BIG, HUGE, MONDO thank you to Mickey for all her help on this chapter...I can't believe I got it right on almost the first try! You are the muse that I choose! Hee hee I rhymed. And to all the other Goldfish Girls...you know who you are...thanks for helping and talking me off of the cliff when the inspiration left me! Love you!

Disclaimer: Some time ago there was a woman who went to the WB with an idea for a show about a mom and a daughter who were more like sisters, that talked really fast and drank a lot of coffee. That woman was not me....it was Amy Sherman-Pallidino. Me...I am just the sad sack that wants to be her one day.

Chapter 19– Good Tidings and Fighting

It was still dark when Rory's eyes opened. Her head was pounding like a pick ax into her brain. Her stomach ached over its contents or at this point lack there of. She looked to her left and saw her mothers face in the glow from the alarm clock by the bed. It was 3:30 in the morning. Rory slowly inched her way out of bed. Very carefully and quietly she walked out of the room and down the stairs. She sat on the couch and was thinking about the night and her fabulous drunken display. She looked around the room, the lights on the tree were still glowing and the presents reflected their light. If this was supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year she must be doing something wrong. As she looked around the room she noticed her cell phone blinking on the coffee table. She picked it up and looked at it as it blinked, new message on the screen. She dialed her voice mail and soon she heard his voice on the line.

"Hey Ace, it's me. Look, I was being a jerk. I just hated to be away from you on Christmas. I guess...you are the first one to ever tell me no, and I didn't take it so well. Uh...I guess that is my message Merry Christmas Ace."

Rory smiled a little smile and almost hung up when she heard rustling on the phone. She realized soon enough what had happened, Logan hadn't hung up the phone. She listened and heard Finn and Logan talking.

"Logan...man what are you doing out here the party is inside." Collin said.

"I don't feel much like parting tonight." Logan said.

"Come on Logan, you can either be out here and obsessing about a girl that will never fit in, to come back in there with me and meet a girl who will. If there is one thing I know...the best thing to forget about one girl...is to be with another." Collin said.

"In don't know..." Logan said.

"Give me the cell phone...and you...you go get your suit on...there are far too many hot ladies in that hot tub. It is a crime against humanity for us to not take advantage." Collin said.

"Logan...girls..naked...hot tub." Finn said. Rory could hear him running up.

"You heard him..girls, naked, hot tub." Collin said.

"Yeah....ok." Logan said.

The phone went silent.

Rory couldn't believe it, she paced the room. After everything that the two of them had been through, after the fight they had. Not only did he not apologize but he was doing who knows what, with who knows who and she was here actually missing him. Rage filled her. She couldn't get those words out of her head. "A girl who'll never fit in." What did Finn mean by that. He was right though...and she knew it. That was what had caused the fight in the first place.

"Come on Rory come to Vail with us, it will be fun. We will ski, we will drink, we will party." Logan said.

"I can't Logan I am going home, it is the first Christmas we will all be together as a family, and with the new baby and all."

"The baby isn't even born yet it won't know if you are there or not."

"No, but Lorelai will. I am going home. I was with you for Thanksgiving I am going home for Christmas." She said aggravated with him.

"Come on Ace, it will be fun, you, me the mountains, big fire place, small amounts of clothing...it could be very romantic." He said cuddling up to her.

"Yes, it could, but it is Christmas and I am going home. I already promised my mother." She said.

"You are such a mama's girl. Come on cut the cord Gilmore. You're a big girl, your mom is an adult she can take it.Tell your mom, you can't make it she'll get over it." Logan said.

"You don't understand. I want to go. I want to go home I want to see my family. I have never been away from my mom at Christmas and I am not starting now."

"It is time to have some adventure in your life Rory, come with me."

"You know at first, when I met you I believed that and I was excited about it. I was excited about all the adventures and all the things that you and I would do. Here we are over a year later and, it just isn't as fun anymore. I realized something, all of your adventures are just ways to avoid really living your life, sitting in the life you have. You should quit running for a second, quit hiding behind 'adventure' and figure out what you are so afraid of."

"Afraid of?"

"Yeah. You must be terrified of something to be running so hard."

"You know what Ace. Don't come. You'd hate it anyway. The people there wouldn't be your crowd anyway." Logan said angered.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I should have never thought that I could bring you back to the life you should have had, if your mother wouldn't have ruined it for you."

"If you are the result of that kind of life, then I need to go thank my mother right now. If I was ever half as arrogant and self centered as you, I couldn't stand myself!" Rory said yelling and walking away.

She didn't look back as she walked away. She hadn't spoke to him in over a week. But, at this moment, still a little drunk, still very alone he was all she could think about. And at this moment those thoughts were not happy ones. She walked back down the hall towards the nursery and back out again. Her anger grew with each step she took. Until she was consumed by her rage, her phone flew from her and before she even realized what she was doing. It hit the Nurseries door and broke into pieces. Rory stood stoic in the hall hoping that Jess still had the ability to sleep through anything. He didn't, he opened the door and rubbed his eyes. As he walked out he stepped on the shattered pieces of the phone.

"Geez, I knew you were mad at me but I didn't figure you for the tantrum type." He said.

"Sorry." Rory said annoyed. "It isn't you."

"What is it then?" he asked concerned. She had been acting out of character too long now, he knew something was up.

"Nothing it is nothing. I just...I need to sleep. Good night Jess." She said and turned and walked back up the stairs.

He watched her walk away. Not sure what to do, so he let her walk.

The next morning everyone was up and about early. Liz and Luke were busy making breakfast, Emily was mad at Lorelai for not having her brand of aspirin. It was after all the only one worth anything...at least according to her. Richard sat quietly with his paper and Jess and TJ were setting the table. Rory sat alone in the living room sipping the same cup of hot chocolate she had had for the last half hour. No one but Jess seemed to notice how preoccupied she was that morning, just off in her own world unless she was directly spoken to. And even then she had taken to the mono syllable like a true Danes.

It surprised Jess when quite suddenly as if she had reached some kind of monumental realization she practically jumped from the couch and grabbed her coat and walked out the door. He thought about following her, but she seemed to need her space. Instead he went to the nursery to see if he could spot where she was going from there. He saw here pacing the porch. She almost looked like she was having a debate with herself. Then just as suddenly as she had began she stopped, sat down on the steps and he watched as the tears welled in her eyes. He decided he let her suffer alone long enough, he was going to get to the bottom of this. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee and started to walk towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Luke said.

"To get some air." Jess said back.

"Ahhh man you aren't smoking again are you?" Luke said disappointed.

"No, I just need some air, I will be right back." Jess said. His response seemed to satisfy his uncle as he walked out Luke called to him.

"Breakfast in 15 got it?" Luke said.

"Got it."

Jess walked out the front door and crouched by Rory sitting on the steps.

"You look like you could use this." He said holding out the mug.

She didn't break her stare.

"Ok...well...I will just leave it here and I will go. Sorry to bug you." Jess said sitting the mug at her side and starting to walk away.

"Wait." she said.

It was so softly he barely heard it.

"Yes..." He said walking towards her.

"Never mind. I can't talk to you about this."

"Why not..."

"It's...no...it's too weird."

"Hey...what are families for right?" Jess asked giving her a smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Hit me...except not literally this time...you pack a wallop." Jess said trying for a laugh.

She gave a small smile and started to talk.

"When did...." she stopped, did she want to talk to him about this.

"When did?"

"When did it all get so complicated?" Rory said.

"Did what get complicated."

"Life, love, everything. When did it become more about the future and less about the now."

Jess looked at her confused.

"This isn't about me is it?" He said.

"No. Hey do you think...do you think I fit in?" Rory said.

"No." Jess said almost instantly.

"What?" She said surprised.

"You don't Rory. How could you. You aren't like anyone else." He said.

"Great. That's wonderful." She said exasperated.

"That isn't a bad thing Rory. How could it be. You are...unlike anyone I have ever known. That is a truly amazing thing...in a world where we are cranking out a new Brittany every five seconds. You don't play by anyones rules. You make your own, you live you life your way. You don't compromise, not for me...or anyone else."

She looked at him for a moment, the tears ready in her eyes. She walked towards him and they hugged. It was at that moment that Lorelai looked out the window and spotted them. She was glad that they had made up. Then just as quick as the happiness washed over her, the panic came as she saw him walking up the drive

"Oh no." she whispered.

TO BE CONTINUED............

NOTE: The next chapter is currently being filtered out (don't ask). The sooner you guys tell me what you think of this chapter via a review, the sooner I can get chapter 20 up.