Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination.

CHAPTER 2: TIME FOR YOUR LIBIDO

"Lorelai Gilmore, you are not letting your daughter waltz down the aisle looking like a tramp! Be serious!" huffed Emily.

"But Mom, everyone says orange is the new pink," whined Lorelai in a fake voice. She burst out into a grin. "Look at my baby girl. All grown up and ready to walk the streets."

"Uh, Mom, I'd have to agree with Grandma here," said Rory, glancing at the three-way mirror in disgust as a hideous orange creation swished around her legs. "I look like a traffic cone."

"But a very cute traffic cone!" she quipped.

"Lorelai!" warned Emily.

"Alright, alright, Mom. Geez." Lorelai flopped back into the plush chair in the fitting area. "What's the fun of trying on the pretty dresses if you don't have the ugly ones to compare them to? You need some fun juice."

"Oh, honestly," Emily said, rolling her eyes.

"Ah, champagne lady! Mommy dearest needs a refill," Lorelai called. The attendant gave her a questioning look but returned with another tray of champagne.

"Ok, Mom. I'm going to try the pretty ones now," said Rory. She stepped down from the stool she was standing on and chose a green dress with puffy sleeves, holding it up to herself and looking in the mirror. "What do we think?" she asked.

"Much better," said Emily approvingly.

"Ah, yes, the classic 'I'm a leprechaun from the eighties' look. Been there, done that, got the prom pictures to prove it," Lorelai said as her cell phone rang. "Hello, Sadie Sadie almost-married lady speaking," she answered. Rory rolled her eyes and placed the green dress back on the rack.

"You're a Funny Girl," Luke said.

"Ah, my hubby-to-be, the groom of my dreams, my diner fantasy come true. What's up?"

"Uh, so, Liz and T.J. just left the apartment."

"Ooh, I know how hard it must have been to let your terribly annoying best man go. Tell me again, how many strippers are going to be at your bachelor party?" she said sweetly.

"Ha ha, very funny. Ya wanna know why I called, or what?" he said wryly.

"Why, to tell me that you love me and can't stand being without me for one more second so we must elope and thereby skip this entire Gilmore affair otherwise known as the hellaciously big-ass wedding."

"If only. So…um… they just got back from the airport."

"Uh huh…" Lorelai said, waiting for the explanation.

"They, uh, well, that is to say…" Luke sighed over the phone. "Jess is here."

Rory casually flipped through all the bridesmaid dresses on the rack, pretending to search for the next one to try on.

"So, I guess that means he got Luke's letter," Rory said flippantly. "He came for the wedding, huh?"

Lorelai studied Rory's face carefully. "Yep, he sure did, kiddo," she said lightly.

"Hmm," Rory said, looking uncomfortable.

"Wait, wait, wait. Jess? That hoodlum Rory knew in high school?" Emily said, wanting to clarify.

"Yes, Grandma."

Lorelai watched as Rory selected the next dress at random. "You know that means that he'll probably be in the wedding party, right Rory?"

"Oh, yeah, sure, mm-hmm," Rory said. "I think I'll just, um, go try this on. Be right back."

Rory closed the fitting room door and leaned against it, trying to catch the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"This is fine, I'm going to be fine," she said to herself. She slipped on the pale pink dress she'd been holding. "Besides," she continued to herself, "it's not like I haven't seen him since he left Stars Hollow. I have. I did. I sent him away, so, no biggie." She finished putting on the dress and looked at herself in the mirror. She smoothed down the front of the dress. "I'll be fine."

Rory walked into the pool house, coffee in one hand and cell phone in the other.

"Well tell Kirk that you already hired a photographer and that it's rude to suggest airbrushing that, even if it is only twenty extra bucks," Rory said, grinning. She spied Logan in the kitchen making a sandwich. "I gotta go," she said, setting her keys down on the counter. "You what? Well, it's your twenty bucks. Bye, Mom." She dropped her phone into her purse as Logan gathered her in his arms.

"Mornin', Ace." Logan greeted her with a slow, sensuous kiss.

"Afternoon, Huntzberger!" Rory said with a smile after she regained her composure. Logan laughed.

"Hey, I can't help it if someone didn't wake me up this morning. Besides, who'd want to get out of bed when they woke up with a gorgeous brunette…" he said, nibbling on her ear.

Rory playfully pushed him away. "Listen mister, I have no time for your libido today," she said with mock consternation.

Logan clutched at his heart. "Ace, I'm wounded! And here I was thinking that you were all about my libido."

Rory merely raised an eyebrow.

Logan returned to his sandwich. "Ok, ok. Seriously, Ace. What's your grand plan for this glorious Saturday?" he asked.

"Well, I'm debating. Since my grandparents are out of town, I don't have to spend the afternoon at some tea with Grandma and her friends."

"Which means you have the afternoon free to…" Logan started mischievously.

Rory held a hand up, stopping him from completing his sentence. "However, this means that now I have time to help Mom with some wedding prep or house moving."

"Hmm. Both sound like they don't include me," Logan noticed.

"Well, we have been dating for awhile now. Frankly, I'm tired of you," Rory said playfully.

"Hey, be glad I've lasted this long. This whole boyfriend thing can be so taxing," he replied with a dramatic flair. He set his dishes in the sink and leaned against the counter. "For example, there's this pesky emotional thing that's happened to me as of late. I'm almost compelled to say very un-Logan-like things," he said, his voice playful but his eyes serious.

Rory felt a flutter in her stomach and fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "Such as?" she asked nonchalantly.

Logan pulled her to him. "Such as…" he leaned in closer, whispering in her ear. "I love you."

Rory looked at him with surprise. "Wow…" she breathed.

"You got time for my libido now?" he murmured into her mouth, leading her to the bedroom.

"So Luke, I really love what you've done with the place," Jess remarked, his eyes sweeping Luke's apartment. Everything that could possibly be put in boxes was completely boxed up.

"Yeah, you know, it was time to redecorate," Luke said dryly. "But, hey, there's still a couch with your name on it if you want it. Temporarily, of course."

"Of course," Jess said smoothly, dropping his duffel bag on the floor.

Luke rubbed the back of his neck, clearly searching for something to say. "Listen, it's really good to see you. I'm curious though; why aren't you staying with your mom?"

Jess gave Luke a "duh" look. "I'm sorry, have you met T.J.?"

Luke returned the look with understanding. "Point taken. You want something to drink?"

"Nah, I'm cool. I'm just gonna go for a walk. You know, for old times' sake," Jess said, moving toward the door.

Luke eyed him suspiciously, but couldn't find an appropriate response. "Ok, um, well I'm gonna take some of these boxes over to the house later if you want to see it. Y'know, or…whatever."

Jess paused at the door. "Ok… Hey, I'm happy it's working out for you. Lorelai, I mean."

Luke genuinely smiled for the first time. "Yeah, thanks."

"Mom?"

"In the kitchen!" Lorelai called. Rory walked into the kitchen and set her purse down.

"Ok, well, I've got the kitchen packed up, and boy, was that hard! I think I need a drink," Lorelai announced, wiping the invisible sweat from her brow.

Rory peered into a nearly empty box and eyed her mother suspiciously. "The toaster and a can opener? This is why you called me? I drive all the way to Stars Hollow for this? Clearly you are delusional and need help."

"Exactly! Help! Hence the phone call. Now, start totin', Kato."

"Wow, this house is amazing!" Rory said, her shoes clicking on the hardwood floor. She peered into the hallway of the former Twickham house.

"I know, isn't it? And just think, we'll have our own live-in Luke, and you know what that means."

"24/7 coffee?" Rory offered.

"And donuts!" Lorelai insisted.

"It's hard to imagine that just a few months ago there was a museum here," Rory commented.

"Yeah, I asked Luke if we could keep the caveman from the diorama, but he strangely refused," Lorelai said.

"Jealous," Rory said seriously.

"Most likely," Lorelai responded. They turned toward the front door as it opened.

"Is that who I think it is?" Lorelai said, clapping her hands together.

"Oh God, here we go again," Luke muttered from the other side of the door.

"It is! The Romeo to my Juliet, the Rhett to my Scarlett, the Tom to my Katie!"

Luke just rolled his eyes as he set down a box in the living room. "Do you have to do that every time you see me?"

"Yes," Lorelai replied sweetly.

"Hey, where do you want –" Jess began, the words dying as he saw Rory standing in the middle of the room.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," Rory returned.

"Uh, Luke, dontcha think we ought to check on that thing outside?" Lorelai asked, nudging Luke out the door.

"What thing outside?" he asked, confused.

"Y'know, that thing..." Lorelai said, shutting the door after her, leaving Rory and Jess to have their first conversation in over a year.

So I know that the whole "I love you" thing is reversed. Let's accept the discontinuity and move on.