Chapter 10

"Are you sure it was her?" Christopher asked as he and Emily drove back to Hartford.

"No." Emily admitted. "But she looked around the age Lucy would be by now."

"What if it was just the diner man's daughter?"

"There are many possibilities Christopher, that being one of them, but we have to make sure. If it was Lorelai's daughter, where were Lorelai and Rory and why was that little girl calling the diner man 'Daddy'?"

"That's a good question. We really have to get to the bottom of this Emily."

"Don't you think I know that." Emily snapped. "You haven't seen your daughters in 4 years and I haven't seen my daughter or my granddaughters in that same amount of time. Lorelai is stubborn; she won't answer my calls or talk to me or wants to have anything to do with me."

"Same with me. I call her all the time, but she won't pick up the phone. We'll make a plan. She can't be in denial forever."

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow and we'll sort out the details. You're staying with your parents, yes?"

"Yes. Okay, thanks for the ride Emily."

"You're welcome Christopher. We'll talk tomorrow."

"Okay." Christopher shut the car door.

Back in Stars Hollow (while Christopher and Emily drove to Hartford)

After the two people left the diner, Luke heard the diner door open again.

"Hey Luke." Lorelai said as she entered the diner.

Luke turned around. "Oh hey." He said. "Hey Rory."

"Hi Luke." Rory said sitting down at a table. Lorelai sat down beside her.

"Are you two hungry?" Luke asked.

"Do you really need to ask Luke? Of course we're hungry." Lorelai said.

"Right, right. Coffee first?"

"Yes." Lorelai looked at Luke suspiciously. "Are you okay Luke? You seem distracted."

"What, I'm fine. Let me go get your coffee."

"You know Luke, you could put Lucy to sit on the chair, so you don't have to carry her everywhere."

"No, no, no, she's comfortable there and she says she wants me to carry her."

"Okay." Lorelai said suspiciously. She looked at Luke.

"What?" Luke said.

"Oh it's nothing. Come on diner boy, we need coffee!"

"I'll be back in a second." Luke left and went behind the counter.

"Is Luke acting weird to you?" Lorelai asked Rory, when Luke was out of earshot.

"Weirder than normal?" Rory asked. She wasn't paying too much attention to Lorelai, as she was reading a book.

"Yeah. Is he?"

"I haven't really noticed."

"That's because your nose is in your book."

"Hey, I like reading."

"I know that Sweetie, just, when Luke comes back, look at his behavior."

"Whatever."

"Here is your coffee." Luke said placing a mug in front of Lorelai.

"Thanks." Lorelai said, then taking her mug and taking a sip of her coffee, not taking her eyes off Luke.

"So, how was that assembly thing at Rory's school?" Luke asked.

"Boring. I'm telling you, they have nothing better to talk about then how 'you need to be involved with you child's education'." Lorelai said mocking Rory's principal.

"After all the announcements and stuff were done, she wouldn't stop saying that. She said it over and over and over again. I even think that the principal heard her." Rory said, still not looking up from her book.

"Well it's not my fault they repeat things a million times." Lorelai said.

"You're so immature Lorelai." Luke said.

"Hey!"

"What do want to eat?"

"I want my usual." Lorelai said.

"Your usual?" Luke repeated.

"God, you're very slow today Luke. My usual: burger, fries, more coffee."

"Oh that usual. What about you Rory?"

"Fries and chicken nuggets." Rory said.

"Okay." Luke went over to the kitchen.

"Well?" Lorelai said.

"Well what?" Rory said.

"Was he acting weirder?"

"I don't know."

"Ugh, some help you are."

"No need to thank me."

"Rory this is serious!"

"Why?"

"Luke's holding Lucy." Lorelai said matter-of-factly.

"Your point being…?"

"He's holding Lucy." Lorelai stressed.

"Yes, we've established that point."

Lorelai sat back in her seat and said, "Forget it."

"Thank you."

"Hi Mommy." Lucy said, as she walked over to the table.

"Hey Luc." Lorelai picked Lucy up, and placed her on her lap.

"Where's Luke?"

"He's cooking."

"Did you get to go behind the counter?"

Lucy smiled and nodded.

"How unfair!" Lorelai looked down at Lucy's knee. "What happened to your tights? Why is there a big whole?"

"I was racing my friend and I tripped and hurted myself."

"You hurt yourself. Did Luke put the Band-Aid on for you?" Lucy nodded. "Is it feeling better?"

"Yeah. Luke said that when he's done cooking your food that I could get pie since I was so brave." Lucy said proudly.

"No way! Did it sting a lot?"

"Yeah. I didn't cry, but I almost did."

"That's good. You're my brave little girl." Lorelai kissed Lucy's head.

"Here's your food." Luke said putting plates in front of Lorelai and Rory.

"Do I get my pie now, Luke?" Lucy asked.

"Of course, kid. I'll be right back." Luke went over to the counter.

"I'll be right back." Lorelai said. She stood up and followed Luke behind the counter. "Hey."

"Why are you behind the counter?" Luke asked.

"I'm not getting coffee. I promise."

"Well that's a first. What do you want?"

"What happened today?"

"What do you mean what happened today?"

"You seem really nervous and distracted. It totally defeats the purpose of being Luke. So…tell me. Did something happen with Lucy?"

"You're not going to stop bugging me until I tell you, are you?"

"You got that right, so what's the deal?"

"Fine. I'll tell you, but not here." Luke walked back over to Lorelai's table, with Lorelai still following him. "Here you go Luc."

"Thanks Luke." Lucy said.

"No problem kid." Lorelai looked at Luke. "We'll uhh, be right back." Luke walked toward the stairs to his apartment, and Lorelai followed.

Once they got into the apartment and shut the door, Lorelai said, "So?"

"So what?" Luke said.

"What happened?" Lorelai said impatiently.

Luke sat down on the couch and fixed his hat nervously.

"Luke?"

"She…she…"

"She…what did Lucy do?"

"She…she called me 'Daddy'." Luke let out.

Lorelai's eyes widened. "She-she did what now?"

"Are you gonna make me repeat it?"

"I'm sorry Luke, it's just that that's never happened before, and I'm in shock. Did she ask you for something? Did she tell you something? Did she-did she-"

"She said 'Thanks Daddy' and went to sleep."

"Wow." Lorelai walked over to the couch and sat beside Luke. "I don't really know what to say, I mean in a way I'm glad, because you're the closest thing she's ever had to a father, but at the same time, I want her to know her father. Christopher hasn't been here for what, 3 almost 4 years and I don't really know what to say to her, but I'll talk to her."

Luke nodded. "Yeah, it would be best for everyone."

"Yeah. But I'm glad she thinks of you as a father, Rory too." Luke just nodded. "I think we should go back downstairs, I mean you've gotta diner to run and well I have kids to take home. So…"

"Uhh yeah, let's go." Luke and Lorelai both stood up and left the apartment together.

"Lucy are you in bed?" Lorelai called from the stairs.

"Yes!" Lucy called up.

"You better be, because I'm coming up there." Lorelai began to walk up the stairs and heard Lucy scramble. Lorelai smiled.

By the time Lorelai got to Lucy's room, Lucy was shuffling under the covers.

"See I told you I was in bed." Lucy said with a grin on her face.

"You did." Lorelai sat on the bed beside Lucy. "We should have a talk."

Lucy moved the hair from her face and said, "About what?"

"Luke." Lucy looked confused. "Do you like Luke?"

"Yeah, I love Luke."

"Do you think he's your daddy?"

"No, I don't think, silly, he is my daddy." Lucy giggled at Lorelai's supposed lack-of-knowledge.

"Umm Lucy…Luke isn't your daddy."

"Why?"

"Because, well he didn't…he wasn't ever my boyfriend."

"Why? Miss Patty says you two should be boyfriend."

"That Patty, huh, she is something."

"Don't you love Luke?"

"Man you ask a lot of questions. I love Luke, but as a friend, like I love Sookie as a friend."

"Oh."

"So, no more calling Luke 'Daddy' okay?"

"Okay." Lucy said sadly. "I wish he was my daddy though."

"Okay, Hon, it's time for bed."

"Okay." Lucy lay back on her pillow and folded her arms on her chest.

"Goodnight, Honey." Lorelai gave Lucy a kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight, I love you."

"I love you too." Lorelai turned off Lucy's light and left the room.

Author's Note: Sorry this one took so long, well it took long to me, anyway. It took long to write actually, but whatever. I have already started writing Part 2, though I have an audition for some air freshener commercial so I don't think I'll be able to update. I'm still on Christmas break and my weirdo science teacher gave us a million questions, and me being the world's biggest procrastinator still has to finish. So I'm going to finish that now, and maybe I'll post Part 2. It's my first audition so wish me luck guys! R&R