Previously on Anywhere But Here:

Lorelai walked up to Gracie and stroked her cheek.

"Everythings going to be fine now sweetie. Just wait and see."
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Meanwhile:

Cynthia and Paul Krumwaltz were sitting at a table at a ancient manuscript convention.

"Who was on the phone?" Paul asked as Cynthia hung up the phone.

"It was Lorelai. Gracie's in the hospital again. Lorelai's taking care of it."

"Well that's good of her. Have her call me when she knows how much it costs. I will pay for it."

Cynthia and Paul sat talking for a couple more minutes. Cynthia overheard Emily talked to Bitty Wallingher.

"Ya. My daughter runs an Inn in Stars Hollow. And my granddaughter goes to Chilton." Emily bragged.

"Yes. It's an amazing Inn, as well. I've stayed there a few times myself." Cynthia added.

"I might have to stay there sometime." Bitty said. She walked over to her husband.

Emily and Cynthia talked a little more.

"Did you hear, I moved my daughter to a different school." Cynthia said.

"Really? Isn't that the 3rd school in less then 3 months?" Emily said.

"Yes. But we moved her to Brantford Prep. The school is more respected among our family and it's a boarding school."

"Really? That's amazing. It's impossible to get into that school."

"Yes, well, I pulled a few strings and they finally agreed"

Emily just nodded as if she understood.

Back at the Hospital

"Ok Gracie, it looks like you are well enough to go home now. We will make an appointment for you to come back next week to see if everything is going ok" said the doctor.

"Thanks doc," Gracie said trying to lighten the mood. She knew that Lorelai, Rory and Luke were already freaked out as it was.

"Thank you so much," Lorelai exclaimed. She was so happy that Gracie was okay.

Gracie stood up from her bed. Lorelai lifted her up.

"What are you doing?" Gracie asked. Surprised at why she was being carried. She was, after all, 13 years old. Even though she didn't weigh 100 pounds yet that didn't mean that anyone could just lift her up whenever she wanted to.

"You were just in a hospital. You can't walk yet." Lorelai said.

"I didn't break my leg. I was just dehydrated." Gracie said inbetween giggles.

"Oh you probably think you're so smart" Lorelai said as she starting walking out of the hospital.

"Well actually, I do." Gracie said.

"You're cool now Gracie." Lorelai said. Her words dripping with sarcasim.

"I know."

Rory and Luke were just walking behind watching Lorelai and Graice talk. They talked like they belonged together. Which both, Rory and Luke, knew was true.

Lorelai set Gracie down in the car.

"Lorelai, you really don't have to hold me everywhere." Gracie said for the umpteenth time.

"Yes I do. Now you just rest." Lorelai said.

Lorelai sat down in the back next to Gracie.

"Lorelai, what are you doing?" Gracie asked.

"Making sure that you don't fall out of the car." Lorelai said as she shut the door.

Gracie just rolled her eyes. Luke got in th drivers seat. Rory got into her car and followed Luke back to Star Hollow.

"Luke, go straight to my house. Gracie's going to stay with me for alittle while." Lorelai said.

"Lorelai, you don't have to do this. I'm a big girl. I'm potty trained and everything." Gracie said.

"I know that, hun. But I just want to make sure that you're okay." Lorelai said.

"Fine." Gracie said defeatively. She knew that trying to win against Lorelai was almost impossible.

Lorelai carried Gracie into her house. She layed her down on the couch.

"Okay so we have movies, I'm going to get you foood, blankets, and anything else you need." Lorelai said to Gracie "Okay Luke. I need you to bring me all of Gracies favorites and fast. Thanks." Lorelai said to Luke.

Luke walked out of Lorelai's house and towards the diner.

"Lorelai, you don't have to do this. Please! This is the last time I'm asking," Graice said meaning it to be a threat.

"Good, I hate repeats." Lorelai said.

Both Gracie and Lorelai smiled. Lorelai got Graice all situated on the couch then walked outside when she heard a car door pull up in the driveway. Rory walked out of her car and towards her mom.

"How's Gracie?" Rory asked.

"She says that she's okay but I just want to make sure." Lorelai said.

"Okay." Rory said.

Rory and Lorelai both walked back into the house. Gracie was still sitting on the couch.

"This is so boring. You have no idea" Gracie said as they entered the room.

Lorelai and Rory just laughed.

Noon: The next day

Lorelai convinced Gracie to stay the night at her house. Lorelai had her sleep in her bed with her just to make sure that she was okay and nothing would happen to her. Gracie was still in Lorelai's bed. Lorelai wouldn't let her move unless she was there.

Lorelai finally came up to her room. Gracie stood up and walked down the stairs. Lorelai had her arms out and was walking right behind her just incase she fell or fainted.

"Lorelai, what are you doing?" Gracie said as she stopped halfway down the staircase.

"Nothing. Just making sure that you don't faint" Lorelai said.

"Oh okay." Gracie said as she walked back downstairs.

Gracie walks to the couch.

"I'm sitting down now. Are you happy?" Gracie said.

"Yes, very." Lorelai said as she walked into th kitchen.

"Good."

"Okay. If you can drink this whole glass of water and then sleep for at least an hour then I will stop treating you like a baby. Deal?" Lorelai said as she walked back from the kitchen.

"Deal!" Gracie said. Anything to make the madness stop!

Gracie drank the water. She found a comfortable position on the couch and fell asleep.

She woke up about 2 hours later. Lorelai was in the kitchen.

"Gracie you're awake! Now don't you feel better?" Lorelai said.

"Yes. I feel a lot better." Gracie said honestly. She really did feel better.

"Gracie, I bought you a lot of water bottles. You better drink them!" Lorelai said.

"I will!" Gracie said taking a water bottle from the pile near the fridge.

"I was thinking that because you did sleep and have put up with me for the past day and some that you should be able to go back and sleep at the Inn" Lorelai said

"Really?" Gracie asked. She was having mixed feelings about going back to the Inn.

"Under one condition." Lorelai said.

"Oh no." Gracie said.

"You have to stay with me until your mom gets here. After tonight, of course." Lorelai said.

"I agree!" Gracie said smiling.

Lorelai and Gracie walked back to the Inn. Lorelai had some work she had to finish.

Late that night

"Mom. Mom, wake up." Rory said coming into her moms room.

"What?" Lorelai said, clearly annoyed.

"Mom, it's Tobin at the inn, something's wrong" Rory said as she layed down next to her mom.

"What's wrong?"

"The fire alarm's going off."

"That stupid alarm. It's always doing that. Tell him if he doesn't smell smoke, to reset it, and tell him he's fired and I'm gonna kick his ass around the lobby for waking me up."

"He sounds freaked."

"Ugh." Lorelai says as she takes the phone, "Tobin, what?. . .Oh my God. . .Okay."

Lorelai hangs up the phone.

"Get dressed." Lorelai says as she gets out of bed.

"What is it:

"Get dressed, get dressed."

Lorelai and Rory drive to the Indepedance Inn. Obviously, they were speeding.

Lorelai runs up to Sookie.

"Sookie, is everyone okay?" Lorelai said panicked.

"Everyones okay." Sookie said.

"Is everyone here?"

"Yes I've counted. The fire departments counted twice. Everyones here." Sookie says.

"Gracie!" Lorelai said. She was suddenly worried.

"Gracie where are you" Lorelai yelled as she walked through the crowd.

Gracie heard Lorelai calling her and ran towards where she heard her voice. She finally spotted Lorelai. She ran as fast as she could to Lorelai.

Lorelai saw Gracie running towards her and opened her arms to embrace her in a hug.

"Gracie are you okay?" Lorelai said as she hugged her.

"I'm okay."

"Good. I was so worried." Lorelai said. Still not letting go.

"Lorelai?" Gracie said.

"Ya, sweets."

"I'm scared."

"I know. So am I." Lorelai said tightening her embrace on Gracie.

Lorelai was mentally kicking herself for letting Gracie go back to the Inn. She walke with Gracie back to where Sookie and Rory stood.

"Rory, go entertain the kids for awhile. I think that they're going to be a little scared. Michel call Inn's that are around here that might be able to take people in. Sookie watch Gracie for me. I'll be right back." Lorelai said.

Lorelai handed Gracie to Sookie. She walked out of the crowd and towards the path that led to the rest of Stars Hollow. She pulled out her cell phone.

'Hello this is Cynthia.'

"Hi Cynthia."

'Oh, Hello Lorelai. How are you.'

"I'm good. How are you?"

'I'm good.'

"Well I just wanted to let you know that Gracie's better now and is out of the hospital."

'You can just send the bill to us and we will pay for it.'

"Thank you. Well the Independance Inn just caught fire. Gracie was in it but she got out and she's okay. But I was wondering if you would want to come see her now. She's really scared."

'She's okay. I don't need to be there. I'll see her when I'm done my functions.'

"But..."

'No buts Lorelai. She's okay and I'm busy.'

"You know what Cynthia. You have struck my last nerve. You obviously don't care about your daughter. When she was in the hospital you didn't care. I know that if my daughter was in the hospital I would have come running. If my daughter had been in a buidling that was on fire I would have come running, even if she was okay. You obviously don't care what happens to your daughter."

'Lorelai, you will not talk to me like that. I do care about my daughter. Maybe not the same way that you care about your daughter but I care. I care that she goes to parties and functions with me and doesn't make me look bad. If that's not caring to you then I'm sorry.'

"Cynthia, that's not caring about your daughter. That's just making sure that you're daughter grows up to be like you. That's just making sure that you still get the second cup of tea at the DAR meetings. I have to go I'll see you Thursday." And with that Lorelai hung up the phone.

xoxo

Cynthia hung up the phone. She acted as if nothing had fazed her. But she wasn't acting. What Lorelai had said was right. She obviously didn't really care about Gracie like Lorelai cared about Rory.

Cynthia grew up to be her mom. All she wanted was for Gracie to grow up to be the same. Gracie rebelled though. She didn't want this life. Gracie didn't want to go to all these functions. She didn't like going to the DAR meetings with her or going to any other meeting or function with her mom or dad.

Cynthia realized something that she didn't want to admit that she thought of. She knew it was the right thing to do. Because she didn't really care. And she knew that she didn't care. But this was a new realization for her. But she knew that she would have to go through with it.

xoxo

Lorelai walked back to Sookie.

"Okay I"m back. I just had to go get some air." Lorelai lied.

"Okay." Gracie said.

Sookie was holding onto Gracie. Sookie let go as she sensed that Gracie wanted to go to Lorelai. Gracie walked over to Lorelai who immidiatly put her arm around her.

"I'll go check on Rory and Michel" Sookie said.

"Okay." Lorelai replied.

Sookie walked over to Rory to see that she had rounded all the kids up and they were playing tag. She saw Michel calling Inn's to see if there were any rooms open. She knew that she should leave Lorelai and Gracie alone to talk so she went and helped Michel.

"Gracie, are you okay?" Lorelai asked.

"It depends what okay you're going for. If you mean are you feeling sick to your stomach, like the flu then yes I am feeling okay. But if you're talking about are you scared out of your mind then no I'm not okay. I'm scared out of my mind." Gracie said honestly.

She was so scared. She had just been caught in the middle of a fire. What else was she supposed to feel? She was relieved that she didn't get burnt or die. But she was still scared that it had happened to her.

"It's okay Gracie there's nothing to be scared about while you're with me. Everything is going to be okay." Lorelai said embracing Gracie in a hug.

"Everything will be alright. Just you wait." Lorelai said more to herself then to Gracie. After the conversation with Cynthia she needed all the reassuring that she could get.
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A/N I hope you liked this chapter. I think that I'll have 1-3 more chapters and then it'll be over. Do you think I should have a sequal? Your input is very much appreciated! Thanks!