The next day Rachel was up first and got ready and headed out to meet with Brooke, Ericka, and the others. Lorelai and Jack got up a little later and got ready for the day. It was a slower start. They had breakfast and headed to the beach around 11. They met with their new friends. Jack and the two other kids ran to play in the water. Lorelai watched him like a hawk from the towels.
"So, What do you do?" Johnathan asked.
"I work in law enforcement." Lorelai said
"Oh, very cool." He said
"What about you two?" Lorelai asked
"I'm a teacher." Hunter said
"I'm a doctor. Obstetrician." John said
"Nice." Lorelai said "Jack! Stop splashing their faces." She called out when she saw it happening
Jack stopped and they went back to swimming.
"He listens really well to you." Hunter said
"Yeah. Well, if I have to report back to our father he didn't Jack will be very sorry he didn't." Lorelai said. "He's got high expectations of his kids being respectful and listening."
"What does he do?" Hunter asked
"He's in law enforcement too." Lorelai said
"Ah. Like father like daughter." Hunter said
Lorelai smiled and nodded. "My fiancé is law enforcement as well."
"Your sister heading into law enforcement too?" John asked
"Don't think so no. She's still not entirely sure what she's doing. Taking the year off in part I think to figure that out." Lorelai said
"Its hard to know at just eighteen what you want to do for the rest of your life." Johnathan said
Lorelai nodded.
"Jack! If I have to tell you one more time not to splash in the face we will go back to the hotel." She called out sternly.
Jack jumped abit. "Sorry…" He said
Lorelai nodded abit
"Guess you'll have a lot of experience when you have your own kids." Hunter said
Lorelai chuckled. "Well hopefully in a few months when I have a baby that's true."
"Wait. Your pregnant now?" Hunter asked
"Yes." Lorelai said. "Twenty weeks roughly."
"Congrats." The couple both said
"Thanks." She said
"You know what your having yet?" Hunter asked
"Nope. I have an ultrasound in a week. We are hoping to find out than." Lorelai said
"You hoping for one or the other?" Hunter asked
"No. Just hoping for a healthy baby." Lorelai said
"Good. That's all that's important." Jonathan said with a smile
"You two got the kids in the order a lot of people hope for. A boy than girl." Lorelai said
"Yes. And only eighteen months apart so they are close." Hunter said
"That's good. Being five years older than my sister and twelve years older than my brother feel more like a parent sometimes." Lorelai said
"Your brother a surprise for your parents so many years after you and your sister?" John asked
Lorelai chuckled. "Not exactly. Me and Rachel are adopted. Jack was already around when we were fostered and than adopted."
"Oh wow. Damn. How old were you when you were adopted?" John asked
Hunter swatted his shoulder. "Don't ask that?"
Lorelai smiled. "No, its okay. I don't mind. I was sixteen, Rachel was twelve. Jack was a toddler really when we came into the picture. I don't think he remembers before us to be honest. But he knows we were adopted."
They both nodded and smiled.
The three kids came over. "We want ice cream!" They all said
Johnathan smiled and got up. "Okay. I'll get you some. And some for you too Jack. If that's okay?" he asked Lorelai
"You don't need to do that." Lorelai said as she reached for her wallet
"I want to. Its no problem. Honestly." He said
Lorelai nodded. "Thank you." She looked up at Jack. Who said thank you as well and the four of them went to the shack on the beach. Lorelai could see them the whole time.
"Your fiancé. He's excited for the baby too?" Hunter asked
Lorelai smiled. "Yes. He's been super excited since I told him. And over-protective to the point of annoyance." She chuckled
Hunter chuckled. "Honestly John and I were like that with our surrogate the first pregnancy too. In the end she had to remind us that the female body is designed to protect a growing baby."
Lorelai smiled and nodded.
Jack came back with the other three and they all sat and enjoyed their ice cream.
When they were done they started to repair the damages to their sandcastles from the day before and continued to work on it.
Lorelai's phone went off and she looked at it. She smiled and answered. "Hey Spenc."
"Hey Lorelai. How's it going?"
"Great. Enjoying the sun. Jack and Rachel have made friends. Rachel is at the amusement park with someone who was in the same foster home as us and her friends. Jack is building the sandcastle village I sent you pictures of." She said
"Good. You eating enough? The baby okay?" He asked
Lorelai chuckled. "Yes. Spenc the female body is designed to protect the baby." She said giving Hunter a smile. Hunter smirked and nodded
"I know. I just…" Spencer said
"I'm fine. I promise. Lots of water." Lorelai said
"And food?" He asked
"Yes. Promise." Lorelai assured him
"Okay. Good. You making friends too?" He asked
"Yes. The parents of the kids Jack is playing with. We've been talking." She said
"Good." Spencer said. "I will let you get back to enjoying your trip. Talk soon?" He said
"Talk soon. Love you." She said before they hung up.
Lorelai shook her head and looked over at the kids again.
"Jack and Rachel excited for a niece or nephew?" Hunter asked
"Rachel is very much so. She has already bought gifts for the baby. Jack. I think he's still a little young to truly understand what it means. I mean he knows there is a baby coming. He is the main reason we are doing this trip. When my fiancé and I told them I was pregnant he was concerned because he figured out quickly it meant I was moving out. He is a little disappointed about it." She said. The kids were far enough away and distracted so they wouldn't hear. "I wanted to make sure that he knows that no matter what I will always be there for him, so I thought one final bonding trip." Lorelai said
Hunter nodded.
"You two have any siblings?" Lorelai asked
"I have two brothers. Both older." Johnathan said. "We are all less then two years apart in age. We are still really close. All had kids around the same time."
"Lots of cousins is a good thing." Lorelai said with a smile
"I'm the youngest of three also. Not close to either my brother or sister. I came along. I was a surprise. They were already teenagers. We love each other but just not close." He said
Lorelai nodded.
"So, I think what you are doing for your brother and sister is amazing." Hunter said
Lorelai smiled. "Well. I hope that we can stay close. I have known Rachel since she was a baby really. We grew up in the same foster home. And not to get into details but it was a shitty foster home. I've seen Rachel grow from a baby really. And Jack when I came into his life he not once treated me like I wasn't his sister. So, I never want either of them to think that just because I'm moving out and have a baby on the way that they are any less important to me."
She was about to get up to go for a swim when her phone started to ring. She didn't recognize the number. "Hello?" She said
"Hello is this Lorelai Hotchner?" The voice asked
"Yes. Who is this?" Lorelai asked
"My name is Officer Grant. I head security at the amusement park. I have your sister here. You need to come get her." He said
"Is she okay?" Lorelai asked
"She's not hurt. Need her guardian to come get her though." He said
Lorelai sighed. "Okay. I'll be there soon." She said and she hung up.
"Jack. Buddy. We need to go." She said
"Nooo. Why?" he asked
"We have to go get Rachel." She said sounding annoyed
"Oh boy." Hunter said
Lorelai looked at him. "I don't know what she did but yeah. That was security. And she's not hurt so… cant be good"
"He can stay with us if you need?" John said. "We are just staying here. We wont take him anywhere." He added
Lorelai looked at Jack.
"Please." He said.
"Okay. Jack. You behave." She said getting up. They exchanged numbers just in case. She went to the amusement park and found the security office and went in.
"Lorelai I swear I didn't do anything!" Rachel said as soon as she walked in.
Lorelai took a breathe and looked at security.
"She was with a group of girls. They were caught smoking marijuana." He said
"I wasn't smoking it!" Rachel said
"Was she actually seen smoking it or just the group she was with, so she was assumed to be as well?" Lorelai asked
"Not sure. Some of the other security officers brought the whole group in and we are drug testing them all. We can not legally drug test her without parental consent as she is underage." He said
"Well, I consent to her drug test." Lorelai said
"You her legal guardian?" she was asked
"At the moment yes. Our father is at home in Virginia." Lorelai said
"We should call your father. He can consent over the phone." He said
Lorelai sighed and pulled her phone out and called her dad on speaker
"Hey Lorelai. How's it going?" He asked
"Long story short. Rachel was picked up with a group of girls she was hanging out with some of them were smoking pot. Security wont drug test her without parental consent." Lorelai said "And they wont accept me as consent."
"Legally she isn't her guardian we cant. But if you consent over the phone it can be done." The officer said
"I wasn't smoking anything dad." Rachel said
"You can test her." Aaron said
"Alright." The officer handed her a cup to pointed her to the bathroom.
Rachel went.
Lorelai took it off speaker. "I'm sorry I had to call you." She said
"Its fine. How did she end up with a group of girls? And not you?" Aaron asked
"We ran into one of the girls from the home we grew up in. She's here with her friends. Rachel was invited to go to the amusement park with them." Lorelai said
"I see." He said.
"And your annoyed with me…" She said
"A bit. Yes." He said
"Why? If she was smoking pot I promise I wont let her out of my sight again, but I don't think she is lying. And she is seventeen. She wanted to hang out with her friend she hasn't seen in years." Lorelai said
Rachel came back and handed the cup to the officer who went to run the rapid drug test.
"We will know shorty if there is drugs in her system." Lorelai said
"I'm sorry. Your right. Its not your fault. She should be able to spend a day with friends. But some of them were smoking pot. Not the kind of people she should be around." Aaron said
Lorelai looked at her. "Were Ericka or Brooke smoking pot?"
"No. And they told the others they shouldn't too." Rachel said
"Put me back on speaker." Aaron said
Lorelai did so.
"Rachel. You better not be lying." He warned.
"I promise dad I wasn't. I didn't like it, but I wanted to spend time with the two others who weren't smoking…" She said
"Okay." Aaron said
The test came back a few minutes later and the security guy came back out. "She's clean." He said
"Good." Aaron said
"She is free to go." The officer said.
"Okay. Thank you." Lorelai said. And the two of them left.
"Where is Jack?" Aaron asked
Lorelai made a face. She wasn't sure how he would feel about Lorelai leaving him with someone they didn't know well. "He is with friends." She said
"What friends?" Aaron asked
"Look you trust my judgement right?" Lorelai asked
"Yes. I do. Now who the hell is watching my son?" He asked
"There is a couple who has kids around Jack's age that he has been playing with. I have been talking with them. I know their full names and where they live. When I got the call about Rachel I was going to take him with me, but they offered to keep an eye on him. To stay on the beach and just let them play. My gut tells me they are good people." Lorelai said
Aaron took a breathe. "Okay. If your gut tells you he is safe I trust you."
Lorelai let out the breathe she was holding.
"Lorelai if I didn't trust you I wouldn't have let you leave the state with them." He said
"I know." She said. "I should get back to him. It looks like it might start raining soon." She said
"Okay. Call me tonight." He said
"Will do." She hung up and she and Rachel went back to the beach as the rain started. She found them where she had left them. They had picked up everything and packed it up, so Lorelai just had to grab the bag and they all ran to the same hotel and realized they were staying in the same hotel.
"Can we go play at the indoor play gym. With Jack too." Callum asked his parents.
"We are okay with it. If you are." Hunter told Lorelai.
"Jack. You want to?" Lorelai asked
Jack nodded excitedly.
"What is our hotel room?" She asked him to make sure he knew
"Room 404. 4th floor to the right off the elevator." He said.
"I can make sure he gets back to your room." Johnathan said
"Okay. But play gym and back to our hotel room Jack. Okay?" She said
"Yes." He said.
Lorelai nodded. "Thank you both so much."
"No problem." Hunter said with a smile.
Lorelai went back to the room with Rachel.
"Why do I feel like you are about to lecture me?" Rachel asked
"Because I am. Sit." She told her
"I wasn't smoking." Rachel said
"I know. And trust me if you had been I would have kicked your ass. But you knew what they were doing was wrong." She said
"Well, they are adults. I thought it was legal…" Rachel said
"In DC it is. But not here." Lorelai told her
"I know that now. And like I told dad. I didn't like it but…" Rachel said
"You wanted to stay with Ericka and Brooke. I get that. But Rachel you need to understand that when you hang around people who made decisions like that. Legal or not you can end up doing these thing." Lorelai said
"I would never." Rachel told her looking down
"Rachel. Your lying to me. Have you before?" Lorelai asked
"No." She told her
Lorelai took a breathe. "Were you going to?"
Rachel looked down.
"Damnit Rachel. I just got off the phone with dad telling him that I trusted you." Lorelai said
"I know. I'm sorry." Rachel said.
"How did Ericka and Brooke feel about it?" Lorelai asked
"Ericka didn't care either way. Brooke wasn't impressed…" Rachel said "Its why I didn't. I didn't want her upset with me."
Lorelai nodded. "Good. Glad this girl kept you from making a really stupid decision."
"Me too honestly." Rachel said
"Well. You are not hanging out with those girls again. Without me around. Brooke can hang out with us if she wants to." Lorelai said
"What about Ericka?" Rachel asked
"She is okay too." Lorelai said, "And were going to call dad and tell him the truth."
Rachel nodded.
Lorelai called him
"Hey Lor. Everything okay?" He asked
"Its me and Rach. She has something to tell you." Lorelai said
"Okay." Aaron said
"I didn't smoke. But I almost did…" She admitted
"Getting caught stopped you?" He asked
"No. Um. The look of disapproval from. Um." Rachel took a breathe. "This girl I am starting to catch feelings for." She said
"Ah. There is a crush involved here." He said. "Did you know this Lorelai?" he asked
"Yes Sir." Lorelai said
"Lorelai. I'm not angry. I was just wondering if you have met this girl." He said
"I have. Yes. She seems like a sweet girl. She helped Jack and his new friends build their sandcastles when Rachel was helping too. I saw them talking. I have pictures of them if you must see." Lorelai said
"What you do?" Rachel asked
Lorelai smiled "Yes. I thought you might like them."
"Rachel. I'm disappointed you were going to do that." Aaron said
"Yes sir…" Rachel said
"I've lectured her. And she will not be out of my sight. She isn't going to be hanging out with any of the girls who were smoking at all. If this girl she likes. Her name is Brooke. Or our former foster sister Ericka wants to hang out with her while I'm in sight of them I don't think that will be a problem. Unless you feel differently." Lorelai told her dad
"That's fine. You're there you know these girls better than me. I trust you to make the right call on the consequences for her choices." Aaron said
Rachel let out the breathe she was holding and mumbled something under her breathe.
"What was that?" Aaron asked.
"Nothing." Rachel said quickly.
"She said something about being relived because she knows I wont spank her. And for the record. Don't tempt me." Lorelai told her sister
"Rachel. Do you need to be to get the message though?" He asked sternly
"No sir…" She said "But I though. You never…" Rachel said to her sister.
"Well. I've never been responsible for you when it made sense. But had you actually smoked I might have." Lorelai said not sure that she actually would have. She just wanted to put a little fear in Rachel, so she didn't do something stupid like that again
"Dad would you really let her?" Rachel asked
"Well don't do stupid thing with her in charge and you wont have to worry now will you?" Aaron asked
"Yes sir." Rachel said
"Take me off speaker. Lorelai I want to talk to you." He said
Lorelai did and put the phone up to her ear and walking abit away from Rachel to make sure she couldn't hear Aaron on the other side.
"Would you have actually spanked her if she smoked?" He asked
"Not sure." She said
"Trying to scare her a little?" he asked.
"Pretty much." Lorelai said
"When we talked about you spanking Jack. I'm pretty sure we discussed that you wouldn't be spanking Rachel." He said
"Yes we did." She said
"A lot has changed since than though." He said
"Agreed." Lorelai said
"Would you even be comfortable doing that?" He asked
"Not sure." Lorelai said. She could see the look on Rachel's face she wanted to know so bad what the conversation was she looked away and smirked.
"Well. This is what I think. I think you two are not that far apart in age. I don't know that it would be fair. To either of you. If something happens that she needs to be disciplined like that I will handle it when you get home. Okay?" He said
"Your right. That's fair." Lorelai said
"Put me back on speaker." He said
Lorelai did so.
"This is what's going to happen. If you choose to do something that warrants a spanking I will handle it when you get home." He told Rachel
"Understood." Rachel said
"Good. Now behave Rachel because you are on thin ice." He warned.
"Yes daddy." She said
"Okay. Now go. Enjoy your trip." Aaron said and they hung up
"You never would actually have been able to would you?" Rachel asked
"Honestly no." Lorelai said with a smile. "But I will inform dad and well I'm sure he spanks harder than I ever could. Now enough about that. Lets go get Jack and do something just the three of us." She said. They left the hotel room and went to the play area. Jack and Callum were sitting on either side of Hunter with their arms crossed.
Lorelai sighed and went over. "What happened?"
"They got into a little fight about one of the slides and it came to shoving. John had to break it up" Hunter told her. "Both say the other started it. Neither will apologize."
Lorelai went and knelt down to his level. "Jack Hotchner. You know better than that." She scolded
"He started it!" Jack said
"It doesn't matter. You didn't have to continue it. You know to just walk away in situations like that." Lorelai said
"But…" Jack said but the look shut him up quickly.
"At any point in time did you put your hands on him?" Lorelai asked
Jack looked down and nodded.
"Look at me." She said
Jack looked up.
"I'm really disappointed in you. Callum's dad's have been very nice in letting you play with him and Lennox. And taking on the extra responsibility of keeping an eye on you for me." Lorelai said
Jack nodded.
"What do you need to do now?" Lorelai asked
Jack got up. "I'm sorry." He said to Hunter and Callum.
Hunter nodded. "Its forgiven." She looked at her son who huffed. "Callum." Hunter said in a warning tone.
"I'm sorry." He said softly.
Jack and him, hugged.
Lorelai and Hunter smiled. "Where is John. Think he is owed an apology too."
"He had to take Lennox back to the room. She fell a little and got scared. I don't think she is hurt just startled. I will pass on the apology." Hunter said
"Okay. Well, I'm going to take Jack. We are going to go find something to do the three of us. Thank you for watching him." Lorelai said
"Not a problem." She said.
The three of them left the play area and headed to an arcade to play some games.
While they were there a guy started to hit on Lorelai. Jack and Rachel saw it happening.
Lorelai looked at the guy. "No interested buddy. Keep walking." She said
"Oh, come on. Why not. I'm a good guy. I'll show you a good time." He moved in closer.
"You need to. Back. The. Hell. Up." Lorelai said
"Or what?" He asked.
"Or. I will put your ass on the ground." She said
He grabbed her wrist. And she did what she had to and put him on the ground. Security came over. Lorelai explained what had happened and the guy was kicked out.
"You alright?" Security asked her.
"Yes. Not the first time I deal with boys who cant take no for an answer." She said
Security nodded and left them to keep playing.
"Why do you get to put your hands on someone, and I get in trouble when I do?" Jack asked
"I get why it seems confusing. If I could have walked away from him I would have. If someone backs you into a corner and you cant get away you are allowed to do what you have to, to defend yourself. Only if you cant walk away from the situation." Lorelai told him
"That guy was trying to make Lorelai go on a date with him. She told him no and he didn't listen." Rachel said. "He grabbed her wrist she had to make him let her go." She added
"Daddy always tells me no means no." Jack said
"He's right. No matter what is someone ever tells you no you listen. You leave them alone." Lorelai said
Jack nodded.
"Should I have defended you?" Jack asked
Lorelai smiled and hugged him. "Its very sweet of you to offer. But no. I could defend myself against him."
"Daddy would have or Spencer. If they were here." Jack said
"Yes.. But they are adults. They know how to defend me. And honestly I wouldn't need them too. I know how to defend myself. Because I was taught how to. When you are an adult. If you need to defend someone who cant defend themselves you can, but you just enjoy being a kid right now." She said
Jack nodded and they went back to playing. Later they went and got dinner with their new friends.
"What did you three get up to?" Hunter asked
"Went to the arcade." Rachel said
"Some mean guy tried to hurt Lorelai." Jack said
"Oh?" Hunter asked
"Some 'boy' who clearly didn't see the ring and couldn't take no for an answer. He grabbed my wrist. I put him on his ass. Security came and kicked him out." Lorelai said
"Damn right you did." Hunter said putting his hand up for a high five. Lorelai high fived him.
"Well, when you're a trained federal agent what do you expect." Rachel said with a smirk
"Federal agent wow. You buried that." Johnathan said
"I told you law enforcement. That's the truth. I have to be careful who I tell." Lorelai said
"Sorry…" Rachel said
"Its okay." Lorelai said
"We'll keep that to ourselves." Hunter assured her.
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Lorelai said. "But yes. I have been trained to take down people with weapons so taking down a stupid boy isn't hard." She said
They changed the subject and finished up their meals.
Everyone went to their rooms soon after. Long days in the sun tuckered them all out.
Lorelai called her dad for the nightly called. Jack told him about what happened with the guy at the arcade.
"You okay?" Aaron asked
"Yes. Wrist isn't even swollen at all." She said
"Okay." Aaron said.
They said goodnight and hung up. Twenty minutes later Lorelai was back down in the restaurant with John and Hunter. They had a video monitor on their phone watching the room and Rachel was with Jack.
They three of them were talking when a video call came in from Spencer.
Lorelai smiled. "If I don't answer he will worry."
"Go ahead." Hunter said
She answered "Hey Spencer. At the restaurant with my new friends."
"Ooh. Show me the wrist." He said
"Wow did my father tell you?" Lorelai asked
"Yup." He said with a smile.
She held it up. "Not even swollen. The guy was just some punk."
"Alright. Good." He said
Lorelai turned the phone to introduce him to Hunter and Johnathan.
They all said hello and the four of them talked.
"They live in Maryland." Lorelai told Spencer
"Well, we will all have to get together at some point." Spencer said
They all agreed. Lorelai and Spencer eventually hung up. And John saw the kids were not in bed on his phone, so he went to check on them. Leaving Lorelai and Hunter alone.
"You've got yourself a good guy it looks like." Hunter said
"So do you." Lorelai said
"Yes. I do." Hunter said
"And they both are not hard on the eyes." Lorelai smiled
"Agreed." Hunter said
"So, I'm guessing your fiancé and your father are both federal agents as well?" Hunter asked
"Yes. My father is the unit lead. Spencer is on the team as well. The team. We are all really close. Spencer proposed to be at the reception for the wedding for two other members of the team. Its more like a family. And I would be six feet under ground if it wasn't for them." Lorelai told her.
"If you don't mind me asking. Your birth parents?" Hunter asked
"Deceased. Mother from a drug overdose. Father long story but deceased as well." Lorelai said. "I do have a biological paternal uncle and some cousins. They are pretty cool."
"That's cool. I mean your uncle not your parents." Hunter said
"I knew what you meant. I didn't really know my birth parents. I went into foster care at age two. I met them as an adult, and it didn't go well to say the least. So, I just choose not to be involved in their lives. I found out about the biological uncle around the time my biofather died. We've gotten pretty close." Lorelai told her
"That's good." Hunter said
"Enough about me. You've told me about your brother and sister. What about your parents?" Lorelai asked
The two of them talked till around midnight. By the end they both knew each other's life stories. They went back up to their rooms. The others were all asleep and Lorelai climbed into bed.