A/N: Well, here we are, folks, at the end of the second Literati Advent Calendar. Thanks for all the reviews throughout, and a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings to you, as is appropriate. Catch you in 2019! :)

24. This Is Christmas
'Verse: canon
Timeline: post-A Year in the Life - sequel to 'Christmas Kisses' (LAC '17 #24)
Date: December 2018

"You are the most beautiful girl in the whole world, you know that, right?"

"If she wasn't my daughter, I think I'd be jealous," said Rory, leaning in the doorway and watching Jess and Ella with a smile on her lips.

"You see Mommy over there?" he asked the little girl, pointing for her to look. "Now, she is the most beautiful woman in the whole world, and if she doesn't know that by now, then I am clearly failing at making at clear, and that would make me a fool."

"You are definitely not a fool," Rory assured him as she came to join them on the couch. "And you are definitely beautiful, baby girl," she told Ella, lifting her daughter out of Jess' lap and into her own. "Grandma Lorelai is really good with the sewing machine still."

"Pretty dress." Ella nodded solemnly. "Mommy pretty," she said grinning up at her.

"Thank you, sweetheart," said Rory, hugging her daughter close.

Ella was happy to cuddle for a minute, but then she wanted down off the couch. After all, she had been given a lot of toys to play with today, as well as clothes and candy and just about everything else a little girl could want. Understandably, she wanted to be playing, especially now everyody else had gone home and she didn't have to share.

"It has been a great day," said Rory, leaning closer to Jess, "but I am exhausted."

"We were up pretty early," he agreed, "and having everybody here all at once?" he said, shaking his head. "Never again. Next year I vote Luke and Lorelai play host."

"Amen." Rory nodded before letting her head drop onto her boyfriend's shoulder. "I guess we should put Ella to bed soon. Pretty sure eighteen-month olds shouldn't be up past ten anyway."

"It's Christmas," Jess reminded her, his arm around her back as he kissed her temple. "She can sleep in tomorrow, and then so could we," he suggested.

"Mmm, that sounds like a good plan." Rory sighed, snuggling closer. "Jess?" she said after a while, glancing up to find his eyes closed. "Jess?" she tried again, poking him.

"Yeah?"

"There's a Christmas gift you didn't open yet," she told him, watching as one of his eyes popped open. "It's from me and Ella," she said, shifting away from him a moment to retrieve a small and very flat looking package tied with a ribbon. "I didn't get a chance to give it to you before everyone else showed up and then... well, I wanted it to be just the three of us," she explained, handing over the gift at last.

Jess looked understandably confused as he pulled off the ribbon and realised it was a fairly fat envelope in his hands. He opened it up and pulled out the papers, the top one of which had one of Ella's artworks on it - a multicoloured scribble that meant nothing to anyone but her. Jess smiled at the sight and then his eyes caught on the printed matter beneath. He was still trying to take in what the forms all meant when a little hand landed on his knee.

"Daddy?" said Ella, staring up at him.

Jess had tears in his eyes as he looked from the little girl to Rory who was smiling and crying at the same time.

"You said a couple of times that you wanted it to be true," she forced out around the emotion thick in her throat. "She calls you Daddy, you're the only father she's ever going to know. So, I talked to Logan and... and he actually agreed. If you want to-"

"You know I do," said Jess without pause. "Rory, I just didn't... It had to be your decision. She's your daughter."

"She can be our daughter, Jess, but only if you want her to be."

"Mommy, Daddy. Why sad?" asked Ella, clearly confused by all the tears on what had been such a happy day.

"Not sad, baby girl," Jess promised, putting the paperwork aside to lift her up onto the couch again. He sat her between himself and Rory, marvelling yet at the gift he was being given. "Mommy and me, we're happy. We're so happy that we have you. We love you so much, Ella."

"Love Daddy," said Ella, throwing her little arms around him as best she could. "Love Mommy," she dutifully intoned as Rory joined the group hug.

They were already a family in all the ways that mattered, but soon it would be official. Jess couldn't think of a more perfect Christmas present than that.