A/N: Oh gosh, thank you so much for your reviews! You don't know how much this means to me... thanks again, I love y'all. (Oh, this is so cheesy!) Anyways, Chapter 3! Don't worry, there's a mother-daughter-talk coming up in the next chapter, so it's not at all just like "Oh, you're back, you're sorry, everything's fine!". Plus, there's a uncle-nephew-talk-kinda-thing coming up, I don't know if it's in the next chapter as well or later on. I just need to write it, I love Luke and Jess. Uh, well. I just had to get this off my chest, sorry for writing that much. There's also a disclaimer in this chapter. Didn't think of that until my best friend told me I didn't write one. So... I hope y'all like the chapter... let me know, okay?
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the Gilmore girls. Everything I own is the crazy idea about the story and any character that hasn't appeared in the series. (Chapter 3: Bryan)
Chapter 3 – Sorry
Lorelai Gilmore had never pictured herself as the woman who would get married. Especially not to someone like Luke Danes. She was the future Mrs.-Backwards-Baseball-cap. It scared the hell out of her but she didn't regret her decision. Luke was the man of her life, no doubt about it.
She just wished her daughter would be at her side. She wished Rory would go to College und leave Logan.
Lorelai had come up with a million ideas on how to tell Rory Logan was no good for her. But every scenario ended with a terrible fight. Lorelai knew it would be like that. Too much had happened in the past.
"Lore"
Lorelai looked at her fiancé. She was sitting in Luke's Diner, at the counter. "Yeah. Luke. Hi. Good to see you."
Luke frowned but didn't respond. He was familiar with what he called her moments. Those were the moments whenever she did something a regular person wouldn't even think about. There were a lot of these moments lately. "You want something to eat? Okay, stupid question. What do you want?"
"Pancakes, cherry pie and lots of coffee"
Luke handed the order to Caesar. "You're alright?"
Lorelai nodded. "Sure. Why not?"
"I don't know. You just seem to be a little…strange. Since…you know."
"Since my daughter turned into my horrible teenager self?"
"I wouldn't put it that way, but…yes"
"I'm just thinking. I want her to take part, you know? I want her to be around when I'm getting married. When we're getting married."
"I know." Luke chuckled.
"What?"
"Nothing"
"Luke, what's up? You're actually chuckling! Something made you laugh. That's special, I want a reason."
Luke sighed. He wasn't able to keep secrets. "Maybe you'll hear from her."
Lorelai's eyes widened. "What? Did you go there? Did you talk to her?"
"Nope."
"So you just turned into Phoebe Halliwell and are able to look in the future?"
"I know someone who tried and talked to Rory." He placed a plat in front of her. "Here you go"
Lorelai didn't take notice from the food. "Who?"
"You don't eat. What's up with you?"
"Who, Luke? Who? Tell me or I'll burn all of your flannel shirts!"
Luke looked around, sighing. Miss Patty and Babette walked inside. He didn't want them to know. He grabbed Lorelai's hand and took her upstairs.
"We're gonna do something dirty?" She asked grinning.
"Jess"
"Jess is doing something dirty? Ugh, I didn't want to know!"
"No, Jess talked to Rory."
"Great. This means she's gonna be more screwed up than before. Your nephew isn't exactly the one person I want near her."
"He's better than Logan, isn't he?"
"Not exactly. They're both very different men, one is rich and spoiled and the other broke my daughter's heart several times."
Luke decided not to get angry about her statement. He knew Jess didn't do it on purpose and he was tired of arguing with Lorelai about it. "You want to know the whole story?"
"Let me guess. He showed up, said I love you, leave the blonde jerk and come with me into my tiny, little apartment."
"Nope."
"Oh yeah, too much words for Jess Mariano."
Luke told her about what happened. He told her about Jess showing up and talking to Rory. That was everything his nephew had told him on the phone. Luke guessed there was something else but he didn't ask Jess. If he had learned one thing about the dark haired guy it was that he doesn't want to be forced to do something.
Lorelai couldn't help but smile. The little punk actually did something good. She couldn't believe Jess had said these things. Of course, she couldn't admit that to Luke and kept a poker face. "Great."
"That's all?"
"Yup. It's great. Jess did something good. Now it's up to Rory to deal with it. I'm going home."
"Why?"
"I like it there."
"Lorelai."
"I want to look after Paul Anka."
"You want to stay there in case Rory comes over."
"That might be a side-affect of me staying at home today and watching Paul Anka. I'm doing it for the dog, you know."
"Sure."
Lorelai's smile faded and her tone was serious. "Do you think she'll come?"
Luke nodded. "She loves you, Lore. Of course she'll come."
"Bye Luke. I'll call you." she kissed him and rushed outside.
"I'm going to move out and nothing you say or do will change my opinion. Any questions?" Rory took a deep breath and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Compared to the last times she said this, this actually sound good. She had made up her mind. Jess was right. This wasn't her, not going to College, living at her grandparent's. She wasn't sure what to do about Logan, but it didn't matter right now.
She looked at her watch and panicked a little. She had to go to Yale in about thirty minutes.
Slowly breathing Rory changed into a black skirt, a red turtleneck without sleeves and a beige cardigan. She grabbed her purse and walked downstairs.
"Rory"
She turned around. "Grandma"
"Where are you going?" Emily asked suspicious.
"Well, Grandma, I, uh, I'm going to a friend."
"And you're dressing up like this? Are you going to Logan's?"
"No," Rory answered a little too fast.
"Why? Are you in a fight?"
"Kind of. Look, Grandma, I really have to go now."
"Where?"
"I'm going back to Yale."
Emily's face fell. "You're working at the DAR."
"I quit."
"When?"
"Now."
"Why?"
"I, uh, I… I'm going to move out and nothing you say or do will change my opinion. Now excuse me, I really have to go." Rory turned and almost ran out of the house. Great job, Ror, she told herself as she got into her car and drove away.
"Mariano!"
Jess got out of his car and faced the young man who was standing in front of him. "What, Bryan?"
Bryan Smith was about twenty years old. He had blonde hair and brown eyes. He was well known in the clubs and knew every girl. He thought of himself as a rapper and told every lady he'd be the next Eminem in three months. In fact, he didn't even know how to rhyme. "Some chick called," he informed his boss. "Brenda. She sounded hot."
"She's forty-five and she's my publisher," Jess responded, walking inside the grey building.
"Women with experience are hot."
"What did she want?"
"Don't know"
Jess turned and looked angry at Bryan. "I should kick your lazy ass on the streets, you know."
"You never do it. You need me."
"Nah, I don't"
"I'm your friend."
"Nope."
"Listen man, I'm gonna make ya famous."
"Whatever." The phone rang. "Go pick up the phone"
Bryan nodded and answered the call. "Yo, this is the best book shop around; you're talking to your man Bryan the Blizzard. Hold on a minute" He motioned for Jess. "It's for you. Some Lisa or Lucinda, I can't tell."
Jess grabbed the phone. "Yes?"
"Jess, is this you?"
"Yeah. Who's this?"
"It's Luke. What's up with your co-worker? Is he crazy?"
Jess chuckled. "Yes. Why are you calling?"
"Is Rory willing to talk to her mother?"
Jess sighed. He tried to move on, not to think of her constantly. He actually did a pretty good job. While driving here from the airport, he had thought of her just four times. "I guess."
"Good. I told Lorelai you talked to her, you know."
"Huh"
"You did a good job, Jess."
"Yeah. Thanks." Jess cleared his throat. "Anything else? I've got some work to do."
"Sure. Me too. Oh, Jess?"
"Yeah?"
"You're invited to the wedding, you know. I want you to come."
"I'll be there. Bye." Jess hung up. The second he realized what he just said he felt the urge to kick himself. Coming to the wedding meant meeting Rory again. He groaned. Well, the wedding date wasn't even set by now. They'd probably forget about him.
Rory was standing in front of Yale and couldn't help but smile. She had talked to the dean. And he said she could continue studying. She couldn't believe it. She was at Yale. Again.
She needed to talk to someone. Someone who understood her, who knew her mind. Someone like Jess. She had to thank him. But she didn't have his number. None of her friends had his number, either. Luke has, she thought. Luke would have his phone number, right? Thinking about Luke, it hit her. Lorelai.
She needed to make up with her mother. Then she could talk to Jess and thank him for everything.
She got into her car and called Paris.
"What?"
"Paris, it's me. I'm back."
"Back!"
"Back at Yale! They let me in!"
"Great… didn't know you're going back."
"Yeah, me neither."
"I don't want to understand that, Doyle and I just had a fight, I'm busy"
"Sorry to interrupt you."
"Where are you?"
"In my car. I'm going home."
"Rory?"
"Yeah?" The brunette was surprised by how shy Paris sounded.
"Could you come over? After you and your mother made up?"
"Sure, Paris"
"Thanks." Paris hung up.
So did Rory.
"No. No! Be a good boy, come on! We practiced that!"
Lorelai's face lit up as Paul Anka brought barked one time.
"Good job! Say it again!"
Paul Anka barked again.
"Aww, you're so good at this!"
The front door was closed and Luke walked into the living room. "Guess she wasn't here, huh?"
"No. Paul Anka, say it!"
The dog barked once, looking directly at Luke.
"Oh, wow, look, that dog just barked," Luke grumbled.
"He's telling you something."
The diner-man faked excitement. "Oh yeah? What is it?"
"He says I want coffee! But since a dog isn't allowed to drink coffee, I'm gonna drink his."
"You're bored, aren't you?"
"My daughter hasn't returned, I've spent the whole day with a dog… of course I'm bored."
"You didn't think about organizing your shoes?"
"Luke, I'm doing fun stuff, okay? Organizing shoes isn't due until I'll get a new pair."
"Which would be…"
"Next Tuesday."
Paul Anka barked.
Lorelai pointed to the dog. "See, he wants me to drink coffee!"
Luke rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen. Paul Anka followed.
Lorelai walked onto the porch. Why wasn't Rory coming? Maybe she didn't even want to make up. Maybe she didn't care about her mother anymore. Maybe Emily was a better mother. Lorelai felt the urge to vomit at this thought. No, Emily sure wasn't a better mother.
A car pulled up the driveway.
Lorelai stiffed. She recognized the small person behind the wheel. "Luke, I want some more coffee!" she exclaimed, leaving the porch.
Rory got out of the car. "I'm sorry, Mom. I was a total fool."
"No, I was a fool. And I'm sorry."
"I am sorrier."
"Let's agree on both of us being sorry, okay?"
Rory nodded. Just like her mother, she was in tears. "I moved out"
"I'm so proud of you" Lorelai hugged her daughter.
"What do you mean, you need more coffee, I-" Luke stopped as he saw the Gilmore girls. He smiled to himself. "I'm going to make some more coffee" He turned and walked inside, quietly closing the door behind him.
