On the next train
Luke follows Lorelai's lead.
PS: Takes place during 'Partings'.
Notes:
"Words" – regular conversation
'Words' – quotes and such, thoughts too
On the next train
Luke stared at Lorelai, stunned.
Elope? Her? The woman who wanted a huge wedding, who wanted to make sure everyone in town could be there, wanted to elope with him? Just like that?
"What?" – he managed.
"Let's elope! Right now! Let's just go!" – Lorelai pleaded, and even in the near dark, Luke could see the intense blueness of her eyes and it broke his heart a little at the pain he finally saw in them, the pain that, he realized, he had caused.
She stood there, quiet for once, and waited for him to say something, anything. He opened his mouth several times, trying to figure out what he wanted what was right, what to do, what to say, what–
"Yes" – he heard himself say. Even Lorelai looked shocked.
"Yes?"
"Yes" – he said again, and he felt a wide smile spread across his face. Lorelai still looked fantastically flabbergasted, but she too started to smile, and by God, he loved that smile – "On one condition" – he said, and her smile halted.
"Okay?" – he stepped forward and swept her in his arms in a breathtaking kiss. When he broke apart, she looked stunned.
"You go home and get your dress, I'm gonna kick everybody out, grab a suit and meet you at the church and we'll wake up the reverend and have him marry us" – he rushed, and she widened her eyes.
"Are you serious?"
"You're the one who wanted to elope, so let's elope! Then we can go somewhere, spend the weekend away from everyone, and then we'll start planning the wedding reception, 'cause you just know we'll be lynched if we don't have a reception" – she laughed in surprise.
"They'll grab the pitchforks and torches and we don't have a castle to hide in" – she said, giggling. She looked up at him with a shy smile – "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure" – and he was.
"Half an hour at the church? But bring your suit to change there, otherwise someone's bound to get suspicious"
"You got it" – they kissed again and parted. Luke watched her run away excitedly and advanced into his diner.
"Luke! Great, I need to–" – Kirk started, but Luke pushed him aside as he strode to the front of the counter.
"Everybody! We're closing early tonight, so out you go!"
"What? You can't just–" – Kirk tried, and Luke snorted.
"Okay, you know what" – he fished the diner's keys out of his pockets and shoved them in his hands – "You're in charge of locking the place up, Kirk. Make sure everyone pays, kill all the lights and lock the door behind you, 'kay? I gotta go now"
Luke was only barely aware of the silence that followed him up the stairs, and he didn't care at all. He had a suit to pick out, hair to comb and he needed to shave! Or would Lorelai mind...? No, he minded. He wanted to get married fresh and clean, damnit.
He jumped into the bathroom for the world's quickest shower, shaved so fast he thought Lorelai was gonna have to marry a guy with only one ear, and looked himself in the mirror. He was getting married in twenty minutes. He smiled at his reflection and hurried to grab his suit.
When he got to the diner, it was still packed and Kirk seemed to be doing fairly okay, considering it was Kirk, though he shot Luke a desperate and pleading look that the soon–to–be groom ignored completely.
"Don't burn the place down 'cause I know where you live!" – he yelled over his shoulder just before he went out the door. He took a deep breath and started power walking to the church. He was already carrying his suit and from the neck up was totally decent, so it wouldn't do to be more conspicuous.
When he got there, Lorelai was rushing over carrying the large dress box. She was grinning widely, almost tripping in her obvious eagerness.
"Hi~!" – she greeted, looking him up and down teasingly – "My, you clean up good"
"Well, I thought I should at least shave for this thing" – he fired back with a smirk.
"You look great" – she whispered, and kissed him.
"Think the reverend will be too mad at us?"
"Nah, he's a romantic at heart, I know he is"
"Alright then" – they looked around furtively and entered the dark church – "Okay, you go get ready, I'll go wake him up"
"Okay" – Lorelai squealed and went to the next room to quickly change. Luke spared her a fond look before going after the reverend.
Lorelai, as always, had been absolutely right, and while the reverend was not asleep yet but reading leisurely, Luke saw a glimmer of delight in the man's eyes when he understood what the couple wanted. He laughed a little and told Luke to leave so he could change into 'something more appropriate' while telling Luke to do the same.
"Luke?!" – Lorelai cried out as the man came down the stairs.
"Yeah?"
"You talk to 'im?"
"He's in, he's getting ready"
"Can I come out yet?"
"No, I'm gonna put on the suit, you stay right there. I've already seen you in that thing once, and look at how much bad luck we've had so far. No, you're staying right there" – he could hear her huff, but he simply smiled to himself and quickly changed.
He wished there was a mirror around so he could make sure he looked appropriate, Lorelai would look stunning in her dress, though she always looked stunning, and he had to at least look like he belonged beside her.
"Luke! You look dapper" – the reverend commented as he came into the room – "I brought a flashlight, I didn't think you would want me to turn the lights on" – he said wisely.
"Yeah, thanks"
"Now" – the reverend smoothed down his clothes, opened his bible and looked around – "Where's the bride?"
"Lorelai! You can come out now" – Luke exclaimed before taking wide strides to the front of the church.
"Okay, I'm coming out!" – the woman warned and Luke felt like someone had turned on the lights.
Lorelai looked... She looked like a bride. Like a woman, like an angel. She looked like the only woman Luke would ever want to spend the rest of his life with, the only woman who could ever make him happy, the only woman who could inspire such love and devotion, who was insane and bright and smart and funny and daring and loving and perfect. The perfect woman in her perfect dress walking up to him with such a smile that he felt like he could die happy if that were the last thing he ever saw.
She grabbed his hand that he didn't even notice he'd extended, and locked eyes with him, looking at him the same way he was surely looking at her.
"Shall I begin?" – the reverend questioned sweetly.
"Yes please" – Lorelai chirped.
Luke forgot all about the world. He forgot about April and Anna, about the diner, how much he missed his parents, and how much Emily and Richard would glare at him when they found out about their elopement, and how disappointed but happy Rory would be. He forgot about everything and focused solely on Lorelai, this amazing, remarkable woman who deemed him worthy of her love.
"I do" – he whispered when the reverend nudged him. Luke had not heard a word he said, but it didn't matter.
"I do" – Lorelai said, and those were the only words that Luke needed to hear.
"I now pronounce you man and wife" – and those were the next words that mattered to him.
They embraced and kissed as the reverend sighed.
As soon as the dust settled, Luke knew that craziness would follow, that the whole town would be in an uproar and they would obnoxiously demand answers and a huge party and a reenactment (God, they loved those), and he didn't care. He would be more than happy to stand anywhere and see Lorelai walk up to him again with her beautiful smile, even if it meant the loud and dramatic and ridiculous sighs and squeals of joy.
If Lorelai was by his side, he would be happy, he would let Taylor badger him, he would let Richard and Emily disapprove of him, he would even have Kirk as his best man, as long as Lorelai looked at him the way she did at the altar, because that was all he needed in his life.
I've been re-watching GG these days and this little idea came to me. Written in one sitting, so please let me know about any mistakes along the way. =D