I know you're all going to hate me at the moment, I hate me too! I've just found it really hard to write at the moment. I've just not felt that inspired and writer's block hit me hard so I'm really sorry for not updating!

However, I've been given this idea and I think I can really make it work. Basically, it's post season 7 and Rory is off working and Luke and Lorelai are still trying to find their way back to each other. Two new people might bring them back together though. Ellie is a 16 year old girl who has run away from her mean uncle with her 5 year old brother, Jack, and they've ended up in Stars Hollow. It's only a matter of time until they meet Luke and Lorelai...

Hope you enjoy this! :)

Chapter 1

Ellie looked at her 5 year old brother who had fallen asleep in the tent, the only possession they actually owned. She sighed as she felt her stomach rumble. They hadn't eaten anything all day and she didn't know what to do. She had no money at all. She looked at her brother and knew she had to do something. She left the tent very quietly so she didn't wake him and started walking in the direction where she was sure she'd seen a diner. She got to a square and looked around and sure enough, there was a diner. "Luke's.." She read as she walked slowly up to it. She looked inside and saw that there was no one in there. She figured it must be close to its closing time. She took a deep breath and went inside, jumping a bit when some bells rang above the door. Taking a deep breath as she saw a tall, slightly intimidating man with a backwards baseball cap on with a frown on his face, she slowly went up to the counter knowing she would have to bluff.

"Kitchen's closed." The man said gruffly.

"Oh..uh..that's fine. I was just wondering if...uh..I could get a couple of your muffins and doughnuts." Ellie said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

The man looked at her for a moment and then got a bag and put two muffins and doughnuts in there. "That'll be $5." He said.

"Oh..uh..could I get a drink as well? Water or something?" Ellie said trying to think on the spot.

"Sure, I'll go get you a bottle." He said and disappeared into the kitchen.

Ellie took this moment and sprinted out of the diner, her heart beating.

"Hey!" She heard the man quickly give chase after her.

She tried to divert down a side street but quickly realised it was the wrong idea as it was a dead end. She turned round and saw the man jogging towards her and she felt herself start to shake. This had gone horribly wrong. She tried to run past him but he grabbed her arm. "Please don't hurt me!" She exclaimed.

Luke saw that she was close to tears and quickly let go. "Ok calm down. I'm not going to hurt you." He said.

Ellie looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry but I have no money and I have to get back to my brother. He's only 5 and he'll be scared if he wakes up and I'm not there. We were starving and I needed to get him some food. I've never stolen anything before in my life but I was desperate. I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed.

Luke took in her appearance for the first time. "How old are you?" He asked, his voice a bit softer.

"16.." Ellie said quietly.

"And your brother's 5? Where are your parents?" Luke asked surprised.

"They died." Ellie said quietly.

"Where do you live then?" Luke frowned.

"Hartford." Ellie admitted. "But we can't go back. Please don't send us back!" She exclaimed desperately.

Luke could see the fear in her eyes but didn't ask questions. "Look kid, I didn't mean to scare you. What's your name?"

"Ellie." She said quietly.

"Well Ellie, why don't you go get your brother and I'll fix you up something to eat? Burgers and fries ok?" He said.

Ellie's eyes widened. "But...but...I don't have any money..." She stuttered.

"Yeah I figured that when you tried to steal the muffins and doughnuts." Luke said smirking slightly. "But that's hardly dinner, is it?"

"Why are you being nice to me?" Ellie asked surprised.

"I have a daughter around your age. I would never want her to feel like the only option she had to be able to eat was to have to steal food." He said. "Come on, let me fix something up for you."

"Th...Thank you..uh..sir..." Ellie said, shocked by this stranger's generosity.

"Call me Luke." He said.

"Here." Ellie said handing him back the bag of food.

"Keep it." Luke said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, first customers are on the house anyway." Luke said. "Go on, go get your brother."

Ellie gave him a small smile and headed off to get Jack.

Luke watched her go, frowning, and then headed back to the diner and immediately picked up the phone and dialled a familiar number. "Hey, it's me." He said.

"Hi." Lorelai answered.

"Look, I know we said we'd talk tonight but I might be a bit later. Something's come up." He said.

"Something's come up?" Lorelai repeated. "Um..ok..."

Luke sighed knowing how that might sound. "I'm sorry. It's just this girl came into the diner to get some food and ended up legging it when it was time to pay. She nearly had a heart attack when I chased her and caught up to her. She said her and her brother hadn't eaten all day. I think...I think they ran away..." He said.

"Ran away? Why do you think that?" Lorelai asked concerned.

"She said she lives in Hartford but she freaked out when I asked and begged me not to send her back. She's 16, Lorelai. And her brother's only 5. I couldn't just do nothing so I told her to go get her brother and I'd make them something to eat." He admitted.

"And that's why you'll be later..." Lorelai said softly, smiling down the phone.

"Yeah..." Luke said.

"That's really sweet." Lorelai said softly.

"Yeah well...I remember you saying how grateful you were when Mia helped you out. I couldn't just do nothing. This kid, Ellie's her name, she looked desperate." He said.

"Do you think...Do you think she's pregnant?" Lorelai asked hesitantly.

"Oh..uh..I don't know. She didn't...look it." He said cringing when he realised how that sounded. He sighed. "I don't know what to do." He admitted. "I think they're sleeping rough."

"I'll be right over." Lorelai smiled.

"Thank you." Luke said gratefully. He spotted Ellie walking towards the diner with a younger boy. "I better go. They're coming."

"Ok." Lorelai said. "Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"You're a great guy." Lorelai said softly.

Luke smiled down the phone. "See you soon."

"See you soon." Lorelai smiled and hung up.

Lorelai arrived at the diner and saw a girl with a younger boy tucking into some burgers. She smiled at them and went over to the counter where Luke was. "Hey." She smiled.

"Hey." He said. "It looks like they haven't eaten for days. They're eating like I'm going to take it away from them any minute."

Lorelai looked over at them. "Poor things." She sympathised.

"I was wondering if there was a room free at the inn." Luke said. "So we know they'll be ok tonight."

"Aw I wish there was but we're booked solid this week." Lorelai said. She looked over at them and took in their tired appearance. ""I can take them in for the night." She said.

Luke looked at her in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah well I have...Rory's room..." Lorelai said quietly. "She won't mind and I've got a mattress that I can put on the floor."

"You'd really take them in? Just like that?" Luke asked.

"You were right when you said I was grateful when Mia helped me. Grateful doesn't even cut it though. She saved me. She was like my guardian angel. I had no one apart from Rory and it looks like these two have no one as well. And no kids deserve to have to sleep rough." Lorelai said.

Luke nodded. "I thought about April when I saw Ellie." He admitted. He glanced at Lorelai, knowing April was a touchy subject at the moment. They hadn't had that talk yet but she just smiled sympathetically at him so he continued. "I thought about what if April was in this situation. I couldn't not do anything. I'd offer them my apartment but it's not that big and I don't know how comfortable they'd feel staying with me."

Lorelai just smiled at him. "It's tough." She nodded. "You're right though. We don't know what's gone on in their life. I'll go talk to them."

Luke nodded and watched Lorelai go over to them. He smiled when he saw her converse with them easily and make them feel comfortable. He was glad he'd phoned her now.

"Hi. It's Ellie isn't it?" Lorelai smiled at Ellie.

"Uh..yeah..." Ellie said hesitantly.

"I'm Lorelai. I'm Luke's...uh...friend." She said glancing over at Luke. "He rang me and mentioned you. He was worried that you have nowhere to sleep tonight." She said.

"We do." Ellie said quickly. "We'll be fine."

"Where are you staying?" Lorelai asked. She saw Ellie's hesitant expression and smiled kindly at her. "I'm not prying. I just want to make sure you and your brother will be warm tonight. That's all."

"We have a tent." Jack spoke for the first time.

Lorelai saw the worried expression on Ellie's face but just smiled at Jack. "Are you? That's cool. That's a bit of an adventure, isn't it?"

Jack just shrugged.

"You don't want to sleep in your tent?" She asked softly.

Jack glanced at Ellie, not really knowing what to say. "It's cold.." He said quietly. "And scary."

Lorelai smiled sympathetically at him. "I can understand that. Well how about this, you two come and stay at mine for the night?" She suggested.

Ellie stared at her. "What?" She said shocked.

"I have the space. You can stay in my daughter's room." Lorelai smiled.

"Why...Why would you do that for us?" Ellie asked.

"Because I was in your position when I was your age and someone took me in. I was so grateful so I just want to offer you the same kindness that person offered me." Lorelai said.

"You'd really take us in?" Ellie asked hesitantly.

"Only if you want." Lorelai said. "But you'll get a bed. And you'll be in the warmth." She said. She sighed when she saw Ellie was hesitating. "Look, I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing you were outside somewhere in the cold where anything could happen to you."

Ellie glanced at her brother who was looking at her hopefully. She sighed and looked at Lorelai, nodding slowly. "Ok." She said quietly.

"Great!" Lorelai smiled. "Well eat up then and I'll take you there. Hey, you with the cap, whip up some milkshakes for these two to go please? And some coffee!" She grinned.

"Milkshakes I can do. Coffee, well I have a feeling that's for your own personal gain." He smirked.

"Aw come on Luke! I haven't had any for hours!" She exclaimed.

"You had some two hours ago when you were in here!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah but I need some every two hours to function! You know that!" She grinned.

Luke couldn't help but smile. "Yeah I do know that." He said softly. "Fine." He sighed.

"Yesss!" Lorelai exclaimed thrusting her hands in the air. She turned back at winked at Ellie. "You want anything from here? Just get me to do the talking." She joked.

Ellie smiled, not being able to help it. She already liked Lorelai and she'd only just met her. She finished her burger when she saw a bag being placed down in front of her. She looked up to see Luke standing by their table.

"Thought I'd give you some extra muffins so I don't need to chase you again." He said but he smirked, showing her he was joking.

Ellie smiled sheepishly. "I am sorry about that..."

"Don't sweat it. You need any food, you just ask ok?" He said.

Ellie smiled. "Thanks." She said quietly.

"Right come on you two! You must be exhausted!" Lorelai said getting up.

"One word of advice. Don't let her persuade you to try the coffee. You'll end up with a caffeine addiction like her." Luke smirked.

"Hey!" Lorelai exclaimed indignantly. "Rory drinks coffee and she's just fine!"

"Yes but she can pace herself." Luke said.

"Right, we're leaving." She said in mock indignation.

Luke smirked. "See you tomorrow."

Lorelai huffed playfully. "Depends if you're going to be nice to me."

"See you tomorrow." He rolled his eyes.

"Bye!" Lorelai grinned. "Come on you two." She smiled at Ellie and Jack.

Luke watched them cross the square and smiled as he saw Lorelai say something that made Ellie smile. He had a feeling he would be seeing a lot more of those kids.

So I hope you liked it! Let me know if it's worth continuing! :) Please review as I love reading your comments, thanks! :)