One Less Mistake

Summary: What if Lorelai hadn't gotten pregnant until she was 20? What if she had agreed to marry Christopher when she did? AU.

Pairings: Rory/Dean, Lor/Chris

Disclaimer: All of these characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB. The song "Christmas is all around" is from the movie "Love Actually" and belongs to whoever owns that (which I should know, since it's my favorite movie, but I don't know).

AN: No need to worry about Logan. This will be a R/D fic from start to finish. Sorry to any Sophies reading this.

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Rory and Dean were stretched out on the couch watching "Love Actually."

"How did I let you rope me into watching this with me?" Dean asked Rory.

"You don't like it?"

"Well, I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

"You like it."

"It's the ultimate chick flick."

"It's funny. You like it. Stop complaining. And besides, there are movies more chick flick-ish than this one."

"Okay, I like it."

"I knew you would."

"No you didn't, you just wanted to watch it."

"Yeah. I always watched it with my mom, every year since it came out, the day before Christmas."

"Aren't you two talking now?"

"Yes. But I wanted to watch it with you. Now you'll know what I'm talking about when I start singing 'Christmas is all around us.'"

"Please don't. The line with an extra syllable really bothers me."

"Yes, Mr. Future editor."

"So, you've seen this a lot."

"Yeah."

"Do the Prime Minister and his secretary ever get together?"

"Maybe."

"And what about the guy who made the video of that girl on her wedding day? Do they ever get together? And does that guy cheat on his wife with the girl who wore the devil costume?"

"I'll tell you, but it'll cost you."

"How much?"

"I get to sing the line with the extra syllable thirty times before I tell you."

"I can wait to find out."

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Rory, Chris, and Topher sat on the floor in front of their couch, eating Chinese takeout, looking longingly at the presents neatly wrapped under the tree. "How are there so many?" Rory asked, "There are only three of us."

"I think someone's grandparents are feeling a little bad," Chris suggested.

"And Mom must have sent some," Topher added.

"I love Christmas," Rory piped up.

"We know," Chris and Topher said in one voice.

"I feel it in my fingers," Rory began to sing, as her father and brother groaned, "I feel it in my toes, Christmas is all around me, and so the feeling grows."

"Stop!" Topher begged, "You know you can't sing."

"Shush, I need to get to the extra syllable. It's written in the wind, it's everywhere I go, so if you really love Christmas-"

"Okay, you're there!" Chris exclaimed in relief.

"Dean wouldn't let me sing that part," she explained.

"And you listened to him when he told you to stop? Will you listen to me if I change my name to Dean?" Topher asked. They all laughed, and leaned back against the couch. They still felt the empty space where Lorelai should have been, alternately singing along with Rory, and yelling at her to stop with Chris and Topher. That was how they spent their Christmases, eating Chinese food in the living room, staring longingly at the presents, and laughing at each others antics. They were almost glad when the phone rang, and Chris had to go get it.

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"I feel it in my fingers," Lorelai sang, "I feel it in my toes, Christmas is all around me, and so the feeling grows."

"What are you singing?" Luke asked.

"It's from 'Love Actually,'" Dean replied.

"How do you know that?"

"Rory made me watch it."

"It's written in the wind, it's everywhere I go-"

"Do not finish that, please," Dean begged.

"You know the next line?" Lorelai said, surprised.

"It has an extra syllable. I hate that extra syllable. It just doesn't fit." Luke laughed at him. Something with Lorelai felt off, but he couldn't quite tell what it was, exactly. He hoped she wasn't mad about the April thing, but it didn't seem like her to hold a silent grudge about something like that. Things with Dean, on the other hand, were fine. Luke had forgiven Dean for choosing to stand by Christopher, and Dean had forgiven Luke for everything with Lorelai and leaving Jess' wedding to see April, although he said that it wasn't exactly his place to forgive either of them.

"So, what do you usually do around here on Christmas?" Lorelai asked.

"Jess complains, Luke complains, and I make them get a tree and decorate it. Besides that, nothing. Nothing as exciting as eating Chinese in the living room and singing off-key," Dean offered.

"We do not sing off-key!" Lorelai said, indignant.

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Chris hung up the phone and stared off into space. "Dad, what's wrong?" Rory asked, as she and Topher scrambled to their feet, and over to him.

"My father. He died."

"Grandfather Haden died?" Topher asked.

"Today. On Christmas."

"Dad," Rory whispered, and hugged him. Topher picked up the phone, and dialed a familiar number.

"Who are you calling?" Rory asked.

"Mom."