I originally started this story in 2009, but never finished it. I recently discovered it again and decided I wanted to finish it, but also wanted to edit it a bit since I've grown as a writer. So, I will now be publishing the new, updated chapters.

Most of the background of this story will be explained in later chapters, but I want to go ahead and explain a few things so that you're not completely lost.

Rory is twenty-two and in her last year of college at Yale. She took a year off right after high school because she was pregnant.

Lorelai and Luke are married and Rory has lived with them instead of on campus for the past five years.

Now, on to the story...


"Mommy! Mommy!"

Rory stopped applying mascara to her top lashes and looked down at her four year old daughter, Victoria, who stared up at her with pleading, bright blue eyes.

"Nana said I could go to Grandpa Luke's today!" Victoria said, rocking back and forth on her heels with excitement.

"She did, did she?" Rory asked, leaning back from her mirror so she could see Lorelai sitting at the kitchen table.

"You know I've never been able to resist those eyes," Lorelai said, smiling. "Besides, Luke's been working too hard lately. It will give him a distraction."

That's an understatement, Rory thought. Ever since Victoria turned four, she had a seemingly infinite amount of energy. Rory never remembered being that hyperactive as a child.

"I'll be good," Victoria promised as she stuck out her bottom lip. "Please?"

"Okay, okay," Rory said. "I'll drop you off before I go to school." Victoria's face broke into a huge grin. "I need the coffee anyways," Rory muttered as Victoria skipped out of Rory's room and into the kitchen.

"She said yes!" she exclaimed to Lorelai.

"I heard," Lorelai said. "Congratulations." She picked up the hairbrush that she had previously laid down on the table. "Now turn around so I can fix your hair."

While Lorelai straightened out Victoria's ponytail, Rory finished her make-up, brushed her hair, and then entered the kitchen.

"I should be home around six," she told Lorelai. "Do you want me to grab some food from Luke's when I pick up Victoria?"

Lorelai shook her head. "I figured we could eat there tonight," she said.

"Sounds good," Rory said. She turned to Victoria who had been sitting at the table coloring in a coloring book about manners. "Grab your books."

"Okay!" Victoria said and she stood up and grabbed a small, purple book bag from the counter and put it on. "Ready!" she said before skipping towards the door, Rory following closely behind.

"Bye Mom, bye Nana!" Lorelai called, clearly upset that she hadn't gotten a goodbye.

"Sorry Mom!" Rory said, running out the door to catch up with her daughter. "See you tonight!"

When Rory got outside, Victoria was already at back door of the car, waiting for her to unlock it. She pressed the unlock button on her keys and Victoria put her book bag in the floor board before climbing in the booster seat on the passenger side. Rory reached over to grab the seat belt and pulled it across Victoria, clicking it in place. She handed Victoria her book bag and then walked around to the driver's side door. As Rory got in the car, Victoria pulled out a chapter book.

"Guess how many books I've read this year," Victoria said.

"Twenty," Rory guessed as she pulled out of the driveway.

"Nope," Victoria replied. "Guess again."

"Thirty?"

"Nope."

"Forty?"

Victoria stared at her, her mouth open. "No way!" she said. Rory laughed.

"Can't you just tell me?" she pleaded, sticking out her bottom lip.

"Thirty-one," Victoria stated proudly. "And I'm almost done with this one."

"Wow," Rory told her.

"I'm going to be smart just like you," Victoria said. Rory looked behind the seat at her daughter and felt a wave of pride hit her.

"You're already smart," she said. Victoria didn't reply, but began reading. The remainder of the drive was spent in a comfortable silence.

As Rory pulled into a parking space in front of Luke's, Victoria put her book up. She waited until Rory walked around to her side of the car and then jumped out, following her mother into Luke's Diner.

"Grandpa!" Victoria yelled and ran to the counter, jumping up onto the stool directly in front of the cash register where Luke was punching in numbers. He looked up, smiled, and then ruffled her hair.

"I heard you're staying with me today," he said.

"Yep," Victoria said, grinning.

Rory walked over and sat on the stool to her right.

"Hey Luke," she said.

Luke sat a blue coffee cup on the counter in front of her and then filled it to the top with what smelled like incredibly strong coffee.

"I knew you were coming," he explained.

Rory took a sip of the coffee and sighed contentedly. "Perfect," she breathed.

Luke fidgeted with his baseball cap, sliding it back and forth slightly on his head. Rory knew this as a sign that he had something to say, so she sat down her cup.

"Can you let Mommy and Grandpa talk by themselves for a minute?" she asked Victoria. Victoria pouted, but obeyed. She moved to the table in front of the door and opened her book bag, spreading out all of her books.

Rory looked up curiously at Luke. "What's wrong?" she asked. Luke avoided eye contact and looked at the counter, pretending to be scratching at some invisible mark.

"Jess is upstairs," he muttered.

Rory was glad that she had sat down her coffee cup earlier, because she was pretty sure that if she hadn't, it would be all over her lap right now. Jess had been gone for over five years, why would he come back now?

"W-What?" Rory managed to choke out.

Luke finally glanced up at her. "He showed up last night," he said. "Wanted to know if he could stay here. I told him I lived with Lorelai now, and he could have the place to himself."

Rory was too stunned to say anything. The only thing between herself and the father of her child was a single set of stairs. This was not, under any circumstances, supposed to happen.

"Why is he here?" Rory asked, more to herself than to Luke.

"Didn't ask," Luke said, shrugging. "Figured he'd tell me when he was ready."

A horrible thought suddenly occurred to Rory. "You didn't tell him, did you?" she asked, taking a glance behind her shoulder at Victoria who was absorbed in her book.

"Of course not," Luke said. "That's not my decision."

Rory sighed in relief. She had dodged that bullet—for now. "Can you do me a favor then?" she asked awkwardly. Luke nodded.

"Don't let him know that she's his," Rory said. "If it comes up, say she's only three. Just to be safe."

Luke dropped his gaze back to the mark on the counter than only he could see. Rory knew he was uncomfortable lying, but she needed this favor more than anything. Victoria had gone four years without knowing who her father was; she could go at least four more.

"Okay," Luke said finally.

Rory smiled sadly and walked away from the counter, over to her daughter.

"Do you want to play a game?" she asked Victoria. Victoria looked up from her book and nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Okay," Rory whispered. "There's a man upstairs and he's Grandpa Luke's nephew." Victoria listened intently. "What we're going to do is trick him into thinking you're three. How does that sound?"

Victoria wrinkled her nose. "You're bad at thinking of games," she told her mother.

"I'll buy you a new book if you win," Rory said, and Victoria's face lit up.

"Okay, I'll play!" she said. Rory resisted the urge to laugh. Victoria was so much like her.

"I have to go now," she said. "Be good for Grandpa Luke."

Victoria nodded. "I will," she said.

"I love you," Rory said.

"I love you too, Mommy."

Rory walked out the door, not even hearing the familiar chimes that she had grown to love. She opened her car door, got in, and cranked the engine. As she drove slowly down the road, she flipped her cell phone open and held down the 2 button.

"Hello?" Lorelai's voice asked after three rings.

"Mom?" Rory asked. Her voice sounded like a scared little child.

"Rory? Honey, what's wrong?"

"Jess is back."

"Back from the dead? Back from reality? Back from a sabbatical?" Lorelai asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Mom…"

"Sorry," Lorelai said. "What do you mean he's back?"

"He's staying at Luke's. I don't know why he's back, but I wish he wasn't."

"Maybe it's just for a short time. He'll be gone soon," Lorelai said.

"And if he's not?"

"Then we'll tie him up, throw a bag over his head, and throw him in the ocean."

"Good plan since we live so close to the ocean," Rory said.

"What can I say? I'd take any excuse for a road trip."

Rory sighed.

"I don't want him to know."

"I'll tell Ms. Patti," Lorelai said. "As far as this town knows, the father pulled a Houdini."

"Houdini?"

"I haven't had coffee yet, it was the best I could come up with."

"Thanks Mom," Rory said. She was already feeling better. "Oh, and one more thing," she paused. "I told Victoria we were playing a game to make Jess believe she's three."

There was a pause on the other line and Rory could practically see her mom's face form an expression of realization.

"Got it," Lorelai said. "Try to have a good day, hun."

Yeah, Rory thought, not likely.