A/N: WOW! That is all I have got to say! Thank you so much everyone for all the reviews. They were more than appreciated! I'm thrilled that everyone is enjoying this story so much. I'm really having a blast writing it. Here is the next installment. What happens with Christopher Hayden is back in town? Who knows?
Disclaimer: I don't own them...only in my dreams.
"Chris?" she asked her voice breathless.
"Hey Lor," he greeted. The diner came to a screeching halt.
"Chris," she muttered, her mind trying to wrap around the fact that he was there, standing in front of her.
"Chris," Luke growled behind her, the grip on her hand tightening.
"Chris, what are you doing here?" Lorelai asked, gently squeezing Luke's hand in reassurance.
"Well, I'm in town for the great Hayden Thanksgiving," Chris told her, the smile on his face not wavering, "and I thought I'd stop in to see how my girls are doing."
Lorelai rolled her eyes. He can't be serious, she thought to herself, He can't think that just showing up is going to work this time. Oh, Luke is probably fuming right now. I've got to talk to him, I guess now is as good as time as ever. This isn't going to be easy.
"Chris," Lorelai started, groaning, "Maybe we should talk in private."
"Okay," Chris agreed, all too eagerly for Lorelai…and Luke.
"Lorelai," Luke protested, his hand gripping hers tightly.
"Luke, it's ok," Lorelai insisted, turning and placing a kiss firmly on his mouth. She whispered into his ear, "I really need to talk to him."
Luke nodded his head, against his better judgment, and released her hand. "I love you," he told her before she pulled away.
"Love you too," she said back, placing another kiss on his lips before turning and following Chris out the diner door.
Luke watched as she led Chris towards the gazebo. He hated him, with a deep passion, and he hated the fact that he was out there with his girlfriend.
Not just girlfriend, he thought, but my fiancée. She's my fiancée now.
A smile broke out o his face at the thought, despite the anger in his chest over Christopher.
She's my fiancée, his thoughts rolled; I'm the one marrying her. I couldn't be luckier.
April chose that moment to cry out from her highchair, reminding him it was lunchtime. As he prepared her lunch he couldn't help but think jam hands weren't all bad.
He even started thinking that he wouldn't mind having another, as long as he had them with Lorelai.
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Lorelai shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket, trying to gather her thoughts. She decided that a public place was probably the best; she didn't trust Chris enough to take him somewhere completely secluded to talk. Things always seemed to go a bit crazy when he came back around.
She remembered the last time he had been in town. It had been at least a year ago, probably longer, since they had last seen each other. He had been in Hartford on business and had stopped in to see her and Rory. She hated to think back to that night. They had still been living in the potting shed, so it had to be at least a year and a half since he'd been around last, and after they put Rory to bed they'd gone outside to catch up with disturbing her. Chris had pulled out the bottle of tequila he'd brought and they'd gotten drunk, despite the gnawing feeling in her gut that told her it wasn't a good idea.
That night they'd messed around a bit and it had been full of promises from him. Promises that he was different, that he wanted to be apart of their lives, that he wanted to make them a family. She hated admitting it, but she'd believed him and had reopened her heart to him again that night.
But of course, once again, that image was destroyed when she woke up the next morning to find him gone again, a note claiming that he had to get back was the only thing that was left, promising to call and visit again soon.
Though, those promises were left broken and it had been months before he had called them. With those empty promises he had left two broken hearts in his trail.
It wasn't too long after that when Lorelai had meet Luke and she realized what true love meant. She knew her heart was protected from him this time, she couldn't imagine ever thinking about Chris like that again, but Rory on the other hand, Lorelai was worried about her.
"You are being awful quiet," Chris ventured, breaking the silence they'd fallen into.
"Thinking," she offered effortlessly, "just thinking."
She knew this conversation wasn't going to be easy and she knew it wasn't going to end nicely, but she didn't want to put if off. She needed to get some things off her chest. She did hope that she would be able to keep it together long enough though to confront him. She needed that.
"So, I guess congratulations is in order," Chris said and Lorelai's head snapped up.
"Huh?" she asked not comprehending his question. She'd been thinking so hard his voice caught her off guard.
"Congratulations," he said again, motioning to her left hand. "You're engaged."
"I am," Lorelai confirmed smiling, "officially it's been about three days."
"I'm happy for you Lore, really."
"Thank you," she said, "I couldn't be happier."
"Does Rory like him?" Chris asked and Lorelai shifted nervously. It was going to break his heart telling him the extent of Rory and Luke's relationship.
"She does," Lorelai told him, "He's been a great dad to her."
"I'm here dad," Chris said and she could tell his anger was starting to rise.
"No Chris," she started.
"Lorelai…"
"Let me finish," Lorelai interrupted back, "you are her father. She has your DNA and your nose, but Luke…Luke is her dad."
"Lore," Chris said angrily and Lorelai struggled to keep her voice calm.
"Chris, understand you will always have a place in her heart, but…"
"But? But what?" he growled.
"But you can't expect her to consider you as her 'dad'" Lorelai said through clenched teeth. Her emotions were rocked, she wanted to be happy to finally be telling him off, but the look on his face kept her in check.
"Lorelai…"
"No, Chris, you don't call, you don't visit. I mean did we just miss all the postcards or letters you sent? Did our answering machine just not record your messages? I doubt it. The last time you visited and left you broke her heart and I swear to God Chris I won't let you do that again."
"I'm different. I've changed."
"Christopher, I've heard that line before and yet you never deliver. Our daughter waited by the phone every night for two weeks after you left last time, waiting to hear from you and goes what, she didn't." The anger in Lorelai was starting to grow and with that anger it gave her a sense of confidence that propelled her on.
"You missed her birthday again, you realize that don't you? Again Chris. I had to go and buy a card, get Luke to scribble your name, and give it to her so she didn't' know her own father forgot about her, again."
"Lore…"
"No, I need to get this out. You have had nine years to be apart of her life and yet she's seen you a handful of times at most. Luke, on the other hand, in the past year he's known us, has been a vital part of her life, and mine." Her eyes were filled with tears but hat didn't stop her. She had been waiting a long time for a chance to really tell Chris what she thought.
She took a deep breath. "Luke and I are getting married in a couple months and when we do I'll be adopting his daughter and I want him to adopt Rory."
"He has a daughter?" Chris asked sarcastically and Lorelai rolled her eyes at him with a groan.
"That is a long and somewhat complicated story, but yes, he does," Lorelai told him briefly. "But back to your daughter. Understand, I won't keep you from seeing her, but I want you to sign over your parental rights. It'll make the adoption process so much easier."
"No way," Chris said automatically, and it was exactly what Lorelai predicted.
She just kept going, "If you don't voluntarily, it'll just drag out the process and it will have to be dealt with in court. I, frankly, want to avoid that if possible."
"Lorelai, you can't be serious," Chris exclaimed.
"I am totally serious Chris," Lorelai argued. "She doesn't know you, not really, and I want her to have a father figure in her life that she knows and that is there, all the time."
"I can be that, give me another chance. We can make this work," Chris fought and Lorelai just shook her head. "Lorelai, we belong together. You, me, and Rory, we can be a family."
"Are you crazy?" Lorelai asked, her eyes bulging. "I'm happy, in love, and engaged. You don't think I'd take you back, do you? This shouldn't be about you and me damn it."
"You belong with me. You always have."
"No Chris, I don't belong with you. We could never be a family, not in the traditional sense, not like that."
"But…"
"We'll be tied together always because of the little genius we created on a drunken night during our junior year of high school, but that is as much as it'll ever be."
"You don't really believe that."
"I do. I've found my forever and that is with Luke. Rory loves Luke, give her the chance to have a normal childhood."
"You're making a mistake," Chris angrily exclaimed, "She'd choose me. If you gave her the chance, she would choose me."
"Chris, don't give yourself that much credit. She doesn't know you well enough…"
"And whose fault is that?" Chris yelled.
"Yours," Lorelai yelled back. "You left. You went off to California and left us here."
"You didn't marry me."
"I didn't love you!" Lorelai retaliated and a flash of pain went through Chris's face. "That doesn't mean you can leave your daughter though."
"I have to go," Chris said suddenly getting up from the bench. "Give Rory a kiss for me."
"Chris, stick around, at least long enough for dinner. Rory should be done with dance lessons in a bit and you can see her."
"No, I should just go."
"Chris, don't do that. Don't take this out on her."
"She won't even know I've been here, just don't tell her," Chris said quietly and tears of frustration burned in Lorelai's eyes.
"It's not that easy Chris," Lorelai told him. "This is a small town and her dance teacher was in the diner when you first walked in. I'm sure Rory already knows you're here."
"Apologize to her for me, but I have to go," Chris insisted and Lorelai just shrugged.
"Fine Chris," she said, bitterness laced her voice. "But this is the last time I stick up for you with her. She's too old for that now."
"Fine," he said walking away, "I really am glad you're happy."
Lorelai watched as he walked away, cursing him and his immaturity in dealing with the situation.
I'm going to have one hell of a time explaining this to Rory, she thought to herself. I couldn't get lucky enough to have this information simply pass her by. She knows by now, Patty was on her way out when he came in. God, this is going to break her heart. I can't believe him. I can't believe he really thought I'd take him back, again. Especially after acknowledging I'm engaged. God I hate him. Damn you Christopher.
She felt Luke's arms wrap around her and she melted into his embrace. He was there, again, to protect and comfort her, just like he always had been and always would be.
"It's okay," he murmured into her ear, "it'll be okay."
"I wish that was the case babe," she argued, "I wish it was that easy."
"Even though it might not be easy, it will still work out," Luke insisted and Lorelai shrugged.
"I asked him to sign over parental rights."
"What?"
"I want you to adopt Rory, you know that and he was here so I figured, why not?" Lorelai told him, shrugging again. "The lawyer said it would be easiest if he would sign them over."
"Oh Lorelai," Luke whispered.
"He seemed upset but then he wouldn't even stay for dinner to see her. I don't understand."
"Dinner?" Luke asked, cringing at the thought of spending any amount of time with the low-life creep.
"He said he wanted to see Rory," Lorelai explained, "so I figured he could have dinner with us. But as you can see, he left."
"I'm sorry," Luke offered and Lorelai tearfully shrugged it off.
"He really wasn't here for her," Lorelai stated simply.
"How do you know that?"
"He was here to try to get with me," Lorelai told him and Luke tensed. "He started going on how we belong together and that he's ready to make us a family."
"Ugh…"
"But he isn't. If he really was ready to try and be her father he would have stayed. He would have seen his kid."
"Lorelai…"
"Don't try and defend him, he doesn't deserve it."
"Oh, I know that," Luke agreed causing Lorelai to giggle softly. "He's an idiot to ever let you go to begin with, but it worked out well for me."
Luke chuckled at his own joke and Lorelai whispered, "I love you Luke," against his ear.
"I love you too, oh god, so much."
They sat there for several moments, just holding each other, Lorelai marveling in the warmth she felt in his arms. They were interrupted a few minutes later by a very bubbly Rory.
"Hey mom, hey Luke, I heard dad was in town," Rory exclaimed, watching Luke tighten his hold on her mom.
"Well, sweetie…"
"He left already, didn't he?" Rory asked and Lorelai's heart broke in two.
"Sweetie," Lorelai started and watched as Rory's eyes filled with tears. "He had to go."
"He didn't want to see me did he?" Rory asked, her gaze focused on the tips of her shoes.
"Of course he did," Lorelai tried to lie. "He was going to be late for a buis…"
"Don't stick up for Christopher mom, he's not worth it," Rory interrupted, her voice laced with bitterness.
"Honey," Lorelai reached out to her daughter only to have Rory back away.
"No, don't. I need to be by myself right now. I'll meet you at the diner for dinner," Rory said before running off. Lorelai watched as her daughter ran towards the bridge, her brown hair flying behind her, and her backpack bouncing up and down.
"Rory," she called but to no avail. Rory didn't slow down and Lorelai released her anger and frustration in a choked sob. "Damn you Christopher."
"Give her some time," Luke said, "she'll cool down."
"She's right you know. He doesn't deserve to be called her father," Lorelai said with a sigh.
"I know, but he is."
"He's nothing but a sperm donor."
"Lorelai…"
"Why don't you want to adopt her?" Lorelai asked suddenly and Luke pulled back in shock.
"What?"
"Why don't you want to adopt her? You've been fighting it and putting it off since I brought it up after talking to the lawyers about adopting April. Why don't you want to adopt Rory?"
"It's not that, Lorelai," Luke insisted, "I'd be honored to call Rory my daughter. Hell I consider her my daughter already."
"Then why all the fuss?"
"I…I don't want to her resent me in the future for taking her away from her real father," Luke finally admitted.
"What?" It was Lorelai's turn to be surprised. What is he talking about? Lorelai asked herself.
"My sister, Liz, she had a kid young too, Jess is actually Rory's age, maybe a bit younger. His father left him when he was still a baby and every guy Liz has bee with since he's left her. She doesn't pick the best guys."
"Luke, I'm failing to see the connection," Lorelai said when he paused, her hand gently rubbing his arm, the action begging for more information.
"Jess was seven when Liz's third husband left her. I went to their apartment to pick up the pieces, like I'd done every other time. Jess…Jess didn't understand and kept questioning Liz as to why that dad had left. Liz just kept brushing him off. Finally, she exploded and told him he didn't need a father and that he was better off without one. That same night, he blew up at me. He was hurting and confused and took his anger out on me. I understand he didn't know what he was saying, didn't understand why exactly I was there, but it still hurt."
"What did he say Luke?"
"He said that I must have been the reason his real father left to begin with. He said he hated me and that he hoped he would never have to see me again," Luke said quietly, the emotions in his words surprising Lorelai. "He's my nephew and I love the kid so much, but maybe he's right."
"Luke, no."
"Jimmy knew I didn't like him, that I though he was a scumbag. Maybe I did push him away and now Jess will grow up with my crazy sister and no father."
"You are not the reason Jess's father abandoned him. Just like you wouldn't be the reason Chris sucks as a father," Lorelai insisted, wrapping Luke in a hug.
"It still worries me though," Luke said. "When she's older, what will she think? Will she blame me for pushing Chris away?"
"She wouldn't do that," Lorelai said again, "she loves you too much to do that."
"I don't know…"
"You should talk to her," Lorelai interrupted. "Let her tell you what she wants."
"And you think she'd choose me?"
"I know she will," Lorelai said standing up. "I'm going to go rescue April from Babette and take her home for her nap. You go talk to Rory. She'd probably be more up to talking to you right now anyways."
"Okay," Luke agreed after a moment of silence. "See you at home later?"
"Of course, love you."
"Love you too," Luke told her before watching her walk towards the diner. Luke stood there, contemplating his next move. Finally he turned and headed in the same direction Rory ran off to.
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Rory sat in the middle of the bridge, her small legs dangling over the side, tears cascading down her cheeks. She'd never yelled at her mom before, not like that, and she was sorry she did it.
I just don't understand why she has to stick up for him like that, she thought, it isn't like he's ever been a great dad. I wish Luke was my real father. I'm glad mom is going to marry him.
She angrily wiped at her tears, mad at herself she'd gotten that upset about another disappointment from Christopher. She heard footsteps come up behind her and she turned her face away, whoever was behind her was not going to see her cry.
"What do you want?" she asked angrily and she heard a sharp intake of breath.
"I just wanted to talk to you," Chris's voice answered from behind. "Is that okay?"
"I'm not sure I want to talk to you," Rory answered, refusing to look at him. "Please just go away."
"Rory…"
"No, it's not going to work with me this time Christopher," Rory spouted, making sure to put an emphasis on his name. "I'm not five anymore. A hug isn't going to fix this."
"I'm sorry," Chris said meekly and Rory laughed.
"That's not enough is it?" Rory asked, "You forgot my birthday again."
"You knew?" Chris asked surprised, remembering what Lorelai had told him about getting a card and signing his name.
"Yes, I knew. As messy and unreadable as mom and Luke tried to make it, I knew it wasn't from you. I knew they did it."
"I really am sorry kid," Chris tried again. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"But you did," Rory said, finally looking him in the face. "If you didn't want to be my dad…"
"It's not that Rory," Chris interrupted not wanting to hear the rest of that sentence.
"Then what? You were never around; it's been over a year since I've seen you. It's been months since you last called."
"I know…"
"Mom is marrying Luke."
"I know…"
"I hate to tell you this, but he really the one I consider my dad."
"I'm glad you have him in your life Rory, really." Chris told her. This was the clincher; he'd sign the papers this weekend before he left to go back to California.
"Me too."
"I know you don't believe me, but I'm sorry, really, really sorry. I'll try harder," Chris told her and Rory nodded.
"I forgive you," Rory said with a half smile, "and even though I have Luke, I'd like to have you too."
"I'll do my best."
"Stay for dinner?" Rory asked, knowing her mom would have already extended the invitation. "You could meet my little sister."
"I'm sorry Ror, but I really need to get back to Hartford. Maybe another time?"
"Okay, bye Chris."
"Bye kiddo," Chris said before walking away. Rory stayed still for a moment before wiping her eyes again.
I guess I should go apologize to mom now, she thought, I hope she's not too mad.
As Rory stood up she ran smack into Luke, who was now standing no more than a few inches from her.
"Hey kid, you okay?" Luke asked and Rory smiled.
"I am dad, I am."
"Rory, are you sure?" Luke asked his eyes going wide with the word rolling off her tongue when she wasn't half asleep.
"I am," she answered, "do you mind?"
"I couldn't be happier today," he said picking her up in a hug. "I'd love nothing more than for you to call me dad."
"Good," she said with a smile, "cause I like it a lot."
"Me too, Rory," He wrapped her in a tight hug before placing her feet back down onto the ground.
"Luke?"
"Yeah," he asked, noticing her smirk.
"I'm hungry."
"Let's head to the diner, I'm sure your mom is hungry too," Luke said with a laugh.
Hand in hand they walked back towards town together. Father and daughter.
tbc...
A/N: Another plea for reviews. I really do run off of them. The more I get the more ideas come. (Also, if there is anything specfic you want to see, let me know and I'll see about working it in.) You know where the button is. Press it...PLEASE!
