Should When You Need Me I Will Be There

Chapter 18

Friday came too soon for Rory's liking. She knew it was going to be a horrible day but she knew she had to try to be strong. Rory was unsure about speaking at the funeral just because of her emotional state, every day was still so hard, but as she made it through she was gaining a little bit of strength every day.

She was getting ready for the day and putting on a bracelet that her father gave her when she looked down at it and ripped off her wrist and threw it on the ground and let out a horrific sob. Then she just went over to the bad and cried. Lucas and Karen were in the kitchen when they heard the commotion and Lucas looked at his mother in shock.

"Go"

Lucas did not even respond to his mother's comment he just heading straight to Rory as he entered he saw her in a fetal position on the bed. Lucas went over, picked her up off the bed, and gathered her in his arms while she sobbed.

"Rory its okay I'm here"

She has continued to cry and make us just held her to his chest as if she was a small child. He knew this was going to be hard for her and seeing like this strengthened his resolve to her. Meanwhile thoughts were going wild in Roy's head about everything. She knew Peyton was right and she had to start letting people help her but she was scared to let anyone break through the wall she had constructed around herself finally she felt the tears begin to let up and her voice return.

"Lucas I can't do this I just can't say goodbye"

Lucas was shocked that she had spoken he had felt her calming down but he was not sure if he would get her to speak yet. He was proud of her.

"Rory you can do this I will be right beside you I promise"

"I just can't face it or them I heard part of your conversation with your mother about my family"

"Oh Rory I'm sorry but mom thought just in case they decide to show up that we should that we should have some warning"

"I just don't want to have to deal with them. If they think that they can barge into my life after all these years they are mistaken"

"I know and if they decide to show I'll make sure they don't come near you"

"Thank you they're the last thing I need today"

Rory then lifted her head off Lucas's chest and looked down at the floor where the bracelet laid broken she thought the went over and bent down and picked it up and turned over in her hand like entranced her. Lucas wondered what was so special about this bracelet because he had never seen it before.

He was getting more worried about her by the minute. He needed to see the sparkle that once lit up her entire face when she was happy but it was not there any longer and he wondered if it would ever be there again. She looks so much like a shell of herself her emotions were locked away and her hands felt like ice. Therefore, he went up behind her hoping his embrace and warmth would let life come back into her body. She just laid her body back into the safety of him. Then she spoke once more.

"I remember when my dad gave this to me it was my mother's he decided to give it to me on my 11th birthday. He said she was the same age when she received it from her father and when she found out about me she wanted me to have it also but now it's ruined because I was so angry."

"Rory you have the right to be angry and I'm sure he'd understand"

"I know I wish I could stop"

"Someday you will it just takes time"

Then Lucas looked up at the clock on the bedroom wall and sighed.

"You ready it's almost time to go"

"No not really but the sooner we get this done to faster that the day will be over and that's all I want"

Lucas gave her a smile as they left the room. They entered the kitchen and Karen over to Rory and gave her a tight hug. Rory realized at that moment how much Karen was like a mother to her and she soaked up the warmth of her. When they broke the embrace, Rory smiled gratefully. Karen returned gesture and spoke.

"You ready?"

"As I will ever be"

Therefore, they all just head off to the car and to the church.

When they arrived, Rory did not say anything she just got out and headed inside. Both Lucas and Karen just looked on her knowing not to follow and that she just needed some space and time to deal with this in her own way. Therefore, they just headed inside Karen needed to find the minister to make sure everything was in place. Lucas went to find a seat as he was turning the corner he ran right into Nathan and Haley.

"What are you two doing here?"

Haley decided to answer.

"We came to pay our respects Rory was my best friend and her father meant a lot to all of us."

"Well you sure didn't act like you cared when you took Nathan away from her. I may not have liked that they were together but I was the one to pick up her broken heart she doesn't need to see you right now she's having a hard enough time as it is"

Lucas then turned and walked away from the pair still angry that they had the nerve to show up. He just had to keep those two away from Rory as he finally found a seat near the front he noticed an older looking man and two women sitting near the back row. He realized his mother was right the Hayden's and Gilmore's had shown up. Then Rory started walking down the aisle with Karen might behind her they spotted Lucas and joined him. Karen on his left Rory on his right. He leaned over to his mother and whispered.

"Not only are both sets of grandparents here but Nathan and Haley are as well"

"Oh no this just got really bad"

"I know have you by any chance seen Brooke or Peyton?"

"Yes they are just come in as we were coming in here I didn't talk to them but I'm sure they know what to do if we need them."

"Yeah"

At that moment, the minister began the service and the whole church still.

"We are here today to celebrate the life and mourn the death of Christopher Michael Hayden. He was a son and a father and a beloved member of this community and will be terribly missed by his daughter and friends."

That was all Rory could take in before her whole body just shut how the rest of what was being said. Then the minister called her up to give a eulogy Rory stood up as if she was on autopilot and walked up to stand beside the minister. She did not speak right away she scanned the crowd and took a deep breath and then began.

"It took me so long to figure out how to say goodbye to my father. I wasn't even planning on speaking but then I realized this was my last chance to tell him I loved him and how much it meant to me"

The tears started to flow and Rory could barely get her breath. Lucas saw what was happening, got out of his seat, and went up to her, embraced her, and whispered in her ear.

"You can do this I'm right here and I'm so proud of you."

Rory hugged him tight and began to speak once again.

"My father was the best man always there for everything I ever needed while growing up. We grew up together it was us against the world and he was always the one person I could count on whatever happened. I love you dad goodbye"

Then she stepped down and the rest of the funeral continued in a blur for her. The burial was quick and by the end all Rory wanted to do was go back to the house. Lucas watched her and was glad that she had spoken but she had not said a word since leaving the church. She was standing in front of Christopher's grave just staring at the engraving on the headstone. He went up behind her and touched her on the shoulder she did not respond to his touch she just continued to stare finally Lucas had to physically turn her so that she was facing him.

"Rory we need to go back to the house it's getting late"

She did not respond to what he said she just buried her head in his chest and cried.

"Come on"

Lucas led her away from the cemetery into the car with Karen was waiting they got in and drove home without a word. Roy was just looking out the window they arrived home and a car was parked in the driveway they had never seen before Karen turned to Lucas.

"Get Rory inside now I'll deal with this"

Lucas carefully scooped Rory out at the back seat because she had fallen asleep on the exhaustion of the day. Karen watched as Lucas left and then turned to deal with the car in the driveway she walked up and knocked on the window. The older gentleman rolled down the window and Karen spoke.

"Can I help you? You're trespassing on my property and would like you to leave"

"I'm sorry I'm Richard Gilmore and we're here to speak with our granddaughter"

"I'm sorry but that's not possible"

"We're not leaving until we have spoken to her"

"She's been through enough can't this wait?"

"It can't she has responsibilities that she needs to deal with"

"I can't understand why you think you can come now and rip Rory away from everything and everyone she knows"

"We let her slip away but now she needs to take her place in society where she belongs"

By this point, they both were yelling and Lucas came out to see what the problem was.

"Mom?"

Karen turned to Lucas.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes honey they were just about to leave"

Then all three occupants got out of the car and stood in front of Karen go to any line and Lucas.

"Like I said we will not be leaving until we see our granddaughter"

"Well then you'll be waiting for a long time because I know Rory has no intention of seeing you or speaking to you ever"

"Who are you to tell us what she wants?" Richard challenged

"I am her best friend and she told me what she wanted and she doesn't want you in her life ever" Lucas responded

"Well I never" Emily responded

"You really need to leave now before Rory finds out you're here" Karen replied

Then Lucas and Karen headed back inside hoping that they would Rory deal with all this grief in peace but they knew one way or another this was not over by a long shot.