"Have I told you how happy I am that we're back to us?" She finally was able to put more than one word together.
He smiled, words failing him.
But she looked serious, like she needed to hear more.
"When you came back into the diner, I suspected...and when we kissed the night of Rory's party, I knew."
She smiled. "Thank you, Luke."
"I should be thanking you. This was...you are...wonderful."
"No," she laughed, and no sound ever sounded as sweet to him. "Not for the sex--though it was great. Great reunion sex. Fabulous third first-time sex." She took his hand and placed a soft kiss in the palm. "But you were there for me when I finally got my act together."
He was quiet for a minute, and Lorelai was worried that she'd said the wrong thing. He placed a reassuring kiss on her shoulder. She babbled on, true to form. "I mean, you could have dated some other crazy woman and gotten married too and had kids or...moved off to New Mexico or called me a crazy woman and never talked to me again..."
In the past, he'd have shut her up with a kiss on the mouth.
Tonight, he let her go on.
When she finally regained her breath, he tried to reassure her. "Not waiting for you, that was never an option."
"But I hurt you. A lot. More than I've ever hurt anyone, and I didn't give you a chance. I ruined our second time."
"Yes," he quietly acknowledged.
"And it was such a petty thing to do. You didn't hurt me on purpose."
"What's done is done." He waited a moment, then added, "Hay bale apologies. Let's agree that those are enough?"
She nodded, smiled and cuddled against him for a few long moments, tracing shapes on his back.
"Luke?" She was the first to break this latest silence. Big surprise.
He responded, sleepily, "Uh huh?"
"Would...would kids still be nice?"
Before he could answer, she continued. "I mean, there are so many reasons for us to not have a kid. You have April and Rory's all done and grown. And who wants to get all big again? Plus you'd probably make my life a living hell and make me eat tofu and vegetables and fruit--though I do like apples when I'm pregnant...Did you know that? And oh, the diapers! Do you know how many diapers are needed for one kid? Well, let me tell you, Sookie knows. And..."
He laughed, then answered, "Kids would be nice." He kissed her again. "But not necessary."
"True," she said. "But..."
"But?" Luke prompted.
"I love you, Luke..."
"Nothing makes me happier than knowing you are happy. And if having our child will make you happy..."
She whispered something. He couldn't quite hear her, so he asked her to repeat it.
"Our child..." she said with wonder, "You said 'our' child."
"I meant what I said the night you proposed..."
"But?"
"But we have a ways to go..." But he hastened to add, "But I promise you, that if you want to have a baby, I'll be there, all in, Lorelai." He propped himself up on an elbow. "You really want this, don't you?"
"You have no idea how much, Luke. And now that I've seen how you are with April, and with Doula..." She giggled. "God, Luke, how could you let them give her that name?"
"Well...I tried..." Luke chuckled, as he settled back on the bed and held Lorelai close to him.
As their bodies settled into drowsiness, he drew her even closer to him, her head in the crook of his neck and a hand protectively over her heart.
"Luke?"
"Hmmm?"
"I took six weeks off from the Inn."
"Uh huh."
"To go on my trip with Rory..."
"And now she's gone..." he sympathized.
"Would be a shame to waste it."
He continued to listen.
"Especially since you planned to take your new boat out..."
Realization dawned on him, but he let her play her game.
"I like boats."
"I thought you had a Titanic complex..."
"I do. Like boats."
"You do?"
"Yeah."
"Since when?"
"You still have my cute yellow boots?"
"Maybe."
"Would be a shame to waste a new boat, cute boots, and all that time off."
"You've got a point there."
"Please, Luke, please?" she wheedled.
"Damn it woman, haven't you had enough tonight?"
"Luke!"
He finally relented, chuckling. "You want to go on a boat trip."
"With you, Einstein."
"I don't know. Seems you'd have a helluva a lot of baggage to bring on that boat."
"I'm traveling light these days."
"You sure about that? I mean, you want a baby and a boat trip..."
"I finally know what I want, Luke," she assured him.
"Well then. Let's talk about it tomorrow." He placed a kiss on her head. "Make some plans."
The last words he heard as he drifted off to sleep were, "Talk. Tomorrow."
Oh, she would talk, alright.
And he would love every word.
Because her silence was no longer an option.
The early morning found them still together in Luke's bed, wrapped in his orange plaid sheets. With his sleeping Lorelai nestled against his chest, Luke rhythmically stroked her hair as the late morning light filtered into his apartment. It was the perfect day to plan a boat trip.