Lorelai spotted Richard's car pull into the driveway. " He's back!" she exclaimed. She took off running down the stairs. As Richard walked through the doorway, Lorelai reached the last step. "Daddy!" Lorelai ran and wrapped her arms around her father's waist.

"Hello, sweetheart." Richard greeted.

Sabrina, hearing all the commotion, strolled into the room. "Richard…" She paused. Richard nodded his head yes. Sabrina swallowed heavily, and blinked her eyes several times.

"Lorelai…" Richard began sweetly. "Let's take a walk." Richard guided Lorelai out the back door towards the garden. "Have a seat." He suggested pointing at a bench.

"No." Lorelai refused. "You can sit, but I don't want to."

Richard sighed as he rested himself on the bench in front of his daughter. "I don't know the right way to say this… so I'm just going to say it." Richard paused. "Your mother passed away this morning."

A wave of emotion and shock hit Lorelai. Suddenly, she wished she had of taken her father's advice and sat down. Not capable of feeling her legs, she surely would have hit the ground, had Richard not caught her.

"Are you okay?" Richard asked.

"It doesn't seem real." Lorelai whispered through a mask of tears. "It can't be real."

Richard held Lorelai for several minutes. Neither of them saying a word. Finally, he stood from his seat. "There's a great deal of work to do… it's going to be very hard for the next few days. Promise me that you will not cause any trouble and do as you are told."

"I promise." Lorelai sobbed.

"You'll need a new black dress for the funereal. I know you don't like them…"

"I don't care to wear it." Lorelai interrupted.

"Good. Sabrina will take you this afternoon.

"This afternoon?" Lorelai asked, surprised at how quickly she was expected to just "go shopping".

"Yes, the funereal is tomorrow." Richard replied. "Be a good girl, run along."

Lorelai turned to see Sabrina waiting for her in the doorway.

"But daddy I …"

"You promised, Lorelai." Richard said sternly. "Go on, now."

"Yes, sir." Lorelai slowly walked towards her aunt.

(Hartford Dress Shop)

"What about this one?" Sabrina asked, placing the dress up to Lorelai's body. "This one really brings out your blue eyes."

"It's black. They've all been black." Lorelai said annoyed. "What could possibly be the difference?"

"Well, we want the best one." Sabrina said condescendingly. "After all, your mother would want it that way."

"My mother is dead." Lorelai retorted. "I don't think it matters."

"Lorelai Gilmore, how dare you say such a horrible thing!" Sabrina screeched. "Have you no more respect than that?"

Lorelai didn't answer. She lowered her eyes onto the floor and kept them there.

"We're getting this one." Sabrina reached for most expensive dress on the rack. "This one is perfect."

Later at the Gilmore house. Richard had been on the phone all evening. He had barely taking enough time to look at the dress Sabrina picked out. He had mumbled something along the lines of "I'm sure it's fine." As he gave it a quick glance and then focused back on his phone conversation.

Lorelai had been waiting patiently all evening for her father to stop with the phone calls and spend time with her, but after the clock struck 11:00 and Richard had still not exited his study, Lorelai had given up hope and went to bed.

That night she found it very hard to sleep. She wondered what it would feel like to be dead. She couldn't really picture it. One feeling, however, was stronger than anything and that was Lorelai's guilt. She knew she had to tell Richard what she had done. How she had wished death upon her mother several times. Lorelai not only felt responsible but it was as if she were being punished as well. After hours of tossing and turning Lorelai finally fell asleep.

Dream Sequence:

"Mom?" Lorelai spotted her mother standing across the garden. "Mom, what are you doing?"

"I've came back, Lorelai." Emily smiled.

"But… you died."

"Oh, no." Emily chuckled. "Everyone just thinks that I have. I just decided to go away for a while, but I'm back now."

"You're so beautiful." Lorelai began to walk towards her mother. "Mommy, I never meant what I said..." The more Lorelai tried to reach her mother, the farther Emily seemed to be. "Mommy, please don't go…" Lorelai called. Lorelai took off in a spurt to try to catch her mother, but the dream abruptly ended.

Lorelai jumped from her bed, her breathing rapid and out of control. Her pillow was covered with sweat and her hair drenched. "Daddy!" She yelled in terror. "Daddy!"