AU Story about what I think should have happened on the balcony in the episode "Christopher Returns," some dialogue borrowed from this episode.
Notice: This story will not be pure fluff. I can't stand pure fluff; gimme some drama. That being said, I am a Java Junkie for life, so you never have to worry that they will part ways in my version. It may be a bumpy ride though. Luke isn't really in this chapter; please forgive me! I promise if you stick around he is in Chapter 2. Also, I'm trying to do this from a third-person limited view, as in we don't know what the characters are thinking, we just know what they say and do.

Disclaimer - I claim to own nothing related to this show, except some worn down, much loved DVDs. Well, Seasons 1-6 anyway. O.K. you got me; I don't love the Season 6 DVDs. They gather dust.

Rating should not get worse than PG-13. Trying to write smut makes me want to giggle uncontrollably like a 5th grader.

Scene: Season 1 Episode 15 Balcony shortly after Christopher joins Lorelai. Divergence happens after the italics end.


Christopher took a drink from the flask he brought with him. "Take it," he said." And in an effort to further chronicle this balcony's history, we are now in the immediate vicinity of the spot upon which was Rory's initial emanation."

"Yes we are. Here's to Rory..." Lorelai takes a drink.

"…the bright spot in all the darkness."

"…and how."

"You know," he said, "even if you hadn't gotten pregnant and everything had gone as planned, I still never would have made it through Princeton."

"Oh I don't believe that."

He sighed. "Yeah, well that's why you're you and I'm not." Christopher leaned in and kissed Lorelai, but she cut the kiss off short.

"Luke…" Lorelai said.

"No, my name is Christopher, you haven't had enough to drink that you've forgotten my name already, have you?"

"I have a paintin' date with Luke."

"Painting date? You're dating someone? Why can't you just go see a movie like normal people," Christopher joked, apparently trying to lighten the mood.

"It's not really a date. O.K., maybe it is. Or maybe not; I don't know! I'm not sure, but I think something may be happening."

"Then forget him. I love you and I'm gonna marry you," Christopher whispered, and moved in to give Lorelai another kiss. She moved back, but Christopher grabbed her and tried to kiss her. This time she pushed him away forcefully; he stumbled and nearly fell off the balcony.

"Here's a clue; when someone backs away when you're trying to kiss them, they don't wanna be kissed by you," Lorelai hissed at Christopher.

"Marry me, Lor. I can be there for you now. We can be a family."

"You don't even know what family is!"

"Man, woman, child, maybe more children. That's my family, and you're going to be a part of it." He tried to pull her closer again, but was rewarded with a verbal slap.

"Not with you. Christopher; I felt nothing when you kissed me. Do you understand? Nothing."

"Just marry me, we'll fall in love again." He approached her as she inched closer to the open window.

"It's not a matter of being in love, it's a matter of fireworks. Sparks. Chemistry. Don't you get it? There is none between us anymore and deep down you know it. You're just too hung up on this idea of family to admit it. When you kissed me, my first thought was of Luke. That alone proves that this isn't right. I don't want to hurt you like this but you're forcing me to."

As Christopher looked crushed, Lorelai stared off into the distance for a moment and then said, "I gotta go. Give me a thirty minute head start, and then call a cab. Get your stuff out of my house, say goodbye to Rory, and just go. You are still welcome to call and visit Rory, but we" she gestured between the two of them, "are through. For good." She turned and began to go awkwardly through the window back into her old room. "My parents have got to seal these windows up, I swear to God," she muttered.

They went downstairs in silence. Lorelai stopped abruptly at the entrance to the dining room; she could just hear her mother's voice from the kitchen. Christopher ran smack into Lorelai and she whirled around on him. "Please do as I asked. I've been through enough tonight."

"If that's how you really feel, then… O.K."

"That's how I really feel. Goodbye, Christopher."

She took a deep breath and calmly went through the dining room and into the kitchen. "So. Mom, that was some evening huh? The Old and the Stubborn instead of the Young and the Restless? Though I don't think it'll be the number one soap of all time, but we should get some viewers. What do you say we get out of here so things can settle down? You must be wiped, cause I know I am."

"Your daughter is having dinner, Lorelai," Emily said as if she was addressing a child. "You and Christopher haven't had dinner either. I can draw your father out of his study and we can have a proper dinner, together."

"Well, with all the fun here, we've kind of lost our appetites."

"Rory hasn't finished her dinner, have you Rory?" Emily asked, still looking directly at Lorelai.

"Actually, I'm not that hungry either." I was evident that she had done little more than re-arrange the food that was on her plate. "I also have a project due Monday; I need to put some finishing touches on it." Rory got up from her stool and gave her grandmother a kiss on the cheek. Emily, in turn was glaring at her daughter. It was a look that said, we'll discuss this later, and at great length.

As they got to the Jeep, Lorelai tossed the keys to Rory. "You drive, I have a phone call to make," Lorelai said.

"Um, Mom? Haven't you noticed Dad's not out here yet?"

"He's not coming back with us, Sweetie. He'll drop by the house to say goodbye to you and pick up his things."

"No! He can't leave already, it's too soon."

"I told him to go," Lorelai said reluctantly.

"Why?! You know how much I miss him."

"First he kissed me, and when I pulled back, he kept trying to kiss me. Then he told me that I was going to marry him, and be a family with him, and have more kids with him."

"He asked you to marry him?"

"No, he told me to. Big difference."

"What if he'd asked?"

"When he kissed me, there was nothing there. It was like kissing a brother. Well, not exactly. I wouldn't know what that was like, after all when my mother got to know me, there was no way she was going to have another, you know? She was probably afraid another kid would be even worse than me. Drive." Rory obediently started the Jeep and pulled out of the elder Gilmores' driveway as Lorelai used speed dial.

"Heey Luke. I know I should've been there like five minutes ago. I –

"No I'm not canceling; I want to help you paint.

"I do.

"Yes, I do. Look, there was an incident tonight between both sets of Rory's grandparents.

"No, this was a random set of grandparents she adopted; of course they're her dad's parents. It was a little ugly and very emotionally draining.

"No, I'm coming tonight; I think it'll be cathartic. We just left Hartford. I need to go home and change into mah paintin' clothes first, but then you, my friend, are next on my agenda.

"See ya soon; byyye."

After a while, Lorelai said, "It just isn't meant to be, Rory, I'm sorry."

Rory thought for a moment. "Don't be sorry. I understand; you can't help who you're attracted to. So I guess this means I need to abort my Parent Trap plans before I embarrass you." She giggled.

"And just how were you planning to get me out into the woods, missy?"

"I know a guy," Rory said, smirking.

They rode in silence for a while. "So, do you need to talk?" Lorelai asked.

"About Dad? I thought we just did. I'm O.K. Really."

"No, about all the warm and fuzzy family moments that went on tonight. You know all those crazy people saying those horrible things were directing them at me not you."

"They were directing them to you because you had me."

"No, they were directing them at me because I screwed up their big Citizen Cane plans. That's all."

"They don't even want to know me, do they?"

"That is not true. They are just so full of anger and stupid pride that stands in the way of them realizing how much they want to know you."

"Yeah."

"It's their loss, and a pretty big one."

"Hey, I said I'm O.K. Don't make me call my guy."

A/N - Please, review. I need to know if I should continue this storyline or scrap it. I browsed over 200 pages of fan fiction only finding two stories that diverged at the same point, but neither were going the same way mine is.