The website seems to be glitching again. If you haven't read chapter 3 to find out what's on the mystery paper, you will want to go back a page to read it. Hopefully they get it fixed soon.

May 28

3 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days

15 Weeks: Size of a Pear

LUKE POV

For the next few days, focusing is nearly impossible. All I can think about is the fact that Lorelai's pregnant. My dream from the other night plays on a loop, everyday, all day, in my mind. In an effort of self preservation, I cut it off after looking down at William's proud face at our tree house. I don't need to relive losing Lorelai over and over again. Nor do I want to give Christopher any extra screen time in my head when all I can hear is his grating voice on her answering machine calling out 'Hey Lor' into an empty house that is clearly being cleared of me.

Listen, despite what many people may think, I'm no idiot. The chances of Lorelai having twins is only three in one hundred (I looked it up on Kirk's laptop) so it's unlikely, but even so, I can't help but marvel at the fact that I dreamed about our kids and now Lorelai is pregnant.

I'm totally and completely distracted. Not only by the news of a baby, but by how angry and hurt Lorelai is with me. I've never seen her like this. Even now, after everything that's happened, I hate not seeing a smile on that face of hers.

Not only do I now mindlessly deliver plates of food to wrong tables, but earlier today, like an idiot, I nearly killed a customer with a severe peanut allergy by serving them a sundae not only topped with whipped cream and a cherry, but also nuts.

April called. I can't tell you one thing she shared with me.

Taylor asked if he could start painting the entry door of his Soda Shoppe a different color for each season and special holidays. Like an idiot, I said yes. I had no idea he'd run every color idea by me to get my opinion.

"I don't understand why you're so upset I want to get your approval," Taylor chastises leaning his forearms on the counter. "I would be pleased if my tenants took as much care to get my approval before making any changes to my property as I am seeking from you, Lucas."

"Well, I'm not you, Taylor." I point out grabbing his plate from the food window and placing it in front of him. "Paint the door whatever color you want. It could be bright pink for all I care, just stop asking me my opinion!"

"Bright pink isn't a historic exterior pain-"

"I. Don't. Care. Taylor."

"I don't understand the anger. I thought we were on a good path. I helped you purchase your newest investment property just last week, did I not?"

"You helped me purchase it?" I ask incredulously, dropping my order pad and pencil to the counter. "Taylor, you forced me into buying it!"

"I should say not!" Taylor exclaims indignantly, sitting up tall. "You purchased that house all on your own! You were not forced," He lowers his voice, "That would go against all kinds of laws."

"You were going to have my childhood home that my grandfather built with his own two hands demolished because of a couple overgrown bushes in the front yard!" I lean my palms against the counter and stare him down. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"I meant to talk to you about that," His lips press together to form a disapproving grimace. "I had hoped the exterior would be your first project. You really need to get that under control before you get a weed violation. And the flaking paint-"

I grab a rag and begin wiping down a sticky spot on the counter to stop myself from grabbing him by the cardigan and throwing him out the door. "It's been raining nonstop, Taylor, I've been working on the inside."

With a flourish, Taylor glances over his shoulder and out the window to the pristine sunny day. I follow his glance, getting his unspoken point.

"I'll get to it."

"That's what I like to hear," Taylor chirps with a satisfied nod as I fill a glass with water and place it directly in front of him. "So are you going to sell the house when you're finished or rent it out?"

Turning, I place the water pitcher down and think through his question. Either option would give me good cash flow. After all, with a new baby, I'm going to need more money. A lot more money.

LORELAI POV

"Okay, fine, I'm ready for this self induced torture," Sookie bemoans shuffling dramatically into my office. My amused smile slides right off my face as she places a plate of muffins on the middle of my large wood desk and a cup of steaming coffee directly in front of me. "But I brought snacks and coffee!"

The sight of the two once beloved items make my stomach roll.

"Aw, you thought of everything Martha Stewart!" I chuckle nervously and push the mug of coffee to the side as discreetly as possible when my stomach protests my once elixir of life beverage. "So here's the thing, I think if we really focus, we can get these reports finished by the end of the day, or early tomorrow morning at the latest."

Sookie eyes me from her chair on the other side of my desk, a small frown on her face. "Can't we just camp out in here all alone without Michele, and chit-chat like girlfriends? I'll even let you talk to me about Christopher without raising my voice at the end of my sentences."

I force a smile and shake my head. "Nice try."

"Oh, I know!" she goes on, full of happy energy. "Why don't you tell me why Mike Armstrong came to see you this morning? You haven't been into the kitchen for a few days to fill me in on your life," Her eyes widen with awareness. "Lorelai! You haven't been coming in to the kitchen to get coffee! Are you sick?"

I run a hand through my hair nervously, thinking of an excuse on the fly, "I'm trying to cut down on coffee."

I guess I'm not willing to share the news of the baby with anyone else right now.

"What?"

"You heard me," I try to brush it off as no big deal and cross my legs while I still can under my desk. "Is that so hard to believe? It's not as if I said I was flying to the moon or anything of that importance."

"You," She points to me incredulously. "You're trying to cut down on coffee?"

I nod.

"Cold turkey?!"

"No," I adjust my shirt when it begins to feel tight and wonder if it's literally shrinking as I wear it or if I can actually feel the baby growing in real time. "I have my coffee at home before I come in."

For a split second, I feel guilty for fibbing, but it doesn't last long. Coffee was the first thing my body began rejecting a few weeks ago. Of course, that would be apropos. I can't say I'm surprised perse that Luke's baby is rejecting coffee, though I'm shocked my baby is. I know, that's not exactly how it works, but just go with it, okay? Anyway, coffee has been my number one tell all to everyone around me that something is up. Christopher. Rory. My mom. Now Sookie. Somehow, at least for a little while longer, until I know how I want to deal with this new life, I'm going to have to figure out a way to distract people from noticing my lack of enthusiasm toward coffee and food.

Or come up with a better story.

Sookie eyes me skeptically and I realize I have to keep everything going otherwise she'll notice me not devouring her muffins with my usual gusto.

"So, Mike came in to see me because he's still really interested in working with me. We're talking about a few things, but it's only in the talking stages."

"That's great!" Sookie says brightly and then turns confused. "But I thought you turned him down when he asked you to work for him before?"

"Well, yeah, I wasn't ready to leave…" I trail off, inhaling sharply. "I wasn't ready to leave Stars Hollow."

I adjust the papers on my desk, trying to ignore the real reason I turned him down.

"And now you are?" she frowns. "Are you leaving Stars Hollow? Are you thinking of selling our Inn? Is living here with Lu-"

"Sookie, do you honestly think I'd sell our Inn without talking to you?" I reach across the desk and tap the top her hand with my own, cutting off his name before she can finish it. "I'd never do that without talking to you first."

"Well, you have to admit, things have been a little weird with you."

I inhale again. "I know."

"I mean, you haven't been to any town meetings or any town events, you're dating Christopher…" she trails off and shakes her head. "I dunno. You're just very different. Your house doesn't even have any decor in it! It's like an empty shell. You're an empty shell of the women you used to be!"

"I'm not an empty shell. I'm just redecorating," I insist, leaning forward to catch her eye. "And I've only missed two town meetings. That's not a big deal."

But I have every intention of missing a whole lot more.

"Some things may have changed," I go on. "But I'm still me." Something is about to majorly change, but we're not going to talk about that yet. "In fact, what Mike and I are talking about wouldn't even require travel. We're talking about trading expertise. He has a friend with an Inn in Hartford that isn't drawing good numbers. He asked me to mentor a woman to get those numbers up in exchange for giving me advice on Michele's idea. He thinks the idea is great and that it would flourish in the center of downtown Stars Hollow. Something about offering it to our guests, but also allowing Stars Hollow to benefit from it as well."

"Oh!" Sookie lights up. "The fancy, fancy spa idea?"

I nod.

"Oh thank god," she laughs, a hand over her heart. "All this time I thought you were going to sell the inn and leave us all behind to go live a life of luxury!"

I jerk back my head. "Sookie, you own half of the inn, I don't think I legally could do that. And you're my best friend. I'd never do that to you. What do you think of the spa idea? Are you still up for-"

"I am!" She claps her hands enthusiastically. "I am, I am, I am! I think it's a great idea!" Her smile slides off her face as she leans toward me seriously. "Do not tell Michele I just said that!"

I laugh at her words and pretend to lock my mouth shut and throw away the key.

"Of course," she goes on, "The inn is full months out in advance, so I'm not sure why we need it exactly."

"It would bring in extra revenue."

"Do we need extra revenue?"

With raising a baby as a single mother I will. But I don't say this. I love Rory, but I'd really love not scrimping the way we had to when I was raising her.

"It wouldn't hurt, would it? Think about the extra cash. You and Jackson could take the kids to Disney World like you've been dreaming," I lean forward and raise my right eyebrow. "Michele would run the new place, meaning he would be there and not here. We could pay the front desk person less."

"Sold!" she laughs pointing at me, her pig tails bouncing. "I guess that all sounds good! Plus Stars Hollow doesn't have a spa or a place for massages so that is a nice addition. Ohhh I can't wait to try it out!"

I laugh. "So you're in?"

"Are you kidding me? I am all in!"

My eyes flutter at the expression, wincing as her word choice slice through me. Slice, slice, baby.

I swallow, shake my head slightly to rid my thoughts of where else I'd heard that exact phrase and say, "Okay, we better get to work. I'm pretty sure the reports won't finish themselves."

Without giving her a minute to protest, I flip open a file on the desk in front of me, pleased with the distraction.

For a while, albeit a very short while, I'm able to distract Sookie with numbers and business talk. The business is doing well and with summer on the way, we'll be doing even better. We're solidly booked for months. We go through our reports smoothly, taking care of the business side of the inn, but it doesn't take too much longer for her talk to shift back to food.

"This is a new muffin recipe," Sookie gushes sliding the plate across the wood desk toward me with her index finger. "I think it may be my best recipe yet. Don't ask me why or how, but there's something about sour cream that just makes muffins more moist and flavorful, don't you agree?"

"Yeah, sure, so Mr. Fara-"

"Why aren't you having one?" Her green eyes look to me with concern. "You could just have the muffin top if you want, I know that's your favorite part."

I eye the plate of blueberry muffins wearily. They look like they're the best Sookie has ever made with a large, drool-worthy sugar crumble domed top. It would easily cost five bucks at a bakery. And I know without a doubt, I know I'd throw up if I had to eat one.

"I had a big breakfast," I lie and paste on a smile. "I'll have one later."

She's not happy with my answer, but, surprisingly, lets it fly.

A few hours later, Sookie excuses herself to rush to the kitchen to check on the kitchen staff. In an attempt to get her off my trail, I drop my pen to the desk, take the muffin Sookie put on a plate for me half an hour ago and begin to place it in my desk drawer when a smooth voice comes out of nowhere. "Saving that for later, huh?"

I jump at being caught red handed, the muffin tumbling out of my hand to the ground where sugar crumbs scatter across the area rug. Crap. The last thing I need to deal with are little piss ants underfoot.

"And jumpy!"

I quickly snatch up the baked good, drop it to the desktop in front of me and turn to the open door of my office to find Christopher standing there. He's dressed in a pair of black work slacks, his white button up stretches attractively across his lean chest, his face light and full of happiness.

"Chris!"

"Lor!" he laughs back easily, making his way toward me. He leans down and pecks my lips with an amused smile. "What's with you?"

"Uh, nothing, nothing," I laugh nervously standing to my feet. I push my hair back behind my ears and pull down on my shirt. "I just didn't expect to see you so soon and I'm not very happy about you learning about my food hoarding habits. Don't tell anyone, please," I joke lightly as he confidently wraps his arms around my waist and begins to pull me to his chest. I look up into his eyes. He looks amused, but also like he's waiting for more, to be entertained further. I give in, leaning toward him and whispering, "I'm a squirrel, don't tell anyone."

"Like that squirrel in Ice Age?"

I raise my eyebrows in surprise.

"What? I have a kid," he explains with a smug grin as he leans down toward my face. "You're not the only one caught up with the latest kid movies. Although I don't know what your excuse is."

"I'm just a big kid."

He kisses me sweetly before pulling back to look at me again. "So what will happen if I tell anyone? You gonna kill me? Chop off my body parts, stuff them in a bag and bury them in the woods?"

"Exactly," I laugh back easily, rolling my eyes and getting ready to whip back something flirty and witty about how using a shovel would be too much work and give me calluses and how instead, I'd attach a weight to his limbs and sink them in the swampy pond on the other side of town that everyone avoids due to the abhorrent stench. That was the plan, until he pulls me even closer and my stomach meets his.

By the look in his eye, I can tell my short, mediocre comeback confuses him, but with the way my body is pressed up against his, all thoughts fly out the window. How can he not feel the baby bump resting against him? How can he not see that my body's changing? Granted, I haven't been with him intimately since that night, we're taking things slow, but the changes in my body seem so poignant, like a brightly lit Broadway marquee arrow pointing to my stomach screaming 'it's right here, Bucko!'

"Are you feeling better yet?" he asks attentively, linking his arms together behind my back to hold me to him. "What did the doctor say?"

"Uh-well, I…" I wrinkle my nose up and look away nervously.

"Lorelai you have someone here to see yo-" Sookie starts enthusiastically and then cuts off the moment she swings into my office and her eyes land on Chris. The light in her eyes dims noticeably. "Oh, Chris, hi."

"Hey, Sookie!" he says dropping one arm from around my waist and shifting to face her with one arm wrapping around my shoulders. He pulls me closer to his side as I adjust my shirt so it's not clinging to me and inadvertently giving me away. There's no way Sookie wouldn't know I'm pregnant if given a clear view. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," she says tersely, her eyes anxiously coming to rest on mine. Years of friendship tells me to be weary of the current situation. "I'm doing great actually, I found a new muffin recipe, wanna try one and give me your opinion?"

"Can I take it to go?" Chris asks, turning easily and plucking a muffin from the plate on my desk. "I have a meeting this afternoon. I just stopped by to surprise Lorelai to make sure the doctor didn't call to say anything else, so I'll be going soon."

From across the room, Sookie's concerned eyes find mine. "You went to the doctor?"

"Uh, yeah, a couple days ago," I fill her in, trying desperately to find a way out of this conversation. I never told Sookie I was going to the doctor. "And guess what? He didn't look anything like George Clooney! Why is it all doctors of TV shows or movies are so attractive anyway? It makes it hard for us all when we have to go to the doctor and then end up with a simpleton."

Both sets of eyes are set intently on me. No one is buying my act.

"Oh my god, you're sick aren't you and that's why you're not drinking coffee or eating my muffins?" Sookie waves her hands in front of her face in an attempt to not panic. "Lorelai, no!"

"No, no, no! I'm not really sick, I'm not-"

"How am I going to live without you?" Sookie asks working herself hysterical. I look around for a paper bag, but there's not one to be found. "You're the Lorelei to my Dorothy!"

I narrow my eyes. "I think I'm more the Dorothy to your Lore-"

"You already have the name!" she snaps. "Plus with your body you could pull off that dress-"

"Whatever," I walk to her, stopping her. "Listen, I'm not sick."

"You're not?" Chris asks, perching on the edge of my wood desk. "When I asked you before, you hardly answered me. What did the doctor say?"

I drop my shoulders and worry my bottom lip. I can't have this conversation yet. I've hardly had it with myself, much less with a certain backwards baseball cap wearing man. After Luke insisted that I write down my doctor's appointments and get them to him, he left, and I haven't seen him since.

"No. He said I'll be fine soon enough. To just rest and wait it out."

For another six months.

"Ah, the typical doctor prescription," Chris mumbles standing to his feet. He walks over to the two of us. "We still on for tonight?"

"You bet," I say brightly, ignoring Sookie's rolling of the eyes. She still hasn't gotten over the fact that I'm back together with my 'bowling ball' as she calls him. Chris leans down, his lips meeting mine for a good-bye kiss that's a smidgen too intimate to be having in front of anyone else, but I return it nonetheless, finding comfort in how much he wants me, how much he loves me, and how he doesn't care if anyone else is around to witness it.

When we pull away, Sookie is openly glaring at the two of us. I place my fingertips to my lips and look away from her and adoringly up to Chris. He pecks my temple once again, his hand rubbing up and down my back. He has no problem with PDA, and I'm intent to soak up as much of it as possible. It's been a long time.

"You'll have to leave through the door in the kitchen," Sookie says dryly when Chris begins to pulls away and starts to say good-bye. "A few boards on the front porch are being replaced."

"Wow. Things sure do happen fast around here," Chris says. "I just came in through that door and there wasn't any sign of any work about to be done. Not one hammer or nail lying around."

"Yeah, well, you know Lorelai," Sookie giggles while fidgeting with her hands nervously. She opens the door, peers out, and then quickly grabs onto his arm and begins to steer him out of the room. "She's a task master, always whipping the workers into place!" She makes a whooshing noise to make her point. "Go through the kitchen and get a few more muffins to go before she finds something for you to do too."

"Good advice," Chris laughs as he waves goodbye to me and heads toward the kitchen.

"What in the world was that all about?" I ask when she makes her way back into the room. "The porch is sound, King Kong and a troop of gorillas could jump up and down on it and it wouldn't budge an inch."

"You have a guest and even though I don't agree with your current love life, you're my best friend and I thought it would be best for Christopher to not see," she pauses nervously. "Luke."

LUKE POV

After Sookie gives me the go ahead to head into Lorelai's office, I pause at the door, looking in to find Lorelai staring down at her desk. She's lost in deep thought. I take a few seconds to watch her without her realizing my presence. She looks just as she always has; put together and stylish in a flowing deep blue v-neck shirt, a pair of work pants, and though I can't see her feet, I'm assuming she's wearing a pair of shoes that she'd call 'cute'. Her hair cascades over her shoulders in soft curls. The only thing that's different is the frown on her face and the fact that she's pregnant.

Two major things.

I inhale softly to gain courage and lightly knock my knuckles against the door frame. She looks up at me and I can see all that anger with me from before has cooled significantly.

"Is it okay for me to come in?"

With her nod, I step in, and close the door behind me. She's back to studying that spot on her desk and doesn't look up until I'm sitting in the chair across from her. Her eyes lazily scan my face, never fully meeting my eyes, and for a split second, I can't help but get the feeling that despite her fire before, she might miss me. Just a little.

"You didn't get me the dates for your doctor appointments," I start, treading carefully. "I wanted to make sure everything is okay."

She sighs, shifts in her seat, and shrugs one shoulder. "Luke, you don't need to come to the appointments-."

"Like hell I don't," the words rush out of my mouth before she can even finish her sentence. But having to go back to this me explaining to her that I'm not going anywhere annoys the crap out of me.

The soft woman before me transforms into a hard shell. She rolls her eyes, annoyed by my response and I instantly recognize her stubbornness sticking out its frustrating head.

Shit. I responded too strongly. I didn't mean to push her into defensive mode.

"I can do this on my own," she insists.

"You can, but you won't," I say softly, trying to lessen my earlier harshness. I lean forward in my chair, trying, but failing, to catch her eye to show her how genuine I am about all this. "I'm here and I'm not going to let you do it all alone."

It's easy to see my words hit her. Her eyes squeeze together tightly and her shoulders draw tense. "Oh, so now you want to keep the promises you made to me that night?" The words spill from her mouth hard and cold and bitter as she opens her eyes to glare at me.

She might as well have told me to go fuck myself with how harshly the words drip from her lips.

I take a minute, wracking my brain, as if flipping through file folders, trying to remember what night she could possibly be referring to. We've talked about having kids a few times. Once, indirectly, as we sat on the school bleachers together as I fixed her shoe during the Dance-a-thon, another time in bed after getting engaged, and one other time. That last time I told her she'd never have to raise a baby alone again. I get the feeling I'm still missing one conversation.

Was I really that distracted at the end of our relationship?

I don't have a clue what she's talking about.

With how many strikes I've been batting with Lorelai, I decide I can't admit that I don't remember what promise I made her, so I do the one thing I hate, I lie. It seems as though the promises I made her about not raising a kid alone again is what I said before anyway. I blink once and rub the back of my neck. "I'm not breaking my promise to you," I pause for effect, because I feel like it's the right thing to do, before continuing with something that I know is true, "You're not doing this alone. So what's the date of your next doctor's appointment?"

"I can do it on my own, I don't need-"

"I know," I clench my fists together tightly, keeping myself from blowing up at her. "But I want to be there."

After what feels like an eternity, but what could only be a few seconds, she grabs a piece of paper and scribbles frantically on it.

Without looking at me, she pushes the paper over the desk toward me. On it is the date, time and location of her next appointment. I don't know a lot, but I know Lorelai. I know the only reason she wrote it down and gave it to me is to get me out of her office. To get me away from her.

I stand up, deciding the less time we spend together right now, probably the better. The more little moments we have together that end well, the better.

"Thanks, I'll pick you u-" I start.

"I'll meet you there."

I promise Lorelai won't be so cold for so long - just for now.