April was finished with her tests and scans. She had some stitches on her forehead and a cast on her left wrist. She was nervous because no one was telling her anything about her mother. She was starting to feel groggy from the painkillers she was given.

"April, April, are you okay?" Luke leaned over her bed and took her face in his hands, "April, talk to me. What happened? Are you okay?"

"Mom and I fought, she said we had to leave town. She had packed some bags." April started falling asleep.

"What's wrong with her?" Luke turned to Lorelai.

"She's had pain killers, it's four in the morning and it looks like she didn't get much sleep last night. I'll stay with her, you go find Anna." Lorelai pulled a blanket over April and pressed the button to lower the bed so it wasn't in full upright position. Luke kissed her and left the room, Lorelai clicked on the TV and turned the volume down to not disturb April.

Luke went to the nurse's station and asked for Anna. The nurse looked scared and told him to wait a minute. Then a tall doctor came and ushered him to a quiet corner.

"You're Mr. Danes?"

"Yeah. Can you please tell me what is going on with Anna?"

"Ms Nardini was in a single car collision and sustained some serious injuries. It was touch and go for a while and there is still some internal bleeding that we're trying to get under control. From what her daughter told us, they were arguing in the car and Ms Nardini lost control when she took her eyes off the road. As the car was hydroplaning Ms Nardini removed her seatbelt and threw herself on top of her daughter to shield her."

"What?"

"Not the best judgment call since her daughter was wearing a seatbelt and is the proper height and weight for the airbags to work properly. However the toxicology report found a high alcohol level which would explain the erratic driving and poor judgment."

Luke felt his blood begin to boil when he heard that Anna was driving drunk, especially with April in the car.

The doctor continued, "I will keep you updated on her condition now that you have been verified as family."

"I have?"

"Your fiancé provided the nurses with the DNA test results confirming your paternity of Ms Nardini's daughter. It was wise of you to bring that tonight since you are not on the birth certificate."

Luke exhaled and smiled thinking of Lorelai, she was brilliant, he never would have thought about bringing proof like that. He might have in a more calm moment, but certainly not after getting a call that his daughter was in a car accident.

"You should know that if Ms Nardini recovers she will be handed over to the police. With her alcohol level that high while driving -"

"No need to explain," Luke interrupted, "Anyone driving drunk should be handed over to the cops."

"What's the deal with April? Can I take her home?"

"We would like to keep her here overnight for observation. Her scans all came back clear, but with possible head injuries we like to be extra careful. Around lunch time, if she checks out okay she should be good to go."

"Thanks. Is there an officer here that I can speak to about this?"

Later when Luke entered April's hospital room his heart melted. He found Lorelai sitting on the bed asleep, with April curled up in her arms, also asleep. He wished he had a camera because it was absolutely beautiful to him. He sat in the chair beside the bed, let out a sigh and closed his eyes. As soon as he did, Lorelai's phone rang in her purse. Luke took the purse out of the room and answered the phone when he saw the caller ID showed it was Rory.

"Hey Kid, it's Luke."

"Luke! I woke up extra early to get some work in and I saw Mom's note. Is everything okay? How's April? How's Anna?"

"April's okay. We'll likely bring her home in a few hours. Anna is still in surgery."

"What happened?"

"I'm not 100% sure yet, but I think Anna was trying to skip town with April, but she was drunk and got into an accident."

"Oh my god!"

"Yeah, I'm livid. But also relieved that April is ok. The cops are here to deal with Anna. They suggested I get my name on April's birth certificate because I should be petitioning for full custody."

"Wow, full custody?"

"Yeah, wow indeed. This is not how I was expecting this day to go."

"What was planned for today?"

"Oh nothing, I just didn't think that I would be contemplating full custody and actually wanting to deal with a lawyer."

"I'm so sorry. Please let me know if there's anything I can do," Rory said genuinely.

"Thanks and I'll get your Mom to call you when she wakes up."

A few hours later Lorelai walked into the house with April to find Jess and Rory at the kitchen table.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Lorelai asked.

"Caesar said something about you guys being at the hospital when I woke up. I texted Rory and she filled me in. I just wanted to be here and make sure you all are okay. Where's Luke?"

Lorelai looked concerned, "April, Luke showed you which room is yours upstairs, right?"

"Yeah," April nodded groggily.

"Go up and get some rest. I'll bring you some food when Luke gets back with your prescription."

April nodded again and headed to the second floor. Lorelai watched to make sure April was out of earshot before she filled them in on what was going on.

Lorelai sat at the table with Jess while Rory fixed her Mom a cup of coffee.

"So I would love to make a long story short but that's not really my M.O. Plus there's a lot. What do you guys know?"

"We know there was an accident." Jess started, " Obviously that April is okay, besides the broken wrist and some stitches. But what the hell was Anna doing on the road at three am?" He shook his head and sipped his coffee.

Lorelai filled them in on the whole story, starting with April sneaking out of school to tell Luke that Anna wanted to keep them apart, Luke's unsettling call with Anna, deciding to look for a lawyer and then the horrible call. She double checked that April was not listening on the stairs when she continued to the most recent developments.

"So Anna will be in recovery for a few days at the hospital. Luke had a chance to speak with her and apparently her being drunk tonight isn't a new thing. She's been having a drinking problem on and off for months now, like so long that it might be why April wanted to look for her other parent. Anna's family has cut her off and recently a boyfriend broke up with her so it really threw her for a loop. Luke spoke with the police and once Anna is able to be released from the hospital she is going to court mandated rehab. They are going to arrange that with a judge in the next few days. So basically we now have a full-time tween living with us and I don't know if she even realizes it yet because she's been on painkillers all this time."

"Hey isn't it Summer?" Jess asked, "Why is she in school?"

"Oh cause she's some kind of genius and instead of going to camp wanted to do Summer school."

"Wow, cool" Rory nodded.

"How is it that I'm blood related to that girl and you're not?" Jess smirked.

"I'm going to take a hot shower and try to get some sleep," Lorelai sighed. "Hon, could you call Sookie and let her know what's going on. Tell her I won't be in today."

"Sure. Oh and Mom, Jess and I did some research and found a couple of lawyers that you and Luke might want to use to get partial custody."

"Thanks, guys."

By mid-August the Gilmore-Danes house was in a nice rhythm. Rory was getting ready to head back to Yale, Jess was coming into town every other weekend and staying in Luke's old apartment. April had finished Summer school and was helping out with the Diner some days, the Inn some days and she even spent some days with Rory. They all had settled into a family groove. Tuesday nights were officially movie nights, Sunday nights Luke insisted that they ate dinner at the table together, not in front of the TV or at all different times, he even started inviting Liz and TJ, and of course April had now experienced Friday night dinners at the Gilmores. Richard was impressed with her literature and scientific knowledge, but Emily thought she was a little kooky. Although she realized that April fit in very well with Lorelai and Rory.

Lorelai's pregnancy was progressing well and Luke was doing everything he could to make her happy and comfortable. They had made a deal that she was allowed one caffeinated coffee each day and she had two healthy snacks per day (usually apples). Sookie was also taking good care of her, making sure she ate well during the day and that Michel was taking on more things so that when the baby came she could take some time off without feeling nervous.

April rushed into Lorelai's office with a tray, "I have some cool news," she announced as she placed the tray with their lunch on the desk.

"What's up?" Lorelai smiled.

"Sookie's nanny has some kind of plans tomorrow and she was planning to take the day off. But I told her that room three is empty and I could have the kids in there and I will babysit."

"Really?" Lorelai asked in surprise

"Yeah," April continued. "I took a babysitting course where I learned CPR and emergency stuff. Also how to entertain kids of different ages. Sookie will be downstairs and can check on us. And when Martha is sleeping Sookie will have the monitor and I will take Davey to play outside. I told her I have some craft stuff and some science stuff to keep Davey busy. She said that Martha is a really easy baby."

"Oh she is, Martha is the best. I've made your Dad hold her a few times for practice and I think he fell in love."

April got quiet for a minute and Lorelai clocked it instantly.

"What's wrong?"

"I need your help. You're good with all the talking stuff and I don't really know how to have this conversation."

"Just lay it all out there for me and I'll help you organize your thoughts."

"Okay," April sat up straighter and focused, but still had a problem making eye contact. "You and Luke have been great this Summer with all the stuff that went down with my Mom. I was never one for having a lot of self esteem so it really shocked me how fast you guys called the lawyer to get legal custody of me. Like you really want me around."

"Of course we want you around. You're family."

April exhaled and continued, "I want to start calling Luke 'Dad' but I don't know how to bring it up to him. What if he's not cool with it?"

Lorelai softened and made a little pout, "Oh my god, kid, are you serious? He would LOVE that!"

"Do you really think so or are you just being nice? I've been meaning to tell you that sometimes you're too nice."

"Well thanks, but I'm not just being nice. This isn't a topic to lie about even if it seems like a nice thing."

"EXACTLY"

"So I am being 100% honest when I tell you that I think Luke would love it if you called him Dad. In fact, I don't think you need to have a conversation. Just start."

"Okay, maybe. But now that leads me to a situation that's a little bit more difficult. What do I call you?"

"Oh, me?" Lorelai was a little surprised. "What do you want to call me?"

April shifted in her seat, "I don't know. I mean 'Lorelai' doesn't seem to reflect the fact that you're a parent to me now. But I don't know how my Mom would feel if I called you 'Mom' as well."

"Sweetie, I get it. You and I know how we feel about each other. What you call me won't change that."

April smiled, she respected how Lorelai was so cool about everything and just wanted everyone to be comfortable and happy. "You really are the best," April exhaled and shook her head.

"HEY, that's what you can call me. The Best" Lorelai smiled.

The two laughed and started to eat.
"Honestly Hon, it will come naturally. Just start with calling Luke Dad and we'll find our own way soon."