Summary: In Rory's Junior Year at Chilton she joins the Puffs and secretly begins to join Hartford society, with the help of her grandmothers she has access to all the same things the other girls do. What will happen when her secret life is exposed? Time frame is approximately February before Rory's 18th birthday in October and a bit past that . (AU) Pairing [Logan and Rory]

Disclaimer: Still not mine, just my constructs and musings.

I Get By With a Little Help

Chapter 1 - The Cat is Out of the Bag

Rory hated lying to her mother, but it was necessary, how could her mother expect her to go to Chilton and not make friends, not try to fit in. It had started that fateful night she was caught by Headmaster Charleston with the infamous Puffs, she was in, although they all applauded her mastery at challenging his punishment of her and she actually avoided said punishment. She had to get her grandmother's help and Emily loved being in on the conspiracy. Rory would take the bus from Stars Hollow but instead of going to Chilton she went to the Gilmore's and make a few adjustments, she switched from the clunky yellow backpack to the school messenger bag, from black tights to school socks and even her saddle shoes were now the patent leather type preferred by the popular crowd. She would then grab her lunch from the cook and take her car, a darling little PT Cruiser to Chilton. Today was one of the days she was feeling guilty, the lies were nothing really, she kept her designer clothes at the Gilmore's her car would be in the garage Friday nights and Rory was no longer a pariah at Chilton. She had even begun a tentative friendship with Francine Hayden when she accidentally met her at the club while golfing with her grandfather, although truly the meeting had been no accident Francine had been hearing raves from the ladies in the garden club about the Gilmore granddaughter and felt a twinge of jealousy she could not easily claim her as her own. Francine had managed to meet her in the steam room, the girl was friendly, well spoken and was most cordial upon realizing she had been conversing with her paternal grandmother. Rory would meet with her frequently and finally arranged a meeting of the two matriarchs to bury the hatchet and share in the joys of having a granddaughter. Rory reflected on the past few months and although she was happy, she had such guilt for keeping a separate life from her mother. She was feeling particularly guilty this Saturday, she had told her mother she would be with a study group at Chilton for her science class, the truth was it was a garden party arranged by alumni Puffs to celebrate the next generation, she had been surprised, although she shouldn't have been, both grandmother's had been Puffs. What Rory didn't know was this fateful day would be the end of her secret life and possibly the beginning of the end of her deep and meaningful relationship with her mother.

Sunday afternoon Rory returned from visiting with her grandmothers and was met by an irate Lorelai.

"Care to explain this to me young lady, what are you doing in the society pages?" Lorelai tossed the paper down accusingly.

There on the page in question was Rory in an elegant spring formal, with Paris, Madeline, Louise and the younger Francine who was the leader of the Puffs, the photo was captioned, 'Hartford's next generation.' Rory paled and looked at her shoes.

"What do you want me to say mom, I go to Chilton, you knew I had joined the Puffs, you even told me they were kidnapping me, did you really think it was just a one time deal? Did you honestly think I would be able to live here and only go to school there?" Rory tried to explain. I guess in the interest of full disclosure Grandma Emily and Grandma Francine have been helping me fit into Hartford with clothes a car and such, honestly keeping this from you has been torture, but at least now it is out. Can I bring my car home so I don't have to take the bus anymore?" Rory rushed out in a single breath.

Lorelai was shocked, gob smacked, and in awe of what her daughter had just told her. Rory had just confessed that she was leading a life in Hartford with the help of both Emily and FRANCINE! How the Hell did she get them conspiring to help her everything was such a shock.

"I didn't raise you to be a society brat, I wanted you to be free from that world and you go behind my back and become just that. That you are fraternizing with society kids, allowing your grandparents to bank roll you. What's next are you going to be a deb too?" Lorelai was incensed.

"Actually, I was going to talk to you about that tonight..." Rory began but was cut off.

"YOU WHAT! First I find out about you secret life in the Hartford Gazette, then you want to talk about being a Deb, please tell mommy Aston Kushner is near by? I worked my self silly to keep you far away from that world and you are killing me kid, you really want all of that madness? Are you doing this for a boy? OMG! Are you having SEX?!" Lorelai ranted.

"God Mom, no just NO! You know what, you can just cool off!", Rory went to her room and called her grandmother for a ride, it was getting dark out and she didn't want to take the bus, she packed her bag with, her uniforms and some things she would need and sat waiting to hear the tires crunch in the driveway, as soon as she did she was on her way to the door.

"Where are you going, we haven't finished this!" Lorelai watched as Rory reached for the door.

"I can't be here with you like this, you aren't listening to me. I am sorry that I kept my life from you, but THIS right here is WHY! I Am going to Grandma and Grandpa Gilmore, if I need to I will switch to the Hayden's for the next week, and I will keep alternating until I graduate. Mom, you say I can be great, but you mean I can be what you want, your do over, your middle-class version of you. Well, SURPRISE, you sent me to Chilton, you want me in Harvard, it remarkably looks like me in society, so I am reaping the benefits of my hard work, your hard work and that of my ancestors! Dammit Mom! I am a Gilmore and a Hayden and you are treating me like a Jane Doe! If you decide you want to talk, call me, you are supposed to be my best friend as well as my mom! Think about what I have been through knowing I could not talk to my BEST FRIEND about my LIFE! I had to lie by omission for months, because I KNEW you would not accept it, you would fight it and me and make me miserable. Goodnight Mom, I have a car waiting." Rory opened the door and handed the driver her bag then got in to the back seat.

Lorelai watched as the car spirited her daughter away, away to the land of social commitments, backbiting gossip and money in place of love.

She was so shocked and saddened she just watched as her child and best friend slipped away. Coffee, she needed coffee.

"Luke, coffee, and keep it coming." She slouched against the counter, "Please don't argue, I need coffee."

Luke poured her a cup and she inhaled the aroma, and watched as she took a strengthening sip, " Is this about the town car we saw come and go?"

"Yup, that was Rory, pulling a Lorelai and running away from home, ironic right. Here I did EVERYTHING in my power to pull her out of that life, that way of being and she waltzed right into it of her own accord. She even managed somehow to bring the Gilmore's and Hayden's to reconciliation, they smoked a peace-pipe named Rory and the great white hope is born up from the ashes! I lose, I went through all of this and I lose, she chooses, them, it, Hartford. I feel like Charlie at the end of the factory tour, sure I drank the fizzy lifting drink, but I gave back the gopstopper, don't I get to keep my factory, my dream, my hopes? I lose, I lose, she chose them over me, she packed her bag, got in that car and left for Hartford." She quickly finished the hot cup and pushed it towards him, "Hit me again."

Luke considered the woman before him, "Lorelai, you didn't lose her, she is taking a peek behind the curtain, once she sees the wizard is just a trickster, she will be home. Geeze, you even have me rambling like you, she loves you, she loves this town, think of this as her being picked up in a tornado, it's all fun and exciting, but there is no place like home." Luke consoled and placed his hand on hers as he poured her a fresh cup.

"You are referencing 'Wizard of Oz' it is my crowning glory." Lorelai said and accepted the slice of pie he placed in front of her. She was so lucky he knew just what to do, yup it was a good time for coffee and pie.