Chapter Three - The Ho Ho's, Twinkies And A Tub Of Lies

Luke shook his head in disbelief.

"Of all the things to happen today. Jeez. Everything always happens all at once."

"Last one up the stairs is rotten egg!" She called directly in Jess' ear.

"Jeez Liza. How old are you? 9!"

"Aw come on Jess. I haven't seen you in 6 months, I missed you." A rare moment of insecurity. As rare for the Mariano's as is for the Gilmore's. A moment to be appreciated. Boy did he appreciate it.

"I missed you too kiddo. But I'm here now aren't I?

They continued up the stairs and into Luke's old apartment.

"Home sweet home." He mumbled quietly. Secretly enthralled to be back at the place he thought of as home, the place he grew up. The place he belonged.

"Sorry did you say something?"

"No…. no its nothing. Lets get settled eh?"

A soft knock. Such an impossible task at this moment. Her life was spiralling into a weird place. Things hadn't been this complicated for years. They aren't meant to be this complicated. Since when have two star-crossed lovers had such screwed up families? Since when does the whole of the cosmic galaxy combine forces to ruin the peace? Well today everything was ruined. He was back. Again. And he would leave. Again. And he would break her heart. Again. Because that's the way it is. And now Lorelai had the task of passing on the message to her precious offspring. Her first born, her life. She loved Scarlett without a doubt. She loved Scarlett more than life itself. But Rory… Rory was different. Rory was hers. She represented the life she made for herself, the life that she had wanted and now shared with Luke. She was not only her daughter, she was her best friend. A connection that no matter how hard she tried, was impossible to find with Scarlett.

"Rory?" Baby steps, that's right Lorelai. One step at a time. You've got to get in her room first!

"Mom? Are you okay? What's wrong? Oh no! Has Paul Anka found your coffee stash again? Or did he find Scarlett's chocolate. I swear she can't be related to us! I mean come on who just eats chocolate! What about the red vines? The Ho Ho's? The Twinkies? The crunchy M&M's? Or is it Luke? Is he ill? Wait its not dark day today is it? No… No that's next month…"

"Wow I did teach her well……… real well. Ok Rory you can stop now… Rory… do do do do aw come on Ror it has to end sometime"

"Mommy will tell you what happened Hun, but you have to let mommy get a word in…. calm now?" Pause

"Gooooood… Ok well its nothing too bad I swear. But Rory, Hun, I gotta tell you something. Something that you're probably not going to like. I …. Err…. Well you see"

"Now look whose rambling.."

"Jess is back. There I said it… please don't hurt me!" Lorelai cowered back, expecting an onslaught of "WHY? WHERE? WHEN? WHY?" but nothing came.

"Oh. Well ok. I guess that makes sense with Liza here and everything… ok. Thanks Mom."

Lorelai was confused. Why was Rory ok with this! She slowly backed out of Rory's room in a daze, practically knocking Luke over.

"Wow! Oh! Hey there. You tell her?"

Lorelai nodded her head, making her way into the living room, out of Rory's ear shot.

"How'd she take it?"

She shrugged her shoulders sitting down on the couch, grabbing a cushion placing it in her lap.

"Ok, I guess. Good actually. Too good. Something's going on here…"

"But I want the big bed!" Liza stamped her foot hard on the cold, wooden floor and immediately cursed herself for being so childish.

"Hell no. I'm the big brother, I get the big bed!"

Jeez am I really being so immature and arguing about a bed!

"But it's my first night here!"

"I always get stuck with the little bed. It's time I got to use this one"

"I…. I have a bad back" Liza looked at Jess with those big round beautiful eyes. And just for that split second Jess actually believed her.

"Your 13! 13 year olds don't have bad backs!"

Liza pouted hard and fast. She wanted that nice big, comfortable double bed and she would stop at nothing to get her way.

There is no way my little sister is getting a bigger bed than me!

They stood, staring at one an other for what seemed like an eternity. Knowing that neither one was about to give up.

"Play you for it?"

Liza was quick to respond.

"Five card draw, nothings wild."

"Let the games begin"