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Chapter One:  Enemies, Confusion, and Confrontations

The words in italics are Lorelai's thoughts.

This scene (the Nicole/Lorelai scene) was taken from the episode, Die Jerk. I got it from Gilmore-Girls.net. Everything else is mine except some lines from the Luke/Lorelai scene in the end of the chapter.

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What bothered Lorelai most about Nicole wasn't necessarily the fact that she was going out with Luke – it was more like the way she was around her. Whenever Lorelai went into the diner she had this really bad vibe coming from Nicole. This trip to the diner wasn't any different. She walked in after Michel left her because he doesn't eat "normal" food; she just ignored him and walked into the diner. She stopped when she saw a blonde haired woman that looked too familiar. "Nicole!" Lorelai said… a little happy but a little more confused.

"Hi Lorelai," was Nicole managed to get out. Lorelai smiled. Nicole? Here? Where's Luke?

"Well I'll be look at you there." She didn't mean to put such emphasis on the word "there" but what was she to do? Just tell Nicole 'aren't you and Luke fighting or something?' She smiled at the thought but then she turned her attention back at Nicole.

"It's nice to see you." Nicole took another bite of her food. I'm sure it is… what an act. I mean if you hate me so much just say so.

Lorelai needed to ask Luke about Nicole and about them. "Yeah. Does Luke know you're here?"

"Yeah he's just in the back do you want him?" No. But you obviously do.

"No I don't want him, I don't want him. I was just coming in for a bite with a friend and… my imaginary friend. My friend Michel was with me, but he doesn't eat normal food like this, so he's not coming in, so... you good?" Now she thinks I'm nuts or something. All I have to do is do a little small talk and I'm home free.

Nicole smiled again, "Very good and you?" How the hell can she be very good when she's in the middle of a divorce with Luke? Unless…

"Very good too. Um listen I'm not very hungry," Lorelai said laughing, "cause I just remembered that I already ate. Ha. Funny right? So I'll just see Luke later I mean you later okay?" Lorelai left and she glanced back to see Nicole smirking. Probably she's happy I left.

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Rory was always ready to take on Paris and Janet whenever they got into their little fights but today was just out of control for her. Studying was now a rarity at their suite room and now since Rory had an exam coming up she did really need the time to study.

She was a little far in her notes when she heard Paris bickering voice yell, "You can't bring him here!"

Rory  - sick and tired of all of what those two were talking about went outside to the Common Room where Tanna was sitting with the remote in her hands, not at all fazed out by the noise that her suitemates were making. "Tanna can't you hear Paris and Janet fighting?"

It took a few seconds for Tanna to realize that Rory was talking to her so she took earplugs out from her ears and smiled, "Were you talking to me Rory?"

Rory gave her a little confused look. She shook her head and turned her attention back Janet and Paris.

"We have to get some privacy too, I mean it's not fair that your boyfriend is always around in the bathroom or on the couch flipping through the channels. It's not our fault that everyone hated him so much so he had to stay around here." Paris yelled.

Janet crossed her arms and sighed, "What about your 'life coach'? I mean he's here constantly and that craft table!"

Paris glared at her and snapped, "Hey I thought we discussed that my craft table is good for everyone? Your exercise ball is not. It just suits you. My craft corner is for everyone."

"But no one uses it. Why? Because it's childish! I mean who besides Sesame Street plays with macaroni and glue? Your in Yale Paris, not Pre School."

"You know what? Right before you came here everything was fine. We all got along great, even Tanna was adjusting. But now you came here and what? We have fights, boyfriends making house calls, and Rory can't study! That's why you're here right?" Paris turned to Rory who just nodded.

"Listen I have an exam coming up and I just want to get something done. Janet why can't you just take your boyfriend somewhere else?" Rory suggested.

"Like the zoo?" Paris muttered.

"Fine." Janet said. She sneered at Paris and then returned to her room. Rory smiled – relieved that she resolved the problem for now and she returned to her room ready to study.

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Lorelai returned to the diner a little while after her confrontation with Nicole. She really wanted to ask Luke about him and Nicole, not like she really needed to know. It was nice to know about what was going with Luke even though she didn't tell him about Jason. Lorelai sighed and went in the diner, which was packed. She spotted Luke carrying plates and serving people. "Hi Luke."

"Hi. Take a seat anywhere." Which would be? He didn't really look at her, but since they did this procedure so many times with her walking in and Luke feeding her he didn't really need to start up a conversation. Usually that was Lorelai's job anyway.

"Very hungry." Lorelai said, not seating down yet. Yeah I am, I mean your girlfriend being here sort of lost my appetite.

"Yeah well you're in the right place." He said back, wittingly.

"Twice." He kept on walking and she kept on following him.

"What?"

"I've come here twice. This is my second trip today." Well duh Lorelai.

Luke remembered and replied, "Oh, right, yeah. Well, you didn't eat." Oh so he knew that I was here? Nicole told him. So they did talk. Something is going on.

"Oh you knew I was here?"

"Uh, why didn't you stay?" Because Nicole was here that's why.

"I saw Nicole here." Lorelai blurted. Luke was a little surprised.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, she was here. Eating."

"Well this is a diner."

"Why didn't you tell me that Nicole was here?"

Luke put down the plates that he was carrying, "Well it's not like you weren't going to find out."

"It would have been a little better if you told me, I mean it was strange seeing her."

"It's not like you haven't seen her in a while."

"That's just it Luke! I haven't!"

"What is your problem?" Your girlfriend

"So are you going out with Nicole?" Please say no.

"Yeah, I mean she wanted things to be here before we got married."

"Oh." What?

"Yeah. Why are you so in this?"

"Because I am okay? I mean we were so close. Not that close but we told each other things."

"It's not like you don't tell me things either." Damn. He has a point.

Lorelai didn't know what to say. She glared at him and walked out of the diner.

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