XXII

Rory let her head hang off the edge of the bed, watching the candles glow upside down. "I feel like I'm in The Phantom of the Opera."

"If that's true, you're the phantom." Jess's arm was pinned under Rory's back and he tugged her towards him, bringing her head back onto the mattress.

She turned her face to his. "How am I the phantom?"

"Because I'm your muse."

"But Christine wasn't the Phantom's muse, he was hers."

"No, he was her teacher."

"And her muse. It was a student-surpasses-the-master kinda deal."

"Oh, so that's what you really think, is it?" Jess grinned at her. "Three chapters and you've surpassed my writing career. I bet Dave Eggers kicks me out of his fan club."

"If the fan club is anything like the Circle, I'd say it's better to get out while you can."

"Good point." Jess pulled her closer.

Rory smiled at him, her face now inches from his. "Strange night, huh?"

Jess put a hand to her face, brushing her hair back. "Strange night. I gotta say though, the real thing is almost as good as using that photo of you on my bedside table." Jess burst out laughing.

Rory whacked him on the shoulder then rolled her eyes and laid her head down, kissing where she had hit. "Now that it's happened, I feel like I was waiting for this," Rory whispered.

Jess looked at her out of the corner of his eye. His heart banged back and forth like a bumper car. He let out an exhale that was almost a laugh. "Join the club. You sure know how to make a guy wait."

They let a few minutes go by in silence, wrapped up in the warm glow of the candles Jess had lit.

"So you're definitely staying." A statement, not a question.

"I'm staying."

They looked at each other.

"Do you—" "Now that—" they started together.

Rory nudged Jess's shoulder gently with her forehead. "You go."

"Now that Luke and Lorelei are married… I mean, I know they've been living together at your house for years…"

"In sin!"

"That's what I said!"

Rory widened her eyes at him and nodded. "Continue."

"Well, I know logistically things haven't really changed at your place, but maybe the feel will be different now that there's a married couple living there and maybe you might want some space from that…?" He looked like he was hoping she knew where he was going with this.

"I'm glad I made you talk first."

Not the response Jess was expecting. "Why's that?"

"Because I was going to ask if you wanted a…. I was going to say 'roommate' but that sounds a little too Laverne & Shirley."

Before she could back off, Jess jumped in. "…if I wanted a…? Gorgeous, coffee-addicted, intellectually stimulating, ambitious autobiographer, and a Gilmore on top of all that, who I've been in love with for over a decade to live with me? Gee, I don't know."

Rory flushed and laughed. "Do I need to submit an application?"

Jess smirked at her. "Actually, there is an interview…" He sat up and reached towards his bedside table, pulling open the drawer. He drew his hand back and lay down next to her again. "…but it's only one question." Jess took a deep breath and held up a ring between them. The candlelight made it glitter. "Rory, will you marry me?"

She gasped.

Culture references in this chapter:

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

The Circle by Dave Eggers

Laverne & Shirley created by Lowell Ganz et. al.

Thank you for reading! I wrote You Need Me To Be With You one chapter after the other, with zero plan or sense of what the ending would be. I'm very happy with how it turned out. I'm working on a new idea for a Rory & Jess fic which will be typed up and posted as soon as I can see the beginning of it a little more clearly. Thanks very much to those of you who have taken the time to comment! Your enthusiasm for the way I've presented this couple to you will soon be rewarded with a new story!

Update, April 7th:

My new Rory & Jess fic, Dreams I've Yet To Find, has now been posted in its entirety. Enjoy!