Disclaimer: No ownage going on here

Author's Note: I am so so so so so sorry I haven't updated in so long. I have been so busy it's been unbelievable. Plus, as soon as my computer was fixed, it started to act up again, so I just got it back (for the second time). I've been running around like a maniac with work and school and the quintet I play in, I have barely had time to breathe in the last few weeks. I've been running on empty (an average of two hours of sleep a night). I feel awful for not updating…you guys are so great with your reviews…and yes, I know some of the people are OOC, but I think this fic is turning AU on me. Oh well.

Any ideas or help with facts or anything is welcome…especially ideas.

Sorry again! I hope you like chapter five!!

Chapter Five

"He said I should try to talk to her. How do I do that?" Lane asked, flopping onto her bed.

"Open your mouth and make a sound," Rory replied, giving Lane a hard time.

"Rory! Come on, this is really serious. This could be the difference between never seeing the light of day again or seeing Dave."

"Well, if you can't see the light of day, you can see Dave at night." Lane sat up and gave Rory a menacing glare. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I was just trying to lighten your mood. What do you mean, how do you do that?"

"How do I bring it up. Do I just go and say, 'Mom, why can't I play in a band? I'm in love with a white musician, and tough if you don't like it'?"

"That wouldn't get you anywhere. You know that. You'd be at Korean Bible Camp quicker than you could say 'Dave Rygalsky,' and you'd never be able to leave."

"Thank you, Rory, Queen of the Obvious."

"Yes, I will be signing autographs in the center of town at seven Eastern Time," Rory said, waving at the walls in Lane's room and bowing. Lane chuckled. "Ah! She does have emotions! Anyway, seriously, maybe you should bring it up subtly. Or you could really butter her up before you spring it on her. You know, 'You're the best mother anyone could ever ask for. I love you so much. By the way, I'm dating a white musician, and I'm playing in his band.' Maybe if you wrap it in pretty paper she won't notice. Or, here's an idea. Just ask her. Come on, Lane. You can't be that scared of your mother."

"Maybe I'll think about it. I can't believe he convinced me to do this," Lane complained, flopping onto her bed. "Ok. So. I'll do it this afternoon. I might need you to come rescue me, so keep your pager close."

"Will do. Good luck," Rory said, before exiting her best friend's room.

*~*A few hours later*~*

Rory walked into the diner and sat at the counter with a sigh. "What's wrong?" Luke asked, getting out a mug and pouring her some coffee.

"Lane. She's going to talk to her mom about why Mama Kim hates music and Dave. I'm a little worried," Rory replied as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her pager. She put it on the counter.

"Uh-uh. No pagers."

"Why not?"

"If people think I'm letting pagers in, they'll want cell phones, too. No pagers."

"How about if I leave it in my pocket and put it on vibrate so no one knows? I have to have it, or Lane won't be able to reach me if she needs me." Rory put on her most pitiful face. "Please, Luke?"

Luke grumbled. Damn it, she's just like her mother, he thought. "Fine, Rory. Just make sure no one knows."

"Thanks a million, Luke. Hey, where's Jess? Isn't he supposed to be working?"

"Nah. He was giving the customers a hard time. He's upstairs."

"I'll be back," Rory said. She got up and headed upstairs. She found Jess lying on the couch reading. Rory smiled.

"Hey," Jess said, not looking up.

"Hey," Rory replied. "So."

"How's Lane? How's Dave? How are Lane and Dave?"

"Lane is attempting the impossible. She's trying to reason with her mother about Dave." Rory sat down on the chair across from Jess. He looked at her.

"Really?"

"Yeah. She said she'll page me if she needs me. I'm expecting the SOS any minute."

"But you came up to talk to me. How touching," Jess said, cynically.

"If I were closer to you I'd hit you."

"Good thing you're not then." Jess paused. "Any other reason you came to see me?"

Rory didn't answer right away. "No," she said, unconvincingly. Jess nodded.

"Ok," he said. He turned back to his book. He looked up a few seconds later.

"Rory," he started.

"Jess," she said at the same time.

They smiled at each other. "Go ahead," he said.

"No, you go. It wasn't very important anyway."

Jess took a deep breath. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to say now that he was stuck. He didn't want to sound all sappy and weird, but that's how he would have sounded if Rory hadn't been talking at the same time. He wracked his brain for something to say that could save his dignity a little bit. He had nothing. "Oh. Well, um..."

"And Monosyllabic Boy makes his comeback," Rory teased, easing some of the tension that had developed during Jess's awkward silence. "Don't worry about it, Jess. You don't have to say anything. I was going to say that the reason I came up here was so that I could-"

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Rory's beeper went off. She looked at it. Lane. "I'm so sorry Jess. It's Lane. I gotta run," she said. She smiled at Jess and dashed out the door. Jess could hear her call goodbye to Luke as she left the diner. He flopped back onto the couch and put a hand on his face.

"Way to be smooth, Jess. Nice job," he said to himself.

*~*At the same time*~*

"Mama, can I talk to you?" Lane asked nervously, coming into the kitchen, where her mother was seated, going over some figures from the antiques shop she ran.

"Yes, Lane. Have a seat."

Lane sat down. Man, I think my mom's the only mother in the world who asks her daughter to "have a seat." And I'm probably the only daughter in the world who has to wait to be asked before sitting down, she thought.

"What is it?" Her mother put down the papers and gave Lane a stern look.

Ho, boy. "I just wanted to ask you if it would be ok for me to see some of my other friends again."

"Like whom?"

Stay calm, Lane. She's just your mother. Not that scary, right? "Dave," Lane mumbled.

"No." Mrs. Kim turned back to the papers.

"Bu-" Do not whine, Lane. That won't get you anywhere. "May I ask why?"

"He is a musician. He is a bad influence. He performs music that comes from the devil. I do not want you having friends like that. And I do not want you partaking in activities like that," Mrs. Kim replied without looking up.

Lane bit her bottom lip. I'm so going to say something I shouldn't say, she thought. She quickly typed in an SOS to Rory on her beeper and poised her finger on the "send" button. "Mama, I don't think it's fair for you to decide whom I can and cannot be friends with. I think it should be my decision. I enjoy rock music, and I enjoy being with Dave and the other guys. I don't understand what's so bad about it."

Mrs. Kim fixed her daughter with a withering glare. "Are you questioning my authority, Lane?"

"Oh, no, Mama, I just wanted to know why you think rock music is so bad. Maybe I wouldn't be so upset with your decision if I knew where you were coming from."

"You are questioning me, Lane Kim. Do not do that. Rock music comes from Satan, and no daughter of mine will be listening to it or associating with people who do. That is final."

Lane's finger hit the button on her pager. She needed Rory to come and stop her before she said something she would regret forever. Less than five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Lane got up and answered it, finding a panting Rory. "What happened to you?"

"Jess...diner...Luke...ran...need coffee!" was all that came out of Rory's mouth.

"Ok. I'm going to Rory's, Mama, is that ok?"

"Fine. Do not see any of your other friends on the way."

"Yes, Mama," Lane said before leaving with Rory.

After they walked a few feet, Rory said, "I am never running again. I'd forgotten for a minute why Gilmores are opposed to physical exertion of any kind, but now I remember."

"Should I ask why you said Jess's name earlier?"

"Probably not. What happened?"

"I got up the courage to tell her it wasn't fair that she wouldn't let me decide what friends to have. She got pretty mad. Rory, I'm so afraid I'll never be able to see him again. I don't think I could handle that."

"You don't have to worry about that just yet," Rory assured her best friend as they walked into Luke's.

"Back again?" Luke asked.

"Yup. Coffee, please."

"You're sure you want to stunt your growth and develop insomnia from all the caffeine?"

"Positive."

"Your funeral," Luke replied, pouring Rory a mug of coffee.

"Lane, I think you did the right thing, talking to your mom," Rory said as she sipped her drink. "It was also very brave of you. I hink Dave'll be impressed."

"Dave'll be impressed at what?" came a familiar voice from behind Lane. Lane whipped her head around and came face to face with Dave. Unable to hold back, she threw her arms around his neck. Dave glanced at Rory with a questioning look in his eyes.

"I talked to my mom, and she's not relenting," Lane said, her voice muffled from Dave's shoulder. "And she's going to catch me if I keep seeing you and playing with the band, I know it!"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Lane," Dave said, placing his hands on her shoulders and pushing her far enough away so he could look into her eyes. "We'll just be extra careful. Zack and Brian keep bugging me about when we can play again, so we'll figure out something. I promise." He pulled her towards him again and hugged her tightly.

Rory looked on, a small smile on her face. She started to turn around and face the counter, when a sight out the window halted all movement. Without looking away, she reached out and tapped Lane on the back. "Uh - Lane?"

"Mmmm," was the muffled reply.

"You might want to look out the window."

Lane did as her friend requested and blanched at the sight. Her mother was standing across the street, staring at Lane and Dave with scrutinizing eyes and a look full of anger. Lane fell onto a stool. "Oh no!" she cried, burying her face in her hands.