Chapter Three

Eep, I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long to do! I was working on the next chapter thinking that this chapter was done and I needed to look something up and I realized this one wasn't done! So I'm sorry a million times over!!

"So that's a no?" The expression on Luke's face is pained.

"No, it means, are you insane? This is me, remember, I drive you insane on a daily basis and you don't live with me. You do know marriage requires you to live with me, like all the time."

"I know." Luke nods.

"But...but...I drive you crazy!!"

"You drive me crazy when I'm not with you, and," Luke places a hand on Lorelai's still flat stomach, "we're having a baby. I want us to be a family."

"Really?" Lorelai can't help but get teary-eyed, "stupid hormones."

"So, will you marry me?"

Lorelai nods, "yeah, I will."

Luke pulls Lorelai to him and kisses her so passionately that it draws a crowd and when Luke faces the four older people who are staring at them Lorelai expects an angry comment. Instead Luke exclaims, "she said yes!"

Lorelai blushes lightly as a round of congratulations stares, "congratulations, son," both older men pat Luke on the back.

"You're practically glowing," both women tell Lorelai.

"Thank you," Lorelai murmurs. "Luke we should get in there, everyone's waiting." Slipping her hand into Luke's the two reenter the restaurant.

"So Luke and I have some announcements to make," Lorelai states after everyone has placed their meal orders. Lorelai glances at Luke before continuing, and in one fluid sentence, "Luke and I are getting married and in September we're having a baby."

The entire table goes completely silent at the announcement and Luke and Lorelai exchange glances, again. Jackson is the first to break the shocked silence, "that's great, congratulations."

Sookie follows her husband's lead, "I can't believe you, you told me you weren't engaged."

"He just proposed," Lorelai grins, "before we came in."

"I'm so happy for you," Sookie hugs Lorelai. "We'll have babies at the same time." Lorelai can't help but laugh, she'd never thought she and her best friend would have kids at the same time.

"Congratulations," Rory hugs Luke over the sound of her mother's blissfully happy laughter. "You're going to be a great dad."

"Thanks Rory," Luke gently pats Rory on the back.

Emily clears her throat and everyone turns their attention to the elder Gilmore's, waiting expectantly, unsure of how they are going to react. Finally the serious expressions leave their faces, "congratulations," Richard states as Emily's face breaks out into a grin.

"Really?" Lorelai can't hide her surprise.

"Of course," Emily responds. "There's so much to do before the wedding. Lynda Crawley's daughter had an amazing wedding planner, you could hardly tell hers was a shotgun wedding."

"Mom, seriously, if you never use the words "shotgun wedding" ever again that would be great."

"All I'm saying, Lorelai, is that I can refer you..."

"Mom," Lorelai interrupts, "we're not going to have the wedding of the season, well not your season, probably Stars Hollow's."

"Well just in case..."

"Mom, Luke just proposed fifteen minutes ago. I found out I was pregnant 48 hours ago, could we just slow down? Have an enjoyable dinner and start planning everything, like, tomorrow?"

"Well, of course," Richard nods, "there's not use in planning every detail tonight."

"Well, of course not," Emily responds. "All I'm saying is that there are a lot of things that have to be taken care of."

"Grandma," Rory steps in on her mother's behalf, "why don't we just give Luke and Mom a little time to adjust before we start planning the details?"

"Of course," Emily nods, and then falls silent as everyone else makes small talk over dinner.

"So we'll see you at home?" Lorelai asks Rory as everyone walks into the restaurants parking lot.

Rory immediately feels guilty at her mother's simple question, "I kind of have a thing I have to do this weekend."

"Okay," Lorelai nods.

"But I have an early class on Wednesday and then the rest of my day is free, what if we had lunch and went shopping?"

Lorelai grins, "sounds like a great plan to me."

"We've got to get home," Sookie states, "the sitter needs to be home by 10:30, but call me and we'll shop this weekend if you have time."

Lorelai embraces her best friend before she, Jackson and Rory make their ways to their respective cars. "Thanks for coming tonight," Luke turns his attention to the elder Gilmores.

"We were glad to," Richard responds.

"Luke, you should come to Friday night dinners," Emily suggests.

"Mom," Lorelai immediately shakes her head, "Luke doesn't have to start coming to Friday night dinners."

"Well, he is going to be part of the family," Emily's attempt is feeble.

"Luke has a business to run," Lorelai counters.

"Fine, Lorelai, whatever you want." Emily nods, "we'll see you and Rory on Friday night, then."

Lorelai nods, "sure Mom."

"What was the matter with you tonight, Emily?" Richard demands once they are in their car.

"Excuse me?" Emily glances at her husband.

"You hardly said a word through dinner and I've never seen you act so strangely."

"Really Richard, what are you going on about?"

"While I understand how you are feeling about the fact that once again out daughter had gotten pregnant without being married, at least their moving in that direction. And granted I can see your point on Luke not being good enough for Lorelai but which would you rather have everyone talking about? That our daughter is once again pregnant without being married? Or married to someone they don't approve of?"

"Richard," Emily snaps, "you most certainly do not understand what I am feeling so I wold appreciate it if you don't presume to understand what my actions were about this evening."

"Luke?" Lorelai whispers tentatively into the darkness, unsure if he's still awake, when no response comes Lorelai carefully slips out of Luke's warm embrace and out of her bedroom. Sleep was not coming tonight and Lorelai had finally given up on it, slipping downstairs she enters the kitchen turning on a light as she goes. Sitting down at the kitchen table Lorelai picks up a notebook she had brought home from the Dragonfly full of accounting things that needing figuring out, a sure thing to set her to sleep. But Lorelai's brain is going in so many different directions that she can't focus on the numbers she's staring at, and she doesn't realize she is crying until a tear drips onto her paper. But the realization gives way to many other tears and pushing her notebook away Lorelai cries softly into the folds of her arms, hoping not to wake Luke, unaware of the shadow at the entrance of the kitchen.

Coming:

1. The reason behind Lorelai's tears.

2. Rory's weekend trip with Logan gets interrupted with a surprise.

3. Word gets out around Stars Hollow that Luke and adopting a Canadian orphan?