Here's Part two. :) Feedback appreciated.

~malka

"Just like that?" Sookie asked, amazed. " 'Hi, how are you, I wanna come see Rory?' "

"Just like that," Lorelai confirmed. "Well, there was a whole awkward conversation about beets beforehand."

"Beets?" Sookie asked curiously.

Lorelai shook her head regretfully. "I blame myself; I orchestrated it."

"The beet conversation."

"The whole...Christopher returning thing." Lorelai answered, throwing up her hands.

"Ahh....how?" Sookie let out her breath.

"By--by--by not...doing...what...I shoulda done," Lorelai finished lamely. "I don't know how; I just know it's my fault." She sighed. "And the timing sucks. Just when we were settled in, and Rory at Chilton and everything." She shook her head. "I don't know. This just must be killing Rory."

"Well, maybe this is a good thing," Sookie encouraged. "I mean, you've got this great, steady job, and Rory's practically the smartest kid in town--"

"Practically?" Lorelai looked at Sookie.

"Definitely," Sookie corrected immediately. "The absolute most brilliant girl in town. Or the world. I mean, whoa! Is this kid smart! Christopher better look out because he's facing one witty kid! Better brush up on his quips--"

"Thanks, Sookie," Lorelai cut in.

"Right, stopping." They walked a few steps in silence. "How's Rory taking all this?"

"Well, we haven't really talked about it, but she's gotta be hurting," Lorelai answered.

--

"You guys haven't talked about it yet?" Lane asked, throwing her best friend a surprised look. "How come?" The two were walking down Sycamore Street on their way to Luke's for a before-school coffee binge. Well, coffee for Rory, mineral water for Lane.

"Well, there just wasn't the oppurtunity," Rory said, trying to convince herself as well as Lane. There'd been plenty of chances to talk the night before and earlier that very morning. She'd just wimped out. She didn't know what to say, or how she was supposed to feel about any of this.

"Uh huh," Lane said knowingly. "Wanna hear what I think?"

"Do I have a choice?" Rory questioned, but smiled good-naturedly.

"What I think," Lane went on, choosing to ignore Rory's comment. "Is that you and Lorelai are both confused about what effects this whole 'Christopher returning' thing is going to have on the dynamics of your relationship. So, rather than talk it out, from which you will most likely gain a sense of assurance about the strength of your bond, you choose instead to avoid the entire situation. Which, by the way, will only result in depression, anxiety, and, 20 years from now, the opportunity for me as your best friend to say 'I knew her when she wasn't a psycho killer.' "

Rory paused in the middle of the sidewalk and blinked. "I thought your mom threw out your TV. Where'd you come up with all that stuff?"

"Oh, Ms. Carlson was absent yesterday, so during English Lit. we watched Ricki Lake." Lane clarified.

"Wow," Rory observed, starting her feet up again. "We could never get away with that at Chilton. They've got substitute back-ups so there's not a minute that goes by where we can't learn anything. Not that the teachers are ever sick, of course."

Lane smiled. "You're trying to change the subject."

"Is it working?" Rory asked hopefully.

Lane sighed, but nodded. "If you want to shut yourself off from the world and pretend this all isn't happening right now, I guess, as your best friend, I'm obligated to accept that."

"Thanks." Rory said gratefully, deliberately ignoring the slightly sarcastic tone to Lane's voice.