I know I said I'd update This is Life tonight but I need a bit more time for that as am having a little bit of writer's block for it. I promise there will be an update by the weekend though. I'm not giving up on it, promise! :) Anyway, thank you so much for your support for this. I'm really enjoying writing it. Hope you enjoy the next chapter! :)

Chapter 4

Luke was stood in the kitchen at the Crap Shack, cooking food for him and Paul Anka, thinking about everything that had happened that day. To say that hearing Jess and Paris were a couple and had been working and living together for three years was an understatement. He still wasn't sure he had gotten his head round it completely but he knew one thing for certain. He wasn't just going to send them packing. Him and Jess had had their ups and downs over the years but he really liked where their relationship had come to. He wasn't lying when he told Jess he was like a son he never had.

Suddenly he was taken out of his thoughts by the back door opening. He was surprised to see Lorelai coming in. He wasn't expecting her for days yet. "Hi.." He said.

"Hey..." She said softly.

They looked at each other for a moment before Luke spoke again. "So...are you staying or...?"

"You think I'm about to go back out hiking? Me? Lorelai Gilmore?" She tried to joke.

"Lorelai..." Luke sighed, not in the mood for her jokes right now.

"I didn't even hike!" Lorelai rambled on quickly. "I mean I did a bit but not on the trail I wanted. I couldn't find my permit so the ranger guy wouldn't let me pass so I went on my own hike and I rang mom and told her a story about dad and then I realised something. It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I told my mom a nice story about how my dad spoiled me on my 13th birthday and suddenly I felt so much lighter."

"Lorelai..."

"And then I started thinking about us and I knew how stupid we were being and I knew exactly what I wanted. What I really needed." She continued.

"Lorelai!" Luke finally interrupted her.

"What?" She said nervously.

"Are you going to break up with me?" Luke blurted out.

"What?" Lorelai said shocked. "Luke..."

"Because I'll tell you now that I think that is a really bad decision. You might think I need all these different things but all I need is you. All I've ever needed is you and I swear to you now that I will not stop fighting for us. No one will be there for you like I am and no one will ever be there for you like I will keep being. I love you so much and I'm not going to just give up on us. We've been through so damn much, Lorelai. There was Max, then Rachel, then Nicole, then Chris! I had to watch you marry that guy and it killed me. It really killed me. But we got through all that and we were happy. I thought we were happy." Luke ranted. He took a moment to take a breath. "I'm not just going to throw it all away." He said.

"Luke..." Lorelai said softly.

"What?" He said nervously.

"I think we should get married." Lorelai said.

"What?" He said surprised.

"I think we should get married." She repeated.

"I thought..." Luke said quietly.

"I know and I'm so sorry I ever made you think I wanted to break up. Trust me, that was never in my mind at all. I just...I needed to get my head straight about a few things and I needed to do that alone. I know that was probably selfish of me but I really needed it." Lorelai admitted. "But I love you, Luke. I've always loved you. The wedding I always had in my mind that I was going to have always had you at the end of the aisle. I know things...got messed up a bit but it has always meant to be you." She said quietly. "So...what do you say? I've got it all sorted and planned. All you have to do is show up." She said nervously.

Luke was quiet for a moment before disappearing out of the room to get something from the drawer in the hallway. He returned with a small velvet box. He opened it and smiled softly at her. "I say yes. A hundred times yes." He said.

Lorelai let out a relieved breath and smiled at the ring. "It's beautiful." She said softly.

"I've been wanting to ask you for such a long time but I could never find the right moment." He admitted, putting the ring on her finger. "I love you." He said softly.

"I love you too." She smiled, leaning in to give him a kiss. "And I promise, I will never go hiking again. Ever." She said.

Luke smirked slightly. "That bad huh?"

"Oh yeah! I don't know what I was thinking!" Lorelai laughed.

Luke chuckled. "Well I'm glad you managed to work through a few things." He said.

"Yeah." She sighed. "It was good for that." She said just as her cell rang. "Oh it's Rory!" She said happily. "Hey, I can put it on speakerphone and we can tell her our news!"

"No wait!" Luke said quickly.

"Why?" She said confused.

"Just...don't answer it. We will tell her but just...not yet. Trust me on this. Don't answer. Please." Luke said.

Lorelai looked at him weirdly but then reluctantly declined the call. "Are you going to fill in the gaps for me or...?"

"Yeah." Luke sighed. "But we should sit for this." He said leading her into the living room and sitting down on the couch with her. "Now before I tell you, you've got to promise me not to freak out ok?"

"You're scaring me now..." Lorelai said worried.

"No, it's nothing bad, I promise!" Luke assured her quickly. "It's just...complicated."

"Complicated?" She frowned.

Luke sighed. "You know the roommate Jess has talked about a bit?"

"Yeah. It's his colleague as well right? They work together at Truncheon?" Lorelai said trying to remember.

"Yeah they do. Well, I found out today who it was. And there was a reason he was secretive about her." Luke told her.

"Why?" Lorelai asked.

"Because...it's...uh...it's Paris." He said, watching her face trying to gauge her reaction.

"Paris? As in Paris Geller?" She said shocked.

"Yeah. That was exactly my reaction as well." Luke said. "That's not all though. They..uh...they kissed today. Apparently it was the first time. But Rory's found out about everything and...well, let's just say by what Jess and Paris said, I don't think she took it very well." He glanced at Lorelai nervously when she didn't say anything. "Lorelai?"

"Sorry, I just...I'm trying to get my head round this. You're saying Jess has been working with Paris all this time?" She said slowly.

"Three years..." Luke said hesitantly.

"Wow..." Lorelai said quietly. "And...they're dating?"

"Well I think it's early days with that but...yeah, apparently so." He said slowly, still trying to gauge her reaction. "And I need to tell you now that Jess and Paris came to me and Jess told me everything. He was all ready to leave and go back to Truncheon and never come back again. He reckons you'll make me choose between Jess and Rory and he didn't want me stuck in the middle so he said he was going to make it easy for him. And before you say anything, I just couldn't let him go. I know you may hate me for that and you probably won't want to get married now but he's my family. I love Rory, you know I do. You know I'd do anything for her. I just can't lose Jess. That's the only thing I won't do." He rambled quickly and nervously. "So please, before you hate me and change your mind about the wedding, please just try and see my side..." He begged.

Lorelai looked at him for a moment. "Ok..." She said slowly.

"What?" Luke said surprised, definitely not expecting that response. "Ok? Ok what?"

"I can see it from your side." She said. She sighed. "I definitely wasn't expecting to hear this. Jess and Paris...I...wow." She said. "I can understand why Rory's upset..."

"I understand why she is as well." Luke said quickly. "But from what I've heard, Jess and Paris have tried to apologise. Apparently words were exchanged..."

"Yeah I can imagine that." Lorelai sighed. She took a big breath. "You know I have to be there for Rory right?"

"Of course." Luke said.

"But I respect your decision to stand by Jess."

"You do?" He said surprised.

"Jess and I may have had our ups and downs through the years but I feel like we've come a long way. I can sort of understand why he and Paris were hesitant about telling Rory. I personally think three years is way too long to wait but...I get their hesitation." She admitted.

"What about Rory?" Luke said. "I want Jess at our wedding and if he and Paris are serious, I'm guessing he will want to bring her but if the three of them can't sort this out..."

"I'll talk to her." Lorelai said.

"Yeah?" Luke said.

"I'll let her vent and I'll be her mom and comfort her. But I won't let this dampen the mood at our wedding." She said. "What?" She said when she sawing him smiling slightly.

"You still want to marry me then?" Luke asked. "Even though I let Jess and Paris stay at the diner apartment..."

Lorelai smiled softly. "I meant what I said before. I love you and I really want to marry you. Nothing's going to stop that."

"You are amazing." Luke smiled softly, letting out a relieved breath. For once, he was happy at being proved wrong. Maybe that hike really did do Lorelai well.

"That's Rory again." She said as her cell rang again.

"Answer it. I'll go make some food. Oh and please don't let on that you already knew." He said

"I won't." She promised. "And you should call Jess and let him know he shouldn't go into hiding." She joked.

"I love you." He smiled softly, giving her another kiss

"I love you too." Lorelai smiled softly. She watched him leave and then took a deep breath before answering the call. "Hey hon!" She answered chirpily.

"So it seems like we may have to face Rory again..." Jess said as he hung up the phone.

"What do you mean?" Paris asked.

"They're getting married." He told her.

"Luke and Lorelai?" She said surprised.

"Yep! Apparently she came back and told him how she needed to clear her head about a few things. He thought she was going to break up with him and she told him she wanted them to get married." Jess said, chuckling slightly.

"That's good then right? It's good they're back on track." Paris said.

"Yeah, Luke sounded really happy." Jess nodded. He glanced at Paris. "He also mentioned that Lorelai didn't bite his head off when he told her about us and how he let us stay here."

"Really?" She said surprised. "So...they're not fighting about it?"

"It appears not." He said, smiling slightly. He had to admit he was relieved to hear that. It meant one less Gilmore girl to try and make amends with.

Paris sighed, relieved as well. "That's good..."

"Yeah. It is." Jess agreed. "Although it might not be the same with the town."

"What do you mean?"

"Rory's like this town's princess. When they hear we've hurt her feelings, they may not be so welcoming." Jess warned her.

"You think they will come after us?" Paris asked worried.

"No, they will come after me most probably. I haven't exactly been the town's favourite person over the years." He said. He saw her worried expression still. "Don't worry, I'll protect you if they come after you as well." He smirked slightly.

"I don't need protecting." Paris retorted. "You forget I know Krav Maga."

"Oh of course. How could I forget?" He smirked.

"Shut up. I'm actually really good at it." She said smirking slightly.

"Oh I have no doubt about that." Jess said. "Maybe you will need to be the one protecting me then."

"I'm sure I could do that." She smirked.

"Thanks. I feel so much better right now." He teased.

"Shut up!" Paris smiled throwing a cushion at him. "I think I'm going to call it a night. I'm pretty tired and if we're going to have another sparring contest with Rory tomorrow, we will need all the energy we need. Especially if the town turn on us as well."

"You're probably right." Jess said. "You take Luke's bed, I'll take the couch."

"Are you sure?" Paris said biting her lip slightly. She was slightly relieved that Jess hadn't suggested sharing a bed. She didn't know how she'd react to that.

Jess smiled softly, understanding what she meant. "I'm sure. If you are."

"So long as you don't mind sleeping on the couch." Paris said quietly.

"Nope, doesn't matter to me." He shrugged.

"I thought you used to live here. Where's your bed?" She asked.

"Oh they took it to theirs. It's April's bed now." He said.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense."

"Yeah." He said. He glanced at her. "So...do you want to use the bathroom first?"

"Oh yeah...ok, thanks." She said, getting up. She glanced at him before disappearing into the bathroom.

They were both soon changed and ready for bed. Paris settled into the double bed while Jess settled himself onto the couch.

"So...goodnight I guess." Paris said, cringing even as she said it.

"Night." Jess said smirking slightly. He turned the lights off and lay down on the couch on his back. He glanced over at Paris who was in the bed. "Paris?"

"Yeah?" She said quietly.

"You're still in right? To quote Luke, I'm still all in if you are." He said cautiously. He glanced over at her. "I hope today didn't scare you off..."

Paris smiled slightly to herself and glanced over at the couch. "I'm still in." She said quietly.

"Good." Jess smiled.

"Yeah. Good." Paris smiled.

"Night Paris." He said softly.

"Night." She said softly.

So I hope you liked it! I've loved reading your reviews so please keep them going! :) Thanks again for all your support! :)