Missing Pieces

Chapter 22: They Always Leave

"I guess I'd better go check on her," Rory said as she dried her eyes and followed Emma. She found the four-year old sitting in the floor in a heap of tears. Rory sat down next to Emma and pulled her into her lap.

"I'm so sorry, baby girl," Rory told Emma as she rocked her soothingly.

"Why did Uncle Jess leave, Mommy?"

"I'm not really sure, baby. He was upset with me, and sometimes people make bad decisions when they're upset." Truthfully, Rory still didn't understand it herself, or maybe she just didn't want to believe it. Unfortunately, she had almost grown to expect men to walk away from her, between her dad, Jess's multiple dramatic exits, and Logan's ultimatum at graduation.

"Will Grandpa Luke leave me, too?" Emma whispered.

"No, baby. He'll never leave you. He's your family, and family is forever," Rory reassured her.

"What about Finn? Will he get mad and leave?" Emma asked quietly.

"Finn loves you, Em," Rory reminded Emma, but perhaps she was also reminding herself. Suddenly her chest felt tight.

"So did Uncle Jess," Emma replied dejectedly, a new batch of tears falling. "What if they all left while we were in here?"

"They wouldn't do that, baby. Come on, let's go back out there and I'll show you."

"Mommy?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"What happens when Finn leaves?"

Rory's heart broke in a thousand pieces when she heard her daughter's question, which had also been playing in her mind since the moment Jess walked out.

"I don't know," Rory whispered, more to herself than to Emma. She'd never been enough for a man to stay in the past, and suddenly she felt as though it was only a matter of time until the next one left.

Rory scooped Emma up and walked back into the living room where Luke and Lorelai immediately began trying to help soothe Emma's sobs. Finn watched from where he was standing, unsure as to what he should do. He wanted to be there for both of them, but between Emma's reaction to him trying to hug her earlier and the look on Rory's face he got the distinct feeling that he was not wanted. He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets before gingerly taking a step toward them, but his heart broken when he saw Emma flinch as he approached.

"Why don't you two girls stay here tonight and we'll wallow?" Lorelai offered. "We can teach Emma how to deal with heartbreak like a Gilmore."

"Yeah, that would be a good idea," Rory replied half-heartedly. "Can you take her for a minute? I just...I need to...I've gotta get out of here."

Rory shifted Emma to Lorelai's waiting arms and ran out of the house before anyone else could move. Finn was the first to speak.

"I'm going to try to find her. Any idea where she might be?" he asked the other adults.

"Check the bridge," Lorelai replied, giving him directions on how to find it.

He took off after her and caught up to her quickly with his much longer stride. She finally came to a stop at the aforementioned bridge, tears still streaming down her face.

"I'm so sorry, Rory," Finn whispered as he reached out to pull her into his arms.

"Just...don't!" Rory barked out as she pushed him away.

"Did I do something, love? Finn asked, his confusion evident.

"No, but it's only a matter of time. God, I'm so stupid!"