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Chapter 21
Luke looked up at her for a moment before nodding. "Sure." He said. "Hey Caesar? Hold the fort, will you?" He called through to the kitchen.
"Ok boss!" Caesar called.
Luke glanced at Lorelai. "Do you want to go upstairs?"
"If that's ok." She said.
Luke nodded and he led her upstairs and into the apartment. They stood in the kitchen area for a moment before Luke spoke up. "So...you wanted to talk?"
"Yeah..." Lorelai said nervously. "I..uh..I wanted to apologise. What I said the other day to you and how I acted towards you. It was wrong."
"Ok." He said nodding. "Thanks." He said gruffly.
Lorelai sighed. "Is there any chance we can go back to how it was before?"
"Before?"
"Yeah...before I freaked out and became a crazy person." She said.
"You mean, can we go back to dating?" Luke said slowly.
"Yeah..." She said nervously. "Matt said something to me, something about ruining the best thing that had happened to me and...well, I was standing listening to Rory, Tristan, Matt and Jess in our living room talking about the future. Jess was telling Matt to go for Yale and it just made me realise that they've obviously thought about their future together. And it made me think of my future and all I could see was you." She admitted. "And I know what I did was wrong. Making you choose between Jess and me was unforgivable. I know how much family means to you." She rambled quickly. "But I can admit I was wrong and I want us to be together. I really do." She said. She glanced at him nervously. "That is, if you'd still like that..." She sighed.
Luke looked at her for a moment. "I don't know..." He eventually said, sighing, taking his cap off and rubbing his hands through his hair.
"Oh...ok..." Lorelai said quietly.
Luke sighed. "How do I know you're not just going to flip again? How do I know you're not just going to change your mind just like that again?"
"I won't." Lorelai said quickly. "I swear, Luke, I am all in."
"So you and Jess are ok?" He asked.
She sighed. "I wouldn't say we're like best friends...but I can see that I overreacted. I do know my son and I know he loves Jess and I do know Jess cares about him. I just...worry. Matt's my son, Luke. I'm always going to worry."
Luke just nodded.
"I really am sorry." Lorelai said sincerely. "I shouldn't have taken it all out on you." She sighed. "Please Luke...I know I don't deserve it but, please, give me another chance to prove I want to be with you."
"I want to be with you. Don't get me wrong, this was all I've ever wanted." Luke said honestly. "But I can't do this if you just keep changing your mind. It's not fair on me." He said.
"I know." She said quietly. She glanced at him. "So...you don't want to? Go back to how it was?"
"I do. I really do. But I think you need to take a bit of time to think if this is really what you wants. I get that you're protective of Matt. I do get that. And if Jess hurts him, I will totally be on your side. But you need to give him a chance or else we are never going to work. You can't keep putting me in the middle. It's not fair." He said. "So I think you just need to take a bit of time to think."
Lorelai blinked back some tears but nodded. "Ok." She said quietly.
Luke sighed and went over to her, taking her hands in his. "I want to be with you, ok? I'm not saying I don't. I just need you to be sure."
Lorelai nodded. "Ok." She repeated. "I..uh..I better get back to them..." She said.
"Ok." He nodded.
"I'll see you..." She said.
"Wait!" He said.
"What?"
"Has Lorelai Gilmore actually come into the diner and is leaving without having any food?" Luke said smiling slightly.
Lorelai laughed slightly, feeling a bit of tension leaving her body. "You're right. Matt and Rory would kill me if I came back empty handed." She joked.
"Them? Or you?" Luke teased as they headed back downstairs.
"Alright, you got me." Lorelai rolled her eyes.
Luke smirked. "I'll be right back with your food." He said.
Lorelai smiled softly. "Thanks Luke." She said.
Matt headed into the kitchen where Jess was washing up the dishes. "You know when I said to try and get on with my mom, I didn't mean becoming a whole different person." He smirked.
"Ha ha." Jess said dryly.
Matt grinned. "Here, let me help." He said taking some of the dishes and started washing up in the sink with Jess. "So...I was wondering whether I could ask you a favour..."
Jess raised his eyebrows at him. "Depends what it is." He said.
"Would you team up with me to get Luke and my mom back together?" He asked. "I know my mom's not your favourite person but her and Luke just belong together. Everyone can see it. And I feel kind of responsible because they fought because of us." He sighed. He glanced at Jess. "I know you probably think Luke's better off without her and I don't blame you but I believe they belong together..." He said quickly. "What?" He said when he saw Jess smirking at him.
"You finished?" He said.
"Uh...yeah?"
"I'll talk to him." Jess said.
"You will?" Matt said surprised.
"I'm not completely heartless." Jess teased. "Even I can see they're meant to be together." He said.
Matt let out a breath. "Thank you. Really." He said gratefully. "I'll talk to mom later as well."
Jess nodded. "I should head back after this anyway. I'll talk to him once I'm back."
"Ok." He smiled.
"It's ok. You can say it." Jess smirked.
"Say what?"
"Say you love me." He grinned.
Matt rolled his eyes but laughed. "I love you." He grinned giving him a kiss.
"Right back at ya." Jess smirked.
Later that evening, Matt sat down on the couch with his mom and Rory. "So...are you and Luke getting back together then or what?" He said.
"Matt!" Rory said.
"What? It's a simple question." Matt said.
"It's complicated." Lorelai said.
"How is it complicated? You love each other so doesn't seem that complicated." He said.
"I hurt him." Lorelai sighed.
"Apologise then."
"I did. But...he thinks I should take some time to think about what I really want. To make sure I'm sure about it." She said.
"Screw that!" Matt frowned.
"What?" Lorelai said surprised.
"Mom, just go to him and tell him that you're 100% sure!" Matt exclaimed. "I mean, you are, aren't you?"
"Of course I am! I want to be with Luke." She admitted.
"Well then, go get him, mom!" Matt said.
"He's right." Rory spoke for the first time. "You and Luke are meant to be. I know you feel like you hurt him and maybe you shouldn't have given him that ultimatum but everyone makes mistakes." She said. "You deserve happiness, mom."
"And we know Luke gives you that. So go get him." Matt smiled.
Lorelai looked at her kids before smiling softly. "I love you kids." She said.
"We love you too." Rory smiled. "Now go get your man!" She grinned.
"Yes mam!" Lorelai mock saluted before getting up and rushing off.
Jess walked into the apartment and found Luke watching the tv. "So how come you're not back with Lorelai then?" He said.
"What?" He said surprised.
"Well I'm assuming you're not back together seeing as Lorelai came back all upset." Jess shrugged.
"She was upset?" Luke frowned.
"Well, she wasn't crying or anything but I could tell she was upset. Did you tell her you didn't want to get back together with her or something?" Jess said.
"What? No, of course not!" He said.
"Good. Because that would be stupid." He pointed out.
"I told her she should take some time to think about whether this was something she really wanted." Luke admitted.
"Ok, that was stupid." Jess said.
"Hey!" Luke frowned.
"What? It was stupid! Even I could see from day one that Lorelai meant the world to you. Why give her the chance to change her mind if you want to be with her?" Jess said.
"Well obviously I'm hoping she doesn't change her mind but if she's able to flip like she did the other day, why doesn't it mean she couldn't do it again?" He exclaimed.
Jess sighed. "But what if it was just one stupid mistake that she regrets and she really does want to be with you?" He said.
Luke sighed. "I do want to be with her." He admitted.
"Then go get her." Jess said. "When I realised I finally felt something for Matt, I knew I had to tell him. So I snuck out..."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Luke said smirking slightly.
Jess rolled his eyes. "Yeah ok. Anyway, I snuck out and I went round to his and he let me in through the window and...I told him. I told him how I really felt. And I felt so much better afterwards."
"Lorelai knows how I feel about her."
"Does she?"
"I told her!"
"Well then go tell her again! Don't let me be the reason something else is screwed up in your life." He said.
"You've screwed up nothing in my life." Luke said.
"Yeah, others may think differently about that. Anyway, that doesn't matter now. Go tell her!" Jess said.
"What, now?" Luke said.
"Uh...yeah? Why wait?" He said.
Luke sighed. "Fine." He said getting up. He stopped for a moment and glanced at him. "This isn't just one of your plans to get me out of the flat, is it? So that you could sneak Matt in?" He said raising his eyebrows but smirked slightly.
Jess smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Luke rolled his eyes. "I'll be back." He said.
"Sure." Jess nodded, watching his uncle rush out. He smirked and pulled out his cell, ringing a familiar number. "Hey. So that was easy..."
Lorelai was walking through the square when she suddenly saw Luke leaving the diner and walking her way. "Oh...hi..." She said surprised.
"Hi..." Luke said just as surprised.
"Were going somewhere?" She asked.
"Yeah actually. I was coming to see you." He said.
"Oh." She said surprised. "Well I was coming to find you as well..." She said. "Luke, I..."
"No, let me." Luke said. "I didn't want to make you feel like I didn't want...us. When I told you to take some time..."
"It's ok. I get it." Lorelai assured him. "But I don't need time..."
"Lorelai..." He said worried she really had changed her mind.
"Luke, I'm 100% sure I want to be with you. I know I flipped but I swear that will never happen again. I want to be with..." She was saying before she was stopped by Luke coming forward and bringing her into a kiss. After a few moments, they pulled away. "Ok...so...I guess we do want the same thing then..." She said smiling slightly.
Luke chuckled. "I'm just really glad you didn't change your mind." He admitted.
"I'm glad Rory and Matt gave me kick up the backside to come and see you." Lorelai smirked.
Luke chuckled. "I could say the same thing." He said.
"What?" Lorelai laughed surprised.
"Not Rory and Matt obviously. Jess." He said.
"Jess?" She said surprised.
"Yeah, he told me I was being stupid." Luke smirked. "Seems like our kids do know better than us..."
Lorelai smiled. "I guess they do." She said. "And I'm glad they do. I love you, Luke." She said softly.
"I love you too." Luke said kissing her again.
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