Yes I know you're all going to hate me but I promise I will continue with my post-revival one. This idea just popped into my head and I just started writing. Also, just to say, I will be more free to write after this week as I have two weeks off work! :)

So this is a pre-GG fanfic and Luke's dad is still alive in this. Rory is 8 in this and her and Lorelai already live in the Crap Shack. This will obviously be a javajunkie but Lorelai and Luke meet in a different way. Hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 1

"Mom look! The new bookshop has opened!" Rory exclaimed pointing across the road.

"Oh yeah!" Lorelai smiled. "Well maybe we can go there later, after we grab some food."

"Can't we go now quickly? Just to look round?" Rory asked hopefully. "Please?"

"I need to be back at the inn in an hour and I really need to grab some lunch hon." Lorelai said. She sighed when she saw her daughter's face fell. She always felt awful letting her down but she needed this job. Money was tight for them enough as it was. "Fine but it will have to be just for a minute ok?" She said.

Rory grinned. "Thanks mom!" She said happily and started running across the square to get there.

"Whoa, Rory slow down!" Lorelai laughed rushing after her enthusiastic daughter. Rory was too focused on getting to the bookshop though to hear her mother. Lorelai's laughter soon turned to panic as she saw her daughter unusually step out onto the road without looking. Everything happened so quickly. She saw the car speeding round the corner and she saw Rory suddenly notice and freeze. "Rory!" Lorelai screamed as she sprinted towards her daughter. Before she could reach her though, she saw an older looking man race out into the road and grab Rory, taking her to safety. "Rory!" Lorelai shouted running over to them. "Oh thank god! Are you ok?" She asked checking her daughter all over.

"I'm ok." Rory said quietly, shaken.

Lorelai looked up at the man. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" She said gratefully. "I don't know what I would have done if that car..." She started, her voice breaking.

"Hey it's ok." The old man smiled warmly at her. "These things happen. You can't keep your eye on them every minute."

"She's never run out into the road without looking before." Lorelai said letting out a shaky breath. She looked down at her daughter. "Promise me, promise me you'll never do that again." She said sternly.

"I promise." Rory said quietly. "I'm sorry." She said close to tears herself.

Lorelai sighed and just brought her daughter into a hug. "It's ok hon."

"Come on, my son's just opened a diner on the corner. I'll get him to make something to calm your nerves." The man said.

"A diner?" Lorelai said surprised. "I never knew there was a diner."

"We only changed it recently. It used to be my hardware shop but my health hasn't been the best recently and the shop wasn't exactly doing too well so we changed it into a diner. My son makes the best coffee if you're interested?" The man said with a twinkle in his eye.

Lorelai couldn't help but warm to him. "Coffee would be great right now." She said gratefully.

"Well come on then! I'll show you the way." He smiled. "I'm William by the way."

"Lorelai." Lorelai smiled. "And this is my..." She started but then stopped wondering what his reaction would be when she said Rory was her daughter. "Uh..this is my daughter Rory." She said hesitantly.

William just smiled warmly at them. "Nice to meet you both." He said. "Hang on, are you the Lorelai who works for Mia at the Independence Inn?" He asked.

"Uh yeah!" Lorelai said. "You know Mia?"

"We go back a long way. She was good friends with my wife." William said.

"Was?" Lorelai asked.

"My..uh..my wife passed away three years ago." William said sadly.

"Oh I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Lorelai exclaimed.

"No it's ok. You weren't to know." William assured her. "Anyway here we are." He said entering the diner. "Luke! Get this woman a coffee and make two burgers." He called.

Lorelai looked up to see a scruffy looking man wearing a backwards baseball cap appear from what looked like the kitchen. She saw the concerned expression on his face.

"Dad where have you been? You're meant to be resting! I was worried!" Luke exclaimed.

"I told you I was going out for a walk. I'm not an invalid!" William said.

"You had a heart attack! The doctor told you to take it easy!" Luke exclaimed.

William just rolled his eyes. "And I have been. Now get this woman some coffee and what would you like sweetheart?" William smiled kindly at Rory.

"Uh..do you do milkshakes?" Rory asked shyly.

"Of course! Chocolate?" William asked.

"Yes please." Rory said politely.

"You heard the girl!" William said to Luke. He looked up to see Luke standing behind the counter frowning at him. "What?"

"I was worried, dad." Luke said. "I thought you...you might have had another turn.."

William's face softened. "I'm sorry." He said. "I promise I took it easy. I was coming back here when I saw this young girl here get into a bit of trouble in the road so I stepped in to help."

"And I'm so grateful he did." Lorelai spoke for the first time. "If it wasn't for your dad, Rory would probably be in hospital right now."

"You shouldn't have been exerting yourself!" Luke told his dad frustrated. "Couldn't you keep an eye on your sister?" He turned on Lorelai.

Lorelai was taken back by his anger. "I was. She spotted the bookshop and took off. I couldn't stop her!"

"Well you should be more responsible!" Luke said gruffly.

"Luke.." William warned as he saw the surprised look on Lorelai's face and the scared one on Rory's. "Why don't you two head over to a table? I'll bring the food over."

Lorelai nodded and led Rory over to a table.

William turned to Luke. "That wasn't necessary." He said firmly. "It wasn't Lorelai's fault or Rory's."

"You should be resting, not acting the hero." Luke said gruffly.

William sighed. "That kid had frozen in the middle of the road. Lorelai was screaming after her. The car would have hit her if I hadn't done anything. Tell me you wouldn't have done the same." He said.

Luke sighed and glanced over to the table where Lorelai and Rory were sat. "Yeah ok." He said.

"Give Lorelai some slack." William said. "You know she's the Lorelai from the inn? The one Mia took in?"

"What?" Luke said surprised. "The girl who suddenly turned up one day with a baby and asked for a job?"

"The very one." William nodded.

"Wait so Rory isn't her sister? She's her..."

"Daughter yes." William nodded again.

"Great and I just told her she wasn't responsible." Luke muttered.

"I'm sure she'll understand if you apologise." He said.

Luke sighed. "I'll go do their food and drinks."

William smiled as he watched his son disappear into the kitchen. He glanced over at Lorelai and Rory's table and smiled when he saw Rory giggle at something Lorelai said. After several minutes, he saw Luke reappear and head over to the table. He smiled and then disappeared upstairs.

"Two burgers, coffee and a milkshake." Luke said gruffly as he placed everything on the table.

"Thanks." Lorelai said quietly.

Luke stood there for a moment before nervously clearing his throat. "Um..I'm sorry about earlier." He said gruffly.

Lorelai looked up surprised. "Oh..uh..it's ok." She said.

"It's just...my dad...I get protective sometimes. He's not in the best health and my mom...uh..she..." He tried to say.

Lorelai gave him a reassuring smile, understanding how he must be feeling. "I know." She said softly. "Your dad told me about her."

Luke just nodded. "I'm sorry." He said again. "I shouldn't have said what I said. I was just worried."

"Apology accepted." Lorelai smiled.

Luke relaxed a bit. "Ok good. Thanks." He said gratefully. He glanced at Rory who still looked a bit dubious. "How do you like pancakes?" He asked her.

"Pancakes?" Rory asked confused.

"Yeah. After your burger I could make you some chocolate chip pancakes if you want. I hear you've had an eventful day already." He said giving her a small smile.

Rory felt herself relax a bit more in Luke's company now. He seemed nicer. "I like pancakes." She smiled shyly.

"Ok good. I'll bring some over when you're done." He smiled. He turned to go back to the kitchen when he heard Lorelai.

"And what am I? Chopped liver? How come I'm not offered pancakes?" Lorelai exclaimed dramatically.

Luke smirked at her dramatics. "You don't need pancakes. Your coffee is enough for you."

Lorelai gasped in mock horror. "That's not fair! Coffee is a necessity! Pancakes are food. I can't believe you're refusing me food."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Deal with it." He said but gave Rory a quick wink before disappearing back to the kitchen. He smiled to himself when he heard Rory giggle behind him. He went into the kitchen and plated up two lots of pancakes. After about 10 minutes, he headed back out and went over to Lorelai's table. "Here." He said setting the plates down.

"I thought I wasn't getting any?" Lorelai said confused.

"Thought I wouldn't hear the end of it if I didn't make you any so thought I'd save myself the hassle." Luke shrugged. "Plus it's part of my apology."

Lorelai gave him a smile. "Thanks." She said softly.

Luke nodded at her and gave her a small smile before heading back to the counter.

Lorelai glanced at her watch and realised it was nearly time for her shift. "Ok eat up. I need to head back." She told Rory. "I'm just going to pay." She said heading up to the counter. "Hey." She smiled at Luke. "I need to get going so can I pay?"

"It's on the house." Luke said as he saw his dad appear from upstairs.

"What?" Lorelai said surprised.

"Part of my apology." Luke said gruffly.

"But you already gave me pancakes for that. It's fine. I accepted your apology." Lorelai said.

"I insist." Luke said. He glanced over at Rory and then back at Lorelai. "Use the money to buy your kid a book." He said.

Lorelai's face softened. "Really? Are you sure?" She asked. "Hang on, how did you know she was my kid? You called her my sister earlier."

Luke glanced at his dad. "A little birdie told me." He said. "Go treat her. She seems like a good kid."

Lorelai smiled. "She is." She said softly. "Thank you."

Luke just nodded. "See you around."

"Oh you will!" Lorelai grinned. "Your coffee is legendary!"

Luke rolled his eyes. "Coffee will kill you." He said gruffly.

"But it's so delicious!" Lorelai grinned.

"I give up." Luke sighed as he saw Rory come up to the counter to join her mom.

"Anyway, I better go." Lorelai said. She turned to William. "Thanks again for today. I owe you big. Let me know if I can ever do anything for you." She said.

"Oh you owe me nothing. Take care of yourself yeah?" William smiled warmly. "And you, stop scaring your mom half to death ok?" He said turning to Rory with a twinkle in his eye.

Rory smiled sheepishly. "I will." She said shyly.

"Good. I hope we see you around." William smiled.

"You will." Lorelai smiled. "Thanks again. Say bye, Rory."

"Bye." Rory smiled shyly at Luke.

Luke had to smile at her. "See ya Rory." He gave Lorelai a smile and a nod and watched as they left and then crossed the square. He turned to find his dad watching him, smiling. "What?" He said.

"Nothing." William smiled. "Nothing at all."

"Ok..." Luke said. "i'm just going to..uh.." He said gesturing to the kitchen and then disappearing into it.

William chuckled to himself. He could see right through his son. He looked out and saw Lorelai and Rory disappear from sight and had a feeling they were going to see a lot more of those two. He certainly wished they would.

So I hope you liked it! I wanted to do one with William in as I haven't done that yet. Please let me know what you think! Thanks! :)