Aki- Not a too exciting chapter, but it is what it is.

Chapter 18

"You'll call?"

"Yes, every night, at seven-thirty."

"Sharp."

"And two weekends from now I'm off, and I'll come up here to visit. We can go shopping or something, whatever you want. Deal?"

"Deal," smiled Amber, giving Rory a big hug. It was a little after noon on New Year's Day and Rory had her car packed and was headed back to Star's Hollow because, unfortunately, she started work again the next day, January second.

"And you'll stay with us then, too, right?" asked Amber hopefully.

"If it's okay with your father." The two girls looked at Jess, who was standing a little off as to give the mother and daughter pair some privacy.

"Always," he said with a small grin at their pointed looks then approached.

"Have a safe trip," he told Rory. For a moment they just stood their, next to her car, in an awkward limbo between a handshake and a hug. To end it Rory put her hand out firmly and they shaked.

"See you in two weeks. Goodbye Jess. Bye Amber." And with that Rory got in her car, waved, and pulled out of the parking lot. Amber waited until Rory's car was out of sight in the traffic before returning to her apartment with her dad.

Rory had only driven a few blocks away before she wanted to turn around and go back. It was almost crazy. But Rory was having a harder time leaving New York, than she had coming to it.

Later, back in Stars Hollow…

It was just about five o'clock in the afternoon as Lorelai sat in Luke's Diner, sipping coffee at the counter. A small layer of snow covered the ground making the already picturesque town ready to be on the front of a post card. That was when the bell on the door rang.

"Mom!"

Lorelai turned on the stool and smiled at the familiar tone, "Rory!" Rory threw her arms around her mother's neck.

"I didn't know you were coming back today," smiled Lorelai once the two had detached.

"I called your cell phone like five minutes ago when I was coming into town. But you didn't pick up. Then I called the house and the inn, and you weren't their either and I considered calling here, Luke's, but I know how mad Luke gets when I do that…"

"And that stopped you?"

"But by that time I was on this street anyway, and I it was faster just to stop and look for you in person. Why did you not pick up your cell phone by the way?"

"Well," said Lorelai pointing over her shoulder with her thumb to a sign hanging on the wall behind the counter, "The sign says, 'No cell phones,' so to show my respect for the establishment I turned it off."

Rory raised her eyebrows skeptically, "Lose your charger again."

"And the battery went dead," cried Lorelai dramatically.

"Did you check under the seat in your car?"

Lorelai clapped her hands together, "I knew I kept you for something."

"Glad to be appreciated."

"Hey, do you want some coffee?"

"Of course."

"Hey, Lukey," called Lorelai in a loud voice to Luke who was in the kitchen, busy cooking food and had not seen Rory enter, "I need some coffee."

"No!"

"What?"

"You had three cups at the house this morning, one at the diner, and two in just this sitting, with God knows how many others in-between at the inn."

"But it's not for me," she whined back.

"Yeah right, Lorelai. I'm not falling for that one again," replied Luke before finally coming out of the kitchen, "Oh, Rory."

"Hi, Luke."

"So the coffee wasn't really for you," stated Luke to Lorelai.

"Told you, but I could do with a refill while your at it." Lorelai grinned wickedly. Luke glared before going to fill their orders.

Rory nudged her mother's side with her elbow to get her attention then nodded not so subtly at Luke and mouthed, "He know?"

Lorelai nodded and mouthed back, "He knows."

"That's good," replied Rory as Luke gave the two girls their coffee. It was good that there was one less important person in Rory's life that she didn't have to break the news to personally.

"Anyone else know?" asked Rory.

"Nope their have been no leaks. Very thing has been kept under raps, they are dieing for information out there."

"Well, they're going to get it."

"Hmm?"

"It is time I fess up. In need to be honest with everyone, including the town. It is the responsible thing to do."

"It is."

"So I'm going to tell the town in one fell swoop."

"How?"

"Miss Patty."

"Duh."

"Then I'm going to run over to Sookie and Jackson's and tell them personally before they hear from someone else."

"Better run fast."

"After that I have to-"

"Tell the grandparents."

Rory cringed a little at the thought, "Yes, the grandparents. I'm not looking up to that. I better make an appointment with them. I want to tell them in person."

"Though over the phone might be safer. Oh, by the way, Emily called for you when you were in New York. You were sick."

"Interesting," Rory took a big sip of her coffee to finish off, "I better get started."

"What's she doing?" asked Luke as he watched Rory walk across the street towards Miss Patty's studio through the large glass windows.

"Being Rory," answered Lorelai with a smile.

"Miss Patty?"

"Oh, Rory, dear, How are you?" asked the robust woman, standing on the steps of her studio with a long cigarette as dancers practiced inside, "We've been missing you the last few days."

Rory took a deep breath before saying anything. This was it. "Yeah, well, I've been in New York."

"Really?" asked Miss Patty, obviously interested.

"Yes. I went to see Jess and Amber. And no," said Rory in anticipation for the next question, "Me and Jess are not back together. Around ten years ago Jess and I had a one night stand and I got pregnant. I hid it from everybody, even my mom, which was a huge undertaking. Once the baby was born , I left her with Jess and had not communicated with her at all. But I went up there to rectify my mistakes, apologize, and start being honest. And this is part of it. I think it is better that you found out the true version from me, rather than false speculations."

Rory paused. Miss Patty didn't reply. She was in shock, this was the biggest scandal in Stars Hollow history, well this year…definitely this month.

"Well, I apologize from keeping this secret from you and the town. I gotta go…have fun."

Rory turned and left. One down, many, many more to go. Rory jumped in her car, which was parked outside Luke's Diner. She drove to Sookie and Jackson's house.

She knocked on the doorframe before entering the house, "Hey Sookie, Jackson. Can you sit down for a moment. I have something I want to tell you something…"

It might be hard, but it was getting easier.