Author's Note: Thank you for the wonderful reviews and questions! Just stick with me, and you'll see who from the past shows up.
Chapter 2: I'm on my knees in fascination…
When he had taken over at Chilton the year before, Max Medina had immediately been intrigued by William Danes. The boy was only a sophomore, but seemed to control the school. He was at the top of his class, a rising star on the football and baseball teams (the former as a wide receiver, the latter as showboating catcher and homerun slugger), and the sophomore class president. The change in Chilton Max had discovered upon his return (the increased interest in school spirit and athletics) was attributed by the teachers and administration to this charismatic boy, who seemed to enrapture the school with his wild ways.
His charisma had seemed familiar, too, to the new headmaster, as had the strikingly blue eyes Max made contact with as Will had extended his hand at their first meeting. So Max had his secretary arrange a meeting with young Will. While preparing for this conference, he had cracked open the file reading, Danes, William Richard.
The blue eyes had come back to him as he had scanned the student's address and Stars Hollow, CT had popped out.
And then Mother: Lorelai Gilmore Danes.
All he could think at the time was "Oh God, she's back," followed closely by "Oh God, she's married."
He had skipped to Father: Lucas Danes and had even said aloud, "The diner guy!"
The confrontation in Lorelai's foyer decades earlier had returned to him.
"I'll always be around."
No shit, Sherlock.
So the initial meeting had been, awkward, to say the least, but they had struck an easy rapport. As he had gotten to know Will better, even more Lorelai traits had popped out at him, and Max had only been able only marvel.
Even more awkward had been the first parent conference with the Danes family. Will's markedly identical twin brother Jack had come along, "in case they try the whole Parent Trap thing again," as Lorelai had so nervously quipped. Apparently it had been accomplished only once successfully, in third grade, but they wanted to be preemptive. It seemed the Danes boys were a handful.
After the first meeting, however, things got better. Will's father was still not completely comfortable with how easily Will and Max got along, but knew the headmaster could provide for his son the type of role model Luke never could. Luke and Max reached a silent agreement based on mutual grudging respect, and Lorelai, so obviously blissful in her life now, adjusted slowly to Max's return. Their relationship was strictly mutual interest in Will's future and intellectual well-being.
These phone calls, however, and the ensuing conversations, were going to be extremely hard.
Mrs. Fleishman had explained the situation to the headmaster while Will sat outside slumped in a chair, ice pack to his eye and blood on his collar. When he heard the topic, Headmaster Medina's blood turned cold, and he understood where Will was coming from. The students in the class who knew Will well enough to know about his family came forward, explaining that Will had held off as long as he could, longer than anyone could be expected to.
"Headmaster Medina, that was his mom Greg was talking about. He called her, indirectly of course, a whore. And Greg knew what he was talking about, too. Almost everyone knows about Will's sister, too: she was valedictorian here. And Will's so freaky close to his mom and sister. Considering the circumstances, Will was totally justified," one of Will's companions explained, pleading his friend's case.
"The nature of the provoking comments will be taken into account, Mr. Russell, thank you. Now get on to class."
In the year Max had known Will, he had learned a lot about the Danes sense of family honor, especially the fierce protective streak towards their Gilmore girls passed on to the twins from their father. Considering the circumstances, Max could not definitively say that he would not have swung, especially in defense of Lorelai, who had made so much of her life after an admitted mistake, and Rory, whose unmarried situation had been unavoidable.
But Will would still have to be punished for his violence, no matter how justified he may have been.
"Will! What the hell is going on?" Lorelai demanded. "You haven't been in a fight since…"
She trailed off, eyes locked on her son as he sat head in his hands in the headmaster's office. Max had graciously excused himself, allowing Mr. and Mrs. Danes some time alone with Will after explaining that a fight had broken out in English class and Will was being punished for it.
Will raised his head slowly, nausea crashing over him again as he witnessed the astonishment on his mother's face and the disappointment on his father's. They did not know what the fight had been about yet; Headmaster Medina had decided part of his punishment would be telling them just exactly what happened.
Lorelai took a step back at the anguish in her son's eyes as he raised them, running into her husband who stood, arms crossed over his chest, speechless in anger.
"You can say it, Mom. Since I hit Jack… I know he'll never admit it, but I swung first, and you know it. Jack would never swing first. It was me. Because things weren't going my way. He wasn't going to Chilton, and I wanted him to. I hit him. He was just defending himself. And even if you bring it up to him now, he'll never tell you that; he'll take half the blame 'til the bitter end. Because he's so goddamn loyal." Will stood at this, pacing back and forth. "You know why I haven't gotten in a fight at Chilton? Because I always get my way here. Everybody is freaking crazy about me, which is ridiculous, because who am I?" He slumped back into the chair.
"Is that why you hit him, Will?" Luke asked, breaking his silence. He did not believe any of his son's self-deprecating remarks, but knew Will had always been his own harshest critic. "You weren't getting your way?"
Will met his father's eyes, sleeves of his white Oxford rolled to the elbows that rested on his knees, tie loosened but still present underneath his sweater vest.
"No."
"Then why?" Lorelai asked.
Will's nausea crested again, and he looked down.
"Don't make me say it, Mom, please. I… I'll tell Dad."
"You'll tell both of us, Will," Luke asserted firmly, hands in his back pockets as he studied his son. This pattern was vaguely familiar. Whenever Will screwed up, he began to doubt himself entirely, falling into ruts of skepticism before rebounding back to his usual self.
"We were reading and discussing The Scarlet Letter," Will started, and Lorelai sucked in a breath, leaning back further into Luke.
"Will, tell me you didn't…"
Luke wrinkled his brow. "I think I'm missing something. Now it's been awhile since I was in school…"
"It's about guilt," Will said, "And its effects. In theme at least, which is most important. But in plot, which most students here like to believe is all there really is to it, it's about adultery, and their favorite, children out of wedlock." He cast his bright eyes downward.
Luke stiffened and began to understand. "So you were having a class discussion on that subject…"
"Yep."
"Will, please tell me you didn't…" Lorelai said again, her eyes that matched Will's wide.
"He called you a whore." Will's words slipped through a clenched jaw. "Not you directly, but he was staring at me the whole damn time. And he used that word. Said all unmarried mothers were a 'moral subversion' who should be ostracized from society legally. A whore… I couldn't let him sit there and malign you and Rory… And then he said women who had children out of wedlock shouldn't be allowed to marry, at which point he all but said my name... He knew what he was doing, Mom… And I couldn't…" He choked off, head returning to his hands.
Lorelai crouched in front of him, tipping his chin up gently. "Thank you, Will, for defending my honor, but soooo unnecessary." She pointed to herself. "Big girl. Mother of three, even. Raised three whole human beings besides myself. You don't think I haven't heard all of that before? I can handle it, I promise. I'm touched by your gesture, as crazily misguided as it was, but really, I'm okay."
"I'm sorry, Mom."
"I know," she smiled gently, kissing his forehead, "So, the school's punished you with a week of detention, plus being suspended from the football team for the next two games…"
"Plus practice," Will added, "Though I have to report to Coach Meyers after school everyday after detention next week, and he's allowed to give me as many push-ups as he deems necessary until the end of practice."
"At which point you will get in your car, drive straight to the diner, where you will do your homework in the apartment, then come down and work until closing. Then you'll go straight home, into bed. You'll wake up in the morning, go to the diner until you have to go, and then go straight to school."
"Do not pass GO, do not collect $200," Lorelai quipped as Luke finished.
Will barely cracked a smile, but it was there. He then meekly asked, "For how long?"
Luke looked to his wife.
"A week. Starting tomorrow. Because tonight, you're coming to the Stars Hollow game with me to a) cheer on your brother and b) help your mother make inappropriate comments about Woodbury's mascot," Lorelai stated, rising to her feet.
Will snickered, and Luke let out a customary, "Ah jeez, Lorelai."
"We'll have to be creative, though. 'Cause any novice can make a dirty comment out of the Woodbury Trojans," Will informed his mom, the tightness in his chest beginning to fade as they drifted back to the familiar.
"I'm not sitting with you two," Luke assured them, "I'm there to enjoy the game."
"We enjoy games with the Trojans!" Lorelai pouted, then grinned wickedly as she and Will said in unison, "Dirty!"
"Ah, jeez!"
Jack waited outside of Mr. Dempsey's last period U.S. History class, as had become his custom over the past weeks of school. Natalie was inside, decked out in red and white, complete with "Go SHHS!" painted on her face, laughing with her similarly dressed friends as they finished up the last of their work and laid it on Dempsey's desk. Jack was dressed, rather uncomfortably, in nice pants, a button up, and a tie, as was customary for football players on game days. On his head, though, now that school was over, sat a backwards cap, this one his Stars Hollow High baseball cap instead of the customary faded navy blue Red Sox hat.
Natalie and her friends filed out of the classroom, all greeting him in passing while Natalie snaked her arm around his waist and laid her head against his chest, looking up at him with those deep brown eyes. He smiled, a full-on Danes smile, as he had found himself doing more and more often since Natalie moved to Stars Hollow over the summer.
They met in the diner on Natalie's first day in Stars Hollow, July 8th, while he was waiting tables. She quickly became a regular, and the next thing he knew, Jack was asking her out to a movie at the Black, White, & Read, with more than a little push from Will and, surprisingly, Luke. His father's rationale had been simple and made his mother smile: "Don't wait eight years, Jack."
Natalie was a sophomore and, with a June birthday, a little over a year younger than Jack. She complemented him, possessing the exuberance to counteract his introversion and the same focus on family Jack so highly regarded. Jack loved three things in this life: his family, his sports, and his books. He was a solid B student, but he loved to read whatever he got his hands on. Natalie loved three things too: her family, her singing, and her movies. The last one made her immediately welcome in the Gilmore-Danes family; in fact, after the first Gilmore-Danes movie night Natalie had attended, Lorelai claimed she was going to trade Jack for Natalie permanently.
Will teased him constantly about how suburban postcard his life was, that guy known all around town for being dependable and helpful, now complete with cute, steady girlfriend and starting quarterback position. Will told Jack he was falling into a pattern too comfortable for his own good, but Jack just shook his head, assuring his brother that it worked for him, and that was enough.
"So'd you ask Laylee yet?" Natalie asked of him as they walked through the halls a few steps behind her gaggle of girlfriends.
"Nope, I was gonna this afternoon when she meets up with us. Are you going with your dad?"
"Yep," Natalie laughed, her nose wrinkling. "And Connor's taking my mom. He's very excited. Apparently your mother is the ultimate date when you're eight."
"G'ah, less adorable rhyming back there," Madison, Natalie's best friend, shot over her shoulder.
Natalie just stuck her tongue out adorably and snuggled closer into Jack's chest, bringing another smile to the usually stoic boy's face.
"I've gotta be at the diner until four. Wanna join me?" he asked softly, glancing down at her.
"Of course," she grinned, lifting her head to shout to her friends. "See you guys at the game!"
Without turning around, her friends sent their responses back, complete with kissing noises from Madison.
Jack and Natalie made their way across the square, filling each other in on their days, another new custom Jack loved.
"Hey guys! Wait up!" a young voice shouted from behind them.
They paused and turned to face the new arrival, finally disentangling from each other. Laylee Gilmore ran across the square to catch up, lanky legs dangerously close to tangling and sending her to the ground. Her face was red both with exertion and face paint, brown curls wild and blue eyes bright with excitement, long limbs hung with red paraphernalia and red and white beads around her neck.
"Hey there, Laylee," Natalie laughed at the girl's crazy appearance. Laylee was the Minutemen's biggest fan, mostly because her beloved uncle was their star quarterback. "How was school today?"
Laylee shrugged in her usual flippant manner, Gilmore grin plastered across her face. "School was school. I was too excited about tonight's game to care. Are you ready, Jacky?"
"Of course. Can't let my girls down," Jack assured her, small smile still gracing his features, fist dotingly punching her shoulder. "Actually, Laylee, I have a question for you about next Saturday."
"Okay, shoot. Well, not actually, 'cause that would suck."
Natalie giggled a little and rolled her eyes at Laylee, then squeezed Jack's arm reassuringly.
"Well, have you heard about the newest town event?"
"The Father-Daughter dance?" Laylee asked, obviously hiding the disappointment associated with this function. She put on a strong face. "Yep, we talked about it in class today."
"Oh, good." Jack shifted uncomfortably. "I was wondering if, well, you'd want to go with me. Since I'm your favorite uncle…"
Laylee seemed to ponder this. "But you're not my dad."
"I bet uncle's close enough. I'd really like to take you, even if it means dressing up."
"But Mr. Doose is really strict about town rules."
Natalie stepped in, smoothing Laylee's crazy curls affectionately. "I bet you could check with him to make sure. I don't think he'll mind."
"But we're a Gilmore and a Danes: he gets very annoyed with us. I think Nonna said something about hoops."
Jack snorted, and Natalie laughed, slipping Laylee's backpack off of her shoulders gently.
"How about I go order for us at the diner while you two go over to the soda shoppe and check with him?"
Laylee looked skeptical for a moment and looked over to Jack, who nodded encouragingly.
"If Taylor says it's okay, will you go with me?" he asked again.
Laylee nodded her agreement.
"All right. Let's get this over with," Jack sighed, not exactly looking forward another run-in with Mr. Doose.
"I'll save Laylee and me a table," Natalie reinforced, sending them on their way.
When the duo entered the soda shoppe, Taylor immediately plastered on a smile, welcoming them in his overly exuberant manner, offering them a variety of treats.
"We're okay, Mr. Doose. Laylee and I just have a question about the dance." He refused to say 'ball' in that context.
"Oh, of course, please, go ahead. What can I help you with?"
"We were wondering if, since Will's taking my mom, it would be alright for me to take Laylee. I am her uncle."
Taylor seemed to pause and think hard about this, until he noticed the glare he was receiving from the younger Danes twin. Jack would not allow this crazy old man to break his niece's heart because he was a stickler for rules.
"Oh, of course. Considering the circumstances, that sounds like a wonderful idea! I can't wait to see you there."
"Thanks, Mr. Doose," Jack nodded, hand on Laylee's shoulder turning her for a quick exit from the shoppe.
"Oh, Jackman, Laylee, do remember this is a formal dance."
"Got it, Mr. Doose."
"Do remind your father, Jackman."
"Yes, Mr. Doose," Jack sighed, practically pushing the giggling Laylee out of the door and towards the diner. Once on the sidewalk, he softened and grinned at the beaming little girl. "So, that's settled. You'll be my date Saturday night."
"Ooh, don't let Nat get jealous," she teased, her beautiful little smile melting her uncle's heart. "I'll have to have a talk with her."
"That you will," he acquiesced to her silliness as they pushed into the diner, Laylee bouncing on Jack's arm.
"We're going!" she announced excitedly to the waiting Natalie, climbing into the seat next to her. Jack put his book bag on top of Natalie's and Laylee's in the third chair, leaving the girls to fall into lively conversation as he stepped behind the counter.
The diner was filled with the usual pre-game crowd, coupled with the after school rush, and neither his dad nor brother were in sight. His father's employees, the affectionately dubbed "Uncle" Caesar and the newly hired Mark, looked harried.
"Jack!" Caesar cried from the back.
"Thank God you're here!" Mark exclaimed, wide eyed, shoving two more orders in Caesar's direction.
"Uncle Caesar, where're Dad and Will?"
"Chilton. They said to call your mom's cell. They should be back soon, but they need you to cover until they do."
"Got it. Can you survive two minutes while I call?"
"We'll manage," Mark assured him as he ran off to help a customer.
Jack picked up the phone and dialed the number he'd been made to memorize as a toddler.
His mother answered, and he immediately bombarded her with questions. She filled him in on Will's scrape and its consequences, though not the causes. She said Will could tell him about that. They were only about thirty minutes away, so if he could just hold the fort down until then he would be free to go get ready for the game. He, of course, assured her it was no problem, smiling as he hung up the phone, though a little worried about just what his brother had scuffled over.
After hanging up, Jack settled into his easy, comfortable routine of serving and taking orders, a little uncomfortable as always with the attention he was given on game day. In his somewhat gruff manner, he questioned the regulars about their families, ever so often checking in with Laylee and Natalie, who were engaged in intent discussion on musical theater, catching bits and pieces of their conversation.
Around 3:30, he heard: "Hey Jack, c'mere a sec. There's someone I want you to meet."
"Can you handle without me for a sec, Mark?" Jack questioned, catching the young man as he breezed by. "I'll be quick."
"We'll help!" Laylee volunteered excitedly for herself and Natalie.
"Yep, we got it," Natalie assured him. "Go see Coach."
He looked between the volunteers skeptically before handing over his order pad. "I'll be right back."
Natalie shooed him over to the table where the thick-necked, lumbering football coach sat with a man in khakis and a black polo shirt.
"Hey Coach Webber, what's up?"
The coach smiled approvingly at his star.
"This is Mr. Morgan, from UConn. He wanted to meet you before the game tonight."
Jack's eyes went wide, realizing this man's purpose here.
"Jackman Danes, sir," he introduced himself quickly, extending his hand. "An honor."
"Oh no, the honor is mine, young man," Mr. Morgan smiled, mouth framed by a thick, salt-n-pepper mustache that matched his close cropped hair. "Your reputation precedes you. The coach at UConn wanted me over here as soon as possible, before another school swooped in and wooed you."
Jack was pretty sure he was blushing and fought to suppress it. "Thank you, sir. Isn't it early to start thinking about college? I'm just a junior."
"Oh no," Morgan laughed deeply. "The perfect time. You're going to have your pick of schools, young man. Just remember UConn was here first when those flashier schools come calling."
"Yes, sir." The bells above the door rang, and Jack saw the rest of the family making their entrance into the diner. He called to them, "Guys, come here."
His mom, dad, and brother made their way over, confusion obvious on his mother's expressive face.
"Mr. Morgan, these are my parents, Luke and Lorelai Danes, and my brother Will. Mom, Dad, this is Mr. Morgan. He's come from UConn to watch the game tonight."
"Oh, wow, man," Will grinned, clapping his brother's back. "Way to go."
A proud smile was visible on Luke's face while he shook the scout's hand.
Even while shaking Morgan's hand, though, Lorelai still looked confused.
Jack leaned over to whisper in his mother's ear.
"Mom, he's a scout."
She turned to him with surprise in her blue eyes.
"Oh, wow, Jack!"
"Hey, that's stealing my line!" Will objected.
"Oh shush you. You're in trouble; no whining."
Mr. Morgan studied the obviously close family in front of him approvingly.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Morgan, but Will and I have to get back to running this diner," Luke excused himself. He looked behind him, noticing Laylee and Natalie taking orders. "Before it goes to the dogs."
"Understandable, Mr. Danes. It was a pleasure to meet all of you. Don't let me keep you anymore. I'll see you all at the game tonight."
With the rest of his family gone, Jack shifted nervously. "I should, uh, probably get back to helping out for a few more minutes, too. It's kinda a pre-game ritual for my dad and brother and me… Don't wanna jinx such a big game."
"Of course," Morgan nodded graciously. "I'll see you after the game tonight. Well, I'll see you before that, but you'll see me then."
Jack nodded and excused himself. Natalie, Laylee, and Lorelai waited for him at the counter.
"Oh my God, Jack!" Natalie almost-squealed, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek.
"This is huge, sweetie," Lorelai gushed, taking over the hugging from Natalie.
"Guys! You're gonna make him nervous," Laylee objected, "Keep your head in the game, Jack. It's just another game. Forget the scout-dude is here."
Jack was definitely blushing now, their smiles contagious.
"Thanks, you guys. And don't worry, coach, I'll play just like usual. I don't get nervous, remember? Now before you girls get all giggly again, I'm going to go find my idiot brother."
Laylee and Natalie just grinned at him. Lorelai grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
"I'm really proud of you, baby boy. And I think your dad's about to the kill the diner's profits for the day by giving everything away for free."
Jack smiled at her pet name and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Mom. Now enough gushy stuff. You've got some dirty comments to think up about Trojans."
"Hey, just 'cause you're some hot shot quarterback doesn't mean you can order Mommy around," she teased as Jack went off to find Will.