AN: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews, I'm glad you're enjoying it. So far I have 11 chapters written I'm going to try to write a new one right after I post this one. Please keep reviewing, and again, I own nothing.


Lorelai had just gotten off shift and was sitting in the kitchen finishing up dinner with one of the new waitresses. She was a little klutzy but it was nice to have someone her own age around.

"That was pretty awesome Sookie. We didn't eat a lot of leftovers in my house but I'm pretty sure people don't usually put that much effort into them."

The redhead giggled "Well, I'd really like o be a chef, and since they won't let me fiddle with the actual food I'll have to settle for tinkering with the leftovers."

Lorelai smiled at her new friend. "I'm sure once you graduate they'll let you work in the kitchen. Well I have to go pick up Rory from Mia, thanks Sookie."

"No problem sweetie."

Lorelai headed off to Mia, knowing that tonight was the night. Mia had made her promise that after 3 days she would call her parents.

"Lorelai, it's time."

She sighed and dialed the number. "Hello?"

Lorelai exhaled loudly "Hi mom."

"LORELAI! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? COME BACK HOME THIS INSTANT!"

Lorelai looked around her new home catching Mia's eye briefly, "No Mom."

Lorelai heard her mother yell for her father and the click of a second line being picked up, "Lorelai?"

"Dad."

"Where are you?" he demanded.

"I'm safe dad, so is Rory. I have a job, a place to live, and food and clothing for Rory. We're fine."

"That is NOT what your father asked Lorelai."

"But isn't that the most important thing? That we're fine?"

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, girls raised by good families do not run off to live like vagrants."

"They also don't get pregnant, I figured I'd go two for two."

"Lorelai this is not the time. Why must you be a constant chore? You WILL get back here. You WILL deal with this situation in the manner your father and I have planned. And you WILL do it tonight."

"No mother. I WILL raise my daughter. I WILL work to get her what she needs. I WILL never refer to MY daughter as a "chore". And I WILL end this conversation." CLICK.

Lorelai picked up Rory as tears fell from her eyes. She muttered quietly "thank you for babysitting Mia," and walked out. With her weeks pay she headed towards town. She was heading to the market for shampoo and other necessities, when she remembered the shower curtain and Luke.

She walked in and the bell rang, "We're closed."

"Oh, uh sorry."

"No, No. Lorelai hey, you can come in."

She smiled slightly, "Thanks, I got paid today so.."

"Oh yeah um here I know you're on a budget so I picked out a cheap one." He held it out to show her, "I know it's a little cheesy but-"

He was cut off by the sound of laughter, slightly teary laughter. "My mother would be appalled by that shower curtain."

"Uh well we have-"

Lorelai kept laughing, "It's totally corny, and quirky I love it."

Luke gave a relieved smile. "Okay, um we're closed so I can go install this now, I mean if you don't have any plans."

Lorelai's face was bright, all traces of her conversation with her parents gone. "Luke. I'm a 17-year –old single mom with no money and no driver's license. Buying a shower curtain IS my night out."

Luke laughed and Lorelai had to admit, if only to herself that she really liked the sound.


Luke isn't used to smiling this much. He admits he's often unnecessarily grumpy. But it's hard to fight the laughter at the sight, or really the sound.

"I come home in the morning light, My mother says When you gonna live your life right? Oh,mother,dear, We're not the fortunate ones, And girls, They wanna have fu-un. Oh,girls, Just wanna have fun." Lorelai sang quietly while bouncing Rory around the small room as Luke worked. Rory giggled and clapped.

" Cyndi Lauper? Will you be dying her hair some freakish color?"

"Ha no. But this is the Gilmore Girl anthem. This, my dear, is an all girl household," she nodded smugly. Rory threw her own two cents in "Mama, love".

"Yeah about that, um where is, you know her dad?"

"I'm not exactly sure. I haven't seen him since she was born. His parents sent him to the hospital to propose, but I said no. Then they sent him to some new private school."

"He asked you to marry him??"

Lorelai stroked Rory's back as she lay sleeping against her chest. She sighed. "Where I come from you don't do things because they are right. You do them because they appear right. My mother and Chris' mother can save face at the country club if they dress Chris and I up in perfect little designer wedding wear and make it seem like having Rory was part of their perfect plan. Then they can play it off like it's a good thing. Like 'Well Miffy, my daughter has already had the most beautiful wedding'. "

"Oh. So your parents are rich? It must be kind of a let down, you know living here."

Lorelai smiled. "This is the first room that's ever been mine. My mom didn't let me pick out things, my style wasn't 'proper'. I went to a school with uniforms. We'd go to these parties and I'd go up to my room to get ready and there'd be a dress on my bed with a note that I was "expected to wear it properly". I don't want that for Rory."

"You're a good Mom."

"Thank you. Sometimes I wish Chris wanted to be a good dad or help at all. But it's kind of nice not having to consider anyone's opinion."

"Well I know it's not the same but this town is pretty much bound and determined to help everyone and anyone."

"I know, I could tell the minute I sat down on the bus."

Luke rocked back on his heels a little embarrassed. "Well curtains up."

"Thank you Luke. I never paid for the curtain, how much do I owe you."

"Keep it. I doubt there was going to be a rush on duck shower curtains."

"Luke really, it wouldn't be right. That's money out of your pocket, and your dad's. I insist, really." Lorelai held out $5, "Is that enough?"

"Yeah."

She kissed his cheek and he said goodnight.


Luke arrived home to see his father at the kitchen table doing the books, "Hey dad."

William looked up, removed his glasses and smiled. "Hey son, finished help the young Miss Gilmores?"

"Yeah shower curtains up. Any leftovers?"

"Yeah there's some stuff in the fridge. Did you have any problems, seems like an awful long time to put up a shower curtain."

"Yeah well she kept chatting the whole time it really slowed stuff down."

Luke was facing the open fridge but even from the back William could tell that his expression didn't match his tone. "Yeah, I'm sure. She seems like the type, always talking and laughing."

Luke smiled quietly while fixing himself some pasta, "yeah laughing and singing."

"Oh yeah, does she have a nice singing voice?"

Luke laughed and smiled "Nope."

William laughed along with his son. "Well that never stopped your mother either."

Luke's smile fell just slightly and William felt just a little guilty for dampening his son's mood. Maybe now isn't the best time to tell him what a kick Alice would get out of Lorelai.

"You know son. I was talking to Mia the other day and she tells me that Lorelai has a birthday coming up next month.

"Really? 18 right?"

"Yeah."