Dean and Rory entered the house laughing. They had greatly enjoyed their time together, even if Emalisa had invaded. Lorelai was sitting on the couch, reading one of her novels, she glanced up at the teenagers when they came into the living room.

"Good movie?" Lorelai asked.

Rory gasped. "Oh. I forgot to call you."

"Call me?" Lorelai asked, closing her novel.

"We didn't go to a movie. We went to the pool." Rory explained.

"And what? Helped Taylor tie ribbons around the gate for the ceremonial scissor cutting?" Lorelai sounded a bit sarcastic, but truly interested.

"Not that pool." Rory continued on with her explanation. "We went to a pool in Hartford."

"You took off to Hartford? Rory…." Now it was obvious that Lorelai didn't approve.

"I meant to call you." Rory quickly replied. "See, I even took your cell phone with me." She pulled the cell phone out of the bag. "It just slipped my mind. We ran into Emalisa, and we had to take her back to Grandma's, and I just forgot…. I'm sorry."

Dean, who had stayed silent during the conversation, cleared his throat. "I didn't think you would mind, Lorelai. I'm sorry… It was my idea to go to the pool."

"I understand wanting to go to a pool, but guys, our pool will be open a couple of days… and, no, you shouldn't take off to Hartford, or anywhere for that matter, without consulting me first."

"Really, sorry." Rory apologized as she sat down on the couch beside her mother.

"Just be less forgetful next time." Lorelai replied. "Check with me first."

"Roger." Rory confirmed.

"I think I'll head out." Dean stated seeing the issue resolved, he bent down to kiss Rory goodbye. "See you tomorrow. Bye, Lorelai."

"Bye." Rory replied over her shoulder, as Dean exited the house.

"So, why did you have to take Emalisa back to Mom's?"

Rory sighed. "She had came to the pool with some college students…. Apparently, they weren't too thrilled about keeping her around. They ditched her at the pool, so Dean and I dropped her off down the street from Grandma's."

"Avoiding being seen… sneaky." Lorelai noted. "Can't blame you though. I'd pull a 007 too before taking the risk of making contact."

"I kind of think this whole thing is stupid… I mean, I know Elisa is like the biggest bitch on earth…"

"Super bitch." Lorelai added.

"Queen bitch." Rory followed

"Ahh, touché." Lorelai smiled.

Rory refocused. "But, I just wish we could get along and stop the fighting. I feel like it's tearing a huge hole between me and Grandma."

"Sweetie, when Elisa goes back to Boston in a couple of weeks, Grandma and you will go right back to normal. I'm sure. Elisa just has this strange affect on Mom and Dad. They act different around her. They always have. But they're not going to let her get in the way of their relationship with you. I can assure you of that." Lorelai reached out and took Rory's hand. "You're an incredibly sweet kid, Rory. And you prove that to everyone you meet. I think taking Emalisa home is a perfect example of your generosity."

Rory smiled. "Dean was really nice about it too."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure he got that from you." Lorelai smirked.

"Are we going to dinner Friday?" Rory asked, it was a question that had been on her mind for a while.

Lorelai sighed. "I don't know, sweetie… I honestly think it would be in the best interest of everyone if we didn't, but I know Emily Gilmore. She'll have it her way even if she has to destroy everything in her path to get it."

"I don't mind going…." Rory's voice was low and somber. "I don't want Grandma and Grandpa to think I'm bitter about anything. I know that Elisa and her family are only visiting…. If you wanted me to go alone this Friday…."

"Hah, there's no way I'm sending you to that house alone. What kind of mother do you think I am?"

"You're a great mother." Rory answered sweetly.

"Damn straight." Lorelai nodded.

Rory giggled. "When Grandma calls about dinner, be nice."

"You drive a hard bargain…."

"It's all about capitalism, baby." Rory stood from the couch. "I'm going to go shower, I smell like pool."

"Oh, that's what that smell is." Lorelai amusingly replied.

The phone rang and Lorelai glanced over at the table. "If that's Mom, then I'm officially convinced she's bugged the house."

Rory picked up the phone. "Hello? Yeah, hold on." Rory handed the phone to Lorelai. "Relax, it's Max."

"Nice rhyme. " Lorelai took the phone. Rory darted upstairs to take a shower. "Hello?"

"Lorelai, how are you?" Max asked adoringly.

"I'm good. How are you?" Lorelai played along.

"Good… Good….." Max replied. "I was hoping to talk to you about Rory."

"What about her?"

"Well… this is going to sound completely off the wall but…. I was at the mall today and I saw her picture hanging in the window of a store."

"You saw what hanging where?" Lorelai asked dumbfounded.

"Her picture was hanging in the window of a music store. I couldn't believe it was there…. I stared it for twenty minutes, Lorelai. I'm positive it's Rory."

"Why is Rory's picture in the window of a music store?"

"Well… according to the sign she's been banned from the store."

"Banned? As in kicked out?" Lorelai couldn't believe her ears. "Why would Rory be banned from a music store?"

"The sign said…." There was a long pause. "Theft."

Lorelai didn't immediately reply. She took a moment to soak in all the information.

"Lorelai?" Max asked…. "Are you there?"

"It must be some mistake." Lorelai finally replied. "Rory isn't a thief."

"I know that." Max agreed. "In fact, I went into the store and spoke with the manager. I asked why the picture of the girl was up in the window, and he plainly told me that they had her on tape stealing. Then he asked me if I knew the girl, because if they get name, they can press charges. I told him no, of course. For now, all they can do is stick up her photo and ban her."

"Max, this is the most unbelievable thing I've ever heard in my life." Lorelai rose from the couch and began to pace the floor. "Rory doesn't steal. Rory would never steal. Rory could be starving and she'd let herself die before taking a piece of bread that didn't rightly belong to her."

"Look, stay calm." Max directed. "Go to the mall tomorrow and work this whole thing out. I'm sure it's some crazy misunderstanding."

"Emalisa…." Lorelai's voice hardened.

"Who?" Max asked off guard.

"Last weekend Rory went to the mall with Emalisa."

"Who's Emalisa?"

"My niece." Lorelai regretfully admitted. "I'd almost guarantee she's the one behind this."

"Well, let's not jump to conclusions…."

"I got to go." Lorelai abruptly replied.

"What?"

"I got to go. I'll talk to you later, thanks for calling and telling me Max." Lorelai hung up the phone. She rushed upstairs and walked into the bathroom.

"Mom?" Rory called from inside the shower, when she heard the bathroom door open. "Are you in here?"

"Rory, what happened last weekend when you and Emalisa went to the mall?" Lorelai stood beside the shower.

Rory turned off the water and grabbed a towel to wrap herself in, she pulled back the shower curtain. "What do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean…." Lorelai narrowed her eyes.

Rory stepped out of the shower convinced Lorelai had an incline to what had actually occurred at the mall. "Em just done some stupid stuff…" Rory brushed off.

"Stupid stuff?" Lorelai asked folding her arms. "What kind of stupid stuff?"

"You know…" Rory replied, trying to get away with as little of an explanation as possible. "Like, she sneaked into the movie."

"Umm hmm…. That's all?" Lorelai stood waiting for more.

"And she…" Rory paused. "Mom, please…. I don't want to cause anymore problems."

"Problems? Rory, your face is plastered in the window of a music store at the Hartford mall. You've been banned from the store, because they say they have you on camera stealing merchandise."

"What!?" Rory's eyes bulged. "I didn't steal anything!" She defended.

"But Emalisa did?" Lorelai concluded.

Rory lowered her eyes. "Yeah. She did. While the clerk was in the back."

Lorelai was silent for several seconds. "You should have told me. She's not getting away with this."

"What are you going to do?" Rory asked, fearing that she had caused the beginnings of another fight.

"You're not taking the blame for this, Rory. I won't let you. Elisa can think we're lowlife scum all she wants, but you're not going to let her have any thing that looks like evidence, especially when it's her bratty child's fault." Lorelai stormed out of the bathroom.

Rory quickly followed after her. "Where are you going?"

"Hartford."

"Mom, no!' Rory caught up to her mother. "I can just go to the mall tomorrow and explain…."

"No." Lorelai turned quickly and held up her hand. "She's not getting away with this." Lorelai repeated, her anger level exploding. "End of story."

"Let me get dressed, I'm coming with you." Rory replied as she rushed into her bedroom to put on clothes.

Rory barely got her shoes on, by the time Lorelai had rushed out of the door and into the jeep. She'd never seen her mother so furious before. There was no doubt in Rory's mind, this would be the biggest blow up yet. Lorelai had clearly had enough.