Reader, I married him.

I don't know how long it is really that I've wanted to steal that line from Bronte. Long enough anyway that I am using it here despite a decided lack of context.

But I am the author and get to write it if I want to, so I did.

That is as far as I am taking this story, Reader.

This chapter is merely for some exposition and self conscious writing on my part.

I wish I were Dickens and being paid by the word for my serialization in the newspaper for everyone to read—for what better analogy to that than fan fiction? (Other than that actually being a genius thing and creating original characters, but I digress.) Alas, I am not Dickens. And I am deplorably un-motivated by money. I know that should be a noble trait, but it's not very (Lord knows I spend it readily enough.) And it just drives my husband to distraction. So even Dickens' rich payment of a penny a word probably would do nothing to sway me into pounding out further chapters.

But I will tell you where I think this goes. Would go, if I were writing forever (which I'm not because I am easily distracted by new and shiny things—and they would surely come around. Some have already.)

Yes, Lorelai and Luke get married. No, they do not have a baby.

Sorry, Reader, I know how fond you are of picking out cute names for twins and all (I don't know, maybe I could let them get dogs, but that's pushing it.) And I also know how well you would love to coo over Luke holding a newborn but, nope, not going to happen here. You, Reader, may be young and fanciful and wanting to read such things. I understand. So was I once. But now I know other things, too. And, once again, writer's prerogative prevails.

I know lots of you write those baby-having, happily-ever-after stories, and more power to you, I say. God knows they can really warm up a heart—dreaming can do that.

But herein Lorelai is ill. That's it. There will never be a magic cure. She will always live with it. But in true Lorelai fashion, with Luke and Rory beside her, she will be happy, Reader, she will.

She will have occasional secret longings for a baby, but they will be fleeting in light of her good life. The Inn will prosper, the diner will prosper, her life will prosper. And Rory will always be hers.

Luke won't think much about it at all. And that is not nearly as sad as Jane Austen dying at forty-two (my own yard stick in such things.) In fact, it isn't sad at all. Loneliness abated is quite enough for our hero. That it should blossom into love and true friendship and surprises are more than he ever saw for himself. He well escapes the Uncle Louie life he dreaded.

So Luke and Lorelai marry. They move into her house which, of course, he works on. And they try to maintain that newlywed passion for awhile and eventually fail as we all do, but that's okay too. They are more than content with one another.

Sometimes though Lorelai looks over at him while he is twirling q-tips in his ears and says, "I know you make me coffee, and fold the towels, and clean the bathtub so I won't have to bend over and do it (Luke will remain forever afraid that Lorelai will faint, and she will on rare occasions,) but I need you to get off your flanneled ass and go out into the world and make a traditional romantic gesture." And he will. He will surprise her with a trip on one occasion, and twice with jewelry that he has picked out himself (under advisement from Rory.) And that is all that Lorelai will need, besides him and Rory and Stars' Hollow.

And every now and then, Luke will look over at Lorelai, who is dipping fries in chocolate pudding and eating them (on the couch while they are watching some awful movie,) and will groan with justifiable disgust. So she will surprise him later in lingerie or with some other harebrained scheme I can't think of right now, just to shake him up (dance lessons wouldn't work, would they?)

The story goes on further too, Reader.

Rory will tire of journalism, obtain her doctorate and settle down to write and teach. She will wait a long time to marry though. And, I think who she picks should be a surprise to us all----maybe someone short and bald who makes her laugh.

Sookie and Jackson will move onto a farm and continue their involvement with the Inn. They will have many children, as will Lulu and Kirk. The Gilmore/ Danes home (she keeps her own last name) becomes a haven for them, and Luke and Lorelai are happy to guide them and love them as they can. Whatever your political persuasion or personal feelings about Hillary Clinton, I think we can all agree that it does indeed take a village. And what better village than Stars' Hollow?

Lane will tour with her band for awhile, while young, and when her mother passes away unexpectedly, Lane will take the money left her and eventually buy Luke's diner, move in upstairs and transform it into a well-known destination jazz café. She will have her hand in launching many important groups, and will start a fabulously successful jazz website. I think she might even eventually marry Dean, or just live with him, but that corner of the future, Reader, is very murky.

And as must happen, Taylor and Babette and Miss Patty will go to their great rewards eventually but will be replaced (though never in our hearts) by other equally colorful characters in town. Michel even eventually takes over the candy shop.

Richard will die quite suddenly of a heart attack, I'm sad to say. Emily will bear it as well as she can, travel a little, then settle back into her charity work. Lorelai will eventually have her help with event planning at The Dragonfly.

Jess and Paris? Meh. I don't know. It would be hysterical if they had a furtive affair, though.

So, there you go. Hardly Our Town, but it'll do.

No, not a perfect valentine ending, but pretty damn good. Someone wise told me once, 'You can have it all—just not all at the same time.' That will become very true of Lorelai's life.

She will always be selfish and generous too, just the way we love her, and she will continue to find fun in even the smallest things in her life. She will love and make a lot of people happy, and be taken care of, and that's about all we can hope for anyone in the world. And much more than many real people often get. So, as a fictional character, I think Lorelai's done extremely well.

And to those of you who have written and asked, more information about Neurocardiogenic Syncope can be found on HealthBoards.com (under rare disorders) and with a good general internet search as well. And, my fellow afflictees out there; Life is still good.

Finally: Thank you, Reader, for hanging in when it was not perfect or when it exploded your comfortable (and I'm sure correct) definitions of character, and for putting up with typos and less description than would be nice when I just felt too crappy to care.

Be well. cheers–netherfield