A/N OK so I forgot the oh so important I don't own any of these characters before. oops. btw I don't own them. Now the last chapter didn't have anything really significant in it but see I didn't want them to jump their bones in the second paragraph so you have to be patient. mwahahaha
Later that night
Loralei hears the door open
"Rory? Is that you?"
"yea mom."
"oooh good get in here I have something very important to ask you."
Rory plops down on the couch. "OK what is it?"
"what do you think Jess would like for Christmas?"
Rory eyes at her strangely "May I ask you why?"
"No"
"What? Why not?"
"I'm just kidding, I need to know for Luke. He needs to get something for him and I told him I would help out."
"But you don't like Jess."
"Yea but still, everyone deserves something for Christmas even if they are a delinquent. So fess up what you know already and write it down so I won't forget."
"Well, you could get him the CD for Disturbed."
"Disturbed? Sounds....disturbing."
"Yea they are OK. Little rough around the edges for me but if you like that kind of thing then they are great."
"Aw you are too sweet. You can't even diss a band properly."
"Yea, yea whatever. Ok what else? Uh well you could get him a book but that doesn't feel like something Luke would get him."
"No Luke doesn't feel like the type with knowledge of authors from Victorian periods."
"Do what?"
"What? I have no clue what I'm talking about. This is your field of expertise not mine."
"Ok so umm clothes? Would Luke be the type to buy clothes?"
"hmm perhaps. Every growing boy needs clothes. So what kind does he wear? Straight jacket. An orange jumper?"
"Mom, if you don't behave I won't help"
"Sorry. Ok well he doesn't seem like an ambercrombie and finch type of guy. More like a diesel jeans type of guy."
"I can see him wearing those."
"hm, I bet you can see him in nothing at all."
Rory blushed "MOM! That isn't true. Let's just get back to the list shall we."
"Ok so we got music, clothes and that's about it."
"Oh he needs new shoes. The pair he has are really worn out. So write down. Brown doc martins. I don't know what size. You have to investigate that on your own."
"You don't know his shoe size? I'm so proud of you."
"Why is that?"
"Well because, my dear sweet child, that means you and him haven't been together without his shoes on."
"Why would he not have his shoes on?"
"Think about it dear."
Rory thinks for a while and is stumped.
"I still don't get it."
"That is so good to know. Ok back to the list. Shoes, clothes, and music, I think that about..."
"Oh my god"
"what?"
"I just figured out what you meant by the shoes comment."
"Wow hun you are really slow. Maybe you should go back to stars hollow high."
"I'm not slow. Just not in the loralei gutter state of mind."
"It's not a bad place to be. Ok so I think this should do it. Thanks babe."
"So you are going to spend the whole day with Luke."
"Well, not all day just a few hours I suppose."
"Who's idea is this?"
"Ummm, Luke's."
Rory squinted her eyes trying to figure out if she was telling the truth. "You mean to tell me that Luke, Luke from the diner, the same guy that practically wears the same thing every single day asked you to go shopping with him?"
"yea?"
"I don't believe you."
"Ok so it was my idea but don't you go getting any ideas on why it was my idea. got it."
"No not really, but whatever." There was a brief pause before Rory added. "Do you know why I try to get you to notice Luke in the way that everyone else notices?"
"No but I'm sure you are going to tell me anyway."
"Well I always thought it would be nice if you and my dad got together because well, you know just to have a family."
"Oh Rory, we are still a family, just not like a normal one or anything."
"I know, but still. When that didn't happen I started thinking well maybe just maybe you and Luke would get together."
Lor was speechless. 'Was her daughter actually telling her she wanted them to get together? Why? Did she get hit on the head?' "But I thought you said that you didn't want us together cuz then if we happen to break up we couldn't eat at the diner anymore."
"When did I say that?"
"A couple of years ago. Right before you got into chilton. Remember Luke had dressed up in a nice shirt cuz he had to go to the bank and talk to some banker guy about what I don't know and I mentioned later hey what about Luke and you said no."
"How in the world do you remember that?"
"I was on one of my best coffee highs I suppose."
"Well anyway that was before, I was younger and didn't see the potential of you two getting together. Plus you weren't ready to move on and I think you are ready now."
"Uh ok oh wise one. Well we aren't getting together so I'm sorry to burst your bubble. We are just friends. I am disturbed though that you have been thinking of me and Luke together."
"Disturbed as in the group?"
"Very"
"It's not like I fantasize this everyday I just think Luke would make you happy and I really want to see you happy. Plus, I'm going away soon for college and I would hate to think you are stuck here all alone. Not to mention that I think of Luke as a father. He's always been there for the both of us. Nobody has been there more than he besides Sookie."
"aww you are sweet." Lor stopped to think about what her daughter had just said and Rory waited for everything to settle in her mom's mind. "You know you don't have to worry about me when you leave for college right? I mean I'm the adult here, you don't have to take care of me."
"I know"
"And as for the Luke thing, well, first of all feelings go both ways and even if I had feelings for him in a romantic way, which I don't, it doesn't mean that he shares the same feelings."
"Mom, if you saw what I saw you would disagree."
"I don't know what you see but I know Luke and he doesn't have feelings for me." she sighed a really big sigh. "He wouldn't fall for somebody like me."
"Why not?"
Lor wasn't liking this conversation at all. It made her feel vulnerable. "because I annoy him. I eat the wrong things, I drink the wrong things, and I talk way too much. I needlessly pick on him or argue with him. And daily I go in there and revolt him."
"Revolt? I don't think so mom. Trust me on this one. He may argue with you about what you eat and what you drink and even that you talk way too much but I think those are the things that he likes the most from you. I mean you are not the run of the mill chick and that excites him."
"whoa ok this conversation has gone way too far. I think it's time for bed."
"But it's only 8:30? Mom please don't freak over this. I hate it when you get upset especially when I'm the cause of it."
"I'm not upset. I'm just tired. Really tired, and I have to get up early tomorrow and I had a long day today so I'm just going to go to bed early. Is that ok with you?"
"Yea, that's fine. Just think about what I said."
"Oh yea, sure."
"Night"
"Night"
The next day Lorelai stopped by Luke's and they went off to the mall to try there hand at getting Jess some gifts.
Luke "ok so the first thing on the list are the shoes. So lets go to the shoe place first."
"Shoe place? Boy you really are new at this shopping thing. There are several different shoe places. That one over there looks like they'll have the ones we are looking for. So may I ask a question?"
"Depends on the question." He picks up a shoe but puts it down and looks around some more.
"Why doesn't Jess want to go home? I mean I know things weren't picture perfect but it's still his mom."
"Liz is the type of person to not actually know what she is doing to somebody else. She can't see the big picture." There was a moment where he tried to decide the right words. "She has made a lot of mistakes and one of them is that she didn't treat Jess the way he should have been treated. She loved him but love isn't always enough. you know?"
"Uh yea I know."
"So he got stuck raising himself for the most part plus taking care of her. I guess you just get to a point where you have had enough and you just can't stand doing all the work. From what I get, he's had it pretty rough. He's a good kid but once you have been disappointed as much as he has you just start to give up on trying to be nice to people. Uh I'm rambling." He starts to look nervous. "That was exhausting. How do you do that all the time." He snickers and turns to her.
"Do you think I talk too much?"
"Where did that come from?"
"You just mention that I talk a lot. That's where it came from."
"Yea sure you talk a lot and you ramble on about things that I have no clue what you are talking about but that all has to do with your charm. You wouldn't be loralei without it."
"hm. That's sad about Jess. I guess I should give him more slack but it will take some work. It's good that he has you. Everyone should have somebody like you."
He starts to get fidgety "yea well everyone should have somebody like you also." He finally finds some shoes and goes up to pay for them.
Her face gets all red and hot, she looks away so he doesn't notice her blushing.
"Yea right. Someone who is crazy, unhealthy and rambles on and on."
"What are you talking about? Where is this coming from?"
"Oh nothing and nowhere. So you never answered my question from before."
"What question is that?"
"Do you and Jess have plans for Christmas?"
"When did you ask that?"
"Yesterday."
"And this just pops into your head now? I don't think I will understand how your mind works." He says with a chuckle. "I guess we'll open presents and eat."
"Just the two of you?"
"yup"
"Well, how about this. You two stop by our place. We'll celebrate everything that is holy and eat a lot and open gifts and sing carols. You know the same ole same ole."
"I'm not singing."
"oh come on it should be fun and you could bring your guitar. The acoustic one of course cuz we don't have an amp so the electric one would be useless."
"How do you know I have a guitar?"
"uh hello? I've been to your place and it isn't like you hid it in a secret spot or anything. You left it out in plain sight and I noticed it. Almost said something when I saw it but I was preoccupied or something, I don't know I can't remember everything but I have been waiting for the right moment to bring it up and now seems like the right time to mention."
"huh"
By this time they were in the music store. Loralei ran across that CD that Rory mentioned.
"Oh god this group really does look disturbed. I guess the name fits then. Ok so got the shoes, got the CD, let's pay and move on to the clothes. So are you coming or not?"
"I don't know I should ask Jess first. He doesn't really like when I make plans without consulting first."
"wow and you are actually going with what he prefers? When did that start happening?"
"It's a new thing I am starting. Actually I just don't want to start a fight and this is one way to avoid one all together."
"Good Idea. Just tell him Rory wants him there and he'll be more than happy to be included in the joyous holidays."
"Actually I think he'll be happier that you invited him."
"really, why?"
"Cuz he thinks you hate him. Therefor if the person you think hates you invites you, it makes going into their home a lot easier."
"I don't hate him, I just don't trust him."
"To him it's the same thing."
"ok well give me a call when you find out the answer, k? Man we sure did get a lot of stuff. And it's all mixed together."
"We'll divide it at the diner."
"I had fun today. We should do this more often."
"We should go shopping more often?"
"No not just shopping, I mean hang out outside of the diner."
"Oh"
"It was just a thought."
"Yea well why not. Oh yea cuz then gossip would spread through the town like wild fire. That's why."
"Since when do you care what the towns thinks of you."
"I don't"
They finally arrive at the diner and they both get their stuff out and start separating it back in the storage so Jess and Rory wouldn't walk in on them.
"ok so I guess that's it." Lor looks at him and then glances away
"Yup looks like it."
Loralei turns around and tries to open the door but it won't open. It seemed that they were locked in. She panicked and tried and tried but no luck.
"Uh we seem to be locked in."
Luke goes over to the door standing really, really close to her and gazes down into her eyes. Her legs start to feel all jiggley like jello.
"You have to turn it a certain way." Suddenly the door opens up.
"Oh....uh yea that would work wouldn't it." Embarrassed and completely humiliated she leaves the storage room wondering why she felt like she did. 'maybe it has been a while since I've been close to a guy. yea that's it.'
"uh lor don't you think you should take your bags?"
"Right, yea sorry bout that. So uh see ya later. Don't forget to ask Jess."
"Don't worry I'll ask. Shouldn't be a problem at all."
"ok, Thanks for today. I had a blast."
"yea loads of fun battling the evils of the Christmas crowd."
"Such a pessimist."
"Bye, loralei."
"oh a poet and ya didn't know it." She gave him a quick wave and waltzed out of the diner. She felt good. Better than she had felt in days. Luke always knew how to make her happy. She made it home, hid rory's presents under her bed. She thought about putting them in the closet but she knew that would be a very bad idea.
Later that night
Loralei hears the door open
"Rory? Is that you?"
"yea mom."
"oooh good get in here I have something very important to ask you."
Rory plops down on the couch. "OK what is it?"
"what do you think Jess would like for Christmas?"
Rory eyes at her strangely "May I ask you why?"
"No"
"What? Why not?"
"I'm just kidding, I need to know for Luke. He needs to get something for him and I told him I would help out."
"But you don't like Jess."
"Yea but still, everyone deserves something for Christmas even if they are a delinquent. So fess up what you know already and write it down so I won't forget."
"Well, you could get him the CD for Disturbed."
"Disturbed? Sounds....disturbing."
"Yea they are OK. Little rough around the edges for me but if you like that kind of thing then they are great."
"Aw you are too sweet. You can't even diss a band properly."
"Yea, yea whatever. Ok what else? Uh well you could get him a book but that doesn't feel like something Luke would get him."
"No Luke doesn't feel like the type with knowledge of authors from Victorian periods."
"Do what?"
"What? I have no clue what I'm talking about. This is your field of expertise not mine."
"Ok so umm clothes? Would Luke be the type to buy clothes?"
"hmm perhaps. Every growing boy needs clothes. So what kind does he wear? Straight jacket. An orange jumper?"
"Mom, if you don't behave I won't help"
"Sorry. Ok well he doesn't seem like an ambercrombie and finch type of guy. More like a diesel jeans type of guy."
"I can see him wearing those."
"hm, I bet you can see him in nothing at all."
Rory blushed "MOM! That isn't true. Let's just get back to the list shall we."
"Ok so we got music, clothes and that's about it."
"Oh he needs new shoes. The pair he has are really worn out. So write down. Brown doc martins. I don't know what size. You have to investigate that on your own."
"You don't know his shoe size? I'm so proud of you."
"Why is that?"
"Well because, my dear sweet child, that means you and him haven't been together without his shoes on."
"Why would he not have his shoes on?"
"Think about it dear."
Rory thinks for a while and is stumped.
"I still don't get it."
"That is so good to know. Ok back to the list. Shoes, clothes, and music, I think that about..."
"Oh my god"
"what?"
"I just figured out what you meant by the shoes comment."
"Wow hun you are really slow. Maybe you should go back to stars hollow high."
"I'm not slow. Just not in the loralei gutter state of mind."
"It's not a bad place to be. Ok so I think this should do it. Thanks babe."
"So you are going to spend the whole day with Luke."
"Well, not all day just a few hours I suppose."
"Who's idea is this?"
"Ummm, Luke's."
Rory squinted her eyes trying to figure out if she was telling the truth. "You mean to tell me that Luke, Luke from the diner, the same guy that practically wears the same thing every single day asked you to go shopping with him?"
"yea?"
"I don't believe you."
"Ok so it was my idea but don't you go getting any ideas on why it was my idea. got it."
"No not really, but whatever." There was a brief pause before Rory added. "Do you know why I try to get you to notice Luke in the way that everyone else notices?"
"No but I'm sure you are going to tell me anyway."
"Well I always thought it would be nice if you and my dad got together because well, you know just to have a family."
"Oh Rory, we are still a family, just not like a normal one or anything."
"I know, but still. When that didn't happen I started thinking well maybe just maybe you and Luke would get together."
Lor was speechless. 'Was her daughter actually telling her she wanted them to get together? Why? Did she get hit on the head?' "But I thought you said that you didn't want us together cuz then if we happen to break up we couldn't eat at the diner anymore."
"When did I say that?"
"A couple of years ago. Right before you got into chilton. Remember Luke had dressed up in a nice shirt cuz he had to go to the bank and talk to some banker guy about what I don't know and I mentioned later hey what about Luke and you said no."
"How in the world do you remember that?"
"I was on one of my best coffee highs I suppose."
"Well anyway that was before, I was younger and didn't see the potential of you two getting together. Plus you weren't ready to move on and I think you are ready now."
"Uh ok oh wise one. Well we aren't getting together so I'm sorry to burst your bubble. We are just friends. I am disturbed though that you have been thinking of me and Luke together."
"Disturbed as in the group?"
"Very"
"It's not like I fantasize this everyday I just think Luke would make you happy and I really want to see you happy. Plus, I'm going away soon for college and I would hate to think you are stuck here all alone. Not to mention that I think of Luke as a father. He's always been there for the both of us. Nobody has been there more than he besides Sookie."
"aww you are sweet." Lor stopped to think about what her daughter had just said and Rory waited for everything to settle in her mom's mind. "You know you don't have to worry about me when you leave for college right? I mean I'm the adult here, you don't have to take care of me."
"I know"
"And as for the Luke thing, well, first of all feelings go both ways and even if I had feelings for him in a romantic way, which I don't, it doesn't mean that he shares the same feelings."
"Mom, if you saw what I saw you would disagree."
"I don't know what you see but I know Luke and he doesn't have feelings for me." she sighed a really big sigh. "He wouldn't fall for somebody like me."
"Why not?"
Lor wasn't liking this conversation at all. It made her feel vulnerable. "because I annoy him. I eat the wrong things, I drink the wrong things, and I talk way too much. I needlessly pick on him or argue with him. And daily I go in there and revolt him."
"Revolt? I don't think so mom. Trust me on this one. He may argue with you about what you eat and what you drink and even that you talk way too much but I think those are the things that he likes the most from you. I mean you are not the run of the mill chick and that excites him."
"whoa ok this conversation has gone way too far. I think it's time for bed."
"But it's only 8:30? Mom please don't freak over this. I hate it when you get upset especially when I'm the cause of it."
"I'm not upset. I'm just tired. Really tired, and I have to get up early tomorrow and I had a long day today so I'm just going to go to bed early. Is that ok with you?"
"Yea, that's fine. Just think about what I said."
"Oh yea, sure."
"Night"
"Night"
The next day Lorelai stopped by Luke's and they went off to the mall to try there hand at getting Jess some gifts.
Luke "ok so the first thing on the list are the shoes. So lets go to the shoe place first."
"Shoe place? Boy you really are new at this shopping thing. There are several different shoe places. That one over there looks like they'll have the ones we are looking for. So may I ask a question?"
"Depends on the question." He picks up a shoe but puts it down and looks around some more.
"Why doesn't Jess want to go home? I mean I know things weren't picture perfect but it's still his mom."
"Liz is the type of person to not actually know what she is doing to somebody else. She can't see the big picture." There was a moment where he tried to decide the right words. "She has made a lot of mistakes and one of them is that she didn't treat Jess the way he should have been treated. She loved him but love isn't always enough. you know?"
"Uh yea I know."
"So he got stuck raising himself for the most part plus taking care of her. I guess you just get to a point where you have had enough and you just can't stand doing all the work. From what I get, he's had it pretty rough. He's a good kid but once you have been disappointed as much as he has you just start to give up on trying to be nice to people. Uh I'm rambling." He starts to look nervous. "That was exhausting. How do you do that all the time." He snickers and turns to her.
"Do you think I talk too much?"
"Where did that come from?"
"You just mention that I talk a lot. That's where it came from."
"Yea sure you talk a lot and you ramble on about things that I have no clue what you are talking about but that all has to do with your charm. You wouldn't be loralei without it."
"hm. That's sad about Jess. I guess I should give him more slack but it will take some work. It's good that he has you. Everyone should have somebody like you."
He starts to get fidgety "yea well everyone should have somebody like you also." He finally finds some shoes and goes up to pay for them.
Her face gets all red and hot, she looks away so he doesn't notice her blushing.
"Yea right. Someone who is crazy, unhealthy and rambles on and on."
"What are you talking about? Where is this coming from?"
"Oh nothing and nowhere. So you never answered my question from before."
"What question is that?"
"Do you and Jess have plans for Christmas?"
"When did you ask that?"
"Yesterday."
"And this just pops into your head now? I don't think I will understand how your mind works." He says with a chuckle. "I guess we'll open presents and eat."
"Just the two of you?"
"yup"
"Well, how about this. You two stop by our place. We'll celebrate everything that is holy and eat a lot and open gifts and sing carols. You know the same ole same ole."
"I'm not singing."
"oh come on it should be fun and you could bring your guitar. The acoustic one of course cuz we don't have an amp so the electric one would be useless."
"How do you know I have a guitar?"
"uh hello? I've been to your place and it isn't like you hid it in a secret spot or anything. You left it out in plain sight and I noticed it. Almost said something when I saw it but I was preoccupied or something, I don't know I can't remember everything but I have been waiting for the right moment to bring it up and now seems like the right time to mention."
"huh"
By this time they were in the music store. Loralei ran across that CD that Rory mentioned.
"Oh god this group really does look disturbed. I guess the name fits then. Ok so got the shoes, got the CD, let's pay and move on to the clothes. So are you coming or not?"
"I don't know I should ask Jess first. He doesn't really like when I make plans without consulting first."
"wow and you are actually going with what he prefers? When did that start happening?"
"It's a new thing I am starting. Actually I just don't want to start a fight and this is one way to avoid one all together."
"Good Idea. Just tell him Rory wants him there and he'll be more than happy to be included in the joyous holidays."
"Actually I think he'll be happier that you invited him."
"really, why?"
"Cuz he thinks you hate him. Therefor if the person you think hates you invites you, it makes going into their home a lot easier."
"I don't hate him, I just don't trust him."
"To him it's the same thing."
"ok well give me a call when you find out the answer, k? Man we sure did get a lot of stuff. And it's all mixed together."
"We'll divide it at the diner."
"I had fun today. We should do this more often."
"We should go shopping more often?"
"No not just shopping, I mean hang out outside of the diner."
"Oh"
"It was just a thought."
"Yea well why not. Oh yea cuz then gossip would spread through the town like wild fire. That's why."
"Since when do you care what the towns thinks of you."
"I don't"
They finally arrive at the diner and they both get their stuff out and start separating it back in the storage so Jess and Rory wouldn't walk in on them.
"ok so I guess that's it." Lor looks at him and then glances away
"Yup looks like it."
Loralei turns around and tries to open the door but it won't open. It seemed that they were locked in. She panicked and tried and tried but no luck.
"Uh we seem to be locked in."
Luke goes over to the door standing really, really close to her and gazes down into her eyes. Her legs start to feel all jiggley like jello.
"You have to turn it a certain way." Suddenly the door opens up.
"Oh....uh yea that would work wouldn't it." Embarrassed and completely humiliated she leaves the storage room wondering why she felt like she did. 'maybe it has been a while since I've been close to a guy. yea that's it.'
"uh lor don't you think you should take your bags?"
"Right, yea sorry bout that. So uh see ya later. Don't forget to ask Jess."
"Don't worry I'll ask. Shouldn't be a problem at all."
"ok, Thanks for today. I had a blast."
"yea loads of fun battling the evils of the Christmas crowd."
"Such a pessimist."
"Bye, loralei."
"oh a poet and ya didn't know it." She gave him a quick wave and waltzed out of the diner. She felt good. Better than she had felt in days. Luke always knew how to make her happy. She made it home, hid rory's presents under her bed. She thought about putting them in the closet but she knew that would be a very bad idea.