AN: Sorry for taking so long to update this one. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy! Thank you to all the reviewers.
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. I own Mystaya. That's all.
Mystaya told her grandmother about working at the garage and taking business classes. Emily Gilmore was less than impressed.
"You work in a filthy garage and work on cars. Ridiculous! You're a Gilmore!"
"Grandma, I love what I do. I make good money doing it too."
"With all due respect Mrs. Gilmore, Mystaya's a great sprayer. People go to Torreto's just to have her do the designs on the cars. Street racer's pay big to have the best designs on their cars," Brian told her.
"I'm not a brain like Rory. The only subject in school that I excelled in was Art. I got decent grades, but not good enough to get into Yale or Stanford. I'm taking Business classes so I can help Dom in the office when I'm not drawing or spraying a car."
"How much do people pay to have the fancy designs on their cars?" Richard asked.
"The last job I did was a pretty intricate design on a Honda 2000. The guy paid $10,000. After the cost of paint and decals, I put $6,000 in my bank account," Mystaya told her grandfather, "Dom pays me well enough that I can pay the bills and my tuition. The money I make doing the body work on the cars gets saved."
"How long have you worked at the garage?" Emily asked.
"I've worked there since I was 16. We lived down the road from Dom and his sister, Mia, when I was younger and I always liked working on the cars. Dom and his father taught me mechanics and Dom hired me right after my sixteenth birthday," Mystaya answered, "They've been really looking out for me since Dad died. All of them; Dom, Mia, Dom's girlfriend, Letty, and our other friends, Vince, Leon and Jesse."
"What do you think about these people, Brian?" Richard asked.
"They're family and they've treated Misty like family. Vince and Dom are fiercely protective of her and Mia and Letty treat her like she's their sister as does Leon and Jesse."
Lorelai caught the yawn that Mystaya tried to cover, "Mom, dinner was great, but I think we should get back to Stars Hollow. Brian and Misty must be tired."
"Of course you're right, Lorelai," Emily said, standing. Everyone else stood. Mystaya walked over to her grandmother and hugged her. Emily hugged her back, "You be sure to keep in touch, young lady."
"I will, Grandma," Mystaya told her and moved over to Richard, who hugged her.
"Call me if you need anything at all," he told her.
"If I need anything, I'll call."
Lorelai, Rory and Brian said their goodbyes to the elder Gilmores as well. When they walked outside, Lorelai told the twins to ride together as she wanted to talk to Brian.
They drove toward Stars Hollow, Mystaya and Rory in Rory's Prius and Brian and Lorelai in Lorelai's Jeep.
"So, Brian, what are your feelings about Misty?" Lorelai asked.
"I love Misty, Lorelai. I actually wanted to ask her out a couple of years ago, but I thought her father would kill me," Brian answered, "When Mr. Hayden was killed, Misty stopped going to the races, Dom's house and barely spoke to anyone when she was at the garage. It killed me to see her like that. Mia, Dom's sister and Misty's best friend, called me one day frantic, because Misty hadn't shown up at work and no one could reach her. I went to her house and she was lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling, crying. I told her that it was okay to take time for herself and let herself grieve. After that, she started going back to races and to Dom's and she became more like the Misty we all knew."
"These other people, Dom, Vince, Leon, Jesse, Mia and Letty, do they know what you are?" Lorelai asked.
"I told them, shortly before I closed a big case, that I needed their cooperation on."
They returned to the inn. Rory and Misty were in the sitting room, talking.
"Does Luke still serve those insane chocolate chip pancakes?" Mystaya asked.
Rory nodded, "he still has the best coffee in town, too."
"I want to go to Luke's for breakfast," Mystaya decided, "I kinda missed the grouch."
"He's missed you, too, sweetie. He was happy to hear that you were coming." Lorelai said.
"You know, Mom, Rory, in the bags I handed you are envelopes that Dad told me you were to get if anything ever happened to him. I think there is a letter and a check for each of you." Misty said.
"Thank you, Misty," Rory said.
"Rory, Dad also sent a check to Yale, covering the rest of school for you and sent up a bank account for you that should have enough in it to get an apartment for you. Mom, he set up an account for you, too. There's enough money to help the Dragonfly or to pay for yours and Luke's wedding. Here are your bank books," Mystaya told them, handing them two bank books.
"Was Christopher going to send us these things?" Lorelai asked.
"Yeah, he was. We talked about it the day before he died. He was sorry he hadn't done more for Rory and for you and when his grandfather died, he figured it was time to give you what he couldn't all those years, when Rory and I were little, before he took me to California."
Brian's cell phone rang. He excused himself to answer the call when he saw Dom's information pop up on the screen.
"Hey, Dom, what's up?"
"Just wondering where the hell you are," Dom replied.
"Why?" Brian asked suspiciously.
"We are in Hartford, man. We wanted to see where Misty was from. Now where the hell is Stars Hollow?"
"Whose 'we', Dom?"
"Vince, Leon, Jesse, Mia, Letty and I are 'we', O'Connor."
Brian laughed, "Misty, the team is in Hartford," he told her.
"No way. You've got to be joking," Mystaya responded.
"No, Dom wants to know where the hell Stars Hollow is," Brian said.
Mystaya looked at her mother, "Mom, they're gonna need three rooms. Vince and Mia are dating, so they'll share. Letty and Dom will share and Leon and Jesse will need two beds in their room. Brian, tell them to take the 11 South to Pine to Third and the Dragonfly is on the left and that their rooms will be waiting."
Brian repeated the information to Dom and hung up.
A half an hour later, three cars pulled up into the parking lot. Dom, Mia, Letty, Vince, Leon and Letty walked in. Mystaya introduced them to Lorelai and Rory. Lorelai checked them in and Dom paid for the three rooms they had taken.
"Guys, meet down here at 8:30am and we'll go to breakfast at the best diner in town," Mystaya told them.
"This town is so cute," Mia said.
Mystaya agreed, "I always loved coming to Stars Hollow. It's such a contrast to the hustle and bustle of LA." She turned to her mother, "Mom, does Miss Patty still hit on all the good-looking men?"
"Oh yeah she does and this group of men is in big trouble," Lorelai said.
Mystaya showed the others around the inn and promised them that she would give them a grand tour of Stars Hollow the next morning after breakfast.
The next morning, Brian and Mystaya woke, showered and dressed casually. They met the rest of the team in the lobby. Mia took a deep whiff.
"What is that amazing smell?" she asked.
"That would be whatever dish, Sookie Belleville, the inn's extraordinary executive chef is whipping up in the kitchen. We'll eat dinner in the dining room tonight. This morning, we're eating at Luke's Diner. Luke is my mom's fiancé and he makes the best coffee in town," Mystaya answered.
They walked to Luke's and met Lorelai and Rory and Mystaya introduced the team to Luke. Luke gave Brian a beady eye when Mystaya introduced him as her boyfriend. As everyone ate, Brian's cellphone rang.
"Take it outside, Luke hates cellphones," Mystaya told him. Brian took the phone and answered it. It was Captain Turner.
"Lance Tran and his associates have been convicted of the hijackings, Second-Degree Murder of Christopher Hayden and Attempted Murder of Mystaya Hayden. They were sentenced to life in prison without parole," the captain told Brian.
"Thanks, Captain. That news will give Misty and her mother and sister a little peace of mind," Brian responded. A store across the square from the diner caught Brian's eye. After he hung up with his boss, he went over to look in. It was a jewelry store and instantly he saw a ring that fit Mystaya's personality perfectly. He bought it, intending to propose and marry her before they left Connecticut. He went back to the diner.
After breakfast, Mystaya and Rory showed Brian, Dom, Mia, Letty, Vince, Leon and Jesse around Stars Hollow, while Lorelai went to work. Miss Patty and Babette flirted shamelessly with the men. They walked over to Gypsy's and talked to her. They walked around town and then headed back to the Dragonfly. At dinner that night, they ate Sookie's amazing stuffed pork chops and creamy risotto. At the end of the meal, Brian interrupted.
"Mystaya, I have loved you for years. I would be honored to be your husband. Will you marry me before we go back to LA next week?" He asked her.
Mystaya gasped and flung her arms around his neck, while everyone cheered and catcalled, "Of course I will! Everyone I love is already here. Rory will be my maid of honor, Mia and Letty can be my bridesmaids. Mom, can we have the wedding here?"
"Of course you can sweetie! I know the best dress shop and flower mart. The townspeople will come, Sookie can cater and either Luke or Grandpa can give you away," Lorelai answered.
Mystaya looked at Luke, "Will you? You've been a father to me since I was 11, every summer when I came to visit Mom."
"I'd be honored Misty," Luke said.
Brian turned to Mystaya. Rory and Lorelai, "Before I forget, my boss called and told me that Lance Tran has been convicted of all charges against him and sentenced to life in prison."
Five days later, Mystaya walked down the aisle with Luke, toward Brian. Dom was Brian's best man, with Leon and Jesse as his groomsmen. She wore an ivory dress with medieval sleeves. Everyone's eyes were on her but her eyes were only on Brian. She repeated her vows after Reverend Skinner. She'd never been happier in her whole life.