Rory sat outside the tiny cafe in the North Beach district of San Francisco. The May afternoon was warm and breezy. She blew on her coffee and slowly sipped it. She felt the warm sensation of the liquid sliding down her throat as she started to relax. Rory was taking a break from her usual job. She had to fly out to San Francisco for two weeks as a request from her boss to help out a paper that was just starting to become more popular. Her job description never really called for her to do this kind of work. However, she willingly took the request. It was better than having to face her problems at home in New York City.

She hadn't spoken to her mom since that day that Lorelai decided to voice her opinions about John, her now fiance.

Lorelai had to say it. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey Rory? You know how we have that whole mother-daughter freakishly connected bond?

"Yea?" Rory responded, not looking up from the newspaper article she was reading on her mother's kitchen table.

"Well I've been thinking lately and I just thought," Lorelai hesitated.

Rory's interest was now peaked. It wasn't often that Lorelai would hesitate like this.

"You thought what mom?" Rory put down her paper, sensing that this was going to be an important conversation.

Lorelai took a deep breath and let out the words she had been waiting to say to Rory for so long all in one breath, "You could do a lot better than John. Don't get me wrong; he's handsome and has a respectable job and all but to tell you the truth, I've always regarded him as dull, too severe with a serious mouth, and not to mention he's always got a stick up his ass."

Rory looked at her mother like she had just grown another head.

"Rory please just hear me out. I think you need to be with someone more fun loving. Someone who understands the way we are and the way we banter. Someone who will let you spend some girl time with your mom," Lorelai stated her final statement.

Immediately, Rory pounced on what Lorelai just said, "So that's what it really is isn't it? You're just pissed because I don't spend every god-damned free time I have with you!"

"Rory no! You know that's not it! I love you too much to let you be with this guy. Can't you see? It's like he's sapping all the fun-loving and quirky traits you have. You're not who you used to be."

"Gee sorry for growing a bit more mature," Rory said sarcastically.

"That's not it either!"

"Then what is it mother?"

"See it's stuff like that; calling me mother in such a serious tone. You're always working. When was the last time you read a book just for enjoyment? When was the last time you talked to your best friend Lane who by the way is pregnant now. You've taken up smoking too!"

"Ok stop it! Now you're just exaggerating. I have a career and I have a boyfriend who understands that."

Lorelai snorted, "Yea right. He probably just wants to make you a trophy wife in the future."

"That's enough. First of all why are you just starting to tell me these things about John and how you think my behavior has been changing? We've been dating for almost 2 years. And second, don't even say anything about the right guys for me. I've found a guy that can make me focus and doesn't let me get off track with my goal as a correspondent. See mom, I'm not like you. I know how to keep the men in my life," Rory fumed.

Lorelai was shocked into silence. "You're not the Rory that grew up in Stars Hollow anymore or the one that loved life and took chances in college" Lorelai sighed sadly.

"No mom. I haven't been that Rory since I graduated from Yale. Since--" Rory started to say but choked on the tears that she felt where about to fall.

The kitchen became silent as Rory and Lorelai started processing the words that were exchanged between mother and daughter. It was then that Rory decided to leave. She turned around and started for her old bedroom. Lorelai turned and headed upstairs to her bedroom. This weekend was meant to be a relaxing thing. John was out of town on business in Tokyo. Before this weekend, Lorelai and Rory hadn't seen each other for at least 3 months. Between work and having to attend various charity events and social gatherings, Rory hadn't been able to take any time off to see her mom. Lorelai and Rory both thought bitterly "What a waste of a weekend."

Rory quickly packed her bag and left through the front door and out to her convertible Mercedes which was a present from her grandparents after she graduated from Yale. Rory sat back for a moment in her car. She regained her composure and started to back out. With one last quick glance, she sped off, away from her childhood home and away from her best friend.

She hadn't thought of him in a while. There used to be countless days and nights that she couldn't stop thinking about him.

'Dammit!' Rory banged on her steering wheel in frustration. "Damn him," she quietly whispered to herself as tears slowly made tracks down her cheeks.

Rory gazed blankly across the street as she relived that day in Stars Hollow. She blinked rapidly to get the thoughts that were pressing in her mind out. She breathed a quick sigh of frustration. 'What the hell is going on with my life?' She thought as she got up quickly from her seat with her coffee cup in her hand. She hadn't been looking when she quickly stood up, not realizing that she was about to collide into someone else. Funny how these things happen. Fate has a very warped sense of humor.