A/N: Hey ya'll! Okay, so this one is a little shorter, but I promise that just means I'll have another update soon. For those of you reading my other story, "A Family's Beginnings," please know that I am working on it. I promise.

Disclaimer: I don't own!

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January 20, 1990

This is pretty much the craziest thing I've ever done. I can't believe it in some aspects, but in others, I would have been mad at myself if I hadn't. You know Maddie, William wasn't exactly thrilled at this concept, but I wasn't going to back down. I couldn't. I know he isn't looking forward to dealing with his illness, but he has to. You know? He can't just pretend it isn't there.

He's been doing that and it hasn't been good. I just, I don't understand why he wouldn't want his children to know. Well, I guess I know why he wouldn't. After they lost their mom, I know it is going to be hard for him to have to deal with them watching him die too. But they still deserve to spend as much time with him as possible.

It is only fair to them. Now, I didn't go back on my promise. I haven't said a word to Liz about it yet, even though I desperately want to. But Luke, Luke needs to be here. And as much as William might try and deny it I know he wants Luke here.

That is why I'm currently sitting on a plane Maddie.

Yup. This might be the craziest thing I've done since, well, who knows, but I'm doing it.

Thank god for Miss Patty and her infinite knowledge of the town's going-ons. It is also good that she likes me. I don't think she'd give up this information to just anyone. The whole town is very protective of the Danes' and that includes Luke. Maybe it is because I'm so close to the family?

I wouldn't be surprised if she's already guessed how I feel about him either, and frankly, that thought scares the crap out of me. But, I'm not going to worry about it right now.

Right now I'm just going to focus on the fact that I'm flying over the east coast right now, hopefully getting closer and closer to Orlando, FL, so that I can get off of this plane, beat some sense into Luke's head, and be on our way back home within the next couple of days.

Wish me luck Maddie, I have a feeling I'm going to need it.

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Luke sighed as he collapsed into the passenger seat in the car he'd come to know well and sighed.

"Long day?" the voice asked him as another body joined him in the car and Luke nodded. "Sorry."

"Don't be," he answered, "it isn't your fault."

"I know," she answered. "So, how are you doing?"

"Don't go there," Luke interrupted.

"Luke…"

"No Rachel," Luke stopped her again, "I don't want to talk about it."

"You have to talk about it eventually Luke," Rachel told him, "It's been over a month. You haven't spoken to your family; you know your dad is worried about you."

"Why is he?" Luke asked the bitterness in his voice growing, "I know you are talking to him."

"Someone had to Luke," Rachel argued, "You disappeared, without word, heartbroken, and your father was worried. When you showed up here, I had to call him Luke. He deserved that."

Luke couldn't say anything, he knew it was true.

"I know you've had a hard month or so," Rachel continued. "But you really need to think about calling your dad."

"I'll think about it," Luke offered and Rachel shrugged. She had tried, again, and failed, again. That was getting frustrating.

Luke leaned back and shut his eyes tight. He didn't want to deal with it. Not right now.

"You have to deal with it," Rachel said quietly and Luke hadn't realized that he had said anything out loud. "You have to deal with it, you've put it off for too long."

Luke shook his head and waited a second before speaking, "So, when willBryan be back from that meeting of his tonight?"

"Nice segue," Rachel commented with a brief laugh, "but I'm not sure. He told me that we should go ahead and eat without him though."

"That isn't a very nice wifely thing to do," Luke chastised and Rachel shrugged.

"Well, I'm not waiting until eight or nine if it takes that long," Rachel informed him, "besides; I highly doubt that he'll mind me feeding his child."

"Oh," Luke laughed, "it is his child today?"

"I was sick all morning," Rachel continued, "that deems it his child."

Luke chuckled slightly and Rachel's banter reminded him of when Liz was pregnant with Jess. She had always had the strangest cravings.

"Are you up for dinner now?"

Luke turned and nodded, "sure."

"Great," Rachel beamed, "let's go."

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I probably should have called before huh Maddie? Instead of just showing up on his ex-girlfriend's doorstep, completely unannounced and most likely unwelcome. Why did he go to her? I guess that is what I just don't understand. He went to Rachel, the infamous ex-girlfriend that broke his heart when she skipped town and headed to college without him. And now he went to her for comfort.

I'm sorry Maddie, it just doesn't make sense to me. I wish I could make sense of it.

I'm sort of interested in meeting her. I've heard a lot about her.

Some good things, some bad things. It all depends on who you are talking to really. I mean, Liz hates her, but that is a given I suppose. Most people in town don't like what she did to Luke, but overall they all liked her.

I guess she grew up in Stars Hollow, her parents moved away after she left for college. She hasn't been back since so I've been told. And Luke took that very hard.

My heart breaks for him when I think about that…or Kara. I know…I just want him to know that I'm always going to be there for him.

I hope he realizes that.

I guess I'll just have to make sure he does, won't I Maddie? I hope he believes me. That would be helpful.

But, I'll understand if he doesn't at the same time. It is going to take time for his heart to heal. I know that. It has only been a month and a half; there is no way he's completely healed yet. But he'll get there, I believe that. Whole-heartedly.

I think he'll get there faster if he comes home.

Though, finding out your dad isn't healthy and is mostly likely not going to last the year isn't going to be the thing that helps.

God, maybe I'm making a mistake.

It is too soon after the whole wedding debacle for me to have to come and give him this news. God, what was I thinking?

There are times in my life Maddie where I wish you weren't a book and you could answer me. Cause, though I know in my heart that he needs to know about William, my head is telling me to stop. To not see him or tell him. But I can't do that to him, can I?

No.

It's going to hurt. It isn't going to be easy. But he needs to know.

I owe him that much.

We are getting ready to land. Which means I'll be on the ground in just a matter of time and I'll be on my way to face him.

I'll have to call Mia, who has Rory while I'm here, to make sure they know that I'm here and safe. Gotta love Mia. I wouldn't be here if she hadn't of helped.

She's great.

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Luke sat next to Rachel on her couch, beer in hand, as the basketball game played unwatched. Her words were rolling around in his head and he couldn't stop them. He knew she was right. She tended to be right most of the time, and yet, he was still here, sitting on her couch, not moving.

"I was almost relieved when she told me she couldn't marry me." The words were escaping past his lips before he had a chance to stop them and he knew that this was it. He was finally ready to talk.

"Luke?"

"I was heartbroken," Luke went on, "but still, it was like this weight had lifted off of my shoulders. Isn't that a horrible thing to say?"

"No," Rachel shook her head and Luke laughed bitterly.

"Yes it is," Luke went on, "I keep telling myself it was her fault. She's the one who called it off, pulled away, didn't want to marry me, but I haven't been able to get the thought out that is wasn't all her fault."

Luke took a shaky breath in to calm his nerves, "I pulled away too. We wanted different things; we were changing, becoming different people. Getting married would have been a mistake."

Rachel didn't say anything and Luke continued after a moment, "I hate saying that. Marriage would have been a mistake, because, I loved her. I love her. I probably always will, but I'm not in love with her anymore."

"So," Rachel stated, "you must be in love with someone."

"Why do you say that?" Luke asked quickly and Rachel knew she had hit the mark.

"Luke," she started, "I know you better than almost anyone. We grew up together, you were my first love, I know how to read you, and I can tell that you are in love with someone. I just had the girl off. I thought you were still pining over Kara, but…"

"And it isn't that I'm not," Luke started again, "I had to go through a pining phase I think. When I first got here, I was. I don't think I had figured out our lack of a good match until more recently."

"I know," Rachel went on, "but, you still didn't answer my question."

"I'm not in love with anyone," Luke lied and Rachel gave him a pointed look. "Or, at least, I'm not sure if I am. I mean…"

"So there is a girl," Rachel asked and Luke gave a quick shrug. "What is her name?"

Luke shook his head, took another gulp of beer, and tried desperately to avoid Rachel's gaze. He finally caved.

"Lorelai," Luke whispered, "her name is Lorelai."

"She's the one your dad was talking to last time I called," Rachel acknowledged and Luke shrugged. He didn't want to think about her. Well, he did but he didn't. It was too much to think about.

"So, what's her story?" Rachel asked and just then the door flung open cutting her short.

"Hi honey," Bryan exclaimed, "I'm home."

"Hey Bryan," Rachel called back, "we're in the living room."

"Great. Hey, so I stumbled upon a friend of yours Luke," Bryan continued and Luke's interested peaked. "Was wandering around down by the mailboxes trying to find the house. "

"Who?" Rachel asked, Luke's voice lost.

They looked at each other as they waited for Bryan and the mystery guest to appear in the door. They were listening to the scuffling of feet and Bryan mumbling for them to follow him and Luke's breath left him when the body appeared.

"Hey Luke."

"Lorelai?"

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A/N: Dum, Dum, Dum….he-he! This one is a little shorter, but I didn't want to go much further with this chapter. So, are you going to review?