A/N: Well, that last 'episode' seemed to go down pretty well (thanks for the reviewage, peops), and now for something completely different! ;)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

12. McMasters of All We Survey - 3rd July 2022

"It's such a shame that the Coopers are away for the Summer. I know Louise would've loved to see you."

The look on Paris' face was a picture at that remark from Rory.

"Doesn't exactly break my heart not to see her," she admitted. "Besides, we'll catch up at the reunion next year. Speaking of, I'd like to spend some time this morning going over some details with you."

"Oh, really?" Rory checked, trying not to wince.

She waited until her friend's attention was on one of her kids then turned to Jess with a 'help me' expression. He smirked and said nothing. There was no way he was fighting Paris on her plans. He had to work today and could find no way to get Rory out of this even if he wanted to. Given that she was the one who invited the whole McMaster family for a visit of indefinite length this summer, he figured Rory would just have to deal with the consequences herself, no matter how much he loved her.

"You two are okay spending the day with Daddy while Aunt Rory and I work on our plans, right?"

"Uh, Daddy had plans of his own," said Doyle pointedly. "Paris, c'mon, you know I have that video call at eleven and I have to be prepared before it comes in."

Just at the opportune moment, Jack came wandering into the kitchen, stretching and yawning.

"Morning," he said, somewhat suspiciously since all eyes now seemed to be upon him. "What?"

"I'm out," said Jess, kissing Rory's cheek before heading for the door. "Sorry, son," he told Jack as he passed him, patting his shoulder.

"What?" the teen asked again, still not getting it.

"Jack, buddy," said Doyle smiling too wide.

"How'd you like to make twenty bucks?" asked Paris.

Jack didn't realise what he was getting into when he agreed to take the money, not until his mom left with Aunt Paris and Uncle Doyle wasn't far behind. Apparently, Jack was babysitting today, and with no help whatsoever. He might have convinced Tori to pitch in if she was there, but she had spent the night over at the Belvilles, having a sleepover with the girls. That meant it was just him watching over nine year old Jonathan and seven year old Eva. Last he spent any time with the kids they were all of them at least five years younger. Pre-teen Jack had little interest in knowing the babies that the McMaster kids had been then. Now he didn't have a choice it seemed.

"So, what do you guys wanna do today?" he asked them, clapping his hands together. "You had the town tour already, right?"

"Twice," said Jonathan nodding his head. "It's a nice place, but not exactly big."

"Right." Jack nodded, knowing he couldn't argue that point. "Well, we can stay home if you want. You like video games?"

"Video games should be educational," said Eva seriously. "Most are stupid."

Jack blinked hard. He had heard the two of them talk like this before, they had been in Stars Hollow several days now, but he kind of assumed it was all for their parents benefit. Most kids of nine and seven were not so serious or quiet. He wracked his brains for an activity they might go for and yet Jack was coming up blank at every turn.

"Well, what do you guys do for fun at home?" he tried.

Somehow both kids seemed stumped by the question, something Jack couldn't really understand. Jonathan and Eva looked at each other in genuine puzzlement and then faced him again.

"We don't have much free time," Eva admitted.

"There's school, and then after school clubs, then homework," Jonathan rattled off. "On weekends, we study, plus Eva has dance lessons and horse-riding practice. I have karate class and violin lessons."

"Wow," said Jack, shaking his head. "Well, okay, what about vacation time? I mean, it's the summer, what would you be doing if you were home right now?"

"Extra private study?" Jonathan tried. "Sometimes we help Nanny with the housework, but we're not supposed to. Mommy says it's beneath us."

Eva nodded in solemn agreement.

Jack winced. These kids didn't know how to have fun because they were never allowed any. He knew Aunt Paris could be strict about studying and all, but he suspected some of the problem was that she and Uncle Doyle had so little time to spend with the kids. They didn't know what a day of family fun was, not really.

Their lives were so removed from what Jack and Tori had grown up with, surrounded by more family and friends than they could count, finding pleasure in the simple things like playing catch in the park, or riding around the town square on their bikes.

Running a hand over his face and back through his hair, Jack wracked his brains for a way to make this day fun for kids that didn't understand the meaning of the word. He looked out of the kitchen window, recalling the antics he and Tori used to get up to when they were that age. An idea came to him that made him smile. Of course, the youngest of his social circle was fourteen now, not necessarily up for the kind of fun he had in mind, but there was a chance, for a good cause.

"Okay, kids, here's what we're going to do," he said, clapping his hands together one more time. "Go watch some TV for a while. I have calls to make."

They looked confused at first and then kind of overjoyed. Jack couldn't imagine Jonathan and Eva got to watch much television that wasn't supervised and educational. He figured they would flip the channels until they hit cartoons or whatever, and he would make his calls. He started with the Belville house, and then tried Billy on his cell. Usually, he would've started with the Van Gerbigs because Steve was great with kids, but with him still at Bible Camp that was a no go. Still, Jack told Doula she could bring Kwan over if she wanted to, recalling what a big kid he could be in certain circumstances.

By the time his friends arrived, the party was already in full swing. Jack had turned the sprinklers on all over the lawn, dragged the old kiddie pool and slip n slide out of the garage, and even managed to locate his and Tori's old super soaker guns. Basically, the entire back yard was now their own private splash park, and the McMaster kids were loving it.

"We brought extra supplies!" Tori called to her brother, tossing two packs of water balloons into his hands. "Wow, we haven't done this in years!"

"I thought it was about time!" he yelled back to her, over the din of so many squealing voices, as the older kids joined in a water fight with the little ones.

By lunch time, they were all soaked and exhausted, but having the very best time. Eva and Jonathan were smiling so wide, Jack half expected their faces to split in two. Honestly, not one amongst them looked any less happy. Jack, Tori, Martha, Jaime, Kwan, Doula, Billy, and Tara were all grinning as they fell to the lawn one by one, unable to carry on anymore.

"That was awesome!" said Jonathan happily.

"I never had so much fun!" Eva agreed, lying on the ground near Tara and Doula. "And you're the prettiest girl I ever saw."

Sure that the little girl was talking to her friend, Tara didn't react at all until Billy elbowed her in the ribs and made her take notice. Lo and behold, she found that Eva was staring at her and smiling widely.

"Me? Er, thank you," she said, smiling back, just knowing she was blushing too, though flushed from exertion as they all were, it was probably hard to tell.

"When I grow up, I wanna look like you," said Eva then, sitting up. "This is all so pretty," she said, reaching out to the bright red highlights in Tara's dark hair, then down to the silver chains that hung around her belt.

"Aunt Paris would go crazy if she heard that!" Tori hissed to Jack.

"Lucky she's not here," her brother agreed, scrambling to his feet. "Okay, probably time we all headed inside to dry off, then we need lunch. Who's up for the diner?"

There was a general chorus of agreement and joy to that idea, and within the hour, the noisy bunch had reconvened at Luke's, all now dried off but still just as happy.

"You couldn't babysit alone, huh?" said Jess as Jack came up to the counter.

"I could," he told his father. "I just chose not to."

"How'd you make those two smile so much?" he asked then, nodding towards Jonathan and Eva who were still grinning from ear to ear.

"Er, yeah, about that. I have a feeling my allowance this month might be going towards the water bill."

Jess' eyebrows rose as he heard that. He recalled the splash park style parties and water fights he and Rory had with the kids years ago when they were young enough to still think it was a fun way to spend a hot summer day. Apparently, things hadn't changed as much as he thought.

"Anyway, can we order lunch?" asked Jack then.

"Sure," Jess agreed, coming out from behind the counter and following his son back to two crowded tables. "What's everybody having? On the house," he confirmed.

"What's it going to be, kids?" Doula asked the McMaster children. "Burgers? Ice-cream?"

"We don't usually..." Eva began, until her brother shushed her.

Nobody heard what Jonathan said to her, but it was clearly a suggestion that they should go wild whilst they had the chance. Paris and Doyle most likely restricted the amount of sugar and fat in their diet, but today was a special day.

If Jess didn't know any better, he would've said those two little kids were actually Gilmores in disguise. They put away more food than a seven and nine-year-old ever should be able to, shovelling in burgers, fries, pie, ice-cream, and several glasses of soda.

The kids all shared jokes and stories for the hour or more they were in the diner. Jess couldn't help feeling a lot like his uncle Luke as he stood behind the counter, watching the kids have their fun. It certainly didn't hurt to see Paris' kids getting a normal fun day. He doubted that happened too often.

"Think of the devil..." he said to himself as the door opened and in walked the former Ms Geller herself with Rory on her heels.

"What is going on?" she asked loudly as she approached the table.

Eva hopped down from her chair and ran to her mother, Jonathan following suit a second later. They were both bouncing up and down like Mexican jumping beans, the excitement of the morning and the sugar high from lunch hitting them simultaneously it seemed.

"Mommy, we had so much fun!" "We ate pie and ice-cream!"

"We played with water!" "Tara is so pretty!"

"Soda is the best!" "I want red in my hair!"

"Can we get water guns, Mommy?" "Mommy, fries are the best!"

They talked over each other, and so fast that even Rory had trouble keeping up. Paris' eyes grew wider and wider with each passing comment, until finally she yelled for quiet, making a cutting motion with her hands.

"That's enough," she told the kids firmly, looking a little too close to mad as she finally turned to Jack. "You instigated a water fight?"

"We kinda had a splash park thing at home," he said, a little nervously. "The way we used to. You remember, Aunt Paris?"

She stared at him like she was fuming at first, and then slowly her eyes softened. She did remember, of course she did. The summer when she was done with Yale and unsure what the future would bring, when she and Doyle hit a rough patch and everything was so uncertain. She had come over to the Mariano house to consult with Rory and ended up dragged out into the yard to water fight with Jess and little Jack, with an even smaller Tori toddling amongst them and laughing like a drain. It had been so much fun, she remembered, so freeing and enjoyable. She looked at Jonathan and Eva then. They didn't get that kind of fun. Paris never really had it as a child, only later in life, and only because of Rory and her family.

"Well, maybe next time you have this kind of fun, you'll let me play too," she said, crouching down to her children's height. "I'm pretty good with a water gun," she told them with a smile.

Jonathan and Eva threw themselves into her arms and hugged Mommy tight. They didn't see her eyes filling with tears over their shoulders.

Paris needed to do more, try harder, before it was too late, before her little ones had up and grown and didn't want or need her anymore. She had to make room for fun in amongst her empire building strategies, she just had to, somehow.