September 25, 1996
Independence Inn
0835 hours

"Hey Sook!" Lorelai sang as she breezed into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. "Ah sweet elixir, how I've missed you."

"Morning," Her friend smiled, turning from the simmering pan she had been stirring, "Did your husband not feed you this morning?" She joked watching Lorelai drink her coffee as she absentmindedly played with the apple in her hand.

"Not today," Lorelai shrugged, "Luke is chaperoning Rory's field trip so they left early; it was nice to be able to sleep in a little bit. Unfortunately, someone forgot to set the alarm to get me up."

"Uh-oh, how much trouble is Luke going to be in?" Sookie shook her head in mock disappointment.

"None, I'm the one who forgot to turn the thing on before bed." Lorelai smiled and took a bite out of the apple. Sookie's eyes widened at the sight, "What?"

"How long have you and Luke been married now?" Sookie asked feigning nonchalance and turning back to the pan.

"A little over three months." Lorelai smiled, taking a seat at the kitchen island, still eating the apple.

"Things going good?"

"Things are going very good." Lorelai enthused, blushing a bit, "Luke is… well let's just say I'm getting really well acquainted with his tattoos."

"Tattoos?" Sookie couldn't hide her curiosity as she took a seat next to her friend, "As in more than one? I mean I knew about the one on his shoulder, everyone in town has seen that crest at the lake, but he has others?"

"Yep," Lorelai smiled mischievously, "He got a new one when we were on our honeymoon."

"What is it?" Sookie pressed. "Where is it?"

"It's right here," She pointed to her right hip just above where her leg met her torso, "Nothing fancy, just our initials L and L with our wedding date below it 6/3/96. He also got Rory's birthdate and adoption date on his left shoulder a couple weeks ago."

"At least he can't say he forgot your anniversary or Rory's birthday now." Sookie shrugged. The friends sat in silence a few more moments before Sookie spoke again, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lorelai looked at her friend confused. "Why?"

"It's just," Sookie started, "Nothing, forget I said anything."

"No, Sook." Lorelai tilted her head as she gently took her friend's hand, "Is there something wrong? Is Jackson giving you a hard time about the wedding?"

"Oh no," Sookie laughed, shaking her head, "Jackson and I are fine, we're both really excited. I just never have seen you eat fruit before."

"What are you talking about?" Lorelai challenged, "You've seen me eat both your and Luke's peach, apple, cherry, and boysenberry pies."

"I know," The woman looked directly at her friend, "Just not fresh fruit before, in fact I've offered you fresh fruit several times before and you turned your nose up at it, even when I added marshmallows to the fruit salad."

"So?" Lorelai prompted, starting to get a little frustrated with her friend.

"So, I can't help but think about you telling me about your cravings with Rory." Sookie shrugged.

"What do you mean my cravings with Ro…" She looked down at the apple core in her hand, "No, it can't be."

"I know you two aren't trying, but you have been married a while," Sookie smiled softly, "And neither of you are exactly virgins, at least I hope not after being married three months."

"No we're not, but we haven't exactly been preventing either." Lorelai responded thoughtfully, "Do you think?"

"It's possible." Sookie confirmed, "When was your last, you know, visit?"

Lorelai counted back quickly in her head, "I think Aunt Flo's last visit was back in July, come to think; a couple weeks after the 4th of July Spectacular."

"It wouldn't hurt to check." Sookie shrugged, "But I wouldn't buy anything here. Taylor is just about as bad a gossip as 'Hello Magazine.'"

"You're right." Lorelai agreed, "And we wouldn't want Patty or Babette to say anything to Luke and have him freak out before we know anything for sure."

"You could swing over to Woodbridge Pharmacy and pick something up there." Came the suggestion.

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded, "I think I will. I have some time now, check out isn't for a couple hours and Michel can watch the desk for a little bit, Mia shouldn't mind."

"Good luck," Sookie waved as her friend headed towards the dining room, "Let me know how it goes."

"You'll be the first." Lorelai promised, waving back to her friend as the door swung closed behind her.

Twenty minutes later, the white bag from Woodbridge Pharmacy carefully tucked in her purse, Lorelai swung back into the kitchen. "Sookie?"

"What's up Chicken, did ya find out?" Sookie beamed up at her friend, wiping her hand on the apron around her waist.

"Not yet," Lorelai shifted between her feet, "I'm a little nervous. Would you mind?"

"I can't take the test for you, Hun." Sookie smiled softly back.

"No, I mean will you come with me upstairs and wait with me?" Lorelai clarified.

"Sure, I just finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes." Sookie nodded, untying her apron and laying it on a nearby workbench. "Lunch is already prepped and I have a bit until I need to start cooking, you want to go now?"
Lorelai nodded and turned on her heel and headed towards the front of the Inn before grabbing a key to an empty room. Sookie followed close behind as they made their way to room seven and let themselves in. Sookie sat quietly on the bed as Lorelai pulled the plastic bag out of her purse and headed towards the bathroom door.

"I got a few of these, just to be sure." Lorelai explained, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I'll just be a few minutes."

"Okay." Sookie nodded, settling back against the plush headboard. Lorelai came out a few minutes later and sat quietly with her friend.

"We have to wait a few minutes for the tests to do their thing." She took a deep breath and sat in silence with her friend. "I wonder what Luke will think about all this. I mean he's good with Rory, and Jess never had too many complaints once he and Luke worked things out."

"I think he'll be excited." Sookie smiled, "Like you said, he's really good with Rory. Besides didn't you tell me that once he'd told you he wished he could have been Rory's biological father rather than just her adoptive father?"

"Yeah." Lorelai nodded, "I'm a little scared, though. What if it's too soon?"

"It's not too soon." Sookie soft voice was confident, "Rory is just finishing up grade school this year, old enough to understand that the baby might need more attention than she does at times, but not so old that she's disinterested in helping."

"That's assuming there is a baby." Lorelai nodded, "Oh crap! What if there's two? Or more? My mom and Aunt Hope are twins, what if there's two?"

"Double the cute?" Sookie suggested.

"Yeah, but that also means double the feedings, double the diapers, double the middle of the night crying jags from both the babies and me." Lorelai rambled, panic starting to rise in her chest.

"Hey," Sookie grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it, "You need to calm down; we don't even know if you're pregnant. If you are, they won't be able to tell if there's one, two, or a half million in there for a while yet."

"A half million?" Lorelai challenged, a small smile on her face.

"Well you and Luke are classic overachievers," Sookie joked, "You never know."

"Yeah, you never know," Lorelai repeated, checking her watch, "Okay, it's been a few minutes; I suppose I should go check."

"Yeah," Sookie nodded as Lorelai stood and walked quietly to the door. She came out, clutching three plastic sticks in her hand. "So?"

"I…" Lorelai looked at her friend before a large grin spread across her face, "I'm pregnant!"

"So I take it that's a good thing?" Sookie asked excitedly.

"Hell yes, it's a good thing." Lorelai enthused, pulling her friend into a tight hug. "I'm going to be a mom… again." She added softly.

"I'm so happy for you." Sookie hugged her back before wiping her happy tears of her dimpled cheeks, "Hey I gotta go start lunch, let me know as soon as you let Luke know. I want to know what his reaction is."

"Will do." Lorelai nodded, "Now go, I'll get things straightened up around here. Not a word to Mia."

"My lips are sealed," Sookie promised, "At least until you let me know it's okay to unseal them enough to tell Jackson. I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Me too, Sook. Me too." Lorelai smiled as her friend bustled out the door.

Danes Home
1745 hours

"Mmm, it smells good in here," Lorelai smiled as her husband pulled a pot roast, complete with vegetables out of the oven. "And it's not just you."

Luke just chuckled as he set the pan on the table before turning and pulling his wife into his arms, kissing her soundly. "Hey."

"Hi," Lorelai returned the greeting before rising up on her toes and pressing a soft but passionate kiss to his lips.

"Eww!" Rory exclaimed, from the door of her room. "You are going to make me lose my appetite." She teased.

"More for me, then." Lorelai smiled, grabbing a tomato out of the salad bowl and popping it in her mouth, not noticing the look her husband and daughter gave her. "Rory, would you please set the table?"

"Okay," Rory agreed before making quick work of setting out the flatware and utensils. As she reached into the drawer to grab the napkins, her hand hit a small box. "What's this?"

"Oh, that." Lorelai, quickly grabbed the box, "It's a gift for your dad." She smiled taking her seat next to Luke at the table as Rory handed them their napkins and took her own seat.

"But it's not Dad's birthday, or your anniversary, and it's way too early for Christmas." Rory started in.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Luke asked.

"Do I need a reason to spoil my favorite husband?" She asked, scooting the box across the table towards Luke. "Go ahead and open it."

Luke just gave her a suspicious look and did as she said. He gently removed the ribbon that held the box closed and lifted the lid, "What is this?" He asked, pulling out the thin plastic wand.

"It's a pregnancy test." Lorelai spoke softly.

Rory sat quietly watching the exchange between her parents, a smile blooming on her face as realization spread across her father's.

"You mean?" He started, still in shock as his brain struggled to grasp what she was telling him, "You are…"

"That's what the little plus sign means." Lorelai smiled.

All at once, Lorelai found herself engulfed in the strong arms of her husband as her daughter cheered. "I'm going to be a big sister! Please tell me you're not joking."

"Not joking, Sweets." Lorelai confirmed, "I'm pregnant."

"Lorelai," Luke smiled down at her, his voice choked with emotion, silent tears glistening in his eyes "Wow, I mean, Wow. You mean I'm gonna… I'm…"

"Yes," Lorelai smiled back and kissed him soundly, "Congratulations, Daddy Danes!"

"You're sure?" He asked, his voice tinged with excitement and hope.

"Well, I have to go to the doctor to be sure." Lorelai explained, "But I should be at least five or six weeks along. Probably about the time you adopted Rory. So are you happy?"

"Happy?" Luke asked, beaming, "Happy doesn't even begin to describe how I feel, excited, thrilled, proud…"

"But a little sad too?" Lorelai smiled gently noticing the subtle change in her husband's face.

"Yeah, I wish Dad was still here, or Mom." He nodded, "They would have been so thrilled to have a grandchild. I mean they would have loved Rory, don't get me wrong, but I feel like they're missing out. Mom never met Jess, and Dad hadn't seen Jess since he was a few weeks old."

"I'm sorry, Babe," Lorelai pulled him into her arms and rested her head on his chest. "If it makes you feel any better, your dad loved Rory."

"Yeah, Grandpa William used to come by a lot when I was little, he put up wallpaper in the potter's shed and fixed up stuff for us. He even built me a bed when I got too big for the crib Mia gave us." Rory added, "I was so sad when he died."

"I'm so glad you got to meet him." Luke smiled, opening his arm to include his arm in the hug, "I always had my suspicions, but never really knew for sure that you were who he was helping."

"I think on some level he knew that we would be his family someday." Lorelai stepped out of his embrace, "He mentioned a few different times that he wanted us to meet. He was actually talking about having a family dinner at the Inn for Christmas before he passed."

"I remember that." Luke smiled at the memory.

"I hate to break up the nostalgia train here," Rory interrupted, "But speaking of dinner, can we eat ours? Preferably before it gets cold?"

"Sure, Sweets," Lorelai smiled warmly at her eldest child, "The baby was getting hungry too."

With the excitement of the announcement still hanging in the air, Luke served his girls. Looking at his wife and daughter throughout the meal, he couldn't help but feel content with their growing family. He smiled gently as he imagined how beautiful Lorelai would look when she started to show. He didn't know if he would be having a son or a daughter, and he didn't care, he was happy.