AN: Before I say anything else, I wanna give a big shoutout to Steph. Hon, you're more than just a beta. Seriously evey suggestion you make, be it good, bad or inbetween, they help me keep going. You keep me at it. And I wanna thank you for that. I feel very fortunate to have someone I can lean on whenever I'm feeling blocked, uncertain or if I just need a second opinion. Also even though you claim your ideas aren't that good. Honey, you've given some really good ones and I wanna thank you for that :)

Severien - I'm always happy to get more readers. But if there's so many things you want to review on, why aren't you doing just that? lol Opinions are always welcomed ;) I haven't even told my beta which chapter she'll tell him, so you and Luke will know in due time ;)

smileyGGfan - Yes, Luke does very well as both a dad and uncle and he looked very adorable with the baby in his arms. I can't wait for the day where we finally get LL's baby, they have to at least give us that after all that crap. If Dopey hadn't come in at that point, we would eventually gotten pregnant Lorelai in this season, that's my theory, because they would've worked out their issues and then with Dula being born and Lane's pregnancy, it would plant the thought in their heads. DR because of ASP's ending cheated us out of getting that and it's time he makes it up to us. Lorelai wants another kid, but we all know it's not Dopey's kid she wants. As for Kirk's offer, how desperate do you think Lorelai is? lol

Anon - It will be far from the last chapter. I have many plans post Lorelai telling him. Seriously, this is a JJ story, but it's done true to GG, so Lorelai and Luke take time. But I just wanna say, I've produced 56 chapters in just a little over 7 months time (averaging on 3000 words per story, so we're not talking small chapters either). I think that should prove how dedicated I am to writing this.

cywen69 - Your daughter sounds exactly like my niece. Her hand around leg of "Rosa" as well as the silky tag and the thumb of it in her mouth and she's happy :) A lot of my inspiration for William come from my two nieces and the precious moments I've had with them.

Caffeination - Lorelai definitely leaves the bunny in his reach. It's the first thing his daddy gave him, so she wants it to be something William will cherish. So the crying now reflects how he can't reach the soft thing he had been holding just minutes before. Later on it would more be about a specific toy. I don't really hate Jason, either. The only guy I've truly disliked seeing Lorelai with, has been Chris. The guy keeps worming his way back and it's always about Lorelai for him, he just doesn't seem to care about Rory unless it's a way to get on Lorelai's good side and that bugs me. But the thing that bothers me more than Chris, is the people who blames Lorelai for Chris' absence in the past. She's given him every chance to be there for his daughter, he's the one who never took it until the girl was old enough to manage on her own. Ok, I'll stop before my rant becomes longer than the fic. As for the Hogwarts houses. That's actually something I did. Lorelai's views repressents what I thought the first four books and Rory's is the one I got after reading book five.


It was as though Lorelai believed the word regarding William's first outing had in one way or another been leaked to the hungry gossipers of Stars Hollow, when she saw how packed the diner was. But she quickly dismissed the thought as she didn't see Miss Patty or Babette amongst them. Sookie surveyed the crowd through the window.

- Maybe we should hit Weston's instead, she suggested.

- No, Lorelai objected, a bit too quickly.

Sookie raised a brow at her.

- I haven't had breakfast yet, Lorelai explained. - Weston's only have pie and desserts and pie isn't breakfast food.

- I did not just hear you say that, Sookie remarked.

Lorelai laughed as she too heard how lame her excuse was.

- I'm craving eggs, she elaborated. - Eggs sunny side up with bacon, lots of bacon and sausages on the side and then pie for dessert.

- Now you're almost making me hungry, the chef giggled. - And I just ate.

- Okay, now the main problem is the strollers. Leave them out here or bring them in?

- Does the top come off yours, Sookie asked.

- Unfortunately no, Lorelai sighed. - The one thing I didn't think of when I picked it.

- Well, we can't just be holding them both the whole time, Sookie pointed out. - Eating will be a nightmare, not to mention how we can't drink coffee while holding them. Unless you're planning on abstaining.

- Oh no, Lorelai shook her head. - I love my kid and all, but if I didn't stop drinking coffee when I was pregnant with him, I sure as hell am not gonna do that now.

- Didn't think so, Sookie chuckled. - So I guess we're bringing them in.

- I guess we are, Lorelai shrugged. - So, one holds the door and the other pushes?

- Sounds good, Sookie nodded. - I'll take the door.

By the time both strollers had been carried in, with great help from a customer, who was leaving, the diner looked more crowded than ever. The two mother's took up one of the larger tables by the window, which had just been freed up. Luke, who had just come out of the kitchen with a couple of orders immediately spotted them.

- What's this, he asked, as he maneuvered his way over to the table.

- They're called strollers, Luke, Lorelai explained. - See, this is an ingenious invention that allows mothers to bring their kids out with them.

- I meant, what are they doing inside, Luke replied, rolling his eyes.

- They allow us to eat without worrying about accidentally spilling hot coffee on our kids, Lorelai shrugged. - Besides, Davey's still sleeping.

- They're blocking the path, Luke complained.

- Just for a couple of tables, Lorelai pointed out.

- That still means there are a couple of tables I have no way of bringing orders to.

- In what way is that my problem?

- You're the one blocking the tables, Luke replied.

- It's not my fault the diner isn't stroller friendly, Lorelai shrugged. - I think maybe it's time to rethink your table settings.

- This is a diner, Luke responded. - Its purpose is to serve food to customers, not play Chuck-E-Cheese.

- To my memory that's also the purpose of Chuck-E-Cheese, Lorelai pointed out.

- You know what I meant.

- I know, Lorelai nodded. - But things change. One of your regulars, dare I say your best customer, has a baby now and is bound to bring said baby with her wherever she goes.

- Actually, Luke smirked. - I don't really consider Sookie to be that great a customer.

Lorelai scowled at him, which made Sookie laugh.

- Would you rather I bring my kid and business somewhere else, she asked.

- Well.., Luke said, dragging the word out.

- Oh, come on, Lorelai said, picking up her bundle of a baby, holding him up towards Luke. - How can you be able to resist such a face?

She could see that Luke was trying to come up with a retort on that, but his attention was grabbed by the little guy in her arms. What Lorelai thought really sealed the deal wasn't whatever cutesy thing William was doing at that precise moment, but the fact that he was holding onto the bunny Luke had given him at the hospital, as though it was the most precious thing in the world for the little boy.

- Can you at least move to the corner table, so you're not blocking me, he asked, his voice remarkably softer, not that it had been that harsh before that.

- If that's all that it took, then why were we arguing about all this just a minute ago, Lorelai replied.

Luke rolled his eyes and turned to give the waiting customers their food. When Lorelai and Sookie were relocated at the corner table, he came back with the ordering pad and pen.

- What do you want, he asked.

- Eggs sunny side up, lots of bacon and sausages on the side, Lorelai replied at once. - Oh and lots and lots of coffee.

- And you, Luke asked Sookie, only slightly grimacing at Lorelai's choice of food.

- Just coffee, the chef replied.

- Ten minutes, he told them and turned around.

- Wait, Lorelai said, grabbing his sleeve to stop him from leaving.

Luke stopped and met her gaze.

- I changed my mind, she said. - I want a cheese omelet instead of the eggs, heavy on the cheese.

Luke rolled his eyes, then bent down so that he was at the same level as William.

- Kid, he whispered, in a serious tone. - If you have any desire to live a full life, don't let your mother influence your eating habits. Fruit and vegetables are not the enemy and coffee will kill you.

William's expression was a serious one, for a minute it looked like he was about to cry, when he instead suddenly let a big yawn out.

- I think that means he'll think about it, Lorelai said with mock seriousness. - If he had sneezed, then it would've been a complete rejection.

- He sneezed, Luke asked. - And you're bringing him here to get even more sick?

- Luke, relax, Lorelai laughed. - It was a one time sneeze. He had some dust up his nose and then he sneezed, it's normal.

- How was I supposed to know that?

- Well, you know now, Lorelai replied. - Now, where is that coffee?

- Give me a minute, Luke said, rolling his eyes.

- He sneezed, Sookie asked, as Luke went to fetch the coffee pot.

- Yesterday, Lorelai nodded. - One minute he's lying in his bassinet, contently sucking on his fists. Then all of a sudden he sneezes. Poor thing, he was so surprised, he started to cry.

- Aww, Sookie cooed, stroking William's cheeks. - Did you sneeze, sweetie? Did you?

When Luke came with the coffee a problem presented itself. Lorelai tried putting William back down in his stroller to see if he maybe was sleepy, but that didn't sit well with the baby, who didn't want to leave his mother's arms.

- Maybe we can take turns holding him, Sookie suggested.

Lorelai nodded, gently pushing her cup of coffee to the middle of the table, so that William wouldn't accidentally touch it. When Luke came bringing the food, Sookie offered to take William for her, but the boy didn't like being moved, so Lorelai had to take him back. It was when she noticed him trying to suck on her shoulder that she realized the boy was hungry.

She opened the bag attached to the stroller, fishing out the bottle she had prepared just in case and headed for the counter. Luke was in the kitchen, probably preparing another order.

- Hey Luke, she called out.

- What, he replied, still in the kitchen.

- Could you heat up this bottle for me?

He popped his head out from the kitchen.

- What, he asked.

- Bottle, she repeated, holding it up for him to see. - Could you heat it up for me?

- Why?

- Um, because William's hungry?

- No, I meant, I thought you.., Luke started. - That you were... you know...

He discretely gestured downwards, just nodding his head down.

- Breastfeeding, Lorelai asked, laughing. - It's okay, you can say it. It's not a swear word.

Luke visibly squirmed at the word.

- Yeah, he said. - That. Last I checked you didn't need a bottle to... to do that.

- Look at you blushing, Lorelai teased. - Well, normally I'd just button down and get right to it, but...

- But what, he asked, confused.

- In case you haven't noticed, this is kinda a public place, she pointed out.

- Oh, he said. - Right.

- If I'm not mistaken, just a year ago, a man pointed out that this is a diner, not a peep show, Lorelai teased.

William was starting to fuss more in her arms.

- Can you please hurry up with that bottle, she begged, adjusting their son in her arms.

- Use my place, he suggested.

- What?

Luke gestured to the curtain, which she knew led to the staircase up to his apartment.

- Use my place, he repeated. - No one but me goes up there and I promise to stay down here and knock in case there's anything I need.

- Are you sure, she asked, confused.

- Listen, I know you, he replied. - And I sure as hell know your eating habits. Soon as that kid gets old enough we're looking at pancakes, pies, burgers, fries and, God help me, coffee. At least... at least this gives him a chance to develop some good habits before you hook him on all that junk.

- You really need to learn to say the word, 'breastfeeding', Lorelai teased.

- I'll work on it, he promised, before adding. - It's unlocked.

Lorelai nodded and took William with her behind the curtain, up the stairs, to the apartment that just nine months ago, he had been conceived. It was funny to see that it was actually very much the same it had been the previous year. She tried remembering if she had been up there since the night the Poes had driven her out of her house, where she had told Luke about the dream she'd had about being pregnant with his kids. It was strange to think about that when she had told him about that, she had indeed been pregnant. Not with twins, thank God, but a son nevertheless.

As she got herself situated on the couch, placing William at her breast, she looked around the room to see if she could see any traces of Nicole's presence, just as she had done back when Luke and Rachel had been together. What had come to her attention with Rachel, was how even though the woman had been living with Luke, the only changes had been a couple of clothes-lines where she had hung her developed photos and a couple of clothing items slung over a chair. True, she hadn't seen Luke's place before Rachel, so there had always been the posibillity that he had just kept the changes Rachel had made.

The only time she had really seen there being a change made to this place, had been when Luke had expanded it to make room for Jess to live there. Which made sense. He was the closest thing the boy had to an active parent those two years he lived there and unlike a girlfriend, a kid needed his own bed and a lot more space. But what struck her as she looked around was that Luke, even though he was married now, still owned a single bed, the very same bed William had happened. Luke knew now what a single bed meant, that a man owning a single bed wasn't open to commitment. Should she take this as a sign? Or had he simply, with this back and forth business with Nicole just not gone to purchase a double, yet?

She let her gaze fall back down to her baby boy, who was eating to the big golden medal. There was something very serene to be had with nursing your son. As he was eating, his little fingers stretched out as his fist opened and closed, his little feet ever so often kicking softly against her stomach. His eyes remained closed. As she continued observing the little things with her son, she noticed less and less about the exteriors of the room. That was until the door opened. Opening her mouth to remind Luke of his promise to knock, her eyes met the eyes of a completely different person.

- N-Nicole, she stuttered, surprised.

- Lorelai, Nicole replied, just as surprised.

This had to be the most awkward moment she'd had with a person, for as long as she could remember. Nicole walked over to the kitchen counter and picked something up.

- Forgot my cell phone, Nicole explained, holding it up for Lorelai to see.

- Well, sure, Lorelai replied, lamely. - Can't work without it.

- Right, Nicole nodded. - And you're...

- Breastfeeding, Lorelai completed, suddenly realizing how embarrassing the word could be.

- I can see that, Nicole said.

- Yeah, Lorelai replied. - You have eyes, so... You're probably wondering why I'm doing this... here.

She gestured to the room, which basically was the apartment.

- Kinda, Nicole nodded.

- Well, I was here, Lorelai began. - With my son, as you can see. The diner, I mean, not up here, because why would I be up here, except for doing this, of course... So, anyway. Me and Sookie decided to do this whole first outing thing together. She brought Davey. They're still downstairs. So William got hungry and... well, Luke said it was okay.

Feeling bad for putting Luke in such an awkward position with his wife, Lorelai decided to make it seem like this whole breastfeeding thing had been her idea and not his.

- I've gotta go, Nicole replied.

- Well, yeah, sure, Lorelai nodded. - You got what you came here for.

- And then some, Nicole confirmed. - So, I'll see you.

- Yeah.

Lorelai breathed out, but it wasn't a breath of relief. It was a sigh. She had known the situation was complicated before, but it wasn't until just now that she truly had felt the full impact of the whole thing. She felt nauseous.

When William finished eating and even spit up on her shoulder, thank God for the kitchen towel she had borrowed, she quickly buttoned up her shirt, intending to go downstairs and apologize to Luke for whatever trouble she had created between him and Nicole. But as she just slightly opened the door, she heard both Luke and Nicole, arguing at the bottom of the stairs.

- You told me nothing was going on between you two, Nicole said.

- And I stand by it, Luke replied.

- Then what was it I just walked in on, Nicole asked. - She's in your apartment, the front of her shirt all buttoned down.

- She's feeding her son, Luke pointed out. - She didn't want to cause a peep show, so I said she could go upstairs to do it.

- And you usually lend your apartment out to customers to breastfeed, is that it?

- What, Luke asked. - No, of course not.

- So, what is this? First you're at the hospital with her...

- You said it was okay with you, Luke pointed out.

Lorelai could hear Nicole's groan very clearly.

- And now, she continued. - Just hours after I leave, she's already there.

- We've been over this before, Nicole, Luke replied. - The only thing between me and Lorelai is friendship. That's all there is.

- Well, forgive me for believing otherwise.

- Nicole, Luke sighed.

- Try seeing this from my point of view, Nicole suggested. - How is it looking?

- Not so good, Luke admitted. - But honestly, if I was to have an affair, do you really think I would do it in broad daylight in Stars Hollow? Gossip travels faster here than in one of those tabloids they sell over at Hello! Magazine. I can't even tie my own shoe laces without the rest of the town knowing it within an hour. Everybody knows everybody's business here. You can ask anyone.

Lorelai decided to close the door and returned to the couch. She couldn't hear what they said anymore, but every now and then she could hear hints of aggravated voices. When they seemed to have stopped, she walked back to the door, only slightly opening it to hear if they were still at it. As she heard nothing, she closed the door behind her and descended down the stairs. She found Luke sitting at the bottom of them.

- Hi, she said, taking a seat next to him, William snoozing against her shoulder.

- Hi, Luke replied. - So you're done?

- Were you waiting for me?

- Yeah, Luke admitted.

- You know, you could have just come up and knocked the door, Lorelai pointed out.

- Well, he shrugged. - I figured you already had too many people poking in on you. Besides, I've only been sitting here for a couple of minutes, so...

- Listen, Luke, she sighed. - I'm really sorry.

- For what, he asked.

- Well, for this whole Nicole getting the wrong impression about the situation.

- Can't say I blame her, Luke chuckled. - God knows what I would think if the situation was reversed.

- But, you're okay?

- Yeah, he replied. - I was just waiting to see if you're okay. Nicole didn't say anything to upset you, did she?

- No, she assured him. - I wouldn't want to experience it again anytime soon, but it wasn't anything she said.

- Okay, Luke sighed in relief. - Good.

William was now soundly asleep against her shoulder.

- I better, Lorelai said, gesturing to the sleeping baby.

- Yeah, he nodded, understanding.

Lorelai began walking towards the curtain, but stopped and turned around.

- Are you and Nicole gonna be okay, she asked.

- Yeah, he nodded. - I'm just gonna give her a couple of days to cool down.

- Sounds like a good plan, she nodded, ignoring the ache she felt when she thought of the two of them together.

TBC