Title: Gotta love that Stars Hollow
Author: Alysinomo (alysinomo@hotmail.com)
Rating: PG
Archived: 6/15/2003
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Takes place sometime in happier GG times when Rory and Jess are still together and happy, Lorelai still has an impossible relationship with Emily, and Luke is still as skeptical as ever. In this darling little fic, Luke wins the lottery, Emily takes a cooking class, Rory receives a proposal and Lorelai meets her match.
* * *
Voiceover: Previously, on Gilmore Girls…
Cut to CHILTON PREP.
RORY: So what about New York?
JESS: I want you to come with me.
Cut to LORELAI at the INDEPENDENCE INN, speaking on the phone to EMILY.
EMILY (sighs): I'm taking a cooking class.
LORELAI: (feigns shock and dismay): Dear god, why woman?!
Cut to LORELAI at home, talking to MIA on the phone.
MIA (phone): I have a surprise. Well, it won't be a surprise after this. But it's a surprise now. I'm coming to Stars Hollow, tomorrow, to visit the Inn.
Cut to LUKE, LORELAI, and RORY at the DINER.
LORELAI: Did you win yet?
LUKE (huffs impatiently): What?
LORELAI: The lottery!
* * *
OPEN to LORELAI and RORY at the DINER. They look sleepy, barely coherent, and in desperate need of coffee. LUKE, surprisingly, is nowhere to be found. This is only contributing to their slightly off-colour moods.
LORELAI: God, where is Luke?
RORY: Dead?
LORELAI: Nah…
RORY: Mm.
LORELAI: God, where is your boyfriend? Isn't he supposed to be earning his keep?
RORY: He's a rebel.
LORELAI: Yes…now have we talked about how that makes mommy nervous?
RORY: Yes. Please don't go into it.
LORELAI (pauses): 'Kay.
(Long period of silence)
LORELAI: Ok. Where is your boyfriend?
RORY: Why? Got a crush on him? Should I be keeping him out of reach?
LORELAI: Ewww, no! Cooties!
RORY: You're so immature.
LORELAI: Thank you, it's taken years to develop.
RORY: Wha??? I thought you were supposed develop in (makes frantic hand motions) the…opposite way??
LORELAI: Such as?
RORY: I dunno…growing up??
LORELAI: This sucks. We can barely have a conversation. Go find Luke. Or James Dean.
RORY: Ugh. Fine. I don't know if my legs will carry me. (RORY climbs off her stool and heads up the stairs, towards the apartment.)
LORELAI (frowning) (hollers): LUKE!!!!
(Opening credits) * * *
OPEN to CHILTON PREP. We see PARIS conducting an intense, early-morning meeting of the Franklin. Not-surprisingly, PARIS is the only one in the room who is on task. Everyone else is either sleeping, not paying attention, or amusing themselves in some comical way.
PARIS: See people, this is why we don't let the science department edit their own column! Clearly, they can't spell memorize properly, it's not m-e-m-o-r-i-s-e. I don't care how they spell it in Great Britain, or Australia, this is America! Why are we not writing their column for them anyway, clearly they lack brains beyond ions, velocity calculations and micro organisms.
LOUISE: Maybe because the staff is required to contribute to the Franklin?
PARIS: That's an old-fashioned concept. I don't like it.
RORY: Well Paris, I don't think we're going to change that rule in…(glances at watch) the remaining 20 minutes of the meeting. How about we talk about layout for next month's issue? Or check how people are doing with their subjects?? (says suggestively)
PARIS: Fine. Are you people done yet? Show of hands who can't hand me a draft on my desk at the end of the day? (most of the paper puts up their hands) This is pathetic. How am I supposed to run an effective paper with a bunch of yahoos for staff? (Rory's cell phone rings)
RORY (looks apologetic): Sorry, I gotta take this. I'll be like 2 seconds. I have my draft for you right now by the way. (dashes into the hallway before Paris can object)
* * *
Cut to CHILTON HALLWAY. RORY presses the talk button on her cell phone, she knows it is LORELAI.
RORY: Mom?
LORELAI: Rory!
RORY: What are you doing calling me, you just interrupted a very important Franklin meeting. Paris was going off on a tangent.
LORELAI: Sorry to interrupt.
RORY (smiles): So, what's up?
LORELAI: Can you cut school today?
RORY: No!
LORELAI: C'mon.
RORY: Why??
LORELAI: Well you know that Mia's here, and I thought you might want to spend some time with her.
RORY: I can't take the day off, but how about I come at lunch?
LORELAI: Fine. A compromise. I guess I can handle that.
RORY: You don't really have a choice.
LORELAI: I know. So…
RORY: So…
LORELAI: Mia brought a guy with her.
RORY: A guy?
LORELAI: Ohhh yes…
RORY: A hot one?
LORELAI: If only.
RORY: A jerk?
LORELAI: Ha!
RORY: Really? Why?
LORELAI: He's her son-in-law.
RORY: Oh god!
LORELAI: It gets worse, he and his wife are moving to Stars Hollow. Mia's giving him the job of assistant-manager.
RORY: Well at least you're still the manager; he hasn't gone and become "co-manager" on you.
LORELAI: It sucks. He's horrible.
RORY: Why?
LORELAI: He's a pompous jerk. Even Mia said so. She actually apologized for introducing us, it's just that he really needs some work and she's helping out her daughter and family.
RORY: I guess that's understandable.
LORELAI: It still sucks.
RORY: I bet. But listen, I'll come by at lunch. I really have to go though. Paris might have a heart-attack; I might miss some vital information on an issue of the Franklin that's not out for another 3 weeks!
LORELAI: Well you better get back there, wouldn't want to miss that.
RORY: Bye.
LORELAI: Bye.
* * *
Cut to the INDEPENDENCE INN where LORELAI, RORY, and MIA have assembled for one of SOOKIE'S fabulous lunches.
MIA: Rory, it's so good to see you again.
RORY: Yeah, it is. We don't get to see enough of you around here.
MIA: Thanks hon, but you don't have to say that. I'm sure your mother appreciates not having her boss breathe down her neck every 5 seconds. (laughs) So how's school?
RORY: Not bad, just doing it basically. I'm a senior so things are pretty hectic this year.
MIA: I bet, so what are you up to? Anything in particular?
LORELAI: Rory's student council vice president!
MIA: Really? Congratulations! Lorelai, you must be proud.
LORELAI: I am, only the cool kids are on student council!
MIA (laughs): So are you still working at the school paper? What was it called again?
RORY: The Franklin – yup, I'm still doing it. Although we've still got Paris, slave driver.
MIA: Who's Paris?
LORELAI: The editor of the paper, a quasi-friend of Rory's. She's an edgy girl.
MIA: Edgy?
LORELAI: Family complexities. Social issues.
RORY: Ahh…to come from wealth (Lorelai kicks Rory)
LORELAI: Quiet, young grasshopper.
RORY: Yes mother.
A MAN enters the room, holding the scheduling book. He is MIA'S son-in-law.
MAN: Mother?
MIA: Yes, Ellsworth?
LORELAI (snickers to Rory): Ellsworth?!?
ELLSWORTH: I just wanted to ask a small favour. The Johnson family called, they want to cancel the first night of their stay, and they won't be getting in until Tuesday. Now, I can't seem to remember how to work the computer program that removes their names from the system, so I've been using the date book, do you think you could refresh my memory?
MIA: Sure thing. Girls, I'll be right back. (winking) (Mia and Ellsworth leave the dining room.)
LORELAI: Dear god, what a moron! You just highlight…the press the delete button. It's really not that complicated.
RORY: Duh. (they laugh) I thought you said he was mean?
LORELAI: He is.
RORY: He didn't look very mean, more…helpless.
LORELAI: Oh, he's only like that with Mia. He's a kiss-ass.
RORY: Ah. (Mia returns)
MIA: What an idiot. (they all laugh) I shouldn't be saying this about my daughter's husband, but really!
LORELAI: So Mia, I hate to be pushy or anything, but if he can't use the booking and management software, what's he going to do? Change beds?
MIA: That is what I'm leaving up to you. (Lorelai looks stricken) Don't worry, he's easy to manage. Give him a task, explain it at about 10 words per minute, and you'll be ok.
LORELAI: Great.
MIA: There's a reason why he's only, "assistant manager." Oh, and by the way, could subtly ask him NOT to call me mother?
* * *
Cut to LUKE'S DINER. LORELAI and RORY walk in, slightly bouncy from a good work/school day. LUKE, and nephew JESS are alternating between drying dishes and serving tables.
LORELAI: Luke!
LUKE (smiling): Lorelai!
LORELAI (to Rory): Did he just yell back? In a joyous mood? With a smile on his face?
RORY: I believe so.
LORELAI: What happened?
RORY: I don't know; did he get a hamster?
LORELAI (to Luke): Did you get a hamster?
LUKE: No.
LORELAI: Gerbil?
LUKE: No.
LORELAI: A parrot? Oh come on. Please tell me you bought a parrot.
LUKE: No.
LORELAI: A guinea pig?
LUKE: No.
LORELAI: A cat? A dog?
LUKE: No and no.
LORELAI: Oh wait! I know, you bought a-
JESS: Oh for god's sake, he won the friggin lottery.
LORELAI (echoey): He did what?
JESS: He won the lottery.
LORELAI (it sinks in) (screaming): OH my god! Luke! That's awesome! You're rich! Ahhh!!!
RORY: Luke! That's great!
LUKE (smiling): Lorelai, it's $6000. (turning to Rory) Thank you.
LORELAI (looking star-struck): Wow. What are you going to buy with it?
LUKE: I don't know yet, I was thinking of making some adjustments to the diner. Fixing things up a little.
LORELAI (gasps): No! You have to buy a sports car or something!
RORY: Yeah, Luke! A fast, shiny, red one!
LORELAI: You'll drive Taylor crazy.
RORY: Uh huh.
LUKE: It's only $6000…although, driving Taylor crazy is tempting.
RORY: When did you find out?
LUKE: This morning.
LORELAI (points a finger accusingly): That's where you were! We were alone, in your diner, in desperate need of coffee and you weren't there.
LUKE: The sign said we were closed.
LORELAI: Yeah well, the door was open.
LUKE: You could be charged for trespassing.
LORELAI (shrugs): Meh. But you wouldn't.
LUKE: How do you know?
* * *
A/N: There you have it, chapter number 2. Sorry they're so slow coming, I take a while to get inspired between each chapter. Well, actually, it's not really about getting inspired. It's more about getting enough energy and getting into the right mind set to write the chapter. Or else it sucks. As you probably noticed, this chapter was almost entirely Lorelai/Rory dialogue. Sorry about that, I know it's the premise of the show but I find to much Rory/Lorelai dialogue turns into overkill. Unfortunately, I needed to do it to accurately and realistically shape up the plot lines.
Next chapter:
x Rory talks to Lorelai about wanting to go to New York with Jess
x Rory and Lorelai go to dinner at the Gilmore Mansion
x Luke contemplates what he is going to do with his new money
x Ellsworth and Lorelai duke it out (verbally, kids)
Finally, thank you to everyone who has reviewed, you guys are great! You keep me writing!