"Has Taylor lost his mind?" Lorelai complained.
She was walking to Stars Hollow High with Luke, one hand firmly wrapped around a cup of coffee. The other was holding onto his upper arm, her head resting against his shoulder. Her eyes were closed. But it didn't stop her from grumbling.
"What's wrong with eight o'clock? Or even seven? He HAS to start this stupid thing at six? In the morning?"
"It was your idea," Luke answered. "We could always go back home."
"Oh no! We're doing this."
From across the street Luke could see Rory and Logan heading towards them. And they looked exactly the same as Lorelai and Luke – Rory with a cup of coffee in one hand, the other holding onto Logan, her head on his shoulder, half asleep. Luke was surprised that Logan seemed to be wide awake.
As they got closer, Luke couldn't help but think, "Like mother, like daughter."
"Morning, everyone," Logan said cheerfully.
Lorelai cracked one eye to see who had spoken, and when she saw Rory, she said, "Hey, Babe."
Rory opened her eyes just enough to look at Lorelai.
"I hate you," she said sleepily and closed her eyes again.
"Don't hate me, hate Taylor," Lorelai replied. "This six o'clock start was HIS idea."
"YOU'RE the one who wanted us to do this."
"You're wide awake," Luke said to Logan, changing the subject.
"Yeah. I can get up early if I have to."
"Anyone seen Sookie and Jackson?" Lorelai asked, waking up a little.
"They're probably inside already. Jackson's an early riser, too." Luke told her. Then looking at Logan, he asked, "So what do you think of the town?"
"I like it, from what I've seen. It seems like a great place to come to get away from the big city. And this dance marathon is just so 'small town'. I love it!"
"Wait until the Runaround," Rory murmured.
"Rory!" Lorelai was now wide awake.
"Oh, it's okay. She told me all about it," Logan said.
"And the first one that comes around, we runaround right out of the door and right home to bed." Rory said.
"What? You can't do that." Lorelai exclaimed. "We have stick it out – together, the whole twenty four hours! We have to support each other. We have to maintain, and sustain!"
"You can let your grudge against Kirk do the sustaining."
"I cannot believe what I'm hearing. Luke, say something."
"Start out slow to keep from getting too tired too fast."
"Big help THAT is. Make her stay. Talk her into it."
Luke sighed, then said, "Rory, if you two will stay the whole time, I'll let you have all the coffee you can drink, for free, forever. And I'll even throw in donuts. Logan, too."
"I already get that."
"Oh, yeah. Well, I tried."
Lorelai made an exasperated noise, slapped Luke on the shoulder, then went into the school for her physical, leaving the three of them to follow after.
TBC