Disclaimer: It all belongs to the Powers That Be. I own absolutely nothing which is evident by Lorelei still being with Christopher.

A/N: This story will be told from two points of view, but I promise it won't be confusing. Reviews are much appreciated.

He pulled his car over when he saw the sign. "Welcome to Stars Hollow". So innocuous, yet it provoked an entire range of feelings in him. Feelings he didn't necessarily want to have at this moment. Memories flooded his mind just from the four simple words printed on the sign. Getting off the bus that first day and taking his first look at the "perfect" little town he immediately knew he was going to hate living here. But then he met her. She had made it bearable. For a while, at least.

He sighed and then took a deep breath before starting his car again and pulling back on the road. As he drove into town and spotted familiar landmarks he let his thoughts drift to her, as they somehow always did. He could see her lithe form crossing the street in her Chilton school uniform as if she was really there and not just a memory from so many years ago. He saw her apparition in the gazebo intently concentrating on the book she was reading. There she was sitting on the edge of the bridge, her long legs dangling over the edge, staring up at the sky counting the stars. He saw her throwing balls to win a bear at the Winter Carnival. He could see her mesmerizing blue eyes looking up at him as if she was right in front of him. She was everywhere in this god-forsaken town.

He shook his head to clear the thoughts of her. He wasn't here to see her this time. She was out of his life. She had made that painfully clear the last time they had seen each other. He was simply here for Luke. His uncle had asked him for a favor and after all that Luke had done for him in the past, it was the least he could do. No matter how much his heart ached when he saw her, this time would be different. He would act as if she hadn't ripped his heart out in Philadelphia.

He pulled up in front of Luke's Diner and parked his car. Not the latest model, but his 2002 Toyota Camry was a far cry from the heap of crap that he'd been driving the last time he had been in town. He got out of the car, grabbed his duffel bag and headed inside.

The bell jingled over the door signaling his arrival and Luke looked up from the counter. He grinned as he saw his nephew standing awkwardly in the middle of the diner.

"Hey, Jess. I'm glad you could make it." Luke greeted.

Jess smirked and mock saluted. "Best man reporting for duty."

Rory sat on the couch, biting back laughter, as she watched her mother frantically pacing the living room floor.

"Mom, calm down. You're going to wear out the floor from all your pacing." She teased.

The elder Gilmore stopped for a moment and just stared at her daughter. "Rory, don't you see I'm freaking out here? It's not every day I get married, you know! Well, other than that first time, but that didn't exactly take, so it doesn't count." Lorelei rambled. "I have so many things to do and I swear I feel like I'm forgetting something!"

Rory got up and grabbed her mother by the shoulders and sat her down on the couch. "Mom, everything is going to be fine. The only thing that you have to worry about is looking beautiful and I know that that will come easy to you, so relax!"

Rory sank down onto the couch next to her mother as Lorelei took deep breaths and tried to relax. Rory couldn't believe this wedding was finally happening so she did understand her mother's anxiety.

Luke and Lorelei had a long and turbulent history and everyone in Stars Hollow was so happy that the couple had finally come to their senses and seen what they had all known from the beginning; they belonged together. When Lorelei had ended her brief marriage to Rory's father a few months before, Luke had wasted no time in winning her back. It wasn't very hard to do since although she'd been married to Christopher, Lorelei's heart had always belonged to Luke.

Rory snapped out of her musings when she felt Lorelei staring at her.

"What, mom?"

"If you're done daydreaming, sweets, maybe we can get back to my panic attack here."

Rory rolled her eyes as her mother threw a couch pillow at her. "Yes, ma'am. What can I do to help?"

"Well, tomorrow night is the rehearsal dinner and I know Sookie is taking care of all the food, but I was wondering what my maid of honor had planned for my last night as a single woman."

Rory smiled. "Well, I was thinking that since we already had your bachelorette party last weekend, then it could just be a mother-daughter night. We could eat tons of junk food and have a classic Coppola night with The Godfather I, II, and III."

"Oooh! Only if we can replay Sophia's death scene over and over again!"

She giggled. "You're the bride-to-be. Your wish is my command."

Lorelei appeared deep in thought. "Hmmm…maybe I should ask for something bigger then. Like a pony!"

The women laughed and sat back to admire Lorelei's wedding dress hanging on the banister.

"Mom, you are going to look so beautiful in that dress."

Lorelei smiled dreamily. "Thanks, sweets. I love that dress. But I can't wait to see you in yours! You are going to steal my thunder!" she teased.

"I just wish Logan could be here." Rory sighed.

Lorelei squeezed her daughter's arm in reassurance. "It's okay, honey. You know how busy he is with work right now."

Her boyfriend was a big-time business man now, much to her chagrin. She was proud that he had finally stopped wasting his time partying and had settled into his duties as the heir to the Huntzburger newspaper empire happily, but she missed spending time with him. He was out of town more often than he was in, and despite the fact that New Haven wasn't that far from New York, lately it had seemed like an ocean away to Rory.

"I know, mom. It's just that it's your wedding! My boyfriend should be with me to celebrate. My graduation is just around the corner, too. I hope he doesn't miss that."

"Oh, Rory, honey. I 'm sure Logan will be there for that." Lorelei assured.

Rory smiled. "Don't worry about it, mom. I'm fine. I know he'll be at graduation. Now back to the wedding talk!"

Lorelei's grin returned and she started rattling off the plans for the rehearsal dinner the following night and mentioned something about Luke's best man coming into town tonight.

"Who is Luke's best man, mom? It's hard to believe Luke has that many friends." Rory laughed.

Lorelei fidgeted and made a joke about even hermits having some friends before launching into another round of who was sitting where at the reception, but Rory immediately knew her mother was trying to avoid the subject.

"Okay, mom. I know something's up. Why won't you tell me who Luke's best man is?"

Lorelei sighed and looked into her daughter's eyes. "Well, honey, I've kind of been avoiding that subject for a reason. I know how great things are going for you right now and I didn't want to have you worry unnecessarily and I know how you can get. It was easier just to put it off and hope that things just worked out and that's why I haven't told you, so – "

Rory cut her rambling off. "Mom! Tell me already! It can't be that bad. I mean, is he some really hairy old guy that smells or something?" Rory laughed.

Lorelei took a deep breath. "It's Jess."

Rory stopped laughing and just sat there for a moment, digesting that piece of information. "Oh." It was all she could say.

Lorelei looked at her trying to gauge what her reaction was.

Rory sensed her mom's worry and managed a smile. "It's okay, mom. Jess and I are long over."

Her mother smiled gently at her. "Are you sure, honey? No matter how much I hated it, and Jess, I know you loved him."

Rory faked a grin. "Oh, please!" she pretended to dismiss the thought. "We were teenagers! I am completely over Jess. Remember Logan? My boyfriend of the last two years who I really love? It'll actually be nice to catch up with Jess and see how he's doing now." she lied.

Lorelei sighed with relief and walked over to her dress. "I'm so glad, honey. I don't want this to be uncomfortable for you."

"Don't worry so much. Everything is going to be fine."

Her mother picked up the satin gown covered in exquisite beading and held it up in front of her before breaking out into another dreamy grin. "I'm getting married to Luke."

Rory's happy smile belied her inner feelings. She was genuinely happy for her mother and couldn't think of a better husband for Lorelei or step-father for herself than Luke, but her heart was racing at the thought of seeing her ex-boyfriend again the next day. She knew everything was far from being okay, no matter what she said to her mother.