Title: A Perfect, and Somewhat Dysfunctional, Family
By: bokayjunkie
Summary: Luke and Rory has always had a special father/daughter bond that no one can break. But what happens when someone comes along to ruin that bond. Set in Season 1. Luke and Lorelai are not together…YET. A little RD also.
Disclaimer: uuuuuummmmmmm...
A/N: Thanks for all of your reviews. I really appreciate them.
Anyways, I'd just like to say, that this wasn't how I wanted to write this chapter. I had originally wrote something different. But as I typed this, something changed, and it took a whole different turn.
But I think you guys are gonna like it. I hope you guys will. So…here it is.
CHAPTER 21: Michelle Kwan Was Here
"I really love this bed." Rory commented as she bounced on Luke's brand new bed.
Luke laughed. He was sitting down at the kitchen table, which was filled with papers. No doubt his bills. "Well don't get too comfy. It's still my bed."
"Yeah, but not for tonight," she said, "tonight this bed is mine.
He just rolled his eyes. She giggled, then got herself comfy on the bed. She sat up, her back resting against the headboard, and turned on the TV which he placed in front of the bed just for her. She flipped through channel after channel and finally resting upon an old episode of Friends.
Luke stayed at the table, quietly working. She wasn't really paying attention to the show. All she could think of was her conversation with Mr. Medina earlier. Who does he think he is? Really, in a total different situation, she could call him Max if she wanted to. Specially now with his ok. But if she does call him Max, then he might get too comfortable. He already seemed comfortable earlier. And she did not want that.
"Something wrong?" Luke's voice interrupted her thoughts.
She snapped her head and turned to see Luke, who was still seated on the table, looking at her. "What?"
"You're not making obnoxious comments, nor were you laughing at the show." he said. "Specially Friends. You always make comments on Friends."
He knows me so well. She thought
"Something's wrong." he stated rather than asked.
"Boy do you have a lot of bills." she commented, ignoring his previus statements, as she approached him. "I didn't know you needed a lot for the diner?"
She sat down next to him. He looked at her skeptically, his brows raised.
"What?" she asked, noticing his look on her.
"You haven't answered my question." he said pointedly.
"You haven't answered mine." she shot back.
"I asked you first."
"I asked you second." with a playful smile. Then started to giggle when he sighed and rolled his eyes. She looked at one of the many papers on the table. "Wow." she exclaimed. "That is a lot of water you use. I didn't know you used that much." looking at him with narrowed eyes.
His brows raised and started to smirk. "Actually, that's you're water bill." pointing to the top of the paper that say's Gilmore.
"Oh." looking at the paper again. And started to giggle. Then looked at him curiously, "Why is our water bill in your pile of bills?"
"You know it's not just your water bill."
"It's not?"
"Nope. There's also your electricity, your cable, your internet-"
"You're paying our bills?" she said, interrupting him. She knew Luke took care of them in his own way, but she didn't know he took care of them, like paying the bills and stuff. "Why are you paying our bills?"
"I'm not paying your bills." he said. Now she was confused. "I'm only handling them. Ya know, signing, mailing. That stuff that your mother is ignorant to. The money comes from your mother's account."
Oh. Good. "Luke, you don't have to handle our bills." feeling bad. Luke has done so much to them already, sometimes she feels that they take him for granted. Specially since her mother wouldn't even give him a chance. "I can make mom handle them."
"It's ok." he shrugged. "I like doing the bills. And besides, if I leave it to your mom, you may not have a house that functions and you'd be staying with me permanently."
That's not so bad. In fact it would be very good, despite the cramped space. "Let me help you."
"No that's ok." going back to his work.
"But Luke."
"Rory, I appreciate it, but I have a system and I really don't want to ruin it."
"At least let me do something." she gave him her full on pout and puppy dog eyes. Add on a little whimper and he was a goner.
He sighed and handed her a pile of papers and a pen. "Here." he said. She took the paper merrily. "Just put a check here, and put it in this pile."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"I don't need to balance anything?"
"Nope. Just check and pile."
"Ok?" she was skeptical but she started checking and piling them otherwise. They worked in silence, the only sound coming from the TV for a while. Rory focusing on checking and piling the papers. While Luke tried to focus on his, but his mind still worried over Rory.
"So why were you so quiet?" he finally asked.
Rory looked up from her work and gave him a curious look. "What?"
He stopped his worked at looked at her. "Earlier, you were watching Friends, you were quiet. It seemed like you were a planet away. Why?"
She shrugged and focused back on her work.
"Rory."
She sighed, then looked at him seriously. "Remember Mr. Medina came early?" she asked tentatively. He nodded. "Well, we talked. And…I don't know. He wanted me to call him Max or something. Just when we're outside of school. You know. When he's dating mom. But when we're in school I call him Mr. Medina."
"And you don't want to call him Max?"
"Well, no, not really." specially since it'll make him feel much more comfortable with his relationship with mom than he already is. "It would seem disrespectful on my side. He is my teacher after all."
"But he did say you can?"
"Yeah. Just so I could feel much more comfortable with the whole, my teacher is dating my mom situation." which I really don't want to.
"Well," he hesitated for a moment, "why don't you try it?"
Her head snapped and looked at him. "What? You want me to call him Max?" is he crazy. He can't be. Mom and I are suppose to be the only crazy ones in the family. He's suppose to be the sane one.
"I didn't mean call him Max all the time. If you don't want to." he said quickly. "But, just try it out. See if you're comfortable with it. If not, then try to get used to it. And if that doesn't happen, then stick with Mr. Medina."
She looked at him, hoping that he did not actually say that. It's like he's selling us to Mr. Medina. Does he not love mom at all? Why is he so Ok about this? Doesn't he want to be with mom? But she did thought about what he said. Maybe he's right. Maybe she should just humor them. Maybe just try it out. Preferably without him in the room. But privately.
"Max." she mused. "Max. Max." Luke smiled at her in amusement. "Eh. Maybe if I break it down a notch, it'll get easier on me."
"Yeah. Maybe it will."
Then they went back to their work.
Lorelai laid awake in her bed that night. It was already ten and she was already home to an empty house. Rory was out with Luke. She could have been out with Max the whole night. That was her plan all along seeing as how Rory would not be home. But after their conversation earlier, something in her didn't want to.
She replayed it in her head the entire evening. She couldn't even focus the whole entire evening. Her mind kept wondering back to their conversation about Luke. Then completely ending on Luke. She replayed what Max had asked her to do. Limit her time with Luke. Sure he didn't exactly say to stop seeing him completely. Just limit her conversation piece that included him. It was probably a big bruise for the guy's ego.
But when he had asked her to limit her time with Luke, her head went completely spinning into wheels. All she could think was how could this man tell me what to do? All her life she has always done anything she had wanted. Even with her parents she did. Only behind their backs. But most specially after she had Rory, she had become independent. Really, the only man that she had always depended on and had been able to tell her what to do was Luke. He wasn't demanding really. Mostly just small stuff like eat your vegetables, stop drinking so much coffee, that kind of junk. And she usually listens half the time.
Then she went back to Max's request again. Limit her time with Luke. She had been thinking about that during dinner. And the thought shook her. How could she stop seeing Luke? Sure that wasn't what Max was really asking her to do. But to her it felt like it. Which led to thinking of what would her life be like without Luke.
She didn't want to think those thoughts. It was bad enough that William was gone. Through out the evening, her thoughts were usually, what her life would be like without Luke in it. And she couldn't even begin to imagine it happening in the near future. The thought of Luke out of her life scared her. The thought of Luke gone forever, made her want to cry. She couldn't imagine functioning without him. Her life would be nothing without him. Taking Luke away from her life would be like taking half of her heart out. Asides from Rory, Luke is the only person in her life that matters to her.
How could she be with a man who didn't want Luke to be in her life. Most of the guys she'd dated in the past usually bolted, well she bolted from them, because of Rory. But a third of those guys usually bolted because of Luke. One look at him and they run. Well, Luke does resemble the Hulk. Max was the only one who stayed.
But this revelation about Luke alarmed her. How could she be with a man who didn't want Luke in her life? Lorelai slept with those thoughts in her head.
Rory stared, amused, as Jackson left. Sookie huffed and sat down on the stool. "Jackson invented a new vegetable again?" Rory asked her.
"Yup."
"It's too bad that bowling league didn't work out for him." she said with a sympathetic smile. She poured her a cup of coffee, then started to wipe the counter.
"Yeah." she said.
Just then, Lorelai entered the diner with a pair of skates in her hand. "Hey, look I found them."
"Where?"
"They were in that drawer with the roasting pans." with a proud smile as she sat next to Sookie.
"Cool."
"Oooh skates!" Sookie squealed. "You're going skating today?"
"Yep. Our traditional skating date remember?" Lorelai said.
"Oh yes, I remember now."
The Luke came from the storage room. He saw Lorelai holding up a pair of skates, and saw how beaten up it was. "When was the last time you put those things on?" he laughed.
Lorelai pouted. "Oh, you are constantly trying to ruin my fun."
"Do they even fit anymore?"
she rolled her eyes. "Yes they fit." but smiled non the less at the sight of him. She really missed him. Even if she had just seen him last night.
Luke continued to laugh. "They look rusted."
"Well..." she tried to come up with good come back, but failed. " can I just have some coffee please?"
Luke sighed in defeat. "Hand them over."
"Why?"
He rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna clean them and tighten the blades."
Lorelai perked. "Really!?!"
"Yes."
Lorelai giggled. "Can you make them really shiny?" like a little girl.
Luke held out his hand, choosing to ignore her question. "The skates please."
"Maybe add a couple of pompoms."
He sighed frustrated. "Just hand them over."
"Thank you!" she squeaked. She handed him her skates then he took it and went upstairs. Rory giggled at their interaction.
"You get really good service here." Sookie commented with a smirk.
"I know." Lorelai smiled mischievously.
Then, Sookie's pager started beeping. "Gotta go." she said once she ckecked what the problem was.
"Anything wrong?" Lorelai asked.
"Too much yeast, too little bowl."
She grimaced. "Enough said." Sookie waved her good-bye to Rory and Lorelai then left.
Lorelai turned her attention to her daughter. "So I think I'm just going to go for it and wear the fur-trimmed skating skirt, pride be damned."
Rory giggled at her mother. Then cleared her throat. "So, how was your evening with Max?" trying to make polite talk with her mother about her teacher.
Lorelai's eyes went wide. "M-max?" did my daughter really call her teacher by his first name?
"Yeah." remembering trying to be considerate of her mother's relationship with her teacher. "How was your date last night?" putting on an enthusiastic face.
"When did you start calling him Max?"
"Well the other night he said that I should probably call him something other than Mr. Medina when we're outside of school. Which makes sense, so I'm trying to get used to saying 'Max'." which is not easy. Cool, but still not easy.
Lorelai couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her daughter wasn't even that comfortable with the whole Max situation. Even if she claims she is, she knows that she's not. She is her mother after all. "W- you don't see him that much outside school."
True. But thinking back to what Luke said last night. She just wanted to try it out. "No, but If last night happens again," hopefully not, "then I'm gonna have to get used to calling him Max."
"But last night wont happen again." she said firmly. Rory looked at her curiously. "I mean, what happened last night with you and Max doesn't have to happen again." most likely since I may not date him again. Just a thought. "That was just an accident."
"I know. But I just want to be prepared." she shrugged. "And besides, I just want to see how it would be like calling him Max. but I'll probably still stick to Mr. Medina. I'm not that used to it yet."
"Good," Lorelai stuttered. "well that's good."
She drank her coffee quietly pondering over what her daughter had just said. She's calling him Max now? What's next, they're gonna be locker buddies? Lorelai couldn't shake the feeling that this was getting serious. She hadn't meant for it to get so serious so soon. She hadn't even meant for it to go serious at all. All she really wanted was to have a good time with Max. nothing more.
But with the whole conversation last night, which shook her up, and now Rory and the whole Max thing. It's staring to sound serious. All her intentions really when she first started dating Max was to have a good time. Feel that feeling of going out, seeing someone, getting all dressed up. And it has been a long time. But, just after a few weeks, everything started to get serious.
Later on that day, Luke had closed up the diner since they were gonna go to a family outing. He had drove the girls to the abandoned park, just outside of Stars Hollow. This tradition that his father had began for their first winter with these amazing Gilmore girls. William, having seen Lorelai's love for snow, had taken them up to the park and they skated at the pond. Ever since then, they've went there every year. Even after William passed away.
Luke remembered going to the old park when he was a kid. His mom and dad would take him and Liz to the park and they would skate there. His dad would teach him how to play hockey, and his mom would teach Liz how to figure skate, having done figure skating on her days as a teen. They stopped going to the park after his mom had died, they had went back to the place when they met Lorelai, and ever since then, they've went there every year. Even after William passed away.
"Mom, Luke!" Rory exclaimed, skating towards her mother, "Look. A figure 8! I finally did a figure 8!"
Rory pointed towards the center of the frozen pond, where, a slightly crooked, figure 8 lay. Lorelai gasped and smiled at her daughter. Luke beamed proudly.
"Wow kid!" Luke said, as he skated towards them, "That's great. Now you're probably ready to go up a level."
"Yeah. But I want to stick with figure 8's for now." then she skated away from her mother, and started going on to the other end of the pond.
Luke laughed and started to skate away. But stopped upon noticing Lorelai still in place. Her arms spread open, trying to balance herself, and also trying to move. He laughed at the sight of her.
She glared at him. "Stop laughing."
"Need help?" he said, a laugh still present in his voice.
"No." she said stubbornly. Then tried to move, but lost her balance and fell on her butt. Luke laughed harder and skated towards her and helped her up.
"It's not funny." she whined as she stood.
"Come on." he said, and started skating with her.
They skated slowly at first. Trying to get used to their positions. He was behind her, holding her waist. She gripped onto his forearms, trying not to fall. after a moment, they finally got comfortable, and skated surely. Luke moved slightly to her side, so he could skate with her, but still kept an arm around her waist. Lorelai skated happily with Luke. She leaned her back more towards Luke, and rested her head on his shoulder. How could she live a life without Luke? She didn't know how, and hoped that she never would find out. So for the rest of the day, she skated happily with Luke,
Rory skated everywhere and noticed her mother and Luke skating together, and the position they're in. she smiled at the sight, and skated towards them. She occupied Luke's other side and they skated some more.
Lorelai groaned as the kettle whistled. She sat on a chair at the kitchen, while her feet are up on another. She rubbed her calf some more, to relieve it from the ache that she's been feeling since they got back from skating.
"Ok, tea is ready." Luke announced. He gave Lorelai her tea, she gave him a grateful smile, and he sat himself at a chair next to her. "How are the legs?" he asked, taking over the massaging of her legs.
Lorelai dropped her head back from the sensation Luke's hands gave from his massaging. "I don't know." she moaned quietly. "They stopped talking to me."
Luke sighed. "What on earth were you thinking?"
"That I was Michelle Kwan." she pouted, looking at him. Luke shook his head.
Earlier, after helping Lorelai with her skating, Lorelai thought that she was ready for the next level and skated by herself. Everything was going along fine until Lorelai wanted to tried to do a twist. Let's just say, it didn't turn out well.
"It's not like riding a bike you know." he said pointedly.
Lorelai grumbled. "Now you tell me."
Luke laughed a bit at Lorelai's pouting. Lorelai sipped the last of her tea, which she reluctantly took, not in the mood for arguing.
"Feeling better?" he asked, once finished with the massage.
"Much." she smiled. He took the mug from her and placed it on the table behind him.
"Finally learned your lesson?" he smirked. She just glared at him. He laughed and started to take a sip from his tea. "So…what are your plans for tonight?"
"Well, I'm going to do a little line dancing, then run a 10K, then just jump up and down really hard for about an hour."
He looked at her for a moment, then quietly asked, "No Max?"
Lorelai sank her head down. "No."
"Taking a night off?"
"I don't seem him every night Luke." she grumbled.
"No, but you do talk to him every night. And talk about him when ever you're not talking to him."
"I do not talk about him all the time." she said forceful.
"Not to me. But to Sookie, and sometimes to Rory."
"That's not true." she snapped.
Then they stayed quiet. "He seems like a very nice guy." Luke said quietly.
Lorelai looked at him, and hesitated before saying, "He is."
He looked at her curiously. "That didn't sound very convincing."
"No, he is." she insisted, "He is a great guy" then, quietly added, "for someone."
Luke's head snapped, and a bit of hope raised in him. He quickly covered it up, "For someone?" he asked casually.
"Yes." she said quietly.
"Someone…else?" she nodded. "Oh." he said quietly. "Why?"
"I don't know..I" I do know. I'm just embarrassed "It's too complicated."
"Complicated?"
"Yeah. I mean, he's Rory's teacher and, I don't know. I'm still, getting the feeling that Rory's not all that honest with me about her feeling towards me dating him." Luke nodded, thinking back to Rory's outburst when Max had slept over. "And…" she continued, "I don't know. Last night he called himself my boyfriend. I mean, can you believe that? Boyfriend. Doesn't that mean we're in some kind of relationship or something? I mean, I thought we were just casually dating, nothing serious or anything. And Rory's getting too attached. She's even calling him Max, did you know that?"
"Uuhh…" he cleared his throat. "Yeah. Actually, I do."
She looked at him surprised. "You do?"
"Yeah. She told me about it this morning."
"And what did you say?"
He shrugged. "I told her to give it a try. See what it would be like calling him Max."
"You told her that?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Wouldn't you want her to get comfortable with you and…him?"
"No." she said. Then quickly corrected, "I mean, she doesn't have to. What if we break up? And just when she gets too attached to him. I mean, she's already calling him Max. a sign of attachment, and I don't know. We're not really doing that good right now, we're probably on that road to breaking up."
"Lorelai, is that what this is all about?" he asked quietly, "You're afraid that Rory's gonna get too attached to him?"
Lorelai sniffled. "I just don't want her to get hurt."
"Then why break up with him? Don't you like him?"
"I do." she said. "I wouldn't be dating him if I don't"
"So…why are you thinking of breaking up with him. It just doesn't make sense."
"Well it does to me ok?" she snapped.
"Sorry." he mumbled. Though he knew her too well. It wasn't all just about Rory getting attached to him. He saw Lorelai shedding a few tears. He saw her look down and trying to wipe them away. "Hey." he said, scooting his seat closer to her. "What's wrong?" he placed his arms around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry ok. I shouldn't have had pushed you on the subject. It wasn't my place. That's your business, not mine."
"I don't want to stop talking to you Luke." she said quietly, still shedding tears.
He looked down at her face, and gave her a confused look. "I don't want to stop talking to you either."
"I don't want to stop seeing you either." she said, lifting her head up. She rested her chin on his shoulder, he looked at her, their faces only a mere inch apart. "I can't even begin to imagine what my life would be like without you in it." she whispered quietly.
"I can't imagine my life without you in it too." he said equally quiet, rubbing his hand on her arm.
"I don't even want to imagine what it would be like, it'd be too painful for me." the tears really cam crashing down.
"It would be painful for me too. To not have you and Rory in my life." you two are the only ones who are keeping me alive.
"Never leave us Luke, please." she pleaded. "Never leave me."
"I never will." he whispered. He brushed the tears away with his other hand. She closed her eyes at the feel of his touch. Once she opened them, the first thing she saw were Luke's deep blue eyes, staring at her.
Simultaneously, they both leaned in, and like fireworks, their lips came crashing together. At first, the kiss was soft, tentative, not really sure how the other might react. But then, they got comfortable, and Luke leaned in more. Lorelai wrapped her arms around him as Luke did. They kissed for a while, a very soft, tender kiss.
Then Luke pulled back slightly, his forehead brushing against hers. They both looked into each other's eyes, they both say each others eyes sparkling.
"I better go." he whispered. He cleared his throat as he stood up. "Tell Rory that I'm gonna be holding on to her skates. Hope your legs feel better." then he walked out through the back door before Lorelai could say a word.
Lorelai stared at the back door, her mouth still a gape. She couldn't believe what had just happened. One minute, they were talking about how she might be breaking up with Max, the next they were kissing. A very great kiss too. Just like in her dreams, and while he was sleeping. Gah, Loreali, you have Max remember?
Well, I am thinking of breaking up with him.
Because of the Rory thing.
The boyfriend comment.
And oh yeah, he doesn't want me to see Luke anymore. Sure he didn't really say that he didn't want me to see Luke anymore. But that's what he wanted. I could just tell.
And he didn't really flat out say he wanted me to stop seeing Luke. He just said limit his my time with him, or just to not mention him too much on our dates.
But what right has he to tell me what to do? How can I not mention Luke. He is part of my everyday life. Him and Rory are usually my life. Of course I would talk about them.
Lorelai thought back to their kiss earlier. How his lips felt on hers. Just as soft as she remembers, and just as delicious too. She wanted to feel them again so badly. She remembered feeling so safe and secure wrapped in his arms. How the butterflies in his stomach fluttered everywhere and wouldn't stop. Her heart beating faster and faster. She smiled as she thought back to it.
Then she remembered how he had reacted. He left. Her smile faded. He liked it too didn't he? As she remembers, he was so into the kiss just as herself. Then why did he leave?
Later that night, Lorelai's legs were feeling much better, but her heart wasn't. she laid on the couch, watching something on TV. She wasn't really paying attention. Her head was still reeling on the fact that Luke may have regretted their kiss earlier. And that he probably didn't want to be with her. Why else would he have left after giving me a sweet, tender, mind-blowing kiss like that?
She then heard the door open and close. Then heard footsteps.
"Hey mom." she heard her daughter greet her. Rory walked over to the couch and gave Lorelei a kiss on the forehead and sat on the other end of the couch. "Are you ok? Your legs still hurting?"
Lorelai just shook her head.
"Good." Rory smiled. "Oh, Luke sends coffee. He said he couldn't sleep over, I have no idea why."
Lorelai suddenly perked at the mention of Luke. "Luke? You saw Luke?"
Rory looked at her curiously. "Yeah. I was at the diner. You know? The one he owns. The one I also work at."
Then realizing how it may have sounded to her daughter. "I know." she said, then casually, "So um, did he say…anything?"
"Anything…?"
"Just anything? Did he say…anything to you?"
"About what?"
"Just…nothing. Um…was he acting any different?"
"Different?"
"Yeah. You know like…was he sad? Or grumpy? Or happy?"
"Well, Snow White wasn't there, so no, he wasn't being his usual dwarf-y self today." Lorelai rolled her eyes. "He was Luke. Same old, gruff, yet sweet Luke."
Lorelai's face fell. "Nothing different at all?"
"No. well, he was a bit jumpy. Seemed nervous about something. Or more like worried. I thought something had happened to you, but he assured me you were fine."
Yeah my legs are but my heart's another thing.
"Is anything wrong mom?"
Lorelai shook her head. "No. I'm fine." then laid her head back down on the couch.
"Ok?" but didn't ask her mother anymore. Then the phone rang. Rory got up and answered it. "Hello?…oh hi grandma…uh-huh…uh-huh…well…I don't know…I'd have to check with mom…alright…ok…bye."
"That was grandma." she said sitting back down on the couch. "She wanted me to have afternoon tea with her and her tomorrow after school. But I told her I'd have to ask you first. So…what do you say?"
Lorelai sighed and placed a pillow over head and groaned loudly.
"It's such a beautiful day isn't it Rory?" Emily asked with a cheerful smile on her face.
Rory nodded with a small smile, as she drank her tea. They were seated at the back, with the garden tot heir view. She must say, it really is beautiful.
"So Grandma," Rory cleared her throat, "Why did you want to have tea with me?"
"Why? I can't have tea with my granddaughter without having a reason?" she asked feigning sadness.
"No. that's not it. I-"
"I just wanted to spend time with you was all. I hardly ever see you. During dinner we never have time alone together with your mother always on with her jokes. I just wanted to spend quality time with you."
"That's great grandma, really. But-"
"Is it so wrong to want to get to know my granddaughter better?"
Rory sighed, seeing as how she wasn't going to be getting out of this one, "No grandma. It's not. Sorry. This little meeting of ours just surprised me. That's all."
"Forgiven." said Emily, taking a sip of her tea. "So Rory, how was school today?"
"School was fine grandma."
"Anything exciting happened?"
"Not really. We have a cell project in biology. That's about it."
"Oh. Well what about Stars Mellow-"
"Hollow." she corrected. Inwardly rolling her eyes at her grandmother. After all the Friday Night Dinners they've had, and all the years that they have lived in Stars Hollow, her grandmother is still ignorant to the correct pronunciation of the name of the wonderful town that she lives in.
"Yes. Hollow. Anything happened in that town of yours?" sounding at least a bit interested in her town's life.
"Nothing really. Sookie's freaking out because another critic is going to be visiting the inn this week. Taylor's already starting to put up decorations for Christmas. That's about it."
"Oh." seemed disappointed of the lack of information with what's going on in her granddaughter's life. "Well, what about what you did last weekend. Anything exciting happened?"
"No." she shrugged. "Though we did go ice skating."
"Ice skating." lighting up on the subject. "How marvelous. I didn't know that Stars Meadow-"
"Hollow."
"Yes. Stars Hollow. I didn't know that they have an ice skating arena?"
"They do. For the hockey team and for Miss Patty's figure skating class."
"Oh. Are you part of that?"
Rory laughed. "No. I skate. But not professionally."
"Oh. So you and your mom went skating at the arena?"
"No." she took a sip of her tea. "Luke took us to the abandoned park with the frozen pond just outside of Stars Hollow."
Her brows raised at the mention of Luke. "Luke?"
"Yes. Remember him? He took us there. He usually takes us there every year, since I was just a baby. It's kind of like a tradition."
"Oh." her mood seeming to drain. "This Luke seems to be part of your lives constantly."
"He is."
"How often do you see him?"
"Every day. He takes care of us. He really does." wanting her grandmother to know how much Luke means to them. "He's my father figure growing up. He's important to me and my mom."
"Has your mother and Luke ever been together?" she asked curiously.
I wish. "No." she said sadly. "They are just friends." and that's all they'll ever be.
Emily was quiet for a moment before asking, "Do you want them to be together?"
"I'd be lying if I say I didn't." she said honestly.
Emily nodded. "Does your mom know this? How you feel about them?"
"No." Emily nodded and finished drinking her tea.
Lorelai hadn't been to the diner that day. When she woke up, she went directly to the inn. She ate breakfast and lunch there. She was too nervous, and too scared to see Luke. Scared that he may not want what she wants. Fourteen years of friendship, and built up tension, this has been a long time in coming. But maybe it was only on her side. Maybe he didn't want it too. She was sadden at the thought of that.
Rory came home around six that day. Lorelai was still at the inn working. So she went straight to the diner.
"Hey Luke." she said, companying him behind the counter.
"Oh, hey Rory." he said, and gave her a hug. "how was tea with your grandmother."
"It went well."
"Good."
"Everything good with you?"
"Yeah. Yeah." he assured. "Hey, uh…have you seen your mom lately?"
"She hasn't come in today?" that was weird. Surely her mother could not go a day without Luke's coffee. Even if she were late for work, she'd still go to the diner just for the coffee.
"No. She's just probably busy at the inn." he concluded.
"Right. Right." but Rory was still skeptical about her mother's whereabouts.
Luke had started to take orders. Rory watched him as he did. He seemed different for some reason. He seemed to be occupied with something else. Somehow distracted. She was worried about him. She's never seen him like this before. All jumpy. And fidgety.
Rory put those thoughts aside and started to wipe down the counter when the phone rang.
"Luke's." she answered.
"Hey hun." Lorelai said. Both relieved and disappointed that Rory was the one who answered. A part of her was scared to talk to Luke. Yet a part of her wanted to.
"Hey mom, where are you?"
Luke's head snapped when he heard Rory talking to Lorelai.
"At work. Listen, I'm gonna be a little late getting home. a lot of stuff happening at the inn ya know." she giggled nervously.
"Sure. Is everything ok?"
"Everything's fine." she insisted. "Just, grab something to eat there and I'll see ya at home ok?"
"Ok? But are you sure you're ok? Cause Luke just said you didn't come in today. And that is just not normal."
"Rory, I'm fine ok. The inn just really needs me."
"Ok." though she knows better, but it was probably best to let it go. Her mother seemed to be distressed about something. "Luv ya. Bye."
"Luv ya too hun. Bye." then they hung up.
"You're mom?" Luke asked casually, as he went behind the counter.
"Yeah. She's working late tonight."
"Oh." he figured. "Is she alright?"
"Truthfully, I don't know." she said to him. "She seemed to be sad about something last night. And it seemed like she was crying, even if she told me she wasn't."
Luke nodded. He wondered if she was in that sadden state because of him, or because of Max.
Lorelai sighed as she hung up the phone. "Something wrong hun?" Sookie asked as she entered Lorelai's office.
"I'm fine."
"No you're not. I can see that you're not." she said, sitting on the chair.
"Sookie I'm fine."
"Why are you lying to me?" Lorelai just sighed. "Is it Max? did something happen with you and Max?"
It's partially about him. "Sookie-"
"It is about Max. what's wrong? I though you and Max were great. You seemed great. You had a date Saturday night. You were excited about that. What happened?"
"Nothing happened Sookie." not yet anyways.
"You're having second thoughts. Why?"
"Sookie." she sighed. She knows she's not getting out of this one. Sookie can be very persuasive. "I don't want to be with Max anymore." she said.
"What. Why?"
"It's too complicated Sookie."
"What's complicated about it? You like him. He likes you. It's not Rocket science you know."
"It's more that that Sookie. It's just…it's, I don't want him anymore. It was fun while it was still there, but now. It's different."
Then it dawned onto Sookie. "You're scared."
"What?"
"You're scared it's getting too serious. Is that it? Honey, how can you ever have a productive relationship if you keep running away from them?"
"I'm not scared Sookie. I just don't want to be with him anymore?"
"Uh-huh. And why is that. Why do you not want to be with a great guy like Max. he's amazing and obviously he's mad about you. Why do you not want to be with him? Why don't you want him?"
"Because I want to be with Luke." she yelled. Then froze. Sookie froze as well, her eyes wide. Then, a minute later, her lips started to spread out wide, and then she started to squeal, and then jump.
"You want Luke!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down. "You want to be with Luke." then gasped, "You and Luke." she squealed, then rushed and hugged her, jumping up and down.
Even with her state of mind, Lorelai smiled non the less. "Sookie. Stop."
Sookie stopped reluctantly. "I can't believe it. You and Luke?"
"Sookie, there is no me and Luke." at least not yet anyways. Not until we talk about that kiss.
Sookie stopped with her squealing. "Cause of you and Max?" she concluded. "That's why you want to break up with Max. because you want to be with Luke."
"It's not just about me and Luke Sookie. There are other reasons why I don't want to be with Max." the fact that he thinks he can tell me what to do for one.
"But it's mainly because you want to be with Luke, right?" she asked with a smile on her face.
Lorelai grumbled, and sat back down. "Yes."
Sookie squealed, and started to jump up and down again. "Oh I'm so excited. I want to make something in honor of this. I'm going to bake a cake." then squealed her way out of Lorelai's office.
Lorelai sighed, and dropped her head on the desk. She groaned. First the problem with Max. then with Luke. And now Sookie's already celebrating something that may not even happen. Satan's gonna call me for an invitation to a cocktail party in hell?
Lorelai groaned more when the phone rang. "Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking."
"Lorelai it's your mother." spoke too soon.
"Mother? Hello?"
"I tried calling you at the house, but nobody answered."
"I'm at work mom. As you can see."
"I suspected as much. What about Rory. I just sent her off about an hour ago. I still haven't got a call if she arrived home alright. That's why I called your house. Is she alright?"
"She's fine mom. She's at the diner."
"Diner? What would she be doing there?"
"Well, she's probably working."
"Working?" and here it comes. "Why is she working?"
Lorelai sighed. "Because mother. She's a teenage girl, who needs money of her own. That's why."
"And you let her work at a diner. Who knows what kind of filthy residue could that place be contaminated with."
"It's fine mom. Really. It's clean. It's Luke's diner anyways. We practically live there."
Emily's head stopped spinning at the mention of the ice man. "Luke?"
"Yes. Luke. You remember him. It's his diner. We've been going to that place since it opened. Even before it opened." Lorelai explained. A small smile playing with the thought of Luke. "Rory wanted a job, Luke offered, she said yes, so now she's working there, asides from eating there."
"How come I never knew this?"
"You never asked."
Emily sighed, and rolled her eyes. "So…this Luke..."
"Yes?"
"I would like to invite him to dinner this week."
Lorelai took a moment to suck in this information. "What?"
"Yes. I would like him to accompany you two to dinner."
"But…why?"
"Because, he seems to be part of your lives," more than us, "And I would like to know him better."
"You can know more about him, just ask us."
"But I would like to hear it from him, Lorelai. Now invite him. Please. I will be waiting for your call tomorrow."
"But-" too late, Emily already hung up the phone. Lorelai let out a frustrated sigh and slammed her head down on her desk.
"You know I heard that Paris' dad's actually got a second family in Paris." Tristin said to one of his friends.
"Whoa."
Tristin smirked. "Yeah." then winked at Rory as she walked passed them. She just rolled her eyes at them. She walked to wards her locker, and stuffed her stuff inside. When she closed it, she saw Mr. Medina approach her.
"Uh, Miss Gilmore?" he said, standing in front of her.
"Yes Mr. Medina?"
"I enjoyed your paper on Dickenson."
"I had fun writing it."
"It showed." he smiled warmly at her.
Rory, feeling uncomfortable. "Thanks."
"You're welcome" he said, she was about to leave, when he stopped her, "Um, Miss Gilmore?"
"Yeah?"
Max stood there for a moment, with Rory looking at him expectantly, "No, that's it. That's all I wanted to say." he stammered.
Rory looked at him skeptically. "My name?"
"Yes."
"Ok?"
"Actually I just wanted to see if Lore…" then stopped himself, and corrected, "if your mom is coming to parent's day."
Rory's eyes widen "Oh well…"
"Cause I'm just trying to get an accurate number of parents who are coming." he covered. "you know for the cookie count."
Rory tried really hard not to laugh at him. Poor man.
He sighed. "Forget it."
Rory sighed. "She's coming." she said quietly.
She could see the spark that it up in her teacher's eyes when she had said that. "I hadn't heard from her for a while about it and…" he looked down at his feet, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Rory swallowed hard. This was really hard for her. Obviously her teacher is falling for her mother. And, by the looks of it, it seems like her mother was falling for him too. By the way she's been acting whenever he's concerned. Though it did seem a bit weird that Mr. Medina hadn't heard from her mother lately. The phone's usually attached to her mother's ears, always talking to him. "She'll be here."
Max was clearly relieved. "Ok, good. Good."
Rory nodded, and blinked rapidly, to try and regain herself, and prevent the tears form coming. "But you should put us down for five."
"Five what?"
"Five cookies." she said in a 'duh' tone.
"Oh." Max realized. "Why?"
"Two for me. Two for mom. One for Luke." she said. Then Max went completely pale. "Although, Luke may not want to eat his. But just put us down for five just incase. If he wont eat it, then mom or I will." she giggled at that. It is true. Luke will never eat a cookie. Though he may surprise them. They never know.
"Oh, so , Luke's coming tomorrow too?"
"Mh-hm." Rory nodded.
"I didn't know that Luke would be coming with you. Why exactly is he coming with you?"
"Oh, well, he's my guardian." she said simply. "And besides, he always comes to my school functions. I want to include him too."
"Oh." Max inwardly deflated.
"Bye Mr. Medina." she waved and went to her next class.
REVIEWS!-yes, please leave a review. I'd just love to know what you think of this chapter/story. And any SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS, and/or, REQUESTS you'd like see, please do tell.
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