Disclaimer: I do not own the Gilmore Girls or any of its characters, nor do I have any connection or affiliation with the actors and actresses, producers, show-runners or the CW. Because let's face it – if I did, Gilmore Girls would still be on, Rory would've married Logan, and I wouldn't be writing this fanfic.

Rating: PG for now, for language.

Major Relationships: Rory & Logan, with Luke & Lorelai from time to time.

Author's Note: Hope you continue to enjoy the updates.

If I Never See You Again

By Heather Nicole

Chapter 12

"How was your dinner?" Luke called to Lorelai from the kitchen as he finished cleaning.

"It was good," Lorelai said back to him from her spot on the couch in her living room. She was obviously distracted, Luke could tell. Maybe flipping channels, or looking through a trashy magazine.

But when he made it out to the living room, he found her staring at her phone.

"Are you waiting for it to a trick?" he asked her.

"No," she said. "I'm waiting for it to ring. It's almost eight. I should've heard from Rory by now – she told me she'd call me the second she landed."

"She probably just got busy," Luke said. "It's a fast-paced job, isn't it? I mean, being on a presidential campaign? She'll call."

"I know, I know," she started. "But she should've already called. I mean, when you're getting on a plane to go a couple thousand miles away, you're supposed to call your mother so she doesn't think your plane crashed or that it got hi-jacked by terrorists."

"You know her plane didn't crash, or get hi-jacked by terrorists. We would've already heard something on the news. Or you would've gotten a call," Luke assured her.

"I know," Lorelai's voice got soft.

Luke sat down and put his arm around her, occasionally brushing the tips of his fingers through her hair. "You miss her?"

"No," Lorelai said. "I mean, yes – I miss her. But that's not really what I'm upset about. I'm worried about her."

"Well, that's natural," he said. "Her first big job, in a new, constantly changing environment. I'm worried about April going off to this summer camp. I can only imagine what you're feeling."

"It's not even that," she responded. "I know Rory can handle any job. She's super girl. Super woman, I guess. But I know she'll be fine with the job. But I'm worried about her. She wasn't in a good place when she left."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"Well … see, you missed a few important things over the past few weeks," Lorelai began.

"Like?" Luke prompted her.

"Like Logan proposed," Lorelai said.

"He proposed?" Luke asked, almost frantically.

"On the night before her graduation," Lorelai continued.

"On the night before her graduation?" Luke affirmed.

"Stop repeating everything I say," Lorelai said, partially kidding, partially annoyed.

"Sorry," he said. "Just trying to wrap my mind around it. Wow, he proposed."

"Yep," she answered. "My baby girl, twenty three years old, got proposed to."

"I can't at all tell how you feel about that," Luke said, sarcastically.

"I know," Lorelai said. "That's kind of the problem. See, Rory, being Rory, couldn't say yes on the spot. I mean, I felt for Logan – he's a good guy and all. And for former Mr.-Playboy-America to have relinquished his title years ago now for her, and then to propose to her in front of a huge crowd and have her not sure? Probably felt like a swift kick in the you-know-where."

"Maybe worse," Luke responded sympathetically.

"Right, maybe worse," Lorelai said. "So after all this, she takes the ring to think it over, and then he comes to her graduation and she hands him back the ring box. She doesn't want to be married yet, she doesn't want to be tied down. She's too young."

"She thinks she's too young or you think she's too young?" Luke asked.

"Both," she said. "Well, I think. See that's the thing. I didn't do a very good job hiding how I felt. And of course, I don't know if the opinion she thought I had effected her decision, and even if it did, she wouldn't tell me that, because she's Rory and she wouldn't want to hurt anyone. But Logan didn't want to do the long distance thing again. And then just a few days later, she got this job offer."

"Wow," Luke said. "That's a lot for someone to take all at once."

"Especially for Rory," Lorelai agreed. "So then she got this job and I'm so proud of her. But I'm just worried about her. I feel like she's maybe running from this situation and not really dealing with it. I'm glad she made this decision – I think it was the right decision."

"What would you have done if she'd said yes?" Luke said.

Lorelai looked shocked. "I … I … I don't know," she started. "I mean, I would've supported her, but I guess I would've just been questioning it and worrying, too."

"Would it have been the world's most awful thing if she had decided to marry Logan?" Luke asked.

"Well, it would've been a change," Lorelai said. "I mean, she would've moved across country – and soon. And she would've been trying to find a new job, in a new state, without any of her friends or family around. And Logan … well … I just don't know."

"Still don't know how you feel about the guy, huh?" Luke asked, a strange tone in his voice.

"Well, you've never really liked him," Lorelai said.

"That's not true," Luke said.

"It is so true!" Lorelai fought. "When we were up in the Vineyard with them, you were this close to snapping his head off."

"For awhile," Luke said. "But it was more just because I didn't want Rory to get hurt. And that was a long time ago now. Rory's changed. Logan's changed. They've grown up. And Logan is a pretty good guy, you have to admit. I mean, he flew in on a helicopter to be with her when Richard had his heart attack. He let her live in his apartment rent free for a long time. He cares about her. And he's made some mistakes, but so has Rory. I mean, wouldn't you hate it if for some reason she really wanted to be with someone, but part of the reason he wouldn't be with her is because he or his family were judgmental about the fact hat Rory had stolen a yacht and temporarily left Yale?"

Lorelai remained silent.

"Look, I'm not saying you were wrong or right, or that Rory was wrong or right," Luke said. "I'm just saying that for all the guys who could've proposed to Rory … she could've done a lot worse. And she might be young. But I mean … you were young when you had Rory, and look at how successful you have been. Anything is possible."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, my friend, even out of the dog house," Lorelai responded shaking her finger at him jokingly.

"You really hated what I had to say that much?" Luke said.

"No … I didn't," Lorelai said. "It's just that it's so hard to even think about. My little girl … married? It's hard. Just you wait. And besides that, now, it's too late. What's done is done. So now, I'm just worried about how she's holding up."

"Have you called her yet?" Luke asked.

"Twice." Lorelai replied.

"Once more," he said. "And then you let her call you back."

Lorelai speed dialed Rory one more time and waited as the phone rang.