Thanks for the reviews.

I don't own The Gilmores. I don't own much of anything really. Lydia. I own her.

Chapter Fourteen - Know the Difference

Rory woke the next morning and found herself alone in Mathew's bed. She sat up and wrapped the dark blue sheet around her, when Mathew came back into the room, carrying a tray.

"You're up." He smiled, "I have coffee, bagels and the paper." He walked to the bed and sat the tray down, giving Rory a quick kiss.

"You're perfect." Rory grinned taking a sip of coffee, "What did I do to warrant such treatment?"

"Well," Mathew sat beside her and rubbed his chin in thought, "there was that thing you did with your tongue-"

"Mathew!" Rory swatted his shoulder.

"What? It was really-"

"Please don't finish that sentence." Rory told him, her face turning red.

"I'm just trying to give you a compliment." Mathew smirked.

"Well, don't. And, oh God, we'll have to clean the kitchen table before Chris gets home."

"Already done." Mathew handed her the paper.

"You are perfect." Rory smiled.

"I try." He shrugged, as she opened the paper. He leaned over and pressed a few kisses to her neck. "I'm gonna go shower. You wanna do anything today? Or just spend it vegging out?"

"I can't." Rory sat her paper down and turned to face him. "I told my mom I'd go to Stars Hollow today."

"Oh. Okay."

"It's just that I haven't seen her in weeks."

"I understand Ror. Go have fun with your mom. Just, please, be very complimentary about me."

"Oh get out of here." Rory laughed, pushing him off the bed.

"Want to join me?" He quirked an eyebrow at her as he lifted a clean towel from his closet.

"No, we'd never get clean." Rory laughed, before returning to the newspaper.

"You sure you want to go see your mom?" Mathew asked Rory. He was leaning up against her car, his hands on her waist.

"Yes." She nodded, determined not to break her resolve.

"Completely sure?"

"Yes. I'll tell you what, I'll stop on my way back to DC tomorrow and we'll have dinner."

"I suppose it'll do." He ducked his head and kissed her. "I just hate these weekends, they're never long enough."

"I know. But I'll see you tomorrow." Rory pull out of his hold and opened her car door. She sat down in the drivers seat and rolled down her window. Mathew closed the door over and rested his arms on the open window.

"I better get going." Rory leaned forward and give him a kiss, before running her thumb across his lower lip.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow. I love you."

"Love you too, Baby." Rory smiled, kissing him again and then putting her car in drive. "Bye."

"Bye." Mathew stepped back onto the pavement, and then raised one hand in response to Rory sounding her car horn.

Rory pulled up to her mom's house a few hours later and found her mom and Lane on the porch, both with a cup of coffee.

"Lane, what are you doing here?" Rory smiled as she climbed the porch steps.

"Lorelai mentioned you were coming today, and I haven't seen you in forever, so here I am."

"Well good." Rory hugged her, "I need some serious advice."

"This needs coffee, right?" Lorelai wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"By the bucket full." Rory nodded, "And junk food."

"I'm on it." Lorelai headed back into the house, and Rory sat down. "No talking until I get back!" Lorelai called out over her shoulder.

"I think she means about my problem. We can talk." Rory laughed. "How are the twins?"

"Good. Growing like weeds. Zach and Brian took them to the zoo in Hartford today. They took your brother with them."

"And Luke allowed that?"

"I'm not sure Luke knows." Lane laughed as Lorelai came back with tray filled with snacks, a pot of coffee and a mug for Rory.

"A tray? When'd you get so domesticaed?" Rory asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"I'm a regular Nigella Lawson these days." Lorelai shrugged. "You'd know that if you, what's that ladies and gentlemen, that's right, came home once and while!"

"I do have a job!" Rory told her mom.

"And she's lying." Lane laughed. "She's not that domesticated. She almost burnt the kitchen down trying to make a roast chicken."

"I thought you were on my side!" Lorelai swatted Lane's arm.

"I'm on no ones side. I believe Rory needed some advice?"

"Yes." Rory set her cup down and pushed her hair behind her ear. "It's actually about my job."

"Oh, no. You're losing your job, right?" Lorelai asked her.

"No." Rory shook her head. "The opposite in fact. Remember, just before you and Luke got engaged and I told you I was ready to leave to press corps and I had sent out a load of résumés?"

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded, "You said no one had any positions."

"They didn't. But they all gave me the same 'we'll keep your résumé on record if anything comes up' line."

"Okay." Lorelai nodded.

"Rory what's going on?" Lane asked.

"On Thursday I got an email. About an associate features editor position. Apparently they've read my articles for Truncheon's 'zine, and they are basically offering me the job. They want me to come in and discuss it with them."

"Wow." Lane and Lorelai said in unison.

"I know. They want to meet with me as soon as possible, and it's a great job, and I would be thrilled to leave politics behind."

"What paper is it for?" Lorelai asked, picking up a Mallomar.

"The Inquirer."

"National?"

"No, mom, Philadelphia."

"So, you'd be moving to Philadelphia?"

"Yes. And there's my problem."

"How's this a problem?" Lorelai asked, "You're there every other weekend anyway."

"I know." Rory nodded.

"And you hate only having limited time with Mathew."

"I know."

"And this is a great job."

"I know."

"So take the meeting. You know most couples already live in the same city."

"I know mom. But do I want to be that girl? The one that gives up everything to be with her boyfriend?"

"Well, first of all, you'd be doing it for the job. It's just fate that it's in Philly."

"You don't believe in fate." Rory told her mom.

"Yes I do."

"Since when?"

"Since now." Lorelai smiled.

"Convincing." Rory rolled her eyes. "What do you think?" She asked Lane.

"Well, would you have any hesitations about taking the job if it were in New York, for example?"

"No."

"So you're only reservation is that you might come off too strong to your boyfriend."

"He told me he loved me last night." Rory sighed.

"Wow." Lorelai and Lane said in unison.

"I said it back."

"Double wow." Lorelai placed her coffee cup back on the table. "I don't understand why this is a problem, hun?"

"You guys are really okay with me moving to Philly?"

"Uh yes." Lorelai nodded her head, and then glanced at Lane. "Right?"

"Definitly." Lane smiled.

"Then, there is no problem."Rory smiled.

"What?"

"I really want this job, and being with Mathew is a massive bonus. But I was worried that you guys would think that I moving too fast, or something."

"It's not like you're moving in with him.. Oh God, you're not moving in with him, are you?"

"No mom." Rory laughed.

"Good. And if you guys are saying 'I love you' then this seems like a good step. And this way, you get to see him during the week, so you can come home and see me more often!"

"And there's the perspective I know and love."

"And glad to give it." Lorelai grinned as her cell phone started to ring. "Oh, it's Luke, I'll take this inside." She stood and flipped open her phone. "Hey hun. What? No, Charlie's fine."

"So, moving to Philadelphia." Lane picked a chocolate chip from the muffin she was holding.

"Yeah."

"And you love him?"

"Yeah, I do." Rory smiled. "He's sweet and kind and I mean I might have said it because I was slightly toasted and he had just taken me to see Camera Obscura, but I didn't. I really love him."

"Hold on. You saw Camera Obscura last night?"

"Yip." Rory grinned at her friend.

"Man, how jealous am I?" Lane laughed. "Were they amazing?"

"Yeah. They did a lot of old stuff."

"How did he know you liked them?"

"Jess told him how obsessed we were in senior year."

"Right." Lane nodded. "You know, Jess is making it very hard for me to hate him."

"Lane! You can't hate him. We're... well, I guess we're family."

"Still," Lane shrugged, "he treated you like dirt in high school. As your best friend I reserve the right to hate him forever."

"Could you keep it to yourself then? I actually like hanging out with him and Lydia."

"Right, Lydia."

"What about her?"

"Sure you're not replacing me?"

"Never, crazy lady. Lydia's great, but she's no Lane Kim."

"Van Gerbig." Lane corrected.

"You'll always be Lane Kim to me. The girl who shared her crayons with me on the first day of kindergarten."

"And the girl who discovered U2 with you."

"Exactly." Rory laughed. "You can never be replaced."

"Man, I miss Luke's coffee." Rory sighed as she finished her cup the next morning.

"Well, we know how to rectify that, don't we Charlie?" Lorelai asked her son as she fed him a spoon of yogurt.

"Mom, enough of the guilt trip." Rory rolled her eyes. "Tell mommy she's nuts." She told the toddler.

"Mommy nuts!" Charlie giggled, giving his sister a bright smile.

"Traitor." Lorelai mumbled giving him a kiss on the forehead.

"Okay, I have to go." Rory stood and put her jacket on. "How do I look?"

"Very professional. I'd give you the job." Lorelai smiled.

"Wish me luck." Rory whispered to her brother, before kissing his cheek.

"Good luck Rory." Luke told her as he came from the kitchen carrying two plates.

"Thanks Luke."

"Yeah, you're gonna kill at this meeting. 'Cept not literally, 'cause then not only would you not get the job, you'd also go to prison, and I'm positive not even you could pull off an orange jumpsuit."

"Thanks mom." Rory leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I call you later."

"Okay, good. Because we have to plan someones p-a-r-t-y." Lorelai said pointing at her son.

"Mom, he's gonna be two. He doesn't understand the word party."

"Gah! Shhh! What if he's a genius like you and April? 'Cept a better genius because me and Luke have come together."

"How'd you know that April doesn't get her genius from Anna? Or me from dad?"

"You have met your dad, right?"

"Yeah," Rory nodded thoughtfully, "well, maybe I'm a fluke?"

"Out!" Lorelai pointed to the door. "Before you say something so incredibly smart my pea brain head explodes."

"Bye mom. Bye Charlie. See ya Luke!"

"So let me get this straight." Lydia looked up from the paper she was grading, "You said 'I love you'?"

"Yes." Mathew confirmed stiring sugar into his coffee.

"And she said it back?"

"Yip."

"Wow." Lydia shook her head. "That's the first time you've ever said that, right?"

"Yeah. I mean I've said it to you-"

"I don't count." Lydia cut him off. "You were always drunk, and I love yous to your sister just don't count."

"You're my sister?"

"For all intent purposes, yes." She smiled, "You said 'I love you'." She sighed and bit down on the green pen was grading with and stared dreamily out the window.

"Lydia!" Mathew shouted, bringing her out of her daydream. "Stop picturing the hat you're gonna wear. I didn't propose."

"I wasn't picturing hats." She snapped. "I was wondering what flowers Rory would have."

"Stop it." He warned her as the door of the store opened.

"Hey guys." Rory smiled and walked to join them at the counter of the coffee shop.

"Hey." Mathew leaned forward and gave her a kiss.

"Hey Lyds." Rory sat opposite the redhead and nodded when Mathew lifted the coffee pot.

"Hey." Lydia smiled. "Lovely day, right?"

"Yeah. It is a nice day." Rory nodded, as Mathew groaned.

"And I love grading papers. And I love when a student gets an 'A'. And I just LOVE love. It's lovely."

"Is this hormones?" Rory asked Mathew, pointing at Lydia, "Or is she just high."

"Neither. She's just insane, and should be ignored."

"Oh, shut up you." Lydia frowned and then turned back to Rory. "What are your favourite flowers?"

"Sunflowers, why?"

"Sunflowers? That could work, in the summer, with your hair down, and curly. Maybe outdoors."

"Oh God." Mathew put his head in his hands.

"What's going on?" Rory asked him.

"I think she's planning our wedding?"

"Why? Oh my God." Rory gasped, swatting Mathew's arm, "Mathew you told her we said that we love each other?"

"Kinda, yeah. I tell her everything!" Mathew massaged his temple.

"And now, she's planning our wedding?"

"Well, I didn't get to have a big wedding of my own to plan!" Lydia told them.

"We're not getting married!" Rory told her.

"Yet." Lydia grinned. "You're not getting married yet. Just let me have my fantasy?"

"Fine." Rory sighed, "Plan away. Just keep it in your head. Don't tell me anything? It'll just freak me out."

"Got it." Lydia nodded and picked up her pen again.

"Can I talk to you?" Rory asked Mathew, who was watching Lydia make a list of wedding songs.

"Sure." He nodded, looking back at his girlfriend.

"In private?"

"We'll go upstairs. Lyds, you wouldn't watch the store, would you?"

"Sure, sure, sure." Lydia waved her hand at them, not looking up from her list.

"Thanks." Mathew smiled at Rory and nodded his head towards the staircase. "Come on."

"What are you doing here so early anyway? I wasn't expecting you until later." Mathew told her as they sat on the couch.

"I left the Hollow right after breakfast this morning. I had a meeting."

"A meeting?" Mathew repeated. "What like AA, or NA, or CA?"

"CA?" Rory asked confused.

"Caffeine Anonymous."

"Oh. But no, it wasn't an addiction meeting. It was about a job."

"A job?" He repeated again.

"Yeah." Rory nodded, "I got an email last Thursday, and I went to the meeting. My résumé was on file since last year, but based on it and my recent 'zine articles they offered me an associate features editor position."

"Oh wow."

"Yeah." Rory smiled.

"So, you're leaving DC?" Mathew asked.

"Yeah."

"And you're moving to?"

"Oh, didn't I mention that? Right, yeah, well, my new employer is The Inquirer." Rory grinned.

"Which Inquirer? And if you say National, I will hit you." Mathew smiled.

"Nope. Philadelphia." Rory told him.

"Seriously? You're actually moving here, to Philly?"

"Yeah."

"This is amazing!" Mathew pulled her into a kiss.

"Really?" Rory asked pulling back slightly.

"What? Of course really. Why wouldn't this be amazing?"

"I freaked out that you would freak out. What if seeing each other all the time screws this up?"

"It won't." He reassured her.

"But what if-"

He cut her off by kissing her again, and then pulling back he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you Rory Gilmore. Having you in the same city all the time, will not change that."

"Good." Rory smiled kissing him again. "I start in a month. And I need to find a place to live."

"Well, see, I know this great couple who are moving to a bigger place and they need to find someone to rent their apartment."

"Jess and Lydia's place?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Won't it be big for just me?"

"It not that much bigger than your apartment in DC." Mathew reasoned, "Plus Lyds used to live there by herself. She used the second bedroom as a wardrobe slash office. Mostly wardrobe though."

"It is a great apartment. And I know how to get to it."

"Plus it's close to the Inquirer's offices."

"Really?" Rory asked.

"Yip. I think you should go talk to Lyds and Jess. And I will make reservations at some fancy restaurant." He grinned and picked up the phone.

"Why, where were you planning on taking me for dinner?"

"Pizza place around the corner."

"Stick with pizza. Fancy food just doesn't do it for me." Rory smiled and kissed the side of his mouth.

"God, you're perfect." Mathew whispered and kissed her on the mouth.

"Thanks, now I gotta go get an apartment."

"What the hell are you doing?" Jess looked over his wife's shoulder to see what she was writing.

"I'm planning Rory and Mathew's wedding." She rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek.

"What?"

"Well, they're not getting married, yet, but they have said 'I love you'." She smiled and clapped her hands in glee.

"But that doesn't mean marriage Lyds."

"I know. But this is just a fantasy thing in my head. For fun."

"Fun?" Jess asked her and she nodded. "So, you're aware of the difference, because sometimes I think you can't distinguish between fantasy and reality."

"Sure I can. My fantasy is Rob Lowe. My reality is you." Lydia laughed, light slapping his cheek.

"Charming."

"It's just a shame that you've put a ring on it and knocked me up. I'm stuck with you."

"So, if Rob Lowe walked in here and said he loves you and didn't about the baby being mine you'd...?"

"Kick you to the kerb, babe. Sorry." She shrugged and then started laughing. "But that's just a fantasy. My reality with you, forever and ever, is fine. Perfect even." She reached over and placed a kiss on his temple as Rory came back in.

"Hey, guys can I talk to you?"

"Sure." Jess nodded, wiping down the counter with a rag.

"Well, I was wondering if you had found anyone to rent your apartment?"

"No, why?" Lydia shook her head, and crossed something off her list.

"You can stop looking. I want your apartment."

"Why? You live in DC." Jess threw his rag in the sink.

"In a very nice apartment, the way Mathew tells it." Lydia said, causing a raised eyebrow from Rory. "What? I pressed him for details." Lydia shrugged. "So why do you want it?"

"I'm leaving DC, and the Press Corps."

"But I didn't get my tour." Lydia whined.

"I can't give tours, and I got a better job. Features editor at the Inquirer." Rory smiled.

"You're moving to Philly? To work here?" Jess grinned.

"Yeah. And I should thank you." Rory told Jess. "Their interest was peaked when they read my 'zine articles, and you got me the gig."

"No I didn't. You're writing did. But this is great. Congratulations!"

"Yeah, this is amazing! And the apartment's totally yours." Lydia stood up to hug her friend.

"You know we should celebrate tonight." Jess said.

"Oh, well, we're already going for dinner." Rory told him.

"And by 'we', she means her and Mathew." Lydia grinned. "They want to hold hands and make googly love bug eyes at each other." She laughed.

"You want me to take away the fantasy wedding planning?" Rory placed one hand on her hip.

"No!" Lydia cried out and grabbed her notepad from the counter. "I've your wedding song narrowed down to two."

"Do I want to hear this when your song was Aerosmith?" Rory asked.

"'When we Dance' by Sting. Or the U2 classic 'Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'."

"U2 it is." Rory laughed.

I know, shorter than usual, but I've a feeling that my chapters will be shorter for now on. I've a load of uni work on, so I'm not getting as much time to write.

Remember to review. I love reading your thoughts, even if they are critiques. :)