Title: Always You
Chapter 5: Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Luke A Match
Well, Sookie will be in this chapter, along with Rory and Paris and maybe a boy! Ooh! Scandalous! Also directions around Washington D.C. I of course have been to the nation's capital, but did I pay attention? Noooo. I'm writing this on the basis that the entire group is staying in a hotel. They might have been staying in the Georgetown dorms, but I dunno. We'll just pretend they were staying in a pretend hotel on a pretend street near the Capitol. I know nothing of substance. If anyone knows anything different from the stuff in my story, please email me at sami57peace2u@hotmail.com or review. Thank you much!
Oh, and okay. How hilarious was Sookie explaining how she cut her shirt in the show Tuesday? "And then...I flipped...and whoosh!"
~~~~
"Ooh, turn here!" Lorelai exclaimed. "Turn, turn, turn, turn, do it now! Now! Now!"
"Okay, calm down, I'm turning."
"Yeah, finally."
"Hey, no one likes backseat drivers!"
"I'm not a backseat driver. I'm a passenger seat driver."
"Same thing."
"Nuh-uh!"
"Hey, do you know where Rory's staying?"
"Uh...yes?"
"Yes, like yes I do and this is the way or yes like no but I know that's what you want me to say?"
"Yes like no but I know that's what you want me to say."
"You talk to her twenty times a day and you don't know where she's staying?"
"She told me, I just can't remember."
"Well, what are we supposed to do?"
"Break the most important man rule and ask for directions?"
"To where?"
"Uh, I dunno." Lorelai's cell phone rang. She grinned. "But I bet she does."
"Who?"
"Rory," Lorelai answered, digging through her purse for her phone.
"What makes you think that's Rory?"
"Because Rory always knows when to save me."
"In your dreams."
"Exactly." Lorelai finally found her phone and answered. "Hello?"
"Hey, Mom."
"Hey, Rory!" Lorelai looked pointedly at Chris and stuck her tongue out.
"Oh, that's mature." Christopher rolled his eyes.
"Hey, you're the guy who couldn't ask for directions."
"Mom?" Rory asked on the other side of the phone.
"Sorry. Your dad's being a big baby."
"Of course."
"So, babe, I've got a question to ask you."
"Shoot. Not me, though. The question."
"I was wondering where you're staying. I mean, bang."
"Oh, we're staying in Lincoln Inn near the Kennedy Center on Roosevelt Drive."
"Next to the tree George Washington cut down and couldn't lie about?"
"Not exactly, but it sounds like it should be, doesn't it?"
"Totally. Lincoln Inn on Roosevelt Drive," Lorelai told Christopher. Then she said into her phone, "They should mention some of the other presidents too, like...Carter."
"Why Carter?"
"Cause he was the only one I could remember in the last twenty-five years that didn't make me want to throw up."
"I can see that. So, why do you want to know where we're staying?"
"Oh, because I forgot, and my mother called, and wanted to know where you were. You know, I think they might leave Martha's Vineyard to visit you. Every time they called I kept screaming about JFK Jr."
"Mom!"
"What? He was around there somewhere when he died. Wasn't he? Ooh, did you know they're making a made-for-TV movie about him?"
"Yes, I did, and I don't understand why."
"Because it's an excuse to show off Portia de Rossi's post-Ally real-life body!"
"Oh, I see. Ugh, Mom, I gotta go. Paris is going postal about her phone."
"Okay. Don't tell her we're coming."
"If you want to get on her good side, bring mac and cheese."
"O-kay. That's...weird."
"Very. Bye, Mom."
"Bye, hon." Lorelai pressed the end button on her cell and dropped it back into her purse.
"That was an interesting conversation."
"You don't get out much."
"Me? Get out? Never."
"Ooh, there's Roosevelt Drive! Turn, turn, turn, turn, turn!"
~~~~
"Hey, Luke." Sookie greeted as she entered the diner.
"Sookie. You're back. Where's Jackson?"
"Greeting his vegetables. He's really missed them."
"So didn't wanna know that. You want anything?"
"Mmm, it's Danish Day, isn't it?"
"Lorelai made you memorize the schedule too?"
"Pretty much. I'll have some coffee and a blueberry danish."
"Speaking of Lorelai, do you know where she is? I haven't seen her in a while." Luke placed Sookie's danish in front of her.
"No, I haven't been to the inn yet."
"When was the last time you talked to her?"
"Yesterday. I called her at the inn."
"Oh, yeah? And what'd she say?"
"She just mainly said that they were missing me like crazy over there, and she was having a bad day. Luckily she had Christopher to cheer her up when she got home," Sookie giggled.
"Yeah. Christopher's a great guy," Luke muttered, his voice dripping with cold sarcasm.
"He really is," Sookie said, taking note of Luke's tone of voice and filing it away for later.
"Anything else?" Luke placed a cup of coffee in front of Sookie.
"No, I think this is it. Thanks, Luke."
"Yeah, whatever," Luke walked off. Sookie watched as he started to argue with Kirk. She set her mind on something, left money on the counter, and headed for the inn...and Lorelai.
~~~~
"Have you seen my notebook?"
"Yes, in the exact same place it's been for the past week," Rory exasperatedly answered Paris.
"Where?"
"It's in your bag, Paris. It's been there for a week."
"Oh, yeah. Thanks."
"You're welcome." Rory turned back toward the speaker at the front of the auditorium. They were sitting with the rest of their group, listening to a speaker explain about the electoral college before they walked into the Capitol to visit their elected officials.
"Where's your notebook?" Paris asked pointedly. Rory lifted the notebook in her hand enough so Paris nodded and started taking notes. The speaker asked for questions, and Rory's hand shot up. "What are you asking?" Paris asked frantically.
"You'll see."
"You, three rows back in the blue." The speaker called on Rory.
"Yes, I'd like to know something."
"I assumed as much."
"Yeah, well. Anyway, I'd like to know. Chad is pregnant. Is it a republican, a democrat, or a way for Jeb Bush to help his younger brother get into office?"
The entire group started tittering. Paris turned red.
"People, people, quiet, please!" The speaker yelled. "What's your name?" she asked Rory.
"Rory Gilmore."
"Yes, well, Miss Gilmore, I must say, that's one of the first times I've been asked by a high school student about the chads two years ago. Personally, I believe something that could very well get me fired, but professionally? Jeb Bush had nothing to do with the chads being pregnant or otherwise. That was the doing of the voters."
"Yes, but if that was the doing of the voters, why were the voters of Florida and Florida only stupid enough for that? And only in the largely democratic counties? For that matter, why were many of the people in the predominately democratic counties not picked up to go vote?"
"Well, Miss Gilmore, I don't know why that is. Perhaps you should speak to Mr. Jeb Bush. That's all of our time; enjoy your visit here in the nation's capital." The speaker nodded and hurried off the stage. Paris turned to Rory.
"What the hell was that?"
"Nothing. I was just voicing my opinion, that's all." They headed out of the auditorium into the bright mid-morning sunlight with the rest of the group.
"Well--good job."
"What?" Rory looked, shocked, at Paris.
"That's a great opinion. I don't know if I would have said the same thing, but that's a great opinion. And you flustered the speaker! It's always fun to fluster a speaker."
"I agree."
"We should do that more often. Hey, when we meet the president?"
"Yeah?"
"Let's ask if he and Jeb have had much chance to talk to Chad lately."
"Sure. That sounds like an absolutely hilarious idea. My mother would be proud."
"Speaking of your mother, is that her?" Paris pointed over Rory's shoulder. Rory spun around.
"Yeah, that's her."
"Who's that guy arguing with her?"
"My dad." Rory smiled.
~~~~
"She's gonna hate you forever."
"Are you kidding? She loves me. She'll be thrilled that we asked where the group was. Maybe they'll let us go into the Capitol with them!" Lorelai's eyes lit up.
"No, I don't think anyone will let you into the Capitol."
"Oh, why not?"
"Why not? I think after you run down the halls screaming 'Chad! Chad's come back from the dead, and he's pregnant!" they might kick you out."
"Hey, I only did that once in Florida, two years ago. What makes you think I'm going to do that again?"
"Because it was only a year and a half ago, and you've been babbling about Chad for two weeks straight."
"Oh, you heard that, huh?"
"Even if I hadn't, I would have known. I know you, Lor, and I always will."
"I know you, too, Chris."
"Yeah. That's why I'm here right now." Christopher wrapped his arms around Lorelai's waist, making it hard for her to walk.
"Chris!" Lorelai laughed. She turned around to face him and twisted her arms around his neck. "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you, too, you crazy woman."
"Ha! You're the one who's crazy." Lorelai untangled herself, grabbed his hand and they started walking towards Rory and Paris.
"Says the woman who screamed 'Chad!' in the Florida capitol building."
"Hey, if you love someone, you forgive their past transgressions."
"And I forgived you for the Corey Hart song."
"Yeah, well I forgived you for the whole Corey Hart and Corey Feldman obsession."
"I wasn't obsessed."
"You saw The Lost Boys twenty times!" Lorelai exclaimed, laughing.
~~~~
"I can't believe your parents are here," Paris muttered to Rory.
"We can't let her near any government officials."
"Why?"
"Just trust me."
"Oh, my god, Rory, you have to send them home!"
"No, I don't. Don't worry about it, we'll just make sure my dad keeps her occupied tonight, and since tomorrow's our free day, we'll do all the touristy things. I'll just have to keep her away from anything pertaining to the government."
"In Washington, D.C?"
"Yeah."
Paris just stared at Rory with a look of disbelief.
"What? I can do it."
"That's what you think." Paris muttered as Chris and Lor walked up to the girls.
"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed.
"Mom!" Rory hugged her mother. "I haven't seen you for what, a week?"
"It feels like a month!"
"Don't even pay attention to dear old dad."
"Oh, shush, Christopher." Lorelai said.
"Hey, Dad." Rory exchanged one parent's hug for the other's. Paris just rolled her eyes and walked off.
~~~~
"Okay, so we have to see the reflecting pool from Forrest Gump, the stairs from The Exorcist...and something else. Ooh, what was it? Oh, I remember!! The bar from St. Elmo's Fire!" Lorelai exclaimed the next day as mom, dad, and daughter started wandering around Washington D.C.
"The fictitious bar?" Rory asked.
"Oh, my darling daughter, nothing is fictitous in my life!"
"And everything revolves around you!" Rory imitated her mother.
"That sounds about right," Christopher commented as Lorelai's cell phone rang.
"Uh, the man I love is supposed to be nice!" Lorelai swatted Chris on his shoulder while digging through her purse with her other hand.
"Key words: supposed to."
"You're rude."
"I learned from the best."
Lorelai stuck her tongue out at Chris and answered her phone. "Hello? Sookie?" Lorelai held up one finger and walked away from father and daughter to a bench.
"So, how are you doing?" Christopher asked Rory.
"Good. I've missed both of you."
"Even crazy chad lady over there?"
"Yes, even her. So...are you staying?"
"Yeah, I think I am. I love her and she loves me."
"Did she say that?"
"Yeah," Chris smiled and nodded.
"Did you get it in writing? If I were you, I'd get it in writing."
"No. You'll just have to be my witness."
"I can do that."
"Sookie, what are you talking about?" Lorelai sat fifty feet away on a bench, trying to understand Sookie on the other end of her cell phone.
"I'm telling you, Luke is jealous of Christopher!" Sookie was talking on the phone in the inn's kitchen.
"What? That makes no sense."
"Yes it does, it makes perfect sense!"
"No, Sookie. Why would Luke be jealous of Chris? He doesn't like me like that."
"Yes, he does! He's in love with you. It completely fits!"
"Look, just because you're married doesn't mean you have to get me married, and besides," Lorelai looked away from Christopher and whispered into the phone, "if I do get married, Chris is the most likely candidate."
"But if he isn't, Luke's a good guy too!"
"Sookie, you're crazy. I'm going to hang up the phone so you can get back to your beloved kitchen, husband, and...if you insist on matchmaking, match Luke up with someone else. I hear Miss Patty's free!"
"Hmm, that's probably not a good idea."
"Aw, he could be her Mike Todd!"
"What?"
"Never mind. Talk to you later."
"Bye!" Sookie hung up the phone and started humming "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from The Fiddler on the Roof.
Chapter 5: Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Luke A Match
Well, Sookie will be in this chapter, along with Rory and Paris and maybe a boy! Ooh! Scandalous! Also directions around Washington D.C. I of course have been to the nation's capital, but did I pay attention? Noooo. I'm writing this on the basis that the entire group is staying in a hotel. They might have been staying in the Georgetown dorms, but I dunno. We'll just pretend they were staying in a pretend hotel on a pretend street near the Capitol. I know nothing of substance. If anyone knows anything different from the stuff in my story, please email me at sami57peace2u@hotmail.com or review. Thank you much!
Oh, and okay. How hilarious was Sookie explaining how she cut her shirt in the show Tuesday? "And then...I flipped...and whoosh!"
~~~~
"Ooh, turn here!" Lorelai exclaimed. "Turn, turn, turn, turn, do it now! Now! Now!"
"Okay, calm down, I'm turning."
"Yeah, finally."
"Hey, no one likes backseat drivers!"
"I'm not a backseat driver. I'm a passenger seat driver."
"Same thing."
"Nuh-uh!"
"Hey, do you know where Rory's staying?"
"Uh...yes?"
"Yes, like yes I do and this is the way or yes like no but I know that's what you want me to say?"
"Yes like no but I know that's what you want me to say."
"You talk to her twenty times a day and you don't know where she's staying?"
"She told me, I just can't remember."
"Well, what are we supposed to do?"
"Break the most important man rule and ask for directions?"
"To where?"
"Uh, I dunno." Lorelai's cell phone rang. She grinned. "But I bet she does."
"Who?"
"Rory," Lorelai answered, digging through her purse for her phone.
"What makes you think that's Rory?"
"Because Rory always knows when to save me."
"In your dreams."
"Exactly." Lorelai finally found her phone and answered. "Hello?"
"Hey, Mom."
"Hey, Rory!" Lorelai looked pointedly at Chris and stuck her tongue out.
"Oh, that's mature." Christopher rolled his eyes.
"Hey, you're the guy who couldn't ask for directions."
"Mom?" Rory asked on the other side of the phone.
"Sorry. Your dad's being a big baby."
"Of course."
"So, babe, I've got a question to ask you."
"Shoot. Not me, though. The question."
"I was wondering where you're staying. I mean, bang."
"Oh, we're staying in Lincoln Inn near the Kennedy Center on Roosevelt Drive."
"Next to the tree George Washington cut down and couldn't lie about?"
"Not exactly, but it sounds like it should be, doesn't it?"
"Totally. Lincoln Inn on Roosevelt Drive," Lorelai told Christopher. Then she said into her phone, "They should mention some of the other presidents too, like...Carter."
"Why Carter?"
"Cause he was the only one I could remember in the last twenty-five years that didn't make me want to throw up."
"I can see that. So, why do you want to know where we're staying?"
"Oh, because I forgot, and my mother called, and wanted to know where you were. You know, I think they might leave Martha's Vineyard to visit you. Every time they called I kept screaming about JFK Jr."
"Mom!"
"What? He was around there somewhere when he died. Wasn't he? Ooh, did you know they're making a made-for-TV movie about him?"
"Yes, I did, and I don't understand why."
"Because it's an excuse to show off Portia de Rossi's post-Ally real-life body!"
"Oh, I see. Ugh, Mom, I gotta go. Paris is going postal about her phone."
"Okay. Don't tell her we're coming."
"If you want to get on her good side, bring mac and cheese."
"O-kay. That's...weird."
"Very. Bye, Mom."
"Bye, hon." Lorelai pressed the end button on her cell and dropped it back into her purse.
"That was an interesting conversation."
"You don't get out much."
"Me? Get out? Never."
"Ooh, there's Roosevelt Drive! Turn, turn, turn, turn, turn!"
~~~~
"Hey, Luke." Sookie greeted as she entered the diner.
"Sookie. You're back. Where's Jackson?"
"Greeting his vegetables. He's really missed them."
"So didn't wanna know that. You want anything?"
"Mmm, it's Danish Day, isn't it?"
"Lorelai made you memorize the schedule too?"
"Pretty much. I'll have some coffee and a blueberry danish."
"Speaking of Lorelai, do you know where she is? I haven't seen her in a while." Luke placed Sookie's danish in front of her.
"No, I haven't been to the inn yet."
"When was the last time you talked to her?"
"Yesterday. I called her at the inn."
"Oh, yeah? And what'd she say?"
"She just mainly said that they were missing me like crazy over there, and she was having a bad day. Luckily she had Christopher to cheer her up when she got home," Sookie giggled.
"Yeah. Christopher's a great guy," Luke muttered, his voice dripping with cold sarcasm.
"He really is," Sookie said, taking note of Luke's tone of voice and filing it away for later.
"Anything else?" Luke placed a cup of coffee in front of Sookie.
"No, I think this is it. Thanks, Luke."
"Yeah, whatever," Luke walked off. Sookie watched as he started to argue with Kirk. She set her mind on something, left money on the counter, and headed for the inn...and Lorelai.
~~~~
"Have you seen my notebook?"
"Yes, in the exact same place it's been for the past week," Rory exasperatedly answered Paris.
"Where?"
"It's in your bag, Paris. It's been there for a week."
"Oh, yeah. Thanks."
"You're welcome." Rory turned back toward the speaker at the front of the auditorium. They were sitting with the rest of their group, listening to a speaker explain about the electoral college before they walked into the Capitol to visit their elected officials.
"Where's your notebook?" Paris asked pointedly. Rory lifted the notebook in her hand enough so Paris nodded and started taking notes. The speaker asked for questions, and Rory's hand shot up. "What are you asking?" Paris asked frantically.
"You'll see."
"You, three rows back in the blue." The speaker called on Rory.
"Yes, I'd like to know something."
"I assumed as much."
"Yeah, well. Anyway, I'd like to know. Chad is pregnant. Is it a republican, a democrat, or a way for Jeb Bush to help his younger brother get into office?"
The entire group started tittering. Paris turned red.
"People, people, quiet, please!" The speaker yelled. "What's your name?" she asked Rory.
"Rory Gilmore."
"Yes, well, Miss Gilmore, I must say, that's one of the first times I've been asked by a high school student about the chads two years ago. Personally, I believe something that could very well get me fired, but professionally? Jeb Bush had nothing to do with the chads being pregnant or otherwise. That was the doing of the voters."
"Yes, but if that was the doing of the voters, why were the voters of Florida and Florida only stupid enough for that? And only in the largely democratic counties? For that matter, why were many of the people in the predominately democratic counties not picked up to go vote?"
"Well, Miss Gilmore, I don't know why that is. Perhaps you should speak to Mr. Jeb Bush. That's all of our time; enjoy your visit here in the nation's capital." The speaker nodded and hurried off the stage. Paris turned to Rory.
"What the hell was that?"
"Nothing. I was just voicing my opinion, that's all." They headed out of the auditorium into the bright mid-morning sunlight with the rest of the group.
"Well--good job."
"What?" Rory looked, shocked, at Paris.
"That's a great opinion. I don't know if I would have said the same thing, but that's a great opinion. And you flustered the speaker! It's always fun to fluster a speaker."
"I agree."
"We should do that more often. Hey, when we meet the president?"
"Yeah?"
"Let's ask if he and Jeb have had much chance to talk to Chad lately."
"Sure. That sounds like an absolutely hilarious idea. My mother would be proud."
"Speaking of your mother, is that her?" Paris pointed over Rory's shoulder. Rory spun around.
"Yeah, that's her."
"Who's that guy arguing with her?"
"My dad." Rory smiled.
~~~~
"She's gonna hate you forever."
"Are you kidding? She loves me. She'll be thrilled that we asked where the group was. Maybe they'll let us go into the Capitol with them!" Lorelai's eyes lit up.
"No, I don't think anyone will let you into the Capitol."
"Oh, why not?"
"Why not? I think after you run down the halls screaming 'Chad! Chad's come back from the dead, and he's pregnant!" they might kick you out."
"Hey, I only did that once in Florida, two years ago. What makes you think I'm going to do that again?"
"Because it was only a year and a half ago, and you've been babbling about Chad for two weeks straight."
"Oh, you heard that, huh?"
"Even if I hadn't, I would have known. I know you, Lor, and I always will."
"I know you, too, Chris."
"Yeah. That's why I'm here right now." Christopher wrapped his arms around Lorelai's waist, making it hard for her to walk.
"Chris!" Lorelai laughed. She turned around to face him and twisted her arms around his neck. "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you, too, you crazy woman."
"Ha! You're the one who's crazy." Lorelai untangled herself, grabbed his hand and they started walking towards Rory and Paris.
"Says the woman who screamed 'Chad!' in the Florida capitol building."
"Hey, if you love someone, you forgive their past transgressions."
"And I forgived you for the Corey Hart song."
"Yeah, well I forgived you for the whole Corey Hart and Corey Feldman obsession."
"I wasn't obsessed."
"You saw The Lost Boys twenty times!" Lorelai exclaimed, laughing.
~~~~
"I can't believe your parents are here," Paris muttered to Rory.
"We can't let her near any government officials."
"Why?"
"Just trust me."
"Oh, my god, Rory, you have to send them home!"
"No, I don't. Don't worry about it, we'll just make sure my dad keeps her occupied tonight, and since tomorrow's our free day, we'll do all the touristy things. I'll just have to keep her away from anything pertaining to the government."
"In Washington, D.C?"
"Yeah."
Paris just stared at Rory with a look of disbelief.
"What? I can do it."
"That's what you think." Paris muttered as Chris and Lor walked up to the girls.
"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed.
"Mom!" Rory hugged her mother. "I haven't seen you for what, a week?"
"It feels like a month!"
"Don't even pay attention to dear old dad."
"Oh, shush, Christopher." Lorelai said.
"Hey, Dad." Rory exchanged one parent's hug for the other's. Paris just rolled her eyes and walked off.
~~~~
"Okay, so we have to see the reflecting pool from Forrest Gump, the stairs from The Exorcist...and something else. Ooh, what was it? Oh, I remember!! The bar from St. Elmo's Fire!" Lorelai exclaimed the next day as mom, dad, and daughter started wandering around Washington D.C.
"The fictitious bar?" Rory asked.
"Oh, my darling daughter, nothing is fictitous in my life!"
"And everything revolves around you!" Rory imitated her mother.
"That sounds about right," Christopher commented as Lorelai's cell phone rang.
"Uh, the man I love is supposed to be nice!" Lorelai swatted Chris on his shoulder while digging through her purse with her other hand.
"Key words: supposed to."
"You're rude."
"I learned from the best."
Lorelai stuck her tongue out at Chris and answered her phone. "Hello? Sookie?" Lorelai held up one finger and walked away from father and daughter to a bench.
"So, how are you doing?" Christopher asked Rory.
"Good. I've missed both of you."
"Even crazy chad lady over there?"
"Yes, even her. So...are you staying?"
"Yeah, I think I am. I love her and she loves me."
"Did she say that?"
"Yeah," Chris smiled and nodded.
"Did you get it in writing? If I were you, I'd get it in writing."
"No. You'll just have to be my witness."
"I can do that."
"Sookie, what are you talking about?" Lorelai sat fifty feet away on a bench, trying to understand Sookie on the other end of her cell phone.
"I'm telling you, Luke is jealous of Christopher!" Sookie was talking on the phone in the inn's kitchen.
"What? That makes no sense."
"Yes it does, it makes perfect sense!"
"No, Sookie. Why would Luke be jealous of Chris? He doesn't like me like that."
"Yes, he does! He's in love with you. It completely fits!"
"Look, just because you're married doesn't mean you have to get me married, and besides," Lorelai looked away from Christopher and whispered into the phone, "if I do get married, Chris is the most likely candidate."
"But if he isn't, Luke's a good guy too!"
"Sookie, you're crazy. I'm going to hang up the phone so you can get back to your beloved kitchen, husband, and...if you insist on matchmaking, match Luke up with someone else. I hear Miss Patty's free!"
"Hmm, that's probably not a good idea."
"Aw, he could be her Mike Todd!"
"What?"
"Never mind. Talk to you later."
"Bye!" Sookie hung up the phone and started humming "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from The Fiddler on the Roof.