It's a couple of days later and it's Christopher's funeral. Like all events in Hartford, it was expected to bring out the people. The Hayden's were one of the oldest families that came from the Mayflower. They were the family other families aspired to be.

The gossip was already heating up about a shift in the hierarchy. Christopher was the last known male of the Hayden's and only had girls for children. Technically it was the death to a namesake as well as a person.

The funeral would be held at the oldest church in town and he was to be buried in the family plot. Afterwards everyone would gather at the Hayden's and pay their respects. It would turn into a typical dinner party for the good people of Hartford society.

Rory's POV

"Tuesday, January 31, 2017 is the day I'll bury my father," Rory said, looking in the mirror in the bathroom.

She felt this was a day she needed to remember, even though she was sure she'd never forget it. She was glad she'd have Tristan and Jess by her side. She knew she'd need her strength as there was already division in the family.

It started the day after her father died. They went to the Hayden residence and everyone was there. Francine, Emily, her mom, Luke, Gigi, 4 men she'd never seen in her life, and her lawyer.

"Why is my lawyer here?" she asked, turning to her mom and Emily.

"For the reading of the will," Francine answered her.

"The reading of the will?" Jess asked from behind her. "Isn't that kind of soon?"

"I agree," Tristan said. "It's in bad taste."

"And who are you to be thrust upon us in this time of grief?" Francine barked out the question.

"My boyfriend and my best friend whose is also my cousin," Rory said. "Their family, their my family."

"Names for the record please," a woman sitting in the corner with a laptop Rory hadn't even noticed spoke up.

"Tristan DuGrey, ma'am."

"Jess Mariano."

"Rory, Lorelei Leigh Gilmore."

"And the lawyer," the lady said.

"Garber Callahan."

"Proceed."

After that, the will was pulled out and read. It was morbid but seemed to prove to be a problem when Lorelei was named the executor of his estate. Then Christopher's lawyer got to Rory. Both Francine and Gigi had issues with every item. He wanted Rory to have the house in Boston, his motorcycle, and 15 million dollars. Gigi would receive the house in Hartford, his Audi he'd just bought, and 15 million as well as her trust when she turned 25. It was split even and more than Rory had been expecting but Gigi and Francine still had their complaints. Nothing compared to when the guardianship of Gigi was announced. Francine had assumed that she'd be the one named and Gigi had been sure she was going back to her mom. Christopher had other ideas though. Lorelei was named guardian, shocking everyone.

In the end, they let it drop, mainly because they had no choice, and they moved on to Christopher's wishes. He wanted it to be over quick so everything was already done and sat in motion. He would be cremated and the urn would be placed in a casket he'd already picked out and bought. There would be a funeral and burial. That was it. Christopher Hayden was no more.

Afterwards Rory had gone out with her mom and the guys while Emily stayed behind to appease the Hayden's. She was still strained in her relationship with her mom but it was so much more then just her father. Due to Rory's self-induced isolation and focus on Bridget, she'd alienated her mom long before Christopher came along.

Tristan's POV

Tristan walked to the bathroom and peeked in. Rory was standing there staring into the mirror, lost in her thoughts. It was something she'd done a lot lately. He could understand why but it still frustrated him. She'd talk to him, but she wouldn't talk to him. When it came to talking, she preferred Jess. It took Jess to get her to react in the first place and all he had to do was show up.

"Man is she ok?" Tristan asked, hating that he had to ask someone else if his girlfriend was ok.

"She's fine. She's just processing," Jess said, not looking up from the notebook he'd been scribbling in for days.

"Yeah, yeah, you keep saying that," Tristan said bitterly. "But she still doesn't want to talk to me."

"You can't force her to talk."

"You wouldn't know that though, would you? She talks so easily to you," he snapped, turning back to the door he walked away from.

"Don't take your lover's spat out on me."

"I'm sorry, I have a headache," he sighed, sinking down into the couch.

"You've been having a lot of those," Jess said, still not looking up. "What's that all about."

"Service injury."

"I didn't know you were hurt," he said, looking up at Tristan finally.

"Yeah, quite a few times actually," he said with a chuckle.

"Why's that funny?" Jess asked curiously.

"Long story and now's not the time."

"I've got the time," he said as he put his notebook away.

"What if Mary overhears?"

"She doesn't know?" he asked, shocked that Rory wouldn't know something so big.

"I haven't told her yet and something tells me now isn't the right time," Tristan said, looking back towards the bathroom door.

"Does this injury still affect you? Because if it does, the you have to tell her," Jess said, walking over to the door and opening it so he could have a cigarette.

Tristan sighed. This was not the conversation he wanted to have right now. He wanted to talk to his Mary, he wanted her to be ok. And his weak injuries were not what would make her ok.

"I'm ready," Rory said, coming out of the bathroom.

Jess's POV

The funeral was exactly how Jess had expected it to go. He'd never been to one before but he'd seen them on TV. The party afterwards was what really blew him away. And it was a party, no matter how many times he was corrected that they were just paying their respects. Alcohol and food made it a party in his book.

Him, Luke and Tristan had stood off to the side unless they were needed by a Gilmore Girl. Luke and Tristan got a long well but it didn't surprise Jess. Tristan was a real decent guy at the heart of it and he couldn't ask for a better guy for Rory. He had to talk to her about what Tristan had let slip about the talking.

He'd called and checked in with everyone he'd left. Chris and Matt had made it back to Philadelphia in one piece and offered their condolences once again. Chris also apologized for being a jerk back in New York. He admitted that seeing the place Jess would be staying at, made the move real and he'd reacted bad. Jess forgave him and promised to never screw them over. He told Chris he had no plans to ever truly leave Truncheon.

The call with Lei had gone a little bit differently. First it took him forever to get her to answer his calls. His texts went ignored as well. Finally he'd got her the night before. He'd waited until the middle of the night before he called, hoping the late hour would work in his favor.

She answered the phone cussing him out, asking where he was and why he was calling. He would have laughed except he knew that would only make her madder. When she finally took a breath, he took the chance to speak.

"I'm back in Hartford. Rory's dad died and I was needed. Luke called first and then Tristan called when I was already on my way. I've had my hands full ever since."

"You're with her?"

"She's my best friend. Tristan's here. I spend more time with him," Jess had explained, hating her brother all over again for making Lei doubt him.

"When will you be back?"

"As soon as I can. I want to get to work on a few things."

After that, she'd seemed to relax but Jess knew there was tension. He just wasn't sure how he felt about dealing with it. They'd said goodnight and she'd sent her condolences along as well.

Now he was tired and sick of watching people fake their grief as they gossip and talk business. He was in search of Tristan and Rory, Luke and Lorelei, ready to leave. He'd managed to avoid Emily, Francine and any ugly confrontations the whole night. He should have known he couldn't be so lucky.

"The diner man's nephew is it," Emily said, once again standing in front of him.

He groaned, wondering who he could have angered to deserve this kind of luck.

"Yes, ma'am, Jess Mariano," he said politely, literally biting his tongue to be polite.

"I really don't see why you're here. My granddaughter has finally seen the light and is not with you. Just because you are his nephew does not make you family."

"Rory sees it differently," Jess said stiffly.

"Well, I plan to get that taken care of as soon as I can," Emily said, smiling one of her viciously polite smiles.

"I believe that's her decision and not yours. I'm sorry for you loss, now if you'll excuse me," he said, and moved past her, proud of himself for keeping his cool.

"Was that really Jess Mariano who just coolly dismissed my mother?" Lorelei asked, appearing next to him.

"I don't have to put up with her acid like tongue anymore. I was nice about it, yes, but I will not stand there and take it."

"I know I heard her, just ignore her."

"I plan to. Are we ready to go?" he asked.

They'd all agreed to spend the night in Stars Hollow before making any decisions on what to do next. That was four vehicles and five people to get moving. Basically that meant, by telling Lorelei, it was her responsibility to tell Rory and Tristan as Jess was out the door.

Rory's POV

Rory was ready to get away from Hartford. She wanted out and she wasn't sure when she'd be back. It was all too much and it was all ridiculous as far as she was concerned. As it stood, she was in thick of Hartford society, standing next to Francine and Gigi. Emily was just off to the side. Other than that, she knew no one around her, nor did she care to know them.

Gigi wouldn't look at her and she didn't understand why. They'd had a decent relationship when Gigi was young but it had been several years. That didn't explain the hostility Rory felt coming off her sister. Francine was just horrible, acting like it was such a travesty that Christopher was gone. He'd told Rory that they'd hardly talked, until he'd gotten sick and needed help with Gigi.

Her mom suddenly popped into the circle and she sighed in relief.

"Um, hi," Lorelei said awkwardly, drawing everyone's attention before she continued quietly. "It's time for Rory, Gigi and I to go."