Two weeks later, Richard Gilmore having just returned from a trip to Prague stopped by his daughter's home town. The Courant had announced in the surrounding areas several estate and sheriff's sale that would held in the next month. The one in Stars Hollow, for Luke's Diner was today. Richard wanted to see its process and outcome, since he had authorized Rory to spare no cost.

Richard remembered the layout of this small town well so he found the green and the municipal parking lot with relative ease.

Chairs were set up on the green around the gazebo, all facing the diner property. The sheriff was there along with most of the population of Stars Hollow. Richard saw everyone he'd met at Rory's various parties over the last few years, but he didn't see Rory or Lorelai. If they weren't there, they'd be very glad that he was.

"Well, hey there, Sugar," Babette greeted him. "You here to see the sale? We've all got a bet that Taylor is going to buy it to expand the soda shop. It's really sad what happened, we tried to buy it back but none of us had enough money to spare for that. Aren't you Lorelai's father?"

Richard was always amazed at how fast Babette could speak and how much ground she could cover in between breaths. He focused her last query, "Yes, I'm Richard Gilmore."

Babette raised her eyebrow at him and moved to talk to Miss Patty while Richard found a seat and waited for the auction to begin, all the while keeping his eyes pealed for his granddaughter.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," the county sheriff greeted. "We are gathered here today to auction and recover losses made by the proprietor of Luke's Diner, one Lucas William Danes to the Benton County Savings and Loan Corporation," he announced. "The building is two stories high, 4500 sq. feet and is on a valuable corner lot on Stars Hollow's main thoroughfare. Let us start the bidding at $200,000."

"Two hundred thousand dollars," Taylor bid.

"We have two hundred thousand dollars, two hundred thousand. Do I hear two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars?" the auctioneer asked.

"Two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars," Miss Patty bid.

"We have two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars from the lady in purple," the auctioneer announced.

"Two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars; let's hear two hundred fifty thousand dollars. That's quite a steal for this piece of property."

"Two hundred fifty thousand," Taylor bid with a smirk on his face.

"We have two hundred fifty thousand dollars, two hundred fifty thousand dollars the bid now. Do I hear three hundred thousand dollars?"

"Three hundred thousand," Jackson bid, much to Sookie's surprise.

"Three hundred thousand from the man down front," was called out. "Three hundred thousand on the table now; anyone for three hundred twenty-five thousand dollars?"

"Three hundred twenty-five thousand," Taylor bid.

Sookie looked at Jackson who offered another bid before the auctioneer could call out another amount, "Three hundred seventy-five thousand."

The town had considered Jess' speech a few weeks prior and realized he was right. Whether they liked him or not, Luke was a son of Stars Hollow; they should pull together to keep him from being pulled apart. They agreed that night to drive up the bidding so Taylor couldn't afford it so they as a town could buy the building for Luke and offer it to him along with heartfelt apologies. The problem was between all the residents, they were only able to raise $600,000. There was no telling how much money Taylor had access to.

"I'm hearing three hundred seventy-five thousand dollars. Let's hear four hundred thousand…"

While the bidding continued fiercely and hotly contested in Stars Hollow, Rory and Jess debated just as fiercely in a Hartford hospital room.

"No," Rory declared. "I can't support that. It's too dangerous."

"How is it dangerous? I can't end up any worse off than I am now?" Jess argued.

"You could end up dead," Rory spat. "Or get some terrible infection like this last time. Look at this time, you ended up getting a pressure sore, which got infected, and here we are."

"Rory, this is a chance to walk again, my only chance. I'd be a fool not to seize that," Jess told her passionately. "I can't believe you would deny me that."

That stopped Rory dead in her tracks. "I don't want to deny you that. I just want you to be safe, and another surgery," Rory shook her head. "I just think we need to consider all the facts before the decision is made."

"All the facts?" This is all the fact. If this surgery works, I walk again, and have a chance at a normal life," Jess projected.

Rory was silent. She knew how much Jess wanted that, she wanted it for him, but the risk of this surgery was just too high. "Is it really…what I mean is the benefit really worth the risk?"

Jess could see where Rory was coming from, he truly could. She was afraid for him, afraid the procedure would fail, and afraid that the loss of hope would cause a break in is fragile grip on his situation. She also feared physical ramification, but clearly she was more concerned about psychological ones. He tried to be sensitive to that.

He took her hands in his, "Rory, I know that you mean well here. I know you don't want me to get false hope, but you need to understand that I can't accept this until I've tried everything."

"Jess," Rory sighed. "There's nothing. I want more than for you to walk again, because you want it so much. But there is no reason to…this is not coming out right."

"I'm no good to you like this," Jess declared. "I'm dependent on you, on Luke, and this operation is a chance for that not to be true. You've both given up so much because of this."

Rory had to collect her thoughts. She could see Jess was becoming upset, that he was very clearly misunderstanding her motives.

"We love you, Jess," Rory explained. "Yale doesn't matter to me if I have you. The diner doesn't mean as much to Luke as you do. You don't have to go through a long, risky operation that may not work because of us, and I know Luke feels the same way. We are willing to make those sacrifices."

"But you shouldn't have to, Rory! Love should not equal sacrifice. It should not be a reason for you not reaching your goal or for Uncle Luke losing the diner. I should not be your excuse!" Jess argued.

"My excuse? What does that mean?" Rory was confused. Jess did this a lot, he turned things around to make them about her, when they were not at all about her.

"I don't know," Jess admitted. "I just…I know the Ivy League was your dream. If I get in the way of that you'll eventually resent me for it."

Rory shook her head. "I could never resent you, Jess. This is my decision."

"Exactly, and this operation is mine." Rory proved his point for him. "It is my body, my risk."

"It's a risk that impacts me," Rory countered. "If something happened to you…" She left the thought unfinished. "I just think this is incredibly selfish."

"Selfish!" Jess' voice rose up a notch. "I want to walk again for you, be a normal whole man again for you. The only reason I'm alive is for you!" Jess shouted. "Everything I do every day is for you. I wouldn't have even bothered if not because I want to be better for you!"

"I never asked for that!" Rory countered. "You don't need to be anything for me or do anything for me! I never asked for that!"

"You're not listening to a word I said, are you?" Jess asked.

"Yes, I'm listening and I'm hearing you telling me you put yourself through these false notions of recovery, brutal therapies, hard and risky surgery because of me!" Rory confirmed. "I'm saying that you don't have to do that. I'm content to the way things are."

"You're content with this," he motioned to his legs. "You'd be happy spending your life with this."

"I want to spend my life with you," Rory said. "I don't care about your legs."

"I care, Rory. I cannot live my life knowing I didn't take every option. I would not ask that of you, don't ask it of me," Jess sighed.

"I'm only asking you to think with your head for a change, Jess," Rory pointed out.

"I always do," he protested.

"You never do," Rory countered. "You never in three years have used your head. You always go on a lark Jess. Always. You can't do that."

"Better that than what you do," he said very softly.

"What does that mean?" Rory asked pain evident in her voice and in her manner.

"It means you don't feel, Rory. I may be the one whose legs are paralyzied but you don't feel," Jess explained.

"Well, for someone who doesn't feel that hurt," Rory said, voice edged with tears.

"All I'm saying is not everything can be analyzed or reasoned out," Jess clarified. "Not everything should be. You don't want me to have this surgery because your head says its too dangerous, but what does your heart say?"

There was silence for a whole minute before Rory could physically answer, "It says that I couldn't stand the pain of losing you," Rory answered then took a ragged breath. "You do what you need to do, Jess. But don't ask me to stand by and watch you!" With that Rory left nearly knocking Luke over as she made a hasty exit.

Lorelai parked the Jeep behind the diner for the last time. Her passengers, Lucy and Kevin Kinkirk sat and observed the goings on in the square. Lucy was young, perhaps in her early twenties, attractive and fair. Kevin was older, in his later twenties, but was also fair haired and skinned with an impressive build. Even his legs were well defined. Jess' legs had thinned unbelievably since the accident.

"Well, here we are," Lorelai smiled. "Welcome to Stars Hollow."

"This is a really lovely place, Ms. Gilmore," Lucy complemented. "What's going on in the square?"

Lorelai sighed. "A sheriff's sale for the diner," Lorelai replied. "This injury really bled Luke's money."

Kevin nodded. "We never had that concern because this was an on the job injury, but I know it can add up."

"Luke mortgaged the diner to pay for the medical bills and then he couldn't keep up with the payments because business fell off," Lorelai sighed. "I'm almost glad he's at the hospital seeing Jess, so he doesn't have to see this."

Lucy followed Lorelai around to the rear of the Jeep and helped her bring down Kevin's wheelchair. "So when can we meet Rory and Jess? Matt made them sound very interesting."

Lorelai nodded. "Jess should be getting out of the hospital tomorrow. How about lunch? It would give you and Kevin time to settle in."

Lucy smiled and wheeled Kevin's chair around to help him get out of the car, "That work for you?"

Kevin didn't reply as he tried to get from the Jeep to his wheelchair. Once settled he replied, "Sure. Which one do I get?"

"That's up to you," Lorelai replied. "The problem essentially is Rory and Jess can't talk to each without fighting, and that's kind of cute, but they can go anywhere at all like this. Matt said this happens, and that maybe you could help us deal with it. That and I think he wanted to see his sister."

The couple nodded, "Say no more," Kevin sighed. "I'll talk to Rory. Lucy you can take Jess."

Lorelai smiled at the easy flow of communication between this young couple. That's what existed for the most part between she and Luke and what had existed between Rory and Jess. Perhaps Lucy and Kevin could help them find it again.

A loud cheer rising up from the crowd in front of the diner broke Lorelai's musing, "What's going on?" Kevin asked.

"Someone must have bought the diner," Lorelai sighed. "Come on. I'll introduce you to some people."

Kevin and Lucy followed Lorelai to the front of the diner, where she saw her father next to the sheriff.

"Whose that?" Lucy asked. "Is that the guy you were telling us about?"

"No," Lorelai replied. "That's my father."

Lorelai approached Richard as he descended the podium. "How…Why?" she asked with tears in her eyes, her mind falling to the usual perception that her parents acted against her.

"For you, Lorelai," Richard replied. It went over her head.

"What could you want with a diner? I don't understand…"

Richard sighed. "Lorelai, I bought this for you. Jess and Rory were supposed to but they aren't here."

"I don't understand," Lorelai sighed. "What do you mean Jess and Rory were supposed to be here? How could they have…?"

"They asked us for a loan to buy the diner to keep it in the family. They weren't here so I bid my money against some other guy with an annoying voice and a beard," Richard explained remembering the intense bidding war he was just engaged in.

Lorelai was struck dumb. Rory and Jess too had gone behind her back and asked for her parents for money to save the diner. Lorelai contemplated doing that repeatedly but thoughts of Luke's pride and fear of her parents ridicule stopped her. They had come through though and the diner would be safe.

Richard was shocked as Lorelai let out a joyful yelp. She through her arms around him and hugged her father, "Thank you Daddy. We'll pay you back, every cent," Lorelai promised.

Richard gave her a quick squeeze in return, "Don't worry about reimbursement," he told her. "Where are Rory and Jess? That boy was determined and he's not…"

Lorelai nodded. "Didn't Mom tell you? Jess had surgery, he won't be out of the hospital until tomorrow."

Richard nodded. Emily hadn't told him, he and Emily didn't speak since they separated. Of course, Lorelai and Rory didn't have that information. He changed the subject, "And who are these fine people?"

"Ah," Lorelai smiled remembering her guests. "This is Lucy and Kevin Kinkirk, Dr. Camden's family."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Kinkirk, Mr. Kinkirk. I'm Richard Gilmore, Lorelai's father." He shook hands. "I must be going now, it was lovely to meet you."

As Richard walked away, Lorelai called out. "Dad!" He stopped and turned around. "Thank you."

"We'll deal with particulars at out next dinner. I hope to see all four of you there," he smiled.

Lorelai nodded, "You will."

Next: Jess comes home from the hospital. Rory confesses her pain to Luke. Kevin and Lucy advise the couple. Luke and Jess discuss the next "step." Stars Hollow begins the payback.