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Chapter 5
Charlotte and Jess exchanged a look as they sat in the living room at the Gilmore Mansion. Rory had just told everyone about her plans to go and report from Afghanistan and the room had erupted into a shouting match. Charlotte glanced at Mia and Jack who were looking very confused and upset at the shouting.
"Jess..." She said quietly, gesturing towards Mia and Jack.
Jess nodded, understanding immediately, and got up. "Come on, you two. Let's see what toys we can find upstairs." He said softly, gently leading them out.
"How long have you known about this?" Lorelai asked Rory.
"About a week." Rory admitted.
"And you didn't say anything?" Lorelai said hurt.
"I wanted to tell you all together." She said quietly.
"I suppose you knew though." Emily demanded, looking at Sam.
"Yes I knew." Sam said.
"And you're just letting her go? What sort of fiance lets their soon to be wife go off to one of the world's most dangerous countries?" Emily demanded.
"Someone who is supportive of her work." Sam said, staying calm.
"And you're just willing to let her go and get killed?" Emily exclaimed.
"Grandma!" Rory intervened.
"She's right, though, Rory." Lorelai said. "I know it probably seems exciting but you don't understand how dangerous it will be. So many journalists abroad get killed every day."
"I don't understand?" Rory exclaimed. "I know what's at risk, I'm not stupid!"
"We weren't saying you were..." Lorelai said.
"No of course not, just misguided." Emily said sending another glare Sam's way.
"Why don't we just all calm down for a minute?" Charlotte suggested, trying to ease the tension.
"I'm sorry, hon, but I just can't allow this." Lorelai continued, ignoring Charlotte.
"You can't allow this? What am I, 5?" Rory exclaimed, getting frustrated.
"It's too dangerous!" Lorelai exclaimed.
"And I won't be going unprepared! I'm not a kid anymore, mom! You can't control every decision I make anymore." Rory said.
"What's that meant to mean?" Lorelai frowned.
"It means that I can do my own thing now. I don't need my mommy's permission. I'm 27!" She snapped.
"Rory..." Charlotte said.
"What? It's true! She's been controlling us for all our life! Like forcing you to go to college and then refusing to talk to you when you want to lead your own path." Rory said.
"Leave me out of this." Charlotte said. "Look, I think we're all just worried. You can understand that, can't you?"
"If only you were still with Tristan..." Emily muttered.
"What?" Rory said shocked.
"Emily..." Richard warned.
"What? Tristan wouldn't want Rory basically flying off to her death!" Emily exclaimed. "He loved her too much!"
"You seriously think I don't love Rory?" Sam demanded.
"Well you obviously don't if you're happy about this..."
"You think I'm happy about her going to Afghanistan?" Sam exclaimed, finally losing his patience. "Every minute she's there, I'm going to be terrified thinking that every phone call I get will be to tell me she's been killed. I hate the fact that I won't be there to protect her!" He said getting up.
"Then why are you supporting it?" Lorelai asked.
"Because like Rory said, she's not a kid!" Sam exclaimed. "Just because I'm supporting her decision, doesn't mean I'm happy about it."
"Then forbid her!" Emily exclaimed.
"You really don't know me at all, do you?" Sam shook his head. "You haven't even tried to get to know me. I'm not about to be that controlling partner who tells their fiancee what she can or can't do. Rory's her own person. She knows the risks. All I can tell her is to be careful."
"Then you're not who I want with my granddaughter." Emily glared at him.
"This is useless." Sam said.
"Sam..." Rory said softly.
"No, forget it. I need some air." He said before leaving the room and the house.
"Thanks a lot!" Rory glared at her grandma and mom. "Do you know how much Sam has struggled since I told him the plans? He's tried not to show me because he wants to be supportive but I know he doesn't want me to go. And now you both have to attack him!"
"I didn't attack him." Lorelai frowned.
"Whatever, my mind is made. I'm going and there's nothing you can do about it." Rory said getting up. "Can we stay at your place tonight?" She asked Charlotte.
"Uh..yeah..." Charlotte said.
"We'll meet you there. We're not staying for dinner." Rory said.
"Rory!" Lorelai called after her but Rory ignored her and left to find Sam.
"Well played mom." Charlotte sighed.
"What did I do?" Lorelai exclaimed.
Charlotte just shook her head. "I'm going to find Jess and Jack and go." She said getting up.
"We haven't had dinner yet." Richard said.
"I don't think it would be a good idea." Charlotte sighed. "Sorry Grandpa. I'll see you next week." She said before leaving the room. "Oh and don't forget Mia." She told her mom. "Remember, short girl with long brown hair, the girl who Jess had to take out because she was upset about all the shouting." She said before leaving.
Lorelai exhaled and put her head in her hands. "I guess we'll be going too." She said after a moment.
"You need to make her see sense." Emily said. "About the job and that man."
"The job, I agree." Lorelai said. "But Sam, no. He makes her really happy and he loves her. You had no right to attack him like that."
"What do you think about the whole plan?" Emily demanded ignoring Lorelai and looking at Luke.
"Oh..well..." Luke said taken aback by being asked. "Obviously it's dangerous but Rory has her own mind..."
"Wait, what?" Lorelai said looking at him shocked.
Charlotte walked out to the living room of her apartment to find Sam sat at the kitchen table. Jess was putting Jack down for the night and Rory was in the bathroom. "Hey.." She said.
"Hey.." He sighed. "Do you think I should be stopping her going?"
"No." Charlotte sighed going to get a glass of water. "You and I both know when Rory had her mind set on something, nothing's going to stop her." She said.
"I am scared." Sam admitted.
"Well she definitely took me by surprise when she told us all about it." Charlotte admitted.
"I'm sorry I lost it with your grandmother." He said embarrassed.
"Forget it. She deserved it. She had no right attacking you like she did." She said. "And mom was just worried about Rory. You know she loves you."
"Yeah I know." He sighed.
"Hey..." A voice said from the doorway.
Charlotte looked up to see Rory stood there. "Hey." She said giving her a small smile.
"Hey Sam, fancy a walk? We could grab a drink or something." Jess suggested coming in. He knew Charlotte probably wanted some time with Rory.
"Sure, why not." Sam said getting up.
"Wait!" Rory said rushing up to him. She leaned in and gave him a kiss. "I love you." She said.
Sam gave her a small smile. "I love you too." He said softly.
Jess and Sam then left, leaving the sisters alone in the apartment.
"Are you mad at me too?" Rory asked nervously.
"Mad? No." Charlotte said. "Confused? A bit. Worried? A lot." She admitted, going to sit down on the couch.
Rory sighed and went to sit next to her. "I didn't make the decision lightly." She said.
"I know you wouldn't have." Charlotte assured her. "Doesn't stop us worrying though."
"I know." She sighed.
"And that was what mom was. And probably a bit shocked that you told her at the same time as Grandma and Grandpa. You always talk to her first." Charlotte pointed out.
"I know...I just...It was hard enough telling Sam. I couldn't tell you all separately, I just couldn't. I guess I was just a bit of a chicken." She admitted ashamed.
"Hey, anyone going to Afghanistan is not a chicken." She said.
"I know people think I'm naive but I know the risks. I really do. I'm going to get training about what to expect and how to deal with certain stuff." Rory told her. "I know this seems sudden and insane but this sort of reporting has been my dream since I was..."
"Since you were 5, yeah I know." Charlotte said softly. "You forget I'm your sister and have listened to you go on about how much you want to be like Christiane Amanpour. I just...promise me you'll stay safe. I want my twins to be able to meet their aunt."
"I promise." Rory said sincerely. "I want to meet them too."
Luke glanced back at Mia who had fallen asleep in the car. He then glanced across at Lorelai who was staring outside the window. "I have to stop by the diner to finish closing up." He said.
"Fine." Lorelai said.
Luke sighed. "Lorelai...please talk to me. You've not said a word since we left."
"What can I say? You want Rory to go to her death." Lorelai said stiffly.
"That's crazy and you know it!" Luke frowned as he parked by the diner.
"Oh so now I'm crazy?" She demanded.
"Lorelai...I don't want to argue." He said exasperated, getting out of the car. He was surprised when Lorelai got out too and started following him into the diner.
"Uh...Lorelai? What about Mia?" Luke said gesturing to their sleeping daughter.
"She's fine. We can see her from in here. Plus I don't want to hear us fighting." Lorelai said crossing her arms against her chest.
"And I repeat, I don't want to fight." Luke said, entering the diner.
"Then agree with me that we have to do something to stop her! Help me come up with a plan to stop her going! We could kidnap her and keep her locked in her room at ours." Lorelai said. "Or we could call her boss and tell her she's changed her mind and won't be going."
"Lorelai..." Luke said tiredly.
"Why are you so reluctant to stop her going? It's Afghanistan! Don't you care that she could be killed or do you just care about April and Mia, you know, the kids who are actually yours?" She snapped.
"That's not fair." Luke frowned. "You know I love Rory and Charlotte like they're my own! Seriously, Lorelai, listen to yourself, will you?"
"Then why are you refusing to do anything? Why are you siding with her?" Lorelai exclaimed.
"Because she's not a kid anymore!" Luke exclaimed, getting annoyed, feeling his breathing speed up. "If this was 10 years ago, yes I'd probably agree with you but she's 27. She has the right to make her own decisions. Hell, she's getting married! She's grown up and I'm sure she's thought this through. Come on, Lorelai, this is the kid who makes a pro/con list for every decision she makes."
"I know. She is my daughter." Lorelai said stiffly.
"Then you won't want to fall out with her." Luke said. "Or do you want that? Because whatever you do, she's made up her mind obviously and would you rather she go out there when you two aren't talking to each other?"
"She won't be going out there at all because I will stop her." Lorelai said stubbornly.
"Now you're just being delusional and silly." Luke shook her head.
"Gee thanks! It's great to hear what my husband really thinks of me." She snapped bitterly.
"I get that you're worried." Luke sighed, trying to reason with her. "I am too. But you can't control her forever. You've got to let her live her life."
"Oh because you're such an expert at parenting! Anna thought you'd be such a bad dad that you didn't find out about April until she was 12. You don't know what it's like to guide a kid through life from the beginning." She snapped spitefully.
"And Mia is just an imaginary daughter is she?" Luke snapped, feeling himself getting worked up again.
Lorelai snorted. "You barely parent her! You're working the whole time at this stupid place! Sometimes I think you love this place more than us! You clearly love it more than Rory!"
"Get out." Luke gritted his teeth.
"You're the one being stupid! This is Rory's life we're talking about! How can you be so selfish?" She exclaimed angrily.
"What, like you are when you don't get people to see your point of view? Max might have been a walkover but I'm not." Luke said angrily.
"Drop dead!" Lorelai shouted.
"Charming." Luke said dryly.
Lorelai let out an exasperated groan before storming out of the diner. Luke watched as she got into the jeep and drove off with Mia. He shook his head and tried to regulate his breathing. He went to put some chairs on the tables and then went to do the stools by the counter but he was still struggling to slow down his breathing. He started to panic as he felt himself starting to gasp for breath and suddenly he felt a pain in his chest. He clutched his chest and leant against the counter, trying to steady himself but he was still struggling to catch his breath. He felt another shooting pain in his chest and he worriedly reached for his cell in his pocket. He shakily dialled 1 to speed dial Lorelai but as he was about to press the call button, a third shot of pain hit him and he dropped his phone and collapsed down next to it.
I know it's mean to leave it like that but I need to have you all wanting more! ;) Hope you enjoyed it! :) Thanks again for your support so far, it really does mean so much! :)