Summary: Seventeen year old Lorelai is on a mission for independence. She's run from her parents to the small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut with one year old Rory. This is where Rory AND Lorelai grow up.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"Luke!" Caesar called out.
Luke instantly lifted his head. "Yeah?"
"Get out there, man! You got a diner full of customers."
"Are you kidding me? I passed out again? That's, what? Three times today, right?"
"You threw up a few times, also."
"I don't know if I can do this."
"Relax, it's your first day on the job. It'll get easier."
"I've been waiting 20 minutes! Where's my sandwich?" a customer called from the front of the diner.
Luke rolled his eyes, and with help from Caesar, managed to get up from the floor. "Guess I better get out there."
"Guess so", Caesar said.
Luke headed out towards the counter, but stopped for a moment, spotting a young woman through the diner's windows. He'd never seen her before. This was Stars Hollow; there was never anyone new in Stars Hollow. Maybe she was just a tourist, but it seemed like she knew where she was going and what she was doing. She had vibe about her, an "I don't care" vibe. She looked motivated, determined, strong-willed, like she was on a mission. Strangest of all, she was carrying a tiny baby wrapped in what looked from a distance like a giant Bangles t-shirt, and this girl couldn't be more than seventeen years old. Luke shrugged, and made his way over to the toaster.
In reality, Lorelai Gilmore had no idea where she was going, what she was doing, or what would happen in the future. She just knew that she needed to get out of her parents' house. She'd known that since she was 5 years old, but never dreamed she'd one day have the courage to go through with it. Today was her very own independence day. She'd start her own life, she'd prove to the world that she didn't need Richard and Emily Gilmore or their multi-million dollar fortune.
As Lorelai walked, almost ran, through this unfamiliar town, she noticed something about it that made it no so unfamiliar, after all. It felt right; the perfect place to raise her daughter; most importantly, it felt like home, not like Hartford, but a real home, where she belonged. She walked past Doose's Market, Joe's Pizza, and Luke's Diner, where she noticed a giant "Grand Opening today" sign. The smell of coffee was in the air here, and Lorelai realized she'd only had one cup today. She'd asked Genevieve, the maid of the week, to make her some coffee before she began her journey that day.
There was no time to stop, but Lorelai made a mental note to come back to the diner later. She passed a coffee cart as she turned onto Third Street, and picked up some coffee there.
'Third street', she thought to herself, giggling. A Third street in her development was like selling X-rated videos at an elementary school store. No, it wasn't "her development" anymore.
Finally, she reached the Independence Inn. It looked much smaller in person than it did in the travel book Lorelai had been looking at just a few days ago, looking for some place to work.
'The Independence Inn', she thought. 'Goes with the theme of the day.'
She walked up to the door of the inn, much more timidly than she'd been walking through the town. Holding Rory in one hand, she rang the doorbell with the other.
"I'll get it, Nancy. We really ought to get rid of that doorbell. It's a bit strange for an inn, don't you think?" Mia called out. Mia was the owner and manager of the Independence Inn. She opened the door and was quite surprised to see such a young girl and a tiny baby on the porch steps.
"I'm here for a job, any job", Lorelai stated bluntly.
Mia looked at her awkwardly. "Well, why don't you come in?" she suggested.
Lorelai smiled. For once, no one was judging her, asking her questions. She switched Rory to the other arm and took the small bag filled with clothes for her and Rory and the tiny bit of money she had off of her shoulder and put it down as she sat down on the couch in the lobby, where she was guided by Mia, who started this strange little interview.
"A job?" she asked.
"Please. Anything's fine, anything you have available."
"We really don't need much help here."
"Please!" Lorelai begged.
"How old are you, Sweetie?"
"Seventeen."
"Seventeen. That's young. Who's this?" Mia asked, directing her attention to Rory, who had woken up for the first time since they'd left Hartford.
Lorelai blushed. "This…that's…that's my daughter."
Mia's face showed her astonishment, something Lorelai was basically used to at this point. She braced herself for the usual lecture, but Mia continued asking questions.
"Where are your parents?"
"Oh, you know."
"Not really."
"Oh, right. Well…they're in Hartford."
"Really?"
"I'm, um, emancipated" Lorelai lied. She was still more than a little wary of who to trust.
Mia chuckled. "Oh, why didn't you say so? So, where are you living?"
"I live in Stars Hollow."
"No, I'm pretty sure I haven't seen you around. Everyone knows everyone here, darling."
"Oh. Well I just moved here."
"What's your name?"
"Lorelai Gilmore."
"I'm Mia. It's nice to meet you. Can you start Friday?"
Lorelai was shocked. "Really? Just like that?"
"Well sure. You've got to start somewhere."
Mia went over to the registration desk and brought back a clipboard with some papers on it.
"Just fill these out, and come get me when you're done. I'll be in the kitchen."
"You wouldn't happen to have some coffee in there, would you?"
"Of course."
Lorelai smiled and began filling out the forms. Her name and birthday were no problem, but she got to the address and frowned.
"Mia!" she yelled, as she walked into the kitchen.
"Done already?"
"Just a question." Mia nodded and Lorelai pointed down to where it said "address line 1".
"What?"
"What should I put?"
"Your address, Dear."
"No, no, I mean, I don't exactly have one."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't have a house."
"Apartment number, then."
"Uh…"
"Where are you living, Lorelai?"
"Haven't figured that out yet."
"What?"
Lorelai sighed. "The truth is, I'm not emancipated. I ran away, but I'm not some troubled kid. It was just something I had to do, so please don't have me call my parents. Just let me work here. I can sleep in the park with my daughter for now."
"That's insane."
"Yeah, well, maybe it is. Look, if you don't want to give me the job, just tell me, and I'll leave."
"Come with me", Mia instructed, walking away and leaving Lorelai no choice but to go after her.
She led Lorelai out onto the inn's beautiful lawn. The lake was so beautiful. Lorelai wouldn't remember the last time she'd seen such an amazing place. Mia was walking far ahead of her now.
"Mia! Where are you going?" she yelled out.
Mia said nothing. Finally, Lorelai caught up. They arrived at a tiny white shed, a rake and two shovels propped up against the walls. Mia opened the door and gestured for Lorelai to go inside. She walked in and looked around. The ceiling was very low, so she had to duck when she walked. The whole potting shed was smaller than half of her old room in Hartford. The walls were an off-white, but sort of went into tan in one corner.
"What do you think?"
"It's okay, I guess. But what-"
Mia cut her off. "How would you like to live here?"
Lorelai's eyes widened and she didn't even think to say a word before gripping Mia in the tightest hug she'd even given anyone in her life. This was going to work.
A/N: Okay, I know it's a horrible first chapter, but I had some ideas and I wanted to get them down before I decided to just forget about writing it at all. I know this has been done before several times, but I love these kinds of fics, and I'm going to try to make it a little different. Ohh yeah, by the way, it's not that I don't have the Lorelai wit down, it's that she just moved here and she's getting used to it and learning who to trust. Eventually, she'll be herself again.
Next: Emily disregards Lorelai's request not to come looking for her. Lorelai heads over to Luke's for the grand opening.