Chapter 3: Merry Christmas, You Olde Soda Shoppe!

The first thing Luke felt was rusty and warm blood pooling around his mouth. He was bleeding... He was bleeding!

Luke cackled with amazed glee. "My mouth is bleeding, Clarence!" He practically squealed. And he gave his guardian angel a huge hug.

Clarence beamed. "You're welcome, Luke. Now don't you have somewhere to be?"

Luke began to sprint back towards Stars Hollow. His truck was no longer where it had been on the bridge, both in the altered timeline and before, but he wouldn't have been surprised if Clarence had just transported it back to the Diner. Charging into town, Luke shouted out Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everything and everyone he saw.

"Merry Christmas, Gazebo! Merry Christmas, Dosse's Market! Merry Christmas, you Olde Soda Shoppe!"

And there was the Diner. Luke burst in, the grin nearly breaking his face, to find all the people he loved there. Taylor Dosse immediately stood up.

"Now, Luke, to pick up where we left off on those banners for the Diner..."

"Put them all over the place, Taylor!" Luke beamed. And he actually kissed the grocer on the forehead. There was a mighty CRASH as Taylor promptly fainted dead away at this sudden change in Luke's persona.

"Luke, I did a test on my brain while you were gone. It appears I don't have a filter..." Kirk offered up quite seriously.

"Come here you little squirt!" And Luke Noogied Kirk's scalp.

Miss Patty appeared. "Lucas, what does a lady have to do to get a pot of coffee around here?"

Luke hugged here. "Nothing, Miss Patty! Just keep being you!"

"Why, Lucas! You naughty, naughty boy!" Patty winked, not expecting the totally innocent hug from someone who had never been known to freely give out hugs.

And there she was. The woman Luke had been dying to see, at the counter, running her fingers over her wedding band.

"Thank God! We're still married!" Luke rushed up to Lorelai. Lorelai merely glanced at him and gave a prissy frown.

"We might not be for long, mister. I'm not talking to you!"

"Oh come on, crazy lady! You really think I'm gonna let you get away that easily?" And Luke suddenly dipped Lorelai and gave her the most passionate kiss he could muster. Within moments, she was puddy in his hands. The rest of the town stared. A few gave wolf-whistles.

"What's going on?" Kirk gaped.

"The man is certifiably insane!" Taylor offered his theory as he staggered to his feet upon regaining consciousness.

A stampede of feet down the stairs made Luke glance back as he broke the kiss and swung Lorelai back onto his feet. Next second, he was barreling into his kids, bear-hugging Jess, kissing Rory and April wherever he could reach. Realizing they all were alive and safe, he finally burst into tears.

"Oh, God... let me touch you... are you real?" he gasped. He held their gaze. "I am so sorry! I love every last one of you!"

Jess smiled softly. "We love you too, you big old grump."

It was truly a wonderful Gilmore life!

A/N: "Where the coffee's non-stop and I drop this hip-hop in my mom-and-pop shop, I'm home!... You here that music in the air? Take a train to the top of the world, and I'm there! I'm HOME!" Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights