Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just wish I could live in their world. )
Timeframe: This takes place in the first season, when we haven't really met Jess yet, but yea he still exists. Luke and Lorelai are just friends.
She walked through the square, the blanket of white from last nights snowstorm crunching under her boots. Rory found herself standing outside the diner, gazing up at the for sale sign that hung from the glass door, a constant reminder to everyone in Stars Hollow that the beloved town Luke was leaving today. His sister had been diagnosed with breast cancer and he had to go to New York to care for her. The sixteen year old felt her bottom lip quiver as she raised her hand to knock on the glass.
He opened the door and let her come inside. He looked tired, she decided, almost sad to be the town he always referred to as annoying and stupid.
"So." She started. "Today's the big day." She said, fixing a forced smile on her face.
He only nodded. "Today's the big day."
She sat on a stool, the same stool she had sat on so many times before, but only if there were no tables free, of course.
"You want coffee?" He asked, shifting uncomfortably.
"But everything's in boxes." She pointed out, letting her eyes look around the empty room, at all the memories lost. She bit her lip.
"Oh, right, I-uh forgot- Its just that I always-" He started to babble. Rory smiled.
"I know, its OK." She said, her eyes taking on a glassy look from tears unshed. "So, I just came to uh, say, goodbye." She stressed the last word. "God, its so weird, saying goodbye to you, Luke. Like, for good." Her voice was shaking now, she was crying now. He strode over to where she sat, hunched over the counter. Luke pulled her off of the stool and into his arms, where he held her tightly and warmly.
"Rory, I'm going to miss you." He growled in his resident Luke-tone that she loved so much.
"I'm going to miss you, too, Luke. So, so much." She said, voice quivering. He rocked her back and forth, kissing the top of her head. She tightened her hold on him, hugging him fiercely now. "What am I going to do without my dad?"