A Different Life

Intro

Credit for this idea goes to RubaniSachdev12345 

The first chapter will mostly just be bits and pieces of Rory's childhood so you get a sense of how she grew up in this scenario and then I'll get into the actually story.

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December 20th 1987- Three year old Rory woke up before the sun and made her way to Lorelai's bedroom. She climbed into Lorelai's bed, being careful not to wake her. She knew better.

Lorelai woke up a few hours later with Rory still asleep next to her. She got up and covered Rory with the blanket before brushing her teeth and heading downstairs to make coffee. Just as she was walking into the kitchen, the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Good, you're awake" Emily said. Lorelai instantly regretted answering the phone.

"I'm awake" Lorelai said.

"I just wanted to let you know that Christopher's invited to the party tonight" Emily said.

"He's not gonna come, you know that" Lorelai said. She wasn't gonna marry Christopher just because she was pregnant and when he decided that he wanted nothing to do with the baby, she knew she'd made the right decision. Rory was now 3 years and 2 months old and had never met her father. And he'd never even asked about her. Every month Lorelai got a check from Straub and Francine but that was the extent of the Hayden's relationship with Rory.

"Well, he's invited"

"That's fine, mom" Lorelai said just as she saw Rory coming down the stairs. As she was listening to her mother talk about the annual Gilmore Christmas party, Rory climbed into her lap and laid her head on her shoulder. Once she was off the phone she gave Rory breakfast before making coffee.

"Why?" Rory asked after Lorelai told her that she didn't have preschool that day.

"Because it's Christmas break" Lorelai said. She didn't really understand why Rory seemed to care that she didn't have preschool since it was usually a battle to get her to go. "You're gonna come to work with me today"

"At the inn" Rory said.

"That's right"

An hour later, Lorelai was walking into the Independence Inn with Rory.

"Look who's here!" Mia smiled when she saw Rory.

"Mia!" Rory ran over to where Mia was standing behind the front desk.

"Hey there" Mia said and lifted her up to sit on the desk. "No preschool today?"

"Christmas break" Lorelai said.

"You should've told me she doesn't have school, I would've given you the day off" Mia said.

"It's not a big deal" Lorelai said. "She's my little helper, right babe?"

"I'm a helper" Rory said.

"Ok"

That night, Lorelai took Rory to the Gilmore's Christmas party. Like with most of the Gilmore's parties, Rory had gone upstairs to play in Lorelai's old bedroom, hiding from the noise. Lorelai found herself talking to her mother's insufferable friends.

"You should talk to Shira Huntzberger" Sheryl said. "She has a son around the same age as your daughter". (AN: for the sake of this story, Logan was born in February of 1984, 8 months before Rory) "I think she's here if you want me to introduce you"

"That's ok" Lorelai said. "I'm actually gonna go check on my kid". She went upstairs and found Rory playing with her old toys.

"Mommy, this one's broken" Rory said and handed Lorelai a Barbie with a missing arm.