AN: So this is the final chapter I just want to say that it's been great. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed even the anonymous ones. Thanks to anyone else who is just reading through for the first time. Look for a new story up next week.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls
Chapter 33: Things Will Get Better
"Are you sure you're going to be alright tonight?" Lorelai asked very concerned for her daughter.
"Mom, I'm going to be fine don't worry I doubt Mrs. Kim will let anything happen to me" Rory said more to reassure herself then her mother.
"If you're sure, so I'll drop you off at Lanes then I'll head to Luke's" Lorelai said a little uneasy.
Rory just nodded before she went to her room to finish getting ready.
Meanwhile at Luke's, Luke was just finishing getting ready.
"Alright, Caesars downstairs so just don't burn the place down" Luke said.
"Alright so playing with matches is out then?" Jess asked sarcastically.
"Just be good" Luke said.
"Just have fine and be home by eleven or else no going out next weekend" Jess said.
Luke mumbled something before he went to finish getting ready.
"So I'll see you later tonight" Lorelai said.
"Yeah" Rory said walking up to Lanes.
Rory walked in to find Mrs. Kim trying to haggle with someone.
"Fine I'll give you 600 dollars for the chair" the man said.
"Deal" Mrs. Kim said.
"Rory, you've been gone" Mrs. Kim said sternly.
"Yeah, I was visiting my real dad" Rory said nervously.
"That's good, you should visit him more often, where is Max I haven't seen him around" Mrs. Kim said.
"Things didn't work out between my mom and Max" Rory answered.
"I'm sorry" Mrs. Kim said.
"Well, I'll be going upstairs" Rory said wanting to get away from Mrs. Kim.
Rory walked upstairs to find Lane sitting in her room studying.
"Hey Lane" Rory said.
"Hey good to see you again" Lane said.
"So how've you been?" Rory asked.
"I've been good, how've you been, I heard about what happened at Luke's" Lane said.
"I'm doing good, Kirk just freaked me out" Rory said biting her lip.
Lane noticed that Rory was about to break down so she changed the subject.
"So your mom is going on a date with Luke" Lane said.
"Yeah, she is" Rory responded.
"Is that good?" Lane asked.
"I guess so I mean my mom deserves some happiness, and Luke does love my mom" Rory said slowly getting angry.
"Is something wrong?" Lane asked.
"I don't know, I mean what if my mom and Luke get married" Rory said.
"Isn't that moving a little bit fast?" Lane asked.
"No, I mean eventually" Rory said.
"Would that be bad?" Lane asked not really sure where Rory was going with this.
"It's just…, what if…, I'm just w-w-worried" Rory said her body shaking.
"About what?" Lane asked unsure if she should push her or not.
"What if Luke hurts me" Rory blurted out.
"What did you say?" Lane asked being sure she heard Rory right.
"I'm just worried that what if Luke and my mom get serious and Luke starts hurting me" Rory said.
"Rory, Luke would never do that" Lane said firmly.
"I know but I'm just worried" Rory said as she tried not to cry.
"Why do you think Luke would do that?" Lane asked.
"It's just Max seemed great at first but then he started to hurt me and what if Luke does that same" Rory said openly crying now.
"Rory how long have you known Luke?" Lane asked carefully.
"Since he opened the diner" Rory said.
"Has Luke ever hurt you before?" Lane asked.
"No" Rory said.
"And who was the first adult you went to?" Lane asked.
"Luke" Rory said.
"So does anything in your history with Luke say that Luke would hurt you?" Lane asked.
"No" Rory said.
"So don't worry, if your mom and Luke do get married it won't be for a while and even if they do Luke would never hurt you" Lane said.
"I know that I just can't get these feelings out of my head" Rory said.
Lane stayed quiet for a moment not sure what to say.
"So I met this guy" Lane said changing the subject.
"What's he like?" Rory asked very interested.
"Well his name's Dave…" Lane started.
After dropping Rory off at Lane's Lorelai went over to Luke's.
"You ready to go?" Lorelai asked when she saw him.
"I'm ready" Luke said grabbing his keys and leading her out to his car.
"So where are you taking me?" Lorelai asked.
"Just this little place I know" Luke said.
About a half an hour later they were outside Sniffy's Tavern.
"How do you know this place?" Lorelai asked.
"I know the owners" Luke answered.
"Lucas how nice to see you and who is this?" Maisy asked.
"Hey, this is Lorelai" Luke answered.
"Alright so a table for two and two beers" Maisy said.
"That sounds fine" Luke said.
"So how do you know her?" Lorelai asked once they sat down.
"She's kind of like an aunt, she went to school with my mom" Luke answered.
"So what's good here?" Lorelai asked changing the subject.
"Doesn't matter everything's good here" Luke answered.
"So tell me what kind of man was Luke Danes before I knew him" Lorelai said.
"Well, I used to run… track" Luke admitted.
"No way you used to be a jock" Lorelai said.
"I wasn't a jock, I just ran a lot" Luke said.
"Still I like that in a man so if I need someone to run to the market he could do it" Lorelai said. This caused Luke to blush.
"So anything else behind I need to know about you?" Lorelai asked.
"Really nothing, everything you need to know about me is in the diner" Luke said.
After they both ordered they got back to talking.
"So what should I know about you?" Luke asked.
"Well I think you know everything about me" Lorelai said.
"Well you do put everything up front" Luke said.
"Do you think I should call Rory?" Lorelai asked.
"Might not be a bad idea" Luke said.
"Alright I'll be back in a second" Lorelai said taking out her cell phone.
Lorelai called Rory, the phone rang twice before she answered.
"Hey are you alright?" Lorelai asked.
"I'm fine, Lane and I are going for a walk" Rory said.
"Alright" Lorelai said.
"Is your date going alright?" Rory asked.
"It's going great I just had to check up on you" Lorelai said.
"Alright, I love you, bye" Rory said.
"Love you too, bye" Lorelai said, before going back to her dinner with Luke.
About an hour later Rory and Lane had convinced Mrs. Kim to let them walk around Stars Hollow when they ran into Dean.
"Hey, Rory" Dean said stammering a little.
"Hey" Rory said a little nervous, she hadn't really talked to Dean since they had broken up.
"So where've you been?" Dean asked.
"I've been visiting my real dad" Rory answered.
"Listen Rory I was thinking that maybe we could get back together" Dean said.
"What?" Rory asked.
"I want to be with you Rory" Dean said.
"Well too bad Dean because I don't want to be with you" Rory said firmly even though inside she was afraid inside.
"Please Rory I need you" Dean said getting angry.
"Leave her alone Dean" Lane said.
"No, please Rory just give us another chance" Dean said getting very angry.
"No, Dean I can't deal with a boyfriend right now" Rory said.
Suddenly Dean grabbed Rory.
"No Rory date me!" Dean screamed.
That was about all Rory could take before she started breaking down, crying.
"Please, Dean let me go" Rory said in a small voice.
Lane started yelling and trying to attack Dean but it was to no avail.
"Let her go!" Luke screamed running over to Dean.
'Damn you Dean' Lorelai thought as she tried to catch up with Luke.
While Dean was shocked to see Luke coming towards him, Rory was able to get away and to her mom.
"Listen Dean you are going to leave Rory alone and if you ever come near her again I'll rip your head off!" Luke screamed.
This caught the attention of the entire town.
Dean decided that he should just leave because he was really afraid of Luke.
"I'm going to take Rory home" Lorelai said.
"I'll give you a ride, you don't need the town talking to you" Luke said.
Lorelai just nodded.
Rory had calmed down by the time they had gotten to the truck.
'He really does care' Rory thought as he took them home.
They finally arrived at the Gilmore's house.
"I'll call you tomorrow" Lorelai said.
Luke just nodded and left.
"What happened?" Lorelai asked once they got inside.
"I was just walking and then Dean came up to me, he wanted to get back together, I said no, and he hurt me" Rory sobbed.
"I'm so sorry honey" Lorelai said soothing her daughter.
"It wasn't your fault" Rory said.
"Well are you sure you're alright?" Lorelai asked.
"So how was your date?" Rory asked.
"It was great" Lorelai said.
"How was Luke?" Rory asked.
"He was amazing I actually saw a romantic side of him" Lorelai said.
"Mom" Rory said.
"Yeah" Lorelai said.
"I really like Luke" Rory responded.
"I do too" Lorelai said.
"I was scared of Luke" Rory said.
"Why?" Lorelai asked very confused.
"I was afraid he would be like Max but I'm not scared any more" Rory said.
"Once again, why?" Lorelai asked.
"Because by scaring Dean he proved to me that he would never hurt me" Rory said.
"I'm glad you think that" Lorelai said.
"I'm going to sleep" Rory said getting up and going to bed.
Lorelai sat there for a minute just thinking. 'She's getting better; there will be some hard roads to go down, especially since the down will know after what happened but she's going to make it' she thought.
Lorelai got up and looked around her house. She felt tears come to her eyes as she thought of everything that had happened during the past year. The thought of Max betraying her still hurt.
The only thing Lorelai could think of throughout the entire ordeal after she found out what Max had done was that things would get better. "Things are better, and they will continue to get better" Lorelai whispered to herself before checking on Rory and going to bed for the night.
THE END
