No time here. Could have happened anytime that either of them was unattached at the same time. Disclaimer- I wish they were mine, but never going to happen. Please leave reviews...they help!

Pulling in to the Gilmore mansion, Lorelai prepares herself for what will inevitably become her Friday night headache. Dinners had not been going well lately. Seemed like the older Gilmore's were back on the Christopher bandwagon. They had heard he was doing well once again, and they brought him up constantly. They were convinced that Lorelai, Christopher and Rory, could now become a family, even if it wasn't what any of them wanted. Not that she knew what Chris wanted, but it was obvious to her and to Rory it wasn't them.

"Lorelai why don't you call Christopher and see how he is?" Emily asked, as soon as they sat down at the table.

Richard had been in his study the entire time she had been there. She had no buffer between herself and her mother. This was the stuff her nightmares were made of.

"Mom, Christopher has our number, he chooses not to call. We have always been in the same place, and I am not tracking him down," replied Lorelai. Staring intently at her drink, wishing it could start affecting her so she could get numb to this. Knowing already that this was not going to end well.

"It is only a common courtesy, Lorelai. He is the father of your child. You should have a vested interest on what he does. You can't keep bringing men to the house, you have a daughter you know?" Emily reminded her.

"Mother, Christopher has never gone out of his way to help with anything. No matter how well, he has done. I do not see, why I should be vested in any interest of his. He is off who knows where doing who knows who, so drop it! " Lorelai was quickly loosing patience.

"Honestly, Lorelai, when are you going to grow up and give Rory the father she needs? You should have married him when he offered". Emily would not give up. She was not going to let this go.

"We were 16 mom. He didn't want to marry me. He was being forced, and he ran off. He left us, and never owned up to his responsibility…. He is not a good role model, and he is not what I want. Why would you want us to be with someone who doesn't want us right now?"

"You don't know what you want Lorelai. You are flighty and you don't take anything serious. You have to think of more than yourself." Emily's words cut Lorelai. She had heard these and many others before, but they still stung her.

"Mother!!!!! What are you talking about? I am responsible. Look at Rory! Who raised her, who fed her all alone? I run a successful Inn, and have graduated from business school. I own my own home. I am working on opening my own INN, and you think I don't take anything seriously?" Lorelai stood up from the dinner table and started to walk away. "I don't think I am hungry for dessert. Please apologize to Dad, for my unexpected departure. I am leaving."

"Where do you think you are going? You sit right back down here". Emily angrily questioned her.

"I am going home mother. I have a headache, no thanks to you, and I need to get out of here. I will see you next week. Now just leave me alone. You have done enough damage for the night."

"Stop with your theatrics, Lorelai. If you would just listen to what I am saying you would know I know what is best for you, but you refuse to do what is right. You have to do everything your way or not at all." Emily says trying to control her temper.

"What is best for me? Mom, you haven't done what is best for me since I was five. You did what is best for you, in light of what everyone else thought and still thinks. It was never about me, but about the status I could provide you. I didn't want any of it, and you forced it on me!" Lorelai was almost in tears. She had to get out, her hands were shaking. She needed to get air. She runs to the entry.

"Lorelai don't you run out of here, do you here me! I am not done talking to you". Emily was very angry. Lorelai was the only person who she could not scare into submission, but it did not stop her from trying. She just couldn't understand why her daughter who could have it all chose to throw it all away. She could have been everything.

The maid rushes out and hands Lorelai her jacket. She quickly puts it on, and turns towards her mother before leaving.

"Thanks again for a wonderful Friday night dinner, as usual you do not disappoint, mother." Lorelai holds the coat tightly around her, trying to find warmth she knows she can't get here.

She slammed the door behind her, not waiting for the maid to do it. She walks to the car and throws herself into the seat. She can't even think straight.

Once in the car, Lorelai sits quietly for a second, trying to control her emotions. It had been an extremely stressful day at work. Michel, had called in sick, and they had a function and a wedding today. The Inn had been booked to capacity and everyone was being run ragged getting everything done, including her. Coming here had been the icing on the cake. Now she just wanted to go home, draw a bath and try to forget the day.

Lorelai was overcome by emotion and put her head on the steering wheel.

How is it her mother could do this to her. She was successful, she was proud of everything she had accomplished. She was young and had made her life and it was a good one, but 2 hours with her mother and she had been once again reduced to a bundle of tears and feelings of never being able to make her mother proud. She was everything her mother resented.

Lorelai started the car and deep in thought left Hartford and headed home. She couldn't get home quick enough, then she remembers she is going home to an empty house. She didn't want to be driving around aimlessly. She had to do something.