Fades to Black

Chapter 18: The Real Paul Anka

Disclaimer: I don't own the show or the characters; they belong to the wonderful creators of Gilmore Girls.

Summary: My version of what happens after the screen fades to black…

A/N: Thank you guys so much for all of your amazing reviews. They really made my day, I'm so glad you liked it

They had just left Jess's store when the questions started coming.

"Your nephew wrote that book?" April asked.

"Yeah. Jess wrote this book." Luke said, with that proud father smile he saved for special occasions.

"Could I read it?"

"Let me read it first. It might not be appropriate for you."

"Please, I've watched enough episodes of Sex and the City to be way past appropriate."

"I didn't even know you knew that word." Luke said, almost horrified.

"So, when do I get to meet her again?" April asked, changing the subject. He had trouble keeping up with her sometimes. She had a fast mind just like Lorelai, so it wasn't too difficult. There were just some moments, like this one, where she left him completely lost.

"What?"

"Your fiancée." April said.

"Oh." Luke said. "I don't know."

"She's going to be my step mother, Luke." She said, with her hands on her hips.

"You'll meet her." He nodded.

"Hey, can you hold my sweater?" She asked, again changing the subject.

"Sure."

"Hello?"

"She called me Dad!"

"What?"

"April. April called me Dad. She told her friend that her Dad is so overprotective. That's me. I'm the overprotective Dad."

Lorelai sank into the couch, with a small smile playing at her lips. "That you are."

"I can't believe it. She called me Dad."

"Congratulations, Daddy." Lorelai told him.

He sighed, a happy sigh. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Papa." Lorelai laughed.

"Enough mocking." He told her.

"Alright, I'm sorry… That's so great, Luke. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks."

"How was Jess?" Lorelai asked, munching on some Cheese-Its.

"He was good. I'm really proud of him, you know? He's doing so much better now. He paid me back, you know. Everything. All of it. He gave me a check."

Lorelai smiled. "It's because of you, you know." Lorelai told him.

"What?"

"I know you always said you failed him… but c'mon, Luke, you can't really think that… Look at him now. You did so great." Lorelai told him.

Luke smiled. "I guess I did."

"You'll do great with April, too." She told him, even though it stung a little to stay the words.

"Well, at least I have you to help me." He told her.

"Yeah." She said, quietly.

"How old was Rory when she started liking boys?" Luke asked, changing the subject quickly.

"What?"

"16, right? She dated Dean when she was 16."

"So?"

"Well… April likes a boy." Luke told her.

"What?"

"Do you think she's too young to like a boy? She's 12. Isn't that too young? I wonder if Anna knows she likes a boy." Luke babbled.

"She's 12, Luke. She's not too young." Lorelai told him.

"But Rory was 16 when she dated Dean."

"So? It's just a crush. I had crushes in kindergarten." Lorelai told him. She could tell he was raising his eyebrow on the other end of the line.

He was.

"I don't know…"

"She's a girl. She's almost a teenager. Crushes happen."

"I guess… God, I have a kid with a crush. I have a kid who's almost a teenager."

"The worst is yet to come, my friend."

"That makes me feel great."

"I knew it would." She told him.

"So… I saw Rory."

"You what?"

"She was at Jess's opening." Luke explained. "She didn't tell you?"

"No. Was Logan with her?" Lorelai asked.

"Nope. She was alone."

"Huh." Lorelai said, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. Rory went to visit Jess and she wasn't with Logan. She'd have to give her a call later on.

"I introduced her to April."

"You what?"

"She met April."

"She did?" Lorelai asked. She'd admit she was jealous that Lane got to play board games with Luke's daughter. She'd admit she was jealous that Jess got to meet her first. But Rory? Rory got to meet her before she did? That wasn't fair.

"Yeah."

Lorelai sighed. Her mother said she was being cautious instead of diving in. She was. Sometimes she was surprised by how much her mother knew her. Sometimes she wasn't.

She was right. She should just dive in. April is going to be in her life. She has to be in April's life. She has to meet Luke's kid. Once she does, things will be OK. Her mother was right. She had to be sometime, right?

"When do I get to meet her?" Lorelai asked.

"What?"

"April. How come I haven't met her yet? I mean, besides that one time. I'm going to be her stepmother." Lorelai said. Luke remembered April's words from earlier.

"I know you are." Luke said.

"So…"

"You'll meet her."

"When?"

"When we come home from the trip. She wants to meet you, too."

"She does?" Lorelai asked, a smile forming on her lips.

"Yeah. She asked about you today. She wants to meet you."

Lorelai smiled, and put her feet up on the coffee table. "She really wants to meet me?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't she?" Luke asked.

Lorelai shrugged. "I don't know… you better hurry up and get home, mister. I miss you. My elbow hurts."

He laughed. "I miss you, too."

"Good. When all those hot Philadelphia girls are flitting around you, you just remember that I am the easiest lay you will ever have."

"I'll remember that." He told her.

"You better." She told him, playing with her hair.

"So… how was your day?"

"Well… I poured coffee on Lane's wedding dress, my mother scarred a poor little girl named Sissy, The real Paul Anka works at Doose's and was sitting on Babette's lap, the dog Paul Anka was putting on a show in your apartment, my parents might be looking at real estate in Stars Hollow, Taylor is trying to throw me in jail, and Kirk went to the ER because he got bitten by a bat."

"So… nothing out of the ordinary?"

"Nope, not really."

I like pretending it could just be this easy. Well, I suppose it could be. I like pretending that ASP will be nice enough to make it this easy, and fix everything. Man….

I updated Poker Faces today. Check it out, homie.

I wished there was more Rory/Jess. Just like funny banter or anything… just them being friends, even. I'd also like more Luke/Jess. AND it would have been nice to see Rory and April interact more. I know Rory was thinking that she shouldn't be meeting April before Lorelai does and she was probably nervous… but still, I wish we could see more of their interacting.

I wish Lorelai would just tell Luke she wanted to meet April. I'm sure if she told him, he'd be completely fine. I understand she wants him to come to her… but maybe he doesn't know how. Maybe he doesn't know if she even wants to meet April. She hasn't show any interest at all. I mean, I understand why she hasn't, but… Idk. I understand both sides. I just wish they'd suck it up and be together. Damn ASP.

Go Red Sox. Opening day is a beautiful thing.

Reviews would make me smile.