The Years of Choice
St. Peter made him do it.
I do not own the characters or universe depicted.

He's twenty years her senior, not the only problem interfering with the relationship. They meet over the summer, as he's visiting his older brother for the first time in years.

He happens to be older than her mother—and her English Lit professor for the following semester.

His older brother happens to be her new step-father.

She, at eighteen, knows that it's improper. They can't form a relationship, because age is more than just a number and no one would approve. Plus, she thinks, he loves his wife and children.

'Can't' doesn't mean 'won't'.

They will.

Its two years later and she's with child. His, to be exact. She's honest, as is he. His wife leaves and her mother and step-father—his brother and sister-in-law—are disappointed.

His children—thirteen and eighteen—are less than pleased as well.

The entire family is in an uproar when they decide to wed within her second trimester.

They do it anyway.

Four and a half short months after they exchange vows and rings, they welcome a child into the world.

Her mother, his brother and his children still disagree with the union, but attempt to put aside their distaste for the sake of the child.

They fail when her grandparents try to intervene, explaining to them the reasons the marriage and child are improper. No one can take to say any different on their behalf.

They threaten to move to England if anyone so much more as mentions it.

The next morning, her grandmother continues her tirades.

They simply pack and move within the week.

Five years later, without a single word spoken, he returns with his child and their children. He's left to raise a five year old, a three year old and a newborn on his own after his wife's passing at the tender age of twenty-five.

He's not sure that, at forty-five, he's able to raise the children such.

His mother-in-law/sister-in-law, at forty-one, offers assistance in any way she can.

It's difficult for years after. He works and her mother cares for the children. His brother helps manage renovations on a house so they can live closely.

They get by.

He watches three daughters and two sons live lives, the eldest old enough to have born the youngest. People assume it. It's impossible, the eldest being barren.

He walks two of his daughters down the aisle.

He wonders if his life would have been different if he'd been the same age as his second wife, or if he'd never married his first.

He wonders if, maybe, he should have stayed with his first wife and never began a relationship with the second.

He passes at the age of seventy-four, a heart attack his claim.

At heavens gate, she meets him. She's younger than their first meeting, not by much, and he sees himself in her eyes, seventeen again.

She smiles at him, "C'mon Jess, I like that one."

He looks to where she points, a beautiful little town with a gazebo and a statue of a rooster. "What?"

She smiles again, an almost infectious grin. "That's where I want us to meet again, that's why I waited for you." Suddenly, she jumps down into the image.

He falls to his hands and knees, "Rory!" he yells, useless.

After a moment, he feels something on his backside, turning to look, he sees St. Peter wave briefly before kicking him into the image.