Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm sorry for not posting the second part along with the first part. I had to get offline right after I posted the first part, but part two is here now! I'll be updating a lot because I want to get this done before Christmas. So, here's Part 2!


"I swear, Lor, you must be back luck or something!"

"Hey now, I am not! I have no control over what happens!"

"Really? Let's review the past five episodes. Every time you would scream 'Deal!' or 'No Deal!' at the TV, the contestant would do exactly what you said, and it'd end up being the worst choice!"

"It was purely chance! I can't help it if they're bad decision makers."

"I don't think we should watch it anymore, you might end up costing someone the money they were going to use for their brother-in-laws kidney transplant or something."

"Or, they'll end up using it to take a family cruise, but because they don't like their brother-in-law, they'll purposely not invite him and that'll start a whole family feud!"

"We're still talking about 'Deal or No Deal,' right?"

"Yes, the 'Family Feud' thing was just a coincidence."

"Ok then. But what if you do end up losing someone the money the need for a surgery or something? You'll be responsible for a death!" he said with a playful tone.

"Hey now, stop with the trying-to-predict-the-future thingy. You can't do that! And you know why?" She spotted Paul Anka over on a chair. "Because only Paul Anka can! He's the amazing doggie swami! Right, boy?" She walked over and stroked his head as he laid there lethargically.

The Doggie Swami. She had unintentionally taken her thoughts to where she often tried to avoid taking them. That night, the night of the doggie swami and the whole festival. It was when they postponed the wedding.

For a split second, she seemed frozen, as she made all the connections in her mind, lost deep in the memories.

"Lor?"

"What? Oh yeah." She snapped out of her daze just as quickly as she got into it. "So… you want to watch more TV or just go to bed? Maybe there'll be another special on about Tomkat's wedding."

"Is there a third option?" he said softly, pulling her into a kiss.

Pulling away after a few seconds, she said, "Yes, there is. We could go make me some tea! I think I'm getting sick or something."

"Oh, and you were sick just a minute ago, right? Uh-huh, yeah, sure."

"You better watch it, I just might 'accidentally' spill my tea on you, if you know what I mean." she replied jokingly. That was a thing about him. He could change from one mood to another in an instant. Of course, that wasn't always a good thing.

"Well, does my frail maiden need assistance to the kitchen?"

"Oh, I don't know if I can make it," she said in a weakened voice as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Let me get the tea. You sit down."

"Well, arighty then. Oh, I just remembered, don't forget, we have to go meet my mother again tomorrow for more planning," she told him, not forgetting to put the extra disgusted emphasis on mother.

"Aw, man. I feel another 'What I would rather do than go to another wedding planning meeting with Emily,' list coming on."

"Come on now, we've made so many of those that I'm thinking of publishing a book with them."

Back when Christopher had proposed in Paris, she had known that they couldn't just elope like he had wanted to. She didn't want to risk having another rift with Rory. Of course, now they had to spend endless hours with Emily, choosing this and planning that and the whole shebangbang.

"Fine. But let's make one in the car on the way there tomorrow."

"Ok, it's a deal."

"Alright now, no more of the 'd-word' from you tonight," he replied as he handed her her tea.

Less than ten minutes later they had gotten into bed, him snuggled up against her. He had swiftly fallen asleep, but she stayed awake just a few extra minutes. She liked the quietness of the night, it was her own alone time, even though Christopher was right next to her.

Thanksgiving had come and gone, they had gone to her parents house for the holiday, and December had just begun. December meant winter. Winter meant snow.

The past couple of months had been… different. She simply didn't allow herself to think about Luke and what had happened and what she had done. She simply couldn't deal with it. It just hurt to much. That's where Christopher had come in.

He was sweet, romantic, charming… everything she had needed. She felt secure, her life was good; she had finally gotten what had been missing all those years.

At least, she thought so.

Even though she thought that she finally had everything that she wanted, that she thought that at last, nothing else was missing, she couldn't shake that little empty feeling inside. That even though she was generally happy, there was still something missing, like a part of her still wasn't there. She couldn't think of what it could be, but she still just couldn't shake the feeling.

Maybe it'll go away once it snows, once the holidays begin, she thought before peacefully drifting off to sleep.

It had always been her favorite time of year.


"Luke?"

"Yeah, Kirk?"

"Would you like to know what my next career venture is going to be?"

"Not particularly." The last time Kirk did something new was when he opened his own diner across the street from 'Luke's' when it was in repair from the "Thunderbird" incident.

"I am going to become a masseuse. Well, a masseurs to be technically accurate."

"A masseurs?"

"Yes, a masseurs."

"A masseurs?" Luke said, still in shock.

"Can you hear me right, Luke? I'm going to be a masseurs!" Kirk replied, yelling the last sentence.

"Jeez, Kirk, quiet down, I can hear you fine! So, you're going to be a masseurs."

"Correct."

"Can I ask you why?"

"Oh, I don't know. I saw a flyer for masseurs training the other day, and it just sort of spoke to be."

"Yeah, uh-huh."

"But the problem is that I have to give one hundred free hours of massage to get certified, and family doesn't count, so I need to find some volunteers that will let me massage them."

"Well, whoever volunteers, tell me who they are so I can have them admitted to the nearest mental clinic, okay Kirk?"

"For your information, I happen to be very good with my hands. Mother has always said so."

"Uh-huh, well, that's great Kirk. Now finish your coffee, I'm closing up soon."

The diner had been packed less than twenty minutes ago since he decided to stay open late because of the town meeting. Now there were only a few people left, and all of them but Kirk were leaving.

But within a few more minutes, Kirk was also gone, and Luke was almost done closing up.

He didn't particularly like this time of day. At least not now. Whenever he was alone, he always ended up thinking about exactly what he didn't want to think about.

The past few months would have been a living nightmare for some people. He lost his fiancée in the worst way possible, a car ran into the diner, his ex-fiancée got engaged to another man, and Anna was more protective over April than ever. And in a way, it had been a living nightmare. Especially with Anna trying to take April away from him. He wasn't about to let one of the only things he had left just be pulled away from him. After he had threatened to take her to court, she had given in and decided to move her mother up the Connecticut until the school year was over. It wasn't the solution that he wanted, but it was good for the time being.

Of course, good things had happened too. He got to have the two weeks of April living with him. And Liz's baby was born.

She was such a beautiful baby, he remembered that that was one of the first things he thought. The next thought was how much he wanted to got tell Lorelai about it.

The only way he had been able to get through all the bad was to not think about what had happened. To not remember how he was so unknowingly oblivious to what she thought, how he had waited so long to tell her about April, how much it had hurt her. To not recall how terrible the fight with her had been, to not recall how incredibly hurt he felt when she told him that she had slept with Christopher. It had felt like he was just crumbling to pieces inside, unable to feel any worse than he did. Even thinking about the good times just made it worse. He couldn't think about it at all. It was just too hard.

He didn't know what to do. So he did what he would regret a million times later: he fooled himself into believing that they weren't right for each other. That they weren't meant to be together, and they were better as friends. He knew deep down that he would never believe that, but what else could he do if she wanted to be with someone else?

So he went on with his life. Ever now and then, something would remind him of her, how they used to be, but he would push the thought away just as rapidly as it came.

Of course, now the holidays were approaching, and every little part of it reminded him of her. She had always loved it all so much, especially the snow. She was always talking about how magical it was, and for awhile, he thought so too...

He flipped the lights off and slowly walked upstairs, tired from the long day's work. Even with all that had happened, even with all that was happening, he was content. He was happy. His life was good, for the first time in a long time.

After getting into bed a few minutes later, he turned off the lamp and stared into space for awhile. He diverted his gaze to the window, staring at the moonlight hitting the window.

As good as things were, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. That a part of him was gone. It was the oddest thing. And he couldn't think of what it could be.

Who knows. It'll go away soon enough, he thought before falling asleep.


You are about to see this wonderful holiday season in action. You'll see how the tiniest twist of fate can create some big opportunities. How they are used is what is chosen by the beholder. Don't believe me yet? Ay, just wait.

Like I said, during the holidays, almost anything is possible.