1Sookie offered to let Lisa come to her place to bathe and rest, but Lisa was wary. She didn't want to leave the warm familiarity of the diner. Lorelai gently argued Sookie's case, saying that Luke's small one-bedroom apartment held only a minuscule hostel-style shower and an uncomfortable bed. She sold Lisa with the idea of cherry pie.

"I'll fix you up a slice and some coffee, and when you're done you can head on down the street with Sookie," Lorelai offered coyly.

"Okay," Lisa nodded. "We need to talk anyway."

Slight worry crossed Lorelai's feminine features but she just bobbed her head briefly and hobbled awkwardly behind the counter. Sookie stood to help her.

The stiff, rich-looking elderly redhead stood angrily by the stairs. Lisa stood on aching and stinging legs and walked over, hand extended.

"Lisa Reisert," she offered shyly. "I'm good friends with your daughter and granddaughter."

"Emily Gilmore." The woman's face turned, if possible, even colder.

"Pleasure to-"

"This is all your fault," Emily hissed suddenly. "You're the selfish little girl who brought that monster up here, who influenced that boy to kidnap Rory! Its all your fault!"

Lisa felt tears brimming in her eyes. She wished that she could argue, but the truth of the matter was that she believed her. She had pushed the guilt to the farthest, dustiest corner of her mind, but there was no point denying it any longer.

"I-I don't-" Lisa bit her lip. "I didn't...mean to..."

Lorelai stepped out from the pantry and eyed the scene unfolding. With one look at Lisa's face, she instantly turned beet-red and twisted to face Emily.

"What. Did. You. Do," she barked to her mother. Emily haughtily stuck her nose in the air.

"No, Lorelai," Lisa looked away. "She's right. It is my fault. I should've been more careful, I-"

"Get out!" Lorelai screamed at her mother.

"I most certainly will not!" Emily screeched back. "I have just as much right as-"

"No, you don't. All you've done is cause trouble and you haven't help one bit. We don't need this whining so get your ass out of here before I kill you myself."

Emily turned a pale shade of blue and Lisa tried to protest. Lorelai met Emily's eyes and repeated, "Now."

Emily wordlessly grabbed her Gucci bag and stalked away. Lisa collapsed at the table, shaking in hardly concealed sobs. Lorelai grabbed the pie and Sookie the coffee and together they sat. Lorelai wrapped Lisa in a huge hug.

"What did she say?" she murmured into Lisa's sodden curls.

"She was right. All of this is my fault. I led Jackson here, I provoked him, and then, like the coward I am, I ran away and left Rory."

"Stop it right there," Lorelai insisted. "None of this is your fault. You'd have to be crazy to think that for one minute. There is no way that you could've known that Rippner's next recruit would be here and he'd get it into his mind to kidnap you. I'm telling you, don't you ever listen to a word my mother says because her main goal in life is to make other, non Prada-wearing mortals feel miserable. She's look for someone to blame who she can scream at without being murdered because her golden girl was stolen."

Lisa began to believe her. When Lorelai spoke with that honest, smooth, and comforting voice, Lisa felt like Lorelai could have said the sky was green, and she'd believe it.

"So," Lorelai moved on. "What did you want to talk about?"

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Luke stopped the Jeep at the desolate, seemingly deserted cabin and the Camarro pulled up alongside. The moon was just beginning to peek above t he horizon and Max produced a manlight from beneath the seat. He shined it in Luke's face just as his cell phone rang.

"Lore?" he shushed the others in the car as a voice spoke. "Sookie? She did? Oh, that's great! I'm so happy!" Despite the blackness, everyone in the vehicle could see how he brightened.

"What?" Max whispered.

"Lisa escaped!" Luke cried. Joe cheered in the back. "She's back at the diner!"

"And Rory?" Chris wished aloud and Luke repeated the question into the phone. He sagged.

"No. They still have her. But still..."

"I want to talk to Lisa," Max begged, tears of joy streaming down his face. "Please." Luke nodded and handed over the phone.