A.N.: Thanks again for your reviews :) This chapter is also for Elsasi because it touches on some childhood moments with the grandparents. {I know I still have to write the wedding chapter, but I'm a bit afraid of it... xD}

2024 - Spring

"Thanks for taking care of them, Mum!" Rory blew a kiss. "That means a lot to us."
"Oh honey, it's a pleasure. We love having them here, you know that."
Rory smiled and took Ricky out of his baby seat. He was cooing and squeaking in his own baby language.
"Ricky, be a nice boy, okay?" She kissed him on his cheek and hugged him closely. "I'm such a mama. Cannot leave my baby."
Lorelai smiled. "That's normal. I carried you with me for months while working at the Inn. I couldn't stand the idea to give you to someone else, although some volunteered, especially Mia. She was in fact the only one I allowed to take care of you sometimes."
Rory sighed. "I dunno, with Emma it was a bit different. I've had to leave her with babysitters because of work and other appointments. And I've had Jess to take care of. But now with Ricky and working from home... I'm becoming a helicopter Mum." Her son tried to stand on his feet, stamping on her lap. "And he's so darn cute!"
"Yeah, he is." Lorelai stroke his curls. "With a lot of hair. He's gonna have a pompadour like his father. I have to buy him a leather jacket."
Rory laughed. "Oh, good old days."
"Now, give me that grandson of mine and have your date night. Maybe there will be some flashbacks of your 'good old days'. Wanna have the apartment above the diner for the night?"
"Mum?!", Rory hissed and blushed. She handed her Ricky and straightened her blouse.

The two women and the baby entered the backyard, where Luke and Jess already played with Emma. She was sitting on a branch und yelled funny words at her Dad.
"Emma, we're going! Remember, always listen to Nana and Luke, okay?" Rory told her and got closer.
"Yeah!", the girl responded. "Bye!"
"Well, okay, no big farewell scene. Got it." Rory smiled at Jess. "'I'm ready."
"Bye, Em! Don't forget to play house with Luke. He can't wait to be the Mum again!"
"Jess, please", Luke groaned, but smiled at Emma who was already screaming joyfully.
His nephew lifted his little girl from the tree and gave her a quick kiss on her head. "We'll see us tomorrow."
"But maybe I'm still awake when you're coming back!"
"I doubt it, pump."
"But Nana Lorelai lets me stay awake as long as I want!" She already grabbed Luke's arm.
"Ok, well, thanks again guys and see you this evening or tomorrow, depends on when we're coming back. In case something happens... don't let us know." Jess smirked and pinched his son softly. "Bye, buddy."

An hour later Lorelai and Luke arrived at the new playground that was build up in the forest. Emma immediately ran to the swing and talked to a girl of her age.
"She's so outgoing. She's easy... Rory was such a shy kid. I've almost had to force her to play or talk with others. And Emma's like... bam. Hello world, it's me, Emma Gilmore."
"Yeah. I wonder where this comes from...", Luke mumbled and smirked at his wife. "Ya know. Across generations..."
"It's so special to see your grandkids growing up... I mean... remember that we were considering having kids on our own, right before Emma was born? Maybe it was the universe trying to tell me someting... Lorelai Gilmore, you're old. Old and wrinkled and dry. Leave it behind. Your destiny is to become a grandmother. With glasses and a funny smell. Or, screw the glasses, a monocle", she imitated with a dark voice.
"Geez." Luke rolled his eyes while softly rocking Ricky in his arms. He looked at him and smiled. The boy looked a lot like Jess. When he was a baby, Luke tried to visit them on a regular basis because he didn't trust his sister Liz. And now, holding this baby and considering him as his grandson was a special feeling, something he never felt before.
"I think grandchildren are even better."
"Why?"
"I dunno.. maybe... maybe just because you don't have the full responsibility. And besides, I finally can see them growing up from the very start. Missed that with Rory and April."
Lorelai patted his arm. "But you're their hero anyways. And Emma and Rick can be very happy to have you, Pops."
"Can't wait to go fishing with this little guy." Luke took one tiny finger in his hand.
"Nana, can I have some juice, please?" Emma appeared again, with sweaty hair and rolled up sleeves.
"Of course, honey. Sit down a moment." Emma sat next to Lorelai and grabbed her juice.
"Nana, can you tell me again the story of the beautiful kitten that fell in love with the ratty alley cat?"
Luke raised his eyebrows.
His wife chuckled in amusement. "Sure. Well, long time ago, there was this beautiful and beloved kitty cat, with blue eyes and the most amazing fur one could imagine. She was well behaved and smart and everyone loved her dearly. The kitty always wanted to be happy and tried to get along with everybody. She had a lot of great adventures and travelled the world, met some tomcats, but was never ready to really settle down with them. But then she got herself a little kitten, a very tiny one, and she needed to take care of it. So she didn't know where to sleep, where to go, what to do next. Out of the blue, one alley cat appeared. She knew that cat a long time, but they didn't quite fit to each other. The alley cat had a lot of bad experiences, humans treated the cat very badly - but deep inside, the alley cat loved the beautiful blue-eyed kitty cat very much and wanted to change for good. So the alley cat tried very hard to become their friend and helped her a lot, always giving her some wise cat-vices", Emma giggled at this expression, "and soon, the filthy alley cat became a good-looking black tomcat. The baby kitten was amazed by the dark friend of her mummy cat and was very happy to have him around. She once asked the black cat: 'Why are you always with us? You love us so much?' and it responded: 'Because we both needed a family and together we're a pack.' And so they started having new adventures together, the kitty cat, the kitten and the tomcat, living happily ever after."
"Ooooh, I love that story!", Emma gushed and wiped her mouth. "Can we go now to the water fountains?"
"Sure, but be careful, sweets. It's not that warm outside, I don't want you to catch a cold."

It was almost 1am when Rory and Jess entered the Danes mansion. "Sssh", Jess whispered and put his finger on Rory's mouth, because she was giggling like a teenager. "No more champagne for you... ouch! Did you bite my finger?"
"I'm gonna bite your tiny, steely ass..."
"Ror! Stop it!" He pushed her forward but couldn't hold back a smirk.
"Normally you don't tell me to stop..." she teased him but was frozen the next minute. Her mum was standing in the kitchen, covering her ears. "No no no! Where's Will Smith when you need him? I mean, his flashy-thing?"
"Sorry, Lorelai." Jess grinned at her. "Your daughter, your genes."
"You want me to do some dirty talk with Luke at breakfast?"
"If you like the sound of me vomiting?"
"But only in the upper bathroom!", Rory interfered and started snickering again.
"Everything's okay with the kids?", Jess asked.
"Damn, I knew I've lost something at the playground." She smiled at her future-son-in-law. "They're fine. Emma's sleeping in our bedroom. She fell asleep during the Late Night Show."
"Okay, thanks, well, Rory, say nighty night, it's bedtime."
She made a face. "But I'm hungry!"
Lorelai opened the fridge. "Chinese leftovers?"
Jess groaned. "You're fucking killing me one day. Bon appetit." He left the kitchen and went to the guest room where Ricky was babbling quietly.
"Hey Ricks! You're awake again? Or still? Partying hard?", he took him out of his crib and kissed his messy baby hair. "I love going out with your Mum but let me tell you a secret... the best part is coming home to you."