A/N: Phew! I got this out just in time. I wanted it here before tomorrow night's episode, because it starts towards the end of 'Fight Face'. What if Luke and Rory's talk went a little differently?

"You're mom and I are engaged."

"Engaged?" Rory asked, shocked.

Luke nodded. "Yeah."

"Wow… C-Congratulations." She managed to choke out before lowering her head to gaze into her coffee. How could Lorelai not tell her something like this? This was a big deal. A huge deal. They always shared everything with each other. She tried her hardest not to cry, but a single tear escaped and dropped into her cup. This didn't go unnoticed by Luke.

"You okay?" he asked tentatively. He wasn't very experienced in the comforting section.

"I just…" Rory started. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"She…" Luke struggled to answer Rory's question.

Rory cut him off. "It's okay… I-I know why." She wiped her eyes and stood. "Thanks for the coffee, Luke."

"No problem." Rory made it to the door before Luke stopped her. "Wait."

She turned and cocked her head slightly. "Yeah?"

"You're okay with this… right?"

"With what?" She asked, bemused.

"This." He emphasized. "Me and… me and your mom."

And for the first time that summer, Rory smiled. "I couldn't be happier."

"You sure?" he inquired, and she was touched by his concern.

Rory nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I dunno…" Luke stated. "I mean, we know each other, and I thought you might be… uncomfortable with the situation."

"I'm fine with it, Luke. Really." She added, as he still seemed unsure.

"You'd tell me if you weren't?"

"I'd tell you." Rory confirmed, and she turned once again to leave.

"Rory," Luke called.

She turned her head and met his gaze, her eyes signaling him to continue.

"Just know… your mom misses you. She wants you to be happy."

Rory switched her gaze to the floor. "I know." She mumbled.

"You may want to… I dunno, give her a call. She'd like that."

She nodded. "I'll… I'll think about it."

"Good. I'll see you."

Rory nodded again, this time with a hint of a smile on her face. "Yeah. You'll see me." She gave a small wave and left the diner.

Rory sat at the counter of the nearly bare pool house staring down her cell phone, which she had carefully placed on the opposite side of the counter.

I'm going to do it this time. She willed herself. Rory reached out her arm, got within six inches, and recoiled.

Just as she had the first 37 times she'd tried before in the past – she checked her watch – 23 minutes.

This time, she knew she'd do it. She stretched out her arm and, much to her surprise, managed to close her hand around her phone. As if in slow motion, she flipped open the phone and held down '1'. She never had gotten around to resetting her speed dial.

It was ringing… Suddenly the voice mail kicked in.

"Hey, it's me, keep it short and sweet." Beep.

She hung up.

Lorelai sat up in Luke's bed the next morning, checking her messages. Luke came upstairs with their breakfast. He spotted Lorelai, cell phone pressed to her ear. She folded it shut.

"Any messages?" he asked.

"Nope. Just a hang up."

"Oh. Okay." He didn't want to admit he'd been hopeful that Rory had taken his advice and given her mom a call. He still hadn't told Lorelai she'd come in.

Lorelai was disappointed that it hadn't been Rory. She hadn't fully let herself acknowledge that she wanted to hear from her, but in the back of her mind, she knew she did.

Luke set the tray he'd been carrying on the table and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He looked down into his lap for a moment, thinking, before he turned his head to face her. "You should call her."

"Who?" Lorelai feigned innocence. It was easiest.

Luke just tilted his head slightly and stared. He knew that she knew exactly what he meant.

Lorelai looked down and stared at her hands as she absentmindedly fiddled with her phone. "I… I don't know what to say."

"Say you're sorry. Say you love her. Say you want to compromise. Say something… Because not talking to her is killing you."

She nodded and couldn't help but smile slightly. He knew her so well. She flopped back onto the pillows that had migrated to her side of the bed overnight.

"How do you do it?" she asked.

"Do what?" he replied, confused.

"Always know exactly what to say."

He shrugged. "Years of practice."

Lorelai sighed, stretching out her arm to take hold of her phone. "I guess I should call her then."

"I didn't mean you had to call her right now."

She shook her head. "I need to. Otherwise I'll talk myself out of it."

"Do you want me to…?" He inclined his head towards the door, silently finishing his question.

"No, stay."

"Okay."

Lorelai took a deep breath before using her thumb to flip open her cell phone. She took a moment to compose herself before holding down '1'. She'd been putting of changing her speed dial.

After three rings, Rory answered with a shaky voice. "Hello?"

It strengthened Lorelai's confidence to know she'd checked to see who was calling and had actually picked up her phone. "Hey, kid."

"Hey."

"I was wondering if, maybe you… wanted to come meet me." She asked, not wanting to have to discuss everything over the phone.

"Today?"

"Sure, today. I mean, after your…" Lorelai thought it would be best not to mention the community service.

"Yeah. I'll come when I'm done." Rory replied, thankful that her mother was trying to be respectful of the situation.

"Good. Meet me at Luke's."

"I'll see you there. Bye mom."

"Bye."

Lorelai shut her phone with a smile and tossed it aside. She turned to Luke. "You heard?"

He nodded, smiling too, and she threw her arms around him.

Everything was going to be okay.

She had Luke. She had her daughter back. Well, almost. She knew they'd get there.

The pieces of her life were finally starting to fall into place.

And boy was she glad.

The End…

Unless there is clamoring for a continuation. (I used big words! lol.)

As always, reviews are welcomed and extremely encouraged. Y'all are the fertilizer of my brain. Reviews keep me going!