1.1 Discovering True Love

Background: It is two months after Lorelai has called off her engagement to Max Medina. Lorelai and Rory are returning to Stars Hollow.

Chapter One: Home At Last

"Oh no, we caught the light again!" Lorelai Gilmore moaned as she dramatically collapsed on the steering wheel.

Her daughter, Rory, looked up from the book she was reading in the backseat. Peering through the windshield at Stars Hollow's first traffic light, she broke into a smile. "We're home!" Looking over at her mother, she repeated, "we're home."

"Yes, I recognize the place," Lorelai told her in her usual sarcastic manner.

Rory continued to gaze at her mother. "How did we get home so fast, mother?" she inquired, "it seemed like the miles just flew by."

"Umm, I'm a good driver?" Lorelai replied, avoiding Rory's gaze.

"Try again."

Lorelai broke down under Rory's scrutiny. "Ok, I might have driven a wee past the speed limit."

Shaking her head, Rory smiled at her mother. Lorelai was the best mother she could have ever asked for. Everything she did, she did with an abandon and flair. There was no middle ground for Lorelai Gilmore.

"You're gonna get caught someday," Rory warned.

"Ahhh, but someday is not today," Lorelai replied, smiling that wide smile for which she was well-known.



She turned her attention to the traffic light, which was still stubbornly showing red. "Change, change, change," she chanted. She repeated her mantra as Rory looked out the windows at all of their friends. She saw Miss Patty, the dance teacher, who was looking over at their car with a sad look on her face. Rory knew that her mother had called her best friend, Sookie, to tell her the news of the broken engagement to Max Medina. So, she was pretty sure that the whole town knew by now. That was why Lorelai was concentrating on the traffic light, Rory guessed, so she didn't have to see the stares.

But, Lorelai was well-aware of the stares that were beginning to glance their way. 'Come on, light, change,' she thought. All she wanted to do was get home and get away from all the stares. She knew they meant well, but even after two months, the last thing she wanted to do was talk about the break-up, even if it was her idea. Just then, as if by magic, the light changed. Lorelai gave a not-so-silent cheer, "whoo-hoo!" and let her foot off the brake.

As the car sped up, Rory suggested, "how about we stop in for coffee at Luke's before we head home?"

Lorelai inwardly groaned and cursed the day she introduced coffee to her daughter. If she didn't want to talk to anybody in town about her break- up, she especially didn't want to talk to Luke Danes. He was the only person, it seemed, who didn't approve of her and Max. Even though she knew he wouldn't say anything, she didn't want to stand in his diner and see him gloat. "Not today, okay, Ror?" she pleaded, "I just want to get home, take a bath and climb into my own bed."

"Wow, you're really scared of Luke, aren't you?" Rory said, amazed that her mother would avoid anyone or anything.

"What? Me, scared?" Lorelai exclaimed, "I am not scared of Luke Danes."

Rory wasn't buying it. "Yes, you are," she said, "you're so afraid of what he thinks of you, you can't even go into the diner for your daily cup of coffee. That's why we went on the road trip. It wasn't to get away from Max, it was to get away from Luke."

Lorelai was speechless. Where did Rory come up with this? Had she given any indication that she was in any way interested in Luke? "Rory….", she began.

At that moment, Rory's attention was averted. She smiled when she saw her boyfriend, Dean, standing outside. "Stop the car, Mom, okay?" she asked.

Lorelai pulled over to the curb to let Rory out. "I'll meet you at home, okay, hon?" she called, as Rory rushed to get out of the car. Watching her daughter run up to Dean and kiss him hello, Lorelai smiled and wondered if she would ever feel that carefree again.

"Hello, Lorelai."

Lorelai jumped. "God, Luke, don't go sneaking up on a girl, would ya?" she told him, hitting him through the car window.

"Sorry," he grunted. "So, are ya coming in or what?"

(okay, that's all for now. What do ya think so far? Please read & review. I really want feedback on this one.)