Star Crossed Lies and Other Hidden Feelings
By GilmoreGirl1979 (the Reigning Quote Queen)
Provider of Quality FAN FICTION
Rating: let's say PG-13 with an ISH?
R/R: yes please I love reviews; I wanna marry them (as previously stated, I have strange passions.)
Hi! This is your friendly disclaimer: I REJECT ASP's REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN! I don't own (DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!), No Harm No Sue.
Summary -Luke tells a lie (NO surely not!). He tells Rachel that he and Lorelai are together since Rachel concluded as much from Lorelai's weird behavior before at the diner (I have to go stand in a closet comment…) Let's see what happens….
LUVZ: we all miss you…
FEATURED BETA: LOCALIZY(by day amazing BETA, by night writer of her own noble fan fics… I'm cross promoting that way!) Localizy, thank you for putting up with my compulsive persnickety changes…for this crazy PUB. She's the DAVID BLAINE of BETAING…and she's all MINE… MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
LUVZ: we all miss you…
Localizy, What Can I Say…
No seriously go read localizy's fic what can I say…. read this first… then go to her's! I'm cross promoting that way!
"Izy? (poking her with a stick) "You still alive?" (proding her with a stick)
"Oh my gosh, I've killed my Beta!"
From us to you, lovely crack whores, a way to avoid all the drama of the finale; NEW FICTION!
A/N: in avoidance of the FINALE, we decided to treat you all with this MONSTER UPDATE! You will be so overwhelmed you will forget all about the CRAP FOR CRAP! Courtesy of the Resistance! As Izy says, "For those that may not want to watch the drama of hell unfold; here are some distractions."
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Chapter 10:
The Life And Times Of The Paramours
Tuesday Morning…
When Lorelai had gotten out of bed the next day, Luke had already gone. She did have the vague recollection of Luke waking up suddenly from another nightmare. Being huddled up close to him, she had felt his frightful lurch and groggily asked him if he was okay, but Luke quickly dismissed her concern and told her, "I'm fine, go back to sleep." At that early hour in the morning she wasn't going to argue with him. Just below consciousness, she began to wonder if his dreams were the reason he was so exhausted by the end of the day; that he wasn't getting any peaceful sleep during the night. She had heard him moving around the room getting ready and she didn't even think to sneak a peak at him while he dressed. Then, she felt a kiss on her forehead, and a whispered, "I'll see you later," in her ear.
When Lorelai was dressed and went downstairs to the kitchen, she found that Luke had brewed coffee in their coffee maker. Rory had already gone as well, but she left a note for her mother, complimenting the management on the fantastic, convenient, and free new house brew. The post-script told of how Rory liked having Luke around and she couldn't wait to see what was on the dinner menu of Chateau Gilmore.
Rory was poking fun at Lorelai's dislike of B&Bs. Lorelai smiled because it seemed like the old Rory showed her face to write the note. Plus, if Rory was warming up to having Luke around it would make telling her the truth that much easier when the time came.
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Lorelai didn't have time to stop by the diner before work or during lunch to remind Luke that they were now dating and not to fall for the nostalgic ploys of Rachel.
All day at work, it gnawed at Lorelai that Luke was spending so much time with Rachel at the diner; how much Rachel knew about Luke and how little she knew about Luke herself. Lorelai hated that she had gone into the lion's den unprepared. Unfortunately, she had to wait till their date on Wednesday to get some of her answers. Lorelai had her business class that evening anyway to prevent her from seeing Luke and asking him questions as well as she didn't know what Luke's schedule was for the day. Okay, we'll have to make some house rules.
Lorelai was running late for her business class and debated about stopping by the diner at least for a coffee and to check up on them, but frankly, she wasn't too eager to meet with Rachel again for another game of "I know more about Luke then you do!" Lorelai went straight home to change for her class, knowing that skipping school for a boy was just as wrong and stupid now as it had been in high school.
Even so, during her class, Lorelai didn't even bother to take notes. She started off thinking about their passionate kisses from a few days ago; about their good night kiss from last night. Of the sneak peak she got of Luke's chest on Sunday. She was thinking of Luke closing the diner with only Rachel for company. Lorelai had a disturbing vision that Rachel threw her self at Luke and they had run away together; Luke not giving a second thought to leaving Lorelai behind with all these new feelings she had discovered over the last few days.
She hadn't realized class was dismissed till one of her peers tapped her on the shoulder. Lorelai gathered up her books and notes, then raced home, determined not to go to the diner. She knew she was stronger than this, she knew Luke wouldn't skip town on her, but she did take an alternate route, unable to stand the thought she might see an abandoned diner in the center of town.
Lorelai's jealous tangents and speculations had her burst into her home, desperately wanting some coffee or more over to see Luke, but she still was too mad at her ridiculous fantasy to go to the diner and have it confirmed or denied. Mad at Luke for falling for the whims and wiles of Rachel, if indeed she had thrown herself at him; and mad at coffee for making her an addict and for being the happy means of seeing Luke every day for so long.
"Hey," Lorelai greeted dully to her daughter as she entered the kitchen for the constantly brewing coffee.
"Bad day?" Rory observed; then went back to studying at the kitchen table.
"Bad, long, stupid, frustrating, annoying…" Lorelai shrugged, wondering what Luke and Rachel were doing right that minute. Lorelai took in the sight of her daughter, textbooks and notes spread about the kitchen table, burying herself in studies to not think about her love life, Lorelai figured Rory was shutting out any fun, because fun and being happy would have reminded Rory of Dean.
"Well, unpack your adjectives," Rory grinned briefly, almost singing the school house rock song, "How was class?"
"Eh?" Lorelai signaled her indifference, not wanting to relate the specifics of her melancholy.
"Well, you're boyfriend's here," Rory gestured toward the living room with her pencil.
Luke? "He is?" Lorelai perked up, and tried to reign her pleasure in, to keep her feelings below the surface since her daughter wasn't supposed to know what was really happening between Lorelai and Luke.
"Yeah, he's on the couch… we were watching TV." Then, Rory genuinely smiled, "He's so funny; he does, like, Mystery Science Theater commentary with all the news castors…I couldn't even pay attention I was laughing so hard. We were waiting for you, but then he fell asleep, apparently he got some big order at the diner and the poor man had to clear out half the freezer last night. Anyway, he said he wanted to make us dinner as a thank you for a place to stay while Rachel's was in town…he went to Doose's and everything, but I didn't have the heart to wake him up to cook till you got home."
"I'll wake him up," Lorelai said almost too eager.
"Thank you, because I'm starving!" Rory groaned, too absorbed in her studies to notice her mother's tone.
Lorelai kicked of her shoes off by the desk and tiptoed the rest of the way into the living room. Sure enough, there he was, Luke, sleeping soundly, slumped on the couch. Lorelai sat next to him and smiled serenely at him. He had been opening up to her kid, bonding with her kid; making Rory laugh at all the problems in the world, when Rory was just trying to forget all about her own. Lorelai knew he was probably perfectly serious in his dry editorial of the news stories, but happy he had at least tried to talk to Rory and cheer her up. Lorelai couldn't remember if there was ever a time when just Rory and Luke hung out before; Maybe at the diner but he would have been working, and she would have been doing home work or with Lane, or with me. Lorelai hoped that through their living arrangement, Rory would grow fond of Luke and be happy when she learned of the evolved relationship between her mother and the diner owner.
Lorelai looked over her shoulder to make sure Rory wouldn't spy from the kitchen what she was about to do. Lorelai leaned closer to Luke, and let her hand drift up his chest, then round his neck, to settle on his rough cheek. She was about to plant a kiss on his cheek to rouse him from his sleep, but he suddenly woke up on his own and saw Lorelai's close proximity and instantly jumped off the couch to put some space between them, "What are you doing?" Luke accused.
"Nothing," Lorelai said innocently, "I was…trying to wake you up," Lorelai studied him as he regulated his breathing; Lorelai knew that look, he wore the same expression every time he woke up from one his nightmares in their recent mornings together.
Hearing the commotion in the living room, Rory came into the rescue and saw Lorelai's close proximity to where Luke had just been sleeping peacefully on the couch, and how distress Luke was now that he was awake and on his feet. It all looked very incriminating to Rory, who put her hands on her hips, "What did you do?" she interrogated her mother, suspecting Lorelai guilty of some crime.
"Nothing, honest!" for once Lorelai wasn't trying to tease or torture Luke. She was only trying to get some affection after having missed him and thought about him all day, quite the feat with the daughter in the house, even if said daughter had even known about the relationship, "I was waking him up and I must have startled him."
Unfortunately, Lorelai had priors against her, so Rory scolded her mother for messing with Luke, being protective of the provider of her coffee. Luke had been startled and thought it was the dream Lorelai sent to tantalize him again, so he wasn't so quick on the uptake when he realized in retrospect what the real Lorelai was trying to do. Before Luke followed Rory into the kitchen to start dinner, he whispered, "I'm sorry, you just caught me off guard."
Lorelai then wondered why Luke would need to have a guard. Was their banter, which had been so comfortable for so long, some sort of mask for Luke? Was his grump exterior a shield of some sort? As Luke made dinner for the three of them, Lorelai meditated on these thoughts. Perhaps Rachel had hurt Luke so badly before, Luke felt it necessary to hide his true self, which would explain why Lorelai didn't know any of his favorite things. Lorelai took it as her challenge, if they were indeed going to pursue a real, romantic relationship, she had to peel away his layers and find the real Luke beneath.
Then, Lorelai realized she, of all people to take on such a mission, wouldn't have to dig too deep. She had always thought that Luke felt so at ease around her, letting her in on at least some of his secrets, about his relationship with his father; their friendship had felt natural, always had been laid back and relaxed, they could always be frank and honest in their opinions and banter. Luke, in particular, was always willing to help out; he was sweet and thoughtful when he wanted to be and he always seemed to know exactly what Lorelai needed from him at any given moment. God, how could I have never seen this before?
As Luke distracted himself with chopping vegetables and baking chicken breast, he pushed the Red Lorelai from his mind again. He had had dreams like that before, but never so intense. His dreams felt just as strange as it was to be with Lorelai in reality. It had been a mere wish, a fantasy for so long that when she said she wanted them to really start seeing each other, he thought he'd just wake up again. What was really confusing was keeping the teasing, torturing Red Lorelai and the sweet, sincere Real Lorelai straight in reality. Luke noticed that while the real Lorelai was getting more comfortable being close with him, the Red Lorelai was also gaining in confidence.
Luke didn't know what he was going to do. He wanted to act on those long repressed feelings, show Lorelai what she had been missing by passing him by for so long. He wanted to finish what desire and hormones started on Sunday before the town meeting. However, they didn't have the comfort of impulse or urgency to throw caution to the wind any longer. They both had time to think about everything; the new definition of their relationship, how much desire and attraction was between them, the effect this relationship would have on all their friends and neighbors once they were discovered.
The most looming fear for Luke was that Lorelai didn't mean any of it. That is why the dreams bothered Luke so much. In his dreams he could be swayed to believe Lorelai really wanted him, because it wasn't real, he knew that and he had accepted that. The Real Lorelai had ignored Luke for so long and was admittedly attracted to a different kind of man, like the teacher, like Christopher… like anyone that wasn't Luke. Luke was afraid that Lorelai believed her own press, accepting the lies she told as truth, and that when Rachel was gone, so would Lorelai, that she was only killing time till she could win Max what's his name back.
Luke and Lorelai were supposed to have a date, tomorrow night and he was apprehensive wondering if he'd ruin the whole thing with his own damn insecurities. Yet, Lorelai kissed him truly, her kisses felt like there was really something there. She seemed anxious and excited about their new relationship, even more so about their date, eager, wanting to really talk to him, not fight, not banter, not get his goat, just learn about him and accept him as he was…for once. Luke pushed away the dreams again hoping Lorelai was sincere, hoping all the awkwardness would melt away after their date.
It was a new experience for all to sit down to a family dinner. Luke was used to eating alone and the girls were used to dinner in front of the TV. Luke still seemed shy and reserved, especially around Lorelai while Rory present. It could have been Lorelai's presence made him pull back again for a multitude of reasons. He was still unsettled by her attempt to kiss him in his sleep, wishing he had just grabbed her and let Rory discover them. It could have been simply that he was shy now that his "girlfriend" was around again. Maybe he didn't want to over step his bounds in speaking to Rory while she was in her sensitive state or while her mother was present. However, Rory seemed perfectly at ease, took the opportunity to get better acquainted with Luke, and was in full journalist mode.
Rory and Lorelai had known Luke for years and Rory knew of the unique friendship between her mother and him. Yet the details of his personality were fuzzy. What made him such a health nut? Why did he withdraw from town events and things? Did he like being a hermit? Where had Luke gone to grade school? Was he ever a boy scout? Was Rachel his first girlfriend? First kiss? First everything?
Luke kept his eyes on his plate and gave short one-word answers as best as he could. Rory hadn't meant to overwhelm or embarrass him, she was just curious, as was her mother. Rory was trying to get Luke out of his shell and find some information they could use against Rachel to regain the upper hand and drive Rachel out of town.
Lorelai appreciated Rory's effort to open up the diner man, but she already knew the woman for the job was Lorelai Gilmore.
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Wednesday Morning
Tonight was to be Luke and Lorelai's first real date and Lorelai could hardly contain her excitement, for coffee's sake she had to sleep next to the man all night and behave her self. She was up before Luke's alarm clock, and Lorelai decided to wake Luke up before his nightmare could take him from her, to save him from any distress so he would be in a good mood all day, to remind him he was safe and had a date to look forward to that night. Once his eyes were open, she confessed to him how excited she was about their upcoming evening together. Usually she wouldn't be so forward with a beau, but she wanted to gauge his enthusiasm as well.
Lorelai let Luke get ready while she stayed in bed and out of his way. Lorelai was still in her satin PJs, sitting in bed with her arms hugging her knees, watching Luke prepare to leave for work. He was gathering up his clothes and things that had filtered over during the week to take back to his apartment the clothes that needed to be laundered and bring over fresh ones.
"Maybe you should bring over a bunch of stuff … we don't know how long she's going to be staying," she suggested from under the covers.
"I'll manage."
"Luke, its no trouble, I'll clear some space for you in my closet…"
"I've seen your closet and I don't want you to kill yourself on my account."
"Luke, you're …my boyfriend," the words made Lorelai smile and it took everything she had to contain her girlie giggles. "I want to be hospitable and accommodating girlfriend while you're over here," again her dirty mind dove into the gutter, and she could still see his bare chest from her peek on Sunday.
"You mean while we have to hide the truth from your daughter."
"Luke, I told you, she's sensitive right now."
"I know, I know…. its just confusing… outside these walls I can hold you and kiss you…but last night at dinner and when Rory is around I have to keep myself in check…then up here it's free reign again?"
"It will get easier…as soon as Rachel is gone… I promise… "
"Alright, I gotta go," and he was about to leave with his overnight bag.
"Hey!" Lorelai exclaimed indignantly.
"What?" Luke said stopping at the door.
"Kiss!" Lorelai opened up her arms, still sitting in the bed.
Luke broke into a small smile, still not used to taking the initiative where Lorelai was concerned, he walked over to the bed and Lorelai met him kneeling at the edge of the mattress. Luke put a hand on her back to hold her close while her arms wrapped around his neck.
Their simple goodbye naturally escalated and Luke dropped his overnight bag to the floor to pull her close with both arms. They could have stayed like that all day… or done much more if they both hadn't pulled away for the need of oxygen.
"We really gotta get a handle on that," Luke shook his head, still marveling the effect the Real Lorelai had on him, now that he was free to touch her, kiss her, hold her. You're dating her, man, this is real… enjoy it…
"Hmm, all in good time," she pecked at his lips again, "So… tonight is our date?" she said again, biting her lip shyly, examining his broad shoulders with her hands.
Lorelai got chills as he rubbed her torso and his gravely voice confirmed, "Pick you up here?"
Luke Danes is gonna pick me up for a date at my house, OH MY GOD! But all she said was "Um sure…" With a wide smile, she cupped his face again and planted another kiss on his mouth, "Have a good day, my handsome paramour."
"Your what?" Luke raised an eyebrow.
Lorelai grinned mischievously. "Look it up," she instructed.
Luke didn't have time for her games, "I gotta go to work."
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However, Luke couldn't focus on work. What the hell is a paramour? He looked around the diner for someone who would know, but since it was Lorelai, he really didn't know if such a word would be appropriate between proprietor and customers.
"Luke?"
"Yeah?" he was brought out of his musing by Rachel's voice.
"You okay?" Rachel asked.
"Umm, yeah I gotta go check something upstairs," and with that, he took the stairs two at a time, and searched his bookcase for his dad's dictionary because the not knowing was driving him nuts.
In the Ps he found it.
Paramour: Noun; A lover, often secret, not allowed by law or custom; implies a relationship based solely on love, often physical love, rather than on a social custom or ceremony.
Luke chuckled with the new understanding. Lover? Luke raised an eyebrow at the word and suddenly he didn't know what Lorelai had in mind for their anticipated date. If he would be able to perform with the red Lorelai haunting and confusing him; Lorelai sees me… as a lover? He dissected the definition again, then, went back down to the diner, still confused at the meaning. The words haunted him, similar to how Red Lorelai haunted his dreams, still unsure where he stood with the Real Lorelai. His thoughts didn't go away, as he excused himself to Rachel so he could use the apartment shower and get ready for their date, concerned at what Lorelai would expect from him tonight…and if he would be able to put his worries and ghosts to rest and just be happy with her.
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Lorelai seemed to breeze through her day; Michel didn't even annoy her all day long. She was going on a real date… with one Luke Danes. Any concerns or jitters just weren't there anymore. She didn't even know where they were going or what they were going to do, she knew she was going to be with Luke and that's the only detail that mattered. She knew what she wanted to do, but she'd be a good girl and play it by ear.
It wasn't till Lorelai got home that she tried to figure out where Luke was going to change. They shared a room now, but he was going to pick her up at her house, like on a real date. That was the other bizarre circumstance; the fact that Luke and Lorelai were sharing not only a room, but a bed as well, and had yet to act upon their obvious passion and attraction for each other. Save for that morning when she insisted on a goodbye kiss, they hadn't really displayed physical affection to each other in days, a detail Lorelai hoped to remedy tonight.
The biggest obstacle of this budding relationship had been with Rory always around… all of the time. Lorelai deemed it necessary and considerate to keep Rory in the dark, so Luke and Lorelai had been careful in how they spoke to each other around Rory all week, but Rory still seemed to be in her own head about the break up with Dean. They couldn't take any chances of reveling their hand too soon to the teen.
So naturally, when Rory came into her mother's room Wednesday evening, she was perplexed by the buzz of activity going on in there. Her mother was flitting around the room with a huge smile on her face. Clothing ensembles had been laid upon the bed, no doubt, to help Lorelai choose what she was going to wear, "Are you going out?" Rory asked her mother.
"Yeah, with Luke," Lorelai said honestly as she applied lipstick leaning down to look into her vanity mirror wearing only her robe. Lorelai couldn't even sit down to do her make up she was just so overwhelmed with butterflies.
"Is he picking you up here?"
"Yeah, like a real date!" Lorelai squealed, 'cause it is a real date!
"Why are you going through all this trouble? It's just Luke."
Suddenly she remembered she had to hide the fact that she and Luke were for real, feeling her daughter's scrutinizing gaze. "Authenticity," was the reason Lorelai offered.
Lorelai's apprehension to telling Rory steamed from two separate conversations. When Rory discovered Max Medina sleeping on the couch after he was snowed in to Stars Hollow; how freaked out and unsettled Rory was, and how, in the end, she only wished for her mother's happiness, and look how that turned out.
The second conversation occurred before Max Medina had captured her fancy. Lorelai casually asked Rory if she thought Luke was cute. Rory went off on a lecture about how Lorelai could never date Luke, because they would break up, never speak to each other again, and the best coffee in the world would be denied to them for eternity by Luke's bitter jilted heart.
"Well, if Rachel is at the diner… why do you need to go out? You two could just hang out here…she'll never know."
"Rory… we have to be seen out and about… you said it yourself; what is the point of practicing if she doesn't see us?" Lorelai was happy they could be so open about their relationship, even though everyone one thought they were faking, and despite how shy Luke seemed to be.
Rory began to wonder if her mother was just now torturing Luke for fun. Surely, her mother knew of Luke's crush on her, even though Lorelai dismissed and denied it constantly. Eying the choices on the bed, for Lorelai to be dressing so sexy, even though she and Luke were only pretending, just seemed cruel to Rory.
"Okay now help me pick."
Rory scanned the choices again, "Well, these are a bit… ummm…"
"What?"
"Well, they are sort of …sexy?"
"Yeah?" what's the problem?
"Well, its just Luke…" was Rory's only reason.
"Rory just pretend this is a 'real date'…" Lorelai emphasized with air quotes, "Like I am," Yeah pretending, right, "Now if I, your mother was going on a 'real date'…" with another set of air quotes, "… with Luke… what would I wear?"
"Well," Rory made a funny face as she picked up and sorted the choices, as if she was trying to match the pieces of a puzzle.
"Well?" Lorelai encouraged.
"How far do you want to go on this 'real date'?" Rory mimicked her mother's air quotes.
"Well, I don't know where he's taking me…" Lorelai regretted not calling Luke to get more details.
"No, I mean…how far do you want to go," Rory said slowly.
"Oh, well," Lorelai tried not to blush, "Well, hypothetically" Lorelai stressed to her daughter, "and purely for Rachel's benefit … I'd say… home run," she finished with slight frown at her daughter's reaction.
Rory made a face, "God, this is just too weird; Luke is chipping in for my therapy."
"We'll discuss that over dinner," Lorelai promised.
They decided on light blue dress with a low V-neck, with a slit to expose her leg, and heels to show off her calves.
Lorelai called to Rory, "Don't wait up," as she practically pranced down the stairs when the door bell rang, for once, ready on time.
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In order to avoid the Stars Hollow gossip, Luke and Lorelai went to Sniffy's for dinner again. Out of town they could truly be relaxed with each other, knowing that their every move wasn't being recorded and scrutinized.
"Well, hey there you two," Maisy greeted, "back again… in the same week. Oh, he must like you, Honey," Maisy nudged Lorelai.
"Well, I like him," Lorelai squeezed the arm she held, and made eyes at Luke, thinking it cute how his face colored in front of his old friends.
Luke pulled out her chair as they were seated and that was another surprising feature of dating Luke Danes. Lorelai liked how Luke was a gentleman; he opened doors, pulled out chairs, offered her his arm as she stepped out of his truck and escorted her into the restaurant.
"This is nice," she commented half way through the entrée Bud and Maisy predicted she would like.
"What?"
"This…Us on a real date… I mean Saturday was nice… but this is… real," she shyly smiled at him.
That gave Luke the encouragement he desperately needed, "Yeah, it is nice," To finally be here… with you.
"I'm surprised you are eating red meat."
"I can enjoy a steak once in a while," Luke defended, "It's your over indulgence that's gonna kill you one day." Pie, coffee, chocolate, grease, cholesterol, fat…
"So, do you have any other guilty pleasures?" She posed casually, keeping a scrutinizing eye on him, as she took a sip of wine.
"How do you mean?" carving into his steak.
"Oh I don't know… any other secret treats… or…movie you have to watch at a certain time of year, every year? Or music, perhaps?"
Luke considered, "Nah… nothing like that…"
"So you don't like…I don't know…own all of Jimmy Buffet's CDs?"
Luke stopped chewing, and his eyes shot straight across the table to glare at his date, and he sat absolutely still. Lorelai held in her snickers over his expression as she examined her wine glass.
"How did you…?"
"You like Jimmy Buffet?"
"Aw jeez."
"Luke Danes is a Buffetthead? Why? How did you get into Jimmy Buffet? You, Luke Danes of all people?"
"Well, at least you can understand what he's saying… unlike that techno-rap crap…"
"Yes, I'm sick of the techno-rap movement myself," Lorelai said dryly.
"Well, you are always telling me to chill down…" Luke defended.
"Chill out… but close…" she nodded.
"So, he's mellow, you know," Luke still seemed hesitant, "He makes me think of my dad," he confessed.
"Oh?" Lorelai turned from teasing to serious.
"My dad liked him… I don't know why… he wasn't exactly Mr. Island Margaritaville Man either… he was born, raised, and…well, died in Stars Hollow…he had never been on an island… I just … remember the music from when I was a kid… my dad would dance with my mom in the kitchen, who knows maybe he liked it because she liked it…"
"That's sweet," Lorelai swelled with affection for him.
"Yeah, well…" he said sheepishly.
Lorelai could tell he was embarrassed, so she leveled the playing field and confessed, "I like Barry Manilow."
"What?" Luke looked up.
"He was very big when I was very small. I have the live CD where he does a medley of all the commercial jingles he's written. It's hidden under the seat of my car. Don't Tell Rory!" she punctuated with a pointed finger.
"Huh," he chuckled and his smile returned.
Throughout the dinner, Lorelai kept gently prying information from Luke; his favorite color and movie, his life growing up and cautiously asking about his mom and dad, things that a girlfriend should know, and things she wanted to know. In return, Lorelai talked about herself, told Luke things that nobody knew, not even Rory; her concerns about raising Rory right, dealing with her parents and their constant disapproval, her fear that Rory would resent her for not forcing Christopher for making more of an effort, important things that she felt he should know. By the time dinner was over and desert served, both felt lighter, more at ease, as if they had been through tough confessional, but felt happy and comforted by the fact that they both knew things about each other, the secrets that only long-time lovers should know.
After dinner, they went to a movie where Luke put his arm around her at the movie theater and let her lean her head on his shoulder. Occasionally, she would look up at him, he would notice and they would kiss, since neither was the least bit interested in the film.
On the way back to Stars Hollow, Lorelai was thinking of Rory and how Rachel had to see them together so Rory wouldn't figure out this was a selfish date, and Lorelai suggested, "We should stop by the diner."
"Why?"
"Well, Rachel has to see us…together… for real."
"She thinks we are together for real."
"Well…"
"You want coffee…" Luke figured.
"Yes," Lorelai admitted, "when don't I want coffee?"
When they exited the truck, Lorelai exclaimed, "Hey, I just realized, by dating you it's gonna be free!"
Luke rolled his eyes, "I'll be out of business inside the year," Luke was finding it weird that they could hold hands in public and felt the eyes of the townies following them to the diner.
"Be nice," she nudged Luke with her hip, as she looked up, laughing, she saw Rachel had already caught sight of them through the window. Lorelai decided it would be rude not to acknowledge her, so she gave a small wave in Rachel's direction.
Rachel hadn't meant to stare. She was simply delivering a sundae to the table by the window, looked up and there they were, the happy couple. Luke didn't seem to notice how close they were to the diner, but Lorelai did offer a small wave to Rachel, having noticed she was staring.
Luke and Lorelai entered the diner with a jingle above the doors "Hey!" Rachel greeted. Her cheeks were starting to hurt from all smiling she was doing for the happy couple's benefit.
"Hey, large coffee to go please," Luke ordered for Lorelai, another gentleman like thing he seemed to do that Lorelai didn't mind.
"I take it no charge?" Rachel deduced.
"Don't worry… I'll pay him later."
"Lorelai," Luke hushed.
Rachel laughed it off. With Luke spending nights at Lorelai's house, Rachel had figured they were active… she just preferred not to think about it.
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When the couple was outside again and walking back to Luke's truck, Luke decided to make one thing clear to Lorelai, "Don't do that again."
"Do what?" pulling the cup away from her lips as she was about to enjoy her first sip.
"Be… suggestive like that…around her," Luke admonished.
"Luke, I'm trying to get her to see that we are happy together…"
"Well, she is still my friend. You might want to spare her feelings just a little…"
"Well, you're the one who wanted to lie to her that we were together…"
"Still, you don't have to lord our non-existent sex life over her…it's…" he searched for a word that fit, "…rude."
Lorelai resist to make a comment about their impending sex life, "Well, granted I haven't had to deal with many ex girlfriends before… so I'm sorry I if don't know the proper etiquette…"
"Really, your mother didn't teach you anything like that…" Luke snapped.
"Hey…" Lorelai put a hand on her hip.
They stared at each other a moment and both started to chuckle that they were fighting like usual, only now about real relationship stuff. Lorelai stepped toward him and the hand that was on her hip had slid around his waist to hug him as he leaned back against his truck, safely guiding her coffee to the side.
"Wow," Lorelai observed. "It's like we've been dating the whole time," purposefully pressing herself against him.
"Yeah, I guess," Luke had found their banter the easiest part of the transition they were making.
"That felt good you know… like we were being normal…"
"Well, couples fight, right?" he shrugged.
"But we make it fun, and eventually being a couple will feel normal too," she wanted to say this to sooth his shyness, hoping he'd be a little more … forthcoming with his affection, take charge, come and get it. Lorelai could now smell his after shave in the hug, "You know once we get home you won't be able to kiss me around Rory," wondering if he needed the subtle hint, "at least until we get up to my room?"
"Believe me… I want to now…" he said, still feeling like Miss Patty' had a telescope on him.
"So what's stopping you?"
"The town," Luke sighed.
"Luke, its past 9:30… everyone is in this burg is in bed."
"I just don't want them to read into anything."
"You mean like the fact that we are a real couple that is only faking to be a couple for the sake of your ex-girlfriend," Lorelai archly tried to illustrate the absurdity of his problem. "Remember they did take a vote; you are sanctioned to kiss me…"
Then he did kiss her, slowly, truly; letting go of Rachel and the town watching. He kissed her for him self. That was what the evening was supposed to be, about them, for them.
Lorelai did that satisfied sigh thing Luke had seen in movies from time to time, "I could definitely get used to that," she smiled, and tilted her head again, wanting more.
Luke could see a twinkle in Lorelai's eye and he knew this had to be special for her too. It wasn't just him, Luke knew this was real for both of them. The fury of their second bout made Lorelai for get to keep hold of her coffee and it fell to the ground with an unnoticed splash, as her now free hand dove into his hair.
"Hmmm, Lorelai? You're coffee," Luke said against her mouth.
"Hmmm, it go splash," she said daftly, preoccupied with his mouth.
Luke pulled away, "We could get you another one?" he offered.
"Nah, I got what I want," and she kissed him for a few more minutes before they had to face Rory as mere friends again. Say it isn't so (tell me it's not true) Superman don't fly Say it isn't so (tell me it's not true) A/N: You all know how I like to get on my soap box (because I have the high ground) and rant… well I have another STATEMENT that we must make TOGETHER, A plea really.
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A/N: Featured Refrain: Say it isn't So!
I just can't believe
It was all a lie
No man in the moon
Just a big light in the sky
I hear Disneyland
Might lose Mickey Mouse
In some giant hostile corporate shake-up
Tell me it's a nightmare
Please wake me up
(Say it isn't so)
I found a book of matches
From someplace we've never been
How come you hang the phone up
The minute I walk in
Last night I had this dream
That I was losing you
I woke up in a cold sweat shaking
Rescue me my heart is breaking
Say it isn't so (I believe in you)
Tell me it's a lie (I don't need no proof)
Say everything's all right (couldn't be, not you)
Say it isn't so
They did it all with strings
Elvis Presley died
They deep fried the king
Like some tacky cheesy bathing beauty
Dancing on the beach in a bad b-movie
Say it isn't so (I believe in you)
Tell me it's a lie (I don't need no proof)
Say everything's all right (couldn't be, not you)
On that impending day when the Season 6 DVDs come out… PLEASE I beg you, my crack whores, my minions, my casual readers…if you loved GG ever! DO NO BUY SEASON SIX OF GILMORE GIRLS
Reasons:
-Why would you want to shell out the dough to relive such an abysmal season, if necessary it will be syndicated in the fall I'm sure, watch it, if you HAVE TO, for free.
-Hit ASP/DP in the Royalties and DO NOT contribute to validating their HALF ASSED VINDICTIVE DRIBBLE
-IF you ABSOLUTELY MUST buy it to complete your collection… PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, if you have any love for me at all… please WAIT until Season 7 comes out (Buy season 7 FIRST then buy 6 a week later) … it won't go anywhere… it will still be there…
I want it to have the lowest preorder/first day sales of all the seasons…
Please be strong and make the STATEMENT with me… join the resistance!
I thank you for your time… my darling crack whores and fans
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"That was all God given talent..." why thank you Luke!
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R/R: PLEASE, I like to better myself. To quote The Princess Bride,
"...Remember this is for posterity ... so be honest."
Please be specific with R/R; name one (or as many as you can think of or want to mention..…) At least one specific thing you liked
Please! It makes me feel good...inside (Dirty!)
Hence the Rant option below.
Insert Rant here V
A/N: if not completely satisfied with this chapter, please return unused portion for a full refund...