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Part 13 – On the same Page?

April was so exhausted after they had finished dinner she soon fell asleep in the cab on their way back to the hotel. Dinner had been fairly quiet, both Luke and Lorelai were tired after a hectic few days and lost in their own thoughts. With Lorelai being strangely subdued, it had been up to April to fill the silence. She had chatted away for a while, but eventually, even she felt too tired to keep up the conversation.

The cab ride was filled with silence as April slept on Luke's shoulder and neither wanted to wake her by talking. It was only when they arrived at the hotel that they spoke to each other, possibly for the first time since leaving the ice rink. Lorelai paid for the cab while Luke carried April out of the cab and into the hotel. Somehow, Luke made carrying the teenager look easy.

Lorelai walked ahead down the corridor to their room to unlock their door and held it open for Luke, before walking past him to hold open the adjoining door to April's room.

Lorelai moved the covers on the bed then Luke, being careful not to wake April, place her down. He held her sitting up right while Lorelai took off her coat then he laid her down as they each took to removing a shoe. Lorelai placed her pyjamas on the chair by the bed so if she woke in the night she would know where to find them and be able to change. Luke carefully removed her glasses then placed a soft kiss on her head before covering her up.

Lorelai moved in to their room giving Luke a few moments to make sure April settled before he followed. Lorelai took off her jacket and sat on the bed while she kicked off her shoes before she noticed that Luke had pushed the door to April's room closed instead of leaving it half-open, as he did the previous night.

Not thinking anything of it, she stood up off the bed to go to the bathroom only to be stopped by Luke wrapping his arms around her waist. He pulled her close then slowly kissed her.

She took a few moments to respond partly because she was surprised he was kissing her. With April in the next room and the hotel wall being exceptionally thin, she'd just assumed Luke would have a no sex, no fooling around, no nothing rule for these few days. That was fine with her, she couldn't say she was completely comfortable with doing anything with April so close either, but Luke seemed to have other plans for tonight.

Luke took his time before he moved to deepen this kiss, letting his tongue lick her lips before exploring further. They stumbled back to the bed and collapsed together onto it. They spent time just kissing, neither moving it on any further. Lorelai couldn't even remember the last time they had just kissed. They kissed and held each other close for what felt like forever.

"Not that I don't love kissing you," Lorelai started as they settle down together, "but what's this all in aid of?"

"Nothing," Luke shrugged.

He rolled on to his back and stretched out motioning for Lorelai to lay with him. Never one to turn down some snuggling, especially with Luke, Lorelai moved to lay on her front. She rested her head on Luke's shoulder and put an arm across his waist. She contently played with a button on his shirt while he wrapped a piece of her hair around his fingers.

"You're an amazing woman," Luke finally told her, breaking their silence.

Lorelai smiled at Luke's attempt at a complement.

"Well thank you for finally noticing," she joked.

"I mean it. I've put you through a lot over the last year, and I should be grateful that you're even speaking to me let alone lying here with me, or taking April places."

"Luke, I made mistakes too, and April's a great kid. I just want to be a part of that side of your life."

"I know, and you are. Seeing you these last few days with April … I just … I realised how stupid I was to shut you out. You're amazing and April's lucky to have you in her life."

"You and April have been wonderful to me too. When Rory told me she was going to London all those months ago, I thought Christmas was going to suck big time this year. Instead, I've actually had a really good time, even though she's not here. Now you two haven't managed to replace Rory, but I don't feel so bad about her not being here."

"It does feel odd though doesn't it?" Luke questioned, after a moment.

"What does?"

"Rory not being here. It's like I keep expecting to see her, laughing with you, seeing her and April together. It's like she's missing out because she's not here."

"Yeah."

Lorelai tried not to sound too depressed. She'd felt it a lot while they'd been walking around. She kept thinking of the things Rory would love to do. She could imagine the conversations they would have, the three of them teasing Luke, taking pictures of the four of them.

"I know what you mean, Rory's such a big part of my life it does feel like she should be here with us."

"We should plan to do something, the four of us when she gets back."

"We planned dinner the Saturday she get's home," Lorelai reminded him, confused that he had forgotten already.

"No I mean we should do something like go away for the weekend. Maybe we could go visit Jess in Philly."

"With his and Rory's past do you think that's wise?"

"I actually think they've sorted things out, their friends."

"They are?" Rory hadn't mentioned anything to her about Jess. The last thing she knew was that Rory had visited Jess at his bookstore launch, but that was months ago.

"Yeah, Jess said they exchange e-mails occasionally. That's how he knew what was going on with us."

"Oh," Lorelai said, feeling slightly sad that Luke knew something she didn't. Then again, knowing her feelings about Jess and the fact she and Luke weren't speaking, maybe Rory felt she couldn't tell her.

"It's just an idea. Maybe we could go back to the Vineyard."

"You hated it there last time. You said it was too cold and too noisy. Maybe in the summer when it's warmer we could go."

"I didn't hate it. I just had a lot on my mind at the time. Don't your parents go to the Vineyard during the summer?" The look on Lorelai's face told him he had been correct with his thinking.

"That's what I thought. What about Maine? It was nice when I went to help Liz and TJ with the renaissance fairs."

"Isn't that a bit far just for the weekend? Maybe we could discuss it with the girls at dinner. I'm sure April and Rory could come up with somewhere to go. Plus if Rory comes you'll actually have to share the cost with me."

"Why? I like paying for things for you."

"Because this is a joint thing, you, me and our daughters. I want to pay for things too."

"Okay how about we both set aside the same amount and put it together and whatever's left we use for next time?"

"You mean like a joint savings account?" Lorelai teased, sounding far too excited about the prospect.

"Yes, I mean like a joint savings account." Lorelai was surprised at how serious Luke sounded.

"Wow, the next thing you'll be saying is you want to move in with me and share half the bills."

"We probably should think about that," Luke said, slowly testing the water between them.

He sounded so calm he might as well have told her to think about a pair of shoes before she bought them.

"You want to move in … again?" Lorelai asked, slightly surprised.

"Yeah … or … move some place bigger," Luke said slowly. He'd been unsure how to bring up the subject of moving when previously Lorelai hadn't been open to the idea.

"So you're asking me to buy a new place to live with you?" Lorelai sat up slightly confused by the turn of events in this conversation. It had seemingly come out of nowhere.

Luke sat up next to her as he tried to quickly calm her fears. He knew what the house meant to her, he just couldn't see how they would all fit, it only had two bedrooms after all. Maybe it was time for the discussion.

"I'm asking you to think about it. I know you love your house, and I would never force you to do something you're not happy with, but, I'm just not sure it's big enough. I mean if we moved house, both Rory and April could have their own rooms, along with anyone else who might need one…"

"By anyone else you mean?"

"I mean anyone else should we decide … you know." Luke motioned between the two of them while Lorelai nodded slowly following his thinking.

"So not Kirk?"

"Definitely not Kirk." Luke was confused she would even think about bringing Kirk up. He was trying to make this a serious conversation, albeit rather badly.

"So Liz got to you with Doula?" Lorelai laughed, but stopped as she noticed the embarrassed look on Luke's face that told her she had.

Luke tried hard to hide the fact that spending the short time he had with Doula had actually made him want one of his own. Seeing Doula made all the things he missed out on with April really hit him. He never got to see her being born, or take her first steps or take her to her first day of school. So, he wasn't a fan of dirty dippers, sleepless nights, or being thrown up over, but with Lorelai at his side he knew he would cope. Surely the good would outweigh the bad.

"Wow, you've been doing a lot of thinking," Lorelai said. She was stunned at the reaction she was getting from him. He really had been thinking about the future, their future. That wasn't to say she hadn't, but she'd been prepared to wait months for Luke to be ready to move forward. For them both to get over the hurt they had caused each other.

"I've had a lot of time to think recently."

"So it seems."

"You don't want to?" Luke asked, worrying he'd been reading her wrong. He thought he could read her so well, and after the night Doula was born, he'd assumed they were on the same page. Had she re-thought her idea's about having a child with him?

"It's not that, it's, I just wasn't prepared for this to happen so fast. I mean after last time I figured this would be slow, that you'd need time… we'd both need time."

"We've had time. We've wasted months not being together, not even talking. I don't want to wait anymore."

Lorelai smiled unable to believe the words coming for the man in front of her. The man, who just a few months ago, she believe was a life long commitment phoebe. Here he was, wanting to move in with her, have a family with her. She didn't even attempt to hide the excitement that was building in her stomach.

"Do you have any idea where we should move to?" She responded once she found her voice.

"Well… Star's Hollow obviously but other then that, I don't care, you can choose."

"No we can choose, together."

"Okay."

"And I'm sure Rory and April would love to have some input."

Suddenly Luke had an image of Lorelai dragging the three of them around house after house trying to find the perfect one. If he was being honest, he didn't want it any other way.

"And while we're finding this new house you'll live…"

"Anywhere you are."

Lorelai smiled, he wanted to live with her, instantly. There was no waiting to officially move in until they were married like last time. He really wanted to move forward, and she hadn't even had to prompt him.

"I think that can definitely be arranged."

Happily, Lorelai leaned in to kiss him. Luke instantly responded by pulling her into him and kissing her back. They laid back against the pillows comfortably, revelling in the closeness.

"I love you," Lorelai said softly, between kisses.

Luke pulled back and stared at Lorelai. He knew that this was it. He had everything he wanted all lined up perfectly.

"Marry me Lorelai Gilmore…" Luke asked, as he looked down at her smiling.

Lorelai laughed and smiled only leaning into kiss him.