Snatched

Part 78

Lorelai walked into the apartment and wrapped her arms around her daughter. Immediately, the tears began to run from Rorys eyes once again.
'Honey,' Lorelai said, 'we gotta stop meeting like this.'

Normally, a joke of Lorelais like this would have made Rory laugh, but this time she didn't feel anything. Noticing her daughters reluctance to respond, Lorelai pulled Rory in tighter.
'Oh honey! What's going on?' she asked. But all Rory could do was sob.

Lorelai took Rorys hand, lead her over to the living room area and sat her down.
'Sit!' she ordered. Rory obeyed. 'Now you know what every situation like this needs..' Lorelai headed towards the kitchen and picked up the already-warm coffee pot. 'Honey, when you're ready to talk you can, but for now just let mommy make you a nice warm cuppa coffee and maybe a slice of..do you have any pie?'

'No' Rory managed through her tears, 'but there should be cookies in the cupboard just above your head'.
'Aha!' Lorelai said, as she reached into the cupboard and grabbed the packet of cookies. 'There's no situation that can't be made better by cookies!'
'I can think of a few!' Rory said sarcastically.

'Oh sweetie!' Lorelai said, as she rushed back over into the living room. 'I didn't mean..' She put the plate of cookies and two cups of coffee on the coffee table in front of her.
'No, mom, it's ok.' Rory reached for the cup of coffee and a cookie and they both sat in silence for a minute or two.

'This is ridiculous!' Rory broke the silence. Lorelai didn't say anything, but just looked at her daughter. 'I mean, I'm already in my late 30s and I still need my mommy to get me cookies and bandage my booboos!'

Lorelai leant forward and put a hand on Rorys knee.
'Honey,' she said, 'you could be in your late 300s! But I'll always be your mommy and I'll always be here to bandage your booboos. Unless they're super gross, in which case you're on your own honey.'
This time, Rory allowed herself to laugh.

'Now are you gonna tell me why I've had to travel all the way here from Stars Hollow at the drop of a hat this afternoon?' Despite her sarcasm, Rory knew that her mom didn't mind doing this. 'And where's Logan anyway?' Lorelai asked.

Lorelai tried to act surprised when she heard Rory relay to her the story that she'd already heard from Logan on the car drive over. Over the last couple of years, Logan had come to confide in Lorelai a few times and she liked that.

'I'm really not sure about this honey..' Lorelai begun, when Rory had finished telling her story.
'Oh not you as well mom!' Rory wiped the tears that had begun to fall from her eyes as she told the story.
'No, just hear me out', Lorelai said. 'I mean, I'm not entirely with Logan on this one. But when am I ever? He should never have spoken to you the way he did. But honey..' Now she was looking directly into Rorys eyes, with a pleading expression. 'You know I hate to see you like this. But you've been fighting tooth and nail for your little boy these past two and a half years and it's absolutely broken my heart that I can't just make this go away for you. But I know my little girl and I know that she doesn't just give up.'

'I know' Rory said. 'And trust me it's absolutely breaking my heart to think that I'm letting Dylan down. But keeping at it like this is just causing more and more pain. And it's probably gonna cause Dylan hurt in the long run as well. And I know it's hurting Logan as well, from the way he reacted before. And mom..' she paused for a few seconds. 'I really can't do this any more'.

'Oh honey!' Lorelai moved so that she was sat closer to her daughter. She grabbed both of Rorys hands in hers. 'You don't have to do this any more.' Noticing Rorys shocked expression at what she had just said, Lorelai stopped for a moment. 'No Rory', she said. 'I mean YOU don't have to do this any more. I'll fight this whole custody battle for you and help deal with all the legal stuff and Luke will help and I'm sure Logan...'

'No mom, stop.' Rory let go off her moms hands and reached forward to put one hand on Lorelais knee. 'I can't do that any more either. Me and Logan. I mean up until today everything was perfect. I love him I really do. I always have and I always will. And he'll always been Dylans dad. But the things he said today..' Rory sighed and look up at her mom. 'Mom, that really hurt me and...' she paused. 'I don't think I'll ever forgive him for that.'