She knew she had to find him, talk to him. He was the only one who knew how she felt, the only one other than herself who ever believed in him, gave him a chance. She just couldn't understand why Jess would leave the two people who loved him the most to go hang in California with his father, who never even bothered to come in contact his son until now.
This is why Rory was stumbling through the woods, grabbing branches to steady herself along the way. She was on a mission to find him. He had been A-wall for the past few days, and she needed to see him. When she finally reached the lake, a smile spread across her face. Luke was sitting on a dock, holding a fishing pole, which had a line that fell loosely into the water. It wasn't getting much action today and Rory was glad, she wasn't up for seeing a dead fish.
"Hey." She greeted apprehensively. He looked up, surprised, and smiled.
"What brings you here?" He asked.
"I just wanted to- well we never really got a chance too talk." She said, looking at him sadly. "You kinda bolted away from me and Mom the other night."
Luke shifted under her gaze in discomfort. "Yea." He said. Rory sat next to him and dangled her feet over the edge of the dock. She stared into the water for a while and after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence she spoke.
"I just- he didn't even say goodbye." She said, voice thick with unshed tears.
"I know how you feel." Luke said. Rory offered him a watery smile.
"I thought he might have finally been turning his life around, you know?" She started, "I thought he was going to graduate. I thought he was going to take me to prom. I- I thought he loved me." Rory choked out, finally losing her battle to keep it together. She knew Luke would be freaked out if she cried.
She put her face in her hands and sobbed quietly. He pulled the pole out of the water and placed it beside him. Luke studied her and, for a moment, he could swear she was eight again and begging him to attend her caterpillar's funeral.
"Hey." He tried to comfort her, awkwardly putting his arm around her shaky shoulders. Rory turned to him, sobbing into his flannel. Luke wrapped his other arm around her, hugging her tightly.
After a minute she pulled back, unable to look him in the eye.
"Sorry, I'm-- I got you're shirt all wet." She giggled nervously, wiping at her eyes.
"Its OK." He said. Rory nodded. They sat in silence for a long minute.
"So how're you holding up?" She asked finally. He forced a smile.
"I'm OK." He said.
"Liar." Rory said, grinning mischievously.
"I'm getting there." He grinned back.
"Good." She replied, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder.
He looked at their reflection in the water. A father with his arm around his daughter, who is hugging him close. He knew they would be OK.