Lorelai was looking through her credit card statement. There were some charges that she didn't recognize. They were at store in the mall. They were all on the same day and that was a day her sister had happened to be at the mall. She had checked her wallet and her card was there. So, it meant that if it had been her sister that she had taken the card used it and put it back. She hated that her first thought went to her sister however it wouldn't have been the first time she used the card.

She also knew that she couldn't blame her sister without evidence. It could be a complete coincidence after all. She also knew she couldn't bring it up at all till she had the evidence. She would see about figure it out tomorrow as it was late, and she was tired. She went to bed but had a hard time sleeping.

When she got up the next morning she went to a coffee shop being heading into work. She went straight to Penny's office. "Hey Penny." Lorelai said

"HEY!" Penny said excited to see her friend.

Lorelai put the coffee on the table. "Double Caramel macchiato." She said

"Urg. Do I need this." Penny said picking it up and taking a sip. "Perfect."

"So, your busy?" Lorelai asked

Penny looked up at her. "Why do I get the feeling this is a bribe?"

"Not a bribe no. But I do have a favor to ask?" Lorelai asked

Penny sighed. "Are you in trouble?"

"No." Lorelai said

"Will this favor end with one or both of us being in trouble?" Penny asked

"Possibly." Lorelai admitted

Penny took a breathe. "Ask."

"I need you to hack into the security cameras at the local mall from Saturday afternoon. At three different stores." Lorelai asked

Penny tilted her head.

"Someone used my credit card there. Rachel went to the mall that day at that time. I need to know if its her who stole my credit card." Lorelai said

Penny made a face. "Ooh. That girl…"

"I cant accuse her without cold hard proof." Lorelai said

Penny sighed and nodded. She closed the door to her office. "I will help you however if you go down…"

"I wont drag you down with me." Lorelai said

Penny nodded. She quickly started to type into her computer, and it wasn't long before she got into the security system. "They need to update their servers. That was to easy." Penny said

Lorelai chuckled abit. "Makes it easy." She said before telling her what stores to look at. Penny pulled up the first store at the correct time and saw Rachel and her friend Kara at the cash register, but Lorelai noticed that Rachel wasn't the one buying anything.

"Huh." Lorelai said

"That doesn't look like Rachel is the one using a card." Penny said

"No… It doesn't. Go to the next place please." Lorelai asked

Penny did and than she did the third place as well. Each time Rachel didn't buy anything, but her friend did.

"That's her best friend Kara right?" Penny asked. She had met her at a few of Rachel's birthday parties

"Yeah…." Lorelai said

"You think Rachel gave her the card?" Penny asked

"I don't know…" Lorelai said

"Any more stores to look at?" Penny asked

Lorelai shook her head. "Nope."

"What are you going to do?" Penny asked

"Not sure. Any chance you can send me the security footage?" Lorelai asked

"I can. Sure." Penny said. She pushed a few buttons. "Sent."

"Thanks Penelope. I cant ever pay you back." Lorelai said

"Of course." Penny said closing down what she was doing.

Lorelai looked really confused.

"You okay?" Penny asked

"I don't know. When I thought it was Rachel I was angry. And I'm not happy. But I know that her friend Kara. Her mother has always struggled financially. A single mother. Working three jobs to support her family. Her mother got sick about six months ago. Not cancer sick but she was out of work for three months… And well three months is a lot of money the family didn't have. I'm sure she is still trying to catch up." Lorelai said

"Doesn't make using your card okay." Penny pointed out

"No. It doesn't. But if the family asked for help. I would have helped in a heartbeat." Lorelai said.

"Because you are so kind and generous." Penny said

"I know I'm not going to press charges. But I also know I need to talk to her and her mother." Lorelai said

"And she didn't ask. She just took it." Penny said

Lorelai nodded.

Lorelai's phone went off. She looked at it.

"Well guess its time to put this at the back of my mind. Time to get to work." She said. She thanked Penny again before Lorelai went off to the conference room. The next week was spent in New York working a serial rapist case.

On the jet back Aaron sat with Lorelai. "You know I know when something is wrong right?" Aaron asked

Lorelai looked up from the book she was pretending to read. "Yes. I know."

"So, what's up?" Aaron asked

Lorelai took a breathe. "Did my work suffer?"

"No." Aaron said

"Than I'm not going to talk about it right now Agent Hotchner." She said

Aaron nodded.

When they landed to all headed to their cars. "Want to talk about it now Lorelai?" Aaron asked

"I need to handle it first." She told him

"Okay. You're not in any trouble?" he asked

"No." She said

Aaron nodded. "Okay."

Lorelai drove to Kara's place. She couldn't put it off any longer. She knocked on the door and Kara opened the door. "Lorelai. Hi."

"Hey Kara. Your mom home?" Lorelai asked

"Yes. Come in." Kara said

Lorelai went in.

"Mom. Lorelai Hotchner is here wants to talk to you." She called out

Her mother came out. "Lorelai. Hi."

"Hello Ms. Larson. I actually would like to speak to both you and Kara." Lorelai said

"You can call me Linda and Sure. Is Rachel okay?" Ms. Larson asked.

"Yes. This isn't about Rachel." Lorelai said

The three of them went and sat in the living room. Linda sent the other two kids off to do homework.

"What do you need to talk to us about?" Linda asked

Lorelai looked at Kara. "You have any ideas what this could be about?"

Kara shook her head abit. "No."

Lorelai took a breathe and looked at her mother. "There is no easy way to say this and I'm not going to beat around the bush. My credit card was used at the mall last weekend when Kara and Rachel were there. I originally assumed it was Rachel but wanted the proof before I confronted her about it. However, when I got the security footage it wasn't Rachel buying things. It was Kara." Lorelai said

Linda looked at her daughter.

Kara looked down.

"I was going to ask you if it was true, but your reaction make me believe I don't need to." Linda said clearly not happy.

"I'm so sorry…" Kara said

Lorelai nodded. "Do you have any idea the kind of trouble you could be in if I choose to report this?"

Kara looked up. "No… You cant. I'm so sorry. If I get into any legal trouble my scholarship will be pulled." She panicked

"Kara. I didn't say I was going to. But it seems to me you know the trouble you could be in. Why did you do it?" Lorelai asked

"I was desperate…" Kara said

"I did get an itemized list of what was bought. School supplies, some new uniform skirts, and lunch for herself that day." Lorelai to her mother.

"Why didn't you tell me you needed these thing?" her mother asked

Kara let out a defeated breathe.

Her mom sighed. "You overheard a conversation I was having on the phone didn't you?"

"I didn't want you to have to beg them for money…" Kara said

"That is not something you need to worry about." Linda told her

"I'm not a little girl anymore. I know who my father is. I know who his family is. I don't want to owe them anything." Kara said

"You don't own them anything." Linda said

"I don't want you to owe them anything either. I thought if I figured out a way to get these things myself…" Kara said

"And if Lorelai decides to press charges you have any idea how much that is going to cost?" Linda asked

"I didn't think I would get caught. Rachel said you wouldn't notice." Kara said before she slapped her hand over her mouth.

Lorelai shook her head. "So, Rachel is involved in this."

Kara took a breathe and looked down.

"Talk." Linda said

"I confided in Rachel about the financially issues we are having. She wanted to help. She let me use your card." Kara said

Lorelai nodded. "You know if you or Rachel had come talked to me. Told me what was going on. I would have helped you."

"I was embarrassed." Kara said

"Kara. You are my sisters best friend. You don't ever have to be embarrassed. Everyone needs help sometimes." Lorelai said looked at both Kara and her mother.

Kara nodded. "I'm so sorry. I will pay you back."

Lorelai took a breathe.

"And how will you do that?" Her mother asked

"I will get a job…" Kara said

"No. You need to focus on your schoolwork." Linda said

"I agree you should focus on your schoolwork. I have a solution. If you are on board with it." Lorelai said to Linda.

"We need our fence painted and I am sure when my father is informed of the situation will agree with you and Rachel doing that next weekend. Shouldn't take you two more than the weekend to get it done." Lorelai said

Linda nodded. "I have no issue with a little manual labour."

Kara nodded.

"I will make sure to let you know details once I speak to my dad and sister." Lorelai said.

Kara nodded again.

"I would like to talk to you mother alone now." Lorelai said.

"Phone." Linda said to her daughter

"What?" Kara asked

"Give me your phone. You are not telling Rachel she is busted." Linda said

Kara sighed and gave her mother he phone and went off.

"Look. I know you have never brought it up. And I choose to keep the fact that I know to myself. But I know your story. Hell, we have a similar story. Foster care from a young age. Aged out at eighteen. Pregnant. In my case I had to end my pregnancy because neither I nor the baby would have likely survived the birth. And if I didn't end up where I did in a few years I could be dealing with what you are. I want to help your family. I don't want you to be embarrassed and we can keep it between us. Don't even need to tell your kids if you don't want to. Kara is basically a sister to Rachel and that makes you all family." Lorelai said

Linda was surprised. "Thank you for the offer. But I have always made it work."

"Well, the offer is there. If you change your mind." Lorelai said. "And I'm not going to press charges."

Linda nodded. "Thank you."

Lorelai nodded. "Of course. Now I'm going to let you get back to what you were doing." She said getting up. The two said goodbye and Lorelai left and headed home.

When she got home she went inside. She went to Rachel's room and knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Rachel said

Lorelai went inside. "Remember what I told you would happen if you used anyone's credit card without permission again?"

Rachel looked up. 'fuck' she thought. "Yes… Why?"

"Don't bother lying Rachel. I already know you took the card to give to Kara to use." Lorelai said

"I was trying to help my friend. You don't understand." Rachel said

"You think I don't know that family is struggling? I know her mother was sick. I know they have always struggled. You should also know had you, she or her mother asked I would have helped in a heartbeat. I'm only pissed because you went behind my back and stole from me. Again." Lorelai said

Rachel looked down. "Don't tell dad please."

"You will. Or I will." Lorelai said

"Please. Don't… I will pay you back." Rachel said

Lorelai took out her phone and texted her dad. 'Come to Rachel's room please'

A few minutes later Aaron was there. "What's up?" He asked

"Tell him. Now." Lorelai said

Rachel shook her head.

"Fine. I will." Lorelai turned to her dad and told her everything.

Aaron was pissed.

"And I have already approved it with Kara's mother so unless you have any objections I think the two of them can paint the fence next weekend." Lorelai said to her dad

"Sounds perfect." Aaron said

"Dad… I was just trying to help my friend." Rachel said

"And you should have asked me." Lorelai said before she walked away.

"Or you could have told me. I would have helped as well." Aaron said

Rachel looked down.

Aaron closed the door to the bedroom and went and sat on the bed.

"Come here." He said

Rachel got up and went over.

"This is not the first time we have had a conversation about stealing someone's credit card." Aaron said

"Yes sir." She said softly

"And I do not care the reason. It is illegal. And you dragged your friend into it." Aaron said

"Yes sir." She said again

"Now you and Kara will be painting the fence next weekend. But you will also be getting a reminder of why you don't ever take someone's credit card ever again." Aaron said. He pulled her over his lap and pushed down her pants and started to spank her.

Rachel yelped. He wasn't going easy on her. Aaron knew that he needed to make sure she understood the seriousness of her choices.

She started crying before long and sobbing soon after. When Aaron thought she had been sufficiently punished he fixed her pants and sat her up.

Rachel sobbed into him for a couple minutes as he held her. When she was calm. Aaron looked at her.

"Did you apologize to Lorelai?" Aaron asked

"I will do it again." Rachel said

"Good." Aaron said. "You ever do this again. You will find out how the legal system handles things like this understood?" Aaron asked

Rachel nodded. "Yes sir.'

Aaron gave her another hug before he left her room.

Rachel went and knocked on Lorelai's door.

"Yes." Lorelai said

Rachel went in. "I'm sorry."

Lorelai nodded.

"How did you find out it was us?" Rachel asked

"I'm a profiler. The charges were from the mall the day you were there. I got a copy of the security footage. Saw you both there and saw it was Kara using the card. I went to speak to her, and her mother and Kara let it slip that you were the one who gave her the card." Lorelai said. "And don't be angry with her. She probably would have warned you, but her mother took her phone." She added

"I'm not angry with her." Rachel said

Lorelai nodded. "Good."

"I just wanted to help my friend." Rachel said

"I get that. You know you can always come to me. Why didn't you just ask?" Lorelai asked

"She was embarrassed…" Rachel said

"I know about her situation. Her mother's story. Could have been mine if I didn't get the help I needed. If I kept the baby." Lorelai said

Rachel nodded.

"And -you know I would never judge." Lorelai said

"I know. I messed up. I'm sorry." Rachel said

"Its forgiven." Lorelai said

Meanwhile Aaron had called and spoke to Ms. Larson to arrange to have Kara there to help with the fence painting. He was also told about his daughter offering to help and he was immensely proud. After the conversation he went to Lorelai's room. Rachel was just leaving the room and Aaron went in and closed the door.

Lorelai looked up at him.

"I spoke to Kara's mother. Arranged for the fence painting." Aaron said

"Okay." Lorelai said

"She told me you offered to help them." He said

"Oh. Yeah. I did." Lorelai said

"Lorelai. I am so proud of you. Offering to help a family like that. Is incredibly selfless." Aaron said

Lorelai shrugged, "Rachel and Kara's friendship. Its like my and Becca's. They are like sisters. Making them like family." She said

Aaron nodded. "Still. I know I have said it before but I'm so proud to call you my daughter."

Lorelai smiled "Thanks dad. I just wish I could find a way to help them. While still respecting Ms. Larson's right to say no."

Aaron sat down on her bed and nodded "Sometimes all we can do is be there. I can understand the want to help. But your right. You need to respect the fact that she said no."

"I know. And I will respect it. I just wish I could do more." Lorelai said

"That's because you're a good person." Aaron said

Lorelai shrugged. "Dad. Her story. Pregnant at 18. Out of foster care. No family support. If I had kept the baby. If I hadn't been pulled into the FBI. Met you and the rest of the family. It could have been me."

Aaron nodded. "I can see why you see the similarities."

"I just want to give them a leg up." Lorelai said

"Again. I understand but…" he said

"She said no thank you. I respect that I do." Lorelai said

Aaron hugged her. Lorelai hugged him.

"I'm also proud of how you handled the whole situation with the credit card." He said

"Well what else could I do? Press charges? I mean I could have but what would that do? Put a mark on Kara's record. And Rachel's too. I'm sure you and Ms. Larson could get the message through much better than the police. And Kara would lose her scholarship to the school. And I do not want to be the reason that happens." She said

Aaron nodded. "Well. It wouldn't be you. Those girls made the decision to take your card. But I agree. If it had been mine I wouldn't be pressing charges either."

They finished their conversation before Aaron left the room. Lorelai went and showered and got ready for bed.