❝WEDDING, BONDING, CONFESSION❞
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⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ chapter eighteen,
Gilmore Girls — Season Four

𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟑𝐫𝐝, 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟒
―୨୧⋆ ˚ LUCY'S POV
( it's a long one, buckle in folks,,
also look at luke & lorelai :') )

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𝐀 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐈'𝐃 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄, but here I am, wearing one of those old-timey dresses with the corset tops that suffocate every bone in your body, and shrink you down to a tiny piece of nothing. Yes, I am trying to look the part for Liz' sake. Seeing as I'll be stood at the front of this ridiculous ceremony, I need to play the part.

Besides, I can suffer for an hour or so as I'm only wearing this thing for the ceremony. I have an outfit to change into for the party── one that doesn't squeeze and hurt every area of my body.

I'm upstairs in the apartment, standing in front of the mirror Jess and I used to share when he lived here, finishing my makeup while Dad and Jess get ready on the other side of the room.

That's right, Jess is here. I don't know what my dad said, but he's here, and he's going to watch his mother get married for the fourth time. I had no idea that Liz had been married so many times until she let the secrets spill last night at the bachelorette party.

Let's just say, I heard some things that I will never be able to unhear again. I heard a lot of talk about my dad, and now I can barely look at him without laughing.

Anyway, Jess is here, and he'll be walking his mother down the aisle which I find sweet, but he's been a little opposed to the idea. He's looking very basic, but he fits into the role of "dutiful son" pretty well.

Dad can't decide which tie he wants to wear as he── hold onto your hats, folks── finally did the crazy thing of asking Lorelai to be his date to the wedding. Yes, that's right. My father has pined after Lorelai Gilmore for eight years, and now he's finally made a move. I guess those books really did do something because now he's passed his wisdom (and the books) to Jess who I think has been reading them for his hopeless love life.

When he was last in town, he told Rory that he loved her shortly after I finished my conversation with him. After he told her, he got in his car and left town. Now I think he wants to do some kind of declaration just like my dad did towards Lorelai. I don't know if Jess will be successful, but I'm totally rooting for him. He deserves to be happy, and while Rory isn't my favourite person, I want him to be happy── that's the important thing.

Anyway, these books have been a running joke for the past two days, and I will never, ever let either of them live this down. They read self-help love books to communicate with the women they're in love with. To me, that's hilarious, but according to them, I don't get a say, not when I've been in a pretty steady relationship for three years. However, I do say a lot, and I do make a lot of jokes. I've been extremely annoying lately.

I walk to the other side of the room, and I stop in front of my dad and cousin. "What do you think? Do I look Renaissance ready?"

"Yes, you look just about ready to give up your rights as a woman." I spin in my dress, smiling proudly that I managed to pull this thing off, even if this whole celebration is totally backwards.

"Thank you." I move to sit down next to Dad on the bed. "You both look very handsome."

"Don't you have a full-length mirror?" TJ comes out of the bathroom, shirtless and wearing a pair of tights. My eyes widen in horror, and I turn away quickly, deciding to look anywhere but at him. I completely forgot he was in the bathroom.

"Don't need one," Dad replies, placing the chunky shoe polish down that's definitely gone bad. I think that shoe polish he's trying to use was here when grandpa was alive.

"You don't like looking at your bottom half? I love looking at my bottom half." That does not surprise me, but I don't comment on it, I just continue to stare at the floor.

"I look down to look at my bottom half. I don't need a mirror to do that."

"You seem nervous," TJ comments, and I look to Dad, grinning wildly because I know why he's so nervous. He has a date with the woman he's been hopelessly in love with for eight years.

Dad scoffs. "I'm not nervous."

"I don't see why you would be. I'm the one getting shackled today." Dad stands up, passing by TJ to get to the bathroom. TJ moves to stand closer to Jess, and I suppress a laugh. "He's very nervous."

Dad stands in front of the bathroom mirror, holding two tie options up. He can't decide, so I move off the bed and quickly rush to the bathroom to help him out. While he already looks great, the tie ties the entire outfit together── no pun intended.

Jess storms into the bathroom as he's buttoning up his shirt. TJ rambles on in the background about the tights he's wearing and how airy they are. I'm staring at the tie options, and I point to the one I like at the same time Jess does. "This one," we both say, pointing to the dark red tie as opposed to the blue one.

He nods, placing the blue one down. "Thanks."

"Hey, Luke, I had to borrow your deodorant. I hope that's okay," TJ says.

I scrunch my face up, a little disgusted, and Jess takes it upon himself to grab Dad's deodorant from the shelf and disregard it into the bin. We each look to TJ, finding him to be the strangest man in the world── and Kirk exists.

Hey, if he makes Liz happy, that's all that matters, right?

Ten minutes later, Dad is forcing TJ to get ready, and I'm pushing my feet into a very tight pair of heels. I borrowed these shoes from Joanna just before she left to go back home to see her family, and they freaking hurt.

Beauty is pain, though.

My suite-mates have each gone back to their families. The suites are empty, exams are over, but I still have boxes in my suite that I need to bring back home for the summer. Over the summer, we've decided to meet to go over our plans for next year── specifically if we want to live together as none of us have made a definite decision. It's fine, we'll decide.

Tristan is going to help me bring my boxes back home, and he's already packed and ready to go back to his house where his mother is on a new holiday, and his sister is being babysat by the maids. He feels guilty, but he's going to spend a lot of time with his sister this summer, that much he's promised.

I still haven't decided if I want to move in with him, and he hasn't asked since.

I will make my mind up, I swear to God.

"Hey, what's this?" I look up, and I find Jess is holding the note── the mysterious note that was left at my suite three days ago. It's the note that asks me to meet this stranger tonight at nine pm.

I stand up, legs wobbling as these heels are a little taller than I anticipated. "Uh, that's..." I take it from him, peering over his shoulder to make sure Dad isn't listening to us. "Somebody left this note at my suite three days ago."

"Saturday is today."

"Yeah, smartass, I know."

"Are you gonna meet them?" I shrug, placing the note back in my textbook. "You should."

"What if they kill me?"

"I'll come with you."

My eyes widen, a little surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah, I need to..." His voice drops. "...speak to Rory about something."

"Oh, so you aren't going to protect me── your one and only cousin. You just need a ride."

He nods, not ashamed. "Yep."

"I'm really feeling the love here, Jess."

"It's probably just a prank anyway." He steps past me, moving to the mirror to check his hair for the third time this morning. "Do you have any idea who it could be?"

I shake my head. "No."

"Probably just a prank."

"So why should I go?"

"Because it's fun."

"Oh, and you're just all about the fun." I slap my hand on his shoulder as I grab my purse from the dresser drawers. "You nervous?"

"No."

"You've checked your hair three times."

"Okay."

"So..." I drawl. "Are you nervous?"

"No," he mocks, using the same, condescending tone that I used. "Why would I be nervous?"

"Your mother is getting married."

"For the fourth time," he adds. "I've seen this quite a few times, Luce."

"Right." He's seen his mother flit from man to man. This is not unfamiliar to him, and that devastates me in a very unusual way. I've never seen my dad get married even though he technically was married to Nicole. Jess, on the other hand, has seen his mother marry several times and none of them have stuck, but maybe this guy will.

I have hope for Liz and TJ. I think they suit each other, I can't explain it.

"Hey, did you drive here? I didn't see your car parked out front."

"That answers your question."

"You didn't drive here?"

"Nope."

"Where's your car?"

"Scrapped it. It broke and I don't need a car in New York." He moves away from the mirror, now sitting down on his old bed that Dad still hasn't moved out of the apartment despite my pestering.

"Did you get the bus here?"

"Well, I didn't drive."

He's the most infuriating guy I know, I swear.

I sit down on my bed. "I'll drive you back to New York."

He scoffs, head shaking. "What?"

"I, the owner of a very nice car, will drive you back to New York."

He doesn't even consider it, he just says, "No."

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun." He doesn't look convinced, so I keep talking. "We can listen to music, and we can eat junk food, and talk. It'll be great. Or we can sit in silence. Besides, I'm already driving you to Yale, so I might as well just drive you back to New York. Plus, it'll be easier. Buses can be temperamental."

He glares at me, but all I do is smile, hoping my smile is enough to persuade him. He sighs, knowing I'll continue to pester him about it until he reluctantly agrees. "Fine, but I get to pick the music."

"Okay. Whatever."

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𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍, 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒, 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄. He's wearing a suit, his tie matching the colour of my dress── the dress I'll be wearing after this damn ceremony is over. Tristan is sat at the back row, eyes focused on me as I stand at the front next to Crazy Carrie.

I look to my dad who sits next to Lorelai, a content smile on his face. I'm proud of him, more than he knows, for finally stepping out of his comfort zone and asking her to the wedding. I hope that this is the start of early romance for them. Just like Liz and TJ, Lorelai and Luke suit one another in my opinion. And they have that whole "L" thing going for them, right?

I'm just really happy for my dad. He deserves something great. He always deserves something great.

My eyes find Tristan's again, and he's smiling back at me. He wasn't here when Lindsay got married, and that hurt to look out to the crowd and not see him, but now I'm seeing him. I'm seeing him clearly, and he's seeing me. He's here, and one thing is clear to me now more than ever as I stare back at him.

I want to move forward. I want to get an apartment together. I want all the fun and love and excitement that comes with living together. I want to wake up to him every morning, go to sleep with him every night. I want to live with him. I want to get that stupid pool table and bar. I want shelf after shelf of books. I want a life together, in our apartment.

Our apartment. I like the sound of that.

Music begins to play, and I snap my head away from Tristan to the two women who are dressed in rather extravagant dresses. They dance up the aisle, tossing roses in the air, and I stare in pure amazement. What kind of wedding is this, and should I take notes? These flowers girls── if that's what I should call them── are a little scary, but perhaps their jobs are stressful. One looks at me, and if looks could kill, I'd be a pile of ash on the ground.

I wonder who my flower girls will be at my wedding. Will I even have flower girls? I haven't given it that much thought, I guess. All I can see is me standing at the end of the aisle with him── the boy who still has his eyes trained on me.

Lisa should be the flower girl. She'd look beautiful, and I want her involved in the wedding, but it's up to Tristan. I mean, she is his sister after all, but I'd love for her to have a part── if people have parts at weddings, I don't know.

Anyway, I should focus on this wedding, not my make-believe one.

But being at a wedding makes me think of that stuff, so I can't help it.

The flower girls scurry off, moving past me just as a jester tumbles down the aisle, doing impressive kicks and flips until he reaches the end of the aisle where Carrie and I stand, bouquets of flowers in our hands. I must say, this crap is lowkey impressive even if the concept of a Renaissance wedding is insane to me. It's definitely an experience, I'll say that.

However, I'm definitely crossing off jester from my future wedding. I ain't having one of them.

TJ is next to walk down the aisle, and he stops to talk to my father about these tights he's wearing and how much he loves them. I fear he's going to be buying more. I've already seen too much today so I avert my eyes, not needing to hear how happy "his boys" are in those tights again.

TJ steps up to the altar, and music begins to play, signalling that the bride is arriving. I watch as two men push a giant cart towards the aisle. I find that Liz is sitting on this giant cart like she's the Queen of England, being carted around town. The two men help her down, off the cart, and from there, she takes Jess' arm who is waiting for her.

Jess begins to walk his mother down the aisle, and I smile warmly, finding it to be quite sweet. I know he's had difficulties with his mother, so to see him walking her down the aisle after everything that's happened is calming in a way. I know he was reluctant to walk Liz down the aisle, but I think it's really good that he's doing it. Liz is happy, and I think somewhere deep inside, Jess is happy too.

Once he and Liz reach the end of the aisle, Liz presses a kiss against his cheek, and then he moves to sit down at the front row while Liz steps up to TJ. I offer Jess a thumbs up, letting him know he did something good, but he just scowls at me── true friendship right there.

Liz and TJ now stand at the front and my eyes wander back to Tristan who still has his eyes on me. I smile, my cheeks warming, and I wish I could run over to him, but I'm in the middle of something right now.

I'm gonna marry that boy. Right here in town. Without scary flower girls, flipping jesters, and giant elf-looking people.

I hear the strum of a guitar, and the minister walks up the gazebo, strumming a guitar softly. Suddenly, all my attention is snatched the moment he begins to sing.

I wish I was joking.

"As kids we shared our toys, with all the girls and boys," he sings, and I clamp my lips together, holding back a smile. "Barrel of monkeys, your battleship sunk me, please recall the joy." I look to Dad who starts to laugh with Lorelai── well, who tries to stop laughing with Lorelai.

"Wheelo, Clue, Mousetrap, bash and spirograp, kaleidoscopes spinning..." I hold my flowers up, pressing them against my face to try and hide my growing smile that'll burst into laughter soon. "Yahtzee I'm winning, think of how we laughed, but today we share our love... Today we share our love, for love is the greatest toy around..."

Another thing to cross off my future wedding list: singing ministers.

"Oh, my God," I breathe out, nearly bursting into laughter when I see Tristan laughing into his hand in the back row, his head shaking.

We're thinking the same damn thing. We are not having a minister who sings.

The minister stops singing, and he looks from Liz to TJ, and he says something that surprises me into laughing, "You may plant the ceremonial sword."

I stare with wide, amused eyes as Liz and TJ lift a giant── and hopefully fake── sword before they plunge it into the tree trunk. What is going on? How is this legal? Why do people do this?

Once the... sword is securely planted, the minister continues with the ceremony, "Hello, friends. Isn't it a beautiful day? The day that Liz and TJ. share their love in front of those they love." He looks to Liz. "Liz, do you want to tell TJ. how you feel?"

"Yes." She turns away from the minister to look at TJ who is paying very little attention. "TJ."

He snaps his head to Liz. "Yeah?"

"My heart just pours out to you," Liz says, and my smile relaxes. "You have been so good to me and for me. I don't know where I'd be without you. I'd be worse off, I know that." She sighs contentedly, smiling at her soon-to-be-husband. "You're something else."

The minister nods. "Nice." He looks to TJ. "TJ?"

"Well, I wrote something down..." TJ begins. "but, for all the good points about tights── and there are a lot── they don't have pockets. So I gotta go off the cuff." Liz cracks a smile, and I find that to be a very TJ comment. "I love ya," he finally says, and that's all he needs to say.

I love ya says a lot, doesn't it?

Liz steps forward, embracing TJ tightly, and she places her lips on his.

I look away, eyes finding Tristan's once again. He winks at me. "I love ya," he mouths, pointing to me, and my smile widens.

"I love ya," I mouth back to him, winking.

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𝐈'𝐌 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍, 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐘 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍. The ceremony ended a little while ago, and night has fallen over the town of Stars Hollow. Soft music plays, turkey sits on our plates, and people drink and cheer around us, creating a whole load of racket but it's surprisingly blissful.

Tristan's arm rests on the back of my chair, his hand on my thigh. I'm trying to listen to this stranger talk about his time in prison, but I'm heavily distracted by my guy── the one who has been on my mind all damn day.

Liz and TJ step over to us, and the prison dude stops talking to us, now chewing down on his leg of turkey. "Can we have a photo of you two?" Jess and I stare up at Liz, and then we look to each other, silently protesting, but she is the bride, and whatever she says goes. "Please, it's my wedding day, and I found the sweetest photo of you two as kids. You two need another photo."

I glare at Dad, knowing full well that he showed Liz photos from the photo album. I've seen that photo album a few times, and there's a picture of me and Jess in there── the only photo of me and Jess ever── and now Liz has seen it, and she wants a new and improved photo.

"Sure," we both say, not a hint of excitement in our voices as we stand up.

We follow after Liz, and Jess whispers, "We have a photo together?"

"Yes. It was taken without our consent." Jess groans, obviously not looking forward to this photo. "It's just one photo, Jess. Pretend you like me, okay?"

"Pretend you like me too, Luce."

The photo that Liz saw in the photo album is of Jess and I when we were about five? It's just a sweet photo of us laughing, it's nothing big or exciting. It's our only photo together. Everything else is on video, and I sure hope Liz hasn't been watching them.

Jess and I move to stand at the gazebo where the photographer is. I've already taken several pictures tonight. Some with Liz, some with Dad, some with the family, and one with Kirk which I will be treasuring forever.

We stand, hands neatly tucked in front of us, and we stare forward at the camera. "Oh, come on, smile." Liz rushes forward, pushing us together, our shoulders now touching. "Arms around each other. You're supposed to look like you like each other."

"She's onto us," I whisper.

I then do as Liz says. I tentatively stretch my arm out to wrap around Jess. He then wraps his arm around me, and I raise my other arm in the air just for fun. He keeps his other arm down at his side, obviously not finding this to be as fun as me. I nudge him. "Smile, Jess."

"Yeah, right back at ya."

We stare forward at the camera, forcing smiles as the flash captures this moment.

The second the photo is taken, we step away from each other. Yes, we do like each other, but we don't want another photo. We've taken plenty of photos today, and all I want to do is relax, dance with Tristan, and then──

I still haven't told Tristan about the note from the mysterious stranger, and I don't think I will until I figure out who gave me that note.

Besides, Jess will be with me, so if anything weird or bad happens, I'll push Jess into the firing line.

I'm sure it's nothing to worry about anyway.

Kirk steps up, acting as DJ. I don't know who gave him the gig, but he's here, and he's talking into the microphone, trying to speak Renaissance. "Hope ye took much pleasure in Kajagoogoo. Methinks Oingo Boingo wilst soon makest an appearance. But first, please clear the floor for our happy couple...eth."

I step towards Tristan, sitting down beside him as Liz and TJ begin to dance. "Reflecting Light" by Sam Phillips begins to play softly as TJ and Liz move across the dance floor── the dance floor known as the middle of the street, but dance floor nonetheless.

Tristan slides a hand down my back. "Your dad seems to be having a good time."

I look to Dad who talks with Lorelai, nothing but a smile on his face. "Yeah, he really is."

Kirk speaks up again, snatching my attention. "Liz and TJ wouldst enjoy others to join them in their modest wriggles."

Tristan turns to me, stands up, and holds his hand out. "Can I have this dance, m'lady?"

I take his hand, and he pulls me up. "Yes."

Tristan pulls me towards the dance floor── the middle of the street── and we mingle with the other dancers. He pulls me close, one hand steady on my lower back, and his other hand gripped in mine. My arm rests over his shoulder, my fingers at the base of his skull, dragging through his hair. He looks irresistible tonight, and if I could, I'd leave this wedding and have a little fun of our own, but I've got things to do.

The music continues to play, and Tristan tilts his head, pulling me closer. I look to the left of me, and I spot Dad and Lorelai. My dad hates dancing more than anyone I know, but it seems he'll do just about anything for that woman, and I love that. He's dancing with her, that's a good sign.

"You look beautiful tonight." I avert my gaze, now peering up at Tristan.

"So do you," I comment, squeezing his hand.

"So..." Tristan looks away, his eyes fanning over Lorelai and Dad. "Your dad and Rory's mom, huh? Isn't there some... tension there?"

I roll my eyes, somewhat regretting telling Tristan about Addy's outburst to Rory when she overheard her talking about Lindsay. "There's no... tension, I just don't particularly like her right now. She said some mean things about Lindsay, but this isn't about Rory. This is about my dad and Lorelai, and how Lorelai will make my dad happy which I want."

"You're very mature."

I shrug. "I know."

I look to Dad, and he looks to me, and we both smile at each other, silently telling the other that we're happy── that everything is really good right now, and nothing can ruin this. Here I am, dancing with the love of my life, and there he is, dancing with the woman he's loved for eight years. Things are great right now. Perfect, even.

My eyes move back to Tristan, and I slide my hand against his cheek. "I want to move in with you," I say, no hesitation in my voice.

His eyes bulge. "What?"

"If the offer still stands, I want us to get a place together," I confirm, and I catch a subtle smile form on his face. "Is that okay?"

"You really want to?"

"I wanna move forward," I clarify. "I want to wake up to you. I want to go to sleep next to you. I want to spend our weekends together. I want to decorate our place together. I want to move forward, start a new chapter in our book."

"I like the sound of that." He dips his head, pressing his mouth to mine briefly. "A-Are you sure?"

I nod firmly. "Positive."

"We can get a pool table?"

A laugh bubbles out of me. "Only if I get a library."

"We could make it work."

I step closer, pressing my head against his chest. "I love ya," I say, mimicking TJ's earlier words, and Tristan laughs softly, his body shaking.

"I love ya too, Blue."

I pull my head back, my eyes focused on his face once again. "I have to go to New York tonight and drop Jess off. Will you be okay here?"

He's staying the weekend, sleeping on the sofa or the bed Jess used to sleep in as Dad would never, ever allow him to sleep in my bed. Besides, he can't fit in my tiny ass bed anyway.

He nods. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, it's okay." I look to Jess who is sitting, staring at his food. "It'd be nice to just talk to him. I don't know when I'll next see him, that's all."

"I think I'll be fine here, but it'll be late. Are you sure you should be driving this late?"

The drive to New York isn't that long, and if I was staying longer than simply just dropping Jess off, I'd swing by and visit Addy. I promised her I'd visit at the beginning of summer which is very, very soon. She'll then be coming back home for her family holiday and to see me. I can't wait to see her again, I miss her a ridiculous amount.

First we have to go to Yale, but that shouldn't take long depending on how meeting this stranger goes. Come to think of it, it's nearly nine pm., and I need to get going soon.

"It'll be fine," I assure my paranoid boyfriend. "I'm a good driver and Jess has work tomorrow so he needs to go back. I don't want him taking the bus, not this late."

"Just call me when you get to New York, okay?"

"Yes." I lean up, pressing my lips to his. "You worry too much."

"I don't want anything to happen to you. We're about to be roommates, Blue."

I grin, shaking my head. "How dirty."

"It'll be even dirtier once we're under the same roof permanently."

He presses his lips against mine again, kissing me more passionately this time. I kiss back, my hand sliding through his hair. When I pull back, I push my lips against his cheek before pressing our foreheads together. "We're really gonna live together, huh?"

"I can't wait," he utters. "We can start looking for places next week if you want?"

"That sounds perfect."

"Somewhere close to campus. Preferably a place with a room for my sister to stay if she needs to." I find that sweet, and I, of course want Lisa to visit whenever she wants, especially now that she can only really rely on Tristan. "Oh, and it needs to be big enough for this damn library."

"And pool table," I add.

"Oh, and bar," Tristan chimes in, and I scoff, wishing he'd forget about the bar. "What?"

"Do we really need a bar?"

"No, but it would be cool."

"Sure."

"Hey." We stop dancing, now standing in the middle of the moving couples, and Tristan slides a hand against my face. "You really wanna move in together?"

"More than anything."

His smile widens, and it's the most beautiful thing at this wedding── sorry Liz. "I can't wait to live with you, Lucy Danes."

"I can't wait to live with you, Tristan Dugray."

He kisses me again, and it lasts for a little while longer. When he pulls back, his lips hover over mine and he asks, "Does this mean we can get a dog?"

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𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐀𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐀𝐘 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐁𝐘𝐄, and I found this goodbye to be far more meaningful than any previous goodbye they've shared. Even in the last few months, it's very clear that Jess has changed. He thanked my dad for everything he's done, for living in Stars Hollow, for the money, and he wants to pay him back.

They then hugged, and I stood there, smiling like a damn fool because they've really progressed── Jess has really progressed. Dad told Jess he'd always be there for him, no matter what, and I think Jess finally accepts that he really does have people in his corner. He's got me, he's got my dad── that's all he really needs.

We're now in the car, and I promised Dad and Tristan I'd call them when I arrived in New York. They don't know we're taking a detour to Yale, but it'll be brief. He wants to talk to Rory which I'll stay away from, and I'm going to follow this note and meet this random person── stranger danger, I know, but I can handle myself. I'll be absolutely fine, and Jess knows where I'll be.

We haven't said anything since getting in the car, and David Bowie is playing── Jess' pick, not mine, but I'm not exactly complaining.

We come to stop at a red light, and I peer over at him. "Thanks for saying that to him," I say, looking back to the road, waiting for the light to turn green. "I mean, he knew you were grateful, but I'm glad you finally said it."

He nods, clearing his throat. "Yeah."

"My dad is always going to be there for you, Jess, and so am I." The light turns green, and I move the car forward again, driving us down a very empty road. "If you need anything, we're here."

"I know."

"You seem to be doing better." I shuffle in my seat, trying to get comfortable. "I mean, since the last time we saw you."

"Yeah, I'm..." He pauses. "sorry about that, how I acted before."

"No, I get it. You didn't wanna be in town."

"I'm gonna pay you both back for that money you gave me," he says, and I open my mouth to object because I don't want his money, but he speaks first, "No, I'm giving you the money. I should've never taken it in the first place, but I did need it, and it has helped, so thanks, but I am going to find a way to pay you both back for everything."

I peer over at him, and I nod. "Okay."

Jess from a few months ago never would've said that. Jess who moved to Stars Hollow three years ago never would've said that.

He's changed, and it's refreshing to see.

"You're a good guy, Jess, I always thought so."

He scoffs, his head shaking. "No, you didn't."

"You're right, I didn't, but you are a good guy," I argue, a smile on my face. "I mean, you can pay me back, but I'll never be able to thank you enough for all the help you gave me. I mean, I'm at Yale because of your help, Jess."

"Luce, you're at Yale because you're you. I didn't do anything."

"You helped. You gave me advice. You were there," I tell him. "That's enough."

"Well, your writing did stink."

I huff out a laugh, and Jess cracks something of a smile. "Yes, it did, but you fixed it."

"How is Yale?"

"Great," I reply, nothing but a smile on my face. "Sure, at first it was hard, but I really love it there. My friends are great, and my classes are amazing. It's everything I've ever wanted."

He nods, pleased by my response. "Good."

"Everything is good with you, right?"

He shrugs. "Sure."

"Dad kinda mentioned that you're squatting in a 'mould-infested hole'── his words, not mine." When Dad called three days ago, telling me he had talked to Jess, he spouted on and on about this rathole that Jess was living in, and that made me feel a little uneasy.

"It's liveable," he argues.

"Can I put you up in a motel room?" I ask, hopefulness in my eyes. "Please."

"Luce..."

"Just for a couple nights," I insist. "It'll make me feel a whole lot better. I'd rather you sleep on a real mattress── one that isn't filthy and covered in beer and weed."

"Does Luke tell you everything?"

"Pretty much." I glance over at him, my eyes pleading for him to follow through. "Please."

"Just a couple nights."

I nod, pretty proud of myself. "Just you or──"

"No. I need a room with two beds," he says, and I don't ask further questions, I just nod my head, knowing why he needs one with two beds.

I choose to ask a different question, switching topics. "Do you know what you're going to say to Rory?"

"Nope. Do you know what you're going to say to the mystery guy?"

"Depends who it is," I reply, but no matter who it is, I still haven't got a clue what I'd say.

"Do you want me to stay with you till they show up?"

I shake my head. "It's okay. We'll just meet back at the car."

"Alright."

When we arrive at Yale, we promise to meet each other at the car. I point him in the direction of Durfee Hall, and I make my way through the gates towards the Law Library where I'm supposed to meet this stranger.

There's something very strange about walking through Yale this late. It's quiet, serene, and I actually really like it. Sure, it's cold, and I'd much rather be doing anything but this, but it's okay.

I don't know why I'm doing this. Why am I meeting some stranger── if they are a stranger── at the library I always study in? I don't do stupid things like this, not when I don't know all the facts, but I feel strangely excited to be doing something so unordinary for me. Besides, this could all be a prank, and I may have wasted my time, but at least I checked it out.

I'd kick myself if I never went to meet this person.

This feels like the opening to a crappy horror movie, but I don't care. I'll scream loud enough, and hopefully Jess or somebody will hear me and rescue me if this person turns out to be a killer.

I slip my hands into my jacket pocket and I pick up my pace, moving quickly across the path, down the small hill, and around a corner towards the sign that points me in the direction of the library. I see a figure up ahead── likely the person I'm meeting, and my stomach wrecks with nerves, but I don't stop walking.

The unsure, gnawing feeling in my gut doesn't waver, but I can't stop my legs from moving, and they don't stop walking until I'm standing inches away from this person.

They have their back turned to me, but I know it's a woman based on the hair, the body, and the voice that carries into the night, "I didn't think you'd show up."

I know that voice.

"Yeah, well, neither did I."

She turns around, and I'm grateful for the campus lighting because now I can see who she is. My mouth gapes, and a confused laugh rips out of me, lost on why she is standing before me.

Dr. Violet Bennett── my old professor who kicked me out of her class without an explanation is standing before me, and I can't, for the life of me, figure out why she'd want to meet me.

Now I'm wishing I hadn't shown up.

"Dr. Bennett," I say, the words sour on my tongue. "You asked me to meet you? Why?"

"There's something I need to tell you," she says simply, but I can't even fathom what she could want to tell me.

"Do you want to kick me out of another class?" I suppress a laugh, my head shaking at how ridiculous this meeting is. "I mean, you leave that cryptic note, all creepy and weird, and now you're here, telling me you need to tell me something. What? What could you possibly want to tell me? Did you talk to the Dean? Talk them into kicking me out of Yale entirely so you don't have to see me. Maybe──"

"I'm your mother."

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soph speaks:

uh so that happened

anyway, whatever!!

i think yall knew that the professor was lucy's mother (i didn't rlly try to hide it),, but nobody could figure out who sent the note── it was her

i will say that with the life & death brigade, lucy will be involved in that later on in the book,, and so will tristan, i just haven't wrote it into this particular act

anyway, thanks for reading....... i rlly like this chapter bcos of jess & lucy

oh, and lucy and tristan are getting an apartment together

yay??????