Disclaimer: If you haven't got it by now, I don't own them.

Chapter 12: Sparks Will Fly

It was January 28th, the day of the winter carnival and Rory was making the rounds making sure everyone had their part in the proposal down. Even Ellie had a part, it was going to take a miracle to pull everything off without a hitch, but Rory was confident in the towns people to help make this happen for her mother and Luke.

Her last stop was the diner to check on Luke as the day got closer his nervousness grew ten fold. She walked in to find him pushing Ellie in her baby swing.

"She really likes this thing." He said when he saw Rory.

"Yeah, she does. How are you feeling today? Are you ready for tonight?"

"Yeah, you know I was nervous this week but, I know she is going to say yes…so…I feel…great." He said with a nervous smile.

"You keep up that, act Luke."

Lorelai walked into the diner flustered.

"Ok, I am officially not going tonight." Lorelai said flopping down on a stool.

"What?" Rory said.

"I am just going to hang out here with you Luke, you are right these town functions are crazy." Lorelai said.

"And so now you are going to listen to me?" He said frustrated.

"See…see…that..that is what I mean, everyone has been like that today. Ms.Patty has closed rehearsals for today, Lane kicked me out of the house said the band needed to practice a song and know that they weren't going to be heard because it would ruin the good vibe they had going, I did manage to find out that whatever Patty has planned she asked Cindy Paulsen to make the costumes for her, even though I have done it every year since Rory was in training pants. No one seems to know what the monstrosity under tarp in the square is but they all protect it with their lives. This whole town has gone nuts and apparently decided to get together to shun me, what did I do?"

"You, didn't do anything, they have been like that to everyone in town. It isn't just you, lets just go tonight, and we can get our snow cones, and play some snow bowling and leave."

"I don't know Rory."

"It is Ellies first town event, you have to be there." Rory said, pulling the highest trump card of all, the Ellie card, no one had any power against it.

Lorelai thought about it for a minute and then agreed.

"But, then I am coming over here to mock them all with you." She said pointing to Luke. "See you at home then hon?" Lorelai asked as she got up to leave.

"See you then."

Once they were sure she was not coming back into the diner they spoke again.

"That was close, I knew she would get suspicious but this is a whole other level that I didn't know she was capable of. Good thing we had Ellie as the back up plan."

"You just make sure she is there."

……..

"Rory are you ready?" Lorelai called as she came down the stairs.

"Yeah, we are ready." Rory said walking out holding a bundled up Ellie.

"It is the abominable snow baby." Lorelai said when she saw her granddaughter.

"It is supposed to snow tonight."

"It isn't going to snow."

"The weather said it was going to snow…"

"The nose says no, it isn't going to snow." Lorelai said.

"And the nose knows."

"Speaking in idioms now are you? See, that year at Yale hasn't warn off yet."

"Let's go, we don't want to be late." Rory said.

"Since when is there a time that you have to be at a town function?"

"I just don't want to keep Ellie out too late, she is just keeping up with her schedule." Rory said covering her tracks.

"Then we are off."

They walked into the town square where everyone was gathered.

"Wow this is the biggest turn out I have seen in years."

"They must all want to know what is under that tarp." Rory said shifting Ellie in her arms.

"Maybe." Lorelai said suspicious.

"Come on lets get some hocho."

"I thought you hated that word."

"I do, but you don't." Rory said leading her mother into position and winking up at Lanes band and they began to play.

Lorelais ears perked.

"That is a weird song for them to play." Lorelai said.

"Really? Why?" Rory said playing dumb.

"Nothing…no reason, I am sure it is just a coincidence, I didn't know Lane could sing."

"It shocked her too." Rory said.

They walked closer to the gazebo to watch as Lane sang.

"I wrote the pain down, Got off and looked up, Looked into your eyes, The lost open windows, All around My dark heart lit up the skies And now that I've worn, I've worn out the world I'm on my knees in fascination Looking through the night And the moons never seen me before But I'm reflecting light…" Lane sang as Zack played on the acoustic guitar.

Just then Taylor and Kirk walked over to the tarp and began to hoist the covered object up on pulleys and tie the ropes to anchors in the ground.

"What are they up to?" Lorelai asked.

"I don't know."

Lorelai began to realize more and more that the towns people weren't talking and wandering about, rather most of them stood silent eyes fixed on her. She didn't have much time to think about it before Patty lead her dancers out of the studio and into the middle of the square just in front of the tie downs for the thing under the tarp.

The girls were dressed in pink floral dresses and the little boys in suits and before them they began to waltz around the square.

"Rory what is going on?" Lorelai turned to ask her daughter, but instead she found Luke waiting there, dressed in the very suit he wore the night of Lizs wedding.

"Luke…what…" Lorelai said.

Luke put his finger to Lorelais lips to quite her.

"No interruptions." He said.

"But…"

"I have been trying to ask you something since the night Ellie was born, but nothing was good enough, and each time I tried I was interrupted. So now, that I have your attention…" Luke said.

Just then Taylor, as was planned interrupted Luke for the last time.

"If I could have everyones attention please it is time for the unveiling of Stars Hollows latest monument which should change this town for ever…" Taylor said nodding to Luke.

Not wanting to miss it but afraid of Luke never getting to finish his question Lorelai turned to look as Taylor pulled the tarp and Kirk threw a switch. For a brief moment a sign hung above the square….and flashed "Marry Me Lorelai." Before it sparked and went dark, seconds later one of the steaks pulled from the ground sending the whole thing crashing to the ground. Luckily the sparks made everyone run far enough away from it that no one was hurt.

"Oh my God." Lorelai screamed as she watched the events unfold.

"Is everyone okay?" Luke asked concerned that he would never get it out.

"We're fine..."Kirk called back to him.

When Lorelai turned back around to ask Luke what the sign said…he was on his knee.

"Did that sign say…" Lorelai started.

"Marry me Lorelai." Luke said as Pattys dancers gathered around them tossing fake snow in their direction.

"Oh…" Lorelai said with tears in her eyes.

"I can't just conjure snow, so I asked them for some help."

"You made it snow…" She said taking a slow breath in.

Lorelai looked around at the towns people all waiting with baited breath to see what her answer would be. She locked eyes with Rory who was standing holding Ellie half laughing half crying, she nodded at her mother as their eyes met and Lorelai smiled.

"Of course." Lorelai said.

Luke stood up and kissed Lorelai as he gave her the ring, everyone cheered and clapped and laughed through the happiest of tears, after eight years of watching the two of them try every other possibility and ignore what was right before them, they were finally going to be married.

Rory walked over to her mother and Luke. Lorelai hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead.

"How long have you guys been planning this?" Lorelai asked.

"A while now." Rory said turning to Luke and giving him a hug.

Lorelai kissed Luke again as she looked down at the beautiful diamond ring that sat on her finger.

"I can't believe you went to all this trouble, and that is why everyone had acted so weird lately."

"Well, everyone but Kirk, Kirk just stayed on par…" Luke said.

Rory walked away from the pair as the rest of the towns people took turns looking at the ring and congratulating them. She sat down on a bench and shifted Ellie in her lap to look at her face.

"Things are changing Ellie." She said and Ellie smiled and cooed.

"This seat taken?" A low familiar voice said.

Rory almost didn't want to look up, but she knew she had to she couldn't avoid him forever, but, what was he doing here, tonight?

"No, feel free." She said looking up at him.

"So this is little Lorelai number two?" He said nervously looking at Ellie.

"Actually this is Lorelai the fourth, my great grandma, my mom, me and now her."

"Hi there Lorelai." Marty said to the wiggly bundle.

"Actually, we call her Ellie. Her middle name, it's Emily after my grandmother, so we just use her initials. L E, anyway yeah Ellie."

"So this is weird isn't it?"

"No. I mean, a little, I am sorry, I have spent all week helping my mothers boyfriend set up this elaborate proposal and it just happened so I am still a little excited and nervous and happy, it is odd. I am really happy for them though, you know."

"Yeah, I saw the sparks…"

"Yeah that is apparently what happens when you leave Kirk in charge of electrical circuits."

"So…"

"Yeah…"

"You called me the other night, and you hung up so…"

"How did you…"

"Caller ID."

"Ahh…right…listen Marty I am sorry, thing have been so…"

"I am sure, and with the baby…"

"Yeah, she takes up so much time, and she is wonderful and beautiful and I love her…"

"I understand. Rory, I understand, I mean I expected when I heard about you being pregnant that you might lay low for a while, that kind of thing…I didn't expect not to hear from you again…or find out that you had the baby from Paris and then have you not return my calls, I just thought, I thought we were friends."

"We are friends Marty, I just, I am sorry, I don't think I handled this right. I didn't want you to get the wrong idea, I didn't want you to think that you needed to step up from friend to some other kind of take charge protective boyfriend type roll."

"Why would I think that?" Marty said with a laugh.

Rory chuckled too.

"I guess I have seen one to many, my best friend is having a baby out of wedlock movies." Rory said laughing making Ellie coo with glee as well.

"She sure thinks you are funny." Marty said.

"She also thinks that spiting up is funny, so she is an easy crowd."

"She is beautiful, she looks just like you." Marty said.

Rory blushed at his subtle compliment.

Lorelai and Luke finally broke away from the crowd and were looking for Rory before they left for the evening.

"There she is." Luke said pointing over to the bench. "Who is that with her?"

"That is Marty."

"Who is Marty."

"A chance I hope she takes. I am going to go tell her we are leaving."

"I will go put the coffee on."

"I hope you know…your coffee is only one, small reason that I am marrying you." She said smiling as she walked away.

"Good to know." He said walking towards the diner.

Lorelai walked over to Rory and Marty.

"What have I told you about letting strangers hold your baby?" Lorelai joked as she walked up to them.

"Oh, mom Marty, Marty mom." Rory said.

"We have met." Lorelai said. "I just wanted to see you squirm."

"How are you tonight Miss Gilmore."

"Marty, please it is Lorelai and I am great, I just got engaged."

"I heard, congratulations."

"Thank you. We are going to stay at Lukes tonight, but will you be there in the morning for breakfast."

"I will be there." Rory said.

"May I?" Lorelai said gesturing to Ellie. Marty nodded. Lorelai picked up Ellie and gave her a kiss.

"Grandma loves you, don't keep mommy out too late." She said as she handed her back to Marty. "Watch her head it is still wobbly."

"Got it." Marty said.

"Night mom." Rory said.

"Night hon." Lorelai said kissing Rory on the head. "Night Marty."

"Good night Miss…I mean Lorelai."

"He learns quick this one." Lorelai said walking away.

"Well, I better get her home and to bed…"

"Of course, can I walk you?" Marty asked handing Ellie back to her.

"Sure, that would be nice." She said standing. Marty stood and crooked his arm, Rory linked hers with his as they walked down the street. Neither one of them knew what the walk meant or what it would come to mean, but either way, it was nice and a nice way to end a great night.

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