A/N Thank you to all those who are enjoying this story, I know there are things you want to see now, but everything in due time. Thanks to all who are reviewing and those who are reading, I hope you continue to enjoy.

And, I forgot, wish a Happy Birthday to Scott Patterson, 49!

I own nothing

Chapter 16 His Legacy

Monday morning Luke had talked to Richard and he was going to meet Richard at his office at ten that morning. At nine-fifteen Luke came downstairs in his charcoal gray suit with the red tie that Lorelai liked so much and there sitting at the end of the counter was his girlfriend staring at him with narrowed eyes. Luke could tell she was not happy. "So, I see you have dressed up for my father. I hope he enjoys your special time as much as I do."

"Lorelai, please don't make this more difficult than it already is. I need to talk to your dad about something anyway and I hope that you will understand."

"What do you NEED to talk to my dad about?" Lorelai couldn't figure out what he needed to talk to her father about, unless… "are you going to tell him?" she lowered her voice.

"I don't know, but after that display of stupidity I put on at Thanksgiving, only someone convinced of my lack of breeding would have missed the obvious clues. I don't want your dad finding out from someone else and I think he likes me well enough that this really won't make a huge difference."

"Meaning my mother would've missed the clues?"

"I'm thinking that's correct." Luke smiled.

Lorelai laughed, "Yeah, me too. OK, since there really is a reason you couldn't give my dad the news over the phone and we could still have our special time, go. But I expect you to make it up to me. And soon!" she leaned in and kissed him.

"Wish me luck, and I'll be thinking of a special thank you on the way home."

"Not wanting to meet with my dad thinking of me naked, huh?"

"Yep."

Luke got into his truck and twenty minutes later he was in front of Richard's building in Hartford. He was escorted by the receptionist to Richard's secretary Margie and given a seat outside Richard's door. He heard loud voices inside, "Floyd, I don't understand you giving Rodger my account in Japan! I brought that account in, and I have serviced it for twelve years!"

"Now, Richard, a man of your stature should not be worried about an account that has so much activity to it. That company is undergoing new management and they need fresh blood in there."

Luke got up and walked down the hallway, shit, it sounds like Richard is going to be squeezed out of his company. Luke pressed the four button on his cell phone that Lorelai had given him and programmed. Rick, Tom's Executive Assistant picked up right away. "Good morning Mr. Danes, did you want to talk to Mr. Rhodes?"

"Uh, yeah, Rick. How did you know it was me?"

"Caller ID sir, one moment."

"Mr. Danes? To what do I give the honor of my good fortune this morning?"

"Hey Tom, have we scheduled an insurance review since we purchased Hayden?"

"No, sir, that is on the books for early next year, why?"

"I want you to have Richard Gilmore give us a quote. In fact, it would be a great favor to me if you would call his office in exactly two minutes and schedule it."

"Yes, sir, are we to give it to him no matter what?"

"Well, Tom, I would like to give him a five percent leeway, but I still have responsibility to my company."

"Give me the number sir and I'll call in exactly two minutes."

"Thanks," Luke hung up and went back to Margie, "Margie, in a couple of minutes Tom Rhodes from B-D Corporation in New York City will be calling for Mr. Gilmore. I want you to put him through even though Mr. Gilmore is in a meeting. Please, it is really important." Luke could still hear this Floyd yelling at Richard.

Margie was about to open her mouth when the phone rang and it was Tom for Richard, she looked suspiciously at Luke but buzzed Richard's office, "I'm sorry Mr. Gilmore, but there is a Mr. Tom Rhodes from B-D Corporation on the line for you."

Inside Richard's office Floyd Stiles looked shocked at what Margie had said. The B-D Corporation was a feather in any insurance company's cap. They were international, huge and because of their attention to safety they had very few claims over the past ten years. "Of course Richard, you should take that call." Floyd said.

Richard looked surprised, he hadn't contacted this Tom Rhodes and he had no idea how he knew to contact him, he doubted that Straub would have suggested their company considering their rocky relationship since Lorelai and Christopher. "Hello Mr. Rhodes, this is Richard Gilmore, what can I do for you today?"

"Mr. Gilmore, I'm not sure if you are aware that B-D Corporation has recently acquired Hayden Industries, and we need to have an insurance review in the beginning of the new year. I'd like you to prepare a quote for us if that would be something that you'd be interested in."

"I'm very interested in preparing a quote for you, Mr. Rhodes, although I'd heard you have been with your current provider for almost ten years. What is it that's causing you to explore your options?"

"I see you're already familiar with our company, I'm pleased to know that. The request for a quote comes from our owner, I'm not privy to the motivation, but I'm to give you my complete cooperation in providing you the necessary documents that will allow you to provide us with a through review. If this is acceptable I'll have our department contact you this week so you may have the quote for us at the beginning of January."

"It is most acceptable Mr. Rhodes, and thank you for your request." Richard hung up and turned to Floyd, "Well, Floyd, it's a good thing that Rodger is taking Japan, I'm preparing a quote for B-D Corporation at the personal request of the owner. So it appears I'll be quite busy for a while." Floyd fumed as he left the office and Richard was giddy. He needed to find out how the owner knew who he was, oh, wait, "Margie, is Luke Danes out there?"

"Yes, Mr. Gilmore, should I send him in?"

"By all means yes!"

Richard swung open the door, "Luke my boy, it's wonderful to see you!"

Luke smiled that Richard was in such a good mood, "Good morning Richard, it's good to see you too."

"Come, sit down, now you were bringing me your advisor's name right?"

"Yes, sir, but I was wondering if I could talk to you about a couple of other things as well?" Luke swallowed hard.

"My this sounds serious, go ahead son."

"Well Richard, the first part is that I want you to know that I love your daughter very much and we've known each other much longer than we've been dating. I also love Rory as my own and would do anything for either of them." Luke took a breath and Richard started to relax, he was seeing where this conversation was heading and he was truly touched that Luke was old fashioned enough to speak to him.

"So, as I was saying, I love your daughter and I know if my dad was here he would've skinned me alive if I didn't ask you first, he was very adamant about such things. So, Richard I would like your blessing to ask Lorelai to marry me." Luke finally got the first and for him most difficult part over with.

"Well, Luke, I'd be hard pressed to think of a man more worthy of my daughter. I know that you love her and my granddaughter to the point that you put them before your own safety. What father couldn't support that union? I do worry about her financial safety as well. I know you are not a man of meager means, but I'm concerned if something should happen to you that the diner is so dependant on you to run it. Then there's of course Lorelai's mother, I think I could convince her not to oppose this union, but I'm not sure I could get her blessing."

"Thank you for those kind words Richard, I don't feel worthy of your daughter, but I'll live my life trying to come close. As far as Emily goes, I would like her blessing, but if she just allows this to occur perhaps through the years she will come to accept me and our marriage. "

"I'd like to address your other concerns as well, but it involves some confidential information that I'd rather Emily not be given at this moment. There'll come a time when you may share it with her, but at this moment I feel it wouldn't serve the best interest of Lorelai and me. Because I know the strong connection you and Emily share I wouldn't like to put you in the middle."

"Luke, there are a few things about my business that I don't share with Emily, if this is something along that line, I'd feel comfortable keeping it from her, however, if it would put Lorelai or Rory in any danger whatsoever, I couldn't agree."

"This would be along the lines of business, sir. When I got here I overheard the gentleman and you in your office discussing the reassignment of one of your accounts to Rodger. So I went down the hall and called Tom Rhodes and asked him to request a review of B-D Corporation."

Richard was starting to get upset, "So this is a joke? There really isn't a request from the owner of B-D to have an insurance review?! "

"Oh, no sir, there is a request, a valid request for you to complete a review. B-D just acquired Hayden Industries, and all mergers require a review."

"But Mr. Hughes said that the request came from the owner!"

"Yes."

"But how can that be, since you made the request?"

"I did make the request to Tom, and he was correct in telling you that it came from the owner of B-D Corporation." Luke let that sink in as he watched Richard process.

"Luke that is impossible, if you follow that logic that would mean that you are the owner of B-D Corporation and you own a diner in Stars Hollow!"

"Richard, just because there are two statements out there, doesn't mean that one must be false."

"You own B-D Corporation? But how, it was Randall Buech's company and he had no heirs. Did you buy it?"

"No, I'd never be able to actually buy it, my mother was Randall's daughter and she married beneath her so he disowned her. Because of a convoluted story, the lawyers found out that she'd named me Lucas Buech Danes and I inherited the entire Buech fortune." As Luke completed his story Richard had the glazed look that Luke was getting used to seeing in the Gilmore's eyes.

"So, you see Richard, this is one of the reasons that I strongly encourage Lorelai to continue going to family dinners and to not break off ties to you even when Emily makes it difficult. Lorelai and I've talked in a 'what if' type of discussion, that we'd like to have children someday. I'd hate to have them grow up without any grandparents, since my parents are both gone. I also feel very strongly about Emily learning to tolerate me for who I am, not what this money makes me in her eyes. So this is why I'm begging you not to disclose to her my heritage just yet. Are you agreeable?" Luke waited and of all the things he expected, it was not what happened next.

Richard started to laugh, deep belly laughs and he continued for sometime. Margie poked her head into the room to see what was going on and Luke could only shrug. Within a few minutes Richard had started to regain his composure, and when he was able said to Luke, "If Emily had any clue she'd have you dressed up like a prancing pony and put you on stage for all of her friends to see. Yes Luke, I understand your reticence in telling my wife. Now, I'd like to ask you, does Lorelai know?"

"Yes, sir, I told her the whole story, but I don't think she has the complete picture yet, I think she gets surprised by it still. Hell, I get surprised by it still."

"So the William's Industries?"

"B-D had looked at it and the adviser board was the one who pointed out the potentially dangerous position that we could be in. So that was why we went with Hayden."

Richard got a gleam in his eye, "So, did you know that Straub was Rory's grandfather before you made the bid?"

"No, I found out who he was the night of the dinner. If I'd known who he was and how he treated Rory, I may not have allowed the merger go through."

"Could you do that? I mean your stockholders might have still wanted to do the deal and voted against you."

Luke smiled, "Well, Randall wasn't stupid; I inherited fifty-seven percent of the company. So while I try not to use a mallet to get what I want, I prefer to listen and learn, I always know I have it."

Richard liked Luke more and more as the morning was going on. "So your CEO will be at the Christmas party, how is that going to work?"

"Well, if we're introduced by Emily, so be it, if not Lorelai says it is a big party and we could meet in the mingling. I just want to be sure that you're all right with keeping this from Emily, I figured it was important for you to know that Lorelai won't ever want for anything, and I thank you for giving your blessing before you knew this, it means so much more to me."

"Luke, Lorelai would never have wanted for anything even if you only had the diner, I'm sure you would've seen to that. And it's my pleasure to give you my blessing. I know you'll tell Emily when you feel it's time. When are you going to ask Lorelai? Any thoughts?"

"Oh, a few, I guess it'll be within the next month or two. I'd like to get married as soon as possible. Now that we are together, I just don't see the need to wait. Well, I should be getting back to Stars Hollow, thank you again Richard. I'll see you Friday."

"Thank you Luke, it means a great deal to me that you asked for my blessing. There're so many areas of Lorelai's life that she's stubbornly independent. I'm not sure we would have found out about the engagement before the wedding."

"With all respect due sir, I believe that Lorelai comes by it honestly." Luke grinned.

"I'm going to just assume you are referring to her mother in that regard." Richard winked, "But you and I are going to need to schedule some time to talk Luke, I'm overwhelmed about this new twist and I won't be able to discuss it during Friday night dinners." Suddenly Richard had an epiphany, "Oh, my God! You own Straub!"

"You know, until this merger, no one ever said that, I'm feeling sorry for this man if that's all he's known by, what about his son or granddaughter, shouldn't that be his legacy?"

Richard laughed again, "I can't wait to have you in the family Luke, don't wait too long,"

"Yes sir."

On the way back to Stars Hollow Luke made a call to the Independence Inn and Michel answered. "I want to book a room for today" Luke said.

"When will you be arriving sir?"

"In about twenty minutes. Do you have a room available?"

"Yes, sir, do you wan to reserve it with a credit card?"

Luke smiled as he used the B-D Corporation card, Lorelai would not recognize the number and his name wasn't on the card, so Michel wouldn't recognize it to tell her.

"We have one room that is made up and available, would you like that sir?"

Luke booked the room and was pulling into the parking lot within fifteen minutes. He strode in, signed the register and received his key without Michel recognizing him. As he opened the door to his room 107 he called Lorelai on her cell phone. "Hey, whatcha doing?"

"Hey babe, I missed you. Did you have a good time with my father? Did you tell him what was going on?"

"Yeah, do you have sometime to spend with your boyfriend who just did a very nice thing for your dad?"

"Well, I had sometime for my boyfriend earlier this morning and now I can't leave the Inn because Michel is going to be leaving for an appointment. But I could have lunch with you here if you can get away."

"I think I can manage it. When would be good for you?"

"Now is fairly quiet. Want to meet me in the dinning hall?"

"Sure, give me a few and I will see you soon."

Then Luke called down to the front desk, "Hi, I'm in room 107 and I'm having problems with the fireplace. I need to see the manager please as quickly as possible."

Michel called Lorelai and told her a guest needed help in room 107 and since he specifically asked for the manager she had to deal with it. Lorelai was muttering under her breath as she approached room 107. Plastering on a fake smile she knocked only to have the door opened by her boyfriend. Looking perplexed she asked, "Are you checked into this room?"

"Yep, I thought it would be a good place to let you know what I came up with as a special thank you for letting me meet with your dad." He grabbed her and pulled her into the room as he kissed her passionately.