Hello, yes I am alive. No, I did not forget about all of you. I suggest that you go back and reread the story because it has been almost a year since I last updated. I am very sorry. Time has become very valuable and priorities have sadly changed. Once again, I am very sorry.

Disclaimer: Haha, a year may have pasted, but it is still not mine.

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Previously on Own my Own…

-Hospital-

"Do me a favor?" William asked Luke.

"Anything."

"Could you get a hold of Lorelai?"

"Lorelai?"

"Yeah, remember her, tall, brunette, blue eyes?"

-X-

"Uh, hi, is Lorelai there? "Luke hesitantly spoke through the phone.

"No, she's not. May I take a message?" Christopher grabbed a piece of paper.

"Could you please just give Lorelai the message that my father isn't doing well and wishes to see her and Rory?"

"Yeah, I could." Christopher spoke with suspicion.

"Alright then, thanks."

"Sure anytime," he cheerfully said.

After he hung up the phone, Christopher started to wonder if Lorelai was still working in Stars Hollow. How often did she go there? Did she ever have an affair with the baseball player? He tore up the paper that contained Luke Danes' message and discarded it into the wastebasket. He wasn't going to lose Lorelai again.

-X-

Chapter 18- Friendly Reminders

-Two weeks later-

Wedding preparations were fully underway. The only thing left on Lorelai's part was to find a dress- the perfect dress.

At the same time in Stars Hollow, William had chosen to stop treatment and his condition grew worse every day. Nonetheless, Luke sat by his bedside day after day, only going home when the nurses or Mia kicked him out the door. He knew he had limited time left with his only family and as usual, Liz was unreachable and they had no idea how to get a hold of her. In the meanwhile, William was patiently waiting for Lorelai. After two weeks, Luke began to wonder if the man, whoever he was, had passed on the message to Lorelai. He knew she was forced away from Stars Hollow and hadn't been back since she left. Would it kill her to at least call and inform them that she'll not be coming?

-X-

-Hartford-

"Lore? Are you home?" Christopher called as he walked through the house.

"Yeah, I'm here," Lorelai called back from the family room where she had been sitting on the floor around piles of paper.

Chris walked into the room, "What are you doing?"

"I'm finalizing the guest list and checking the seating arrangement for the reception, something my mother and your mother already did, but of course, the third time's the charm."

"How about you take a break? Where's Rory?"

"She's in her room, reading."

"Reading? She's five, what can she read?"

"If you'd been home from work sooner and actually paid attention, then you might have realized that Rory loves to read and had for the last year and a half. I mean it's not like she's reading Mark Twain or Proust, but reading nevertheless," she explained.

"Oh, that's good."

"Speaking of not being home a lot, where have you been lately? I've been thrown into the wedding so much that I feel like I haven't spent any time with you."

"Oh, well- I've just been you know, working," Christopher stuttered out.

"Man, I am so tired. Leave it to Emily Gilmore to make me double check all the wedding plans even though she planned 99.9%. All I did was pick you."

"Yeah," Christopher agreed. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Ok," Lorelai said without looking up from the seating arrangement as he climbed the stairs.

-X-

"Hey Luke," William called out.

"Yeah Dad?" Luke answered back.

"Did ya ever call that girl? What was her name?" He coughed in between, "Lorelai?"

"Yeah, I did. I left a message with someone."

"Oh, I was really hoping she would have stopped by already."

"Well, I guess she's busy. Mia told me she's getting married in a few weeks."

"Oh," William sadly responded, "I guess that's what is keeping her."

"Yeah, probably, but you know she could take some time to visit the man who helped and her child. She could have been dead if it wasn't for you. She went back to Hartford and became an ungrateful little princess again," Luke fumed.

"Now Luke, calm down."

"No, I don't want to calm down! It's not right. She should come and pay her respects and fulfill a dying man's wish!"

"So call her again," William suggested.

"I don't want to talk to that putz again. I think that was her fiancé."

"Can you please try again? The doctors are saying that there isn't much time left."

"Fine Dad, I can try, but I can't guarantee that she'll come," Luke said and reluctantly turned to walk out the door.

He walked down the hallway reaching a pay phone. Digging a hand into his pocket, he pulled out a folded piece of paper and picked up the receiver. He dialed the number and listened to the phone ring.

"Hello," a woman answered.

"Hi, um, is Lorelai there?" he nervously asked, knowing that he was probably talking to her.

"This is she. May I ask who is calling?"

"This is Luke, Luke Danes from Stars Hollow."

"Oh hey, I haven't heard from you guys in a while. How are you?"

"Really, you haven't heard from anyone?" His voice soften but angry fueled him inside.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry; I guess you really didn't get my message after all."

"Your message?" she questioned.

"I called a couple of weeks ago. My father has been asking for you."

"I'm, sorry I never received any message," Lorelai sincerely replied.

"I left it with some guy. Well anyway, my dad is not doing so well. He hasn't been for a while now and he wants to see you and Rory," Luke explained.

"Your dad? What happened to William?"

"He has cancer and he hasn't been responding well to treatment and medication. They say it won't be long until…" he trailed off.

Lorelai felt a tear roll down her cheek. Taking a deep breath, she asked, "What hospital is he in? I'll be right there."

"You don't have to come right now. I'm sure tomorrow morning will be fine."

"No, I've already waited too long. I'm coming right now. So tell me," she demanded.

"Hartford Memorial, room 227."

"I'll be there in 15 minutes," she began gathering her wedding plans and details and shoving them in the book.

"Alright, I'll see you then."

"Ok, bye," she quickly hung up the phone. Running out of the kitchen, she climbed the stairs to Rory's room. Pushing the slightly ajar door open she called, "Rory, sweetie?"

"Yes, mommy?" the young girl answered back.

"Alright honey, I need you to listen to me. I need you to change into some nice clothes and put on some shoes."

"Why? Where am I going?"

"You and I are going to go visit a friend in the hospital?"

"The hospital? Who's in the hospital?" Rory got worried.

"An old friend. I'll explain more on the way. Start getting ready, I'll come help you in a minute."

"Ok, mommy."

Lorelai left the room making her way into her own room. She could still hear the shower as she went into her closet to take out a pair of shoes and a coat. She then went over to the bedside table, grabbing a pen and a piece of paper. She quickly jotted down a note for Christopher and left it on the pillow. She walked back out of her room and returned to Rory's room.

"Sweetie, are you ready?" She walked in seeing the girl on the floor with one shoe on and attempting to get the other one on.

"I just need to put on my other shoe."

"Ok, let me help you."

"I don't need help mommy. See all done," she happily stood up displaying her work to her mother.

"Very good. Ok, now put your coat on. It's cold outside."

"Ok."

-X-

-Hartford Memorial Hospital-

"So we are going to go see Mr. Danes? That's what you want me to call him?" Rory sweetly asked, not wanting to make a fool of herself.

"Sweetie, stop worrying about that," Lorelai reassured her daughter as they approached the room.

"But I don't remember him."

"You were only a baby. It'll be fine."

"If you say so."

"Ready honey?"

"Yup." Lorelai knocked on the door and slowly opened it.

"Hello?" she walked in, Rory holding her hand tightly and walking in behind her.

"Yeah?" Luke replied, turning his head since he was sitting in a bedside chair facing away from the door. "Oh, hey."

"Hi."

"Lucas, is that who I think it is?" William weakly, but excitedly asked.

"Probably," he answered and stared down at his shoes.

"Lorelai is that you?"

"It sure it!" She quickly made her way to his bedside and enveloped him in a hug.

"And who is that little girl hiding behind you?"

"I don't know who is that?" Lorelai played along and encouraged her to move forward, "Go on honey."

"Sweetie, you're not gonna hurt me," William encouraged.

Rory took a step forward from behind Lorelai, but hesitated to move. She took in the sight of the very fragile- looking man in the hospital bed, hair gone and so skinny that bones can be seen through the skin.

"Mommy," Rory called out and her mother picked her up giving her a hug.

"It's ok Sweetie," she rubbed her back. "I'm sorry William, she is afraid that you'll be mad at her because she doesn't remember you."

"Is that right Rory?" William asked her. Rory nodded her head shyly. "It's ok. I'm not mad that you don't remember me.

"You're not?" the little girl finally spoke.

"No, you were only a little tiny baby. Back then, we used to hang out a lot. We were best friends."

"Really? We were best friends?" The girl excitedly pushed away from her mother to tell her that she wanted to be put down. As soon as she was released, she took off to William's bedside.

"Yes, we were. We had so much fun together. You were my little helper even though you could barely walk."

"What did I help you with?" Rory carried on the conversation.

In the mean time, Lorelai took the time to observe her surroundings. She took in the sight of William after the toll his illness took away from him. He looked very pale and extremely thin as if he never ate. Seeing how Rory and William were engaged in a conversation, she headed towards the door gesturing to Luke to follow.

Once outside the door, Lorelai starts, "So what's the diagnosis?"

"Well the cancer isn't going away. The surgery couple of years ago didn't get everything; however, once they figured that out, it had spread and advanced to the next stage. Treatments helped to keep it in under control until a few months ago. The doctors tried messing with the treatments, changing it and stuff, I don't really know much. All I know now is that nothing is working and they have nothing more they can do," he sadly ended.

"Are you sure they tried everything?"

"Yup."

"And how much time did they say he has um, left?" she reluctantly asked.

"A few weeks at most," he answered.

A few tears escaped from Lorelai's eyes. She quickly wiped them away.

"He's not eating much anymore, everyday he is weaker, he can't get out of bed anymore. I just wish I could do something."

Lorelai nodded her head in response as she desperately attempted to hold back her tears. "I'm sorry I never got the message you told me you left. I would have been here sooner and I could have spent more time with him. Oh boy, Rory is gonna miss him. Look at the two of them," she pointed through the little window on the door.

Seeing her in tears made him realize that she was genuinely sorry that she could not make it sooner and that she was telling the truth about the message.

"And I'm really sorry about everything," she pulled him into a hug, which he felt was awkward as first but soon settled into.

"It's ok, he whispered into her hair.

They stayed in their embrace for a while. A few minutes later, she felt something wet in her hair. She realized that the tears no longer belong to her but to Luke.

"Everything is going to be ok," Lorelai attempted to comfort him.

"He's going to die. He's the only family I have." Lorelai held him tighter.

"It's going to be ok. He's going to a better place," she assured him.

Luke soon gathered himself and pulled away from Lorelai.

"So I hear you're getting married soon," he said to her, changing the subject.

"You heard correct."

"To who?" he questioned.

"Rory's father," she simply replied.

"What happened to living in Stars Hollow? From what I heard, you just sort of disappeared."

"It's a long story."

"I don't understand. They throw you out and then welcome you back."

"I made an agreement with Christopher. He, god knows how, followed through with his part and now I have to follow through with my own," Lorelai defended.

"He doesn't know does he?"

"Know what?"

"What happened."

"You mean the thing and the thing with the thing? Can you be anymore vague? What are you talking about?"

"He doesn't know what happened when you were living on the street does he?"

Lorelai sat quietly for a few second and then replied, "No, he doesn't. No one in that world knows except for my dad."

"Don't you think may he should know before he marries you."

"It never happened."

"What are you talking about? You had nightmares about it. They were so bad that you couldn't sleep by yourself."

"It happened one time."

"And how many times did it happen when you were living at the inn?"

Lorelai didn't answer.

"How many days were you afraid to go to sleep?"

"You don't know me, now or then. How dare you past judgment on my marriage and bring up my past? It wasn't my fault and it doesn't make me any different than anyone else. It's not like I'm damaged so he won't have me."

"Lorelai, I don't mean it like that."

"I don't care about your opinion or anything else you have to say," With that, she got up and walked back into William's room.

-X-

TBC. (For sure!)

Once again I would like to apologize for the lengthy delay in the update.

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