A/N: I want to thank everybody who has left feedback on this fic - whether you wrote one review or seven or any number in between - because seriously, the love for this story has been amazing! As much as I feel bad only providing eight chapters, I'd like to think I've done the plot and relationship justic, and I really hope you all enjoy this flashforward ending. I know I very much enjoyed writing it, just as much as I have loved writing the whole thing :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 8

Eighteen months later

"I was starting to think this day would never come." Rory sighed, pulling the zipper shut on her suitcase.

"I knew it would," said Lorelai from the bedroom doorway, "and as proud as I am, kid, I've been dreading it for a while now."

Rory saw tears welling in her mother's eyes and rushed to hug her. It would be so tough to drive on out of Stars Hollow, knowing she wasn't coming back, at least not to live. Strange enough to be leaving Yale today, knowing she was all done with her formal education and ready to face the real word, but to be leaving home too, it was a huge step.

It wasn't as if she was uncertain about what came next or worried at all about her future. Rory knew what she wanted and she was going to have it, down to the last detail. Nothing was ever perfect, she was smart enough to know that, but it was going to be damn close, she was sure.

"Look at you," said Lorelai, her hand at Rory's cheek as she smiled fondly at her. "My little girl, all grown up. How did that happen?"

"Hey, aren't you the one who always told me I was never a little kid, that I was always just an adult in a smaller body?"

"Yeah, probably." Lorelai grinned, even as she fought back a sniffle.

"Come on, you're looking pretty adult yourself these days, Sadie," Rory reminded her, grabbing her mom's left hand and practically shoving it in her face.

There on her third finger, an engagement ring sparkled, next to a pretty gold band that declared she was Mrs Luke Danes.

"Sometimes I still get a surprise when I look down and see them there," said Lorelai, shaking her head in wonder.

"After more than a year?" Rory checked.

"Yup, even after more than a year," her mom agreed. "Time moves so fast, kid. Remember that and don't waste a second."

"I'll try not to," Rory promised, kissing her cheek. "Now, we need to get ready or Luke is going to be back here, yelling about the fact we're not ready, even though we had all morning to get ready and he barely gets ten minutes because he had to go open up the diner and work for hours because he has no cover."

"You make an excellent point." Lorelai nodded once. "What time is Jess getting here?"

"Not sure. In time for the ceremony, I guess."

Lorelai laughed loudly as she moved away from the door, causing Rory to need to chase after her and asked what had her so amused.

"Nothing." Lorelai waved her hand. "It's just I don't think I ever imagined things turning out this way. Of all your boyfriends-"

"All my boyfriends?" Rory cut in. "I had three, total. Not exactly an 'all' type number."

"Anyway, out of those three, I never, not for one second, thought Jess Mariano would be the long-haul guy."

"You thought it'd be Dean."

"I thought it'd be a Dean-like guy," Lorelai admitted after a long pause. "But you know, what? You were right. He wasn't right for you. Don't get me wrong, the first time around, I'm still not so sure Jess was either, and don't even get me started on Logan Huntzberger."

"Wasn't going to," Rory promised, rolling her eyes.

"But Jess? Man, that kid really turned his life around, and then he worked on helping you and Luke with turning your lives around. It frightens me to think how things could've gone if he hadn't visited when he did, taken you to Philly, talked to Luke about April..."

"You don't need to worry about that," Rory reminded her. "We don't have to think about ifs, buts, and maybes. It all worked out, Mom. It's working out so well."

Lorelai nodded her agreement to that and then hurried on upstairs to get ready for the graduation ceremony.

Rory watched her go then returned to her own room, sighing as she stared at her dress hanging on the closet door. She should get changed, and yet she found herself wandering around her room, that now had more of April's stuff in it than her own. It made sense. Since Lorelai and Luke got married last summer, of course they were going to live together, and when April was with her dad, she needed to be in the same house too. Rory would always be welcome to come stay, she knew that and didn't resent April or Luke or any of the changes that had happened here. It was just that her own life was supposed to be somewhere else now and Rory was ready for that.

Jess Mariano was not the partying type. When Luke had called and told him about the shindig the town wanted to throw for Rory, he would've loved to say he would skip the whole thing, but Jess knew he couldn't. He had to be there to see his girlfriend graduate, and if that meant enduring a few hours amongst the crazy denizens of Stars Hollow afterwards, then so be it.

"How you doing, nephew?" asked his uncle, finding him in the corner of the Dragonfly Inn furthest from everybody else.

"I'm still here," said Jess, smirking some and sipping his drink. "You?"

"Couldn't be prouder if she was my own daughter," he said, watching Rory get congratulated by yet more friends and neighbours. "You know, I love April, I really do, but Rory will always be... special."

"Preaching to the converted," said Jess, clinking his beer bottle against Luke's own and drinking some more.

"So, everything good with the apartment? No problems there?"

"No problems, and thanks again, for the help."

Luke shrugged off the remark like it was nothing. "I shifted a few boxes, put in a couple of bookshelves. No big deal."

"And that envelope I found on one of those bookshelves you put in, I guess that was no big deal either, huh?" asked Jess, raising an eyebrow.

"I should really go save my wife from Kirk," said Luke fast, rushing away without answering Jess' question.

Typical Luke Danes style. Be the best, most generous guy, but take no thanks for it. Just walk away before anybody had a chance to notice maybe you did a nice thing. It wasn't as if Jess could really blame him. He had the same bad habit, after all.

"Oh my God, I thought I was never going to escape!" Rory gasped as she finally made her way across the room to him. "I am in demand."

"I noticed." Jess nodded. "I was starting to think maybe you were going to change your mind, decide to stay here and be with your adoring public forever."

"Now why would I need all of those people to adore me when I have you?" she asked, going into his arms and planting a kiss on his lips. "You know me, I love Stars Hollow, but I am really, really looking forward to living in our own place. Philadelphia is such a great city."

"I heard they have good newspapers there," Jess deadpanned. "Word is the editors have really great taste in journalists."

"I heard that too," Rory agreed, equally as straight-faced. "Also, excellent publishing houses and very talented authors."

"Huh. I think maybe that one's just an ugly rumour."

Rory laughed and smacked him playfully in the shoulder. "You really cannot learn to take a compliment, can you?"

"You'll probably teach me," he countered, kissing her lips. "Still kind of blows my mind that this is real," he admitted, hands at her waist holding her close as he met her eyes. "The last couple of years, it has not been easy, and now you're finally free from school, you're really going to be in Philadelphia."

"Yes, I am," Rory happily confirmed. "A real job, our own apartment. It's going to be an amazing future, Jess, I just know it."

He meant to tell her he was sure too, because he was. For maybe the first time in his life, Jess really felt like he could look at his future, knowing more or less where he was headed, and not be afraid of it.

The path ahead had been so dark and bleak for a while there in the teen years. Constantly worrying about how he would turn out, where he would end up. Things had started to change, piece by piece, so slowly he barely noticed at first. Luke, Rory, Lorelai, Jimmy, Liz, April. Stars Hollow, Venice Beach, New York, Philadelphia. A lot of dead-end jobs, then Truncheon Books, The Subsect, and another book since, with Rory stood beside him, telling him she always knew he could have this, be this.

"What?" she asked, alerting Jess to the fact he had been staring at her too long, not saying a word.

"You remember that day when you first asked me to take you to Philadelphia?"

"Could I ever forget?" Rory sighed. "You saved me that night."

Jess shook his head. "You saved me long before, not that I really knew that was what you were doing at the time, but you did."

"'There's someone in the world for everybody,' that's what they say, right?" Rory shrugged. "We're each other's someone. We need each other, Jess, or it just doesn't work."

Laughter erupted in the crowd behind them, startling both Rory and Jess enough that they jumped and turned at the same time to see what was going on. Miss Patty and Babette were holding court in one corner of the room, while a whole bunch of people took turns fussing over Lane and Zach's kids in another. Lorelai must've turned up the music and was currently encouraging Luke to waltz her around the floor, while April stood on the side-lines, rolling her eyes like teens had a tendency to do, but smiling all the same. Everybody was here, everybody was having a good time, and it was wonderful to see.

"Come on, be honest," said Jess, as Rory leaned into his side, her head on his shoulder. "You're gonna miss this place."

"Of course," she agreed readily. "It's the only home I've ever really known, but honestly? All things considered..." she said, picking her head up and meeting his eyes, "I'd rather be in Philadelphia," she said with a smile, kissing him one more time.

The End