Lorelai's crying subsided for a moment. Joan could see the confusion written all over her face. Not knowing what else to say, Joan pulled the girl in for tight hug. Lorelai rejected the hug and pushed herself away from Joan.

"How could you?" Lorelai replied in a low whisper. "You've been here this whole time, pretending to be our maid …" Lorelai said each word slowly, like she was carving her way through the air.

Joan hesitated to reply. "Lorelai, it was the only way I could see you."

Lorelai's self pity quickly turned to anger. "All this time…. all this time… You let me think my real mother had died three years ago!"

"Lorelai… It's just not that simple…"

"Is that why you've always been so nice to me? Is that why you took me to the concert?"

"Sweetheart, I love you. I'd do anything for you."

"Except tell me the truth…" Lorelai stood from her feet. She had dried away at the last her of tears. "Everyone around here has been living a lie."

"I'll tell you anything you want to know…" Joan stood to her feet as well.

"I want to know everything…"

The next morning, Joan waited nervously in the kitchen for Richard. She had been up most of the night talking with Lorelai. Though she was confused, and shocked with the entire situation, Lorelai couldn't have been happier to find out Joan was her real mother. It had given her something to hold on to again, and someone to believe in. When Richard walked through the door, Joan's heart sank.

"Good morning, Joan." Richard replied.

"Good morning." Joan repeated. "Mr. Gilmore… we need to talk."

"Let me guess… you're wanting to speak about what transpired with Lorelai and I last night?"

Joan let out a quick huff. "Of course, what else?"

"Joan, I have no desire to speak of the matter. I told Lorelai that she is not adopted. I plan to leave it that way."

"Well, sir I'm afraid that won't work."

"And why not?" Richard poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Last night, Lorelai wrecked her bedroom…. I had to use the secret key just to get to her. She was so angry and so devastated it took hours to calm her down. I'm sorry, Mr. Gilmore, but when I saw her in that condition, begging for the truth and pleading for any type of consolation, I had to tell her."

Richard slammed his coffee cup down on the table. "Tell her what?" he grunted through his teeth.

"I told her everything…" Joan replied coolly. "About how she was born. Who her biological father is… Why she ended up here. Why I've been the maid for the last fourteen years."

"You had no right!" Richard roared. "You've broken our agreement!"

"I didn't break out agreement. Do you know how she found out she was adopted, Mr. Gilmore?" Joan folded her arms. "She over heard Cecelia talking to a friend on the phone. And believe me, it wasn't a pleasant conversation. Lorelai's heart was shattered. She asked you for the truth, and you lied to her. I've avoided this subject as long as I could, but last night was the final straw for me."

"That's ridiculous, Cecelia would never talk about Lorelai. How dare you use her as a scapegoat…"

"A scapegoat?" Joan offensively repeated.

"You're the one who has told Lorelai everything, it's your fault she knows!" Richard jumped from the table. "Don't pretend you are sorry for letting this horrible secret out. I know it gave you pleasure to tell her."

Joan jumped from the table as well. "Of course it did! She is my daughter! I love her with every fiber of my being!"

"Well, I hope you're happy… You've gotten what you wanted. Pack your things, I want you out immediately!"

Joan raised her chin. "I've already packed them."

"Good, that means you can leave right now." Richard's face had turned beat red.

"Mr. Gilmore, I'll be returning… and when I do, I'll be taking Lorelai with me."

"Ha…." Richard laughed. "You've ruined any chance of ever seeing her again."

Joan smiled. "Really? I am her birthmother. I have more of right to see Lorelai than you'll ever have."

"Lorelai is nearly fourteen years old." Richard countered. "You can't make her stay with you, she will have a choice in the matter."

"And she'll choose me." Joan replied as she pulled her suitcases out from under the table. "Good bye, Mr. Gilmore."

"Good riddance…" Richard mumbled.

Richard watched from the window as Joan's taxi drove off down the street. Suddenly, Lorelai crossed his mind. He quickly made his way upstairs. Lorelai was still sleeping her bed. Joan had cleaned up most of the mess from the night before, but there were so many things that could never be repaired nor replaced.

"Lorelai…" Richard walked over and gently shook the girl. "Lorelai, wake up."

Lorelai's eyes slowly opened. She rose from her bed. "What?" She asked sleepily.

"We have to talk."

"I don't want to talk." Lorelai replied as she fell back into her pillow.

"Well, you're going to. I have to explain everything…"

Lorelai sighed. "I asked you to talk last night, and you ignored the entire subject. Joan explained everything, I don't need to hear anything you have to say." She rolled over and turned her back to Richard.

"Joan is gone now. I have to set everything straight. I …"

Lorelai bolted up from her bed. "What do you mean Joan is gone?"

"She left…"

"You sent her away?" Lorelai's voice screeched.

"Actually, she already had her bags packed. She intended to leave."

Lorelai jumped out of her bed. "Where did she go?" Lorelai asked as she jerked her suitcase out from under the bed. "I'm going with her."

Richard stood from the bed. "Absolutely not. You're staying here."

"No!" Lorelai retorted. "I'm going with Joan…"

Richard grabbed the suitcase from Lorelai and threw it across the room. "I said you're staying here."

"You're not my father! I don't have to stay here!"

Richard slapped Lorelai across the face. "I am your father." He growled.

Lorelai quickly put her hand to her face. Tears began to whelm in her eyes.

"I'm the only one who is going to take care of you. If Joan really cared about you, do you thinks he would have left this morning?"

"She'll come back for me." Lorelai replied as a tear made its way down her reddened face.

"Don't be a fool, Lorelai…" Richard replied. "You know this is your home. This is your family. Whatever crazy idea you have in your head, you might as well erase this instant. You're not going anywhere."