Chapter 23

"Lucy, what happened? Are you okay?"

Lucy didn't say anything, and continued to cry.

"It's okay Luc, whatever it is, it'll be okay." Rory said comfortingly.

After when Lucy calmed down a bit, Rory said, "What happened?"

"It's gone." Lucy said, still sniffling.

"What's gone?"

"Everything."

"Everything?" Rory repeated.

"It's gone, everything is gone. My whole life is disappearing. I can't take it anymore!"

"What happened, Lucy?"

"We're moving." Lucy said quietly.

"Moving?"

"Yes, moving."

They stayed silent.

"I need you Rory, I can't do this alone."

"What?"

"Things that used to be are no longer. First you drop out of Yale which causes drama. Then I stop going to dinner, which is more drama, then I don't figure skate anymore, even more drama, then Christopher comes, even more drama than before, Mom gets pregnant with triplets, even more drama than before that, and now, on top of everything else, we have to move. Drama. This is the only house I have ever lived in, and to move, it's like…it's like leaving behind memories." Lucy said on the verge of crying again.

"Lucy, how long have you been keeping this in?"

"Long time, since you dropped out of Yale."

"Why haven't you told anyone?"

"Because everyone was so sad, then so happy, I didn't want anyone having to deal with me."

"Luc, you should have told me. You know I would do anything for you."

"I-I know, but you're always so busy with Logan." Lucy shuttered when she said Logan's name.

"Luc-" Rory started but Lucy cut her off.

"I know I'm probably very spoiled, but when Mom has triplets, and if we move, that's it, my whole life is gone. I'm miserable."

"Wow, okay, you know what, I am going to come to Stars Hollow tomorrow and we'll straighten this whole thing out with you and Mom."

"Wait, hold on Mom's coming." Lucy said.

"Lucy?" Lorelai said knocking on the door.

"Go away!"

"Come on Luc, talk to me."

"I said go away!" Lucy said raising her voice more than before. "Rory?" she said when she heard Lorelai leave.

"I'm still here. Anyway, as I was saying, you are going to tell Mom, do you understand?"

"I don't think so."

"Lucy you have to. It's the only way."

"No it isn't. How about, I stay here, and Mom and Luke can move. Problem solved." Lucy said.

"No, problem not solved. Lucy Victoria Gilmore you are going to tell Mom, are we clear?" Rory said like a military officer.

"Yes mam." Lucy said still surprised that Rory used her middle name. No one ever called her by her middle name.

"Good." Rory said. They stayed on the phone quietly until Rory said, "I still can't believe Mom named you after her. Lucy Victoria Lorelai Gilmore."

"You have her name."

"What can I say; Mom was very obsessed with herself during child birth."

For the first time in a long time, Lucy gave a real smile. "Yeah she was, anyway it's late. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay. I love you Luc, now get some sleep."

"Okay, I love you too, bye."

"Bye."

The Next Day…

"Lucy, are you up yet!" Lorelai said knocking on Lucy's door. There was no answer. She knocked again. "Lucy?" Lorelai opened the door to find Lucy's bed made and a note. She read the note:

Dear Mom,

You're probably wondering where I am and you're probably worried out of your mind. Just so you know, it's Monday morning, I have school you have work. I went to school early today. I won't be coming in for breakfast or lunch or dinner. I can't talk to you right now. But I'll be home later. Don't worry about me.

Lucy

Lorelai went downstairs and Luke said, "Where's Lucy?"

She didn't say anything and handed him the note. She sat down at the table and said, "I don't know what I am going to do with that girl. I mean I'm starting to realize things that I have never realized before."

"Like what?"

"She is becoming more and more like me everyday. I think I'm becoming an Emily Gilmore." Lorelai said starting to cry.

"Hey." Luke said giving her a hug and kissing her forehead.

"I'm sorry. It's these hormones, but it's probably me. I'm a bad influence. She's going to grow up the way I did and she's-she's going to get pregnant."

"Hey now. Lucy is Lucy. You are not a bad influence. She is not going to get pregnant okay. She might be growing up, but this is a lot to adjust to so soon. Like I said, you need to give her some time, to collect her thoughts. She'll talk to you when she's ready."

"Since when did you become a shrink?" Lorelai joked.

Luke slapped her hand playfully and said, "You feeling better?"

"Yeah. I'm going to head over to the inn. I'll come by for lunch." Lorelai said getting up and giving Luke a kiss.

"Bye." Luke said kissing her again.

"Bye."

Stars Hollow Middle School
Lucy is leaving school

Lucy is walking with her friends. Someone taps her on the shoulder.

"Hi Rory." Lucy said.

"The diner is that way." Rory said pointing in the direction to the diner.

Lucy sighed and said, "I'll talk to you later guys. to Rory I'm not going to the diner today."

"Oh yes you are, you said you were."

"No, I said I would talk to Mom, but I told Mom that I'm not going to the diner today."

"So you talked to her?"

"No." Lucy said continuing her walk.

"Then how does she know that you're not going to the diner today?" Rory said following her.

"I left her a note on my bed."

"Come with me." Rory said taking Lucy's hand and leading her to her car.

"Where are you taking me?" Lucy said trying to get free of Rory's grip.

"We're going to take a little trip." Rory said slightly pushing Lucy into the car. She closed Lucy's door and went around to the driver seat.

"You are going to regret this." Lucy said buckling her seatbelt.

Dragonfly Inn
Rory pulls up at the front of the inn

"Okay, get out." Rory said.

"What about you?" Lucy said unbuckling her seatbelt.

"I'm going in too, but you have to get out first."

"Great." Lucy said under her breath as she came out of the car.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Okay, let's go find Mom." Rory said taking Lucy's hand again.

"I'm not a baby, Rory; I know where we're going."

"That's okay. I have to make sure that you don't run."

"This is unbelievable."

The Dragonfly's Kitchen
Lorelai and Sookie are having a conversation

"Please Sookie?" Lorelai begged.

"Nope." Sookie said as she decorated a cake.

"Just one cup?"

"No. How about some tea or juice?"

"That's for wimps." Lorelai turned around. "Rory! The mean lady won't give me any coffee."

"Decaf or nothing." Rory said.

"Ew, they shouldn't even call that coffee, but…I'll take it."

"Okay." Sookie said. "Do you want anything kitten?"

"No, I'm good." Rory said.

"So what brings you to town?" Lorelai asked taking a sip of her coffee.

"Umm, actually Mom, I was wondering if you could come with me to your office. We need to talk."

"About what?"

"Lucy."

Lorelai put down her coffee mug and said, "Oh. I'll be right back Sookie."

Lorelai and Rory began walking to Lorelai's office.

"What did she tell you?" Lorelai asked.

"A lot." Rory said as she walked into Lorelai's office.

Lucy was looking at the pictures on Lorelai's desk as they came in. She turned around.

"Hi Lucy." Lorelai said.

"Hi."

"Lucy has something she wants to tell you." Rory said.

"Are you pregnant?" Lorelai asked.

"What? Eww no, God no!"

"Then what is it."

"It's nothing."

"Lucy…" Rory said warningly.

"Come on Lucy, you can tell me anything." Lorelai said.

"Tell her."

"Can you start it for me? I don't even want to be here right now. The least you could do is start it for me." Lucy said.

"Fine. As you probably already figured, Lucy doesn't want to move."

"Why?"

"That's your cue, Luc."

Lucy let out a breath and said, "I don't want to move because-because if we do, everything in my life will have vanished."

"Vanished?" Lorelai repeated.

"I lied okay. I said that it I didn't want to skate anymore, but on the contrary, I really do. I love it. On my way to school I do Waltz Jumps. It's always so automatic." She paused. "I love being the youngest, I love having you all to myself when Rory isn't here. When the triplets are born, everything will be different. I just…I just don't want anything else to change, but it is."

"I know Hon. Things are changing for me too. I have 3 babies inside me who even before they are born, need attention. I love our house too, but we'll never be able to create enough space for 3 extra kids."

"I know, I guess I'm just selfish."

"You're not. You and Rory are the most unselfish people I know. We are going to have to move Hon, we can't change that, we're going to have triplets, we can't change that either, but Luke and I have decided not to sell the house."

"We're not moving?" Lucy said getting her hopes up.

"Yes, we're still moving, but we decided that when Rory is ready, she can have the house, I mean if you want to?"

"Really?" Rory said.

"Yeah."

"Wow, I never thought of myself as owning a house. I would love to, when I'm finished school, and maybe I can get a job in Hartford."

"So…what does this all mean?" Lucy said.

"Well, I'm hoping you're not mad anymore." Lorelai said.

"I'm not mad. I'm still a little sad, but not mad."

"Okay. Well how about a hug? Both of my girls."

The three of them hugged and Lucy said, "I love you guys."

"We love you too Luc, and no matter what, you always tell me when you're feeling left out okay?" Lorelai said.

"Okay."