Incoming

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. Not even the computer I wrote it on.

Summary: Jess shows up at Richard and Emily's vow renewal. Luke has something to say about it. Rory is less than happy. Lorelai has to deal with Christopher. And the day is definitely not everything Emily hoped it would be.

Feedback: Reviews are fun. Like a barrel of monkeys. Why anyone would put monkeys in a barrel…I don't know, but it's supposedly a lot of fun.

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"Oh my God." Lorelai said as she picked up the Stars Hollow Gazette that was on her porch. "Luke!" She yelled as she went back in the house.

He walked out of the kitchen holding a spatula. "What's wrong?"

"Look at this." She held the paper up in front of her.

His jaw dropped when he saw a large picture of Lorelai sitting on his lap on the front porch of her house on the front page. "What…" He took the paper out of her hand and skimmed over the article. "This…this is…wow."

She poked the headline. "Ribbons Turn Purple as Lorelai and Luke Plan their Wedding. We're on the front page. We're the lead story."

He shook his head as he handed her the paper and went back to the kitchen to check on her French toast. "You know that picture came off the wall in my apartment."

"No. Jess?" She asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the table. "But he hates all things town related."

"Oh, he definitely wrote this, but I'm pretty sure the picture is courtesy of someone's coffee addicted daughter."

"Rory? My sweet, innocent Rory? My beautiful, intelligent, sweet, innocent Rory?" She shrugged. "Yea, probably."

He put her food onto a plate and turned off the stove as she read the story Jess wrote. "Here."

She looked up when he put the plate in front of her. "Food? There's no time for food." She waved the paper in front of him. "It says we're engaged in here."

He had no idea where she was going with this. "Okay…"

"We have to get out of here before the whole town is banging down my door."

He nodded. "So, in other words, you want me to wrap your food up and put the rest of the coffee in a thermos while you go upstairs and get dressed?"

"Well, I'm certainly not gonna let perfectly good French toast go to waste just because we have to leave town for the day."

He pulled her to her to her feet and slid his hands around to the small of her back. "You know," He said as he started kissing her neck. "We could just stay here today."

"Mmm." She moaned then pushed him away a little. "As appealing as that sounds, there are too many people in this town that have a key to my house."

"Just put that chair back in front of the door." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers.

She really, really wanted to drag him upstairs, but instead she leaned back and started naming people that had the key to her house. "Rory, Jess, Babette, Sookie, Jackson, Lane, Paris, Miss Patty, Michel, Emily, Richard, Kirk-"

"Kirk? Kirk has a key to your house?"

"-Tom, Pete, Joe, Liz, Lulu, Zach, Brian, Gil, Gypsy, Bootsy-"

"Why would you give Kirk the key to your house? Have you completely lost your mind?"

She shook her head. "That's what he gets stuck on. Not a peep when I tell him he's not getting any, but I mention Kirk has a key to my house and he can't stop talking."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Go get dressed. I'll clean up down here."

"Jeez. Bossy." She said dramatically then kissed him before she ran upstairs.

He picked up a pair of scissors and smiled as he cut out the article about him and Lorelai and hung it on the fridge.

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Rory had twenty minutes before she had to go to her next class so she dropped her bag onto the floor and flopped down onto her bed. She laid there for a minute before grabbing her cell phone and dialing Jess's number.

It rang three times before he picked up. "Hello?"

She closed her eyes and smiled at the sound of his voice. "Hey, it's me."

"Hey. Are you still at Yale?"

"Yea. I have another class and then a thing for the paper, but I can skip that if you need me."

"No. I don't want Doyle to sic Paris on me because you missed a meeting."

She laughed. "So how's everything going?"

"Pretty good. Sookie made enough food to feed a small country. Jackson's on drinks. Lane is manning the phone at the diner in case Luke calls. Babette and Miss Patty are doing decorations. Zach and Morey are picking the music. And Kirk only fell off the ladder once while he was hanging up the banner."

Rory gasped. "Oh, no."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Crap. We didn't get Mom and Luke a present."

"Relax. We have plenty of time to get a present. You'll be back by three, so that leaves us five hours to go shopping."

"You're right. I just…this is important, so…"

"I know, Ror." He smiled. "Don't worry. Just go to class, and we'll take care of everything when you get home. Okay?"

"Yea. I'll see you in a couple hours. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Bye."

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"Lucas!" Maisy called when she saw Luke and Lorelai walk into Sniffy's around four.

"Hey, Maisy." He smiled and gave her a hug.

"It's so good to see you. And Lorelai." She turned her attention to Lorelai. "You're looking as beautiful as ever."

"Thank you." She said, hugging the woman lightly.

"Now, what are you two doing here?" Her eyes went wide when she saw Lorelai's ring. "And what is this?" She grabbed the younger woman's hand and admired the ring before looking at Luke. "Lucas Danes. You didn't tell me you were engaged."

"I…it just-"

She cut him off when she called her husbands name loudly. "Buddy!" She turned back to Luke and Lorelai. "Well, come on. Sit down."

They looked at each other then sat at the nearest booth.

"Let me get you two some champagne." She smiled at them and started for the kitchen "Buddy!" She yelled again.

"I really hate champagne." Luke told her.

Lorelai grinned and held out her purse. "Here."

He raised his eyebrows but took the purse. "Why are you giving me this?"

"Just open it."

He unzipped it and looked inside then smiled when he saw a flask stuffed inside. "You brought your own alcohol?"

"Well, I figured I'd have to liquor you up a little before you'd-"

"Don't say it."

She pouted and took her purse out of his hands. "You're no fun."

"You won't be saying that once you get me liquored up."

Her eyes sparkled as a giant smile spread across her face. "I love you, Luke."

He leaned over and kissed her passionately, his hand sliding up to cup her face. "I love you, too." He murmured before pulling her lips back to his.

They pulled away from each other when they heard someone clear their throat to see Buddy smiling down at them. "I haven't seen that kind of behavior in here since it was a whorehouse."

"They do say history is doomed to repeat itself." Lorelai said.

He laughed then looked over at Luke who was blushing. "Maisy said you two had some news. And I'm guessing it has something to do with that ring on Lorelai's hand." He smiled when Luke and Lorelai looked warmly at each other.

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Jess walked out of Miss Patty's just as Rory was getting out of her car. "Hey."

"Hi." She gave him a quick kiss. "So, why is Sookie chasing Kirk down the street with a big pot?"

"He snuck into the inn and stole some food, and then when he was trying to escape he spilled a bowl of chocolate chip into her salsa."

Rory nodded. "I give her ten minutes before she realizes Mom will like it better that way."

"Let's hope Kirk doesn't trip before then."

"Somebody'll probably pull Sookie away before she kills him."

He put his arm around her shoulder and led her to his car. "C'mon. I have a feeling this shopping trip is gonna last five hours."

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"Ah, lovely child of mine!" Lorelai answered her cell phone as she and Luke drove back to Stars Hollow.

"It's eight o'clock!" Rory said loudly.

She raised her eyebrows. "Do you know where your children are?"

"What?"

"I don't know. What are you talking about?"

"It's eight o'clock. You're supposed to be at the town meeting."

"Oh, hon. We're really tired. I don't think-"

"No! I…I mean, no, you can't miss the town meeting. Jess isn't any good at mocking Taylor. I need you there."

"Okay. But when I get there you're gonna tell me what's going on."

"Bring Luke." She said then hung up.

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"I think my daughter is up to something." Lorelai told Luke after she got off the phone with Rory.

"Why?"

"She's really determined to have us at the town meeting tonight."

He shrugged. "Maybe she just doesn't want to deal with the town insanity by herself. We did leave her and Jess to answer all the questions."

"Oh, I didn't even think of that. Jess was probably swamped at the diner today."

"That's what he gets for writing that article."

"Yea! We're mad at them…wait, why are we mad at them? It did kinda make it easier on us since we didn't have to tell everybody."

"So we're not mad?" He asked as he stopped the truck in front of the diner.

"I guess not." She got out and waited for him to meet her on the sidewalk.

He put his arm around her waist and kissed her temple as they started walking towards Miss Patty's. "Good."

"Do you think they'll be okay with this?"

"Who?"

"The town. Do you think they'll be okay with the engagement?"

He stopped walking and looked into her eyes. "Does it matter?"

"Luke, of course it doesn't matter. I mean, I want them to be happy about it, but it won't change anything if they're not." She hit him lightly on the chest. "Hey, I thought we were done being insecure"

He leaned down and kissed her softly. "Sorry. That was the last time."

"Good." She laced their fingers together and led him to the door of the dance studio. "This is it." She told him, gripping his hand. "Ready?" When he nodded she reached over and slid the door open.

Lorelai was so shocked by the sight of the entire town standing under a banner that said 'Congratulations Lorelai and Luke' that she barely heard the loud "Surprise," they shouted. She gasped as she looked over at an equally shocked Luke. "Oh my God."

His smile sparkled as he pulled her close and pressed his lips against hers then leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Looks like they're okay with it."

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and giggled against his shoulder.