Chapter Eighteen- Everything

"Mom?"

"Hm?"

"Can I come home?"

Lorelai looked at her daughter; both shocked and incredibly happy. She smiled softly and smoothed Rory's hair back away from her face. "Of course you can, Babe. Of course you can."

Rory smiled, and hugged Lorelai once more. "Then I should probably get packing…and tell Grandma…Speaking of Grandma, have you told her about the-"

"Yes, I told her," Lorelai interrupted, nodding her head. "As difficult as it was for me, I said 'Lorelai, suck it up, be a soldier, and tell your mother! It's the right thing to do!'"

Rory smiled. "So Luke told you to come over here?"

Lorelai mocked a defeated look. "Yeah, he did…and he threatened to cut off my coffee supply for the rest of my life."

Rory smiled. "Good ol' Luke…I miss Luke. I miss Stars Hollow."

Lorelai smiled. "I know, hon. So why don't we head back there now…and we'll get you a Luke's burger…and Luke's coffee…and I can get Luke's-"

"Mom!" Rory interrupted, a disgusted look coming across her face. "Please stop, or I just might stay here!"

Lorelai gasped, feigning shock. "I can't believe you'd say something like that! Do you want to give mommy a heart attack? Mommy's only 36; Mommy doesn't need that."

Rory rolled her eyes, and grabbed her purse. "Let's go!" she ordered, making her way to the door.

Lorelai stood, and stared at Rory for a moment. "What?" Rory asked.

"Thanks, kid."

"For what?"

"For coming back to me."

Rory smiled as Lorelai wrapped her arm around her shoulders and giggled as they left the pool house...

..."Oh Luuuke!" Lorelai called as they entered the diner. They sat down at the nearest table they found, and waited for him to respond.

Luke came out of the kitchen carrying plates full of food. "What? And I told you not to call me that!" he said.

"Whatever- Look who I found!" she announced happily. Luke looked up to where they were sitting. His grumpiness faded as a smile crossed his face. He set the food down on the counter, and came around to their table.

"Hey, Rory," he said quietly. Rory smiled, stood, and hugged Luke, who surprisingly returned the gesture. Lorelai watched happily in awe. "Good to have you back," he whispered.

Rory smiled and released him, sitting back down, and pushing a piece of hair out of her face. "Yeah…It's good to be back." Luke nodded, and squeezed her shoulder.

He leaned down and gave Lorelai a brief kiss before returning his attention to Rory. "Anything you want, on the house," he said.

Rory smiled. "Burger, fries, and coffee please." She looked to Lorelai to place her order.

"Same, please! And keep the coffee comin'!" Luke gave her a disapproving look before returning to the kitchen. Rory's cell phone rang.

She looked at her mother apologetically before answering the call. "Hello? Hey." She looked at Lorelai and mouthed 'Logan'. Lorelai smiled and nodded before Rory headed outside to take the call.

"So how'd it go?"

"Good. It went good. I'm going back. And I'm moving back home for the rest of the summer," she announced.

Logan was happy. "Good. I'm glad. I hated seeing you so damn miserable. Angry may work for you, but depressed doesn't."

Rory scoffed. "I was not depressed-"

"Yes you were. You can't stand living without your mom. You have the strongest bond I've ever seen two people have, Ace. It's undeniable."

"I guess," she replied. "I'm happier than I've been in a long time." She turned back towards the diner, and watched through the window as Luke and Lorelai bantered happily; it was easy to tell how in love they were. "Really happy. And Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you…I don't say that enough, but I do love you. I just needed you to know that."

"Oh, Rory. I do know that. You don't have to constantly tell me that…it's nice, but I don't need verbal confirmation. And I love you, Ace…I'm proud of you…beyond belief."

Rory smiled…a broad, beaming smile that hadn't crossed her face in so long. It felt good. "Thank you," she said shyly. "I better go. You'll call me later?"

"Of course. I love you, Ace."

"I love you, too." With that, she hung up, and walked back into the diner. She sat down beside her mother, still smiling.

"What happened?" Lorelai asked, noting Rory's giddiness.

"Everything," Rory replied, smiling. Lorelai placed her hand on top of Rory's, returning Rory's smile. "Everything."