Chapter 1: I'll Have a Blue Christmas Without You

Four years later..

It was two weeks before Christmas. Rory Gilmore Forester and her husband of two years, Dean, finished decorating the tree on Sunday night and sat on the couch staring at it. Rory snuggled up closer to Dean.

"Rory, I have to tell you something," Dean said.

"What?" Rory asked.

"I have to go out of town for the next two weeks on business," he said.

Rory sat up. "Two weeks?"

"Yeah," Dean answered. "I have to leave very early tomorrow morning."

"Are you going to be home for Christmas?" Rory asked.

"I don't know. I'm so sorry. I'll try to make it back. I promise."

"What's wrong with your boss? Doesn't he give time off for Christmas?"

"Not when it's important. You know what a jackass he is."

"I know. I still don't understand why you keep staying at your company if you hate your boss so much."

"I told you. I'm sending resumes out. I'm waiting for a call for an interview right now."

Rory sighed. Sure, she had Dean 24/7, but Christmas was a special time for them. It was when they hooked up for the third time and around their wedding day. She was going to miss him. She snuggled up against him again.

"You okay?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Rory said. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," Dean said.

He lifted up her face so that his face was leveled with hers and gave her a sweet long kiss.

THE NEXT DAY

Rory trudged into Luke's the next morning. Her mother was sitting at the counter chatting with Luke. Rory sat down next to her, not saying a word.

"Hey, grumpy," Lorelai said.

"Hey," Rory said, flatly. "Luke, coffee please."

Luke gave Lorelai a quick peck on the cheek and went to get Rory coffee. Luke and Lorelai had started dating for the past year.

"You never come in for morning coffee anymore," Lorelai said. "And now all of a sudden you come walking in."

"Dean and I like to spend some time together in the morning," Rory said. "What's your point?"

"I'm asking why you all of a sudden came in after two years," Lorelai said.

"Dean's out of town on business. He's going to be out of town for two weeks."

"Will he be home for Christmas?"

"Not sure."

"I'm sorry sweetie. But, why so glum about it?"

"It's our anniversary."

"There's always next year."

Rory just sighed as Luke brought her the coffee.

"Why don't you and I spend the next two weeks together?" Lorelai said. "You, know. Like we used to."

"Don't you have work?"

"Well, I can take a few days off."

"I have to work on my next novel."

"Do you have a deadline?"

"No."

"Come on, honey. We can go shopping we can have our movie nights. We can pants random people."

"You're right, mom. Except for the pants-ing thing. Dean's not here. So what? I'm going to make the best of it."

"That's my girl."

To Be Continued.

A/N: That was Chapter 1. Chapter 2 is coming soon.