These are not my characters, not my town, only my ideas of how I would like things to go post- season 4.

Thanks to all who have been reviewing. I appreciate it!!

Friday Night

As Luke drove Lorelai's Jeep home from Friday night dinner, Lorelai rested her head against the seat and closed her eyes. Rory looked at the two of them and finally spoke up, "Well, that didn't go as bad as you guys thought, huh?"

"Not at all," Luke replied. "It actually went quite well."

"Mmm hmmm," Lorelai mumbled. "To have my mother say she was happy for me was a first."

"Really?" Luke asked. "She said that?"

"That and more. But she's okay with this, which is good enough for me."

"Would it have been good enough even if she wasn't?" Rory questioned.

"Do you even have to ask?" Lorelai said with a tired smile.

Luke just looked in the rearview mirror at Rory and they exchanged a knowing smile.

Saturday Morning- Luke's

Rory walked into the diner and sat on a stool at the counter. "Hey." She said to Luke.

"Good morning. Where's your mom?"

"Asleep. It's only seven and this is a Saturday. I'm sure she'll be in later though."

"Well, actually I was hoping to get to talk to you alone."

"Really? Why?" Rory asked smiling.

"Well, there was something I wanted to talk to you about, but I really can't if your mom is around. It's well, I was thinking that, maybe since you are her best friend and know everything about her, you could help me out a little?"

"Help you with what?" Rory asked teasing him, since she had a feeling she knew what he was going to ask.

'Well, I was wondering if it would be okay with you, if I asked your mom to marry me?" Luke whispered blushing.

"Wow. Yeah. Yes. It would be more than okay. It would be great. I'd be really happy for you both."

"I would also need your help if she tried to, you know, run away?"

"Dually noted. You have my word."

"There is one other thing...." Luke said trailing off.

"Shoot." Rory told him.

"Well, see I have a few ideas about a ring, but I was hoping maybe you could help me by giving some hints as to what she would like?"

"I'll print some samples off the net and bring them by later, like maybe when Mom is at the Inn?"

"Works for me, and Rory?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks."

"Anytime." Rory said, as she turned and walked out of the door grinning like a cheshire cat.

The following Thursday morning- Lorelai's

"Rory! Get up! Don't you want breakfast?"

"It's too early." Rory mumbled.

"Fine. Suit yourself. I'm going to Luke's"

"Bring me back some coffee." Rory muttered into her pillow.

Luke's-

The diner door swung open and Luke turned to look and saw her. "What is she doing here this early?" He thought. When he opened his mouth he said, "Good morning. Coffee?"

"No argument?"

"I was unprepared. You rarely come in this early. I'll have one ready next time. I promise."

"Good." Lorelai said as she sipped her coffee.

"What are you having this morning?" Luke asked her with a smile.

"Pancakes. Bacon. And a Danish."

"Gotcha. It'll just take a minute." Luke said as he turned and walked back into the kitchen. He nervously felt the small box in his pocket. "It's now or never. You're all alone with her. You're making her food. I have a great idea..." He thought. He set about making her food and while it was cooking he slipped the ring out of the box and looked at it on his pinky finger. "God, I hope she says yes. If she says no, I don't know what I'll do. I hope she likes the ring. I guess I just have to trust Rory. No one else knows her as well." He then slipped the pancakes on the plate and added the bacon around it. He looked at the plate and carefully placed the ring in the top pancake. He had thought about hiding it, but with the way Lorelai eats, he knew she was likely to swallow it. "Heart shaped pancakes. The things I do for her." He sighed and picked up the plate and walked out of the kitchen. He set down her plate as she looked into his eyes. He slowly turned around to grab the coffee pot and took a deep breath. He heard her gasp behind him. He froze, part of him longing to turn around and see her face, but the other part frozen in fear at the uncertainty of her reaction. He slowly turned around and looked at her.

She was smiling.

"Wow. This is, WOW. I mean, does this mean what I think it means? Are you asking me...?"

"Yeah, sorry if it wasn't clear enough. I just thought this would be fun and..." he trailed off frowning.

'Oh Luke, what's wrong?" she said picking up the ring.

He just stared at her hands holding the ring. "It's okay, if you don't. I mean, it really is kinda fast, but I figured..."

"What? You give me a ring but then don't want to marry me?"

"No I do, but you...."

"Ohhhh, I think I forgot something," She said quietly as she walked around the counter and placed her hands on his chest. "Yes."

Luke looked at her for a minute and then smiled, saying, "Yes?"

"Yes."

He looked down at her hands still holding the ring and he took her hands in his and gently took the ring out of her hands and placed it on her ring finger of her left hand. "I love you." He told her looking back into her eyes which were brimming with tears.

"I love you too." She whispered as their lips met for a kiss. They kissed until the jingling of the bell brought them to their senses. "Your breakfast is getting cold." Luke pointed out.

"It's perfect." Lorelai smiled.

From outside the diner Rory watched the scene and smiled. "It's about time." She thought and then walked back home and crawled back into bed.

Lorelai's- Thursday morning

Rory had fallen back asleep when she heard the front door slam open and her mother shouting into the house, "Rory! Where are you? Wake up! Wake up!" Lorelai made it into Rory's room and jumped on her bed shouting for her to wake up.

"What? Is everything okay? Is the town on fire?"

"No, but I have other big news."

Rory sat straight up in bed and looked at her mother. "You're pregnant."

"What? No! I mean, it wouldn't be a bad thing right?"

"No, of course not, but I just thought you said big news and you are glowing." Rory pointed out.

"I'm glowing? Really? Wow. Who knew?"

"Mom, big news?"

"Yeah, okay here goes. Luke asked me to marry him."

"And you said......?"

"Yes. I said yes. I'm going to marry Luke."

"Oh, Mom! That's great. Ring please?"

"Oh yeah, sorry. Here." Lorelai said holding out her hand.

"It's beautiful." Rory told her as she looked at the slightly more than one carat diamond cut stone with rectangular baguettes on either side of the platinum setting. "He has great taste."

"And he knew just what I would like. I wonder how he knew...... You!" Lorelai exclaimed. "You told him."

"No, I didn't. I gave him some suggestions, like just not yellow gold, nothing too over the top, nothing too plain, nothing too traditional. He had his own ideas and I think he did rather well."

"Yes he did. I will have to properly thank him later."

"Ewww, Mom. That is not 'need-to-know' information. So how did he ask?"

"He put the ring on top of heart shaped pancakes. It was great, diamonds AND food. What more could a girl want?" Lorelai sighed.

"Well, I am very happy for you. Can I take you to lunch later to celebrate?"

"Yeah, where did you have in mind?"

"Only the best place in town." Rory said with a smile.

Luke's- Later that day

Rory walked in and saw Luke behind the counter. They exchanged a knowing smile. "Congratulations." She mouthed.

"Thank you." He mouthed back. He grabbed the coffee cup and walked over to the table where Rory had sat down. "Is your mom coming?"

"Don't you mean your fiancée?" Rory teased.

"Oh yeah. It's just kinda weird saying it. I mean, she's going to be my wife."

"Yeah, it is weird. I really never thought I would live to see the day." Rory laughed.

"Me either." Luke told her as Lorelai walked into the diner.

"Hey." She said as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey yourself. What are you guys having?"

Rory looked at her mom and said, "Anything you want. It's your celebratory lunch."

"Ooooh. Okay. Then I'll have a burger, fries, onion rings, cheese sticks, and some pie."

"We don't have cheese sticks."

"Bummer. Okay then make it two pieces of pie."

"Whatever you say. Rory? How about you?"

"Burger, fries, and maybe some pie later if Mom hasn't eaten it all."

"Gotcha. Be right back."

As Luke walked into the kitchen, Lorelai's phone rang. She reached in her purse to answer as Luke came out of the kitchen to point to the sign. She walked outside.

"Hello?"

"What took you so long to answer the phone?"

"I had to take the call outside. Hello mother."

"Hello, Lorelai. Where are you? Why did you have to go outside?"

"I'm at the diner and Luke doesn't allow cell phone calls inside."

"Hmm, strange. I wish all dining establishments would adhere to that rule. Eating out would be a much more pleasant experience."

'If you say so, Mother."

"Lorelai, I called because I wanted to know if Luke was coming tomorrow night to dinner?"

"Umm, I don't know. I didn't ask him."

"Well could you ask him now?"

"Now?"

"Why not? Isn't he there?"

"Yes, but... Fine. Just a second." Lorelai said as she waved him outside.

'What is it?" he asked her as he walked out of the door.

Lorelai covered the phone with her hand and said, "My mother wants to know if you are coming to dinner tomorrow night."

"Do you want me to?" he asked her.

"Well, only if you want to."

"Yeah, we could tell your parents then."

"Yeah, good point. It will definitely help things if she thinks she is the first to know."

"Yeah, so tell her I said hello and I will be there tomorrow night."

"Okay. Thanks." She said kissing him on the cheek before he walked back inside. "Mom?"

"I'm here. Did you ask him?"

"Yes. He said to tell you hello and that he would be happy to come tomorrow night."

"Good, I will see the three of you at seven."

"See you tomorrow. Bye."

"Goodbye."

Lorelai walked back inside as Luke was setting the plates on the table. She smiled at him as Rory took in the whole scene. Rory just smiled to herself as she began to eat.