11 Days Post Kiss, 5.30pm

Lorelai dragged herself across the threshold of her home, heaving a sigh of relief to be away from the hectic world of a just opened inn. "Rory? I'm home! Come tell Mommy about you day, cause hers was busy but so boring. Michel didn't once fall for my constant teasing and storm off in a huff! I think I might be broken." She dumped her bag and keys on the hall table and wandered through to her daughter's bedroom. "Do you think it's possible for stress to severely inhibit my wit to the point where I think it may be gone forever?"

Rory looked up form the book her nose was currently buried in, appraising her mother for a second before replying, "In someone else, I'd probably say yes, but since it is one of your defining qualities, I'd have to respond in the negative."

"Oh good, because the prospect of working with Michel and never again being the one to make him go red or green or yellow makes me ready to give up my dream and – I don't know – go join the Jamaican bobsled team," Lorelai grinned. "So tell me about your day. I need to hear something fun."

"Sorry to disappoint, but I didn't leave the house all day."

Lorelai gasped in surprise. "No daughter of mine is going to become a hermit! If this pattern continues, I may just have to disown you and pull out that spare kid I've been hiding in the closet for just this kind of situation."

"Do you even feed her?" Rory asked, smiling.

"No, she's the next model up from that A.I kid. They managed to de-program the Oedipus complex."

"Well good. I wouldn't want you to be walking down the street with her latched onto your ankle like a massively heavy and cumbersome lojack."

"At leats she'd be willing to get out of the house," Lorelai replied, giving Rory a pointed look.

"I just don't want to tempt fate and run into Dean, or worse, Lindsay."

Lorelai moved forward, out of the doorway into the room. She perched on the edge of the bed, taking Rory's hand. "Hon, you can't avoid them forever. One day you're going to have to face both of them. In the meantime, you should perfect your 'I'm guilty of nothing' expression. It helps to not give away anything to the wife."

"I know, but look who's talking Mrs Pot-hyphen-Black. You haven't set foot near Luke's since we got back two days ago."

"Well.."

"Mom, there's no point in you trying to deny it or make excuses. I thought you promised to talk to him."

"I did. I just don't know what I'm going to say."

"You have to be honest. Does he even know what else happened at the test run?"

"He was there Rory," Lorelai began.

"No, I mean does he know about Grandma and Grandpa, the too many – too few kitchen staff debacle, me?"

"You want me to tell him?" Lorelai was surprised. She had every intention of keeping Rory's situation under wraps, preferably in a lead lined box with a massive padlock.

"No, I mean, does he know that I needed you that night. I don't want anybody to know what happened. Especially Luke."

"Oh ok, um, good. And the answer is no. He and I didn't exactly do a lot of talking that night," she began before Rory interrupted with, "Ugh Mom! No details please."

"No Miss Gutter Mind. I just mean that with so much going on, I didn't get a chance to tell him anything. We argued, we kissed, Kirk streaked by and Luke went after him."

"Could anything else have happened that night?" Rory wondered, her head only now comprehending how much her mother had gone through.

"Oh well, at least the dancing midgets didn't make an appearance."

"Good point. Mom, if you don't talk to him soon, he may not wait around for long, and then it will be too late."

Lorelai sighed, it was hard to find the courage she needed to confront him. "I know. You're right."

"Good. Now, I don't think you're gonna like what I have to say next, but you don't get a choice. I think we should have dinner at Luke's."

Lorelai was already up and backing out the door, shaking her head. "Nope. No way Rory. I can't do it now."

"Mom, it's been a week and a half! If you're not ready now, you never will be, but that's not even an issue because I'm not giving you a choice. What if I promise to stay through dinner and a coffee before I conveniently and discreetly disappear?"

Lorelai paused, thinking it over. "Three coffees."

"Two."

"Deal."

"Ok, let's go!" Before she had a chance to object, Rory pushed her to the door, grabbing her handbag for her along the way.

"I'm taking the new kid out of her box tomorrow," Lorelai mumbled, pouting as she walked towards the diner, protesting the entire way.

---

It was nothing if not a surprise when Luke saw Lorelai walk into the diner behind Rory. He had immediately frozen halfway across the floor, two full plates in each hand, staring at the one person he had both dreaded and wanted to walk through the door. It took him a full ten seconds to recover and continue his path, delivering the plates and then retreating to the kitchen so he could gather his thoughts. He knew her presence meant she was ready to talk. She what did he do now? Go and take their order like nothing had happened? He sucked in a breath and strode back to the counter, grabbing the coffee pot and two mugs. He headed to their table, silently setting down the cups and pouring the steaming liquid.

"Hi Luke," rory opened the conversation, smiling at him.

"Hi Rory," he replied, glad that someone had said something.

"How's things?" the younger woman asked, attempting to fill the silence that was usually occupied by her mother's voice.

"You know, fine. I.. Oh hell, I can't do this! You," he pointed at Rory, "stay, eat, drink. You," he turned to Lorelai, "upstairs now."

"But.." she protested. He glared at her, which had always been enough to force her to comply, and it didn't fail him now. She closed her mouth and stood, waiting for him to lead the way up to his apartment.

Rory watched silently, vainly attempting to suppress a grin as her mother was led into what seemed to be the lion's cage. But she knew better than many, that this particular lion's roar was worse than his bite.

---

TBC

Please review! Apologies for taking so long in updating. I have a fair bit written at the moment, I just have to type it up. Hopefully will appear later this week.