Less Than a Second
Part 3: Christmas Parties, Letters, and a New Year
__________
Pairing: Lorelai and Luke
Summary: Luke and Lorelai met in Stars Hollow while Lorelai's pregnant with Rory. Sixteen years later, they've found happiness with each other and the entire past (as fans know it) has been changed (for the better, perhaps :). This is a response to a challenge posted on the Luke and Lorelai Fan Fic group at Yahoo.
Rating: PG 13 (to be safe, for now)
Disclaimer: I do not own or in any way have connection to those that do own the Gilmore Girls.
A/N: Did Christopher even go to college or has that not been stated in the show? I can't remember...if facts (things that have been said on the show) are a little messed up in this chapter, please forgive me. Also, towards the end of this chapter, time picks up randomly and we head towards Spring, 1985. Please *review*! :)
__________
*3 months later*
__________
Christopher visited over Christmas break. Lorelai was working some of it, but it gave both her and Rory a chance to see him. Lorelai had been writing to him, telling him of little things that had been going on and pictures of Rory. He called every so often, usually about once or twice every few weeks. During the phone calls, he'd tell Lorelai that he missed them. He'd tell her about the happenings in California or he'd ask about Rory and her. He'd always end the call with an "I love you and I miss you" which normally left Lorelai with a lump in her throat.
Christmas, however, had been wonderful. He had come with his parents, who, not surprisingly, refused to see Lorelai. They spent the week in Hartford with friends and Christopher stayed in Stars Hollow.
__________
Emily and Richard requested a visit from Lorelai on Christmas Eve, for the annual Christmas party held at the Gilmore house. Lorelai hadn't refused to go, but she hadn't accepted their invitation either. She'd thought it over and she'd decided that she wanted Rory to, at least, know her grandparents. She'd called the night before the party and told one of the maids to tell Emily that she would come to the Christmas Party.
__________
It was good luck for Lorelai that someone was there when she'd returned to Stars Hollow from the party.
"Minutes," she'd told Christopher, "I walked in the door, took off my coat. She saw me from across the room. She got my father and then they both approached me. They smiled, looked at Rory, were happy... Then, out of nowhere, my mother asks if she can speak to me outside. I said that it was cold out and that we could talk inside..."
"Witnesses," he'd said, smiling. They were sitting on the couch, Lorelai wrapped in his arms, a blanket draped over them. He'd arrived while Lorelai was at the party.
"Exactly! But, she insisted. And then there was the yelling and Rory started to cry. At that, the almighty Emily Gilmore cowered and we were able to get out alive." She finished, getting up. "Now, I need some coffee."
__________
Christmas Day, itself, was much more enjoyable for Lorelai. She and Christopher bundled up Rory and the three headed to Luke's for some coffee. They spent a little time there (Lorelai told Christopher that she knew what it was like to be alone and she didn't want Luke to be because he was a nice guy and deserved to have *someone* with him on the holiday). After a while, a woman walked in that Luke knew (Rachel something-or-other, Lorelai remembered, later) and the three headed back to the inn.
Christopher had brought presents and things for Rory. He gave Lorelai a camcorder, among other things, so he wouldn't miss out on too much. When he saw that Rory could roll from her side to her back and was slowly learning to roll onto her stomach and raise her head, not to mention the fact that she could not only smile but *grin,* he knew that he didn't want to miss out on any more firsts or achievements his daughter made.
At the end of the week, he went back to California and Lorelai and Rory were alone once more.
__________
"I miss you," she wrote in one of the letters to him a few weeks after he'd left again. "It's hard without you... I wish you could see her now. She's so beautiful. She can lift her head now when she lies on her stomach. She changes everyday. If you were only here...
"Did you have a good New Year's? How's school? Have you received an answer from California Institute of Technology? What about Connecticut? Are you applying to schools on the East Coast? I forgot to ask you while you were here...
"So February vacation, you said? I think Rory misses you. She's been looking around and making a little angry face...
"I love you, Chris. Talk to you soon. Lorelai." Lorelai folded the letter and stuck it in an envelope. She placed a stamp on the right corner, wrote Christopher's address on the front, and then wrote the return address. She stood and walked to the other side of the room where Rory was sleeping, soundly. Lorelai watched her chest raise and fall, rhythmically every few seconds with her breathing. She took one of the light blankets at the bottom of the crib and spread it over Rory's little body.
__________
"Lor," a letter from Christopher began, "I applied to a few different schools. Mostly, polytech schools here. I have a few technical schools on my list that are on the East Coast: Worcester Polytech in Massachusetts, Rensselaer Polytech in New York, and Rutgers in New Jersey. I should find out in late March or early April where I've been accepted. I got a letter from MIT in Massachusetts. I was rejected. I'm still waiting for the letter from CIT.
"How's Rory? Thanks for the pictures. I can't believe how different she looks...it's only been about a month since Christmas and she's changed so much. Tell her that I miss her.
"I love you. I miss you. I'll call you later this week.
"Love, Chris"
__________
That was the last letter Lorelai would ever get from Christopher. After that, they kept touch by phone and occasionally, when Lorelai got a computer years later, by e-mail.
__________
Lorelai loved the way the winter, in Connecticut, slowly melted into spring. As much as she loved the winter and snow, she also loved the flowers that spring brought, the sunlight, the warmth. She enjoyed walking through Stars Hollow, Rory in a baby carrier on her back, on those spring mornings. Usually, she despised walking (and exercise in any form), but there was something about the town that drew her from bed around eight or so in the morning to take Rory on a walk then go to work at the inn.
The inn, itself, was beautiful this time of year. There were numerous weddings scheduled throughout the spring and summer months which would keep the staff busier than they already were. Mia asked Lorelai to help her organize some of the details for a few of the weddings. Mia liked the ambitious nature Lorelai held. She taught her what she knew. She realized that soon enough, Lorelai would be ready for a management position.
Lorelai had made some friends at the inn. Sookie St. James, one of the chefs, was probably her closest friend. Like Lorelai, she was ambitious. She wanted to be head chef. She was accident-prone, yes, but reliable and delightful to be around, just the same. And then there was Michel who, despite his normally rude disposition, would amuse her. They both shared a witty sense of humor.
__________
Luke, nowadays, was busy with the diner. It was successful with the locals and people from outside of town occasionally dropped by to get some coffee as they passed through. Lorelai had become a faithful customer. She showed up every morning for coffee (he eventually always gave her a cup even though he thought she shouldn't drink so much of it), again during the day for another cup, then at some point in the evening with Rory for dinner.
Something else had happened. His girlfriend, Rachel, had returned to Stars Hollow. She had been off at school studying photography in Rhode Island but she took a semester off to do some fieldwork and had come back to town to visit. She'd shown up on Christmas on her way to see her parents in upstate New York. Luke had been thrilled to see her.
__________
It was early April when Lorelai got her first promotion. She now assisted at the front desk. The extra money (along with some that Christopher had given to her during his most recent visit in February and some that Richard had sent for her birthday as well as with some loans from a bank in Hartford) was enough to put a down payment on a run-down house on the northwest side of town. Luke offered to help her do some work on it (fix the stairs, patch the roof, take the boards off the windows and replace the glass, et cetera) and Lorelai told him she would pay him some money even though he flat-out refused to take any.
Lorelai loved the house, despite its condition. "The shower has a curtain and the bathroom has four walls," she told Christopher during one of their weekly phone calls. She went on and on, excitedly, "There's a porch and a kitchen...and this room that's perfect for Rory. And there's..."
__________
A/N: Okay, I had a bit more trouble with that chapter. I'm not sure if it's plausible that Lorelai could afford a house yet (I tried). If not, please ignore my mistake. :) Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone who responded to the question posed at the end of the last chapter (time variables). Thanks, I'm definitely going to use your suggestions for the rest of the story. Um, I think that's it. Don't forget to review! I appreciate it! :)
Part 3: Christmas Parties, Letters, and a New Year
__________
Pairing: Lorelai and Luke
Summary: Luke and Lorelai met in Stars Hollow while Lorelai's pregnant with Rory. Sixteen years later, they've found happiness with each other and the entire past (as fans know it) has been changed (for the better, perhaps :). This is a response to a challenge posted on the Luke and Lorelai Fan Fic group at Yahoo.
Rating: PG 13 (to be safe, for now)
Disclaimer: I do not own or in any way have connection to those that do own the Gilmore Girls.
A/N: Did Christopher even go to college or has that not been stated in the show? I can't remember...if facts (things that have been said on the show) are a little messed up in this chapter, please forgive me. Also, towards the end of this chapter, time picks up randomly and we head towards Spring, 1985. Please *review*! :)
__________
*3 months later*
__________
Christopher visited over Christmas break. Lorelai was working some of it, but it gave both her and Rory a chance to see him. Lorelai had been writing to him, telling him of little things that had been going on and pictures of Rory. He called every so often, usually about once or twice every few weeks. During the phone calls, he'd tell Lorelai that he missed them. He'd tell her about the happenings in California or he'd ask about Rory and her. He'd always end the call with an "I love you and I miss you" which normally left Lorelai with a lump in her throat.
Christmas, however, had been wonderful. He had come with his parents, who, not surprisingly, refused to see Lorelai. They spent the week in Hartford with friends and Christopher stayed in Stars Hollow.
__________
Emily and Richard requested a visit from Lorelai on Christmas Eve, for the annual Christmas party held at the Gilmore house. Lorelai hadn't refused to go, but she hadn't accepted their invitation either. She'd thought it over and she'd decided that she wanted Rory to, at least, know her grandparents. She'd called the night before the party and told one of the maids to tell Emily that she would come to the Christmas Party.
__________
It was good luck for Lorelai that someone was there when she'd returned to Stars Hollow from the party.
"Minutes," she'd told Christopher, "I walked in the door, took off my coat. She saw me from across the room. She got my father and then they both approached me. They smiled, looked at Rory, were happy... Then, out of nowhere, my mother asks if she can speak to me outside. I said that it was cold out and that we could talk inside..."
"Witnesses," he'd said, smiling. They were sitting on the couch, Lorelai wrapped in his arms, a blanket draped over them. He'd arrived while Lorelai was at the party.
"Exactly! But, she insisted. And then there was the yelling and Rory started to cry. At that, the almighty Emily Gilmore cowered and we were able to get out alive." She finished, getting up. "Now, I need some coffee."
__________
Christmas Day, itself, was much more enjoyable for Lorelai. She and Christopher bundled up Rory and the three headed to Luke's for some coffee. They spent a little time there (Lorelai told Christopher that she knew what it was like to be alone and she didn't want Luke to be because he was a nice guy and deserved to have *someone* with him on the holiday). After a while, a woman walked in that Luke knew (Rachel something-or-other, Lorelai remembered, later) and the three headed back to the inn.
Christopher had brought presents and things for Rory. He gave Lorelai a camcorder, among other things, so he wouldn't miss out on too much. When he saw that Rory could roll from her side to her back and was slowly learning to roll onto her stomach and raise her head, not to mention the fact that she could not only smile but *grin,* he knew that he didn't want to miss out on any more firsts or achievements his daughter made.
At the end of the week, he went back to California and Lorelai and Rory were alone once more.
__________
"I miss you," she wrote in one of the letters to him a few weeks after he'd left again. "It's hard without you... I wish you could see her now. She's so beautiful. She can lift her head now when she lies on her stomach. She changes everyday. If you were only here...
"Did you have a good New Year's? How's school? Have you received an answer from California Institute of Technology? What about Connecticut? Are you applying to schools on the East Coast? I forgot to ask you while you were here...
"So February vacation, you said? I think Rory misses you. She's been looking around and making a little angry face...
"I love you, Chris. Talk to you soon. Lorelai." Lorelai folded the letter and stuck it in an envelope. She placed a stamp on the right corner, wrote Christopher's address on the front, and then wrote the return address. She stood and walked to the other side of the room where Rory was sleeping, soundly. Lorelai watched her chest raise and fall, rhythmically every few seconds with her breathing. She took one of the light blankets at the bottom of the crib and spread it over Rory's little body.
__________
"Lor," a letter from Christopher began, "I applied to a few different schools. Mostly, polytech schools here. I have a few technical schools on my list that are on the East Coast: Worcester Polytech in Massachusetts, Rensselaer Polytech in New York, and Rutgers in New Jersey. I should find out in late March or early April where I've been accepted. I got a letter from MIT in Massachusetts. I was rejected. I'm still waiting for the letter from CIT.
"How's Rory? Thanks for the pictures. I can't believe how different she looks...it's only been about a month since Christmas and she's changed so much. Tell her that I miss her.
"I love you. I miss you. I'll call you later this week.
"Love, Chris"
__________
That was the last letter Lorelai would ever get from Christopher. After that, they kept touch by phone and occasionally, when Lorelai got a computer years later, by e-mail.
__________
Lorelai loved the way the winter, in Connecticut, slowly melted into spring. As much as she loved the winter and snow, she also loved the flowers that spring brought, the sunlight, the warmth. She enjoyed walking through Stars Hollow, Rory in a baby carrier on her back, on those spring mornings. Usually, she despised walking (and exercise in any form), but there was something about the town that drew her from bed around eight or so in the morning to take Rory on a walk then go to work at the inn.
The inn, itself, was beautiful this time of year. There were numerous weddings scheduled throughout the spring and summer months which would keep the staff busier than they already were. Mia asked Lorelai to help her organize some of the details for a few of the weddings. Mia liked the ambitious nature Lorelai held. She taught her what she knew. She realized that soon enough, Lorelai would be ready for a management position.
Lorelai had made some friends at the inn. Sookie St. James, one of the chefs, was probably her closest friend. Like Lorelai, she was ambitious. She wanted to be head chef. She was accident-prone, yes, but reliable and delightful to be around, just the same. And then there was Michel who, despite his normally rude disposition, would amuse her. They both shared a witty sense of humor.
__________
Luke, nowadays, was busy with the diner. It was successful with the locals and people from outside of town occasionally dropped by to get some coffee as they passed through. Lorelai had become a faithful customer. She showed up every morning for coffee (he eventually always gave her a cup even though he thought she shouldn't drink so much of it), again during the day for another cup, then at some point in the evening with Rory for dinner.
Something else had happened. His girlfriend, Rachel, had returned to Stars Hollow. She had been off at school studying photography in Rhode Island but she took a semester off to do some fieldwork and had come back to town to visit. She'd shown up on Christmas on her way to see her parents in upstate New York. Luke had been thrilled to see her.
__________
It was early April when Lorelai got her first promotion. She now assisted at the front desk. The extra money (along with some that Christopher had given to her during his most recent visit in February and some that Richard had sent for her birthday as well as with some loans from a bank in Hartford) was enough to put a down payment on a run-down house on the northwest side of town. Luke offered to help her do some work on it (fix the stairs, patch the roof, take the boards off the windows and replace the glass, et cetera) and Lorelai told him she would pay him some money even though he flat-out refused to take any.
Lorelai loved the house, despite its condition. "The shower has a curtain and the bathroom has four walls," she told Christopher during one of their weekly phone calls. She went on and on, excitedly, "There's a porch and a kitchen...and this room that's perfect for Rory. And there's..."
__________
A/N: Okay, I had a bit more trouble with that chapter. I'm not sure if it's plausible that Lorelai could afford a house yet (I tried). If not, please ignore my mistake. :) Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone who responded to the question posed at the end of the last chapter (time variables). Thanks, I'm definitely going to use your suggestions for the rest of the story. Um, I think that's it. Don't forget to review! I appreciate it! :)
