A/N: After this 'ficlet', I have two more in the works, then we're done with this series and I get to dig in to the teen lives of all the kids in Stars Hollow: The Next Generation! (I hope to have Chapter 1 posted before the months is out, since I did promise you'd get it in September, didn't I?) In the meantime, welcome to Rory's graduation day ;)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see 1.)

21. Like Mother, Like Daughter - 5th June 2014

There were times when Rory thought this day would never come. Honestly, even when she was picturing such an occasion, it was nothing like this. Today was the day of her graduation ceremony, when she would receive her diploma, move the tassel on her hat from one side to the other, and officially have earnt her degree in journalism. Perhaps she was a little sad that this wasn't Yale, that she hadn't completed the four years she intended right out of high school, but in the end, none of that really mattered. She had achieved her goal, and she had not had to sacrifice the chance to see her son, or her daughter, go through all the important early stages of life to do it.

"Are you okay?" asked the girl next to her.

"Yeah, I think so." Rory smiled, though her hand shook the moment she reached for her lip gloss to reapply. "This is crazy. How can I be so nervous about being handed a diploma? I already did it in high school. Although, that was quite a while ago now," she sighed.

"You're not that old!" Cindy rolled her eyes.

"In the death throes of my twenties," said Rory with a smile at the over-dramatic phrasing. "So my friend Paris keeps on telling me anyway, but that's good. I was determined to have this done before I was thirty. That became the new goal, and at least I stuck to it."

She focused on her compact mirror and checked her hair and make-up, missing the look on Cindy's face. Thirty was a long way off for her. She had attended the community college right out of high school, going there part time whilst also working. Somebody had to help pay the rent and all. There was only her and her father, and Rory knew from all that her study buddy had told her that Daddy Dearest liked the bottle a lot more than work or family. It meant that both she and Rory struggled in their own ways; Cindy with being so young and coping essentially alone with a dad that so depended on her, and Rory with being a young mother of two. Sure, she was lucky enough to have a loving and supportive husband, a mother and step-father that couldn't be more helpful, and a huge extended family to always be there when she needed them. Still, balancing priorities never did come easy.

"I can't imagine being thirty," said Cindy, shaking her head. "But here's hoping when I get there, I'll be as cool as you, Ror."

"Cindy!" She shook her head, looking to her friend. "I'm not so great."

"Hey, you know you are," Cindy countered. "Actually, I think we've both done pretty good to get this far."

"That I'll agree to, and you are going to go on to do great things, Cindy. I know you are," she smiled, even as tears filled her eyes.

They had promised to keep in touch after college was done, and yet Rory had a horrible feeling she would be seeing very little of Cindy after today. She was capable of great things, that much was true. Cindy was very smart, both in terms of intelligence and having a tendency towards the street-wise, despite where she had been raised. She had so much potential, but with her family situation, Rory somehow doubted she would be able to reach it any time soon.

"You're the best, Ror," said Cindy, reaching to hug her faithful study partner that she was so going to miss. "I, er... I honestly don't think I could've gotten through the last couple of years without you."

"Ditto," said Rory definitely as they parted, both with watering eyes and wide smiles on their faces. "Oh, this is just terrible!" she exclaimed, checking herself in the mirror again. "We cannot go out there looking like this!"

They both fixed their make up just in time as the call came to head to the hall where family and friends were waiting. Rory couldn't keep the grin off her face as she took her seat on stage. There in the front row was her mom and Luke, beside them Billy, Jack, and Tori, and there on the end was Jess. Rory felt teary all over again as both her mother and her kids waved wildly and her husband shot her a smile that said everything. They were all so proud of her, and honestly, Rory was proud too. She had worked hard and she was very glad to be here right now.

Silence fell over the hall as the guest speaker took the stage. The speech was long and boring, but Rory wouldn't have been listening in any case. As her eyes scanned the crowd she was sad to see that Cindy's father hadn't made it. She had nobody else, just the one relative who ought to care, and he was probably passed out drunk at home, not even realising why today was important. Though Rory was sad for her friend, it was hard to keep from smiling for her own sake, especially when she realised that more than just her closest family members had turned out for today's main event. There were only so many seats, she knew not everybody could be accommodated by the small hall, and yet stuffed in at the back amongst the 'standing room only' were her grandparents, Mrs R, The Bellevilles, and Lane. Rory was so distracted she didn't know the speaker was done talking until the polite applause began and she joined in belatedly, feeling dazed.

The ceremony proper started then, with the first row of graduates rising to file across the stage and receive their diplomas. Letters A through F were trailing by when suddenly there was a commotion beyond the main doors. All eyes shifted to see what was happening, and Rory gasped in shock when she realised the loud voice out in the hall was way too familiar.

"I don't care about your stupid small town rules, bucko! My best friend is graduating today, and I'm not missing this moment for anybody. I studied krav maga, y'know?!"

A familiar figure burst into the hall and Rory had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

"Aunt Paris!" yelled Tori without a moment's pause and the biggest grin on her face.

Jack was quick to greet her just the same.

"Hey, kids!" she replied with a smile, moving to join them.

Jess pulled Tori onto his lap to make space, and Paris slipped in between him and Jack, saying 'hi' to Lorelai and Luke too. It didn't phase her at all that she had stopped the ceremony and startled the whole room with her entrance.

Paris looked up to the stage then and realised things were still halted.

"Proceed," she instructed the startled man with a diploma in one hand and a graduate's own fingers still grasped in the other - he did as he was told.

Rory didn't have time to wonder at the spectacle her friend had made. Her own row got up next, the G through N row, and all filed by to get their diplomas.

"Lorelai Leigh Mariano," she heard, moving in automatic as the diploma was placed into her hand. "Congratulations, Rory."

"Thank you," she smiled, shaking hands and then stepping away to face her family.

Proudly, she moved the tassel from one side of her hat to the other, just as Lorelai had done more than ten years before. Rory met Jess' eyes, fighting tears when she saw him mouth 'I love you'. Then she glanced to her mother, seeing Lorelai laughing and crying all at the same time. Rory was so glad she had done this.

"Mommy! Mom!" her kids yelled together as they ran to Rory.

The ceremony was over and all the chairs were being cleared away. Family and friends were free to congratulate their graduates with hugs and kisses, and that was exactly what Rory's family wanted to do too. She crouched down to receive the biggest hugs from Jack and Tori, revelling in the feeling of their love and affection.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're here!" she said, holding them tight. "Mommy wouldn't've wanted to graduate without you."

"Can I have your hat, Mommy?" asked Tori the moment she was released from Rory's arm.

Her mother laughed at the question.

"It's not really mine, honey. I have to give it back now the ceremony is over," she explained. "But I guess you can wear it for a little while," she sighed when she saw Tori's fat lip. "Here."

Rory put the mortar board on Tori's head and Jack laughed when it fell over his sister's eyes. Of course, he then immediately moved to help her to see, tipping the hat back on her head a little and trying to balance it. He continued his almost impossible task, whilst Rory got happily distracted by her husband.

"Congratulations, Ms Graduate," he said, pulling her into his arms. "You know I'm incredibly proud of you, right?"

"I do," she nodded. "And honestly? Kinda proud of me too," she smiled.

They managed one brief kiss before Lorelai interrupted, demanding both a hug and photographs of the occasion. Seeing her baby graduate from Harvard had always been the dream, then that had shifted to Yale. She certainly never expected to be back at the community college where she herself had completed business classes so long before, watching Rory get her diploma, but it really didn't matter.

"I know this wasn't the plan," said Rory, sadness showing in her eyes.

"Nope, nuh-uh, I'm not letting you do that " said Lorelai, shaking her head as she raised Rory's chin on her finger. "You did good, baby girl. It doesn't matter to me that you never did Harvard or Yale or whatever. Sure, that would've been cool, but look what you have now," she said, encouraging Rory to look at her kids, her husband, her family as a whole. "You have an amazing life, Rory. Sure, it's not what we planned way back when, but if you're happy-"

"I am."

"Then that is all that ever mattered to me," Lorelai promised. "I am so, so proud of you, Rory, and not just for graduating. You have become the most amazing woman."

"Well, I had a pretty good role model."

They were both crying as they hugged then, and even Luke and Jess seemed to be welling up. Only Paris remained stoic in the face of the emotional moment all else were succumbing to.

"Suck it up, ladies," she rolled her eyes, though she was smiling as she came over to Rory, clearly not meaning to be so unfeeling. "You did good, Gilmore, but then I always knew you'd get that diploma in the end."

"Thanks, Paris" said Rory, giving her friend a hug. "But you keep on forgetting, it's Mariano now. Has been for a while," she reminded her.

"You'll always be Mary Gilmore to me," she grinned, unable to help giving in to the old joke.

"I can't believe you're here. I thought you'd be way too busy."

"For you and this moment? Not a chance."

Just when it seemed that even the great Paris Geller was going to succumb to the emotion of the moment, more congratulators came forward to break it. Rory felt as if she was getting every bit of life hugged out of her, and yet with each embrace she only felt better, happier, stronger. She really had got the most incredible family and the best out of life. No, this wasn't how she planned for things to be, but she certainly couldn't complain.

Thinking of how lucky she was made Rory quickly think of those less fortunate. Her eyes scanned the crowd for Cindy but she seemed to be lost in the crush at first. Then finally Rory found her, over by the doors. She was wrapped in the arms of an older man, with a stubbled chin and dressed in a suit that looked as if it had seen better days. Immediately she knew it must be Cindy's father. In the end, he had come through for her.

"It all works out in the end," she said softly to herself.

"Hey, Gilmore! Stop daydreaming and get over here!" demanded Paris. "Got to have that traditional picture, right?"

Smiling brightly, Rory put herself in between Lorelai and Luke, preparing to have her photograph snapped by Paris. Just as the button was about to be pressed she yelled; "No, wait! This might be traditional, but..."

Rory shook her head and stepped out from between her mother and step-father. Grabbing the kids she urged them to come with her, placing all three of them in front of Lorelai and Luke, and retrieving her hat from Tori at the same time. Rory positioned Jess and Mrs R beside Lorelai, and Emily and Richard on the other side of Luke. Lane took the initiative, ducking down on the floor with the children, as Sookie and Jackson huddled into the scene as well. Paris backed up further and further in order to get everyone in shot. She almost bowled over a couple behind her and ended up making them feel like they ought to have known better than to be stood where she needed to be. She ended up stood on a chair, a good twenty feet back to make the picture work, but Rory knew it would be perfect. Everybody that mattered most was here on her very special day, and life was good.

A/N2: Paris literally barged her way into this fic. I hadn't planned for her to be there until around half way through, and the next thing I knew, she had taken over! As for Cindy, she was a last minute invention. I just wanted Rory to have a study buddy and suddenly there was Cindy with her own backstory/sub-plot. I seriously do not know how these things happen! lol

Two ficlets to go! :)