CHAPTER 3

Summary: Rory returns to Star's Hollow after leaving and being gone for almost four years... some things are different, but some things never change.

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it's not mine.

A/N: I changed the conversation between Rory and Matt in this chapter, so you should re-read Chapter 3. Chapter 4 should be up soon, I'm almost done with it. Sorry for the wait!

Last time…

"What did you expect her to say, Rory? You show up after years of having little or no contact with her. She was confused."

She saw the fourth photo… Her hand froze in mid-air, and then in one quick movement she pushed the photo face down on her dresser.

"We could go to Luke's."

Rory and Lorelai stepped into Luke's, the familiar sound of the bell greeting them as they opened the door. The diner was almost empty, with only one older couple whom Rory did not recognize sitting at a table.

They sat down at a table in the corner and waited in silence for a minute before Lorelai stood up.

"I'll go see if Luke's in the back," she said.

"He allows you behind the counter?" Rory asked

"You'll notice that Luke's become a softy about his rules lately. Sometimes, he even offers coffee before I ask him for it."

"Wow."

Lorelai went into the kitchen, and Rory pulled a book out of her purse as she smiled, remembering all the times she had read in Luke's diner in her past.

Rory opened the book and began to read. Howard Roark laughed…

Time passed, and Rory, caught up in her book, did not notice someone staring at her. Eventually, she began to feel that someone was looking at her, and glanced up.

Her eyes locked with his eyes and she closed her book.

"Hi," she said faintly.

"Hey."

"I didn't know you were here."

"I could say the same to you." They continued to stare at each other for a moment, until the silence of the diner was broken by Rory's cell phone ringing. Thankful for the interruption, she answered her phone, hoping that her voice sounded normal.

"Hello?"

"Hi, honey. How's the town?"

She stood up and walked out of the diner, trying not to look at him. Only when she was standing on the sidewalk did she talk.

"Hi, Matt," Rory said, trying to catch her breath.

"Is something wrong? You don't sound too good."

"No… nothing's wrong."

"I'm glad. So, did you tell your mom yet?" he asked eagerly.

"My mom? Umm, no. I just got here this afternoon, the timing hasn't really been right," Rory replied. "But I will soon. Tonight."

"Great." He was quiet for a moment, and Rory didn't say anything else.

"I was thinking," he said suddenly. "I'd really like to meet your family and see where you grew up."

"Yeah, that would be nice," Rory said inattentively.

"You could take some more time off from work, and I have weeks of vacation time I can use. I could be down in Stars Hollow on Sunday."

"What? Sunday?" She replied, startled.

"To meet your mom. You'll still be visiting then, and it's about time, don't you think?"

"Well, Matt, you know my mom and I haven't been that close lately."

"Yeah?"

"And it might be kind of a shock for her, you know, for me to visit, tell her, and then meet you so suddenly."

"I have to meet her sometime."

"I know."

"Maybe it'll make the news easier for her to take, if she sees me and knows that I really exist," he said, laughing at the last bit.

"Um, yeah, sure," Rory said, giving in. "I guess that would work… you don't have to, though. It's not really that interesting here. There aren't many things to see." What was she saying? This was her fiancé, the man she had said yes to, Rory thought. Of course he should meet her mom.

He laughed again. "I'll see you Sunday afternoon."

"OK."

"I love you."

"I, uh, yeah, you too." She hung up quickly before he could say anything else. She walked back into the diner, where her mom was sitting at a table with two plates of food in front of her.

"I hope one of those is mine," Rory said.

"Well...you are my daughter. I suppose I have to share with you," Lorelai said jokingly, yet not jokingly enough for Rory to not be startled. That's not how she really feels, Rory thought as she sat down. Is it?

The second Lorelai saw the look on Rory's face she wished she could take back what she said.

"Rory, I didn't mean-"

"I know. It's OK."

She took a bite of her hamburger, trying to glance discreetly around the diner without her mother noticing. He wasn't here anymore. She had expected this to relieve her, but for some reason it did not.

Rory suddenly put down her hamburger.

"I have to go now. I'll see you back at the house." With that, she stood up and began to walk out of the diner quickly. Just as she stepped onto the sidewalk she felt a hand on her arm.

"Rory, honey. What's wrong?" Lorelai asked.

Rory tried to shake her off. "Nothing. I just… It's a little hard being back."

Lorelai stared at her, but then she seemed to calm down and she smiled at Rory. "OK. I understand. But I want you to talk to me, Rory. Can I come with you? We can have a movie night, we haven't had one of those in years."

Rory shrugs. "Fine," she says, trying to act indifferent, but seems a little relieved to have someone to talk to.