C4:
Lorelai woke up the next morning and rolled over to find Luke's side of the bed empty. Confused, she looked at the clock to find it was 7:30am Where was Luke at this time? He didn't work at the diner till 9am on a Monday. Lorelai got out of bed and got some socks on before heading down stairs. As she walked into the kitchen she stopped and smiled at the scene taking place. Luke had Liz rested on his hip as he flipped the bacon to the other side, Rory was doing some last minute reading as she tied her shoes, ready for school and Luke was quizzing Rory on anything he could think. This was Lorelais life, and she stood admiring it for awhile.
"Next question." Rory said, and Luke laughed.
"I can't think of anything else, I failed my finals." He told her, and she laughed.
"Come on, you've literally said about 5 questions." Rory yelled jokingly.
"10, actually." Luke mocked, and Rory threw some screwed up paper at him with a laugh as Liz giggled.
"Who's side are you on?!" Luke messed with Liz, and she just giggled louder as Rory pointed at herself, miming 'mine.' Rory looked towards the kitchen door and saw her mom, and then memories that had fled her mind for a moment came flooding back, and her mood changed from playful to worry, but her good mood was still intact, that was until her mom sat down and she saw the bruises on her wrist. But Rory pretended she hadn't seen them and smiled at her mom with a happy good morning.
"You sleep okay?" Lorelai asked Rory as Luke passed her Liz so he could plate breakfast.
"Good, considering." Rory smiled, and Lorelai smiled at her eldest daughter before paying attention to her needy 18 month old.
"And what about you princess? You sleep okay?" Lorelai asked.
"Yep!" Liz replied and Lorelai placed her in the smaller chair next to Rory as Luke poured her and Rory coffee.
"I'll take Liz to my parents today before I head to work, will you pick her up around 6?" Lorelai asked Luke.
"Sure can." Luke said as he sat down.
"You seeing your dad tonight?" Lorelai asked naturally like she had for the past week until she remembered what Rory had saw, and then regretted the words, knowing what would come next.
"Why would I go and see dad after what happened? I don't even want him as my dad anymore he's awful and after what I heard-" Rory said, but stopped, not wanting her mom to know what she had heard.
"After what you heard? What did you hear?" Lorelai asked, and worry filled her as she looked at Luke slightly.
"You know, the argument on the porch with you all. I just- I don't want to see him ever again." Rory said, hoping the subject would be dropped. Luke drank the last of his coffee and took the last bite of his bacon before standing up.
"I'm going to head to work, I'll see you later." Luke said, and placed a kiss on Lorelais lips, and put a hand through both Rory and Lizs' hair before walking out.
"I want you to come straight home from school, I need to talk to you." Lorelai said to Rory and she nodded as she drank her coffee.
"I will. You walking me to the bus on the way to grandma and grandpas?" Rory asked.
"I'll need to drive there hon?" Lorelai said, not understanding.
"Your cars outside Luke's mom." Rory laughed, and Lorelai looked outside to find her car not there.
"Since when?" Lorelai laughed, picking up Liz to get ready.
"Since you went there the other day and walked back." Rory laughed.
"Whatever, I'm getting ready." Lorelai told Rory and walked upstairs, and Rory's smile faded as she saw a bruise on her moms neck as she turned, and she watched her mom go up the stairs like nothing was wrong. Like yesterday had never happened. Rory needed to know everything, because not knowing was driving her mad. If it was this easy for Lorelai to pretend now, had she before?
Lorelai walked hand in hand down the street with Liz as she spoke to Rory on their way to the bus stop.
"I'm just saying, you've been engaged like 2 years, I want a wedding." Rory complained, and Lorelai laughed.
"Planning a wedding, it takes time, and money, that we don't have." Lorelai told her and Rory groaned.
"You do have the money, I heard you and Luke talking about the money his dad left him when he died." Rory told her mom, and Lorelai laughed.
"One day you'll understand." Lorelai said.
"I'll see you tonight." Rory said with a smile.
"I'll see you, and Rory?" Lorelai said.
"Yeah?" Rory questioned as she stepped on the bus.
"You'll find out everything tonight, so don't worry about anything." Lorelai told her daughter and Rory nodded and got on the bus with a quick 'love you.' And sat on the bus waiting for it to leave.
Lorelai looked towards Luke's and saw Chris walking towards it, frantically, Lorelai ran across the road and picked Liz up in the process.
"What are you doing?" She shouted.
"I'm going to see the man that stole my family." Chris told Lorelai and tried to walk past her.
"No, why can't you just leave Christopher? No one wants you here, not even Rory." Lorelai told him, and Chris stopped walking and turned around.
"I'm her dad, of course she wants me here." Chris said, rather loud, but not loud enough.
"No, she doesn't!" Lorelai shouted, and this time it was loud enough and people began to stare.
"What did you tell her?!" Chris shouted back.
"Nothing Chris! I didn't have too! You did it all by yourself with the little stunt you pulled." Lorelai shouted back to Chris, and the screams made Liz cry. Lorelai looked to her daughter and smiled.
"Go to daddy, okay?" Lorelai told Liz and placed her on the floor, and watched as she ran into Luke's and into her dads legs, and she continued to argue with her abuser.
"Well if you hadn't of told Luke-" Chris started, but Lorelai slapped him across the face.
"How dare you blame this on me! I have none nothing wrong!" Lorelai screamed, and the volume reached the inside of Luke's, and Luke looked to the window and worry filled him instantly filled him as he saw Lorelai and Chris is a screaming match, he asked a very happy Patty to hold Liz and he went outside.
"What's going on here?" Luke said as he came outside, and Chris turned around and laughed.
"Have to get your boyfriend to argue for you now do you?" Chris mocked, and before anyone could really react to what happened, Luke punched Chris in the face and he was on the floor.
"Why don't you just go away, Chris? No one wants you here." Luke spat at him as he towered over him, holding him down with his foot.
"Because I want my family back." Chris said, and Luke laughed.
"You lost that before you knew you had it. I mean it this time, I see you again, and I will kill you." Luke told him and Chris stood up.
"You don't have the guts." Chris challenged him. Luke then grabbed him by the neck and pinned him aggressively against the window of Luke's, catching the whole towns attention.
"It's not nice is it. Being pinned against a wall by your neck." Luke shouted at him.
"Luke let him go." Lorelai pleaded.
"Listen to your bitch, Luke. Let me go." Chris said, and Luke punched him again, this time in the groin, and let him go and watched him fall to the floor.
"Stay away from my family." Luke told him, and Lorelai pushed him into the diner.
And on the bus Rory turned around as the bus set off, hoping to see her mom and wave. But what she saw was an angry Luke punching Chris and a crying Lorelai pulling Luke off him, and Rory turned around and looked down. How was this her life? It was no longer peaceful. She no longer felt safe. Everyone was fighting. Rory wanted everything back to the way it was. Just get, her mom, Luke and Liz. Her family.
Rory then spent the whole day worrying about her talk with Lorelai tonight. And what she might find out.
Luke sat with Lorelai upstairs as she yelled at him, but he let her. Knowing that she was just venting about the whole week, he knew it was getting too her.
"I can't believe you caused a scene like that! Everyone was looking! I just- why would you do it? In the middle of the town! People will get suspicious Luke and they'll ask questions and I can't-" Lorelai said but she began to cry, and Luke stood up and walked towards her. "I can't answer the questions Luke! It took me over 8 years to tell you! I haven't even told Rory, I just I can't." Lorelai continued and her body began to shake as she hugged her arms around her body. Luke walked up and stood in front of her, and she looked up to him, and Lorelai hugged up. He rested his chin on the top of her head as she rested her head on his chest and relaxed in his arms, the feeling of safety filling her.
"Thank you." Lorelai said.
"For what?" Luke asked, confused.
"For everything." Lorelai smiled.
"You're welcome." Luke told her, and when she leaned out of his grip, her arms now around his neck as his rested on her waist, he kissed her softly.
"I should be getting Liz to my parents, and I really should get to work." Lorelai laughed.
"You should." Luke said, and with one last kiss the couple went back into the diner and Lorelai made her way to her parents with Liz.
Lorelai rang the doorbell as Liz stood impatiently as she waited for her grandparents to answer the door. When the door answered, Liz smiled and ran into the house with a shout of grandma, nearly knocking the maid over. Lorelai walked in next, laughing at her daughter.
"Lorelai, where have you been? It's nearly 10am! You were supposed to be here an hour ago." Emily said to her.
"Things got.. messy. I guess." Lorelai said, looking down, pulling the sleeves on her coat.
"Is everything okay?" Emily asked, worried for her daughter. Their relationship had somewhat improved since Liz was born.
"I'm fine, mom." Lorelai told her, and Emily looked at her funny, knowing she was lying.
"Honestly, im fine." Lorelai said with a smile, and Emily nodded with a hum, showing that even though she didn't believe her she'd drop the subject, for now anyway.
"I should be getting to work, so I'll see you later." Lorelai said to her parents as they fussed over their second grandchild.
"alright, I'll walk you out." Emily said, and followed Lorelai. Lorelai opened the door, and then slammed it shut before she walked out of it.
"What are you doing?" Emily shouted, confused.
"I - erm." Lorelai said, the knock on the door causing her to stop talking. Emily walked to the door and opened it, and as she saw Chris, the flash back of the night Lorelai told her about Chris flooded back, and anger filled her.
Emily stormed after Lorelai as she walked off from the table, leaving a stunned Chris and Richard sat there, the only thing stopping them following was a 2 year old Rory.
"You don't walk away during dinner like that lorelai!" Emily shouted.
"I can't listen to it anymore! You both cooing over Christopher like that!" Lorelai screamed, tears falling down her face.
"What's wrong with you? You should be happy we finally approve of your relationship!" Emily responded.
"Were not in a relationship mom! You just think we are because it's easier for you to tell people!" Lorelai shouted.
"You're 18, Lorelai! You will not speak to me that way! I have not done anything to deserve this." Emily said back, and Lorelai snapped, and the next words she said she would regret for the rest of her life.
"No, you're only flaunting over the man that raped me." Lorelai said, and Emily's face fell as Lorelai eyes widened.
"What did you say?" Emily said, and Lorelai shook her head and walked away.
"Lorelai you will not walk away from this! Tell me what you just said! It can't be true!" Emily shouted, but Lorelai ignored her, and picked Rory up and told Chris they were leaving.
"Lorelai Gilmore, you will tell me it's not true. Tell me I did not invite a person that has hurt you to dinner!" Emily said, and Richard stood up and Lorelai told Chris to go home and he did, leaving the family to talk.
"Lorelai?" Richard said, and Lorelai looked up at her mom.
"You think I wanted all of this? At 16?" Lorelai told them, and Emily gasped in shock. Lorelai then walked off, leaving Emily to explain to Richard that their daughter had been raped and they'd had the man responsible over for dinner and treated him like a son.
Emily stared at Chris in shock. Lorelai walked away, snapping Emily out of her thoughts and Chris ran in the house.
"Lorelai! I need to talk to you!" Christopher said, and Lorelai laughed and walked into the kitchen. Chris walked in and Richard caught his eye and the anger in the room could be smelt.
"How dare you enter this house!" Richard shouted, walking up to Chris.
"What?" Chris questioned.
"You stay away from my daughter, or I'll make sure you stay away for a long time." Richard said to him, and Chris laughed.
"You told your parents? Jesus Lorelai you're dumber than I thought." Chris said, and Richard grabbed Chris by his jacket and pushed him out the house.
"I don't want to see you again." Richard said, and slammed the door.
Lorelai shushed a crying Liz after the commotion.
"It's okay, it's over." Lorelai told her daughter, kissing the side of her head, rubbing her back.
"That man makes everyone angry." Liz said, and Lorelai pulled a daughter closer.
"I know doll." Lorelai said. Emily and Richard stormed into the kitchen and when they saw Lorelai crying with her daughter in her arms, Richard took Liz, and went upstairs. Emily walked towards her daughter who was hugging her arms around her waist, holding her in pain.
"Why don't you go home? I'll ring the inn, you should go home." Emily said, and Lorelai shook her head.
"He'll just be there when I arrive anyway." Lorelai said quietly, and Emily's anger got to much and she picked up the phone.
"Mom who are you ringing?" Lorelai asked, and Emily pressed the phone to her ear.
"Someone you should have rang 16 years ago. I'm not having you being scared to go home because of him Lorelai, not again. You won't be the one leaving this time." Emily said, and Lorelais eyes widened.
"Mom don't, I'm fine." Lorelai said, and before Emily could react, Lorelai snatched the phone out of her hand and ended the call to the police.
"Why haven't you rang them?" Emily asked.
"What good would it do mom? I'm not going anywhere this time." Lorelai smiled, and Emily smiled nicely at her.
"Get to work." Emily laughed, and Lorelai nodded, walking upstairs to kiss her daughter before she left.
Rory arrived home and the house was empty. She went upstairs and placed her things on her bed and went downstairs and sat on the sofa, and waited for her mom to get home.
Lorelai was at the front door ending her call with Luke.
"So I'll ring you when you can come home, I just want it to be us two when I tell her." Lorelai said.
"That's fine, I'll pick her up in an hour, and by the time we're back you'll probably be done. I still can't believe he came to your parents." Luke said.
"We'll talk later. I love you." She told him.
"I love you too." Luke said, and she put the phone down with a smile.
Lorelai walked in the house and found Rory sat on the couch reading.
"Hey hun." Lorelai said, placing her keys on the kitchen side as she walked in.
"Hey." Rory said, and placed her book down.
Lorelai sat next to Rory on the couch and crossed her legs and faced her and Rory did the same.
"For me to tell you what I'm about to tell you, I need to know that you know how much I love you, and that nothing that's happened makes me love you less, or that the way things happened doesn't make me love Liz more." Lorelai told Rory, and Rory smiled.
"I know mom, and I love you." Rory said, and Lorelai smiled.
"Okay." Lorelai said, and swallowed, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
"I met your dad when I was 16, he was 18, a senior. Everyone always said he had a thing for me, so when he asked me out I thought nothing of it. You know, a little careless dinner." Lorelai said, and Rory nodded.
"A few months later we started dating. Then one day we were at my parents and he told me he had a surprise and he took me to this beautiful hotel. And I remember thinking a night away from my parents, what a joy it was dating a man with acres to money." Lorelai laughed, and Rory shook her head with a laugh.
"It was great, he got room service, rented movies. It was the perfect night." Lorelai told her, and Rory smiled, but the smile faded as she saw her mom began to fidget with her hands and engagement ring like she did when she was nervous.
"We must had been there god, a good few hours by this point. He just got handsy, and I laughed, shrugged it off, pulling his hand of my thigh. I remember moving away from him and him moving closer, pulling my neck so that he could kiss me." Lorelai said, and took a deep breath to stop her from crying.
"He raped me, Rory. The night you were conceived. My first time." Lorelai told her daughter, and Lorelai saw her daughter's world fall apart as her face fell.
Rory had no words, but she could think of a lot of questions.
"I know you have questions. And I'll answer them." Lorelai told her and Rory nodded.
"How much do you remember?" Rory asked her, as it's the first thing that registered in her mind. Hoping that her answer would be nothing.
"All of it." Lorelai told her, and Rory wiped her face as tears fell and nodded.
"And erm- did you see him, after that." Rory asked her.
"Yes. I got pregnant with you, and I had to pretend that it was okay with me and Chris for two years. Until I left." Lorelai answered.
"Does grandma and grandpa know?" Rory asked.
"They do." Lorelai nodded, and Rory didn't know what else to say. So she hugged her mom tight.
"I'm so sorry." Rory cried into her mums neck, and Lorelai held her tighter.
"It's not your fault." Lorelai said, tears falling down her face.
"I must be a reminder." Rory cried to her mom and Lorelai pulled Rory off and held her shoulders, looking at her.
"Don't you ever think that. When I look at you I see my beautiful daughter, who's smart and who is so amazing, I don't see him, or that night. Don't ever think that you are a reminder of that!" Lorelai told her seriously, and Rory nodded and cried again and Lorelai hugged her.
"I love you mom." Rory said.
"I love you too." Lorelai said.
Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review and tell me something you'd like to see happen. Have a one shot idea or a story idea you just don't have the time to write or want to write? Lay it on me! Thanks again!