This takes place around one year after the end of Season 7; at Christmas. Luke and Lorelai are engaged and Rory is single and home for the holidays. Everything that happened in GG still happened and this bears no relation to what happens in my fanfic Five Years On.


Lorelai pulled a face.

'I don't wanna go. Do we have to go? Don't you just want some mommy time?'

Rory raised her eyebrow at her mother. 'One evening.' She reasoned, 'One small evening.'

'You have had dinner with Emily and Richard before?'

Rory laughed. Since her departure just over a year ago, they hadn't had dinner with her grandparents once. Working on the campaign trail had kept her busy and this was the first proper down time she had enjoyed in a long time.

'It'll be over before you know it.'

'Again, you have had dinner with Emily and Richard before?'

Rory laughed. She wasn't much looking forward to the prospect either, but she would rather get it over and done with today, than have it hanging over her all week. Lorelai on the other hand would rather put it off indefinitely.

The maid let them in and took their coats, leading them through to the lounge. There was no sign of Emily or Richard.

'You think they're out?' said Lorelai, a glint in her eye. 'Or, or, the maid got so sick of them, she stabbed them and they're now hidden in the freezer?'

Rory suppressed a smile 'You'll be sorry if that's true.'

'I'm not lucky enough for it to be true. Anyway that's not the gruesomest.'

'Gruesomest?'

'It's a word' she lied ' and you call yourself a writer.'

There was still no sign of the Gilmore's.

'Wanna have some fun kid?' Lorelai looked mischievous.

Rory shook her head 'No.'

'Seriously you're no fun. You must have been switched at birth. My real daughter would be way more fun than you. I bet she's out there being crazy as we speak.'

At that moment Emily arrived looking flustered, Richard followed seconds behind her.

'What have you two been doing?' Lorelai teased.

'Lorelai if that is your attempt at crude humour…'

Lorelai was defeated.

'Rory,' they both greeted their granddaughter with a hug.

Richard poured their drinks as Emily quizzed Rory about life on the campaign bus. 'It all sounds dreadfully exciting, doesn't it Richard?'

Richard nodded in agreement.

'I'm just going to check how dinner is coming along.' Emily declared suddenly. 'Richard?'

'What? Oh yes. Excuse us.' He followed his wife.

'It takes two?' Lorelai mused.

'So they say.'

'Dirty.'

Emily and Richard had been acting oddly throughout dinner. Richard was unusually quiet and Emily seemed nervous, dodging any questions about what had been happening by asking incessant questions. When the doorbell rang midway through dessert, it almost sent the pair through the roof.

'Christmas carollers.' Emily explained upon investigating. She was obviously relieved.

'At Christmas?' Lorelai exclaimed incredulously, 'Whatever next?'

Her comment was ignored.

Moments later, the doorbell rang again. This time it was Richard who went to check it out. He returned with a solemn look on his face.

'Who was it this time? The Easter Bunny?' joked Lorelai.

Richards's expression was unchanged.

'We'll have coffee in the lounge.' He announced.

'Is that where our presents are?' Lorelai almost sang.

'Lorelai please will you cut out the smart remarks for just one second?' Emily snapped.

Lorelai and Rory followed them through to the lounge. A young woman sat nervously on one couch. Seeing them, she stood.

'Hi, I'm Elizabeth, or Libby for short. Everyone calls be Libby, except my grandparents who call me Elizabeth. And, I had a friend at college who called me Lizzie, but apart from that it's Libby.'

Lorelai smiled. 'I'm Lorelai and this is my daughter Rory. Well Lorelai technically, but Rory.'

'I am so pleased to meet you both. I have heard so much about you both.'

'Well, we have heard absolutely nothing about you.' Lorelai was obviously confused as to who this woman was.

'That's my fault I'm afraid.' Richard spoke. 'Please sit.'

They all did as they were told.

'You see, I've been waiting for the right moment to tell you about,' he searched for the right words 'this situation, but it never arrived. So, that leaves us here.'

'Here we are.' Lorelai was nervous. She had no idea about what was happening. Her mind was so blank; she couldn't even find a joke to ease the tension.

'I suppose you're wondering who this young lady is.'

'Of course they are Richard.' Emily was sharp with him.

'Yes, of course. Well there is no easy way to say this, so I'll just come out with it.'

All eyes were on him as he summoned the courage to speak the next words.

'Lorelai, Elizabeth here, she is your sister.'

'Half sister.' Interrupted Emily, seeming keen to make the point.

'Rory, that obviously makes her your Aunt.'