Author's Note: I'm so sorry it took me so long to post this! I totally forgot. The end of the semester is killing my brain. And then, the site wouldn't let me log in for days. I promise to not take so long next time. Anyway, thanks for the wonderful feedback. Keep it coming! Also a huge thanks to my amazing beta xphilehb!

Previously in "A New Beginning": Chris got engaged, Luke cheered Lorelai up, and Rory had a little "talk" with Luke.

"What time is Christopher picking Rory up?" Luke asked.

"He and Sherry will be at the house around noon," Lorelai informed him. "Sherry wants to officially meet me," she added. "Joy."

"Well, that's probably good, right?" he reasoned. "That way you know who Rory's going to be spending time with."

"I guess," Lorelai relented. "It's just that seeing her makes her real. Before now, I could pretend she looked like the ugly stepmother from Cinderella. Now, I'm going to know the truth."

"We can always pretend that she's going to turn back into a mouse at midnight," he joked.

She laughed. "That could work. I can't believe you've seen Cinderella! Do you have a secret obsession with Disney movies?"

"I have a younger sister," he reminded Lorelai. "She used to watch all of those damn movies."

"Oh! Did she make you play dress-up and have tea parties?" Lorelai teased.

"Yes, I even had my own little pink dress," he played along.

"Don't let Carson know that, because he would tell you that pink so doesn't go with your complexion."

"Who?" he inquired.

"So are you packed for this weekend?" she asked, ignoring his question. "Bringing that cute little pink dress with you?"

"Unfortunately, the dress is at the dry cleaners, but I am packed. Are you?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed.

"Yes meaning...?"

"That the entire contents of my closet are on my bed," Lorelai admitted. "But I am almost packed. I swear."

"Sure," he said in disbelief. "We're leaving in a few hours," Luke pointed out.

"I know. I'll be ready," she assured him.

It was already almost the end of summer – the months after Lorelai's birthday had flown by. Even with Rory home everyday, Lorelai had still been spending a lot of time with Luke. And now, Christopher had invited Rory to spend one of her last free weekends with him and Sherry at his parents' summer house at Cape Cod. Lorelai had reluctantly agreed to let her daughter go after Rory had assured her that one weekend would not be so terrible. And with her father's wedding quickly approaching, Rory insisted that she should probably spend a little time with Sherry – she had already avoided any meetings with her future stepmother for a few months.

Lorelai had been depressed about the situation until Luke had suggested that the two of them spend the weekend in New York. They had compromised on seeing a Broadway show for her and attending a baseball game for him. Lorelai had quickly become excited about their impending weekend together. It would be a nice end to the summer.

She had been in Stars Hollow for almost a year now, and there was no doubt in her mind that the year wouldn't have passed as smoothly as it had if she hadn't met Luke. She wanted to shout 'Ha! Take that, Emily! I survived just fine!' at her mother, but the two of them had had very little contact since that fateful dinner months back. Lorelai had spent a bit of time with her father, but it was still very awkward. She had promised Rory that after the summer, she would once again try to reconcile with Emily.

She was trying to think of some way to waste time before it was absolutely necessary that she went home to finish packing for the weekend. She fingered her empty coffee mug. Coffee. It was as good an excuse as any, if not better. "Luke, can I have some more coffee?" she requested, holding her empty cup out to him.

"Even in this heat, you still want that steaming hot drink?" he inquired.

"Uh... yeah," she said in her 'duh' sounding voice. "Besides, it's air conditioned in here."

He grabbed the pot and was about to pour her another cup when he stopped. "I think you've had enough. I don't want you yammering on nonstop all the way to New York," he told her.

"I'm going to yammer on no matter what," Lorelai informed him matter-of-factly. "You just need to decide how cranky you want me to be. Because no caffeine makes Lorelai very cranky, my friend."

"Why do you have to refer to yourself in third person?"

"Because Lorelai said so."

"Stop," he complained. "That's annoying."

"Can I have more coffee?"

"No."

"Heather has two mommies," she said out of nowhere, hoping to distract Luke.

"What?" he asked, sounding completely confused. He had no idea where she came up with these things.

She attempted to snatch the coffee pot from Luke, but he only backed away from the counter. "Mean!" she grumbled.

"Calling me mean never gets you anywhere," he tried to remind her. "You're still not getting coffee."

"Oh yeah?" she questioned, climbing up onto the counter.

"What are you doing? People eat there!" Luke exclaimed. "You're acting like a child."

She kneeled on the counter, staying still for a moment. "If you give me coffee, I'll behave."

"No coffee," he repeated and moved to walk away.

"You asked for it!" she shouted before jumping on Luke's back.

"What are you doing?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice.

She wrapped her legs securely around Luke's waist. "Haven't I proven to you already that I will do anything to get coffee?" she questioned as she reached up to grab the coffee pot. "I have my ways to get what I want," she said almost seductively, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck.

"I can see that," Luke said, practically choking on his words which caused Lorelai to laugh. He couldn't help but join in her laughter.

She was still wrapped around him when the bell above the door jingled. "Mom?" they both heard Rory ask. The two froze when they turned and saw Rory standing in the doorway along with Christopher and Sherry.

Lorelai quickly came to her senses and climbed off Luke. "He wouldn't give me coffee," she offered as an excuse.

Her daughter shrugged. "I guess that would explain any of your actions," Rory stated, taking a seat at a table with her father and his fiancée.

Lorelai made her way over to join them. "What are you all doing here? I thought that-"

"We arrived a little early, and Rory said that you'd be here," Chris supplied.

"It's partially my fault. I simply could not wait to meet the two of you," Sherry added. She offered her hand out to Lorelai. "I'm Sherry," she said brightly.

Lorelai shook the other woman's hand, noting how pretty she was. "Lorelai."

"Hey Luke?" Rory called across the diner. "Can we have some coffee?"

"Sure thing," he responded, grabbing a few clean mugs.

"Not fair," Lorelai whined, turning to give Luke a pout.

"Keep your pants on, I'm bringing you some too," Luke told her.

"You're pretty," she cooed. Luke shot her a warning glance.

"Lorelai, I hope that you don't mind that we're stealing Rory away for the weekend," Sherry said. "Christopher tells me that the two of you are very close."

"We are," Lorelai confirmed.

"Mom actually has her own plans for the weekend," Rory informed them.

"You do?" Chris inquired.

"She and Luke are going to New York," Rory said for her mother.

Chris eyed Luke. "You are?"

"Yeah, we're umm... just going to see a play and a... umm... baseball game," Lorelai stuttered, aware that her ex-husband was staring at Luke.

Sherry seemed equally interested in Lorelai's plans. "What play are you seeing? I absolutely love Broadway shows."

Rory grinned. "Mom loves when people ask her that."

Lorelai put on her best Mark impression. "Dearly beloved we gather here to say our goodbyes," she sang.

Luke arrived at the table with their coffee as Lorelai continued to sing. "What the hell is she doing?" he asked Rory.

"Singing songs from Rent," Rory responded. "She knows the entire soundtrack by heart."

"God help me," Luke muttered as he placed the mugs on the table.

"It just so happens that I'm bringing the soundtrack with us so we can listen to it the entire way there," Lorelai informed him.

"Great," Luke said.

"It's a classic," Lorelai stated before attempting to sing again, "Seasons of love! Five hundred twenty-" Luke's hand covered her mouth. "Hey!" she exclaimed, but her voice was muffled by his hand.

"Have fun, Luke!" Rory stated.

"If your mother isn't home on Sunday, it's because I left her somewhere along the highway," Luke notified Rory.

"Okay," Rory laughed and nodded, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Very funny," Lorelai chimed in.

Christopher and Sherry stayed a while longer to chat with Lorelai before finally getting up to leave. Rory gave her mother a kiss goodbye and told her to have fun before following her father out the door.

"Well, that was fun," Lorelai announced once they were out the door, taking a seat at the counter once again. "Do you think she was as pretty as me?"

"You need to go home and pack," he urged her.

"Can't I just buy everything there that I'll need?" she asked.

"Go," he ordered. "I'll be by in about an hour. You better be ready."

"I will," she promised. She grabbed her purse and made her way towards the door.

"Lorelai?" Luke called after her. She turned to face him. He was smiling at her. "Not a chance."

She returned his smile, blushing slightly as she left the diner.

To be continued. Please review! Once again, I promise to update soon (as long as finals don't rot out my brain).

La prochaine fois: The trip to NYC.