Author's note: As previously mentioned, this is my first fanfic, which came about quite simply when I started envisioning what I expected to see in Season 5. As I see it, part 1 would be the season premiere, part 3 would be the season finale, which means that this part would represent everything in between. Since I'm not prepared to write an entire season's worth of storyline, this is quite condensed, so my apologies if it's too rushed. Ideally I'd like to explore the Lorelai/Christopher relationship some more, I'd like to get more into the Jason/Richard lawsuit (almost nothing of that is mentioned here because I know nothing about the legal system) and I'd like to explore the character of James some more. But the central point of this fanfic is really the LL relationship, or rather the journey that I think Lorelai needs to go through before she'll be ready for Luke. Unfortunately by necessity there's really not much for Luke to be doing at this point in the game. Too bad, since he's really my favorite character on the show. Anyway I hope you're enjoying!
PART II
YALE DORM, SEPTEMBER, STUDENTS ARE MOVING IN
Rory was unpacking her things in her new dorm room as Paris walked into the room.
"Oh no," Rory sighed. "Please tell me..."
"Room 312. This is the place," said Paris.
"Am I going to be allowed to have a single year at Yale without you as my roommate? What if I decide to do a semester abroad, are you going to follow me there too?"
"Hey it's not my fault that everybody is too intimidated to room with me."
"You mean...I'm your roommate because nobody else would agree to live with you?" Rory asked.
"Can you believe it? Janet spread some ridiculous story about me appearing over her bed at 2AM with a pair of scissors and scared everyone off."
"Paris, you did appear over her bed at 2AM with a pair of scissors."
"I was only going to get rid of those awful curtains so her room would let in a little sun and wake her up before 11AM. With her staying up till all hours and then sleeping so late it's a wonder any of us got any studying done at all."
"So how was jolly old England?"
"Dreary old, and I emphasize the word old England, you mean" said Paris.
"The honeymoon over with the elder professor?" asked Rory.
"The honeymoon, the settling in, the fighting, the makeup sex, and the separation are all most definitely over with Asher. God, if I had to spend another evening with his cronies at Oxford, sipping pints, smoking cigars and debating the finer points of the Thatcher administration's relationship to the Reagan administration I think I was going to chew off my own arm."
"Thanks for the visual," said Rory.
"So how are you going to handle seeing him around campus?" asked Rory.
"Who?" asked Paris.
"Asher Fleming. Your erstwhile, um I guess the word for it is boyfriend?"
"Oh it's a big campus and we're both adults. I don't see an issue here," replied Paris.
Paris's movers arrived just then to bring her things in. "Finally! OK, we're going to put the bed over here, the couch goes on the south wall, and if I catch any of you guys sitting on it I'm docking you a hour's pay."
CHRISTOPHER'S APARTMENT, 8AM
Christopher rolled over in bed to kiss Lorelai. "Morning," he said.
"Hey you," she said as she kissed him back.
"I've got to get going to work but you're welcome to stay as long as you want," said Christopher.
"No, I need to get back to the Dragonfly. We're hosting our first wedding this weekend and of course our first wedding had to include the most insane bridezilla that I've ever met. She makes even my mother look laid-back."
"Yikes."
"Oh, just another one of the joys of owning my own business," commented Lorelai as she hurried to put her clothes on.
"Call me later?" said Christopher as Lorelai bent over to kiss him goodbye.
"You're on," she said as she headed out the door.
Lorelai's cell phone rang just as she was getting into her car.
"Hello?"
"Lorelai, this is your mother."
"Hi Mom."
"Lorelai, it's Thursday."
"Are you sure Mom? Because I thought it was Monday. Oh, maybe it's that darn time difference between Stars Hollow and Hartford. Screws me up every time."
"Lorelai, this is serious. We've forgotten about our Friday night dinners this summer, between Rory and me going to Europe and your business opening, but now that I have my own place it's time to get back on track with them."
"What about Dad? He was part of this deal too."
"Friday nights were my idea. If your father wants to have you over for dinner another night, he can arrange that himself."
"Oh great. Now we'll be doing Tuesdays with Dad and Fridays with you? Sorry Mom, but that's never going to fly with Rory's and my schedules."
"Fridays are mine, Lorelai. I'll see you here at 6:30."
"OK, we'll see you tomorrow, Mom, but I make no promises about future Fridays."
Lorelai drove back to Stars Hollow, pulled up and parked in the town square. She got out of the car and started over to Al's Pancake World. Halfway there, she stopped, turned around, and went back the other way toward Luke's. She could see Luke inside, waiting on customers. She stopped herself, turned back toward Al's Pancake World, then changed her mind once again, and walked into Luke's.
Luke was behind the counter as she approached and sat down. "Hey," he said to her.
"Hey."
"Haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah, it's been crazy with the Inn opening. Sookie's been feeding me mostly."
"Everything going well with the Inn?" Luke asked.
"Oh you know, people come, they eat, they sleep, they pay us ridiculous amounts of money, they leave." Lorelai laughed nervously.
"Well, what can I get you?"
"Burger and fries, please," Lorelai ordered.
"Coming right up," Luke said as he went and placed the order with Cesar and delivered some plates to the other customers, all the while glancing up at Lorelai periodically.
Lorelai's cell phone rang. "Hello?" she said.
"I can't believe this, I've got Paris for a roommate again," said Rory on the other end.
"No way! You must be doing penitence for some serious crap in a past life."
"Couldn't I just get a job cleaning toilets or something instead?"
"Sorry babe, this karma is serious stuff, you don't get to choose what gets thrown at you," replied Lorelai.
"How was Dad? What did you guys end up doing?"
"Oh it was fabulous, Chris took me to see this awesome guitarist in this cute little Boston pub. It was something straight out of 'Cheers.' He sends his love, by the way."
"Did you get to see my little sister?" asked Rory. "I don't think I'll ever get used to having a sibling."
"Yeah, Chris had her for the afternoon yesterday. She's still cute as a button, though she's still ripping through those diapers like a pro."
"Gross."
"Hey, he wants to take you out for your birthday, so keep the night reserved, OK?"
"OK. Oh my God, I've got to go, Paris has a Feng Shui expert in here rearranging the whole room," said Rory.
"Bye hon," Lorelai hung up the phone, just as she noticed that Luke was behind her. He set her plate down in front of her.
"Boston, huh?" he said.
"Uh....yeah" Lorelai stammered.
"Been spending a lot of time up there?"
"Uh, yeah, well, I guess that depends on what you mean by a lot of time. I mean some people when they say 'a lot of time' would look at me and think 'she's hardly ever there, but, I-I mean it's not like I'm becoming a Red Sox fan, or eating baked beans, I mean hardly anyone in Boston even knows me."
"I see," Luke said as he strode off.
PART II
YALE DORM, SEPTEMBER, STUDENTS ARE MOVING IN
Rory was unpacking her things in her new dorm room as Paris walked into the room.
"Oh no," Rory sighed. "Please tell me..."
"Room 312. This is the place," said Paris.
"Am I going to be allowed to have a single year at Yale without you as my roommate? What if I decide to do a semester abroad, are you going to follow me there too?"
"Hey it's not my fault that everybody is too intimidated to room with me."
"You mean...I'm your roommate because nobody else would agree to live with you?" Rory asked.
"Can you believe it? Janet spread some ridiculous story about me appearing over her bed at 2AM with a pair of scissors and scared everyone off."
"Paris, you did appear over her bed at 2AM with a pair of scissors."
"I was only going to get rid of those awful curtains so her room would let in a little sun and wake her up before 11AM. With her staying up till all hours and then sleeping so late it's a wonder any of us got any studying done at all."
"So how was jolly old England?"
"Dreary old, and I emphasize the word old England, you mean" said Paris.
"The honeymoon over with the elder professor?" asked Rory.
"The honeymoon, the settling in, the fighting, the makeup sex, and the separation are all most definitely over with Asher. God, if I had to spend another evening with his cronies at Oxford, sipping pints, smoking cigars and debating the finer points of the Thatcher administration's relationship to the Reagan administration I think I was going to chew off my own arm."
"Thanks for the visual," said Rory.
"So how are you going to handle seeing him around campus?" asked Rory.
"Who?" asked Paris.
"Asher Fleming. Your erstwhile, um I guess the word for it is boyfriend?"
"Oh it's a big campus and we're both adults. I don't see an issue here," replied Paris.
Paris's movers arrived just then to bring her things in. "Finally! OK, we're going to put the bed over here, the couch goes on the south wall, and if I catch any of you guys sitting on it I'm docking you a hour's pay."
CHRISTOPHER'S APARTMENT, 8AM
Christopher rolled over in bed to kiss Lorelai. "Morning," he said.
"Hey you," she said as she kissed him back.
"I've got to get going to work but you're welcome to stay as long as you want," said Christopher.
"No, I need to get back to the Dragonfly. We're hosting our first wedding this weekend and of course our first wedding had to include the most insane bridezilla that I've ever met. She makes even my mother look laid-back."
"Yikes."
"Oh, just another one of the joys of owning my own business," commented Lorelai as she hurried to put her clothes on.
"Call me later?" said Christopher as Lorelai bent over to kiss him goodbye.
"You're on," she said as she headed out the door.
Lorelai's cell phone rang just as she was getting into her car.
"Hello?"
"Lorelai, this is your mother."
"Hi Mom."
"Lorelai, it's Thursday."
"Are you sure Mom? Because I thought it was Monday. Oh, maybe it's that darn time difference between Stars Hollow and Hartford. Screws me up every time."
"Lorelai, this is serious. We've forgotten about our Friday night dinners this summer, between Rory and me going to Europe and your business opening, but now that I have my own place it's time to get back on track with them."
"What about Dad? He was part of this deal too."
"Friday nights were my idea. If your father wants to have you over for dinner another night, he can arrange that himself."
"Oh great. Now we'll be doing Tuesdays with Dad and Fridays with you? Sorry Mom, but that's never going to fly with Rory's and my schedules."
"Fridays are mine, Lorelai. I'll see you here at 6:30."
"OK, we'll see you tomorrow, Mom, but I make no promises about future Fridays."
Lorelai drove back to Stars Hollow, pulled up and parked in the town square. She got out of the car and started over to Al's Pancake World. Halfway there, she stopped, turned around, and went back the other way toward Luke's. She could see Luke inside, waiting on customers. She stopped herself, turned back toward Al's Pancake World, then changed her mind once again, and walked into Luke's.
Luke was behind the counter as she approached and sat down. "Hey," he said to her.
"Hey."
"Haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah, it's been crazy with the Inn opening. Sookie's been feeding me mostly."
"Everything going well with the Inn?" Luke asked.
"Oh you know, people come, they eat, they sleep, they pay us ridiculous amounts of money, they leave." Lorelai laughed nervously.
"Well, what can I get you?"
"Burger and fries, please," Lorelai ordered.
"Coming right up," Luke said as he went and placed the order with Cesar and delivered some plates to the other customers, all the while glancing up at Lorelai periodically.
Lorelai's cell phone rang. "Hello?" she said.
"I can't believe this, I've got Paris for a roommate again," said Rory on the other end.
"No way! You must be doing penitence for some serious crap in a past life."
"Couldn't I just get a job cleaning toilets or something instead?"
"Sorry babe, this karma is serious stuff, you don't get to choose what gets thrown at you," replied Lorelai.
"How was Dad? What did you guys end up doing?"
"Oh it was fabulous, Chris took me to see this awesome guitarist in this cute little Boston pub. It was something straight out of 'Cheers.' He sends his love, by the way."
"Did you get to see my little sister?" asked Rory. "I don't think I'll ever get used to having a sibling."
"Yeah, Chris had her for the afternoon yesterday. She's still cute as a button, though she's still ripping through those diapers like a pro."
"Gross."
"Hey, he wants to take you out for your birthday, so keep the night reserved, OK?"
"OK. Oh my God, I've got to go, Paris has a Feng Shui expert in here rearranging the whole room," said Rory.
"Bye hon," Lorelai hung up the phone, just as she noticed that Luke was behind her. He set her plate down in front of her.
"Boston, huh?" he said.
"Uh....yeah" Lorelai stammered.
"Been spending a lot of time up there?"
"Uh, yeah, well, I guess that depends on what you mean by a lot of time. I mean some people when they say 'a lot of time' would look at me and think 'she's hardly ever there, but, I-I mean it's not like I'm becoming a Red Sox fan, or eating baked beans, I mean hardly anyone in Boston even knows me."
"I see," Luke said as he strode off.