Little diversion while I'm writing the sequel to Small World (first chapter is up already, check out A Little Larger World) Hope you like.

Luke shut off the engine and opened his door. She jumped out of the truck and circled it to open the opposite door. Lorelai sat still, unaware of what was happening around her. Luke laid his hand on her shoulder and she jumped in shock.

"Lorelai" She turned to him and offered him a weak smile, hoping it would stop him from asking any questions. She should have known better. He didn't believe for a second that she was okay, he didn't believe for a second that she would get any sleep that night, he didn't believe she could go much longer without her daughter by her side. He reached over her and unbuckled her seatbelt. He took her hand and helped her out of the truck. He tucked his arm around her waist and then led her into the house. What worried Luke more was that she let him do it. She walked independently toward the bed sitting in the middle of the living room and sat down, letting her legs dangle over the edge. He walked to her and brushed her hair from her face. One of his favourite things to do was to run his fingers through her hair. He also knew it calmed her down when things were getting too much for her.

"You wanna just go to bed?" He asked her. She nodded silently. He the helped her lift her dress over her head and replace it with a flannel shirt and a pair of jogging bottoms. Luke pulled back the covers and Lorelai slipped inside. She curled up and turned away from Luke but he expected that. He practically ripped of the suit that Lorelai had somehow coerced him to wear and walked over to his side of the bed. As he slipped Lorelai turned over again but this time she inched backwards so that Luke could wrap his arms around her stomach. Their feet tangled at the end of the bed as they fitted together.

"Hey Lorelai?" He whispered into her ear.

"Hmm?" She mumbled back, letting her hand rest on top of his.

"What's the DAR?" Luke was anticipating a long tired sigh then the answer. Instead he got laughter. It started out with just a giggle but evolved into full blown hysterics. Luke put her body vibrate against his as she tried to breathe. Luke didn't understand why the DAR was so funny but he went along with it anyway. He was just glad it was laughing and not crying. This was the happiest he had seen her for weeks. She hadn't even this happy when they got engaged. "You gonna tell me what's so funny" He felt he shrug.

"Just life" She replied.

"Life?"

"What was I thinking?"

"Thinking about what?" Luke prompted, even after years of knowing Lorelai he still had trouble keeping up with her.

"Link sausages? Chocolate boxes? "Rory's"? My Mother knows we're engaged by the way, she saw the rock and we have no room for that dollhouse! Where the hell are we supposed to put it?"

"First, isn't your mother knowing about the engagement a good thing? And secondly we're adding on so we'll find a space, if not we can stick it into the attic until there is a place for it"

"You know what was worse?"

"What?"

"She fitted in"

"Who?"

"Rory, she fitted in. Whenever we were forced to one of my mom's extravagant parties we would look keep our eyes on the clock the whole time, so we could go as soon as possible, or we would hide up in my old bedroom. It just wasn't us, you know?"

"Yeah"

"Tonight she knew all the DAR members by name, rank and serial number, she talked to people like a pro, like my mother. She's got Rory well trained" Luke stayed silent, knowing it was good for Lorelai to get it all off her chest. "That would have been me. If I hadn't gotten pregnant, If I hadn't been a spoilt rotten-party all night-I'll do what I want-royal screw up"

"You didn't screw up"

"Luke?"

"Yeah"

"She's never gonna come back is she?"

"She will"

"How do you know?"

"I just do"

"But how?"

"You remember when you came into the diner that night, practically in tears over how you weren't ever going to get the full package? And I told you that you would get it someday"

"Yeah"

"Well I was right about that wasn't I? You've got a house, you've got your dog, you've got me"

"Gee, maybe you should change you name to Mystic Luke and travel around with Liz, TJ and a crystal ball" Luke laughed.

"You think?"

"You will meet a tall dark stranger!" She added in a creepy voice, making Luke laugh harder.

"Lets put a time limit on it"

"On what?" She asked.

"On Rory. If she doesn't come home, or make a move to come home in the next couple of weeks we go over to that damn mansion and drag her back by that pearl necklace I gave her" Lorelai turned over so she was facing Luke.

"You gave her a pearl necklace?" He nodded.

"It was my mom's"

"How did me and Rory get so lucky have you in our lives?"

"I could ask the same thing" He replied. Lorelai leant closer to him and gave him a goodnight kiss. She snuggled closer to Luke and sighed.

"Lorelai?"

"Hmm?" She mumbled, her eyes closed.

"What's the DAR?"