A/N: I want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far. Thank you all for your support and kind words.
Cold Water
[Cut To: Independence Inn, potting shed, LORELAI is asleep on the bed and RORY is dressed and waking LORELAI up]
Rory: Mommy!
Lorelai: (with a start)What?
Rory: Morning!
Lorelai: Yeah, way too early in the morning. (shielding her eyes)We don't have curtains.
Rory: Nope.
Lorelai: What time is it? (RORY looks at her)Oh, right, right. (she gets up and walks over to her pile of clothes and her watch on an old chair)Six? It's six?
Rory: I don't know.
Lorelai: It's six. In the morning.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: Six in the morning is...early! What are you doing up?
Rory: Nothing.
Lorelai: Let's try this one: Why are you up?
Rory: It's dirty in here, Mommy.
Lorelai: No, it's not.
Rory: It's dusty.
Lorelai: It's pixie dust.
Rory: Gramma said it's not.
Lorelai: Ugh. Pre-empted.
Rory: There's no curtain.
Lorelai: No kidding, I was nearly blinded.
Rory: Around the tub.
Lorelai: Oh. Yeah, I know, honey.
Rory: So we should go to the store.
Lorelai: Well, not yet.
Rory: Why not?
Lorelai: We don't have enough money for that.
Rory: How much do we have?
Lorelai: (counting out $50 from her bag)Not enough.
Rory: Oh.
Lorelai: We'll get one soon.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: Do you want some cereal?
Rory: Sure.
Lorelai: Let's go get some milk.
Rory: We should just buy the big bottle.
Lorelai: We don't have a refrigerator.
Rory: Right.
Lorelai: Right.
[Cut To: street outside of Doose's Market, LORELAI and RORY are walking and see LUKE]
Lorelai: Diner Guy!
Luke: That's not my name.
Lorelai: What is your name?
Luke: It's Luke.
Lorelai: Hey, Duke. I'm Lorelai. This is Rory.
Rory: Hi.
Luke: (to RORY)Uh, hi. (to LORELAI)It's Luke.
Lorelai: So, Duke, what are you up to this morning?
Luke: Luke.
Lorelai: We're going to the store. For milk.
Luke: Good plan.
Lorelai: I thought so, too.
Luke: So, I better get going.
Lorelai: Bye, Duke.(she and RORY walk away)
Luke: (calling after her)Luke!
Lorelai: (yelling behind her)It's Lorelai!
[Cut To: Independence Inn, potting shed, LORELAI is giving RORY a bath]
Rory: The water's cold.
Lorelai: I know, I'm sorry. We'll talk to Mia about it. Think about something else. To get your mind off of it.
Rory: How am I going to go to Yale?
Lorelai: What?
Rory: Gramma said I had to go to Burlington's for preschool, because then I could go to Chilton and then Yale.
Lorelai: How do you even know what Yale is?
Rory: It's a collbedge. Gramma told me that's where smart kids go to school.
Lorelai: It's coll-ege, sweetie. Edge.
Rory: Well how will I get there?
Lorelai: You don't have to go to Yale. There's a million really nice schools.
Rory: Ivy League?
Lorelai: (to herself)Mom, what did you do to her? (to RORY)Yes, there's a lot of nice Ivy League schools, too. Like Harvard.
Rory: Harvard?
Lorelai: Yeah, it's just like Yale. Only better.
Rory: Granpa went to Yale.
Lorelai: Which is why Harvard's better. And you don't need to go to those dumb schools just to get in.
Rory: Really?
Lorelai: Really.
Rory: I'm still cold.
Lorelai: I know.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, lobby, LORELAI and RORY have just finished their last room]
Lorelai: Much better, huh? It's only six-thirty and we're already done.
Rory: Let's go have dinner.
Lorelai: (hestitating because they don't have any extra money)Um, sure.
Rory: I want a hamburger.
Lorelai: Sure, sweetie.
Mia: Lorelai!
Lorelai: Oh, hey Mia.
Mia: Can I talk to you for a moment?
Lorelai: Sure.
Mia: Rory, would you mind waiting on the couch for a minute?
Rory: Okay. (she leaves to sit on the couch)
Lorelai: Is this...serious?
Mia: A little.
Lorelai: Okay, Mia, I knew it wasn't supposed to take so long, but I can come in earlier or work faster. Or I can skip breaks and I'm sure I can get it done in time, just please don't make us leave.
Mia: Leave? No, that's not at all what this was about.
Lorelai: (sighing)Oh. Sorry.
Mia: It's about your water. You asked me to send someone out there?
Lorelai: Right. So, is it fixed?
Mia: Well, no.
Lorelai: He's coming tomorrow?
Mia: Probably not. (pause)There's no water heater out there, and to get any hot water at all, you need one. But it's going to cost some money, Lorelai.
Lorelai: I'll pay you back. Don't worry.
Mia: I wouldn't worry. But I can't expense it. I can't use the inn's budget to pay for your home.
Lorelai: Oh.
Mia: I want to, I just don't have that power.
Lorelai: Don't you own this place?
Mia: No, I'm only the manager. I thought you knew that.
Lorelai: No, I didn't.
Mia: And my bosses would need a reason why hot water was necessary out there.
Lorelai: (confused, but then realizing)You didn't tell them we're staying there.
Mia: No.
Lorelai: (after a pause)So, what do we do about the water?
Mia: I'm assuming you don't have enough to pay for it?
Lorelai: I really doubt it. So we'll just have to deal with it?
Mia: I'm sorry.
Lorelai: It's not your fault. (looking at an impatient RORY)We'd better go.
Mia: You should get some dinner.
Lorelai: We're going to. Uh, how much would it cost? Just so I know?
Mia:About two hundred and fifty dollars.
Lorelai: (sighing)I guess that's not impossible.
Mia: I'm sorry.
Lorelai: Don't worry about it. Bye.
Mia: Bye. See you at seven.
Lorelai: Uh-huh.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI is writing on a notepad, figuring out how she can pay for the water heater and RORY is eating]
Rory: Let's go see the school tomorrow.
Lorelai: Oh, I forgot. Sorry.
Rory: It's okay.
Lorelai: We'll do it tomorrow.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: (seeing LUKE walk up to them but not say anything)Yes?
Luke: (pulling a book from behind his back)Here.
Lorelai: What is it? (reading the title)'The Great Big Book of Fun' Um, thanks.
Luke: It's for her. (RORY smiles widely)
Lorelai: Oh, that's sweet.
Luke: I just...saw it in the store.
Lorelai: (handing it to her)You didn't have to get her anything.
Rory: Mommy, can I- (LORELAI hands her a pen)Thanks.
Luke: I know. I was at the market anyway. It's suppossed to help her learn to read.
Lorelai: Thank you.
Luke: Sure.
Rory: Thank you! (RORY opens her arms to hug him)
Luke: Are your hands sticky?
Rory: (bringing her arms down)What?
Luke: Did you have jam? Do you have jam-hands?
Rory: Uh...
Lorelai: Let's just raincheck the hug, honey.
Rory: Okay.
Luke: Sorry. I just (pause)the hands with the jam and they're sticky and...
Lorelai: No problem.
Luke: Well, um, I better get back.
Lorelai: Thanks. Bye, Duke.
Luke: Duke? Why Duke?
Lorelai: 'Cause.
Luke: Well, with logic like that...
Rory: (busy with the book)Mommy gives everyone nicknames.
Lorelai: It's true.
Luke: But why Duke?
Lorelai: You just seem like a Duke-y kind of guy.
Luke: Duke-y?
Lorelai: Yeah.
Luke: I'm just going to accept that answer and move on.
Lorelai: As so many others have.
Luke: Enjoy the book.
Lorelai: Thanks.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, potting shed, RORY comes out of the bathroom, LORELAI is on the bed reading a book]
Rory: The water's still cold. I thought Mia was going to fix it.
Lorelai: (putting down her book)Actually, they're not going to be able to fix it. We're going to have to put up with cold water for a while.
Rory: How long?
Lorelai: Till we can save up enough.
Rory: Cold water?
Lorelai: Yeah. But not for too long. I promise.
Rory: Okay. Is that book good?
Lorelai: Yes.
Rory: When I can read, I'm going to read it.
Lorelai: I bet you will.
Rory: I'm going to read a lot.
Lorelai: Yup.
Rory: And then I can go to Yale.
Lorelai: Or another school.
Rory: Yale.
Lorelai: Or Harvard.
Rory: Do want me to go to Harvard?
Lorelai: It's just an option.
Rory: It's like Yale?
Lorelai: Yes.
Rory: You like it?
Lorelai: I guess so. It's a good school.
Rory: Okay. I'll go to Harvard.
Lorelai: We'll decide later.
Rory: Will you come with me?
Lorelai: Yeah, I will.
Rory: Even if you don't like where I go?
Lorelai: I'll follow you wherever you go.
Rory: I'll follow you, too.
Cold Water
[Cut To: Independence Inn, potting shed, LORELAI is asleep on the bed and RORY is dressed and waking LORELAI up]
Rory: Mommy!
Lorelai: (with a start)What?
Rory: Morning!
Lorelai: Yeah, way too early in the morning. (shielding her eyes)We don't have curtains.
Rory: Nope.
Lorelai: What time is it? (RORY looks at her)Oh, right, right. (she gets up and walks over to her pile of clothes and her watch on an old chair)Six? It's six?
Rory: I don't know.
Lorelai: It's six. In the morning.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: Six in the morning is...early! What are you doing up?
Rory: Nothing.
Lorelai: Let's try this one: Why are you up?
Rory: It's dirty in here, Mommy.
Lorelai: No, it's not.
Rory: It's dusty.
Lorelai: It's pixie dust.
Rory: Gramma said it's not.
Lorelai: Ugh. Pre-empted.
Rory: There's no curtain.
Lorelai: No kidding, I was nearly blinded.
Rory: Around the tub.
Lorelai: Oh. Yeah, I know, honey.
Rory: So we should go to the store.
Lorelai: Well, not yet.
Rory: Why not?
Lorelai: We don't have enough money for that.
Rory: How much do we have?
Lorelai: (counting out $50 from her bag)Not enough.
Rory: Oh.
Lorelai: We'll get one soon.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: Do you want some cereal?
Rory: Sure.
Lorelai: Let's go get some milk.
Rory: We should just buy the big bottle.
Lorelai: We don't have a refrigerator.
Rory: Right.
Lorelai: Right.
[Cut To: street outside of Doose's Market, LORELAI and RORY are walking and see LUKE]
Lorelai: Diner Guy!
Luke: That's not my name.
Lorelai: What is your name?
Luke: It's Luke.
Lorelai: Hey, Duke. I'm Lorelai. This is Rory.
Rory: Hi.
Luke: (to RORY)Uh, hi. (to LORELAI)It's Luke.
Lorelai: So, Duke, what are you up to this morning?
Luke: Luke.
Lorelai: We're going to the store. For milk.
Luke: Good plan.
Lorelai: I thought so, too.
Luke: So, I better get going.
Lorelai: Bye, Duke.(she and RORY walk away)
Luke: (calling after her)Luke!
Lorelai: (yelling behind her)It's Lorelai!
[Cut To: Independence Inn, potting shed, LORELAI is giving RORY a bath]
Rory: The water's cold.
Lorelai: I know, I'm sorry. We'll talk to Mia about it. Think about something else. To get your mind off of it.
Rory: How am I going to go to Yale?
Lorelai: What?
Rory: Gramma said I had to go to Burlington's for preschool, because then I could go to Chilton and then Yale.
Lorelai: How do you even know what Yale is?
Rory: It's a collbedge. Gramma told me that's where smart kids go to school.
Lorelai: It's coll-ege, sweetie. Edge.
Rory: Well how will I get there?
Lorelai: You don't have to go to Yale. There's a million really nice schools.
Rory: Ivy League?
Lorelai: (to herself)Mom, what did you do to her? (to RORY)Yes, there's a lot of nice Ivy League schools, too. Like Harvard.
Rory: Harvard?
Lorelai: Yeah, it's just like Yale. Only better.
Rory: Granpa went to Yale.
Lorelai: Which is why Harvard's better. And you don't need to go to those dumb schools just to get in.
Rory: Really?
Lorelai: Really.
Rory: I'm still cold.
Lorelai: I know.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, lobby, LORELAI and RORY have just finished their last room]
Lorelai: Much better, huh? It's only six-thirty and we're already done.
Rory: Let's go have dinner.
Lorelai: (hestitating because they don't have any extra money)Um, sure.
Rory: I want a hamburger.
Lorelai: Sure, sweetie.
Mia: Lorelai!
Lorelai: Oh, hey Mia.
Mia: Can I talk to you for a moment?
Lorelai: Sure.
Mia: Rory, would you mind waiting on the couch for a minute?
Rory: Okay. (she leaves to sit on the couch)
Lorelai: Is this...serious?
Mia: A little.
Lorelai: Okay, Mia, I knew it wasn't supposed to take so long, but I can come in earlier or work faster. Or I can skip breaks and I'm sure I can get it done in time, just please don't make us leave.
Mia: Leave? No, that's not at all what this was about.
Lorelai: (sighing)Oh. Sorry.
Mia: It's about your water. You asked me to send someone out there?
Lorelai: Right. So, is it fixed?
Mia: Well, no.
Lorelai: He's coming tomorrow?
Mia: Probably not. (pause)There's no water heater out there, and to get any hot water at all, you need one. But it's going to cost some money, Lorelai.
Lorelai: I'll pay you back. Don't worry.
Mia: I wouldn't worry. But I can't expense it. I can't use the inn's budget to pay for your home.
Lorelai: Oh.
Mia: I want to, I just don't have that power.
Lorelai: Don't you own this place?
Mia: No, I'm only the manager. I thought you knew that.
Lorelai: No, I didn't.
Mia: And my bosses would need a reason why hot water was necessary out there.
Lorelai: (confused, but then realizing)You didn't tell them we're staying there.
Mia: No.
Lorelai: (after a pause)So, what do we do about the water?
Mia: I'm assuming you don't have enough to pay for it?
Lorelai: I really doubt it. So we'll just have to deal with it?
Mia: I'm sorry.
Lorelai: It's not your fault. (looking at an impatient RORY)We'd better go.
Mia: You should get some dinner.
Lorelai: We're going to. Uh, how much would it cost? Just so I know?
Mia:About two hundred and fifty dollars.
Lorelai: (sighing)I guess that's not impossible.
Mia: I'm sorry.
Lorelai: Don't worry about it. Bye.
Mia: Bye. See you at seven.
Lorelai: Uh-huh.
[Cut To: Luke's Diner, LORELAI is writing on a notepad, figuring out how she can pay for the water heater and RORY is eating]
Rory: Let's go see the school tomorrow.
Lorelai: Oh, I forgot. Sorry.
Rory: It's okay.
Lorelai: We'll do it tomorrow.
Rory: Okay.
Lorelai: (seeing LUKE walk up to them but not say anything)Yes?
Luke: (pulling a book from behind his back)Here.
Lorelai: What is it? (reading the title)'The Great Big Book of Fun' Um, thanks.
Luke: It's for her. (RORY smiles widely)
Lorelai: Oh, that's sweet.
Luke: I just...saw it in the store.
Lorelai: (handing it to her)You didn't have to get her anything.
Rory: Mommy, can I- (LORELAI hands her a pen)Thanks.
Luke: I know. I was at the market anyway. It's suppossed to help her learn to read.
Lorelai: Thank you.
Luke: Sure.
Rory: Thank you! (RORY opens her arms to hug him)
Luke: Are your hands sticky?
Rory: (bringing her arms down)What?
Luke: Did you have jam? Do you have jam-hands?
Rory: Uh...
Lorelai: Let's just raincheck the hug, honey.
Rory: Okay.
Luke: Sorry. I just (pause)the hands with the jam and they're sticky and...
Lorelai: No problem.
Luke: Well, um, I better get back.
Lorelai: Thanks. Bye, Duke.
Luke: Duke? Why Duke?
Lorelai: 'Cause.
Luke: Well, with logic like that...
Rory: (busy with the book)Mommy gives everyone nicknames.
Lorelai: It's true.
Luke: But why Duke?
Lorelai: You just seem like a Duke-y kind of guy.
Luke: Duke-y?
Lorelai: Yeah.
Luke: I'm just going to accept that answer and move on.
Lorelai: As so many others have.
Luke: Enjoy the book.
Lorelai: Thanks.
[Cut To: Independence Inn, potting shed, RORY comes out of the bathroom, LORELAI is on the bed reading a book]
Rory: The water's still cold. I thought Mia was going to fix it.
Lorelai: (putting down her book)Actually, they're not going to be able to fix it. We're going to have to put up with cold water for a while.
Rory: How long?
Lorelai: Till we can save up enough.
Rory: Cold water?
Lorelai: Yeah. But not for too long. I promise.
Rory: Okay. Is that book good?
Lorelai: Yes.
Rory: When I can read, I'm going to read it.
Lorelai: I bet you will.
Rory: I'm going to read a lot.
Lorelai: Yup.
Rory: And then I can go to Yale.
Lorelai: Or another school.
Rory: Yale.
Lorelai: Or Harvard.
Rory: Do want me to go to Harvard?
Lorelai: It's just an option.
Rory: It's like Yale?
Lorelai: Yes.
Rory: You like it?
Lorelai: I guess so. It's a good school.
Rory: Okay. I'll go to Harvard.
Lorelai: We'll decide later.
Rory: Will you come with me?
Lorelai: Yeah, I will.
Rory: Even if you don't like where I go?
Lorelai: I'll follow you wherever you go.
Rory: I'll follow you, too.
