"Okay, listen to this." Lorelai was pepped up like usual, two steps away from skipping like a schoolgirl.

Rory obediently opened her ears.

"It's still a theory at the moment, so prepare yourself."

"Alright. Shoot." Rory knew about her mom's theories all too well.

"It's not quite the finely detailed insanity you've come to expect from me."

"Noted."

"It's a work in progress."

"Get on with it."

"Just preparing you, honey. What I'm about to say is...."

"Is..."

"Absolutely astounding."

"Really."

"Utterly shocking."

"Of course." Rory smiled.

"It has to be heard to be believed."

"I'm going to say this as politely as I can, mom. Move it or lose it."

"You know," reflected Lorelai, "you have a bit of a frolic in a backseat, and then you pay for the rest of your life."

Rory's mouth fell open in horror as Lorelai beamed.

"Gross! Promise you will never say that again."

Lorelai made a non-committal 'mn-num'.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'. Now, let's never speak of it again." Rory's brow furrowed as she desperately sought to find a safe subject. "What was your point again?"

"Did I say I had one?"

***

"Shall we go to Doose's?" Lorelai asked casually. "We're out of paper towels."

Rory nodded.

As they walked, they realized a large crowd had gathered around the board. Naturally curious as cats, the Gilmores joined the end of the queue.

To the notice board was pinned a notice, accompanied by a large red sock.

To the townspeople of Stars Hollow, it began in Taylor's unmistakable handwriting, I am happy to announce the success of Proposition 114 by a majority vote of 234 to 4. All absentees were counted as voting in the negative.

Rory looked a little guilty. Those 4 absentees would include her. She shrugged mentally. Oh well, no harm done. She continued reading.

"Look," Rory pointed, "it comes with a explanation."

Kris Kringle is a festive activity where you act as your chosen person's Secret Santa, hence the alternative term. You then provide them with occasional presents and small clues as to your identity which build up to a final present on Christmas Day. Please keep your chosen person secret. SECRET.

"Trust Taylor to make it sound as dry as a stale Pop-tart," said Lorelai.

"It comes with a contact number for 'those still confused'."

"I don't know whether to laugh at them, or make fun of Taylor."

"It's a tough choice."

They reached the front of the queue. Lorelai went first, spending a long time but finally picking out a thin strip. Rory gingerly felt around in the base of the sock and finally settled on one that felt right.

"Let's go," Lorelai whispered to Rory. "I think I ripped one."

***

It was a beautiful day in Stars Hollow, and the Gilmores sat at their kitchen table, squabbling like they usually do.

"Let's see yours, then."

"No!" Rory protested. "I want to see yours first."

"Fine, have it your way." Lorelai unfurled the little curl of paper. Her facial expression changed from merely curious to outright joyous. She looked like the cat that had got into the cream.

"What?" Rory asked excitedly.

"Luke."

Rory laughed, and read her piece of paper. The colour drained from her face. Lorelai, after recovering from 5 minutes of uproarious laughing, peered over.

"What are the odds of that happening?"

"Very slim to none," Rory replied.

"Truly uncanny."

Rory sighed. Now what was she going to do?

***

"Luke, are you going to tell me?"

"No. Taylor said to keep it secret."

"Come on, Luke. Tell me!" Lorelai was looking up at him with a pleading look, which would have been endearing if she were 5 years old.

"No."

"But since when do you listen to Taylor?" Hearing no response, Lorelai decided to try another tack. She was downright devious sometimes. "I'll tell the whole diner you've got Mrs. Needleman and that you're secretly in love with her."

"You're trying to blackmail me with ... Mrs. Needleman?"

"Attention, attention!" Lorelai called. A few heads turned.

"Get out." Luke hissed.

"But where shall I go?"
"I don't know," Luke said irritably, but Lorelai wasn't finished yet. Nowhere near, in fact.
"What will I do? Will I be destined to forever haunt the sidewalk outside the diner like a shadow? Like a ghost? Like a ghoul?"

"I don't know," Luke said again, stubbornly. He was intractable like that sometimes.

"You don't know, or you don't care?" Lorelai's voice took on an edge of hysteria. "You don't care, do you? Mrs. Needleman has usurped your heart!"

"It's too early in the morning for this," he muttered.

"Don't think you can just run away from me!" She called out after his rapidly retreating figure. "Are you a man or a mouse?"

Rory had been watching this with interest. She had developed her own interesting theory about whom Luke had picked.

***

Rory was alone in the house. Lorelai had gone to Hartford to pick up a few 'gifts' (otherwise known as implements of pain) for Luke, but not before giving Rory a detailed plan of the various tortures she planned to put him through. He had a few tough days and weeks ahead.

The phone rang.

Rory gave it a suspicious look. Unexpected occurrences rarely went her way these days, and all too often involved Jess in various embarrassing situations.

She picked up the phone with a bit of trepidation.

"Lane!"

"Hey!"

"Alright. I have got the most craziest idea for you." Lane's voice was enthusiastically loud. "Sleepover. Now."

"This sounds suspiciously like a spontaneous action."

"Oh, please, Rory?. This is my last uninhibited period of liberty for 6, maybe 7 months!" She paused. "I'll let you do my hair."

"You're going to have to do better than that," teased Rory.

"I'll ... I'll watch Sleepless in Seattle all the way through without laughing."

"Or pointing."

"Or pointing."

"Mmm..." Rory pretended to mull it over. "Throw in some ABBA karaoke, and I'm in."

"Done. Give me 3 minutes."

Rory left a note on the table and, grabbing a sleeping bag, pillow and toothbrush, left. This will take my mind off things for a while.

***

Christopher Hayden pulled into the driveway, parking his car. There didn't seem to be anyone home, the house taking on a lonely air without Lorelai and Rory. He headed towards Doose's. Maybe Dean would know where they were.

***

"Would you prefer 80s trash or 21st Century goth?"

"That's such a hard choice!"

"I'll do half and half."

Rory smiled and started frizzing up the left side of Lane's hair, teasing it into huge ringlets.

The doorbell rang.

The two looked at each other. Both were in pyjamas, but Lane's hair was half-spiked, half-frizzed.

"I'll get it. You just stay there and don't move. There's no chance of that being your mom, right?"

"Absolutely no way."

Rory opened the door to reveal ... Jess, in black as always. He opened his mouth, then frowned as he poked his head in the door and saw the mess of pillows, popcorn, movies and hair products.

"What is this, a slumber party?"

"No...I'm just sleeping over."

"You're watching chick flicks."

"So?"

"And doing each other's hair."

"Yes..."

"And gossiping about boys."

"Okay, now that is just not true."

Jess smirked infuriatingly.

"Why are you here?" Rory asked, crossing her arms. "Other than to make fun of me, I mean."

"Returning your mittens." He handed them to her.

"Ah." She paused. "You came all the way to Lane's to return my mittens even though you could have given them back any morning of the week?"

"I've never seen you in your pj's before." Rory looked unconvinced at this obvious change of topic.

"You know," Lane interrupted, "you don't have to stand on the porch, unless you want half of Stars Hollow to hear you."

Rory hurriedly stepped back inside.

"Nice house," Jess commented.

"Thanks." The three stood there uncomfortably. Lane rolled her eyes. "Second door on the left upstairs is my room. You can have some privacy."

***

"You know what," Jess asked conversationally to Rory.

"What?"

"I can't help getting the feeling you're trying to avoid me."

"Oh, really?"

"Just curious as to why."

"I really don't know how you got that impression."

"You've been hiding away for 3 days."

"How would you know?"

"Whatever."

"You know, my mom's right, that really is an annoying habit."

"So I'm a hot topic in the Gilmore household now?"

"We can't get enough of you. You're constantly occupying our every thought," Rory replied sardonically. She turned and headed for the door, turning her back on him and fully intending to go back downstairs. Jess followed her.

"Look," she said, turning around, and stopped.

They were face to face.

Rory's eyes widened as she found herself once again staring into Jess's coffee-coloured eyes. Something electric passed between them, an impulse without words, a message without meaning. Without thinking, she inched her face closer, conscious Jess was doing the same, closing the agonizing distance between them. Her heartbeat quickened and her eyes fluttered shut, feeling a little dizzy.

Their lips met hesitantly in a tender kiss.