The drifting snow flakes enveloped the Dragonfly Inn like a crystal haze. Lorelai stood at the front desk, staring out the window, mesmerized, as the snow continued to accumulate. She smiled. How could she not as her eyes swung over to the lobby of the Inn, with its warm, cozy atmosphere, bustle of people, and sweet smells emanating from Sookie's kitchen? This was hers. No one could ever take it away from her. She and Sookie and Marcel had built this from scratch and made it what it was today. But little did Lorelai know that what she had known and felt all these many years, what she had believed in and held dear, indeed, her entire world, was all about to change.

She was just a glimmer in Lorelai's eye, a frisky blonde walking towards her. Next to her was another blonde, but the first one was clearly dominant. Her ample breasts quivered every so slightly as she walked, like the undulations of a pebble-strewn pond. She reached the front desk.

"Well howdy dowdy. A bright spanking morning to you." Lauren chirped. "Whoa!" Lorelai exclaimed to herself. That's way too much perkiness for this early in the morning. Lorelai took an immediate dislike to the platinum blonde.

"I assume you're the proprietor of this fine looking establishment," Lauren said.

"Yes, I am, as a matter of fact. How can I help you?"

"Well, that doesn't surprise me one bit. No sirre. I took one look at you and I said, that's a woman who knows what she wants and doesn't let anything stop her until she gets it."

"Well… uh… thank you," Lorelai stammered. Her pen suddenly came tumbling out of her hand and rolled over the counter. Lauren bent over to pick it up. She wasn't wearing a particularly low-cut blouse, but her ample cleavage showed through nevertheless. As Lauren rose to hand the pen back to Lorelai, she noticed Lorelai checking out her assets. Lorelai, horrified she had been caught, immediately swung her eyes in the other direction. Lauren cracked a knowing, wicked smile.

"There you are, darling." Lauren made sure she brushed her hand against Lorelai's as she handed her the pen. Lorelai reflectively snapped her hand back. Lauren's smile grew even more wicked.

"I'm Val," Val said as she reached over and shook Lorelai's hand.

"See, Val and I - my name is Lauren by the way - we own our own company too. Well, anyways hon, things were bearing down on us like a Twin Tower gone kerplunk--"

"Uhh…"

"Uhh…"

"So I turn to Val and says, baby, we need a vacation. Let's get the hell out of this city. Go. So we hopped in the car and veroooom, here we are, right on your doorstep. Lucky us. Huh?"

Against her will, Lorelai couldn't help but find the strange blonde intriguing.

"Well, you certainly have a way with words, I'll say that much… I take it you two need rooms?"

Val stepped forward.

"One room. With a single bed."

"Oookaaay. Room 5B. Upstairs to your left. I know you'll love it."

"You're just peachy," Lauren replied, as she took the keys. This time it was Lorelai who brushed her hand up against Lauren's.

Lauren waved Lorelai a fluttery goodbye and her and Val headed up the stairs to their room. Lorelai fixed her gaze back out the window at the gathering snow. Her mind flashed back to her high school days, of sweaty locker rooms filled with half-naked girls, of unspeakable yearnings, forbidden desires, and silent regrets of roads not taken.

Lorelai clinched her teeth. There was one vision that stood out before all others: Rebecca Kingston - Rebecca, of the Kingston banking dynasty, a carefree, frivolous, vivacious temptress who had tried to lure Lorelai into her secret world of pleasure, but at which Lorelai had recoiled appalled, and run to Christopher's waiting arms. And the rest, as they say, is history.

But that was then, and this was now. Was she still the same person that rejected Rebecca's advances so many years ago? Or had she truly changed? Lorelai was determined to find out.

* * * * *

Lorelai didn't know what she was doing there. She didn't know why she was there. But as she stood before the room marked 5B, she knew this was something she had to do. She knocked on the door. The knock was crisp, clear and yet oddly disturbing. She thought she heard muffled moans, but couldn't be sure. She knocked again. Still no response. She decided that was it. This would just be another "what if." She turned and took a step down the hall. Suddenly the door opened. It was Val - looking dishelved.

"Oh, it's you." Val's towel barely covered the obviously nude body underneath.

"Oh, I am so sorry. I just wanted to make sure you found room okay and if you needed anything." Lorelai responded.

Val burst out laughing. Lorelai looked on, confused. Lauren stepped into the doorway and exclaimed --

"We all need something--"

"Oh god, you must think me the most unforgivable hostess. It's Lorelai."

"We all need something Lorelai. What do you need?"

Lorelai stood there, silent and motionless. Val walked back to the bed and laid down, the towel gently falling away, revealing her completely naked body. Lorelai caught glimpses of the golden flesh through the half open door. Her eyes narrowed.

"Look, Lorelai," Lauren said, "I'm not one to beat around the bush - oh, how I love that phrase! - so let me just say it. Why don't you join us?" Lorelai moistened her lips, but refused to respond.

"C'mon." Lauren opened the door all the way. Lorelai stood just outside the threshold for what seemed an eternity, enticed and appalled at the same time, just as she was back in high school by Rebecca Kingston. But Lorelai decided no, this time, she would not look back twenty years from now and wonder about the road not taken. She stepped into room 5B. She could feel Lauren's soft silky hand on her shoulder, and hear the door close behind her. She knew, yes, one door had closed, but the door to her lesbianism, so long repressed, had now opened.

To be continued...