Alright! Chapter 2 came out much faster than I expected. I'm hoping that this story flies pretty easily so I can get chapters out to you all quickly. I'm excited to have some story followers and I hope you enjoy what I come up with!
Rory sat at the counter of Luke's diner, reading a copy of the Wall Street Journal and toying with the handle on her coffee mug. The town was bustling about, everyone excited for Luke and Lorelei's wedding that would be taking place in two days.
Rory had needed a break from all the excitement and decided to stow away inside her soon-to-be-stepfather's restaurant. Luke had also decided that it would be better to hide out, claiming that Caesar needed the help. The two of them had found an unspoken comfort in their island of solitude.
There was a chill developing in the air that signaled fall was coming. Her mom had always loved Winter, the snow just had some kind of mystical quality to it that no one could ever seem to figure out. For Rory, it was fall. It signaled the return to school and learning, the warm feeling of sweaters and the smell of leaves. Most of all she loved the atmosphere that seemed to develop with the change of the season.
The bell over the door rang as the next customer entered the diner. Rory looked up absentmindedly to glance at the newcomer, over sized mug in hand, and felt her fingers almost lose their grip on the ceramic handle. Staring back at her with wide eyes, was Dean Forester.
It took her a moment to register him. His hair had grown out. She couldn't put her finger on why but he just seemed tired. Sad even. As if the whole world had descended to sit upon his shoulders at once.
Beside him was a slightly older and slightly shorter man. No one would really call him short though because he still towered over most people, but next to Dean everyone looked short. She could tell they were related by the way they carried themselves. Two cowboys against the world. The faded leather jackets did nothing to dampen the visual.
"Hey! You!" Yelled a voice kicking Rory back into reality. Luke had rounded the corner from the kitchen, practically loosing his trademark backwards baseball cap in the process, and was pointing his spatula at Dean. "What are you doing in my diner? Where do you get off just waltzing around like you own this town?"
Luke turned toward Rory, practically baring his teeth. "Do you want him out? I'll kick him out!" He grunted, causing Rory to smile and shake her head.
"No Luke, Dean's a friend. We like Dean." She answered, giving her old friend a questioning look. Dean smiled back shyly, his hands shoved into his pockets like the teenager she remembered.
"Don't give me a reason to throw you out Forester" Luke continued to glower at Dean as he disappeared back behind the counter.
"What did you do?" The dark haired guy next to Dean piped up, his eyebrows practically in his hairline. Dean shrugged.
"It's a really long story. Can we eat instead?" Dean put forward as a response. He gestured toward his counterpart."Rory, this is my cousin... er..."
"Sam." The shorter man replied holding out his hand to her. Rory reached out to shake it giving him a friendly smile.
"It's nice to meet you Sam." She replied, confused by the annoyance Dean seemed to have for his cousin. "I apologize for Luke's reaction."
"I've never exactly been Luke's favorite." Dean remarked.
"You got that right!" Luke chimed in from behind them, as he set plates down in front of the patrons sitting at the bar. Rory sighed, shoving a lock of hair behind her ear before turning to face him.
"Can you maybe get us some burgers?" She asked, causing Luke to frown harder.
"I only feed paying customers."
"I can be a paying customer." Sam piped up from beside his cousin, an excited grin on his face. Rory laughed, she could have sworn his eyes started gleaming with happiness.
"Let's go sit at that table over there." She pointed over toward the corner by the window. The two men followed her to the table.
"So Rory, I need to know. What did my cousin do to piss off your old man like that?" Sam asked as he slid his chair into place. Rory practically choked on the sip of coffee she had been taking, and she noticed Dean color significantly.
"First off, Luke's not her dad and second our history is none of your business." Dean interjected before Rory could reply.
"He acted like a dad." Sam retorted.
"He's probably the closest thing to a real dad I have honestly. I mean Christopher is great and all, but he's never been around all the much." Rory agreed, nodding.
"And the history thing?" He continued, prying before wincing in pain and glaring at Dean.
"Well we dated, which I'm sure you know. And of course there was the scandal with Lindsey." She answered trying to keep her responses nonchalant. It had been years since she'd seen Dean, though they'd kept in touch online here and there it was relatively jarring to come face to face with him without any warning.
"I'm sorry Lindsey?" Sam asked, leaning in closer and gesturing to his ear as if he had trouble with his hearing.
"Dean's... ex-wife?" She explained confused. Sam's eyes bulged with surprise and a lot more excited humor than she had expected. Luke decided that was a great moment to interrupt with their food and dropped it on the table in front of them.
"That was fast." Dean joked, while his cousin began shoving french fries in his mouth with abandon.
"I serve fast, you eat fast, and then leave fast." Luke explained, moving his fingers in a gesture of them walking out the door.
"Dude, this tastes great!" Sam exclaimed, his mouth full of food. Luke seemed torn between yelling at him and thanking him for the compliment. He settled, instead, for grumpily disappearing back into the kitchen.
Before they could get back into their conversation, the door to the diner flew open and in waltzed Rory's mother, her hand up to her forehead in a dramatic pose.
"Oh my limbs are so heavy, too much decorating, Sookie is going to be the death of me!" She sighed loudly, "If only my brave knight were able to help me."
"I am helping. I'm staying in here so I don't ruin anything. You're the one that wanted the big Stars Hollow wedding-a-thon." Luke rebutted, rolling his eyes at his fiance. He filled a to-go cup full of coffee and handed it off to the brunette with the hint of a smile on his face. Lorelei took a sip and, with a happy sigh, planted a kiss on Luke's lips.
"My hero." She drawled.
"Gross!" Rory exclaimed, throwing a fry at the couple. Lorelei turned toward their table and squeaked.
"Dean Forester?" She exclaimed, ignoring her daughter, "Well aren't you a sight for tired, sore, incredibly confused eyes."
"Hello Lorelei. It's nice to see you too. I would have extended my congrats to your soon-to-be husband earlier but I guess a decade is too short a time to lose a grudge." Dean explained.
"A century would be too soon." Luke shouted back. Lorelei put her fingers in her ears shushing Luke and turning her attention on Sam.
"You're new." She observed, demanding a name with the tone of her voice.
"Sam." Dean's cousin explained after somehow swallowing the plate of food he had crammed into his mouth. "My cousin and I are just in town visiting family."
Lorelei nodded slowly, observing them and her daughter before smiling at them.
"Well enjoy the burgers. They're on the house." Rory could hear Luke begin to argue with her mother, who pretended not to hear them. "It was nice seeing you again, Dean."
"It's always a pleasure Lorelei." He replied, standing up and gesturing to his cousin that it was time to go. Sam grumbled, and stood to leave clutching the remaining half of his burger to bring with them.
"Rory, it was nice meeting you." Sam remarked, grinning at her. She nodded.
"It was nice meeting you too Sam. Hopefully I will see you again while you're in town?" Rory replied, her tone hopeful as she watched Dean carefully. A faint blush touched at his cheeks and he nodded, his hair falling in his eyes at the movement.
"I'm sure you will." He agreed before exiting the restaurant with Sam in tow.
Rory sighed and leaned back in her chair, taking a long sip of her now cold coffee. Maybe this weekend was looking up after all.