"Oh-God!" Lorelai recoiled so suddenly that her head struck the tree she was hiding behind. "OW!"
"Woa there. Are you alright?" The profile stepped forward and reached out to steady her. A mass of familiar hair flopped into his eyes, to which Lorelai gave a dutiful sigh of relief.
"Have you ever thought about trying out as an extra in a zombie movie?"
"I get that a lot." Dean smiled shyly at her, still unsure of how to act around his ex-girlfriend.
"Do I get to know why you chose to practice your scare tactics on me?"
"Do I get to know why he called you Lorelai?"
"I guess we're both doomed to ignorance." She set her jaw. "You scared me."
"I think my high blood pressure would say the same." Dean reprimanded.
"Oh right. I suppose you just happened to be innocently standing here when I came along?"
"I was." Dean looked puzzled. "This is my front lawn."
Lorelai took a good look around her and winced visibly. "So it is."
"I take it you weren't here to visit me then?"
"Well no, not initially. But since you're being all nice about me trespassing on your bit of turf, I might have to remedy that."
Dean smiled at the girl he still loved. "That'd be nice."
Lorelai was no fool. She'd been running away from close relationships for many years using the very warning sign now displayed so clearly on his face. But now, for the first time, she didn't have to feel like she was being drawn into a black hole.
In fact, she was beginning to feel a little ambitious. Even if love had always been a little out of reach for her, Lorelai was determined not to let her daughter miss the chance of what she had always thought to be unattainable. Life's ultimate gift.
"I would ask you to come in and have dinner with us." He continued. "But I think you're forgetting someone."
Dean brought her attention to Luke, who was waiting impatiently for her down on the footpath. He seemed to realize that their conversation had somehow turned to him, because he briefly glanced over to where they were standing, momentarily meeting both pairs of eyes.
Lorelai thought he looked strangely wild in the growing darkness as the shadows played with the texture of dark eyes and hair. It was no wonder Rory was drawn to him.
That boy was going down.
"Don't leave this spot." She commanded Dean before sprinting down to meet her scowling friend.
"Trust your luck to run into him." Luke no longer appeared to be in his earlier good mood. Any trace of enjoyment was long gone. "Come on, let's go."
"Um, can I meet you at my house in a few minutes?"
Luke stopped trying to drag her down the street and gave her his full attention. "A nuclear bomb can go off in a few minutes."
"I won't be long! You can cook while you're waiting." She failed to meet his eyes. The interrogation had begun.
"SARS virus can establish itself in a new host in a few minutes."
"Luke! Nothing-Is-Going-To-Happen!"
Luke gave Dean a poisonous look. "Rory won't like it."
"Why Jess, I believe you're jealous!"
"I'm serious!"
"So am I."
"You're messing with other lives, and not just Rory's."
"Since when was my messing with other people's lives new?" It was meant as a joke, but Luke obviously wasn't taking it as one. The look on his face became increasingly sour.
"You're going to do this no matter what I say?"
"He loves her Luke."
"He loves her." He repeated softly.
"Look, I understand what you're thinking, but, this thing that happened to us - surely it wouldn't have happened without a reason?"
Luke's face went blank.
"Well I think it did. If something crazy like this could happen to us – don't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm about to do something wrong."
"WRONG?" Luke blasted at her. "Why should you think that? Nothing Lorelai Gilmore does is wrong!"
"Don't yell at me."
"He's in love with her Lorelai. That should tell you to back off straight away!"
"You just don't get it do you Luke?"
"What? Get what? Come on! Explain it to me?"
"I said don't yell at me!"
The dark eyes vanished under heavy lids. "You're right. Messing up people's lives really is your department isn't it?"
His harsh words cut her deeply, but it seemed he wasn't finished yet.
"I know it better than anyone. I'll leave you to it."
There was too much hidden meaning in this for Lorelai to see that he was trying to tell her something infinitely more personal than morals.
*****
"He looked mad." Dean said when she rejoined him a moment later, Luke-less.
"He's always mad at me. Mad when I do this. Mad when I do that. This time, I'm not going to apologize." She sat firmly down on the stairs to his front door. "God, I'm only human."
"Are you two having a rough time?" Dean dropped his school bag and joined her. Listening to her talking about Jess wasn't easy, but she seemed to want his company more than usual, and he was more than happy to give it to her.
Until now, Lorelai had been thinking about Luke.
"I broke up with him."
The quiet streets of Stars Hollow echoed her lie as if it were whispering it into the ears of the neighbors.
"W-What?!" Dean imagined reaching out and taking her hand at this moment. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
He gaped. "Do you-d'you want to talk about it?" His voice came out a little high-pitched. He just couldn't believe this was happening.
Ignoring the vision of Luke's angry face, Lorelai took a deep breath and brushed the surge of guilt away. It was time to act.
"What's to talk about? I never felt anything for him."
"Huh?" Dean looked bewildered.
"Why should I?" She brought herself to look him in the face. Dean began to feel very glad he was sitting down. He could feel his knees shaking under the weight of his arms.
"You're worth ten of Jess Mariano. You know that don't you?"
"I..."
"You are."
"You could have fooled me before." He said reproachfully.
"I know." Lorelai stared down at her shaking hands.
"Are you saying that you regret..." Dean looked confused beyond measure.
"Hey! You broke up with me, remember?"
"But I thought-"
"And in a way, I think I deserved it. But I'm telling you there was nothing between Jess and me."
"There wasn't?" Dean began slapping at his wrist. *Wake up Dean!*
Lorelai stilled the slapping with another shocking falsehood. "I only went with Jess because it's what you wanted me to do."
Dean nervously turned to play with the zipper on his bag. "So...what are you saying?"
"Let's see?" Lorelai reached out and held out Dean's two large hands in front of him with the palms facing up. She pointed to his right. "Deeeaaann." Then to his left. "Jess."
"You're insulting my left hand."
"Deaaaan. Jess." She dropped his left hand and clasped his right gently in hers. "Dean."
"I like that hand too." He smiled.
"Egotistic male."
Dean laughed. "I-I'm so sorry Rory. I thought...then why? I don't understand. Why did you go out with him? That night you came over, why did you tell me-"
Lorelai leaned forward, hesitated, and then kissed him lightly on the mouth, hoping that he was too young to detect her lack of enthusiasm. She pulled away quickly before he took the initiative and took it one step deeper.
Dean leaned closer and grasped her hands. "I can't believe it." She could tell he had fallen for it hook, line and sinker.
"I know. But it really is butter." Jokes always relieved the tension. Countless movies and real life situations had at least taught her that.
"You really want me back?"
"Have I been speaking French all afternoon?" He looked like he was going to try and kiss her.
"French? Ooooh no!" He leaned back and groaned mournfully.
"What? What did I do?"
"I've gotta go."
"Did I unknowingly make a bad joke?"
"I have a major French test tomorrow." He grabbed at his school bag. Lorelai began to feel a little stupid, and not a little old.
"I don't suppose you'd like to stay and..." He blushed.
"Study?" Lorelai grinned wickedly. Oh to be young again. "Isn't this a little soon?"
"No. It's just that we...I thought you might be able to help me. You were always better at verbs than I was."
Lorelai felt strangely flattered. There had not been many times when she had been paid the compliment of being smart.
"I'd love you to pick my brains all night but there's a temporary glitch: I have no brain at the moment. All my knowledge of French has disappeared. So you'll have to wait until I get it back."
"Okay." He assumed she was feeling as giddy-in-love as he was. "You know I'm going to fail tomorrow's test because of you."
"Good luck with the failing then. I've always found it easier to prepare for than passing."
"So I'll see you later tonight?"
"Real soon."
"Bye." After stealing a quick peck from her, Dean straightened up and slowly walked into the house.
When the door finally closed behind him, Lorelai shivered. "Boys."
It was amazing! She couldn't believe that she had fought her way through to victory!
"I think I deserve a place on the Bold and the Beautiful." She muttered to herself as she made her way home. Then again, she had based her words a little on what she believed to be the truth.
"Woa there. Are you alright?" The profile stepped forward and reached out to steady her. A mass of familiar hair flopped into his eyes, to which Lorelai gave a dutiful sigh of relief.
"Have you ever thought about trying out as an extra in a zombie movie?"
"I get that a lot." Dean smiled shyly at her, still unsure of how to act around his ex-girlfriend.
"Do I get to know why you chose to practice your scare tactics on me?"
"Do I get to know why he called you Lorelai?"
"I guess we're both doomed to ignorance." She set her jaw. "You scared me."
"I think my high blood pressure would say the same." Dean reprimanded.
"Oh right. I suppose you just happened to be innocently standing here when I came along?"
"I was." Dean looked puzzled. "This is my front lawn."
Lorelai took a good look around her and winced visibly. "So it is."
"I take it you weren't here to visit me then?"
"Well no, not initially. But since you're being all nice about me trespassing on your bit of turf, I might have to remedy that."
Dean smiled at the girl he still loved. "That'd be nice."
Lorelai was no fool. She'd been running away from close relationships for many years using the very warning sign now displayed so clearly on his face. But now, for the first time, she didn't have to feel like she was being drawn into a black hole.
In fact, she was beginning to feel a little ambitious. Even if love had always been a little out of reach for her, Lorelai was determined not to let her daughter miss the chance of what she had always thought to be unattainable. Life's ultimate gift.
"I would ask you to come in and have dinner with us." He continued. "But I think you're forgetting someone."
Dean brought her attention to Luke, who was waiting impatiently for her down on the footpath. He seemed to realize that their conversation had somehow turned to him, because he briefly glanced over to where they were standing, momentarily meeting both pairs of eyes.
Lorelai thought he looked strangely wild in the growing darkness as the shadows played with the texture of dark eyes and hair. It was no wonder Rory was drawn to him.
That boy was going down.
"Don't leave this spot." She commanded Dean before sprinting down to meet her scowling friend.
"Trust your luck to run into him." Luke no longer appeared to be in his earlier good mood. Any trace of enjoyment was long gone. "Come on, let's go."
"Um, can I meet you at my house in a few minutes?"
Luke stopped trying to drag her down the street and gave her his full attention. "A nuclear bomb can go off in a few minutes."
"I won't be long! You can cook while you're waiting." She failed to meet his eyes. The interrogation had begun.
"SARS virus can establish itself in a new host in a few minutes."
"Luke! Nothing-Is-Going-To-Happen!"
Luke gave Dean a poisonous look. "Rory won't like it."
"Why Jess, I believe you're jealous!"
"I'm serious!"
"So am I."
"You're messing with other lives, and not just Rory's."
"Since when was my messing with other people's lives new?" It was meant as a joke, but Luke obviously wasn't taking it as one. The look on his face became increasingly sour.
"You're going to do this no matter what I say?"
"He loves her Luke."
"He loves her." He repeated softly.
"Look, I understand what you're thinking, but, this thing that happened to us - surely it wouldn't have happened without a reason?"
Luke's face went blank.
"Well I think it did. If something crazy like this could happen to us – don't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm about to do something wrong."
"WRONG?" Luke blasted at her. "Why should you think that? Nothing Lorelai Gilmore does is wrong!"
"Don't yell at me."
"He's in love with her Lorelai. That should tell you to back off straight away!"
"You just don't get it do you Luke?"
"What? Get what? Come on! Explain it to me?"
"I said don't yell at me!"
The dark eyes vanished under heavy lids. "You're right. Messing up people's lives really is your department isn't it?"
His harsh words cut her deeply, but it seemed he wasn't finished yet.
"I know it better than anyone. I'll leave you to it."
There was too much hidden meaning in this for Lorelai to see that he was trying to tell her something infinitely more personal than morals.
*****
"He looked mad." Dean said when she rejoined him a moment later, Luke-less.
"He's always mad at me. Mad when I do this. Mad when I do that. This time, I'm not going to apologize." She sat firmly down on the stairs to his front door. "God, I'm only human."
"Are you two having a rough time?" Dean dropped his school bag and joined her. Listening to her talking about Jess wasn't easy, but she seemed to want his company more than usual, and he was more than happy to give it to her.
Until now, Lorelai had been thinking about Luke.
"I broke up with him."
The quiet streets of Stars Hollow echoed her lie as if it were whispering it into the ears of the neighbors.
"W-What?!" Dean imagined reaching out and taking her hand at this moment. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
He gaped. "Do you-d'you want to talk about it?" His voice came out a little high-pitched. He just couldn't believe this was happening.
Ignoring the vision of Luke's angry face, Lorelai took a deep breath and brushed the surge of guilt away. It was time to act.
"What's to talk about? I never felt anything for him."
"Huh?" Dean looked bewildered.
"Why should I?" She brought herself to look him in the face. Dean began to feel very glad he was sitting down. He could feel his knees shaking under the weight of his arms.
"You're worth ten of Jess Mariano. You know that don't you?"
"I..."
"You are."
"You could have fooled me before." He said reproachfully.
"I know." Lorelai stared down at her shaking hands.
"Are you saying that you regret..." Dean looked confused beyond measure.
"Hey! You broke up with me, remember?"
"But I thought-"
"And in a way, I think I deserved it. But I'm telling you there was nothing between Jess and me."
"There wasn't?" Dean began slapping at his wrist. *Wake up Dean!*
Lorelai stilled the slapping with another shocking falsehood. "I only went with Jess because it's what you wanted me to do."
Dean nervously turned to play with the zipper on his bag. "So...what are you saying?"
"Let's see?" Lorelai reached out and held out Dean's two large hands in front of him with the palms facing up. She pointed to his right. "Deeeaaann." Then to his left. "Jess."
"You're insulting my left hand."
"Deaaaan. Jess." She dropped his left hand and clasped his right gently in hers. "Dean."
"I like that hand too." He smiled.
"Egotistic male."
Dean laughed. "I-I'm so sorry Rory. I thought...then why? I don't understand. Why did you go out with him? That night you came over, why did you tell me-"
Lorelai leaned forward, hesitated, and then kissed him lightly on the mouth, hoping that he was too young to detect her lack of enthusiasm. She pulled away quickly before he took the initiative and took it one step deeper.
Dean leaned closer and grasped her hands. "I can't believe it." She could tell he had fallen for it hook, line and sinker.
"I know. But it really is butter." Jokes always relieved the tension. Countless movies and real life situations had at least taught her that.
"You really want me back?"
"Have I been speaking French all afternoon?" He looked like he was going to try and kiss her.
"French? Ooooh no!" He leaned back and groaned mournfully.
"What? What did I do?"
"I've gotta go."
"Did I unknowingly make a bad joke?"
"I have a major French test tomorrow." He grabbed at his school bag. Lorelai began to feel a little stupid, and not a little old.
"I don't suppose you'd like to stay and..." He blushed.
"Study?" Lorelai grinned wickedly. Oh to be young again. "Isn't this a little soon?"
"No. It's just that we...I thought you might be able to help me. You were always better at verbs than I was."
Lorelai felt strangely flattered. There had not been many times when she had been paid the compliment of being smart.
"I'd love you to pick my brains all night but there's a temporary glitch: I have no brain at the moment. All my knowledge of French has disappeared. So you'll have to wait until I get it back."
"Okay." He assumed she was feeling as giddy-in-love as he was. "You know I'm going to fail tomorrow's test because of you."
"Good luck with the failing then. I've always found it easier to prepare for than passing."
"So I'll see you later tonight?"
"Real soon."
"Bye." After stealing a quick peck from her, Dean straightened up and slowly walked into the house.
When the door finally closed behind him, Lorelai shivered. "Boys."
It was amazing! She couldn't believe that she had fought her way through to victory!
"I think I deserve a place on the Bold and the Beautiful." She muttered to herself as she made her way home. Then again, she had based her words a little on what she believed to be the truth.