A/N-Yay! I'm glad that you guys like this. Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 2

"Mom!" I heard Rory yell as she rushed down the stairs. I was standing in the living room tapping my foot impatiently.

"What?"

"Where's my woven silver bracelet?"

Of course, I knew what bracelet she was talking about. It was three silver chains braided together. It was simple, yet elegant and quite beautiful. Of course, I wanted it, and decided to play dumb for a while. "What woven silver bracelet?"

"The one that Tristan gave me!"

"He gave you a bracelet?"

"Mom, cut it out! Where is it?"

"I'm still trying to get over the fact that he gave you a bracelet and you never told me!"

"I did so tell you, I let you borrow it, now where is it?" She accused as she approached me.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I said as I backed away with my hand behind my back.

She stopped, glared at me and said, "You're wearing it, aren't you?"

I tried to suppress a small laugh as I replied, "No."

"MOM!"

"What, I want nice jewelry so Grandma won't hound on me about looking nice."

"You have a two carat, princess cut diamond engagement ring set in platinum encrusted with sapphires. You've got enough nice jewelry so give me mine!"

Reluctantly, I unclasped the bracelet and held it out for her.

As she put it on, the doorbell rang. I walked to let Luke in and found Tristan instead. "Huh-lo Satan."

"Hello Lorelai." He grinned. He was dressed in a fine tailored suit with a silver gray tie. He was looking quite official and I could almost feel Rory gasp at the sight of him. I smiled to myself, happy that my daughter found the one man in the world that could make her suck her breath in like that.

"What's so funny?" He asked suspiciously.

"Your face."

He grimaced. "Thanks."

Rory bypassed me and clung to his arm. "Don't listen to her. You're gorgeous."

He gave her a light kiss on the forehead and said, "I never listen to your mother."

At that moment, Luke walked in behind Tristan and said, "Hey, Lorelai, come on."

"Coming, my love!" I cried out dramatically.

All four of us stepped outside and looked at the array of cars. My Jeep, Luke's truck, Rory's sensible Mercedes and Tristan's sleek Jag.

"Which one are we taking?" Rory asked.

"Let's take Luke's." I said with a gleam in my eye.

"But that's only a two-seater." Tristan protested.

"Exactly. Luke and you can sit in the front and Rory and I can sit in the bed so my mother can rant on and on about what bad men you are making us sit in the back."

"So you don't want to make a good impression on your mother?" Luke asked.

"No."

"Let's just take Tristan's." Rory said.

"Fine." I pouted as we all piled into the car with Luke and Tristan in front and Rory and me in the back.


"No, Moe was the greatest." Tristan exclaimed.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I cried. "Curly made the group."

We all emerged from the car, with Tristan and I still arguing about the Three Stooges. Luke checked his watch, turned to Rory and asked, "How long have they been arguing now?"

"Since I-20." Rory replied.

Luke took a hold of my arm that made my breath catch in my throat. I immediately stopped talking and let him lead me wherever.

We walked up to the door but before we even rang, my mother, Emily, opened it. "Lorelai!" She cried out and gave me a big hug. "My dear, let me se the ring!" She grabbed my hand and examined the ring with an expert eye. "Well, this is definitely one of the finest engagement rings I've ever seen." She looked up and stared Luke with the same appraising eye. He was still holding my hand and I could feel it going a zillion times sweatier. "Well, you must be the young man that gave my daughter this ring," She said in her upper class snooty voice.

I suppressed a small smile as Luke gave a stuttering reply. "Uh…yes, ma'am, I-I did."

She looked past Luke and squealed when she spotted Tristan. "Tristan DuGrey, what a pleasant surprise!"

"Emily Gilmore, likewise." Tristan said with a smoothness of his voice that was so typical of him. I wanted to burst out laughing, but I managed to suppress it.

"Rory, I must commend you on your taste," She said excitedly to my daughter as she smiled cheekily at Tristan. "The DuGrey family has been a part of our own little circle for years."

"Oh my god, you've found someone my mother approves of," I cried out, pointing at her accusingly.

"Is that a bad thing?" Emily asked in a tone I knew only so well.

"Yes! You are no daughter of mine!"

"I'm sorry, Tristan. If you haven't noticed yet, Lorelai can be quite…melodramatic when she wants to be."

"I've noticed for a long time, Emily," He replied with a small smile. "That's one of the reasons why I love Rory so much."

I watched happily as a scarlet flush slowly rose up her neck and into her cheeks. I glanced at the glimmering silver bracelet as Tristan took her hand in his.

Unfortunately, Emily noticed too. "Rory, what is that on your wrist?" She exclaimed as she grabbed her hand and examined the bracelet carefully, as she had with my ring. She looked up at Tristan and asked, "Did you give this to her."

Tristan took her hand away from Emily and held onto it tightly. "Yes, I did."

"Well, I must admit, I'm quite impressed." Emily said. "Please, come in and sit down. Richard! They're here!" She briskly walked out of the room to find her husband.

Rory and I led Luke and Tristan into the living room and helped ourselves to the drinks. "Well, that didn't go very well," Luke whispered in my ear in a strained tone.

"Don't worry, my mother will hate you eventually."

"Lorelai," He began warningly.

"Actually, I'm surprised you're doing so well right now."

"That was well?"

"Yup."

"I'm screwed."

"Well finally, your father's coming," Emily said as she walked into the room. "I practically had to drag him away from that damn computer screen. I told him that if he did not come out to meet his future son-in-law, then I wouldn't sleep with him for a week."

"I figure that would glue him even more to the computer screen." I replied jestingly.

Of course, with my mother, nothing is a jest. She gave me The Glare and said, "Very funny Lorelai. You can be so crude and condescending sometimes. Luke, is she ever like this with you?"

"Unfortunately, all the time." Luke replied.

"I'm surprised that she hasn't driven you away yet."

"Of course mother. Because that isn't condescending at all." I replied with sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"Oh, Grandma. Tristan was telling us that he was starting his own accounting firm." Rory jumped in quickly for a fast change of subject.

"Really? Well that is quite impressive, Tristan! I'm surprised that you'd have a career at all, the way your father talks about you."

I elbowed Luke beside me and whispered in his ear, "See, even Tristan isn't safe."

"Ah, Rory, Lorelai, Tristan, what a pleasure to see you," My father said in his warm, rumbling voice. He looked over the top of his glasses and stared at Luke with an appraising eye. I felt his hand go clammy again. "You must be Luke, then."

He jumped up quickly, held out his hand and said, "Yes, I am."

He shook his hand carefully and said, "Well, son, what do you do for a living?"

"I run a diner," Luke replied apprehensively.

"He keeps us in supply of our coffee," Rory supplied.

Thankfully, my father gave Luke a warm smile. "What a fine profession. I hope your business is booming?"

"My business is always booming. No one wants to cook really, and I'm always there, so I've got a pretty cushy bank account."

"Well, that's very nice." Dad said. "Tell me, how do you handle your taxes?"

And then they were off. I was so happy that my father at least tried to make Luke feel comfortable, unlike my mother.

"Mrs. Gilmore, Dinner is ready," Lupita, the new housekeeper announced.

"Well about time," She said grumpily as we got up and followed my mother into the dining room. Set before us was an elaborate display of fine dishes, cooked by the finest chefs and served by at illustrious Gilmore table.

"So, Luke, how many children?" Emily asked excitedly.

"Oh, we were planning maybe three or four," He said as I felt him squirm next to me.

"Million." I added and Luke smiled at me with those brilliant white teeth.

"Well, that's a bit much. I hope you'll give your uterus a break in between," Mom said in a loud tone.

"No, Mom, I plan on having them all at once." I said sardonically.

"I was just making sure. I don't want you to ruin your health with your hope of kids."

"They'll be fine, Emily." Dad replied.

Dinner was eaten with rather pleasant conversation and banter. It was one of the most enjoyable evenings at the Gilmore mansion that I had ever had.

As the desert plates were brought in, Tristan got up and held his glass. "Well, I'd like to propose a toast. To Luke and Lorelai; soul mates, destiny's match."

"Here, here!" Rory piped up with a wide grin on her face. That smile meant more to me than the entire world.


"Luke!"

"What?"

"Luke!"

"What?"

"LUKE!"

"WHAT?"

I grinned as my poked his head in through the door with a frustrated growl. He was so cute when he was angry.

"What do you want?" He asked impatiently.

"Can you bring me up some coffee?" I asked innocently, internally bracing myself for the anger that was about to explode in huge waves.

He sighed and said, "Anything else?"

"And some pancakes." I added.

"Fine." And he walked away.

I sighed contentedly and glanced across Luke's tiny apartment. Last night had been mind blowing, as usual. I loved Luke with all my heart, with every fiber of my being. I knew him so well, right down to his last freckle. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Just then, Rory burst through the door and smiled at me, covers up to my naked shoulders, face flushed with post-sex redness.

"What is it sweetie?"

"Tristan's going away for awhile," She replied sadly. "He's going to New York for six months to get some stuff finalized."

"Aw honey, I'm sorry. What finalized?"

"Something to do with his business," She replied with a casual wave of her hand. "That's not the point, the point is I'm gonna miss him."

"And he hasn't proposed yet, huh?" I asked cheekily, knowing that my daughter was very touchy on the subject.

"No, and he doesn't have to," She replied indignantly. "I don't care about a ring, I just want him to be happy."

I paused and observed my daughter for a moment. I remember when she was just a small girl and…now she was all grown up. "Wow."

"Wow what?"

"I never thought I'd see the day."

"What day?" She asked curiously.

"The day that you had finally fallen in love."

"What about Dean?"

"That doesn't count," I replied with a careless wave of my hand. "You never wanted him to be happy like this."

"So that constitutes love?"

"When you care more for the other person's well being than your own, then yes, you're in love."

"Here are you pancakes and your coffee, your highness," Luke said with a mock bow as he set it down in front of me on a bed tray.

I smiled bemusedly at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, my servant."

"Hello Rory," He greeted her. "Would you like anything to eat? Any coffee while you're here?"

"No, thanks, I have to get to the office before I'm late again. I just wanted to talk to Mom for a moment."

"Okay. Well, have a good day at work." He offered.

"Yes, be sure to uncover loads of dirty untruths that will be sure to shock the public and all the little children that have trouble sleeping at night." I called after her as she walked away.

"Of course." She called back and blew me a kiss.

When the door was shut, I turned to Luke and said, "Now, where were we?"

"Wait, don't you want your coffee?"

"Eh, the coffee can wait."

"Wow. When you put coffee on the sidelines, then I know that I'm special." He smiled as he leaned forward and gave me a tantalizing kiss on the lips.

"Well, I can't just ignore the man who gave me a two carat, princess cut diamond engagement ring."

"So, rings give bonus points."

"Get over here before I change my mind."

A/N-Sorry for the rather boring update. A lot more Trory action next chapter, promise. Please review.