Chapter Title: Some Things Never Change

AN: I can't believe I haven't updated this recently. I'm so close to the end. Only two more chapters after this one. I'll finish it before the New Year. I don't know when my next Gilmore Girls story will be written. My plot bunnies are plotting against me you guys.

The house was quiet when she walked in. The Jeep was in the driveway so she knew her mom was home. Rory put her purse down on the table in the hall before walking upstairs. She still didn't hear anything as she walked up the last step. What was going on? A loud yell rang through out the house and Rory knew exactly where it came from. She walked down the hall to the bathroom and opened the door.

The boys were in the bathtub and Lorelai was leaning over the side. One of them had splashed her and now she was soaked from head to toe. She had bubbles in her hair and more running down her face. Rory bit her lip to keep from laughing. Lorelai ran a hand down her face and glared in Rory's direction.

"I know you're biting your lip young lady. Help me?"

"You're doing fine on your own. Give her hell you two." Rory said before walking away.

"It's not nice to be mean to mommy!" Lorelai said before the boys started laughing.

Rory went back downstairs and started the coffee pot. Footsteps could be heard on the stairs so she leaned against the doorjamb to see the boys toddling down the stairs. She smiled at them as they stopped in front of her. She picked up JJ because he was closest and held her close to him. She had missed them more than she wanted to admit. She was missing out on so much. She pushed the thought out of her mind as Landon latched onto her leg.

"Fine love on Sissy. See if I care." Lorelai said rolling her eyes as she came down the stairs.

Rory stuck her tongue out at her as she put JJ down. The boys followed her into the kitchen as she sat down at the table. Some things would never change. Rory liked the idea of having something familiar to come home to. It had taken her a couple of months to get used to the idea of her mom being pregnant. But by the time the boys were born she was happy with the situation. She was happy for her mom. Change was good sometimes. But in moderation.

She had come home because her mom had said that she had missed her. And that she wouldn't be able to see her as much after she got married. She would have her own family to take care of. Lorelai had been dropping hints about becoming a grandmother. She already knew what she wanted Maddie to call her. Nana Lorelai, she thought it sounded nice enough.

Rory thought she had ulterior motives for wanting her home though. She had a feeling her mom was going to throw her an engagement party. As much as she wanted to deny she was like Emily, Lorelai wanted the best for Rory. She had sacrificed so much to give Rory what she had. Rory knew she would do the same thing for her brothers.

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Rory pulled into the condo complex and read the number she had written down. Why had she promised her dad that she would come and see him? Because she was a sucker for Gigi when she complained that she never saw her. So here she was standing on her dad's doorstep about to knock on the door. She loved her dad and sister, but they always made her feel guilty for not coming to see them as much as she saw her mom, Luke and the boys. After Lorelai and Luke got married Chris refused to talk to them for almost a year. Up until then he had always thought that he would be able to win Lorelai back. He finally came around after Rory had made him see that he was wrong.

Christopher opened the door and smiled when he saw her. He kissed her cheek as she walked past him. Things with her mom might not have changed, but things with her dad had. Their relationship wasn't as strong as it used to be. Her dad reminded her of Logan sometimes. The way he threw a temper tantrum when he couldn't have his way proved it. Rory felt uncomfortable bringing up Luke and the boys up around him. She never knew how he would react. He might be okay with them being in the picture. But that didn't mean that he had to like them.

"Rory!" Gigi said walking into the room.

She was tall for eight years old. She was definitely Christopher's daughter. But that was the only thing Rory and Gigi had in common. Gigi's blond curls bounced as she jumped up and down as she talked to Rory. Rory smiled down at her trying to take in everything. She pulled Rory over to the couch as Chris went to get them something to drink.

"Can I see your ring?" Gigi asked taking hold of Rory's hand.

Rory held out her hand and Gigi stared at the ring with wide eyes. She could be exactly like their dad sometimes. Rory hoped that she would have a better grip on the world than Christopher did though. He came back into the room and handed Rory her drink. The two of them bombarded her with questions about the wedding. They both knew she had a reason for coming over.

"I was thinking that maybe Gigi would like to be my Junior Brides Maid." Rory asked looking over at her.

"I get to be in the wedding?" Gigi asked her with wide eyes.

"If you want to be." Rory said smiling at her.

"I do!" Gigi said throwing her arms around Rory's neck.

"What about someone walking down the isle?" Christopher asked breaking the silence.

"You don't want to?" Rory asked giving him a worried look.

"I do. But Luke's been a huge part of your life."

"I had planned on asking you." Rory said still looking at him.

"Why not the both of us?" Christopher asked taking her by surprise.

"Are you sure? Because I hadn't thought of asking Luke, he would understand."

"It's fine Ror." Christopher said nodding his head.

Rory chided herself for being so negative about him earlier. He had grown up in some ways. Rory knew it was easy living with a broken heart. He had been living with one for almost half his life. That couldn't have been easy.

XXXX

When Rory came back to Stars Hallow it was almost like the town was dead. She drove past the house and saw that no one was there so she decided to go to the Inn. The parking lot was full so she drove around back to the employee's parking lot. It wasn't unusual for the Inn to be busy during this time of year but she had never seen it this full.

Rory walked through the kitchen door and saw Sookie and her mom standing over the stove. Lorelai looked over her shoulder and rushed to get Rory out of the room.

"What is going on?" She asked as Lorelai pushed into the front room.

"Wait in here." Lorelai said before walking back to the kitchen.

Rory flopped down on the couch wondering what was going on. If the Inn was so busy where were all the people? She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts.

"Is anyone sitting here?" Someone asked from behind Rory.

She turned her head and gave the person a weird look. Megan was standing behind her rubbing her back.

"Do you even have to ask? Come and sit down." Rory said getting up.

She helped Megan sit down then sat back down herself.

"What are you doing here?"

"I figured I would come and see the town that you've told me so much about." She said shrugging her shoulders.

"Do Billy and Tristan know you're here?"

"They know." She said nodding her head.

It couldn't have been easy for her. She was only five months pregnant and her doctor told her that she needed to be put on bed rest. Her job was putting too much stress on her. And that if she wasn't careful she could lose the baby. So she reluctantly took early maternity leave and had been suffering for the past two weeks.

"I'm surprised you lasted this long." Rory said teasing her.

"Trust me I was ready to pull my hair out last weekend. Billy wouldn't let me out of his sight. It drove me nuts."

"Well maybe you need something to take your mind off things."

"Like what?"

"Do you want to help me and my mom plan the wedding?"

"You would let me help you?"

"It's not like you'll be able to be a part of it."

"Not unless someone wants to push me down the isle on a fork lift." She said with a sigh.

The wedding date had been set for two months away. Which didn't leave them much time to plan. But Rory was up to the challenge. Her mom and Sookie walked into the room with Gypsy and Miss Patty behind them. They each were carrying a box and they set them in front of Rory.

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore this is your engagement party." Lorelai said once they all sat down.

"I knew it." Rory said rolling her eyes.

"Don't act so surprised." Sookie said sounding sarcastic.

"Open your presents dear." Miss Patty said holding one out for her to take.

By the end of the party Rory was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. Everyone had gotten her things that she would have never thought she would get. The theme was Naughty Brides. She wasn't surprised. She blushed when she opened her gift from Miss Patty. The underwear/camisole left little to the imagination.

"All you need is pasties!" Lane said when she walked into the room.

"Do not start!" Rory said laughing.

After everyone left Rory helped her mom and Sookie clean up. They had both told her she didn't have to but she insisted that she wanted to. They were getting ready to leave when Rory pulled Lorelai off to the side.

"Thank you for today."

"This was nothing. We've still got the bachelorette party to plan."

"Remember that I can corrupt JJ and Landon." She said threatening her.

"So can I." Lorelai said sounding serious.

"I know you could. But you didn't have to do all of this."

"I know. I just wanted to do something nice."

"You did." Rory said hugging her.

Her mom had always gone out of her way to do things for her. She was always doing the unexpected. That was why Rory loved her so much.