Paris Geller's life was perfect, just...perfect. She'd finally made it. She was a Doctor with the fulfilling, important research position attached to Harvard Medical School that she'd always dreamed of. She even had a husband, Doyle was a good man. He was more than she'd ever expected. Someone to come home to, someone she could actually hold a conversation with who was just as intelligent and driven as she was. He was someone she could share her life with...happily. He was the perfect husband.

So on a Monday morning there was no reason at all for her to end up far far away from work. No reason to find herself sitting in the crisp fall air on a bench in the middle of Stars Hollow Connecticut. Really, there was no reason for her to be there...no reason at all.

Paris glanced down at her phone, it was buzzing for possibly the hundredth time since she failed to arrive at work that morning. Calls from her boss and from Doyle were adding up though she barley registered them and she'd answered none. Today all she could think about was this place. It's not like it had ever been a major part of her life. The times she'd spent here could probably be added up on the fingers of one hand but what it represented had been far more major. It represented Rory Gilmore. She'd kept in touch with Rory over the years. As much as it was possible given her former student body vice president and college room mate's nation and globe trotting adventures working for one news organisation or another. E-mails went back and forth and Christmas and Hanukkah cards were always exchanged. Rory had been her first real friend. The first person to actually let her finish her sentences and seem genuinely interested. Rory had never been far from Paris's mind in the years since they had left Yale. It was like that with best friends right ? There was no reason for her to be here now and Paris couldn't find a single reason to justify her own presence. She also couldn't find the will to get up and return to her life. So... she just sat.

The town hadn't changed much. It was the picture of quaint yet quirky small town charm that she remembered. She also remembered that it should repel her. People buzzed to and fro with a frenetic energy that seemed at odds with the parochial setting. They seemed to be preparing for one of the towns regular events. Events that through Rory had reached nigh legendary status. Carts and kiosks where being wheeled into place around the town gazebo and a moderately sized bonfire was being constructed.

Almost hypnotised, Paris was lost in her own thoughts and continued to pay her regularly buzzing phone no heed at all. She didn't notice a figure approaching her from the middle of the bustle.

"Paris?" The figure questioned drawing closer.

Paris focused, drawing her gaze out of the middle distance and toward the dark haired woman who was approaching.

"Ms. Gilmore!" she responded almost jumping out of her seat. It had been a long time since she had seen Rory's mother, the famous Lorelai Gilmore. The woman who at 16 had found this place and made it home for her young daughter and herself. The woman who even to this day Rory still sighted as her inspiration and best friend. She hadn't changed, she had the same long wavy dark brown hair and the same bright inquisitive eyes that dug far too deep for Paris's comfort. The only difference this time was the small equally dark haired little boy clinging to her side.

"C'mon now Paris you know it's Lorelai!" The woman chirped, taking a seat on the bench next to Paris then pulled the little boy onto her lap. "What are you doing here !" She continued.

Paris couldn't answer. She honestly couldn't, she didn't have a reason to justify her presence to herself let alone to anyone else!

"I... um...I just.. drove..." Paris felt ridiculous. She was an articulate woman with an M.D for goodness sake! She should not have been jibbering like an idiot to some woman that she barley knew. Lorelai drew back and carefully placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Paris, what's wrong?" She asked. This kind of concern, concern that Paris assumed was motherly in fashion wasn't something she'd had ever been used to. It certainly wasn't what she came here looking for. Whatever that was ! She quickly drew up from her seat and felt the crisp wind bite at her cheek. Pausing in her tracks bringing a hand to her face she found it wet, tears freely flowing.

"Paris." Lorelai soothed taking hold of her free hand, gently encouraging her back down to the bench. "I know we haven't seen each other in years but you're still Rory's friend. You can tell me." She assured, bright blue that were eyes so much like Rory's digging deep.

Paris just sat staring into in her lap. She was trying to speak, trying to find some way to explain what she was doing. Both to Lorelai and to herself. She stuttered again, forcing words out through sheer act of will.

"I..my life is good. It's .. everything I ever planned...I..." She looked up, gathering in the sounds and smells and people of this place that had meant so much to Rory. She was still fighting to make sense of her thoughts and to work out any kind of explanation when a small voice interupted right next to her.

"Mommy, is the lady sad?" The small boy sitting on Lorelai's lap broke the silence.

"I think so Will." Lorelai cooed turning around in her seat and motioning in to the crowd. A tall man in a plaid shirt wearing a backwards baseball cap walked over. Paris recognised him as Luke Danes, owner of the town dinner and Rory's stepfather. Lorelai beamed up at him as he approached, the little boy letting out an excited yell of.

"Daddy !"

"Honey can you take Will for sec?" Lorelai asked as she passed the child up to his father. "I'm kinda having a thing with Paris here." Lorelai reached over and ran a gentle hand over Paris's shoulder. "You remember Rory's friend Paris right?"

"Sure, I remember." Luke replied before adding "Hey." toward Paris.

"Hi." She sniffed back, trying to draw in the tears that were still flowing. She was desperate not to loose her dignity with yet another person that she barely knew.

"Well.." Luke added turning to look at his son."We'll get going." Luke and Lorelai shared a squeeze of hands before he left, taking their son back into the crowd of busy locals.

Paris returned to looking intently toward her lap, trying to sniff back tears that seemed to continue regardless of her command and spoke again.

"I'm sorry. You don't need me here being crazy."

Lorelai smiled.

"Sweetie, you don't need to apologise to me. I just want to make sure you're ok." Caring mother figures were definitely not something Paris would ever get used to. She sucked in a breath readying herself to be stoic and to sniff away all the tears. Reassuring Lorelai that yes she was fine. It was just work stress and it happens and she had to get going, had to get back to work. Instead she just sat and whipped the tears from her face.

"Everything IS fine..." She offered."Everything's exactly how I planned it." Lorelai continued to gently rub her shoulder. It was an unusual sensation, unusual and strangely soothing.

"But...?" Lorelai questioned.

Turning her head again to take yet another gaze at Stars Hollow Paris felt her tears begin to slow.

"I miss her." She offered.

Lorelai drew a soft comforting smile and spoke a single name.

"Rory." She replied not as a question in need of confirmation but simply as a sure statement of fact.

Paris felt the world around her melt away. Work and Boston and Doyle and her family, even Stars Hollow and the kind woman sitting next to her blurred into the back ground as the Earth stopped turning.

"She was never part of the plan but I miss her so much." In her entire life nothing that Paris had ever said felt as true.