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Rory watched the car pull up and park in front of Mr Uphill's old house. She smiled on seeing the red hair of her newest teacher, she walked over as the three occupants climbed out, she smiled at the teenager that she guessed was Dawn as she came up behind Willow, "Hi Ms Rosenberg," she said.

Willow turned to see Rory smirking at her, "Rory, what are you doing here? And as I said yesterday, I'm not your teacher yet, so it's Willow."

"Okay Willow," smiled Rory, "I live next door. I thought you might like some help."

"Thanks," said Willow, "Are you sure? Haven't you got homework to do?"

"Not much, I had most of it done by last night, so I'm good, and I'm happy to help."

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" asked Dawn.

Willow turned to look at Tara and Dawn stood expectantly by the side of the car, "Sorry. Tara, Dawn, this is Rory Gilmore, she's the student that showed me around Chilton yesterday. Rory this is my girlfriend Tara Maclay and our ward Dawn Summers."

"Pleased to meet you Rory," said Tara.

"Hi," said Dawn before turning to Willow, "She called you Ms Rosenberg."

"Yeah," said Willow a little confused.

"Does that mean I'm supposed to call you Ms Rosenberg at school, 'cause that's going to be so weird," pouted Dawn.

"Sorry sweetie but that's one of the rules, it'll only be while we're at Chilton. Once we're out of there you can call me Willow," smirked the redhead, she looked at Rory, "Same with you Rory, outside school call me Willow."

"You're going to Chilton," asked Rory.

"Yeah, Will and Tara are insisting," sighed Dawn.

"Right let's get started, our things will be here at nine, we need to get all the rooms swept before then," said Tara breaking up the conversation.

Willow smiled at Rory, "You'll hafta forgive Tara, she can be such a slave driver sometimes."

"Move it missy or no coffee for you for the rest of the day," said Tara good naturedly as she dug out the new coffeemaker from the car. "Dawn get the brooms from the back. Let's move people," she laughed happily.

Rory smiled as she joined Dawn in collecting the brooms from the back, "Is Tara always like that?" she asked laughing as she saw Tara slap Willow backside as they entered the house.

"She's the sweetest person I know. When everyone first met her back in Sunnydale, she was painfully shy, always hiding behind her hair. But since earlier this year, when her loser of a family visited and wanted to take her out of college, so she could spend her time just keeping house for her hick brother and father. Well we all stuck up for her, wouldn't let them take her... And when my mum died she and Will moved in with my sister and me to help... Well she's sort of became a big sister/surrogate mum, it seemed to bring her out of her shell."

"Hey Rory, what you doing?" came a girl's voice from behind them. Turning Dawn saw an oriental girl walking up to them.

"Hey Lane. This is Dawn Summers, she's moving into Mr Uphill's old house, Dawn this is my best friend Lane Kim," said Rory.

"Hi pleased to meet you," said Lane sticking her hand out.

"Hi," said Dawn trying not to hit Lane on the head as she tried holding onto the brooms in one hand while shaking the other girl's hand with the other.

"You wanna help?" asked Rory giggling as Dawn dropped her brooms.

"Sure," laughed Lane as she picked up one of the brooms.

The three girls trooped into the house; "Oh there you two...three are," said Willow coming from the kitchen, "Hi I'm Willow," the redhead smiled at the newcomer.

"Hi, Lane Kim, pleased to meet you," said Lane. "So where do we start?"

"The bedrooms. Dawn why don't you show Rory and Lane the way," said Willow.

"Sure," said Dawn leading the other two teenagers up the stairs.

Willow stood at the bottom watching as the three disappeared, a speculative look on her face, which changed to a smile as she was enveloped in Tara's arms, "What's wrong baby?" asked the blonde.

Willow turned in her lover's arms, resting her arms on Tara's shoulders, "You know me, just wondering if taking Dawn away from Sunnydale was the right thing to do," she said lightly kissing Tara.

"You know it was right, we all sat down and talked it over, with everything that goes on there. Well she would have never been able to stay out of it... And I don't think us finding this protected town was a complete coincidence either!" mused Tara.

Willow frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I mean," said Tara kissing Willow back lightly on the lips, "That something or should I say someone, up there is still looking out for her sister."

"How?"

"I don't know the how, but everything is telling me I'm right," said Tara seriously before smiling at the other woman, "Now why don't you go help the others while I make the coffee," she said letting the redhead go.

"Okay sweetie," said Willow turning and going in search of the three teenagers. 'If you're listening Buffy, we'll look after Dawnie and keep her safe.' Willow was not entirely certain, but a warmth suddenly filled her body.

"...Willow said you are from southern California, aren't you going to miss all that sun," Willow heard Rory laugh.

She heard Dawn return a laugh of her own as she reached the door, where she stood listening for a moment. "Yeah it will take some getting use to. I always felt cold if the temperature dropped below 55. School last year was a pain as Sunnydale high school blow up a couple of years ago, so we were all bussed to the school in the next town, 'cause the school board said there wasn't enough money to rebuild it," she sighed, "So how do you get to Chilton from here?"

"I usually take the bus, but occasionally mum will drive me," explained Rory.

"Well Willow and Tara, who's transferred to the University of Connecticut, will be taking me, why don't you come with us," offered Dawn.

"I'm not sure about taking free rides," said Rory, "You don't really know me."

"Of course you'll come with us," said Willow entering what was to be Dawn's room. "Why take the bus when we're going to the same place?"

"Okay, but I'll have to run it past my mum first," said Rory.

* * * * *

By the time Lorelai returned home from work around eleven, several of the neighbours had joined Rory and Lane in helping the new neighbours move in. She stood watching Miss Patty as the large woman stood at the back of the removal van allocating boxes and items of furniture to the three adults and the half dozen or so teenagers and children.

"Hey mum," Rory's voice came from behind her.

Turning she saw Rory and Lane with another teenager she did not recognise. All three had bags of food from Luke's, "Hi kiddo," she smiled.

"This is Dawn Summers one of our new neighbours," Rory introduced the teenager.

"Hi Dawn, pleased to meet you," said Lorelai.

"Hi Mrs Gilmore..."

"No Mrs Gilmore here," smiled Lorelai, "She lives in Hartford with my father, call me Lorelai," she laughed.

"Mum never married Christopher, my dad," explained Rory.

"Oh sorry, Lorelai then," said Dawn not sure whether the subject of Lorelai unmarried status was a sore point with them.

"So are you going to help?" asked Rory.

"Yeah I'll just go change, I'll be over in a minute," said Lorelai heading for her front door.

* * * * *

By late afternoon, everything had been unloaded and placed in its correct place. The only ones left were the Gilmores; the rest of the helpers had left with the heartfelt thanks of Willow and Tara and the promise that they would be inviting everyone back for the planned house warming party.

"So Rory and I were talking..."

"Talking is good," added Rory.

"Yes. And we want to invite you to Rory's birthday party next Saturday at our house," said Lorelai.

"We would like that," said Willow as she sat with Tara and Dawn on the couch taking a sip of her coffee.

"So you're going to be one of Rory's teachers," said Lorelai looking at Willow before turning to her daughter, "Does Paris know?"

"No not yet, we thought we'd surprise her," smirked Rory glancing at Willow.

"Yeah, I start on Monday, so does Dawn," said Willow. "Which reminds me, we've offered Rory a ride, but she said she had to run it past you first."

"Sure, I got no problem with that, but I insist that we contribute to the gas," said Lorelai.

"It really isn't necessary but if that is what you want," said Tara.

"Okay then," said Lorelai. "So how did you two meet?"

"Mum!" exclaimed Rory.

Willow laughed, "It's alright Rory. People are bound to be curious. We met at UC Sunnydale, I had been... in a bad place, I had broken up with my first, and only, boyfriend... Well anyway all my friends were worried about me..."

"We even had a secret meeting about it," interrupted Dawn.

Willow looked wide-eyed at the teenager, "You did?"

"Uh huh, Buffy told Xander, Giles and me that she was planning on taking you to the frat party, where Riley lived," explained Dawn.

"Oh well anyway it didn't help," Willow suddenly smiled, "Though I did get to set Buffy up with Riley and threaten to beat him to death with a shovel if he hurt her." They all laughed at that. "He did leave her later though, but was gone before I could follow through with my threat.

"Well anyway I finally pulled myself together after I realised Oz wasn't coming back and decided to join an on campus Wicca group."

"Wicca?" quarried Lorelai.

"Ah it's a Pagan religion mum," said Rory. "So you're all witches?" she asked.

"Tara and I are but Dawn isn't. Is that a problem?" asked a suddenly worried Willow.

"Not to us," said Rory, "Right mum?"

"Right, no problem here," agreed Lorelai before a twinkle came to her eyes, "Any chance you could change an annoying man I work with into a frog?" she joked.

Willow smiled at the knowledge that the Gilmores were ignorant of the supernatural world. "No because I have a fear of frogs."

"Miss Patty's a Witch," Rory blurted out before she could stop herself, "She has an altar and everything."

"Miss Patty's a Witch?" exclaimed Lorelai.

"Please don't tell her I said anything. She made me promise I wouldn't tell anyone," said Rory with worry in her voice.

"When did you find out she was a Witch?" asked Lorelai curiously.

"It was around that time Lane was very ill, you remember the doctors couldn't find out what was wrong with her! It was the day you sent me to drop off that parcel that they delivered to our house by mistake, I went through her back door and called out but she didn't answer. I heard this noise from her basement, I thought she may have fallen or something so I went to check. That was when I saw her altar, she was speaking some strange language, when she finished she spotted me on the stairs watching. She told me it was just a prayer to her goddess for Lane and she made me promise I would not tell anyone as most people wouldn't understand," Rory looked at their new neighbours, "Please don't tell anyone."

"We already knew Miss Patty was a Witch, she ah... recognised us yesterday when we came to meet the realtor and ah... told us," said Tara calmly.

"She did! How did she recognise you? Is there some kind of secret handshake or something," laughed Lorelai.

"No, just being an Earth based religion, we can usually tell who is and who isn't one," explained Willow vaguely. "Anyway back to your original question, I meet Tara at the Wicca group and over the next few weeks we fell in love."

"So how did your friends take the news, I mean if you had a boyfriend before they couldn't have known," said Lorelai.

"I came out to Dawn's sister, my best friend, after Oz came back and she wanted to know if I was going to get together with him again." Willow suddenly laughed, "I outed myself to my other friends when we were arguing one night, things were kind of getting out of hand and I blurted it out."

Tara giggled at the memory, "At the time Anya, a friend of ours, and I locked ourselves in the bathroom."

"You never did tell me what you and Anya did in there for so long," smirked Willow arching her eyebrow.

Tara slapped her girlfriend's arm playfully, "Potty mouth. We just stayed in there until we were sure the fight was over. If you remember, both Anya and I were new to the gang. She hadn't been going out with Xander any longer than I had been with you."

"So what did you talk about?" asked Dawn curiously.

"Well I asked Anya how long she thought the fight would last... then after that I commented on how nice Giles' bathroom was, all white tiles and clean looking," Tara said blushing.

"How about you Tara?" asked Lorelai, "How did your family take the news about you and Willow?"

Tara looked a little awkwardly at the two Gilmores, "Hmmm they-they did-didn't like it," she stammered.

Willow grabbed Tara's hand squeezing it gently, "Her father and brother came by earlier this year, they wanted her to go back with them..."

"Oh I'm sorry Tara, I didn't mean to bring back bad memories," said Lorelai. "I know what it's like to have parents that are stifling and that can't let you be your own person."

"All our friends stuck up for her and wouldn't let them take her against her will," said Willow still holding her lover's hand.

"So how about we all go over to Luke's for an early dinner?" suggested Lorelai realising the subject of her family was painful to the blonde.

"We don't do a lot of cooking in our house... or any really," clarified Rory at the curious looks her mum was getting from their new neighbours.

"Okay," said Tara, "But why don't you come to dinner tomorrow, as a thank you for all the help you and Rory gave us today," she said looking at Lorelai.

Rory laughed drawing everyone's eyes back to her, "Last night when I told Mum and Luke I may have met you, Willow, at Chilton, she wanted to know if I knew any dark secrets she could use to blackmail you into cooking for us... and doing the laundry," she explained.

"Sorry Lorelai, I don't think we have any secrets that you could blackmail us with," laughed Willow as they all got up and grabbing their coats, headed for the Diner.

"So have you lived in Stars Hollow long?" asked Tara as she walked with Willow and Lorelai while the two teenagers walked in front of them.

"It will be fifteen years next month; I came here just after Rory's first birthday."

"Tell me to mind my own business but how old were you when you had Rory?" asked Willow.

"It's okay," said Lorelai, "I was sixteen... almost seventeen when I had Rory. I was a wild child when I was young; my parents were so strict and manipulative. Although Rory is the best thing in my life, then and now, I did some really stupid things way back when," she seemed to look into herself for a moment.

"And still are," smirked Rory looking back at the adults, "Mum's a teenager in the body of a thirty year old."

Lorelai stuck her tongue out at her daughter, getting a round of laughter before becoming serious, "I was living at my parents home in Hartford after Rory was born, but if anything it got worse, in their eyes my life had been ruined and I overheard them discussing Rory's future. I was determined not to allow them to do to her what they had done to me so I ran away, ending up here with no money and one very hungry baby.

"So after stopping at the bakery, where Fran plied Rory with cookies, I asked the way to the Inn where I marched up to Mia, the owner, looked her right in the eye and said, 'I'm here for a job. Any job.' I think she felt sorry for me and gave me a maid's job. She even gave Rory and I a place to stay... Without her and Miss Patty, I don't think I would have made it."

"What happened to Rory's dad?" asked Willow.

"He lives in California, he speaks to her regularly by phone and she sees him when she can, he isn't the most reliable man but he is still very much a part of her life, not a very close part but he loves her very much," explained Lorelai.

"We'll go on and grab a table," said Rory from in front of three adults.

"Okay kiddo," smiled Lorelai as the two teenagers hurried towards Luke's. She looked at Willow and Tara, "I think Dawn will be good for Rory, she'll finally have a friend she can rely on at school, although she seems fairly friendly with a couple of other girls but they are rather flighty... a bit like me," she giggled. "And then there is Paris, I think Rory will either end up killing her or falling in love with her," she laughed at her own joke.

"Stranger things have happened," smiled Tara a little mischief coming to her eyes.

"Oh god, don't say that," exclaimed Lorelai. "Ah not that there is anything wrong with gay people, but Rory has enough obstacles to overcome without that."

"We know what you mean Lorelai," Tara reassured her, "And it will be good for Dawn as well."

"Yes she has had a lot to cope with over the last few months. First she lost her mother then before she could even start to come to terms with that her sister was killed," explained Willow. "And I think her father's rejection has hurt her more than she likes to let on!"

"Yes Rory told Luke and I about that last night. No parent should reject their child... I rant and rave about my parents, but if I really needed them they would help."

As Lorelai and the two witches entered the diner it was to see the two teenagers pushing two tables together, "If Luke starts shouting at you two, you are on your own," said Lorelai.

"We asked first, and anyway Luke wouldn't shout at me," said Rory sitting next to Dawn.

"Hey," said Luke in way of a greeting as he exited the kitchen with a couple of plates and placing them on one of the other tables walked over to them. "So how did the move go? Any problems?" he asked standing at the end of their table.

"No, everything is where it's supposed to be. We had quite a bit of help," said Willow.

"That's good, sorry I couldn't help myself, but to make up for it, anything you want today is on the house. And no it doesn't include you Lorelai."

Turning Lorelai's smirk into a pout, "Suck ups," she said looking at her new neighbours.

"Us! It's not our fault Luke likes us better than you," giggled Dawn.

* * * * *

As they left the diner an hour or so later Lorelai's phone went off, she glanced at caller ID, "Yes Michel," she sighed making a face that made Dawn giggle before stopping when Lorelai's face went serious. "What!" she exclaimed, "Okay I'll be there in a couple of minutes." She clicked off the phone, "Sorry guys I got to go. There's a problem at the inn."

"What's wrong?" asked Rory knowing that usually if Michel called her mother would make some off the cuff remark, so this was obviously serious.

"One of the guests is missing some jewellery and wants the police called," explained Lorelai, she looked at their new friends, "Sorry I hafta go. I'll see you later Rory," she said before hurrying off.

They watched Lorelai hurrying down the street; Dawn looked over at Willow, "Would it be okay if Rory shows me around town?"

"Sure sweetie, Tara and I want to stop at the market to pick up some things anyway, you and Rory go enjoy yourselves," said Willow.

The two Wiccans entered Doose's Market; Tara grabbed a basket and handed it to Willow before setting off down one of the aisles walking in front of her girlfriend, looking over her list as she absently placed the items into the basket.

"Does this make me the butch?" Willow suddenly asked.

Tara blushed slightly as she quickly looked around to see they appeared to be alone, "Sorry sweetie?"

"I mean, I'm carrying the basket for you, you're picking the items we need," smirked Willow loving the little blush that spread across her girlfriend's face. "Doesn't that make you the femme and me the butch, that's what it was like in all those gay books you showed me that you would read when you were younger?"

Tara's eyes narrowed, "You know those are distortions from the sixties and seventies and more to appease men's egos that their wives and girlfriends would go with another woman if the other woman acted like some wannabe man."

Willow giggled, "I know but it's funny, the way you blush."

"Vixen," said Tara deliberately turning her back on the giggling redhead.

"Tara, Willow. Hello!" Miss Patty called to them from the fresh produce area. "Try a plum they're better than sex."

"Um, no, thanks," said Tara blushing again as Willow giggled behind her.

"Fresh fruit always has such a sensuality about it," said Miss Patty her eyes taking on a distant look.

"Ah Miss Patty," said Tara lowering her voice as she looked around to be sure they could not be overheard. "I think you should know that Rory and Lorelai know you're a Witch. Rory told us she once saw you in your basement praying when Lane was ill?"

Miss Patty frowned looking around herself, "Yes I'd forgotten about that, it was not long after I became the Guardian. It was my first time protecting someone; a Gax demon had laid its eggs in Lane while she was at Bible summer camp... I'll have a word with them," she said.

Tara nodded, "Of course, but I don't think Lorelai or Rory will say anything to anyone, she just told us when we mentioned being Wicca ourselves."

"Yes, you're probably right!" Miss Patty agreed. She hesitated for a moment before broaching something that had confused her since meeting them the day before, "I sense something strange about Dawn. Can you tell me what it is I'm sensing?"

Willow became deadly serious as she joined the other two in making sure they were alone, "Not without first talking it over with Dawn. I will tell you that she is no danger to anyone. If she agrees we will talk about it tomorrow," she said.

"Very well sister, until tomorrow then," smiled Miss Patty heading for the checkout.

* * * * *

"So what do you think Willow will be like?" asked Rory as the two teenagers headed away from the diner.

"What? As a teacher you mean?" Rory nodded, "Well I can't really say but she always helps me with my homework. She's very enthusiastic about learning new things; I think she'll make a great teacher... as long as she doesn't get nervous," Dawn giggled, "'Cause then you'll see babbling like you have never seen."

They reached one of Rory's favourite stores just then, "This is my joint favourite store in Stars Hollow," she said pushing open the door to the bookstore.

"And the other one would be Luke's," said Dawn smiling.

"See I knew we thought alike," said Rory, before turning to a man behind the counter, "Hi Andrew, this is Dawn Summers she just moved to town. Dawn this is Andrew, he owns the store, he lets me look through the books without buying them all."

"Well you are my number one customer Rory," smiled Andrew, "Pleased to meet you Dawn, if there is any book I don't have just let me know and I can usually get it within a couple of days."

"Great I'll remember that," said Dawn before she followed Rory as the other teenager headed for one of the rows of books.

About an hour later the two teenagers set a dozen or so books on the counter and watched as Andrew rang them up, "That comes to one hundred and forty seven fifty," he said placing them in two cardboard boxes.

Dawn handed over her credit card, "You have your own credit card?" exclaimed Rory.

Dawn smiled, "Yeah, I have an art gallery back in Sunnydale that's in trust until I turn 21, but my mum's will provides one third of the profits for anything I need... well as long as it's okay with Will and Tara, and as they both like books, there's no worry. The rest of the profits go into my college fund," she explained.

They took the books back to Dawn's house before they headed over to Rory's.

Rory led Dawn through the house and into her bedroom; Dawn smiled as she saw the posters of various cities from around the world, "You travel a lot?" she asked.

Rory shook her head, "No, not yet but after I graduate high school, Mum and I are going to backpack around Europe."

"And Harvard?" said Dawn eyeing the wall covered in Harvard posters, pennants etc.

"It's been my dream since I was three to go to Harvard, which was why I wanted to get into Chilton, it's my best shot at getting there," explained Rory.

"So you're smart?" asked Dawn with a little smile.

"Ah well I don't know about that but I was the top student at Stars Hollow high, but not so much now I'm at Chilton, the level of education there is on a whole new scale. Why?"

"I was wondering if you would be willing to help me catch up on my schoolwork... I kind of got behind the last couple of months."

Rory saw Dawn's eyes mist up. Instinctively Rory pulled the other girl into a hug, "Willow told me about your mum and sister dying, I'm sorry... I don't know what I'd do if my mum died," she said feeling her own eyes tearing up.

Rory held Dawn for a few minutes listening to her quiet sobs. Dawn finally pulled out of the hug smiling weakly as they wiped their eyes, "Thanks... ah please don't tell Willow or Tara, they have enough to do now without having to watch over a teary me."

Rory returned the smile, "Okay, but I think they are watching over you anyway. If you ever want to talk, I'll listen, so will my mum... you know tell things to someone that's not family."

"Thanks, I might take you up on that sometime," said Dawn as they heard the front door.

"Lucy, I'm home," they heard Lorelai say in a singsong voice. The teenagers left Rory's bedroom just as Lorelai placed a family sized pizza on the kitchen table, "Hi Dawn, help yourself to pizza. You wanna stay and watch movies?"

"Ah thanks," said Dawn taking a seat at the table with the two Gilmores and grabbing a slice, "I should be getting back, I still got some things to sort out in my new room and I promised I'd phone some friends in Sunnydale and let them know how we're getting on."

"Oh okay, but just remember you're welcome to hang out here with Rory and me anytime," smiled Lorelai.

"Thanks," smiled Dawn.

"So did you sort out the problem at work," asked Rory, "I can't believe any of the staff would steal from the guests!"

Lorelai made a face, "Marvin's back, I saw the little black bastard eyeing me as I got there, I swear I'm having him shot this time."

"You can't do that! And anyways it can't be Marvin, he'd be dead by now, crows don't live that long," said Rory.

"Oh! Marvin's a crow," exclaimed Dawn.

"Yeah," said Lorelai before her eyes went a little wide as she reviewed in her head what she had said, "Oh you thought I was talking about an African American?"

Dawn blushed that for a moment she had thought she had befriended racists! "Sorry I shouldn't have assumed."

"That's okay," reassured Rory smiling at the other teenager. "Anyway Marvin was the name one of the staff at the inn gave to this crow that would steal shiny objects from rooms through open windows. Mum had a gripe with him 'cause he use to go out of his way to poop on her when she got the groundsman to retrieve the things from his nest," she giggled at the sour look on her mother's face.

Dawn joined in the giggle, "Maybe it's his offspring?"

"Oh god that will mean they are teaching each other to come here to give me grief!"

"I'm sure they're not," said Rory, "But maybe you should bring it up at the next town meeting."

"What, and get ridiculed by Luke?" snorted Lorelai.

"Well maybe he won't be there," smiled Rory.

"Yeah right," sighed Lorelai before brightening, "Hey maybe if when we find its nest we replace the jewellery with pieces of shiny paper it will keep him happy."

"Maybe!" said Rory to appease her mother.

"Ah I should be going; I still need to finish sorting out my room," announced Dawn getting up, "Thanks for the pizza."

"Okay," said Lorelai absently, still trying to think of ways to get Marvin, or Marvin junior off her back. "See you tomorrow hon."

"Did you want me to help?" asked Rory.

"No that's ok, you got your movie night, but thanks for offering, see you tomorrow," said Dawn leaving via the backdoor.

They took their pizza to the living room. Rory kicked off her shoes and curled her legs under her on the couch as she watched her mother set up things for their movie night. "Ah... earlier before you got back, Dawn was crying, I don't think she's really dealt with her mother and sister dying. I told her that if she wanted someone other than Willow and Tara to talk too, she could come to us. That's okay, right mum?"

Lorelai sat down next to Rory drawing her into a hug, kissing the top of her head, "Of course baby girl, if she needs our help, we'll give it."

To be continued...