Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls, yada yada yada, don't sue me.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, leave more please! I'm still trying to figure out where exactly I'm gonna go with this, so I guess I'll just see how it goes.

Chapter 2: Forgiving Silence

Lorelai is sure she is hearing things. That wasn't her daughter on the other end of the phone; it was merely a wish that has been tucked away under layers of emotions that have been coursing through her body ever since that one fateful night. Her mind is racing. This isn't Rory. It's just someone playing a joke on me. Some immature, heartless, cruel son of a bitch who knows how much this is hurting me and loves it. Just hang up and it will all go away. Just hang up the phone, Lorelai! But she doesn't hang up. Instead, she puts her ear back to the phone and what she hears takes her breath away. She hears the unmistakable sobs of a girl she used to know. A girl who has her piercing blue eyes and her great taste in movies and music, among other things. Tears come rushing to her eyes as the name she hasn't spoken in nearly four months escapes her lips.

"Rory?" And with that, Lorelai breaks down and starts to sob.

They stay like that for a long time. Both of them unable to stop the tears and unable to speak. After the tears start to subside, silence ensues. It is not an angry silence, as Lorelai pictured it would be on the rare occasions when she allowed herself to think about such calls from her daughter. It was a forgiving silence, an understanding silence. They both knew how much the other had been hurting and they both knew that what had happened was bad, but not unfixable. After awhile, Rory broke the silence.

"Mom, I am so sorry." She felt a new wave of tears sting her eyes but choked them down because she owed this to her. "I never wanted to hurt you. I, I don't know who I am anymore. I am so scared. I want it back. I want it all back. You, Yale, my dreams, my pride…I just don't know what to do to get it back. I just, I love you so much and I am hurting so bad because I disappointed you and I took everything you've sacrificed for me and I threw it in your face like it didn't mean anything. I don't want to be who I'm becoming. Everything just seems so impossible! And I'm not like you! I'm not brave and determined like you are. I can't do it. I wish I could, but I can't. And it kills me to say that but I can't deny what's staring me right in the face! But none of that even matters anymore. I would give all of that up in a second if it meant that you and I would be okay again. I just can't go through life anymore without you. I can't."

Lorelai listens to her daughter's plea and begins to feel the giant hand that had been squeezing her heart for so long finally start to loosen its grip. She knows Rory means what she is saying and that makes her break into a radiant smile even though her eyes are still overflowing with tears. For once in her life, she finds herself at a loss for words and unable to come up with a smart quip to lighten the situation and make them both laugh. She opens her mouth, expecting nothing to come out, but instead a flood of words escapes.

"I can't live without you either. These past months have been torture. I don't know how many times I picked up the phone to call you and then chickened out at the last second. I don't know what to do without you. You are my best friend and I love you so much, but I don't like who you're becoming either. We've both worked so hard. It may seem impossible right now, but we'll fight for it. It wouldn't be fun if it were easy. I know you're terrified right now and so am I but we can do this. We can fix everything. You're my daughter and my best friend and nothing can ever change that. I know we're both hurting right now but the pain will ease up eventually. You have to believe that you can do it though. You have to believe in yourself or else it won't happen. I love you, kid. And I believe in you. You need to believe in yourself too."

Rory hesitates and then says, "Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I please come home?"

"Aw babe, of course you can. Do you want me to come get you?"

"Yes."

"I'll be there as fast as I can."

Lorelai's mind was on overdrive as she drove to meet her daughter. I wonder if she'll look different. Of course she won't look different, it's only been four months. A person's appearance can't change that drastically in four months. Well, unless you're Meg Ryan. Oh no! What if my parents hear my car? I cannot deal with seeing them right now. Now the sixteenth of June in my next life might be ok, but anytime before that would totally suck. Maybe I should park down the road and walk the rest of the way, just to be safe. No, the neighbors would probably look out their window and see a woman still in her pajamas running across their yard and call the cops and then they would definitely see me. I guess I'll just have to risk it. Pull a 007, James Bond kind of thing. Duck behind trees, roll of the ground, sing my own background music. It'll be a blast. Oh God, I'm here. Ok, I can do this. It's Rory for God's sake.

Lorelai pulls into the driveway and stops the car. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she shuts the door and makes her way to the pool house. She can feel her heart pounding in her chest and her breath comes in short, sporadic gasps. Her hand reaches for the door. Her first instinct is to just barge in, not bothering to knock. Just as her hand grazes the wooden door panel, it swings open and standing before her is her beautiful daughter. Her eyes are red and puffy, her cheeks are streaked with salty tears, there are dark circles under her eyes, and her shoulders are hunched in defeat; but she is beautiful.

They stand before each other, mother and daughter, friend and friend. They take each other in their arms and hold each other. Tears are streaming down both of their faces, pieces of their heart slowly coming back together. This is the reunion they had both been waiting for and now that it's finally here they can't believe it's actually happening.

After awhile, Lorelai pulls back, still clutching her daughter's hand, afraid to let go. Rory smiles at her and her eyes immediately light up.

"Are those new pajamas?" Laughing as she says it.

"Yeah, they are."

They both break into hysterical laughter, not knowing what exactly is so funny and finding it hilarious. They collapse to the floor holding their stomachs. When they finally get control over their giggles, they lay there on the floor, looking up at the ceiling, neither of them knowing what to say.

Breaking the silence, Rory whispers, "I missed you mom."

"I missed you too, kid."

They both smile because they know that these are the only words they need to say.