I Love Loving You
By: Legacy at Heart.
Disclaimer: I own only Kate.
Story Summary: What if Rory had a twin sister? And what if Jess did not fall for Rory but her twin sister? Starts at Season 2 when Jess comes in and jumps around a little after that.
Chapter Summary: There's the Rub: With the diner under construction, Luke and Jess are on the edge. Lorelai and Emily spend time together and Rory and Kate's evening goes awry when Paris, Jess, and Dean get thrown into the mix. But what happens when Jess finds out that Kate put herself in a potentially harmful situation at school?
AUTHOR'S NOTE IS ON THE BOTTOM
Chapter 8: Vicious Trollops and Colds
Luke grumbled as he walked around his diner. It was two weeks since he bought out the building next door and they had started construction on the apartment. Jess looked at him and donned a hard hat.
"I don't know how much longer I can put up with this," he said.
"Join the club," Luke replied going over to deliver some food to a table. "Here you go," he said, as a chuck of ceiling fell onto them. "Geez, uh, sorry folks… Uh, here…there we go. Free coffee all around," he stated, pouring them fresh cups after Jess got him the coffee.
"You might wanna put your hand over that," his nephew advised.
Luke sent him a look and Jess smirked, walking away. Luke looked back at his customers.
"He's right though," he relented.
He spied Tom, the contractor by the counter and walked over to him. "Tom, what the hell is going on up there?" he asked.
"We're redoing your apartment. What do you think is going on up there?" Tom replied.
Luke sighed in frustration. "The ceiling's falling in. I've got customers eating drywall here," he pointed out.
"Oh, well, that can't be good," Tom retorted, looking up and holding up his clipboard.
"You said minimal disruptions," Luke went on.
"Hey, this is minimal disruptions," Tom replied. "Look, I need you to sign this change order," he added, showing it to Luke.
"What happened now," Luke asked, looking at the paper.
"Well, we broke through this wall and we found some pipes that shouldn't be there. We gotta move 'em," Tom explained.
"Move 'em where," Luke asked, weary of the answer as he got ready to sign the paper.
"Not sure. We gotta find out what they do first," Tom told him.
Luke looked up at him. "You're kidding," he said.
"Oh yeah; there's nothing I like more than a good 'moving a pipe' joke," Tom said.
Luke sighed again. "Fine, one more week, that's it," he said, signing the form.
"Oh, sure, construction ultimatum. Ha, that's even funnier than my moving pipe joke," Tom said, taking the order and going back upstairs.
Jess came over to his uncle. "Only contractor in town," he asked.
"Yep," Luke replied as the Gilmores came in.
"Geez look at this place," Lorelai said.
"I know," Kate nodded, raising her eyebrow at Jess who raised his back at her.
"It's a mess," Rory said as they sat down at the one available table.
"How long," Lorelai started, taking off her coat.
"Nope, nope, can't sit here," Luke cut her off, going over to them.
"Why not," Lorelai asked, looking up at him.
"Three people got nailed in the head here earlier," Jess piped in, taking Kate by the arm and moving her to the counter. "And you shouldn't be here, you're still sick," he added feeling her forehead.
"But their food was okay, right," Kate asked, going to sit back down. "And I'm fine," she told him.
She grinned at his hat. "Nice hat," she added.
Jess rolled his eyes. "You've had this cold of yours all week," he pointed out, ignoring her comment.
Kate glared at him, with red eyes and sniffle. "Will you just bring me coffee," she asked, sounding very, very congested.
"Will you just move," Luke asked, as Jess shook his head, going into the back. Lorelai's phone started to ring. "Outside," he pointed to the door.
"You know, if I sit here one more second, I just might be outside," Lorelai teased. Luke gave her a stern look going back to the counter. "Order me some coffee," she told her daughters going outside.
Jess came back and opened an umbrella over Kate and Rory's heads.
"Oh you are really funny. You and Tom should put an act together," Luke called after him as he walked away.
Kate looked over her shoulder at Luke. "Leave it opened," she asked.
"Yeah, that would be great," Luke replied.
As he said that, drywall and plaster fell over it. Rory and Kate jumped.
Outside, Lorelai was talking to her mother.
"Go ahead Mom, I can hear you now," she said.
"I wanted to know if you'd like a gift certificate for a weekend at the Birch Grove Spa," Emily said over the phone sitting on her couch at home.
"Are you serious," Lorelai asked.
"I bid on it at the DAR Symphony Fundraiser and I won," Emily explained.
"Birch Grove? That's supposed to be an amazing place, why don't you go?" Lorelai asked.
"Oh, I've never had any real desire to go to a spa," Emily dismissed.
"Why'd you bid on it then," Lorelai asked.
"It was for charity, I had to bid on something. And I certainly didn't want another portrait of George Washington. I've got four in the attic already," Emily told her, snapping her fingers at the maid and pointing to the table.
"Well I'd love it," Lorelai replied.
"Good," Emily stated.
"Two days of total mind-numbing pampering. Massages, facials, aromatherapy," Lorelai mused.
"My goodness, you make it sound like heaven," Emily told her as the maid put a doily under the vase.
"It's as close as you'll ever come to being a dog," Lorelai joked.
"I beg your pardon," Emily asked.
"You know, a whole life of nothing but eating, sleeping, lying on your back and getting rubbed," Lorelai explained.
"I'd love the comparison to stop there," Emily told her.
"Deal; um hey, when's it for," Lorelai asked.
"This weekend actually," Emily replied.
"Oh, well, I'll be there," Lorelai stated.
"So will I," Emily said.
Lorelai looked at the phone. "Excuse me," she asked.
"Well, the certificate is for two, and since you make it sound like the most wonderful place in the world, I might as well try it with you," Emily explained.
Oh but," Lorelai started.
"That's all right isn't it, if I join you? You don't mind," Emily asked.
"No, I don't mind at all," Lorelai relented.
"Wonderful. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning. You know, I'm actually looking forward to this," Emily told her daughter.
"Oh yeah, me too. Thanks Mom. Bye- bye," Lorelai said hanging up the phone. She shook her head and went back inside.
She found her daughter with the umbrella still opened over their heads. She sighed and sat down, throwing her phone in her bag.
"I'm going to a spa with my mother," she said.
"That's nice," Kate nodded as something whirred upstairs.
"Lean forward," Rory said, motioning her mother.
They all huddled under the umbrella as more plaster fell over them.
The next day, the sisters were packing a suitcase for their mother, while she was on the phone.
"So, then we're all confirmed…uh, great…thanks so much for your help…okay, bye," she said. She hung up and phone and cheered, "Yeeessss!"
"That was an evil yes," Kate observed.
"Not an evil yes. It's a 'yes, I'm pretty, but hello, I'm smart' kind of a yes," Lorelai pointed out.
"Oh, my mistake," Kate chuckled, folding a blouse.
"What did that yes call for," Rory asked.
"So here's the deal – I go into my facial just as my mother is finishing her salt glow, which will end ten minutes after I've hit my scalp treatment which puts me in the watsu massage pool at least six minutes into her back facial. Uh, in fact, the day is so well planned; I won't see her until dinner which will be cut tragically short by the food poisoning I plan to contract," Lorelai replied.
"You are twelve and disgusting," Rory pointed out.
"I am trapped and desperate," Lorelai corrected.
"You really think you can avoid Grandma the entire weekend," Kate asked going to the dresser.
"Hey, I'm nothing if not a great organizer," Lorelai told them. "Now, let's talk about what you're gonna do tonight. Throwing a party, I hope? Inviting hundreds of bikers and lowlifes who are gonna trash the place?" she asked, grinning as she went on, nudging her girls.
"I am going to do laundry, watch TV, order Indian food and go to bed early," Rory replied.
"And then come the bikers and lowlifes who are gonna trash the place," Lorelai asked.
"And I'm going to go to the bookstore and hide in a corner to write until Andrew kicks me out at closing and then come home and watch Roman Holiday until I fall asleep on the couch," Kate added. "Maybe even while the TV's on," she went on.
"When do the bikers and lowlifes trash the place," Lorelai huffed.
Kate rolled her eyes. "You're all packed," she said.
Lorelai sighed. "Girls, you have to do something bad when Mommy's out of town. It's the law. You're seen Risky Business, right? Now I'm not asking for a prostitution ring, but how about a floating craps game or something?" she asked.
"We'll see what we can do," Rory said.
"I'd greatly appreciate it," Lorelai replied.
A car horn blared from outside. The three Gilmores looked at each other.
"I think Grandma's here," Kate asked, looking outside.
"What's she honking for? She hates honking. She calls it a mechanical bodily function," Lorelai told them, looking outside the window. "Ugh, geez," she said going downstairs.
The girls looked out the window and smiled.
"Oh cool," they chorused.
Outside, Emily stood in front of a limo as they all walked out of the house.
"Hello, hello, hello," she greeted.
"What are we going to the prom," Lorelai asked.
"I just thought since this weekend is all about relaxing, we should start with the ride," Emily replied.
"This is cool, Grandma," Rory said.
"Thank you, Rory," Emily smiled. She turned to Kate. "How are you feeling, Kate," she asked.
"Still pretty bad," Kate shrugged, her voice cracked.
"I hope you feel somewhat better this weekend," Emily said.
"I'm taking today off and resting," Kate replied.
"That's good," Emily nodded. "So are we ready to go," she asked.
Lorelai sighed as the driver took her bag. "I guess so Miss Daisy," she said, kissing Kate on the forehead and Rory on the cheek. "Bye sweets," she said.
"Bye," they chorused. "Bye Grandma," they added.
"Goodbye, girls," Emily said opening the door.
"Have a good time," Rory said as Emily got in.
Lorelai stalled to look at her daughter. "Bikers and lowlifes," she said.
"We'll get right on it," Kate smirked, as Lorelai got into the car.
The car pulled away and the girls went back inside. Kate had a nest on the couch that she crawled back into.
"You'll be okay," Rory asked, grabbing her backpack.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Kate told her. "Just grab my lab report from Chemistry and tell Paris I will get that article to her on Monday," she added.
"Got it," Rory nodded, hugging her sister. "You have everything," she asked.
"All my books and pens for song writing while sick and my entire Audrey collection," Kate nodded. "Go," she said, smiling.
Rory smiled and left the house.
Kate smiled and she put on the TV and popped in her Breakfast at Tiffany's.
At Chilton, Rory was sitting in the back of the classroom as the teacher handed back the lab reports.
"In general, the lab reports weren't bad – but they weren't great either, which leads me to question whether everyone has the grasp of electrochemistry I prefer before we move on. To that end, I will be giving another test on Tuesday covering chapters fourteen through eighteen in your textbooks, as well as the material from lab. Now please proceed with the assignment we all started yesterday, as that too will be included on the test," she said as she paced the room, handing out the lab reports.
"Could I have Kate's too please," Rory asked quietly.
"Certainly," the teacher replied, handing both of them to Rory.
Paris looked at her grade and Rory tuned her out as she asked Madeline and Louise to study.
"So," Paris said to her as she walked over to her table. "I suppose that you have big Friday night plans also?" she continued.
"Well, kind of," Rory replied.
"And what about Kate? Is she busy too," Paris asked.
"She's sick, Paris," Rory reminded her.
"So the fact that I'm seeing my entire Harvard career slip away apparently is of no interest to anyone?" Paris exclaimed.
"What are you talking about," Rory asked.
"I got an A-minus okay?" Paris told her.
"So," Rory asked.
"What do you mean, "So"? I got an A-minus. I have never gotten an A-minus. I just can't focus lately. Things are so weird at my house. My dad finally figured out exactly how much it was gonna cost him to divorce my mom, so now he's back and it's bad enough that I wasted all that time crunching the numbers with him, but now that he's back, they're fighting and redecorating. The place is a mess. I need help," Paris rambled.
"Look, I can't tonight, but if you're still freaked out after the quiz on Tuesday, I will spend every day next week helping you prepare for the final, okay?" Rory asked.
"I guess," Paris muttered.
"Relax, it will be fine. I promise," Rory told her.
"All I had to do was move a decimal point and none of this would've happened," Paris muttered, going back to her seat.
"God I wish I was Kate," Rory muttered.
At the house, Kate was jolted out of her sleep by the phone ringing. She groaned and reached over for it.
"Gilmore residence," she crocked.
"Hi, I seem to have dialed the wrong number, I'm looking for Kate Gilmore," Jess teased.
"Jess," Kate coughed.
"I told you not to come out and to go home but do you listen," he went on.
"I just got up and my head hurts," Kate told him.
"I woke you up…its 3:30," he told her. "Your sister and the lumberjack are making out in front of the oak like every Friday at 3:30," he added.
Kate chucked and then groaned again. She then coughed into her hand.
"You sound amazing," Jess teased.
"Shut up," Kate warned. "Any reason why you're calling me," she asked.
"Just to check in and make sure you didn't die while home alone," Jess replied.
"Aw, thanks," Kate smiled into the phone. "Wait, Rory's back from school," she sat up.
"Unless Dean's found himself another girl," Jess replied.
"Damnit," Kate muttered.
"Come again, Kate Gilmore knows swear words," Jess laughed.
"She's going to kick me out," Kate muttered.
"Of your house while you're sick? What did you do?" Jess asked.
"No, out of the living room," Kate told him. "She's going to order Indian food and do the laundry like she likes to," she went on
"Clarify because I'm missing some key pieces of information," Jess told her.
"With Mom gone and me sick, Rory can finally do my laundry exactly the way she likes it. You know, not just separated into whites and colors, but the colors separated into darks, mediums, and lights, with a separate pile for white T-shirts and T-shirts with some kind of writing on them, like, you know, Rock Star, Evil, or Kafka was here," Kate explained.
"You know I'm going to hate saying this but I think that a.) you and Rory are saying the same exact thing and b.) that Dean and I are actually equally confused," Jess told her.
"That is creepy," Kate laughed. She winced. "Ow," she said rubbing her throat.
Jess winced. "You okay," he asked.
"I'm fine. Nothing some coffee won't cure," Kate said.
"No, do not drink coffee. Have tea or juice or something other than coffee," Jess told her.
Kate got up and walked into the kitchen. "I'll have soup with it," she said. "I have these Lipton packets that I can put into the microwave," she added.
Jess smiled. "You're completely useless when sick aren't you?" he asked.
"Am not," Kate said, putting the phone on her shoulder and balanced it with her cheek.
"I'm home," Rory called out.
"Kitchen," Kate called back. She smiled. "Hey, listen, I'll call you after Rory puts me in solitary again," she said to the phone.
"Deal," Jess said, "Eat something more than that powered crap."
"With me out of commission, this place has not seen a decent meal in a week," Kate pointed out.
"Another reason to get better," Jess told her.
"Bye, Jess," Kate laughed.
"Bye, Kate," Jess replied hanging up. He ran a hand through his hair and went downstairs.
Kate put the phone back as Rory came into the kitchen. "You look better," Rory said.
"You want me to move," Kate asked.
"No, I was thinking of making my own nest and we could do the laundry together," Rory told her.
Kate nodded slowly, a sarcastic smile on her face.
"Fun," she muttered, as she made her soup.
Later, she and Rory were surrounded by piles of clothes while Rory was on the phone.
"No, that's two orders of garlic gnon, three simosas, and a chicken vindiloo. And rice, and the green sauce, and no salad, and," she trailed off seeing a call waiting. "Can you hold on a sec," she asked, putting them on hold and answering the call waiting, "Hello?"
"Hi, this is Phil's Liquor. I'm supposed to be delivering a keg there tonight?" Lorelai asked in a fake male voice.
"Hold on," Rory said, putting her on hold and going back to her order. "Hi, sorry… yeah, that's it. Forty minutes, great. Bye," she said to the other line. Then she put her mother back on. "Hey," she said.
"Who was that," Lorelai asked.
Kate smirked as she picked up the other line. "Sandeep's," she replied.
"Oh she's ordering the Indian food," Lorelai said.
"Yup," Rory said.
"Good, enjoy. Can you burn the house down afterward, because that's the only way we'll get the smell out," Lorelai told he.
"Absolutely," Rory replied.
"How's the spa," Kate asked.
"Tranquil," Lorelai replied.
"Really," her daughters stated.
"I wasn't done. Tranquilizers, uh, will be required if I have to spend one more minute with my mother," Lorelai told them.
"Please tell me you're at least trying to get along with her?" Rory said.
"Oh, hey, I'm being a peach," Lorelai stated.
"Really," Kate asked.
"Well, I smell like a peach," Lorelai replied smelling her hand. "How are you feeling," she asked Kate.
"Better. I had soup and some water and took a nice long nap," Kate replied.
"That Jess woke her from," Rory said.
"With the play by play of how you and Dean made out by the oak in front of Ms. Patty's," Kate teased.
The doorbell rang. Kate got up. "I'll get it," she said.
"Was that the doorbell," Lorelai asked.
"Yeah, we'll call you later," Rory answered.
"Oh wait, I wanna find out who it is," Lorelai begged.
"The sooner you get back to your weekend, the sooner it'll be over," Rory pointed out.
"Okay, but before you go, can you get out my address book and count how many friends I have? I'll wait," Lorelai tried.
"Bye," the girls said, grinning at each other.
"Mean," Lorelai pouted.
"Steal us soap," Kate giggled, hanging up and opening the door. "Paris, what are you," she trailed off as Paris came inside the house with her binder in her hands.
"I tried to stay home and study myself but I can't. I don't know what anything means anymore. I mean, I can't even read my own handwriting. What does this say? The person who wrote this should be dressed in a clown suit stuffing bodies under their porch," Paris rambled. She then looked at the sisters. "You're in your pajamas," she stated.
"We know," Rory said.
"I have been all day," Kate nodded.
"This was the big night you had planned – a rendezvous with Mr. Peanut," Paris asked incredulously.
"And Audrey," Kate pointed out.
Paris looked at the clothes piled high. "You're doing laundry," she said.
"Yes," Rory nodded.
"You're doing laundry in your pajamas," Paris went on.
"We never do this," Kate stated.
"Our mom's out of town and we never get the house to ourselves," Rory explained.
"You mean you never get to go months on end without seeing your parents, just getting an occasional postcard that doesn't even have a courtesy "Wish you were here" written on it?" Paris ranted.
"No but that sounds nice," Kate muttered, rubbing her temples.
"That does suck. Don't let me stand in your way," Paris snapped turning to leave.
Kate waved her arm to the door and Rory went over to her. "Paris, wait," she said.
"No, forget it; I don't want to get in the way of your big night. I hear there's gonna be some hot knitting going on later," Paris told her.
"Yeah while the jam I'm making cools," Kate retorted.
"We'll study with you," Rory stated.
"You will," Paris asked.
"We will," Kate asked looking at her sister incredulously.
"For one hour, that's it. We can do a quick review and a pop quiz and then you are going home. Deal," Rory told the blonde.
"Deal," Paris nodded.
Kate rolled her eyes. "Fine," she muttered, going upstairs.
"Take a seat on the couch," Rory added, turning to leave.
"Where are you going?" Paris asked.
"I'm going to take a fast shower and change," Kate replied going all the way upstairs.
"And I'm going to change," Rory went on going to her room.
"Okay, but my hour doesn't start until you get back out here, right," Paris called out.
At the spa, Emily walked into Lorelai's room.
"Are you ready," she asked.
Lorelai nodded, looking at her mother. "Wow, you look great, Mom," she said.
Emily looked at her daughter. "Are you being sarcastic," she asked.
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "No I'm being completely serious," she replied.
"Oh, well, thank you," Emily replied, as Lorelai put on her lipstick. "That's a pretty color. What is that?" she asked.
"It's called Vicious Trollop," Lorelai replied.
"Oh, stop it! Now why would you name a lipstick something like that?" Emily asked after Lorelai showed her the name.
"Cause 'dirty whore' was taken," Lorelai guessed.
"You frighten me," Emily stated.
"You wanna try some," Lorelai asked.
"No, thank you," Emily told her.
"Go on, Mom, try it," Lorelai grinned.
"It won't look good on me," Emily replied.
"Sure it will," Lorelai told her holding it out for her mother.
"Well, all right, but if I look ridiculous…" Emily trailed off taking the offered lipstick.
"I'll be the first one to point it out," Lorelai said, as Emily put it on. "You're a vicious trollop; you're a vicious trollop," she sang.
"Lorelai," Emily warned.
"Sorry," Lorelai replied, as Emily turned around.
"Well," the elder Gilmore asked.
Lorelai gasped and smiled. "I like it," she told her mother.
"You do," Emily asked, looking in the mirror. She smiled. "I like it too," she said handing back the lipstick.
"Good, let's go then, I'm starving," Lorelai said, getting her purse.
"Oh, me too; what are they serving for dinner tonight?" Emily asked, following her daughter.
"Well let's see," Lorelai picked up the menu of the restaurant downstairs. "Hmm," she hummed.
"They certainly do like their tofu here, don't they," Emily observed.
"And the word steamed. Well, they have dessert at least," Lorelai stated, seeing the choices. "Cookies sweetened with sprouted mungbean," she said.
Emily looked at her daughter. "That sounds dreadful," she told her.
"Yes it does," Lorelai nodded putting the menu downs and going into the closet.
"Where are you going? You aren't going to change, are you? Our seating's in ten minutes," Emily told her.
"Get your coat," Lorelai said taking hers out.
"I don't need it for the dining room," Emily pointed out.
"We're not going to the dining room," Lorelai replied.
"Well, where are we going," Emily questioned.
"Out," Lorelai stated simply.
"Out where," Emily asked.
"We're gonna leave the spa, find a restaurant, and have a steak," Lorelai answered, putting her coat on.
"A steak," Emily asked.
"Who's gonna stop us," Lorelai asked.
"A steak," Emily repeated with a smile.
"Come on, Mom. What's it gonna be – vicious trollop or the wide world of mungbeans?" Lorelai asked.
Emily smiled and nodded. "Let's go," she stated.
"I'm right behind you," Lorelai proclaimed following her mother out the door.
Meanwhile, back at the Gilmore house, Kate and Rory were still going through their notes with Paris.
"Surprisingly, I don't want to kill you," Kate told her friend as Paris paced around and she was curled up in the armchair. "This is really helping me," she added.
"Well thank you for appreciating my descent into the depths of the uninformed and worthless souls of the community colleges littering this great nation," Paris snipped back.
"Okay, so given that those are the reactions occurring in the two half-cells, what do you do next?" Rory asked from the couch.
"Well, if we add them together, doubling the coefficients of the silver half equation but not the voltage, we get the equation for the complete reaction," Paris replied, sitting down next to Rory.
Kate smiled and closed her book. "Well, you're in much better shape than you wanna think you are," she said.
"Impossible," Paris told her as the doorbell rang. Rory got up to answer it as Kate got up and stretched. "Where are you going," the blonde asked Rory.
"That's our food," Rory replied, pointing to the door. She opened it and smiled at the person on the other side. "Kate, it's for you," she called out.
"Kate, wait a minute. Another half hour, please," Paris begged as Kate walked past her, grabbing the hem of her shirt.
"No, you got your hour and possibly my cold. You need to go," Kate gently pried off her hand as Rory grinned at her, walking back. Kate raised her eyebrow as she walked to the door.
"But," Paris started.
"Go," Rory told her.
"Fine," Paris muttered.
Kate rolled her eyes and finally looked at the opened door. "Jess," she smiled.
"Hey, you look like you're holding down solids again," Jess quipped. "Delivery," he added, holding up a box of food.
"What's all this," Kate laughed, letting him come in.
"Well, Luke figured since you're alone tonight that maybe you wouldn't have any food in the house, so he sent over a care package," Jess replied. "You look a lot better than the other day," he observed.
"Thanks, oddly enough, Paris helped. And I don't need a care package. We ordered Indian food," Kate told him.
Jess looked at her. "Really; planning on burning the place down afterwards," he asked, going towards the kitchen.
"Jess," Kate chuckled, following him.
"The only way to kill the smell," Jess shot back walking pass Paris and Rory.
"Wait, is he going to stay," Paris asked.
"Maybe," Rory shrugged.
"So he could stay but I have to go," Paris complained.
Rory rolled her eyes and yet smiled, getting up for the show. Paris grinned and followed her.
Kate finally got a look inside the box. "God, how much food is in here? This could feed sixteen," she exclaimed.
"Excuse me; I've seen you and Rory eat," Jess pointed out.
"Fine, eight," Kate replied.
"Yeah, well, he wanted you taken care of. He wasn't sure how long your mom was gonna be gone for," Jess shrugged.
Kate smiled, taking the food out of the box. She squealed seeing a small strawberry cheesecake. "You remembered my weakness," she said.
"Luke did," Jess reminded her, helping her take the rest of the food out.
Kate raised an eyebrow. "Luke remembered my weakness for strawberry cheesecake? Hell, he puts a whole small cheesecake in a care package when I'm just getting over a cold? We're talking about the same healthy food-loving Luke here, right," she asked.
Jess rolled his eyes. "Fine, I snuck it in there. But you are sharing," he admitted.
"Ah, it all makes sense," Kate smirked.
"What makes sense," Jess asked.
"Why Caesar didn't bring this over," Kate replied. "You get to make sure I'm still breathing and then you try to get a piece of my cheesecake," she guessed, crossing her arms.
"Well, you are still breathing and the house is still standing, but I mostly came to get away from the construction zone. There's nothing but banging and yelling. That place gives me a headache," Jess replied.
"I don't believe you," Kate told him.
"Aren't you gonna eat soon," Jess asked, trying to get her off the subject.
"I like this better. Besides, I can heat this up," Kate replied, waving her hand at the food.
"Reheated French fries really suck," Jess pointed out.
Kate wrinkled her nose. "They do suck," she nodded.
"And I can't guarantee a piece of the cake if I leave," Jess added, moving closer to her.
Kate bit her lip. "No, you can't," she replied.
Jess took off his coat, setting it down over the chair. "So I guess I have to stay," he went on.
"I guess you do," Kate nodded.
Rory and Paris came into the kitchen and saw Jess sitting down.
"You're staying," Rory asked.
"Yeah, Kate invited me," he replied.
Kate shook her head. "I did not," she replied.
Jess smirked at her, eating a fry. Kate rolled her eyes and Paris looked at them.
"Why does he get to stay?" she asked.
Kate and Rory looked at each other and Kate waved a hand to Paris.
"You can stay too. We have enough food to feed the whole town," she said.
"I can't find my flashcards," Paris said.
"We can look later. And we could go over more of the notes as well," Rory replied.
"You're sure," Paris asked.
"Positive," Kate nodded.
"Is that Mac and Cheese?" Paris asked, seeing the container.
"Yes it is," Kate replied, smiling a little.
"I love mac and cheese," Paris stated, smiling.
"Great," Jess smirked.
"I'm not allowed to have Mac and Cheese," Paris told them.
"Splurge. Come on Paris, stay," Rory said.
"Do you have a twenty-four hour pharmacy just in case I have an allergic reaction to something?" Paris asked.
"Believe it or not, we do," Kate answered.
"Okay, can I borrow your phone," Paris asked.
"By the door," the Gilmores answered as Rory followed Paris out.
Jess looked at Kate.
"What," she asked, taking the tub of soup and getting a bowl.
"You think we need a chaperone," he asked.
Kate smirked over her shoulder at him. "Well, I don't know. In my weakened state, I could be easy prey," she said.
Jess smirked back at her and walked up behind her. "That you are. But you don't trust me," he asked.
Kate smiled. "I trust you with my life, Jess. You should know that by now," she replied.
Jess smiled and then helped her transfer the hot soup into her bowl.
"Besides, I did say that we have enough food to feed eight," he mused aloud.
"With Rory it's down to six," Kate nodded.
"You and me make it four," Jess added.
"And Paris makes two," Kate smiled.
"Works out well," Jess grinned back.
"But the cake is ours," Kate told him, wagging a finger at him.
"Deal," Jess replied as Paris talked to her nanny in Spanish.
While the teens were figuring their dinner plans out, Lorelai and Emily were enjoying their great escape. The place they found was a lovely piano bar, full of dancing couple and only two seats available.
"We cannot eat dinner at a bar," Emily said as she followed Lorelai to the bar.
"I don't wanna wait an hour, and I'm wearing the wrong shoes for a drive thru," Lorelai replied.
"But what are people going to think," Emily asked.
"That we're loose women with questionable morals," Lorelai replied, pulling out a seat and sitting down.
Emily sighed and sat down. "Doesn't seem right to eat dinner when your feet aren't touching the floor," she told her daughter.
The bartender came over to them. "What can I get for you ladies," he asked.
"Hi Steve, nice to meet you," Lorelai said, looking at the man nametag. We will have two…martinis," she requested, looking at her mother for confirmation.
"Why not," Emily said.
Lorelai chuckled. "Two vodka martinis, straight up with a twist, very dry, very cold, and a couple of menus, please," she said.
"And some peanuts," Emily added.
"Ah, peanuts, good idea," Lorelai nodded.
Steve gave them the bowl of peanuts and the menus. Emily went to town with the peanuts as Lorelai looked at the menu.
"Thank you. You're a good man, Steve. Okay, I'm thinking steak and Caesar salad if it's not too anchovy-y, and hey – do you wanna split a shrimp cocktail to start?" she asked her mother.
"That sounds fine," Emily replied, still eating peanuts.
"Ah, I just love the idea of shrimp cocktail with a steak dinner, you know? It's so Casino, Big Joe, steak and shrimp – hey, save some for winter, there," Lorelai said as she saw how much her mother was eating.
"I never realized how wonderful peanuts were before," Emily told her.
"Want a refill," Steve asked.
"Oh yes please," Emily replied, as he set more peanuts and their drinks down.
The two women picked up their drinks and Lorelai smiled. "Cheers mom," she said.
"Cheers," Emily replied, clinking glasses with her daughter. "I must tell you, I never expected this," she added.
"What," Lorelai asked.
"Me inhaling peanuts at a singles bar," Emily replied.
"This isn't a singles bar, Mom. It's a sixty-forty bar," Lorelai corrected her.
"A what," Emily asked.
"Sixty-year-old men hitting on forty-year-old women, divorcees mostly," Lorelai explained.
"Really," Emily asked, intrigued.
"Look around," Lorelai offered.
Emily did so and found a woman across the bar, talking to a man far out of her league.
"Hm. Oh, now, she can do better than that. What does she see in him?" she asked.
Lorelai looked over as well. "Big will, short life span, the usual draw," she replied. She sipped her drink and looked around. She grinned, seeing a man eyeing Emily up.
"Hey mom," she started.
"I wonder if they got pretzels here too," Emily wondered.
"Don't look now, but I think you're passing for a forty-year-old woman," Lorelai told her.
"What," Emily asked.
"Two o'clock, silver fox, totally checking you out," Lorelai grinned.
Emily turned around and looked at the man, who smiled at her.
"Oh, he is not," she said to her daughter.
"Well, he's not staring at Steve," Lorelai pointed out.
"You're being ridiculous. He's definitely not looking at me," Emily protested.
Lorelai sighed and looked over to the man, who was still looking. "He's still looking," she pointed out.
"Drink your martini, Lorelai," Emily replied.
"A tragic waste of paper," Paris stated as Rory got up.
"I can't believe you just said that," Jess replied as he looked at Kate, who was munching on a fry.
Well, it's true; the Beat's writing was completely self-indulgent. I have one word for Jack Kerouac – edit," Paris told him.
"It was not self-indulgent. The Beats believed in shocking people, stirring things up," Jess shot back.
"They believed in drugs, booze and petty crime," Paris told them.
"Well, then you can say that they exposed you to a world you wouldn't have otherwise known. Isn't that what great writing's all about?" Kate asked.
"That was not great writing. That was the National Enquirer of the fifties," Paris retorted.
"You're cracked," Jess pointed to her.
"Tried to tell you," Kate muttered.
"Typical guy response; Worship Kerouac and Bukowski, God forbid you'd pick up anything by Jane Austen," Paris ranted.
"Hey I've read Jane Austen," Jess told her.
"You have," Paris asked impressed.
"Yeah, and I think she would've liked Bukowski," Jess replied, rolling a fry in the mix of salt and pepper that Kate made.
"What are you doing," Paris asked.
"Salt and peppered it, only way to eat a fry," Jess replied.
"Really," Paris asked the Gilmores.
"Fast food gospel," the twins replied.
Paris tried it and smiled. "Mm, that's good. That's really, really good," she said.
Kate chuckled as the phone rang. Rory got up to answer it as Jess looked at Kate, who grinned.
"Do you like hot sauce," he asked Paris.
"I don't know, should I," Paris replied.
"I think it's wise," Kate replied.
"So, Kate, how's the writing coming along," Jess asked.
Kate raised her eyebrow. "What writing? Between a fever of a 104.5 and the medications, I have been barely keeping up with "Roman Holiday", let alone write a decent verse or six," Kate replied.
"Speaking off verses, poetry, the Beats totally messed that up," Paris said.
"I can't get into poetry. It's kind of like, geez, just say it already, we're dying here," Jess said as he got up to put the dishes in the sink.
"But some of the best stuff comes out of poetry," Kate told him.
"The closest I come to read a poem is reading your stuff," Jess pointed out. "And really, a 104 fever," he asked, concern coloring his voice.
"She passed out in school," Paris recalled.
"What," Jess exclaimed looking at Kate then Paris and then back at Kate.
"Paris," Kate hissed, glaring at her friend.
"She came to school, face flushed, voice gone, and nose running. Impressively, she made it until just before lunch when our Drama teacher asked her to recite Ophelia's monologue," Paris went on. "She got up and wobbled to the front of the room, and then bam, right down," she added, clapping her hands as she said bam.
"Kate, what was wrong with you? You could have," Jess started as Kate put a hand over his mouth.
"Trust me, if I had known that would happen I would have stayed home. When Mom and Luke came to get me, I begged them not to tell you. Luke came by and made me soup and Lane kept me company until Rory came home. I'm better now," Kate said, squeezing his hand as she took her other off his mouth.
"You're too overworked," Jess told her.
"Come on, if it was you, would you want me to baby you and make you lie in bed all day," Kate asked.
"No. I would expect something like this," Jess replied, gesturing to the food.
"Oh yes, pretend I'm not even here," Paris muttered.
Kate laughed and Rory came back in the room with Dean. Jess rolled his eyes.
"What is he doing here," Dean asked.
"He came by to visit me. Is that a problem," Kate asked.
"Kate," Jess warned.
"He dropped off food from Luke's and he and Kate made this thing about the cheesecake and then Paris and him starting debating," Rory stepped in.
"Hi," Paris nodded.
"And of course there's the fact that we're friends and he wanted to make sure I was okay. Unlike you, who put Taylor on the phone to discuss my performing scheduling and if the fact that I couldn't talk meant I had throat cancer," Kate said. "Then Kirk got on the phone and proceeded to tell me all the laser treatments that doctors use to remove cancers and that they shouldn't damage my voice. Thanks so much for that," she added.
"And I apologized for that one," Dean replied.
"Does anybody else understand that logic," Jess asked.
"Nope," Paris replied.
"Nada," Rory added.
"Never have," Kate sighed.
"Okay, good," Jess replied. "Should I go," he asked.
"No," Kate sighed. "In fact, if you two can call a truce, you can both stay here and have a piece of cake and a milkshake because I'm going to go postal if I can't make something that is not condensed powder," she said.
"It's true," Rory nodded.
"What kind of ice cream do you have?" Dean asked.
"Mint chip and cookies and cream," Kate replied.
"Combo," Jess asked.
Kate smirked. "Is there any other way?" she asked.
"I'm down if you promise me we do not have to watch My Fair Lady," Dean said.
"Nope, no My Fair Lady," Kate smiled. "Funny Face," she added.
"No," Jess and Dean whined.
"I love Funny Face," Paris grinned.
Kate laughed and Rory smiled at her as Paris led the boys into the living room. Rory looked at her sister.
"What," Kate asked.
"Thanks," Rory replied, hugging her sister.
Kate hugged her back. "Anytime," she replied. "Now, help me make these shakes," she told her sister.
"Okay," Rory said, grinning.
Later that night, Jess and Dean were out cold, on the floor next to Rory and Kate respectively. Paris looked at Kate, who was playing with Jess' hair.
"He likes you, you know," she said.
Kate looked over to her. "He does not," she replied
"He's better than Tripp," Rory piped up.
Kate smiled and nodded. "That he is," she replied.
"I thought he would have a stroke when I told him about last Monday," Paris whispered.
"Why aren't you together," Rory asked Kate.
Kate smiled sadly. "I can't. Not now," she whispered.
Rory smiled sadly and Paris sighed. Kate smiled and closed her eyes.
"But someday, soon," she whispered.
Lorelai was at the spa, packing. She didn't know why she thought that she and her mother could actually spend a weekend together. She knew that it was impossible. She knew that and yet went anyway. She shouldn't have left the house this morning. Her mother overreacted and the whole nice evening they were having went downhill faster than even Superman could stop a bullet.
There was a knock on the door and Emily came into the room.
"I called the bellman to get the bags. He said it would be around ten minutes," she announced.
"Okay," Lorelai replied.
"Thank you for agreeing to leave early," Emily said.
Lorelai didn't look at her. "No problem," she replied as she folded up a sweater.
"I guess this whole thing was a silly idea anyway. I don't know why I pushed it. We can't even get through a dinner without a fight. What was I thinking putting us together for a weekend?" Emily asked.
"It was a nice thought, Mom," Lorelai admitted.
"Yes, well, I guess it's the thought that counts, isn't it," Emily asked.
"You know, if you want, um, I can just bring our bags down. I mean, they're not that heavy, and then we don't have to wait," Lorelai offered.
Emily pursed her lips. "Yes, well, that sounds fine," she replied. Lorelai moved to the bathroom. "Why can't we have what you and the girls have?" she asked.
Lorelai sighed, looking at her mother. "We're different," she replied.
"We're mother and daughter, you're mother and daughters. It shouldn't be that different," Emily retorted.
"It's completely different. It couldn't be more different," Lorelai told her.
"But why," Emily asked.
"I grew up in a different environment," Lorelai said, putting her arms out.
"You mean an oppressive environment," Emily said moving to the room.
"No, Mom, I mean a different environment. And plus, I was so young when I had Rory and Kate," Lorelai replied following her.
Emily stopped and turned around. "So because I waited until I was grown and married, I can't have a relationship with my daughter?" she asked sitting on the bed.
"No," Lorelai replied sitting next to her.
"Well, then, why," Emily asked.
"Rory, Kate and I are best friends, Mom. We are best friends first and mother and daughters second, and you and I are mother and daughter always," Lorelai told her.
"I wasn't taught to be best friends with my daughter," Emily pointed out.
"I know," Lorelai nodded.
"I was taught to be a role model for my daughter," Emily went on.
"I know that, too," Lorelai told her.
"I did what I thought was right. I did what I thought I had to do to protect you, and because of this we have no relationship," Emily stated.
"Oh, Mom, we have a relationship," Lorelai replied.
"We do? What? What is our relationship?" Emily asked.
Lorelai was stumped on that one. "Well we…" she trailed off.
"Exactly," Emily nodded, turning away.
"Maybe an intense weekend together was not the best idea for us. Maybe we need to start with something simpler," Lorelai said, turning towards her mother.
"Like what, a brisk walk around the block," Emily asked.
"No, I hate exercise," Lorelai replied.
"Oh, well, as long as you find this amusing," Emily muttered.
"Mom, come on. There has to be something else. Something small," Lorelai said, getting an idea.
"Like what," Emily asked. There was a brief silence and then Lorelai got up and went towards the bathroom again. "Where are you going? Lorelai, come back here. You just don't walk out on a person. That's rude," she reprimanded as she followed her daughter. Lorelai grinned and held up a robe. "That's a robe," Emily observed.
"Yes, this is my robe. And I want you to go into your room and get your robe. And then, exactly at the same time, we are gonna shove these robes in our suitcases and we are gonna walk out that door and leave with them," Lorelai grinned.
"That's stealing," Emily exclaimed.
"Yes it is," Lorelai said.
"You want me to steal a robe? That's how we're going to bond?" Emily questioned.
"Mom, you love this robe. You've talked about nothing else except this robe since we got here, so this robe will be symbolic of our trip together," Lorelai explained.
"But that's crazy. As soon as they check the rooms, they're going to know the robes are gone and then they're going to charge our credit card," Emily retorted.
"Well, how do you know," Lorelai asked.
"Because that's what the little tag on the hanger says," Emily replied.
"Well, the little tag on the hanger could be right, or the little tag on the hanger could just be there trying to scare us away from trying. Either way, whether we get away with it or not, it's something we did, you and I," Lorelai pointed out.
"You're serious," Emily asked, giving up.
Lorelai moved away from her slowly. "I am folding this robe up," she said, doing so and opening her bag.
"Lorelai," Emily warned.
"I am putting this robe in my bag," Lorelai placed the garment on the top of the bag.
"That's lunacy," Emily told her.
"I am zipping up the bag that contains the robe," Lorelai announced.
"I have a perfectly good robe at home," Emily said.
"Now the only question is: am I doing it alone?" Lorelai asked.
"Did you ever steal a robe with Rory or Kate?" Emily asked after a beat of silence.
"No, they would never steal. They're far too moral for that. You, however, vicious trollop – what's it gonna be?" Lorelai told her, putting a hand on her hip.
"I should have my head examined," Emily muttered grinning a little.
"We'll make an appointment when we get back," Lorelai grinned.
"You do know, in the course of one night, you've turned me into an adulterer and a thief," Emily pointed out.
"I'll have you working at the chicken ranch by the end of the month," Lorelai told her.
"I cannot believe I'm doing this," Emily said, running out of the room and back to hers.
Lorelai smiled and followed her mother.
When they pulled up to Lorelai's house, she smiled at her mother. "Stay the night?" she asked.
Emily smiled back. "Why not," she replied, as they got out of the car.
When they opened the door, the smell of Indian food hit them first. They wrinkled their noses and walked further into the room. They saw Rory, Dean, Kate, Jess, and Paris all asleep. Lorelai smiled and led her mother to Rory's room.
"If you don't mind," she said.
"Not at all," Emily replied. She looked around the kitchen. "Well, they were well fed," she added.
"I bet. Oh, cheesecake," Lorelai said, seeing the cake.
Emily grinned and grabbed a spoon.
The next day, Lorelai and Emily met the teens-minus Dean- at the diner. Luke looked at his nephew.
"Where were you last night," he asked.
"I went to Kate's house. We had a wild and crazy night. We're running away together," Jess replied.
"Yes," Lorelai cheered.
"Jess," Kate laughed. She smiled at Luke. "He fell asleep in the middle of Charade," she added.
Luke smiled at her. "Thank you. And may I say, you look so much better than you have been," he said.
"Thanks to you and your very generous care package," Kate replied.
"What," Luke asked.
"Well I'm going to go and change out of yesterday's clothes," Jess announced.
Kate raised an eyebrow as he ran upstairs. "Jess came over with a box full of food. Including strawberry cheesecake," she told him.
"I didn't send him with anything," Luke told her.
"He must have really wanted to see you," Paris muttered as she sat down.
"Kate, how are you feeling," Emily asked Kate as she came over.
"Much better, Grandma; how was your trip," she asked.
"She got sixty-fortied," Lorelai crowed.
"Lorelai," Emily exclaimed.
"What," the girls asked.
"I got hit on by this charming gentleman after your mother made me sit at a bar," Emily replied.
"But please explain the 60-40 thing," Rory asked.
"A bar full of 60 year old men hitting on 40 year old women," Lorelai informed them.
"Ah," Kate nodded. "Well, what Grandpa doesn't know, won't hurt him," she said.
"What I said. Then she stole a bathrobe," Lorelai added.
"Grandma, you're a rebel," Rory smiled at the elder Gilmore.
Emily smiled at her girls. "Well, yes, I guess I am," she said.
Kate laughed and Jess came back down with coffee. She stopped him.
"Luke had no idea about the care package," she said. "You made it all by yourself," she went on.
"Jeez Kate, I told you," Jess replied, shuffling a little bit.
"Look at that, he's squirming," Lorelai teased.
"Twice in as many days, very rare and yet, highly entertaining," Kate grinned.
"Lorelai, that was a touching gesture if he brought the girls food last night," Emily defended the young man. "Remember, it is the thought that counts," she added.
"Yeah, mom," Rory nodded.
"And we saved you mint cookies and cream chip shakes," Paris added.
"We had those with the cheesecake. Thanks Jess," Lorelai replied.
"Like I said, I just wanted to make sure that Rory didn't kill her with her laundry," Jess told them all.
"It was sweet," Kate replied.
Jess grinned at her and then plaster fell on them. The five looked shocked at the ceiling. Luke saw and cursed under his breath.
"Tom! You are dead," Luke yelled. "You hear me? Dead," he went on, going upstairs.
The group all looked at each other and laughed as they chatted. Kate and Jess grinned at each other as he sat with them and enjoyed each other's company.
Chapter 8: Done
Author's Note
It didn't take me three years, but here is chapter 8 and I hope that it worth the wait. Again, real life caught up with me and yet, I found it easier to write this and the next chapter. Nothing really changed since my last note in Chapter 7, but this chapter is only 28 and a half pages typed up (thank God).
The only problem I had was what would happen with Dean and Rory and Jess and Kate when Dean got there. I ended up having Kate defend Jess staying and not have Paris step in. I think that's the fact that I have Kate and there is no real love triangle there makes it easier make up my own twists. This is a fanfiction after all. Besides, I had the extra scene in the DVD to help push me along. If you never saw the scene in question the gist is Paris and Rory are still awake after the boys left and Paris says how Rory has both Jess and Dean after her. In my case, Paris and Rory gang up on Kate as to why she and Jess aren't truly dating-yet.
Again, if you are still reading, I love you. If you're new: welcome! I can't promise never to leave again but I hope that I could always have a home to come back to!
Legacy At Heart