Author's Note: Last night's episode...rocked. I have always loved that song, but see...I had no idea Lauren could sing. I mean, she wasn't Dolly Parton or anything, but she was singing to LUKE. And the blue hat is back. Amazingness! LOL...Anyway, with that out of the way, I don't really know how to react to this chapter. I had a different picture in my mind, but I guess that in the end it worked out like it was supposed. Because somethin kept telling me that this needed to happen (well, part of it. You'll see)...Anyway, if you read, please leave a review. It lets me know I'm being read. Which, trust me...is a good thing!

"Lorelai?"Luke asked, pulling a chair out of the bed of his truck.

"Yes, Luke?"She replied in a sing-song voice. "Oh, that."

Luke nodded it, setting it down. "When I said we're all going camping, I meant we were going camping. Not bringing every single thing you have in your garage that could possibly help you go camping."

"It's a chair Luke...to sit down."

"I get that much, but we could barely get two tents, a cooler full of drinks and the fishing poles back here."He said as Rory began taking stuff out of the Jeep. They decided to bring two vehicles, beacuse of the four people going, they couldn't squeeze into one.

"There's more."Rory replied, laughing as she watched his reaction.

"It really shouldn't be a problem, Dad. I mean, we have everything we could possibly need. We've got the tents, obviously to sleep in. We have drinks, and food to cook. The grill for you to make the hot dogs and burgers, and the fish, of course...nothing is wrong with a few chairs. Besides, the ground is still a little wet."

"The boat."Luke said, moving his head towards where it was hooked up. "I'm gonna need some help getting it down there to the dock."He looked over at Lorelai, who looked to be in a state of shock. "Okay, Lorelai...I gotta admit that look on your face is scarin' me a little. What's wrong?"He asked.

Lorelai dove frantically through the bag of dry foods-chips and such, searching to no avail. "Luke..Luke, there's no marshmallows."

He shrugged, confused. "Yeah, so?"

Lorelai's mouth hung open. "Marshmallows, Luke. Hello, the ultimate camping food?"

"I was under the impression that hot dogs and hamburgers were ultimate food, Mom."Rory chimed in.

"Uh..no. Campfire...roasted marshmallows. It's like a tradition. And, speaking of which, we have no food for breakfast tomorrow, either. Who was in charge of this?"Lorelai asked, forgetting the matter of getting the boat to the water.

"So the fact that you don't have sugar trumps the fact that we were supposed to get the boat up by the dock soon?"Luke asked, not admitting that he was amused.

She shook her head apoligetically. "No, Luke. But still...Rory said that we should do roasted marshmallows and now we don't have any. And from the looks of things, we'll be eating pringles, and if we're lucky extra fish for dinner and breakfast...Yummo."

"I saw a store a few miles back before we came in."April admitted. "It was a grocery store, I think."

"Good. Lorelai, why don't you head up there?"Luke asked. "And um, would it be too much for me to ask for some charcoal?...There is um, well...I have enough, but you can never tell."

"Ah, of course, Lukey."Lorelai replied, batting her eyes. "But wait...April, can you come? I think I know..but I can get lost easily."

"Of course...can I, dad?"

Luke smiled, nodding. "Of course you guys leave before the hard work."

Lorelai grinned, waving as she and April walked over to the Jeep. "I love you."She said, blowing a kiss in their direction. She gave a wink, laughing as she climbed in the driver's seat. "..Keep him in line, Rory."

Luke couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head as they drove away. "Do you think I could get your help...I need to set the tents up, and apparently, marshmallows are more important."

"Of course."Rory replied happily, helping him carefully unfold the ends to that it lay flat on the ground. "And you know, I have to say that I can't really blame my mother...no coffee for her will be hard enough."

He stared up at her, realizing it was the truth. "I know. I'm used to it. It's...kind of cute, actually."He paused, clearing his throat. "So, exams are coming up soon, huh?"

"Yeah, in a few weeks, actually."Rory replied. "It's kind of hard to believe that in a few weeks I will be graduating. It's been a long road."

"That it has. You know, I remember when you would come into the diner after school, five or six book with you...you took up two tables, but you just...you were determined, smart. Even back then it was clear you would go places."

Rory, slightly caught off guard, smiled. "Thanks, Luke. Uh, so...do we-do we pull it up here, or do we put the pegs-"

"Well, either way, but we should probably put a few in to anchor it first."

Lorelai squinted in the just-rising sunlight, flipping down the visor. "You can try and find something on the radio if you want."She said. "But the stations that are on there won't tune in...We're 'out of area' or something."

April laughed, reaching towards the radio's tuning button. "They have this one station out in New Mexico, it is just fabulous. They have this thing called free Fridays, where they give away something...my friend won a prize pack from her favorite band, and she hasn't stopped talking about it ever since."

"So you...you like New Mexico, then? Life has..adjusted well?"Lorelai asked, uncertain of how to approach teh subject. She didn't want to make it seem like she was pressuring, or forcing April to say she didn't like something, or liked it otherwise.

"I do. They have a museum that I have been begging my mom to take me to, but she's always busy with the appointments, and everything with her job and I haven't gone. I should probably ask her when I get back, because the Mayan exhibit is leaving in a little over a month, and the reservations get booked for the weekend, which now would be the only time we could go."April paused, taking off her glasses to wipe at the lenses. "But I love it here, too."

"You do?...I figured all the crazy townies might run you away."Lorelai replied, turning down the volume just a little.

"Well, Kirk and that straw building thing almost did it in. I dunno, I just like the fact that everyone is so close, and I've already missed so much. But with me being here for atleast part of the summer, I'll be able to help out at the diner, and Lane mentioned something about the twins, so I'm sure that would go well."She said, taking a sip from the water bottle at her side.

"You sound excited."

April shrugged, twisting the cap back on. "I am excited, school is almost over, summer I will be back, and then there's the wedding which, by the way, I am so psyched about already."

Lorelai laughed, turning her head towards her. "Psyched?...Really?"She asked, amused.

"Okay, I'm not sure psyched is the word, but I can tell from the phone calls Dad and I have from time to time that he is definately happy, and pretty excited. And I've never been to a wedding before...Oh, it's right up here."April said, pointing to a parking lot on the right.

"About time. I'm hungry."Lorelai said, driving into the lot. She drove towards the front, finding a spot. "Okay, so here's how it goes...Stay close, don't fall behind, if you see something you want, you know in the way of food, just let me know and we can buy it, but not too much. Oh, and um...char..coal? Luke..your dad, asked for it."

Deciding to get a cart rather than a basket, Lorelai and April made their way down the aisles, Lorelai searching for the right aisle. She found the marshmallows, and even a box of granola bars for Luke's sake. April grabbed a box of sticky buns (her idea for breakfast), and then they headed to grab what Luke has asked for before paying and leaving.

Once back at the camp, they helped with the boat before taking it out for a few hours. Luke made dinner for everyone, and then the four began a game of cards, Lorelai bragging about the fact that she won. Afterwards they ate some of the snack foods that they bought before attempting to roast marshmallows. It was decided that Rory and April would stay in one tent while Luke and Lorelai would stay in the other, if for nothing other than size.

Staring up at the sky that night, Lorelai's toes dipped slightly into the water. She heard footsteps behind her and turned her head to look. "Hey..."

"So April and Rory are in their tent talking about Yale and different literature...and I realized you were down here."

Lorelai patted on the dock next to her. "Sit down.."

He sat down turning his head towards her. "So you survived today...didn't think you could do it, could you?"

"I admit I had my doubts, but I am tough. You don't realize how tough. I am strong like PopEye. No...Wonderwoman would be a more appropriate relation, though I bet she never had to go camping with the threat of no coffee, and the reality that you would literally be sleeping on the gorund."

"Lorelai...There's a sleeping back, and I'll be there. You know incase of any bugs or-"Luke stopped, grabbing her hand. "I probably shouldn't have told you about the bugs, right?"

"No, I'm safe."

"Safe? You weren't okay without little bits of sugary, fatty, meltable goo...but you're okay with bugs?"Luke asked, watching her kick her feet through the cool water. She seemed so happy, so content in how they were in that moment.

Lorelai took a deep breath giving his hand a squeeze. "Thanks for letting me come. And the trip, well...you make it better."

Luke shrugged as if it were nothing. "You tired?"

"I want to sit out here for a while. It's...It's nice."Lorelai said, tilting her head on his shoulder. "This is nice."

He watched as her eyes slowly closed, choosing to not say anything. Because while he didn't, Luke agreed. He didn't think it was possible to be any happier, but right then, he was.