"It's Still There – part 6"

. . . . .

At six a.m., the music started, officially kicking off the marathon, and the couples began dancing enthusiastically around the floor. A few minutes passed before Lorelai and Christopher settled into a slower groove, and they smiled at each other. "Fun, huh?" Lorelai asked.

"So far," he replied. "But ask me again in a few hours, I might have a different answer."

They danced by Kirk and his partner, and Lorelai and Kirk shared a look. "So how heavy is that trophy, Kirk? Think I might need help carrying it home?" Lorelai asked.

Kirk snarled. "The only way you're carrying it home is if you try to steal it from me again. There's no way you're beating me. You might as well drop out now and save yourself some time." He danced away.

Lorelai stuck her tongue out after him, and Christopher commented, "Very mature."

"Thank you."

They were quiet for a moment before he asked, "So, tell me. . .how's married life?"

Lorelai grinned. "It's great. Really great."

"Yeah?"

Lorelai nodded. "No complaints so far." She glanced over toward Luke and sighed contentedly. "You know, you always hope you'll find someone who loves you so much that you can just feel it when they look at you. . .and that's how it is with him." She suddenly glanced toward the floor. "I'm sorry, it's probably weird for you to hear me talk about something like that since. . ."

"Hey, I wouldn't have asked if I didn't wanna hear about it," he replied with a shrug. "But if you feel weird talking about it. . ."

"No, I just didn't want you to feel weird." She paused a moment, then smiled. "And I never would've imagined that being married to someone who doesn't drink coffee would ever work out, but. . .it's been amazing."

Christopher was surprised. "He doesn't drink coffee?"

"Nope."

"And yet he puts up with your constant coffee breath?"

Lorelai smiled. "When you're as good a kisser as I am, people accept the coffee breath."

"You always did have that natural talent," Christopher commented with a smirk.

"Thank you. You weren't so bad yourself."

"Thanks."

She patted him on the chest. "Your turn. Tell me. . .how's the shacking-up life?"

He nodded affirmatively. "It's pretty good."

"How's Sherry feel about you coming down here to do this thing? She's cool with it?"

Christopher tilted his head. "Well. . ."

Lorelai grimaced slightly. "Uh oh. She's not?"

"No, she's okay now, but she didn't exactly go along with the idea at first. You know, since we sort of have a history, me and you."

Lorelai nodded understandably. "Yes, we do."

"Yeah. But then I reminded her that you're kind of off the dating market. . .you know, that whole 'being married' thing, and that made her feel a little better about the idea."

Lorelai nodded. "Good."

"Yeah. But then I made the mistake of mentioning that you and Luke are swingers, and that started up all the worries again. But I assured her that no matter how much you and Luke tried to seduce me, I would say no."

Lorelai smiled and slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "Stop."

Christopher smiled. "So now she's okay with it."

"Good."

. . . . .

Twenty minutes later, they were still talking about Sherry and Luke when Sookie and Jackson danced up to them. "Hey guys," Sookie greeted them.

"Hey. How's it going so far?" Lorelai asked.

"So far, so good," Sookie replied. "Did you see the Andrew fight?"

Lorelai smiled and nodded. "We purposely tried to stay near him so we would be have a good view when it happened."

"Smart thinking," Sookie said.

"Aw, but Rory missed it." Lorelai turned to Chris. "We'll have to reenact it for her when she gets here."

"Sounds good."

Sookie smiled. "Okay, we're gonna go mingle around."

Lorelai smiled. "See ya later." As Sookie and Jackson danced away, Lorelai asked Christopher, "Okay, so where were we?"

Christopher thought for a second. "Uh, something about him holding your head."

"Oh, that's right. Okay, now, cradle my head in your hands like you're about to kiss me really passionately," Lorelai instructed. "Be careful not to lose contact though."

Christopher slid his hands up to Lorelai's head. "Okay."

Lorelai closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself get used to the feeling. She opened them and nodded approvingly. "Not bad. But, see, the way Luke does it is like this." She adjusted his hands on the back of her head. "Okay, now just move your fingers back and forth really slowly like you're massaging my head." Christopher obliged, and Lorelai smiled. "See. . .you got it. Girls love that."

"Okay, I feel really stupid dancing with my hands on your head." He brought his hands down to her waist.

"Oh, that's the perfect hand placement for the waist-pull. . .something else that Luke's really good at," Lorelai said.

"The waist-pull?" Christopher tightened his grasp on her waist and pulled her up against his body. "You mean that?"

Lorelai smiled and pulled back from him. "Exactly. See, it's a commonly used motion, but some men can't do it very smoothly."

"How was mine?"

Lorelai nodded affirmatively. "Pretty good." She glanced across the gym and saw Rory walking toward the bleachers. "Ooh, daughter alert. Let's go." They danced their way over to Rory.

"Hey," Rory greeted them. She kissed both of them on the cheek. "How's it going? I saw Andrew outside, so I guess. . ."

"Yup, you missed it," Lorelai confirmed.

Rory frowned. "Aw, too bad."

"We're gonna reenact it for you later," Christopher assured her.

"I'd appreciate that." Rory held up the book she'd brought with her. "I'm gonna go read. Let me know if you're gonna do some flips or something so I can look up."

"You got it," Lorelai said.

Rory walked over and sat down on the bleachers, and Lorelai and Christopher danced back over toward the center of the dance floor.

. . . . .

When the first ten-minute break was announced, Christopher pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "I'm gonna go outside and call Sherry. I told her I'd check in."

"Okay." Lorelai gestured toward the bleachers. "I'll be near Luke, Rory, the coffee. . .somewhere in that general area."

"Okay." Christopher started walking toward the door. Lorelai rushed over to the coffee table, where a line had already formed. She sighed and folded her arms across her chest as she waited impatiently at the end of it.

Luke walked out from behind the table and over to her with a cup of coffee. "Here. Poured this for you before the rush came."

Lorelai gasped. "Ah, I love you." She took the coffee cup and kissed him before she took a long sip. "Mmm."

"Come on, let's sit." Luke took her elbow and led her over to the bleachers where Rory was reading.

"Hey," Lorelai said as she sat down next to her.

Rory looked up and smiled. "Hey." She put her bookmark in the book and set it aside. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good so far," Lorelai said.

Luke sat down next to her. "What are you guys talking about out there? Your mouth hasn't stopped moving all morning."

Lorelai smiled and nudged him. "You been watching me the whole time?"

Luke shrugged. "My eyes drift over to you occasionally. . ."

Lorelai smirked. "Uh huh." She shrugged and took another sip of coffee. "We've just been talking about. . .stuff. Life. I was talking about you. He was talking about Sherry. Just general stuff."

"Me?" Rory asked.

"Of course," Lorelai replied. "We were talking about you and school and college applications and everything."

"Where's Dad?" Rory asked. "Getting something to eat?"

"Uh, he went outside to call Sherry," Lorelai said, gesturing toward the door. "He'll be right back."

"Are you hungry?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, a little bit. I have to go to the bathroom, too. How much time do I have?"

"Uh, like eight minutes," Luke replied after a quick glance at his watch.

Rory stood up. "You go to the bathroom. I'll go get something for you from the snack table."

Lorelai smiled and squeezed Rory's arm. "Thanks, hon." She stood up and extended her hand toward Luke. "Come walk with me."

As they walked out of the gym, Lorelai finished up her coffee and tossed the cup into a garbage can. They headed toward the bathroom, where a line had already formed outside the door. "Shoot. What, is there a sale in the bathroom I don't know about?"

"You're not the only dancer who has to go, you know." Luke pulled her in the other direction. "Let's try the upstairs one." They walked toward the staircase and headed up to the darkened second floor.

Lorelai patted him on the shoulder. "Ooh, good idea. No one's up here."

"Just hope that it's unlocked," he said as they approached the bathroom door.

They stopped in front of it, and Lorelai reached for the door handle. She pulled on it slowly, expecting it to resist her, but the door opened and she smiled. "Yay. Be right back." She walked inside.

Luke shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against the wall of lockers as he waited for her. A minute later, she walked back out shaking water off of her hands. "No paper towels. See, this is why Rory goes to Chilton – because they stock the paper towels regularly."

"I'm sure they didn't expect people to be up here, so they probably only stocked the downstairs bathrooms."

She moved closer to him. "Well, they should have anticipated that there would be some people who, in an attempt to avoid bathroom lines, would sneak up here and utilize these facilities." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't you think?"

"Sure." He pressed his lips against hers and they kissed passionately until Luke heard a low rumbling sound. He pulled back and narrowed his eyes. "What was that?"

Lorelai giggled and put a hand on her stomach. "I guess I'm hungrier than I thought." She kissed him again. "Let's go see if Rory's back yet." They started walking toward the staircase.

They entered the gym and found Rory and Dean sitting on the bleachers. "I see you picked yourself up a little something from the snack table," Lorelai said, gesturing to Dean. "Hey Dean. Come to spectate?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, thought I'd come see what this thing's all about."

"It's about insane people who have nothing better to do on a Saturday than to dance around like idiots for the chance to take home a stupid trophy that's the size of a chair," Luke said, rolling his eyes.

Lorelai frowned toward him. "Be nice."

Rory held a donut out toward Lorelai. "Here. I had to fight some lady for the last chocolate one."

Lorelai gasped. "Oh, you're the best daughter ever." She took the donut and bit into it. "Mm. Good stuff." She glanced toward the coffee table. "Oh, good, the line's gone. I need more coffee."

She started walking toward the table, and Luke followed behind her. "I think I'm gonna head to the diner."

Lorelai frowned. "Aw, already?"

"Yeah. I have some shipments to put away in back, inventory to go over. Gotta get that stuff done."

Lorelai gestured to the table in front of her. "What about the coffee?"

"I'll stop by later to check on it, see if it needs refilling," Luke said.

"Well, try to make it back for the breaks, okay?" Lorelai asked. "It's the only time I'll get to talk to you."

He glanced down at his watch. "Every two hours, right?"

Lorelai nodded. "Yup."

"Okay, I'll try to get back here."

"Good." She kissed him. "Bye."

"See ya." As Luke walked toward the door, Lorelai poured herself a cup of coffee and walked back over to the bleachers.

. . . . .

As soon as the break that accompanied the 6-hour mark started, Jackson and Christopher went to get some sandwiches as Lorelai and Sookie collapsed exhaustedly on the bleachers. Rory had left to go eat lunch at the diner with Dean and Lane, and Lorelai kept glancing toward the doorway waiting for Luke. "Where is he?" Lorelai asked Sookie.

"The break just started, give him a second," Sookie said. "Plus, it's lunch time. Diner's probably picking up a little and maybe he lost track of time."

Lorelai frowned. "Yeah, maybe."

"I'm sure he'll see people starting to leave the school and he'll realize that it must be break time and he'll come see you."

"I hope so."

Sookie noticed a magazine a few feet down the bleacher row. "Do you know whose that is?"

Lorelai shrugged. "Probably one of the spectators."

"I'm sure they won't mind if I just. . ." Sookie reached over and grabbed the magazine. "Ooh, Redbook. Haven't read that in awhile."

As Sookie started flipping through the pages, Lorelai continued watching the door for Luke. "Do you think I should go to the diner?"

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure he'll be here." Sookie turned a few pages of the magazine. One of the headings caught her eye and she briefly skimmed through the short article that followed it. "Uh, Lorelai?"

"What?"

"There's something here you might wanna take a look at," Sookie said. She passed the magazine over to Lorelai.

Lorelai glanced down at it. "Where am I reading?"

"Right here," Sookie said, pointing to it.

Lorelai read the first sentence aloud. "A National Institutes of Health study found that taking in more than moderate amounts of caffeine can. . ." Lorelai's eyes widened and she looked at Sookie. ". . .lower a woman's likelihood of conceiving." Her mouth dropped open. "Uh oh."

Sookie nodded. "And I'm thinking that your consumption falls into the 'more than moderate' category."

Lorelai brought her gaze back to the article and read the rest of it to herself. When she finished, she turned to Sookie. "Aha! It goes on to say that some researchers still aren't convinced that there's a connection between caffeine and fertility." She paused and wrinkled her nose. "But it still says that if you've been trying to get pregnant and haven't had any luck, it wouldn't hurt to lower your caffeine intake and see if that helps."

"It wouldn't hurt," Sookie agreed.

Lorelai sighed. "I've already cut down on the booze, now I have to stop drinking coffee?"

"And you should limit your chocolate. There's caffeine in that, too."

Lorelai gasped. "Oh my God! Next thing you know, they'll be telling me I have to try to kick the crack addiction."

"Well, you're supposed to cut out caffeine when you're pregnant anyway, so this'll be preparing you for that," Sookie said, trying to sound encouraging. She took the magazine from Lorelai and read over the article. "See, it says that most of the researchers who do think that there's a connection between caffeine and fertility agree that one to two cups of coffee per day probably won't hurt anything. You don't have to cut it out completely."

"Yeah, one to two cups per day," Lorelai repeated. "I usually have one to two cups per hour."

Sookie rolled her eyes. "You're exaggerating. It's no big deal. You can have 2 cups of regular a day, and then for the rest, just have decaf. It won't kill you." Lorelai stared at her with disbelief, and Sookie grimaced. "Okay, maybe it will." She closed the magazine and put it back where she'd found it.

Lorelai sighed loudly, then shook her head toward the ground. "One to two cups per day. I've had. . ." She thought for a moment. "What, like eight cups today already? I've had four days worth of coffee, and it's only noon." She covered her face with her hands and groaned softly. "Man."

"Sorry I'm late," a voice said.

Lorelai let out a surprised gasp and looked up to see Luke standing next to her. "Oh, hey."

He narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Lorelai shook her head and stood up. "Nothing. Uh, you just scared me, that's all." She turned to Sookie. "We'll be right back." She took Luke's hand and led him across the gym toward the hallway. They walked down it quickly, and the noise dissipated as they got further from the chaotic gymnasium. They turned the corner at the end of the hall and walked a few feet before they both stopped.

Taking advantage of their privacy, Luke pressed Lorelai up against the wall as he kissed her deeply. As he pulled back, he smiled and stroked her cheeks. "How're things going?"

Lorelai shook her head. "Not good, because apparently I'm way above the moderate level." She shook her head again and began speaking quickly. "And I can't be way above the moderate level, Luke. I have to be at a modest level. Modest. Well, according to some people. . .other people aren't so sure." She scoffed. "You know, people shouldn't write about things like this unless they're sure, or else it just gets people all worried about whether or not they're at a moderate level when they should be at a modest level." Lorelai scoffed again, then was quiet as she caught her breath. Luke didn't say anything, and she stared at him questioningly. "Aren't you gonna ask what I'm talking about?"

"I'm not so sure I wanna know," was his hesitant response.

"Oh, trust me, you wanna know." Lorelai quickly explained to him about the article she'd just read.

When she was finished, Luke asked, "So, what. . .you're gonna cut back on the caffeine?"

Lorelai sighed and shrugged. "I'm gonna try, but I seriously don't know if I'll be able to do it."

"Sure you can."

Lorelai was surprised by his casual attitude. "Why do you say that so confidently? This is like asking someone to quit smoking, except without giving them all the helpful patches and self-help tapes and special gum. I know saying 'Hey, just drink less coffee' sounds like it's an easy task, but it's probably gonna be hard. Really hard."

Luke rolled his eyes. "No, it won't. Trust me." He put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer. "Listen, you cutting back on the caffeine. . .that's one way to help. . .you know. . ." He nodded down toward her stomach.

"Knock me up?" Lorelai suggested. Luke nodded, and she shrugged. "Maybe. Possibly. I don't know, nobody knows for sure."

"Well, we know it can't hurt, right?"

"Right."

"Okay, so, you cut back to two cups of regular a day. No big deal."

Lorelai sighed. "But – "

Luke put his finger to her lips. "Sh, wait. You cut back, and then when you get the craving for more, you just need to stop and think about why you're cutting back in the first place. You need to think about what you want more, the coffee or . . ." His voice trailed off.

"The baby," she finished with a sigh.

"Yeah." He took her hands into his and squeezed them. "Trust me, it ain't gonna be as hard as you think. And hey. . .if solidarity'll help ya, I'll give up coffee, too."

Lorelai smirked. "Oh, thank you. Very supportive." She hugged him tightly. "How is it that you can always make me feel better?"

"It's my job."

"You deserve a promotion." Lorelai pulled back and exhaled. "I can do this. This'll be easy. Simple. No problem." She paused and a look of uncertainty washed over her face. "Right?"

Luke nodded. "Yup."

"Okay, good." Lorelai hugged him again. "No more coffee today."

"Uh, you're gonna start today when you have to be up for 24-hours straight?"

Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "All right, maybe just a little bit more today." She pulled back and lifted his wrist to check his watch, and her eyes widened. "Crap, we only have a minute left. Come on." She took his hand and led him quickly back to the gym.

. . . . .

It was nearing the 10-hour mark, and Lorelai and Christopher were dancing very slowly. Christopher glanced past her and saw Luke walk into the gym. "Ah, a break must be coming up. Luke just walked in."

Lorelai's eyes widened. "He did?" She turned and saw him walking toward the bleachers, and when he looked over, she waved. He smiled and nodded toward her, and she grinned. She brought her gaze back to Christopher and noticed him smiling at her. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

Lorelai nudged his chest. "Chris, what?"

Christopher glanced toward Luke, who was now sitting on the bleachers next to Rory, then he shrugged toward Lorelai. "It's just. . . well, it sounds cheesy to say, but your eyes always light up when you see him." He smiled. "Or talk about him."

Lorelai smiled and glanced shyly toward the ground. "Stop."

"No, I think it's great."

Lorelai smiled and shrugged. "Well, I'm no marriage expert, but I bet it's a good sign if you get happy just thinking about your spouse."

Christopher nodded. "Yeah, definitely a good sign."

Lorelai glanced over toward Luke and smiled to herself. "He's just so. . ."

Christopher smirked. "I know. . .great, wonderful, perfect, all those related adjectives."

Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "I've totally talked your ear off about him today, I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I've talked your ear off, too. Talking's the only way to keep sane out here among. . ." He paused as he watched Kirk flip and twirl his partner, then he shook his head slightly. "Uh, among the people who take this thing way too seriously. Tell me again why you'll never leave this town?"

Lorelai smiled. "Because I love it. It's weird, it's fun, it's great. . .it's Stars Hollow. That's just how it is."

A horn sounded and Taylor's voice announced, "Ten minute break everyone. Ten minute break."

Lorelai and Christopher separated, and she asked, "Where you headed?"

"Um, I'm gonna go call Sherry on my way to the snack table, grab a sandwich and a soda, then head back in here. Can I get you something?"

"No, thanks, I'm good. I'm gonna hit the bathroom, then I'll meet you on the bleachers."

"Okay." Christopher started walking toward the exit.

Lorelai walked over to the bleachers where Luke and Rory were waiting for her. "Hey."

"Hey," Luke said.

"How do you feel?" Rory asked.

"Like I've been dancing for ten hours," Lorelai replied. "And like someone's poking my bladder with a long pole."

Rory made a face. "Okay, ew."

"Sorry. Bathroom run, I'll be right back." She started walking toward the hallway.

Luke shoved his hands into his pockets and stared after her, considering whether he should act on his urge to follow her. He glanced at Rory and gestured toward the doorway. "I'm just gonna. . ."

Rory smiled and waved him off. "Go."

Luke walked to the hallway and glanced toward the bathrooms. Not seeing her at the end of the newly-formed line, he assumed she'd went upstairs. He walked up there and waited outside the bathroom door for her.

She walked out a minute later, shaking the water off of her hands, and she smiled when she saw him. "Hey. Started to go through Lorelai withdrawal, huh?"

"Well, you do have that effect on people."

She walked over and hugged him, then kissed him deeply. After only a few moments, they heard voices, and they both glanced toward the staircase. A few women were walking toward them, and after they nodded hello, they disappeared into the ladies' room.

Lorelai gasped. "Other people found out about the secret bathroom!"

Luke rolled his eyes. "It's not a secret when there's a sign at the bottom of the steps that says 'Restrooms' with an arrow pointing up."

Lorelai pouted. "Yeah, well, that sign should only be followed during school hours. Dancers are supposed to use the bathroom downstairs."

"Except for you, obviously," he deduced.

"Exactly. Plus, they're interrupting our make-out time. Come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall to an empty classroom, and they walked inside and shut the door behind them. "Ah. Nice and dark and secluded." She led him over to the teacher's desk at the front of the room. She sat atop of it, then pulled him up against her, locking her legs around his thighs to hold him close. She smiled. "Hi."

"Hey." He slipped his hands under her dress and rested them on her thighs. "How's it going?"

She glanced down at his hands, then smiled at him. "Better now." He leaned forward and kissed her deeply, and she suddenly pulled back. "You know, maybe this wasn't the best idea. . .you're gonna end up getting me all hot and bothered, and then I'll have to go and be close with another man for two hours."

"You're the one who dragged me in here," he reminded her. "This was your idea."

"Yes, but I didn't put your hands a mere three inches away from my underwear." She leaned closer to him and added, "The ones that say "Yummy" on the front in silver glitter." He smirked, and Lorelai smiled. "Your favorite." His hands inched further up her thighs as he pressed his lips against hers, beginning a stretch of continuous kissing that lasted several minutes.

When they finally separated, Lorelai closed her eyes as she panted to catch her breath. "Okay, you have three seconds to remove your hands from my body before I am forced to go resign from the contest and drag you home to the bedroom." She opened her eyes and shook her head. "No, I don't even think we'll get that far – we may be forced to do it right in the middle of the street."

"Well, for the sake of preventing concrete scrapes on my back. . ." Luke removed his hands from her thighs.

"Thank you," she said. "But who says you'd get to be on the bottom?"

"Just basic etiquette," Luke replied with a shrug. "Don't want your back getting all scraped up."

"Ah, so you figured that if we were ever forced to do it in the middle of the street without a blanket, you'd save me from physical pain by letting me be on top?"

"Yup."

"See, that's why I love you," she said, followed by a long yawn. "My God, I'm so unbelievably tired." She leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder.

He held her silently for almost a minute, then said, "We should get back down there."

Lorelai sighed and lifted her head. "Can you carry me?"

"You can't walk down a flight of stairs, but you're gonna dance for fourteen more hours?"

Lorelai nodded sleepily. "Yes."

Luke stepped back from her. "Come on, walk. It'll help you wake up." She reluctantly got down from the desk, and the two of them walked back down to the gym.

. . . . .

It was nearing the 14-hour mark. Lorelai's eyes were closed, her head resting on Christopher's shoulder as they swayed very slowly.

Christopher yawned. "Okay, remind me why I offered to enter this with you."

"I have no idea," she muttered.

"My feet feel like they're about to fall off."

"Mine, too."

"Then why do you do this every year?"

Lorelai lifted her head and scoffed. "Didn't you see the trophy?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'd rather have both of my feet than that stupid trophy."

"Which is why, when we win it, it stays at my house." She rested her head back against his shoulder and sighed. "I don't remember ever being this tired so early in the contest before. It must be your fault."

"How so?"

"Because I've never danced with someone who I felt comfortable enough with to drape myself all over them like this." She paused to yawn, then continued, "And so I had to fight the sleepiness better and so I never really noticed how tired I was. But this year it's you and I'm hanging all over you and I'm not bothering to ignore the tiredness."

"Sorry. Would you feel better if I didn't let you hang all over me?"

"No, then I'd be mad at you," she muttered, tightening the arm hold she had around his neck. "Please don't make me let go."

He forced a cough. "Okay, okay, I won't, but watch the choking."

Lorelai loosened up some. "Sorry." She let out a long yawn, then closed her eyes as she muttered, "Goodnight."

. . . . .

Lorelai's eyes opened slowly and for a few seconds, she had no idea where she was. She squinted up into at the newfound brightness, then glanced around and realized she was lying on the bleachers, looking up at the ceiling of the gymnasium.

"Hey." Luke's voice startled her and she jumped slightly.

"Hey Mom," Rory said softly.

She craned her neck and saw Luke and Rory sitting on the bleacher row behind her. Lorelai rubbed her eyes and muttered, "What time is it?"

"A little after eleven," Luke replied.

Lorelai's eyes widened and she suddenly sat up. "Wait, why am I not dancing? Where's Chris?"

Rory pointed down the bleachers, where a few feet away, Christopher was lying down, asleep. "Right there."

"Are we in a break?" Lorelai asked. She glanced at the dance floor, where several couples were dancing. "Why are they dancing?"

"You don't remember?" Luke asked.

Lorelai shook her head. "No."

Luke and Rory glanced at each other, then Rory turned to Lorelai. "You're out."

Lorelai gasped. "What? How?"

Rory took a deep breath. "Well. . . you and Dad were both practically asleep, barely moving at all on the dance floor, and then the run around started and. . ." Her voice trailed off.

"What? What happened?" Lorelai asked anxiously.

"Well, you guys just stood there," Luke said. "We yelled for you to run, but you were both way too tired."

"Then the horn sounded and you were eliminated," Rory said. "One of the other couples walked by and woke you guys up to tell you that you were out. So then Dad stumbled over to the bleachers to lie down, but you wouldn't go with him because you kept saying that it was a practice run around and that it didn't count. And then you lay down in the middle of the dance floor and Taylor kept telling you that you'd have to be off the floor by the time the break was over, so you started yelling at him. He was about to call security when Luke ran out and carried you off the floor."

Lorelai covered her face with her hands. "Oh my God."

"And you and Dad have both been sleeping since then," Rory finished.

"You don't remember any of it?" Luke asked.

Lorelai gave a half-shrug. "Vaguely. I kind of remember yelling at Taylor, but I thought it was a dream."

"It wasn't," Rory said. "You're banned from the market for a week for telling him that he looks like a deformed bobble head doll when he talks."

Luke smirked. "Which was actually pretty funny at the time."

Lorelai groaned and lay back down against the bleachers. "I'm going back to sleep. Wake me up when everyone forgets that I'm a complete loser."

"That may be awhile," Kirk said from the dance floor. He'd been dancing a few feet away from them and had been listening to the conversation.

Lorelai sat back up and scowled at him. "Get away from me, Kirk."

"You should've just dropped out hours ago like I told you to," Kirk continued. "Could've saved yourself a lot of embarrassment."

Luke stood up. "Kirk, I swear to God. . ." He pursed his lips and took a step toward Kirk, who quickly danced away with his partner. Luke sat back down and rubbed Lorelai's arm. "Let's go home and get you in bed."

"But what about Chris?" she asked, gesturing to him.

"Wake him up and we'll drop him off at the inn on the way home," Luke said. "I'll go bring the truck around."

"And I'll get the coats and meet you out front," Rory said.

The three of them stood up. Luke and Rory both walked away as Lorelai hobbled over to Christopher, grimacing at the pain she felt in her feet. She sat down on the bleachers next to him. It took a minute to wake him up, but he finally groaned and opened his eyes.

"Hey," Lorelai said quietly.

He slowly sat up. "Hey. We're still out, right?" Lorelai nodded. "Good, 'cause I can't dance anymore. I don't even think I can walk."

"Well, try to, 'cause we have to walk out to the car. We're gonna take you back to the inn," Lorelai explained. "I'm sure the bed there's a bit more comfortable to sleep on than the bleachers."

Christopher nodded and stood up, and they started slowly walking toward the door. "Chris, thank you so much for doing this for me," Lorelai said sincerely. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem. It was fun. Well, for a little while, anyway."

"So if I need a partner again next year. . ."

"Don't even think about it."

Lorelai smiled. "That's what I thought."

They continued walking toward the door, and just as they reached it, Rory rushed through it with a panicked look on her face. "Mom!"

Lorelai's eyes widened. "Whoa, honey, calm down. What's wrong?"

"Come outside, quick!" Rory grabbed Lorelai's hand and started pulling her out the door.

. . . . .

To be continued. . .