Author Note:::
I have decided to skip all the stuff that happened in between and skip ahead to years later. If anyone wants to know what happens in between, just let me know and I will email you everything. Please leave a review!
Years Later……………
(Technically this part of the story is only 3 and half years later)
When people say a lot can happen in a short amount of time, they are not joking. Three years may seem long, but for the Danes family, it flew by. During the three years, Julia and Rich got married. Julia gave birth to her and Rich's first baby girl, Krista Ann McMillan, who, in present time, is three years old.
Another landmark event was the reuniting of Luke and Julia. What brought them together was Rich and Julia's wedding. Luke, Lorelai and Julia now have a closer relationship than ever before. Although they still had a few problems to work out, in the 3 years, they managed to put aside their differences and be one big family again.
The children have changed only a little in the last 3 years. Ryan made it through kindergarten and is currently half way done with 1st grade. The 6 year old enjoys school and has a few friends, but has come home complaining of bullies, kids making fun of him because of his hearing aids. Luke and Lorelai are trying to teach him to ignore those people, as is Tommy. Ryan looks up to his stepbrother and Tommy loves it.
Now, Tommy. He and Lauren still do not get along at all. He and Taylor however, are great friends. Tommy also looks out for Ryan all the time and now his new little sister, who he loves. He protects her and really enjoys playing with her and teaching her new things. Just last weekend he taught Krista how to play hopscotch. Tommy plays travel baseball and is the starting pitcher. He loves baseball more than anything and wants to play when he grows up. He is excited to be done with 5th grade and move to junior high where he can try out for his school baseball team.
9 year old Lauren and Taylor. They are still very close as sisters; they are always there for each other. Taylor goes to most all Lauren's soccer games, and Lauren goes to almost all of Taylor's dance recitals. Lauren and Taylor are enjoying 4th grade for the most part and there have been a few times where Lauren was asked to attend a private school when she enters junior high in two years. So far she has said no every time. She does not want to leave Taylor alone, even though Taylor is the one that tells her to go because she knows how important school is to Lauren. Taylor has become quite an amazing dancer in the last 3 years. She has traveled to different states to compete in competitions and goes to dance camp every summer.
Now we will fast forward to present time. Once again, it is 3 and half years later, mid April. It is a long weekend from school, so all the kids have Friday, and Monday off. Having themselves a 4-day weekend. Tommy has a big father/son baseball tourtement that he and Luke have been training for, this weekend. The catch is it is the same time that Lauren has her first real travel game since she made this new travel team.
It's Friday morning and Luke is packing his suitcase, while Lauren is in his room, annoying him and begging him not to go.
"Daddyyyy, you can't go with Tommy. Tomorrow's my big soccer game." She says, jumping on his suitcase to stop him from packing.
"Lauren, come on," Luke's pleads. "I promised Tommy a few weeks ago that I would go with him."
"But what about my big game tomorrow?" She pouts.
"I'll try to be back, but I don't think I will be. I'm sorry."
"Daddy." She gives him her puppy dogface and bulges her eyes, which she knows, always works, but only for her. Her mom and Taylor have the pout mastered, but she came.
Luke looks away, aggravated. "Lauren, I said no," He says sternly. "I go to all of your soccer games and for once I want to go with Tommy and not you. So just, drop it already. I'm not going with you." He says, somewhat harshly.
"But dad, Tommy's tourtement goes until Sunday. It is not fair! You will miss my whole game! Why do you have to go to that stupid tourtement with him! He doesn't even live here!"
"Lauren, stop it! You are acting like your two. Just because I would rather spend this weekend with Tommy and not you does not mean you can throw a fit. It is not that big of a deal. You will have other games."
"But I'm your daughter! It's not fair! You can't go!" She says and pulls his suitcase away from him.
"Lauren, stop!" Luke yells, causing her to drop the suitcase. "I've gone to all of your games. I want to go to Tommy's game this weekend instead of going to another one of your soccer games."
"Fine! Go to Tommy's stupid game! You are the meanest daddy ever!" She yells at him and stomps out of the room. She bumps into Lorelai in the hallway.
"Sweetie what's wrong?"
Lauren slaps her hand over her eyes and wipes her angry tears quickly. "I hate daddy! I hate him." Lauren says.
Lorelai bends down and moves Lauren's hair from her face. "Aw, Laurie, don't say that. What happened?"
Lauren steps back. She hated when she started crying and hated it even more when someone tried to comfort her when she was crying. "He doesn't want to go to my soccer game this weekend because it would be an inconvenience (sp?)," She says in a mocking tone. "He'd rather go all weekend sitting at some boring baseball game where all you eat in peanuts and don't shower and hick up you shorts and spit. If they really do that at baseball games, but I would never know be cause I've never been to a stupid baseball game because I play soccer and not some dumb game!" She rambles quickly and says the last part loudly, hoping that Luke hears it.
"Well, I have to agree with you about baseball games. I think they are boring too you get that from me. But baseball is very important to your dad. He doesn't get to spend a lot of time with Tommy, and baseball is the way he gets to." Lorelai tries to explain to her, but it really is not working.
"I don't care. Daddy's suppose to want to come with me! Not with Tommy. Why doesn't Rich go with him? It's not fair that I have to only go with you, Taylor, Ryan, and Julia and you guys aren't any fun! No offense or anything, but you guys just don't know anything about soccer and you have no idea what's going on."
Hearing Lauren say that really broke Lorelai's heart a little. "I'm sorry that you feel that way. Maybe you should spend the day in your room if you don't think anyone cares about what you do." Lorelai says in a stern voice.
"Oh my god! You're kidding me, right? Just because I said you guys didn't know anything about soccer, I get sent to my room? What kind of crap is that?" Lauren asks, angrily, still not making a move to head for her room.
"You better watch the way you talk to me kid! Now you better go to your room and stay there until I tell you it is okay to come out! And MAYBE, just maybe, I won't make you miss your soccer game tomorrow!"
Lauren rolls her eyes and stomps off. "Arg, I hate them." She mutters under her breath then walks into her room and wipes her eyes again then walks over and sits down on her bed. Taylor, who looks concerned, walks over and puts her hand on Lauren's shoulder.
"Hey, are you okay? What's wrong?"
Lauren shakes her head. "I'm just mad at mom and dad."
"How come? What did they do?" Taylor asks, concerned.
"Daddy isn't going to my soccer game tomorrow and mom is just being mom."
"That's just because Tommy has a baseball tourtement this weekend. What did mom do?"
"Arg, she just being mom! You get along with mom perfectly fine. You guys go shopping and do each other nails and stuff and it's sort of sickening to me. You also get along with daddy, but you're just not as close to him. I, however, am closer to daddy than I am with mom. Mom to you is someone totally different than what she is to me." Lauren tries to explain.
"Maybe that's cause you don't give mommy a fair chance. Every time I hang out with mommy, she always tells me that she loves hanging out with you. She always tells me to be quiet when we watch your soccer games because she wants to give you and your game her full attention. Mommy really loves you Laurie."
She rolls her eyes. "Yeah right."
"I'm being serious. She really does. I wouldn't say all that if I were lying. Whenever we do stuff together, she always says how she wishes you came with us to hang out. And she gets really upset when she offers to take you to the park and you always say no. You never want to come to the park with me and Ryan."
"Well," Lauren shrugs and looks down. "I don't know... I just don't want to deal with this right now." Lauren says then looks back up and into Taylor's eyes and smiles sadly. "For some reason you can always make me feel better even if I hate what you're saying to me." She laughs.
"Yeah, I do sometimes have that affect on people."
"Only on me."
"Yes, only on you." Taylor laughs then pulls her sister into a hug. "I'm sorry dad isn't going to your soccer game. You really want him there, don't you?'
Lauren pulls away and nods sadly. "Yeah, I do."
Taylor thinks for a minute and then comes up with an idea. "I know something! What if we tape the game for daddy? That way when he comes home he can watch you play."
She shrugs. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Ohh come on, mommy could tape it for you."
"I don't want mommy to do anything. It's not like she'd want to anyway."
"But I bet if you asked her, she'd do it in a heartbeat." Taylor tries to convince her.
"Well, I guess it's not going to happen because I'm not talk to her."
"I could ask her for you if you want me to."
"Nah it's okay, but... You could do it for me." Lauren smiles.
"You want me to tape the game? I don't know how to work the video camera."
"Oh, it's easy. I used it a few times for your dance classes."
"Okay, I'll do It."
"Great, I'll show you tomorrow morning how to use it before my game." They shake on it. Then they hear a voice from the hallway.
"Okay you guys, daddy is leaving, come say goodbye!" Lorelai calls through the house, walking with Luke downstairs.
"I'm gonna pretend I'm asleep please cover for me." Lauren says then goes and lies down on the bed and pulls the blanket over her and closes her eyes.
"Okay." Taylor says then runs down the stairs and hugs Luke. "Bye dad. Tell Tommy I said good luck." Taylor pulls away and smiles.
"I will. Where's your sister?"
"Oh, she's asleep. Cry really wore her out." Taylor says.
"Okay, I'll be right back." Luke says then walks back up the stairs and into the girls' room and goes and sits on the bed next to Lauren who was still "asleep."
Luke smiles a little and strokes her hair. "I'm sorry sweetie. I promised Tommy that I would go to his game first and I hardly ever get to do stuff with him anymore. You know I love going to your games and let's face it, I am the only one who can explain to your mother and everyone else what is going on. Anyway, when I get back I'll make it up to you." Luke whispers then kisses Lauren's head. "I love you kid." He says before walking out of the room and back downstairs.
Once Luke is gone, Lauren sticks her head out from under the covers and starts to cry. She still wants to make it known how mad she is at him so she runs downstairs to the front door.
"I hate you daddy! You are the worst dad in the whole world!" She yells at his face.
"Lauren!" Lorelai says in shock, and looks at Luke's hurt face. Lorelai and Luke both know how bratty Lauren can be. She thinks she can get whatever she wants all the time and talk however, she wants.
Luke just shakes his head, clearly hurt and walks over to Lorelai and kisses her head. "It's okay. I'll see you in a couple days."
She smiles and gives him another kiss. "Okay, I'm going to miss you. You better call me a lot."
"I will." He says then kisses her one more time then leans down to her ear. "Don't punish Lauren from going to her soccer game. Oh, and I left coffee for you in the freezer and do not try to cook. Use the microwave and even then, be careful." He whispers and Lorelai laughs a little.
"I promise I won't. Bye babe."
"I wanna come too daddy." Ryan says, grabbing onto Luke's leg.
Luke smiles. "No, not this time, buddy. I'll see you in a couple days." He says and hugs him.
"Okay, bye daddy." Ryan gives him one more hug, so do Taylor and Lorelai. Lauren has already left the room.
"Hold on, I'll walk you to the car." Lorelai tells the kids to stay in the house, then grabs one of Luke's bags and walks with him out to the truck.
"Hey listen, before you go I have one question. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." He says in a fake-happy voice.
"I'll talk to her about it later. She didn't mean it, you know she loves you Luke." She says and rubs his arm to comfort him.
"I know and I just wish that I can be with her and with Tommy at the same time." He says and looks down, frowning, then looks back up and smiles. "I'll see you in a couple days." He pulls her into a hug and kisses her.
"You do your best; she has to learn that eventually. Bye babe." She gives him one more kiss, then helps puts his bags in the car. Gives him one last wave bye as he pulls out of the driveway.
Lorelai walks back inside and orders her three kids to sit on the couch. Taylor and Ryan listen to her but Lauren just stands there in the way.
"Lauren, please go sit down on the couch. We need to talk."