I Loved You First
Lorelai didn't freak out and its now her wedding day, Luke has something to say
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters (sad face), Amy Sherman Paladino is responsible for the creation of them, and I'm just messing around with them.
Independence Inn, room 7: for today it was the bride's dressing room. Lorelai had sent Rory, Sookie and her mom out, she needed a few minutes alone to say goodbye to the person she was. She stared at herself in the mirror - her curls were sitting perfect, her mom had given her the tiara that she had worn to wear and it was perched perfectly atop her head. That was her something old.
Her dress fitted her perfectly, corset fit, rhinestones (she wouldn't be Lorelai otherwise), and a full skirt. She had only found it last week in a secret little dress shop tucked away between a hairdressers and a taco bell. It was her something new.
The necklace she had on, had a heart with diamonds to symbolise love Rory had said when she gave her it, that was her something borrowed.
She had on gorgeous lace underwear in different shades of blue beneath her dress alongside a garter that matched her eyes perfectly, that was her something blue.
"Old, new, borrowed, blue" she said to herself but couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing, a knock at the window interrupted her thoughts.
She opened the window to be met by a pair of sparkling ocean blue eyes, a backwards baseball cap and an unsure face. All of a sudden she had an obviously nervous (and not wedding going judging by his clothing) Luke Danes in the room with her.
"Luke what are you doing here? I'm getting married in 10 minutes"
"Yeah about that...what If you don't get married?"
"What? Why would I not get married? Kind of late to be making jokes here Luke"
"It's not a joke Lorelai, you know me I'm not a joking sort of guy"
She looked at him, here he was in front of her in his patented flannel shirt and baseball cap she'd gotten him for Christmas, while she stood in her wedding gown (9 minutes until you walk down the aisle she mentally reminded herself). Luke didn't make jokes, this must be important so she formed the only word she could "Why?"
"Because I loved you first"
As soon as the words had left his mouth, he wanted them back. He could see them floating between them - he tried to reach out and take them back but it was too late, her jaw dropped and he knew she'd heard them.
In the four years he'd known her, he'd never rendered her speechless.
Lorelai Gilmore without a witty comeback or a joke to make, that you don't see every day.
No no no this has to be a joke, he was winding her up like she does him all the time, right? She looked at him; he'd sat on the bed and all of a sudden acquired a shoe fascination. A feeling in her gut told her this was for real - her mother's voice nagging away in her head "he likes you, he looked at you like you were about to give him a lap dance" dammit she hates it when Emily is right!
Okay words would be good right about now (5 minutes til aisle time, you are getting married remember she mentally reminds herself) come on Gilmore you've never had a problem forming words before, just open your mouth
"When?" it comes out in almost a whisper, she isn't sure he heard, but he lifts his hands to adjust the hat on his head.
He sighs, was there a moment? How long has he known this? Just now, when she's about to marry someone else? No he's known before - paint samples he almost kissed her then? No before that... "A while"
Seriously, he's going to be vague! I need details, how long is a while...a month? a year? two years? Max loves her, she knows he does and she loves him, doesn't she? She's not throwing that away for this. More details would be good. "How long is a while?"
"Four years"
Four years? YEARS! And not a word well he almost asked me out once and I thought he was going to kiss me before but still...
We've only known each other four years
"Lorelai..." oh he'd found his voice, right man up tell her or you'll lose her."Lorelai I've loved you since the moment we met, you handed me that horoscope our hands touched and it was magic, I felt fireworks okay?"
"Mom, it's time. Are you ready?"
"Mom!"
They stood staring at each other, in their own world - each lost in their own thoughts. Lorelai trying to grasp the fact that Luke coffee Luke the towns Luke her best friend Luke was in love with her. Luke mentally scolding himself for opening his mouth and probably losing his best friend.
Neither noticed Rory entering the room in her bridesmaids dress.
"Mom we have to..." she stopped abruptly upon the realisation that her mother was not alone. She wasn't sure what was happening but it looked intense.
"I'll just say you need a minute"
Rory banging the door shut snapped them out of their thoughts.
"Why are you telling me this now?"
Is she seriously asking me that? Isn't it obvious?
"Because you're getting married, and it's not exactly respectful to proclaim love to someone else's wife. This is my last chance to be with you, don't marry him, marry me instead. I can make you happier, you bring joy to my life every day and he...he'll take that from me, you're not meant for him. You're meant for me, go out there and ask the guests well maybe not his stuck up family but your mom, Rory, Sookie hell I bet even Taylor or Kirk could tell you. I'm hopelessly in love with you lorelai Gilmore"
Wow a patented Luke Danes rant. Did he propose to me? Lorelai Danes, hmm...I like that. No no no you're marrying Max, Lorelai Medina nope doesn't sound the same. Arrggghh! Wait my mom? What did she say? He doesn't know about the porter house steak or the do you have feelings for this man? Do I? I said maybe right but I may have been lying a little, of course I love him it's Luke he's my friend my confident my handy man my coffee supplier. Huh? Isn't that what I want in a husband?
Dammit Luke, you've gone too far. She's never going to speak to you again. You should just get up and go then by the time the weddings over you can be far far away. His plans to leave are interrupted by a knocking on the door.
"Lorelai what is going on? Everyone is waiting, it is Ill mannered for the bride to be..." Emily faltered. "Ahh I should have known" upon seeing Luke and Lorelai in the room.
"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore listen to me, that man out there he is educated he is decent, he can support you, he is waiting to marry you. Do not throw that away for this small town diner owner"
"Mother keep out of this, Luke is ten times the man Max will ever be. Just because he doesn't come from your background. He works hard, he's honest, he's decent, he's always there for me, he loves Rory like she's his own and we aren't even together. Now he has come here because he knew I was making a mistake in marrying Max and you...you told me months ago that Luke liked me and now you're back tracking? I don't want to marry Max, my heart belongs with Luke. I know it, he knows it, you know it hell even Max knows it - he proposed because he was jealous of Luke!"
"Well I can see you've made up your mind, I'll inform the guests the wedding is off" with that she stomped out the room.
Lorelai walked over to the bed and sat next to Luke, he was once again transfixed by his shoes.
"Want to get out of here?"
He looked at her as if she was crazy but she wouldn't be lorelai Gilmore otherwise, she had already climbed out the window so he did what he intended to do for the rest of his life, he followed her.
He hadn't a clue where she was going but he just followed, the town was empty everyone was at the wedding. She stopped in front of the diner, turned and waited for him to open the door. Once inside he automatically brewed a fresh pot of coffee.
Look how well he knows me, how did I not see this! Omg Rory she's going to want to find me. I pulled out my cell phone ignoring the sign but Luke never raised an eyebrow, I called Rory's cell phone, she answered on the first ring.
"Mom what's happening grandma says the weddings off and..."
"Rory put your grandmother on."
"But..."
"No buts I'm the mom now do as your told."
"Lorelai?"
"Can you and dad take Rory home with you? I'll come over later and explain everything."
"Yes of course we will."
Luke placed the coffee in front of her and she silently drank it, neither of them had spoken since they climbed out the window back at the inn. Too terrified to say the wrong thing.
He refilled her cup and walked into the store room; she followed and watched as he paced up and down.
His mind was running at a thousand miles a minute, he knew she had called the wedding off but did she want to be with him? She was sitting in his diner in a wedding dress; he didn't see that one coming. He stopped abruptly and just leaned against the wall.
Lorelai watched as Luke stressed himself out, she realised that while she had called the wedding off, she hadn't gave him any indication of where he stood. Slowly crossing the 8x10 room to stop next to him, she reached her hand out and grabbed his collar to pull him closer to her. Connecting their lips together in one explosive kiss.
Luke's mind took a second to comprehend what was happening, he had dreamed of this moment for years but now actually doing it for real surpassed all his expectations. He brought one of his hands up to tangle in her hair at the same time he found her tangling her tongue with his.
Lorelai was hoping to convey everything she felt for Luke into that one kiss but she had to acknowledge he deserved to hear her say it, she pulled back to absorb his facial expression: he looked happy, she smiled.
"I couldn't marry Max, even before your little interruption it's always been you Luke. Everyone told me but I was too stubborn to listen and I didn't want to lose you from my life, but now it's a risk I have to take. I love you"
Luke was, to put it mildly, bouncing off the walls, the girl he loved more than anyone, loved him back and life didn't get much better than that. "I love you too"
Here she was standing in the storeroom of Luke's diner professing love to her best friend in her wedding dress and as messed up as it sounded, she knew that she was where she was meant to be. The guests, her parents, Sookie, Max, Rory: they could all wait; this was her and Luke's time.