AN: Well, I decided to start posting this since I got such wonderful reviews for the final chapter of Third time's a charm. This is a sequel to that story, so you might want to read it first. A special thanks to Katie, for all her help with the first story and with this one! To everyone who reviewed!
I should probably issue a warning, too. I may not be able to update as frequently as I would like to. I work full time, and I study a university level English course over the Internet, so my days tend to get pretty busy... bear with me, I'll try to update as often as I can (reviews are, of course, good motivators!)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters... maybe if I ask Santa for them for Christmas...
1 – Whatever you say, Pinocchio
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear William, happy birthday to you!"
Everyone started clapping, Paul Anka barked from his position on the living room couch, and Lorelai gave William a kiss on the head.
"Blow out the candle baby!" She looked at the three layer chocolate cake that she had managed to convince Luke to let Sookie make for Will's first birthday. It looked heavenly and, this she knew because she had snuck into the kitchen last night, it tasted as good as it looked.
William didn't seem to understand the concept of blowing out a candle, because he reached for the cake, getting chocolate frosting on his hands.
"You have to blow out the candle first." Lorelai explained, but William only propped a finger in his mouth and licked the chocolate off.
"Why doesn't mommy blow out the candle?" Luke suggested.
"We'll do it together." Lorelai said. "OK, Will, on three. One... two... three!" She blew out the candle and William laughed excitedly, reaching for the cake again.
"Yes, now you can have it." Lorelai looked at Luke across the table. "Looks like your dream of a healthy child ends today." She winked at him.
"We'll see about that." He replied.
"Oh, we will." Lorelai agreed, cutting a piece of the cake and putting it in front of her son. "Here you go baby."
"Hasn't he started talking yet?" Emily asked from across the table.
"He's only one, mom." Lorelai reasoned.
"Well, all the books say that he should start saying simple words by now." Emily insisted.
"And if it's in the books, it must be true." Lorelai mumbled, quietly enough so Emily didn't hear her. Deciding to show William off a little, she lifted him up so he was facing her.
"Mama." William reached out and grabbed Lorelai's nose.
"Hey, I'll need that back." She looked horrified, and William opened his fist. "Thank you."
"Where's the birthday boy?" Rory's voice came from the foyer.
"Wowy!" William clapped his hands together.
"There's my Billy!" Rory took William from Lorelai's arms and swung him into the air.
"Tell me you are not seriously calling him that?" Emily asked, a disgusted look on her face.
"That's just Rory and April's name for their little brother." Luke assured her. "It will never leave this house, I'll make sure of that."
"Good." Emily gave Luke an appreciative look.
"So, does anybody else get cake, or is he going to eat it all?" Sookie joked.
"OK, plates this way." Luke instructed, and Lorelai smiled at him over the table.
It had been eight months since the weekend at the spa, and seven and a half months since Luke moved back into the Crap Shack. That day they had vowed to make it work this time, not only for William's sake, and so far things were going good. Really good.
Rory had graduated from Yale with flying colors in June. She had gotten an internship at the Hartford Courier and when Logan came home from London in July, they moved to an apartment in Hartford where Logan also got a job at the main office of his father's firm. Rory had been planning on going for her masters in the fall, but when the paper offered her a permanent position, she had accepted, and put the plans of going back to school on hold.
At Christmas, Logan had surprised her by taking her to the house that was now built on the land he had given her the year before. He had explained that he knew that she wanted to be closer to her mother and brother, and that they might as well live there now before she moved on to New York Times or Washington Post. They had moved in the day before New Years Eve, and Lorelai loved having her daughter close to her again.
They had started planning the wedding, which would take place at the inn on June ninth, and the preparations were coming along nicely.
Emily had accepted Lorelai and Luke getting back together better than Lorelai had expected. She had simply said that it was about time, and wished them luck. Since the day she had found out, she had not uttered a bad word about Luke, to Lorelai, Rory or Richard.
All in all, things were looking good.
"Hey, where'd you go?" Luke waved his hand in front of Lorelai's face and she snapped back to reality.
"Sorry, zoned out a little." She explained, taking the plate with cake he offered her. "This looks good."
"Don't even try." Luke chuckled a little. "I know you had a sneak taste last night."
"What gave me away?" Lorelai asked, stealing a kiss across the table.
"Chocolate breath."
"At least I tasted good." Lorelai raised her eyebrows suggestively.
"You always do." Luke mumbled back.
"Children present, hold the S-E-X talk." Sookie spelled.
"We were not!" Lorelai defended herself.
"You always are." Sookie replied.
"Are not!" Lorelai stuck her tounge out at Sookie.
"Are too!" Sookie returned the gesture.
"It always amazes me how mature the two of you are." Jackson said sarcastically.
"Sorry, Jackson, we'll stop." Lorelai apologized.
"Yeah, we'll be good." Sookie agreed. They shot each other a look, just barely avoiding breaking into laughter.
"Hey, sorry we're a little late." Rory said, coming over to Lorelai with William on her hip. "Traffic was a nightmare. Aren't people supposed to stay home on a Saturday?"
"Obviously not." Lorelai replied, shrugging. "Well, you're here now. Where's that fiancé of yours?"
"I think the present pile swallowed him." Rory joked. "Go a little overboard?"
"We didn't get him all that stuff." Lorelai defended herself. "Your grandparents put in their two cents."
"Oh, OK." Rory replied, not sounding too convinced. "I think this one wants more cake." She placed Will back in Lorelai's lap where he instantly reached for the plate with chocolate cake.
"OK, here you go." Lorelai gave him another bite.
"Um!" William exlaimed.
"That's right, yum!" Lorelai laughed.
xxxxx
"OK, if everyone would gather around, it's present time!" Lorelai announced a little later. She and Luke were sitting on the couch, William in Luke's lap and the present table in front of them.
When everyone were sitting or standing around them, Lorelai opened the first present, revealing a large, toy bear.She held it out for her son, but William only dropped it on the floor in favor of the shiny paper.
"I think he likes the wrapping paper more than the present." Rory noted, and everyone laughed. Lorelai tore into the next present.
"Look, Will, it's Tigger!" She held up a two foot high plush Tigger. William was in a Winnie the Pooh stage, and Tigger was his favorite character. Tigger was hugged for a moment, before joining the bear on the floor as William reached for the blue wrapping paper in Lorelai's lap.
"Why don't you open the rest of the presents, he just wants to play with the paper anyway." Luke said, putting William down on the floor among the torn wrapping paper.
"He doesn't understand the joy in getting presents yet." Lorelai reasoned. "You just wait til Christmas!"
xxxxx
"Hey, did everybody leave?" Rory asked, coming into the living room a little later. She had offered to put William to bed and had finally managed to get him to sleep.
"Yup, all gone." Lorelai replied, picking up another piece of wrapping paper and stuffing it in a black trash bag.
"You're throwing away William's toys!" Rory exclaimed, faking shock.
"He'll be bored by tomorrow, anyway." Lorelai said, tying the bag after having gotten rid of the last of the wrapping paper.
"I guess one-year-olds don't have the greatest attention span." Rory noted.
"They certainly don't." Lorelai agreed, dumping the trash bag by the front door and returning to the living room.
"Aren't you going to take that out?" Rory asked as Lorelai slumped down on the couch.
"Luke'll get it later." Lorelai waved her off.
"You are so spoiled!" Rory said, sitting down next to her mother.
"I'll be the president, you can be the treasurer." Lorelai replied.
"I am not spoiled." Rory objected.
"Oh, look what Logan bought for me in Paris, isn't it beautiful? And he got me this last week, couldn't you just die?" Lorelai did a bad imitation of Rory.
"OK, maybe I am a little spoiled." Rory admitted.
"Whatever you say, Pinocchio."
"Speaking of, where are our men?" Rory frowned, ignoring Lorelai's last comment.
"I set them to work in the kitchen." Lorelai told her. "Thought they could use a good work out."
"You really need to get a dishwasher." Rory stated.
"But Luke loves doing the dishes." Lorelai countered.
"He loves doing the dishes? Nobody loves doing the dishes." Rory replied.
"That depends on the reward." Lorelai gave Rory a meaningful look.
"Gross, mom!" Rory made a disgusted face.
"What? It's not like you aren't doing it." Lorelai said.
"OK, I think this conversation should end right here." Rory blushed.
"I'm just playing you!" Lorelai squeezed Rory's shoulders.
"Could you stop?" She pleaded.
"OK, didn't mean to embarrass you."
"You never do, and somehow you manage to, anyway." Rory noted.
"Forgive me?"
"I'll have to think about it." Rory joked.
"Get back to me." Lorelai grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, zapping between channels. They both leaned back on the couch.
"So, I was thinking about going shopping for a wedding dress tomorrow, wanna come?" Rory asked a moment later.
"Sure, you wanna go into New York, or just Hartford?" Lorelai turned the volume up a little, having found a rerun of Seinfeld.
"I was thinking Hartford first, and then if I don't find anything I'll go into New York next weekend." Rory told her.
"OK, I'll have to make sure that Luke can bring Will to the diner, but I don't think it's a problem." Lorelai said.
"Great."
xxxxx
"Hey, do you guys mind staying here and watching Will for a while?" Luke asked Logan as they finished cleaning up the kitchen.
"No, why? Do you and Lorelai have plans?" Logan asked, putting away the towel he had used to dry the dishes.
"Not really, I just have something I wanted to do tonight." Luke said. "I thought we could go to dinner, just the two of us."
"Sure. Rory and I will order pizza and watch a movie or something, you take your time." Logan had a vague idea of what Luke was talking about, but he didn't want to put the older man on the spot, so he let it go.
"Great, thanks." Luke replied. "I'll just tell Lorelai that we're going out for a while."
"... so then, when I told him that he had to actually talk to the Brennans, he got furious, you know when his voice gets so high pitch that only dogs can hear him?" Luke heard Lorelai say as he walked into the living room. She was telling Rory about Michel's outburst at the Dragonfly earlier that week.
"But how can he think that he can work in the lobby and not speak to guests just because he doesn't like them?" Rory asked.
"Who knows, it is Michel after all. I don't think I'll ever understand the inner workings of that man." Lorelai shrugged, suddenly noticing Luke in the doorway. "Hey, dishes all done?"
"Clean and dry." Luke replied. "Listen, I was thinking we could go have some dinner?"
"But William just fell asleep, can't we just order something?" Lorelai frowned.
"Rory and Logan will stay here so we can go out." Luke explained.
"O... K... why?" Lorelai wondered.
"Well, it's been a long day, I just thought we could use a little peace and quiet." Luke avoided Lorelai's eyes as he spoke.
"OK, sure." Lorelai agreed, shooting Rory a wondering look. Rory only shrugged. "Let me get my purse."
"So... going out to dinner." Rory made small talk as Lorelai went upstairs. "Any special reason?"
"No, just thought we'd get some time alone." Luke replied, looking up just as Rory gave him a meaning look. "Fine, but don't tell her." He pulled a small, velvet box from his pocket after having checked to make sure Lorelai wasn't on her way back downstairs. Opening it, he revealed the ring he had given Lorelai over two years ago. Rory squeeled excitedly.
"Tonight?" She beamed at him.
"I thought it was a good day." Luke replied, meaning the fact that it was William's birthday.
"I think it's great!" Rory assured him, and Luke quickly put the box back in his pocket as they heard Lorelai walk down the stairs.
"OK, all set." She said, purse in hand.
"Shall we?" Luke offered her his arm, and she accepted.
"Well, well, well. Quite the gentleman tonight, aren't we?" Lorelai noted.
"Good thing you're such a lady, then." Luke replied.
"It is, isn't it?" Lorelai smiled at him before turning to Rory. "We'll be back no later than ten, is that OK?"
"It's fine, go, have fun." Rory assured her.
"OK, see you later." Lorelai let Luke lead her to the door. "Bye Logan!" She called in the direction of the kitchen before walking outside.
"Come on, or we'll be late." Luke tried to hurry her.
"Late? Did you make reservations?" Lorelai wondered, giving Luke a scrutinizing look.
"No, I didn't." He replied, opening the car door for her.
"Then how can we be late?" Lorelai asked.
"Will you just get in the car?"
"Whoa, the gentleman has left the building." Lorelai said, obediently getting in the car. Luke closed the door behind her and walked around the truck.
"So, where are we going?" Lorelai asked a minute later, as Luke drove down the street.
"We've only been in the car for a minute, and you're already wondering where we're going?" Luke said.
"You haven't told me." Lorelai replied. "You know how I can get when I don't know what's going on."
"Do I ever." Luke mumbled under his breath. "You'll find out soon enough where we're going."
"But I want to know now." Lorelai insisted.
"No." Luke just said.
"Please... pretty please..." Lorelai pleaded, her best puppy eyes in place.
"We'll be there soon." Luke only revealed, causing Lorelai to pout. But she didn't say anything else.
"Sniffy's! You could have told me we were going here." Lorelai said as Luke pulled into the parking lot of Sniffy's ten minutes later.
"I wanted it to be a surprise." He shrugged.
"We haven't been here in ages." Lorelai remembered.
"I know." Luke agreed, turning the car off.
The last time they had been to Sniffy's had been a couple of weeks before Luke found out about April. After that, they hadn't really spent a lot of time together, and then Luke had left, getting out of the habit of going to Sniffy's a couple of times a week. When he got back, he and Lorelai had started their food routine, and then, after William was born, they had had most of their meals together also, leaving no real time for Sniffy's. After Luke and Lorelai got back together, they had ended up spending most evenings at home, just enjoying each other's company rather than going out. Luke had been there a couple of times, though, after he returned to Stars Hollow, proudly showing pictures of his kids. But Lorelai hadn't been there in two years.
"I can't wait to see Maisy." Lorelai sounded excited. "Why haven't we been here before? I've missed this place."
"I know, me too." Luke agreed, getting out of the car and walking around it. He opened the door to the passenger side and helped Lorelai out.
"We have to come here more often from now on, OK?" Lorelai said. "At least once a month."
"Sure." Luke nodded before once again offering Lorelai his arm, and they walked into the restaurant together.
"Lucas! You should have told us you were coming!" Maise exclaimed as she spotted them. "Give us some time to look presentable."
"Sorry, Maisy, spur of the moment." Luke apologized.
"Well, you're forgiven, just this once." Maisy said. "And only because you brought your young lady with you. Hello, Lorelai, it's good to finally see you again." She stressed the finally and shot Luke a meaning look.
"It's not all my fault." Luke objected.
"Shush, you." Maisy looped her arm with Lorelai's and lead her through the restaurant, leaving Luke to follow.
"It's really good to see you, Maisy." Lorelai said as they walked towards a somewhat secluded table in one of the corners. "I am so sorry that we haven't been here in a while."
"Oh, don't worry about it." Maisy waved her off. "You just promise me to bring that boy of yours around soon, and all will be fogiven."
"We will, really." Lorelai promised, and Maisy seemed pleased.
"There, this table should be OK." Maisy stopped in front of the corner table. "Not in the middle of things, give you two some privacy. I'll send Buddy out to say hi." She left them alone, and both Lorelai and Luke sat down.
"Privacy? Here?" Luke huffed. "Not gonna happen."
"I think they're sweet." Lorelai objected. "They really care about you."
"I know." Luke agreed. "They can just be a little much from time to time, you know?"
"Hey, I live in Stars Hollow too, you know." Lorelai told him. "I get the 'too much' concept."
"Lucas, Lorelai!" Buddy appeared behind Lorelai. "I didn't know you were coming."
"Neither did I." Lorelai said.
"Well, we're here now." Luke said, sounding a little uncomfortable.
"It's so good to see you, both of you." Buddy replied. "How's everything, is William good?"
"He's fine, he turned one today, we just had a party for him." Lorelai revealed.
"Today is his birthday? You should have told us, Lucas!" Buddy scolded.
"Sorry." Luke apologized again.
"Well, it's too late for that now. I'll leave you two alone. Would you like to order?"
"Will you bring us what we order?" Luke asked sarcastically.
"Never mind." Buddy said. "I know what would be perfect." He disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.
"Things sure haven't changed here." Lorelai noted, looking around the room.
"Things haven't changed here in twenty years." Luke added.
"I think it's nice." Lorelai concluded. "To have something that stays the same, continuity."
"It is." Luke agreed.
A waitress approached their table, a bottle of champagne in her hand.
"Compliments of the house." She said, putting the champagne into an ice bucket and placing it on the table along with two glasses.
"Thank you." Luke nodded at her.
"Why don't you pour us some of that, and I'll be right back." Lorelai stood up. "I'm just going to freshen up a little, I didn't have time to do that before you so violently pulled me out of my home."
"Very funny." Luke said sarcastically as Lorelai walked past him on her way to the bathroom.
Luke waited until he was sure Lorelai was safely in the restroom before shooting a glance over his shoulder. She was nowhere to be seen. Quickly, he pulled the box from his pocket and opened it.
He hadn't been sure how he was going to do the actual proposing, but the moment had just presented itself. Cliché, yes, but classic. He dropped the ring into one of the glasses before pouring champagne into both. The liquid didn't do much to hide the ring, instead it made the stone twinkle in the light. He put both glasses on his side of the table so Lorelai wouldn't spot the ring immediately.
"OK, now I can be seen in public." Lorelai announced as she came back, slipping into her seat.
"Thank God." Luke stated, earning a playful slap on the arm.
"Where's the food? I'm starving." Lorelai wondered.
"Let's have some champagne first." Luke slid the glass with the ring across the table towards her.
"OK. Should we toast?" Lorelai took her glass.
"To us?" Luke suggested.
"I like that. To us." Lorelai raised her glass and was about to take a zip, but something caught her eye. Frowning, she looked at the bottom of the glass, and suddenly realized what she was looking at. "What is...?"
Luke took the glass from her and poured the champagne into the ice bucket, retrieving the ring before getting down on one knee in front of Lorelai. He took her hand in his own and looked into her eyes.
"Last time you tricked me out of this, but this time around I'm going to do this right." He said. "We've known each other for over a decade, we've been a couple for, what, three years combined? We have a son together, and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"
Lorelai felt tears rise in her eyes as she looked at the man in front of her, and she wondered how she had been able to survive as long as she had without him. Silently she nodded, because she wasn't sure that her voice would hold up if she spoke.
"Yes?" He asked, and she nodded again.
"Yes!" She managed to get out, and he pulled her into an awkward embrace due to the fact that he was still on one knee on the floor.
"Love you." He whispered into her ear.
"Love you more."