Later that night, Lorelai and Luke were relaxed on the couch watching The Abyss, a science fiction movie Lorelai had rented to tease Luke about is Star Trek phase (she had found a Star Trek t-shirt in his closet the previous week and found the fact that he was a "Trekkie" hilarious). The movie turned out to be better than she had expected, and she genuinely enjoyed the few scenes she did watch. Lorelai's head lay in his lap, and she absent-mindedly turned the ring around her finger. Luke watched her with a smile as his fingers combed through her hair. "Are you actually watching the movie?" Lorelai asked.

"I've seen it," he said dismissively.

"So do they get back together in the end?"

"Of course. It's a movie."

"I like to think they're meant to be together."

"Hopeless romantic."

"I'm a girl. I'm supposed to be."

"And I guess that means I should only watch movies with a lot of blood and guts,"

"Of course." He shook his head a he leaned down to kiss her. Rory began to cry, and Lorelai stood up to take care of her, pausing the movie.

"What happened to not pausing the movie because it interrupts the flow?"

"This is an exception to that rule."

It did not take long for the nosy townspeople to discover the ring the next morning. Ms. Patty was the first to notice the glittering diamond, and her squeal of excitement directed the attention of the other townspeople to Lorelai. Luke slipped away quickly to avoid the stream of questions he knew was imminent. Lorelai, unfortunately, had no chance to escape and was immediately accosted by most of the diner's customers, all of whom were asking dozens of questions. "How did he propose?" Miss Patty wondered.

"When's the wedding?" Kirk asked.

"How good was the post proposal sex?" Babette inquired.

"Where's the wedding?"

"Are we invited?"

"How much did that ring cost?"

As Lorelai answered some of the questions, Luke listened from the kitchen. HE was happy to note that Lorelai did not answer some of the more personal questions (which included virtually all of Babette's). Hearing the phone ring in his apartment, Luke reluctantly stopped eavesdropping and strode quickly upstairs.

Lorelai was still answering questions when she saw Luke emerge from their apartment, wearing a worried expression. Immediately, she became concerned and extracted herself from the mob of nosy neighbors. Reaching his side, she gently touched his arm to catch his attention. "What's wrong?" she questioned.

"Can I talk to you upstairs for a minute?" he asked.

"Sure," Lorelai agreed apprehensively. Thousands of different thoughts about what he wanted to talk about ran through her head, each one worse than the last. Maybe he was calling off the wedding. Maybe someone she knew was sick or dying. Maybe he was sick or dying. Maybe. . .

When they reached the apartment, Luke turned to her with his face still etched with worry. "That was my sister, Liz," he explained. "Evidently Jimmy," Luke grimaced as he said the name, "left her and Jess and took off. They're about to be kicked out of their apartment, and she needs my help. I know this isn't the best timing with the wedding and all, but Liz is family and. . ."

Lorelai stopped his mouth from moving with her lips. "Go. I'll take care of everything here."

"You're the best, Lorelai."

"Remember that."

"It's impossible to forget."

After Luke finished cooking the orders for the breakfast crowd, Lorelai waited on the customers while he packed. He emerged from the apartment with a single suitcase and Rory in one arm around 9:30. Lorelai looked up from the counter where she was counting receipts. "Ready already?" she asked.

"Unlike you, I don't need four hours to pack," he teased. Walking closer, he wrapped his free arm around her, and she lay her head comfortably against his shoulder. "I'm going to miss you," he told her.

"Not as much as I'll miss you," she countered, raising her head so that he could press his lips to hers. Luke allowed the kiss to become more passionate than he usually did in public, knowing it could be the last kiss for several days. Feeling the utter contentment of having his lips on hers, he wanted nothing more than to remain beside her. Unfortunately, his sense of duty insisted that he help his sister. Pulling slowly away, he rested his forehead on Lorelai's. "We could continue this upstairs where it's a bit more private," Lorelai suggested.

"There's a diner full of customers," Luke pointed out.

"So?" Lorelai discretely circled her hand to the front of his body, resting it briefly on his abdomen before sliding it lower.

"Customers, Lorelai," he growled, feeling the eyes of most of the people in the diner on them. In response, she squeezed him gently, and he bit his lip to suppress a loud groan. "Cus-to-mers," he said through gritted teeth. Lorelai kissed him again without removing her hand from its sensitive position. When she pulled back, Luke muttered, "I'm really tempted to rip your clothes off right here and now."

"Then do it." Lorelai kissed him again.

"Lorelai, please," he groaned.

"Luke, please," she mimicked, grabbing his shirt and pulling him toward the stairs.

"Rory," he reminded her.

"Babette, would you mind taking Rory for a bit?" Lorelai asked without removing her lips very far from Luke's.

"Of course, Sugah." Babette smiled knowingly and took the baby from Luke. Lorelai drug him, half-stumbling, up the stairs to the apartment where the kisses soon became heated.

"I feel like the whole town is listening," Luke remarked as he struggled to unbutton his flannel.

"They probably are," Lorelai told him breathlessly. Her fingers joined his on the buttons, and he soon discarded the offending garment. "Do you care?"

Feeling her lips on his neck, he moaned loudly. "Not at all," he admitted as he began to work on the blouse she wore.

Their clothes were wrinkled and their hair mussed when they reentered the diner. As Lorelai took Rory back from Babette, the well-meaning gossip shook her head. "You two are quite loud, Sugah," she remarked. A loud thump indicated that Luke had dropped his suitcase. Lorelai gave him a coy smile, and his face crimsoned.

"Uh. . . I better get going," he said. "Bye, Lorelai. Bye, Rory." He gave Lorelai a chaste kiss on the lips and kissed Rory's forehead before quickly exiting the diner. Whistling off-key, Lorelai went back to work serving customers.

Later that night, Lorelai was lounging on the couch with Rory. Although the television was on, the volume was low, and Lorelai was not paying attention to the program. Instead, she was attempting to teach Rory her alphabet to give the young girl a head start on her education. The phone rang, and Lorelai reached over to pick it up. "Hello?"

"You don't know how good it is to hear your voice," Luke remarked on the other end.

"The feeling's mutual. How's it going up there?"

"Not too great. Liz got herself in a huge mess. Again. I'll probably be up here at least a week."

"What will I ever do without you?" Lorelai questioned with a false Southern accent.

"Starve, probably," Luke joked.

"Ha, ha. I'll have you know, I ate very well tonight."

"I told you not to flirt with that new chef at the inn."

"He's fifty, Luke. Trust me, I'm not interested."

"Does he know that?"

"Of course not! If I tell him, I'll starve."

"Tell me again why I put up with you."

"Because you love me."

"Right. That."

"Hey, Luke, I was thinking. What about April 16?"

"For what?"

"Our wedding, duh! I've always wanted a spring wedding, and this date just kinda jumped out at me."

"Okay. Whatever you want is fine with me."

"Really? Then I want dancing midgets, fake falling snow, a twenty-piece orchestra-"

"Within reason," Luke amended.

"Funsucker!"

"I'd like to have some money left after the wedding."

"If you insist." They were silent for a few seconds before Lorelai spoke again. "Luke?"

"Hmm?"

"All I really want is you there beside me."

"That's one thing I'll wholeheartedly agree with."

"I love you."

"I love you, too. And I miss you."

"I miss you, too. See you soon?"

"I hope so. Bye."

"Bye."

Ten days passed before Luke finally returned to Stars Hollow. Every night, Luke and Lorelai would talk for at least an hour, each happy to simply hear the other's voice. Rory even talked to Luke a few times, and her voice reminded him of everything he had waiting for him at home. He had a gorgeous fiancée and a beautiful daughter—for Luke now considered Rory his daughter. At the end of a particularly grueling day of work, Lorelai was happy to hear from Luke, for despite his often gruff attitude, he was always able to make her day brighter. When the phone rang Thursday night, Lorelai knew immediately who it was. "Hi, sexy," she greeted, settling back onto the couch for a long conversation.

"Do you always answer the phone like that?" Luke asked.

"Only when I know it's you."

"How do you know?"

"Woman's intuition."

"What if it's wrong?"

"It's only happened once. Which reminds me, the cable guy things he's a sexy beast. Try not to ruin his delusions."

"Because that would be the last thing I want to do," he remarked sarcastically. "I can't ruin our cable guy's self-esteem."

"How nice of you," Lorelai said, echoing his sarcasm.

"I try. So, how are things around there?"

"Not bad. Rory still asks about you every night, and you have a lot of disappointed customers including your fiancée. I'd take one of your hamburgers over the fancy food they cook at the inn any day."

"I told you to stop flirting wit that chef."

"Would you rather I starve?"

"Just don't forget about your fiancée."

"What fiancée?"

"Funny."

"Don't worry. It's hard to forget about you with this huge rock on my finger. Are you sure you didn't sell a kidney? Because that's the only way you could have paid for this."

"Trust me, I still have all my vital organs."

"That's good to know. So, you're coming home tomorrow, right?" Lorelai asked, praying for his confirmation.

"Nothing could keep me away."

"What about a category four hurricane?"

"I'll go around it."

"What about my mother? She's worse than a hurricane.

"I'm coming home."

"Music to my ears."

"I take it that you miss me then."

"Actually, the cable guy's been keeping me company. He really is a sexy beast one you get used to his fat rolls."

"That just conjured up disturbing images I'd rather not picture."

"The guy weighs like, 300 pounds, and he has a huge beer belly and multiple chins and-"

"Lorelai, I did not call to talk about the cable guy."

"Really? Then what did you plan to talk about?"

"Anything but that."

"How about I talk dirty to you. Maybe you won't miss me as much."

"Are you sure? Because I'm not sure if I can wait." Lorelai lowered her voice seductively. "Luke Danes, I want to make love to you right now."

Without warning, arousal shot through his body like a dart. His pants suddenly felt too tight. "Goddammit, Lorelai," he groaned.

"What?" she asked innocently, knowing full well what the cause of his discomfort was, for she was feeling a similar arousal. She missed him terribly; it seemed like a part of her was missing. They shared an unfathomable connection which made separation virtually unbearable.

"You know full well what," he muttered irritably.

"I'd recommend a cold shower."

"I guess I'll have to take one. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Barring any natural disasters."

"I told you, I'd go around them."

"You really do love me!"

"Of course I do."

"I love you, too. And Luke? Try picturing me naked." With that, she hung up, leaving Luke with an even larger problem than the one he had before.

Lorelai had just finished putting Rory down the following night when she heard the door open behind her. Turning, she ran and threw herself into her fiancé's arms, eagerly pressing her lips to his. After a couple minutes of passionate tongue dueling, Luke pulled away. "I ran into a bit of a problem," Luke began cautiously.

"Uh-oh," Lorelai said.

"It's not that bad. I just couldn't find an apartment for Liz and Jess. But she needed someplace to stay, so. . ." Lorelai knew where he was going, and she peeked around his body to see Liz standing in the doorway holding a bundle Lorelai assumed was Jess.

"Hello again," Liz greeted, smiling a bit sheepishly. Lorelai returned the smile before looking back at Luke.

"I thought we'd move Rory in the room with us and let Liz and Jess sleep out here. Liz can have the couch, and I've got a crib for Jess in the car.

"So Rory will be in our room?" Lorelai wondered.

"Only temporarily," Luke assured her. His eyes showed he shared her concerns.

"Okay," Lorelai agreed, a bit reluctantly. But Liz was her soon to be sister-in-law, and Lorelai, like Luke, could not turn down family (or almost family). "Come on Liz, let's get settled in."

The next few days crawled by for Luke and Lorelai. Although Liz was supposed to be finding a job and a new apartment in New York, it seemed to Lorelai that she had done little to achieve either of these goals. Although spunky and enthusiastic about most things in life, Liz seemed to have virtually no concerns over whether or not she could support herself and her son. She still clung to the naïve belief that everything would simply fall into place with no effort.

The additional occupant of Luke and Lorelai's room forced them into celibacy and postponed Lorelai's extensive plans for the reunion. Their nightly ritual had become a simple, chaste kiss, for both feared that anything more would push them past the point of no return. Of course, tension built up as each attempted to control his or her own emotions. Around Luke, Lorelai often felt as if she was five again and standing in front of her mother's exquisite porcelain doll collection. She could look but not touch.

One night nearly two weeks after Liz had come to stay, all three teenagers were up late watching a movie. Rory and Jess were already asleep, and Liz was sprawled across the couch, leaving only the armchair for Luke and Lorelai. Of course, neither one minded the seating arrangements; Lorelai snuggled into Luke's lap and pulled a blanket over the two of them. She squirmed, trying to get comfortable, and he let out an exasperated sigh. "Lorelai, would you please be still?" he asked. Her squirming stopped for a few seconds before she moved once more. "Lorelai!"

"Sorry. Last time. I promise." She settled against him and discovered the reason for his frustration. The tip of his growing erection pressed into her lower back, and she moved slowly against it. A low, involuntary growl escaped his lips, but Liz was too engrossed in the movie to notice what was going on around her. Encouraged, Lorelai continued. She dropped her hands behind her and found the button for his jeans. After fumbling with it for a minute, she managed to open it and unzip his jeans slightly, giving her enough room to slip her hands inside his boxers. Moving them slowly downward, she tickled the sensitive skin around his groin, and he was soon the one squirming. After more than five minutes of teasing, Lorelai finally allowed her fingers to brush against his erection, and she heard him gasp behind her. Pleased with his reaction, she pressed her fingers against him with more force and began to slowly circle the base of his shaft. With all the willpower he could muster, Luke managed to whisper a single word. "Liz."

"She's not paying attention," Lorelai told him, stroking him gently. He bit his lip to suppress a groan, but he was unable to control it. When Liz did not look over, Luke began to feel more comfortable. It had been too long since they were intimate; though they were not exactly making love, it was the closest they had come to doing so in over three weeks. Luke felt his arousal building, and he knew he would come before long. The emotions coursing through his blood were too strong for him not to. Burying his face in Lorelai's shoulder to muffle his moan of pleasure, Luke let go. His climax was explosive, releasing three weeks of sexual frustration. Keeping his head buried to prevent himself from screaming, he allowed his breathing to steady before looking up.

"That was amazing," he whispered, kissing the back of Lorelai's ear.

"I thought you might enjoy it."

"Your turn now," Luke told her, feeling particularly adventurous. His lips moved from behind her ear to her neck as his hands, which currently rested on her waist, moved upwards. Once he reached her bra, he played with it for a moment, baiting her, before pushing it away. Now uninhibited, his hands were free to roam her entire upper body. He played with each breast for a few minutes, and her nipples hardened. Finally, he moved his hands lower, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin beneath his fingers. After tracing her abdomen slowly, he dropped his hand beneath the waistband of her pajama pants. Moving it to her inner thigh, he tickled the sensitive skin there, and she moaned rather loudly. Immediately, Luke's hand stopped moving and both looked at Liz who had finally averted her gaze from the television and was staring at them.

"What was that?" she asked.

"The chair," Lorelai lied quickly. "It makes weird noises if you move in the wrong way." Liz looked as if she did not believe Lorelai, but after watching them for a few seconds, she turned her attention back to the tv.

"You're going to have to be quieter," he admonished.

"Unlike you, I don't have a shoulder to bury my face into," Lorelai told him.

"Turn," Luke said, bringing his hands to her waist.

"I didn't want you to stop."

"I'm not. Just turn." Lorelai did as he asked, turning sideways in his lap. He brought his lips to hers hungrily, enjoying the feeling of having her close. His tongue touched her lips, and they parted to give him access. At the same time, his hands pulled the waistband of her pants lower.

Lorelai pulled back and muttered, "I think your sister is going to notice us making out."

"Right now, I don't really care," Luke said, his voice low and full of desire. "Now hush. This is supposed to keep you quiet."

"Yes, sir." Their lips reconnected, and Luke pushed her pants down further so that the waistband rested at her mid-thigh. Since the blanket still covered them, if Liz looked over, she would likely see nothing except for them making out. Once more, Luke brought his fingers to her thigh; this time, his lips softened her moan so that it was barely audible. Satisfied, he tickled her inner thigh gently, allowing his fingers to slowly approach her underwear. Already, he could feel the heat of her arousal, and he felt an unexpected rush of desire. Feeling his erection beneath her, Lorelai smiled against his lips. "Ready again so soon?" she asked. He responded by using his left arm, which still rested around her waist, to pull her closer. His right hand had finally reached her underwear, and he slipped it beneath the garment, still tickling her skin gently. When he finally reached her throbbing sex, he inserted his finger slightly, toying with her. Her groan was muffled against his lips as she thrust her hips out, begging for more. Still, Luke left his finger where it was, feeling her frustration grow. Pulling her lips from his, she whispered forcefully, "For the love of God, Luke!" Slowly, he moved his finger farther inside, and she bucked against him again. For five minutes, he continued his agonizingly slow pace, pausing briefly once his finger was fully inside her before removing it again.

Lorelai felt her desire building like flood waters behind a dam. When he pulled his finger completely out of her, she felt empty, as if a piece of her was missing. She reached down and grabbed his wrist, encouraging him to continue, but he smiled wickedly and started to move his hand back to her thigh. "Lucas Patrick Danes, you better finish what you started," Lorelai scolded. Still wearing a smile which was completely out of character for him, he quickly moved his hand back and plunged his finger deep inside her. Luckily, he had covered her mouth with his at the same time, and he swallowed her scream. He began to pump his finger in and out, quickening his pace with ever stroke. A second finger soon joined the first followed quickly by a third. By this time, Lorelai knew she had reached the point of no return, and she was simply waiting for the dam to break. Sure enough, after a couple more strokes, she toppled over the edge. She thrust hard against his fingers as the waves of pleasure washed over her. He pressed is lips more tightly against hers, quieting her scream. Eventually, she relaxed against him, and he slowly extracted his fingers and helped her to wriggle back into her pants. With a final kiss, he pulled his lips away from hers, and she rested her forehead on his. "That was fun," she whispered. He burst out laughing, and Liz shot them a look. Quieting down a bit, he whispered back. "How much longer is this movie?" Lorelai glanced over her shoulder at the screen.

"I'd say about half an hour."

"Feel like some fresh air?"

"Sure. Come on." Lorelai stood up, and he followed her into the bedroom to grab his coats. "You might want to change," she suggested, glancing at the wet spot on his jeans.

"Right," Luke said, grabbing a new pair of jeans from a nearby drawer. They both cleaned up somewhat before leaving. Luke pulled on his heavy jacket and took Lorelai's hand. "We're going for a walk, Liz," he said, walking into the living room. "Rory and Jess are both asleep. Just listen for them."

"Okay," Liz agreed, still engrossed in the movie. Shaking his head, Luke led the way out of the apartment and onto the street. Since it was early December, the temperature outside was already below freezing, and a sparse amount of snow covered the ground. Even through her thick down jacket, Lorelai could feel the cold, biting wind, and she leaned closer to Luke for warmth. With no real destination in mind, they turned toward the center of town and began walking.

"So I started making a list of some things we need to do for the wedding," Lorelai said.

"Yeah, the wedding," Luke muttered.

"Try to contain your excitement," Lorelai remarked sarcastically, suddenly worried that he might not want to marry her anymore.

"I am excited, trust me," he assured her. "But I just don't know if April is going to work. I mean, the diner's still only a year old and it can still fail in the blink of an eye. And now Liz is having problems, and I just have a lot on my plate right no. April 14 just seems too close."

"It's four months away."

"But we haven't even started planning!"

"We could always. . . postpone the wedding," Lorelai suggested reluctantly. She already had her heart set on April 14, but she knew love was about compromising.

"Really?"

"Sure, if that would make it easier for you."

"It would be much easier! Thanks! You're the best." As he kissed her, Lorelai could not help but feel a little forlorn.

Liz still had not found a job by the following week. Luke was trying to help, but few people wanted to hire a seventeen-year-old high school dropout. Because it was nearing the holidays, the inn was especially busy, and Lorelai worked long hours to help Mia out. Since Luke also had his diner to run, the two rarely saw each other; when they did, the tension in the room was palpable, and a number of small, meaningless fights broke out. Both needed a way to release their pent-up sexual frustration, but it seemed they would have no way of doing this in the foreseeable future. They had tried once, but Kirk had wandered into the storage room to find Lorelai half-naked, Luke refused to come anywhere near her to ensure that the temptation would not be present.

One evening, Liz had gone out with a couple of her old friends from high school, leaving Jess with Luke and Lorelai. Luke was changing him while Lorelai rocked Rory to sleep. Luke soon joined her, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, each cradling a baby. When Rory was asleep, Lorelai left to put her in her crib and came back to find that Luke had also put Jess in his crib. Luke looked up at Lorelai when she returned before glancing back at Jess. "I was thinking about our wedding," he said without looking up. It took Lorelai a moment to realize that he was not talking to her.

"What about it?" she asked apprehensively.

"Why don't we wait until the end of next year. By then, the diner will be less crazy, Liz will hopefully be back on her feet, and Rory will be two."

"What if I don't want to wait until next year?"

Luke finally looked up at her. "You do want to get married, don't you?"

"Of course I do. But I want to get married soon. That's why I wanted to have the wedding in April. I don't want to wait a year."

"Why can't we? Things will have settled down by then, and we can devote more time to planning."

"I don't give a damn how much time we spend planning, Luke! Don't you get that? I just want to marry you, and I want it to be sooner rather than later!"

"What about what I want?" Luke's voice was steadily growing louder; Lorelai was surprised that neither Rory nor Jess had awakened yet.

"How about we don't plan at all? Then you wouldn't have to worry about your precious time!"

"What are you saying?"

"Let's elope!"

"What?"

"Let's elope. Right now. If you really want to marry me, you'll say yes." The room was silent for a few seconds, and Lorelai's heart sunk. She had thought she had found the perfect solution to their problem. Maybe Luke really did not want to marry her. "Fine. If that's what you want," she said, turning slowly around. She could no longer stand being in the same apartment with him; she would take Rory and go to the inn. Maybe Mia would let her stay in the potting shed again.

As Lorelai took a step forward, a voice behind her stopped her. "Wait!" Luke called.

"What?" Lorelai questioned irritably, refusing to turn and face him. Stepping up behind her, Luke grasped her shoulders and spun her around before bending his head to give her a passionate kiss. When they finally broke apart, he said, "But we should wait until Saturday to get married. We can leave tomorrow and drive anywhere you want."

"What is it with you and waiting?"

"Nothing. But Saturday is December 18."

"So?"

"So, what happened last year on December 18?"

Suddenly, Lorelai caught on. "Our first date."

"Exactly."

"Softy," Lorelai teased.

"I'll deny it if you tell anyone else."

"I wouldn't do that."

"Yes, you would."

"Okay, maybe I would. But not many people."

"I love you, Crazy Lady."

"I love you."

The next afternoon, Lorelai was rushing around the apartment finishing her last-minute packing while Luke gave Liz the instructions. "We'll be gone a week and a half. I also expect this apartment to be in the same condition it is now."

"You sound like you don't trust me."

"I'm just being cautious."

"Don't worry. We'll be fine."

Luke studied her for a few seconds before turning and calling to Lorelai. "Come on, let's go."

"I'm coming! Hold your horses." Lorelai emerged from the bedroom half-carrying, half-dragging two large suitcases.

"You don't need all of that," Luke told her.

"Sure I do. We'll be gone for a week and a half."

"It looks like you've packed everything you own."

"Not everything. Now come on! I thought you were anxious to get going." She trudged to the stairs, still dragging her suitcases, and Luke picked up his own duffel bag, Rory's car seat, and the diaper bag before following her.

"Bye, Liz!" he called.

"Bye. Have fun."

After dropping Rory off with Mia, Luke and Lorelai climbed back into his truck and began to head toward the interstate. "So, where are we going?" Luke asked.

"I heard Vegas is a great place for eloping," Lorelai suggested.

"We are not driving to Vegas."

"Well, we could at least head in that general direction. I'm sure we'll find some place to get married along the way."

"I guess."

Nine hours later, Lorelai was fast asleep against the door of the truck, and Luke was also having trouble keeping his eyes open. He pulled off at the next exit and soon found a small, but clean-looking, motel. After parking the car, he gently shook Lorelai awake. "Where are we?" she questioned groggily.

"Somewhere in Ohio, I think," Luke answered. "I found a motel where we can stay for the night."

"Okay." Lorelai blinked the sleep out of her eyes and followed him inside. After checking in and receiving his key, he grabbed their bags from the back of the truck and led the way to the room. The room was small; the only pieces of furniture it contained were a small dresser, a nightstand, a bed, a chair, and a television. However, both Luke and Lorelai were too tired to care about the room's sparse furnishings. Lorelai collapsed onto the bed fully clothed, and Luke only took time to divest himself of all his clothing except his boxers before emulating her example.

For once, Lorelai was the first one awake. Luke found her sitting on the windowsill, staring at nothing when he awoke at 8:00. Quietly, he crawled out of bed and padded to her side, wrapping his arms around her from behind. She jumped slightly before relaxing when she realized who it was. Leaning against him, she said, "We're getting married today."

"I know," he said. "Scared?"

"Not at all. You?"

"I'm perfectly calm."

"That's good." Lorelai continued to stare out the window, still lost in thought. She had watched enough movies to know that most brides experienced wedding day jitters, and she guessed that it would be normal if she felt scared. But she truly was not scared. Marriage to Luke felt right.

"Feel like breakfast?" Luke inquired.

"As long as it involves coffee."

"I think we can manage that."

After breakfast at a nearby café, they checked out of the motel and asked the desk clerk about nearby wedding chapels. The clerk did not even give them a second glance before providing directions to one a few miles away. They thanked him and left with Luke now carrying one of Lorelai's huge bags. "I told you we'd find somewhere along the way," Lorelai told Luke.

"I never doubted you," he said as he hefted her bags into the back of the truck.

"That's good. Because that's the first thing you're going to have to learn before we get married. I am always right."

"Duly noted. Let's go."

Half an hour later, they were still on the road. "I'm pretty sure that's the turn," Lorelai said, pointing.

"How sure are you really? Because that's what you said about the last three turns we took, and none of them were right," Luke grumbled.

"Just turn!"

"Fine." Luke swung the wheel to the right and continued down the narrow two-lane road which he had taken at Lorelai's urging. After a couple miles, Luke was ready to turn around and try again, but Lorelai shouted excitedly and pointed to a sign in front of them. It read "Love Shack" with an arrow pointing to the right.

"See, I was right!" Lorelai told him.

"I guess the fourth time's the charm." Luke turned onto a road even narrower than the one he had just left. Two cars could never fit on it side by side, and Luke drove cautiously, half expecting to run into someone at every turn. Finally, he reached a small wooden building with slightly yellowish white paint. The door was bright red, and two joined hearts had been stenciled on near the top. A few trees framed the building, giving it a slightly rustic atmosphere. Since no other cars were parked in the gravel lot, Luke assumed they were the chapels only customers.

A bell rang in the back when Luke opened the door, and a short, raven-haired woman in her mid-forties emerged from a door to one side. She wore brightly colored clothes and so much jewelry that she jangled as she walked. "Hello, dears!" she called. "How can I help you?"

"We wanted to get married," Luke explained.

"Well, they you've come to the right place! Take a seat, and I'll be back in a minute with the paperwork."

Luke sat down on a nearby sofa which was covered in fire-engine red fabric that matched the door. Lorelai sat beside him, and he took her hand between his. "Ready?"

"I wouldn't have said yes if I wasn't."

"Good."

It took more than an hour to finish all the paperwork. After Luke signed his name to the final sheet, the woman, who had introduced herself as Daisy, gathered all of the forms from them and began explaining the ceremony. "We have all the basics here—a tux, a dress, some flowers, etc. Also, we have an ordained minister to perform the ceremony. I will be your witness. Any questions?" When both shook their heads, Daisy clapped her hands together with excessive exuberance. "Good, then let's go get you dressed and get this show on the road."

Luke was standing at the front of the small chapel an hour later. Everything in the chapel appeared to have been painted the same white as the outside, but the color was less yellowish, and all the furniture items seemed to glow beneath the brilliant white paint. He fidgeted, trying to move his feet into a more comfortable position in his dress shoes. The largest shoe size the chapel had was a 12, and he typically wore a 13. Still, he managed to squeeze his feet into them. His tux was also too small, and he tugged at the collar in discomfort. The minister watched wearing a bemused expression, and Luke sheepishly stopped moving. He hoped Lorelai would be out soon; he was ready to finish the ceremony and start the honeymoon. Hopefully sans tux.

A noise at the back of the chapel caused Luke to turn his head, and he saw Lorelai standing in the doorway. In Luke's eyes, she was more beautiful than she had ever been. Unlike Luke's tux, her dress fit perfectly, hugging her curves and accenting her well-shaped body. Her hair was in a loose bun; it was not fancy, but it fit her. Her blue eyes were clearly visible even under the sheer veil which covered her face. Pre-recorded music began to flow from the speakers overhead, and Lorelai slowly walked toward Luke. She reached his side in no time, for the chapel was no more than twenty-five feet wide. When she stepped up to the alter beside him, Daisy cut the music off abruptly, but neither noticed the sudden silence, for they were both too focused on each other. Wearing a broad smile, Luke lifted Lorelai's veil, and both turned to face the minister. "We are gathered here today to join these two people, Lucas Patrick Danes and Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, in holy matrimony. If anyone has any objections to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace." He paused briefly and the nearly-empty chapel remained silent. "Let us proceed then. Do you have the rings?" From his pocket, Luke pulled two rings that they had picked out the previous day during their long drive. "Lucas Patrick Danes, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for as long as you both shall live."

"I do," Luke said, smiling confidently.

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Lorelai answered with a smile that matched Luke's.

"Luke, I want you to place the ring on Lorelai's finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Luke repeated, slipping the ring onto Lorelai's finger. It fit perfectly.

"Lorelai, I want you to place the other ring on Luke's finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed." As Lorelai placed the ring on his finger, Luke looked down at it. Although he had never worn jewelry before, the ring felt right on his hand. It seemed almost as if it had always been there.

"By the power vested in me by the state of Ohio, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Still wearing huge smiles, they leaned in toward each other.

"It's about time," Luke whispered against her lips before pulling her to him in a passionate kiss. After around a minute, he pulled back. "Where'd we decide to go for our honeymoon?" he asked.

"Anywhere with a comfortable bed and a lot of privacy sounds good to me," Lorelai said.

"That sounds perfect." With a smile, he grabbed her hand, and they both stepped down from the altar, ready to start their new life together.