Chapter Thirteen: Epitome of Something or Another

"And then we kissed, and Rory, it was amazing. It was… well, the epitome of amazing."

Rory grinned, and sank back into the living room couch, popping a cheese-puff into her mouth, "So you and Luke are together now?"

"Yes," Lorelai squealed, adjusting her sitting posture, and pulling a pillow into her lap, "I'm so happy… he's just, wow. It's Luke, Ror. Luke… Luke that fixes our house, feeds us so we don't starve to death.. I just, I can't believe I never noticed… I think this is it for me, Ror."

"Aww! You and Luke!" Rory laughed, clapping her hands together, "I'm so happy for you. Oh! I wonder who won the bet."

"The bet?"

"Yes, the bet. Everyone in town started bets last year to see how long it'd take for you and Luke to get together."

"I was married last year! Why would they start bets?"

Rory quirked an eyebrow, and tilted her head, "Miss Patty and Babette, mom."

"Oh," Lorelai nodded, "Right. Scratch that earlier thought." Lorelai bit her lip, and glanced at the coffee table filled with junk food, and coffee thermoses, "So… should we start with the super sappy movies? Or should we go with the epitome—"

"That's your new favorite word, isn't it?"

"Epitome? Oh yes, I was flipping through your dictionary the other day –"

"You opened a book? Willingly?"

"I was bored."

"Of course."

"So anyway, yes, or should we start with the epitome of scary and go with the first, 'The Exorcist'?"

"Sappy and we'll work our way up."

"Good idea. We'll call Luke over for 'The Exorcist'."

"Why?"

"So I can hide my head in his arm, of course."

"Oh silly me for thinking otherwise."

"Ooh! Dirty!"

"Ugh," Rory sighed, standing and pushing the 'When Harry Met Sally' video tape into the V.C.R.

Sitting in the Stars Hollow home of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, it felt as if nothing had ever changed since the last time the two Gilmore girls had sat on the very same couch, watching movies while the outside world around them kept going – not bothering to notice the small simple things in life that could make you happy.

As the front door burst open, and slammed shut seconds later, Rory turned to Lorelai and smiled slightly, "It's Paris."

"Oh?"

"Uh hu—"

"I told my parents."

"Told your parents what, Paris?" Lorelai asked, reaching forward, grabbing the V.C.R. remote off of the coffee table, and pressing pause.

"That I'm a lesbian."

"Oh," Lorelai said, her eyes widening slightly as she processed the information in her mind, "Well… would you like a cheese puff?"

"No," Paris said, shaking her head, and throwing herself onto the couch in between the mother and daughter duo, "My parents cut me off. They said they'll only continue to pay for college and Grad school, but after that, my perfect, stick thin, bubbly valedictorian, I don't hold it against you Rory—"

"Noted."

"Anyway, my perfect sister is now heiress to my family's fortune."

"I'm sorry, Par—"

"No, don't be sorry. You can't help it if I like to sleep with girls, Lorelai. I mean seriously! Cutting your daughter off just because she doesn't get a high off of sleeping with men, anymore! God, this is all Doyle's fault!"

"Ugh!" Rory cried, shaking her hands in front of her eyes, "Stop it, Paris! He's still my editor! Oh god, bad images! Bad, bad, bad!"

"Sorry," she replied sheepishly, shaking her head, "Anyway… He sucked in bed, I swear he couldn't tell which way was up or down – man did he blow it for me."

"Paris, please stop. Please, please, please stop and I'll pick up women for you. But please stop giving me images of Doyle in bed! Ugh!"

"Well, Rory, I didn't get accepted into the exchange abroad program."

"I'm sorry, Paris."

"But I'm still leaving Yale. I got accepted into Harvard, thank God. I had my grandpa pull a few strings, and in I went. I'm leaving after next week."

"So I won't have a roommate anymore?"

"No, sorry."

Rory shrugged, and rubbed her forehead, "It's not an issue. It'll just take some getting used to."

Paris sighed, and shrugged her jacket off, tossing it behind her and letting it land with a 'flop' on the floor behind the couch. "Can I stay here?"

"Mhmm," Lorelai said through a mouthful of pretzels, "Do you mind the couch? I haven't gotten around to renovating this place to make it bigger. I got so used to the mansion in Hartford, that I hadn't realized this place would be like.. a shack."

"It happens," Rory agreed, making herself even more comfortable on the couch.

"So, how was New York with the Australian?" Paris asked, looking at Rory with a smile on her face.

"You went to New York with the Australian?" Lorelai gasped, holding her hand to her heart, "And you didn't tell me? Fruit of my loins! The reason I exist! The wind beneath my wings! Why, oh why, must you wound my poor, little heart?"

"Well," Rory sighed, "You were on a Luke high, and I didn't want to tell you because you and Luke have so much going for you."

"I don't care! You're my daughter!"

"Well, we went to New York City, and we stayed in the Astoria for two nights."

"That's it? You tell me you go to the city in the winter time, with an Australian, and nothing happened?"

"Well.. we kissed.."

"You kissed?"

"God, Rory, you work fast."

"What are you talking about Paris?"

"You and Tristan just broke up."

"We broke up over a month ago!"

"I know, but that's soon, don't you think?"

"No, I don't think it's too soon!" Rory groaned, and rubbed her face with her hands, letting her head fall onto the back of the couch, "And besides, I don't even want a relationship right now."

Lorelai frowned, and grabbed a handful of popcorn off the coffee table, "Because Tristan was so important to you, and you just don't feel ready? Because if I remember quickly, you told me the only reason you even met up with Tristan was to piss your father off."

"And it worked."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I got attached! I wasn't supposed to fall for the asshole, but I did."

"You fell for him? Must have been a pretty short fall."

"Mom, can we please just continue with movie night?"

"Fine, but you're not off the hook."

"Of course not."

---&---

"Richard," Emily Gilmore called through the mahogany wood door that separated her sitting room, from her husband's home office, "Are you busy?"

"Nothing that can't be put off for a moment, Emily," Richard replied, setting his cigar into a crystal ash tray, and pushing his bifocals up the bridge of his nose slightly, "Please com in."

Emily twisted the doorknob open, and stepped into the somewhat smoky office, closing the door behind her, "Afternoon, Richard," she smiled, folding her hands in front of her, "I have news."

"Oh?"

"Oh yes, big news," Emily continued, sliding gracefully into a red leather antique chair in front of her husband's desk, "Rory and that Dugrey boy have parted ways."

"But he was such a charming young man."

"I believed so too," Emily said, crossing her legs, "but it seems that he was a tad bit unfaithful to Rory. I believe we should throw her a party, and introduce her into the world of much more… suitable and dignified men. She mustn't pussyfoot around anymore, Richard. We are a serious family, and I'm possibly right in assuming Francine and Straub feel the very same about their granddaughter."

"Of course," Richard nodded, opening up a black, leather bound book, flipping through a few of the pages, before landing on one, "how about we have a New Year's Eve party, Emily? We'll invite many Yale alums, and their sons to our party, and introduce Rory to many of them."

"Sounds delightful!" Emily gracefully stood, and walked to Richard, kissing him lightly on the cheek, "I'll begin planning it this instant. It'll be fun."

---&---

"I can't believe you're leaving," Rory sighed, looking around Paris' empty dorm room. "Whose going to bite all of my friend's heads off now? I don't think the dorm allows pit bulls."

"Like you would be able to keep it alive, anyway, Gilmore," Paris said, glancing around her empty bedroom, letting a sigh escape her lips, "I never thought I'd see the day where I'm sad to leave you."

"Me either."

"I can't believe I'm not going to see you everyday. Wow," Paris breathed, biting her lip, "We've been together for going on five years."

"It sounds like you're breaking up with me, Gellar, and I have to tell you that you're going to make me cry if keep it up with this sentimental stuff."

Paris let out a watery laugh, and turned to Rory, frowning slightly, "We're not roommates anymore. Terrence said that my journey in life with you is complete. I'm kind of scared that it is."

Rory frowned, and wrapped Paris into a hug, "Paris, you're a pain, but you're my pain. Our journey is not completed until one of us kicks the bucket."

"Oh you slay me, Gilmore."

"I tend to do that." Rory pulled away, and backed up against the wall, leaning against it for support, "Promise you'll call every day?"

"I promise."

"Good." Rory nodded, "So… I'll walk you out."

"Okay," Paris picked up her last bag, and led the way out of her empty bedroom, and into the common room. "Oh God, Gilmore." Paris sniffed, "I don't live here anymore!"

"You'll visit."

"I know. Call me with any and all problems."

"I will."

"Bye Gilmore, it was great living with you."

"Ditto," Rory agreed, opening the door, "Bye Paris."

"Bye… Mary."

"Oh God, not you too!" Rory laughed, slamming her head gently against the door, "I don't think I could live in a world with two Tristan's."

"Hey, I'm not a Tristan."

"You both like girls," Rory grinned, and hugged Paris, "I'll talk to you soon. Call as soon as you get there."

"I will. Bye Rory."

"Bye Paris."

---&---

"I heard your roommate has moved out," Finn said, as he walked into Rory's dorm unannounced and made himself comfortable on the couch beside her.

"Well, you heard correct." Rory mumbled, licking her spoon clean of Rocky Road, as she flicked through the channels on her TV.

"I'm sorry, kitten," Finn said softly, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, and sticking his finger into her pint of ice cream, and scooping some out. Eating it off of his finger, he wiped the remainder of his salvia on his jeans, and kissed Rory's cheek, "Is there anything I can do?"

"Nope."

"Love…"

"Finn, I'm fine. Just a little upset."

"Are you sure?"

"Obviously if I just said I'm fine."

"Little feisty this afternoon, aren't you?"

"Did you come here for a purpose, or did you just come to annoy me?"

Finn frowned, and stroked her hair slightly, before taking the remote from her hands, and flicking the TV off, "You need to get out."

"I do not."

"Kitten," Finn sighed, taking her ice cream out of her hands, grabbing the lid; placing it on top. He stood from the couch, and walked into the kitchen, placing the pint of ice cream back into the freezer, "Change. I'm taking you out."

"I don't want to get out of my dorm, Finn. You may not find sitting around, eating junk food, and watching horrible TV fun, but I do."

Finn pointed towards her dorm, and shook his head, "Change, kitten… please?"

"Ugh." Rory groaned, frustrated. She exasperatedly stood up from her curled position on the couch, and stalked into her bedroom, slamming the door closed behind her.

"Bloody American women," Finn muttered under his breath, resting his forehead on the counter.

Today was going to be a long day.