Welcome to Wonderland #13- Crunch!
"So was Tristin Senior as sexy as Tristin Junior?" Emma asked as she pulled a large carton of ice cream out of the refrigerator in her kitchen.
Alice cringed. "The guy is going bald…and he kept calling me Mary Junior…which, by the way, the green dress was supposed to prevent."
"Too bad," Emma pouted. "If he were as sexy as his son, I woulda-"
"Hi!" Joey cried, dropping his spoon on the kitchen table. "Boyfriend sitting right here!"
Emma smiled at Joey and kissed his cheek.
Molly sighed and buried her head in her arms. "At least you two have boyfriends," she lamented. "I'm still single. I think the two dads thing throws people off."
"You'll find someone," Alice reassured her. "It's not like you're fifty and alone. You're only sixteen."
"That's right," Emma's father said from the kitchen door. "You guys are only sixteen…so why is there a boy present at your sleepover."
"He's just like one of the girls," Alice defended. "We love our Joe!"
Emma smiled at her father. "Dad, Joey always comes to our sleepovers."
Dean glared at the boy. "May I suggest sleeping on the other side of the room as my daughter?"
Joey paled.
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"I liked this idea," Rory sighed as she rested against Jess. "This whole 'dessert before dinner' thing…I could get used to it."
Jess nodded and kissed the top of her head. "Remember that when you're giving birth."
Rory snickered and smacked his bare chest lightly. "Horrible."
"Always," Jess replied, kissing her neck. "Boy or girl?"
"Hm?"
"Do you want a boy or a girl?" he asked.
Rory sighed and pulled him closer. "Doesn't matter…I think maybe another girl might be nice…but then…I hear boys are easier to handle; more predictable…and then I think that this is our kid we're talking about…and since when would any or our offspring be predictable in any way?"
"True."
Rory sighed and kissed Jess's lips softly. "I love you."
"You wanna go again?"
Her eyes widened. "Already!"
"What, are you getting old?" Jess asked.
"Is that a challenge?"
"Hell, yes."
She pushed him against the bed and kissed him deeply.
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Monday morning arrived swiftly, and they all ran around like chickens with their heads cut off.
"MOM!"
"WHAT!"
"WHERE'S MY SKIRT!"
"What do you mean!" Rory cried from the kitchen. "Don't you have five!"
"I can't find them!" Alice yelled. "OH! They're under my bed!"
"So your daughter," Rory muttered as she kissed Jess on the cheek.
"Well, we'll just have to hope that the next kid makes a list for every little detail," Jess replied, as he read the newspaper."
"Next kid?" Alice asked curiously as she ran down the stairs carrying her shoes.
"Uhm…" Rory stammered. "Alice…Your dad and I…"
"Have been going at it like bunnies on speed all weekend," Alice finished. "I know. Why do you think I spent the entire weekend at Emma's?"
Jess sighed. "We're…"
Alice raised an eyebrow.
"We're trying to have another baby," Rory finished for him.
Alice stopped rushing around the kitchen and stared at them.
They stared back.
She giggled. "Good one, guys!" She grabbed a bagel from the refrigerator and kissed both her parents. "Bye!"
Jess watched her head to the door. "Bye…"
Rory blinked and looked up at Jess. "Well…"
Jess shrugged. "I gotta get to work."
"Yeah, me, too."
Neither of them moved.
Without a word, Jess grabbed Rory and kissed her deeply.
"This is not what I call going to work!" Rory laughed.
"Not technically, no," Jess replied. He took her hand and began to lead her up the stairs.
"You bad boy."
"That's why you fell for me in the first place," Jess retorted.
"No," Rory replied. "It was the book in the back pocket." She smacked his backside on the way up the stairs, making him go faster.
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Alice sighed as she placed her books into her locker before class.
"You know…you do look excellent in that skirt."
Alice whirled around in surprise to find Mitch standing behind her, decked out in a Chilton-issued uniform. "What the-"
"Hi," he smirked.
"What are you doing here?" Alice asked.
"We got out of boarding school," Mitch smiled.
"We?"
"ALI!" CJ jumped on her, and she slid to the ground.
"Ow! CJ!"
Liam chuckled as he walked up. He offered Alice a hand, which she gladly took.
"You guys transferred here?" Alice asked, bewildered.
"Mitch?"
The boy turned around and smiled. "Madison."
She smiled, too, and ran up to hug him. "Oh, Mitch! I didn't know you were coming here! Mom didn't say anything!"
"Mom doesn't know," Mitch confessed. "Dad didn't tell her."
Madison frowned. "Isn't that a little dangerous?"
"You know Logan," Mitch smirked. "He lives on the edge."
"Alice?"
She turned around to see Tristin. "Hi," she replied nervously. "Uh…you remember the guys."
Tristin nodded slowly. "What are they doing here?"
"We transferred," Liam smiled. "Decided we wanted to see more of our Alice."
Madison smiled. "Tristin, Mitch is my brother." She turned back to him. "I can't believe you're here!" She hugged him again.
"Mitch is older by like…a minute," CJ explained to Tristin.
"What's your schedule look like?" Alice asked, snatching Liam's class list. "Hmm…You've got English with us."
"The dreaded Medina," Madison nodded. "His Shakespeare test is this week."
"No problem," CJ smiled. "Shakespeare is my bitch."
"Oh, CJ," Alice shook her head. "You poor, clueless bastard."
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Max Medina sighed at his students. "Alright. So we're all aware that the Shakespeare exam is on Saturday. Eight AM sharp. If you're late, you can't take the test. I mean that. Now, usually I give everyone the same test…but in the past couple of years I've had some issues with kids cheating, so everyone will have a different test on a different play, or portion of Shakespeare's life."
"No sweat," Mitch muttered to Liam.
"In addition to the written portions of the tests," Mr. Medina went on. "The essays, the short answers, the multiple choice, and the matching, each of you will have to recite a speech from one of Shakespeare's plays."
"Holy-" CJ muttered.
"I'll assign those at the end of class today." Mr. Medina smiled and opened up his text book. "Now! Henry the Fifth! Where were we?"
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"I got the Poor Uric speech," Tristin lamented as they walked out of class.
Madison frowned. "I got Helena's speech from Midsummer."
Alice smiled. "I have Juliet."
Mitch blinked at Alice. "You seem so…happy…"
Alice snickered. "'Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband? Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it?
But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin? That villain cousin would have killed my husband. Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring!'"
Mitch stared in shock. "You freak of nature."
Madison smiled at her brother. "We'll help you."
Tristin narrowed his eyes.
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Alice gave her great-uncle a bright smile.
Luke glared. "What do you want, Alice?"
"Nothing," she replied, trying her best to be innocent.
"Alice…"
"Can we have use of the apartment tomorrow night?" Alice asked quickly.
"We who?" Luke asked warily.
"Myself, Madison, Mitch, Liam, Charlie, CJ and Tristin…"
"Those are a lot of boys' names," Luke pointed out.
"But CJ is like a sister!" Alice pleaded. "Please? We need some place quiet to study…the apartment is perfect."
"Will you be sleeping there?" Luke asked.
"Maybe…yes," Alice admitted. "But it's completely innocent. Mr. Medina's Shakespeare test is killer, and-"
"Medina?" Luke asked, looking up from pouring coffee.
"Yeah!" Alice replied. "Our English teacher."
"Uh…" Luke blinked. "Uh, sure. Yeah."
"Yeah?" Alice asked hopefully.
Luke nodded. "Yeah."
"YES!" Alice pounced her uncle and hugged him tightly. "Thank you!"
Luke sighed. "You owe me."
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"Hi, Mom…"
"What is it, Madison?" Paris Gellar asked as she sifted through the files on her desk.
"I just wanted to let you know I'm home," Madison replied quietly. "And uh…I saw Mitch today."
Paris looked up. "Mitch? As in your brother?"
Madison nodded. "He and Liam and CJ transferred to Chilton."
Paris sighed. "That father of yours…full of surprises."
Madison crossed her arms. "I guess so…"
"Is that all?"
"I'm going to be in Stars Hollow tomorrow night," Madison replied. "Studying with Alice for my English exam."
"That's fine," Paris nodded. "Will you be sleeping over there?"
"Yeah," Madison nodded. "Is it okay if I take the car?"
"That's fine. Just bring it back in one piece."
Madison nodded. "Okay, Mom. Bye."
Paris nodded back.
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Alice sighed as she perched herself on the roof of her house with her cell phone to her ear. The night was surprisingly warm for October. "You can't possibly blame this on me."
"No, I know," Tristin replied on the other end of the line. "I don't have to like it, though."
"Mitch, Liam and CJ are nice guys," Alice pointed out. "Just get to know them."
He sighed. "Sure…Hey, where are you?"
"On my roof," Alice replied.
"What!" Tristin cried. "Are you okay? What are you doing on the roof?"
Alice sighed. "Well…Mom and Dad have been a bit…frisky lately."
There was a pause.
"Gross!"
Alice giggled. "Yeah, it is…but…you know it's kind of cute sometimes."
"You're weird."
"I am," Alice agreed. "I'm a weird, weird girl."
"So, what?" Tristin asked. "Are they trying to have another kid or something?"
Alice blinked. "Holy god!"
"What!"
"I thought they were kidding!" Alice cried.
"They are?" Tristin asked.
"They told me that this morning!" Alice said, still loud. "I thought they were joking!"
"Why would you think that?" Tristin asked with a laugh.
Alice sputtered. "I don't know!"
"Well, may I suggest you wait until they've done their current business before going to talk to them?"
Alice groaned. "Shut up."
A window opened and Jess poked his head out. "Hey."
"It looks like they're done," Alice said into the phone. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." She hung up the phone and looked to her father. "Hi."
"Dinner's ready," Jess said.
Alice nodded slowly and began to climb back into the window. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking at him as he stepped out of her way. "You look kind of pale."
"I'm fine," he replied. "Come on."
Alice frowned and followed. "Hey, Dad?" she asked as they descended the stairs.
"What?"
"You and Mom weren't kidding when you said you wanted another baby…were you?"
Jess stopped and turned around, running a hand through his hair. "Uh…no."
"Oh."
He sighed.
Rory walked to the foot of the steps and gave them an odd stare. "What's the hold-up? I'm hungry."
Jess turned to Rory seriously, and Alice crossed her arms.
"Oh," Rory said quietly.
"It's cool," Alice said quickly. "I mean…I'm not…I've never thought about having a sibling…It might be kind of cool…"
Rory nodded. "Well…we'll see."
Both Jess and Alice nodded back, and stood in silence on the stairs.
"Well?" Rory snapped playfully. "Come on! Food!"
Alice smirked and walked past Jess to wrap an arm around her mother and walk into the dining room. Jess sighed and walked to catch up with them.
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The next afternoon, Madison rang the doorbell and a maid answered.
"Uhm…I'm here to pick up Mitchum?" Madison stuttered.
The tall woman before her nodded, and led her into the foyer. Madison looked around the unfamiliar home she'd spent the first four years of her life in and sighed.
"Madison?"
She turned and smiled a little at the middle-aged blonde standing in the doorway. "Hi, Dad."
Logan walked up to her and gave her a tight hug, and then a kiss on the cheek. "It's so good to see you. You look great."
She blushed. "Thanks…"
"I like your hair long," he told her. "Makes you look older."
Madison smiled. "Thanks…Is Mitch around?"
Logan sighed. "Hold on." He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number. He put it to his ear and waited. "Hey, where are you...? Your sister is here to pick you up. Well, tell CJ and Liam to hurry up and put some pants on. Okay. See you in a few."
Madison raised an eyebrow.
"They were in the pool." Logan explained.
"Ah."
They stood in silence.
Logan cleared his throat. "You know…you're welcome here anytime…"
"I know," Madison nodded. "Thanks."
Logan nodded back. "How's school going?"
"Good," she said. "I'm in the top five percent."
Logan smiled. "That's great. How are you friends?"
"Fine," Madison replied awkwardly. "I mean…yeah, they're fine."
"No boys I have to buy shotguns for?"
"N-no, Dad…no boys."
"Girls?"
Madison blushed. "Dad…"
"Sorry," he chuckled. "As long as you're happy."
"Of course she's happy!" Mitch cried, making his way up to them. "She's got us around again."
"Hi," Madison said.
"Hey, Sis," Mitch smiled. "The guys are gonna drive in CJ's car, so it's just us."
"CJ has a car?" Madison asked worriedly.
"You know Collin," Logan pointed out.
"Isn't that a bad idea?" Madison went on. "I mean…he's the poster child for why children with ADHD need Ritalin…"
Logan smirked. "I wouldn't worry too much."
They heard the squeal of car tires and the roar of an engine outside.
Mitch grinned. "Let's roll."
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Alice led the group into the diner and grabbed one of the bigger tables. "Everybody sit, and we'll get started after dinner."
Luke grimaced as Alice walked over to get an order pad. "I don't like all of them up there in the apartment all night."
"Mmm," Lorelai nodded as she swallowed a mouthful of coffee. "You know they're gonna have a giant orgy. I heard Alice talking about it."
Luke glared.
"And there's gonna be heroin," Lorelai nodded. "Lots of it. And only one needle."
He rolled his eyes. "Why are we still together again?"
"Because you loooove me," Lorelai grinned.
Luke groaned, and watched as Alice took her friends' orders. He then turned to Lorelai. "Hey…did you know that Max Medina is Alice's English teacher?"
Lorelai blinked. "Uh…"
"You knew."
"No," Lorelai blurted out. "Maybe. Yeah, I knew."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Luke asked.
"It wasn't a big deal," she replied. "He called Rory's to talk about Alice's behavior and I answered the phone. I didn't see why you would wanna know."
Luke sighed. "Woulda been nice."
She frowned. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," he replied quickly. Luke glanced at the table with Alice's friends and glared. "Hey! Stop messin' around with the salt shakers! You break it you bought it!"
"I could buy this whole diner if I wanted to," CJ muttered.
Madison kicked him.
"OW!" CJ cried with a squeak. "What gives!"
"Don't be an asshole," Madison snapped.
"He can't help it," Tristin pointed out. "It's natural."
"Hey, now," Alice cut in as she dumped a few more menus on the table. "Cut the crap, guys."
"Make me, Mommy," Mitch grinned.
Alice rolled her eyes and shoved a napkin into his mouth. He choked.
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Hours later saw the group holed up on the floor of the apartment above the diner, in their pajamas, with books cracked open, and paper and pens out.
"This is so boring," CJ complained.
"I think it's rather interesting, actually," Liam replied, turning a page. "Though I think it needs more sex."
"You couldn't exactly get away with smut onstage," Charlie pointed out.
"Why not?" Liam asked belligerently.
Tristin snorted. "Don't you pay attention? All of the actors were guys."
Liam blinked. "Well then. Never mind."
Mitch smirked and stole a glance at Alice, who was ensconced in her own book. "Hey, Mariano."
"Hm?"
"We should do a Romeo and Juliet scene together for extra credit," Mitch suggested.
"In your dreams, Burger," she muttered, still reading.
Tristin pulled her closer and she rested her head on his leg as she read.
Madison sighed and yawned.
"You're totally gonna fall asleep first," CJ snickered.
"I am not," Madison replied, opening up her book again. She blinked a couple of times, trying to keep her eyes open.
Everyone snickered.
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A random alarm went off and Alice's eye blinked open suddenly. She looked around at her friends, all asleep on the floor around her, and then at her watch.
Her eyes nearly fell out of her head.
"SHIT!"
Tristin groaned. "Alice…"
"It's seven-thirty!"
"What?" he asked, opening his eyes.
She shoved her watch in his face. "It's seven-thirty!" Alice got to her feet and began waking everyone. "Come on!" She kicked Mitch, and stepped on Liam. "Get up! We're gonna be late! We're gonna be dead! Oh, my god!"
"Ow!"
"What the hell, Alice?"
"Up! We have exactly a half-hour to get to school and take that test!"
All of them sat up, crying out hurried phrases.
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Luke whirled around as the group of teenagers ran down from the apartment in their pajamas, carrying backpacks. They hurried from behind the counter and out the door.
Luke stared before running after them. "Hey!"
"Can't talk!" Alice cried. "Gonna be late!"
"Don't you want coffee?" Luke asked.
"Yes! I would love coffee, but I'm going to be late, and I can't be late cause then I can't take the test, and that's bad, that's really, really, really, really bad!"
Luke watched as she hopped into Tristin's car, and drove off.
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In his many years of teaching, Max Medina had never seen anything like this.
Seven of his students had walked in for their Shakespeare exam dressed in their pajamas, and, in some of the boys' cases, their underwear.
Alice Mariano sat in her usual seat, wearing a maroon shirt with the words "Ben Folds five" on the front, and "Kiss My Ass" written on the back, and a pair of low-slung sweatpants. Next to her sat Mitch Huntzburger. He wore a pair of red and white checkered boxer shorts, which looked to be silk, and a gray tank top. The rest of the group was dressed much the same.
Max blinked. "What are you doing?" he asked them. They were ten minutes early.
"Getting ready to take our test," Liam replied, scratching at his short messy hair.
"In that?" Max asked, panicked.
"In what?" Madison asked. She looked down at her powder blue pajamas with the flying pigs on them. "Oh…Uh…"
"I can explain," Charlie said, getting up. "We all spent the night together, studying, and we woke up really late, and didn't have time to get dressed. But! We're here on time! And that's what counts!"
Max watched as most of the group readied their materials and sifted through notes last minute. They looked exhausted, and he was reminded of another time when something like this happened.
He sighed. "Test starts in ten minutes. I want books away then."
"You got it, Teach," Alice grinned. She turned to talk to CJ, and automatically turned back around. "Dammit, CJ! Close your legs! I don't wanna see that!"
CJ looked down at his boxers and then rolled his eyes, closing his legs. "Please, like no one can see your nipples. Get a bra."
Alice blushed and wrapped her arms around her chest.
Max put his head into his hands. "Oh, my god…"
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When Alice got home that afternoon, she sighed and dropped her book bag by the front door. She trudged into the kitchen and slumped down next to her father.
"How'd the test go?" he asked.
"Fine."
"Really?" Jess asked. "Huh."
Alice raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"We got a call from your headmaster. Something about inappropriate attire." Jess glanced up from the book he was reading. "Kinda like the pajamas you're wearing."
She blushed and tried to look innocent. "Whoops?"
Jess nodded slowly. "Yeah. The headmaster has called everyone in for a meeting."
"Everyone?" Alice asked quietly.
"Everyone," Jess nodded again.
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Rory sighed as she walked into Chilton once more with her husband and daughter in tow. "I swear this test is cursed."
"What do you mean?" Alice asked as they walked down the stairs.
"She failed it," Jess replied.
Alice stopped walking. "No way!"
"I was late for the test," Rory muttered.
"You failed it!"
Rory blushed. "Let's just get this over with."
"Legend has it that your grandmother made the biggest scene in Chilton history," Jess went on.
"No way!" Alice repeated.
"Okay!" Rory cried. "No more talking about the only test in my entire educational career that I flunked. Got it?"
"Touchy," Jess smirked as he wrapped an arm around his wife. "I flunked lots of tests."
"That's because you didn't care."
They chattered more as they made their way to the hallway outside of Headmaster Charleston's office. Voice became clearer as they got closer.
Specifically the voice of Paris Gellar.
As they turned the corner, they found Paris standing in front of Madison.
"This is unacceptable!" Paris cried. "What were you thinking, showing up in your nightclothes!"
Madison shrank back a little. "I'm sorry…we were running late…we didn't think…we just left."
Alice frowned and walked over to sit next to Tristin, who was being glared at by his very angry-looking father. "Hey."
"Hey," Tristin nodded. "I think the shit's hit the fan."
"Something like that," she nodded. "What's with your dad?"
"Silent treatment," Tristin explained. "He's pissed. What about your parents?"
"Well…apparently, my mother flunked the test we took, and my dad flunked a lot of tests in high school…they're not very angry. Man, look at Madison. She looks like she's going to cry."
"If that were my mother, I would cry too," Tristin said.
"Where's Charlie?" Alice asked.
Tristin shrugged. "Couldn't get a hold of his parents, so he didn't come."
"Lucky."
At that moment, Logan rushed into the group of people.
"Hey, Dad," Mitch said with a smirk.
"You couldn't grab a pair of pants?" Logan asked, obviously annoyed.
Mitch rolled his eyes. "Like you've never shown up to class in your underwear."
Rory had to smirk at this statement. "He's got a poi-"
"Don't say, it Ace," Logan snapped.
"We did have underwear days," Finn reminisced.
Liam gave his father a rather disturbed look.
"That was college," Collin pointed out. "This is a private high school."
The door the office opened and a secretary peeked out, looking over her glasses at the group. "The headmaster will see you now," she told them, and then disappeared to the other side of the door again.
"Does that mean all of us?" CJ asked, slightly fearful.
"No, I think it's just us adults," Louise replied, patting her son's best friend on the hair. She sighed as she looked at the door. "I hate that office."
Rory nodded in agreement. "Me, too."
Paris rolled her eyes. "Let's just get this over with."
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Headmaster Charleston sat down at his desk after greeting each of the parents. "I'm glad all of you could make it on such short notice."
Off to the side of the desk, Max Medina observed the parents.
"Unreasonably short notice," Collin snorted. "I was in the middle of a meeting."
"Your children showed up to their exam in incredibly inappropriate attire," Charleston told them. "Consequences must be discussed."
"Boring," Finn muttered with a yawn. Louise elbowed him.
"With all do respect, Headmaster," Rory said. "It is a Saturday. Leniency would be-"
"I suggest you stay out of this argument, Rory, seeing as how you have a biased opinion on the matter," Charleston cut her off.
Jess narrowed his eyes at the older man. "Don't talk to my wife like that."
"Yeah," Logan snapped. "Don't talk to our…ace like that."
"How dare you address the Virgin Mary in such a manor," Tristin chimed in. As angry as he was at his son, this was bound to be entertaining.
"The fact of the matter is," Charleston snapped. "That your children broke the rules."
"At least we looked sexy!" cried Liam's voice from the hall.
Louise couldn't help but smirk. "He has a point. We have pretty children."
"They got here on time," Rory argued, ignoring Louise completely.
"May I say something?" Max asked.
"No," Paris, Tristin and Rory snapped together.
"See here!" Charleston cried.
Rory stood up suddenly, fire blazing in her eyes. "You see here! You got away
with denying me my right to take that test! I was five minutes late! Five minutes! My kid showed up on-time!"
"Unprepared," Max interjected. "They were a distraction to the rest of the class."
"You don't need a skirt to take a test!" Rory yelled.
Logan, Finn and Collin all snickered, but Jess looked a little worried.
"Rory…"
"Ours kids were awake all night studying for this stupid test!" Rory went on,
ignoring everyone around her. "Just like I was!"
"And they were unprepared!" Charleston countered. "Which means they were late!"
"Bullshit," Rory snapped back.
Paris's eyes widened at her friend. "Rory!"
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary," Tristin said, completely stunned.
"You go, girl," Louise grinned.
Finn snickered more. "I love it when she gets angry."
Jess sat back. "It's moments like this when I remember the many reasons I
married her."
It was at the moment when Charleston exploded. "I have the right mind to expel those children! Not only do they disobey the rules, but they show no remorse!"
"I dare you," Rory snarled. "You'll have a lawsuit on your hands so big you won't know what to do."
"I beg your pardon!" Charleston cried.
"Rory…" Max said warningly.
"I love you," Jess told Rory quietly. "Have I mentioned that lately?"
"They still need to be punished in accordance with school rules!" Charleston cried.
"Fine! Suspension!" Rory replied.
"We can do laps around the school naked if you like!" Liam called loudly.
"Don't say that," CJ snapped. "It's October!"
Paris snarled in frustration. "That's it! Everyone out!" She proceeded to throw everyone out of the room, and then slammed the door behind them.
Rory glared at the closed door, clenching her fists.
Jess wrapped his arms around her. "That was hot."
She sighed and shook her head, and let him kiss her forehead.
Alice walked over and gave her mother an odd look. "Who are you and what have you done with my mild-mannered mother?"
Rory rolled her eyes.
"What's going on, Dad?" Mitch asked Logan.
"Your mother is…doing what she does best," he replied, sitting in-between his kids.
"I think I'm adopted," Madison said.
Logan smirked and wrapped an arm around her. "In your sweetest dreams."
Tristin walked over to stand in front of his son. "As pissed off as I am at you…that was pretty funny."
The younger Dugrey smirked and nodded. "This mean you're gonna be nicer to Alice?"
His father shrugged. "You never know. Stranger things have happened."
Tristin Junior smirked and shook his head.
"That was fantastic," Finn raved. "Brilliant. I say we go in and do it all again."
"Can I come in this time?" Liam asked.
Louise shook her head and sighed.
Paris walked out of the office a moment later. "One week's suspension."
"Sweet!" Mitch cried, jumping to his feet. He rushed over and hugged Paris. "You're the best mommy in the whole world."
"You're going to come to work with me," Paris told him. "This is a punishment. Not play-time."
Logan smirked and looked to Madison. "Which means I get my little girl all to myself!"
"Oh, I don't think so," Paris replied.
Logan gave a flustered look. "Well, if you get Mitch, then-"
"She's not going to be coddled for getting into trouble," Paris snapped. "There are consequences, Logan!"
"It's not a big deal, Paris!"
"It is a big deal!" she yelled. "They got into trouble! And you're just going to take her sailing or-"
"Why don't you get off of your high-horse for once in your life and see what's really going on!" Logan cried back.
Rory, having calmed down, stepped in-between them. "Come on, guys, not in front of the kids-"
"My high horse!" Paris snarled, ignoring Rory completely. "What about you! You're the one who thinks he can do anything and get away with anything! You're the one who spoils our children and makes them think it's okay to disobey the rules!"
Logan narrowed his eyes. "At least I don't work them like pack-horses and take any and all enjoyment out of everything they do! You don't think I hear stories from Madison about how you treat her!"
"I teach her responsibility and hard work!" Paris defended. "Which is more than I can say for you! You are turning our son into a complete playboy! Spoiled, selfish and completely arrogant! Just like you!"
Madison had had enough. She got to her feet and rushed out.
Mitch sighed and rushed over her. "Mad..."
After watching their children rush out, Logan and Paris glared at each other. "Look what you did!"
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Mitch sighed as he sat back in his chair at Luke's. Jess and Rory had driven he and Madison back to Stars Hollow with them. He tossed a French fry at Alice.
Madison tried to smirk as Alice threw it back.
"Come on, Maddy, Cheer up," Mitch coaxed.
"Trying," she replied, taking a sip of her tea.
Alice wrapped an arm around her just as the door opened and Logan rushed in.
"Hey, guys," Logan said awkwardly, walking over to them. "Thought I might find you here."
Madison stared at him a moment, before getting up and leaving.
Mitch rolled his eyes.
Logan sighed and sat next to Mitch.
"Where's Mom?"
"She stormed off," Logan replied. "Wouldn't talk to me anymore." He glanced at his son. "I wish you two hadn't just split like you did."
Mitch shrugged. "Jess and Rory said we could hide out here as long as we needed to."
Logan nodded. "They're probably pissed, too…Listen, Mitch-"
"You're sorry, I know," the younger Huntzburger interrupted. "This isn't anything new, Dad."
"Still sorry."
Jess walked down from the apartment staircase, glanced at Logan, and went to work without a word.
Logan sighed and got up to sit at the counter. "You're so pissed off right now."
"Yup."
"I'm sorry, Man."
"You know better," Jess replied plainly. "You're not eight."
"I know," Logan muttered.
Jess sighed this time. "Where'd Madison go?"
"Ran."
"Huh."
Logan bit his lip. "Rory mad?"
"Yup."
At that moment, Rory walked down the stairs, smacked Logan upside the head, and then stormed back up the stairs.
"Ow!" Logan yelled. "Wench!"
"You deserved that," Jess said as he rung up a customer.
Logan rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna go find Madison."
000000
"You were saying?"
Rory sighed and sat back down next to her mother on the old leather couch in the dusty apartment above the diner. "I was saying…Jess and I have made a pretty big decision."
"Which would be…?"
Rory bit her lip.
"Come on," Lorelai said, exasperated. "You can't leave me hanging like that. It's just not right!"
Rory grinned. "It's a good thing."
"Okay, what kind of good thing?" Lorelai asked. "Bigger house? Are you getting a puppy? Are you finally buying a leash for Jess?"
Rory's grin turned into a smile. "We're trying to have another baby."
Lorelai blinked. "I…what?"
"We're trying for another baby," Rory repeated. She smiled still. "God, it feels good to finally really tell someone. I mean, we told Alice, and everything, but she didn't believe us, and then it was awkward, but-"
"Wow," Lorelai said. "Wow. You guys…you really want another kid?"
Rory nodded. "We do. We feel like it's the right time. It's something we both want."
Lorelai smiled. "I'm gonna get to spoil another kid."
0000000
"Hi."
Madison sighed and shifted away from her father, who had just taken a seat in the gazebo next to her.
"You're mad," Logan said.
She said nothing.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"No you're not," Madison replied quietly. "If you were, this wouldn't keep happening."
Logan groaned. "I just hate it when she tries to make you into her."
"I'm not her."
"I know that," he said. "I just hate seeing her put all this pressure on you."
Madison said nothing again.
"I'm sorry."
She frowned. "I know."
