Here's part two. :) If you are easily offended by allusions/actions of sex and/or violence, you might want to skip this. There's nothing graphic, of course--that's why I said *easily* offended. :P
~malka
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Part Two

"Mom!" Rory managed to squeak out. "What are you doing?"

Lorelai pushed herself away from Luke and spun to face Rory. "Rory!"

Luke sucked in his breath. "Rory!" he repeated, his voice about 2 octaves deeper than it usually was. She also noted that his usual baseball cap was gone. His hair was slicked back with too much gel, and -- she squinted --was he wearing *makeup*?

"Yeah, that's been said," Rory said uncomfortably. "What in the world is going on around here?"

"Rory, don't--" Lorelai began.

"No, Lulu," Luke interrupted grimly. "It's time she learned the truth."

"Lulu?" Rory repeated. "Who *are* you people?"

Luke stepped forward and clasped his hands over Rory's. "Well, you see, Rory, that's what we need to talk to you about."

"Luke, no!" Lorelai protested. "I won't let you do this!"

"Lorelai, please!" Luke turned to her, eyes suddenly glistening with tears.

"This is what I need to do." He turned back to Rory. "Now, this is going to come as a shock to you. But you need to know. It's something that I--and your mother--have been keeping a secret for years. Nobody else in the world knows this. If it ever got out...well, there's no telling what damage it could do." He took a deep breath. "Rory--"

Suddenly Luke's eyes went blank and his arms limp. He stumbled, without warning, and slumped into Rory's arms. Rory screamed. "Luke?" she asked desperately. "Luke, are you okay?" Luke didn't speak, didn't move. "Ohmygod, Luke! Mom, help--" Rory looked up and screamed again. Her mother was holding a mean-looking wrench in her hand, and the end was covered in blood.

Trembling, Rory looked down at Luke's motionless figure and saw where the blood was matting down his hair. "Mommy?" she asked in a small voice, scrambling away from the figure in her arms. He dropped unceremoniously to the floor, where he sprawled, lifeless.

"It was for the best," Lorelai's voice boomed. "I couldn't let him say anything. Trust me." She tossed the wrench onto the floor and walked to the table at the side of the wall, where bottles of various liquor were now stationed. "Ugh, I could really go for a Scotch. You want one?" She asked Rory.

Rory gulped. Obviously, her mother had snapped. Tears came to Rory's eyes as she remembered just last night and eating pizza on the couch...she looked once again to Luke's motionless figure and had to swallow down the bile in her throat.

"Uh..." What was she supposed to say? "Uh, I have to--to uh, go to school," Rory said carefully. Thankfully, Lorelai didn't notice the trembling in her voice.

"That's right," Lorelai slapped a hand to her forehead. "I keep forgetting about that. Although why you choose to keep studying is beyond me. Emily and Richard could *buy* you Harvard. And soon..." She paused to throw back a shot. "Soon I'll be able to as well."

"W-What do you mean?" Rory asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Those plans are top secret for now," Lorelai said authoritatively. "Don't worry. When the time comes, you'll know." Her eyes widened briefly, and she smiled to herself.

"Right," Rory said uneasily. She just had to get out of the house... "I have to go to school Mom. Bye!"

Without waiting for another word, she carefully made her way to the front door. Once outside, she raced across the yard to Babette's house. "Babette!" she screamed after throwing open the door. "Babette, something terrible has happened!" Tears streamed down her face. She couldn't believe what she'd just seen. "Babette!"

She stopped short at the doorway of the kitchen. No. It couldn't be. "Babette?" She stepped closer to the pile of sheets on the floor and braced herself. "Babette?"

Babette looked up at her. "Oh, hi sugar!" She waved cheerily. A second head popped up.

Rory's eyes widened. "Jackson?!"

Before anyone could make any explanations, the front door suddenly slammed open. "All right, where are you, you lousy little tramp?" a voice bellowed. Babette and Jackson gasped and sat up, Babette clutching the sheets around her.

A figure ran into the kitchen.

"Sookie?!?" Rory cried.

"Don't say a word, Rory," Sookie warned, her voice low and dangerous. She stared at the couple. "I knew it. You double-crossing, cheating--"

"Sookie, I swear, I never meant for this to happen," Jackson protested.

"Save it for the judge," Sookie snarled. "Judge Payback!" She whipped her hand up, and a revolver gleamed in the kitchen's dim lights. She pointed the barrel right to Babette. Rory could only watch in horror as her finger pressed more tightly on the trigger.

"Noooooo!!!!" Jackson suddenly leapt up and rushed at Sookie, knocking her over. Rory jumped as a shot rang out, and then both figures lay motionless on the kitchen floor.

Rory was shaking from the insides out. Who had been hit?