I lied and got a chapter up earlier than I expected. Enjoy!
Author's Note:
You guys are awesome with the feedback. Thanks so much! I'm so happy that you guys are enjoying this. Keep it up! I'm not sure if I'm going to do a full 22 episode "season," as I really just wanted to wrap up Gilmore Girls in my own head. It'll either be 12 or 22. Let me know what you guys think.
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8.07 "Tune in and We Can Get the Last Call"
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"You lied," Linda accused playfully over lunch.
Rory sighed. She knew this was coming, the inevitability had been overwhelming since she'd begun the job at the Bulletin. She wasn't prepared for this, none of it was good for her. "I didn't lie," Rory asserted, "exactly," she added. Picking up her fork, she picked at her lunch; her decrease in hunger was an unfortunate side effect of all the drama surrounding the situation.
"Right." Linda nodded, knowingly. Being nosey was in her nature as a journalist. "So you're telling me that Huntzberger Junior spied you at the ball and went running after you? I didn't see any glass slippers, Rory."
"We … well, we dated at Yale." Sensing that this was juicy, Linda abandoned her plate of food and leaned forward, excited for the details. "And then we broke up." It was very anticlimactic.
"Broke up? After what? A week? A month?"
Rory looked around for the waiter. A cup of coffee would calm her nerves. What would calm her nerves best would be a call to her mother, but the lunch date had ruined those plans. "The whole thing is still up in the air. I didn't mean to lie to you, I just wasn't prepared to expose myself and my love life to the entire office." It was situations like this when Rory wished that she'd adopted a bit more of Paris's personality. Rory almost laughed at how Paris would have handled the entire situation.
Linda nodded. "Tell me about it. Last year, I had this intense thing with Aaron from entertainment. With gossip spreading like wildfire around that place, I knew that Aaron was breaking up with me before he actually did it."
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"No!" Lorelai gasped into the phone.
"Yes, twenty-four different arrangements. Between my office and my apartment, I could run a black market flower shop. It's junior year all over again, the only that's missing is a Doo-Wop group downstairs." As she spoke, Rory fingered one of the many flowers that were scattered around her apartment.
"Does that mean a coffee cart is next?" Lorelai asked. In spite of her dislike for Logan, she had to give him credit for his effort.
"I sincerely hope not."
"Well if it is, remember Mama." From the beginning of this entire mess, Lorelai'd had an inkling that Logan would find a way back into Rory's life. "Well, Kid, what are you thinking?"
"You're supposed to tell me that."
Lorelai sighed. "This is the engagement ring all over again. I can't make this decision for you."
"What would you do?"
"I don't know, Kid. It's a tough one. One thing's obvious, though." Lorelai hesitated in admitting it, but decided it would be the most honest interpretation of the situation. "He really does love you."
Rory responded with a pregnant silence. She knew that Logan loved her, and she loved him, too. She wished it were just that simple. "New topic. How are things with you?"
Lorelai glanced around in search of Luke. "Not so good." She relayed the entire situation with Luke, April, and Anna to Rory.
"Mom! You did not!" Rory guffawed.
"I know, and I should have stayed out of it. I couldn't just sit by and watch that woman do that to Luke," Lorelai admitted.
"Yeah, let's just hope that Luke sees it that way."
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Lorelai sat, nervously awaiting the end of the day. Luke hadn't said anything to her, but since his talk with Anna, that was par for the course. Lorelai approached him hesitantly from behind, wrapping her arms around his middle. She felt him stiffen at her touch, and her heart lurched for him.
"You could have ruined everything," he said, removing her arms from around him.
Lorelai looked at him through glossy blue eyes, tears precariously sitting on the brim. Luke shook his head and turned away from her, not wanting to meet her gaze. "This is my problem, Lorelai. You should have stayed out of it."
"Luke!" Lorelai approached him cautiously. "I'm … I just … I'm sorry. I couldn't stand by while she did that to you."
Luke grabbed his coat and headed for the door. "I'll be at the diner."
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Rory couldn't believe it. The rest of the week had gone by with a few bouquets arriving every day. But the highlight of her week was standing in her entryway. "Oh my gosh! Lane!" Rory charged her best friend with a giant hug.
"In the flesh!" Lane hugged back, squeezing her best friend tightly.
"How did you get here?" Rory guided her into the living room. "Are you staying? Please say you're staying. How are the boys?"
Lane laughed at the bombardment of questions. "I took the train. I'll stay, if you'll have me for the night. And Steve and Kwan are great. Mama is with them. Zach thought I needed a break." Lane sucked in air and nodded. "Which I do."
It was Saturday morning, Rory had just finished doing her daily crossword puzzle and was still in her pajamas. "I'm so glad you're here," she gushed. "Oh gosh, okay, let me get dressed. Are you hungry? Let's go get lunch."
Lane was in awe of her best friend. Rory had achieved every goal that she'd ever set for herself in life. It was safe to say that when she grew up, in another life, she wanted to be Rory Gilmore, woman extraordinaire. "So what's with all the flowers?" Lane asked, aloud, suddenly realizing that Rory's condo more closely resembled a flower shop than a home.
She heard Rory moan in response. Emerging a moment later from her bedroom, Rory shook her head. "It's a long story."
"Don't tell me. It has to do with Logan or Jess," she looked around again, "or both."
"Just Logan." Rory grabbed her purse and headed toward the door. "Lane, you look so beautiful!"
Lane looked down at herself, then back at Rory. She felt like there was no comparison and showed this with a skeptical face. "These are the only clothes I have that Steve and Kwan haven't permanently stained yet." She looked back at Rory. "And don't think that complimenting me is going to get you out of telling me about Logan and the flowers, because I'm a mom now. I have powers."
"Come on," Rory said, linking her arm with Lane's, "I'll explain it all over lunch."
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"Okay, okay, I have a better one," Rory's face was perky with a happiness that only a best friend and alcohol could bring. "That party senior year at that kid, Kyle's, house?"
"I got drunk and called my mom," Lane nodded, knowingly. "She's still never said anything about that night." Then, Lane's eyes lit up. "That was the night that Jess and Dean got in a fight over you! Man, you really know how to keep the boys interested."
"They did not get in a fight over me!" Rory said, indignantly.
"Love, who wouldn't get in a fight over you?" Rory heard from the figure standing next to her.
Launching herself off her barstool, Rory screamed, "Finn!"
"My God, Colin. Look, woman are throwing themselves at me!" Finn took a dramatic step back, "Do I know you?"
Rory laughed, then turned to Colin, hugging him enthusiastically. "Hey Colin!"
"Rory Gilmore, I do believe you are drunk. Who's your friend? Would she consider dyeing her hair red?" Finn eyed Lane, who returned his gaze with one of disbelief.
"Finn, down. Colin and Finn, this is my best friend, Lane," Rory introduced her friends. "She's married," she added.
Inviting them to sit down, Rory returned to her seat. "Only if you promise to share this story of two boys fighting over you. Was it as good as the time Logan and Colin fought over you?"
"You and Logan fought over Rory?" Lane asked, amazed at the situation.
Colin looked surprised that someone was addressing him. "I think it would be more appropriate to call it a staged fight," he responded, returning his gaze to the scene around the bar.
"Oh! Right! So you must have been the one dressed as the police officer?" Lane asked Finn.
"I can neither confirm nor deny that, Love," Finn responded in jest.
"I'm going to get a drink. Rory? Lane?" he asked.
"Jack and Coke, please," Rory ordered, smiling broadly. Lane declined, pointing at her still half-full drink.
"Do you not love me anymore Colin? Do you cease to forget my existence?" Finn placed a hand over his heart, feigning heart break.
"I'll be back," Colin responded.
"Rory, if I'd known your friends from Yale were this fun …" Lane's sentence faded as she watched Colin approach Logan. Finn and Rory's eyes followed her stare as Colin obviously tried to get Logan to leave the bar.
"Love, I'm sorry, I didn't realize he'd come out tonight. He usually doesn't … if I'd known, I wouldn't have approached you," Finn scrambled for an explanation.
Rory shook her head. "Finn, it's fine. I'm okay, but Lane and I can leave if you guys would be uncomfortable."
Before anyone could respond or move, Logan appeared at the table with Colin by his side. "Looks like I've found the party. Lane, nice to see you again. Finn, my man," he said, his eyes on Rory the entire time. "Evening, Ace."
Lane, Colin, and Finn sat frozen, waiting for Rory's response. Rory, unsure if it was the alcohol or her heart acting, smiled. "Hey Logan!" she greeted him. The three bystanders exchanged worried glances. Finn and Lane scooted their barstools closer to Rory's under the guise of making room for Logan, but more because they thought it safest to keep Logan as far away from Rory as possible.
"What's everyone drinking?" he asked.
"Colin was in charge of this round," Finn responded, giving Colin a pointed look.
"Right. A little help, Logan?" Colin asked, picking up on the cue.
"I just got here, Finn, why don't you give Colin a hand?" Logan asked, then refocused his attention on Lane, "So how are your sons? Beautiful, I trust?" he asked.
Not sure what to do, Finn glanced at Rory, who had already leaned toward Lane to hear her response. Resigned to the fact that this was going to happen no matter what, Finn followed Colin to the bar to restock on alcohol, because he was sure he was going to need massive amounts for this night.
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Sad and dejected, Lorelai returned home to an empty house for the fourth time that week. She had no idea where she and Luke stood at the moment. Every time she'd gone into the diner, he'd treated her indifferently. She supposed that was better than outright ignoring her, but his lack of emotion toward her was killing her.
She approached her answering machine and hit play.
"Lorelai. This is your mother. Rory has been home for two weeks now and neither your father nor I have seen her. We demand your presence, along with Rory, at dinner this Friday. No excuses, Lorelai."
Lorelai sighed, not wanting to deal with that just yet. She hit next and walked into the kitchen.
"Lorelai." It was Luke. "I'm going to New Mexico to get this straightened out."
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Up Next: Resolutions to the cliffhangers, plus Friday night dinner, AND a town meeting!
