Presenting … Lucas Danes?
By GilmoreGirl1979 (the Reigning Quote Queen)
Provider of Quality FAN FICTION

R/R: yes please I love reviews, I wanna marry them (as previously stated, I have strange passions.)

Friendly disclaimer: I REJECT ASP's/DR's REALITIES AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN! NO HARM NO SUE!

Next Disclaimer: Dialogue from … Nowhere! IT'S MINE, ALL MINE!! MY version of 2.23 Discovery HA!! God, I hope it doesn't suck! Well R/R and let me know!!

A/N: Self-reliant and Beta Free, due forgive me!

A/N:hope you like em long! DIRTY!!

7777777777777777777777777777777777

Epilogue/Chapter 50:
Discovery

After the ceremony, Lorelai immediately grabbed Rory and pulled her inside the lobby of the Inn during Sookie and Jackson's first dance, she knew everyone else's attention would be on the happy couple. With Luke at her side Lorelai smiled at her daughter, "Rory, we want to show you something."

"What?" she asked fictitiously; Rory tried to remain delusive so the happy couple didn't know she had actually witnessed the proposal first hand.

Lorelai pulled her left hand out from behind her bridesmaid bouquet.

To actually see the ring on Lorelai's finger, to see the happiness on both their faces, "Mom! Luke!" Rory couldn't help but be happy too as she hugged them both; Rory tried to savor the blissful feeling inside, pushing aside the uncomfortable moment with her dad just before the ceremony. "I'm so happy for you guys. This is long overdue you know that."

"We know," Lorelai giggled, "Now don't think that just because you're in D.C. for the summer you don't have to help me plan the wedding."

"When do you think that will be?" Rory eagerly asked.

"Maybe we could have a winter ceremony? Snow white roses, Romanovs'," Lorelai mused while looking at Luke, thinking of her mother's winter wedding wonderland suggestions, with a few Lorelai touches of course. They hadn't even been dating a year, yet somehow everything fell perfectly into place.

Luke hugged Lorelai at her waist, "As long as your mother doesn't insist on the firing squad."

Lorelai shrugged one shoulder, "Eh, we can work something out."

Rory smiled at the magic between them again, Luke was actually smiling, Lorelai radiated happiness, a far cry from the wallowing mess she had been mere days ago.

Out on the lawn, Sookie was overwhelmed with her own happiness but couldn't believe the luck that Luke and Lorelai would get back together the day before her wedding. Sookie couldn't make a coherent thought, she was a burst of chuckles and giggles and pointing whenever she looked at Luke and Lorelai together again. She just kept squealing happy gibberish and Jackson wondered what was wrong with his new wife. Lorelai decided to wait until Sookie got back from her honeymoon to tell everyone about their engagement, she already felt as though she was stealing Sookie's thunder as it was with that huge kiss before the ceremony.

Their friends and neighbors were rushing Luke and Lorelai with questions, why had they been fighting, what brought them back together, are these tiny separations going to be a habit because the nerves of the town wouldn't be able to take it if this became routine. Lorelai assured them that she and Luke were very much together and they should focus on Sookie and Jackson for the day. Lorelai was relieved and amazed that even a news hound like Miss Patty hadn't noticed Lorelai's ring, but then again, Lorelai was holding her bouquet like a shield for the rest of the day.

"You can put that down now," Luke leaned over to his right during dinner.

"I don't want people to see it yet," Lorelai insisted.

Babette walked by and teased, "Lorelai I never thought I'd see you eat a salad," Babette cackled at the observation.

Lorelai noticed how closely she held the flowers, and dismissed nervously, "Oh, you know I just like the smell of them," she raised the foliage to nose, "and I don't want them to get messed up."

After Babette walked back to her table, Rory insisted, "Mom, just put the flowers down."

She was about to argue her case, "Rory," when Luke took the bouquet out of her hand, "No, Luke", Luke took her left hand and placed it on the table, and covered her hand and the ring with his right hand.

After dinner, Luke asked Lorelai to dance; many couples joined them on the floor. Lorelai had turned the stone toward her palm so she could hold Luke closer. "I love you Luke Danes," she whispered.

"I love you," he contently smiled.

"You going to be alright growing old with this," referring to herself.

"Absolutely."

They said goodbye to her parents, Lorelai keeping her left hand behind Luke's back. Emily primly smiled, "it's …nice you two worked everything out."

"Yes, it is, isn't it," Richard Gilmore insisted. He then leaned into Luke, "don't rush now, find your moment."

Little did Richard know the moment had came and went, maybe not the most romantic proposal in the world, but all that really mattered was Luke and Lorelai were together again.

Lorelai was curious what her father whispered to Luke, "what did he say?"

"Oh um he told me to drive safe."

"The house is like a mile away," Lorelai laughed.

Luke escorted the girls home from the wedding, walking them up to the front door. "I hope you're not too upset mom about not catching the bouquet."

Lorelai was still hand in hand with Luke, "Eh, their just a bunch of flowers that will die anyway. I've got something more permanent," Lorelai turned to Luke on the porch. Rory noticed the meaningful gaze between the newly engaged couple.

"Okay, I'm going inside now"; and Rory left them alone.

Lorelai kissed him once Rory was out of sight, she started to lead him inside, then looked at him quizzically when he didn't make a move toward the front door. "Aren't you coming in?"

"Lorelai, I can't stay."

Lorelai was aghast, "Of course you can stay, you won't even need PJs, I promise," she leaned in close to him and tugging on his tie.

Luke still seemed conflicted and hesitant.

"Luke, we're going to be married and you will be sleeping over every night, we need to practice, please, stay with me," Lorelai was pulling on his tie like it was a leash to pull him into her house.

"Lorelai…"

"Remember, I made a certain promise about sleeping next to you every night this summer… naked."

Through the open front door, they heard Rory had to stifle her chuckle from around the corner of the open doorway and Lorelai called over her shoulder "Spy!"

Luke pushed Rory's eavesdropping out of his head, "Lorelai, I have to get back to Jess, and you need to help Rory get ready for Washington."

"We don't even know anything about Washington yet."

"Well, take this time to get some information and makes some plans; How about the two of you come over for dinner tomorrow night."

"Rory has a date with Dean, end of the school year celebration."

"Well, you could come over; it would be you, me and …Jess."

"I guess it would help since I am going to be his aunt. Wow, that is so weird to think about. I've never been anyone's aunt before."

"Great. So seven alright? "

"Yeah, but hey how about you come over for breakfast? We have to practice sharing meals together again, I'm a little rusty."

Luke rolled his eyes at how clingy she was being since their reconciliation. "Yeah, okay."

"Maybe we could practice feeding each other," Lorelai kissed him and lingered on his lips, perhaps to entice him to stay but in the end it didn't work.

"I have to go, Crazy lady."

"Hmm, I know. See you tomorrow."

77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

The Gilmore girls spent the morning making lists; Rory a list of essentials for her adventure to D.C. and Lorelai a list of ideas for her special wedding to Luke. Rory was happy to muse with her mother over general wedding ideas, but it was a bit surreal since they had planned a Lorelai Gilmore wedding just the year before, but with a new groom came new inspiration, new location, new symbolism to make the ceremony perfect and unique for Luke and Lorelai.

Lorelai was lying on Rory's bed, with her long hair draping over the foot of the bed staring at the ceiling occasionally writing notes on a purple pad. "Hmmm, we definitely need Frank, but I don't want to copy Sookie with 'For Once In My Life'… 'It Had To Be You' is our song… so that's an idea. Oh, and instead of Jordon almonds how about chocolate covered coffee beans??"

"I think Luke will hate it," Rory chuckled as she pulled things out of her dresser to pack.

Lorelai giggled in return. Rory watched her mother carefully; Lorelai just beamed every time she looked at the ring again as she tried to imagine her perfect wedding for her and Luke. Rory knew Lorelai was outrageously happy, still she decided to cautiously ask; "Mom? Your not going to run away again, are you?"

"What?" Lorelai sat up and turned to face her daughter; astonished by the suggestion, "No, of course not!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, positive."

"Really sure?"

Lorelai got off the bed and stepped toward her daughter, "Rory, you saw what I was like without him. As much as I like being the independent woman I am, well, I've come to rely on Luke so much now. Frankly we work so well together, it's kind of like we are already married."

"Well, I had to ask; I just want to make sure you remember that you were both miserable and if you ever find yourself tip toeing near the edge of the ship…"

"I will have you to tie me to the mast."

"I shouldn't have to tie you to the mast."

"I know, it's a figure of speech."

"Shouldn't your fiancé be here soon?"

"Oh, I love hearing that!!" Lorelai began to anxiously look out the window for her beau who was expected for breakfast.

Rory felt strange. She too was naturally insanely happy for Luke and Lorelai, but she suddenly felt guilty over her harsh treatment of her father. He was already down in the dumps and she had to go throw more dirt in his face.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no; Chris is not going to make me feel guilty. Rory hated the painful situations her father always seemed to put her in. Chris had been just a voice on a phone to her for so long….didn't have any interest in being a father to her, or on his random attempts he would make the situation worse as he had over the past year. Christopher was solemnly going to return to Sherry and he was going to have to deal with the mess he made on his own.

Rory had seen Luke and Lorelai at Sookie's reception; all day they had been talking, kissing, dancing, even laughing over their now silly fight, all animosity erased because they knew they were meant to be together, and were enjoying just being in love.

People made choices and they live with them. Lorelai chose to leave the Gilmore manor at 17, chose Stars Hollow to live, as a result, Lorelai and Rory met one Luke Danes, and he was a happy addition to their circle, soon to be an addition to their family. Luke came into the picture and Rory admit ably started to look for fatherly guidance from the diner man since he was such a prominent figure of her every day. Rory had come to respect Luke and value his opinions and advice. Now the diner man was really going to be her father…well step father.

Christopher chose not to be a father, he chose to run away to California and thereby wasn't as influential in Rory's life as the diner man was. Chris chose not to call, he chose to move to Boston without telling them, chose to ask Sherry out on a date. He chose to try to steal Mom away from Luke, so maybe Karma finally had enough and stepped in to teach Christopher he should leave well enough alone.

Lorelai started jumping up and down by the window, "He's here, he's here," and she bounded out of the room. Rory knew her mother was a bundle of happiness and energy, but even this display was testing the limits of Rory unlimited patience.

Lorelai answered the door and sprang on Luke in greeting, "Hello my fiancé!"

"You're in a good mood."

"Being engaged does that to a girl. I've missed you the entire time; all eleven hours and twenty-six minutes of it," Lorelai fervently pecked at his lips while they embraced.

"Well then, I'm sorry to spoil it."

"Spoil it?" Lorelai's sparkle diminished.

"I've got good news and bad news."

"Well, bad news first."

"We can't have dinner tonight because I have to go out of town."

"Out of town? You never go out of town," Luke never went anywhere, never did anything. They had just gotten back together and he was already having second thoughts about their engagement, was going to go back to the fishing cabin to think things over again. Lorelai shook these inexplicable fears out of her head, not knowing where they had come from.

"Yeah, well Jess just told me; while he was in New York he became worried about college and his GPA so he signed up for some summer school classes at his old school."

"But we were supposed to have a 'get to know Aunt Lorelai' family dinner. I was going to make name badges and everything."

Luke noticed she did seem really disappointed, "I know, but it's to improve his chances for a good college. Since I shipped off the last few weeks of the year here, he's trying to make up what he can there."

"But your sister?"

"She's fine with it for now, besides Jess has always been pretty self reliant, as long as her schedule isn't conflicted she's fine with it; and she's fine with him coming back here in the Fall."

"Wow, so he's thinking about college," Lorelai marveled at the transformation of the loner miscreant that came off the bus last Fall.

"Yeah, he's thinking ahead now. Doesn't really know what he wants to do yet… but…"

"Well, one step at a time, that's the key to parenting. But…"

"What? What is it?"

Lorelai pouted, "I just got you back; I don't want you to go away," and she clung close to Luke.

He had to chuckle to himself, "I missed you too. But the good news is I'll be back tomorrow night. I promise."

Lorelai incredulously challenged Luke, "Luke, do you know what crazies there are on the road from here to New York? Especially in New York City? It's like a two hour drive and your truck is like a hundred years old. What if something happens?"

"Nothing is going to happen. Jess would have taken the bus but you know this town; much to my surprise, there is only one out going bus a day. Besides, I'd feel better taking him there myself."

"But what if your truck breaks down? You don't have a cell phone."

"I won't need a cell phone."

"Take mine, please I'd feel better. I just landed you again, I'm not about to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me."

"And you never did give me my hickey," Lorelai frowned.

"Lorelai, it's one day, you can spend this time with Rory; she's going away for the summer."

"God, is everyone leaving me!"

"I'm not leaving you," The most effected way to shut her up was for Luke to kiss Lorelai. When he did, she finally relaxed and melted into his arms when suddenly Luke heard footsteps behind him.

"I thought it got quiet in here," Rory chuckled, then she noted their position; Lorelai rested her head on Luke's shoulder, letting him comfort and calm her.

"Everything okay?" Rory asked with concern.

"Yeah, I think the bridezilla syndrome is beginning," Luke couldn't understand it, they were barely engaged twenty four hours and she was crazier than usual.

"Already?? We haven't even picked out colors yet."

"Oh no, colors!" Lorelai suddenly alarmed, "Oh God, there is so much to do!"

"What?"

"We're getting married, you're going away and we have a wedding to pull together."

"Lorelai, I'll be back tomorrow."

Lorelai seemed dismayed by that fact and she pulled away as she began to pace around the living room and couch, "And we have two teens who rely on us; two different high schools and each of us with two residences, each with only two bedrooms?? I mean we're fine at one place or another but if we try to merge the two of us, plus Rory and Jess under one roof; how is that going to work? I never thought of the logistics before. Oh God! We need a new house…"

"Lorelai, it's okay, we'll come up with…"

"And college? Are you paying for Jess' schooling or is Liz? 'Cause they will be going to school at the same time, and Rory has her heart set on Harvard and you said that Jess doesn't even know what he wants to do yet . Not that it's a competition, but if you money and me money becomes our money how are we going to afford two college tuitions at the same time. I mean, Rory's wanted to go to Harvard since she was like five, but I don't want to short change Jess for Murray's house of learning because he is really smart too, and if he can get into a good school, great; No pun intended but I was banking on financial aid for Harvard and who knows where Jess is going to go… "

"Lorelai, calm down."

"And how are we going to pay for the wedding and two college tuitions??"

Luke caught her in his embrace again, Lorelai was suddenly all over the place, genuinely afraid of their financial future, once in his arms, she began to cling to Luke for dear life; "Lorelai, we haven't even set a date yet."

"Oh God! Do you have a calendar?"

Lorelai broke free of his arms again and started rummaging through the drawers of the desk, desperately looking for a calendar. "God this is the coupon drawer all over again!!"

"Lorelai, relax," he took her in his arms again.

"My parents! How are we going to tell my parents!!?"

"Lorelai, just breath."

Rory winced over her mother's reaction; As Luke held her he shared a concerned glance with Rory who merely shrugged her shoulders over her mother's behavior, to which Luke rolled his eyes because he was at a loss of what to do, Rory took it to mean that Luke didn't understand either, but he was going to be supportive, and help his fiancée get through their wedding day so they could enjoy their life together.

Rory went back to her room and left them alone to sort it out for now, but if Luke needed reinforcements she would intervene.

Luke just held her while she composed herself, "You alright?" he whispered.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. It's just… you leaving me… makes me sad."

"For one day. I'll be back tomorrow. "

"But there is so much to do?"

"We don't have to do it all at once. Just settle down and enjoy being engaged."

"How can I enjoy it if you're not here," Lorelai smiled at Luke, she looked down at the engagement ring on her finger, they kissed again. "Okay, let me just…" she nodded upstairs to the bathroom. Lorelai went to the upstairs bathroom to use the little girls' room.

Luke heard footsteps again as Lorelai's faded into the bathroom, he turned to find Rory had come out in the living room again. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"I never thought she'd be a Bridezilla; I mean last year everything was…" Rory stopped herself realizing who she was talking to.

Luke knew what she was referring to, "it's alright, Rory. I'd appreciate any insight, I've never been engaged before. Did anything happen this morning?"

"Nothing; I was packing for D.C., she was on my bed, we kept brainstorming for the wedding, she kept staring at her ring. She was down right giddy."

"Hmmm, did your grandma call?"

"Nope, their in Martha's Vineyard for the summer."

"That's right. Well, something seems off. Anything else I should know about?"

"Like what?" Rory was at a loss.

"Like a …" Luke cleared his throat, "a monthly something I should know about."

Rory had to laugh, "We're close, but not that close."

"Ah, okay."

"I'll agree she's acting weird; I mean she was so happy when she just saw you through the window, bounding and bouncing to the door, then I come out here and she's totally freaking out about wedding plans?"

"Well, I told her I had to go out of town."

"Aw, but she was looking forward to your date tonight."

"Well wasn't really a date, Jess was going to be there."

"Oh right, how's he setting in?" Rory asked politely.

"Well, he'll be in New York for the summer, summer school to get help his GPA."

"Aw well Good."

"I should go check on her?" Luke asked, not seeing how uncomfortable Rory was in discussing Jess.

Lorelai came downstairs, "It's okay, I'm good."

"You sure?" Luke asked meeting her at the foot of the steps.

"Yeah, but, I still don't want you to go," she hugged him again.

Luke looked at Rory who merely shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, um do you want to hang out with me till Jess and I have to leave?"

"Okay, I'll get my purse," and just like that Lorelai was fine again as if someone said "let's rent a movie."

Luke looked at Rory again, she merely shrugged, "Don't ask me. She's your fiancée."

77777777777777777777777777777777777

"Are you sure Lorelai's okay with you leaving town like this?" Jess asked his uncle from the passenger side of the truck.

"Yeah, she's fine."

"Then why did she look like some one ran over her dog."

"Well, it's understandable…" Luke feigned.

"It is?" Jess questioned. "I mean I know she likes you, but she's never been such a … such a … clingy vine before. She's always so you know confident, and just now… she's sounds so unsure of everything," Realizing how that sounded, Jess backpedaled, "… Well, not everything. I mean not about you… right, that's why she said yes to you…"

Luke had to laugh at his nephew's bumbling, "Well, what I meant was that we've been apart for a while. We need to get used to each other again, but yeah, she seems sort of… sensitive right now."

7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

Lorelai was lying in bed, she felt like she was wallowing over Luke again. The problem was that they weren't broken up, so she couldn't be mad at him. He was out of town for the sake of his nephew, a noble cause given all the effort of bonding with Jess the past year. Suddenly a knock on her bed room door startled her. She cautiously approached the door hoping she locked it like Luke always told her to, to protect from intruders. "Who is it?"

"It's Luke."

"Luke?" Lorelai eagerly opened the door and saw he was carrying an overnight bag.

"Where do I put my stuff?" he asked in jest.

Lorelai lunged at him in a hug, then smacked his sleeve, "You said you'd be home yesterday."

"I know I'm sorry, Liz made things… more complicated, like always, but I'm home now."

Lorelai smiled again as he pulled away and she closed her arms around him, "home. I like the sound of that."

Luke leaned forward to kiss her in greeting. As they kissed, Luke let himself into the bedroom, Lorelai stepping backward toward the bed. Luke discarded his bag to the floor, and shut the door with his free hand.

Lorelai crawled onto the bed eyeing Luke, "I've missed you."

"I know," as he joined her.

"Hold me," she wished, and they settled under the covers in a cuddle. Lorelai put her head on his shoulder and admired her ring again. This would be her going to bed routine for the rest of her days, "Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"We're getting married!" she whispered excitedly.

"That's the general idea," Luke returned her smile and enjoyed her in his arms again.

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

The Gossip Mill of Stars Hollow was puzzled as to why Luke Danes, newly reconciled with his girlfriend, one Lorelai Gilmore, would leave town the day after their supposed reconciliation. There were unconfirmed reports that Luke's banished nephew, Jess, had been seen around town. Speculation abound, was Jess and the car accident the obvious reason for the fight, was Luke personally returning the hoodlum to New York to keep him from Lorelai's wrath. Then suddenly, Babette reported to the town that when Luke had returned he had been staying over at Lorelai's house…every night. Observers had been keeping an eye on the reconciled couple; at the diner, at the Inn, at town meetings, never able to discover what exactly had brought Luke and Lorelai back together after such a stubborn, dramatic separation, but the quest for that information was their was forgotten as soon their engagement was discovered.

Rory and Lorelai were having a final breakfast at the diner before the trio was going to head to the airport for her trip to DC.

"This sucks we can only go to security? Stupid Terrorists."

"You have to be screened to go all the way to the gate."

"I don't want to be stripped searched by a stranger, can't Luke do it? He's very thorough."

"Ugh, mom," All of a sudden, Kirk started choking on a sausage link. He was gesticulating wildly at Lorelai.

"Was it something I said?" Lorelai asked innocently.

"Does anyone know the Heimlich maneuver?" Rory called out with concern.

Ever the hero and restaurateur, Luke felt a sense of duty and obligated to save the poor helpless Kirk. With a roll of his eyes, Luke went to Kirk and performed the life saving maneuver so Kirk didn't choke to death in his place of business. Kirk coughed up the obstructive meat and the chunk flew across the room and Lorelai and Rory ducked for cover with a loud "Eww" and it landed on the floor somewhere.

"Wra, wra," was all Kirk could gasp out.

"He wants something," Lorelai observed, still alarmed as to why he was pointing to her so intently.

"Water?" Rory asked.

Kirk actually took a moment to consider the offer, gulped again, shaking his head.

Luke got the requested water and Kirk downed in one go, still coughing but slightly recovered, with what little voice he had, Kirk pointed to Lorelai's hand, "ring."

Luke, Lorelai, and Rory looked at the ring that they had grown so accustomed to but no one else had noticed till Kirk's choking fit.

"Yes Kirk?" Lorelai feigned.

"You two?" Kirk croaked, waving pointer fingers between Luke and Lorelai.

"Uh, yeah Kirk," Luke reluctantly confirmed.

Kirk nodded in understanding and rasped, "Excuse me." And he made for the diner's door, then he returned briefly to the counter and took one of Luke's order pads and pens.

"Hey!" Luke protested.

Lorelai, Rory and Luke merely watched as Kirk made his way out the door with the jingle of bells, feverishly writing on the pad, then showing it to everyone he saw. As soon as they saw what was on the pad, they would look at the diner with wide eyes, then increase their pace to where ever they were going.

The third person who Kirk showed the pad to was Andrew, who made a b-line for the diner and asked the sources, "Luke, Lorelai,… you're engaged?"

Lorelai smiled at Luke, who seemed to be having his worst fears realized, "Yes, Andrew we are."

"Holy… um, that is, congratulations," then Andrew broke into a run to tell someone else the news.

Then the front door of the diner slammed and Lorelai managed to say to Andrew's absent ears, "Thank you."

777777777777777777777777777777777777

Luke came home to Lorelai's house as he had for the past week with the necessary groceries since he had made note of things they were low on yesterday when he cleaned up from dinner in Lorelai's kitchen. He had just barely escaped being the meat of a yenta sandwich, when Patty and Babette ambushed him at the market full of questions about the engagement. Luke was talked fast and made his exit, he was eager to head to her house since he hadn't seen Lorelai all day, not a call or dropping by the diner; he was worried about how she was doing without Rory.

"Lorelai?" he called in the foyer as he entered the abnormally quiet house. The house seemed so still and lifeless without Rory Gilmore, which seemed to fit Lorelai's mood since taking the young Gilmore to the airport.

He put the groceries on the kitchen table and instinctively, Luke went upstairs to seek out his fiancée; that was still so strange to think about, Lorelai was his fiancée. "Lorelai?" Luke poked his head in the bedroom to find Lorelai lying in bed sniffling, apparently crying. The first time Luke had comforted a crying Lorelai, they made love for the first time in that very room and started their relationship; The second time was after they hadn't spoken to each other for weeks and she was upset, wanting to stay together and work everything out of their misunderstanding, Lorelai telling him she loved him for the first time, and ending their separation by making love. Luke only hoped this time around would end so happily.

Again the room seemed to fit Lorelai's mood, the curtains were drawn and the room was dim. It seemed that Lorelai had been crying a lot lately, as he learned when he overheard Lane and Rory at Doose's, though thankfully this time he wasn't the reason. Luke thought that now that they were together again it would have stopped, but with Rory gone, what else was he to expect. Without a word, Luke went to his side of her bed and lay down with her. She looked over at him with a pouty frown and water eyes, eyes that pleaded for him to take her in his arms. Still silent, he opened his arms as invitation, and she cuddled close to him. Stroking her hair and kissing her forehead he finally asked, "What happened?"

"Just a minor break down," she whimpered, "Nothing to worry about, go about your business." Her breath seemed to catch a few times and she sighed, "I just had the worst day ever, and I mean that this time. It was worse than my 'coffee drop' breakdown…"

"Your what?" Luke furrowed his brow, hoping she didn't use his flannel as a Kleenex.

"Never mind, you don't know that story," she sniffled again, since that happened when during their time apart; the straw that broke the camel's back on her resistance to wallowing over Luke.

Luke reached over for a few tissues from the night stand and offered them to Lorelai, "You want to talk about it?"

The mere prospect of reliving it for Luke made Lorelai huff mirthlessly, but she told her story to her fiancé and best friend.

"Well," Lorelai took a deep breath, and wiping her nose, "This morning started off bad, of course, because I woke up and you weren't here because you had to open at the diner since Caesar opened while you were gone with Jess . Oh yeah, and its now day three of my daughter's adventure in D.C., 362 miles away from me for two months, that's the furthest we've ever been apart…the longest we've been apart, and now she's down there dazzling and amazing half the Senate, and she's never coming back…" and Lorelai buried her face in Luke's shoulder again.

"Of course she's coming back," Luke tried to comfort; Luke had never seen Lorelai be this emotional before, she was verging on hysterical and he was becoming very concerned.

"No, she's not!" was muffled in his flannel, then Lorelai revealed her face again; "I mean, you saw all those business cards she got at Christmas, just because she was Richard Gilmore's granddaughter, just because wherever she goes she can't help but impress people. She'll probably charm them into appointing her to some high office, or get an internship there or something, and I'll never see her again because she'll be off saving the world… or at least the continental U.S., but then the world soon afterward…"

"She's not even done high school yet," Luke tried to reason with Lorelai even though she was a wreck.

"I just miss her so much!"

"I miss her too."

"I know you do."

"So what else happened today?"

Lorelai took a deep breath to continue, "Well, I went to work to take my mind off of Rory not being here, but the Inn is where we first lived, and I kept seeing her as a little girl, running around, trailing behind me as I did my rounds, and then Rune came up to me and tells me the potting shed's roof was leaking, and that was our old apartment and now it's falling apart. And our linen delivery was late again, I had to talk to this totally unreasonable woman, who surprisingly wasn't my mother, about a sweet sixteen she wanted to throw for her daughter in the dining room; And with Sookie on her honeymoon, the staff is surprisingly lost without her, I mean she seems so frazzled and fluttery, but she's very organized, and anal, and runs a tight ship and the crew is lost without their captain. It just seemed like things kept coming up but when I would look at the clock only ten minutes had past."

Lorelai blew out a despondent breath, "Then Sookie called, Babette called her cell phone; then she lambasted me for not telling her about our engagement, a twenty minute tirade about friendship and being forthcoming with major life changing information…So I came home because I could take it anymore, and because I had such a sucky day that I thought I'd start planning the wedding, you know, our wedding; just get some ideas together, something happy to focus on and cheer me up, but I kept thinking about Rory not being her to help with the decision making process; and then I kept thinking about the last wedding I was planning with Max and I was… sad… I don't know why, I mean," Lorelai touched Luke's cheek and looked him deeply in the eye, "I love you and its not like I miss Max or that I all of a sudden want to marry him, it's just… I don't know, that as a failure made me feel inexplicably sad…then terrified that I would jump ship again, that for some reason I would run out on you and like… I couldn't trust myself. But I pressed on, flipping though books left over from Sookie's wedding and magazines I had just bought at the airport when we dropped off Rory… and I was thinking about flowers and tulle and veils and wedding dates and Jordon almonds or truffles, and well…I just got so overwhelmed…" Lorelai was embarrassed to say, "…I threw up…"

Luke had to chuckle at his fiancée's misery, and he was tempted to start a rant about the pressures brides put on their big day, how it's only one day, an important day, but what really matters is the rest of their lives together as husband and wife. "I told you we didn't have to do it all at once."

Then Lorelai blinked once, something seem to strike her, a sudden awareness over took her face after retelling the story, and she suddenly paused, "I threw up?" all the clues adding up and Lorelai sat up thinking about the last few weeks. Lorelai reached for her purse and pulled out a planner and started flipping through a calendar.

"Lorelai?" Luke asked, now curious over the wheels turning in her mind.

"Oh My God!" her mournful face broke into a smile, as she turned to her fiancé, "Luke, I think I'm pregnant."

"What?" Luke now sat up with her at the shocking news.

Just as if she finally made the pieces fit to her puzzle, it hit her, "It all makes sense… our fight, my mood swings, Sookie saying I put on weight, the feeling I'm losing my mind. I'm pregnant. Oh My God!" She lunged at Luke in a hug, just like that all her sorrow had evaporated away. Since the night of the ball she literally dreamed of being pregnant with Luke's baby, and now it was a reality. "Oh, I've got to get a test!" she leapt out from under the covers and was already heading down stairs her old energetic self again.

"Where are you going?" Luke called after her.

"Woodbridge! I don't want Miss Patty to get word till I'm sure."

Luke was left alone in the bedroom absorbing the news, I'm going to be a father? We're going to have…a baby? He had finally gotten the nerve to ask Lorelai to marry him and here they were going to have an instant family. He could just barely manage Jess and now he was going to have a child of his own, a baby who would depend solely on Lorelai and him. Then the thudding on the stairs suddenly stopped, there was a moment of silence, and Luke heard Lorelai slowly trudged back up to the bedroom and to her fiancé. Luke wondered if it was another mood swing because Lorelai looked absolutely terrified, "Luke?"

"Yeah?" Luke asked warily.

Lorelai seemed just as cautious, as if Luke would suddenly explode leaving only a ball cap on the bed, "If I am… you know," she seemed shy all of a sudden, "Would that be… okay?"

Luke got off the bed to hug her, "Of course that would be okay, what are you thinking?"

"I don't know," she said to his shoulder, loving his strong arms as they enveloped her, "You're not really a baby kind of guy; and they are so expensive. I can imagine the rant on that subject…"

"For our baby, I will be a baby kind of guy," he smiled, though he was having his doubts about his abilities. "Jam hands and all," he kissed her sweetly, "Let's go get your test." He wanted to assure Lorelai, but inside he was terrified, what if they had another Jess running around…. But then what if the baby was another Rory or a combination could be good.

"Okay," she said in an excited, relieved whisper and was down the stairs again, this time hand in hand with Luke.

7777777777777777777777777777777777

Once the hunch was confirmed with an over the counter test, Lorelai discreetly made an appointment with her doctor in Hartford, and even though Luke hated doctors, he knew these were very different, very happy circumstances and insisted on going with her.

When they came home Lorelai was so excited, Luke conversely was very quiet, he appeared to still be in shock but Lorelai was so happy she didn't notice. They didn't say anything when they entered the house. Lorelai was humming to herself while Luke went straight to sitting on the couch. He was exhausted driving back from Hartford because he was driving even more cautiously than usual because he had a lady with a baby in the cab with him.

As she hung up her jacket and purse, "Can you believe it? We're going to have a baby. It's like a dream come true. I mean literally I had this dream one time way back in November when we were getting Rory ready for her ball, that we were married and expecting a baby, and here it is, coming to fruition," Lorelai started to happily kicked off her shoes and rambled on as she joined Luke on the couch. "We should so play the lottery since I'm on a roll. Though I guess I'd have to predict the numbers then we play them like six months later and see how we do. So this means I was pregnant all through our fight, which means my "mood swings" may have caused our fight and separation, and to say things I didn't mean, so you can't hold a grudge."

"Mm Hm," Luke absently agreed.

Lorelai cuddled up close to him on the couch, rubbing Luke's chest, "Seven weeks. Lucky number seven! How perfect is that? You do realize that was our little celebration of life…" then she lowered her voice again, nuzzling Luke's cheek with her nose, "…after Uncle Louie's funeral." she moved her head back to his shoulder, thinking about their news, "You don't think … our baby is Uncle Louie reincarnated do you? Cause that would be weird giving birth to a relative I never met then having to raise him as my own child." Lorelai peeked up at her fiancé, "Luke? Did you hear me?"

"Yeah, I know this is big news."

Lorelai became concerned with his quiet demeanor and sat up to face him again, "Luke, honey, are you alright?"

"I'm just… overwhelmed."

"Okay," Lorelai's fears came back, "Do you …want to talk about it?"

Luke blew out a breath, "Well, it's like you said before. I mean we have to make you money and me money become our money. Then we have Rory and Jess and college, the wedding, now a baby on top of it. I mean, all at once. Usually people deal with all that over time, spread out like years apart, they plan, they save, but all of ours are hitting us at once."

"Hey, what happened to 'we'll handle it'?"

"That was before a baby was in the mix."

"You seemed so happy before we saw the doctor," Lorelai said cautiously.

Luke looked at her, regretting she was misunderstanding his concerns, "Yes, I am happy; very happy. It's just I'm still absorbing it all."

"Well, I know it's not years to prepare but we have like eight months."

"That's something I guess."

"And we can do just a simple wedding; it doesn't have to be extravagant or expensive. I just want to be with you always."

"I know, that's what scares me. I mean the doctor kept going on about your age and miscarriages."

"Hey," Lorelai tried to sooth his worries.

"I just got you, I can't lose you. Either of you," Luke put his hand tentatively on her stomach.

"Hey," Lorelai stroked his cheek, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"And we…" She gestured between them, including her stomach, "…are going to be fine. We have you to protect us."

Luke put his arm around her and she snuggled in closer. They stayed on the couch absorbing their news for a long time, then Luke finally poke again, "So you really had a dream about this?"

"Yeah, it was the night before the ball. Something that little tailor, the one who did your tux said really stuck with me. In the dream we were in bed and married. You brought me some watermelon in January because I was pregnant and craving it."

Luke raised a brow; all the tension between them during the ball fiasco had manifested into Lorelai's subconscious and gave her dreams about their life together even before he had tried to kiss her in the kitchen. "January?"

"Yeah that's part of what the tailor said. He said that he loved his wife so much that he would get her a watermelon in January. And apparently in the dream because of the pregnancy and cravings I was craving a lot of fruit and you being wrapped around my finger got me anything I wanted. Even watermelon in January."

"Are you craving anything now?"

"Well," Lorelai smiled wryly, "You know the doctor said we could still…" she trailed off and bit her lip.

"Lorelai, the baby."

She saw the concern in his eyes, but Lorelai eased, "Is the size of a cherry; and the doctor said it would be okay if we wanted to continue to…" she smiled again. Lorelai could tell Luke was a little uncomfortable with the idea of being with her while she was pregnant. "Luke you do realize that I was pregnant throughout our fight, through my graduation, through all of our makeup sex."

"I know and I really feel bad about that already."

"I don't, it was incredible. You heard the doctor, no harm was done. Besides, I want to celebrate, I want to make love to you, I want you to get used to the idea of me being pregnant and talk to my stomach."

"What?"

"You did that in the dream, too. You talked to the baby by talking to my stomach."

"I don't think I'd ever do that."

"You never know till you try. You talked about baseball, and cooking, and how to annoy Taylor Doose and how the baby wasn't allowed to let me have coffee ever…"

"Okay, that does sound like me."

"If you want we can take it nice and slow," Lorelai pulled Luke up off the couch and led him upstairs since they had the house to themselves.

77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

A few weeks and an ultra sound later, the phone rang and Lorelai was pleased Rory was on the other line, "Hi mom?"

"Hey my first born," Lorelai answered happily, "How's the capital of the free world?"

"Umm, Fine. Still the capital, still free. Though Paris is scaring the members of congress, I think they are suspicious that she might start a revolution and take over," Rory observed "You sound perky."

"Aw, you know, I had a good day," Truth be told be told, she and Luke had just come back from the doctor and their first ultrasound.

"You aren't torturing grandma are you?"

"Hello I said good, not stupendiferous? Besides her and dad are in Martha's Vineyard for the summer."

"Oh so that explains it… and you have your man back to keep you company. So you probably don't miss me al all…"

"Well, I wouldn't say that," recalling the bad day that helped her discover her news and the reason she was calling Rory, "However, I do umm I have some news…"

"Yeah?" Rory said with interest.

"About the wedding date."

"Okay? Not scared yet…"

"It's being moved up…"

Moved up? That's different, "What?"

"Well, due to reasons beyond my control, the wedding maybe the weekend you come back from DC."

"That's awfully soon, is grandpa loading up the shot gun?"

Lorelai stayed silent.

"Mom? You there? It was a joke."

With the ultra sound giving them confidence that the baby was fine, the risk of miscarriage significantly reduced, Lorelai took a breath, "Rory, I'm pregnant."

Then Rory's jaw dropped, "What?" suddenly being greeted by her mother as first-born suddenly made sense.

"You're going to be a big sister."

"MOM!"

"And you wouldn't believe it… Luke is being so great, he's all but made my dress for me, which I would never let him do, ph God could you imagine!! … Remember when the fairies in Sleeping Beauty tried to make a dress without magic, Woaw baby. Luke sewing… it would be awful," she called into the kitchen, "No offense honey!"

"None taken," Luke called from the kitchen.

"… He's actually calling people right now on my cell phone, risking a brain tumor I might add, and looking at menu options…he's practically planning the wedding himself, which may end up being a disaster in it's own way, but it's still just so sweet. He said and I quote," Lorelai adopted a deep voice for a Luke impression; 'I'll start calling around, you just lay down and uh… be pregnant'… he's so cute."

"How far along are you?"

"12 weeks, after Uncle Louie's funeral if you must know."

"I didn't, but thanks," Rory said dryly. "Wow, this is huge, amazing, mind-blowing …just…awesome!" Rory was in disbelief, her mother actually was pregnant, with Luke's baby. "This is just like your dream from my coming out."

"I know!" Lorelai also reveled fondly.

Rory remembered the dream Lorelai had during the coming out fiasco and the dreams during their weeks apart, dreaming of being pregnant and the irony of during their fight Lorelai really was pregnant. "It's not …twins is it?" Rory remembered the wallowing nightmares that haunted and tormented Lorelai during the break up.

"Not that I'm aware of, I mean this sonogram just looks like a grey cloud… hey a bunny! Who's my little honey bunny," Lorelai said to her stomach.

"Mom?"

"Sorry, I'm just … so happy… like fate knew and made everything fall into place. Made everything okay again; and I'm sorry I had to wait so long to tell you, I wanted to tell you straight away, but the doctor kept going on about my age and how long it's been between my pregnancies…"

"How are we going to tell grandma and grandpa?"

"Oh sure rain on my parade…"

"Sorry Barbara, but you can't keep this from them… they will figure it out eventually…"

"Well, this can be a test of how senile they are…"

"Mom," Rory droned.

"Rory! If we tell them then they will know."

"Exactly…"

"But they will know that Luke and I have been… you know… together."

"Oh please."

"And another out of wedlock pregnancy? It may drudge up those old feelings for them…"

"Mom, you are an adult now, you are getting married, and are having the baby with the man you are marrying."

"But I'm still doing things out of order, and that is bound to get Emily's goat," suddenly Lorelai saw a goat in the sonogram blobs as well. "Besides, Grandpa loves Luke so much now; I don't want to ruin that. How is Grandpa going to feel about his new buddy-buddy when he discovers Luke has been intimate with his daughter?"

"For another grandchild, I think you're safe, especially it this kid is as cool as me."

"Well, no argument here."

"Oh my God the town! The town must be freaking out… how are you handling that?!"

"We aren't telling the town yet." Lorelai rolled her eyes, conflicted if she should tell Rory about the risks of miscarriage and her age, and the gap between her pregnancies; Lorelai quickly decided no sense in making Rory worry; if something bad happen she would find out then. "I wanted to tell Sookie, but they aren't back from their honeymoon yet, and once Jackson knows everyone will know. We wanted you to be first to know, as soon as we hang up Luke is going to tell Jess."

"Jess?"

"Um, yeah Jess, Luke's nephew,"

"I know who Jess is!," Rory said pointedly.

"You know he's going to be back in the Hollow this Fall."

"Yeah I gathered that from previous information."

"And the four, well, five of us are going to have to find a way to live in the same house… together."

"Sounds like we're in store for some changes, Carol Brady."

"Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah," Rory said indifferently, "Are you okay with that?"

"Both you and Jess owned up to the accident, each took your share of the blame… but since we are on the subject… what is going on? I mean it, you tell me everything and I'm tired of not knowing, just be straight with me."

"About what?"

"You and Jess."

"Nothing is going on."

"But…"

"Nothing, Jess is my friend and he's interesting person, I mean we read the same books and authors. Some of the people I ask Dean to read he can't even pronounce, and Jess even though he hates them sometimes he still makes the effort."

"Okay…" Lorelai was trying not to be upset that Rory might have a thing for her soon to be cousin.

"It's just that I don't know. He's my friend and that's it and especially with recent developments, it's not going to happen anyway."

"But you would want it to happen?"

"No, but maybe in some alternate universe where you and Luke weren't together…"

"Bite your tongue…. Luke is my soul mate, we are together in every universe…"

"Mom it's not going to be weird I promise. I like Jess, I respect him, but I love Dean, I really do, he's been writing me like crazy from Chicago."

"You really got to ease up on that love potion number 9 you've been giving him."

"I'll consider it."

"So swear on your sibling's life? The Jess cousin factor isn't going to be a problem?"

"We are friends and that's it," Rory assured.

"Good. So in light of recent events, I was thinking about an empire waist…."

7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

Are you guys still out there?? I am, though I am awfully slow.

A/N: stupendiferous is a word of my creation! Not ASP, not Lauren Graham, ME! I thank you!

A/N: I had another version of this where Luke took Lorelai to the cabin and they found out there… if anyone is interested….shrugs…

I have more ideas for this scenario, BUT I need to work on WITS II for a while… sorry Charlie.

777777777777777777777777777777777777777

R/R: PLEASE, I like to better myself. To quote The Princess Bride,

"...Remember this is for posterity ... so be honest."

Please be specific with R/R; name one (or as many as you can think of or want to mention…) At least one specific thing you liked

Please! It makes me feel good...inside (Dirty!)

Hence the Rant option below.

Insert Rant here V

A/N: if not completely satisfied with this chapter, please return unused portion for a full refund...