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 14 What a Knight

The week quickly passed and Luke found himself at the Gilmore's door for Friday night dinner once again. He was a bit more nervous because it was the first time since he had blown up at Straub. He anticipated Emily in fine form and Lorelai was teasing him, "I can't believe you brought that brandy tonight."

"I'm just trying to keep your parents from putting the pressure on you to stop seeing me so a gentleman would offer a hostess gift after an initial goof. I'm merely being a gentleman like your mama wants you to date. Now quit giving me grief." Luke hissed at her.

Just then the door opened and Emily greeted them, "Oh, good, I thought we were being cased by hooligans, how nice it was just my granddaughter, daughter and her boyfriend. Were you going to ring the bell or were you just counting on your overwhelming personalities to announce you."

"Sorry Grandma, we were having a discussion that should have been finished in the car, but you know how Mom likes to resurrect a dead horse." Lorelai shot her daughter a glare and Luke rolled his eyes.

After the maid took their coats they walked into the living room and Luke shook Richard's hand. "Thank you for allowing me to join you for dinner, I must apologize again for my behavior the last time I only hope that you'll excuse my outburst."

"Nonsense my boy," Richard said, "I think we were all in shock and I know Straub was under a great deal of stress since his company was sold the next Monday. I only hope that Rory knows what a wonderful young lady she is and how much we all love and appreciate her in our lives." He smiled at Rory.

"I do Grandpa, but I have to say that it helped to hear Luke say all those things in support of me, even if it upset him to lose control like that. Although mom and I got guilt pancakes the next morning. And from what I hear Grandma got an apology clock and I think Luke has some brandy for you." Rory looked and saw that Luke was blushing all the way up to his ears.

"Well, I did come across this brandy that I hope you will enjoy Richard, and that you'll accept it with my deepest apologies." Luke hoped this evening would come to a close soon.

Lorelai knowing that this was costing Luke dearly jumped in, "Dad, why don't you make the drinks and perhaps we can have some of the brandy after dinner with dessert? Did you get those new imported beers in that we had talked about a couple of weeks ago? I bet Luke would love one." She took one of Luke's hands in hers and squeezed it.

Richard saw that it was a very humble gesture this man had made, he had not been in the wrong; and from his rage the previous week, it didn't seem that he would normally humble himself. Richard saw that it was the love that he had for Lorelai that caused him to do this. Not for the first time he thought Emily was wrong, this man is very good for his daughter and he believed that Luke would protect both Richard's girls to the death of his soul and most likely his life.

Then Richard took a look at the brandy and it was all he could do to maintain his composure. He held in his hand a five hundred dollar bottle of brandy. He looked at Luke with new eyes. Emily had told him of Luke's offer to pay for Chilton, and she thought he was bluffing, Richard wondered if that was true or if this man was deeper then they thought.

"Thank you for the brandy and Emily we shall have it with dessert. Luke we received a wonderful larger just last week. Would you care to try it?"

"Thank you Richard, that sounds perfect." Luke replied grateful that they had moved on to the next part of the evening. Emily was still watching Luke with distrust in her eyes, especially since tonight she wouldn't be able to attack Luke for what he had done.

A gracious hostess would have forgotten the incident after just the, what did Rory call it? The apology clock, but then he brought an apparently expensive bottle of brandy. Richard wouldn't drink a bad bottle even if she had bought it for him so she found herself without wind in her sails.

After drinks, dinner was once again focused on Rory and her activities. Lorelai told her parents about a wedding the inn was hosting the next week and believe it our not Emily and Richard knew the bride and were going to be there.

"The week after next will be Thanksgiving, so dinner will be on Thursday instead of Friday. Lorelai, we expect Rory, Luke and you at five-forty-five for drinks. We will be eating at six because the Clemenceau's have to catch an early flight on Friday. Why anyone would fly on the Thanksgiving weekend is beyond me." Emily was prattling on.

Luke was feeling very sick, he knew he had to let them know he was going to be unable to make the dinner, and he knew Emily was going to comment on how rude it was. "Emily, Richard, I appreciate being asked to join you for such a big family holiday and I'll do everything I can to make it, however I've a tradition of feeding anyone in Stars Hollow who doesn't have a place to go for Thanksgiving for free and we serve until four-thirty in the afternoon. I'm sure I wouldn't be able to make it for drinks and I would hate to be late for the meal. So perhaps this year would be best if I didn't keep you waiting?"

Richard jumped in before Emily could open her mouth, "Now, now my boy, what would Thanksgiving be without all the family. A very noble gesture you have started at Stars Hollow, eh? I know how lonely it can be to not have family around at that time, I can't imagine you wouldn't want to share Thanksgiving with Lorelai and Rory, do you think you can make it by six-fifteen?" Emily was shooting death glares at Richard which he was ignoring.

"Thank you sir, I'm sure I could manage by six-fifteen," Luke was amazed at the generosity that Richard was showing him and so he would throw everyone out if need be to accommodate this offer.

"Luke, you're usually open after five on Thanksgiving when we come around, last year you were even open at eight when we stopped by for rolls." Lorelai was really perplexed and didn't mean to bring it up here, she was just shocked.

Richard smiled at the blush Luke had begun to wear, "Perhaps, Lorelai, Luke waited until you showed up to close. Let's retire to the living room and have our coffee and this marvelous brandy that Luke has brought us Emily." Lorelai snapped her head towards Luke as he ducked his.

On the way home Lorelai was driving and she looked at Luke and shook her head, "You waited until Rory and I stopped by to stop serving dinner?"

"Lorelai I've been gutted, skinned, filleted, and deep fried tonight, please give me a bit of my dignity and let's not visit my sad attempt to have you in my life no matter how small." Luke had his head back against the headrest with his eyes closed. "I know I'm a pathetic excuse for a man and any miniscule reason why you would want to have me as a partner escapes me at the moment."

Lorelai didn't want to continue this conversation with Luke in front of Rory, but she was overwhelmed that Luke cared so much for her even before he had kissed her.

Rory's heart went out to this man who last week resembled a giant to her when he defended her from Straub. Today she wished she could say something to let him know how much she cared for him. She would have to mull.

When they returned to Lorelai's house Luke was about to get into his truck when Lorelai put her hand on his arm, "Stay," she whispered, "please. I want to be with you tonight. You do so much for us and I think you could use a quiet night cuddled up with your girlfriend. No pressure, no expectations, just you and me under a soft downy quilt. Please let me do this?"

Luke hadn't been able to look at her until the last 'please' and he turned around and held her to him and he started to shake. "God I don't deserve you, thank you. I would love to stay, I love you." Lorelai held onto him tightly and led him into the house.

They went past Rory and up the stairs to Lorelai's bedroom. Lorelai helped Luke get undressed and put on his sweats and t-shirt he had left for the impromptu sleepovers and she got him under the covers. She put on her flannel pajamas and went to brush her teeth. Rory was in the hallway and followed her into the bathroom.

"Mom, what can we do for Luke? He threw himself on his sword for us and I feel like he is paying a greater price then he should."

Lorelai kissed the top of her daughter's head, "Luke is very private sweets, he just lived through his own personal hell by having everyone know he lost his temper and even though he wasn't wrong he knew it was expected that he apologize and because he loves us he did."

"I made it much worse by commenting on his Thanksgiving tradition, I really was overwhelmed and touched that he would do that for us. Guess I won't be finding out about the horoscope at Thanksgiving huh? Whatever it is he was embarrassed before, I doubt he'll be willing to tell me for a while."

"It was the one you gave him," Rory whispered. "The day you first met him."

"What are you talking about?" Lorelai asked, "Why would I give him a horoscope? I didn't even know when his birthday was back then."

"When you went in the first time for coffee, it was busy and you were annoying, surprise,"

"HEY!"

"So to get a cup of coffee you tore out the Scorpio horoscope and wrote on it 'You will meet an annoying woman today, give her coffee and she will go away.' You told him to keep it and one day it would bring him luck. It's in his wallet."

"Now? That was over five years ago, he was with Anna, oops."

"He still has it, I'm not asking about the oops I think it's better I not know, but what I do know is that he loves you Mom, he's hurting and you have to be there for him. Let him know that we need him and that we're grateful that he's always there for us. He's a strong man, only the strongest would've put himself through what he did tonight."

"Good night sweets, I have to go take care of Luke." Lorelai kissed Rory on her forehead.

Luke was under the quilt but he couldn't quiet his mind. What was Lorelai thinking, how pathetic was he that he waited until she came to his diner to stop serving Thanksgiving dinner. The only words he kept hearing were wuss pathetic wuss.

Lorelai climbed into bed with him and she put her arms around him and whispered, "Rory and I would save your place for last on Thanksgiving because no matter how bad the other dinners were, you always made me feel like it was going to be OK. It meant so much for me to be able to see you every year, you were my family even before we started this relationship and I love that you knew it from the start."

"What you did for us today was amazing, I think my dad knows it too, that is why he was so flexible about the time for Thanksgiving. You always do what is meant for the greater good, even at the expense of yourself. Rory and I love you and we are so grateful for how you take care of us. What you did today wasn't pathetic, I'm amazed that you love us so much that you confessed that you were wrong, even though you weren't and you stood up for a little girl who needed you. You're my hero and you're Rory's hero and I'm not worthy of your love, but I'm grateful for it."

Luke had been on his side away from Lorelai all this time. He turned, enveloped her in his arms and started to allow himself to relax a bit. Soon Lorelai could hear his steady breathing letting her know he had fallen asleep, but his grip never lessened so she fell asleep listening to his heart beating, just for her.

At the Gilmore mansion Richard was savoring the last of his second snifter of the brandy Luke had brought. He knew that this man was a force to be reckoned with. Richard needed to try and get Emily onboard with the whole Luke-Lorelai relationship. He thought this young man would be very good for his daughter and if they opposed it he knew they would lose her.

Emily was not pleased however, she was sure that this hooligan would keep Rory out of Ivy League schools and he would not do to present Lorelai to proper society when she came back to Hartford.

Richard disrupted her reverie, "Emily, I like Luke. He loves both Lorelai and Rory and I believe that he would do anything for them. He humbled himself here tonight Emily, he didn't have too, we would've accepted him because Lorelai loves him as well, but he wanted her to feel comfortable so he allowed himself to be thrown to the wolves."

"Richard, he is completely unsuitable for our position in society. He would hold Lorelai back from achieving her full potential."

"I think you're wrong Emily, I think Lorelai isn't coming back into our world, perhaps we've a chance with Rory, but Lorelai made that decision when she was eighteen and went to Stars Hollow. I think we should encourage this because as we saw, Luke would throw himself in front of danger not only for Lorelai whom he is dating, but also for Rory. I'm not sure Christopher would do that."

"Oh, Richard, Christopher is Rory's father, of course he would take care of her. That's what a father would do and Christopher comes from good breeding."

"Then why was it Luke who defended our granddaughter against her paternal grandfather? Emily, do you remember meeting my mother for the first time?"

"Of course Richard how can I forget meeting the Hound of Hell?"

"Do you remember what it felt like to undergo the scrutiny of Sunday brunch each week while we were dating and then engaged? And during our early years of marriage? They only stopped because Trix moved to London. To this day you can't wait for her to go back to the United Kingdom when she visits."

"Richard, what does that have to do with Luke?"

"Emily, Trix never thought that you were good enough for the Gilmore's and she didn't want me to marry you."

"What! Richard you wait to tell me this almost thirty five years after we were married? Why would you tell me this now? What possible good could you see coming out of this information?"

"I'm hoping that by telling you this, that you'll see that Lorelai isn't going to be willing to give up Luke just like I wasn't willing to give you up and if you continue to harp on Luke Lorelai will stop coming here. There is a very good likelihood that if they marry they may have more children which would be more grandchildren we may not see grow-up."

"Richard, they've only been dating for a few weeks, isn't it too early to talk about them getting married?"

"Emily, they have known each other for five years, I saw the love Luke has for Lorelai and the love she has for him. I wouldn't be surprised if they've already been talking about it. Don't become my mother Emily, don't fight this."

"Richard, I just want the best for Lorelai."

"Emily, I think he is the best for Lorelai, he loves her beyond reason, he will not hold her back and he will make sure she is happy. He appears to have some money, or else he knows how to handle it well. What more can a parent ask for?"

"Fine Richard, I'm willing to give Luke the benefit of the doubt for a while. Although I don't think I will be visiting his diner for tea soon."

Richard laughed, "I hear coffee is his specialty. Thank you Emily that is all I ask."

The next morning Luke woke with a flood of emotion from last night, but when he became aware of his body he saw he had Lorelai wrapped in his arms and he smiled. He could tell she was dreaming, she started to talk in her sleep and he couldn't make out a lot, but he heard her say "Yes, Luke, my answer is yes," clear as day, and as he waited for her to say more, he got a huge smile on his face hoping that she was dreaming about him proposing.

Shortly afterwards she stirred and woke up staring into Luke's Cheshire cat grin. "Well, someone woke up feeling much better than they went to sleep, eh?"

"Yep, woke up with m'girl, what's better than that? You were stirring a bit before you woke up, were you dreaming?"

Lorelai remembered her dream, Luke asking her to marry her by the lake at the Inn where he had first kissed her. "Uhmmm, I was dreaming about when you first kissed me, down by the lake. It was almost as good as the real thing." And she leaned in and kissed him good morning.

"There are many days I can't believe that it isn't a dream." He was still smiling. "How about I make you breakfast and coffee?"

"No, Luke!"

"What? Why?"

"Because you had a very traumatic night and Rory and I want to take care of you." Lorelai sat up in bed just as there was a knock at the door. "Come in?"

Rory entered carrying a tray of food, fruit, granola, poached eggs and wheat toast, tea and one cup of coffee. "Good morning everybody, ready for breakfast Luke?"

"Rory, did you make this?" Luke was incredulous.

"Ha, I am my mother's daughter, Sookie is downstairs and she whipped this up for me because I had a very difficult night and my mother can't boil water. I didn't tell her it was for anyone but me. So enjoy and mom, your breakfast is down stairs, but I figured you would want to be with Luke while he ate."

"Rory, you are the best!" Lorelai hugged her daughter. "I might even steal a piece of Luke's toast."

"Rory, thank you," Luke said as she went down the stairs. "You know that this is more food than most people eat all day? I usually have one of these things so if you want all the toast you can have it."

"Thank you. You know that Rory said that you were the strongest man she had met, because you were willing to fall on your sword for us. I'm glad you are feeling better this morning."

Luke leaned in and kissed Lorelai deeply, "I'm not completely there, but I am getting there. Thank you for loving me"

"Truly not a hardship!"