Title: The Clock Is Tickin'
Disclaimer: I own.. hmm.. oh wait, what's that? That's right. Nothing. I own nada. Hmmph
Author: Shay
Rating: Somewhere between PG-13/R. There might be some R-rated smut in the future..
Spoilers: Up through the season 2 finale
Pairings: L/C.. mayhaps some R/J happenings in the background
Archiving: Go ahead. Just email me and let me know
Feedback: Is much appreciated. Email: tlcforever@hotmail.com. IM: Shay52784
Authors Note :
I know, I'm like forever and a day late with this. But since I'm checking my own work for now, until I can find a new beta, I'm oh so very critical and didn't like the way this chapter previously was. So I re-wrote it. And well, I only spell/grammar checked this once, so if there's any mistakes, please let me know. 'K..
Part 6
To say that the staff at the Inn were surprised in Lorelai's sudden 180 in mood, would be an understatement. For the first time, there was a smile on her face, and not the fake one that had been plastered there since the wedding. She interacted more and wasn't staring off into space with a pained look on her face. When four o'clock came around, she was off, heading home, eager to find out what Christopher's plan was.
******
Ten minutes later, she pulled up in front of the house, staring at Christopher's car, just sitting there, looking like that's where it belonged. A wistful smile on her face, she got out of the car and headed into the house, surprised when she opened the door and was greeted by the scent of something spicy. Hanging up her coat and dropping her purse onto the table in the hall, she followed the scent into the kitchen, where Christopher was standing, apron and all, in front of the stove, mixing something or another. Swallowing a laugh, she sashayed her way over to him and peered into the pot.
"What is that?"
Christopher laughed, giving her a gentle push out of the way. "That happens to be my famous spaghetti sauce."
Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "Famous? For what? Killing the most people with the first bite?"
"Hey," he protested, setting down the spoon before pouring her a cup of coffee and handing it to her, "just because you can't cook doesn't mean that I can't."
"I can cook!" Lorelai cried, an indignant look spreading across her face.
"Popcorn and Pop-Tarts don't count," Christopher teased. "Come here."
Pretending to look frightened, Lorelai slowly got up and made her way back over to the stove.
Christopher dipped the spoon into the sauce and brought it to her lips. "Mmm," she moaned a few seconds later, savoring the taste. It was a moment before she grabbed her throat with one hand and grabbed the table with the other, coughing and sputtering.
"Always the comedian," Christopher laughed, poking her in the side.
"Where'd you learn how to do that?" Lorelai asked after a few minutes of a poking match. "If I remember correctly, you couldn't even make chocolate milk as a kid."
"I thought I needed a better way to seduce the ladies other then just my amazingly good looks and the motorcycle," Christopher said, sitting down next to her. "It comes in handy when it comes to keeping yourself from starving to death, too."
Lorelai rolled her eyes and took a gulp of her coffee, staring at Christopher over the top of her cup. For a few moments, she just took in his appearance. The always disheveled hair, the incredible eyes, the way he sat, slouched in the chair just the slightest bit, the sweater he was wearing pushed up in the sleeves, exposing the tanned flesh, the blue apron hanging from around his neck, the way he was looking at her, seeing her right down to the soul without even trying. Clearing her throat nervously, she glanced away, to the floor, to the wall, to the table, to anywhere but him. Now was not the time to be thinking about him the way she currently was. There would be time for that later.... or so she hoped.
******
A small smile came to Christopher's mouth as he watched Lorelai stare intently at the table, her finger idly tracing the the rim of her coffee cup. Even in such a simple state, she was amazing to him. There was so much he wanted to say to her, so much he wanted to do, but they had to talk, to come to an agreement before any of that could happen. And before they could do that, they had to eat.
"Hey," he said gently, tapping her arm and consequently making her jump slightly, as if she were off in her own world.
"Huh?"
"Why don't you go change and I'll finish up in here, okay?"
Lorelai nodded and got up, placing her cup in the sink. "Okay. I'll be right back."
Once she was gone, he cleared the table, turned the stove off and pulled out two candles. It was still light outside, so he pulled the blinds in the kitchen, lighting each of the candles before setting the table and filling each of their plates. He managed to get the bread out of the oven and the apron off just before she reentered the kitchen. He smiled as she stopped in the doorway, a surprised expression settled on her face.
"Chris?" She finally said after a beat, gazing around in awe.
"Sit," Christopher instructed, pulling out a chair for her. She obeyed, glancing down at her plate and then back at him.
"You did all this?" She asked, her voice disbelieving.
Christopher nodded as he took his seat across from her. "I.. I just wanted us to have a nice dinner before we get into everything... I need you to remember how amazing we are together.. for when we talk."
Lorelai smiled at that, "Okay."
"Well, dig in," He said, gazing over at her, his heat fluttering at the way she looked in the illuminating candle-light. Even though she was wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans, he had never seen her look more beautiful.
******
Dinner went smoothly. After teasing Christopher a bit about him wearing an apron while he was cooking, they settled into an easy conversation about Rory and how she was doing in D.C. They reminisced a little during desert, which consisted of hot fudge ice cream ontop of a brownie, and laughed as Lorelai told him a little more of the Stars Hollow's going ons over coffee. It was nearly two hours later before they moved into the living room to talk, as neither of them wanted to get into it quite yet, but knowing they had to. Accompanied by two large mugs of coffee, the two sat on the couch next to each other, Christopher's arm draped casually over Lorelai's shoulders as she snuggled contentedly into his side. He sighed and turned slightly, so that he could see her face.
"Sooo..." She said, her eyes staring at him hopefully.
"Yeah," He sighed again, leaning back, his eyes never leaving her face. "Well.. you know, I've done a lot of thinking about this and there's only one solution that I can see, that will hopefully, work for all of us."
Lorelai nodded, "Okay... what is it?"
Exhaling loudly, he took one of her hands, his face serious. "Now before I tell you what I'm thinking, I need you to remember that I love you. No matter what happens, it's you, I love. You've always been the one I've loved. And if you don't think that this could work, I'll completely understand. Not to say I won't be heartbroken, but I'll understand, because I know its asking a lot of you."
"Chris.."
"Right.. So, I'm thinking.. the only way to make this work, is to bring us all together, in a somewhat close vincity. Now, don't answer this right away. I want you to take time to think about this, so there won't be any doubt in your mind about it." Pausing, Christopher swallowed the knot in his throat and tightened his grip on her hand. "Lor, I think you and Rory should move to Boston with me." There he had said it.
Lorelai's face paled so much it rivaled that of a ghost. Her eyes darkened and widened and her mouth dropped open. Move? He wanted them to move? "Chris, I.."
"Shh," Christopher interrupted, placing a finger against her lips. "Don't answer me now. Take your time and think about it. I need you to be completely sure of your answer before you say anything."
"Okay," Lorelai nodded, numbly. Slowly, the color returned to her face and she finally met his gaze again. "This is just.. not what I was expecting."
"I understand. I know its asking a lot. And it doesn't just affect you.. take as much time as you need... just not too long, okay?"
Again, she nodded before leaning into him again. They stared at each other for a second before his lips swept down and captured hers in an soul searing kiss. When they broke, she smiled slightly, "Trying to persuade me already, Mr. Hayden?" She whispered.
"Yup," he whispered back before kissing her again.
******
Eh, seemed like a good enough place to end. Give me until after the 12th before the next chapter and I promise you won't be disappointed :) Ciao.
-- Shay