A/N Here is my take on S6. I think (and hope) it is a bit different from most of what is out there. Each chapter will be written from the POV of a different character. JJ centric, though there will definitely be lots of Sophie in there as well (here's hoping I can pull it off). While I plan on this generally being dramatic, I will warn that I do enjoy fluff and smut. Smut I'll warn you about. Fluff may creep up on you.

I decided that I wouldn't try to write the scene immediately following the finale, because there are already so many out there. So I am bouncing my story off my favorite of those fics. Saltydog88 and Amiblue, who write collectively as Softydog88 and/or Softyblue, kindly agreed that I could point to their fic, What Comes After What as a proposal follow-up scene. I highly recommend you read it http/ you decide not to read it, you should know that L/L are engaged. But that tidbit of knowledge does no justice to the storytelling of Saltydog88 and Amiblue.

Big thanks to my awesome betas! Kerri and Janet helped me with my Christopher characterization, and Conny and Orbit with the overall story arc and making sure I'm understandable (no easy task!).

Christopher

One week since D-day

I am looking in the window of the diner. Luke is standing at the counter sorting something. I've gone by Lorelai's house, but she isn't there.

I have to go in and talk to Luke. He is the only chance I have to bridge the gap. Lorelai won't talk to me without some priming. I've been calling her since I got Rory's email last Saturday, but she won't respond.

We have to figure out what to do about Rory as a team. But we can't do that unless she talks to me. We have a better chance of making a difference if we approach Rory together.

So I sit here looking in the window of the diner. Because I think that Luke will understand. And he'll help. If he loves Rory and Lorelai he'll help.

And I know he loves them. He would be long gone if he didn't.

The sign on the door of the diner reads "closed." I'm certain that showing up after closing isn't really going to make the situation any more uncomfortable than if it was earlier.

I walk up to the door hoping it isn't locked. I figure that if I can get in the door and start talking, then I have a chance he'll listen.

Fate has decided to help me. I open the door slowly. Luke is still standing at the counter sorting stacks of paper, and when the bell rings, he looks up.

He looks at me for a minute, and I can see the anger building in his face.

"We're closed," he says coldly, returning to his sorting.

"Luke," I begin. "Luke, I was hoping I could talk to you about Rory."

His head snaps up. "No," he growls.

I just stand there for a minute, stunned by what he has said. He can't do this.

God damn it. He doesn't understand the gravity of the situation.

"Look, I'm sorry about the way I behaved at the vow renewal. I never should have said those things. I never should have treated you that way, treated Lorelai that way."

"Leave, Christopher." Luke says, glaring at me.

"Luke, I don't think you understand." I say evenly. Before he has a chance to respond I continue. "Rory has suddenly decided that she no longer wants to pursue her life's goals and dreams. And her grandparents have decided that, to some extent which is unclear to me, they are going to indulge this crisis of faith."

"You haven't told me anything I don't know already." Luke responds.

"We have to get her back on track!" I exclaim.

"Still, nothing new." He shrugs.

At this point, I am becoming very agitated. "Luke, Lorelai and I need to work together on this." I am practically yelling at this point. "We can't let this happen. It was her dream! It is her dream!"

I can see the frustration and anger in Luke's face. It mirrors my own. "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to Lorelai. We need to work together to figure out what to do about Rory." I sigh.

"Then why are you here, talking to me?" he asks, rubbing his forehead.

"Because you know as well as I do that she won't talk to me," I say firmly. "I've been calling her for almost a week, and she won't respond to me at all."

"That's not my problem," Luke hisses. "And it isn't my fault."

"Look, I know I screwed up. It is my fault Lorelai won't talk to me, and I know that no one is to blame but me. And I know you would probably like to kill me, or at least cause me serious bodily harm at the moment. But this is about Rory, Luke. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Why now?" Luke asks. "Why after all these years are you suddenly interested?"

"Suddenly? You've got to be joking. Do you know what it is like to be miles and miles away from your child and not have any real connection? To know that your daughter doesn't really need you, because her mother is so strong that she can do anything?" I take a deep breath, trying to regain focus. "She's my daughter, Luke. I want what is best for her. I've always wanted what is best for her. Please don't make me defend everything I've ever done and/or not done to get your help. It's pointless."

He pauses, then picks up a rag and starts to wipe the counter. After an excruciatingly long time, he looks up at me and says "Be here tomorrow night around this same time. I'll make sure she's here. But neither of us will force her to listen to you. And if you're lying to me, you'll regret it."

I nod, turning and walking out the door. I guess that went about as well as I could have expected.

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The next night I arrive at the diner about the same time. I look in the window, and Lorelai is sitting with her back to me, sipping coffee. Luke is wiping down the counter.

The sign has already been flipped to read "closed," but I expect the door will be unlocked. I open the door slowly, and both Luke and Lorelai look up as the bell jingles. Luke takes a deep breath, and a look of panic crosses Lorelai's face.

"Christopher," she breathes. "What the hell are you doing here?" She looks in Luke's direction. "Luke, I swear, I don't know why he's here." The panic in her voice matches her face.

Luke walks closer to her, reaching over the counter to take her hand. He leans down so his eyes are level with hers and places his other hand on her shoulder. "Relax, Lorelai. He's here to talk about Rory. You can tell him to go to hell if you want, or you can listen to him. It's up to you."

"What?" Lorelai pulls her hand away from Luke.

I decide it is time to jump in.

"Lor, I talked to Luke last night. You weren't returning my calls, so I went by your house. When you weren't there, I came here. And we have to talk, because we have to do something about Rory." I finish quickly, hoping she'll listen to the words.

"Why should I listen to you?" she asks, her voice flat.

"Because, Lor, it's not about me. It's not about you. It's not about Luke. It's about Rory." I breathe. "Lor, I am sorry about before."

She sits, absorbing the words, looking for a response to what I've said. Several times, she starts to open her mouth to say something, but stops herself.

She gives Luke a pleading look, fear clear in her eyes, then turns to face me. I want so badly to walk over and take that fear away. But I have to come to terms with the fact that it isn't my place any more.

Luke is standing behind the counter, watching her closely. He hasn't moved since she pulled her hand away from him. She reaches over and takes his hand in hers, saying, "I hope you have a good plan, because we haven't come up with anything so far."

As she takes his hand, I notice something on her finger that glints in the light. She's wearing a ring. An engagement ring. My heart breaks again, but I know this isn't the time or the place.

"Do we know what caused all this?" I ask, hoping for more information. "All I know is Rory sent me an email saying she was taking an 'indefinite break' from school, because she wasn't sure what she wanted to do with her life, and that she was living with your parents. Something tells me there is more to the story than that."

She hesitates for a moment, tapping her coffee cup with her free hand. Sighing, she starts to tell the story. "Well, it all started when she went to dinner at her boyfriend Logan's house. And they basically told her she was trash…"

After about 30 minutes, I'm caught up on the story; from Mitchum Huntzberger to Rory stealing the boat and going to jail, to Lorelai's parents stabbing her in the back once more after Rory decided to drop out of Yale.

Lorelai finishes, telling me, "Chris, I don't like these Huntzberger people. I don't like them at all. It seems like nothing but bad things have come from Rory and Logan together."

Luke hasn't said a word through the entire story. At some point, he started stroking Lorelai's hand to soothe her. I feel that familiar twinge but immediately suppress it and continue to concentrate on the matter at hand.

"Lor, we'll come up with a plan. Take it from the guy who took 16 years to 'find himself.' We can't let her wander like that. We have to make her see her dreams again."

"She's lost her confidence," she says, and I can see the anguish in her face that this situation has caused. "She's angry at anyone who refuses to stop believing in her. We don't know what to do. I'm still talking to her, though it is not pleasant. But we're at a loss."

It takes me a moment to realize that she is talking about her and Luke when she says 'we.' It takes me another moment to realize how quickly she is accepting help. Something is very different.

"We'll come up with something. Can I call you? I want to talk to my mother and see if I can find out anything about these people that might be helpful."

"Fine, call us. You've got the number." She says. "Chris, this doesn't mean…"

"I know." I respond before she has a chance to get the words out.

She starts to whisper "What you did…"

I break in again. "I know. But right now Rory's future is more important."

"Bye, Chris."

"Bye, Lor. Bye Luke." I pause. "Thanks."

When I get in my car, I look in the window of the diner one last time. The scene is almost the same as before I got there. Luke is putting chairs on tables, and Lorelai is sipping her coffee.