DISCLAIMER: The characters used in this story are not mine and belong to various people I have to contact with.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, this is something that appeared out of nowhere and is the first part of what I hope to be a long and interesting story! Because it's a rather unusual joining of two very different shows I wouldn't mind feedback, even if it's just to tell me I need to be committed- it wouldn't be the first time! Thanks for reading.
SPOILERS: Up to S2 for The 4400, round about S1 for The Gilmore Girls.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

3459: Lorelai Gilmore
By CharmedLassie

Part 6

Diana watched Lorelai carefully from her position on a sofa in the Independence Inn lounge. The returnee was conducting what appeared to be an intricate conversation with Michel, but Diana, for one, could see her heart wasn't in it. Her eyes kept flickering towards the door and when Richard Gilmore eventually did enter she excused herself from Michel immediately and led her father into the lounge.

Diana stood as they approached. 'Hello, Richard. I'll leave you both to it.'

Richard shook his head. 'That won't be necessary. Please, both of you: sit down.'

Lorelai glanced over to Diana as she sat. 'Dad, what's going on?'

'I thought it right I should tell you this face-to-face,' Richard began. 'I've…' He faltered then recomposed himself. 'I've started divorce proceedings.'

Diana sighed as Lorelai's brow furrowed. 'Oh, erm… Okay.'

'I think you'll understand,' Richard went on after a pause, 'that I absolutely refuse to discuss the matter with her or anybody else. However, I wanted you to be the first to know.'

'Before Mom?'

Diana knew the answer to that before it was spoken: she was sure Emily Gilmore's composure would've been very different earlier had she known. 'Yes, I thought I owed you that much.'

Lorelai nodded, obviously struggling to find some words. 'Alright. Should I… Do you want Rory knowing?'

'I'm willing to discuss it with her. I think she's mature enough to deal with it.'

'No, I'll do it. Just to be on the safe side.'

Richard tried to smile his consent. 'Yes, I agree.'

'Here,' Diana said, placing the coffee cup down on the reception desk. 'Drink.'

Lorelai glanced up absently from the computer. 'Hmm? Oh, thanks… Michel's lost one.'

'One what?'

'A guest,' she replied, frowning and clicking the mouse several times. 'Twenty seven checked in two days ago, twenty six left this morning.'

'So, what, one's still here?' Diana queried, sipping from her own mug.

'Well, you'd think. But he's not on the current guest roster.' Lorelai groaned. 'I should check his room. He's probably hiding under the bed or something.'

'You'd had that before?'

'Actually, yes. Won't be long.'

As the returnee came around the desk, Diana grasped her arm. 'You can talk about it, you know.'

'What, Mr Fielding in room ten?'

'That's not what I meant and you know it.'

Lorelai looked at her briefly. 'Di, I've really gotta sort this. I'll meet you back at home?'

Diana nodded reluctantly. 'Okay.'

'Hey,' Lorelai called back as she reached the bottom of the stairs, 'check the fridge.'

Not quite certain what it was, she poked it. Ah, so it had a base in Jell-O then. The decorations were probably a face, though the chocolate had melted in a lopsided manner and the icing was… Well, the icing was cute. Diana smiled and removed the 'cake' from the fridge and got herself a plate and a fork. 'Here goes,' she muttered to herself.

Ten minutes later, as she was concluding the rather unique experience, she heard the door and Maia bounded in followed by Rory. 'Did you like it?' her daughter questioned, hopping onto a chair.

'Very nice,' she confirmed. 'Have you two been in the bookshop this whole time?'

Rory nodded. 'She's almost as bad as I was. It's great. Where's Mom?'

'At the Inn. Michel lost a guest.'

'She's not here?' Maia asked, her face suddenly dropping.

'Well, she won't be long, sweetie,' Diana replied. 'Are you ok?'

'You're not going out are you?'

'Wasn't planning on it,' she said, exchanging a glance with Rory. 'Why?'

'Just wondered.'

Maia then disappeared in the vague direction of the living room leaving Diana to question, 'What was that about?'

Rory frowned. 'She was fine while we were out.'

'Strange…' Diana brought herself back to reality. 'Do you want some Jell-O cake?'

'Yeah!'

'I brought pie!' Lorelai announced as she barged through the front door early evening.

Diana glanced up from the television, Rory and Maia did the same. 'Where have you been?'

'Locating Mr Fielding. And,' she added quickly, pre-empting the strike, 'it was a lot more difficult than you'd think.'

'Is that best saved for discussion over pie?'

'Yes! Wanna give me a hand?'

Diana smiled and followed the returnee into the kitchen, stealing a quick kiss before Lorelai reached for plates and forks. 'Have you thought,' she said seriously, 'about telling Rory?'

Lorelai cleared her throat. 'Well, you know, it can wait. Until after you've gone, at least.'

'Are you sure?'

'I don't want anything going wrong, I don't want Rory flipping out and you and Maia hiding in the bedroom.'

'That's considerate of you.'

'And I'm also a big scaredy-cat.'

'I knew that,' replied Diana. 'But the sooner you get it over with…'

'My teachers used to say that,' answered Lorelai, picking up two of the plates and letting Diana pick up the remainder. 'It never worked then either.'

'Exactly where can I pick up tips on you?' Diana questioned as they returned to the girls.

They had demolished all but one slice of pie when there was a knock on the door. Rory jumped up to answer it, though Diana noticed that Maia shrunk back in her seat. That was never a good sign. A few moments later- when Rory muttered uncertainly, 'Grandma?'- Diana understood the reason for Maia's discomfort and felt it threefold.

Lorelai was immediately on her feet and at the door. Before following her Diana murmured for Maia to go wait in Rory's room which she did, surprisingly, with no argument. If possible, that made her feel more apprehensive about what might happen.

Emily Gilmore was in the doorway, leaning heavily against the doorframe for support, her face coated in what could only be described as utter despair. Obviously, then, she'd been informed o Richard's plan and the result was horrible to see. 'Lorelai,' she said as her daughter settled in front of her, arms crossed protectively, 'I had to see you.'

'I don't want you here,' Lorelai replied, a muscle working in her cheek. 'Go.'

'No, wait…' Emily said quickly. 'Look, it's your father, he's…'

'I know. He told me.'

'Oh…' Her trump card played, Emily seemed to desperately search for something else to say. 'I don't know what to do.'

Lorelai snorted. 'Don't tell me you're seriously asking for my help?'

'I don't know where else to go!'

'So I'm the last resort, is that it, Mom? You ruin my life then expect me to just fix yours?'

Rory, her face showing signs of confusion, tentatively asked, 'What's going on?'

'I'm being forcibly divorced is what,' Emily answered, trying to straighten herself up. 'I was told an hour ago by a slimy solicitor. He didn't even have the decency to tell me directly.'

'What exactly does he owe you, Mom?' Lorelai questioned. 'You're lucky. Dad won't just cut you off like he should.'

'And that's important?'

'I thought it'd be the most important thing to you, yeah.'

'Well, it isn't,' her mother said, wiping her eyes. 'I shouldn't expect you to understand what's important to me.'

'It's not family, is it?'

Diana glanced to Rory to see how she was coping with the revelation. Her face was impassive but a muscle was working in her cheek. Something else mother and daughter shared then. Diana herself was beginning to feel more concern than ever before for the woman whose life was falling apart before her eyes and, meeting eyes with Rory, she realised the teen recognised what she was thinking. She wasn't sure if that unsettled her more or not.

'I'm sorry I bothered you,' Emily said after a lengthy silence. Then, glancing to Diana, she added, 'I should have listened to you. There's nothing left, is there?'

With that she left and Rory moved to close the door. 'That was… weird.'

Diana was almost holding her breath. Lorelai had yet to move, her mind was apparently ticking over. Eventually, she turned ninety degrees, her arms still tensely crossed. 'What did she mean; she should've listened to you?'

Exchanging a glance with Rory, she decided the truth- while it would do her no favours- was best in the circumstances. 'I bumped into her earlier.'

Lorelai's voice was dangerously low. 'Where?'

'In the town,' she answered quietly. Rory, she saw, slipped back into the living room unseen.

'Why didn't you tell me?'

'I didn't think you'd take it very well,' she admitted.

'Kudos for being right.' Lorelai let out her breath angrily. 'I don't want her knowing anything about me! I don't want anyone I trust talking to her, or passing the time of day with her!'

'She's sorry!' Diana burst out suddenly, surprising herself a little. 'She wants to make amends, she wants another chance!'

'She doesn't deserve another chance! I thought you understood that!'

'I understand why you feel that way.'

'But you don't agree with it and you won't accept my wishes not to have anything to do with her? Is that the shape of it?' Lorelai questioned.

'I wasn't trying to go behind your back, she approached me.'

'So if that's all it was, why didn't you tell me, hmm? Why did you lie?'

'I didn't lie, I just…' She felt like she was sounding a little like Emily. 'Lorelai, I'm sorry.'

The returnee stood still for a few moments then just shook her head. 'Get out of my house.'

'Oh, Lorelai, come on…'

'I asked you to leave,' Lorelai interrupted. 'And I meant it.'

What was there to do? The only thing she could think of was letting Lorelai cool down. She'd take a walk; it'd be fine. Taking her coat from the stand she refrained from looking towards Lorelai. She didn't particularly want to expose herself to the hate currently festering her eyes.

Once on the street, she shivered. It was cold out here; colder than she'd anticipated. Deciding to walk off her discomfort, Diane hugged her arms around her body and started through the town. Spotting a light on in Luke's, she headed over there. The thought of a warm coffee and respite from the frosty air, not to mention the prospect of a frosty Lorelai, were extremely tempting.

'We're closed,' Luke said, not looking up from scrubbing away at the counter.

'Oh…' She felt herself fall a little. 'Sorry.'

He glanced up at the sound of her voice. 'You want a coffee or something?'

'Not if I'm getting in your way. I'd rather just…'

'Come on in,' Luke answered. 'I only put the closed sign up to stop Kirk camping out here all night to avoid his mother.'

Slightly more at ease, she entered and closed the door behind her. Making her way up to the counter, she sat on one of the stools near him. 'I honestly didn't mean to disturb you.'

'You're not. The highlight of my Saturday night is stocktaking. Coffee?'

'Yeah, thanks.'

As he poured, he questioned, 'I figured you'd be sticking close to Lorelai this weekend.'

'Supposed to be,' she confirmed quietly, taking the cup he pushed towards her.

'Problems? You know, with you and her being close and…'

Diana looked up sharply. 'Did she tell you that?'

'What? No. I just…' He shrugged. 'I put two and two together, that's all.'

Part of her resented the intrusion into her private life but… Well, she couldn't muster the energy to be angry. The weekend was proving to be more draining than she'd anticipated really. 'Lorelai's set in her ways, isn't she?' she finally queried.

'That's one way of looking at it,' Luke answered with a wry smile. 'What happened?'

'Um…' Recognising that discussing this with anyone else was probably unwise and wouldn't help her case with Lorelai, she shook her head. 'It doesn't matter. I'm just… How long have you known Lorelai?'

'Feels like forever.'

She smiled at his tone. 'Did you miss her when she was gone?'

'Yeah. But erm… I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell her. She'd expect free coffee.'

'She didn't think she was important,' Diana said softly. 'You know, she thought everyone'd just forget about her.'

Luke snorted. 'I don't think that's possible, do you?'

'Not really,' she agreed, watching as reached for another cup and began pouring. 'Are you joining me?'

'Not me,' he replied, going into the back when the bell on the door clanged.

Diana didn't turn around. She felt a little too stiff and nervous to do that. 'What are you doing here?'

Lorelai approached her, footsteps tapping ominously on the floor as she came closer. 'Needed coffee.'

'Right.' After a pause, Diana sighed. 'I didn't mean to go behind your back, Lorelai. I…'

'It doesn't matter,' the returnee interrupted. 'Rory talked some sense into me. I've got one smart kid.'

'I won't argue with that.' Half-turning, Diana found Lorelai watching her miserably. 'Your coffee's getting cold.'

Sitting on the stool next to her, Lorelai exhaled heavily. 'I screwed up, didn't I?'

'No. No, you didn't. I should've told you. But I thought it'd cause an argument. Kudos for being right, huh?'

'I just… She does something to me, you know? It's not like seeing red; it's worse than that. I can't look at her without...'

'I get it, Lorelai,' Diana said quietly. 'I understand; I really do.'

'So why did you talk to her then? Tell me that.'

'Because I thought someone should listen to what she has to say. You and Rory won't, your father won't. I can't imagine how alone she feels at the moment.'

Lorelai was quiet for a long second. 'So what did she say?'

'Nothing profound. That lies spiral out of control, that she regrets it. I'm sure nothing you wouldn't expect her to say in the circumstances.'

'So she's just laying it on thick then.'

'I don't know,' she said honestly. 'I don't know her and I don't pretend to. But you do, and if you can guarantee that she won't do anything…'

'She's not that stupid,' Lorelai objected. 'She's scheming; not suicidal.'

Diana nodded. 'That's your call. I should've respected that.'

'And I shouldn't have kicked you out,' Lorelai answered with a frown. 'I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry.'

Shifting to look at her, Diana replied, 'I don't know where we're going with this.'

Her lover bit her lip. 'Me neither.'

'Well, does that scare you as much as it does me?' Diana probed. 'I mean, we live in different parts of the country, we've both got kids. Granted, Maia's fine with our relationship, but I don't know if Rory'll be as accepting. And I know you don't want to think about telling her, and I totally understand why, but…'

Suddenly, Lorelai kissed her to quieten her. 'We need to deal with this as it comes,' she said, pulling back. 'There'll be a right time to tell Rory. I just don't know when yet.'

Unconvinced, Diana argued, 'There's still the distance.'

'I know that but… What are we meant to do? Your life's there; mine's here. You've got your job, and I can't uproot Rory yet. And I can't leave my dad with everything he's going through right now.'

'I understand,' Diana answered with a tiny smile. 'It just doesn't make it any easier. I feel so lonely there. Jarvis wants me out, I can tell. It's only a matter of time before I slip up, or she makes me slip up. And there's Maia to think about. If they do recall the returnees…'

'Di, your job sucks,' Lorelai said simply. 'You're the only one there who cares about us as anything more than a science project.'

'Tom cares,' she muttered.

'Alright,' her lover conceded with a small shrug. 'But you've both got a vested interest. You see it differently. You know they'd be dissecting us if they thought they could get away with it!'

Surprisingly, she couldn't find a counter-argument to that. 'It's better I'm on board,' she said eventually.

'Why, because it's making you happy?'

'At least I know what's going on! I'd rather be in there listening to the rubbish they're spouting than be waiting at home for the day they come and collect my daughter!'

Lorelai wrapped an arm around her waist. 'I get it, Di. I get it. But…I'm worried, okay? They'll screw you over. You know it and I know it. Even Maia knows it!'

Buying time by drinking her coffee, she then questioned, 'Can we go home?'

A small tired smile slipped onto the returnee's face. 'I'd love to.'

Diana barely slept that night. They'd given up the pretence that she was sleeping on the sofa and instead forewarned Rory that she'd be taking Lorelai's bed while Lorelai herself slept in the floor. Of course, that wasn't how it worked. She'd been encircled by warm arms which hadn't been as soothing as she might've hoped. There was still tension between her and Lorelai and her mind was far too active for her to have a restful night. She wanted desperately to savour this time with Lorelai, because she knew it'd have to come to a premature end very shortly. In reality, she had no idea when she'd see Lorelai again. She didn't know if Jarvis was going to issue a mass recall of returnees and she didn't know what she'd do if she did.

When she awoke after a restless bout of sleep, she found Lorelai watching her and she found herself smiling. 'Morning.'

Lorelai lifted a hand up to caress her cheek. 'Did I mention I was an idiot last night?'

'Yeah, you did.'

'Good. Just reiterating that fact. Couldn't stand losing you, Di.'

Swallowing, Diana then kissed her. 'I know.'

Lorelai cleared her throat. 'So we've got Rory's poetry thing. You still coming?'

'Of course. It might be fun.'

'Huh. I wouldn't get your hopes up. I can't see the Hartford snobs having a talent for making mindless rhymes but you never know.'

'You never know,' she repeated.

The girls weren't as bubbly as they'd been the previous day. Rory was making no secret of her nervousness at having to stand up in front of a group of complete strangers to read something she'd finished over a pizza, while Maia, Diana guessed, was still a little bit perturbed by the events of the previous evening. This was one of the things she'd worried would happen; her daughter getting too attached to Lorelai much too quickly. It was going to make leaving in the morning more of a wrench than it already looked to be; both for Maia and Diana herself.

When they reached Chilton there seemed to be a congregation on the driveway. Diana was surprised- it was hardly a warm day and she'd assumed the prigs of Hartford would've rushed indoors at the first sign of their hairstyles being rained on. Still, that wasn't the case. Glancing to Maia, she suddenly realised that this was what her daughter had been apprehensive about since she awoke. She really wished Maia told her these things. It would've made looking upwards and seeing Emily Gilmore on a third-floor ledge a mite easier.

'Oh, my God,' Lorelai muttered, following the eyes of the crowd up. 'Oh, my God.'

Rory's eyes widened. 'What is she doing?'

Lorelai shook her head angrily. 'I'll kill her myself.'

Diana didn't quite know how to respond to that so she was grateful when Headmaster Charleston pushed through the congregation towards them. 'Miss Gilmore, finally! We've been calling you.'

Dragging her eyes away from her mother, Lorelai murmured, 'I left my cell phone on the kitchen table. How long has she been up there?'

'Almost an hour. I tried contacting your father but there was no reply.'

'He'll be at the office,' Rory said suddenly. 'He spends too much time there.'

'Has anyone tried talking to her?' Diana questioned.

He looked to her briefly. 'Agent Skouris. No. She won't allow anybody to speak to her, with the exception of Lorelai.'

Diana heard the tremor in her lover's voice as she asked, 'Di, will…'

'I'll be right there,' she interrupted, not caring whether Charleston, or even Rory, caught her soothing tone. 'Maia,' she said, turning back to her daughter, 'I want you to go with Rory away from the crowd.'

'No,' the teenager insisted. 'We're not going anywhere. I've got a right to be here!'

'Rory,' Lorelai said quietly. 'I need you to do this for me, okay? Please?'

Though evidently disgruntled, she eventually nodded and led Maia away from the group. Diana squeezed Lorelai's arm then indicated they should go into the building.

She wasn't certain how they climbed the stairs. They didn't look at each other, she knew that, but she also felt the turmoil that was currently zipping through Lorelai's mind and it made any lingering doubt about their relationship vanish almost instantly. Anybody who could invoke such a response in her wasn't going anywhere if she could remotely help it.

A police officer let them by when Diana briefly explained who they were, and then Lorelai was stood in front of the open window that led out onto one of Chilton's most magnificent architectural features. The returnee bit forcibly down on her lip before glancing backwards once and then pushing her head gingerly out of the window.

'Mom!'

'Lorelai?' Diana couldn't see the elder Gilmore but the distress in her voice was more than evident.

'Get in here now, Mom,' Lorelai said firmly.

'I need to talk to you,' Emily said pleadingly.

'Then get off the ledge.'

'I need to talk to you!'

'Then get off the damn ledge!' Reaching forward, Diana placed a hand on her lover's arm. Lorelai took the hint and lowered her voice. 'Look, Mom, you need to come inside right now. You wanna talk? Yeah, we'll talk.'

'Nice try, Lorelai,' Emily answered derisively. 'I know that you'll sweep me off to the asylum the second I get inside. So I'd rather say what I have to say now.'

Lorelai shook her head. 'You know how to make it worse for yourself, Mom. You always did. I mean, you couldn't just say 'wow, my daughter isn't dead' and have done with it, could you?'

'I know I brought it all on myself! But I was trying to do what I thought to be the right thing, Lorelai. You've done that countless times.'

'I never wished you dead, Mom!' Lorelai called through the open window. 'Never!'

When Emily finally spoke her voice was thick with emotion. 'I was devastated when you were… taken. You've got no idea how it felt to not know where you were or if you were even alive.'

'But you soldiered on, didn't you?' her daughter replied scathingly. 'And by the time I got back you'd settled right into the doting wife and grandmother routine.'

'I tried to look after Rory…'

'Yeah,' Lorelai interjected, 'by keeping her from me!'

'I've tried to apologise!'

'You're only sorry for yourself!'

'That's… That's not true.'

Diana sensed this was getting nowhere fast and pulled Lorelai back gently before whispering, 'She might not mean to do herself harm but she really could at the moment. Get her inside.'

Lorelai's eyes showed a mixture of bitterness and confusion. 'I'm trying,' she muttered back before squeezing Diana's hand and turning back to the window and saying, a little more loudly, 'what do you want from me, Mom? Why would you only talk to me?'

There was a pause. 'Because it's you that I've hurt. I regret it so much, Lorelai. You're my daughter and I should never have treated you that way. I need you to forgive me.'

Diana saw her shoulders lift in an involuntary snort but, to her credit, Lorelai kept it internal. 'Is that what'll make you come back inside? My forgiveness?'

'Yes,' Emily said simply.

'Okay,' her daughter murmured, nodding, 'then I forgive you. Come inside. Come inside now.'

Would that work? Diana wasn't too sure but a few seconds later Emily gingerly stepped back inside the cavernous room. Lorelai met her eye for a moment then turned around and walked straight out of the room.

Emily Gilmore stood, shaken and dishevelled. 'Do you think she means it?'

'I've said before,' Diana answered carefully, 'you have to give her time. Are you okay?'

'No. I haven't a clue what I'm doing anymore.'

'For future reference, what you just did was pretty stupid.'

Emily inhaled in a sardonic laugh. 'Thank you for your input, Agent Skouris.'

She smiled slightly then glanced to the door. 'I need to find Lorelai.'

Leaving the broken woman behind, Diana quickly made her way back down the stairs and found Lorelai, Rory and Maia waiting for her by the car.

'What took you so long?' Lorelai queried, slipping into the driver's seat.

'Nothing,' she replied, glancing backwards as Rory and Maia both got into the car. 'Are you two alright?'

'Poetry's off,' Rory said, without fully looking at her. 'Headmaster Charleston said he'd reschedule it.'

'More time to fine-tune,' Diana said, attempting humour. Since neither Rory nor Lorelai cracked a smile, she refocused her attentions onto Maia. 'Sweetheart? You don't look well.'

'I'm okay,' Maia replied hollowly.

And if she believed that… Still, Diana thought as she glanced to Lorelai beside her, there were many many things tenuously placed at the moment.

Pulling the car into the drive, Lorelai turned off the engine. Then she turned her head and, with a smile that Diana could instantly tell was false, muttered, 'Hey, why don't you two go on inside? Let the grown-ups get some coffee.'

Rory just nodded quietly but Maia's eyes widened. 'No!'

'Honey, we won't be long,' Diana said, a little concerned at her daughter's extreme reaction. 'I promise.'

'No!'

Lorelai removed her seatbelt and turned her whole body around. 'Listen to me, kid. I've got this one, okay? You trust me?'

Wondering what the hell was going on, Diana just watched her daughter finally nod her head and get out of the car. Rory followed her without a word. Then she glanced back to Lorelai. 'What was that?'

With a shake of the head, the returnee got out of the car. 'I'll tell you sometime.'

Following suit, she retorted, 'Tell me now!'

There was a pause. Then Lorelai said, 'Let's go to Luke's.'

As they walked Diana looked sideways frequently. She was concerned and intrigued by Maia's strange behaviour over the last few days and she also wasn't sure where she stood with Lorelai as well. It was complex. Not that she'd expected anything different but…

Eventually, Lorelai murmured, 'You stopped to talk to her, didn't you?'

That was a nifty little subject change, and one that Diana didn't feel exactly comfortable following. She shrugged. 'I had to make sure she wasn't going right back out there.'

'And?'

'Well, she didn't. But if you think that my concern was for her…'

'I know it wasn't,' Lorelai interrupted, her voice strained. 'I know that.'

Diana sighed, touching her lover's arm as they turned onto the main street. 'This isn't going well is it?'

The returnee glanced at her. 'What?'

'I don't know. This. Us.'

Lorelai looked to the floor briefly. 'I'm sorry.'

'I'm not blaming you, Lorelai! I just…' Exhaling heavily, she tried to clear her face. 'I told you last night that this scares me. I don't know what to do. And Maia, she's…'

'She'll be okay,' Lorelai interjected softly.

'And here we go again with the thing you're not telling me!'

'It was a confidence, Di! You expect me to break it?'

'I expect you to know when it's right to break it!'

Lorelai shook her head. 'It isn't!'

'You need to let me decide!' Lowering her voice, she muttered, 'I love you, Lorelai…'

'Don't,' Lorelai said suddenly, halting. 'You go to Luke's. I'll see you back at home. I should probably check on Rory anyway.'

Diana also stopped. 'I should come with you.'

'I'd rather you didn't.'

She half wanted to argue but she was discovering she didn't have the energy. She felt drained. With a silent nod she turned and carried on down the street, plunging her hands deep into her pockets. Then she heard a noise, a rather bizarre noise. A groaning. She looked back at Lorelai and saw an indescribable amount of pain reflected on her face then glanced upwards as she heard an electrical crack and the intensified groaning of cables.

She barely registered the pole was falling until she saw the panic in Lorelai's eyes. Even then she was rooted to the spot. She registered Lorelai running towards her and recognised how stupid that was but she couldn't vocalise the thought. Lorelai barrelled towards her seemingly in slow motion and charged into her stomach, forcing her out of the line of assault.

And putting herself straight into it. The pole smashed down with an almighty thwack. Diana was pinned, but by Lorelai's upper body more than anything else. As shop doors banged opened and a crowd gathered she dragged herself backwards then fell forwards again as she realised the returnee's situation. 'Call an ambulance for God's sake!'

Part 7

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