Say thank you to Lukey. She knew I was wrestling with her auction story but the angst in my life transferred itself to this story and she graciously allowed me to write it first—LOL and dedicate this one to her too. So hear is some angst for you. Reviews if you want.

This should be interesting. I expect this to be wildly unpopular.

Just One Thing

Three minutes.

Lorelai wasn't sure how all her life experiences, her happiness, her future all boiled down to three minutes. One hundred eighty seconds.

Her mind flashed back to her early years. It really hadn't been much of a youth. Living in the Gilmore mansion, constantly being prodded then harangued into attending function after function, having both Richard and Emily Gilmore try to force her into a society mold brought out every rebellious notion that entered her brain. She had a combative relationship with her parents and even though she loved them, she refused to have her personality or her creativity stifled. She would live life on her own terms.

Once the stick turned pink, her outlook on life changed dramatically but she still wanted life on her terms. She wasn't going to be forced into a marriage just to maintain appearances. She wasn't going to consider abortion or adoption. She wanted this baby.

Then there was this beautiful, ethereal creature and she had given life to her. Early on after Rory was born, she realized she could not subject her to the current home environment that she suffered. She could handle it, but Emily Gilmore's approach to parenting was a complete one-eighty to her own and she worried that prolonged exposure wouldn't be in Rory's best interest. Lorelai wanted her daughter to have a happy, care-free childhood, not one filled with rigid, sterile structure.

She left as soon as she thought Rory was old enough and fled as far as she could on her limited savings. It was a bold move, to be sure, but deep inside she had a gut feeling that things would be okay. Whether it was luck, karma or her guardian angel working overtime, she found Stars Hollow, The Independence Inn and Mia and instinctively knew she had found home.

Two minutes.

It hadn't been easy. Her early life of privilege had not prepared her for the real world where most people lived but she had drive and determination to succeed. Her goal: to provide the best she could for Rory. So she'd worked hard, scrimped and saved. Looking back now, she wouldn't have traded that experience for anything in the world. As she developed her character, deciding her own standards and morals, she provided a good role model for Rory.

She and Rory grew up together in Stars Hollow. They gradually became acquainted with the residents, were accepted as part of the town and eventually became involved and active in the community. They both loved the sense of belonging that was so prevalent in small towns.

When Lorelai had first gotten off the bus in Stars Hollow, she thought it was be a good place to start. As the years wore on though, she came to realize it was the perfect place to stay and live her life. She discovered she was a small town girl at heart. She loved the pace of small town life, the quirky characters and the minor dramas of the townsfolk that sometimes eclipsed the happenings of the outside world. Yes, she was a small town girl but never dreamed she would meet the perfect small town boy in Stars Hollow.

One minute.

Luke. When she looked back over the years from when they first met, he was always the man in her life. From grumpy exchanges, on his side, to good-natured ribbing, on hers, to the slow foundation of a deep friendship which over the years melded into a deep abiding love, he had always been there with coffee and cheeseburgers, with a tool box and a snow shovel. Luke always understood that she needed her independence. He gave her wings to fly, allowed her to be her own person yet was always there if she needed someone to break her fall. He stood back while she stuck her head in the sand and went through her relationships, allowing her to explore having her own happiness while she dated until she finally came to the realization that the person she most wanted to share her life with was him.

Their relationship wasn't perfect. Even as close as they had been as friends, they had their share of growing pains adjusting to each other. They had gone through their rocky patch, broken up yet ultimately they were drawn together again, worked out their issues and finally married.

Before they got married, they'd had the serious conversation about children. As Luke had once told her when they were sitting in the bleachers at the dance marathon, with the right person, it would be a short conversation and it was: he wanted her to have his children and she wanted to have his baby. Given that they weren't getting any younger, they decided to start right away after the wedding. Married eight months now, they were still trying. This led to the here and now. She hoped this time would be the one.

Time's up.

Lorelai stood up from her perch on the edge of the bathtub and picked up the pregnancy test from the counter and stared at the indicator, slowly releasing the breath she had unconsciously been holding. She stared at it long and hard to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, then gently set it down.

As she opened the bathroom door, her gaze fell on Luke, sitting on the edge of their bed, the only outward sign of his mood, his leg jiggling nervously. He surged to his feet when he saw her and stood motionless as she approached, studying her face.

She gave him a small smile but her eyes said it all.

Luke folded her into his arms and held her close. She buried her face in his neck.

"We'll keep trying," he said softly.

Lorelai clung to Luke tightly. She loved her life, her job, her daughter and step-daughter and mostly her husband. There was never any question about that. She was happy. Yet somehow she knew she be happier still…

If she had just one thing.

tbc