Luke and Lorelai's House
Luke and Lorelai walk into the house. "Clara! April!" Lorelai calls. When there's no response, Lorelai and Luke exchange a look. Luke motions for Lorelai to go ahead. She runs up the stairs calling for Clara and April. Luke follows closely behind her. They get to the nursery only to find it empty. Lorelai gives Luke and confused look. Luke takes her hand in his and squeezes it.
"I'm sure they'll be back soon," he tells her calmly. Lorelai nods. Luke interlaces their fingers and leads Lorelai down the stairs.
"You want some coffee while we wait?" Lorelai asks, forgetting who she's talking to. Luke glances over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at her. "Oh." Lorelai blushes and shakes it off. "I don't know what I was thinking. You want some warm brown water while we wait?" Luke chuckles and nods his head as they walk towards the kitchen.
"Yes, tea would be nice," he answers as Rory stumbles out of her room. Luke and Lorelai stop in their tracks. Rory reaches up with her right hand, brushing her hair out of her face. Dean walks out of the bedroom.
"Dean came over to borrow something," Rory says quickly. Lorelai's expression changes quickly from worried to confused to judging. Rory smiles nervously, glancing from Luke to Lorelai.
"Yeah, uh…" Dean stammers. He and Rory share a look. "Uh, I'll see ya." He scratches the back of his head. Rory nods uneasily. He glances at Lorelai and then walks out the back door.
"Bye," Rory says softly, turning to watch him go. She raises a hand in a half-wave, slowly bringing it down to twist with her other hand in front of her. Timidly, she looks back up at her mother. Having watched this whole thing, Lorelai stares at her daughter, sizing her up. She takes a few steps forward and glances in Rory's room, seeing the mussed bed. Lorelai takes a deep breath pursing her lips. She returns her eyes to Rory, crossing her arms over her chest.
"What did Dean come over to borrow?" Lorelai asks carefully, saying each word as if it is its own sentence. Luke watches the scene, his hands shoved in his back pockets.
"He, uh…" Rory scratches her forehead. She smiles apprehensively and shrugs.
"Rory?" Lorelai leans against the doorframe, as if patiently waiting for Rory's response.
"It's okay," Rory tells Lorelai. "I know you wanted me to talk to you about it first, but it's okay. I'm fine. He's fine. We were safe. So it's okay." Lorelai gives Rory a skeptic look.
"It's okay?" Lorelai repeats incredulously. "How is it okay?" Rory shrugs timidly. "He's married Rory."
"Not really…" Lorelai raises an eyebrow.
"Not really? Did he or did he not sign a marriage license?"
"He did," Rory responds, slightly defeated.
"And did he or did he not say his vows in front of preacher at a church about five minutes from here?" Lorelai demands.
"He did." Lorelai shrugs, looking irritated.
"Then how is it okay?" Lorelai wonders. Rory shrugs.
"Because…" Lorelai arches an eyebrow.
"That's not an answer, Rory. I know you thought things through at least a little, I know you that much, you're not The Woman In White," Lorelai responds. Rory sighs dejectedly.
"It's not working. Their marriage. It's not working out for Dean," Rory tries to explain.
"It's not working out for Dean? What about Lindsey?"
"She… he… he said it was over," Rory recalls.
"Over? Like they've signed the divorce papers, he's moving out, she's begging for alimony and their home in Malibu type of over?" Lorelai challenges. Rory looks away. "Rory?"
"I don't know," Rory replies softly. "He just said it was over. They're not happy. He's not happy. He said it wasn't working out."
"But they're still married." Rory looks up at Lorelai though misty eyes.
"But aren't you happy that it was with Dean? Someone who's nice and good and loves me?"
"Those are none of the words I would use for him right now," Lorelai snaps. "No matter what you claim, he cheated, Rory."
"Yeah, but he…"
"He cheated," Lorelai repeats insistently. Rory sighs.
"You did too. You cheated on Chris with Dad," Rory reminds her, motioning to Luke with her hand. And all Luke wants to do is sink into the floor.
"Yeah, Rory, you're right, I did. And I paid for it," Lorelai spits back. Rory looks down at the ground apologetically. Lorelai seethes. "But I was 34 years old. I wasn't 18. It wasn't my first time. And Chris and I weren't married."
"You were engaged," Rory mumbles.
"Rory, I know you know it was wrong. You're so guilty you can't even say her name. You know this wasn't right," Lorelai insists. Rory glares at her.
"No, I'm happy. I'm glad it was now. I'm glad it was with Dean. You're just mad that I didn't include you in my decision making. You're mad that by me doing this, I'm not your little girl anymore. You don't like that I'm growing up. Well, I am and I have and you're just going to have to deal with that," Rory snaps. Lorelai gives Rory a pointed look.
"Rory, you know you shouldn't have done this," Lorelai repeats. Rory shakes her head.
"I hate you," Rory spits out. "And I hate you for ruining this for me," she shouts, running out the front door, slamming it behind her. Lorelai closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. She looks over at Luke, who's watching her.
Luke reaches out his hands to Lorelai and she walks over forlornly. Luke wraps his arms around her and Lorelai wraps hers around him, laying her head on his shoulder. "You okay?" he asks softly. Lorelai nods, holding on tightly.
"Thank you," she whispers.
"For what?" Luke wonders.
"For being here," Lorelai replies. She leans back looking up at him sadly. "I shouldn't have done it that way."
"Well, you were right. He is married," Luke reminds her. Lorelai nods, looking away, folding her arms over her chest. Luke still has his hands on her back.
"I know. But we were always best friends first and mother and daughter later. I skipped the first step. I launched right into mother mode and that's not what I should have done," Lorelai says. Luke doesn't know what to say, so he just hugs her tightly. Lorelai rests her chin on his shoulder, thinking. "Was it that horrible what we did?" she asks Luke. He sighs.
"You weren't married," Luke reminds her.
"I know…" Lorelai sighs. "She needs her best friend now." Slowly Lorelai wriggles out of Luke's arms. "I'm gonna go do that." She motions with her head towards the door. Luke nods. Lorelai touches his chin lightly, giving Luke a quick kiss. He smiles softly.
Lorelai walks out the door, leaving it open behind her as she walks towards Rory. "Thought I'd find you here, Thelma," Lorelai jokes, trying to decrease the tension between them. Rory is crouches over on the stairs, crying into her hands. "Hey, Ror, let's try this again. You wanna be Laverne or Shirley?"
Rory just gets up and runs past Lorelai into the house. Lorelai steps back inside as Rory's door slams. "Go away. I hate you!" Rory screams. Lorelai looks down biting her lip. Closing the door again, Lorelai shares a look with Luke. She walks over to him.
"Will you be my friend at least?" Lorelai begs. Luke reaches up, running his fingers over her cheek.
"Always," he responds.
"Thanks," Lorelai whispers. She leans in and kisses him. Then she pulls back and glances around.
"What do you want to do?" Luke asks. Lorelai glances at Rory's door sadly.
"Let's…" She shrugs. "Let's just go back." Luke nods.
"Okay," he agrees, reaching up and rubbing her arm. He drifts his hand down to her hand, taking it. They walk outside to find Clara and April pushing the stroller up to the porch. April grins when she sees them.
"Did it work?" she asks Luke, who nods. "You got back together?"
"You better start looking for junior bridesmaid dresses," Lorelai squeals.
"Yeah!" April screams. She runs up the porch steps. Both Luke and Lorelai bend down as April throws her arms around both of their necks. Luke and Lorelai each wrap an arm around April, hugging her to them. "I'm so happy!" she exclaims. Lorelai smiles down at her. She glances at Luke, who winks at her.
"He agreed to change diapers for a month," Lorelai says. Luke wrinkles his nose, shaking his head. Lorelai laughs.
"Actually, he told me he'll never pull a Mr. Mom again," April tells Lorelai, giggling. She walks back down the porch steps over to the stroller.
"Do you want to put them to bed or should we?" Clara asks. Luke glances at Lorelai, who smiles softly.
"Well, I…" she trails off, glancing at Luke to get his approval. "I think we'd like to." Clara motions for her to go ahead. Luke and Lorelai walk down the steps, both leaning over and unstrapping a kid. Lorelai holds Olivia to her, kissing her daughter's cheek. "Hi Sweetie, hi," she coos, kissing Olivia's head a few times. Luke ruffles the few hairs on Liam's head.
"We'll be back," Luke says over his shoulder to Clara and April as he follows Lorelai up the stairs and back into the house. They walk up the stairs and into the nursery. "You're going to change them, right?" Luke asks uncertainly. Lorelai smiles.
"Yeah, I'm gonna keep trying for that Guinness record," she jokes, laying Olivia on the changing table. As Lorelai changes both diapers, Luke gets out sleepwear for both kids and puts them into that. "This is nice," Lorelai comments. Luke glances over at her as she finishes with Olivia. "You know, both of us here. The Danes family. Or one soon-to-be Danes." She wriggles the fingers of her left hand at him.
"We might have taken a few turns but we got here. Hey, we took the road less traveled," Luke figures. Lorelai picks up Olivia to put her in her crib as Luke finishes dressing Liam. She leans over and kisses Luke softly.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." They smile at each other, both basking in their newfound happiness. Luke kisses her again as he picks up Liam. They both set their twins down in his or her crib. Luke squeezes Liam's foot.
"Stay strong, Kiddo," Luke tells Liam, as always. He walks over to Olivia's crib, standing behind Lorelai who's staring down at her daughter.
"It's going to be different this time," Lorelai says softly, meaning her mother-daughter relationship. She glances over her shoulder at Luke, who nods. Lorelai looks back Olivia. She touches her fingers to her lips and then touches them to Olivia's forehead. She turns to walk over to Liam's crib, Luke grabbing her hand on the way. He gives her a settling look and Lorelai nods. Luke returns his attentions to his daughter.
"Sweet dreams, Baby Girl,' he says softly, reaching in and brushing Olivia's hand with his fingers. He walks to the doorway and pauses, turning around to wait for Lorelai. She stands at Liam's crib, touching her fingers to her lips and placing them on Liam's head.
Turning to walk out of the room, Lorelai looks up to see Luke standing there. He reaches out a hand to her and she places hers in his. "Look at this," she whispers, choked up. They both glance around the nursery. "Look at all we have."
"What we have is each other," Luke tells Lorelai. She grins, her eyes glittering.
"As long as we've got each other," she sings. Luke tries not to smile, rolling his eyes. "We've got the world spinning right in our hands, Baby you and me," Lorelai continues singing. Seeing Luke's semi-annoyed face, Lorelai laughs. "Oh, I forgot to turn on the CD," she realizes, getting the approval from Luke. He nods. As Lorelai walks over to turn on the CD player, Luke lightly taps her butt, causing Lorelai to let out a yelp and a laugh. "Okay, boyfriend, let's go." She turns on the Bono CD and motions for him to lead down the stairs.
They walk down the stairs to find April and Clara settling themselves in sleeping bags on the living room floor. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to, I think Rory's staying the night," Luke tells them. April and Clara share a look. He sighs. Lorelai smiles, knowingly.
"You guys have fun. April, you know where the snacks are when you get hungry," Lorelai tells them. April nods. "Eat as much as you want."
"But not so much that I'll never be allowed to see you again," Luke adds. April giggles. Lorelai shakes her head.
"Come on," Lorelai says, taking Luke's hand. "Bye girls." She waves.
"Bye," Luke adds, waving as well.
Luke and Lorelai walk out of the house, their fingers interlacing and as they walk down the steps. Lorelai's quiet as they walk through the center of town on their way over to the Dragonfly. Luke keeps glancing at her, making sure she's still with him. He squeezes her hand. "You okay?" he asks concerned. Lorelai glances over at him, a smile playing on her lips.
"Yeah…" Lorelai sighs.
"You thinking about Rory?" Luke asks. Lorelai nods.
"I think I was wrong. I was wrong to play the mom card first. I never did before," Lorelai says.
"She's older now. Your arguments aren't over little things anymore, Lorelai. Sometimes you have to remind her that you're the adult in the relationship," Luke tells her. Lorelai nods, sadly. He stops, pulling her hand so she stops too. "It's going to be this way with the younger kids. We've got to be the adults. I know you love your relationship with Rory, but it's not going to be the same with Olivia and Liam. Things are different." Lorelai seems to be mulling this over and then she straightens up, preparing herself.
"So you agree with me? You think what Rory did was wrong? You'll back me up if she goes to you?" Lorelai asks. Luke nods.
"Yeah, I will," Luke responds.
"Because she might. You want to be the dad, you get to be the dad, but you have to be willing to do it all the time," Lorelai warns him. Luke slowly draws in a deep breath and then nods.
"Okay," he agrees.
"You have to agree to this. We have to be a united front. If we disagree on how to deal with the kids, they're going to be able to use that against us. So you have to back me up with anything I say to Rory, Olivia and Liam and I have to back you up on all things having to do with April, Olivia and Liam."
"I agree," Luke says. Lorelai smiles.
"So we've got that straight?"
"You bet," Luke says. Lorelai laughs. She reaches up, cupping his face in her hands and kisses him. "Okay, we'd better get back." He wraps his arm around her shoulders as Lorelai leans into him as they finish their walk back to the Dragonfly.