"His sister?" Meg asked.

"Yes. Beth Cashen. I'd show you id, but I can't over the phone." She said with a flute like laugh.

Meg laughed. "I'm not sure where he is, but if you can hold on, I can get him for you." Meg said.

"Thanks." She said.

Meg finally found Steven with Rory in the kitchen. Rory was sitting on the counter and he was leaning against it. They both had drinks and were talking like old friends.

"Steven, your sister is on the phone." Meg said when she found them.

"My sister?" He said.

"Yeah, Beth." Meg said, handing him the cordless phone.

"Beth?" Steve said, speaking into the phone. He listened intently for a minute. "Oh god." Steve put a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. "Alright, when's the next flight? 1 am? Ok I'll be on it. Thanks, Bethie. Is Trip coming home? Alright. Love you, bye." He glanced at the clock, which read 8 pm.

"Could you go find Tristan for me?" Steven said, turning to Meghan.

Meg nodded in consent and ran off.

Steven turned to Rory. "My father is very sick. They don't think he has much time left. I need to go to Chicago. It was great to meet you again, Rory. Honestly. And I would like to see you again. I hate to run out like this, but things don't sound good at home."

"I understand completely. But Steven..."

"What?"

"Well I really had a good time with you tonight. Do you have any idea when you might be back in town?" She asked.

"No..." He said. Rory looked at her feet and Steven looked lost in thought. "Well..."

"Well what?" Rory asked.

"You could come with me." Steven said.

"Come with you? Steven--" Rory sputtered.

"Think about it. I don't want to leave you and you don't want to leave me. I could use all the support I can get with my dad being sick, and it won't be a very long trip so it won't send your schedule all screwy. What do you say?" Steven asked.

"I don't know...Steven we just met! Well for the second time but still." Rory said.

"I feel like I've known you forever." He said.

"Very creative. How long did it take you to come up with that?" Rory asked with a smile.

"I'm offended."

"Don't be."

"So will you?" He asked.

She took a deep breath and held it for several seconds. "Damn you. You're very persuasive."

"It's part of my charm. So you'll go?"

"I'll go."

"Great!"

Rory laughed. "Ha, we haven't told Lorelai yet."

He gave her a questioning, slightly scared look but the opening kitchen door prevented her from explaining.

"Steven. Meg said something was wrong." Tristan strode into the kitchen in long strides, looking just like a businessman. Jinx held onto his hand and hurried behind him. Meg stood in the doorway.

"My dad is sick, Tristan. Thanks so much for your hospitality, but I need to go home and be with him. Beth said it wouldn't be long now." Steven said.

"Oh Steve." Tristan said.

"Steven I'm so sorry." Jinx said, hugging him.

"Jinx, I'm going to go with Steven." Rory said, pulling aside her sister.

"What? Why?" Jinx asked.

"He wants me too." Rory said, whispering to her sister and sharing a sister moment.

Jinx mouth dropped and then formed into a big smile. "Rooory! What did you do to him?"

"Worked my charms." Rory said, causing laughter.

"Ok. Have a safe trip." Jinx said, hugging her sister tightly. "I love you, Rory."

"I love you too, little sister. Take good care of my nieces and nephews." Rory said, kissing her sister's cheek and patting her still flat stomach.

Rory and Meg quickly rounded up Luke and Lorelai while Steven said goodbye to Richard and Emily.

"Mom, Luke, I am going to Chicago."

"Chicago? Why?" Luke said, jumping into dad role.

"Steven's father is very sick and he asked me to go with him to Chicago."

"Rory, you barely know him!" Lorelai protested.

"I know, Mom, but he asked me to go and I really like him. Please just let me do this. I am 27 and will do it with your blessing or not, but I'd like you to wish me a good trip and say good bye. Please, Mom." Rory pleaded.

Lorelai heaved a huge, exaggerated sigh and hugged her daughter. "Have a good trip. Bye."

Rory pulled back and smiled. "Thanks Mom. I love you."

"I love you too."

Rory turned to Luke. "Rory-" He started.

Rory stopped him. "Luke, please." She pleaded.

"Take Meg with you. Take your sister. Or take Jack. Take both of them! That way you won't have to travel alone if Steven decides to stay in Chicago." Luke said, grabbing her arms.

"Luke, I'm 27. Just let me go. I'll be fine. I've traveled alone before."

Luke just nodded his head. "I have to go home and pack pretty quickly. Maybe you can give me a ride home? Or Jinx could."

"No, we'll all leave. Let's go say goodbye to your grandma and round up the posse." Lorelai said. She led the way down the hall, picking up Jack and Jinx along the way.

Finally they found Emily in the living room. "Mom, can we talk to you?"

"Of course. Steven was just here, telling me he needed to leave- something about his father's health."

"His father is very sick Grandma, and I am going to travel with him to Chicago."

"What?" Emily asked looking appalled. "You barely know him."

Tristan walked up right then. "I know him, Emily, and I have for a long time. He is my best friend and completely trustworthy."

"I don't doubt his credibility, Tristan. I just don't understand Rory's need to go with him. She just met him tonight."

"Grandma, he asked me to go with him. It's no big deal." Rory said.

Emily grudgingly nodded. "Alright."

"So we need to get going, Mom." Lorelai said.

Again, Emily looked shocked. "All of you?"

"We came in one car and we need to take Rory home to pack." Lorelai explained.

Emily reluctantly hugged each person. "Alright, I understand."

"Thanks for the party, Grandma, it was wonderful as usual. We have really got to run, so could you give our regards to Grandpa."

"Of course, dear."

The family piled into the car with plans to meet Steven in Stars Hollow after he collected his things from his apartment.

They rode in silence and Rory could sense that her mom and Luke were still uneasy about her going.

"I'll be fine." Rory spoke, breaking the silence.

"I know." Lorelai said. Luke just nodded.

"Please don't be mad at me. What if my plane crashes tonight and you were mad at me?" Rory said.

Luke and Lorelai both tensed up and Rory heard Tristan mutter, "Bad move, Ror."

"I'm sorry. Bad example. But don't you get my point?" Rory said desperately.

"We do, Rory, and if you get on that plane tonight, we will all be on good terms. We just don't understand why you need to fly halfway across the country with some guy you don't know." Luke said.

"It's strange, I know. I'm not even sure why I'm doing it. But I don't have to explain myself to you! I'm a big girl!" Rory said.

"No, no I refuse to go where we are going with this conversation. You're flying to Chicago tonight with Steven. That's it. We are happy. We are happy." Lorelai said. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

"Mom, please don't be mad. You either, Luke. I don't want to be halfway across the country with my parents mad at me." Rory said.

They all fell silent, but everyone knew this wasn't over.

Rory pulled her two suitcases up the front steps of the Gilmore house and left them on the porch. She opened the door and went into the house to find Tristan and Jack on the couch watching TV with Jinx sandwiched between them. Rory heard people moving around upstairs and assumed that it was Meg and Lorelai. Luke walked out of the kitchen with two mugs of coffee and stopped when he saw her. "Hey, Rory. Coffee's in the kitchen."

"Lucas!" Lorelai sang in a high pitched voice.

"Coffee, dah-ling." Meg called.

He shot her an apologetic look. "Sorry. Duty calls."

Rory laughed. "No problem. I still know where the coffee is in this house."

She got herself a cup of coffee and joined the gang in the living room. Jack's eyes were focused on the sitcom on TV. His hand was steadily moving from the bag of chips to his mouth and back again. Jack had changed into jeans and a polo shirt and Tristan had taken off his coat and tie and unbuttoned his top button. Jinx wore jeans and a t-shirt that Rory recognized as Meg's, which led to the assumption that Tristan and Jinx hadn't been home.

Rory wandered up the stairs with her cup of coffee and slumped onto Meg's bed. Her sister smiled at her and continued writing in a notebook.

"So, you really like Steven, huh?" Meg said suddenly.

Rory looked up with a small smile. "Yeah, I really think I do. And I haven't had an adventure in a while. I hate being so grounded…I want to be free and independent and spontaneous some times.

Meg nodded with a smile and Rory wandered out of the room. She stopped in front of Luke and Lorelai's closed door and heard low argumentative tones coming from inside. She strained to hear what was going on.

"I just don't understand, Lorelai. Why does she need to go?" Luke asked tensely.

"I don't know, Luke. Honestly, I don't know. But we have to side with her on this. She is going to do it anyway, and we have to back her or else she will go anyway and resent us for not giving our blessing."

"Lor-"

"Luke, we raised our kids to be independent." Lorelai didn't let him get a word in.

"I know." Luke said. Rory thought she heard crying. "Oh Lor don't cry."

"I can't help it. My baby is leaving, and my other baby I'm not talking to. I can't handle this right now."

"Then put your foot down."

"Not going to happen. It's better for me just to accept it. I can't fight my kids." Lorelai said, sounding muffled. "Why didn't she tell me, Luke?"

Rory backed away from the door and headed down the stairs as the doorbell rang. She made her way to the foyer and through the glass of the windows, she could see Steven's tall lean frame.

"Hi." She said, hugging the door as she opened it.

"Hi." He said. She smiled up at him.

"I'm ready."

"Good. We have reserved tickets, but we need to check in at least an hour ahead of time. I'd like to get to the airport around midnight, but it's only 10 now. We can relax for a little while." He said, slipping an arm over her shoulders. She smiled and led the way into the living room.

"Hey, Steve." Tristan spoke up, finally tearing his eyes away from the screen.

"Hey Tristan. Hi Jinx." Jinx smiled and nodded hello. Steve and Rory sat down across from the sofa on some chairs.

Soon the boys were absorbed in another show and Jinx pulled her sister into the kitchen.

"So Rory...what do you think of Steven?" Jinx said, filling a glass with water while Rory filled her coffee cup. They sat down next to each other at the table and Jinx pulled her legs up under her.

"I hate to admit it, Jinx, but I really like him."

"Why do you hate to admit it?"

"You know why—because I gave Tristan so much trouble about trying to set me up." Rory said.

"Forget Tristan. This is about you and Steven." Jinx said with a sisterly smile. "I'm going to miss you while you're in Chicago, Ror."

"I wish you could go with me, Jinxie. I wish it could be like when we were little and we all did everything together. The 4 little kids we used to be. Everyone knew when there was one Danes kid, three more weren't far behind. Now, I'm going off on a limb and pissing off my parents and leaving my family."

"We have to grow up sometime, Rory, and you know part of growing up is pissing off parents. You remember how Daddy wigged when I told everyone I was engaged!" Jinx said. Rory laughed, nodding her head vigorously. "We're grown ups now, Sis. I'm married. I still can't believe it."

"Jinx, you're pregnant." Rory said, smiling at her sweet little sister.

"I'm pregnant. Wow. And Mom hates me."

"She doesn't hate you, Jinxie. She's just upset that you didn't tell her. Really upset. You, Meg, and I have always told her everything, and I don't think she likes being second fiddle." Rory paused. "You'll be a great mom, Jinx. To all five of your babies."

"Thanks, sis. So will you...someday." Jinx smiled.

Rory laughed and the sisters embraced.

"Don't let him get away, Rory. He's a refrigerador." Jinx said.

Rory laughed, thinking about the origin of that joke.

FLASHBACK TO 2009

"It's over! Tristan is a scumbag!" 19 year old Jinx Danes stormed into the house. 24 year old Rory, the only person home, jumped up from the kitchen table and followed Jinx into her bedroom.

"Jinx, what happened?" Rory said. Her sister was lying on the bed, curled on her side. Rory sat behind her and stroked her hair.

"We broke up." Jinx said through tears.

"Oh sweetie why?"

"I don't know...he yelled...then I yelled...oh I don't know!" Jinx cried harder.

"Oh Jinx. Sweetie, you love Tristan, don't you?" Rory said.

"Yeh-hic-ess."

"Well then you should fix this, honey."

"I don't know how."

"Just tell him you love him. It'll be ok Jinxie."

"Thanks, Rory." Jinx said, hugging her sister.

"Don't let him get away. He's a refrigerator." Rory whispered to her sister.

Jinx pulled back. "A refrigerator?"

"Yeah, Mom told me this story once. It was around the time she and Luke were getting married. Wow, I can't believe I remember it. I think I asked her why she was marrying Luke. And she told me, 'Rory, I've caught a lot of fish in my life. Bobby, Mike, and Leo were all great catches. But now, now I've caught a refrigerator- Luke. When you're fishing, isn't it more fun to catch something interesting like a refrigerator or a tire rather than a boring old fish?' You've caught a refrigerator, Jinxie. Don't let him get away."

END FLASHBACK

"Maybe you're right, Jinx. Maybe I have caught a refrigerator. Too soon to know." Rory said with a smile.

"Hate to break up this little sister fest but I need to talk to Rory before she leaves." Lorelai walked into the kitchen.

"Ok. I'll be trying to tame the guys." Jinx said with a smile. She stood with her glass and walked out of the kitchen and Lorelai sat down in her seat.

"Listen to me and listen good. Luke doesn't want you to go. I'm not too fond of it myself. But you are going and you are going with our blessing. I wish I knew why you were so set on going across the country with a guy you barely know, but I don't. I wish I could say that you WILL be on a plane in 3 days, but...but you..." Lorelai took a deep breath. "Rory, you're my baby. You were my first kid and I grew up with you. For the first four years of your life, it was you and me, me and you. Now don't get me wrong, I never have and never will have a favorite kid. It's like trying to pick a favorite ice cream. Just not possible. But you will always hold a special place in my heart because of how I got you. You're my baby girl and I don't want anything to happen to you. I would keep you here with me forever, except I know that can't happen. So please just help me out and come back to me. Don't leave me here. I don't want any of my babies to ever leave me, but you're the oldest Rory. You'll start a trend." Lorelai felt like she was off topic. She narrowed in on her point. "Please don't leave me, Babe, 'cause if you do, they all will." Rory reached out and hugged her mom tightly.

"I'll never leave, Mom. Things will change, I might live somewhere far away, and one day I will have my own family, but I'll always be your baby."

"Good. Now go get on a plane, kid."

"I love you, Mom." Rory smiled at her mom and they hugged one more time. "Now, I want to talk to you."

"About?" Lorelai feigned innocence.

"You know about what. She didn't mean it, Mom. She only found out herself yesterday. Miss Patty must have been hiding behind a tree or something."

"I know." Lorelai said unconvincingly.

"Please, Mom, this has her really upset and I know you're really upset too so you two should just settle this." Rory said.

"How do you know I'm upset?" Lorelai said defiantly.

"Because I know you." Rory said with a smile.

She stood and made her way into the living room.

Steven glanced at his watch and said, "What do you say we get going?"

Rory nodded. "Sure, I'm ready."

"Ok. Goodbye time." Lorelai said, stepping forward. She hugged Steven first, to everyone's surprise, and whispered something in his ear, making him smile. She moved on to Rory.

"We've done this already, kid." Lorelai said, her eyes a little bit watery.

"I love you Mom." Rory said, stepping into her arms.

"I love you too. Bye, sweets." Lorelai let go of Rory. Rory held on.

"Talk to Jinx, Mom," Rory said into Lorelai's ear.

Rory moved onto Luke.

"Come home soon, kid." He whispered in her ear. Luke was really an emotional man when it came to people close to him. Luke had adopted Rory when she was 7 and she had officially become a Danes kid, despite her last name.

"I will. I promise. Make sure they talk, ok?" He kissed her cheek, nodded, and she stepped back. Meg, Tristan, Jinx, Jack, Luke, and Lorelai stood facing Steven and Rory. Steven and Tristan shook hands and Tristan said, "Take good care of her, Steve, or I'll have to hunt you down."

Rory smiled a small smile and hugged her brother-in-law and best friend. More goodbyes were said and finally Steven and Rory were out the door.

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