Author's Note:

It's been a long long time! So long, in fact, that DeepFriedCake, the bestest beta ever, suggested that you all might need a little refresher on the original characters that were introduced in the story and are in the epilogue. You know, in case you don't want to go back and re-read all 41 previous chapters. Feel free to scroll on by if you don't need it. Also, there's a full author's note of the usual sort at the end of the chapter.

Original characters refresher:

Ed Tallman is an old friend of Luke's dad, whose farm outside of Stars Hollow is where Luke kept his truck while he was away for 5 years. Ed's daughter Carol and her husband Dave live there with him and manage the farm, their daughter Hannah was born about halfway through the timeline of the story, and Ed had a bit of romantic interest in Mia - you may recall a few hints.

Joe owns a bar on the outskirts of Hartford that Luke visits early in the story, he becomes a friend and also a source of restaurant advice. His wife Gail is a freelance graphic artist who Luke hires to help with the diner logos and such. Joe and Gail have three children that are named but not seen in the story— Katie, JJ, and Rose.

Hazel is a bartender at Joe's who was working on a PhD in Political Science when last we met her.

John is a customer and friend of Joe's, a Hartford divorce lawyer to whom Joe refers Luke. Luke hires John for his divorce from Rachel, Luke and John become friends, and John and Hazel begin dating about halfway through the timeline of the story. I made Mrs. Cassini from the original show John's aunt here in this story.

Alex(andra) is Christopher's love interest, they travel cross country together for Thanksgiving in the story. She works in tech/computers, comes from a wealthy NYC family, and clashed with Straub at the Gilmore Christmas party that takes place during the story. When last we met, she and Christopher were starting their own tech consultancy.

Michael is Rachel's post-divorce love interest — a journalist, author and teacher. When last we saw him he was based in NYC, living in the same apartment building as his ex-wife and two pre-teen daughters. As well, he co-owns a family farm a few towns over from Stars Hollow, where he and Rachel spent some time as well, during her visits back to Stars Hollow to see Robbie.

Carlos is Luke's first hire for the diner, a cook. By the end of the story he has moved to Stars Hollow, renting a room from Miss Patty, and Lorelai thinks they might be romantically involved. Toward the end of the story, I introduced Caesar from the original show as Carlos' teenaged nephew, applying for a job at the the diner.

Erin is Luke's second diner hire, a waitress, and she sometimes babysits for Robbie as well. She lives in Stars Hollow and attends college in Hartford where she studies computer science and psychology. Her mom Diane comes on board as a part time waitress as well, and Erin's brother Reed starts working at the diner as part of a high school internship program, with plans to attend community college for business then culinary school after that.

Melinda rounds out the diner workers we get to know. She is a trained chef, formerly of NYC, but when we meet her she has sold her restaurant and left the city to continue her recovery from cancer. Once she is officially in remission, she comes to work for Luke part time, while she explores local farms and contemplates her next steps.

Susan and Sharon rent the space next to the diner and run a flower store there. When Luke buys the building toward the end of the story, they become his tenants.

The star original character is of course Robbie — but I'm figuring if you don't remember who he is, you probably should go back and read… at least the first and second chapters. :-)

Chapter 42: Epilogue

Friday, August 25, 2000 (seven years later)

"Is it wrong that I find you sexiest when you're holding one of our babies?"

Luke shifted Sabrina slightly in his arms as she settled more deeply into sleep, her sweaty, curly head nestled against his chest. "Well no, since I know how much drool turns you on," he replied. He pulled out the chair next to him and Lorelai carefully lowered herself into it, balancing the dead weight of the sleeping five-year-old she carried.

"If it's drool on a white shirt open at the collar, sleeves rolled up, and you have an end of summer tan… hold me back!" Lorelai winked and smiled.

Luke bent down to lightly kiss Sabrina's forehead. "She's not much of a baby anymore."

Lorelai made a slightly pouty face. "She'll always be our baby, she's the youngest."

Luke nodded. "And yet – starting pre-K the week after next."

Lorelai pushed a shock of Sam's thick chestnut brown hair off his equally sweaty forehead. "And this one's starting kindergarten. How is that even possible?"

He shook his head, looking at her fondly. "I have no idea."

"Makes me sad," she said softly, locking eyes with him.

"No sadness, not today. Today is one hundred percent happy, introducing your newest baby to the world."

"Yeah," Lorelai sighed, a smile gracing her lips. She looked around at the throngs of guests, some seated under the tent like themselves, others clustered in small groups on the lawn, still others enjoying the shade of the porch on this late summer afternoon. "The Dragonfly… My baby. Sookie's and my baby." She turned to back to Luke. "You're not jealous of me making a baby with someone else are you?"

"Not at all. But let's stop calling it a baby, please."

"You did it first."

"The party is going really well," Luke said, changing the subject with practiced ease.

Lorelai smiled. "Isn't it? Even Mom is happy."

Luke scanned the cocktail party, now in full swing. Just a handful of family and friends had been invited to stay in the Inn itself for the trial run weekend, but Emily had convinced Lorelai and Sookie to hold one larger party, with potential event clients from Hartford, New York and Boston, as well as members of the travel and society press, as the guests. So although the rest of the day's meals had been kept simple – breakfast buffet, box lunches, and a light, late supper – Sookie and her team had gone all out on perfect canapés and stunning buffets and food stations. Emily had vetted high-end bartending agencies and somehow convinced the winning candidate to create a signature drink, The Dragonfly, for the event. It was beautiful – somehow layering blue and purple liquors - but Luke hadn't been able to bring himself to actually taste one. He reached instead for the glass of beer in front of him and took a long satisfying drink.

"You want a drink?" He asked Lorelai, signaling to a passing waiter.

"Just some water. I'm trying to pace myself. Not good to get plastered on opening night."

"Yes, better to wait for tomorrow, when it's just the fun people left."

"Damn straight," Lorelai agreed. She looked down at Sam again. "Should we bring these two up to an air-conditioned room and get someone to watch them?"

"Lorelai," Mia said, approaching their table. "SOS from Sookie, something about a catering crisis."

Lorelai laughed. "She should know better than to ask me about the food."

"I think it's about trays or timing or something… here let me take this little guy." She sat down next to Lorelai and reached out for Sam.

"Not so little anymore," Lorelai said. "Can you manage?"

Mia scoffed. "Of course. Super granny."

They made the transfer with Sam barely stirring. Lorelai stood, giving Sabrina's leg a soft squeeze and pressing a brief kiss to Luke's lips. "Later, babe."

"So," Mia said, turning to look at Luke once she had Sam's weight more comfortably settled in her lap. "Why am I not surprised to find you sitting apart from the crowd, watching everyone?"

Luke smiled. "Always my preferred way to party. I've perfected it over the years. And besides, I'm never alone for long. Someone always comes along to say hello, and then I actually get to have a real conversation. Win-win."

Mia nodded. "Excellent point. So let's talk."

"Let's," agreed Luke.

"Fill me in on the kids. All the details that go missing from emails and phone calls."

Luke chuckled. "Where do I begin?"

"Start with this guy. Is he excited for kindergarten?"

Luke shrugged. "A little, maybe? You know he takes everything but sports in his stride, never getting too fussed up."

"So he's more excited that soccer is starting again?"

"Exactly. Our little jock."

"He was the standout in the four year old league. I have the picture of him with his enormous trophy to prove it."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Don't get me started on the trophies and the parents and the way all sports are in leagues nowadays…"

"I won't…" Mia attempted to forestall the rant.

"I mean, we never had organized leagues until middle school, fifth grade at the earliest. What happened to the days of just running around, exploring — spontaneous games where we spent half the time arguing about the rules?"

Mia smiled. "I remember, with my boys. And I agree."

Luke sighed. "Anyway, he loves it all. Soccer, basketball, baseball. And it seems as long as he gets his quota of running around each day, he's able to focus on other stuff, so hopefully he'll do okay in school."

"And Sabrina? All ready for pre-K?"

"She was, until yesterday." Luke smiled. "While we were all running around here like crazy people getting the place ready, she broke into her new crayons and colored pencils and wore them all down to the nubs."

Mia laughed. "Artistic frenzy?"

"Yeah – she drew about 30 pictures, I want to say. Sat quietly in the corner of the dining room, never bothered anybody, never asked for anything. Everyone who checked in, she said she was fine." He chuckled. "At least Rory's excited we get to go back to the stationery store."

Mia looked thoughtful. "It's good though, that she's able to cope with the hectic environment on her own, now."

"That's true. We worry about her tendency to disappear into her own world, but it isn't actually a bad strategy when things get crazy."

Sabrina had been what the baby books called a 'jumpy baby' from the start. Every little noise, every movement had startled her. Lots of tears, not a lot of sleep. Learning to soothe her had taken every ounce of energy and patience Luke and Lorelai had been able to summon, and her first few months were probably the most difficult time they'd experienced as a family.

"Does Robbie still keep a watchful eye on her?" Mia asked.

"Oh yeah," Luke said. "Thank God."

"I'll never forget my first visit back here after she was born. He was just enthralled with her, and she with him."

"I know. Lorelai says it was some psychic bond because of him having colic."

Mia smiled. "I remember her saying that. Could be."

"It was funny, after all my anxiety when Sam was coming – about colic, about postpartum depression – and he was just the easiest baby ever. Slept, ate, smiled, pooped, slept some more… So then with Sabrina we got complacent and… boom."

"You all came through it though," Mia observed.

"We did," Luke agreed. "It can still be a struggle to get her to sleep. And she still wakes up one or two nights a week. But her days are good. We have to pull her out of her dreamworld from time to time, but she copes amazingly well with our hectic household."

"Speaking of hectic, how are you coping with such a…" Mia began to ask, but was interrupted by Rory and Jess arriving at their table.

"Can we hide out with you for a while?" Rory asked, flopping dramatically into the seat between Luke and Mia and mopping her brow with a flourish. Jess slid into the seat on the other side of Mia, giving her a shy smile, and handing Rory one of the two iced teas he carried.

"Sure," Luke said. "Who are you avoiding?"

Rory rolled her eyes. "Mom."

Luke smiled. "She's still taking the 'right-hand woman' thing dead seriously?"

Rory rolled her eyes again and she took a long sip of tea. "Yes! Somehow I thought once the party actually began she'd ease up, but every time I try and talk to someone, or sit down for a second, she gives me something else to do."

Mia reached across to pat her arm. "Well, rest up for a while, we'll try not to draw any attention to you."

"Thank you."

"How are you holding up, Jess?" Luke asked.

"I'm good. Just tired of talking to people, being asked how much I've grown."

"How much have you grown, Jess?" Mia asked, keeping a straight face.

He rolled his eyes as Rory giggled.

"So, you two, tell me about school. All set for year number two at Chilton?"

Jess grimaced. "Oh yeah. Can't wait to get back into a tie when it's still 90 degrees out and no air conditioning in the school."

Luke smiled. Jess's grumbling about wearing a tie, and the whole Chilton uniform, was so constant last year as to become background music. But in spite of his chafing against the wealthy trappings and private school traditions, Luke knew that Jess was reasonably happy. It had taken some doing. Jess had been content to coast along in the Stars Hollow school system from fifth to ninth grade, doing well with not much effort, happy to have lots of free time for his own reading. But when Rory hit eighth grade and began to express an interest in attending one of the elite private schools, Luke wondered if Jess wouldn't benefit from a more challenging environment too. Liz's response was typically laissez-faire, compounded by her preoccupation with the unlikely new man in her life, a former classmate from Stars Hollow High. George was a quintessential but very nice nerd who had gone on to Harvard, then MIT, and now taught physics at Yale.

Luke raised the Jess idea to Lorelai, and they made sure he came along on the school tours. Jess rolled his eyes and refused to answer, or ask, any questions of their eager guides, but more than once Luke caught him reading through the brochures. As Rory began filling out applications, she pressed Jess to do the same; he finally gave in and submitted one only. To Chilton.

When Luke asked him why, his answer was typically succinct. "They have a literary magazine, and it's open to sophomores."

They both got in, and enrolled. It had been a rocky first year, as two shy yet smart kids found their footing among peers who had not only been raised very differently from Rory and especially Jess, but who had also been in school with each other for years. But they found their way, separately and together. Lorelai was tireless in helping them adjust academically. Quizzing them on facts for tests, proofreading their papers, helping them brainstorm on projects. Luke found himself a little intimidated but mostly impressed by her book smarts, something she had downplayed even as she completed her business degree at Hartford Community College.

Out of his depth academically, he supported Jess and Rory the best ways he knew how, by feeding them nutritious meals and pushing them to get enough sleep, and by the pride he took in their athletic activities. In addition to Rory joining the newspaper and Jess the literary journal, they each selected a sport as well. Jess, who'd been running with Luke a few times a week through his middle school years, joined the cross country team, and got talked into winter and spring track as well. Rory had played soccer in the Stars Hollow town program all through middle school, but found even the tryouts for Chilton's JV team too intense for the middle-of-the-road player she had always been, and took herself out of the running. But in her freshman phys ed rotation, in archery of all things, a star was born. Somehow the combination of focus, steadiness, and accuracy was a perfect match for her personality and abilities, and she had scored number two among freshman at the private school league championships.

He tuned back into the kids' quiet conversation with Mia. "Any crushes for you two?" Mia was asking.

Jess blushed and Rory was quick to jump on it. "Jess' crush graduated," she said.

"Shut up," he grunted.

Luke gave him a quelling book, while saying lightly, "A senior, eh?"

"His editor. They had a true meeting of the minds, if not hearts."

"I said…" Jess started, then sighed. "Better a crush on a smart person than on an idiot like Tristan."

"Tristan?" Luke asked.

"You can think a person's good-looking and still know he's an idiot," Rory pointed out reasonably.

"So you do think he's cute," Jess said, in a simpering voice.

"Shut up," Rory said, but without much heat.

Luke felt Sabrina shift in his arms, distracting him from gleaning any further information from Rory and Jess's ribbing of each other.

"Someone's eyes are opening," Mia said softly.

"That's good, actually," Luke said at a normal volume. "If they nap for too much longer, this late, we'll never get them to sleep tonight." He bent down to press a kiss to Sabrina's forehead.

She sat up straight on his lap and looked around, gathering her bearings. She turned to look up at Luke. "Hi Daddy." She turned to Rory and reached out her arms to her. "Rory will you take me to the bathroom?"

Rory smirked. "Your wish is my command, Little Dictator. Or should I say Mini-Mom?"

Luke gently eased Sabrina off his lap and watched her and Rory walk towards the Inn hand-in-hand. He turned to Sam, rubbing his finger gently along his younger son's cheek.

"Still out?" Mia asked.

"Yup. I'll let him go little longer – he only conked out about 20 minutes ago."

Jess stood up, pulling a worn paperback from his back pocket. He caught Luke's eye. "Okay if I go read for a while?"

"Of course," Luke said.

Quiet reigned for a moment. Both Luke and Mia scanned the crowd.

"Where's Robbie?" Mia asked. "I've barely seen him."

"He's been with Rachel all day, taking pictures," Luke said. "There he is – over by the food tables."

Robbie stood with Rachel and Michael in a line waiting for their turn at the seafood station.

"My, he's gotten tall. I hardly recognize him."

"Yup. This has been the year for him – I think he's up three inches from this time last year."

"Has he had a good summer?"

"He loved the summer. Basically apprenticed himself to Tom and the renovation. He's so fascinated by all things building, we had to get him his own construction helmet."

Mia smiled.

"And he takes pictures of everything. Rachel taught him last spring how to develop pictures the old-fashioned way, so now we have a dark room in the basement."

"Your hands-on learner."

"Yup."

"So, school this year?"

Luke sighed. "It's got to be better than last year."

Robbie had had a bumpy entry to Stars Hollow Middle School. Identified back at the end of kindergarten as a student who learned best by doing, they had worked hard to get him placed with teachers who ran activity-based lessons, understood multi-sensory approaches, and didn't insist exclusively on pencil and paper and question and answer lessons. For fourth and fifth grade, he was accepted into a program within the school that put two grades together in a highly student-centered, project-based curriculum with portfolio grading. Robbie had thrived, having his happiest and most satisfying two years of school yet. He built and experimented, then recorded and videotaped his reports in addition to writing.

But there was no equivalent program in middle school, and it had been tough readjusting to more structured teaching and homework. Tears and frustration ruled their evenings. Lorelai had really pushed Luke to understand that Robbie's behavior, his resistance to homework, wasn't just a matter of will. She made him observe Robbie try to do sheets the normal way. Luke would watch his son attempt to focus, then inevitably turn to a blank piece of paper, to sketch out the answer to a grammar problem or math exercise, making sense of it for himself. Luke got it, eventually, and some of Robbie's teachers got it — but some didn't.

"Are you still looking at alternative schools?"

"No, we stopped. The only one that really would work for him, curriculum wise, is on the far side of Hartford. We just didn't think it was worth the commute, for us and for him. Better that he put in his 6 hours 20 minutes here, and have all the outside of school time for his own projects and activities."

"Sounds smart."

"Plus we worked with his guidance counselor to pick the best team of teachers for him for the upcoming year. Ones that do at least some active stuff, give some choices."

"And how is he otherwise?"

Luke smiled. "How he's always been — sweet, curious, focused when it's what he wants. He doesn't seem to have internalized any of the school stuff as thinking he's stupid. I mean not after that third-grade crisis. He gets frustrated, but mostly with typical schoolwork just not fitting him."

"And socially?"

"Oh, he loves the other kids. And they love him. You should have seen his little league team. What a great group of guys."

"You coached?"

"Assistant. It's funny – I can already tell Sam is gonna be a true athlete. He's only five, and he already cares most about how to hit the ball far, how to score baskets… Robbie just likes being part of the team, working together, having fun."

"He's fine then."

"I think so. I worry."

"Of course you do."

"Lorelai calls him our swing kid."

"How so?"

"Because he's in the middle, sometimes swinging toward the older two, sometimes the younger two. Rory and Jess are a pair, especially with Jess living full-time with us now that Liz moved to New Haven, and with the two of them commuting together to a separate school. And even though Robbie's closer to them in age, that three-year gap is bigger sometimes than others. Like now — 12 to 15 is big."

"And the gap between him and Sam and Sabrina is even bigger."

"Yeah – seven years is a lot. But he aligns with them some of the time too. But mostly he's kind of on his own."

"But you and him, you still spend time just the two of you?"

"We do. He's my fishing buddy, my fix-it buddy. And we talk. He tells me everything, so far. I hope it lasts."

"It will and it won't."

Luke frowned. "It's hard to imagine him closing down as much as Jess can."

"Oh, I don't think he will. He's a different kid, you're a different parent, and your relationship is so much closer than Liz and Jess'.

"That's true."

"It'll be more like Lorelai and Rory I think. They're still so close, even through the dreaded early teen years."

Luke smiled. "You're right. But last year was hard on them. Rory further away, and more immersed than ever in that world Lorelai rejected."

"Change comes, even to Stars Hollow."

"Speaking of change, have you been to see the Independence yet?"

Mia sighed. "You mean the Stars Hollow Cooking Academy? I have. I drove over there yesterday afternoon."

"I haven't had a chance to get over there in ages – too busy here. How's it looking?"

"Like... a very busy construction site. And not very much like a cooking school."

"Yeah, Tom was telling me the builders have fallen a little behind schedule – now that he's done here, they may subcontract the interiors on the original Inn to him, while they focus on the new buildings."

Mia made a face.

"What?"

"I found the two new buildings so jarring. They make the whole compound look ugly."

Luke nodded. "They'll fix that, make them fit in by how they finish the exteriors. And they're far enough in back of the main building that there will be plenty of room to screen them with the landscaping. I know that Melinda and her board want to preserve the historic look of the Inn and its grounds."

Mia looked skeptical.

"Any regrets?" Luke asked her.

"Of selling? No," she said firmly. "It was the right decision. I had good offers. The money was so much more appealing than starting over with a new executive manager and chef. It was hard letting people go, but the amount I got from selling to Melinda and the board allowed me to give people really good severance." She paused, thinking. "And, thank God, discovering the degraded wiring when they were redoing the kitchen… I shudder to think of what could've happened."

Luke nodded. "Yeah…"

Mia sat up straight. "No – this is all for the best. I get to spend as many months as I want in California, Lorelai and Sookie get their dream inn and don't have to worry about competition from new owners of the Independence … and the Stars Hollow Cooking Academy can take its place in your and Melinda's master plan to make Stars Hollow the restaurant mecca of Connecticut."

"Ah, so you've uncovered our conspiracy."

"Oh yes. I spoke to Taylor. He was fretting about the vagaries of the restaurant business, that you are putting the Stars Hollow economy at risk."

"Yes," Luke said dryly. "So much better to base our future on the market for collectible plates."

"I think he's more worried that with you as the inaugural head of the Stars Hollow Restaurant Association, and with the number of restaurants growing, that you'll be more powerful than him."

"All part of my evil plan."

Mia smiled. "But you're not worried…"

"About?"

"Competition for the diner, or for the restaurant here at the Dragonfly?"

"No – the diner is doing great."

"Even with the expansion?"

"Even with."

Three years ago, ready to retire, Susan and Sharon had sold their name and business to a flower shop from Woodbridge looking to run a bigger operation on the outskirts of Stars Hollow. Melinda had convinced him to expand the diner rather than use the new space for his dream of a small Italian place. Instead, they were planning the Italian restaurant together, in a larger building across the square. It was their favorite downtime occupation, spending hours thinking of ideas for dishes and formats, for combining Italian family style dining with American sensibilities. Now, with Reed's imminent return from Europe, they were ready to get serious. Luke and Melinda had arranged for him to spend a year in Tuscany with the Rossi's, and a second year apprenticing in coastal cities in Italy, Greece, Tunisia and Spain, learning about Mediterranean fare more broadly. Luke smiled to himself. They really did have a master plan, now that he thought about it.

He returned his focus to Mia's question. "The Dragonfly will be fine – Lorelai's been working on PR - she's scored two separate profiles on Sookie's 'return' with her own vision. And you know the only way Melinda got me to agree to be the Restaurant Association leader is to make sure the growth is slow and natural. We're making sure to balance any new high-end type restaurants, and even medium-end ones, with less expensive, no-reservation options."

Mia nodded.

"Also, Lorelai is brilliant and proposed four seasonal food festivals to Taylor – you know nothing makes him happier than filling up each weekend with useless events."

"The man does love his festivals," Mia agreed. "Who would've thought – sleepy little Stars Hollow, becoming a food destination."

"A carefully controlled food destination," Luke reiterated.

"Hmm. Maybe I should invest some of the money I made from the sale of the Inn back into the cooking school. Or your new restaurant."

"The restaurant business is pretty risky," Luke cautioned.

"My retirement is fully funded, as long as I only live to be a hundred and five," she said with a smile. "I've got a little extra to place on a good bet. I'm really impressed with what you all are planning here."

Luke placed his hand over hers and gave it a squeeze. "Well good then – anything extra that keeps you tied back here is good for us. Makes sure you come back to check on your investments."

"The only 'investment' it will ever take to get me back here are you and Lorelai and Liz, and Carol and Dave and all the kids... and everyone in my East Coast family."

Luke smiled. It had been hard to have Mia away for months at a time. But her times back in Stars Hollow were always sweet.

"Ah, and there's your partner in crime herself," Mia said.

Luke looked over and nodded to Melinda, who was making her way through the party goers toward Lorelai. Melinda flashed him a smile.

"She looks good," Mia said.

"She does. She is."

It had taken a long time for Luke to stop worrying about Melinda's health, but with each passing year of remission, and with each annual check-up in New York coming up clear, he relaxed a little. He was thankful every day for her recovery, and for her existence as his partner. She continued to cook Sunday brunch plus dinner two nights a week at the diner, even as her other projects grew. Two cookbooks with a focus on the health benefits of cooking with local ingredients, her work with him to create the restaurant association, and now founding and heading the cooking school. They spent some time almost every day bouncing ideas off of each other. She was wise and thoughtful, and full of a quiet energy and optimism that shored him up when things seemed hard.

Melinda caught his eye again and frowned at him questioningly, shaking him out of his reverie and making him smile wryly. She smiled back and turned to chat with some reporters.

Robbie plopped himself down in a chair across the table from Mia and Luke.

"Robbie!" Mia greeted him with a broad smile.

"Hi Mia. Hi Dad. Hi squirt," he said, looking at Sam.

"Don't call me squirt," Sam said sleepily.

Robbie focused on his plate, peeling shrimp after shrimp and chowing down.

"Slow down buddy," Luke said.

Robbie shook his head, still chewing. "Can't. We wanna play croquet before it gets dark, I promised I'd get it set up with Jess." He finished his last shrimp then wiped his hands on a napkin and took a couple of gulps of water, looking around as he did. His eyes lit up. "Joe and Gail got here! JJ and Katie and Rose will want to play. Gotta go." And he was gone, running towards Joe and Gail and their three kids. Luke looked over and waved, then saw that Dave and Carol had also arrived with their brood of three blonde girls, Ed bringing up the rear, looking around him in wonder.

"Ed's here," he said to Mia.

"I see," she said calmly. She waved, and Ed waved back and headed over. Luke stood up to greet him with a handshake, surprised when Ed then pulled him into a backslapping hug.

Luke gave him an appraising look. "You look damn good Ed, about twenty times better than when you left last winter. Good to see you."

"Good to see you too Luke."

Luke glanced at Mia, who was grinning. "Good job, Mia, fattening him up."

"Who're you calling fat?" Ed growled.

"Don't worry Ed, you're a wiry old thing, always will be. But you were looking downright gaunt before you left."

Ed had caught a cold last Christmas, which turned into a case of pneumonia that in rapid succession had him bedridden and then hospitalized for over three weeks. It had been quite a scare for Carol and Dave and the rest of the family. Mia had flown back from California, having spent the holidays there, and stayed by his side through the whole process. Once he had turned a corner medically, their sometimes long distance relationship had too, and she was finally able to convince him to come out to California with her to recover fully. Carol and Luke had shaken their heads several times over the fact that Ed sounded so content there after decades of never leaving Connecticut.

"Good to have you back, Ed. Think you'll stay for a while?"

Ed reached over and covered Mia's hand with his own. "Yes. We'll be here all fall, through Thanksgiving, then head back to Santa Barbara for Christmas with Mia's boys and their families, and spend the winter there."

Luke raised his eyebrows but then smiled.

Ed looked at Mia. "No more time apart, not anymore," he said softly.

Mia looked down but smiled. Pleased. Luke was pleased as well, and looked forward to comparing notes on the news with Lorelai.

"I wanna play croquet," a now wide-awake Sam declared.

Luke stood up as Sam hopped off of Mia's lap. "Bathroom first, buddy, then we'll find Robbie and the gang." He rested his hand on Mia's shoulder briefly. "Ed, Mia, do you have everything you need?"

"Oh we're fine Luke. I think we'll try that seafood buffet now."

A while later, having dropped Sam off at the croquet game and chatted for a bit with Joe and Gail and Carol and Dave, Luke headed back toward the inn. He spied John, Hazel and their infant son Charlie as he approached the porch. Just as he opened his mouth to say hello, Lorelai's voice rang out. "Next and last official tour leaving in five minutes!"

"I want to go on that!" Hazel declared, stepping away from the group she and John had been speaking with.

John glanced down at his sleeping son. "I'm sure Luke can take us around later."

"Nope, I want the official tour, from the owner," Hazel replied. "No offense, Luke."

"None taken," he said with a smile. "Let me take Charlie, then you can both go."

John objected. "You don't need to do that."

"Go. Enjoy a whole 20 twenty minutes with no kid. We'll be right in there when you get back," Luke said, gesturing toward the Inn's living room.

Hazel didn't wait for John to agree, she just started unbuckling the baby carrier from her chest to transfer it to Luke. She dropped a quick kiss to her son's head before taking John's arm as he did the same. "Thanks Luke!" she said, heading into the lobby to join the group gathering around Lorelai.

Luke adjusted the shoulder straps and ran his hand over Charlie's back, making sure he stayed settled, while looking around the lobby and sitting room to make sure all was well. He lowered himself carefully onto a couch in a quiet corner, shifting a bit to make both himself and Charlie comfortable, and then took a relaxing breath, closing his eyes briefly.

A quiet voice interrupted him. "There's a sight for sore eyes."

Luke opened his eyes to find Alex sitting down on the opposite corner of the couch.

"Me?" he asked, watching as she leaned down to slip her heels off then tuck her bare feet under her.

"Quiet person. Sleeping baby. Perfect."

Luke nodded. Alex and he often ended up sitting together towards the end of various Gilmore/Hayden gatherings, both of them tiring much more quickly from socializing than their respective extroverted spouses.

Alex closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "This couch is awesomely comfortable."

"It is," Luke agreed.

Alex settled even more deeply into the cushions and looked around the library. "Lorelai's got the magic touch, doesn't she?"

"How so?"

"Perfect blend of comfort and homeyness, with just enough elegant touches to make it feel special."

Luke nodded. "I agree."

"How does Emily like it?"

"She's pretty happy with it. Not many criticisms."

Alex smiled. "I would not have put money on that outcome, so I'm glad to hear it."

"You and me both. Relative peace in the kingdom is a good thing."

"I'll bet."

"How about you and Straub?" Luke asked.

"We're doing okay. We're currently in one of our quiet periods."

"Think he'll ever forgive you for standing up to him?"

"Not really. Detente at best, even after we did it all right and got married in style. He's a stubborn, stubborn man."

"True. I'm glad I've had next to nothing to do with him over the years."

"Yeah. Well, if there's anyone he hates more than me, it's Lorelai."

Luke chuckled at Alex's typical bluntness. "Eh, let's not talk about Straub. Not worth the breath."

"Agreed."

They were quiet for a moment, as Charlie began to shift against Luke's chest. He soon settled back into sleep, and the two adults breathed a sigh of relief.

Alex smiled. "No matter how awesome kids are, you don't want them to wake up."

Luke nodded. "True."

"How are you getting along with Emily and Richard, these days?"

"Oh, we're doing fine."

"Yeah?"

"For the most part. They're so happy to spend time with the kids, it makes it a lot easier for Lorelai and I to put up with the small annoyances."

"Will Emily still babysit Sabrina, now that she's starting pre-school?"

"She will. We've only got Sabrina in school for the mornings for now, so Emily will still spend Wednesday afternoons here. And somehow they're willing to have them all for a weekend once a month, which has always amazed me."

Alex smirked. "Even with broken treasures?"

Luke shrugged, "There've only been two major breakages all these years — also amazing."

"Rory and Jess still stay too?"

"Sometimes. If they're at Chilton for after-school stuff on that Friday, they come over to the mansion for the dinner and drop-off — sometimes they stay over to Saturday, sometimes not."

"So that all sounds good."

"It is."

Alex nudged him with her foot.

"What?" Luke asked.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing, it's just…."

"What?"

Luke sighed, gathering his thoughts. "We have four kids, "Luke said. "Five if you count Jess, which we do."

Alex nodded.

"Normally, if I didn't have in-laws richer than God, I'm sure I'd be up at night, trying to figure out how to pay for college for all of them." He paused. "And I should feel grateful, that I don't have to worry. Richard and Emily have set up trust funds for their college. Even for Jess." He shook his head in wonder.

"Wow, they did?" Alex asked. "I don't think I knew that."

"Yeah. The same time that they set up Robbie's."

Luke shook his head, remembering how touched he had been when they had given him and Lorelai copies of the papers. "And, that made me so happy, and I understood what that meant, on a deeper level. The acceptance that showed, of a child not of their blood, and of Jess, a child that was not even mine. That they loved and accepted me, and all of the kids, and the blended family that Lorelai and I've created."

"They really do love them. And you," Alex noted.

"I know. And most of the time I am so grateful, and relieved, that my kids' futures, whatever they choose, are set, and paid for." He sighed, rubbing his hand absently over Charlie's back. "But sometimes…"

"Sometimes?" Alex prompted.

"Sometimes I feel guilty. And even a little… resentful. That I'm not enough, that they've taken over that core parenting responsibility from me, from us, to pay for our kids' schooling."

"Do you pay for Chilton? I mean half – I know Chris pays half."

Luke shook his head. "They pay the other half. Mostly we agreed to that so we could help Liz pay for Jess. I mean, he could have gotten some financial aid, but we felt like, why take that away from some other kid, some other family in genuine need."

Alex nodded.

"Anyway – I just sometimes, even now, get a little overwhelmed at the kind of wealth they have, their home, that whole world… It still scares me, the influence that world can have, could have on the kids. I even …. say sort of a little prayer, when I watch Rory and Jess get on the bus each morning. And mind you, I'm not a religious guy."

Alex smiled. "What do you pray for?"

"I pray for them to be safe. Not just physically, but safe from all the other kids. The bullying, the jockeying for status."

"But see, the real protection is that they're taking the bus in the first place."

Luke looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, the fact that they take the bus every day is protective – it's not privileged. You trust them to be independent, to deal with any teasing they might get for not being dropped off by a chauffeur, not driving a BMW. You and Lorelai work hard, and have younger kids to look after, and don't need to organize your lives around driving them to school in luxury. So they carry that with them, and your home and its values, and this town and its values, and that protects them. It makes them strong, and more sure of who they are and where they come from, and that allows them to have confidence, to stand up for themselves if they need to. To not seek the constant approval of the richest kids, the most popular kids."

Luke nodded. "That makes sense. I hadn't thought of it that way."

Alex smiled. "Of course you haven't. You take for granted the hundreds of little things you do to make sure your kids are grounded, and value hard work. This is their world, their roots. Not Emily and Richard's world. And not Chris's and mine, when we take them on vacation, or have them to stay. Or even Rachel and Michael's, when they're with them. We all contribute, but you and Lorelai are the solid base. The day to day."

Luke nodded slowly, pondering what she was saying.

"And what you said, about paying for Jess even though he could get financial aid– that's my approach to philanthropy, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I have the same impulse as Richard and Emily – I'd love to set up trust funds for all of our nieces and nephews. But they already have them. From their own parents and from mine. My money, Chris's and my money, just isn't needed. So, I think about where it is needed, about kids who don't have rich parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles and trust funds, and I give the money to them instead. I give to financial aid at my prep school and MIT, and to computer science scholarships for women at Stanford and UCSF and the local community colleges. And the United Negro College fund."

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste," Luke murmured.

"Exactly." She paused. "I mean, I'm not saying you have to do all that, or any of that. What you're doing now, investing your money in your businesses, building up the economy of this town, and the surrounding farms, is probably even better. I don't know, maybe I'm just being driven by guilt, but, it works for me."

"No I see what you're saying."

"I just – I think about what I have, and I think about if there's a way to help others to have it too."

"No, I like that. I like the idea of helping other Lizzes and Jesses out there. In New York, Hartford." He thought for another minute. "Or Carloses and Caesars. Maybe we should set up some scholarships at the cooking school, for people who wouldn't normally have access to chef training."

"There's a thing now — organizations that help kids like that — kids not just without money but without the family background and middle-class support system. Kids who are smart and can do well at their schools. Programs that don't just help them get in, but also help them manage things once they're there, so they don't drop out again. My main one is computer training, trying to get more women, more minorities into that. I want company."

"Erin's not enough?"

Alex chuckled. "I need at least a dozen more, just like her. She's the best. Best hire I've ever made."

Luke smiled. "Me too. Before you lured her out to California."

"She's on track to become our COO eventually."

"COO?"

"Chief Operating Officer. All the logistics – finances, acquisitions, human resources — keeps everything running smoothly. She's like a perfect blend of me and Chris. She has the computing skills, really gets what the geeks do, what they need and want, but also gets the people side. How to find and train and keep great people, how to make sure new ideas get heard and into development."

"Wow."

"Yeah, she's something special."

Luke nodded. "I know from Diane that she was pretty miserable after she and Julie broke up."

"She was, though she hid it pretty well. We took her out for drinks one night though, got her to spill. The long-distance relationship thing, always tough."

Luke nodded. "I know."

"Right. God, sometimes I forget you and Rachel were ever married, it seems so long ago."

"Yup."

"Anyway, there's a new girlfriend, Tricia. She works in tech also. And wants to eventually come back to the East Coast too."

"Too?"

"Like Erin. Like us."

"You? I thought you and Chris were firmly west coasters. When we've come out there, you've seemed so settled."

"We are. We have been. I mean, we love California. But the east coast is home, and family. And the way tech is going, we'd like to help bring it more places. Silicon Valley is already getting a little crowded, you know?"

"Well I don't, but I'll take your word for it."

Alex smiled. "Anyway, we're looking at moving our home base back here, over the next few years. Leave some folks out in California to keep a presence there, but spread out in other cities is as well. Be in on the early stages of tech in Boston, New York…"

"Sounds good to me. And Erin wants to be back here too?"

"She does." Alex reached out to stroke baby Charlie's sock-clad foot. "This town… It has a magical pull. Or hold. Or something."

"It does."

"Remember that first Thanksgiving at the diner? When we all hung out?" Alex asked.

"Of course."

"God, I was so nervous."

"You were? You seemed so… poised."

"I was terrified. Chasing after this guy I barely knew. A guy with an ex and a daughter and a lot of other baggage. Peter Pan type baggage. But I already loved him, God help me. And I ditched my family and drove to Connecticut into this beautiful little town and found your diner and… I felt so welcome. Immediately welcomed. Especially after, when we all hung out. I… love that."

"Me too. Always my favorite part of any gathering – the after-party."

"Yes. And I'm so glad we've kept up the tradition."

Luke nodded in agreement. "I'm amazed that we don't lose people every each year, especially with all the marriages since then."

"I know. Every year I think Hazel will drag John to Wisconsin."

"Nah – they go for Christmas. I'm surprised your family tolerates it."

"Oh, they're good. Just as happy to see us the next day."

"I think George may take Liz to his parents' for part of the day this year, but they're right here in town so I think we'll still see them."

"I love him, by the way. One of my people."

"Your people?"

"Total nerd."

Luke laughed.

Alex smiled. "He really is. Not just the physics part, but the Renaissance Fair circuit…"

Luke rolled his eyes.

"Him and Liz must have spent half an hour filling me in on their summer adventures."

Luke shook his head. "I shouldn't be surprised he dragged her into that world with him."

"Match made in heaven."

"It is. Would never have predicted that."

"He seems like a good guy."

"He is. He had a huge crush on her in high school. And part of him seems to still not believe he's gotten her."

"He treats her that way," Alex said.

"He does… Like he can't believe his good fortune."

"Not a bad quality in a guy."

"I agree. She went out with a lot of guys who never came even close to treating her well." Luke looked thoughtful.

"It's nice to see her so happy too. She's moved to New Haven?"

"Yes. She has a little shop, just off campus, full of jewelry the college kids seem to love, plus she works on her items for the Faire circuit."

"But they come here often?"

"Every few weeks. And Jess goes there some. But more here. Lorelai likes to call us the hub. She said that, that first Thanksgiving."

"Well it's definitely true. Not even just for family, but the way you've drawn people to Stars Hollow and the restaurants and the inn."

"Yeah. People say we're crazy to mix friendship and business the way we have but it seems to be working so far."

Alex nodded. "I ws talking to Gail. She said she did most of the graphics and design for the Dragonfly, and is working on the cooking school as well?"

"Yup," Luke affirmed. "She does good work, on time, and the flexibility of it works really well for her. And Joe, he's investing in a couple of the newrestaurants, and he and John just started talking a couple months ago about opening up a brew pub nearby."

"Brew pub?" Alex asked.

"It's kind of a British thing, taking hold here in New England as well. Emphasis on developing local brews, with a fairly simple menu and physical layout. They've been looking at spaces, while John and Hazel have been looking for houses."

"They're going to move here too?" Alex asked.

"Not all the way to Stars Hollow, I don't think. They just want to be closer to his aunt, while not making the commute to John's law firm and Hazel's college too crazy."

They fell into silence, but it was broken a few minutes later by Charlie beginning to stir again. This time a little jiggling couldn't get him back to sleep. Luke stood up. "Looks like I need to track down John and Hazel."

He held out a hand to Alex. They stepped out onto the porch. She looked around, catching Chris's eye, and he waved her over. She gave a small sigh. "Looks like I need to go back to the schmoozing - some of the corporate folks we invited from Boston are here."

Luke smiled. "Thank you for getting them here — and for talking to them!"

"No problem. Catch you later, Luke."

Luke headed back into the lobby, in search of the tour group. He didn't have long to wait, as Lorelai led the small group across the porch and into the lobby, still chatting away about the history of the Dragonfly. John caught sight of Luke and came over to take Charlie. "How'd he do?"

"He was fine, just started to wake up now," Luke reassured him. He left John and Hazel to tend to Charlie, and approached Lorelai. He waited patiently while she finished answering a few more questions, then gently touched her back as people walked away. She turned and smiled at him. "Hey! There you are. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing good. Thinking about heading back into town for a little while, check in on the diner and the house."

"Oh good. I got distracted for a minute during the tour, worrying about if we had closed all the windows. It might rain later."

"I'll check all that. Do you need anything?"

Lorelei thought for a moment. "No, I think I'm good. Although as soon as you leave I'm sure I'll remember something." She smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "Come find me when you get back," she said.

"Will do." He headed down the porch steps, and towards the driveway, stopping to speak to a few people quickly, then heading on his way.

Just as he was exiting the Dragonfly sign posts, Luke heard steps behind him on the gravel driveway.

"Dad! Where are you going?"

"Robbie!" Luke clapped a hand on his son's shoulder. "Heading into town. I want to check up on the diner and the house, make sure everything's settled in for the night."

"Why are you walking?"

"Stretch my legs. Haven't had a chance to run the past few days, could use a little exercise."

"Oh, ok, can I come with you? I need to get some flashlights from the house."

"Flashlights?"

"We want to play Ghost in the Graveyard once it gets dark, but Lorelai said we have to let the little kids play if they want to, and if they do they need to have an older kid with a flashlight." Robbie sighed. "And then she remembered that she bought flashlights for the Dragonfly but never brought them from the house, so I offered to go get them." He sighed again. "I wish the little kids could just go to bed."

"Remember you were the little kid not too long ago."

"I know."

They walked down the road in companionable silence. Luke glanced up at the sky, calculating they had about an hour before dusk. He glanced over at Robbie, who was still frowning. Luke smiled, and looked for a pebble to kick. He took aim, sending one just a few feet ahead but to Robbie's side. Never one to pout for long, Robbie followed the stone and kicked it. They took turns, so absorbed in the simple game that they were in the center of town before either noticed. Robbie took one more kick and sent it skittering under the gazebo.

Luke held up his hand for a high five. "Good one — we kept one stone the whole way."

Robbie grinned. "I know."

Luke smiled back at his son, and gestured at the diner. "I'm going to stop in there first, you coming with? Or straight to the house?"

"Straight to the house — I wanna get the flashlights and get back. Do I have to wait for you? Can I ride my bike back?"

"I don't want you going back alone, it'll be getting dark."

Robbie bounced impatiently. "Dad, I told them all I'd be right back."

"Okay, look. Go get the flashlights, then come over to the diner. Carlos and Caesar should be heading over to the Dragonfly soon, I'll see if they can give you a ride."

Plan made, Robbie was already hurrying away. "Ok Dad, see you in a few!"

Luke watched him run toward the house and let himself in the front door. As Luke turned toward the diner, the gazebo caught his eye, the memory of his and Robbie's first day in Stars Hollow popping into his mind. He shook his head, wondering where the years had gone.

Luke entered the diner, empty of customers. He ducked his head into the kitchen. "Hey Carlos, everything OK here?"

"Everything's fine" Carlos answered. "Caesar's punching out and washing up, I'm almost finished cleaning. How are things out at the Inn?"

"Everything's going well – you still coming out?"

"No choice, Patty will kill me if I don't make an appearance."

"Not to mention Lorelai. Can you take Robbie with you? He's over at the house, he should be here in a few minutes."

"Sure, Luke. No problem. Want me to wait for you?"

"Nah, I'll walk back. I need to go over to the house too, make sure everything's settled. We left in such a hurry before, I'm sure there's a mess somewhere."

Carlos smiled. "Your fault, too many kids."

"Don't I know it." Luke smiled. He gestured towards the back curtain. "I'm just going to check upstairs, make sure everything's good for Reed getting here tomorrow."

"Talk to you later Luke." Carlos turned back to wiping down the ranges.

Luke headed upstairs and let himself into the old apartment. Lorelai had been in more recently than he had, he quickly saw. The bed was freshly made, a full set of towels hung in the bathroom, and when he opened the fridge he saw that she had laid in some basics for Reed. He wondered when she had found the time.

They'd had just a few tenants up here over the past few years, as they were picky about who they wanted in the space. It was a comfortable apartment for one or two people. He shook his head, thinking about their days living here as a family of five. When they first moved in together after their fall wedding, it was so cozy and perfect, just as he had imagined it back in the early days, when he wasn't even officially divorced yet. Robbie and Rory happily shared the bunk beds, with each of them having a corner of the main room for their own pursuits. Robbie with his trains which gave way to construction sites which gave way to Legos. Rory happy in her beanbag chair with her books and just a few dolls and stuffed animals. Lorelai had delighted in their new bedroom, decorating it in a way that was warm but not too frilly. It was just big enough, and they were happy to be able to close and lock the door to their own private enclave each night.

Once Sam was on the way, they made a few attempts to find a house, but nothing they saw seemed worth uprooting everyone for. And when he was born, he was such an easy baby that they put off looking for something bigger, until he started pulling himself up on the furniture and inching his way around the main room.

They were in the midst of house-hunting, and still not finding anything they liked, when Mary Twickham came into the diner one day. Her father had had a stroke earlier in the year, and had recently been moved from rehab to a longer term care facility. Rumors around town had been that he wouldn't be coming back any time soon. Over a cup of coffee, his daughter vented to Luke about his stubborn refusal to even consider selling the house, even if, or maybe because, he might never be able to live on his own again. Luke was sympathetic, knowing from his own experience that the older and sicker folks got, the more stubborn as well.

She went on to share the details — the need for repairs and really, full renovation, and the lack of money to accomplish that with. Luke refilled her coffee, his universal gesture of comfort whenever he felt there was nothing else he could do.

But the wheels started turning in his head that night, and later that week he brought it up with Melinda. And she started pondering as well, intrigued by the big old house's central location. She compared it to an old Victorian in her home town in Massachusetts that had been converted to a high end restaurant, with each of the rooms on the first floor made into its own elegant and distinctive dining space. Luke confirmed that there were three rooms besides the kitchen on the first floor — a dining room, a parlor, and a library, each with its own fireplace, if he recalled correctly.

Luke continued to ponder the future commercial use of the house, the residential potential of the upper floors both now and in the future, the lack of money, and Old Man Twickham's refusal to sell. He finally approached Lorelai a few days later, forewarning her it might sound a little crazy. What if they moved into the Twickenham house, temporarily, and gradually renovated it either so Mr. Twickham could live comfortably on the first floor, or they could live there permanently, or it could be sold?

Agreeing that it was crazy, but just crazy enough to work, she agreed to consider it. Many discussions later, they approached Mary, and a plan was hammered out. In exchange for very low rent, Luke would make enough basic repairs and renovations for them to move into the first two floors, then begin the work of making the third floor and attic apartment-ready, and the basement either apartment or retail ready.

"Dad? You still up there?"

Luke emerged from his reminiscences and headed to the top of the stairs.

"Still here. You all set?"

Robbie held up a canvas bag. "Got a bunch."

"Okay. I'll see you over there soon."

"Bye."

Luke locked up both upstairs and down and headed across the square. He entered the house and headed up the central stairs, deciding to work his way back down. He closed bedroom doors, checked bathrooms for faucets left dripping and wet towels not properly hung to dry. Reaching the kitchen, he checked the faucets there too, and pressed the refrigerator door to be sealed fully shut. He glanced at the garbage and saw it wasn't too full. Then he took a moment to lean against the counter and look around, falling into memory again, of the busy summer that followed the decision to move.

Lorelai was in school, finishing up two last courses that had been interrupted by having Sam. Carlos was promoted to diner manager, and extra help was hired on, in order for Luke to put in long hours on the house. They juggled a team of family and friends to care for a toddling Sam, while Robbie, Rory and even Jess happily returned to Stars Hollow Day Camp for another summer. The move was made just in time for the start of the school year, and they reveled in having more space, and separate rooms.

For a while, they were too busy to think about long term plans for the house, beyond the constant repairs that were needed. Sabrina was born just after Sam turned two, and they concentrated on making their family work, in turns grateful and annoyed by the house's many quirks and foibles. Finally one night, as Lorelai tried to soothe a crying three-month-old Sabrina with a needed bath, and the bathtub faucet broke off in her hand, she reached her limit. Luke found her sobbing, and once he'd sponge-bathed their crying baby in the bathroom sink and finally gotten her to sleep, Lorelai confided her hatred for the house. She vented, and he yelled, upset that she had hidden her feelings for so long. The argument was fueled further by the toll Sabrina's birth and difficult early months had taken on them, and a period of tension and anxiety followed their blowup.

Once their anger began to fade, and as they concentrated on Sabrina and the other kids, Luke began to slowly notice and admit his own annoyance with the old house. The small rooms, the lack of flow, the drafts, the endless list of repairs large and small. It was a constant patchwork job. Between Twickham still being in the nursing home but unwilling to sell, and the house very much full of of a real family, he was unable to stop and strip it down to the bones and fully rebuild. Which was probably the only way to make it work for them.

Finally, at the end of the summer, with Sabrina finally settled into a more manageable babyhood, and their family adjusted to a new normal, Luke and Lorelai talked. They had long conversations about what their dream house would be. Open and sunny, with big shared spaces for the family but private spaces as well. They did some looking that fall, but nothing was ever quite right.

They thought about building their own. More discussions, a few squabbles, a few sessions figuring both dollars and square feet. Then, that Thanksgiving, Rachel and Robbie stumbled on the old Dragonfly, Mia confessed her dream to spend more time in California — and that she had offers on the Inn — and the dream house got put on the back-burner.

But in the process of negotiating with yet another beloved yet remarkably stubborn town elder, this time Fran Weston, the dream got reborn. Once Fran was finally ready to sell, she let them know that not just the Dragonfly, but the many acres of land surrounding it could be part of the package. They walked the property one day, surveyors' map in hand. Lorelai was dreaming out loud of horse trails when suddenly, on the crest of large gentle slope that rose from the surrounding woods, they looked around and then at each other and knew, this was the perfect place to build. So over another busy year, with Lorelai's main focus on the Dragonfly, and Luke's on the cooking school and the establishment of the Restaurant Association, they tried to sit down for a little while each week to plan the new house. They still weren't sure when they would break ground, but with the Dragonfly finally set to open after taking a half year longer than they had originally planned, Luke hoped they would set a target date soon. He was ready for this to be their final drafty winter in the old Twickham place, though he supposed they could hang on longer if they needed. Just knowing there would eventually be a new home made the old one more manageable.

He pictured the new house in his mind. Draft free and at least partly solar heated. Their own space, away from the fishbowl of the center of town. A garden. And in the nearby woods he pictured all of the kids, but especially Sam and Sabrina, exploring and adventuring, making their way down the wooded path to visit their mom at the Dragonfly, then coming home to him and homework and dinner. Maybe even a dog. Maybe he would finally cave.

He would miss this kitchen, even though he was certain he could create something even better from scratch. There was something about these old open kitchens though, and the way they became the center of the home, the center of their crazy family. Luke glanced at the clock and shook his head. He'd spent long enough reminiscing. He made sure the back doors were locked and headed towards the front of the house, quickly poking his head into the downstairs rooms, checking for major messes left behind in their rush to get to the Inn earlier. He saw that one of the mantel pictures had fallen over and walked across the room to pick it up.

Other than the kitchen, this was his favorite spot in the house. Multiple family and baby pictures were on other shelves around the room, but just three black-and-white wedding photos graced the mantle. On the left, a picture of him and Lorelai leaving the church. Lorelai in her veil and calf-length dress, perfect for the morning ceremony followed by the formal lunch in Hartford that she and Emily had finally compromised on.

Luke looked at the middle photo. Back in Stars Hollow, the two of them sitting on the gazebo steps, eating cake from the same plate. Lorelai's veil was gone, just the tiara left behind. The short sleeve lace jacket that had covered her shoulders at the wedding and fuller skirt had also been removed. Luke let his gaze linger over the slim sheath that remained, beautiful and still chic, but somehow less formal to fit the wonderful rollicking late afternoon party that unfolded in the square.

Finally he looked at the picture on the right. Waving as they prepared to get into a Lincoln town car, white, with only the small "just married" sign left behind from the earlier trip from Hartford. The balloons and streamers now removed for the journey to New York and a night at The Plaza, before their flight out for week in Bermuda.

In this photo Lorelai's hair was in his favorite style, even to today. Partially pulled back from her face, clipped with something, while her curls spilled down to her shoulders. She looked comfortable but still bridal, wearing a white lace covered T-shirt and some sort of wedged sandals, also with white lace, and form-fitting blue jeans in between. Her smile was radiant but there were tears in her eyes, as they had just kissed Rory and Robbie goodbye. Luke looked at himself in the photograph, his eyes on his beautiful bride — adoring, smiling. Happy that the long day was over. Happy that it had gone so well, happy that he would finally get Lorelai alone.

He stepped back, taking in the progression of all three photos, feeling at peace with the wedding, and the way it had brought their families and lives together so perfectly.

Luke shook his head again, reminding himself again to stop lingering in town and getting mired in the past. He needed to get back to the Dragonfly, to Lorelai and everyone else. Reluctantly leaving the living room and exiting through the front door, he locked it securely behind him. He took one last moment, looking over the town square and gathering his thoughts, then headed for the Inn through the deepening dusk.

As he approached the turn-in for the Dragonfly, Luke stopped. He took in a deep breath, then slowly released it, letting the tension of the day go with his breath. He closed his eyes and continued to breathe purposefully and slowly. He listened to the night around him, the buzz of the insects intensifying, the soft hoot of an owl not too far off. Opening his eyes, he walked slowly towards the Inn, trying to see it as a stranger would, a visitor entering for the first time, looking forward to a relaxing weekend. The "Welcome to the Dragonfly" sign glowed, some special glitter quality Lorelai had pushed for, picked up by two small spotlights, timed to turn on as the sun began to set. The driveway, just long enough for one gentle curve.

As Luke rounded the curve, he paused again.

The Inn looked like a jewel. Warm and homey, the downstairs lights and a handful of ones upstairs glowing. The small, deftly placed solar-powered landscape lights, shining on dark green foliage and late-summer blooms; not fully grown in yet, but perfectly framing the old-fashioned porch.

Luke drew just a bit closer, taking stock of Lorelai and Sookie's achievement.

In his mind he saw the old Dragonfly, stumbled upon in his childhood tramps through the outskirts of Stars Hollow with his friends. And again in the photos that Rachel and Robbie had developed that fateful day– capturing Lorelai's and Sookie's imaginations and jumpstarting their plans. Luke felt a wash of pride in what they'd accomplished. The physical manifestation before him of their families' work. He thought of his parents. Pictured his dad, satisfied that a rundown building was saved and refurbished. His mom, taking in every aesthetic detail and homey touch, with suggestions of her own.

Suddenly the front door opened, spilling light and bringing Lorelai into view. Her head was bent over her omnipresent notebook, but then she looked up and scanned the lawn and driveway, maybe looking for him. As he was still in the shadows, she didn't see him. She returned her gaze to the list in her hand, crossing off several items then turning a page and writing down a few more. She stepped out onto the porch and turned, seeming to be scanning the entrance, the window flower boxes. Still hidden by the dark, Luke watched her look out into the gloom once more, then close the notebook firmly, and go back in, front door still open. When she came out again, no notebook in hand this time, Luke finally stepped forward, crossing to the porch with long strides.

"There you are," Lorelai called.

"Here I am." He stopped at the bottom of the steps and looked up at her.

"Everything alright in town?"

"Yup. All locked up, quiet enough to hear a pin drop. All the action is here tonight."

Lorelai smiled and glanced behind her shoulder. "Pretty quiet here, too. Except for the occasional ghost whoop from the kids. Oh! You have to read this one card I got from Taylor. I tried to resist looking at any of them until tomorrow, but you'll want to see…" She turned to go inside.

Luke grabbed her hand to stop her.

"What?" she asked.

"Just… stand still for a minute," he said, moving his hands to her hips and lowering his head to hers. They kissed. Lightly, tentatively. Lorelai stepped back, hands rising higher onto his chest, searching his eyes with her own.

"What?" he asked.

"Now you stand still," she said softly, moving her hands to the side of his face and kissing him again. Still soft, still tender. When she pulled back, Luke saw love, happiness, and passion in her eyes and couldn't stop himself from pulling her to him again. This time tongues came into play, and hands.

A scream pierced the air, startling them apart.

They listened, but all was quiet again.

"One of ours?" Lorelai whispered, covering her heart with her hand.

"Kirk."

"Oh, right. Scared of ghosts, real and imagined."

Luke sighed. "What on earth possessed you to let him play…?"

Lorelai interrupted his potential rant by reigniting their kiss. They spent several long minutes just reveling in kissing. When they finally parted, Lorelai laid her head on his shoulder. "When can we take this upstairs? Officially christen the place?"

Luke chuckled. "Haven't we already done that a few times?"

He felt Lorelai smile against his shoulder. "First time fully furnished? And with doors?"

"Works for me." He stepped sideways, though, toward one of the porch swings, and held out his hand. "And to answer your question, later, after the kids – not to mention your guests – are in bed. But let's just sit for a few minutes."

Lorelai followed him. "Why?"

"Let's just take one more minute to revel."

"Revel?"

"Revel in what you've accomplished."

They sat, Luke's arm across her shoulders, Lorelai's feet tucked up under her. "I had a lot of help," she said softly.

"You led, we followed," Luke asserted.

Lorelai started to say something, probably in protest, but he placed two fingers gently on her lips and said again, "Revel." He felt her smile.

"Reveling."

A few minutes later, she spoke again. "It is pretty awesome."

"It is."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For believing in it. For believing in me."

"Always."

"For being the most awesome Dad."

"We're a team."

"But you got to do the heavy lifting this year."

"It worked out."

"It worked out well. We're okay. More than okay."

"You were worried?"

"A little. It's a lot. Five kids, two businesses. The association, the old house, the new house..."

"It is."

"We're good, though…right?"

"Yup. Everyone healthy, happy. Two teens, one pre-teen, two preschoolers."

"Not anymore," Lorelai said with a sigh.

"Well, close enough. Anyway, all that, and my goal, still, every day, is to get you naked at the end of it. That's gotta be worth something."

Lorelai laughed.

Luke continued. "And if I can't get you naked, I'm 98% as happy to get you alone for a few minutes at the end of the day, just to talk."

"98? 97 for me."

Luke smiled. "Anyway, still loving to be together, alone, at the end of every day, that's good."

"It is."

She laid her head on his shoulder again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They sat, perfectly content.

Another whoop from the nearby woods sounded. Lorelai suddenly sat up straight. "Supper? Baths? Parcheesi? Grown up naked time? In that order?"

"You bet."

THE END

Final (sniff) authors note! I can't believe this story is finally, finally, done.

About 3/4 of this epilogue was written back in 2016, as I rushed to get the story fully done before the GG revival aired. As you know, I managed to get the final chapter of the original story up, with Luke and Lorelai all engaged and happy, but the epilogue languished, undone, in spite of your many lovely notes and hints, until about a year ago. I've worked on finishing it sporadically since then and at long last, it is done and posted!

The revival really seemed to slow down so many LL authors, myself included — I'm still not fully clear on all of the reasons why that is. But the main thing that put writing on the back burner for me was going from part time work to full time work in 2017, and new bosses plus a re-org and a promotion in 2018. But the Covid crisis has led to a partial furlough from that same job, and I've been taking my one forced day off a week to write. It feels good!

Thank you to my many readers, old and new, for your patience and continued feedback over the long wait, and to all of you since the beginning for your lovely and thoughtful reviews. I've read them all over from time to time, and they definitely helped move me along, bit by bit.

DeepFriedCake has been here from the beginning, making this a better story every step of the way. DFC, I cannot thank you enough for all of the edits, suggestions, encouragement, laughs, and of course the friendship that exists whether we're writing or not! But I am extra happy to be back in a place, at least for now, where we're both working on new stories, and can swap drafts back and forth like the good old days.

Speaking of something new … my final self-imposed hurdle to posting this was to get my next story, a fluffy one-shot, into DFC's trusted hands, which I did earlier this afternoon. So you'll see that one relatively soon, and then have a bit longer wait as I get going on a 4-5 chapter Season 6 "fix" that's been calling my name for a while.

Thanks to all again, and see you here soon!