Notes:

Sorry about the Luke-less-ness of last chapter. I can promise that will never happen again.

hollywoodgrl - I think Lucy and Nicolas are obviously closer to each other than to Rory, but I did say that Rory lived with them in California for a short time. I guess they're as close as you would expect for siblings that only see each other a few times a year and probably talk on the phone a little more than that.

carmagirl - Just wanted to respond to your surprise that Lorelai could offer to pay for both kids to go to Chilton, but you can bet that Larry left some money for Lorelai and the kids when he died. More information on this will be in the upcoming chapters. Thanks for your perspective!

smileyGGfan - I'm glad you see a lot of Lorelai in Lucy, my goal was for her to be the two of them to be similar to Lorelai. The Once and Future King is an awesome book by the way.

Chapter 6: Try Baby, Try

The next morning, Lorelai walks into the house carrying a bag of danishes and a coffee carrier from Weston's. "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!" Lorelai shouts, kicking the door closed with her leg. "Up and at 'em guys!" She walks into the kitchen, setting the bag and coffees on the kitchen table.

Lucy walks down the stairs, still in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes. She stumbles into the kitchen still half asleep. "Who are you and what did you do with my mother?" Lucy mumbles. Lorelai grins taking milk out of the fridge and sets a glass on the table.

"I thought you two would like a treat on your first day in Stars Hollow," Lorelai replies. She picks up a cup of coffee and begins drinking it.

"A treat would be you actually cooking us breakfast," Lucy remarks. Lorelai snickers, shaking her head.

"That would be a trick not a treat, Sweets. Now eat up and get dressed, we've got a big day ahead of us."

"Great," Lucy grunts, settling herself at the table, taking one of the coffees and picking up a danish out of the bag. Lorelai watches her daughter for a second and then walks over to Nicolas's room, pressing her ear to the door.

"I think someone's trying to ignore their mother." Lorelai opens the door and walks in. "Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day!" Lorelai sings loudly. Nicolas groans, covering his head with his pillow. "Oh no you don't." Lorelai walks over to the side of the bed, sitting down next to him, ripping the pillow out of his hands. "You can't hide from me." She ruffles the hair on the back of her son's head as he groans again. "Get up," she says patting his shoulder. Nicolas flips on his side, looking up at his mother.

"You think there's a chance I could get a lock put on this door?" Nicolas mumbles.

"Oh yes, right after I let you get a giant tattoo of a dragon on your back," Lorelai answers sarcastically.

"I never said I wanted that." Lorelai shrugs.

"Well you're not getting one anyways," she responds standing. "Now get up." Nicolas sighs but drags himself out of bed. "I left milk and a glass on the kitchen table for you and there's a danish in the bag if you're hungry." Nicolas nods, waving an arm in her direction as he stumbles out of the room.

Lorelai smiles knowingly. She glances around the room and walks over to the bulletin board with the Yale posters. Gently touching them, Lorelai turns and glances around them room. Much of the Rory-ness of the room is gone, except the posters, the bed and the red chair. Lorelai stares at the chair for a second and then walks over to it, pulling it further towards the center of the room.

She turns, slowly lowering herself into the chair, bunching her knees against her chest. She swallows hard, no longer seeing the Rory-ness of the room, but the Luke-ness of the room.

I did this wrong. I did this all wrong! How could I have let this happen? How did I not see it coming? How didn't I step in and do something? And why can't I fix these things?

Hey.

I'm a bad mother!

You're not a bad mother. Did you sleep at all?

A little.

You stay home this morning. I'll call Sookie and tell her you'll be late. He's going to be okay.

I hope so.

Everything's going to be okay.

Lorelai takes a deep breath, her fingers wiping a tear away that she didn't even know had fallen.

"Mom! Did you know I needed a uniform?" Lucy calls. Lorelai swallows the lump in her throat and stands, brushing herself off, unwrinkling her clothes. She purses her lips, putting the chair back where it had been and walks out of the room.

"What Sweetie?" Lorelai asks, a slight tremor still in her voice. Lucy doesn't notice. She's standing at the table, staring at a piece of paper.

"It says uniforms are required. You didn't tell me that!" Lucy exclaims.

"Oh Hun, you knew that, your sister wore one when she went there too," Lorelai reminds her. Lucy purses her lips in a very Lorelai-like way.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it. Why doesn't Nicky have to wear one?"

"Because he decided to take the easy way out and go to Stars Hollow High," Lorelai replies sweetly. She walks up next to Lucy and looks over her daughter's shoulder at the piece of paper. Placing a hand on the other side of Lucy's head, Lorelai pulls Lucy closer, kissing the top of her head. "I'm glad that you're okay with this," Lorelai whispers. Lucy glances up at Lorelai.

"Of course I am, you know me better than that," Lucy replies. "I'm going to go get ready and then we'll get on the Zagat's tour of Stars Hollow." She reaches up and kisses Lorelai's cheek and then runs up the stairs. Lorelai watches her go, still seeming conflicted.

Later that day, Lorelai is walking ahead of Lucy and Nicolas as she chatters on about the town. Nicolas has his hands shoved in his back pockets as he glances uneasily around the town, while Lucy's eyes are alight. "Now over here we have the Black, White and Read movie theater," Lorelai announces. Nicolas raises an eyebrow.

"That's a bookstore," he notes. Lorelai glances back over her shoulder.

"Yes, yes, by day it is. But by night it's theater of mystery!" Lorelai says dramatically.

"So it's Superman," Nicolas jokes.

"Funny, funny boy," Lorelai responds. "Come on." She motions for them to follow her inside. Nicolas and Lucy share a look and then grudgingly follow their mother. "Hi Andrew, I'm just showing the kids around town and I wanted to show them the movie theater."

"Feel free to look around," Andrew replies, but he's staring at the kids, who both seem uncomfortable with this whole thing.

"Nicolas! Lucy! Hop to it!" Lorelai shouts at them. She walks into the movie theater and smiles at her surroundings. Nicolas and Lucy walk in.

"This is a movie theater?" Lucy asks, an eyebrow raised. Lorelai nods, crossing her arms over her chest. She slowly walks down the middle of the room, her eye on the red couch in the front the whole time.

As she walks, she says in a low voice, "they show all kinds of movies here. St. Elmo's Fire, Cool Hand Luke, The Natural, Pippi Longstocking." In her mind, Lorelai can still hear herself and Rory singing.

Freckles on her nose, diddle diddle dee, a girl came riding into town one day, diddle diddle dee, it was quite a site. It's Pippi Longstocking he ho ho ah he he ha ha, it's Pippi Longstocking there's no one like her.

Lorelai smiles to herself as she stops in front of the big red couch, still staring at it. "Rory and I used to come here all the time. We named this couch Big Red."

"I wonder why," Nicolas mutters, but Lorelai doesn't hear. All she can hear is Luke's voice in her head.

Rory is like Pippi.

Pippi?

She can have adventures and be free. She's smart. The whole world's waiting for her.

Lorelai looks up and glances around the place, still lost in thought.

Look at me. Not stopping till he's upset every person that means anything in the world to him in one night.

"It looks like they're showing a movie tonight, maybe we should go," Lucy suggests. Lorelai glances up at her.

"We can't. We've gotta get you a uniform, Missy. And then get stuff for school, both of you have big days tomorrow," Lorelai remarks.

"I feel like I'm five years old and about to start kindergarten," Nicolas mutters. Lorelai shakes her head at him.

"Okay Grumpy, let's go," Lorelai says. She walks out, curling a finger behind her at Nicolas. "Thanks Andrew!" she shouts as the three leave the store. Lorelai wraps her arm through Lucy's as the three walk down the street. "And over there another shop that sells porcelain unicorns." Nicolas pretends to open up a notebook and mark another line. Lucy giggles. "Over there is the cat club. They sell – well – cat related items."

"Cat related items?" Lucy asks. "Like paws and whiskers?" Lorelai shrugs.

"Maybe, I've never been in there, I'm not a fan of cats," Lorelai responds.

"We know," Nicolas says.

"They sell, I don't know. Wastebaskets with cats on them, cat food, little cat beds, kitty pot holders." Lorelai smiles to herself. "Not so cute ones."

Little kitty pot holders. They meow.

It's a present.

For someone you hate?

It's Rachel's birthday okay? And don't say anything, she doesn't want anyone to know. She hates birthdays.

Not as much as she's gonna hate these pot holders.

Lorelai shakes her head, remembering the horrible pot holders. "Anyways, I wouldn't recommend it."

"Especially since none of us like cats," Lucy adds. Lorelai nods.

"And let's see, another store with…"

"Porcelain unicorns," Nicolas finishes with a groan. Lucy giggles again. "Mom, this town is really crazy."

"So are many of the people in it," Lorelai tells him.

"Wow, and that makes me want to stay," Lucy says. "That's a nice church over there." Lorelai glances over.

"Yeah it is. Course it's used as a temple too. When Stars Hollow was originally constructed no synagogue was built, so Taylor Doose thought it wouldn't be historical to build one."

"Taylor was the town Castro, right?" Nicolas asks, trying to remind himself. Lorelai nods.

"The bells up there used to ring, but they don't anymore."

"Why not?" Lucy asks.

"Cuz I killed 'em," Lorelai replies, grinning mischievously.

"You did what!" Lucy exclaims, trying to imagine this.

"Oh yeah, took a wrench to the things and forced the loud torture to end. And a celebration went up in town and it was declared Lorelai Gilmore Day!" Lorelai exclaims, her arms waving madly. Nicolas shakes his head.

"That's not even a true story, is it?" Nicolas asks. Lorelai pouts.

"The first part was," she whines. She glances one eye up at the church.

What do you care?

I care.

Why?

Because I don't want you to move.

Why? Why don't you want me to move?

Lorelai huffs. "Come on. Let's get coffee," she grumps. Lucy and Nicolas follow her to the diner. Lorelai doesn't speak the entire time they're walking.

"I feel like we've been walking this town for hours," Nicolas mutters to Lucy. "Which is strange because from what I've seen, you can circumvent this town in five minutes." Lucy grins at her brother.

"Aw, face it Nicky, you love it here already," she teases, patting him on the shoulder.

"Okay," Lorelai speaks up, stopping in front of the diner. "If you want to know where the world's best coffee is, it's right here."

"In the hardware store?" Nicolas asks, pointing up at the sign. "No wait, it's a diner," he adds, glancing over at the other sign. He gives Lorelai perplexed look. "Could this town get any more confusing?" Lorelai just smiles and ruffles his hair.

"Face it, Kiddo. You ain't seen nothing yet," she responds.

"Great," Nicolas responds sarcastically, giving Lorelai a small smile.

"Okay, now just a warning, Luke, the owner, isn't the most friendly man in the world," Lorelai warns them. "In fact, if you put him next to Edward Scissorhands, you might find old Eddie more sociable." She winks and then walks in the diner. Nicolas and Lucy follow nervously.

Luke looks up at them from behind the counter when they enter. Lorelai raises one hand in a wave and smiles as she motions Lucy and Nicolas towards the nearest table. Luke nods to her and walks over. "Sit, sit, sit!" she whispers to Lucy and Nicolas.

"Suddenly I know how Benjy felt," Nicolas mutters as he puts out a chair and sits down. Lucy walks around the table and sits across from him so that Lorelai can sit between.

"Hey there," Luke greets them when he gets to the table.

"Hey there Lucas," Lorelai teases. Luke gives her a look.

"Seriously, the old rules still apply," Luke grumbles. Lorelai just grins.

"Now I see where you got the grumpy diner owner reputation," Lucy notices. Lorelai looks down, blushing. Luke shakes his head at her.

"So, Luke these are my kids, Nicolas and Lucy. Guys, this is Luke Danes." She motions to each person as she mentions them. "Luke and I go way back to the day that Rory and I moved into our house and I ran out of coffee."

"Heaven forbid," Nicolas murmurs. Luke uses all his strength not to laugh.

"Ummm… would you like some coffee?" Luke finally gets out as he holds in his laughter. Lorelai pouts.

"Yeah, coffee would be great," Lucy answers for Lorelai, who smiles her appreciation at her daughter.

"Not another one," Luke groans. Lorelai gives him a sweet smile. "Fine, three coffees, anything else?"

"Two. I'll have a rootbeer," Nicolas interrupts. Luke stares at the boy in shock. He casts a look over at Lorelai.

"Are you sure he's yours?" Luke asks. Lorelai shrugs.

"Can't brainwash 'em all," she figures.

"Right."

"Anyways, we'll have burgers all around," she says as Loren walks in the door, a backpack slung over her shoulder.

"Hey Lorelai! Hey Dad," Loren says, giving her dad a quick kiss on the cheek. Lorelai lights up, pleased that Loren remembers her.

"Hey Loren, glad you're here. I wanted you to meet Nicolas and Lucy," Lorelai says motioning to each of her kids.

"Hey, great shirt!" Lucy comments. Loren looks down and notices her Rolling Stones t-shirt.

"Oh yeah, you like the Stones?" Loren asks.

"Like? Mick Jagger totally rocks!" Lucy responds. Luke looks dismayed at this but Lorelai just smiles.

"Uh, I'll go get your…" Luke trails off, realizing that the kids aren't listening. Lorelai nods to him and he motions with his head for her to follow him. She glances back at the kids. Loren has sat down at the other chair between Lucy and Nicolas and the three are talking animatedly. Lorelai decides that they're too engrossed to care so she stands and follows Luke over to the counter. He writes down their order and hands it to Caesar.

"You motioned?" Lorelai asks, walking up to the counter.

"So they're liking it here?" Luke asks. Lorelai glances once more at the kids.

"Yeah, so far. Oh, I meant to ask you, do you still have that extra bed?"

"Extra bed?" Luke asks.

"Yeah, you know the one that Jess used," Lorelai reminds him.

"Well, that was awhile ago… but I have an extra at the house. Why?"

"Oh, well, see my house only had two people living in it before so there's only two beds. Since I'm making the extra room into Lucy's room, I thought she could use a bed to sleep on instead of sharing mine."

"Good thinking," Luke responds. "Well I could bring it by tonight if you want to help me load it in the truck."

"You want me to help you load it in the truck?" Lorelai asks in amazement, emphasizing the 'me'. Luke chuckles. "How about I send Nicolas over this evening?" Luke nods.

"That'll be fine." Lorelai nods back, smiling at him. Luke looks over her shoulder at the teenagers. "She's a cool kid, Loren likes her already," Luke comments. Lorelai glances over at the kids. Nicolas is staring out the window, completely bored as Lucy and Loren are deep in conversation.

"Yeah, she's a lot like her mother," Lorelai says softly.

"So's Loren," Luke notes. Lorelai whips her head around in surprise.

"Oh," Lorelai gasps. She forces a nervous smile as she remembers her talk with Sookie about Mandy. "Right – I – I didn't think," she stammers, glancing back over at Loren, finally seeing Loren's caramel colored hair and green eyes, nothing like Luke. "Wow. I guess I didn't realize because I didn't know Mandy." Luke clears his throat.

"I meant she's a lot like you," Luke remarks softly. Lorelai flips her head around again, even more surprised than before. Luke shrugs. "I didn't really know how to go about raising a kid. The only parent I had ever really known was you. I guess I just raised her like you raised Rory." Lorelai watches Loren, a flash memory of April at her birthday party going through her head.

"I think I can see that," Lorelai says softly.

"Nick is more like his Dad?" Luke concludes. Lorelai squints her eyes, as if dissecting Nicolas, just as he suddenly looks over at her.

So you have a daughter, right?

Yes, Rory.

That's good, you'd be wasted on a son.

I'll take that as a compliment.

It is.

Lorelai smiles at her son. Luke watches the mother/son interaction, taken aback with how at ease Lorelai is with raising a son. "I'll go check on those burgers."

"Yeah," Lorelai says turning back to face Luke. "And quick, quick please, we still have to make a trip to the Dragonfly before things get really crazy with dinner preparations."

A little while later, Lorelai, Nicolas and Lucy have finished their meals at the diner and are walking up the path to the Dragonfly. "See Sookie and I used to work at this inn called the Independence Inn and, like I said, we always dreamed of owning our own. At least we started dreaming about that when we started working together, I don't mean that when I was your age I was dreaming about owning an inn. At that point I was dreaming of growing my hair long and joining the Bangles."

"Mo-om," Lucy whines, having obviously heard this story before.

"Right, but what I was saying is that Luke's girlfriend Rachel showed me this place and I instantly fell in love with it. I mean I knew it was perfect. And Sookie knew it was perfect. And Rory knew it was perfect. It was perfect. It really was. And we saw our dream coming together. It took lots of time and lots of money and lots of creative input, only one of the three did I actually have at the time, but we did it. And it was a success. And look at it now." Lorelai motions to the inn, just smiling up at it. "We knew we could do it. I mean, I wasn't sure at times. But we did do it."

This place is great.

Do you think I can do this?

I already told you you can do this and I already told you that I already told you you can do this.

"Mom, you really like this place don't you?" Lucy asks. Lorelai glances over at her daughter, still in a stupor.

"Huh?"

"I mean Stars Hollow. You've gone on and on about everything. You really like this place," Lucy comments. Lorelai nods.

"Yeah, it's a great town. It was home," Lorelai responds.

"I get why you stayed away, but Mom, why did you leave in the first place if you loved this place so much?" Lucy asks. Lorelai's smile disappears quickly as she purses her lips, glancing back at the inn. She takes a deep breath.

"Come on, Sookie's waiting," Lorelai says, blatantly ignoring Lucy's question. Nicolas shrugs at Lucy as they follow Lorelai inside. "Hi Michel," Lorelai says, happily greeting her old friend.

"Lorelai! I heard you were back!" Michel says in his fake happy voice. He walks around the desk and over to her. "It is so good to see you."

"Oh, Michel, I know deep down you really mean that," Lorelai teases.

"I would hug you but…"

"It would be strange wouldn't it?" Lorelai figures.

"And it would wrinkle my suit," Michel adds.

"Yes, I have been known to wrinkle many a man's suit," Lorelai quips. "Michel, I want you to meet my kids, Nicolas and Lucy."

"Oh more children, oh joy," Michel murmurs, still using is pseudo-happy voice. Lorelai shakes her head at him.

"Michel and Rory were like two peas in a pod," Lorelai kids. Michel glares at her.

"Lorelai!" Sookie exclaims, walking quickly into the front hallway. A young girl follows Sookie into the room.

"Sookie!" Lorelai cries as well, as they run towards each other hugging as if they hadn't just seen each other a few days ago.

"Hi Nicolas, hi Lucy," Sookie greets both the kids. They both wave and say hello in response. "And Lorelai, you remember my Martha." Sookie grabs Martha's arm, pulling her daughter next to her.

"Oh yeah, of course, hi Martha, wow you're so tall now!" Martha smiles a hello and then looks over at Nicolas, with whom she shares another small smile.

"Yeah it's crazy how tall this one is. I mean Jackson's family isn't tall. And look at me," Sookie says. Lorelai nods, folding her arms over her chest.

"Yes well I do remember the milkman at that time being 6'2"," Lorelai teases.

"Oh you," Sookie responds, flinging a hand in Lorelai's direction.

"So Martha, how are you?" Lorelai asks.

"Oh fine. I'm in my Junior year at Stars Hollow High. I'm on the cheerleading squad. Things are going good," Martha answers. "Are you guys going to SHHS?"

"I am, she's not," Nicolas responds, motioning to Lucy with his thumb.

"Cool, well I'll see you there," Martha says, smiling at Nicolas.

"Are you excited about having the house to yourself when Davey goes to school next year?" Lorelai asks Martha, who shrugs.

"I don't know, I mean it's still awhile away. But I think it might be nice."

"I'm sure. I mean, I have no experience to relate to, as an only child. And as I left home before I was – well – your age," Lorelai realizes, laughing quietly to herself. "Guess I shouldn't comment on this topic…" She glances over at Sookie, who's motioning to her. "Umm… you guys talk, I'll be… yeah, talk." Lorelai shakes her head and follows Sookie into the parlor.

"Lorelai, I wanted you to meet Leslie," Sookie says, wrapping an arm around the girl next to her.

"Oh, you're Lorelai! I've been just so excited to meet you. Ever since Sookie said you were here, I've been just so excited!" Leslie exclaims. Lorelai raises her eyebrows at Leslie's level of excitement.

"Well, wow, I'm glad I could make your day," Lorelai responds.

"It's just that I really need time off with the wedding coming up and I just found out I'm pregnant." Lorelai nods knowingly, reaching out and patting Leslie's arm.

"I completely empathize with your situation, I was pregnant and engaged when I was pregnant with my son," Lorelai says, motioning to Nicolas who's talking to Martha in the hall. Sookie raises an eyebrow but says nothing. "I'm definitely here to be of any help you might need."

"Oh no, I'm here to help you. I mean, this is your place," Leslie replies. She notices a maid motioning at her. "Well, it was nice to meet you. I'll see you around." Lorelai nods to her as she walks away.

"Sookie, this is so amazing. You've really done a great job here," Lorelai says, wrapping an arm around Sookie's arm as she glances around. "I really missed it here," she adds softly, glancing back into the front hallway.

Hey, hi. You came.

I RSVP'd.

Oh.

These are for you, a little congratulations.

Oh my God, they're beautiful. Thank you.

Lorelai smiles to herself and looks down, still picturing the beautiful flowers. "Well I missed you. I'm glad you're back," Sookie says. Lorelai glances over at Sookie.

"Yay." Lorelai purses her lips glancing around again. "I never meant to stay away so long…"