TITLE: Crazy Not To
SUMMERY: Set after "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days". What if Lorelai and Luke's talk in the diner took a slightly different path…? And he knew because it was what he wanted. JavaJunkie
DISCLAIMER: Not owned by me. Just playing with the toys…
Chapter 1:
"… And I swear I hate admitting it because I fancy myself Wonder Woman, but…I really want it – the whole package."
"You'll get it."
"How do you know?"
"I know."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know, okay? I know. Now eat your donut."
"I'm really not very hungry. How do you know?"
Luke sighed and put the receipts down. Slowly, he turned to face her. "I know because any man would be crazy to not want to give you those things."
Lorelai shyly met Luke's gaze, unsure of what she would see there, scared of the feelings his words ignited.
"You didn't screw up with Max, you just realised the truth, that you weren't right. And Christopher? Christopher's an idiot for not sticking around in the first place. When you didn't want to get married."
Lorelai nodded slowly and Luke could tell she was gearing up to say something. It wasn't very often that she worried about the effects of her words, so when the subtle change appeared, Luke could pick it a mile away.
"Luke? What you said before, about any man being crazy…?" she let her sentence fade out. She wasn't sure of the answer he'd give her or if she was ready to hear it.
Luke shrugged. "I'm not crazy and I told you last year that I would always be here for you. For Rory too. That hasn't changed."
Lorelai nodded. Luke could see her mind ticking over and suddenly realised the implication of his words. He watched as she slowly stood and moved around the counter so she was standing on the employee side. A place Luke rarely let her venture. He held his breath as she nodded to herself, seeming to have come to a decision. His eyes never left hers as she stepped to within a foot of him.
Instinctively, he took a step back. "What are you doing?"
She offered him a half smile. "Will you just stand still?" she asked, stepping up to him again and taking his face gently in her hands. Less than a second later her lips met his.
The kiss was slow and tentative as if she were dipping her big toe into a pool in the middle of summer. But it hadn't lasted nearly long enough when Luke pulled away.
Her eyes snapped open and fell upon his questioningly. When she saw the same reflected in his eyes her arms dropped to her sides and her shoulders drooped. She was about to apologise when Luke moved forward.
"What are you doing?
With a slight smirk, Luke replied, "Will you just stand still?"
He closed the gap and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her close. Automatically her hands gripped his soft flannel shirt, before she slid them up to his shoulders. Her left hand held on tight, while her right continued north and lost its self in the soft curls at that were barely visible under the backward peak of Luke's baseball cap.
The baseball cap that she had given him two years ago, that he had not taken off. Not even when she was engaged and set to marry Max. Not even when Rachel returned.
She heard the soft moan escape her lips as Luke's hands fell to her waist, and reluctantly pulled away. "Luke," she breathed. "We cant. Not tonight."
Luke nodded and stepped back slightly, his hands still on her hips. "I know.
She bit her lip as her hands fell to his chest. "Luke," she breathed, pleadingly.
He shook his head. "Take your time. I know you just came out of a, a thing with Christopher. I'll be here. I'm always here. For you and Rory."
At the mention of her daughter, Lorelai seemed to snap out of whatever dream-state she was in. "oh, God! Rory! She's probably wondering where I am!"
She quickly slipped out of Luke's grasp and gathered her things. When she'd gathered it all she realised that Luke was still standing in much the same position as he had been in when their kiss ended. Now he was facing the front of the diner and not the storeroom side.
"I'm so sorry, Luke. I don't mean to kiss and run, but she only got back today and-"
Luke held up a hand to stop her. "No. I get it, its okay. I'll see the two of you in here for breakfast tomorrow morning?"
Lorelai nodded with a huge grin. "You bet!" she hesitated on the edge of the stool. "C'mere," she murmured, leaning across the counter slightly.
Luke smiled and met her halfway in a slow kiss.
"Bye." She mumbled against his lips, before kissing him quickly once again.
"Good night, Lorelai."
She waved quickly as she stepped out the door of the diner and walked into the warm late summer night, a smile plastered to her lips.
XXX
Rory was silently sulking and unpacking books when Lorelai arrived home from the diner a short time later. She tried to break the ice after their earlier fight by talking about how to get the Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days song out of their heads.
Then she went about apologizing to her daughter for her reaction. When Rory agreed that the 'make up your mind' sentiment was well called for, Lorelai realised that things were going to be okay. At least on the Gilmore girl front.
"So, how was dinner?" served Rory.
"So, how was Dean?" returned Lorelai.
"So, how was dinner?" shot Rory.
"So, how was Dean?" volleyed Lorelai.
"Ladies and gentlemen the Williams sisters take center stage at Wimbledon once again." Rory remarked dryly.
Lorelai sighed. "Dinner was bad."
"Sorry." Rory offered.
"That's okay. I knew it would be. Oh! But the good new is we can now go back to Luke's!"
Rory's face brightened. "You made up! How did you make up?"
Lorelai's face turned into a slow smirk. "Well, we got to talking."
Rory nodded, only slightly perturbed by the smirk that her mother was wearing. "Sure."
Lorelai returned the nod. "You remember that dream I had the other night about Luke and twins and alarm clocks?"
Rory nodded slowly. "Yeah…"
"Well, that dream might have actually been a premonition."
"Are you pregnant? God, when Christopher shoots her really does score!"
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "That's something I would say."
"Well, apparently I am you."
"Anyway, that's not what I meant."
"Well, what did you mean?"
Lorelai raised an eyebrow suggestively. She smirked again as understanding began to appear across Rory's face.
"How did you make up? Sans anything dirty." Rory rushed to add.
Lorelai rested her elbow comfortably on the back of the couch and started playing with her hair. "Well, I'm Mimi now."
Rory nodded. "Sure." She replied, not at all fazed by her mother's explanation. She did, however, wave a hand for Lorelai to continue.
"Like I said before, we got to talking. I kinda admitted to him that, one day, I would like to live that couple life I let myself dream about with Max. And then your dad."
Rory nodded slowly.
"Don't get me wrong, honey. I love this super-special, girls-only club thing we've got going. I love that's its always been you and me against the worlds. But next year you're gonna be away at Harvard. And after that you'll move on to the big, wide world. And I'll be here. I don't always want to be on my own. I want the love, the comfort, the safety of the couple life."
Rory nodded. It was something she had assumed ever since Lorelai's engagement to Max. And while Max was great (really, he was) and her dad was her dad, she had, at least in the back of her mind, thought it'd be Luke. "So, what happened?"
Lorelai ducked her head for a second and looked up with a slow smile spreading across her features. "We kissed."
Rory's jaw dropped. "Kissed?"
Lorelai nodded, eyes shining. "Yep, kissed."
Rory was silent for a moment before she squealed and flung herself at Lorelai. "Oh, mom. This is fantastic!"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah! When did you realise his was perfect for you?"
Lorelai shrugged. "Honestly, I didn't get that far. Luke said that any man would be crazy not to want to give me the 'whole package'. And when I questioned him about it, he said he wasn't crazy and that he would always be here for me, for us."
Rory sighed. "Wow, mom! Who knew Luke could be such a softy? Actually, I think we both knew it, but rarely saw it. Mom, this, you and Luke, its… it's the best news I've heard since… well, since for ages."
Lorelai smiled. "Yeah, it is."
One shot so far. If I get enough reviews telling me to, I'm sure I can be persuaded to continue...