I got sooooo stuck on this chapter and it was almost impossible to get started. I hope you like it I'm not sure how many more chapters I can do because once everyone is happy it might get a bit boring lol but ch9 will be along shortly! The Party….the 1 I have been waiting for and it should be fun to write.

By the way I hope you like the cliffhanger….hee hee I like writing them but I hate reading them.

Review review review please….thank you

What did I say yes? I could have said anything……I'm washing my hair...no that doesn't really work…doctors appointment…that one could have been possible. She had been lying in bed now for at least two hours mentally kicking herself for agreeing to go back to Stars Hollow. She spent a further hour trying to think of remotely plausible excuse for not going. Then came to the rather sensible conclusion that she was being stupid and childish to even thing that she could get out of it, she would just have to swallow her fears and get on with it.

She had three days until she had to go back to Stars Hollow and it wasn't exactly like she was counting down the hours until she had to go back but she was looking forward to it, in an absolutely terrified kind of way. She was going to see Luke again and the thought was utterly petrifying.

She was still lying in bed trying to relax enough to drift into a restless sleep when she saw the light from the hall seep in through the now open door. She lifted her head enough to see Libby standing by the door rubbing her eyes sleepily. "You can't sleep to huh?" without answering the more than obvious question that her mother had asked Libby ran to the bed and with a small giggle leaped onto the bed next to her mother.

Libby was happily playing with her mother's hair when Lorelai felt that this was probably a good time to explain where they were going. "Libby? Would you like it if we went to Daveys birthday party in a few days?" the question was obviously something that Libby was excited about as she almost jumped on Lorelais head with excitement. "I'm guessing that's a yes?"

"PARTY….new dress" Lorelai laughed at how much her daughter was like her but knew that she had to try and explain to Libby that she were going to meet her dad for the first time. "There's something else I need to explain to you. Were going to meet someone while were at the party and I haven't seen him and a while and well…were going to meet your dad and possibly your sister…I'm not to sure if she's going to be there Sookie didn't say. Then there's the entire town that are going to want to meet you ….maybe this wasn't such a good idea." The last part of her confession wasn't really directed towards Libby she was mainly trying to convince herself she didn't have to go.

"No mommy want to go party." Lorelai realised that if she didn't go it wouldn't just affect her but also Libby, its time I start putting my life back together. "Ok sweetie we can go"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It shouldn't be this painful to go back, I'm doing this for Libby and that's all…..oh come on admit part of you wants to see what Luke looks like and how he's doing after all these years. But what if he's married…oh my god what if he has other children. No matter how long it's been since I saw him he's still my Luke and that won't have changed.

No matter how much she debated with herself about what she should do or what was going to happen when she saw Luke again she couldn't change anything now, she was only half an hour from Stars hollow. She decided to take her mind of Luke and turn her attention back to Libby who as joyfully singing along to Aerosmith on the radio

"Hun you know that listening to Stephen Tyler this much is probably going to have a serious effect on you when you're older" looking at Libby in the back seat of her car through the rear view mirror she couldn't help but smile. There was her two year old sitting in a bright yellow car seat happily swaying and loudly murmuring along to 'Dude Looks Like a Lady' on Lorelais road trip CD. It wasn't long before she passed the sign for Stars Hollow and she felt the wave of terror that passed over her as she passed the sign. It wasn't a big surprise that the town hadn't changed since she had left but it was as thought she had only left five minutes ago. Taking a beep breath and slowly expelling it she said the one thing she was thinking at that moment "home"

She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do, the party wasn't until about four and it was only just twelve in the afternoon. She didn't want to impose on Sookie as she was probably stressed enough as it is. She parked in the centre of town and got out of the car and went around to Libby's side or the car to get her out. She knew what Gilmore's were like on road trips and had completely forgotten how much junk food she had given Libby to keep her remotely occupied during the trip. It wasn't long before Libby was detached from her car seat and Lorelai placed her on the pavement next to the car while she grabbed her bag from the backseat. Her back couldn't have been turned for more than 30 seconds but apparently it was more than enough time for a sugar loaded two year old to runaway from her mother.

It was probably the last thing that Lorelai needed today and adding to the stress she was already feeling she felt as though she was going to throw up. A single voice of reason entered her mind as she realised that this was Stars Hollow, she was perfectly safe. Then try telling that to the woman who was very convincingly pulling off her audition for 'Girl, Interrupted' fully expecting the nice men in white suits to be lurking around the corner.

Although she knew the town like the back of her hand she couldn't even think about the first place to look. "LIBBY" she ran panic stricken around the car to discover no sign of her daughter. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she thought it was going to explode, so this is a heart attack. She was frozen in place standing in the middle of the square trying to calm herself down long enough to think about what she should do. "LIBBY…..please" the tears began to fall and she couldn't think let alone move, if something happened to her she would have nothing left to live for. "Libby" she began to move back towards her car when she hared someone behind her. "Can I help you?" she turned around to see Babette standing there looking as though a feather would knock her over. The thought that Babette might tell the whole town she was back didn't seem to even cross her mind all she wanted was to hold her little girl again.

"Please I can't find my little girl!" the look Lorelai got back was one of pure shock and utter confusion.

"Well sugar I'm not sure where Ror…" Lorelai cut her off seeing no reason why Babette was being to unreasonable.

"NO….no you don't understand Libby….I can't find my daughter" she couldn't stand in one place she kept looking around in circles looking franticly for Libby, to no avail.

Since she had lost Libby she calmed down enough to listen to her surroundings, it was then that she heard it. It sounds like heaven and possibly the best thing Lorelai had ever heard. And it was the first and last time she was ever going to say that. With out saying another word she ran towards Weston's and towards the noise that was almost like a life line to her.

It wasn't long before she rounded the corner and she saw the most wonderful sight she had seen in a long time. There standing against the wall was Libby. She was screaming and crying for what could have been hours but in reality was probably only a few seconds. The tears were still falling down Lorelais cheeks but this time out of pure joy.

At the sight of her mother Libby ran towards Lorelai and the pair were soon embraced in a loving hug. "don't you ever run away from me again….you scared mommy to death" Through the sobs and wails that were still coming from Libby Lorelai could hear her faint calls to Lorelai as she gently soothed her daughter until she was asleep. Reluctantly moving out of the space next to Weston's Lorelai could see Babette still looking shell shocked standing exactly where she was when Lorelai ran off.

She knew that a long explanation was forth coming and she wasn't exactly looking forward to it. "Babette I'm sorry for how I reacted…I was just worried" she offered her a small smile hoping that she might just leave her homecoming alone, just for once.

"Its ok sugar you don't have to explain anything. So how long are you back in town for?"

"listen Babette I was wondering if maybe you could not tell anyone that I'm back, it's a surprise for Daveys birthday party….you are going right?" it was a stupid question and the hope that Babette wasn't going to say anything was a small one, but its better to ask.

"Of course I'm going Hun and don't you worry I wont mention it to anyone it will be a nice surprise for everyone when you show up." Lorelai was almost certain that she was having a heart attack but she hid it well enough until she was back in her car and heading towards her old house.

Once everything was settled and Libby was safely situated in Lorelais old room she decided to take a nap before the party. I have definitely had more than my fair share of shocks for today. Once she was situated on the couch it wasn't long until she was almost asleep when she heard a slight knock on the front door. The all to familiar feeling of panic ran through her and she grudgingly pulled herself of the couch and walked towards the front door.

There was a slight moment of hesitation before Lorelai swung the door open to see one person she could honestly say she was happy to see, that was the first and last time she would ever say that too.