Author's Note: No excuses, just profound apologies. But in a fit of remorse, I pounded out the last two chapters of this horribly neglected story. Nearly two-and-a-half years. I don't even know if any of the original, horribly mistreated fans are still reading in the fandom or watching this story. It's not the ending you deserve, but it's an ending. I also apologize for the angst. It was always the intention of the story to end this way, though, and so it felt like I was betraying the story to end it any differently. This is the second to last chapter. The final chapter is already written and will be posted within the week. There was talk of (and work on) a sequel, but I've honestly moved on to other fandoms (If you like Firefly, Angel, or Life, please head to my profile), and it wouldn't be fair to promise you the sequel will ever see the light of day. Thank you all so much for all of the support and begging and pleading. This never would have happened without it.

Chapter Seventeen: Give up the ground, under your feet

Words like "sudden", "brain aneurysm", and "sorry" floated through the air, and that was all it took for Luke and Jack to leap into action.

Everyone was in a fog; Laylee couldn't stop crying and didn't understand why, which only made her sob more. Lorelai and Richard had no emotions save wet eyes and blank expressions, slumped in chairs in the waiting room as Luke spoke with the doctor about making arrangements. Rory, Laylee in her lap, rubbed her little girl's back and sobbed softly into Laylee's dark curls, Will beside her crying softly. Jack was at his dad's side, asking what he could do. Like his father, he was a man of action.

Later, Jack and Luke drove everyone back to Stars Hollow, unable to face the Hartford house and the memories of Emily. It was the middle of the night, but Natalie was waiting at the door, ready to help where she could. Laylee cried herself to sleep, and Jack carried her to his bed, tucking her in his navy sheets and kissing her forehead before grabbing one of his pillows and tossing it on Will's bed, where he would be sleeping that night. The house was silent as everyone had retreated to their own space, to deal. Jack walked Natalie home, assuring her that he would be fine. She promised to come over in the morning to keep helping Jack and Luke hold down the fort. When he returned to the house, Jack found his grandfather sitting in the dark in the living room, glass of brandy in hand.

"She made me promise she could go first."

Jack let go of his own befuddled feelings for now, his grief at losing her and his guilt that he didn't feel more, and sat down beside his grandfather.

"I don't know what to do without her."

Jack let him continue.

"I never actually believed she would go first."

"Grandma gets what she wants," Jack offered.

Richard chuckled just a little. "That's true."

They fell into heart-breaking silence again. Jack knew that despite his issues with his grandmother and despite his grandparents' many disagreements and arguments, Richard adored Emily.

Jack, unable to sit idly and observe his grandpa's grief, simply leaned over and kissed Richard's temple.

"Goodnight, Grandpa."

"I do love you, Jackman."

"Love you, too, Grandpa."

"You look nice," Natalie told Jack as he fiddled with his black tie. She herself is in a simple black dress and sweater.

Jack made a face as he turned away from the mirror. "Yeah, thanks."

"I know you don't like to dress up."

"Especially not today."

Natalie leaned over and squeezed his shoulder. "I know, I'm sorry. Rory told me Will is giving the eulogy."

"Yeah, he's a wreck. Like the rest of this house."

"Jack, it's okay that you're not falling apart, you know. People handle grief in different ways."

"Yeah but we…"

"Had a difficult relationship, but ultimately loved each other."

Jack pulled Natalie in for a hug. "Thanks for being here."

"Wouldn't miss it."

"Like funerals, huh? Especially stuffy WASP ones?"

"Oh, you know it. But no, I like being here for you."

Jack kisses the top of her head. "Just stay close today."

"I don't think he can handle it. Do you think he can handle it?"

"Lorelai, please. You have to stop worrying about Will. He can do it, and if he can't, I'll read from his notes. It's okay to just worry about you," Luke assured his wife, hands on her shoulders, standing behind her as she fiddled with her earrings in the mirror.

"I don't want to worry about me."

"Lorelai…"

"Did you talk to the caterers?"

"I talked to the caterers."

"Did you …?"

"I did," Luke cut her off.

"You don't even know what I'm going to say."

"I talked to the maids, I talked to the funeral home, I talked to the reverend, I talked to the cemetery, I talked to the limo company. Actually, Jack talked to the limo company, but I trust him. Jackson and Sookie will go over to your parents' house before the wake starts and make sure everything is ready. We just have to focus on Emily."

"She's gone, Luke. My mom's gone. My dad is barely functioning. And I don't know how to handle this."

"We all will. Together. Let's just get through today. We'll deal with the rest as it comes."

"You ready?" Rory asked her brother shakily.

Will fidgeted with his cuffs, straightening and buttoning, not looking at her.

"Finished last night," Will said, monotone.

"She'd be so happy it was you doing this, Will. She adored you, so much. Her little gentleman, making all her DAR girls jealous. In some ways, you were everything she ever wanted."

Will smiled wanly. "Sure."

"Is Julia coming?"

Will shook his head. "We're on a break."

"'Cause of that Caroline girl?"

"Not exactly. Just couldn't deal with any of it right now. I told them both I needed a while."

"Will, are you sure you can handle this? I mean, I know Luke would be okay if you needed him to read it."

"Grandma'd want me to do it, right?"

"But she'd understand if you couldn't."

He grinned softly again. "No, she wouldn't. Grandma gets what Grandma wants. I'll read it."

He still wouldn't look up, and it broke Rory's heart even further to see him like this.

"Okay. The limo's gonna be here soon. You should go grab something to eat."

"Not hungry."

"Will."

"I'll eat something, Sis," he acquiesced.

"Laylee," Richard noticed the small girl pad into the bedroom in her tight-clad feet, wool skirt brushing her knees. Her wild curls were pulled back into a tight braid, her arms clutching her sweatered shoulders.

"Grandpa," she greeted in return. Her red-rimmed eyes fixed on him. "What's wrong with your tie?"

He looked down to his bowtie, woefully. He always was awful at that without Emily there to fix it. Laylee was still staring at his bowtie in the darkened room, the only light coming from the windows and open door. She approached him, climbing up on the bed to be level with him. Her small fingers reached out to straighten and pull. Her brow furrowed in concentration, before a few more tugs and pulls made the tie fall into place. She smoothed it, and then brushed off his shoulders.

"Better."

"Where did you learn that, young lady?" he tried, attempting to summon some of his usual levity of the girl.

Her big blue eyes are sad.

"Grandma."

Richard took in a deep breath and pulled the little girl into a bear hug, tears in his eyes.

Will let himself into his grandparents' manor, thankful practice had been cancelled due to all of the coaches being trapped in an interminable faculty meeting.

"Grandma! Grandpa!"

No one answered, so he started to search the gigantic house, making his way onto the patio where he found his grandmother and some of her DAR ladies chatting over tea.

"Good afternoon, ladies," Will grinned charmingly, glad his tie was still tight and his jacket still on.

"Oh, Emily, who is this handsome young gentleman and where can I find one?"

"Ladies, ladies… Who spiked the tea?" Will teased, winking as he extended a hand.

"This is the elder of my grandsons."

"By thirty-seven minutes," Will smiled. "William Danes. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"Emily, he is just divine, isn't he? Those are Lorelai's blue eyes, I'm sure of it."

"Yes, ma'am. I was fortunate enough to inherit my mother's eyes. How are you lovely ladies doing this afternoon?"

"Oh, just fine," Emily smiled at the way Will was impressing her friends. "How was school today, Will?"

"Intellectually stimulating, as always, Grandma. We studied the second generation Romantics today."

"Byron, Shelley, and Keats?" one of the ladies questioned.

"Yes, ma'am. 'She walks in beauty like the night, of starry skies and cloudless climes…'"

"Impressive, young man. I'm sure you are sweeping all of the young ladies off of their feet over at Chilton. You are at Chilton, aren't you?"

"That I am, ma'am."

"Will is the president of his class and is ranked number one in academics."

"Is that so?

"He is also quite the athlete. A true Renaissance man."

"Or at least one in training," Will said modestly. "Grandma, practice was canceled for today, so I decided to stop by and say hello. Is Grandpa around?"

"Out back, fiddling with those silly old cars of his yet again."

"I believe I will leave you ladies to your highly important conversation, then. Is there anything I can get anyone before I head out back? Freshen up anyone's drink?"

The ladies declined, and Will headed out to join his grandfather, not failing to hear the DAR ladies swoon over how well-raised he was.


Will cleared his throat as he entered the pulpit, letting his gaze settle on his family. His devastated grandfather stared blankly at a point on the wall, completely unaware of his surroundings. His mother's glassy eyes were fixed on him, worried and mournful. His sister sat next to Grandpa, hand on his arm trying to anchor him here. Laylee sat squeezed between her mother and April, who had flown up to support her family. The girl looked undeniably uncomfortable, staring at the words on the program in her hand but avoiding the picture of her great-grandmother. His dad looked between his mother and Will himself, concerned and yet his normal stoic self. Jack and Natalie sat next to April, hands clasped. Jack's conflicted eyes never left Will's face, supporting his brother as best he could. Some of the darkness fell away from him as he saw his family. Yes, it hurt, so much, but Grandma needed them to go on. Will took a deep breath.

"Grandma and I always had a unique bond. I think maybe she was just happy to have someone who actually cared which fork was used at the dinner table. Or at least would let her make him care." That gets a few sad smiles from the crowd. "Families are hard and messy. But at the end of the day, Emily Gilmore loved her family, and I always felt like I had someone in my corner, someone to talk to when I needed it.

"Of course her family wasn't the only thing she loved. As a kid, I remember thinking how cool it would be to go to as many parties as Grandma did. She wasn't partying, though. She was working, planning events and raising money for causes she believed in, that needed her amazing organizational skills. As for her Daughters of the American Revolution, I know she adored every meeting, that she made some true friendships there.

"As her grandson, I probably didn't know the Emily Gilmore most of you knew. But who she was, my Grandma, has made a profound effect on my life, as I'm sure she has with all of you. On the behalf of my family, thank you all for being here and sharing in her memory. And thank you all for being on time. You know how she loved a well-planned event."

TBC