A/N: I would like to thank my faithful readers, primesetter31, orengesherbert7, y'all know who you are. Thank you all. Here goes. We finally get to meet the elusive Ryan. Enjoy.
Chapter 37: Audrey's First Day at Chilton, Part 2
Audrey is walking down the hall, still searching for her locker. Her already small stature has felt to have gotten smaller with all the books she has had to carry all day. She is on her cell, talking to Lorelai.
"I have advanced acting next then choir. It's so weird Mom," Audrey was saying looking at the bank of lockers on the wall.
"What's weird?" Lorelai asked, sitting in the kitchen in the Dragonfly.
"Having all these people who know Rory. It's one thing to have Aunt Paris for the princepal, but my math teacher, my history teacher, and Ms. Grant. Did I tell you who I have for English Lit?"
"No way. He's still teaching? Max, that is so crazy."
"And I think I've made an enemy of this one girl and I don't even know what I did. Well anyway I'm seriously lost and I have to find some kind soul to show where the theatre is."
"Audrey Danes not knowing where a theatre is? Oh my God, it's Apocolypse Now," Lorelai teased.
"I'm going to stop by Grandma's after school just to see how she's doing. I'll see you later, Mom," Audrey said hanging up her phone.
Just after Matty was born, the Danes-Gilmore-Hanson lost their patiarch. Lorelai thinks that Richard made a deal with God that if he spared Matty that he'd be ready to go. But Lorelai never vocalized her concern. Emily still lived in that big house all by herself. Lorelai and Luke offered to have Emily move in with them and Audrey just so she could be closer to her family, but Emily wanted to stay in the house with her memories.
"Hey Sookie?" Lorelai called. "Where's the Edwards wedding menu?"
"I put in on your desk yesterday," Sookie replied. "How's Audrey liking Chilton? Martie said earlier that Camille did nothing but whine that Audrey wasn't there."
"One, she already has a Paris and two, she has Max for her English teacher," Lorelai replied sipping on her coffee.
"Max? Max? That name sounds like it should mean something to me, right?"
"Max Medina. The teacher at Chilton I was going to marry," Lorelai said, saying a name she hadn't even thought about in 23 years.
"He's still teaching? What are you going to do?" Sookie asked.
"Sookie, it's been 23 years. I haven;t even though t of this guy in much longer than that."
Audey has finally located her locker. She sets down her book bag and spins in the combonation. She gets it unlocked but the door won't budge. She pulls and pulls on the door.
"Hit it just above the lock," a boy at the next locker said. "It should just pop open."
Audrey smiles at the boy and pounds her fist just above the lock. The door pops open.
"Thank you very much," Audrey said. "How did you know that?"
"I had that one last year. I'm Ryan," the boy said holding out his hand smiling warmly.
"Oh. Silly me. Audrey. I'm Audrey," she stammered.
"Audrey. I like it."
"According to my mother, she was watching Breakfast at Tiffany's," Audrey said babbling. "You didn't need to know that. I'm going to go now."
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Really," he smiles warmly at Audrey. "What class do you have next?"
"Advanced acting with B. Langford in the theatre but I'm completely lost."
"I'll walk with you. I have a class close to the theatre anyway," Ryan said.
"Thank you that is very kind of you," Audrey replied.
Audrey had never had this feeling about a boy ever. There was the occasional TV crush when she was little. She had listened to Camille go on and on about countless boys but none had ever peaked her interest. Now here was one. He was tall, well to Audrey everyone was tall. He had chocolate brown eyes that he also hid behind a pair of glasses. He made the Chilton boys' uniform look good. Kind of like Michael in The Princess Diaries.
"Did you know that Ms. Geller almost didn't hire Mr. Langford to be the drama teacher? Apparently they went to high school together and he's terrified of her."
Audrey smiles, knowing the story behind Brad Langford and Paris Geller. "I didn't know that, actually."
They walked together down the hall making polite talk. They walk past Tarah and she smiles. Unlike Andie and Julia, Tarah thought Audrey was a nice person with no alterior motives to ruin anyone's life. Hopefully they would become friends.
"Have you ever beento Stars Hollow?" Audrey asked.
"Once. Mom wanted to go antiqueing. We stopped at Kim'sAntiquesthen had lunch at Luke's. Or was it Duke's?"
"It's Luke's. It's my Dad's place," Audrey said proudly.
"Audrey, if you're not doing anything after school, would you like to get a cup of coffee with me?" Ryan asked. "I mean you don't have to or anything. I just thought it would nice to get to know you more."
"I can't today. I'm visiting my grandmother after school, but if the offer still stands tomorrow I'd love to," Audrey said, shyly.
They stopped outside the theatre doors. Butterflies jumbled inside her stomach.
"So Audrey. Here we are. I'll see you later."
"Yeah, I'll see you later, Ryan," Audrey said. She watched him walk down the hall. "Maybe Chilton won't be so bad after all."
Audrey climbed out of the bus and walked up the driveway of her grandmother's house. She remembers the first time she came to the Gilmore's mansion. The vastness of the house had frightened her. It didn't help that it was a cold stormy night. To a three year old the Gilmore mansion was the home of a scary witch or goblin like she had read about in her storybooks.
Now the house was one of her favorite places in the entire world. She loved going and spending time with Emily. It was sad that Richard was gone though. Lorelai had always told her that her father would light up with pride over his second granddaughter. Audrey missed him. She rang the bell and was greeted by a new maid. Audrey kept a running tally on how many different maids that her grandmother had since she was old enough to count. So far it was over 800.
"I'm here to see Mrs. Gilmore," Audrey said, as she handed the maid her jacket. "I'm her granddaughter."
"Mrs. Gilmore is in the living room. Shall I announce you?" the maid asked.
"No thank you. That won't be nessceary."
Audrey walked around the corner into the living room. Emily was sitting in Richard's old chair reading a book. Her silvery white hair shone in the firelight coming from the fireplace.
"Hi, Grandma," Audrey called softly.
"Oh Audrey hello!" Emily exclaimed. "This is a surprise! Would you like a snack? I could have Deena make you something."
"A snack would be great Grandma," Audrey said settling into the couch.
"I want to hear all about your first day."
Audrey began to describe her day. She told her all about her classes and the upcoming play. Chilton would be putting on The Taming of the Shrew. Audrey had read the play numerous times and had always wanted to play Bianca. As Emily and Audrey were talking the doorbell rang.
"Deena the door!" Emily called.
"Hi, is Audrey Danes here?" Audrey heard a familiar voice ask.
Emily gave Audrey a strange look. Audrey got up and went to the door. Ryan was standing there looking rather nervous. Audrey smiled at him and tilted her head in confusion.
"Ryan what are you doing here? How did you know where my Grandmother lives?" Audrey asked.
"I did a thing I like to call file diving," Ryan teased. "I was thinking that when you get done here, we could go get that cup of coffee."
Audrey laughed and shook her head. "Well as long as you're here you might as well meet my grandmother."
Audrey took him by the hand and led him into the living room. "Grandma? This is Ryan. I met him today at school. He walked me to the theatre."
"Ryan. It's very nice to meet you," Emily said. "Who are your parents? I may know them."
"James and Natalie Turner," Ryan answered.
"Edward and Sarah's son. Lovely people. Now Audrey, please be sure to lock up when you leave, I must go rest now, have a nice visit."
Emily carefully heads up the stairs balancing on her cane. Once she's upstairs Audrey and Ryan chat comfortably. About a half hour later the doorbell rang again. Noticing the time Adurey knew who it was.
"Audrey we have to get going," she heard her father say as he walked into the living room. He is looking down at the floor and doesn't see Audrey and Rayn. "You have ponite with Miss Patty at five and traffic is getting heavy. Who the hell are you?" Luke asks noticing Rayn.
"Daddy this is, Ryan. Ryan Turner. I met him at school today. His locker is next to mine. Ryan, this is my dad, Luke."
"Pleased to meet you sir," Ryan said offering his hand.
Luke shook it soundly. Luke looks the boy that was just about as tall as he was up and down, already hating him.
"Umm, I should be going. Audrey, I'll see you at school tomorrow," Ryan said, retreating for the door.
Audrey walks Ryan to the door. She pulls a pen from the writing desk by the door and writes her cell number on his hand. She waves as he drives away in his Mini Cooper. She walks back into the house and into the living room and faces the angry stare of her father.
"So who the hell was that, Audrey?" he asked.
"Jiminy Crickets, Daddy. A new friend gave me a ride to Grandma's when I missed the bus. It was totally innocent," Audrey explained. "He wanted to get coffee but I had already called Mom and told her I was coming here. Grandma seems to be doing better."
"Do not change the subject, young lady. You know you're not allowed to date, even get a cup of coffee with a guy until both your mother and I have met him," Luke said.
"Great balls of fire Daddy! I'm sixteen years old! Stop treating me like a child!" she exclaimed.
"You're my child! My only child! I've never done this before, so give me a little slack."
"What about Rory? Isn't my sister his child too?" Audrey thought, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry Daddy."
Luke softened. He made his baby girl cry. He didn't mean to. He was just so protective of her. He didn't want to lose her like he lost Christian. It was getting harder to keep the secret from her. She was starting to ask more questions. He had to hand it to the citizens of Stars Hollow. They had kept their promise. Sixteen years Miss Patty and Babbette had kept the secret. It was time. Now it was the choice of when to tell her.
Audrey settled into her room after dance and began the daunting task of choosing what homework to start on first. She chose her math homework and when she was seven problems into the workbook her cell phone rang. She had already had her gab session with Cammie so she wasn't sure of who could be calling her.
"This is Audrey," she answered, going back to her homework.
"So I get the feeling your dad doesn't like me very much," Ryan joked.
"It's not that he doesn't like you, he just doesn't like the idea of you," Audrey said. "My father and I have been closer than peanut butter and jelly my entire life. You're taking his best friend, his playmate away from him. But I'll work on him, that is if you're worth it."
"So, can you get out?"
"Ryan, if you want my father to not so much like you, more over tolerate you, that is one question you should not be asking me," Audrey said.
"Hey it was worth a shot," Ryan said. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good night Audrey."
"Good night Ryan."
Upstairs Luke was fuming. He was pacing in his and Lorelai's bedroom. He was wringing his hands. Lorelai sat on their bed watching him.
"Luke, honey you need to calm down. She's growing up. No matter how much you tell yourself that she's still five and terrified of being left at kindergarten, she is growing up. She's sixteen."
"No she's not! She four and waving to us from the stage of the Festival of Living Pictures!" Luke exclaimed.
"Luke she's sixteen. She's the same age Rory was when she started dating Dean," Lorelai said.
"That was different. Rory and Audrey are two completly different girls. She's not dating him."
"And why not Luke? Give me one good, logical reason why Rory could date at sixteen and Audrey can't."
"Because she's fragile."
"Please Luke. What are you afraid of? Dance, school, theatre, and her community service and pageants occupy 95 of her time. She can't go out on Fridays because of dinner with Emily."
"Can't she still be five and only wanting to play with me?"
"Oh honey. You're jealous. Another boy is taking your buddy away from you. It'll be ok. I'll go tak to her. Welcome to the world of teenage girls. Are you sure you're ready for this?"
"I've put up with you for 17 years. You bring enough drama for all the girls on the entire planet. I love you, lady."
"I love you too Luke."
Lorelai goes downstairs to Audrey's room. This was new territory for Lorelai. Raising Audrey had been eaiser than rasing Rory. Lorelai had a stable support with Luke. Luke had been there for every major moment in their daughter's life. She knocked on her daughter's door.
"You're here on Dad's behalf aren't you?" Audrey asked, plainly.
"Audi, you need to take it easy on your dad. You're his only kid. He's never done this before," Lorelai sighed.
"But Rory," Audrey started.
"Luke is not Rory's father. Not her biological father anyway."
"All my life Rory has called Dad 'Dad'. I don't understand."
Lorelai shookher head in frustration of what she has to tell Audrey. "Audrey I had Rory when I was 16. Luke and I didn't get married until Rory was 22. I raised Rory all by myself. But with you it's different. I have your dad to turn to if things get hard. So please, sweets, play by your dad's rules, however crazy they get. But for right now, if you want to go out with Ryan, who sounds just wonderful by the way, have a couple of in town dates. You know let Miss Patty meet him, Taylor, even Kirk. If Ryan can handle Kirk and not want to kill him instantly, he's ok by me. Just, Audrey honey," Lorelai said.
"Yeah Mom?" Audrey replied.
"Just remember how precious you are to Luke."
"I do Mom. I do. So can I invite Ryan to Friday Night dinner?"
"Do you really think that's wise? I mean do you really want to make Ryan sit through dinner with your family?" Lorelai teased. "I mean your dad and I are gems, but I wouldn't wish the rest of the family on my worst enemies."
"I am so telling Rory!"
"She knows. So tell me about Ryan."
Audrey starts at the beginning of when she first met Ryan Turner. Neither of them noticed Luke standing outside the door listening to the mother-daughter banter. It reminded him of Lorelai and Rory. He smiles as Audrey embellishes on how stuck the locker really was. He never imagined that almost 27 years after recieving that horoscope, now framed above the fireplace, that he would be standing here, listening to his wife talk to their daughter about a boy. He chuckles and trods back up the stairs. Tomorrow would mark the transition in Audrey's life. She would no longer be his baby girl. She would be his teenage daughter, fighting for independance, fighting for the keys to the car, mostly just fighting with him. He could handle it because he was Luke Danes and Luke Danes could deal with everything.
A/N: There you go. Part one of the six part series is complete. Next on Collide: It's Parents Day at Chilton again! The war between Andie and Audrey becomes personal. Ryan and Audrey share their first kiss and Audrey and Luke have their first major fight ever. Please read and review!