So I have abandoned this...I know! I hope there are still people reading, it isn't one of my most popular fics.

Anyway, thanks for the reviews for the last chapter :D I appreciate all your comments. Hope you enjoy this chapter, it was just a random one that came to mind :P.

Rory is thirteen.

"How did this happen?" Rory questioned her mother, as Lorelai lay on the hospital bed getting her broken leg attended to.

"Yoga," she groaned.

"Yeah, you went to yoga with Sookie," she said. "But how did you end up lying in the hospital with a broken leg exactly?" Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"Stupid downward facing something or other," she grumbled.

"Mom?" she addressed, trying to probe Lorelai to answer her question.

"I don't know," she whined. "All I can tell you is that yoga is lethal, seriously, it's the stupidest thing I have ever seen."

"I expected Sookie to come outta this with broken bones, not you," she said thoughtfully.

"Pfft, you should have seen Sookie!" she said in exasperation. "She was completely balanced the whole time, and I'm standing next to her looking like I'm having a fit."

"I'm sure you weren't that bad," she assured her. Lorelai's head swung round to face her.

"I have a broken freaking leg," she pointed out, her voice gaining volume. "Of course I was bad." Rory frowned and put her hand on Lorelai's shoulder.

"Does it hurt?" she asked quietly. She hadn't admitted it yet, but she hated seeing her mother in pain, it made her want to cry.

"Just a little," she replied, her voice softening considerably. She noticed her daughter's frown and was quick to console her. "Don't worry about me, babe," she assured her. "I'll be fine; I just need a bit of TLC."

"And crutches," Rory giggled. Lorelai pretended to look hurt, but could only keep it up for a short while and ended up smiling.

XXXX

Two days later, Rory was in the kitchen attempting to warm up some canned soup, but she was having trouble opening the container.

"Damn can opener," she mumbled as it unattached itself for the fourth time, and refused to cut into the tin. There was a knock at the door, and Rory dropped the utensil, hurrying into the foyer to find out who was on the other side.

"Hey Rory."

"Luke," she sighed happily. "What's up?"

"Well I heard about your mom's leg, and I thought you both might be hungry," he shrugged.

"We are," she confirmed eagerly as she gestured for him to come in and closed the door behind him. He followed her into the kitchen and found the can of soup on the counter.

"Canned soup?" he questioned, raising his eyebrows at the teen. Rory shrugged her shoulders shyly.

"We haven't got much else, I couldn't open it anyway," she admitted. "What did you bring?"

"Real food," he said gruffly. He placed the grocery bag on the counter and began pulling various vegetables out.

"I don't think mom will eat all that," she frowned at his attempt to make food for them.

"Don't worry, she won't even know they're in there," he told her, winking devilishly. Rory grinned at him, before the sound of a bell ringing caught their attention.

"Speaking of mom," she muttered.

"What's that?" he questioned.

"Mom got this bell," she informed him. "And every time she wants something she rings it until I go up there."

"That's like child labour or something," he said.

"It's annoying, is what it is," she grumbled. "It seems like she needs something every five minutes, I hardly have any time to study, and I have this presentation on Thursday and I have to memorise my notes, and make flash cards..."

"Rory," he began softly, trying to calm her down. "I'll go see to your mom and make some lunch for the two of you," he told her. "Go study," he allowed. Rory smiled slightly.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "Cause she's really annoying at the moment."

"Positive, and she can't be any worse than usual."

"She is, believe me." Luke chuckled, then shooed her away.

"I'll handle it, go learn stuff," he said gruffly. Rory grinned widely at him then bounced into her room to get on with her studying; her usual Sunday afternoon activity. Luke sighed as he made his way towards the stairs, and began climbing them slowly.

"Rory," Lorelai called, becoming impatient. "Sweet child of mine, where are you?" Luke poked his head around the door, making Lorelai jump. "Luke," she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to make lunch for you guys," he replied. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," she replied nonchalantly. Luke looked cautiously around Lorelai Gilmore's bedroom; it was one place he had never been before. "So what do I owe this great honour," she asked mockingly. Luke rolled his eyes and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Rory said you ring the bell when you need something," he told her. "You rang the bell, I came to see what you need." Lorelai looked up at him, silence washing over them. "Well?"

"It's uh...kinda something Rory should help me with," she said uncomfortably. "I have a call to answer...from nature," she admitted. He stared at her dumbly for a moment or two, before he realised what she meant and his eyes widened uncontrollably.

"Oh," he said nervously.

"Yeah, so um...is Rory available?" she asked.

"She's studying," he shrugged, realising what was happening here. She nodded, not being able to think of an answer. "Can't you use the crutches?" he asked, referring to the two walking aids leaning against her nightstand.

"They're too hard to use," she whined. "It's worse than exercising." Luke rolled his eyes.

"I guess...I could carry you there," he suggested, immediately regretting it when her face lit up and she had that twinkle in her eyes.

"Really Luke, you'll be my knight in shining armour?" she asked, trying to annoy him. Luke just rolled his eyes, which fuelled her to go further. "Will you carry me through the trenches and risk your life, just to save little old me?"

"You're medicated," he grumbled.

"You're my hero," she cooed. Luke exhaled sharply before taking hold of the crutches.

"I'll make you use these if you carry on," he warned her. Her smile vanished and she scowled at him playfully.

"You wouldn't."

"Watch me." He rested the sticks against her bed and turned around, fully prepared to leave the room.

"No, Luke," she called after him longingly. "I need your help; I promise I won't make jokes anymore." And as he always did, he went to her side, longing to be her hero.

XXXX

The mini steak pies with hidden veggies were in the oven, and Luke was pottering around the kitchen looking for something to do. He found the coffee maker and decided to make some, Rory was allowed it now after all.

"Hey," he said as he awkwardly stood in the doorway of her room. Rory looked up from her stack of flashcards and smiled at him.

"Hi Luke, something smells good," she commented.

"Steak pie," he told her.

"I thought pies were usually for dessert," she said thoughtfully. Luke shrugged.

"It's a British recipe," he said. "Thought I'd combine two of your favourite things; red meat and pie." Rory smiled further.

"Sounds great." Luke stepped further into her room and admired all the Hartford paraphernalia.

"You've built up quite a display here," he said in admiration. Rory blushed slightly.

"Yeah, it's just little bits I picked up here and there," she told him. "Mom bought most of it for me." Luke nodded.

"So it's definitely Harvard, huh?"

"Looks that way," she said with a decisive nod. Luke looked down at the floor shyly.

"It'll be strange, you know, you been so far away," he admitted, his face turning pink. "I mean...who's gonna drink all the coffee?"

"I'm sure mom will see to that," she told him.

"Yeah, I guess so," he agreed, although he seemed to be thinking about something else completely.

"It's like, five years away anyway," she said. "There's loads of time till I go away to college." Luke nodded then decided to change the subject, noticing that it was getting a little soppy in an 'I'll miss you so much' sort of way.

"Do you need any help with your studying?" he asked as he leaned over to take a look at what she was doing.

"You can test me if you want; I've been trying to learn it all since before mom's accident."

"Hang on a second," he said as he went out of the room. He reappeared a few moments later holding a mug, filled with fresh coffee. "Made this for you."

"Mmm thank you," she hummed appreciatively as she took a sip of the delicious elixir. "Being thirteen is awesome." Luke had to chuckle just a little bit.

"So how are we gonna do this?" he asked.

"Well I'll have my flash cards with me, so if you take a seat here." She pulled a chair out from her desk and pushed Luke back onto it. "And I'll stand up here." She picked up a notepad with neat scrawl filling the pages. "This is my final presentation, and I have to know this word for word, so read through it as I talk and stop me if I say something wrong," she told him. Luke nodded seriously, like he was being ordered around by the president or something.

"Go ahead," he allowed. Rory took a deep breath, before delving into her speech. Luke was amazed by how confident she sounded, and as he read through the pages of writing, he couldn't believe how many big words she was using, words he had no idea what the meaning of were.

"How was I?" she asked after she'd drawn the presentation to a close.

"Perfect," he told her. "Word for word." Rory jumped up excitedly and squealed, impulsively bounding towards Luke for a hug. It was another of those awkward ones, where Luke pats her on the head cause he's not sure where he should put his hands.

"Is lunch almost ready? I'm starved," she complained.

"About ten minutes," he told her. She fell back onto her bed and arranged her flash cards so they were in order again. That's when they heard Lorelai ringing the bell again. Rory sighed and got up, stopping at the bottom of the staircase.

"What do you want now?" she called, seemingly annoyed.

"I'm really feeling the love, sweets," Lorelai called back.

"I'm studying, what's up?"

"I smell coffee," she shouted.

"What's new? You have it stuffed up your nostrils," she deadpanned, causing Luke to laugh a little from his place in the kitchen. He was already pouring Lorelai a cup of his famous java.

"Did Luke make coffee?"

"Maybe, why?" she replied.

"He did, I know he did. I want some."

"What's the magic word?"

"Coffee!" she called. Rory rolled her eyes.

"Coming up," she gave in before trudging back into the kitchen. Luke was just making his way out, with a cup of coffee held in his hands. "Oh, you poured her some," she said.

"Yeah, figured that's what she was complaining about." Rory nodded. "Want me to take it up to her?"

"No, that's okay," she protested. He was already making lunch for them, and he helped her study. She took the hot mug from him and he glanced at her uneasily. "What?"

"Just...be careful," he warned. "Try not to spill it all over you," he said worriedly.

"I'm thirteen Luke, not three," she giggled, but was secretly touched by his concern for her. "I'll be fine." Luke nodded, although he still seemed unsure. Rory noticed that as she began to ascend the staircase, Luke was watching after her to make sure she reached the top safely. She smiled at that. "The coffee cavalry has arrived," Rory announced as she entered her mother's room.

"Oh, my angel," she cooed as she eagerly accepted the mug from her daughter. She took a few delighted gulps before taking her attention back to Rory. "Is Luke still here?" she asked.

"Yeah, lunch is almost ready," she told her.

"What're we having?" she questioned. "Please don't say salad."

"Mini steak pies," she announced.

"Huh, that sounds...like two of my favourite things put together," she said thoughtfully.

"That was Luke's exact thought while he was making them for us." She sat down on the edge of the bed. "He helped me study," she told her. "He said I didn't make one mistake through the whole presentation."

"Hon, that's great," said Lorelai excitedly. "So seeing as you know what you have to say by heart now, does that mean we can chill out and watch movies every night this week?" she asked hopefully. Rory rolled her eyes.

"I have to keep practising, mom," she said. "If I don't practice I'll forget it all, then I'll have to start all over..."

"Okay I get it," she groaned. "I sometimes wonder if I brought the wrong baby home from the hospital."

"Hmm, I bet grandma and grandpa think the same thing about you." Lorelai scowled at her.

"Evil child," she mumbled. Rory smiled as she swept out of the room, hearing the clattering of plates and cutlery from the kitchen.

"Sounds like lunch is done," she sing-songed as she skipped across the landing and down the steps.

XXXX

"This is really good, Luke," Rory complimented as she took another generous forkful of pie.

"Glad to hear it," he replied as he ate his own. His was made with chicken though, rather than beef. Lorelai had been given hers upstairs, and was thoroughly enjoying each bite she took, oblivious to all the hidden vegetables that had gone into it.

"So where did you learn to cook?" quizzed Rory. Luke cleared his throat and took a sip of his water to stall.

"My mom," he admitted shortly. Rory nodded.

"Did she cook all the meals? Like Donna Reid?" she asked. Luke furrowed his brows.

"Who's Donna Reid?" Rory giggled, but soon realised he was actually serious.

"Oh my god, you don't know who Donna Reid is?" she asked. "She's like, the biggest, fakest housewife to ever grace this earth!"

"I'm guessing it's some TV show or something, that's usually where your weird references come from." Rory sighed, preparing to launch into full on rant mode.

"It's all about how women should be, like the perfect housewife," she said. "Donna Reid always had the meals on the table for when her husband came home from work, and she'd bake a thousand different things in a day; donuts, cookies, pies, you name it and Donna can make it."

"And you have a problem with this, I'm assuming." Rory rolled her eyes.

"Of course I have a problem with it!" she said exasperatedly. "Women are always portrayed to be the cook and the cleaner and that's not how it should be. We can go out to work too, and men are quite capable of cooking, I mean, take a look at you. It just bugs me is all."

"I can see that," he said. "But you know that it's not always like that, just take a look at your mom."

"I know, but she doesn't have a husband to cook for anyway," she said, somewhat sadly. Luke picked up on it.

"And you wish she did?" he asked, picking at her brain. Rory shrugged.

"I'm not necessarily saying that," she told him. "I just got to thinking that if she did get married, would he expect her to make dinner for him every night? And would he be angry if it wasn't ready for when he got home from work?"

"Your mom wouldn't take any of his crap," he chuckled. "But if he's the right guy for her, he won't care that she can't cook, or that she orders take out every damn night. He won't care that she fills her body with junk and is halfway to death's door, and he won't care that she talks a mile a minute, two miles when she's had coffee." Rory grinned. "He'll overlook all those things and see the good things, cause they're all the traits that make her who she is."

He realised that he had gotten away with himself and was now reminiscing about how fantastic Lorelai was, with said woman's daughter no less. "Uh...yeah, so you don't have to worry about that whole Donna Reid thing," he said gruffly, trying to sound how he usually would.

All the way though his speech, Rory had been picturing Luke and Lorelai as a couple. She thought about how great they would be together, how well they fit with each other, and how well they got along already. It was the perfect scenario, if only the two adults could see that, or rather, if Lorelai could see that.

Rory Gilmore went to bed that night a very happy teenager, and as she drifted off to sleep, she fantasised that Luke Danes was making dinner for them every single night.

Hope you liked it!

Please review, I like to know everyone's thoughts and if anyone has any ideas they wanna pass forward, that would be great too!

See you soon,

Emily.