After making a brief check on Em, Lorelai rushed back to the inn. She was surprised to find Michel sitting in his chair looking extremely bored.

"Michel, what are you doing?" Lorelai asked as she tossed her purse down behind the desk.

"What does it look like I am doing? I'm trying to not fall asleep…" Michel replied. "Will this day ever end?" He asked in a high pitched French accent that sounded very annoying and somewhat flamboyant.

"Why aren't you helping the next guest into room 22? I told you to knock fifty off his rent, schedule him to move into room 7, send up mints, and you should, by all means have helped him with his luggage."

Michel shot back an evil glance, "I am not a bell boy." He spat. "If you want someone to assist the customers with their luggage, then I suggest you hire someone to fulfill that duty. Besides, this guest you speak of, he never returned."

"What? What do you mean he never returned?" Lorelai asked.

"I mean I've been sitting in this spot the entire time you've been on lunch, and he hasn't returned…"

Lorelai sighed. "Well, if and when he returns help him with his luggage."

Michel's mouth opened to reply.

"Do it… or you're fired." Lorelai smiled and walked away from the desk, back to the kitchen.

(Luke's)

Rory groggily raised up from the couch. She glanced over at the clock. "Wow, 12:45." She muttered. She looked over at Em had her arm wrapped around the teddy bear her father had given her the night before, as she was reading a magazine. "Hey." Rory greeted as she slowly came over towards Em. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Em replied as she continued to read.

"Do you need anything?" Rory asked as she stretched her arms. "I think I'm going to go back on my promise and eat those pop tarts." She joked.

"No, thanks. I'm good." Em kept her eyes focused.

"What are you reading?"

"Just a magazine." Em replied distantly.

"Oh. Has Mom already been by?"

"Yeah, she stopped in for like two seconds and then left." Suddenly a large bubble of gum escaped from Em's mouth and then just as quickly popped and returned to it's hiding place.

"I didn't even hear her. I've been sleeping like a rock all morning."

"I noticed." Em turned the magazine page.

"Yeah…" Rory stood silent for a few moments. "So, you're sure you don't want or need anything."

"Yep."

"Okay…" Rory walked over to the tiny kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets for the pop tarts.

Luke glanced up from behind his counter and noticed that the young man that had been talking to Rory the morning before, was now sitting at a table in the diner. Luke hadn't even noticed him come in. He walked over to the young man.

"Orin, right?" Luke asked.

Orin gazed up Luke, "Yeah."

"I didn't see you come in." Luke replied. "You been here long?"

"Actually, I stopped by here at 10:00 this morning. I hung around for about twenty minutes, left, and now I've came back."

"Mm hmm. It gets really busy in here sometimes. I can barely keep up with who's coming and going." Luke paused. "But Orin, there's no need for you to sit here waiting. She's not coming down to eat with you."

Orin glanced up at Luke and smiled, "You know, for someone who isn't her father or her lover, you sure are bossy and controlling."

"It's my job." Luke answered folding his arms. "I look out for her."

Orin thought for a moment, "You know… I'm almost willing to bet that you're banging the mom."

"What?" Luke's voice turned stone cold and his eyes pierced down Orin. "What the hell did you just say?"

"Yeah, I've seen her." Orin smirked. "Quite the bit of artwork I'll agree. Hard to believe Rory's mother is so young and beautiful, huh?" He laughed. "Now that I think about it, I change my mind. You're not banging the mom. You'd like to. You'd even give up everything you own here, just for a shot at it; but you're not." He ended in an overly cheery voice. "But that's the main goal, right?"

Luke swallowed heavily. Showing now fear or intimidation he asked, "Orin isn't your real name is it?"

"I go by many names." Orin replied as he stood from his table. He gazed up the stairs where he had seen Rory descend the day before. "She's not the only one up there, is she?"

"That' none of your business." Luke tried desperately to keep his cool, especially in front of all the other costumers in the diner. "I want you out of here… now."

Orin's eyes brightened, "If your job is to protect her…" Orin began. "You'd better bring your A game, old man. Rory is much more naïve and gullible than you think."

"Listen here you little jackass, you stay away from her." Luke pointed his finger in Orin's face. "If I catch you any where near her…" His high whispering voice forewarned, "They'll have to use your dental records for identification of the body."

"Relax, Pops." Orin cocked his head to one side. "My business is done here." He slowly started walking towards the door of the diner. He stopped and looked back, "Lexi is trouble… She's one big lie. You'd better decide if she's worth it or not." He opened the door and then hurriedly took off down the street.

Later that evening, Lorelai had returned from a very stressful day at the inn. She had however stopped at Dose's and bought a toothbrush, just as she had promised. She slowly drug herself into Luke's.

"Lorelai." Luke shot out from behind the counter.

Caught off guard by his excitement and his state of alarm, Lorelai's mood quickly changed to anticipation. "What?" She asked as Luke grabbed her by the arm and pulled into a back room of the diner. "Luke… what?" Lorelai asked again as he backed her into a corner.

Luke looked back over his shoulder, and the back to Lorelai. "You remember the pancake guy, the one Rory spoke with yesterday?"

Lorelai's eyes batted back and forth, "Oh, my God, he came back?" She asked fearfully.

"Yeah." Luke replied quickly. "I think it may be Clive."

"Clive?"

"He's know about Em. He knows she's here. He called her Lexi." Luke continued. "He made some comment about her being trouble and one big lie."

Lorelai exhaled deeply, not realizing she had been holding her breath, "What do we do?"

"I think we should tell the police…"

"Em's afraid she'll get arrested too." Lorelai replied sadly. "The thing is… she might. I honestly don't know if they could arrest her or not. I don't know what she's done with Clive, but auto theft is on her record. Which I may be able to clear that part up…"

"We'll we've got to do something. The girls are in real danger."

Lorelai shot a glance back up at Luke. "Did he say something about Rory?"

Luke closed his eyes for a second. He had wanted to leave that part out, for the sake of causing Lorelai more fear or worry.

"Luke!" She demanded.

"He made some off reference…" Luke replied in a low voice.

"What kind of off reference?"

"Just something about making sure we protect her." Luke quickly added, "Don't worry, Lorelai. You know I'll protect her. I'm not going to let anything …. "

"No. This is going too far." Lorelai interjected becoming angry at herself, this young man, and the entire situation. "We can't stay here. We have to go somewhere else."

"Like where?" Luke asked.

"Boston." Lorelai answered simply.

"Boston?!" Luke repeated nearly jumping out of his skin. "You don't mean to Elisa's and Bailey's?"

"No… Christopher's." Lorelai replied. She wasn't joking. She wasn't being sarcastic. She meant it. She was dead serious. "Call the police and tell them about Clive. He'll stay around long enough for them to catch him. If you're convincing enough, he won't even know we're gone."

"Wait, what?" Luke stared at Lorelai. "You mean, you Rory and Em are going to Boston with Chris and you want me to stay here?"

"Yes. That's what I mean." Lorelai stated not wanting to go into detail or carry on the conversation. "If the police say anything about Em, I'll bring her back after they've arrested Clive. Until then, the safest place is Boston. He won't think to look for her there. If he comes back to the diner, or if you see him hanging around, just make sure he doesn't find out we're gone."

"Lorelai… I don't like this idea." Luke shook his head.

"It's the best chance we've got right now." Lorelai grabbed her cell phone out of her purse. "I'll Chris and tell him we'll be up in the morning." She slowly walked out from the storage room and out of Luke's ear shot.

Luke knew there was no use trying to fight it. Lorelai had already, that quickly, made up her mind. She would take the girls to Boston to stay with Chris. Luke tried desperately not to let it bother him, but he couldn't help but feel rejected. Betrayed. Even disappointed in himself that he couldn't convince Lorelai she was safe. He was angry at the fact that when worst came to worst, she chose him. She chose the father of her child. The real father. She chose the first man she ever loved, and probably always would. She chose Christopher. She chose that immature, spoiled son of a bitch. Well…. She could have him.