Story: Somewhere Only We Know

Rating: Teen

Chapter Title: That I've Been Dreaming Of?

Author's Note: God, sorry the updates are taking so long! I'm overrun with schoolwork, and on top of that I'm rewriting this as a screenplay – starring Will and Charlotte, wink wink nudge nudge – and just a heads up (now don't laugh at me): If in ten or so years you happen to see a movie that's a whole lot like this fanfiction? That's mine. A stretch, I know, but screenwriting is my dream. Anyways…haha. Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls, nor am I affiliated with them in any way. Chapter and story titles are taken from Somewhere Only We Know by Keane.

Lorelai opened her eyes slowly and laid for a moment in her bed, basking in the early-morning glory, and in the warmth of Luke's flannel shirt. She was so, so cozy. She kissed Luke's lower arm that was slung across her waist and rolled over on her stomach. She nuzzled her cheek against his usual morning stubble and kissed his cheek, then the corner of his mouth, and finally his mouth. His eyes opened, and she smiled up at him.

"Hi," she said as he shifted a little and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"God, I slept like a rock," he said hoarsely, and cleared his throat.

"Me, too."

"What time is it?" She looked over at the clock.

"Eight thirty."

"Oh." He kissed her this time, and then she broke away.

"Hey, Luke."

"Mmm?"

"Happy anniversary." His eyebrows lifted in registration.

"It's the twenty-eighth?"

"It is indeed."

"Oh, wow." He thought for a second and then stood up.

"Where're you going?" He pressed his hands together, thinking.

"Can Rory sleep over at Lane's tonight?"

"She can. What are you planning?" She flopped over on the bed playfully. "Come back to bed."

"Not planning anything. Yet. I'm gonna make some pancakes." He turned to go downstairs.

"Luuuuke. You just ruined a moment." He chuckled and came over to the bed. He leaned over and gave her a real kiss, a long one. "Tease," she proclaimed him when he pulled away.

"That's right." He straightened up.

"Fine," she said with a fake pout, sitting up. "I'll be down in a few minutes. Can you wake up Rory?"

"Sure." He headed downstairs, and she followed him after having dressed her clothes for work. When she emerged into the kitchen, Rory and Luke were already there. Rory was sitting at the table in her rumpled pajamas, and Luke was making pancakes. Lorelai sat down at the table.

"So, Rory," she said. "I have to work today, but a babysitter is going to come and stay with you okay? And then you're sleeping over at Lane's. I promise tomorrow will be just you and me."

"Okay," Rory said agreeably. "Are you and Daddy going on a date?" Lorelai and Luke turned to look at her, their eyebrows raised.

"Does she even know what a date is?" Luke demanded.

"A date," Rory told them, "Is when two lovers go somewhere together." Lorelai choked on her coffee and had to cough several times before she could breath normally.

"What? Rory, where did you learn that?"

"I looked it up," she said as if it were obvious. "I asked Lizzie Stein what it meant if my parents were always going out and kissed, and she said that was what married people do, but I said that you aren't married, so she said you must be going on dates. And I didn't know what it meant so I looked it up in the dictionary. And that's what it says. It also said it can result in intercourse. But I don't know what that means." Luke dropped the spatula, and Lorelai bit her cheek to keep from laughing.

"It's nothing you should worry about," she said as Luke set a plate of pancakes in front of each of them. She kissed his cheek in gratitude. "But yes, your Daddy and I go on dates.'

"I knew it," Rory said. Lorelai and Luke exchanged a look, and she grabbed his hand.

"Come sit," she urged, but he shook his head, grinning.

"I gotta go. Big day today. I'll see you later, okay? Bye, Rory."

"Bye, Daddy."

"Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking."

"Hey, it's me." She smiled.

"Hey, Luke."

"So I'm going to pick you up at seven. Is that okay?"

"Pick me up for what?" she asked playfully.

"Never you mind. Seven good?"

"Seven's good. I'll see you then, Mystery Man."

"Okay, then."

"Love you. Bye."

"You too."

Lorelai, of course, was nowhere near ready at seven when Luke rang the bell. She let him in, hopping on one foot to get her heel on.

"Give me ten minutes," she said, bending over to the mirror to draw on eyeliner. She slid in an earring and fastened a necklace before bending ninety degrees to sweep her hair in to a ponytail. She held a clip between her teeth while she fastened it and clipped a strand of hair that never stayed in place, and put on her lipstick. She grabbed her coat and turned to face Luke. "Let's go." He laughed and lead her to the car, and drove to one of their favorite restaurants in Litchfield. When they had been seated and ordered, he held up his glass.

"Can I toast?"

"Of course," she said, holding up her own.

"To nine years of friendship," he began. "Six years of pining. And seven months of love." She smiled. "I love you," he said honestly. "And I want to be with you. Forever. And no, I'm not proposing to you, so get that look off of your face. So…to us." They clinked glasses and she drank, smiling.

"I believe we've toasted that before," she said when she set her glass down.

"Hey, it's timeless." They exchanged a look, and then the food came, and they dug in. When the food was cleared away and their desserts were ordered, the chitchat died down as Luke grabbed her hand across the table.

"Hey, there," she said with a grin.

"So, uh…" he began, and she couldn't help but giggle a little. "I was thinking I should say something tonight. Like…important or something. Because of the date and all…it's the first year we've spent this day together. As a couple, I mean. But…I wasn't really sure what to say, other than…thank you so, so much for jumping me when you were fifteen?" She snorted in laughter.

"You're very welcome. Can I? Say something?"

"Sure."

"Okay. Um…just that I love you, really. And that I'm so happy things worked out between us. And I feel like things are going really good."

"Really good," he agreed.

"Well…then, good." He grinned.

"All right, then." They leaned over the table to kiss, and then the dessert came.

Lorelai stared out the window as they drove back to her house, a little overcome with memories. At a red light, Luke put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed slightly. He understood. She looked up at him.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"It's raining." And it was. Just warm enough that it wasn't snowing, but the rain was sleet like, and made the pattering noise on the car roof that had become Lorelai's comfort in the past years. Luke grinned softly as they pulled up to the house, and came around to help her out of the car. "So, I'm guessing what comes next is the big plan of the evening?"

"There's no big plan," he assured her. "Just...you'll see." She shrugged and walked with him to the house. Once inside they went upstairs, where Luke closed the bedroom door behind them and flicked off the light so the only light was moonlight. Lorelai's eyebrows lifted in realization as he kissed her, just as gently and tentatively as he had seven years ago, in the middle of the room, exactly as they had been. Except for the location and their age, everything was exactly the same – there was even the sound of rain outside, and their kisses had the same effect they had before: audible in the room, and comforting.

And so they replayed that night, to some extent, kissing and moving to the bed, against the wall, slowly moving down, all the while gentle and loving and almost scared, just as they had been. Since they had finally gotten together, they hadn't been like this, and it was just…beautiful.

But as they kissed, she was surprised to find herself crying. She wasn't sobbing or anything, but her eyes leaked a couple tears. Luke reached out, his hand cupping her cheek. He didn't say anything for a while, just stroked her hair and her face.

"Lorelai," he whispered, leaning over so his mouth was by her ear. "I know. I know, it hurt so, so much, and I know you hate to think about it. But look at us now. It's okay, you know? To cry? But don't worry…I mean, everything's okay now."

"Yeah, I know," she whispered into his shoulder. "I don't worry. It's just…tonight. And that night. It's just a lot."

"Yeah," he said softly, and kissed her temple. She turned her head so he kissed her lips, and they kissed like that for a little while. They were lying down, sort of on their sides, though Luke was bent over her a little, and while she was comfortable and felt entirely safe, there was something haunting her at the back of her mind. Memories of how, just seven years ago to the day, they had laid here just like this, but about to lose so much more than just virginity. But it was really that night – November 28th 1984 – that gave their relationship it's unique quality, it's intenseness and deepness. Because that night hadn't just been sex, it had been something so much more powerful and beautiful that Lorelai couldn't put it into words.

"Hey, hey," Luke said quickly, softly, sounding concerned, and she realized she was sort of shaking, her hands squeezing his shoulders tightly as she had the first time, right after they had…began.

"Sorry," she apologized, tilting her head up to kiss him, but instead he slid down to his side, his hand at the base of her neck.

"Lorelai," he started, and she turned her face so they were millimeters apart. "We don't have to do anything. We have forever…it's not like we have to be together like that tonight." She bit her lip and ducked her head to rest it on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly into his shirt, so softly that it was almost drowned out by the rain.

"No," he said, stroking her hair. "I'm sorry. So sorry, Lorelai. Look how torn up you still are…I hurt you so much."

"Maybe you did," she relented, "But I love you, and that's all forgiven – on both sides. It's just that it's all…coming back. Now."

"So we won't do anything," he reassured her, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head. "We have forever," he said again into her hair, and she hugged him back and squeezed him a little. "I love you," he whispered, kissing her temple, and then her cheek.

"Yeah," she said in a tiny voice. "I love you, too." She fell asleep after a little while to the sound of the rain outside, and slept all night like that, Luke holding her tightly as if he was afraid she'd slip out in the middle of the night.

"Lorelai." She stirred, and found herself still wrapped in Luke's arms. She moved a little and blinked a couple of times.

"It's dark out."

"Yeah. It's…" he checked the clock. "Two." She shifted so she lay on her back and propped herself up on her elbows.

"What's wrong?" she asked sleepily. The room was almost entirely dark, except for the shafts of light coming from the moonlight outside, falling across her face in an almost artistic pattern. Luke sat up.

"Nothing. I just couldn't sleep." She rubbed her eyes with her hand, and looked down to see that she was still in her dress. Figuring she was up anyways, she stood and changed into her robe. She lay back down next to Luke, tracing patterns on his cheek with her finger.

"You okay?" She spoke softly, as he was. "It's so late."

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay," she assured him. "Stuff on your mind?" He nodded, looking down, and she frowned slightly, letting her index finger rest beneath his chin.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, and she bit her lip.

"Luke…"

"No, I know. I already said it. But I couldn't sleep, and I was just thinking…I was awful. I abandoned you when you needed me the most. Heck, when I think about it from your point of view I get teary eyed, and you know I don't cry easy. And that's just me thinking about it. You…you had to go through it, Lorelai…I'm so sorry." She sighed, looking down at the sheet as well.

"But it was so long ago, Luke."

"Doesn't make it okay."

"I don't know…I mean, yeah. It really, really hurt, if you want the truth. It really did. But then again…that's why what we have now is so surreal. So…almost scarily intense. You know? Because I love you so much." She looked back up at him.

"You must have hated me." She kissed him sweetly on the cheek.

"Luke. I never hated you. I mean, you hurt me, yeah, but I didn't hate you. I missed you. Stop kicking yourself when you're already down."

"Yeah. Sorry. I don't know. I'm just thinking about all this stuff…"

"I know." She smiled softly. "You hated me, though." He didn't deny it, and she felt a slight twinge in her heart.

"I…well. Yes. For a while. But I didn't exactly hate you. I hated what you had done, and the ramifications of it. And then after I stopped hating, I started missing you. So much."

"I know how that feels." They looked at each other for a moment. "God…you know, I never thought I'd meet the guy I would want to be with forever when I was fourteen. But I think that's why we're so amazing. Because…you're the only person I've ever really loved, so it just makes it that much better."

"Yeah, it's kind of scary if you think about it. Some people would probably be second guessing themselves like crazy. But with you…I just know." She nodded slowly.

"I know what you mean." She laid back down, and so did he, putting an arm around her and squeezing her shoulder lightly. "Luke?"

"Mmm."

"Do you think you can sleep now?"

"Yeah." They lay there for a little while.

"Luke?"

"Mmm."

"Can I go back to sleep? He leaned over and kissed her for a few seconds. Then he lay back down. "Good night," she said. "Love you."

"Love you too. Sweet dreams."