A/N: You guys were absolutely stellar with the reviews! Thanks a bunch! Many of you may be expecting a different something in this chapter and you may be dissapointed, but I think this chapter is uber important. I hope you agree. I try not to just fill the story with meaningless chapters. So, review and let me know what you think. I update quicker when you do because then I know my faithful readers have read. I don' want to update so many chapters you can't catch up, if that makes sense. So, here you go. Enjoy!

Lorelai waltzed into the diner. "Luuuuuuke!" she screeched in a typically annoying fashion. "Lukey, I want coffee!"

"Why don't you ask for a grenade?" Luke asked, wiping his hands on his jeans and pouring her a cup of coffee, "That stuff'll kill you."

Lorelai smiled at him. "Thank you," she said, taking a sip. "Luke! This is exceptionally good coffee!" she exclaimed, staring at him wide-eyed.

"Stick around and maybe you'll get more," He replied, picking up the glass lid to the Danish container and sending a plate with a cheese Danish her way.

"It's not Danish Day," Lorelai replied, surprised.

"For you it is," he replied gruffly, putting the top back. He scanned the restaurant to make sure nobody needed anything, and then leaned against the counter across from her. "What's your day look like?"

"The usual. Brad Pitt is checking into the inn tonight though, so I think my whole evening is booked up," Lorelai nodded, as if trying to convince Luke.

"Brad Pitt, huh?"

"Yeah, he loves me."

"Right." Luke said, staring at her. "So, uh, do you want to do something tonight?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," Lorelai started. "See, my friend Lydia is throwing this party tonight…"

"No," Luke said.

"…and I really think it would be a whole lot more fun if I had a date to go with. You know, the camel costume is a two-person suit and…"

"I don't do parties," Luke stated.

"Oh, come on Luke, live a little." Lorelai said, putting on her pouty face. "It'll be fun."

Luke looked at her for a minute before giving up in exasperation. "Oh, fine," he said, throwing his hands in the air. "What time?"

"I'll pick you up at 7," Lorelai said, grabbing another Danish and walking toward the door. "Dress appropriately, please…" she smiled and ducked out of the diner, leaving Luke to wonder why he ever agreed to go to the party.

Lorelai pulled up outside of the diner at 6:58. She sat in her car for two minutes, tidying up around her before she got out and went to the door of the diner. She laughed when she opened it, seeing Luke standing at the counter staring at her.

"Must have been pretty messy in there," Luke said. Lorelai blushed.

"I wanted to give you your two minutes…" she trailed off. "Just, come on, let's go."

Luke laughed and came from around the counter. She looked him up and down for a moment, smiling to herself. He'd always been handsome. Sometimes when she looked at him she saw the figure of a Greek god. Maybe nobody else did, but she did.

"You look nice," she said. He kissed her cheek and nodded, leading her out to the car.

"As do you," he replied. Lorelai looked down at her outfit. A green Care Bears shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. Not exactly the picture of beauty. "Although, I must ask you why you're wearing a Care Bears shirt…."

"You don't like it?" Lorelai pouted, climbing into the car. "It's one of my favorites."

"It's just a little young, is all," Luke replied. Lorelai grinned to herself and drove towards Lydia's house.

"Well, you're never too old or Care Bears," Lorelai replied. "Brad wanted me to tell you hi, by the way."

"Hi, Brad." Luke replied, rolling his eyes. "Did he bring Jennifer with him?"

"Luke!" Lorelai said, swatting his arm. "That is so last year."

"Sorry. I don't read Star," he replied. "Why are there balloons out in the yard?" Lorelai turned into the driveway and grinned.

"Make sure you grab that gift down by your feet."

"What?" Luke asked, picking up a box wrapped in Care Bears paper. "Gosh, what is it with you and the love bears anyway?"

"Luke, behave." Lorelai said, jumping out of the car. "Care Bears are what Christina likes."

"What?"

"Christina. My neice. It's her birthday today…" Lorelai trailed off, walking faster to the door.

"Lorelai! You didn't tell me this was a two-year old's birthday party!" Luke hissed.

"It's not." Lorelai replied simply.

"It's not?"

"No, it's a five-year-old's birthday party," she replied, opening the door and waking inside. "We're here!" She called, as three little girls came running up screaming.

Luke stared at the little girls as if they were foreign objects. "Auntie Lorelai, who is this?" Christina asked, tugging on Luke's shirt.

Lorleai crouched down to Christina's level and looked up at Luke, begging him to get down with her eyes. He obeyed and she tapped his hand. "This is my really, really good friend Luke. Is it okay I brought him?"

Christina looked back and forth from Luke to Lorelai, cupped her hand around Lorleai's ear and whispered loudly, "Is he gonna be my uncle Luke?"

Lorelai blushed and whispered back to Christina, "Maybe one day. Not today, though."

Christina nodded and took Luke's hand, dragging him into the room with all of the other girls. Lorelai smiled and watched them go. She wandered into the kitchen where Lydia and Laura were standing and handed the present to Lydia.

"Hello girls," she said, giving each of them a hug. They all murmured their hi's and how are you's and Lorelai poured herself a glass of wine and hopped on the counter.

"Did you bring him?" Lydia asked her, grinning. Lorelai nodded and Lydia and Laura both squealed in unison.

"How did you get him out of the diner?" Laura asked, shocked that burger boy would ever come to a four-year-old's birthday party.

"I told him Lydia was throwing a party and that if he didn't come I'd be shacking up with Brad."

Laura laughed. "So, he willingly came to the party?"

"Well, I didn't tell him it was a party for Christina…" Lorelai trailed off. Lydia and Laura burst into fits of giggles, each one of them giving Lorelai a high-five for her master deception skills. Lorelai smiled to herself and swirled the wine in her glass.

"What?" Laura asked, touching Lorelai's chin. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," Lorelai smiled, shrugging it off.

"You're so head over heels with him," Laura stated, matter-of-factly. "You want to marry him and make babies with him. I know that look."

"I've never had this look before," Lorelai protested, trying to defend herself.

"No, but both Lydia and I have when we were wanting to get married," Laura replied.

"Well, it's not going to happen soon. We haven't even said 'I love you' yet," Lorelai replied, a bit of hurt in her voice.

"So, say them," Lydia replied simply, as if it was as simple as tying your shoe.

"I'm not going to say them first!" Lorelai said, taken aback.

"Why not?" Laura asked.

"If I say them and he doesn't it'll be awkward and then I won't get free coffee or Danishes."

"Or…" Laura started, "you could say them, he could say them back, and you could get two free Danishes, and a free coffee."

"That's true," Lorelai said, pondering Laura's words. "No, he has to say it first. He's the man."

Laura laughed and rolled her eyes. "Let's go check on this hunk of yours." Lorelai grinned and hopped off the counter, following Laura and Lydia into the living room.

"Oh my gosh," Laura whispered, nudging Lorelai to look her way. Lorelai giggled lightly when she saw the sight in front of her. There was Luke, sitting at a round table in a chair that could barely hold the little girls, with earrings, a tiara and a bracelet on, drinking fake tea and trying to eat a plastic scone.

"Princess Emily, will you please pass the sugar?" The L's overheard him. Lorelai watched him, smiling, as he played with the girls. She could tell Christina seemed to really enjoy him. Every few minutes she would tell him that she found a new pair of earrings or a new hat that would look better with his outfit, and every time he would gladly replace the old with the new. Lydia snuck out and found a disposable camera and snapped a few shots of Luke in his Pretty, Pretty Princess attire.

Lorelai watched Luke, her eyes taking in all of the reasons she loved him, and all of the ways she could possibly love him in the future. Why was it, that all of a sudden, when she saw the man of her dreams with her niece, she fell for him harder than she ever had in the past four years.

Lorelai ran up behind Christina and put her hands over her eyes, "Guess who?" she disguised her voice.

"Umm…." The little girl stammered, pushing her hands to her face and feeling all around for Lorelai's hands. "Auntie Lorelai!" she screamed, smiling and jumping around into Lorelai's arms.

"Happy birthday, babe," Lorelai smiled, kissing her cheek. "Did you have a good Princess party?"

"Yes! I loved it. My favorite part was when Mr. Luke wore my princess outfit. He looked so silly."

Lorelai laughed, eyeing Luke out of the corner of her eye. "Yes, he did. But you looked like you were having fun."

Christina nodded vigorously. "Auntie Lorelai, do you love Luke?" she whispered, making sure he didn't hear her.

Lorelai turned around and looked at Luke, making sure she wouldn't let her secret out too early. "I'll tell you a secret," she whispered. "But you can't tell anybody, okay?"

The little girl nodded, "okay."

"I love Luke almost as much as I love you."

Christina's eyes went wide. "Wow… That's a whole lot of love 'cause you love me a lot!"

Lorelai smiled. "That's right. But I'll never love anybody more than I love my pretty, pretty princess." Christina smiled and hugged Lorelai, and then hopped out of her arms to go say goodbye to Luke.

"Bye Pretty Pretty Luke," she said, grinning. He laughed and crouched down to her level.

"Goodbye, Christina. I hope you had a good birthday."

"I did. You better come next year. You make a really good princess."

"Okay," Luke said, patting her head and giving her a small hug. He turned to Lorelai, "you ready?"
She nodded and said her goodbyes, and then walked out the door holding Luke's hand.

"You were great tonight," Lorelai said. Luke smiled. "I know the girls really loved you."

"It was fun. I wish their would have been some men there, though."

"Oh, they were in the back having beers and watching football," Lorelai said, stopping. "I'm sorry, I completely forgot to tell you."

Luke studied her for a minute and then smiled. "It's alright." Lorelai smiled and climbed in the car, letting Luke drive home.

"Your niece is cute," he said.

"Most little girls are," Lorelai said, smiling. "I've always wanted one."

"Just one?" Luke asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Well, maybe more than one," Lorelai said, smiling to herself.

"I've always wanted a son." Luke said, "You know, someone to play baseball with and run track with and make fun of all the girls in the house with."

"Oh really?" Lorelai smiled.

"Yeah, I guess we'll just have to have both," Luke said simply, his eyes remaining on the road. Lorelai smiled to herself and sunk a little lower in her seat. He hadn't said that like he was testing it out, or even like he was just trying to humor her because they were in a relationship and that's what he was supposed to say. He had said it like they were married and they'd been talking about it for years. He had said it like there was no other option for him or for her. He had said it like they were going to have a boy and a girl, they were going to get married, make babies, and live happy ever after. He'd said it like it was some sort of guarantee.