After Lorelai had had a good cry. Joan stood from the bed. "I'll bring you up some hot chocolate…" she smiled. "How does that sound?"

Lorelai dried away at the last of her tears. "It sounds good…"

"Good, get comfortable…. I'll be right back." Joan left a much calmer Lorelai resting on her bed.

Joan made her way down the stairs and was heading towards the kitchen, as she walked by the door to Richard's study, she halted. Joan had never been so angry in all her life as she was at this very moment. She turned back and bolted through the study door. She gasped when she saw Richard and Cecelia sprawled across the desk.

"Joan!" Richard yelped as tossed Cecelia to the floor. He quickly buttoned his pants and stood to his feet. Cecelia let out a small huff as she pulled herself back up, buttoned her blouse, and awkwardly arranged her skirt.

Joan continued on as if she had not seen anything out of the ordinary. "Mr. Gilmore, I desperately need to talk to you." Joan replied her voice hard and cold.

"This isn't a very good time…" Richard answered as he buttoned his shirt and fiddled with his cuffs.

"I'm sorry, but it can't wait." Joan said firmly. "I need to speak to you… alone." Joan added as she glanced at Cecelia.

Richard also glanced over at Cecelia. "Sweetheart, could you excuse us for a moment?"

Cecelia frowned and angrily marched out of the room slamming the door behind her.

"You should really knock first from now on." Richard said as he came out from behind the desk.

"And you should save it for the bedroom, Mr. Gilmore." Joan quickly replied. "And while we're on the subject of what we should each do and not do, I demand to know why you hit Lorelai."

Richard was taken aback. "I did not hit Lorelai… I merely spanked her."

"There are bruises and lashes that say different." Joan snapped.

"It's a form of parenting…"

" No, sir, it is a form of abuse. I've always kept my end of the deal to never harm Lorelai and to never let her know she's adopted, but you have broken that promise Mr. Gilmore, you've harmed my daughter."

"Now, wait just a minute…" Richard offensively began.

"No! You wait…" Joan scoffed as she came closer to Richard's face. "You may be her legal father, but I am her birth mother. She's my flesh and blood, not yours. If you ever lay a hand to her again, I will see that she's taken away from you."

"Ha…" Richard said loudly. "I'd like to see you try." He glared. "I've given Lorelai more than you could have given her in a hundred years. She's been to the best schools, had the best teachers, worn the best clothes… No court will find me worthy of losing my daughter Joan, just because I gave her a spanking."

"You may have given Lorelai a wonderful education and showered her with gifts and belongings, and at one time, I honestly believed you gave her more love than an adopted parent could… but you've lost it Richard. You're neglecting her."

Richard stared at the young woman. He had never heard her call him by his first name. It had always been Mr. Gilmore.

"Never, harm my daughter again." Joan repeated. "If you do, I will tell her the truth."

"If you do, you'll lose your job." Richard said spitefully.

"Maybe so… but I'd gain my daughter."

Joan turned to leave the study.

"I know all the best lawyers in Connecticut." Richard spoke as Joan was walking away. "You'd never win her legally. "If you tell Lorelai anything, you'll lose any chance of ever seeing her again."

Joan continued to walk out of the study, paying no mind to Richard's bluff.

Joan took a deep breath before entering Lorelai's room again. She didn't want to make it noticeable that she was upset. Joan smiled as she walked towards Lorelai's bed. "Here we are, a fresh hot cup of hot chocolate." Joan handed the cup to Lorelai.

"Thanks." Lorelai replied gratefully.

Joan glanced down again at the marks on Lorelai's legs. "Sweetheart, are you in pain?"

Lorelai allowed her eyes to glance down at the bruises. "Not really." She replied. "I was for a few minutes but it's pretty much gone away now."

Joan pressed against one of the marks. Lorelai flinched, obviously in pain. "How many times did he hit you?"

Lorelai shrugged. "Nine or ten I suppose."

"Did you ask him to stop?"

"No…" Lorelai replied. "I didn't even cry until I came up to my room. I would die before I would let Cecelia see me cry."

"He won't you hit anymore." Joan said assertively. "I promise."

"He does whatever Cecelia wants him to do." Lorelai replied.

"So it seems." Joan answered. "She really falls into the evil stepmother category."

"Amen." Lorelai replied. "Remember when I wanted to run away?"

Joan smiled. "I do."

"And I asked you to come with me, but you said you had no reason to run away. Well, do you have a reason now, Joan?"

Joan sighed. "I'd love nothing more than to run away with you and start a new life, but we both know that can't be."

"Maybe Dad won't even care…" Lorelai replied. "Sometimes I think he would be more happy if I wasn't around… that way he could have his perfect family. Maybe… Maybe you could talk to him… ask him if I could just go live with you somewhere." Lorelai's eyes were beginning to tear up again.

"Lorelai, I can't do that." Joan sympathetically remarked.

"Karl told me he heard Dad and Cecelia talking about boarding school. He says they are going to send me away… if he's willing to send me away to boarding school, he could just send me away with you…"

"You shouldn't pay any attention Karl." Joan said as she stood from Lorelai's bed. "You're not going anywhere… Now, get some rest." Joan pulled the covers up around Lorelai. "I'll fix your favorite breakfast in the morning. And just to make it extra special, I'll serve it to you right here in bed so you can eat in peace and not have to see Karl and Cecelia."

A huge smile streaked across Lorelai's face. "You don't have to do that, I'm not afraid of them."

"Oh, I know you're not afraid." Joan clarified. "But everyone can use a break every now and then." Joan leaned down and kissed Lorelai gently on the head. "Good night." She switched off the lamp beside Lorelai's bed.

As Joan reached the doorway, Lorelai spoke softly into the dark. "I love you, Joan."

Joan paused and turned back in the direction of her daughter. "I love you too, Lorelai."

Joan closed the door behind her and leaned up against the wall. She didn't know how much longer she keep up this charade. Lorelai needed a mother more than ever, and Cecelia certainly couldn't fill those shoes. Joan's patients were hanging on by a thread.