A big 'cyber hug' to my beta: BrokeDaisy. You are awesome :D

Yes, this is the second chapter in two days. It was done quicker than I expected, and so here I am updating again.

So, thanks so, so much for reviewing, alerting, and reading.

I do not own these characters

And I'll catch in chapter six (whenever I update that one :))

Drop me a comment.

Bye...

GG

On Thursday, Luke managed to fill out the petition and file it. The filing charge wasn't as much as he expected, but it did almost clean out his wallet. The filing clerk told him he would get a call with the date of his interview, and from there the judge would explain what needed to be done.

He drove back home, with Jess passed out in the passenger seat. When they arrived at the diner, he carefully took the small boy from the cab, carrying him towards the building, noticing the girl from the other day sitting at one of the tables. She was with another, red headed girl and a little girl around Jess' age.

"So much for going away," Luke muttered stepping into the diner. He walked past the table, taking Jess up the stairs where he dropped his nephew off on his bed. He left one of the baby monitors, he bought, sitting by the kitchen sink and pocketed the second one before leaving the apartment and back into the diner.

He moved around the counter, intending to grab the coffee pot and refill mugs, when he noticed the blue eyed woman walking towards him.

"I see going away meant coming back," he commented and she smiled.

"I had to bring my friend Sookie here," she replied gesturing to her table. "And my daughter hasn't really been around the town much in the past few weeks. Work has been ridiculous. I mean we are booked up until sometime in July, and this is my only day off. I mean, where are those workers' rights when you need them…?" she trailed off holding her hand out. "I'm Lorelai."

Luke didn't respond right away. He swore she called that little girl 'her daughter.' She barely looked older than nineteen, meaning she had to be…

"Sixteen," she informed him lowering her hand, almost as if she read his mind. "Yeah, a little young to be having a kid, I know, but those pesky teenage hormones seem to sneak up on you." Luke had never met anyone who could fit so many words into such a short span of time.

"So, you must be Luke. Sorry about the Duke thing, but I had a feeling it would bug you, and I was right." She smiled again. "Who was that kid you were carrying? Is he your son? He looks about Rory's age." Lorelai gasped, "Oh my gosh, we could totally have a play date. She doesn't really know any children her own age. I mean, she'll play with the kids who stay at the inn, but other than that she's usually around adults. I know, a little boring for a three-year-old, but sometimes I wonder if she really is three.

"And isn't that such a weird way to put it? A play date? It's like we are trying to pimp them out at three. Pretty soon they'll be addicted to juice boxes and pixie sticks…" she let her words die on her lips, shaking her head slowly. "Sorry, sometimes my mouth is already running seventy miles a minute before my brain has a chance to put its pants on."

She was the most peculiar person he had ever met. And he'd met some strange people in Stars Hallow.

"Anyway, just stopping by to say 'hi'; if you're ever near the Independence Inn stop in, bring your son. Rory would probably like a new friend. Maybe it'll get her over that awkward, shyness stage. It's strange, she's like me in every way, but she's dreadful around people. Don't get me wrong, she's very polite, a little too polite sometimes, but it's hard to be rude when you barely talk." Lorelai smiled and said, "Well, bye." She waved and walked back to her table.

Luke watched her go, his eyebrows furrowed. A gut feeling told him that was not the last he'd see of Chatty Lorelai.

GG

The following morning, Luke wasn't surprised when Chatty Lorelai came into the diner. She was carrying her daughter, but put her down after the door was closed. Now that he could see the little girl up close, Luke could see how closely she resembled her mother: the same dark brown hair, the same blue eyes, and the same fair skin. There was even something in the way they walked.

Jess, who had been sitting at an empty table coloring, had looked up at the girls' arrival. His eyes widened when he noticed the two newcomers, and Luke recognized his 'should I or shouldn't I' bolt face. But something strange happened.

The little girl walked up to him, smiled, and quietly asked, "Can I color, too?"

Jess slowly nodded and she climbed onto a chair, taking a blank sheet of paper from the pile near Jess' arm. He offered her his crayons and said, "I'm Jess."

"Rory."

"I'm impressed," Lorelai commented looking over at her daughter and Luke's nephew.

"Me too," Luke replied softly. In the near three weeks Jess had been there, he had never seen his nephew warm up to someone that quickly.

"So, how about some coffee," Lorelai suggested sitting at the counter. Luke nodded, ripping his eyes away from the two three-year-olds so he could grab the pot. He snatched a mug from under the counter, set it in front of Lorelai, and poured her some coffee.

"Another day off?" Luke questioned as he put the pot back.

"Just stopping by before I have to get to work," Lorelai responded taking a sip of the coffee. A small smile crept across her face as she relished the flavor. "Has anyone told you, you make the best coffee? I mean, the inn's coffee is good, sure, but I could bathe in this stuff; steaming hot and everything." She took another sip. "What do you use?"

"Coffee," Luke replied once he was sure she wasn't going to say anything else. Lorelai chuckled, shook her head, and continued to drink her coffee.

"So, are you still married to Jess' mom?" Chatty Lorelai asked after a few seconds of silence. She glanced back over at the two kids, Luke following her gaze. Rory offered Jess the crayons, but when he took the box, instead of taking a crayon, he upending them onto the table. It was exactly what Luke did at Maisy's and Buddy's.

"He's my nephew," Luke informed her softly, turning to get his order book as two customers walked in. He didn't want to talk about Liz with Chatty Lorelai. He didn't even want to talk about his sister with people he knew. Why would he suddenly open up to a virtual stranger?

"Does your sister live with you?" But it seemed Lorelai wanted to talk about it.

"I have a lot of work to do," he said and moved towards the customer's table.

"Oh yes, this place is really busy," she replied with a smile on her face looking at the two tables with people sitting at them. He knew she was joking, but a small part of him couldn't help feeling a little angry at her comment. This place might not be the busiest place in Stars Hallow, but it was his damn it. What did she have?

He silently counted to thirty while he took the new arrivals' orders. He moved back behind the counter, handed Caesar the ticket, and turned to see Lorelai staring at him.

"I sense I crossed a line somewhere," she said softly, putting her mug down. "I'm sorry if I did. Like I said…"

"Fast talking, pants, brain," Luke supplied for her and she laughed, nodding her head.

"But if you do, need a friend, to talk. I'll listen. I may not act like it, but I am definitely a good listener."

"Thanks, but I'm fine," he responded giving her a small smile. She returned it and went back to her coffee.

GG

Over the next few weeks-while Luke waited for the courthouse to call with his court date-Lorelai slowly became one of his regulars. She didn't always have money, something Luke could sympathize with, but he could always find her, every morning, sitting at his counter before she went to work.

She liked to talk. Something Luke realized the first day he met her, but he had no idea just how much until he really started to get to know her. She talked about her favorite bands ("Don't you wish you could be Susanna Hoffs?"), about the house she wanted to buy when she had the money ("I think I'm going to call it 'The Crapshack.'"), and pretty much anything that came to her mind. Her favorite subjects, however, were her parents.

She never shared anything too personal, but from what Luke gathered Richard and Emily Gilmore (he had learned their names sometime during her long rants) were controlling, snooty, rich people who had wanted Lorelai's life to go one way while she sprinted down a completely different path.

In fact, it seemed the only subject Lorelai was not inclined to share was the identity of Rory's father. Luke wasn't sure if he was dead, or if he was just a deadbeat like Jimmy. Regardless, she didn't want to talk about it, so he didn't push.

He wasn't so forth coming with his life, but he did open up a little about his parents and Liz. He didn't get too personal either, but from what he told her, he was pretty sure he painted a pretty good picture of his life.

Lorelai had gone from the annoying woman wanting coffee to something close to a friend in almost a month. And Luke was actually glad he met her, especially since she introduced Rory to Jess.

Those two had become almost inseparable in the month since meeting each other. They liked to read (and between Luke reading to him every night and meeting Rory, Jess was quickly picking up the ability to read on his own) and had gone as far as borrowing out each others' books. They liked making up stories together (though Rory seemed to view the world more realistically than Jess making his imagination a tad bigger than hers), and each reacted to strangers the same way: awkward and quiet (though Rory would verbally answer a direct question from someone she knew whereas Jess would either nod or shake his head). Lorelai liked to call them 'two peas in a pod.'

The more Jess hung around Rory, the less stressed he became to the point where he was sleeping in his own bed and having less and less accidents. He was even breaking out of his shell even more, and had said 'hi' to Miss Patty when she greeted him. Luke was actually really proud of his nephew's progress.

As the days in August dwindled and turned into September, Luke realized a very important date was coming up: Jess' fourth birthday. Luke didn't know the first thing about planning a birthday party for a kid and shared this news with Lorelai Saturday night; a week before his nephew's birthday.

"Well, I'm not really good with planning for boys, but I can give it a shot," she replied with a shrug, wrapping her hands around her coffee mug. It had been one of those days where she was tight on cash, but had talked Luke into giving her a free cup of coffee. Or so she thought. Luke was going to give her the cup anyway; he just let her believe she talked him into it.

"You don't have to help," he stated cleaning the counter with his washrag.

"Luke, I am awesome at throwing parties, and I would be happy to help."

Luke thought it over for a minute, having a feeling Lorelai wouldn't give it up until he agreed, and finally relented, "Fine, but nothing girly, and please don't invite the entire town, he doesn't know that many people. And can we have it here. He knows this place…"

"Luke," Lorelai interrupted her, holding her hand up. "I promise it will be a party you won't forget."

A gut feeling told Luke he just signed a deal with the devil.

GG

Lorelai showed up around eleven the day of Jess' party, laden with random odds and ends in several bags. She had begged, pleaded, and groveled for him to close Luke's early so she could set up. He didn't know what she meant by 'set up,' but after listening to her talk so fast her words blurred together, he did as she wanted.

"This is going to be great," she said as Rory walked past her mother to the table Jess was sitting at, carrying a book about the state capitals.

"Hello, Luke," she said brightly as she sat next to Jess.

"Hi, Rory," the older man greeted smiling at her. He turned back to Lorelai and said, "What's that stuff?"

"It's left over decorations from the inn: some streamers, balloons, and some other random stuff. Oh and a couple games that I made…"

"You made a couple games?"

"And I can sew, too." She beamed at him, and he rolled his eyes.

"Hey you guys," Lorelai called looking at the kids. "You wanna help me set up?"

"Yes," Rory responded and slid from her chair, leaving her book on the table. "Come on, Jess," she called over her shoulder as she walked towards her mother. Jess jumped down from his own chair and followed her, albeit a little reluctantly.

"Yeah, come on, Luke," Lorelai said and her smile widened when Luke glared at her. "Don't be such a fuddy duddy."

"Yeah Luke, don't be a fuddy duddy," Rory repeated as she started digging in one of her mother's bags.

"Can you believe these two?" Luke asked glancing down at his nephew. Jess shrugged as if to say 'when in Rome, Uncle Luke.'

Luke rolled his eyes, but began helping the girls and Jess set up. After a while, it didn't look like his diner anymore, but as if a party store walked in, threw up, and walked out

"Oh, good, just in time for…" Lorelai trailed off as a rapping came from the door. She rushed towards it, letting in a familiar red head. She was carrying a cake in her hands, and nearly tripped over the threshold when she walked inside.

"Whoa Sookie," Lorelai said catching the other woman. When she was steady, Clumsy Sookie carried the cake to the counter and set it down revealing bandaged fingers and a wrapped wrist.

"It's German chocolate and vanilla with butterscotch frosting. I wasn't sure what type of food to make; I haven't really spent a lot of time with kids…"

"I was going to make burgers and fries," Luke interrupted nodding towards the kitchen.

"Good, I'll help," Sookie announced beaming at him.

"No," he responded and walked away from her.

"Are you sure?" Clumsy Sookie called.

"I'm sure," he replied ducking into the grilling area.

"Luke, make sure you make plenty of burgers," Lorelai informed him as he started up the fryers again.

"How many people are coming?" Luke questioned glancing back at the two women.

"Not that many," Lorelai replied innocently.

"How many?"

"Fifteen."

"Lorelai," Luke protested weakly.

"It could have been more. But Miss Patty heard me asking Sookie to make the cake, and she asked if she could come. And, since Jess seems to know her enough to say 'hi' I told her sure. But, then Babette cornered me when I was taking Rory to the park, and asked why she and Maury hadn't been invited. So, I had to invite them. And then Andrew wanted to know why he wasn't invited…" she trailed off, blowing out a breath. "I couldn't say no to them, Luke."

Still shaking his head, Luke looked back at the grill with a sigh. He wanted everything low key so he wouldn't be wasting so much money. Making fifteen burgers, without getting paid, was equivalent to closing his diner.

"We could always order a couple pizzas instead," Sookie suggested shrugging.

"And I could head over to Doose's to get some chips and stuff," Lorelai responded giving Luke a knowing look.

"Really, it's not like…"

"Luke, we insist. Don't worry about having to cook anything. We'll take care of it," Lorelai told him and he reluctantly nodded.

GG

Jess hated being the center of attention. Luke could tell his nephew wanted to flee the moment everyone started showing up, but he managed to keep himself from hiding by sticking to Luke or Rory like glue. He did greet the people he recognized, mostly with small smiles and quiet 'hellos.' It was a start, at least.

Halfway through the party, Lorelai breaking out an old box of mixed tapes she made, Luke's phone rang. He grabbed it, moving into the storage room, and answered, "Yeah, Luke's." whoever needed a delivery was going to sorely disappointed.

"Mr. Danes?" a voice questioned and Luke's eyebrows furrowed.

"What can I do for you?" he asked curiously.

"Mr. Danes, this is Melinda Nelson from the courthouse. Your court date is set for the fifteenth of this month," the voice informed him.

"Uh, thanks." His heart skipped a beat.

"Be at the courthouse no later than ten o'clock," Melinda informed him slowly. "Have a good day, Mr. Danes." And she hung up, leaving Luke staring at a shelf full of supplies. The fifteenth; the fifteenth would tell him whether or not he got to keep Jess permanently.

"Hey, Luke, get your ass out there. You're missing the…" Lorelai trailed off, freezing in the doorway. "What?"

"The fifteenth," he informed her looking up.

"The court date?"

He nodded, looking back at the phone. It was the call he had been waiting for, and now he couldn't help being a tad nervous.