Incoming

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. Not even the computer I wrote it on.

Summary: Jess shows up at Richard and Emily's vow renewal. Luke has something to say about it. Rory is less than happy. Lorelai has to deal with Christopher. And the day is definitely not everything Emily hoped it would be.

Feedback: Reviews are fun. Like a barrel of monkeys. Why anyone would put monkeys in a barrel…I don't know, but it's supposedly a lot of fun.

A/N: Just for the sake of my sanity, let's say Rory already talked to Chris about the first time Lorelai kissed him, but Lorelai doesn't know yet that he's there.

A/N 2: The first few chapters have a lot of text from the show, especially the scenes Jess's presence doesn't directly affect.

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"Incoming." Lorelai grabbed a drink off the table next to her. "Ready."

Luke turned around to see who was coming, but his attention was caught by someone down the hall. "I'll be right back."

"You'll what?" She went to chase after him, but an older couple stepped in her path. "Lorelai! It's so good to see you again." She looked around wide-eyed then took a big sip of her champagne.

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When he got to the end of the hall, Luke grabbed his nephew and dragged him around the corner. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too, Uncle Luke. I heard Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore were renewing their vows. Thought I'd stop by, ya know, give 'em my best wishes."

"You only offer the bride best wishes."

"What?" Jess looked at him, confused.

Luke shook his head. "Never mind. How the hell did you get in here?"

He smirked. "You'd be surprised what putting on a tie can get you." Turning serious, he added, "Also I said I was Rory's date."

"Rory. Does she know you're here?"

"No, and-"

"Leave her alone, Jess."

"And she's not going to know. I just…I wanted to see her."

"Jess…" Luke said sympathetically. "You can't…you had your chance with her. Hell, you had two chances, and you screwed up."

"I know!" He yelled then ran a hand through his hair. "I know. I guess being a coward runs in the family."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look around Luke. What are you doing here?"

"Lorelai asked-"

"Of course she did. Because Lorelai says 'jump', and you say 'how high?' I see that leash is still firmly attached."

Luke glared at his nephew. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Because we haven't heard that before." He pointed at Luke. "You know what? At least I had the guts to tell Rory how I felt. You've been waiting for Lorelai to notice you since the first time she walked into the diner."

Luke was getting mad. "I seem to remember you also having the guts to walk out on her. Twice."

"You have no idea." Jess growled.

"Of course I have no idea. Rory doesn't even have an idea, and you actually talked to her upon occasion."

"I'm sorry if our bonding time wasn't enough for you, but my idea of fun isn't really discussing my feelings with someone I barely know."

"Someone you barely know? I'm your uncle."

"Because you were always there for me."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess between taking you in and defending you to the entire town, I forgot to be there."

Jess turned around and started to walk away.

"Hey!" Luke yelled. "Where are you going?!"

"Out!"

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Lorelai smiled when an arm reached around from behind her holding a martini. "Hey." She said, taking the glass. "You are so lucky I remembered…" She trailed off when she turned around. "Christopher."

"Hey Lor."

"Hey, uh, Chris. What are you doing here?"

"Emily invited me. So the wedding was nice."

"Uh." She saw Luke walking towards their table. "Yea, it was great." She handed him the drink and walked away.

"Luke."

He looked up and gave her a small smile. "Hey, sorry I ditched you. I saw-"

"Christopher's here." She said, cutting him off.

His smile faded. "Yea. I know. I saw him at the ceremony."

"Rory didn't keep me up."

"What?"

"The day of the reenactment. When I didn't feel good. It wasn't because Rory kept me up. And it wasn't just a bad day."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. I swear. Christopher's father died and I went over there to see how he was. All we did was talk. Please believe me."

He sighed. "I do."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Because you are so entitled to hate me right now."

"I don't hate you."

"I'm a big fat filthy liar. How can you believe anything I say? I mean for all you know, our whole relationship could be a big-"

"Lorelai."

"What?"

"Do you want to dance?"

"Why would you want to dance with a big fat liar?"

He took her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.

"Luke…"

"Shh." He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead.

She laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"I know."

She lifted her head up to look at him. "If it makes you feel better, his mom was there."

"Lorelai."

"What?"

"Just dance, okay?"

She put her head back on his shoulder and let out a sigh. "Yea."

Christopher stood next to the bar and watched the exchange between Luke and Lorelai. He couldn't actually hear what they were saying but he understood why Emily had come to him. Things looked to be turning serious between them, and he knew a diner owner from Stars Hollow would never be good enough for a Gilmore, especially not in Emily's eyes. And they certainly couldn't have someone else taking the place as Rory's father. That would be simply unacceptable. He turned around and ordered himself another drink. It looked like it was gonna be a long night.

After a few dances, Luke and Lorelai headed back to their table. Lorelai sat down and looked around. "Hey, have you seen Rory?"

Luke sat next to her shook his head. "She's probably around some where."

"Probably being tortured by some relative or other that she's never met but still expects her to know who they are" She stated, knowing from experience that it was probably a good guess.

Luke cringed a little. "Your family makes me miss Liz and TJ."

"Hey!" Christopher sat down in the chair next to Luke and put his drink on the table in front of him. "So, Lor, where's that lovely daughter of ours?"

"I don't know, Chris. I think I saw Totsy after her before, so she's probably hiding somewhere."

"Remember when we went to that funeral and we both got Totsied twice?"

"Umm, no."

"No? Come on, it was raining. You were wearing your 'Hell is for children' t-shirt, your mom flipped because we snuck that flask in?"

"Huh, sorry. No memory at all."

"Hmm." He shook his head. "So how's the Inn?" He turned his attention to Luke. "You know, we had lunch at the Inn last month."

"I know.

"The Inn is fine." Lorelai jumped in. "Everything is fine."

Marilyn walked over to the table. "Honey, so sorry to interrupt. Your parents want a picture of just the wedding party in front of the cake before they cut it."

Lorelai nodded at her. "Okay, I'll just, uh, go find Rory."

"I think I saw her heading off that way," Marilyn pointed down one of the hallways. "With that darling blonde boy. I've forgiven her for not noticing that I was chatting with him earlier."

"Really, well, I'll go get Rory and meet you back at the cake." Lorelai told her, as she stood up.

Luke stood to follow her. "I'll go with you.

Christopher finished his drink then got up to follow them down the hall.

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Lorelai walked down the hall looking for Rory with Luke on her heels.

"Listen, uh, I think we need to talk." Luke said, trying to get her attention

"I know, I know." She told him, distracted. "We will. I just - let me try to find -" She opened the door to the bridal dressing room.

Seeing Lorelai, Rory and Logan jumped apart "Hm. Grandma wants a picture." Lorelai said to her daughter.

"Of this?" Rory exclaimed.

"Rory, what are you doing?"

"Mom-"

"You're at your grandparents' wedding! Renewal - vowal - thing. Whatever. They're right out there. God, Rory, I swear!"

"Rory? Rory's in here?" Christopher asked, pushing his way into the room.

"Okay, don't, Chris, it's all right." Lorelai said.

"What the hell are you doing in here with my daughter?" Christopher tried to get to Logan but Lorelai held him back.

"I-" Logan started.

"Get away from her. That is my daughter! I will kick your ass! I will kick your ass, you little weasel!"

Lorelai pushed him out of the room. "Get out!"

"What the hell is going on?" Luke called, trying to see who was in the room.

"Who's that guy, Lorelai?" Christopher asked.

"Christopher, calm down! You're drunk!" She yelled at him.

"Calm down? There's a guy in there pawing my daughter!"

"What guy?" Luke asked "There's a guy in there with Rory?" He barged into the room to see Logan and Rory collecting their things.

"Oh, my God, Luke!" Lorelai yelled.

"Hey! Get your hands off her. I mean it. Right now! Hands in the air, I want to see hands in the air!" He yelled at Logan.

"Out!" She pushed him out of the room, then slammed the door and smiled at Rory and Logan. "I think you guys better use the back way out of here."

"But, Dad…Luke…"

"I will take care of Dad and Luke. Please go, now, go!" Rory walked out, but Logan hesitated. "So, um, you must be Logan."

"Uh, yeah."

"I'm Lorelai."

"Nice to meet you. Okay, well, I'd better-"

"Yeah." Once she was sure he was gone, Lorelai went back to the hallway where she found Luke and Christopher arguing.

"It's none of your business what's going on with Rory." Christopher yelled at Luke.

"It sure the hell is my business."

"Oh, guys, please!" Lorelai yelled.

"Rory is my daughter. Mine." Chris said, ignoring her.

"Oh, really? Well then, where the hell were you when she got the chicken pox and would only eat mashed potatoes for a week, or where were you when she graduated high school, or started college? Huh? Who the hell moved her mattress into her dorm and out of her dorm and back into her dorm again?"

"Luke, please. This is not the time." Lorelai told him.

"Where I was doesn't concern you. Rory is my daughter, and Lorelai's daughter, and that's it." Christopher argued.

"Well, I'm with Lorelai!"

"For now!"

"What does that mean, for now? What is that, a threat?"

"Lorelai and I belong together. Everyone knows it! I know it, Emily knows it!"

"What?"

He turned to Lorelai. "Look, I blew it, okay? I know that I blew it. You waited, and I didn't come through, and now you're with him. But it's not too late!"

"Chris, don't."

"It's not too late. I know it's not too late. Emily told me it wasn't too late! I mean, that's why I'm here, okay? I know you're with him. But it's for now, it's not forever. It's just for now. I know that."

"Luke, I don't know what he's talking about!" Lorelai pleaded.

Luke shook his head. "I got to get out of here."

"Oh, Luke, wait-"

"Please, just, just-" Christopher said to her.

"Christopher, get out of my way!" She stepped around him and chased after Luke.

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Rory leaned on the sink in the bathroom after fixing her hair and straightening her clothes. "Oh my God. What am I doing?" Her mother's words rang in her head. You're at your grandparents' wedding! They're right out there. She hit her hands against the sink, then looked at her reflection. "This is not you." She said to herself. She shook her head. "Well, now you know what it's like." She checked her appearance one more time before leaving the bathroom.

She walked out to the hallway and right into a soft warm body. She stumbled a little, but a pair of arms steadied her. "I'm sor-"

She looked up and her eyes widened. "Jess." She took a step away from him. "What…Why…What are you doing here?"

"Ror-"

"No. No, I don't want to know. Just-" She held her hands up in front of her and backed away. "I have to go."

She turned and ran back towards the bridal dressing room to find her mother, but ran into Luke instead. "Luke. Where's Mom?"

"I don't know." He said gruffly. "Probably down there with Christopher." He gestured down the hall.

"Can you take me home?"

"Let's go." He walked out the door with Rory right behind him.

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Lorelai ran through the ballroom looking for Luke. Christopher was right behind her trying to get her attention.

"Will you stop?" Christopher grabbed her arm, and spun her around to face him.

She pulled away from him. "Get away from me, Christopher."

"I just want to talk."

"Get some coffee, Christopher!"

"This wasn't the way I wanted it to go down. I wanted to get you alone and - what are you doing?" He asked when she started to walk away.

"I'm going after Luke!"

"Oh, there you are!" Marilyn said then turned to Emily. "I've got her!" She pulled Lorelai toward the cake. "Oh, you cannot keep a room full of Anglo-Saxons waiting for cake this long! They start to form more clubs. Take her, take her, take her!" She looked behind Lorelai and frowned. "Where's Rory?"

"Lorelai." Emily said. "I thought you were going to find Rory."

She glared at her mother. "You and me, we're done." She ground out before walking away.

A shocked Emily watched Lorelai leave then turned to look questioningly at Richard.

A/N: Next chapter will be posted soon. Hopefully. I have yet to write it but it's swimming around in my head. So let's hope I am in a writing kind of mood very soon. ~Casey