Luke took 10 days off once Theo was born and they were a rough 10 days. Lorelai had a couple check ups with her doctor and anytime she left or paid attention to Theodore Rory started crying.

On his last day off before he was going back to work the 5 of them were sitting in the living room. Rory and Jess were sat in the corner with a bunch of building blocks and Lorelai and Luke sat on the couch with Theo lying on Luke's chest.

"Are you going to be ok tomorrow?" Luke asked, "three kids is hard work."

"Who would have thought?" Lorelai shrugged, "we'll be fine, once they get adjusted and we are in a new routine it won't be so bad."

"We should have kept them in nursery."

"No," Lorelai shook her head, "it's silly to pay someone to look after them while I'm home all day. I'll be fine."

Theo woke up and immediately started crying, "it's ok baby," Lorelai said who had been waiting for him to wake up, "I know you're hungry." She took him off Luke and started feeding him.

Rory turned around when she heard Theo crying and when she saw Lorelai feed him started to cry too.

"Rory.." Luke said trying really hard not to loose his temper he took a deep breath, "this is your brother, just like Jess, you have to share mummy with him." Luke said going to sit over next to her.

"I don't want to." Rory cried.

"I know you don't baby," Luke rubber her back trying to calm her down, "but you've got to, he's your little brother you've got to take care of him. He looks up to you, you can't keep doing this."

"No." Rory shouted pushing Luke away and crossing her arms.

"Rory.." Luke ran a hand through his hair, "come on, you've got to calm down and get over this. You Jess and Theo are a team. You know he loves you so much. Mummy doesn't want to make you sad but she's got to look after your brother and make sure he's ok."

"No." Rory repeated louder her face going red from how much she was crying.

"Rory.." Luke said again realising he wasn't going to be able to reason with her he tried to pick her up but she screamed and started hitting and kicking him.

"Hey." He told her harshly, "you do not do that." She started crying more.

"Luke," Lorelai said, "come burp him, I'll talk to her." Luke went over and took Theo from Lorelai.

Lorelai went over to where a red faced Rory was crying her heart out and picked her up. Rory let Lorelai pick her up and snuggled into her, "come on." Lorelai said carrying her upstairs to her room.

"Rory, my sweet girl," Lorelai said sitting down on Rory's bed, "what's wrong?"

Rory cried harder.

"Come on baby, speak to me." She said stroking her head that was leaning against her side making her T-shirt very wet.

"I want mummy not Theo."

"You've still got your mummy," Lorelai promised her, "you will always have your mummy and your daddy AND your two brothers. You know I love you right? I love you so much you're my baby girl, you made me a mummy but I also love Jess that much and I love Theo that much. You don't need to be jealous, I will always be here for you when you need me, always always, but Theo needs me too and that shouldn't make you sad."

"And daddy?" Rory asked.

"Yeah daddy will be there for you too and for Jess and for Theo."

"You love daddy too?" Rory rephrased her question with a sniff beginning to calm down.

"Yeah," Lorelai kissed her head, "I love daddy too, but I think you need to say sorry to him, that wasn't very nice hitting him, was it?"

"I'm sorry." Rory whimpered.

"I know you are baby, and I know you didn't mean it but just you remember just because we've got another baby doesn't mean we love you any less, ok?"

Rory nodded.

"So there's no need to be sad if you see me with Theo because that's a happy thing."

Rory nodded again and Lorelai wiped her face clean of tears and picked her back up, "come on then." She carried her back downstairs and placed her on the ground when they entered the living room.

"Daddy?" Rory asked in a small voice as Lorelai went over to Luke and took Theo back.

"Yes Rory?" Luke asked gently.

"I'm sorry." She said tears appearing in her eyes again.

"Come here." Luke said kneeling down so that Rory could run into his arms.

He picked her up and gave her a hug, "it's ok Princess," he told her kissing her head, "I know this is hard for you."

Rory pushed her face against his chest.

"I love you." Luke told her rubbing her back as she calmed back down.

"Love you too daddy."

"Rory come play." Jess said holding up some blocks for her to see obviously bored of this conversation. Luke put Rory back down and gave her an encouraging smile as she went off to play with Jess again.

"So is she over that?" Luke asked Lorelai after watching Jess and Rory play for a few minutes.

Lorelai shrugged, "that was a pretty big tantrum, so maybe." She guessed, "I don't know why she's like this, she was way more excited to get a baby than Jess was and Jess couldn't care less about Theo being here, sometimes I think he hasn't noticed."

"She's only three, she probably was expecting the baby to be like one her toys and she's shocked that we are paying it attention."

Lorelai laughed, "yeah probably. Soon enough she'll forget that we didn't used to have him."

"Eventually."

That night after Luke had read Jess and Rory a story, Lorelai lay down with Rory until she fell asleep.

She walked down the stairs 10 minutes later checked on Theo who was sleeping in a bassinet in the corner of the living room and then flopped down on the sofa next to Luke so that she was leaned against him, "I am so tired." She said rubbing her face with her hands.

"Do you want to go to bed?"

"It's half 7." Lorelai laughed, "we cannot go to bed at half 7."

"I won't tell anyone if you don't."

"No, we aren't that lame yet, let's just put a movie on, Theo's going to wake up soon anyway."

"You're just going to fall asleep as soon as I put the movie on, if we go upstairs it's more comfortable."

"It's perfectly comfortable down here." Lorelai spread out on the sofa and Luke went and put a random movie on.

"Shift." He said so he could lie down next to her she groaned and rolled over slightly.

"Not that helpful." He said then climbed over her so he was lying behind her with his arms around her.

"See very comfy." Lorelai said snuggling into him not even watching the movie as she fell straight to sleep.

Luke kissed the side of her head and when he saw the movie that was playing wished he'd considered his options a bit better it was one of those romantic movies Lorelai liked but he was trapped behind her because if he got up to change it he might wake her up.

Luke felt like he had just drifted to sleep himself when he was woken up by Theo crying, he felt Lorelai start to get up but pulled her back and rolled over her, "I'll get him," he told her, "he'll need changed first."

After Lorelai had fed him she stifled a yawn while burping him.

"Come on, you can you to bed now." Luke suggested as it was almost 9.

"No we can't," Lorelai looked personally offended, "Look at this little guy," she placed him on his back on the sofa, "wide awake, we don't get that very often we can't just ignore him and go to sleep."

"Ok," Luke agreed, "but you are exhausted and I'm opening the diner tomorrow so you'll be up early with Rory and Jess."

"I'll be fine, I just had a baby and I've got two three year olds I'm suppose to be tired. It's a right of passage."

"Wouldn't want to take that away from you then." Luke rolled his eyes shifting his attention to Theo.

"I can't believe how much he looks like you," Lorelai said.

"Not that much." Luke denied it.

"I'm not in there anywhere."

"Sure you are, he's got a big head remember?" Luke earned himself a playful smack on the chest.

"Stop that, I'm being serious."

"His eyes are quite light, maybe you'll have some luck there."

"I better," Lorelai said running her index finger up and down his cheek, "you hear me mister?" She asked him.

"You have blue eyes too he's still looking like you then!" She realised.

"We have different coloured eyes you'll be able to tell if it's the same as one of us. Rory's eyes are the exact same as yours."

"Lucky girl, she'll have the boys lining up before long."

"Don't." Luke said looking disgusted by the idea.

Lorelai chuckled, "and you'll be doing the overprotective dad bit then."

"The right amount of protective," Luke corrected her, "and I won't be alone, I'm sure Jess and Theo will be protective of their sister too."

Lorelai laughed, "poor girl, doesn't stand a chance."

Lorelai woke up the next morning to find Luke gone and Jess standing next to her bed poking her, "yes sweetie?"

"I'm hungry." Lorelai looked at the clock it was 7am.

"Come lie down with me for a minute, we will wait for Rory to get up and then we can go get breakfast." Lorelai suggested and Jess nodded so she picked him up and lay him down next to her, "I've missed my Jess cuddles." She said her arms around him.

"Love you mummy." Jess said.

"I love you too sweet boy." Lorelai said kissing his forehead.

At half 11 Lorelai phoned the diner.

"Luke's." Luke answered the phone.

"It's me." Lorelai said.

"Are you ok?" Luke asked her quickly.

"Yeah yeah everything is fine don't worry. I was just phoning to see how busy it is and if you'd be able to squeeze in a delivery."

"I'll bring you lunch."

"You're the best."

"Don't I know it." He said dryly.

"See you in a bit then."

"Probably be about 40 minutes I need to wait for josh to come back from his break first."

"No rush. Love you."

"Love you too." She put down the phone and returned to the puzzle she was doing on the floor with Rory and Jess.

"Food." Luke announced walking into the house. Jess and Rory both jumped to their feet and dashed out to see him.

"Can you come play?" Jess asked reaching him first and almost running into him.

"Wow, buddy calm down," Luke said walking into the kitchen Jess and Rory followed him, "I'm here to give you all some food and then I've got to go back to work."

Jess pouted but sat down for his lunch anyway.

Lorelai walked into the kitchen, "did you bring me coffee?"

"Yes," Luke said unpacking the bags onto the table, "even though we have the exact same coffee here."

"Diner coffee is better." Lorelai said with a smile seeing her coffee cup picking it up.

"Where's Theo?" Luke asked giving her a quick kiss.

"Still asleep, you staying for something to eat?"

"No sorry, I've got to get going, the diner is swamped, everything ok here?"

"Yeah everything has been good, Sookies got a half day too so she'll be round in about an hour and a half."

"That's good," Luke set food out in front of Rory and Jess, "I've got to get going, phone me if you need me."

"Ok." Lorelai said giving him another kiss before he left.

"Where did daddy go?" Rory asked when Lorelai sat down to eat but Luke left.

"Back to work sweetie, he only came to bring us some food so we wouldn't get all hungry." Lorelai explained.

"Good." Jess said crossing his arms with a sour look on his face.

"And why's that?" Lorelai asked him trying so hard not to laugh.

"He wouldn't play."

"I know but he had to go back to work, maybe he'll play with you later when he comes home."

Jess didn't say anything.

"Me and Rory will still play with you, won't we Rory?"

"Yeah!" Rory nodded her head enthusiastically.

"I don't want to play with girls."

"What?" Lorelai chuckled surprised by his answer, "why not?"

"Sam says they're yucky." Jess told her talking about one of the slightly older kids at nursery.

"Does he now? Well who cares what Sam thinks?" Lorelai tickled him to get him to smile, "me and Rory aren't yucky, are we?" Jess looked between the pair of them not sure.

"Hey!" Lorelai was still trying not to laugh, "nothing yucky about us. If anything it's daddy who is yucky." Lorelai decided, "he's all smelly." She made a face making Rory and Jess laugh.

Sookie came stumbling into the house about an hour later.

"Hi." She grinned at Lorelai who now had Theo in here arms and they walked into the living room, Rory and Jess were watching kids tv.

"Hi kittens." She smiled at them.

"Hi Sookie." Rory grinned giving her a hug while Jess ignored her more interested in the tv.

"You'll never guess what Jess said today." Lorelai told Sookie when they sat down in the corner away from the tv.

Sookie giggled, "did he swear?"

"No! That would have been funny too," she shook his head, "so Luke brought us lunch and Jess got upset that he couldn't stay and play with him and I said he can play with me and Rory instead."

"That's sweet," Sookie said and then added when Lorelai looked confused, "that he got upset when Luke couldn't stay, sweet."

"Yeah, well guess what his reason was for why me and Rory aren't good enough."

"What?" Sookie grinned.

"Some kid in nursery told him girls are yucky so he can't play with them."

"What did you say to that?" Sookie said still giggling, "some feminist speech?"

"That would have been good but instead I went with girls aren't yucky and Luke smells." They both laughed.

"Very mature."

"So what's the gossip from work? I miss everyone, how's Sarah doing?"

Sookie started telling Lorelai all the gossip she had missed from being off.

Luke came home that evening about 6pm with bags of food with him for dinner.

"Daddy, you're smelly." Was the first thing Jess said to him and then Jess and Rory broke down into fits of giggles.

Luke quickly sniffed himself, "what? I'm fine," he turned towards Lorelai, "what is he on about?"

"How would I know?" She smiled innocently and Luke narrowed his eyes at her.

"Mummy says you're smelly." Jess clarified through more laughter.

"Did she?" Luke asked Jess with a smile and he nodded.

"Come here." Luke said holding his arms out to Lorelai for a hug.

"Save me!" She said hiding behind Jess and Rory while they laughed at their parents. Luke came over and hugged them all.

On the day Theo turned two weeks old Lorelai brought him into the diner for the first time for about 15 minutes the whole town seemed to be crowded around their table listening as Rory and Jess proudly introduced them to the new town member with some help from their mother. After about 15 minutes Theo started to cry and Luke came over to tell everyone to clear off and leave them alone.

"Very nice." Lorelai said once everyone had left.

"They'll survive. They scared him."

"They didn't scare him, he'll be fine, I'll just feed him and he'll calm down."

"Well you can't feed him in here."

"What? Why not?"

"What do you mean why not? This is a diner, a public space where people come to eat." Luke said like it was obvious.

"Luke!" Lorelai said starting to get annoying with him.

"No Lorelai this isn't some peep show, you can go upstairs to feed him if you want, I'll watch them."

"Some peep show?" Lorelai repeated and when Luke didn't back down she turned to Rory and Jess, "come on guys, we are going home." She ignored their questions as to why and was thankful they followed her instruction.

"Lorelai you're being ridiculous." Luke said standing in her way.

"Get out of my way Luke." Lorelai raised her voice slightly drawing the attention of others as she placed a still crying Theo in his pram.

Luke stood out of their way and watched them leave so that they wouldn't make a scene.

"What was that about honey?" Miss Patty asked carefully once Lorelai had left and Luke was still looking at the door.

"Nothing." He said quickly turning around and walking into the kitchen.

Lorelai walking the whole way home avoiding questions from Rory and Jess about why they didn't get any food. Theo quickly stopped crying once the pram was moving and he was asleep before they made it back onto their road.

When their house came into sight Lorelai stopped walking, someone was sitting on their porch from this distance she couldn't see who so she kept walking. As she got closer she could tell it was a blonde woman but she was facing away.

"Hello?" Lorelai called out once they got close to the house.

The woman turned around and Lorelai gasped and stopped walking holding her hands out to make sure that Rory and Jess who were walking beside her holding onto the pram handle stopped too.

Liz was sitting on their porch, her face was covered in dried blood and bruises.

"What happened?" Lorelai asked taking a couple steps forward, "are you ok?"

"Luke said he was living here now and..." she paused and started crying, "can I talk to Luke please?"

"Yeah," Lorelai sighed walking forward making sure Rory and Jess followed her closely, "he's at the diner but I'll phone him, whoever did this to you they aren't here are they? They don't know where you are?" She needed to make sure the rest of them where safe.

Liz shook her head and Lorelai let out a breath she didn't know she was holding she unlocked the door and went inside, "you can wait in the living room. Go sit down." She told Liz trying to sound kind, "I'll phone Luke."

"Not so fast." She said after Rory who went to run after Liz into the living room too, "you two stay with me, ok? Just for a little bit." They didn't look pleased but they both nodded, Lorelai looked in the pram and saw Theo was still sleeping so left him in there and went into the kitchen to make the phone call with Rory and Jess trailing behind her.

"Luke." She said as soon as he picked up the phone.

"Lorelai I'm working." He said thinking she was phoning about what had just happened.

"You need to come home right now." She said her voice urgent.

Luke picked up on her tone, "is everyone ok?"

"We're all ok but Liz is here and she looks pretty beat up."

"Beat up?" Luke hadn't processed what she'd said, "right, I'll be home in five minutes." He put down the phone.

"Come here." Lorelai said to Rory and Jess who were standing right next to her as she knelt in front of them, "will you two be really good and stay in here and not make any trouble while mummy goes to speak to daddy's sister quickly?" She asked them and they both nodded, "good." She said giving them some food that was easy to eat to keep them entertained she walked into the living room checking that Theo was still asleep on the way past.

"Liz?" She asked gently when she reached the sofa the girl was sitting on making her jump, "Luke says he's on his way."

"Ok." Liz said through tears and Lorelai sat down next to her.

Lorelai wasn't sure what to say next, she wanted to ask what had happened but didn't think Liz would want to tell her.

"Do you want me to get anything? Is there anything I can do?" Lorelai asked slowly and Liz shook her head.

Lorelai heard a bang come from the kitchen, "excuse me." She said standing up and leaving.

"Sorry mummy." Jess said running to her when she entered the kitchen.

"What happened?" She asked looking him and Rory over for injury before seeing a smashed bowl on the floor next to a chair that had been dragged over to the counter.

"I wanted that bowl." Jess explained.

"That's ok." Lorelai kissed his head and then quickly said, "don't move." When Rory was about to walk into the broken pieces.

"You stay here." She said to Jess leaving him at the entrance to the room she walked over to Rory and picked her up and carried her out so that she wouldn't stand on any broken bowl, "we'll clean this up later." Lorelai said.

Just as the three of them were leaving the kitchen Theo started crying, "that seems about right." Lorelai mumbled and took Rory and Jess out to the entrance hall where Theo's pram was.

"Stay here." She said putting Rory down and picking Theo up just thankful that Rory didn't have a fit.

Just as she was calming him down Luke came through the door, "why are you all standing here?" He asked.

"We broke a bowl, it doesn't matter, anyway Liz is in the living room, I don't know what's happened but she wants to speak to you and now you're home I'm going to take them all upstairs he really needs fed now." She said turning around Rory followed her but Jess looked at Luke uncertain.

"Go on buddy," he said encouragingly, "I'll see you in a minute."

Lorelai brought them all up into their room and Luke walked into the living room.

"Jesus Liz, what the hell happened to you?" Luke said when he saw her face.

Liz didn't say anything and just stared at him for a second and then launched herself at him hugging him tightly, Luke hugged her back less sure of himself.

"I was so scared." Liz said after a while.

"What happened?" Luke asked again.

"I thought he was going to kill me." She sobbed.

"Who? He's not here is he?"

"No, T-T-Trent." She stumbled.

"Who's Trent?" Luke felt like he was getting nowhere with his questioning but was trying to stay calm.

"My boyfriend."

"Ex." Luke corrected her.

'What?"

"You can't still be going out with a guy who did this to you!"

"He'll kill me if I break up with him, he knows all my friends. I live in his place!"

"Does he do this to you often?"

"Not this bad."

"Liz you're not going back there I won't let you." Luke said standing up.

"Where am I suppose to go then Luke? You can't just tell me what to do!" She started getting angry.

"Why are you here then, if you don't want me to help you?"

"I'm here because I don't have anywhere else to go and I saw the bus and then I was here, I don't know why I'm here, ok?" Liz shouted at him.

"Don't shout." He said, "and I don't care why you're here, you aren't going back there, this guy beat you up Liz! That's not ok!"

"I just want dad," Liz broke down more, "he'd be able to fix this for me."

Luke sucked in a breath, "yeah I do too," he said thinking, "right does this guy know where you're from?"

"New York?" She asked confused.

Luke glared at her, "no, where you're from."

"Oh, well I tell people I'm from New York so no."

"Right fine then you'll stay here, for now anyway, you can go back above the diner."

"I don't want to live in stars hallow."

"Got any better ideas?" Luke didn't wait for her to answer, "didn't think so, do you even have any of your stuff?"

She shook her head.

"Right well that's not important, you'll be safe here."

"I don't know what to do."

"I just told you what to do."

"I mess everything up."

"Well.." Luke wasn't sure what to say as he agreed with her there, "you can work on that."

"Thankyou." She said surprising Luke, Liz never said thankyou.

"It's ok." He put his hand on her back, "you'll be ok."

They sat in silence for a while and when Liz stopped crying Luke said, "I'm going to go upstairs and let Lorelai know they can come down now, ok? You just stay here."

"Hey." Luke said walking into their room and lifting Jess up as he ran at him.

"I'm still mad at you." Lorelai said.

"I'm sorry, ok?" Luke asked sitting next to him with Jess on his lap, "I just don't want people seeing your naked body in my diner."

"It's not my naked body! I'm feeding our son!"

"I know that, but there are creeps out there who probably get off on that."

"You're the one being the creep."

"How am I being the creep?" Luke sighed.

"By making a deal out of it. There is nothing wrong with breastfeeding a baby it is perfectly natural."

"I didn't say it wasn't natural," Luke defended himself setting Jess on the floor, "but that doesn't mean you should do it where everyone can see you!"

"Luke, you are being stupid."

"It's my diner, and I don't want guys perving over my wife in my diner." He crossed his arms.

"Don't be so possessive." She scoffed, "was this your idea of an apology?"

"I'm sorry that you got upset, but I don't want you feeding him like that out in the open where people are eating." He said stubbornly.

"Right fine I won't go into your stupid diner then."

"Fine by me."

They sat in a huff watching Rory and Jess play.

"Did you want something?" Lorelai asked in a strained voice.

"No." He didn't move.

"What's happened with Liz?"

"Some weirdo boyfriend beat her up she can't go back to New York I said she could stay above the diner for a bit."

"Fine." Lorelai nodded.

"We should probably go downstairs, I'll bring Liz to the diner after it closes." He stood up.

"Where you going, daddy?" Rory asked from the corner.

"Downstairs, do you want to come with me?"

"Yeah." Rory and Jess both said and Luke left with them, Lorelai followed with Theo a few seconds later.

Lorelai came down the stairs and into the living room where she could hear Rory and Jess and stood awkwardly for a moment before saying, "Liz do you want to take a shower or anything?"

"Ummm yeah." She nodded getting up.

"Hold on, I'll get you something to change into." She said handing Theo to Luke without saying anything to him and then going upstairs with Liz.

Lorelai went into her room while Liz stood in the hall way and came out with some casual clothes and a fresh towel, "bathrooms over there." She pointed it out handing Liz the clothes and the towel.

"I know." Liz walked into the bathroom.

"Right." Lorelai said to no one as she was now standing alone. She went back downstairs.

"All ok?" Luke asked when she sat on the sofa away from where he was with the kids.

"Fine." She said coldly.

"Mummy," Jess called her over, "come play with us, you're on daddy's team."

"Lucky me." She said putting on a smile and going to play with them.

"Mummy?" Rory asked after a few minutes.

"Yes sweetie?"

"What happened to that lady?"

Lorelai looked at Luke.

"That lady is my sister and someone wasn't very nice to her and hurt her so I'm going to look after her for a little bit." Luke answered slowly.

Rory was satisfied with this answer.

"I remember her." Jess said.

"You do?" Lorelai asked trying to play calm, "what do you remember?"

"I don't remember." He looked confused.

"That's ok baby," Lorelai ran a hand through his hair, "don't worry about it, we will tell you more another time, ok?"

That night after Luke had brought Liz to the diner and they'd put the kids to bed they went to bed early themselves.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Luke asked her.

"Not tonight." She rolled away from him.

The next day Lorelai brought the three kids to the Inn.

"What are you doing here?" Mia asked as she walked down the front lawn towards the car park where Lorelai was struggling to get Rory out of the car.

"Hi." She smiled at Mia freeing Rory and then leaning in for Jess, "just thought we'd come by, if that's not a problem? And I've got something to tell you."

"What have you got to tell me?" She asked lifting up Rory to say hello, "and of course it's not a problem."

"Liz is back in town, some boyfriend beat her up quite bad, I thought you might want to know."

"Yes, thanks for telling me," Mia frowned, "where is she? She's not staying at yours is she?"

"No, above the diner." Lorelai said walking back around the car to take Theo out.

"I'll go see her later on, do you know if she's sticking around?" Mia asked as they walked towards the Inn Jess and Rory skipping in front of them.

"Who knows," Lorelai shrugged, "I think it would be bad if she went back so she probably is but.."

"Yeah." Mia agreed.

"Hey are Sookie and Sarah here?" Lorelai asked once they reached the Inn.

"Sookie is working today but Sarah isn't, I'm pretty sure she's in the potting shed."

"Mind if I use the front desk phone to phone her quickly?"

"Mind if I hold the little guy while you do it?" Mia grinned at her and Lorelai handed Theo to Mia picked up Jess as she saw him running for troubled and told Rory to follow her.

"I'm going down to see Sarah." Lorelai said returning to Mias side and putting Jess down.

"Ok," Mia smiled at her giving Theo back, "make sure she's ok won't you, she's seemed down recently."

"Will do." Lorelai gave Mia a one armed hug and the guided the kids out the door and down to the potting shed to see a pregnant Sarah.

"He's grown!" Sarah said opening the door.

"You think?"

"These last what five days? Yeah definitely grown." Sarah said letting them in, "hey why don't we go outside, it's nice today and they'll be able to run around." She suggested feeling a bit self conscious about her living situation.

"Sure." Lorelai smiled at her, "come on guys, let's go play outside."

Lorelai took a blanket out of her diaper bag and lay Theo down on it sitting next to him and watched as Rory and Jess ran around a tree, "stay away from the water." She warned them as Sarah sat down on the other side on Theo.

"How are you?" Lorelai asked her, "Mia said you've seemed a bit down recently."

"It's nothing really," Sarah shook her head, "it's just all very overwhelming, I don't know what I'm doing, I can't even figure out what to name my daughter never mind raise her."

"Don't worry about that, you'll figure out a name eventually and I have no doubt in my mind that you'll do a great job raising her. No one thinks they'll be able to do it, but once your baby is here you don't have a choice."

"Thanks Lorelai."

"No problem, you'll be a great mum, your daughter whatever you name her will be incredibly lucky to have you."

Rory tripped over a branch as she ran around the tree and started crying.

"Watch him will you?" Lorelai asked standing up and walking over to pick her up.

"You're ok." She said rocking her as she slowly stopped crying and Jess looked up at her with concern. She walked them back over to Sarah and Theo and sat down with Rory on her knee and Jess sitting next to her.

"Did you hurt anywhere?" Lorelai asked her gently once she stopped crying.

Rory pointed to her knee and Lorelai rolled up her trousers to see it was slightly red she kissed it and said, "all better."

"So anything new in the Danes household?" Sarah asked once Jess and Rory had gone back to playing.

"So much, you'll never guess who turned up on our doorstep covered in bruises and blood."

"Bruises and blood?" Sarah gasped, "who?"

"Liz."

"Liz as in..."

"Yeah Liz as in..."

"Where is she now? Can I see her? I really want to see what she looks like, is it bad that I'm that nosy?"

"She's staying above the diner for now, she got beat up by her boyfriend and can't go home."

"Are you ok with that?"

"That her boyfriend beat her up? Of course not!"

"No! That she's staying in property technically owned by you."

"The diner is Luke's. And it used to be her fathers."

"You're married to Luke what's his is yours."

"I have to be ok with it, she obviously wasn't safe to go back to New York."

"You do not have to be ok with it, the things you've told me about her."

"Her whole face was black and blue."

"You're a better person than I am. Has she ever been nice to you?"

"Ummm," Lorelai considered it, "not to my face I don't think but she once called me motherly to Luke, that's nice."

"Can we go to the diner? I want to see what she looks like. Does she look like Jess?"

"No, she's blonde and we can't go to the diner."

Sarah pouted, "come on, everyone else knows what she looks like we don't have to talk to her or anything."

"I'm not going to the diner, you go if you're so eager."

"Luke will be there." Sarah said in a teasing voice trying to convince her.

"That's my problem."

"What? You're avoiding Luke? Because of Liz?"

"Not because of Liz."

"What happened?"

"We've never had a proper fight before like we've disagreed but not like this."

"How long have you been married?"

"Nearly 2 years."

"Then it was overdue, what happened?"

"Theo was crying in the diner so I was going to feed him to calm him down but Luke makes this huge big deal about how I can't feed him there and it's indecent and I'm putting on a peep show so I left and said I wouldn't be going back to the diner and we've been avoiding each other ever since."

"Wow, your life is full of drama right now."

Lorelai laughed, "yeah I know, I don't even know what to do about Luke."

"You'll be fine, I mean come on it's you and Luke."

"What does that mean?"

"You know, you two together, you've got something most people will never find. I doubt I will."

"Yeah.." Lorelai smiled, "and you will, just give it time."