The next afternoon, Luke knocked on Lorelai's door, and she opened it as if she'd been standing there waiting for him.
"I saw you pull in," she explained as he stepped inside and she shut the door behind him. Before he could respond, she had stepped in front of him, backing him into the door so she could press her lips into his.
"Lorelai," He said in between kisses. "Rory's home."
"We'll just have to be really quiet," she told him in between kisses. Before the situation could get any more heated, they heard Rory's door swing open and were separated in an instant.
"Mom," Rory called from the kitchen, "Luke's truck is in the driveway,"
"Yup, just let him in babe!" Lorelai called back as they walked around the corner, meeting Rory in the living room.
"Hey Luke, what brings you here?"
"Actually kid, we wanted to talk to you." Lorelai told her
"Oh.. okay," Rory responded tepidly.
"You're not in trouble," Lorelai chuckled a little at her daughter's change in tone. "Let's go sit in the living room." She said, and they all moved to settle themselves in the furniture, Rory in a chair and Luke and Lorelai sitting next to each other on the couch.
"So what's this about?" Rory asked.
"Wow, right to the point there, huh kid?" Lorelai asked, then sighing, knowing that even her stellar sense of humor wasn't going to make this conversation any easier. "Listen, kiddo. We need to talk about the Dean situation."
"What about it? We're broken up, we go to different schools, we grocery shop in the next town over until he gets fired. It's all settled."
"Rory," Lorelai pleaded. "I'm sure that you don't have any plans to cross paths with Dean anymore, but even the best laid plans…" she trailed off.
"What are you saying?" She asked.
"Rory, I think it's best if you get a restraining order," Luke interjected, able to tell that Lorelai was struggling. They both turned to look at him, surprised to hear his voice.
"That's ridiculous." Rory said.
"Rory, we just want to keep you safe." He pleaded.
"I am safe," She protested.
"You're hobbling around on crutches," Luke argued.
"I can't." Rory said, looking to her mom for support.
"Baby, what do you mean you can't? Is he threatening you or-"
"No!" Rory answered, and Luke and Lorelai both let out a sigh of relief. "I just can't, Mom. I can't see him court. I can't handle the way the gossip will spread around this town if we do sue. I can't do that." She admitted. Luke and Lorelai looked at each other, unsure of how to proceed. Lorelai spoke up.
"Ror, you've got to understand how hard this is for me. My number one, my most important thing, is always going to be keeping you safe. But I don't want to force you to do something that's going to scar you anymore than all of this already has."
"How about we hold off for a while," Rory said. "If he so much as glances at me, I'll let you call a lawyer and I'll grin and bear it through the trial. But let's not rush into anything. I don't want to ruin Dean's life either. A restraining order would stay on his record forever. He'd never be able to get a job, he wouldn't be able to-"
"He deserves a record, Rory." Luke interrupted. "If you really don't want a restraining order for you, don't get one. But for the love of God, please don't do anything to spare Dean. Those things would happen to him because that's what he deserves for hurting you. Do you know that, Rory? Do you know that you didn't deserve any of that? That he was completely, 100% in the wrong to treat you like that?"
"Yeah," Rory said, looking down at the floor. "I mean, I get it. I do. Logically, I know that. But you know, I kind of signed up for it. I chose to date him. I chose to stay with him. I chose not to tell anyone what was going on. I could have-"
"No, Rory. he was manipulating you. He wants you to think that this was all your fault. He wants you to think all of those awful, awful things, but they're not true, okay?"
"Okay." Rory said, a bit more self-assured this time.
"Rory, please promise me you'll be honest and tell me right away if something happens." Lorelai asked her daughter.
"I will. Can I ask you guys something?"
"Anything," Lorelai responded almost immediately.
"Are you two dating now?"
"What? I don't even, why would you-what would make you think-" Lorelai sputtered.
"You're looking at him like he looks at you all the time. That "completely-smitten but attempting to hide it" kind of look." Rory explained. "Plus, you're sputtering, and Luke is blushing, so if I wasn't sure before, I'm pretty sure now."
"Well if you must know," Lorelai enthused teasingly. "Luke and I are… going on dates." Lorelai searched for a label.
"Going on dates." Rory confirmed.
"Going on dates." Luke affirmed.
"Alright, well… I'll let the "going-on-dates" couple have the house… I'm going over to Lane's. I'll be back after dinner. Be good." She said, kissing her mother goodbye and waving to Luke before she took her coat off the rack and left.
"Huh." Luke said as the door shut behind Rory.
"Are you mad?"
"Why would I be mad?" he asked, standing up from the couch.
"I don't know, that just… isn't how I pictured that conversation."
"Yeah, well, me neither, but I'm glad it happened sooner rather than later."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," he said, reaching for her hands and pulling her up into her arms. "Because now I can do this," he said, using a finger to tilt her head up towards his before planting a slow, loving kiss on her lips, "without worrying if the world's most observant 15 year old is in the other room."
"She is pretty smart," Lorelai smiled.
"The smartest."
"So…" Lorelai said, still smiling.
"So does this mean I finally get to take you on a proper first date?"
"Wow, a "proper" date? Will the queen be there?" She teased.
"Isn't that you? I hope you'd have the decency to show."
"Oh, Mr. Danes, flattery will get you everywhere in this kingdom."
"Are you free on Friday?"
"I have-"
"Friday night dinner. Right, Right. Saturday?"
"Saturday." She smiled up at him.
"Someone's giddy."
"The last time I went on a date I had to hire a sitter. And a sitter who knew how to change diapers. It's been a while."
"It's been about the same for me."
"You had to hire a sitter? Something I don't know about, Danes?"
"You're lucky I'm such a good sport."
"Yeah, I am."
"Can I make you dinner?"
"Here?"
"Yeah. I'll make dinner for the three of us and it'll be ready when she gets back. I don't think she's going to fill up on eggless egg salad from ."
"Oh, Luke, that's so sweet. But I want to have a little time alone with her. She kind of dashed out of here once she found out that we were dating."
"You don't think she's upset, do you?"
"I don't think so, but I do want to talk to her about it. There's never been a guy around, in her whole life. I mean, there was you, you were there, all the time, but this is just...different."
"I totally understand. Just… let me know how it goes, okay?"
"Of course. I'll call you tonight?"
"I'll be looking forward to it."