A/N: So sorry it took me a long time to update, I suck. Really, I've just been too lazy to write, even though I've been staring at my computer screen for most of summer break. Anyway, I wanted to get this out before the 4th of July, so I did what I wanted to do! Yes!
Thanks to: Curley-Q, Maiqu, frequentlydazzledbylit, That Don't Make me a Bad Guy, kylielink for the great reviews!
Dedication: Elise, just because she yells at me for not writing as much as I should.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls. Or Juicy Juice, Monopoly, Yahtzee, Operation, or anything else I might have mentioned. I do, however, own Coraline.
……
Jess, Rory, and Coraline arrived home later that day. Coraline had run to the kitchen as soon as she got home. She pulled out a Juicy Juice from the refrigerator, and stuck the straw in the small hole. She took the straw back out, and threw it away.
Rory watched as she did that, and was amazed at how unique the little girl was. She had her own personality, and did not care what anybody thought. Coraline noticed that Rory was looking at her, and asked, "What?"
"What did you just do there?" Coraline sipped her juice from the hole, and then put it down on the counter.
"Daddy showed me that it's the best way to drink the juice. It tastes better this way; he says that he's the only person that knows why." She sadly smiled, and took another sip. Rory looked at her curiously. Jess sure had a way with Coraline.
Jess walked into the room as if he could read Rory's mind. "I put Squat and Sonic in their designated rooms. I hope it keeps you both happy at night." Rory smirked, understanding what it meant. Coraline didn't, so she just smiled like she did.
"I was showing Rory your super cool way of drinking Juicy Juice!" She dramatically declared, chugging down the rest of the grape juice.
"I don't know. I kind of like drinking from the straw." Jess and Coraline both shook their heads while Rory smirked.
"You have to try it. It's amazing!" Coraline ran to the fridge, and grabbed another Juicy Juice. She went back to Rory, and shoved the box into Rory's hands. She did what she saw Coraline do minutes before, and took a sip. She nodded her head, and put the juice box on the counter. She considered being stubborn, but then she looked at Jess's face, and it was one not to be messed with. It wasn't angry, or happy, it was the look of a father that was trying his hardest to entertain his seven year old daughter. If Rory contradicted it, he might see his daughters defeat as his failure. Rory certainly didn't want that.
"You're right. This is so much better than with a straw!" Coraline clapped her hands in pleasure, while Jess simply smirked. Rory and Coraline quickly finished drinking their juices, and threw away the boxes. Coraline rushed into her room, while Jess silently went to go sit in the living room. Rory cocked her head to the side, and followed Jess.
Jess cleared off the coffee table, and sat down on the couch. Rory, still completely puzzled, sat in the chair adjacent from the couch. Coraline came bouncy into the room with a board game under her arm. She placed it down on the table, and Jess and she took a few minutes to set it up. Rory had never heard of that game before, but it did sound made up. It was called "Monoperation." She cocked and eyebrow, and stared at Jess.
He soon felt a gaze upon him, and looked up to see a slightly amused and confused brunette staring him down. "It's a cross between Monopoly and Operation."
"I see. So, how do you play?"
"Well, it's pretty simple. You play Monopoly the same way you usually would, except before you can buy anything, you have to try to take something out of the Operation guy's body. If you don't do it, you can either try again next turn, or pay double. If you get it out of him, you get whatever you were going to buy."
"It's so fun! Daddy never buys anything, he's terrible at getting the wish bone, and it's the only body part he'll try to get. I win every time!" Coraline exclaimed, while placing each body part in its rightful place.
"Oh good, I didn't miss it." Dean announced as he walked into the apartment. He placed his coat on the hook, and sat on the couch next to Jess.
"Miss what?" Rory asked, moving to the edge of her chair.
"Game night." After earning a cocked eyebrow, Dean added, "It's every Saturday night. When we are all here. It usually only happens once a week, which is Saturday night. Tonight." Rory grinned to herself, and let them play the game without commentary about how "the American dream" game night was.
After several minutes, the phone started ringing, and Jess got up to answer it. "Hello."
"Wow, two syllables, such a step up. My, how you've grown." Jess sighed.
"Hey, Lorelai. Just a quick question. If you don't have caller I.D., how'd you get this number?"
"Star sixty-nine. " She said matter-of-factly. "Now, are you holding my daughter for some large amount of ransom I could never be able to pay, or can I talk to her?" Jess dropped the phone in Rory's lap, went back to where he was previously sitting, and resumed his turn in Monoperation.
"Hello?" Rory got up, and walked into the kitchen.
"So, when am I aloud to bring your stuff? Because I'm ready, but I need to know when someone will be home."
"I would hate for you to drive at night. Who knows how many people would kidnap you for their personal pleasures?" Rory said in a fake frightened tone. Lorelai was always terrified at the idea of someone kidnapping her, and she was aware that New York was a very dangerous city.
"YAHTZEE!" Jess yelled, earning looks from Dean and Coraline. Rory skidded into the living room, and moved the phone away from her mouth.
"You never said anything about Yahtzee. Did you add a game without me?"
"Yahtzee is a term used in excitement or pleasure. I got the wishbone!" He childishly clapped his hands, and grinned like a fool.
"What was that? Did Jess throw some dice, or is he getting lucky? If it's the ladder, I'm so sorry kid, but it's kind of sick to be in the next room talking to your mother."
"He got the wishbone." She nonchalantly responded.
"Huh?"
"Never mind, it's not important" She quickly averted the question, not wanting to explain what was going on. It was too surreal to jinx.
"Alright then. When should I come?"
"Hold on." She moved the phone away again. "Hey, can my mom bring my stuff tomorrow. I can't wear these sweats forever." Jess just nodded, not really paying attention. He threw his hands up, and tossed the fake money at a smirking Dean.
"Tomorrow's fine. You sure you know how to get here?"
"Yes. Luke has given me minute-by-minute directions. By the time I leave, I will know the way to Jess's apartment better than the way to my parent's house. Which is not only weird, but extremely creepy."
"Okay. See you tomorrow! I love you." Rory hung up the phone, and glanced over at the laughing figures. They all seemed so happy, and she wasn't sure if she belonged there. Dean noticed that Rory stopped talking to her mom.
"Is she coming?"
"Yeah. She'll probably be here at twelve."
"Well, we usually go to Sadie's at one-thirty, so that works."
"Who's Sadie?"
"She's a friend. She lives a few apartments down from us. She's got a seven year old, too. Jess cooks for them, and I do household chores while Coraline plays with Tess, Sadie's daughter."
"I look forward to meeting her." Right then, Rory knew she had a lot to learn about their lives. She didn't know anything about what they do or where they go. She didn't even know how they ended up living together, or who Coraline's mother was. Rory's reporter instincts kicked in, and she instantly wanted to know more. All she wanted was to be a part of their lives, again, without screwing things up.
A/N: I hope you all like it, really, I do. I have tried to make this a good chapter! Please review, even it is just to say "good" or "terrible." Happy 4th of July to everyone!
