romantic." April joked. "Dropping your soon to be step-sister off on the way to your date."

"Don't be silly. We don't mind." Rory smiled. "And drop the step bit off step-sister. When mom and Luke get married, we'll be sisters." She said.

April smiled. "Honestly though, I'm happy to walk." She said.

"It's no bother. We're going that way anyway." Tristan said.

April hesitated before nodding. "Ok, well if you're sure then." She said.


"This is lovely. How did you know about this place?" Rory asked as she looked round the nice intimate Italian restaurant they were sat in.

"I've been here a few times." Tristan shrugged.

"With other girls?" Rory smirked.

"No." Tristan smirked. "The only girl I've brought here is you."

"So how do you know this place then?" Rory asked.

"I just used to come here a lot by myself. When I was trying to escape from the house." He said.

"Oh right." Rory said knowing about Tristan's relationship with his dad.

"Anyway...this is nice huh?" Tristan smiled.

"Really nice." Rory smiled leaning over the table and placing her hands over his. "Crazy huh? Did you ever think four years later that we'd get together?" She asked.

"Yes." Tristan smirked.

Rory laughed. "Modest, I like it."

Tristan chuckled. "I mean, obviously I didn't know for sure, but I hoped. I know I drove you crazy back at Chilton and I'm angry at myself for being such a jerk and that if I had been a bit nicer, you might have given me a chance."

"I don't think so." Rory said.

"What?" Tristan asked.

"I don't mean it in a bad way but back then...uh...I was so into Dean." She admitted. "Even if you had been nicer, I think I still would have been into Dean."

"I guess that's true." Tristan said.

"It wasn't our time." Rory said. She looked up at him and smiled. "But now it is." She said softly. "And I'm kind of glad it's happened now and not back then."

"Yeah." He smiled. "Me too."

"So what do you recommend?" Rory asked looking back at the menu.


"Hey April?" Luke said glancing across at his daughter as she changed the salt and pepper shakers.

"Yeah?" She said looking up at him.

"How do you fancy a little road trip?" He asked.

"A road trip? What, today? Now?" April asked surprised.

"Yeah. The diner's quiet. Caesar can cope for the rest of the day." Luke said.

"Well where would we go?" April asked.

"Philadelphia." Luke said.

"Philadelphia?" April said confused. "Who's in Philadelphia?"

"Well I thought now might be a good time for you to meet your cousin." Luke smiled.

"Jess lives in Philadelphia?" April asked.

"Yep." He nodded. "Fancy accompanying me? I thought it would be nice for you two to meet before the wedding. Plus I have something to ask him as well."

"Sure." April grinned.

"Great! Grab your coat and we'll get going." Luke smiled.

"Ok." April smiled. She grabbed her coat and then followed Luke out to the truck.

It was a while into the journey when April glanced across at Luke. "Dad?" She said.

"Yeah?"

"I really like Lorelai." She said quietly.

Luke smiled and glanced across at her. "I'm glad." He said softly. "I like her too."

"Well I'd kind of hope so seeing as you're getting married." April smirked.

Luke chuckled. "True." He said. He smiled at April. "I'm glad you like her though. Your opinion is really important to me."

April smiled. She glanced across at him again. "I really wish I'd known you from the start." She said quietly.

Luke smiled sadly. "Yeah I wish I had too." He said quietly. He looked across at her. "April, you have no idea how much I wish I had known about you from the beginning. I would have been there for you. I would have been a dad."

"I know." April smiled at him. "But then if you had been, you may not have met Lorelai and Rory." She said. "So in a way, I'm kind of glad I found you now. Don't get me wrong, I wish I had known you for longer but I'm glad you have Lorelai and Rory and now so do I. They're great." She smiled.

Luke smiled at her. "I'm glad you're part of it. And you always will be." He said.

"Thanks." April said softly.


"Well that was the best meal I've ever had. Just don't tell Luke." Rory grinned.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." Tristan chuckled. "So what do you say we head back to Stars Hollow, grab a coffee from Luke's and sit in the gazebo for a bit?"

"I say that's sounds perfect." Rory smiled.

"Great, let's go then." Tristan smiled, placing some notes on the table and then heading out of the restaurant with Rory following him.

Once back in Stars Hollow, they grabbed a coffee from Luke's and then went and sat in the gazebo. Rory sat next to Tristan, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Hey Tristan?" She said.

"Yeah?" He said.

"Will you be my plus one to my mom's wedding?" Rory asked.

Tristan smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

Rory smiled and snuggled closer into him. "I love you."

"I love you too." He smiled kissing the top of her head.


"So how are you coping with all that?" Jess asked as him and Luke were stood in Truncheon looking over at April who was reading some of the books.

"Yeah good." Luke nodded. "Well I think it's going well. She calls me dad now." He said not being able to stop the smile that appeared on his face as he said that.

Jess nodded. "Cool. She seems great." He said.

"She is." Luke smiled proudly. "She's so smart as well. Just like Rory was at her age."

"Her and Rory get on?" Jess asked.

"Yeah." Luke smiled softly. "Rory's been great and they have so much in common. It's like they're sisters already."

"Well soon they will be." Jess said.

"Yeah.." Luke smiled. He glanced across at him. "That's sort of why I wanted to see you. I wanted you and April to meet. But I also wanted to ask you something." He said nervously.

"Shoot." Jess said.

"Uh..well you know Lorelai and I are getting married. And we've been talking about who's going to be in the wedding. Rory's obviously the maid of honour." He said.

"Obviously." Jess nodded.

"And she's picked out all her bridesmaids as well. Anyway..uh..I've been thinking about who I want stood up there with me." He said, putting his hands in his pockets awkwardly. He glanced at his nephew. "Will you be my best man?" He asked.

"What?" Jess asked surprised. That was the last thing he'd expected.

"I want you stood up there with me. I'm so proud at what you've achieved here and you're my family. Please?" Luke rambled. "Otherwise I'd have to ask Kirk and I really don't want to do that."

Jess smirked at that. He looked at his uncle. "You really want me to do it?"

Luke gave him a small smile. "Yeah I really want you to do it."

Jess took a moment to take it in and then nodded. "Ok."

"Ok?" Luke asked relieved. "Ok good. That's good. Thanks." He smiled.

Jess nodded. It was then his turn to look a bit awkward and nervous. "Uh..do you think I could..uh bring someone?" He asked. "To the wedding, I mean."

Luke smirked and raised an eyebrow. "You mean a date?" He asked.

Jess ducked his head embarrassed. "Yeah." He mumbled.

"Huh." Luke said amused.

"Yeah ok! You can stop mocking now." Jess exclaimed.

Luke chuckled. "I'm not mocking. I'm...well sure you can bring someone." He said.

"Thanks." He mumbled.

"You seem happy. Are you happy?" Luke asked, his teasing tone gone.

Jess looked up at him. "Yeah I'm happy." He said giving him a small smile.

"Good." Luke smiled. "Well I look forward to meeting your date then. You're coming a few days before right?" He asked.

"Yeah." Jess nodded.

"Great. We better start heading back. We'll see you soon." Luke said pulling Jess into a hug. "I'm really proud of you. You know that yeah?"

"Thanks." Jess said reciprocating the hug. "See you soon." He said before he watched Luke go over to April. He waved goodbye to April and then watched them leave.


Tristan and Rory were sat in the living room of the Crap Shack later that afternoon when Lorelai came running in. "Rory? Rory, are you here?" She exclaimed frantically.

"Mom?" Rory frowned, confused by why she was back early and why she was in such a state.

"Oh good!" Lorelai exclaimed relieved seeing her daughter there. "We have to go!"

"Have to go? Where?" Rory asked.

"We have to go!" Lorelai exclaimed getting more wound up.

"Mom, you're scaring me! What's going on? Where do we have to go?" Rory said getting up.

"The hospital." Lorelai said with tears in her eyes.

Rory's eyes widened. "Wha...? What's happened?"

"I just got a phone call. Luke and April have been in a car accident." Lorelai said, tears falling freely down her face now.

Sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger but I have to get you to want to come back in some way! ;) Hope you liked it! Please keep your reviews coming as I love reading them so thanks! :)