Title: Delicate
Author: Karleen
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Warner Brothers, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Hofflund/Polone. This was just written for fun.
A/N(s):
(1) italicized texts are from Lorelai and Rory's past.
(2) Thank you for your reviews :) really please keep them coming!
(3) Author Response for:
Alaina Rose- other than Luke and Lorelai, I must say Kirk is one of my favorite characters of this show, as annoying as he may be...then again that is part of his charm.

LorLukealways- The first chapter title (Cold As Her Heart) referred to the environment around Lorelai before she took the stroll that morning. By taking a walk, she felt warmer outside the comfort of her house. As for Chris I don't like him either (which is an understatement), he's a scumbag in my book. Anyway read on and see.

Chapter Three: The New Years Fallout

Christmas was over and there were two more days until the new year arrives. She walked in her office and found a package on her desk wrapped in holiday wrapper. There was no card to say who it was from. She held the package near her ear. 'It's not ticking, that's a good sign.' She joked to herself. She unraveled the bow and ripped the wrapper carefully. She revealed a wooden jewelry box with the dragonfly emblem and her initials carved elegantly on it. She opened it and was taken aback. She remembered day she discovered this particular piece of jewelry, the details still vivid in her mind.

"Sookie, that's it." She told her friend excitedly.

"Which one?" They both peered through the jewelry glass case.

"That one." The store clerk located the piece for her and handed it to her gently.

"This is a 14kt. yellow gold pendant brooch- circa 1900. There are 13 natural pearls which hang on separate bars. It is in perfect condition." Said the clerk.

"It's beautiful." Sookie said.

"Perfect with the wedding dress."

She was in awe and couldn't string words together to form a sentence. Only two other people knew about how much she loved this brooch, Sookie (because she was there with her) and Luke (she parroted the information that the clerk told her to him as soon as she saw him). She noticed the inscription inside the box.

I hope you still love this as much as you did. Merry Christmas.- Luke. She felt a tear trail down her cheek, one out of joy.

- - - -

The day before new years.

"Lor, you home? We're going to be late for the party." He said as he entered the house. "Lor?" He walked upstairs to the bedroom. The house was inexplicably quiet. He walked up to her dresser and found a note.

Need to work late tonight. I'll see you at my parents house. -Lorelai

She had left her drawer slightly ajar and he noticed something that caught his eyes.

He opened the box. The brooch wasn't there but he read the inscription inside.

He stormed out of the house and went straight into his car. He drove around the town square because it was the fastest way out of the Hollow.

In a glimpse, he saw her as she walked into Luke's diner.

'What the hell?' He said to himself. She had not been around when he wakes up in the morning, always out for a walk. 'How many times do you walk around town because of snowfall before you get sick of it?'

- - - -

The door to the diner jingled and her presence is again unexpected, though he did hope for it.

"Coffee?"

"Please, but uh... To go, I have to be at my parent's house for their party."

"Sure." He grabs a to go cup and fills it.

"I..." She was still searching for words in her head. "I just wanted to thank you for this." She showed him she's wearing the brooch as a pendant. "It's beautiful."

He gulped and placed the lid on the cup. "I'm glad you like it." He handed her the cup.

She took it and looks at him. "I love it." With that she gave him a smile and walked out of the diner.

- - - -

"Am I actually early for this thing?" She asked her daughter as she entered the Gilmore mansion.

"A couple of minutes, grandma's stuck in traffic. She called me to say that she's on her way."

"Wait, so is she really not here yet? Is dad?"

"Yeah, in his study."

"Did she leave you a message? Did you save it? Please tell me you did."

"Mom." She pleaded for her mother to stop. "Where's dad?"

"I don't know. I had a couple of things to do so I wrote him a note and told him to meet us here."

"Oh there he is by the bar." Rory pointed him out. He approached them.

"Hey dad."

"Oh hey Rory, Lorelai." He slurred.

"How many martinis have you had so far?" Rory asked.

"About five, but what the heck right? I mean this is a party." Lorelai looked at him disgustingly. "What I can't enjoy myself?"

"I didn't say anything." Lorelai responded.

"Your eyes say it all." She wanted to tell him off but refrained as she heard her mother enter the door.

- - - -

April was sitting on the counter as she waited for the food that Luke was cooking for her. He left the kitchen about ten minutes later with a plate of burger and fries and handed it to her.

"Thanks." She paused. "Hey dad?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry you're going through all this."

"Going through what?"

"You know... This whole thing with mom."

"Sweety, do not apologize for any of this okay? None of this is your doing. I just want to exercise my rights as your dad. If I have to get plead my case in front of a judge to do that, then so be it."

- - - -

"What were you doing at that diner today?"

"Excuse me?"

"I saw you walking into his diner today. Since when did you decide to go back there?"

"What? am I not allowed to go to the diner?"

"So you admit to it..." she gave him a look.

"Let's not discuss this right now." She said in a hushed tone. They were all at the dining room table with her parents guests.

"But I want to talk now." He said loud enough that the conversations on the table stopped to a halt. She excused herself from the table and he followed suit. They went to the foyer.

"Okay talk."

"What the hell were you doing at that diner?" He said angrily.

"Getting coffee."

"Your euphemism for, I had sex with the man who runs the place? Very subtle Lor..."

"What?!" She retorted.

"You think I don't know? I mean come on Lor, at least be careful with what you leave around the house. I saw that box in your dresser and whatever is inside there you're wearing right now."

"What are you doing looking through my things?"

"I mean... that's what you do right? When you feel that you can't handle the current man in your life you run to your ex."

"Fuck off Christopher!" She walked out of the door.

Rory went to the foyer as Lorelai slammed the door shut.

"Why would you humiliate mom like that?"

"She humiliated herself." He said almost proud of what he did.

"And really, you resort to alcohol to drain your problems? That's very adult of you."

"I can do whatever the hell I want. I'm still your father. "

"Now you are but where were you when I needed you, when we needed you."

"Your mom didn't want anything to do with me."

"And by sleeping with you when she was so vulnerable meant that she wanted you?"

"You can't talk to me like that."

"I am an adult now..." Rory yelled. "and choose to speak to you the way I want."

"Your mom and I, we belong together forever."

"Grow up dad. You're not in high school anymore." She followed her mother outside.

- - - -

"Mom!" She caught up to Lorelai before she reached her jeep.

"Rory, you should go back inside."

"No, I want to go with you."

"Honey, please. I just want to be alone right now." She opened the door to the jeep and got in.

"Are you sure?"

"I just.. I just can't do this anymore."

"Come on mom, I'm going to drive you home." She made Lorelai sit in the passenger's seat. "I just have to say good bye to grandma and grandpa first."

"Okay."

to be continued . . .