Almost the entire town had abandoned the bleachers and crowded around the Gilmore inflate-a-room, which had become headquarters for Fast Patty's Bookie Service.

"I want $20 on Nicole being gone, but Luke and Lor still apart. And I hope I'm right. Papa needs a new pack of diapers." Jackson had finally succumbed and passed a twenty over to Babette, who was holding all the cash.

"Hey Patty, " Andrew leaned over the couch. " What's the odds on the two of them before the end of the final game?"

"Hey babe!" Babette knocked Miss Patty in the arm, just as she was about to open her mouth. " They're coming over. Time to close up shop for a while." Babette grabbed all the cash and hid it underneath the cushion, while Miss Patty did the same with the notebook. They all hurriedly tried to look casual, trying not to look like they were watching the team come over. Miss Patty gasped as Lorelai glanced around and linked arms with Luke, running her fingers along his wrist. Emily tried to look like she was absorbed by the magazine that she had in her lap, but kept casting sideways glances at the two of them. She hadn't said anything since making her wager, but hadn't protested against the transformation of her living room. She supposed that they were all just doing this because they cared. Well, most of them. Apparently this had been a long time coming if they were so eager and willing to bet that today was the day. As they approached, everyone tried to talk about something else, but it was evident what everyone's mind was really on. A burst of chatter broke out as they saw Luke's hand slip into Lorelai's.

"It's happening!" Sookie whispered excitedly, pulling on Jackson's arm. They all saw the two of them look down and at each other, then let go shyly. They watched as they talked nervously, before Lorelai pulled Rory away to the car, grinning back at him. Luke watched her go, and Emily observed Luke carefully. He looked, well, happy was really the only way that you could describe it. Emily didn't know that much about Luke, not directly. She heard about him from Lorelai, how he was always around, how much he frustrated her. But looking at the two of them, they looked very comfortable together. Nothing was awkward when they were beside each other. And this Luke apparently cared a great deal about Lorelai, and Rory. Despite what Lorelai might think, that was all Emily really wanted for them. She wanted to talk to Luke. She wanted to know what his intentions were, especially with regards to this Nicole woman. Luke wandered over to where he town was crowded, smiling to himself. When he got to the couch he looked up. Everyone was smiling at him.

"What?" He frowned and looked around paranoidly.

"Nothing Luke honey. Nothing at all. Can't a person be happy?"

"You're all happy." Luke looked around at all the smiles and started to get a little afraid.

"So are you." Patty intoned, making it seem like this was significant.

"What's going on over here?"

"Oh, nothing..."

"We were all just discussing...." Babette looked around for something that they could all have been talking about.

"Where this furniture came from?" Sookie suggested.

"Exactly. It's such a nice piece. Me and Morey were looking for a new couch so-"

"So everyone came over to help you decide?" He questioned.

"Two opinions is always better than one?" Luke's eyes narrowed.

"Why do you want this in your house. Why not just buy a regular couch." Miss Patty looked at him calculatingly and smiled. This would be a good time to gauge a reaction.

"Well it's just such a pretty shade of blue. It almost matches Lorelai's eyes, don't you think . Don't you think Luke?"

"Think what?" He shrugged.

"The colour, just like Lorelai's eyes. It's pretty isn't it?"

"Sure." Luke furrowed his brows in confusion.

"So you think she's pretty?" Miss Patty probed further.

"The couch is a she? Did you name the couch already?" Confused, Luke turned to Lorelai who had returned with Rory from the Jeep, laden with food.

"Not yet, but thanks for the reminder. Hey Rory, what's a good name for an inflatable couch."

"Blimpo?"

"Um, no. How about Magdaline?"

"No, too biblical. How about Suzette?" Lorelai wrinkled her nose.

"Oh, Angelina?" She suggested.

"Too Tomb Raider. How about....."

"How about you two stop naming the furniture so we can actually eat before the next game." Luke grumbled. Lorelai frowned and nudged at him.

"No fun. Hey Mom, can we use the sofa table as a buffet?"

"Did you bring coasters?"

"No, did you bring the liquor cabinet?"

"You're not making any sense."

"Hot food burning off important limbs Mom." Lorelai said impatiently, shifting the trays on her arm, even though none of the food was actually hot.

"Fine. Put this over top to protect it." Emily lifted up the top of the coffee table and pulled out a tablecloth. Lorelai gave Rory an incredulous look as she took the white tablecloth and spread it over the table, laying the now open boxes and catering trays on top. Rory arranged paper plates and utensils at one end.

"Everyone help themselves. Compliments to Sookie who provided this wonderful meal."

Everyone murmured thanks and started to line up. Lorelai grabbed Luke's arm and pulled him up to the front of the line with her and Rory.

"Oh, she made those little tiny hot dog things with the pastry and the dry mustard. And the coleslaw with those really good organic carrot things of Jackson's. Nice spread hun." Sookie smiled from behind them as Lorelai loaded up her plate.

"Vegetables?" Luke looked at the pile of coleslaw and smiled smugly.

"Smothered to death in a pool of dressing however." Lorelai corrected him. He shook his head at her as the plate was bending at the edges with the weight of food. " Let's grab a seat....." Lorelai looked around the pseudo-living room, but all the seats and then some were taken. Even the bleachers were full now that the other teams were done playing. They looked around and Lorelai saw a big tree with some comfy looking roots. " Why don't we just go over there?"

"Sure," Luke just shrugged.

"Ror, coming?"

"What?" Rory turned and looked at Luke and Lorelai, then grinned. " Actually, why don't you two just go ahead. I wanted to talk to Grandma about something."

"You talked to her last night." Lorelai looked at Rory suspiciously.

"We just have to finish a conversation." Rory was trying to look innocent, but Lorelai already knew what she was trying.

"I heard all your conversations. They were all complete."

"It was while you were in the bathroom."

"I never went to the bathroom."

"Um...yes you did. You know, right after the...uh.....you know...and right before the...uh...thing." Rory said unconvincingly.

"No, I specifically remember that I didn't, because I almost exploded on the way home."

"I'll be over in a minute." Rory changed the subject.

"I'll be timing."

"I'm stealing your watch."

"I'm watching you."

"Go eat."

"Fine." Lorelai sighed and followed Luke over to the tree. Rory went over and sat down on the couch next to Emily. They looked at each other, then looked out at Lorelai, who was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. One of the sausage rolls fell of her plate, and she started to pout, but Luke took two off of his plate and put them on hers. She smiled again and nudged him, before they sat down underneath the tree. Rory and Emily looked back at each other and smiled.

Lorelai flopped down on the ground, lying on her stomach with her head towards the tree and her food on the ground. Luke leaned back against the tree trunk, bending his legs and draping his arms over his knees. He twisted the plastic fork around in his fingers, but his food was sitting on the ground in between his legs, untouched.

"They're all cracked." He grunted, glancing up

"What?" Lorelai looked at him confused. Luke nodded his head at the crowd around the couch that had gone back to a frantic whisper. " Oh." She laughed. " What is it now."

"I don't know, they were telling me something that made no sense. Something about comparing you to a couch."

"Well that's unflattering."

"Nevermind. Like I said, there all cracked."

"They're not cracked Mr. Cynical." Lorelai prodded him reprovingly in the leg with her fork. " They're delightfully quirky, wonderfully eccentric, terribly unique."

"The terrible parts right."

"All right Luke. What's wrong. You were all Happy Mr. Baseball Man a minute ago, now you're back to Cynical Grumpy Diner Guy." Lorelai pushed his arm. Luke glared back at the mob, watching Miss Patty pull the board back out from under the cushion and started pointing things out.

"They're talking about us."

"What about us?" Lorelai glanced back at the board curiously.

"I don't know." Luke sighed

"That's the scary part."

"That I do know."

"What about us could they be talking about?"

"Who knows?" Luke shook his head and stabbed at a piece of broccoli on his plate. He glanced over at the crowd again. "You know, is it to much to ask to have privacy in this town?"

"Excuse me, but you've lived here how long and you expect to have privacy?" Lorelai laughed, taking another bite of her coleslaw.

"Just because I can't have it doesn't mean I don't want it." Luke mumbled, squinting away at the cars in the parking lot, then looking back at his hands, where he was running his thumb across the lines of his hand. Lorelai cocked her head to look at him. He almost looked sad, or disappointed or something. She hated when he looked like that.

"Hey, you never know, if you outlive Babette, and Miss Patty, and Taylor you might just have a chance at it during your final hours." Luke looked at her as she smiled at him and rolled over onto her back, chewing on a sausage roll.

"That's a very comforting thought. Thank you." He said sarcastically, but smiling a little. Lorelai grinning up at him, then bit her lip and looked at him seriously. Luke frowned at her sudden change.

"What?"

"I'm just trying to figure out what you're trying to keep private from everyone...." She looked at him calculatingly. " Not gay are you?"

"Lorelai."

"Alright....pregnant?"

"Of course."

"The father better make an honest man out of you."

"We were thinking of a May wedding."

"Pretty time of year. SO........not gay, not pregnant, do you have an evil twin?......No, okay...um....secretly in love?" Lorelai tried to say casually.

"Yeah, of course." Luke rolled his eyes, but glanced back at Lorelai, hoping she didn't notice, but he caught her eye and started to flush involuntarily. Lorelai started to feel the looming shadow of a huge awkward silence lean over her, so she just shot something out.

"Another unexpected marriage?"

"Uh, I've had enough of those to last a long time, let me tell you that." Luke let his head fall back against the tree trunk.

"Talking about it, where is the old ball and chain?"

"She had to make a phone call."

"How is it going between you two, I mean the whole dating while married idea." Luke tilted his head forwards a bit to look at her.

"You really want to know?"

"Of course. Hey, I always come running to you whenever I have problems. It's about time I returned the favour. Lay it on me big boy." Luke gave her a strange look. Lorelai started giggling at her self and glanced guiltily at Luke. He rolled his eyes.

"Go ahead."

"No I'll be alright."

"I know you want to say it. Get it out of your system."

"No I'm-"

"Just say it."

"Dirty."

"Your actually insane, you do know that?" Luke shook his head.

"Come on Luke." Lorelai pulled herself up and kneeled in between his feet, leaning her arms on his knees. " What's going on with you."

"Nothing."

"You're going to have to give me more than that to run on."

"No, nothing. Nothings going on."

"What about wonderful wife Nicole?"

"It's not going so well."

"Oh, that's not good." Luke just shrugged.

"I think this whole idea was a mistake in the first place. I think I should just get the divorce finalized and move on."

"So you're going to break up with her?"

"Yeah....I guess I'm going to have to. I don't think she's going to be all that thrilled."

"Really? Cause I'm usually just jumping for joy when things like that happen.

"You know what I mean. I don't think she's all that happy with me to start with."

"What did you do?"

"I don't know. I probably wasn't paying enough attention to her or something like that."

"Oh....Is this my fault Luke? I didn't mean to get in the way, I mean, I can understand how a lot of women have trouble with their boyfriend's, or husband's, girl friends."

"No, I don't think us being friends was the problem." Luke looked up at Lorelai. She was leaning against his knees, sitting on her feet and watching him carefully. " It just wasn't right."

"Uncomfortable?"

"No, I think that was the problem. We confused comfortable and happy."

"You're not happy?"

"Not with her."

"So you want uncomfortable but happy?"

"I'd prefer both."

"Your too picky, you know. Between no dating and wanting comfortable and happy, your just going to have to hope that someone perfect just happens to wander into your diner everyday until that gut thing kicks in."

"Yeah, and what are the chances of that."

"Who knows." Lorelai grinned, leaning over and stabbing a piece of chicken off Luke's plate.

"Don't do that." Luke frowned at her.

"I finished all mine."

"So?"

"And I'm still hungry."

"And?"

"And your not eating yours."

"I was planning to."

"Fine." She turned around and leaned against his knees, crossing her arms.

"Lorelai....don't do that." Luke sighed at her sulking.

"I'm not doing anything."

"What's wrong this time." Lorelai leaned her head backwards so that she was looking at him upside down.

"I'm still hungry." She frowned.

"I'm guessing that means you want some of my food."

"Wow, you must me pyschic." Lorelai retorted sarcastically.

"Yeah Lorelai wanting me to give her food, who saw that one coming."

"I get grumpy when I'm hungry."

"Yeah, I know. Fine." Luke took a piece of broccoli and dropped it into her open mouth. Lorelai took a bite then sat up quickly and spat it out. She leaned back again and glared at him.

"Real food this time." Luke rolled his eyes and gave her one of the turkey meatballs from his plate. She chewed happily for a minute, then turned back to him.

"I'm all sore and stiff." Lorelai rolled her neck and winced. " Is movement supposed to be this painful?"

"Not if you do it regularily."

"Does it get less painful?"

"Yes."

"But it still hurts?"

"Sometimes, but that usually means it's working."

"I don't like this system."

"Don't worry. It'll hurt like hell in bed tonight-don't say it-" Luke interrupted as he saw her face light up and her mouth open. She frowned at him and pouted. " But tomorrow you can go back to your regular heart attack-welcoming ways."

"Hooray for cholesterol." Lorelai tried to raise her arms up but winced. "Okay, ow. Hey Luke can you give me some help? Give me a shoulder rub. Pleeeeeease." Lorelai looked at him and pouted. " I won't be able to play in the big game otherwise, and I'll have to sit on the bench and cry because I'll be the poor crippled arm girl that no one likes because she can't play. And then-"

"If I do it will you stop?"

"Of course."

"You sure?"

"I promise." Luke pulled his legs up a little closer to his chest and Lorelai scooted

happily backwards, leaning in on his knees. Luke put his hands carefully on her shoulders, just on the outside part. He rubbed his thumbs gently across her shoulders and the top of her arms.

"OH.....MY....GO- You've been holding out on me Danes."

"You promised." Luke frowned at her and look around, hoping no one was noticing the noise she was making. Thankfully, no one did, except the 40 or so people around the couch, who burst into a new frenzy of activity.

"But it's just so gooood." Lorelai moaned.

"Stop it. Your embarrasing me." Luke grumbled

"That's just a bonus. My holy heavenly-Where did you learn to do this?"

"If you don't stop talking I'm going to stop."

"NO! No! I'll be good, I promise. Don't stop." Luke shook his head and started rubbing her neck.

"Uhhhhhhh." Lorelai leaned forwards a little and groaned happily.

"Stop that!"

"I wasn't talking!"

"You were noisy."

"I can't help it."

"That's not a good signal." Lorelai turned around and looked at him, with a bit of a grin on her face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke started to look flustered.

"Nothing, I mean, I just, I meant that you know, if you were...."

"If I were what?" She narrowed her eyes playfully at him and saw him start to flush.

"There's no way that we could just pretend that I never said that and forget this whole thing?"

"Not a chance."

"I didn't mean anything bad by it."

"Didn't mean anything bad? Or didn't mean anything BAD by it?" Lorelai was teasing him with a playfully sultry voice.

"Stop it."

"Dirty thoughts Luke."

"Leave me alone."

"Dirty dirty Luke."

" Did you get locked in a room and deprived of all examples of decency as a child or somthing?"

" Dirty Luke with dirty Luke thoughts

"I'm going back." Luke started to move, but Lorelai grabbed his arm.

"No! Come on, don't go. I'm sorry. I know you're all shy, it's just fun to tease you. Don't go away now." Lorelai smiled at him apologetically.

"Fine." Luke sighed and leaned back against the tree. Lorelai leaned against him and shivered.

"Cold?"

"Yeah, just a bit."

"That can happen in November."

"So I've heard."

"You want to borrow my shirt? I've got another one underneath."

"No, then you'll be cold. Just scooch your legs down."

"What?" Luke looked at her as she started to scoot around on the ground.

"I'm going to lean against you, that way we're both warm."

"Oh. Okay." Luke was hesitant, but he straightened out his legs and Lorelai scooted back a little, leaning against him and shifting around on his stomach to get comfortable.

"You done yet?" He asked impatiently, holding his breath, as Lorelai crossed her feet and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Just about." She leaned her head back and smiled at him. She closed her eyes for a minute.

"Warming up?"

"Umhum." Lorelai nodded her head.

"Comfortable?"

"Of course." She said quietly, looking down. Luke smiled. Very catiously, he lifted his hands and laid them softly across Lorelai's waist, wrapping his hands together. Lorelai made a little satisfied noise, and shifted backwards a little more. She slowly put her hands overtop of his and played with his fingers. After a few moments, Lorelai turned and looked up at Luke. She caught him staring at her, and she smiled at his shyness as he glanced away nervously. When he looked back, Lorelai was still looking at him, biting her lip. Luke looked down, running a finger along the hemline of her shirt, and Lorelai shifted ever so slightly so that she could face him more. Lorelai leaned her head against his neck. She could feel his breathing speed up a little and his pulse quicken. Luke, glanced sideways, knowingthat the town folk must just about be having a heart attack at this, but he didn't care too much right now.

"Luke?"

"Yeah..."

"What's going on?"

"With what?"

"This."

"Oh......This this?"

"No the other this." Lorelai rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Yes this this."

"Well....."

"Did you want to find out some time?"

"Do you mean like a-"

"No."

"Oh...."

"No, no, not no like that. It's just that, neither of us like..."

"Yeah."

"So maybe we could figure...."

"Yeah."

"So basically what we're saying is...is that we are....we both...I...you-"

"LUKE!" Luke's head shot up in dread and he tried to swallow, his mouth suddenly very dry.

"Nicole." He said nervously. Lorelai stood up quickly and made a mental note to kill Rory for leaving her alone.