Title: Understanding Snippy

Author: Bent137

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or Joan of Arcadia

Summary: When God asks Joan to go to Yale, she meets Rory Gilmore. When being God's vessel becomes too much for Joan on top of going to school at the prestigious Ivy League college she confides in Rory, and gets an unexpected response.

Rating: PG-13

Chapter Two: Information Packets

The phone was ringing as Rory Gilmore entered her suite at Yale. She struggled to shut the door with her foot, as her hands were full with a stack of books and a cup of coffee. She hurriedly dumped her books unceremoniously on the couch and snatched the cordless phone off the coffee table. "Hello?" she said breathlessly into the receiver.

"Hey, what's up?" her mother's voice came back through the phone.

Rory smiled, it was good to hear her mother's voice. Lorelai Gilmore had raised her daughter Lorelai "Rory" Gilmore on her own, and as a result they were best friends. Rory's departure for college three years ago had effected them harshly despite Lorelai only living an hour away. Rory had just seen her mother the weekend prior, but it seemed as if they'd been apart for months. "I just got back from class."

"Well then I guess I caught you at a good time. What else do you have planned today?"

"Well I need to leave in about 15 minutes to sign up as a tour guide. Then I was thinking about some sort of food."

"A tour guide?"

"Yeah, giving tour's of Yale to prospective students and their parents. That season is upon us, and I need to do that before I can become a freshman councilor for next fall."

"Oh, okay. Are you still coming this weekend?"

Rory used to go to Stars Hollow, the town where she grew up, every weekend, back when she was required to attend Friday Night Dinners at her grandparents in return for the loan they gave her to get into Yale. Rory had gotten a good internship the previous and had managed to repay them so she was no longer obligated to go. She'd gotten financial aid for this year and a partial scholarship for her journalism skills. She still went once a month to catch up with the grandparents she loved, but now her weekends were freed for her mom, her friends at Yale, and her studies. "Yeah, I wouldn't miss it. How is everyone?"

"Everyone's great. You should hear about Kirk's latest job though."

Rory smiled and settled into the couch for a story of the zany antics of the citizens of Stars Hollow.

*

Joan was sitting at the Girardi family computer searching the internet for ideas on how to get financial aid for Yale when her mother came home. "I'm home," Helen called.

"In here," Joan responded.

Helen appeared in the doorway to the living room, "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for information on financial aid for Yale."

"Really?" Joan looked up at her mother. "I did too, at work, I have some stuff in the kitchen for us to look at and fill out."

"Great," Joan smiled at her mother.

"Mr. Greenich also recommended we go on a trip to visit Yale before commiting."

"Yeah I'd been thinking about that," Joan admitted.

"Have you found any information on tours on their site?"

"Yeah," Joan picks up a notebook. "The next one is in two weeks."

"Alright, we'll talk to your father tonight about going and seeing the campus."

"Okay." Joan smiled at her mother who smiled back. "I'm excited," she admitted.

"Me too," Helen confessed.

*

Joan flipped over the flap on her duffle bag and tried to zip it. It wouldn't close. "Come on," she groaned. She stamped her foot on the ground, frustrated, and swiped at the bag. "You have to fit! I need all this stuff!"

She flipped the flap back up and took out two shirts and a book. She slid the book back into the bag, then pulled it back out. She folded the two shirts and placed them in the bag one on top of the other. She set the book on top of a pair of jeans next to the two shirts.

She flipped the flap back down and tried the zipper again. It still didn't work. "Argh!" she exclaimed.

Helen Girardi appeared in her daughter's doorway, "Are you almost ready? Your father would like to leave in five minutes."

"Well," Joan said, "I would be ready if I could get my stupid bag to zip."

Helen stepped farther into the room, "Let me see."

Joan stepped away from the bed and gestured to her bag, "Go for it."

Helen walked over and lifted the flap off. She took out the book and the top shirt of the two Joan had put in. She put the shirt where the book had been then slid the book down the side of the bag between the bag and Joan's clothes.

She pulled the flap back over and tried the zipper. It moved a few inches then stopped. "Come here," she said to Joan. Joan walked over. "Squeeze the two sides together in the center." Joan did as her mother had asked and Helen zipped up the bag with ease. "There." She smiled triumphantly.

Joan smiled too, "Thanks Mom."

"No problem. Your grandmother used to do that for me," Helen smiled wistfully remembering. "Now come on before your dad sends out a search party."

Joan grins at the joke and grabs her duffel bag off the bed and her backpack of the floor then follows her mother out the door.