Chapter 5
(At the Inn)
Suki is prepairing everything at the Inn, and leaving instructions for the other chefs, as she gets finalized - she's leaving for her honeymoon the next morning.
Sookie: Lorelai, hon - have you heard a word of what I just said?
Lorelai: ::looking completely distracted:: No. No, I didn't. I'm sorry.
Sookie: Rough night?
Lorelai: More than you can imagine.
Sookie: ::sits down on a stool, pulling one up for her friend:: Tell.
Lorelai: ::concedes, and sits down next to Sookie:: On top of the whole Christopher leaving thing.. and then.. ::stops and pauses:: Jess snuck into our house last night. I found him, this morning, with Rory.
Sookie: ::eyes wide:: They didn't..
Lorelai: No. They didn't. Rory says nothing happened. I believe her.
Sookie: Oh man. When did he even come back?
Lorelai: The day of the wedding actually.
Sookie: I didn't see him.
Lorelai: ::Sighs, and takes a big sip of her coffee::
Sookie: But, I see you were at Luke's this morning.. I assume you didn't kill his nephew before getting your coffee.
Lorelai: No. ::sets down the cup:: I'm going to let them see each other. I can't stop them.
Sookie: ::nods, a little suprised:: You trust her.
Lorelai: Absolutely. It's him.. But.. I have to trust him. For her.
Sookie: ::puts her hand on her friend's shoulder:: You should. You've raised her well Lorelai. She's just like you.
Lorelai: That's what worries me.
(Across town, Jess is sitting in the apartment, with his nose burried in a book, smoking a cigarette when Luke walks upstairs)
Luke: Put it out.
Jess: ::glances over his book:: It's been a long day.
Luke: Explanation not neccesary. Put it out.
Jess: ::takes a long drag, and slowly exhales::
Luke: ::very warning tone:: Out. Now.
Jess: ::puts it out, but notices his uncle still staring at him:: What?
Luke: I don't know if I made myself clear down there earlier. Before they left. But let me make myself perfectly clear now.
Jess: Yeah, I know. I quit. ::takes the pack out of his shirt pocket, and tosses it at his uncle::
Luke: Jess, I don't need you making a mistake that's going to affect all of us.
Jess: It's over. I told you I quit.
Luke: That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about Rory. She's a good kid.
Jess: And I'm not. And of course, you assume I'm *that* kind of guy, right? That I couldn't possibly want anything but to get into her pants.
Luke: Look, I'm not saying that, but things happen..
Jess: ::rolls his eyes, and goes back to his book::
Luke: ::walks over to a drawer in the filing cabinet, and opens it. He pulls out a box of condems, and tosses it to Jess:: Look. I'm not very good at this whole.. thing. But just do me a favor, hang onto those. Weather you want them or not.
Jess: ::tucks the box behind his bed, not giving it a second look:: Mmm-hmm. Anything else?
Luke: ::completely embarresed:: No. No, that's it. Give Cesar a hand later on, alright? I've got plans tonight.
Jess: ::pulls the box back out from behind the bed and looks over his book at his uncle:: Sure you don't need these?
Luke grunts with that "I could kill you" look on his face, and then turns and walks out of the apartment.
Luke: ::walking down the stairs, he says allowed, to himself:: She's right. He's no good. He's going to screw up. Rory is going to end up hurt, and Lorelai's going to blame this entire thing on me. She's going to hate me.. She's going to never talk to me again.. she's going to..
Cesar: You say something?
Luke: You're closing up tonight - Jess is upstairs if you need him.
Cesar: ::Nods, and walks away::
(Later that evening, Rory is at Lane's house and Luke is standing on Lorelai's porch, about to ring her door bell.)
Luke: ::Reaches out, but right before he can ring the bell, the door opens:: Sixth sence.
Lorelai: ::completely hollow:: I see plaid people. ::laughs, and then steps back, letting Luke in::
Luke: So..
Lorelai: Yeah, there's been alot of that going around today. ::turns her back and walks towards the kitchen::
Luke: I talked to Jess a little more once you left.
Lorelai: Oh yeah? ::glances back, and sees the look on his face:: Oh no.. Luke, you didn't. Tell me you had "the talk" with him?
Luke: More or less.
Lorelai: I'm dying. Tell me what you said to him.
Luke: I'd rather not. ::sits down at her table::
Lorelai: ::opens the fridge:: Diet coke?
Luke: ::Waves her off::
Lorelai: With lemon added. You can't ignore it.
Luke: No.
Lorelai: Come on, it's got lemon.
Luke: No.
Lorelai: You sure? It's diet coke. With lemon flavoring.
Luke: No. Thanks.
Lorelai: ::opens her can and drinks:: So what did you say to him?
Luke: I just told him to behave himself, or else. ::pauses:: I just.. I have no control over him. You know? I tell him to do his school work, he doesn't. I tell him not to smoke, he does anyway..
Lorelai: He smokes?
Luke: He quit.
Lorelai: He quit?
Luke: Not counting the few recent times I've seen him, yeah. He quit.
Lorelai: Hmm. This kid just keeps getting better.
Luke: I didn't figure there was anything I could say to make him understand, that.. if.. if anything happens.. If he does anything to her at all.. he's going to be so sorry he ever came back here.
Lorelai: ::leans towards him:: It's nice to hear you say that. It really means alot to me.
Luke: I've watched her grow up.
Lorelai: You're important to her. You're important to both of us..
Luke suddenly feels like the room is spinning. He can't believe how this conversation turned from the concern of two people about their adolescent responsibilities, to suddenly, him sitting there, so close to her that he could smell the shampoo she used, and the faint smell of the coffee he supplied her with day in and day out. Before he could even think, he leaned towards her, closing his eyes.
Lorelai was stunned, and closed her eyes too - and in a quick moment, their lips met, the two stood there so close to each other, his hand on her elbow, their only other connection besides their lips.
Rory was standing on the porch on her way in, noticing the two just before she opened the door, she backed away. She had known there was so many feelings that she could never understand between them, but she never assumed her mom would hide their relationship from her. She backed down the stairs, and turned around, heading off.
Luke and Lorelai stepped back from each other, somewhat stunned. Neither knew what to say. Finally Luke's voice came back first, and he stumbled over a few words, before setteling on
Luke: ::flustered, embarresed:: I'd better go.
Lorelai: ::confused, feeling like he's upset about what just happened:: Um.. okay, yeah, that would be..
Luke backed out the door, got to the end of Lorelai's yard before turning around to look at the house. What he couldn't see was Lorelai sitting at the kitchen table, with a miserable look on her face.
(Back at the Kim's house, standing by the sign)
Lane: So, wait, run this by me again?
Rory: ::Catching her breath from running all the way from her house, back to Lane's:: I left here. I went home. And I found them in the kitchen.
Lane: Your mother. ::pauses:: And Luke.
Rory: Yes.
Lane: It's about time.
Rory: ::nods:: I know.
(At the Inn)
Suki is prepairing everything at the Inn, and leaving instructions for the other chefs, as she gets finalized - she's leaving for her honeymoon the next morning.
Sookie: Lorelai, hon - have you heard a word of what I just said?
Lorelai: ::looking completely distracted:: No. No, I didn't. I'm sorry.
Sookie: Rough night?
Lorelai: More than you can imagine.
Sookie: ::sits down on a stool, pulling one up for her friend:: Tell.
Lorelai: ::concedes, and sits down next to Sookie:: On top of the whole Christopher leaving thing.. and then.. ::stops and pauses:: Jess snuck into our house last night. I found him, this morning, with Rory.
Sookie: ::eyes wide:: They didn't..
Lorelai: No. They didn't. Rory says nothing happened. I believe her.
Sookie: Oh man. When did he even come back?
Lorelai: The day of the wedding actually.
Sookie: I didn't see him.
Lorelai: ::Sighs, and takes a big sip of her coffee::
Sookie: But, I see you were at Luke's this morning.. I assume you didn't kill his nephew before getting your coffee.
Lorelai: No. ::sets down the cup:: I'm going to let them see each other. I can't stop them.
Sookie: ::nods, a little suprised:: You trust her.
Lorelai: Absolutely. It's him.. But.. I have to trust him. For her.
Sookie: ::puts her hand on her friend's shoulder:: You should. You've raised her well Lorelai. She's just like you.
Lorelai: That's what worries me.
(Across town, Jess is sitting in the apartment, with his nose burried in a book, smoking a cigarette when Luke walks upstairs)
Luke: Put it out.
Jess: ::glances over his book:: It's been a long day.
Luke: Explanation not neccesary. Put it out.
Jess: ::takes a long drag, and slowly exhales::
Luke: ::very warning tone:: Out. Now.
Jess: ::puts it out, but notices his uncle still staring at him:: What?
Luke: I don't know if I made myself clear down there earlier. Before they left. But let me make myself perfectly clear now.
Jess: Yeah, I know. I quit. ::takes the pack out of his shirt pocket, and tosses it at his uncle::
Luke: Jess, I don't need you making a mistake that's going to affect all of us.
Jess: It's over. I told you I quit.
Luke: That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about Rory. She's a good kid.
Jess: And I'm not. And of course, you assume I'm *that* kind of guy, right? That I couldn't possibly want anything but to get into her pants.
Luke: Look, I'm not saying that, but things happen..
Jess: ::rolls his eyes, and goes back to his book::
Luke: ::walks over to a drawer in the filing cabinet, and opens it. He pulls out a box of condems, and tosses it to Jess:: Look. I'm not very good at this whole.. thing. But just do me a favor, hang onto those. Weather you want them or not.
Jess: ::tucks the box behind his bed, not giving it a second look:: Mmm-hmm. Anything else?
Luke: ::completely embarresed:: No. No, that's it. Give Cesar a hand later on, alright? I've got plans tonight.
Jess: ::pulls the box back out from behind the bed and looks over his book at his uncle:: Sure you don't need these?
Luke grunts with that "I could kill you" look on his face, and then turns and walks out of the apartment.
Luke: ::walking down the stairs, he says allowed, to himself:: She's right. He's no good. He's going to screw up. Rory is going to end up hurt, and Lorelai's going to blame this entire thing on me. She's going to hate me.. She's going to never talk to me again.. she's going to..
Cesar: You say something?
Luke: You're closing up tonight - Jess is upstairs if you need him.
Cesar: ::Nods, and walks away::
(Later that evening, Rory is at Lane's house and Luke is standing on Lorelai's porch, about to ring her door bell.)
Luke: ::Reaches out, but right before he can ring the bell, the door opens:: Sixth sence.
Lorelai: ::completely hollow:: I see plaid people. ::laughs, and then steps back, letting Luke in::
Luke: So..
Lorelai: Yeah, there's been alot of that going around today. ::turns her back and walks towards the kitchen::
Luke: I talked to Jess a little more once you left.
Lorelai: Oh yeah? ::glances back, and sees the look on his face:: Oh no.. Luke, you didn't. Tell me you had "the talk" with him?
Luke: More or less.
Lorelai: I'm dying. Tell me what you said to him.
Luke: I'd rather not. ::sits down at her table::
Lorelai: ::opens the fridge:: Diet coke?
Luke: ::Waves her off::
Lorelai: With lemon added. You can't ignore it.
Luke: No.
Lorelai: Come on, it's got lemon.
Luke: No.
Lorelai: You sure? It's diet coke. With lemon flavoring.
Luke: No. Thanks.
Lorelai: ::opens her can and drinks:: So what did you say to him?
Luke: I just told him to behave himself, or else. ::pauses:: I just.. I have no control over him. You know? I tell him to do his school work, he doesn't. I tell him not to smoke, he does anyway..
Lorelai: He smokes?
Luke: He quit.
Lorelai: He quit?
Luke: Not counting the few recent times I've seen him, yeah. He quit.
Lorelai: Hmm. This kid just keeps getting better.
Luke: I didn't figure there was anything I could say to make him understand, that.. if.. if anything happens.. If he does anything to her at all.. he's going to be so sorry he ever came back here.
Lorelai: ::leans towards him:: It's nice to hear you say that. It really means alot to me.
Luke: I've watched her grow up.
Lorelai: You're important to her. You're important to both of us..
Luke suddenly feels like the room is spinning. He can't believe how this conversation turned from the concern of two people about their adolescent responsibilities, to suddenly, him sitting there, so close to her that he could smell the shampoo she used, and the faint smell of the coffee he supplied her with day in and day out. Before he could even think, he leaned towards her, closing his eyes.
Lorelai was stunned, and closed her eyes too - and in a quick moment, their lips met, the two stood there so close to each other, his hand on her elbow, their only other connection besides their lips.
Rory was standing on the porch on her way in, noticing the two just before she opened the door, she backed away. She had known there was so many feelings that she could never understand between them, but she never assumed her mom would hide their relationship from her. She backed down the stairs, and turned around, heading off.
Luke and Lorelai stepped back from each other, somewhat stunned. Neither knew what to say. Finally Luke's voice came back first, and he stumbled over a few words, before setteling on
Luke: ::flustered, embarresed:: I'd better go.
Lorelai: ::confused, feeling like he's upset about what just happened:: Um.. okay, yeah, that would be..
Luke backed out the door, got to the end of Lorelai's yard before turning around to look at the house. What he couldn't see was Lorelai sitting at the kitchen table, with a miserable look on her face.
(Back at the Kim's house, standing by the sign)
Lane: So, wait, run this by me again?
Rory: ::Catching her breath from running all the way from her house, back to Lane's:: I left here. I went home. And I found them in the kitchen.
Lane: Your mother. ::pauses:: And Luke.
Rory: Yes.
Lane: It's about time.
Rory: ::nods:: I know.
