Chapter 8

"Rory are you ready to go?" Lorelai demanded. "Almost I'm making sure we have CD's so you don't complain every five seconds how sucky the radio is and where's ACDC." Rory said. "Good thinking my copilot. I'm loading the bags into the car." Lorelai said. "So on the way to Harvard should we pull over somewhere where are we going to stay?" Rory asked. "Well I was thinking we could pull over to the side of the road and then pull out our sleeping bags and sleep in the ditch. I mean our bodies will be there if an ex murder breaks out of prison he won't have to do an extra step so really we save him time." Lorelai said. "Mom." Rory said. "I know of a B&B don't worry it's not that bad my friend from a long time ago runs it." Lorelai said. "Okay good." Rory said. Ten minutes later they were on the road and in the car driving to Boston.

"There's the bed and breakfast." Lorelai said. "Donald owns the Cheshire Cat?" Rory asked. "Well he's a bit eccentric so maybe he liked the idea." Lorelai said. "Or maybe he really wants to be checked into an insane asylum. Mom can we leave?" Rory asked. "I cannot drive all the way to Boston." Lorelai said. "Then let me drive." Rory said. "Come on how bad can it be?" Lorelai asked her. "Okay." Rory said and they got out of the car. Rory carried her bag over her shoulder and Lorelai grabbed hers.

"Hello how may I help you?" A woman in a long hippie skirt and peasant blouse asked them. "Um I'm a friend of Donald's and I was just wondering if he was in." Lorelai said. "Oh no he's not he sold this place to me a few years ago. I've always wanted to run a B&B and now that I've got the chance I'm just so happy! Are you checking in?" She asked. "Yes we are." "I'm Ladawn and you are?" She asked. "Lorelai and Rory Gilmore." Lorelai said. "Will you be paying by cash, credit or check?" Ladawn asked. "Credit." Lorelai said. "Mom Max said that was for an emergency only!" Rory said. "This is an emergency he'll get to cold dead bodies home. I mean you've heard the lyrics I killed a man in Reno just to watch him die only it'll be – "I killed a woman and her daughter on the way to Boston past the haystacks to watch them die?" Rory asked. Ladawn gave them a look. "Sorry. Um yeah just credit." Lorelai handed the woman the credit card.

Ladawn rang it up and gave Lorelai her receipt. Lorelai accepted it. "So here is the itinerary for this weekend we have lots of activities to keep you busy." Ladawn said. "Oh well thank you. We have a nature hike early in the morning and I try to make it as fun as possible." Rory gave her mother a look. "You're in room five it's our best room gets rave reviews." Ladawn gave them their keys. "Here I'll take you and your luggage up there." Ladawn grabbed their bags. "You don't have to do that." Lorelai told her. "Oh but I want to it'll be fine." Ladawn said.

They walked into the room and Lorelai gasped. The flowers on the wallpaper seemed to move and there were thousands of them. "Oh my you've redecorated the place." "Yes well I chose this instead of what Donald had it seems to calm our guest down more." "You need to be performing ye shall be healed crap in a place like this." Lorelai muttered. Rory laughed. "Well we have dinner in an hour full house tonight so just join us downstairs." Ladawn left them to their room.

"So mom why'd you want to get away fro Max so early?" Rory asked. Lorelai gave Rory a look. "I'm not sick of him if that's what he means." Lorelai said. "Good because if you are it's in trouble already and well you don't want that." Rory said. "Yeah sure." Lorelai said. "Mom?" Rory asked. "Yes?" Lorelai said. "I saw Luke kiss you at the wedding reception?" Rory said. "Oh you saw that." Lorelai said. "What were you thinking you just got married!" Rory cried. "I know I got married it's fine. Luke and I are just friends it didn't mean anything." Lorelai defended herself. "Then why did it happen?" Rory wanted to know. "I don't know Rory! It's not going to happen again! Max does NOT need to know okay? What happened was wrong I know that but that is between me and Luke and no one else." Rory folded her arms and glared at Lorelai. "Good night." "What about dinner?" Rory asked. "Well if you really want to be bombarded by small talk and questions you hate answering to strangers be my guest good night."
Rory watched her mother toss and turn. Rory turned back on the light. "Mom?" Rory whispered. "What?" Lorelai demanded. "I'm sorry I won't push the Luke thing." Rory said. "Oh honey I know you're concerned and maybe the kiss meant something to Luke but I'm a Sadie Sadie married lady okay? I told him off." "Promise?" Rory asked. "Promise." Lorelai stared guiltily at the ceiling.
"Mom I'm starving!" Rory said when they woke up the next morning. "So am I. Look here's the schedule okay nine oh clock nature walk okay so we still have time to sneak out. Grab your bags and let's sneak to the front desk ok?" Lorelai asked. Rory nodded. Lorelai placed the keys quietly on the desk. Rory was out putting the luggage in the car. Ladawn walked over to her. "There you are we were getting worried about you." Ladawn said. "Almost." Lorelai muttered. "Are you checking out?" Ladawn asked. "Yes well my daughter and I have an appointment that well we have to keep and they hate it when we're late. Lovely time I signed the guest book." Lorelai said. "Oh good I can't wait to go and check that." Ladawn said. Lorelai had to bit her lip to keep from laughing. "You know I'll straighten the room and then I'll read it." Ladawn said. "Well that's lovely have a good day."

Lorelai ran to the car. Rory was waiting in the passenger seat. "I do not think so my friend you are driving and we need to make a clean getaway before she reads that guest book or the villagers with the torches will come after us." Lorelai said. "Why am I driving? The child labor laws." Rory pouted. "Do not apply to chores scoot and hurry. Have I mentioned I'm destined for hell if I die?" Lorelai added. "What'd you write in that book?" Rory asked as she got into the drivers side. "Nothing good just go go now! Think of those ten seconds or less." "Okay okay." Rory said.

It was afternoon when they finally reached Harvard. Rory cheated some Grandma out of a parking spot. "Well if she was any slower she shouldn't be driving." Rory said defensively. "That's my girl." Lorelai said patting her on the back. "Come on mom let's go sign up for a campus tour!" Rory said. "No! We'll do our own private tour come on." "It says here it has." "Way to many libraries." Lorelai said after the tenth one they had seen. "Oh but mom it'll be heaven for me." Rory said. "I know hon." Lorelai said. They walked down the hallways of a Dorm. A room was left open Lorelai pulled Rory into it. "Mom!" Rory said. "Now could you do this on a tour?" Lorelai asked. "Yes." "Go into a students room." "No but one that's empty." Rory told her. "So? When she comes back if she comes back we'll just go oh hi Stacy and steal her pen or something. Sit on her desk I want to get a picture." Lorelai said. Rory sat. Lorelai took a picture. "No not a good enough angle. Open the book take her pen and act like you're studying with a glow in the dark sparkle pen. She likes her shiny stuff. Okay now sit on the bed." Lorelai directed. "Mom we shouldn't be here." Rory protested. "I'm stealing her pen." Lorelai said. "Mom!" "What? She shouldn't leave her door open."

Rory found the coffee stand quickly. Lorelai handed her ten bucks. Rory ordered coffee for both of them. Lorelai looked around the campus. Rory was so lucky she'd get to be in college she felt a small twinge of jealousy but then her heart was filled with pride. Rory would not fail she would make it. "Oh hi what's your name?" Lorelai looked at a young man who was also reading the bulletin. "Lorelai." Lorelai said confused. "I think we have the same Physiology class together Professor Carmen?" He asked. "Uh yeah. Oh cool I knew I knew you from somewhere. I'm Josh." He said. "Hi Josh it's nice to meet you." "Look my roommates and I are throwing a party in our dorm tonight why don't you come?" Josh asked. "Thanks I probably will." Lorelai said. "Okay see you then and oh in class about ten minutes." Josh left. Rory came over giggling. "I can't believe he thought you were in college. Here's your coffee." "DO we need to tell Max on that one?" Lorelai asked. "Depends on if you're planning on going to the party." Rory teased her. "I was thinking bout it." Lorelai and Rory laughed.

They walked down the hallways next to the classroom. A door was open. "Go on honey." Rory stood in the doorway. "Are you in or out?" The Professor asked her. "Uh in." Rory slid next to a guy in the back. He smiled at her. Lorelai watched her daughter for the course of the class. She even jumped in on the debating. Lorelai had never been so proud of her daughter as that day. She couldn't wait for her to come here.

Editor's note: okay I know it's pretty much following the show but there will be much more drama next chapter I promise!  And thanks for the reviews I appreciate them!