Cause And Effect: Chapter 2: "Sing it Alanis, irony bites."

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor college student, doubling as a single mother. Rub it in why don't ya?

A/N: Sorry this took longer than I had promised...my three year old daughter, named Lorelai by the way, (Not a coincidence. Yeah, I know, go ahead, tell me I'm not obsessed.) Has the flu. Please keep her in your thoughts! Now, here is the next chapter, and thank you everyone for the reviews! Please review this chapter and tell me what you think.

'What the hell have I done?' Lorelai Gilmore sighed as she closed the front door.

'Luke. Luke and I ... Argh!'

Although her mind was still a bit fuzzy, she remembered snippets of the past night's events. She remembered the punch, the beer, the way his muscles had appeared taut and developed underneath the thin t-shirt he had been wearing. She remembered the way his lips felt on hers as he kissed her hungrily. She could still feel his rough but gentle hands caressing her soft skin.

"God dammit."

She didn't want to think about this now. Thinking made it real and that just hurt too much. All she wanted to do was curl up in bed and take a very large does of aspirin, in a vain attempt to make the throbbing sensation in her head go away.

So that's exactly what Lorelai Gilmore did. Donning her purple sparkly Hello Kitty pajamas, she climbed into bed and stayed like that the entire day.

She remembers hearing the phone ring, several times in fact, but she chooses to ignore it. She feels too ashamed, too confused to talk about anyone right now. Or ever, maybe.

She thinks she is grateful Rory is spending the weekend with Christopher and Sherry. How could she face her daughter now?

Lorelai finally allows herself to think about what happened, and she tastes the tears that have begun to fall.

'How the hell could I be so stupid? I haven't changed a bit in sixteen years.'

She recognizes the irony that her current situation is quite similar to her's of sixteen years ago.

'I made the mistake of sleeping with someone I shouldn't have then, too. At least I got Rory out of that mistake.'

Shit. Lorelai suddenly sat up straight in bed, and instinctively clutched her abdomen.

Christ. Had they even used...anything?

Lorelai doubts they had, neither of them had been in exactly a sound state of mind.

Normally Lorelai was on birth control, she of all people knew, better safe than sorry, but she had gone off the pill after ending things with Max. Everyday she had opened that compact and swallowed a pill, it seemed like it had been mocking her. She knew she was acting crazy and irrational, but, at the time, it had made sense to her, and plus, it was an added expense she no longer had to worry about.

'Damn. Damn.' Lorelai leaned against her headboard and inwardly cursed herself and her amazing stupidity.

She climbed back under the blankets, pulling them over the head, shivering and amazed at how cold the room suddenly seemed. She knew at some point she'd have to face reality, but right now, reality was too damn scary.

She sees the blinking light on her answering machine, but she continues to walk by. On her way back from the freezer, pint of ice cream in hand, she glances at the red light and sighs. She is aware that now is the time to step up, be brave and don her 'responsible adult' hat. She reflects as her hand moves toward the play button, that this is not a hat she often wears.

On a normal day, she wears her 'coffee addict' hat, her 'inn manager' hat, and her two favorites, the 'mother' hat, and the 'best friend' hat. She realizes, cringing again at the irony that the last time she wore the 'responsible adult' had was sixteen years ago, from the second the stick turned blue.

The first message was from Rory.

"Hi Mom...I know you're probably at the Inn, but I tried your cell and it was off, so I'm just leaving you a message here. I just wanted to say, I'm fine, I'm having fun, and no, Sherry hasn't had me knocked off yet. Although she does want to go sheet shopping with me later today... don't worry mom, Sherry has nothing on you. So, stay out of trouble, don't do anything I wouldn't do...and try not to watch Spice World an insane number of times. Yes, I know you think the group would be lost without Geri, but try and keep it to a minimum. I'll see you tomorrow, Dad says he'll drop me off about six. Love you! Bye."

Lorelai couldn't help but grin. Just the sound of Rory's voice always brightened her day.

The next message was from a frantic sounding Sookie.

"Lorelai? Are you home? Well, you're not here, you're not answering your cell phone, so you're either at home or in a ditch somewhere. If you don't call me before noon, I'm coming over there."

'I am lower than low.' Lorelai felt a tremendous guilt. 'My best friend is worried that I'm dead, when really, I'm just a coward.'

Lorelai knew she had to call Sookie, she really did not want to talk to anyone, but she hated worrying her best friend, and she really didn't want her to come over right now and see her like this.

"Independence Inn...Michel speaking."

"Michel, it's me."

"Who is 'me'?"

"Michel, it's me, your boss. You know, the one who controls your pension plan?"

"Ah, that 'me.' The one who doesn't bother to show up for work or even call?"

"Michel. I am so not in the mood. Is Sookie there?"

"Why, yes she is. You see, some people actually show up where they are supposed to be, when they are-"

"Michel! Put Sookie on the phone now, or you will find yourself at the unemployment agency...or worse yet, back in France!"

"Very well. Hold please."

"Lorelai?" Sookie's voice was full of panic.

"Hi Sook. How did you know it was me?"

"Well, I've been waiting for you to call all day, and plus the smoke coming out of Michel's ears kinda gave it away."

"Sookie, I'm sorry, I should have called earlier."

"Don't worry about it Sweetie, I'm just glad you're not dead."

"Yeah, well I may as well be." Lorelai muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

Sookie, with her special best friend radar, immediately picked up on the vibes Lorelai was sending off. "What's wrong Lorelai?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. I'm just...sick." Lorelai was trying to hard to be, well, Lorelai. She tried to be strong and independent but she gave in to the tears she had already begun to wipe away.

"Oh God, Sookie, what have I done?" Lorelai began sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'll be right there."

As she disconnected the phone, Lorelai realized she had no idea what she was going to tell Sookie. She would know she wasn't sick, and that something was wrong. Lorelai's unexpected emotional breakdown over the phone may have given off that idea.

Suddenly Lorelai knew she had to tell Sookie the truth. She was ashamed and confused, but Sookie would know what to do, what to say.

Lorelai morosely made her way to the couch, as the now melting pint of ice cream lay forgotten on the table.

A/N: I know, I know. Depressing. But...the way I see it, the more depressing something gets, it means it can only end even happier! Sorry, I've been listening to too much Michelle Branch.

A/N Again: Upon rereading this chapter, I figured out it's not my favorite thing ever...sorry. I just needed to get all this stuff in there before the good stuff can begin.

Review please!

Rachel