Thursday 10.30 pm - Rory's POV

It was late when I walked back home. The first hour after leaving dad alone in the kitchen I spent walking around the town before going to Lane's. She and I talked. It helped me clear my head and calm down. I felt guilty for yelling at dad and I knew I needed to apologize to him. I walked into our living room and found him watching a movie with a sleeping Georgia in his arms.

"Hi."

"Hey." – Dad looked up at me.

"Is it possible that we talk?"

"Yeah. Just let me put Gigi to bed." – He stood up and carried Gigi upstairs. When their regular visits to Stars Hollow started they used to stay at the Dragonfly and now they occupied the spare bedroom in our house. It was a small bedroom that mom and I usually used for storaging the stuff that we didn't need but just couldn't throw away.

I sat down on the chair and waited for dad to come back. Soon he walked downstairs with a baby monitor in his hand.

"You have my full attention now." – He said as he sat down on the couch again.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you before. I was just so sad and upset. I was upset with Luke because he left and with mom because she didn't stop him and upset with you because you were no help in this whole situation. I know you're not entirely to blame for this....it's like I said before. You may not want to ruin things but still they end up ruined.
I love you dad. I hope you don't think otherwise. You'll always have a special place in my heart and life..."

"But?"

"But we can never be a family. Not in the common sense. No one will ever replace you. To me...no, to us you're very important but so is Luke. He's been a part of our lives since forever. I want him to come back. I hope you understand that. Again, I'm sorry. I going to bed now." – I stood up and was almost in the kitchen when I remembered something. "Dad, where's mom?" – As soon as I said the words someone knocked on the front door. When I opened it I found Sookie clad in her pj's and a bathrobe.

"How is she? Jackson just told me about Luke. I was so busy at the inn with the first wedding coming up and then with Davey that I didn't notice anything. No one told me. Lorelai didn't tell me. Why didn't she tell me? Is she okay?"

"Whoa, Sookie calm down."

"Okay, sorry." – She walked over to the chair that I had occupied earlier and sat down.

"From the shocked expression on her face when she heard the news from me I guess she didn't know about Luke either. She's probably not okay, but I don't know for sure. I haven't seen her since the early evening."

"She didn't come home after she ran out." – Dad said. "I called at the inn but she isn't there either."

"Then there's only one option left."

"Luke's." – Sookie and I said in unison.

"But Luke's closed."

"Mom has a key. I'll go get her." – I said and picked up my coat and car keys.

"I'm coming with you."

"You can't. What about Gigi?"

He turned to Sookie. "Sookie, could you...."

"Of course. Go. I'll stay here."

"Thanks, she's asleep upstairs." – Dad handed the baby monitor to Sookie and we walked out to my car.

I parked in front of the diner and we got out. I tried to open the door of the diner but it was locked.

"Maybe she didn't come here?"

"Or maybe she used the back entrance." – I answered and was already halfway to the back of the building. I was right. The back door wasn't locked and neither was the door to Luke's apartment. We entered and found the apartment faintly illuminated by a single lamp. I looked around and finally noticed mom curled up on Luke's bed. As I walked closer to her sleeping form dad remained standing by the open door. Slowly I sat down next to her on the bed and tried to wake her up.

"Mom. Wake up mom." – I said gently as I brushed one of the hair strands off her face.

She slowly opened her eyes and stared at me. The apartment was barely lit but still I could see that she had been crying. Then I noticed the shirt she was hugging. I tried to smile but the truth was – it broke my heart to see her like this.

"Come on, let's go home." – She nodded and when she sat up several cd's slipped her embrace and flew everywhere across the floor. She looked at them like paralyzed.

"Everything is falling apart." – Mom whispered into the dark apartment. I watched her get up and walk past dad and out of the apartment. She was still clutching the grey shirt in her hand.

"Go after her." – I told dad. "I'll be there soon."

I picked up as quickly as I could every cd off the floor. Bowie, The Sparks, U2, Bangles, Blondie, The Clash. Then I understood why she was hugging them. That were the cd's Luke bought for her after their first date. 'The greatest first date ever' that's how mom described it to me on the phone the following day. She was so excited, so happy then. 'Why can't things be the way they used to?' I wondered as I walked back to my car.

TBC