Aaggghhh... I'm tired, I'm cranky and I'm sick... But I can still type and post... I hope you're happy!

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I do not own Gilmore Girls, the characters, original plot or storyline, nor anything else that was written, produced or directed by ASP or the WB. I do however own my own plot and storyline, characters and point of view!

Chapter 11: GIRL NEXT DOOR?

Logan had come out of the bathroom shortly before Rory had got off the phone and silently watched with Colin, Steph and Finn as Rory immediately started dialing after hanging up with Emily Gilmore. Each one of the 'Fab 4' could tell that something new was bothering her, but didn't know what to say. Reluctantly they just continued to sit, watch and listen.

Rory dialed a familiar number and waited while the phone rang. On the fourth ring it was answered.

"Good morning, Luke's" a cheerful Lane answered the phone.

"Lane it's Rory," Rory said.

"Hey," Lane said as she filled a customer's coffee. "What's up?"

Rory sighed. "Do you know when mom and Luke are going to be back?"

"Uh, not for sure." Lane replied. "Luke just said that the place was mine and Ceasar's till Monday morning. So I would assume that means they'd be back Sunday night."

"Tomorrow night," Rory glumly repeated. "Okay well I guess I'll just have to wait till then to talk to her."

"Are you okay? You sound sorta down." Lane gently asked. She sensed that something was wrong but didn't want to push. She knew her best friend; unless Rory was ready to talk about something, she wouldn't say a word.

Rory rubbed her eyes in frustration. "Not really," she told Lane. "I just realized something when I was talking to my grandmother."

"What was that?" Lane questioned. She figured anything that involved Emily Gilmore probably wasn't something good.

"That mom was right about everything, the whole Dean situation." Rory explained. "I always knew it was wrong but she was right, I stayed with him because I felt guilty about what happened not because I loved him."

"You can't blame yourself," Lane soothed. "What you did wasn't right, but Dean was at fault too. He never should have put in that situation, especially if he loved you the way he said he did."

"I know," Rory groaned. "I know. Oh well, that's not the most important thing that I need to talk to her about right now anyways. Do you think that when you see her you can tell her to call me?" She asked.

"Sure." Lane promised. "But why don't you just call her cell. I know that Luke told her she couldn't take it, but this is Lorelai we are talking about and she doesn't listen to anybody."

Rory breathed deeply and closed her eyes. "Yeah you're probably right."

"Kay. Well I have to go." Lane told her. "Call me soon?"

"I will." Rory said. "Bye."

"Bye," Lane told her and they both hung up the phone.

Rory sat silently, thinking. Logan and the others watched and waited for some sign that Rory was okay. After a couple minutes, Rory dropped her head to the desktop and sighed deeply. Colin, Finn and Steph looked to Logan to break the silence. He started to get up from the chair that he was in, then stopped and settled back down. It occurred to him that it might be a good thing to keep some physical distance between them.

"Ace?" he said quietly, but loud enough for her to hear him.

Upon hearing his voice Rory sighed again and lifted her head. Slowly she turned around in the chair to face Logan and his friends; she knew that they would question her about the conversation with Lane, and probably aspects of the talk with her grandmother as well. She didn't say anything to respond but finally brought her eye line to meet Logan's.

She met his eyes and he knew he would have to take the first step. "You wanna tell us about it?" He asked gently.

Rory gave him a slight, tight smile and got up from the chair. She finished her cup of coffee as she walked over to the coffee pot, and filled the mug again. As she turned back to the four people sitting in her living room she finally replied.

"I don't know, you'll probably think less of me." She told them.

They all chuckled and Colin spoke. "I really doubt that there is anything that you could tell us that would make us think less of you."

"People can surprise you," Rory said cryptically.

Colin answered just as obscurely, "Yes they can."

Colin and Rory stared at each other for a few minutes before Rory replied softly, mostly to herself. "Oh what the hell."

"Yay," Finn giggled. "I want to know the deep dark secret that will forever ruin your 'girl next door' persona."

"Finn!!!" Steph gasped.

Laughing Rory said, "It's okay Steph. He's not wrong."

Steph gasped again, "I don't believe it, just look at you—you are the perfect girl next door."

Rory smirked. "I could think of a few people who wouldn't call me that."

"Name one." Logan challenged.

"Dean." Rory countered.

"Ex-boyfriends don't count!" Colin replied. "Name someone else."

"Alright," Rory continued. "Lindsey."

"Lindsey who?" Logan asked.

"Lindsey Forrester." Rory stated plainly. She knew what question was going to come next and she got up and headed towards her room. She didn't want to see their faces when they realized what she was telling them.

It was Finn who asked, "And who exactly is Lindsey Forrester?"

From inside her room, Rory told them, "Well as for as I know, legally, she is still Dean's wife."

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I'll update again soon... hopefully I won't still be sick. :(

Enjoy! apalusa