Ch21 – The Big Ending
"Honey we're home," Lorelai call cheerfully, entering the house.
Luke put the TV on mute as Lorelai and Rory entered the room, Lorelai jumping on the couch with Luke, "We have some news," Rory said.
"Some fantastic news," Lorelai added.
"You found a 24 hour coffee place that delivers?" Luke joked.
"No we have one of those already, its called Luke's," Lorelai joked back, "It's about our Rory…"
"I got a job," Rory cut in, unable to hold back the news.
"That's great news," Luke said sitting up to hug Rory as she lent down.
"I'll be following the Barack Obama campaign," Rory added.
"That is fantastic news, you could be a part of history," Luke said.
"The thing is it starts really soon," Lorelai added.
"How soon?" Luke asked.
"Three days I have to be in Sioux City," Rory said.
"Iowa?" Luke asked.
"Yes Monday I have to be at the Quality Inn for a town hall meeting," Rory said, "I need to make some calls," she added looking distracted.
"Kiss before you go," Lorelai said.
Rory lent down to kiss her mother ob the cheek before picking up the cordless phone and going to her room.
"Three days?" Luke said still taking in the news.
"We have so much to do, how am I going to tell the town, there were so looking forward to the re-enactment," Lorelai said leaning against Luke for support.
"How can I help?" Luke asked rubbing Lorelai's leg.
"Can you help me cancel the party plans for next week?" Lorelai asked.
"Anything you want Lorelai," Luke said as they sat back to think of the changes about to happen.
After a few minutes, "It's too soon," Lorelai said, holding onto Luke for comfort.
-----
Luke needed to do his part, he didn't want Rory to go without a chance to say goodbye, for both Lorelai and the town, he knew how much she meant to everyone and while he didn't come out and say it, he would miss Rory as well.
Luke opened the kitchen door and went in, "Hey," he said spotting Sookie.
"Hey, Luke, how's it going?" She returned, "You just missed Lorelai if…" she added.
"I came to see you," Luke said looking nervous.
"Luke I told you years ago you may have nice butt but I'm married," Sookie joked with a giggle.
"Geez, do you a Lorelai sit around planning these jokes?" Luke asked.
"Sorry Luke, what can I do for you?" Sookie asked.
"Well, you know how Lorelai asked me to help cancel Rory's graduation party," Luke said.
"Yeah. I mean I knew that kid wouldn't last a whole summer at home before landing some kind of amazing job, but, god, it happened so lightning fast," Sookie said.
"You know I was thinking maybe we should throw it anyway," Luke said with a smile.
"Oh, yeah?" Sookie replied.
"Yeah, I mean it's a week sooner than we planned, but there's no reason we can't do it," Luke continued.
"I guess not," Sookie agreed.
-----
"Luke just said he wanted us to come to the diner for a special farewell lunch," Lorelai said as they drove in the rain.
"He's already given me a farewell breakfast and Saturday night we have the special farewell diner and movie night," Rory reminded her mother.
"He's gonna miss you," Lorelai said looking across to Rory.
"I hope you take good care of him this time," Rory joked as they turned into the town square, "Hey do you think it's too late for him to franchise Luke's across the Midwest?" Rory added.
Lorelai pulled up across the road from the diner, her focus fixed on the town square, "Look," she said.
Rory looked ahead through the rain-covered windshield as the intermittent wipers did their job. The town had thrown her a bon-voyage party under a huge tent covering most of the town square.
Jackson and Zach came to the Jeep with umbrellas and helped the girls to the shelter of the makeshift tent.
After the cheers and clapping died down Kirk presented Rory was a sash with her name on it, the town formed a line to say goodbye. Lorelai spotted her parents off to the side.
Lorelai walked over to them, "I can't believe they did this for her," Lorelai said looking around.
"I don't think this is all for Rory. I think this party's a testament to you, Lorelai, and the home you've created here," Richard said, adding, "I regret that you needed…"
"Richard," Emily said cutting him off.
"Now, let me finish, Emily, Richard continued, "I regret it, and we've…recent experience have taught me…
"Oh, please don't become one of those 'I had a heart attack, let me express my every thought' types," Emily said.
"Not every thought, dear, just this one. It takes a remarkable person to inspire all of this," Richard added as his vice broke up.
"Thanks, dad," Lorelai said.
"And I hope we can be a part of you new family, with Luke and the baby," Richard added.
"Sure, as long as you don't plan to move here," Lorelai said jokingly with a smile.
Just then Taylor started to make one of his speeches, Lorelai used the opportunity to find Luke, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Later as the crowd mingled Lorelai smelt something, it was the coffee she had grown to love, she made her way to the table finding Luke serving as usual.
"So you didn't exactly cancel the party did you?" Lorelai asked.
"Miss Patty wouldn't allow it, she's lost a lot of weight so I think she could take me now," Luke joked.
"You are a big softy," Lorelai said wrapping her arms around Luke's neck to pull him in for a tender kiss.
Luke held Lorelai's waist with both hands as they kissed before Lorelai pulled back and turned still being held by Luke she fell back in to his arms as they watched the party and Rory. Luke's hand lightly touched Lorelai's stomach as she looked down and smiled.
Sookie came over to the happy couple, "Hi you two," she said in her usual friendly manner.
"Thanks Sook," Lorelai said to her friend.
"I just bought the food, Luke did all the organizing," Sookie said.
"Well someone had to do it right," Luke said in his usual caring tone, "Besides it sounds like something a future husband should do."
Lorelai turned, giving Luke a peck on the lips before turning back to Sookie.
"So have you gone public yet?" Sookie asked noticing how Luke was holding Lorelai.
"They can mind their own business if they know what's good for them," Luke said.
"He thinks it's better we don't tell more people until the second trimester," Lorelai said.
"Only doing what the books say, the ones you loaded us," Luke said looking at Sookie.
"Well you know this town," Sookie said.
"Yes we do," Luke said.
"And we don't care," Lorelai said kissing Luke once again.
----
"Eggs, bacon, hash browns and pancakes are on the way, can I top that off for you while you wait?" Luke asked.
"What do you think?" Rory said with her mother's cheeky smile.
Luke topped off the coffee before going to check on the food, "Don't the blintzes,"
"Blintzes?" Luke asked shaking his head.
"Potato and Mushroom," Lorelai added, turning back to Rory.
"So I planned to say some parting words," Lorelai said.
"Mom we're going to see each other again, this not the last chapter in some TV show," Rory replied.
"I know but I feel like I have so much more to say and not enough time," Lorelai said.
"You do like to talk," Rory joked.
"You'll call me everyday," Lorelai said
"And email," Rory added.
"I've talked Luke into getting a DSL connection for the diner so we can video chat anytime, here, at home or the Dragon Fly," Lorelai said.
"Make sure it's wireless so Luke doesn't have to limbo under a cable anymore," Rory added with a joke.
"I like watching Luke limbo," Lorelai said with a dirty grin.
"Okay enough of that," Rory said.
"Here we go with round one, pancakes, bacon, eggs. The rest will be out shortly," Luke said placing the plates on the table before starting to leave.
"No sit, have something to eat," Lorelai said holding his wrist.
"I have things cooking," Luke said, "Besides I would eat this stuff. I'll be back in a few minutes with the rest and something healthy for me," Luke promised, bending down to kiss Lorelai.
"Hurry back," Lorelai said giving Luke a dirty grin.
Rory looked on and smiled, glad her mother's life was back on track.
----
"I'll call you tonight," Rory said as Lorelai hugged her tight.
"No sooner, the moment you get off the plane you call. Better still get your phone out as you're landing," Lorelai added.
"There are laws against that!" Rory reminded her mother.
"Okay but call me the moment the FAA regulations allow it," Lorelai demanded finally pulling back to look at her daughter.
"The moment I walk off the plane," Rory replied.
There was a few seconds of silences before the boarding announcement come over the intercom.
"Well that's my flight," Rory said reaching for her carryon bag, putting strap over her shoulder.
"One more hug," Lorelai said, pulling her daughter back.
Rory didn't fight it until the final boarding announcement, "Luke a little help here," she called to pull her mother off.
"But…" Lorelai protested but didn't fight it as Luke gently took hold of her shoulders.
"Time to let go," Luke said quietly to Lorelai before turning to Rory, "So you got everything?" he asked.
Rory nodding, "Yes, and thanks for the coffee thermos."
"Just keeping my best customer happy," he joked as Lorelai gave him a dirty look, "Okay second best," he added.
"You take care of them Luke," Rory said touching her mothers stomach.
"I will," Luke said with a smile.
They waved as Rory handed over her boarding pass, "Don't forget to call," Lorelai yelled as Rory disappeared through the door.
Lorelai rested back in Luke's arms before they moved to the window to watch the plane depart.
"She's gone," Lorelai said.
"She'll be back before you know it, unless Obama gets elected," Luke said.
"That's it I'm voting Republican," Lorelai joked.
Just as the plane began to back away from them they felt a familiar presents, "Christopher?" Lorelai said surprised.
"I missed her," he said.
"That's her plane," Lorelai pointed out the window.
"Why didn't you say you were coming?" Luke asked.
"Didn't know if I could get here in time," Chris said knowing he hadn't.
"We'll at least you tried," Lorelai said as they all watched to plane taxi to the runway.
------
"I'll get you a coffee," Luke said as they entered the diner.
"That would be nice," Lorelai said still depressed from Rory leaving.
Lorelai sat at the counter as Luke placed the cup before her Lorelai took a sip, "Decaf?" she protested.
"We agreed for the next fifteen to eighteen months, maybe longer depending on how long you breast feed that you will cut back," Luke said standing his ground.
"I don't remember that talk," Lorelai said dryly.
The bells above the door rang, "Doll you're back, how was she?" Babette asked.
"She's fine," Lorelai said throwing on a fake smile.
"And how are you Hon," Miss Patty said.
"I'll be fine," Lorelai said.
"And the baby," Babette added.
"Baby is fine too, not liking the decaf be we'll live," Lorelai joked.
"Good, that's good," Miss Patty added as Lorelai's phone rang.
Luke pointed to his sign, "Seriously Luke no real coffee and now you want to throw out the woman carrying your unborn child, into the summer heat," Lorelai said opening her bag and looking at the caller ID, "It's Rory!" she said confused but excited.
"What's wrong?" Lorelai asked answering the call ignoring Luke's order to go outside.
"Well hello to you too," Rory said joking.
"Sorry but you can't have landed already, unless the plane crashed," Lorelai said, "Did you have a plane crash for mommy?" she joked.
"The planes fine, we're at 30,000 feet and about half way there," Rory said, "I'm using the phone in my seat that costs a fortune and not my cell," Rory informed her mother.
"You miss me don't you," Lorelai said with a grin, much happier now.
END
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Authors Note: I needed to end the story on a happy note, so I chose to go this way. I hope you enjoyed the fic and there weren't to many spelling or grammar errors.