Disclaimer: Still not mine. Some of it is, but mostly not.

After Anna had taken over position in the driver's seat, she hesitated in turning over the ignition. Will hadn't actually said anything since he uttered her name. Her name—the she-devil herself. She just kept thinking to herself that this all had to be some big misunderstanding, or a joke, albeit not a very funny one. Something had to give here. Will had been through enough without this happening on top of it all. She bit her lower lip and dared a look at Will. She wasn't sure what she expected to see. Perhaps steam literally coming out of his ears, or a pained grimace. Something, that was for sure. It would have been normal. The unnerving part was that he seemed to be lacking in expressions. She couldn't read him at all, which had never happened in their entire lives.

"Will?"

"Yeah?"

"Uh, well, where are we going?"

"Wherever. Whatever. I don't care."

"Okay," she paused, not wanting to ask if he was okay. She knew he wasn't, and it just seemed the wrong thing to ask. "So, I'll just drive."

"Okay."

He stared out the window, looking at the apartment building across the street form the one that Davey had just disappeared into. He couldn't even begin to think about what they'd just witnessed. He just closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the headrest while Anna drove them away from this particular reality.

Jess still had a hold of Erin's hand and stopped outside on the chilly balcony. The wind was whipping around them, and he noticed how her hair seemed to chase itself around her face. He reached over with his other hand to clear her cheek from the wild strands.

"Hey," he whispered.

"I can't believe this," she barely spoke above a whisper.

"What?" he asked, hoping this might be some sort of breakthrough. Perhaps now she would really talk to him.

"After all this time, I thought I was crazy. But it's true. You still love her."

He was stunned. His wife looked completely serious, but he still couldn't believe those words had just come out of her mouth.

"I'm sorry. I'm not coming along for this particular trip down the path to mental instability," he shook his head, pulling his hand back from hers.

"No, Jess, just admit it. Make it easier, just do that for me."

"I don't even know where you're getting any of this," he stared into her eyes that once held nothing but love, but now just looked tired.

"Come on, honey, I saw you. You've been watching her all evening. She insisted we all come up here and you agreed. I haven't been able to get you to leave the city in months."

"Erin, we have kids, we can't just--," he started.

"We can just. We could send them to stay with Luke or Rory or my folks, anytime! And for God's sake, they are old enough to stay alone at this point. But you never want to be alone with me."

"Erin, I've been trying for a long time to get you to talk to me—you've been closed off and on the verge of walking out on me for a while now. How am I supposed to just want to head out and have fun with you?"

"So, you're blaming your attraction for another woman on me?"

"I'm not attracted to her!"

"Please," she almost laughed, but the bitterness that she had obviously built up for this subject seeped through.

"Jess?" Rory poked her head out on the balcony, as Tristan was paying the check.

He looked up at Rory, then back at Erin. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at Erin, pleading with her using his eyes to snap out it and just listen to him. She crossed her arms and looked out over the water.

Rory watched, confused and bordering on stunned as Jess muttered something under his breath and moved past her and through the restaurant.

"Erin?" she ventured, full of worry.

Erin didn't move, she just tightened her grip around herself and continued her steel gaze into the dark water.

"I just wanted to let you know that we were leaving," she tried again.

Erin nodded, "You guys go on. I'll take a cab in a bit," she managed, hoping Rory could take the hint.

"Okay. If you're sure," she felt the icy vibes coming off of Erin from the second she'd put her head out the door, but she wasn't quite sure what the reason was. She and Erin had always gotten along, but now she didn't feel like she should push Erin for explanations.

"I'm sure."

Rory nodded and walked back into the restaurant to find Tristan. He was waiting by the entrance, and gave her a hopeful look. She just shook her head and curled into him as he put his arm around her shoulders.

Back in Stars Hollow, a blue haze reached out into the room originating from the television screen, making all the sleeping children appear Smurf-like. Luke walked back into the living room, wondering if it was even worth it to wake any of the kids. Lorelai was lying in the armchair; her legs swung over one arm. She was asleep, covered by one of her favorite quilts. He moved over next to her and gently shook her awake.

"Hmm, movie over?"

"I've come to realize that's what the blue screen means," he nodded. "Come to bed."

"But, there are kids and beds somewhere, and they aren't in them," she tried to form coherent thought.

"I think they'll be fine, come on. We'll peel them apart and cure their sugar hangovers in the morning," he promised, holding out his hand to help her up.

"Carry me?" she looked hopeful at him through her dark lashes.

"One of these times, I'm so not going to fall for that," he sighed.

"Sure, honey, sure," she yawned through her triumphant smile as he hoisted her up and carried her up the stairs to their room.

Anna stirred her coffee and waited for Will to come back to the table. She hadn't known what to do, so she just got back on the highway and took the first exit that offered food. Neither had eaten dinner, and she figured maybe he could eat. He went straight to the bathroom upon arrival.

Will slid into the booth across from her. "Thanks for ordering coffee," he gave a smile. He had definitely inherited the Gilmore appreciation for coffee. He took a long drink and noticed she was watching him.

"Hungry?"

"Uh, yeah. They make a mean Denver omelet here."

"What?"

"Denver omelets. They serve breakfast all day long. Sort of like at Dad's."

"How can you know that?"

"We aren't that far from campus. This place serves breakfast all day, and it's better than Denny's," he smiled.

"I see. Two Denver omelets it is," she said, handing the menus back to the waitress, who was mindlessly chomping on a wad of gum. She nodded and walked off, leaving them alone again.

"Maybe it's not what we think," she finally suggested.

"Ann, don't do that."

"But, Will, he's your best friend. He couldn't do that to you, I know that."

"Look, let's just not talk about it. It isn't worth talking about."

"Will, I'm just—,"

"Just what?"

"I'm so sorry," she offered, not knowing what else to say.

"How sorry?" he asked, with a glint in this eye. That glint he got from his mother, and she knew he was up to something.

"You're going to make me sorry, aren't you?"

"I think the two of us need some fun. Some real fun."

She raised an eyebrow and just had to smile. 'This should be good', she thought.

Back at the Gilmore house on the Vineyard, Rory sat in bed waiting for Tristan. He brought up a tray with cookies and hot cocoa on it. He sat it down on the bedside table and handed her a mug. He offered her the tray of cookies, but she shook her head.

"No cookies?"

"I'm not hungry," she shrugged.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," she sighed.

"He was really pissed off," Tristan pointed out.

"Yeah."

"Think she's even coming back here?"

"Dunno."

"You looked really amazing tonight."

"Tristan."

"What? You did."

"They aren't going to be alright. I have to call my mom in the morning and tell her we are coming home and we lost Erin."

"Rory," he sighed and put his mug on the table. "I know you have the best of intentions, but this just isn't something you can fix."

"I didn't want to fix it, I just thought," she paused.

He looked at his wife, knowing she was crushed by what was happening to their friends. He put an arm around her and let her slide her head down against his chest.

"That can't happen to us, can it?" she asked softly, her breath catching as she awaited his answer.

"That's why you're going all out about this? Rory, hey, look at me," he said, cupping her chin and angling her face so she would meet his gaze, "Not going to happen. Ever." His tone was definitive, and he leaned down to kiss her worry away. She melted into his touch, forgetting any doubt that had entered her mind over the last two days. His sweet reassurance soon became heated passion, as she responded to his ever-intensifying touch.

AN: I was so bummed, I was sitting on Chapter 10 so long while updated the system, and I was so ticked that I couldn't post that I didn't write until after I got to post it. But I got it done. Thanks for the wonderful reviews and to all the US folks out there, have a Happy Thanksgiving!