"What about this one?"

"Too small."

"I thought you wanted small?" Lorelai asked.

"I did, but not that small."

"Okay, well, this one?"

"No…"

Lorelai sighed. "Rory, we've been by every apartment available in Stars Hollow."

"What about the one where you lived?"

"I already told you, someone is staying there now. We'll just have to look at town houses."

Rory lowered her head. "Okay…. I saw a townhouse that I liked and it had a for sale sign in the yard."

Lorelai smiled. "Now, we're getting somewhere. Where did you see it?"

"It was across the street from the diner."

"Rory." Lorelai's firm voice replied.

"I can't help that it's across the street from the diner."

"There's a perfectly suitable townhouse on Maple Drive. I think you'll like it."

Rory thought for a moment. "But isn't that on the far side of town?"

"What's wrong with the far side of town?" Lorelai asked.

"Nothing." Rory replied in a lower voice.

(Luke's)

"Aw, come on, don't be so harsh." Luke laughed. "You wanted me to fire the nose picker…"

Sookie smiled. "But you didn't have to be so mean about it."

"He was getting fired…" Luke stressed. "How can you be nice about it?"

"I don't know… bake him a you're getting fired cake?"

"Alright, fine… from now on you can handle all the firing."

Sookie sighed. "It'd just be nice to find someone respectable and nice… someone who we could actually keep for a while. Let's face it Luke, we go through waiters and waitresses like vodka at an R. Kelly party."

"Someone will come along soon, don't worry. We've been in business for 12 years. We have nothing to worry about."

"Oh, it's not that. Good help is so hard to find and I miss… I mean… I just… never mind."

Luke walked over beside Sookie. He knew was on her mind. "Sook, you have to stop thinking about it."

Sookie let out a quick laugh. "I know… I'm being silly. I just can't imagine why. Why didn't she ever call or write? Why didn't she ever stay in contact like she said she would?"

Luke wrapped his arms around Sookie. "I don't know."

"I just miss her… and that baby… I can't help but wonder about them. And I know it must be hell for you."

"Nah…" Luke answered. "I'm over it. I've dealt with it." He added. "Besides, I'm happy just the way things are."

"I still feel funny about that too."

"Sookie, come on, don't do this to yourself. Lorelai is gone… out of the country gone and that's pretty far gone. She didn't want to be with me or she would have stayed… or called… or something. It's been 12 years and I don't think about it anymore. You know who I think about now."

"Yeah… I know." Sookie smiled.

"And don't forget it." Luke smiled in return as he gently kissed Sookie on the cheek. "Now come on, we have a diner to run."

(Independence Inn)

Lorelai and Rory were sitting in their room eating left over Chinese food. It had been very silent between the girls that evening. Lorelai was trying to avoid talking about anything and Rory was making it a point to not speak at all. Rory knew that if they engaged in conversation she'd directly ask the questions that Lorelai was not ready to answer. Silence, as horrible as it was, seemed to be the other solution.

Lorelai cleared her throat. "Do you like the house?"

"Yeah…" Rory looked up and smiled. "It's nice."

"Not too far on the far side of town?"

"I guess not." Rory answered.

"We can start moving in Sunday. So, I need to look for work tomorrow." Lorelai continued. "Just something small… something to keep me busy while you're at school."

"I saw a help wanted sign in…" Rory paused.

"In?" Lorelai waited.

"Umm… the market."

"The market? I didn't see one."

"The guy took it down while we were in there today…"

Lorelai smiled. "Well, I don't think I'd want to work at the market anyway. Taylor is much to hectic to work for."

"You've worked for him before?"

"Yeah… in the same market." Lorelai replied.

"Cool." Rory replied. "What else?"

"What else?" Lorelai asked.

"What else did you do when you were here?"

Lorelai thought for a moment. "Well, I used to go the park a lot. I'd take Anne there after school."

"Anna?"

"She was my dog."

"You had a dog?" Rory asked becoming very interested. "You never let me have dog."

"Correction, Trix never let you have a dog."

"Can I get one now?"

"We'll see." Lorelai replied. "No promises."

"What about school? Did you like school?"

Lorelai smirked. "Not very much, no. But an education is the most important thing a person can have. That's why I got my GED when I came to London."

"What about your friends? Are they still here? I bet you're excited about seeing them."

"Oh don't worry, they'll all pop up soon enough. News travel fast in small towns and Stars Hollow is no exception. By the end of the week, I'm sure everyone will know we're back. Be ready, I warn you, the town folk here are very overwhelming."