Pride Comes Before The Fall

They stood in front of the door, waiting.

"I don't wanna" Lorelai pouted, starting to turn away.

Luke grabbed her and held her in place. "They're your parents," he soothed, "you have to tell them about your wedding plans. Can you imagine what the reaction would be if they just received an invitation in the mail without hearing anything beforehand?"

"We can just not invite them. Then they wouldn't get the invitation," she countered.

"Not an option, and you know it," he sighed as he reached across her and rang the bell.

The door swung open and Emily ushered them in.

"Wow. You're much better dressed than Mom's other maids," Lorelai snipped. "How did you get out of wearing that ugly uniform?"

Emily blatantly ignored her daughter, focussing all her attention on Luke instead. "Glad you could join us, Luke. It's been a while". She fixed him with a pointed stare.

Luke ran his hands through his hair nervously. "Yeah... well. Um... good to see you too Mrs Gilmore." He looked at Lorelai with a desperate look on his face.

Lorelai took the hint, and plastered a huge smile on her face, handed their coats off to the real maid, who had just appeared, and started talking as she walked towards the drinks cart. "So, Mom, how are things with the DAR? Is Dad going to be joining us tonight? Is Rory here yet?"

Lorelai started to make two martinis as Emily shook her head. "Yes, Lorelai, the DAR is going very well, thank you for asking. Your insincere interest is increasing daily, I see. Yes, your father will be joining us shortly. He is taking a business call, which apparently is much more important than having drinks hour with his family..." She looked towards Luke as if to indicate that she didn't consider him to be family. "Rory is running a bit late. She had a final this afternoon, which I'm sure you knew about of course, and she will be arriving in time for dinner. Although at this rate, I can't imagine that anything is actually being prepared in that kitchen – at least nothing was cooking last time I was in there. Honestly, these maids keep getting worse and worse."

"I'm sure she has it under control, Mom", Lorelai placated. "And yes, of course I knew that Rory had a final today. I just wasn't sure what time it finished."

"Yes of course you did", Emily mumbled as she sat down with her drink tightly gripped in both hands.

Luke and Lorelai exchanged a confused look at Emily's unusual demeanour, but shrugged it off. Anyone who tried to unravel the complexity that is Emily Gilmore's mind would be in for a terrifying time.

The group sat in silence for what seemed like a year, but was probably only 20 seconds, before Richard strolled into the room, breaking the tension somewhat. He walked in, shook Luke's hand and greeted his daughter, oblivious to the look on his wife's face. He poured himself a scotch and sat down.

"So, Luke. How's the diner going?"

"It's just the same as always, sir. Running smoothly. Making a nice little profit," Luke answered politely. He moved his hand so that it was covering Lorelai's, and subconsciously began to stroke her fingers with his thumb. He looked into her eyes, and mouthed "Tell them."

Lorelai grimaced, but took a deep breath and began to speak. "Mom, Dad... Luke and I are getting married..."

Richard chuckled. "Well, that's not exactly new information, Lorelai." The look on Emily's face changed slightly. Lorelai could see surprise and a little bit of fear expressed.

Lorelai continued. "On the 16th of September." She glanced happily at Luke, and squeezed his hand.

Richard grinned. "Well, that's lovely news, isn't it Emily?" She simply nodded slightly. "Would you like me to book a room at the club? Or the Goodwin Hotel would be lovely..."

"No, Dad. That's not necessary, but thank you," Lorelai interrupted. "We're going to be having the ceremony in the town square. It's quite fitting really. It's where we had our first unofficial date, and where we celebrated our engagement..." She trailed off.

Emily exploded. "No Lorelai! That is quite unacceptable! I will not allow any child of mine to be married on the street of some dump town surrounded by God knows what type of trash! Honestly, Lorelai! It's like you were switched at birth to have such bad judgement and so little taste!" She stormed up the stairs, and locked herself in her bedroom.

The two men sat in stunned silence, trying to work out what had just happened.

But Lorelai was not going to take such an outburst lying down. She stormed up the stairs, yelling at her mother. "You cannot talk to me like that! This is my wedding, and it will be to MY specifications!" She began banging on the locked door, as she continued to yell. "You have no right to make decisions for me, or to look down your nose at the way I live my life! Because it is MY life, mother, not yours! I will not accept your contempt anymore!" When Emily didn't open the door, Lorelai let out a frustrated scream, and went to her old bedroom, slamming the door so that the picture on the wall fell down, smashing into a million pieces.

Downstairs, amidst all the hubbub, nobody had noticed Rory come in the front door, and witness the elder two Gilmore women's scene. She quietly walked into the living room, and sat in the place where her mother had been sitting minutes earlier.

"I should..." Rory began, looking towards the stairs.

Luke laid a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Just let them calm down for a minute."

She nodded at him, and they continued to sit in silence.

Emily knocked on Lorelai's door and let herself in. "Lorelai, it is 7 o'clock. Come down to dinner."

"Why? So you can continue your berating of my existence for the millionth time? So I can sit there while you mock my wedding to the man I love?"

Emily could see the anger and hurt written all over her daughter's face, and her own anger slipped away. "I may have over-reacted. I apologize," Emily said quietly. A look of absolute shock came over Lorelai's face. Emily Gilmore was apologizing? "No need to call in Dr. Phil, Lorelai." She paused, and looked at her daughter. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do – marrying him?"

"Yes it is, Mom!" Lorelai yelled. "I know you don't approve. I know you think he's not good enough for me, but the truth is, I'm not good enough for him. I love him!"

For once, Emily didn't rise to the bait. "Calm down, Lorelai. That day in the real estate office..." she began. "This man hurt you more than I've ever seen you hurt. I know that we don't always get along, but I do not want to see my only child unhappy."

Realization dawned over Lorelai, and her anger ebbed away. "Oh," she let out. "Well... we're both making more of an effort, and I'm totally sure that we can make it work now. Don't worry about me," she brushed it off, "I'm a big girl."

Emily took a long look at Lorelai, and sighed. "As long as you're sure." She went to leave the room.

"Mom?" Lorelai called at her.

Emily turned.

"It wasn't about it being in the town square, was it?"

"No. Whatever makes you happy, Lorelai."

Richard, Luke and Rory were shocked to see the two women walking down the stairs in relative calm. Neither of them appeared to be missing any limbs, or bleeding at all. Emily plastered her hostess smile onto her face and addressed the room. "I believe that dinner is being served."

Luke waited for Lorelai to reach him, put his hand on the small of her back to guide her to the dining room, and leaned towards her. "Is everything okay?" he asked her quietly.

She gave him a small smile. "Yeah, it's fine. Quite a dramatic wedding announcement we give, don't we?"

"Well, I could never say that you were boring," he quipped.

They ate dinner in a strained, civilized manner.

After the door had closed behind them on their way out, Rory walked over to Luke. Lorelai was already seated in the Jeep, playing music.

"You are going to look after her this time, aren't you?" she asked him.

"Yip," he replied. "I think that making some small sacrifices to keep your mother happy is much preferable to the hoard of torch-carrying villagers which would be set onto me if I messed up now."

"Well yeah," Rory mused. "As much as Stars Hollow likes you, I think they might put themselves on her side. She can be pretty scary when she wants to be."

"And Taylor would take any excuse to take me down."

They both laughed.

"I'll be home in a week, so I'll be able to keep an eye on the two of you then," Rory told him. "All I have to do is keep you together for another three months, and the deal will be sealed. After that, I'm sorry – but you're on your own."

"Sure. See you, Rory."

"'Bye, Luke."

"What was that?" Lorelai asked as he got into the passenger seat.

"I've been warned. The great Rory has spoken, and I'm on my last warning, apparently," he grinned at her.

She drove in silence for a while. "You know, Luke, you're not the only one who is to blame for things getting so messed up." He looked at her questioningly. "I should have talked to you sooner before it got to the point where I'm breaking down in front of my mother of all people in a realtors office; or telling the whole town how much Lane and Zach are lucky, because they can at least make it to the altar. I should have told you how scared I was of losing you – losing what we had." There were tears streaming down her cheeks, making her mascara run.

"Oh, no... hey..." he said soothingly, rubbing his hand on her leg. "Um... do I want to know what either of those things meant?"

She shook her head. "It's in the past now. This time, we are going to make it down the aisle if I have to drag you there myself."

"No need." He looked at her. "No doubts anymore. I'll be the first one there. Waiting for you."

"You'd better be." She playfully pushed him. "We've waited 10 years already."