Lorelai was in heaven.
As she lay on the bench seat of the boat, stretched out in the fading sunshine and the wind blowing gently against her, she was sure that this was the definition of perfection.
That afternoon she and Luke had departed for their long awaited honeymoon on the boat. For a week, they'd be sailing up the New England coast, stopping at a few coastal towns and docking at Luke's childhood cabin in Maine. They were planning to stay at the cabin for a few days before they sailed back to Connecticut and their real life.
When she felt the engine shut off the quiet of the ocean surrounded her, and she turned to look at Luke as he leaned over the side of the boat, lowering the anchor for the night. She smiled in appreciation as she watched his forearms strain with the weight, and felt a warm sense of happiness wash over her. No matter how routine their life together had become, Lorelai was still grateful every day that the last year of her life had happened.
"We're near Newport already?" she asked lazily as he sat down beside her.
"Not quite," he sighed. "There's a storm brewing out there, I figured we'd have less waves out here. We're near Mystic."
Lorelai nodded and shifted so her head was on his lap. "This is the best honeymoon I've ever been on," she announced.
"And only an hour and a half in," Luke said. "I can stop trying now."
She giggled. "As long as I get food, sex, and sunshine I'll be a happy girl."
He ran his hand down her thigh. "One's fading fast, but I'd be happy to supply either of the other," he offered.
"Can we just have sandwiches for dinner?" Lorelai requested.
"Too hungry to wait for the grill?" Luke asked, referring to the small camping grill he'd brought on board.
"Nah, just want more time to enjoy you," Lorelai replied.
"Works for me," he said. "I'll check to see if I got any fish. I can keep them in the cooler until tomorrow."
Scrunching her nose, Lorelai pushed herself into a standing position and gestured towards the interior. "I'll get the sandwiches ready and avoid all things relating to fish guts," she stated.
"I figured."
With a shake of his head, Luke watched in appreciation as she ambled towards the cabin, looking completely irresistible in her cutoff shorts and black bikini top. He was glad she'd agreed to such a long boat trip for their honeymoon. Her one condition had been to dock frequently for running water and shopping, and he'd been happy to oblige. One of the many things he'd learned over the past year was that compromise was essential when two people as stubborn as them embarked in a relationship.
After checking his fishing pole and realizing that he'd come up with nothing, Luke quickly packed the equipment away until the following day. Maybe he'd catch something for dinner on their sail to Rhode Island in the morning.
When he walked down the three steps into the cabin, he was surprised to find it empty. The enclosed space made the rocking of the boat more pronounced, and he frowned when he heard Lorelai's coughs coming from the bathroom.
"Lorelai?" he called, tapping gently on the closed door. "You okay?"
"It's open," she said with a groan, and as he slid the door open he felt concern and pity was over him. His wife knelt over the toilet, holding her hair to one side as she coughed up the contents of her stomach.
"Hey, you okay?" he asked, leaning into the tiny bathroom to hold her hair for her.
She wiped her mouth with her hand and shook her head. "I don't know what happened," she said. "As soon as I got inside I got really dizzy, and then I got sick."
"Maybe you're a little seasick," Luke suggested, rubbing her back slowly.
"I've never gotten seasick before."
"Yeah, but it's pretty choppy out there," he said. "Enclosed spaces make it worse." In the close quarters of the stuffy cabin, he could feel his own stomach starting to churn. "Think you can make it to the deck?"
Lorelai flushed the toilet and leaned into him, closing her eyes for a moment. "I think it's okay for now," she stated.
"Let me help you," Luke said, allowing her to lean against him as he led her towards the door. Lorelai squeezed her eyes closed as she walked, trusting Luke completely to guide her. When they were in the fresh air, Luke could feel that the water had indeed become more rough, and the sunset had been replaced by a set of heavy clouds.
"Feel any better?" he asked as she sat down gingerly and immediately curled into herself.
Lorelai raised a hand to her head and inhaled deeply. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "It's cold."
"I'll get you a blanket," Luke said, and leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. He frowned and kissed her again, then ran a hand over the spot. "You're warm."
"Luke," she pleaded, wrapping her arms around her exposed stomach.
"I'm going," he said, quickly retreating back into the cabin. He pulled a blanket out from under the bed, and after a particularly large swell had to balance himself against the doorframe. He mentally kicked himself for not keeping a closer eye on the weather report. This was certainly not the type of boat rocking Lorelai had alluded to over breakfast that morning.
Halfway to the deck, Luke dropped the blanket and turned on his heel, heading towards the bathroom and emptying the contents of his stomach into the toilet as Lorelai had done minutes earlier.
"Great job, Danes," he muttered as he flushed the toilet and then moved towards the sink. "Making you both sick…what a honeymoon."
When he reached the deck, Lorelai was curled in a ball on the bench, and he gently covered her with a blanket, brushing his hand over her forehead, now damp with sweat. "Maybe we should go home," he suggested softly.
Lorelai's teeth were chattering as she wrapped the blanket tightly around her. "I don't want to ruin our trip," she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek.
"Hey, that's okay," he said, kneeling in front of her. "We can do this anytime."
She shook her head. "No, I'll be okay," she promised. "I just…oh god." She froze and clamped a hand over her mouth as the boat rocked hard to the left. Luke's stomach lurched at the feeling.
"It's pretty rough," he said. "I'm not sensitive to this stuff, and I got sick too. We can do this later in the summer."
Her eyes squeezed shut and more tears streaked down her cheeks. "I don't feel well," she whimpered in an almost childlike manner. Luke wasn't sure he'd ever seen her like this.
"I know," he said, rubbing her shoulder. "I'll turn the boat around."
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Don't sweat it," Luke said. "I'm not exactly feeling a hundred percent right now either."
Lorelai nodded and gripped onto his arm, but quickly sat up and bolted past him with one hand clasped over her mouth. He followed her into the cabin just in time to catch her hair back. "It's okay," he murmured, fighting down his own nausea. It was amazing to him how just being in the enclosed space could make him feel that much worse.
"I want to go home," she whispered, not turning to look at him.
"I'll take us home," he promised. "But Lorelai, I think you'll feel better outside."
She shook her head as she sank onto the floor. "Easy access," she said, pulling her knees to her chest.
"But the fresh air…"
"Luke!" she snapped, her eyes pleading with him. "Please, I know I'm ruining our honeymoon, but…" She paused and leaned over the toilet again, clutching her hair as she waited. After a moment, she sat back on her heels and muttered, "False alarm."
"I'll get us back as quickly as I can," he said. "But I think you'll feel better on deck."
She shook her head and closed her eyes. "I love you for taking care of me, but the best thing you can do right now is get me back on solid ground," she requested. "Please."
Seeing the desperation in her eyes, Luke nodded and squeezed her hand. "Yell if you need me," he requested.
Without opening her eyes, Lorelai nodded. "Thank you," she whispered. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry," he murmured. With a sigh, he pushed his own nausea aside and made quick work of raising the anchor. While this certainly wasn't how he'd planned on spending the evening, he only hoped that Lorelai would feel better once she was home.
XXXXX
"You're going to the doctor," Luke informed her a week later.
"Luke," she sighed from where she was rinsing her mouth out at their bathroom sink.
"I'm serious, Lorelai, this is worrying me sick," he insisted as he leaned against the counter beside her.
"Luke."
"My dad brushed it off as the flu and three months later he was gone, that's not happening to you."
"Luke."
"It's not up for debate, Lorelai, you're going to the damn doctor if I have to kidnap you and drag you in there kicking and screaming."
Knowing that he wasn't going to listen to what she had to say, Lorelai reached under the sink and pulled out a rectangular box, handing it out to him as he continued to rant.
"…be damned if I let this go, I'm not going to let anything happen…" Luke's voice trailed off as he looked down at the box of pregnancy tests she'd shoved into his hands. Suddenly speechless, he met her gaze with a combination of hope and surprise. "Are you?" he asked.
Lorelai shrugged as she took the box back and popped it open. "We're about to find out," she said.
"Are you sure it's not something worse?" Luke frowned.
"No, but I've been sick for a week, and you're right," Lorelai said. "If it's not this, I need to see a doctor."
"If it is this you need to see a doctor," Luke replied.
"Well, either way we need to know," Lorelai said. She looked at him pointedly. "This isn't a free show."
Snapping to attention, Luke nodded. "Right, sorry," he said, turning towards the door. He paused, then turned to reach for her hand. "You okay?" he asked.
Lorelai squeezed his hand. "Let's just say it better be positive to make ruining our honeymoon worth it," she said.
"I hope so," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Let me know when you're done."
A few moments later, Lorelai appeared in the doorway. She carefully laid down a piece of toilet paper on his night table and then placed the two plastic sticks on top of it. Silently, she sat down beside him and took his hand, running her thumb over his wedding ring.
"I'm nervous," she whispered.
"Me too."
"I want it to be positive."
"Me too."
She was quiet and she whispered, "I hate being so sick."
Luke let go of her hand and wrapped an arm around her. "I hate seeing you so sick."
A tear trickled down her cheek. "I'm scared it's something bad," she admitted.
Luke's grip on her tightened and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You're calling the doctor in ten minutes either way," he murmured.
She nodded against his shoulder and allowed herself to stay nestled in his embrace for as long as she could stand. After a long moment, she squeezed his thigh and straightened, meeting his gaze evenly. "I love you," she whispered.
He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "I love you too, beautiful girl."
A slight smile crossed her face at his nickname for her, and she turned to reach for the tests. She swallowed hard as she looked down at them, squeezing her eyes shut as she tightened her fist around them. A few tears slipped through, and she threw the tests to the floor before burying her face in her hands. "God, what the hell is wrong with me?" she asked, her tone muffled.
Luke ignored his own disappointment for the moment to pull her towards him. "We'll figure it out," he promised.
She shook her head, refusing to give in to his comfort. "Don't," she said. "Why can't I give you this one thing?"
"Let's not focus on that," he murmured. "If there's something else wrong with you, we need to know about it now."
Lorelai raised her head to meet his worried gaze, and she could see the fear in his eyes. She knew his experience of watching his father put off treatments, and wasn't going to put him through that again. "Hand me the phone," she said, trying to be brave for him. "I'll call the doctor."
Luke pressed a kiss to her forehead before he handed her the phone and watched her dial. The disappointment at the negative pregnancy test was quickly becoming overshadowed by his fears about what was actually making her so sick. It had been just over a year since they'd taken their final plunge into coupledom, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure this wasn't all they time they were going to have.
XXXXX
The following afternoon, Luke was at his wit's end. Lorelai had pleaded with him to let her go to the doctor on her own, and he'd reluctantly agreed. He'd spent the morning at the diner, but Cesar had boycotted his presence after he'd burned six burgers and literally thrown Kirk out the door. He had instead gone home and was now banging around the garage, telling himself that he was organizing his tools.
When he heard Lorelai's Jeep pull into the driveway, Luke bolted from the garage and had the driver's side door open before she'd even put the car into park. "What did they say?" he demanded.
Somewhat stunned by his sudden appearance, Lorelai's hand froze over the key, where she'd been reaching to turn the car off. "I'm okay," she promised.
"You're not okay," he said. "Why else would you have been so sick?"
Lorelai offered him a reassuring smile as she cut the engine. "Some sort of stomach virus," she said. "They gave me some anti nausea medicine and said I just have to let it run its course. If I'm still not feeling better in a week they want me to go back."
"That's it?" Luke frowned. "Maybe we should get a second opinion."
"Hey," Lorelai said, turning so she was sitting sideways in her seat. "I'm already feeling better. It was probably just a fluke thing. Maybe I picked it up when we babysat Doula a couple weeks ago, who knows? But the medicine's working, I promise."
He examined her closely. "What else did they say?" he asked.
"Nothing, really," she shrugged. "I don't have a fever, they're going to run an allergy test in case I'm building up some sort of food intolerance, but they're fairly certain it'll clear up in a few days."
"Okay," he sighed, letting out a sigh of relief.
Lorelai offered him a sympathetic smile. "If you let me out of the car I'll hug you," she offered.
"Sorry," he mumbled, suddenly realizing that he'd been effectively blocking her from getting out of the car. After he'd stepped back, she hopped down and slammed the door shut before she nestled herself into his arms. "I can't lose you."
"I know," she sighed into his neck.
His hands smoothed over her back. "You're really feeling okay?" he murmured into her hair.
"I feel a hundred times better," she assured him, and when she pulled back her eyes were sparkling. "Good enough to spend tonight thanking you for taking care of me."
His eyes darkened slightly, but remained concerned. "I don't know…" he started.
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him deeply. "I promise I'd tell you if it was something," she whispered. "Really, Luke, I'm okay."
"Okay," he sighed, squeezing her shoulder tightly. "Okay."
Looking at him closely, Lorelai could tell that he needed reassurance. "Here," she said, handing him a folded piece of paper. "This is the official, doctor explanation of the virus. They lost me after about ten seconds, but I'm sure that daughter of yours could give you a detailed explanation of how this is very much not a big deal."
Luke took the paper and looked it over. With a frown at the long words with more letters and syllables than he thought possible, he nodded slowly. "If you're still sick in two days you're getting a second opinion," he stated.
"Okay," Lorelai said with a small smile.
"And you're not having any more coffee, not even decaf."
"Uh, I didn't agree to that."
"Lorelai," he said, his voice soft and pleading.
"Fine," she sighed. "But just until I'm done with the medicine. It'll be like an incentive."
Luke rolled his eyes, but he pulled her into another hug. "You have no idea how much I love you," he murmured.
She smiled as she stepped closer, wrapping her own arms around his waist. "I think I do," she replied. "I'm okay, Luke, I promise."
"Good," he whispered, pulling back to look at her. "Anything you want to do today…it's yours."
"You give me so much power," Lorelai said, her eyes wide with prospects. "Could I take a rain check? The medicine they gave me is making me a little sleepy. I kind of just want to lie down for a bit. Then we can paint the town."
"Sure," Luke said. "I'll come up to check on you in a bit."
"With a burger and fries?" she asked hopefully.
"Chicken soup, limited carrots," he countered.
"With Goldfish?"
"Crackers."
"Fine," Lorelai sighed. She started towards the porch, then turned to look at him. "Thanks for letting me do this on my own," she said.
He nodded. "I'm just glad you're okay," he replied.
She smiled and walked back to him, kissing him deeply. "Just let me rest for a bit, then you can take advantage of my slightly loopy mind," she confirmed.
Luke squeezed her hand. "Just focus on feeling all the way better," he requested.
"You got it," she promised with a soft smile.
XXXXX
"Happy Father's Day!"
Luke smiled sheepishly as Lorelai breezed into the kitchen a week and a half later. "You've already wished me a happy father's day," he said, then lowered his voice. "Twice."
She giggled and kissed his cheek. "Why are we whispering?" she asked, her tone matching his.
"I don't know," he laughed, his voice returning to its normal volume as he scraped the eggs he was cooking onto a plate and gestured to the table. "Breakfast?"
Lorelai sighed happily as she accepted the plate he offered and sat down at the table. "You know, you should think about doing this for a living," she said as he sat down beside her.
"I'll make a pro/con list after breakfast," he assured her.
Lorelai smiled as she swallowed a bite of bacon, then shoved her plate aside and crossed her arms, resting her elbows on the table as she watched him eat, a fond smile on her face. He ate his own breakfast slowly, his focus on the sports section before he felt her gaze on him. He looked up with a concerned frown and pointed toward her breakfast. "What's wrong? Don't like it?" he asked.
"No, it's delicious," Lorelai assured him. "I'm just…happy you're here. With me."
He smiled and reached for her hand. "Me too," he nodded. "That's it?"
"Yeah," Lorelai said, but she kept her gaze fixated on him as he continued to eat his breakfast. After a moment, she stood and walked to the counter, slipping an envelope out of her purse before she turned back to the table. Luke had refocused on the sports page and was shaking his head slightly. She knew the Red Sox must have lost the night before.
Briefly contemplating whether now was the best time to complete her plan, Lorelai returned to her chair and leaned towards him, resting her elbows on her knees. "Hey."
Luke turned to look at her again, his expression concerned, with a hint of impatience beginning to show. "What's up with you this morning?" he asked.
"I want to give you your fathers' day present now," she said, a smile spreading across her face.
He set his fork down and adjusted his hat on his head. "Lorelai, you didn't have to…"
"I know you hate gifts," Lorelai said. "And I was going to do this tonight, after I'd seduced you and we were in our little safe haven upstairs, but I can't wait."
"I don't need anything," he protested, but the happy smile on her face did spark some curiosity about what exactly she had up her sleeve.
"I know," she said. "But like it or not, it's here."
Without another word, she handed him the envelope she was clutching to him, biting her lower lip as she watched him take it dubiously. She watched his expression carefully, his gaze of uncertainty transforming to one of confusion, followed closely by realization and then hope. He looked up at her with an expression of childlike innocence, and she suddenly got a flash of what little boy Luke must have looked like.
"Lorelai," he whispered, looking at her carefully. "Is this real?"
She smiled as she stood, putting her hands on his shoulders and resting her chin on top of his right shoulder, reaching out to explain the contents of the envelope. "It's real," she said. "See, a name and date and everything, proof this is the real deal." Her voice was soft and calm.
"It's…a baby," he said in amazement.
"It's a baby," Lorelai confirmed. "See, this is my uterus. And that tiny white spot is your baby. That even smaller gray spot is her heart."
Luke remained frozen as he stared at the photo in his hand, completely thrown for a loop as he tried to process her words. Had it not been there, right in front of him in black and white, he might have thought someone was playing a joke on him. But in the upper right corner Gilmore- Danes, Lorelai V. was printed with the previous day's date right underneath it, leaving absolutely no question that his baby was, at this moment, growing inside of Lorelai. "A baby," he whispered, tracing his finger over the image.
Lorelai cleared her throat as she moved back to her chair, her hand moving down his shoulder to his hand, and it finally came to rest on his knee. Remembering Jackson's reaction to Sookie's first pregnancy, Lorelai was torn between wanting to give him time to process this information and pushing him to share his thoughts.
Finally, Luke looked up at her with a wide, uncharacteristic smile on his face. "A baby!" he exclaimed.
Lorelai returned his smile full on, squeezing his knee tightly. "You're happy?" she asked.
He responded by leaning forward, still clutching the picture in one hand as he cupped her face in the other. "Oh, Lorelai," he murmured before he kissed her deeply. "So happy."
"Good," she whispered, cradling his face as she kissed him again. "I know you don't like presents, but this one's here anyways."
"Best gift you could have given me," he promised, his thumb moving over her cheek.
"Damn, I'm never going to be able to top this, am I?" she asked, snapping her finger in mock irritation.
"Get over here," Luke tugged on her hand, causing her to giggle as he pulled her into his lap. She rested a hand on his chest as she leaned down to kiss him again. She smiled as she felt him break away from the kiss, his hand moving under her shirt to rest a hand on her stomach. He looked down at it, still flat as ever, then shook his head. "There's really a baby in there?" he asked.
"Not just any baby," she said. "Your baby."
"Our baby," Luke said, resting a chin on her shoulder. "God, Lorelai."
She kissed him one last time before she took his hand and led him into the living room. She pushed him to sit down on the couch, then sat down beside him, her legs tucked under her and elbows resting on her knees as she examined him. "You look like you need to talk," she commented.
"I…" Luke shook his head, trying to find words. "I think I'm in shock."
"Imagine my surprise, in for a check up after that stupid virus, when they come back and say they're referring me to an obgyn," Loreali commented. "I don't think I moved for an hour."
Luke cleared his throat as practical thought fought for presence in his mind and he turned to look at her. "How?" he asked.
Lorelai blinked in surprise, her quick wit surfacing immediately. "Well, there's this thing we've been doing, that you seem to enjoy, by the way, in which a certain part of your body…"
"No, I mean…the test you took was negative," Luke pointed out.
"Well, apparently we're part of that .1% that are the exception to the rule," Lorelai explained. "It was a false negative." She bit her lower lip as she examined him closely. "I'm sorry, Luke, I wasn't trying to hide it from you. I only found out yesterday, and I wanted to tell you, but with today being fathers' day, I thought it would be special."
"Don't be sorry, I'm not mad," he said quickly. He glanced down at the picture of their baby that was still clutched in his hand.
"That was just a preliminary ultrasound," she said. "I asked them to do it so I could tell you this way. I'm going in for a full check up and everything next week."
He nodded. "Just tell me when, I'll go with you," he promised.
"You don't have to," she said. "I know you hate doctors and…"
"I'm going with you," he said firmly. "This is our baby, Lorelai. I'm not missing a second of this."
"Thank you," she whispered. She shifted, moving closer to him and resting her head on his shoulder. She knew how much he regretted not getting to experience this with April, and she was glad he was so willing to be there for her. She'd done this alone with Rory, but she was thankful to have Luke with her this time around.
Suddenly, Luke stiffened against her. "This morning, when we were…when I was…did I hurt the baby?" he asked.
Lorelai shook her head and smiled slightly. "No, hon." It was so Luke to be worried about something like that. "We don't have to worry about pesky things like birth control or my monthly visitor anymore. We can do that as much as we want, and trust me, we will."
"You're sure it won't hurt her?" he asked hesitantly.
"She's fine," Lorelai promised.
"Okay," Luke said, letting out a sigh of relief. His hand fell to her knee, rubbing gently as he asked. "Did they say anything else?"
Lorelai shrugged slightly. "As much as I hate to admit it, my woman parts are a little past their glory days," she admitted. "They're going to keep an eye on things."
"Meaning what?" Luke asked, narrowing his eyes. "You got pregnant."
"Pretty proud of yourself there, huh, Cool Hand?" Lorelai asked, giggling at his self satisfied smirk. "Since I'm over that magical age of thirty five, everything is apparently scary and risky in regards to pregnancy."
"You're barely forty."
Lorelai shrugged. "Well, I was on the opposite end of the pregnancy bell curve last time," she reminded him. "I think they just want to make sure that these dried up, bottom of the basket eggs are going to produce babies that are just as pretty as the fresh ones of my teenage years."
"English?" Luke requested.
"They just want to make sure everything's okay," Lorelai explained. "So I have an appointment on Tuesday at 11."
"Okay," Luke said. "Are you…you know, feeling okay?"
"Yeah," she said. "The anti nausea medicine has been helping. I don't foresee any overnight trips out on the boat anytime soon, but I haven't had an overwhelming desire to eat apples. I'm also confident that I could fit into my cotillion dress if I tried."
"You had a cotillion?" Luke asked doubtfully.
"Nope, Rory saved me from that mess," Lorelai replied. "Society frowns on pregnant teenagers being presented to them as ladies."
"Did you tell her yet?" Luke asked.
"Of course not," Lorelai replied. "I had to tell you first."
"We need to tell her and April," Luke replied.
Lorelai smiled softly. "Let's hold off until after the doctor, okay?" she requested. "They're going to have questions, and we'll have answers after our appointment. Plus, I kind of like the fact that we're the only ones who know. Just for a couple days, please, Luke?"
He smiled and rubbed her knee gently. "Sure," he said. "Whatever you want."
"Thanks," Lorelai said. "Plus, Rory's probably going to avoid me until I've given birth. She's still not exactly fond of pregnancy."
"Good," Luke said firmly. "I hope it stays that way."
Lorelai smiled at his protective streak, then reached for the picture in his hand. "She's pretty perfect, isn't she?"
Luke looked at Lorelai as she examined the small spot that was their baby. "Just like her mother," he murmured. He watched her with a newfound sense of…love? Admiration? Respect? He'd had all those things in abundance for his wife just an hour before, but now something was different with the knowledge that she was growing their baby. He watched as she gently pushed her hair behind her ear in a familiar gesture and turned to look at him with sparkling eyes, happiness written across her features. She was still so her, so completely Lorelai, but the secret they were now sharing was making his feelings for her even stronger.
Trailing his fingers over her stomach, he murmured, "I love you so much."
"I love you too," Lorelai whispered.
Trying to stop himself from becoming over emotional, Luke offered her a smirk. "I wasn't talking to you," he teased.
She gasped and shoved his hand away from her stomach. "You know, I control her," she said, wrapping her hand over her stomach. "You're mean to me, you're mean to her."
"I'm kidding," Luke said, tugging her arm back to him. "I love you both."
"You better," Lorelai muttered. "Because otherwise you're in for a long few months."
Realizing he had a lot to learn in regards to exactly what Lorelai would be going through for the sake of his baby, Luke offered her a smile. "Wouldn't have it any other way."
XXXXX
Two days later, Lorelai sat on an uncomfortable examination table, a sheet covering her bare lower half as she dangled her legs over the edge slowly. Her eyes followed Luke as he paced the doctor's office, his hand on his hips, unsure exactly where to stand.
"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah," he sighed. "I'm just feeling a little bit helpless here."
"I think your job is mostly done," Lorelai informed him. "You got the fun part."
"I just want to know you're both okay," he said. "I want to see the baby, and if there's a problem, I want to know so we can deal with it."
"Me too," Lorelai agreed. "It's okay to be nervous, Luke."
"I'm not nervous," Luke denied. She raised her eyebrows, her look challenging him, and he threw his hands up in the air. "Okay, I'm terrified," he relented.
"Hey," she reached for his arm as he passed her, pulling him to stand in front of her. She smiled at him gratefully. "I'm really glad you're here." She'd gone to all of her appointments during her first pregnancy alone, purposely scheduling them around her mother's DAR obligations and Christopher's sporting schedule so she could figure things out on her own. This time she was incredibly appreciative to have the support of the man beside her.
"I'll be here," he promised. "For this whole, thing, every appointment, I'll be here with you."
"Thank you," she whispered. She bit her lip slightly, then requested, almost shyly, "Just stay by my head?"
He nodded in agreement. "You got it."
They were interrupted by an abrupt knock on the door, and a petite woman with short brown hair walked in and offered them a smile. "Lorelai, good to see you again," she said. "You must be the father," she said to Luke. "I'm Dr. Morgan."
"Luke Danes," he nodded, reaching out to shake her hand before he returned to Lorelai's side.
"Alright, I see your levels are looking good." Dr. Morgan put down Lorelai's chart and then washed her hands before she pulled on a pair of medical gloves. "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good," Lorelai nodded. "Not as nauseous, but I've been tired."
"That's normal," the doctor assured her. "Today I'd like to do a full pelvic exam, then run another ultrasound. I know you had one last week, but I'd like to see everything for myself. I'll also look at the size of the fetus and determine estimated conception and due dates for you."
"Okay," Lorelai nodded. She almost laughed at the combination of uncertainty and uneasiness on Luke's face as she leaned back on the table. As she placed her feet in the stirrups, she tried not to feel self conscious or embarrassed by his presence in the room for this.
"You're going to feel a little pressure," the doctor said sympathetically, and Luke whipped around to face Lorelai's head, his eyes focused intently on a spot near the ceiling. A giggle managed to escape her lips as she watched his ears turn bright red, but then she tensed and let out a soft wince.
"Are you okay?" Luke asked, not moving his head as his eyes darted towards her.
"Yeah, just part of the process," Lorelai said, tensing uncomfortably. "You would think I'd be the more uncomfortable one in this situation."
"We get a lot of nervous dads through here," Dr. Morgan said as she scooted her stool back. "Everything looks okay so far. Are you ready to see your baby?"
Lorelai nodded with a smile, then tugged on Luke's hand. "This is the good part," she said. "Hold my hand?" She knew it was needy and cliché to be in this position, clutching hands when they first saw their baby, but she didn't care. Past Lorelai wouldn't have made that request and would be mocking her mercilessly for doing so now. But they'd waited a long time for this moment, and she was determined to take advantage of Luke's presence in her life, which meant keeping him close during this moment.
Luke smiled and laced his fingers through hers, clearly needing the connection just as much as she did.
"Okay, since it's so early, we're going to do this vaginally," Dr. Morgan stated, preparing the tool. "Get ready to feel a little pressure."
Lorelai's grip on Luke's hand tightened as she tensed, but this time he didn't let go of her hand or break eye contact with her. "Consider this practice," she said to him.
"Okay, here we go," Dr. Morgan said, pointing to a screen beside them. "Here's your uterus, Lorelai, and right here," she pointed to a small flicker. "Is your baby. That flutter you see is the heartbeat."
Lorelai smiled widely as she looked at the screen, shaking Luke's hand back and forth excitedly. "Hi, baby," she whispered.
"Placenta's in a good position," the doctor continued. "And based on your levels and the size of the fetus, I'm going to give you an approximate conception date of April 28, meaning you're about six weeks along."
Lorelai turned to look at Luke with raised eyebrows. "I guess the after party on my birthday was even better than we thought at the time," she said.
A comment that normally would have made Luke blush in the presence of others was passed over as Luke leaned over her to admire the screen. "Six weeks," he focused on the doctor's words. "So we're looking at what…January?"
"Mid to late January," the doctor confirmed. "I'll come up with a more exact date when we're done here."
"Okay," Lorelai said. She turned to Luke, who was gripping her hand as he stared at the screen. "You okay?" she asked.
"I think I need to sit down."
"Oh, um…there's a chair over there," Lorelai said.
"Use the extra stool," Dr. Morgan nodded, nudging it towards him with her foot. "Like I said, we get a lot of nervous dads in here."
Luke didn't let go of his grip on Lorelai's hand or move his gaze from the screen, but he dropped onto the stool with a thud, and his expression was one that Lorelai found difficult to read. Finally, she saw his lips start to tug into a hint of a smile and she turned her own head back to the screen, watching their baby's image closely.
"Oh my god," she whispered when Dr. Morgan zoomed in on the image of the screen to focus solely on the baby. It didn't quite resemble a baby yet, but the heartbeat was flashing steadily across the screen, and after a moment the figure rotated slightly, the first movements they'd ever see their child make.
"Oh, wow," Luke whispered so softly she almost didn't hear him.
"Any questions?" Dr. Morgan asked gently.
"No," Lorelai murmured, and Luke shook his head as well.
"Okay, take one last look," the doctor said. "I'll print you some copies."
"Thank you," Lorelai said, waving her free hand at the screen. "Bye, baby. Keep growing in there."
Luke inhaled sharply beside her and Lorelai could tell that it was taking everything inside of him to control his emotions in front of the doctor.
"Okay, the development looks pretty good," Dr. Morgan said as she sat back and Lorelai pushed herself back into a sitting position. "You should come back in about six to eight weeks for another check up as you enter your second trimester. I'll leave you with some reading material to go over, especially given your age."
Lorelai made a face. "I think that's doctor code for old, and I don't like it," she declared.
"Not old," Dr. Morgan shook her head with a smile. "But women your age do show some patterns in pregnancy, all of which we'll look out for. Chromosomal abnormalities, preeclampsia, and multiples are the most common occurrences."
"Multiples?" Luke's head snapped up. "As in…more than one baby?"
"Now he talks," Lorelai muttered. "Hon, this kid's flying solo. We just got proof of that."
Luke relaxed slightly, but ran a hand over his neck as he looked at the doctor. "The other stuff… I don't know what they are, but they sound bad," he ventured, not sure how to phrase his question.
"There are more risks for women Lorelai's age," the doctor answered honestly. "We'll run some tests later on. But for now, I want to offer you my sincere congratulations. Everything looks to be wonderfully on track, the fetus is a healthy size, and the heartbeat is strong. You have every reason to look forward to a healthy pregnancy. We'll take good care of you, Lorelai."
"Thank you," she said earnestly.
"I'll leave a prescription for some vitamins that you can pick up with your ultrasound pictures when you make your next appointment," Dr. Morgan said with a smile. "I'll see you in the fall. Have a great summer."
The door closed softly behind her, and Lorelai turned to smile at Luke. "You okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said, nodding as he smiled at her.
"It's okay to freak out," Lorelai assured him.
"I'm not freaking out," he defended.
"Okay," she replied. "Hand me my skirt?"
He walked over to the chair where he'd neatly folded her skirt and underwear, then handed them to her. As she began to dress, he turned to face the wall in an attempt to give her a semblance of privacy. "You know you watch me do this every day," she commented.
"At home," he added. "Not here."
Lorelai smiled as she walked to the chair where her heels were resting and sat down to pull them on. "I know doctors make you nervous, Luke," she said softly. "I can't tell you how much it means to me that you were here for this."
"Thank you."
She looked up from smoothing out her skirt. "What?" she asked.
"Thank you," Luke repeated, moving to crouch before her. She gasped when she saw tears uncharacteristically filling his eyes. For a moment, she flashed back to a warm summer night the year before, when she'd first seen him so raw and exposed as they'd hashed out where their relationship had gone wrong.
"For what?" she repeated, reaching out to rest her hands on his shoulders.
"You're giving me a baby, Lorelai," he murmured, his hands resting on her knees. "A baby. Thank you doesn't even begin to fit what I want to say to you right now."
"I want this too," she reminded him, hooking a finger under his chin to lift his gaze to hers.
"I know," he said, shaking his head slightly. "But seeing our baby and knowing that you are the one who's going to bring her into the world, to be the mother of my child is just an incredible thought. I know we have the girls and we talked about this happening, but I don't think I fully understood what it would feel like. This is…thank you."
She smiled softly as she rubbed his shoulder. "You're welcome," she said. "I love you."
"I love you too, Lorelai," he murmured, wrapping her arms tightly around her and burying his head in her lap. "So much."
Lorelai was taken aback by this emotional man before her, unsure of where her husband had gone. She'd only seen him like this once before, and she wrapped her arms around him as she'd done then, rubbing her hands over his back for a moment before she whispered, "Luke, you're scaring me a little."
"I'm sorry," he stated, pulling back and adjusting his hat on his head nervously.
"Don't be sorry," she murmured. "I'm just worried. You're not acting like…you."
Her cleared his throat as he stood and put his hands on his hips. "It's just a lot, you know?" he admitted. "I love our girls, but this is new for me."
Lorelai stood to meet his gaze. "It's been awhile since I've done this too," she reminded him. "We'll figure this out together."
He nodded and offered her a smile. "You feeling okay?" he asked.
"For now," she confirmed. "She better be really cute for how sick she's been making me."
Luke squeezed her hand and led her towards the reception area. He remained close to her as she made accommodations for her next appointment and received a folder filled with information. As they walked out of the clinic, he wrapped his arm around her waist and let his finger graze over her stomach, just above her hip. Lorelai smiled up at him and commented, "You're pretty handsy today, Butch."
"Sorry," he murmured and started to move away.
"I like it," she insisted, pulling his hand back to where it was. "I'm so happy we're finally here."
"Me too," Luke sighed. "I hope she doesn't keep making you sick. You deserve to enjoy this."
"I do deserve all good things in life," Lorelai confirmed in an entitled voice. "Including having your baby. You deserve to be happy too. I know it's scary, but let yourself enjoy this."
Luke sighed and tightened his grip around her. "I don't know what came over me in there," he said softly.
"I do," Lorelai said, stopping on the sidewalk and turning him to look at her. She pulled a picture of their baby out of the folder she was carrying. "It's called parenting. What you're feeling is the unconditional love, worry, anticipation, joy, and complexity that is part of being a parent. You know that."
He ran a hand over his face and looked down at his feet. "It's different than when I found out about April," he admitted. "She was already…April when I met her."
"I know," Lorelai said softly.
"I didn't expect this to be so powerful," he continued.
Lorelai nodded and took his hand, leading him to sit with her on a bench near the gazebo. "I get it," she said. "That protective streak I have for Rory, it came the second I found out about her. Before I even knew she was a she. That's why I didn't get married, that's why I ran away. It was scary and hard, but I wanted what was best for her. Contrary to what my mother would say, I didn't do any of it for me. I did it because I wanted better for her."
Luke played with the sleeve of his flannel for a minute. "It's not that I love this kid more than April," he admitted. "Or Rory. But it's different."
"Of course it is," Lorelai said with a smile. "I love the girls too. But this baby is ours. We won't have to deal with father abandonment issues or custody agreements with this one. We won't have to share her. I won't love her more than either of the girls, but we've waited a long time for her. We've planned for her. I love her…differently. Not more or less, just differently."
"Differently," Luke agreed with a slow nod. "I guess that's what it is. I'm not used to feeling like this."
"Happy? Nervous? Worried? Hopeful?" Lorelai guessed.
"All of the above," Luke nodded. "Three times over."
"That," Lorelai said, tapping her finger against the picture. "Will never go away. All of it hit me one March day in 1984 and never left. You're right, it's triple now what it was then."
Luke's fingers hovered over the hem of her summer tank top, letting a finger brush against the skin of her stomach. "It's just so unbelievable," he murmured.
"For now," Lorelai agreed, trying to lighten the mood. "Wait until I'm fat and have crazy food cravings. That will make it believable."
Luke rolled his eyes. "You once made me watch you eat marshmallows dipped in peanut butter," he reminded her.
She giggled and nudged him. "Maybe my cravings will be for salad and tofu," she tried to comfort him.
"Doubtful," he muttered.
"Last time it was apples, so don't brush it off so fast," she advised, running a hand over his leg. "Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"It's okay to be emotional sometimes," she said. "This is a huge change for us. I want you to tell me if you're nervous."
"I will," he promised. "I have a lot to learn."
"I've got some brushing up to do myself," Lorelai said. "And we've got to tell the girls."
"You think they'll be happy?" he asked.
Lorelai nodded. "My prediction is that April will immediately begin researching fetal development," she said. "I'm expecting weekly reports about what our baby looks like every Monday morning."
"You're probably right," Luke nodded. "What about Rory?"
"She'll be excited," Lorelai nodded. "But she'll probably avoid getting within a yard's radius of me until this kid is clean and swaddled."
"She better not get any ideas," Luke grumbled.
Lorelai patted his leg. "She really likes Ethan, Luke," she said softly.
"She's too young."
"Uh, when I was her age I had an eight year old," Lorelai reminded him. "And you were getting another woman pregnant. She's plenty old enough."
"Fine, but she's not ready," Luke countered.
"That, I'll agree with," Lorelai said. "But when we meet him, you'll be nice."
"I'm always nice."
Lorelai scoffed, and quickly covered it with a cough. "Do I need to remind you of the Bop It incident?" she asked.
"I was right."
"In your intentions, absolutely," Lorelai confirmed. "Your carry out? Not so much."
He sighed and brushed a hand over her stomach. "Can we keep her in there forever?" he murmured.
"Unless you're planning on swapping bodies, no," Lorelai said. "Nine months is long enough."
"Seven and a half to go," Luke offered.
She beamed up at him. "We should go call the girls," she suggested softly.
"Why now?" he asked.
"Well, Patty's been watching us for about half an hour now," Lorelai reported. "She just went in to get her phone. Considering the fact that your hand hasn't left my stomach, she's probably already figured out our secret."
He sighed and leaned down to rest his forehead against hers. "We're really going to raise another kid in this crazy town?" he asked.
"You turned out okay, so did Rory," Lorelai said.
With a sigh, he stood and pulled her with him. "Let's go," he said.
Lorelai fell into step beside him. "We really should stop calling her a her," she said. "Maybe you're getting a boy."
"I'll be happy with either one."
"Me too," Lorelai said.
"We've been calling her a her since before we even thought about trying," he said.
"Unless you've got some superpower, that doesn't guarantee anything."
He smiled as they climbed their porch steps. As she pushed the door open, he stated, "As long as he or she is healthy, I'll be happy."
"Don't forget smart," Lorelai said, automatically going to the kitchen and turning on the coffee pot.
"Athletic."
"Pretty."
Luke smirked and trailed his fingers over her stomach. "I hope you're listening," he murmured.
"Already giving orders, excellent," Lorelai smiled, but gasped when he reached around her to flip the coffee machine off. "Luke!"
"No more."
"A little?"
"No."
"Please?"
"Let's call Rory."
"This isn't over," she informed him as she followed him onto the back porch and sat down beside him on the swing.
Luke ignored her as he dialed the phone and placed it on speaker phone, resting it on the arm of the swing as Lorelai rested her head on his shoulder.
"Hello?"
"Lorelai Gilmore, it's been three days since we've talked!" Lorelai exclaimed into the phone.
"You're the one who was too busy to talk when I called to wish Luke a happy Fathers' Day."
Lorelai's eyes met Luke's, and he nodded at her as he laced his fingers through hers. "Want to know the real reason I couldn't talk?" she asked.
"You mean you weren't in New York filming an episode of Law and Order?" Rory gasped in surprise.
"Nope, they keep telling me I'm too pretty," Lorelai said. "Truth is, your brother or sister was making Mommy sick."
There was silence on the other end of the phone, and Lorelai suddenly felt guilt and panic rise inside of her. She'd thought Rory would have been okay with a new baby, but maybe she'd miscalculated. "Rory?"
"You're pregnant?" Rory's voice was quiet and childlike, and Lorelai squeezed her eyes closed. There were moments she still couldn't believe her daughter was no longer four years old, gap toothed and skipping through the inn.
"That's the word on the street."
"With a baby?"
"No, a dog."
"Mom!"
"Yes, it's a human baby," Lorelai promised.
"Oh my god!" Rory exclaimed. "A baby! How? When?"
Lorelai's eyes began to sparkle as they met Luke's. "Well, after my birthday part Luke decided he just had to have me…."
"The baby will be here in January," Luke interrupted his wife, saving his stepdaughter from whatever details Lorelai was about to share.
"Oh my god, Luke, you're going to be a dad!" Rory cried. "I mean, again. This is so exciting!"
"You're really okay with it?" Luke asked, and Lorelai's hormonal heart swelled at the concern he showed for her daughter.
"Of course!" Rory exclaimed. "I can't wait to see her! Mom, we have to make sure that she gets a Christmas stocking!"
Lorelai laughed. "I've got time," she said. "God, Rory, I can't wait to see you."
"Me either," Rory said with a sigh. "Things are picking up on the trail, I don't know when I'll be able to see you."
At the disappointed look in Lorelai's eyes, Luke stated, "Maybe we can meet you somewhere before April gets here."
Lorelai's eyes lit up. "Yeah, before I get too fat to ride in a car," she said.
"Hey, Luke, make sure you get pictures of that," Rory requested.
"You know there's more competition for which kid is my favorite now," Lorelai informed her daughter. "And it's not looking so good for you right now."
"I'll sneak you coffee."
"And you're my favorite again!" Lorelai declared.
"I'm so happy," Rory said sincerely. "You guys really deserve this."
"Thanks, Rory," Luke said. He squeezed Lorelai's knee and handed her the phone, offering her a smile as she stepped back into the house.
"I wish you were here," she said honestly.
"Me too," Rory sighed. "I'll be home after the election for a bit."
"Until you get a job."
Rory was quiet, then said, "I'll visit when I can."
"I wish I could have given you this sooner," Lorelai admitted. "A dad, a sibling, a real one. Of each."
"I'm just glad you'll have Luke," Rory said. "I know how hard you've worked, I'm glad you're happy."
"Thanks, babe," Lorelai said. "And all joking aside, you know that this baby could never replace you, right?"
"Oh, yeah," Rory said. "We've been through too much together for a baby to come between us."
Lorelai smiled. "How's Ethan?" she asked.
"He's good," Rory said. "He wants to meet you."
"As he should," Lorelai said. "E-mail me your schedule, we'll see if we can find a place to meet before the end of the summer."
"Only if you e-mail me a picture of my sister."
"Or brother."
"Don't joke," Rory gasped.
"It's no joke, Luke's boys control the gender," Lorelai stated. "He could have tried for a boy."
"I don't think that's how it works."
"Says the girl who knows so much about pregnancy."
"I'm getting better!"
"You better be, because it's going to be a pretty frequent topic of conversation," Lorelai sighed. "I've got to go, your sibling is using my bladder as a trampoline."
"Bye, Mom," Rory said. "I love you."
"I love you too, favorite daughter," Lorelai said. She punched the phone off and headed towards the bathroom, marveling at the changes that were already taking over her body. Not only had the man who had coined the term "morning sickness" been declared a complete moron in her book, but she'd doubled her trips to the restroom.
When she returned to the porch, Luke was still seated on the swing and was flipping through some of the pamphlets they'd received from the doctor that afternoon. She smiled as she watched him for a moment, his brow furrowed in concentration as he focused on a flier that highlighted early pregnancy development.
"Studying for the quiz?" she asked as she took her spot beside him.
Surprised by her presence, he looked towards her and pointed at the paper. "You know she already has kidneys?" he asked.
Lorelai smiled at his enthusiasm. "Yeah?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said, turning back to the paper. "And she's about the size of a raspberry."
Lorelai glanced down at her stomach. "Won't be long before she starts making herself known," she said softly. She watched him read for another moment before she slid the paper out of his hands. "Let's call April."
With a small smile, he nodded and reached out to press a hand to her stomach. "She's moving, you know," he said.
Her eyes danced with joy as the phone rang on April's end of the line. "Hello?" she answered on the third ring.
"Hey, kid, it's us," Luke said.
"Hi, April!"
"Hey!" her voice perked up. "So I sent a box of stuff to your house this morning. When it comes, can you just put it in my room? The books need to be organized in a very specific way, not just placed on any old shelf in a random order."
"Sorry, I should have known better," Lorelai sighed. "Your dad will have to do the heavy lifting though."
April giggled. "He always does," she said.
Lorelai raised her eyebrows at Luke, who cleared his throat and said, "Well, she has a good excuse this time. Pregnant women shouldn't be lifting boxes of books around."
"Pregnant!" April squealed. "Oh my god, finally!"
Lorelai giggled. "Same reaction I had," she stated.
"And I'll be there!" April cried. "When will it be here?"
"January," Lorelai replied.
"Okay, I'll start tracking a growth log," April said. "Are you taking vitamins? I knew this would come soon, so I started researching. You should really be taking vitamins so the baby will be born with the nutrients it needs. It'll also help when you start producing breastmilk…"
"Okay, enough," Luke interrupted. "Are you okay with this, April?"
"I'm so excited!" she said. "I always wanted a sibling."
"And we'll have a built in baby sitter," Lorelai said. "So thanks for that."
"When's your due date?" April asked.
"January 23rd," Luke informed her.
"Uh huh," April said distractedly. "And the approximate conception date?" she asked professionally.
"Sweetie, you're going to have to filter your questions when your dad's around," Lorelai said, taking in Luke's embarrassed expression. "You know he's not tough like us."
"I just want to see if the due date is reasonable."
"The doctors know what they're talking about, kid," Luke promised. "Let us worry about the details, okay? You just spend some time with your mom before you come out here."
"Can I tell her?" April asked.
Lorelai shrugged at Luke, who ran a hand over his hat. "If you want," he said. "She'll find out eventually."
"Okay," April said. "I'm going to go get some child development books from the library. Lorelai, I'll e-mail you a list of dietary restrictions."
"Professionals beat you to it," Lorelai confirmed. "But thanks."
"No problem!" April cried. "Dad?"
Luke nodded and pushed himself off the swing, holding the phone to his ear as he wandered into the backyard. Lorelai watched him for a moment before she reached for the abandoned pile of papers beside her. She pushed aside the papers about fetal development and picked up one about how her own body was about to change. She hadn't realized she was pregnant with Rory until further along in her pregnancy, and that had been a long time ago.
Frowning at the list of symptoms that seemed somewhat disgusting and very uncomfortable, Lorelai sighed. She wasn't sixteen anymore, and she was again washed with relief that Luke would be here for her. She probably could have done this alone again, but she certainly didn't want to.
With a smile, she saw Luke climb up the steps and held up a light blue pamphlet. "I'm surprised you didn't go for this one first," she said with a smirk.
He smiled and shook his head. "I'm still not convinced it's safe," he said softly.
"Well, get convinced, because I'm about to get crazed by sex hormones," Lorelai said. "And last time there was no one to scratch that itch."
"Figures," Luke muttered. He sighed and patted her knee. "I guess I'll be able to help you out."
She giggled and dropped the pile of papers onto the ground. "I know it will be hard for you," she played along.
A smirk came across his lips. "Incredibly hard," he confirmed.
"Dirty!" she gasped, then leaned in to kiss him.
"Is this really happening?" he murmured against her lips.
"It is," she said with a confident nod.
"I can't believe this," Luke whispered. "A year ago we were so broken."
She leaned in to rest her head against his shoulder. "We were on the mend," she said. "I do believe it was just about a year ago today that you built Rory a basketball court and taught her how to play."
"You still hadn't even bonded with April."
"But you'd promised me I would," Lorelai said. "We were okay, Luke. Not like we are now, but we needed last summer. To get back to where we needed to be. To bring this little girl or guy into the world."
"I hate that we didn't get it sooner," he admitted.
Lorelai was quiet, her foot propelling the swing into a gentle rocking motion. "Part of me hates it too," she agreed. "But another part of me is grateful. Imagine if we'd had a baby sooner. After that party, or right after you found out about April. We were such a mess back then, tip toeing around each other for fear of scaring the other one off. Things are so much better now, so much more real."
He kissed the top of her head. "They are," he agreed.
"Let's have fun this summer," Lorelai requested. "We've never had that."
"What?"
"A fun, sexy summer together," Lorelai said. "Last year we were becoming us, we spent a summer separated by the entire distance of New England, one was kind of okay, but Rory was gone, and one we just don't speak of. Before April moves in and the baby comes, we should just have fun."
"We can do that," Luke nodded.
"I'll see if I can stand the boat without getting sick," Lorelai said uncertainly.
"If not, no big deal," Luke shrugged. "There's plenty of other stuff we can do."
"Ski diving!"
"No," Luke placed a hand over her stomach.
"It will be so fun!"
"Then do it after you've had my baby."
She sighed dramatically. "We never did get that honeymoon," she said.
"It's okay."
"We could drive to Maine," she suggested. "I honestly don't know if I could stand the boat for that long, not because I don't like it, but the waves might be too rough for the baby."
"I know, it's okay," Luke said.
"But let's drive!" Lorelai said. "Come on, Luke, a road trip would be so fun! We could still spend some time up there, and you could fish while I lie around in the sun."
Luke nodded as a smile tugged at his lips. "That does sound good," he said.
"Let's do it," she pleaded.
"We will," he promised. After a beat, he said, "April needs a uniform."
"She can try Rory's on."
"We need to decorate the nursery."
"We will."
He was quiet, then said, "We need a better car."
Lorelai squeezed her eyes shut. "Will you buy me a milkshake on the way home?" she asked quietly.
"I'll buy you anything you want," he promised.
"The rights to all of Blondie's music?" Lorelai asked hopefully.
"Anything a sane person would use."
She smiled, then turned her attention to the setting sun. Through the clear summer evening, she could see the lake beginning to sparkle through the trees. "I'm so proud of us," she admitted. "We did it."
Luke stood and walked to the corner of the porch, resting his elbows against the railing as he stared across the yard. His gaze landed on the chuppah he'd built for her, and lingered there. "You're happy, right?" he asked.
"Oh, Luke," she breathed, standing quickly and moving to his side. "So happy."
"Good," his jaw clenched. "That's all I ever wanted."
She smiled and tugged on his arm, turning him to face her. "You're happy too?" she asked, her eyes reading his expression carefully.
Inhaling sharply, Luke leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Happier than ever," he promised.
"Come here," Lorelai said, reaching down to take his hand. She dragged him through the kitchen and into the living room, swiping their ultrasound picture off the fridge as she passed it. She turned to the scrapbook she'd made for his wedding gift and set it down on the coffee table. Wordlessly, she opened it from the back cover, flipping to the newest page.
Luke met her gaze as she lifted her eyes, and he swallowed heavily. "This is it," she said quietly. "The next part of our story. We've done so much together, Luke. We've been friends and lovers, we've fought and made up. We learned to love together, we learned how to really share a life with each other. And now we're going to do this, bring a life into the world. Together. I can't tell you how happy I am that it's you I'm doing this with."
Luke nodded and reached out to run his hand through her hair, wrapping his fingers around a curl. "Me too, beautiful girl," he murmured.
Lorelai leaned into him. "I love you so much," she admitted.
"I love you too," he assured her.
A single happy tear escaped down her cheek. "I still get a thrill," she breathed. "I used to dream of hearing you say that. You say it every day now, and I still get that sense of wonder when you say it."
"I get it," he replied. "Waking up beside you every day is still astounding to me."
"So it was worth it then?" Lorelai asked. "The fights and the tears and the insecurities? Pushing through all of that was worth it to be right here, married with two beautiful, successful daughters and baby we won't have to share with anyone else?"
"So worth it," he nodded. Without another word, he stood and disappeared into the library, reappearing a moment later with a roll of her scrapbooking tape.
Lorelai smiled as she tore of a piece and attached it to the back of the picture of their baby. Silently, she attached the picture to the next page in the scrapbook, still labeled with the post it that read, Victoria Danes, birth date to be determined. Lorelai took a pen off the table and wrote a message underneath the ultrasound, then slid it across the table for Luke to see.
Baby's first picture, June 16, 2008.
"Wow," he breathed. He turned to look at her with a smile. "We're having a baby."
She beamed, flushing slightly at the exciting thought. "We're having a baby," she echoed. "You ready for this, Danes?"
"I am if you are, Gilmore Danes."
She leaned in to seal their deal with the kiss. "Luke?" she whispered against his lips.
"Hmm?" his hand trailed over her hip.
"Thank you," she whispered, pulling back to look into his eyes. "I…thank you."
With the darkened expression that always told Lorelai how much he loved and cherished her, Luke reached out to run his finger over her lips. "I just like to see you happy," he reminded her.
In response, Lorelai threw herself into her husband's arms and kissed him deeply, determined to show him exactly how happy he made her.
So, there we go! Luke and Lorelai have worked through their issues, made a life together, and are getting their baby. The point of this story was to get them back to where they both wanted to be, so I'm going to end it here.
I am toying with the idea of a companion story to document Lorelai's pregnancy and the birth of their baby. If you're interested, chime in with a review!
Thank you to all of you who have read this story. It's been a fantastic way to distract myself from waiting until November, and I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it!