Disclaimer: This is an original story based upon the characters of Gilmore Girls. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit will be made from this story.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter. That was a hard one to write. I hope you enjoy this next chapter! I did a few reality tweaks. I hope they go over okay.

I waited for it all night long—sat up on the couch with the window open, ready for that smell. I even put on White Christmas, even though it was the middle of February—but it did nothing to inspire the outdoors. I had always pictured it, waking up on my wedding day to white magical wonderland. After all, it had always snowed for me. So, when the sun came up and the outside was still brown and bare, I was disappointed. My wedding wasn't exactly turning out the way I'd imagined it. No snow, no Rory, no Mom—but then I looked down at the baby star sparkling on my finger. I had Luke—he was all I needed.

I spent most of the morning going back and forth to the Dragonfly, my hair in curlers. In the end that was where I wanted to be married—in my beautiful inn. Sookie and clan were there at about nine. Sookie went straight to the kitchen while Jackson took the ring bearer and the flower girl upstairs to one of the rooms. Martha looked so adorable. I couldn't believe how big she was getting. Miss Patty, Babette, and to my great surprise Gypsy arrived shortly after that to put up the decorations. The kitchen was full of food—miniature spinach quiches, cream wafer cookies with strawberry frosting, cream puffs with chocolate, white chocolate, and coffee flavored cream, and so much more.

"Sookie," I asked on one of my trips through the kitchen, "How did you do all this in a week?"

She chuckled as she put the last of the sugar bells on the cake. "Oh Sweetie, this was so important to me. I wanted your wedding day to be special."

I had my shoes, and three curling irons in my hands but I shifted over to one so I could put my free arm around her. She put her head on my shoulder and wiped away a few tears. What had I done in life to deserve this friend? The one person who has stuck by me through thick and thin.

"However," she began. "This is the last wedding cake I will ever make for you. You call this one off, you're on your own Honey."

I smiled and looked down at my ring. "Not a chance" I breathed.

She reached up and patted my cheek

"How soon do you want me to come up and help you get ready?" she asked.

"I just have to get my dress out of the car and then I'm ready for you."

She smiled, "Okay, just let me know."

I went back out to the car, silently happy for the moment to be alone. I was delighted Sookie was there, but I never imagined it wouldn't be Rory helping me into my dress and doing the finishing touches on my hair. Every time a car came near the inn I ran to the window to see if it was her. I just sat in my car for a minute, trying to get accustomed to the idea that Rory would not be at my wedding.

Finally, I opened up the back and drew out the garment bag with my dress in it. This was it—it was really happening. I was really getting married.

I carried it upstairs to the room with all my other stuff and started undoing the curlers in my hair. There was a knock on the door.

"Hon, you ready for me?" Sookie asked.

"Yeah, come on in" I replied.

She came in looking so delighted that I had to laugh at her. She was holding a disposable camera in her hands and started snapping pictures.

"Uh, Honey..." I tried to get in between flashes. "Wedding hasn't started yet"

She just chuckled, "That's okay. I've got twelve more cameras."

I shook my head as she started unzipping the garment bag and took four pictures while doing it.

"Are you ready for this?" she asked.

I nodded and stood up, taking off my robe.

"Arms up" she ordered and then suddenly I was taking a shower in silk. It made me giggle and there was a childish part of me that didn't want Sookie to find the whole where my head went through—I just wanted to be lost in the endless white forever. But, she did find my head and zipped me up. I wanted to have a look in the mirror but sookie wouldn't hear of it. "Not until you're all done," she replied and ordered me to sit down on the stool while she did my makeup. Again I had to smile at her as she opened her mouth while she put on my mascara. Again I turned to look, but she stopped me.

"Almost done" she replied and took a brush to my curls. Finally she opened the black box sitting on my dresser and took out my tiara. She held it like it was the crown of the Queen of England. Very carefully, she put it on my head and fastened it with a few hairpins. Then she turned around to look at me and put her hands to her face.

"You're so beautiful," she sighed and then turned me around.

I closed my eyes in anticipation, I'd dreamt about how I'd look as a bride my whole life. I opened my eyes, looked in the mirror and began to cry.

"Oh, Honey..." Sookie cried out, on the verge of tears herself, "What's wrong?" I just shook my head, black mascara tears running down my cheeks. Sookie put her arms around me and I held on to her.

"Why did she have to die Sookie?" I asked through my tears. "I've screwed everything up. If I hadn't turned my back on her, maybe I could have been there, helped her, instead I didn't even know she was sick...Maybe Rory was right, maybe she died of a broken heart and if I hadn't been so stupid she'd be here now." I broke down then, trying madly to wipe away my tears.

"I've lost my mom, I've lost my baby. Why did this happen?" I cried, Sookie just continued to hug me. "I don't know Sweetie," she said softly. "I don't know."

There was a knock at the door and two year old Martha tottered in. I madly grabbed for some tissues and wiped away my tears.

"Auntie Lore-lye" she said delightedly. "Want to see me twirl?"

I nodded. "I sure do," I replied. She clapped her hands delightedly and spun three times around, watching the inflation of her dress with delight.

"Want to see me twirl Martha?" I asked. She nodded and I smiled. I stood up and twirled three times around, and loved Martha's little delighted laugh. As if twirling some how brought me back in time, a memory surfaced—lost a long time ago among mashed bananas on toast.

"Lorelai? Lorelai where are you?"

"In my room Mommy." I had replied.

"You sound out of breath, why are you out of breath? Have you been playing outside in your party dress?" she asked, coming through the door and stopping dead when she saw what I was doing.

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, what on earth are you doing?" she asked.

"Twirling" I replied, not paying any particular attention to her, just to the waves of purple taffeta I was creating.

"Honey," she replied. "Daddy's waiting for us. It's time to go to the party."

Again, not paying attention to the time, I twirled again. "See how high it goes Mommy? Isn't it pretty?"

"Very nice Dear," she replied, "Let's go."

"How high does yours go Mommy?"

"I don't know," she replied, picking up my shoes.

"Can't I see Mommy? Please? Just one time."

She looked at me as though I'd lost my mind but then smiled—I loved that smile, the real smile, the smile that said she was about to be fun and silly. She hurried to the door looked both ways down the hall and then shut the door. She came back over to me, and then we both counted together, "1,2,3" and then suddenly there was a cloud of gold as she twirled around and around, her dress lightly brushing my cheek. I screamed delightedly and clapped my hands.

"Do it again Mommy! Do it again!" I pleaded.

She laughed and said, "Okay, but you do it with me this time." she replied. We counted to three again together and then the two us twirled around both of us laughing. We both stopped at the same time and she started acting like she was dizzy and fell on the bed. I laughed again, and she held out her arms for me. I acted dizzy then too and then fell on the bed, snuggling up to her.

"I love you Mommy" I said.

"I love you too Lori-girl" she replied. "I love you too."

"Hon..." Sookie was calling me out of my dream, "We need to get your make-up done again." I nodded and went back into the room. She sat me down at the stool again and suddenly I looked up at her.

"Sookie, don't get me wrong, I love what you've done, and I'm sorry I've messed up my make-up but I need to go change."

"Change?" she replied nervously, "Honey—you're getting married in like two hours. What are you going to change in to?" I stood up and grabbed my keys.

"I'll be back in forty-five minutes at the most." I replied hurrying to the door.

"Okay, Julia Roberts, just where exactly are you going in your wedding dress?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Forty-five minutes," I replied and hurried down the stairs to my car.

I rang the doorbell three times. Were there no more maids in the house? Finally Dad came to the door. He was dressed in his tuxedo shirt and slacks and looked like he was having trouble with his tie.

"Lorelai? What on earth?" he asked as I came through the door.

"Hi Dad," I said, and reached up to kiss his cheek. "How are you?" I asked.

He smiled sadly. "I'm fine, I just can't seem to tie this tie. Your mom...you know..."

I bit my lower lip and then reached up and tied it for him. He took one of my hands and squeezed it when I was done.

"Now, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Dad, I was getting ready, and I started thinking that this isn't the dress I want to wear."

He looked at me confused. "What are you talking about?" he asked and then suddenly it hit him what I was saying.

"Do you think she'd mind?" I asked and I could see tears forming in his eyes.

"I think she would be delighted and honored," he replied.

I smiled at him and then went up the stairs to the third floor—the second door on the left. I reach up and get the old-fashioned key from the top of the door mantle. Slowly I put the key in the lock and open the door.

It smells like Mom. For a minute I just stand there at the door, and smell the perfumed air of the room. I walked in, slowly, almost reverently. This was Mom's special room. The sun was shining though the window on the wardrobe that was on the far wall of the room. I walked towards it and slowly opened it up and there it was—the dress that had been lovingly preserved over forty years, the dress that I wanted to wear. I hold it up to me, looking in the long old fashioned mirror that had come over on the boat with Mom's ancestors from Ireland.

"It looks beautiful," a voice called from behind me. For a moment, just for a moment, my heart stops—because they have always sounded so much alike. But then reality kicks in and I turn around in excitement.

"It looks beautiful," Aunt Hopie says again standing in the doorway.