Disclaimer: I don't own anything, so don't sue me. Please.

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter. I love you all! Sorry for the wait for this chapter but things have been hectic lately. Gah, I know it's short, but it is what it is. I promise I'll try to make them longer. lol Yeah, so anyway, I'm not completely happy with it, but here it is...(oh, and it starts pretty much where the last one left off)

-xxxxx-

Rory wasn't sure how long she had been asleep. She didn't bother looking at the clock, knowing the only thing it was still capable of doing was blinking a glaring red 12:56 at her. She was suddenly reminded of what had woken her when she heard the loud,persistant pounding coming from the other side of her living room door. Letting out a frustrated moan, she pulled herself out from the tangle of blankets and slowly walked to the door. Rory unlocked the door and yanked it open, preparing to let whoever had awoken her get an earful.

But when she saw her mother standing in front of her, she simply asked, "What are you doing here?"

Not waiting to be let in, Lorelai forced herself passed her daughter and into the room. After taking a quick glance around she turned back to answer her daughter, "Oh, you know. I just wanted to make sure you weren't you know, dead or anything. Sorry to barge in like this, but when you don't hear from your daughter in two weeks and she won't return your phone calls, you kind of start to worry. Where the hell have you been Rory?"

Not quite meeting her mother's eyes Rory replied with a shrug, "I've been busy."

"Oh! You've been busy! Of course!" Lorelai's words were dripping with sarcasm. "Nice pajamas by the way."

Not knowing how to respond, Rory stayed silent.

Lorelai sighed and started to speak again, this time with her voice at a normal level, "Rory, you have to let me know what's going on here. Why haven't you been going to class? Why have you been MIA for so long?" She let out a little laugh and added, "And why are you in your pajamas at 4 o' clock in the afternoon? I need some answers here babe."

"I just can't...I don't..." Rory shrugged her shoulders again and let her voice trail off.

"What? Just tell me. I can help you." Lorelai took a step closer, trying to pull Rory into a hug, but stopped when Rory pulled away.

For the first time since Lorelai had arrived, Rory finally looked directly into her eyes. "You can't help me."

A confused and hurt look came across Lorelai's face. "Why not? I always have before."

"But it's not the same. Things are different now."

"But we're still the same. We're still us Rory," Lorelai's eyes misted over and her voice cracked. "I know things have been weird lately, but that's normal. Everyone fights."

"Maybe that's true, but I don't think we can fix this one," Rory fought to try to keep her voice steady and the tears that clouded her vision from falling.

Lorelai was silent for a moment, trying to comprehend what was happening. When she finally spoke, her words were drenched with remorse. "So you're just giving up? After everything we've been through; everything we've worked for. You're just throwing it all away?"

"You don't understand. I can't do it, mom," Rory's tears began to fall as she whispered, "I tried. I really did. I'm sorry."

Lorelai shook her head in disbelief as she watched her daughter turn her back and walk from the room, softly shutting the door behind her.

A/N: Yep, that's it. Just wanted to add for whoever asked me that this is a Jess/Rory story. (but Lorelai and other characters will make appearances)