A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks for clicking on my story! I've written fanfic before, but nothing really for a few years now and this is my first time writing Gilmore Girls so bare with me as I try to get my bearings here. I hope you enjoy, and if there is interest I look forward to continuing! I already have the second chapter done so let me know what you think in the comments!

September 15th 1995

6:07am. Luke sighed as he read the clock. Even on days where he could sleep in his body wouldn't allow him to. And today was a day that he could have used the extra sleep. As much as he had been wanting this day to come, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of relief, fear and nausea overtaking him. He looked over to the opposite side of his apartment at the newly renovated room, once empty, now filled to the brim with hundreds of dollars worth of furniture, books and clothes, placed neatly around the small corner of the apartment. Luke sighed to himself knowing that it would probably be the last time it would ever look that orderly.

Even though he was now nearing his thirties, Luke hadn't had much of a chance to think too much about a wife or kids. After his dad had died and left him his hardware store, which Luke had eventually decided to turn into a diner, Luke hadn't thought of much other than working and building up his business. In turn, his social life was less than satisfactory. Not that the whole wife, kids, white picket fence thing didn't appeal to to the young man, it just wasn't the time, and Luke was okay with living alone in his dad's old apartment. He didn't need anybody else right now.

However, things took a drastic change for Luke one day about three months ago, and that change came in the form of his eleven year old nephew.

It started with a few mysterious phone calls in the middle of the night that lasted all of two rings before hanging up. Luke let it go for a few nights but by the fourth he was faster than the caller, picking up the phone in record time.

"Don't hang up," Luke spoke gruff and irritated into the phone as soon as it was to his ear.

There was silence for a few moments before he heard noise on the other end, some shuffling and then a sigh, as if the caller was regretting their call once again. But Luke was surprised a moment later when a quiet voice came from the other end.

"Uncle Luke?"

"Jess?" Luke exclaimed, surprised to hear the voice of the nephew he only saw once or twice a year.

The other end went quiet again and Luke knew he'd have to do the talking in order to get the ball rolling, from what he saw, his nephew was never really one for words.

"Jess what's wrong? Why are you calling at," he stopped to look down at his watch, "2:23 in the morning?"

There was still no reply and now Luke was getting frustrated, "Jess come on, I know you're still there and I also know that you have been the one calling me for the past three nights, what's this about, where's your mom?"

"I don't know."

Luke quickly learned that his nephew was alone in an apartment in New York. His mom had been gone for two weeks and Jess had started calling Luke only when he had exasperated all his means of getting food. Hungry and alone, Jess had contacted the uncle he barely knew.

Jess had assured his uncle that he was alright and would be fine with just a bit of money to get him through until his mom came home, but when Luke found the boy, dirty and covered in bruises, Luke wouldn't listen to his nephews insistence any longer. Silently he cursed his sister and the drugs that had taken over her body since she was fifteen.

It took another two months and countless court dates for him to finally gain the custody over the young boy. Today was finally the day he had been fighting for and as much as he knew it was the right thing to do, he couldn't help but be feeling a level of anxiety that he had never known to be possible. He was soon going to be responsible for a real human life, a life that he could so easily screw up forever. One way or another though, the day had arrived and he knew he couldn't hide himself away in his apartment any longer.

After getting dressed, he made his way down the stairs to his diner just as two very familiar faces were walking through the door. He had grown accustomed to having the Gilmore girls presence in his life over the last year and even as his stomach felt like there were a thousand butterflies building a home inside, the sight of the young woman and her daughter made him relax for the moment, something that the older Gilmore seemed to have been able to do since the moment Luke had met her nearly 18 months ago.

"Hey Luke," greeted Lorelai as she and her daughter Rory sat down in the two stools on the furthest side of the counter. "Are you excited for today!?" She questioned, knowing the stress Luke had gone through over the last several months.

"That's one way to put it," stated Luke with a sigh as he set down a mug in front of her and filled it with her favourite drug.

"More like a swarm of butterflies flying around in there huh?"

"Something like that, I must be completely insane taking in an 11 year old kid!"

"Aw come on Luke, you might not be the warmest guy I know but you're great with Rory! And I've never seen you with Jess but you have to at least love him enough to be willing to go through all the crap you have the past few months. As long as there's love the rest will come naturally, you'll be just fine."

"And I'll be friends with Jess," Rory piped up, "and I'll make sure he knows where all his classes are and if he likes to read like you said then I can give him all the best book suggestions and we can ride our bikes up to the bridge and make forts in the forest by Miss Patty's and-"

"Woah sweets! Give Jess a chance to breathe first!" Lorelai laughed at her enthusiastic daughter, "See Luke you're not alone in all this."

"Thank you Rory," Luke laughed, "I'm sure you two will be great friends if the amount the two of you read is anything to go by, and thank you," Luke shifted his gaze back up to meet the always calming crystal blue eyes, she gave a small, knowing nod before getting up from her stool and ushering Rory to do the same.

"Well we better get this little munchkin to school," She said, patting her daughters head, "I'll be by later this afternoon, will he be here by then?"

"Social worker's dropping him off around noon," replied Luke with a nod.

"Great, well then I'll see you later," she smiled as the two girls walked out the door.

Luke sighed again as he watched them go, now he just had to try and occupy his mind for another five hours.

Hope you enjoyed! And don't worry, Jess will be arriving in the next chapter! Comments are appreciated!