"Luke!  Mom!  I'm home!" Rory called, dropping her purse by the door.

"Ssh," Luke put a finger to his lips. "Your Mom is still asleep."

"Really?" She never sleeps in the middle of the day."  Rory said, taking off her shoes.

"Yeah, but I doubt she's slept at all in the last few days.  Where's Jess?"

"Nice switch," Rory smiled.  "He went back to the diner.  He said it stopped raining so you could walk back when you were ready."

"Okay." Luke sighed. "I really should go back.  We've been open so irregularly and…" Luke shook his head, trailing off.

"Luke, practically all of Stars Hollow was at my grandparents' funeral," Rory pointed out.  "By the way, you were great out there today, with my Mom."

Luke shrugged, "She needed me.  I was there."

Rory leaned up and put her arms around Luke's neck.  That surprised him, she didn't usually show him much affection, "You're always there, Luke.  Thank you."

Luke put his arms around Rory and held her tightly, "Anything for you and your Mom, Rory.  You know that."

Their hug broke and Luke went to the kitchen, "Coffee?"

"Please," Rory agreed getting cups while Luke started the coffee and heated the kettle for tea.

"So, um, how are you handling everything?" Like asked, dipping his tea bag up and down once the water had boiled.

"Pretty good, I think," Rory replied.  "Easier every day, and easier with Jess being back."

"That's part of what I meant," Luke said.  "How are you with Jess being here?"

"Considering I called him in New York and begged him to come home, leave his job,  his apartment…"

"Whoa, whoa, Rory, I wasn't questioning your decision to do that, but I was sort of wondering…"

"Why I did it?" Rory finished.

"Well, yeah," Luke replied.

Rory stopped her pacing around the kitchen and sat down at the table. "I don't know.  I guess it started the day of Liz's wedding.  Jess showed up at my dorm and asked me to move away with him.  Of course, I said no and I'm afraid I was rather mean to him.  I think I really hurt him.  Anyway, before I told him no, he told me I could count on him.  For some reason, those words came back to me when," she paused, "it happened."

"Jess grew up in Venice Beach and he really grew up in New York," Luke commented.  "Where are you two…I mean is there a future?"

Rory shrugged, "I don't know.  I guess that's up to Jess."

The phone rang then and Rory made a dive for it so it wouldn't wake Lorelai.  "Hello," she greeted.  "Oh, hi Jess.  Yeah, hold on, he's right here." With a small frown, Rory handed the phone to Luke.

"Hello," he said, then listened. "How could we be out of bread?  Just go to Doose's and get some." A pause.  "Still?" Another pause.  "Fine, I'll be right there."

Luke put the phone back in it's cradle. "I have to go to the diner, we ran out of bread and Taylor won't let Jess in the market when he's there."

"Still banned, huh?" Rory smiled a bit.

"Yep," Luke sighed.

Rory could tell by the look on Luke's face that there was nothing he wanted to do more than stay there and wait for Lorelai to wake up, but his business had to be his first priority. Rory tried to make it easier on him. "Don't worry," she told him. "I'll take care of her."

Luke gently ran a finger down Rory's cheek. "I know you will. I'll be back as soon as I can."

With that, Luke left Rory who headed to her room to change out of her funeral clothes and to retrieve a new book.  She had a lot to consider and think about, however, so she got very little reading done.

Foremost, Jess was back in her life.  Was that a permanent thing?  Or now that the trauma passed, would he leave again?  Did she want him to stay?  Of course she did.  They had said their "I love yous" and past mistakes were long forgiven.  They had a life together now, they had a future.  Rory was sure of that.

Rory sighed; glad her part of the decision was made.  She'd talk it all over with Jess tomorrow.  She would make sure he understood her feelings and would seek his intentions.  He had been quiet on the drive home from Hartford when they had gone to get the truck.  Rory feared he was misunderstanding her messages.  She was afraid that he thought they were over again.

A blood curdling scream jolted Rory out of her musings.  Startled, it took her a moment to realize it was Lorelai that was its source or that Luke's name was the one she was crying out.

Rory jolted at her mother's third cry and ran up to the bedroom.  Lorelai was sitting up in bed, her head in her hands, and her elbows on her knees, sobbing hysterically.

"Mom," Rory called encircling her mother in her arms, "Mom, its okay. It's all right."

"No," she sobbed, "No, it's not.  It'll never be all right again.  He's gone, he's gone."

Rory rubbed her mother's back in soothing circles, "I know," she consoled.  She had felt that way too.  "I know you'll miss Grandma and Grandpa."

"No, no, no…" Lorelai cried, "Not, not them.  Luke.  I'll never see him again or hold…he'll never know…"

Lorelai's hysterics were scaring Rory.  What on earth was she talking about?  "Mom," Rory said gently, "Luke's fine.  He's just fine.  He's at the diner with Jess."

Lorelai stopped her sobbing and pulled back from Rory's embrace, anger in her blue eyes. "Don't say that!  Don't lie to me like that, about that."

"Mom, I'm not…It was a dream, just a dream…" Rory tried to pull Lorelai back into her arms.  Lorelai resisted her comfort, rolled on her side, and sobbed into what had become Luke's pillow uttering words Rory couldn't make out.

"It was only a dream, Mom," she tried again.  "I'll prove it."

Quickly Rory dialed Luke's number and prayed he would be able to come back.

Luke left Lorelai's cursing Taylor.  He should be at Lorelai's ready to console her the minute she needed it,  ready to get her coffee or make her pancakes, not on his way across town to deal with a stupid ornery old shopkeeper who had it in for his nephew.  He promised her that he would be there and now he wasn't going to be there.

On the way to the diner, Luke picked up some bread and rolls at the market, before proceeding to settle disturbed customers.  When things did calm down Jess asked, "How's Lorelai?"

"She's still asleep.  I just…she's come undone before…" Luke paused.  He wanted to say something to Jess.  "Jess, I'm proud of you."

Jess blushed. "You don't have to…"

"Yes, I do," Luke said in a whisper.  "I am very proud of the mature way you've handled yourself.  Rory really needed you."

Jess nodded. "I told her she could count on me.  And she can.  Even after I go back to…"

The ringing of the telephone cut Jess off and kept Luke from really processing what Jess had said. "Luke's," he answered in his customary bark.

"Luke, its Rory.  You have to come home." She sounded frantic.

"Why?  What happened?" Luke asked.  He knew he shouldn't have left Lorelai, he knew it.

"It's Mom.  She had some dream and she's crying.  I think the dream was about you.  She just keeps saying your name over and over," Rory blurted out.  "I can't make her stop.  I…"

"I'm on my way," Luke told Rory.  "Everything is going to be fine."  Those words seemed to calm her.  Once Rory started breathing more normally, Luke handed the phone to Jess as he left the diner without explaining to anyone.

"Hello, Rory," Jess spoke evenly.  "Luke just ran out of here.  Are you okay?"

"My Mom's really freaked out.  She just wants Luke," Rory told him.

"Does that upset you?" he asked, tucking the phone between his chin and his shoulder so he could refill some of the customers coffee cups.

"No.  I mean, I know what it's like.  I only wanted you when I heard," Rory replied.

Jess' body ached with the question, "What about now?"  He was afraid to bring that up right now though.  Rory had more important things on her mind than that issue.  They did however need to talk about some things, some things like Dean.  He'd let it go, but it was time now to address it.  He didn't want that between them after he went back to New York.  "Rory, um, I'm going to go.  There's so much to do here, but we really need to talk about some stuff.  Can you meet me at the bridge tomorrow around two o'clock?"

"Sure," Rory replied. "I'll make us a basket."

Remembering her last basket he smiled. "No thanks.  I've got that covered."

Rory was never so glad to see anyone as she was to see Luke.  Lorelai's sobs could be heard as soon as he walked in the house.  Taking the steps two at a time, he went to her.

Lorelai felt the bed shift, but instead of looking up, she held Luke's pillow closer.

"Lorelai," Luke said softly, stroking her soft hair.  "I'm here, Lor.  I'm here."

"No," she sobbed into the pillow.  "Luke, I'm so sorry."

"Lorelai I'm…" Luke tried again, "look at me."  Gently, he touched her shoulder and forced her to turn around so her red, swollen eyes could meet his.  If she could look into his eyes, she would see he was real, he was fine, and her fears were only in her dreams. 

When they made eye contact, the wretched heartbroken sobs stopped and Lorelai sat up throwing her arms around Luke.

"Luke." She began to cry again.  "It's really you.  You're alive, you're fine…"

Luke held her close and rocked her back and forth in a soothing rhythm.  "Of course it's me.  You think I wouldn't' be here for my girl?"

Lorelai sniffed, "It was so horrible, Luke."

He ran his thumb across her cheek. "What was?"

"My dream," she said.  "I mean I guess it was a dream since you're here, but it seemed so real."

Luke kissed the top of her head, "Tell me."

Lorelai took a deep breath and sniffed, "We were in the cemetery burying my parents and after the funeral we went back to the Inn and you went to the diner and…that's when it got really horrible.  Some…someone hhi..tt and you…" She held him so tight he couldn't breathe, "I love you so much, Luke.  I can't lose you too."

"I love you, too Baby," he replied. "You'll never lose me.  I'll always be with you, Lorelai."  Luke had been saying baby a lot lately.  Lorelai hated it but when he held her like this, so small and vulnerable, it slipped off his tongue.  What bothered him was she didn't seem to notice.

"Don't leave me alone again, Luke," she begged.  "Not ever.  Promise me."

He didn't know what to say to that.  Logically he'd have to leave her sight again, but for now he told her what she needed to hear, "I promise.  Are you hungry?" Luke knew she hadn't eaten at all that day.

She yawned, suddenly exhausted.  "No."  It was small and far away sounding.  "I want to lie down again."

Luke gently helped her down and tucked her blankets around her shoulder, "You should eats soon.  You want some coffee?  A danish?"

Again, she shook her head.  "No, I just…I just want you, Luke."

"You've got me," he replied.  "But are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?"

"Um, can you hold me?" she asked quietly, seeming unsure.

Luke slipped off his shoes and slid onto the bed. "As long as you need me too."

Lorelai cuddled up next to Luke's chest.  Before she drifted off to sleep she softly whispered, "Forever then."

Luke gently ran through her hair, soothing her as best he could with his touch.  When she uttered those soft words, Luke sighed.  His Lorelai was strong, capable, and incredibly independent.  So much so that it sometimes hurt his feelings how little she needed him.  The Lorelai he held now…he'd have to wait and see.  Until then, until an answer came, he'd do as he was now.  He'd hold her, love her, and if she needed him to, he'd shelter her.  That after all, was what he did when he loved someone and he could never love anyone more than his Lorelai.