A/N: AS you may have noticed I have tried to keep to the original timeline BUT of course with my own twists. Obviously making things better if you are an L&L fan like me. I just couldn't figure out the whole Jess situation with this story so I have not even included him yet …. Doesn't mean he won't show up later. I, unlike the real writers of the Gilmore Girls series, want Luke and Lorelai to have a strong, happy relationship longer than a few episodes before having to mess them up. Call me crazy but I think you can have conflict and/or drama without having to pull the couple apart all the time.

The Inn was covered in twinkle lights, the grounds had a crisp white blanket of snow making it look like a magazine cover for Connecticut Inns. Inside there were wonderful smells coming from the kitchen, there was a roaring fire in the lounge's fireplace and soft music playing through the soundsystem.

Lorelai and Sookie were busy the entire day. Training the staff to speak in the old English manner, Sookie was obviously busy in the kitchen and Lorelai was helping with the maid duties to ensure everything was ready early giving everyone time for a break before the evening would begin. She had her overnight stuff with her already to save time, arranging with Luke to bring Rory later. She was setting up the space in her office for Rory, she made up the couch with sheets and the best pillows she could find. The coffee table was filled with snacks and a few bottles of water. She even snagged the small TV that was usually in the kitchen, Sookie bought it for the last World Cup so her staff could watch. When the spot for Rory was perfect, Lorelai then headed up to room ten (AKA the Honeymoon Suite) to shower and change.

Luke pulled up to Lorelai's house and headed to the door. Both Gilmore Girls expected him to just walk in at this point, but he knocked since Rory was home alone.

The door flung open and Rory sped to her room, "Sorry, I'm running late," she called.

"That's okay, I'm actually a bit early."

"I know, I thought you were going to work on that," Rory teased.

"I need to talk to you for a second before we go." He was standing in her doorway while she threw some last minute things in her bag.

"Go ahead."

"Could you just stop packing? I would like your full attention."

Rory stopped and looked at him with a furrowed brow, "Is everything okay?"

"Depends on how this conversation goes," Luke chuckled nervously.

"Now I'm worried."

"Oh, don't be worried." Luke nodded towards the kitchen table questioningly and Rory followed him taking a seat.

"Rory, I want your blessing."

"What?"

Luke pulled a small box from his pocket and handed it to her. He watched a small smile creep across her face and tears form in her eyes as she opened the box. She gasped when she saw the cushion cut (gorgeous) two carat diamond with two brilliantly blue sapphires on either side with a white gold band.

"Oh my gosh Luke! It's beautiful! How did you find something so perfect for Mom? She'll love it."

"It was my Mom's," Luke answered softly.

Rory's eyes grew even wider and she finally met his gaze, "Wow." She didn't know what else to say.

"I'm glad you like the ring, but I really wanted your okay to marry your Mom."

Rory closed the ring box and placed it on the kitchen table with a long sigh, "Luke, you're kidding right?"

"Not at all."

"Of course you have my blessing! Yes. Please! Ask Mom to marry you. I have never seen the two of you happier. And if I'm being really honest, I don't know if I've ever been happier. When I was a kid I used to wish that Mom and Dad would get married and I would have a Dad around. But then we met you and you were actually around for us, I didn't have to wish to have a Dad. I had someone come to my school stuff, my birthday parties and feed me. I had someone here because he wanted to be and that's huge to me."

Luke tried to be casual about wiping his tears away, "Wow Kid, thanks. I had no idea that you cared about me as much as I care about you."

Embarrassed with showing so much emotion Rory looked at the table while whispering, "I love you."

"I love you too," he responded. He tapped his knuckles to her knee causing her to finally smile and make eye contact.

"Come on," he smiled. "Let's get to the Inn."

They got up and headed for the door, but Rory stopped Luke in the foyer and pulled him into a hug. Luke kissed the top of her head, squeezed her tight and thanked his lucky stars for The Gilmore Girls.

The Inn was a buzz with the townspeople arriving. Miss Patty, Babette and Morey were sitting by the piano singing showtunes. Gypsy, Jackson, Lane and Kirk were playing Trivial Pursuit with Davey bouncing on Jackson's knee. Andrew and Bootsy were playing checkers. Mrs. Kim and Emily were talking about antiques. Taylor was filling in Richard on how the town was run and all the ways that Lorelai and Rory helped out. Lorelai was running between the kitchen and the parlour to make sure everything was going smoothly.

Luke and Rory came in and a bell boy approached them to take their bags and coats. Rory let him know where their bags should go and Luke over tipped him.

"I'm going to find Mom," Rory smiled.

"Not a word," Luke said sternly.

Rory pretended to lock her lips and throw away the key.

Luke set out to find Richard, first grabbing them both a scotch from the bar.

"Mr. Gilmore, could I have a moment of your time?"

Richard turned to see Luke and smiled, "Luke! Good to see you," Richard exclaimed, more cheery than Luke expected. Luke then led Richard to the front porch and handed him the scotch.

"What's on your mind, my boy?"

Luke took a big gulp of his drink, placed the glass on the railing and looked Richard square in the eyes, "I'm in love with your daughter. I adore Rory and I want to spend the rest of my life with them making sure they are both as happy as possible."
"Are you asking my permission to marry my daughter?"

"No."

"No?"

Luke took in a deep breath, "I mean no disrespect Sir, but I know Lorelai. She doesn't need anyone's permission to make a life decision. She's her own woman, so even if you said no and she wanted to she would go ahead. She wouldn't be happy that you didn't approve, that's why what I am really asking for is your blessing. I want to know that you and Mrs. Gilmore would not be unhappy with our marriage. That you would want to celebrate it with us."

Richard was beaming, he seemed very pleased with Luke's approach.

"Well, I can't speak for my wife because she too is a strong and in control woman, but you have my blessing. I look forward to celebrating the wedding and watching the life you build together." He extended his hand and Luke exhaled and shook Richard's hand.

"What are you two making deals about?" Emily asked.

"Sir, could I have a moment with Mrs. Gilmore?" Luke asked.

Richard smiled as he went back inside leaving the two alone.

"Aren't you cold out here?" Emily asked.

"No, the scotch is keeping me warm. Would you like my jacket?"

Emily grinned and shook her head, "I'm fine. That jacket looks wonderful on you. Cashmere?"

"Yeah, Lorelai bought it for me … with my money," he chuckled at the memory.

Emily couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She had eavesdropped on Luke and Richard, she heard every word. But seeing his face, it was so obvious how much he loved her daughter. This may not be the man she would choose for Lorelai or to be Rory's stepfather but (silently) she'll admit he's a good fit.

"Mrs. Gilmore,"

"Luke, I heard your entire conversation with Richard. I'm very impressed with how well you seem to know Lorelai and how much you care for her and Rory. Also it's very evident how much they love you. You have my blessing BUT if either of my girls get hurt -"

"I'd rather die than hurt either of them," he cut her off.

"Good. Because I'll kill you if you do."

The two laughed and shook on it. Then Emily patted him on the cheek and headed inside.

Luke took a deep breath. All the pre proposal stuff was done. Now to find the perfect moment…

The wait staff were passing around horderves, the guests were chatting and Luke was weaving through the crowd looking for Lorelai. He couldn't wait anymore.

Lorelai rushed out of the kitchen with Sookie, both giddy as they chatted.

"Can I get your attention please?" Lorelai called to the group while clinking a fork against a glass.

The room came to a hush.

"Thanks. First of all, I want to welcome you to the first annual and probably never ever to be held again because Sookie's on the verge of a nervous breakdown Bracebridge Dinner."

"I'm fine, everything's fine," Sookie giggled.

"I also want to thank Mother Nature for snowing in the Trelling Paper Company in Chicago so I can throw this great party for all my friends instead. It's a very special night. And so, since I don't get to eat unbelievably strange food with my friends everyday, I have arranged a little surprise. Outside, as we speak, is a line of horse drawn sleighs and everybody gets a ride. So, uh, line up and keep it orderly. There's two per sleigh and no cutting in front of each other - that goes for everyone. Except me, 'cause I'll be damned if I'm gonna miss a ride in a horse drawn sleigh."

The crowd clapped and laughed as Lorelai rushed to the front door.

"Sookie get up here too, you need the first ride so you can get back to the kitchen, I see you're already getting antsy."

Jackson was holding Davey and rushed to Sookie's side at the coat rack before heading out to their sleigh.

Luke had already grabbed Lorelai's coat and made his way to her side. "You said two to a sleigh, mind if I ride with you."

Lorelai flashed her blindingly beautiful smile, "Why of course. Who else's hands do you think I want under that big blanket with me?"

He shook his head and exhaled a small laugh, following her out to start the line up.

When the two settled on the sleigh Luke's nerves began to build. The love of his life was happy, the town she loved was covered in a blanket of snow, her favourite thing (besides Rory). This was the best time to ask her to marry him.

Luke draped his arm around her as they silently enjoyed the ride with the sound of the horse clip clopping down the road. Lorelai snuggled into him, smiling brightly.

"The town looks so beautiful," she sighed.

"It's the same as always," he grumped.

She gently elbowed his side, "Scrooge! Come on, can't you admit it looks magical?"

"I'll admit that you look wonderful."

"Luke"

"Okay, you're right, the town does look nice like this. But for me maybe it's because of how quiet everything is."

Lorelai smiled and looked into his eyes, "I know that you aren't as grumpy as you try to convince people you are. I know that you're really the sweetest guy in the world who loves some of the things that I do, you just don't want to admit it."

He tightened his arm around her shoulders and smiled, "Maybe."

Just as they entered the town square, Luke shifted in his seat and made Lorelai look at him, "I have to ask you something."

Before he could go on a small dusting of snow began to fall from the sky. Lorelai's face lit up like a kid at Christmas and she bounced a little in her seat, "It's snowing. It's snowing and I'm with you on a sleigh ride, this is possibly the most romantic moment of my life." She was looking up at the sky and when she turned back to look at him she gasped. Luke was smiling bigger than she had ever seen, almost as if he had arranged the snow and it wasn't a happy coincidence. And in his hands was a small velvet box, resting on one of his hands and he slowly opened it with the other. Her eyes jumped from the ring to his face a few times. Her hands covering her mouth as if they had never talked about marriage.

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, love of my life, will you marry me?"

"Oh my God," was all she could say.

"I know I should say more, make promises and huge declarations, but it all boils down to this. I love you, I've never loved anyone the way or as much as I love you. I love Rory and the life we're already building together. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to have more kids with you and grow old and help you and Sookie open your own Inn. I want to share our lives together. Will you marry me?"

Tears were streaming down her face, and her smile was so wide it almost hurt her face. She nodded softly at first and then more emphatically as she said, "Yes. Yes. YES!"

They hugged and he kissed her head or neck or whatever his lips could reach. She was clinging to him tightly and he had one arm wrapped around her, the other hand still holding out the open ring box.

"Congratulations," the sleigh driver said.

"Thanks," Luke smiled. He then whispered into her hair, "Do you want the ring now?"

She was still holding on to him and now crying tears of joy. She giggled, leaned back and held out her hand. "Yes please."

Luke lifted the ring from the box and took her hand in his, slipped the ring on her finger and then kissed her hand.

She lifted her hand to really get a good look at the ring and sighed, "It's beautiful, did Rory help you pick it out?"

Luke's smile widened, "I'm glad you love it. Actually I didn't pick it out at all, it was my Mom's engagement ring. When she died, Dad gave it to me. He told me it certainly brought him and my Mom luck and they wanted me to have it."

Lorelai's tears returned, she knew how important Luke's parents were to him and that he gave her this ring, was more special to her than anything he ever could have picked out himself.

"I love it even more now," she whispered, looking at the ring again.

"And that's why you're the perfect woman for me."

"Arg, I wish I had my camera," she moaned. "This is the perfect moment for us to have our picture taken together."

As she said that the sleigh stopped in front of the Inn as their ride was over. Just then she remembered that Mia had hired a photographer for the event. "Don't move," she told Luke. "Hey Rory, grab the photographer for a moment, I need a picture in the sleigh with Luke!" She then turned to the driver and said, "Sorry, just one more minute please."

The driver smiled at her, "No problem."

A minute later there was a woman with a big camera snapping pictures of Luke and Lorelai in their sleigh and standing beside their sleigh.

When Sookie saw Lorelai pose with her left hand on Luke's chest sporting a gorgeous new ring she screamed on the top of her lungs, "Oh my god, oh my GOD, OH MY GAWD!"

Everyone around her was trying to figure out what the excitement was all about. Lorelai locked eyes with Rory and wiggled her ring finger. Rory squealed and ran into Lorelai's arms.

"You said yes! It's happening!"

"You knew he was going to ask?" Lorelai asked, genuinely surprised.

"Of course I knew, I just wasn't sure exactly when. I'm so happy," she turned to Luke and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're going to officially be my Dad."

Luke returned the hug tightly, "Me too, Kid."

Sookie had already started pouring champagne and sparkling cider so when Luke and Lorelai made their way back into the Inn everyone cheered. Lorelai smiled, squeezed Luke's arm and whispered, "This is the best night ever!"