A/N: Sorry it took so long. I had envisioned this chapter for awhile. Envisioning is one thing writing is another.

Without further ado…

Sad Sights and a Meanignful Conversation

It was a sad sight. A little boy, dressed in black, was clutching his mother's black dress as she held him on her hip and tears streamed down her face. Next to her stood a young women of about 25 also dressed in black and crying. Beside the young woman was a man of the same age in the same attire, black. All eyes, the citizens of the small town they lived in included, followed the chestnut casket, as it was lowered 6 feet under. After, the four were drowning in a sea of " I'm sorrys ", " My condolences' " and " My deepest sympathies' ". It was a sad sight.

The eldest didn't want to believe it was happening. That yet again she would be left without a man in her life and yet again she would raise a child alone. It wasn't happening in her mind.

The young woman just wanted it to end. She wanted to go to sleep without crying. She wanted to be in a classroom right now, filling her head with information she would use as she stepped into the real world next month. All she wanted was for it to end.

The man wanted to rewind time. He wanted to apologize to the wonderful gentleman that is no longer with us. He wanted to tell him he loved him and he just wanted to see his face. He wanted to make a sarcastic remark to the man, but he couldn't. He just wanted to rewind time.

" Rory," he called. " Let's go to your house ok? Lorelai, Derek you too." He was the thread holding that family together right now. It was funny how he was helping them because they would've hated him if he were here under different circumstances.

" Jess, can you take Derek?" the fact that she asked amazed even her. " I'll catch up with you guys,"

"Ok, but if your not there in fifteen minutes I'm coming for you!"

She nodded as she handed over her precious baby to the hoodlum she never trusted in the past.

Lorelai stood, reading his gravestone:

Lucas Alexander Danes

1968-2008

Loving husband, father, uncle, and diner man.

We will never forget you.

Every word on it was true. He was the best husband ever. Even when Lorelai was pregnant and when she was moody. When she was being stubborn or silly. Luke was there for her no matter what. Rory would tell you that he was the best dad. He made her coffee cake on her 16th birthday and fed her mashed potatoes when she was sick. And that was before he married her mother. He sent her a pro-con list that ultimately made her go back to Yale. He was the best dad. Jess wouldn't even speak of Luke has a loving uncle. Everyone knew the story and it needed no reinforcement. He was a diner man. Running Luke's for 20 years, serving all those people and dealing with Kirk for that long made him the best. Never will anyone forget Luke Danes. His family wouldn't stand for that. He was too amazing to forget. Lucas A. Danes' gravestone did not tell a lie.

That would be enough for now for Lorelai V. Danes. She would always return to this spot, that she knew. But for now she had closure knowing he lived an amazing life and was an amazing person. That was the one word to describe Luke, amazing.

Jess hated this. He hated seeing Rory in such pain and not being able to fix it. Rory praised Jess' presence because she didn't have to be strong for her mother, brother, and self. He could. When they first called Jess, it was assumed that he wouldn't stay for long. I suppose every can surprise you in the strangest ways because he was staying. He would help take care of the diner and the girls. It would have been what Luke wanted and Jess would do anything to make him proud.

" Why are you doing this?" Rory questioned. " Is it because you feel guilty?"

He looked at her. The deep pools of blue that had once been there was replaced with a gray cloud of sorrow, " Yes I feel guilty,"

" You don't have to stay. You can go back to where ever the hell you came from,"

" I know that, but I also know that Luke would be disappointed in me and I don't think I can take that," Finally, the emotion leaked out of Jess. Just in small droplets the way a faucet would. They were at the front steps by now and Derek had been taking by Miss. Patty when they arrived. Rory was patting Jess' back telling him that it was going to be all right when she couldn't even believe herself. She couldn't believe without Luke her family could sustain life, yet she realized she would have to.

Lorelai approached them, " Where's Derek?"

"Miss. Patty," Rory replied

" Can you leave us alone for a while? I want to talk to Jess,"

Rory nodded and entered her childhood home. Lorelai now focused all her attention on Jess.

" Did you ever graduate?"

" No," He replied. You could tell he didn't want to talk, but he didn't have the energy to fight her for privacy.

" Stars Hollow has a great school."

" I know."

" Are you planning on going back?"

" Where,"

" To school? New York? Whichever you've made your mind up about or whichever you want to talk about."

He looked up at her and knew she was sincere, " I am not going back to New York."

" Why not?"

"I can't have the diner being burnt down,"

" Ok. In that case, you will go take your G.E.D. You can't fight me on that one"

" That's reasonable. Can I have the apartment above the diner?"

" Yes because it's yours."

" What?"

" In Luke's will you got the diner."

" Oh,"

" Before you move me and Rory have to retrieve some stuff."

" What?"

" His baseball hats and flannel shirts."

He smirked, " Leave me one of each, please,"

" I wouldn't have it any other way."

" Thanks… for everything."

" No problem."

Lorelai and Jess entered the house and mingled with the guests. Sookie had gone all out on the food and everything was delicious. Slowly, the trio was coming to terms with the situation that faced them and was ready to take on anything that came in their way.

A/N: Umm sorry it took so long to right this. I'm really going to try to update more often since it's summer. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!