I've been waiting for something,
I've been sitting for too long.
I've been waiting but oh tonight,
this one last try, goes on and on and on

Should've known better than to listen.

When the dreams and the words started falling apart.

This is the Countdown

It was a week after she left, a week full of heavy introspection, when Luke finally figured out what he needed to do first.

On a sunny spring day, as children were playing at the park across the street Luke Danes brought out a worn phone directory and leafed through the pages until he found what he was looking for. Dialing the number, his face was resolute. This step was the first one back to Lorelai, it was important and no way could he turn back now.

After he set the receiver back in its cradle on the wall, he leaned against the shelves and sighed. No turning back now.

Sixty minutes later he was dressing in his 'good pants' and button down blue dress shirt, face freshly shaven as he walked in the doors of the office.

The smell of new leather greeted him. He marveled at the pristine sitting room, surely this was a place you were more apt to see an Emily Gilmore (or a Christopher Hayden), but definitely not Luke Danes. He went to the desk at the end of the room and told the prissy looking woman there who he was and why he was there. She told him to sit down, he'd be called shortly.

Fifteen long minutes later, the woman looked at him.

"Mr. Danes?"

"Yeah?"

"Mr. Dagwood will see you now." And she pointed him to a large door down a short hallway.

"Thanks." He stood and walked to the door. Opening it and greeted the distinguished looking man on the other side.

Luke Danes hated lawyers. A fact he had known for a long, long time and had seemingly forgotten when he foolishly married one, on a cruise ship far away from the comfort of Stars Hollow. His association with that lawyer, and the one who handled the subsequent divorce, was one of regret but today sitting staring at the grey-haired man in front of him he decided that maybe not all lawyers were so bad. This one had greeted him kindly, explained everything he would need to know about custody law in Connecticut and did so in short concise words, explaining things in a way even the lawyer-phobic Luke could understand.

"Now, Luke, the first thing that will need to be done is a DNA test. We have to establish paternity. Not that I don't believe this girl is as smart as you say she is but a twelve-year olds science fair project isn't going to hold up in court. If Ms. Nardini tries to stop you from getting the test done, we'll need to put an order into the court for it."

"Once that's done, we'll put in an order for custody. You said you don't want to take the girl from her mother so what we'll do is ask for joint legal custody and visitation. This way Ms. Nardini will still have sole physical custody of April but you'll get to be a part of all the decisions in her life, schooling, medical, and whatnot and also get to see her on a regular basis without having to jump through hoops. This sound good to you?"

"Yeah… will April have to go to court? I don't want to do anything that would upset her."

"Mr. Danes, I know you don't but with her being thirteen and you being a relatively new fixture in her life, the judge is probably going to want to talk to her. This could actually be in your advantage, you said it seems like she likes spending time with you. All she needs to do is tell the judge this, they usually let children her age have a lot of say in their visitation arrangements. Most likely she won't have to actually BE in the court room, the judge will probably just talk to her for a little while in his/her chambers."

"Okay. I just, I just don't want this to get ugly but I realize things can't stay like they are."

"And admitting that and asking for your rights is just another part of being a good father. Don't worry, I think any judge will look at the situation and make sure you have your chance to be the father you want to be."

"Alright, first thing first, another DNA test?"

"Yes, now here is a paper outlining the procedure. Show it to Ms. Nardini and make an appointment. Its best if she'll co-operate and give her DNA as well makes things better for the results. On my end, I'll be starting up the papers and having them delivered to Ms. Nardini in order for her to find her own representation. Does that sound good."

"Yeah," Luke said as he stood up and reached his hand out to shake Mr. Dagwood's, "thank you, for everything."

"It's my job, just like coming here is your job as a father. It's a good thing you're doing, don't forget that." Luke nodded his head and left the room, as he walked out to his car he felt the sensation of an immense burden being lifted from his shoulders. Only once that happened, a new sensation began to build in his stomach. He started the truck and turned towards Woodbridge, there was one more place he needed to go today.


On the drive to Woodbridge, Luke thought very hard about what he was going to say. The wording was crucial. He couldn't just spring it on her, could he? Of course having a twelve-year-old daughter sprung on you wasn't something that should happen either.

He decided that it didn't matter how he said it, just that he did. She shouldn't be getting of scot-free like she had been. He had to make a stand, for him, for April, and for Lorelai. No more pushover Danes. He was resolute.

He pulled the truck into her driveway, got out and quickly walked to the door.

With three confident knocks he waited.

Anna Nardini opened the door and looked at him, surprised.

"Hey Luke, um… April's not here, she's at school."

"I'm not here to see April. I need to talk to you and I'd rather she wasn't here for that." At the serious look on his face she nodded her head and stepped aside to let him in.

They sat in her living room, her on the couch him in a chair.

"Do you want some tea or something?"

"No. This isn't a social call, Anna. I need to know what you said to Lorelai when she came to see you." Anna sighed and looked to the ground in thought. A few seconds later she looked up and began to speak.

"I just told her that I didn't want some passing ship in April's life. I don't bring men into her life until we have been dating for a long time. I told her that when you got married we could talk about how she fits in April's life."

"That's all?"

"I may have said something about engaged not being married when she tried to explain that she wasn't just someone that was going to leave but other than that yes."

"Why would you say that?" There is an angry look in his eyes.

"Because it's the truth, look I don't know anything about your relationship with this woman but I am April's mother and I have to make decisions about her well-being."

"Yes, well I am her FATHER. I can make decisions too. And NO you do NOT know a damn thing about my relationship with Lorelai. You don't know how I loved her and was her friend for eight years before I got up the courage to kiss her. You don't know how I would do anything for her and Rory. You don't know what we have been through to stay together. And you most certainly do not know how much we love each other and how we are IT. She's it. She's the one and she's in my life and April is now in my life so I need the two parts of MY life to be able to be in each other's lives as well." He was fuming by now.

"Look, I don't know what you think—"

"Oh you know what I think? I think you're a horrible person from keeping this from me. I don't hate you, but I cannot get over what you did. I had the RIGHT to know, Anna. I am her father; I had a right to know, no matter what, that I had a CHILD! You don't get to keep that from me and think that you get to hold all the cards. I called a lawyer. I want my rights. I am going to get my rights. Do you understand that? I don't want to take April from you. I don't want to change her living situation. She stays with you but I want decisions in her life and a proper visitation schedule. Can you live with that?" There was a long silence. Both stared at each other in quiet defiance of the other. After a few moments, Anna looked to the ground once more and exhaled loudly.

"Yeah."

"Good. First thing that my lawyer said needed to happen would be a proper DNA test. I've called a hospital and if we can go Wednesday afternoon we can get the blood taken and have the results ready before court next Friday. They said its best if the samples are from all three of us. Will you co-operate?"

"Yes."

"Fine, I'll see you Wednesday then. Tell April to call me when she's done with her homework tonight." And with that he walked out the door. He immediately felt a huge burden being lifted. The fight wasn't over, but he knew as long as he stood strong that he'd come out victorious with April and with Lorelai.