Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, or the show. If I did, season 6 would've ended quite differently. (I'm from the old-school fic days where one was required to do this or risk being sued or having your content removed).
Spoilers: The whole series. This takes place days after Bon Voyage.
Author's Notes: First and foremost, this is not a WIP. I began writing it in the fall of 2015 and just recently (5/2016) finished the final chapter. I'll post a chapter or two as time permits, as it goes through its final phase of editing.
This fic was borne of one too many series rewatches on Netflix. I finally got tired of it ending where it did, and decided I wanted to know what happened next, and I really wanted to write something that I would want to read, myself. And this way, I have something to use as my own personal "headcanon" if La Familia Palladino breaks my soul the way Chris Carter did with X-Files season 10.
Without further ado, my version of what happened after Bon Voyage, starting with Lorelai's first Friday night dinner...
Chapter 1: After Everything
"Lorelai, how's Luke?"
A forkful of salmon paused halfway to her mouth. Of all the topics of conversation Lorelai Gilmore was prepared to discuss with her parents that Friday night, the topic of Luke Danes was not among them.
Fork still hovering, Lorelai maintained her focus on its contents without looking up. It was a perfect bite. A perfect amount of citrusy glaze coating a perfect bite-size portion of salmon.
"Uh... I... uh... Luke? Working, I assume."
"I didn't ask where he was, I asked how he was. I don't think it's a terribly difficult concept to understand." Emily had managed two bites by that point, while Lorelai's fork still hovered indecisively.
Not for the first time, Lorelai found herself missing Rory and the buffer she provided. Earlier, over drinks, the elder Gilmores had been a little more concerned with Lorelai, the inn, and her life in general, than she was used to. Maybe they were trying equally hard to get used to a Rory-less Friday night dinner. Maybe they were genuinely interested. Maybe they were just being nosy.
"Right. He seems well." Perfect. A vague answer. The fork finally reached her lips. For salmon, not one of Lorelai's preferred proteins, it was surprisingly palatable. But no sooner had she begun chewing than Emily replied, catching Lorelai further off guard.
"He seems well? Seems? I would think you'd know more than that, considering the two of you seemed rather close at Rory's party."
Lorelai silently congratulated herself on preventing the fork from clattering dramatically to the plate. Processing her mother's words, she slowly finished chewing, slowly swallowed, and slowly lowered her fork to the plate. Keeping her eyes squarely on the tablecloth in front of her, she took a deep breath.
If the town had seen Luke and Lorelai's interactions before returning to Rory's going away party, they'd given no indication. In fact, she'd definitely noticed that their fellow Stars Hollow residents had been atypically unconcerned with their relationship all week; Lorelai simply assumed they'd managed to slip by unnoticed.
"Emily..." Richard quietly admonished. Despite the disapproval in his voice, he didn't continue, seemingly interested in Lorelai's answer.
"Um. We've… spent some time together… we're talking..."
"Talking. Lorelai, are you and Luke back together?"
"We're... sort of... uh... figuring that out."
Lorelai paused, hoping that answer would do for now. It was the truth, generally speaking. Neither Luke nor Lorelai had been quite sure how to handle the odd third attempt at being a couple. With their history, it wasn't as simple as starting over, nor was it possible to simply pick up where they had left off.
While their time together over the past week was comfortable, there was still a slight hesitation in every kiss and every touch, the issues from the past still hovering over them. Between Rory's departure and Lorelai working tirelessly to secure a massive charity event at the Dragonfly, there simply hadn't been enough time or energy to really talk.
She knew that the progress Emily had made accepting Luke had, understandably, come to a screeching halt - and bolted in the opposite direction - once she saw how hurt Lorelai had been last year. Dreading Emily's reaction to even the tiny bit of information she'd just shared, Lorelai braced herself for the verbal onslaught.
Emily, however, simply replied with, "I see."
Surprised, Lorelai looked up and noticed her mother staring intensely at her. She maintained eye contact for a few seconds until Emily's gaze shifted to Richard, and the two of them shared a long look. Unable to interpret her parents' nonverbal conversation, Lorelai turned her attention back to her salmon, only to find its appeal had significantly diminished.
While pushing the remaining bites around her plate, she found her thoughts drifting back to Stars Hollow and the pie and coffee that awaited her. She was pretty sure she could convince Luke to throw in a burger to make up for the now-disappointing salmon. In fact, she was pretty sure he'd expect it.
After a few moments of pondering Luke, burgers, and the relief of having both back in her life - to say nothing of the coffee - Lorelai smiled to herself, only half-listening to Richard's commentary on the superiority of the latest fish dinner compared to previous attempts. The smile did not go unnoticed by the ever-watchful eyes of Emily Gilmore.
Emily smirked at Richard's diatribe and shook her head. Stubborn man. She never understood why he so often pointed out Lorelai and Emily's similarities when her daughter's bull-headed stubborn streak clearly came from the Gilmore side. And just like Richard, there were times when Lorelai simply wasn't stubborn enough. She watched her daughter slowly maneuvering bits of food around her plate, clearly focused on something - or someone - else entirely.
Emily was worried about her. Just when she had begun growing accustomed to the idea of Luke in Lorelai's life, the man let everything go. Her daughter breaking down over a relationship was one thing, but actually allowing her mother to witness it was quite another. It was so unlike the strong front Lorelai usually wore around her mother. Emily was certain no one, not even her, Richard, or even Christopher had ever made Lorelai quite so heartsick.
Oh, Christopher. He had always seemed like a good idea in theory. Of all the things Emily Gilmore hated being wrong about, it was Christopher Hayden. He talked a good talk. He always had. However obnoxious it was when he was a teenager, coming from an adult Christopher, he seemed a lot more believable; she was far more susceptible to his charm than she would ever care to admit. She knew she'd held onto the silly fantasy of Lorelai and Christopher being married far longer than she ever should have - even into their short-lived marriage, which Emily knew from the beginning occurred to serve as nothing more than a distraction from Lorelai's feelings for Luke.
Despite that, she hadn't wanted Lorelai to be alone again, especially knowing how much she clearly wanted to be married. Emily had hoped, for both Christopher and Lorelai's sakes, that they could just hang in there long enough for Lorelai to fully get over Luke. She felt deep down, though, there was no way the two would last, even with Lorelai's expertise at dodging her feelings. Lorelai's heart simply hadn't been in it.
Richard sensed that the women at the table had stopped listening. He couldn't blame them. Though things had been better recently, he was so very tired of fish, and despite a decent chef, Emily's strict requirements were making things somewhat repetitive. Worse, Emily wasn't fooling anyone by increasing the amount of times she went out with friends each month. He knew full well that those dinners were to give her a night out with the rich foods he was banned from. Thomas Newberry had seen Emily at a steakhouse just the other night… it was almost as bad as the time they were separated and she was dating that miserable man, Simon McLean.
Perhaps not quite that bad.
But Richard felt that his illogical leap only illustrated how desperate and sad his food options were of late. Thus, it was worth mentioning when his new pescetarian lifestyle exceeded his expectations. The citrus glazed salmon would be allowed to make a return. Rory would certainly speak up in agreement if she were there. After which they would share some story about a favorite restaurant near Yale that had served a similar dish, he would ask about the menu now, and likely express his disappointment over the changes that had occurred over the decades since his youthful excursions there…
Oh, how he missed that girl. Though Rory had skipped a dinner here and there in the past, her distance and lack of return date made her absence far more pronounced. All night, Richard watched Lorelai struggle through long pauses that would normally be filled by a witty remark from Rory, leading into a subject change to deliberately draw the focus from her mother.
Richard often marveled at his granddaughter's ability to fit into so many different ways of life, and find friends among them all. From her outlandish Stars Hollow upbringing to the highly educated students at Yale, from her grandmother's ritzy DAR crowd to her fellow community service workers, Rory delighted and inspired many. Knowing how to fit so well into so many worlds would serve her well as a journalist.
He'd been impressed by the amount of people at her Stars Hollow going away party. While Emily could throw a party with a great many people who were little more than acquaintances, Rory's party was full of several people who had watched a little girl blossom into a successful young woman. He'd grown a certain fondness for the small town while looking at houses with Emily last year, and it gave him a better understanding of his daughter and the woman she'd become.
In a way, the same people that saw Rory grow up had also watched Lorelai grow up… a fact that still continued to be, and may always be, a sore spot for Richard and his wife. He had tried to find ways to connect with his wayward daughter, but so often found the pain of her leaving and his own regrets from the past had a tendency to resurface as anger and frustration.
Things had calmed over the years, his connection to his granddaughter helping strengthen his ties to his daughter and heal the wounds of the past. But he felt they still had quite a journey ahead of them. Tonight's interactions had certainly proven that. Shouldn't his adult daughter be able to talk to her parents about her life, her interests, and her beau without such trepidation?
Richard had never disliked Luke, and never quite understood Emily's outright disdain for the man. Certainly, he could think of ways in which Luke Danes could improve his wealth and business, but he'd never offered any advice he wouldn't have given a fellow businessman at the club, especially one who'd fallen into the business world the way Luke had. He always figured he'd be able to find common ground with Luke.
Despite the agony he knew Luke had put Lorelai through last year, knowing they might be back together pleased Richard. At the party, he'd overheard talk that Luke had stitched together the tent keeping Rory's guests dry. No man would put forth such effort for a woman he didn't love. And Lorelai deserved someone willing to be so dedicated to her and her daughter. He, of all people, understood what it was like to damage a relationship; unlike Emily, Richard felt that Luke and Lorelai both deserved to give each other one more chance.
On their way to the car, after spending a little time at Rory's party, Emily had paused to gaze back at the square filled with her granddaughter's adoring townsfolk for a few moments. Richard's eye had wandered over to the old hardware store turned diner, and was surprised to see his daughter and her former fiancé approach each other. He saw Luke's expression and, not certain how Emily would react, began to reach for her elbow to pull her toward the car. Before his hand could reach her arm, he heard her gasp at the embracing couple.
Richard quietly spoke his wife's name, and was surprised to see her face full of concern as Emily's eyes met his. He encouraged her to leave it be; as he gently tugged her toward their car, he'd stolen one last look at his daughter and Luke. Their kiss had turned into the two simply holding each other in what seemed to be a rather private, emotional moment, and it was certainly not one Lorelai would appreciate her parents observing, even from that distance.
Emotions were running high for everyone that night, it seemed, and Emily's ran rampant as they drove home. The quiet pride she'd held for her granddaughter earlier had suddenly turned into angst and rage toward her daughter's ex-fiancé. Richard let her vent, and when he felt she'd run out of words, he suggested that they keep the couple's display to themselves, let Lorelai come to them with her news on her own if, in fact, there was news to be shared.
Over the course of the week, Emily's feelings about the pair had settled a little, and she'd seemed to agree to his plan. After all, what better way to start off this new era in their family than to give Lorelai room to share it herself when she was ready? Apparently, for Emily, that had meant giving Lorelai time to speak up during drinks and the salad course…
Her father's loud sigh startled Lorelai out of thoughts of coffee and flannel. Apparently, all three Gilmores had fallen down a rabbit hole and gotten lost in their own mental wanderings.
Lorelai narrowed her eyes as she looked around the table. What was going through her parents' heads? I see? What did that even mean? If she was going to have to draw a reaction out of them and find out what was going on, at least that was a familiar skill, and one at which she'd been an expert at since childhood.
"I know, I know. We don't like Luke," she began.
"Lorelai-" Emily warned.
"No, I'm pretty sure we've been here before."
"Lorelai, that's not-"
Lorelai could tell her mother was quickly losing her patience, but was working very hard at keeping it together.
"He drives an old truck, not something shiny made in Europe, his insurance guy is completely untrustworthy-"
"Lorelai!" Emily was leaning forward.
"He drinks nitwit juice."
"LORELAI! Nitwit juice?! Really!"
With that, Emily stood and dropped both hands flat on the table, causing the silverware to rattle.
And, there it was.
"Is your memory so short, Lorelai? Do you not recall how things ended?!"
"Yes. I slept with Christopher."
"It was over before then! Not that that was a wonderful choice on your part, but from the moment you found out about his daughter - and who hides that kind of news from their fiancée?! - I have never seen you so utterly devastated in my life!" Emily slammed her hand down angrily, glaring at Richard as he dared to place his hand over his water glass to prevent it from sloshing over the rim.
Lorelai knew that her relationship with her mother had improved recently, but it always seemed to be an endless dance of "one step forward, ten steps back". Lately, things seemed better than they'd been in decades, but it was still rare for Emily to be so reactive toward someone who had done something to Lorelai. She recalled her mother kicking Christopher out of the house after Sherry got pregnant, but this was different. This wasn't just a mother protecting her upset daughter. Emily Gilmore had clearly been stewing about this, and had very strong feelings about the matter.
But Lorelai had also spent a lot of time thinking about her situation and also had strong feelings about it.
In her quiet moments, Lorelai was either worrying about Rory or mulling over what was happening with Luke. Without the time or energy to devote to discussing what had happened between them, she and Luke had stuck to easier topics over the week, falling into awkward moments whenever the past managed to find its way into their lighthearted chatter. Not wanting to discuss it here, of all places, Lorelai dropped her face into her hands with a groan. She wished she hadn't pushed the matter after all.
"Mom." She moved her head slightly, letting just her eyes peek over her hands, and looked over at Emily. "I know."
"And yet, there you were, making out in front of the whole town! And now you're telling me you're talking about getting back together?! Lorelai, what are you thinking?!"
Richard's brows knotted. This was going too far. "Emily, I think-"
Alas, the women continued, unabated.
"Okay, first of all, we weren't making out, and second, it wasn't in front of the whole-"
"Yes, it was. That… Patricia? She and your neighbor? High-fived before yelling at everyone to turn around and leave you alone!"
Lorelai grimaced. Well, there was her confirmation that the town knew, however confusing it was given their recent behavior. She bit her lip hard and buried her face back in her hands. Her time with Luke that night had been very brief, very emotional, and very private. Still, how had they not realized the majority of Stars Hollow was watching?
The kiss was amazing, and they had both felt the magnitude of the feelings behind it. She'd opened her eyes to find Luke wiping tears from her face she hadn't realized had fallen. Meeting Luke's equally wet eyes, they'd both tried to push back the teary manifestation of their pent up emotions, and moved to hold each other. Shuddering, nervous chuckles had erupted from them both, bringing a bit of levity to the moment. She'd told him she missed him. He'd said the same. He asked about the song. To tease Rory, she admitted, that was, until he had walked in.
Luke had let out a sigh of relief at that, kissed her forehead and told her to stay there while he ran back into the diner. She only had time to acknowledge the abandoned bag of charcoal before he'd returned with a small rectangular box. Lorelai had glanced at him questioningly as she began to open it. He started to mention something about Liz, interrupting himself with an admission that it reminded him of her, and he'd hoped… with the song... but he wasn't sure.
Luke may have had some major issues picking out presents, but he was no slouch when it came to jewelry. He'd helped her put the necklace on, and she turned and kissed him a second time. Emotions swelling once again, she'd pulled back, suddenly feeling the pain of everything that had happened between them over the past year. The look on her face spoke volumes, and Luke immediately knew what was going through her head.
They'd talk. Not now, he'd told her. Not when she still had to deal with saying goodbye to Rory. But soon, and in the meantime they should stop by for breakfast before they went to the airport. Lorelai didn't want to leave his side, but she didn't want to advertise their - whatever they were - either. Instead, she sought out Sookie and Jackson in the crowd while Luke returned to his post at the grill.
Looking back, the crowd had seemed unusually disinterested in anything outside the perimeter of the canopy. But it made no sense. She would have expected a wolf whistle or ten if they'd seen something. Her fellow Stars Hollow residents had always been everything but quiet about her relationship with Luke.
"Why would you go back to him, Lorelai? Nothing changes what happened." Emily pressed, slightly calmer this time.
Lorelai couldn't help but feel she'd brought this discussion on herself. She wanted a reaction, she got one. Just not the one she'd expected.
Emily was still raging inside, Lorelai could tell. And as tempting as it was to fall into old habits and say something to really piss her mother off, Lorelai decided it was time for things to change. Rory wouldn't be there to draw them back together for one reason or another this time. She peeked over her hands again to see Emily's argumentative stance still in place, and decided to be the one to throw the woman off her game this time.
Lorelai was surrendering the fight.
She dropped her hands from her face, and along with it, her walls. She let the exhaustion and multitude of emotions she'd been feeling the past week show through, and looked her mother square in the face as she spoke.
"Mom. I've never stopped loving him." Lorelai took a breath before continuing, "And I am more afraid of getting back together with Luke than you can possibly imagine. But I have to do this."
Emily's face softened as she caught another rare glimpse of her daughter's vulnerability. She sighed and sat back slowly in her chair. A moment later, she asked calmly, "After everything?"
"After everything," Lorelai answered, feeling a little more confident. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but there really wasn't any other option. They spent years dancing around it, they spent years screwing it up, they'd spent a year without each other. It was because of all of that, not just in spite of it, that she and Luke needed to be with each other.
"Mom... you, of all people, should understand," Lorelai said quietly, tilting her head slightly toward her father.
Emily looked over at Richard, who smiled gently back at her. She couldn't hold back the small smile that slipped through in response. It was true, what Lorelai said. After Trix, after Linnie Lott, after Jason and Floyd, after Simon… they had to be together.
While she understood the feeling… Emily still had her concerns.
But if Lorelai was so sure, she decided she could try… not that it would be easy.
Emily sighed and held her hands up in surrender.
"Well. You know I'll expect him at dinner in a few weeks, as soon as things are official."