As always, thanks for reviews. Sorry this update has taken so long.
"I mean, doesn't it just look great? Isn't this just the greatest looking house you've ever seen?" Lorelai asked in one breath, glancing behind her to watch Luke struggle up the stairs. "Hey, do you want help?" she asked, setting down her one box and reaching for one of Luke's three.
"No, it's okay," he protested, trying to get out of her reach. "You helped me move, I'll help you move."
"Are you kidding?" Lorelai scoffed. "I didn't help you move. I waited until the movers dropped the bed off and then I tried to distract you for the rest of the day."
"I know," he said, a very familiar glint in his eye. "I remember."
She laughed and headed through the open door. He followed, set his three boxes just inside the door, and then rushed her. She squealed as they collapsed on the air mattress he'd set up for her first night there.
"Is it working?" he asked in a low, gruff, voice. She rolled over underneath him so they were facing each other. She smiled and reached up to kiss him.
"You always know exactly how to distract me," she said. He lowered his full weight on top of her, and started kissing her neck.
"Oh, Luke..."
Lorelai pulled another handful of napkins from the napkin holder and gently held them out to her daughter. Rory reached a blind hand out and tugged them away from her, wiping her eyes quickly and then burying her head in her arms.
"I don't know what's wrong with me," she sniffled after a minute.
"It's okay," Lorelai said, laying a soft hand on Rory's arm. "It's probably just hormones."
"I think it's shock," Rory said, blowing her nose. "You know that guy I ran into on the way in?" she asked Lorelai, sitting up.
"Um...tall, brunette?" Lorelai asked, trying to remember.
"Yeah," Rory sniffled, nodding. "That's my boyfriend. I mean, I guess. My other boyfriend? I don't know."
"Yeah, I get it," Lorelai said softly. "Weird, huh?"
"Imagine if you suddenly saw Lukemaking outwith that mean Lindsay Lister from fourth grade, who grew up tall and blonde and really pretty." Rory sighed. "I'm just being mean. Lindsay Lister was really nice to me in fourth grade. We went to Mark Twain's house, and I didn't have enough money to buy this magnet of Mark Twain's head, so Lindsay bought it for me."
"Oh," was all Lorelai said.
"I can't believe he's going out with Lindsay Lister!" Rory said. "She's nothing like me!"
"Well," Lorelai started, "perhaps it's just the alternate universe thing."
"Maybe," Rory said hesitantly. "I guess that makes sense." Suddenly she threw up her hands and buried her head in her arms again. "This is all just some freaky episode of Charmed. Wake me up when it's over."
When Luke woke up, he was alone. He was a little confused, but as he looked around, he realized where he was. He was lying on his air mattress on Lorelai's new living room floor. Boxes were strewn all about him, and a large piece of cardboard lying directly next to him read "COUCH" in Lorelai's handwriting. He glanced above his head at the crackling fire in the fireplace, and then sat up.
"Lorelai?" he called. There was no answer, so he rolled out of bed, draping the sheets around the lower half of his body. "Lorelai?" he called again, walking around downstairs. He saw a cup waiting next to the gurgling coffeemaker, so she was obviously awake. "Lorelai?"
This time he was rewarded with a whimper. He followed the noise until he was standing outside the ajar bathroom door.
"Lorelai?" he asked again, knocking on the door.
She sniffled. "Come in," she called.
He edged his way in and saw her sitting on the toilet, her eyes red and a little plastic stick in her hand. "What's going on?" he asked, kneeling down in front of her.
"I'm pregnant," she said softly, showing the two plus signs on the stick.
"Oh," he sighed, holding his arms out for her. She slid off the toilet and into his arms, and they lay curled on the tile floor.
"I was going to buy a couch," she moaned, her head buried in his shoulder.
"I know," he said gently. "I know." He rubbed her back and rocked her gently.
"All right, Miss Patty's already suspicious," Luke said that evening, while he and Lorelai were cooking dinner.
"I know," Lorelai sighed, reaching around Luke for a spice. "But I don't know what to do. I mean, this isn't something normal. And, we don't know, she might not be back in the morning." Lorelai's breath caught in her throat at the last word.
"Oh, Lorelai," Luke sighed, watching as she started to break down. As she buried herself in his arms, he said, "You can't keep doing this around her."
"Good thing she's not here, huh?"
Rory had left them at the diner twenty minutes ago, wanting to explore the town. She had assured both of them profusely that she would be back at Lorelai's house in half an hour.
"We've still got ten minutes," Luke said now, checking the clock.
"Luke," Lorelai sniffled, "I want her to stay."
"I know," he said. "But Miss Patty's still suspicious."
"Well, your story kinda sucked," Lorelai said, pulling away from Luke and putting her attention back on dinner.
"It was the best I could come up with under the circumstances."
"So, we have a sucky story. How do we fix it?"
Luke shrugged and re-spiced Lorelai's food, causing her to hit his hand with her wooden spoon. "Ow," he said, pulling his hand out of her reach. "What do you think we should do?" he asked, using his other hand to reach for her spoon.
"Call your sister," she said, throwing her spoon into the sink, out of Luke's reach. "And get her to send your nephew here. That'll help the story."
"Huh," Luke said simply. "Good idea."
"Always," she said, kissing Luke quickly on the lips.