There is a lot I want to say about the next chapter. But I won't. Until then, enjoy the reprieve.

~G.G~

Part 6: Sleep over!

Luke was waiting with Lorelai's coat and a concerned expression when she again joined them in the foyer. Rory had been right during the tour and they had heard enough of the muffled yells to know that things were not going well between the mother and daughter. He caught enough to know what they were arguing about: him, Rory and Christopher.

"They always like this?" He had asked the young woman as they walked around the pool.

She nodded, trying not to let the situation get to her any more than it already was, "Pretty much. At least when they're not ignoring each other or trying to be nice. Even then those situations usually lead to yelling."

"Do you and your mom get like this?"

"Sometimes, but usually our fights are over by the end of the commercial break." She smiled at him, "I'm lucky, I don't know what I would do if I had a different relationship with my mom."

"You know," he confessed, hands deep in his pockets and his eyes looking away from her, "You and your mom, it's a lot like the relationship I had with my Dad."

Rory's smile brightened, "Yeah?"

"More or less. We did more fishing than shopping, didn't eat junk and probably talked as much in six months as you two do in the course of one."

"No one talks as much as me and mom. I'm glad that you had that."

"Yeah, me too."

"I'm also glad that, you know... that you're here." She looked at him, her face flushed with embarrassment. Over the years that she'd known him she had always liked Luke, and had always appreciated everything he did for both her and her mother. And while she didn't always say the words, she had always felt that he knew that he was an important part of her life. but this - this was different. What he was doing, now, what it meant to have him there, not only on that night, but during this latest Gilmore drama, told her more than anything else he'd ever done - even more than when he had tried to make her stop crying when she skinned her knee at the age of ten and more than when he had tried to keep Dean away from her after their breakup - that he was in her life to stay.

He smiled, wondering for the first time if this was what it felt like to be a parent, and if it was, why he never thought to embrace it before, "Yeah, me too."

"Well," she started again once they lapsed into silence, "The yelling's stopped. That's a good sign. It means that they're talking. We should get back."

"Think there's going to be more fighting?"

"At this time of night, even odds."

They had returned to the foyer and gathered their things, Rory fastening her sweater while Luke awkwardly held his wife's purse and coat. When he saw her approaching he offered her his most reassuring expression, even though he knew it probably wasn't convincing. Not after the screams that he had heard.

He helped her into her coat, allowing his hands to rest on her shoulders a little longer than he would have a month ago, before he stepped back and watched as Lorelai engulfed her daughter in a hug.

"Everything go okay?" Rory asked between breaths.

"Fine. Food. Need. Thinking bad. Luke driving." Inhaling deeply, she stepped back and took in the pair before her.

"Want to talk about it?" Luke ventured, watching her closely even as he led the way to the door, slightly jealous of the way Lorelai and Rory had their arms around each other, holding one another for comfort.

"Not now, I just need to think. My keys are in my purse," she explained, feeling comfortable enough to let him root through her bag for them.

Instead he handed it to her, "I don't want to think about what else you might have in there."

Cracking a smile, she handed him the keys, breathing in the un-oppressed air outside before turning her attention back to Rory, "You okay to drive home?"

She nodded, "Yeah. Oh, remember Lane's coming over so..." she cast a look to Luke, blushing at the implications.

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "There will be no hanky panky."

"Really? Cuz from what I walked in on..."

"Will you two stop that? I'm standing right here."

"Is she spending the night?" Lorelai asked, rooting through her purse even as Rory said she most likely was. "Here, get a pizza and a movie and make sure she put the key back in the turtle because I know that she's probably already in there waiting for you." She turned her attention to Luke, "Can we go to your place? We should talk."

They waited until Rory was under way before starting out on the dark roads. They didn't say anything but Lorelai knew that Luke felt more comfortable knowing that Rory was in front of him, so he wouldn't be too far away in case something happened.

"Have I ever thanked you for being so good with my kid?"

"Couple times, but I appreciate it. She's a good kid, makes it look easy." They fell silent, "So should we dive right into this or should we skirt the issue with some small talk?"

"My second cousin thinks you're hot."

He couldn't help the stupid grin that broke over his lips, "Small talk it is."

~G.G~

They drove most of the way in silence, each falling into their own thoughts: Luke his father and how close he was to being an actual part of a real family again; and Lorelai on her mother and the family that she could have had. Neither were any closer to feeling better about their individual topics when he pulled to a stop in front of the diner.

She steadied herself as she left the safety of her jeep, moving around to the back to pull out a small duffle bag. She met Luke's questioning eye from where he stood, unlocking the door.

"What? I need to change."

"So you carry around a change of clothes?"

"Two actually, it's always good to have choices and one never knows when you might need to change one's clothes." He looked confused. She rolled her eyes. "It's a girl thing, just keep moving."

"Coffee?"

"Only if I can drink it upstairs and in bare feet."

"You go up and change, I'll bring your coffee up when it's done."

Feeling more tired than she had in days, she trudged up the stairs, not surprised to find the door to the small apartment unlocked. Flicking on the light and kicking off her heels, she moved to the bathroom, intent on getting into something that felt as sloth-like as she currently did. It wasn't until she stood in the open bathroom doorway with the light on that she realized that something was different. Something had changed in the apartment. And, turning around, it didn't take long to realize what it was.

Luke had a bigger bed.

She blinked as she went to it, checking to see if Luke was coming before testing it out. It was firm but comfortable and it didn't squeak when she pushed on it. Was it broken in? Was it new? She tried to recall the last time she had been in his apartment. When was that? The day she told him about her mother's evil plot. Had it been there then? Was it something that came with Nicole or something else entirely? She couldn't remember. She had been too upset that day to recall the possible change. But it was a big change, a meaningful change. And it was one that Lorelai was sure she would have noticed. Even just for what it meant. It meant that he was ready to share. And while the obvious just spoke to him wanting to share his bed, her heart leapt at the thought that followed, that maybe, just maybe, he was ready to share his life as well.

"I brought the pot," Luke called as he came in. Stopping when he saw her still standing between his bathroom and bed, her bag forgotten at her feet. "What?"

"You have a new bed."

"Yeah."

"And it's bigger. Grown up size."

"I know," he said, still not understanding her wondrous expression.

"No, Luke! You. have. a. bigger. bed."

He looked around, wondering if he was the only person in the world who thought she was nutty. "I know, it's not that big of a deal. I kind of liked having a bigger bed on the cruise ship and came home and thought 'why not', and so I called the store and why are you looking at me like that?"

Blushing, and not able to explain to him the importance of this change at this time without feeling like he would know she's the idiot that he's long thought she was, she picked up the bag and retreated into the bathroom, quickly changing and silently wishing she had grabbed the other, and slightly less casual, change of clothes instead, well aware of the smile that refused to leave her lips.

When she came back out he had changed out of his suit, wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants that she had known he was going to be wearing instead.

"So," he began when she didn't make a move to say anything, "Ready to talk about it?"

She sagged, remembering the conversation that she had had with her mother not very long before, "Wha-oh yeah, right. That."

"How was it? It sounded pretty heated. What did she have to say?"

"Not much. She said she was satisfied. She got her chance to save face, and she figures by the time we navigate through all the red legal tape that I assume she means to put in the way, enough time will have passed and people will pity her for her daughter's failed marriage instead of talk about how she let me make poor life choices."

His body tightened, not liking the sound of that. "What red tape?"

"My family assets, as she calls it. Which is kind of funny since the only assets I have are my share of the inn, my mortgaged house with the extra loan I'm still paying off, Rory and whatever lamps you have yet to destroy."

"I don't want their money."

"I know that and you know that and I'm sure even my parents know that. But tell that to their lawyers."

"I'll probably have to," he mumbled, not looking forward to the coming months. "But other than that, that's it? No more ultimatums?" He asked, sinking down onto the bed, wondering if he should feel relieved or hurt at it ending so potentially easily.

"That's what she says but..."

"But?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I feel like she's playing with me, you know? I know she thinks she's doing what she feels is best for me, but her perception of my life has always been skewed - like Hitler's opinion of the Jews skewed. I told her that I'd see what happens after Rory's tuition was paid." She paused, never having thought of Luke's reaction to her volunteering to lengthen their relationship without asking him. "That's okay, right? I mean, you're okay leaving this for a little while longer?"

"Oh yeah, sure. Hell, the longer I stayed married the longer I don't have to worry about dating. I'm fine. Really. So, how about that coffee?"

"Yes please." She smiled at him as she watched him move about the small space, seeming all the smaller with him in it. She sat on the edge of the bed, accepting the hot mug when he brought it back, sitting beside her with a contented sigh. She watched him still as she took a sip, noticing at once the change. "This is decaf."

"It's almost midnight, of course it's decaf. You've been wound tight enough tonight without adding more of that crap into your system. So either you drink your decaf and quit your whining or you can go on home tonight."

She smiled, listening as he continued to rant about coffee and caffeine and her early death until he paused, arms falling to his sides in defeat as he noticed her expression, "What?"

"You want me to stay the night."

"I assumed it was going to happen."

"You bought a bigger bed."

"Look, you told Rory to get sleepover type foods for her and Lane and didn't tell her when you'd be back and..." he fell silent when he saw her smiling wider. He couldn't help himself and he smiled along with her. "Check up on Rory and then get in the damn bed."

Laughing, she caught the cordless phone that he tossed her before shooing her away from his bed mumbling all the while about how much work she was at times.

"Hey Mom," Rory greeted on the other line of the phone.

"How did you know it was me?"

"It's late, who else would be calling?"

"Uh, the drug dealers who are going to be showing up any time now to sell to the guys who are going to crash the party you don't want me to know you're having."

"We're watching Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."

"Kinky. So orgy?"

"Hardly."

"How are you my kid? Did I not teach you how to abuse the system when your mother isn't going to be home?"

"Well I didn't know you would not be coming home. I thought you were going over to Luke's to talk. You mentioned nothing about sleeping. I thought it was a talking only visit."

"I did, we did and then I figured you'd be well into your orgy and I didn't want to embarrass you by coming home in the middle of it."

"I think the better question is how are you my mother?" There was a pause, "Can I ask you something?"

Hearing the uncertainty, Lorelai glanced at Luke, making sure he was engrossed in his book, before moving to the other end of the apartment, "Sure, Hon. Anything."

"Things are going to be okay, aren't they?"

Lorelai smiled, remembering the way that Luke had watched out on the drive back for any sign of a car like Rory's. And she knew that no matter what else was going on in their lives, he would make sure that everything, that they, were going to be okay. "Yeah, everything's going to be fine."

"I really like Luke, Mom."

"I know you do, Kid." She paused, casting another look over her shoulder, "Can I ask you something now?"

"As long as it's not about drug dealers or orgies."

"Do you feel like you've missed out? I mean I know that it's important for a kid to have a dad in their lives..."

"Yeah, I guess it is. But, sure, I guess in a way I missed out on not having my dad there for me every day and sure Dad wasn't the most reliable, but when I needed him, I mean really needed him, he was there. And besides..."

"Besides?"

"There was always Luke. So I guess, in a way, these past few years I've had two. Goodnight Mom. I love you."

Lorelai inhaled a steadying breath, willing the tears not to fall, "I love you too. Now throw a party. Wreck the place!"

She hung up and went back to the bed where Luke was laying, her eyes still shimmering.

"You okay?" He asked, moving so she could get under the covers.

She nodded, "Yeah. I just have one hell of a kid."

He smiled, reaching out and wiping away the tear that escaped her eye, "That you do. Just like she has one hell of a mom." Leaning over, he kissed her temple, "Goodnight Lorelai."

"Goodnight Luke."

She watched him as he switched off the light and settled in for the night. She watched as he quickly fell asleep. She watched him still. The him that she didn't think would ever stop surprising her. The him that continued to give so much of himself without a thought of getting anything back again. The him that she wanted to give something back to. The him that she felt she had already given something back to.

She had fancied herself in love before. With Christopher and Max and Harrison Ford. But what she was feeling when she watched him reach for her in his sleep, a smile spreading over his lips as he held onto her, was different from anything she had ever felt before. It was deep and strong and terrifying and steadying, all at the same time. It was something new and something that she knew was going to be hard to shake. She just wasn't sure she wanted to.

~G.G~

Emily sat back and watched over the staff as they went about cleaning the mess that they had made of her kitchen, thinking about the events of the evening. Playing over and over in her head what Lorelai had said.

'What's happening between me and Luke...'

Knowing she only had one ace left up her sleeve, she picked up her phone and dialled the hardly used number. A smile broke over her lips as the familiar voice greeted her on the other end of the line, "Good evening Christopher. I need your help with something. I'm afraid Lorelai is making a terrible mistake..."

~TBC~

Next: shit hits the fan. Please don't hate me for what's about to happen.