Part 2

Lorelai followed the nameless secretary through the labyrinth of hallways in the West Wing. As she walked by glassed cubicles, she noticed a familiar face. "Joshua Lyman!" she shouted happily.

Josh whipped his head around to hear the familiar voice call his name. When he saw where it came from, he broke into a big smile. "Lorelai Gilmore! Oh my god, is it really you? What're you doin' here?" He hopped up from where he was sitting on the edge of Donna's desk and hugged Lorelai tight, picking her up and spinning her in a circle.

Donna stood up and got a closer look at the grand display, her eyebrows jumping halfway up her forehead.

Lorelai laughed as Josh put her down. "I'm here to see my kid. She's an intern with Sam Seaborn."

"Oh no way! Wait…Rory Gilmore is a Gilmore Gilmore? I had no idea!"

"Yep, that's my Rory," Lorelai replied with a proud smile.

"Ohhhhh yeah." The memories came back to Josh. The trouble at the Gilmores, as his mother used to call it.

"Josh?"

He turned to see Donna looking questioningly at the scene. "Oh this is Lorelai Gilmore. Her dad and my dad were on the Yale Alumni Board together, so Lorelai and I practically grew up together."

Donna stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Donna Moss, Josh's secretary. It's nice to meet you."

Lorelai shook the blonde's hand with a smile. "You too. You know, Donna, if he ever makes you stay too late, just call me up. I've got plenty of ammo against this kid."

"Oh yeah?" Donna's eyes sparkled with the possibilities.

"Yeah, when we were really little, he wanted to be a ballerina. Isn't that right, Joshie?"

Josh rolled his eyes. "Now I remember why I never have visitors."

"And if you ever really want to get him riled up, just call him Josh-bear. His sister used to call him that and it drove him nuts. Isn't that what Joanie called you when she climbed up a tree and told you to go away?"

Donna pressed her hand to her mouth to keep her from giggling too much. "Wow, she sure knows you, Josh."

"I was four when I wanted to be a ballerina. And I was six when Joanie went up that tree. Just remember, Lor, I can say plenty about you, too. Like when we used to climb out your bedroom window to escape your mom yelling about some debutante crap? Or when you dared Christopher to drink your dad's scotch and he ended up throwing up all over the Persian rug?"

Lorelai narrowed her eyes at her childhood friend. "That's cold, Josh-bear."

Josh ignored her, hoping the taunting would be over. He changed the subject, for good measure. "How is Christopher these days?"

"Uh, he's fine. We don't see him much. And that suits us fine," she replied, somewhat awkwardly.

"Oh. Gotcha." Josh nodded, seemingly in understanding.

"Josh, Toby wants you."

Lorelai turned to see a very tall woman, even taller than Lorelai herself, walk up behind her.

"Yeah, for the Stackhouse thing. It's taken care of," Josh assured CJ.

"You're sure?" CJ asked skeptically.

"Yeah. I got it." The two stared at each other for a moment, speaking silent words with their eyes. CJ nodded slightly, and Josh broke the gaze. "CJ, this is Lorelai Gilmore."

"They've been friends since they were kids. She calls him Josh-bear," Donna informed her.

CJ's eyes shined with ideas of how to use that phrase. "Is that so?"

Josh turned back to Lorelai. "I hate you. You know that, right?"

"Well that's too bad, Josh-bear, because now I like her," CJ informed him. She turned to Lorelai. "Hi, CJ Cregg. Nice to meet a fellow tormentor of Josh."

"Oh, CJ the Press Secretary! Rory talks about you all the time. You're her favorite," Lorelai informed her.

"Well, Rory is my favorite intern. She makes great coffee. And she makes Sam uncomfortable as she blows him away with her talent."

Lorelai grinned. "That's my kid!"

"She's great. Are you here to visit her?" Lorelai nodded and CJ offered, "I can take you to her desk. I have to go over there anyway." She turned back to Josh. "Talk to Toby!"

"Yeah, I will!" He sighed to himself. "Lor, it was great to see you."

"You too, Josh. And it was great to meet you, Donna. I'm serious about calling me. I've got a million stories about this one," Lorelai said as she followed CJ away.

When they were gone, Donna turned her attention back to Josh. "Did you date her?"

"Nah, I didn't see her enough. Her family lives in Hartford, and we were in Westport. It's like an hour drive. When we were really little, her dad would bring her with him when he had business with my dad. Joanie would watch us. And then when I got older, I would go to Hartford during the summer or on weekends. There's more to do there. I used to hang out with Lorelai and Christopher. They were really close. They dated forever when we were in high school. He's Rory's dad. I stopped coming by after Lorelai got pregnant. It was a little weird then. We were sixteen," Josh explained.

Donna had a concerned look on her face. "Wow. Lorelai Gilmore is way more interesting than any of your other friends."

"You don't know any of my other friends," Josh countered.

Donna nodded. "And there's a reason for that, Josh-bear."

"I am never gonna live this down, am I?"

"That remains to be seen, Joshie."

Josh opened and closed his mouth, making strange noises of outrage. After a moment, he gave up and just went back into his office, slamming the door behind him.