Disclaimer: I do not own anyone who you might recognize. Mickey and Elizabeth are owned by Lindsay. Owen is owned by me.

A/N: Thanks to Sarah for being such a great beta-reader. She was right on about this chappie and we should all be sending her major props for not letting me post what I originally had. And thank you, Lindsay, for coming up with the whole idea and then brow-beating me into writing it. Good call by you.

xoxoxo

Mickey peered around the doorframe into Lorelai's office where the older woman was absorbed in her work. Mickey hated to interrupt as she watched Lorelai furiously going through paperwork, signing checks, and finishing orders to be faxed in the morning. Dinner was long over, the kitchen cleaned and the guests gone to bed or home and Lorelai was clearly burning the midnight oil. It was now or never, though, and Mickey knocked gently on the open door.

Glancing up quickly, Lorelai said, "What's up, Mick?"

"Are you busy?" Mickey inquired, holding a sheet of paper to herself.

"Sort of, but I need to be wrapping up soon, anyway. What can I do for you?"

Mickey crept into the office and wondered why she felt to apprehensive. Luke had told her that she could do anything she wanted. Why didn't she believe him?

"Well," she began nervously. "I need a letter of recommendation."

Lorelai's eyes widened fractionally. "A letter of recommendation? What for?"

"I…well, I want to attend this culinary school and they require a ton of stuff to get in, one being a letter of recommendation"

"Culinary school?" Lorelai asked with a slow smile spreading across her face.

"Yes. It would be a night-time thing," Mickey rushed to assure her. "I'd work my normal hours and take the bus to Farmington one or two nights a week. That's where the school is. Farmington."

"I'll get right on it. When is it due? And what gave you the idea?"

Mickey answered the first question and then replied, "Luke and I were talking one day about Owen leaving and he told me that Owen wasn't the only one who could go to college." Mickey blushed a little at the thought of him, or anyone, believing so much in her.

"I think this is a wonderful plan. Sookie will be thrilled. Have you told her yet?"

"No," Mickey replied with a quick shake of her head. Her burnished red hair was bound up in a complicated knot on top of her head that looked like it would come apart with another headshake. Unlike most redheads, Mickey's skin was free of freckles and really quite beautiful. Lorelai took the opportunity and studied the younger woman for a moment and noticed that she was starting to come into her looks. She walked with her shoulders back and her chin up, not all hunched over like when she'd first arrived in Stars Hollow. While Lorelai studied her, Mickey continued, "If I don't get in, then I'll have to explain to everyone why. Only you and Luke know."

"Oh?"

Mickey nodded. "We were talking about Owen going away and he asked me what my plans were. I didn't really have any and he mentioned culinary school. I had never really seriously considered it, but I started researching them and it's really cool. They teach you cooking but also the business end of things so that I could open my own bakery or restaurant some day."

"Fantastic!" Lorelai enthused.

"Did you know Luke bought a high chair for E? When she and I went in last week it was there and I could tell he didn't want to talk about it, but I was really touched. He didn't have to do that."

Lorelai was so taken aback for a moment that she simply couldn't speak. She'd seen the high chair pushed into the corner of the diner the last time she'd been in and she'd thought nothing of it. Luke had purchased it for E. "You're right," Lorelai answered in a soft voice, "he didn't."

"Anyway," Mickey said, "E is out with Sookie and Davey and I should go get her. Let me know when your done with the letter and I'll add it to the application packet. And thanks again."

"My pleasure," Lorelai responded with a warm smile.

When Mickey had taken her leave, Lorelai stood, crossed the room and shut the door. Then, she made her way back to her desk and picked up the phone. She wasn't sure what she would say when he answered but she needed to talk to him.

The ringing buzzed in her ear for a few minutes before the gruff, "Luke's" came across the line.

"It's me," she told him.

"We're closed," he grumped.

"Yeah, yeah, that's not why I'm calling. Listen, did you talk to Mickey about culinary school?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I don't know," Lorelai said after a pause. Her lungs felt tight and she recognized the feeling as one that she got when her heart felt full. "I just…I think it was really sweet of you."

"Yeah?" he asked noncommittally.

"Yeah."

"Well, don't get too excited," he said, wondering why she sounded so…strange. "I volunteered us for babysitting on the nights she has school."

"You did what?" Lorelai laughed.

"Volunteered us. She can't take the baby to school with her."

Lorelai thought about being alone with Luke. No, check that, alone with Luke and E. A shiver rushed down her spine and she said faintly, "True."

"Okay, then," he answered. "See you tomorrow?"

She smiled into the phone, wishing his voice didn't sound so appealing and…inviting. "Yup," she said softly before hanging up and shivering again.