Story Summary: Sookie gets her answers and the Gilmore girls start down new relationship paths.

 

Authors Note: Sorry about the long delay…Fair warning this chapter is not about Rory and Tristan…some might call this a filler chapter…in my mind…its story progression. Please enjoy.

 

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the characters in my story. The characters belong to the WB show “Gilmore Girls”, its writers and creators.

 

INT: SOOKIE’S HOUSE-NIGHT

 

Sookie bravely walks into the living room where Ethan and his dad are now sitting. Expecting to really *surprise* Ben with her appearance Sookie is delighted when Ben immediately recognizes her and gets up off the couch to come and hug her.

 

BEN: (still embracing Sookie) Sook…it’s really great to see you.

 

On the sidelines Lorelai watches and sends a very happy Sookie a thumbs up.

 

Sookie steps back from the hug a little and smiles up at Ben.

 

SOOKIE: It’s been so long.

 

BEN: (smiling back) It sure has.

 

SOOKIE: Can I get you anything to eat or drink maybe?

 

BEN: No…I’m good. I can’t thank you enough Sookie for taking Ethan in like this. I was really afraid he was sleeping somewhere in that broken down van of his.

 

SOOKIE: Ethan’s a great kid. He’s been no trouble for me.

 

BEN: I wish I could say the same. I guess I owe you all sorts of belated explanations.

 

SOOKIE: No hurry…we can talk whenever you feel ready to.

 

LORELAI: Really? Cause I’d kind of like to hear the answer to the mystery of “Who begat Ethan.”

 

SOOKIE: (to Ben) Can you excuse us for a sec?

 

BEN: Sure.

 

Sookie takes Lorelai’s arm and begins pulling her into the kitchen.

 

LORELAI: What’s up?

 

SOOKIE: Lor…hon. I think maybe you should go.

 

LORELAI: Go?

 

SOOKIE: Yeah…I promise I’ll fill you in tomorrow…but I think maybe this is a conversation Ben and I need to have privately.

 

LORELAI: Okay…not feeling much like a third wheel now.

 

SOOKIE: Oh honey…it’s not like that.

 

LORELAI: No…it’s okay. I have some serious wallowing to do anyway…and lets face it you and Ben are cramping my style.

 

SOOKIE: You’re the best sweetie.

 

LORELAI: I’ll just slip out the back door. But promise me the minute George Clooney’s twin brother leaves you are on the phone to me.

 

SOOKIE: That’s a promise

 

LORELAI: All right then I’m going.

 

Lorelai and Sookie hug and Lorelai heads towards the back door, turning around at the last minute.

 

LORELAI: Curious question…he doesn’t happen to have a brother does he?

 

SOOKIE: Sorry…only child.

 

LORELAI: Right…not important…but if it happens to come up in conversation that he has…I don’t know…maybe a good looking lonely friend…

 

SOOKIE: The recommendation is as good as yours.

 

LORELAI: Okay…this is me going…truly…leaving.

 

SOOKIE: Thanks for everything honey.

 

Lorelai smiles at Sookie as she closes the door and leaves. 

 

INT: RORY’S BEDROOM-NIGHT

 

Rory is sitting on her bed trying to keep her mind on the text book before her when the phone rings. Thankful for the distraction she reaches over and picks it up.

 

RORY/LANE: INTERCUT

 

RORY: Hello?

 

LANE: Bless you!

 

RORY: Excuse me?

 

LANE: Bless you for being home Rory Gilmore.

 

RORY: Lane?

 

LANE: Of course. Who did you think it was?

 

RORY: I was leaning towards a bible salesman.

 

LANE: Yes…right. And now that your humor is spent…lets focus on me. I am sitting in a dark closest…with an ounce of illumination coming through the cracks…and do you know why?

 

RORY: The night light went out?

 

LANE: Again with the humor. That was a good one by the way.

 

RORY: Thanks.

 

LANE: No…no time for thanks…this…this is panic time.

 

RORY: Explain please.

 

LANE: Do you know what tomorrow is?

 

RORY: Are you planning on answering everything I say with a question? Cause if you are…this could take a really long time.

 

LANE: Tomorrow is my date!

 

RORY: Your date?

 

LANE: Do you ever listen to your answering machine?

 

RORY: That would be another question.

 

LANE: It was rhetorical…because I know if you did…you would already know by the ten urgent messages that I left that tomorrow I have a date…and I’m freaking out!

 

RORY: You have another date with Henry?

 

LANE: No.

 

RORY: Well who then? Because the last time I left you…you were bemoaning your lack of prospects in a small town…wait…you have a date with the guy Ethan that came over to our table at Luke’s?

 

LANE: Yes…and I’m freaking out!

 

RORY: Right…you said that.

 

LANE: You have to help me.

 

RORY: How?

 

LANE: You’re the one with all the dating experience…teach me.

 

RORY: Teach you?

 

LANE: Yes…impart your dating wisdom to me…I really like him Rory and I don’t want to do anything stupid.

 

RORY: Just be yourself Lane.

 

LANE: That’s all you’ve got?

 

RORY: Well…keep him away from your mother if at all possible.

 

LANE: Great…I’m doomed.

 

RORY: Seriously Lane…he asked you out…so there must be something there for him already…just try and relax.

 

LANE: What was I thinking…saying yes. I mean Ethan is this total stranger to me…totally good looking mind you…but my mother will never allow him into the house. Unless…he could pretend to be Korean…and studying to be a…lawyer…or a doctor.

 

RORY: You’re going to ask Ethan to lie about his heritage and his career goals?

 

LANE: Bad idea?

 

RORY: Right up there with giving Anna Nicole her own show.

 

LANE: Clearly I wasn’t thinking straight…sorry.

 

(OC) Lane…you come down here now…trash will not take itself out.

 

LANE: (cont.) Time to go and be the dutiful daughter…thanks Rory.

 

RORY: My pleasure…and I want full details after tomorrow nights date.

 

LANE: Providing I survive without making a total mockery of the dating opportunity.

 

RORY: Just a little tip.

 

LANE: Please…anything…I’m drowning here.

 

RORY: A little confidence goes a long way.

 

(OC) Lane!

 

LANE: I’ll try and remember that. Gotta go.

 

RORY: Okay…bye.

 

INT: SOOKIE’S-NIGHT

 

As Sookie walks back into the living room she notices that Ethan has also taken his leave and that Ben is sitting alone on the couch. As Sookie enters Ben gets up off the couch and waits for Sookie to sit down before he takes his seat again.

 

SOOKIE: So…this is a little awkward.

 

BEN: I know…I’m sorry. I should have called you…but when Ethan phoned to say where he was…I couldn’t get here fast enough.

 

SOOKIE: You must have been so worried about him.

 

BEN: Frantic. Ethan is my life Sookie…and I know he’s growing up…but he will always be my only child. I can’t help being a little unwilling to let him go.

 

SOOKIE: You sound like Lorelai.

 

BEN: You’re friend I met tonight? Really?

 

SOOKIE: Yeah…she’s got a daughter Ethan’s age and she is struggling with Rory’s growing up process too.

 

BEN: It’s hard. I mean up until a few years ago…I was Ethan’s world. Now I’m just his obnoxious, meddling father. It’s a rough adjustment to make.

 

SOOKIE: I can imagine.

 

BEN: Do you and your husband have any kids?

 

SOOKIE: No. Actually we just got married a few months ago.

 

BEN: Well…if my opinion counts for anything…he’s a very lucky man.

 

Sookie openly blushes.

 

SOOKIE: You always did know the right things to say.

 

BEN: And you always were the nicest girl out there.

 

SOOKIE: Okay…you’re making me blush…I can feel it.

 

BEN: It’s sweet.

 

SOOKIE: Okay…enough buttering up Sookie Ben. Whatever your reason for lying to Ethan about his mom…I’m going to be okay with it.

 

BEN: Right…that. First just let me say…I’m sorry. I was in a difficult position and I should have taken the high road…but he was so young Sook…I didn’t think he could handle the truth.

 

SOOKIE: Which is what Ben?

 

BEN: Complicated…but not so complicated I shouldn’t just be able to spit it out. God what is wrong with me? It’s like I’ve been living this lie so long…the truth is hard to admit.

 

SOOKIE: Why don’t you start by telling me who Ethan’s real mom is?

 

BEN: All right…Ethan’s mom is Amy Fargo.

 

SOOKIE:  Big guns?!

 

BEN: As she was affectionately know by half that football team…yes. It was her most memorable quality after all.

 

SOOKIE: That’s why she left school?

 

BEN: Yes. I didn’t know it at the time…I found out later.

 

SOOKIE: So the girl you denied to my face being with…that’s Ethan’s mom?

 

BEN: Right…about that…I’m sorry. I know it’s pointless now…explaining myself…but I was afraid if I told you the truth I would lose you.

 

SOOKIE: Good guess.

 

BEN: As it was we had a great senior year.

 

SOOKIE: Until you dumped me.

 

BEN: Again…really sorry about that…but I was eighteen and going away to college.

 

SOOKIE: So I’m confused…if Amy left school without telling you she was pregnant…how did you get Ethan?

 

BEN: I was in my parent’s house packing my room for college when the doorbell rang. I didn’t think anything of it until my mom came into my room and told me I needed to come downstairs immediately. I followed her down and there was this man in a suit holding the hand of a little boy. He informed my mother and father that Amy had signed over sole custody of Ethan to me.

 

SOOKIE: You must have freaked out.

 

BEN: My parents did. They scooted Ethan off with neighbors and proceeded to switch back and forth between berating and interrogating me. The end result was my parents kicking me and Ethan out saying they wanted no part of me or my mistakes.

 

SOOKIE: That’s awful.

 

BEN: Yeah…it was. I got a job as quick as I could and did anything and everything I could to scrap by a life for me and Ethan. I don’t know if I was the best father, but for what it’s worth…I loved that little boy from day one. I promised myself that no matter what he did…I wasn’t going to be like my parents…loving conditionally.

 

SOOKIE: So how did I come into the picture?

 

BEN: Through a picture.

 

SOOKIE: Pardon?

 

BEN: Remember that box of photos you gave me when we…when I called it off?

 

SOOKIE: I remember throwing it at you…pictures scattering everywhere.

 

BEN: Well…I picked them all up…every last one of them…and I kept them. I think even then I sort of knew I was letting go of someone great…even through my immaturity.

 

SOOKIE: (touched) You kept the pictures?

 

BEN: Yeah…I did. Needless to say when Ethan was eight…he found them. He was convinced you were his mom…so…I fed the fantasy. It was easier than telling him his mom was a woman who abandoned him to marry a rich man who didn’t want kids…just like her.

 

SOOKIE: When were you going to tell him the truth?

 

BEN: I don’t know that I ever was. I mean…from that minute on he slept with and carried your picture everywhere. He was convinced if he held it close enough…it would bring you back…and then as he grew older…he stopped talking about his mom coming home…so I figured he had let it go.

 

SOOKIE: Poor little guy.

 

BEN: I didn’t realize until he left that he had been keeping a notebook with every scrap of information he could find on you…old letters…tons of photos. He even cut out what you wrote in my yearbook all three years and pasted them in there. It was pretty much at that point that I realized…I should have just told him the truth.

 

SOOKIE: You did what you thought was best. Ethan will forgive you.

 

BEN: How about you?

 

SOOKIE: There’s nothing to forgive. Ethan’s a great kid. It’s even a little flattering…I think.

 

BEN: Thanks.

 

SOOKIE: You should be proud of yourself. You did a great job raising him.

 

BEN: I’m not sure he would agree with that.

 

Before Sookie can reassure Ben the front door opens and Jackson comes into the room lugging some boxes of fruit. His initial reaction to the stranger in the room is one of surprise as Sookie quickly begins her introductions.

 

SOOKIE: Ben…this is my Jackson.

 

Ben walks over to where Jackson has put down the boxes and extends his hand in a friendly handshake. Self-conscious of the dirt on his hands Jackson awkwardly wipes them off on his equally dirty shirt before accepting the gesture.

 

INT: GILMORE GIRLS: DAY

 

Rory is frantically running around her room putting books into her backpack, a strawberry pop-tart sticking out of her mouth. Lorelai enters the room, hair tousled and still wearing bed clothes. Upon seeing her Rory takes the pop-tart out of her mouth.

 

RORY: What are you doing?

 

A miserable Lorelai takes in her daughter’s presence before sinking on to the bed.

 

LORELAI: Day two of my wallow…is that the last pop-tart?

 

RORY: Did you go to “Doose’s” this morning?

 

Lorelai gives Rory a look of …”take a look at me do I look like I presented this to outside world?” before answering.

 

LORELAI: I can’t believe you ate the last pop-tart. I cook for you, I clean for you…

 

RORY: You delude yourself for me.

 

LORELAI: Fine…I can see I am vastly underappreciated here. I’ll just go scrounge the cupboards for the “essence” of the pop-tarts…that should be enough to sustain my quickly deteriorating form.

 

RORY: The wrapper may still be on the counter…go crazy.

 

LORELAI: You are a wicked…wicked child.

 

RORY: Okay…your well being is important to me…so I promise to come bearing pop-tarts when I return from my day of higher education.

 

LORELAI: You have so gone up on the wicked scale…you are now straddling the line between…slightly evil and naughty girl.

 

RORY: Well that’s…refreshing.

 

Lorelai manages a pitiful moan.

 

RORY: You’re going to be okay…right?

 

Yet another pitiful mew escapes from Lorelai’s throat.

 

LORELAI: Nothing that a lot of scotch and a little vicadon induced sleep won’t cure.

 

RORY: Not funny.

 

LORELAI: Kidding…kidding. You of all people should know that my drug of choice is take-out food and beer…mix a little “Ben and Jerry’s” in there and I’m good to go.

 

RORY: (slightly worried) Maybe I should stay home today.

 

LORELAI: Not on your life sister. This is your first day of utter honesty with the whole “Tristan” thing…and I am fine. Go…be free…have a “sappy”…I mean “happy” Valentines day and don’t even give your relationship train wreck of a mom another thought.

 

At the mention of Tristan’s name Rory’s face lights up. Which she quickly squelches as she gives her mom a hug.

 

RORY: You know mom…its Dad’s loss.

 

LORELAI: Then how come I feel like a building fell on me?

 

RORY: Because you love him.

 

LORELAI: Oh…right…that.

 

Lorelai and Rory continue to hug…sharing in the comfort that their bond affords each other. A moment broken only by the doorbell’s interruption.

 

RORY: That would be my ride.

 

LORELAI: Have a great day babe…you deserve this.

 

RORY: Thanks.

 

As Rory goes to answer the front door Lorelai slowly sinks down until she is laying prone on the floor…slowly the pitiful moans of a broken heart start to eminate from her body…day two of the wallow in full force.