Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or anything else

It was a usual weekday morning and Lorelai, Rory and Zoe were rushing out the door to get to school and work. Rory would normally walk Zoe on her way to school, though now it was her second last day at Stars Hollow High this would have to change.

"You two haven't left yet?" Lorelai asked.

"She is still getting ready." Rory said under her breath.

Rory had always been quiet and shy but Zoe, like her mother, was someone who found it much easier to make friends and fit in. And she loved clothes, which was a blessing and a curse at exactly the same time.

"Zoe, come on." Rory yelled at the bottom of the stairs.

Zoe came running down the stairs with her school bag. Lorelai came into the room and handed them a poptart each.

"I want to go to the library after school so I'll drop Zoe at ballet and then go." Rory said.

"Okay, thanks honey." Lorelai smiled.

"Bye." Zoe hugged Lorelai.

Lorelai was waiting at the diner and Rory came in, but didn't really seem herself. That was when they had a fight about the fact that she no longer wanted to go to the private school she had spent months trying to get into. The mother and daughter were arguing down the street and Lorelai stopped outside the dance studio.

"Hi Lorelai." Patty said as Lorelai turned to look at her.

"Hi," Lorelai smiled. "Zo, we have to go."

"I thought we were having dinner at Luke's?" The eight year old asked.

While she was getting her stuff Miss Patty had informed Lorelai of a boy that Rory was with and it took Lorelai all of three seconds to deduce why she suddenly didn't want to go to her new school. Lorelai raced off to catch up with the almost sixteen year old and Zoe was running behind them, almost out of breath when she got home and Rory slammed her bedroom door.

"Mum," Zoe said coming in. "I was calling your name the whole way home."

"Sorry babe." Lorelai said now.

Rory left for school the next day without waiting for Zoe to avoid Lorelai, so Lorelai ended up having to take her to school.

"Mum, why is Rory so mad at you?" Zoe asked on their quiet drive to the school.

"It's complicated, hon." Lorelai said as Zoe just looked out the window. She was eight but always felt like her mother and her sister treated her like a baby.

The girls got to the Gilmore house that night and Lorelai and Rory weren't talking to each other. It wasn't until Lorelai and Emily had it out in the kitchen that Rory and Zoe gave each other a knowing look. It wasn't until they got into Lorelai's car that the silent treatment was lifted.

"You went to grandma for school tuition?" Rory asked.

"Not one of my finest moves," Lorelai said under her breath. "But I had to do what I had to do."

They ended up at Luke's eating fries and Rory agreed to go to Chilton on Monday. Zoe was with Rory the next morning and they were walking to the bookstore.

"I kinda always knew you would get into Chilton." Zoe said as Rory turned to her.

"You did?" Rory asked.

"Well, you are the smartest one in the family." Zoe smiled.

"Your smart too, Zo." Rory said now as Zoe rolled her eyes.

"I'm not as smart as you," Zoe said confidently before listing the family members in order of intelligence. "Your crazy smart. It goes you and then grandpa and then mum or grandma and then -"

"But you can dance," Rory retaliated. "I, cannot. And you know all about clothes and fashion and I am grateful that I have to wear a school uniform. It's different kinds of smart."

"I guess," Zoe said now. "Different kinds of smart."

A/N: As usual, let me know what you think.