(Hartford Hospital)
Rory was nervous about walking in to see Tristan. In her mind this was all her fault. Tristan never deserved any of this. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Hey, beautiful." A tired and weary voice greeted.
Rory walked over to him and sat down at the foot of his bed. His face was swollen, and his eyes blacked. He had a large cut on the back of his head, and a couple of broken ribs. This was way more than the beating Rory had taken a few weeks earlier.
"Tristan..." Rory murmured as her eyes watered.
"Shh." Tristan hushed. "It's not your fault."
"Yes, it is." Rory objected. "If not for me..."
"I'd do it again." Tristan interrupted. "And again. And again. I would never let anyone hurt you."
"I'm so sorry he did this to you." Rory took Tristan's hand and held it. "Thank you so much." She kissed his hand and continued to hold it for a while. Soon Tristan had fallen asleep. Rory raised from the bed and walked outside where Luke and Lorelai were waiting.
"10 minutes... Heck I'll make it 5. 5 minutes and he'd never bother any of us again." Luke ranted.
"Luke, please." Lorelai replied.
"He thinks he can just bully around all these kids, ya know? What he needs is someone to stand up to him. Someone his own age."
"You can't..." Lorelai protested. "If you do that, then what's going to happen to us when you're in jail?"
"Laws aren't helping, Lorelai." Luke said quickly. "Can't you see that? He's already hurt Rory and Tristan and do you think he once thought about the law... or jail?" Luke was becoming more and more upset. "He'll come after you." Luke noted, his eyes narrowing. "You're the only one he hasn't hurt yet. I'm not letting that happen."
"Luke, I promise you. We'll be okay. The police are informed this time, they'll catch him."
Rory slowly walked in trying to not make it noticeable she had been listening. Lorelai turned and saw her daughter.
"Hey... How's Tristan?" Lorelai asked hopefully.
"He's going to be here a few days." Rory replied softly. "I told him I'd come by again tomorrow."
"Well, we'd better get going." Lorelai replied reaching out for her daughter's hand. "It's been a long day. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
"I can fix us all something at the diner." Luke added.
(The diner)
Lorelai's cell phone rang. Usually Luke pointed her outside, but this time he didn't say a word.
"Hello?" Lorelai answered.
"You know what's funny? You meet someone, and they seem like they're so nice..."
Lorelai's heart stopped.
The voice continued. "They make you feel like you're on top of the world. Then you realize they're not who they pretended to be. That has to be a horrible feeling. Watching your daughter lay in a hospital with bruises all over her body, and your fault." the voice laughed.
"Where are you?" Lorelai asked calmly so not to frighten Rory or Luke.
"Now, what fun would it be if I told you ? Ah, you know Lorelai it only gets better from here on."
"The cops are looking." Lorelai replied discretely.
"But they won't find." Matthew added. "What's the matter, Lorelai? Sounds like your trying to keep this phone conversation a secret. Not wanting to alarm anyone?"
"You know it." Lorelai chimed in. "There's nothing to be worried about."
"Oh, but there is. There's a great deal to be worried about."
"I don't think so." Lorelai nonchalantly answered.
"Enjoy your diner, Lorelai." he hung up the phone.
Rory was giving Lorelai a strange look.
"Sookie." Lorelai replied. "That was sookie. She heard about what happened." Rory was about to open her mouth to say something but Lorelai cut her off - "Hey, Luke." she called.
"Hm?" Luke asked looking up from the counter.
"Would you like to come over to the house?" Lorelai asked.
Luke paused. "Sure..."
(Gilmore House)
"I'm going to take a bath." Rory said as they walked through the door.
"Okay, sweetie." Lorelai smiled.
Rory walked back through the house, leaving Lorelai and Luke alone in the living room.
"Well, make yourself at home." Lorelai smiled.
"Thanks." Luke replied sitting down on the couch. He rubbed his eyes and groaned.
"I know." Lorelai said. "Me too."
"I hat this guy."
"Me too."
"I just wish I could have stopped him."
"Me too."
Luke looked up at Lorelai who appeared nervous. "What's wrong?"
"What do you mean?" Lorelai asked.
"You've just said "me too" three times in a row."
"So?"
"So, you always have a clever, quick witted response to things."
"Well... I just... don't this time."
"Lorelai..." Luke leaned closer. "Tell me..."
Lorelai sighed. "He called."
"What?" Luke jumped from the couch. "When?"
"At the diner, earlier."
Luke paced the floor. "That means he's still out there. The cops haven't found him." He quickly turned back to Lorelai. "What did he say to you?"
"He just said it wasn't over."
Luke sighed deeply. "As soon as Rory gets out of the bath, we're leaving."
"What?" Lorelai asked surprised.
"We're leaving. We're not staying here."
"But, Luke." Lorelai objected.
"I mean it, Lorelai." Luke said sternly.
Lorelai leaned back on the couch and stared off into the empty space.