What Forever Felt Like

Luke was completely and utterly stunned. Only five minutes ago they were engaged and on their way to being Mr. and Mrs. Lucas Danes. And then Lorelai walked in the diner and emotionally pleaded they elope. It was then that Luke made the biggest mistake of his life: he hesitated. That hesitation had caused the end to their already fragile relationship. Lorelai looked at him with sad eyes, and turned and walked away from the diner without saying another word. Luke hadn't seen her since; she had left Stars Hollow the next morning, no one knew where she had gone.

Luke felt so desperately lonely and regretted everything he put Lorelai through. All the stuff with April and Anna, his unwillingness to actually get married June 3rd, why couldn't he see it? Why couldn't he see how hurt she was? Why couldn't he of realized it before she handed him the ultimatum, broke off the engagement, and left town? Lorelai had been gone a few days now and Luke had decided what he was going to do.

He would wait for her. He knew she had to come back eventually from wherever she was. All her things were still here, and so was the inn and Rory. And when she did come back he would be there waiting. He would wait for her forever.

Lorelai came back to Stars Hollow a month later. She was shocked to see Luke sitting on her porch.

"Luke! What are you doing here?"

"I was waiting for you to come back. I've been here everyday after work for a month. Are you ok, where have you been?"

"I've been driving around, I did some sight-seeing across the country. But, my first stop was Boston."

"Boston?"

"Yea, I crashed at Chris's place "that night" and a few days after. And then I did some traveling."

"I can't believe it Lorelai! You know how I feel about him!"

"Luke, we're not together anymore remember? I just needed to get away from Stars Hollow, I needed to get away from you, it was just too hard."

"Lorelai, you need to know what I love you more than anything on this Earth, and I do want to marry you, just not right now. Can't we just wait? Just for a little while until things calm down?"

"No, Luke, we've been putting it off too long, we've been engaged a year, we should be married by now! I know you think that it's not the right time, but I'm just afraid it's never going to happen. I want to marry you Luke, and nothing should get in the way of that, but things have."

"What things?"

"Don't play stupid, you know what things I'm referring to. Anna, April, and not to mention your insecurities too."

"MY INSECURITIES?! I don't have insecurities about marrying you. I love you, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life, I told you that. I've told you that over and over."

"Luke, be honest with yourself, you do have insecurities. You're afraid of me leaving you, of you being alone forever. You have a gruff exterior, but on the inside you're timid and scared. I understand Luke, I do, because we're exactly the same. I'm scared too, I don't want to live my life alone, I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me Lorelai, I know that for a fact. Don't be scared, because as long as I'm alive and breathing you will never be alone."

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"I've changed my mind."

"You've changed your mind about what?"

"Luke, I want to be with you again. I want to be engaged to be married again. I like us together. I feel complete. But, we have to be honest with each other about all of our feelings."

"Oh, thank god. (He kisses her) Lorelai, I want to be with you again too. But I have one question for you: Will you marry me?"

"We're already engaged again Luke, you don't have to ask formally."

"No, I meant will you marry me right now?"

"Right now!?"

"Yes, there is a minister I know that will marry us. He lives right outside Hartford. I don't want to lose you again with my stupidity. You are the greatest thing that ever happened to me, and will ever happen to me. So I don't want you and I to wait on all the stupid stuff going on in our lives. Let's get married tonight."

"Oh my god, Luke, this is incredible. I have to call Rory and she can meet us there. I want Rory to be there with us."

"I want Rory there too. It wouldn't be our wedding without her there," Luke said with a smile.

"Thanks Luke, lets go." And with that Lorelai grabs his hand, and they head towards his truck.

On the way to the minister's house both Luke and Lorelai rode comfortably in silence, lost in their own thoughts of the future. Both with dazed looks and slight smiles on their faces.

When they arrived at the minister's house Rory was waiting for them. She was wearing the biggest smile Lorelai and Luke had ever seen. Rory ran up to them and enveloped them in a huge hug.

And as the couple recited their vows, in front of "their" daughter, they knew that this was what forever felt like.