A/N – WOW!!!!  That's all I've got to say.  22 reviews and 1 email on the first chapter!  Thank you all so much! 

To address a couple of things – The pairings are still undecided.  I'd like to keep them within these six characters, and not introduce anyone new, but if that's what you guys want, so be it.  (I mainly want to stick with these six, because I feel comfortable writing them.)  Feel free to vote again, or change your vote, and vote for any pairing you want (I've decided that ruling out Paris/Jess is really unfair).  I even got a Miss Patty pairing!  So pair off any character, and I'll try to work it into the story.

Also – someone raised the issue of how everyone forgot each other.  Here's how I see it…this story takes place 15 years in the future, with little to no contact between any of them, except Lane and Rory.  Can you remember the people you knew 15 years ago?  I can't, not really.  I mean, sure, I was only 6, but even still.  I can remember names and faces, and I vaguely remember the relationships I had with them, but beyond that, nothing. 

In other words, yes, the characters all have vague memories of each other, with a few specifics, i.e., Dean remembers Rory as having been his first girlfriend in Stars Hollow, but he doesn't really remember what attracted him to her.  Basically, everyone's starting over, fresh.  They're ripe for building new, adult relationships with each other, without the baggage and burden of memories from their teenage years.  But, don't worry…I'm going to try and keep their personalities the way they are/were on the show, with a few minor smudges here and there to make it all work.

Anyway, with all that said, here's the current pairings, based on votes.  (I would list the individual votes, but I think that might violate ff.net's rules.  If you want to know what they are, leave your email addy in a review, and I'll send 'em to you.)  Rory/Tristan, Lane/Jess, Paris/Dean (Paris/Tristan actually got the most votes, and is the pairing I'd prefer to do, but more people like Rory/Tristan by a landslide, so that's what I'm going with for now), Luke/Lorelai, and Miss Patty/Jesus. 

And onward to Chapter Two of "As Much As Things Change"!

RECAP – Rory and Lane are both returning to Stars Hollow for a well-earned vacation.  Jess is coming back, to help Luke with the diner.  Dean has returned, to recover from a nasty divorce and a broken heart.  Tristan's presence is required at the reading of his grandfather's will, and so he too is coming back to Hartford.  Paris never left, and is teaching at Chilton.

WANNA GET SOME COFFEE?

PART ONE - RORY

Rory walked into the house and dropped her bags with an exaggerated sigh.  "It's so good to be home!  Hello, couch, hello table, hello Rabbi!"

"We missed you Rory."  Lorelai cooed in a high voice.

Rory gave her mother an I'm-so-glad-the-insanity-skipped-me look, picked up her bags, and carried them into her old bedroom.

Lorelai followed her daughter, and leaned against the bedroom doorframe, watching as the slender young woman unpacked.  "So…you and Lane are both home for awhile, Jess is back, and I hear Dean got in late last night."

Rory glanced back at her mother, then back towards her bags.  "So everybody decided to come home at once?"

"Looks that way.  Babette is going to propose a welcome home festival for the four of you at tonight's town meeting."

Rory grinned.  "That should be fun, if Luke doesn't have a coronary at the thought of yet another festival.  Speaking of Luke, I'm unpacked enough to get coffee."

"You are so my daughter.  Let's go!  But, it'll probably be Jess's coffee, not Luke's."

"That's okay…anything will be better than the toxic mud they served on the plane."  As she spoke, Rory grabbed a light sweater from a duffel bag, and walked towards the door.  She and Lorelai linked arms, and the two began the not-so-arduous trek to the diner.

PART TWO – LANE

Lane breezed into her mother's house.  "Mama!  I'm home!"

"By the chair!"

Lane looked around, noting at least ten chairs readily visible, but her mother was not by any of them.  "Which chair?"

"Here."  Mrs. Kim called again.

"How about I meet you in the kitchen?"

"All right."

Both women headed towards the back of the store.

"Hi Mama."  Lane leaned over, and hugged her mother warmly.

"Hello, Lane."                                                                 

"It's good to see you again."

"Good to see you, too.  Sit."  Lane sat down obediently, while her mother fussed about the kitchen, preparing tea.  "You like it in St. Louis?" 

Lane nodded emphatically.  "I love it.  My job is great, and the kids are incredible."

Mrs. Kim handed Lane a teacup, and sat down across from her daughter.

"You work in a good Christian school?"

Lane shook her head.  "No, I work for one of the public school districts.  I could've worked for the Archdiocese, but the public schools offered more hours, a chance to work with more kids, and more money."

"I see.  Are you dating anyone?"

The two women continued talking for hours, catching up on the past several years.

PART THREE – TRISTAN AND PARIS

Tristan finally was able to excuse himself from the well-wishers, and slipped outside.  Leaning against the brick wall, he took out a cigarette, and lit it.  A few minutes later, he watched as a slender young woman exited the building, apparently seeking out the same solitude.  He took in her backside appreciatively as she stood a few feet in front of him, staring out at the parking lot.  He cleared his throat softly, watching as she jumped slightly.

She turned, apologizing.  "I'm sorry, I didn't realize anyone was out here."

He shook his head slightly, as he dropped his cigarette and brought his heel down on the glowing cherry.  "That's all right."

"So it gets to you, too, huh?"

He looked at her inquisitively.  "What's that?"

"All those people, crying over someone whose death they don't regret at all."

He chuckled lightly.  "What about the family?  Don't you think they regret it?"

She shrugged.  "Most likely not.  They're all too worried about the outcome of the will."

He nodded thoughtfully.  "Truth be told, I deeply regret the man's death."

"And why's that?  By the way, I'm Paris Gellar."  She thrust her hand at him.

He took the proffered hand, holding it rather than shaking it.  "Tristan DuGrey."

She raised her eyebrows slightly, and gave him a once over.  "It's good to see you again, Tristan.  How long has it been?"

"Since I was kicked out of Chilton?  Close to twenty years."

She smiled at him.  "As I recall, you weren't too fond of your grandfather."

He shrugged.  "I barely knew the man."

"So why is it that you regret his death so deeply?"

He gave her a tight-lipped smile.  "We should probably go back inside, before our respective families send out a search party."

She cocked her head at him.  "Alright."

Hours later, as the gathering was beginning to break up, Tristan sought out Paris.  "Hey."

"Hey."  She replied, as she pulled on her coat.

"I was thinking.  We should get together for coffee or something."

She looked at him, slightly surprised.  "That would be nice."

He pressed a slip of paper into her hand, leaned over, and kissed her cheek.  "Call me.  I'll be in Hartford for the next week or so." He murmured into her ear.

She nodded, closing her hand around the paper.  "I will.  See you later, Tristan."  She turned, and followed her mother towards the exit.

"See you."  He stood there for a few minutes, staring after her.  Paris Gellar…you've grown up.

PART FOUR – JESS AND RORY

Jess stood at the counter, once again fixing the ancient toaster.  "Hey, Luke.  Have you ever considered replacing this thing?"

Luke shrugged.  "Why?" 

Jess slammed his screwdriver onto the counter.  "That's it.  As soon as Ceasar gets here, I'm gonna go get you a new toaster."

Luke looked up from the table he was wiping down.  "Why not pick up a new coffee pot while you're out?"

"What's wrong with the three you have?"

"Luuuukieeee!"  A high-pitched voice called from the doorway. "We need coffee!"

"Never mind."  Jess muttered, as he grabbed a coffee cup.  "Wait, we?"  He looked towards Lorelai, and was surprised to see two of them.  "Lorelai, have you cloned yourself?"

Rory chuckled.  "Hello to you too, Jess."

Jess grinned, and walked out from behind the counter.  Hugging Rory, he spoke.  "Hey, Rory, it's been too long."

She pulled away, and pretended to glare at him.  "Now whose fault is that?"  She teased.

"Yours."  He responded flatly, as he walked back to the coffee pot.

Rory stared after him uncertainly, before turning to Luke.  "Luke, what have you done to yourself?"

Luke grunted.  "It's your mother's fault."

"Mom!  You broke the coffee man!"

"Hey, I wasn't even there when it happened."  Lorelai protested.

"When what happened?"  Rory persisted.

"I fell off the roof, okay?  I was replacing some of the shingles. I slipped, I fell, I rolled, I fell again, I landed."

"Oh.  Ouch."

"Doesn't hurt too bad."

Rory smiled at him, and slid into a booth.

"My roof still isn't finished."  Lorelai whined.  Luke just glared in response; causing Lorelai to duck her head in embarrassment at her mistimed joke.

PART FIVE – DEAN AND LANE

Dean sat on his old bed, not wanting to unpack.  His parents had told him that he was welcome as long as he needed or wanted to stay, but he kept hoping that Carla would call, asking him to come back.  He sighed, stood, and stalked out of the room.  "Mom, Dad, I'm going for a walk."  He called out, not waiting for a response before slamming the front door behind him.

He thrust his hands deeply in his pockets as he wandered through the small town, occasionally kicking at imaginary pebbles.

He didn't see anyone else out that night, which was just fine by him.  He vaguely recalled his parents telling him that there was a town meeting that night, which explained why Luke's was closed.

As he passed the gazebo, a voice startled him.  "Hey, Dean."  He stopped, and turned towards the sound.

Lane appeared out of the shadows, and walked up to him.   "I heard you were back in town, too."

"Hey, Lane.  How've you been?"

"Not bad."  The young woman shrugged.  "I won't ask how you've been, because I've been back for a full 12 hours, and thus, have heard all of the latest gossip.  I'm sorry."

Dean shrugged.  "It's…well, it's not okay, but it will be."

Lane nodded her understanding.  "So, are you back here for good, or just an R & R?"

"I haven't really decided yet.  Guess it depends on what all Carla gets from the divorce."

"Yeah."

"So."

"So."  Lane echoed, not really sure what to say next.  "Hey, you wanna get some coffee?"

"Where?  Luke's is closed."

"We could go to Hartford."

"Drive for half an hour just to get a cup of coffee?"

Lane looked down.  "Yeah, I guess you're right.  Well, see you around."

"Hey…what the hell?  Let's go."

Lane grinned back at him.  "Great.  You driving?"

"Sure.  C'mon."  Dean mustered a smile for his one-time friend, and turned back towards his house.

A/N – That's it for Chapter 2.  I'm still just amazed by the response to this story!  Apologies for the Jess part not really having a whole lot about Jess in it, but there will be more about him in the next chapter, I promise.   Keep the reviews (and votes) coming!!!!  Hehehehe (I know, I'm shameless…I was actually going to advertise some of my other stories, too, but if you want to read them, feel free to click on my name, and then read 'em!  Though, they're not all posted under this i.d.  But they are all GG fanfics!  Hehehe)