Chapter 2- Tears, Rocky Road, and a New Invitation

This one takes place two days before the girls planned to take their trip-

Rory stumbled into Luke's diner and looked around. At first glance it was obvious who she was looking for wasn't there. Well if I can't have Mom, the next best thing for a troubled heart is coffee. She walked past Kirk and his PB+J and took a seat at the counter, putting her book bag on the floor beside her.

She's quiet today. I mean she doesn't have Lorelai's talk constantly gene, but she usually has something to say. Luke pours her a cup of coffee.

"You okay?"

Rory only nods, her head bent over her cup.

"School good?"

Again, the same nod. Luke walks over to collect Kirk's money before trying once again to talk to Rory.

"Don't you guys have some big trip planned this weekend? I thought I heard your mom talking earlier."

At this, Rory broke down.

"He canceled," she said between silent sobs.

That jerk. "I'm sorry Rory."

Rory finally looked up, her anger evident in her eyes. "He called and left a message on my cell. I can't make it this weekend. What kind of a message is that? No explanation. Not even an I'm sorry." Rory cried harder. Luke looked around the empty diner before walking around the counter and wrapping Rory in an awkward hug. She clung to him until her tears subsided.

"Hey, your mom's at a meeting in Hartford, but I have ice cream if you want to hang out upstairs, watch some TV, till she gets back."

"Thanks, Luke." Rory wiped her eyes as Luke disappeared and then came back with an entire carton of Rocky Road. He handed it to her. "This stuff will kill ya you know," he tried to lighten the mood. Rory smiled weakly, scooped up her backpack and shuffled up the stairs to his apartment, still sniffling. Luke watched her go, and then he turned his attention to cleaning up. The whole time his thoughts were on how somebody could be that cruel to a kid like Rory. Come on, he's her father. Isn't he supposed to be there for her? Luke was about to go up and check on Rory again when Lorelai came dancing through the door.

"Coffee, coffee, coffee, I need coffee. Man, Hartford business people are boring. And seriously, who is in charge of the coffee at those things, 'cause if there is ever a time when you need a cup of coffee, it's when you're listening to people drone on and on about hotel regulations for an hour-and-a-half."

Luke smiled a little as she sank, rant over, into a seat at the counter. He poured her a cup of her life-saving liquid, and she took a long sip.

"Hey, you haven't been home yet have you?"

"No, I haven't, why?" She was confused by his question.

"Rory's upstairs. It seems her dad canceled on her- on you guys- and she was a little bummed. I gave her some ice cream. She's up there watching some mushy Lifetime movie now." Luke watched her for her reaction.

"That is so typical." Lorelai's eyes blazed. "Make big plans, get her hopes up. Have me thinking he's really going to try and be a father. That is so Christopher. And yet, I keep believing him. Keep hoping there's a chance he'll want to really know his daughter." Lorelai shook her head as if to clear it of all her Christopher misconceptions.

Luke couldn't stand watching both of his favorite women hurt in one day.

"He's crazy you know. Rory's a great kid. She doesn't deserve this. You don't deserve this." He added the last part quietly, but she heard him and managed half a smile.

"Thanks Luke. I'm gonna go get her and get her home."

Luke went to wait on a few more customers while Lorelai trudged up the stairs to her daughter hoping she wasn't too terribly upset. She has every right to be though.

"Knock, knock." She stepped into Luke's apartment

"Mom!" Rory jumped off the couch and hugged her mother tight.

"Hey, babe. I heard about your dad. I'm so sorry hun."

"It's okay, mom, really. I guess I should have expected it."

"No, no. He's your father. He loves you; he just doesn't quite know how to show it sometimes." Why am I defending him? Lorelai put an arm around Rory. "What do you say the two of us go anyway, huh? We don't have plans for Saturday, and it will be fun to show you all the places mommy did stupid things."

Rory laughed a little. "Okay, sure. Why not."

"Good." Lorelai kissed her daughter on the top of her head and then started to walk towards the door, expecting Rory to follow her. She didn't.

"Hey mom. Can Luke come with us?"

"Luke?"

"Yeah. I mean, I had my heart set on the whole father/daughter thing, and Luke's always sort of been a second dad. He gave me ice cream." Rory pointed to the carton on the table. Lorelai's a little flustered by this. Since when did she think of Luke as a father figure?

"Well, sure, I guess. We'll have to ask him." She managed a brave smile despite the fact that her insides were flip-flopping at her daughter's news, and mother and daughter set off down the stairs. They returned to their seats at the counter amidst a diner full of the dinner rush. Lorelai resumed drinking her recently abandoned cup of coffee and Rory ordered a new one. After things had settled in the diner, and they each had consumed an absurd amount of French fries, they had the chance to make their proposition to Luke.

"Hey Lukey.

"Don't call me that."

"Yeah, whatever. So Lukey we have a question for you."

"We were wondering if maybe, you know, if you're not doing anything, you wanted to come with us on our road trip on Saturday."

Luke looked down at the two eager faces before him. Truth was, he'd do anything for the two of them, especially the one who insisted on calling him Lukey, but he had a reputation to uphold- couldn't seem to eager. "Yeah, well, I guess I could maybe leave Caesar in charge for the day." He looks down at his feet for a second. "Where are we going?"

Rory let out a little squeal and Lorelai gave him a look of appreciation for making her daughter happy. "Mom's gonna show us her old summer camp in Maine."

"Oh, yes. You get to see the place where I was in all my glory. Falling out of canoes, burning marshmallows, being bitten by bugs till I bled. The stories I shall bore you with for hours." Luke gave her a look and continued to scrub the counter. "We'll have to take the truck though 'cause we can't all fit in the jeep."

"Okay, you guys want to meet me here in the morning then?"

"Sure." They gathered up their stuff and stood to go. "Thanks again Luke." Lorelai gave him a sincere smile this time and Rory just beamed at him, happy to have someone in her life who wouldn't let her down. Luke just rolled his eyes and wondered what in the world he had gotten himself into agreeing to a whole day with the Gilmore girls.

Review Please! Is it any good? A few more chapters to come if you think I should continue.