When Rory was just five years-old, Lorelai and her daughter had already made a pretty comfortable life in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. Lorelai was working her way up at the Independence Inn, and she was finally making the life she's always wanted for herself and her daughter. Rory was a very smart five year-old. She was reading books that you would never see a child her age ever read, but Lorelai encouraged it. She wanted her daughter to be who she wanted to be, and not like how her parents tried making her be like them throughout her childhood. For just being five years-old, Rory had become Lorelai's best friend. She understood everything her mom told her and she was there for no matter what.

Of course, Rory had a relationship with her father. Not as close as Lorelai would want them to be, but close enough. One day, Christopher came to visit the two in their little town and spent the day with Rory. But, being Lorelai and Christopher it always ended up turning into something they didn't mean to happen. One night Rory fell asleep and Chris and Lorelai were hanging out by themselves. Things started to heat up, like they usually would, and six weeks later Lorelai found out that she was pregnant. Lorelai couldn't believe she was doing this again, but she did know one thing, she loves her children, and that was also the day she decided she and Chris would no longer be left alone ever again. She was twenty years-old, and it was time to grow up.

In the summer of July, Lauren Lorelai Gilmore was born. Lauren was a very healthy seven pound little baby, and Lorelai fell deeply in love with her just as she did when she first laid eyes on Rory. Two girls, Lorelai thought. It was going to be hard, and yet an adventure.

It's now the year 2001, and Lorelai and her girls are doing really well for themselves. Lorelai moved up to manager at the Independence Inn and was now running everything. She was hoping to one day have her own inn, so that was one goal she was looking forward to. Rory is fifteen and is even smarter than she when she was five. She's still reading books, and even the dictionary which actually kind freaked Lorelai out, but none-the-less Rory was growing up just as Lorelai wanted her to. Lauren is eleven and looking more and more like her sister everyday, but she wasn't quite Rory. Actually, Lorelai noticed that Lauren was growing up to be the complete opposite of her older daughter when Lauren was just two years-old. Lauren is very outspoken unlike Rory and was very carefree like her mother. But both are very much like their mom in so many ways.

It was morning, and as usual Lorelai walks into her favorite diner: Luke's Diner. She finds a table and begins taking off the layers that she is wearing because of the snow, and grabs the mug that is on the table. She knows this is going to be hard, but it's something that had to be done.

Lorelai walks over to the front counter where Luke is wiping down the back counter. "Please, Luke. Please!" Lorelai begins to beg.

Luke turns around looking very unamused. "How many cups have you had this morning?"

"None." Lorelai answers a little too quickly.

"Plus?" Luke asks.

"Five. But yours is better."

Luke sighs. "You have a problem."

"Yes, I do." Lorelai says, handing over her mug.

"Junkie." Luke says as he pours her coffee.

"Angel." Lorelai says, happily as she turns back around and walks to her table.

Luke Danes. He has been living in Stars Hollow his entire life. The diner that they are in actually was owned by his father and it was a hardware store. But when Luke's dad died he gave the store to Luke, and since Stars Hollow didn't have much to choose from when it came to food, Luke decided to open a diner instead of continuing on with the hardware store. It was a great decision because it was everyone's favorite place to eat despite Luke's bitter attitude. Luke was known as the unhappy, grumpy guy, but in reality he was quite the opposite. Yes, of course he was grumpy, but he wasn't unhappy. He and Lorelai formed a great friendship since the day she came to Stars Hollow. He provided the coffee and she would drink it. Luke enjoyed his little back and forth snips with Lorelai everyday, and seeing her girls was a plus as well.

Lorelai finally sits down at her table and starts to sip her coffee She closes her eyes and smiles. Luke's coffee really is the best. A guy from the counter turn around from hearing Lorelai's plea with Luke and decides to walk over to her table. "You make that look really good." He tells her.

Lorelai looks up. "Oh. It is really good. It's the best coffee in town."

"Yeah? I'll have to get a cup." He continues to flirt, and by the time Lorelai starts playing along.

"Good plan."

"Yeah. I've never been here before. Just passing on my way through to Hartford." He tells her.

"You're a regular Jack Kerouac." Lorelai jokes.

The guy gives Lorelai a weird look, but pretends he knows that she is talking about. "Yeah. Hey. You mind if I sit down?"

"Oh, you know what? Actually, I'm meeting someone, so I-" The guy sits down anyway.

"I'm Joey." He introduces himself.

Lorelai smiles. "Okay."

"What, you don't have a name?"

Lorelai laughs. "No. I do have a name. I just really am meeting someone. So.."

"So, I guess I should get going." Joey says.

"So soon?" Lorelai jokes.

"What?"

"I'm just screwing with your mind, Joey. It's nice to meet you." She says, kindly. "Enjoy Hartford."

"Enjoy your coffee, mystery woman." Joey finally walks away just in time for Rory to walk in.

"Hey. It's freezing." Rory says as she puts her stuff down and sits in the seat Joey was just in.

"Aw. What do you need? Hot tea, coffee?" Lorelai asks her daughter.

"Lip gloss."

"Uh huh!" Lorelai grabs her bag and begins digging through it. "I have vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and toasted marshmallow."

"Anything in there not resembling a breakfast cereal?" Rory asks.

Lorelai grabs a lip gloss. "Yes. It has no smell. But it changes color with your mood."

"Geez. Rupaul doesn't need this much lip gloss."

"You're crabby."

"I'm sorry. I lost my Macy Gray cd, and I need caffeine."

Lorelai digs in her bag once more and grabs the CD. "I have your c.d."

"Thief. I thought Lauren took it." Lorelai hands Rory her CD.

"Sorry. Oh, and I stole it from Lauren. I'll get you some coffee." Lorelai walks back over to the front counter. Luke glares at Lorelai. "What? It's not for me. It's for Rory. I swear."

"You're shameless."

"Look, Officer Krupke, she's right at that table. Right over there." Lorelai turns around and is surprised to see Joey from earlier standing, once again, at her table most likely flirting with her fifteen year-old. "Huh. He's got quiet a paid this guy." Lorelai grabs Rory's coffee from Luke and heads back to her table.

"Yeah. I've never been through here before." Joey says, just as Lorelai approaches.

"Aw. You have to." Lorelai says, scaring him.

"Oh. Hi!"

"Oh. Hi!" She mocks. "You really like my table, don't you?"

"I was just, uh-"

"Getting to know my daughter." Lorelai interrupts as she goes to stand beside Rory.

Joey looks surprised. "Your.."

"Are you my new daddy?" Rory jokes.

"Wow. You do not look old enough to have a daughter." Joey tells Lorelai.

"Ohh?" Lorelai says.

"No. I mean it." He says. "And you do not look like a daughter." He tells Rory.

"That's possibly very sweet of you. Thanks." Lorelai says, sarcastically.

"So, daughter..." Lorelai shakes her head. "You know, I am traveling with a friend."

"She's fifteen."

"Bye." Joey walks out.

"Drive safe." Lorelai turns to Rory and they both start laughing.

At the Inn, Lorelai walks in, quickly, and goes behind the front desk, where Michel, the concierge is standing.

"Independence Inn. Michel speaking." Michel works the front desk and is actually the Assistant Manager. He's french and hard to understand, and gets really flustered when the girls make fun of him. "No. I'm sorry. We are completely booked. We have wedding party here." He says to the other person on the phone. "No, there is nothing i can do. Yes, I'm sure. Positive. No, ma'am, I don't have to look. Of course I'll look." Michel puts the phone down on the counter and continues to go through the mail in front of him before picking up the phone again. "No, I'm sorry. We're completely booked."

Lorelai continues to look through their books when Rory and Lauren walk up to the desk. "Hey. Kiss." Rory reaches over and kisses her mom on the cheek as Lauren lifts herself up, unable to just bend over the counter, and kisses Lorelai on the other cheek. Rory walks behind the counter and begins rummaging through the desk.

Michel hangs up the phone and looks at Rory with a rather annoyed expression. "What is your offspring doing?" Michel asks.

"I need stamps." Rory answers, pulling out a page full. "Can I have these?"

"No."

"Take them." Lorelai tells her. She looks her oldest daughter up and down. Rory is wearing an oversize sweater. "What is with the muumuu?"

"Stop." Rory glares.

"No. I'm just saying you couldn't find one made of metal?" Lorelai asks. "In case anyone has x-ray eyes?"

"I told her not to wear it." Lauren tells her mom.

"And now we say good-bye." Rory tells them.

"Hey. Have Michel look at your french paper." Lorelai says, looking at Michel with a small smirk.

"That'd be great." Rory pulls out her paper.

"No." Michel says.

"Come on, Michel. I'll tell all the ladies what a stud you are." Rory bribes.

"Hm. I believe that memo has already been sent."

"Oh, please, Michel. Please." Lorelai says in her best but worse french accent. "Pretty please, or I will not stop talking like this."

"Alright. Fine."

Rory hands him the paper looking satisfied. "It's due tomorrow. And pay special attention to the grammar."

Lorelai watches her girls walk away and smiles at Michel. "I despise you." He says as Lorelai laugh and walks away.

On their way to school, Lauren and Rory are walking towards Lane Kim's house, Rory's best friend, to pick her up.

"Question." Lauren says.

"Yes?"

"Why are you still walking me to school? I'm eleven now. I think I'm fully capable of walking on my own." Lauren tells her big sister.

"And do we remember last time Mom let you walk to school by yourself? You ended up in the music store for two hours." Rory reminds her.

Lauren shrugs. "So I get distracted. Plus, that was two years ago."

"Look, my school is on the way. So, why not just walk together?"

"I'm just saying. I remember Mom letting you walk to school by yourself, and there's not like anyone would kidnap me. Have you met everyone that lives here?" Lauren asks.

Rory laughs. "I'll talk to Mom. But I make no promises."

"Thanks." Lauren says, happily.

They stop at Lane's house just as she is walking out the door. "Hey, Lane."

"Hey. Hey, Lauren."

"Hey." Lane looks behind her to make sure they are far away from her house. "What are you doing?" Lauren asks.

Lane takes off her sweater and reveals another shirt under it representing a band. "When are you going to let your parents know that you listen to the evil rock music?" Rory asks. "You're an American teenager for goodness sakes."

"Rory, if my parents still get upset over the obscene portion size of American food, I seriously doubt I'm going to make any inroads with Eminem." Lane explains to her friend.

"Alright, Lauren, here you are." Rory says as they reach Lauren's school.

"Oh. Great." Lauren says, sarcastically as she walks towards the middle school.

Rory and Lane walk passed a sign for a hay ride on their way to their school. "I have to go to that." Lane tells her.

"Why?" Rory asks.

"My parents set me up with a son of a business associate. He's going to be a doctor."

"You're kidding." Rory laughs. "How old is he?"

"Sixteen."

"So, he's going to be a doctor in hundred years?" Rory asks.

"Uh. My parents like to plan ahead. So, I'm guessing you're not going?" Lane asks, already knowing the answer.

Rory smiles. "Uh, no. I'm still fuzzy on what's fun about sitting in the cold for two hours with sticks up your butt." She says while they walk passed some kids and into their school building.

At the middle school across the street, Lauren is painting her fingernails and reading a book at the same time. She was quite the multitask-er. All her classmates behind her are looking at her and talking. Lauren knows they are talking about her. It was an everyday thing. They'd tease her behind her back because they knew if they'd come up to her face she would have no problem throwing the first punch. It's happened a few times. Lorelai raised a fighter, but not on purpose. Lauren just didn't let anyone walk all over her and she spoke up for herself when need be.

"She's looking at you." Elizabeth, Lauren's best friend, tells her just before their teacher makes her way to Lauren.

"Lauren Gilmore, is that fingernail polish I am smelling?" Her teacher asks.

Lauren looks up and smiles. "It's scented." She says showing off her nails. "Wanna smell?"

The kids around her start to laugh. "Principal's office. Now." Lauren rolls her eyes and gathers her stuff before she walks out.

Later than day, Rory, Lane, and Lauren are walking back from school. Lauren had just told them about what happened in class and Lane and Rory couldn't help but laugh.

"Was it a good color at least?" Lane asks Lauren.

"It has sparkles in it. I can't believe they made me take it off." Lauren says, looking aggravated. "And it smelled like bubble gum." She adds. "Do you think they called Mom?"

Rory puts her arm around her sister. "Without a doubt."

Lauren huffs as they continue walking to the inn.

In the kitchen of the inn, Sookie, Lorelai's best friend and the chef of the Independence Inn, is chopping up vegetables. She's going so fast she's not paying attention to what she is doing. They helpers around her are moving stuff out of her way and are taking knives from her one by one.

"Careful!" One of them yells.

"I'm okay." Sookie tells them, nonchalantly.

"Sookie!" Lorelai yells, running into the kitchen causing Sookie to hit on of the helpers with a pan. "Oh." She says, watching the man go down. "It's here. It happened. She did it!"

Sookie smiles and tries to copy the same excitement, but she was also confused. "Okay. I'm going to need a little bit longer sentence." She tells Lorelai.

"The Chilton school. Rory got in!"

"Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!" Sookie says, jumping up and down and clapping along with Lorelai.

"I know! Look!" Lorelai shows her the acceptance letter. "Dear, Miss. Gilmore, we are happy to inform you that we have a vacancy at Chilton Preparatory starting immediately. Due to your daughter's excellent credentials and your enthusiastic pursuit of her enrollment...I offered to do the principal to get her in.." She jokes. "..we'd be happy to accept her as soon as the first semester's tuition has been received."

"This is very exciting." Sookie says, hugging Lorelai.

"This is it." Lorelai smiles proudly. "She can finally go to Harvard like she's always wanted, and get the education that I never got, and get to do all the things that I never go to do! And then I can finally resent her for it, and we can finally have a normal mother-daughter relationship."

"Mom!" They hear Rory yell from outside the kitchen. They both try to hold their excitement as they look at the door. Rory and Lauren walk in and immediately freaked out at their mother and her best friend's behavior. "You're happy."

"Yeah." Lorelai smiles.

"Did you do something slutty?"

"I'm not that happy." She says, as she and Sookie start to laugh. "Here." Lorelai hands Rory a bag.

Rory looks confused. "What's going on?"

"Open it."

Rory opens the bag and takes out a plaid skirt. "She's going to be in a Britney Spears' video?" Lauren asks.

"You're going to Chilton!" Sookie blurts out as Lorelai smacks her arm. "Oh, sorry."

"Mom?" Rory questions.

"Mom?" Lauren repeats.

Lorelai nods her head. "You did it, babe. You got in!" She says, holding up the acceptance letter. "You're gonna start on Monday!"

"Really?"

"Really."

"Oh, my gosh. I can't believe this. I'm going to Chilton! Sookie, I'm going to Chilton!" Rory yell with excitement as she hugs her mom. "I have to call Lane." Rory runs out of the kitchen.

Lorelai turns back to her other daughter. "Lauren, Rory's going to Chilton. Isn't that exciting?"

"Whoopi." Lauren says, with no excitement whatsoever.

"Alright. Come on." Lorelai says, rolling her eyes playfully. "We need to have a talk." Lorelai puts her arm around Lauren and ushers her out of the kitchen.

"Aw, man."

Sookie smiles and starts dancing around the kitchen. "Rory's going to Chilton! Rory's going to Chilton!" She chants as she throws her towel in the air and walks away. It lands right on the stove causing a fire.

The next day, at the Inn, Michel is at the front desk writing in the books when the phone starts to ring. He is clearly ignoring it, on purpose, when Lorelai passes by.

"Michel, the phone." Lorelai tells him.

"Mm-hmm. It rings."

Lorelai walks by again. "Can you answer it?"

"Nope." Michel continues writing. "People are particularly stupid today. I can't talk to anymore of them."

"You know who's really nice to talk to?" Lorelai asks, stopping at the desk. "The people are the unemployment agency."

Michel rolls his eyes before answering the phone finally. "Independence Inn. Michel speaking. No. I'm sorry we're completely booked." Michel says and walks away.

Lorelai begins opening the mail and sees one from Rory's school. She opens it and is stunned by what she is reading.

At the house, Lorelai is on the phone pacing back and forth.

"I am holding for Mrs. Bell." She tells someone on the other end. "I've been been trying to get a hold of her all day. Lorelai Gilmore. Oh, hi! Yeah. My daughter, Rory, has just been accepted. Yay." She laughs, nervously. "Thank you. And I got the invoice for your enrollment fee. Wow. That is a lot of zeroes behind that five. Uh-huh..Okay. Well, I guess I'm just wondering is if you couldn't take say, part of it now, just to get her going?" Lorelai asks. "But she's suppose to start Monday. It just doesn't give me a lot of time to pull a bank job. Well, never mind, I was just kidding. Oh, no, I don't want you to give her space up. I'll just..I'll have to figure it out. Oh, no. Thank you. It's been a real treat talking to you. Yeah. Bye." Lorelai hangs up the phone and tosses it on the couch in frustration. She wasn't sure how she was going to fix this.

Later that night, Lorelai and Sookie are outside on the porch drinking wine.

"What do I do? What do I do?" Lorelai repeats over and over again.

"You can have anything that I own. My car! Sell my car!" Sookie offers.

"Oh, sweetie. No one wants your car." Lorelai tells her. "There's something I haven't thought of. I know there is. There's something out there staring me right in the face. I just, I haven't seen it."

Sookie walks over to the side of Lorelai. "You know, you might consider calling.."

"No." Lorelai interrupts her.

"But, I don't think you.."

"No."

"You can at least go to.."

"No."

"Okay. Can I say one more thing?" Sookie asks. "I think it's your only option."

"Sookie, there are several chapters from a Stephen King novel I'd reenact before I'd resort to that option."

"Okay, dropped." Sookie gives up.

"Thank you."

"Mom!" Rory runs out onto the porch wearing the Chilton skirt. "So, what do you think?"

"Wow. It makes you look smart!" Sookie tells her.

"Okay. No more wine for you. Mom?"

"You look like you were swallowed by a kilt." Lorelai tells her, seeing how long the skirt is on her.

"Fine." Rory says, rolling her eyes. "You can hem it. A little. Only a little."

Lorelai claps in excitement as she walks Rory back into the house. "Or I can hem it a lot."

"N. I don't want it to be too short." Rory says as they walk back into the house. "I can't believe tomorrow is my last day at Stars Hollow."

"I know!"

"Today I was so excited I dressed for gym."

Lorelai gasps. "You're kidding."

"And I played volleyball."

"With other people?"

"And I learned that all this time I was avoiding group sports was very smart because I suck at them."

"Yeah, well, you got that from me."

"Okay. I'm going to the store because you have nothing. You like duck?" Sookie asks.

"Oh, if it's made out of chicken. Absolutely!" Lorelai tells her.

"I'll be back!" Sookie yells as she walks out the house.

Lauren runs downstairs and she laughs at what Rory is wearing. "Who. What ate Rory?"

"Very funny." Rory says, sarcastically.

Lorelai finished pinning Rory's skirt and stands up. "Alright. This should give you an idea of what it will look like. Go see how you like it."

Rory smiles. "Okay. I love being a private school girl." She says skipping away to her room.

Lorelai smiles, trying to hide the face that she was still confused on how she was going to even pay for private school. Lauren walks by getting Lorelai's attention. She grabs her youngest daughter's hand and spins her around to her face her. "Hey. How you feeling about Rory going to a private school?"

Lauren shrugs. "Well, she can't walk me to school anymore."

"Yeah. About that. Since your sister is going to another school and I have to be at work sometimes really early in the morning, I am trusting you to get yourself to school on time."

"I can do it." Lauren says, confidently.

"No visiting the bookstore, or the music store, or even the market, which I'm still confused about."

Lauren rolls her eyes at her mom and smiles. "Can't you just trust me like you trust Rory?"

"Hey. I do trust you." Lorelai tells her very seriously.

'Yeah. Yeah." Lauren continues walking away into the kitchen.

Lorelai watches Lauren walk away. She never wanted Lauren to feel like second choice; like Rory is the favorite or something. And she really didn't want Rory to think that she was a screw up. Right now, Lorelai felt like a failure to her girls. She turns around towards the fireplace and looks at the pictures that are on the mantel above. Pictures of her girls when they were younger and to now. As she looked at them, she felt happy that she is able to give her kids the life that she's always wanted and not have to be stuck to one thing in one place and have to worry abut what other people think, like she had to do when she was their age. But as she continued to look at her pictures, she stops at one from when she was really little. It's a picture of her standing in front of her parent's house in Hartford, and unfortunately there was one think she knows she has to do.

Lorelai is standing against her car drinking coffee as she stares at her childhood house where her parents still stay. The house is huge. You'd probably get lost in there if you didn't know exactly where to go. Lorelai did however find many hiding spot and escape routes when she was very young. Right now, she was trying to get up the courage to walk to the door. When she finally does; Emily Gilmore opens the door.

"Hi, Mom." Lorelai smiles.

Emily looks surprised to see her daughter. "Lorelai! My goodness. This is a surprise. Is it Easter already?"

Lorelai laughs awkwardly. "No. I just finished up my business class and I thought I'd stop by."

"To see me?"

"Yes."

"Well, isn't that nice." She says, still holding the door open. "Come in."

"Thanks." Lorelai says, stepping into the house. Lorelai and Emily walk through the foyer. "The place looks great."

"It hasn't changed." Emily says, looking around her own house.

"How are, um, the girls at the bridge club?" Lorelai asks, trying to make up any kind of conversation she could to prolong asking for money.

"Old."

"Well, good." They both sit on the both couches, facing each other, in the living room area and stare at each other awkwardly.

"You said you were taking a business class?" Emily asks, breaking the silence.

"Umm, yeah. I-I'm taking a business class at the college twice a week. I'm sure I told you." Lorelai tells her.

Emily shrugs. "Well, if you are sure then you must have. Would you like some tea?"

"I would love some coffee."

"Suddenly, the front door opens. "Emily, I'm home!" Lorelai's father, Richard, calls out.

"We're in here." Emily answers.

Richard walks in reading the newspaper. "Hi, Dad." Lorelai says.

Richard looks up, quickly, and is surprised to see Lorelai sitting there. "What is it? Christmas already?"

"Lorelai was taking a business class at the college today, and decided to drop in and see us." Emily tells him.

"What business class?"

"Well, she told us about it, dear, remember?"

"No."

"Well, actually, I came here for a reason." Lorelai tells them. Richard walks over and begins making himself a drink. "Dad, would you mind sitting down for a minute?"

"You need money."

"I have a situation."

"You need money."

"Dad, will you just please let me get this out. Okay?" Lorelai takes a deep breath before she continues. "Rory has been accepted to Chilton."

Emily smiles, proudly. "Chilton? Well, that's a wonderful school! It's only five minutes from here."

"That's right. It is. She can start as early as Monday." Lorelai explains. "Um, but the problem is that they want me to put down an enrollment fee plus the first semester's tuition. And I have to do that immediately or she loses her spot."

Richard grins. "So, you need money."

"Yeah." Lorelai says. "But, it's not for me. It's for Rory. I fully intend on paying you back every cent. I don't ask for favors. You know that."

Emily rolls her eyes. "Oh, yes, we know."

"I'll get the checkbook." Richard tells her.

"Thank you." Lorelai says, sincerely. "You have no idea. Thank you."

"On one condition." Emily says, stopping Richard.

Lorelai sighs. "So close."

"Since we are now financially involved in your life, I want to be actively involved in your life."

"What does that mean, Mother?"

"I want a weekly dinner."

"What?" Lorelai says, a little surprised.

"Friday nights. You, Rory, and Lauren will have dinner here." Emily tells her.

"Mom."

"And you have to call us once a week to give us an update on Rory and Lauren's schooling life and your life." She adds. "That's it. That's the condition. If you agree, you'll come to dinner tomorrow night, and leave here with a check. Otherwise, I'm sorry, we can't help you."

"I don't want her to know that I borrowed money from you. I don't want Lauren to know either. Can that just be between us?" Lorelai asks.

"Does seven work for you?" Emily asks.

Lorelai smiles. "Perfect."

Emily looks over at Richard they both smile while Lorelai frowns and looks up at a picture of herself and her parent up on a wall when she was younger.

She was back.

At Stars Hollow High, Rory is cleaning out her locker while she talks to Lane.

"And we get to wear uniforms. No more having people check you out to see what jeans you're wearing because everyone's dressed alike in boring clothes and are just there to learn." Rory explains to her best friend.

"Okay. There's academic mind, and then there's Amish." Lane says. "So, I told my mom you were changing schools."

"Was she thrilled?" Rory asks.

"The party's on Friday." Lane laughs. "I got to go."

"Bye." Rory laughs. Lane walks away right when Rory drops her books on the floor. She bends down to pick them up and is suddenly hit with feet at her face. "Geez! You're like Ruth Gordon just standing there with a tennis root. Make a noise."

"Rosemary's baby." The voice says.

Rory is shocked that someone actually knows what she was talking about. She stands back up and sees a pretty face looking back at her. "Yeah." She says, suddenly nervous.

"That's a great movie. You got good taste. Are you moving?" He asks, noticing the box in Rory's hands.

"No. Just my books are." She tells him.

"My family just moved here from Chicago."

"Chicago. Windy. Oprah."

"Yeah. Yeah. That's the place." He confirms. "I'm Dean."

Rory smiles, softly. "Hi." Dean wait for Rory to introduce herself. "Oh. Rory. Me. That's me."

Dean smiles. "Rory." He repeats.

"Well, Lorelai, technically."

"Lorelai. I like that."

"It's my mother's name, too, and my sister's middle name. She named us after herself. She was lying in the hospital, after having me, and started thinking about how men name boys after themselves all th time, so why couldn't women? She says that feminism just kinda took over. But, personally, I think a lot of demerol also went into that decision. I never talk this much." She says, noticing she just rambled about her birth.

"Well, I better go." Dean tells her with a smile. "I have to go look for a job."

"Okay. Good." Dean laughs before walking away. "You should check with Miss. Patty." Rory tells him.

Dean turns back around. "What?"

"About the job. You should check with Miss. Patty. She teaches dance. She was actually on Broadway once."

"I don't really dance much." Dean says, looking confused.

"No. No. She just kinda knows everything that goes on in this town. She'll know if someone is looking." Rory explains.

"Oh. Great. Thanks!" Dean walks back up to Rory. "Hey. What are you doing right now?"

"Nothing much." Rory says, nervously. She looks down at the trash down in her hands. "I should throw this away at some point."

"Well, maybe you could show me where this Miss. Patty's place is."

Rory smiles. "Yeah. I guess so. I really don't have anything important to do. Let's go." Dean grabs the box from Rory and they walk out of school.

As they are walking down the sidewalk, Dean is thinking about something to say to Rory.

"So, how you lived here all your life?" He asks.

"Yes. Well, pretty much. I was actually born in Hartford."

"That's not far."

"Thirty minutes with no traffic." Rory tells him.

"Really?"

"I timed it."

"Okay, then." Dean laughs.

Lauren walks out of her school to find Rory walking with Dean down the sidewalk. She was about to call her name when she decides to just follow them instead.

"So, do you like cake?" Rory asks, randomly.

"What?"

"They make really good cakes here." She says as they pass the bakery. "They're very round."

"Okay." He chuckles. "I'll remember that."

"Good. Make a note."

"So, how you liking Moby Dick?"

"Oh, it's really good."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's my first Melville."

"Cool."

"Hey. How did you know I was reading Moby Dick?" Rory asks, looking confused.

"Uh. Well, I've been watching you." Dean says, nervously.

"Watching me?"

"I mean, not in a creepy I just..I've noticed you."

"Me?" Rory asks, a little shocked.

"Yeah."

"When?"

Dean hesitates before he answers. "Everyday." He says, shyly. Rory wasn't sure what to say so just stares at him. "After school you come out and you under that tree and read. Last week it was Madame Bovary. This week it's Moby Dick."

"But why would you-"

"Because you're really nice to look at and because you've got unbelievable concentration."

"What?" Rory laughs.

"Last Friday these two guys were tossing around the football and one guy nailed the other guy right in the face. I mean, it was a mess. Blood everywhere. The nurse came out, the place was chaos, his girlfriend was all freaking out, and you just sat there and read. I mean, you never even looked up. I thought 'I've never seen anyone read that intensely before in my entire life. I have to meet that girl.'" Dean explains.

"Maybe I just didn't look up because I'm unbelievably self-centered."

"Maybe." Dean smirks. "But I doubt it."

At the house, Rory is in her room doing her homework when Lauren slowly walks into her room.

"What do you want?" Rory asks, not looking up from her book.

Lauren starts laughing. "I thought you had unbelievable concentration?"

Rory looks up, quickly, her at sister who is smirking mischievously. "What did you say?"

"What's your favorite kind of cake? I was thinking about calling Mom to pick some up." Lauren laughs again.

Rory jumps from her bed and runs after Lauren. "Lauren!" She yells. She catches Lauren in the living room and throws her down on the couch. She gets on top of her, pinning her down. "Where did you hear that from?"

"Oh. I don't know." Lauren shrugs with a grin. "Around."

"Lauren!" Rory yells again.

"Fine. I was coming out of school expecting to see my sister since, ya know, she is going to another school on Monday and we were supposed to walk home together. But I see her walking with a boy instead. Who is is?" Lauren asks.

"He just moved here. I was just showing him to Miss. Patty's."

"He's a dancer?"

Rory rolls her eyes and stands up from the couch. "No. He was going talk to her about a job."

"Oh. So, do you like him?" Lauren asks, smiling.

"I just met him."

"So? I mean, he's been watching you for awhile now. I think he likes you."

Rory crosses her arms, glaring down at her little sister. "How much did you hear?"

"Almost everything. Are you going to tell Mom?"

"No. And neither are you."

"Rory, how are you expecting to hide that you like someone from Mom? She knows everything. She finds out everything. Trust me." Lauren says because Lorelai literally finds out everything that she does. Rory just stands there staring at her sister. "Whatever. Fine. I won't say anything. But you and I both know she will find out." Lauren runs upstairs.

Rory watches her sister until she hears her door close and then she collapse on the couch. Lauren was right. It was definitely going to be hard to keep this from Lorelai. She did find out everything and everyone told her everything. Plus, Rory is a terrible liar.

At Luke's diner, later that night, Lorelai, Rory, and Lauren are all picking at their food. They all had something they were hiding from each other and are afraid to talk about. Lorelai looks at her girls and finally decides to break their silence.

"I forgot to tell you both that we are having dinner tomorrow night at your grandparent's house." Lorelai says.

Lauren and Rory look up, confused. "We are?" Rory asks.

"Mhm."

"But, it's September." Lauren tells her.

"So?"

"So, what holiday is in September?" Lauren asks.

"It's not a holiday thing. It's just dinner, okay?" Lorelai says, looking annoyed.

"Fine." Lauren goes back to picking at her food.

"So, I finished hemming your skirt today." Lorelai tells Rory. Rory just looks up at Lorelai with no hint of excitement, like before. "A grunt of acknowledgement would be nice."

"I don't understand why we are going to dinner tomorrow night." Rory tells her. "I mean, what if I had plans? You didn't even ask me."

"If you had plans I would have known." Lauren snorts in a laugh. Rory glares at her and kicks her under the table. "What's going on?" Lorelai asks.

"I'm just saying I don't tell you everything. I have my own things."

"Hey. I had dibs on being the bitch tonight." Lorelai jokes.

"Just tonight?" Rory says, under her breath.

"What the hell is going on with you?"

Rory hesitates before looking up at her mom. "I'm not sure I want to go to Chilton anymore."

Lorelai look surprised. "What?"

"The timing is just really bad."

"The timing is bad?" Lorelai asks.

"And the bus ride to and from Hartford, it's like thirty minutes each way."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing."

"Plus, I don't think we should be spending that kind of money right now. I mean, what if Lauren wanted to do something. She wouldn't be able to because I took all the money. I mean, I know Chilton's probably costing you a lot." Rory says.

Lauren looks back and forth at her sister and their mom. Was Rory really bringing her into this as an excuse to not go to Chilton? When had she really actually ever thought about her? Oh, right. She's not thinking about her. She's thinking about a boy. "Don't bring me into this, Rory. You don't care either way!" Lauren yells.

Lorelai and Rory are stunned by Lauren's outburst. "Lauren." Lorelai says, calmly.

"I'm already compared to you at my school like, all the time, so don't make me your excuse for not wanting to to go Chilton. I don't want to be to blame. So, please, go to to Chilton. Please. Maybe they'll finally leave me alone." Lauren runs out of the diner leaving Lorelai and Rory.

"Lauren!" Lorelai yells, but Lauren ignores her.

"I didn't mean it that way." Rory says. "I just meant, if you didn't spend all the money on me you could also finally get the inn with Sookie that you've always wanted."

"What about college? What about Harvard?" Lorelai asks, still confused on what is happening.

"You don't know that I can't get into Harvard if I stay where I am."

"Okay. Enough crazy talk. I appreciate your concern for me and your sister, but I have this covered."

"I still don't want to go!"

"Why!?"

"Because I don't!"

"I have to get out of here. I need to find your sister." Lorelai says, finally having enough, and walks out of the diner. Rory sighs and follows her mom out.

While they are walking back home, they pass Miss. Patty's dancing class studio where Miss. Patty is standing outside smoking.

"Oh, Lorelai, Lauren ran passed me in tears. I tried stopping her, but she just kept on running." Patty tells them.

Lorelai smiles, gratefully. "Thanks, Patty. I'm on my way now to catch up with her. You know, teenage hormones are kicking in." She jokes, trying to cover up the real situation.

"Oh, and Rory, I think I found a job for your male friend."

Lorelai looks over at Rory "What male friend?" She asks, intrigued.

Rory looks away. "They need a stock boy at the market. I already talked to Taylor Doose about him. You just send him around tomorrow." Patty continues.

"Okay. Thanks." Rory says, walking as fast as she can away from them.

"What male friend?" Lorelai asks again.

"Oh, he's very cute." Patty adds with a small smile.

"Oh, you're going to have to walk faster than that!" Lorelai yells after Rory seeing she's trying to lose her. "You're gonna have to turn into fricken Flo Jo to get away from me."

At the house, Rory walks in and slams the door, but Lorelai walks right on in and follows her towards her room.

"This is about a boy." Lorelai says. Lauren is upstairs when she hears her mom and sister fighting downstairs. She smiles knowing her mom just found out about Dean. Lauren jumps off her bed and walks to her door, sitting down against the wall so she can listen better. "Of course. I can't believe I didn't see it. All this talk about money and bus rides. You've got a thing going with a guy, and you don't want to leave school." Rory starts cleaning her room.

"I'm going to bed." Rory says, trying to ignore her mom.

"I'm so dense. That should have been my first thought." Lorelai says. "After all, you're me."

"I'm not you."

"Really?" Lorelai questions. "Someone willing to throw away important life experiences out the window to be with a guy? It sounds like me to me."

"Whatever."

"So, who is he?" Lorelai asks once again.

"There's no guy!"

"Dark hair? Romantic eyes? Looks a little dangerous?"

"Conversation's over."

"Tattoo's are good, too." Lorelai continues.

"I don't want to change schools because of all the reasons I've told you a thousand time. If you don't want to believe me. That's fine. Goodnight." Rory slams her door in Lorelai's face.

"Does he have a motorcycle? Because if you're going to throw your life away, he better have a motorcycle!" Lorelai yells through the door before walking in. Rory is sitting on her bed acting like she is reading a book. "Listen, can we just start over? You tell me all about the guy, and I promise to not let my head explode, okay?" Rory continues ignoring her. "Rory, please talk to me." Lorelai begs as she sits down on the bed. "Okay. Fine. I'll talk. Okay. Don't get me wrong, guys are great. You don't get knocked up at sixteen and then again at twenty being indifferent to guys. Babe, guys are always going to be there. The school isn't. It's more important. It has to be more important."

"I'm going to sleep."

"Rory, you always been the sensible one in this house. I need you to remember that feeling now. You will kick your own butt later if you blow this."

"Well, it's my butt." Rory slams her book shut and turns off her lamp.

"Good comeback."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Rory, come on!"

"I don't want to talk about this. Can you please, please leave me alone." Rory begs.

Lorelai stands up. "Okay, fine. We always had a democracy in this house. We never did anything unless we all agreed. But, now, I guess I'm going to have to play the mom card. You are going to Chilton, whether you want to or not. Monday morning you will be there. End of story."

"We'll see!" Rory yells.

"Yeah. We will!" Lorelai yells back, slamming the door behind her.

Upstairs, Lauren hears Rory's door slam and jumps up. This is the first time she had actually ever seen her mom and sister fight, ever. It was very surprising. They rarely ever got mad at each other. Lauren quickly runs to her bed after she hears her mom's footsteps climbing the stairs. She pretends to be reading when she picks up a random book from off her nightstand.

"Knock, knock." Lorelai peeks in and Lauren looks up, giving her mom a small smile as she walks in. "I hope you didn't hear any of that."

"Just reading my book." Lauren says, showing Lorelai the book in her hands.

Lorelai sits down in front of Lauren and laughs when she notices the book is upside down. "Maybe I should put you in Chilton, too, since you can read upside down. That's quite gifted." Lorelai jokes.

Lauren looks closer at her book and rolls her eyes, tossing it aside. "Okay. Maybe I was eavesdropping." Lauren admits.

"Yeah. I figured." Lorelai says. Lauren didn't want to look her mom in her eyes. She was embarrassed for running out of the diner like that and yelling at Rory She didn't mean to, but after everything that was happening all week she finally just had enough. "Care to explain what that outburst was about?"

"Not really." Lauren tells her.

Lorelai scoots closer to her daughter and takes her hand. "Hey. Look at me." Lauren slowly looks up and meets her mom's blue eyes. That was one thing she didn't get from her mother. That famous blue eyes that everyone falls in love with, and the ones her sister shares. Lauren wasn't sure where her green eyes came from, but her mom has always told her it was because she's unique in her own way and being different is a good thing. "Do people really make it seem like Rory is better than you?"

Lauren shrugs. "Yeah, sometimes. The teachers at school do. They are always telling me how I'm not as school oriented like Rory. And they ask me why I can't just be quiet like Rory, or just sit still like Rory. But I make straight A's like Rory, so I don't know why they keep complaining. Oh, and Mom, I really don't want to go to Grandma and Grandpa's because they don't even like me."

"Are you serious? Lauren Lorelai Gilmore, they love you! How can anyone not?" She was really surprised that Lauren was feeling this way. She was pretty upset with herself for not seeing it sooner. Yes, she did pay attention a little more to Rory on certain things, but Lauren is her baby-girl, and always will be. There's also certain things she pays more attention to when it comes to Lauren. But, right now, Lorelai was feeling like a failure as a mom right now for letting her youngest feel this way, and not know it. "Baby, I am so sorry that you have been feeling this way. I really am. And I promise things will change around here."

"So, are you really going to make Rory go to Chilton?" Lauren asks.

Lorelai nods. "Yeah. I think I am. It's a great opportunity that she shouldn't pass up."

"You asked the grandparents to help out, didn't you?" Lauren asks with a knowing smile.

Lorelai sighs. "I didn't know it was that obvious."

"Apparently not that obvious because Rory didn't even catch it. But she also has boy on the brain." She says, fake gagging.

Lorelai laughs and sits on the side of Lauren. "You are way too smart for your own good. But this stays a secret. No telling Rory, okay?"

"Okay." Lauren agrees.

Lorelai puts her arm around her daughter and Lauren leans into her mom. "Oh, and that whole not being able to stay quiet or not sitting still in class, and being very outspoken; you got that from me."

Lauren looks at up at her mom and smiles. "I saw Rory's boyfriend."

"What!? Where? When?"

"Earlier today. Rory forgot to pick me up from school because she was walking with him to Miss. Patty's. So when I walked out of school, I started following them. He's pretty cute." Lauren explains.

"Tall? Dark? Pretty?" Lorelai asks.

"Yep."

Lorelai sighs. "Great. You will never get a boyfriend. Ever. You hear me?"

"I think you have a long way to go before that happens." Lauren reassures her mom.

"Thank goodness." Lorelai says, holding her daughter close.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, kid." Lorelai kisses Lauren, gently, on the top of her head while she just holds her daughter close, enjoying this much needed time with her youngest.