Lorelai was sat at the counter at Luke's playing with her camera when Rory and Charlotte walked in and sat down next to her.

"Hey!" Charlotte smiled.

"Say cheese!" Lorelai grinned taking their picture. "I love my little digital camera. I want to marry it."

"Do you ever want to put it away?" Rory joked.

"Oh, you'll hurt little Digital Dan's feelings." Lorelai said.

"Sorry, D.D." Rory rolled her eyes.

Lorelai took another picture. "Gotcha! Oh no, wait. Oh, I missed!" She pouted. "Got a good one of you though. Nice cheekbones." She smiled at the customer sat next to them.

"So, do you think you could focus on something non-photographic for a second?" Rory asked.

"Aw, I'll try." Lorelai said putting her camera down.

"We were asked to pass this along to you." Charlotte said handing their mom an envelope.

"Something from Chilton? You've been dipping girls' hair in the inkwells again?" She joked.

"Read it and see." Rory said.

Lorelai groaned as she started reading the letter. "Urgh I'm being summoned to duty in the Booster Club!"

"Those bastards!" Charlotte joked.

"I feel like I should pack my rucksack, kiss my loved ones goodbye." Lorelai said dramatically.

"So, don't do it, then." Rory said.

"Yeah, you're both as good as out of there. Yale's grabbed you. It's too late. We don't need anything from Chilton." Lorelai said.

"Except our graduation tickets." Charlotte pointed out.

"We already got them." Lorelai said confused.

"But we need extras. We just put in the request and it's up to them now." Charlotte said.

"So we do need one kind of big thing." Lorelai sighed.

"And then there's our diplomas." Rory said.

"You'll get your diploma at graduation."

"No, we get our diploma holders at graduation." Rory said.

"Do you think they would withhold your diplomas based on my participation paucity?" Lorelai asked.

"I don't know."

"Oh man, I'm screwed. I guess I've got to do it." Lorelai sighed.

Just then Luke walked over to them. "Hey guys." He said. He gave Lorelai a look when she immediately took a picture of him. "Was that necessary?" He asked.

"Oh man, you do not photograph well." Lorelai joked as she showed Rory and Charlotte who smirked.

"What?" He said.

"You've been getting some sleep, brother? Because that's forty miles bad running." Lorelai joked handing the camera over to him.

"I wasn't ready." He defended having a look at it. "Plus, it was a bad angle. Plus, this is a harsh light. A soft light would help with the thing with the eyes." He said.

"Look who knows what light he looks best in." Lorelai teased.

"You ready to order?" He asked.

"I'm going to take a picture of the menu and then order off the camera!" Lorelai said excitedly.

"Yell when she's tired of the thing." Luke told Rory and Charlotte.

"Give it time." Charlotte smirked.

"Now I'm going to zoom in on just the breakfast meats." Lorelai grinned.

"Go to town." Rory said.

That afternoon after school, Lane's band was practicing in the garage while Rory, Charlotte and Jess watched.

"Whoa, cool." Zach said as they finished a song.

"We all finished at the same time." Dave said just as amazed.

"That has never happened." Lane nodded.

"The middle of that song didn't even sound like us." Brian said.

"Yeah, it sounded good." Dave said.

"It sounded great, guys. All of it. Didn't it?" Rory smiled at Charlotte and Jess.

"Definitely! Very good." Charlotte nodded, agreeing.

"Not too shabby." Jess said.

"We are so ready for this gig." Dave said.

"We've got a gig. I just love the sound of that!" Lane grinned excitedly.

"Where is it?" Jess asked, not being able to help but think about how it could be him playing with them in a gig when Dave goes off to college.

"Kyle from school. His parents are going to Marriage Encounter for the weekend so he's throwing this mondo party." Lane told him.

"You got enough songs?" He asked.

"We have enough for two half-hour sets. What we need is a name." Dave said.

"I made my suggestion." Brian said.

"Yeah, and we vetoed "The Harry Potters." Next." Zach rolled his eyes.

"So yours is better?" Brian retorted.

"Follow Them to the Edge of the Dessert is memorable and classy." Zach defended.

"I run out of breath every time I say it!" Brian said.

"You've got asthma, dude. You run out of breath saying your name." Zach said.

"Yeah, Brian, we can't work our name around your respiratory illnesses." Dave said trying to broker peace.

"Even without an inhaler, Follow Them to the Edge of the Dessert is too long." Brian said.

"Yeah, but when we get famous, our fans will shorten it to FTTTEOTD." Zach said.

"Do you guys have any suggestions?" Dave said trying to hide a smirk as he looked at Rory, Charlotte and Jess.

"Oh, we wouldn't dare." Rory smirked.

"Hey Lane, how are you going to play a party like this with your mom being so strict?" Brian asked.

"Easy. Rory, Charlotte and Jess are going to deliver my drums to Kyle's house for me, then my friend Young Chui is going to pick me up to take me to a fictional Seventh Day Adventist bowling party that will conveniently last the length of our gig." Lane said.

"Nice going." Zach said.

"I've got my own ball and shoes." Brian said.

"Dude, don't tell people that!" Zach said.

"We'll see you guys later." Charlotte laughed as the three of them left the garage.

"Yeah, see ya." Jess said.

"So, is Tristan coming to the party as well?" Charlotte asked Rory.

"He said he would." Rory shrugged.

Charlotte glanced at her sister. She had noticed that Rory and Tristan hadn't been hanging out as much recently. "Is everything ok between the two of you?" She asked cautiously.

Rory sighed. "He's just been distant recently. I don't know why. He's started hanging out with Duncan and Bowman again."

"But I thought they had left." Charlotte said confused.

"Apparently they've come back and they've dragged Tristan back in with them. I've tried to tell him they're bad news but it just ends up in an argument." Rory said.

"I'm sorry." Charlotte said sympathetically.

"He said he'll come to the party but I'm not holding my breath. He's been blowing me off at the last minute a lot lately." Rory shrugged.

"Well you can still come. You can hang out with us and Lane's band will be good." Charlotte said.

Rory smiled. "Yeah I'm still coming." She said.

"Good." Charlotte smiled. "I can't believe it's nearly the end of the school year. I'm so excited about Prom!" She grinned.

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot about the prom." Jess said.

"No, you were trying to forget about the prom." Charlotte teased.

"I agreed to go and I am a man of my word." Jess smirked.

"How's that arm Charlotte twisted?" Rory joked.

"I just got the feeling back in it." Jess joked.

"Oh stop!" Charlotte laughed. "It's just if there was one more dance I want to go to in my whole life, it'd be the Stars Hollow High prom, with Lane. And you as well if you decided to change proms." She said to Rory. "That's a big part of it." She said.

"I know. I'm getting the tickets this week." Jess said.

"And I'll pay, ok?" Charlotte said.

"Not a chance." Jess said.

"It means a tux, you know. I know it's geeky." Charlotte said.

"Tuxes are also James Bond. That's not geeky." Jess said.

"You're kind." Charlotte smiled.

"And going to stash a change of clothes in the limo." Jess smirked.

"Ah forever the rebel." Charlotte teased as they went inside the house.

After the fire at the inn the previous week, Luke was on the floor examining the wall behind the stove as Sookie watched on when Lorelai walked in.

"Sookie!" Lorelai sighed.

"Yeah?"

"I need love and a hug. I just had to lay off Julio!" Lorelai said sadly.

"Oh, poor thing!" Sookie sympathised.

"That's the third one today. All I'm doing is crushing people's spirits." She sighed.

"But you told them that we all love them and will hire them back as soon as all the repairs are done?"

"And I gave them their severance checks and they were all very gracious, which made it that much harder." She said.

"We're going to get them back. It'll all be good again." Sookie said.

"I had to lay off Frank too, but I just couldn't do another one so Michel offered to do it." Lorelai grimaced.

"Did he say he'd be nice?" Sookie said worriedly.

"Yes. And then he skipped off to do it." Lorelai said.

"Oh boy." Sookie sighed.

"So, what's going on with Luke here?" She asked.

"I don't know. I've been keeping my distance because of what happened." Sookie said.

"What happened?"

"Well, he was lying on the floor pretty much like that tinkering with stuff back there and I got down and leaned in to see what he was doing, and after a while, I realized that the whole time my hand was on his butt." Sookie admitted.

"Sookie! You've been feeling up my man?" Lorelai teased.

"It was an accident!" Sookie exclaimed.

"It's getting very Cinemax at night in here." Lorelai joked.

"It was embarrassing." Sookie said.

"Uh huh." Lorelai said glancing over at Luke. "So what did you think of it?" She asked.

"His butt?" Sookie asked.

"Yeah."

"It's got a nice shape to it." She said.

"It does, doesn't it?" Lorelai grinned.

"Will you two stop talking about my butt?" Luke growled as he got up.

"It's all positive!" Lorelai grinned.

"And in bad taste." Luke said walking over to them.

"So what's the prognosis?" Lorelai asked.

"It's the same as what the stove company told you. The wall back here is burned from the fire. You're going to have to rebuild the whole thing before you can even think of reconnecting the gas. It's going to take a while, sorry." He said.

"No, Luke, thanks for doing this." Lorelai sighed. "It's exactly what the contractor said. We just wanted a guy with a good butt's opinion." She teased.

"Yeah, Tom has a terrible butt." Sookie grinned.

"Please stop that." Luke rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, thanks for coming. See you later?" Lorelai smiled.

"You bet." Luke said.

"Bye hon." Lorelai smiled giving him a kiss.

"Bye." Luke smiled and then left just as Michel came in.

"Did you know that Frank rescues Chow puppies?" He said.

"Uh, no." Lorelai said.

"He feeds and houses them on his own until he finds an owner. We can't fire him. And they are so cute!" Michel gushed showing her a photo. "Chin-Chin and Pau-Pau. Pau-Pau's the one with the squatty little nose. I took them both." He said excitedly.

"Oh, ok...well good job." Lorelai said.

"I have to go buy dog food. Will you fire Frank for me?" He asked.

Lorelai sighed. "Sure thing."

Early evening on the day of the party, Lorelai walked into the living room where Rory and Charlotte were getting ready to leave.

"You're off to the party this early?" She asked.

"We're helping the band set up. So is Jess. I'm doing the cymbals." Charlotte said.

"You're not taking your purses." Lorelai said.

"We're not?" Rory asked.

"You don't need money, you don't need ID." Lorelai pointed out.

"Well, where will we keep our house keys?" Charlotte asked.

"You'll put your house keys through the metal thingy on your belts. You'll only lose it if you take off your belt, and if you're taking off your belt for any reason at the party, I'm not sure I want you coming home." Lorelai joked.

"Yeah because Jess and I were thinking about making out in a house full of people where anyone could walk in on us." Charlotte said sarcastically.

"Well you won't with your house key on your belt." Lorelai joked.

"Great." Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"Ok, are your shoes okay? You got good traction?" She asked.

"Traction?" Rory asked.

"Well, there'll be liquids of various textures and disgustingness. You eating there?" She asked.

"If they have stuff." Rory nodded.

"Do not eat chips out of a communal bowl. You might as well stick your hand in a toilet." Lorelai said.

"Nice." Charlotte smirked.

"If you're desperate, offer to be the person who replenishes them with new bags and grab a handful out of the new bag and dump the rest in the communal bowl."

"You're full of useful knowledge." Charlotte teased.

"And keep in mind that getting up on a table and performing a song of any kind will haunt you for the rest of your life. Trust me. Been there, done that." Lorelai grinned.

"I don't think either of us were planning on doing that." Rory smirked.

"Hmm, well those things are never planned. You going now?" She asked.

"Yup." Charlotte nodded.

"I'm going, too. I'll lock it up." Lorelai said.

"Otherwise we'd have to undo our belts." Charlotte joked. "Enjoy your Booster Club meeting."

"I will. Have fun." Lorelai smiled giving them a kiss each.

"We will. Bye mom." Rory smiled.

"Yeah bye!" Charlotte smiled before following Rory out.

At Kyle's house, the band is setting up before the party.

"Does this set up feel right to everybody?" Dave asked.

"Cool by me." Lane said.

"Me too." Brian said.

"How's it look out there?" Dave asked Rory, Charlotte and Jess.

"Like you're going to bullet straight to the top of the charts, with a bullet or a...a gun's going to shoot a bullet, and I'm not...uh...familiar with the precise terminology, but it's working, right?" She asked turning to Charlotte for help.

"It's good." Charlotte smirked.

"They look like a band to me." Jess said.

"You need to move back more." Zach said.

"Why?" Brian asked.

"Because when I do my double jump kick off the amp with slashing windmills, I'm going to need more room." Zach said.

"Well, don't do that then." Lane said.

"Yeah, sounds a little too much, Zach." Dave agreed.

"And if I back up anymore, my extension cord might damage the miniature date palm." Brian said.

"The what?" Lane asked.

"It's what that's called. My aunt's got one."

"Dude, don't call plants by their specific names, it's very not rock and roll." Zach said.

"Let's finalise the set list, guys." Dave said.

"We're here a little early, don't you think?" Jess said to Charlotte.

"No, we're with the band. We're the roadies and the sound crew and I'm advising on makeup for Lane with Rory and I'm the keeper of Brian's sandwich and thermos. So we're busy backstage-type people." Charlotte smiled.

"We're dork-early." Jess said.

Charlotte frowned. She had noticed a change in Jess that day. "What's wrong with you?" She asked.

"Nothing." He grumbled.

"I beg to differ. You've been in a mood like this since yesterday." Charlotte said. "Come on, get into the spirit of things. Hello Cleveland!" She exclaimed thrusting her fist in the air.

"Guess I'll wander around a little." Jess sighed.

Charlotte just shook her head as she watched him walk off. She couldn't help but laugh though as Zach suddenly jumped off the amp and knocks over the microphone.

"And you couldn't even work your slashing windmills in." Dave said.

"Yeah, maybe I'll skip it." Zach said.

"Good thinking." Dave nodded.

Later that evening, Charlotte walked up to Jess. "They're getting ready to go on. They're all hyperventilating to the same rhythm so that's a positive sign. What are you looking at?" She asked.

"The happy family. Kinda depressing if you ask me." Jess said putting down a photo frame.

"Oh, Mr. Sunshine. You're spreading so much joy around, you're embarrassing yourself." Charlotte said. "You've got to get a little more moody." She teased.

"I'll try." Jess said dryly.

"Let's look around a little bit." Charlotte said linking arms with him. She glanced at him. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine." He said. They walk past a crying girl. "Seems a little early for that."

"It never is." Charlotte said.

"Bathroom line." Jess noted.

"Figures." Charlotte said as they went into the kitchen to find Kyle and his friends standing around the keg.

"Hey. What's up with you guys?" Jess asked.

"Stupid keg!" Kyle said.

"It's not working." Marshall complained.

"Where's the tap?" Jess asked.

"The what?" Kyle asked.

Jess rolled his eyes. "It's a keg, it's sealed. You need to hook up a tap to pump the beer out." He said.

"I told you the thing in the bag did something!" Kyle exclaimed.

Rick pulled out the tap from the bag. "No instructions!" He complained.

"Jeez1" Jess said taking the tap and attaching it to the keg. "There, start pumping." He said.

"Alright! To Jess!" Marshall said.

"To Jess." Kyle said.

"Yeah yeah." Jess said and started walking off.

"You and Springsteen, the working man's hero." Charlotte teased.

They left the kitchen and walked up to the band. "You ready to go on, guys?" Charlotte asked.

"Only if Brian rallies." Dave said.

"What's wrong, Brian?" Charlotte asked.

"I don't feel good." Brian said.

"It's his heartburn again." Dave said.

"I told you, dude, it's your citrus intake. Stop eating oranges!" Zach exclaimed.

Charlotte and Jess walked off and joined Rory. "Hey! Isn't Tristan here yet?" Charlotte asked.

"Not yet." Rory sighed.

Just then, Lane rushed up to them. "Guys, you have to do me a huge favour!" She exclaimed.

"Name it." Rory said.

"Young Chui's driving me crazy!" She exclaimed.

"What do you want us to do?" Rory asked.

"Uh...if you see any unattached girls who you think would go for a very available...uh...needy, self-delusional guy, send them Young Chui's way." Lane said.

"We'll keep a lookout." Charlotte smirked.

"Lane, we're on." Dave said coming up to them.

"Oh my god, this is it!" Lane exclaimed.

"Knock them dead." Rory smiled.

"Yeah good luck!" Charlotte smiled.

Dave was stood on the stage with the band. "Wait, someone's got to introduce us. Rory, introduce us!" He said.

"Me? Why me?" Rory asked.

"Go on!" Charlotte pushed her towards the stage as the crowd shouted for them to start.

"Alright. Uh...now, who wants to hear some tunes?" She asked causing the crowd to cheer. "Ok, good, there's a consensus. Here they are, Stars Hollow's rockingest band. Although they're not all from Stars Hollow, but they...uh...they practice there, so we kind of consider them our own. Here they are..." She said stopping and looking at the band. "What's your name?" She asked.

"Follow them to the Edge of the Dessert." Zach said.

"The Chops." Dave said at the same time.

"Uh...here they are. The..." Rory said before mumbling their name, letting the band start playing.

Half an hour later, the band finished up a song and the crowd cheered.

"Ok, thanks. Uh...we're going to take a short break and then we'll be back." Dave told everyone.

"Guys, that was amazing. Really, it was awesome!" Rory enthused.

"Yeah really good!" Charlotte smiled.

"Thanks." Dave smiled.

"Yeah we were actually good." Zach said.