Hey everyone! Sorry about the late update, but I've been busy with work and what not. On Tuesday I am leaving for New York for two weeks and I won't be able to update till I get back...(I want to, I really do, but I can't). Thanks for the reviews. I cannot believe I have 68 reviews. It is just amazing. Keep it up and I can't wait to write more of this story. As a little side note, I am toying with the idea of a prequel. Of course I am not finished with this yet, but I am thinking about it. If you think that it would be a good idea, let me know and I will definitely write it. Thanks again!

Lauren (manydreams1216)

Dad let it drop. Although, knowing my dad he won't let Joe get away with nothing. There is definitely going to be some type of retribution. Maybe financially or politically with his family. The Dugreys seem to somehow be involved with everyone's business. I don't know how or why but they just are. Perhaps it's just one of the more unexplainable things in life.

There is even a good side to this. Dad met Alex and it wasn't absolutely horrible. I mean I wish the circumstances were a little better, but you don't always get what you want. They didn't kill each other or anything, which is always a good thing. It's going to be awkward, but I think we can look past that.

Alex went home and I decided to spend the day reading in the library. When we first moved to the new house in Hartford, Dad made a point to make sure that it had a library. Dad reads, but nothing like Mom. Every time I see her, there is a new novel in her hand. Sometimes Dad makes jokes about how bookwormish Mom is. The saying opposites attract really does fits with them.

"What are you smiling at?" Mom asks me.

I didn't realize it, but I really am smiling. "I don't know. I'm just thinking. I guess."

"About everything that happened?" She sits down on the big, comfy maroon chair next to me.

"No," I shake my head. "About you and Dad."

She tucks a piece of hair behind her hair. "Why were you thinking about Dad and I?"

I shrug a little. "I guess I just always wonder how you guys ended up together."

"Well, that's an interesting story."

Eager, I lean forward. "Please can you tell me."

Her blue eyes look off into the books, then she focuses on me. "Do you know where your name came from Mary?"

"My name? No."

"I was new to Chilton in my sophomore year. I had a really bad morning because I was running into people and what not. Anyway, your father was the king of the school. He constantly had girls around him, throwing themselves at his feet and everything. I guess I was different. I was the only one to resist his advances and he decided that I was completely pure and innocent and named me Mary, as in the Virgin Mary."

"You mean my name is a pet name Dad gave you?"

She laughs. "Well I guess it is. When you were born, you came out and Tristan and I looked at you, then each other and named you Mary. You were innocent and cute and adorable and it just fit perfectly." Mom gets lost in memory. She smiles and you can tell that moment was one of the more happier moments in her life. It's nice to know that I made my parents happy once.

After a moment I ask her, "When did you and Dad start dating?"

"In college. I was in my third year of being a journalism major and I had moved to my first off-campus apartment that I lived in by myself. My boyfriend of the time, although I don't know if you can call him that, was taking me to fancy parties all the time and I got bored with it. It was glamorous and everything, but it gets boring after awhile. Anyway, at Christmas time I went to my grandparents annual Christmas party. It was suppose to be like all the other ones. I was going to be introduced to people, eat finger food and smile. Easy, right? One moment I was being introduced to some 60 year old man and the next Tristan Dugrey was right in front of me. I could feel this look of complete and utter shock come over me and he made some smart comment about how he knew I was waiting for him and how incredibly good looking he was. He wasn't exactly wrong, but I wasn't about to admit it. He told me that he was transferring to Yale in the spring. Then I avoided him for the rest of the night.

"I'll never admit this again, but I was scared. The last time I saw him was at the Romeo and Juliet play and he told me that he would kiss me if my boyfriend wasn't watching. It was weird. I was never supposed to see him again. I guess you never get what you wish for."

"So you never liked Dad before college?" I ask.

"I've thought long and hard about this and I must have liked him at some point in time because I kissed him when I was sixteen. I never told anyone about that incident and I must have been embarrassed or something. I don't know.

"Anyway, I didn't see Tristan till February. There was this tree I always used to read at and I was sitting there, reading when I saw him and immediately I put the book up to my face to hide from him. My efforts failed. Tristan stood in front of me, begging for attention and I put on a smile and gave him what he asked. We made some small talk and the next thing I knew we had scheduled a coffee date for the next morning."

"Weren't you dating someone?"

She shifts a little uncomfortable and tries to find an explanation. "I was. It was Logan Huntzberger. We kind of had the no-strings attached relationship going on for about a year. Of course he was dating other people, but I could never bring myself to. Then Tristan was there and I decided to go out on a date with him. I didn't expect it to go anywhere and I thought we could be just friends. Although honestly I think I knew that Tristan and I could never be just friends. You see we tried the whole just friends thing in high school and it didn't work out.

"So, I went out with Tristan the next morning and it was a lot better than I thought. We laughed and talked and it was comfortable. Your dad didn't pressure me into anything and he was actually all ears about hearing my relationship with Logan. He also told me his opinion which was that I deserved someone better who would actually give me what I wanted. The next thing I knew, I was breaking things off with Logan and then I went over to Tristan's apartment and I kissed him."

"Mom, I hate to say this, but I don't think I can ever see you doing that," I comment.

She smiles, "I never thought I would do anything like that either. The whole thing was totally out of instinct. Your dad was even shocked. I had never done anything like that before. Anyway, your dad and I started dating. He gave me anything I could have wanted and I fell in love with him," she says in a whimsical daze.

"And he fell in love with you."

Mom sighs. She's still in love with him after all these years. "You can say that. So we got married three years later and then a year after that we had you. Mary no matter what you think or how we act around you, we love you. You are more than anything we could have wanted in a daughter."

I nod, "I know."

Her hand reaches across the armchair and holds mine. "Really?"

"Yes Mom. It's just..." I can't complete the sentence.

"It's just what Mary?"

"It's just this year has been really rough. Heck the past few days have been rough. I don't know." I pause and then for once in my life I decide to actually say what I feel. "I haven't had anyone to talk to about everything. Mom, I've done a lot of things this year that I haven't told anyone about, especially you. I don't mean this disrespectfully, but do you even know me? Do you know my favorite movie and favorite color? I know it's petty and I don't want to be mean, but you have no idea who I am."

She swallows hard. She's trying to say something, but she can't.

"I know that your life has been hard and has not been exactly nice to you, but you have a daughter who has no idea who she is. I'm so confused."

Reaching out, she rubs my shoulder. "Mary, I'm not a good mother. I never have been and I probably never will be. I'm sorry, but I can't change that. It's not that I don't love you, because I do. You are so important to me." Tears are welling in up in her eyes and I can tell she's about to cry.

Why do we have to be so sad? Why do we have to be so messed up? "Mom, I'm not asking you to be Mother of the Year or anything. I just want you to be there. I want you to at least try. Can you at least try to be a mom?"

Wiping away a tear she replies, "I'll be there. I'll be there the best I can."

"Really?"

"Really," she affirms.

"Good that's all I ask."

"And you never ask for anything," she says softly. "You are a much better daughter, then I am a mother."

"Mom, I just want to be happy. I want you to be happy. And if luck goes my way, I want you and Dad to be happy. Together."

She sighs. "We're going to try Mary. We are really going to try."

"Good. When Dad said you were going to get divorced, I was so mad. I didn't want you guys to break up. I was so sad. And all those other times you would fight, I would cry myself to sleep because I had this feeling that it might all end. Then when Dad stopped coming every weekend, I started spending more and more time with Alex and I just kind of dug myself into this hole, that I had no way out of. I guess on Friday, I just kind of exploded. I'm sorry about all the temper tantrums."

"Don't worry about it. Your feelings are totally and completely understandable. I probably would have done the same thing." She doesn't say anything for a moment, as if debating something, then she asks, "How far have you gone with Alex?"

I must say I knew that question would come at some time. "Well," I start hesitantly.

"Mary, if you are worried about me telling Dad, don't be," she consoles.

"That actually wasn't what I was worried about, but that's besides the point. You promise not to judge me at all and react in a neurotic way?"

She nods, "I promise."

"Well I have gone all the way with Alex." I feel my face scrunch up in a nervous way. I don't really know how she'll react at all. She could be totally relaxed and calm about it or she could get really mad. "You're not mad are you?"

"I'm not mad at you. If anything I'm mad at myself and that has nothing to do with your relationship with Alex. I just have to make sure of one thing. Are you safe?"

"Yes." I've been on the pill for the last six months and 99 of the time Alex uses a condom. There have been a few instances when he hasn't, but I always make sure that I'm the pill, so there's no way I could get pregnant.

She breathes a sigh of relief. "Good. That was the one thing I was worried about. My mom had me when I was sixteen and even though I am glad I'm here at all, it was extremely rough for her."

"I know."

"Good. Do you love him?" she asks.

"Yes. I love him." I've never told anyone that before and if you would have told me a month ago that I would be sitting in front of my mother and telling her I was in love with Alex Ryderstan, I think I would have died from laughter.

We sit in silence for a moment then she states, "Tomorrow is your great-grandmother's funeral. It starts at one, so you can miss school for the day, if you want."

"Sure."

She rises out of the reading chair, "Well I think I'm going to go to Star Hollow's for dinner. I probably won't be hone till late, so don't wait up or anything."

"Mom, can I go with you?"

Surprised she replies, "Sure."

I don't why I want to go with her. Maybe I want to see Grandma Lorelai and Grandpa Luke with Mom. Maybe I want to show Lorelai that I'm not the bitch she thinks I am and I'm making an effort with Mom. It was totally impulsive and driving in the car to the small town of America I am having second thoughts. As much as I don't want to admit Lorelai scares me. Especially after that confrontation on Friday, I don't know how I am going to be able to face her. I am slightly proud of myself that I stood up to her, but still I'm afraid to see her.

"We're here," Mom says.

I only nod showing my knowledge of the fact. We pull up in front of Luke's Diner, that has the appearance of a hardware store, but inside you can see people eating hamburgers and french fries. I will never understand these small town quirks.

From the first moment, walking out of the car I almost feel like everyone in the town square's eyes are on us. It's almost like they're judging me. Immediately, this older woman, whose heyday was probably in the 50s, comes up and starts chatting away with Mom about one of her former husbands who knew Frank Sinatra or something. Not more than thirty seconds later the woman asks who I am.

"Dear, who is this young girl here with you?" She addresses me, "You look like a dancer sweetheart. The only thing that's missing is that you need to be about four inches taller, but you have the beautiful face and slender figure. I could really turn you into something."

Mom interrupts the woman in her speech, "Miss Patty this is my daughter, Mary. Mary this is Miss Patty, my former dance teacher."
"Nice to meet you," I extend my hand out of politeness.

"Wonderful to meet you to darling. Have you considered dance though? I think you would be wonderful."

"Miss Patty, Mary's about as uncoordinated as me. Tristan's mother had Mary in dance classes when she was little and they actually had the nerve to ask us to stop signing her up because she had no potential. Who would have thought that my daughter would be a horrible dancer?" Mom jokes. I only smile knowing my horrid days in a leotard. I still can't believe that Mom ever took dance classes. It sounds ridiculous, but yet I would pay to see it.

"Really well maybe you should take up acting. You really do have a gorgeous face, no doubt a product of your mother."

"Thank you," I say shyly.

"Think about it. I am a wonderful acting coach too. Rory, darling, I'm afraid I have to go. I have a first year class in five minutes and the kiddies are already arriving. Ciao, see you soon." Miss Patty waddles off in a hurry. The people in this town are crazy.

Before anyone else comes up and starts talking, Mom and I go into the diner. The first thing I hear is Grandma Lorelai talking about being old and all the vitamin C pills Luke has been making her take haven't stopped the aging process. He merely tries ignoring her, but she won't stop incessantly talking.

Finally he turns to her and says, "Lorelai, you're getting older, I'm getting older and one day we are all going to die and nothing is going to stop it."

Lorelai just frowns at him and then turns around. She sees us at the door.

"Rory! Someone who loves me and knows that I will be an immortal goddess forever has graced us with her presence!" She runs up and wraps her arms around my mom.

"Mom, nice to see you too. Are you tormenting Luke again?"

"No, he's tormenting me!"

We all go to the counter. Grandma hasn't acknowledged me yet. She might still be mad at me.

"Mom, Mary came to visit too," Rory tries to get Lorelai to notice me.

"Yeah, I saw her," she replies without emotion.

Luke comes back from taking orders and is the first to say anything to me, "Mary it's so great to see you. It's been a few months hasn't it?"

"Yeah."

Awkwardly he hugs me. I can't help but feel that Lorelai has softened him a bit. He has a gruff appearance, but he you know that he has a good heart and means well.

"She was here on Friday," Lorelai states grumly.

"I didn't see you," Luke says to me.

"Yeah I kind of left in a rush," I say softly, remembering Friday's events perfectly.

"I wish I would have seen you." God, I missed Luke. He's always been nothing but nice to me.

"Me too."

He smiles.

"Mary wanted to have dinner with us tonight, is that okay?"

In a sarcastic tone, Grandma replies, "Of course it's okay. Why wouldn't it be? The little brat can have whatever she wants."

"Lorelai," Luke says warily. I just try not to react to it.

"No Luke. This girl has the nerve to show up on my doorstep saying she wants to talk to me about something when she knows that I know all about her and Rory's relationship and she treats her mother terribly. I can't believe my daughter has such a-"

Okay I can't take it anymore. "A what? A bitch, right? You won't say it, but I know you want to. You really want to know why I wanted to talk you? It was because I was seeing a guy behind everyone's back that my parents would never approve of and I was stuck in a horrible position that I didn't know how to get out of. You were the one person in the world I thought I could trust so that's why I came to you. And about Mom and I's relationship, I am sorry about that. I have talked to Mom about it and we decided we are going to try to be better. I know I lied to her a lot, but that's going to change."
"Finally the Gilmore in her shows. You were always such a Dugrey. I mean you are the Spawn of Satan's daughter, but at least you got the Gilmore spirit."

Mom finally cuts in, "Mom! Why are you so mad at her? She's just an innocent sixteen year old girl."

"Because you always tell me that you don't know your daughter because she lies to you all the time and I'm sorry for sticking up for you because you never will."

"Listen Mom, I know I've told you about that, but most of it is my fault. I've been so involved in my own life and my potentially failing marriage that I haven't had time to focus on my daughter, which is completely inexcuseable. She was acting out of rebellion towards me."

"Rory, don't make yourself out to be the bad guy."

"But I am the bad guy!" she yells. "I've ignored my daughter for the past eleven years! It's my fault. Mom I'm not perfect! You have to accept that."

Lorelai shakes her head. Quietly she questions, "What happened to you Rory? You were such a good kid. It's like..."

"It's like ever since the whole Logan thing happened I haven't been the same?"

"Yeah."

Rory rubs her back. "I know. I ruined everything. You and I haven't been the same. We still are us, but you don't look at me the same way. No one looks at me the same. I think I lost the innocent and naive part of me that I had for so long and made me who I was. I'm just someone different now."

Luke and I looked at eachother. We both knew what they were talking about although we both had been outsiders to the whole fiasco. It's funny how one little incident can change everything. Granted this wasn't one little incident, but when it happens you don't necessarily think about the impact it has. It's a ripple effect.

After a moment, Luke suggests that we all go to his and Lorelai's house for dinner. We all make our way over to small house that has a larger than life personality. It looks lived in. Maybe I've just never noticed it before, but our house looks like no one lives there and this house just looks comfortable and worn in. I want a house like that.