Lorelai grunted and switched the television off. �Hey!� three male voices chorused.
Lorelai rolled her eyes at her father, Luke, and Jackson, �It�s not the same without Rory.� she said, sadly, tears coming to her eyes.
�I know.� Luke said, and surprising even himself, he gave Lorelai a long hug. �Listen, we will find her. She�s a Gilmore, she�s capable.�
Lorelai had to smile at that, �That is true, we are aren�t we?�
The phone rang then. �I�ll get it!� Sookie�s call came from the kitchen. A moment later, she came into the room, �Lorelai, its Chief Denhauser.�
Lorelai grabbed the phone from her best friend, �Chief?� she asked, frantically.
�Ms. Gilmore, we have just received word from a witness who says she saw a bearded man with glasses take your daughter. We�ve narrowed down where he lives.� The chief informed her.
�Just now? Where was the witness five days ago?� Lorelai asked, frustrated.
�She�s only four. She saw Rory�s picture in the paper and told her mom about it.�
�I�m coming. Don�t do anything without me.�
�Lorelai��
�I said, �I�m coming.�� Lorelai used such force that even her father looked up, surprised. She hung up the phone, �We�ve got a tip, let�s go.� she informed everyone.
After arriving at the police station with Luke and Sookie, they were told they could come, but needed to stay in the squad car. They rode twenty minutes outside of town to a rundown shack in the woods. Lorelai, Luke, and Sookie watched as the SWAT team swarmed the cabin, and knocked in the door. Several tense minutes passed. They seemed like hours to Lorelai. Then two officers took out a man with a scruffy beard and big glasses out, handcuffed. Another moment later, Chief Denhauser came running to the car. �Ms. Gilmore? Lorelai?� he asked, rushed.
�What is it?� Lorelai asked; a little panicked.
�She�s in there. She�s asking for her mommy, and won�t let anyone touch her. It�s clear to go in. Can you�� Lorelai was out of the car, racing inside, before he could even finish. The shack was no more than a one-room house, with a stove, fireplace, table, and a bed. A closet was at one end, with several officers around it, trying to coerce someone into coming out.
�Rory?� Lorelai asked, in a not-too-loud voice, in the one she used when comforting her daughter.
�Mommy?� the little voice called back.
Lorelai was in the closet in an instant. She was careful not to hug her daughter until she was ready, but she began to rub her back, �Mommy�s here.� Rory was a mess. She was full of dirt, grease, and small streaks of blood. Her clothes were torn and also dirty and bloody.
�Mama.� Rory said, in a pitifully small voice. She wrapped her arms around her mother, and burst into hysterical tears.
�Shh, mama�s here, mama�s here.� Lorelai soothed, rubbing her crying daughter�s back, �Oh, baby, mama�s here.�
�Don�t leave.� Rory begged in a small voice.
�Never, my little one, never.� Lorelai answered, rocking Rory back and forth, trying to ease her crying.