A/N: Thanks for the latest reviews - it's great to see how much some of you love my OC pairings almost as much as the canon ones - but now for something completely different! ;)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see 1.)

10. It's Alright Baby - 5th February 2009

It started out as a few days, maybe a week, tops, but time rolled on and now it was more than two weeks since the day Luke had brought Doula home and asked Lorelai if she would mind if the little girl stayed a while. Of course, it never even crossed her mind to turn the poor kid away. At only two-and-a-half years old, thankfully, Doula didn't know much about what had happened, except that Daddy was gone away and Mommy was sad.

"I honestly don't know who I'm more mad at," said Luke, not for the first time, as he and Lorelai watched Doula and Billy play happily on the rug. "TJ for walking out or Liz for handling it so badly."

"These things are never easy," his wife told him with a sigh, letting her head drop onto his shoulder and keeping her voice low. "I mean, you'd think they would both try harder for the kid, but let me tell you, great as babies are at reminding you that you have responsibilities, sometimes it can feel like way too much."

"Come on." Luke rolled his eyes. "You would never, ever have abandoned Rory in any way, and you were just a kid yourself when you had her."

"Yeah, but I'm amazing," she quipped, though the smile that went with the smart remark didn't last. "Luke, I'm not Liz and she's not me, which is a really good thing given she's your sister and I'm your wife," she considered, making a face. "Anyway, my point is you can't judge her on what I would do or what you would do. It's not the same."

"She has a kid, she should be responsible!" Luke snapped, lowering his voice again in a second when he realised he had gained both Billy and Doula's attention too. "It was bad enough when she screwed up so bad with Jess. I made some excuses for her - she was young, she was abandoned by Jimmy - but this time, Lorelai, this time she swore it was going to be different."

"I know." Lorelai nodded.

Truthfully, she had no idea what she was supposed to say to make it better. When Jess had called, almost three weeks ago now, asking what they knew about the situation with his mom and TJ, Luke and Lorelai had both been oblivious. Jess said he had gone around to the house to pick up Doula but there was no answer so he figured they were out, but when he called later to find out what had happened, he got no answer then either.

Luke and Jess ended up going over together, just in case something really was wrong. They heard Doula first, screaming and crying like the world was ending. Jess rushed right upstairs to find her standing in her crib, clearly very distressed. It was Luke who had found Liz, slumped over the kitchen table, a smashed bottle of booze on the floor nearby and pills scattered everywhere.

The whole situation had been such an unholy mess. Thankfully, when they got Liz to the hospital, it was all alcohol poisoning, which was bad enough, but at least she hadn't got as far as actually taking the pills. All this because TJ had walked out. God only knew what the stupid oaf's reason was. If Liz knew, she never told anyone.

"I'm guessing when you called in on Liz today, she wasn't much better?" Lorelai asked then, already sure she knew the answer before Luke ever spoke up.

He heaved an almighty sigh and ran a hand over his face. "She was... Liz," he said hopelessly. "Not drunk, which is better, I guess, but still with the crying and the rambling about not knowing what she's going to do without him."

"And she still won't tell you what happened?"

"Nope, not a word."

"Must've been bad."

"I swear, if I ever get a hold of that guy-"

"Easy, tiger," Lorelai advised, particularly aware of little ears as her husband's voice rose in volume again. "Come on, this isn't your fight. Sure, we need to help Liz get back on her feet, and we'll take care of the little one for as long as she needs, obviously, but you already know TJ didn't physically hurt her or anything, so let's keep all thoughts of knee-cap removal to a minimum, huh?"

Luke didn't answer, just grumbled some as he got up and said he had paperwork to do. Lorelai watched him disappear into the study then looked back to where the kids were playing happily yet. She frowned a little on realising that the happy part of that equation seemed to have gone away while she wasn't paying attention.

"Hey, sweetie," she said, getting down onto the ground by Doula. "What's up, baby girl?"

"Want Mommy," she said, sniffling a little, gripping the doll in her arms for all it was worth.

"Aww, come on," Lorelai said softly, picking Doula up into her lap and giving her a hug. "Mommy's still not feeling too well, so we need to give her a little more time to get better, but it's okay. You don't have to worry about anything, because I'm here, and so is Uncle Luke, and Billy. You're okay, honey," she promised, kissing the top of the little girl's head even as she continued to whimper over wanting her mom.

Billy had carried on playing at first, but when he realised quite how upset Doula was getting, he picked himself up and toddled closer, tilting his head as he stared at her.

"Doo-da?" he said, tapping her on the shoulder until she finally peeked out from the circle of Lorelai's arms. "Want it?" he asked her, holding out his best toy car.

She just looked at him at first, then swallowed hard and nodded her head.

"Ta," she said, taking the car and holding it tight, alongside her doll.

"Good boy," Lorelai told her son with a wide smile. "That was really nice of you. I know Doula appreciates it, right, kid?"

"Uh-huh," Doula agreed, though it was clear she wasn't ready to let go of Auntie Lorelai just yet.

It was completely understandable. Poor kid had a tough enough time with her wacky parents anyway, or so Lorelai figured. Still, it had to be worse not even having mom and dad around. They did love her, there was no doubting that, but it was tough to figure out why they couldn't behave like adults and do better by her if she really meant so much to them.

After a while, at the coaxing of both Billy and Lorelai, Doula did return to the rug and whatever game a pair of two-year olds played together. Lorelai was sure she didn't understand it, but they seemed to like it well enough. She moved to sit back on the couch then, watching the kids every now and then over the top of Marie Claire. Not that her mind was really on the articles she was trying to read.

What Luke had said to her kept coming back to mind. How she never would've abandoned Rory. He was right, of course, but she also noted, as she thought on it some, that the same could be said for Luke. He had really been there for Rory himself, albeit not until they met when the kid was eleven. Just as soon as he was given the opportunity, he stepped up for both Jess and April too. It seemed strange that Liz was so completely different, especially when her former hoodlum son had turned out to be such a good father himself.

A knock on the front door was swiftly followed by somebody letting themselves in. That meant one of two people and Lorelai wasn't entirely surprised when she turned around and saw who was there.

"Talk of the devil," she said with a smile as Jess wandered into the living room.

"Jessy!" Doula's face lit up the second she realised her brother was there.

She scrambled to get to her feet and come running. Jess wasted no time in picking her up and flinging her into the air as she giggled and screamed with joy.

"Hey, D," he greeted her with a kiss on her cheek. "You doing okay?"

"Okay," she agreed, nodding her head. "Love Jessy," she declared then, hugging him tight.

"Yeah, love you too, sis," he promised, holding her tight. "Hey, Lorelai."

"Hey. You came just at the right time," she told him, moving over on the couch so he could sit down if he wanted.

"Talk of the devil?" he said with a questioning look.

"Old habits die hard," she said, shaking her head. "I was actually just thinking what amazing fathers have come out of the Danes clan. You, Luke, your grandfather too, from what Luke tells me."

"Shame about some of the mothers, right?" he said, rolling his eyes, even as he returned Doula to the rug, reluctant as she was to let go of him.

"I'm sorry, Jess." Lorelai sighed. "I don't mean to be mean about Liz..."

"Hey, don't stop on my account," he told her easily. "She is what she is, and as mother's go, she's not exactly a winner. You know, I think it's amazing that you agreed to take D in like this. Two two-year-olds at once?"

"The phrase 'double trouble' exists for a reason," she agreed heartily, "but honestly, they're not so bad. Mostly they entertain themselves and each other, and yes, we have a few tears and wobbly moments but, well, it's family. What are you gonna do?" she said, shrugging her shoulders. "It's not like you wouldn't have taken her if you could, but you have two already."

"Yeah, three under-fives might actually kill me and Rory both." Jess nodded. "But two this size still has to be tough, with the inn and the diner and all."

"Jess, it's fine," Lorelai assured him, patting his knee. "And before you know it, your mom will be better, maybe TJ will even come home, and everything will be back to normal."

Jess' eyes widened a little at that remark. "Normal? In this family? In this town?" he checked, smirking terribly.

"Yeah, well." Lorelai rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. Anyway, if and when TJ does come back, I don't have to give you the same warning as your uncle, right? You know, the one about leaving his kneecaps attached?"

"Hey, the guy is an idiot, but I have no violent tendencies where he's concerned," Jess assured her. "Liz already promised me he never laid a hand on her that way. Honestly, I'd be less surprised if she took out some frustration on him. Anyway, if he comes back and they figure things out, so be it, and if they don't, whatever," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "I just wanna know D is okay."

"We all want that," Lorelai agreed, "and I promise you, between us, we will make sure that she is, always."

She hoped that he believed her, because Lorelai really did mean every word. No, she never abandoned her child, but she and Rory weren't exactly in the best place when Lorelai first ran away from home. Back then, she had Mia to take care of her, and later, her parents came back into her life and did their part. If Lorelai and Luke, Jess and Rory could all pitch in for Doula, then they would. No matter what happened with Liz and TJ, this kid was not going to fall through the cracks and feel alone, not ever. That was a promise they had all made and would most definitely be keeping.