Author's Note: This chapter took a little longer than expected. I wanted to get the tone right and hopefully I accomplished that. Enjoy!

Chapter 5
"Shock and Awe"

Friday came quickly and Lorelai fidgeted nervously in the seat next to Luke as they drove through the streets of Hartford. He glanced over at her and placed his hand over hers in an attempt to reassure her. His attempt, however, was ill-advised as his hand was clammy from the anxiety he felt about going to the Gilmore's for dinner.

"You look as nervous as I feel," he tried to chuckle and lighten the mood. Instead his chuckle sounded forced and nervous.

"This'll be okay right? We'll suffer through drinks, dinner and then we'll go in for the kill during dessert," she replied.

"Right," Luke replied feeling a little bit better. "This is Rory we're talking about. You just need to get her alone for a few minutes and I'm sure you'll work it all out."

"So we've got a plan," she said. "After dinner you'll pull my Dad aside and talk to him about some made-up insurance question and I'll send my Mom in search of some obscure childhood relic for the inn, which will hopefully buy me at least five minutes with Rory."

"It sounds like a good plan to me," Luke said as they pulled into the driveway. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Lorelai replied getting out of the truck. She glanced over at Luke and she made a mental note to tell him how nice he looked. He was ready for the Gilmore's this time and, as opposed to their first one-on-one meetings, Luke was dressed in the black pants and black sweater that Lorelai had bought him once upon a time. She knew she had good taste, but she didn't know just how well Luke would fill out that sweater.

They walked up to the door and rang the bell. They were greeted by a frazzled Janet. Lorelai could tell by the look in Janet's eyes that she wasn't long for the Gilmore world. Emily might lose this one to insanity before she had a chance to fire her.

"Hi, I'm the Gilmore's daughter Lorelai," she said. "Are they in the living room?"

"Y-y-yes ma'am," Janet whispered.

"Thanks," Lorelai replied taking Luke gently by the forearm.

Luke stood a wide-eyed glance at Janet as they walked away. "Is she gonna be okay?" Luke whispered in Lorelai's ear as they walked.

"I'm sure the men with the white coats will be by to get her shortly," Lorelai said plastering on a fake smile and entering the living room.

"Hi Mom, Dad," Lorelai said walking into the room with Luke by her side. "Hey kid," she added pleasantly as she sat down across from Rory.

"Hi everyone," Luke added.

Everyone said a pleasant hello and Richard started on the drinks as the rest of the room fell into an awkward silence.

"So Luke," Richard said unaware he was breaking an almost unbearable silence. "How is the diner?"

"It's very well Richard," Luke replied. "How is the insurance business?"

"Surprisingly calm," Richard said.

"Surprisingly?" Lorelai asked. "What's so surprising about that Dad?"

"It's usually a much busier time of year," Richard said. "Just as the inn has busier times I'm sure. Speaking of the inn, have you given any thought to Mike Armstrong's proposition?"

Lorelai looked at her father and she noted that he seemed proud of her. It was one of the few times in her life that Lorelai could tell he was truly happy with her. Apparently having a successful business, worthy of being bought out by someone like Mike Armstrong, pleased Richard greatly. Upon this new topic of conversation Luke tensed slightly. He and Lorelai hadn't really come to a definitive answer on the topic of selling the inn.

"Yes, I have actually," Lorelai replied.

"What proposition Richard?" Emily asked. "You never tell me anything anymore."

"Well I didn't want to mention it until Lorelai had thought it over," Richard informed her. "There may be nothing to discuss."

"Well?" Richard prompted Lorelai.

"Mike Armstrong is an associate of Dad's," Lorelai explained to Emily and Rory who looked puzzled. "He saw the article about the inn and he wanted to set up a meeting to talk about buying the Dragonfly."

"You're selling the Dragonfly?" Rory asked aghast.

"Mike Armstrong wants to buy the Dragonfly?" Emily asked. "That's a high compliment indeed Lorelai. His company owns inns across the country, even a few in Europe."

"What would you do?" Rory asked.

"He wants me to consult for his company," Lorelai said. "I'd travel around to different inns and maybe stick around at the Dragonfly for a little while to get things settled."

"So you've thought about it seriously?" Richard asked getting excited at the prospect of her response.

"I have," Lorelai said taking a deep breath. "As nice as it sounds I'm just not ready to sell the Dragonfly. I've only been there a year and I still have plans for it. Plus, I don't think I could seriously leave Stars Hollow for long periods of time. It's my home."

Rory glanced at her mother's hand, which reached over and grabbed Luke's. She intertwined her fingers with his and seemed nervous and yet somehow relaxed knowing Luke was next to her. Rory glanced quickly at Luke and his eyes were focused on Lorelai. He looked surprised by her response to the question, but he didn't allow his expression to give it away. Rory had never seen her mother look so content. It had only been a week since she'd spoken to Lorelai, but Rory wondered exactly what she had missed in that time.

"So you told him no," Richard responded with a knowing sarcasm.

"I politely declined his offer at this time," Lorelai said. "I've worked for twenty years to get the Dragonfly up and running. I just want to enjoy it for a while."

"But you were polite and courteous when you declined?" Richard clarified.

"No, I rented a sky writer spell out fu-"

"Lorelai," Richard said warningly before she could finish her thought.

"Of course I was nice, but enough about me, what about you?" Lorelai said letting go of Luke's hand and turning her attention toward Rory. "What have you been up to?"

"I've been settling in," Rory replied.

"Well you have a lot of books," Lorelai said unsure of what to say next. "Any summer job prospects?"

"Mona Covington's husband is looking for a law clerk," Emily responded for Rory. "She's thinking about that."

"That sounds interesting," Luke replied trying to be helpful.

"Charles Covington is a fine attorney, you'd learn a lot," Richard said.

"Law," Lorelai said. "Wow."

"What an enlightening comment," Emily said.

"What?" Lorelai said defensively. "What was I supposed to say? I just can't picture Rory filing briefs all summer."

"Well if you're so smart what can you picture her doing?" Emily retorted.

Rory sat back and watched as Emily and Lorelai traded barbs back and forth for a few minutes. Richard and Luke sat back helpless, knowing it was better to stay quiet than to have them turn their venom in their direction. Rory sat there trying to think of something say. It was bad enough not knowing what to do with her life, but now she didn't even know what to do with her summer.

"Dinner's ready," Janet said entering the living room at a lull in action. Five sets of eyes turned to look at the petite woman and she quickly ran from the room.

"Well, shall we?" Richard said standing and walking to the dining room. The rest of the group stood and followed him. It appeared that, for the moment, the disagreement was over.

Lorelai entered the dining room and noted an extra place setting next to Rory's usual seat. "Is Harvey coming to dinner tonight?" Lorelai asked. Her response was greeted with perplexed stares and she explained, "Harvey, big white rabbit, friend of Jimmy Stewart?" Lorelai sat and leaned over to Luke to whisper, "Tough room."

"Logan is going to be joining us for dessert," Emily finally said as she placed her napkin on her lap.

"Excuse me?" Lorelai asked dismayed. This was the first she'd heard of Logan stopping by, but she wasn't surprised that her mother would keep that a secret. She looked across the table at Rory who averted her eyes.

"Logan is Rory's boyfriend Lorelai," Emily replied. "You brought a guest why shouldn't she?"

Lorelai didn't respond verbally, she let out a snort of disgust and disagreement instead. Rory shot her mother a look of contempt and said, "I invited him, not Grandma."

"Well sure," Lorelai said. "Apparent you two are Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, why shouldn't he come over?"

"I told Rory to invite him for dinner, but he had some other engagement," Emily informed Lorelai with a sly grin.

"I heard it's hard to reschedule probation hearings," Lorelai mumbled. Emily and Richard didn't hear her but Rory did. She snapped her attention to Lorelai who was taking a sip of her drink and she narrowed her eyes at her mother. Luke noted the look and tried to change the subject.

"Emily," Luke said. "Lorelai told me you were sponsoring a ballet dancer. That sounds interesting."

"Yes," Emily replied as Janet brought out the meal. "Are you a fan of ballet Luke?" Emily asked in her most condescending tone.

"Uh, no," Luke said clearing his throat and silently cursing himself for baiting the sleeping giant. "My Mom always liked it though."

"Your Mother?" Emily said. "Well I'd like to meet her sometime. At least she seems to enjoy culture."

Lorelai looked at Emily horrified. She had no way of knowing that Luke's parents were deceased because Lorelai rarely opened up about Luke, but Lorelai was horrified nonetheless.

"Actually my parents are deceased," Luke replied a little uncomfortably.

Emily and Richard exchanged a glance and Emily gave Luke an apologetic look. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "I didn't know that. Maybe if my daughter would tell me these things I'd have known."

"There was no way you could have known," Luke agreed.

Lorelai wanted to diffuse the uncomfortable situation between Luke and her mother and so she revisited another awkward topic. "So Logan's coming over? Does his Dad have any more job offers for you?" she asked Rory.

"No, he doesn't," Rory replied curtly.

"Are you sure because those Huntzbergers' are doing a hell of job helping you with your future," Lorelai replied.

"Lorelai, we will not have this conversation at the dinner table," Richard warned her.

"Okay," Lorelai said nodded quickly and obviously upset. "What should we talk about then?"

"A more pleasant topic might be helpful," Richard said.

"Like what? The fact that my only child dropped out of Yale and you two seem to enjoy enabling her careless whim? Remember when I didn't go to college and I was the scourge of the Gilmore name? Why can't you two muster the same philosophy here?"

"Lorelai there is a great difference between you and Rory in case you hadn't noticed," Richard said adopting a surprisingly calm tone. "Rory has been accepted to Yale. She's attended classes for two years and now she's feeling a little lost. She is not pregnant--"

"Thank God," Emily interjected.

"Nor is she throwing away her dreams," Richard continued. "She's simply rethinking her plans. Every so often it's good to reevaluate."

"Thank you Gloria Allred, but I'd like to hear from your client," Lorelai said sarcastically. "Rory, can we talk about this? Just you and me? Give me five minutes."

Rory picked at her roast and shrugged, "Fine."

"This is wildly inappropriate," Emily said as Rory stood up.

"I'll just be a few minutes Grandma," Rory replied as walked out of the room.

Lorelai stood up and gave Luke a sympathetic look as she followed Rory out of the room. She felt bad leaving him in the vipers den, but with Logan coming over for dessert Lorelai knew she had to take any opportunity that presented itself. She followed Rory into the living room and walked over to the French doors leading to the patio.

"Shall we?" Lorelai asked opening the door and gesturing outside.

"We have to go outside?" Rory said.

"I'd rather of you don't mind," Lorelai said.

Rory huffed and led the way out on the patio. She stood there and waited for her mother to speak.

"Fresh air is good. I can actually breathe again," Lorelai said casually.

Instead of answering Rory stood before her mother mute. After all, it was Lorelai who had insisted on speaking to her alone, outside in the middle of dinner.

"Okay, great," Lorelai said after it was clear that Rory wouldn't be initiating the conversation anytime soon. "What the hell is going on with you Rory?"

"What's going with me?" Rory said agitated. "Well for starters I made a really difficult decision and then instead of supporting me, my mother kicked me out of the house."

"Rory I didn't kick you out of the house," Lorelai replied.

"You said if I dropped out of Yale I couldn't come home," Rory insisted. "I found other arrangements."

"You certainly did," Lorelai said. "You wanted to drop out of college so badly that you went behind my back to my parents. Do you have any idea how much that hurt? I thought we could talk about things."

"We did," she replied. "You talked and I listened and then I had to do what I needed to do."

"And what you needed to do was drop out of college and move into the pool house?"

"For now, yes," Rory hesitated slightly.

"And then what? Are you going to work at the law firm and bum around Hartford? Let me tell you, it's not the swinging nightlife they might portray."

"This isn't a joke," Rory spat.

"You're right, it's not," Lorelai said. "It's your life. The life we worked for and the life we planned for years to get you. Now you're looking at me and telling me that you're throwing it all away." Lorelai stopped for a moment and reflected on her last statement. She seemed to have a faded memory somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind that her mother and father had said something similar to her years ago. Lorelai shuttered at the thought that they were similar.

"I'm not throwing it away. I just need time to think about what I want to do with my life," Rory said.

"You already know Rory," Lorelai said crossing her arms over her chest. "You've know you wanted to be a journalist since you were four, when I let you watch All the President's Men. This isn't you. You're letting Logan's Dad cloud your judgment."

"I'm not letting him cloud my judgment. He's right. I've been floundering for a while. I had to drop that class last year and I'm not sure this is what I want anymore."

"You worked for Mitchum Huntzberger for two weeks. How many articles did you write? How many times did he edit your stories?"

"I never wrote any," Rory admitted.

"Exactly," Lorelai practically yelled. "So how does he know you? I've read every article you've ever written and I'm not telling you this as a mother, I'm telling you this as an unbiased third-party, you are extremely talented and I hate to see you throwing away your dream like this."

"I'm not," Rory shouted. "You don't have any idea what this is like. You've never been bad at anything you've ever tried. I'm not good enough to be a journalist. I don't have the killer instinct to go after it."

"You're right about that," Lorelai said quietly. "I don't what happened to you Rory, but you used to have the drive to go after what you wanted. You'd never let anyone tell you that what you wanted was impossible. Where is that Rory? Because the person standing in front of me right now isn't her."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you. I don't know what I want or who I am right now. I just want some time to figure it out," Rory said looking at the ground and kicking a pebble with her shoe.

"Well you've got plenty of time," Lorelai replied. "I'm sure you and Grandma and Grandpa will work out an excellent plan for your future. They're great planners. Just be sure you follow it to the letter. You wouldn't want to let them down."

"Like I let you down," Rory said pointedly.

"You said it, I didn't," Lorelai said turning around. "Luke is probably wondering where we're at." Lorelai walked swiftly and determined to the door and opened it. Without turning to see if Rory would follow she shut it behind her and entered the living room. She took a deep breath and tried to collect her emotions. She was shocked that Rory didn't seem willing to listen to reason. She brushed her hair behind her ear and walked back into the dining room.

Rory stood outside in the night air and now it was her turn to watch Lorelai walk away without looking back. Rory felt hollow and even more unsure of herself. She sighed and trudged back into the house hoping Logan would arrive soon.

TBC