Disclamer and A/N: I do not own any of the Gilmore Girls characters. I hope you all enjoy my first attempt at a story. Please review!

"Mommy!"

Seven-year old Alexis ran to Lorelai in the pick-up line at Chilton lower school in Hartford and engulfed her mother in a huge hug. Lorelai smiled, holding back the tears that were threatening to escape at any moment.

"Hey bear! How was your day?"

Lorelai grabbed her daughters pink backpack from her back. Alexis Danes was just like Rory, the book bag had to weigh at least ten pounds.

"Good, I thought Rory was picking me up today? But I am glad you did. I missed you while you were gone Mommy."

Alexis hugged her again and they walked hand in hand to the car and began driving back to Stars Hollow. Lorelai felt a pang of guilt take over her petite frame as she stared at her daughter, with piercing blue eyes identical to hers, and ash blonde hair which was definitely from Luke's side of the family.

" I know Lexi, I missed you too. A lot. But I needed a week to think. And now I am ready to explain what happened between your Dad and me. Want to go get coffee or something?" Alexis was smart for a seven-year-old and she wanted for her to understand what was going on. She needed for her to understand.

"Sure Ma", Lexi answered slowly, "I thought I wasn't allowed to have coffee?"

" Today is special, just don't tell your Dad." Great Lorelai, bribe your daughter with caffeine.

" Not like he would care anymore anyways." Lexi answered sadly and starred out the window.

" Did you have fun with Grandma and Grandpa this week?" Lorelai attempted to change the subject.

She wasn't ready to talk about Luke without caffeine.

" It was okay, I enjoyed the food," Lexi spoke like a true Gilmore.

Lorelai couldn't help but laugh. She missed her family. She couldn't believe she left Lexi with her parents for a week, but she didn't have a choice. Luke had a problem, and he wouldn't get help.

Over the years, his dark days got better, and then got worse. His days turned into weeks after the unexpected death of his sister and her husband, throwing Luke into a deep depression.

He began to drink a lot, so much that Lorelei stopped keeping any type of alcohol in the house. She decided to take off for a week with Sookie only after Luke started to get violent.

He would never hit her or Alexis, but she was scared. He randomly started throwing pictures across the wall, the glass frames breaking throughout the house.

The night that was the last straw was when he threw a picture of the four of them, the family that they worked so hard to create.

Did he not love them anymore?

Luke hadn't hugged Lexi in months, almost as if he was afraid he would hurt her. He yelled at Rory, who he considered his own. He denied he had any issues and Lorelai was sick of it.

That next day, she told Luke she needed time to figure out what to do next, packed her bags, and promised to be back within the week. She arranged for Jackson to check up on Luke three times a day, making sure he was okay. She just didn't know what to do anymore- but had decided no matter what, that she loved Luke Danes.

Something was going on with him, and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

Lorelai absentmindedly pulled into a coffee shop on the way home. Alexis and she trudged into the vicinity, both lost in their own thoughts, both exhausted.

" Shit" whispered Lorelai as they were about to order.

"What Mom?" lucky for Lorelai her daughter had excellent hearing.

"Sorry baby" Lorelai rubbed her eyes.

" It's okay, Daddy does that all the time." Alexis hugs her Mom and Lorelai sighs.

"And it's not right. I just forgot I can't have coffee." She ruffles her daughter's hair and looks at the menu.

" What? Why? You love coffee Mom, you love it more then anything" Her daughter's worried look cracked a smile on Lorelai's face.

" Not true. I think I might love you just a little more then coffee. My stomach is just upset lately hunny, and coffee makes it hurt really bad" Lorelai hated lying to her daughter, but she couldn't tell her the whole truth, not yet anyway.

" Can I still get some?" Lexi gave her the famous Gilmore pout.

" That doesn't work on me sweets, I invented the Gilmore pout! But yes, you can have some, I already told you it was fine."

The two order, a mocha latte for Lexi, and hot tea for Lorelai. Lorelai ushers her daughter to a comfortable booth in the back of the coffee shop and they both get comfortable. Lorelai takes a deep breath and looks at her daughters quizzical and somewhat frightened eyes.

" Are you and Daddy getting divorced?" were the first words that came out her daughter's mouth and Lorelai closed her eyes.

" I hope not sweetheart, I don't want to get divorced- but as you realized, your Dad is not himself." She decides to join her daughter on the booth she was sitting at and hugged her.

" What's wrong with him?" Lexi started shaking and Lorelai held her tighter.

" First I want you to calm down," Lorelai kissed her head and continued, " your Dad has been depressed lately because of your Aunt Liz and Uncle TJ. As you know, it is sometimes hard for Daddy to open up, he is not as talkative as you and me. He is dealing with his sadness in the wrong way.

" He drinks beers a lot." Lexi makes a face and rests her head in her mom's shoulder.

" Your right, and the beers are making him act badly. That's why he yells all the time and throws things after he drinks." She looks at Lexi making sure she understands.

" Is he going to get better?"

" I hope so, but the only way he can get better is if he gets help, and he won't go. Hopefully he will change his mind. But if he doesn't, me and you have to leave the house." She wipes the tears rolling down her face and lets her daughter cry in her arms.

" But we aren't at that point yet, so I don't want you to worry okay?"

" I miss my daddy!" cries the very lost little girl.

" So do I baby, so do I. But you always have me, and Rory." Lorelai reassures her.

" What if you go crazy too?" Alexis grips on to Lorelai tighter.

" I promise I won't, I love you too much." Lorelai promises her daughter.

" Can we go home now?" Lorelai just nods and picks up her daughter, who was small for her age and still able to be carried for short distances.

They ride back to the crap shack in silence. Lorelai realized when she pulled into the driveway that Lexi had fallen asleep and struggles to open the front door with her hands full. She assumed Luke wouldn't be there, much to her relief if he decided to drink when Lexi would be home, he went to his bachelor pad on top of the diner. Lorelai closed the door with her foot and made her way carefully up the stairs. She placed Lexi in her bed and changed her out of her uniform, careful not to wake her. If Alexis woke up, she would freak out about her homework and at this point, the child needed sleep in her own bed more then anything else. Lorelai tucked in her daughter and decided sleep herself wouldn't be a bad idea. She sleepily walked into her room and flicked on her lights, jumping at the sight before her."

" I'll go to therapy.," said a sullen Luke. He looked like he hasn't shaved or ate in a week.

" Really? You know you will have to talk there. You won't even talk to me, and these are complete strangers." Responded Lorelai sarcastically. She was thrown off by his presence in their room. A room he hadn't entered in at least a month.

" I'll talk. I'll tell them whatever they want to know." Answered Luke in a monotone.

" Have you, eaten anything? If you drink and don't eat, you're going to land yourself in the hospital."

Lorelai takes a few slow steps closer to Luke, scared. She doesn't know this man. His beautiful blue eyes were now murky, and his muscles seemed to be replaced with a beer belly.

"You left. I didn't think you'd leave. I didn't know what to do. I haven't drank. I haven't done anything." Lorelai's eyes turned alarmed and she sat on the bed.

"Well, I'm back now and I decided I am going to help you. Luke, you need to eat right now." She grabs a pillow and hugs it.

" I think I am too weak to get up." He breathes deeply and looks at Lorelai, tears forming in her eyes.

" I'll make you something, or go buy you something. Cesear is at the diner isn't he?" Luke nods his head.

" Salad" He croaks out and coughs afterwards. His lips were chapped. Lorelai leaving made him have a break through. She felt bad he reacted the way he did, but in a way was relieved. He still loved her, he still needed her, and he still cared about her.

"First, I am going to get you some water and some juice. Then, I will make you a salad. You are going to eat and we are going to have a long, long, long talk.
" Yes M'am" Luke replied and scooted a little closer to his beautiful wife. He could not believe that he almost lost his life, all because of a substance. It wasn't even that hard to quit, sometimes he would just pretend he drank more then he did to get Lorelai's attention. Then again, he didn't blame her for ignoring him, he'd been a jerk.

" Is Alexis okay?" Luke's eyes filled with tears and he didn't hide them as they began to roll down his cheeks.

" She is scared, and she misses you. But she will be fine. She fell asleep in the car on the way home. Let me get your water.

Lorelai exited her room and let the tears she had been doing her best to hold in fall freely. She rested her hand on her stomach and leaned against the wall.

" You are going to have a daddy little baby. Mommy won't let you down."