A/N: Sorry that it took me so long to update, but I've been busy writing on my other fic 'I need coffee, you need me' and with school too. So I hope you can live with it. This part is a lot longer and probably better than any of the former, and I really put a lot of work into this chapter, so please take your time you read it and don't forget to review. I already have the plotline for the next three chapter and maybe even longer out in the future. I will try to update as often as I can over summer, but there are a few weeks whereI won't be able to "see" a computer. I'll spend a few weeks with a laptop, so I will get a lot of writing done though. Well, enjoy reading.

Rory opened the door to her apartment, but she was almost about to stumble over the big mountain of letters that were on the floor in her hallway. She picked them up and continued her walk, through the kitchen and into the living room. On the way she passed her phone and as usual she pushed the "listen-to-all-the-annoying-messages-from-people-without-no-life" button.

"Hey Hun, I was just wondering if you're still alive? Call me back!"

"Hey Rory… It's me, Dean… I haven't heard from you in two weeks now, so I was getting a little nervous. I was just wondering if you're okay… Call me back!"

"Rory, it's me Dean again. I don't mean to be intruding, but it feels a bit like you're avoiding me. It feels a little like we're 17 again. Remember the time I called you like five times a day, and then you got tired of me? I don't want that to happen, but it seems like it already has, soo… Bye"

"Rory, pick the phone up! You can't let me hang around and wait for you to call me back. I've basically been living beside the phone the last two weeks. I'm not possessed, if that's what you think. I just want to know if… if you hate me or… Please, just call me or just leave a message."

Beep…………Beep…………Beep…………Beep…………Beep………………Beep……………………

He was right. She had been annoying him… but ever since the night they'd spend together ,she'd felt like something was wrong. She couldn't say what it was. It was just a feeling in her gut. So she simply avoided him and hoped for the best. After his voice was gone, she hurried to look at the mail…

"Bill, bill, bill…" she mumbled as she was halfway through the letters. And then there was a postcard from her grandparents.

Dear Rory!

We hope you are enjoying your stay in New York. It's a wonderful city. And congratulation with the job at "The New York Times". We're extremely proud of you.

The weather here at Cape Cod is absolutely astonishing. Now we regret that we didn't buy a place here years ago. When you once decide to get married…

Rory threw the postcard on the floor along with all the bills. Why did she have to get married? What if she didn't want to wear that white dress and walk down the aisle? She shook her head and threw the rest of the letters on the floor. All bills… Except from one. She picked it up, but then saw it was from her work. Reluctantly she opened it and started reading…

Dear Mrs. Gilmore.

You have now been working at "The New York Times" for three months, and you have done an impressing job. As you might have heard there is a free spot at the traveling corner, and instead of hire a new reporter, we have decided to chose one of our older employers that knows how things work.

You work at one of our smaller departments among seventy other young, talented people, all qualified for a higher position. But we cannot hire seventy people, so we have to pick one. But that will require a closer look at some of you. So we are happy to announce that you are between our ten candidates for this position. But it will also require some harder work for the next few weeks.

Candidates:

Emma Marilyn Parker,

John Rhyland,

Lorelai Leigh Gilmore,

Alexander Whyman,

Mindy Sour,

Daniel Whitley,

Arlene Dawson,

Ethan Merrill,

Isabelle Eva Danto,

Mark Derek Andrews

You will all be send to some place in the America for three weeks and there we will need you to write a piece about the place. Find a story about something interesting. Something small, that you with your writing skills will make bigger.

Rory could hardly believe what she had just read. It was like a light was spreading around her. No, the light she'd been walking towards all her life was suddenly so much closer. A traveling journalist! The dream since she was three. Finally it was going to happen. Rory was about to place the envelope on the table, when another pieces of paper fell out. Rory quickly picked them up.

Destinations:

Emma Marilyn Parker; Mexico City, Mexico

John Rhyland; Los Angeles, California

Lorelai Leigh Gilmore; Hartford, Connecticut

Alexander Whyman; Seattle,

Mindy Sour; Omaha, Nebraska

Daniel Whitley; Birmingham, Alabama

Arlene Dawson; Miami, Florida

Ethan Merrill; Denver, Colorado

Isabelle Eva Danto; Seattle, Washington

Mark Derek Andrews; Augusta, Maine

You don't have to spend all the time in the cities. Feel free to take a trip around in the state you are in.

The trip will be paid and all equipment you need will be delivered.

PS. To celebrate that you have been selected, you are all invited to the party next Saturday.

Connecticut? How could they send her to Connecticut? She'd been living there all her life, and now she had to work in Hartford for three weeks. Unbelievable! Rory then realized that she could spend some time in Stars Hollow. She really missed that place. She truly did. But what was there to write about in Hartford? Rory sighed and started to wonder about the party. She'd heard about it, yes. Today at work everybody had been talking about the big party, where all the big newspaper people would come. Rory had just heard some of it, but still wanted to go… And now suddenly she was going. It was hard to believe… And as many times before she grabbed the phone and dialed the phone number to her old home in the town Stars Hollow. The well known beeps followed by the sound of her mother's voice.

"Hello, you've reached the Gilmore… and Danes. Whatever. Well, get a life…" But Rory wasn't that stupid. After knowing her mom for 25 years, she knew when it was the answering machine and when it was Lorelai Gilmore .

"Hi mom!"

"Rory… Are you sure it's you, 'cause I have a feeling that my real daughter is dead. She haven't returned my calls for three days now. Oh my God, she's a ghost!"

"Mom"

"What am I going to tell Laura? That her sister is sleeping for the rest of her life?"

"Mom"

"Or that her sister moved to Africa and are never coming back?"

"Lorelai Gilmore!"

"Oh, hi Rory… Sorry, it was my evil twin you were talking too."

"Mom, I'm sorry… I've just been so busy at work."

"Busy. You haven't been home"

"By the matter of fact I have."

"If you say so."

"I'm coming home" Rory exclaimed. It had been a very long week, and now it was finally Friday, meaning weekend. She would finally get a chance to relax, or at least that's what she though until a few minutes ago when she got the letter.

"Home? You're moving back to Stars Hollow?"

"Don't be stupid."

"I'm just whishing. Hun, are you okay?"

"Yeah actually… I'm coming home for three weeks."

"Three weeks? Nice boss you have. He most have noticed how hard you're working and then he's giving you three weeks off. Nice man."

"Actually I'm going to work while I'm there. I got a once in a lifetime chance. There's a free spot at the traveling department and I was picked along with ten others, and now we're being send to some town and there we have three weeks to make the best possible impression. And I got Connecticut."

"How fun. My daughter is finally getting her but to the Hollow, but she's going to work."

"Could you be happy for me? If I get that spot my goal in life will be fulfilled."

"Really? What about settling down sometime and what about kids? Marriage? When I talked to you a few weeks ago it sounded like you have something going on."

"You're sounding like Grandma and Grandpa now."

"Sorry, hun it's just. We really miss you. And if you're going to travel… Okay, I shut up now and leave it to you. So when are you coming?"

"Monday."

"Okay, see you on Monday then" Lorelai said and then hung up. Rory could feel a tear roll down her cheek. She wasn't really happy about this chance anymore. She thought her mother would be thrilled, but suddenly she started talking about marriage and kids. The last thing Rory could think about now was kids. She was young, that had to wait. Of course she's thought about the whole package thing, but she was far away from ready.

Rory was amused. Staring at the big doors that would lead her inside. Amazing! Rory walked over to the door where a big man dressed in black was standing, staring at everybody that walked by him. Rory slowly dived into her purse and grabbed the invitation. The man just nodded and let her pass. Slowly she walked up the stairs and entered a gigantic room filled with people. It was like a wind blew through her as she walked pass all the rich, well liked newspaper people. Sometimes it was hard for her to believe, that she was actually a part of that somehow. At least now, and if she got that bloody traveler job she would be invited to every single party like this one. She would maybe even be invited to a newspaper meeting in Paraguay, you never knew.

"Rory, hey!" she looked up and saw the other nine candidates. Funny enough she knew the most of them better than anyone else at the paper. They were usually sixty more people, but she was more fond of the small group. But there was one of them she didn't really know, she'd heard her name; Mindy, but they'd never really talked. She looked like the kind of person that didn't talk much, it was also obvious here. She was just standing outside the circle, looking at the smiling faces around her. Rory rushed over to them and was greeted happily.

"I can't believe I got Los Angeles! I've never been to L.A. I maybe even meet Paris Hilton" John exclaimed. Everybody laughed at that.

"Sorry, Rory. But what did you get?"

"Hartford, Connecticut."

"Isn't that where you come from?" one of the girls asked.

"Well, almost. I was born in Hartford, but I grew up in a mini town called Stars Hollow."

"Bummer!" Alexander mumbled. Then the candidates started talking about something else. Some of them were complaining about the extra hard work, where other sounded pleaded with it. Rory couldn't really focus on the in-crowd, she was just staring at Mindy. After a while she went over to her, but Mindy just ignored her presence.

"Hey, I'm Rory… Lorelai Leigh Gilmore" she introduced herself. Mindy smiled weakly.

"Mindy Sour."

"Right… So how are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"No, I was just trying to be polite."

"Go talk to the people over there"

"I want to talk to you"

"Will you just please go away?"

"Fine" Rory snapped back and turned around. Angrily she walked up to the bar and almost yelled at the bartender.

"Martini"

"Gin or vodka?"

"Just a martini with something, okay?" The bartender nodded and quickly handed the glass to her. Rory send him an evil look, and then hurried away. Why was she suddenly in such a crappy mood? When she entered the party just a few minutes ago she had been so happy, but that Mindy girl had ruined it all. Rory drank the martini within seconds and hurried back to the bar. The bartender was standing with his back to her, and as angry as she was, she was also extremely impatient. A few seconds passed by, and Rory really needed a martini, so she did like her mother would've done; she walked behind the bar and started to fill her own glass.

"What on earth…" But Rory cut him off.

"Whoever hired you made a terrible mistake. You're slowly"

"Lady, shut up!"

"And rude!" Rory yelled as the bartender pushed her out from his side of the bar, the safe side. Suddenly a familiar voice caught Rory's attention.

"Well, well. Isn't it Mrs. Gilmore? Here, Mr.… Bartender… Let me pay for the lovely lady's drink." Suddenly Rory was standing in a safe distance from the bar, and she knew it wouldn't be the best idea to go back within the next few hours. Again her attention was caught by the voice. A voice she hadn't heard in years.

"Rory Gilmore… I should have known." Rory turned around and then faced him. The blond boy from college, Logan Huntzburger. 'Of course! I should've know he would be here!' she told herself.

"Hey… Logan" she looked at her feet. Why was he here? She didn't want him there, she didn't want him to see her like that. The hardworking girl without no family or friends. She was a loner, so after all they had been right at Chilton.

"I'm surprised to see you here" Logan admitted, which was a pretty bad idea. Why was everybody stamping on her tonight? First her mum, then Mindy and now Logan. Why wasn't she good enough? All she'd done her whole life was trying to be perfect, become the perfect journalist, and now she was so close, but people just kept complaining. Lorelai started to talk about kids, and Logan obviously didn't think she was good enough to become a good journalist. He was just like Mitchum, she could see that now.

"Well, I'm surprised to see you too."

"So… Ace, how have you been holding up? I see you became the journalist you wanted to be."

"Yeah I did become the journalist I wanted to be, Logan. Despite everything your father said to me, I made it! I climbed the stairs and made it to the top."

"Ace, easy. I know he was wrong. I expected you to climb the stairs, I did."

"Really? Huh, am I surprised or what?"

"Rory, have your mood changed within a few years or what? I've never seen you so… aggressive."

And then she lost it completely. How dare he? How could he? He didn't know her, not even the time they'd been together. She wasn't Rory back then, not after leaving Yale. That wasn't Rory, everybody were right, but she wouldn't admit it. Now she knew what a mistake it was, but there was nothing she could do to undo it. God, she had changed over the years. The real Rory, the Rory she missed. She had lost her when she broke up with Dean. He had always been a part of her. The third time they broke up, she'd lost it totally. She wasn't Rory there and after. He had taken the good Rory with him. God, she missed that Rory. She needed to get it back, soon.

"Aggressive? I'm aggressive? Sorry, but I'm not the Huntzburger here, am I? I'm not the one who got it all, but you did! And look at you now, Logan! Your rich, you're successful, married. Everything your ever dreamt of, no matter how hard you denied it. That year in London really changed you, it did. And you became a person I don't really like. Sorry!"

"Yeah I got it all. Lucky me! Did you ever consider that I might would have liked to work towards something? To do something on my own, and then be something because I deserved it. You deserve this Ace, and you know you do."

"Stop, Logan please. I've earned nothing. I'm just a stupid candidate for a stupid job. I want a life, but I don't have one. Finally I got what I wanted; a job as a reporter, but I work all the time. I'm like one of those insane doctors that works 130 hours a week. Insane! But that's me! I haven't had a boyfriend for two years now"

"Calm down, Rory…" And astoundingly enough, she relaxed. She took a deep breath and relaxed. At the same time some blond woman walked up behind Logan and kissed him on the cheek.

"Darling, who's this lovely lady you're talking to?" she asked. British, defiantly British.

"Rory Gilmore, works at "the New York times""

"That Rory? Yale-Rory?" Both Rory and Logan nodded.

"So nice to meet you, dear. My name is Kimberly Meredith Huntzburger. In case Logan didn't tell you about me."

"Nice to meet you, Kimberly." Kimberly smiled and stepped away from Logan's back, so Rory could see the little rounding on her tummy. Right, now she remembered. Logan was married, and he was already the father of one child, expecting the second. Suddenly it became too much for her. She just had to get out of there. Get out of the world where everybody lived the perfect life.

"I really, really gotta go!" she mumbled as she turned around and ran straight out of the door. She hurried pass the door-man and down the first street. After running for a while she had to stop, just to get her breath again. What was wrong with her? Why was she suddenly so emotionally? She had never seen herself as a nerve wreck, but maybe that was exactly what she was. She started walking the opposite way, 'cause she had run in the wrong direction of home. Home… no home was in Stars Hollow, where she luckily was going soon.

The road seemed long, but finally she turned down the street where she would find her apartment, but with the apartment came a surprise. She looked up when she approached the steps in front of the door. There on the steps was a man, tall around 6,2 sitting, waiting for her… He heard her footsteps get closer and he looked up. She saw on the expression on his face that he was a mix of emotions, just like herself. He was angry, worried, but at the same time relieved to see her. Rory took a deep breath and walked closer.

"Dean…"

2nd A/N: The more reviews the faster I'll update.. It's all up to you guys... Just push the little purple-blueish button and write one word (or more :P)

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