Disclaimer – I own nothing.

Lorelai Gilmore reached out, grabbed a pink, fuzzy object and hurled it across the room. The ringing didn't stop. She cried out loud and sat up in her bed. She peered blearily and located the offending object. She stumbled out of bed, picked up the fuzzy object, hit it a couple of times and the ringing stopped. She went to the bathroom, washed her face, brushed her teeth and stumbled down the stairs.

Rory looked up to see her mom grab the banister just in time before she wiped out on the staircase. She put her coffee down and headed into the kitchen to pour another mug.

"Hey mom! Good morning!" Rory said, looking at her mother who muttered at her and made a beeline for the coffee. She left her mother alone. Lorelai could be really mean in the mornings! She went back to reading the paper. She looked around her house. It had been two years since she had left Stars Hollow. Some things were the same, but some things were different. It was the subtle differences that got to her, more than the big differences. It was like they were lying to her saying that they were the same, but that wasn't true. If you looked closely, they were different! Her mother came and plopped next to her, looking more awake.

"So. Today is Friday. The first Friday since you've been back." Lorelai said, making general statements. Rory knew what her mom was trying to get at, but chose to pretend to be ignorant.

"I know. Do you know that the colour Red makes a person hungry?" Rory asked, looking up from the newspaper. She looked so much like her grandfather in that moment.

"Rorrryyyyyy!" Lorelai whined. She didn't like it when Rory was difficult this early in the morning.

"Mooooooooooooom! Fine. What's on your mind?" Rory asked, putting the newspaper aside.

"We have to go you know where and meet you know who tonight." Lorelai said, talking as if what she was saying was something dark, sinister and dangerous.

"We're meeting Lord Voldemort in Knockturn Alley?" Rory asked, looking mildly interested.

"Rory I swear if you don't stop! You know what I mean!" Lorelai said, losing it. It always amused Rory to see how much she could push her mother before she snapped.

"Well, come on mom! I haven't seen them in 6 months!" Rory said, attempting to reason it out with Lorelai.

"I saw them last month. Let's go next Friday!" Lorelai said, her eyes lighting up at the thought of missing the Gilmore Friday Night Dinner.

"Mom! No. You haven't seen them in a month. We used to see them every week! Come on! I'll be there! They won't even pay any attention to you!" Rory said, getting up to put her mug in the sink. She was going to go to see her grandparents today and she was going to make her mom come with her.

Lorelai had kept her word. She visited her parents every week after Rory had left. It had been really hard for her the first few months and had leaned heavily into Luke and her parents, but had made it. After about a year after Rory left, she and Luke fought more and the things she had once found endearing, she found irritating. She had gone to visit Rory in Canada and Luke and whined and moaned all the way, only because they had to go to a very important party Rory's paper was hosting.

She began to resent his lack of education and culture and just him. He seemed little grubby all the time! Luke also started to get irritated by Lorelai. Her refusal to sleep early, her unhealthy habits, he found her a little selfish and resented her parents. The relationship had slowly come undone and she and Luke said their goodbyes for the last time. She went through a very bad period and took a break from visiting with her parents. It was just exceedingly hard to meet them after that, because even though they were supportive and didn't say anything, she just felt the failure more in that house. Now she visited once a month and preferred to meet them outside at a restaurant or in Stars Hollow.

Rory knew what had happened, but she was determined to resume Friday Night Dinners, now that she was back and worked for the New York Times' online division. She could work from home and had to go into the office about two or three times a month!

"Fine. I'm going to take a shower and go to the Inn." Lorelai announced. She knew she couldn't escape her daughter. She sighed. She knew she was being childish, but it was just something that was unpleasant.

Rory beeped the horn of her car. It was a lovely Audi. Her mom's best friend Sookie came out to greet her.

"Rory! Hi kitten. Your mom's just getting ready. I still can't get over your car!" Sookie said, giving the young lady a hug. She couldn't believe that Rory was all grown up.

"Hi Sookie. I'll just wait here then. Tell my mom that if she's not out in 5 minutes, I'm coming in and dragging her. And I mean it!" Rory said, taking the cookie from Sookie and smiling a thank you.

Sookie left and Rory looked at her phone. She was having this on-going flirtation with Michael at the NY Journal. He was a features writer there. They had been texting back and forth for a few months now and had gone on the occasional date, but nothing had happened. She liked this phase and was perfectly content to just keep texting him. She looked up as she heard heel click on the cobblestones.

"Wow. Mom. You look amazing!" She told her mom. Lorelai was wearing a black button down dress with a dull gold belt and black pumps. Lorelai looked at her offspring and decided to tell her.

"My mom called. Your dad's going to be there." Lorelai said, looking closely at Rory's face to read her reaction. It was one of apprehension. "Honey, we're done. Chris is now, just a good friend. I'm still not over what happened with Luke and I'm not foolish enough to give it another go with Chris."

"Not yet anyway. Mom, when are you going to realise that you and dad belong with each other?" Rory asked, honestly tired of this dance her parents did. It was time for some new music!

"I don't know honey. I just know that I'm coming to terms with some things about myself and untill I do that, it's not fair for me or for anyone else who comes into my life to be in a relationship. I'm having fun right now and I haven't done that in ages!" Lorelai said, getting into the car. "There's no reason I can't dress up now is there?" She asked grinning.

"Mom!" Rory said, and laughed, before driving.

A/N: I don't want this to be a ship fic. This is going to be a Gilmore fic. Review is much appreciated!