Lorelai, Charlotte and Rory went into the diner for their usual breakfast, deep in conversation.

"Ok, but think about it. Why do we need the word potty? Is it really that much harder for a kid to learn the word bathroom?" Lorelai said.

"I don't know." Rory said as they sat down at a table.

"Why are we even still talking about this?" Charlotte asked.

"If you say, "Timmy, do you have to go potty?" or "Timmy, do you have to go to the bathroom?" you can see it's interchangeable." Lorelai continued.

"Not exactly interchangeable." Rory commented.

"Why are you encouraging her?" Charlotte asked Rory.

Rory just grinned at her sister and then turned back to their mom. "To go potty is an action. To go to the bathroom is to go into a specific place."

"I hate the word potty." Lorelai screwed up her face.

"Well, what did you teach us to say?" Rory asked.

"Bathroom, obviously."

"You did?" Charlotte asked.

"Yes, of course." Lorelai nodded.

"Ok so we're 2, we come up to you and say, "Mommy, mommy, I have to go to the..."" Rory said.

"The room where legends die." Lorelai grinned.

"What can I get you?" Luke asked walking up to the table with his pad in his hand.

"A foster home." Charlotte said.

"You'll thank me one day." Lorelai grinned and then turned to Luke. "Hi." She grinned.

"I'm working." Luke said.

"Oh come on! This is the beginning of a relationship. You're supposed to act stupid." Lorelai said.

"I'll do the chicken dance on my lunch break." Luke said. He turned to Charlotte and Rory. "Your usual?"

"Yes please!" Charlotte grinned and Rory nodded in agreement.

"I can't believe you won't flirt with me in front of my daughters. They're going to think there's something wrong with me." Lorelai said.

"Please! We got that confirmation letter a long time ago." Charlotte smirked.

"I'll have pancakes." Lorelai pouted. "You're all mean."

"Coming right up." Luke said with a slight smirk and as he walked away he gestured to Lorelai to follow him.

"I'll be back in a second." Lorelai told her daughters before going up to the counter. "You gestured?"

"Those jeans are really working for you." Luke said pouring her some coffee.

"Yeah?" Lorelai asked.

"They're working for me, too." He smirked.

"You're flirting with me!" Lorelai grinned, her face lighting up.

"Something like that." Luke said gruffly.

"Finally! Do it some more." She grinned.

"Your shoes work well with that...shirt." Luke said trailing off at the end.

"Gee, Carson, thanks." Lorelai laughed.

"That's all I can do right now. People are watching." Luke said.

"Oh they all know anyway!" Lorelai shrugged.

"Yes because someone decided to tell the town's worst blabbermouth." Luke said glancing up at her.

"Ok I've apologised numerous times for that!"

Luke smirked. "I know." He said.

"So flirt with me!" Lorelai grinned.

"Not now." He said. "But tonight I will give you my extremely positive views on other aspects of your being."

"Tonight?"

"Are you free?"

"Yeah, I'm free." Lorelai nodded.

"Good. 7:30?" Luke asked.

"What are we going to do?"

"I've got some thoughts."

"Ok but please no taking me to an art museum after hours and then to an empty Hollywood bowl where you give me a pair of diamond earrings that you bought with your college money when all the time you're really in love with your best friend, the drummer, who's posing as our driver for the evening." Lorelai said.

Luke glanced up at her, raising his eyebrows. "Ok I'll think of something else." He said dryly.

"Great!" Lorelai grinned. "Are you going to watch me walk away?" She teased.

"Yeah." He said.

"I'll add a little jaunt to it for you." She teased before strutting back to Charlotte and Rory, glancing back before sitting down.

"What was that all about?" Rory asked.

"We were just talking about our date for tonight." Lorelai said not being able to keep the giddy smile off her face.

"A real date? Finally!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Yeah, finally." Lorelai smiled.

"What are you going to wear?" Rory asked.

"Mmm, glass slippers, a backwards baseball cap..." She listed.

"And nothing else." Rory nodded.

"Exactly." Lorelai joked.

"Aw mom, we're really excited for you!" Charlotte smiled.

"Thanks." Lorelai smiled.

Luke then came over to them with their food. "Hot plates." He said.

"See? He called me 'Hot Plates'. He soooo likes me." Lorelai grinned.

"Oh geez..." Luke sighed before walking off.

****************************

That evening, Charlotte and Rory were in their mom's room helping her get ready for her date with Luke.

"Why is it that I have no clothes to wear? I thought I had lots of clothes but no, nothing goes! Nothing!" Lorelai exclaimed, taking clothes out of her wardrobe and dumping them on her bed.

"You have clothes. You have plenty of clothes, mom." Rory tried to calm her down.

"No I don't. None of these work. None of them!" She exclaimed.

"You're freaking." Charlotte smirked.

"I'm not freaking!" Lorelai protested.

"You are a bit." Rory said.

Lorelai let out a big sigh. "I'm sorry. I just want..."

"To look nice. We know. And you will." Rory reassured her.

"Yeah, how about these jeans with this top?" Charlotte said holding up a nice lightly coloured top.

"Yeah and you can wear your new brown jacket with it." Rory nodded.

"Ok how did you do that?" Lorelai said.

"Because we're amazing, that's how." Charlotte grinned.

"Ok, now change!" Rory said.

"Ok." Lorelai grinned. "So what are your plans this evening?" She asked as she started changing.

"Hanging out with Tristan and Jess." Rory said.

"Oh. Are they coming here?" Lorelai asked.

"No, we're going to go to the Black, White and Red Theatre." Charlotte said. "Sort of like a double date."

"Oh that'll be nice." Lorelai smiled.

"Yeah, Jess hasn't been there yet." Charlotte said.

"And we thought it might be nice to let Tristan and Jess spend some time together. They don't really know each other that well." Rory said.

"Sounds like a good idea." Lorelai said. "So...what do you think?" She asked getting the top on.

"Great!" Charlotte smiled.

"Yeah you look lovely, mom." Rory smiled.

"Really?" Lorelai asked just as the doorbell rang.

"Well it's too late now." Charlotte joked.

"I really look ok?" Lorelai asked.

"Ror, you stop the freak out. I'll go let Luke in." Charlotte smirked, heading downstairs. She opened the front door to find Luke in some smart trousers and a nicely ironed shirt, holding a bouquet of flowers. "Hey Luke!" She smiled.

"Oh. Hey Charlotte." Luke said awkwardly.

"Come on in. Mom's just coming." Charlotte said letting him in.

"Ok. Thanks." He said following her into the living room.

"You'll soon learn that if you agree a time, you should really come half an hour after that time." Charlotte joked.

Luke smirked slightly. "Duly noted. Thanks."

Just then Lorelai came down, followed by Rory. "Hey." Lorelai smiled nervously at Luke.

"Hey." Luke smiled just as nervously. "Wow. You look...beautiful." He said.

Lorelai blushed. "Really?" She said. "Well you don't look so bad yourself."

There was a sudden obviously faked cough next to them where Charlotte and Rory were stood stifling a smirk.

"Uh...these are for you." Luke said handing Lorelai the flowers, obviously embarrassed with Charlotte and Rory watching.

"Thanks. They're beautiful." Lorelai smiled softly. She handed them to Charlotte. "Quit embarrassing Luke will you and make yourself useful and find a vase for this." She said.

Charlotte just grinned, taking the flowers.

"So...shall we?" Luke asked gesturing to the door.

"Yeah." Lorelai smiled. "Right, you two have fun and I'll see you later."

"You too." Rory smiled.

"Hey Luke?" Charlotte called as they headed towards the door.

"Yeah?" Luke said turning round.

"Have her back by 11!" Charlotte and Rory both grinned in unison.

***************************

Luke drove Lorelai to a resturant just out of town."Oh, wow. Very nice." Lorelai commented as they walked in.

"This way, please." Luke said gently guiding her towards a table. "Your table, Miss." He said.

"Oh. Why, thank you, sir." Lorelai grinned. "Weren't we supposed to let someone who works here seat us?"

"Not necessary."

" Why? Is this like a Mafia thing?" Lorelai joked.

"What?"

"The whole coming in, special table, reserved sign. Are you going to have to whack someone before the soup course?"

"No, I've filled my whacking quota for the week." Luke said before cringing. "Dirty?" He said.

"Extremely." Lorelai grinned, glad that the awkwardness was starting to go between them.

"Thought so." Luke chuckled.

"Lucas!" An older woman suddenly exclaimed, coming up to the table with a menu.

"How you doing, Maisy?" Luke smiled getting up and giving her a hug.

"You just seat yourself now?" She teased.

"I told him!" Luke said.

"We run a nice place here, Lucas, not like that hash joint of yours." Maisy said with a twinkle in her eye. "And this must be your young lady. Hello, there. I'm Maisy."

"Hi. I'm Lorelai. I love your place." Lorelai smiled shaking her hand.

After introducing Lorelai to Buddy, Maisy's husband, and having ordered, they settled down with some champagne and waited for their food to come.

"So they're nice." Lorelai smiled. "And they know you!"

"Actually, I come here two, three times a week. Breakfast, dinner, whenever I have the time." Luke admitted. "Maisy and Buddy were good friends with my parents. Maisy went to school with my mother actually and Buddy helped me a lot with the diner when I was just starting out."

"Aw that's nice." Lorelai smiled, knowing how much Luke missed his parents. "It must be nice having a link to your parents like that."

"Yeah." Luke said quietly.

Lorelai noticed his expression and quickly changed the subject. "Charlie and Rory would love this place." She said looking around.

"Well then we should all come one day." Luke suggested.

"Really?" Lorelai asked surprised.

"Yeah. I'd love for them to meet Maisy and Buddy and I've been meaning to bring Jess here as well. The last time they saw him was when he was a baby." Luke said.

"Well then, I agree. Let's all go someday." Lorelai smiled softly.

"It's a plan." Luke smiled, sipping his champagne but then his smile turned into a grimace.

"Not a fan of champagne?" Lorelai smirked.

"Definitely not a fan." Luke chuckled.

**************************

Meanwhile back in Stars Hollow, Tristan, Rory, Charlotte and Jess all walked into the Black, White and Red Movie Theatre.

"Hello?" Rory called.

"Are they open?" Charlotte asked.

"The sign said they were." Rory said. "Hello?"

Kirk suddenly jumped up from the sofa where he was sleeping. "I have a gun!" He exclaimed.

"Chill out, Kirk. We're here for the movie." Charlotte said rolling her eyes.

"You were supposed to pay out front." Kirk said.

"You weren't out front." Rory said. "Here's $20."

"That's too much." He said.

"Keep the change." Rory said.

"You can get in 16 more people for that."

"Put it towards the popcorn." Charlotte smirked before they all looked to find somewhere to sit.

"Ok, I don't think I will ever get used to this town." Tristan joked.

"Welcome to my world." Jess smirked.

"Ooh, let's take Big Red!" Charlotte exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes, Big Red!" Rory exclaimed.

"I'm assuming that's the big red sofa in front of us." Tristan said.

"Yeah, it's the comfiest seat!" Rory grinned. "Come on, let's sit!"

Rory and Charlotte sat in the middle while Tristan and Jess sat at the ends next to their girlfriends.

"I love how empty it is! It means we can talk!" Charlotte grinned looking round at the empty theatre.

"Would it have stopped you even if there were other people here?" Jess smirked.

"Probably not! But at least I won't feel guilty now!" Charlotte grinned.

Just then, Kirk walked to the front of the room. "Hello, everybody, and welcome to the 'Black, White, and Red Theatre'. How are we all doing tonight?" He asked.

"Just peachy." Jess said sarcastically.

"We're good, Kirk. How are you?" Charlotte smiled.

"Good." He said. "I'm Kirk..."

"Yeah we know that already." Jess said.

"Shhh!" Rory and Charlotte shushed him together.

Jess leant over to Tristan. "Word of advice, I don't think we should talk during this experience." He smirked.

Tristan chuckled. "Yeah I think you're right."

"Kirk, go on." Charlotte said giving Jess a look, who put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Ok. I'm very proud to announce that tonight's feature presentation is the classic 'Cool Hand Luke'." He said causing Rory and Charlotte to cheer. "But I'm deeply sorry to report that the first reel of the movie inexplicably caught fire earlier this evening."

"Bummer." Tristan commented.

"How will we live?" Jess smirked.

"Shhhh!" Rory and Charlotte exclaimed again together, causing the boys to smirk at each other.

"This sucks!" Charlotte pouted.

"I can still show you the film, but you'd miss the first 25 minutes. I'd be happy to recap what you'd miss, or even act it out for you. I must say, I do a wicked George Kennedy." Kirk said.

"What do you guys think?" Rory asked Tristan and Jess.

"Are we allowed to talk now?" Tristan smirked.

"Oh stop sulking and tell me what you think." Rory rolled her eyes.

"First 25 minutes are pretty important." Tristan said.

"I agree." Jess said.

"But having Kirk reenact things can be pretty disturbing." Charlotte pointed out. "What are your other options, Kirk?"

"I can offer you anything from the theatre's library of films." He said.

"What have you got?" Rory asked.

"A series of graphically violent driver's education films or 'The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking'."

"Pippi!" Rory exclaimed.

"Yes Pippi! We have to watch Pippi!" Charlotte grinned excitedly.

"Pippi Longstocking it is. Enjoy your film." Kirk said before leaving.

"How long has it been since we've seen Pippi Longstocking?" Rory asked Charlotte.

"Way too long." Charlotte said.

"It's got to be one of our most watched films ever." Rory commented.

"Oh, definitely!" Charlotte nodded, agreeing.

"I've seen it at least three times with you two." Jess said.

"You have?" Tristan asked.

"Under duress." Jess smirked.

"Ah." Tristan smirked. "Isn't it some kind of kids movie though?" He asked.

Rory and Charlotte both whipped their heads round in Tristan's direction.

"Oops." Jess smirked.

"Wait a minute. Have you never seen this movie?" Rory asked.

"Uh...no..." Tristan admitted.

"We've got us a Pippi virgin." Rory exclaimed.

"I didn't think there were any left." Charlotte said seriously.

"And it's not a kids movie." Rory told Tristan.

"It's a classic of surrealism." Charlotte said.

"And bizarre cinematography." Rory added.

"And atonal singing."

"And forced acting."

"And 4, 3, 2, 1..." Jess smirked before the room darkened and the movie started with the theme song which Rory and Charlotte started to sing along with. He smirked over at Tristan. "They get even crazier here in Stars Hollow."

"Yeah I'm starting to learn that." Tristan chuckled.

"Yeah but you love us anyway." Charlotte grinned, snuggling into Jess

"Unbelievably yes." Jess smirked but he kissed her cheek and put his arm round her shoulders.

"Are you glad you're here?" Rory asked Tristan, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Oh I wouldn't have missed this." Tristan joked.

"Good." Rory grinned.

****************************

Back at the resturant, Luke and Lorelai were tucking into their food. Lorelai glanced up at Luke. "Hey, do you remember the first time we met?" She asked.

"What?" He asked.

"I'm just trying to remember the first time we met. It must have been at Luke's, right?" She said.

"It was at Luke's." Luke nodded. "It was at lunch, it was a very busy day, the place was packed and this person..." He said.

"Ooh, is it me? Is it me?" Lorelai grinned.

"This person comes tearing into the place in a caffeine frenzy..." Luke continued.

"Ooh, it is me!" Lorelai exclaimed gleefully.

"I was with a customer. She interrupts me, wild-eyed, begging for coffee, so I tell her to wait her turn. Then she starts following me around, talking a mile a minute, saying god knows what. So finally I turn to her, and I tell her she's being annoying. I tell her to sit down and shut up and that I'll get to her when I get to her." He said.

"You know, I bet she took that very well because she sounds just delightful." Lorelai joked.

"She asked me what my birthday was. I wouldn't tell her. She wouldn't stop talking. I gave in. I told her my birthday. Then she opened up the newspaper to the horoscope page, wrote something down, tore it out, handed it to me." Luke continued. "So I'm looking at this piece of paper in my hand, and under Scorpio, she had written, 'You will meet an annoying woman today. Give her coffee and she'll go away'. I gave her coffee."

"But she didn't go away." Lorelai grinned.

"She told me to hold on to that horoscope, put it in my wallet, and carry it around with me." He said pulling out his wallet and pulling a piece of paper out of it. "She told me one day it would bring me luck." He said handing over to horoscope to her.

"Well, man, I will say anything for a cup of coffee." Lorelai joked, looking down at the horoscope with her handwriting on it. She glanced up at him. "I can't believe you kept this. You kept this in your wallet." She said softly.

"Eight years." He said.

"Wow...eight years." She said quietly, touched.

Luke gave her a small smile and put the horoscope back into his wallet. He glanced at her.

"Lorelai, this thing we're doing here...me, you...I just want you to know I'm in. I am all in." He said sincerely. "Does that...are you...uh...scared?" He asked.

Lorelai blushed, glancing down at the table before back up at him. "No." She said softly. "It feels...right."

Luke smiled. "Good." He said softly.

"And I'm all in too." She smiled. "Definitely all in."

"Good." Luke smiled.

Lorelai smiled at him before they both slowly went back to eating their food.

***************************

"So did she own that house she lived in before she rode the horse into town or did she buy it with her gold coins?" Tristan asked as the four of them walked into the Crap Shack.

"That's a good question." Rory said.

"Oh yeah, I see a prequel in the works. The Adventures of Pippi in Escrow." Charlotte grinned.

"I'd go see it." Rory grinned.

"They're mocking me, aren't they?" Tristan asked Jess.

"Yup." Jess nodded.

"You know, I think I'm going to like having you around. At least I'm not outnumbered." Tristan smirked.