I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! I'm doing a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and its been hectic with rehearsals and the show coming up. A shout out to my fellow faerie friend, Pen, "Oh, Leo, our hearts will go on!!"

"So, I'm gonna be a cliché of a mother and ask you how your day was." Lorelai put her key into the front door of their apartment.

"It was good. Mom, have I ever told you I despise math with every fiber of my being?" Lorelai grinned. They collapsed onto the tie-dye living room couch.

"It will help you in later life." Lorelai proclaimed, impersonating Rory's teacher.

"Yeah right. When?"

"When you all become math professors."

"Snort." Lorelai rested her head on her daughter's shoulder.

"Mom, you seem kind of tired. Are you okay?"

"Uh huh. Just need to catch my second wind."

"You're usually going on your fourth or fifth." Rory pointed out. Lorelai changed the subject.

"Looks like it might rain." She could see dark clouds through the window. As if on cue, droplets started to fall from the sky.

"Good call." They looked at each other grinning.

"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Lorelai jumped up and was already sprinting towards the door.

"Yeah, well, the first one there gets to eat it!" Rory chased after her. It was warm out with a soft drizzle coming down, perfect for dancing in the rain.

"Careful down the stairs, Rory!" Lorelai called behind her.

"Oh yeah, you're one to talk." Rory laughed, watching her mom slide down the banister for the second time that day. Once they got to the street, they broke out in song.

"I'm singing in the rain! Da dee da dee da!" Lorelai twirled Rory.

"What a glo-r-ious feeling-I'm happy again!"

"Do you think we're getting to old for this?" Rory joked as they linked arms and Do-Si-Doed.

"You may be, but I'm sure not!" 10 minutes later, they entered their apartment smiling and soaking wet.

"First shower!"

"Go for it." Lorelai was too exhausted at the moment to do anything but lay spread-eagle on the floor.

"Wait, you sure?" Rory asked, not expecting to win that one so easily. "You can go if you want." Lorelai shook her head from her comfortable position on the carpet.

"How did I raise such a nice kid? It's all yours." Rory laughed and disappeared around the corner, whistling a familiar tune. Lorelai closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This isn't working. She thought. I'm too tired. She thought of Sookie, her new-found friend, and how much fun they had had at Al's Pancake House (the special of the day being Sloppy Joes). They had seen Michel there, convinced him to order a cheeseburger, and then laughed until they cried when they watched him try to eat it. His pinky was raised the entire time. Lorelai soon, lulled by the sound of pit-pattering on the roof, fell asleep.

"That was really great." Lorelai stood in the warm night air outside her house. Her white floor length gown blew slightly in the wind.

"I mean, other than my mother attacking me with the mascara wand, it was perfect." Christopher nodded.

"Yeah, it was." Lorelai sighed and looked up at the vast mansion before them, which she had always been taught to call "home". It was truly the last place she wanted to be.

"Lets go somewhere else." She took his hand to pull him away, but he stood where he was. She let go.

"What?"

"I don't think-"

"Don't think. Come on." She couldn't go in there. She didn't want to go through it again, not tonight at least.

"Lorelai-" He drew her in for a kiss. She reluctantly gave in. He put his hands on her neck and Lorelai felt her irritation ebbing away. At last, they parted.

"I know. Its...okay." He said, looking into her eyes. Lorelai wrapped her arms around him.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, you will."

Ring. Ring.

"I'll get it!" Lorelai woke with a start.

Ring. Ring. Rory rushed out of the bathroom with her hair wrapped in a towl and grabbed the phone on the counter.

"Hola."

"Konichiwa."

"Bonjour."

"Aloha."

"Yikes, I'm running out..."

"We've forgotten one...oh yeah! Hello!" Lane teased. "Hey, you wanna sleepover tonight?" A huge smile spread across Rory's face.

"Yeah! One sec, I'll ask my mom. Mom?" It took a moment for Lorelai to adjust and shake the image of Christopher out of her mind. If getting less sleep was causing her to have such weird dreams, it wasn't worth it, she thought.

"Lets see, its Friday night. No school tomorrow. Whatever it is, yes."

"Lane?"

"That's my name. Don't wear it out."

"I'll bring popcorn."

"Hooray! And we'll provide the tofu snacks. Adios amiga."

"Ciao for now." Rory hung up. Lorelai got to her feet and started towards the bathroom.

"I'll take a super quick shower, you get dressed and have some dinner because as an overprotective parent, I cannot allow you to consume anything which does not contain calories of any kind. That being all food products at Lane's house."

"I'll respect your wishes. Thanks mom!" She ran to her room to get ready.

Lorelai dropped off Rory and started driving home. It had stopped raining and now the world was just a gray, blurry picture. She hadn't thought about Christopher in a long time. He had been pushed to the back of her mind, and Lorelai had forced him there. That dream alone was enough to rekindle all kinds of memories; ones she had promised to let go. In a daze, she parked the car and walked up the steps to her apartment. She set the alarm clock and settled into a nap on the couch. A few hours later, she made herself a cup of coffee, turned off the lights, and grabbed her purse.

"I go. I go. Look how I go!" She indignantly told the empty room. With that, she locked the door behind her.

I just had to add that last line because its one of my favorites in the play:-). Please review! Next up, Lorelai finds herself in a horrible situation and we meet Emily and Richard for the first time...