Notes: okay so I'm loving all of you reviewers so much, like a $2 whore. And in honor of my 30th chapter (wow that's a lot), I'll thank my 29th chapter reviewers individually. So excited for another new episode tonight, have a Gilmorey Day!
chmelms - yeah I really tried to get the 'how do I deal with everything at once' thinking for Lorelai. thanks for the compliments!
hollywoodgrl - thanks for reviewing almost every chapter, you know I gotta make it dramatic!
Javamaniac - the idea that it's not Jess's fault will be dealt with, probably not immediately, but eventually
LorLukealways - you gotta remember last time Luke sent Jess away it was because Lorelai yelled at him, and this is so much bigger. yeah it's not Jess's fault but that's not the first thing on Luke's mind right now.
aries-chica56 - yeah I think you had to figure that Rory would find out but I'm glad you liked the way I had it happensarahb2007 - thanks for the review, glad you're liking the story
roywthepoodles - oh my God, your review totally cracked me up. glad you're liking the story so much!
Ronata - I love your reviews, I wait for them every chapter! Your review will be answered in the next few chapters!
sugary sweet - Thanks for the compliments! For an answer to your review, I recommend this chapter.
Robinpoppins - Jess was going to have to leave anyways, per Rory's regular storyline I just changed the reasoning a bit, but I think Luke might eventually reconsider where he stands on the Jess issue
Gymtig - Drama is always best, I find it easier to write sometimes than comedy. Thanks for the review!
GGRox07 - I think I get more into the characters with each passing chapter. I think it can only get better because I can understand the characters better.
pixiechick12 - So glad to hear that I got you addicted. I'm glad you're liking the story, hope you keep reading and reviewing. I actually wish I had taped the last episode so I could laugh at all those jokes again.
Gilmore Mansion
Lorelai stands in front of the large front door, her hands shoved in the pockets of her coat. She's reminded of a day, just a few years ago, when she showed up under similar circumstances. That had ended well. She isn't sure that time will be the same. Finally, she reaches out and rings the doorbell. Emily opens the door.
"Lorelai," Emily says surprised. Lorelai shakes her head, amazed that Emily didn't think she would come.
"Mom. Is she upstairs?" Lorelai asks, not even feeling that proper nouns are necessary in this case.
"Yes, she's in her room."
"Her room is in Stars Hallow," Lorelai says obstinately. She stares up at Emily with a cross expression on her face and Emily relents.
"The room she uses here," Emily corrects herself against her will. Lorelai nods. She walks past Emily inside the house. "I don't think she wants to see you." Lorelai flips around glaring at Emily.
"What do you know about what she wants?" Lorelai spits out.
"Don't take that tone with me Lorelai, I'm not the reason she came running here," Emily says calmly.
"I am not the reason either," Lorelai responds slowly and clearly. Emily doesn't look at all like she believes her daughter but closes the door. "Now, I'm going upstairs to talk to my daughter."
"Lorelai," Richard says walking out of the parlor. "Why don't you come in here and tell us what happened? Rory will come down when she's ready." Lorelai glances from Emily to Richard, deciding what would be best. Should she take the risk of distancing herself from Rory in order to keep her parents from starting another huge fight? Finally she gives in.
"Fine." She walks past Emily, not even bothering to take her coat off. They walk into the living parlor. Lorelai sits on the couch and Emily and Richard sit on the other couch facing her.
"Would you like something to drink?" Emily asks. Lorelai sends her a testy look that says it all. "Okay. Then why don't you tell us what happened." Suddenly Lorelai looks tense, like she wants to get up and run, but she knows that Emily and Richard will find out eventually and it would be best to hear it from her. Lorelai forces a smile in her face, trying to keep things light.
"So, you remember the car crash?" Emily nods. She doesn't respond, knowing that Lorelai will just go off on a tangent if interrupted. Lorelai sighs, realizing that her parents aren't going to help her out. "Well." She swallows. "When we were stuck in the car, not knowing if we would be saved, I – Luke – we – we slept together." Lorelai swallows, but realizes Emily's and Richard's expressions haven't changed. Lorelai bites her lower lip but goes on. "Afterwards, in the hospital, I told Luke that I was going to stay with Christopher, mostly because Rory wanted Chris and I together, and I guess Jess overheard."
"Rory's boyfriend?" Emily asks. Lorelai nods. Emily purses her lips, disappointed. Whether in Lorelai or Jess, Lorelai really can't tell.
"There's more."
"More than you cheating on Rory's father and her boyfriend knowing about it?" Richard asks, disappointment in his voice. Lorelai nods, seeing her father becoming angry, although trying not to notice. "Continue." He motions.
"Well." She clears her throat, trying not to see the disapproving looks from her parents. "When Jess told me he knew, we made a deal, I would stay away from Luke and in exchange he wouldn't tell anyone."
"You mean he wouldn't tell Rory?" Richard asks. Lorelai nods, trying not to see the disappointment on her father's face.
"And Chris, at least I thought," Lorelai answers. Emily and Richard exchange a look.
"But he did tell Christopher," Emily figures out. Lorelai nods. "And did he tell Rory?" Lorelai shakes her head. "I see." Emily sits back, folding her arms over her chest.
"There's more."
"Lorelai! How much trouble did you get yourself in!" Emily finally screeches. Lorelai looks down at the ground.
"Do you want to hear it?" Lorelai asks softly.
"Yes, we want the complete story," Richard says. Lorelai looks up at her father's no muss, no fuss expression. She glances away, trying to gather her thoughts and notices Rory on the stairs, having heard Emily's screech. Lorelai looks up at the ceiling, hoping she can just get through the next few minutes, and then looks back at Emily and Richard.
"When I got to Chris's house that night, when he didn't show up to Friday Night Dinner, he was drunk, really drunk, so drunk he didn't really know what he was doing. And he got mad and...hit me," Lorelai says, choking out the last words.
"He hit you?" Emily asks, breathlessly. Lorelai isn't sure if Emily believes her or not, and so she decides that she has to tell the story in full.
"He yelled at me. He ripped the ring off my finger. He – he grabbed my arms," Lorelai tells them slowly in a soft and shaky voice. Lorelai softly rubs her upper arms, still feeling Chris's fingers there. "And he shook me, yelling at me to tell him the truth. And when – when I did he – he slapped me." Lorelai looks down at the ground. Emily gasps. Lorelai knows she must continue though, it seems almost therapeutic to actually retell the whole story. "When I insisted it was a mistake he grabbed me by the throat against the wall until I couldn't breathe." Lorelai lightly touches her throat. Her eyes are closed in pain. She swallows, vowing to finish this story for the last time. "When – when he finally let go – he slapped me again." Lorelai opens her eyes, staring at nothing, as if reliving the whole sequence of events.
"And he stopped?" Richard asks, his voice full of emotions Lorelai never knew he had. Lorelai nods, looking up and meeting Emily's eyes.
"Yes. Because I grabbed his arm and told him never to touch me again," Lorelai finishes strongly, but still trembling. They hear a sob from the stairs and everyone looks over to see Rory there. Lorelai and Rory share a lingering look, full of emotion and sadness and pain. "He doesn't really remember it at all," Lorelai finishes, more for Rory's sake than anyone else's.
Rory stands and walks down the rest of the stairs into the doorway of the living room, her arms wrapped around her stomach, tears running down her cheeks. "It was my fault," she whispers. Lorelai stands.
"What? No," Lorelai responds. She walks quickly over to Rory, pulling her daughter into her arms. "No, Hun." Lorelai kisses the side of Rory's head, holding her daughter tight.
"I was the one who told you to stay with him. I was the reason you stayed with him and not Luke," Rory insists, looking up into her mother's teary eyes.
"No," Lorelai insists. "It was my fault and Luke's and Chris's and Jess's. But not yours, not yours." She pulls Rory's face to her shoulder as the young girl cries. Lorelai lets herself cry too, softly into Rory's hair.
"It was my fault too," Lorelai hears behind her. She glances over her shoulder, still holding Rory, to see Emily standing and looking at them. Richard is still sitting down, his face in his hands as if he still can't comprehand Lorelai's story.
"What?" Lorelai whispers. She can almost see tears in her mother's eyes.
"It's my fault. You're my daughter and I was supposed to protect you. Before anything else, that was my job," Emily says. Lorelai chokes back a sob, having never heard her mother express anything like this before in her life.
"Mom, I…"
"I just want to say that I'm sorry," Emily says. Lorelai nods. They share a look. Lorelai finally tears her eyes away from Emily and looks down at Rory, who has crumbled into her.
"Thank you, Mom. I'm going to take her home now," Lorelai decides. She glances back at Emily who nods. They both take a deep breath feeling that the second Lorelai leaves, this moment between them will be over. Both wishing that it didn't take such a tragic event to warm their relationship. "We'll see you on Friday." Rory breaks away from Lorelai, wiping her eyes. They each leave an arm wrapped around the other.
"Yeah, we'll see you Friday," Rory adds. Lorelai rubs Rory's arm. Emily nods.
"We'll see you then," Emily says quietly. Then Emily watches as Lorelai and Rory walk out, still arm and arm. "I'm still so sorry Lorelai, but you'll never know," she whispers.