Author's notes: Sorry for the wait!! I was busy getting my acting career together and family got sick. Long story, but here's the next chapter! Thanks for the great reviews!

Jeremy Shane: I have no intention to kill Chris off, although the story is reaching the point where there will be less and less of him. The baby is Luke's. I'm curious, what is a monkeybag?

chloe2007: I would not make the baby's chris's. That would ruin the L/L and I don't want that to happen, they've been through enough already.

lorelailauren: True, Lorelai hasn't given Luke a lot of reasons to trust her entrily in the Chris department, but that will change over time.

Loridhp: Yes, gigi has become a bit of a loner in this family circle, but I won't have her like that forever, she's a cool kid and I have nothing against her. I'm glad you liked the bbay shower :)

Chapter Twenty-Five: Imagine

After much searching, GiGi was finally found hiding out in Rory's room.

'I want to stay here!' GiGi told her dad stubbornly. 'I want to live in a proper family!'

'I want that too GiGi, but this isn't our family' Christopher sighed. 'I mean you've got your big sister Rory…but we don't belong here'

'I want to!' GiGi screamed. 'Rory has a mum and a dad! And a sister, a brother…they even have a dog!'

'Do you want a dog?' Christopher asked.

'You can't get her a dog' Lorelai gasped.

'You're right, I know' Christopher then sighed. 'I'm tired' he said and reached for GiGi again. 'GiGi, please…we have to go. It's getting late-'

'I don't care!' she snapped. 'I don't wanna leave'

'Hey, I could come and visit you more often?' Rory then butted in. 'and I might even get you a cat…cats are okay, right?' she then asked Christopher.

'Ah…doubt it' Christopher shrugged. 'But right now I'll get her a damn horse if it'll make her move!'

'Shh' Lorelai hissed. 'Kids remember those kind of things'

'Just go with your dad' Rory said to GiGi. 'He loves you so much GiGi, special dad-daughter time' she nodded, feeling weird to be saying that about her own father but it was kind of true since she never really saw him enough anymore to truly classify him as her "dad" …other than genetically.

GiGi sniffed but then followed Christopher out of the room.

'Bye GiGi!' Rory called. 'Bye…Christopher' she then said, blurting it out.

Christopher glanced back at his eldest daughter once he'd heard her call him that and sighed a little sadly. 'Come on GiGi' he said and left, along with the rest of the crowd.

'How did that feel?' Lorelai asked, referring to Rory calling her dad "Christopher" for the first time.

'I feel weird, but I'm also fine' Rory nodded. 'I'm sorry, Luke kind of weaseled it out of me!' She then apologized for the information she'd provided earlier.

Lorelai nodded and went to say goodbye to guests, avoiding Luke. Even though her large stomach prevented her from being about to hide from him, she was determined.

--

The avoiding method was successful until about an hour later when they bumped into each other during the cleanup.

'Hey ah…Richie?' April called for him, seeing the couple had finally giving up the "avoiding" tactic. 'Let's ah…help Rory' she offered and led Richie into Rory's room, closing the door behind them to give the adults space and privacy to talk.

'Hey' Luke said awkwardly while staring at his feet.

'Hey' Lorelai replied. 'Luke' she then sighed. 'Of course the baby is yours! I did not sleep with Christopher; well…I haven't since…you know? I just went to go with him to an appointment with Sherry in case things took a turn for the worst and he needed someone. He needed to be strong for Sherry so he needed someone else to cry on before he could do that. I didn't tell you because I thought it was no big deal and…I didn't want you to react the way you are now. It's not your fault, you have every reason to react this way and…just, she is yours! I swear'

'She?' Luke repeated, glancing up and reaching to hold Lorelai's hand.

'Or…he?' Lorelai winced, realizing she'd just spilled the gender of the baby, which she had been keeping from everyone, mainly for fun…but no one had told her if they actually wanted to know or not so she presumed "not".

'It's a girl?' he asked, a smile threatening to show.

'Yes' Lorelai sighed and placed a hand on her stomach. 'We're not…?'

'We're fine' Luke nodded and kissed her. 'I'm sorry for getting all riled up over nothing…I just…'

'Yeah, I know' Lorelai nodded.

Luke sighed. 'I just hate that Christopher always seems to keep coming between us'

'I know hon' Lorelai nodded. 'But I swear that my heart is with you Luke, not Christopher'

'I know' Luke said and relaxed. 'I guess the stress is getting to me, making me crazy'

'Ohh, crazy Luke?' Lorelai then smirked. 'Is he anything like ranting Luke?'

'I'm gonna finish cleaning up now' Luke told her after another kiss.

'Baby's hungry' Lorelai then said.

'What does "baby" want?' Luke asked with a raised eyebrow.

'Apple tarts' Lorelai replied. 'And chocolate chipped, chocolate ice cream' Lorelai smiled, lowering her head a little. 'And a night alone with daddy'

Luke smiled at her and nodded. 'Give me time to clean up…go lie down and I'll bring you your food'

'And my Luke?' Lorelai asked softly.

'And your slave husband' Luke nodded and gave her a another quick kiss before knocking on Rory's door to try and convince the girls to help clean up.

'Purple?' Lorelai asked Luke as they sat on the couch a few weeks later.

'I can live with that' Luke nodded but then took the paint colour samples off his wife before she changed her mind again on the nursery colours. 'Baby blue and rose Purple…fine' he nodded and sighed.

'I want carrots' Lorelai then realized. 'And pickles…with olives, eww!'

Luke got up from the couch and headed to the fridge where he'd made sure they were stocked up on olives, carrots, pickles and cheese, since they were Lorelai's most common cravings and if she didn't have them as soon as possible, she'd change her mind or throw a fit.

'Why does baby want such icky food?' Lorelai sighed, shoving some chopped pickles into her mouth. Luke didn't answer her since she asked the same thing every single time she had a craving of some sort. 'Rory was nice; she only made me eat apples, although I could only eat something if it had apples in it somehow. And then Richie had me eating apples, but it was really varied with healthy food in general…now this baby has me eating orange food and icky food' she pouted. 'I'm never going to eat orange again! Except oranges, I like oranges'

'Okay' Luke replied, patting her knee.

Lorelai smiled and snuggled closer to him, hugging his arm tightly. 'She's going to have such pretty eyes' she thought aloud, imagining what their daughter was going to be like. 'Dark hair, but not too dark; Smooth skin and tiny toes and fingers'

Luke nodded and rested his chin on her head as she spoke; he was visualizing her details in his mind with a small smile.

'She's going to be stubborn but strong, determined and caring' Lorelai continued as she rubbed her stomach. 'She'll be perfect. Just like Richie and Rory were perfect' she said. 'April too' she then added, but she hadn't know April in her younger years so she couldn't really say she was sure she'd started out that way. 'She will like music, and dancing' Lorelai continued, finding it weird how the images came so easily to her, almost as if she was having a vivid dream about her unborn child. 'Her hair will be soft, like silk…long and a bit curly' Lorelai closed her eyes sleepishly. 'I think she'll take after her daddy' she whispered, making Luke smile some more.

'Get some rest' he said softly to her, kissing atop her head but she was already fast asleep, nuzzled against his arm. Luke waited a few minutes and then placed his hand over Lorelai's stomach, feeling their little daughter kicking instantly at his touch.

Luke then withdrew his hand, not wanting to wake Lorelai up.

Rory squinted her eyes a little at the computer screen and then sighed. She deleted the mid-paragraph of her article and preceded the tap tapping of her keyboard. She growled in frustration, as her thread of thought was gone when her cell phone rang shrilly.

'What?' she asked.

'Oh, so this is what we've resorted to?' Paris's voice reached her ears. 'That we used to be friends and now that we hardly see each other we've gone from the common English concept of "hello" to "what" or "hey you" huh? Does my friendship mean that little to you Rory Gilmore, or have you simply forgotten who I am?'

'Hi Paris' Rory sighed. 'I was just working on my article'

'Of course you were' Paris commented. 'Likely excuse' she sighed.

'So ah...how are, things?' Rory wondered, trying to speed up the conversation as her article was due in a few days and she was hoping to get it done so she could go visit April.

'Fine. Things are fine. Or were you merely asking to make it seem like we're still friends? Because I don't want you pity, if you don't care then hang up on me…it's simple' Paris frowned.

'Paris, we're friends. I've just been really busy. My mum is pregnant and you've been traveling all over the place with Doyle'

'Lorelai's pregnant? Again? Huh' Paris said. 'Doyle and I got back a few days ago. I've started full-time work at the general hospital for sick children in Manhattan' Paris said. 'It's not bad I guess, I mean the staff there are idiots, probably got through high school by sleeping with the teachers and then proceeded to blackmail the professors at med school' she rolled her eyes. 'They're probably rich too, which would explain how they even got into med school. If you donate enough money they'll let you do anything there. Pathetic really, no one understands the importance of education anymore' she sighed. 'Anyway, I was just calling to let you know where I am, and that I'm pregnant…okay. Well, email me sometime and we'll catch up' Paris said casually and then suddenly hung up.

'Oh boy' Rory said, staring at the phone in her hand. 'Poor Doyle' she sighed and gazed back at her computer screen. But nope, her mind was too shocked by Paris's announcement. 'Gah!' she growled and slumped back in her seat. 'Stupid article' she pouted. 'Stupid Paris'

April had just gotten a call from Rory, saying she may have to stay longer to work on her article. April sighed and then jumped as her door opened.

'Hey, sorry' Eddie smirked, holding a take-away bag in one hand and some books in another. 'Ah, mind if I join you?'

'Sure, help yourself' April shrugged and grabbed the take-away bag eagerly.

'How's your science stuff going?' Eddie wondered, raising his eyebrows towards her large study pile.

'Annoying, but I'll manage' April sighed. 'I'm already taking five classes though'

'Five? What are you, crazy?' Eddie asked, seating himself on the couch. 'I can hardly handle three'

'It's the Gilmore family tradition' April sighed. 'Emily and Richard Gilmore have two grandkids from Lorelai and another on the way…I feel that I have to try harder to fit in…to prove myself. So I'm taking five, just like Rory did and just like Richard had'

'Sounds tough' Eddie shrugged but dismissed the topic. 'Hey, nice hair' he noticed, seeing April had French braided her long brown hair and then done it up with a clip.

'Thanks' she smiled. 'So how's your physics?'

'You mean the books, of course' he smirked teasingly. 'Yeah, good' he said but she stared at him unconvinced. 'Okay, so I suck…terribly' he sighed. 'Help me?'

'How did you even get into college?' April sighed and sat beside him.

'My charm' Eddie joked. 'That and the mysterious organ that's sloshing around in my skull' he shrugged. 'I think it's broken'

'Uh huh' April rolled her eyes. 'Where's your textbook?'

'Oh, that…I knew my pile felt lighter' Eddie cursed and rushed off to get his forgotten books.

'Honestly, how did he get into college?' April asked no one.

'Hey, I've got swimming trials!' Becket came running out of her room with Gloria. 'So I'll be gone til late, can you save me some food?'

'Sure' April nodded with a smile.

'Oh, nice hair' Gloria grinned while running her hands through her own short purple-streaked blonde hair. 'Suits you, babe' she winked.

'I know' April laughed a little. 'Totally'

'Is Eddie here?' Becket wondered, tying her black hair up into a ponytail with the aid of Gloria's mirror. Becket glanced at her dark skin and clothes approvingly before grabbed her swimming bag.

'Yeah, you guys don't mind…right?' April asked.

'Sure, he's hot' Gloria smirked. 'Speaking of which…I've got a party; so don't hold up for me…I'll be back late' she winked. 'See ya babe' she then waved and followed Becket out as Eddie came back, counting his books.

'I think I have them all' he sighed. 'Why do I need all these books?' he grumbled.

'You're taking three classes…it's college?' April said dryly.

'Ah, that…right' he nodded with a smirk and light shrug.

'Lucas?' Lorelai called as she walked around the house in search for him. 'Lukey Lucas?'

'Do not call me that' he frowned, coming into view.

'Whatcha gonna do about it?' Lorelai glared at him, following him upstairs.

'I will withhold your coffee when the baby is born' he smirked, making her gasp in horror.

'You wouldn't!' she said. 'I'm your wife! Your beautiful soon-to-be-sexy wife! How dare you suggest such pain, such angst and torture to inflict upon me!'

'Mmhm' Luke said and pushed open the nursery door, revealing it to be fully painted as they had done the day before. 'The furniture will be here any minute. And coffee will kill you, so by not letting you have it…I'm probably doing you more good than not'

'I don't love you anymore' Lorelai pouted and turned away from him.

'I'll remember that when I make you your dinner tonight' Luke told her.

'No, I love you…you're pretty!' Lorelai grabbed his arm pleadingly. 'Lucas!'

'Lorelai' he frowned but kissed her lips, lingering for a moment. 'And you're still sexy' he added.

'Yeah?' she asked but found herself blushing also. 'Even with baby poking out and making her mummy fat?'

'Even with baby' Luke nodded, kissing her again and then he bent down to kiss her stomach, making the baby kick.

'Not even born and she's already picking favorites' Lorelai sighed. She then smiled and let Luke pull her into an embrace from behind. Lorelai rested her head against him and closed her eyes, inhaling his scent while he caressed her stomach.

'I love you Lucas Danes' she whispered.

'I know' Luke replied.

'Don't you love me?' she then asked.

'You know I do' Luke said. 'I'm not like those guys in your chick flick movies that get all mushy and saying "I love you" every few seconds. You know I love you, so what's the point in saying it every damn day? It's never going to change' he said but sighed, rolling his eyes. 'I love you too crazy Lorelai Gilmore'

'Better' Lorelai nodded, placing her hands over his. 'I can't wait to meet our daughter. Rory is half mine –genetically speaking- and April is half yours, again…genetically speaking. But this baby girl…she's ours. Just like Richie…half of you and half of me' she smiled.

'Yeah, you're right' Luke said. 'She will be stubborn'

'Stubborn but strong' Lorelai corrected him. 'Determined and caring…oh, I really can't wait to meet her!'

'Mummy! Daddy!' Richie's voice reached them as he ran upstairs, having just got home from spending time with Benny and Davey. 'How's my little sister?' he wondered, placing both his hands over Lorelai's stomach. 'She kicked!' he squealed in joy, which turned into a fit of giggles.

'She did indeed' Lorelai smiled, patting his head. 'She knows her big brother'

'Cool' Richie smiled and then reach up to Luke.

Luke picked his son up and smiled as Lorelai leaned closer to hug them both. The four of them remained in a warm cuddle for many minutes until the furniture truck finally pulled up outside…

Author's notes: There! One of my more fave chapters. I thought I should included Paris and let everyone get to know Eddie a bit more, please tell me whatcha think! I will update again soon, please review!!

-Mel