❝DRAGONFLY INN SCARE❞
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⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ chapter twenty-one,
Gilmore Girls — Season Four

𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟓𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟒
―୨୧⋆ ˚ LUCY'S POV

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𝐃𝐀𝐃 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒𝐍'𝐓 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓. It's been nearly two weeks since Violet came forward to tell me that she, unbeknownst to me, is my mother. It's been nearly two weeks since I cried to my cousin, sobbing like a helpless child. It's been nearly two weeks since I packed up my belongings and said goodbye to my suite. It's been nearly two weeks since I told Tristan that I wanted to move in with him.

Since Violet's confession, I've been doing anything and everything to distract myself. I've worked myself to death in the diner, cooking and serving, not giving myself a single break because I need distractions. Dad seems concerned, but he hasn't questioned why I'm so interested in keeping myself busy in the diner.

When I'm not working, I'm with Tristan, searching for apartments. We haven't found an apartment, not yet, but we've got a list of our favourites. We have some specific requirements for our apartment. We want a place close to campus, and we want two rooms so his sister or our friends can stay over whenever they want. Tristan wants a pool table── and a bar, but that's not as big of a requirement── and I want enough space for some bookshelves for my books.

We've found several places that we like, but we haven't made a formal decision. Tristan likes the expensive apartments, and I like the smaller, much cheaper ones because I can't afford to pay a lot of rent. He, who inherited several truckloads of cash from his father, can afford the expensive, giant apartments. Tristan says he's fine to just pay rent, but I don't like the idea of living somewhere that only he is paying for. I want to chip in wherever I can, so we still need to work out the finances.

We have a few months until we need to find a place, so we still have time, but finding a place to live is awfully stressful.

Once we find a place, Dad is going to check it out and make sure all is good enough for me── his  precious daughter. When I told him that Tristan and I would be moving in together, he didn't seem all that surprised. He thinks it's great, but he still has a few concerns as he would do with, you know, being my father and all.

Tristan and I are taking that next step, and with that step comes the whole "living together" thing which will be hard, but I'm excited. In a few months, we'll be celebrating our four year anniversary, so it only makes sense for us to be moving in together, right?

For the past week and a half, I've been running on fumes, and now I'm officially exhausted.

Dad and I are currently eating dinner at Sniffy's Tavern with Buddy and Maisie, and of course, we're sitting at our usual table. I'm devouring a slice of chocolate cake, humming the tune to whatever song is playing in the restaurant while Dad drinks his beer painfully slow.

Dad is in a weird stage in his life. He and Lorelai Gilmore are scheduled to go on another "date", but Lorelai is currently busy with the grand opening for the Dragonfly Inn in Stars Hollow. That's right, she and Sookie are opening an inn. Their dreams are coming true.

They're doing a test run of the inn tomorrow, and we've been invited because Dad is an investor of the inn and a very good friend to the town, specifically Lorelai.

"Can I have another slice?" I ask, cleaning the fork.

"I've never seen you eat so much food," Buddy comments, taking the plate from me and leaving the table to grab me another.

Buddy isn't wrong. I've never eaten so much food than I have tonight, but I guess I'm just hungry. I've had two full meals, several glasses of cherry coke, half of my dad's meal, and now I'm about to have my second slice of cake. I love food, sue me.

Buddy comes over with my second slice, and I immediately start eating. God, food has never tasted as good as it does right now.

"That inn is opening tomorrow, isn't it?" Maisie asks, and Dad nods.

"Yeah, Dad's real excited," I say, cutting a piece of cake with my fork before jabbing at it. "Perhaps he'll finally make his move."

Maisie huffs out a laugh, but Dad doesn't look pleased. "Luce."

"What? It's been, like, what, eight years of pining?" I eat another piece of cake, humming because this cake is especially good tonight. Maisie has really outdone herself, let me tell you. "Anyway, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to make your move, Dad."

"I am not discussing this with my daughter."

"Why? You discuss everything else with her," Maisie says, and I hold my hand up to clap mine over hers.

"Preach."

Dad eyes me suspiciously. "You're acting weird. What's that cake laced with?" Lies, betrayal, secrets.

"Nothing but love." I smile at Buddy, leaning my head into his shoulder as I jab my fork into the cake once again. "Let us know what this inn is like. Maisie and I would love to go."

"Hey, Dad, you could talk to Lorelai and get Maisie and Buddy a room for this weekend── I'm sure she has a spare." Dad glares at me, and oh, if looks could kill, I'd for sure be dead. "Don't give me that look. You'll have to talk to her this weekend, dumbass."

His eyes widen, and I stop eating, realising what I just called my father. "Did you──"

"Just call my father a dumbass, yes." I place my fork down, pushing the half-eaten cake away from me. "I think I'm on something."

"What's in that cake?" Dad asks as I take a sip of my drink.

Maisie looks to Buddy, sighing softly. "Well, I did drop a little bit of my medical marijuana in there, but only a tiny bit!"

I choke on my drink, and Dad's mouth gapes. "You what?"

"Oh, my God." I cough, clapping my hand over my chest. "I'm on drugs," I whisper, not wanting anyone to overhear. "Maisie, I can't be on drugs. I've never even drank──" I shake my head, realising that statement is no longer correct. "Oh, wait, yes I have. But I've never done──"

Maisie begins to laugh, and then Buddy is laughing, and I realise what they've done. Dad looks like he's going to kill Maisie and Buddy with a face that serious, and I just stare with wide, shocked eyes. Never in my nineteen years of life have Maisie and Buddy pranked us like that. There's something in the air tonight, and it may actually be the marijuana.

I look from Maisie to Buddy, listening to them laugh with one another openly and loudly, and I can't help but laugh too. For a long moment, I genuinely believed I was on drugs, and it would make a lot of a sense with how I'm eating tonight. I've eaten like a pig, but I'm not ashamed because I'm surrounded by family tonight── real family.

Dad eventually accepts the joke, but he doesn't laugh. I think the idea of me on drugs actually mortifies him, but he doesn't need to worry. I have no plans to do drugs. Although I also said that about drinking, and look what happened after Tristan and I went on a break.

Maisie places an arm around my shoulders. "Anyway, have you and Tristan found an apartment?"

"Oh, yes, make sure you get one with a view."

I look to Buddy. "Why?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. That felt like the right kind of thing to say."

I chuckle. "Don't worry, we're looking for a place with a great view," I assure, looking back to Maisie. "And no, we haven't found a place, but we have a few in mind."

"Oh, this is just great." Maisie squeezes my shoulder. "Isn't this great, Luke?"

"What, my nineteen-year-old daughter living with her boyfriend? Just great." See what I mean? He's a very jaded man, but I know that he loves and respects my choices── whatever they may be. He'll come around to the idea of Tristan and I living together, and if he doesn't, well, great!

Maisie shakes her head. "Ignore him, sweets."

"I have for nineteen years, I can keep doing it," I joke, and Dad actually cracks a smile.

"I've tried to ignore you for nineteen years, but you spent the first four crying for my attention," Dad bites back, and I scoff. "Or was it five?"

"Uh, how about three?"

"First day of kindergarten?" I clamp my mouth shut, knowing that I cried my eyes out when I started kindergarten... and for several days after. Although, I distinctly remember Dad crying too, but I don't say anything. "I rest my case."

"Well, you cried too, Lucas." My face breaks out into a wide smile, satisfied that Maisie said it instead of me.

"Ha!" Again, Dad has that unamused look about him that only makes me laugh harder. "I rest my case, thank you."

"Well should probably get back to running this place," Buddy grumbles, reaching for my plate. "Do you two want anything else?"

I reach out, taking the cake from him. "I want more marijuana cake." I take the fork, placing the cake back in front of me. "Thanks, guys."

Maisie presses a kiss to the side of my head before she stands up, and she and Buddy leave us to enjoy the rest of our evening. We'll probably stay till closing, help them tidy, and then leave to head back to the diner.

I eat the rest of the chocolate cake, and Buddy actually does bring me another slice. Dad watches me strangely, his beer still half-full or half-empty── that's the real question, ain't it? Anyway, Dad is looking at me like he wants to ask me something, but I'm not saying anything until he talks.

I'm just enjoying my cake.

My phone buzzes, but I don't reach for it because I know who it is.

It's Jess.

He's been texting and calling nonstop the past week, asking me if I've told my dad about Violet, and the answer every single time is NO!!── yes, I actually put it in caps and several exclamation marks after it.

I know I should tell my dad because, obviously, it feels wrong that he doesn't know, but I just can't tell him── not now, not yet.

"What's going on with you?" Dad asks, leaning forward on the table.

I shake my head. "Nothing."

"You're eating a lot."

I drop my fork and it clatters on the plate. "And?"

"N-No, nothing. I know you can eat a lot, but you've been acting strange for the past week. I-I just wanna know if there's something wrong." I could tell him here and now, but I can't. We're at dinner, and I have no idea how I'd approach the topic of her. I have no idea what to do.

I shake my head, smiling innocently. "There's nothing going on, Dad, I promise."

He nods, but he doesn't look too sure. "You'd tell me if there was, right?"

"Always." Except right now, but he doesn't know that. I'm lying to my father. I haven't lied to my father in── Well, I've never lied to my father until now. I hate Violet, she's turned me into a liar, and I hate being a damn liar.

I clear my throat, pushing the cake from me because I don't feel so hungry anymore. "Hey." I glance over at Dad. "Do you really think I've got a shot?"

I smile softly. "Oh, yeah. You've got a shot. Just show her the horoscope and she's all yours."

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍!

I'm stood in our room── number seven. When we first arrived, Lorelai was at the door waiting for us and the rest of the guests. Dad gave her flowers which he spent all morning picking out with my help. Lorelai took the flowers, thanked him, and then crashed into our door because the doors haven't been fitted yet.

She definitely likes my dad── she's finally realising it, and I'm all here for it.

On the way up the stairs, I waved a quick hello to Dean who has been working a lot of hours lately according to Lindsay. She and I talked a couple days ago, and she seemed a little upset about how much he's been working, but I assured her that he was only working this much to help provide for her, and that she didn't need to worry. I don't think she needs to worry.

Anyway, we're now in our room, and it's beyond beautiful. I know Lorelai has taste, and that much is obvious with how the room is displayed.

Our room is next door to Kirk's which I am not all for, not after he stormed right into our apartment yesterday morning to ask for our help. Apparently, he gets night terrors, and he often wakes up screaming and running because he thinks something is chasing him. Oh, and he often does this naked. He and Lulu── his girlfriend── are spending their first night together in the inn, and Kirk is afraid that he'll scare Lulu off once she finds him running and screaming naked out of their room.

If she doesn't leave him after that, nothing will make that girl leave.

Anyway, they're next door to us so Dad and I can chase after Kirk and save him before he gets himself seriously injured due to these night terrors. Well, Dad can chase him── I'm not too sure about me because this bed is ridiculously comfy.

Dad is pacing up and down, stressing over the fact that he bought a woman flowers. He claims that he's never, ever done that── aren't all his previous girlfriends lucky? I'm not being much help because while I'm in a relationship, I'm unsure on how to offer sane relationship advice.

"Dad, sit down." I press my hand against my head. "You're giving me a headache."

I haven't said anything, but this morning I felt freaking sick, and I think it was because of all the crap I ate at Sniffy's. While I could've stopped eating so much junk, I just didn't bother because, well, I love food, but that much food doesn't love me. Anyway, I've drank some water and taken some tablets── I'm raring to go.

I'm excited for Sookie's food later so I need this stomach ache to pass.

Dad sits down on his bed next to mine. "She walked into a door, Luce. Did I freak her out? Were the flowers wrong? I should've never bought flowers. I never buy flowers── not for anyone."

"Well, no wonder you haven't settled down yet," I deadpan, but he's all too serious today.

"Kid, today I need your support── not your jokes."

I sit up on my elbows. "Dad, I am always on your damn side. I am always supporting you, but you are driving me crazy." I fall back against the bed, my hand pressed over my face. "Woah."

"You feeling okay?" I nod, pressing my face into the pillow. "Luce?"

"Yeah, just feel a bit ill, that's all."

"Probably from all the junk you ate last night," Dad grumbles, and I mentally curse him out for his presence. "I need to take a walk. Do you wanna come with me? Maybe ride one of those horses?"

"The idea of horse riding is making me feel sick."

Dad stands up. "Do you want me to get you something?"

"No, I think I'll just have a nap."

Dad leaves to go for a stress walk, and I sit in bed, contemplating whether or not I should sleep. I end up not falling asleep because my phone starts to ring, and this time it's Tristan calling so I answer reluctantly partly because I wouldn't mind sleeping.

Tristan also doesn't know about Violet because I know I need to tell my dad before I tell him. I love and trust Tristan, but telling him this is just as hard as telling my dad. I can't just blurt it out, not when I'm still unsure on how to deal with it. I don't know how to handle it because I've just been doing everything possible to distract my mind from the horrifying fact that my... mother── I finally figured out how to say it, by the way── is out there, lurking in some dark corner.

Anyway, Tristan has no idea, and I'm not sure when I'll tell him.

I press my cellphone to my ear, and Tristan immediately says, "Apartment Two is gone."

I frown, pressing my face further into the pillow. "Was that the one with the cool chandelier?"

"That was the first apartment."

"Was it the one with the hanging tree basket things that I loved?"

"No, that was the third apartment."

I sit up slightly, leaning back against the headboard as I think about the second apartment on our list. "The floor to ceiling windows?"

"Fifth apartment."

"I have no idea which one Apartment Two is," I admit, feeling a little guilty, but I'm sure the apartment won't mind that I forgot.

"Balcony," is all he says, and I actually groan because that was a good freaking apartment. I loved the balcony, and I loved the idea of us having a balcony. It was the only apartment that we both liked with a balcony and now it's gone.

"Aw." I rest my chin on my knees. "I liked that one."

"Yeah, sorry, babe." I huff out a laugh, smiling softly. "Are you okay, you sound a little weird?" Damn him, he knows me too well.

"Just feel a little sick," I say, clearing my throat. "Nothing to worry about. I ate a lot of food at Sniffy's last night."

"Okay. Aren't you at Lorelai's inn?"

"Yeah, Dad is all freaked out because he gave her flowers. Did you know he's never bought a woman flowers before?"

"No wonder he hasn't settled down yet."

"That's what I said!"

"You sure you're okay?"

I nod, and then I realise he can't actually see me. "Yeah. I'm okay. Are we still on for tomorrow?"

"Yes. I can pick you up from the inn. I'd love to check it out."

"Well, so far, it's pretty great."

"I miss you, Blue. I love you."

I sigh loudly, tugging at my pillow. "I love you too. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" We're apartment hunting tomorrow again because, like I said earlier, I need all the distractions possible, and Tristan is the prettiest distraction ever.

We hang up, and I throw my phone onto the chair next to my bed, my head hitting the pillow, and I let my eyes close.

Just a couple hours, that's all.

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𝐈'𝐌 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐓 𝐀 𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐃, 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄. I had a power nap── a four hour nap. I woke up, showered, dressed myself in something presentable, and now I'm at dinner. Although, I found Babette and Patty to be in their robes which, if I had gotten the memo, I would've worn my robe with clothes underneath because I've seen some things that I will not be able to unsee for a very, very long time.

Sookie's food tastes wonderful, but my stomach is still churning. I feel strange, and I'm afraid that I'm coming down with something. Dad seems to be concerned, but then Lorelai walks into the room, and he's distracted.

Lorelai steps over to our table. "Hi, how is everything this evening?"

"Oh, my God, these robes," Babette gushes.

"What are they made of? 'Cause I am never getting dressed again." I'm afraid that might actually be true.

Lorelai looks to me and Dad. "You two okay?"

I nod, pressing my head into Dad's arm as my head feels heavy. "Food is great."

"I'm just staring at my plate," Dad says.

"He's shy," Babette tells Lorelai. "My bathrobe slipped earlier, and his poor little heart couldn't take it."

"It's been a while since he's seen a naked woman," I say, not realising what I've said until I've said it. Patty laughs loudly, Babette snorts, and Dad squeezes my shoulder a little too tightly.

Dad and Lorelai share a look, but I don't pay much attention to it as my eyes begin to close once again. I press my head further into Dad's arm, and I reach for my glass of water, needing to soothe the dryness of my throat.

Lorelai steps away from our table, crashing into a waiter as she's distracted by my dad.

Patty places a hand on my knee, and my eyes blink open. "Oh, honey, are you okay? You don't look so good."

Dad looked away from Lorelai, focusing back on me. He presses his hand against my forehead. "You've got a temperature, kid." I hum, not really paying much attention to what he's saying.

"Oh, Luke, you should get her upstairs."

"Yeah. Yeah, I should. Come on, Luce."

Dad places an arm around my shoulders, forcing me to come to a stand. My legs wobble, my arms ache, and my head pounds as he moves me out of the dining room, past the concerned and worried townspeople, and towards the staircase.

Getting me up the stairs is a challenge, but the second I'm in the room and on the bed, I pass out. Well, not really. I'm still very aware of what's going on, I just have my eyes closed.

Dad is moving around the room frantically, rushing into the en-suite to grab anything and everything he can find.

A wet towel is pressed against my forehead, my shoes are pulled off my feet, and Dad is pouring me a glass of water. He sits down on the bed across from mine, watching me carefully as I reach out to take a sip of water.

He's got that serious look about him, so I know he's about to ask me something. "What?"

"I need to ask you something." His tone isn't one that I'm used to, so I suspect he really needs to ask me something, and I'm not sure I like where this is going.

"Okay..."

He sighs loudly, dragging his hands across his face. He looks visibly uncomfortable, and I cringe at what he's going to ask me before he even asks.

"Are you pregnant?"

Hearing him say it was so much worse than I imagined. I sit up, pressing my back against the headboard. "No." I shake my head, finding that question to just be ridiculous. "No. I-I'm not pregnant. Of course I'm not pregnant. No."

"You're ill right now. You've been acting weird. Is it so wrong of me to question why?" I'm acting weird because a woman entered my life, and I'm terrified of telling my dad, but I can't say that to him yet. I have no idea how to talk about it. "Lucy, are you pregnant?"

"No! God, of course not."

"Are you sure?"

"Y-Yes, I'm sure."

"When was your period?"

"Oh, my God." Now it's my turn to be mortified. When I first got my period at eleven, I obviously could only turn to my dad as I didn't have a mother. Every time I've had my period since the age of eleven, Dad has done his best to make it as pain free as possible, but now he's asking for a whole different reason, and I hate it.

"Lucy, I'm not going to be mad at you. I just need you to answer the question."

"No, I haven't gotten my period because it's not the tenth, and it usually starts on the tenth of every month, alright?" I'm not lying about that either. Every month, like clockwork, my period begins on the tenth and ends a couple days later. "I'm not pregnant, Dad. I can't believe you'd even think that."

"I'm just worried about you."

"So you automatically assume I'm pregnant?"

"I don't know what to think. You've barely talked to me over the past two weeks."

I scoff, shaking my head. "I've just been working and looking for a place to live with Tristan── I've just been busy, Dad, I'm sorry."

"That's fine, but you gotta talk to me, kid. Something has been bothering you, and you're moving in with Tristan and..." He pauses, pressing his face into his hands. He looks stressed, and I fear I'm the reason. "You know I love you, right?"

I nod. "Yeah."

"I love you very much, Luce, but I don't want you to become me." He moves to sit on the end of my bed, and I look towards him. "You're the greatest kid alive, and I wouldn't trade these nineteen years in with you for anything in the world, but you're growing up, and you're moving in with your boyfriend, and I'm just a little... afraid of how fast you're moving."

"I'm still me, Dad. I'm still the same person."

"I know, but I'm your dad, and I have a right to be worried, don't I?"

"Yeah, you do." He nods, looking away. "Dad, just because I'm moving in with Tristan doesn't mean I'm going to be dropping out of college to marry him and have his children." That just sounds ridiculous, especially at nineteen. "Yes, I'm feeling a bit sick, but I'm not pregnant. I think I've just been stressed a little, I don't know why, and I think it's just taken a toll on me."

"See, I don't like that. I don't like you feeling stressed or being ill. I want you to talk to me."

"I am right now," I assure. "Sometimes, I can't tell you everything, Dad, because I need to figure it out myself but that doesn't mean I don't trust you, I just need time to work it out for me." I sigh, pressing my foot against his leg. "Can you understand that some things that I'm dealing with are just... my problem right now?"

He nods, patting a hand against my ankle. "But you will talk to me eventually, won't you?"

"Of course I will. You're my dad, and I'm very, very lucky that you are."

"You're really not pregnant?"

I breathe out a laugh. "No."

I don't think. Gotta wait till the tenth. Ha!

Dad leans forward, and pushes a kiss against my head. "I love you. I'm sorry I asked if you were──"

"It's fine. It's a good story to tell the future kids." I press a hand against my stomach, playing to the joke.

"Don't joke."

I press my head into my Dad's shoulder. "Now go and get your woman, Dad. I will be fine. I'm just going to rest, and drink my water."

"I can't leave you. You're sick."

"And I'll be sick many times in the future. Just please go and enjoy tonight because I really think you have  shot."

"Really?"

"And you really don't want to miss that shot to take care of your sick child, do you?"

"I like taking care of you," he tells me, and I know that he does, but he likes Lorelai a little bit more, I'd like to think. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll cry out if I need your attention."

He pushes another kiss against my head. "Okay."

Dad stands up, and I lay back against the pillows. watching as he heads for the door. "Hey, Dad."

He stops at the door, turning to me. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for being my dad."

He cracks a smile. "Thanks for being my kid."

The second he leaves, I run to the bathroom to throw up.

Happy Dragonfly Inn opening day!

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soph speaks:

ah dialogue heavy chapter i don't like it

this is the last chapter of act one . . . act two (season five) will be in progress shortly

let me know what you'd like to see for lucy and tristan??

i do love when y'all comment, makes me feel great

thanks for reading, y'all are really great!!!

AND THANKYOU FOR 440K reads on BLUE