Great Timing ch 5

Author: Chaosti

Title: Trapped

A/N: Frak! I'm updating! The world is coming to an end! Save the coffee! Here is my list of reasons as to why I have not updated before now: I was kidnapped and held hostage by the KGB for three months and three seconds after being rescued by a rather hot CIA agent, aliens abducted me and experimented on me before beaming me back down to earth where I then spent the next few months making polite conversation with a bean bag chair named Larry. At least that's what my therapist tells me.

A/N: Can't fool you guys twice. Everyone who guessed it was Logan's sister gets a cookie and a shiny nickle. Also, before I found out that his sis's name was Honor, I named her Sarah in the first chapter so I'm gonna stick with that. Who names a kid Honor Huntzberger? Poor thing, I'm doing the character a good deed.

"Hey Huntzberger, you'll never guess who I found." Stephanie called out to her friend.

A blond girl a year or so younger than Rory bounded into the shop and came to a stop in front of Steph. Rory had never met her in person, but she had seen plenty of pictures of her. Sarah Elizabeth Huntzberger was a classic beauty, warm brown eyes and blond hair falling in ringlets down her back. Sarah was the spitting image of her older brother. Rory's breath caught in her throat at the sight. It was as though she was looking at a picture of her old boyfriend, something she still did late at night when the unsettling dreams and guilt over her actions made sleep an impossibility. She still had some pictures, she was saving them in an album for when Chris grew up and asked about his Daddy.

Rory remembered to breathe when the tightness in her chest became painful, and she drew in a ragged breath. First her mind was sent spiraling when Steph showed up on the front doorstep of her new life and then when her old pal had called out the name Huntzberger Rory could have sworn she felt her heart stop. To call this afternoon 'eventful' would be an understatement. Anymore surprises and Rory would have to be medicated. Still, there was a considerable crisis on her hands and she had to deal with it before it got out of hand. She had practice making the best out of things; that's what she would do now.

Sensing the silence, Stephanie chose this moment to make the introductions like the polite society girl she had been raised to be. "Lorelei Gilmore meet Sarah Huntzberger. Sarah this is Lorelei, more commonly known as Rory."

Sarah's eyes had gone huge at the mention of Rory's name. "Oh my god! You're Rory! You're the one who dumped my big brother last year!" The expression in Sarah's eyes did not promise that she and Rory would be best friends forever. It rather reminded her of the look Chris got when he was put to bed against his wishes. It was then that it occurred to Rory that the woman standing before her was her son's aunt. Rory's mind had been dazed since the first blond walked in and it had taken until now for her mind to make that connection. But back to the present crisis.

This is not going well, Rory thought. Time for damage control. "Yeah, that would be me. Sorry we never had a chance to meet. When I was dating Logan-" Rory swallowed painfully, "you were still away at school. But it is nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you." There, that was a decent start.

Sarah still looked distrustful of Rory, although Rory's polite tone and manner were making her unsure of whether she should like the girl who broke her brother's heart or not. At the moment, she was leaning toward not. "Yes, I've heard plenty about you too. In particular, last winter you were all anyone would talk about. "Nothing lately though.

"Sarah!" Stephanie did not like where Sarah was heading with this. Whatever had happened with Rory and Logan was between Rory and Logan. And though she loved Logan almost as a brother, she was still Rory's friend and felt obliged to stick up for her. Stephanie thought this might be a good time to change the topic.

"So Rory what have you been up to lately?" A nice safe topic of conversation.

Rory looked over at Sarah again before turning back to face Steph. "Well I just finished my first semester of my senior year of college. Just one more semester and I'll be a college graduate." Rory very carefully did not mention which school she attended, in case Steph decided to tell Logan, Colin or Finn about this little tete a tete. Risking another glance at the still undecided Sarah Huntzberger, she tacked on another a tete to that last thought. Then Rory looked over towards the counter where Terry was unabashedly listening in on their conversation. Silently praying that he wouldn't mention anything about why she was leaving her son out of this conversation, she continued. "Other than that I've been working here part time, and getting ready for the holidays. My mom and step-dad are driving up with Alyssa for a visit and they will be here in no time. So I really should get a head start on cleaning up." Please take the hint and let me go so I can pick up my baby.

Stephaine did in fact pick up on the hint but she wasn't quite ready to let Rory go without at least trying to get a little more info out of her regarding her disappearing act last year.

"Hey, how is Lorelei? I always liked her, she's so much fun. Although I don't hang out with her anymore, not since you left."

Rory tried to ignore the last part of Stephanie's statement and fidgeted with the ends of her scarf. "Mom's good. The Inn's a huge success. It's been named one of the top ten Bed & Breakfasts in New England. Alyssa's walking and trying to form words now. And she's trying to talk Luke into taking a vacation to somewhere tropical so she can keep her tan."

Stephanie laughed. "Yeah that sounds like Lorelei. I definitely need to give her a call sometime. Actually I was thinking of maybe having the wedding at her Inn. I remembered that it's gorgeous there." Stephanie thought she saw her friend pale.

Rory tried not to sound too panicky at the thought of her former crowd being that close to people who had knowledge of her current situation. She gulped again and forced a smile on her face. "I'm sure Mom would love that." Rory glanced at her watch and saw that she was going to be late to pick up Christopher. Then she remembered her cover story. "Listen, I hate to cut this short, but I have to pick up some groceries and get home." There, Stephaine couldn't ignore a direct dismissal, as bad as Rory felt for giving it. But she had to get out of there.

Steph pulled a pen and a piece of paper out of her purse and scribbled down something before pressing it into Rory's glove-covered hand. "There's my cell phone number. Call me when you get a chance. I wo't be in town long but I'd like to maybe have lunch and catch up."

Rory was torn between wanting to catch up with her old friend again and the desire to keep her as far away from her son as possible, for all their sakes. "Rory looked over at Terry again. The expression on his face was unreadable. She glanced back at Steph. "Sure that sounds great. I'll call you."

"Great! Then I guess we'll grab Emma and head off."

"Okay." Rory looked over at Sarah one more time. "It was nice to have met you."

Sarah had remained silent throughout the entire exchange between one of her best friends and her brother's ex. What she had heard of Rory's departure and the subsequent feeling of abandonment by all did not match up to this young woman before her. Sarah couldn't help but feel as though there may be something more going on here. For now, though, she would try to be polite. "Nice to have met you too."

Rory nodded to both girls and said bye. To Terry she said, "See you at home." Then she exited the shop and heaved a huge sigh of relief.

A/N: Yay! I updated. Seriously though, I just have been busy with a new job and a new baby (not mine, but my best friend's). Also I managed to develop a huge crush on this one guy and have been trying to spend more time with him. Also I have become minorly obsessed with Battlestar Galactica, so a lot of my fanfiction time is spent reading and writing in that area. All I can say is I'm sorry.

If anyone is still interested in this running joke, then the tally stands at 4 for Aleve, 3 for Dayquill/Nyquill, 3 for Sudafed, and 1 each for Codral/Panadol, Motrin, Nurofen, Percocet and Vicodin. And surprisingly Advil and Tylenol are tied for the lead with 25 votes for each.