Here's your next chapter! Hope you like it! :)

Chapter 13

Lorelai was working at the desk at the inn when Sookie came rushing up. "You know you're my best friend right?" Sookie said.

"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like what follows that?" Lorelai said.

"Well you know how I asked Jackson out..." Sookie said.

"Yeh. Weeks ago." Lorelai nodded.

"Well he just said today that he's free tonight." She said.

"Ok. Good..." Lorelai said wondering where this was going.

"Yeh. It is." Sookie said hesitantly. "Except I sort of panicked. I know if I'm just sat down with Jackson at a restaurant, I won't know what to say and I'll panic and ruin everything. So I sort of suggested we double date with you..."

"Aw Sook..." Lorelai said.

"I know. I'm sorry but I panicked. I really like him and I want this to work. I just thought if you were there as well the conversation might be a bit more natural and Luke knows Jackson from school so they're friends." Sookie said. She sighed. "Please?"

Lorelai sighed. "I'll have to do a lot of persuading to get Luke to agree."

"You can do that though. You get him to come to town events." Sookie pointed out.

"Fine." Lorelai conceded.

"Yay!" Sookie exclaimed enthusiastically. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't regret this!"

"Choose another phrase." Lorelai said.

"You will not have to pay!" Sookie said.

"Good." Lorelai smirked.

"Thank you. I owe you." Sookie smiled and rushed back to the kitchen.

Lorelai looked across at Michel who was smirking. "Ah shut up." She said. She then picked up the phone and rang Luke's.

"Luke's?" He answered.

"How's my pretty pretty husband today?" Lorelai grinned.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"How do you know I want something? Can't I just ring up and see how you are?" She said in mock astonishment.

"Lorelai.." He said.

Lorelai sighed. "I may have told Sookie we would double date with her and Jackson tonight..." She admitted.

"Ah geez seriously? Lorelai..." He protested.

"I'm sorry but she was desperate and she really likes Jackson. She thinks she'll just panic on her own and she doesn't want to ruin it." Lorelai said. "Please? Sookie deserves happiness and she's really excited about this. And you know Jackson right?"

"Yeh he's a good guy.." Luke admitted.

"And they would great together. Please? She's my best friend Luke. She would have done the same for me." She said.

Luke sighed. "Fine. But what about Alice?"

"Can't Rory and Jess watch her?" Lorelai asked.

"They're going out tonight." He said.

"They are?"

"Yeh they're going to a movie with Tristan and some girl from school." He said. "It was sort of last minute."

"Oh ok." Lorelai said. "Maybe Babette could watch her?"

"Morey's got a gig. They're away for the night." Luke said.

"Patty?"

"Got some toy boy at hers tonight."

"How do you know all this?" Lorelai asked.

"You forget the diner is sort of the base for all the gossipers." He said.

Lorelai thought for a minute. "Kirk?" She asked.

"Lorelai!" Luke said.

Lorelai grinned. "Sorry that wasn't a serious one." She then thought about an option but wasn't sure what Luke would think. "What about my parents?" She asked cautiously.

"Your parents?" Luke asked surprised.

"Yeh well dad's recovering and is feeling better and mom and I are actually getting on a bit better after that talk at the hospital. I just feel like they might like this olive branch. They could get to know Alice a bit better and Alice can get to know her grandparents." She said.

Luke thought about it for a moment. On one hand, he resented the fact how they had ignored Alice for all these years but he has also noticed a change in them recently, especially in Emily. Maybe they were trying. "Ok. But on one condition, you tell them that if they upset her they'll have me to answer to." He said.

Lorelai smiled. "I'll make sure to let them know that. So be ready for 7?"

"Ok." He said. "See you later."

"Bye hon." Lorelai smiled and hung up. She then picked up the phone and slowly dialled her parents' number. "Oh hi, may I talk to Emily or Richard Gilmore please? It's their daughter." She said when a maid answered.

"Lorelai?" Emily said coming onto the phone.

"Hi mom." Lorelai said.

"If you're ringing to say you can't come on Friday, we've already got food ready..." Emily said.

"No mom, it's nothing to do with that. I actually need to ask for a favour." She said.

"Oh?" Emily said intrigued.

"Yeh, Luke and I are going out tonight and I didn't realise Jess and Rory were as well so we don't have anyone to watch Alice." She said. "I was wondering whether maybe you'd like to? You could come to our house. We shouldn't be too long."

"You're asking us to babysit Alice?" Emily clarified.

Lorelai sighed, bracing for the worst. "I know it's short notice. You don't need to but I thought it might be nice for the three of you to get to know each other a it better."

"Well we did have a dinner to go to but they shouldn't miss us too much. I'm sure we could come." Emily said.

"Really?" Lorelai said surprised that she would reschedule a social event to come.

"Well it feels like you're desperate." Emily said.

"Well no not...uh...desperate. I mean you're not our last choice or anything..." Lorelai rambled.

"What time would you like us?" She asked with an amused smile.

"Well we're leaving at 7 so maybe 6:30 or 6:45?" Lorelai said.

"That's fine. We'll see you then."

"Thank you." Lorelai said sincerely.

"Goodbye Lorelai."

"Bye mom." Lorelai smiled and hung up.

That evening, everyone was at the house getting ready to go out.

"So Kate huh?" Lorelai smirked as she found Jess downstairs ready.

"She's just a friend." He rolled his eyes.

"Yeh sure she is." Lorelai grinned. "You know, that's exactly what Luke used to say about me."

"She's not interested in me anyway." Jess shook his head.

"Why do you think that?"

Jess shrugged. "Just don't get the vibe that she likes me like that."

"But you like her?" Lorelai asked, grinning.

Just then the doorbell rang.

"Saved by the bell." Jess smirked.

Lorelai smirked and went to answer the door. "Hi mom, dad. Come on in. We're just all getting ready."

Emily and Richard followed her in.

"I'm just trying to find out if Jess likes this girl or not." She joked.

Rory then appeared from her room.

"Oh Rory good." Jess said getting up. "You ready? Good, let's go."

"Uh ok..." Rory said.

"Chicken!" Lorelai grinned at Jess.

Luke then came down. "You two meeting them there?" He asked them.

Rory nodded. "Yeh, Tristan's already there so we probably should get going. Have fun tonight."

"Here." Luke said getting his wallet out and taking out a couple of notes. "For food and stuff."

"Aw thanks!" Rory smiled taking it. "Bye Alice, have fun with Grandma and Grandpa."

"Don't be too late back." Lorelai called after them.

"We won't!" Rory called back. The two of them then left.

"We should probably get going too." Luke said looking at his watch.

"Oh yeh." Lorelai said seeing the time. "Bye sweetheart!" Lorelai hugged Alice. "Have fun." She smiled at her parents. "Thanks for this. There's food in the kitchen incase she gets hungry and help yourself to anything as well."

"Bye honey." Luke hugged Alice. He nodded at Emily and Richard. "See you later."

They then left, leaving Emily, Richard and Alice. Alice gave them a shy smile.

Jess and Rory got to the movie theatre and found that Kate had arrived as well.

"Hey!" Rory smiled giving Tristan a kiss.

"PDA!" Jess groaned. "Not infront of the brother!"

Rory grinned. "Sorry."

Kate smirked. "Hey." She said to him.

"Hey." Jess smiled.

They paid Kirk and then went inside. They managed to get the Big Red which were the best seats in the place. Tristan and Jess sat at the ends and then Kate and Rory sat in between them.

Meanwhile Luke, Lorelai, Sookie and Jackson had arrived at this fancy restaurant just outside Stars Hollow. Lorelai could tell Sookie was nervous because when they sat down and had given the waiter their orders, Sookie avoided talking to Jackson at all and talked to Lorelai. As Luke and Jackson ended up talking to each other, Lorelai excused herself and Sookie and took her to the bathroom.

"Ok you need to at least talk to him, Sook." Lorelai said.

"I know. I just...I don't know what to say. It's too fancy and it's too stressful." Sookie exclaimed.

"Ok. Then how about we just go to Luke's?" Lorelai suggested. "Luke can make us some burgers and it will be much more informal."

"Luke's? Ok yeh, that would be better." Sookie agreed.

They went back to the table and told the men their suggestions and they agreed. After cancelling their food, they headed back to Stars Hollow and to Luke's. Luke went to the kitchen and made the burgers while Lorelai hung out at the counter while Jackson and Sookie sat at a table. Sookie looked over at Lorelai who gave her an encouraging smile and gestured for her to say something. Sookie took a deep breath but Lorelai saw her eventually ask Jackson a question to which he answered happily. As they started talking, Lorelai saw Sookie visibly relax and even start to laugh at something Jackson had said. Luke came out of the kitchen with the burgers and saw Lorelai smiling. "What?" He asked.

"Look." Lorelai smiled nodding over to Sookie and Jackson.

Luke smiled when he saw them laughing and chatting. "About damn time." He said, going over to give them their burgers. He then returned to the counter. "Want to have yours here?" He asked.

"Yes please!" Lorelai smiled.

"We can play some cards after if you like?" He suggested.

"Oooh strip poker?" Lorelai grinned clapping her hands excitedly.

"No way." Luke said.

Back at the house, Emily and Richard were sat on the couch as Alice played quietly on the floor with her horses. Emily glanced at Richard and tried to tell him to do something but he gestured for her to do something. Emily took a deep breath before looking over at Alice. "What are you playing?" She asked.

"Horses." Alice said confused as it was so obvious.

Alice's expression made Richard laugh. "Yes Emily, that was a silly question."

Alice giggled which did make Emily smile. "Well ok then. May I play with you?" She asked even though it was way out of her comfort zone. She slowly sat down on the floor near her and took a horse.

"That's Jess' horse." Alice said.

"Oh. Ok." Emily said putting it back.

"That's daddy's. That's mommy's. That's Rory's and that's Jess'." She said pointing to different horses individually. She then picked up another horse. "You can have this one. This can be Grandma's horse." She smiled shyly, holding it out to her.

Emily smiled at hearing her call her Grandma. She took the horse from her. "Thank you. So what should I do?" She asked at a bit of a loss.

"You need to make a voice for it." Alice said. "Daddy does a deep voice." She giggled.

"Ok well how about this?" Emily said. Suddenly she made the horse speak in a high pitched voice.

Alice giggled. "You're funny." She grinned.

Emily smiled, pleased she had made her laugh. She glanced over at Richard who was smiling watching them. "How about we give your Grandpa his own horse as well and then he won't feel left out?" She smiled.

"Ok!" Alice grinned, picking up another horse. "Here Grandpa. You can have this one!"

Richard smiled at his granddaughter and sat down with them as well and started playing with them.

"Uh uh, four more please." Lorelai said handing four back. They had moved on to cards after she'd finished her burger.

Luke dealt her four more.

Lorelai looked at them deliberating. "Nope, four more." She said.

"You can't. Those are the four I dealt you." He said.

"Yes but they don't help me and my motto in life is discount anything that doesn't help me." She said pushing them back to him.

"You're impossible, you know that right?" Luke shook his head but gave her four more.

"Yep but that's why you love me!" Lorelai grinned.

Luke smirked. "God help me."

It was then that Luke glanced at his watch. "Whoa it's 9 already. We should head back." He said.

"Oh god yeh. That went quickly." Lorelai said surprised. She looked over at Sookie and Jackson who were still deep in conversation. "Hey guys, we have to get going. My parents are watching Alice and we said we wouldn't be too late."

"Oh sure!" Sookie said.

"Walk you home?" Jackson asked Sookie.

"I'd like that." She smiled. She then looked at Luke and Lorelai. "Thanks for tonight. Really." She said sincerely.

"Yeh thanks." Jackson smiled.

"No problem. Have a nice night." Lorelai smiled.

"Yeh bye guys." Luke said.

Lorelai smiled as she watched them leave. "Sort of reminds me of our first date huh?" She said.

Luke smiled. "Yeh that first date feeling is pretty great. The first touch, the first laugh. It's pretty cool."

"Yeh it is." Lorelai smiled. "We're lucky we found that."

"We definitely are." He smiled. He then locked up the diner and then they headed home.

They let themselves in. "Hello?" Lorelai called.

"Shh!" Emily said from the living room.

They went in and smiled as they saw Alice passed out on the couch, her head on Richard's lap.

"She fell asleep about half an hour ago. I didn't want to move her as she looked comfortable and I figured you would be home soon anyway."

"Yeh that's fine." Lorelai smiled. "You guys have fun?"

"Oh yes, your mother is an expert at making horses talk in high pitched voices." Richard chuckled.

Lorelai smirked. "Wow mom, pulled out the big guns huh?"

"She didn't want to play anything else." Emily said.

"Yeh she does like those horses." Luke nodded. "She was good?" He asked.

"Very." Emily smiled looking over at her granddaughter. She turned back to them. "She's a sweet girl. She's a credit to you both."

"Thanks mom." Lorelai said touched.

"Yes well we better get going." Emily said.

"Oh yeh sure." Lorelai said.

"Here let me." Luke said going over to the couch and carefully picking up Alice who stayed asleep in his arms. "I'll go put this one to bed. Thanks for watching her." he nodded at them.

Lorelai smiled at her parents. "Yeh thank you for coming really. It was a great help."

"Did you have a nice night?" Emily asked.

"Yeh it was good thanks." Lorelai smiled.

"Well then we'll see you Friday yes?"

"You'll see us Friday." Lorelai smiled. "Bye mom, bye dad."

She watched them leave and then sat down on the couch and turned on the tv, waiting for the others to return.

"That was such a bad movie!" Tristcan chuckled as they exited the movie theatre.

"The worst!" Jess smirked.

Rory and Kate laughed agreeing. Rory checked her watch. "Oh Jess, we should get back." She said. She glanced at Tristan. "You come by car?" She asked.

Tristan nodded.

"Walk you to it?" Rory smiled.

"Sure." He smiled.

Rory glanced at Jess who smiled. "You go ahead. I'll catch up."

Rory nodded and walked off with Tristan. Jess turned to Kate. "So you drive here or...?"

"Came by bus." She said. "There's one in a bout 10 minutes so I'll catch that."

"Ok." Jess said. "So..uh..I had fun tonight." He said awkwardly. He cringed at himself. He wasn't very good at this.

"Yeh it was fun." She smiled.

"Maybe..uh...maybe we can do it again sometime?" He suggested. "Maybe go for a meal before or something?"

"Jess..." Kate said.

Jess nodded, noticing the brush off. "It's cool. It was just a suggestion. No big deal."

Kate sighed. "Jess, I like you. I do. It's just...it's complicated. If you knew..."

"Knew what?" Jess asked.

Kate looked at him and then just found herself blurting it out. "I'm pregnant." She said.

"Wait, what?" Jess said totally shocked and confused. He took a minute to take in what she had just said. He then got angry. "So you're with someone already? Why didn't you just tell me that." He said.

"I'm not with anyone." Kate said quietly.

"But...the father?" Jess said confused.

"Bolted as soon as I told him. Said he wanted nothing to do with me or the baby." She said.

Jess' expression softened. "Jerk." He said. "So what...how long...are you keeping it?" He stammered not really knowing what to ask.

"I'm only a few weeks. I'm against abortions so yeh I'm keeping it." She nodded. She looked at Jess. "Look, I know this is a shock. Believe me, it was a shock to me. I really do like you Jess but I don't want you to have to deal with this. It's not fair on you." She said. She looked over and saw a bus come. "That's my bus. I'm sorry I just dropped this on you but I wanted you to understand why I wasn't letting myself get close to you. I..uh..I guess I'll see you around." She said. "Bye Jess." She said quietly.

Jess watched her as she rushed over to the bus to catch it. His head was spinning from what he had just heard in the last few minutes. He watched the bus disappear from sight and slowly turned and started to walk towards where Rory was waiting for him. All he could think about was how scared and alone Kate must feel but he had no idea what to do about it.

So quite a big twist at the end there! ;) What do you think? Please review and let me know! Thanks! :D