Disclaimer- GG still isn't mine, and why the frig can't Luke & Lorelai just kiss and make up!!?? (sorry, I understand that that wouldn't be realistic, but I get kinda worked up & GG just isn't gonna be as much the same for me without the L/L for a while…since they've been together (most of the time, at least) during like the past 2 seasons).

Btw, I know that I'm making the whole pregnancy thing go a little fast in the time period that I'm in, and I understand that Lorelai wouldn't be that big already, but just go along with it please! I'm trying to make this as realistic as possible, but there's always a point where it just gets more fiction-y for the sake of the plot & to keep up the pace of the story.

Chapta NINE!

Lorelai's trips to the hardware store had become a routine now. She always went after her appointment, then went to some little place called Weston's to get coffee (after, of course, stopping at Doose's to get Oreos). Since she was taking "time off" from school (and having an hour of tutoring-homeschooling a day, yawn), she had scheduled an appointment earlier in the day.

After patiently going through all the tests and procedures to make sure everything was as it's supposed to be, she left. She knew Luke wouldn't be there, but she decided to take a trip to the hardware store. She crashed through the door haphazardly, since she had become even less graceful these days than normal.

"Hello," She greeted cheerfully, waddling over to her spot on the counter.

"Oh, hello Lorelai, I didn't expect to be seeing you this early, Luke isn't here, you know," He replied, his warm smile reaching all the way up to his kind eyes.

"I know, I figured he's at school, but I just wanted to come," She shrugged.

"Well I enjoy your company," He nodded.

"Thank you, I can't say yours too bad, either," She grinned.

After about 5 minutes of being silent and William shuffling around peacefully, Lorelai decided to speak.

"What was Luke like when he was younger?" She asked out of nowhere.

"Oh…ha, Luke was definitely a helper. He was always fixing things. Not only in the maintenance sense, either," He replied. "One time, a boy…Jimmy Reeds, I think his name was, told Liz he didn't want to be her "boyfriend" anymore and called her weird. Luke chased him all the way down the street until the boy had to jump the fence to get away, he almost punched the kid. And Liz was in first grade, mind you."

Lorelai let out a mix between a scoff and a giggle.

"He was always slightly…aloof, but very protective. He was so good at sports. So many kids wanted to hang around him and so many girls wanted to go out with him, but he wasn't into that jock & popularity scene, so he stayed away from it. Said he'd play the sports, but didn't want all those kids around him and treating him like a god. No frills," He explained.

"Aah, but what's this about this Rachel girl?" She asked curiously.

"Well, she's a nice girl, very flighty though, I hear. She's different, not in a bad way. She likes taking pictures, but Luke isn't really into having his picture taken all that much. She's such a sweet girl, and she's quirky as well. Not really the type I'd picture Luke with, but I don't mind since she's a nice girl. But those two are over, I just hope they're both alright," He answered.

Lorelai nodded.

Lorelai hadn't noticed how long she and William had been talking until Luke and Liz cam walking through the door, their backpacks sagging on their shoulders. Luke brightened.

"Hey dad," Liz greeted.

"Hey Liz, hi Luke," He replied.

"Hi dad," Luke added.

"Hi, I'm Lorelai," Lorelai greeted in Liz's general direction.

"Liz, obviously," She replied, shaking Lorelai's hand.

"So, did things ever work out with Jimmy Reeds?" She questioned to Liz out of the blue.

Liz smiled and laughed, while Luke scowled and scoffed slightly.

Then Liz went upstairs, but Luke stayed. He went to go behind the counter and start working, but his dad put his hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Luke, why don't you take a break," His father suggested.

"But you need me," He reasoned.

"I'm not that old," He shrugged.

"Fine," Luke sighed, though he was actually relieved.

"Ohmygod, Luke!" Lorelai shrieked. "There's this place with awesome coffee and you're coming with me."

She had also grabbed his hand in excitement. And she was still holding it.

"You know I hate coffee," He replied bluntly.

"Yeah, but come on! Just do it…for me?" She pouted and batted her eyelashes as his dad chuckled.

"Fine, whatever," Luke shook his head.

Lorelai grabbed a tighter hold on his hand and yanked him out the door. She dragged him further down the street and they found themselves in Weston's. She still hadn't dropped Luke's hand from her grasp.

"So, this is it. Now pick something," Lorelai announced to him.

A lull of silence fell over them as they both contemplated what to order. Then it dawned on them that Lorelai was still holding his hand. They both glanced down furtively at their clasped hands then let go, turning a few different shades of pink. They shuffled about a foot further apart. Lorelai stepped up to the counter.

"Hi Mrs. Weston, I'd like a large coffee and one of those big chocolate chip cookies," She ordered happily.

"Alright, and please, call me Fran," She replied.

Lorelai pushed Luke forward towards the counter.

"Ehh, I'm not getting anything," He turned back to her.

"Fine," She sighed. "Fran, he'll have a medium-sized macadamia nut cookie."

"Okay," She chuckled.

Then they walked over to a small table and sat down.

"So how's it goin' with the family?" Luke asked.

"Okay. Not really great," She replied truthfully.

"How are they about everything?" He asked.

"Well, they think I'm being terribly inconvenient," Lorelai answered in her best Emily Gilmore voice. "I swear, once this thing comes out I'm moving away from there."

"Really?" He asked.

"Uh-huh," She replied.

"That's some heavy stuff. That's a big plan. Any idea where you'd move?" He asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"I'm not sure. Probably some place small, far away from Hartford," She nodded heavily.

Then their stuff was ready. Luke helped Lorelai bring it back to the table. After they had taken some bites and sips, Lorelai spoke up.

"Hey Luke…" She began.

"What?" He asked.

"Why don't you try this?" She offered, sliding her cup toward him.

"No. I don't drink coffee," He sighed.

"Just do it," She pleaded. "Pleeeeeease."

He picked up her cup and took the smallest sip humanly possible. He made the most unappealing face after he swallowed it.

"Not your thing?" She asked.

"No. I think I'll stick to Oreos," He smirked.

She smiled back.

Author's Note- I told you she'd have Luke drinking coffee! More soon. Review if you can/want to.