A/N: Hola! I'm back! I know that people were not exactly thrilled with 'Asshole Luke,' but be assured it is all apart of my twisted AU mind. I've got a plan…it'll work out. You'll just have to deal with him for awhile more. I hope you guys can do that. I'd sure appreciate it. Anyways, here is the next chapter, the longest in the story so far. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. I just take ownership for my twisted ideas.

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April 8, 1989

Holy hell, talk about tension Maddie. This house is so thick with tension it could be cut with a butter knife. This feels worse than any of the tension that was so apparent in my childhood home and I didn't think that was even possible. I had a feeling that Luke Danes wasn't all he was cracked up to be, but this is just ridiculous.

He is a complete ass.

Well, okay, a partially complete ass.

I can tell he loves his family. He loves his family very much, but he's also got this wall built up around him, this gruff exterior that he doesn't want anyone to intrude on. It's almost scary the amount of effort he places in pushing people away. It's like a hobby for him. He won't allow himself to open up or appear friendly to anyone really. Though, I haven't really seen him interact with anyone except William, Liz, and Jess. I haven't let myself be around while he's at the store or in town, I'm afraid to see what that could be like.

I wonder what caused him to be like this. It had to have been hard on him to watch his mother suffer so from a disease no one could cure. To attend her funeral at such a young age and then to watch his family fall apart around him probably only added to the hurt he'd already been through. I wonder if that was only the tip of the iceberg though. I keep meaning to ask Liz about it more, but I haven't got the chance. I'll have to try today or tomorrow.

I pity him. I can assure you Maddie that pity is probably the last thing he wants…or needs…but I can't help it. The feeling is there, pure and concrete pity.

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Luke paced the small lobby of the Hartford airport waiting for the screen to finally announce the arrival of a certain plane. He knew he should have warned them, his dad and Liz, but every time he started to he had chickened out. He wasn't sure why, but now it was too late.

That was the reason he came back early after all, to tell them. His father mainly.

He almost wished he wouldn't have now. A pair of stunning blue eyes were now etched in his memory and his blood began to boil, again.

What could his father have been thinking inviting that…that girl into his home. A single, teenage mother? It was bad enough being tainted by Liz and her poor decisions, but now to have his family linked with another scandal was not what he needed. He still loved his sister and tried to be the best uncle he could to Jess who needed a good male figure in his life, but there was something about having that legacy follow him that seemed almost daunting. He didn't want to know what his mother would think.

He couldn't get her or her daughter out of his mind now though and that was making it even more worse than he would admit.

"Luke?" a familiar voice called through the crowd, "there you are! It's so great to finally be here."

"I'm glad you're here," he replied pulling the body close and pressing his lips to hers. "God I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, babe," she told him a smile breaking over her red covered lips. "I finally get to see where my fiancé grew up."

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On a different note Maddie, the zoo yesterday with Liz and the kids was great. They had such a blast. We invited William and Luke but both declined. We wouldn't let that ruin our day though.

Rory adored the penguins, they were her favorite by far. We probably would have spent all day in front of their cage if I had let her. She was just enamored with them. I do have to say they were pretty cute.

Jess on the other hand chose to prefer something more…manly, I guess. He could not get over the rhinos. He just stopped and stared and gawked. He made quite a scene when we wanted to move on, but of course eventually fell into step behind Liz.

He declared only moments later his dream job for when he 'grows up.'

"Mommy," he asked, "can I be a zoo keeper when I grow up? That is what I want to be."

"You can be whatever you want," Liz automatically answered and pulled him into a quick hug before leaning ducking into the bathroom for a minute.

"Awesome," he answered with a quick pump of his fist into the air. "I'm going to have at least one of every animal in the whole world at my zoo and it will be open all the time for anyone to visit…"

"That's a dumb job," Rory said flippantly looking at Jess like he had two heads.

"Rory," I scolded, but was pointedly ignored by both children.

"Is not," Jess rebutted, "it's the best job in the universe."

"It is a dumb job. Who would want to work with smelly animals all the time?"

"I would."

"Well then you're dumb."

"I'm not dumb."

"Yes you are."

"Am not, you are. Besides, what do you want to do that you think would be better?"

"I'm going to be a journalist," Rory said simply and my ears perked up. I knew she loved watching the news and reading the magazines that sat in the lobby of the Inn but this was the first I'd ever heard of a possible career. Then I had to stop myself, she's four, who knows if this is actually going to be a life-long obsession.

"A journalist?"

"You know," Rory explained, "the people that write for magazines and newspapers and who talk on the TV about the news and such."

"Why do you want to do that?"

"Cause I'd be able to travel all over the world and meet all sorts of cool people," Rory said with a tone that screamed 'duh.' "Then I could be famous."

"I won't read you."

"Yes you will."

"No I won't."

"Will too."

"I won't read some silly, dumb girl."

"I'm not dumb."

"Enough," I finally broke in, "neither of you are dumb. You are the two smartest kids I know and you can be whatever you want. If you want to be a zoo keeper Jess than you do that and Rory if you want to travel and be a journalist you can do that. But you have to stay friends and be nice to each other. No more fighting."

They both nodded their heads before glancing at each other warily. Thankfully we didn't hear another taunting or argument from them the rest of the day. They went right back into their happy, friendly selves. That is something I can deal with much more easily than the bickering.

Seeing them, arms linked and happy smiles on their face was a lift in spirit. The fights that four and five year olds have can be comforted with the realization that they can be fixed with a simple 'I'm sorry,' and a hug between friends.

I wish everything was that easy to fix and mend.

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"I can't believe you didn't tell him," She exclaimed angrily her arms crossed over her chest, "you promised Luke. You promised you would."

"I know," Luke responded clutching the wheel of his old truck till his knuckles turned white. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"You just what? What Luke?"

"I couldn't Kara, okay? I couldn't and I'm sorry. I wanted to…"

"Did you?"

"Yes, god yes!"

"It doesn't seem like it. It doesn't seem like you want to marry me at all Luke."

"That's not true Kara," Luke exclaimed, "I love you and I proposed to you because I want to marry you."

"Are you sure?"

"Why are you questioning this now?"

"Luke I told you I wanted commitment and then you propose a month later making me believe you wanted it too. But then you can't tell your family that we're engaged? How could I not question it?"

"Kara honey…"

"Don't 'Kara honey' me. I want to know why. I deserve to know why Luke."

Luke took a deep breath before pulling off to the side of the highway in-between Hartford and his hometown of Stars Hollow.

"Luke?" Kara's voice with laced with confusion and hurt and Luke banged his head against the steering wheel knowing it was about to get uglier.

"You have to promise you won't freak out on me Kara."

"Luke…"

"Promise me."

"Fine, I promise," she whispered, her green eyes filled with questions he knew he had to answer.

"My father," he started, "he doesn't know I'm in a relationship, at all."

"What?"

"I've never told him about you…about us."

"Why the hell not?" Kara asked her voice much calmer than Luke had anticipated.

"I don't know."

"Damn it Luke," she hissed, "we've been together for nearly three years and engaged for almost three months and you…I can't believe this."

"I'm sorry Kara…"

"Sorry? You're sorry? Luke, I don't know what to say, or, what to think. I've got half a mind to hail a cab and just go home…"

"Don't," Luke pleaded, "please Kara. I love you. I want to marry you and build a life with you. I'm just…I'm sorry. Please give us, me another chance."

"God Luke," Kara exclaimed, "I…I want to. I love you too, but you have to be honest with me. With your family. I'm not about to start a life with you if I'm worried you aren't going to tell me the truth in everything. This, us, is a partnership. We're in this together, but I have to be able to trust you."

"I know."

"Do you?"

"Yes," Luke assured her, tucking a piece of her auburn hair behind her ear, "I do."

"Complete honesty, no more secrets, no more hiding, and we tell your family the whole truth."

"Done deal," Luke promised. "Are you ready to go?"

Kara nodded and Luke pulled back onto the highway and let the silence comfort them.

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William made me promise to stay over again tonight. I was a little hesitant, but what William wants he gets. He wants me and Rory to be here in the morning for Easter breakfast and baskets, and how could I say no to him? I can't, which, is hwy I'm here, against my better judgment and despite an almost guaranteed run in with Luke. William is like a dad to me and I just can't say no to him.

I am glad I worked today though; it got me out of there early so I didn't have to deal with Mr. Pompous Ass himself before my coffee.

And also thankfully he wasn't home yet when I got off and got here. Liz mentioned something about him going to Hartford for that surprise he promised William.

I'm dying to know what it is Maddie, just dying.

I'm nosey like that, what can I say? It's a natural reaction.

Whatever it is I hope it helps elevate some of the tension that has crept into the house.

I just want a relaxing holiday.

Oh, Luke's home it seems. I just heard his truck, time to be nosey. I'll be back Maddie with the scoop…

Lorelai climbed out of her bed in the guest room and made it to the top of the stairs just in time to see Luke walk in with a very attractive red-head on his heels.

William met them in the hallway with Liz right behind him and he wore a shocked look. Lorelai wasn't sure whether she should join them or stay where she was. She didn't move.

"Son," William greeted warmly, "who is this beautiful girl you've brought home?"

Lorelai couldn't tell if the warmness in his voice was genuine or forced, but it didn't matter. The next words out of Luke's mouth were enough to fog the house again in an unmistakable tension.

"Dad, Liz," Luke started and paused for a minute to clear his throat, "this is Kara Duran…my fiancée."

Lorelai didn't wait to see or hear William's reaction or the formal introductions, she crept silently back to her room. Shaking her head she thought back to what she had just encountered. She could tell by the look on William's face it was a complete surprise. Returning to her diary, her hands were shaking and she wasn't sure why. She picked up her pink glitter pen anyways and the only words that were in her head made it to the paper.

Holy hell.

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A/N: Holy hell? Is that a fair assumption? I think so…what do you think? The reviews are what I crave! Please leave them! Please, pretty, pretty, please! I can't wait…though, I'm a bit nervous on the reaction. I guess I'll just have to see…