So guys. Der letzte Teil. Ich moechte mich bei allen bedanken, die mir FB gegeben haben und mir immer wieder den Mut gegeben haben weiter zu schreiben... thank you, this one's for you!!!
part 22:
"Daddy.... Daddy did bad things."
She stuttered, looking close to tears now but she didn’t stop talking,
"Daddy did something to Mommy, when I came home from Carrie’s. And then he did it to me, too."
Finally, Lorelai’s daughter began to cry and I stepped, together with Lorelai, forward to knee down beside her.
"Everything’s fine", I whispered into one of her ears and gave her first an handkerchief and then a long hug. Lorelai did the same thing.
Then, Richard Gilmore cleared his throat and I looked up again. His face was just asking. I looked further right, where apparently Christopher stood. His look was indefinite. First, I thought, he looked angry but his eyes told me a different story. I sensed a little piece of guilt there.
"Lorelai?", now Emily was speaking, "Is it really true? Did Christopher really hit the two of you?"
Although I could tell that Lorelai really was desperate and very angry, she answered surprisingly softly,
"Yes, Mom."
Emily turned around to face Christopher.
"Is it true? Did you?", she asked.
I had expected him to deny it, to defend himself but he just continued staring at Rory. She still was crying terribly, the look of her was just heart-breaking.
Finally, Christopher moved, looked from Emily to Richard, then nodded silently.
-----
Dad now, too, looked shocked and sat down on the couch, pale as the walls surrounding him. Mom, on the other hand, went out of the living-room to pick up the phone.
"What... what are you doing, Emily?", my dad asked.
"I’m calling the police", she simply answered and was about to dial the number, when a silent "No" appeared in the air.
But it wasn’t Christopher’s desperate voice. It was Rory’s.
Everybody turned around to look at her and Luke, who was still kneeing beside her.
"Please don’t", she repeated, "Daddy shouldn’t go to jail."
Tears streamed down her face now. I knew exactly, how she felt. Although, I despised Christopher for his actions, he still was Rory’s father and my first love...
"Are you sure?", my dad asked, but didn’t look at Rory but at me.
"If Rory doesn’t want it, then I don’t want it either."
I noticed a sudden movement from Christopher’s side. His white face was now rather smiling but he misinterpreted the situation completely.
"Thank you, Lore. I ..."
But I cut him off.
"I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it for Rory. If you ever come close to me or her or even Stars Hollow, I won’t hesitate one moment to call 911. Do you understand me?"
Silence.
But Christopher wasn’t ready yet. He reached out for his last hope: My mother.
"Emily", he began, but she, too, interrupted him.
"Go Christopher! Don’t come back ever. Don’t dare to call us or Lorelai or Rory. Just get lost!"
For a few moments, Christopher stood immobile there, staring from my parents to me, then to Luke and Rory. Then, he moved. Slowly, he went into the foyer, opened the front-door went through it and disappeared as he closed the door behind him.
He was gone for good.
----
Silence.
Nobody dared to move, to speak, just to do anything at all. The only thing you could hear was Rory’s silent sobering. I still was kneeing beside her and silently tried to console her. Then, after what felt like hours, Lorelai finally moved.
She, too, reached down to Rory and hugged her. And again, she cried. As I watched the two Gilmore girls hugging and crying like that, my heart became heavy and light at the same time. I really was sad about what happened to the two of them. Nobody deserved something like that. And especially not them. But on the other hand, Rory was the cutest girl, I’ve ever seen and Lorelai... Whenever I was thinking about her, butterflies swirled around my stomach. She just swept me of my feet. To put it into one word: Amazing.
After another ten minutes, they broke apart. Lorelai stood up and faced her parents. Both of them were extremely pale, Emily was even shaking. Slowly and very quiet she said,
"I’m so sorry, Lorelai. I will never forgive me, for not trusting you, for not listening to you, for kicking you out, for anything I haven’t done for you. I’m so sorry."
Lorelai didn’t say anything but then, she nodded. It was a determined nod.
"It’s okay. I haven’t been the greatest daughter, either. I should have called you. I should have...", she broke off.
Tears were dropping down her nose now and even her mother was crying now. Slowly, she stepped towards her daughter and hugged her. It didn’t last long, though, and as they let go off each other, both of them looked kind of uncomfortable.
"I’m sorry, too, Lorelai."
That was Richard speaking. Lorelai looked up.
"I know, Dad... and I am sorry, too."
"Yeah, me, too! I’m sorry!"
Everybody turned around. The last few words had been said by Rory. She wasn’t crying anymore, in fact, she was smiling now. Lorelai, although still crying, giggled.
"What are you sorry for, honey?"
"I... I don’t know. But everybody keeps on apologizing. I felt left outside alone."
For a few moments, everybody stared at her but then, Richard let out a laugh. And step by step everybody joined in. Even I couldn’t help myself anymore.
----
As everybody stopped laughing, Mom began to look serious again.
"Can we talk to you, Lorelai? I mean, alone?", she glanced at Rory and Luke.
Luke, who got the hint, said,
"Rory? Do you wanna meet somebody? I know some people here. They used to live in Stars Hollow. They’re really funny."
Rory’s face was shining now and with a begging expression she looked at me.
"Of course, hon. Go with Luke."
Luke took Rory by the hand and they went out.
"She’s charming, Lorelai", my dad said.
"Yes, she really is."
A few moments passed in silence. I wondered what was about to come. Knowing my parents, I was sure, they would blame me for everything. But as my dad opened is mouth, he surprised me.
"Lorelai, can we... I mean, may I ... Is there any chance, you will forgive us? Is there any chance that we could see Rory regularly and... and you?"
I looked up.
Is he really doing this? Is he really reaching out for me?
I looked at Mom, she still remained silent but nevertheless, she nodded almost desperately.
"Yeah, sure. I mean, if Rory wants to see you, which she surely will. We could do that, I guess", I slowly managed to say.
"Thank you", my mom said very grateful, "How about dinner once a week?"
I thought about it. Although, I felt a little uncomfortable to see them every week, Rory had the right to get to know them...
"That sounds wonderful."
My mom beamed.
"Friday night? We’ll meet you at..."
"Seven?", I chimed in.
And according to my father’s smirking face, I was right. They still held onto their old habits.
Half an hour later, Luke, Rory and I were on our way back to Stars Hollow. I still couldn’t believe what had had happened that day. The disappointment that my parents didn’t believe me, Christopher’s departure, Rory’s heart-breaking tears and in the end, the reconciliation with Mom and Dad.
But deep in my heart, I knew that there was still a long way to go. It was just the first step into a better future but with one little piece missing...
----
I sat alone in my dark apartment, just the TV illuminated the room. I only half-watched the baseball match that was on. My thoughts twirled around my mind. The whole day was just too much for me. Less than 24 hours ago, Lorelai left me alone with a six-year-old. But miraculously, I managed to deal with Rory very well. I already liked her. And Lorelai’s dark shadows of the past seemed to have disappeared, she even bonded with her parents. But still, I wasn’t as satisfied as I should have been. Something was missing...
A knock on the door made me jump.
"It’s open!", I said.
I already knew, who was standing out there and everybody in this town, if they only listened, could hear the beating of my heart. And indeed, she was there, smiling awkwardly.
"Can I come in?", Lorelai asked.
"’Course you can."
She closed the door behind her and seated herself on the couch, right beside me.
"I’m sorry", she began, "For everything I put you through."
I just smiled.
"That’s what I’m here for", my voice was more a whisper now.
"No, Luke, you were extraordinary. I will never forget everything you did for me... for us. I’ll always be grateful...", she broke off, looking deep into my eyes.
Again, my stomach made a jolt. Her eyes were just incredibly blue. I could have been sitting there my lifetime, just staring into those eyes.
But then, Lorelai spoke further,
"I know that everything seems very complicated right now and maybe you will turn me down but I just have to do this now, or otherwise, I will never find out."
With those words, she leaned forward and kissed me.
----
I could feel his warm lips on mine. I never had been kissed like that before. While we shared that kiss, everything fell off of me. There were no worries, no sorrows, no Christopher. Just Luke’s lips...
There was just Luke...
As we finally broke apart, I watched him closely. A broad smile had appeared on his face.
"So what do you say? Could we try? I mean, is there any chance that we...", I whispered.
A few moments silence. My excitement rose.
"Well, Lorelai, do you remember the first time we met?"
I nodded.
"Well, one word that’s all you said. Something in your voice called me, turned my head, Lorelai. And your eyes just captured me. And I ... I don’t know how it happened, but it happens still... How should I say... You had me from ‘Hello’, Lorelai. No matter what will come our way."
I said nothing. I just couldn’t. I was too overwhelmed, too surprised, too cheerful. I just leaned forward and kissed him again. I was happy as I’ve never been before.
------
Epilogue
It was a bright, sunny day and an aristocratic elderly man stood up and walked up a stage and said,
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman. I am very proud to say goodbye to our class of 2003. Those young women and men are extraordinary, smart and driven. Chilton has done a wonderful job in educating them. And I’m especially proud of our valedictorian. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Rory Gilmore."
Rory began to speak:
"Headmaster Charleston, faculty members, fellow students, family and friends, welcome. We never thought this day would come. We prayed for its quick delivery, crossed days off our calendars, counted hours, minutes and seconds and now that its here, I’m sorry it is because it means leaving inspiring friends and teachers, who’ve been my mentors, many people, who’ve shaped my life and my fellow students’ life impermeably and forever.
I live in two worlds.
One is the world of books. I’ve been a resident of Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County and fought alongside Napoleon. It’s a rewarding world, but my second one is by far superior.
My second one is filled with characters less eccentric, but supremely real, made of flash and bone, full of love, who are my ultimate inspiration for everything.
Richard and Emily Gilmore are kind, decent, unfailing generous people. They are my twin pillars, without whom I could not stand. I am proud to be their grandchild.
Christopher Hayden, who did more than he knows. I haven’t seen him in twelve years but he did something that led me to my real Dad:
Luke Danes, was there for me and my mom, when we needed him the most. He stood on our side through 12 fantastic years. Thanks to him, my mom could fulfill her lifetime dream to open the Dragon Fly Inn. He also gave us the two most precious gifts on earth, my two younger siblings: Liz and William. I love them so much.
But my ultimate inspiration comes from my best friend. The dazzling woman from whom I received my name and my life’s blood: Lorelai Gilmore. My mother never gave me any idea that I couldn’t do, what I wanted to do or be whom I wanted to be. She filled our house with love and fun and books and music, unflagging in her efforts to give me role models from Jane Austen to Patti Smith. As she guided me through these incredible 18 years, I don’t know, if she ever realized that the person, I most wanted to be was her.
Thank you, Mom, you are my guidepost for everything."
"Hey, Luke? Are you crying?", Lorelai whispered into her husband’s ear.
"No.... maybe a little."
"Yeah, me, too."
Luke looked into her eyes,
"You really did a great job in raising her."
Lorelai smiled,
"No, Luke. We did."
:herz: :lach:
Aber es wurde ja auch mal Zeit, dass ein neues Chapter kommt.
And then the basecap thing, that must be a sign, mustn't it?
I think I can save my cuss words, otherwise I'd probably get a ban ^^ He's such a jerk and lying like a master. I can't believe that the Gilmore really believe him! Fortunately, Richard seems to have noticed something about Rory's behaviour - well, that guy went to Yale 
So I won't send hom to hell, at least not yet.
