A.N. // I know that technically Rory's birthday episode is way before the episode where Christopher rolls into town. That visit is not happening like the show, I have a different approach to that that will kind of reveal Lorelai's actual personality to Luke (because Luke deserves someone who makes him a first choice!). I'm totally mixing up the TV show timeline to fit how Alice and her family fit into Rory's life! Please enjoy :)
Christopher's POV:
"Honey, are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this?" Lizzie asks, walking into our bedroom.
"Absolutely," I stop what I'm doing by the closet and walk to Lizzie in front of the bed. Guiding her to sit down, I kneel to grab both her hands. I rub circle patterns with my thumbs before speaking, "Rory deserves to know she has a wonderful maternal figure here and that I'm much closer to her than she thought. She deserves the same opportunity that Alice has to have a relationship with both of us."
"I know, Chris," she sighs, relaxing slightly, "It's Lorelai I'm worried about. She isn't going to take this well and we both know it. Alice knows this won't end well with Lorelai. I don't want this to overshadow their sixteenth birthday party coming up."
"I won't let it, Lizzie. I only want the girls to be happy and loved. Telling Rory will make this easier to accomplish with both of them."
"Okay, I trust your judgment here, Chris." Lizzie moves her hands to intertwine our fingers, "I love you, my dear."
"With all of my heart and soul, beautiful."
"Now go, you have to meet Lorelai and Rory in Stars Hollow," she says, pushing lightly against my chest to get me to move from our spot in front of the bed.
"Yes, meet them there," I smile, standing up and pulling her up with me.
"They do know you're visiting them," Lizzie begins to ask, making eye contact to see if I'll lie to her, "Right, Christopher?"
I look down, knowing I've been caught for not warning anyone that I was dropping into their town. "No, Lizzie. I didn't want to give Lorelai the chance to do anything."
After a few minutes, I get a nod of acknowledgment of my concerns. I know that I'm being slightly ridiculous in thinking Lorelai would do anything more to mess with the relationship with Rory.
Lizzie walks me down to the front steps, giving me a kiss and more encouraging words to be safe and reminders that Rory will not be angry with me. If I don't go today and tell them about Lizzie, Richard is likely to mention it tomorrow at their usual Friday night dinner. With the reminder and my wife's encouraging words still ringing in my ears, I climb onto my bike with Stars Hollow as my destination.
---- a decent bike ride later ---
I see the girls standing outside what seems to be the town market, just to show off to my daughter I rev the engine a bit before heading to their location.
Removing my helmet, I noticed Rory's eyes light up as she runs into my arms screaming "Dad!"
"Hey, kid," I respond, lifting her into my arms to spin slightly.
After she releases from the hug, I get the first question from my youngest, "This is great! What are you doing here?"
I smile down at her before making eye contact with Lorelai, "I'm here to see you. And your mom, who's not saying anything about as loud as a person can." She's clearly not happy to see me here.
Lorelai catches the look Rory is sending her, one that would make Alice and Lizzie proud, "Hello."
"A word. Maybe there's a phrase in my future," I respond. I notice a man staring through the window of the market and ask, "Okay, why is that man staring at me?"
Rory immediately answers when she sees the odd man in the window, "That's Taylor Doose. He owns the market. He knows all and sees all." Her voice takes on a joking tone at the end, yet I'm inclined to still believe that he may "know and see all" as she put it.
Lorelai interrupts the moment between Rory and me when she asks, "So what's with the just showing up, Mr. Spontaneity Guy?"
"I'm in the area because of my job and figured I'd treat you girls to dinner and tell you some exciting news."
"Really??" Rory squeals, her hands reaching for mine before she continues, "Does this mean I get to see you more often?"
"Absolutely, kiddo." I smile, excited to finally get more time with my youngest girl, "I'd love nothing more." I would love it more if it could be time with all of us, but she doesn't know yet.
I notice Rory still checking out the bike, so I reach and toss Alice's helmet into her arms. Getting on, I gesture behind me, "Hop on."
For a moment I swear Lorelai's eye twitches before she responds, "Hop off."
This little exchange happens for a few more moments until Rory's puppy dog eyes and light pouting causes Lorelai to change her tune about the event.
I ask Rory quietly where she'd like to go, and with the answer of anywhere, I take off to ride around the town.
As we're riding around, I find a small lake and old bridge to stop at to talk with Rory. I get the bike parked and help Rory get off the bike without falling.
"Let's sit and talk, kiddo." I gesture to the spot next to me on the bridge where I've sat down with my helmet in my lap.
She looks nervous before copying my seated position, "Is everything okay, Dad?"
I look her over and smile softly, "Yes, Rory. I just need to tell you something before I tell your Mother at dinner."
Rory nods, the nerves melting slightly off of her seated form.
"Just promise to let me tell you everything I can right now and then you can ask as many questions as you'd like. Okay?"
"Okay, Dad," she smiles, her attention entirely on me.
"I'm married," I start, letting out a deep breath before continuing, "her name is Elizabeth. We've been married for eight years now. She's a lawyer, as am I. We met at Yale Law School our first year. She's amazing, Rory. We live in Hartford. We have since both getting a job in her father's law firm. I'm sorry I never told you. There's more that you don't know, it's just not my place to tell you."
I get all the information out and take a look at Rory, analyzing her reaction as best as I can.
"Okay, you can ask all the questions you need to."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Her tone sounds broken with a little anger, glancing at her face she looks about ready to start crying.
"Oh Rory, I wanted to. I just never knew how, I still don't know how to tell your Mother."
I wrap my arm around her shoulder to bring her closer, providing as much comfort as I can.
"Is she nice?"
"The nicest," I tell her, smiling just thinking about my lovely wife.
"Does she know about me," she asks, looking away from me. Why would she ever think I'd hide her from my wife.
"Of course she does," I answer, "and she is excited to finally meet you."
"Will I like her?" She follows up with another question before I can answer, "Will she like me?"
"First, Rory I can only hope you'll love her as much as I do," I take a quick moment to watch her reaction, and seeing nothing concerning I continue, "Second, she already loves you as much as I do. We've wanted to tell you for so long but there are other things outside of that that prevented us from being able to."
"Will you tell me why you couldn't tell me about her before?"
"I want to but it's not my place, kid."
"But-" I stop her before she can get more information out of me, "We need to get going to meet your Mom for dinner. Ready?" I reach out my hand to help her get up, worried with how clumsy she can be.
"This isn't over, Dad." She laughs, grabbing the helmet and walking to the bike.
We ride back in silence to their home, I spend that time thinking of the gigantic weight the is finally off my shoulders now that Rory knows about Lizzie. We walk into their home, and I realize this is the first time I'm seeing where Rory is living.
She greets her Mom as we walk into the living room before turning to me, "I have something I want to show you. I'll be right back!"
"Rory," Lorelai calls out, "I ordered Chinese food, it should be here any minute so don't take too long!"
I hear a muffled okay as Rory shouts back, Lorelai then turns to me an entire change in tone when she speaks next.
"Why the hell are you here?"
I'm baffled by the hostility, especially with Rory in the other room. "Behold the queen of subtle transition."
"Why are you here?" She questions again, that hostility going no where as we take seats on the couch.
"You're gonna force me to lawyer up officer," I joke before turning to face her, "Lorelai I need to talk with you about something."
"We're not telling her," she glares.
"That's not what this is about," I respond, already exasperated with the conversation, "We'll discuss that later."
"There's nothing to discuss," she snaps, "so what did you need to tell me."
Okay, here goes nothing. I'm not expecting a good reaction so just get it over with. And with that internal mini-monologue I blurt out, "I'm married."
And in response, I get a blank stare. Oh great. This is going to be good.
"How long?" She whispers, looking down so I can't see the boiling rage that is without a doubt in her eyes.
"Eight years," I answer, knowing that this information is going to make it worse.
"And you never said anything?"
I go to answer when she begins again, "You can't tell Rory."
The shock is blatant on my face as I answer, "And why not?"
"She'll be heartbroken," she tries to convince me, "She'll think you're replacing us and then she'll see you less than she already does."
"She won't think that," I respond, attempting to keep my anger quelled.
"You can't tell her, Christopher."
"Too late," I glare at her and as I answer.
"Is that what took you so long to get back here for dinner?"
She's livid as she looks at me, at this point we're both standing and glaring hard at one another across the living room.
"Yes," I answer. I refuse to back down from this so I continue, "She has every right to know, she's as much of my daughter as she is yours."
Lorelai scoffs before responding, "Your wife is not allowed around my daughter, Christopher." She says wife with so much disgust, my anger has reached it's limit.
"Lorelai, you have no right to say anything about this. It is Rory's choice if she wishes to interact with my wife and I. Do not bad mouth or act disgusted over a woman you haven't met. You don't know her but let me tell you, she's knows all she needs to about you. So watch yourself."
"I have every right," she screams, "Rory is my daughter, Christopher. My daughter. You get no say in how I raise her or what she is and is not allowed to do. Now get out of my house."
I begin to argue back, still wanting to see my daughter in the other room.
"OUT NOW, CHRISTOPHER."
I quickly grab my coat, heading for the door before detouring to where Rory disappeared earlier.
"Hey kiddo, I'm so sorry to do this but I need to head back home." I give her a hug and kiss on the forehead.
"I heard everything, Dad," she whispers in my arms.
"I know," I respond, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," she says pulling away, "I still want to meet my step-mom at some point, if that's okay?"
"Of course, kiddo."
With this I leave before Lorelai notices I've lingered to say goodbye to Rory. I know I shouldn't be as shocked as I am about the way she interacted, but part of me hoped she'd be mature and let me tell her more about Lizzie. Maybe even had the chance to tell her that Lizzie is the greatest Mom Alice could have ever gotten. Next time. At least Rory wants to meet her, I'm sure they'll grow close with how much they love to read.