Something We Missed Before
Part 2

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! It means a lot! Sorry for the delay in updating, I've been busy working on my attempt at original fiction and enjoying the beautiful weather here! Hope you enjoy this part. There's definitely one more to come, and maybe another after that. Feedback is appreciated as always! Xx

When the rehearsal was over the wedding party filed out of the church in the same fashion as they would tomorrow. With Jess being the best man, and Rory being her mother's maid of honour, the two of the were forced to process out of the church side by side. They were all too aware of Sookie and April behind them to so much as glance at each other but the temptation was definitely there, for both of them. They returned to the cars they had arrived in, with Sookie and Jackson leading the way to the Dragonfly Inn where the reception party would also be held tomorrow.

"It went well, don't you think?" Lorelai asked as she started the Jeep and navigated out of the church's small parking lot.

"It's going to be a beautiful service," Rory replied, gazing out of the window and trying fruitlessly to stop thinking about Jess Mariano.

"Honey, did you hear a word I just said?" Lorelai pulled the Jeep into the narrow lane that led to the Dragonfly Inn.

"Sorry," Rory blushed, "What did you say?"

Lorelai smiled knowingly. "Nothing important." She paused, parking the Jeep next to Sookie's minivan. "So, it's not too awkward with you and Jess?"

"Everything is fine." Rory replied, a little too quickly and passionately for her own liking. Lorelai raised an eyebrow, smiling at her daughter.

"Y'know, if the two of you did get back together," She fended off Rory's protests with a wave of her hand. "If the two of you got together, it would probably count as incest anyway."

Rory pulled a face. "Thanks, mom." She said, getting out of the car and away from her mother. Still, she knew Lorelai Gilmore and she knew that this conversation was not over.

"Dinner was wonderful, Sookie." Lorelai smiled fondly at her best friend and rubbed her stomach in appreciation. Everyone else joined in with mutters of approval and agreement.

When the meal was over at the waiting staff had taken away all of the plates and dishes, people began to leave their seats. TJ had organised some sort of a bachelor party for Luke, which Jess had been told, on pain of death by his uncle, to keep under control. The ladies of Stars Hollow were heading to a bar for Lorelai's bachelorette party. Rory and Sookie had been planning in cahoots for the last fortnight and insisted on keeping the location secret.

"Are you taking me to a strip club?" Lorelai asked in mock horror as they led her down the steps out the Dragonfly Inn.

Sookie and Rory exchanged glances but said nothing, leaving Lorelai frustrated.

"Wait for me, ladies!" The familiar voice of Luke's sister Liz called out from behind them.

The four women piled into Lorelai's Jeep with Liz taking the wheel, she was expecting her second child with TJ and wouldn't be drinking.

"Where are we going?" Lorelai asked again, hopelessly from the backseat. "Where are you taking me?"

"All in good time," Rory smiled from the passenger seat.

"God help me," Jess muttered under his breath as he took a long draw from his glass of beer. He looked across at TJ who seemed to be getting intoxicated on air alone, and had a sudden flashback to TJ's own bachelor party. Although the man made his mom happy, sometimes Jess couldn't believe he was actually related to him, even if it was only by marriage.

"Having fun?" Luke asked, who didn't look like he was enjoying the evening.

"Oh, tons." Jess replied sarcastically. "Sorry, I'm trying to have a good time for your sake, but this isn't my idea of fun."

"Mine neither," Luke replied, taking a sip of his own beer. "If I'm honest I'd much rather be at home with Lorelai, watching a movie or something."

Jess clapped him on the arm. "You're getting old, my friend." He laughed, but became more serious. "Your idea sounds like a much better plan though."

"Now who's getting old?" Luke replied. A comfortable silence, well as silent as it could be in the crowded bar, settled over them. All of the issues of the past had long ago been laid to rest and Jess and Luke enjoyed their new relationship with each other. "So, have you spoken to her yet?" He finally asked his nephew.

"Who?" Jess replied, looking into his beer and pretending not to know what Luke was talking about." Luke said nothing more, but waited for Jess to speak instead. "There's nothing left to talk about, she doesn't want someone like me, she wants that blond dick she went to Yale with."

"You know they're not together now though right? He asked her to marry him, she said no and that was the end of that. According to Lorelai, Rory was pretty broken up about it for a while but she's getting over it now. This could be your opportunity to win her back, Jess."

"Win back my 'step cousin' or whatever she is gonna be to me now?" Jess asked, but the sarcasm was gone, leaving him appearing almost vulnerable.

"Seriously Jess, if she doesn't want to be with you then fine, you can go back to Philadelphia and she'll go back on her campaign tour, and forget it ever happened."

"Maybe," Jess said, downing more of his beer. "Anyway, this weekend is about you Luke, not me."

They were interrupted by TJ breaking into song, and exchanged glances as they tried to suppress their laughter.

"Shall we get out of here?" Luke suggested, finishing his beer. "I doubt anyone would notice we were gone."

Jess looked around at where everyone was transfixed on his stepfather, with looks of surprise and horror. "Yep, let's go."

"We're here!" Liz announced, pulling the Jeep to a stop outside a place that should be familiar to Lorelai but wasn't quite.

"Where's here?" The bride-to-be asked from the back seat, craning her neck to get a look at the place.

Sookie was almost bursting, trying not to ruin the surprise for Lorelai. "Don't you recognise it?" She asked instead.

Lorelai shook her head. "I feel I should but...it's just so dark. Can we get out of the car?"

The four of them trooped out of the Jeep into the twilight. "Oh my God, the Independence Inn!" Lorelai gasped, covering her mouth with her hand in her surprise. "Wow, you'd barely recognise it," She stepped a little closer so she could see it better.

"It's a bar now," Sookie replied, linking her arm through Lorelai's. "And we're gonna celebrate!" She giggled.

A while later, Liz was the only sober one of the four of them. At first the thought of not being able to drink tonight had depressed her but she was having too much fun to care now. While Lorelai and Sookie were dancing manically with Babette and Patty, Liz found a moment to corner Rory at the bar.

"So, you're the girl my son is still pining for." She said, sliding onto the bar stool beside the younger Gilmore. "I can't say I blame him."

Rory blushed, hoping she could blame it on the alcohol in her system.

"I'm sure he's not still pining for me," She replied after a pause. "There must be tons of girls wanting to date a writer in his prime."

Liz nodded, setting aside her empty soda bottle. "There are, Rory, but that doesn't mean he's interested in any of them."

Rory didn't have a response to this and sipped at her drink instead, her mind going over and over what Liz had just said.

"I think Patty and Babette are trying to get me drunk!" Lorelai interrupted her daughter's thoughts, coming to sit on a barstool beside her. "I do not want to walk down the aisle with a hangover tomorrow."

"Do you want to leave?" Rory asked, her celebratory spirits running a bit low. "We could watch a movie or something?" She suggested in a low voice, knowing the other guests wouldn't approve but wanting to spend some quality time with Lorelai who she didn't see nearly enough.

"Are you okay to drive?" Lorelai asked, definitely approving of Rory's plan. As much as she was enjoying her bachelorette party she would rather be with her daughter.

"I think so," Rory nodded, getting to her feet. "Yeah, I'm okay."

After saying goodnight and thank you to everyone, Lorelai and Rory left the bar and headed for the Jeep.

"I'm glad they made something nice out of the Independence Inn," Lorelai said fondly as she climbed into the passenger seat of the car.

"Me too," Rory smiled, both of them thinking of all the precious memories they had made their together over the years until it had burned down.

"So, any movie requests for tonight?" Lorelai asked as Rory pulled the car out of the lot and headed towards home.

"Something with a wedding theme, maybe?" Rory suggested, offering Lorelai a quick grin before focusing her attention back on the road.

"Or we could just talk." Lorelai offered, looking across at her daughter and reading her the way no one else ever would be able to.

"Talking is good." Rory nodded, driving past the familiar Stars Hollow sights; past Luke's diner; Lane's house; Doose's market. "I miss this town." She sighed, a little sadly.

Lorelai smiled warmly at her. "It misses you too, honey."

Hope you enjoyed! Reviews are loved! Xx