Okay, so I'm finally updating. I might not update for another week or so, but my AP World History class is loading me up with about two hours of homework a night. Add that to my Algebra II, Honors English, and Chemistry, I'm lucky to get four hours of sleep a night max. But, you're happy reviews made me want to write, so I hope you like it. If it seems a little jumpy, remember, I wrote this in a bout a gazillion five minute segments of time. Hopefully, I'll be able to find a couple of hours free time this week... so on with the story.
Oh, and don't forget to click on that pretty purple button!! (Subtle, no?)
Gaby had finally found her voice, "You're Jess Mariano's son?"
Lorelei had turned her attention back to the road, leaving the kids to talk, letting herself get lost in her own thoughts. Yep, no mistaking it; that's Jess' son alright…
"Um, yeah?"
"As in the Jess Mariano? Author of The Subsect, General Indifference, and This is Hell? That Jess Mariano?"
"Yeah. You've read his books?" David couldn't believe what he was hearing. A ten year old read my father's books? My father's books that most adults couldn't understand?My father's books currently being read by many Advanced Literature students in many Advance Literature courses in many universities (including Harvard and Yale) all over the United States? My father's books which-
Gaby interrupted his thoughts. "Of course I read them! They are amazing! And those dedications get me every time."
"Those confuse me. I mean, I guess he's talking about my mom, but sometimes I'm not so sure."
"Gimme a second," Gaby said. She reached into her book bag that she had been carrying around all day and pulled out a worn copy of The Subsect, opened the book up to the dedication page, and read aloud, "'To Luke, who helped me against the better judgment of everyone in Stars Hollow-'"
"That part's obvious. Luke is my great-uncle. I see him for lunch once a week with my dad." (A/N, a secret Luke's keeping from Lorelei? Oooh, intrigue.
"Wait, I wasn't done yet." She cleared her throat, picking up where she left off, "'and to you. You not only changed me, but made me want to change myself. Without you, I would be nothing. I owe everything to you.'"
"Yeah, I really don't think that's about my mother. Even when she was alive, I could tell they didn't love each other. That's not to say they didn't like each other; I mean you can't live with someone for as long as they lived with each other and not grow to like each other. But then who is it? Could it be a guy? Because I don't think that he swings that way, if you know what I mean. But hey, no one ever suspected it with that guy off "The Brady Bunch." But he's not, because, well, he doesn't act like it. Then what girl is it? It could be any one-"
Gaby had covered his mouth with her hand. "Done?" she asked.
A muffled "Yes" issued forth from underneath her hand.
"Breathing at a normal rate?"
Another "Yes."
"Good." She removed her hand. As she did, David reached for The Subsect still in her hand. He flipped through the pages.
"First edition?"
"Yep. My mom received it from," she paused, "someone. I think the author, I mean; I think your dad mailed it to her. You know, before I was born."
"I wonder why he would do that."
"It does seem kind of weird."
"Okay," Lorelei said, looking back at the kids, trying to devise a plan. "You are calling your parents when we get to Stars Hollow."
"What?!" the two shouted in unison.
"We can't!" cried Gabrielle.
At the same time, David was saying, "My dad's pretty cool, but he's gonna kill me for running away."
"Your dad is gonna kill you? If your dad is planning to kill you, I don't even want to think about what my dad is going to do to me." Gaby was just now starting to get really scared. Sure, her father had never hit her before, but this just might make him change his ways. 'What is happening to Mom right now?' A wave of guilt smacked Gabrielle in the face. Why had she left? Her mother was probably dying right now. Tears started to collect in the corners of her eyes. "You can't tell my mom and Logan that I ran away. He-" she paused, "he will kill me."
Lorelei noted the extreme fear in the girl's voice. "I'll talk to your mom."
"Thank you, Lorelei. You're my mom's mom right?"
"Yes," she said, at this point starting to cry herself. "And you can call me Grandma. I sort of like it."
"Okay Grandma!" Gaby's mood was definitely looking up. But then it darkened again. "You're not gonna make me go back there are you?"
"We'll have to see what your parents say, sweets." Lorelei watched as Gaby's face took on a pained look.
"I can't go back. My dad's a monster! He's already beaten mom into submission, and he'll do the same thing to me."
"And I don't feel like going back quite yet."David's voice was so akin to Jess' that it almost scared Lorelei.
"Let's just work all of this out when we get to the house. We all need some shut eye. I'm afraid, Dave, that you'll have to sleep on the couch. Gab, you'll be sleeping in-" tears threatened to fall, Lorelei pushed them back. "You'll be sleeping in Rory's old room."
STARS HOLLOW
Gaby's POV
"Wow," Gaby breathed, "a house. A real house." Sure, she'd seen houses before. Hell, she'd even stepped in one on occasion. But she'd never lived inside one. Her grandmother hadn't said anything yet, but Gaby knew at once that this was her new home. While driving through the small main square, she'd felt instantly at home. David, not seeing anything really special with his surroundings (but feeling just as at home as Gabrielle) followed Lorelei and Gaby up the front stairs and into the old dwelling.
Lorelei busied herself with looking in the closet for extra blankets and a pillow for the couch. Upon finding them, she threw them across it. "Sorry it's a little lumpy."
"That's okay," David said sincerely. "I'm sure it'll be okay." He arranged himself in the blankets and promptly fell asleep.
Lorelei took Gaby's hand and led her into the kitchen and to the door of the bedroom. "And this," Lorelei whispered to her (not wanting to wake David), "is your mom's old room."
Gaby gasped as she walked in. Books were everywhere. On bookshelves, in the open dresser drawers, stacked in the closet, under the bed.
'So,' she thought, 'this is where Logan made mom send all of her stuff.'
"Well, you passed the bathroom. Just holler if you need anything, but please don't because I'm exhausted."
"Okay," Gaby reached for a copy of Oliver Twist. "I think I'm gonna read for a while."
"Sure, sweets. But remember, it's about three in the morning, and you are required to get up in a few hours."
Gaby giggled, "I'll be fine. I rarely get sleep."
"Okay, see you tomorrow, sweets."
"Don't you mean today?"
"Of course." As Lorelei closed the door, she was struck with a weird feeling of de-ja-vu. It seemed as though she had had this conversation with Rory many times when she was younger. This girl was exactly like her mother, in every single way… at least she was exactly like her mother used to be.
Hours later, Lorelei opened the door to find Gaby passed out, shoes still on, Oliver Twist in her hand. "Don't wake her," David said behind her. "I tried about ten minutes ago, and she chucked The Great Gatsby at me." As proof of this incident, he held up the book and gestured to a small bruise forming under his right eye.
"Lorelei!" Luke called from Lorelei's bedroom.
'Oh crap,' she thought. Lorelei hadn't told Luke that there were two strange children living on the first floor of the house.
"Just a second," she called back up the stairs. "Just stay here," she motioned to the children. Walking up the stairs and into her room, she saw Luke standing in front of the full length mirror Lorelei had set up against her wall, trying to pick out a tie.
"All dressed up and no where to go," she sang in a high voice. She received a grunt as a reply. "Okay, so don't freak out."
He stopped comparing ties to his shirt.
"I've got two kids downstairs, claiming to be the offspring of none other than Rory Gilmore and Jess Mariano."
"Did they… what?"
Realizing what she just said, she rephrased. "The daughter of Rory Gilmore and Logan Huntzberger. The son of Jess Mariano and… someone else. Not Rory." (A/N Pay attention all of you saying that Jess is Gaby's father and Rory is David's father. You guys are cracked… I mean that in the most loving way possible.)
Luke set down his ties on the bed, and walked downstairs. At the sight of the man, David dropped the book he was currently engrossed in. He ran over to him and enveloped him in a hug, "Uncle Luke!"
A/N Awkward ending, I know. I'll clear everything up next chapter. Reviews make me update faster (hint, hint).
