So Far -- Lorelai asks Luke to marry her, and he accepts. They discuss Luke buying the Twickham house. Lorelai breaks down about her split with Rory. And Christopher comes into the diner.

Chapter Two

A Little Lorelai Punishment

Luke immediately pushed his way past Lorelai, pointing at the door, and advancing on Christopher.

"You get the HELL out of my diner! Right now!"

Christopher backed away, his hands up in front of him, until he bumped into the door.

"Now wait a minute!" Christopher said. "I didn't come here to start anything. Rory called me."

Lorelai got between Luke and Christopher and put one hand against Luke's chest.

"Luke! Wait, please. Did you say Rory called you?"

"Yeah! An hour or two ago. She said something about quitting Yale and then hung up. And after I found a babysitter for Gigi, I drove to your parents' house, but the lights were off. Then I went to your house, but obviously you weren't home, so I drove by here and saw your Jeep. Lorelai, what the Hell's going on?"

"Rory quit school. She said she's not going back next year."

"But why? She was doing so good!"

"It's a long, involved story and right now I just don't feel like going into it."

"Then let me follow you home and we can talk about it there."

"She's staying here tonight!" Luke interrupted.

"I was talking to Lorelai!"

"Stop it! Both of you! Christopher, we will talk about it tomorrow. We WILL, I promise you, but not tonight."

"But why can't we go to your house? Why do you have to stay here?"

"Because we're getting married!" Luke blurted out. "That's why!"

Christopher looked at Luke then at Lorelai to see if he was making it up, but the look on her face told him it was true.

"So, what? I'm supposed to drive back to Hartford this late at night to try to find a hotel room?"

"No," Lorelai said. "We've got a couple of empty rooms at the Dragonfly. You can stay there tonight. I'll call the night manager to tell him you're coming and to give you a room, no charge, and breakfast. I'll be there about eight o'clock, and we can talk then. I'll fill you in on everything."

It wasn't what he wanted to do, but it was either that or drive back to Hartford.

"You'll be there at eight?"

"Yes, Christopher, eight o'clock. Now go on over there and I'll make the call."

Christopher gave Luke a hard look then left the diner. Lorelai barely had time to turn around when Luke was handing her the phone and dialing the number.

"Hey," Lorelai said. "It's me, Lorelai. Look, I'm sending someone over there. His name is Christopher Hayden. I want you to give him a room for tonight, and breakfast tomorrow. Hayden – H-a-y-d-e-n. Yes, and it's on us. Because he's Rory's dad, that's why. Okay. I'll be in about eight."

Lorelai handed Luke the phone.

"Well, there goes my thirty-six hours of uninterrupted sleep."

"You probably wouldn't have slept more than thirty hours anyway.

Lorelai chuckled, and walked to the door, locked it, turned over the Open/Closed sign, and flipped off the light. She then picked up her purse and her coat, and Luke took her hand and they started up the stairs.

"You do know you told Christopher we're getting married, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know. Might as well get the ball rolling."

Inside the apartment, Luke let Lorelai into the bathroom first. By the time he was finished in there, she was asleep. Luke got into bed with her and she rolled over into his arms, still sleeping.

Luke turned off the bedside lamp, then kissed her on the forehead.

"Goodnight . . . Mrs. Danes," he whispered. A half a minute later he was asleep.

The next morning the alarm went off at five. Luke got out of bed and got dressed without waking Lorelai. At seven, he took a cup of coffee upstairs to her.

He sat the cup on the nightstand, and gently shook Lorelai.

"Hey, time to get up."

Lorelai stretched, then pulled the covers over her head.

"It's seven o'clock."

Lorelai pulled the covers down past her eyes just far enough to give Luke a mean look.

"You lie! I just fell asleep."

Luke waved the cup of coffee in front of her. She reluctantly dropped the blankets to her waist and took the cup.

"I've got to get back downstairs. I'll make breakfast for you. Anything special?"

"Cheese omelet with extra sharp cheddar, sausage, bacon, and home fries. But I need to take a shower first. I know I have some clothes here. So, I'll be down in a half hour."

Luke kissed her and stood up to leave.

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"You're okay with me seeing Christopher?"

"Yeah, I guess. I know you guys need to talk about Rory. Just – let me know what's going on."

"Of course. You know I will."

"Okay, see you in a bit."

When Lorelai got downstairs, Luke had her breakfast ready, but it was the middle of the breakfast rush and she had to sit at the counter. After she finished eating, Luke put the last slice of strawberry pie in front of her.

"You don't have to bribe me with pie. We'll be talking about Rory, and that's all."

"I know, but I just want to get rid of it. I think the expiration date passed last month."

"Funny. You're a real funny guy."

But she ate it, and had another cup of coffee.

"It's ten after eight." Luke reminded her.

"I know. I'm in no hurry."

At eight twenty-five, Lorelai kissed Luke goodbye and left the diner.

Lorelai got to the Dragonfly at 8:30. Christopher was sitting impatiently in the dining room. When he saw her come in, he met her halfway.

"I thought you said you'd be here at eight!"

"I guess I lost track of time. But I'm here now."

"So what's going on?"

"Look, I've got some things I need to take care of right now. Why don't you go back into the dining room and I'll be in there just as soon as I can."

"Lorelai, I thought you said we were going to talk."

"We are! But I've got a business here, and every morning I have things I have to do. I need to call in Sookie's grocery orders for tomorrow. And I have to call the linen guy, and call about the feed for the horses, and sign off on the night staff. I promise you, we'll talk. Just let me get these things done first."

He knew he had no choice.

"I'll be in here."

Lorelai watched as he walked back into the dining room. She still hadn't forgiven him for trying to come between her and Luke, and she didn't mind being a little bitchy to him -- a little Lorelai punishment.

An hour later Lorelai finally walked into the dining room and sat down at Christopher's table.

"How was the room?"

"The room was fine."

"And breakfast?"

"Breakfast was fine. The room was fine! The coffee was fine! The chairs are fine! Everything's fine! NOW, will you tell me what the Hell's going on with my daughter?"

"Do you know the Huntzbergers?"

"I've heard of them."

"Well, Rory's dating, going out with, sleeping with, Logan Huntzberger. You remember Logan, the kid we caught Rory making out with? Well, let me tell you, they are not nice people -- not Logan, not his dad, not his mother, not his grandfather. None of them!"

For the next forty five minutes Lorelai talked nonstop about everything that had happened with Rory and the Huntzbergers, starting when they caught Rory and Logan together the night Emily and Richard renewed their wedding vows, right up to Rory moving into the pool house.

"And there it is," Lorelai finished up. "My parents stabbed me in the back and Rory's not going back to Yale."

"I can't believe this. Not Rory. That's not her at all! Maybe I can talk some sense into her."

"Be my guest. Right now she and I aren't talking. But maybe since she's mad at me that means she's not quite so mad at you. Give it a shot. But don't forget, she's got Emily and Richard on her side. So you'll probably have to get past them before you can get to Rory."

"I can call her cell phone."

"If she'll answer it when she sees the call's from you. But like I said, give it your best shot."

They were both quiet for a few seconds.

"You're really going to marry this guy?"

"Yes, I am."

"Set the date yet?"

"No, it just happened -- recently."

"So, he popped the question and you said yes, just like that?"

"Actually, I asked him, and he said yes, just like that."

"You – asked – him?"

"Just like that."

Christopher stood up. Lorelai stayed seated.

"Well, thanks for the room, and the breakfast, and for filling me in on – everything. I think I'll go by your parent's house. Maybe I can talk to them, or Rory."

"Well, good luck with that. You'll call me, let me know how it went?"

"Sure."

Christopher leaned down and kissed Lorelai on the cheek, then left.

Lorelai took out her cell phone and called the diner.

"Hey, it's me . . . ."

To Be Continued