A/N: Someone asked how Rhiannon was pronounced. It's Welsh, and it's pronounced REE-ann-en.
** Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Gilmore Girls. If I were that all powerful then Jess would be staying put! So, in summation... Please don't sue me!**
"Oh… honey… what happened?" Asked
Lorelai.
"I don't know, but it hurt." Moaned Rory, gingerly touching the tight
curls that were pinned to the back of her head.
"It looks like it did." Said Lorelai.
"Just go ahead and laugh, I know you're dying to."
"I can… really?"
"Yes, get it over with." Sighed Rory, motioning for Lorelai to begin
laughing. She did.
"Rory… what happened to your head?" Asked Luke, making Lorelai laugh
harder.
"Patricia Hamilton." She said.
"Does she not like you?" He frowned.
"Apparently not." She pouted.
"The dress is great though." Said Lorelai, calming herself down.
"The dress is hideous."
"You're right. It is."
"Luke!" Laughed Lorelai.
"What? I was just agreeing." He said defensively.
"Uh oh… my parents are here." Sighed Lorelai as Richard and Emily entered
the Inn.
Emily and Richard made their way over to them.
"Lorelai." Smiled Emily.
"Mom." She smiled back.
"Hello Rory." Said Richard, hugging his granddaughter.
"Hey grandpa."
"You look lovely!" Said Emily. Lorelai laughed again. "What?"
"Nothing… it's just that… you meant it." She laughed more.
"Of course I did. She looks wonderful!" Stated Emily, causing even Luke to
laugh.
"So, where are the Hamilton's?" Asked Richard, looking around.
"They were still getting ready." Said Rory. "They'll be down soon."
"Adam too?" Asked Lorelai.
"Yeah." Nodded Rory.
"Mom, dad… look, it's Christopher." Said Lorelai, pointing across the
lobby.
"Oh, wonderful." Smiled Emily. "Christopher!" She called out and waved
to him.
Richard followed her over to him.
"More people are arriving." Luke said, nodding over to the door as Miss
Patty came in, followed By Morey and Babette.
"Hey guys!" Smiled Lorelai, glad to see some less stern and more friendly
faces.
"Hey Darl." Smiled Babette. "Taylor's just coming in. Jackson almost ran
him over." She laughed.
"Missed again?" Luke said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"He's getting closer." Joked Miss Patty.
"Come on into the dining room!" Smiled Lorelai, guiding them away from the
door.
Rory sighed and looked down at her dress.
"My, my. Aren't we pretty this evening."
She looked up at Jess and glared at him.
"You realize you just used up your only joke for the evening." She said
pointedly.
"Really… cos I didn't see the hair…" He smiled.
"Shut up." She groaned, touching her hair.
"I'm sorry, it looks great, really." He nodded.
"Liar." She smiled.
She looked over at the stairs and saw her in-laws coming down.
"Argh!" She grabbed Jess by the sleeve and practically dove inside the
nearest doorway.
"What?" He laughed, peering out into the lobby. She peered over his
shoulder.
"See the woman in the powder blue suit. Looks like she's going to ascot or
something?" She sighed.
"The one who looks like she's getting colonic irrigation as we speak?" He
smiled.
"Yes. That's my future mother in law." She whispered.
"Nice."
"Yeah, and the man with her, the one standing right beneath the no smoking
sign with a cigar in his mouth? That's my future father in law."
"Lucky you." He laughed softly. "And we're hiding because?"
"I don't like them." She laughed, pulling him back into the room before
anyone saw them.
"I can see why." He said, looking her up and down and trying not to laugh.
"I need a drink." She muttered, grudgingly walking out of the room.
Jess smiled and shook his head and then followed her.
"Rory, there you are..." Smiled Adam, hurrying over and kissing her
gently.
Jess looked away uncomfortably.
"Adam, hey. Um... yeah I was just..."
"Hiding?" He smirked knowingly.
"Something like that." She blushed. "Anyway... I want you to meet Jess."
"Hi. I'm Adam Hamilton." He nodded, holding out his hand.
"Jess Mariano." Jess responded, shaking Adam's hand firmly and quickly.
"I've heard a lot about you." Adam smiled.
"Oh really?" Jess asked, glancing at Rory.
"Don't worry, I was kind." Rory teased. "I left out all the unflattering stuff."
"And yet he's still heard a lot about me?" Jess smiled faintly at her.
"Adam!"
The three of them turned to see Patricia looking annoyed.
"Be right there." Adam called back to her. "I'd better go see what's going on. I'm sure it's something small. Wine from the wrong year, cheese from the wrong country." He sighed, kissing Rory on the cheek.
"Minions from the wrong hell dimension." Rory muttered as he hurried off.
"So... that's Adam." Jess asked quietly.
"That's Adam." She nodded. "Does he get your approval."
"He seems... nice."
"He is nice." Rory pointed out. "He cares about me a lot."
"And you care about him a lot."
"I do."
"You do?"
"I do."
"You do?"
"What are you doing?" She chuckled.
"Helping you practice your 'I do' thing." He smiled.
Rory rolled her eyes, linked her arm with his and carried on in search of the drink she was so desperately in need of.
Dinner was over, and everyone was sitting around in the lobby talking.
Richard, William, Christopher and Adam were talking business, surrounded by a cloud of cigar smoke that Lorelai had given up on trying to stop.
Lorelai sat and nodded mechanically as she listened to Emily and Patricia drone on and on about the rigors of planning social events.
Luke and Taylor were arguing about anything and everything they could think of while Kirk listened and added fuel to the fire whenever he could. He wasn't taking anyone's side, but when a point needed to be made, he was only too happy to make it.
Patty, Babette and Morey were in the corner. Morey was playing the piano and Babette was singing.
Rory was slouched in an arm chair watching. She'd had a little too much to drink and didn't think she could stand any more criticism from Patricia.
One of the waiters walked past and offered her a drink. She took it eagerly. Before she could put the glass to her lips, someone snatched it away.
"I think you've had enough." Jess smiled, crouching beside her chair.
"I think I need one more." She said, reaching out for the drink, but Jess held it away from her.
"You're a little past drunk right now. What you think isn't being taken into consideration."
Rory looked up when she heard Patricia's voice getting louder. She was telling Lorelai off for something, probably for making a joke about something as important as the DAR. She shook her head and almost started crying.
Jess looked from Rory's face to Patricia and Lorelai debating something and then back at Rory.
"Get me out of here." She said quietly.
"What?"
"I can't take anymore of her. Get me out of here." She said, pushing herself out of the chair and almost falling over.
Jess looked around to make sure everyone else was too busy doing something else to care about them. He put his arm around her waist and lifted her other arm over his shoulder, helping her quietly over to the kitchen door and then out through the staff entrance.
