Notes:
Hey all, please check out my new oneshot if you haven't. This Rain Will Take Away What's Past. It's a finale denial fic, so it's actually happy.
Babs25 - Kirk holds a special place in my heart. I love him. But I try to not to use him too often because too much Kirk can get annoying.
scubaluver - I know what you mean about V-Day. My birthday is exactly a week after, in fact it's the date I used for the duedate of the twins. So it always bothered me when people thought VDay was more important than my birthday. I'm like Lorelai, no day is more important than my birthday! Yup, Lorelai's gotta watch that independent attitude of hers, but so far she hasn't had any reason to give that up. It's always worked for her and thus far there's been nothing to show that it won't continue to work for her.
sarahb2007 - The due date for the twins is February 21st and she's having a boy and a girl. It was revealed about ten chapters back when they went to the doctor's office. Hey, did you notice my dedication to you? Oh and I forgot to congratulate you a few chapters back on being my 600th review!
GMB loves Angel - That's exactly how I feel about long stories like this. Most short ones I can map out so I have a plan before I actually write the thing but long ones like this just keep going, different plots intersecting until everything's resolved, at least as best as possible, and there's a good place to end it. Hah, but then again there's alway a chance for a sequel if everything's not resolved.
squiddrude - Lane was in the last chapter, though she didn't have many lines. I think Lane will be in a few chapters in the future, especially once she moves to Rory's and then Lorelai's after her concert like she did in the 4th season. I love that you do the same thing I do, spelling weird like wierd. My best friend always harrasses me about that, thank God for spell check or it would be like that in all my stories.
smileyGGfan - Foreshadowing? Hmm... read on and find out. Eh, the financial stuff, I always have to go back to the Incredible Shrinking Lorelai's and my favorite scene ever, which I know I've mentioned that before. I think he is helping out, you know, but not with the inn or Rory and I don't think she's letting him in on that kind of a thing, because she's Jo. Glad you're excited for the second half because it's going to be quite a ride.
nikkitan89 - You've been giving me such beautiful reviews but I haven't had much to reply to so I finally something to respond to and I also wanted to thank you for your heartfelt reviews! Please believe that they mean a lot to me even when I don't reply to you directly! Poor Lorelai is right, stuck is not quite the word I'd use, but I see what you're getting at. I think it's hard to be independent like she is and not feel so alone in the world.
rach - You mean the pie conversation? Yup, I've seen the interview, that's where the idea was from. Just a throwback to anyone who's actually seen the interview. Haha. Funny that you're actually the first to point that out. I think not only is Lorelai well written but well acted, LG is amazing and she can do so much. But, yeah, she's fun to write, and easy, Rory's hard for me to write, I'll admit it. Even Luke is easier because he and Kirk and everyone all have their quirks, but Rory's just Rory.
roywthepoodles - Lorelai's just entering her 8th month so babies are on their way soon. Still working on the names. Stay tuned!
Rory's Dorm
Luke knocks on the door of Rory's dorm room. He shoves his hands in his pockets as he waits, glancing around at all the students passing by who are looking at him strangely. Suddenly the door opens revealing Paris, who has a surprised look on her face. "Paris," Luke grunts, as he steps beside her into the room.
"Mel," Paris responds, closing the door behind him. "Come to tell me the truth about the seedy underbelly of Stars Hallow?" Luke stares at her, an eyebrow raised.
"Have you been talking to Lorelai?" Paris stares at him like he's crazy. "Forget it."
"Whatever," Paris responds. Rory walks out of her room.
"Dad!" she exclaims, extremely happy to see him. She runs over, throwing her arms around him. Luke hesitates but hugs her back. Paris watches with an eyebrow raised.
"Hey Rory," Luke says in the most excited tone of his.
"I'm so glad you called to drop by for a visit."
"Well I wanted to see you," Luke explains.
"Aw, Dad, you old softy," Rory teases. Luke gives her a look. She grins. She glances over at Paris who is staring at them.
"Uh, why don't we go get some dinner in the dining hall?" Rory suggests, realizing that both she and Luke would be more comfortable away from Paris. Luke nods. "Paris, have a good evening, play nice with the girls, and try not to glue your fingers together during craft time this time." She motions for Luke to follow her and they walk out. Rory locks the door behind her. "So, is everything okay?"
"Why wouldn't everything be okay?" Luke asks. Rory shrugs.
"I don't know, I was just checking." Luke nods, like he's not really sure she was just checking. "You still okay? I know being a Dad has got to have you a little spooked." Luke shrugs.
"Not as much as you would think. You've been a pretty good guinea pig daughter."
"Well, you're a good Dad," Rory responds, smiling.
"Yeah, about that…" Luke says, not exactly sure how to phrase his next question. Rory look at him, waiting for him to finish. "Rory, I know you're angry with your father right now, but he's not going to be happy when he finds out you're calling me Dad."
"You don't want me to?" Rory asks, a little saddened by this.
"No, of course, I do," Luke answers quickly. Rory nods. "It's just, you have a father. Don't you think that you'll eventually be on good terms with him again?" Rory shrugs.
"I really don't know," Rory admits. "I can't forgive him for what he did to Mom. I don't know how Mom can, but I really can't. I know you and Mom shouldn't have done what you did, but that's no excuse for his actions, not to me. It's inexcusable. And I'll tell him that. I'm sorry, but with me that's just the way it is. Mom's always been there for me, she's my best friend, and I can forgive her for anything. But Chris hasn't. There was about a year when he called me once a week but that was it and I was 17 by then. Until I was 10, I barely heard from him. He never remembered and he never cared to." She reaches out and touches Luke's arm. "But you did. You always made me a top priority. Even with all the Jess stuff. You were more fatherly to me than anyone else. So you win, you get to be Dad. But only if you want," Rory says, leaving him an option out. She looks up at him with hope in her eyes. Luke smiles softly.
"Rory, I would be honored to have you call me Dad," Luke says. The simple sentence meaning more than almost anything she's heard in her life and she throws her arms around him again.
"Thanks. And thanks for always being there," she whispers. They pause their walking just standing there for a moment. "And I know George and Martha are going to love having you as a Dad."
"Ah, you have been talking to Lorelai," Luke says. Rory giggles.
"Have you thought about names yet?" Rory asks.
"Some, we really should make more of an effort. Those kids are going to hate us if we don't discuss it and actually end up naming them George and Martha," Luke realizes.
"We couldn't have that!" Rory exclaims, seriously. "Come on, this is the dining hall." She motions with her head. They walk inside and get their meals and walk to a table to sit across from each other and eat. "But Mom's okay?"
"You haven't talked to her?"
"Not today, yesterday, just thought I'd make sure she wasn't lying," Rory says. Luke smiles, nodding.
"She's good. She's bored. You know your mom. She's seven, almost eight, months pregnant and she never feels well and she's cranky and she's stuck on the couch most of the day watching TV, which leaves me to play go between with Sookie so that the Dragonfly will open on time. And thank God for Lane, because if she wasn't working in the diner whenever I needed her, I'd be losing a lot of customers."
"Well I know Lane is glad to have the excuse of working all the time at the diner so that she doesn't have to come up with excuses for getting out of her house," Rory tells him.
"Good. Glad to be of service."
"And I'm sure Mom's glad for your help. She said now that you've moved in, it's made things a lot easier for her."
"Yeah she doesn't have to get up to fetch the remote control."
"Or change the video tape," Rory adds.
"Well this actually leads me to why I came to see you," Luke segues.
"You didn't just come to spend time with your guinea pig daughter, I'm hurt," Rory says, pouting, pretending to be hurt. Luke shakes his head, taking a bite of food. "Go on."
"Well Lorelai and her father aren't that close," Luke begins. Rory raises an eyebrow.
"Man, you are the king of segues." Luke chuckles. "I'm just saying, that really sucked."
"You'll understand in a moment," Luke tells her. Rory motions for him to continue as she goes back to eating. "Well they're not close. And I know it's important to get permission, or probably not to most people, but it is to Lorelai, cuz she's crazy, and cuz she likes traditional things, or at least traditions, like Topol."
"Actually Tevye, Topol was just the actor but I get what you're saying about traditions," Rory notes.
"Yes, traditions…" Luke pauses to eat, having lost his train of thought. "Oh, yeah, okay so since Lorelai's not close to her father, I thought you would be a better person to ask for permission."
"Permission for what? Yes, Dad you may go to the science museum."
"No, for her hand in marriage," Luke inserts quickly. Rory's mouth drops open in surprise. Luke sets his fork down. "I think I went about this wrong."
"No, I just…" She looks down at her plate, thinking this over.
"Is it too soon, Rory? Too soon to ask you, since the last was your father?" Luke seems very worried. Rory looks up at him, a soft smile on her face.
"No, that's not it. Dad, that is the most wonderful thing you've ever done. I'm in awe. To ask permission, it's the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for my mom," Rory explains, a sense of awe in her voice.
"Oh, well…" Luke looks down, embarrassed.
"Dad, it means a lot to me too, that you would ask me. Max didn't. Chris didn't. I was just something that went along with marriage to my mother, they both would have been just as happy marrying Mom if I wasn't around, even Chris. I was the tag along in her life. She was the important thing. And I'm not saying she shouldn't be, but I just wanted to feel included. Like they were glad to have me be a part of the whole thing. Like they were happy to be getting mom and I was a special bonus gift." Rory watches Luke for a moment. "I mean I know I'm not at home that much now, but isn't that why you asked?" Luke nods.
"Rory, if and when I marry your mom, I want you to be included. I want you to know I'm proud to have you as part of my family." Rory smiles. "Don't call me a softy," Luke warns. Rory laughs. "And I want you to know, I know your mom's been engaged a lot in the past few years, and I should probably wait, but I just can't. I want her to know this is permanent. Me living there. The twins. You. April. The whole thing. The whole package. Me fetching the remote for her."
"There's where the segue was," Rory notices. Luke chuckles. "I know it's different this time. You can see it in her eyes."
"Can you?"
"I can." Luke takes a bite, smiling to himself. "Dad, I need to say this, just because I'm her daughter. Don't you dare hurt her, and I don't just mean physically, I mean in any way. Too many times I've come home and found her sobbing into her pillow, unable to get up, unable to move, and I don't ever want to find that again. So if you want to marry her, mean it."
"Rory, I'm promising you now, I would never hurt Lorelai, never." Rory nods, satisfied.
"So, you need help picking a ring?" Rory asks. Luke shakes his head. "I mean I know her best."
"I know her pretty well," Luke says, smiling. "And she's made me prove it."