Unconscious Fears

By: Alyson Tierney

Disclaimer: I do not own Lorelai or Rory Gilmore, or any other character associated with Gilmore Girls the way it is seen on television. Those characters and other related things and ideas belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB Network. However, Alicia and Arielle's characters are figments of my own imagination, so I do own them. Please do not use them without my permission. Thank you.

Author's Note: This story is the sequel to my story "Arielle." Everything that has happened up to the Gilmore Girls episode "Not as Cute as Pushkin" is consistent with this story, but after that, it takes its own path, so relationships and other facts may be different than on the show. I am not a dream doctor, or a medical doctor, nor do I know anything about dreams or medicine, so if the information is way off, please don't shout at me.

I just wanted to note that I am well aware of the similarities in this story to previous stories. I'm drawing a parallel that you will hopefully understand in the end. Thank you to those who reviewed the first chapters, I'm glad to see some familiar faces as well as some new ones. It's each and every one of yours' feedback, comments, likes, and dislikes that helps this story. Enjoy and please R&R!

CHAPTER FIVE

Lorelai rushed down the stairs in the Gilmore house the next evening. Pretty necklace in hand, she knocked on the door to her daughter's room, "Entréz!" Rory's voice called out. Lorelai opened the door, and smiled, her daughter looked especially stunning in her red and black top, stretch jeans, and chunky shoes, her hair curled around her face.

"Wow. My baby's all grown up into a beautiful woman." Lorelai beamed with pride, causing Rory to grin, "Turn around, I have something for you."

"What is it?" Rory asked, turning around obediently. When her mom placed the necklace around her neck, Rory lifted her hair, and smiled, "Pretty. What's the occasion?"

Lorelai shrugged, "I just felt like giving my daughter something pretty to wear as she goes out into the college kingdom with her two best friends and her boyfriend. Maybe this will encourage her to return home, and not join a traveling dance coupe."

"I don't dance." Rory said, letting her hair go, and turning to face her mom.

"You don't now, but you never know what'll happen after five beers and two tequila shots." Lorelai raised an eyebrow as she grinned at her daughter.

"I'll throw up?" Rory asked.

"Exactly." Lorelai said, dryly. She whipped her head around as the doorbell rang. Throwing an arm over her daughter's shoulder, the two of them walked to the door, and Lorelai flung it open, "Hey, girls!"

"Hi, Lorelai!" Alicia said, stepping into the house, carrying Arielle and her diaper bag, "Hey, Rory, your driver has arrived."

Lane stepped in after them, "She's lucky she's got breastfeeding as an excuse not to drink or else we might have a problem later."

Lorelai took Arielle from her mother, "No problems, please. I want three living, breathing, and healthy women tomorrow morning." She said, as she bounced Arielle gently on her hip. The baby smiled and reached out for Lorelai's hair. Arielle loved to play with hair, and her mother had cut her hair so it was above her chin, as to avoid little hands grabbing it.

"Living, breathing, and healthy—got it." Lane smiled, as Rory grabbed her coat, "We'll be back before dawn."

"I hope." Rory added, "Kidding!" Rory grinned at Lorelai's playful glare.

"Have fun, girls!" Lorelai said, before turning her attention to Arielle, "Say bye bye, Ari!"

Arielle waved to her mom, Rory, and Lane. Alicia took her daughter's face in her hands and kissed her, "Mommy loves you. Have fun with Lorelai."

Lorelai raised her voice to speak in baby talk, "I love you, Mommy! Have fun at your party! Don't worry about me and Auntie Lorelai, we'll have a swell time watching R-rated movies!" Arielle giggled, and Alicia rolled her eyes.

"Great. You're going to warp my child. I'm eternally grateful." Alicia said, grinning.

"Bye, Mom." Rory said, giving her mom a hug and a quick kiss, "Have fun, Ari."

"Bye, babe. Have a good time." Lorelai said. As the door closed, she went to the window, so Arielle could look out. The baby always liked to watch the car drive away, she had a fascination with things that moved, "See, Ari? They're going to a party. When you get older, you'll go to parties, too, but not for a very long time, ok?" Lorelai asked the infant.

Arielle smiled, her bright blue eyes sparkling. She giggled, reaching her hand up to twirl her auburn locks a few times, before squirming to get down. Lorelai placed her on the floor, and watched as she pulled herself along the floor. She finally reached the coffee table and quick as a bunny, grabbed her soft red ball, and put it in her mouth.

"Teething?" Lorelai asked, as she sat down next to her, "You're much too happy for a teething baby." Lorelai grinned as she watched the small child. She reminded Lorelai a lot of Rory when she'd been that little, barring the cheerfulness while teething. Arielle had cut three teeth, and hadn't stopped smiling. She chewed on things a lot, but almost never cried. Rory had cried often when she'd been teething, there had been nights when Lorelai had been afraid she'd never stop.

The party was in full swing already by the time Alicia, Rory, and Lane met Logan in the driveway. He was sitting on the hood of his car, swaying to the music that was blaring from inside the house.

"Hey, Ace!" Logan exclaimed, jumping off the car and meeting Rory with a long kiss. She lost herself in Logan's touch, before remembering her friends, and pulling away. Both Lane and Alicia were staring at her with goofy grins on their faces.

"Sorry." Rory said, sheepishly.

"No, don't be sorry!" Lane said, quickly.

"Never be sorry." Alicia added, grinning at her best friend.

Rory laughed, "Okay. Logan, these are my best friends, Lane and Alicia. Lane, Alicia, this is my…this is Logan."

"Hi, Logan!" Alicia and Lane said in unison.

Rory rolled her eyes, "Let's go, guys." She said, taking Logan's arm and hurrying him up the sidewalk.

Rory's fears that her friends wouldn't fit in with the Yale elite were soon diminished as Lane immediately was surrounded by guys. By the time the first five minutes were up, Alicia seemed to be fairly comfortable mingling with a few of Rory's female classmates. Logan soon had Rory occupied on the dance floor, and the night seemed to be going very smoothly—until the kegs of beer arrived.

Alicia watched, a little worried, as she saw how freely her friends drank. When they were done with their glass, they just got another. Neither Lane nor Rory seemed to count how many drinks they were having. Alicia had always done that, even when she herself was still in college. A lot of people got pregnant because they were drunk or high, but Alicia simply had made a stupid decision. Of course, she now had Arielle, the light of her life, so it wasn't at all bad.

Alicia looked at her watch, deciding she was going to give them five more minutes before she dragged their butts out of there, "Okay, maybe three minutes." She amended, as she watched a man wearing absolutely nothing go sauntering past. He was carrying about five bottles of beer, and had a 'Y' drawn on his butt cheeks in blue marker. She didn't really care to find out why.

"Okay, Lainey! Let's go!" Alicia said, grabbing her friend as she walked past.

"Go? To Hawaii?" Lane asked, as she looked at her friend, "I don't think I can fly that far."

"No, no flying. I'm going to drive us home. Where's Rory?" Alicia asked.

"She's…hic…over there…hic…with Logan and the punch bowl…hic…cutie." Lane said, hiccupping her way through the sentence.

"Wonderful." Alicia said, taking Lane's hand and going over to the punch bowl. She noticed that Logan was just about as sloshed as Rory, and immediately took his cuteness rating down a few notches in her head, "Ror, let's go." Alicia said, holding out her hand.

"Can my Mackie come with us?" Rory asked, pulling her lips into a pout.

"No, Logan can't come with us." Alicia said, a little forcefully. She knew Rory, and any bit of relenting in Alicia's voice would be immediately heard as a way to break Alicia down.

"Fine!" Rory glared at Alicia. She grabbed Logan in a searing kiss that would have been more truly passionate had they not both been completely drunk. She then stomped past Alicia and Lane, towards the door. Alicia rolled her eyes, and she and Lane followed, waving goodbye to Logan.