"Mom, I'll meet you up at home in about an hour. Lane and I have some catching up to do." "Okay, whenever." Lorelai said absentmindedly. Rory was curious about her mother's attitude, but dropped it.

She stole one more glance at the familiar stranger, but she saw that he was facing the other direction, so she couldn't see his face.

She shrugged it off and walked out of the diner towards where Lane was sitting in the gazebo.

~*~

He could feel it. Her eyes were on him, just searching her brain for some clue. But he didn't want to give himself away yet. In due time, it would all come out.

And she would be amazed at how much he had changed. He wasn't the jerk he was way back when, but then again, he was much the same. He was still pulling off top marks and for that he got into Yale.

Hearing his grandfather talking to Rory's grandfather on the phone, he heard that she too was going to Yale. That's what sent him on this track. He had to tell her.

Well, that was his plan at first. It didn't work so well though. So as he was sitting there he concocted a new plan. This plan was much better than just surprising her at Stars Hollow. No, this plan was much better; he could pretend he didn't even know she was coming to Yale, they would 'accidentally' bump into each other during orientation, and they would hit it off.

Yes, that plan was much better. Plus, he only had to wait two more days till orientation.

~*~

Jess was lying on the beach. This is what he did now. It was okay for the first week or so, but now, it was different. He didn't know why he wrote the letter. It was stupid. He was stupid. How could he have let Rory go? She was the best thing that had happened to him and he threw it all away.

But he knew why he did it. He knew that she would never stay with him and it would only be a matter of time before she would dump him to be with someone else. He wasn't going to just stand being pushed around until she was done with him.

He figured that if he dumped her first, and left, both of them would be better off. Problem is he misses her. A lot.

"Hey Jess, c'mon and give me a hand." Jess heard his dad shout. Jess opened one eye lazily and glanced over at what his dad was doing.

He was trying to set up a BBQ pit. Jess realized that his dad was only trying to bond with his son, but it was getting rather annoying.

"How bout we just go for a burger?" Jess suggested. His father rolled his eyes and said, "These are the only times I know you are my son. Laziness. Truthfully, I don't know how you stayed with Luke as long as you did. Amazing."

"Yeah," Jess whispered under his breath, "Utterly amazing."

~*~

Lorelai returned home with the car alone. Sometimes she liked being alone, although she never told anyone that. Fumbling with the keys and suitcases, she finally got the door unlocked.

She opened it and gasped.

What she expected to find was a house that was a little messy, a little dirty, but nothing like what she saw.

From the looks of it, a water pipe had busted in the ceiling, and water was everywhere in their house. So as Lorelai was watching the water fall from the ceiling onto her once beautiful couch, tears started to well up in her eyes.

"So is this a sign?" She asked up towards the sunny sky. "Is this supposed to be a warning to me that this year is going to be bad?"

Wiping a tear from her eye she took out her cell phone and dialed the only number she could remember; Sookie's.

~*~

"Hello?" Sookie answered the phone. All she could hear were sobs, and what she thought to be running water. "Hello?" she repeated.

"Hi there." A weak voice said on the other end. "Lorelai? What's wrong?" Sookie asked.

"Oh, umm, well, something happened at our house, and, well, can I come over there?" "Of course sweetie, but are you sure you can drive?"

Silence.

"I'll be there in three minutes, don't go anywhere. Where is Rory?" "Umm, in the main square or the Kim's house, I'm not sure." Lorelai replied as she sat on the bottom step of the house.

"Okay, I'll pick her up on my way. Don't worry honey, everything will be fine."

Sookie hung up the phone and yelled at Jackson that she would be back in a bit. She ran to get her car keys, and went out the door.

~*~

"... and Dave is soo great, and we have been practically inseparable since we got together, except at my house of course. Wouldn't want my mother getting too suspicious." "Yes, that would be bad."

All of a sudden the two girls heard a loud screech of the brakes of a car. They both looked up to see Sookie frantically waving at Rory. "Umm, I guess I have to go. We will talk later okay?" Rory asked. "Of course of course, go!" Lane shouted while looking at Sookie as if she were mad.

Of course, everyone else was giving her the same expression, but she didn't care. "Rory! Have you been home yet?" "No, why?"

"I don't know exactly. Your mother called in tears, and you know that has got to be bad." Once hearing that Rory practically jumped in the car.

They were off to the Gilmore's house. When they got there, they found Lorelai sitting on the steps, playing with her hair, and periodically a tear running down from her eyes.

"Mom, what happened? What's wrong?" Rory asked concerned. She ran towards her mother, but then stopped when she saw the inside of the house (since Lorelai had kept the door open).

Rory collapsed on her knees, just staring. Sookie knew this was the time to intervene.

"C'mon you two. You are both going to my house and you are staying the night there until we can figure out what to do, about, this mess."

Sookie led both of them (one at a time of course) to her car, and after getting all of their luggage out of the car, they set off for Sookie's house.

~*~

"Emily, what are you doing?" Richard called out to his wife. "I'm trying to call Lorelai at home, but there is no answer."

"Did you try her cell phone?" Richard asked, not even taking his eyes off his paper.

"No, what's the number again, I always forget it." "It's written in the phone list."

Emily placed her finger on the long list of names and numbers and ran her finger down till she found 'Lorelai's cell phone'.

Dialing the number she knew that Lorelai would be upset at this call. To Emily's surprise there was no answer. "Richard, she didn't answer her cell phone either."

"Maybe she is sleeping, after all, this is their first day back." "Yes, but they promised to call once they got back in."

"Emily, I'm sure they are fine. Are you done with the phone? I would like to call Mr. DuGrey and talk to him about some upcoming Yale events."

"What are you talking about Richard?" "I didn't tell you? His son is also going to Yale; he will be in the same class as Rory. Oh what's his name, I forget. He was here for Rory's party that one time."

"Oh yes, that one time, I certainly remember that one time." Richard rolled his eyes and decided the conversation was over as he pulled up the receiver and started dialing a number.

~*~

A/N: Hey guys, how are you liking it so far. I know nothing has really happened yet, but I promise, I got it all planned out, and it should be good. By now if you haven't guessed the mystery stranger, well, sorry to say, but you're a little slow, because there are more than enough clues. Umm, yeah, hope to write some more soon, but no promises. Actually, I shouldn't be writing because I have a big paper due for school next week. Oops, oh well. Please review!