Author's Note: Hey guys! Here's the new chapter. Sorry it took so long. I'm not sure if all of my review replies got to you guys 'cause of that thing that happened after, so here they are now:

bellybuttonsrcool: thanks for reviewing…here's your update

LaurenIsMe: lol Lorelai and Luke will get hooked up soon

Lolabelle26: here's your update!

Katydid1338: I'm glad you love my story!

LoVeLuKe: Rachel won't be here for that long…don't worry!

GGRox07: about the whole Malina attitude thing, most definitely Lorelai's influence…and of course this an L/L what else would it be :P

javajunkie01: I'm glad you liked the last chapter! And don't worry I hate Rachel too!

JavaJunkie22: I'm glad you like Malina! I like her too…she reminds of me of my sister Camryn

chmelms: lol here's your update!

hay2thelee: thanks for the suggestion! I tried to sorta do that…not too sure how well I did it though

Magical Princess: thanks, I'm glad you like it!

And for everyone who reads my story, thank you. Don't forget to review! –Cristina

Chapter 4
Firelight Festival

Lorelai's House
Lorelai is combing Rory's hair; Malina's watching

"'Oh, we got to new coffee makers.' Ugh! What was I thinking?" Lorelai said.

"Well, you spent a lot of time picking out those coffee makers." Rory said.

"Yeah, and you say they make coffee real fast so that's why you like them." Malina said.

"Oh yeah, I'm Mrs. Coffee." Lorelai said.

"Ow! Okay, I'm still attached to the head." Rory said.

"Okay, sorry. I'm a little worked up."

"A little?" Malina said.

"Mom, it just Luke's ex-girlfriend."

"And my real mom, who I don't care that much for anyway, so talk about her all you want. I don't care."

"I know. I just hate that I made myself look so stupid in front of…" Lorelai said.

"Luke?" Rory asked.

"No, Rachel. She was standing there, fresh off a plane, and she had no plane hair at all might I add."

"And what exactly is plane hair?"

"You know, it's all big and all…bah."

"Keep up, Rory." Malina said.

"Got it. My mistake."

"And he's staring at her like she's Miss September and she's looking at him like he's Johnny Depp, and I was just babbling like a moron, what is wrong with me!"

"You did not just refer to Dad as Johnny Depp. That's gross! I don't even like Johnny Depp." Malina said in disgust.

"Ow! Ow! Okay, you are now officially off hair duty." Rory said. "Mel, take over."

"Aw, I'm sorry. I just…" Lorelai said.

"No, it's okay. I just think it's a little early for Dean to see me completely bald."

"Right, that's more a six-month thing."

"I agree, and I'm hungry." Malina said. She left the room to the kitchen.

"So what's going on with you?" Rory asked.

"I don't know. It's just all this love in the air, you know. I miss Max. There's just been so much going on with your Dad coming home and family stuff and your constant existence…"

"Thanks for the love."

"Any time. So I haven't had a lot of time to focus on it and I miss Max."

"I know."

"I had a dream about him the other night."

"No, absolutely not. And when you're 21, I'll tell you the real answer. Anyway, it's put me in a funk since then."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. We could talk about me for years, and believe me, we will. But let's focus on you, the lady of the evening. No hooker reference intended."

"You need to buy more food." Malina said as she came back in the room.

"What did you find?"

"Old, and I mean old, Chinese takeout."

"We do need to buy food." Rory said.

Later that night…

Luke's Diner
Lorelai comes into the diner

"Mel! Come on, let's motor!" Lorelai called as she entered the diner.

"You're back early!" Malina called from upstairs.

"Yeah, well, the best laid plans." Malina came downstairs wearing a white poncho, and plaid skirt, and her hair in two braids. "You like nice."

"Thanks." Malina said with a smile.

"Where's your dad?"

"He and Rachel are at the festival." Malina said sadly.

"What's wrong?"

"He said he wasn't gonna go, and he went with her."

"Did he hesitate?"

"I donno, I wasn't there. I just came back here, and he left a note saying that they went to the festival, and to get ready for you, and not to go anywhere."

"We'll figure it out, kid. Come on, let's go have fun."

"Okey dokey."

Firelight Festival
Lorelai is talking to Luke; Rachel spots Malina with Rebecca

"Malina!" Rachel called as she went over to Malina.

Malina turned her head from talking to Rebecca, and saw Rachel coming over.

"Oh great." Malina mumbled.

"Is that her?" Rebecca asked in disgust.

"Yup. Why does she have to be here? Why can't she just go back to Tahiti or Morocco or whatever it's called?"

"She's almost here. I'm going to go find Bailey."

"Rebecca, you can't leave me."

"Don't hide, Mel. Just get it over with." Rebecca left Malina alone as Rachel came closer to Malina.

"Hey Malina." Rachel said with a smile.

"Hi." Malina said coldly.

"So…how have you been?"

"Fine."

"Who was that friend of yours?"

"Rebecca."

"You guys seem close."

"Yup." Malina started walking over to the fire, and Rachel followed.

"That's good. How's school?"

"Fine."

Rachel nodded her head. "Okay, you're not really giving me anything to work with. I just want to talk to you. After what happened in the diner this morning, I thought you would have been cooled off by now."

"I guess you thought wrong." Malina said. It was the longest thing she said to Rachel since she arrived.

"I don't mean to be critical, but is that the way you talk to your mother, meaning me?"

"Hi Rory!" Malina said, waving over to Rory and Dean. Rory waved back. Malina continued walking, still not answering Rachel.

"Malina talk to me." Rachel urged.

"I don't want to talk to you. Okay? Excuse me, please." Malina went over to Lorelai and Luke, and sat between them.

Rachel sighed, but snapped a shot of the three smiling. She continued to watch Lorelai, Luke, and Malina interact. Lorelai and Luke had laughed at something Malina had said. Rachel couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Luke smile or laugh. She continued snapping pictures of the three, until she knew she had enough to examine a situation she knew was there…and Luke had gotten up to find her.

"Hey." Luke said as he came over to Rachel.

"Hey." Rachel said, adjusting her camera.

"How's everything?"

"Good, I've been having a lot of fun, and getting some really good shots."

"That's good. So…did you talk to Malina?"

Rachel looked down at her camera, then back up at Luke. "…yeah."

"And…?"

"She wants nothing to do with me, Luke."

"I don't believe that."

"Well it's true."

"It's just been a bad week for her. She'll come around."

"Okay." Luke patted her shoulder comfortingly. Rachel looked up and saw Malina heading over.

"Daddy, I'm leaving now." Malina said.

"Okay, kiddo." Luke said, giving Malina a hug and a kiss on her forehead. "You have a goodnight, and have with Lorelai and Rory."

"Okay. Goodnight." Malina ran off and held onto Lorelai's hand. The two walked off. Luke and Rachel watched until they were out of sight.

"So where's she going?" Rachel said, as the two of them walked back to the diner.

"Lorelai's house." Luke answered.

"Does she normally do that? I mean she seems pretty comfortable with Lorelai."

"She is. She spends a lot of time over there. She even has her own bed."

Rachel nodded, and couldn't help but feel a little jealous. "So, when did you guys meet?"

"Th-th-the day you uhh left."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she came into the diner with Rory asking for coffee, as usual, and Malina was crying upstairs, so I asked her if she could check on her, and it all unfolded from there."

"How long have you guys been seeing each other?"

"Me and Lorelai?" Rachel nodded. "We aren't seeing each other, we're just friends."

Rachel nodded. "Oh." They continued to walk the rest of the way to the diner in silence. "Luke, I'm really sorry about-"

"I know." Luke said, interrupting her. "Just tell Malina."

"It doesn't seem like she needs me anyway."

"What are you talking about? Of course she needs you."

"That's not the way I see it. She seems to depend on Lorelai."

"Well, she does, I mean Lorelai has always been there, and you well…aren't, no offense, and she…she just needs time."

"I can give her time."

"Okay." Luke and Rachel entered the diner. "I'm just going to clean up some stuff down here. You go on up, make yourself at home, and I'll be up soon."

"Okay." Rachel said, and went upstairs.