Part 4

Rory and Lorelai were busy putting the finishing touches on the decorations in Rory's D.C. apartment. Lorelai insisted they have a party. After all, it wasn't every day that one month into a White House internship the Communications Director hires you as part of his full-time staff.

"Make sure all the beers are in the fridge. I feel like this is definitely a beer crowd," Lorelai instructed.

"I don't know, Mom. I don't think very many people are gonna come. I'm new and I'm young and these are important people who are technically my superiors in every way," Rory replied.

"Well Josh is coming because I told him to. So is CJ. And your mentor, Sam, didn't he say he'd come?"

Rory shrugged. "I think he was just being polite."

Lorelai paused in distributing decorative confetti on the dining table. "You know who I hope comes? Donna. Josh's assistant. Do you know if she's seeing anyone? Because she'd be perfect for Josh. He need someone smarter than him to rein in his ego, but sweet to let him be his superior man-child self when he needs to."

"Mom, please don't."

"Don't what?"

Rory sighed. "Don't play matchmaker at the White House. I mean…it's the White House!"

"Yeah, but you're one of them now. So you're allowed to act like it. I want you to make lifelong friends and political allies that you can get stinking drunk with and blackmail when you need to," Lorelai said with a big smile.

Rory rolled her eyes but smiled. She still couldn't quite believe what her life had suddenly turned into, but as long as her mother was around with ideas like this, it was sure to be fun.

Outside the door of Rory's building, a couple was arguing in a quiet but very animated manner.

"Sam, I still don't think this is a good idea."

"Come on, Ainsley, she's a nice kid and her mom wanted to throw her a party. It's cute. And we only have to make an appearance, and then we can go. I'm her mentor. I have to be there."

"You're her mentor?" Ainsley asked dubiously.

"Yes. I'm going to help cultivate her talent and loyalty so she can't take my job in six months."

Ainsley gave a small smile. "Well, I don't know about that, but fine. Ten minutes. Then you can take me to dinner."

Sam grinned widely.

CJ walked up behind them. "Hey guys. We goin' up?"

"CJ, I didn't know you were coming," Ainsley said in surprise.

"Josh says a Lorelai Gilmore party is not to be missed. Come on, we can get enough material on Josh to make him our slave forever."

"Normally I wouldn't condone violating the Thirteenth Amendment, but since it's Josh, I'll make an exception," Ainsley replied with a smile.

"That's the spirit!" Sam said happily. The three of them entered the building and went up the elevator to the fifth floor.

Within minutes, the party was in full swing. A sea of White House Staffers filled Rory's small but tastefully furnished—by her grandmother—apartment. Sam had his arm around Ainsley's waist and she leaned into his embrace as they sipped cocktails and chatted happily with Donna. CJ was laughing loudly as Lorelai told her stories about her youth with Josh. Josh thankfully didn't overhear any of his childhood secrets being given away because he and Rory were having a lively debate about the new policy initiative she was helping Sam research for the President.

"I know the House leadership wants to have the expenditures, but that would undermine the whole program. See, if we give the expenditures like you proposed, the funds are less versatile. Besides, the cognitive perception of those expenditures as opposed to the refund that the expenditures would prohibit is disadvantageous to the taxpayers," Rory explained.

Josh furrowed his brow. "What was your major at Yale again?"

"Journalism."

"Lot of economic and political science classes required in that major?"

Rory narrowed her eyes at him, trying not to get too offended at his patronizing tone. Her mom was right. Josh was definitely a man-child with a big ego. "I originally wanted to be a foreign correspondent or a political reporter before I got the position at the White House. And my grandfather teaches economics at Yale. I took some of his classes."

Josh smiled slyly. "You should talk to the President. He gets a little excited about economics."

Rory's eyebrows raised in disbelief. Like she'd ever actually get to meet the President. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, he got his Nobel Prize in economics. He's a huge nerd."

"That's what my grandfather said. He was with Leo when the President came in to Leo's office and they talked for a few minutes. Apparently Leo got annoyed by their…enthusiasm."

Josh laughed. "Yeah, I can imagine Mr. Gilmore and the President getting along pretty well."

Before anyone else could say anything, Lorelai stood up on a chair and clinked her engagement ring on her beer bottle to get everyone's attention. "Excuse me, White House people. It is I, mother of your hostess, Lorelai Gilmore. Although to be fair, that is the name of both myself and my daughter. But that's a different story. I have just found out that CJ Cregg has a certain little party trick that the Gilmores haven't seen yet. And as your new friend, CJ, I demand you do it for us all."

"I don't have my iPod with me," CJ told her, laughing through her mild protests.

"I do! I've got it!" Josh announced, holding his own iPod up and rushing over to them. He had prepared for this possiblity. Lorelai laughed and stumbled down from the chair, CJ holding her steady.

Rory moved over to Sam and Ainsley while her mom attempted to show Josh how the stereo system worked. "Sorry about my mom. She's a little drunk."

Ainsley laughed. "I think she's fun. Besides, it's a party. This is the place to let loose."

"It's a little embarrassing," Rory mumbled, feeling herself blush.

"Oh you wanna talk embarrassing? Ainsley, tell Rory about the first time you met the President," Sam said, nudging her.

Ainsley rolled her eyes. "You mean the time he thought I peed in Leo's closet or when he found me dancing in my robe?"

"You what?!" Rory started to laugh.

"Yeah, this is nothing, Rory. Don't worry about it," Ainsley assured her.

Josh shouted over the din, "Okay, guys, we got it!" He pressed play and a familiar tune drifted through the room. People started whistling and applauding CJ cleared a path.

Did I ever tell you about that man who changed my life? The one I thought, oh my Lord, when I saw him walk in the back of that bar, all tall and lean with them broad shoulders, sweeeet lips, I knew that I had died and gone to Chocolate Heaven.

Most of the staff had seen this before at some point. But the Ainsley and the Gilmores were stunned by CJ's lipsyncing skills. She started doing a little choreography to match as she seductively mouthed the words.

You asked me what his name was? Well. . .'The Jackal'. . .'The Jackal'. Say. 'The Jackal'.

When she finally finished the song, the group erupted into cheers and applause. Lorelai looked around the room, noting all the different people around her. Rory was talking to everyone, laughing and happy.

Josh leaned over her shoulder. "You did good, Lor."

She smiled and tapped her head against his. "Yeah, thanks."

"I'll take good care of her, I promise," he told her.

Lorelai smirked. "She can take care of herself. But thanks. She's never been too great at making friends, but I think this is the right place for her."

Donna walked over to the two of them. "Lorelai, I'm going to head home. This was a great party. Thanks for including me."

"It's our pleasure, Donna. I'm glad you could come! And call me anytime you want to rant about this curly haired idiot," Lorelai teased, lightly shoving Josh.

"I'll do that," Donna replied. She smiled brightly, looking to Lorelai and then to Josh.

"Josh, you should walk Donna to her car," Lorelai suggested not-so-subtly.

Donna protested, "No, I'll be fine."

"Josh, go," Lorelai insisted.

Josh gave her a strange look but did as he was told. He gently put his hand on the small of Donna's back as they made their way through the crowd of people. Lorelai watched them with smile. Yes. She had done good.