Note: Hey everybody! Nice to see you all enjoyed the last chapter. You guys made me laugh in the reviews. LOL. No don't worry; Emily and Richard are not on drugs. They're just trying very hard to be nice and win back Lorelai's affection. Anyway here is the next chapter. Enjoy!!

Hope Floats

Chapter 28:

Lorelai and Rory walk into Luke's diner.

"Oh my god, mom! You are enjoying this way too much." Rory says, although she is still slightly amused herself.

They walk up to the counter to greet Luke.

"Hey Luke!"

"Hey Rory!"

"Hey Pumpkin!" Lorelai leans over and gives him a kiss.

"I told you not to call me that! Why do you need to give me these stupid nicknames all of the time. Half of the town is now calling me by some of those nicknames they heard you using on me. Now Miss Patty calls me Smoochie Poo, Babette calls me Cutie Pie and even worse Kirk keeps calling me Papi Papi. So no more Sweety, Big Daddy, Tiger, Sexy Sweet Thang, Pumpkin or any other of those nicknames you've got for me. My name is Luke or Lucas if you want to be more formal." Luke says grumpily.

Rory starts to laugh out loud.

"Ahh, is Grumpy back tonight." Lorelai says in a childish voice and smiles.

"Oh, and no reference to any dwarfs what so ever." Luke replies. "And why are you so chipper anyway? Didn't you just have Friday night dinner?"

Rory decides to answer that for Lorelai. "Yes we did. But mom is getting way to much satisfaction out of seeing grandma squirming herself back into her good graces. For the last 4 weeks she's been bringing up these ridiculous topics to talk about and expects grandma and grandpa to join her in these conversations. You should have seen grandma tonight. She is trying really hard, but I think mom was reaching her limit tonight." Rory says with a laughing voice.

Lorelai is now also snickering out loud. "You should have been there, Luke. It was hilarious. I should have brought my video camera. I was telling her about the baby names we were thinking about, like for instance baby spice. I told her that I always wanted a spice girl. Oh, oh and I told them I wanted to name the baby Brunette in case the baby turns out to be blonde or maybe Apple, because I've been craving apples so much." Lorelai and Rory were laughing now together.

Luke is looking confused right now. "We haven't discussed any names at all and especially not those kind of names."

"Yeah, I know, but mom went through a whole list of names like that. She just made them up as they came to her. She even went through all the names of the Lord of the Rings. Grandma tried to keep a straight face the whole time, but she almost lost it when in the end mom told her that if she wasn't able to pick one of these names, she would just name the baby Lorelai again. Only would she give her the calling name Lola, cause otherwise it would of course be to confusing with three Lorelai's in the house." Rory finishes.

"Yes of course!" Luke says playing along. "But you shouldn't be so cruel to your mother." Luke says to Lorelai. "She's really been trying hard, you can't deny that!"

"No I can't! She's been great in a freaky kind of way. But just let me enjoy this while it lasts and believe me I think it won't last much longer. This is payback for all the things she's put me through and I just want to enjoy it as long as I can. Oh by the way, expect a visit from the famous Emily Gilmore soon, cause I talked her into having dinner at the diner. I was going on and on how great your coffee is and how great the food is here, when she told me she was sure it was great. Then I told her that she could not know that unless she tried it and persuaded her to come by. I can't wait to see her face while she is sitting here and ordering from your menu." Just thinking about it gives Lorelai mischievous sparkles in her eyes

"You did what?" Luke can't believe what he is hearing. "Well I guess it doesn't matter. I have to face her sooner or later and it might better be sooner, while she is still in such a tolerant mood. But speaking about the menu. I assume you came here to get some pie. What would you like? Apple, peach or cheesecake?"

"Ohh, apple, apple, apple!" Lorelai says jumping up and down.

"And Cheesecake for me, please." Rory says smiling.

xxx

Rory wakes up because of the loud music that is playing. She groans and puts her pillow on top of her head. This doesn't help much though, cause she can still hear all the words from the song and her mom singing along with them.

"Well I guess it is time to get up." She mutters to herself and gets out of bed. When she walks into the kitchen she sees her mom dancing and singing along with the music that is blasting from the radio.

'The phone rings…in the middle of the night.'

'My father yells what you gonna do with your life.'

'O daddy dear you know you're still number one.'

'But girls they want to have fun.'

'Oh girls just want to have…'

"Hey honey! Did I wake you up?" Lorelai says to a very sleepy looking Rory.

"Mom! What are you doing up this early?"

"Early? I've been up since seven this morning. I think this little one is taking after her father. She wakes me up at dawn every morning."

"But does that mean that you also have to wake me up as well?" Rory replies.

"No! But I already cleaned the house and did the laundry and now I got bored. So I just thought I teach the little one about how to enjoy life and great music and of course that means learning her about Cindy Lauper. I was thinking about doing The Bangles next."

Rory just turns around and walks away. "I'm going to take a shower, so we can go to Luke's. Be sure to play it loud so I can also sing along from under the shower."

"Will do hon!"

' Girl just want to have fun, oh hirls just want to have…'

"That's all they really want …..'

Twenty minutes and half a Bangles cd later, they are ready to go to Luke's.

"So tell me! How are you and ET doing?" Lorelai asks Rory.

"We're fine!" Rory sighs.

"Oh, oh, I hear a 'but' coming up." Lorelai is looking intensely at Rory now.

"It's just………I'm starting to get a bit frustrated. I know we have decided to take things slow and we have. It is just that we aren't moving forward at all. Tristan won't even let the kisses get to intense. He always stops us whenever that is about to happen."

"Well, honey, maybe he is just scared. But you should really talk to Tristan about this!"

"I know! I think I will talk to him when he gets back tomorrow." Rory replies.

"Back? Where did he go?"

"Oh! He went back to Georgia last Wednesday. He went to visit Julie and some of his old buddies. Apparently Julie has met someone new and she was dying to show the new love of her life to Tristan." Rory explains to Lorelai, trying to sound casual about it.

Lorelai can see right through the mask though. "Ah I see! And this is bothering you because?"

Rory gets very defensive at this. "It doesn't bother me at all. I think it is great that they are still such great friends. Why would it bother me?"

Lorelai oppresses a smile. "Hey sweety, it's me you're talking to. I know you better than I know myself."

Rory looks at Lorelai and knows that it's true. "Don't get me wrong. I really do think that it is great that they're still such really good friends. I've been supporting of this since the beginning. Julie is a great girl. It's just that… I don't know. Things haven't been progressing between the two of us. Don't get me wrong. These last 7 weeks have been wonderful. But it has mainly been just hanging around and stealing some kisses on the side. I guess, I'm just afraid that maybe he is tired of me already. That I'm not all that he thought I would be and that seeing Julie again will remind him of that. Stupid, huh?"

Lorelai gives her a hug. "Oh, honey, that's not stupid. I think you are a great person for letting him go like that and trusting him like that. But that doesn't mean that you're not allowed to get jealous. Hell, most people would be jealous in this situation. It is just how you deal with it that counts. Just give him the benefit of the doubt and talk to him when you get back tomorrow."

"Thanks mom! I will." She gives her mom another hug.

"So what do you want to do today? And please keep this big belly of mine in mind."

"I thought we could pick out the paint for the baby's room, so Luke can start painting it. You're due in six weeks, so you guys better get everything ready."

"That's a great idea! We've been wanting to do that for three months now, but somehow something always comes up. Oh, oh, and to celebrate the newly colored room we should have an old fashion movie night." Lorelai replies excitingly.

"Oh, can I ask Lane?" Rory asks jumping slightly. "They boys eat all of the food in her house, so it will be a real treat for her."

"Sure!" Lorelai replies and takes her arm as they walk further to Luke's.

xxx

Rory is driving back to Yale. Tristan had called her earlier to tell her that he had landed safely and wanted to know if she wanted to hook up later on. She told him she would come over to his place and that was where she was going right now.

Somehow she was feeling very anxious. She knew she had to talk to him, but she was afraid of his response. Yesterday Lorelai and Lane had done their best to keep her occupied and it had actually worked for a while, that was, until she went to bed.

She smiles when she thinks of Lane's reaction this morning. Lane had slept at the couch and when she woke up she was moaning loudly. When Rory came to see what was wrong, she found Lane rubbing her tummy, which was still very round. "How could you guys let me eat this much? I don't think I can eat anything for the rest of the month."

She turned into the parking lot. Okay why did her stomach feel like she is in a rollercoaster? "Don't be silly, Rory Gilmore. There is nothing to be worried about." She mutters to herself.

She walks up to his dorm knocks on his door. She can hear Frank Sinatra on the other side. 'Funny!' she thinks. 'Never thought him to be a Sinatra lover.'

Then he opens the door and Rory is looking at his handsome face. He is smiling brightly at her and Rory feels all her fears fade away.

"Hey, beautiful. I've missed you!" He says and pulls her in to give her a sweet kiss.

"Wow, I've missed you too! How was your trip and how was Julie doing?" Rory replies.

"The trip was great and so was Julie. She introduced me to this new guy she has been seeing. His name is Justin and he is a fireman. She looked really happy, so I'm glad for her. I think you would like Justin too. He's a real coffee addict, just like you. Says it keeps him up at all the different shifts he has to pull."

Rory smiles and takes of her coat, which Tristan takes from her.

"I have made some pictures though, that I can show you. I'll hook my camera up to the computer later, so you can see. But first would you like something to drink? I just opened a bottle of wine, but I could also make you some coffee if you want."

"No, red wine is fine." She replies and goes to the couch to sit.

Tristan pours two glasses of wine and walks over to her.

"Where is Jake?" She asks him as she takes the glass from his hand.

"He's over at Bridget's place. Said he wanted some privacy."

"Ohh." Is all Rory says and then she downs her glass in one sip. She immediately feels her body warming up inside.

Tristan starts to laugh. "I wouldn't do that too often if I were you, because you can get really drunk that way."

He strokes her face and puts a string of hair behind her ear. "I've really missed you you know?"

"I've really missed you too." She replies softly and leans in to kiss him.

Tristan also leans in and they start kissing each other passionately. But after a couple of minutes he breaks free from the kiss and stands up. "Do you want to see the pictures?"

Rory feels the tears welling in her eyes, but tries her hardest not start crying.

Tristan can feel that something is wrong though and turns back to her.

"Rory! What's wrong?" He says, while he sits next to her and takes her hand.

At this a single tear runs down Rory's face. "Why won't you kiss me Tristan?"

"What do you mean? I kiss you all the time." He says totally confused.

"Yes you kiss me, but you always pull away after a moment. Why? It really feels like you're rejecting me." She says and now tears are starting to fall faster.

"Oh Rory, I never meant it that way. It did it out of self-protection. You have no idea what your kisses do to me and we've decided to take things slow. I just want to make sure you're totally ready and that Logan is out of your system. I guess it's just me building a wall in case I'm just the rebound guy."

Rory is now looking at him totally flabbergasted. She had no idea he had been thinking these things. "Oh Tristan! Although I will always have feelings for Logan, he's has been long out of my system. Couldn't you see that there was only room for you? I'm totally in love with you." She cries out to him.

"Really?" He says looking at her hopefully.

"Really!" She smiles back to him.

Then he takes her face between his hands and starts to kiss her feverishly. And this time he is not planning on pulling back any time soon.

xxx

A/N: So what did you think? Please review!