Lorelai, Charlotte and Rory were let inside the Gilmore Mansion by a new maid. "Oh hi! Are you new?" Lorelai smiled at the maid.

"Uh yes. I started yesterday." The maid said.

"What's your name?" Charlotte smiled.

"Liesl."

"We're here for dinner." Rory explained.

"Oh sorry. Please. Come in." Liesl said letting them in and taking their coats. It was then that the three of them heard raised voices. "Uh can I get you a drink?" She asked.

"It's ok. Why don't you go hide in the kitchen?" Charlotte smirked.

"Really?" Liesl asked. "Thank you." She said hurrying off.

"What's going on?" Rory said.

"I don't know. I think George and Martha are joining us for dinner." Lorelai joked.

"I don't have time to go to your frivolous parties." Richard was saying as they appeared on the stairs.

"Frivolous parties? Frivolous parties?" Emily exclaimed. "Those 'frivolous parties' are very important to me. I'm on the board of the foundations holding these functions. How does it make me look when I don't show up?"

"It will look like your husband is very busy and has lots of responsibilities." He said.

"Well I have responsibilities too!" She exclaimed.

"I'm sure your social engagements are important." He said condescendingly.

"They're not just social engagements." Emily said.

"Anywhere you serve tea is a social engagement." Richard said.

"I can't believe you! That's it, I'm going to get a tape recorder so you can hear how pompous you're sounding." Emily snapped heading back upstairs.

"Maybe we should go?" Rory said quietly.

"No way!" Charlotte said.

"Yeah I was just going to go and get some popcorn." Lorelai joked.

"Mom!" Rory rolled her eyes. "Look, they're obviously in a fight. They might not want us witnessing it."

"Shh! Incoming!" Charlotte whispered.

"Go on, say it again! Say exactly what you said before." Emily said holding the tape recorder out.

"This is ridiculous." Richard said.

"I agree. You are being ridiculous!" Emily snapped following him downstairs.

"Wha...oh..." Richard said finally spotting Lorelai, Charlotte and Rory.

"What?" Emily asked and then spotted them as well and looked embarrassed.

"Bravo! Encore, encore!" Lorelai grinned clapping her hands together.

******************************

"It sucks, I know. Just tell me it sucks." Rory said as she was sat at the counter at Luke's watching her mom look over her homework.

"Your homework never sucks." Charlotte said looking round for Luke to order breakfast.

"It's great." Lorelai smiled at Rory.

"No it's not." Rory said.

"It's an A." Lorelai said.

"Mom.."

"A plus actually." She said.

"You have to say that. You're my mom." Rory said.

"Rory."

"Yeah?"

"It's really good." Lorelai said softly.

"Really?" Rory said giving her a small smile.

"Really." Lorelai smiled.

"Thanks." Rory said taking it back.

Just then Luke came up to them. "Right, coffee, coffee, coffee..." He said placing three cups infront of them. "Ok what do you want? Eggs, toast, combo?" He asked quickly.

"What's the rush?" Lorelai asked.

Luke sighed. "I'm just swamped today. I was meant to have help..." He said gesturing towards the stairs up to his apartment. "...but I don't. So order now or I'm getting you each an egg white omelette and a side of steamed spinach."

"Pancakes!" Lorelai said quickly.

"French toast!" Rory said just as quickly.

"Eggs!" Charlotte chipped in.

"Thank you." He smirked putting their order in the kitchen. Charlotte noticed Jess appear from the stairway and watched as Luke went over to him. "Jess, you were meant to be down here...what the hell is that?" Luke asked.

"What?" Jess asked.

"That!" Luke exclaimed gesturing to his shirt.

"That is a shirt." Jess said.

"Change." He said frustrated.

"What?" Jess asked.

"Go upstairs and change your shirt." Luke said.

"I like this shirt." Jess said.

"How the hell can you like that shirt?" Luke exclaimed.

"It brings out my eyes." Jess said sarcastically.

"Ok." Luke said taking a deep breath. "Part of the deal of you living here is that you work here. And part of you working here is wearing proper work attire. So go and change into something that won't scare the hell out of my customers."

"Whatever you say Uncle Luke." He said sarcastically heading back upstairs. Luke took a deep breath before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Gross shirt." Lorelai said.

"Oh yeah." Rory agreed.

"Good band though." Charlotte said, stifling a smile.

"Oh most definitely." Lorelai nodded.

*******************************

"Did we really just agree to that?" Charlotte groaned as she walked up the porch steps to their house with Rory.

"I think we might have done." Rory said.

"Urghh...why did we do that? Mom's going to freak!" Charlotte said.

"I know. But whatever mom says, we're doing this ok?" Rory said.

"Why?" She whined.

"Because! We both saw the look on Grandma's face when we agreed. And she's been so down lately because of her fighting with Grandpa. I think it means a lot to her." Rory said.

Charlotte sighed. "Fine!" She groaned. "But I'm wearing trainers." She warned.

"Grandma won't let you." Rory smirked.

"Oh I'll find a way. I always find a way." Charlotte grinned. Rory rolled her eyes and followed her sister in.

After calming their mom down and assuring her they wanted to do the debutante ball and after Lorelai rang their dad to get him to promise to come and give them away, the girls went to Luke's for dinner while Lorelai went to her business class.

"Oh great!" Charlotte groaned as she read over the booklets given to them by their Grandma about the debutante ball.

"What?" Rory asked tucking into her burger.

"It says we need an escort. Where on earth am I going to find an escort?" She exclaimed.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Rory said.

"It's alright for you. You've got a boyfriend who will do anything for you including dressing up in a tux and then you'll have someone to hang out with." Charlotte pointed out. "I will probably be stuck with some snobby rich boy that Grandma picks out for me. My life sucks."

"Yeah but I promised Dean I'd watch BatteBots with him for a month. It came at a price." She pointed out.

"Coffee?" A voice said next to their table.

"Please. I need it. I need the whole jug!" Charlotte exclaimed dramatically holding out her cup to Jess.

"So you're going to a dance?" Jess smirked.

"No, we're coming out." Rory grinned.

"Coming out?" He raised his eyebrows.

"We stupidly told our Grandma we would take part in this stupid debutante ball and I've been regretting it ever since." Charlotte grumbled.

"Why?" He asked.

"Why what?" Charlotte asked.

"Why did you agree to do it if you don't want to?"

"Because miss perfect granddaughter talked me into it." Charlotte said.

"Hey!" Rory exclaimed. "You agreed it meant a lot to Grandma too."

Charlotte sighed. "I know, I know. I just...I didn't know we needed an escort!"

"So, you're like Cinderella huh?" Jess smirked.

"Not in the mood for your jokes right now! Read my face!" Charlotte grumbled.

"Duly noted." He smirked.

"Hang on a minute..." She said suddenly getting an idea looking up at Jess. "You're a guy right?"

"Last time I looked." Jess said.

"What are you doing on Sunday?" She grinned.

"No." He said quickly.

"No what? You don't even know what I'm going to ask." She protested.

"I'm not going to be your escort." He said.

"But you're my only hope!" Charlotte exclaimed melodramatically. "You're the only one that can save me from three hours of boredom and being stuck with a snobby rich boy who doesn't care about anything other than himself!"

"You got yourself into it. You're on your own." Jess said.

"Please Jess?" She begged.

"You seriously think I would want to go after I've listened to you going on about how awful it's going to be? No way. Have fun." He smirked walking away back to the counter.

"I'm screwed!" Charlotte pouted.

"Did you honestly think you could get Jess to come?" Rory laughed.

"No. But he was my last chance." She grumbled pushing her plate away and putting her head on the table.

"Charlie..." Rory said.

"I'm so screwed. I dread to think who Grandma will choose for me." She groaned.

"I'm sure whoever it is, it won't be that bad. Why don't we talk about something else?" Rory suggested.

"Like what?"

"Like are you going to eat your burger?" Rory grinned.

"Urghh be my guest. I'm not hungry anymore." Charlotte mumbled.

"It won't be so bad. Look you can hang out with me and Dean ok? We won't leave you on your own, I promise." Rory said.

She sighed. "I guess." She watched as Rory started to eat her burger before snatching it back. "I'm hungry again." She said as she heard Rory protest.

Rory smirked before glancing at her watch. "Oh I need to get something finished for school. Meet me back at home?" She said.

"Sure. I'll bring some pie as well." Charlotte said.

"Ok! See you in a bit! And remember, it'll be ok." Rory said before leaving the diner.

Charlotte sighed as she finished off her burgers and fries. She was looking out the window, drinking her coffee, when she heard a voice next to her. "Ok you spend three hours with me at that new bookstore that's opened just outside Stars Hollow and you pay for any books I want to buy and I'll go to this stupid ball with you." Jess grumbled.

"You're serious?" Charlotte asked her face lighting up.

"I only offer once. You mock me for agreeing and the offer's off the table. Do we have a deal or not?" He said.

"You've got a deal!" She grinned.

"Great. I must be crazy." He muttered walking away.

*******************************

The following morning, the girls were sat in the living room with Dean and Lane in the living room. Rory was getting Dean to watch Neil Young in a tux to try and persuade him it looks cool. Suddenly a car horn was heard from outside. "It's dad!" Charlotte smiled getting up rushing outside with Rory following her.

"Whoa, haven't you two learnt that ladies don't run?" Chris joked.

"Sorry. We haven't tamed our wild ways yet!" Charlotte joked, giving her dad a hug.

"We've missed you." Rory smiled hugging him as well.

"I've missed you too." He said.

"Hey, I've got you both something." He said going to the boot of the car and getting out the Compact Oxford English Dictionary and an art sketchbook. "I'm sorry I couldn't get these for you the last time I was here. But I promised I would get them for you at some point so here they are."

"Cool!" Rory said excitedly taking the dictionary.

"Thanks!" Charlotte grinned. She was definitely in need of a new sketchbook.

"Sorry Lor, I didn't get you anything." Chris smirked as Lorelai joined them.

"I'll live." Lorelai joked.

"I'm going to start looking up some words!" Rory grinned rushing back to the house.

"This is new." Lorelai commented gesturing to his car.

"Oh yeah. Do you like it?" Chris said.

"You've got a car! It's got four wheels and everything." Lorelai exclaimed.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." He joked. "Want to get in?"

"Well I'm not supposed to take rides with strangers." She grinned.

"Hey what about me?" Charlotte said. "Don't I get a ride too?"

"Hop in." He grinned.

"Cool!" She grinned getting into the back. "Hey dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for the sketchbook." She smiled.

"You're welcome." He smiled back at her.

*******************************

Later that day Rory, Dean, Charlotte and even Jess were at Miss Patty's trying to learn to dance. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this." Jess grumbled as he struggled with the steps.

"You love it really. I bet you dance around in your room when noone's watching." Charlotte grinned.

"Ok what did I say I would do if you mocked me?" Jess warned.

"I'm sorry. No mocking." Charlotte said trying to keep a straight face.

"Yeah well, you better keep that promise or you can say goodbye to your escort." He said.

"Hey, at least you're doing better than Dean." She whispered gesturing over to Dean and Rory who were struggling even more than them.

"Huh. Guess that is a positive." Jess smirked.

Just then Lorelai and Chris entered with some coffees. "Hey you guys need a break?" Chris smiled.

"Two minutes." Miss Patty said.

"So how's it going?" Lorelai asked.

"Actually I'm not very good." Rory said.

"Which is really holding me back because I'm a natural." Dean said sarcastically.

"I'm rubbish too." Charlotte said.

"You're ok." Jess said.

"What?" Charlotte asked surprised.

"I mean, at the beginning you sucked but now at least you're not stepping on my toes anymore." He smirked.

"Why thank you." She said sarcastically.

"And how are you finding it Jess?" Lorelai asked politely.

"It's alright." Jess shrugged.

"Well it's not your fault girls. You just need a strong male lead and then any woman can do it. No offence guys." Chris joked. He pulled Lorelai towards him who stumbled into him.

"Hey!" Lorelai said.

"My mistake." Chris smirked.

"Hey I wasn't ready! I want a do over!" She said.

"Fine. May I have this dance?" Chris smiled holding his hand out to her.

"Oh I don't know. Do you have a trust fund?" She joked. "Always make sure." She told Charlotte and Rory. Lorelai and Chris then proceeded to glide across the floor dancing flawlessly.

"Wow ok, so we're adopted!" Charlotte joked.

"Yeah, I'm never going to be as good as that." Rory said.

"You will. You just need to keep practising. We'll leave you to it." Chris said.

"We'll meet you at Luke's after you've finished." Lorelai smiled at them and then headed out with Chris.

"So I know Dean..." Chris said as they headed over to Luke's. "But who's the guy with Charlotte?"

"Urgh...Jess..." Lorelai said.

"And I'm guessing you don't like him..." Chris said. "Are him and Charlotte dating?"

"No. At least I don't think they are. Although she does seem pretty chummy with him." Lorelai said.

"Why don't you like him? Should I have a word with him or something? Warn him off Charlotte?" Chris asked seriously.

Lorelai sighed. "No. I just...I don't know. I just don't get good vibes from him. He's bad news, I just know it. But Charlotte seems to like him and if we interfere or say she can't hang out with him, she'd hate us. At the moment, they're not dating. Let's just hope she grows tired of him and stops hanging out with him."

"You know Jess doesn't have to do this for me." A voice said from behind them.

They spun round to find Charlotte there. "Charlotte..." Lorelai said guiltily.

"He didn't have to offer to do this for me. This is his idea of hell but he's offered to do it for me to be nice. Can't you just give him the benefit of the doubt and try to be civil with him?" She said.

"I didn't mean anything..." Lorelai tried.

"Look, I know you don't like Jess. But he's doing something nice for me. So please, can you at least try and get on with him? For me?" She said, before walking off.

"Busted." Chris said.

Lorelai sighed. "I can't believe she heard us." She cringed.

"Should we go talk to her?" Chris asked.

"No. She'll cool down." Lorelai said. "I'll talk to her later. I guess she's right in a way. He didn't have to do this but he offered because Charlotte was dreading it."

"Look I don't know the guy so I'll just follow your lead." Chris said.

Lorelai sighed. "I guess it won't hurt to be civil to him. At until after the ball's over." She admitted.

"Then that's what we'll do." Chris said.

"So...tell me about this new job of yours?" Lorelai asked.

*******************************

"Shut up." Charlotte said as she went to sit next to Jess at a table at the side of the dancefloor the following day. Her and Rory had just taken part in the fan dance, the most humiliating thing she had ever done.

"Not saying a word." Jess smirked.

"It's our dance next so you won't be smiling for long." Charlotte glared at him.

"Your trainers made you stand out." Jess smirked.

Charlotte did smirk at that. "Well I didn't want to blend in with the crowd."

"How did your Grandma take it?" He smirked.

"Oh she didn't even notice. She's too busy arguing with my Grandpa." She sighed.

"Wasn't she like totally into this or something?" Jess asked.

"Yeah she was. She was so excited when we agreed but now...well she just seems so miserable. This thing with my Grandpa is really getting her down." Charlotte sighed.

"I think we're up." Jess said seeing Rory and Dean head towards the dancefloor. He held out his hand. "May I have this dance?" He smirked.

"Oh I don't. Do you have a trust fund?" Charlotte grinned.

"Nope, sorry." He smirked.

"Ah well, I guess I should give you a chance anyway." She joked taking his hand.

Jess led her to the dancefloor. "I'm sure your Grandma does appreciate you and Rory doing this for her. It may not seem like it right now but I'm sure she does." He said.

Charlotte gave him a small smile. "Thanks." She said quietly.

"Come on, let's show them how it's done." Jess smirked twirling her out.

"What are you doing?" Charlotte laughed.

"Hey you wanted to stand out. So let's stand out." Jess smirked.

Charlotte grinned and followed his lead.

*******************************

"So do you know you're considered a hot dad?" Rory said as the six of them were walking towards Luke's.

"Ha!" Lorelai said.

"Really?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, Libby said it was a shame you were my real dad because if you were my step dad, I could steal you away from mom." Rory grinned.

"Ok ew!" Charlotte shuddered.

"I'm going to get home." Dean told Rory. "Get out of this tux."

"Thanks for doing this for me." Rory smiled giving him a kiss.

"Tomorrow you start paying." He reminded. "See you."

"Bye." Rory smiled.

"Yeah I'm going to go too. Luke wants me to help him close tonight and I will probably have to change because this would probably be too proper for work attire." Jess grumbled sarcastically. "I'll see you around." He said starting to walk off.

"Hey Jess?" Charlotte said rushing after him.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for coming." She said sincerely. "I...well I actually had fun...so thanks. I do appreciate it."

"Well three hours looking at books and making you pay for however many I want will make it worth it." He smirked.

"Jess..." Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"It's cool." He said. "You don't need to thank me."

"I do." She said.

"Ok well I better get going." Jess said gesturing towards the diner.

"Oh right, yeah." Charlotte said. She watched him walk off. "Hey Jess?"

"Geez what?" Jess turned round.