6. Christmas in Connecticut

'Verse: California Son
Timeline: half-way between final chapter and Epilogue
Date: December 2005

Sophomore year of college was proving to be a little tougher than Rory had thought it might, but for the next two weeks, she vowed not to think about it at all. She was bouncing on her toes outside the arrivals area of Hartford airport, waiting on her boyfriend who she hadn't seen since the summer. Yale was forgotten, because Christmas was here, and any minute now, Jess would be too.

"I think I see him," said Luke, pointing to the back of the incoming passengers.

"Oh, yeah," Lorelai agreed, nodding her head. "Rory, I think... and she's gone" she said, smiling with amusement as her daughter ran full-pelt into the crowd.

When the rest of the people finally cleared, there were Rory and Jess, wrapped in each other's arms and kissing like it was going out of style.

"Aaw." said Lorelai. "Cute."

"And about to get inappropriate," Luke noted, looking away.

Lorelai put her fingers in her mouth and whistled, further embarrassing her husband, though it had the desired effect on Rory and Jess too as they finally parted.

"I missed you," said Rory, grinning wide.

"You sure? Because you didn't make that clear at all," Jess teased her, pushing her hair back off her face. "You know, at this point I'm just holding onto you for the body heat, right? I almost forgot how cold it is here," he said, shivering some.

"Aww, poor baby," Rory sympathised, her hand at his cheek. "But you'll be the only guy in town with a tan, that's pretty cool," she realised with a grin.

"You guys ever going to put each other down?" Lorelai yelled from a few feet away, clearly trying not to look directly at the couple in case they were making out again.

"Give us a minute!" Rory yelled back. "I just need some time to bask," she said, revelling in the closeness of having Jess right there with her again.

"I'd say it was weird that you just wanna stand and stare at me, but honestly? Kind of loving the view myself. Why are California and Connecticut so far apart anyway?"

"Because somebody stupid decided on it." Rory sighed. "Okay, I'm sated for now. I think I can make it to the car at least," she said, semi-seriously.

"One more thing before we move," Jess insisted, pulling her back by her hand the moment she tried to escape. "A question, actually."

"Okay." Rory nodded, wondering what on earth he was about to say. "Jess?"

"I know it's not actually gonna happen until you're done with college and everything," he said softly, reaching into his pocket, "but this has been on my mind for a while. I kept thinking about it and it was the only thing I wanted to get you for Christmas. The thing is you have to give me the right answer to the question to get it," he said, smiling nervously as he used both hands and prised open the small box right in front of his girlfriend's eyes. "Rory Gilmore, will you marry me?"

There were tears in her eyes as she slowly nodded her head.

"Yes," she said, swallowing hard before any more words would come. "Oh, Jess, I love you so much,' she promised, throwing her arms around him one more time.

"That's good," he said, hugging her close, "because if you said no, I didn't think to buy you anything else."

Rory laughed and cried at the same time. It was now officially the best Christmas ever.