A/N FF is giving me fits so I am trying to upload this with notes. Thank you again for all who have reviewed, some of you have guessed certain plot developments, but no one has guessed Luke's secret. :) Enjoy!

I own nothing.

Ch 5 Alarms!

Lorelai was in her office catching up on ordering when she looked at the clock and it read four o'clock.

"Crap! There's parent teacher day at Chilton and I'm supposed to be there in half an hour! Crap! Michel, I have to go, I'll see you in the morning."

Lorelai raced out the door without hearing Michel's reply. She pulled up at Chilton and ran to Rory's English class just as one of the mothers was about to open the door.

She looked at Lorelai and spoke to another woman in the room saying, "Isn't it a pity when the parents send the nanny to these functions, as if the parents themselves aren't interested in their child's education?"

The other woman just nodded.

Lorelai looked down at her b-52's t-shirt and jeans. She was once again dressed incorrectly for Chilton. She sat down in one of the seats and the teacher actually took attendance.

The teacher, Mr. Medina, looked at the sheet again as Lorelai raised her hand.

"I'm sorry, it seems we have your daughter's name down here instead of yours, I apologize, what's yours?"

"Lorelai Gilmore."

"But that's your daughter's name."

"Yes, so you see, guys don't get all the fun, I named her after myself."

She felt the eyes of so many mothers on her and she backpedaled. "Actually it's a family name and my grandmother is Lorelai Gilmore as well, tradition."

"Well, Lorelai, I'd like to speak to you after we're done here if that's all right," Mr. Medina said.

Lorelai felt the eyes of the other much older moms on her.

"Sure that'd be fine."

After more humiliation and endless stares the time in English Lit was done. All the other mothers had filed out and Mr. Medina sat across from Lorelai.

"So I just wanted to make sure that Rory was dealing with everything at Chilton. Getting a grade like that can really throw some children who are as competitive as our students."

Lorelai looked at him and replied, "I'm sorry, I feel like I've come into the third reel of a movie and I don't know what the plot line is. What grade are you talking about?"

"Rory received a 'D' on her first paper last week and I wanted her to know that I'd be happy to give her any help she needs to bring that grade up."

"Rory got a 'D'? And you said this happened last week? Huh. She hasn't mentioned it. That's really nice of you to offer to help her. A 'D', wow."

Lorelai tried to figure out why Rory hadn't told her so she missed the first ask out.

Then Mr. Medina again said, "Lorelai, I'd love to get together and talk with you maybe over coffee?"

"About Rory, why wouldn't we be meeting in your office?"

"Well, we could talk about Rory, but I also want to get to know you as well."

It finally dawned on Lorelai that this guy wanted a date! Rory's teacher wanted to date her, a very learned man found her attractive, huh. Cool. Wait! She had Luke who was already dating her, potentially seriously dating, and this guy was Rory's teacher!

"I'm sorry Mr. Medina…"

"Max"

"Mr. Medina, but I'm already very involved with someone."

"How involved, are you just dating, or engaged? I really just want to get some coffee, who knows what may happen, after all, anything can happen when there's no firm commitment."

"There's a long standing relationship that began with a friendship and there is firm commitment on both sides." That's right, I didn't make that up, did I?

"Aside from that, you're my daughter's teacher, currently my daughter's teacher who just gave her a 'D'. I don't know about you, but I can see all sorts of hazard lights going up around that one." Lorelai got up to leave and Max gave her his card with his home number written on it.

"Just take this, you don't have to use it, but if things don't work out you can give me a call."

Lorelai thought about taking it just to get out of there, but she thought about the date with Luke and how he took care of her and Rory and how she felt when she saw Anna, so she took a deep breath and placed the card on the desk in front of her.

"Goodbye Mr. Medina. Thank you for letting me know about Rory, I'm sure she's been trying to let me know in her own way, but as you said, she's never received a 'D' before. So now I need to get home and help her process."

Lorelai walked out of the room thinking about whether she should tell Luke about this or not, on the one hand it was just a harmless misunderstanding and on the other she remembered how she felt when that woman just wanted to know if Luke was dating and didn't even ask him directly.

Well, first things first, Rory got a 'D' and she wasn't told. She'd probably be at home.

After dealing with the 'D' and making plans to study more Lorelai ordered pizza for the two of them.

Just when the doorbell rang so did her cell phone.

"Hi hold on a sec," she said into the phone. "Hey Joe, thanks. Good timing, I'm starving. Here you go."

"OK, I'm good. How are you?"

Luke got a bit bent out of shape when it appeared that Lorelai was talking to some other guy, but then she seemed fine.

"I'm good. Did I miss something between you and Joe?"

"Yes, you know my other boyfriend who feeds me, although I haven't gotten anything free from him yet, plus his repertoire is limited to pizza. I think he may carry salads too, but I'm not really sure. Want me to ask?" Lorelai was kind of thrilled that Luke seemed a bit jealous of her pizza delivery guy.

"Well at least I know you're being fed well while I'm gone."

"I meant to ask you, why are you at the bank for a day and a half?"

"My banker's in New York and it's the end of my fiscal year so I have to reconcile statements plus it gives me a chance to visit with Liz and Jess. The reconciliation's going pretty quickly so I should be home on time. I've missed you."

Lorelai smiled, "I miss you too. I'm looking forward to Friday morning."

"Really; anything in particular?"

"Of course, it's Danish day."

"How could I forget?" Luke smiled.

"And I might miss you a lot," Lorelai added. "What are we doing on Saturday? Another obscure movie and eating establishments I never picture you in?"

"I thought we'd have dinner at my apartment, maybe you could bring over one of your chick flicks that we could watch. I sort of want to keep it quiet and low key. Is that good for you?"

"So after the big city you want to just relax, eh? I can go for that. Do you want to order pizza in?"

"I have the dinner covered, you bring the movie, and I might even have ice cream for you."

"I'm sensing a theme in our dating pattern already."

"Even a repetitive theme can have its own unique quality. I think I'll have a couple of surprises for you Saturday."

"Cool!"

"So I'll see you on Friday morning? And study tonight so you do well at class tomorrow."

"Oh, Luke I almost for got to tell you…" Lorelai took the phone upstairs to her bedroom.

"I went to parent teacher day at Chilton today and met Rory's English Lit teacher. He'd given her a 'D' on her first paper."

"What?!"

"No, wait, Rory said it was a fair grade, but she didn't have the heart to tell me and she wasn't sure how to bring it up, but we're all good now, she has a study plan and a big test Friday morning so we're both studying like fiends here."

Lorelai hesitated, "But the thing I wanted to mention to you because if it happened to you I'd want to know is her English teacher asked me out."

Crickets

"Luke, are you there?"

"What'd you say?" Luke was berating himself for being ninety miles away with no way to see her face while she told him. Rory's teacher for God's sake!

"First I told him I was dating you and second I told him that he was Rory's teacher and that'd be wrong even if you and I weren't dating."

"You used that word; that we're dating?"

"Yes." Lorelai had her fingers crossed, what if Luke wasn't as serious as she led Max to believe?

"How did he take that?" Luke knew men well enough that to a guy, dating was just one phone call away from free.

"Well, it took a bit more persuasion to convince him that I really didn't want to go out with him, but when I left he knew that I wasn't available."

"You know Lorelai, we've only gone out once, if this is a guy you want to see, it'd be unfair of me to forbid it," Luke could've kicked himself for saying that, but Lorelai had to make the decision for her self that this is what she wanted.

Lorelai was stunned. "Don't you want to go out with me Luke? I thought you liked me and we had a good time the other night?"

"Lorelai, I had a great time, I want you in my life, but I know this because I've experienced enough bad relationships to know what I want and that's you. You need to come to the same realization on your own. I just don't want you thinking what if?"

"Luke, I may not have had long term relationships, but I know what I want and that's a man who'll care for Rory as much as he cares for me, who is willing to not just put up with my silliness but who appreciates it in its own unique way. Someone who challenges me to be my best even if it means they may lose me. I want you Luke, is that OK?"

"I can definitely get onboard with that idea," Luke chuckled.

"Where'd that phrase come from?"

"Apparently it's a phrase business leaders like, I've heard it a lot today and I'm ready to scream. I want to come home and I have one more boring day looking at accounts. You said Rory has a big test on Friday?"

"Yep, 20 percent of her grade I think."

"I'll save her a cherry Danish as well."

"You're such a good guy! OH, do I get to kiss you in the diner now?"

"Does everyone know?"

"Well, I told Sookie and she asked if she could tell Patty, so I think everyone knows now."

"Then a small kiss in the diner is acceptable. Anything more needs to be taken upstairs."

"Good to know." Lorelai smiled, taking over one of Luke's phrases.

"I can't wait to see you, good luck at class tomorrow, and sweet dreams tonight."

Thursday night Lorelai and Rory were up very late studying for Rory's big English test and they fell asleep at the kitchen table. Friday they woke up to the very insistent doorbell and Rory ran into her room to check the time.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was six-forty-five and she had plenty of time. The doorbell was still going off and then there was a knocking on the door, Lorelai finally woke up and stumbled to the door.

There with two coffees and a Luke's take out bag stood the man himself, smiling at her.

"Luke! What're you doing here so early?" Lorelai was so happy to see him she flung her arms around his neck and almost made him spill the coffee.

"Well after our conversation on the phone the other night I realized that the first time I'll see you after being away for two nights and two days will be in the middle of the diner and I didn't think I could just give you a small kiss. So I used the excuse that Rory needed to get to school early for her test to bring you both coffee and Danish," Luke said blushing.

Lorelai really had no idea what she had done to deserve this man but she wasn't going to ask to see the paperwork in case it was a mistake and he belonged to a much nicer woman.

Rory came tearing down the stairs from the upstairs bathroom, grabbed her books and the coffee and Danish and headed out to the bus stop with a quick, 'I love you Luke!' as she ran.

"Well, that's sweet," Luke said.

"You don't know the half of it." Lorelai knew he was going to blow when she told him.

"We'd fallen asleep at the kitchen table and neither of us had set an alarm. If you hadn't stopped by who knows when Rory would've woken up. And let me tell you, Chilton doesn't allow for make-up tests. You snooze, you lose, big time. So now you're Rory's hero too." She smiled up at him.

"You guys didn't set an alarm? What were you going to do if I didn't show up and Rory missed her bus? With the way you slee.." at this point Lorelai kissed him deeply and it's like giving water to a man in the desert.

He felt himself lose control especially since he knew they were alone for many hours.

This would not be good, he kept telling himself and yet he ran his hands up under Lorelai's t-shirt and felt her intake of breath as he touched her bare skin. He moaned into her mouth and pulled her towards him. As he fell over the edge Babette chose this time to walk in through the front door.

"Suga, is Rory OK? I saw her runnin' out of here like a bat out of hell…Oh, my Gawd suga, I'm so sorry!" Babette put her hand over her eyes, well sort of, as Luke turned towards the kitchen sink to allow himself to become more presentable. Thinking of Kirk and Taylor was helping.

Lorelai was still in a bit of a daze, Wow, she thought, we almost did it in the kitchen!

To Babette she said, "That's OK Babette, Rory's fine just a big test today. Luke had been away for a couple of days and we're just checking in.

"I'll say, well everything's fine with Rory then I'll let you two get back to 'checking in' bye suga." With that Babette left. They were sure she'd tell the entire town.

Luke said, "I'm going to go too, and take a very cold shower. I still want you to stop by today, whenever you can. I think it was probably a good call not to do that first greeting in the diner, eh?"

Lorelai could only nod and grin.

"Yeah, well I'll see you later, Lorelai. Do you understand if I don't risk a good-bye kiss right now?" Luke asked.

Lorelai nodded again still grinning like a fool.

The whole day she'd remember that kiss and again the grin came back. Sookie thought they'd already done it, but Lorelai told her no.

"However, I wouldn't place any bets that Luke is able to wait two weeks, let alone thirty days. We have a date in his apartment on Saturday night." Again the grin returned.

Lorelai went to the diner at lunch and it was packed. She told Luke she'd stop by after Friday night dinner since they didn't even get a moment alone.

She should've called in sick to the dinner. It took Emily less then halfway through drinks to nail her.

"Who is he?"

"What?" Lorelai had been concentrating on Kirk, Taylor, Michel and a slew of other contentious people to keep the smile off her face. Apparently she'd failed miserably.

"You've had this fleeting grin off and on ever since you and Rory walked in the door. I know that smile; you haven't used it for fifteen years, who's the boy?"

Lorelai smiled very large, "He isn't a boy mother; he's a real grown-up man."

As soon as these words left her mouth she knew she had descended into the bowels of hell with no way out.

"Very well, we'll meet this man of yours next Friday. Since he's a man I assume he has a suit? What's his name?"

Damn it! She's good, Lorelai thought.

"Of course he has a suit mother; his name is Luke."

"Luke as in the diner owner who has peppered your stories every Friday night, are you sure he has a suit? Make sure he's properly attired for dinner." Emily was appalled that Lorelai was dating this man who was so far beneath her.

With that the conversation switched back to Rory and Chilton and Lorelai was left wondering how to convince Luke to walk with her into hell. Well, it'd been nice to have a boyfriend for a week, they actually would have one more week until he experienced the Harpy who goes by the name Emily and then it would be bye-bye food provider, giver of amazing kisses, promises of things that will never be.

Lorelai isn't too sure how the rest of the evening ended up, but she found herself at Luke's feeling disemboweled and now having to extend the invitation to Luke.

The bells jingled as she entered and he smiled as she approached, but he didn't look up.

"My mother has asked that you join us at Friday night dinner next week."

Luke stopped counting receipts and looked very closely at Lorelai, she visibly shrank in front of him, what was that woman who could do this to her own daughter. He needed to be there just to protect her if nothing else.

"OK."

Lorelai is stunned, no whining, no bargaining, no excuses, just, OK.

"That's it?"

"Yep."

"I gotta say, I don't get it."

"Well, we're in a relationship and I'd expect your parents to want to meet anyone you were in a relationship with. So, I'll go with you and Rory to Friday night dinner. Would you like some coffee now?"

Lorelai looked like she wanted to kiss him and so she leaned over the counter and kissed him gently as a thank you, knowing he was sacrificing himself for her.