New Beginnings

Act 5 ch 12

"Hello" Rory walks into her mother's house.

"Hey, there you are" Victoria walks over to her. "Oh hey, I didn't know you were gonna be here" Rory hugs her sister.

"Well she hasn't been coming by as much as you now that she has her own place, I convinced her and Tristan to stay here tonight though so we can see the museum tomorrow" Lorelai walks over. "And I'm okay, right? Springing a surprise visit on you" Rory asks. "This is your definition of surprise? This is not a surprise" Victoria laughs.

"Come on in, I'll show you a surprise" they walk out of the foyer and into the living room.

"Paris" Rory says shocked. "I packed my bags and was on the road before I remembered that parents don't own property in the United States anymore" Paris tells her.

"Since when?" Rory asks. "Since the IRS red-foxed my father. The place in Asylum Hill, the Nantucket cottage-even the crack-house in Harlem that we converted into a co-op was sold to one of the Queer Eye guys" Paris explains. "Where'd they go?" Tristan asks her.

"I don't know, they're going to wire me when they're safe. Anyway, I'm here" Paris replies.

"Should I leave?" she asks. "No, stay. Uh, if it's okay with Mom" Victoria tells her.

"It's okay with me" Lorelai agrees. "So I guess you can have the couch" Rory says. "Ah, sorry. That's spoken for" Lorelai tells her.

"What?" Rory asks before Kirk comes down the stairs.

"Hey, Rory. This is a nice surprise" he says. "The Maddis' were supposed to have him tonight but they have goldfish" Lorelai explains.

"Kirk's afraid of goldfish" Victoria adds. "They're always staring at you. All gold and unblinking" Kirk defends his fear. "I like sleeping on the floor anyway. It's good for my back" Paris assures them.

"So it all works out. Perfect" Tristan says.

"Can I, um-" Rory gestures for Lorelai to follow her. "Mm-hm" Lorelai hums and they go into Rory's room.

"How do you feel about goldfish?" Kirk asks the rest of the group.

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"This feels weird" Tristan says laying in Victoria's bed later that night.

"What does?" she asks him. "Sleeping in the same bed" Tristan answers.

"You know we live together right?" Victoria reminds him. "I know, but I've been in this room a hundred times throughout high school and never slept over before" Tristan explains. "Well, we're not some high schoolers anymore, we're adults" Victoria replies.

"That's true, and you know...it is considered a right of passage to hookup in your childhood bedroom when you're home from college" Tristan tells her.

"With a sleepwalking Kirk right down stairs?" Victoria laughs. "As long as he's not in here" Tristan shrugs.

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"Breakfast" Lorelai yells from the kitchen.

"Morning" Paris walks in. "Morning! Hey, Rory, are you up?" Lorelai yells into Rory's room.

"She's probably on the phone" Paris says. "I'm not on the phone. I was just getting dressed" Rory walks out of her room. "Coffee made?" Victoria asks as she and Tristan walk down from upstairs.

"Always" Lorelai replies.

"So, did you get any rest?" she asks Paris. "Kirk talks in his sleep" Paris responds.

"At least he didn't walk" Victoria mumbles. "He walks?" Paris' eyes widen. "Doesn't matter. He say juicy?" Victoria asks.

"He dealt blackjack" Paris answers.