A/N Thank you again for all who read and reviewed and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Again, I own nothing,

Ch 13 Say Yes

Lorelai ran up the stairs to the apartment and Luke had left his door open. He scooped her up in his arms and captured her lips without saying a word. He reached over to close the door and locked it as he moved her over to the bed.

"Luke?"

"Lorelai."

"What are you doing?"

"Well if you can't tell I must be out of practice." Luke chuckles.

"No, I mean, do we have the time to finish what you are starting before dinner or am I going to be unable to concentrate on my food because you have gotten me worked up and then remembered you have a cobbler cooking and when you go to take it out we just sit down to dinner?"

"Lorelai, it was one time and I've told you how sorry I was, tonight we are having pot-roast and it's going to take another hour to finish cooking. So I think I may have just enough time to satisfy you before I have to deal with dinner."

"Well, then, let's get this show on the road!" Lorelai laughed.

Luke ripped the t-shirt she was wearing off and undid her jeans in one fluid movement. "Someone missed me eh?" Lorelai laughed again and took off Luke's clothes as well, "I missed you too."

Later they were wrapped in each other's arms and Lorelai sighed contentedly, Luke told her about his invitation to accompany him to New York. "Now that the contracts are signed we get their company books and our accountants get to look at them closely for the first time. Then Tom and I meet with our accountants and lawyers for eight hours a day for two days and we try to figure out if Hayden was a victim of circumstances or if they were incompetent."

"Since I'm going to be gone for at least three nights I was hoping that you and Rory could come down to New York City with me. The meeting is scheduled for the week after your mom & dad's Christmas party so Chilton should be out of school at that point."

"You two could go shopping, eat lunch, maybe see a matinee or two and we could all go out to dinner at night, then if you could swing it we could stay over Wednesday night and all go sight-seeing Thursday, maybe ice skating and see a play that evening. What do you think?"

Lorelai looked at him and said, "Luke it sounds wonderful, but it also sounds expensive. I know that sounds kind of stupid considering what you told me yesterday, but I don't want to have you pay for Rory and me to have a vacation while you work. It just doesn't seem right."

Luke pulled her tighter to him, "Lorelai, for ten years I haven't used anything that that company offered me because I really didn't feel connected to it. It's always a burden that I was responsible for, so that thousands of people would be able to feed their families at night."

"Now I'm going to be away from you for at least three nights when I don't have to be. That's why I want you and Rory to join me, it's because I'm selfish and I want to see you during this time. While I'm stuck with these accountants and lawyers I would like you and Rory to enjoy yourselves."

"Since the corporation has a suite across the street from the office there's no hotel or room charge. If it makes you feel better you could get lunch for yourself and Rory and any shopping you want to do."

"I tend to get crap for free from people I don't know like theater tickets for new shows and usually I give them to Tom to give away, but if you want to use a couple I can do that or the matinee tickets are not that expensive and I'd love to get you those."

"Then for dinner I would take you out anyway so think of it as a date with your daughter as chaperone. Please Lorelai, at least talk it over with Rory. I'd love to give you this experience and I'm really happy I have the opportunity to do it, at least think about it OK?"

"Luke, I'll talk to Rory about it, make sure that Chilton is out during that time and we'll see. I'd really miss you during that week and I'd love to go to New York City with you. Maybe we could meet Liz and Jess on Thursday?" Lorelai smiled up at him.

"I'm going to have to tell Rory about you owning the B-D Corp. before I tell her that you have invited us to New York don't you think? It might be weird to tell her that we are all going to New York except that you're going to be holed up in a meeting for two days. Since you only have the diner she may wonder why."

"Pity you have such a perceptive child Lorelai." Luke chuckled. "I'm fine whenever you feel comfortable telling her. Just know that I really want you there. I love you and I don't want to be without you. I know it would be a good thing to introduce you to my family, and if it'll be the selling point I'm willing to do it, just don't hold it against me, OK?"

Lorelai laughed, "I promise, when I meet Liz I'll remember that you don't hold my mother against me. Luke, yesterday I was thinking about what you were saying, time wise. You said you found out about this eleven years ago, and I think that was about the time you were with Rachel, wasn't it? What did she say when you told her about this?"

"I didn't tell her. I found out a month after she had left for the first time and like I said it took about a year and a half for me to deal with it." Luke sat up in bed and Lorelai noticed the difference in his demeanor.

"Why didn't you tell her later?"

"I didn't feel like she would understand the responsibility I had to all these people, she would see it as an opportunity for me to leave Stars Hollow and I didn't and don't want to."

"Do you still love her?" Lorelai felt a difference in Luke and was trying to figure out what was going on. He got up and put his boxer-briefs and his jeans on. "Why are you getting dressed?"

"Well, first of all I really don't like talking about my ex-girlfriend while I'm naked with my current girlfriend and second, I don't know how to answer that question. I don't want to lie to you and I don't want to get into a fight." Luke was getting exasperated because he didn't know where this was coming from.

"I don't want you to lie to me and I really don't want to get into a fight, I just know that you loved her so much that when she left you it was an unbearable pain. Yet you just told me that you didn't tell her about the most life altering event since your dad died. I'm trying to understand, that's all." Lorelai got up and put on Luke's flannel and sat on the couch.

"You already said it Lorelai, I loved her, but I don't know that I was ever able to trust her again. When she left the first time, I was adrift, but I kept hoping she would return. When she did return I had found out about this and I couldn't process it. I felt that if she saw how conflicted I was she would use it to push me to do something I wasn't ready for and she would want us to leave Stars Hollow."

"I'll always love Rachel in some way, but I know that it isn't enough. The love I have for you is stronger then I ever thought love could be. I've trusted you with my happiness Lorelai. You are the only one I've ever told, not even Liz knows about this. If people find out about this my life'll change and I'm not sure it would be for the better."

"I trust you because you've made life changing decisions out of the same values I have. Because we were friends for so long before we took our relationship in this direction, I know who you are and what's most important to you."

Lorelai started crying and Luke was beside himself, "Lorelai, what's wrong? I'm so sorry, I knew you were going to be upset, I'm such an idiot; you didn't really want me to be that honest did you? I'm sorry Lorelai, please talk to me?"

Lorelai started laughing and this confused Luke even more. "I'm sorry Luke, I was crying because I've never been loved with the depth of love you have for me, not even by my parents and it's so hard for me to tell you how I really feel and you deserve that and if I say it now it feels so cheap but I do love you and I've never felt this for anyone before and all I can tell you to let you know how much I love you is that I trust you with my daughter, and that isn't something I would say about her own father." At this point in Lorelai's rambling Luke picks her up off the couch and crushes her to him kissing her deeply.

"I never thought I could be this happy and scared and sad Lorelai, I'm happy because you love me, scared that if you left I wouldn't exist and sad that my mom and dad will never meet you and Rory. I love you too."

Shortly after they sat down to dinner and the pot-roast was cooked to perfection, although the carrots were very lonely on Lorelai's plate as she'd eaten the meat and potatoes but studiously avoided the orange items.

Luke sighed, "Could you at least eat one so I wouldn't have to worry too much about your beta-carotene intake?"

"Could? Oh yeah, would? Doubtful," Lorelai said with a laugh as she speared another potato from the serving plate.

While they were having dessert Lorelai's cell phone went off, "Doctor, doctor, give me the news. Oh, sweets, I'm so sorry. Well maybe Paris will reconsider. Yeah. I'm at Luke's, no the apartment, he made pot-roast which I'll bring back to you. I should be home within a half an hour," Lorelai looks expectantly at Luke and he nods. "OK, I'll tell him, and that is very sweet of you."

Lorelai flips the phone down and smiles at Luke, "Rory said thanks for the dinner and since you have been gone for two days it is fine with her if you want to do a sleepover."

Luke threw back his head and laughed, "I'm sure I should be disturbed that your daughter is arraigning sex for us, but I missed you so much I don't even care. Hell yes, I want to sleepover." Lorelai joins him in the laughter.

They walked back to Lorelai's carrying the leftover pot-roast and fresh rolls that Luke had made and his duffle bag. They talked about Thanksgiving and how to manage it since Luke feeds half of Stars Hollow and Lorelai, Rory and now Luke by extension were expected at the Gilmore's for dinner. "Well, next year we might need to combine the two but I think for this year I'll have to excuse myself from your parent's even though I know it'll break your mother's heart." Luke said sarcastically.

Lorelai laughed and said, "If she had a clue as to what you have been up to it would break her heart and that knowledge itself is enough to keep me preening for a decade at least. I love having a secret that I know would cause Emily Gilmore great pleasure and keeping that secret from her."

Luke stopped and looked at Lorelai, "I need to tell you what Emily and I talked about in the kitchen that first evening, at least part of it."

Lorelai looked expectantly at him, "She knows I can pay for Chilton if she makes life too unbearable for you to attend Friday night dinner. That is one of the reasons that she pulls her punches sometimes. I want you to know that I want you to continue to attend Friday night dinners because family is important to me and I know it is to you too. But Emily knows that if it gets too rough she can't threaten you with taking Chilton away from Rory. I told her I didn't believe that Richard would let her, but if he did I was willing to offer you the loan with the same conditions."

Lorelai is shaking her head as Luke raced on, "I know you would never take me up on it unless it was so bad that you were willing to sever all ties with your family, but I want you to know that you do have that safety net. I love you and I love Rory and I don't like to see you in pain."

Lorelai leaned in and kissed him, "Thank you and you know I can't do that, but if it's ever a loan from you or death by Emily, I'll turn to you."

"That's all I wanted you to know." Luke held her tightly, "Now you have two secrets you can keep from Emily." And he smiled down at her.

Lorelai laughed, "Yep, my day just keeps getting better and better. It does answer the question of why she backed down so quickly today. I threatened to not see her again until Rory was a grandmother" Luke laughed and thought about the warning he had made to Emily and how well he knew Lorelai.

They enter the house and greet Rory who is studying at the kitchen table. Luke excuses himself to go watch a football game upstairs in the bedroom. Lorelai looks at Rory and asks," Is Chilton out of school after December 18?"

"The last day is actually the 15th of December and then we go back in January for finals. Why?"

"Luke invited us to go to New York City for a few days and part would be to meet his sister and nephew."

"Wow! New York City during the holidays! That would be amazing! We could go shopping at Bloomies and the Twin Towers and all up and down Lower Manhattan, we could eat at the restaurants on the waterfront! Oh, do you think we could see a play?! Oh! And Strand's! Don't forget Strand's! 18 miles of books, I could stay there all day! Would we fly or drive? Because if we drive I could get more books at Strand's, but maybe they will ship them? How long would we be there?" Rory was thinking of all the lists of books she would want to look for.

Lorelai was laughing thinking to herself that maybe Rory wouldn't ask too many questions right away since she would be in title overload.

"Rory, could you come back from fantasy land for a second? I want to ask you something and I need your full attention."

"Sure Mom, what's up?"

"Have you been working on your pro – con list?"

"Which one?"

Lorelai laughed, "I should have known that you would have more than one going at a time, the list that concerns the mommy."

"You mean the one about a question Luke might ask you? Has he?"

"That would be the one. Not yet, but we may be getting closer. Have you ended up on the con or pro side?"

"Well, many more pros actually, but a couple of big cons."

"I'm happy to hear about the number of pros, but tell me the concerns that are in the con side."

"A big one is that Luke already doesn't like Dean and how will it be if we get engaged or married?"

"Wow, didn't see that one coming. I thought you said that you were too young to get married?"

"Yeah, now, but what about six or eight years down the road, will Luke hate Dean forever?"

Lorelai laughed with relief, "Rory, Luke doesn't hate Dean, he just sees you as very special, I think he sees you as his little girl and he wants the best for you. If you and Dean survive to become engaged and married, Luke will learn to like Dean because you love him enough to marry him. This will be true of any guy you date, Luke sees only a prince marrying you, or at least someone who will encourage you to be the best person you can be. He wants someone who is good to you and will make you happy, that's all."

"That is very sweet and disturbing at the same time. Why doesn't my father care like that, mom?"

"I'm sorry Christopher doesn't show it honey, but I am sure he cares as deeply. What other cons did you have?"

"After I graduate from Chilton you and I talked about going on a three month backpacking tour through Europe. If you marry Luke he wouldn't want you to do that would he?"

"Hmm, well you bring up a good point, if we just spring it on him I'm pretty sure you are correct, but if I make sure he knows we have planned this for a long time I believe he would understand and if he wasn't supportive, we wouldn't get married before you and I do this trip. How about that?"

"Good, I've been looking forward to that trip for almost ten years, ever since I knew what a Europe was." Rory laughed.

"Any more cons?"

"Well, I know that if you and Luke get married you will have less time for me and I would assume that you will want to have children together and if you do, they will take up time as well. I know that sounds selfish, but it is something I have worried about since you told me to make the lists."

"Rory, I do love you and you will always be my eldest daughter. Luke will not take that away from you. But sweets, look at how much time you spend apart from the mommy now and you are only a sophomore in high school. When you go away to college you could be home only three or four times a year. I don't want you to make life decisions based on keeping the status quo; I want you to go after your goals. If you ever really need me I will be there for you, always. But there will come a time in the very near future where you will not live at home, and our relationship will have to change to fit that."

Rory started to cry, "Mommy, I don't want to think about that right now, but I also don't want you to miss out on being with Luke. So I guess the cons are really selfish and I know that no one could love you more than I can, but Luke comes pretty close. So if the question is ever asked, say yes."

"Oh, Rory! Thank you for this I have no idea if or when Luke will formally ask, but thank you for letting me say yes with conviction!" Lorelai laughed as she hugged her daughter. "And it isn't selfish I feel the same way when I think about you going off into the world. I want you to be three again and living in the potting shed with just us two. But bringing more people into our family is a good thing too; think how awkward it would be to take your mommy on your honeymoon, right?"

Rory laughed and said, "Well, when you put it that way, I can see what you are talking about. I do love Luke Mom. Do you think I will get any half-brothers or half-sisters?"

Lorelai blushed, "Rory, Luke hasn't 'formally' asked me to marry him, but we have talked about the possibilities and one or two children have been discussed."

"Wow, he is serious."

"Yep."

"Wonder how grandma is going to deal with it?"

"I imagine Luke will do something to win her over. Oh, I forgot to tell you about the apology clock he sent her!"

"The what?" Lorelai proceeds to tell Rory about the grandfather clock and they chat more about what it would be like to have Luke in the family permanently. Then Lorelai goes up to bed.

Luke has the game on in the background and has a file folder open on his lap going over a report. "So this is what I am going to deal with now that you no longer have to hide things from me?" Lorelai jokes.

He puts the folder on the nightstand and pulls Lorelai onto the bed as she shrieks. "I'll never put anything before you. You are the most important thing in my life." He kisses her soundly.

"Rory is very excited about going to New York in December. There is a book store with 18 miles of books in it and we may be spending an entire day there."

"Strand Bookstore, Jess is always pestering me to take him there when I come down. I can't tell you how happy you have made me. I want to share this part of my life with you and if you are with me I may not kill Christopher's father knowing you are waiting back in my bed." Luke grinned wickedly.

"Glad to be able to keep one more person out of the federal pen. Rory didn't question why we were going to New York so I let that slide for now. If she asks I will tell her, but for now I think I'll wait." Lorelai got up to change into pajamas.

"Why are you bothering to put any pajamas on?" Luke asked with devilment in his eye.

"Silly me," Lorelai walked over to the door and locked it before returning to bed. "We did have a date didn't we?" she returned his wicked grin.