DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Except for any extra names that you don't recognize from the show. . . those I 'created'. Read WHW and JOF to get back story.

She walked up the familiar path, well worn from years of people tracing the same steps that she could walk in her sleep. A smile unconsciously covered her features, highlighting the soft lines where laugh lines were beginning to form at the sides of her mouth. Stopping just short of her destination, she put a hand accusingly on her right hip and paused.

"Every damn year," she sighed, trying to sound put out.

"Yep," came the curt agreement.

"So, how is life treating you?" she let out a chuckle as she sat down on the spot on the wooden planks that was still warm from where her husband had left it just moments before.

"Can't complain. Though I did have to go to the principal's office last week," he shook his head.

"Which one?"

"Ambrose."

"What'd he do?" she asked, knowing Ambrose to be a quite studious kid, never one to be much of a troublemaker. Of course, this had stumped the whole family, seeing as he was Jess' offspring. Not only was he Jess' son, her sort nephew of sorts, but also he was one of Jake's best friends.

He sighed, and she could tell he was attempting to suppress a smirk as he began to explain the story. "He and some friends got a hold of the keys to the Dean of Boys' car. Seems they took it apart and reassembled it in the cafeteria."

"Nice," she nodded. "Jake wasn't with them?"

"Someone ratted Ambrose out as the mastermind, seeing as it was evidently his idea and his expertise that was used. No one else was called in."

"So, he's not allowed to help Luke work on the cars on the weekend anymore?" Rory raised an eyebrow.

"Why would you say that?" he asked, his eyebrow raised to match hers.

"Erin blames you, correct?" she laughed, nudging him with her shoulder.

He just smiled and shook his head before they began to catch up on what the other kids were doing and how their careers were going. They talked a lot, but it was rare that they got to be alone to talk and reminisce. Not that Jess was big on bringing up the past, but being at the bridge was his kind of reminiscing. Being in familiar places where he had had good times and hanging out with people close to him, that was how he waxed nostalgic.

"No, Ralphie! Don't do it! Didn't anyone ever tell you that you'll shoot your eye out?" Lorelai cried at the television as her granddaughter threw popcorn at the screen.

"Maybe he wants to shoot his eye out, so he won't have to look at that tacky leg lamp," Ella pointed out.

"Nah, he thought that was tres sexy," Lorelai used her best French accent, perfected from years of badgering her Parisian co-worker, Michel. "He just really hated that bunny outfit and now needs to feel manly. What's more manly than a gun?"

"It could be worse. He could be tongue-on-metal-pole-boy," Ella agreed.

"Why must we watch this movie five hundred times on Thanksgiving?" Luke complained, coming back into the living room with Tristan next to him.

"Luke, it's tradition," Lorelai chastised him, taking a handful of popcorn from the bowl in Ella's lap to throw at him.

"It's mind numbing, and it's the third time tonight you've watched it," he came back.

"The kids love it," she said, pointed around as the kids were sprawled about, lying on pillows on the floor as they watched Ralphie go down the big Santa slide at the department store.

"It's pointless," he tried again.

"It's about family togetherness, and it signals the coming of the Holiday season," she said, patting the seat next to her on the couch. Giving up for now and hopeful that he could wrestle the remote from her before it began over again, he sat down next to his wife.

Tristan pulled Ella up and sat down so he could reposition her so she was now sitting on his lap, just as he used do to when she was little. She snuggled up against his shoulder and the group continued to watch the movie. He let his eyes drift for a moment from the screen, secretly loathing the movie as well himself, and noticed that he wasn't the only not paying attention to the screen. Billy Melville was openly watching Ella laugh and mock the film with Lorelai until he noticed he too was being watched. He diverted his eyes and stared very attentively at the screen. Satisfied with his efforts, Tristan glanced once more from the television to the boy, then back to the screen.

Finally feeling a little peckish, Anna was scrounging around in the kitchen, warming up some leftovers in the microwave. She knew there were still a few more hours until the families would head back to their respective houses to pass out, and it was the first time she'd been hungry in days. She felt a certain amount of relief just having someone close to her know what had happened. She took the plate out of the microwave and put a fork into a piece of turkey as she popped it into her mouth.

"Aw, good, you're eating!"

"Hey, Mom," she smiled as her mom hugged her to her while she chewed.

"Feeling better, Sugar Plum?"

"Yeah, I am," she nodded, willing her mother not to worry.

"Good. I'm here, honey, if you want to talk. About anything," she added, as she let go of her daughter.

"Thanks, Mom," she smiled warmly and nodded as she took a bite of stuffing.

Sookie smiled again as left as Davey came into the kitchen and hopped up to sit on the counter next to his sister. Satisfied that someone was around to keep her company, Sookie went off to sit with Jackson and relax a little.

"Hey, Dave, can I sleep on your couch tonight?"

"My couch? You sure?"

"I just think it'll be better than sleeping at home. I just need some time where Mom isn't Mother Hen-ing me to death," she shrugged.

"She's just worried about you," he pointed out.

"I know she means well. I just need some time before I talk to her."

"The couch isn't as comfortable as your own bed," he reasoned.

"Do you not want me over?"

"Nah, come on over. I'm sure Will's fine with it," he assured her.

"Good. Thanks, Davey."

He nodded and eyed her carefully as she put another forkful of food into her mouth. She chewed unconsciously until she realized he was watching her carefully, and her mastication slowed to a stop.

"What?" she said through a half full mouth.

"Did you tell Will what's going on?"

"Stop, Dave," she shook her head, resuming her chewing.

"You did, didn't you?"

"Dave, I don't want to talk about it. End of story."

"This isn't the end of the story," he said as Will came back into the house through the back door. He'd gone out to take out the bags of trash the massive group had created since dinner.

"Hey, guys," he said, rubbing his hands together, trying to warm them up from the cold air.

Anna smiled and carried her plate into the front room to watch the movie with the others. Davey remained on the counter and Will went to get a glass of water. He too, noticed that he was being watched and narrowed his eyes at his friend and roommate.

"What?"

"Anna's sleeping over tonight," he tested him.

"O-kay."

"Where'd you guys go earlier?"

"We took a walk."

"She say anything interesting?"

"Dave," Will sighed, but didn't get to finish as he was interrupted by a knock at the back door. He opened it and crossed his arms angrily.

"What the hell do you want?" he asked as he stared right into the eyes of his ex-girlfriend.

AN: Okay. We are moved. We have our cable modem ordered. For now, I'm still at the library every few days, but hopefully I'll have unlimited access by the end of this week/beginning of this next week. Then I should be able to write more and update way more often. Thanks to everyone who is reviewing, and to those of you still discovering the first two as well.