Thanks for all the reviews I received for the first chapter. I'm glad you all like it. Enjoy the second part, please also leave a review.

Thanks for amazing beta Steph. I wouldn't know what to do without you. You are a really big help!

Now... Enjoy!

"Mom, you… you aren't serious." Rory put down her cup very noisily.

Lorelai sighed. She guessed right that her offspring would react this way. And Rory was so right.

"Alright", she declined. "I just wanted to know how you feel theoretically about this. So to speak if the case occurs that I would really go…"

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Everything alright?"

Another sigh. "Sure. I should have thrown away the letter immediately."

Rory was biting her lip while watching her mother picking up some documents. Rory emptied her cup in one go, fetched her backpack and took her coat in the corridor. But after she had put her hand on the door handle, she stopped. Lorelai put the two cups into the dishwasher and grabbed a croissant but then recognized that it was much older than its expiration date and let it slip into the garbage can with a look of regret on her face. As she turned around, Rory was standing in the doorway.

"Aren't you late?"

"Mom, be honest."

"About what?"

"Come on, you didn't ask me if I could cope without you for six months just for fun, did you?"

"Yes, I did. I like to see you frowning that much. It's a substitute for every sitcom."

Rory shot a look at her Mom that was clearly saying this was not sarcasm material.

"Ok…" Lorelai sighed. "I took the offer… into consideration seriously. But it just meant that I thought about talking to you. But you said no and my decision was made."

"Hm."

"Why 'hm'?"

"'Cause I'm thinking."

"You aren't in school yet. Look out for smoke coming out of your head." Lorelai opened one of the cupboards in the kitchen to look for a roll or toast but pulled her head back out unsuccessfully.

"You said you would make twice as much money as you do now…"

"Rory. It's alright if you're against it."

"I didn't say that. It was just a little… surprising. It's 7 am."

"Right. And you should run to the bus stop really quickly now."

"Give me time to think about it."

"I will switch on the smoke detector, ok?"

"See you later."

"Four-ish at Luke's!" Lorelai yelled after her daughter, then picked up her bag and left the house a few minutes later, too. She was hungry and she urgently needed something edible that wasn't over its expiration date of six months ago.

----------

"Good morning." Lorelai put her bag on a stool in front of the counter and sat next to it.

"Oh, hey." Luke looked up briefly. "Hungry?"

Lorelai nodded and Luke disappeared in the kitchen and came back with a plate on which a croissant and some jam were fighting about who's taking most of the space.

"Wow. I didn't know you have something like that on your menu."

"I don't", he mentioned with a no-comment-look on his face. "Take it as reparation."

"Huh?" Lorelai looked up from the plate.

"You know. 'Cause of yesterday night."

"Oh. Sure." She totally forgot about it, being much too busy thinking about the course in London.

"Luke, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

"If you were offered a free 'How to manage a diner'-course would you accept?"

"No."

"Oh. Why?"

"'Cause you don't have to be a manager for this place."

"Ok, bad example."

Lorelai spread some jam on her first croissant. After she had eaten half the croissant, she tried once again.

"But just pretend you have to be a manager."

A little annoyed, Luke put the lid over the muffin plate again after putting in new muffins. "Then I certainly would accept."

"And why?"

"Well, 'cause it's free."

"Oh." Lorelai turned to her croissant again.

Luke went over to one of the tables to refill the guests' cups with coffee. Lorelai turned to him now.

"And if you would have to leave for some time?"

"That…" Luke began and went back to the counter. "… would depend on how long 'some time' would be."

"Six months."

Annoyed, Luke put down the pot.

"If you have the silly idea in your head of giving me a brochure of such a course and attending it: No. I can't leave this place for six months. I got the diner and Jess to consider, I have responsibilities. And…" he paused and continued in a calmer tone. "I got friends here in Stars Hollow that I can't just abandon for half a year. That wouldn't be fair."

Lorelai was taken aback and looked at him a little confused.

"Oh."

"What?"

"I didn't intend to send you to such a… course. But…" She got up and reached for her bag. "Thanks for giving such a detailed description…" Lorelai paused to fish some money out of her bag to put it on the counter. "… of your point of view."

"Everything alright?"

"Sure. I gotta go."

Luke pushed the money back to her with a skeptical look.

"It's on the house."

"Oh." Lorelai shrugged and took it back. "So…"

With a look that said she was still mulling over his words, she left the diner. Luke watched her for a second, shrugged, and turned back to the muffins.

----------

Rory strolled from the bus stop to Luke's Diner along the street. Then she discovered her mother who was standing a little aside of the previously agreed on meeting point and shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"Hey, why are you outside?"

"I have to talk to you."

"Ah. Outside?"

"Oh, no." Lorelai turned around to the diner and then declined. "Just not inside Luke's."

"Oh, I see. Top secret." Rory nodded and grinned.

"We're in a good mood today, huh?"

"I don't know if you are. I am." Rory kept on grinning and strolled along next to her mother.

"Any specific reason?"

"I got an A + on my French test."

"I see."

"So, what do you have to discuss with me that's so urgent?"

"Hm." Lorelai walked beside her daughter quietly for a while, looked at her sideways a few times and began to speak.

"I don't know whether I should do that course."

"Oh… oh."

"Why two 'ohs'?"

"Earlier today you were like mulling. Now you already got doubts. This means, somewhere between earlier today and now you had decided to go."

Lorelai nodded. "Yes. I… Really, I'd like to do it."

Rory sighed. "I know."

"So?"

"What 'so'?"

"What do you think about it?"

Rory bit her lower lip. "I don't know what that would mean for me – except just talking to you on the phone for over six months – but I think you should do it."

"How come you changed your mind?"

Rory stopped. "I never told you I'm against it. I just needed a little time."

"To do a pro and con list?"

"Exactly."

"Ah."

They started to walk again.

"And what's the matter with Luke then?" Rory looked at her mother sideways.

"Nothing, it's just…"

"Just what?"

"Well… he's against it."

"You asked Luke what he thinks about this?"

"Hey, we eat there every day. We're good friends."

"And… he said he's against it?"

"Well, not exactly."

"Oh no, Mom!"

"What?" Lorelai looked at Rory questioningly.

"You didn't play one of your 'what-if-I-would'-games with him, did you?"

"Kind of", Lorelai mentioned a little subdued.

"I don't believe it! And you seriously think that he – just because he doesn't want to do it – advises you to let it go?"

"No. It's not like that."

"So, what is it like?"

They both arrived at their house.

"Well, he mentioned he wouldn't do it, 'cause he got Jess and…"

"And?"

"'Cause he wouldn't abandon his friends."

"Oh."

"Exactly."

Lorelai stepped onto the porch and was about to go inside but Rory held her back.

"Mom. But you know I'm not Jess. I could move in with the grandparents' or live at Sookie's."

"Yeah… Yeah, I know."

"So you think you would abandon us if you'd do it?"

"Somehow he's right, isn't he?" Lorelai looked at her daughter with doubt.

"I don't think he meant it that way. After all you can fulfill yours and Sookie's dream. I wouldn't call that 'abandoning'."

"Hm."

"You should really go and talk to him."

"To who?"

"To Luke!" Rory smiled at her mother. "His opinion seems pretty important to you."

"'Cause we are friends."

"Did I claim something else?" Rory pushed her mother inside, grinning.

"Hey, did I ever mention to shorten your pocket money or house arrest?"

"For what?"

"For being cheeky to me."

"Let's order some food."

"Pizza?"

"Pizza it is. I'll call."

"Ok."

----------

"Roodie, why does it take that long?" Emily Gilmore frowned and looked in the direction of the kitchen.

"Roodie?" Lorelai smiled.

"Our new chef."

"She's from southern Europe", Richard added with a touch of pride in his voice.

"Ah. And she hasn't gotten over the time difference yet…"

Rory laughed. But Emily looked at her daughter with doubt.

"She has been here for four days now. And she always had the dinner ready on time."

Lorelai smiled weakly and stared at her plate. She was getting really hungry – besides, the chance of coming to the topic of the course was less if the plates would be filled with food and only being able to talk after every second bite you took.

As if Emily was reading her mind, she suddenly said: "I was told that in your evening course, terrific achievements were awarded."

Lorelai sighed and put down the fork she had played with while waiting for the food impatiently.

"You are told so many things."

"Lorelai, I'm trying to start a serious conversation here."

"And I just wonder where else in my life you want to interfere."

"Mom", Rory hissed and watched her mother forcefully. Lorelai grinned back at her with disgust. Right. Rory should stay for six months here. Not a good idea to start the thing with fighting.

"But you know what, Mom…" Her grin grew bigger. "I wanted to talk to you about that very topic tonight."

"So you received one of those awards?" Emily stretched herself up a little and put a smile on her face. "You know, they didn't want to give me the list of names."

Lorelai nodded and went on without saying the gloating comment she had in mind.

"Yes I… I'm one of them."

"Mom is amongst the seven best", Rory added.

"Rory, hon, with 'I'm one of them' it should have been done."

"I'm sorry."

"Is this true, Lorelai?"

"Yes, Mom." She lowered her head so that she didn't have to see the proud smile on her mother's face that was absolutely flinging at her, how happy Emily Gilmore was her daughter finally became someone to be proud of. It wasn't college, but an award at least.

"So?"

"'So' what?"

"Well, what did you receive? Any kind of coupon? A bonus? Lessons for free?"

"Not exactly."

Emily frowned. "What do you mean with 'not exactly'?"

"Well that…" Lorelai had a confident comment on that but she looked at Rory quickly, sighed and continued in a calmer mood. "Those very best seven people were offered an official training in Europe. We would receive a good salary, would learn lots of stuff and graduate at the end."

"That's just wonderful. So you spend summer in Europe?" Richard eyed his daughter questioningly.

"Not exactly."

"Lorelai!" Emily shot a warning look at her daughter.

"I mean… Well, I haven't accepted the offer yet. And besides, the training isn't during summer."

"So when is it then?"

"It starts in three weeks…"

"That's very short-notice."

"… and lasts half a year."

Emily lowered her glass. She and Richard exchanged an irritated look, then she stared back at her daughter.

"You haven't accepted it yet because of that?"

"Yes. No. Yes."

"You should stick to 'not exactly'."

Lorelai sighed again. She hated asking her parents for anything. She actually knew they would take Rory in gladly. At least then they had something they could hold up in front of her.

"Mom, the thing is… I'd really like to go there. This is a one-and-only-chance and it means a lot to me. Just… I can't just take Rory out of school. And therefore I wanted…"

"She wanted to ask you whether I could live here during this time", Rory jumped in as her mother was still trying to find the right words and now just was agreeing with "Exactly."

Again Emily and Richard exchanged a look but this time with cheerful surprise.

"Sure you can live here with us. That's just wonderful. And this idea comes from you, Lorelai?"

"Not really. Last night I was kidnapped by little green men and they explained to me this would be the best solution, Mom."

"You should give up that kind of humor. They don't like it in Europe."

"Ha."

"What?" Emily asked her daughter.

"Like you would know what kind of humor they appreciate in London."

Richard looked at Rory happily and then turned to his wife. "Stop fighting. We have to celebrate."

"I knew it", Lorelai groaned, got an amused grin from Rory and lowered her head on her folded arms.

"Roodie!" Richard's voice suddenly roared through the room. "Where's the food?"

"She's heavily jetlagged…" Lorelai muttered while Emily looked at her granddaughter with glee and Richard shot a proud smile at her.

----------

"Hey, this place is usually packed", Lorelai mentioned and let her gaze wander around the diner. She shrugged her shoulders and finally sat down at one of the tables.

"Today's just Monday. It's never packed on Monday mornings." Rory sat down, facing her mother.

"Have you… already called yet?"

Lorelai looked up from her bag in which she was searching for something but obviously hadn't found it yet. "You mean about London?"

Rory nodded.

"Yeah, on Saturday actually."

"You didn't tell me about it."

Lorelai shrugged. "There was nothing to tell you, it was nothing special. They wrote down my name and they will send the tickets to me."

"Somehow this went incredibly fast." Rory said and looked at her mother thoughtfully.

"Yeah, it has."

"What went incredibly fast?"

Lorelai looked up and grinned. "The service in here."

"Hey, Luke." Rory also grinned.

Luke nodded to them briefly.

Lorelai looked at him first then at Rory. "Um, hon, maybe you could…"

Rory gave her mother a questioning look, but then understood. "Oh, sure. I wanted to meet Dean before school anyway."

She got up, took her jacket and left the diner.

"What was that all about?"

"A case of 'Mom-made-me-realize-I-should-really-go' in the morning."

"You drive away my customers?" Luke grinned.

"Too much coffee isn't good for her." Lorelai returned the grin.

"Ha."

For a while they sat grinning at each other then Lorelai remembered why she sent Rory away.

"Hey, Luke, got a minute?"

Luke looked around the diner. Only two more tables were occupied and the customers at the tables were already taken care of.

"Sure." Luke grabbed a chair and sat down. "What's up?"

"Well, I… I wasn't talking about the service earlier."

"I know."

"Sure, of course you do. So, well, what I wanna say is… Do you remember the other day?"

"I need a little more details, please."

Lorelai put a strand of hair behind her ear. "I asked you what you think of such a course."

Luke nodded.

Lorelai looked at him a bit surprised.

"What?" Luke gazed at her with a questioning look.

"No annoyed 'Don't start that again'?"

"No."

"Oh, that's nice. Last time you were really… annoyed." She made a roaming gesture.

"But not this time."

"And why not?"

"'Cause now I see, after having a few days to think about it." Luke reached for a matchbox and began to turn it up and down in his hands.

"You wanna go take the course now?" Lorelai said grinning.

"No, but you do."

Her grin faded away. "How…"

"Lorelai. I've known you for fifteen years. You may talk crazy a lot of the time but you never ask any senseless questions."

"Oh. Thanks." She looked a bit offended.

"After having realized that 'would-you-wouldn't-you'-question wasn't about me, there was only one possibility left."

Lorelai nodded. "Well."

"Well."

For a while there was mulling silence then Luke raised his head.

"And when… do you leave?"

"In three weeks."

"What?" Luke dropped the matchbox, shocked. He looked around, lowered his voice and repeated "What?"

"Yes. It's very short-notice, I know."

"Six months, huh?"

Again Lorelai nodded. "Six months."

"And… Rory?"

"My parents will take her in."

"Oh, I see. Ok."

"Luke, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

Lorelai bit her lower lip and sighed. "The other day you said you wouldn't do such a thing, 'cause… 'cause…" She put a forced smile on her face. "'Cause you wouldn't abandon your friends."

Luke frowned slightly irritated.

She looked at him carefully. "Do you think I'm abandoning my friends?"

"No." Luke shook his head in surprise. "I didn't mean it like that. This is something totally different."

"Really?" Lorelai sent a look to her knees.

"I mean", Luke began. "For you it means you can open your own inn afterwards. You will earn enough money, accommodating Rory was no problem… I wouldn't have taken any advantage of such a thing. And for something that shows no advantage I just wouldn't had…"

"I understand." Lorelai put a weak smile on her face.

"Listen…" Luke waited until she looked at him. "Six months can be over very fast."

"Yeah. They can."

"At least for me it's also a one-and-only-chance." Luke grinned and leaned back with folded arms.

"Why?"

"Well, it's said that there's excellent coffee in Europe. You could bring some along."

Now Lorelai had to grin, too. "Sure. It's a plan."

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