AN: Ah, it feels extra good to be writing now. I've finished my programming exam, so now I'm only one exam away from summer vacation now. Yay. I've also ordered GG season 3 on dvd and it'll be arriving only days after I come home for the summer, so me and mom will have lots to look forward to :) Plus I'm gonna introduce mom for "The 4400" and the two of us are gonna work on my Kaylee costume for the Serenity convention I'm going to in September. And of course I'll be writing my ass off, don't worry, I want to write many chapters for this story. Today was an extra good day though, cause as I was writing I was getting more ideas on how to continue the summary for my story arch. So I had to pause on writing the chapter to write some notes in my summary document, I think I added like half a page of notes, so the story's gonna be even longer than predicted. Good news, huh? lol And 12 reviews this time, I take this as a good sign :) I'm glad people seem to like the previous chapter despite the angst, it's all part of the story.
smileyGGfan - aw man, here you just blew my entire story arch. Throws up arms really quickly: Kidding! Just kidding... put the weapons down niiice and slooowly. After sorting out the URL and guessing it to be photobucket, I got to your art. Very nice :) Most my art is published on my site, Dream Universe (URL is found in my profile) I have made an LL wallpaper, which I'll add there with my next update, so be sure to look for it. I'm very glad you liked my parallells, it was something that just popped in my mind as I was writing. That happens from time to time, I get into a character's way of thinking and suddenly a new thought arrives. as for making the fic happy, let me just run my story arch, I promise you won't be disappointed. All good comes to those who wait ;)
Mushroom27 - your wolves can take a break (and suddenly a mental image of "Max" as the wolf in "the 10th kingdom" flashes in front of my brain... I'm sorry, where was I? "Huff, puff" oh, sorry, a wolf habit I picked up), here's the update. As for the self control, well it's tough, cause I've always been so impatient with writing, but by letting things happen too easily just makes it less fulfilling to get to the goal, just as we now would've loved to see LL get together in season 1, you've gotta admitt to finally seeing that kiss, completely filled with pent up emotions was a hundred times better than a quicker realisation had been. Because we got to sit and cheer for them, hope and during certain things it was painfull, but oh so worth it, when we got to the end of season 4. It was just oh, so worth it. I'm glad you're hooked and I hope to see you for each of my updates.
LukeNLorelaifanatic - Does the bus have to be yellow? Or would any color do?
Iguana21 - I do hope I'm doing more than just adding filler bits... lol, good to see an other person hooked :) Makes writing the story even more fulfilling.
It was funny how people always thought about what they would do in case of crisis and when they actually ended up in the middle of one, how different it all turned out to be. Lorelai wasn't one who had thought that long and hard on how she would've handled the inn catching fire. Had the rubber ducks in the rooms come to life and started chasing her or the entire kitchen staff turned into flesh eating zombies, she'd be more than prepared. But something as real and possible as a fire, especially with Sookie's many accidents around the kitchen, it simply hadn't crossed her mind. Nothing, not even a 'what if' scenario in her head had been there to even prepare her for the thought of a fire occuring.
She surprised herself with how 'in charge' she had been since arriving on the scene. It was like when there was at least one more task that needed doing, she was on auto gear. Like counting the guests and staff to make sure they had all gotten out, gathering and keeping the kids entertained, assuring the adults that everything was under control and now, breakfast. She had sent Sookie over to the market to get everything she needed to make breakfast, all they needed was a place and Lorelai could only think of one location.
She kept up double the pace as everyone behind her, just to make sure she was the first one in. Luke wouldn't like it. He would downright hate it. She wouldn't be surprised if he kicked them all right back out again as this would definately be defined as stepping on his toes. But no alternative springing to mind and her legs having a mind of their own, there was simply nothing else she could do.
Pushing the door open in such a force that had she been a superhero it'd broken off it's hinges, Lorelai walked into the diner, only stopping for a second to locate Luke, who was standing a couple of feet to her right, taking a breakfast order from one of the tables by the window. Lorelai only let herself throw a slight glance out the window, where she saw Sookie exiting the marked. Knowing Luke wouldn't finish the order before all hell broke loose, she made her way to the table and grabbed a hold of one of his hands.
- Lorelai, Luke exclaimed, irritated, as she pulled him with her behind the curtain.
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, she rambled.
- What? Lorelai...
Luke was interrupted by the bell ringing and Sookie's voice cutting into the silence that had been mere seconds earlier.
- Okay people. Staff to the back and set up. Guests take a seat by any available table. I need someone to get blueberries from Westons, any volunteers? Good, now move it!
- What, Luke repeated, his voice raised.
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Lorelai continued.
- Just move all of Luke's stuff aside, we don't need it, Sookie shouted to some of her workers who were on their way into the kitchen at that moment.
- What? Who does she...
- We had a fire, Lorelai interrupted.
- What, Luke asked. - How? When? Where?
- Congratulations, you've managed to ask every monosyllable question in the english language, she quipped. - No wait, you forgot 'who'. Care to try again?
- Lorelai, Luke warned.
She sighed.
- The Inn caught fire. We got everyone out and...
- Wait. The Inn? Your Inn caught fire?
- No, the Cheshire Cat did, and we're all just here to celebrate, Lorelai replied dryly. - Of course my Inn. Well technicly Mia's... Oh man, Mia. I have to call her, I don't have my cellphone, I lent it to Michel to try to relocate the guests to the inn's and B&B's nearby. Do you have a cell I can, no, of course you don't have one, you hate cellphones. Do you think I can borrow the diner's phone? I...
- Lorelai, calm down, Luke interrupted her, motioning for her to sit down in the stairway. - Mia can wait. Talk to me. What happened?
Lorelai took a deep breath and did as she was told. Luke followed and sat down next to her. The stairway being kinda narrow, physical contact was inevitable and Lorelai tried her best to ignore the warm fuzzy feelings she got when Luke accidentally brushed her thigh with his hand and knee as he turned to face her.
- Lorelai, he asked, snapping her out of her trance.
- Sorry, I didn't really get much sleep, she apologised. - The phone woke me up, well it woke Rory up, who again woke me up and Tobin told me the fire alarm had gone off at the Inn and if I could please come down immediately. Everything up to actually getting there is kinda a blur, but I'm pretty sure I put on everything backwards, my lences, my bra, my shoes, if I could bend that way I would probably have poured coffee in my hair rather than drinking it... If I had coffee that is.
- At least that'd woken you up, Luke pointed out.
- Funny, she smiled. - So I get there and they've gotten all the guests and staff out, we must've done a dousin countings to make sure everyone's safe and then I have to adress all the guests, assure them that everything's under control, which of course it isn't. And chief Baker told me that they put the fire out, that the structure seems stable and that we should be able to get in tomorrow morning, but he couldn't say for sure, so now we're making them breakfast, while trying to relocate as many guests as possible and then I don't know what next, but we'll deal with it as we get to it.
- Seems to me you're doing great, taking it all one step at a time.
- Yeah, Lorelai replied, not so certain, her eyes watering up. - Great, now I'm crying. Now that things are looking to get under control and now I start bawling. I'm sorry, I'm just...
- Hey, Luke murmured into her ear, soothingly as he placed his arm around her as more tears were falling down her cheek. - It's gonna be ok.
- I know, she sniffled. - I honestly don't know why I'm crying. I think it's just wish I had thought about it, you know? The whole posibillity of this happening, but I never did. Isn't it kinda my job to be prepared for this?
- I don't think anyone, Luke said, putting his other arm around her as well, enveloping her in a comforting hug. - No matter how much they think about it is ever prepared for a fire.
- Firemen are, she pointed out, her voice muffled.
- Okay, firemen are, Luke chuckled. - But you know what I mean. I mean, I've thought about some of those 'what if' scenarios several times, like what if the diner caught fire, which if you ask me is much more likely now that Sookie's rampaging my kitchen.
Lorelai laughed into his chest between hick-ups. She knew she shouldn't be sitting in the stairway, holding him this close. Whatever good it did her now, it would make keeping that promise she had made to herself about letting him go at least three times harder later. The logical side of her ackowledged it, but the emotional side just wanted to hold on just a few more minutes. The feel of his arms around her, that special way he smelled, it was partly of deep-fried meat, but also that typical masculine smell that Lorelai loved so much, like a mixture of aftershave, deodorant and something else. It was almost enough to make her believe, for a couple of seconds there was no Nicole, no promise, nothing. It would've been so easy to give into that belief and just reach up and kiss him, but today was the day when Lorelai had to discover that sometimes her logic side actually had her grounded. But that didn't happen until she felt Luke kiss the top of her head and pull back.
- You feeling better, he asked.
Her throat feeling like sandpaper and the rest of her body feeling like it was covered in fairy dust, she just stared at him for a couple of seconds. Distracting herself, she quickly dried the remaining tears away, before she again looked into his eyes again.
- Depends on what you define as better, she replied.
- How are you feeling, Luke corrected himself.
- Well, you know, the usual. Sweaty, shaky, queasy, slightly panicky. None of that is new, but now I have a headache because of the crying on top of it.
- I'm sorry, he replied.
- It's not your fault. I have no idea why I suddenly was crying. One minute I'm fine, the next I'm bawling like a baby. I can't explain it. I hope I didn't freak you out or anything.
- You didn't.
- Good, cause if I did, I'm...
- Don't say you're sorry. I've heard enough of that word to last me the week, Luke replied. - You probably just needed to cry about something, maybe it didn't even have anything to do with this. You're always being strong for others, so no wonder things catch up with you once in a while.
- Yeah, you're probably right, Lorelai smiled. - Hey, thanks for not freaking out about me breaking down in front of you.
- You're welcome, Luke chuckled. - Just stay here, Sookie seems to be handling the breakfast just fine on her own, just give yourself a couple of minutes before going out there and I'll get you an aspirin and a glass of water for the headache.
- Think you could bring me a cup of coffee as well?
- Lorelai?
- Please, she begged with a pout. - I haven't had any yet. You wouldn't want withdrawal pains added to my list of agonies would you?
Luke sighed.
- I'll be right back.
- You're the best, she grinned.
Luke smiled and made his way through the curtain.
- Hey Luke?
He popped his head back in the doorway.
- What, he asked, slightly annoyed.
- Thanks again.
Luke smiled.
- Anytime.
TBC