Title: (Chapter 2) Nancy Drew and Joe Hardy
Author: Gluglug
Spoiler Warning/Timing: Third Season, post-Haunted Leg
Rating: PG (for language)
Summary: Lorelai confronts Luke.
Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all characters are property of The Dubba Dubba Dubba WB, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Amy Sherman- Palladino. They don't belong to me, just borrowing.
Later that evening, Lorelai took a walk to Luke's diner. The place was empty and Luke was behind the counter, counting the day's receipts. He looked up when he heard the door open.
"Nancy Drew, if you're here to solve a mystery, we're closed. And we're out of coffee."
"The mystery is close to being solved and believe it or not, I'm not here for coffee." Lorelai's tone was serious. "Luke, I need to talk to you. Or rather, WE need to talk."
Seeing her sober expression, Luke felt his heart sink. "You didn't happen to run into Rachel today, did you?"
Lorelai nodded. "I did."
Luke muttered under his breath. "Great."
Lorelai knew that she had to handle him with kid gloves if she wanted to get anywhere. She decided to be gentle but direct. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Luke knew exactly what she was talking about but hoped he could avoid a confrontation. "Tell you what?"
"Please don't avoid the subject."
"How can I avoid the subject when I don't know what the hell you're talking about?"
Lorelai realized that once Luke started using words like "hell," the gentle approach was not going to work. She needed an answer from him and hoped the words "go to" weren't going to precede "hell."
"You KNOW what I'm talking about. I inadvertently overheard your conversation with Rachel this afternoon and she conveniently ran into me when I picked up dinner at the China Doll."
Luke grew more agitated by the second and his voice started to rise. "I can't believe you were eavesdropping - that was a PRIVATE conversation. And you shouldn't listen to Rachel. She has no clue what she's talking about."
Lorelai also grew more agitated and raised her voice to match his. "So it's not true? What EVERYONE has been saying?"
"Who's everyone?"
She counted on her fingers. "Oh, let's see, on my left hand, Miss Patty and other citizens of Stars Hollow, many who lack credibility. On my other, slightly more credible hand I have Rory, Sookie, my MOTHER, of all people, and now Rachel!"
"Crazy ladies."
"True, you DO have a point there, with Rory the obvious exception. But still, I keep hearing it; that you have a crush on me, you have the hots for me, and that you're in love with me!" She locked eyes with Luke's stony gaze and yelled. "I'm tired of hearing it from everyone but YOU!"
At this point Luke was ready to explode, he had tried to keep his emotions in check but he had no choice. She had pushed him into a corner and he lashed out.
"Why? So you can say: 'Gee Luke, I'm really flattered but I don't think of you that way. I mean, I like having you around to pour my coffee every damn day, to fix things in my house, and run to my beckon call anytime I need you. Meanwhile, I'll date every eligible guy within a 50 mile radius, and then come crying to you when it doesn't work out!' No thanks!"
Lorelai felt her face turn red and tears stung her eyes but she wasn't about to cry, not in front of him. She was going to give as good as he gave her. "Is that what you think of me? That is SO not fair. Luke, did it ever occur to you that if you DID ask me out, that I might actually say YES? Meanwhile, I'm supposed to sit home, pining away and not date anyone who actually has the guts to ask? Hell, even Kirk asked me out!"
Seeing Lorelai's hurt expression, Luke immediately regretted his outburst. This was not the way he wanted this to go. Remembering their last argument, he softened his tone. "But I DID ask."
Lorelai was still angry. "You did? In what parallel universe?"
Luke took a deep breath. "In this one. I'll refresh your memory. During Jackson and Sookie's first date I rescued you from Jackson's cousin, Rune the Loon, with a game of poker. The next day I said, "Maybe we could do it again sometime" but we never did. You started up with Max again and Rachel came back. And, well you know the rest.."
Lorelai remembered the morning Luke said that, but hadn't realized his intentions. "Hey, that was a long time ago. I didn't realize you were asking me out. You have to admit, 'maybe we could do it again sometime' sounds kind of non-committal."
Luke sat down on a stool, crestfallen. "Well, to ME it wasn't."
Seeing Luke's dejected state, Lorelai's anger started to melt away. She knew he'd said some spiteful things that he needed to apologize for, but he only said them because he was scared. She knew she had to fix things fast and returned to her original strategy - gentle but direct.
"Luke, I'm sorry I misunderstood your intentions. But I would hate for us to miss another opportunity. Mind if I tried it this time?"
Luke was looking at his hands, half-listening to her. "Go ahead."
Lorelai took a step toward him. She realized what she was about to do and wasn't afraid.
"Luke Danes, will you go out with me? Not as a friend, but in an "I'd like us to be more than friends" kind of way?"
Luke's head shot up and his eyes widened, like a boy who just learned he was getting a dirt bike for Christmas.
"Seriously?"
Lorelai watched his reaction and smiled. "Yahoo Seriously. I really mean it."
She held his gaze and walked towards him. Luke stood up and they standing about a foot apart, face to face. Luke grinned at her, he probably looked like an idiot but he didn't care.
"I'd like that." He paused. "Hey, I never thought you'd have the courage to do it, after all that pining away." He paused again and looked at her apologetically. "Lorelai, I'm sorry for the nasty things I said, I didn't mean it."
"As much of an ass you were being, I understand where it came from. Being scared makes a person say hurtful things they'll regret. I'm very familiar with that, as we both know."
"I guess we're made for each other, huh? "
Lorelai didn't want this momentous occasion to slip away. "I have an idea. Why don't we schedule our date now, just so there's no ambiguity?"
Luke didn't want this momentous occasion to slip away either and hoped he could show his gratitude. Lorelai took a big risk tonight so he took a little risk of his own. He leaned in and gave Lorelai a kiss. It was a sweet, tender, and tentative first kiss. After a few seconds, he pulled back.
Luke's voice took on a husky tone. "Was that ambiguous?"
Lorelei was smiling at him, a bit mischievously. "No, I'd say the mystery has been solved."
"About the date, Saturday at 8? I'll close early and pick you up at your house?"
"Sounds like a plan." Lorelei looked at her watch, it was close to 10. "I hate to run but I gotta get home. Rory's waiting."
Luke knew that Rory would be waiting up for her mom and nodded. "Go home and tell her all about it."
Lorelai walked towards the exit, turned around and as she opened the door, blew Luke a kiss.
"Good night, Joe Hardy, Sweet Dreams."
"Night, Nancy Drew."
An emotionally exhausted but elated Luke sat down as the realization hit him. He was going on a date with Lorelai Gilmore. And maybe one day, she'd be his wife and mother of his kids. He knew he needed to slow down his train of thought and take one step at a time. It was a giant step forward, though. Luke realized he had something to do before going upstairs, he picked up the phone and dialed.
"It's Rachel. I'm in the Amazon, leave a message."
"Rachel, it's Luke, I just wanted to say thanks. I hate to admit it but you were right. I wish you all the happiness in the world with your marriage. And believe it or not, I think I'm finally on the right track to finding mine."
Author: Gluglug
Spoiler Warning/Timing: Third Season, post-Haunted Leg
Rating: PG (for language)
Summary: Lorelai confronts Luke.
Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all characters are property of The Dubba Dubba Dubba WB, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Amy Sherman- Palladino. They don't belong to me, just borrowing.
Later that evening, Lorelai took a walk to Luke's diner. The place was empty and Luke was behind the counter, counting the day's receipts. He looked up when he heard the door open.
"Nancy Drew, if you're here to solve a mystery, we're closed. And we're out of coffee."
"The mystery is close to being solved and believe it or not, I'm not here for coffee." Lorelai's tone was serious. "Luke, I need to talk to you. Or rather, WE need to talk."
Seeing her sober expression, Luke felt his heart sink. "You didn't happen to run into Rachel today, did you?"
Lorelai nodded. "I did."
Luke muttered under his breath. "Great."
Lorelai knew that she had to handle him with kid gloves if she wanted to get anywhere. She decided to be gentle but direct. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Luke knew exactly what she was talking about but hoped he could avoid a confrontation. "Tell you what?"
"Please don't avoid the subject."
"How can I avoid the subject when I don't know what the hell you're talking about?"
Lorelai realized that once Luke started using words like "hell," the gentle approach was not going to work. She needed an answer from him and hoped the words "go to" weren't going to precede "hell."
"You KNOW what I'm talking about. I inadvertently overheard your conversation with Rachel this afternoon and she conveniently ran into me when I picked up dinner at the China Doll."
Luke grew more agitated by the second and his voice started to rise. "I can't believe you were eavesdropping - that was a PRIVATE conversation. And you shouldn't listen to Rachel. She has no clue what she's talking about."
Lorelai also grew more agitated and raised her voice to match his. "So it's not true? What EVERYONE has been saying?"
"Who's everyone?"
She counted on her fingers. "Oh, let's see, on my left hand, Miss Patty and other citizens of Stars Hollow, many who lack credibility. On my other, slightly more credible hand I have Rory, Sookie, my MOTHER, of all people, and now Rachel!"
"Crazy ladies."
"True, you DO have a point there, with Rory the obvious exception. But still, I keep hearing it; that you have a crush on me, you have the hots for me, and that you're in love with me!" She locked eyes with Luke's stony gaze and yelled. "I'm tired of hearing it from everyone but YOU!"
At this point Luke was ready to explode, he had tried to keep his emotions in check but he had no choice. She had pushed him into a corner and he lashed out.
"Why? So you can say: 'Gee Luke, I'm really flattered but I don't think of you that way. I mean, I like having you around to pour my coffee every damn day, to fix things in my house, and run to my beckon call anytime I need you. Meanwhile, I'll date every eligible guy within a 50 mile radius, and then come crying to you when it doesn't work out!' No thanks!"
Lorelai felt her face turn red and tears stung her eyes but she wasn't about to cry, not in front of him. She was going to give as good as he gave her. "Is that what you think of me? That is SO not fair. Luke, did it ever occur to you that if you DID ask me out, that I might actually say YES? Meanwhile, I'm supposed to sit home, pining away and not date anyone who actually has the guts to ask? Hell, even Kirk asked me out!"
Seeing Lorelai's hurt expression, Luke immediately regretted his outburst. This was not the way he wanted this to go. Remembering their last argument, he softened his tone. "But I DID ask."
Lorelai was still angry. "You did? In what parallel universe?"
Luke took a deep breath. "In this one. I'll refresh your memory. During Jackson and Sookie's first date I rescued you from Jackson's cousin, Rune the Loon, with a game of poker. The next day I said, "Maybe we could do it again sometime" but we never did. You started up with Max again and Rachel came back. And, well you know the rest.."
Lorelai remembered the morning Luke said that, but hadn't realized his intentions. "Hey, that was a long time ago. I didn't realize you were asking me out. You have to admit, 'maybe we could do it again sometime' sounds kind of non-committal."
Luke sat down on a stool, crestfallen. "Well, to ME it wasn't."
Seeing Luke's dejected state, Lorelai's anger started to melt away. She knew he'd said some spiteful things that he needed to apologize for, but he only said them because he was scared. She knew she had to fix things fast and returned to her original strategy - gentle but direct.
"Luke, I'm sorry I misunderstood your intentions. But I would hate for us to miss another opportunity. Mind if I tried it this time?"
Luke was looking at his hands, half-listening to her. "Go ahead."
Lorelai took a step toward him. She realized what she was about to do and wasn't afraid.
"Luke Danes, will you go out with me? Not as a friend, but in an "I'd like us to be more than friends" kind of way?"
Luke's head shot up and his eyes widened, like a boy who just learned he was getting a dirt bike for Christmas.
"Seriously?"
Lorelai watched his reaction and smiled. "Yahoo Seriously. I really mean it."
She held his gaze and walked towards him. Luke stood up and they standing about a foot apart, face to face. Luke grinned at her, he probably looked like an idiot but he didn't care.
"I'd like that." He paused. "Hey, I never thought you'd have the courage to do it, after all that pining away." He paused again and looked at her apologetically. "Lorelai, I'm sorry for the nasty things I said, I didn't mean it."
"As much of an ass you were being, I understand where it came from. Being scared makes a person say hurtful things they'll regret. I'm very familiar with that, as we both know."
"I guess we're made for each other, huh? "
Lorelai didn't want this momentous occasion to slip away. "I have an idea. Why don't we schedule our date now, just so there's no ambiguity?"
Luke didn't want this momentous occasion to slip away either and hoped he could show his gratitude. Lorelai took a big risk tonight so he took a little risk of his own. He leaned in and gave Lorelai a kiss. It was a sweet, tender, and tentative first kiss. After a few seconds, he pulled back.
Luke's voice took on a husky tone. "Was that ambiguous?"
Lorelei was smiling at him, a bit mischievously. "No, I'd say the mystery has been solved."
"About the date, Saturday at 8? I'll close early and pick you up at your house?"
"Sounds like a plan." Lorelei looked at her watch, it was close to 10. "I hate to run but I gotta get home. Rory's waiting."
Luke knew that Rory would be waiting up for her mom and nodded. "Go home and tell her all about it."
Lorelai walked towards the exit, turned around and as she opened the door, blew Luke a kiss.
"Good night, Joe Hardy, Sweet Dreams."
"Night, Nancy Drew."
An emotionally exhausted but elated Luke sat down as the realization hit him. He was going on a date with Lorelai Gilmore. And maybe one day, she'd be his wife and mother of his kids. He knew he needed to slow down his train of thought and take one step at a time. It was a giant step forward, though. Luke realized he had something to do before going upstairs, he picked up the phone and dialed.
"It's Rachel. I'm in the Amazon, leave a message."
"Rachel, it's Luke, I just wanted to say thanks. I hate to admit it but you were right. I wish you all the happiness in the world with your marriage. And believe it or not, I think I'm finally on the right track to finding mine."