The party had been going for about two hours when Rory whispered something to Kirk and he stopped the music. "Attention everyone, the guest of honour wants to say something."

Everyoned hushed and looked towards Kirk. He nodded to Rory as he handed her the microphone.

"Hi everyone, I just wanted to say thank you again for all of your love and support, not just today. You all have made me feel like I grew up with a huge family. You'll never know what it has meant to me to have been in a situation where Mom and I could have felt very alone over the years, but we never were. You all were there for us and let us be there for you, it is going to be very hard to leave this town and live somewhere else. But I promise I'll be back a lot. Now, I'm going to bring up one more person to say something. He is someone that has made me feel like family more than anyone else. He is my greatest example of the fact that Family, isn't always someone you are related to in any way. It's the person who is always there for you, always loves you, always takes care of you in any way they can. This man has been my Dad for longer than either of us realized. Come on up, Luke."

Lorelai was seated at a table with her parents, Sookie, Babette and Morey. She had tears streaming down her face after hearing Rory describe Luke.

Luke joined Rory, he gave her a big hug and winked at her before turning his attention to the crowd. "Hey, everyone. I'm going to make this quick because as you all know I'm not one for speaking, so speaking to a crowd is really not in my wheelhouse. Well uh, firstly, I want to thank this town too. You've all been there for me a lot longer than you have for her, so I'm not surprised. But helping me throw this party together was, uh, I don't even know how to describe it." He then turned to Rory, "Kid, I'm so proud of you and I'm really going to miss you. We'll say what we need to in private. But right here, in front of our family and friends I promise to take care of your Mom. She'll miss you and might feel lonely without you, but she'll never really be alone."

Rory smiled at him and then looked at her Mom who was trying to not cry, but a few tears had escaped.

Luke continued, "In fact I would like to promise Lorelai here and now, in front of our friends and family that I'll always be here for you. Maybe you could come up here? We can promise each other? I have some rings here."

The whole town gasped.

Lorelai rushed to him and said quietly, "What are you doing?"

"I know it's a year late, but it's June 3rd."

Lorelai's breath caught in her throat, she was stunned.

Luke took advantage of her inability to speak and went on, "Taylor helped, I have a marriage license, Reverend Skinner is on board, Rory doesn't mind us hijacking her party. She actually was happy because then she wouldn't have to worry about coming back for our wedding. But don't worry I got her to promise to still come back soon."

Finally Lorelai found her voice, "Really? You want to get married right now?"

"I do," Luke smiled.

Lorelai looked at Rory, "Are you sure about this?"

"Me?!" Rory smiled, "I ran home and got your dress as soon as he talked to me about it."

"My dress?"

"The perfect dress, I knew it was in the attic."

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo

The rain had stopped, Sookie, Miss Patty, Rory and Emily were standing in the dance studio chatting all pretending to not be more focused on the door to Patty's office than any conversation.

"You knew about this?" Emily asked Rory.

"Not until twenty minutes ago when Luke asked my permission."

Emily was confused, "They were engaged already, why did he ask for your permission tonight?"

"Oh, he was asking for permission to do it now, at what was supposed to be a party for me. He thought I may feel that they were stealing my thunder or something."

Babette shook her head, "That guy is such a sweetheart. Of course he would think like that."

Patty nodded in agreement.

"So what did you say?" Emily asked.

Rory sighed, "What did I say? This is Mom and Luke! I wanted them together before Mom would admit that she loved him. I told him yes as if I was the one getting married."

Sookie and Miss Patty smiled and nodded as Rory spoke while Emily looked on. A wave of guilt hit Emily after seeing how many people knew that Luke was a decent man, while she let her views on blue collar work get in the way of seeing how good of a person this man is. It was funny, Emily always wanted Lorelai to marry someone who would help her with Rory, who would financially help Lorelai and still allow her to be the independent woman she was. Emily wanted Lorelai to find someone with strong family values who would be respectful to her parents, love her and her daughter and be someone she wanted to have more children with. Most of all she wanted Lorelai to be happy enough in her life that she would want to share it with her parents. It wasn't until this very moment that Emily realized that Luke fit this description to a tee.

Lorelai took one last look at herself in Patty's mirror and when she was satisfied with her hair and makeup she smoothed her dress and opened the door. Rory, Sookie and Patty all gasped at the sight of her.

"You look perfect!" Rory cried.

"Gorgeous!" Patty exclaimed.

"Stunning," Sookie smiled through tears.

Emily was speechless,

"Mom?" Lorelai asked, taking her mother's silence for disapproval.

Emily shook her head to snap herself out of her thoughts, "I thought when people used the term 'breathtakingly beautiful' they were being over dramatic or unnecessarily poetic. But you took my breath away."

Lorelai's eyes pooled with tears, "Thanks, Mom."

"Okay!" Rory snapped, "We can't cry, you just finished your makeup."

The women dapped their eyes with tissues and laughed.

"So we're ready?" Sookie asked.

"We need Lane," Rory said. "She's getting us flowers.

"And Dad!" Lorelai jumped. "I need my Dad to walk me down the aisle."

"Really?" Emily asked.

"Actually, I was kind of hoping YOU and Dad would walk me down the aisle, if you want."

"I would love that," Emily smiled.

"Could you go find Dad?" Lorelai asked.

"I'll go," Rory said as she took off.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo

Luke was standing in the gazebo with Reverend Skinner, Jess and April. Everyone had helped to grab chairs from the tables and have them facing the gazebo with an aisle down the middle.

Hep Alien began to play "Wonderful Tonight" as Sookie walked down the aisle with tears in her eyes. Even if she wasn't six months pregnant she would have been emotional, she was sure that besides Rory, no one was wishing for this to happen more than her. She made her way to Luke, who was now waiting at the bottom of the steps to the gazebo, hugged him and took her seat.

Rory emerged next from the dance studio, she had changed into the blue dress she wore to meet Logan's family. Her eyes met with Luke's and he felt the tears start to form. He was so happy to finally be able to call himself Rory's father, even if he technically had to add the "step" in front of it. It did break his heart that he waited so long to make it happen that now when they could finally be a family she was moving away. When she reached Luke they embraced.

"I love you, Kid," Luke whispered in her ear.

Rory pulled from the hug, "I love you too, Dad." She bowed her head as they both were embarrassed by the public displays of affection. So she rushed up the steps to take her spot for the ceremony.

The music stopped and silence fell over the square as all of Luke and Lorelai's family and friends collectively held their breaths waiting to see her.

Gil's surprisingly velvety soft voice came over the speakers singing acapella, "Someday, when I'm awfully low

When the world is cold

I will feel a glow just thinking of you

And the way you look tonight …"

While he was singing, Lorelai appeared in the doorway of the dance studio with one parent on either side of her. She looked more beautiful than any woman had ever looked, at least in Luke's eyes. She was in her "perfect dress", her hair had large soft waves and her makeup was delicate and natural. She held a bouquet of white and pale pink roses.

Gil continued, "Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm

And your cheeks so soft

There is nothing for me but to love you

And the way you look tonight"

Lorelai looked at each of her parents, smiled and nodded and the three of them began to walk in step. Family and friends were dabbing their eyes and smiling brightly.

When Luke and Lorelai locked eyes neither of them saw anyone else. If her arms weren't linked with her parents she would have run to him. Emily and Richard turned to smile at each other when they noticed their daughter picking up the pace.

"Slowly, Lorelai," Emily whispered. "He'll wait."

With her eyes still on Luke, Lorelai smiled, "I know he will. But I don't want to wait another second."

The Gilmores reached Luke, Richard turned Lorelai to face him, lifted her veil and kissed her cheek. Lorelai then turned to her Mom and hugged her while Richard shook Luke's hand.

Lorelai turned to look at Luke in his stunning suit that she bought him years ago when he was with Rachel. She smoothed his lapel and smiled at him, "You look so good."

"Yeah," he smirked, "I knew you liked your guys all GQ-ed up."

She laughed.

"You," Luke sighed as he gestured up and down, "I have never seen anyone so breathtakingly beautiful in my life."
Lorelai beamed and giggled at the fact that her mother and fiancée used the same words to describe her. She was hoping that over the course of the next few months and years Emily and Luke would find more in common and they would all get along. She chose to see this moment as a good sign.