Title- The Way it Should Have Been

Pairings- Luke and Lorelai (It's all I write, duh)

Summary- Post Season 5 finale. JavaJunkie Because they needed to clear the air and say those three words.

Disclaimer- It's Fanfiction. So obviously, I'm nothing.

"Luke will you marry me?" I had asked.

"What?" Came his gasped reply.

I could not believe what I had just said. I knew it was true. I wanted to marry him, I had always known it in my subconscious. Here was a guy who would do anything for me and my daughter, going on and on about how we, together, could get Rory back into Yale.

I knew it was wrong to have asked now. It wasn't right timing I felt like I could emotionally combust. I knew I wanted this though. I needed Luke and I wanted him to be my husband. "Marry me." I stated in my most confident voice.

"Are you serious?" He asked incredulously as he took a seat at the table across from me.

I had to admit, I wasn't expecting that response. "Well, yeah." I said, obviously hurt but trying not to show it. I looked down, "Did you think I was kidding?" I asked softly, my voice beginning to crack as all the emotions that had built up that night began to crash down.

I watched him out of the corner of my eyes. He looked very confused and hurt. How could he be hurt? If anyone should be hurt it should be me, not him. I proposed and he doesn't wasn't to marry me? Now I even felt a little angry with Luke, my should-be-fiancé. "You know what?" I asked, standing up. "I'm just gonna go home." Slammed the chair a little too violently into the table, I noted as I grabbed my purse. "It's been a long day, so, I'll see you later? Good, bye." And I was gone.

I didn't look at him at all as I was leaving, though I was surprised and even a little more hurt that he didn't object. I was hurt, angry, sad, pissed off, and a couple more emotions I couldn't explain. Rory was gone, into my parent's world with her high-society boyfriend and now Luke was, well, who knows what was going on with Luke.

As I turned onto my street I realized that this was no longer Rory's house. It was only mine and I was alone. Rory was gone. I know it's weird considering the fact that she's been gone the past two years but now she was out of my reach and I was alone.

I walked up the steps slowly, feeling the wave of sadness fully come over and the tears start to build up. I walked over and laid on the swing, stretching my legs out and buried my face in the pillow that had been laying there, finally letting the tears flow.

I cried for Rory and Luke. Rory because she was supposed to be here, with me in my world not my parents'. I messed up big-time with her and I don't even know where and how. I failed as a mother and now she was leaving, all because I was too afraid of losing her in the first place by telling her what she was getting herself into.

Luke because I cornered him with a proposal. I was hurt that he didn't reply though. I wish he did, badly, but still. I think I screwed up with him. He was surprised and obviously not ready for this. I mean, we just got back together and all of a sudden I'm popping the question? For god's sake I told Max that a proposal had to be special and daises and horses. There were no daises or horses. I'm a hypocrite. Great, even one more thing that could be wrong with me.

I woke up to the feeling up the wind brushing through my hair. Again, and again, and again. Now the wind was on my cheek and my head was no longer on the pillow. I sat up quickly and looked around trying to recognize my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was a startled Luke sitting next to me. "Hi," I said, trying to retain my nervousness.

"Hey," I watched him as he shifted awkwardly, as if he was caught doing something wrong.

"What brings you here?" I asked, shifting my legs into a more comfortable position.

"Thought I'd find you here," He said as if it were obvious.

"Well you did," I said nervously.

"Yeah, you were almost asleep by the time I got here so I came over and sat down. You looked like you needed it."

"Thanks," I said quietly, looking down. "So was there a reason for the stop-by here?" I asked, looking up and cocking my head to the side.

He looked at me knowingly. "Isn't it obvious? We need to talk."

"I know," I said quietly, the hurt and sadness washing over me again.

"I just," He paused and took in a deep breath. "I just need to know why you proposed." I must have looked at him weirdly because he started to explain. "That it wasn't something that you'd regret tomorrow,"

"Luke," I interrupted, hurt by the assumption.

"No, I need to let this out. I need to know that you really would want this. This married life, that I could really be your whole package. That this wasn't just something to be said because you were hurting and you felt the need to have me to hang on to and make sure that you had someone that would be there."

He was right though. I hadn't really given him a chance to explain and this was something that needed explaining. "When we were sitting there, I just, I saw this amazing man in front of me, going on and on about how we could get my daughter back into college. I just, I knew that you were it for me. You were the one that was always there for me and Rory and I just knew you were the one I could spend the rest of my life with."

"Good," He said and stood up.

I looked at him perplexed. "Good?"

"Yes, good." He said, taking my hand and gently pulling me over to the chuppah.

"Luke?" I asked confused.

He turned me to him and looked at me intently, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing me slowly, yet passionately. Once the kiss started to get heated and out tongues were involved he pulled back, causing a whimper-like sound to emerge from the back of my throat. "Marry me." He stated out of breath.

"What?" I asked, still recovering from the kiss.

He pulled something out of his pocket and put it in my hand. I examined it closely. It was an engagement ring. "Marry me." He said again, smiling.

A hand flew to my mouth and I gasped. "Yes," I barely choked out. He took the ring out of my hand and slipped it onto my finger. "It's beautiful," I marveled, holding it up in front of my face.

"It was my mom's." He told me as he slung his arm over my shoulder and gently pulled me down and sat me sideways on his lap. "My dad told me to give it to the woman that I could picture spending the rest of my life with." He started to play with my hands as I rested my head into the crook of his neck.

"What about Rachel? And Nicole? I mean she was your wife, did she wear this ring?" I asked hurriedly.

"No, it was being held in the bank the past twenty-something years and I took it out a little before the time we spent apart. I knew that you were it for me. Not Rachel, not Nicole, you. I love you, so much, Lorelai." He said his voice deep and full of emotion and full of love.

It was the first time those three words were spoken between us. I had known it for awhile but I just hadn't known how to say it. "I love you too Luke, so much." I said in adoration. "You weren't the only one thinking of marriage, you know." I said softly into his neck as I sprinkled it with sweet and short kisses.

"Really?" He asked surprised. The vibrations from his throat sending chills down my spine.

I nodded as a small grin appeared on my face. "When my mother was looking at wedding dresses she had hundreds of them up in a room and while she was trying them on I started looking at some." I said shyly.

"Good to know I wasn't alone." He said as he stroked my thigh with one hand and caressed my back with the other.

A comfortable silence filled the air as we sat there. "Guess this thing will get to be used after all, huh?" I asked quietly, gesturing to the chuppah.

"I guess so." He said with a small grin.

"Hey Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"We're getting married."

Authors Note- I have complete writers block on my other two stories, 'Just a Little Mistake' and 'Here Without You'. Check 'em out and leave some reviews for each story, including this one.