She Always Takes Me Back

Chapter 6: Never Hit a Man With Your Flipping Hand

After more than a minute of with no answer at the door, Christopher was about to knock again when his cell phone rang. Crap, Mom, can't you handle Gigi for five minutes, he thought. Instead, it was Rory.

"Hey, kiddo, " he said, as he answered the phone and walked off Lorelai's porch.

"Hey, Dad, where are you?"

"Strangely enough, I'm about to stop in on your mom."

"I don't think that's a good idea. She's still really mad at you."

"Rory, this has all been a misunderstanding, and I can't fix things with your mom if I don't talk to her. She needs to know I never wanted to come between her and Luke."

"Then why did you move to Stars Hollow?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"Mom, Lane, even Andrew, who I called about a job over spring break."

"I haven't moved here. I'm just taking a break from life, and what better place than Stars Hollow?"

"Come on, Dad, you rented an apartment. I don't call that a break. I call that a move."

"I didn't sign a long-term lease or anything. It's only for six months."

"Six months? Dad, get out of there now. You are only going to cause harm."

"Don't be so dramatic. I just want to be here for Lorelai. She may need a friend right now. I haven't been there for her a lot, but now I can."

"What about Gigi?"

"What about her?"

"Who is going to take care of her while you're checking on Mom? She's already lost her mom. Don't you think she should be with you?"

"Oh, your grandmother is having a great time with her. It's a short separation. She won't even remember it."

"Dad, are you really this clueless? You have a daughter who needs you to be there. Just once, can you think of your child before yourself?"

Christopher didn't know what to say. How could his daughter think this?

"Rory, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for Gigi, but sometimes, you have to think of what you want first."

"That is the most selfish thing I have ever heard, and that says a lot considering where I go to school. If you change you mind and want to listen to reason, I'm here for you. But if you stay there, don't call me."

Rory hung up before he could reply.

Why did everyone hang up or walk away before he could have a final say? Lorelai was one the only one who let him have his say, and that is why we belong together, he thought.

He put away his phone and went back up to Lorelai's door. He knocked again on her door, this time louder.

Luke was lost. Being lost in Stars Hollow was something that had never happened to him. He was headed back to the elementary school, but instead, had been driving around aimlessly.

Why couldn't he and Lorelai communicate with each other? He had spent more than eight hours working with kids just so he could see her, and when he did, he rants at her about costumes, boats and garages when all he really wanted to do was apologize for being an ass. He could see that he had hurt her feelings again when that was not his intention.

It was just like in the store, except this time without the live audience. He didn't mean to say he couldn't be with her. All he had wanted was a little time to work through his emotions, but she pushed and pushed until he snapped.

He saw a stop sign ahead and realized he had driven toward the Dragonfly, which was in the exact opposite direction of his intended location. He'd have to drive past Lorelai's house again to get to the school.

She had said they were over, so maybe it was time for him to accept that and move on. But there was something in her eyes when he first pulled up to her house. There was hope there. She still wanted him, to be with him, but could he risk his heart knowing their future may be short-lived? Knowing it could go wrong with one sentence form another man?

"Who the hell is trying to break down my door," Lorelai yelled as she ran down the stairs, her arms full of costumes.

She ripped open the door to find a swollen, blotchy man all in black on her doorstep.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed, and started to shut the door before Christopher spoke.

"Lor, wait, it's me" he said, as he put his foot in the door. His words, however, came too late, as she slammed his foot in the door.

"Awwwwww."

"Chris? Is that you. What the hell happened? Are you okay?"

"No, dammit, I'm not okay. I think you broke my toe! Ow, ow, ow, ow."

Chris fell to the top step of his porch, and grabbed his foot.

"I was actually referring to your face. Did you get attacked by bats or something?"

"No, I had an allergic reaction to something. I'll be fine."

"You don't look fine. You look like an extra for Carnivale."

"Thanks for the encouraging words, Lor. It's good to see you still care."

"Chris, I may not think too highly of you right now, but I don't want to see you hurt. You are Rory's dad and that will always get you at least the benefit of the doubt on some things. Now, what the fuck are you doing here because I remember asking you to leave me alone."

"Come on Lor, it's been three weeks. You need to let it go."

"Let it go? Let it go? You helped my mother orchestrate a breakup between me and Luke. I'm not gonna let that go for a long time. I was happy. For the first time in a long time, I was happy and you cavalierly ruined that on the mistaken notion that we are eternally bonded together. I hate to break it to you Chris, but we're not."

"How can you say that. I mean, look at Rory…."

"What does Rory prove? All she proves is that when I have unprotected sex, I, apparently, get a freakishly smart kid. I don't remember you being there while I sacrificed everything for her."

"I would have. All you had to do was ask."

"That's the point you miss, Christopher. I shouldn't have had to ask you. You should have wanted to do it, instead of running off to California to find yourself and escape your problems."

"But if you just give us a chance, you'll see that we could still have the kind of …."

"Don't finish that sentence, Christopher or I will throw you off this porch."

"But Lor…"

"I have to get to the elementary school right now or several little girls will be very embarrassed when they have to go on stage in their underwear. Goodbye, Christopher."

Christopher got off the stair, making sure to put all his weight on his right foot and met Lorelai at the door, grabbing her by the arms.

"Lor, wait,"

"I told you to keep your hands off me, Christopher. If you touch me again, I'll…."

A voice from the yard broke the confrontation.

"Hey, get your hands off her," Luke almost growled.

"Luke, it's alright. Christopher wasn't…."

"I know exactly what he wasn't doing," Luke said, shutting his truck door and heading toward the porch. "He had his hands on you. You don't put your hands on women."

Luke grabbed Christopher by his shirt and dragged him off the porch.

"This doesn't involve you Luke," Christopher said, in a voice raised an octave.

"The hell it doesn't. No matter what has happened between us, Lorelai is still my friend, and I'll protect her from anyone who tries to hurt her."

"She doesn't need protection from me. I love her."

"A lot men say that then hurt the people they say they love."

"You're just jealous because you know in the end, I belong with her. I'm in her heart."

A lot of people would be surprised to know that Luke Danes had never punched a man before. Even with his temper, his father had taught him that fists solve nothing. But today, Luke went against his father's words and punched Christopher Hayden in the face.

Chris fell to the ground like a stone, his swollen and aching body unable to stand any more pain. Lorelai ran between them.

"Oh my God, are you crazy, Luke," she said. "You didn't have to hit him."

"Yes, I did. And if you don't know why, then maybe you should stay here with him. I have work to do."

Luke headed back to his truck, fuming with rage and his own stupidity. His hand hurt like hell and would probably start to swell soon. He knew better to get between Lorelai and Christopher. It was something he couldn't understand.

"Chris, are you okay?"

"Yeah, just peachy. Man that hurt."

Watching Luke leave again too much for Lorelai and she walked back into her house and shut the door. Despite all the drama, she was still needed elsewhere.

Christopher stayed on the ground for a few minutes until he all the feeling returned to his extremities. When he felt the shooting pain through all points of his body, he knew he'd be all right, but he was pretty sure a tooth had been knocked loose. He slowly got up and hobbled back to town.

The Stars Hollow Elementary production was a rousing success, and the townspeople enjoyed it despite the almost 25-year age difference between Tevye and Golde. One person who didn't enjoy it, however was Christopher. He sat on the far left, so he could see into the wings. See Luke and Lorelai standing together, watching the production.