A/N: Hey friends! Sorry it took me so long to update. Stupid school work and tests! I would say that college sucks, but it really doesn't. College is awesome. Anyway, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to many people, since I didn't dedicate my other chapters. First, to Ronata, since theymonitored your internet time at work…How dare they! And to Muffin is Injured for always making me laugh. Menghis, my first reviewer for this story…Um, who else? Well, all of you who liked the heart game. It was fun. Just a quick warning before you proceed…I didn't edit this chapter like I should so if it is awful, you know why. Let's get on with it…

Chapter 4: Candy Hearts, Dresses, and Such

February 14th, 1985

Lorelai was acutely aware that it was Valentine's Day as she lay on the floor with Rory, who was on her stomach and banging a rattle. It wasn't like this night was any different than every night for the past four months, but she secretly hoped Christopher would come. A couple times a week, after work, he would come home with her father and eat dinner with the family. Had it been any other day with any other man with any other family, Lorelai might have seen this as nice. But the built-up hostility in the room made her throat constrict and she almost couldn't eat.

So much had changed since her Valentine's Day with Christopher the year before. A week after her magnanimous display of gut-retching in the girl's bathroom, Lorelai was brave enough to buy a pregnancy test. Then, she had to work up enough courage to tell Christopher about the baby. You could still see his blank and terrified stare if you looked hard enough. Then, it was time to tell the parents. Well, disappoint the parents was the more appropriate term. When Lorelai first discovered that she was pregnant, it felt as if her life as she knew it was over. That was practically nothing compared to what happened after the Gilmores and Haydens had been told. Lorelai and Christopher no longer had a life of their own. They were engaged, but Lorelai never heard Chris propose or her acceptance. Nor did she have a ring. But, it was what their parents told their snooty friends. Christopher had an after-school job that he never asked for. Lorelai couldn't even go to school and was forced to join organizations that she didn't want to be in. Like a good wife should. Like her mother would.

Simply saying that they were miserable was an understatement. Their life had changed so drastically after one stupid mistake. Christopher hardly talked to her anymore, every sentence was short and strained. She couldn't even begin to remember the last time he really kissed her, let alone the last time they were intimate. She hated this life. She hated her parents' stupid plan. She hated Christopher for simply going along with it. When was it like him to do the responsible thing? What happened to dropping Princeton and spending an entire year sleeping on European benches?

The only true bright spot in all of this was Rory. Her beautiful, beautiful girl. Lorelai never knew she could love someone they way she loved her child. Hell, she never thought she would make a good mother, but her bond with her girl was unlike anything she ever knew. Was it ever this way with Emily? Probably not. In the midst of all the robotic movements Lorelai made all day, Rory was the reason for going on. The reason she was still sane. The reason that she wished for something simpler and better. A life that was only big enough for just the two of them. Was it silly to dream like that? What about Christopher? The last part was important. Could they salvage any love that was still left between them? There was no better day than today to find out. Valentine's Day meant hope for romance. Today, Lorelai marveled at her lost pregnancy weight and slipped into a cute red dress that Christopher could never resist. Now, she hoped he would come.

There was a knock on her bedroom door and not a moment too soon. Lorelai got up off the floor and smoothed her dress. After bending over to pick up Rory, she walked over to the door. She held her breath as she turned the knob. Her intuition had been right; Christopher was on the other side. He looked tired.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey." Christopher already sounded strained.

"Staying for dinner?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Come on in," Lorelai held the door open for him. He leaned over and gave her and Rory the customary kiss on the cheek. She hated thinking that it felt so forced. "Did you happen to catch a whiff of what was cooking downstairs? I've been up her playing with Rory for a couple of hours and I'm starved."

"Wasn't paying much attention."

"Oh." Christopher sunk into her rocking chair by Rory's crib. Lorelai stuck Rory back on the blanket on the floor and sat down on her bed. She nervously smoothed her dress again. "So…how was work?"

"Long. I'm drained."

"You look it. School?"

"Worse. Be glad you aren't taking Turner's physics class. He's as bad as everyone said he was. Managed to eek out a D on the last test."

"Wow, not fun. Um, you look like you could use a break." Christopher rested his elbows on his knees and raked his fingers through his hair. Lorelai sighed. "Hey…I got a wild idea."

"That's never comforting."

"Oh, come on. Let's go out!"

"Out?"

"Yes, out to dinner. The movies. Canada. Somewhere! Let's just get out of here for a change. When was the last time we did that?"

"What about Rory?"

"We can bring her along."

"It's almost her bed time. She'll be fussy."

"Well, maybe she'll fall asleep in the car and we can slip the valet guy something extra to keep an eye on her."

"Lore!" Jeez, he's not in a funny mood.

"I was kidding, Chris."

"What about your parents?"

"I'm in favor of sneaking off the balcony and scaling the trellis."

"We're supposed to have dinner with them. That's why I'm here."

"Chris, we have dinner with them twice, sometimes three times, a week. I just want to go out with you and Rory. Just the three of us. I don't think we've ever done that."

"Lore, your parents have done a lot for us. We owe them this."

"Owe them what?"

"For the job. For offering to pay for the wedding. For not kicking you out of the house when they found out you were pregnant. For letting you live here. For offering to help us pay for our first house. For helping with Rory. Need I go on?"

"You think paying for a wedding and helping us with a house is generous? When did we even decide to get married? I can't remember any words being said or any discussions, and, oh yeah, we're 16!" Her voice was starting to rise with each word.

"Yeah, but we have a kid so it's the right thing to do."

"No Christopher, it's the responsible thing to do. It's the thing to do to save our parents' asses. Does this entire situation feel right to you? There's a big difference between the responsible thing and the right thing."

"What is the big deal, Lore? We screwed up. This will fix it. Is it so awful of a thought to be married to me?"

"It's not that, Chris," she said exhaling loudly, "I hate to be redundant here, but we're 16. I don't want this life. I don't want to be my mother, and up until a month or so ago, you didn't want to be your parents either."

"No, I don't, but I don't see much of a choice here."

"Who says we don't have a choice, hon? We are miserable! We just say that we don't want to get married. It's that simple. Rory and I could move out. I can get a job. We can get an apartment. I'll get my GED. We will manage. And we won't be under their rules anymore. If I'm stuck in this house another week, I might go stir crazy."

"God, Lorelai! When did you get to be so selfish?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do you honestly think that running away will solve all your problems? What about the best thing for me? What about Rory? At least here I have a job, our parents can help us out, and you might even be able to still go to school. Out there, you have no security. You will spend your entire life struggling. Is that what you want for Rory? This is really the best solution. We'll get married this year and we will have the security we need."

"Christopher," she began, her voice laced with sadness, "I don't want Rory growing up in all of this…God, I don't even know what to call it. My parents will always love you and be pissed at me for screwing up my life. My mother will always judge me no matter what I do and my father will never be proud of my accomplishments. There is always so much hostility that you could cut it with a knife. And I will never be happy here. Rory will pick up on that and will not have a good childhood. I want things to be different for her. And, I'm no psychic, but we'll probably be divorced in a year. We are too young and we will never be happy in this life that everyone else has planned for us-" Lorelai's rant was cut short by Emily's voice downstairs.

"LORELAI! CHRISTOPHER! IT'S TIME FOR DINNER."

"We can't have this conversation now," Christopher said, getting up from the rocking chair.

"Then when are we going to have it, Chris? Knowing you, we never will!" Lorelai picked Rory up from the floor and she curiously watched her parents.

"Stop being such a bitch!"

"What the hell did you just call me?" Lorelai yelled, her eyes dark with fury.

"You heard me!"

"I can't believe you just said that and in front of our daughter. See, this is why we can't do this-"

"WAHHHHHHH!" Rory began to wail, spurred by her parents' angry voices.

"You know, maybe I am selfish," Lorelai screamed over Rory's cries, "But at least I'm not going to cop out and not try to have my own life. At least I have enough faith in myself to make it instead of your sudden desire to take things easy. Rory will never be a smart, independent, happy, and well-adjusted girl if I don't do this. And I know I can. I can do this on my own and you can choose to be a part of this or not. I am perfectly capable of finding a job and a place for us and raising Rory alone. So, you can stay here and take the easy way out and maybe she and I will be happy for a change!" Lorelai wiped away a tear then tenderly rubbed sobbing Rory's back. She kissed her forehead. Christopher looked both angry and scared.

"LORELAI! THIS CENTURY PLEASE!" Emily's voice beckoned them again. Christopher walked over to the door.

"At least try to be civil to me during dinner," Christopher said quietly, with his back turned to her.

"Same goes for you." Christopher didn't wait for her and walked out the door. Lorelai furiously wiped the tears from her eyes as she held sniffling Rory close. "Well, do you at least like my dress?" Rory looked up at her with big blue eyes, "Yeah, I knew you would."

Grumble, grumble, grumble, Lorelai thought to herself as she kicked open the Jeep's door at her house. She couldn't stand to be at the inn anymore. Sookie was especially excited, humming to herself, admiring her ring, gushing about Jackson's dinner plans. There was none of the usual hustle and bustle in the kitchen. Sookie was actually happy about her dinner menu of oysters. She had also arranged for strawberries and champagne to be set at each setting. The cliché almost made Lorelai sick. Sookie was so bubbly that Lorelai couldn't stand to be in the kitchen for more than 30 seconds at a time. Bubbly did not mix well with her dark mood.

Another major disappointment of the day was Michel. Well, okay, Michel was usually a disappointment, but he was different today of all days. Where was his surly and superior French attitude? He even paid Lorelai a compliment about her sweater. She had racked her brain, but still could not think of another nice thing that Michel had said to her over the years. It was a complete role reversal. Did Michel and I pull a Freaky Friday? Now, that would be creepy…Oh, and there was the fact that he was friendly and chatty with guests. In the lulls of the day, he rambled on and on about his date, the gift he bought her, the restaurant he spent weeks picking out, the club he was taking her to for dancing. When did Michel get so chummy with her? Friendly also did not mix well with her dark mood.

With a high stack of work, and her purse carefully balanced on top, Lorelai slowly made it out of the Jeep, up the steps, and to her front door. That's when she ran into her first problem. Her hands were full. She had forgotten to pull her keys out of her purse. No matter, Rory should be home. In desperation, she kicked the door repeatedly. No Rory. She tried a kicking and screaming combination to no avail. Rory still didn't come. She should be home. Where the heck is she? Well, this day just keeps getting better and better.

Slowly, Lorelai started to shift the all the books and folders to one hand, so she could pull out her keys with the other. In theory, this idea was good. However, in Lorelai's hands, the plan went awry as soon as she slightly moved the stack. She felt the books and folders start to jiggle in the middle of the pile. The top section, including her purse, tumbled to the ground. With a growl in her throat, Lorelai quickly bent her knees to pick up her purse, but this caused the rest of the stack to slip out of her hands and onto the doormat.

"DAMMIT, DAMMIT, DAMMIT!" She yelled to no one in particular. Something inside Lorelai snapped and she began to vent her anger on to the source of her frustrations. The books. She kicked once. Then twice. When she realized how good it felt to kick the books, she began to put more effort into her leg swings, throwing all her might into her kicks. Evil glee bubbled in her chest. But, a klutz like Lorelai could never be pure evil. As she went in for an especially hard kick, her foot made contact with the wall. The momentum hurled her backwards and she landed on the wood porch with a thump. After the shock wore off, she looked at her right pump. Damn, she scuffed it. In pure frustration, she took off her shoe and hurled it against the door.

"Damn you, Murphy's Law!" she yelled, lying down on the porch. Maybe if she lay there long enough, she would be swallowed by the earth. That sounded good. She drummed her fingers on the floor boards, testing Mother Nature. Any minute now…Then, the front door opened.

"Okay THAT you hear?" Lorelai stated sarcastically. Rory loomed over her in a fuzzy purple bathroom with a towel on her head.

"I heard this tapping noise and I decided to check it out. Why are you on the floor?"

"Waiting to be swallowed up."

"Alright, that's it. Time to get you up."

"No, no…five more minutes," Lorelai groaned, trying to shield her eyes from Rory's most menacing stare. Rory reached down and grabbed Lorelai's arm. Reluctantly, Lorelai allowed her daughter to help pull her up. She brushed off her skirt and began searching for her shoe.

"Why are there books all over the ground?"

"Oh, they decided to play Jenga, but forgot to tell me."

"Tricksy."

"Yes, I thought so." Rory bent over and helped Lorelai gather up the now dusty purse and work supplies.

"Where's your other shoe?"

"I threw it."

"Ah…why?"

"It got scuffed when I kicked the books."

"I don't know why I am acting so surprised," Rory murmured, "The shoe probably had it coming."

"You bet your boots…no pun intended." Rory walked across the porch, hand protectively holding her robe closed. She bent over when she discovered the black pump and waved it in the air in victory. Lorelai gave her a nod of approval and held the door open for her daughter.

"You're home early."

"Yep, and I brought some work with me."

"So I guess that means your day hasn't got any better."

"Ding, ding, ding!" Lorelai blared out shrilly. They made their way into the kitchen, where all the slightly grimy work staples were deposited on the table. Rory shook the towel loose as she wandered into her bedroom and stuck her head into the closet.

It didn't take Lorelai long to notice the big Ziploc of candy hearts in the center. One thing that she had always looked forward to on Valentine's Day was the candy message hearts. She would pick through and only eat her favorite white and purple hearts before Rory got a chance. She found messages that spoke true to her daughter and pelted her with them. URA STAR. CALL ME. I ♥U. Rory didn't especially like the last habit.

"Hey, you got a bag of hearts," she stated to Rory.

"Yeah, they're from Lane. You know, the annual exchange of Valentine's gifts." Rory's voice was slightly muffled as she dug in the closet.

"Oh yeah…But, wait, how did she give them to you? Isn't she still grounded?"

"Yeah. She tossed them out the window when she saw me walking by."

"You're lucky they didn't land in the tree. Plaid skirts aren't good tree-climbing attire."

"Not to mention that I would have ripped my stockings."

"You do that anyway, hon. That Lane is always resourceful."

"She doesn't have CDs in the floorboards for nothing."

"True. I hope that Belle & Sebastian single was worth it, because seeing Michel move around the inn after doing all that running was priceless."

"Hi! It's Belle & Sebastian."

"Good point," Rory liked hearing Lorelai do friendly banter after having a seemingly bad day. Especially after their little spat at the diner. She didn't mean to push the Christopher issue, but once she confronted her mother with it, she knew it was the reason why she was glum. What had happened? So, Rory had high (in the sky, apple pie) hopes that maybe she was cheering her mother up after a long day. What awaited her, however, was contrary to her optimistic thoughts. As she left her room, finger combing her dark locks, she found her mother popping candy hearts in her mouth. But, it wasn't just any color candy heart. It was pink. The color Lorelai hated. The color her mother would leave in the bag for Rory to eat after getting her fill of all her favorites. When Rory came closer, she noticed the disgusted expression Lorelai wore as she stuck another pink candy in her mouth.

"What are you doing?"

"Eating some of your candy hearts…Blech!"

"You're eating the pink ones."

"Yes I am."

"You hate the pink ones. You always say they taste like Pepto."

"And, believe me, they still do."

"So…why are you still eating them?"

"I'm being considerate," Lorelai said a little too brightly while sucking on one of the candies.

"Not likely." Rory gave her a knowing glare.

"Okay, truth is, I don't deserve to eat the white ones."

"Why do you not deserve the white ones?" Her mother's logic usually made sense, but today, their signals were crossed.

"Because I am having a dark day."

"Shouldn't you then be eating more of your favorites in an effort to cheer yourself up?"

"No, that would negate the dark day. I cannot indulge. I am supposed to be negative and cranky and sour all day. I cannot do things that would normally make me happy. So, that means I wear my most unflattering black outfit and eat the pink Pepto hearts."

"Okay, that makes absolutely no sense. And, oh, what do you call secretly pinning your heart on Luke?"

"An indulgence," Lorelai whispered quietly, head bent. "Gah, I am a horrible walking contradiction!" She laid her head on the table, slamming it a bit harder then she intended. "Ow…I deserved that too."

"Mom, you need to get a hold of yourself here," Rory grabbed the Ziploc, "First of all, stop eating these unless you will eat the white and purple ones. Then, go upstairs and change into some happy, and clean, clothes. Something colorful. No black. Or, better yet…" Rory went into her room and came out with her bag, depositing it in front of Lorelai. "Happy Valentine's Day. I was going to give it to you earlier, but then you came out in the goth grab."

Lorelai pulled out the tissue paper slowly, and took out the contents. A pair of socks with a frog in a crown on them. A hot pink t-shirt that said "I'm Never Witholdin' from William Holden." Lorelai's features softened.

"Where did you find this?" she said with a slight grin, fingers lightly brushing the cotton.

"I ordered it after you said you were saving yourself for William Holden."

"It's great, hon."

"I knew you would like it."

"I like Rick and Leroy too."

"The socks?"

"You are so my daughter. Thanks." Lorelai got up and pulled Rory in for a hug. She happily obliged. "Sorry I've been so moody today. It's just that your dad gave me a lot to think about this weekend and it got me a little down. I didn't mean to take things out on you. I love the gifts."

"I understand. I probably should've tried to be more understanding and not push you so much to talk."

"I would have done the same thing, sweets. Remember my wallowing insistence?"

"Yeah, but you happened to be right about that?"

"Well, you were probably right about the need to talk. I…I'm not ready to go into it yet, but when I am, I will let you know."

"I can live with that," Rory said with a grin, "Think you can cheer up now?" Lorelai smiled.

"Maybe a little. Don't expect a miracle Lorelai turn-around, though."

"Ooo, I have a theory," Rory stated, eyes wide and bright.

"Do tell," Lorelai said, resuming her seat at the table. Rory took the one next to her.

"What is today?"

"Valentine's Day."

"Besides that."

"The 14th."

"More detail."

"The day Arizona became a state?"

"No, and really?"

"It was on a Snapple lid."

"When were you drinking Snap-never mind. It's Monday."

"Oh, you're right! A Manic Monday…"

"Exactly."

"Oh my God, that's so creepy. I had a weird dreaming this morning, and then I had a Manic Monday. I am turning into a Bangles song!"

"Or you listen to them way to much. Were you kissing Casanova near a crystal blue Italian stream?"

"I take back that you so being my daughter comment! Casanova?"

"Oh, was it Clark Gable? I always get them confused."

"How in the world do you get Casanova and Clark Gable confused? One's an Italian romancer in a wig and the other was in Gone with the Wind."

"Well, they're both are romantic figures." Lorelai was incredulous.

"Casanova more so than Clark Gable."

"He's Rhett Butler! He's an attractive guy."

"Sure, if you go for the thin moustache look. Oh, and by the way, she was kissing VALENTINO!"

"Ohhhhh, that makes much more since than Rhett."

"Yeah."

"What was the dream about?"

"Oh, it kinda goes a long with the whole weekend. I'll fill you in later."

"Okay." Rory handed over a handful of purple and white hearts she had been picking out during their chat.

"Aw, thanks, hon. You're the best."

"Glad you think so…can I borrow something of yours to wear for tonight?"

"Sure. Where's Mr. Romance taking you?"

"He won't tell me."

"Meanie!"

"I know it! Help me pick something out?"

"Always." Lorelai followed Rory out of the kitchen and up the stairs, munching on her handful. "Hon, you have school tomorrow, so try not to stay out too late."

"Okay, I wasn't planning on it."

"Good good."

"Oh hey," Rory said as she opened the door to the dark abyss of clothes in Lorelai's room, while Lorelai got on the bed and lay on her stomach. Rory began to rifle. "If you are turning into a Bangles song, who was the guy that talked to you in his bedroom voice? Does he walk like an Egyptian?"

"Ew, you demon child. That is disturbing and DIRTY on so many levels."

"For some reason, I couldn't resist."

"I guess no matter how many times you confuse Valentino, Casanova, and Clark Gable, you will always be your mother's daughter." Rory pulled out a cute little red dress and held it out to Lorelai. She knew that dress. She could pinpoint the last time she wore it. It was so long ago. Lorelai didn't even know she still had it.

"I've never seen this before."

"It's a very old dress. Didn't even know I still had it around."

"It's cute. Think it'll fit."

"I'm going to advise against it. It's a little bad luck."

"Enough said, what about this skirt?"

Rory pulled out more and more options before she finally found a dress that suited her. Lorelai was on curling iron patrol and she helped Rory get ready for the big date. Dean, having known the girls long enough, showed up ten minutes late with more roses. They pay him way too much at Doose's. After seeing her daughter off, Lorelai went back upstairs and traded her dusty skirt for jeans and her new William Holden shirt. Making up her mind to not stay alone and wallow in her own dark, self-pity, she decided to take Rory's advice and attempt to get happy. Coffee. She needed coffee. Luke had coffee. Luke ranted. Luke's rants were funny. Luke cooks burgers. Luke's burgers make her happy. It was settled; she was going to Luke's. The atmosphere and sarcastic diner owner would pull her out of any funk. As she made her way to the Jeep, Lorelai noticed that Manic Monday was now stuck in her head. She smiled. That's how she needed to look at this day. Screw the fact that it was the most romantic day of the year. It really was…just another manic Monday…

A/N: Well…I'm anxious for your thoughts in the form of reviews. Was it great? Did it suck? Either way, let me know. There is going to be two more chapters after this. Both are halfway written. So, hopefully I'll be done before Armageddon.

A few shoutouts…First to my roommate. We have two stuffed frogs that we bought when we were both single this time last year and they were our princes. Mine was Rick, hers was Leroy. Thus, I named Lorelai's socks Rick and Leroy. By the way, my roommate is no longer single and is getting married in May! It's very exciting. She's so lucky! Anyway, lastly, to the great state of Arizona. I am glad I still remember Arizona history by adding in the fact that AZ became a state on Valentine's Day. How romantic.

Thanks for reading. Please review. To tired to write much else.