Summary & a/n - It's Rory's 21st birthday and Luke doesn't know what to get her. I took the necklace idea from the episode "Twenty-One is the Loneliest Number". Other than that it's mostly AU. Oneshot.
Just some good ol' fluff 'cause that's all I can seem to write lately.

Disclaimer - Are you serious?

The Velvet Box

Luke tensed as he entered the mall. He hated malls. So many people everywhere, buying expensive things that they don't need. Stupid malls promoting materialism. But he was here, and it was because of her. Rory. She was turning 21 this week, and he wanted to get her something special. She was like a daughter to him. He had known her since she was five years old and crashed her bike outside of his diner. He couldn't believe how fast she had grown up. It seemed like just last week she was asking him if he would come to her caterpillar's funeral.

He looked around at the different shops. Hmm, a bookstore. I could always get her a book. She loves books. Nah, too impersonal. Same with cd's or movies. Hmm, clothes are out too. I would have no idea what to get there.

Luke sighed as he continued his trek through the mall. Everything was either too impersonal or stuff she wouldn't like or just not good enough. She was a student at Yale; she deserved something special.

A few hours later he exited the mall empty-handed. He went back to his apartment and started cleaning. He always cleaned when he was frustrated. He was putting some things away in the closet when he noticed a box on the top shelf. He pulled it down and sat on the couch. He hadn't looked in it in ages. He wiped some dust off the lid and then slowly opened it.

As he looked inside, the memories came flooding back to him. Inside the box was everything he had that belonged to his mother or reminded him of her. He and his mother had been very close. So, it had been very hard on him when she died. He had only been 16 at the time. He couldn't believe it had been so long ago.

As he slowly sifted through the various items, he noticed a small velvet box. Inside was a beautiful necklace. He remembered the day his mother gave it to him. It wasn't too long before she died.

Flashback

Luke walked into his house after school.

"I'm home!" he shouted. He went to the kitchen to get some water and then walked to the living room. No one was there.

"Mom?" he called. He didn't get a reply. He walked up the stairs and knocked on his parents' door.

"Mom?" he called again, softly.

"Come in," she said. He slowly opened the door. He saw his mom sitting on the bed surrounded by clothes, jewelry and other accessories. She looked like she had been crying.

"What are you doing," he asked.

"Just going through some things," she replied.

He knew she was doing more than just that. He knew she was deciding what to do with her things. She didn't have much time left.

"Is Liz home?" she asked.

"No, I'm not sure where she is. I didn't see her after school."

"Oh," she said sadly.

His sister Liz was a few years younger than he. She was currently going through a rebellious stage, and he knew it was breaking their mother's heart.

"Do you want any help?" he asked as he watched her fold a scarf.

"No, that's okay," she said, "You don't need to help. You can go hang out with your friends or something."

He walked closer to the bed.

"I want to help," he said. She looked up at him. She saw his want, his need, to do…something, anything.

"Ok," she said with a slight smile, "Hand me that box." She pointed to a box in the corner. He picked it up and brought it over. She began putting various scarves, clothes, and jewelry into it. Then she grabbed a marker and wrote "Lizzie" on it.

About a half hour later they had finished.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome," he said and slowly turned and walked towards the door.

"Lucas," she called after him. He stopped and turned around. "One more thing."

He walked back over to her. She was standing in front of her dresser. She opened a drawer and pulled out a small velvet box. She opened it and showed it to him. He saw his mother smile a little as she looked at it. She was remembering something.

"This was my mother's and before that, it was her mother's," she started. There was a pause accompanied by another smile. "I'm giving it to you, and I want you to give it to your daughter someday." He looked at the necklace.

"How come you're not giving it to Liz?" he asked. She looked down. He knew why. He reached out and took the box from her. She looked up at him.

"If I ever have a daughter," he said, "I'll give it to her."

She smiled, and he couldn't help but smile too. He turned to leave the room but stopped when he got to the door. He turned around.

"Mom?" he said.

She turned to look at him.

"I love you," he said, his voice wavering a little. She smiled.

"I love you too," she said as she held back tears. He smiled and then turned and left the room.

End Flashback

Luke tried not to cry as he remembered, but he couldn't stop one lone tear from escaping. He knew what he was going to give Rory.

Friday was the night of Rory's birthday party. Her actual birthday wasn't until Saturday, but she and her mom had plans to go to Atlantic City on her birthday. Luke was starting to get nervous.

What if she doesn't like the necklace? Was it too much? What if she doesn't think of him as a father like he thinks of her as a daughter?

He shook off those thoughts and continued getting ready to leave. The party was going to be at Rory's mother's house. Her mother was orchestrating it, which meant it was going to be crazy. Not exactly his scene, but Rory invited him so he was going to go. He put the small velvet box in his pocket and headed out.

When he got there, the party was in full swing. It seemed like the entire town was there. He walked up the porch steps and opened the door. There was some music blaring that he couldn't identify.

"Hi, Luke!" a short, plump, redheaded woman shouted as she ran by.

"Hey, Sookie," he called after her. Luke made his way toward the living room. Rory was sitting in a big comfy chair on the other side of the room. Luke stood in the back and listened as everyone reminisced and told stories about Rory when she was little. Rory looked around and smiled when she saw Luke. He smiled back.

"Presents!" Lorelai, Rory's mother, shouted. Rory was immediately bombarded with gifts.

A few hours later the party was winding down. All the presents had been opened, and everyone was stuffed from Sookie's amazing cooking. Rory was saying goodbye to the guests. Once everyone had left and Rory was back in the living room, Luke walked over to her.

"Hey, kiddo," he said with a smile.

"Hey, Luke!" she exclaimed and gave him a big hug. He was surprised for a moment but then hugged her back.

"Are you and your mom still going on that trip tomorrow?" he asked as they separated.

"Yeah, we leave right away in the morning," she replied.

"Lorelai was telling me about it; sounds like you guys are going to have a lot of fun," he said.

"Oh, yeah, we have been planning this trip for as long as I can remember," she said excitedly.

"I, uh, have something for you," Luke said as he pulled the small velvet box out of his pocket. He held it out to her.

She took it and slowly opened it. Inside was the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. The chain was made of small square rhinestones. On each end of the chain in the middle there was a five-petal, daisy-like flower. There was one half of a heart next to each flower and connecting the two halves was a round diamond. A wide u-shaped rod stretched across the bottom of the heart halves and the flowers. Hanging from the middle of the rod was a teardrop shaped rhinestone.

"Do you like it?" he asked nervously.

"It's beautiful Luke, I love it."

"It was my mom's. She, uh, she told me to give it to my daughter someday, and I just thought…" he trailed off nervously looking anywhere but at Rory. She practically leaped into his arms to give him a giant hug.

"I think so too," she whispered, tears glistening in her eyes. She pulled back and looked down at the necklace again.

"Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," he said.

"Oh! Another present?" Lorelai asked as she entered the room.

"Yeah," Rory said. She walked over to Lorelai and showed her the necklace, "It's from Luke."

"Wow," Lorelai said as she looked over at Luke. He was looking down at his feet.

"It's beautiful, very good taste. Is there something you're not telling us?" she joked. Luke rolled his eyes.

"It was his mom's. She wanted him to give it to his daughter some day," Rory said shyly.

"Aww, well he definitely gave it to the right girl," Lorelai said smiling at Luke.

"I'm going to go put this in my room," Rory said heading to her room with a huge grin still on her face.

"That was really sweet, Luke," Lorelai said, "I know that meant a lot to her, and you know, we do consider you a part of the family."

Luke looked over at her and smiled.

"Thanks," he said, "that means a lot to me."

"Alright enough of all that mushy stuff," Lorelai said as Rory came back from her room, "It's time to pack."

"You haven't packed yet?" Luke asked, "But you are leaving in the morning."

"We know," Lorelai and Rory said at the same time.

"That's why we need to get started," Lorelai said. Luke chuckled as Lorelai and Rory giggled and ran off to their rooms. He looked around at the disaster zone that was the living room and started to clean up the mess.

"Rory, have you seen my blue sweater?" Lorelai shouted from upstairs.

"Yeah, I borrowed it; I'll put it in my bag. Do you have my black strappy sandals?" she shouted back.

"Check!" Lorelai yelled. Luke shook his head and smiled as he continued to clean up the mess.

The End!

Did you like it? Did you hate it? Please review! You know you want to, all the other kids are doing it...