Family Portrait

Author's Note: I'm really sorry for the long waits in between chapters, you guys are so patient with me. Anyway, I'm going to try and wrap this up within the next three weeks so you guys won't have to wait another three years for it to be finished, especially since I'm starting college on the 24th of August. There are still a few more chapters I need to get out of this story.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Betty and Veronica

Tension filled the room, mingling with the silence that had crept over them since Liza had first announced that Rory and Jess were getting married. Nothing but the silent scrapings of forks and knives against the china could be heard, even Liza had sensed that it was time to keep quiet after she had received clipped answers form both her parents and grandparents. From time to time, she would heave an audibly sigh, just to let everyone know that she was bored and that was a very dangerous this.

Rory glanced around carefully at her grandparents and then Jess, who seemed content focusing on eating his food. Her grandfather's face was unreadable, but Emily Gilmore wore and expression of pure anger, and that was quite possible more dangerous that Liza being bored. In fact, after all the years of Friday night dinners that Rory had attended, she knew that Emily Gilmore in a bad mood was more lethal than pretty much anything.

"Grandma…" she started slowly, hoping to perhaps ease her grandmother into a conversation, try to get her to understand why Rory was marrying Jess, but Emily did nothing but continue to ferociously cut away at her meat. This was definitely worse than when her mother had told her that she was getting married to Luke.

"Mommy loves daddy," Liza piped in, "I asked Grams how come they weren't married before when I was real little like Grams and Luke are married now when Lucas is little and she said that mommy wasn't ready to marry Jess then."

Emily forced herself to look over at Rory, the two locked eyes for brief seconds before she threw her napkin down on the table and pushed her chair away, "Excuse me, I have some other things to attend to. Richard, would you see them out when they leave?"

"Certainly Emily," her grandfather said brusquely as she high tailed it out of the room.

Heaving a sigh, Rory looking over at Jess and then her grandfather, "I guess this went better than expected."

"You're grandmother will come around," Richard assured his granddaughter, "Just give her time."

"You're okay with this though grandpa, you're not upset?" she looked at him with big, wide blue eyes, searching for approval. She knew quite well that she didn't need it, but she'd feel better at least knowing that her grandfather was all right with this, that he still loved her.

"Of course I am Rory, Jess makes you happy and I'm happy with that," he offered her a comforting smile. A telephone rang off in the distance, but they all ignored it. Rory had a distinct feeling that something was happening though, as soon as the phone rang she knew what was coming.

Second later, the maid appeared in the doorway, holding the receiver, "Miss Gilmore, there's a telephone call for you, your mother."

Immediately, Rory felt worry wash over her. Something was wrong. Something had happened to her mother, or Luke, or to the babies. Stiffly, she took the phone from the maid and pressed it to her hear, holding it with a death grip. She was afraid to know what happened, especially after how horribly tonight had been going.

"Hello?" her voice quavered slightly, "Mom? What is it?"

"The twins!" Lorelai shrieked, "They're coming! Rory, the twins are coming tonight!"

At the news, Rory nearly dropped the phone in utter disbelief. She had expected this to happen any day now, she knew that her mother's due date was approaching, but just hearing her say the words, just knowing that it was actually happened. She felt her head spin as she pushed her chair back, Jess put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "We're on our way."

Without another word, Rory hung up the phone and turned to her fiancée and grandfather with wide eyes, she could feel Liza regarding her with utter curiosity and confusion behind her, but this was all too much for her to take. She was about to become a big second for the third and fourth time, all in one night.

"Mom's having the babies," she finally choked out, "Mom's having the babies!"

In a flurry of motion, she had collected their coats and Jess had Liza in her arms, following closely behind her. He dare not say a word, especially with her all excited now. Richard had followed, calling out to Emily to tell her the news. Suddenly, chaos had erupted from the tension and silence; none of them could sit or stand still.

(Waiting room of the hospital)

It seemed that they were all seeing way too much of the hospital in the New Year. Rory and Luke were quietly pacing the waiting room, waiting for news of the twins seeing as Lorelai had refused to let either of them into the room. Sookie and Jackson were watching the kids play on the other side of the room, as Jess, Lane, Jamie, Tristan, Dave, and Paris all sat and watched quietly from the sidelines. Richard and Emily Gilmore had gone to get some coffee for them all, both excited to become grandparents again, Emily's anger forgotten for the moment.

"How long does it take?" Luke grumbled, "She goes in, they come out, and the doctors tell us I have a son and daughter. It didn't take this long with Lucas or Liza."

"Liza was premature," Rory reminded him as she walked by him for the hundredth time, "And it's twins now, so it's bound to take longer."

"Still," Luke persisted, "Two babies, pull 'em out one after the other and finito. Two more Daneses in the world."

"God help us all," Jess mumbled sarcastically. It was no time to joke though, and they all found this out seconds later when Luke shot Jess a death glare from across the room. His nephew just nodded and settled lowed into his seat.

"Mr. Danes? Ms. Gilmore?" A nurse appeared just then, smiling brightly at them both.

"Yes?" They both whirled around to face her; the rest of the group followed en suite, all waiting for the news of what was to come.

"Mrs. Gilmore-Danes would like the two of you to join her in the room," she supplied, "She also asked that I not tell you anything about the babies until you get there so she can tell you herself."

Both Rory and Luke frowned, but they knew better than to argue with the nurse over something that Lorelai had decided while she was doped up on her drugs. They knew that once Lorelai her had mind set to something, she'd stick it out. This had been learnt after they had spent hours arguing with her about her not letting them in the delivery room. Luke and Rory had both wanted to be there to make sure that one of the babies wasn't named 'Lorelai' or 'Luke' again while she was under anesthesia.

Entering the room, Rory caught sight of her mother cradling to tiny babies that were wrapped in a blanket with much difficulty, both babies were wailing and squirming in her grasp, but Lorelai refused to let the doctor remove one of them from her arms. When Luke went to pick up one of his children though, she easily let him take it.

"Rory," Lorelai said, looking up at her daughter, "Meet Betty and Veronica, your sisters."

Both Rory and Luke froze, staring at Lorelai with open mouths. Had she just said Betty and Veronica? Wasn't one of these two supposed to be a boy? Not to mention to fact that they were named after Archie comic book characters. This was exactly what they had feared.

"You named my daughters Betty and Veronica?" Luke gasped, "Lorelai, I thought we had agreed on names!"

"That was before I found out they were both girls," Lorelai pointed out to Luke, "It turns out Veronica here had her cord between her legs. Isn't it just too cute?"

"I thought I told you not to name the babies after fictional characters," Rory sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking baby Veronica out of her mothers arms. Rocking the screaming baby gently, she slowly made her stop crying.

"No, you said not to name them after TV or Movie characters," Lorelai grinned widely, "Never anything about comic books."

"I didn't even know you read comic books," Luke held Betty, still in utter shock about all of this. He couldn't believe that he had two daughters and that their names were Betty and Veronica. He was never leaving Lorelai alone to do something like this again; Rory knew that for sure.

"I did the whole time Rory was in the hospital," Lorelai informed them, taking Betty back from Luke, "This is Lillian Betty Gilmore-Danes, but we're calling her Betty."

"We're calling her Lilly," Luke argued.

"Betty," Lorelai insisted, "And that is Veronica Megan Gilmore-Danes." Motioning to baby Veronica in Rory's arms, a wide grin spread across her face.

"They're adorable mom," Rory commented, staring down at her new baby sister.

"You know, when Haley's born, we can dress the three of them in little matching outfits!" Lorelai exclaimed while Luke and Rory just rolled their eyes, they knew they were doomed. No one ever won a fight against Lorelai.