Founders' Firelight Festival - 2000

Must drink coffee. Coffee will make me feel better, Lorelai thought while reaching the far side of the square. She was just about to cross the street to Luke's diner when she heard a man behind her call out.

"Heads up!"

"Agh!" Lorelai screamed as a giant papier mache star crashed to the ground in front of her.

"Hey are you okay?" the man asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Man, that has never happened before!"

"Really. How about that..." Lorelai grumbled while gingerly stepping around the broken apart star and crossing the street. If today gets too much worse, it might even beat out '96 for the title of Worst Festival Day Ever. Lorelai shuddered at the thought as she swung open the door to Luke's diner and took a seat at the counter.

Founders' Firelight Festival - 1996

"Kirk!" Taylor shouted.

"But it wasn't my job this year," Kirk insisted. "You stripped me of my fire starting responsibilities after last year."

"But then I gave you back those responsibilities after you pestered me all month to give you another chance."

"You did not."

"I did so."

"No, you never responded to my application with a formal job offer. Without a formal job offer, I could not be sure I had any official responsibilities."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Fire Starter is not an official position with the Stars Hollow municipal government!"

"Hire Drew Barrymore!" Lorelai shouted, finally interrupting the fight between Kirk and Taylor that had been going on for the better part of the last half hour.

Taylor paused long enough for Harry to once again gain control of the microphone. "Does anyone have matches?"

"We'll get Luke!" Rory replied, eager to get the fire started earlier this year. Her mom said she could spend the night at Lane's after the festival and Rory was so excited. Lane had found a way to sneak a lava lamp, a bean bag chair, and a CD player into the back of her closet. The girls were going to listen to The Cure for the first time tonight. But, Mrs. Kim told Rory she would need to come over in time for their 8 o'clock prayer circle. So, that left very little time for bonfires, stories, and hot chocolate. And Rory wanted to make sure she got everything in.

"Do you always need to drag me around this festival?" Lorelai chuckled, as Rory pulled her mom toward Luke's Diner. "At least I wore tennis shoes this year."

Although the closed sign was up, the lights to the diner were still on and Lorelai could see Luke behind the counter refilling salt shakers. Rory paused to knock politely on the door - even in a hurry she remembered her manners - but before she could even knock once, Lorelai had already pushed open the door and started to rush toward the counter.

"Oh Duuuuuuuuuuuuke," Lorelai called out. "Your impressive and very manly knowledge of fires and how to light said fires is needed."

Luke grunted in response without ever looking up from his salt shakers.

"Ooh a grunt! How very fitting because a cave man is what we need. Duke make fire!"

Luke sighed and looked up.

"Please!" She was pouting. "Pretty please!" He felt pretty powerless against that pout. That pout made him give her yet another refill of coffee, even when she had already had four refills of coffee. That pout made him add chili cheese fries to the diner menu. And now that pout was going to get him over to the Founders' Festival a half hour earlier than normal. If they had only sent Miss Patty I'd be able to finish closing down the diner before being expected to save the day once again.

"Come on, Duke. Help us! Grab some matches, channel Robinson Crusoe, and let's get going."

"Please Luke!" And now Rory was pouting.

With another sigh Luke grabbed a book of matches from under the counter and began to head out of the half-cleaned diner.

"Yay!" Lorelai said.

"Yay!" Rory echoed.

"Okay, I'll start the fire. But no more cave man jokes."

"I wouldn't dare," Lorelai replied and then said with a wink "but you'll still wear a loin cloth, right?"

. . . . . . .

A half hour later, the fire was roaring, the founders' punch was flowing, and Rory and Lorelai were sitting on the ground on a blanket playing "1, 2, 3, He's yours."

"Okay, your turn mom."

"You just want me to stop teasing you for ending up with Andrew."

"Sooo not funny mom."

"It's just such a perfect match for my little bookworm. I mean, the age difference is definitely creepy. But you'll get the book store when he dies!"

"And number one is Kirk."

"What, no, my turn hasn't started yet."

"Number one is Kirk. Do you want to keep him or try your luck with number two? Hurry before you get stuck with Kirk"

"Skip! I skip!" Lorelai shouted.

"And number two is . . . Luke."

"Hmmmm..."

"Better decide soon, he's coming over here." Rory said, sounding surprised. The game had never actually ended on anyone but number three before. You were never supposed to choose one or two. That would mean you actually wanted to end up with your one or two. Better to leave it up to fate.

"Well Monty, I think we have a winner." Lorelai finally decided, as Luke reached them. Rory felt uncomfortable and she wasn't sure why, but she laughed along with her mom at the comment anyway.

"So, Bachelor Number Two, I like walks on the beach and romantic dinners. What is your idea of a perfect date?" Lorelai asked in a girly, high-pitched voice, as both girls once again dissolved into giggles.

"Do I even want to know what this is about?" Luke asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Probably not," Rory said.

"Well, at least Bachelor Number 2 has a better ring to it than Duke," Luke said with a smirk.

"I was thinking of retiring the name Duke anyway," Lorelai said returning his smirk and his eyebrow raise.

"Really? Do I finally get to hear you call me Luke? Only took a year."

"Oh no, we're not quite there yet Mr. Danes. Do you think I'm that easy?"

"Nothing about you is easy."

"I was thinking more along the lines of a pet name."

"Pet name, huh? What like sugar? Honey? Because you know I'm not really a fan of any of those things. What with the national diabetes health crisis and all."

"Too bad, because I have a bit of a sweet tooth."

"I noticed."

"Really? You noticed me?"

"I noticed the increase in my doughnut sales more like."

"Ha ha. Anyway, I was thinking more of a pet name. Like, I don't know... MarmaDUKE," Lorelai gleefully replied. Pleased with her comeback, she turned to nudge Rory but realized the girl was no longer next to her. Luke noticed the empty space on the blanket at the same time.

"Rory?" Both shouted at the same time. Lorelai standing up to scan the crowd.

"Where did she go?" Lorelai said, her panic rising. "Rory never just takes off."

"It will be okay." Luke saw the fear in Lorelai's eyes and was unsure how to respond. Should he comfort her? Go get help? What if she starts to cry? He lifted his hand to pat her shoulder, but when he looked in her eyes again the fear was replaced by pure resolve.

"I am going to talk to Mrs. Kim and Lane. Rory is going over there tonight. Maybe she left to go find them? I'm also going to call Sookie. She can start searching our old haunts by the Inn. You grab Miss Patty and Babette and whoever else you can think of and start looking. Meet at the gazebo in a half hour for a status update."

He had never heard her speak like that before. Her tone was almost cold. Business-like, he decided. And somehow in the back of his mind he knew that it would be a long while before he'd be able to flirt so carefree with Lorelai Gilmore again.

. . . . . . .

Rory was sitting in the corner of Stars Hollow books reading a copy of Watership Down she had pulled from a nearby shelf. Or, more accurately, trying to read the book. By the end of the first chapter she realized that she didn't remember anything that had happened. Something about rabbits?

She started to cry. Even reading wasn't making her feel better. And reading always made her feel better.

Rory knew she was being silly, but she hated it when her mom spoke with Luke like that. It was all flirting, and hair twirls, and innuendo Rory didn't fully understand. Luke was the only person Rory had ever heard her mom talk to like that, other than her dad at least. And when they got going, it was as if Rory didn't exist at all.

Somewhere around the sweet tooth comment Rory couldn't take it anymore. If her mom could end up with her number two then Rory would just find her number three. Or, well, at least the book store she'd get when her number three died. She was surprised the book store had been left unlocked. That's not safe, Rory thought while turning the bolt into place, picking up a book, and going to sit down.

I wonder how long it will take her to even notice I'm gone, Rory thought bitterly.

. . . . . .

"She's not at home, sugah," Babette called out as Lorelai headed toward where the search committee was gathering by the gazebo.

"I checked my dance studio, Weston's, Doose's, and all of the open shops, but I couldn't find her in any of them," Miss Patty reported. "I'm so sorry honey. We'll find her."

"She's not at the Inn or the potting shed or by the duck pond," Sookie could barely get out through her tears.

"She's not at the diner, but that was locked anyway. And I checked by the lake and the bridge. I didn't see her anywhere, and there was no sign that she got lost in the woods, or.. went into the lake or anything." Luke tried not to sound too concerned but his voice broke when he thought about the girl at the bottom of the lake. It was shallow but... "She can swim, right?" Luke asked hurriedly. Lorelai just nodded.

"Okay. Taylor?" Luke could tell Lorelai was terrified, but she still spoke to Taylor calmly and forcefully. He was amazed she was holding it together so well.

"Very well," Taylor said and pulled out his megaphone. "Attention people. Please gather round. One of Stars Hollow's own, Rory Gilmore is missing. I repeat, Rory Gilmore is missing. If you have seen her please come forward immediately. If you notice anything suspicious, please come forward immediately. We are calling the police and they will be here soon to take over the search effort. For now, we need volunteers to help out."

In the book store, Rory was curled up next to the open copy of Watership Down, fast asleep despite the commotion outside.

. . . . . .

An hour later and the residents of Stars Hollow were still searching for Rory. Lorelai gritted her teeth as the police officer heading up the investigation made another comment about single mothers while simultaneously hitting on her.

"Don't beat yourself up sweetie," the cop leered. "It can be hard with only one set of eyes watching out for the kid. Maybe you just need someone to help you keep her in line."

"Thank you officer," Lorelai replied with as much strained politeness as she could muster. "Just please let me know if you hear anything."

Lorelai noticed Luke out of the corner of her eye yelling at Andrew. What is that about? She thought while heading toward them, but they had already started to walk quickly in her direction.

"Oh, and you didn't think to mention this until NOW!" Luke was shouting.

"It didn't seem important."

"Really, we only checked the businesses that were open. That a little girl could actually, you know, get into. And you didn't think to mention that somehow your book store, which is basically a second home to Rory, managed to get locked up even though you left it open!" At this point Luke was running past her toward the book store and, once her brain processed the conversation she just overheard, Lorelai started to run after him.

"Rory! Rory! Open up Rory!" Luke shouted while banging on the front door of the book store, waking Rory up.

Lorelai made it to the door soon after. Andrew followed with the keys to the book store. In quick succession, Rory stood up and walked toward the door, Andrew unbolted the front door, and Lorelai rushed in to envelop Rory in a giant hug.

"Don't you ever, ever, ever run off like that again," Lorelai said with tears streaming down her face, finally able to let go and cry now that she knew Rory was safe.

. . . . . . .

Later that night at home (there would be no sleepover for Rory now), Lorelai went to check on her daughter. Despite going to bed over an hour before, Rory was still wide awake. She felt guilty. She had never seen her mom so sad and upset and disappointed before.

"Hi sweets. You're still awake," Lorelai said softly while crawling into bed with her.

"I'm so sorry Mom."

"I know. Do you want to talk about why you ran off?"

"No."

"Aww kid, this thing we have - this wonderful you and me, mother, daughter, and best friends thing - only works if we talk about everything."

"I know, I just... I just don't want you to laugh," Rory said barely above a whisper. "I'm embarrassed."

"Okay. I never do this, but for one night only, I am granting you a reprieve from my world famous wit."

"No mocking?"

"No mocking. I pinkie swear," Lorelai said as she looped her pinkie finger with Rory's.

After a long pause and a deep breath Rory decided to talk. "I don't want you to replace Dad."

"Oh honey, no one is replacing Dad."

"But, in 1, 2, 3, you stopped at two."

"Okay."

"You chose Luke."

"Well, I mean, not exactly..."

"No you chose him Mom. You didn't wait for three. You wanted it to be Luke."

"And you don't like Luke?"

"No, that's not it."

"Because I thought you liked Luke."

"I do like him."

"I mean, he made you mashed potatoes for a week straight when you had the chicken pox."

"I know, I know. I do like Luke. I even call him Luke, not like you calling him Duke all the time."

"Okay, but..."

"But... I don't want you to choose Luke over Dad."

"But you don't want me to marry Luke?" Lorelai said at almost the same time.

"Well, yeah..."

"Because sweets, I can tell you, stopping on two does not mean you actually have to marry the person."

"Yeah. I know. I'm not dumb. But you chose him. And you talked with him. And your voice is different when you talk with him."

"It's just banter, honey. It's my banter voice."

"And you smile when you talk with him."

"I always smile when I banter."

"And you twirled your hair. You only ever twirl your hair when Dad is around."

"I twirled my hair?" Lorelai frowned.

"You twirled your hair."

"I twirled my hair."

"We've covered that already."

"Right. And you don't want me to replace your Dad."

"Yes. But also..."

"Go on."

"You just never notice me when he's around. You didn't even notice when I left. And you're supposed to be hanging out with me, not him."

Lorelai just nodded for Rory to continue.

"I mean, it's supposed to be you and me against the world, right mom?"

"You and me against the world." Lorelai repeated, and then kissed Rory on the forehead.

A short while later, Rory had finally fallen asleep and Lorelai got up carefully and closed the door. I twirled my hair? She thought. How did Rory notice me twirling my hair when I didn't even notice it? Lorelai had rules about this. No flirting around Rory, no introducing Rory to her dates, and no getting attached to anyone that could ever hurt Rory. Well, rules are rules. I sure am going to miss bantering with him though.With a resigned sigh, Lorelai said goodbye to Duke. From now on, it's just "Luke can I have some more coffee."