LASTING LOVE:
Rory is back at home after a year's absence. After a chance meeting with a familiar friend, Rory's future is as uncertain as it ever has been.

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls does not belong to me. I only write off of it.

ONE: A Proper Homecoming

Stars Hollow. It was almost too breathtaking to take in at once. Preliminary decorations for the annual Founders Firelight Festival were being set up and it was, unarguably, one of Taylor's best set-ups so far. Rows of booths were being set up while the gazebo was draped in warm colors that resembled a sunset. The bonfire was in mid-assembly, with Kirk dictating over several frustrated high school volunteers with heavy chunks of wood in their arms.

Rory had forgotten that feeling of small town comfort and hospitality after months of following on the campaign trail. Late night check-ins at unfamiliar hotels in bustling cities took its toll on her and, after a while, all she wanted was a long, deep sleep in her own bed if she could even remember what that felt like. But as Rory drove into Stars Hollow at the prescribed 5 miles an hour speed limit, all of those sensations started to fill her up once more.

She chose the perfect time to arrive. From what her mother told her in their last email, the festival wouldn't start until six in the afternoon, two hours away. By now, the entire town was in full swing and no one would notice her small, if unfamiliar, Prius pulling into the town square. Even Ms. Patty, who was standing at the street corner with a brigade of ribbon-holding girls, didn't notice her as she drove by.

At first, she decided that she would go home and surprise her mother and Luke if he was there, too. But after remembering her love for Stars Hollow events and the surprises that came with them, she realized surprising Lorelai Gilmore, the lover of all things fun, would be the best way to go. So she would go surprise Lane instead.

Rory parked her car a few yards away from Lane's front door. She pulled out her Blackberry from the glove compartment and flipped through her messages until she arrived at Lane's most recent one. Thankfully, they were only starting to pack up; they wouldn't be moving for another week.

"Here goes nothing," Rory muttered to herself as she left her car and walked to the front door. She rapped on the wood with her knuckles.

At first there was no response. She figured that they didn't hear her. She tried again.

This time: "Hold up! If it's you, Brian, you know where the keys are!" Lane sounded busy, but Rory was sure she wouldn't mind.

"Well, I'm not Brian, so I don't know where the keys are. Open the door!"

The door flung wide open within a matter of seconds. Lane stood in front of Rory, or rather, several inches shorter than her. She looked particularly distressed, with her glasses askew on her nose and her blouse wrinkled and covered in what appeared to be large formula stains. But as soon as she saw her oldest and best friend standing in the doorway, her entire expression illuminated and quickly changed into one of disbelief.

"Rory? Oh my god, I can't believe you're here!" She squealed again and gave Rory a tight hug. "What're you doing here? I mean, come inside first!"

Realizing that she was still dressed in the clothes she was wearing when she left, Rory immediately took off her beige coat and kicked aside her heels so her feet could breathe. The familiar living room she stepped in lacked any furniture; instead, piles of labeled boxes covered the entire floor, leaving the kitchen the only exposed area.

"Sorry, it's kind of a mess, but you already know why," Lane said, the excitement in her voice reaching new heights. "But why – I mean, you didn't tell me you were coming home! What gives?"

"Long story, but I guess you could say that I just missed Stars Hollow," Rory replied truthfully. She propped herself up on the kitchen counter. "God, I've missed you guys."

"Tell me about it." Lane sat next to Rory after pushing aside a plate of stale crackers. "Everything here has been the same, if you could imagine, but people never forget to mention the illustrious Rory Gilmore once in a while."

"It's nice to know that I still have my groupies. You looked completely wiped. Moving isn't so easy, huh?"

"It's a lot easier than having to chase around two toddlers that are just learning to walk," Lane said, clearly exhausted. "Let me tell you, kids and moving boxes – not such a great combination."

"Oh, where are the munchkins?" Rory looked around the room as if expecting to see them stumble out from behind the boxes.

"Don't say munchkins," Lane warned her. "Kirk calls them that and it freaks them out every time. And Zach put them to sleep earlier so that we could take them to the festival later tonight. Hey! You're going, right?"

"That's the plan. I hope you don't mind me staying here until the festival. I don't want my mom to know that I'm back just yet. It's a surprise."

"It's okay," Lane reassured her. "Plus you still have to tell me why you're back. Aren't you supposed to be out there, in the real world, writing about real things and real people and other really boring stuff?"

"In a nutshell, yeah, but I don't know. I got tired. Like I said, it's a really long story and all that matters is that I'm back home in Stars Hollow. I've missed this place and I've been gone too long."

"Understandable," Lane said, nodding. "Things here – actually, things here you probably already know about because of Lorelai, huh? Well, for me, my life has been comprised of diaper changing, the exciting change from a breast pump to formula, and an incredible lack of band practice."

"Exciting," Rory sympathized. "Hey, speaking of band practice, where's Brian going to live once you guys move out?"

"He's moving in with his aunt outside Stars Hollow," Lane explained. "We're going to resurrect Hep Alien in a very big way once Steve and Kwan are big enough to take on tour. But until then, Brian has enough to keep himself busy; he has a girlfriend, you know."

"Wow, a lot has changed then." Rory laughed a bit and Lane couldn't help but join her.

"Well, it's almost time to get out of here. Now I just have to wake my three guys up."

"Three?" Rory asked.

"Zach's taking a nap, too," Lane reminded her.

Rory looked around the town square. The bonfire had been lit as soon as the sun disappeared behind the New England hills off in the distance. Now, she could feel the warmth of the fire embracing her as it crackled, sending embers dancing up into the sky. She took another sip from the red plastic cup in her hand. The contents – another one of Ms. Patty's famed concoctions – abruptly cleared her sinuses.

"Hey, kiddo. Played any games yet?"

Rory looked over her shoulder. Her mother, Lorelai, stood at her side with a similar cup in her hand. Even in the starlight and the soft glow from the fire, the physical similarities between the two were unmistakable; both of them had the same cascading brown hair that framed their faces perfectly to showcase their clear blue eyes.

"No. I think I might be too old for games." Rory dumped the contents of her cup onto the grass beneath her feet, almost expecting a small sizzle.

"Aw, sad," Lorelai said, faking a pout. "Not even Al's 'Make an International Sandwich" booth? Because let me tell you, I make a mean pancake and hummus sandwich."

"Ew," Rory said. "I might try that out later. I'm a bit tired from helping Lane and Zach carry Steve and Kwan around. You didn't tell me that they got that big."

"I sent you pictures," Lorelai said defensively. "A lot happens in a year."

Rory nodded. "I know. Where's Luke?"

"Back at the house cooking."

"Cooking? At our house? On our stove?"

"The 'mom never cooked' joke is getting old, sweet daughter of mine," Lorelai said. "Plus, we're going to need some proper sustenance once we're through with all of this festival food."

"So burgers?"

"And chilli fries!" Lorelai added eagerly.

"Mmm, a proper homecoming meal." Rory gazed across the town square, watching several townies, like Babette and Morey, walk hand-in-hand past the gazebo.

After a few moments of silence, Lorelai finally broke with the question she asked earlier and the question that she was not going to let go of until it was properly answered.

"Ready to tell me yet why you're back home?"

Rory frowned and sighed. "Mom, I already told you everything there was to tell. The job got boring…tiring. A year off was a year too soon."

"Honey, I know you loved that job. It was the first real reporting that you got to do. Using the same excuse isn't going to fly here, especially if you're going to be using my house as your hiding place."

"What makes you think I'm hiding?"

"Because you've got that same look on your face when you hide from your grandmother."

Rory gasped. "Hey, I was six, and you told me that she was a witch with six eyes and fangs."

"Well, did I ever lie to you?"

Rory smiled. "Speaking of which, I should go visit Grandma and Grandpa now that I'm back. They'll want to know everything that's been going on."

"As if the postcards and phone calls weren't enough. And notice that 'I' is the operative word there."

Rory swayed to the side a bit and caught a glimpse of someone out of the corner of her eye. It was a familiar figure, and after closer observation, she realized that the head of mop-like brown hair and the tall body belonged to someone she hadn't seen too long ago.

"Mom…is that…?"

Lorelai looked over to where Rory was pointing and nodded.

"Yeah, that's Dean alright. He finally resurfaced from whatever caveman hole he's been hiding in. Looks good, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, good one there, Mom." Rory was distracted all of a sudden. "Hey, do you mind if I go home? I'm feeling kind of tired from the travel and…yeah, I'll just meet you at home." With that, Rory turned on her heel and scampered away, almost looking like she was running.

Lorelai stood there, confused. Something about Rory's sudden flighty attitude triggered something in her mind. She looked around for Dean again, but he was gone. She ran after her daughter.

"Rory! Get back here! You got some splaining to do!"

AN: I've really been working on this plot for a long time now and I've finally got it down to where I want it. Hopefully you liked it and, please, don't hesitate to give me some feedback. I want to know if it has the potential that I think it does. Thanks!