Hey everyone! And here's the final chapter…finally )

Thanks everyone for the great reviews of both this new fic and BTR, y'all rock! Sorry I didn't update on Tue…unless I meant this tue, which would mean I'm early eh? Lol. Anyway I hope you like this last part.

Thanks to Yvonne for beta-ing ! xx

PART SE7EN

Lorelai drove home in a slight daze that night. Luke Danes, diner owner extraordinaire, had asked her out. 'Okay technically he said he didn't ask me out but still…oh god what am I going to wear?' she said going into 'pre-date freak-out' mode as she mentally made a content list of her wardrobe trying to come up with something fruity but pretty that she could wear.

As soon as she reached the house she picked up the phone to call Rory, she knew she would probably be mad about her disrupting her precious studying but she didn't care. There was also the J-word thing she needed to tell her, Jess that is, tell her that he was back.

"Hello" Rory answered in a tired voice.

"Hey babe" Lorelai said cheerily.

"Ugh why so cheery"

"Wow grumpy much?"

"I'm trying to study for my last final" Rory moaned.

"Well I just called to tell you two things. Umm one, the J-word and two Luke"

"The J-word?" Rory asked confused.

"Jess, umm he's back. Just for a few days, I didn't know where we stood on the whole issue but Luke told me today so just letting you know"

"You don't have to refer to him as the J-word. But yeah, thanks for telling me"

"Okay good now that's over with I have some…news"

"That involves Luke?" Rory pressed.

"How did you know?" Lorelai said in a surprised tone.

"You just told me two seconds ago you had two things to tell me about, the J-word and Luke…so lucky guess" Rory said rolling her eyes.

"Thought we weren't referring to him as the J-word anymore?" Lorelai said with a evil grin, knowing just how to annoy her daughter.

"Mom!"

"Okay, wow Yale has got you grumpy. Anyway, Luke, he asked me out"

"No!" Rory said surprised, she thought it would take him at least another six months to a year.

"Yes, I mean technically it's not a date, it's a wedding and hell I don't even know if he meant it as a date but he asked me." Lorelai said feeling slightly light-headed, the one thing keeping her sane and also driving her a little crazy was the fact he wasn't technically asking her out.

"Who's wedding is it?"

"His sisters, Liz, that's why the J-word is back. It's a renaissance wedding though so I have to wear something a little whimsical and I have nothing"

"You have loads of dresses you could wear"

"But Luke's seen all of them, I want something new. Come shopping with me tomorrow"

"I can't, finals remember!"

"Oh yeah, damn. Maybe I'll ask mother dearest, AKA Emily Gilmore to come, after last time at the mall I'm sure there are 'Wanted' posters up all over the place and they're could be a reward" Lorelai joked.

"Just go by yourself or take Sookie"

"Uh nah I'll have trouble leaving the Inn myself, if I take Sookie too I think Michel may have an aneurism…mmm maybe I will bring her"

"Do you even know how you get an aneurism?" Rory smirked, wondering what hospital show she had learnt the word off.

"Uhhh so you have to study" Lorelai said, not a clue as to what it actually was, never mind how you got one.

"No more ER for you"

"Actually I picked that up off Grey's Anatomy, some hot guy said it, sounded good"

"Glad to see your educating yourself…which by the way I really need to get back to"

"Fine, fine. Hey maybe I can email you pictures of clothes and you can help me pick something to wear via cyber space, futuristic eh? George Lucas would be proud"

"Bye mom" Rory said rolling her eyes as she hung up the phone.

"Bye my evil spawn" Lorelai said before hanging up and turning on the television.

The next day…

Lorelai drove through town the next afternoon and glanced over at Miss Patty and her ballet dancers trying to get ready for the wedding. She smiled and waved over to Patty and Chrissy. Her mood was at its best after she had made a quick trip to the mall and found the perfect dress for the wedding. That and some flowers in her hair, yes, it seemed just right. She'd even gone so far as to buy a wreath for Luke, a manly one of course in case she managed to talk him into wearing it…although truthfully she knew it was just a teasing prop.

"Hey Luke" Lorelai said when she walked into the diner.

"Hi"

"Coffee and a bagel to go, stat" Lorelai said taking a seat at the counter. 'Wow I never realised how this medical jargon sticks'

"You in a rush?"

"Yeah, need to get to the Inn"

"You haven't been yet?" Luke asked, surprised since she had hardly left the place lately.

"Oh well I was in this morning but I just went to the mall, I needed a dress for Liz's wedding" Lorelai said shooting him a smile.

"You get one?"

"I sure did, I also got a little something for you too" Lorelai said giving him a seductive smile which she used frequently to try and make him blush.

"What is it?" he said as he placed the bag and to-go cup in front of her.

"You'll see tomorrow" she smiled before picking the bag up and turned to walk out of the diner, subconsciously swaying her hips a little more than usual because she knew he was watching her walk away.

"Yeah…tomorrow" he mumbled as he watched her walk away.

D-Day, finally...

Luke lay awake the next morning, he heard Jess's snores from the other side of the room which were strangely comforting. He would never admit it to his nephew but he'd liked having him around again. The aloneness that had cloaked him since the divorce had lessened since his return.

Lorelai woke early that morning; she'd gone to the Inn quickly to drop a few things in but left before Michel started whining about her taking the day off. Luke said he would be around to walk her over at two and it was 1.25 and Lorelai still stood in her underwear. 'This is Luke, it shouldn't be a big deal, he's sees me everyday…he'll probably barely notice what I'm wearing' she kept telling herself.

Luke was nervous when he approached her house, he wasn't used to wearing a suit, he felt like the tie was choking him. The walk over to her house had been embarrassing, Babette and Miss Patty had followed him half the way whistling at him the whole time…subtlety wasn't their forte. The other half he'd spent trying to keep his cool. Jess had teased him before he left about putting a sock on the door later that night, and he'd received a quick smack around the head for it. Lorelai sat in the living room waiting for Luke, it was probably one of the first times she'd been ready for a date early, 'Shutup, it's not a date' she kept reminding herself.

'Wow he looks great' she thought as she watched him walk up to the house in the suit.

"Hi" she smiled when she opened the door to see him standing on the porch.

"Hey"

"Nice suit, don't you clean up nice" Lorelai complimented, making him break into a wider smile.

"You look beautiful" he replied before taking a deep breath.

"Uh flattery will get you everywhere my friend" she smiled, feeling butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't remember the last time he'd called anything or anyone beautiful. 'I feel special…and no not in the eating the paste kind of way'.

"So we should get going"

"Oh no I have something for you" Lorelai said running back into the living room and picking up the 'manly' wreath.

"Here"

"What is this?" he asked with a confused look on his face.

"It's a wreath, a manly one, we could match" Lorelai said pointing to hers and then attempted to put it on his head.

"I'm not wearing that"

"Oh c'mon you'll be a hit with all the ladies like Julius Caesar"

"Lorelai" he said sternly, 'We need to get out of here or she'll somehow talk me into wearing that'

"Okayyy fine I'll be the whimsical one"

"You ready"

"I am…uhh let us go where thy… wedding waits" Lorelai said trying to think up renaissance language.

"Nice job" Luke laughed and the two of them left.

Luke and Lorelai stood up after the ceremony, it hadn't been as ridiculous a ceremony as they'd anticipated at the beginning.

"I'll be back in two minutes" Lorelai whispered.

"Well Butch doesn't this ceremony make you want loveee" a voice said coming up behind Luke. The same one he'd heard at the bachelorette party a few days ago and the one he wouldn't care if he never heard again.

"Carrie…hey" Luke said as she hovered above him.

"Is that your power suit?"

"It's my only suit"

"Looks pretty powerful to me" Carrie said taking Lorelai's seat.

"Uh actually that's saved for someone" Luke said, wanting nothing more than for this woman to leave him alone.

"Well I'll just keep you company until they come back"

"So…where's your husband?" Luke asked, praying the poor man was around somewhere to take her as far away from him as possible.

"I'm flying solo today, left the old ball and chain at home…which means we can both be lonely together huh?" Carrie said putting a hand on Luke's thigh for a second. Lorelai watched in amusement the interaction between Luke and the mystery woman. 'Could he look anymore uncomfortable?' she thought as she watched on.

"Hey you miss me honey?" Lorelai asked going up behind Luke and wrapping her arms around his neck, as much as she loved watching Luke squirm she preferred to be the one making him do it. Plus the hand on Luke's thigh and the woman taking her seat gave her a funny feeling.

"Uhhh…" he said looking back at Lorelai with a confused frown.

"Hi I'm Lorelai" Lorelai said holding a hand out to the woman beside Luke.

"Carrie" Carrie said with a look of distaste, making no move to get off the seat beside Luke.

"Good to meet you and yes feel free to take my seat" Lorelai said with a pasted smile on her face as she moved around to the front of Luke and sat down on his lap.

"What are you doing?" Luke muttered into her right ear.

"Well this is much more comfortable" Lorelai said with a smile directed at Carrie ignoring Luke's question.

"I'm going to congratulate Liz" Carrie said looking at Luke and ignoring Lorelai.

"Okay bye" Luke said uncomfortably, his arms dangling at his sides after Lorelai had sat down and he didn't know where to put his hands.

"Save me a dance later Butch?" she asked before leaving.

"Uh I don't dance" Luke grumbled and Lorelai smiled at him.

"Hey, how 'bout we work on him together? I think there's a hoofer buried deep inside there, don't you?" Lorelai said to Carrie, knowing it would probably take a lot to make Luke Danes dance in public. 'Does he even know how to dance? ...probably not' she thought as she tried to imagine it.

"I guess." Carrie muttered, obviously irritated by Lorelai's presence.

"That was fun" Lorelai said moving off his lap to the seat next to him after Carrie walked off.

"You're crazy" Luke replied in his usual tone, trying to act grumpy which Lorelai wasn't buying as she shot him a seductive smile. He rolled his eyes before turning his head to hide the grin that was playing on the sides of his mouth.

"You want a drink?" Luke asked as he stood up from the table.

"Please thy flannel master" Lorelai answered and watched him walk away. She smiled when she saw him being stopped by the juggler before he reached the drinks. Apparently the juggler was interested in opening a restaurant so he was trying to ask Luke's advice. It surprised Lorelai just how great a time she was having. She liked hearing Luke laugh and hear his stories… again who knew Luke had anecdotes? It was the same as it had been when they'd went out to the bar before Steve came along and screwed things up. After ten minutes, Luke was still standing with the juggler looking more bored than she would at a football game she decided to go and save him.

"Hey can I steal him away for a second" Lorelai said to the juggler.

"Sure, speak to you later"

"He juggles for money, you know there is circus school? His parents must be proud" Luke grumped and Lorelai grinned when she thought he was going to start ranting. Unfortunately all she heard was Kirk's voice over the speakers asking people to dance along with Liz and T.J…she loved ranting Luke.

"Oh, hey, so your food's probably cold. You want to go get some more?"

"Sure, or we can...you know." Luke asked nervously, hoping pick up on what he was asking.

"We can...do what?"

"You want to dance?" Luke asked, figuring he just needed to go for it. They'd been having a good time, at least he was,

"Really?" she asked obviously surprised.

"Yeah."

"Um, you said before you don't dance." She said with a small smile as her curiosity got the better of her, the butterflies quickly returned to flutter about her stomach as she looked at how he was looking at her. 'Luke, grumpy diner owner wants to dance with me'

"Well, I'm a compulsive liar." He grinned, trying to appear confident so she wouldn't know how nervous he really was. All he wanted was to take his chance, he didn't want to let yet another opportunity go by where he didn't do anything and then regret it later.

"Um, okay, yeah, let's dance." Lorelai said placing her hand in the one he held out to her. The two of them walked onto the dance floor, both tried to conceal their nervousness as Lorelai put a hand on Luke's shoulder and placed the other in his hand. Her small hand fit comfortably into his big hand, part of her wanted to slip her fingers through his to see what it felt like…she didn't. Luke started to move them both to the music and Lorelai watched him intently, tracing over his facial features, she didn't remember if she had ever been this close to him before, but yet it wasn't close enough.

'Luke can dance' she screamed inside. She looked down at their feet, expecting at some stage for him to step on her toes like every other first dance she'd ever had but he didn't. Luke watched her intently and she held his gaze for a few seconds at a time before looking down at their feet, scared that he could see the feelings which were all lying just below the surface. As the dance continued she knew she had moved in closer to him so his hand was on the small of her back holding her close and her lips were almost brushing his ear.

"You can dance" she whispered into his ear making him almost shiver when he felt the warm breath on his skin. All he could do at that point was pull her closer so her head rested on his shoulder and give her other hand a small squeeze. Lorelai had no complaints as she felt his broad chest press against her, his warm breath on her neck and his fingers making small circular patterns on the small of her back. Every touch seemed charged and every gaze seemed intoxicating to them both. The song ended a minute later but neither wanted to move from the position they were in.

"Uhh well…" Luke started when he realized the song had just ended.

"One more, y'know since it's your sister's wedding you should probably dance to more than one song" Lorelai said when she lifted her head from his shoulder and gave him a shy smile as she thought up a reason to get another dance out of him. Opportunities like Luke dancing didn't come around everyday.

"Yeah maybe"

"Family values y'know" she reasoned.

"Yours being so strong" he rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile when she moved her arms around his neck at the start of the new song.

"I know so I'm the expert" she smirked as he put his arms around her waist.

A few minutes later and Lorelai was resting her head on Luke's shoulder, her eye's closed and breathing steadily. She tried to remember why she'd kept Luke at a distance for so long, why she'd never let anything happen between the only permanent man who'd ever been in her life. 'Because I don't want to lose him' she remembered. Although the explanation didn't mean as much now when she felt his strong arms wrapped around her and his body so close to hers. Opening her eyes she became aware of the many watchful eyes of town members who had their eyes glued to her and Luke.

"I hate this town" Luke muttered in her ear at that moment sending shivers up her spine as his lips brushed the top of her ear.

"You wanna get out of here?" she whispered.

"Definitely" he replied and the two of them slowly danced their way off the floor and after a few minutes they escaped and walked up a side street in the direction of Lorelai's house.

"So…that was a good wedding" Lorelai said to break the silence that had fallen between them.

"Yeah, a little nutty but good"

"Thanks for bringing me"

"There's no-one else I'd rather have taken" he said in a serious tone as he looked over at her. His intent gaze was met with a smile from her. It was unlike her usual one though, it was shy but her eyes seemed to light up and he could feel a smile making its way onto his face…her smile like her laugh had always been somewhat contagious to him. They walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence until they reached her house.

"This was fun."

"Yeah, it was." Luke agreed wholeheartedly, not remembering the last time he'd had as much fun.

"So, hard to figure out which part of the evening was my favorite."

"There were a few." 'Definitely the dance' he thought although he had to admit he had enjoyed her sitting on his lap as well.

"Uh, T.J. throwing his tights at the bachelors instead of Liz's garter? You ducked well, by the way."

"Pure self-defense."

"Ooh, the choking guy being Heimlich-ed by the court jester?"

"That was good."

"Or -- or, um, the minister making out with crazy Carrie? T.J.'s brother making out with crazy Carrie? Or that last guy making out with crazy Carrie? Who was that guy?" she laughed. 'Carrie could have made out with every other guy there for all she cared, as long as Luke wasn't one of them' Lorelai thought to herself.

"I think that was her husband."

"Poor Barry! - And it might be the dance." She laughed, knowing it was the dance…how could it not be?

"Really?"

"Have you been taking lessons?"

"That was all God-given talent." He replied with as much confidence as he could muster when they reached her porch and all he wanted to do was kiss her.

"It was fun" Lorelai repeated, wanting Luke to know just how much she'd enjoyed it.

"Yeah, it was." Luke smiled.

"We should do it again."

"What, you got another wedding coming up?"

"Nah, I meant have fun. You know, like a movie or something."

"I didn't think you were a movie guy."

"I can be a movie guy. You like movies." Luke stated, thinking he could be any type of guy she wanted.

"Yeah -- good, bad, and in-between."

"How 'bout next week? Sunday?"

"Sunday?" Lorelai asked confused.

"Sunday -- you free?"

"I-I think so."

"Okay, good. Good."

"So you're asking me out?" Lorelai asked wanting some confirmation from him.

"Mmm yeah" he replied a little shyly as he looked down at his shoes.

'Finally' "Good…that's good" Lorelai smiled.

"Yeah…good" 'Finally' he thought and let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Uh you want to come in for a beer or something?" Lorelai asked, feeling that after the revelation she didn't want the evening to end yet.

"Sure" he grinned and stepped in behind her and followed her into the kitchen where she was getting two beers out of the fridge.

"Here" she said quietly as she handed him the beer, their fingers brushing over each others and they both glanced at each other as the sparks flew in all directions. Luke took the cap off his beer before reaching over to take off Loelai's cap after seeing she was having trouble. Meanwhile Lorelai was feeling stupid that she couldn't open her beer because now since he asked her out she was feeling nervous around him.

"You okay?" he asked sensing something up with her, he wondered if she was regretting agreeing to his date.

"Sure, y'know just tired" she lied.

"Oh okay, well I can go"

"Oh okay" Lorelai said feeling disappointed.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Luke said obviously concerned, he put a hand on her arm and rubbed it gently. Looking up at him, her eyes met his and she let them trace over his face and let them linger on his lips. 'I wonder if he's a good kisser…I bet he is' she thought taking a step closer to him.

"I'm fine, good even"

"Good, you're just acting a little…strange"

"And that's different from normal?" she quipped shooting him a smile.

"Are you re-thinking our date is that what it is?" Luke asked slowly, not really wanting to hear her answer and hoping it wasn't the reason. Lorelai looked up at him and took another step closer placing one hand on his chest and the other on his cheek.

"What are you doing?" he said just above a whisper in a deep throaty tone which made Lorelai want to kiss him more.

"Not re-thinking" she whispered against his lips before she captured his lips with her own, letting the instant jolt of that first lip contact run through her. Luke's eyes widened when he first felt his lips on hers but they fluttered closed when he felt her lips move on his and he let his lips move tentatively as he savored the incredible feeling of her lips on his. His hands moved to her waist pulling her against him as the kiss deepened and Lorelai wrapped her arms around his neck. She slowly parted her lips and felt his tongue slid into her mouth. Their tongues engaged in a game of back and forth as they slid in out of each other's mouths, Luke running his hands up and down her back as she played with the small curls in his hair. A minute later and gasping for breath they pulled back from each other.

"That was…new" Lorelai whispered.

"So you weren't re-thinking" Luke said as more of a statement than anything else, grinning against her lips. Lorelai smiled and had a rush of confidence. Her nervousness from earlier was gone completely, and she took the chance to pull his bottom lip between her teeth, biting it lightly. He let out a guttural moan, and she responded by releasing his lip and opening her mouth slightly and his tongue glided over hers immediately.

The next day…

Lorelai opened her eyes and smiled as she remembered the night before, she snuggled into the arm wrapped around her shoulder and watched Luke as he slept. Hearing a strange sound from downstairs she kissed Luke's chest a few times before she carefully moved Luke's arm from around her and put on his white shirt…for once wishing he'd been wearing his usual flannel. Making her way downstairs she opened the front door and groaned when she saw the familiar animals waiting outside.

"Luke!" Lorelai shouted from the front door, turning to the stairs where Luke appeared in only a pair of boxers two minutes later.

"What? Why are you wearing my shirt?" he mumbled sleepily rubbing his eyes.

"Get down here" she called up and he appeared behind her.

"What?"

"The cats are back" she said pointing outside.

"You called me down here for that?" he grumbled running his hand through his hair.

"I just want them to go away by showing them my new boyfriend" she smiled pulling him into the doorway and ran her hand along the inside of his boxers.

"I'm not gonna be a crazy cat lady" she stated indignantly shooting a look at the cats.

"Yes just plain crazy" he grinned, liking the sound of boyfriend.

"Mmm something you'll have to deal with… now come back to bed" she said grabbing his hand and he grinned and let her pull him upstairs.

Goodbye my pretties! Don't worry, I'll still call, I'll still write...just leave a review!