Thanks so much for all your reviews! Here's the next chapter! Just to say I won't be able to update until Friday as I'm going away for the week, sorry!

Chapter 11

"This doesn't seem real..." Rory said quietly.

"I know..." Jess said, collapsing down onto the couch.

Rory went and sat next down next to him. "Did your mom make it in time?"

Jess nodded. "Yeah."

"Well that's good right?" Rory said.

Jess sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "Yeah it is."

Rory sighed. "How did mom sound?"

"Exhausted, upset, all the things you'd imagine." He said.

"God I can't imagine what dad is going through right now..." Rory sniffed. "And your mom..."

"Yeah..."

Rory looked at Jess. "You don't have to be strong for me, you know." She said quietly. "I know you feel like you have to but I know you were just as close to Grandma as I was."

Jess glanced at her. "Thanks." He said quietly. "I just...I just feel numb." He admitted. "Like you said, it doesn't feel real."

Rory nodded. "Are they coming back here?" She asked.

"Yeah in a bit." Jess nodded.

"Rory..." A small voice said.

Rory and Jess looked up to find Katie stood on the stairs. "Hey...I'm sorry, did we wake you up?" Rory asked.

Katie shook her head. "I heard the phone." She said. "Why are you crying?"

Rory realised she still had tears rolling down her face. She wiped them away. "I'm fine."

"Has something happened with Grandma?" Katie asked quietly.

Rory and Jess exchanged glances. Rory took a deep breath. "Come and sit with us for a minute." She said to Katie.

Katie went and sat next to Rory. "Has something happened with Grandma?"

Rory blinked back tears. "You know how Grandma had to go to hospital?" She said softly.

Katie nodded.

"She was very ill, Katie. And...and tonight..." Rory tried to say but she couldn't finish it.

"You know how Grandma was suffering? She was ill?" Jess helped her.

Katie nodded.

"Well...uh...she's not suffering anymore." Jess said quietly.

"Yeah, she's happy. She's with...Grandpa." Rory said, sniffling a little.

"Did she die?" Katie asked quietly.

Rory wiped away some tears again. "Yeah, she's died." She said softly. "I'm sorry." Rory saw tears well up in Katie's eyes. "Hey come here." She said holding out her arms and pulling her younger sister into a hug. "It's ok to cry. We're all going to miss her."

Katie nodded. "She baked with me." She said quietly, sniffling.

"Well I can bake with you if you want?" Rory suggested.

Katie pulled away wiping her face with her sleeve. "Really?"

"Sure. I mean I might not be as good as Grandma was but I'll try not to burn down the kitchen." She joked.

Katie giggled a little and nodded.

"Go on, why don't you go back to bed? It's late. Mom and dad will be back by the time you wake up." Rory said.

Katie nodded. "Ok." She said quietly.

Rory gave her another hug. "I love you sis."

"Love you too." Katie said.

Rory watched Katie go disappear upstairs. "Well that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do." She said putting her head in her hands.

"Yeah.." Jess sighed.

An hour later, both Rory and Jess were sat on the couch having not been able to get back to sleep, when they heard the front door open. Rory jumped up and immediately launched herself at Luke. "I'm so sorry dad." She said.

Luke wrapped his arms round his daughter. "Thanks kid." He said hoarsely.

"How are you two holding up?" Lorelai asked.

Jess had gotten up and walked over to them. "We're ok." He shrugged.

Liz looked at her son and could see right through him. "Come here." She said softly and pulled him into a hug.

Everyone watched as Jess tensed before actually relaxing into it and letting his mom comfort him.

"The kids ok?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah." Rory said. "Uh...Katie heard the phone and came down." She said quietly. "She knew something was wrong so we had to tell her."

"How did she take it?" Lorelai asked concerned.

"Like you'd think." Rory sighed. "She cried, she was upset. But she's ok. Well as ok as she can be. She went back to bed." She said.

"I'll talk to her in the morning." Lorelai said.

Rory looked at her dad. "Are you ok?" She asked quietly.

"As ok as I can be." Luke said.

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

"I can't deal with anyone right now." Luke groaned.

"I'll get it." Lorelai said. "Don't worry, I'll get rid of them."

Luke sighed and went over to the couch collapsing into it, putting his head in his hands.

"Rory, it's for you." Lorelai said appearing back into the living with Tristan following behind her.

"Tristan?" Rory said surprised. "What are you doing here? At 4:30 in the morning..." She said glancing at the clock.

"Well..uh..I thought that you might need some support..." Tristan said ducking his head a bit. "I mean I know I could have done with some when my grandpa, you know..." He said. "I know it's probably family time and you probably just want family but I just wanted to know that I'm here for you and..." He rambled but was cut off by Rory launching herself at him.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

Tristan put his arms round her and held her close. He glanced over at Luke who was watching them. "I'm really sorry for your loss." He said sincerely.

Luke just nodded. "Thanks." He said gruffly. "It was..uh..it was good of you to come." He said.

"Well I know what you're going through." He said quietly. "It really sucks."

Luke just nodded, thinking that maybe Tristan wasn't so bad really. After all, he had gotten up in the middle of the night to come and comfort Rory. He must really care about her.

"Why don't we all get some sleep and then we can discuss...plans in the morning?" Lorelai suggested.

Luke glanced at Rory and Tristan. "Uh.."

"I think I'll stay up." Rory said seeing her dad's uncertainty. "I'm not really that tired anyway. We'll watch some tv." She looked at Jess. "You and your mom can use my room if you want."

Jess nodded. "Yeah I am quite tired." He admitted. "Mom?" He asked.

"Yeah I could do with a nap." She said tiredly.

Everyone went off to their rooms and Rory sat down on the couch with Tristan. "Thanks for coming. You didn't have to." She said softly.

"I know. But I wanted to." He said.

Rory gave him a small smile. She took a deep breath. "I love you." She said.

Tristan glanced at her surprised, knowing they hadn't said that to each other yet. He saw her smile at him nervously. He smiled and put his arm round her. "I love you too." He said.

Rory smiled and leant her head on his shoulder. "I can't believe this has happened. I...I'm going to miss her so much." She said quietly.

"I know." Tristan said softly. "It will get better, I promise."

"Will it? When?" Rory asked.

Tristan sighed. "I'm going to admit, it's not going to be easy. You're always going to miss her but it will get easier with time. And I'm here whenever you need me."

"Thanks." She said softly.

Meanwhile, Lorelai walked into their bedroom having gone to the bathroom first. She found Luke sat on the edge of the bed. She went and sat down next to him. "Hey..." She said softly.

"Hey..." He said raspily.

"Oh hon..." She said softly.

"She was my mom." He said hoarsely.

"I know." Lorelai said rubbing his back. "I'm so sorry."

Luke took a big shaky breath.

"Luke, hon, please talk to me. You don't have to bottle it all up. I know before...with your dad...you had to be strong for your mom and Rory but you don't have to be strong now. You don't have to be strong infront of me." She said softly. "I'm here for you."

Luke glanced at her and couldn't help the tears that fell down his cheeks. "I miss her already." He admitted.

"I know. So do I." Lorelai said softly. "Come here." She said pulling him into a hug.

Luke finally broke down on Lorelai. "Thank you..." He said hoarsely.

"Just let it out, hon." Lorelai said softly, rubbing his back comfortingly. "I'm here. I'll always be here." She said as she listened to Luke finally let go of her emotions.

Hope you liked it! I know it's sad at the moment but it will get better, I promise. Please keep reviewing, I love reading your comments! :)