How did we get here - A Gilmore Girls fan fiction

Chapter 4

"Can I have this dance?"

Rory looks up from her burger and sees a familiar hand extended.

"You did say best man and maid of honor can have a dance."

"I don't remember saying that. I remember saying I didn't know you could dance."

"Well, let me prove it to you."

Jess grabs Rory's hand, leads her to the dance floor and holds her close as a medium tempo song is being played.

"This is a weird song to play in a wedding. Talking about losing arms and eyes." Jess said.

"Well, what did you expect. It's Kirk being the DJ. I think the title of this song is Moonshadow by Cat Stevens."

"I kind of like it. Just not for a wedding. Now this is more like it." As Ed Sheeran's "Thinking out Loud" is playing in the speakers.

Rory puts her head on Jess's shoulder as they dance to the strums of the guitar. "Jess can dance" was the first thought in her mind. And she smiles in the comforting hands of a boy she once knew so well.

While holding Rory close, Jess couldn't help but having these old feelings stir up again. He couldn't ruin this moment so he just had to stuff them in and just be her friend.

"Hey, Rory. You know that I'll be here for you if you need me, right?"

"When do you leave?"

"Well I plan on staying for at least a month. Help out at the diner until Luke gets back from the honeymoon. And maybe stick around a little bit. Truncheon Books is doing pretty well without me. And I need to finish my next book. I thought I could stay here a little bit just to get some inspiration."

"Cool. I don't have any plans right now. I do know that next week I have to fly to London."

After this confession, Rory is still dancing but in silence. Jess didn't have to look at her to know her mind is not at Stars Hollow at this very moment.

"Rory, what's wrong? All day, I can tell your mind is not present. It feels like it's thousands of miles away."

"Yeah. 3,383 miles to be exact." Rory looks up shocked that she said that out loud.

"Rory, please talk to me. I know that I have disappointed you in the past. But I can be your friend and confidant."

" I will talk to you, Jess. I just need to talk to someone else first. I have unfinished business with them."

"Them being 3,383 miles away?"

Jess takes Rory's silence as an affirmation to his question.

*****

Lorelai and Luke are headed to their honeymoon in the beaches of Hawaii. Luke's smile hasn't left his face since their weddings. He waits by the car for his wife and stepdaughter to leave.

Luke smiles at the thought of being finally being able to call Lorelai his wife. It took almost 20 years to get here but here they are now.

"Hurry up. We're getting late. We have to go through security and check our bags in. Come on ladies."

Lorelai comes out of the house finally with stretch white jeans, a floral sweater, sunglasses and a sunhat. "Aloha!!!!"

Rory stands next to her giggling at just the enjoyment of seeing her mom and stepdad so happy.

Lorelai turns to her daughter and whispers "call me before your flight to London. Tell Logan hi for me. And don't forget whatever you do, I will support you 100 percent. Love you, fruit of my loins."

"Love you too mom."

"Luke, hubby of mine, aren't you aware that to look this beautiful, you can't rush things."

Luke rolls his eyes and gets in the drivers seat. Waves to Rory as they drive off to the airport.

Rory goes back into the house. She has finally decided on what to do. It's just having the courage to do it.

As Rory watched her mother dance and be kissed and hugged adoringly by her husband. It hit Rory that's what she wants. Someone who loves her wholeheartedly and looks at her the way Luke looked at her mom.

She has booked a flight to London to deal with some unfinished business. She leaves in three days. Logan deserves to know. She just hopes Logan understands.

Last night Rory had a moment of weakness. She wanted to tell Jess about the pregnancy, about Logan, about being the other woman. But how can she when Jess still looks at her as the young doe eyed girl who gave him the nickname Dodger?

Rory has changed so much since that enthusiastic conversation about her plans to be an international correspondent. She still has hopes and dreams for the future. They just have altered course.

"Hey little baby, are you hungry? I know I am. Thank God I don't have morning sickness."

She leaves Paul Anka some breakfast, locks up the house, heading to Luke's for some breakfast.