Check it out! I'm back! Turns out working full time doesn't leave as much writing time. Who'd have thunk it?! I apologise a thousand times over for how long this has taken. Hopefully it's tolerable enough to make it worth the wait... Please review (even if it's just to tell me how annoyed you are that it's taken so long - it seriously helps with the motivation to keep writing!)

~VC

Chapter 14 - Fallout

'And so, I have come to the conclusion that the only way to make this student government effective again is for either me, or the Senior Class President to resign. Francie?'

The red head tittered nervously. She hadn't been expecting this. Paris just kept her stony gaze on the girl, waiting for a response.

After an uncertain pause, Francie gave one. 'I'm not resigning!'

Ms. Pinkton shifted awkwardly in her seat. She wasn't prepared for this either. 'Um, Miss Gellar, do you know what you're doing? It would be highly irregular for either the Student Body President or the Senior Class President to resign. I don't think Headmaster Charleston-'

'Headmaster Charleston needs us to be an effective Student Government,' Paris spoke briskly. 'That's never going to happen with Francie and I both here.'

Francie seemed to be happier now. She straightened up in her chair and folded her hands together on the table as she spoke to Ms.. Pinkton. 'I agree with Paris. This government has been divided since day one. If she wants to stand down now, I will completely understand, and I think all of us here will do our best to leave behind a legacy that Chilton will be proud of; even without the great Paris Gellar. I'm sure Rory will make an excellent class President.' Francie directed a knowing smile at Rory, as if she was sharing a secret with her.

Rory felt nauseous.

Before Ms. Pinkton could formulate a response, Paris's voice cut in, calmly. 'Sorry to disappoint Francie, but that's not how it's going to work.'

Francie's face became nervous again. 'Oh?'

Paris smiled at her. 'We agree that either you or I need to step down?'

Francie nodded uncertainly.

'Fine. Then we'll put it to a vote.' She glanced around the table at the expectant faces of the council members. 'Me? Or Francie? You decide.'

Francie's face tightened for a moment, and Rory saw her gaze swing around to various people in the room, all who kept their own attention on Paris. Rory had to give Paris credit – Most of the student body seemed to be prepared for this. Evidently anyone that Paris thought she had sway with had already been let in the loop.

Paris had already begun marching around the table, handing out a mini-campaign poster to each council member. Miss Pinkton hovered around uncertainly, not entirely sure that this should be happening. 'Paris, Principal Charleston won't just let you resign!'

Paris didn't even hesitate in her movements. 'He'll let the loser resign once he hears my reasons about why this government can't continue on as it is.'

'I…but…' Ms. Pinkton had no clue what to say, or how to fix this. She only held her hands wide in a gesture of reluctant acceptance and stepped back with a weary sigh. 'Very well.'

'Now this vote will be open. No secret ballots. You all understand what you're voting for: the future of this government and the legacy that we will leave our school. Vote wisely. Vote for me, Paris Gellar.'

At the announcement that the voting would not be anonymous, Rory noticed a number of the students look nervously at Francie. Apparently she had more sway than Paris had realised.

Francie's own eyes were fixed pointedly on Rory. When she caught this, Rory stared back at her, coldly. Her headache seemed to have disappeared. She knew what she had to do. She wouldn't let her friend down.

****

'Hi!'

'Hey!'

'Hi!'

Luke raised his hand to his head and pushed at the side of his hat. 'Hey.'

Both him and Lorelai glanced down at the counter for a second, neither sure how to act, or what to say next, until both looked back up and spoke at the same time.

'Coffee?'

'Can I get some coffee?'

There was another pause as both looked at each other, and then Lorelai smiled and chuckled a little. 'This is weird.'

Luke immediately looked nervous. 'Is it? Yeah…I mean…it's fine… I'll get your coffee.'

As he backed away from the counter to get the coffee pot and a mug, both parties took a moment to regroup. When he turned back to Lorelai, he kept his attention on the mug on the counter, as did she.

'So, um…are you free Thursday?'

Lorelai opened her mouth to speak, then realised she wasn't sure what to say. Quickly scanning through the disorganised filing cabinet that was her mind she remembered Rory had been planning an elaborate scheme with Lane for Thursday night, so that they could go with Lane's band to see a group play a gig in Woodbury. Could Luke have picked a more perfect night?

Suddenly relived, she grinned at him – and yes – it was her flirty grin. 'Yes, I'm free.'

Luke bit back his own grin and shifted his hands about on his belt of his jeans. 'So, um…you wanna…go out?'

She felt in control again. Suddenly she was Lorelai Gilmore, man-eater extraordinaire. She took a long drink of her coffee and quirked an eyebrow at Luke. 'If I can have a burger to go with this coffee…'

The comment made Luke relax as well, and with a predictable eye roll he stepped to the kitchen to give Caesar the order.

Lorelai's cell phone started ringing, but before she answered it she called after Luke, 'And I want extra cheese. And bacon. And make the fries cheesy.'

Luke waved a hand dismissively. He knew all that. 'Sure, whatever. Take the phone outside.'

She was pulling the phone from her purse and checking the caller ID as she answered him. 'Luke! I can't do that. It's crazy in here. I'd lose my seat.'

Luke snorted. 'There are four customers – including you.'

'And,' she stressed importantly, ignoring Luke's comment, 'It's Rory. You wouldn't make me talk to my poor child out in the cold dark street would you? I could be murdered!'

Before Luke could respond, she'd already flipped open her phone. 'Hello, Daughter of Mine. This is your Glorious Mother speaking.'

Luke was about to shake his head in amused frustration when he saw the expression on Lorelai's face change and then turn colours.

'Honey, hold on. I'm on my way.'

Lorelai's worried gaze had barely met Luke's similar one before she was jumping from her stool and heading to the door. 'Rain check on the burger.'

'Lorelai, what's wrong? What happened?'

'Francie,' came the grim reply, as the diner door swung closed behind her. Luke sighed heavily and went to cancel her order.

****

Lorelai descended on Chilton like Hannibal on Italy. Neither Ms. Pinkton nor the school secretary could stop her bursting into Charleston's office. It's quite likely even Hannibal himself would have struggled.

Headmaster Charleston didn't seem surprised by Lorelai's entrance. In fact, he barely looked away from the three girls in front of him. He merely nodded at Rory with a wry smirk. 'Well it looks like your cavalry is here.'

Lorelai ignored the dig. 'Rory?'

Her daughter looked at her mom with wide eyes and a pale face. She didn't speak. She wasn't sure what to say.

Paris, on the other hand, had plenty to say. Her face was as red as Francie's hair and one could almost swear there were flames coming from her nostrils.

'Lorelai! Thank goodness: someone sane!'

Lorelai, Rory and even headmaster Charleston seemed to get a moment's amusement from that statement, but Paris didn't notice. She rushed on. 'This is all ridiculous. We voted Francie out of student council, so now she's trying to frame Rory to get back at us.'

Francie broke in, her voice dramatically emotional. 'I'm not framing anyone! Ms. Pinkton knew last week that someone had stolen my palm pilot from my locker. I was as shocked as everyone else when it fell out of Rory's bag.'

Charleston looked uncomfortable and shot Francie an uncertain look. He wasn't sure what to make of the drama unfolding before him, but theft at Chilton wasn't something he could just ignore. The school had a reputation to maintain.

He opened his mouth, no doubt to say something profound and scary, but was cut off by Lorelai before he'd even formed the first syllable.

'So you're Francie?' Lorelai was advancing on the teenager menacingly. 'You're the little termite that's been trying to blackmail my daughter, and probably half the student government?'

Rory flinched and bit her lip at this, barely daring to shoot a terrified look at Paris, who was staring at her with a look on her face that was less like terror and more like hurt surprise.

Lorelai continued, oblivious to the havoc she was causing. 'Yes, Missy, you can look scared! Rory's told me all about your little tricks and threats. She's been telling me about you for weeks.'

Lorelai might have gone on longer if Paris hadn't started to speak in a harsh, clipped tone.

'She's been blackmailing you?'

Rory could only nod mutely.

'To disrupt my government?'

Rory could barely make eye contact with Paris. She felt so horribly ashamed.

'You knew she was doing it? And you didn't tell me?'

As Paris's fury unleashed, Lorelai started to think perhaps she should have kept her mouth shut…

Outside the office door, the school secretary and Ms. Pinkton listened to the shrill indignation of Paris Gellar, the offended defences of Francie and the disappointed reproaches of Headmaster Charleston.

The school secretary eyed Ms. Pinkton disapprovingly and shook her head.

***

The diner was quiet when Jess wondered in. Kirk sat at the counter munching on a chocolate muffin and Ms. McFly was at a table in the corner picking at the crumbs of a piece of what he guessed was cherry pie. She had a familiar looking notebook with her, though at the moment it was closed. He hesitated for a moment, trying to convince himself to go and talk to her, but feeling suddenly embarrassed and nervous about his work, chose instead to duck quickly towards the curtain and the staircase beyond it.

He was half way there when Luke appeared from the store room.

'Hey.'

'Hey.'

Pleasantries dutifully exchanged, Jess continued his escape.

'Have you heard from Rory?'

He slowed down but didn't stop. 'Nope.'

'Were you seeing her tonight?'

'Probably. She has to come here if she wants to eat doesn't she?'

He would have made it all the way to the curtain and disappeared into his room if not for Luke's next words.

'I was just worried about her. About them.'

The curtain fell from his grasp as he turned to look at his uncle properly. 'What? Why?'

'Lorelai was in here earlier and then she got a call from Rory. She seemed upset.'

Jess just stared impassively. He could guess at what had happened. 'Francie?'

Luke nodded. 'That's what Lorelai said when she was running away.'

Jess was suddenly distinctly aware of a pair of eyes on him. Ms. McFly had finished with her pie and was staring at the two men with her brow furrowed. Jess watched her from the corner of his eye, but kept his attention on Luke so she didn't know she'd been caught.

Luke appeared to be starting a rant. 'What kind of kids frame each other?! It's ridiculous. It's not even real government. It's school!'

'School is hell,' Jess cracked in attempt to calm his uncle, while simultaneously trying to figure out what the hell was going on with Ms. McFly. Why did she look so freaked out?

Luke snorted. 'That's your opinion. Rory likes school. If this girl ruins it for her...' He trailed off. He couldn't finish the implied threat, because he really had no idea what he'd do. He just let the words hang in the air and sound menacing.

It seemed to work for Kirk. 'Wow! I wish you'd been my father. If the kids at school had known about you I bet they would have thought twice about putting my Starship Enterprise model in the wood-chipper.'

For a moment Luke and Jess were both so distracted, looking at Kirk in stunned astonishment, that Jess almost didn't notice Ms. McFly make her exit.

'That was the first time Mother spanked me for something that wasn't my fault.'

Luke forced his attention back to Jess and just sighed wearily. 'I don't like drama.'

'Likewise.' Jess gave a short nod and raised his hand to push back the curtain, but suddenly found himself hesitating.

He felt uncomfortable. Unsure. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. He'd made a habit out of not getting involved with other people's lives. He had enough problems of his own that took a lot of work to ignore – adding more to the mix just didn't seem like a good idea. Just go upstairs, find a book, put on some Tool and irritate the hell out of Luke in the process. Easy.

So why was it that he suddenly found himself putting two Danishes into a bag and heading back out the door? ...Because it was Rory.

***

There was an exhausted silence as Rory and Lorelai set off in the jeep. It was dark out now. Both Gilmores silently wondered where the hell the last couple of hours had gone.

Lorelai was consumed with guilt. As it turned out, she really hadn't helped the situation. Eventually as she pulled the jeep up at a red light, she glanced quickly at Rory. 'I'm really sorry.'

Rory just shrugged and hummed wearily. 'It's not your fault. I should have told Paris myself.'

Lorelai patted her daughter's hand comfortingly. 'She'll get over it. She has to. You're her only friend.'

Rory shot a look of wide eyed horror at her mom. 'Are you trying to make me feel worse?!'

'No, I just meant...Ugh! Stop talking Lorelai. Ugh! Was I born with my foot in my mouth?' Suddenly Lorelai pasted on a wide, toothy smile and her tone became excessively chipper. 'Hey, at least they'll be able to prove you didn't steal the palm machine.'

'Palm pilot,' Rory corrected, flatly.

'Exactly!'

'What?'

There was a moment's pause as Lorelai furrowed her brow. 'I don't know. My brain just shut off for a second there.'

'I'd rather that didn't happen while we're driving.'

'Noted.'

'It's embarrassing.'

`Driving with no brain?' Lorelai shot Rory a confused look that quickly turned to exaggerated concern. 'Or having me for a mother? Gasp! Do you not love me anymore?'

Rory rolled her eyes at her mother's theatrics. 'I meant the finger printing.' She wiggled her fingers in front of her, glaring at them with disgust. 'Even though it'll prove me innocent I still feel like a criminal. I'm going to have to walk around all day tomorrow with that inky stuff on my fingers! Will it wash off? I bet it doesn't wash off. I'll be marked for life. Everyone will talk about me. I'll be a common criminal. Harvard! Oh my God! Harvard will never take me. I wouldn't be surprised if they refuse to even accept my application. Harvard and Yale and Princeton and Bard and Georgetown and Sarah Lawrence and NYU and - '

Lorelai tried to stop Rory's rant. 'Woah! Hey, Rory, chill a second. You don't even want to go to half of those colleges.'

'That's not the point! I don't have to want them. They should want me! You know how hard I've worked! And you! You worked too. And we had to get loans for Chilton and have Friday night dinners and I did extra curricula stuff and now I'll never get in anywhere-'

Lorelai bit back a soft chuckle and instead cooed sympathetically. 'Aw, honey, it's not that bad. They'll do the finger printing, you'll be cleared and this will all go away. It's not embarrassing. And it'll give you a cool story to tell people.'

A wicked grin suddenly split her face and Rory was temporarily distracted from her college freak out, knowing what her mother was thinking about.

'No!'

'No what?!'

'No, you can't tell Grandma.'

'But-'

'Mom! No!'

But Lorelai was paying no heed to Rory's objections. She had gone into play-acting mode, adopting an airhead voice.

'Hello, Mother!'

The voice changed to a screechy representation of Emily. 'Hello Lorelai, Failure of My Life. Hello Rory, Granddaughter extraordinaire. What did you do today?'

Lorelai sniggered before going back to her airhead voice. 'Well Mother, I went to work and earned money to feed and clothe my daughter, and Rory was finger-printed by the cops for suspicion of theft!'

Rory just sank further into her seat and buried her head in her hands.

****

Jess strode to the Gilmore house with his head down, hands in his pockets and a scowl on his face. He really was tired. He'd actually been to school for the whole day today and then he'd been to work. He really did just want to lie back with a book and ignore the world for awhile.

But he had a Rory now, and apparently there were certain responsibilities that came with that. Rushing to her side after a potential disaster was one of them. And to be fair, she'd been there for him after his car was stolen... Well actually, Ms. McFly had been there first but that was...she was... ugh no! That was crazy.

As Jess tried to ignore the ridiculous nagging thoughts and suspicions that made his head hurt, the object of said thoughts suddenly appeared in front of him.

***

'Frak!' Rory started as she almost collided with Jess on the route to her house.

He eyed her curiously. 'Frak? Is that like fu-'

'It's the polite alternative,' Rory covered. The word had become part of her vocabulary after the Battlestar Galactica marathon she'd had with her mom six months ago. Even though it wasn't really their usual kind of show, Jamie Bamber was just soo pretty... But given that the cool BSG wouldn't exist here for another eighteen months... 'It's just something I picked up from...somewhere.'

'Uh huh, right.' Jess just looked confused and mildly bored.

Rory – ah hem – Ms. McFly, mentally kicked herself. Had she been born with her foot in her mouth? 'Sorry. Just ignore me.'

'Okay,' Jess responded in that arrogant, punkish way that made him so damn sexy.

Rory bit her lip. She shouldn't be thinking about Jess like that. Well, she could...but not while looking at this Jess. She should think about the Jess from her time. The one that was 25, not 18.

The one that you haven't spoken to in nearly two years, she reminded herself. After an awkward encounter at her mom's wedding and then a brief run in in Stars Hollow when he'd stopped in to visit his mom and sister, she'd taken to just avoiding him. It had hurt. He hurt. She could tell. And she had no good apology or explanation for what she'd done to him. Well that's what I'm here to fix, she told herself. This Rory doesn't have to hurt Jess. This Jess is better. I'll be better...I will...

'-or were you going somewhere?'

Rory realised that Jess was speaking to her. She shook her head a little to regain her focus. 'I was going...um, just...for a walk.'

'Right.'

She could see a look in his eyes that said he didn't entirely trust her. She wondered why.

'Are you going...somewhere?'

Jess's answer was short. 'Rory's.'

Perfect. That was going to ruin her plans. She had been hoping to hang around her house and try to find out what was going on at school with her teenage self. But maybe Jess could help her out...

They started walking again, this time side by side.

'Isn't it kind of late?'

Jess looked at her like he'd just realised she had two heads. 'It's nearly seven.'

'Oh. Yeah. You're right. Nearly seven. Not that late then, is it?'

'Are you okay?'

'What? Of course. Why wouldn't I be?'

'No idea, but you're acting like a freak.'

'Ah well, long day. You know...'

Jess hummed sceptically, but Rory ignored him and tried to take control of the situation.

'So Rory goes to Chilton?'

'Yep.'

'That's a tough school.'

'She likes it. She's going to Harvard.'

Rory was momentarily touched by the warmth, affection and pride(?) that she could hear in Jess's tone as he discussed...well, her.

'Harvard? Impressive. Is it definite?'

Jess shrugged. 'They'd be crazy not to take her. As long as she doesn't get kicked out of Chilton, it seems pretty definite.'

Rory felt like she'd just been punched in the gut - by a terminator. Suddenly she wasn't sure that there was air in her lungs, and she was willing to believe that her face had turned white and her head was spinning around on her shoulders.

The expression on Jess's face did little to convince her otherwise.

'Wh..why...why would she get kicked out of Chilton?'

He was only just glancing at her from the corner of his eye and there was a long pause before he spoke, as if he was debating how much to say. When he did finally speak his words came out slowly and his eyes were fixed on her.

'For stealing.'

Rory could feel her knees buckling underneath her as the imaginary terminator karate kicked the back of her legs. She actually staggered.

'But I- Rory's not a thief!'

Jess's eyebrows arched. 'How would you know?'

She wasn't being cautious enough – she knew that – but right now she had bigger problems to worry about than the space/time continuum. Right now her entire collegiate career could be at risk.

If she was expelled from Chilton for stealing she could kiss the Ivy League, and probably a lot of other schools goodbye. No one would want her... Harvard and Yale and Princeton and Bard and Georgetown and Sarah Lawrence and NYU and –

Jess was still staring at her. Rory shook her head.

'I just meant...she doesn't seem like the type. So I've heard. It's a small town...people talk.'

She tried not to dwell on the fact that in two years time, younger Rory was scheduled to steal a yacht.

There was a heavy sigh and Jess shrugged again. 'She's not the type. But she's being set up.'

'What? Who would do that?!'

Jess had that look on his face again – the one that said he wasn't sure if he should say anything. There was another silence, and Rory imagined she could see an internal debate going on behind his eyes. Finally, he seemed to reach a decision.

'A girl at school – they're on the student council together. She accused her of stealing some photographs, but couldn't prove anything. Now she's been blackmailing her.'

And that's when Rory realised that maybe breaking into Francie's locker hadn't been the world's best plan.

***

Jess and Rory sat on the bridge in relative silence. Rory had ranted for a good fifteen minutes, but was now settled back against Jess's chest, while his fingers traced soothing circles on her arms.

The air was brisk but neither of them really noticed. They were too comfortable together. Rory felt safe here. Jess's presence was surprisingly calming. He seemed to have left most of his bad boy attitude at home. Tonight, he was just here for her.

That reminded her of something. 'Mom is going out with Luke on Thursday.'

Her voice was so soft that it took Jess a second to process what she'd said.

'Thursday?'

Rory nodded. 'I think she's being sneaky, 'cos she knows I was supposed to have plans with Lane that night. But I can get out of them. I mean, if you're free...if you still want...then we could...'

Jess chuckled softly and kissed her forehead. 'Okay.'

'Okay?'

'Thursday.'

Rory nodded resolutely in confirmation. 'Thursday.'

***

Chilton was creepy in the dark. Although she couldn't make out the detail of the stone gargoyles, their shadows still made menacing shapes and Rory found herself avoiding the darker places.

After saying goodbye to Jess a block from her house, she'd headed to the area near the bridge, banking on the fact that that was where Jess would take her teenage self. She'd been right.

It had only taken five minutes of listening to herself rant to figure out what was going on. Teenage Rory believed that the fingerprinting would clear her of stealing Francie's palm pilot.

But in reality, she was sure her prints were all over it. Older Rory hadn't had the foresight to wear gloves or be careful when she'd originally stolen the photographs. Forensics hadn't come far enough yet to be able to tell a person's age from their fingerprints. If they found her prints, her teenage self would absolutely, without a doubt, be completely frakked.

And so, here she was, back at Chilton, breaking and entering, in order to wipe Francie's locker clean and once again fix her mess.

Luckily, the actual break in wasn't too difficult. Chilton students were generally well behaved enough not to need Mission Impossible style security. She worked quickly to wipe down everything in Francie's locker, scowling as she found a scribbled list of names from the student government. There seemed to be shorthand notes written next to each name, but the light was too weak to make out much. Rory hazarded a guess that they related to Francie's blackmailing schemes. She considered keeping the note as backup evidence, but reminding herself that it was her meddling that had created this situation, she put the note back where she'd found it.

She took a fond look around the school corridors as she made her way back to the exit. She'd been so young here; so excited by the future. There had been so many possibilities and so many dreams. She wanted that feeling back. That feeling that she was invincible – that the world really was her proverbial oyster.

Once again she found herself praying to her teenage self, not to screw things up this time.

***

Rory kissed Jess goodnight and watched him disappear into the darkness before she headed into the house. She felt much better now. Everything was going to be okay. She was sure of it. The fingerprinting would clear up the Francie mess, Paris would have to forgive her eventually and on Thursday her and Jess were going to...ah-hem... Just thinking about Thursday made her cheeks feel warm.

Her mom looked up from the couch as she entered.

'All better?'

Rory nodded. 'I think so.'

'You look happier.' Lorelai's eyes narrowed suddenly. 'Did you do something? With Jess?!'

Rory tried to laugh lightly, but she could feel her cheeks burning hotter even as she did.

'No. We just talked.' She avoided her mother's gaze and the next words were blurted quickly. 'I told him about Thursday.'

Panic! Lorelai stiffened and her face became nervous. 'What about Thursday?'

'About you and Luke going out. About me and him... you know.'

'But...no! I thought you had plans with Lane on Thursday?'

Ha! Busted! Rory knew she should be annoyed that her mom had been half-heartedly trying to stop this, but she actually felt kind of sorry for her. And right now, she didn't feel like arguing. 'That wasn't definite. We can just go to Woodbury another night.'

There was a strained silence as Lorelai tried to work out what to say. But Rory didn't give her a chance.

'I'm going to go to bed. I had a long day.' She leant over the couch and kissed her mom fondly on the cheek. 'Night, Mom.'

Rory was halfway to her room before Lorelai managed to find her voice. 'But...I mean...' There was a defeated sigh. 'Night, Babe.'

As Rory's bedroom door closed, Lorelai sank back into the couch and groaned quietly. Her little girl was growing up. Sure, she'd called her for support this afternoon, but in the end she probably would have done better without her there. And now she was making these big Relations-With-Jess decisions without needing to discuss it with her. She groaned again. Her little girl was growing up, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

****