Disclaimer: Not mine… never was… purely for my own entertainment. No money being made!

Sweet Home Stars Hollow

Lorelai felt her eyes become heavy from exhaustion. She had been driving for so long, it's a wonder she hasn't begun swerving all over the road. She glanced over at Cassie whom was peacefully sleeping.

'Lucky girl' she thought turning back to try and concentrate on the road.

The roads had become more and more familiar the closer she got to Stars Hollow and instead of feeling the sickening dread she'd felt at the beginning of the trip, she felt wonderful and excited.

Although she was on her way to Luke's, She would finally get a chance to see Sookie and Jackson again. And Babette, Miss Patty, Michel, Heck even Taylor.

She had her wonderful inn to come back too, and her home which she'd completely renovated before leaving…

'It's not like I planned on leaving' She thought, trying not to think of certain person she knew she still loved. That, of course was not the reason for her return. Cassandra's death had taken it's toll on her.

Her best friends death has left little Cassie parentless and Lorelai did not want that for her unborn baby.

Sure she had raised Rory alone, but if anything were to happen to her, Chris would've been there for his daughter, and Richard and Emily. They've had another chance to have the daughter they've always wanted, the daughter Lorelai wasn't.

She tried to shake those thought off, she didn't want to feel anymore bitter towards her parents than she already does.

Lorelai was determined to see Luke and confront him with her pregnancy but she hadn't decided whether or not she wanted to see her parents. A part of her still feels hurt by them taking Rory from her.

The situation wasn't as black and white as that but Lorelai was slightly weary that they might take her little one off her too, and Lorelai knew she couldn't handle that. She'd lost enough.

Rory on the hand still came in to her thoughts everyday since the estrangement. Rory may not have gone back to Yale, but she was still making a life for herself. Or so Lorelai read in the newspapers every other week.

She was thankful her daughter was doing well and Lorelai knew she would be better off if her mother didn't drop by and screw up the new life she'd built for herself.

But that fact didn't stop Lorelai missing her. To have had Rory with her the last couple of months would have been a miracle for Lorelai.

Still there was a lot of issues there that hadn't been resolved and Lorelai new she was in no state to be put under stress.

A sign for Stars Hollow flew by the car as she drove by, informing her that it was just a half hour away.

'thirty minutes' she whispered.

Her belly began to rumble and a slight movement inside her startled the tired woman. But she smiled as she knew it was the baby telling her it was awake, and hungry. The baby is already taking after her in the food department.

Chilli cheese fries and coffee with a BLT and some cookie dough ice-cream would be heaven on a plate right now.

Unfortunately she was not allowed consume a majority of these foods. Giving up coffee for the last seven months had been one of Lorelai's BIGGEST achievemnts… along with starting up her own inn.

Thirty minutes and she'd be home, she was sure she could hold on until then.

'First thing I'm gonna do is eat, that sound good baby?' She mock asked her stomach and a little kick against her bladder told her the baby agreed.

Food…

There was only one place that came to mind…

Luke's.

LGLDLGLDLGLD

"Hey Dad, are you ready?" April called to her father who was now dressed in his nicer clothes.

"Just a second" Luke called from the bathroom, currently combing his hair back from his face. Her loved spending time with his girl but school events like these weren't his thing, where most other parents there were like vultures ready to attack was not something he was looking forward too.

"At least Anna will be there" he thought thankful he had someone with vulture experience there with him. He pulled on his jacket and exiting the toilet. "Finally" April complained. "I swear you take longer then I do getting ready" she criticized "Actually you took longer than my Mom getting ready and that's says something"

"Well you don't have a busy diner that takes up most of your time" Luke countered knowing April loves to debate.

"No, but you don't have a science project that took you too months to complete and can't be late to the competition no matter what happens including if my head falls off"

Luke couldn't argue with that, literally he couldn't if he had wanted too. April may be the smartest kid her knows, bar Rory, but she was still a child and her argument didn't make the most sense.

"Okay, I'm ready, lets go meet you mom" Luke said on his way downstairs.

"Dad, about that. Mom rang me earlier and she can't make it to the fair. A supplier at her shop didn't turn up this morning and she can't leave 'til he does" April said, knowing her dad wouldn't be comfortable at the science fair by himself. They'd entered the hustling diner where Luke was famous for losing his temper.

"What," he yelled.

"why didn't you tell me earlier?" he asked, suddenly feeling panicked.

"Because you were in the shower getting ready" April replied "I told you that you took along time" she said smiling sweetly. But this time Luke wasn't buying in to it.

"So she won't be there at all?" Luke asked. Feeling abandoned, he wanted nothing more then to go in to the kitchen and continue with work, a place he felt comfortable in. April noticed.

"Look Dad, If you really don't wanna go, I could take the bus to school…"

Luke noticed how his behaviour had effected his daughter, and immediately felt guilty. He was an adult for crying out loud. Anna had spent Aprils whole life going to these things by herself while Luke missed everyone of them. Well that was about to change.

"No April of course I still wanna bring you. I can't wait to see what you've built" Luke said reassuring his girl while exiting the diner to his truck.

Nobody inside had taken much heed to the exchange between father and daughter which Luke was thankful for.

"Great, Dad you won't regret it!" April said hopping in to the front seat.

It was times like these he'd truly wish Lorelai was with him, to take his hand and be there like he'd been for her and Rory. He missed her so much it hurt.

'Stop it luke" he told himself "Or you'll end up in a fouler mood then your already in."

Smiling to April He started the truck and drove them to her school.

LDLGLDLGLDLG

Lorelai pulled up in the town square and took a moment to look around. Everything was exactly the way it had always been.

It touch of Autumn around the place made it look breath taking. The only notable difference was the small town seemed busier than when she left.

'Whatever that's about. Must be Taylor's doing.'

She stretched her legs and continued to lift little Cassie out her car seat and in to her Pram.

Lorelai longed to go for a walk around town, maybe catch up with people but Baby Danes was having none of it.

It wanted food pronto which meant the very pregnant Lorelai would have to confront Luke with Cassie and an empty stomach.

Perhaps he'll let her eat first, before she goes explaining that he knocked her up. After all it was his baby that wanted the food more than her.

.

Knowing the only way to get it over with was to just walk in. She wheeled Cassie towards the diner, taking in as much fresh air as she could.

Although the baby was hungry, she was wrecked tired from the journey and looked forward to nothing more than to sleep in her own bed at home.

She entered the diner and immediately regretted coming here as the smell of coffee sent her senses in to over drive.

She needed some of Luke's Coffee. And she needed it now! Seeing a man who was not Luke behind the counter gave Lorelai some courage.

"Coffee Please" She asked. "Coming right up" The man said in a very Luke-ish way. Lorelai smiled.

The big bellied woman sat down beside the window

Surely one cup wouldn't harm anyone. One little cup. "Here ya go" The man said, handing her the coffee. "Anything else?" A little cry form the pram alerted Lorelai to Cassie, who was now awake.

"I'll come back" He said, handing her a menu and giving her a sympathetic look. She knew he felt sorry for her having a new born and about to pop out another one.

"Hello Sweetheart, are you hungry too?" She asked her, knowing that the baby most certainly was. She searched in Cassie's baby bag and found a milk bottle courtesy of Cooper.

That reminded her, she'd promised to ring him so he knows they got here safe. That could wait 'til later since Luke hated mobiles in his diner and she wanted to have him calm when she confronts him.

Picking Cassie up and rocking her she motioned the waiter over. " Excuse me, Hi" She said, quite flirtatiously since the man wasn't unfortunate looking. "what's your name?"

"Nathan" he replied smiling back. "want me to heat that up for you" He offered nodding towards Cassie's bottle.

"Yes, thank you so much" Lorelai said, liking Nathan already. Luke finally gotten some good staff. "And for you?" he asked.

"Oh uhm… BLT with a side salad, oh and a blueberry muffin" She ordered, taking pride in the fact that she still knows the menu by heart, and the salad was purely so she could pretend what's she eating is healthy.

"That's quite a pallet you got there, I like a woman who can eat" Nathan flirted back before heading to make her food.

A few minutes past and Lorelai watched the town folk walk by and she relished in being back.

"I think it's just right" Nathan commented returning with the bottle of milk.

"Is Luke here?" Lorelai blurted out rather than asked

"Actually he's not. Gone to some school things with April. She is daughter" Nathan explained while Lorelai didn't know whether she was relieved or disappointed.

"I hope I can service your every needs 'til he returns" Nathan said, smirking. He seemed keen to continue flirting and Lorelai was beginning to regret starting it in the first place.

"Just the food thanks" Lorelai stated and held Cassie up in her arms for her feeding.

A bell ringing informed everyone yet another customer had arrived. Lorelai was too lost in thought to notice, that was until…

"OMG LORELAI, IS THAT YOU??"