Title: If You Want Me To

Author: Ruby Garnet

Disclaimer:  As much as I wish I did, I don't own anything Gilmore Girls related.

Summary: Close encounters of the emotional and awkwardly hilarious kind. This is quite a short chapter.

A/N: As always, I'd like to thank my two dedicated beta readers…they know who they are. (As always), I'd also like to thank my reviewers for their continued support through my writing journey. Your encouragement and criticism is greatly appreciated and valued.  

[LORELAI and RORY are standing outside of the Gilmore house where RORY is about to drive to Yale for orientation]

LORELAI: Are you sure you have everything?

RORY: Yep, I'm sure.

LORELAI: Your fringy belt? Red fleece sweater? Stretchy jeans with no front pockets?

RORY: (smiles) Because those are the most important things, aren't they?

LORELAI: Yes! They are! Who cares about registration and immunization forms?

RORY: The Yale registration office might.

LORELAI: (pointedly) Well, they probably have no fashion sense. (closing trunk of car) Geez, you have a full trunk. You'd think that a $20,000 car would have more space.

RORY: Mom, it's trunk of a car, not a big hole to throw stuff in. 

LORELAI: True. (sighs happily) This is it kid.

RORY: Not quite. (reassuringly) This is just orientation, remember? I'll come back home for a few weeks before I actually start.

LORELAI: I know, I know. (pulls RORY into a hug) Have a good time. Don't get lost. Make new friends. (knowingly) You'll need them for carpooling one day.

RORY: (laughing) I will try as hard as I can.

(They separate and LORELAI's arms rest on RORY's shoulders.)

LORELAI: (grinning) All right, well off you go. I'll see you in four days for the Parent's Day. Remember to call if you need anything. 

RORY: (smiles) I can't wait. There will be so much to show you. Tell Grandma and Grandpa I said good-bye. I didn't want to wake them up. (They hug again and RORY gets into her car. She starts the car and rolls down the window.)

RORY: Hey Mom?

LORELAI: Yeah?

RORY: (softly) Whatever was going on with Luke…I hope it gets resolved.

LORELAI: I hope it does too.

(RORY smiles and backs out of the driveway. LORELAI waves to her as she drives off.)

[CUT to LORELAI and SOOKIE sitting in the dining room of the Dragonfly]

SOOKIE: I never thought the bills would pile up this much. I mean, look at this! (picks up stack of bills and lists of people to pay and throws them into the air a la "52 pick-up")

LORELAI: Come on Sookie! Don't lose it on me now. (encouraging) We can do it! Opening an inn isn't the cheapest thing in the world, you know.

SOOKIE: (forcing a smile) Yeah, we can do it. Yes we can. (exasperated as the volume of her voice gradually increases) We can do it once we find something to pay them with!

LORELAI: (sarcastic) Maybe we can barter. My stuffed reindeer for your glass pane. Your muffins for an afternoon of work. We can even get dressed up and pretend to be Native Americans in the 1800's.

SOOKIE: I didn't think you could get more sarcastic than you already were. (leans on elbow and props head on palm of hands) Money bites.

LORELAI: Then it chews you up and spits you out.

SOOKIE: (chuckles) Something is up with you. You're…more sarcastic than you usually are. Mega sarcastic. Ultra sarcastic. Super sarcastic. Anything that can possibly be the prefix to spicy sarcastic. 

LORELAI: Maybe sarcasm is a side effect of the 'empty nest' syndrome.

SOOKE: (clapping hand over mouth) Oh honey, I forgot that Rory was leaving today.

LORELAI: (nodding) She already left.

SOOKIE: Wow…that must have been hard. Did you wave and cry at the same time?

LORELAI: Nope, didn't cry.

SOOKIE: (hugs LORELAI) You're so strong!

LORELAI: (mumbling) Yeah, right.

SOOKIE: You should head over to Luke's at lunch and wallow with a cup of coffee. That's what you usually do and you always come back in a better mood.

LORELAI: Fat chance of that happening. I have to see that my parents get out of my house. 

SOOKIE: You'll have your house to yourself again. That's good! (tries to be cheerful)

LORELAI: I think I might break out the champagne.

SOOKIE: Did you patch things up with Luke yet?

LORELAI: I guess. We talked. (guilty) Nothing was resolved.

SOOKIE: (sadly) Oh. Well, you could always –

MICHEL: Another bill for you ladies. (tosses paint bill onto the table)

LORELAI: Is it against the law for Sookie and me to have a private conversation?

MICHEL: There was no sign on the door.

LORELAI: Well, you could have knocked.

MICHEL: This is not a house, we do not knock.

LORELAI: This is also an inn where the two owners should be allowed at least one minute of privacy to talk.

MICHEL: (walking out) Continue talking. (smirks) Then you can finish the paint payment.

SOOKIE: Remind me again why he works here.

LORELAI: (lays her head on her arms) I think I have amnesia because I can't seem to answer.

(Scene fades out with SOOKIE trying to comfort LORELAI. SOOKIE's smile wanes and finally she decides that the only thing to heal LORELAI will be time. The two businesswomen sit in silence as they slice open envelope after envelope, occasionally sighing at the amount.)

[CUT to Gilmore House]

EMILY: (yelling up the stairs) Richard! The bags!

RICHARD: Emily, I am trying to maneuver them to the best of my abilities. This bulge on the side pocket is making it difficult to get them down the stairs.

LORELAI: (emerging from the side hallway) Is everything okay here?

EMILY: Everything's fine, Lorelai.

(AMALIA rounds the corner with a giant pan in her hand and a bag full of kitchen utensils. If LORELAI doesn't move out of the way, the pan is in a perfect clubbing position.)

LORELAI: Whoa, I'm moving now. (puts up hands near her head)

AMALIA: Excuse me. (in the process of moving towards the door, AMALIA's pan knocks over some sweaters off of their hooks)

LORELAI: (to herself) Next time I need a snowplow, I'll remember to call you. (picks up sweaters and replaces them)

RICHARD: Emily, here is your bag. (hands Emily her bag and turns to LORELAI) Thank you for having us. It was very kind.

LORELAI: You're welcome.

EMILY: We will see you on Friday alone I presume?

LORELAI: (wanting to dismiss the subject) Yes, you will.

EMILY: You should have woken us up when Rory left. It would have been nice to see her off.

LORELAI: She didn't want to wake you up.

EMILY: (disappointed) Oh.

LORELAI: She'll call about the Parent's Day on Friday most likely. You can talk to her then.

EMILY: (sighs dramatically) I suppose. Well, we must be going. Goodbye Lorelai.

LORELAI: Bye.

(LORELAI watches as EMILY, RICHARD, and AMALIA file into their car and they drive off.)

[CUT to Doose's Market where LORELAI is looking for cereal]

LORELAI: Geez. I didn't know there were so many kinds. Why are there so many options? It'd be a lot simpler if I didn't have to pick one. Oh lord, I'm beginning to sound like Luke.

PATTY: (singing 'Build Me Up Buttercup' to herself as she idly swings her basket from side to side) I need you more than anyone darlin'…you know that I have from the start…so build me up Buttercup…don't break my hearrttt...

(LORELAI is walking around the shelf to see if there are more options on the other side and runs into PATTY)

LORELAI: (whirling around) Oh, I'm so so sorry.

PATTY: Why, hello Lorelai!

LORELAI: (blinks) Oh hey Patty! How've you been?

PATTY: I've been better, but I did hear something about you and a certain diner owner in a storeroom. (winks) I bet that was fun.

LORELAI: (rolling eyes) Patty, we needed to talk in privacy. So we did.

PATTY: (grinning) Well, I'll let you keep the conversation to yourself. (points to ears) These ears have heard enough dirty words in their lifetime.

LORELAI: (giving her a look) Nothing happened.

PATTY: If you say so.

LORELAI: I do say so. Let's change topics. Rory left for orientation today.

PATTY: Oh! Did she really? She's grown up so fast. I remember her first day at Chilton…the whole town was thrilled. We're all so proud.

LORELAI: (smiles) Good to hear it. She's wonderful. (begins to walk to the other side of the shelf to pick up the cereal that she needed to begin with)

PATTY: That she is. It's like the town – (her voice suddenly stops and she busies herself with some spice packets to her left)

LORELAI: Is there something wrong, Patty? (looks over the shelf while reaching back to grab a box of cereal)

LUKE: Ow!

LORELAI: (turning around) Oh my gosh, I'm sorry. I just hit you in the face. (winces)

LUKE: (putting hand to his eye) Good observation Lorelai.

LORELAI: (flustered and rambling) I was just reaching back to get some cereal. If I run into one more person, I promise to get a shirt that has the word warning on it in large block lettering.

LUKE: We'll have to arrange that. God, why are there so many cereal options?

LORELAI: (smirks) It would be a lot less complicated if Taylor would just stock one…that way I could just run, grab, go. Only three steps.

(LUKE and LORELAI resemble frantic contestants on Supermarket Sweep as they look at the nutrition facts (okay, Luke does), the wheat/rice variation, and the sugar content on every box.) 

LUKE: (obviously ruffled) Look at the people on these boxes! Can't companies be original and come up with designs to put on them instead of these people? These smiles are bogus. Do you know how much these people are getting paid? They probably don't even like the cereal and are only smiling because the four hundred bucks is talking to them. These families on here probably aren't even families. I mean, tell me, does this girl look like she belongs to this guy? They both have different colored hair! The faces! The faces!

LORELAI: (resisting the urge to laugh) If you buy Froot Loops, you can look at the toucan instead.

(LUKE gives LORELAI a stern look and she holds up her hands)

LORELAI: Hey, I was just giving you options! You could also go with Lucky Charms. They have cute little shapes. I don't see you as a cute little shapes kind of guy, but those horseshoes and blue moons can be a turn-on. (is laughing by now)

LUKE: (sighing) Lorelai!

LORELAI: Can't forget the hearts and stars either! Heck, I could go through the entire song if you like!

LUKE: Oh god, here it comes.

LORELAI: Hearts, stars, and horseshoes! Clovers and blue moons! Pots of gold and rainbows! And me red balloon!

LUKE: Are you done?

LORELAI: (grinning) Yep. Score one for me.

LUKE: (rolls eyes) Just get your cereal and get out of my sight before I lose my mind.

(They reach for their cereals of choice. LUKE's cereal is in front of LORELAI and LORELAI's cereal is in front of LUKE. Their arms cross and they bang their shoulders against one another. They flinch for a moment, exchange a look of apology, and laugh. They get their cereals from the shelf and turn to face each other.)

LORELAI: I guess Lucky Charms just wasn't your speed, huh? (smiling)

LUKE: Well, All Bran wasn't quite yours either, now was it?

LORELAI: Fine, fine, even score.

LUKE: Well, I better get going. I never knew purchasing a box of cereal could be so difficult or time consuming.

LORELAI: Yeah, me too. Sorry for um, hitting you in the eye. (winces again)  If you get a bruise, I'll uh…I'll wash dishes in the diner or something.

LUKE: That is one hilarious mental picture. I'll see you later. 

LORELAI: (nodding) Yeah, I'll see you. Especially since the elder Gilmores are back in their own house.

(They stand there, hugging their boxes of cereal, as they share a thoughtful and intent gaze. The silence grows awkward and LORELAI smiles.)

LORELAI: Bye Luke.

LUKE: Bye Lorelai.

(LUKE proceeds to one checkout counter as LORELAI heads to another. When the other isn't paying attention, both would occasionally steal a glance at the other while pretending to be interested in a poster or vegetable behind them. In the checkout lane between their two lanes, PATTY is singing, "If you'd just let me know…although you're untrue, I'm attracted to you all the more…why do I need you so…" as the scene fades out.)

A/N: The next chapter is going to include some (not too much) of Rory's orientation, so therefore, I'll be doing some research. That means that the next chapter might be later in coming…that and I will be going on vacation from June 26-July 5, so I won't be updating then. I will be writing though. Thank you for your continued support.