A/N: OMG, I finally got this out--the sequel to 'It Is What It Is'--because the reviews for the first one and how nice you guys were. Oh, and I love the lines from 'Let Me Here Your Balalalaika's Ringing Out' so thought I'd try it out. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own the plot and that's it.
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This wasn't how it was suppose to be. She didn't want the silk lilac taffeta and thousands of roses. Or a wedding that cost more than her car did. Lane was supposed to be here. And Ms. Patty and Babette and Morey and Taylor and yes, even Kirk. Luke was supposed to walk her down the aisle. Not Chris. Rory sighs and runs her hand over the span of her stomach. She turns to the side and takes in the diamond-studded wedding dress with luxurious European fabrics, accented with finest lace and decorated with finest Austrian Swarovski crystals and genuine stones. The ruffles were endless. All this lace made her feel like she was suffocating. Like if she was given the ultimatum of jumping out of a plane and marrying Logan, she'd choose the plane—without a parachute.
"Ready kiddo?" The door opens and Chris pokes his head inside.
Rory turns not expecting the interruption. "Ah…yea. I'll be right out." He nods and starts to close the door before Rory calls him back. "Dad…" Beat. "What would you say if I told you I was having cold feet?"
He looks at her pondering. "…I'd say, look into counseling…" He smiles.
It was meant to be a joke, but she didn't take it as one. She only puts on a smile, nods and watches as he exits the room. She turns facing the mirror again and sighs. This dress cost more than the entire wedding itself. She insisted on something simpler, but Emily wouldn't hear it. A few seconds later and the door opens again. This time its Lorelai.
Rory looks relieved. "Great, I need to talk to you."
Lorelai either doesn't hear the comment or ignores it. She smiles. "You're gonna love me for this." Rory looks confused. "Okay, so you know how Adolf is with these traditions, so she told me to stay with your soon to be hubby and keep an eye on him…" Her grin widens. "Little did she know…" She pulls the door open and pulls Logan inside.
Logan stumbles in with his hand over his eyes. "Can I open my eyes now?"
Rory looks surprised. She looks back to Lorelai. "Mom, how could you? What if grandma finds him?"
Lorelai shrugs. "You're on your own with that one, hun." She backs out of the room and pulls the door shut.
Rory sighs and faces Logan again. "Hi."
He takes a step forward following her voice. "Can you come closer?"
Rory smiles amusedly. "Just move your hand."
"And ignore tradition?" He scoffs. He reaches out for her hand and pulls her closer. His free hand goes behind her neck and he pulls her in for a kiss. Quick glimpses of tongue appear and disappear just as quickly. Chocolate brown eyes swim to the fore front of her brain. Neglecting his eyes, which are momentarily closed, Logan's hand trails down her side and reaches for her breast before he pulls back. "What kind of material is this?" He squeezes experimentally.
Rory shrugs. "Something from the middle east." Beat. "Or was it Europe?"
"Well, I don't like it. I can't feel your breasts." He explains, testing the material again.
Rory laughs. "You're not supposed to." Pause. "What do you think of Ayn Rand?"
Logan ponders. "She write 'Atlas Shrugged'?" Rory nods absently. "You like her, right?" She nods again. "Then I like her."
Rory deflates as the door opens yet again. "Rory have you seen—" Emily enters the room and stops short at the sight of Logan. Logan moves his hand from the material and they both fly apart. After a few seconds Logan turns his back on Rory and places his hand over his eyes. "Explain yourself." Emily speaks finally.
Rory's eyes darts back and forth between Emily and Logan. "I was just—it was…and then…"
Emily glares before exiting again. "Lorelai!" She calls down the hall. "I told you to watch him, not lead him right to her!"
Logan laughs and moves his hand again turning back to Rory. Rory glares. "That wasn't funny."
"It was a little funny." He tells her. He heads for the door.
"Think she'll be back?"
He shrugs. "You wanna risk it?" It's rhetorical. "Just think, in the next hour, you'll be Mrs. Huntzberger."
Rory puts on a smile. "It has a ring to it."
"Mrs. Huntzberger." He tries again. "I like it." He closes the door on his way out.
Rory's smile fades.
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Rory finally exits the bridal room and walks down the hall. At the cross, Emily appears.
"There you are." She looks relieved. "It's time."
"Already?" Rory panics. "But—" She stutters
Emily ignores her. "Everyone's waiting." Rory's heart drops into her rib cage and attempts to pound its way out through her stomach. She pauses for a second and leans against the wall. Emily continues talking animatedly before realizing she's not following. She stops and turns. "What are you doing?"
"Hyperventilating." Rory answers simply.
"Stop that." She takes a few steps forward and pulls Rory away from the wall and down the hall. "Now," She pauses in front of brown, high-to-the-ceiling double doors. "The bridesmaids will be coming from the side door inside the room. Chris will be waiting on the inside of the door, so all you have to do is enter when you hear a knock."
Rory nods absently. "Knock, got it." She starts taking deep breaths as Emily enters and closes the door. That's when all the doubts come flooding back. What was she doing? Did she really want to be Mrs. Huntzberger?
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Pro: He was rich.
Con: She didn't care.
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Pro: Both her parents and grandparents liked him.
Con: His parents hated her.
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She doesn't notice the knock on the double doors.
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Pro: He was in love with her.
Con: She wasn't sure she was in love with him. Loved? Yes. In love?...
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There it was again. The knock. She doesn't notice.
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Pro: He was sweet and nice and funny.
Con: He cheated on her.
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Pro: He likes Hemingway.
Con: He likes Ayn Rand.
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The double doors swing open and Lorelai quickly exits. "Hun, you might not have noticed but you have a wedding going on in here. So when there's a knock again, just…"
Rory shakes her head. "I can't."
Lorelai looks confused. "You can't open the door?"
"No, I can't marry him."
Lorelai's face falls. "Two whole months after the proposal and you decide this now?" Beat. "His whole family is in there, kid."
"I know and…I'm sorry."
"Are you sure you're not just nervous?" Rory shakes her head. Lor continues. "I mean it could be wedding jitters, cold feet—"
"No!" Lorelai looks taken aback. Rory doesn't notice. "Lane's not in there. Neither is Babette or Morey or Taylor. Luke isn't walking me down the aisle. Neither is Kirk." She splutters.
"You want Kirk to walk you down the aisle?" She's still confused.
"I mean," She continues anyway. "I don't want to be a trophy wife! I don't want to stay at home and plan parties and go to functions. I wanna work!"
"No one is telling you you can't." Lor rations.
"Yes, they are." She signals inside in the general direction of Kira and Mitchum. "I don't want to be Mrs. Huntzberger!"
"You gotta help me out here, kid. I'm so lost right now."
Rory backs away from the door and looks around. The walls felt like they were closing in around her. "He likes Rand."
Rory turns and walks off as the doors open again and Emily exits. "What is going on out here?" She notices Rory's retreating back. "Rory! Where are you going?!" She faces Lorelai. "Where is she going?"
Lorelai shakes her head. "He likes Rand." She leaves Emily there looking confused.
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Upon entering the bridal room, Rory picks up her bag and sweeps her hand over the contents on the desk, dumping them in her bag. She picks up her coat and puts it on, oblivious to the fact that she still has on a wedding dress and it wouldn't make a difference. The room is a blur around her. She takes one last look around the room before exiting once again.
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Rory hastily runs down the stairs of the chapel and stops at the bottom step when she notices a black Lamborghini parallel parking. Jess exits. When he notices her he stops in his tracks and puts his hands in his pockets. After a pause he continues walking and stops directly in front of her and takes in their surroundings. Looking any and everywhere but at her.
"Hi." He speaks up finally
"Hey." She wanted to hide from him. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She wondered if he thought her superficial for wearing a dress that probably cost more than his car.
Then his eyes roam to her wedding dress. "Nice dress."
Rory shrugs it off. It wasn't a compliment. Not to her anyway. "If you like that sort of thing." He was probably wondering the same thing as she was. If she liked that sort of thing. "It's been awhile," She states the obvious. "How'd you know where to find me?"
"Luke," He shrugs. "I shook it out of him, he wasn't sure if it was okay."
"It's okay," She looks around trying to find something to say to break the tension. "You look good, the years don't seemed to have hardened you." She smiles.
"Yea, you look good too," He runs his tongue over his lips. It doesn't go unnoticed by her. "No surprise since it is your wedding day." Rory deflates at the words. "Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be inside? What happened in there?" He signals behind her towards the chapel.
Rory looks down. "He likes Ayn Rand."
A slow smirk spreads across his face. "Huh." Beat. "Whoever thought that one day I'd be thanking Rand?"
Rory smiles.
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Pro: He wasn't Jess.
Con: He wasn't Jess.
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A/N: So...? Please tell me you guys liked it!! Pretty please!! Review!! :D
