Disclaimer: I do not own anyone who you might recognize. Mickey and Elizabeth are owned by Lindsay. Owen is owned by me.

A/N: Thanks to Sarah for being such a great beta-reader. And thank you, Lindsay, for coming up with the whole idea and then browbeating me into writing it. Good call by you.

For those of you concerned about pairings, please try to be patient, L/L will happen and M/O will happen. I just wanted M to grow up a little bit first and they both needed some school. Trust me, though, I've got big plans for 'em.

xoxoxo

"What? You're moving what?"

"I don't think that's actually a sentence," Rory cajoled as she fiddled with her silverware, wishing the food would arrive. She looked up at Lane who stood at the counter and tried to catch her friend's eye.

"Don't change the subject," chided Lorelai, trying to remain calm. "Are you telling me that the rumors are true? You're moving to Europe?"

Rory tried the puppy-dog eyes but her mother wouldn't budge. The hard blue stare seemed to cut right through her and she felt her shoulders sag.

"I know I should have told you first but I was worried you'd…"

"Act like this?" Lorelai's voice shot up a notch. "So how many people knew before I did? Please don't say Grandma and Grandpa."

Rory shrank a little in her chair and gave her mother a look of guilty pleading. "I'm sorry. I got off the phone after accepting the job and a second later Grandma called."

Lorelai sat back in her chair. "Wow."

"It's not the end of the world, it's not even for the next ten years." Lorelai rolled her eyes, unmoved so Rory continued. "It's the BBC! How could I say no to the BBC?"

"By saying, 'no'," Lorelai replied a little frostily.

"Please don't be mad. Think of the visits! You'll have to come and see me and remember how much fun we had in London?"

Lorelai shrugged, not wanting to feel better. Before she could speak, Luke arrived with their plates of food and nodded at Rory. "Congratulations," he said before offering Lorelai a shy smile and departing again.

"Luke knows," Lorelai said matter-of-factly, feeling secretly swoony over the smile. "Luke knew before I knew."

"It's possible that he found out in the last few seconds," Rory said lamely before taking a bite of burger.

They ate in silence for a few minutes and then Rory said quietly, "Don't be mad. The Times is great but the BBC…I just couldn't…." she trailed off unable to put into words the excited at being asked to join one of the premiere news agencies in the world.

Lorelai softened. "I'm not mad," she finally said with a lift of her shoulders. "I'm just…going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you, too."

Mother and daughter looked at each other and felt the years slipping away. The bell jingled just then and they both turned to see Mickey come in dressed in a pair of black slacks and a light blue oxford neatly tucked in. Her shiny black loafers matched the stylish black belt cinched at her little waist and her unruly red curls were mostly tied back at the nape of her neck. She waved at them and headed to the counter for coffee.

"How time flies," Rory murmured as they continued to watch.

Lorelai nodded and smiled. "She's something else, all right." And then, as if the sight of Mickey had brought him to mind she said, "Does Owen know?"

Rory looked guilty again and took a bite of burger so that she wouldn't have to answer right away. Lorelai was back to the hard stare when Rory had finished chewing and Lorelai begun to drum her fingertips along the shiny table's rim.

"I'm telling him tonight."

Lorelai shook her head disapprovingly. "You two are the weirdest couple ever." Mickey arrived at their side just as the words hit the air and her steps faltered a little.

"Hey there," Mickey said.

"Hi, Mick," Rory said with a bright smile.

"How's it going?" asked Lorelai.

"Okay," Mickey said, clutching her to-go cup of coffee in one hand, the other fidgeting with a belt loop. "I took E to her first day of Kindergarten this morning and it's all I can do to keep from breaking down the door to take her back out. This is harder than I thought it'd be."

"She's having a great time," Lorelai assured her.

"Mom's right," Rory added.

"I know, I just can't stop worrying," Mickey said with a flush that inched up her delicate white throat until her cheeks and then the tips of her ears were bright pink.

"You wanna join us?" asked Lorelai.

"I've got to get back to the inn," Mickey answered, "but thanks. See you later."

"I'll be there," Lorelai nodded.

They waved and watched Mickey leave.

"That was weird," Rory observed.

"What?"

"The way she kind of tripped when you said what you said about us being a weird couple."

"She didn't trip. Did she?"

Rory looked at her mother. "She tripped. And I just don't get it. Owen has always sworn that there was nothing there. They were never a couple, right?"

Lorelai nodded.

"Okay then," Rory said, feeling vindicated.

"Although…" Lorelai began.

"What?"

"They were awfully close for a while there. Before he left for med school. To hear her tell it, he got her through the G.E.D."

"But I asked him, point blank, if they were ever together and he said no."

Lorelai shrugged. "Are you going to try to keep dating once you're gone?"

Rory pursed her lips as if she hadn't decided yet and then allowed, "I don't know. I care about Owen a lot but…"

"Wait," Lorelai said. "You care about him? You've been dating for a while now and there's still no 'L' word?"

Rory blushed this time and shook her head. "It just never felt like the right time. Owen's great but…"

"That's the second 'but' in ten seconds," Lorelai declared. "I try to stay out of your love life, but this is crazy. Are you telling me you've been dating Owen for almost four years and you're not necessarily in love him?"

"It was convenient," Rory said defensively. "We like each other a lot and we're extremely compatible, we're goal oriented, and focused, we enjoy the same movies and music and food…."

Lorelai stared at Rory and for the second time said, "Wow."

Mickey walked slowly back to the inn taking deep sips of her coffee. She'd overheard what Lorelai had said about Rory and Owen being the weirdest couple. At least she'd gotten confirmation of the rumor, though. Rory was definitely moving to London. Lane had given her the news as she'd poured the coffee.

Her heart fluttered a little in her chest and she smiled, before taking another sip.