A/N: Here I go again writing yet another chapter of the life and times of Audrey Avery Danes. Thank you to all my faithful readers, pixiechick12, izzpuppy, primesetter, purplelollipop, orengesherbert;who would probably kill me if I decided to quit writing this peice. Anyway so here's the next chapter.
The Palace of Art was written by Alfred Lord Tennyson in 1832. If you need a tune to picture in your mind, think old piano music. Soft and melodic (ex: Reese Witherspoon's preformance in Vanity Fair.) I am using the first48 lines of the 300 plus line poem. Enjoy!
PS: The first person to review with your guess to who Annie McGill-Thomas of Stoneybrook's parents are and are right you'll recieve a special spoiler of the next chapter!
Chapter 41: Miss Connecticut...and Ryan
It was the Monday morning after the debutante ball. Audrey Avery Danes awoke happy for the first time in two months. It was the end of Novemeber and Chirstmas and the Miss Connecticut pageant would be coming soon. Audrey was going back to Stars Hollow High. When she had called her best friend Camille Rogers Sunday afternoon to tell her the squael of joy could be heard all across town.
After the incident at her coming out ball Audrey dropped out of Chilton. There was no way that she was going to continue to put herself through the torture that Chilton was. She was glad to be going back to Stars Hollow High, where she knew everyone and no one there would call her a pageant whore. She was glad to be going back to a place that loved her and didn't mock, snub and reject her.
"Mom!" Audrey yelled. "Code five!"
In the Danes house there are five main emergancy codes. One no coffee, two nocoffee, three out of coffee, four isonly decafand five is a wardrobe malfunction.
"Wardrobe malfunction?" Lorelai yelled back.
"Why else would I call a five?"
Lorelai came into her daughter's room. Clothes were strewn from one end of the room to the other. Dresses hung over the back of her desk chair, jeans lay in piles, skirts covered her bed and shirts were toppling off her desk. Lorelai scanned the piles and pulled a white long sleeveed T-Shirt from the shirt pile and a patchwork skirt from the bed.
"Your tall brown boots will go nicely with those and wear your tan jacket with your purple scarf," Lorelai said holding out the clothes.
"How do you do that?" Audrey asked. "I was staring at everything for an hour and came up with nothing."
"It's a gift."
Audrey got dresses and walked into the kitchen for breakfast. On the message board was 23 more messages from Ryan. The total was reaching 200. Coming through the back door covered in snow was Audrey's seven year old neice Laura.
"Does Rory know you're here at 7:30 in the morning?" Audrey asked, pouring herself a bowl of granola.
"Mommy said that I could leave early for school and come see you Auntie Audrey," Laura answered.
"Would like something for breakfast?"
"Nope. I had Cap'n Crunch with Mommy and Matty."
While Audrey munched on her breakfast her cell phone rang again. It was ringing Dreaming of You so Audrey didn't even bother to answer it. "197," she thought to herself.
Since Saturday night Ryan had called 197 times. Luke and Lorelai were being supportive of Audrey and would feild the calls to the house, the diner and the inn. Even Rory got a couple of calls from him at her house. Audrey was furious with Ryan Turner. How could he kiss Andie Michaelson? She was glad to not be going to Chilton anymore because there would be no way she would make it through the day.
"You've reached Audrey Danes' cell phone. Please leave your name and number and a short message and I'll get back to you when I can. Havea good day!"
"Audrey, baby I know you're screening your calls and avoiding mine but please, please, please call me. I have to talk to you. Please."
"She still not talking to you?" James Tyler, Ryan's best friend asked.
"Yep. I'm running out of ideas. It's like everyone in that town suddenly has no idea where she is. I have to talk to her tell her what happened," Ryan bemoaned, walking towards his car.
"Boyo where are you going?" James called running after Ryan.
"Audrey dropped out of Chilton. I'm going to Stars Hollow and I'm going to stay there as long as I can until she talks to me."
"You're hopeless man. Completely hopeless."
Ryan pulled open the door of his Cooper and got in. He pulled out of the Chilton parking lot and drove to Stars Hollow. He parked outside the diner and Luke saw him. Luke came out.
"What are you doing here Ryan?" Luke asked. "She doesn't want to see you."
"If you see her today tell her I'm not leaving until she talks to me," Ryan said.
"She is a very stubborn girl, like her mother and sister. She's not going to talk to you until she's ready. Just go home," Luke said going back inside the diner.
Ryan walked across the square and waited outside the high school. She had to come by there sometime. After about five minutes of waiting he saw Audrey walking towards the school with a tall blonde girl.She was wearing her glasses and she was laughing. She looked up andsaw him standingthere. Her smile turned to a frown and she quit laughing. She and the girl walked right past him without saying a word.
"Is that him?" the girl asked quietly.
"Yes," Audrey answered coldly. "I don't know what's he's doing here. You would think that after 197 unretunred phone calls would give him a hint."
"Well if you won't talk to him, than I will," the girl said walking over to Ryan.
"Cammie don't you dare!" Audrey called after her.
"You must be Ryan," Camille said putting out her hand. "I'm Camille Rogers, Audrey's best friend since the second day of kindergarten."
"Camille, that is such a pretty name," Ryan said shaking her hand, turning on his charm. He then spoke again only quieter this time. "Listen I need to talk to Audrey but she won't talk to me. I need your help."
"Ryan, if Audrey doesn't want to talk than she's not going to talk. Just wait her out. She'll come to you. She goes to her dad's diner everyday for lunch. I'll work on her until then. She hasn't said anything yet but I do know that you hurt her very much. She really liked you, I think she may have even loved you."
"Thank you Camille. Audrey's lucky to have a friend like you," Ryan repiled quietly.
Camille walked back to Audrey and the pair walked into school. They walked into their English class and waved to Martie Belleville, the TA. All thoughout class Camille passed notes to Audrey.
"Why won't you talk to him?" one note asked. "Audi, he's skipping school to come here. Girl you have to talk to him."
"He kissed Andie at the coming out ball, where he was my escort. It's unforgiveable," Audrey's note replied.
"Maybe you don't know the whole story. Just talk to him. What's the worst that can happen?"
"Why are you pressing this? Cammie, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Now pay attention."
During her break between third period and her fourth period classes her cell phone rang. Checking her phone she noticed that it was her mother calling from the inn.
"Hi, Mom. What's up?"
"Ryan is here. Why is he here?" Lorelai asked.
"He wants to talk. I have nothing to say to him," Audrey replied. "Make him go home."
"Audrey, honey just talk to him. He looks so miserable and in case you didn't notice you didn't so good yourself either," Lorelai said. "It's not what you think happened."
"I don't care. It's exactly the way I think. Mom, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Just ignore him."
Audrey hung up the phone and sighed in frustration. You would think that you tell a guy to leave you alone and not to call anymore that he would actually listen. Not this guy. He was stubbornly going to skip school and hang out in Stars Hollow all day. If that's what he wanted to do Audrey was going to let him.
Lorelai shook her head and hung up the phone. Both her and Luke knew what happened. Lorelai knew that once her daughter heard the truth from Ryan that she would understand and forgive him. But there was nothing that she could say that would change her mind. She couldn't get Audrey to talk to Ryan if she didn't want to.
Fourth period was over and Audrey walked into the diner for lunch and lo and behold Ryan was sitting at the counter. She spun on her heel and was about to leave when he got up and stopped her.
"Audrey wait. Talk to me. Let me explain, please," Ryan pleaded, almost begging. "I am not leaving Stars Hollow until you talk to me. Audrey please."
The sooner she talked the sooner he would leave. She sat down at her mother's table, the one closest to the door. She looked up at Ryan and waited for him to start talking. He sat down and looked into her deep blue eyes.
"You wanted to talk so talk," she snapped.
"Audrey I needyou to not hate me. I need you tobelieve me. Yes Andie and I kissed butit was not me that started the kiss. She drug me out onto the floor. She kissed me. I was trying to get away from her. I don't want to be with Andie. I want to be with you, Audrey."
"Come on little girl," Luke thought. "He came all the way out here. Just listen to him."
"Audrey, please. I am so sorry."
"I'm sorry too, Ryan. I have closed that chapter of my life. I don't want to see you anymore. Don't call, don't come by. Don't do anything," Audrey said, standing up. "I've talked, you've talked. Please just leave me alone."
"You'll call me if you change your mind?" Ryan asked, his voice full of longing and hope.
"I'm not going to change my mind. I have to go."
Audrey ran out of the diner and rounded the corner. Ryan had never felt so stupid in his entire life. He came all the way to Stars Hollow and he still lost her. "Damn Andrea Michaelson to the depths." Luke dropped a slice of pie in front of Ryan.
"Thank you sir," Ryan said staring out the door. "Do you think she'll change her mind?"
Luke didn't want to give the boy any false hopes. Luke also knew that his little girl cared a great deal about this boy. She would come around. He patted the boy on the back in reassurance.
Hiding behind the diner's dumpsters Audrey leaned against the wall and tried to hold back the tears that she didn't want to shed. It was very painful to break things off with Ryan Michael Turner. She had never expressed it except in her journal but she was very much in love with him. Life would have to go on. She was going to erase Ryan Turner from her memory, like so many people in town had down with another Danes child.
The crisp, cold and snowy November air changed. Her parents celebrated their 18th anniversary and Thanksgiving came and went. Soon she passed her driver's test and received the last bit of information that she needed for the Miss Connecticut pageant in two weeks.
Ryan waited and waited for the day when Audrey's call would come in. He was bored at school. He went and saw the play but it wasn't the smae without Audrey. He kept in contact with Camille almost daily in hopes that Audrey was still thinking about him.
"Ryan she's miserable," Camille said one night. "She hasn't even picked her song for the Miss Connecticut Pageant next week. She can't pick one because everyone on her list that she loves to sing somehow in someway reminds her of you."
"Where is the pageant?"
"The Hartford Opera house. Prelims go all day Friday and Saturday. The finals are on Sunday. Show starts at five," Camille said.
"I'll be there."
"Audrey what about How Do I Live?" Lorelai asked, looking over Audrey's tracks. "You've always liked that one."
"Mom I was thinking of dancing this year of reciting The Lady of Shalott or The Palace of Art by Tennyson. Something other than singing. All these songs remind me of the 'R' word."
"I'm going to tell you something that possibly I don't think you're going to want to hear," Lorelai began.
"What Mom?"
"Why don't you just call him? Kid you're miserable. The pageant is in two weeks and kid, you're not even excited. This has been one of your dreams forever. Sweets, call him."
"Thanks Mom."
The next morning at school sitting on her desk was a vase of two dozen pink and white roses. Audrey pulled the card from the flowers and hesitated before opening the envelope.
"Oh it is so nice to see that bos still send flowers," Mrs. Cranson, Audrey's English teacher said.
Pulling open the tiny flap of paper, Audrey removed the card.
Audrey I know I'm not supposed to do this anymore but I thought you could usea little encouragement. Break a leg next week. I'll be there to cheer you on. Love Ryan
"He remembered," Audrey whispered. "He remembered."
She gathered the vase in her arms and ran to the diner.
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" she yelled.
"Jesus Christ Audrey! What's wrong?" Luke asked, rushing out of the kitchen. He notices the flowers. "Where the hell did those come from?"
"Ryan," Audrey said with stars in her eyes. "He remembered, Daddy. He remembered."
"Remembered what? Audrey you're acting like your mother."
"The pageant Daddy. He's going to be there."
"Thank God!" Luke thought. His little girl was makinga comeback. He was getting sick of the melencholy, sulky teenager that had invaded his house.
Audrey left her vase of roses on the counter by the register. She pulled two out and ran back to school. She ran right into Camille who instantly saw the look and the roses. With her advanced knowledge of the sending of the flowers she guessed what Audrey was going to say next.
"Oh my God! Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "You're getting back together with Ryan!"
"I have made no decsions on that front," Audrey said semi calmly. "It just means that he still cares and doesn't hate me. Oh yeah, I'm singing The Palace of Art."
"Pulling out the big guns I wager," Camille teased. "You're going to knock them dead."
Later that afternoon Audrey punched in a number that at one time had been number three on her speed dial. Of course she was scared. She got to one ring and then hung up. Finally she waited for him to answer or his voice mail to come on.
"Thank you for calling Ryan Turner's cell. If you're calling about the IPOD I sold the damn thing last week. If this is James, boyo empty your mail box. Anyone else leave your name and number and I'll get back to you when I can. Oh yeah if this is Audrey, baby, I'm sorry and I'll see you next weeks. Knock 'em dead. Here comes the beep!"
"Ryan," she said slowly. "Call me."
Three days went by and Audrey worked long hours in the choir room perfecting her song. Lorelai worked long nights creating the perfect Napoleon era dress for her to wear. On Thursday a little after five thirty, Audrey was sitting at the desk at the inn, filling in for Michel who had gone to visit his sick mother in Paris. Her cell phone rang a familiar tune.
Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight, till tomorrow I'll holding you tight and there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be than here in my room dreaming about you and me
Only one person's number rang to that song. Audrey's face brightened with a huge smile.
"Audrey Danes," she answered.
"Hi Audrey," Ryan said. "I take it you got my flowers."
"Yes I did. Thank you, they were beautiful."
They were quiet on both ends. "So Miss Connecticut is next weekend. You nervous?"
"Not really. I'm working on my platform right now."
"Platform? You're running for Miss Connecticut not the Oval Office."
"Silly Ryan," Audrey teased. "Every contestant has some idea that they promote. And before you say world peace, that's not what any of my friends in the pageants support. My friend Holly Matthews from Woodbury works for the United Way and Big Brothers Big Sisters. I'm with Read Across America and last summer Camille and I collected over 1000 books."
"Interesting," he said. He pauses for a second and then continues. "I've missed you. I've getting to talk to you, hang out with you."
"You're going to be there on Sunday right?" she asked, still thinking that all that was dream.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world. So are we RyanandAudrey again or are we Ryan and Audrey?"
"Why do you get top billing?" Audrey teased. "I'm Miss Stars Hollow."
"So we're AudreyandRyan?"
"Yeah, we're AudreyandRyan."
"I'm glad. Are you going to come back to Chilton?" he asked. "Hannah and Tarah have been asking about you."
"No. I didn't belong there. I'm glad I went though. If I hadn't we wouldn't be us."
"Yeah. So I'll see you on Sunday."
"Come on Saturday. You can see the talent competition in case I don't make finals," she said, than instantly knocks on the top of the desk.
"Baby you'll make finals. Don't talk like that. I'll be there both days."
"Bye Ryan."
She hung up with Ryan and sheriked in delight. She punched in Camille's number and hopped nervously waiting for her to answer.
"He called Cammie! He called!" Audrey exclaimed the second she answered.
"Oh my God! So what's the damage?" Camille asked, just as excited as Audrey.
"We're back together," Audrey said trying to remain calm.
"Oh my God! That is so great!" Camille screamed into the phone causing Audrey to jump backwards and drop her phone. "So what does this mean?"
"What does what mean?" Audrey replied.
"Are you going back to Chilton? Staying here?"
"I hated Chilton. I only liked going there for Ryan and that's not enough reason to use the money from Grandpa. Besides my grades are beyond perfect, my community service would bump Mama Thresa off the Yale list. Getting into Yale will not be a problem."
"I am so happy for you. So did I tell you that Hunter Davis called eariler?" Camille said.
"No you didn't. Spill."
Audrey and Camille talked for another thrity minutes about the new kid Hunter Davis. He was the perfect guy for Camille. He was tall, had about the same build as Ryan. Hunter had bright green eyes and shaggy blonde hair. He looked like a younger Heath Ledger. Camille was smitten.
After her shift at the inn endedAudrey practically flew home. She pounded into the house and called to Katie.The old dog greeted Audrey warmly.
"Guess what Katie? Ryan and I got back together. Isn't that great?"
"Woof. Woof. Bark," was Katie's response.
"Let's go find Mom," Audrey said walking back into the kitchen.
She found her mother sitting at the kitchen table reading In Style magazine. Audrey had never noticed before how old her mother was actually getting. Gray hairs kept peeking up from her roots and the years of laughing and smiling were finally startingto show. She found it amazing that Lorelai and Luke even had the energy to keep up with her anymore. But it didn't matter because she loved both of her parents more than anyone else on the planet.
"Mom! Ryan and I got back together," she exclaimed.
"Oh that's great kid! I am so happy for you."
"He's going to the pageant stuff on Saturday and Sunday. Now I'm nervous Mom. He's going to be there. What if I trip or forget the words to my song?"
"Audrey stop. You'll do fine. We all have faith in you."
The next week was a blur. She worked double time in the choir room perfecting her preformance. Finally it was Friday and the day of the longest weekend she would ever face. Audrey arrived at the Hartford Opera house at 8:30 am and was greeted by her two best pageant friends, Annie McGill-Thomas of Stoneybrook and Holly Matthews of Woodbury. They had dances to learn and preliminary competition to do. Saturday ended sooner than she had expected so she and Ryan went out to dinner. It was their first date in almost a month.
"You were amazing today Audrey," Ryan said. "You're never not amazing but today you blew me away."
"I just walked in heels and sang. What's amazing about that?" she replied.
"You saw no one else but the judges. You walked across that stage with such grace and poise that, that, it's like you're this angel that I'm not good enough to have contact with.You amaze me everyday." He reached across the table and took her hand in his. "I just want you to know, Audrey, that I never had any intention of hurting you like I did. I hated being apart."
"When I told you that I didn't want to see you anymore and ran from the diner, I hid back behind the dumpsters and cried. I hated it also."
Audrey and Ryan finished their dinner, chatting like no time had passed between them at all. They talked about school and their mutual friends. They listened to the radio on the drive back to the Hollow and switched the station like 97 times when a crap song came on the radio. He pulled up in front of her house and they sat for a moment. He turned to Audrey and lifted her chin to meet her eyes. He softly but lovingly kissed her, stroking her face and tangling his fingers in her long hair.
He attempted to deepen the kiss but Audrey pushed him away, her eyes telling him that he was going too fast. He nodded knowingly. He got out and opened the door for her. They walked up the porch steps, pausing outside the front door.
"Good night baby," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Good night Ryan."
Audrey went into the house and right into her room. The next day would set the stage for the rest of her life. To win Miss Connecticut and go on to the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City was a once in a lifetime experience. You can only compete for the crown once. She changed into her pajamas and began the daunting task of pin curling her hair. Once her hair was up she went into the living room. All of the things she would need for the next day lay in piles around the room. Her garment bags with her gowns hung on the hook on the back of the door. The others lay neatly across the couch. Her makeup case and shoe bag sat next to the couch.
Satisfied that she had everything she went back to her room and took out her checklists. The list was three pages long with four sublists. She was truly related to Rory. She took her purple pen out of it's jar and began round one of her inventory check. She had two of everything just in case some other girl picked the same thing to wear.
"Clothes: Casual wear- green sweater set with khaki skirt," Audrey read off as she opened the first bag. "Blue suit with cream shirt."She moved down the list and checked off the shoes that matchedthe latterattire.
Once she made sureall of her outfitsand shoes were accounted for she beganwith her makeupcase.Audrey had rows of blush that went with a different event. She had shadows, lipsticks, lip glosses, eye lashes, mascera and eyeliner. She had everything she could possibly need for any occasion for the rest of her life. By the time she finished her makeup case list it was getting close to 12:30 am. She still had to check her hair stuff. She shook cans of hairspray, counted bobby pins and made sure she had at least two brushes.
The last thing she had to do was check her father's tuxedo. She made sure his tie and cummberbund were there. She shined his shoes and the button covers and cuff links.
"Audrey go to sleep!" she heard her mother call down the stairs. "Everything is there. Go to bed!"
"I'm almost done," she said sorting her jewelry.
"I don't want to tell you again," Lorelai retorted.
Audrey quickly finished what she was doing, killed the light in the living room and went into her room. Lying on her pillow she stared up at the celing. She began to hum her song and anaylzed her preformance that day. Holly's version of Think of Me was really good. There were others that she knew she would beat easily. She was a shoe in for the top ten.
Her thoughts drifted to a certain chocolate eyed boy who would be in the audience. For the first time in her pageant career, aside from the first one she did, Audrey Danes was nervous. She had close to 7,207,183 what if's running through her mind. What if she tripped? What if she didn't make the top fifteen? That would be humiliating. What if one of her dresses rips beyond a simple repair? The sewing kit! She had forgotten to check the sewing kit. She had to make sure all the extra buttons, beads and sequins were there along with the right color thread. She bolted out of her bed and stumbled back into the living room. She had panicked prematurly. Everything was there.
"Sleeping Beauties don't win Miss Connecticut!" she heard her mother call.
"I'm going, I'm going," Audrey muttered.
The next morning Audrey awoke to the aroma of melting chocolate. Audrey walked into the kitchen and laid her head on the table. "Just one up please Daddy?"
"One cup with your pancakes," Luke answered setting a plate of Easter bunny chocolate chip pancakes in front of her. "Enjoy."
"Thank you Daddy."
"Just remember that no matter what happens today, if you win, lose or trip, your mother and I are very proud of you. We love you so much Audrey."
After Audrey had finished her breakfast she went back into her room and put on her black suit and checked to make sure none of the curls had come loose. She then went out to the living room and helped her father load her stuff into the car. Check in for the contestants began at 11:30, dress rehersal was to begin at one and the pageant itself was to begin at five.
"Daddy remember that you're supposed to meet in the green room after the the intermission. The dressing rooms should be empty during the rehersal so you and Mom can change there. Camille and Ryan are coming so make sure you leave them a seat in your row," Audrey reminded her parents.
The drive into Hartford seemed to take hours when it was only minutes. She was so nervous. They pulled up in front of the opera house. A bell boy came out and helped Luke unload Audrey's things onto a cart. They walked up to the check in desk. A white haired woman sat at the desk.
"Name?"
"Audrey Danes, Stars Hollow," she repiled.
"Here's your sash, schedule of events and good luck."
Audrey slipped her sash over her shoulders and adjusted it.
"You look like Gracie Hart," Lorelai teased. "Good luck little girl. Walk pretty."
Audrey held the door open for Luke who pushed in her cart to her mirror. She sat down at hers and began to take down her hair. She watched as the other contestants came in. She saw her friends Holly Matthews from Woodburyand Annie McGill-Thomas from Stoneybrookcome in. She smiled and waved politely. As of right now, the three girls were no longer friends. All alliances crumbled and friends became enemies. Soon the back biting and ill wishes would begin with some of the more bitter girls.
The dress rehersal ran smoothly and soon it was time for the pageant to begin. She put on her first dress. It was a tea length summer dress with a fullskirt. She left her glasses on and slipped into a pair of white tennis shoes and straw hat with a bunch of cherries in the back. She took her place in line in front of Annie.
"Welcome to the 124th Annual Miss Connecticut Pageant," the emcee announced. "My name is Michael Tinsdale and I'll be your host for the evening. I would like to take this oppotunity to thank our many sponsers. The Huntzburger Media Group, Hartford Community Hospital, the Daughters of the American Revoultion and Magic 98.7." He then introduced every girl and read a short bio on each girl.
"Miss Stars Hollow, Audrey Danes," he announced. Audrey's row of family and friends cheered wildly. "Miss Stars Hollow enjoys baseball, classic cars, reading in her town's histroic gazebo, playing with her dog Kaite and spending time with her family. Audrey is a junior at Stars Hollow High School, maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA. Over the summer she and a few friends collected over 1100 books for Read Across America. Miss Stars Hollow, ladies and gentlemen."
Audrey walked across the stage one last time, waved to her family and then went backstage to wait for the top fifteen to be read. Of the 75 girls in the pageant only 15 would be selected.
"Miss Woodbury, Holly Matthews," Michael read off a list. "Miss Stoneybrook, Annie McGill-Thomas. Miss New Haven, Honor Morgan."
As the names were being read Audrey became more and more nervous. Ryan was crossing his fingers and knocking on the wooden armrest. Camille was next to him rubbing a rabbit's foot.
"Miss Westchester, Isabel Roberts."
"Well at least I tried," Audrey thought. "I did the best I could. That's all I can ask of myself."
"And, Miss Stars Hollow, Audrey Danes."
"Did he just say...? Jiminy Crickets he did! I'm in the top fifteen!"
"That's my aunt!" Laura yelled from the audience.
Audrey's family and friends stood and cheered. Audrey smiled proudly and filed off the stage with the other fourteen girls. Changing in the back she noticed that a lot of the girls were wearing suits so she chose to wear her green sweater set and khaki skirt. She pulled up her hair into a ponytail. She looked like she was headed to class. That was exactly what she was going for. With the casual wear competition came the platform discussion.
"Miss Stars Hollow," Michael said.
Audrey walked across the stage, pausing at her marks and then took the wireless mike and began to speak about how important reading is. "This past summer my best friend Camille and I collected 1,137 books for Read Across America. I was taught at an early age that the best gift you can ever receive is a good book. As a small child my sister, mother, father, cousin and brother-in-law would read to me from classics such as Pride and Predjuice to comtemporary novels like The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I hope that through my efforts with Read Across America that one day every child in America has a book to read. Thank you."
Audrey put the mike back on its stand and took her place in the line. When it came down to the time for the top ten to be read the butterflies and knots return.
"Based on the preliminary competition and tonights the top ten are as follows," Michael said, opening an envelope. "Miss Stars Hollow, Audrey Danes."
"That's my girl!" Ryan shouted. "That's my Audrey!"
Audrey listened as her two friends also made the top ten. The next round was the talent. Audrey was slated to go last which gave her ample time to get ready and ample time to get incredibly nervous. Of the ten finalists, four were singers. Audrey, Holly, a girl from Hanover and Isabel Roberts of Westchester were to sing. Annie played the cello and another girl played the flute. Honor and the other three were the dancers. Holly was the first to go. She sang Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's Think of Me from The Phantom of the Opera. Isabel sang A Moment Like This. Afte what seemed like forever it was Audrey's turn. She carried a large fan and looked fantastic in her Napoleonic dress.
"Singing her own creation, The Palace of Art, by Alfred Lord Tennyson, Miss Stars Hollow, Audrey Danes."
The piano started and Audrey began to sing.
I built my soul a lordly pleasure-house
Wherein at ease for aye to dwell.
I said 'O soul make merry and carouse,
Dear soul for all is well.'
A huge crag-platform, smooth as burnish'd brass,
I chose. The ranged ramparts bright
From level meadow-bases of deep grass
Suddenly scaled the light.
As Audrey sang a group of scornful girls from Chilton snuck up the asile towards the stage carrying a bag of tomatoes.
"Andie is this really necessary?" Tarah asked. "She left school, she's no longer a target or a threat. Just let it go."
Thereon I built it firm. Of ledge or shelf
The rock rose clear, or winding stair.
My soul would live alone unto herself
In her high palace there.
"That little bitch has taken Ryan from me for the last time," Andie declared. "She's going down. If you're not going to help, then get the hell out."
Tarah set down her bag and walked away. She liked Audrey. She thought Audrey was a wonderful person. She had to stop this. Tarah scanned the audience for Ryan. She spotted him sitting next to Audrey's father. She shuffled into the row and took the empty seat next to Ryan.
And 'while the world runs round and round,' I said,
'Reign thou apart, a quiet king,
Still as, while Saturn whirls his stedfast shade
Sleeps on his luminous ring.'
To which my soul made answer readily:
'Trust me, in bliss I shall abide
In this great mansion, that is built for me,
So royal-rich and wide.'
"Ryan!" Tarah whispered feircely. "Ryan!"
"Tarah?" Ryan said shocked. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"It's Andie. Her, Julia and a bunch of her other minions are here. They're planning on throwing rotting tomatoes and eggs at Audrey."
"I have to warn her. Where are they now?"
"Heading towards the stage."
Four courts I made, East, West and South and North,
In each a squared lawn, wherefrom
The golden gorge of dragons spouted forth
A flood of fountain-foam.
And round the cool green courts there ran a row
Of cloisters, branch'd like mighty woods,
Echoing all night to that sonorous flow
Of spouted fountain-floods.
And round the roofs a gilded gallery
That lent broad verge to distant lands,
Far as the wild swan wings, to where the sky
Dipt down to sea and sands.
From those four jets four currents in one swell
Across the mountain stream'd below
In misty folds, that floating as they fell
Lit up a torrent-bow.
Ryan and Tarah slunk out of the row and cut off Andie and the others to the front. Audrey moved around the stage as she sang. As she did she saw two groups of people approaching the stage. In the dim light she could make out Ryan and Tarah but she couldn't figure out who the others were. Putting it out of her mind she turned to face the judges and sing the last two parts of her song with all she had.
"Do you have a plan?" Tarah asked as Ryan climbed the right side stage steps.
"Not really."
Audrey turned to the left of the stage unknowingly giving Andie the perfect shot. She closed her eyes, took a breath and continued.
And high on every peak a statue seem'd
To hang on tiptoe, tossing up
A cloud of incense of all odour steam'd
From out a golden cup.
So that she thought, "And who shall gaze upon
My palace with unblinded eyes,
While this great bow will waver in the sun,
And that sweet incense rise?"
Andie raised her arm and let loose the cursed tomato. Time moved slowly as the gasps from the audience could be heard. Ryan wasted no time. Jumping in front of Audrey in a true hero taking the fall for his fair lady let the tomato hit him square in the chest. Not a drop of the juices of the tomato got anywhere near Audrey. The accompainist plunked out the last notes of Audrey's song and then the audience erupted in applause. Audrey opened her eyes and saw Ryan lying on his side, his shirt covered in tomato. She stood frozen. This was worse than the blood dropping on Carrie at prom. This was by far her worst nightmare come true. She looked to the left and saw a rather pissed off Andie.
"Miss Stars Hollow, ladies and gentlemen," Michael said, his voice full of shock.
Audrey didn't move. She couldn't remember how to walk. Ryan stood and took her hand and led her from the stage. Once backstage he held her close to him as she fought the tears that she didn't want to shed. She had to go back out there and not let this incident ruin the rest of the pageant for her. She took her place next to Holly who sqeezed her hand tightly.
"Based on the preformances tonight and in the preliminaries yesterday here are the top five finalists. Miss Woodbury, Holly Matthews. Miss New Haven, Honor Morgan. Miss Westchester, Isabel Roberts. Miss Stoneybrook, Annie McGill-Thomas. And...Miss Stars Hollow, Audrey Danes!"
Audrey joined her friends and they all shared a tight hug.
"We will have a fifteen minute intermission," Michael said.
The curtain closed. The five girls broke apart and began to prepare for the final leg of the pageant. The Formal/Evening wear and the Interview. Luke joined Audrey backstage.
"The cops caught Andie and the others," he said. "They're being taken to the local station. They were arrested for malicious mischeif assault."
"I hope they have to spend the night."
"Postive thoughts, Audrey. You're in the top five. Two more events and you're home free. I am so proud of you little girl. I love you. No matter what happens."
The contestants were now brought out in alphabetical order by their towns. Audrey watched as Honor and her father walked across the stage.
"Finn?" Rory and Marty gasped.
Next was Audrey. She and Luke linked arms and walked out onto the stage.
"You have had quite a night Miss Stars Hollow," Michael said. "Who is all out in the audience with you?"
"My Luke and Lorelai, my sister Rory and her family, Marty, Laura, Matty and Riley. My cousin Jess and his family, Annie, Jeffery and Haylee. My best friend Camille and my boyfriend and hero, Ryan."
"Miss Stars Hollow, what is your favorite place in the state of Connecticut?"
Squeezing her father's hand she answers the question. "My father's diner in Stars Hollow."
"And why is that your favorite place in the entire state of Connecticut?"
"The diner is the center of Stars Hollow. Everyone meets there before and after town meetings. Festivals are planned there. My parents met there. My mother proposed there."
Ryan saw how much Audrey lit up as she talked about her father's place and about the people who frequented it. It truly was her favorite place. He didn't want to admit it but he was falling in love. Some people would claim that her answer was prepared, planned. But if you knew Audrey Danes she never says anything unless she means it.
"Thank you Miss Stars Hollow."
Audrey took her father's arm and he led her to her spot next to Honor. The other three contestants answered their questions. They then stood together nervously as they waited for the scores to be tallied. After what seemed like 72 hours Michael came back with the final envelope. The row that occupied Audrey's friends and family several different things were happening. Luke and Lorelai cluthced each other's hands. Rory and Marty had gone off to locate Finn and Rosemary. Jeffery, Laura, Matty and Haylee were oblivious that anything was going on as they were locked in an intense game of Go Fish. Ryan, Camille and Tarah did everything to combat bad luck. They rubbed a rabbit's foot, knocked on the wooden seats, and threw handful of salt from tiny packets over their left shoulders.
"Fourth runner up, Miss Stoneybrook, Annie McGill-Thomas. Third runner up, Miss Westchester, Isabel Roberts. Second runner up, Miss Woodbury, Holly Matthews."
It was down to Audrey and Honor. They two shared a hug and whispered a good luck to each other.
"If for some reason our winner cannot uphold her duties the first runner up will take her place. Our first runner up is...Miss New Haven, Honor Morgan!"
Audrey was in shock. She won. She was Miss Connecticut. Her family was going insane. Luke and Lorelai shared a kiss. Camille and Tarah hugged and jumped up and down together screaming. Ryan smiled proudly and blew a kiss to Audrey.
The crown was set on her curls and a new sash draped over her shoulders. A large bouquet of roses were laid into her arms.
The ride back to the Hollow was a surreal one for Audrey. She still couldn't believe that she had won. She had ridden home with Ryan, Camille and Tarah. They stopped for ice cream. Audrey couldn't stop smiling. She was so happy. She Audrey Avery Danes was going to Atlantic City in nine months. It was going to take a few days for that to sink in.
A few days later Audrey was packing away her dresses in her trunk in the attic. Pulled out away from another stack of boxes was one that she had never seen before caught her eye. She pulled the box under the attic light and pulled it open.
A light blue fleece blanket lay folded neatly on top. Stitched into the corner was CLD. What Audrey found the most strange was that buried in her closet was the exact same blanket only with AAD in the corner. Lifting out the blanket from the old box Audrey discovered other baby things. All monogrammed with CLD. She pulled out a photo album and opened the cover. A yellowed envelope stuck out from the corner of the album. On the inside cover written in her mother's loopy handwriting was: Christain and Audrey Danes, their first six months.
Audrey nearly dropped the album. Something was not computing. Who was Christian Danes? Flipping through the pages she saw pictures of two babies. A little boy and a little girl. Pasted in the back cover was a newspaper announcement.
Stars Hollow proudly welcomes Christian Lucas Danes, born January 29th at 7:43am. Audrey Avery Danes was born seven minutes later. Christian was four pounds eight ounces and Audrey was three pounds eleven ounces. Our congratulations go out to Lorelai and Luke Danes!
"I'm a twin and no one told me?" Audrey questioned. "How could they not tell me?"
A/N: Ok so who hates me for how I let Audrey find out about Chip? Now remember the first person to review with the correct answer to my challenge will receive a special spoiler for the upcoming chapter. For the rest of you here's a not so special spoiler.
"Audrey we need to talk," Luke said. "I'm sure you have some questions for us."
"Oh I have a few, thousand," Audrey snapped.
Happy reading!