A/N: Ok, so,. They're doing an assignmemt, but I was never really good with Rory subjects (A.K.A Smart subjects that actually mean something when you leave school) so, there will be very little work discussed in the following chapters.
The next afternoon when Rory and Tristan got home, Rory went straight to her room to clean up.
"Honey? Whatcha doin?"
"This place is a mess. I have to clean up."
"But why your room? You're doing school work. That's living room stuff. Calm down."
Ok, I'll clean the living room then." She dropped the pile of clothes she'd been gathering and turned to the door.
"Rory, stop. Turn, explain. What's wrong."
"I'm nervous."
"About?"
"Everything. This is the first assignment I've had since coming back. And no one's met Lane before. I just hope it goes ok."
"It will be fine." Lorelai told her daughter, bringing her back to the bed. "You are a genius – the assignment will be easy. And if those kids know what's good for them, they'll love Lane, and she'll love them. They all love you, so it's bound to work out."
"You're the best motivational speaker. Ever considered a career change?"
"Oh no, I couldn't live with out a daily depressing dose of Michel." Lorelai replied with a smile. "So, you're ok now?"
"I'm fine. But I'm still cleaning the room."
"UH! Impossible. You can't be my daughter."
"Of course not, I'm probably the offspring orf a couple with OCD."
"That would make sense."
"It would. Now stop trying to stall. I'm going."
Rory left her room and began straightening the room she would sit in with her friends. Lorelai decided to give up for the moment and come see if she needed help a little later.
As the older woman walked out of the kitchen she was shocked by the sight before her.
"Rory where did our living room go?"
"You're standing in it mom."
"No, see, our living room was filled nicely. Cluttered if you will, This room, has nothing but a sofa, a coffee table and a tv. Where's the rest of it?" she was exaggerating just a little.
"I put it away. We didn't really need any of it."
"We didn't need it? Hello! Of course we need it. My monkey lamp is an important part of this room."
"Mom-"
"Rory I love that lamp. How would you feel if I made youhide you're perfect attendance awards?"
"I wouldn't mind. You only ever put those out to annoy my friends parents anyway."
"Not true. You love having them out."
"Fine. I'll bring it out after they leave."
"You're so mean!"
"I'm letting you keep it so stop complaining."
"Fine. I'm going to get drinks."
"Thankyou mom, we all love you."
"Of course you do, everyone does." She kissed Rorty and turned to the door. "Oh look, its Stars Hollow's favourite group of socialites." She announced as the group pulled up in their separate cars. "I'll see you later. Hey guys don't work too hard."
"Don't worry, we won't." Louise said with a smile.
"Yes we will." Paris replied, glaring at the blonde.
"Ok, well I'll be back with pizza's and drinks later. Paris go easy on them, they're only human."
Lorelai left and Rory's friends turned to her.
"Hey guys, I hope you don't mind, but I invited someone to join us."
"What? Who?" Paris demanded. Clearly she minded.
"Her name is Lane Kim. She lives here in town and she was the first person I met here that was my age."
"I remember you talking about her after your last visit." Louise spoke up.
"Great. So where's Tristan? We need t get started." Paris jumped in, trying to take control.
"He'll be here in a minute. He's getting coffees from the diner." Rory replied, sitting on the couch. The others made themselves comfortable around the room quickly. It was their first time in Stars Hollow, but they always managed to be comfortable when they were together.
Paris got started straight away. She had everyone pull out their books and began to explain what she had planned.
Twenty minutes into their studying, the door opened to reveal Tristan and Lane.
"Look who I found." He said as they put down six coffees, keeping their own.
"Lane, hey. I'm so glad you could make it." Rory said as everyone grabbed a drink.
"Just don't tell my mother. In case she asks, this is a bible study group of future Korean doctors."
"Cool, my IQ just went up." Madeline announced with a smile.
"Ok, so introductions…" Rory said, as everyone sat watching Lane. "That's Austin, Jake, Henry, Madeline Louise, and Paris." She pointed to each person as their name was said, they all waved and Lane smiled at them.
"Anyway, as fascinating as our names are," Pais interrupted, trying to get their attention. "We really have to concentrate."
"Relax Paris, we've got time. Why don't we get to know Lane a little better." Austin suggested.
The girls grinned at the idea of avoiding work, and Madeline moved to make room for the new girl.
"What do you want to know?" Lane asked, sitting down.
"Who is Lane Kim?" he asked, leaning back.
"She's an angry American teenager, trapped in the body of a well-mannered Korean girl." That got a laugh from everyone but Paris.
She has the greatest music collection too," Rory old them.
"Really? What've you got?"
"Everything. Classic rock, progressive rock, pretty boy rock, Punk, New Wave, German metal bands. Broadway soundtracks.-"
"Ok, seriously Rory, I don't have everything."
"Well there's a lot."
"Not every CD ever made."
"So what are you missing?" Hi-5 and Britney Spears?" Louise asked, laughing.
"Actually I have Britney's first album. It wasn't that bad!" she tried to defend her choice in music when everyone stared in shock.
"As fascinating as all of this is, we really need to do some work." Paris interjected.
"Paris, we've got like four weeks." Tristan replied. "we can leave it for a few hours."
"No, don't let me interrupt. Do your assignment. I'm just happy to be away from old furniture."
"It's fine. Keep talking, I'll probably hate the crap they submit to me, and wind up doing it all myself anyway. I'll just go into the kitchen to work." Paris grumbled walking away.
"I'll give you a hand." Rory said, standing. "Are you guys right here?"
"We're fine." Jake nodded as he lay down.
"Have you got any magazines?" Louise asked, fixing her hair into a better ponytail.
"Yeah. There's some in my room, but more in my mom's I'll get them for you."
"Thanks." Just as Rory disappeared up the stairs, Lorelai entered, carrying a stack of pizza boxes.
"Hello my children, I hope you've all worked up an appetite, because I have brought a feast. Could you boys get the drinks out of the car? There's some stuff from Luke's too."
Tristan, Austin, Jake and Henry all stood and walked out the door. Lane stood to take some of the pizza's.
"Oh hey Lane you made it. Cool."
"Yeah. We're a bible study group of fuure Korean doctors." Madeline said with a happy smile.
"Madeline really likes being smart." Louise observed from the couch.
"Good for you. Where's Paris? Don't tell me she finally decided to have some fun and I missed it."
"No, she's in the kitchen working."
"That sounds about right. And my daughter?"
"She is upstairs, looking for reading material worthy of one Louise Grant." Tristan replied carrying in two 18 packs of coke.
"Ok, now I seem to remember having a conversation with you about not doing that!" Lorelai turned to glare at him.
"Doing what?" He asked innocently.
"Walking into my conversations. It's freaky."
"Sorry, I must have forgotten."
"Don't do it again." She warned. "And take those to the kitchen, they ned to bbe cold.
"Ok, here we go. Vogue, Seventeen, Vanity Fair, Jane, Martha Stewart? Why does my mother have Martha Stewart magazine." Rory asked as she walked down the stairs wiha stack of magazine's.
"It's for the pretty pictures. I'm collecting idea's for this pace. Even though nothing will ever get done."
"Here's an idea." Jake said, "Paint the house. That colour is just not right."
"We will. We just need to get a few things organised first."
"I'll et Paris and s if she's still pissed at us or if she wants to eat." Louise decided, leaving the room.
"This is so much fun. I can't believe I've been so deprived of a normal teenage life." Lane complained. Cocking her head to the side she thought for a moment.
"Yes I can. I am in the custody of Mrs Kim after al."
"Don't worry." Austin told her, digging some fries out of a bag from Luke's. "We'll do what we can to rescue you from now on."
"You never offered to rescue me." Rory complained.
"You've never needed it. And if you ever do, you have Tristan." He replied.
"Yeah, not some stupid bag boy." Tristan muttered.
"What was that" Lorelai asked him.
"Nothing." Rory gave Tristan a warning look.
"Rory he asked you out. You're MY girlfriend."
"I know. I was there remember. I also recall telling you I said no."
"Wait, back up. Who asked you out?" Henry asked. He'd know Rory forever, he felt as if he had to protect her and the other girls, sometimes. All the boys had begun to feel that way over the last couple of weeks and months.
"The guy at Doose's market."
"Dean? You got the new kid?" Lane said quietly, with a little awe. So far he had barely looked at any of the girls in school.
"Who do I give him back to? Because I have no desire to keep him."
"Sweetie just igore him and he'll go away." Lorelai advised.
"Yeah, that's what I do when I'm done with a guy." Madeline added.
"Is that why you no longer associate with over half the male population of Chilton?" Henry asked her.
"Shut up." She poked her tongue at him.
"Very mature response sister." Lorelai replied gving her a high five.
Paris walked ito the lounge room alone and without speaking Jake stood and left.
"Ok, who was the genius who took away the drinks?" Lorelai asked. Everyone looked at her, then one by one turned to Tristan.
"Oh come on! You told me to do it."
"I would never do such a thing. But, to avoid an argument, I'll get them. How many do we need? Eight?"
"Ten." Austin replied,
"Where are the other two?" Paris asked. "They're avoiding being in the same room as me so they don't have to work aren't the?" Everyone shrugged.
"relax Paris, I'll bring them back." Lorelai left the room. When everyone expected to hear her crack a joke about where the party was, there was only silence. She slowly walked back into the room and asked, "Ok, when were you going to tell me that Louise and Jake were-"
"Mom, can I talk to you in the kitchen please? Right now." Rory jumped up and pulled her mother back to the other room, Tristan followed closely.
"What's going on?" Lorelai asked when the door was cloed.
"Where are they?" Tristan demanded.
"In your room. How long have they-"
"You two, out! Now!" he yelled as he threw open the door.
"Tristan!" Louise screamed at him.
"Dude, what are you doing?" Jake asked as he was pulled out of the room.
"What am I doing? What are you doing? There are people in the next room. You don't want them to know about the to of you, then what the hell are you doing in our room?"
"This is bnone of your business." Louise told him, as she stood in the door way doing up the buttons of he shirt.
"None of my business? We live here."
"Calm down hone." Lorelai moved between the angry teens "How did I not knowthis was going on?"
"We wanted to keep it to ourselves." Louise replied quietly.
"Why?"
"That's a good question. You never told me either." Rory added.
The four of them turned to Louise.
"What?"
"well you were the one that said, keep it between us. You convinced them not to say anything. You explain." Jake told her.
Running a hand through her hair – which was no longer in a perfect ponytail- Louise tried to think.
"We're waiting." Tristan said after a few moments.
"I don't know ok. If it makes you feel better I'll go tell everyone now." she stood and opened the door to the living room. Thr group quickly looked away and then returned their attention to the blonde in the doorway.
"I know you were all listening just now, so why don't I explain huh? Her friends waited patiently for a explanation. "I'm sleeping with Jake. I have been for at least five months. Ok? Are you happy now?" she turned to the four behind her.
"Extremely. Break out the Wang Chung I'm going to do a happy dance." Lorelai replied.
The teens stared in shock at Louise and Jake.
"Ok, screw the assignment. I'll do it myself." Paris was the first to recover, she stood and pulled Louise to where the girls had gathered.
"We'll leave you to your gossiping." Tristan followed Jake out to the porch as the other boys slowly stood.
Each group had basically the same conversation as they expressed their disbelief.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me." Madeline said.
"Is she good?" Austin asked, earning a slap omn the back of the head from all the other boys.
"How long was it happening?" Paris wanted to know.
All questions were answered as they reunited to eat. By seven, Lane had to leave.
"It was great to meet you guys. Hopefully we can do this again some time."
"Definitely." They all agreed and said their good byes. Within the next hour the others made their way back to Hartford.
