Disclaimer: All characters and situations from Gilmore Girls are properties of Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Hofflund/Polone in association with Warner Bros. Television. No copyright infringement intended.

Disclaimer number 2: Emily's "hey, dude, and yo" speech do not reflect my own opinions, only the one's I expect Emily probably had. :)

For some reason, this chapter was painful to edit. So, hopefully there are no embarrassing mistakes in it.:) If there are, oh well, I'm too annoyed with spelling and grammar check to care at the moment.

So, here's goes. Friday Night Dinner.


Lorelai was getting ready for dinner around 6:00 the next night, when April knocked on her bedroom door.

"Hey, Lorelai," she greeted.

Lorelai turned toward April as she sat on a chair in front of the vanity mirror, applying make-up. She was putting on lip gloss as she asked, "What's up?"

"Well, I was just wondering what I should wear. I know it's formal, but how formal is formal?"

"Well," Lorelai said, putting down her lip gloss and standing up. "Let me come downstairs with you and see."

"Okay," April agreed.

Before both women left the room, Lorelai grabbed a pair of black heels to match her red, knee-length dress that's low, V neckline was lined with small black flowers. The dress was cinched at the waist by a piece of black fabric (part of the dress) that tied in the back. Lorelai hit the light switch, darkening the bedroom, and followed April into Rory's room.

April opened the closet and said, "That's everything."

"And it's plenty," Lorelai assured, "because I like this one." She pulled out a light purple, cotton dress with darker purple lace around the bottom and the same color ribbon that hung from two loops at the dresses waist. (Yes, I know, I know. She didn't have any dresses when Luke asked her on the show. Just go with me here people. Take comfort in the fact that I'm just as big a Gilmore freak as all of you. I'm not making a mistake; I'm simply tweaking the truth. :) Plus, remember "Purple Nardini"? ) Its sleeves were 3/4 length and it had a collar like a button down shirt, but with only two buttons. Lorelai smiled at April and said, "What do you think?"

"I like it...with these?" She asked, holding up a pair of back ballet flats.

"Looks good," Lorelai said. "I'll let you change, I'm gonna call Luke and see when he'll be here because we need to leave pretty soon."

"Okay," she smiled, "and Lorelai?" Lorelai turned back toward April with a questioning expression. "That dress looks really nice on you."

"Oh, thanks," Lorelai said with a smile, "but I feel like I'm trying to get away with murder here." She pointed to the neckline that left little to the imagination. April just shrugged, as if to say, "Who cares? It looks good, right?"

"But you know what!" Lorelai declared, "I'm probably not going to look good in these dresses in the near future, so I might as well live it up while my stomach's still flat, right?" Lorelai finished the declaration loudly, and with excitement.

"Right!" April declared at the same level of volume and energy, while laughing.

Lorelai smiled and closed the bedroom door as she began to search for the phone. As she picked it up off the counter, near the coffee maker, Luke burst through the front door. "Hey," he said, heading straight for the stairway, "I'm late, I know. I have a reason. It involves Kirk and a giant rubber cleaver, need I say more?"

"Nope," Lorelai answered quickly as she followed him upstairs. However, she immediately reconsidered and added a second later, "Actually, tell me later."

"I have to shower before we leave, how long do I have?" Luke asked.

"About fifteen minutes," Lorelai said, looking over at the clock while Luke undressed in front of her in the bathroom.

"As much as I'm enjoying this little show," she said, head tilted to the side as she leaned one hand against the bathroom counter top and rested the other on her hip, "I'm going to go get you something to wear."

"Thanks," he leaned in to kiss her before getting in the shower. Luke shampooed his hair, lathered himself with soap, rinsed off quickly, and jumped out.

"Jeez!" he gasped as he threw open the shower curtain and saw a smiling Lorelai sitting on the counter next to his pile of clothes, staring straight at him. "What are you doing?" he scolded.

"Just enjoying," she laughed as he realized, "Where's my towel, Lorelai?" not seeing it on its hook next to the shower.

She held it up for him to see.

"Lorelai," he sighed, "come on, we don't have time for this."

She just smiled as he stood completely naked, uncovered, and dripping wet in the tub. Not wanting to get the floor wet, he waited nervously and uncomfortably there. "This is ridiculous," he scolded, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Come and get it, baby," Lorelai joked.

Luke rolled his eyes and stepped out of the tub and toward her to grab the towel. As he stepped between her legs to take it from her, she reached behind him and squeezed his left butt cheek quickly with her right hand.

"Lorelai," he scolded again. Luke turned to dry off and she massaged his back.

Finally tying the towel around his waist he turned to his pile of clothes and said, "No underwear?"

She lifted her eyebrows quickly twice before he rolled his eyes and pushed past her into the bedroom, annoyed slightly in his own annoyed-with-Lorelai way. "I'm not going commando at your parents' house."

"Why not?" She smiled devilishly, "I am."

"No you're not." he said.

She tried again, "Why not?"

"They'll know."

"How could they possibly know?" Lorelai asked.

"They're your parents; they'll...be able to tell."

After taking out a pair of boxer briefs for himself, he crossed the room to her dresser, opened her top drawer, and took out a pair of underwear, handing it to her as he pushed past her toward the bathroom again.

Lorelai immediately returned them to the drawer, closed it, and followed Luke. "I was only joking because you're right. I have a feeling they would know. And could you imagine, oh my God, if my parents knew I was sitting on their couch in a dress with nothing on underneath. Hah! They might drop dead!" She paused, thinking. "Hmm," she finished smiling.

At this, once inside the bathroom, Luke turned and glared at Lorelai.

"What?" She said innocently, while reaching down and yanking the closed towel off of him. Luke's mouth dropped open and his eyes narrowed at her as he pulled on his underwear and stood with his hands on his hips, just looking at her. "You're really hot when you're angry," she observed, smiling and leaning in to kiss him on the cheek before turning and swaying her hips as she walked away, saying "April and I will be waiting for you downstairs, don't take too long."

Luke sighed, shook his head, and finished getting dressed in the gray pants and navy sweater that Lorelai picked for him.

Meeting the girls in the car five minutes later, he found them listening to the radio. He was relieved that it seemed Lorelai did not share the torture she had just been inflicting upon him with his daughter-- although he couldn't imagine why she would. He could only take so much humiliation in a span of twenty minutes.


"You've been warned," Lorelai directed toward April thirty-five minutes later as they stood outside the Gilmore Mansion. At this Luke reached out to ring the doorbell.

Soon enough, the door was opened by Emily, who barely smiled at them before walking away.

"Okay," Lorelai said, "I guess we come in."

Rory walked into the foyer to greet them, "Hey! Grandma's a bit frazzled. Apparently the problem with this maid is that she keeps falling asleep."

"I see," Lorelai nodded, grabbing Rory's arm and leaning in to kiss her cheek, "Narcolepsy?"

Rory just shrugged. "Hey, April," she started with a smile. "How are you doing?"

"I can't complain," April answered.

"Yet," Lorelai mumbled. The other three heard her comment, but ignored it.

"Happy Birthday," April continued.

"Thanks," Rory said, still smiling.

"Yeah, Happy Birthday, Rory." Luke touched her arm with a smile.

"Thanks, Luke. How's the diner been?"

"Oh," Luke replied, "fine. Busy as ever."

"Yeah," Rory said, "I miss that food, let me tell you."

"You'll just have to come home more often," Luke smiled.

"Well," Rory joked, "I'm not sure if that's possible with April here taking over my room."

"Actually," Lorelai jumped in, "we shouldn't have to worry about that much longer because Tom said the two new bedrooms should be finished pretty soon."

"Oh, that's good," Rory agreed.

Richard and Emily then entered the foyer together as a quiet, wide-eyed, freaked-out maid scurried through in the background.

"What's that?" Richard asked, "Why are you adding another addition?"

"Well," Lorelai said, "April should have a room, but right now our house only has two bedrooms and one's Rory's." Lorelai had her hand on April's shoulder.

"Oh, yes. Hello, April," Richard said with a smile.

"Hello, Mr. Gilmore. Mrs. Gilmore. How do you do?"

"We're fine, thank you," Richard said. "So then, why do you need two more bedrooms then?"

"Well, we just think it'd be a good idea to have. Just in case," Lorelai replied, masking the truth.

"Oh my God!" Emily gasped.

"Shit!" Lorelai thought to herself, knowing what was coming.

"You're pregnant!" Emily exclaimed.

"No!" Lorelai clarified.

Emily just stared at Lorelai as if she was trying to break her down. "Not..." Lorelai started, although she wasn't sure why, and she stared at her shoes, smiling sheepishly. (Okay, now I'm thinking Lorelai and Emily's conversation about Christopher in "I Can't Get Started." That's the kind of Lorelai smile I mean.)

"Not what?" Emily pressed.

"Not yet," Luke mumbled just loudly enough for everyone to hear.

"Oh -- That's nice," Emily was surprised at what she was hearing. Her daughter was trying to have a baby with her husband, the Diner Guy. It seemed strange to Emily. Her scandalous daughter was finally doing things "the right way," and she wasn't sure how to take it, so she used her biggest defense mechanism and said, "Honestly, I can't believe we're having active conversation in the entrance way, that's just not done. I don't know what any of you could possibly be thinking. Come on, let's go into the living room."

Richard and Rory followed Emily out as the maid took the other three's coats. April ventured into the living room before Luke and Lorelai, her face expressing only awe. Luke and Lorelai followed. Luke had his hand on the small of Lorelai's back as he whispered in her ear, "Sorry about that."

"Yeah, well," Lorelai said as they entered the living room and sat on they couch, as if to say, "Well, these things happen when Emily Gilmore is involved. There's not much you can do." Lorelai's hand rested on her thigh, and Luke held it in his own.

Meanwhile, April and Rory sat on the couch opposite them and Richard and Emily each sat in nearby chairs.

A few moments of silence later, Richard sprang up, "Oh my, I'm so sorry. I cannot believe I have forgotten to offer drinks. What would everyone like?" He looked on, waiting for responses with his hands clasped together in front of his chest.

Quickly, Lorelai responded with, "Martini," automatically.

"Okay, one Martini," Richard recapped.

"Make that two," said Emily.

Richard said, "Two Martinis. You, Rory?"

Emily rose to help Richard with the drinks as Rory responded, "I'm a joiner."

"Alright, three Martinis."

"How about you, Luke?" Emily's oh-so-familiar question inevitable at this point. Lorelai rolled her eyes in anticipation and muttered, "Beer, Luke?"

Emily continued her question wearing a devilish smile, "a beer?"

"Beer sounds fine," Luke replied happily.

Richard handed Rory's drink to her and Luke's to him. Emily held her Martini in one hand and Lorelai's in another. As she was about to hand Lorelai her drink, Emily suddenly pulled it away. Lorelai looked confused and disappointed as her arm reached out for the drink with no avail and a pout came to play on her lips.

Emily said, "Oh, wait. You could be pregnant. You can't have alcohol." Emily almost sounded pleased with this.

"Mom, I'm not pregnant yet. It's fine."

"You have no way of knowing that, Lorelai. If the two of you are trying, you could be pregnant right now." Luke's face was quickly turning red with his and Lorelai's sex life begin discussed in front of his daughter, step-daughter, and father-in-law, by his mother-in-law. His face, that is, along with Richard's, Rory's, and April's. Emily and Lorelai, seemingly unaffected.

"Trust me, Mom. I have legitimate ways of knowing that I'm probably not yet, okay? Just give me the drink. Unless you want me to spell it out for you." She was starting to get annoyed, not that she was in dire need of alcohol. It was more the fact that this was being discussed and debated by her mother. She was a grown woman, and she should be able to decide when it is or isn't appropriate to drink a Martini, she justified to herself.

"Now, Lorelai," Richard began, but Luke cut in, seeing that this conversation was quickly spiraling out of control. He attempted to save them all. "Hey, maybe you're mom's right, why don't you skip it tonight, just to be safe." He patted her leg encouragingly.

"Fine," she sighed, over dramatically.

"How 'bout a soda?" Rory suggested.

"Yeah, I guess," Lorelai sighed again, crossing her arms over her chest, annoyed by the situation, not the lack of alcohol. Emily made her way back over to the drink cart.

"You know what?" Luke chimed in, "Why don't I join you? Soda for me too please, Emily. After all, I'm the one driving the hypothetical baby."

Lorelai's mouth hung open in disbelief that Luke seemed to be encouraging her mother.

"Alright," Emily agreed as she took the beer from Luke.

As Emily poured the sodas, Lorelai noticed, "And hey, Mom, perhaps April would like a drink."

"Oh, yes. April, I'm sorry. What would you like?" Richard apologized.

"Soda's fine, thanks."

Emily brought a glass of coke to Luke and Lorelai saying, "Luke? Lorelai?" respectively as she handed them the drinks. Then she turned to April with a third soda and said, smiling knowingly, "June?"

"Um," April said, not wanting to correct her.

"It's April, Mom," Lorelai scolded.

"Yes," Emily stated simply as she smirked and sat back down in her chair as she sipped her drink.

The five sat almost silently for a few minutes. Eventually, Rory broke the silence. "April, how's 8th grade treating you?"

"Oh, well..." April labored.

"That bad?" Rory looked surprised.

"No, it's really not actually," April admitted. "It's hard, but I like it," she smiled. (Yeah, yeah. I know, I know. "One's Got Class and the Other One Dyes.")

"That's always how I felt," Rory agreed.

"Yeah?" April asked, "What classes did you like?"

"Mostly English, which would make sense seeing as it's my major," Rory said.

"I wish I liked English more," April sighed. "It would make all those essays a lot easier to handle. I mean I like reading and all, but man the class. Yikes!"

Emily intruded, "You shouldn't dismiss English, it's important to a successful life. People can get by with just 'hey' and 'dude' and 'yo,' but those people are not honorable citizens. The more schooling in English you get, the better off you'll be. I mean, look at Rory. I really can't believe some young people today. Nobody likes English. It's our language for goodness sake."

"It's not really so bad, it's just not my favorite," April justified.

"What subject do you enjoy?" Richard inquired, joining the conversation.

"I love science!" April declared in her vehement way, eyes widening. "Don't even get me started," she smiled.

"A future doctor among us?" Richard hinted.

"That would be amazing," April responded, getting excited.

"Doctors can be so flaky sometimes," Emily added snobbishly.

"That's why we need more good ones," Luke said with a smile. "April would be a good one."

"Doctor's can be so arrogant too, and unpersonable," Emily tried again.

"Look who's talking," Lorelai thought, though she actually voiced, "Mom, most doctors are really not as bad as you're making them sound."

Emily just rolled her eyes and sighed.

April smiled despite Emily, "I don't have to be a doctor. I mean, anything science would make me happy. It might be nice to be an astronomer, or an archaeologist, or a marine biologist, or a chemist." As she listed the possibilities, she got more excited with each one, smiling the whole time. Finally she added, "Anything science."

Richard agreed, "Yes, it's good to keep an open mind." He seemed pleased. "I enjoy science myself. Unfortunately, I don't know too much about it, only what I've read or caught on the Discovery or Science Channel, but I'd love to learn more."

The enthusiasm in her father's voice was too much for Lorelai to take. She let out a slight laugh, coming out really as a small snort, noticed only by Luke and Rory who smiled knowingly at her. Both of them equally amused.

"I love the Science Channel. Have you ever been in the Discovery Store?" April was in her element with this conversation.

"I can't say that I have," Richard admitted disappointedly.

"Well, you should really check it out sometime," April insisted, "I could live in that store!"

"Seems strange that you'd rather be in a store when science is outside," Emily muttered plenty loud enough. She earned a glare from Lorelai and was looked at with threatening intentions by Luke.

Rory jumped in on top of Emily, silencing her as April was taken aback, but not entirely annoyed or hurt, "You'd be surprised, Grandma. Those stores are pretty cool. Usually there are people in there demonstrating some act of science."

"Plus," April added, "They have all kinds of cool kits in there. Some of which I have, but most I just dream of having. Right now, my biggest obsession is obtaining a rock polisher."

"That sounds fascinating," Richard sounded excited.

Lorelai and Luke just looked at each other slightly confused. "A rock polisher?" Luke whispered to Lorelai.

"Don't look at me, she's not my daughter," Lorelai said shaking her head.

"But that is your father and he seems equally excited," Luke pointed out.

"When have I ever been able to explain my father to you, Luke?"

"Good point."

They then turned back to the conversation between April and Richard, their own short conversation unheard by everyone else.

"It is," April agreed.

"Well, if you ever get it, you'll have to show me the results."

"Sure," April smiled widely, "I'd love to."

"So, April," Emily interrupted again, "Where do you plan to go to high school?"

"Well," April stalled, "I'm not really sure." She looked at her dad questioningly and shrugged.

"Yeah, Emily, she'll probably just go to the public school with the rest of her friends," Luke said, seeing nothing wrong with this.

"Hmm," Emily said, "do you think that's wise?"

"Why not?" April asked innocently.

"Well," Emily said, "colleges like private schools."

"I like public school. Plus, that's where my friends are," April reasoned.

"Well, you could always make new friends."

"April's school is fine, Mom," Lorelai said, getting annoyed again. "If that's where she wants to be then that's where she's going to be. It's her choice."

"Rory went to a private school, and she liked it, and look where it got her."

"But Rory wanted to go there, Mom. If she hadn't, I wouldn't have made her go."

"Plus," April joined again, "I haven't made any permanent decisions yet."

"But when she does, Mom, you'll be the first to know," Lorelai said enthusiastically.

Emily rolled her eyes at her daughter's sarcasm. "It's hard to get into Chilton anyway," Emily smirked.

"But April's smart. She gets really good grades. She's like Rory -- she could get in." Luke defended his daughter chivalrously.

"If she wanted to," Rory jumped in.

"Right," Luke agreed, "if she wanted to."

Just then the timer on the stove could be heard beeping. It continued to sound for a while until Emily said, "Oh, for goodness sake." She rose laboriously from her chair and moved toward the kitchen to wake the maid.

Emily returned a few minutes later to announce that dinner was ready. As everyone filed into the dining room, Lorelai grabbed Emily's arm, smiling in mock sweetness. She said, "Hey. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Dinner is ready, Lorelai," Emily said, annoyed, as she watched the others sit down at the table.

"I know, it'll just take a sec. I promise," Lorelai said, plastering a smile onto her face and pulling Emily into the empty kitchen. Who knows where the maid had fallen asleep now.

"Lorelai, that's hurts, you know." Emily referred to the grip that Lorelai had on her arm.

"What's going on, Mom?" Lorelai pleaded.

"Nothing's going on," Emily mocked.

"Come on. Please! I want to know why you invited Luke and April here for Rory's birthday just so that you could attack April. It's not right, and she doesn't deserve it," Lorelai said accusingly.

"I wanted to meet her," Emily reasoned.

"Why? So that you could hammer her into the ground?" Lorelai snapped.

"No, Lorelai. Don't be so dramatic." Emily scolded her.

"Well, Mom, I'm sorry, but I don't get it. Why are you being like this?"

"Don't you see, Lorelai?" Emily snapped back. "He already has a kid that will grow up to be successful. One day, he'll wish he could be with her more because as much as I hate to admit it, he's an honorable man. Then, he'll regret not being there for April and he'll resent you for it because you're the one he is with. And what's worse, is that next he'll resent your kids and what if he leaves you, Lorelai? I don't want to see anymore kids without their father the way Rory was." Emily admitted this painfully, her voice a mixture of sadness and frustration.

"Mom," Lorelai sympathized, "That is crazy. Luke is there for April, and so am I. He is not going to leave me."

"Oh, really? What makes you so sure? He's in the same position as Christopher was, and Christopher always came back to you," Emily pointed out.

"Okay, yes," Lorelai admitted reluctantly, "the position is similar, but the men are not. Luke is not Christopher. Luke loves me, not April's mother. Chris never loved Sherry. He just kept loving me. That's why he kept coming back. As much as I hate to admit it, it was never for Rory. I wish it was. If Chris just wanted to be with Rory, he could have done it without being with me. Luke is different. He loves me and he adores his daughter. However, he can do both of those and have a baby with me. He can juggle all of that crazy emotion and every one of the insane situations that we all know you'll throw at us, Mom," Lorelai smiled through her tears, "I trust that there is enough Luke to go around. Our baby will not be unloved. I know Luke, Mom, he wouldn't let that happen, and neither would you." By the end of her plea for understanding, Lorelai's hand rested on her stomach hopefully.

Emily, perhaps realizing how much more trust she should have in her daughter's world and regretting some of her actions, could not even smile. She stared at the strong, intelligent woman she wouldn't admit she was proud of, and turned away, discreetly wiping away tears once her back was turned. Emily headed for the doorway and said, "Dinner's waiting."

Lorelai braced herself against the counter, regaining composure. A few minutes passed, and then Luke walked in. He rubbed Lorelai's back and whispered, "Are you okay?"

"I love you, Luke," Lorelai sighed and enveloped him in a hug.

"I love you, too," Luke almost questioned, confused about what was going on, having heard none of the conversation between Emily and Lorelai.

Lorelai pulled away soon and smiled weakly at Luke before asking, "You'll never leave me, right -- not matter what?"

"Of course, not. Lorelai! Of course not." His arms still held her close by the waist and her arms were wrapped around his neck.

"We're okay, right?" He checked.

"Always." She smiled despite herself, took Luke by the hand, and pulled him back into the other room.