Author's note: Ok. First I just want to say that I hate Christopher as much as you all do, trust me. I'm getting rid of him ASAP. And also I'm planning on including some of the stuff that happened "Merry Fisticuffs" (basically just the aftermath of it, their arguments about having kids, the vows, etc.) in the fic. But first I have a question: Would guys perfer to actually SEE the C/L breakup, or just a little piece of the end or beginning? Tell me in your review!


"Okay, just one more. Number 45- I'd rather watch 'The Phantom of the Opera,' with no sound, over and over again for twenty-four hours straight."

They had just pulled into her parent's driveway and were about to get out. They had to go to yet another meeting with her mother for the wedding. It was still the wee hours of the morning, at least for a Saturday. It was barely 10 AM, but making the what-I'd-rather-do list had woken both Lorelai and Christopher up, to some extent.

"And that, my friends, is the conclusion of this chapter of "Expressing your hate for planning a wedding with your mother-in-law. Now go on to Chapter 13: 'Hiding your hate'," she said, not missing a beat.

It was a cold, crisp morning, but there was still no sign of snow, she could tell. Not yet. The sun was just barely visible beyond the light grey clouds. The nippiness was actually quite refreshing. It was beginning to feel like winter. If only it would snow.

"Well, at least there's only one more month of this. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep coming up with decent ideas for the lists."

"And, that is where we differ: I will NEVER run out of ideas of things I'd rather do than be anywhere near my mother. It's impossible," she replied as she rang the doorbell. She was in a I'm-feeling-very-very-playful mood, and she was on a roll.

"Why, hello Lorelai! And good morning Christopher, how are you?"

Lorelai stood there of just a moment. She was used to this by now, but it still amazed her. How whenever they would show up for a meeting, her mother would be all happy-cheery. Of course, once they ended up disagreeing with her about something, the Emily they knew would come back and not understand how they could possibly not agree with her. But she would never take it too far, giving in with a little huff in the end.

"Hey mom."

"Hi, Emily, I'm fine, thank you-"

Before he could get in the, "and how are you?" she interrupted him and said "Oh, now Christopher, how many times do I have to tell you that it's okay for you to call me mom now?"

"Um, ok… Mom!"

You could cut the awkwardness with a knife, but if Emily noticed, she didn't say anything.

"Well, come in now, we don't have all day! We've got a lot of work to do!"


A little under an hour of planning had passed before Emily announced that they were done for the day.

"Really, Emily, is that all?"

"Yes, for now. Actually, I have someone coming in to help you pick out your tuxedo, Christopher!"

"Who's coming mom? It's Miss Celine, right?"

"Oh my, did I not tell you? She passed away."

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious, just a few months ago. Very sudden, we were told it was just of natural causes," she said before walking off and gesturing for them to come along.

"Wow. I can't believe she's finally gone," she said, and adding to Christopher in a lower voice, "and it's about time, too. She was absolutely ancient! As nice as a fashion consultant can be, but I swear, she must have been married to Julius Cesar at some point!"

They walked into the living room and Lorelai took a look around. "Well, who's taking her place then?"

"We found an old friend of Celine's who's in the same line of work Celine was. She moved over to Europe and began doing what she does around the same time Celine did."

"Are you talking about me, darling?"

As soon as they heard the voice, all three turned their attention to where it was coming from. In walked a older lady, almost an exact replica of Miss Celine, except she had exceptionally long, wavy hair and dark green eyes, almost like a jade stone. But she still talked in the same way and dressed in the same eclectic style Miss Celine did.

"Oh, Jayne, Jayne, come here. I want you to meet my daughter Lorelai her fiancé, Christopher. Lorelai, Christopher, this is Miss Jayne."

"Emily, I told you, I'll be having none of this 'Miss' nonsense. Just because Celine liked it, it doesn't mean I do. Now, I need all of you to some out to the car with me and help bring things in," Jayne said, and walked out the room in a dramatic matter, Emily close behind, Lorelai and Christopher trailing in the end, still a step behind the game.

When Jayne was far enough away, Emily quickly turned to Lorelai and Christopher and said in a hushed voice, "I heard that years ago after all their years of friendship, they had quite a rough falling-out. Something to do with Audrey Hepburn."

"My my, friends fighting over old-time celebrities, you don't here much about that anymore, now do you?" Lorelai said before the ruckus began.

Less than twenty minutes later the living room looked like it had been turned into a tuxedo rental shop. With some help from the maids, they had gotten everything in the house quickly, and there were tuxedos everywhere, all in separated piles.

"Um, mom?"

"Yes, Lorelai?"

"I kind of have a problem. See, I didn't know we'd be here this long, and I kind of made plans to have lunch with someone."

"What? Why?"

"Well, Sookie is here in Hartford because she had to pick up a shipment of stuff for the kitchen at the Inn, and I said I'd meet her for lunch. Because, mom, the crazy thing is that some people who are friends like to get together and eat and talk for fun sometimes! Can you believe it?"

"There's no need for you to get sarcastic, Lorelai, I was just asking. What about Christopher."

"Well, I have some papers for work that I need to pick up a few towns away, so I'll just call for a car or something."

"Oh. Well, I guess it's okay then."

"Arighty then. Bye!" she said as she began to walk out the door.

He trailed after her. "Hey now, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Oh, well where is my head this morning?" she said, giving him a small kiss before walking out the door.

Why had she forgotten to say good bye? The thought crossed her mind as she climbed in her car. It was just a little thing that probably meant nothing, she knew that, but still. She almost always said at least more than just a general "good bye" to whoever was in the room. And it's not like she was in a hurry, there was still twenty minutes until she was supposed to meet Sookie. She had just wanted to get out of there.

Ever since they gotten married, she never had any alone time. Whenever they were home, he was always there, sitting next to her. In some ways, she liked it. She liked getting so much attention. It was great, at least for the first few days. Now he was giving her barely any space.

But the thing was that she wanted more space than she should really have wanted. When you're in love with someone, there's a certain amount of space you want, no more, no less. And she wanted more.

Why?

She just couldn't figure it out.


An hour later, Lorelai and Sookie were sitting comfortably in an outdoor café, chatting it up and having a good time.

"And so they guy tells me that all their delivery trucks are broken! That something must have happened when he took them to the shop to get them tuned up! So he says that I have to either come and pick up the pots myself, or I'll have to wait until Christmas! I mean, I seriously can't wait that long, there are so many things I can't make without those pots!"

"You made the right choice, Sook. What I don't understand is how ALL of their trucks weren't working! What are the odds of that?!"

"I know, it's so weird. It's like fate and the mighty ones who control it are against me!"

"Well, I wouldn't go that far. Fate and his friends like to give everyone a break now and then."

"Hey, do you think I can get a ride back to Stars Hollow with you? My car's in the shop."

"It's not the same shop those delivery trucks were in, is it?"

"No," she replied with a giggle.

"Just checking."

"So… how's married life treating you? You adjusting okay?"

"'Adjusting?' What am I, the new kid in school?"

"You know what I mean."

"Well…" she wasn't sure if she should tell her what she was thinking about earlier. She didn't want it turned into a problem. She couldn't take any more relationship problems. She just couldn't. "It's fine."

"Yeah? Everything's fine between you and Christopher?"

"Yeah, it's- going great."

"Well, okay then, that's great." she didn't want to pry because she knew she had to try and be supportive, she was her friend, after all. But even so, she could tell there was something wrong. She could just tell. But she had to let it be for now.

They talked about other things for awhile, Davey, the secret Santa that the Inn's staff was doing, the holidays coming up…

After awhile, they left for the drive back to Stars Hollow.

Well, if anything's going to change, it's going to change now. That's what the holidays are all about, Sookie thought as she silently looked over at Lorelai, who was still fighting battles with her own thoughts.