Disclaimer- I no not own any person, place, animal, vegetable or mineral
incorporated into this story. They belong to the original writer, ASP, and
the station, WB, etc.
A/N- This occurs right about...now I guess, what with the lack of a new episode this week.
" People! People! Could everyone just quiet down for a minute. I know that Luke's announcement of tomorrow's dinner special is exciting, but if you can believe it I have something even more important." Taylor grumped with more than a little sarcasm. The crowd slowly quieted down as Taylor waited impatiently. "So, as I was saying, I have a very important announcement. Next Friday, Star Hollow will be having its very first Thanksgiving Charity Softball Game." A murmur ran through the crowd. "Now, we have four teams, so everyone who wants to play choose a team, and everyone else pick one to support, and remember that at least one third of the players have to be female. Details will be posted at each of the four team headquarters tomorrow night."
" Hey Taylor, what are the teams?" Babette questioned.
" Well, each is represented by a local business. So, of course, there's Doose's Market, Al's Pancake World, Gypsy's Garage and-"
" Don't say it Taylor." Luke growled from his seat next to Rory.
" Luke's Diner."
" Taylor." Luke stood up.
" Yes Lukas? Do you perhaps have an announcement to make about the bagel of the month."
" You never asked if I wanted to run a baseball team."
" Well, Luke, I just assumed, since you play in the summer league, and you are a local business owner..."
" I don't want to run a baseball team!"
" Well, fine then, I guess that I'll just have to go and tell all the sick children that they won't b getting any presents this Christmas because Luke Danes didn't want to give one day of his life to play a game of softball for them."
" You are not pulling the sick kids on me Taylor."
" I wonder where I put the phone number for the St. Anne's pediatric centre..."
" Fine! I'll do it. But if you ever pull this again..." Luke sat back down and put his hands in the air.
" Excellant. Alright, details will be up tomorrow."
" You aren't putting anything up in my diner." Luke grumped " So...figure out your teams, because rosters have to be submitted by Monday. Nine players per team. That's all for tonight, meeting adjourned." Taylor smacked his gavel on the podium and the meeting broke up. Rory and Lorelai grabbed their jackets and followed after a fuming Luke towards the diner for post meeting discussion. They found a table and sat down.
" I think we should do it." Rory spoke up, taking a big sip of coffee.
" Do what?"
" Play in the softball game."
" LUKE!" Lorelai turned quickly and yelled across the diner. He looked up from the order he was taking and frowned.
" What?"
" What did you slip into Rory's coffee?"
" WHAT?" Luke looked at her like he finally had concrete evidence that she was destined for the funny farm. Rory just rolled her eyes and waved him back to his order.
" Very funny Mom. Come on, it's for a good cause. Plus we can work off the triple Thanksgiving dinners from the day before."
" Triple?"
" Grandma's, Sookie's, and Luke's, of course."
" No Lane's?"
" She's going to visit one of her cousin's in Boston. They just moved from Korea."
" So you think that we should play softball..."
" Yeah."
" So, wait, who are you and where did you take my daughter."
" Mom."
" Since when are you into physical activity."
" It's for charity."
"This from the person who was too lazy to get up from the couch to stop the coffee pot overflowing this morning?"
" So you'll do it with me?" Lorelai grimaced but Rory grabbed onto her arm and bounced up and down. " Pleapleapleapleapleasssssee?"
" Fine...Luke's team?"
" Of course."
" Do you think there will be flannel uniforms?"
" I hope not."
" Are we going to wear or pretty baseball hats backwards to mock him."
" Of course."
" I guess we should go tell him."
" He'll be delighted. Just wait til he comes over so we don't have to get up."
" That's my baby. I was starting to get worried."
" What can I get you two?" Luke wandered over from the other table he had been serving.
"Coffee and guess what?"
" I don't serve that."
" Ha. A joke. Good one Mr. Funnypants."
" What's wrong with my pants."
"Okay, never mind No Sense of Humour Man."
" What do I have, multiple personalities?"
" How could you, Mr. One-Sided Personality? So....Guess what?" Luke glanced over a Rory.
" Am I actually going to have to guess?"
"I hope not. With this one, I'd probably starve to death before you got it right and we could order." Rory grinned encouragingly.
" So what's the big news."
" Rory and I have decided to be two thirds of the one third of your females on you three thirds softball team." Lorelai replied enthusiactically.
" What?"
" Put us in coach. We're ready to play." Rory grinned.
" You two...want to play softball?"Luke looked at them as though they had switched heads.
" Yeah. Why's that so strange?"
" It just seems a little...active."
" Pleaseeeeee?"
" Yeah, of course, but..."
" Who else is on the team." Lorelai demanded.
" So far? I've been talking to people around the diner, and there's Kirk, Caesar, Dave, Steve-"
" Steve from the park?" Lorelai asked warily.
' Steve from Peach St."
" Relief." She sighed, looking at Rory.
" Yeah, Steve from the park gives me the heebe jeebes." Rory said, nodding back in agreement.
" So, them, me, you two, and we need two more. You two know anyone? Someone from Yale you'd want to bring Rory?"
" Yeah, you should start to ease your new friends into the freakish dimension that is Stars Hollow."
" Well, I could ask Marty."
" Naked guy?"
" Yeah, he told me he used to play little league." " We still need another girl."
" Sookie?" Luke suggested.
" You want the woman just weeks apart from having given birth to run?"
" Bad idea?" Luke asked furrowing his brows. Lorelai replied snarkily.
" You try running after passing a watermelon through your-"
" MOM."
" What about Paris?" Lorelai suggested, trying to change the subject to a more appropiate topic while grinning at Luke's embarrassment.
" Paris with a big wooden bat?"
" Good point.... And Lane's away." The three of them stood thinking for a while.
" I guess I could ask Nicole." Luke suggested.
" Oh. Yeah. Good idea." Lorelai nodded into her coffee mug.
" Are you two sure that you want to do this?"
" Of course. It'll be just fine."
" Alright. I'll go grab you two some coffee." Luke headed back to grab the pot.
" Hey, Luke. One more question." Lorelai followed him up to the counter.
" Yeah." Luke looked back at Lorelai with a look of suspicion on his face.
" How do you play softball exactly?"
" I knew it." Luke dropped his head into his hands.
" I just need the basics."
" Dyou know what? Just meet me at the field tomorrow afternoon, around 2."
" Why?"
" I'll teach you how to play. I'd rather not be embarrassed too much by Taylor's team. He's bringing in ringers."
" Me too. Thanks Luke."
" This is more for me than you."
" You're so sweet."
" Yeah sure."
" Hey,uh...you know, what if." Lorelai looked at him with a fakely innocent face.
" Bring Rory with you too."
" Perfect. And could you bring us over some of that nice pretty pie you make so nice when you get a minute?"
" Yeah, I'll be right over." Luke gave her a little smile, almost like he was wondering just where everything about her came from. Lorelai grinned and watched him for a moment, then gave herself a little smile and walked back to the table.
" We've got a private lesson with the softball master tomorrow at 2."
" Oh, I can only be there until 3:30. I promised Paris that'd go over my notes from lit class with her at 4, cause she has a session with Terrence at 1:30, and one at 6."
" Terrence-life-coach- Terrence?"
" Don't judge."
" Awwwww....well , I guess you can just join us for the beginning. I however, have a feeling that I'm going to need as much practice as I can."
" Here's your pie." Luke put the plates down and refilled their coffee cups.
" Thanks coach." Rory and Lorelai grinned, grabbing forks, but Luke just rolled his eyes and sighed.
A/N- This occurs right about...now I guess, what with the lack of a new episode this week.
" People! People! Could everyone just quiet down for a minute. I know that Luke's announcement of tomorrow's dinner special is exciting, but if you can believe it I have something even more important." Taylor grumped with more than a little sarcasm. The crowd slowly quieted down as Taylor waited impatiently. "So, as I was saying, I have a very important announcement. Next Friday, Star Hollow will be having its very first Thanksgiving Charity Softball Game." A murmur ran through the crowd. "Now, we have four teams, so everyone who wants to play choose a team, and everyone else pick one to support, and remember that at least one third of the players have to be female. Details will be posted at each of the four team headquarters tomorrow night."
" Hey Taylor, what are the teams?" Babette questioned.
" Well, each is represented by a local business. So, of course, there's Doose's Market, Al's Pancake World, Gypsy's Garage and-"
" Don't say it Taylor." Luke growled from his seat next to Rory.
" Luke's Diner."
" Taylor." Luke stood up.
" Yes Lukas? Do you perhaps have an announcement to make about the bagel of the month."
" You never asked if I wanted to run a baseball team."
" Well, Luke, I just assumed, since you play in the summer league, and you are a local business owner..."
" I don't want to run a baseball team!"
" Well, fine then, I guess that I'll just have to go and tell all the sick children that they won't b getting any presents this Christmas because Luke Danes didn't want to give one day of his life to play a game of softball for them."
" You are not pulling the sick kids on me Taylor."
" I wonder where I put the phone number for the St. Anne's pediatric centre..."
" Fine! I'll do it. But if you ever pull this again..." Luke sat back down and put his hands in the air.
" Excellant. Alright, details will be up tomorrow."
" You aren't putting anything up in my diner." Luke grumped " So...figure out your teams, because rosters have to be submitted by Monday. Nine players per team. That's all for tonight, meeting adjourned." Taylor smacked his gavel on the podium and the meeting broke up. Rory and Lorelai grabbed their jackets and followed after a fuming Luke towards the diner for post meeting discussion. They found a table and sat down.
" I think we should do it." Rory spoke up, taking a big sip of coffee.
" Do what?"
" Play in the softball game."
" LUKE!" Lorelai turned quickly and yelled across the diner. He looked up from the order he was taking and frowned.
" What?"
" What did you slip into Rory's coffee?"
" WHAT?" Luke looked at her like he finally had concrete evidence that she was destined for the funny farm. Rory just rolled her eyes and waved him back to his order.
" Very funny Mom. Come on, it's for a good cause. Plus we can work off the triple Thanksgiving dinners from the day before."
" Triple?"
" Grandma's, Sookie's, and Luke's, of course."
" No Lane's?"
" She's going to visit one of her cousin's in Boston. They just moved from Korea."
" So you think that we should play softball..."
" Yeah."
" So, wait, who are you and where did you take my daughter."
" Mom."
" Since when are you into physical activity."
" It's for charity."
"This from the person who was too lazy to get up from the couch to stop the coffee pot overflowing this morning?"
" So you'll do it with me?" Lorelai grimaced but Rory grabbed onto her arm and bounced up and down. " Pleapleapleapleapleasssssee?"
" Fine...Luke's team?"
" Of course."
" Do you think there will be flannel uniforms?"
" I hope not."
" Are we going to wear or pretty baseball hats backwards to mock him."
" Of course."
" I guess we should go tell him."
" He'll be delighted. Just wait til he comes over so we don't have to get up."
" That's my baby. I was starting to get worried."
" What can I get you two?" Luke wandered over from the other table he had been serving.
"Coffee and guess what?"
" I don't serve that."
" Ha. A joke. Good one Mr. Funnypants."
" What's wrong with my pants."
"Okay, never mind No Sense of Humour Man."
" What do I have, multiple personalities?"
" How could you, Mr. One-Sided Personality? So....Guess what?" Luke glanced over a Rory.
" Am I actually going to have to guess?"
"I hope not. With this one, I'd probably starve to death before you got it right and we could order." Rory grinned encouragingly.
" So what's the big news."
" Rory and I have decided to be two thirds of the one third of your females on you three thirds softball team." Lorelai replied enthusiactically.
" What?"
" Put us in coach. We're ready to play." Rory grinned.
" You two...want to play softball?"Luke looked at them as though they had switched heads.
" Yeah. Why's that so strange?"
" It just seems a little...active."
" Pleaseeeeee?"
" Yeah, of course, but..."
" Who else is on the team." Lorelai demanded.
" So far? I've been talking to people around the diner, and there's Kirk, Caesar, Dave, Steve-"
" Steve from the park?" Lorelai asked warily.
' Steve from Peach St."
" Relief." She sighed, looking at Rory.
" Yeah, Steve from the park gives me the heebe jeebes." Rory said, nodding back in agreement.
" So, them, me, you two, and we need two more. You two know anyone? Someone from Yale you'd want to bring Rory?"
" Yeah, you should start to ease your new friends into the freakish dimension that is Stars Hollow."
" Well, I could ask Marty."
" Naked guy?"
" Yeah, he told me he used to play little league." " We still need another girl."
" Sookie?" Luke suggested.
" You want the woman just weeks apart from having given birth to run?"
" Bad idea?" Luke asked furrowing his brows. Lorelai replied snarkily.
" You try running after passing a watermelon through your-"
" MOM."
" What about Paris?" Lorelai suggested, trying to change the subject to a more appropiate topic while grinning at Luke's embarrassment.
" Paris with a big wooden bat?"
" Good point.... And Lane's away." The three of them stood thinking for a while.
" I guess I could ask Nicole." Luke suggested.
" Oh. Yeah. Good idea." Lorelai nodded into her coffee mug.
" Are you two sure that you want to do this?"
" Of course. It'll be just fine."
" Alright. I'll go grab you two some coffee." Luke headed back to grab the pot.
" Hey, Luke. One more question." Lorelai followed him up to the counter.
" Yeah." Luke looked back at Lorelai with a look of suspicion on his face.
" How do you play softball exactly?"
" I knew it." Luke dropped his head into his hands.
" I just need the basics."
" Dyou know what? Just meet me at the field tomorrow afternoon, around 2."
" Why?"
" I'll teach you how to play. I'd rather not be embarrassed too much by Taylor's team. He's bringing in ringers."
" Me too. Thanks Luke."
" This is more for me than you."
" You're so sweet."
" Yeah sure."
" Hey,uh...you know, what if." Lorelai looked at him with a fakely innocent face.
" Bring Rory with you too."
" Perfect. And could you bring us over some of that nice pretty pie you make so nice when you get a minute?"
" Yeah, I'll be right over." Luke gave her a little smile, almost like he was wondering just where everything about her came from. Lorelai grinned and watched him for a moment, then gave herself a little smile and walked back to the table.
" We've got a private lesson with the softball master tomorrow at 2."
" Oh, I can only be there until 3:30. I promised Paris that'd go over my notes from lit class with her at 4, cause she has a session with Terrence at 1:30, and one at 6."
" Terrence-life-coach- Terrence?"
" Don't judge."
" Awwwww....well , I guess you can just join us for the beginning. I however, have a feeling that I'm going to need as much practice as I can."
" Here's your pie." Luke put the plates down and refilled their coffee cups.
" Thanks coach." Rory and Lorelai grinned, grabbing forks, but Luke just rolled his eyes and sighed.