Thankyou for the reviews.
So I forgot to mention that I have no claim to Gilmore Girls. Such a shame. And I'm sure as it came as a suprise that you may have a bit of trouble getting over.
Yeah, ...right. On with the story.
"Oh, I was just about to come see you," Luke greeted when he saw Lorelai and Rory sitting at the counter. Lorelai stared blankly at him.
"What, do you do coffee deliveries now? Because if it was just a friendly visit that you had in mind, I highly doubt that you'd have gotten the positive reaction you were looking for without coffee in hand," she informed him apologetically.
"What a shame. I was expecting you to roll out the red carpet, hire a Big Band to play when I arrived, the whole shindig," Luke replied sarcastically.
"I could've played 'Hot Cross Buns' on the recorder if you wanted," Rory offered.
"Now, there's hospitality, heh?" Lorelai winked.
"Actually, you have a visitor that I was going to escort to your place once breakfast was over," Luke said elusively as he poured to mugs of coffee.
"I knew Johnny would come for me some day!" Lorelai cried in delight. Luke shot Rory a questioning look.
"Johnny Depp obsessed. We watched 'Crybaby' last night. She quoted Amy Locane's lines the whole way through and pretended he was singing to her. Very disturbing," she filled him in.
"Right," Luke nodded.
"Hi, Rory," Jess greeted, very low key as he passed by.
"Hi," Rory returned quietly. Lorelai stared after him.
"Hi, Jess! Yeah, I'm doing just fine. Thanks for asking," she said sarcastically before turning back to Luke with a curious smile, "So, this visitor. Do they come with bunny suit intact?"
"No," Luke frowned.
"...Do they come on bikes with bibles and little wooden crosses?"
"No."
"...Oh, I know. Rory, it's that extremely, filthy rich guy who claims he was my lover in the past life. Luke, did he have a prominent birthmark behind his right ear? 'Cause if he did, it's not really him," Lorelai told him secretly.
"I will definately keep that in mind for the next time a guy claims to have been your lover in the past life," Luke assured her, "This visitor, however, is female and goes by the name of Jessica Starling."
Lorelai and Rory looked at eachother, brows creased when they asked in unison, "Marie?" Luke nodded.
"Marie is in Stars Hollow?" Lorelai whispered, shooting a glance over her shoulder to be sure that no one else had heard the news. Kirk quickly went back to pretending to read his newspaper.
"But I thought she was in LA," Rory commented in a hushed tone.
"So did I. But apparently she's home for the holidays," Luke shrugged, trying to act natural under the straying glances of the snooping customers in the restaurant.
"Where is she?" Lorelai quietly inquired. Luke shot a look above his head to the apartment.
Lorelai and Rory quickly slipped upstairs.
Marie flicked on the TV just as Entertainment Weekly was starting.
"...all about truth tonight at E.W. We will unveil the truth in the rumours surrounding the Olsen Twins money troubles, Brad Pitt's plan to buy the multi-million dollar fast food company, McDonalds and the shock disappearance of up and coming actress, Jessica Starling. Don't go away, now."
Marie widened her eyes, exasperated, at the screen. They widened all the more when a knock sounded at the door and she quickly turned off the TV. She bit her lip before striding to the door.
"Who is it?" she inquired bluntly.
"Oh my God! It's really her! Excuse me, Miss Starling, can we have your autograph!"
Marie rolled her eyes and unlocked and opened the door, "Hi, Lorelai."
"All your cousin gets is 'hi'?" Lorelai demanded, pulling the girl into a tight embrace, "I am shocked and appalled. What have they been teaching you at this highly prestigious and very expensive all girls school that I sent you to?"
"Well, Lorelai, there is something I should of told you a while ago. I haven't actually been going to that school that you've been spending all that money on. I've taken to flirting with, seducing and otherwise making out with famous actors on the big screen instead," Marie informed her sadly.
"What is this 'Big Screen' you talk about with such fervor?" Lorelai mused as Marie pulled Rory into a hug.
"It's so good to see you," Rory grinned.
"You too. How'd you find out I was here?" Marie asked.
"Luke. And though I must admit that it was a bit of a let down to discover that Johnny hadn't come for me yet, we're still very happy to have you," Lorelai slipped an arm around Marie's shoulders.
"Johnny? ...Not going to ask," Marie decided.
"Smart move," Rory sighed.
"Where's your stuff?" Lorelai asked eagerly. Marie disappeared into the apartment momentarily and returned with her duffel bag, ready to leave.
Lorelai and Rory stared at her blankly, unmoving.
"...That's your stuff?" Rory checked, pointing at Marie's bag. Marie frowned and looked down to her average looking piece of luggage.
"Yes."
"That's all you brought? But where's your exclusive Calvin Klein wardrobe? And your expensive Sachi shoe collection?... And our gifts?" Lorelai pouted. Marie laughed. Lorelai had never been one for subtlety.
"It was kind of just a spontaneous decision to come to Stars Hollow. I didn't have time to go shopping for you," she told her cousin apologetically. Lorelai pouted more as Rory rolled her eyes.
"Mom. She's our guest. Don't you think you're being a little impolite?"
"You can't blame me for being a little disappointed that my cousin has been in Hollywood for five years and can't even manage to bring home an expensive lip gloss or perfume... nalipolish... foot scrub... waxing lotion... even a Estee Lauder nailpolish remover would've been just fine," Lorelai whined, stomping her foot like a spoiled child.
"Sorry, Lorelai," Marie smiled as they closed the door behind her and started making their way back down the hall.
"See, I'd accept that if you had brought some expensive clothes and shoes for your poor family instead. Do you know that Rory had had the same pair of leather boots for three months now? You have to understand that we are really roughing it compared to you glamorous actors and actresses," Lorelai sighed sadly.
"Sorry, Lorelai," Marie apologized again.
Lorelai sniffled as they started down the stairs. It was then that they heard the commotion coming from the diner. They slowed slightly but kept coming down the stairs, pausing to listen at the bottom.
Luke had been trying to keep the curiosity of the crowd under control while the Gilmores had been talking upstairs.
"Who is it, Luke?"
"Why can't I know? I won't tell anyone."
"Just give me their name. That's it."
More people had turned up. Miss Patty, notably. And not far behind her came a group of excited looking men, followed by a cranky looking Taylor. Luke sighed, shooting a pleading look at Jess who sat on one of the stools, nonplussed. Jess caught the look.
"What do you want me to do? Put on a stripped shirt, fling a bit of rope around the room and start a Royal Rumble?" he smirked.
"I'll bet you get compliments all the time on your helpful suggestions from your teachers at school," Luke replied sarcastically before turning back to the murmuring, nosey crowd, "Unless you're here for coffee, get out."
"Diplomatic," Jess commented.
"Thanks, Henry Kissinger," Luke scowled. Jess nodded to signal he was welcome.
"Luke! Luke!" Miss Patty called as she pushed her way through the rest of the crowd, "Oh, Luke! Please don't tell me it's true!"
"Tell you what's not true?" Luke asked testily.
Miss Patty shot a few dramatic glances around her before leaning in close, "Has Rory come down with yellow fever?"
Luke just frowned in puzzlement and shook his head before lifting up his hands to catch everyone's attention.
"Okay, everybody. I hardly think my coffee attracted all of you so if you're here for other reasons, it's time to leave the restaurant. There's nothing to see here."
"He's right. Everybody out!" Taylor commanded loudly. Luke looked at him in suprise.
"And what did I do to gain your favor, Taylor?"
"You interrupted my Men's Self Help And Understanding meeting," Taylor informed him huffily, pointing out the group of men he had followed there, "They all came running when Miss Patty paraded down the street shouting that there was a fight at Luke's."
Luke cocked his head to Miss Patty, "I thought you thought that Rory had come down with yellow fever."
She shrugged, "Well, that I was informed of only after I passed Taylor's meeting. Before then I was under the impression that Kirk had picked a fight with the new postman."
Luke shook his head in confusion and shouted at the crowd again, "Everybody out now! There's nothing here!"
Unfortunately, it was at that moment that Lorelai, Rory and Marie chose to sneak down, appearing at the bottom of the stairs and returning the crowd's stare of awe. Luke lifted his brows in suprise at the sudden silence that had befallen the people filling his restaurant. It appeared that he was being listened to.
"...Uh, thankyou. Now, if you could all just go home and-"
"Luke," Jess interrupted.
"Be quiet, Jess. Now, you can all come for coffee some other time but-"
"Luke!" Jess exclaimed, motioning towards the three Gilmores standing awkwardly. Lorelai fluttered her fingers, a tight thankful smile on her lips at his attempts, failed or not.
That was as long as the silence lasted. Both of the names 'Marie Gilmore' and 'Jessica Starling' were thrown around, some sounding negative and others reminiscent. Marie looked at the floor to avoid the eyes that scrutinized her freely. Luke quickly piped up again.
"Alright, even if there is something here for you all to see, you're all going to have to leave!"
"Right now!" Taylor added pointedly at his group of men who needed to learn self help and understanding. Miss Patty smiled and waved at Marie before ushering out the large crowd of vocally disappointed on lookers.
"That went well," Jess said quietly once all were gone.
"Quite the performance," Luke added.
"Well done," Rory congratulated Marie who rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, if only the Oscar committee had seen that one, eh?"
"I'm late for work and I still haven't had a coffee," Lorelai sighed.
All eyes turned to her.
She shrugged, dragging her feet out the door and Rory and Marie followed slowly.
