Let's roll the dices!

"Go away, Michel!" Rory grunted at the French guy who was hovering behind her. She was happy he decided to stay at The Dragonfly after Lorelai announced the new extension project. But, the man sure knew how to be annoying. He spent the last hour counting how much paper was consumed to print Rory's manuscript at the inn.

"It doesn't grow on trees, you know?" He spoke in his slurred French accent.

"Well, as a matter of fact, paper in general is made from trees," the journalist tried to ignore him.

"I'm talking about money, young lady. You are spending a lot of this hotel's resources and you're not even a guest here."

"One of the benefits of being the owner's offspring. What can I say, I learned it all from Paris Hilton."

"Hold your tongue. Paris Hilton is a delightful creature and also a business woman. I met her when I was a concierge in New York," he crossed his arms in defiance. "She would use the resources of her own hotel or fashion company to print her biography."

"Gezz, you should leave me then and hurry to e-bay. You better purchase a copy of her last memoir filled with solid life advice before it's sold out." The guy was irritating since Rory could remember, but his behavior has gotten worse lately. Every time she dropped by the inn to do something book-related, he welcomed her with a snarky comment. There was even this one time he nagged about Lorelai wasting working hours to address one of the girl's questions. The young Gilmore would avoid the visits if possible, however she needed the printer and was too tired to go somewhere else. So, she has been trying to tolerate the flat-out rudeness. Until now. Because Rory finally realized Michel's cold shoulder had nothing to do with rationalizing office supplies. "I thought you'd be more happy about this project, since you are in it..." She revealed, without averting her eyes from the manuscript. How could she miss the signs? Michel was probably one of the most vain people she knew. Obviously he would like to brag about inspiring a book.

"You wrote about me?" The French man replied with a pleasant surprise, placing one hand in his chest. His annoyed expression suddenly turned into a large and proud grin.

"Of course! I could never tell the story about Lorelai Gilmore and The Dragonfly without including you," the writer looked up to reassure him and then continued. "If I tell you that your character even has a few lines, would you give me some space to finish this?"

Michel dismissively looked at her and responded with an unaffected voice. "I have important business to take care of, anyway."

As Rory watched Michel leaving the room, she almost asked if he could stop by the kitchen on his way out and bring some food. But the girl remained in silence. It was not wise to push her luck. Eating could wait, even for a Gilmore.

Without Michel breathing on Rory's neck, everything was printed and organized in less than one hour. Lorelai entered the room and found the girl standing up with a satisfied look and two piles of paper perfectly placed on the desk.

"You've been locked in THE OFFICE for so long I thought you dragged Steve Carrel in here to discuss a reboot in Connecticut." Lorelai chuckled. "If it was the case, I couldn't miss the opportunity to jump in and try to get a famous actor to promote my business."

"Sorry, no celebrity. Just me here." The girl answered, without looking at her.

"Shoot! I even came bearing gifts of the best kind to get Steve on board. What am I going to do with all this delicious food now?" Her mother said overdramaticaly.

The promise of good food was enough to catch Rory's attention. She turned to Lorelai and spotted a feast on her hands. There were chicken skewers, cheese and a plate of baby carrots with a green dipping on the side - a duo that seemed to be the object of the young Gilmore's healthy pregnant cravings nowadays.

"It's like you can hear my thoughts. I was desperate for some of that."

"That's what she said." Lorelai replied quickly with a silly smirk on her face, as she put the tray down.

"You were holding your breath for a cue, huh?" Rory spoke after getting some sauce on a carrot.

"It's not a line you just throw without giving it much thought, honey. This joke is all about the perfect timing," her mother winked.

Meanwhile Rory was focused on the snacks, Lorelai took a glance at the piles of paper on the desk. One was a bit tall and she assumed it was the finished book. But the other was shorter and she had no idea what it was. After the brief pause, the mother resumed with curiosity. "I guess you're done, right? Did you finally decide about the ending?"

"Yeah! I mixed it up a little bit..."

"Don't you dare say I'll have to wait until it hits the bookstores. I know where you live, I have access to your computer and I watched Snowden. I'll find someone to hack you, get me a copy of the unpublished manuscript and even leak the whole thing online if you push me."

"You better book the next flight to Russia then," Rory mocked and shrugged at her mother.

"I'll remember this in a few months." She pouted, feigning to be upset. "I can already picture a crying baby and you asking for a break just to take a quick shower... That's when I'm gonna go back to this moment right here and savour my sweet revenge as I tell you to call your grandma for help."

"You have no sense of humor when you're curious," Rory chuckled nervously at the description of what could be like in the first months after the baby's arrival. The thoughts of sleepless nights and complete exhaustion have crossed her mind before, but she's been trying to avoid them for now. So the girl went back to the book subject to shake the image off. "Anyhow, I decided to finish the story with my college graduation. Truth be told, we never parted ways. Even after I moved out. Yet, somehow, I think that day marks the moment when your job of raising me was done. The time had come to send me out there and hope I wouldn't make too many mistakes," the journalist watched the impatience gradually fading in her mother's eyes and proceeded. "Last night, though, I couldn't sleep and wound up writing an epilogue. I described everything I was feeling and all the doubts stirring inside me before I broke the news about the pregnancy to you. I didn't get into any specifics about the time frame, the circumstances of my life or the father identity. I just vented on paper my confused emotions because I... I guess I wanted the reader to experience with me what it was like to start the journey of maternity. A path you had already been through. So, in fact, the book now ends with the four words we exchanged at the gazebo on your wedding day."

"Kind of an open ending," Lorelai pointed out.

"You gotta leave people wanting more..." Rory teased, observing her mother's reactions. And Lorelai seemed to be dying to ask something. "Come on, spill it!"

"Is Logan's proposal in your graduation party in the book?" Lorelai winced.

"Oh, no. If he ever reads the it, I wouldn't like him to feel bad."

"Good thinking," Lorelai clicked her tongue and looked away for an instant. She turned her eyes to Rory again and fired one more question. "Back then, when you said 'no'... Did you already suspect he would come back to the empire?"

"Mmm... Maybe... unconsciously." Rory admitted and noticed a glimpse of condescension on her mother's face. She decided to clarify things. "But you know this doesn't make him weak or a villain, right?!"

"Sure..." Lorelai tried to hide, but sounded dubious.

"I'm serious, mom." Rory insisted. "You should see him. He is passionate about the business and responsible at work. I've gotta say I'm proud of him. It's important for you to understand that. He really matured there. Something I can't say I did. My point is, in a way, I always knew it was his world, not mine."

Lorelai was aware of how judgemental she could be about rich people in general, mostly because of the bad experiences in her upbringing. But this old habit would certainly add too much drama to the recipe - and it wasn't the best for Bennie. So, the new grandma decided to truly try to be more balanced and avoid unnecessary conflicts.

The woman softly nodded her head to make Rory sure the message was received. Then, she changed the subject to lighten up the mood.

"If that's the book... What is this? An alternative ending?" Lorelai asked, indicating the small pile of paper.

"No. It's another basket for my eggs."

"Come again?"

"I can't be naive at this point and just expect that my first book is going to be a bestseller. One: I'm not Oprah Winfrey or Michelle Obama. Two: it sounds like a lazy plot out of an afterschool special. Jess's first book is really great, but it was not a bestseller. And Bennie's gotta eat, be dressed, go to college eventually. So I need alternatives."

"Okay. What's exhibit B then?"

"The script for my first podcast," Rory announced, still a little shy about the project. "It's funny how I used to think podcasts were a silly hobby for weird lonely dudes who lived in the basement of their parents' house... Because it was a slap on the face when I did some research and found out there were great and serious professionals involved with it, including a few of former Obama's staffers. They are even launching their own media company this year, by the way." Rory stopped for a second and reached a book with the title Podcast for Dummies on the cover. "So, I bought this the other day in Hartford and everything clicked. Remember my obsession about Kirk on social media? I figured it out. It was about the content. There are small towns all over the United States. These are interesting communities just like Stars Hollow and they have many stories to tell. People can relate to it. That's why there are so many TV shows placed in quirky towns. So why not start gathering these real stories and bring them to the spotlight on my own podcast?" By the end of her speech, it was impossible to deny her enthusiasm about the whole thing.

"Whoa! Major plot twist... I assumed you just got one more book about babies that day."

"I guess I was surprised too..." Rory exhaled and confessed with embarrassment. "Here I am all excited talking about a small podcast after I disdained Sandee Says' independent website. People are probably going to look down at me the same way."

"Who cares? Do you think Sandee is giving a damn about your criticism right now? She's too busy on the way to be the next Huffington Post."

"Ouch"

"No offense. I'm just saying it for the sake of the argument. That young woman probably dealt with many people criticizing her idea. From where I stand, I'd say she is still facing them. And will always be. But she is not ashamed of it and she is certainly not going to let them stop her. Neither should you."

"Point taken!" Rory sighed with relief. "I've gotta say, even if my great idea is a bit delusional, being inspired like this feels better than running like a headless chicken."

"There you go!"

Lorelai got up and turned around to go back to work, but Rory's voice reached her.

"Can I borrow the car?" She asked.

"Absolutely." She grabbed the keys in her pocket and handed them to the girl. "Already going after a story?"

"Oh, I wish. I'm actually having lunch with dad in Hartford today. I have to update him about the lastest news. So, I swallowed my pride and called him again. I used the book as an excuse for a get-together."

"Hey, that's good." Her mother said with a supportive expression. "It's time you guys talk."

"Yeah... I almost gave my full name to his assistant this time. I wanted to be sure he wasn't going to put the call on hold and I believe if he heard the name Lorelai he would pick up instantly," Rory tried to make it sound like a joke, but she failed. "He always wanted you." The girl concluded with a defeated face, leaving the room in a hurry.

-o-

Rory got to the restaurant 20 minutes earlier on purpose. She didn't want her entrance to give away her pregnant status to Christopher. It was a piece of information she wanted to hold until she could look him in the eye.

So the girl arrived first to have extra time to get settled at their table. As she waited for her father, Rory distracted herself examining the room. The wide windows filled the place with sunlight and there was fancy furniture from the floor to the ceiling. It seemed like the restaurant was kind of trendy and also really expensive. But it was Christopher's treat and he insisted on paying for a nice meal for his daughter.

Even though the place was nice, after five minutes had passed from the time they agreed on, Rory started to feel restless and move on her chair. It wasn't that much time indeed. It wasn't even long enough to say he was fashionably late yet. However the girl was already upset because he never returned her call. So, a minute later would push her buttons.

Rory was looking for a waiter to ask for some more water, when she saw Christopher following the concierge to get to their table. He waved and she responded with a tired hand gesture. Years have passed since the time she would jump for joy and praise him for a simple visit.

Rory didn't hate him. On the contrary. Christopher was charming, funny and always warm... When he was around. That's why his lack of consistency to keep in touch hurt so much.

Now, as a grown woman, Rory convinced herself that he only tried to go the extra mile and be present if he was in some way romantically involved with Lorelai or trying to impress her mother for another chance. This would certainly explain how distant he became after their divorce a long time ago. But it didn't make things any less painful for the girl.

The young Gilmore knew she would never have the courage to confront her father about this in person. The last conversation was hard enough and it didn't even get near the main issue. So, she included many of her questions in the book in hope Christopher would read it one day. Maybe this could be a first step to mend their fragile relationship. If so, she wanted him to have a copy of the manuscript first-hand. That's the reason why she called again. It was her way of giving him one more shot. But, deep down, the girl doubted he would give the book any attention.

"Hey, kiddo!" Chris leaned and happily kissed Rory on the cheek. Then, he sat on the chair in front of her and carried on. "I'm glad we're finally doing this. What's new?"

Rory wasn't in the mood for small talk. So, the girl reached her bag to get a copy of the manuscript and jumped straight to the point. "I wanted to give you a copy of this, " she placed the book on the table and gently slipped it to her father.

Christopher flipped the pages and stopped to observe the title Gilmore GIrls on the first one. "So?" He suddenly spoke.

"What?"

"How bad am I? On a scale of one to ten?" He continued with a wrinkled forehead.

"No comments."

"Come on! You gotta give your old man something," he smiled in an attempt to look less tense.

"Sorry... I don't do spoilers. If you want answers, you'll have to take the time and read it."

"I better get started before it hits the top ten of The New York Times and your fellow colleagues don't stop calling me for a quote, huh?"

"I'm not sure if it'll get to that," the girl tilted her head skeptically. "But I wanted you to have it before I send the manuscript to prospective publishers. Perhaps you could give some input for the final version. I'm planning to begin the hunt next month. No pressure though."

"I'll do my best."

They looked at each and didn't say a word. Before the silence became too awkward, a waiter arrived at the table to hand the menu and see if they wanted to order something else to drink.

"A bottle of your best Dom PĂ©rignon. We're celebrating." Chris said with enthusiasm.

"No, dad." Rory raised one hand to the waiter. "Actually, it's just water for me." The girl waited until the glasses were filled and they were alone again. "The book is not the only news I have." She paused and took a deep breath. "I'm having a baby... In about five months."

Christopher froze, completely speechless. So, the young Gilmore kept talking.

"I tried to tell you sooner. But you never returned my call."

"I didn't mean..." he hesitated. "I got so caught up with work and it slipped my mind. You know I'm sorry, right?!"

"It's okay. I get it."

"Errr..." Chris struggled to find the right thing to started the conversation again. "Is it a boy or a girl?

"I don't know yet. I have an ultrasound in a couple of weeks."

"And the father? Have I met him?"

"It's Logan's."

"Oh..." Chris raised his eyebrows. "I didn't know you guys still..."

"The situation was not planned," Rory interrupted him. "But we already talked things through and settled everything. We are now discussing the custody arrangement and a visiting schedule."

"How formal," he chuckled wistfully.

"It's just a precaution. To guarantee the best interests of the baby. And to be sure no one will be disappointed."

"Right, of course... It's the responsible thing to do," Christopher cleared his throat and moved on his seat a little uncomfortable. He stared at the empty plate for a minute. Then he looked back at Rory and finally started. "Listen, kiddo..." The man paused to get the necessary strength to finish the sentence. "I know I made mistakes in the past and you could never count on me... But this time around I want to get it right, okay?" He reached for her hand on the table and held it.

"I'd really like that," Rory forced a half smile to Christopher. Then the young Gilmore slightly let go of his hand, took a sip of her water and harshly thought to herself: I would be glad to see if , at least once, you could make a real effort.

A/N: I need to say I'm sorry first. I was really going to update last Wednesday, but the FF website totally wrecked my plans. God knows why, the site was crashing everytime I tried to go to my account page and upload the file. I tried many times during the whole day and it just didn't work (I wasn't even able to respond the reviews because the page was not found =/ ). Then I got swamped with work the following days and it was impossible to try again until today. Hope you understand.

Now about the chapter: I guess you understand why I decided to post separately, right?! Last one ended in a high note and this one, well, it is definetely heavy to address Rory and Christopher. I don't believe anyone was really surprised to see the wrench between them in the revival. Do you think there's a way to fix things? Review and let me know =D

About Logan, I know the proposal in season 7 is still a topic of controversy in the fandom. I'm addressing it in here because Rory's response back then fits the direction this story is going. For me, Rory wanted to see where Logan's life was heading. Because she couldn't see herself as part of the empire.

I know you may say "Logan walked away from his family to pursue something in San Francisco". But when we watch closely and pay attention to the timeline, wasn't the SF project just another rushed risky decision? Logan lost not only all his trustfund but a lot of other people's money, then he run away to Vegas with the boys and next jumped at this new job. He never dealt with the money he lost. I think that's why I always pictured him going back to the family business. And, in my opinion, he ended up maturing as he embraced his responsabilities in the Huntzburger's empire (even though he was not being a good fiancé for Odette).

That said, I think it is interesting to show that Rory doesn't see him like a weak man because he went back. And I also don't think he is the villain of the revival. I read some comments on Youtube and people saying he was playing Rory, but I already wrote a few chapters before it is not how I saw the whole situation.

PS: I'm not copying the Sex and The City revival, okay? I had the podcast idea since the beginning. Anyway, it was interesting to see even Carrie Bradshaw (who was a renowned columnist in New York way before Rory graduated) also changed gears to fit the new reality