(For disclaimer, etc. - see 1)

6. All I Did Was Love Her
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Lorelai, Rory
'Verse/Timeline: Baby Daddy - post-fic (pre-series)
Date: December 1992

"Okay, sweetie, now get some sleep or Santa won't come by!" said Lorelai with a grin as she backed out of Rory's room and gently closed the door. "Wow, she is so excited!" she told Luke, joining him in the kitchen.

"You do know she doesn't believe in Santa anymore, right? I know she wants to, but she knows better," her husband advised.

"Knows better?" Lorelai shook her head. "You know, the way you tell it, it almost sounds as if Santa Claus isn't real. That is just an insane thought, my friend."

Luke smiled even as he rolled his eyes.

"C'mere, Crazy Lady," he said, pulling Lorelai into his arms.

"Lucas Danes, we're not even under the mistletoe," she said, like a shocked Southern Belle, right before he kissed her long and hard on the lips. "Hmm, I guess you don't exactly need mistletoe when you have one of these babies, huh?" she said with a grin, waggling her left hand in his face to show off her wedding band.

"You better believe it," Luke agreed, holding her tight still. "So, I'm pretty much done prepping for dinner tomorrow. Doesn't take much work since there's only going to be four of us."

"Kinda sucks that Liz, Jimmy, and Jess can't make it." Lorelai sighed. "But I guess Christmas in New York can be nice too. At least Mia is coming over. You know she adores making a fuss of Rory."

"Who wouldn't? She's a great kid," Luke said definitely, planting a final kiss on Lorelai's forehead before he let her go.

"She's the best kid," she agreed, following him as he walked through to the living room and started up the stairs. "You know she loves you to the moon and back, right? I mean, I always knew she did but then... well, I guess you'll see tomorrow."

"See what tomorrow?" Luke checked, looking back at his wife.

Lorelai looked thoughtful a second, about to say that she wouldn't tell before realising she simply had to. Peering down the hallway to Rory's door, she shook her head, ushering Luke up the stairs fast then. She got by him on the landing and raced into their bedroom, waiting for him to catch up and closing the door quietly behind him.

"I can tell you but you have to promise to look surprised tomorrow when she gives you the gift," she told Luke, bouncing on her toes like a kid as young as Rory might.

"Rory bought me a gift?" he checked, frowning some. "Not from her own money?"

"She insisted," Lorelai said definitely, hands raised in mock surrender. "She just loves you so much, Luke, and even though I told her, several times, that you would rather have her save her money and buy something nice for herself, she insisted that she-"

"No," Luke said fast, his hand gently covering Lorelai's mouth before she could say more. "Don't tell me, okay?" he urged her, pulling his hand away the moment she nodded. "If Rory got me some special surprise, don't spoil it."

Lorelai looked pained then finally sighed. "Fine, I guess I can last one more day, but you will love it. I know that for sure."

"Never as much as I love you, or Rory," he promised faithfully.

Of course, he really would be overwhelmed when he saw the mug Rory had insisted on getting specially made. Not 'World's Greatest Dad' because that wouldn't quite fit, not even 'World's Greatest Step-Dad', but 'World's Greatest Luke.'

It was the truest thing anybody had ever said in their life.