Disclaimer: "Gilmore Girls" and its characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions, Hofflund Polone, and Warner Bros. Television. No copyright infringement is intended.

Spoilers: through "Say Something"

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Ribbons

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The first thing she has to do is to get rid of those damn ribbons.

That's the decision Lorelai comes to the second she closes the front door behind her. She knows she won't be able to face going into work tomorrow (and she has to go into work tomorrow) if on every street corner and every store window she is met with the color-coded reminders of her failed relationship. The ribbons would have to go.

She makes good progress at first, covering all of Elm and Ivy in less than twenty minutes. Cherry causes a bit of a problem when the Pittman's annoying dog barks at her through the picket fence and threatens to wake up half the block, but she manages to pick up speed again on Mapletree. There's more blue on Laurel than she was expecting, but she's well represented on Melville. Deerfield is equally divided.

It isn't until she reaches Peach that she stops dead in her tracks. There, ten yards away from her, is Luke. And from the looks of the black garbage bag he has in his hand stuffed with ribbons, he's been busy.

"What are doing out here?" Luke asks, coming forward. "It's the middle of the night. It's freezing cold."

Swallowing her words, Lorelai manages to say, "I got the overwhelming urge to de-ribbon a town." She shoves her hands in her pockets, which are already overflowing with ribbons, in an attempt to avoid eye contact with Luke. She can't tell that he's doing the same thing.

"I'm gonna kill Taylor in the morning." It's a long pause before he adds, "Stupid town."

"Well, I think Rory managed to confiscate the rest of his stash. It's just what's already been handed out that we have to worry about." She can't believe she's actually able to string two complete sentences together in a relatively coherent manner.

"You're coming from Deerfield?" he asks. His voice is quieter than it's ever been before.

"Yeah," she says slowly. "I was going to hit the square next."

"You don't have to worry about the square. Or Main Street. Or any of the businesses on Millbrook. Or the access road to the I-55."

It's the first time she allows herself to look at him now that she knows that she can be in front of him without crying. He looks just as tired as she feels. It's taking everything in her to remember to breathe.

"I guess we have the whole town covered then."

"I guess," he replies.

"So…I should go," she says, taking her hands out of her pockets and gesturing behind her. As she does, two ribbons fall out. One pink and one blue. Of course.

He reaches to pick them up at the moment she does the same. They're so close to each other all she has to do is lift her arms and bury herself in his shoulder, and it could all be better. Instead, she reaches for the ribbons, lets them fall into the bag outstretched in Luke's hands, and stands up straight.

She can't be that girl.

"See you around," she says and begins to walk away.

"Yeah. See ya."

She stops after a few steps when she thinks she hears Luke whisper her name. She turns around and sees him standing there staring at her. He doesn't say anything. She tries to smile. She has to show him she's going to be okay.

As she walks away, she tells herself that they can do this. They can still be friends. Not right now, and not any time soon, but eventually. The thought makes her pull her coat a little tighter around her waist. Glancing back, she catches Luke's retreating frame turning the corner. She swears he's watching her walk away, too.

She plays with one of the ribbons in her pocket. Without looking at it, she hopes it's blue. Forty years is a long time to wait, she thinks, but maybe it's better than nothing.

fin