Title: Debutante

Author: Lady Eliza

Characters: All Characters

Rating: PG-13/T

Summary: Rory is in her sophomore year at Chilton and she is also coming out into society like a proper young lady. But there's a hitch, her boyfriend Dean and good friend Jess are not approved to be escorts. Her grandmother brings in a replacement, one Logan Huntzberger to the rescue. Her very own Knight in Shining Armour.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls or any of its characters.

AN1: This story takes place in the second season with just a few minor adjustments. Basically, the coming out ball is going to be the main part of this fic. After the coming out party I'm going to skip from season 2 to season 5 'Written in the Stars' episode. That will probably be a different fic, which of course will continue from the end of this fic. Hope that wasn't too confusing (lol).

AN2: This fic is AU even though some parts might go along with the show the majority of the fic is a game of 'what if' by me, the author. I've been writing this story more so than 'Grown Up' but I'm still writing that fic so don't worry I'll get around to posting a new chappie soon. I hope you guys enjoy this fic, let me know what you think.

-GG-

Chapter 1: Daughters of Wealth

Rory Gilmore had only ventured into to her grandparent's house that very afternoon to get a book that she and her grandfather, Richard, had discussed the previous night. She'd had no idea it was the weekly gathering of her grandmother's gossip fest, also known as the DAR. So here she sat, at her kitchen table, trying to comprehend this rather archaic concept of the daughters of wealth being auctioned off, and what it had to do with modern times. It wasn't that she was against dressing up and being introduced to society to please her grandparents, it was just that she had no idea why women would need to put themselves through such an event to land themselves a husband. Well, to each her own.

Rory had been apprehensive to tell her mother of this particular turn of events since Lorelai would react exactly as she had predicted. She'd taken offence and blamed Emily saying she had forced Rory into this quote 'debutante business.' But deep down, if she wanted to be truthful with herself, Rory wanted to do something that her mother had not done and it was a new experience. She was all for new experiences. This coming out business seemed quite important to the elder Gilmores, especially Emily. Oh, she hoped it wasn't too difficult and that the entire reason for it was for her to look pretty and smile.

After Lorelai had stopped screaming bloody murder she had calmed down enough to give Rory an idea of what to expect. Rory was simply fascinated with this entire ritual and she was surprised Lorelai still remembered the finer points of coming out into society. It looked like she had found her Yoda. She really did fancy herself being Luke and for some odd reason she pictured Emily as Obi-Wan.

"Are you completely sure that you want to do this?" asked Lorelai for the hundredth time that day after hearing the news about her daughter's new status as a debutante.

"Yes, I've told you several times now. I promised Grandma I'd do it and I'm going to go through with it," was Rory's terse response.

She hated being snippy with her mother, but sometimes the woman just didn't know when to let a subject rest. She knew her mother wasn't particularly fond of her old world, but Rory hadn't been exposed to it as much to validate an opinion.

She had just read a paragraph in the handbook about the DAR Debutante Ball when something made her inhale rather sharply. "Oh…" said Rory.

"What?" asked Lorelai.

"Well, it says here that your father is supposed to present you at the ceremony," said Rory.

"I see," said Lorelai.

"It doesn't matter Grandpa can present me, maybe Taylor would like to do it, do you think Luke might be busy or even the cable guy that came by last week, do you think he'd have a tux?" asked Rory jokingly.

"Don't worry hun, you dad's going to be there one way or another," said Lorelai picking up the phone and calling Christopher.

Rory tried to object since her father wasn't exactly the reliable type, but her mother shushed her and started a wildly insane conversation with Christopher.

-GG-

The two younger Gilmore women were standing outside the Gilmore Mansion on Friday Night contemplating ringing the doorbell. Rory and Lorelai had seen Emily so many times this week that it seemed like she lived in Stars Hollow instead of Hartford. Lorelai was of the opinion that they had seen their quota of Emily this week and thus, did not have to attend the obligatory dinner on Friday. She was shot down of that opinion when Emily said that however much they see one another, Friday Night dinner was still going to happen. So, this was why Lorelai had rebelled and was wasting time outside of the house.

"Mom, for the last time stop whining," yelled Rory.

"Easy for you to say. I can't be in the vicinity of my mother without arguing about something," pouted Lorelai.

Rory just rolled her eyes. She thought this debutante business would calm the waters between Emily and Lorelai, but it seemed as though things were getting worse. Maybe she should be of the philosophy of things getting worse before they get better. She would really like for her mother and grandmother to get along without arguing. It was probably too much to ask of the pair.

So with the shake of her regal head, Rory rang the doorbell. The maid this evening looked rather dour with a military-esque posture. She simply told them to come in and took their coats without a smile on her face. Lorelai dubbed her 'The Sergeant' since it seemed as though she would've done better commanding forces than working as a maid.

When mother and daughter entered the parlour it was to their great surprise to see both Emily and Richard discussing something in very hush, hush terms. It wasn't an odd sight to see, but the couple hadn't exactly been on the best of terms in recent months, so this was a great surprise indeed.

"Mom…Dad, Hello," said Lorelai.

"Well, it's about time the two of you got here. We have many things to discuss and I can't believe you wasted ten minutes already," yelled Emily looking towards her daughter in particular.

Rory saw another one of the Gilmore Family screaming matches about to take place, so she put a stop to it right away. "Grandma sorry we're late. Traffic was such a pain. Now, what do we need to discuss?"

"Oh…well…in that case sit down and Richard will get you a drink. We were just discussing certain things about the Daughters of the Daughters of the American Revolution Debutante Ball," said Emily.

"Wow, I can't believe you said all that in one breath," came Lorelai's sarcastic reply.

Emily gave her daughter a withering look then turned her attention to her granddaughter instead, with whom she could have a civilized conversation without feeling like she had to be on her toes. "As I was saying, Rory, there is a part of the coming out process that requires you to have an escort an-" but Emily didn't get a chance to finish what she was saying.

"I have an escort in mind Grandma," said Rory giving her grandmother her patented bambi eyes.

"Yes…well…I'm afraid that won't be possible," said Emily.

Lorelai knew there was something fishy about this whole debutante business in the first place, now she was sure her mother had an ace up her sleeve. "What do you mean 'that won't be possible' mother. You know Rory has a boyfriend; heck you've met him. Why can't Dean escort her to the ball?"

"Lorelai, do keep your voice down. Your mother has not finished explaining her reasons as of yet," said a disgruntled Richard Gilmore.

"We're waiting on baited breath…" said Lorelai gritting her teeth.

"Grandma, if Dean can't be my escort I can find another one. I have a friend, Jess who can go as well," said an agitated Rory. After that last remark Lorelai gave her daughter a quizzical look.

"Neither Dean nor Jess are proper escorts, I'm afraid. You see, to be eligible to escort a debutante, a young man must have a female member of his family in the DAR, or a membership with the Hartford Country Club. Now do you think Dean or Jess meet those requirements?" asked Emily slyly.

"No," came Rory's quiet response.

"I cannot believe you didn't tell us about this escort rule from the beginning," said Lorelai.

"I didn't realize I hadn't given Rory the pamphlet about escorts until it was too late," said Emily.

"A likely story," said Lorelai.

"Must you make everything into something it's not?" asked Richard.

Rory shook her head. She hated when her family started arguing like this. She wanted to throw something, but she had other things on her mind at the moment. Who was going to be her escort?

"I'm sorry, but I think we've got more important things at hand. Who is going to be escorting me to the debutante ball?" asked Rory.

"Well, you're in luck Rory. I called a close friend of mine whose son goes to Choate Academy. I've arranged for us to have dinner with their family tomorrow night. I hope you don't mind," said Emily.

Rory looked at her grandmother. "I don't even know this person Grandma…"

"Just meet him tomorrow and make up your mind then," encouraged Richard.

"What the hell are the two of you planning? Do you already have the wedding invitations printed and sealed?" asked Lorelai.

"Really Lorelai, you and your suspicious nature," said Emily in a blasé manner.

Rory not wanting to hear any more arguments spoke up, "I'll just meet him tomorrow, then make my decision."

"Wonderful," said Emily.

"Marvellous," said Richard.

"Hooray" deadpanned Lorelai.

Edit: December 31st, 2007

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