Written In The Stars II

by gilmoregirl1979

THE LONG AWAITED CONTINUATION! BIG PLANS, REMEMBER! if you haven't READ WITS I first, please do, because my 12 yo Rory is adorable! and LL are in that one Too! CH 45, Still alive!

13. Proof Is In The Pudding

Written In The Stars II
By Gilmoregirl1979 (the reigning Quote Queen)
Provider of Quality Fan Fiction

Rating: PG-13
Hi this is your friendly disclaimer: I REJECT ASP's REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN! Once again, I don't own (DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!!), No Harm No Sue.

R/R: yes please I love reviews; I wanna marry them (as previously stated, I have strange passions.)

Summary/ the Q: What if they did the show… MY WAY (Like Frank!)

Luvz: Miss you, because you are multifaceted abnormal

LOCALIZY: you are still the Queen of all that is awesome and GOOD…

Jenn and Guro: thank you for the read through and fresh eyes!!

A/N: Dialogue borrowed from

1.03 - Kill Me Now
written by Joanne Waters
directed by Adam Nimoy

1.06 - Rory's Birthday Parties
written by: Amy Sherman-Palladino
directed by: Sarah Pia Anderson

A/N: I know it's been a while… that's why this chapter is Extra Long…. I took the time for a GREAT Chapter, so please take the time for a GREAT REVIEW!!!

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Chapter 13:
Proof Is In The Pudding
Rory's Birthday Party; Take One (CLAP)

At Friday night dinner, everyone was at their proper place setting, except Richard was temporarily absent from the table on a business call in his study.

Attempting a civil conversation with her family, Emily announced, "Tomorrow our lawyer, Joseph Stanford, is coming by."

"Ugh. Crazy Sissy's dad," Lorelai explained to her husband on her left.

Emily admonished her daughter, "That's a terrible thing to say. Sissy was a good friend of yours."

"Mom, Sissy talked to her stuffed animals and they answered her."

Emily sighed, "Everything's a joke. Everyone's a punch line."

Luke merely sliced his squash, Hello, Emily, have you met Lorelai?

"OK, I'm sorry," Lorelai conceded to move on since her whimsical commentary wasn't appreciated.

"Where was I?" Emily asked.

"Uh, Joseph Stanford is coming tomorrow," Rory gently reminded her grandmother.

"Yes. So, Rory, your grandfather and I thought it might be nice after dinner for you to go around the house and pick out what you'd like us to leave you in our wills."

Luke started choking on his mouthful. His in-laws were so casual about the idea of a will as if someone said "pass the potatoes" and moreover Luke himself had just started the "Will" discussion with Paul and Mike.

"Why don't I ever bring a tape recorder to these dinners?" Lorelai scolded herself in a side comment to her husband, oblivious to the reason for his reaction and his own discrete will.

"Sorry, sorry; a little trouble with our China office," Richard entered the dining room and took his place at the head of the table, "What did I miss?"

"I was just telling them about Joseph coming and they should pick out what they want. You know Rory, Richard has a very fine Georgian desk in his office."

Richard scooted his chair in sending a mild glare to his wife; the noise was to signal to his wife that he didn't like the idea of Emily auctioning off his belongings, the accumulation of his life of travel souvenirs and hard work before he was even dead; though he understood the practicality of such precautions, he'd have appreciated a little more tact.

Rory very uncomfortable with this topic herself; she wasn't really a material girl, though she did enjoy shopping with her mother. Rory was certain that none of her family would find anything in the Gilmore manor that would be truly useful, suitable, or appreciated in the Danes den. Rory tried to move it along quickly, "Well, anything you want to leave me is fine."

"Careful what you wish for," Lorelai warned across the table as she took a sip of her soda having received 32 years of gifts from Emily Gilmore, most of which were re-gifted around the homes of Stars Hollow.

"Nonsense; you should have what you like," Emily dismissed and instructed, "So look around and when you see something you like, stick a post-it on it."

"OK, you have officially hit a new level of weird that even I marvel at," Lorelai voiced what her husband was thinking.

"You can pick out things too, you know."

"Oh, well now it's way less creepy," Lorelai joked.

"Did you hear that Richard? Apparently we're creepy."

"Yes, well, live and learn," Richard smiled settled in his seat.

Now that everyone had returned to the table the maid could now serve dessert and entered with a serving tray.

A crystal bowl was placed in front of Rory, "Oh cool!"

"What's that?" Lorelai said just as astonished and eager for the best part of dinner, dessert, signal the near end to the weekly torment.

"It's dessert," Emily said plainly.

"Its pudding," Lorelai challenged.

"Well, if you knew what it was why did you ask?"

"You don't like pudding," Lorelai stated the fact.

"Yes, but you like pudding."

"Oh, I love pudding. I worship it. I have a bowl up on the mantel at home with the Virgin Mary, a glass of wine, and a dollar bill next to it."

Luke merely sighed over how is wife could get so excited about food and the colorful images she could conjure with one sentence.

"I've never had pudding from a crystal bowl before," Rory admired it, she was used to pudding from a plastic cup or from her set of glass mixing bowls.

Emily smiled how Rory at least could appreciate the finer things, "You like the bowl?"

Rory nodded.

"Put a post-it on it when you're done," Emily said; and Luke shuddered, to him they were being morbid again.

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After dinner, with Emily's insistence, the Danes went around the Gilmore manor with pens and post-it pads. Luke was following Lorelai, in hushed tones trying to talk her out of placing the yellow paper on anything in the house.

Rory had understood from previous visits that there was a whole collection of books in her Grandpa's study and ever since she was a kid she had been curious about it. It was also understood that her Grandfather's study was private, off limits, out of bounds, forbidden. Yet, Rory stood outside the study door; she knew her Grandpa was within, possibly working on that China matter that had called him away during dinner; she didn't want to disturb him, but there was a time limit since her grandparents' lawyer was coming the next day, but she had never entered the sanctuary study before. Rory was stuck.

Emily came from around the corner, "Did you see the desk?"

"Um no, actually… I really don't want to bother grandpa. I'll just see it next time or when you give it to me," of course Rory realized the dismal circumstances that the desk would come into her possession.

"Nonsense," Emily waved off, "I'm sure he'd love to show it to you, not to mention that there are dozens of books I'm sure you'd appreciate," and without so much as knocking Emily led Rory into the private sanctuary, "Richard, is it alright if Rory looks around in here, I wanted her to see your desk."

Richard was mildly perturbed, "I suppose." He was working, he had closed the door to indicate he wasn't to be disturbed, but ever in Emily fashion, she just burst in to take over the scene. In a social setting he loved that about his wife, while he was trying to concentrate on business, it was rather annoying.

"Take a look at the bookcases too," Emily whispered to Rory before leaving the two alone. "I'm going to check on your mother."

There Rory was, alone with her Grandpa Gilmore. When Rory was younger she found the grand Gilmore house and its inhabitants intimidating, she now reasoned it was because she had been so small, the house proportionally larger and the fact that a fight always broke out between her mother and grandmother hastening a swift departure, thereby Rory always associated the castle like structure with hostility, naturally her impression of Hartford and its residents had been decidedly negative; however after a few years of growth on her part and a few weekly dinners with her Grandparents she found them almost lovable … in their own, special way.

Rory timidly perused the shelves sneaking glances to the seated stranger that was her grandpa sitting at the desk she was to look over and decide if she one day wanted. Rory hardly spoke to him at dinner, or even yesterday at the funeral; she wouldn't even know where to begin.

After a few silent minutes, Richard grew annoyed with feeling her eyes on him, "Is there something on your mind, Rory?"

"What? Oh, um, no," Rory went back to the titles on the shelves and Richard went back to work, but after a few moments Rory spoke up again, "Can I ask you a question?"

Richard sighed, then removed his reading glasses, giving up on work until the Danes family left his home; "Yes Rory."

Rory asked a question that had been burning on her mind since the elder Gilmores reentered their lives. "What do you do…exactly?" Even as a child it had been an utter mystery to her. She knew her mother ran an inn, her father owned and operated a diner, her grandmother was a housewife and philanthropist, but she had no idea what her Grandpa did to support that philanthropy. She also knew her grandparents were well off and quite a name in Hartford society and whatever Richard did for his income it apparently deserved a lot of zeroes at the end of his paychecks, but that status didn't translate to Stars Hollow world.

Richard recited what was on his business cards and what he often stated at cocktail parties while meeting new people, "I'm the executive vice-president of the Gehrman-Driscoll Insurance Corporation."

"Wow," Rory was intimidated by the sheer length of his title.

He found her reaction to his mundane, monotonous job somewhat amusing, "Yes."

Rory ventured a step closer to her grandpa, "And as executive vice-president, what do you do?" Rory sank into a leather chair opposite the fine Georgian desk she was supposed to be inspecting.

"Well, it's a very big company," Richard explained, "… one of the largest in the United States as a matter of fact…I have a myriad of duties which would bore you greatly to hear about."

"Try me," she smiled eagerly.

"Well," Richard tried to surmise, "I oversee our international division."

"That sounds important."

"Well, it rates a parking spot," Richard joked casually.

"Do you get to travel a lot?" Rory held her pen and post it pad as if she was a reporter, she could have mistaken this sit down for an interview.

"Quite a bit; you may have noticed my recent absence from dinner a few weeks back," referring to his trip to Germany.

"Yeah," Rory said, recalling the charming conversation volleyed between her mother and grandmother and her father taking the seat of honor at the head of the table on that occasion, "You were missed."

Richard felt a strange pang in his chest over her disclosure, she had missed him?

"You're lucky," Rory sighed, her eyes wandering to a globe behind the desk.

Richard tilted his head to one side, noting the wistful sigh, seeing that same twinkle before, often in his own reflection's eye, "I suspect you have a yen for traveling."

"I'm up to my ears in yens," Rory chuckled.

Richard leaned back, settled more comfortably into his chair, as if conducting a job interview for a subordinate hoping for advancement in the company, surprised at his own curiosity about how much of the Gilmore spirit was in his granddaughter, so he asked, "Any particular place you'd like to go?"

"Hundreds of places. Rome, London, Prague, Istanbul, Fez… Have you ever been to Fez?" wondering what stories her grandpa could tell her. Her dad always had a funny story about her Grandpa William and the army or of his interactions with his Stars Hollow neighbors, stories she was certain her Grandpa William would have told her himself had he been alive.

"I can't say that I have," Richard surprised himself; he considered himself worldly, across the globe and back again yet Rory pointed out a place he had yet to explore. The youth before him reminded him that there were still mysteries of the planet he inhabited that he hadn't even discovered or considered yet.

"Well, I want to go to Fez."

"I think traveling for a young girl is a very important thing," then delicately pointed out, "Your mother never got a chance to travel much."

"I know. She talks about that all the time."

Richard blinked, "She does?"

"Yeah, she's always said that she wanted to be able to say 'I'll be back from Düsseldorf on Thursday' or something like that. And we've got a deal. When I graduate from high school we're going to go backpacking through Europe together, we're still warming up Dad to the idea of course, we planned it before he came into our lives, but we still want to do it all…you know, do the whole hostel thing, which of course is one of Dad's main reservations about the whole thing. I just hope it really happens," Rory knew it hinged upon her father's malleability and the possibility of a baby being around by that time.

"Well, we'll just have to make sure that it does," Richard found the one on one conversation engaging. He had finally found something to bond with his granddaughter over; travel. It wasn't much but it was a start, and he had the means to supply travel opportunities, to widen the life experience of his only grandchild. She wasn't there to poach his international collectibles as Emily had persuaded; she was there to learn how to obtain her own mementos.

Unfortunately the newfound ease faded away, both eager to continue the conversation, but no idea how to start it up again.

Rory nervously looked over to the bookshelf again and her jaw nearly dropped, "Is that Mencken?"

"Why, yes, Mencken's 'Chrestomathy', are you familiar with his work?"

"Yes," Rory said emphatically, "His renowned satirical style, editor of the Baltimore Morning Herald and then The Baltimore Sun, an insightful 'man of ideas', became close friends with Theodore Dreiser, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Alfred Knopf, and mentored Alistair Cooke."

"I may also have a first edition of his memoirs somewhere."

"You're kidding?!"

"I'll have to find it …is that something you would be interested in?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Would you want to take a look at 'Chrestomathy' now?"

Unable to control her enthusiasm Rory burst, "Oh my God, I totally would," Then offered a more restrained, "I mean, yes please!"

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Luke and Lorelai had wandered through the house, upstairs in their search for treasures, merely because Luke followed Lorelai wherever she led to try to talk her out of littering a trail of yellow post-its everywhere, "Will you stop with the post-its?"

"Luke, they want to know what we want when they kick it."

"I can't believe you are participating in this morbid free for all."

"Well, fortunately as I'm the only child I should get everything anyway; however there are countless cousins and 'thrice removes' ahead of me in the age range, so they may have called dibs on something and I wouldn't even know. Greedy bastards!" as Lorelai suddenly opened the door to reveal a concealed staircase.

"Lorelai, where are you going? Narnia?"

"The attic; I want to see if we still have something," Lorelai trudged up the stairs, "I can't imagine my mother would have thrown it out after all these years…Look at this place; its practically a museum," Lorelai stepped onto the hidden level and worked through a maze of wood and tarps.

"What?" Luke trailed behind her, getting tangled up in forgotten furniture as he tried to keep pace with Lorelai.

"This," Lorelai removed the dusty old cloth to reveal a beautiful ornate crib.

"Wow," Luke examined and admired the craftsmanship, "It's beautiful."

Lorelai knew her woodworking husband would appreciate the piece while she explained, "Hand carved, with mother-of-pearl in lay."

"Isn't that a choking hazard for an infant? ...Was this yours?"

"Yup, and my mother's before me, and her mother's before that… some hand-me-downs are nice," Lorelai smiled as she ran her hand along the wood. "Her first few months, Rory slept in here too."

That made the relic even more meaningful to Luke. This was part of Rory's childhood; a piece of the past that he could touch, he pictured his little girl as a baby, pictured the tiny face looking up at him from the crib, a face he had seen in a thousand photographs from before he even knew her.

Luke put an arm around his wife; "Do you really want to wait until your parents are dead to ask for it?" this was Luke's sly way to get Lorelai to open up to her parents just a little. Sure they had no news yet, and he knew of Lorelai's apprehension about sharing anything with her folks, but he thought it would be a good idea to get her folks used to the idea of a baby, sort of soften the shock and here was a prime opportunity.

Lorelai not wanting to mention the baby plan to her parents, she looked at the crib, imagined the little future Danes' face that would be peeking out from the wood. Tiny, pudgy fingers reaching out for his or her parents, a gummy toothless grin, brown hair, and of course, big blue eyes.

"Lorelai, we're having a baby, not founding a drug ring; this is supposed to be a happy family thing we can share."

Lorelai was nearly shamed, "I know … but I can't tell her." It's not that she didn't want to tell Emily, it's just everything good in her life that made Lorelai happy, Emily always found a way to make her feel bad or guilty about. Burning her own baby pictures, sneaking booze, staying out late with her friends, having sex at an early age with Christopher, having Rory at an early age, running away from home, making it on her own, marrying Luke. Lorelai didn't want another happy moment in her life to turn into something ugly, another disappointment that Emily would lord over her for all time. Lorelai sighed in defeat, "…And there's nothing to tell yet anyway. I just don't want her to use this against us, I mean, she really doesn't need another reason to hate you… she thought I was only marrying you because I was pregnant, why does she always have babies on the brain."

"Like mother, like daughter," Luke grinned.

"I just can't … not yet. I mean… after what happened last time?"

"This is different. You're older, you're married."

Lorelai still excused, "I wouldn't even know where to begin…any way I try to approach it…"

Luke accepted that, for now, "Alright, but when we are…expecting…"

"Yes. I'll find a way…to… break the news."

Luke scoffed, "It's not a bad thing, and it's not her decision anyway, it's something she's going to have to live with and accept…when it happens. So start thinking now about how you want to do it… because any day now it will happen."

"Don't get my hopes up."

Luke leaned in and kissed his wife, and Lorelai automatically got lost in his lips and the embrace. Lorelai wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, the need for oxygen emerged quickly due to the deep kisses and musty air of the attic.

Just as Luke's hand wandered below the small of her back, "Lorelai?" was heard from the staircase. The voice was obviously curious why the attic door was open; this curiosity was followed by the sound of creaking of wood and thudding high heels on the steps.

Lorelai pulled away from Luke, "Quick; cover the crib."

"Why?"

"I don't want her to know we were looking at it," Lorelai fumbled with the material, handing a corner to her husband.

Emily leveled off just as the tarp fell down over the hidden furniture; Emily strained to see them in the clutter of forgotten furniture. As she laid eyes on them, it looked to be Luke and Lorelai had separated quickly, it appeared Lorelai was smoothing out her dress; Emily assumed they were out of breath from their inability to keep their hands to themselves, even for a few hours to accommodate dinner. Of all the places to do such a thing, "What are you doing up here?"

"Umm, enjoying the musty air?" Lorelai discretely tried to fix her smudged lipstick with her thumb and without the aid of a mirror while Luke coughed from the dust kicked up by the tarp they had just replaced.

"What?" Emily challenged.

"Well, we're looking for hidden treasures …of course. Posting it… you know," holding up the yellow pads.

"Mrs. Gilmore?" a new voice called.

Emily sighed, "Yes, Gladys"

"Um, Excuse me, um I know it's my third day, but I still can't remember where the containers are to put the food away?? You have a very large… um beautiful kitchen."

"Oh for heaven's sake…Very well, I'm coming," Emily swallowed her annoyance, "Why don't you two check the rest of the house."

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Rory had a wonderful conversation with her grandpa, sharing what they each knew about Mencken in the absence of the author's memoirs. Rory slid her hand across the vintage cover of the book. She was actually surprised to find Mencken in the Gilmore house, given his views on elitism, which from as far as Rory could see her grandparents embodied. Yet beneath the haughty exterior, they were just people like back in Stars Hollow. "I should try to get Dad to read this; I think he would get a kick out of Mencken's view of 'Superior individuals'."

"Christopher?" Richard asked automatically.

"Luke," Rory corrected.

Richard was surprised, "Ah, well…I didn't realize Luke was…that is, your father," Richard amended, pointedly in respect to his granddaughter's and the State of Connecticut's view of things, "was so…cerebral. I'm sure he'd… enjoy it."

"You can't judge a book by its cover, Grandpa."

"Yes, well, he seems like he is ...a good man."

There it was, the haughty shell, looking down on people just because of the circumstances of their birth. Rory knew that they had to just give Luke a chance, and they would see that being a good man wasn't mere polite words, "He really is, Grandpa."

"Even so, he doesn't have the zeal for traveling that you and your mother do," Richard gathered that Luke was a bit of a homebody, but also Richard was probing for ways he could help Rory's dream of Fez to come true.

Rory explained, "Dad is a simple man... he has his routine, his diner, us; we live in the town that we all love immensely. Hey, maybe you could come to Stars Hollow some time? You and Grandma? We can give you the full tour."

Richard humored his granddaughter's suggestion; "Perhaps, when my schedule isn't so full."

A silence fell on them again, and took the opportunity to get some of his questions answered; Richard had to be blunt, "Is he treating you alright?"

"Who?"

"Luke." Richard had been on Lorelai's and Rory's side in regard to the marriage and the adoption. He saw the positive change in both is daughter and granddaughter on their rare visits due to the addition of Luke to their lives.

"Of course, he's the best dad I could ever ask for," Rory assured.

"Despite his financial difficulty… I mean, he couldn't provide the tuition for Chilton… are there… any other needs he's neglecting?" Richard was thinking ahead, what if Luke couldn't pay for Rory's college, Rory's wedding, keep the house that sheltered his family. All of these practical concerns were the reason Richard had suggested franchising the diner last Easter to Luke which resulted in the current tension between the in-laws.

"Grandpa…?"

"I know, something of the male pride, Rory, and Luke can't be happy with this financial arrangement for Chilton, or these weekly dinners, especially when your grandmother… Umm…" Richard tried to word it delicately.

"Hates him?" Rory flatly supplied.

"Well, I was going to say disliked him, but that really isn't strong enough. I don't know why your grandmother insists on holding on to this… grudge," Richard said frankly, "It's not like they're ever going to separate."

Rory grinned over her parents' recent baby trials again, "Not likely."

"And it's not as if… well, Christopher would one day ride in on a white horse and we'd all have Norman Rockwell Christmases together."

Rory merely nodded and swallowed hard at the name, uncomfortable with talk about Christopher.

"I'm very sorry that your Grandmother is so hard on Luke. I know you are fond of him."

"She has to understand… both of you, he does provide for us, he always does what he thinks is best for us, he puts our needs ahead of his own. Luke is my dad, he's the only dad I'll ever really know or could want."

"Well, then I apologize for over stepping." Richard admitted, "He does seem like a good match for your mother… and for you…I've always thought so…" swallowing the tension over the franchising fiasco the previous spring.

"We love him, Grandpa."

"Yes, well…"

"You just have to get to know him, give him another chance," Rory delicately treaded the misunderstanding that Richard and Luke had the past Easter. Rory's eye drifted to the grandfather clock, "Oh, we should head back… um, thank you for sharing Mencken with me." Rory returned the book to the shelf, "Night Grandpa."

"Good night, Rory." Richard saw the similarities between Lorelai and Rory with this one on one conversation; he also saw the differences. Rory wasn't like the "death rockers" Richard saw on the streets of Hartford; the imaginary oppression of teens that dyed their hair and got grotesque piercings and tattoos as a means to express themselves. Rory wasn't like that. She was smart, witty, insightful… simply wonderful. Like Lorelai had been. Then Lorelai's "I'm so misunderstood" distance set in, and Richard had been so exhausted providing a good life for his family, he didn't have the patience of Lorelai's teenage ingratitude. He didn't sense that misunderstanding between the Danes, perhaps Luke and Lorelai were better parents than Emily and he. Was it possible that they could provide more for their daughter even though they had monetarily less?

Richard now understood why these dinners had been his wife's bargaining chip. It was to force a relationship with their relatives, but eventually, once the awkwardness dissipated, perhaps they could be a real family again.

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Rory returned to the living room, feeling a sense of accomplishment from her productive conversation with her Grandpa. She found her dad pacing around the living room after her mother. Lorelai turned to their daughter, "Hey you, I need a second opinion since he is being absolutely no help. So what do you think of this?"

Rory frowned at the large ornate vase, "Where would we put it?" Rory commented.

"I don't know. The Emily and Richard Gilmore Psycho Museum?"

"Look, put the post-its down," Luke begged, feeling like vultures circling before the animals were even dead.

"This is the strangest evening I've ever spent here," Rory observed, but she did have a warm feeling about her conversation with Richard.

"Wait for it, they'll find a way to top it," Lorelai tore off another yellow piece of paper and placed it on the fugly vase.

"Then will you please stop participating," Luke asked.

"So, how's it going?" Emily asked when she returned to check on her guests.

"Great, just getting ready for the big day," Lorelai said sarcastically.

"Very nice," Emily accepted the answer primly.

"So, um, it's getting late, Mom. Unless you've got some funeral plots for us to decorate we should really be going."

Emily turned to Rory, "Any special requests for dinner next week?"

"Oh, well…" Rory looked to her parents. Next Friday was her birthday, her sweet sixteen; usually they had a party at the house before Friday night dinners even existed, spare one occasion when Rory insisted on having it at the diner.

"Mom, I want to talk to you for a minute, and Rory, why don't you go say goodbye to Grandpa."

"I just did…"

"Well, do it once more with feeling…" Lorelai shooed her daughter off, then suggested to her husband, "Luke, honey, could you warm up the car...?"

Luke whispered, "Real smooth."

Luke and Rory left Lorelai and Emily alone.

"Should I sit down?" Emily said dryly.

Lorelai rolled her eyes, and Luke wonders why I can't tell her about the baby possibility, "Yeah, but not there, OK? We got a post-it on that. We'd like to keep it nice."

Emily rolled her eyes in return, "It must be very exhausting to be you."

Lorelai broached, "Mom, Rory's birthday is next Friday."

"I know that."

"So, we were thinking that maybe we could push our dinner next week to Saturday."

"What are you going to do on Friday?" Emily knew full well they were going to have fun without her.

"Oh, I don't know," Lorelai feigned, have a fun, exciting party; not wanting to have to include her parents, as they would suck any fun out of the room.

"Well, perfect. You'll come here and we'll have a …little party," Emily's brain was suddenly flooded with beautiful ideas.

"I was just hoping we could do it another night. We have …our own family traditions to uphold."

"Well, since we have a new family tradition of Friday night dinners, why come on another night when her birthday falls on the exact night that you do come here."

"Saturday's a pretty good night, Mom."

"Not as good as Friday."

Lorelai's patience was wearing thin, "Pretty damn close."

"Not from where I'm standing."

"Well, move then."

Emily was firm, and crossed her arms, "I'm sorry. Friday nights are my nights. That's what we agreed on when you borrowed money for her school. The rules haven't changed."

"Mom, I didn't intend for this loan to become a constant source of blackmail, OK? Now this is my kid's birthday, we have a certain standard and certain traditions to up hold, and she will have her party at home on Friday and that's it? End of story."

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Luke and Rory were patiently waiting for Lorelai in the Jeep. Luke was staring at the door, almost willing Lorelai to finally come out; obviously convincing Emily wasn't going well.

"Dad?" Rory asked from the backseat.

"Yeah?" Luke turned back to look at his daughter.

"Was it just me or that conversation about their will and putting post-its on things… a little morbid?"

"Yeah," Luke sheepishly agreed; he had yet to have a discussion with Lorelai and Rory about the will he was drawing up with Mike and Paul, the only lawyers Luke ever liked.

"I mean, how can they be so casual about it, especially after we went to Claudia's funeral just yesterday?"

"I know, but …well, think of it as … a precautionary measure," thinking of his own precautionary measure that Mike and Paul were drawing up; "Are you okay?"

Rory reflected on her conversation with her grandpa, "Yeah, it's just… well, I'm just now getting to know them and … I don't want to think about them… you know dying all of a sudden. I know that's like a big joke to mom."

Luke turned in his seat to face his daughter, "She doesn't mean it, it's just… they've had a rough relationship all her life."

"Yeah, I know," Rory said meekly, hoping a wedge like that never came between her and her parents.

Lorelai finally came out of the house and gave a small smile to her family. She entered the passenger side of the Jeep, turned to her daughter, "So, how would you like two parties this year?"

Rory sulked, "You couldn't get her to cave."

"No, but she did agree to make the string quartet learn 'Like a Virgin.'"

The "Lorelai" in Rory wanted the day on her terms, "How is that possible, you can talk anyone in to anything? Dad caves to your whims daily."

"Thanks," Luke said dryly.

"Well, honey," Lorelai answered her daughter, "He is my husband and it only took two dates to have him whipped."

Luke put his hand on Lorelai's knee, "Well, you tried," then removed his hand from said knee, offering his palm to Rory, "Pay up," holding his hand out to his daughter. Rory reached into her purse and gave her father a five dollar bill.

Lorelai was offended, "You had a bet going? My powers of persuasion are only worth five to you?" Lorelai looked at her daughter.

"Hey, I had faith in your abilities, and you let me down!" Rory returned, closing up her purse.

"If I lost I owed her ten," Luke informed his wife, "I knew your mother wasn't going to budge."

Lorelai sighed to her daughter, "Sweetie, I promise, Saturday night we'll do it up right at home; A Stars Hollow extravaganza."

Luke wasn't looking forward to either party, his neighbors invading his home till whenever Lorelai decided to kick them out; during Rory's Fourteenth birthday party, the music played on and on while the guests refused to leave, Lorelai refused to be a rude hostess and Luke decided he had to sleep at the diner, so he could get enough rest for his work day. Luke became concerned about Emily Gilmore preparing a birthday party for his daughter; if they were eating pudding out of crystal bowls, what lavishness did Emily have in mind for a sweet sixteen for her only granddaughter, "Is this party going to be a big deal?" he asked.

Lorelai was ever sarcastic, "Not really. The government will close that day. Flags will fly at half-mast. Barbra Streisand will give her final concert...again. Now, the Pope has previous plans, but he's trying to get out of them. However, Elvis and Jim Morrison are coming and they're bringing chips."

"You ask a simple question..." When her husband started to rub his eyes from the driver's seat.

Lorelai consoled, "Luke it might not be that bad; she said little party," Lorelai shrugged. Of course, terms were often relative; someone's big may be Emily Gilmore's small. Lorelai shrugged it off, these were only family dinners, right.

"You are actually defending your mother?" Luke asked in all seriousness.

"Well, there is hope, she did serve pudding."

"Ah, yes the pudding," Luke rolled his eyes.

"I mean, I'm sure it was some expensive form of pudding, but nonetheless, it was pudding! That would mean that she actually made a mental note that we liked pudding, which would mean that she actually listened to something other than the judgmental conga line going on in her head, and got over the fact that, to her, pudding is hospital food, and only acceptable when you've just had a vital organ ripped out of your body."

"That's some powerful pudding," Rory chuckled, and Luke grimaced at the mention of organs being ripped out of his body.

"It's very wordy pudding," Luke changed gears to drive out of the drive way, "Seat belts."

Lorelai pulled her seat belt around her and buckled, "Come on, let me enjoy this; maybe it's a sign, maybe she's really making an effort to get to know us."

"Lorelai, it's your mother."

"Well, maybe this quality family time is softening her?"

"It's your mother," he insistently repeated, "We've been married three years; in that time your mother has never once acknowledged or catered to my tastes. In fact she goes out of her way to serve things I can't even pronounce just to make me feel stupid."

"Well, here is a start, maybe one day; she'll make vanilla pudding for you next time. The point is… I think she's really learning about us. Luke, don't ruin this for me, I actually have a happy feeling leaving my mother's house."

Who was Luke to stomp out anything that brought his wife joy? He decided to remain cautiously optimistic as he headed for the highway. Almost reading Lorelai's thoughts, if Emily was open to pudding and perhaps enjoying this new found family time, maybe she would be open to another grandchild.

7777777777777777777777

Tuesday, the Danes were going to enjoy a late dinner together since Lorelai had come home late from business class; they always made it a point to have a family meal together. "How is that even possible?" Luke asked, pulling out the pizza pan from a lower cabinet.

Lorelai sipped her soda as she recounted her day at work to her husband, "I don't know, but Jackson claims to have successfully cross-pollinated a raspberry with a kumquat. He's calling it a rasquat and he tried to feed it to me."

Luke froze, "He what??" briefly wondering if the Produce man had gone mad with his power over mother nature to try to come on to his wife, but Luke immediately dismissed the idea as ridiculous.

"Not like cabana boy tried to feed it to me while I was lying in a hammock. He rushed into the kitchen so excited with his rasquat that he just said 'Open your mouth and close your eyes' to the first person he saw, which was me; and once I pointed out, ' Hello, Married lady; who are you talking to?' He moved over to Sookie, who is really who he wanted to try it. Then I made a funny joke about his meddling with nature being like 'The Fly'; like we're going to find him wandering the streets with a raspberry head crying, 'eat me!'"

"Alright, okay. Hey, I understand inviting Sookie and even Jackson, but did you have to invite that French Putz!" Luke complained.

"Luke, he's my friend," Lorelai defended, Luke gave her a funny look, and she conceded, "…Well, an employee…" then she reconsidered, "Well, we both breathe oxygen…aw, I just knew he'd be all offended and snooty if we didn't invite him…. So I did! Oh, um speaking of Saturday and Sookie, she has something special planned for the cake, so you don't have to worry about it."

Luke objected, "What?"

"Luke, she just wants to help take some of the burden off of us…"

"It's our daughter's birthday, our house, our responsibility for the cake!"

"Keep your voice down! Rory," not wanting to spoil the surprise and she listened for a reaction from Rory's room.

"She's doing her homework, and Sookie always does this, always trying to one up me… ever since you told Sookie I could make gourmet food, it's like… I don't know, she's in competition with me… it's annoying…"

"Well, since you aren't that competitive, just let her win and everything will be fine."

"She always wins!! You win 'cause you're my wife and you give me the big blue eyes, Rory wins 'cause she's got the same big blue eyes, now I'm supposed to let Sookie win too?? When do I get to win?"

"You win when I let you watch your games?"

"Yeah, in my own house I have to get permission to watch my own TV."

"Technically it was my house first."

"You're the one who asked me to move in, and technically, I bought the new TV."

"We bought it together with our 'married money'."

"Fine, Why not just let every woman in Stars Hollow walk over your husband."

Lorelai shrugged, "Okay. As long as you don't sleep with anyone else…I'm cool."

Luke gave his wife a look and grunted as he finished kneading the dough; he was making the pizza with a wheat flour crust and low-fat cheese.

Lorelai went up behind Luke and slid her hands around his waist as he transferred the dough to the pan, "You win in bed? We both do." Luke cleared his throat while her hand rubbed his stomach. Luke was ignoring her advance, the Pizza would be ready in 15 minutes and Rory was just in her room doing her homework. "Could you set the table?"

Lorelai pouted that she was unable to seduce her husband before dinner, but complied with napkins and plates; "Why don't we just order a pizza?"

"Because this is healthier; I know what's in it because I made it."

"But it takes longer," Lorelai whined.

"I'm almost done and it takes the same amount of time," Luke ladled tomato sauce on to the dough, "With a delivery you don't get to see all the work that goes into it, so maybe you will appreciate it more that is was made by your loving husband," he said dryly.

"But with a delivery, you get the anticipation of an expected visitor, that friendly conversation at the door, that queenly feeling that they made this pizza just for you, at your beck and call."

"Right?" Luke said humoring his wife, "Not to mention that they are already mass producing over priced pizzas anyway, and once it's out of the oven you have to wait for some kid to take it on a thirty minute drive where the cheese congeals and the pizza gets cold."

"Everywhere in Stars Hollow is walking distance, and driving it's faster," Lorelai countered, "and then it's not diverting time from other things we could be doing," Lorelai whispered. Then the phone rang, "See that's Joe, he knows we're cheating on him and he's called to guilt me."

"I think you can have a pizza made by your husband. If anything he's the other guy!" Luke dryly joked.

With the phone in hand, Lorelai came up beside her husband again and whispered in his ear, "I love how you sprinkle cheese like that, it's so sexy!" and she finished off the compliment by patting his butt, then Lorelai pressed the button to answer the phone, "Hello?"

"Lorelai, what is your work schedule?"

"Mom?" Lorelai quickly removed her hand from her husband's rear as if it had suddenly caught fire and innocently began tugging on her own long locks behind her back. With a mortified cringe on her face Lorelai looked over to Luke, he just gave her a smug 'That's what you get' look.

"Yes," Emily said impatiently.

"Hi."

"You already said that," Emily scolded.

"But someone hasn't."

Emily rolled her eyes, "Hello."

"There we go. Thirty odd years of drilling me on how I answer the phone and suddenly you abandon your own phone etiquette, for shame," Lorelai cajoled, "So, mom how are you?"

Emily got right down to it, "Very well, thank you, now will you please answer my questions."

"See, that could have been a teensy bit more polite," Lorelai egged on.

"Lorelai," Emily sighed.

"And you didn't ask how I was?"

"Lorelai."

"What was the question again?" suppressing her laughter over the phone; she was enjoying needling her mother way to much. Lorelai had wandered into the living room so Luke's sexy cheese sprinkling wouldn't distract her while on the phone.

Emily repeated slowly and patiently, "What is your work schedule?"

"Why?"

Emily declared, "I want to go shopping."

Lorelai stopped mid lap around the couch, "With me?"

"I think that goes without saying."

"Only in your world, Mom."

"I want to get Rory a birthday present."

"Well, I'm sure whatever you get her, she'll love," Lorelai started walking again now recovered from the shocking suggestion.

"Yes, but I want to get her something special, something she actually wants, I don't want this to be that Tiffany Tea set all over again; I want something..." Emily swallowed her pride, "…something that you would get her."

"Oh? Okay?" Lorelai had a full understanding. Emily wanted to get Rory something fun that she would actually use and like, Emily was going to try to buy Rory's love, an old tactic but sometimes still effective.

"Lorelai, I hardly see the girl and we only get to talk at dinner once a week and then it's all about school and Jane."

"Lane, Mom."

"Whoever. The point is she is my granddaughter, and I thought you might let me into her secret club just this one time and help me buy her something special for her birthday."

Lorelai stopped her aimless pacing again in the foyer, "You're serious?"

"According to you I'm always serious."

Lorelai couldn't believe it her self, but she said "OK," as she started to go around the kitchen table.

"OK?"

"Yeah, let's go shopping together."

Then Luke unexpectedly shouted, "Rory!"

"Let me just finish this paragraph," his daughter replied.

Emily thought heard her son-in-law's voice over the phone, "Do you want broccoli on the pizza?"

"Double broccoli!!" Rory requested.

"What on earth is that?" Emily was aghast.

"It's just Luke, mom," Lorelai eased, she turned to her husband; "You've been putting broccoli on her pizza since she was eleven, Do you really need to ask anymore?" and Lorelai protested, "If she gets double broccoli, I want double pepperoni."

"Lorelai, we aren't done!" Emily insisted on having her daughter's full attention.

"I know mom, I was just making a side comment to Luke."

"Well, that is rude phone etiquette. Does he always shout at Rory like that?" Emily was in a disapproving tone, as if the example proved what an ill-mannered brute her son-in-law was.

Lorelai hoped her mother wasn't thinking of calling child protective services, "Only when she's in a different part of the house…Look, mom I got to got to go, I'm being subjected to double broccoli pizza tonight."

Emily wrinkled up her nose, "I didn't realize you could put broccoli on a … pizza?"

"Apparently at our house we can," Lorelai sighed disappointed, then she had to ask, "Have you ever even seen a pizza mom?" wondering if on a not too distant Friday night dinner, the Gilmores would feast on pizza to keep up with the 'understanding-the Danes-pudding-theme'.

"Of course, I've seen a pizza. Lorelai…"

"Okay, well, Luke has put broccoli on her pizza since she was a kid."

Emily quickly corrected, "You mean since he met her, she's only known him a few years."

"Yeah, well, she was a kid when he met her, but he's been her father for four years," Lorelai took great satisfaction in reminding her mother of that fact, "He knows her tastes mom." Unlike you, who is begging for my help.

Emily was resentful that a stranger seemed to know her granddaughter's taste better than she did, and that he could understand her own granddaughter better than she could. Well, come Friday we shall see who has taste. "Very well, I'll meet you at Damion's tomorrow at 3:00."

"OK," Lorelai rolled her eyes, knowing they weren't going to find anything for Rory at Damion's.

"Oh, and Lorelai…"

"Yes?"

"…dress appropriately, I don't…"

"Don't finish that sentence Mom," then quickly added, "Please."

Emily primly cleared their throat, no doubt choking on her criticism, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thatagirl," then Lorelai hung up.

Luke put the pizza in the oven, having only heard half of the conversation, "What was that about?"

"My mother wants to go shopping with me."

"What?"

"Yeah, she wants me to help her find something for Rory's birthday."

"…and you're going?" Luke was surprised.

"Well, yeah, I mean, maybe this is the continuation of her opening up a bit," Lorelai shrugged, "I mean the pudding might have been the first friendly gesture, so in a moment of temporary insanity I felt that I should reciprocate that gesture. … maybe… this really is a new start??"

"Do you really think that?" Luke leaned against the range.

"Well, yeah, I think I do," Lorelai smiled, but her eyes betrayed how unsure she was. This was completely knew territory, actually getting along with Emily Gilmore?

"I'm just surprised I mean…since I met you all I've heard is the 'my overbearing mother doesn't understand me' speech. I mean, if you could talk your way out of Friday night dinner every week with no repercussions, you would, I had to convince you to go to the funeral last week, and now you're willing to spend extra time with her shopping?"

"Well, we did go to that family funeral; maybe that did score us some Emily points and maybe that's why she served pudding."

Luke wryly commented, "Ah, yes, the insightful pudding of subtext."

"She made a note that Rory and I like pudding, and served it. Luke, I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. If she's willing to serve pudding; and I'm always willing to go shopping…"

"Yeah, I'm well aware of that," Luke saw the hope in his wife's eyes. The hope of a daughter only wanting her parents to accept the adult she had become. "I hope it works out for you."

There was a strange pang of hope inside Lorelai; perhaps her mother would be approachable to the baby topic.

Rory came out of her room looking ravenous, "Did some one say Broccoli pizza?"

7777777777777777777777

Wednesday afternoon, Rory went to her locker, only to find Tristin DuGray buzzing around like an annoying fly. "Hey," he grinned.

Rory decided to be the bigger person and ignore him, she then wondered if she could have her locker switched, like a locker protection program.

Tristin smiled at the neglect, "I just wanted to say 'happy birthday.'"

Her brow furrowed in his direction, how did he know? "It's not my birthday," she cautiously corrected.

"No, but it will be," he pulled a piece of paper from his Chilton blazer and read "'On Friday at 4:03 in the morning, Lorelai Leigh…'"

"What is that?" Rory snatched the paper from him. To her horror she saw that it was an invitation to her birthday party, from Emily and Richard. Rory took note of the fancy invitation, the calligraphy font, the ribbon, even the paper felt expensive. She now began to see that her "Little family party" was going to be a real Gilmore affair, like Christmas and Easter. "Who else got these?"

"I don't know. Everyone in our class, I think."

Rory gulped, she had to catch her bus and tell her mom and dad, "I have to go."

"I'll see you Friday, birthday girl."

Rory hurried down the hall, only to feel countless eyes on her, when she headed down the stairwell, she heard two girls voices echo.

"That's her."

"My parents are making me go."

"Another obligation party," some girl said in a whining tone.

"My life stinks."

Rory could at least appreciate their honesty, and frankly, she would forgive their lack of attendance if meant she didn't have to spend many uncomfortable hours in their loathsome company. She just wanted to be with her mom and dad, and the loveable, sometimes overwhelming residence of Stars Hollow.

7777777777777777777777

At a department store in Hartford, Lorelai was following Emily around, frowning at the selections Emily was making; "Oh, isn't this lovely?" pointing to an ornate hat one would usually wear to the Kentucky derby.

"Oh, yeah," Lorelai said sarcastically, "As soon as we have her crowned Queen of England we'll give it to her."

"You are so combative today."

"Mom, when you walk down the street, you never see hats like this on teenage girls. If she was going to the Kentucky derby maybe; Oh, Mom, look. This is good." Lorelai found a vibrant magenta purse shaped like a guitar case on a nearby table.

"What is that?"

"It's a purse shaped like a guitar. This is great," Lorelai assured.

Emily looked at Lorelai as if she was from Mars, "Great for what?"

"For Rory."

"What will Rory do with that?"

"Uh, she'll put stuff in it. Carry it around. You know like a purse?"

"In public?"

"Yeah," Lorelai couldn't help but giggle.

"What will people think?" Emily said horrified.

"That she's a Hitman, of course."

"What?"

"With a really tiny gun," Lorelai finished, as she opened the purse to examine it.

At a complete loss of what her daughter was talking about Emily moved to a jewelry counter, "What about pearls?"

"Pearls?" Lorelai scoffed.

Emily could see it clearly in her mind, "A double string of pearls with a cashmere sweater set."

"Mom, she's a young girl. Think of something young."

"A Mont Blanc pen?"

"To put on her desk at the law firm?"

"She needs to write."

"Well, not with a $200 pen, she doesn't." Lorelai went to another table, "Oh, hey, look. These day planners are adorable. You could get her one of those funky erasers with a mermaid on it. She'll love that."

"Please be serious, we're shopping for Rory," Emily stressed, suddenly wondering if Lorelai was sabotaging her on purpose. Every idea in her head was shot down faster than she could signal a sales clerk.

"No, Mom, I'm shopping for Rory. You're shopping for your imaginary granddaughter, Barbara Hutton."

"I want to get her something nice."

"I know you do, but you're not listening to me."

"You wanted me to get her a Filofax and a mermaid eraser."

"It's one suggestion," one of many I've made, Lorelai was beginning to doubt that the fun she usually felt while shopping was ever going to start.

"Oh, I don't know how to do this. Let's just go."

Lorelai didn't want to lose an opportunity where her mother may actually be listening to her, that and she wanted to make sure Rory got a very special present." Oh, no, no. Come on, Mom. You do know how to do this; think pudding."

"Pudding?"

"Come on. You asked for my help. You're reaching out. A little… not a lot… don't get freaked, but, Mom …pudding."

Emily grimaced, "Why do you keep saying pudding?"

Lorelai was a little hurt that Emily wasn't following the symbolic pudding's lead; she had thought the pudding incident was on purpose, but apparently, it was more of Lorelai hoping and wishing. "Listen, just look around and pick up something she might like."

Lorelai sighed as she examined some hair clips as they wandered the accessories section. This wasn't going at all like she hoped it would. Granted it was the longest conversation they had had in years, and they already beat the world record for not yelling at each other. Still Lorelai was hoping for more; maybe Luke was right. Maybe she was putting too much symbolism on pudding.

"Here," Emily held out a bracelet to Lorelai for her approval.

Lorelai turned toward her mother, examined the item, and smiled, "Oh, now that's really good."

"Really?"

Emily sounded so insecure for once, so Lorelai reassured, "Absolutely."

"It doesn't look like something you could buy at a car wash?"

Ever the wit, Lorelai stated, "Totally. That's half the charm."

"Oh, no, it's only $12."

"Six dollars more than a car wash."

"Twelve dollars is not a present," Emily decreed.

"Twelve dollars is a perfect present, Mom. She'll love that."

"Can I at least get her the Pashmina also?"

Lorelai shook her head "no"; the magic of pudding was back.

"Fine, I'll get it."

"Good choice."

Emily was startled when the bracelet she had been holding started blinking at her, "Oh! It lights up," and Lorelai laughed. Her good "pudding" feeling had returned.

7777777777777777777777

Luke saw his wife crossing the square. He was thankful that she survived the outing with her mother and hoped that Emily wasn't in the garment bag Lorelai had with her. Lorelai walked in with the garment bag and took a seat at the counter.

"Rory's not here yet," he informed.

"Alright, you'll have to entertain me until she arrives. OK, Burger Boy, dance."

Luke put on his best poker face, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes, all over again!" she said sweetly, "Will you give me some pie?"

"No."

Lorelai protested, "Luke!! I said yes to your question."

"…and I gave you an honest answer to yours."

"My answer was honest," Lorelai argued, "I would marry you all over again, I just spent hours with my mother and now I want pie."

"You'll spoil your appetite."

"Hello Luke, have you met your wife?"

Luke leaned on the counter, "How are we going to get pregnant if you keep eating crap behind my back."

"I don't cheat …all the time…" she trailed off.

"No, just most of the time…"

"Luke, my best friend is a chef, who is at the location where I work. I can't help it that I have a renowned stomach and taste and that she keeps shoving spoons of food in my mouth."

"Then you should be so full from taste testing all day long, there's no room for pie."

"Again Luke, have you met your wife?" Lorelai narrowed her eyes, "You better be nice to me or I'm not inviting you to Rory Danes' birthday celebration this Saturday night."

"You don't have to ask me, you know. I could just stay home."

Lorelai strewn up her face in jest, "See that could be problematic since the party is at your house?"

"Yeah, I can see that."

"Will you dance with me at the party?"

"Maybe…if you behave yourself 'till then" And if we're alone on the back porch.

"Fine, kiss and make up?" she pouted.

Luke leaned forward and pecked her lips, when she pulled away he reminded her, "Hey, I didn't say hello yet," he leaned toward her again and pressed his lips to hers, "Hello."

"Hi," Lorelai smiled, loving how playful they could be together.

"So how was it with your mother really?"

"Actually, it was that bad."

"Really?" Luke said disbelieving.

Lorelai giggled, "Yeah, I mean I actually had fun. I don't want to make this a weekly habit or anything, but once a month maybe…" Lorelai smiled as she thought of Emily baby shopping with her for a new grandchild. Lorelai looked at Luke, the expression on his face had changed, "What?"

Something caught Luke's attention over Lorelai's shoulder, "Heads up," Luke nodded behind his wife. Both parents watched as outside in the square Rory walked slowly toward the diner with her head down, arms crossed. Not even the happy jingle of bells above her prompted Rory to raise her head and meet eyes with her parents.

"Wow. Nice face you got on there," Lorelai observed as she approached her daughter and followed her to their favorite table by the window.

"Daddy, can I have coffee please?" Rory sounded completely exhausted and down in the dumps as she found her seat.

Luke had already brought the coffee pot over and turned over a mug on the table, "Bad day?" he asked over the way Rory had just shuffled in and sunk into her seat as if she had no strength left for anything. Luke almost got her a straw so she wouldn't have to lift her mug off the table.

"I've now used the word 'sucks' so many times that it's lost all meaning to me."

Luke hated it when her or Lorelai used that word, but asked out of concern, "What happened?"

Rory sighed, "I so don't want to talk about it right now," as she cradled her father's brew in her hands.

"Excuse me, I'd like to pay please," a customer said impatiently and Luke had to go to the register to settle up the bill. Luke controlled his annoyance over being pulled away from his little girl when she needed love and support. Lorelai gave him a wink and a nod toward the customer that she had it covered till he returned.

Lorelai chimed in with her new garment bags since Luke had to tend to his customers, "Well, maybe this will cheer you up."

"What?"

"You'll see," Lorelai unzipped the garment bag and pulled out a dress.

"What is that?"

"These are our party dresses."

"So it's a Halloween party?" Rory raised a brow.

"Listen, you. So I'm shopping today with your grandmother and it's a whole three hours of 'Who are you buying that for, Mom? Have you met Rory?' and then finally I talked and she listened and she wound up getting you something I think you're really going to like."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. And of course she insisted on buying us these dresses but I think I can do something with them to make them better."

"Wow. I've never seen you so cheery after spending time with Grandma."

"Well, it's been a long time since we got together and didn't end up fighting. It was refreshing. It wasn't exactly fun but I didn't get that shooting pain in my eye like I usually do." Lorelai couldn't help but feel giddy. Her mother had asked for her advice and opinion like an adult, and after much struggle, Emily Gilmore finally took it. With this new understanding, this new relationship with her mother, maybe Lorelai might actually be happy and willing to tell her parents they were going to be grandparents again, just as soon as said baby was conceived.

"Wow. That's great." Rory knew this wasn't the time to tell Lorelai what her grandmother had done behind her back, inviting her entire class, people who hated and despised her and were now obligated to attend. The bashful and reserved Rory Danes would rather attend her Stars Hollow Extravaganza naked then spend any time with the snobs from Hartford, but this was part of the Chilton deal, and apparently Rory now had obligations of her own.

Luke came back for an update on Rory's mood, when he saw the contents of the open bag, "Party Dresses?" Luke asked, "Aw, man that means I have to wear a tie!!"

"Sorry baby," Lorelai turned back to Rory, "So, tell us, why Miss Lemonhead today?"

Rory looked back and forth between her expectant parents. Both so eager to help her with anything, however things seemed to actually be getting better between Lorelai and Grandma; Rory didn't want to ruin their progress, and decided that her folks had enough to deal with, with party dresses to alter and ties to wear, "Nothing. I…I'm fine. I just got an A- on a French test that I should have gotten an A on."

"Oh, honey, an A- is awesome," Lorelai patted her daughter's hand.

"Yeah, that's nothing to worry about;" Luke chimed in.

"Yeah, it's … its fine," Rory echoed, burying the real reason for her concern.

"Let me see. Maybe we should really embrace the whole tulle thing. Go totally modern Cinderella. What do you think? It's your birthday."

"Yeah. Lucky me," Rory mirthlessly agreed.

7777777777777777777777

Early Friday morning, Lorelai woke up suddenly, as if subconsciously recalling what occurred sixteen years ago, how a little person entered her life and changed it for the better. Reliving the memories she lay awake in bed, it was nearly four in the morning. Lorelai looked over to her husband, soundly sleeping, with an arm slung over her waist. She gently removed the arm, and crept downstairs to her daughter's bedroom. Luke rolled over on his back; he knew where his wife was going.

Luke discovered the girls' private tradition during their first year of marriage, he followed Lorelai down and overheard Lorelai's story telling, but he didn't intrude. He knew it was a special moment and bond between them, they had both been there. He ached that he couldn't have been there for Lorelai back then, ached at what she had gone through all alone for so long.

It was the past, he knew he couldn't change it; all he could do was be the best dad for Rory now, and be there for Lorelai during her next round of Labor.

Luke knew by Lorelai going downstairs, that it was about four in the morning, a small signal that he would have to get up soon and go about his present day.

Downstairs, Lorelai peeked inside Rory's room and saw her in her bed, her baby, her little girl. All the memories of sixteen years ago flooded Lorelai, and she wished she would experience it all again soon, with her and Luke's baby. Right now, she had to focus on her first born, Rory, she tip toed over to the bed, "Happy birthday, little girl."

Rory woke up and saw her mother; over the years she had developed an anticipatory sense for when her mother would arrive. Rory moved over and let Lorelai get into bed with her. "Hey."

As Lorelai settled into the narrow bed, she observed, "I can't believe how fast you're growing up."

"Really? It feels slow," Rory countered.

"Trust me, it's fast. What do you think of your life so far?"

"I think it's pretty good."

"Any complaints?"

"I'd like that whole humidity thing to go away."

"All right, well, dad and I will put some hours in the lab and work on that."

"Do I look older?" Rory asked eagerly.

"Oh, yeah; you walk into Denny's before five you've got yourself a discount."

"Good deal."

"So you know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you're a great, cool kid, and the best friend a girl could have."

"Right back at ya."

"And I hope to have five more babies just like ya."

"Really? Five?"

"And it's so hard to believe that at exactly this time many moons ago, I was lying in exactly the same position…"

"Oh, boy. Here we go."

Lorelai just reverently smiled and continued, "Only I had a huge, fat stomach and big fat ankles and I was swearing like a sailor…"

"On leave," Rory finished.

"On leave…right! And there I was…"

"…In labor…"

"…And while some have called it the most meaningful experience of your life, to me it was something more akin to doing the splits on a crate of dynamite."

"…and you want to have five more babies?"

"Well, maybe three, but I do want another child indebted to me for their creation and passage into this world. So where was I? Oh yes, I was screaming and swearing and being surrounded as I was by a hundred prominent doctors, I just assumed there was an actual use for the cup of ice chips they gave me."

"There wasn't," Rory deadpanned.

"… But pelting the nurses sure was fun."

"I love you, Mom."

"Sh, I'm getting to the part where he sees your head…so there I was…"

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Lane and Rory were walking down the street, "You should not have to go to school today."

"Have to. Latin test," Rory sighed.

"Jeez, it's a dead language anyway!" Lane argued, "Every day you have a test. When do you have time to learn anything to be tested on?" Lane sighed in her own frustration, then noticed her friend was even more out of spirits than she was, "You okay?"

"Yeah…just thinking…"Rory was dreading the party her grandmother was going to throw for her that evening.

Lane shrugged, "Well, I'm glad we are still holding to our birthday breakfast at the diner tradition."

"Yeah," Rory was distracted as she entered the diner and automatically shuffled to sit at the counter.

"Hey, wrong table," her dad argued.

Rory was in no mood for her father's usually gruff attitude, especially on her birthday, "Since when is there a right table?"

Luke leveled with an almost playful grin on his face, "Since the coffee cake I baked for you and the stupid balloons I blew up are at that table, over there."

"Dad!" Rory looked over her shoulder and saw there were balloons, and a birthday banner at her favorite table; Rory had almost forgotten how her father loved to surprise her every year, usually a low key moment between father and daughter, a quiet breakfast together, a gift exchange away from the lively party atmosphere Lorelai usually insisted on. "You blew up balloons for me?"

"Yep. It's not every day that you turn sixteen."

"What kind of …"

Luke finished her thought, "…chocolate raspberry crumb in honor of your sweet sixteen."

"Did you…?"

Luke assured, "I used wheat flour to make it healthier." Luke rounded the counter, and hugged his daughter with a proud smile and kissed the top of her head, "Happy birthday, hon."

"You old softie," she gave him a squeeze.

"Alright, alright; I count to three, it's gone."

"Thank you," Rory pecked his cheek and hurried over to the table to enjoy the cake with Lane.

"…Thank you Lane my willing accomplice," Luke said to Lane.

"Dude… anything for free cake."

"Attention everyone, in honor of Rory's Birthday, today the coffee is on the house."

Rory laughed at the gesture, and then past her father's shoulder she heard the familiar ring of the bells above the door, saw him enter the diner; Dean, Dean Forester, Dean, her friend, Dean her crush. Had he witnessed her father's surprise gesture? Did he see how affectionate she was with her dad? Was that a bad thing? Did he think she was a daddy's girl? Or he simply could have been there for breakfast, like all of her father's other regulars. Did he know what today was since he missed her father's announcement?

"Alright, you and Lane enjoy it," Luke kissed Rory's head and went back to the counter.

Lane pulled Rory over to the table by the window that had the coffee cake and balloons and the birthday banner. Lane asked Rory as they settled in their seats, "Are you sure you're OK?"

"Yeah, I'm just...I'm getting old, Lane," Rory complained.

"Yeah? But you get presents."

"Yeah, but getting older means dealing with more stuff, more responsibilities. I can't be an immature kid any more."

"You were never immature kid, you told me in kindergarten to put the caps back on the markers otherwise they would dry out. But … you do seem a little preoccupied this morning."

"I'm just dreading this whole night. I mean, it's bad enough that I have to see these stupid kids from Chilton every day. But tonight? On my birthday? I've never even talked to most of them. I've only been going to this school for what… barely a month. God, they're gonna think I am the biggest freak and I need my grandma to get people to come to my party."

"Well, what did your folks say when you told them?"

"I didn't."

"Why not?"

"Because of the pudding."

"Oh, the pudding; Right, I forgot about the pudding," Lane's brow furrowed because she didn't know what Rory was talking about.

"The other night at dinner, my grandmother served us pudding and then she went shopping with my mom and they didn't fight. I don't know, I mean, they never get along, and now suddenly they're getting along, and I knew that if I told Mom about the fancy invitations she'd wig out and call Grandma and that would be the end of the pudding."

"You know you can buy pudding," Lane reasoned. "What about your dad? He's going to be ambushed… and have to wear a suit!"

"I know, I hate to do it to him… but it's only one night, right?"

"Right. Sure."

"I can stand it for one night."

"Well, look on the bright side, not everyone gets two parties," Then called to Mr. Danes, "Hey Luke, you've out done yourself with this cake."

"Yeah, it's great." Rory was still anxious over her grandmother's party, but mom kept her story telling tradition, her father kept his recent coffee cake tradition, and there would be the festive Stars Hollow party, she just had to wait an extra day.

Rory caught sight of Dean and watched him as he waited in line for his coffee. Suddenly, Dean stepped toward the counter, addressing her father, and Rory became nervous over their exchange at the counter.

Dean casually asked, "Coffee to go? Please," promptly handing over his money to Rory's father.

"You can put that away, it's on the house today," Luke filled the order quickly, "Have a good one."

"Thanks," Dean went to the diner door with his coffee and while her father was busy with other customers, Dean seemed to check that Luke wouldn't see, then mouthed "Happy Birthday" to Rory. Rory couldn't explain it, she felt warm and happy suddenly like her heart was growing bigger in her chest. She wondered how he figured it out, but in a talkative burg like Stars Hollow it wasn't really a mystery, especially with birthday balloons floating above her head.

"Why are you smiling?" Lane asked.

Rory was still thinking of that warm smile that just left the diner. "I'm just thinking about pudding…and cake," digging her fork into the dark sweetness again.

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There was so much to be done before her guests arrived and Emily Gilmore was just the person to oversee every detail. "I want those candles six inches apart! Get a ruler."

Richard entered the room while, needing assistance with his tie, "Emily!"

Anticipating her husband's needs, Emily being so take-charge with every facet to make Rory's sweet sixteen perfect, "Let me do that."

"I hope the Larsons are coming tonight," while he stood there letting his wife tie his tie as if she was his mother.

"Richard, no business. This is your granddaughter's party. Tonight is about family."

"Aw, five minutes of shop talk isn't going to spoil the evening."

"Please," Emily scoffed dryly.

Richard changed his tone, "Emily."

"If I ever heard you keep your shop talk down to five minutes, I'd drop dead."

"Emily," Richard admired his wife.

Emily merely continued to primp his tuxedo's appearance, "In fact I could drop dead and you wouldn't stop talking business. You'd just step right over my body to get to closer to the speakerphone."

Richard finally took her hands in his, "Emily."

"What?" Emily responded dully.

"You look very nice tonight."

Emily knew that romantic smile of his, "Thank you."

The Danes entered the Gilmore Manor, surprised at the flurry of activity for a small simple family party.

Taking in all the decorations, Luke commented, "Jeez, look at this place?"

"It's Emily Gilmore, nothing is ever simple," Lorelai couldn't believe Rory let Emily make such a fuss over her like this. Even so, just because it was a snooty party, didn't mean they couldn't have fun, "Jeez, Mom. Leave some servants for the rest of the neighborhood."

"There she is…the birthday girl," Emily gushed, taking a small break from the megalomania to embrace her granddaughter and guest of honor.

"Hi Grandma," Rory said sheepishly, overwhelmed by the fuss and flurry of "Support staff" herself. So much for little party, but Rory knew that when she saw the fancy invitations.

"Wow, you really went all out, huh?" Lorelai grinned.

"Well, I wanted everything to be perfect. What do you think?"

Lorelai sardonically stated, "I think Edith Wharton would have been proud and busy taking notes."

Luke took his daughter's coat then handed a garment bag to Rory, "Why don't you go change."

"Okay," Rory glanced around the room as she made her way to the stairs, which was difficult enough given all the activity of service people running around primping things and setting things up, it was more grand than she imagined and the knots in her stomach doubled. It was bad enough avoiding eye contact with her classmates in the halls of Chilton, now she was being forced to socialize with them on her down time, her family time.

"Hurry, our guests will be here any minute," Emily clapped her hands as if Rory was a puppy to perform a trick or one of the numerous servants.

Luke shook his head at his mother-in-law, as he assisted Lorelai with her coat and was going to take it to a closet, but a maid appeared from thin air and took the bundle of fabric out of his hands while patiently waiting for his own coat. "Uh, thanks."

"What is that?" Emily said aghast, as Lorelai's ensemble was unveiled.

"Um, my dress."

"Where's the one I bought you?" Emily countered.

"This is it."

"I thought there was more of it."

"Gee, Mom, the place looks great."

"Did you turn Rory's into a hat?"

"Nice candles. Six inches apart?"

Emily went off in a huff to arrange something.

"I told you she'd notice," Luke whispered.

"Yeah honey, that kind of was the point," Lorelai patted his arm.

"How did you know about the candles?"

"I know my mother," Lorelai said wisely as she sent a glance over to Emily and her team of servants.

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During the party, Luke and Rory were sitting in a tucked away corner almost hiding from the new people. Meanwhile, Lorelai was always ready and at ease to mingle and share a witty story with complete strangers, she had even run into a few high school classmates and other interesting friends of her parents. Luke on the other hand would only leave his daughter's side to get her a Shirley Temple or for a water for himself from the bar.

Luke was waiting in the line at the bar in one such instance, when someone came up behind him and said, "Hey you're cute, want to get out of here?"

Luke turned quickly, and was relieved it was his wife teasing him, "That's not funny."

"You two should really mingle more," nodding over to their daughter waiting for a drink.

"The less of your parents' friends that meet me the better, trust me."

"You sure you don't want to network? Start a diner franchise?"

"Shh, jeez, do you want Easter all over again?"

"Dad is in the other room, in the middle of a merger… or whatever it is he does…"

"Hey, what's the D.A.R.?" Luke asked.

Lorelai knew it all too well, those meetings kept her mother out of the house long enough for a young, impetuous Lorelai to explore and freely express herself in the Gilmore manor. "The Daughters of the American Revolution. Why?"

"Every time I asked someone they would laugh at me, like I was trying to be funny when I was genuinely asking a question."

"Oh honey, you are such a fish out of water and I got to tell you that I love you all the more, but why don't you at least let Rory mingle a bit instead of guarding her like a sentry in your secret corner."

"Hey, I've been trying," Luke defended himself, "I think the scale of this party is grander than she expected, It's grander than I expected. I think she's a little intimidated and she just doesn't want to mingle, so I've just been keeping her company."

Lorelai wanted her daughter to of all things have a good birthday, so she left her husband to his line and went to their daughter to try her hand, "Hey."

"Hey," Rory was huddled up so small on the couch in the quiet corner.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"Everything smells funny," Rory sighed, the she wondered how many of these fancy parties her mother had under her belt.

"Do you want to guess all the ingredients in the mushroom caps?"

This was rewarded with a small smile from Rory, since that was a game her and Luke used to play; Lorelai was content to let her daughter be, not force anything on Rory if she was uncomfortable, but Emily had different plans.

"There you are," Emily teasingly scolded, "Come along, there's some people I want you to meet."

As Emily dragged Rory away, Lorelai saw a hint of misery on her daughter's face. Was it possible that Rory was suffering even more than she was letting on? Unsure of what she could do in this festive setting, Lorelai was going to rejoin her husband, when an old friend turned up…hitting on her husband.

The blonde was playing with her drink's stirrer and casually conversing with Luke, "… a lineage-based membership organization of women dedicated to promoting historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Seriously, you've never heard of the Daughter's of the American Revolution…that's so …cute."

Luke sighed over the woman's condescending, flirtatious tone; not only was he uncomfortable because the woman talking to him was standing a little too close for his comfort and the fact that she was looking at him like he was a porterhouse steak while she was absolutely starving; He was happily married and the lady coming on to him reminded him of a younger version of Emily Gilmore.

Lorelai had to stake her claim, if the ring on Luke's finger wasn't enough to deter this cougar, then perhaps the presence of said wife would. Lorelai maneuvered around the blonde, wrapping her arm around Luke's waist, "There you are, snuggle bunny, still waiting for your drink." Lorelai took advantage of the situation and the cover of the bar to pinch her husband's butt before settling her hand on his waist beneath his jacket.

"Um, yeah," Luke tried not to react to Lorelai's discrete stunt and the nickname, but he was more thankful that Lorelai had saved him from the awkward advancing sweet talk of the nervous, recently separated blonde.

Politely forcing a smile, Lorelai turned to the blonde as if she just caught her notice, fiendishly thinking how she was going to run verbal rings around this Twinkie.

The blonde gasped, "Lorelai?"

Recognizing the blonde immediately, Lorelai briefly forgave the woman's planned advance onto her husband, "Oh my God! Mitzi," Lorelai's arms neglected protecting her husband, "Wow, I haven't seen you since…"

"Your seventh month," Mitzi awkwardly blurted out; Lorelai tried to chuckle with the blatant statement sending her eyes toward Luke, who, merely looked thankful that Lorelai was now serving as a distraction for the blonde.

Then forced smile returned to Lorelai's face, "I was going to say high school, but sure, OK."

"Oh, no, did I say something rude?" Mitzi asked unsure.

"No, no," Totally, Lorelai thought.

"No, I did. I said something rude," Mitzi self scolded, "I've been trying to work on that."

"Well, a noble goal."

"Ever since my divorce, I've been really trying to work on myself. You know, I just… I want to grow."

"Uh-huh," Divorce? Wonder how that happened; Real mystery. Lorelai raised a brow suddenly recalling seconds before Mitzi had been hitting on Luke.

With her back still to her former prey, Mitzi fawned over Lorelai, "Lorelai Gilmore, the scandal girl! Now, tell me, what ever happened with Christopher?"

"Uh, that's a good question. I don't really…" Lorelai's eyes looked apologetically at Luke. All night she had been fielding these questions with the people who knew of her high school situation, but this was the first time Luke was present to overhear the inquisition. Mitzi had simply started a line of conversation oblivious to the damage her words would inflict.

"Do you hear from him?" Mitzi asked quickly again.

"Uh… not really," Lorelai answered politely, her eyes going to Luke again, clearly seeing a heavy sigh from her husband. Even complete strangers were comparing Luke to Christopher.

Mitzi asked with concern, "I'm sorry, is this painful for you to talk about?"

"No, actually…you see…" Lorelai was going to take the opportunity to properly introduce her husband, but Mitzi kept on with the interrogation.

"When did he last call you?"

Finally, Lorelai playfully voiced her frustration, speaking for her husband and herself, "God, you're making progress with that rude thing, huh, Mitz?"

"I'm sorry," Mitzi replied insecurely.

"It's OK. I guess."

It was then that Mitzi seemed to register that Luke and Lorelai were together and the woman's manicured eyebrows rose as she forced a tense laugh, realizing her mistake, "I was just… getting to know your...your…" she trailed off.

Lorelai cocked her head to one side with a pleasant grin "Husband," Lorelai happily supplied. Lorelai returned her arms around Luke. "Three happy years, right, pookie?" and Lorelai patted Luke's chest, inviting her husband into the conversation again.

"That's right," Luke answered stiffly, suppressing his gag reflex of the cutesy names and the incessant Christopher talk, hoping the humiliation would end soon; that the blonde would take a hint and just go away.

"Oh, well, he is …ruggedly handsome, isn't he?" Mitzi nervously complimented.

"Yes, he is, aren't you, babe," Lorelai squeezed his middle again, sighing contently, "Yes, it's just the three of us; One happy family."

"Three?" Mitzi asked obtusely.

"Yeah; Him, me and Rory."

"Your cat?" Mitzi said confused.

Lorelai had just about enough, "My kid! She's the reason we're having this party? You know in her honor? Seventh month in high school?" Mitzi continued to stare blankly at Lorelai, "Jeez, she's right over there." Lorelai gave her husband a pained look as his drink order finally came up.

Mitzi turned to look to where Emily was escorting young Rory from group of people to group of people, "Wow! You can really see Christopher in her, can't you?" asking Luke for his input as well.

"Uh, not really…" Lorelai argued, giving Luke a more reassuring squeeze.

"Is that a strain on your marriage? Having someone else's baby?" Mitzi asked the both of them, genuinely curious.

Lorelai tried to explain while ignoring the feeling of being interrogated, "Well, you see Luke actually adopted…"

Luke had enough and finally said, "You know what? We got to get these drinks …over there ...to someone else...and it's been great, really," he politely nodded. Lorelai followed his cue and took his arm as he escort her way from the rude blonde.

When they were a safe distance away from Mitzi, Lorelai apologized, "I am so, so sorry about that…"

"It's alright," Luke said quietly. It was bound to happen, no one from Hartford society had been invited to their wedding, people didn't know who Luke was, and everyone of the upper crust knew the Haydens, the Gilmores, and the whole sordid story from sixteen years ago. The Danes really didn't know what story Emily spun to cover for their Stars Hollow wedding three years ago.

"It's just that these people don't know you, I mean, since I didn't invite any of them to the wedding. Or make a formal announcement in the Hartford papers… as my mother was going to if I had…" married Christopher.

"Yeah… well, your mother is handing out a lot of misinformation on me anyway."

"Oh yeah?"

"People think my 'restaurant' is in New York in the village. And I've been hit on three, now I guess four, times," nodding back to Mitzi.

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Richard was conversing with some of his business associates as Emily ushered Rory over, "Oh, no, those aren't the terms we agreed on."

Lars countered, "They most certainly are."

"Lars, you were at the same meeting I was. We specifically spelled out a five year extension, not a three year one."

"I heard three." Upon hearing this Rory was afraid she was interrupting something important. She looked back at her grandmother for support and encouragement, but one of her guests had captured Emily's attention.

"Well, get your hearing checked, they don't even rhyme," Richard admonished.

"Hi Grandpa," Rory meekly announced herself because suddenly her grandmother practically pushed her over to the huddle of gentlemen while still holding her conversation with her other guest. Rory just wanted to stay with her mom and dad.

Richard proudly introduced, "Gentlemen, this is my granddaughter, Rory." It was a pleasure for Richard to show off his accomplished, intelligent granddaughter; granted he used to pride over Lorelai in the same way, but never in his daughter's presence and not since her lack of judgment that had divided his family. However, in the present, his conversation with Rory last week had really stemmed the gap between the generations.

"Happy birthday, Rory," a masculine chorus chimed in at once. Suddenly there was a fan of envelopes forced in front of her, so Rory accepted them.

"I think we should get Dennis on the phone right now," Lars refocused the conversation.

"Fine, I've got a phone in my office," Richard suggested.

The men left Rory alone with her envelopes and Emily, concluded with her pleasantries, was there to pounce again.

"You shouldn't be out here with us old biddies, there's a whole group of your school friends in the library. Let's go say hello to them."

This was the moment Rory was dreading; she didn't have school friends at Chilton. Was her Grandmother really going to escort her from person to person making introductions, or worse, was Emily expecting Rory to introduce all of her school friends? Rory only recognized Julia Jack laughing in one corner with other girls whose name she didn't know. She knew a few other faces from her classes but couldn't peg a name to any of the bored kids mingling in the room.

Rory didn't want to flit from bored stranger to bored stranger, forced to socialize with people who hated her guts and obviously didn't want to be there, she thought quickly, "I have to go to the bathroom."

"Just say hello first. Come on, oh, why are they serving dessert already? Excuse me."

Rory was left alone with everyone staring at her.

One kid asked, "Who's that?"

"I think it's her party."

"Oh."

Rory needed some air, she wanted her mom and dad, she wanted to go home; she turned to leave when she came face to face with Paris Geller. "Paris?"

Paris quickly excused her presence, "My parents made me come."

"Oh God!" this was the worst birthday ever! At that moment, running around the square naked was looking like a desirable option.

"Otherwise, I wouldn't be here. I had no choice, you believe me, don't you?"

Rory walked away from Paris and ran into Tristin Dugray coming in the front door. "Oh, coming to greet me?"

"Fashionably late I see," Rory growled.

"Aw, you missed me? So where's my birthday kiss?" Tristin asked.

"It's my birthday."

"So, I'll give you a birthday kiss," Tristin whispered.

Rory held her hands up and backed away as he leaned into her, trying to keep as much distance as possible between his head and her person, "What is wrong with you?"

"Ok, I got to tell you something. I'm madly in love with you."

"Well, good luck with that," Rory turned to try to escape.

Tristin grabbed her hand and profusely confessed, "I can't eat, I can't sleep...I wake up in the middle of the night calling your name. Rory, Rory!"

Rory didn't want him to call attention to her and wanted her hand back, "Would you shut up please?" At least it was the first time he had gotten her name right all year.

Pulling on Rory's arm, Tristin tried to get her out of there, "Let's take a walk." Surely they could find some booze somewhere to loosen the uptight "Mary".

Rory scoffed, "This is stupid. You don't even like me! You just have this weird need to prove that I'll go out with you; that is not liking someone." She thought of Dean again, he really liked her; how they talked, how they got along, how she just blurted out that she was interested.

Tristin moved her hand to over his heart, leaned in close again, "Why are you fighting this? You're going to give in eventually."

"Well, according to my parents I'm very stubborn. In fact, I'm going to go find them ," Rory finally managed to pull her hand away from him, wanting to wash her hands not knowing where he had been.

Tristin followed her and joked, "Wow, meeting your parents. It's a bit sudden, but OK, I'm ready."

Suddenly, Luke stepped in between Rory and Tristin and towered his height over the teenage boy, "Is there a problem here?"

"Uh, no sir," Tristin gulped respectfully, recognizing the man before him from a picture in Rory's locker. Tristin couldn't let his haughty, polite mask slip in front of an adult.

Rory had to smile, her father was in enemy territory, a spy in disguise, among the other suits in room he looked like he belonged, but she knew he was miserable. Still, it was a natural reaction for him to be protective of Rory, despite his environment.

From across the room, Luke had tuned out of the conversation Lorelai was having and began to watch with interest as Rory started talking with a blonde boy in the foyer. From the scowl on Rory's face, this boy definitely wasn't a friend. When Luke saw the boy try to lean forward and presumably kiss Rory, Luke's eyes grew wide with alarm. Rory had successfully evaded the advance, but the violently protective father immediately went into action, not even bothering to excuse himself from his wife or her conversation companions. As he waded through the crowd of gossiping biddies and businessmen to aid his daughter, he had seen the boy grab Rory's hand, how the boy brought it to his chest, how he tried to lead Rory off, trying to take her somewhere, alone. Rory was holding her own trying to shake off her harasser, but Luke had to step in.

Now, as Luke stood in front of the no-name boy, he exuded authority, hoped his scowl was intimidating to the offending teenager. Luke leaned into the bothersome teen's face, "If you are annoying the lady, take a hint and back off." His tone seemed to say, "I don't care how many people are around, you want to try that little stunt again in front of me?"

"Um, yes, sir," Tristan shrank and backed away.

Luke sent a final seething glare as a warning toward Tristin not to even think about touching his daughter again. The teenager retreated into the library where he hoped his friends hadn't seen him taken down a notch by the adult.

Luke escorted Rory away and when they were in the hallway between the dining room and the living room, "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, thank you," Rory smiled at him, she only had to survive a few more hours, then she could go home and be just Rory again instead of queen for a day.

Lorelai joined them, still holding the drinks Luke had handed off to her before he sprung into action, "Jeez, Luke what is up? I was in the middle of my story …?" Lorelai noted the miserable look on Rory's face, the sudden tension between father and daughter. Lorelai asked her family, "What's wrong?" Before Lorelai could get an answer Emily found them.

"Oh, there you are!" Emily appeared, focusing solely on Rory, "I think it's time that you said a few words to your guests."

"What?" Rory said looking like she was on the verge of a panic attack.

Emily smiled, "Just a little speech to say 'thank you' and tell everyone how it feels to be one year older."

Seeing Rory was already off balance for some reason, Lorelai intervened, "Mom, if she doesn't want to…"

"She's the hostess, Lorelai. This is her responsibility," Emily sang as if she was a Stepford wife.

It had been piling up all evening, all week, and Rory finally lost it, "I am not the hostess! You are!"

"Hey, honey, hold on..." Lorelai tried to rein her daughter in while Luke cautiously looked around to see all the faces of strangers were turning toward them.

"This is your party and these are your guests and I don't have anything to say to them, so you give the speech."

"Rory!" Emily admonished.

"Excuse me," and Rory hurried up the stairs to be alone.

"What was that all about?" Lorelai asked Luke or her mother, anyone who could give her an answer.

"Lorelai, your daughter has no manners whatsoever. You should be ashamed of yourself," Emily walked away.

"OK, how did this become my fault?"

"Who cares," Luke said quickly, taking Lorelai's hand, "Come on," and they followed Rory up the stairs.

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Lorelai tapped on the door with her husband at her side, "Hey. Can we come in?"

"It's your room," Rory's voice was muffled from inside.

They opened the door to find Rory on Lorelai's old bed, "How are you doing?" Lorelai lay down beside Rory, while Luke rounded to the other side to sit facing Rory.

"I'm sorry I snapped at Grandma," Rory said sheepishly, embarrassed at her outburst.

"Yeah, that was a pretty 'Freaky Friday' moment we had back there."

"I just couldn't take it anymore. She kept escorting me around the room, introducing me to people whose names I can't remember, people just keep handing me checks and I don't even know who they are or why they are giving me money…"

"Well, don't worry; you'll probably never see them again. The people, not the checks…well, once you cash the checks you may not see them again either…"

"Lorelai…" Luke said dryly.

"Sorry."

Rory sunk into the pillows, "She just went ahead and invited all those kids from Chilton."

"You're kidding. I thought she checked on that with you," Lorelai wanted a clear picture.

"She didn't ask me or tell me. All those kids, none of them are my friends. To them I'm an obligation that their parents made them fulfill; they're all stupid snobs who judge me just because I look like a goodie-goodie. They don't want to be here, I don't want to be here, and I just made an idiot of myself and that's all they'll talk about on Monday."

"Oh, man, I'm so sorry, honey. Well, look on the bright side, tomorrow will be a nice normal Stars Hollow party where everyone loves you. And maybe someone will crash their Porsche or something on the way home."

"It just…I don't know but it really made me mad," Rory fidgeted with her fingers.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Luke asked.

"Because Mom was so happy. I mean, it's not very often that there's peace between you and Grandma. I didn't want to screw everything up."

"Rory, I appreciate you wanting Mom and I to get along but you shouldn't keep stuff like that from us. You shouldn't have to suffer on your birthday."

"I know, and I feel terrible; I mean, I've never yelled at her before."

Luke tried to assuage his daughter's guilt, "Listen, you'll apologize, all will be forgotten. You'll see."

Lorelai looked around, "Man. It's like time has stood still in this room."

Rory observed, "It must be weird for you to be in this room now."

"It was weird for me to be in this room then," Lorelai pointed to a large dollhouse, on a table, "You know, they gave that to me with the glass on." Lorelai's glance quickly went from the doll house to her husband and daughter. She thought of some of the memories she had of the room with Christopher, since Mitzi brought him up so damn much. It seemed like another lifetime and it was. She saw her husband, Luke, take in the detail of the ornate dollhouse and considered herself lucky she found such a wonderful guy to help Rory and her stay on the right path.

Rory sighed, "I now officially know what it feels like to have grown up here."

"Aw, no, it's not official until you're huddled in the corner eating your hair."

"Do you remember your last birthday here?" Rory asked.

"Yeah. We had just had a fight and I was lying on the bed just like you are now."

"What did you fight about?"

It was kind of weird, being the tour guide explaining her own childhood; Lorelai chose her words carefully, "Well, I was pregnant."

Luke looked down, silently signaling he was a little uncomfortable, Rory had the same exact look on her face as she sighed, "Oh, that."

"And I said something at the table about the pate smelling like Clorox and one thing led to another and I wound up here. I hadn't told anybody yet about me. And you."

"That must have been really hard on you," Rory voiced what the look on Luke's face seemed to say while Luke reached over and touched Lorelai's leg.

"Yeah, I remember when I finally told them, it was the only time they ever looked small to me."

"I guess I'd better go find Grandma."

"Mmm. Give her a minute…"

Then Emily appeared, "There you are!"

" … She'll find us," Lorelai finished.

"All of you are being very rude. This isn't my birthday party, you know."

"No, Mom. You just threw it," Lorelai said under her breath as she got off the bed.

"Honestly, the way you act."

Rory hurried off the bed, "Grandma, I just want to…"

"We'll talk about this later. Now go," Emily dismissed Rory as if she had discharged another maid.

Luke took Lorelai's hand, held her back to talk to her alone in the room, "I want you to know…I think you were very brave to leave this house. To face the unknown the way you did, so young and putting Rory first like that. It showed real courage…"

Lorelai swelled inside over the compliment, "Thank you, honey."

"Well, on a more selfish note, that decision led you to come into my life, that's how we found each other," Luke looked her dead in her eye, "…and I promise you it won't be like last time. I'm not going anywhere," he vowed. Having Christopher constantly creep up in the Hartford world only stiffened his resolve.

"I know that," Lorelai stroked his cheek and was about to lean in to kiss Luke.

Emily reappeared, "Lorelai, would you two come along? We have company."

Lorelai sighed, inches from paradise and her husband's lips, "Sorry, mom," and they returned downstairs to the forced mingling.

Emily waited for them to exit the room, appalled over their behavior, Honestly!

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The party had wound down and Emily was saying 'goodbye' to the last of her guests, "Thank you, good to see you. Lovely as always, Leeza; My best to Darren."

Luke had gotten their coats from the maid, and rejoined Lorelai and Rory since it was their turn to say goodbye for the evening as well. "Hey, Mom, Great party. One of your best," Lorelai tried to think of a polite, kind, thoughtful detail to mention, "I even liked those brown mushroom things."

Luke had just helped Rory with her coat, when she mustered the courage to approach her Grandmother, "Grandma, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Richard, the girls are leaving," Emily called over her cold shoulder.

Richard approached Rory, "Well, Rory, I hope you had a good time."

Rory fibbed to be polite, "Yes, I did."

"Here are all of your checks, don't worry I made sure they were all accounted for," he teased as he handed her the bundle of envelops.

"Thank you, Grandpa," Rory gulped trying to stay brave for her apology to her Grandma.

"Oh, I nearly forgot. Now, I know that your grandmother has already bought you a gift and signed my name to it; that was part of our agreement when we got married. However, I feel this occasion calls for something a little extra," and he handed her another check, "Put that towards your trip to Fez."

"I don't deserve this," she shamefully admitted. Richard had been on his business call and hadn't heard Rory's outburst.

"Fine, hand it over," Lorelai tried to lighten the air between Emily and Rory, a buffer before their final parting. Rory handed the envelopes over her mother, trying to stay focused on Emily.

Richard didn't know what else to say, "You're a good girl, Rory. Happy birthday," and offered his granddaughter a tentative hug then retreated to the study.

Lorelai peeked inside the envelopes, "Dude, the inflation of sixteen years; you made out like a bandit." Lorelai shook her head recalling her own sweet sixteen and the check gifting.

Emily was still icy, "You should get going. You've got quite a drive ahead of you."

Rory stepped toward her grandma, "Grandma, we're having a party tomorrow at our house and… I mean, it won't be anything like this, but it will be fun and maybe you and Grandpa could come?"

Emily remained frosty, "That's very sweet, dear, but I'm afraid we already have plans."

"Oh, Ok," Rory was visibly disappointed.

"Have a safe trip. Lock the door behind you…?"

Emily walked away to oversee the cleaning process in the dining room.

Lorelai shooed Rory and Luke off, "Hey, um, why don't you go help that guy out there put all the presents in the car."

"OK," Rory said in a small voice. Rory shied away to head out the front door, but Luke remained. He felt an urge boil inside him, an urge that usually manifested during town meetings, an urge to speak his mind. An urge that was as sensitive as nitroglycerin, it needed to remain cool and still, otherwise it might be set off; he hoped that none of the staff buzzing around would accidentally knock into him. What Emily had just done to his daughter was low and he had many words flooding his mind, but he took a deep soothing breath to keep it under control, he just had to suppress the urge for a few more minutes, slowly make it to the car, and he'd be in the clear. Just let Lorelai do the talking, say goodnight, and you can get the hell out of this house.

Emily was giving instructions to her cleaning crew, "All this can go in the dishwasher."

Lorelai was trying to recapture the magic of pudding and implored Emily, "Mom, come to the party tomorrow."

"I can't. I'm busy," then Emily turned to sign an invoice for the caterers hired for the event.

"Mom, your granddaughter invited you to her birthday party. Please, come."

"I've already been to a party for my granddaughter and she humiliated me in front of all of my friends. I have no desire to relive that experience," then turned to the catering staff, "The cheeses must be put in individual bags, please."

Lorelai rolled her eyes over the typical emotional suppression of the Gilmores, "Oh come on, give her a break. You invited all these Chilton kids without even asking her."

"They're her schoolmates. I assumed they were her friends."

Lorelai countered, "You know what they say when people assume things."

"No, what do they say?"

Lorelai was just working up the courage to swear in front of her mother "That… you …." shouldn't?

Emily was actually trying to put the blame on Rory? That was the final straw, Luke had to speak up, unable to stand it anymore and the urge inside Luke finally won when he hollered, "That you make an ass out of you and me!"

"How dare you!" Emily was appalled her so-called son-in-law would use such language in her house. Amazed that he had spoken at all, he seemed like such a weak, quiet little man, never stringing more than two words together in her presence, never fighting her criticism week after week at Friday night dinners; frankly she didn't see what Lorelai found so appealing about him.

Luke argued, "She didn't want them here. She doesn't like them."

"Well, sometimes we have to deal with people we do not like," Emily leveled to her loathsome son-in-law, her prime example, "I had to invite them. That's just good manners, something that you are sorely lacking."

"Manners?" Luke spat, "You have the nerve to talk to me about manners when we both know you'd rather not have me in your house at all. I'd rather we not have to come here week after week, but I do!"

"Well, then perhaps you should be a better provider for your family then you wouldn't be in this situation."

"Yes, I know, I'm a bum, and despite the Chilton agreement, even though I have better ways to spend my time, I still come here, week after week, according to our agreement; I try to be polite, respectful, civil because like it or not, we are family. Now let's focus on the issue at hand, because thanks to you I have a crushed kid out in the car."

Emily did feel guilty, but held firm, how was Rory going to learn these lessons if she coddled her now? "I'm sorry if I put her on the spot…but…"

"Don't say you're sorry to me, you need to say it to her…"

"… but it was to be expected, it was her role…" Emily recited what had been drilled into her from her own parents.

"Not where she comes from. God, what is it with you people; this façade that you always try so hard to maintain, this isn't her! These candlesticks, or these doilies, even that damn cheese, none of this is her!"

"Well, thank you for insulting a week's work, a week of my time and planning to create a beautiful party for her…"

"No one asked you to!" Luke growled, "Lorelai had suggested, politely, to forgo Friday night dinner for one week, one week, so Rory could have the birthday she wanted. Not the puffed up birthday that you wanted for her, you just wanted to parade her around like…"

"The only birthday I wanted was to be with my granddaughter on her actual birthday…"

"Then why the stuffed mushrooms? Why the candles? Why the twelve servers? Why the open bar when she can't even drink? Why the hundred people who all seem to be yours and Richard's friends or business associates."

Emily defended, "I wanted to make it special! Have her surrounded by the right people. I wanted to fawn over her, to show her off, have a suitable forum to brag about her and her accomplishments."

"She's not a tapestry, she's a teenager," Luke growled, "She's a person who has feelings that are now hurt because her party in the Hollow is beneath you."

"Do you know how many birthdays I've missed, if I could make it, I would but I have other…."

"Unbelievable, it always comes back to you doesn't it?! Well, you've made up for lost time with how much time and money you wasted on this fiasco. You don't know anything about her."

"Thanks to you for shutting her away from us."

Luke charged, "It always been a two way street. You're the only grandmother she has, I would love for her to have a good, solid relationship with you and Richard, but when you pull stunts like this, you catch her by surprise, purposefully make her uncomfortable, she's going to withdraw. When you push her away and distance yourself from her like she was one of your hired help you aren't helping things!" Luke wasn't just talking about Rory, it was his observations to her relationship with Lorelai as well. "Let me tell you about my daughter," Luke said pointedly, knowing it would annoy his mother-in-law, "Rory is smart, she's honest, she's funny, and she has simple tastes, she's a good kid, she doesn't need your caviar and champagne wishes, and she didn't deserve to be subjected to your phony pretenses and unattainable standards on her birthday. Thank you again, Mrs. Gilmore for another memorable evening"; Luke went out to the Jeep to comfort his daughter.

It had been the longest conversation Luke Danes and Emily Gilmore ever had.

Emily turned to Lorelai, "He doesn't yell all the time?" Emily said sardonically, referring to their phone conversation.

Lorelai offered bitingly, defending her husband, "Only when poked with a stick."

"Well, I now see where Rory may have learned by example." Emily wondered if there was still time to correct the damage done by one Luke Danes, and perhaps her granddaughter could still be passed off as a lady.

"He's right, you know." Since Emily asked for it, Lorelai offered up, "And you're doing the same exact thing that you always did to me."

"Oh, what are you talking about?"

"You're trying to control her and when that doesn't work you just shut her out."

"What do you want me to say, Lorelai? Everything's fine, it's forgotten. There, I'll see you next week."

Lorelai echoed her husband, "You should say it to Rory! You could forgive her for being caught off guard. She's not used to all this …fanfare." Perhaps through repetition the meaning words would penetrate Emily's hard exterior. Lorelai was nearly heartbroken, but she shouldn't have been surprised, "So I guess the whole pudding thing was just a fluke, huh?"

"Again with the pudding?" It was still a mystery to Emily what this code word meant to Lorelai, maybe it was some youthful slang or a joke between her and Luke.

"Trying to get to know us, easing up on the rules, smudging that bottom line of yours, it was just some weird phase. What, you were on cold medicine last week or something?"

"I spent a fortune on this party. I spent days planning it, making sure that every little detail was perfect …the food, the linen, the music. And despite what your husband may think, I did all this for Rory."

"You just said you wanted to show her and her accomplishments off, it was for you," Lorelai challenged, "And that's not what she needs. Luke is right, she needs you to be a grandmother, accept her apology and come to her party. That's what she needs. You claim you want to be included… well then come tomorrow. God, you don't care what she needs."

"Of all the nerve!"

"You don't even know what she needs because you don't know her."

"You didn't let me know her!"

Lorelai ignored her mother, "You've never tried to know her just like you never knew me," Lorelai hollered.

"Oh, I know you. I know you all too well."

Lorelai scoffed, "Oh, please. You don't know anything about me." Lorelai knew full well Emily never took the time to listen or understand about the joys of her Stars Hollow life. Any story Lorelai did offer was met with an disapproving eye roll from Emily Gilmore.

"Oh, you'd like to think that, wouldn't you? That you're just some huge mystery to me; I sit around and ponder 'Why does Lorelai do that?' 'I don't know. She's a mystery to me.' Well you're not so mysterious, Lorelai. You flaunt yourself at every opportunity," nodding to her altered dress again.

"No! No! What am I then?" Daring Emily to speak her mind, to just get all the opinions and criticisms out in the open once and for all.

Emily had several comments at the ready, but chickened out since she was tired and done with the conversation, "Well, right now you're very loud and disruptive to the entire cleaning process."

"Oooo, Good one. Fine, I give up."

"Oh, you give up? If I had a dollar for every time you gave up…"

"Then you could pay for this party, couldn't you?" Lorelai stormed out to rejoin her family. She had reached her Emily limit for the week, and an overdose was lethal.

Emily had misunderstood; Lorelai never gave up, which proved Emily didn't know what she was talking about. Lorelai didn't give up on Rory, didn't give her up for adoption and go about her academic career, she took on the challenge of parenthood even when she was just a kid herself. She didn't cave and marry Christopher, submit to a marriage that was doomed to fail from the onset. Lorelai was patient and found Luke, her perfect match, and she never gave up on him or their relationship, despite her fears, he proved that he wouldn't give up on her either. As a family, through everything, they were always there for each other.

What Lorelai was giving up on was the hope that she and Emily would one day have a normal mother-daughter relationship. That they could ever be like Rory and her, best friends who shared everything, even clothes; given Emily's fashion tastes that wasn't likely to happen anyway. Lorelai had allowed herself small tiny grain of hope that with a new baby would come a new beginning a fresh start for everyone, all over stupid pudding.

Emily was still recovering from her daughter's venom, tried to sweep it under the rug, hold it together in front of the help. If she didn't know her granddaughter it was because Lorelai had successfully built a wall around both of them, a great divide too treacherous to cross. However, Rory did attempt a reaching out, an invitation to the less immaculate Stars Hollow Party. What had Emily done? Callously slapped the hand away, scoffed at the invitation because she simply couldn't trouble herself with a drive to Stars Hollow. Perhaps the visit would offer some insight on how the other half lived, how her girls lived so long without her to safeguard and watch over them.

Emily then snapped at the catering staff, "For God's sake! What do I have to do to get you to put the damn cheese in individual bags?"

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"That was all God given talent..."
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A/N: Mencken's view of "Superior" individuals: Instead of arguing that one race or group was superior to another, Mencken believed that every community — whether the community of train porters, newspapermen, or artists — produced a few people of clear superiority. He considered groupings on a par with hierarchies, which led to a kind of natural elitism and natural aristocracy. "Superior" individuals, in Mencken's view, were those wrongly oppressed and disdained by their own communities, but nevertheless distinguished by their will and personal achievement — not by race or birth. Of course, based on his heritage, achievement, and work ethic, Mencken considered himself a member of this group.

GilmoreGril1979 Fan Fiction; It's Educational!!

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A/N: I thank you loyal minions and crack whores and keep reading. Believe it or not, I AM working diligently on the next chapters!!

R/R: PLEASE, I like to better myself. To quote The Princess Bride,

"...Remember this is for posterity ... so be honest."

Please be specific with R/R; name one (or as many as you can think of or want to mention…) At least one specific thing you liked

Please! It makes me feel good...inside (Dirty!)

Hence the Rant option below.
Insert Rant here V
A/N: if not completely satisfied with this chapter, please return unused portion for a full refund...