Chapter 2- Curiousity Killed the Relationship

"Surprise!" exclaimed the crowd. All of Stars Hollow was there to surprise the two Gilmore Girls. It was hard to plan, but Luke was there to help. A banner hung across the gazebo that read 'Congratulations Lorelai and We'll Miss You Rory!' The entire town square and a couple of side streets were covered with games, tables for food, and a dance floor with a boombox playing LCD Soundsystem nearby.

"Wait, why am I being congratulated?" Lorelai looked at Rory for confirmation and Rory just shrugged.

"Lorelai, it's been really hard not telling you but we got the Dragonfly! We can start renovations whenver we want!" Sookie exclaimed and hugged Lorelai tightly.

"Are you serious? They let us have it? Oh, Rory, I have something to keep me busy while you're gone!" Lorelai laughed.

"I know Mom, I'm so excited for you! Your dream of finally owning an Inn is coming true," Rory hugged her mom.

"Wait, was Luke in on this? Is that why we did inventory this morning?" Lorelai asked.

"Caesar really didn't quit, and I really didn't need inventory done," Luke shrugged.

"Oh Luke, you old softie," Lorelai pinched his cheeks and Luke glared at her.

"People, people. Your attention please!" Babette yelled in her raspy voice. "It took a month of planning to start this little shindig. I just wanted to say I'll miss you sweets. You were always our favorite Rory, doll." Babette said with a sad smile, "And good luck with the Inn Lorelai."

Rory gave a watery smile. She was going to miss being in the town everyday, but she knew she would come back often, and life there would go on just fine without her.

"Aww honey, don't cry. Look, why don't you go play some games, and I will catch up with you later, okay?" Lorelai smiled at her teary-eyed daughter. Rory nodded and went off in pursuit of finding a decent game to play. There were fishing games, tossing games, and Dunk Kirk, a favorite among most people there.

Rory, of course, decided to play Dunk Kirk. Nobody really knew why Kirk decided to volunteer himself to be the dunker, but then again, it was Kirk. "Hey Kirk," Rory said to the man in a black jumpsuit looking a bit startled as if he could be dunked at any moment.

"Hello Rory. If you are going to attempt at dunking me, please do so now, so I am prepared. I really should not have let Taylor rope me into this," Kirk began muttering to himself.

"Agreed. Don't let Taylor dictate your life," Rory replied. She looked at the target and threw the ball at the red and white bullseye. Of course, she missed. Kirk breathed a sigh of relief, and she threw another one. She still missed.

"Hey, Rory, will you play this all day? That way, I won't get dunked," Kirk asked honestly, and without intent to hurt her feelings.

"No, I've got to get going," Rory said. Poor Kirk, it would be his lucky day if I played all day, Rory thought. She continued on to a game where you had to toss a ball to knock down three milk bottles. She grabbed one ball, closed one eye to get better aim, and threw it, completely missing the bottle tower. "Crap," Rory muttered.

A pair of arms wrapped around her and a voice chuckled, "Didn't anyone tell you not to throw balls when there are people within a ten foot radius?"

Rory turned around to see Dean. "No, they didn't, and I was doing perfectly well. You just ruined my concentration. I saw you coming, you know," Rory explained a bit coolly.

"Oh sure you did," Dean nodded. "Here, let me try, I'll bet I can hit it."

"Fine, but you're buying your own balls," Rory rolled her eyes. God, he was really annoying her.

"Okay, what's wrong with you?" Dean asked, looking at her for any confirmation. "Fine, don't tell me. Three balls please," Dean told Gypsy who was running this game. She had been listening to the conversation and also rolled her eyes when Dean made the bet he could hit the milk bottles. Men were always trying to show that they were better than women, and this annoyed Gypsy.

Dean threw one after the other after the other. He missed. Each time. Rory stifled a laugh when Dean looked really confused. "You know Gypsy, those balls are really slippery, I could hardly get a grip," Dean informed her, making sure his reputation as a manly man was intact.

"Oh sure it was. I'll call the ball company immediately and tell them that they have slippery balls," Gypsy replied sarcastically. Dean became a little irritated, especially when Rory couldn't hold in her laugh anymore.

"Sorry... it's just... slippery balls," Rory giggled, and Gypsy laughed along with her.

"Whatever. I'll catch you later," Dean waved his hand in a sarcastic manner and walked off.

"Don't let him get to you honey. He's just a man," Gypsy shrugged.

"Right, I know. Thanks Gypsy," Rory smiled slightly and walked away. Relationships suck, and she really didn't want to go over to Dean's house later tonight.

"Excuse me! May I have everyone's attention please?" Miss Patty asked, and waited until the crowd's voices died down. "Hello everybody, especially you gorgeous men out there. I'm here to introduce... Hep Alien!" The crowd cheered and Rory shook her head in laughter. She should have figured since she hadn't seen Lane yet. Rory smiled as they chose to sing the overly-used cliche song 'Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)' by Green Day.

They played a few more songs, and once the band was done, Rory went up on stage and hugged Lane. "How did you pull this off with Mama Kim?"

"Uh, didn't tell her," Lane winced.

"Nice one hot shot!" Rory joked.

"Hey, I risked bible camp for you!" Lane joked back.

"Well thank you very much Lanie," Rory smiled.

"Don't ever call me Lanie." Lane replied.

"Fine, I guess I'll have to come up with a better nickname then," Rory pouted.

"Hello again! It's food time. Please let the honored guests go first. It's rude otherwise. Taylor... Taylor! Stop trying to take away my megaphone!" Miss Patty threw it into the crowd and grinned as Taylor's eyes widened in shock. Rory and Lane walked off stage and went over to the tables of food. There were assortments of sandwiches, pasta salads, desserts, appetizers, and beverages. Sookie went overboard.

"Sookie, you baked for an army!" Rory exclaimed.

"Oh I know sweetie," Sookie nodded.

"Well this will fill me up for the day," Rory said sweetly. They walked over to a table and went to eat. Everyone enjoyed themselves and soon they were all stuffed and couldn't eat anymore. Rory and Lorelai insisted on helping to clean up after the party was over, but the rest insisted they go home and relax.

Rory and Lorelai walked home slowly because they ate too much. "Why am I so full? I've eaten way more before," Lorelai pondered.

"Yeah, this is nothing compared to last year's Thanskgiving," Rory agreed.

"Or the 10 Pizza Consumption of '02," Lorelai continued.

"Maybe we're losing our touch," Rory sighed.

"Maybe," Lorelai agreed.

Once the two got inside, Rory asked, "Hey mom, do you want to watch a movie?"

"Sure, but aren't you going to Dean's?" Lorelai asked.

"Well' I'm a little ticked off at him at the moment, and I really don't want to go over there," Rory replied, irritated.

"Why don't you go over there to make up? I have to go to Luke's anyway," Lorelai encouraged her to make up with Dean. She wanted Rory to move on from Jess and not let what he did to her keep her constricted from what she really wanted to do.

Rory sighed, she knew what her mother was trying to do, and she appreciated it, but she also found herself wishing she wasn't. "Okay mom, I'll try," Rory agreed. She went into her room and changed her shirt from the Belle and Sebastian to a flowy camisole.

When she got to Dean's house, she saw two figures shadowing the curtains of Dean's living room. Rory knew one was Dean, due to his height. He saw Dean's hand circling the person's shoulder, and Rory thought maybe it was his mom, or sister, but then Rory knew it wasn't. She saw Dean grab the person's face and pull it towards him, and they started kissing crazily. Soon, Rory saw her shirt go off and his with it. Rory became really angry. God, if her mother weren't so persistant, she wouldn't know that Dean was cheating on her. She wondered how long. She wondered if she was prettier, if she was better, if she was smarter. She wondered what she did to deserve this. Was it because she was leading Dean on? Was it because when Dean was kissing her, she thought about kissing Jess?

She walked across the street, and knocked on the door. A minute or so later, she knocked again and this time, Dean opened up, with his shirt disheveled, and his face flushed. "I know Dean," Rory told him softly, trying not to loose her cool and remain calm.

"Know what Ror?" Dean leaned across the doorframe, obviously blocking something he didn't want her to see.

"I know there's a girl in there, and I know you're cheating on me. I don't care how long, I don't care with who. I'm... I'm just done. We're done," Rory explained rationally. She applauded herself for remaining this stable.

"Ror-" Dean began but was beginning to get pulled away by a girl with red hair and green eyes.

"Come on Dean, whoever it is, they can wait for what I'm about to do," she pleaded and gave him bedroom eyes.

Dean looked back at Rory who was shaking her head, "Don't even start." She walked away with her arms across her chest, and for just a moment, she felt freer then she ever had.