Author's Note: Well, I am pretty sure that you guys are anxious for this chapter. I hope you enjoy it. As always, please do not forget to review.


When it Snows

By TheBlueSwan


Chapter 28: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble


Wednesday November 3rd 2004, Stars Hollow (Dragonfly Inn) 8:29 a.m.

"What about cheese sticks?" Sookie asked, looking over her list, "those would be easy to serve."

"Cheese sticks are good," Lorelai said enthusiastically, "Although," she frowned, "I really don't see why your determined to have throughout the room on silver platers."

"The Holland event is coming up, remember?" Sookie answered distractedly.

"Ri-ght," Lorelai nodded her head, confused.

Rolling her eyes, Sookie prodded, "The fancy-smanchy 10th wedding anniversary party?"

"Oh, right. The Holland event," Lorelai grimaced, "Remind to go to the Linen Chest. They were pretty specific about what they wanted for tablecloths and napkins."

"Yes, well," Sookie laughed, "I had to hire two extra waiters for that event. Their references are pretty good, but I want to make sure that they are up to snuff. Ergo…"

"We will be serving fast-food on silver platters for Rory's birthday party," Lorelai smirked, "Got it. Although," she scrunched her nose, "I'm not sure serving the burgers that way would be a good idea."

Sookie smirked, giddy with excitement, "Sliders!"

"What now?" the brunette asked.

"Mini-burgers. I was thinking I could play around a bit. Instead of beef burgers, I could make some pulled pork sliders with onion rings and mesquite BBQ sauce. It'll taste great."

Smiling widely, Lorelai lied and unenthusiastically answered, "Sure."

Sookie gave her a reproachful look.

"But," the brunette bit her lip, "how about you make some regular burgers too. You know, just in case some people don't dig the pulled pork vibe."

"Fine," Sookie sighed, "but I'm making them slider sized. Just like the pulled pork burgers."

"Deal!" Lorelai exclaimed, happy to have avoided that particular bear trap.

"Now," Sookie began, but was abruptly cut off by the sound of Lorelai's ring tone.

"Do you remember the time
I knew a girl from mars?
I don't know if you knew that
Oh we'd stay up late playing cards
Henri winterman cigars
Though she never told me her name
I still love you girl from mars."

"Sorry," Lorelai pulled out her cellphone, "I've got to answer this. It's Rory."

Stepping away from Sookie, Lorelai walked into the store cupboard and answered the call, "Hey kiddo, what's up?"

"Have you talked to grandma and grandpa lately?" Rory asked her tone marred in confusion.

"Why?" Lorelai asked, apprehensive.

"I," Rory sighed, hesitating, "I just checked my messages, and I found a weird one."

"A weird one?" Lorelai asked disturbed.

"Yeah," Rory shuffled some papers, "It was from someone named Henry Phillips. He said that I had received an inheritance and asked if I could meet him sometime soon to go over the details. Have grandma and grandpa released the trust they set up for me?"

"Uh," Lorelai bit her lip, "I don't know sweetie. How about I call grandma and find out for you?"

"Sure," Rory answered, relieved, "but you won't be able to call me back until lunch time. I'm heading in to class right now."

"Sure kiddo," Lorelai sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, "I'll talk to you later."


Wednesday November 3rd 2004, Yale (Rory's Dorm) 8:35 a.m.

Rory sighed, relieved. Hopefully her mom would get to the bottom of what was going on with her grandparents. She couldn't understand why they would just suddenly decide to release her trust fund. The entire thing made absolutely no sense and she was anxious for answers. Unfortunately, her cellphone had been turned off when Mr. Phillips had called and as a result she hadn't spoken to the man herself. All she really knew was that she had been left an inheritance. She assumed that the inheritance in question was from her grandparents – because who else would leave her any kind of money?

Rory didn't like it.

Ever since she received the call, all she could do was dream up various reasons why her grandparents would suddenly deem fit to release her trust fund six years early? All Rory could come up with, was that they had released to her now because of her pregnancy. But that still left the all-important questions. Had they released the trust because they wanted her and the baby financially secure? Or had they released it simply because they couldn't stomach the idea of having anything more to do with her?

Whatever it was, Rory couldn't afford to worry about it all day. Midterms had started and she couldn't afford to botch an exam right now. She needed to pass all of her classes with flying colors. Not only for the sake of her GPA, but for the future of her academic career. If all went well this semester, she could forward to a reduced course load for the next two semesters until she settled into motherhood.

Grabbing her schoolbag, Rory rushed to door of her dorm.

On opening it, however, Rory was startled to find her path blocked by her father, Christopher Hayden.


Wednesday November 3rd 2004, Hartford (Gilmore Mansion) 8:37 a.m.

Emily Gilmore sat at her dining room table alone, eating a light breakfast. For years, she had sat at this table, taking her breakfast alone every morning. This was nothing new, as her husband had always left for work early in the morning and her daughter had left her home nearly two decades ago. And yet, as of late, the routine had grown tiresome and lonely.

The winter chill had firmly settled in the air. By now, Emily was typically pre-occupied with all the holiday events she had to attend, and those she had to plan. But the sentiment was lacking this year. Staring at Richard's empty chair, Emily simply couldn't seem to get into the spirit of the season.

"Mrs. Gilmore?" Rosetta, the new housemaid, asked, "a phone call for you Mrs. Gilmore."

"A phone call?" Emily asked, confused and still lost in her thoughts.

"Yes, mam," the maid answered subserviently, "it's your daughter mam."

"My daughter?" Emily echoed distractedly. But within a moment, she seemed to finally grasp what was being said, "my daughter?"

"Yes, mam," Rosetta confirmed nervously.

"Well," Emily said, impatient, "Whatever are you waiting for? Hand me the phone."

Poor, dear Rosetta stumbled over the carpet in her haste to comply with the order. Emily grimaced at the sight.

Just once, she would like to have a competent maid working about the house.

Grasping the phone eagerly, Emily faltered for a moment, putting her hand over the receiver in order to block all sound. The woman then took a deep breath and steeled herself, "Lorelai?" she asked, pretending to be distracted and unconcerned. Unless one knew her very well, one wouldn't know that Emily Gilmore had spent that past two days agonizing over a way to improve her relationship with her daughter.

"You know mom," Lorelai began sarcastically, "when I asked you and dad to support Rory, I wasn't asking you to give her money."

"I don't understand," Emily frowned.

"It's simple mom," Lorelai stated, exasperated, "I wanted you to support her emotionally. To let Rory know that you still love her, no matter how much she might screw up. I mean," Lorelai sighed heavily, "I guess it's good that she'll have some money. But it won't be worth much if Rory doesn't know that you're behind her, one hundred percent."

"Lorelai," Emily said, utterly confused, "I haven't the faintest idea what you are talking about."

"The inheritance?" Lorelai deadpanned.

"What inheritance?" the eldest Gilmore exclaimed.

"Mr. Phillips called mom," she stated exasperatedly, "he told Rory she had been left an inheritance and that he wanted to talk to her as soon as she could manage it."

"Lorelai," Emily began, worried, "I have never met this Mr. Phillips. I have no idea what it is you are talking about."


Thursday November 4th 2004, Yale (Courtyard) 6:53 p.m.

"Christopher did what?" her mom asked, looking at her incredulously.

Rory shook her head and looked away, still feeling raw from the experience. She couldn't believe what had happened today. Rory had always known her father had always been more concerned with himself than with her. It had always been about his feelings – his guilt. She had never wanted to admit it, not even to herself, but Rory had always known that when her father did actually bother to show up, it had more to do with guilt than anything else. Just as she had always known that, when it came down between her wellbeing and his, he would always chose his.

Today had proven that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"His grandfather died," Rory sniffled, "and apparently he left me some money. Dad came over with some papers today. He wanted me to sign them. He said that he needed me to sign them, so that the inheritance could be transferred," she shook her head, attempting to ignore the tears falling down her face, "but he was acting so weird and none of it made any sense. Why would Mr. Phillips have asked to meet me to discuss the inheritance if he'd given dad papers for me to sign? So, I tried to take a look at the document, but he wouldn't let me. He just kept on insisting that I sign on the dotted line."

Rory began sobbing in earnest then, "But I couldn't. Something was wrong. I could tell. And then, he just got so mad! He was yelling and crowding me – and – and –," she cried deeply, "all but forcing the pen in my hand. And then I saw it."

"Saw what?" Lorelai asked, chocked up and trying to comfort her daughter by rubbing her back like she was a colicky child.

"The paper," Rory cried, face red and blotched with tears, "they weren't papers stating that I was accepting the inheritance that his grandfather left me. They were papers stating that I was denying the inheritance and transferring it in dad's name."

"Oh Rory," Lorelai hugged her daughter tight, heartbroken and wishing for nothing more than to stab Christopher with a rusted knife several times over.

Lorelai continued rubbing her daughter's back as Rory cried into her shoulder. They were sitting at the fountain out in the courtyard and were attracting quite a bit of attention as a result. But Lorelai didn't care. All she cared about was her heartbroken daughter.

"He said all he wanted to do was make sure I was properly taken care," she cried, "that I could still do whatever I wanted no matter what. But he lied, didn't he?"

"Oh Rory," Lorelai hugged her daughter tightly.

"All he cared about was the money," Rory sobbed, broken.


Thursday November 4th 2004, Stars Hollow (Lilac Grove) 4:17 a.m.

George Wick cursed for the hundredth time.

Lindsay had, once again, declined his call. He was just about ready to march up to her parents' house in order to strangle the bitch. Wasn't it bad enough that the whore had blown him off three times that months – now she refused to answer his calls?

He needed to talk to her damn it!

For the first time in weeks, he'd gone back home to Stars Hollow in order to visit his parents. He had figured that, like always, it would all be the same old shit. But then, when he actually got home, his mother just couldn't wait to tell him all about the scandalous happenings around town.

George, like anyone else, had been shocked to learn all that had happened between the Foresters and the Listers in the past couple of weeks.

But he'd been even more shocked to find out that his favorite fuck buddy was knocked up.

George dreaded the very thought that it could be his. Yet, at the same time, he had a perverse desire to know whether he had accomplished the deed, or whether the beef paddy had.

But, more than that, he wanted to insure that Lindsay knew not to expect anything from him. He might still fuck her if she asked nicely. But no way in hell would he wind up a hook for the brat.


Friday November 5th 2004, New Haven (H&F Clinic) 9:59 a.m.

Rory hadn't expected this.

She hadn't expected this at all.

After all that had happened that week, Rory was emotionally strung out. All she had wanted to do that morning was to go the clinic, get her first ultrasound and then go home and snuggle down in her bed.

But that wasn't going to happen now.

Not with Emily Gilmore sitting there in the waiting, looking awkwardly around her.

Rory had barely had a chance to share a reticent glance with her mother when, as a shark scenting blood in water, Emily Gilmore towards them. Caught, they could do nothing more than to comply as the predator waved them over, her sharp teeth gleaming as she struggled to smile at them. The girls resigned themselves to what was to come, for past experience had taught that struggling was futile once you fell into Emily Gilmore's grasp.

Rory, to her utter dismay, ended up sitting between her mother and grandmother, the former purposely sitting two seats down from Emily. And for several long, excruciating minutes, not a single one of them spoke. Her mother did not attempt to distract her with jokes. And her grandmother did not even deign to offer an explanation for her presence. In fact, now that they had joined her, Emily Gilmore seemed to be ignoring the room at large, themselves included. Frowning, Rory observed the woman. At first, nothing seemed out of place. Her grandmother sat primly upon her plastic chair, legs crossed and purse upon her lap. However, closer inspection led Rory to realise that her grandmother's unwavering gaze was settled in the far corner of the ceiling.

With no small amount of incredulity, Rory realised her grandmother was literally counting the tiles on the ceiling.

If she felt the need to go to such length to ignore them, why had she even bothered to show up?

"Rory Gilmore?" A nurse in powder blue scrubs called out to the waiting room, startling Rory.

Standing up quickly, she looked at the nurse nervously.

Smiling, the woman waved her off towards the left corridor, "It's the second room," she elaborated, winking, "Good luck."

Behind her, her grandmother shuffled with her things, clearly preparing to follow her into the room. Unable to stomach the idea of Emily Gilmore glaring imperiously down at her during her first sonogram, Rory looked pleadingly towards her mother. Lorelai, for her part, didn't seem too keen on the idea of staying behind in the waiting room with her mother. But, blessedly, she seemed to understand.

Quickly grasping a hold of Emily arm, her mother shook her head negatively. Emily seemed quite to put out, but after a moment or two of glaring, the elder Gilmore seemed to resign herself. And so, happily, Rory made her way to the examination room alone.


Friday November 5th 2004, New Haven (H&F Clinic) 10:18 a.m.

Rory took a deep breath and attempted to calm herself. It was, however, hard to regain one's equanimity when dressed in nothing more than a paper gown and her legs placed into stirrups.

"Okay now," Dr. Summers smiled, gliding the wand on Rory's stomach, "we're getting somewhere. I see a little foot wiggling about. Would you like to know the sex?"

"Already?" Rory gasped.

Dr. Summers laughed, "You're over nineteen weeks along Rory. As long as the baby is being co-operative, than yes, I should be able to tell you the gender."

"Oh," she looked at the doctor with wide eyes.

"Now, would you like to –" Dr. Summers began, but cut off abruptly. Looking at the image on the screen, the doctor frowned and tilted her head. Squinting, the woman slowly moved the wand to left, her expression pensive as she looked at the screen.

Realizing something was amiss, Rory began to panic, "What?" she asked, "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Dr. Summers, however, was entirely concentrated on the sonogram before her. And so, several long minutes passed in silence. Rory's eyes had begun to sting before Dr. Summer suddenly shook her head and smiled. Turning towards Rory, the doctor's eyes widened as she took in the state the brunette was in, "Oh," Dr. Summers cried, "don't worry. Nothing is wrong. I'm sorry – it's just, this is the first time I have seen one."

"Seen what?" Rory asked apprehensively.

Dr. Summers smiled widely, her eyes sparkling, "A multiple pregnancy," she sighed, "Congratulations Rory, you're expecting twins – a bouncing baby boy and a beautiful baby girl."


Friday November 5th 2004, Hartford (Andrews, Golstone and Associates) 2:43 p.m.

"Well Mr. Lister," Brent Miller smiled at his client widely, "you'll be happy to know that I filed all of the documents we talked of. Now, all we have to do is wait.

"Oh, my boy," Reginal Lister grinned widely, "that is such good news!"

Happily, the man reached his hand out to Brent, wishing to give the young man a hearty handshake. Beside him, his wife Shannon let out a relieved sigh. After all the Foresters had done to her family, Shannon had begun to worry about their security. But now, thankfully, she could rest easy knowing that justice would soon be served and that her family need not fear any further altercations with the Foresters.

Lindsay, for her part, smirked victoriously.

She just couldn't wait to see their faces.

"Now," Brent Miller continued, "there is just one matter we have yet to discuss."

Frowning, Reginald looked at the young man, "Matter? What matter?" he asked, "I was sure we had already covered everything?"

"No Mr. Lister," Brent shook his head, "it seems that, in all the fuss, we have yet to discuss how your daughter would like to proceed in the matter of her divorce."

"Divorce?" Lindsay shrieked.

Reginald Lister spluttered at the news. His wife Shannon, however, could only look upon Brent with horrified amazement.

"But – But," Lindsay stuttered, "those papers were supposed to have been retracted by now! There must be a mistake."

"I'm afraid not," Brent sighed, "according to the information I have, the divorce proceedings are underway. We are expected to meet your husband and his lawyer on November the 12th for mediation meeting. There, we are to decide if the terms the Foresters have settled for the divorce are acceptable, or if you prefer to go to court."


Friday November 5th 2004, Stars Hollow (Wickery Bridge) 5:22 p.m.

Dean groaned as he pressed decline once more.

For the past three hours, Lindsay had been calling him every few minutes. You would think that, after the first two dozen declined calls, his wife would get the message. But no, Lindsay was as stubborn as she was obtuse and she just kept on calling.

He'd have to change his cell and number.

Dean was tired of having to deal with her theatrics.


Friday November 5th 2004, Stars Hollow (Lindsay's Apartment) 5:25 p.m.

Lindsay Lister-Forester looked upon her apartment with horrified eyes.

Everything was the same.

The mess that the Foresters had made of her dingy little apartment had not been cleaned. All of her appliances were still missing. And none of her furniture had been replaced.

Dean had never even returned to the apartment.

When their new lawyer had told her that the divorce was still underway, Lindsay hadn't believed him. She'd been shocked at the news – but that shock was mostly due to her perceived ineptitude of Dean's lawyer. For, how else could it be that over two weeks after she had announced her pregnancy to her husband, that the divorce papers had yet to be retracted.

But Dean hadn't returned to the apartment. He hadn't cleaned it nor had he replaced any of the items his wretched family had stolen.

That couldn't be possible.

Not unless the fool still thought to divorce her.


Posted December 21st 2017