Author's note: Thank you so much for all the reviews! I hope you like how the story continues!

pen2starshollow: Thanks again for your help, suggestions and beta-reading! bighug You're my hero!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls. I wish I did like most people here, but I don't. The only thing that I own that could be linked to GG is my coffee machine.


Breaking down the wall - Chapter 2

Two months had passed. Luke had moved in with Lorelai. When she had calmed down enough after her meltdown and told him the whole Friday-Night-Dinner-disaster-story, he had assured her that he didn't have to move in if Lorelai wanted to wait until she could tell Rory. But, she had told him she wanted him there. She needed him there. So he had packed his stuff and moved in with her. They didn't celebrate. It was not as happy and excitingas it should have been. Something was missing. Someone was missing to make this big step for Luke and Lorelai a happy celebration.

The town's people had been excited, though, when they found out about Luke and Lorelai moving in together. They wanted to have a special festival, but Luke quickly put an end to anything they tried to plan. He wanted Lorelai to have some privacy. She was not ready to let everyone know about her falling out with Rory.

Sookie knew, of course. She could feel that something was wrong with her best friend, so they told her. And Lane, being Rory's best friend, had heard a few of the details as well.

Luke and Lane had come to a silent agreement that it would be best not to talk about "that subject," and Lorelai tried to avoid Lane as best as possible. No one spoke about it. Luke tried at first, but Lorelai wasn't willing to let that happen. She knew if she talked about it, all of thememories would come back, and she would have to realize once more that Rory was not there, not home, not calling.

Lorelai was devastated. She tried her best to pretend to be her chipper self, but most people could see that something was bugging her -big time. She didn't sleep very well. She barely ate, let alone let a smile cross her lips. Rumors started. Rory hadn't been in Stars Hollow to visit for quite some time now. But no one dared to say anything for fear ofLuke's wrath that would surely follow.

Luke did his best to make life as good for Lorelai as possible, but he knew that she wouldn't be happy until things were back to normal between her and Rory.


It was one of those strange morning lulls. Luke was wiping the counter in an empty diner. Lane had just taken a break and had gone to the music store. The bells at the door jingled when Lorelai opened it.

Luke looked up and tried to offerher a warm smile. It wasn't easy. It was hurting him to see her so devastated.

She looks so tired and sad. She has lost some weight, Luke thought. Damn it. I have to try and make her eat more.

Lorelai cameto the counter and sat down on one of the bar-stools. "Coffee. Please! Quick, quick, quick!" For someone who didn't knowLorelai, it would have seemed to be a funny bit, but Luke knew that she was just pretending to be happy and funny. She was not, and it was killing him.

Luke poured her some coffee. He didn't argue with her. He was too concerned about her to argue about something stupid like coffee.

"Are you okay?" It was one last try. One last attempt to get her totalk.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Michel is just extremely annoying today. His accent is worse than ever and I just had to get out of there for a few minutes or someone would have lost an eye." Lorelai pretended not to know what Luke had really meant with his question.

He sighed. She wouldn't talk about it.

The bells jingled again. Lane had come back. Lorelai looked up.

"Oh, uh, hi Lane!" she said nervously.

"Eh…hi Lorelai." Lane wasn't exactly comfortable with the situation either. "Luke, I'm going to bein the storage room. I'll unpack some of the new deliveries."

"Oh, yeah. Sure." God, this was too damn uncomfortable.

When Lane left the room, Luke looked at Lorelai again. She was staring at the door that Lane had just gone through, deeply submerged in her ownthoughts.

"You could ask her, you know." Luke tried to sound as soft and gentle as possible, not wanting to upset her.

"Hm? What? Oh, well I have to run. The Inn is waiting and if I don't go, someone else might kill Michel and at least I want to be there when it happens. You know, to get rid of the body right away. Give the person the perfect alibi." Luke knew why she was babbling.

Hesighed. She will continue to ignore the subject. "Well, okay. At least take a doughnut with you. You have to eat something." He wrapped the doughnutinto a bag and handed it to her.

"No, I'm fine. I'm not hungry." – "Lorelai please. Just take it!" – "Okay. Bye. See you tonight." – "Yeah!".

Lorelai left the diner. AsLuke watched her, he shook his head and let out a deep breath. This craziness had to stop.

"Lane?"

"Yeah. I'm still in the storage room. You need anything?"

"Nah. I just…"

Lane came through the door carrying some ketchup-bottles. She went into the kitchen and put the bottles down.

"What? Did you saysomething?" She turned to Luke, who was leaning against the counter.

"Where is she?" It was not really a question, but more of a plea.

"Who?" Lane knew exactly who he meant, but she tried to play dumb. What had happened to the silent agreement?

"Lane! You know who!" She had to tell him. This craziness had to stop. He needed to do something about it.

"I… I don't know." Lane said, although shedidn't even believe her own lie.

"She is your best friend, Lane. You know! I know you know!" Luke could see how nervous Lane was, how uncomfortable she felt, but he had to go further. He just had to find out.

"Come on, Lane. It can't go on like this. You can't tell me that Rory is happy about this situation? You know them as good as I do. They need each other. They have always had this strong bond. You've seen Lorelai. You've seen how miserable she is. We have to do something. It's killing her! I can't let that happen. Tell me that Rory is justpeachyand I'll leave you alone, but I know you can't tell me that. So come on, Lane. Tell me where she is! Help me!Please, how many times have you seen me beg like this?"

Lane looked Luke directly into hisface. She saw the concern for Lorelai and for Rory in his eyes.

God knows, she wanted them to make up as well. She knew that Rory was not even close to being peachy. Yes, she pretended to be, just like her mom, but Lane could tell that she was miserable about this fight. The one big problem was that Lorelai and Rory were both so stubborn that neither one of them wanted to let go first. Maybe Luke was right. Rory and Lorelai needed each other. And maybe they had to interfere to make sure the two got closer again.

Lane sighed and looked to the floor. Then she whispered, "Yale."

"What?" Luke wasn't sure he had heard her correctly.

"She's at Yale. She didn't drop out. I'll give you her address." Lane wrote something down on a paper and handed it to Luke. He took the note, read it and grabbed his keys.

"You're in charge of the diner. I'll be back as soon as possible." He opened the front door and was about to leave.

"Luke?" – "Yeah?" he turned around again. – "We have to fix this!"

Luke gave Lane a small smile and nodded. "I know. We will!"


So, what do you think? Please review (good, bad, in between?). I'll add the next chapter as soon as possible! (And to those of you who couldn't believe that Rory would drop out of Yale: What do you think now:) )