Lorelei Gilmore found it strange when she got home late from working at the Independence Inn that night, and saw that her daughter Rory wasn't there. She saw a note on the table from Rory, dated back to about 5 o'clock, saying that she was going out and that she should be back around seven. Lorelei tried to push it out of the back of her mind as she heated up some dinner.
At nine o'clock Luke Danes closed up his diner, as he did every night. After all the chairs were on the tables and the door was locked he went upstairs to see if his nephew Jess wanted something to eat. He wasn't too surprised to find the upstairs "apartment" empty. Jess was always out doing something mischevious. Then he got the phone call.
Around nine thirty Lorelei went upstairs to get ready for bed. She was trying her best not to be worried about Rory, she hoped that Rory was out having fun with her boyfriend Dean or something. Then she heard the phone ring. After she picked it up and heard what the person on the other line said, she dropped the phone on the ground. Not bothering to pick it up she drove to the hospital in Hartford in her pajamas.
Early the next morning when Rory woke up, she was very confused. Her head was throbbing, hard, and her shoulder felt like someone had ripped it in half it hurt so bad. She ran her hand gently along her forehead. She noticed that right about her left eye she had a bandage, covering a deep gash that had needed stitches. Then she looked around her room. She was obviously in a hospital room. She saw her mom, leaning on her bed, sleeping. Dean was sleeping in a chair in the corner. She sat up, which woke her mother.
"Rory! Rory...." Lorelei held Rory and started crying hysterically. Rory didn't say anything. She tried as hard as she could to remember the night before. Before she could remember anything a doctor came into her room. As the doctor shut the door Dean woke up startlingly.
"Rory!" He said quietly but was cut off by the doctor.
"Hello Miss Gilmore. How are you feeling?" The doctor asked cheerfully. Rory didn't say anything. This upset Lorelei.
"Why isn't she talking? Is she alright?" She asked the doctor worriedly.
"Probably some post traumatic stress." The doctor said, still sounding upbeat. "You can hear me, right Rory?" Rory nodded her head very slightly. "Rory, you were in a bad car accident. A car hit you head on. You suffered a mild concussion, and you have a nasty gash above your left eye. You also did something that almost rarely happens, you've fractured your shoulder blade. You'll need to go into surgery later today to help fix it." Rory tried to comprehend all that the doctor had said. She really didn't care what had happened to her. She wanted to know what happened to Jess.
"Rory sweetie, did you hear the doctor?" Lorelei asked Rory nicely. Rory nodded again. She hated being talked to like a little kid.
"I'll be back later to prep you for surgery." The doctor said as he left the room. Rory sank back into her bed. Lorelei wouldn't take her eyes off Rory. She couldn't stand to see her only daughter laying in a hospital bed, all broken. Dean was staring at Rory with an intense look, as if he didn't know what to say to her.
"Is there anything I can get you Rory?" Lorelei asked her. She was still worried that Rory wasn't talking. Rory shook her head. "Does it hurt? Should I call a nurse to get you more pain meds?" Rory shook her head.
"Mom." She said quietly, her voice was hoarse and weak. Rory was surprised at how hard it was to talk.
"Yeah Rory?" Lorelei replied quickly, happy that Rory was talking. Rory paused a moment, she had to get enough strength to say a full sentence.
"What happened to Jess?" Rory's eyes filled with tears as she said it. She knew it had to be something bad. As soon as she asked Dean wouldn't make eye contact with her, and Lorelei had to wipe away some tears before answering.
"Oh Rory. He's in a coma. It's not looking good. They don't think he'll make it more than a few days." And with that news Rory broke down. It was much more than she could handle.