A/N: Characters from The Ballad of Digger Stiles are going to start popping up. A quick perusal of chapters 1 and 6 is enough to get the gist. The OC Jennifer Dugray belonged to another familiar family, in the most subtle, implied, and non-convoluted way I could manage. It's backstory borrowed/toned down from my other fic, Speak Now. I'm not sure if anyone picked up on it, but it will come into play in the next chapter here.

Chapter 2

Gigi stood with her boyfriend on the front porch of the house where a party was taking place. They could hear music playing from inside, and a lot of cars lined the street. She gave him a sidelong glance as he looked down at his phone. "Who are you texting?"

He sighed and impatiently said, "No one."

"Does no one have a name?"

He was annoyed with her, obviously. That was fine. She could easily think of five or six ways he annoyed her. In fact, they probably wouldn't be together much longer. The relationship had run its course, she'd end it before he got the chance.

She followed him into one of the rooms at the party, until he sat down to talk to some friends. She stepped away to mill about on her own, and waved to a few girls she knew from her dorm, but kept walking. She heard someone playing a piano in another room and her feet started to move toward it, recognizing the melody. When she reached the room where the music was coming from, she saw a dark haired boy sitting at a piano, quite dramatically playing 'Let it Go'. She'd never seen him on campus, but he must go to Princeton.

She wasn't the only one whose feet travelled down memory lane. At least four girls had surrounded the piano player, singing along and smiling as they acted out Elsa's part. It was after the small crowd of girls left that Gigi spoke, "You're kind of a ham, you know."

The boy, still at the piano, looked up at her. The corner of his mouth quirked up. "Yeah." He leaned back to make sure no one else would hear, then said, "The sad part is, Frozen is the only thing I still remember how to play. Five years of lessons, down the drain. Then I switched to cello, because that's clearly the key to being cool."

She grinned. "That's not such a waste." She came into the room and stood on her toes. She gracefully lifted her leg behind her and extended her arms straight-one parallel with her leg and the other up in front of her. She held the arabesque for a moment and then lowered herself back to her standing position. "Eleven years and that's all I can do."

The boy's brow arched. "I bet you can do more than that."

"Maybe. But it won't make my mother suddenly decide she wants to come back and be my mom again, so why bother?" She didn't usually mention that to people. She didn't know why she told this stranger. He didn't deserve to be burdened with her family history. It would make anyone uncomfortable. Noticing she'd made him uneasy, she asked, "Did you learn Frozen just so you could pick up girls at parties?"

"No. My little sister was obsessed with the movie—huge Elsa fan. So I learned the song for her birthday one year. I actually hate it. A lot."

Gigi sat down next to him on the bench, her back to the keys. "That was really sweet of you."

"Yeah," he said, a little too empathetic, for himself. Closer now, she could see his dark blue eyes. "The bad part was, she made me play it all the time so she could sing along, which was annoying. But on the bright side a lot of other girls who didn't live at our house also liked that movie." He gestured to her with an open palm. "Such as yourself."

She shrugged a shoulder. "It's okay, but I liked Anna better. She saved the day."

Brightly, the boy said, "That's what I always told Sloan—my sister. It was the easiest way to get on her nerves when she was six."

Gigi nodded and stared across the room. "I also like Anna because she's like me. I'm the little sister with a big sister who doesn't have time to come out and build a snowman with me." Rory would rather do that with her mother, anyway. Chris had said Rory was like Elsa—she was like a princess with lots of important things to do, but she would really like to spend more time with Gigi if she could.

"Oh, you like a deeper connection to your fictional characters," he said, again caught off guard by her over-sharing, but went with it. "You aren't close to your sister?"

"No. But there's an 18 year age difference and we have different moms. So we were never meant to be siblings in the traditional sense," Gigi explained. "We just happen to share a father who has a knack for accidentally impregnating his girlfriends."

The boy nodded solemnly. "Been there." When she frowned at him in mild horror, he went on, "No, not me, my dad. He did the same thing. That's how I got here."

"Ah. Is Sloan your half-sister?"

"No," he said. "Same mom and dad. They got married."

"Oh," she said heavily with a single nod.

"What? You sound like you perfectly understand something."

"I do," Gigi said. "My dad only married my mom because she was pregnant with me, so she left when I was two. Your version of the story got a happy ending."

He shook his head. "That isn't what happened. I didn't even meet my dad until I was three, because my mom didn't want him to try to marry her when he didn't want to—and something about a Volvo. I was six when they did get married. Then we all moved into the same house and I got a sister."

"Oh. I stand corrected," she said dryly.

"Sorry about your parents." She just nodded and they were quiet for a minute. He tilted his head toward her. "Are we going to kiss now?"

She scowled at him in surprise. "No, why would we kiss?"

"I don't know, we were sharing." He gestured at the piano. "The setting is romantic."

"We also don't know each other's names," she said, pointedly.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"There you are," said Gigi's boyfriend from the door. "I've been looking all over for you."

The boy on the bench next to her quietly said, "And you came with a date."

She glanced at him and nodded before getting up, disappointed to leave, even if she wasn't going to kiss him. Probably.

XXX

The house was quiet when Gigi arrived late Friday night. They had moved here after he and Lorelai split. Since Chris was working for the Hartford office by that time, he decided they should stay to be near his mom. He took Gigi along to look at houses, and she excitedly ran from one bedroom to the next, happy to pick out her very own. She wasn't going to have to share, and wouldn't be required to carefully not to touch anything. It was a whole room, just for her and her stuff. She didn't have any trouble picking which room she wanted, but Chris said he already called the master bedroom. So she picked the one next to his, glad she got to be upstairs near him.

Her dad never remarried or had more kids. He didn't even have a serious girlfriend. There was only one time when a woman woke up in their house in the morning. Gigi had pleaded that they not move into her house, because she liked this one.

"Why would we live in her house?" Chris had asked.

"Like when we went to live in Aunt Lorelai's house."

"Oh."

No other woman was to be seen coming or going after that. He promised that this would be their house, and he wouldn't take her to live in any others. And for that, she was grateful. She liked having a place that was just theirs.

Gigi pulled her cellphone out of her bag and saw she had a missed call from her dad, so she tapped on his name.

"Hey, kid," he answered. "Did you make it back all right?"

"Yeah. I made it through the city okay. The house is kind of cold, can I turn up the heat?"

"Sure, go ahead. I just turned it down since I was out of town all week," he said. "Sorry I couldn't be there now, but I'll be back Sunday morning. And then you better be ready, because we are going to do some serious hanging out."

"I can find some way to occupy myself tonight," she told him. "I was thinking of visiting grandma."

"Tonight? It's getting kind of late. Why don't you wait until tomorrow for that?"

"Oh, okay."

"I talked to Rory yesterday, and we couldn't remember the last time you guys hung out."

"She's always busy." Gigi was busy too, but she wasn't as important.

"Well, it's your lucky night, because she and your aunt Lorelai are having a movie marathon after their Friday night dinner and Rory invited you. What do you say?" He sounded so enthusiastic. "It's been a long time since you've gone to one with them."

"I don't want to impose." Really, she didn't want to go. She felt like an outsider at their movie nights.

"Don't be silly, you're family," Chris said. "And she invited you. She wants you to come. They both do."

She sighed heavily. It was only one night. She could survive one night and it meant a lot to her dad. "Yeah, okay. Movies sound fun."

Gigi wasn't the only honorary Gilmore girl invited to movie night. April Nardini was there, already situated on the couch. April was Luke's daughter, and Lorelai was with Luke. Gigi would never forget the first time she met the other girl. She was eight, and when introduced, April gave Rory a perplexed look. "I didn't even know you had a sister."

"Well I do. Gigi and I have the same dad. Don't we?" Rory asked unnecessarily. She didn't tell people she had a sister? Did she forget? Gigi knew they didn't see each other much, but she knew she had a sister. It was impossible to forget.

She used to resent April, who lived far away and wasn't even related to Rory, yet closer to the inner circle because of her dad. Gigi liked to think she grew out of it, but some bitterness still remained. She didn't appreciate having Rory for a sister the way she was supposed to. But it was the principle of the thing.

April had a knack for sounding condescending a lot of the time, and she thought Gigi was spoiled. "Nice car," she had said insincerely when Gigi pulled up in a shiny new car when she was 16. She was clearly of the mind that Gigi didn't deserve nice things she didn't earn. It didn't seem to bother April when Chris bought Rory a car for her 30th birthday. But that was different. Rory deserved expensive presents.

Luke was at Lorelai's house when Gigi arrived, but as usual, he was leaving the girls to their movies, and making himself scarce. He was just dropping off food, in addition to the junk they already had arranged on the coffee table. He was always nice to Gigi, probably aware that Chris would inquire. Luke beamed at his daughter being included by the Gilmores. It was the exact same look Chris had when Gigi hung out with them. The two old rivals were more alike than they realized. They both loved their daughters. But if Gigi and April could be more like the Gilmore girls, and accepted in the club, all the better.

"Everyone's here, let's get this movie night started," Lorelai said, pulling out three movies.

Gigi didn't hold her breath, they usually watched something she'd never seen. But she was surprised by the choices, she actually liked them. The first movie in the lineup was even her favorite for a while in high school. Her dad must have told Lorelai what she'd like. Then the movie started.

April got a shot in first, ironically commenting on how much she loved how they found all the mediocre actors bumming around Hollywood and put them in this movie together. It made for convenient mocking. Gigi had a picture of the male lead on her bedroom wall when she was 16.

"That worked to their advantage," Lorelai said. "They were hoping to appeal to a key demographic."

"The lowest common denominator?" April asked flatly.

"It's important to know your audience," Rory said, pretending to pay a compliment.

Lorelai grinned in response.

Was it Gigi's turn? She didn't have anything.

She crossed her arms and tried to tune out the insults, but it was difficult, they just kept coming. She wished she could disappear into the couch, just sink away. She felt small enough to do so. She might as well have melted away, she wasn't participating in the slaying.

The food was gone before the movie was half over, and when the credits rolled Lorelai mocked the song before stopping it. She went to the TV to change the disk. "You're pretty quiet over there."

Gigi sat up to stretch. "I'm kind of tired. And I've been too busy listening to you guys. You're just so fast. Nothing slips by you and Rory."

Lorelai smiled proudly. "It takes years to reach our level, but with practice, you too will be able to mock with the best of us." She looked over to the youngest brunette. "April has been catching up though."

The girl lifted her chin. "I'm a quick study. But to be fair, this movie makes it pretty easy," she said. "Which isn't to say I'm not still the student. I have a long way to go before I surpass the masters. Dad actually felt the need to warn me before my first movie night," April said with an eye roll. "He said not to worry if I couldn't keep up with you two at first. But I reassured him that I was up to the challenge."

April thought she was in the bubble, and Gigi pitied her for it. She didn't realize membership in the exclusive club was maxed out at two. No one else could get in, and keeping up didn't grant full membership. They didn't let anyone inside their little jokes. Anything waved off as 'A Gilmore Thing' would not be explained. Like that time Gigi ate three apples and Lorelai asked if she was pregnant. She felt embarrassed and didn't eat apples there anymore. She just didn't want to get sick off junk food. Once was enough.

It didn't make sense. It wasn't like Luke had to settle for a life without Lorelai and Rory. April didn't have to fill the void for her dad the way Gigi did. But for whatever reason, April did try to emulate them. She marvelled at their eating habits and complimented their amazing metabolism. She found their taste in old movies so refreshing. And they liked the best music. If you adored them, they'd allow you to sit next to their bubble.

Gigi had come up with an excuse to leave, but Rory got to her first. "How are things going at the paper?"

"Yeah, it's no Yale Daily News, but I hear the Daily Princetonian isn't too shabby," Lorelai said.

"It's good. I get a lot published." It was in part due to her taking stories out from under other reporters. When someone got a story she wanted, she wrote it anyway and turned it in. The editor had a choice then. It didn't make her popular on the staff, but she got more bylines than only doing her own work. "I'm starting an internship when I go back Monday."

"That's great, where is it?" Rory asked.

"The Trenton Times," Gigi said. "It's not too far from school."

"If you're half the writer Rory is, I'm sure you'll do great," Lorelai said.

Gigi knew she was being genuine. One could only hope to be half of everything Rory was. If she could come in second behind Rory, then she'd be doing well in life. She took a deep breath and let it out. Relax.

"But be careful, okay?" Rory said.

Before Gigi could ask what she should be careful about, Lorelai jumped in, "Yeah, you don't have to listen to anyone with a fancy title who seems important. It doesn't automatically mean they know anything about you or journalism."

Gigi frowned. "Who, the editor?"

"Well, yeah, the editor, the publisher," Rory said. "Their opinions are completely subjective, so don't put stock into it."

Lorelai plopped back down next to Rory. "Ah, hon, I know you're worried about Gigi because you're an amazing big sister, but it'll be different for her. The owners don't have a reason to hate her. They aren't out to get her." Her voice was full of sympathy and compassion, for her daughter. "She probably won't even see the publisher."

"Why would they—." Gigi stopped. She was confused by their poor advice, but now she got it. This wasn't about her. "Did you ever do an internship during college?"

"Just one. But I should have followed my instinct and turned it down," Rory said, waving it off. "It had no effect on my career whatsoever."

"Why not?"

"No reason, it was nothing. It just wasn't a good experience," Rory said with a tight grin, unwilling to divulge, staying inside the special bubble, where she was safe.

Gigi hadn't been valedictorian in high school. She didn't get into all of the Big Three schools, or a free ride to MIT. But that didn't make her an idiot. Everyone knew Lorelai and Rory talked a lot. It was a point of pride for the lucky few who could 'keep up'. But Gigi knew there was more substance in what they didn't want to say. Like now, Nothing meant Something.

"And it's not like those people own all the papers in the world, only 12 or 13. That's hardly any at all in the grand scheme of things," Lorelai said.

"You're right," Rory said. Then to Gigi, "You're going to do great. Let's get the next movie started."

Gigi sat up straighter and stretched her arms. "I'm actually going to head out."

"Already?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, it's getting late and I'm really tired from the long drive I had today."

"Oh that's right. Well it was nice seeing you. Let us know how the internship goes."

"Hey, I wonder what became of pompous Princeton guy," Lorelai said, starting the next movie as Gigi walked out.

XXX

Christopher was already sitting at the kitchen table when Gigi went downstairs Sunday morning. "Hey, Gi'g," he said with a big smile when she joined him.

"Morning. You're awfully chipper for this hour."

He took a sip of coffee and nodded. "I'm not on Eastern time yet. I foresee myself crashing later. Did you have a good time with the Gilmores the other night?"

She couldn't tell him that she didn't. "Yeah, it was fun," she said, averting her gaze and pushing her hair behind her ear. She accepted the cup of coffee he offered her, though she wasn't going to drink it. She tried to like it, but it was awful no matter what she put in it. She was jittery after one cup, and any more than that made her feel a bit sick. It was really too bad, because being caught with a coffee cup was the easiest way to earn the title of honorary Gilmore girl.

"What did you guys watch?"

"Something stupid."

"Did Lorelai and Rory have a field day?"

"Yeah, you know them."

"That I do." He flipped a pancake on the griddle to make sure it was finished before serving it to her on a plate. After making a couple more and taking a seat next to her, he said, "I talked to Lorelai this morning, she and Rory had some concerns about that internship you're starting. Are you sure you want to do it at that paper?"

"Yes. It's close to school, and it had an internship available. Those were my main criteria when I applied."

"Yeah, but this particular paper is owned by some bad people. Rory looked into it. The publishers are total jerks," he said. "She had an internship at one of their papers during college and it didn't go so well."

This again. "What happened?"

"She was doing an amazing job at that paper and then the publisher had the nerve to tell her she didn't have 'it'. Can you believe that?"

"Blasphemy." She shifted her eyes to the side.

"Exactly. You know your sister, she's Rory," he said. "She was, understandably, pretty upset about it. She got into some trouble with a yacht because of it."

"What kind of trouble?"

He shook his head. "Speeding probably, I don't know. You know Rory, it was probably nothing and she blew it up in her mind." He went on, "She even took some time off school, and didn't talk to Lorelai for months." He shook his head. "I can't believe I liked the kid, I had no idea he caused so much trouble."

"What kid?"

"Her boyfriend at the time. It was his dad's paper, got her into all that trouble."

Of course nothing was Rory's fault. Relax. Relax. Relax.

"His whole family was horrible to her for no reason at all. They didn't think she was good enough. They didn't even care that she's a Gilmore."

It was the 21st century, who the hell would care?

"That's why she got the internship, to buy her off after the way they treated her," Chris said. "But she's strong, so she ignored the guy and went back to Yale, where she belonged. Next thing we knew, she was voted the editor of the Daily News, unanimously, no less. The jerk was obviously wrong."

Gigi didn't say anything, instead focusing on not saying something snide.

Chris, who was still sitting across from her, said, "I don't think you should take the internship."

She put down her glass of orange juice and impatiently asked, "Why?"

"I don't want you getting mixed up with these people. I'm sure you could get another internship at a different paper, and you'll do great," he said.

She shook her head. "No. That guy isn't the publisher anymore," she argued. "It's a woman now, and I'm not involved with her son—if she even has one."

"Gigi, come on, I'm concerned about you."

"Well don't be. Just because Rory couldn't handle it doesn't mean I can't."

"Hey, don't talk about your sister like that. She wasn't being treated the way she should. It's completely understandable she was upset."

Right, and that made her infallible. "It doesn't matter if the publisher doesn't like me. I'm still in control of my reactions." No one could say she didn't learn anything from anger management. "I'm doing the internship, and I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."