It had been about a week since Rebecca had come to DC. She was out looking for an apartment and she wasn't having much luck. She had finished up her viewings for the day and went back to Derek's house. She found her weed where she had hidden it and went outside on the fire escape to smoke. She figured Derek wouldn't be home for hours so she wouldn't get caught and he said as long as she didn't smoke inside, and he didn't catch her, he wouldn't try and stop her. She had been smoking pretty much everyday since she had gotten there and had yet to be caught.

Derek had forgotten a case file at home for a cold case that he had been working. He came home around 2pm to grab the file to work on at the office. He parked and went inside he didn't hear any noise and figured she much be out apartment hunting. He knew she had been actively looking but was having a hard time finding something in a decent area that she could afford. He grabbed the file and was about to leave when he smelt the skunky smell of marijuana. He sighed. He went to his spare room and the door was opened. He could see her on the fire escape window opened. He went and climbed outside with her.

"Busted." He said

Rebecca hadn't heard him come home. She only heard him as he climbed on the fire escape with her. She sighed. "You're home earlier than normal." She said

"Just came to get a file I forgot." He told her

"I see." Rebecca replied

Derek took the joint and made sure it wasn't still burning. "I will be taking that." He said

Rebecca wasn't surprised. "What happens now?" She asked

"You're an adult there isn't much I can actually do. I could kick you out but I'm not a complete ass." He told her "How was apartment hunting this morning?" He asked

"Only place I could afford I wouldn't feel safe living there and that says a lot..." She said

Derek nodded.

"I'm thinking maybe looking for a job might be a better first step. Since what I get from the government wont really be enough to live on anyways." She said

"Derek nodded. You know a lot of places drug test." He told her

"Ha ha. Very funny." Rebecca said

"Its true." Derek told her

"No where that would hire me anyways. Places I would be able to get a job wouldn't care as long as I don't show up high." She said

"That's not necessarily true." Derek said.

Rebecca shrugged.

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

Rebecca took a breathe. "What would you do if it was Lorelai you caught smoking pot?"

"Probably make her tell her dad or tell him myself." Derek said

Rebecca nodded.

"And if you and Lorelai were as close as I think you were at one point I think you know what he would do." Derek said

Rebecca laughed softly. "Yeah. I have a faint idea."

Derek nodded.

"She's lucky…" Rebecca said

Derek tilted his head.

"She has people who expect things of her and…" Rebecca said

"She has rules and expectations." Derek offered

Rebecca nodded. "And people who care."

"You have people who care Becca. I am sitting here on my fire escape in the cold because I care. Lorelai is broken because she cares, and she doesn't think you do." Derek told her. "And yes she has rules and expectations, but she has consequences and if you are as stubborn as I think you wouldn't have a lack of those with a life like Lorelai's." He told her

Rebecca nodded. "Probably not." She said truth was she wouldn't care. She would accept whatever if it meant she had a family who loved her.

Derek looked at her. "Its freezing. Lets go inside." He said

The two of them went inside.

"I have to get back to the office." He told her

Rebecca nodded. "See you later."

Derek went.

Rebecca decided to go for a walk. She started to walk around the area. She found herself at a little café. She went inside and sat at a table. Someone came over and took her order. She got a coffee.

Lorelai ran inside her favorite café. She had finished paperwork and was starting to go stir crazy and she was told to go get coffee before she kept everyone else from their work.

She said hello to the waitress as she passed by her.

"Wasn't expecting you. Your favorite table is taken." The waitress told her

Lorelai smiled and looked over at it. There sat Rebecca. "That's okay. I can sit elsewhere."

Rebecca looked up and saw Lorelai at the door. She took a breathe.

"Or. Maybe I can sit with her. She's uh an old friend." She told the waitress. She went over. "Mind if I sit?" She asked

Rebecca nodded. "Sure."

Lorelai sat down. The waitress came over. "Your regular Lorelai?"

"Yes please Carla. And two pieces of your carrot cake." Lorelai said

"Coming right up." Carla said as she went

"I take it you come here often?" Rebecca asked

"This is the cozy café… I told you about it. A lot." Lorelai said

"Oh. I guess I never noticed the name. Was on a walk stumbled in I guess." Rebecca said

Lorelai nodded.

Their coffees and carrot cake were brought over

"I'm not eating both. One is for you." Lorelai told her

Rebecca smiled. "Thanks."

They sipped their coffees in silence.

"I'm sorry." Rebecca started

Lorelai looked up at her.

"I was not picking the pot over you. I can see why you needed to distance yourself from me. But I was hoping to keep both." She continued.

"You know why me, and Kevin broke up right?" Lorelai asked

"Yea.. Cause of weed. But I am not addicted like he was or is." Rebecca said

"Okay but you didn't choose to stop it could lead to something more… And I don't know if you know the full story of Kevin. I didn't tell you because I was so messed up at that time and I was new to here and just not okay." Lorelai said

"Why? What happened." Rebecca asked

"He got high and tried to convince me to get high. It didn't work but when he was high he didn't realize what he was doing, and he tried to force things. Thankfully as I was sober I was able to fight him off but yeah it wasn't good." Lorelai said

"Lorelai. I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Rebecca said

"I know. And my bio-parents literally choice drugs and alcohol over me." Lorelai said

"But you have drank before." Rebecca pointed out

"Yes. Half a bottle of beer. Twice. If I hadn't been caught I would have finished the one beer and that would have been it. Alcohol in moderation doesn't affect you that much. Any amount of drugs do. Even legal medications do. And I'm not saying if you have a medical issue you cant take those medications I just…" Lorelai said

"I get it. They scare you. And people who do scare you." Rebecca said

Lorelai nodded. "How is living at Derek's?"

"Strange." Rebecca said

"I can imagine. When I first moved in with my dad it was strange." Lorelai said

"But you adjusted and your happy right?" Rebecca asked

"I am unbelievable happy. My life is far from perfect but its perfect." She said with a smile

"Even the rules and expectations?" Rebecca asked

"I admit sometimes they suck but our upbringing we didn't have healthy structure and boundaries. And we both had to be 'parents' so finally having a parent. Well, many 'authority figures' who have expectations and boundaries has helped me grow and just be me. So yes. The rules, the expectations, the consequences are part of what makes it perfect" Lorelai said. "Why?" She asked

"Well. On the way from the airport home the other day. He told me he wasn't about to try and stop me from smoking weed but not to do it in the apartment and don't let him catch me. Well, he caught me earlier and he took the joint but said there wasn't much else he could do other than kick me out which he said he wasn't a complete ass, so he wasn't going to do that." Rebecca said. "I asked him what he would have done if he caught you smoking weed and he said he would probably either told your dad or make you tell him. And he said he was pretty sure I knew what your dad would do if that was the case. And yeah I do."

Lorelai chuckled "Yup. That wouldn't be good."

"I realize that its not something you 'enjoy' but it has helped you." Rebecca said

Lorelai nodded. "Are you saying that you think you need something like that?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Rebecca said "But I don't have a parent or anyone who would considering doing that." She said

"Well. Um. When I told Derek months ago that you were smoking weed. He was pissed. He said it was a good thing you weren't there because he would have put his boot up your ass. So.. He probably just didn't because that's not something you can do to an adult without consent." Lorelai said

"Okay. But I cant ask him -that." Rebecca said

Lorelai chuckled. "You cant get what you want in life if you don't ask for it."

"That was be so embarrassing Lorelai." Rebecca said

Lorelai smiled. "Trust me you wouldn't be the first women he does that to."

"Wait. What?" Rebecca asked.

"He has been team lead a few times. I screwed up on a case. He was the one in charge. And for the record Dave as well." Lorelai said

"What about Spencer?" Becca asked

"No. I know some couple do that but that is not Spencer and my relationship." Lorelai said

Rebecca nodded. "So, you cant get away with anything."

Lorelai laughed. "I have drank two times. In two completely different parts of the country and both times I have been caught. By the -same -person. No. I cant get away with -anything." She said laughing. "And if you ask Derek for that be prepared that if you fuck up and get caught by another member of the family you will be forced to tell Derek or whoever caught you will." Lorelai said

Rebecca nodded. "Think you could tell him about this conversation, and he bring it up?" Rebecca ask with an innocent smile.

"Not a chance. -You need to tell him. If it is really what you want." Lorelai said

Rebecca sighed. "Why are you here and not at work anyways?" She asked

Lorelai chuckled. "I was done paperwork and bored. I was um shoed out of there to get coffee because I was maybe being a bit distracting to the others.

Rebecca chuckled. "Bored Lorelai does get into trouble doesn't she."

"I should probably get back though." Lorelai said. She paid for both their coffees and the carrot cake. "On me, I insist." Lorelai said

Rebecca didn't argue. "Thanks."

Lorelai got up and left. Rebecca left also and headed back home.

A few hours later Derek came home from work. Rebecca was sitting watching TV and eating dinner.

"Hello." He said

Rebecca looked up. "Hi. How was the rest of your day?"

"Fine. Lorelai mentioned she ran into you at the cozy café." He said

"Yeah. I went for a walk and some how ended up there." Rebecca said

"She said you two had a good talk. And could be on the road to fixing thing." He said

"Yeah I think so. I hope so." Rebecca told him

"She mentioned there was something you wanted to talk to me about but wouldn't go into details" Derek said

Rebecca made an annoyed face. "She did, did she."

Derek smiled. "Was she not supposed to tell me that?" He asked

"No. She wasn't." Rebecca said

Derek sat down on his couch. "Well, she did. What's up?" He asked

Rebecca turned off the TV and took a breathe. "This isn't easy for me to say. Its hard for me to even wrap my head around it." She started looking straight ahead instead of at him.

"Becca. You can talk to me about anything." He told her.

"We talked earlier about how Lorelai has a good life and how her life comes with expectations and consequences and I'm jealous of that. We had basically the same upbringing and never had that at least not in a normal healthy way and she has really grown and she's this amazing person and yes that is in part because that is just who she is but this. Her family is part of that and every aspect of it has benefited her and… I just…" She said

"You just what?" Derek asked

"I want that. I want a 'parent'" She said

Derek nodded. "You want someone who will have expectations and give you rules and consequences when you screw up?" He asked

Rebecca put her head in her hands. "I know I am so messed up."

"What? No, you're not." He said. "Like you said you didn't have a proper upbringing and I can see how that has affected your ability to make decisions that are healthy and the right ones for you." He added.

Rebecca didn't say anything.

"Rebecca. Look at me please." He said

"Nope. Cant do that right now." She said

Derek took a breathe. "I wasn't giving you an option. Look at me." He said a bit sterner.

Rebecca took a breathe and looked up at him.

"Becca. This family is unique. We aren't blood related, but we are a family. You are a part of this family. I know its hard for you to believe that, but you are. And we all have each others backs and will defend each other like no other. But when one of us make mistakes there are consequences. I have known for awhile that you would benefit from it, but you're an adult, and it wouldn't be right for me to just do that without your permission." He said

Rebecca nodded.

"If this is really what you want. Yes I will be that person for you but know I will be a 'hard ass' as Lorelai likes to call me." He said with a smirk

Rebecca chuckled "I'm sure its lovingly."

"Not usually." He said with a smile. "Just makes me know I am doing my job right."

Rebecca nodded.

"Are you sure about this Rebecca because if you agree to this there is no turning back. There will be rules. There will be expectations and their will be consequences." He said

Rebecca nodded. "I understand. Yes. I'm not saying it doesn't scare me a bit but yes. I am sure." She said

Derek nodded. "Okay."

Derek and Rebecca spent the next hour discussing the expectations, rules, and consequences that there would be.

When the conversation was done Derek looked at the exhausted young women.

"I can see you are exhausted so just one more thing than you can relax. Do you have any marijuana left?" He asked her

Rebecca took a breathe. "Yes." She said

"Go get it please." He told her

Rebecca got up and went and got what was left of her stash.

"Good. Now go flush it." He told her

Rebecca sighed a bit but did as she was instructed before coming back to the living room.

"Thank you. I know that wasn't easy." Derek told her

Rebecca shrugged.

"It will be easier with time." He told her as he got up. He gave her shoulder a squeeze before heading to the bathroom to shower.

Rebecca sat on the couch and took out her phone and started a text to Lorelai 'You little shit. You didn't give me a chance to do it in my own time!'

Lorelai was getting ready for bed when her phone dinged. She looked at it and chuckled. 'I knew you needed the push. And I mean you asked for me to tell him, so this was a good in between. Did you ask him?'

'Yeah… And well. Its already started. He made me flush my stash.' Rebecca texted

'Well, I feel for you but good. It wont be easy, but this is going to help you. I promise.' Lorelai told her.

Rebecca read the text. 'I hope so. But I am tired so goodnight.' She responded

Lorelai texted back good night before she headed off to bed herself.