Work Text:
December 2024
“Okay, not that I mind, but tell me again how we got the new girlfriend for Christmas?” Jess asked Rory as they hovered in the doorway together, peering into the living room where Jack and Mandy were sharing the couch.
“She doesn’t have much family,” his wife explained. “Her mom died when she was young, her dad is on wife number... four, I think? Anyway, Mandy doesn’t get along with ‘the step-monster’ and there’s a new half-sister in the mix. I think she’d rather be anywhere but there.”
“That does not sound like a merry Christmas.” Jess nodded, sipping his drink. “Well, looks like Jack is making her all kinds of welcome,” he said then, smirking hard.
Rory smacked him in the chest but had trouble not being amused herself. It was a little strange to see her son kissing pretty seriously under the mistletoe with his new girlfriend, but it was also kind of sweet too.
“She seems a lot more easy-going than the last girlfriend,” Rory considered, “and a heck of a lot nicer than the first girlfriend.”
“Please, do not mention anyone named Forester on what is supposed to be a happy occasion,” Jess insisted. “The season of goodwill only stretches so far.”
Rory sighed. “You remember when we were that young and in love,” she said, leaning back against Jess.
“Hey, we’re still pretty young,” he insisted, his arm around her waist as he kissed her neck, “and I am definitely still in love, Mrs Mariano.”
“Me too, Mr Mariano,” she told him, turning in his arms and pressing her lips against his own.
“Seriously?” said Tori as she passed by them, rolling her eyes.
“Yes, seriously!” Jess called after her. “I still love your mother, deal with it.”
“Like you wouldn’t be all over your guy if he was here!” Rory added, sticking out her tongue for good measure. “That might’ve been a step too far,” she considered after Tori was gone from sight, hurrying up the stairs with her cell phone in her hand. “She really is missing Dax.”
“He’ll be back for New Year’s and she’ll be fine,” Jess assured her. “In the meantime, concentrate on our son and how happy he looks. I think this Mandy is good for him.”
“Me too,” Rory agreed. “Not that parents are always right about the people their kids choose to date,” she considered. “My mom was completely wrong about you.”
“Huh.” Jess scoffed. “Actually, she was right about me, for the most part anyway, she just had one thing wrong.”
“And what was that?” asked Rory, meeting his eyes.
“She didn’t know that I loved you from the first moment I saw you and that I never, ever stopped.”
Rory sighed, smiling happily as she kissed her husband one more time. She couldn’t be sure if things would work out for Jack and Mandy or even for Tori and Dax, but she did know that she and Jess were forever. That was an absolute certainty.