Title: Say Anything…Else
By: Chloe K. / Route67
Rating: K/ G (some kissing, tense family situations)
Cover Art: http://engeland.us/pic/ggfic.bmp
Summery: It's Valentine's Day! Lorelei prepares for a traditional Gilmore holiday blowout when Dean asks Rory out for a romantic Valentine's date. While Lorelei begins to make plans to celebrate alone, Lane struggles with her own romantic dilemma: No plans, no boyfriend, and now no John Cusack.
Timeline: This story takes place mid Season Two.
Legal Disclaimer: I do not own Stars Hallow, the Gilmores, their house, their names, their favorite hangouts and I'm certainly not taking responsibility for their coffee addiction. All characters and fictional locations belong to the WB/CW and associates.
Feedback: Feedback? Yes please! And thank you! And may I say, that color looks fantastic on you.
- - - - -
"Red Hots, Snowballs, red and pink M&Ms, Red Vines, Bubble Tape-"
"Mom!" Lorelei looked up from her crowded shopping basket and saw Rory swing around the corner holding a tomato aloft.
"Aw, something to paint the town red, that's my girl."
"No, I mean it's a Valentine's color."
"Uh-huh."
"It's red."
"Thank you Torero, I can see it's red."
"So we're buying anything in Valentine's colors. This is a Valentine's color."
Lorelei scrunched up her nose. "Yeah, but it's a vegetable."
"So?"
"So who's going to eat it?"
"Luke when he comes over?"
"And when does Luke ever eat anything out of our kitchen?"
"Not since he found out we keep PopTarts in the oven."
"Precisely."
Rory gave the tomato a sad look. "Goodbye, Bob."
"So anything without vitamin C, K or F back there?"
"There isn't a vitamin F. And no, nothing but a bunch of healthy stuff and Trix, but only some of the cereal is red."
"Trix!"
"But there's green and purple and-"
"Silly Rabbit."
"That's true the Silly Rabbit is cute."
"Trix!"
"Okay- hey, did you get marshmallows?"
"And pink sugar, red sugar, and white sugar."
"But we have white sugar."
"Not in a cute little shaker that matches the pink sugar and the red sugar."
"Got it. Oh shoot- what time is it?"
"Uh-" Lorelei glanced at her bare wrist. "You dragged Mommy out of bed too early o'clock?"
"You left your watch?"
"And my purse," she grinned as though proud of this.
"What about money?"
"Don't be silly, I may be at Doose's Market in my pajamas but would I forget good old Franklin? Him and me go way back."
"Well at least it's not your sparkly bathrobe."
"Hey, that was one New Years party."
"So…" Rory raised her eyebrows. "You brought a Franklin."
Lorelei dug out a twenty from her bathrobe's pink pocket. "Fine it's a Jackson. But him and me go back even further than Franklin."
"Well I can't be sure but I think I'm going to miss my bus to Chilton, so you and the President figure it out." She gave Lorelei a brief peck on the cheek. "See you!"
"You're just going to leave me here in my bathrobe to pay for all this junk alone?"
Rory stopped at the door. "I'll stick around if you put Bob back in the basket."
"The tomato's staying unless he wants to be french-fry dip."
"I'll call you later!"
"Bye!" Rory ran out the front door and Lorelei gave her basket a sad look. "Need coffee."
- - - - -
Lorelei walked into Luke's, still in her pajamas and bathrobe, and took a seat right next to the door. Luke came over moments later with a full pot of coffee and a vibrant orange mug. "What's with the bathrobe."
"I'm waiting for the Buffalo gals to come out."
"Just so it's not your sparkly one."
"Not you too."
"Where are your clothes?"
"Sleeping in because I couldn't. Coffee please?"
He set the mug down and started filling it. "I have a no shirt no shoes policy."
"Hey, I've got a shirt and shoes."
"Those are slippers."
"Oh. Yeah." She examined her fluffy pink feet and smiled. "But they sure are festive, huh?"
"Festive."
"Yeah."
"It's February, what holiday is in February?"
Lorelei gasped in exaggerated horror. "What holiday? Do you own a Mary Engelbright calendar?"
"A what?"
"Valentine's Day, Luke, that's today. Even Mike Shinoda knows what it is, and he's more of a humbug than you are."
"Oh that." Luke muttered.
"Okay, don't tell me you're against Valentine's Day."
"You mean the confetti, the plastic hearts, the excess of Necco candy and the naked babies with wings holding weapons? Yeah."
"Hey, chicks dig bows and arrows, just ask Orlando Bloom. Of course, you know, he had clothes."
"And then there's the kissing on street corners and the Meg Ryan marathon and little kids giving pieces of tinfoil with Elmo on them to other kids, half of which they don't know, most of which they don't even like."
"Luke Danes, the Scrooge of V-Day."
"I'm just saying, it's a corny way to celebrate love."
"So how do you celebrate Valentine's Day?"
"Ah, you know, I close up, clean up, go to bed sort of early, get up sort of early."
"But that's what you do every day."
"And I love it." Luke said dryly, and went back behind the counter and into the kitchen. When he came out again moments later, he jumped. Lorelei was sitting at the bar now, holding her steaming mug in both hands and grinning. "Ah geeze…" Luke muttered.
"You wanna know what Rory and I do for Valentine's?"
"Do I have a choice about whether I find out?"
"Uh- no."
"Great."
"We go to Doose's and buy everything that's red, pink or white-"
"Tomatoes? Onions?"
"Hush, you. And we buy marshmallows and colored sugar and make our own Peeps, and then the marathon."
"Felicity, the complete series."
"Ew. Gone With The Wind, Some Kind of Wonderful, and in the last moments before midnight, From Here to Eternity. But just the beach scene. Over and over again until we realize that Deborah is a toothpick and Burt's hair sticks up in the front when it's wet and suddenly all the drama is lost."
"And then you go to bed sick to your stomachs."
"No, then we watch Rain Man."
"Rain Man?"
"And then we go to bed sick to our stomachs."
"What does Rain Man have to do with Valentine's Day?"
"Nothing, it's just fun to watch Tom Cruise freak out for two hours."
"That's ridiculous."
"Hey, like Tevye said, my friend, tradition. Don't argue with tradition."
"So is that why you're in your bathrobe?"
"Rory dragged me out of bed at six so we could go to Doose's before school. Actually I would be sitting here with three paper bags of junk food to keep me company, but I didn't bother to grab my purse and let's just say twenty bucks doesn't cover a Valentine's blowout at the Gilmore home."
"Do you need to borrow some?"
"Nah, I had Taylor hold it for me. I'll pick it up later." She took another sip of coffee and leaned forward over the counter as Luke unloaded the new batch of cinnamon rolls into a glass dish. "I'm really excited, you know? Rory and I…sort of had a falling out over the whole termite thing. She told my mother about it, and…I didn't really want my mother's claws in our home." she shrugged. "I mean, we made up. But we haven't had a fight that bad since her and Dean fell asleep at Miss Patty's. It's going to be nice, getting back to our routine. Feels good."
"I'm sure you'll have a great time."
"Yeah?" She grinned.
"Not my kind of thing, but I'm sure you and Rory will have a great time."
"Yeah. I bet we will."
"So, the usual?"
Lorelei's eyes widened in surprise. "You're offering me a glazed donut sans-lecture on saturated fats?"
"I figure it's a holiday. Apparently."
"Can you put pink sprinkles on it?"
"Don't push your luck."
"One bah-humbug glazed donut it is then." He smiled and got her a plate.
- - - - -
Rory caught herself glazing over. She sat up straight, blinking hard. It was tough to pay attention with Miss Keaton teaching. She lacked the flair Max Medina seemed to know intuitively and was entirely too good at the reiteration of irrelevant detail that Mr. Medina had stopped insisting upon when he started dating Lorelei. He told Rory once that her mom had convinced him life was short.
"He died in-"
"1968," Rory supplied.
"Very good Miss Gilmore."
"December 1968," Paris corrected. Rory felt her fingertips burn.
"Thank you, Miss Geller. Steinbeck died in December of 1968 in Manhattan, and was cremated according to his last wishes. His ashes now rest in-"
"The Garden of Memories in California," Paris said quickly.
"Salinas, California," Rory added before she could stop herself.
"That's correct," Miss Keaton replied, eyeing them both. "Salinas, meaning 'saltworks' or 'salt mine'." The bell rang and people started grabbing their books. "Remember to read Of Mice and Men and The Pearl and write a report on each, due next week." Miss Keaton called over the commotion. "Five hundred words, people, both reports. I don't care how you split it. Enjoy your Valentine's Day."
Rory approached the back of the classroom and found Madeline and Louise chatting. "She's like Jim Weiss," Madeline was saying as she threw everything into her stylized satchel. "I can't keep my eyes open when she's talking."
"Weiss meets McKellen," Louise replied.
"She does have a long nose…"
"And gray hair."
Rory suddenly noticed breath on her neck and spun to find Paris glaring up at her. "Geeze, Paris!"
"What's the matter with you."
"Me, you're the one playing Ruth Gordon."
"I thought I told you to stay out of my way in English."
"Oh brother, I just did exactly what you did. If you can't take it, don't dish it out."
"You think I can't make you miserable? I can."
"I know Paris, too bad it isn't marketable." She grabbed her stuff and made for the door.
"Where are you going?" Paris demanded.
"Lunch," Rory replied loudly.
"You know I think I heard she's in her sixties," Madeline said suddenly.
"Now all she needs is a Tony and she could be McKellen," Louise replied.
Paris rolled her eyes and stormed out the door through which Rory had gone.
- - - - -
Rory didn't go to the lunch hall. She'd lost her appetite and now she just wanted to clear hear head. She went to the parking lot to walk around but stopped short, noticing a very familiar truck parked outside. And someone was leaning against its door.
Rory broke into a run. "Dean? Oh my gosh!"
"Hey!" He scooped her up into a hug and gave her a quick kiss. "Happy Valentine's Day, girlfriend."
"Back atcha, boyfriend." She grinned, grabbing his hands and holding them to her waist. "Your timing is perfect, actually. Paris just jumped down my throat again. "
"Hilton?"
"More attitude, less lip gloss. So what are you doing here?"
"Well, I wanted to come down and see my girl on V-day."
"I told you I was going to stop by before dinner."
"I know, but uh…I have something I want to ask you."
Rory looked at him a little nervously, her hands slackening on his. "Okay."
He swallowed, looked up at her, down at his shoes, then back up like a nervous horse. "So, I know you and your mom do stuff on Valentine's."
"Yeah." She shrugged, her uncertainty speeding her dialogue. "I mean, the post office won't be closing and I'm sure Rachael Ray wouldn't approve of our culinary choices, but you have to give us props for picking a Lea Thompson film."
"All The Right Moves?"
"Some Kind of Wonderful. And Mom says her faith has been restored since she was on the Ritz box."
"Lea Thompson?"
"Rachael Ray."
"Right."
"Sorry, you were talking."
He grinned. "It's okay. Well, so Hartford U is having a Valentine's party this evening. It's a midnight thing; dancing, coat and tie, Jovani, Pearl Jam."
"And…?"
"And…I thought we could go."
Rory blinked her surprise. "Oh-"
"I mean, I know this is short notice, but I've been planning for awhile, you have a half day of school, and-" He took her shoulders and leaned down into her vision. "I just wanted to do something special."
Rory took a step back, thinking. "But- that's a Hartford U thing, right?"
"So?"
"So I go to Chilton."
Dean grinned, glancing at the building behind her. "Yeah I kinda knew that about you."
"But I can't just go to someone else's University for a party."
"After the students at Hartford get their tickets, they leave the rest open for outsiders to buy."
"But it's tonight, right? I mean, you're not going to be able-"
Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out two white-and-pink tickets. "Hartford U Valentine's Day Event" was stamped on them in vivid red ink and for a moment Rory couldn't think of what to say.
"I thought we could drive down to Hartford, check in, hang around for the afternoon-"
"But I have a class."
"No you don't, teacher staff meetings, remember?"
"Oh- right. But I haven't had lunch."
"Rory-"
"And- hey, wait, what about your school?"
"Rory-"
"I mean we can't all be like Guy Ritchie, you could get expelled for skipping out."
"Rory." She stopped. "I've worked things out with school, I've reserved our table, all you have to do is say yes."
Rory stood and stared at him for a long time, but not one valid argument came to her. And an annoying little voice at the back of her head said, It's Dean- why not? "I'll have to ask my mom."
"Wouldn't have any other way." He grinned and gave her a second kiss and started walking her back across the parking lot. "Guy Ritchie?"
"He said film school cranked out lame-os."
"Unlike Swept Away."
"Exactly."
"Are you really comparing me to Guy Ritchie?"
"Fine, Jim Carrey."
"That's much better, Gilmore, thank you."
"Don't mention it Forester." She stopped and grabbed his arm. "Dean?" He looked at her expectantly. "If it passes Lorelei, I'll definitely go with you tonight."
Dean grinned and kissed her a third time. "Call me as soon as you know."
"I will." They started walking again. "Only one problem."
"Yeah?"
"I don't own a Jovani."
"That's okay, I'm just in it for the girl." He gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Plus, Pearl Jam is like the 90's Lifehouse."
"Don't let Lane hear you say that. And it doesn't change the fact that I have nothing to wear."
"Hey, if Kate Hudson can't pull off a Jovani, no one can."
"Matthew McConaughey sure thought she pulled it off."
"She looked like she was wearing a curtain."
"Sacrilege."
"Sorry."
She jumped onto her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "It's okay. Any boyfriend who knows Kate Hudson wore a Jovani deserves a second chance." She ran off towards the main building. "See you!" He just shook his head, smiled and watched her go.
- - - - -