Title: Home Is Where The Heart Is

Author: Spike Speigel

Rating: PG-13

Classification: Luke/Lorelai

Disclaimer: As usual, these characters don't belong to me. Just taking them for a joyride.

Spoilers: Blame Booze and Melville, A House is not a Home.

Summary: If you love something, it'll always come back to you.

Status: Finished. Much appreciation goes out to Anais for the beta.

---

The alarm clock shrieked its ghastly siren call; the sound intensifying the more Luke began to regain consciousness. Grumbling softly, his hand reached automatically for the nightstand and fumbled about for a few seconds until his palm touched the cold, metallic button that signified respite. He pressed down on the small protrusion, and, just like that, the world was silent once more.

His eyes struggled to open to the world, hints of light pouring through the windows at this point. However, Luke ultimately managed to open his heavy lids, stifling a yawn before turning over on his side. He blinked once, twice, three times before the numbers on the clock's face came into focus. A little after seven. Time to get up, he thought, as he rolled onto his back once more.

His head tilted slightly to the opposite side, even though he already knew the sight that was going to greet him. Nevertheless, he had to be certain, if anything else. He frowned slightly upon seeing the empty portion of the bed. His hand absently reached out to it, gently smoothing the sheets. A little over two months and he still couldn't get used to this. Waking up without her touch, her smell, her breathing. Her everything.

But here he was. Alone.

For almost two months.

But, they had decided it was for the best. Luke had to be sure that her words had been sincere, given the emotional gamut she had just endured. Honestly, it was more for her than himself. While he always knew her to be truthful, he also knew her to be somewhat skittish when it came to commitment. He'd seen it with his own eyes, the years he'd spent pining for her.

Christopher.

Max.

Jason.

They all could have been the one, had she let them. But, in the end, she ran. Maybe it was because she didn't truly love them. But, there was a small part of him that continued to gnaw at his subconscious. The small part that kept on repeating that he'd never be good enough for Lorelai. He'd never be good enough for Rory. He'd never be good enough.

And Lorelai knew it.

Luke closed his eyes for a moment before opening them once more, shaking his head slightly to expel the thoughts now forming in his head. He rose from his soft haven, his legs swinging over the side before his feet landed on the wooden floor with a dull thud. His eyes fell on the blue flannel shirt splayed out against his armchair. The one that she'd claimed as her own. He hadn't had the heart to put it away. Truth be told, he hoped that she'd put it away once she came back.

If she came back, that was.

---

By the time Luke came down from his apartment, Caesar had already opened the diner while customers continued to trickle in. He was about to head into the storage room to see what needed replenishing when Caesar's voice caught his attention.

"Luke, you've got a phone call."

Luke studied Caesar carefully, wondering whom in the world would be calling him this early. He knew it wasn't Lorelai since they had already decided that spending time apart was the best thing right now. And being apart meant no phone calls. It was also too early for delivery calls, so Luke was back to square one, facing the uncertain.

He walked up to Caesar, taking the phone from his employee's hand. Caesar immediately filled the empty hand with a hot plate that held the contents of scrambled eggs and a stack of pancakes. Luke watched Caesar walk around the counter before bringing the receiver to his ear, his voice an amalgamation of curiosity and uncertainty.

"Hello?" He could hear the gentle breathing on the other end, even though no words immediately greeted his query. However, Luke had a pretty good idea once the breath hitched slightly. He recognized that trademark anywhere. "Rory?"

"How'd you…"

"Lucky guess. You okay?"

"Huh?"

"Well, it's not that often that you call me. In fact, I think this is the first time you've ever called me, now that I think about it. So, you can understand when I think something might be wrong."

Rory let out an awkward laugh, as though she was trying to conceal her true feelings. Unfortunately, it wasn't working. "No, nothing's wrong. It's just…"

"Rory?"

"Well, I'm at home and Mom isn't here. So, I was wondering if she was over there?"

The pieces immediately fell into place. Lorelai had left the day after her dinner with her parents. It made sense that Rory wouldn't know, given the current shift in their relationship. Still, she was Lorelai's daughter. She deserved to know.

"She's in Europe."

The shock on the other end was expected. "Europe?"

"She got a job opportunity and she," He didn't have to tell her every detail of her mother's exodus, "decided to check it out. A change of scenery, if you will."

"Oh." Luke could hear the disappointment in Rory's voice. They might not be talking to one another, but the bond they shared was stronger than other families he knew. "Well, did she say when she'd be back?"

"Sorry, kid. All I know is she'll be back when she's done doing what she has to do for the job." Luke's voice matched Rory's, the disappointment evident. "But, I'm sure she'll be back before we know it."

Rory's response was succinct as she spoke. "Yeah, you're probably right."

As was the awkward silence that followed afterwards. After a moment, Luke interrupted the quiet, his voice tender. "Is there anything I can do? You know, since your mom's not here."

His response must have surprised her, since she sounded genuinely touched at the offer. "No, it's okay. I was just moving some stuff out of my room…"

"Well, how much stuff do you have? Because, I could probably get it all moved out in one trip with my truck…" Rory's sudden laughter interrupted Luke's thought, his voice now one of concern as he continued. "What?"

"It's just…" He could hear the hushed sobs on the other end as Rory fought back the tears, struggling to get the words out. "I was afraid you were going to hate me too. And here you are, offering to help me."

Luke's answer was immediate, sincere. "I could never hate you, Rory. And I'm always gonna be here to help you, whether you want it or not. Okay?"

He could hear Rory attempting to compose herself, her sniffles dissipating. "Okay."

"Good. And Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"Your mom doesn't hate you. She loves you more than life itself. Don't you ever forget that." Rory sighed softly, still struggling with her tears. "She wanted to be there for you during your hearing, but she thought you wouldn't want her there. That's why she didn't come. She wanted to, but she also wanted you to be happy."

"Oh, God, Luke. I really messed everything up."

"Hey, you listen to me. You didn't mess anything up. You're just doing what you think is right." Luke was about to launch into a diatribe detailing the reasons why Rory was going to be okay. Unfortunately, Rory interrupted him before he ever got the chance to.

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

"It doesn't matter what I think. All that matters…"

"But it does matter. Other than Mom and my grandparents, you've always been there for me." She paused for a moment, her breath hitching in her throat with the tears she was failing at fighting back. "You've been like a father to me. So, yeah, it does matter what you think."

Luke could feel his heart breaking once he heard the words. For Rory to think of him as a father even though he was anything but, it was enough to make his heart ache for the girl that was now a woman. "Rory…"

"Please, Luke. I need to know I'm doing the right thing."

He hesitated for a moment, debating whether to tell her what she wanted to hear or what she needed to. He ultimately decided on the latter. "I'm sorry. I'm with your mother on this one." Her sobs began to increase in intensity, Luke wishing he could take his words back. "But I meant what I said. You need anything; anything at all, you call me and I'll be there before you even hang up the phone. You hear me? I mean it."

Even though Rory's words were staccato-like in nature, the message was clear enough for Luke. "I'm sorry, Luke. I gotta go."

"Hey, wait. Let me help, yeah? There's gotta be something I can do."

Luke thought she had dropped the phone since he no longer heard the whimpering on the other end. However, after a brief moment, Rory's voice came back over the receiver, more composed than before. "Actually, I think the water heater's on the fritz. If you could fix that before Mom comes home? Because she hates cold showers."

"Um, yeah. I can do that." Luke wanted to do more, but he knew deep down that was all Rory would let him do for the moment. "And, Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"I meant what I said before. You need anything…"

Rory finished his thought. "I promise, I'll call."

"Okay, then. Well, I guess I'll talk to you later."

"Um, Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"It's no problem. That water heater's crapped out so many times, I've lost count. It's not a big…"

While he was about to go into detail about how Lorelai had begged him to fix it last winter even though he recommended replacing it, but Lorelai wouldn't let him because she thought it would be like replacing a family member, Rory spoke, her voice sincere.

"No. I meant thanks for everything."

"Oh." He couldn't help but smile at her words. "You're welcome."

"Okay. I'm gonna go."

"Okay." He was about to hang up the phone, but the sound emanating from the receiver stopped him from doing otherwise as he raised the phone back to his ear. "What was that?"

"Take care of her, please?"

His answer was immediate, sincere. "I don't know any other way when it comes to your mother." He could have sworn he heard Rory laugh, but dismissed the thought as she began speaking once more.

"Okay, then. I'll call you if I need anything."

"Good to know. Bye, Rory."

"Bye, Luke."

And with that, the dial tone filled the space that was once occupied by Rory's voice. Luke looked at the phone for a moment, the smile still on his face, before he placed it back into its cradle. Then, as though it were any other day, Luke made his way to the back room. Unknown to him, he didn't realize that the smile remained on his face as he began to take inventory.

---

Sure enough, Rory had been right. He'd tried every faucet in the house and there wasn't a single drop of hot water. Not that it really mattered now since it was summer. The ending of summer, but summer nonetheless. Still, Rory was right. If Lorelai were to come home right now, she'd most likely take a shower after the long flight and be greeted to a less than pleasant welcome, what with the cold water inundating her.

To Luke's memory, there had only been one time Lorelai hadn't objected to the lack of hot water during a shower, and that was only because they had managed to keep each other warm to counteract the cold of the water. Not that that was the main purpose of their activities. But, still, the warmth was a nice byproduct. Luke couldn't help but grin at the memory. She had been so passionate with him, and it had only been a week after their first date. But, the fact that it felt so right, so comfortable being with her like that, he couldn't help but smile at the memory. Eight years of waiting had finally paid off.

And now here he was, alone, packing his tools back into his toolbox in Lorelai's house. It didn't matter which room he was in, he could smell her familiar scent, as though she were just in the next room and he just kept on missing her. He was just too slow to catch up to her, even though he knew the truth.

He was alone in Lorelai's house, and being here made him miss her more. At least in his own place, there were moments when he wouldn't think about her. Luke shook his head, knowing that he was lying to himself. Who was he kidding? Lorelai had worked her way so far into his very being that it was all he could do to not think about her.

But, they had decided this to be the best course of action. Lorelai had to be sure this was what she wanted. And, in the interim, Luke hoped that she was being sincere in her proposition. He may have lost the Twickham house because of miscommunication, but as long as he had her, it didn't matter. It was just a house. But, a life without Lorelai in it…

Luke sighed softly, closing the lid to his toolbox before turning on the main water line to the unit. No leaks. So far, so good. He hefted the massive bulk in his right hand, walking toward the kitchen to see the fruits of his labor. He turned the hot water faucet to the left, letting the water run for a bit, before placing his fingers under the stream. Upon feeling the heat radiating into his skin, Luke smirked at his handiwork, thinking that at least Lorelai would have hot water once she got back. It was something, at least.

He turned the faucet to the right, the water ceasing its downpour. Then, he wiped his hand against the front of his jeans, feeling the slight protrusion pressing against the denim. Yep, it was still there, even though this was one of the few times he wasn't checking for it. Still, he needed it close to him, for comfort more than anything. It was somewhat silly, but just having it next to him made him feel that Lorelai was with him. God, she'd probably laugh at him for being so sentimental, poking fun at him all the while. Nevertheless, he didn't dare go anywhere without it. Because, you just never knew. You just never knew.

Luke looked back into the living room for a moment before flipping the light off. Then, he opened the door, stepping out onto the porch. However, he had switched the toolbox from his right to his left to turn off the switch, and there must have still been some water on his fingertips since he felt his grip slipping, the toolbox landing with a resounding clang on the wooden floor. However, it wasn't the sound of metal hitting wood that got his attention. Instead, it was the sound of a woman's voice exclaiming in surprise that ultimately got his attention. His eyes quickly made their way from the toolbox to the source of the sound, his mouth dropping slightly open at the sight.

"Lorelai?"

He had so much he wanted to say upon seeing her standing at the bottom of the stairs, but words failed him at the moment as he continued to take her countenance in. God, she looked just as beautiful as she did the day she left.

"Did Bert do something wrong?"

"What?"

"Well, it's not often I see you two having a go at it. I thought you two were buds, and here I am, watching you drop him on his proverbial head. Or was that his butt? Never mind. Not important. What is important is, was Bert a bad boy?" She was smiling, but Luke could see the discomfit in her eyes. She was just as nervous as he was. But, the question was, was it because of the same thing?

"I had some water on my hand and Bert got away from me." Luke groaned at the fact that he just called his toolbox by name. Lorelai, however, grinned at the mention of the name.

"Hah! Knew that the name would stick if I kept on using it."

"Lorelai…"

"So, why did you have water on your hand? Did the towel fairy come by while I was gone? Oh, I know. Maybe it was Martha Stewart. She finally found out that I stopped buying her towels and finally got to me on her towel vandalism list. Or maybe…"

Knowing this could probably go on for a good while, Luke decided to interrupt before it was too late to do so. "Your water heater was acting up again."

"My water heater?"

"Yeah. So I thought I'd fix it before you came back. You know, what with you turning all feline at the thought of taking a cold shower."

Lorelai grinned slightly, Luke wondering if she was thinking about that morning in the shower as well. "Still haven't forgiven me for the scratches, huh?"

"Well, there you go. Hot water for your bathing enjoyment." Both shared a gaze at the other, the growing silence beginning to make each more uncomfortable. While there were so many things he wanted to say to the woman standing in front of him, he knew that this wasn't the right time. She'd just gotten off a plane. She probably needed to decompress. Then, just as an afterthought, Luke spoke. "Why didn't you call me?"

"What?"

"From the airport. Why didn't you call me? I would have picked you up. Save you some cab fare at the least."

"Oh." Lorelai smiled apologetically as he spoke. "It was late, and I didn't know if you had an early delivery tomorrow."

"Oh. You didn't have to worry about that. I wouldn't have mind if…"

"Yeah, but I know that you need your sleep so…" Both smiled at the other, realizing that they were over-thinking the situation. After a moment of silence, Lorelai spoke, her voice hushed. "So, how'd you know about the water heater? Not that I would have mind if you were using my place while I was gone…"

"Rory called me."

And just like that, the conversation came to a screeching halt. Lorelai's gaze fell from his, her head bowed slightly as she now examined her feet. Knowing that this was a delicate subject for her, Luke decided to treat it as a bandage. Quick and clean. The pain would linger for a moment, but she deserved to know the truth.

"I guess she was moving some stuff out of her room and noticed the water heater. She called me this morning to tell me about it." He chuckled softly as he continued. "She didn't want you to suffer the fate of a cold shower. Like mother, like daughter."

"Yeah." He could see that Lorelai was uncomfortable by the sudden shift in conversation, so he reached down to grab his toolbox, ready to leave her to her thoughts. However, as he began to reach for it, Lorelai spoke, her voice questioning. "Did she…I mean is she…"

Luke knew the question without even having to hear it. "She misses you." He could see the tears welling up in Lorelai's eyes, but thought better of going over to her and gathering her in his arms, even though he wanted nothing more in the world than to comfort her in her time of need. "Look, if you want to talk about it…"

Lorelai waved her hand in the air, her voice struggling not to belie her true emotions. "I don't want to talk about it right now. Please?"

He nodded slightly, reaching down once more, this time succeeding in gathering up his toolbox. "Okay." He began to walk down the porch steps, his voice tender as he walked past her. "Well, I'm gonna go. I'll let you get some sleep."

The hand encircling about his forearm stopped him in mid-stride. Luke looked to his side to see Lorelai looking back at him intently. "Fifty-three days, and that's all you have to say to me?"

His eyes avoided hers, looking down at her hand touching him, as he answered. "I just thought you might be tired after the long flight is all."

"I'm not. Well, I am, but that doesn't matter." She turned his body so they were now facing one another, Luke still trying to avoid her gaze. However, his respite didn't last long once he felt the tips of Lorelai's fingers under his chin, tilting his gaze to hers once more. "I asked you a question before I left. I left because you needed to know I was sure and not making a decision in the heat of the moment. I came back because I'm still waiting for an answer."

"Lorelai…"

She didn't wait for him to say whatever he needed to say, instead continuing on. "Do you know how sure I was when I asked you the question before I left?"

He shook his head slowly, his heart beginning to beat faster in his chest, his breaths coming quicker. "No."

"This much." Luke looked at her quizzically as Lorelai spread her arms out as though she was in the midst of a hug but stopping at the apex of the stretch. He didn't mean to grin, but just the mere fact that Lorelai was smiling at him with that brilliant smile that warmed him to the core, he couldn't help it. "Do you know how sure I am now?"

He shook his head, his response sincere. "Can't say that I do."

"Spread your arms out."

"What?"

She laughed softly, her hands guiding his as she spoke. "Just like me. Spread them out."

Luke bent down for a brief moment, placing his toolbox near the two pieces of luggage sitting near Lorelai's feet before complying with her request. "I feel like I just got pulled over for a DUI."

"Luke."

He could hear the immediacy in her voice, realizing that she was in full-on serious mode. "Okay. Like this?"

She nodded, her smile waning but still visible on her face. "Yeah."

Luke looked to his right and then to his left, finally realizing what Lorelai was trying to tell him. "I get it. Bigger arm span, right?"

"Not exactly." Before Luke realized what was happening, Lorelai had wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. Luke smiled tenderly as his arms followed Lorelai's example, Luke cherishing the feel of the woman once more in his arms. "I'm this sure."

"You've been planning this for a while, haven't you?"

Her voice was tender, her answer genuine. "Ever since I left." She sighed against his chest, squeezing him gently before continuing. "This is it, Luke. I realized it that night in the diner when you started ranting about how to keep Rory in school. You were the only one that agreed with me. That stood by me. That believed in me. That's when I finally knew it."

"Knew what?"

"That you were the one." He could hear her voice cracking under the tears she was holding back. "You've always been the one. First, with just being a friend even though it must have killed you whenever I talked about Christopher or Max. Then, being there for me and encouraging me when I started having problems getting the inn up and running. Then, almost losing you after my parents' wedding vow renewal ceremony, that the thought of not having you in my life hurt me more than anything I've ever experienced, emotional or physical. And then that night in the diner when I told you about Rory." Luke could feel the tears threatening to come forth, but he couldn't help it. Just hearing the certainty in Lorelai's voice, he knew that she meant every word that night in the diner. "It was then that I realized, it's always been you, Luke. No matter what's happened to me, good or bad, you've always been there for me. For Rory. It's always been you." She finally looked up to Luke, greeted with his kind face looking back at her.

Luke pulled his arm from Lorelai before brushing aside an errant strand of hair from Lorelai's face, his hand moving his side once he finished. "Okay then."

"Okay, what?"

She continued to look at him quizzically as his gaze fell from her to his pants pocket. Lorelai followed his gaze as she saw his hand dive into the confines, reemerging a moment later with a small velvet box. She gasped slightly upon seeing the small object. Luke took Lorelai's hand in his before opening the box, the ring glistening in the moonlight.

"Luke…"

"I figured you already asked the question, so the least I could do was have an appropriate answer once you got back." He carefully removed the ring from the box, quickly pushing it back into his pocket before sliding the ring onto Lorelai's finger. "It was my mother's. I'm sure she'd want you to have it."

Lorelai raised the newly bejeweled hand up in front of her face, marveling at the sight. She had been called many things in life. A mother. A friend. A lover. And, yes, even once a fiancée. But, for some reason, unlike her engagement to Max, this just felt right.

"Perfect fit."

"Not really. I kinda borrowed one of your rings to get the right size. I hope you don't mind."

Was he being serious? The fact he had borrowed a piece of jewelry without asking was the last thing on her mind. "No, I don't mind. I don't mind at all."

Luke chuckled softly, Lorelai wiping the tears from her eyes. "So, you okay with waking up to this face for the rest of your life? Because, it's not too late to change your…"

The reason Luke never finished his thought was because Lorelai's lips were now on his, her arms wrapped about his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss. While neither wanted to break their embrace, the lack of air inevitably forced them to do otherwise. Both were breathing heavily, attempting to regain their breath, when Lorelai finally spoke.

"Changing my mind was never an option."

Luke smiled tenderly at Lorelai, a hint of relief in his voice. "Good to know."

Lorelai held her hand up to her face once more, the other still lazily wrapped around Luke's neck as she continued to awe at the sight.

An engagement ring.

This was so not what she was expecting. She had expected Luke to just answer the question. But this? Never in her wildest dreams did she expect this. Her gaze flitted from the ring to Luke; her smile growing as she finally spoke.

"I love you so much."

Luke pulled Lorelai into his arms, his head resting in the crook of her neck as he spoke. "I love you too, Lorelai. More than anything."

Lorelai leaned back slightly, just enough so her lips could once again join her fiancé's in a loving kiss.

Fiancé.

She couldn't help but smile against Luke's lips at the thought. She was standing in her front yard in the arms of her fiancé. And, to tell the truth, there was nowhere else in the world she'd rather be.

---

The first thing Lorelai noticed once her eyes opened was the smell of Luke surrounding her followed by the sensation of his arm wrapped around her midsection, his breath gently grazing her hairs on the back of her neck, his leg intertwined with hers, his chest pressed against the smoothness of her back.

And the only thought that kept on repeating in her mind was one simple phrase.

I'm engaged.

Only, this time, the thought was not coupled with deeply-harbored fear and doubt. Rather, there was only joy and comfort. She was exactly where she needed to be. She was with the man with whom she belonged.

Lorelai entwined her left hand with Luke's, pulling his hand up to her lips before dropping a small kiss on the back near his knuckles. She tenderly traced the lines in his palm, her eyes noticing just how small her own was nestled in his. But, the thought was a brief one, her attention being drawn to the ring still on her finger. It sounded silly, but she had thought that the previous night might have been a dream. But just seeing his mother's ring still there put her at ease.

Last night had really happened. She was engaged to Luke. She smiled as she said the words this time out loud.

"I'm engaged to Luke Danes."

She continued to marvel at the elegant beauty of the ring on her finger when Luke's thumb gently stroked her palm, his fingers eventually encircling her own. "Sounds nice. Say it again."

Lorelai smirked at Luke's levity as she turned around to face him, her hand ultimately rejoining his once she was situated. "I'm engaged to Luke Danes."

"Yeah. Sounds even better the second time." Lorelai leaned toward him, placing a tender kiss on his lips before resting her head back on the pillow once more. "Sorry I didn't do this better."

She looked at him, a puzzled look on her face as she spoke. "Do what? Because, if you're talking about last night, let me put your mind at ease. You went above and beyond the call of duty there, pal. I think there was a moment there when I almost blacked out."

He grinned sheepishly, squeezing her hand lovingly. "No, not that. But I'm glad you liked it. I meant the way I gave you the ring. I had this whole elaborate plan concocted in my head, but once you showed up last night, I couldn't not give it to you." He could see the twinkle in her eye as her lips began to move. However, he decided to pre-empt her action, responding wryly. "I know, dirty."

"You see? That right there is why I'm marrying you. I've never met anyone who cared to know me, flaws and all, as well as you do."

"Well, the only reason I know you so well is because you let me in."

"Maybe. But, you sure made it easy to let you in. I've never felt this comfortable with anyone in my life. Even before we started acting all couply, I've always been comfortable around you." Luke smiled at her words, Lorelai continuing. "And, last night was perfect. I wouldn't change a thing."

"Really?"

This was the point where he expected Lorelai to go on a tirade about hoping for ballet dancers, a string quartet, and possibly an ice sculpture. So, he was genuinely touched when her reply was simply, "Really."

"God, you're so beautiful."

Lorelai rested her forehead against Luke's, her tone matching his as it dropped to a whisper. "You're quite a catch yourself, Mr. Danes." Both smiled gently at the other before Luke leaned toward her, his lips delicately grazing hers, as though testing the waters, before deepening the kiss, opening his mouth to hers. He cherished the sound of Lorelai moaning against his lips, her free hand reaching for the nape of his neck before continuing through his disheveled hair. Unfortunately, even though he wanted this moment to last forever, he knew that time was not that charitable. As he reluctantly broke their bond, Lorelai looked at him with a hint of confusion on her face.

"As much as I'd like to stay, I've got to get this day started."

Lorelai began to pout, her fingers continuing to entwine in his hair. "Can't you just have Caesar open?"

"I would, but I like to give him a day's notice. After all, it's not like I exactly planned this."

"You're no fun." Lorelai dropped a small kiss on Luke's lips, sadness beginning to overcome her as she felt Luke's grasp relax around her left hand before pulling away entirely. She looked on as he began to get dressed, Lorelai making no motion of leaving the confines of her bed. "I guess I should stop by the inn and see if it's still there. Knowing my luck, Michel's probably turned it into a beauty salon by now."

Luke furrowed his brow, the thought of his diner being converted into a beauty salon flitting through his head for a brief moment. Luke shook his head slightly, turning his attention back to Lorelai once he was fully clothed. "You're being silly."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Besides, he's probably turned it into one of those snooty French restaurants that serve cheese with everything. Even the cheese." He barely ducked out of the way of the fluffy pillow, leaning over to Lorelai for a quick kiss before retreating once more. "See you later?"

Lorelai smirked as though she even had to answer the question. "You better, if you know what's good for you."

"Right. Not even married yet and I'm getting ultimatums." He dropped a kiss on the top of her head before turning around. "Coffee'll be waiting for you. I'll see you later."

He was not even a step away when Lorelai's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Could you make some tea instead?"

"What?" Luke turned back around, a puzzled look on his face upon hearing Lorelai's request. "You okay?"

"Why?"

"You just turned down coffee for tea? And you're the one with the question?"

Lorelai sighed softly, her voice solemn as she answered. "It's nothing. Really. It's just…coffee hasn't been agreeing with me so much lately. So, I've been doing the tea thing." Seeing the look of concern on Luke's face, she attempted to alleviate him as best she could. "Really, Luke. I'm okay. Besides, I thought you'd be happy that I've been off the stuff for a while now."

Luke stood still, quiet as a church mouse as he took in Lorelai's words. Then, after a moment, he finally spoke, his voice nearing the point of being frantic. "You're dying, aren't you?"

"What?"

"That's why you came back. That's why you asked me to marry you. Oh, my God. That's it, isn't it? You're dying."

"Luke."

"Why didn't I see this coming?" He began to pace back and forth, his brow furrowed and his fists clenched. "Stupid, that's what it was. Thinking that I'd ever get to marry you. Because I can't." He stopped suddenly, turning and pointing to Lorelai. "Because you're dying!"

"Luke!"

He didn't wait for her to continue, instead marching out into the hallway, ranting all the way. "A Gilmore without coffee isn't a Gilmore! It's just…I dunno. Unnatural. That's what it is. Breakfast! I'm making you breakfast. And not that processed junk you call food. Oatmeal! You're having oatmeal for breakfast! You hear that, Lorelai? Oatmeal! And then I'm taking you to the doctor!"

Yes, Luke was taking things way out of proportion. But, she couldn't help but smile at his behavior. Because, it was precisely this reason why she was marrying him. Because he loved her unconditionally.

---

It had taken her almost half an hour to convince Luke that she was indeed okay, even though that statement wasn't entirely true. The past few weeks, Lorelai had found herself fatigued but had written it off as nothing more than the jet lag that came with the job. It had been nice that Mike Armstrong had allowed her the opportunity to get a feel for the position before she made up her mind. But, truth be told, her mind was made up that night in the diner.

The only reason she had even contemplated the offer was because of Luke. She needed to prove to him that she was serious. If spending time apart would illustrate the point, then so be it. Still, it had been difficult being away from Luke for such an extended period of time. It reminded her of the gap between her parents' wedding renewal and the night in her doorway wrapped in Luke's arms. It would have pained her almost as much, if not for the solitary thought that Luke was waiting for her back at Stars Hollow.

The separation was simply his way of allowing her the opportunity to back out of her proposal. And, to be frank, who could blame him? She hadn't married Christopher, even though she had been pregnant with his child. She had changed her mind about marrying Max because she had realized that she couldn't see herself as Lorelai Gilmore-Medina, even though she knew he cared deeply for her. And Jason? That was a relationship that even Lorelai couldn't understand, let alone fathom how it had survived for six months.

But, that wasn't the case with Luke. She had known during that first kiss that this was different than all the others. Just being with him during that moment had felt different as he kissed her on the steps of the Dragonfly. She felt as though his arms were made specifically to envelop her being, remembering the way they held her body against his, her body relishing every nuance. This feeling was magnified significantly the first time they made love.

And make no mistake, it was indeed making love. Luke had taken his time with her, asking her repeatedly if she was certain that this was what she wanted, even though half her clothing was already strewn about his place. He was so cute, the way his shyness contrasted with his rugged handsomeness. He hadn't forced her to do anything she didn't want to that night, instead allowing her to set the pace.

He had marveled at the sight of her nude body, making brief comments as he explored the contours of her person. Were it any other person, she would have relentlessly mocked them incessantly. But the way Luke awed at her body, the innocence inherent in his words, she couldn't help herself but smile.

She was making love to Luke.

Her Luke.

And it felt oh so right, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Even during their brief interludes to recover and reflect, she couldn't help but share in his awe as she held his hand in hers, tracing the lines in the palm, rough yet smooth to the touch. And while she could tell he felt a bit uncomfortable in the femininity of the moment, he never pulled away. Instead, he had surprised her once more by asking her for a list of CDs to purchase for her. Just because he didn't want to hear about it later.

Typical Luke. Gruff exterior. Gentle interior.

But all her parents had managed to see was the exterior. No, that wasn't right. Because Luke's gruff exterior was still rather charming, in a Grizzly Adams sort of way. No, her parents had judged him even before they got a chance to know him, and they really didn't go out of their way to do even that. Still, Lorelai knew she had to do what had to come next. She had made the mistake with Max, and she vowed if she were ever in this position ever again, she wouldn't repeat it. Hence, the phone in her hand.

She had been sitting on the couch, her oatmeal and tea sentenced to the confines of her digestive tract, with the phone sitting in her hand. She looked up at the clock, noting the time. It had been almost an hour since Luke left, so subtract ten or so minutes from that, and that was how long the phone had been in her hand. Now, all she had to do was dial the number.

Lorelai let out a soft sigh, shaking her head slightly. Yes, she wasn't on the best terms with her parents, but she knew she had to do this, if only to reinforce whatever bond they had left between them. With that, she reluctantly pressed the TALK key before dialing the number.

It rang once, twice, three times. Maybe they weren't home. Maybe she would be lucky. Maybe…

"Hello?"

Then again.

Lorelai took a deep breath, mostly to steady herself for what was to come, before finally answering. "Hi, Mom."

"Lorelai?" The surprise in her voice was evident as she continued. "Why are you calling here?" Then, as though she had answered her own question, Emily's tone became more casual. "If you're calling for Rory, she's not here. She's gone to New York with Logan for a month."

Lorelai didn't mean to come off as condescending, but given the speech she had to endure when she found out her parents had sided with Rory, how could she not? "Oh, that's good, Mom. Glad to see Rory's keeping out of trouble under your roof."

"Lorelai! Rory's just on a getaway. She's not living with the boy. And after all…"

"Look, I don't want to get into this. That's not the reason I called."

"Oh? Then why on earth would you possibly call here? After all, it's been almost two months since we last spoke…"

"Luke and I are getting married."

At first, Lorelai thought that her mother had dropped the phone, most likely on the verge of a coronary. However, after a few seconds, Emily began to speak, her voice once more tinted with surprise. "What?"

"That's why I called. I wanted to let you and Dad know that I'm engaged. To Luke. And you're the first person I've told. Not even Sookie knows about this. As of this moment, the only people that know are you, me and Luke."

There was another moment of silence on the other end, but this pause was brief. However, the tone in her mother's voice surprised her, the fact she sounded genuinely confused by what was transpiring. "I don't understand. Why are you telling me this?"

Lorelai sighed, realizing that she'd have to spell this out for her mother. "Because I remember the last time with Max and how upset you were with me. And I just…I just didn't want to hide this from you, that's all."

"Lorelai…"

"Look, I know you and Dad don't approve of Luke, but he loves me. I mean, he truly loves me. And he loves Rory. I know you've never seen that side of him, but he'd do anything for her. In fact, I'm pretty sure he'd give his life for her if it came to that. And…"

"Lorelai, could you please just skip the rambling for once and get to the point?"

Normally, Lorelai would make a flippant remark at the interruption. But, not this time. Instead, she obliged her mother.

"I love him, Mom. I do. And, you should know, for those words to come out of my mouth, you should know that it means something." She paused for a second, partly to get in a breath and partly to compose her thoughts. "Look, all I'm asking is for you to be happy for me. This is what I want." She smiled as the thought of spending the rest of her life with Luke flitted in her mind. "I want to be a wife."

She could hear her mother on the other end of the phone, a vague tapping sound in the background. If Lorelai knew her mother as well as she thought she did, Emily Gilmore was at a loss for words, the tapping sound her fingernails thrumming against the back of the phone. Lorelai was about to put an end to the conversation and let her mother off the hook. After all, she had said what she had wanted to say. However, before she could respond, her mother finally broke the silence, her voice neutral.

"Do you want me to tell Rory about this?"

Lorelai shook her head in disbelief. She had expected her mother to be livid, but this? Maybe she didn't know Emily Gilmore as well as she thought she did. "No, that's okay. I'll tell her when…" When she and her daughter were back on speaking conditions? When they were back to the status quo of their relationship? Lorelai didn't know the answer, so she simply said, "When I'm ready."

"Very well then. Was there anything else you wanted to tell me?"

"Um, no. Not really."

"Then, in that case, I have to be getting back."

"Mom?"

"Yes, Lorelai?"

She couldn't believe she even had to ask this question, sighing softly as she did so nonetheless. "You don't have anything else to say?"

"About what?"

"About…about me and Luke."

Her response was almost immediate. "What would you have me say?"

And that was all Lorelai needed to discern her mother's feelings about her engagement to Luke. "Nothing. Never mind. I've got to go."

"Goodbye, Lorelai."

Lorelai didn't bother to reciprocate the gesture. However, even if she had wanted to say goodbye to her mother, it would have been impossible. Emily had hung up the phone immediately afterward.

---

"Hey, babe."

Luke smiled even before turning around to see Lorelai seating herself in the stool on the opposite side of the counter. However, his smile quickly waned once he saw the subtle frown gracing her countenance.

"Something wrong?"

"What?"

Lorelai had expected Luke to begin pouring her a cup of coffee and that she'd have to remind him of her sudden caffeine withdrawal. But, to her surprise, that scenario never played out. Instead, Luke placed a tea bag into one of his coffee mugs before producing a carafe of hot water from the area of the coffee maker, pouring the hot liquid into Lorelai's mug. As he began to dip the bag into the water, he looked up to see the frown on her face replaced with a gentle smile.

"What?"

"You remembered."

"Sure. You told me this morning you were off the coffee, so I went over to Doose's and picked up some teabags for you. It was a variety pack, because I'm not really sure what type of tea you like best. I think this is Darjeeling, but if you don't like this, I've got some other flavors…"

Lorelai's lips on his stopped him from talking. At first, Luke was taken aback by the tenderness and length of the kiss coupled with the fact they were kissing in front of people in the diner. However, that was only a fleeting moment before Luke reciprocated in kind, savoring the kiss until Lorelai pulled away, sitting once more on her stool.

After a brief moment, Luke finally spoke. "Um, I think I saw some Earl Grey in the box if you don't…what was that for?"

Lorelai laughed softly, taking a sip of her tea before answering Luke's initial question. "For being you. Something was wrong, but you just had to go and make everything better."

Luke grinned slightly, still basking in the afterglow of his reward. "Yeah, I've been meaning to have that checked out."

"Don't you dare. You're perfect just the way you are." She considered her words for a moment before speaking once more. "Well, maybe we could do something about the cap."

"Not a chance. You got me this cap, remember?"

"Yes, but that was back when we were friends."

"And we're not friends now?"

"No. We're still friends. But now we're…"

His voice was chiding as he interrupted Lorelai, an eyebrow raised. "Do not say 'friends with benefits', or I might have to take that ring back from you."

Lorelai subtly pouted, her hand guardedly covering the engagement ring on her finger. "You're so mean to me."

"Just a minute ago you didn't think so."

"Yes, well, back then you were still kind and generous and caring and…"

This time, it was Luke's lips on her own that interrupted the conversation. And, while Lorelai attempted to act despondent, she failed miserably as she deepened the kiss, sighing regretfully when Luke finally broke the kiss.

"So, what was that you were going on about?"

"I was saying something?"

Luke smiled at Lorelai's feigned amnesia, squeezing her hand gently before walking around the counter and toward an empty table, gathering the dirty dishes before disappearing into the back. Lorelai smiled at him gently, her gaze moving back to the ring on her hand before turning back to the counter to take a sip of her tea.

Unfortunately, she never got a chance, most of the contents of her cup spilling out upon being surprised by Babette's, "Oh! My! God! Lorelai!"

Lorelai quickly reached for the napkin dispenser, yanking a handful out as though it was a tuft of grass, hastily dabbing the fluffy paper on the counter. So, she was genuinely surprised once more when she spun around on the stool, now facing Babette and Miss Patty, both doing their best impersonation of the Cheshire Cat. And doing it better than him to boot.

She was about to query the two women about the outburst, but was taken aback when Babette grabbed Lorelai's hand. In particular, her left hand.

"You see, Patty! I knew I wasn't hallucinating! She's got a rock!"

Lorelai attempted to get a word in, but Miss Patty prevented her from doing so, yanking her hand away from Babette to examine the ring more closely.

"You were right. And it's beautiful!" Miss Patty finally looked toward Lorelai, the grin still on her face. "You're gone two months and you already find someone to replace Luke? Good for you!"

It was at this point Lorelai was finally able to get a word in edgewise. Unfortunately, she didn't do much with it.

"Wh…what?"

Babette answered for her friend while Miss Patty went back to admiring the ring on Lorelai's finger. "Don't get us wrong, sugar. We all feel bad for Luke. Hell, he was grumpier than usual when you left him, but all that matters is that you're getting married. So, when do we get to meet him?"

"Meet who?"

Miss Patty answered this time, Babette taking Lorelai's hand once more to get another look at the ring. "Your new European beau, of course. Is he handsome, charming, and filthy rich? Hopefully in that order?"

Lorelai had finally had enough, pulling her hand away from Babette before responding. "There is no European beau, Patty."

"But, the ring?"

"The ring I got from Luke." Lorelai sighed as the women took a moment to process what had just been spoken. "And shame on the both of you for thinking I would ever do something like that to Luke."

Babette shook her head, the first to offer her apology. "Sorry, sugar. It's just, Luke was all grumpy when you left so we just thought…"

Miss Patty finished her friend's thought. "That you two had broken up again."

"Well, we haven't." Lorelai lunged her hand toward the two women, flittering her fingers for punctuation. "Hence the ring."

Both women fell into an awestruck stance, marveling at the ring once more until they quickly turned to the other, their admiration being quickly replaced with a look as though they'd forgotten to turn the gas off before leaving the house.

"Patty, did you…?"

"Of course I did. I thought they were broken up. Maybe it isn't too late to…"

The women quickly jumped upon hearing the voice from behind them. "You ladies ready to order?" Both turned around quickly, eyeing Luke suspiciously while their lips were contorted in a half smile, half grimace. "You two okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Oh, we should be so lucky!" Babette grabbed Miss Patty's arm, pulling her quickly past Luke, leaving both Luke and Lorelai perplexed as they began to walk toward the door. "Congratulations, sugar! Let us know when you two pick a day!"

Luke turned to Lorelai, his brow furrowed in confusion as he spoke. "What was that all about?"

Lorelai shook her head, turning back around to tend to the spilt tea. "They saw the ring."

"Oh. So, what'd you tell them?" Luke reached for the napkins in Lorelai's hand, gently taking them away from her before pulling the towel from over his shoulder to absorb the rest of the errant liquid. "And why were they acting all strange when I walked over?"

"Haven't the foggiest, my friend." Lorelai turned back to Luke as he tossed the wet napkins over the counter and into the trashcan. Lorelai raised her hands up, indicating the successful conversion for a point after touchdown, before Luke informed her about her mistake.

"Wrong sport."

"The intent's the same." Luke shook his head as he took Lorelai's hands in his own, beginning to dry her damp hands. "So, I heard that you were all grumpy while I was gone."

Luke waved off the comment, still focused on Lorelai's hands. "I was not grumpy."

"Oh, I believe you were, bucko. Because if you weren't, Patty and Babette wouldn't have thought that we broke up again."

"They thought we broke up?"

"Uh huh. Because you were all 'grr' while I was in Europe."

Luke shrugged his shoulders, finally looking back to Lorelai, his hands still encircling hers. "What can I say? I've gotten used to seeing your face when I wake up in the morning."

Lorelai smiled at his words, leaning up to place a small kiss on his lips before speaking. "You have it bad for me, don't you?"

His answer was sincere. "You have no idea."

"Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea." Luke looked at her quizzically, Lorelai's voice dropping to a whisper as she continued. "Because I've got it bad for you too."

Luke smiled, letting out a small chuckle as he spoke. "Well, then. I guess you do have a good idea then." He was about to lean over toward Lorelai to kiss her when the voice from the door interrupted them. They both turned to see a rather attractive blonde in a form-fitting red sundress looking directly at them.

"Excuse me? But, are you Luke Danes?"

Lorelai and Luke exchanged a confused glance before turning back to the woman now walking toward them, Luke answering her question.

"That's right. And you are?"

The blonde smiled upon hearing Luke's response, taking a moment to look him over. Lorelai began to feel a twinge of jealousy coursing through her being upon seeing the stranger looking at Luke intently. "Oh, I'm sorry. My name's Madison Gentry. And I'm sorry to hear about your girlfriend."

Lorelai chimed in, her twinge growing ever so slightly with every passing moment. "What's that about his girlfriend?"

Madison didn't look at Lorelai, instead keeping her gaze on Luke as she replied. "Patty and Babette told me the whole story. How she left you to pursue some job in Europe." She paused for a moment, sighing softly at Luke before continuing. "And, let me tell you, whoever this woman was to leave a man like you has got to be an idiot. Wouldn't you agree?"

Lorelai nodded. Luke's eyes darted toward her, apologetic and confused at the same time. "No doubt. She'd have to be an idiot to dump a guy like you. Isn't that right, Luke?"

Luke was about to salvage the situation; however, he never got the chance, as Babette and Miss Patty burst back into the diner. Walking hurriedly toward Madison, each grabbed an arm before dragging her against her will out of the diner.

"Hey, what are you two doing?"

Miss Patty replied, her voice dry. "Come now, dear. Can't you see Luke's busy?"

Babette chimed in, apologizing profusely. "Sorry, sugars. Our mistake. Congratulations again."

Both Luke and Lorelai watched in silence as Madison was taken away by Babette and Miss Patty, before Lorelai turned to Luke, a faux grimace on her face. Luke defended himself even though he didn't have to.

"Hey, you can't blame me for that."

"For what? Two-timing on me while I was gone?"

"What? Lorelai, I've never seen that woman until today, and you know that!"

"Do I, Luke? Do I?"

Luke sighed heavily, admitting defeat. "I'm going in the back. You need more tea, ask Caesar."

Lorelai quickly grabbed Luke's forearm, pulling him back to her, her voice apologetic. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. I know you'd never look at another woman."

"And why's that?"

"Because of that horoscope you still carry around in your wallet, even though it already did its job of helping you get lucky with me on our first date."

"What can I say? I guess I'm just a sentimental sap." Both shared a small smile before Luke continued. "I'll be right back with another cup of tea, okay?" Luke attempted to walk away once more, but found it impossible since Lorelai's hand was still encircled around his arm. "Lorelai?"

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

Lorelai smiled brightly as she spoke. "Close your eyes and hold your hand out."

"Why?"

"Well, if I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

"Oh, there's a surprise now?"

"Luke."

He shook his head slightly, closing his eyes while holding his hand out as per Lorelai's request. "I swear to God, Lorelai. If this is your joy buzzer gag, I'm going to be a very unhappy…" He felt something small and cold fall into the palm of his hand, followed immediately by Lorelai's voice.

"Okay, open."

Luke complied, opening his eyes to see the object Lorelai had placed in his hand. His voice was tremulous as he spoke. "What…what's this?"

"It's a key."

"Yes, I know it's a key. But…I mean…is this your key?"

Lorelai shook her head, still smiling. "No, babe. It's your key."

"My…" Luke closed his hand around the small copper key, looking intently at Lorelai as he spoke. "Are you asking me what I think you're asking me?"

"I dunno. What do you think I'm asking you?"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were asking me to move in with you."

"Well…" Lorelai stood up from her stool, wrapping her arms around his neck before continuing. "I thought since we're doing this whole 'marriage' thing, we should at least know what it's like to live together for extended periods of time, so as to avoid any surprises post honeymoon video."

"You meant honeymoon, right?" Her response was an exaggerated wink, Luke groaning softly before returning his gaze to the key in his hand. "So, you're sure about this, right?"

"I'm wearing the ring, aren't I?"

Luke laughed awkwardly, Lorelai smiling at his tenderness. "Okay then. Yes."

"Yes?"

Luke smiled at Lorelai, pulling out his keys from his pocket before adding Lorelai's key to his own. "Yes." He was about to pull her into a kiss, but Lorelai disengaged her arms from around his neck before walking toward the door, leaving Luke in a state of puzzlement. "Hey, where are you going?"

Lorelai quickly turned back to him, her smile still glorious. "Out to my jeep."

"And why exactly are you going out to your jeep?"

"Because the boxes are in there."

Luke nodded his head slightly, wondering to himself why he didn't see this coming. "'Because the boxes are in there.' Of course." Lorelai grinned at Luke, starting to turn back to the door before Luke's voice stopped her once more. "Lorelai?"

"Yeah?"

"Just pack the necessities for now, okay? I'll get the rest over the weekend."

Lorelai laughed softly as she made her way out of the diner. "So, everything in your refrigerator then?"

Luke rolled his eyes before returning his gaze to Lorelai walking toward her jeep. Just two days ago, he wasn't sure if she was ever going to come back. And now, he wasn't just engaged to Lorelai, but he was moving in with her. Funny how a person's world could change in a couple of days.

---

Upon walking into the house, Richard Gilmore was greeted by the maid who graciously took his coat and briefcase, Richard nodding kindly. "Thank you, Doris. Is Mrs. Gilmore in the living room?"

"No, Mr. Gilmore. She's out in the patio."

"Very well, then."

The maid nodded slightly as she spoke. "Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes."

"Very good." With that, Doris made her way to Richard's study to deposit his coat and briefcase, with Richard moving in the opposite direction toward the patio to greet his wife. However, upon walking out onto the patio, he could feel that something was wrong. The fact that she hadn't turned around to greet whomever was stepping out onto the patio coupled with the martini she was nursing led him to believe that something was indeed wrong. "Emily, is everything all right?"

She never turned around, instead taking a sip before replying. "She's getting married."

"Who's getting married?"

Emily's voice remained neutral as she finally turned around to face her husband. "Lorelai."

Richard's voice betrayed him, the surprise evident as he responded to the news. "Lorelai? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, Richard. She called me earlier today and told me herself."

Emily finished her drink, reaching to the pitcher to pour another one. Richard could obviously see that Emily was hurt over something. And knowing his daughter, it was most likely the fact that Emily was the last one to know about her daughter's engagement, presumably to Luke.

"And you're upset because Lorelai waited to tell you?"

Emily shook her head, taking a sip from her new martini before answering. "No, Richard. I was the first person she told. And, from the sound of her voice, I could tell that she was telling the truth."

"Then I don't see the problem."

"You don't see the problem?"

Richard shook his head slightly, beginning to pour himself a drink. "I honestly don't. She's been with Luke for almost a year and their history dates back well before that. It was only a matter of time before this happened. Besides, this is Lorelai we're talking about. If she couldn't make it work with Christopher or Max, I highly doubt she'll have any more luck with Luke."

"Luck has nothing to do with this."

"Oh, and why's that, Emily?"

Emily's voice finally shifted from neutral, her emotions becoming apparent with every word spoken. "Because this is different."

"I'm not following you, Emily. How is this any different than…" He never got the chance to finish his question, Emily answering it anyway.

"Because she's in love with him!"

"Emily! Calm yourself."

"No, Richard! I will not calm myself. Can't you see Lorelai's about to throw her whole life away for this greasy spoon owner! I cannot stand idly by and watch her do this. I won't."

Richard sighed softly, taking a sip from his martini before speaking. "Emily, perhaps this isn't the best time to intervene in Lorelai's life. After all, we are already on strained terms as it is."

"And whose fault is that, Richard?"

"What are you getting at?"

"You ambushed me as much as you did Lorelai when you decided that Rory would drop out of Yale."

"Rory did not drop out of Yale! She's just…"

"Yes, I know, Richard. She's taking a 'sabbatical'," Emily spat at Richard, the frustration evident in her voice. "Just like she's under our care even though she's clearly not."

"Emily…"

"Do you know how degrading it is to find out from a maid that your only granddaughter's not in the pool house, but instead is spending a month in New York, presumably with your blessing?"

"Well, I just thought that…"

"And not only is she in New York, but she's with Logan Huntzberger, living with him, even though we promised Lorelai that this wouldn't happen!"

"Emily!" He was expecting another barrage from his wife, so it genuinely surprised him when she simply walked past him and toward the coat rack. "Where do you think you're going?"

She never turned back as she grabbed her coat, opening the door to the driveway. "I may not have a say in Rory's life in this house, but I sure as hell still have a say in who my daughter's going to marry!"

Richard, not knowing what else to do, followed after his wife, unsure of the aftermath that was undoubtedly about to occur for his daughter.

---

Luke was about to knock on the door, but remembered the new key recently affixed to his key chain. He reached into his pocket and fished out said keys. He thumbed through the keys, the thought that he might have one too many on the chain going through his mind until he came across the small copper key.

To a person on the street, the key looked like just another key. No distinguishing marks. Even the color seemed painfully normal, the copper a dull hue under the porch light. Still, Luke recognized the significance of the key now between his thumb and forefinger. While others would view it as just another key, Luke knew the truth.

She had been engaged to Max. She had been with Jason for a significant portion of time. But neither had been where Luke was standing at this very moment. Holding the key to Lorelai's house. His own personal copy. His key.

And the thought made Luke smile.

His key.

He slowly shook his head, the smile refusing to leave his face as he slid the key into the lock, turning the mechanism. And, once the key turned all the way, the sound of the lock sliding away from the doorjamb, Luke pulled the key out of the lock before placing the key chain back into his pocket. Then, without any hesitation, he turned the doorknob, pushing the door open to his new place of residence.

While he had debated whether or not to bring anything else over tonight, given the fact that Lorelai had done a pretty admirable job of packing most of his necessities earlier in the day, he was glad at the moment he had decided against bringing his dishes over. Mainly because Lorelai was waiting on the other side of the door, startling him to the point that he would have certainly dropped the box that his dishes would have theoretically been housed in. Dishes that would have formerly been dishes once they hit the floor.

Luke took a step back, Lorelai grinning slightly as he spoke.

"Geez. How long have you been standing there?"

Her answer was glib, to say the least. "Ever since I came home. I didn't want to miss this moment."

Both shared a small smile as well as a comfortable silence before Luke finally spoke, his voice tender.

"Hey."

Lorelai's voice matched his tone as she began to move closer to him. "Hey."

"So, the key works."

"Glad to hear it."

His body relaxed as he felt Lorelai's arms wrap about his waist, his arms emulating her as they stood in the doorway. "I guess I should start unpacking my stuff then."

Lorelai subtly shook her head, arching her neck toward him as she replied. "Already done. You've got drawers, shelves, and, you ready for this one?" Luke nodded slightly, a small grin on his face. "You, my friend, have closet space."

"Really?"

"Really, really. And while some of my clothes and shoes are now homeless, I think it's a small price to pay. Don't you think?"

Luke leaned closer to Lorelai, their lips almost touching as he whispered tenderly, "Wow. You did all that for me?"

"You bet."

"I must be the luckiest guy in the world right about now."

Lorelai grinned softly, teasing him ever so slightly with her words. "Oh, you have no idea. It's not everyday I empty out my closet for a guy."

Luke nodded slightly, a small smile gracing his lips as he spoke. "So, you wanna show me these shelves and drawers and closet space?"

"In a minute. But first." Lorelai closed the remaining distance, her lips parting voluntarily for Luke, moaning softly into his mouth. She could feel his hands moving down the small of her back, eventually finding solace in her back pockets, pulling her closer to him. She shuddered upon feeling his muscular fingers tensing against the thin piece of denim preventing him from touching her skin.

She could have stayed in that position for the rest of her life, but that little thing called breathing prevented her from doing so. Lorelai felt slightly disappointed upon pulling away from their embrace. Both panted softly, Luke speaking in a husky voice.

"Was that my housewarming present?"

Lorelai smiled mischievously. "Oh, you haven't seen anything yet." Her hand fell onto his, gently squeezing as she began to guide him upstairs. "But first, your closet place, milord."

Luke groaned softly, returning Lorelai's mischievous smile with one of his own as she led him upstairs to her bedroom. He corrected himself as they continued up the stairs. Not her bedroom.

No, not her bedroom.

Their bedroom.

---

Luke sat on the corner of the bed, still amazed at the sight in front of him. He initially thought that Lorelai had been embellishing about unpacking his things. Instead, he had pictured boxes merely lying on the floor, flaps wide open with mounds of his belongings peeking out from the tops. However, he was greeted with exactly what Lorelai had promised.

His favorite outfits were hanging in the closet. His underwear was neatly folded and arranged in various drawers depending on whether they were undershirts, boxers, or socks. His shoes, all three pairs of them, were sitting next to Lorelai's shoe rack, possibly polished. He couldn't really tell, but they seemed shinier for some odd reason. And, to top it all off, he was even startled to see that Lorelai had made some space on her bookshelf for a few of his trophies.

So, it came as no surprise that he was currently situated on the corner of Lorelai's bed, mouth slightly agape at the transformation the room had undergone since he'd last been in here. It no longer felt as though he was just taking up space in Lorelai's room. Instead, it felt as though he was sharing a room with her. Which wasn't that far from the truth, when you really got down to it. There was rarely a night they spent apart, but to see the room in its current state, he couldn't help but think that this was indeed official.

He was living with Lorelai.

He felt the bed yield under him, stirred from his thoughts to see Lorelai sitting next to him, admiring the work she'd done.

"So, what do you think?"

"It's…wow." Lorelai smirked at the fact that she'd made Luke speechless. It was sure a rarity for her since he always seemed to have a comeback for her. Her body leaned against his, both still taking in the newly transformed room. Eventually, Luke managed to string together a coherent thought. "I can't believe you did this."

"Aw, it wasn't that hard. Besides, it gave me a reason to do some much needed spring cleaning."

"It's almost fall."

"So, I'm a little late." She could see Luke raising an eyebrow out of the corner of her eye. "Okay, so I'm a lot late. Doesn't dismiss the fact that I did a pretty good job moving most of your stuff in."

Luke finally looked over to Lorelai, the awe still evident in his eyes. "You did an amazing job. All that's missing is my dad's sign on the door."

"Oh, I knew I forgot something!" Luke was about to question her but instead watched her, a perplexed look on his face as she leaned over her side of the bed, eventually returning to her former position, holding a picture frame in her hands. "I know how much that sign meant to you, so I…"

"You took a picture of the door?"

She nodded slowly, her words sincere. "You know, so it wouldn't feel as though everything was changing at once. Which is kind of silly since you can always go upstairs when you're at the diner to see it. But when you're not there and want to see it, you can always look at the picture. Maybe put it on your nightstand, you know?"

Luke couldn't help the smile growing on his face as he leaned over to place a kiss on Lorelai's cheek. "I'll do that." He looked at the picture sitting in his palms once more before looking back to Lorelai. "So, since there's apparently nothing left to do until tomorrow, how about I go downstairs and make us some dinner while you get cleaned up."

Lorelai smiled a subtle smile, gently squeezing Luke's hand. "I'm really glad you're here."

Luke nodded, understanding the subtext hidden in her words. "I'm glad I'm here too."

Lorelai rested her head against his shoulder, her hand still on his as Luke looked down at the antique picture frame in his hands, his father's sign matted inside. He had expected moving in with Lorelai to be an intimidating experience. However, to his surprise, he found just the opposite to be true.

This wasn't frightening at all. In fact, he couldn't imagine anywhere else in the world he'd rather be right at this very minute.

---

"So, can I ask you a question?"

Lorelai playfully rubbed her stomach, feigning discomfort upon eating too much, as she spoke. "Sure you can, babe. I might not be able to answer, as I'm about to black out from an overdose of your delicious food. But I'll do my best to answer."

Luke didn't look back as he placed the dirty dishes in the sink, beginning to run water over them. "Is this going to be the norm from now on?"

"What is?"

"Me cooking and you washing the dishes."

He ventured a look back to Lorelai to see her face twisted in a faux grimace. "That your subtle way of telling me that those dishes in the sink are my responsibility?" He didn't respond, instead beginning to lather up the nearby sponge with dishwasher liquid. However, he knew he'd gotten his message across when he heard Lorelai's chair scrape against the tile, her padded steps eventually reaching him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her body against his back, her head resting near the nape of his neck. "I'll cook, but I don't think you'll like it. First of all, it's not entirely healthy since most of the food I cook either has the word 'instant' or 'microwaveable' on it. Then, there's the fact that I cook with coffee."

Luke chuckled softly, turning off the faucet before opening up the dishwasher. "You do not."

"How do you know? Ever wonder why Rory's suspiciously short for her age?"

Luke shook his head slightly as he finished loading the dishwasher, closing it shut and starting the cycle as he began to towel his hands dry. "The sad thing is, you might be telling the truth." He tossed the towel onto the counter, managing to turn around in Lorelai's arms until he was facing her. "Fine, I'll cook. I'll even do the dishes when you come down with one of your stomachaches."

"But?"

"But what?"

Lorelai smirked at Luke, tilting her head slightly, a perplexed look on her face. "This is where you're supposed to demand something of me so we have some semblance of balance when it comes to cooking."

"No demand."

"No demand?"

Luke smiled softly, his hands falling on Lorelai's forearms, gently squeezing. "It's enough that I'm here with you like this. And that's good enough for me. So, no demand."

Lorelai returned Luke's smile, genuinely moved by his words. "God, you are the perfect man. We should get married right now, before you realize what you're getting yourself into."

"I know exactly what I'm getting myself into." He leaned forward, his forehead finding respite against hers. "And I'm exactly where I want to be."

Lorelai smiled at his words, moving her head slightly so she could trail kisses against the side of his neck. "Luke?"

She could hear him chuckling softly at her ministrations, speaking breathily. "Yeah?"

"You would have asked me, right?" This time Luke was the one to pull away, his eyes questioning as she continued. "I mean, if I didn't ask you that night, you would have…"

His puzzlement quickly vanished, replaced with understanding. "Yeah, I would have asked. In fact…" Lorelai waited for him to finish his thought, but instead, Luke looked away from her, his gaze now fixed on the floor. Concerned about this sudden shift in behavior, Lorelai probed delicately.

"What is it?"

He shook his head slightly, still refusing to look at her. Unfortunately, Lorelai's fingertips at the base of his chin denied him solace as she moved his gaze to her, concern evident in her eyes. "Hey, what's wrong, babe?"

Luke remained silent for a moment, seeing the worry in his fiancée's eyes over something that she didn't have to worry about. He was here with her. That was all that mattered. "I was going to ask you once I was sure I was getting the Twickham House."

He looked at her, gauging her facial expressions, until he was certain that she understood the scope of his words. Lorelai's eyes widened, her voice soft as she recited words spoken to her before her trip to Europe. "'What about the kids?' Luke, you were going to buy a house for us. For our kids."

Luke nodded slowly, his voice gentle. "Yeah. I know I should have told you, but after that afternoon with the gift basket at the inn, I started thinking that what you wanted might not be what I wanted, so I withdrew my bid on the house."

"You what?"

"Look, Lorelai. It's okay, really."

"It's not okay. You loved that house."

"Yeah, but there's something I love even more than old man Twickham's house." Lorelai looked at him quizzically, her brow furrowed as Luke continued. "You."

"Luke."

His hands ultimately found hers, gently encircling them between their bodies. "Lorelai, in the end, it's just a house. It was a place for us to start new memories, but now that I've had a couple months to think about it, given the fact that Kirk won't allow me to forget that he ended up with it." Lorelai's mouth turned down into a sympathetic frown as she remembered Kirk gloating as he held the dance marathon trophy over his head. "And in the end, I realized you can start memories anywhere." Lorelai nodded agreement, even though she still felt somewhat guilty for being the reason Luke had given up on the house. "Besides, we've got some good memories here. Like walking you home after Liz and T. J.'s wedding."

"Or you picking me up for our first official date."

"You putting a Barbie bandage on my cut."

"You making that chuppah for me."

"Then there was that make-up kiss at the front door."

Lorelai smiled, remembering Luke gathering her up in his arms before his lips hungrily crashed against her, Lorelai somehow managing to close the door behind them while still kissing him as fervently as he was her. "That was some kiss."

Luke returned Lorelai's smile, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "Look, all I'm saying is, it's not where you live that matters. It's who you're with that matters. And you've got all those memories with Rory. Who am I to take that away from you?"

Lorelai moved toward Luke, her arms wrapping around his neck as her head found solace in the crook of his neck. Luke instinctively hugged her back, both remaining in their embrace for a moment before Lorelai broke the silence. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

Luke smiled against Lorelai's shoulder, gently rubbing his hand against the small of her back. He didn't answer her question, simply because he knew she already knew the answer. Instead, he continued to hold her, taking comfort in the fact that even though Kirk and Lulu may be in the Twickham House, he couldn't imagine himself being happier than he was right now.

Unfortunately, the moment didn't last long once the knock emanated from the living room, snaking its way into the kitchen. They both looked at the other, Lorelai the first to put their query into words.

"I'm not expecting anyone. You?"

Luke shook his head. "I just got here. Not even the mailman knows I'm here."

"Well, then. I guess we better see who's at the door then." She could feel Luke's hands tense about her, smiling softly at the gesture. "Keep that thought, though. Okay?"

"Go and see who it is. I'll finish up in here."

Lorelai nodded slightly, reluctantly releasing her embrace before making her way into the living room. However, unbeknownst to Luke, he never saw as she stole a glance over her shoulder, the smile on her face a brilliant one. A joyous one.

---

The knocking seemed to come more quickly the closer Lorelai got to the door, this observation making her rethink her initial thought of opening it. However, whomever was punishing the door would deduce that she was home, what with the lights on and pouring outside through the windows.

Times like this, she wished she had a peephole instead of the two distorted glass panes because she could only make out a large blur. That wasn't right. A large blur with a possible growth growing out of its side.

Lorelai sighed softly, disguising her discomfort with a playful tone.

"Sorry we couldn't answer the door, but if you'd like to leave a message after the beep, we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Beep!"

Unfortunately for Lorelai, the playfulness quickly left her once she heard the response on the other side of the door.

"Lorelai Gilmore, you open this door immediately!"

Still perplexed at the sound of her mother's voice, Lorelai opened the door to reveal not just her mother, but her father as well, standing on her front porch. "Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?"

Emily pushed past her daughter, Richard taking a moment to look toward Lorelai, an apologetic demeanor on his face, before following Emily inside. As Lorelai closed the door behind her, Emily answered Lorelai's previous query.

"We're here to stop you from making yet another mistake that'll inexorably end in tragedy."

Lorelai looked to her father but saw no answers forthcoming. So, she reluctantly turned back to her mother, still confused as to what was transpiring. "What are you talking about?"

"You can't marry Luke. I forbid it."

"You…" Lorelai couldn't believe what she was hearing. First her mother had nothing to say about her engagement to Luke, and now she was demanding that she not marry him? Only Emily Gilmore could make such a radical one-eighty in such a short amount of time. "You forbid me? You forbid me from marrying Luke?"

"That's right. I won't just stand helplessly by while you throw your life away over that man."

Richard knew that things would only get worse from here on in, so he attempted to diffuse the situation. "Now, Emily. Perhaps you're being a bit premature in your assessment. After all, Luke may be just a diner owner, but that doesn't mean that he'll hold her back from pursuing future endeavors concerning her career."

Lorelai couldn't help but look on in awe at her father. Yes, he was trying to keep things from escalating, but his callous words about Luke pushed her over the edge.

"'Just a diner owner?' God, Dad."

"Perhaps those weren't the best choice of words…"

"Don't apologize, Richard. He is just a diner owner. And a diner owner is not good enough for our daughter."

Lorelai could feel her anger growing, her mind flashing back to her parents' wedding renewal ceremony when she told her mother that they were done. And, right now, her anger now was nearing the verge of eclipsing that night.

"He's more than that. Did you know if it weren't for Luke, I wouldn't even have the Dragonfly right now?" She could see the befuddlement on both of their faces, continuing quickly to prevent them from interrupting her. "That's right. When everyone else abandoned me, Luke was the only one that helped me. He invested the money I desperately needed to finish the repairs to the inn."

"So because he paid you, you decide to sleep with him?"

"God, Mom! Why would you even say that? I'm with Luke because I want to be with him. I thought I made that abundantly clear the last time you tried to meddle in our lives."

"Oh, get a clue, Lorelai. The only reason you're with Luke is because you know we disapprove."

Richard attempted once more to bring the situation to more civil climes, "I haven't formed an opinion one way or another about Luke yet…"

"Oh, do be quiet, Richard. You know just as well as I do the only reason she's in a relationship with Luke is because we disapprove. It was the same with Christopher. It was the same with Jason. And you're honestly telling me that this time it's different, Lorelai? It's always the same story with you when it comes to relationships. The only reason you do so is to hurt us."

Lorelai's mouth dropped slightly open, startled by this revelation. She wanted to tell her mother that she was being overly dramatic, but there was a niggling part of her subconscious that agreed with Emily. With Christopher, it was more hormonal than anything else, thus resulting in Rory's inevitable, yet not regretful, conception. And then there was Jason. What had she been thinking when she started dating Jason?

Yes, she had enjoyed her time with him until the whole lawsuit fiasco, but it never felt…what? The word was on the tip of her tongue as she recollected her time with Jason, hiding their relationship from practically everyone. Her parents. The entirety of Stars Hollow. Luke.

Luke.

She finally realized the word that evaded her earlier.

Real.

Just being in Luke's arms for that brief moment that stretched out for an eternity when his lips fell desperately onto hers, Lorelai knew that this was different. Luke was her friend. Luke was her best friend. Luke was her constant.

And that was all before the kiss.

After the kiss, though she didn't realize it at the time, her life had irrevocably changed. Which was somewhat odd seeing as how the only difference in her relationship with Luke was the physical displays of their feelings for the other. But, the core relationship hadn't been altered. He was still Luke. No, that wasn't entirely right. There was one subtle change.

He was now her Luke.

Lorelai couldn't help but smile at the thought. She didn't know why she hadn't seen it sooner, but Luke had been right all those years ago. He knew, even back then that she'd get it. The whole package. And, in that moment, Lorelai knew that her mother was wrong.

"You're right."

It was now Emily's turn to be at a loss for words, barely managing to utter her query, "What?"

Lorelai's voice became more collected, taking solace in her epiphany. "You're right about Christopher and Jason. I think maybe there was a part of me that was attracted to them because of the reason you stated. But, I'm standing here with absolutely no doubt in my mind when I say you're wrong about Luke. I'm with Luke because I want to be with him. It has nothing to do with the two of you. It doesn't matter if you approve of him or don't. In fact, I don't care what you think about Luke. All you need to know is that I love him." Lorelai chuckled softly upon hearing her words and understanding what they truly meant. "God, a younger me would have cringed at the fact that I was saying stuff like this, but you know what? I'm not the same person. I love him. I adore him. And I'm thankful for the fact that he hasn't seen yet that I'm not worthy of him. There are so many other women better than me out there, but for some inexplicable reason, he chose me. And I'm going to show him that he didn't make the wrong choice. I'm going to prove to him that I'm worthy of his affection. I'm going to marry him, because I can't picture my life without him in it."

The room remained silent for a moment, Richard and Emily dumbstruck by their daughter's revelation. In fact, the only reason any of them moved was because of the sound coming from the kitchen, Lorelai turning to see Luke standing in the archway, a tender smile on his face. As he began to walk toward her, Lorelai could hear the timidity in her voice, feeling self-conscious since she wasn't sure just how much Luke had heard of her diatribe.

"Luke, how long…?"

"Long enough." He dropped a small kiss on Lorelai's cheek before turning his attention to the remaining Gilmores in the room. "Richard, Emily, I think it'd be best if you left now. Lorelai hasn't been feeling well lately, and you two attacking her like this won't do her any good."

Richard turned to Lorelai, concern gracing his face upon hearing of his daughter's health. Emily on the other hand was still mulling over Luke's words, if you could call it that.

"Who are you to tell us to leave? This isn't your house. You don't live here."

Luke was about to speak, but Lorelai beat him to the punch, stepping in between him and his parents. "Why is it that the only one looking out for my well-being is the person that isn't related to me by blood? Mom, you need to leave. Now."

Emily glanced from Lorelai to Luke and back to Lorelai, the pieces finally falling into place. "Oh my God, you're living with him!"

"Yes, Mother! I'd explain the reasons why but seeing as how my whole 'I love Luke' speech went completely in one ear and out the other, I don't see what good it'd do right about now."

For the first time that night, Richard finally came to his wife's defense, forgetting the reason why he had followed her over to Lorelai's in the first place. To prevent this exact scenario from playing out. "Lorelai, don't you use that tone of voice with your mother." He didn't wait for Lorelai to respond, instead turning his attention immediately over Lorelai's shoulder toward Luke. "And, as for you. I never formed an opinion about you one way or the other, but Emily is absolutely right. You don't have any right to speak to her that way. This is a family matter, so if you'd be so kind as to excuse yourself…"

"Not a chance." Luke could feel his anger building even though he promised himself that he'd try and be civil for Lorelai's sake. Unfortunately, he was beginning to fail. "The last time I messed up by letting Emily get between me and Lorelai. There's not a chance in hell I'm going to let that happen again." His hand gently rested on Lorelai's shoulder as he stepped past her, this time putting his body between her and her parents, his words intended for Emily. "You may have made me doubt Lorelai once, but never again. And, yeah, it does hurt knowing that you think I'm not good enough for her, but as long as Lorelai'll have me, I'm not going anywhere."

"Why you sanctimonious, arrogant…" Unfortunately for Emily, she never got the chance to tell Luke what she really thought of him, her attention instead being drawn past Luke. Luke himself realized that something was wrong once he saw Richard's expression, Luke looking over his shoulder to see Lorelai doubled over, her hand clutching her stomach, the other the arm of the couch. Unlike her parents, Luke didn't merely look on. Instead, he moved quickly to her, worry lacing his words.

"Lorelai, what's wrong?"

She looked up slowly at him, a small smile on her face. However, her voice betrayed her as she spoke. "I don't feel so good."

He never hesitated. In one quick motion, Lorelai was in his arms, grimacing slightly before finding respite in his embrace. "Hold on. Everything's going to be just fine, you hear me?" Unfortunately, Luke hadn't expected Lorelai's father to get between him and the front door.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"What's it look like? I'm taking her to the hospital."

"No, you're not. You put her down right this second. You might be making things worse by moving her!" He could feel Emily tugging on his jacket sleeve, but continued on nonetheless. "You've no right to…"

"That ring on Lorelai's finger gives me every right to do what's best for her. And if that means moving you so I can take her to the hospital, then so be it." Luke glanced down at Lorelai to see her still grimacing through tightly shut eyes before looking back toward Richard, unwavering resolve in his voice. "So, what's it going to be?"

Richard was about to tell Luke where he could shove his bravado, but another tug at his sleeve coupled with Emily's wavering voice stopped him from doing otherwise.

"Get out of the way, Richard." He had only seen that look on her face once before. And that was the night when they had discovered that Lorelai had made the decision to raise Rory by herself. That same fear was now doubled as her eyes began to water. He hadn't been able to appease her fear that night, but he could right at this very moment.

As Richard moved to the side, Luke and Emily exchanged glances before Luke walked out into the front yard with Lorelai gathered in his arms. Then, without speaking a word, Richard's hand gently pressed against the small of Emily's back as he led her out of the house and to the car to follow Luke to the hospital.

---

Emily couldn't stop fidgeting with her hands as she sat in the sterile hallway in the purple padded chair that felt more plastic than anything. She glanced over at Richard to see him leaning back in his seat, looking out at nothing in particular. Then, without realizing it, she turned toward Luke to see him in the same position he had been in since they first got here, since Lorelai had been taken behind the doors that only doctors, nurses, and whomever else had an employee tag were allowed to go through. Luke remained hunched over, his hands slowly turning the worn blue baseball cap about. Emily didn't know why, but for some reason he looked at the baseball cap the same way he did at Lorelai when the orderlies took her away from him. As though he were looking at the most precious thing in the world.

Emily turned her attention back to her own hands, gripping them tightly to stop them from shaking as she thought to herself, how did she end up here? She remembered vividly the night that Richard had been behind those very doors, her anxiousness overpowering the sensation of helplessness. In fact, it wasn't until Luke commented on the tie in her hands that the reality of the situation began to sink in.

Even back then she knew that there was something between her daughter and the man who had recounted to her how he'd kept his father's things as a memoriam when he converted his business into a diner. Even if they didn't know it themselves, Emily had known. Just the way Lorelai would always mention Luke, even when she was in a relationship with someone else, she knew that her daughter had feelings for him. Just as he had for her.

She glanced back at Luke and suddenly realized why she suddenly felt helpless. She was helpless because Luke was helpless. Unlike the last time where she had the support of Lorelai and Rory and yes, even Luke, now there was no such support. Richard was lost in thought, while Rory was miles away with Logan. Which left Lorelai and Luke, the former behind those damn doors, while the latter continued to turn the baseball cap about in his hands.

Emily sighed softly upon realizing just how right Lorelai was. Just looking at Luke, she could tell that he loved her daughter. She had never seen that look on Christopher's face, and he was Rory's biological father. Perhaps all of her snide remarks over the years had been merely subconscious recognition of the bond that Lorelai and Luke shared. Even before they were a couple, Luke was an integral part of her life. So, why was it so hard to accept it now? Because of his breeding?

She recalled the night when Rory had told her that the Huntzbergers had thought her too common to be in a relationship with Logan, and Emily was repulsed at the notion. But, really, wasn't she just doing the same thing to Luke?

The double doors swinging open interrupted Emily's train of thought, all three turning immediately to see a doctor approaching them. Almost in unison, all three rose from their seats as though they were about to recite the Pledge of Allegiance on opening day at Fenway. When the doctor stopped in front of them, Emily finally spoke, the urgency in her voice evident.

"How is she? Is my daughter okay?"

The doctor nodded, a gentle smile gracing his countenance. "She's perfectly healthy. But, before I go any further," he turned toward Luke as he continued. "You're the fiancé?"

"Um, yeah. That's right."

The doctor nodded his head toward the double doors as he spoke. "She'd like to see you. Room forty-two on the right."

As Luke began to process the doctor's words, Richard chimed in, clearly frustrated. "Now, wait a minute. Lorelai is our daughter. If anyone's going in there to see her, it's going to be…"

"It's okay, Richard." Both Richard and Luke turned to Emily, both slightly perplexed by Emily's response. "You go, Luke. We'll be waiting in the meanwhile."

Luke nodded hesitantly as he spoke. "Thank you, Emily." With that, he disappeared through the wooden double doors, the doctor returning his attention to the elder Gilmores.

"Now, as for your daughter's condition…"

---

He didn't know why he knocked on the door, and immediately chided himself for doing so. However, once he pushed the door open to see Lorelai with a smile on her face, all the worry of the previous few hours dissipated almost instantaneously.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Luke walked over to the bed, beginning to pull a chair up to the side until Lorelai patted on the mattress for him to sit. Obliging her, he sat carefully before looking her over. "So, you okay?"

"I'm okay." Lorelai's hand gently encircled Luke's, Luke lacing his fingers against hers as she continued. "Mom and Dad still here?"

"Yeah, they're with the doctor right now. So, you gonna tell me what's up, or am I going to have to guess?"

"Hmm, a game of twenty questions is rather appealing, now that you mention it."

His voice was sardonic, the tone all too familiar to her. "Lorelai."

"You're no fun."

"Tell me something new. So?"

Lorelai shifted her body closer to Luke, her voice dropping slightly as she squeezed his hand tighter. "You remember that night after I asked you to marry me?"

"Yeah."

"Remember how we got a little tipsy?"

Luke chuckled softly. "Not the word I'd use. Plastered, maybe. But not tipsy."

"Regardless, remember what happened next?" Luke nodded. Lorelai could see that he wasn't exactly following her around the bend. "Now, put that together with the fact that I haven't been caffeine's best friend lately and…"

She never got a chance to finish her thought. "Oh, my God, you're pregnant. That's it, isn't it?"

Lorelai nodded, her smile growing slightly upon hearing the excitement in Luke's voice. "I took a pregnancy test in Europe, but when it came back negative, I just thought I was tired. Guess I should have read the fine print where it says it's only ninety-nine point nine, nine, nine…"

"I get the picture. So, why did you double over in pain then? Is the baby okay?"

"The baby's fine, Luke. It was just my fatigue coupled with the stress of confronting my parents that made me a little woozy. That's all. Really."

"So, the baby's fine then?"

Lorelai grinned mischievously, her voice a whisper. "The baby's fine. Both of them."

"Both of…?" The weight of her words finally sunk in, Luke responding the only way he knew how. He leaned over to her and kissed her, Lorelai reciprocating in kind. Upon breaking the kiss, Luke smiled at his wife-to-be before worry began to seep into his voice. "I have to build a nursery. The hardware stores in Hartford are probably closed by now, but I can probably call Tom. He should be able to sell me some of his surplus lumber…"

Lorelai pulled him down to her, both sharing another kiss before speaking once more. "The nursery can wait. So, you're okay with this? About being a dad?"

Luke nodded slightly, the smile beginning to wane. "I'm terrified and excited all at the same time. Does that make sense?"

Lorelai smiled lovingly at Luke, already realizing the answer. "Funny enough. Yeah. That makes complete sense."

As the two shared another kiss, they were oblivious to the fact that Emily and Richard had been watching them the whole while through the glass partition in the door. Both stepped back, never turning their gaze away from their daughter and the man she had fallen for.

"You realize what this means, Emily."

She nodded slightly. "Our daughter's going to get married."

"You know, Luke doesn't seem to be such a bad guy. After all, he did invest in Lorelai's inn. Shows smart business sense."

Emily didn't respond, instead continuing to look at Lorelai in Luke's arms. And, for the first time in a long time, she finally saw something she never thought she'd see again.

Her daughter in love with the man of her dreams.

Fin