Hammers, Nails & Florence Nightingale's
Chapter 1: Some Things Just Don't Change
Disclaimer: I do not owe this. I do not make money off this. I just write it because I have insomnia and never fall asleep until like 4 in the morning, so I need something to do to pass the time. The end.
Summary: Luke took care of them & now she has a chance to be there for him. Or, maybe it's more than that...
A/N: Well, here is my newest story. Wooo...
Basically, what you have to know...
Lorelai has been working at the Inn since she got to Stars Hollow. She needed extra money because she was saving up for a house. Luke considered dropping out of college to take care of his sick Dad. Mia sent Lorelai to the Dane's and offered to pay Lorelai to look after William, and clean the house and take care of Luke... Like, a nanny, but... not. Luke is dating Rachel, but trust me, it won't last long. And yeah, Rory & Lorelai moved in with Luke & Will so Lorelai could help around the house more and clean for Luke while he studied and stuff.
Trust me, it's cooler than it sounds, and hey, why not give it a try? It's not a post-finale fic that just makes you depressed, and Chris is only going to be in it briefly and it will make you happy, trust me. I know it sounds kind of boring and stupid, but read a few chapters and then decide.
Enough, ranting... Here we go...
-
"Luke?" Lorelai called after unlocking the front door of the Hardware store. It was late and the store was already closed, but that didn't stop the Gilmore Girls.
"Luke!" Rory called, after her, carrying a coloring book and a box of crayons with her.
"Hey." He said, appearing in front of them. "How did you guys get in?" He asked them, staring at them in disbelief.
"We know where you hide the secret key." Rory teased him, as the girls followed him into the storage room,
Luke rolled his eyes. "Who told you where the key is?" He asked her, suspiciously.
"It's not that hard." She told him, with her hands on her hips. "You should really find a better place. Anyone could find taped behind the Christmas lights."
"Yeah Luke." Lorelai added with attitude. "Plus, you're still here. Why do you even lock it anyway?" She asked.
"So people like you won't come in after closing time." He told Lorelai.
Lorelai ignored the comment, and looked over to Rory, gesturing towards her to say something.
"Luke…" Rory said in the voice that always got her what she wanted from a certain Luke Danes.
He sighed, and looked down at her. "What?" He asked.
"We're hungry." She told him.
He sighed again. "I told you I'm closing today… and I have to do inventory and then I have to stock some things…" He babbled on. He looked down at Rory again. "You can't make your own dinner for one night?" He asked the girls. They each blinked, right on cue.
He sighed. "One damn night." He mumbled, as he grabbed his jacket.
The girls giggled. "I was thinking that maybe we could have lasagna tonight." Lorelai told him, as they followed him out the door.
"Or spaghetti." Rory suggested.
"Or how about, that chicken stuff you made last week. That was so good." Lorelai said as they followed Luke down the street. He was already a few steps ahead of them, mumbling things under his breath.
"I want some macaroni and cheese." Rory told Luke.
"And tacos!" Lorelai said.
"Fish sticks!" Rory suggested.
"And soup." Lorelai said out loud.
"Alphabet soup." Rory commented.
"With those oyster crackers." Lorelai nodded.
"Why do they call them oyster crackers?" Rory asked her mother.
"Maybe the people in the pet stores feed them to the oysters?" Lorelai said, knowing how much she was annoying Luke, but also how it didn't actually annoy him.
"I want a pet oyster." Rory told her mother.
"We could name it Henry." Lorelai said.
"Or Veronica."
"Barbara." Lorelai suggested.
"Esteban." Rory said.
"Lola." Lorelai said.
"Harriet." Rory replied.
"Fredrico." Lorelai said. Rory giggled, as they climbed up the porch steps. Rory watched as Luke opened the door with his key.
"Shh, Luke… he's sleeping." Rory said, sweetly. Luke turned and looked at the girls, rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but smile as he opened the front door. The three of them each took their shoes off quietly and walked into the kitchen.
The girls sat at the table, while Luke rummaged through the kitchen.
"What's for dinner, Luke?" Rory asked, with her hands folded in front of her.
"Soup." He told her. Before either of them were able to open their mouths he said, "no crackers."
They each sighed.
"Can I have a grilled cheese with mine?" Rory asked.
"Sure." Luke replied.
"Me too, me too." Lorelai said.
Luke rolled his eyes, and put the water on to boil.
"Hun, why don't you go wash your hands?" Lorelai asked Rory.
"Kay." Rory said, and went off to wash her hands.
"How is he?" Luke asked Lorelai, as he folded his arms and leaned on the counter.
Lorelai looked down at her hands. "He's been sleeping a lot lately. The nurse is coming over tomorrow." Lorelai told him.
Luke nodded and returned to preparing dinner. He didn't like to talk about his Dad's sickness a lot. He always kept it brief.
"Luke?" Lorelai asked.
"Hm?" He asked.
"You OK? You seem tired." She told him.
"I'm fine." He said.
"I can make dinner, you know. We just kind of figured that you needed a break from work and school and everything… this was the only way to get you home."
He didn't let her see his smile, but she knew it was there. "I'll make dinner." He told her.
"Luke, it's fine." She said, standing up. "We can eat cereal. We love cereal."
"That one with the marshmallows? Do you know how unhealthy that is? Just because there is some fruity character on the box, it doesn't mean that you should buy it. Just because you're going to die before you hit 30 doesn't mean that Rory should, too. I'll make dinner." He told her.
Lorelai smiled. "Fine."
"Rachel's home." Rory announced as she came into the kitchen.
Lorelai stepped a few steps back from Luke, and smiled at her daughter.
"Hey everybody." Rachel said, as she saw the crowded kitchen. It wasn't something new to her, but she never did look comfortable.
"Sh… he's sleeping." Rory said, pointing to the ceiling.
Rachel laughed. "Sorry." She said in a whisper. "What are you making?" She asked Luke.
"Soup and grilled cheese." Rory told her. "But no oyster crackers… Do you know why they're called oyster crackers?"
Rachel shrugged. "Nope, sorry." Rachel leaned in towards Luke. "Hi." She told him, and kissed him.
Lorelai looked away.
-
Rory sat cross-legged on William's bed, as she flipped through a catalog.
"Mom says that I need a new backpack." Rory informed him. "I'm in second grade now, so I need a bigger one." She told him. "I get to decide between all the ones on this page." She showed him.
"Wow." He said.
"You can even get your initials on them for free." Rory told her.
"Initials? Why do you need your initials on your backpack?" He asked.
Rory shrugged. "Who cares? It's free."
Will laughed. "So, which one is it gonna be?" He asked.
"Hm… I'm stuck between the blue one, the purple one, or the yellow one." Rory said, staring at the page, with her thinking face on.
"I like the yellow one." He told her.
She smiled. "Mom likes that one, too."
-
"The nurse is coming at 3, but Rory is keeping him company for a little while." Lorelai explained to Mia that day.
"How's he doing?" Mia asked.
"Good, I guess. He's been sleeping a lot better lately, and he's been walking around more. I think staying in bed all day is driving him insane." Lorelai said. "But Rory is adorable with him. She reads to him and tells him stories. It's cute."
"I bet he loves that." Mia said.
Lorelai nodded.
"So… how's Rachel?" Mia asked, with a suspicious tone.
"What do you mean?" Lorelai asked, looking at her.
"Oh… nothing really… I just haven't seen her around as much."
"She's been working… taking pictures. She's trying to save up for a new camera." Lorelai told Mia.
"But Luke and her and still together, right?" Mia asked.
"Yeah, why wouldn't they be?" Lorelai asked, wondering what Mia was actually up to.
"Oh, I don't know honey, I'm just making sure I'm caught up with everything. I was in California for a week. A lot can change in a week."
"Not in Stars Hollow." Lorelai commented.
Mia nodded.
-
He was never exactly sure how Mia had talked him into all of this. It had been 7 months of Lorelai and Rory living with him, and the truth was that he really did love having them around. It was nice having people to come home to, to talk to, to make dinner for. It was nice having the help.
He didn't usually take help. He was pretty independent. He really had no idea how Mia had talked him into letting Lorelai help. Maybe the fact that Lorelai was gorgeous and Rory was adorable, helped just a little bit.
The thing was, he really did hate school. He hated writing all those papers and taking tests. He hated listening to lectures and taking notes while he could be working.
The hardware store hadn't been doing so great lately. He had to close it a lot. Kirk offered to work part time, but there was no way he was going to let Kirk work at his store.
Why had he let Mia talk him into staying in school? What was he doing there, anyway?
He sighed and put his head down on the kitchen table.
He could hear the ticking of the clock in the kitchen. Everyone else in the house was asleep. It's late. He should be asleep, too, but he isn't. He had to write that stupid paper.
Just then, he heard another sound.
Someone walking down the stairs very quietly. He figured it was probably Rory or Lorelai coming down for a midnight snack. He sat and waited.
But whoever it was didn't walk towards the kitchen. They headed towards the door.
He listened to the front door open and close. He listened to a car start, and pull out of the driveway.
He stood up and looked out the window.
Rachel.
She was going. She was gone.
He sighed. He turned off the kitchen light. He climbed up the stairs.
He wasn't surprised.
-
I told you the Rachel thing wouldn't last long.
I hope you guys liked the first chapter. The next chapters will be better, cuz this one was just sort of setting the story up a little and yeah… Plus later chapters will have more Luke and Lorelai scenes.
Let me know if you think I should continue.
& also, suggestions would be nice.
Thank you.
Next Chapter:
Chapter 2: Turn that Frown Upside- Down:
Lorelai and Rory set out to make Luke feel better about Rachel leaving. Rory helps out at the Hardware store & Lorelai gets some explanations from Mia and Will.