"Sweets, I'm happy you're home, but why the sudden change?" Lorelei asked over a cup of coffee, the kids took to playing outside. Rory was able to see them as they sat on the porch. Lorelai was thrilled to have her daughter home, to have her grand babies there to spoil every single day. Her and Luke had a boy named Jason William Danes, he was the tender age of 11. He liked school, but football and baseball were his passion. Books held very little for him. He wanted to be out in the world living it, rather than reading about it. "Not that you can't come home, it's New York, with your dream job."
"It no longer felt like home. After everything, I need to be home. I'll find a job close by, find my own place. I need this. I need my Mom," she whispered the last part, casting her glance down. She was turning 35 in a few months.
"Honey," Lorelai cooed, moving to hug her daughter. "Luke, says you can stay above the dinner, for as long as you need." Rory nodded her head against her mother's shoulder. She had missed her mom.
"It won't be long," she promised. She had her grandparents money, if she needed it. Losing them was hard on her. She wasn't shocked when she was given 15 million dollars. She put it in the bank and never touched it. They had made sure that her husband wasn't able to touch any of it. She hated using that money. She enjoyed earning her own money. She grew up knowing the value of a penny.
Rory got up to refill her cup of coffee. She smiled slightly seeing her little brother in what had once been her room. The walls that were once covered in Harvard then switched to Yale, now adorned car posters and rock bands. Sitting the empty mug on the counter she ventured over to the room. Her desk, dressers and bed had been long since replaced. Her shelves no longer held books but awards, medals and trophies. She was proud of her brother, for the things he had accomplished so far into his life. He had dreams of being a pro in baseball or football.
"Hey," Rory greeted. Because of the age difference the siblings didn't get along like most siblings. He was closer to his niece and nephew.
"Hey," he acknowledged with a nod of his head. Rory smiled, picking up The Old Man and the Sea. Over the years she had grown fond of Hemingway, if only it meant she was able to hold onto something from her former life.
"I didn't know, you read Hemingway?" Rory asked, placing the book back.
"I don't, Grandpa gave them to me." Rory nodded. She had forgotten that whilst she got most of his books, he had given Jason some as well.
"Right," she replied, turning to leave.
"I'm happy you're back, Ror. Now, Mom can stay off my back." That had caught Rory off guard, she soon joined in with the laughter.
"You still have Luke on your case," she smirked, remembering all the times he had made excuses up to check on her and Jess.
"What's that mean?" He asked, growing petrified of the things his dad could and would do.
"Why should I spoil the fun?" She asked with a glint in her eyes from years past.
"Come on, Ror, you're suppose to have my best interest at heart here. Look out for your little brother," he whined, following her to the kitchen.
"My sibling would drink coffee," she smirked, holding the coffee pot in his face.
"Coffee is nasty," he cringed, making Rory gasp.
"See you're not my sibling," she joked, pouring the black liquid in her mug. "But seriously, your dad gets a bit paranoid, when it comes to you dating. At least he was for me, or maybe it was because of Jess," she pondered. She shrugged, letting the memory go.
"Wait! You dated cousin, Jess?" He asked suddenly feeling sick to his stomach.
"It wasn't like that then. Mom and Luke were only friends. I'm not sure they knew they were in love with each other yet. Even if they were it wouldn't matter, Jess is only my step cousin, related through marriage. It wouldn't be gross or even incest. It'd just be two people in love," she sighed. It wasn't a competition on who loved who first, or who had gotten together first. If there was a slight chance the stars could align themselves for things to work out, she would take it.
"It's still gross," he commented, walking off.
"What's gross?" Lorelai asked stepping into the house.
"That I dated Jess," Rory replied, rolling her eyes.
"Well, sweets," Lorelai spoke slowly.
"Don't even start," she warned. "I'm going to go get things set up at the apartment. Are my kids fine here?"
"Yep, I want to spend some more time with them so I won't let you take them," Lorelai stuck her tongue out, making Rory roll her eyes walking out the door. Her mother was never going to grow up and she was envious of that.
"Rory, doll how long are you and the kids in town for?" Babette asked from her porch. In her old age, she didn't get around nearly as much as she had before. With Morey and Miss Patty both gone, she didn't have much reason to run around and get the latest gossip.
"We're moving back," Rory told her with a smile.
"That's amazing," Babette gushed, getting herself into a coughing fit. Making sure she would be ok, Rory kept going. The town was still picture perfect; the same as when she left years ago. She was relieved that not everything had changed on her.
She stopped dead in her tracks seeing that Stars Hollow's books was for sale. She walked in smiling at Andrew.
"You're selling?" She asked, walking around the bookstore. Memories of Lane, her father, and Jess flooded her mind. It's like she could see each event happening before her very eyes.
"Trying to sell. I don't want to die here," he sighed.
"I'll buy it," she told him walking to the front. "I don't care about the price." Andrew wouldn't jack the price up on her. She had far to many memories to let someone else destroy them on her. She hated that she would be touching her grandparents money, but it was for her future and her kids, so it was alright.
"I have the paper work, we just need Taylor. Do you happen to have 75 dollars?" Rory dug in her pocket, producing the money.
"Don't you want more for this place?" She asked furrowing her brow. It meant more to her than 75 measly bucks.
"I have everything I need at home, I'd give you the place if I could," he told her. Rory nodded.
They had found Taylor walking down the side-walk with the help of a cane. They sat at a table in the diner and went over everything. The papers had been signed and Rory now owned her own business, she would run the bookstore and find a way to still be able to write, she could always free-lance for a while. Now she had to worry about finding a home. With everything taken care of she headed through the curtain.
On one side sat her bed and belongs, along with a couch and a chair, her TV, the kitchen table and chairs. On the side that use to be Jess', then April's now sat two twin sized beds and two dressers. A tub of toys sat in a corner. It was going to be cramped but it would make do for the time being. It had to. Pulling out her phone she went to his name. She was going to need his help with a few things. He was the only that could help her.