Author's Note:

I felt gypped by the abrupt ending of GG as a series. This is for fun and for closure. It reads like a story, but it is separated into scenes. Each chapter is an episode. Luke and Lorelai are very much together, he's moved in with her. Rory is on the campaign trail. I'm not sure yet what will happen; just go with it. :) Right now, the story is pretty innocent, but I rated it T just in case. The first chapter/episode is going to set the scene. Enjoy!

8.01 -- "The More I See ..."

Lorelai Gilmore stared expectantly at Luke Danes with her piercing blue eyes, she had her coffee cup in hand and a smile on her face. For the third time that morning, he passed her by without even so much as a glance. He was doing it on purpose.

She threw up her hands in defeat and loudly asked, "Who does a girl have to date around her to get some coffee?" She kept it G-rated that morning, on account of the table with the two ten year-olds next to her. She turned to Kirk, who sat next to her. "Service these days, I tell ya!"

Luke appeared and finally poured Lorelai a cup of coffee. It was her third that morning. Lorelai smiled thankfully, ready to voice a witty comment of appreciation.

"Did you hear that, Luke?" Kirk interrupted. The pair looked at him. "I'm not the only one around here who feels that the service at the diner has been, well, somewhat lacking as of late. I have some ideas on how you can improve-"

Luke rolled his eyes. "She was kidding, Kirk." He turned to his girlfriend. "Lorelai, tell him you were kidding."

"I was kidding, Kirk," she mimicked back. Luke turned around to place the coffee back on its burner. Kirk returned to his breakfast with a shrug.

Luke placed a donut in front of Lorelai. "Did you talk to Rory last night?"

She guffawed. "No! She's too busy to call her mother. You'd think after you give life to a child, and clothe, feed, and house her for over eighteen years, she'd be forever indebted to you and show her gratitude with a 'Hey Mom, everything's fine. No, I haven't had an inappropriate relationship with the presidential candidate, but I'm still working on it.'"

Luke gave her a no-nonsense look. "She's on the campaign trail, Lorelai."

Lorelai beamed. "I know, but it's more fun to pretend that she's being a horrible daughter. Why don't you ever let me anguish in my own misery?"

"Mother would feel the same way if I left," Kirk interjected.

"Is that why you don't leave Stars Hollow, Kirk?" Lorelai took the bait. She always took the bait, much to Luke's dismay.

Kirk contemplated the question with a sip of orange juice. "Precisely." Then, "That and I have a lot of investments in Stars Hollow. I have to keep a watchful eye over them, lest a tragedy befall the town and destroy them."

"But what's protecting your investments from you?" Luke asked. Lorelai smiled up at him, amusement glimmering in her eye.

Kirk stood abruptly. "I need to call Lulu. We may need to relocate." He ran for the door.

"With the morning show over, I've got to get to the Inn." Lorelai took the last bite of her donut and stood to leave.

"You're forgetting something," Luke said, looking her in the eye.

Lorelai patted herself down. "Keys, phone, purse … coffee." She wore a look of confusion on her face.

"Kiss?" Luke asked, with his eyebrows raised.

Lorelai smiled and leaned in for a soft kiss. "Kiss." She made her way for the door. "Don't forget that we're going to my parents for dinner tonight," Lorelai eked out before closing the door behind her.

Michel stood at the front desk with his usual look of disdain. "Hey Michel." Lorelai sidled up to the Frenchmen. "I know you think the whole brooding thing works well for you, but I think that'll well get more customers if you were cheerful." She demonstrated an overly enthusiastic grin for him. "Remember, the customers can hear you smile on the phone!"

"O bite me," Michel retorted. "Somebody completely ruined my post-it note system again. I think it was the new boy. You should fire 'im."

"Will do! As soon as you can work 7 days a week, let me know."

"Can't we find somebody else?"

"Sure we can, Michel."

"Why are you so agreeable this morning? Are you 'appy Lindsey Lo'an isn't going to jail, too?"

Lorelai raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm so agreeable because I thought we were playing in the Not Going to Happen world again."

Michel's face visibly fell to disappointment. "Sookie went to the emergency room."

"Michel!"

"What?" He gave her a bored look.

"What happened!?!" Lorelai moved toward the door.

"It wasn't her. It was that man."

"Jackson!?!"

"No, do you think I am completely heartless?"

"Don't make me answer that."

"That man who is related to Jackson. That short, 'orrible man."

"Oh." Lorelai pursed her lips. "Well what happened?"

"I don't know. He probably picked up some disease that only short people like him have. I could have written it down if my post-it notes were in order."

"Duly noted, Michel."

It had become a weekly ritual, this standing outside of the residence of Richard and Emily Gilmore. Lorelai always tried to find an excuse to return home. "You know," she elbowed Luke in the gut, "we could turn back now and they'd be none the wiser."

Luke looked visibly pained. "We chose to come tonight."

Lorelai's face fell. "Stop ruining all my fun."

"If it makes you happy, when we leave, you can tell me all the escape routes in the house."

"Goody!"

The opening of the door interrupted Lorelai's celebration. Emily stood in the doorway with a stern look on her face. "Why are you two just standing out there? Have we decided to hold dinner outside today? How Neanderthal."

"We were admiring your door, Mom. Is it new?"

Emily sighed, "It is the same door that we have had since you were a baby, Lorelai, really."

"Did you paint it recently?"

"No!" Emily ushered them in. "Luke, will you please make her stop." Luke wore a look of helplessness. A consternated Emily turned abruptly. "Melia! Our guests are there!" she yelled through the house. "I honestly don't know where this girl disappears to," Emily told Lorelai and Luke. It was no secret that Emily Gilmore could find fault with anyone, especially with her never-ending rotation of maids.

Right on cue, a young girl not much older than Rory came rushing in. Her face was flush with worry. "Yes, Mrs. Gilmore?" she asked, her small voice barely audible.

"We have guests," Emily told her pointedly. When Melia made no move, Emily asked, urgently, "What are you waiting for?"

Melia nearly jumped out of her skin. She took the coats that Luke and Lorelai handed to her and ran out of the room. "What happened to Alma?" Lorelai asked as they followed her mother to the sitting room.

"Who's Alma?" Emily looked to Luke. "What on Earth is she talking about?"

Luke was caught off-guard by this question. He cleared his throat, "I believe that she is referring to your previous maid, Emily."

Emily furrowed her brow. "You remember the oddest things, Lorelai. I swear, you can't remember to call me back, no matter how many messages I leave with your French man at the front desk, yet you can remember our maids' names."

"Michel's post-it notes are in disarray."

"Are you speaking in code, Lorelai?"

Luke moved to explain, but Lorelai shook her head at him. "Yes Mom, I created a whole new language just for you and me. Now when I write you a letter, you'll be Mischief and I'll be Mayhem."

"Really, Lorelai."

"I think Mischief and Mayhem are perfect acceptable code names, Emily."

Lorelai beamed. "Why are you in such a good mood?" Emily asked, accusingly.

Richard looked particularly pleased with himself. "I just bought four tickets for us to attend Barack Obama's campaign dinner tomorrow night."

Emily looked green. She put her hand to her chest. "Richard!" She took a large drink of her scotch and soda. "Since when do we contribute to the campaigns of Democrats?"

Richard gave her a perplexed glance. "Emily, calm down." His smile remained. "We should be able to see Rory there. Perhaps I should buy an extra ticket."

The color rapidly returned to Emily's face. Everyone in the room's faces grew smiles, even Luke's face brightened, though he was always particularly uncomfortable in the Gilmore house. "Well, Richard, I hardly think that Rory will have time to sit with us at dinner. Lorelai, what do you think?"

"Umm, I also think she should be able to pull her own ticket. She is very pretty. Someone will take pity upon her," Lorelai provided sarcastically, though her face still beamed at the possibility of seeing her daughter.

"I'd love to see Rory, and I hate to spoil the party, but do you think we will be able to see her?" Luke asked.

Richard's face dropped. The thought hadn't occurred to him. "I should hope so. I'm paying good money to support a man I don't even like."

"Dad," Lorelai let a small laugh escape, "Just because you have money does not mean-"

"Oh, nonsense, Lorelai. Of course it does!" Emily interjected, smiling ear to ear, as she floated into the kitchen to let Melia know they were ready for dinner.

Rory Gilmore had a habit for coffee that was insatiable. The waiter shook his head at her fourth cup of coffee and passed by without asking if she needed anything. He reasoned that she was deeply engrossed in her notebook, but really, he did not want to contribute to this young girl having heart palpitations. Her concentration was interrupted by her phone ringing. Checking the caller ID, she spied an unfamiliar number. She'd gotten used to this, after three months on the campaign trail. She was in California now, for what seemed like the tenth time. Apparently, California was a hotbed for campaign contributions. Barack Obama was taking the day off today, meaning Rory could finally write her article.

"Hello?" she answered. Gone was the innocence in her voice. She now answered the phone with authority, and even perhaps with the teeniest tone of annoyance.

"May I speak to Rory Gilmore?" The voice on the other line was unfamiliar. It took a business tone, but the woman on the line gave no indication of her business or her company.

Confused, Rory squinted her eyes. "Speaking."

"I have Mr. Huntzberger on the line. Will you hold?"

Before she could answer, she heard a click. A knot grew in her stomach instantaneously. She wasn't sure what scared her more - talking to Logan or talking to Mitchum, but she certainly was most afraid of the uncertainty.

"Rory?" she heard. A wave of relief hit her, and she had the answer to her question. She knew who it was that she was more afraid of, but she wasn't sure why.

"Mitch-" she stopped herself. If it was a business call, she had no business calling the newspaper mogul by his first name, no matter what past they may have. "Mr. Huntzberger," Rory corrected herself. She hoped he hadn't heard her misspeak.

"Either you're not surprised that I'm calling, or you're doing a very good job of hiding it." Rory wasn't sure what to say. As she frantically searched for words in her head, Mitchum continued. "Listen, Rory, how long have you been on the campaign trail?"
"Three months. Mr. Huntzberger, may I ask why you're calling?"

"Rory, call me Mitchum, please." She could hear the amusement in his voice. Rory wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

"Okay, Mitchum," she said, the word sounding almost foreign on her tongue. "May I please ask why you're calling?"

She heard Mitchum sigh. "I was wrong about you, Rory."

Rory wanted to ask which part he was wrong about, but she held her tongue. "I'm sorry?"

"Listen, I know that what happened between you and Logan has run its course, but I've kept my eye on you. Or, rather, Logan has. I'm not sure he'd want me telling you that, so let's keep that between us. He forwards me your articles. And I like them."

Rory's heart dropped. Or soared. She wasn't sure which one at that moment. "Thank you," she breathed out, mystified by the call. She was smiling broadly, but she tried hard not to let him hear it.

"I need a writer on one of my smaller newspapers in New York, and I think you'd be perfect for it."

Rory's jaw dropped open. "You're joking."

"Rory, I think you know me well enough to know that I don't joke about my newspapers."

"Thank you so much for your offer." Rory placed her hand on her chest.

"You can't refuse this," Mitchum told her.

"What?" Rory asked. Her business speak went completely out the window.

"I'm giving you an opportunity, Rory. Whatever you feel or don't feel for myself or my family, especially Logan, you can't let it dictate your decision. Take it. You don't even have to deal with me. The newspaper is doing well on its own, so I'm not there. You'll be close to your mother. The pay is more than you're getting now."
Rory was slightly miffed that he could make that last assumption. "How do you know how much I'm getting paid?"

"I'm Mitchum Huntzberger," he reminded her.

He had a point; Rory let it go. "Can I think about it?"

She heard Mitchum sigh. "Rory, this time I'm not doing you a favor."

Rory's confidence soared. "I know," she smiled.

"Then what's the problem?" he asked. Rory knew that in Mitchum's mind the decision was cut and dry, but that was because Mitchum Huntzberger thought purely in the business mindset. She knew from experience that his heart didn't dictate anything.
"I'm sorry. I have my reservations about being attached to the Huntzberger family in any degree just yet."

"Rory, I often have my own reservations. But you're going to have to get over it sooner or later. I own two hundred newspapers in this country." Rory nodded, knowing what he was getting at. "I need to know by tomorrow. I'm sorry for the short notice, but I've got a bunch of people who want the job."

"Of course. I will call you later today."

"You still have my cell phone number?"

"Yes," Rory answered. She had his cell phone number, Honor's cell phone number, Logan's cell phone number ... her phone could be used as a personal directory for most of the Huntzberger family. She'd never had the heart to delete them from her phone.

"Fine. We'll be in touch." Mitchum hung up the phone abruptly. All of his conversations ended abruptly, and she hated that she knew that. She hated that she had a permanent connection to the Huntzberger family, even if it did give her opportunities sometimes. She sat, chin in hand, fixated upon the cup of coffee that she had in front of her. It was nearing empty, but she was in no mood to go fetch another cup. Instead, she gathered her belongings and began the walk back to her hotel room to make pro/con lists. At that moment, she wasn't sure if Logan was a pro or con.

Lorelai stood in Rory's room, trying to rearrange things without taking Rory out of the room. Luke poked his head in and stared at her for a moment as she moved Rory's Yale paraphernalia from one wall to another.

"Does April like chocolate?" Lorelai asked. Her feeling of his presence had become a sixth sense. She swore she could feel his heart beat sometimes, if he were even in the same town.

"What?" Luke asked, moving behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You know," she kissed his cheek. "Brown stuff made from the cacao bean of South America. You eat it. It's an aphrodisiac." She waggled her eyebrows at Luke and kissed him again, this time on the lips. "AND! It's supposed to make you lose weight, which I can't quite comprehend-"

Luke placed a hand over her mouth. "Probably."

"You mean, you don't know?" Lorelai looked alarmed and began backing away from him.

"It's not something I discuss with her," he answered, moving closer to Lorelai.

"She had to have mentioned it sometime."

"Why is it so important that you know?" Lorelai had a penchant for doing odd things and asking odd questions. What mystified Luke was that he never quite got used to it.
Lorelai sat on Rory's bed, in defeat. "It's the first time she'll be staying at our house. I want her to feel comfortable."

"So you're going to put chocolates on her pillow?"

Lorelai's face brightened. "Do you think that money would be better? Or would that be too Pretty Woman?"

Luke closed his eyes. "Lorelai ..."

Lorelai jumped closer to Luke and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Fine. A gift basket."

Luke kissed her forehead, eyes still closed. "Of what?"

"Condoms and Astroglide. Maybe a book of karma sutra," Lorelai suggested.
Luke jumped back and wailed his arms around. "That's not even funny!" He put his hand on his hip and put his other hand in the air. "She's fourteen!"

"When Rory was fourteen, Jess was climbing in her window." To drive the point home a little more, Lorelai pointed at the window to her right. "This very window." Luke was on fire. He was visibly turning red. Lorelai cackled, as she launched herself over Rory's bed and ran away.

A moment later she heard Luke's voice yelling, but it wasn't at her. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING CLIMBING IN RORY'S WINDOW!?! WHAT KIND OF GIRL DID YOU THINK SHE WAS!?! WHEN I SEE YOU, I AM GOING TO WRAP MY HANDS AROUND YOUR SKINNY LITTLE NECK. DO YOU HEAR ME!?! YOU'D BETTER CALL ME BACK! DO YOU HEAR ME? CALL. ME. BACK."

Rory rubbed her neck, pouring over the pro-con lists she'd constructed. It was nearing five o'clock; she knew that it would be most professional to get back to Mitchum by the end of the business day. She set the deadline for herself and picked up the pro-con list again. She wasn't sure where to put the connection to Logan. She wasn't sure if she was allowed to have a choice in the matter; it was her who broke his heart, after all. Chewing on the inside of her lip, she picked up her cell phone. She sat for a moment, then hesitantly pressed CALL.

One ring ... Two rings ... Three rings ... Four rings. It went to voicemail. Rory sighed and spoke into the phone. "Hey, it's me. I have something that I need to talk to you. Like, really really need to talk to you about." She closed the phone and moved to her laptop. Pros and cons were tied at 10 apiece. This was going to be impossible.

There was only one person that she knew would be able to help her with this decision, but if she didn't get a call back in the next hour, she'd have to go this one alone. As she sat there, willing her phone to ring, her thoughts were jolted by the knock on the door.

Rory didn't have time for company, but she was never one to be rude. She opened the door to find the distraction had green eyes and a sweet smile.

"Hey Gilmore," he smiled. Dennis. The hot reporter who graduated from Harvard two years before. Rory quickly glanced over his tall frame; he was at least 6 feet tall. He wore a black Lacoste shirt that hugged his muscles just right. He ran his fingers through his light brown hair as he waited for Rory to respond.

"Oh, hey," she said, smoothing her hair.

"So we're all going out to get a drink." All Rory could think about was his irresistible smile. Three months on the campaign trail, and Rory hadn't done anything but flirt with Dennis. She was afraid that her journalistic reputation would be put into jeopardy. But, that smile.

"Is that an invitation?" Rory suddenly grew bold.

"It's definitely an invitation," he responded, being equally as flirtatious.
Rory looked back at her pro-con list and bit her lip. "Well, I'll be free after five, so maybe I'll meet you there?"

"Maybe is not a word I like very much."

Rory blushed. "Okay, I'll definitely meet you guys there."

Dennis smiled. "How about, I'll wait for you. When you're ready, just call my room and I'll come and get you."

She couldn't help but grin. She felt like it'd been ages that a boy had shown her any semblance of chivalry. Rory agreed and closed the door, saying softly to herself, "Well, here goes nothing."

Luke stood at the door waiting for Lorelai to finish talking to Paul Anka. "Look at him, he doesn't want us to leave!" Lorelai exclaimed. She pointed to the dog, who was sitting in a rather odd position. Luke raised his eyebrows. "Can't we just take him with us?"

"You mean, can't we go get the red wagon, make a bed for him, and pull him to the town meeting? And by we, you mean, can Luke do it." Lorelai's face looked hopeful. "No, Lorelai. We'll be back in a couple of hours. He'll be fine. We go through this every time. You'd think the dog was a baby."

He'd already lost her. She was kneeling on the floor in front of Paul Anka. "I'm sorry, your father said no. So if you're upset, his shoes are the ones that are really stinky and are definitely NOT my pretty new black pair. They're gray and upstairs on the left side of the closet."

Luke groaned and took Lorelai by the hand. "We're going to be late." He turned back to Paul Anka, "And if you eat my shoes, you're sleeping outside."

Lorelai gasped. By the time she recovered from her shock, they were somehow outside. "You cannot make Paul Anka sleep outside. He is not an outside dog." Luke pretended not to hear, and kept walking, holding Lorelai's hand. "You are going to make him feel unwanted and unloved. We have to let Paul Anka be himself."

Luke stopped and kissed Lorelai deeply. "I love you, please stop talking about the dog."

Lorelai smiled. "You love Paul Anka, too."

"That is something that we'll have to discuss later."

"Kiss me again." Lorelai beamed as Luke took her in his arms again and kissed her with more passion than the previous one. "Okay, consider it dropped for now."

The pair walked to the meeting, making it just in time for Taylor to call the meeting to order. "We need to discuss the gazebo. Now the gazebo is a fine gazebo. It has been there since the founding of the town-"

"Wow, Taylor, you mean that when they founded the town in 1779, Mr. Hollow said, 'We need a gazebo and we need it now! Forget crops and all of that silly survival stuff, build me a gazebo!'" Lorelai asked, with the feigned-innocence that she was known for.

Taylor rolled his eyes. "That's beside the point. The point is that it was built a long time ago, and frankly, I think it's time for an update."

"What do you mean, Taylor?" Babette stood up and asked.

"Yes, Taylor, do you mean that you're going to tear the whole thing down and build a new one?" Patsy stood next to her best friend.

"I don't like the sound of this, Taylor," Gypsy added, narrowing her eyes at him.

Luke sat back, amused. "Notice? I haven't said a word," he whispered to Lorelai.

"Shh, you just sit back and continue to be good. We don't want a repeat of what happened last meeting," Lorelai said, referring to when Doose challenged Luke to a duel in the middle of the square.

"Well, you see," Taylor continued, "if we moved the Gazebo twenty feet to the Northeast, its placement would be much better for the town. We would have more of an open area for … for whatever we saw fit."

"And just what is it that you see fit, Doose?" Luke asked, unable to stop himself.

"I'm glad that you asked!" He motioned for Kirk to join him on the platform. Kirk unveiled a 3-D model sitting on the table. The gazebo had been moved from its original spot. "You see, with the gazebo moved, it will put Stars Hollow in the running for local concerts, which will drive more business to Stars Hollow!"

"What's the catch?" Gypsy asked.

"Catch? There's no catch," Tyler responded with a smile.

"Taylor, you're the one who chased our troubadours out. Why are you becoming Music Man all of a sudden?" Lorelai asked.

There was a chorus of "Yeah" that followed her speculation.

"Fine. As a town, we'll get ten thousand dollars to make our town more musician-friendly."

"And how much of that do you get, Taylor?" Luke asked.

"Well, as the Town Selectman, I would be getting five percent for the negotiation of this. It's a very serious matter."

Luke shot out of his seat. "Five hundred dollars! You are such a self-ser-"

Lorelai stood up and covered Luke's mouth with her hand. "I think what Luke is trying to say is that perhaps all of the money should go to the entire town." Lorelai looked at Luke, who, though very angry, nodded.

"Fine, I'll use it to plant more trees, though it's not like we need them. We have many trees."

"If we have so many trees, then why don't we get that tree award?" someone asked from the back.

"What tree award?" Taylor became very interested in the prospect of Stars Hollow having another award.

"You can research it later. Let's vote," Lorelai suggested.

"All in favor?"

Everyone in the town meeting responded, "Aye."

"Those opposed?" Taylor asked, though he knew no one would respond. He hit his gavel on the podium. "That settles it. The gazebo will be moved twenty-five feet to the Northeast."

"Are you calm now?" Lorelai asked, her hand still over Luke's mouth. Luke rolled his eyes and nodded in response. "Okay, if you promise to be good, I'll take my hand off." Luke made an X over his heart and Lorelai dropped her hand.

The meeting was soon over, and Luke and Lorelai headed to the diner, where Luke served a few customers while Lorelai ate pie and annoyed him.

"What a crazy meeting, huh, Doll," Babette said, as she sat next to Lorelai. "I was waiting for Luke to POW! hit Taylor right in the kisser. That's something I'd like to see, I tell ya."

Lorelai laughed, "I think Luke was waiting for that, too."

"Next time, I say you let him run wild. I'd like to see what Luke is made of, wouldn't you Maury?"

"Word," Maury responded.

Lorelai smiled. She loved her town, but she couldn't help but feel the absence of her daughter. It saddened her that she never seemed to have everything. If she had Luke, she didn't have Rory. If she had Rory, there was no Luke. She sighed and ordered another piece of cherry pie.

Rory was floating. She was actually floating. Or, she was being carried. One of the two. She squealed as Dennis grabbed her legs tighter around his waist and started running down the streets of Los Angeles. They made it to their hotel in record timing. He let her down gently once they'd reached the elevator. "Rory Gilmore," Dennis smiled. He was drunk, but he wasn't falling over.

"Yes?" Rory giggled.

"You are something else," he replied, almost mysteriously. Somehow, they reached her room. Rory felt like she was in high school, like this was the moment she would have had with Dean outside of her house on their first date, if he hadn't kissed her in Doose's market first. Her heart was beating out of her chest, and she could swear he could hear it, too.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered before he leaned down and kissed her sweetly on the lips. He didn't take it further than that; he was being a gentleman. But Rory wasn't sure she wanted him to be.

Fearing she'd do something that she regretted, Rory fumbled with the keycard to her door and, like the lady that her grandmother wanted her to be, said goodnight.

Next Episode: We find out who Rory called, and what her decision is. Lane and Zach make an appearance, plus April arrives!