Chapter 6: There's a first time for everything

Luke's long strides had him unlocking the diner's door before the rest of the group had crossed the street. He had the coffee started and was back to open the door for the ladies; he didn't however turn the closed sign around.

"It should be ready in a minute," Luke offered as he rounded the counter.

Lorelai found herself studying the diner; she couldn't quite understand the decorative decisions. She knew many places collected antiques of a certain type or era, but besides a couple of rusted saw, hammers, and some other tools she couldn't even name there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for the display. And then they were the conflicting signs outside the establishment: one read William's Hardware and the other less prominent read Luke's. She was just about to ask Mia about this when her train of thought was interrupted.

"Jess, Rory what would you like to drink?" Luke had come back to ask the kids.

"Chocolate milk," Jess answered.

"Me too," Rory answered quietly; she was still quite intimidated by Jess's uncle.

Luke quickly turned to make the orders giving Lorelai time to ask Mia a question or two.

However, this time the bell above the diner's door interrupted her; it appeared that the entire town had followed the little group to the diner.

Luke's head shot out of the kitchen when he hear the bell; I should have locked the door he though to himself. "We're closed."

"But they're here," Kirk argued.

"Mia just wanted a cup of coffee before she drove home," Luke tried to explain his way out, "Do you want a cup of coffee, Kirk?"

"No remember I can't drink just regular coffee it…"

" Out Kirk," Luke yelled, "Everyone out. Come back tomorrow when the sign says we're open."

"What if I just wanted coffee?" somebody yelled from the middle of the crowd.

"Out! Jess lock the dam door," Luke shouted and then turned around to reach for two mugs.

"Lucas!" Mia reprimanded him.

"Please," Luke offered as he brought over the coffees.

Lorelai picked up her mug inhaling the heavenly aroma. She tentatively took her first sip. "Oh my god!"

"What?" Luke questioned as he came back around with the kid's chocolate milk. He hadn't made a bad cup coffee since that one time when he was ten and had accidentally used dirt instead of actual coffee grinds.

"This is the best coffee ever," Lorelai exclaimed watching him shrug the compliment off; she continued, "Really. I know coffee; just ask Mia."

"You should listen to Lorelai, Luke." Mia smiled.

"Right. I'm an expert connoisseur and consumer of anything coffee related," Lorelai continued happily drinking her newest discovery in the world, "And this is perfect."

Luke averted his eyes and excused himself to clean the counter and count receipts.

Then Lorelai turned her attention to her follow coffee drinker, "Mia you've been holding out on me." She said finishing her cup.

Mia just laughed at Lorelai accusation.

Lorelai starred at the bottom of her empty mug and decided it was the saddest thing she had ever seen. "Luke?"

"Yeah?" Luke looked up from his receipts.

"Can I have some more?" she said with her biggest smile.

"It's almost nine o'clock," Luke replied from behind the counter.

"Please," she tried, but saw that got no reaction, "It's morning somewhere!"

"No!" Luke answered.

"It's not morning somewhere? What about the earth rotation thing and that song Sunrise, Sunset?" she asked.

Luke just starred at Lorelai trying to figure out her point or that least where she had lost him.

"Lorelai, I think we should be heading back anyway," Mia said pointing to both Jess and Rory, who had taken to laying their heads in their arms on the table.

Lorelai's attention was quickly diverted from her coffee quest to her daughter, "Rory?" She asked gently, "You ready to go home?"

Rory got up sleepily as Lorelai lead her out the locked door, while Mia went up to the counter.

"Thank you for the coffee, Lucas" Mia said trying to pay.

"Your welcome," Luke replied, "But your not paying for it."

"Lucas"

"Night Mia," Luke said gracefully helping her out the door. He then relocked the door, cleaned up the cups, and attempted to wake Jess up. He eventually gave that up and just carried the young boy upstairs. The kid could sleep through anything.

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Mia dropped Lorelai and Rory off at the inn before driving herself home. Lorelai guided a practically sleeping Rory across the inn's lawn basically in the dark; she was very thankful when they reached the "cottage." Once her daughter was safe in bed Lorelai remembered her non-existent second cup of coffee. "Ah Man," she whispered into the silence putting on her own pajamas.

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The next day Luke and Lorelai were waiting at the pool; they were both at least ten minutes early. Perhaps feeling a bit of parental guilt for being so late the previous day. They sat in silence for about two minutes before Lorelai started asking a few of the questions had been nagging at her all day.

"Why is Jess stay with you?" she quickly realized how rude that sounded and tried to explain, "You see yesterday he said you were his uncle, and well most kids live with a little closer relative than that."

Luke looked at her for a moment wondering what he should tell her, "He's staying with me for the summer, while his mother, my sister, is… traveling," he explained leaving his answer quite vague for the time being.

"Ok," Lorelai had a feeling there was more to the story but didn't push. She decided to try a lighter question. "How do you know how to make such good coffee?"

Luke laughed a little at this, "I've been practicing for a few years."

"How old are you?" Lorelai blurted out wondering how many years of practice he could have.

"25," Luke answered tentatively, "How old are you?"

Now it was Lorelai turn to be put on the hot sit. "22," she answered clearly and waited for his reaction. She was more then a little surprised when one of the typical responses didn't come spilling from his mouth. "Don't you want to know how I have a seven old kid or something along those lines?" she said.

"No. I took biology in high school I know how it works," Luke answered simply.

Lorelai smiled at this answer, but was still confused about what made him so different than anyone else she talked too. Even Mia had commented on her young age when they had first met. "Why don't you care?"

Luke saw he wasn't going to get out of this easily, so he offered a bit of information of his own, "Liz, Jess's mom, is my younger sister."

Lorelai thought for a moment, and then realized that he had personal seen the effects of teenage pregnancy and motherhood through his sister. "Ok," she quietly smiled at him from the bench. "What would it take to get your coffee recipe?"

"It's not for sell," Luke answered.

"Are you sure? I'm very persuasive," Lorelai arched her eyebrow.

Jess and Rory had come out the pool door about a minute ago and were just watching the two adults talk.

Luke cleared his throat and broke the gaze neither one of them knew they were sharing. When he did he noticed Jess and Rory not ten feet from them. "Hey good you didn't drown."

Jess smiled, "No, but we did learn our first stroke today."

"Yeah," Rory joined in, "It's called freestyle, the crawl, or the Australian crawl stroke depending on whom you ask."

"How did you do?" Luke asked.

"I made it the length of the pool, " Jess offered proudly.

"Wow," Lorelai was the one who answered this time, "How far did you get baby?"

"Not very," Rory replied, "I don't get the timing yet."

"That's ok, you just need practice," Lorelai tried cheering her daughter up.

"I know, but most of the kids in our class already knew the stroke and Jess is lucky," Rory slightly whined.

"No, Jess has skills," Jess stated as he puffed out his chest.

"No, Jess has a old swimming book on strokes and CPR that he's been studying," Luke replied lightly smacking Jess on the head.

"Not fair," Rory called out, "Where did you find it?"

"It's his," Jess answered pointing to Luke. Then Jess came up with a brilliant idea. "Uncle Luke if Rory comes back to the diner with us we can both study this afternoon."

"Yeah," Rory jumped in quickly not only because she wanted to learn the stroke, but also it meant spending the day with her new friend again. "Please," she added for both adults benefit.

Luke looked at Lorelai for help, but she just shrugged as if to say whatever he decided was ok with her. "Fine," he caved.

"Yes," Jess and Rory said in unison.

"When do you want her back?" Luke asked Lorelai.

"Oh yeah," Lorelai was reminded yet again of her lack of an automobile, "Like seven, but you don't have to feed her or anything."

"You fed Jess, and it's really not a problem I own a diner," Luke answered a little puzzled by her remark.

"Oh yeah," now it was Lorelai turn to struck by a brilliant idea, "Could I ask you to do one thing though?"

"Sure," Luke replied figuring it was a dietary request of what not to feed Rory.

"Bring coffee when you drop Rory off," she said as she starting walking to Mia's car.

Luke half-smiled at the apparently coffee crazed woman he had been talking to. "Ok. Guys let's go." His long strides taking him across the parking lot as Jess and Rory ran to catch up.

I was going to make this chapter a little longer but the strides as bookends worked so well; I love symmetry.

Thank you for the great reviews peoples. Seriously guys, I feel inspired. After chapter 4 I thought I might have lost a few of you. I know this is a slow paced story just keep repeating to yourself: slow and steady wins the race. I see all these scenes playing out in my head; I just hope they transfer decently.

Again to answer a query from a reviewer: my facts were from Wikipedia. I did read the book, but that was seriously years ago.

By the by: This has been one of my spring break projects, and although I plan to update as frequently as I can, my updates will slow down a bit in the following weeks. Sorry, homework, tests, and labs take up time. My professors are mean that way. Anyway back to the love peoples.

Tunes: listen to "Australia" by the Shins it's a terrific song; I can't listen to it without smiling.

And since it worked last time: please, pretty please review.