Chapter 3- Kiss and Tell, In Between Episodes, Snow and War, and Rory's Dance, forgiveness and stuff & stuff, Christmas and New Year's.

Today was Rory's Kissing Dean episode I did nothing, when he was invited over. I did nothing either. He seemed nice in person and kind of cool, but I know as the seasons progressed he seemed less nice and less cool. Or at least less cool. I enjoyed Willie Wonka, and the pigging out.

I knew Mom had little money so I didn't ask for anything for Christmas, until she asks I said art supplies. She nodded like she didn't expect anything less. She asked if I'd like a computer like Rory. I said sure but I she goes to a fancy school I don't I don't expect one. She looked like she'd been slapped. She asked if I wanted to go to a fancy school. I did have the old laptop in my room. This was about a week after the autumn festival.

"I suppose so. But I'd miss JR. I mean maybe if I could go to one that focuses on fine art, I'd love that. Mom I really want to be an artist, I mean I'm really serious about that. I mean maybe I couldn't get into Yale art school where I am but I could get in Rhode Island School of Design, which is my second choice. Or I could go to Cooper Union, or Parsons Design in New York City, or Maryland Institute of Art In Baltimore, School of Museum of fine arts with Tufts university in Boston, none of those are out of my reach….."

"You thought a lot about this." We sat down on my bed.

"Rory's thought a lot about Christiane Amanpour, why is my thinking so much about my being an artist when I'm a grown up and my schooling so weird."

"I guess it's not Baby girl." She hugged me and rubbed my back.

"There's a lot more Art schools, then there's a Harvard."

"That's true." She laughed. She started tickling me. School started getting boring, School was easy for me. But why wouldn't it be I had most of the school work memorized. When I was writing an essay or a book report. I did my best not to sound like a college graduate. And I did an excellent job because I could remember the quality of my work when I was in the fifth grade, and among my many talents was all kinds of mimicry. I'd graduate high school the year after the show ended. I just wondered if I'd still be here and if I'd be able to influence things in this town that much. Already I influenced them although Gianelli's was mentioned in the show once, it was never shown and none of the owners or family members mentioned nor was the house on the other side of Lorelai ever shown or mentioned. I used my extra energies in scheming. I considered getting drumsticks for Lane but knew that had to happen when it happened. I also considered having her end up with Henry and although It was sad she ended up doing Mommy duty instead of really seeing where Hep Alien could go I have a feeling she wouldn't trade Kwan and Steve for anything, and I actually think Zach she loves Zach, and I know he loves her you don't agreed to wait until the wedding day if you don't.

I am currently sitting in Class listening to and watching a Science demonstration about cells, using Clear Jell-O. After the demonstration/lecture whatever we fill out worksheets. Which I fill out perfectly, and then we have geography. Where we hand in the capitols of Europe. Clearly labeled on a map. Next we're doing US Capitols, and then the world Capitols, fifth grade geography a bit cut and dried and boring, but I found most of my classes lacking in interesting subject matter, I really consider telling an adult that my classes were too easy and testing out of them and going to a school in Hartford or maybe just skipping ahead a year or two. But at the moment scheming was taking up a lot of my time, and producing art and making bets using my information of certain future events, so far I've made $200 in bets from various sources.

"So how much money have you made on your little bets so far?" Mom asked me one night at Luke's.

"Just over 200 why?"

"How exactly are you betting?"

"150 of it came from your standard Sports betting Pool the high school mascot Jimmy Walters, the other 50 came making bets on the behavior of celebrities, also from Jimmy."

"The Stars Hollow Minute Man has a sports betting empire what would Taylor say?" Mom said

"Nothing because if you tell him, I'm telling him you litter…."

"Fine."

Luke came over with our usual Burgers and fries and coffee, except mine was root beer.

"Hey when am I going to be able to drink coffee?"

"When your 12, like Rory." Mom said

"Excellent parenting there Lorelai why don't you just let them eat paint chips, and tattoo themselves." Luke said

"Paint chips would affect the taste of the coffee Luke, we'd never risk that." Mom said. That night after Luke's Mom, Rory and I watched Green Acres for some reason, and then we went to bed. About a Week later, we were in Love and War and Snow. We were at the Town meeting which is quite the show in person of course what they don't show you on Gilmore girls is the 50 minutes of boring stuff interrupted by various townspeople's insanity they only show you a small portion of the meeting. Luke definitely flipped out and it was infinitely more entertaining in person. Rory got stuck at the grandparents. I was in next door playing with JR, Mom was out enjoying her present and would bring food back later.

JR and I were having a snowball fight, and both her sisters decided to join us. So it was JR and I against Angie, and Nikki. Angie is Lily, and Nikki is Sugar. Nikki is a singer, dancer, and actress one of Miss Patty's prized students. Angie when she's stable is nuts about astronomy. And has the intelligence to back it up if she can stay on her meds she'll probably go to school for it. After the snow ball fight, Nonna made us hot chocolate with little marshmallows, and then I went home. Lane was there.

"You okay?"

"My life is over."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand."

'Why not?"

"Because you're just a little kid."

"Lorelai Gilmore is my Mom, give me a shot."

"There's this boy I like."

"Rich Bloomenfeld, what I was paying attention when you and Rory walked me to school the other day."

"Yeah, anyway we were all lined up in our uniforms and I ran my fingers through his hair….."

"Everyone does humiliating things in school. I wet myself on stage during the first grade play remember."

"I remember, but this is way different."

"Embarrassment is embarrassment, Lane, look Mom should be home soon, Rory is stuck in Hartford because of the storm but you're welcome to borrow my Mom tonight."

"Thanks…."

"Until she gets here you wanna watch a movie or something"

"Sure…."

"You pick."

"Thanks." Lane picked that thing you do! We were watching and I finally said

"You ever think of becoming a drummer."

"What me?"

"Yeah, I think you'd be an awesome drummer."

"A drummer?" I could tell she was thinking about it. Then we continued watching and making comments until Mom came home with Chinese, and no Max.

"Hello, Mommy's home."

Apparently she hadn't started dating him or at least not yet. I was thinking they would eventually since he was attracted to her and he was attractive and a nice guy, and Luke hadn't manned up and asked her out yet. But hopefully if they did go out it would never get to the engaged stage. Everyone may disagree about who Rory's match was, but everyone who watched the show agreed Luke and Lorelai belonged together at least out of the people I knew.

"Hi, Mom, Lane's here…."

"Hi Lane, we have egg rolls, Spring rolls, Sesame Chicken, Chicken and cashews, general Tso's Chicken, Kung Po chicken, and steamed dumplings for Q." We ate Chinese and Mom talked to Lane. We watched another movie, this time going with fictionalized 60s rock biopics we watched the Rose, and then Sparkle. In the middle of the night, I crawled into bed with Mom, she woke up.

"Baby girl, what's wrong?"

"You were very unhappy at Grandma and Grandpa's."

"Yes I was…." She cuddled me and ran her fingers through my hair.

"Grandma's mean to you a lot."

"You noticed that."

"It's subtle, I don't think Rory, or Grandpa, or even she knows she's doing it. Did she do that your whole life?"

"Yeah, baby girl she did."

"You never did that to us, I mean you tease us sometimes but it's always a joke and we know it's a joke, and there's always hugs, and tickles, and French fries, and donuts, and movies, and books, and laughter. Everything I'm in that house I'm afraid to breathe to loud."

"Quinn, just be yourself, I'll always protect you and your sister from them."

"But who will protect you."

"I can protect myself."

"Can I sleep here?"

"Yeah, come on." I cuddled into her and she hugged me and then we turned out at the light and went to sleep. I woke up the next morning and she was gone. I went downstairs, and She and Mom, and Lane were eating poptarts and drinking coffee, Mom handed me a cup of hot chocolate and a packet of the S'mores pop tarts which I put in the toaster. That Afternoon, JR and I built a truly impressive snow werewolf, JR and I are artists after all. Another week passed, and we were at Grandma's for Friday night dinner, Grandpa wasn't there I wasn't paying attention, I was eating my meal and playing the Frankie and Annette Movie Beach Party in my head. I already knew what was happening jokes about Nazi's and Grandma trying to convince Rory to go to the dance, I listened to mom's trying to convince her in the car. By using the 16 candles line then finally I said something.

"If you don't ask Dean to go with you to dance, I'm going to ask him for you while wearing a clown suit." I said.

"Why would you do that!" she panicked

"Because you need incentive to get off your butt and get your guy." I said "And the prospect of humiliation counts as incentive."

She asked him out on Monday. While he was stocking the shelf. Mom made the dress I kept her from injuring herself. I explained to Rory that she deserved the whole experience including him coming in for pictures. I didn't interfere further because Mom's relationship with her parents needed her to stay with her mom all night at the hospital when grandpa got sick, which means everything else had to stay the same including Rory staying out all night, and the fight. She knew that some things she couldn't change for the good of the relationships of those around her. The week between the dance and the Christmas Party was torture, but it was necessary. Mom and Grandma weren't talking, Mom and Rory were barely talking. I slept with Mom the entire week. I'm not sure if she appreciated it or not but I needed to be reassured. We went to Grandma's dinner alone, Mom was disinvited. It was horrible Grandpa got sick, he went to the hospital. I knew he would and I had a small wooden car model of a 1932 roadster all ready. Rory drove me to the Hospital, while Grandma went in the ambulance, I was crying and Rory held it together.

"It will be okay, Quinn, Grandpa will be okay." I nodded but I knew this time he would be okay but in a few years he would have a real heart attack. I didn't think it would affect me like this I knew it was coming. We're not that close. Rory leaves a message for Mom, I remind her to leave details. She does. Mom and Luke come to find us, and Grandma who is yelling at the nurse. Mom and Grandma talked to the doctors, and we saw Grandpa, I gave him my car, and Rory got him newspapers and we took turns reading to him. In the end like I knew it would be it was angina and he would only have to stay overnight, and Mom stayed with Grandma while Luke drove us home, Rory spent the rest of the night on the phone with Dean while I walkie-talked it with JR. the Christmas Procession came, we gave Christmas gifts I gave handmade gifts to everyone, some took a lot of time and effort and some more money than I could afford. But I managed to hit everyone important to me. Mom, Rory, JR, Nonna, Sookie, Luke, Michel, Morey, Babette, Lane, Everyone else just got my handmade cards, of which there was one of hundreds. It took me since Summer to me those. I even made one for Christopher from me and Rory. Christmas came and went and New Year's was the same as always lots of food made by Sookie and Mom trying to get convince us Dick Clark is a Robot.