So here it is. Merry Hate Your Grandmother Day. Sorry it's taken so long to get the chapter up. I've just been volunteering at the hospital and I've had to pick up the slack of my sister being out of town with a friend, and all that other excuse type stuff. Hey, did you know "pouty" is not a word.

I dedicate this chapter to Ann, who put in an anonymous review. She was the only one to respond to the inquiry at the bottom of the last chapter. It was the one about "Where Does the Good Go" which is a wonderful song that I love and worship, and dance to every night…well, maybe not every night.

And I would like to apologize to all of you in advanced that I lied to. You will know who you are once you read the first part of the chapter. Sorry. I just can't give stuff away! So I lie. It's not illegal, just immoral.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls, or the song "Evil" for which the title of this chapter comes from. It's by Interpol for those of you who are interested.

Chapter 16: Sandy, Why Can't We Look the Other Way?

"So what is it mom?" Rory asked.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone. It's a secret and I am the only one that knows it right now. Ok?" Lorelai said.

"Sure. What's up?" Lorelai took a breath and continued.

"I'm pregnant." Lorelai said. Rory looked at her in shock. "Say something."

"How?" Rory asked.

"Well see when a man and a woman love each other very much--" Lorelai started.

"No, I mean that you said that you and Luke hadn't had IT" Rory said, trying not to picture her mother and Luke getting all hot and heavy. "In a while, and now you're saying you're pregnant." Rory said.

"I know. I don't know how, but I am." Lorelai said.

"What are you going to do?" Rory asked.

"I don't know." Lorelai said.

"Tell Lu…"

"No! I can't! I don't want to go through this again, because Luke will be all nice and happy and he'll ask me to marry him and he'll act like your father did, and then it'll just be a repeat of 22 years ago. I don't want that. I don't." Lorelai said.

"Mom, you have to tell him." Rory said.

"Rory, no I don't." she said.

"Mom--"

"No Rory! I don't! It is not your job to tell him either! This is my problem and I will deal with it!" Lorelai snapped.

"How? This just won't go away." Rory told her mother.

"Don't you think I know that Rory? I've been through this again, and I can do it again!"

"Mom, how are going to keep a kid from Luke if you live in the same town?"

"I don't know! But that's my issue, not yours. Now let's just go and get coffee." Lorelai said as she grabbed her purse and walked out to her jeep. Rory waited a few minutes, huffed and then followed her mother outside.

------------------------------

"Hey Luke." jess said as he walked into the diner with a huge grin on his face.

"Jess, I swear, if you come any closer I will stick your head in the deep fryer." Luke threatened.

"So you're a little cranky today? Well this shall be fun then." jess said with an even bigger smile. Luke threw his pad of paper onto the counter and walked briskly towards jess, who held out his arms. "Now Uncle Luke, remember we are in a public place and we wouldn't want you to break anything in the process of trying to kill me now would we?" jess said.

"I'll give you five minutes to get out of here and then I'm personally removing you." Luke said.

"I come here as a customer. Can you really give away the chance to sell me some of your wonderful burnt toast and furious anger?" jess asked.

"I have the right to refuse to provide my services to you." Luke said.

"But that doesn't mean I can't sit down." jess said.

"My property." Luke said.

"My four minutes and 31 seconds." jess said.

"Fine." Luke said as he retreated into the kitchen. Jess sat down at a table next to the door with a great view of the street and Doose's. He saw Rory and Lorelai get out of their jeep, both slamming the doors as they got out. He could see them arguing outside.

"Mom, come in!" Rory ordered.

"No! I am not going in." Lorelai said. Just bring me out a coffee please." Lorelai said.

"I'm not bringing you anything out. Look, there's Jess. I'm going into talk to him. If you find the nerve, then come in and get a coffee." Rory said as she marched into the diner and joined Jess and started talking about what a fowl mood Luke was in. it took only sixty seconds for Lorelai's withdrawal from caffeine to kick in, so she sulked into the diner slowly.

"Nice to see you." Rory said. Lorelai just glared at her daughter.

"Be careful, Luke's in a horrible mood." jess warned Rory and Lorelai.

"Ok." Lorelai said. Just then Luke walked out of the kitchen, only to see Jess sitting with Rory and Lorelai.

"Jess, what did I tell you?" Luke said.

"Well technically I still have one minute and fifty-seven seconds left, but these fine ladies decided to join me for coffee, so I have no control over my presence here. Sorry Luke, but I can't leave until they tell me I can." jess said innocently.

"Jess!" he said.

"Uh, excuse me? Can I get some more coffee?" the blueberry pancake guy asked. Luke glared at jess and then went to get the coffee.

"Yeah, Luke we all want some too." jess said. Luke glanced back and him and glared some more and Rory put on the pouty face while Lorelai looked down and started fidgeting with her fingers.

"fine." he said.

"So, Luke still hates you?" Rory asked.

"Definitely. With a passion. I don't know why of course, I was completely right to do that to him. He was being an idiot." jess said.

"And still is." Lorelai mumbled.

"Why thanks. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." Luke said as he walked over with their coffee. Lorelai blushed and looked at Rory pleadingly who only tried to hold back giggles.

Just then she caught sight of a man who was eating blueberry pancakes. He was staring at her and smiling. Lorelai flashed a little smile back.

As Luke left their table, Lorelai looked down at her coffee and tried to focus on only that, and not Luke, not being pregnant, not Rory, not jess, not the guy sitting one table over. But she couldn't. So she decided to just listen to what the guy and Luke were saying.

As Luke poured the blueberry guy's coffee, the man asked "hey, that woman over there,"

"Lorelai?" Luke asked.

"The one in the pink tank top." the man answered.

"Lorelai. What about her?" Luke asked territorially.

"Do you know her number?" he asked. Lorelai almost spit up her coffee at this.

"Why?" Luke asked.

"Well come on man, it's obvious. So do you know it?" he asked. Luke hesitated and then answered.

"No, I don't. Enjoy your coffee." Luke said as he walked away. Lorelai felt like Luke was being an idiot. He had no right to do that. He had no right to silently claim her. She wasn't his anymore.

"Hey, I'm going to the bathroom." Lorelai said as she got up. She slipped a little piece of paper onto the blueberry guys table as she walked off to the bathroom. The man looked at the paper and read it.

357-4410

He lied

Luke saw this gesture and felt hurt. Had she really just moved on like that? While he was still hung up on how to get her back? Maybe she never loved him to begin with and that's why it was so easy for her. Well then why would she marry me? Because she was vulnerable and likes the thought that someone can be there to protect her. Luke told himself.

The man smiled and stuck the piece of paper in his pocket.

When Lorelai came out of the bathroom, she headed towards her table, but instead of sitting down at hers, she sat down at the man's table.

"So, you wanted my number."

"And I have it now." the man said.

"Why yes you do. I'm flattered, but yet, normally people ask me themselves. And normally these number-askers come with names." she smiled. This was so taking her mind off of Luke and being pregnant.

"Brian Johnson." he answered as he held out his hand.

"Well, Brian Johnson." she said. "I'm Lorelai Gilmore. And what brings you into town on this fine day, other than scouting for woman, blueberry pancakes, and coffee?" she asked.

"I'm just passing through and it looked quite interesting so I decided to stop here. The signs were a bit confusing. William's hardware and Luke's Diner?" he said.

"Oh," Lorelai's face fell. "William was Luke's father and he doesn't like to let go of much so he left the sign up when he converted it into a diner. And that's the story. Don't worry. You're faster than me. It took me ten years to realize this was a diner." Lorelai laughed.

"So Lorelai, you are single, right?" Brian asked. Lorelai laughed. "Because you know I wouldn't want to be lead on for nothing." he said.

"Of course not, because that would just be too predictable?" she asked.

"Well it seems all the attractive ones are taking." he said, as he noticed that Miss Patty was still staring at him longingly.

"Oh, don't worry," Lorelai said, "Miss Patty's not taken." she joked as she saw Miss Patty stare at Brian while trying to make love to him with her eyes.

"Oh, well that makes me feel better." he said sarcastically. They both smiled.

"Well, if you want, I can hook you two up, and maybe you can finally make her happy." she joked once again. Brian looked at her horrified. Lorelai played into that horror, "because the last nine husbands couldn't." she laughed as she said it.

"Seriously?" he asked.

"Yeah, well, it might only be up to six, but the count is getting pretty high." she said.

"Want to do me a favor and not let he eat me alive while I'm still in here." he said.

"Sure. But I can't promise that she won't grope you when you go to leave."

"That's not right." Brian said.

"Of course it's not, but it doesn't stop her anyways. Maybe we'll have to sneak you out the back way." Lorelai said.

"maybe." he laughed. Just then Rory came over.

"Hey mom, I have to go and jess will get pummeled if he doesn't leave soon, so I'll see you later?" Rory said, eyeing the man sitting across from her mother.

"Sure hon, just keep away from Babette, she might figure out about the gnomes." Lorelai warned her daughter.

"Ok, bye mom." she said as she grabbed her purse and left.

"So that was your daughter?" Brian asked.

"Yeah…it was." Lorelai answered slowly.

"She's a bit older than mine." Brian said.

"You have a…?" Lorelai asked.

"I have a son. His name is Zachary. He's visiting his mother right now for the summer." Brian said.

"How old is he?"

"He's eleven."

"Yeah, Rory's twenty-one." Lorelai said.

"And that makes you…"

"Oh, well a true lady never reveals her age." Lorelai said in her horrible british accent.

"True, very true." Brian said.

"Ehem." Luke cleared his throat as he walked over to Lorelai and Brian with the pot of coffee in his hand.

"Hey Luke. How are you?" Lorelai said with a fake smile on her face.

"More coffee?" he asked.

"sure." Brian said.

"I'll have some too." Lorelai said.

"You have some at your table." Luke said.

"No I don't. The cup I had is now empty. I want more." Lorelai said.

"Fine." Luke said as he grabbed the cup and poured coffee into it and gave it to Lorelai. She took a sip and took in the aroma. Luke stood there for five seconds and then spoke up.

"Lorelai, can I talk to you?" he said.

"Maybe. Why?"

"It's a private matter." Luke said.

"Oh, well I'm a very open person Luke, you know that, so whatever you have to say, say it here."

"Lorelai, outside." she said.

"No, Luke." she refused.

Luke was getting angrier. He finally put the pot of coffee down and grabbed her by the arm and practically dragged her out the door.

"Ow, ow, Luke. Stop! What are you doing?" she asked as he released her arm.

"What are you doing in there?" he asked, pointing to Brian.

"I was talking to a man. And it's none of your business what I was doing." she told him.

"Lorelai--"

"No, I'm not yours Luke. I do not belong to you. I can talk and flirt with who ever I want to! You gave me up, remember? I asked for you back, you said no, now go to hell Luke." she told him.

"Lorelai, I was stupid! I was being an idiot--"

"Damn right, you were!" she said.

"And I just want to tell you that I'm sorry. Please, just give me another chance!" he begged. Lorelai thought about it for a few seconds.

"No. No Luke. I'm trying to move on because our relationship is going no where. So leave me alone! I don't want to be with you Luke!" she told him.

"Lorelai, just one more chance, please." he begged again.

"You had your second chance a year and half ago, now I'm done." she said.

"Lorelai--"

"You said you would never leave me Luke! You said no matter what you were in! That you would always be there for me, even if you hated me, even if we hurt each other than any normal person would stop caring! You lied!" she said as a tear streamed down her face.

They lay in bed together. It was 11 at night, and they had decided to spend the night in Luke's apartment.

"Luke?" Lorelai asks as she sits up. She had been thinking about this for the longest time and had stayed up for two hours muddling through her thoughts. She hated her insecurities, but they were there, and she knew that they would go away. It was Luke. Luke created nothing but happiness in her life and was the one thing that could make her feel better about herself and her life.

She couldn't stand it when other men complimented her because it was obviously some shallow thought that in popped into the guys mind like 'oh, you look good' or 'you look like an angel' or some other stupid cheesy line that could only attract some extremely drunk woman. But Luke was different. He told her she was wonderful and special and fantastic. To her, that meant she, herself, not her looks, not her intelligence, but her personality and the whole package. Luke made her feel like that. But she loved to just hear those three words.

"Yeah?" he answered half asleep. He had been sleeping but Lorelai's voice was always able to wake him up…along with the few nudges she gave him in the back.

"Do you love me?"

"Of course I do. Now go back to sleep." He muffled to her through his pillow. She was now leaning over his back, which was turned away from her, to make sure he heard her.

"Luke?" she was very persistent.

"What?" he said, half asleep, but none the less, still had enough consciousness to be annoyed.

"I love you." She whispered. .

"I know." he said with a smile. He rubbed up and down her arm that was dangling over his chest as she spoke.

"Luke?" she asked again. He finally figured out that she wasn't going to let him go to bed, so he sat up in bed.

"Yes, Lorelai?" he asked as he looked at her, but she gave him those eyes, so he couldn't be angry at her for keeping him from his sleep. He had even bought her a TV, couldn't she just watch TV? He could sleep through those sounds, but not her voice. He had selective hearing.

"Tell me you love me." Luke looked at her as if she was crazy. He looked at her as if she had just woken him up for this, on purpose, and was trying to sabotage his early morning deliveries. But Luke decided that he would just have to go along with her if he ever wanted to get back to bed.

"Lorelai Gilmore," he started, "I love you with all my heart." He said as he pulled her into his chest and kissed her forehead. "Now go to sleep." He ordered. He shrank back down under the covers and shut his eyes, only to be interrupted once again by her annoying questions that had been known to last up to an hour or two, sometimes she tried to keep it going all night long if she was extremely bored.

"Luke, when you say you love me, does that me you will always be there? Always? Like you'll never leave and you'll always stay with me no matter what goes wrong in our relationship?" she asked insecurely. Luke noticed this, but let it go because no matter what, he would always love Lorelai Gilmore. He had always known the potential was there deep down inside, but a few months into their relationship, Luke knew he loved her more than anyone else he had ever been with.

"Yes Lorelai. It means I will always be here with you."

"And I can sleep in your arms anytime I want?" she asked. "And kiss you anytime I want?" she quipped, throwing in a movie reference.

God, why does she have to throw in movie references this late in the evening, when I'm trying to sleep no less! Luke asked himself, although Lorelai would never be able to get him to admit that he had watched, and could even pinpoint her reference to Sweet Home Alabama. It would disgrace him if she ever knew. Of course that means that she would use that reference again in the morning to see if he had known what it was from and of course Luke would say something to give away the fact that he had, in fact, watched the movie once.

"Yeah, as long as you go to sleep." He told her.

"Ok. Goodnight." She said as she snuggled into him. After a few more minutes, Luke turned towards Lorelai's face and kissed her. "Luke?" Lorelai said questionably. "I thought we were going to bed?" she asked him. Now she was the one being interrupted. Luke just looked her straight in the eyes and told her what he was sure should have cleared up her insecurities.

"First, I need you to truly know that I'm not leaving you. Ever. I love you, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Luke told her. Lorelai just smiled at him softly and kissed his cheek. The action seemed to say 'I understand you know, I believe you, and now let's go to bed'.

"Luke?"

"What?"

"I'm not going anywhere either."

"Lorelai--"

"No Luke. I have to get back inside." she said as she went inside. Luke stood there in shock for a few more seconds and then went inside with his head hanging.

Lorelai went to her table and sat down.

"Hey, you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah I'm fine. It was nice talking to you Brian, but you don't want to get mixed up with me. My life's so complicated that I can't even get through the day without having a breakdown. You'd be better off with Patty, and that's saying something. I'm sorry. The truth is I'm just getting out of a relationship that really meant something to me, and I don't want you to be the rebound guy. You deserve better. It was nice meeting you. Bye." she said as she kissed him on the cheek and left.

---------------------------------------------

"Ok, bye jess. Yeah, try and stay clear of Luke, he really seems to want to kill you." Rory joked as they stood on her porch. He leaned in to give her a kiss, but she pulled away.

"Rory--"

"I'm still with Logan, and he has changed. I love him." she said. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok." jess said as he walked off the porch and towards town to beat himself up for being so stupid.

And I request that you all review, because there is only one chapter left, and I will probably be posting it right after the weekend. I don't have much else to say, so here's my little quote-y thing-a-ma-bobber:

"Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads"

So what do you think? It's part of a song by Snow Patrol. It's a great song.