CONTINUING FROM PART 1:

When Luke opened the door Rory squealed happily.

"Grampa!"

"Ahh there's my girl," Richard happily took his granddaughter from Luke's arms. "Luke, it's good to see you again."

"You too, sir."

"Richard, Luke, call me Richard."

"Um, sure, that might some time getting used to."

"Well, we'll work on it. Will your father be joining us for lunch?"

"No we're having dinner with him, he's over having lunch with Mia."

"Mia? Lorelai's employer?"

"Yeah Mia was my mom's best friend, I think they like to reminisce around the holidays."

"You're mother is no longer with us?"

"She died when I was about 12."

"I'm sorry son, that's terrible. I was about your age when my father died and even that was far too young."

"Thank you-Richard. I think my dad just likes to be around someone who knew mom as well as he did." Luke's face conveyed his sadness over all the lost opportunities to know his mother.

Rory looked over at him with her big bambi eyes and a sad expression on her own face as she reached for him, "Daddy sad?"

Luke took her back from Richard and cuddled her to him, placing a kiss on her forehead, "No angel, Daddy's not sad."

"Hug daddy?" Rory wrapped her tiny arms around her father's neck.

"Thank you baby."

Richard looked on obviously pleased. Well Lorelai is doing better than I thought. Rory was obviously healthy and happy and she adored this man…her father.

"So Luke what's on the menu?"

"Well I thought turkey would be a little over done today so I made a lasagna and some sautéed vegetables I'm sure Lorelai won't really eat."

Richard chuckled, "Well son, I'm sure if anyone could change her eating habits it would be you."

"Well it would probably be smarter to skip Lorelai and just work on Rory."

Lorelai entered the room not long after and they all sat down to eat.

"So Luke, you and your father built this place just for my daughter and granddaughter?"

Luke swallowed hard, "Well it wasn't much, it had been an office we just added some walls and did some rewiring."

"Well I think it looks wonderful, owning a hardware shop has obviously afforded you some impressive skills."

Lorelai quickly interjected, "And isn't he a wonderful cook Dad?"

"Yes indeed, it's delicious Luke."

"Thank you Si-Richard."

"William has given Luke the store and Luke is working on turning it into a restaurant." Lorelai eyes shined in pride while Luke blushed.

"Really? Well that's wonderful. How far along are you in the process?"

Luke cleared his throat, "Well I'm working on a business plan for the bank loan, but it's kind of slow going."

Richard was a smart man, he knew an opportunity when he saw it, "You know Luke, I've been a businessman for a number of years now I'd be happy to give you a hand with the proposal."

Luke and Lorelai were noticeably hesitant.

"Well dad I-" "Richard really its-"

"Now, now. Luke is obviously a wonderful cook. Stars Hollow is a small town and a neighborhood restaurant like this could establish a very loyal clientele and be highly profitable. With a well executed business proposal I'm sure the bank would give him more than enough for the start up."

Between the holiday, her father's support, and the vacation her period seemed to be on, Lorelai was a tad emotional.

She was stunned at her father's support, before Luke could even utter a word Lorelai was accepting on their behalf. "Dad, thank you. I'm just- it's so wonderful that you, you know support this…us."

Richard smiled, "Lorelai I haven't always approved of what you've done but you've always taken responsibility for your actions and tried to handle things to the best of your abilities. And for that you'll always have my support."

Lorelai leaned over and kissed her father's cheek.

After dinner Luke and Richard were seated on the couch looking over the diner paperwork.

Rory was seated in her high chair watching her mother clean up. Lorelai was deep in thought. She loved this new relationship she had with her father. It was like as soon as her mother went over the edge her father pulled back to compensate. Lorelai had never thought her parents were bad people. But they refused to really listen to her, to consider another point a view. And now her father was finally willing to see other paths, other equally good choices that she could make.

But Lorelai feared what would happen if she had to tell her father she had once again gotten pregnant. And then there was the issue of Luke. She knew Luke fairly well now, and she knew he would beat himself up for getting her pregnant. If you're pregnant. Three days is a real gray area. The worst part of the whole thing was that she had to wait four more days to take the test. Four days to wonder and freak out and worry Luke with my insanity.

She knew she could just tell him, but the look of horror on his face would be unbearable.

Well, well Gilmore. What are you going to do?

Luke had to admit; Richard had some great suggestions for the business plans. He helped with the paperwork and even explained how the insurance would work. It had already been established that Richard's company would handle that.

Luke kept one eye on the paperwork and the other on Lorelai. Usually when she had to do something as mundane as dishes she'd sing and tease Rory with the bubbles. But today she seemed…distracted. Each movement was precise, but she was obviously not thinking about it.

She had been frantic and disorganized this morning, in the standard Lorelai fashion. But shortly before lunch she'd turned into a machine. Pick up magazines, collect Rory's toys, set the table…and on and on.

As much as Luke wanted this paperwork done he was anxious for Richard to leave. He needed to figure out what was up with Lorelai. Looks like the delayed freak out I was waiting for.

An hour later Richard headed home and Rory went down for a nap, Luke finally had his opportunity.

"Hey Lorelai?"

"Hmmm?"

"Nothing."

"Lorelai are you-"

Luke was cut off as Lorelai gasped and jumped up off the couch. She raced out of the room before Luke could even close his mouth.

Luke sat there stunned. Is she packing? Was this really too fast, is she leaving? Maybe she's sick. She didn't look sick.

Lorelai came walking into the room and literally jumped into Luke's lap. She planted kisses on his cheeks, his forehead, and his lips. Luke was too confused to reciprocate.

"Lorelai?"

"Yeeeeeesssss?"

"What are you doing?"

"You need to ask? Obviously I've been doing it wrong all these months."

Luke held her at arms length, gently. "No I mean what's with the sudden mood switch and the bolting out of the room."

"It was nothing Luke, now-"

"No. Lorelai if you're…having second thoughts about this we should talk about them. You don't have to live here. I mean I can live here alone if-"

"Luke no, it's not this," she gestured around the apartment "Well I, my period was a few days late an I was worried that-"

"Pregnant???"

"No, no I'm not, I just got my period, hence the run to the bathroom. But for a few hours there I thought maybe and I was just a little edgy."

Luke exhaled a huge breath. "Okay."

"That's it? No freaking out?"

"Yeah. It would be…scary… if you had been. But you aren't. And if you were we would handle it. "

"Kay," Lorelai was too stunned to speak. So she just snuggled up to Luke and shut her eyes.

Richard arrived back home shortly before three. Emily was already rushing around frantically.

"There you are Richard where have you been? Lydia and Charles are arriving in two hours and you aren't even dressed."

"Calm down Emily, it's never taken me two hours to dress."

"Well yes but you've left me all alone to organize this meal for OUR friends."

Richard flipped through some paperwork he'd taken from Luke while listening to Emily rant, "Emily you were hardly alone, the maid cleaned and set up and the cook prepared the food. All you had to do was 'supervise'."

"Where have you been all day Richard this is a family holiday not a work day."

"I was having lunch with Lorelai. There was very little work talk."

"With Lorelai?"

"Yes."

"Did you remind her about dinner?"

"No Emily. I doubt she'll be coming."

"That's nonsense. Of course she'll be coming. She knows she's required to be here."

Richard stopped reviewing his papers and glanced at Emily over the top of his glasses. "Required? And if she doesn't show up you'll what Emily? Ground her? Refuse to buy her new jeans?"

Emily looked agitated, but she was not ready to admit defeat. "She will be here Richard, she wouldn't do that to us."

Richard smiled sadly at his wife, "Lorelai and I had our holiday meal Emily." With that he walked upstairs to change.

Three hours later Emily was sitting at a table set for five, one conspicuously absent. Emily could barely control herself at the table. She seemed equal parts enraged and depressed.

Richard ate his dinner and chatted with their guests while Emily contributed minimally. As upset as he was with his wife he couldn't let her dinner party disintegrate around her. He knew how important these things were for her.

After Richard showed his guests out he walked in to find his wife in the living room.

"She didn't come." Emily sounded detached, her eyes barely strayed from a spot on the wall.

"No she didn't."

"She didn't even call."

"She may still call to wish us a happy holiday. It's only 8:30."

"What are we going to have to do to get her back on track?"

"Emily, she is on a track. And the sooner you start to recognize that the sooner you'll be invited to join her."

Emily's brow furrowed but she never moved from her position. Richard squeezed Emily's hand before turning in.

Emily sat for a few more moments before shaking her head resolutely, "No."

She got up and crossed to the phone and dialed.

"Hayden residence."

"Christopher please."

AN: Sorry, you know I have to bring him back in. But don't freak. This Luke & Lorelai are stronger.