We're All In The Same Boat

The joke was on Janelle, Rory wouldn't have stopped even if she were pushed away. In this case, Lorelai was sure she also needed the affection, but it was easier for her to be the rock for Janelle to hold onto.

Rory figured she should tell Janelle that she wouldn't have been mad at her even if she didn't like 'all this sentimental shit.' But Rory couldn't think of a way to put it that didn't sound utterly awkward.

"A gift? For helping you out? After this? Please. Janelle, you're like a sister from a different mister to me, I'd do this even if you were screaming and throwing pots are me. Where did you get the pots? Who knows."

Lorelai could relax when Janelle began to joke. The whole team used joking as a method of escapism, at least Rory, Kaiju, and Janelle had always seemed to.

She grinned and touched Janelle's cheek like a mother might. "That's, uh very sweet, Janelle. I'm not really sure how to respond. Uh... Ahem." Rory looked off to the side. "Guess I'll have to find something to get you, huh?"

"I know it's a gift, gremlin!" Lorelai reached out to mess up Janelle's hair. "It's just weird getting something and not giving something back." And Rory couldn't help but smile back at Janelle. She was being cocky again, more like herself. "Yeah, you do that. Shuffle it up or I might be tempted to get you the one you want least to torture you. You know how I am."

Rory swung an arm around Janelle's shoulders to face them both toward the fireworks show. It was beautiful, lighting up the ocean surface like that. "Didn't get to see many of these in the city."

Rory kept an arm around Janelle's shoulders and gently rubbed her back as she yawned. Her crying was completely gone, so that was good and that groggy feeling that came after a hard cry seemed to be taking her over. That was good.

"Yeah, I like fireworks too. Especially when they do those cool shows and stories with them." She looked at Janelle. It was a little weird having Janelle say something like that, so openly. For all the time Rory knew her, she'd never wanted to admit 'I want to just spend time with you.' How was Lorelai supposed to respond to it now?

"Yeah. We can do this yearly. You and me, or the team too, if you feel like it. I'm good for either."

Rory grinned before plopping down on the dock to watch the sky. "Fuck yeah. I agree. We don't get to do nearly enough together."

And that was true. Janelle was young and before Rory had become Adrastia, she would have never hung out with her. Now that she'd been Adrastia? Rory couldn't imagine a life without her.

"I won't keep you out too late," she said teasingly, motioning Janelle to sit with her.