On Tuesday morning at 4:02, the alarm went off next to Lorelai. Lorelai spring up and turned it off quickly, trying to let Luke sleep.

She was unsuccessful, "what time is it? Is everything ok?" Luke sat up.

"Shhhh," Lorelai said, getting out of bed, she kissed Luke on the lips quickly then whispered, "no time to explain, everything fine, I'll be back in a few minutes."

She then crept out of the room with the alarm clock in hand and into Rory's room. When the clock turned 4:03 she was sat next to Rory's cot and stroking her hair, causing her to stir slightly, "happy birthday little girl." Lorelai greeted, kissing the side of Rory's head causing her to wake up a little bit more.

"I can't believe how fast you are growing up!" Lorelai whispered to Rory as she sat up and smiled at her mother.

"So, baby, what do you think of your life so far? It's been pretty great, hey? That Luke dude was a lucky catch!"

"Do you know what I think? I think you are the best baby ever! No wait fix that, one of the best, Jess is pretty great too!" Lorelai kept her voice low to respect the early hour.

"It's so hard to believe that at exactly this time one year ago, I was lying in the hospital, only I had a huge fat stomach and big fat ankles and I was swearing like a sailor on leave and there I was, in labour, and while some have called it the most meaningful experience in your life, to me it was something more akin to doing the splits on a crate of dynamite and I was screaming and swearing and being surrounded as I was by a hundred prominent doctors I just assumed there was an actual use for the cup of ice chips they gave me, there wasn't, but pelting the nurses sure was fun!"

Rory laughed then recognising the word fun, "fun!" She giggled.

"Shhh, we are getting to the part were he sees your head." Lorelai whispered as she stroked the very head she was talking about.

5 minutes later Lorelai returned to bed to a nearly asleep Luke who woke up as soon as she climbed back in.

"What was that about?" Luke asked.

"Start of a tradition. Every year at 4:03 I'm going to go tell Rory the story of her birth." Lorelai snuggled back up against his side.

"Good to know." Luke said in a sleepy voice as he closed his eyes and dropped off.

Later on that morning, at a reasonable hour to be awake, the four of them went down for breakfast. When they entered the kitchen, Lorelai said in an over dramatic sing song voice, "hey look, Rory, Jess, what's that on the table, it looks like presents to me!"

Luke smiled and then said in a gruff voice, "you do know they are too young to understand or remember this."

"I know," Lorelai pulled a face at him, "that's why they only got something small each, I just can't let them have a birthday without a present, that would be beyond cruel."

"Oh yes, we would be the absolute worst." Luke rolled his eyes and started cooking breakfast.

At half eleven Lorelai and Rory came rushing into the diner, "Josh, hold the fort." Lorelai shouted as she grabbed Luke's free hand and dragged him up the stairs with Jess and Rory, into his old apartment.

"What, what's wrong? Why are you hear, you don't usually come for another hour, hour and a half."

"Well, mister fiancé, it's good to see you too. I am here because in like 20 minutes it will be exactly a year since Jess was born, and we can't just let that be another normal minute. No it's a special minute and we will spend it with him." Lorelai sat down, "Do you have any coffee?"

"Not up here." Luke sat down next to her taking Rory, to say a proper hello, "Do you want me to bring some lunch up here, we can eat, just us, spend some time."

"Perfect, go now, do you are back and get some coffee!" Lorelai pecked him on the lips and then pushed him up as he sat Rory down.

"No coffee, you had like a million cups this morning, it's too much."

Lorelai opened her mouth in outrage, "there is never such thing as too much coffee!"

"You are not having coffee." Luke said in a monotone voice, "and I'm going now downstairs, so bye." He disappeared behind the door and Lorelai heard him run down the stairs.

Lorelai turned to Jess and Rory, "what is he playing at, hey, guys? No coffee? Is he mad?"

Jess crawled up to her, "mama, play!" He demanded holding out a building block from the collection of toys they kept above the dinner.

"Yeah, mister, let's play! Come on Rory." She lifted Rory off the sofa where she had sat next to her, "let's build the biggest tower ever to be built."

"No down!" Jess shouted lifting his arms in the air triumphantly.

Lorelai smiled at him, "Yeah, baby, and then knock it down."

Just as they were starting to build there tower Luke came charging back in looking panicked.

"Lorelai can I talk to you, over here?" He asked dragging her up and over to the corner off the room.

"What?" Lorelai grinned at him, "wanna make out?" She winked.

"What? No." Luke said distractedly.

Lorelai raised her eyebrow and learnt back slightly, "no you don't want to make out?"

"What? I dunno, Lorelai, Liz is downstairs." Luke said panic rising in his eyes.

"Liz?" Lorelai asked in shock, "your sister Liz? As in the girl who gave birth to and then abandoned my little boy?" Lorelai was starting to panic now too.

"She can't take him back, though, can she? I adopted him, he is my son." Tears we're starting to well up in Lorelai's eyes.

Luke put is hands on her shoulders, "hey, look at me. Of course she can't. Jess is our little boy, ours, ok? Mine and yours. I don't know what she is doing here. She's sitting in the diner, she didn't see me, I saw her, froze and then bolted up here."

"Yeah, ok." Lorelai said quietly as she lent her head on his chest, "let's just stay up here for a bit, please, just until after."

"After what?" Luke asked, kissing the top of her head.

"11:57."

"Ofcourse, come on, they can not build a tower by themselves. I love them both more than anything, but that tower sucks." Luke lead Lorelai over to were Rory and Jess where rather unsuccessfully trying to build a tower.

They sat down opposite each other, a baby on each side of each of them.

"Dada, no go up?" Rory looked at Luke confused as she pointed at the tower.

Lorelai and Luke exchanged a smile and then started to help build the tower.

Lorelai kept one eye on the clock.

At 11:56, she grabbed Rory and sat down on the couch with her. "Come on," She said to Luke, "we have one minute, get ready."

At 11:57, the four of them sat closely on the couch talking about Jess. Well Lorelai and Luke talked about Jess. Jess and Rory just leaned back against there parents, content to listen.

At 12 they sat in silence with Lorelai's head rested on Luke with his arm around her and her arm around Rory with her hand resting on Jess. "I think we have to decide what to do? We can't stay up here forever." Luke said.

"Now you don't know that." Lorelai replied, "we will never truly know until we try."

"Yes but do you fancy trying?" Luke asked her looking down at her.

"No not particularly." Lorelai admitted.

"Ok then, what do we do?" Luke asked her.

"I don't know Luke, she is your sister, I don't know her at all, I've never met her, all I know is that the same people raised her who raised, you and you are like the best person ever, but I also know she left Jess all by himself when he was just a few hours old and wrote down how little she cared." Lorelai was getting frustrated, she wasn't sure how to react.

"I know it's not the time but I'm really not the best person ever." Luke blushed.

"Luke!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"Sorry, why don't I go down, see what she wants." Luke asked uncertain.

"Yeah I guess, ok, but I'm staying her and so are Jess and Rory." Lorelai said in a small voice tightening her grip slightly on the almost asleep 1 year olds.

"Ok, I'll be as quick as I can be." Luke kissed Lorelai quickly and then gently slid out of the sofa trying not to disturb Jess who was sitting on his lap.

He was mainly successful although Jess did start whimpering slightly.

"Hey, Jessie, you're ok. Mummy's here. Mummy is right here." Lorelai whispered to him using her spare arms to wrap around his and pull him into her side.

He snuggled up into her and calmed down. Luke stood watching and smiled at them, "don't worry ok I'll be right back."

Luke walked slowly down the stairs and then reached the curtain, he peaked through to see that Liz was still sat at the counter. He took a deep breath and walked through right up to her.

"Liz?" He said in a deep tone.

"Hey, big brother! So good to see you!" Liz said trying to hug him but he stepped back, keeping his hands in his back pocket.

"What do you want Liz?" Luke asked not meeting her eyes.

"To see you, it's been a year you know, and my little boy, how is he, it must be his birthday."

"He is not your little boy." Luke growled at her.

People where starting to look, "can we take this upstairs," Liz asked Luke.

"No we cannot."

"Well somewhere else, please?" Liz pleaded with him.

"Fine. Outside." Luke stalked outside with Liz following him. He walked over to an area with no people.

"I'll ask you again Liz, what do you want, why are you here? I don't have all day, so will you just tell me." He crossed his arms and looked off to the side.

"I don't know why you are being so moody." Liz said.

"Oh, you don't know why I'm being to moody?" Luke shouted at her, "I dunno Liz, I wonder why? Is it maybe because you just disappeared a year ago, or maybe it's because you just turned up out of the blue, or maybe it's because you said you didn't care about, Jess, sweet innocent Jess. Or maybe, and I think this one might be the winner, maybe it's because the love of my life, is sitting up there scared out of her mind that you might try and take her little boy away!" Luke started pacing.

Liz grinned, "My big brother is in love!" She said in a dreamy voice.

"No Liz you do not get to be happy for me." Luke said waving his arms around.

"Can I see him?" She asked quietly.

"See who." Luke asked annoyed.

"Jess."

"You said you didn't care about Jess. You just left him, you didn't even wait for me to get back so he wouldn't be alone, you just left him."

"I know, I'm sorry, I was scared, I didn't want a baby. But I've missed him. I'm starting to think that maybe I do care about him. Maybe I can be a mother after all."

"No! No you cannot be a mother, Jess already has a mother, a mother he loves more than anything in the world, you can't do this Liz!"

"How could be already have a mother?" Liz asked confused.

"Ever heard of adoption. Oh yeah of course you have you said in your note, you suggested it, you said he was now my problem. Nice way to describe him I think a problem. Well he isn't a problem. He is my son and he is Lorelai's son and we love him so much."

"Who is Lorelai, and how is he Lorelai's son, you can't just let any old person act as his mother you know."

"Lorelai is my fiancé, she is also the woman who has adopted Jess, she is his mother, and if you will excuse me, I have a family to be with." Luke stalked off.

"I'm family too you know. And I'm not leaving the diner until I see him. I will camp out if I need too." Liz shouted after him and started running back to the diner.

Luke stormed in and straight up the stairs locking he door to his old apartment and seeing Lorelai sitting on the couch, looking at him.

He leaned against the door and sighed, "hey."

"I'd get up, but I have sleeping 1 year olds on me. Help me put them in the bed and build a pillow tower around them so they can't roll off and then we can talk." Lorelai gave him a small smile.

"Ok." He returned the small smile.

"How'd it go?" Lorelai asked when they returned to the sofa.

"Not great. She won't leave the diner until she sees him."

Lorelai got a sad look on her face, "What did she say? What did you say?"

"She said well she said, she thinks she misses him and that she might want to be his mum. I told her no, that he has a mother that he loves more than anything in the world. That's you by the way in case you were wondering," Luke tried to get a smile out of Lorelai, "he is such a mommas boy." This did get a small smile but she still looked sat and was staring at her hands. "I'm going to phone Mia." Luke said.

"Why?"

"Because, you are staying here, with your son and daughter for the rest of the day. Don't worry she will understand."

"Thankyou."

"I'm also going to go downstairs and get that lunch I never got to get. Don't worry I'm not going to speak to her. I'll also get you coffee, ok? I'll be back really soon."

Lorelai nodded, "I love you," She said, "so much."

"I love you too, you know that right?" He got a nod out of her, "good, now I'll be as quick as I can."

Ten minutes later, Luke returned with a bag of food and a large cup of coffee, to find Lorelai sitting on the bed, stroking Jess' dark hair, as he slept.

She looked up as Luke returned and locked the door again, "you know, I've said it before, but he really does look like you."

"Not really," Luke said, "nothing like Rory looking like you, she is like a mini you sometimes."

"Yeah She is great." Lorelai smiled as she looked at her daughter.

"Come on, let's eat, I've even brought you coffee."

"Thanks."

They ate in mainly silence. Until they heard someone trying to open the door. Then someone knocking loudly and then a woman's voice, who Luke recognised as Liz started to shout through.

This woke up both of the babies, who were almost instantly picked up by their parents.

"Let me in Luke, I'm not joking I want in. I know he is there, I just heard crying." Liz shouted through the door.

"I know this isn't the time," Lorelai whispered to Luke as she stroked Jess' back to stop him from crying, "but that is not the voice I would have guessed for her."

Luke just gave her a look and then whispered back, "have I told you how crazy you are lately?"

Liz then quietened down, "she must be gone," Lorelai said in a normal voice.

Liz heard her from where she sat on the other side of the door, "I'm not gone, I'm sitting here waiting."

Like and Lorelai shared a look. Lorelai's grip on Jess tightened causing him to rest his head in her neck, sensing the tension, "let her in." Lorelai whispered to Luke.

"What?"

"She isn't going to go away and I don't want to live out my life here, I want to go home. Let her in, we can talk to her, but please promise me she doesn't get to hold him, not today, I'm not ready for that, please?" Lorelai pleaded with large eyes.

"Of course, are you sure?"

"Yes, just do it."

Luke with Rory in his arms went over and unlocked the door and then stood back. Liz heard the door unlock and ripped it open, nearly pouncing on Rory, then pausing.

"Why is he wearing a pink dress?" She asked confused.

"This is Rory, my daughter." Luke said giving to more information as he walked away from her over to where Lorelai stood.

"Your daughter? Where is my son?" She asked, getting impatient.

"You don't have a son." Luke responded, feeling how Lorelai shrunk against his side at those words.

"Who's that?" Liz marched over to Lorelai and tried to take Jess off her.

Lorelai turned to that Jess was stuck between herself and Luke, casing him to cry, "mama!" With tears on his face.

"Luke!" Lorelai shouted, turning her attention to Jess.

"See he wants me!" Liz said triumphantly.

"No you idiot, I am obviously his mother." Lorelai snapped at Liz and then started whispering into Jess' ear, causing him to calm down and cling to her.

Liz then started to cry, "please, I don't have anything. I was scared and young. And I ran off. But now I have nowhere to live and no money, he is all I have."

"Oh well in that case." Lorelai said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at Liz.

"Liz sit down." Luke said, signalling the sofa on the other side of the room and going over to the far corner with Lorelai.

"Can I bring them home?" Lorelai said.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea, they shouldn't be around this, I'll talk to her, see what I can do, I'll meet you back at home, ok?" Luke kissed her quickly, looked her in the eyes and then carefully handed Rory over to her and walked her to the door.

Once they had left Luke went over to stand in front of a crying Liz on the sofa.

"I messed everything up." She threw herself at her brother, who stood there awkwardly, "Mum and dad would hate me." She cried into him, this broke him and he put his arms around her and stroked her back, "they would not hate you." He said firmly, "trust me they never could."

He sat her back down on the couch and this time sat on the opposite end instead of standing in front of it.

She looked him in the eye, "I have no place to go, no money, nothing, my boyfriend just left me. I had no where else to go, I'm sorry. It's just when I think off Jess my whole heart fills with sadness and regret, how could I do that, just leave him."

"I don't know, Liz, but I do know this, you can't just come back and just be his mother. He already has a mother. He has a great life. He is so happy."

"But I'm his real mother." Liz said.

Luke took a deep breath, "Liz, you are going to make me angry. Don't say that. Lorelai is his real mother, not only legally, but she is the person who he cry's for, she is the person he feeds him and washes him and who puts him to bed, every night with a bed time story. She is the one who plays with him. She is the one who at 17 years old, with a daughter of her own not only agreed to marry me but asked to adopt Jess. Now Jess loves her and she loves Jess. She is Jess' mother, whether you like it or not."

"But Luke I gave birth to him, that has to mean something."

"Trust me both me and Lorelai are very thankful that you did that, but it's not enough to make you a Mum."

"I want to be in his life Luke, please. Why don't you move to New York?"

"Why the hell would I move to New York?"

"That's were I want to live, that's where I have been living, it's a great life."

"No."

"Then I'm staying around here." Liz said with determination, "are you still living here?" She asked him.

"Not in the apartment anymore, no."

"Can I?"

"I'll have to talk to Lorelai."

"Why? This is your place, it used to be dads place. Why does it matter what she thinks."

"It matter because we are getting married in June and this concerns her just as much as it concerns me." Luke stood up, "I'll be back, stay here, leave, whatever." He walked out.

Luke walked through the diner, checking with josh that they had it for the rest of the day, and then walked home.

When he got home he found Lorelai, Rory and Jess playing on the floor. He went and sat with them, "they ok?" He asked Lorelai pointing at Jess and Rory.

"Yeah they're fine."

"You ok?" He asked looking her in the eyes.

Her eyes tested up a bit but then she took a deep breath and grit her teeth and swallowed and said, "yeah."

"Convincing." Luke said in a sarcastic tone.

"I'll be fine," Lorelai said, "it's just a lot to take in, I wasn't expecting it and I don't know what to do."

"She wants me to go to New York with her, apparently that's where she has been. Of course I said no, but now she is saying that she is going to stay in stars hallow. That shouldn't last long, Liz has never had a long attention span, she is always looking for something exciting."

"She wants to stay?" Lorelai repeated, "where?"

"She doesn't really have anywhere, she can probably crash at old friends houses for a while, but they would all still live with their parents, so that wouldn't last long I don't think. She asked if she could stay in the apartment above the diner."

"What did you say?"

"I said, I'd talk to you."

"Oh."

"You don't want her to do you?"

Lorelai just looked at the teddy bear that was still in her hands.

"I don't particularly want her there either, I'd have to go to the bank everyday when the diner closes, she isn't great about not stealing money. And I like having that space to go to quickly if I'm working with Jess or Rory there, if they need something, or they are just getting grumpy. But it was dads place, and no matter what dad wouldn't have wanted me to kick her out, no matter what she did, dad always forgave her."

"She did a terrible thing, but it did give me my son and for that I will always be grateful," Lorelai said.

"I know."

"If she stays around, what do we tell Jess. He is learning quick. How do we introduce her. She is your sister, but I don't want to just tell him that's his aunt and for it to become a big secret. I don't think he would quite get, that she is his birth mother who is also his fathers sister, but not actually like is father didn't have a baby with his sister, and that she disappeared but now she is back."

"Yeah you're right, I hardly got that. And we don't want to lie to him, that could only back fire. How about we just tell him, that she is my sister and that she gave birth to him and to call her Liz."

"Yeah, and you know he is sat right here."

"He's not listening though, so what do you think, can she stay above the diner."

Lorelai looked to the side, sighed and looked back at Luke, "Yeah, but put a time on it."

"A month?"

"Yeah."

"I'll go tell her." Luke stood up and smiled at Lorelai, "you sure? You won't upset me if you say no."

"I know, give her a month, I'm sure."

"Alright, I'll be back soon."

"Hey Luke?" She called when he was on the other side of the room causing him to turn around, "Do you mind, if just for a little bit, she doesn't come here?"

"Of course not, I'll be quick, I talked to Josh, they're ok without me, and it's still there birthday and Mia gave you the rest of the day."