Rory's Dorm
Lorelai knocks on Rory's dorm room door, folding her arms over her chest. Sookie stands next to Lorelai, a concerned look on her face. Michel stands behind them, an annoyed look on his face. Rory opens the door. "Mom!" Rory exclaims in surprise.
"Hey Sweets, we were in the neighborhood and we thought we would stop by," Lorelai says. Rory raises an eyebrow at Sookie, who shrugs. Rory throws her arms around her mother's neck. Lorelai chuckles but hugs Rory back.
"You were in the neighborhood?" Rory asks, letting go of Lorelai, who shrugs.
"Well, thereabouts," Lorelai replies vaguely.
"I see. Hey Sookie. Hi Michel," Rory greets the other two with a wave of her hand. "You hungry?"
"Yeah!" Sookie says, delighted. Lorelai shrugs.
"We could go to Hector's," Rory says to Lorelai, trying to bribe her mother to eat. Lorelai gives Rory a soft smile.
"I think I had enough of that a few weeks ago." Rory giggles.
"Cafeteria, I can swing us some free meals now that I work there," Rory suggests.
"Ug, college food. Do they even have salad?" Michel whines.
"No, salad," Lorelai teases, repeating Michel's pronunciation with an accent on the second syllable. "But possibly some nasty green stuff they call salad," Lorelai adds putting the accent on the first syllable this time. Michel glares at her.
"You think you're so funny," Michel complains.
"Yeah, they call me Ellen," Lorelai jokes. Michel rolls his eyes. Rory's grinning, observing Lorelai and Michel's interaction.
"Okay well I'm going to go get my key and purse, come on in," Rory says, motioning with her hand. Rory walks back into the bedroom as the three adults walk into the dorm. Michel and Sookie glance around, checking out the dorm room. Paris walks out of the bedroom.
"Hey, Paris," Lorelai greets her. "Paris, these are my coworkers, Sookie and Michel." Lorelai motions. Paris raises an eyebrow.
"Nice," Paris grunts. Lorelai frowns. Michel and Sookie share a look. "How is it that you have time to surprise Rory here?"
"What do you mean?" Lorelai asks.
"Well, I thought you just gave birth." Lorelai laughs nervously.
"That was a few months ago, Paris. And the kids are fine. Liam's with Sookie's husband and her son and Olivia's with her father. You don't need to worry," Lorelai tells Paris as Rory walks out of the room.
"I'm just interested because I'm taking a child psychology class. It's interesting how it affects children when their parents aren't together, especially sudden splits like yours," Paris comments. Lorelai raises an eyebrow at Rory, who blushes.
"Sorry, it just came out. I forgot who I was talking to," Rory apologizes. Lorelai shakes her head. "Kay, Paris, see ya later." Rory waves, motioning for the group to head out.
As Rory turns to lock the door behind her, Lorelai mumbles over her shoulder, "Anyone else. Anyone else would have been better." Rory grins. She turns to face the rest of the group.
"So, what were you doing in New Haven?" Rory asks.
"We went to Hartford to check out wallpapers for the parlor," Sookie says.
"Wasn't that already done?"
"It was until Nurse Rached showed up," Michel mumbles, glaring at Lorelai. Rory glances up at her mom, who shoves her hands in her back pockets.
"You ever think about taking a rest?" Rory asks softly.
"Rory," Lorelai warns.
"Mom, you can't take this out on those around you. Before you know it, they'll all quit."
"Well some people can't quit," Lorelai responds, motioning towards Sookie with her chin.
"I'm going to if you keep playing that sappy music you were playing in the car," Sookie shoots back. Rory raises an eyebrow at Lorelai, who sighs.
"I told you not to tell her," Lorelai mumbles. Rory gives Lorelai a look. Lorelai frowns and opens her big bag, digging around until she pulls out a CD case, handing it to her daughter.
"Aretha's Since You've Been Gone, Natalie Cole's Miss You Like Crazy, Foreigner's That Was Yesterday…" Rory pauses, glancing at the next song. "Jessica Simpson? Really?"
"It spoke to me," Lorelai answers with a poker face. Rory raises an eyebrow.
"Oh which one?" Michel asks, excited.
"I Have Loved You," Rory answers.
"Oh I love that one. It speaks to me too!" Michel cries. Rory wrinkles her nose. Lorelai looks away, ashamed of having the same music taste as Michel. Rory shakes her head and looks back at the CD. She frowns.
"Phil Collins's Groovy Kind of Love," Rory reads. She looks up at Lorelai with sympathy. Lorelai fidgets with the ring on her finger but says nothing. "Red Wanting Blue's When Hearts Collide, Tiffany's Could've Been… Mom, this sucks."
"Actually it's a really good CD," Lorelai says brightly.
"Yeah good music, but this isn't what you should be listening to. It's only going to hurt you more," Rory tells Lorelai.
"I'm fine," Lorelai insists. Rory waves the CD. Lorelai glances at Michel and then Sookie and shrugs. Rory frowns, she glances over at Michel and Sookie. She takes out her ID and hands it to Sookie.
"Why don't you guys go ahead of us, just show them my ID, they know me," Rory suggests. Sookie takes the ID and nods.
"Sure thing," Sookie answers.
"But I wanna…" Michel whines.
"Come on, Michel!" Sookie grabs his arm and leads him away. Lorelai watches them go, pursing her lips and shoving her hands in her back pockets. Rory gives Lorelai a stern look.
"Come on, Mom. I hate seeing you like this. Now come on, this is me you're talking to," Rory insists. Lorelai looks down. Rory reaches out and rubs Lorelai's arm, causing Lorelai to look back at her with misty eyes. "Mom, when Dean and I broke up that time, you were so great. I want to do the same for you." Lorelai swallows. "I want it to be the same."
"Oh, Kid, you have no idea," Lorelai whispers. Rory cocks her head, waiting for Lorelai to go on. "I couldn't say it. I know I love him, but I just… I couldn't say it." Lorelai shakes her head.
"Maybe you're still not ready," Rory suggests. Lorelai runs her tongue over her bottom lip.
"If I'm not ready this time, I'll never be." Rory presses her lips together, not knowing what to say. She just strokes Lorelai's arm in comfort. "I hate that I'm like this, noncommitable."
"And Webster's rolling in his grave," Rory mutters.
"I hate that," Lorelai continues. "I hate that I can't say it to him, I tried but the words wouldn't come out. But most of all…" Lorelai sighs, folding her arms over her chest. "Most of all I hate myself for losing him." A tear rolls down her cheek as she bites her bottom lip.
"Don't give up hope yet," Rory says softly. "Because I don't think you've lost him yet. Promise me you won't give up hope." Lorelai takes a deep breath.
"I won't give up hope," Lorelai whispers
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Lorelai's House
Sookie and Lorelai walk inside the house having already dropped Michel off at home. "Jackson," Sookie calls. "Jackson we're here!" Lorelai glances around her at the now messy house. She sighs, remembering that when Luke lived there, the house was always clean. Jackson walks down the stairs, carrying Liam and Davey carefully on his hips.
"Oh hello there, my little Greg Maddux," Lorelai coos, taking Liam from Jackson and kissing him on the top of his head. "Did you have a good time with Davey?" She smiles down at Liam. "What's that?" Lorelai brings her ear to Liam. "You say Jackson called you a Bronx Bomber?" Lorelai gasps, glaring jokingly at Jackson.
"Hey! I did not!" Jackson exclaims. Sookie giggles. Lorelai grins. "Here." Jackson hands Davey to Sookie.
"Well thanks for watching him. I can take Davey this weekend if you want," Lorelai offers, shifting Liam to her waist. Sookie nods.
"And we'll pick up Olivia from Luke tomorrow so you can make the switch?" Sookie asks. Lorelai frowns, glancing down at Liam. "Unless you want to go over to the diner yourself."
"No," Lorelai says quickly. "No, please, just pick up Olivia tomorrow." Sookie shares a look with Jackson. "Thanks for all your help."
"That's what friends are for," Sookie answers.
"Okay then, Diane and Stevie, I'll call you tomorrow," Lorelai replies. Sookie nods. "Say bye bye Liam." Lorelai picks up Liam's hand and waves it. Sookie waves Davey's back. They chuckle.
"Bye, Hun. Take care," Sookie says. She and Jackson leave. Lorelai looks down at Liam.
"Guess it's just us chickens," Lorelai mumbles. She opens her bag, taking out the CD. She puts it in the CD play, switches it to Tiffany's Could've Been and presses play. "What's that you say, Liam? Bock? Bock, bock?" Lorelai giggles. "Don't call your Mama a chicken." She cups the back of Liam's head, pulling it to her shoulder and kisses the top of his head. And for a moment, she just stands there holding her son, listening to the lyrics of the long. "Could've been so beautiful, could've been so right, could've been my lover, every day of my life," Lorelai sings along with Tiffany softly. A picture on the mantle catches her eye. She walks over and picks up the same picture Luke had stared at back when Lorelai was gone. She looks over another picture of them, the one that Rachel had given her a few years ago. Shaking her head, Lorelai looks back at the picture in her hand, a tear running down her cheek. "How can you hold what could've been, on a cold and lonely night," she sings. She shakes her head, putting the picture back down. "You could've been the one," she whispers. Lorelai kisses Liam's head, pulling his head to her shoulder again, and then walks up the stairs.