Hello there, I know it is bad form to post a sequel to a story when you are half way through posting the prequel to it, especially when it is unbeta'd. However it is Sunday and my fish tank is cloudy due to an algae bloom and I feel like posting this.
It is a sequel to Dog Diner Afternoon and seeing how more than a few years have past and it is set in Stars Hollow, there will be no gun play, no demons, no going into the sense of entitlement that seems to go hand in hand with being Rory Gilmore or the complex knowing her gave to Dean Forester, (shocking for me I know.)
Let me know if you enjoy it, well if you read it :)
Oh pairings I suppose I should mention them even though they are pretty obvious if you read the other stories I wrote in this little world
Luke/Lorelai
Rory/Jess
Dean F/Jo
"Give it back, give it back to him!" the boy yelled jumping up trying desperately to reach the book that was being dangled just out of reach. The only response emanating from those around him being the laughter of his tormentors mingled with the grumblings of his companion who was being held back by one of another one of the group.
"Hey! Buttface! Your mother mate with a monkey or something?"
The larger boy turned his head to see blonde hair framing a small determined glaring face.
"I asked you a question. Your dad a monkey, because he asked for his book back, so unless you are deaf, you are an idjit and according to my Uncle Dean the quickest way to become an idjit, is to be related to a monkey!"
The larger boy dropped the book before pushing the child in front of him to the ground. "What you saying?"
She stood her ground. "I'm saying that you should be locked up in a cage with all the other poop throwers or are you too dumb to get that?"
He took a step forward as his friends watched on, expecting her to turn and run. Instead she charged; head butting him in the stomach, winding him.
The other boys stared at the sight of their leader on the ground that was presently being towered by the girl who was half his size. She turned her head to face the others. "What are you guys wanting now - free pay per view?"
The other three boys ran as the large boy scrambled to his feet – all the while she shouted abuse at them.
"You two okay?" she asked quietly to the other two boys who she guessed would be in her grade.
The one who had obviously been the original target nodded as the other one handed him the book back.
"Should have kicked him in the nads – that might have worked for you," she said confidently as she went back for her bag.
"And then he would have gotten his friends to really beat us up," the slightly larger boy who had pushed to the ground replied. "The only reason they didn't touch you is because you're a girl."
"Maybe," the girl said. "Maybe not."
"Really?" the larger boy replied.
"Anyways, my mom says fighting is wrong," the smaller boy who's book had been taken interjected. "That you should just ignore bullies."
She stopped and turned, "What does your dad say?"
"He says that I shouldn't let them get to me, but it isn't wrong to tell people that I don't want to be pushed around," he admitted.
She thought for a second. "Funny that, my Mom says something like that and my Dad says that I shouldn't pick fights."
"Who are you?" the second, slightly larger boy asked.
She hesitated. "I'm…I'm new."
"Doesn't tell me much, does it," the second slightly boy said defiantly.
"I started today," she said a little shakily, before regaining her confidence. "And you could say thank you, or is it because you don't like your as…butt being saved by a girl."
Both boys looked at each other, wounded.
The smaller one sniffed, before kicking at the dirt, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," she said firmly before turning round and preparing to walk off.
"Hey, you didn't tell us your name," the larger boy said.
"Willow… Willow Harvelle, but you can call me Willie" she replied. "What's yours?"
The larger boy puffed up his chest a little. "Jude Danes and the dorky one here is Alex Mariano."
She nodded, "You in second grade too?"
Both boys nodded.
"You promise not to tell anybody what I did?" she pleaded, before nervously adding. "My Granddad won't be happy I got into a fight on my first day."
You think we are going to admit that Francis Cranmuir and his friends beat us up?" asked Alex.
"Hey, he didn't beat me up," Jude protested.
Willow smiled, "He was going to though."
"Shut up!" Jude said.
"Stop playing with your food Jude," Emily said firmly as the 7 year old pushed his vegetables around his plate while the adults continued their discussions during the Friday Night dinner.
"Mom, can I ask Willie come round to play tomorrow as we don't have school?" said Alex quietly to Rory, who was currently engaged with her grandfather discussing matters related to US foreign policy.
"What is that big guy?" Jess asked his son.
"He's asking if Willie can come and play with us tomorrow," Jude said.
"Who's Willie?" Rory asked both boys.
"Willie goes to our school, and is new so doesn't have many friends yet."
"So you two have a new friend?" Jess asked the boys.
"Willie is not our friend," Jude said firmly, kicking Alex under the table.
"You're just sore because you were about to get creamed by Frankie," Alex blurted out.
Luke looked at his son as did the rest of the table, "Jude? What happened?"
"Nothing Dad. I swear."
"Is that boy and his friends bothering you two again?" Lorelai asked. "You can say if he is."
"He's just a stupid 4th grader," Jude said firmly. "And we don't need you to talk to the Principal. We told you that – we can deal with him ourselves."
"Are you guys sure?" Rory said, causing all the male members of the family to look at her.
"He was only picking on me today Mom because he's a buttface!" Alex said pouting.
"Excuse me?" Emily asked. "What did you say?"
"He said that Frankie is a buttface," Jude said.
"We don't use language like that, young man." Richard said firmly.
"But that's what Willie called him," Alex explained. "And Jude's just sore because Willie saved him, that's why he doesn't want to go and play."
"So this Willie kid saved you two?" Jess said causing the two boys to look slightly embarrassed.
"Didn't need saving," Jude muttered.
"And there really wasn't any fighting and Willie only called him a buttface to get his attention so he'd leave us alone," Alex said before turning to the adults, "So can Willie come over tomorrow? Please?"
Luke smiled at the two small boys seated at the end of the table, "I don't see why not."
The two boys stood at the front door reading the bit of paper in Alex's hand.
"You sure this is the right place?" Jude asked, "Because I don't think it is."
"It's the address Willie gave us."
"But she said she just moved here, so how can she be sure?" Jude reasoned.
Alex huffed. "Grandma said that as long as we were together we could come over here, so we should at least check if it is the right or the wrong place."
"Alex, you ever think it is weird that your Grandma is my mom?" Jude asked his nephew.
"As much as my Dad is your cousin," Alex replied.
"What exactly does that make us?"
Alex shrugged, "I don't know – the other doofus that has to get dressed up to go spend Friday night at the big house?"
"I don't like it that Granny tries to make me wear a tie," Jude stated.
"Granny Emily does that to me too, remember."
Jude smirked. "Yeah I suppose, and she always gives you little bow ties too."
"We should knock," Alex said quickly trying to change the subject to which Jude hesitated for a moment before taking the plunge.
Both boys stood at the door as it slowly opened and a large man stood there staring down at them, "Can I help you two?"
Alex nervously looked up. "Can Willie come out to play?"
As the three children walked down the street Willie stopped in the center of the town square, looking around her.
"Are you okay?" Jude asked.
Willie took a moment and nodded, "Sure. It is just bigger than my Dad said it was."
"Your Dad?" Alex asked.
Willie nodded, "Yeah he said this place was small and I'd like it and that I could take lessons with Miss…oh what did he say her name was."
"Miss Patty?" Jude asked.
Willie nodded, "I fink so. He said that while I'm staying here that my Nana May might want to take me to dance lessons and that I could take part in a recital… what ever that is."
Jude grinned. "You could get a pink tutu."
"What is a tutu?" Willie asked. "And why does it have to be pink."
Both boys turned to her, "What type of girl are you?"
Willie shrugged, "The girl who saved your butts!"
"So this is your little friend?" Luke said as the three children piled into the diner.
"Yes this is Willow, but you can call her Willie," Jude said firmly.
Luke took a breath. "I think I will call her Willow. If that is okay with her?"
The girl blushed for a second before giving him a little nod.
"Yeah and she's new. Like we said, so we thought we'd give her the whole Stars Hollow Tour," Alex said.
"The whole tour?" Luke asked.
"Well, can we ask Rory or Grandma if we missed anything if they come in later," Jude replied as the girl stood nervously in front of the large man. "Actually, can I just ask Rory as Mom will do all the history stuff."
Luke smiled as the little boy looked contrite. "Sure kid, your friend doesn't need to know about your whole life story, let alone your mom trying to get hers."
"Life story?" Willow said quietly not sure what that meant.
"It's okay Willie, my Mom just talks and talks and asks lots of questions" Jude said "But this is my Dad and he'll talk to her, plus he makes the best chocolate sundaes ever!"
"Sure I do," Luke said with a smile.
"I don't…" Willie said quietly.
"Really it is okay, Grandpa Luke is way cool," Alex said reassuringly.
"Grandpa?" Willie asked confused.
"Yeah. He's my Dad, but he's also kind of Alex's Grandpa," Jude explained.
Willie stood there for a moment confused, she scratched her head, "Okay?"
"And my Dad is also Jude's cousin," Alex added causing the girl to stand there for a moment in thought. "My Mom says we are a real life Atypical American blended family out of the pages of a 21st century soap opera script."
Willow stood there, "Blended family…my friend Ben says he'd be in a proper one of those if my Uncle wasn't so stupid and just deal, but I don't understand what he's talking about?"
Luke smiled at the little girl. "It means that that the boys can try and sucker me for free ice cream from time to time. Would you like one?"
Willow bit her lip, she stuck her hand in her pocket fishing out a dime and 2 quarters, "I've only got this, so no."
"It's okay – the boys here are having."
She shook her head, "I'm not suppose to take things from people I don't know. My Mom and Dad says that I shouldn't, especially free stuff because there is always a hidden tag…and if the strange people don't want for me to pay up front then I should run away. I don't know why but I think that it must mean that it is really bad."
Luke nodded. "That sounds like good advice. But you know what a quarter is about the cost of an extra spoon. So how about I give these two an extra big sundae and you three can share, is that okay?"
Alex smiled, "Sure it is Grandpa!"
Willie, looked at the big man in front of her, "I only get ice cream after I have something that is good for me – can I have an apple instead? Do I have enough for that?"
Both boys looked at her before looking at Luke, "Can we get apples too?"
Luke stood there dumb founded for a moment, before grinning. "Willow, if you can get these two to eat an apple you girl can definitely have one on the house."
Willow shook her head. "If it is the same to you mister, I'll pay if that is alright."
"So you are telling me, they said they didn't want me to help them give her the tour?" Lorelai asked.
"Yep, guess they didn't want their friend there knowing about the time they ran across the town square with nothing on," Luke replied.
"Hey, I'm proud of that moment, their first political statement and what would a town festival in a heat wave be like without two miniature three year old streakers," Lorelai retorted. "And it wasn't like anyone helped them out of their clothes, they did that all on their own."
"And it took use two hours to work out that they had piled them under the gazebo," Luke said.
"Alex did try and fold his shirt," Lorelai stated. "Which was cute, and it was Rory's fault remember. She told them they couldn't play in the sprinklers because of the way they were dressed so taking them off and putting them somewhere where they wouldn't get wet was very clever of them."
"Yeah, but you didn't have to take an album worth of pictures."
"Hey, is it my fault you still haven't got a cell with a camera," Lorelai said. "Anyway those are golden memories, baby. The ones we are supposed to treasure."
"Yeah sure," Luke said causing Lorelai to pout before turning to look over at the three children. "Are you sure that they ate an apple – no fighting, no screaming, no asking for the whole can of whipped cream on it first?"
"Yes," Luke said as he started to wipe down the counter.
"Who is this child and what has she done to our boys?" Lorelai asked.
Luke just smiled. "Looks like they've discovered that girls a little earlier than expected."
"Well they are both Gilmore's – we develop fast," Lorelai said knowingly.
Luke stared at his wife, "Sure that is it."
"Oh, don't the three of them look so adorable," Lorelai said as she watched them. "We should record this moment, the boys' first date. This is definitely a Kodak moment."
"Another one?" Luke asked. "And when our son tries to divorce us for mental cruelty you wouldn't have gathered all the evidence that he needs with all the pictures you have."
Lorelai ignored him for a moment. "We could blow it up along with their baby pictures; oh they would so love that."
Luke nodded, "Yeah Lorelai, they're adorable. But they won't be so adorable when the boys work out they can't share her."
"Hey, I said they are adorable – we are no where near the point where we are sitting Jude down to explain why he and his little 'friend' there shouldn't go riding their little bikes down to the lake," Lorelai replied.
"And Alex?" Luke replied.
"He maybe named after a French writer who wrote about high adventure and romance, but he's seven so I'm not going to have to worry about becoming a great grandma just yet."
"Mom, Dad, is it okay if me and Alex walk Willie back to her grandparents' house?" Jude asked as he walked over to his mother, interrupting Lorelai and Luke's conversation.
"So soon?" Lorelai asked as the boy looked up at them.
Jude nodded, "She says that her Mom calls to see how she is doing everyday and she wants to tell her all about everything."