Variations in the Key of Luke

by Eledgy

The 'right thing' was what Luke Danes had always tried to do, even when it meant leaving his hometown for five long years. But maybe Luke's 'right thing' has been in Stars Hollow all along. What gets set in motion, by his simple act of finally coming home? (AU, pre-series)

37. Thanksgiving Variations

Author's Note: Hello to all you lovely readers, old and new! Apologies both for the long delay in posting this chapter, and for the 48 hours of weird sentence and paragraph breaks and other errors. My final doc edits I did Saturday failed to go through when I hit 'post', and it took me until now to get to the right computer to make the changes. Anyway, happy, smoother reading to you all!

Lack of computer access back in the month of August allowed me to get ahead on the (handwritten) first draft of the next chapter, so I actually have a complete chapter 'in the bank' for the first time in a long time. That not only makes me so much happier as a writer, but it makes me a faster poster! And, the end is in sight: 4-5 more chapters to go. One more long angsty one after this, then a final sequence of shorter ones to get things all wrapped up with hearts and bows.

Thanks as always to deepfriedcake for her input on this chapter, and her help in getting it posted.

---

Thanksgiving Variations

Tuesday, November 24, 1992

"How much sex do you think we'd be having if we didn't have kids?"

'Ah,' Luke thought to himself, 'The talking phase.'

In the five weeks since they began sleeping together, several patterns had emerged. So far, for instance, Lorelai had never managed to keep her eyes open throughout making love. It had become a running joke between them, a challenge, even something of an additional turn on. As things built up, Lorelai's eyes would begin to flutter, and Luke would start to smile. He, determined to make it so good she couldn't help but close her eyes. She, trying desperately to maintain the intimacy of eye contact through the most connected of moments. Both of them always, finally, succumbing to the intensity of the finish, eyes closed, voices straining with each other's names, or words of love, or sometimes even a few choice curse words.

And afterward, the pattern of staring into each others eyes had held. Whether in the dark of their Friday and Saturday nights together, or in the broad daylight of their continued Tuesday trysts, they'd come to depend on at least a few minutes of deepest eye contact, prolonging their connection.

And then, the talking phase.

Always, he went along with it. Sometimes saying just enough to get her going — off on some crazy tangent or wacky theory of the world, pop-culture, or life in general. Other times teasing her, deliberately working her up into a semi-serious argument as they set about cementing the connection between two people with a lot in common but very different personalities. But sometimes he just answered her questions, straightforwardly, and waited to see where they ended up.

"Well, at least once a day, don't you think?" he answered this time.

She looked at him flirtatiously. "At least."

"I mean, I know I'd want us to spend every night together, if we had no kids. And we've never yet spent the night together without…"

Lorelai giggled. "Even though we try not to, every Friday night…"

Luke smiled. Friday nights were intense. That first week they'd made love, they'd discussed staying over together with the kids in the apartment, wondering if it was a good idea. They had made a plan for Saturday night instead, for Robbie and Rory to stay with Mia, and they tried to stick to that.

But Friday came, cold and rainy. Pizza for dinner and family movie night in the cozy apartment above the diner led to heated glances and surreptitious touches while the kids stared at the TV. They didn't have the strength to say no when a sleepy Robbie begged for Rory to be able to stay for a sleepover, and an equally tired Rory pointed out that all these months later she had never gotten to sleep in the bunk beds.

They caved.

And later, sure that the kids were asleep, but somehow still thinking that they shouldn't have sex with them in the house, they caved again.

Silent, urgent, their vocals stifled by gentle hands over mouths and strategically timed deep kisses, they gave in. Fast, intense, with little foreplay needed after three days since their first time together.

And a second time, slow and intense, still silent, just because. Because they were together, and in love, and entranced by each other's physical presence and reactions.

"Yeah, we should probably stop trying to pretend we're not going to have sex on Friday nights," Luke said now.

"Twice." Lorelai added.

Luke smiled.

"So, we'd be having sex seven times a week, if we had no kids?" Lorelai clarified.

"Well…" Luke answered, pulling her close and nuzzling her neck. "If we were together every night, that would mean we'd be together every morning..."

"And we do seem to like our morning sex, at least on the few Sundays we've been able to…" Lorelai said.

They had been trying to stick to a Saturday night date, though sometimes Lorelai had to work an event at the Inn, and they couldn't always take advantage of Mia or Sookie having both kids overnight. When they did get the chance to go out, or stay home and talk alone, for hours if they chose, they were likely to curl up afterwards in each other's arms and fall into a deep, contented sleep, with no alarm clock waiting for them on the other end. Sunday mornings were playful, and sometimes a little wild. Somewhat sated from two nights in a row together, and with no one in the diner below, they were able to take their time. Prolong the pleasure, and express themselves loud and long. Luke was happy that Lorelai had shed any of her early insecurities about their comparative sexual histories and instead was just herself: loving, in the moment, and full of crazy ideas.

"So … 14 times a week?" Luke asked.

"No way. At what ungodly hour do you get up to open the diner?"

"4:45."

"Yeah, that's not happening."

"But now that Carlos has moved to town, he's going to be opening. I can sleep in until…6:30, probably."

"Still not happening…"

"No?" Luke raised himself up over her, supporting his weight on his arms. "Even if I woke you up slowly, with kisses to all my favorite places? And afterwards you could go back to sleep for a while?" He kissed her then, to keep her from answering right away.

"Well, maybe…" Lorelai said as Luke pulled away. "Maybe morning sex – but I don't know about every day."

"I'll take it," Luke muttered, moving his lips down to her neck.

"So maybe…ten times a week?" Lorelai asked breathlessly.

Luke nodded in agreement, losing himself in the softness of her skin, her incredible scent, her lithe and writhing body.

...

A while later, breaths slowing, staring over, the talking began again.

"So really not that much more than we've been having," Lorelai observed.

"Huh?" Luke asked, having lost the thread of their earlier conversation.

"Well, we've been having sex about six times a week, even with kids, so we're not doing so bad at all."

"Not bad at all." Luke agreed, letting his eyes drift close. "How come we always end up talking about sex after sex?"

He felt Lorelai shrug.

"I don't know. I guess because I find it fascinating. Don't you?"

"I find you fascinating," he said rolling back onto his side to look her up and down.

"Yeah?" she asked with a shy but sexy grin.

"Yup. All sorts of fascinating things happen to you when we make love." He kissed her hair. "Your hair gets wild. Your eyes become even bluer, even though I don't know how that's possible." He stroked her cheek with his index finger. "Your cheeks, and your chest…" his hand drifted downward "…get this beautiful pink blush. Your voice gets husky, probably from screaming my name so loud."

She hit him then, and so he grabbed her hands and kissed her. After a few minutes she pushed him away, rising up to look over his shoulder at the clock.

"No time to go for the three-peat today," she announced. "Too much to do."

Luke rolled onto his back with a groan. This was also part of the Tuesday routine, the return to reality.

"Thanksgiving," he growled. "How did I end up agreeing to this?"

"The good Reverend Skinner played on your lapsed-Protestant guilt."

"Oh, right."

"And then my mother took us straight into 'crazy combination of guests territory.'

It all happened on an earlier Tuesday, a few weeks after Rory's birthday party. Emily had once again invited Lorelai to have lunch, insisting on eating at the diner this time.

Even with Emily headed their way, they ended up having their usual Tuesday morning sex. Lorelai just managed to fit in a quick shower before dashing out to meet her mom at Mrs. Kim's for an antiques foray before lunch.

And somehow in the intervening hour, before their return, Luke found himself agreeing to Reverend Skinner's suggestion that he host several parishioners, lacking close-by family, at the diner.

Their previous plans had been somewhat vague, with Luke figuring he'd cook for Rachel and Liz and Jess, whenever they managed to get there. Lorelai and Rory would head to Hartford as they usually did for major holidays, but hoped to get to see Luke and Robbie either before or after. With things so up in the air, Luke asssumed Lorelai would be okay with the expansion of the number of people he'd be serving.

Thanksgiving was on Emily's mind as well, however, and she brought it up as Luke delivered their lunches a little later.

"Luke, in case Lorelai hasn't mentioned it already, we'd love to have you and Robbie join us for Thanksgiving this year."

"Oh, Emily, that's very kind, but I'm expecting my sister and nephew, as well as Rachel. So I'm cooking here. And actually, Reverend Skinner just asked me if I could host some folks here at the diner as well, a few he knows are alone for the holiday."

Lorelai frowned. "Won't that feel just like another work day for you?"

"I guess a little, but I don't mind. Cooking for five, cooking for ten, doesn't make much difference with a restaurant kitchen at my disposal."

Emily was listening closely. "So you and Rory were still planning to come to our house, Lorelai?"

"Of course, Mom," Lorelai said. "If we had different plans I would have told you. I mean, we wouldn't mind leaving a little early, so we can stop at the diner afterwards, if possible, so we can see everybody. And have some pie."

"Well, I don't really like that idea, you trying to be two places in one day. I think we should all be together."

"But you just heard Luke, Mom, he's hosting here."

"Yes, Lorelai, I heard that."

"Well, Luke is pretty amazing, but he can't be in two places at once," Lorelai quipped. She seed the crispiest fry from the pile on her plate and slowly drag it through her ketchup.

"I'm aware of that as well, Lorelai," Emily said primly.

"So what, Mom, you want to come here?" Lorelai smirked.

"Why that would be lovely, Lorelai. Luke, you'll have enough space, and food, for two more?"

He nodded dumbly, looking over at an equally slack-jawed Lorelai.

"Wonderful. Your father will probably be happy for us not to host for once."

Lorelai found her voice. "Mom are you sure? The food will be delicious, but nothing fancy."

"Of course I'm sure. Thanksgiving is Thanksgiving. The food is all just variations on a theme. Being with family is the most important thing."

Neither Luke nor Lorelai could argue with that, unfortunately.

Then, the following Sunday night, during his weekly call with Rory, Christopher asked Lorelai if he could join them for Thanksgiving as well. She'd agreed without checking with Luke first, figuring the chances of Chris actually making it were 50/50 at best.

"Sure," said Luke, not blinking an eye when she told him the news later. "The more the merrier."

Now, with just two days to go, they were blinking. Just a little.

Lorelai was ready to sit up and talk business, having pulled her underwear back on and slipped Luke's discarded Henley over her head.

"Why do you always end up in my clothes on Tuesdays?" Luke grumbled.

"Because your shirts are warm and handy and smell like you, and I can't talk logistics naked."

Still warm himself from their earlier activities, Luke pulled on a clean T-shirt and boxers then rejoined her on the bed.

"Was the message from John yesterday about Thanksgiving?" Lorelai asked him.

"It was. He heard about the diner being open from his aunt, wanted to know if they could join us."

"Oh, I've not seen Mrs. Cassini for ages, that'll be fun. But no Hazel?"

"Nope. She left yesterday for Wisconsin, apparently they do a huge Thanksgiving at her parents' every year, all the extended family members."

Lorelai grinned. "And John didn't want to go to that?"

"Too soon, maybe?" Luke shrugged. "All he said was that he hates traveling on Thanksgiving. He goes to see his parents over Christmas instead."

"Speaking of traveling, is Rachel back?" she asked.

"Yes. She called last night to confirm that she'd made it to New Jersey. Becky and Dan and the kids have a crack-of-dawn flight to Florida tomorrow. She's planning to leave early as well, to get here in time to surprise Robbie at school if traffic isn't too terrible."

"He'll be thrilled. So will Rory, for that matter."

Luke nodded. "And Christopher? He arrives tomorrow as well?"

"That's the plan but … he's pretty notorious for showing up late, or not at all."

Luke frowned. "You really think he'd do that this time, after all these regular conversations with Rory?"

"I hope not. I do feel like he's turned a corner, and won't be as inclined to break promises to her. But he is still Chris, and he is driving cross-country…"

"God I hope he makes it. I'm not sure I can handle Rory's face if he doesn't show up."

Lorelai sighed. "Let's not borrow trouble, as Mia likes to say."

"Okay."

"So will you have enough help? I'd be here for you tomorrow but the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is always a busy day at the Inn."

"I'm good. Reed's getting a crash course tomorrow - pie making with me, and stuffing prep with Carlos. And I'm paying them both time and a half to help prep on Thursday morning."

"Then Carlos is going to his brother's for dinner?"

"Yup."

"Miss Patty's going to miss him."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"She's smitten with him."

"Smitten? Miss Patty? You sure you don't mean leering?"

"That's just it. She's not been leering at him, not openly anyway, which is why I think she's actually smitten. Though who knows what exactly has been going on behind closed doors, all alone at her house."

"No, do not go there. I do not need that image in my mind. He's her tenant, nothing more. If it's anything else, I don't want to know."

Lorelai laughed. "Ostrich Luke."

"Works for me."

"All I'm saying is, it's been a while since she's had a man friend, and he's been… well, in prison…"

"Stop. No more."

She grinned at him. "Okay. How about Jess and Liz? Still taking the bus up Thursday morning?"

"That's the plan."

Lorelai grinned at him.

"What?"

"Nothing… just… I love being the hub."

"The hub?"

"The hub. The place everyone comes to. When I was little, my Aunt Hope would come from Paris, sometimes for Thanksgiving, sometimes Christmas, sometimes staying the whole way through. And when she was here, the other relatives would come too. I liked that, having lots of people around."

"I can see that—you grew up in a pretty big, empty house."

Lorelai nodded. "I did. I loved the anticipation of people coming. And I just love this day. It's one of my favorites."

"The Tuesday before Thanksgiving?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes. The whole week, really. When I was little, in school, it was always such a fun week. Feasts and pilgrim-themed activities and four days off and wonderful food and pie. Sanctioned pie." She sighed happily. "And then, the lead up to Christmas. Snow possible any day, shopping and lights and wrapping and carols and A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph and The Grinch!"

Luke smiled.

"And Christmas – even when I was little, I loved it, in spite of my parents' 'management' of it. And since then, with Rory. I just get to immerse her and me in all the Christmas doings. Our own, the Inn's, the town's. And this year you, and Robbie. And everyone." She hugged herself. "And then New Year's, and winter. Snow and cold and pink cheeks and bright eyes. And then when you're starting to get just a little sick of the cold – Valentine's Day! Chocolate! Sanctioned chocolate. Required chocolate. And candy hearts. Oh! And this year I have a Valentine! Will you be my Valentine, Luke?"

He kissed her then. "I love you."

She grinned happily. "Yes, but will you be my Valentine?"

"Yes I will." He kissed her again. The temptation to run his hand under her shirt, his shirt, was strong. Very strong. But cranberry sauce and excited kids and Thanksgiving day lists and schedules awaited him, so he reluctantly pulled back. He stared at her for a moment though, taking in her bright eyes, tousled curls and still-flushed cheeks. He shook his head.

"What?" she asked.

"I have no idea how I've gotten a blessed thing done this past five weeks."

She giggled. "Me neither."

---

A short time later, clothed and tidy, they headed down the stairs and back to real life.

Luke was just pulling the curtain aside when he felt Lorelai's hand tugging him back. He turned to her and she kissed him deeply, while pressing herself up against him as tightly as possible.

She pulled back, saying, "I just needed one more of those to tide me over until all the craziness has come and gone."

Luke nodded and bent to kiss her again, not knowing what the holiday weekend would do to their schedule.

After they broke the kiss, she whispered in his ear, "If we get desperate, maybe you'll finally let me talk you into storage room sex."

Luke shook his head and grinned. "You're nuts," he declared, turning and pulling the curtain aside. He gestured for her to go ahead of him into the diner. She looked back over her shoulder at him as she passed.

"She is nuts, I can verify that…" a voice from the counter said. Lorelai whipped her head forward and stood stock still, causing Luke to bump into her.

"Christopher!"

"Lorelai!"

"You're here! And a day early! Oh my God, Rory will be thrilled!" She hurried around the counter to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Luke meet

Christopher. Christopher this is Luke."

Luke reached across the counter to shake his hand. "Good to meet you."

"Good to meet you too, Luke. I like your place," he said, glancing around.

"Thanks."

"I can't believe you just opened it this summer, it has the feel of a place that's been here forever."

"Thanks, I appreciate that."

"Chris, did you eat yet?" Lorelai asked.

"No I was waiting for you. I've just been nursing this coffee," he said, tipping his cup.

"Let me top that off for you," Luke said, happy to have something to do. He grabbed a mug for Lorelai as well.

"Do you mind eating here at the counter, Chris? I don't see any tables open," Lorelai asked.

"No problem."

"What'll it be?" Luke asked.

Lorelai answered. "Two cheeseburgers, extra cheese. One order of fries, one order of onion rings."

"Lorelai…" Chris started to object.

Lorelai looked at him. "What? Oh no, don't tell me the Californians have gotten to you! Are you a vegetarian or something now? Tell me it ain't so… you used to eat worse than me."

"No one has ever eaten worse than you," Chris said.

Luke laughed and Chris smiled.

"Salad?" Luke asked pleasantly,

Chris looked at Lorelai. "No thanks. I guess I'll let her order for me, for old time's sake."

Lorelai grinned. "Luke, sit with us."

He looked around the packed diner. "Nah, I better jump in here for a little bit. I'll put your order in and let you two catch up."

When he returned a few minutes later with their food, Lorelai was asking Chris, "So how did you end up here a day early? I don't remember you ever being early to anything."

Chris rolled his eyes. "The weather was good, ever since we crossed the Mississippi. We made good time." He shrugged. "We hit Pittsburgh about 10 o'clock last night, and decided to just keep driving instead of finding yet another motel. I drove the first half, then Alex drove the second half, and next thing I knew, we were outside her parents' apartment building in Manhattan. I dropped Alex off, and decided to head straight here. Thought I might catch Rory at the end of school."

"That's good. I hope I hope you weren't waiting long." Lorelai glanced at Luke mischievously.

"I got here about half an hour ago. Long enough for three separate people to let me know where you were, what you were probably doing, and that it might be a while before you got down here."

"Jeez," Luke groaned, and walked away to bus some tables.

The next time he was in earshot, he heard Lorelai say, "The worst was the morning we didn't realize the monitor was still on."

"Lorelai!" Luke hissed.

"Monitor?" Chris asked.

"Luke's son, Robbie, he's only five. So Luke still has a baby monitor, for when he's down here early in the mornings, so that if Robbie needs him, all he needs to do is call out. Or Luke hears when Robbie gets up, and knows to head upstairs."

"Oh, I got it."

Luke could feel his cheeks turning red, but somehow couldn't get himself to walk away.

"Usually Mr. Responsible here is good about turning it off right away, but one Tuesday he forgot. Luckily we heard a little crackle of static just before things were about to get very … vocal, and turned it off."

To Luke, Chris looked a little uncomfortable. But he just laughed, and turned his focus to his burger.

Lorelai looked at Luke, her eyes sparkling at him for a moment. Rolling his in return, he moved over to the cash register to ring up some customers. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised that Lorelai was so openly and jokingly referring to them … being together. And, he had to admit, a part of him, the territorial male part of him, was pleased that her ex had shown up right after he, her current boyfriend, had left her very satisfied.

Twice.

He glanced back over at them, chatting away. Lorelai looked up and gave him an endearing wink, and he got the sense, more strongly this time, that she had talked about their sex life on purpose. That she was both reassuring him, and letting Chris know, that she and Luke were together in every sense of the word. Hopefully she knew what she was doing.

He let himself become absorbed in the work of the lunch rush, not wanting to analyze too closely his mixed emotions at finally meeting Rory's absent dad. He dropped a load of dirty dishes into a bin under the counter, then took a quick scan to see if anyone else needed anything.

Lorelai waved him over. "We need more coffee, some pie, and some conversation with you."

"I'm good on coffee," Chris stated.

Lorelai looked at him curiously. "Chris practicing moderation. The world must surely be coming to an end."

"Let the man eat and drink in peace, food police," Luke said mildly.

"Mean!"

"Mean but true," Chris said.

"Meaner!"

Luke and Chris both smiled at her antics.

Luke placed cherry pie in front of each of them and refilled Lorelai's cup, then leaned on the counter. "Are you staying at the Inn, Chris?" he asked.

"Actually, I might, now that you mention it. If there's room. My parents aren't expecting me until tomorrow, so what they don't know won't hurt them."

"Chicken," Lorelai teased him.

"Well, yeah. Why rush it? Time enough for yelling when I explain the new order."

"New order?" Lorelai asked.

"Making Rory a priority," he said. He was looking down at his hands as he said this, but then looked up at Lorelai.

"Oh, that new order. We like that new order," she said with a pleased smile.

At the 'we', Chris glanced at Luke, but Luke just shrugged and then reached below the counter for a rag. He didn't want to be in the position of seeming to judge Christopher and his past performance as a dad.

"I'm thinking it may not be as popular at Chez Hayden, but we'll see," Chris said quietly.

Luke watched Lorelai's face. Several possible replies seemed to flit across her features, from sarcastic to teasing to angry, but she settled on a mild, "Yeah, you'll see."

Silence reigned briefly, then Chris addressed Luke. "So Rory was telling me a while back about all your travels. What's it been like to settle back here?"

They chatted easily for a bit, trading stories about where they had lived and work they had done. Christopher described the ever-expanding computer-based industries south of San Francisco, and they both compared notes on the beautiful nature in the Bay area.

"California is incredible," Chris said. "When the company I was working for went bust, me and a group of colleagues headed south on motorcycles. It was a great way to see the state."

"That must've been interesting," Luke said neutrally, aware of the fact that this particular road trip was a sore spot for Lorelai. A glance at her showed her to be deep in thought, but with no particular angst in her expression.

The lull in the conversation caused Christopher to look at his watch. "What time is school over?" He asked.

"3:15," Lorelai replied.

"Should I try and meet Rory there? Surprise her?'

"Sure, that should be fine. But she walks here to the diner with Robbie most days, so she won't be looking for an adult."

"I won't let her miss me."

"Ok, cool."

"We have some time before then. Any chance I can steal you away, get a tour of the town, talk about a few things?"

"Sure," Lorelai agreed. She turned to Luke. "Be back later?" she asked him.

"No problem. I have cranberry sauce calling my name."

Lorelai leaned over the counter to kiss him. "Jealous of the cranberry sauce," she whispered in his ear.

"You're nuts," he declared once again.

"Your nut," she countered.

Chris reached for his wallet. "Great lunch, Luke. How much do I owe you?"

Luke waved him away. "On the house. First time customer."

"I'll make it up in dish-washing Thanksgiving day."

"Deal. Enjoy your tour of the loony bin … uh, town."

Chris grinned. "Will do."

Lorelai winked and waved once more before turning to the door.

Luke watched them leave and fall easily into step together, chatting away. He felt a small tug of … something. Some disquiet in his gut at their easy rapport. He remembered the first time Lorelai had really opened up to him about Christopher, the night of the painting. Telling Luke how Chris liked to play at still being in love with her. And of her daydreams of old, of them being together, if he could someday, somehow grow up.

But he also remembered the certainty with which she had so recently quelled her mom's hopes of Christopher somehow still being a possibility. The surety of her declaration that she and Chris were not meant to be anything more than a teen romance. That he, Luke, was the man she loved.

And he remembered her just an hour ago, cross-legged on his bed, in his shirt. Loved by him, in love with him.

He shook his head. "Cranberry sauce," he muttered, and headed for the kitchen.

---

A little over an hour later, Lorelai bounced into the empty diner, alone. "I have news! Skinny! Dirt!"

"I have to stir the cranberries," Luke said as he placed a clean carafe in the coffee brewer.

"Well come on, then, let's go." She tugged on his arm and pulled him back toward the kitchen. "Oh wow, that smells good. What is that?"

"Uh, the cranberry sauce," Luke said, mocking her. He picked up a large wooden spoon and stirred the dark red mixture that was bubbling lightly.

Lorelai peered into the pot, inhaling the spicy smell deeply, then watched Luke stirring for a moment. "You're all kinds of sexy when you're cooking," she

announced.

"Well I'm all kinds of glad you think so, " he said, resting the spoon on a plate by the stove and pulling her in for a kiss. She returned it eagerly, lightly grasping his biceps.

"Wait," she said. "Stop distracting me. I have news, and just a few minutes to tell you before Chris gets back with the kids."

"Okay tell me," Luke said, moving over to the sink to wash the items he'd used to put together the cranberry sauce.

"Hey, where's Carlos?" Lorelai asked.

"I let him go early, he wanted to run some errands, do the shopping he needs for what he's bringing to his brother's."

"Oh, what's he bringing?"

"I have no idea."

"I wonder if he has kitchen privileges at Miss Patty's, not to mention bedroom privileges…"

"I thought we agreed to not discuss that, ever."

"Oh, right. I can't help it though, seems like love is in the air."

"Yeah? Who else is in love?"

"Chris! Chris has a girl!"

"That's your news?"

"Yup. The one he drove with, Alex. Did you catch that Alex was a girl, when he mentioned her before?"

"Well yeah, he said 'her'."

"He did? Somehow I missed that." She stared into space for a moment.

"Well, that's sounds good, that he has a girl…." Luke prompted her.

"Oh, but that's not all, let me fill you in on the details." She hopped up on one of the counters, swinging her legs as she started her story. "Okay, so, they met at work. At the computer place that went belly up. Apparently she's some sort of computer genius or something. There were only four or five women in the whole place, and she's the only one of the women who did technical stuff. Totally beautiful, he says, but so focused on work that she didn't seem to even notice him, or any other guy, for that matter...

"Anyway they all went out to a bar after getting fired, and they all got a little drunk, and she and Chris got to talking, and…they slept together."

"He told you that?"

"Of course," Lorelai said matter-of-factly. "So then things were up in the air. Was it a one night stand, was it the start of something else? He invited her on the Mexico trip but she said no, she wasn't into motorcycles. But then she flew down and met them in Mexico, and hung out for a day or two. They slept together again, and he tried to get her to stay, but she said the frat boys on the road thing was not for her and to call her when he got back. But by the time he got back, she had left to do some sort of project for a company up in Seattle, and they didn't really talk at all."

Luke nodded, watching Lorelai carefully as she related the story with great animation.

"She came back to San Francisco at the beginning of November, and called him. They figured out that they were both heading east for the holidays, and she wanted to drive cross country, and so they made plans to drive together."

"I've always wanted to do that," Luke said.

"What?"

"Drive across the whole country."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It seems like the best way to really see it. A slice of it anyway. I wanted to drive from San Francisco to Chicago, when we moved there, but doing it with a one-year-old, solo, didn't seem like the brightest of plans."

Lorelai smiled. "Good call."

"Anyway, go on."

"So, they headed out, and talked. A lot. And Chris told her about Rory, and me, which he hadn't before, and about his parents, everything. And they agreed that they really liked each other, and should go out, but she said it seemed like he had unfinished business with me, and that she couldn't sleep with him again until he got here and had a chance to talk with me."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I kinda love her already."

"So?" Luke asked, just a little nervously.

"So, he made this big speech to me, about how he thought both of us have always had the other in the back of our minds, that someday we'll be together, be thefamily we could've been when we were 16. And was there any part of me that still wanted that?"

"And you said?"

Lorelai looked at him quizzically. "I said no, of course."

Luke tried to cover a small sigh of relief by turning and giving the cranberries another stir.

Lorelai hopped down from her perch and approached him. "You were actually worried?" she asked.

"A little," Luke answered truthfully. "The night we painted, you said…"

Lorelai sighed. "I know I did. But when I said fantasy, I meant just that. It was never even enough to be a real goal, or even a dream. It was just … idle speculation. A comforting daydream when I was feeling lonely, or had too much responsibility weighing down on me."

She leaned back against the counter, folding her arms in front of her as she stared out the kitchen door for a moment. "Anytime I actually did reach out to him, to be there for Rory, or because I was worried about her, he wasn't there. Sometimes literally, like, I couldn't even get him to call back. Other times he was there on the end of the phone line, but just for the fun stuff – the jokes, the memories, the superficial cheer-leading. 'You know best Lorelai, you're so strong, Lorelai. All she really needs is you, Lor…" She drifted off, anger and sadness in her expression.

Luke settled himself next to her. He pulled her lightly into a one-armed hug, and kissed the top of her head.

"I explained to him what I explained to my parents – that we'd always be connected by Rory, and I'll always remember him fondly as my first love, and value our friendship. But that we weren't meant to be together for the long haul. That now that I know you, love you, I understand what it means to be in something for the long haul."

Luke smiled, more than a little relieved. "How did he take all that?"

"He seemed a little surprised, to see me so serious about someone. He said he felt a little sad, to put the dream to rest. A little jealous to see me with you. But relieved too. I really think he likes this Alexandra chick. I think he's happy to be able to really be with her."

"And how about you?"

"What about me?"

"Does that bother you?"

"Not really. A little irritated, or jealous, maybe, that he actually seems to listen to her, when she calls him on his shit. After all those years of ignoring me…" Lorelai shook her head as if to clear it. "But I am happy for him. It would be more than a little hypocritical not to be, with us being so happy and all." She looked up at him and grinned.

Her animation was back. "This is the first time I've seen him serious about anyone. Well, potentially serious. And she sounds kind of perfect for him. She's from this New York society family – Park Avenue address and all. So his parents might even like her. But she's a rebel too. Well, a really successful rebel. She went to MIT against her parents' wishes he says. And they're not thrilled that she's out on the West Coast. Anyway, she sounds smart, and focused, so maybe she'll be good for Chris. And apparently she has a ton of nieces and nephews she adores and she comes to visit them whenever she can and so she was talking a lot about kids and Rory with him."

Luke waited a minute, to be sure she was done with her monologue. "Well, that all sounds really good."

"I know! I'm excited. I'm still amazed he actually showed up, and on time."

Just then the bells rang out and she heard Rory's voice "Mom? Luke? Dad's here!"

Robbie came running into the kitchen. "Rory's daddy's here! But he didn't bring his motorcycle."

Luke tousled Robbie's hair. "Too bad, bud. Maybe next time."

They headed out into the diner.

"Mom!" Rory ran over and threw her arms around Lorelai's waist. "Dad's here! She grabbed Lorelai's hand and pulled her over to Chris.

Luke paused in the doorway, watching. He couldn't take his eyes away from Rory's face. Shy, but suffused with joy.

He thought about Lorelai's earlier analogy, about being the stable center, the hub for the holidays. How she used to get so excited about her Aunt Hope coming for the holidays. And his own happy memories of his aunts and uncles and cousins visiting. He took in a deep breath, and tried to relax as he let it out.

---

Wednesday, November 25

"Is this the right thickness, Luke?"

"What do you think?" He turned the question back on Reed, wanting him to judge the pie crust for himself.

"Let me see yours," Reed said, coming over to where Luke was rolling out crust too, on his mom's old marble baking stone that he had installed in the diner's kitchen. Reed ran his floured fingers lightly over the dough, then turned back to his own and decided to give it a few more rolls with the wooden pin. "There," he said in satisfaction.

"Good man," Luke nodded in agreement. "Now transfer it to the pie plate."

Luke deftly lifted his own crust into a pie plate, gently pressing it down and then trimming the edges to an inch around. He kept an eye on Reed, who was using the beginner's method Luke had shown him of first folding the dough into quarters, then transferring it to the pie plate and gently unfolding it.

Reed took a step back. "It's not centered," he observed.

Luke looked over. "It's just a little off. Try and slide it over a bit."

"Damn, it tore."

"Just patch it. A little tear in the bottom crust is no big deal."

Reed sighed. "Making pies is harder than it looks."

"It is," Carlos agreed, concentrating on chopping celery. "Stuffing is much easier."

"Cooking is easier than baking, in a lot of ways," Luke said. "But you'll get the hang of it. Once you get the feel, and understand how the dough behaves, it'll get easier."

Luke rolled out his next disc of dough, not even having to concentrate as he turned and rolled, turned and rolled, to the right thickness.

"Here's what we like to see. Men in the kitchen," a voice said from the doorway.

Luke looked up from the stove. "Rachel, hey!" He quickly transferred the dough to another pie plate and wiped his hands on his apron. He crossed over and gave her a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good to see you. It's been a long stretch."

"You too. It smells heavenly in here."

"Cinnamon."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure that's the only cause."

"Carlos, you remember Rachel? Robbie's mom, my former wife?"

"Yes. Nice to see you again."

"You as well. Happy Thanksgiving."

"You too."

Luke gestured to Reed, fully concentrating on his next dough transfer. "And this is Reed Martin."

Reed looked up in triumph from his properly centered dough. "Did it!" He glanced from Luke to Rachel, suddenly a little embarrassed. "Uh, hi. I'm Reed."

"Nice to meet you Reed. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Um, you too," he murmured.

"Coffee?" Luke offered, gesturing back toward the dining area.

Rachel backed out of the doorway. "Maybe later. Luke, I have to ask you something."

"Sure," he said, following her out into the main room.

Rachel glanced outside quickly, and clutched her hands together in a nervous way.

"What's up?" Luke asked.

"Ok, well, this is a little awkward."

"What is?"

"You know the guy I told you about, Michael?"

Luke thought for a moment, then remembered. "Yeah, the guy you… the guy working on your project?"

"Yeah him. Well, he's here."

"Here?" Luke asked, surprised.

"Yeah." She looked outside "That's him out in his car. He drove me here."

"Okay..."

"See, we've been corresponding. Emailing each other. Instant messaging."

"Instant messaging?"

"Yeah on our work email system, you can send messages back-and-forth to each other live, like a conversation. As long as you're both on the computer at the same time."

"Huh."

"So, anyway, we've been corresponding, and getting, you know, closer. You know, emotionally closer."

Luke nodded his understanding.

Rachel clasped her hands together again. "Right. So, I called him when I got back the other night, and we talked, and then he called me last night, and, well, hiswhole Thanksgiving has kinda fallen apart. Did I tell you about his divorce and his daughters and that things have been rocky there in terms of custody?"

"You mentioned it, yeah. You said that was why he wasn't ready to get involved."

Rachel looked at him, a little sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess I did say that. It was true at the time," she added hastily, looking at Luke intently for a moment. "Anyway, he was supposed to see the girls over Thanksgiving weekend if not on the actual day, but his ex-wife got in a snit about something and just up and left, with the girls, for her family in Washington DC, who hate him."

"That stinks."

"Yeah. So Michael, he actually grew up kind of near here, over in New York, on a farm, but now his family is all gone, dead or moved away, but he and his brother and sisters still own the farm and so he decided to hole up there for the weekend. He offered to drop me off here and maybe later in the weekend I'll go see his farm but then I was thinking on the way up, he should join us for tomorrow. He shouldn't be sad and lonely on his farm. So can he come?"

"Of course," Luke said simply.

"Really?"

"Absolutely, Rachel. Any friend of yours is welcome here. Plus we've already got Lorelai's snobby parents and Liz and Jess and a handful of town crazies plus Rory's long-lost dad coming, so Michael will probably fit in as the most normal of the bunch."

"You think Robbie will be okay with it?"

Luke considered that. "Yeah, I do."

"Oh, well, good. Let me go get him, introduce you. Maybe get that cup of coffee before he drops me at the Inn and takes off?"

"Sure."

Rachel hopped up from her stool and headed to the door. She stopped and turned before stepping out. "Is this weird?"

Luke shrugged. "A little, yeah. But we can be grown-ups."

She smiled at him and stepped out.

Luke felt awkward just standing and waiting, so he headed behind the counter to grab two mugs for coffee. By the time he had set them out on the counter, Rachel was ushering Michael in the door. He approached the counter with a broad smile and his hand out. Luke shook his hand and took quiet measure of Rachel's new guy. Medium height, a little shaggy, with almost-black curly hair, brown eyes, and a firm grip. Intelligence and a certain warmth came through.

"Michael Epstein. Pleasure to meet you."

"Luke Danes. Welcome to Stars Hollow."

"It seems like a great town," he said, looking back out the window. "I love towns that still have the old commons."

Luke nodded and gestured for them both to sit. "Coffee?'

"Coffee would be great," Rachel said as Michael nodded in agreement.

Luke poured and asked, "Anything to eat? I shut down the grill, but I could make you sandwiches."

Rachel answered. "I'm good. We stopped for a late breakfast along the way."

"Nothing else for me," Michael agreed. He took a sip of coffee and nodded. "Rachel told me your coffee was excellent."

"Thanks."

"It's one of the few things I really miss," Rachel said, then paused. "Not about you, I mean, I miss a lot of things about you. Though not that much. I just meant in general. You know. About … home. Which is here, kind of. Oh, and Robbie. Of course I miss him."

Luke lifted one eyebrow at her. "Okay, you babbling – that's weird."

Rachel laughed. "Sorry, I'm – nervous. This feels odd. Awkward."

Michael shrugged and placed his hand over hers. Luke was surprised to feel a little flare of jealousy at that affectionate gesture, but just as quickly thought of his own use of the same method to calm Lorelai, and tried not to be a hypocrite. He turned to Michael. "So, you're not traveling with the documentary?"

"No. I'm based in New York. I just did some early consulting and brainstorming with the team. And I'll come in at the end, help edit some sections of the book. I spent a lot of my early career reporting from South Africa and India for the New York Times."

"That must have been exciting."

"It was, up until my second daughter was born. Having her tipped the scale in favor of having a real home base, so we moved back to New York. I worked on my first book and now I alternate between books and writing longer pieces for magazines. Politics, interviews, profiles. And I do a little teaching—journalism classes."

"Sounds good."

"It is. It gives me a lot of flexibility with the girls. Even after we got divorced. I have an apartment in the same building. It makes shared custody as easy as possible."

Luke nodded.

Michael looked down into his coffee, seemingly lost in thought. Rachel gave him a worried glance, then took a sip of her coffee.

"How old are your girls now?" Luke asked.

"10 and 12. Pre-adolescence is sort of… wreaking havoc with the joint custody thing." He looked up. "I won't bore you with all the details, but that's what brings me here. Rachel tells me I should join you all tomorrow. I really appreciate the invite."

"It's not a problem at all. We're expecting a crowd of about 20, quite a mixture of folks, so one more is easy."

"Well, I really appreciate it." He took a final gulp of his coffee and glanced at his watch. "I should get going. Do you want me to drop you off at the Inn where you're staying?" he asked Rachel.

She glanced at the clock. "I don't think I have time to check in and still get back to meet Robbie at school, do I?" she asked, turning back to Luke.

"You don't. School lets out in about 15 minutes."

"Okay to keep my bags here?" she asked.

"Of course," Luke agreed.

"Okay. Michael, just let me grab them and see you off."

"Great. And Luke, I'll see you tomorrow – about two?"

"Yes. Or earlier if you want."

"Okay, great." Michael stood and shook his hand. "Thanks again for the coffee, and the invite."

"You're welcome. See you tomorrow." Luke headed back to the kitchen with the cups.

Rachel ducked her head in a few minutes later. "Okay to run my bags upstairs?"

"Sure."

"And then I'm going to head straight over to the school so I don't miss Robbie."

"And Rory."

"Of course."

Luke turned to Carlos and Reed. "How are we doing?"

"He's just about to pour the pumpkin pie filling," Carlos said.

"Go to it," Luke said, leaning against the counter to watch.

Quiet reigned as Reed concentrated on not spilling the warm custard. Gaining confidence on the second pie, he said to Luke, "Your ex-wife is beautiful. And so is Lorelai."

Luke didn't know how to respond to that.

"Lucky," Reed commented.

"Yeah," Luke agreed, feeling like maybe he should point out that there was more to women than their looks, but also figuring that might fall on deaf ears given Reed's age.

"Luke's not just lucky, he's smart, too," Carlos commented.

"Why smart?" Reed asked.

Luke jumped back in. "Because they're more than just beautiful. They're smart and ambitious and…good people"

"Okay," Reed said, scraping the last of the filling out of the saucepan.

Luke smiled. "Why don't you to get started on the stuffing, and I'll finish the other pies."

---

Thursday, November 26

"Tired?" Lorelai asked, joining Luke behind the counter as he consolidated two dishes of stuffing into one.

"No. Just getting things ready if people want seconds."

"You only sat for about fifteen minutes."

"Yeah. It feels weird to not be serving."

"You should try to get over that. It's going well. Everyone seems happy. Really."

Luke stopped consolidating and looked around the diner. "I can't believe the kids are done eating already," he said.

"Well, you didn't sit down for a good 10 minutes after everyone else started, so they didn't eat as quickly as it seems."

Robbie, Jess and Rory were happily absorbed in drawing pictures, while Christopher, having taken the fourth seat at the kids table, was chatting with them.

Lorelai tilted her head toward the table. "I'm trying to decide which is funnier – that the three of them actually asked for a separate table, or that Chris voluntarily joined them."

Luke smiled. "I think he wanted a break from your mom's grilling."

"She is relentless," Lorelai agreed.

Luke looked over to where Richard and Emily were seated at one end of a rectangular table created by lining up two smaller ones. They were engrossed in a lively conversation with Rachel and Michael. "Those four are getting along well," he commented to Lorelai.

"Yes. When I got up they were discussing post-colonial economics."

"Michael seems really smart."

"He is. Rory is adding him to her list of idols, but she's shyer with him than with Rachel."

"Robbie's taking to him well, I think," Luke said.

"I think so too."

Rachel had told Robbie about her new 'friend' Michael over dinner at the diner last night. After peppering her with his usual questions about boyfriends and girlfriends and the prospects of them one day getting married, he returned to telling her all about kindergarten. After checking with Luke if it was really okay, Rachel also asked Michael to come about noon, so the two of them and Robbie could spend a little time together. By the time they returned from a walk around town, Robbie and Michael appeared to be fast friends. Robbie pulled Michael upstairs to see his latest railroad construction, and then back downstairs, asking Michael questions about his car and his daughters, whose photos Michael showed him.

"You still win for friendliest kid," Lorelai said now, watching Robbie laugh at some goofy voice Chris was making while Rory and Jess remained absorbed in their drawing.

"Yup. Gotta love him." Luke smiled and shook his head. "Jess seems even quieter than usual though."

"Yeah, he does," Lorelai agreed. "Maybe because they were late and he had to jump right into the crowd?"

Liz and Jess' bus had got caught in holiday traffic, forcing them to arrive just as everyone else did.

"Probably. Lots of new people," Luke agreed. "I used to hate holidays, or the beginning of them anyway, and that was even with relatives I knew."

"You and Jess are a lot alike."

"I'll talk to him later, when things quiet down. I know he's not as happy in school this year as last, but I'm not sure how serious that is."

Lorelai nodded. "Liz seems good, though."

"Yeah." Luke's gaze shifted over to the other large table, filled with town residents plus John. Liz was deep in conversation with Mrs. Cassini.

John was watching them talk, seemingly half amused, half appalled at what Liz was saying. He caught Luke's eye and winked. "Luke," he called out. "Any more of this good grub?"

As he nodded yes, Luke's eyes traveled to Emily, who grimaced predictably at the loud, slangy question.

"Yes, everyone, come up for seconds if you want," Lorelai encouraged them.

A few people patted their already full bellies and stayed put, but a larger number got up and traveled down the buffet again, taking more of their favorites. Luke headed back to the kitchen to grab more gravy, which he added to the bowl on the counter, stirring it to distribute the heat. Lorelai and her mom were next to each other as they worked their way down the buffet line. "Everything is delicious, Luke," Emily said. "Especially the cranberry sauce."

'"Thank you. I hope you don't mind buffet style."

"Not at all. It's all very… informal, and cozy." She turned back to her daughter. "Lorelai, Rachel said that John Pagano was here."

"John? Yes, he was Luke's lawyer for the divorce."

"Yes, I've heard of him."

"Really?"

"A friend of mine used him – she needed 'fresh blood' she said, to go up against her husband's old dinosaur of a law firm. Can you introduce me?"

"Why Mom, are you and Dad having trouble?" Lorelai asked in a teasing tone.

"Don't be ridiculous Lorelai. I just want to meet him."

"Sure, follow me."

Luke shook his head, and listened as Emily and John were introduced and Emily encouraged him to come chat when dessert was served.

A few minutes later, back in her seat Lorelai caught Luke's eye and patted the seat next to her. "Come sit."

Luke nodded, and began to add a few more things to his plate. But as he headed for the table, he noticed a woman outside the door. She was looking in but not making any move towards coming in. Curious, he deposited his plate next to Lorelai's and moved to the door.

The woman, slim and blonde, had started to turn away, but when Luke opened the door she turned back.

"Hi!" she said brightly.

"Hello. Can I help you with something?"

"Oh, well… Yes. I'm Alex. Alex Worthington. I'm a friend of Christopher Hayden's?"

"Oh… Oh! Yes, Alex. I heard about you."

"You did?"

"From Chris. Well, from Lorelai."

"Oh, then you must be Luke."

"I am."

"Oh cool. He told me all about you last night, on the phone." She paused, looking a little flustered. "Is Chris here?"

"Yes, just inside. Come on in."

"Um, could you maybe send him out first? He doesn't… I didn't exactly tell him I was coming."

"Sure. I'll go get him." Luke headed for the kids' table, ignoring Lorelai's curious gaze for the moment.

"Chris – your friend Alex, she's outside."

"She is?" Chris immediately rose and looked out the windows. Alex gave a small, embarrassed-looking wave. Chris hurried outside, greeting her with a hug.

Luke crossed over to sit next to Lorelai, who was craning her neck to see outside. "Is that…"

"Yup."

"What's she doing here?"

Luke shrugged. "I have no idea. All she said was that they talked last night but that he wasn't expecting her."

Emily leaned forward, looking past Michael to talk to Lorelai. "Who is that woman, Lorelai?"

"Chris's new girlfriend, mom."

"But who is she?"

"Alex, New York City, MIT, California, computers – that's all I know."

Rachel looked at Luke with raised eyebrows. "Lots of exes moving on lately, eh?"

He smiled but said nothing.

"Shh," Lorelai said. "They're coming in. "

Chris and Alex approached their table. "Lorelai, Luke, this is Alex. Alex Worthington."

"Nice to meet you," Alex said quietly, shaking first Lorelai's hand and then Luke's. "Sorry to barge in like this. I decided to ditch my parents' boring Thanksgiving plan to eat out at a fancy restaurant. Chris and I spoke on the phone last night, and suddenly late this morning I decided I really wanted to see him before I got sucked into my family's real plans for the rest of the weekend…"

"It's no problem," Lorelai assured her. "It's nice to meet you."

"Would it be okay if she joined us for a while?" Christopher asked.

"Of course," Luke said. "Grab a plate, there's lots of food left – some of it's even still warm."

"Let me just introduce you to a few people, first," Chris said.

"Oh, right. Let me not be ruder than I already am."

"Emily and Richard Gilmore, this is Alex. Alexandra Worthington."

Richard stood and shook her hand, while Emily stayed seated and nodded but with a smile.

"Nice to meet you. You're Lorelai's parents?"

"Yes," Emily said.

Chris moved on. "And this is Rachel…"

"Roberts," Rachel supplied. "I'm the mother of that little guy over there, and formerly married to Luke. And this is my friend Michael Epstein."

Alex shook their hands and started to speak, but Emily cut her off. "Worthington? From New York? As in Winston Worthington?"

Alex turned back to her and smiled shyly. "Yes, that's my father."

Emily seemed startled. "That's … that's lovely. So your mother is Cynthia? Cynthia Payne Worthington?"

"That's right. Do you know her?"

"Oh we met briefly, many years ago, at a party in Philadelphia. At the home of a Smith alumna, just before I left to go there."

"Oh yes, she loves going to things for Smith. She loved it there."

"As did I," Emily said warmly.

"Wow, small world," Chris said. "Excuse me Emily, but let me have Alex meet Rory, and then get some food."

"I'll be back," Alex said politely to the table. But once the introduction to Rory was made and food procured, Chris steered her to the kids' table, pulling up an

additional small table for the two of them to sit and eat at while the kids continued to draw.

"Lorelai, really, Christopher shouldn't make her eat at the children's table," Emily commented.

Lorelai shrugged. "It's up to Chris, mom. He told me she was sort of shy, and really good with kids. So he probably thinks she'll be more comfortable over there."

She paused to scoop up a last big forkful of mashed potatoes and gravy from her plate. "And besides, I like that he's focusing on Rory, not us."

Emily gave Lorelai a look, but Luke wasn't sure what was behind it.

Unconcerned, Lorelai raised her fork to her mouth. "Luke. These mashed potatoes are the best."

"Lorelai, please, don't talk with your mouth full. You'd think you were raised by a pack of wolves."

Lorelai rolled her eyes but smiled.

Emily's eyes were still trained on the newcomer. "She's a lovely girl, from one of New York's most prominent families. Park Avenue penthouse. She's dressed pretty casually, for a Worthington."

"I hear she's a maverick. Works for a living and all that."

"So that must earn points in your book," Emily replied.

"As a matter of fact, it does," Lorelai said, just a bit of an edge to her voice.

Richard cleared his throat. "Michael, you're a New Yorker too I believe. East-sider?"

"Nope, not me. Third-generation Upper West Side Jew is my pedigree."

Rachel and Lorelai laughed, and Luke watched Emily frown slightly in disapproval. He looked at her steadily, challenging her to rise above her innate snobbishness. She rolled her eyes at him just slightly and then turned back to Michael. "Well, that's nice. The west side is so… lively."

"Colorful, ethnic…" muttered Lorelai.

Rachel caught her eye and smiled.

Emily spoke again. "Oh Luke, Lorelai, I wanted to tell you. I looked into those language classes we spoke about. There doesn't seem to be an Italian option, but there's a lovely woman, a former dancer with the Ballet de Russe de Monte Carlo, who teaches French culture classes for children. Language, cooking – plus art and music appreciation."

Lorelai turned to Luke and said, "Ha! I told you!"

"Told him what Lorelai?"

"Told him that conversation would come back and bite us in the…"

Luke cut her off. "That's great, Emily. Why don't you tell us what you found out. Then Rachel and Chris and the two of us can discuss it and see if it's something we think the kids would like."

Rachel smirked at him while Lorelai hissed, "Luke!"

---

Several hours later, most of the townies as well as Richard and Emily had departed.

Luke looked up from clearing dessert plates from one of the tables as John re-entered the diner. "You're back."

"I'm back, I hope you don't mind. Aunt Anita is tuckered out. Said she just wants to put her feet up and snooze in front of the TV. Thought I'd hang out here for a while, let her rest."

"Good."

"Where did everybody go?" John asked.

"Chris and Alex are in the kitchen, washing dishes. Michael's helping them, I think. Lorelai and Rachel took the kids upstairs, they wanted to watch a movie. And my sister… who knows?"

John smiled. "Your sister is a real character. You sure one of you wasn't adopted?"

"I'll take my sainted dead mother's word for it," Luke said dryly, adding more dishes to his gray bin.

John reached for the cleaning rag draped over Luke's shoulder. "Let me get this," he said, and began wiping down the table Luke had just cleared.

"You don't have to."

"I want to. You've been at this all day, no doubt."

"I have."

"And you're open tomorrow?"

"Yup. Have to feed the masses before they head out shopping, or recover from it," Luke said.

"Do you want us all to clear out, let you rest?"

"Nope. My reward for surviving the big gathering is unwinding with a smaller gathering. Plus I've got my eye on one of those beers Michael brought. Something local, from over in New York."

"Sounds good."

"Let's get it done, earn our reward."

They worked quietly and steadily, Luke heading to the kitchen to run a final load in the dishwasher while John finished wiping down the tables and started sweeping the floor. Luke came back out and spent some time behind the counter, getting everything put back in its place for the morning.

"Mop and bucket?" John asked.

"I'll do it after everyone leaves, or first thing in the morning if I'm too tired later."

"You're sure? I don't mind."

"Yeah, but the smell of the cleaner will ruin our quality beer drinking."

"Smart man."

"Hey guys," Rachel said cheerfully, emerging from upstairs.

"Everything okay up there?"

"Yup. The apartment looks good, Luke."

"Thanks."

"There's girl stuff in the bathroom," she teased.

"Yeah, I told you… Lorelai and Rory, they usually stay over on the weekends now."

"Finally!" she said.

"What?" Luke asked, confused.

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "I'm just happy for you. That you're finally, you know, getting some action."

John laughed.

"Rachel, jeez," Luke said.

"What? I can't be happy for you? I'm sure you're happy for me."

Luke rolled his eyes but then answered her sincerely. "Michael seems like a really great guy."

"He is," Rachel agreed easily.

"Of course, last time you mentioned him, you were very clear that it wasn't a relationship…" he teased her back a little.

"Yeah, well, things changed. Sue me."

They both looked over at John, who shook his head, amused. "You don't need the courts. You two are a case study for a healthy divorce. Truly bizarre."

"Who's bizarre?" Lorelai asked as she entered from behind the curtain.

"You all are," John said. "I've never seen a group of exes and new significant others get along so well. You should all be studied."

Luke glanced from Rachel to Lorelai and shrugged. "I mean, what's the alternative? We could let the awkwardness lead to avoiding each other, or sniping at each other, or, we can be grown ups. Get along, for the kids if for no other reason."

"See? Healthy, mature…You're all freaks, I tell ya."

"Aw John, you need to get out more. You're too jaded," Lorelai gave him a one-armed hug.

"Speaking of the kids, are they all settled up there?" Luke asked Lorelai.

"Yes. But we've got a little trouble in River City. No big deal. It's just they want to stay upstairs. Overnight. Have a 'cousins' slumber party, they said."

"Well, I still have the air mattresses – that's no problem."

"I know but remember how Rory was going to stay with Chris at the Inn, and Robbie with Rachel?"

Rachel shrugged. "It's not a huge deal for me. He can stay with me Friday or Saturday instead."

"Let me get Chris," Lorelai said. "See if he's cool with it." She headed towards the kitchen just as Michael came in the diner door.

"You were gone a while," Rachel commented.

"Yeah, sorry. I went to put some leftovers from Luke in the car and it was so quiet and crisp that I decided to take a walk, try to wake up a little."

"There's slumber party talk – Robbie may stay here instead of at the Inn."

"Oh?"

"So you may not need to drive back to the farm tonight."

Michael raised his eyebrows. "That'd be nice."

"On several counts," Rachel said.

"And Luke is very happy for you both," John quipped.

Lorelai came back out of the kitchen, Chris and Alex following behind. "So you're okay if she stays here?" she was asking Chris.

"It's fine. I'm pretty sure I'm going to stick around through Christmas, anyway." He glanced at Alex. "Between here and Hartford and New York, so Rory and I will have plenty of time together."

"Oh – that's great," Lorelai said, sounding a little surprised.

A slight pause settled over the group.

Luke jumped in. "Okay, slumber party has a green light then. I'm going to head upstairs, get the air mattresses set up, and when I get back here's what I want. Anyone who wants to stay for a while, sit and relax." He looked at Michael. "I want a cold bottle of that beer you brought waiting for me."

"Aye aye, Captain," Michael answered.

"Help yourself to anything else you want to eat or drink. If anyone wants wine, Scotch or… I think I have a bottle of tequila, speak now or forever hold your peace."

"Wine," said Rachel.

"Scotch," said John.

"Tequila," Alex and Chris said in unison.

"Okay, got it."

Luke entered the apartment to find the three kids on the couch, eyes glued to the television, and his sister at the kitchen table. "Hey Liz, what's going on?"

"Luke, hi. Kids are good. I'm getting ahead on some necklace orders," she said, gesturing towards what looked like a plastic fishing tackle box full of colored beads.

"I hear the kids want a slumber party. You okay with that?"

"I still get a bunk? Behind a door that closes?"

"I was going to give you my bed, before…"

"But won't Lorelai want to stay over too, if Rory's here?"

"Yeah, would you be okay with that?"

"If I'm behind a closed door? Sure," she said with a grin.

"Jeez Liz, we wouldn't…"

"I know I know. Get a sense of humor, Luke."

Luke walked over and picked up the TV remote. Waiting a minute for the scene to end, he hit pause.

"Hey!" Robbie exclaimed, and all three pairs of eyes turned on Luke.

"Just a little break," Luke explained.

"But we're just getting to the good part," Robbie whined. "We went back to the beginning of Anne of Green Gables 'cause Jess has never seen it and we're almost to the part where Miranda finds the…"

Rory clapped her hand over Robbie's mouth. "Don't give it away!" she yelled.

Robbie shook his head violently to get Rory's hand off. "Stop it! I'm not a blabbermouth."

"Are too," muttered Rory.

"Okay you two, settle down. I thought you wanted a cousins' slumber party?"

Rory's and Robbie's eyes lit up, and Jess turned his serious gaze to Luke.

"Can we Daddy?"

"Yup. Chris and Rachel and Lorelai all said it was okay, so here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna set up the air mattresses and then when this tape ends…"

"Aww…"

"When this tape ends, you guys take a break. Get yourself cereal or something if you feel hungry. Jess is in charge of that. Then get ready for bed. Faces AND soap AND teeth – Rory, you help Robbie."

Rory and Robbie grinned at each other and yelled in unison, "Team Soap!"

They dissolved in giggles while Jess and Luke looked confused.

"It's a Mom thing," Rory explained.

"A Lorelai thing," Robbie agreed.

"She says boys don't always seem to get the need for soap, so we have to make sure they join the team."

"Sounds good," Luke said, rolling his eyes at Jess just a little.

"What about me Daddy, what's my job?"

"You do a really good job with the soap. And you show Jess where the towels are. And get some for Aunt Liz too."

"Okay."

"We're all downstairs, talking. Come and get one of us if you need anything."

"Can we watch more TV after we're all ready?" Rory asked.

"Yes. Or you can play a game, or read."

"Okay, Luke."

"Okay, Daddy."

Luke tousled Jess' hair. "You good, Jess?"

Jess nodded.

Liz and the kids helped him get the mattresses and sleeping bags set up, then Luke headed into the kitchen to gather up the liquor and a few wine glasses.

Liz looked at his armful. "Party?"

"Drinks anyway. Come down and join in."

"Sure. I'll bring my stuff down. Alcohol makes me more creative." She grinned.

"That's one word for it," Luke teased.

When they got back downstairs, another makeshift larger table had been created and everyone sat around it talking. Luke placed the wine and liquor and glasses on the table, grabbed one of the cold beers already resting there, and held it up. "My final act as host. If you need other glasses for your liquor, have at it," he gestured back toward the counter. He took a long drink from the beer, then sat down next to Lorelai.

He angled himself slightly away from her so he could put his feet up on the empty chair on his other side. He let out a sigh and took another long drink of beer.

Lorelai squeezed his shoulder.

Chris looked over at him. "You must be exhausted. But everything was delicious. I don't remember ever having such a good Thanksgiving dinner."

"You'd think you'd be a little rusty," Rachel commented. "It's been a while since you've done the whole Thanksgiving thing."

"I know. San Francisco, five years ago."

"What, you didn't force your friends around the world to celebrate American Thanksgiving all those other years?" Michael asked with a smile.

Luke chuckled. "It usually wasn't worth the effort to track down turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberries…"

"So this is Robbie's first Thanksgiving? At least that he remembers?" Lorelai asked.

"Yup. I mean, he's had most of the food before, except maybe cranberry sauce, but not all together in one meal."

"He looked happy," Rachel noted. "And cleared his plate pretty quickly."

"Our kid can eat," Luke agreed with a smile.

Christopher shook his head. "I couldn't believe how much Rory packed away. She's definitely got your metabolism, Lorelai."

"Lucky girls," Alex commented.

"You're all lucky," Michael said. "My oldest, Sarah, was such a picky eater when she was little. The only thing she used to eat at Thanksgiving was turkey and cornbread."

"Not even mashed potatoes?" Rachel asked.

"No pie?" Lorelai asked, horrified.

"Nope. It wasn't until she was nine or ten, when a babysitter of ours reacted—in the same tone of voice you just used Lorelai—to the fact that she had never even tried gravy. The sitter told her she was missing out on a lot, and Sarah finally branched out a little. Nowadays she'll try most things. She eats pretty normally, for an almost teenager anyway."

Alex looked around the table. "Am I the only non-parent here? I don't think I've ever been in a group of twenty-somethings where so many people already had kids."

John raised his hand. "Not a parent. Not a twenty-something, for that matter."

That got a laugh from the table.

"You better hurry up, grandpa," Lorelai teased.

John rolled his eyes. "I am not nor ever have been precocious, not like you all."

Lorelai turned to Liz. "Did he just call us promiscuous?"

When another wave of laughter subsided, Alex spoke up again. "Don't get me wrong – I love being around parents. I love kids. But you are an unusually young bunch."

"I don't hang out with that many parents either," Rachel said. "Most of my fellow journalists, at least the traveling ones, don't have spouses or kids yet."

Alex snorted. "Most of my coworkers haven't even dated, let alone procreated."

"Be nice," Chris admonished with a smile.

"It's true. Just in case anyone tries to tell you the computer industry is not full of nerds, don't believe them. Sweet, brilliant nerds. But nerds nonetheless."

"Doesn't that make you very popular?" Rachel asked with a smile.

"You'd think. But most of them seem a little scared of me."

"Plus," Chris commented, "You're the nerdiest of them all."

"Mean!" Lorelai said.

Alex laughed. "I am though. I get really … focused when I work. Obsessive. I barely notice if anyone's around."

"Yup. Company had to fold before I could get her to talk to me," Chris joked.

"Yeah, well, you front-office pretty boys, you're a whole other story…"

"Is it hard, being the only woman working with so many men?" Lorelai asked.

Alex nodded. "Sort of. You have to work harder, I think, to be taken seriously. Computers are definitely an all-boys club, and they don't like having it crashed. But with nerds, at least I don't get hit on all the time. Not in obvious ways, anyway."

Lorelai nodded. "That's the most annoying thing, being propositioned when you're just trying to do your job."

Liz joined in. "When you're in customer service, it's a constant. I don't miss that now that I'm not waitressing. On the other hand, hard to get a genuine ask-out

either, in a jewelry store in Greenwich Village. Too many women and gay men."

Everyone laughed again.

Luke was glad for the little comic relief. Listening to his ex-wife, girlfriend, and sister all talk about getting propositioned was making him anxious. But it didn't seem the right time to go all macho protective. He took another swig of beer. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. Men are pigs."

Everyone laughed.

"Speak for yourself, man. I love and respect all women," John quipped.

Luke held up his beer in salute.

Liz, having finished a glass of wine, hoisted her bead box up onto the chair next to her and prepared to resume work on her necklaces.

"What are you working on Liz?" Lorelai asked.

"Bead necklaces. These longer ones are our bestsellers, even though they're kind of boring to make. I end up making a bunch of new ones almost every night. It's good mindless work to do in front of the TV. Or on a bus stuck in traffic…"

"Can I help?" Lorelai asked.

"Sure, if you want to."

"I'll help too," Michael declared.

"You will?" Rachel asked, seemingly bemused.

"Two daughters. I've got beading skills," he replied.

Rachel smiled. "None here. I never had the patience."

"Me neither," Alex said. "I have four older brothers. My mom kept buying me girly crafting and art kits, but I just wanted to take apart their toy cars. And later their computers."

"I'll give it a try," John said.

Luke snorted.

"I have an artistic eye," John said.

"I'll bet you do."

"Well thanks, everyone, this is far out," Liz said. "We need some more containers, I think, so you can pick out your colors."

"How about some little bowls? I'll get them." Lorelai headed back behind the counter.

"Hey!" Luke objected.

"Aw, relax Luke," Liz said. "I already stole a roll of your fishing line. It's perfect for these."

Luke rolled his eyes and finished his beer.

A few minutes of reshuffling took place as the volunteer beaders filled up their bowls and the non-beaders fetched more drinks. Luke stayed put, grateful for the second beer Rachel placed in front of him. Just as he opened it the bells above the door rang and Sookie stepped in. Luke, slightly buzzed, raised his beer with a loud "Sookie," at the same time as Lorelai squealed her name and ran over to hug her.

Lorelai shot him a grin. "Cheers moment!"

"Hi everybody. Guess I found where the party is."

"Yes," John said. "Heavy duty drinking and wild necklace making."

"Beer, wine or tequila, Sookie?" Lorelai asked.

"Give me a shot of tequila."

"Woo hoo! Pull up a chair, and put your feet up next to Luke's. You must be exhausted."

"I am. Dinner went well but if I never carve another turkey, I'll be a happy girl," she declared.

"Sookie is a chef at the Inn and my best friend," Lorelai explained to Chris and Alex, having handed Sookie a glass and filling it up. "Sookie, this is the famous Christopher Hayden, Rory's dad, and his friend Alexandra Worthington."

"Nice to meet you," Chris said, while Alex clinked glasses with her.

"And this is Michael, he came up from New York with Rachel."

Michael looked up from his necklace and smiled.

"And you remember John, right?"

"Yes. Divorce lawyer and now pal. How've you been?"

"Outnumbered. Tell me you're not a parent. Alex and I have been trying to hold our own."

"Not a parent."

"Good." John held up his Scotch glass and clinked hers.

"Sookie, are you still unattached?" Liz asked. "I think I'm the only other one here not paired up."

"Single too. Thanks for reminding me."

"Have some more tequila," Lorelai said, and everyone laughed.

"Don't mind if I do…" Sookie poured more for herself, Chris and Alex, and then threw back the shot.

"So Alex – you have four older brothers?" Michael asked.

"I do. I'm the baby. My parents had basically given up hope for a girl, and then I came along. But my poor mom – she ended up with a hopeless tomboy. All I ever wanted was to do what my brothers did."

"But you're gorgeous!" Sookie said.

Alex laughed and blushed. "Thank you."

"No – I mean, you don't seem at all boyish now. You've got that whole casually rich blonde and beautiful thing going on."

"No more tequila for you, Sook," Lorelai said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

"Not rude. When I'm in New York, I go into debutante mode, for my mom." Alex glanced down at her simple yet elegant silk blouse, cashmere sweater, and wool skirt. "Just ask Chris. Out in California, at work, I'm in jeans, T-shirts, and oversized wrinkled oxfords. Unless there's a client meeting."

"It's true. She's a mess."

Alex smacked his arm. "Anyway, in between jobs, I come back east, and play the dutiful daughter. I hang out with my mom, go shopping with her and let her dress me up, follow her around to all her social and charity engagements…and there's peace in the kingdom."

Lorelai was looking at her thoughtfully. "Is that hard?" she asked Alex.

"Not really. Overall my mom and I get along pretty well. She kind of gave up on me being like her when I headed to MIT. She is proud of me – she admits that from time to time." Alex smiled ruefully. "Two of my brothers who are married live near her — one in Manhattan, one in Westchester — and she's really close with my sisters-in-law. They're like her, full-time at home wives and moms, socialites. She gets her girly daughter fix."

"See, I always knew being an only child was my big mistake," Lorelai said, only half joking.

Alex looked at her. "Your mom seems particularly… intense."

Christopher and Luke both snorted.

But Lorelai smiled wistfully. "Well, like your mom, she definitely didn't get the daughter she expected, or hoped for."

"Yeah, I hear you."

"And having Rory at 16 and leaving with her at 17 has been a little more difficult to reconcile then, you know, MIT. Not to compare or anything."

"No, I agree. My mom and I never really had that dramatic of a break. Not like you, or Chris for that matter."

Lorelai looked at Chris. "You've told her the stories?"

"Oh yeah."

He grinned, but Luke sensed discomfort underneath. He noticed that Chris had been listening quite intently to Alex's and Lorelai's conversation. As had Luke, even as other conversations went on among the larger group.

"Well," Lorelai was saying now, "Things have gotten better the past few months." She reached over for Luke's hand. "Being with Luke has actually seemed to help."

Chris looked at Luke. "I noticed that you seem to have earned some Emily respect. Not an easy feat."

"Nope," Luke agreed.

"And I think my dad downright likes you!" Lorelai said.

"Well, let's not go crazy."

The four of them laughed, and let the serious talk fade away as they rejoined the general conversation.

Luke finished his second beer and relaxed further into his seat, his hand still entwined with Lorelai's. He watched and listened to the conversation flow around him, enjoying the play of topics and jokes among this particular group.

Maybe John was right, maybe they were unusual for getting along so well. But he'd take it over the alternative.

It had been a really good Thanksgiving.

---

Friday, November 27

Luke stood at the counter, his gaze alternating between the final lunch customers, a couple at a four top with shopping bags filling up the other two seats, and his nephew, perched on the stool at the far end of the counter, seemingly lost in the book he was reading. The couple was about to leave. The man was taking a final sip of his coffee, the woman was figuring out how much to leave for the tip.

Jess read on, his eyes never looking up from the text.

Luke took their money and thanks, and headed over to bus the table. Still no movement from Jess. He smiled to himself as he placed the last cup in the bin. "Three, two, one…" he counted in his head.

And suddenly Jess was there, as he had been appearing all through lunch service, to wipe down the table and chairs, first with a damp rag, then with a dry one.

Luke chuckled. "How do you go from being deaf to the world, lost in your book, to doing your job the minute it's time?"

Jess shrugged. "I don't know. I'm good at paying attention, even when it seems like I'm not."

"Good skill to have, I guess," Luke commented.

"Can I refill the salt and pepper shakers?" Jess asked.

Luke looked around. "Nah, they seem pretty full still, from when you and Erin did them before lunch. But you can check the napkin holders, see which ones need more. There are a few packets of napkins under the counter."

"Okay," Jess said.

Luke got him started on the task then headed back into the kitchen, where Carlos was finishing up the last of the big pans and Reed was prepping the potatoes for the next morning's hash browns. "You'd rather do dishes than potatoes, Carlos?" Luke asked. "You've got to do a better job of using your lackey."

"I'd rather do just about anything other than potatoes," Carlos said. "Had enough of them for a lifetime in the Army. I use my lackey just fine, thanks."

Reed looked up. "I don't mind potatoes. I hate dishes."

"You two are a good pair I guess," Luke said, then headed back out.

He drank a glass of water and stretched, continuing to watch his industrious nephew. He had been pleased this morning when Jess opted to stay with him for the day. Lorelai had headed out to the Inn right after breakfast, bringing Rory and Robbie with her to spend their days with Christopher and Rachel respectively. She called in just before the lunch rush, to let Luke know they were shorthanded and she'd have to put in the full day.

Erin had arrived at eight and let him know her mom was on call if things got busy, but the stream of customers had stayed slow but steady, as people stopped in to eat before heading out to shop or on to other family activities. Liz had helped for a bit then headed to Woodbridge for the afternoon.

Luke headed over to the door to turn the sign to closed. It was sunny and cold outside, and bright and cozy here in the diner. Turning back, he saw that Jess had returned to his perch and his book.

"Want anything?" he asked Jess, setting up a cup of tea for himself.

"Are there any cookies?"

"Sure."

Luke took out the bins they were stored in so Jess could have his choice of flavors, and poured him a glass of milk. "So what are you reading?" he asked.

"Watership Down."

"Wow, that's a great book. Our mom read that to me and Liz when we were about your age."

"I really like it. Ms. Donahue recommended it to me. She said I should read it once now, because it's an amazing story, and once when I'm older so I can appreciate the socio-political ramifications of the allegory."

"Oh. Okay. Maybe I'll reread it when you do, and you can explain those to me."

"Okay."

Luke smiled. "You still get to see Ms. Donahue then?"

"Yup. I stop and say hi every morning, since her classroom is on the way to mine. And she got special permission for me to stay after school on Fridays and be her assistant. I help her clean up everything from the week, and get ready for the next one. And we get a chance to talk."

"That sounds good."

"I miss having her as my teacher though. Mrs. Jenner is okay. Not as mean as my third-grade teacher, but not as organized as Ms. Donahue. Then she gets frustrated and then she gets impatient."

"That's not good."

Jess shrugged. "It's not terrible."

Luke felt sad, that this was his criteria.

Jess spoke again. "Rory says she's never had a mean teacher here. That some are stricter than others, but they're all organized."

Luke nodded his head. "Yeah, the teachers here are good. Mine were good especially in elementary school. I had a few clunkers in high school, but nothing I couldn't handle."

Jess was looking at him directly as Luke spoke, but then glanced away. "Uncle Luke?" he said after a minute, in a quieter voice.

"Yeah Jess?"

"I want to have good teachers. I want to live here in Stars Hollow, not New York City."

"You do?"

"I do. I like it here. It's lonely in New York. There aren't very many kids in my building, and none near my age. And my school friend from last year moved away. And a girl who I thought was my friend this year stopped sitting next to me at lunch because her friends said I was her boyfriend."

"Have you asked your…" Luke started to ask, but Jess was on a roll.

"I like it here. I like Robbie, and Rory, and Lorelai, and you. I like the diner."

"You've lived in New York City a long time." Luke said neutrally.

"I know, and I want to try living somewhere else. And I think Mom might too."

"Have you asked her about it?"

"No. I was afraid she'd just say no, without thinking about it."

"But you think she might want to move here?"

"Maybe. She seems happier now that she's not a waitress. I heard her talking to her friend Linda on the phone. She said she doesn't feel trapped anymore by her crazy schedule. That she can make jewelry anywhere, when she gets good enough. So maybe."

"I think you should talk to her about it."

Jess frowned. "Will you ask her for me?"

"How about we talk to her together?

"That would be great." He hopped off of the stool. "Wait – is it okay with you if we move here?"

"I would love that, Jess. I love having you and Liz here. And if your mom isn't ready to move yet, or not at all, we'll come visit you in the city. See you more often."

"Okay." He smiled at Luke. "Can I go up and read on the couch?"

"Of course." He watched Jess carefully carry his plate and glass into the kitchen, then run back through the diner to the stairs.

Luke thought about his nephew's plea as he began the cleaning up process. He gave the floor a full mopping, as he'd only gotten a spot cleaning in before opening. The rhythm of the cleaning lulled him as he contemplated Liz's reaction. Would she consider leaving New York after all these years? If not, would she consider letting Jess come live with Luke? And would Jess want to do that? Was it too much to think about adding responsibility for another kid to his plate right now?

Just as he reached the final section of floor, behind the counter, the bells rang and Liz entered, a few bags in her hand.

"The floor's still wet." Luke cautioned her.

She took off her shoes and tiptoed across to the counter. "May I?" she asked, reaching to take down one stool.

"Sure. Tea?"

"Perfect. Chamomile if you have it."

"Good day?"

"Yes. I really love it over there in Woodbridge. So many quirky little shops. Like Greenwich Village, but without the pervasive smell of urine."

"Any luck selling?"

"Maybe. I left my card, and a few pictures of samples. Everyone was busy with customers, so it was hard to get into anything concrete."

Luke placed a cup in front of her and she took a small sip. "Jess okay?"

"Yup. He helped out here all afternoon, then headed upstairs for a while to read."

"Good." She took another sip, then simply breathed in the aroma. "That's so soothing," she said as she opened her eyes. "One of the women remembered me from when I visited back in August. Even though our conversation was rushed today, she talked me for a few minutes, asked me about my jewelry classes, where I was working."

"That's pretty good that she remembered you."

"I thought so. Even though I thought she was joking, it turns out she was serious."

"About what?" Luke was confused.

"She offered me a job."

"Really?"

"They're really busy during the holidays."

"Makes sense. Would you consider it?"

"I would. Does that freak you out?"

"Why would it freak me out?"

"Me and Jess close by, moving back… "

"I'd love that."

"Really?"

"Of course. You're my sister. You two are family. I'd love to have you out of New York. Back here."

Liz smiled, then frowned. "Problem is, the places I work in New York are also busy this coming month. I wouldn't want to leave them in the lurch."

"Yeah, I can see that."

"But if I wait, this other place might not be hiring, not in January."

"Maybe not. But you'll find something. I've heard there's a local restaurant adding on dinner in January, may need some extra help."

"Where?"

Luke just smiled.

"Oh, right! Really, you'd hire me?"

"You did a great job back on opening day."

"I did, didn't I? Saved your ass, as I recall."

Luke grinned. "That you did, sis."

"So…maybe I'll see what they say, back in New York."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Rents are cheaper here, huh?"

"Everything is cheaper here. There's that new complex, out on the road to Woodbridge, they still have available signs up."

"Still in Stars Hollow?"

"I think so. It would be good if Jess could go to school in Stars Hollow, then he could come here after school, with Rory and Robbie."

"Jess…"

"What about him?"

"What if he doesn't want to move? He's a total city kid. And it might not be good to change schools in the middle of the year."

"Well, you're the mom, you get to make the call. And who knows, maybe he'll like the idea."

"Maybe."

"Why don't you go talk to him? I'll be up in a few minutes."

"Okay. No time like the present, I guess…"

Luke smiled to himself, and headed to the kitchen to send Carlos and Reed home.

---

Saturday, November 28th

"Great date," Lorelai said, still slightly out of breath as she broke her stare and snuggled into Luke's chest. She drew one leg up over his, warm and naked

underneath the covers.

"Great date," Luke agreed, stroking her silky smooth shoulder. "Cheap date," he added.

"Are you calling me easy?"

"Well…if the shoe fits. Or in this case, if the sexy dress coming off within 30 seconds of me calling it a sexy dress… fits," he ended awkwardly.

"As I recall, in that 30 seconds you basically undressed me with your eyes."

"True."

"So I was just fulfilling your wishes."

"Which I very much appreciated…"

Lorelai propped herself up on one elbow. She looked at Luke, running her fingers through his hair for a moment before leaning down to kiss him. "I've missed this," she said, pulling back.

"Me too. Tuesday seems ages ago."

"It was. And proud as I am of us finally managing to be in the same bed and not have sex Thursday night, that only made it harder."

"You're telling me," Luke said with a smirk.

Lorelai laughed then laid her head down back down. "It's been a good weekend, though."

"It has. And it's not over yet. I still owe you dinner."

"In a little while," Lorelai said.

"You still want to go out?"

"Nah. You mind having something here?"

"Not at all."

"Good. I want to maximize our time in bed."

"We still have a few hours before the kids are due back."

Rachel had taken both Robbie and Rory for the day, to visit Michael's farm over in New York. Once the kids were back, they planned to go their separate ways, to give Lorelai and Rory a little alone time, and Robbie and Luke the same. And both kids a chance to settle back into home.

"A few more hours alone, perfect," Lorelai said. "It was really nice of Christopher and Alex to give Liz and Jess a ride back to New York."

"I know Liz was eager to skip another long bus ride. And Jess wants to start packing." Luke chuckled.

"You think they'll move before Christmas?"

"I think after makes more sense, school wise, lease wise, and job wise. But we'll see."

"You're happy they're moving back."

"I am. I worry about them both," Luke agreed. "How about you? How are you feeling about things?" Luke asked.

"What do you mean?"

"New people in the picture. Like Alex. Even having Chris around is sort of new."

"Very new. And they seemed serious about being here through Christmas. Alex seems really attached to her family."

"She does."

"I like her, a lot. She's smart, and nice, and seems really good for Chris. And totally smitten with him as well, not just intent on reforming him or something."

"Any jealousy?"

"Well, I'm still having a few twinges of 'how come he's getting it together, growing up, for her, when he never could for me?' But… I get it. And I have a feeling that if they stay together, he'll be back here more, because it sounds like she comes back a lot."

"It does," Luke agreed.

"And she's got some sort of plan to involve him in this independent consulting idea she has. So who knows, maybe he will turn out to be that big success Straub always dreamed of."

Luke snorted. "Straub. Still the stupidest rich people name I've heard so far."

"Oh just wait until you meet some of my mom's friends. Like Tweenie."

"Jeez. Was Chris okay with not having Rory meet his parents yet?"

"Oh yeah. He's 100% in agreement. I want to be there with her, in case, and Chris understands. Straub is not a nice guy, and Francine is very weak…"

"But they'll probably be at your parents 'two weeks before Christmas' party, eh?"

"That two weeks before thing really bugs you, doesn't it?" Lorelai teased him.

Luke shrugged.

"Yes. They'll be there, and probably Alex too. But I don't want to think about that now."

"Okay."

"How about you? You okay with Michael being in the picture?"

"I am. I trust him with Robbie. He's a dad, and he seems like a really good guy."

"Any jealousy?"

"Not really. He seems like a good match for Rachel. He's got his own work, his kids, the ex-wife drama… The coming and going thing doesn't seem to be a problem for him." He paused. "Maybe that makes me feel a little…guilty,somehow? That I wasn't okay with it."

"No, you were okay with it, for five years. You worked really hard at it, sacrificed a lot, for a long time."

"I guess you're right."

"I know I'm right."

They were quiet for a bit, thinking their own thoughts and absently stroking each other's arms.

"They seem to be really good with the email and stuff," Lorelai said.

"Yeah, who knew? I'm still a little surprised she's settling into a relationship so quickly. It seemed like… she talked about wanting to be single again, wanting to be out and about."

"She did?"

"Yup."

"I think the reality of casual dating may not be all it's cracked up to be," Lorelai observed.

"True. Anyway, they seem good. And I feel like – it's good for us. For the kids, to have Rachel, and Chris, be more stable."

"I agree."

"I like it. It's like what you said – we're the hub. The four of us. You, me, Robbie and Rory, the nucleus, the home base, and we get to just stay put. We're always here, easy to find, easy to visit."

"Yup. We're a regular nuclear family. Can a white picket fence, golden retriever, and matching jogging suits be far behind?"

Luke chuckled. "No matching jogging suits."

"No?"

He threw back the covers and pulled her on top of him. "Matching birthday suits, that's all I'll agree to."

Lorelai groaned. "That was bad…"

But she laughed nonetheless, and then made sure they made the most of their fleeting time alone.