Things Change, Kid

What if she comes home drunk? Lorelai flashed back to that night with Max as she heard Rory clamber across the porch and open the door.

"Mom!" She said loudly. Lorelai just gave her a look of reproach from her seat on the couch.

"You better go to bed, Rory. We can talk in the morning." Rory looked somber for a moment but did as she was told, the door to her room shutting with a bang. Lorelai hugged herself as a tear slipped down her cheek. Headlights flickered across the walls again and Lorelai greeted Luke at the door. He looked exhausted but frowned when he saw Lorelai.

"What's wrong?"

Lorelai sighed. "Rory came home from that party drunk," she breathed.

"Ah geez," Luke enveloped her in his arms. "Are you okay?"

"Not really." Lorelai shook her head, clinching her fists. "I hate them for doing this to her. They know she would do anything to please them and they're manipulating her to get what they want."

"I'm afraid to ask what that is."

"Someone who's not me," Lorelai said resignedly.

"And you raised Rory to not be that way either. Maybe she feels like she should be, but she'll figure it out." Luke reassured her, rubbing her shoulders.

But will she realize it soon enough? Lorelai wondered. "So did TJ ever leave?"

Luke groaned. "He fell asleep."

Lorelai chuckled. "I think we need a getaway house."

"Definitely. I'll buy that one Liz and TJ looked at," Luke teased.

Lorelai smiled as she leaned in to kiss him. "Do you want to come in? Have some cheesecake?"

"You didn't eat it all yet?" Luke was surprised. "Was it that bad?"

"No, it's delicious. I just ate too much. There's a little left. Come in, I'll make some tea," Lorelai insisted.

"I better not if Rory's here."

"Don't be silly, she'll be passed out until noon tomorrow."

"Lorelai, I--"

"Please stay. I need you here."

"Of course." He let her lead him into the living room where the cheesecake sat, half-finished and The Daily Show flickering on the TV.

"Be right back," she whispered. Lorelai started the tea, convincing herself not to listen at Rory's door to make sure she wasn't still awake. She slipped back into the living room and Luke gave her a kiss as she sat down.

"You sure you don't want anymore?" He asked, pointing to the cheesecake. Lorelai shook her head.

"I don't feel very good." Luke nodded solemnly, slipping an arm around her. Lorelai sighed and put her chin on his shoulder. Luke chuckled at a joke as The Daily Show returned but Lorelai didn't react, just got up to make the tea.

"Hey, everything will be fine," Luke said as she handed him a mug. "You'll get through this." He rubbed her shoulder and she shot him a small smile.

"Thanks. I know Rory's different from me, I guess I didn't realize how different." Lorelai shuddered. "It was horrible. She got out of a limo with about 15 guys, in her nice dress and her hair up, and she had on this diamond necklace and tiara my mother must have given her."

"So you never wanted to wear a diamond necklace and tiara?" Luke frowned. "Rory's just acting like a princess."

"Yeah well, I hope she learns that royalty isn't all its cracked up to be." Lorelai took his hand. "Sorry, I don't mean to be so crabby after you stayed with me."

"I know, it's okay." Lorelai finished her tea and cuddled up next to Luke. The next thing she remembered was stirring slightly at almost 5 a.m. as Luke left for work. Lorelai finally got up at ten and peeked into Rory's room. She had collapsed on her bed, her curls falling around her face. Lorelai busied herself around the house for a couple hours before Rory shuffled out of her room.

"Hey sleepyhead."

"God, is it really 12? Why didn't you wake me up? I have a ton of work to do."

"Going back to campus already?" Lorelai frowned. "Why didn't you just get the limo to drive you and the boys back last night?"

"Look, yesterday wasn't the best day for me, so just lay off, okay?" Rory snapped.

"Fine, I'm leaving for Luke's. You can come when you're ready. Or not. Your choice." Without waiting for her daughter's reply, she marched off to the diner.

"You could have waited ten minutes," Rory replied when she showed up 20 minutes later, face scrubbed and dressed in jeans and a sweater.

"I was starving. You know how I get crabby with an empty stomach."

"Do I," Luke interjected. "Morning, Rory."

"Hey, Luke." Rory ordered and sat looking around the diner. "You're quiet," she noted.

"I was just a little disappointed last night. I know you're in college but I thought--"

"I know. Like I said, I had a bad night."

"Well, explain. What happened in between your call and you showing up last night smelling like scotch?" Lorelai knew she was being impossible, but she didn't really care.

"Dean."

"He came to the party?" Lorelai frowned over her mug of coffee.

"I told him to pick me up at 8:30. I was busy and so I was late and he saw some of those guys..." She trailed off. "He looked so hurt, mom."

"Oh sweetie," she breathed. "I tried to tell my parents last night that you didn't need another boyfriend."

"It's useless telling them anything apparently." Rory shrugged.

"You don't have to do what they want you to, you know."

"I know, but I just thought--"

"That things might get better for them? No, they just need to deal with that separately from you and me. Emily and Richard Gilmore reuniting to destroy our love lives isn't going to turn their relationship around." Lorelai breathed. She had promised not to take her anger out on her daughter. "I—I realized last night that maybe you do want this though. I just thought after telling you how awful it all was--"

"I think I can figure that out for myself," Rory snapped. "There are some guys I'm friends with, that I like. They make me feel better."

"Oh." Lorelai tried to be understanding. "I just worry about you."

"I can take care of myself."

"I'm not so sure after last night."

"Mom," Rory whined.

"Sorry," she shook her head. "It's going to take some adjusting for me, okay? I never imagined you'd run to the things I ran away from. Is this really what you want?"

"I—I don't know. Maybe." Rory sighed.

"I guess I don't see your grandparents' world as being you."

"No, that's not you, mom."

"Just promise me you won't forget what you're working for? You're supposed to be standing in a foxhole somewhere, blowing the world away with your charm and beauty as bombs go off around you, not standing in the middle of some dull cocktail party flirting with some guy with a trust fund." Lorelai glanced over at Luke, who smiled at her. For the millionth time since Rory came home, she imagined what things would have been like if she had followed her parents' advice almost two decades ago.

I wouldn't be here. I would have a huge house and a maid and a college degree, but I wouldn't have the inn, Rory, or Luke. She looked at Rory, who was eating. This is so much better, kid.