Title: Where the heart is, Chapter 4
Author: Gluglug
Spoiler Warning/Timing: Fourth Season (Ep 4.11 In the Clamor and the Clangor)
Rating: PG-13 (for language)
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.
Lorelai knocked on Babette's door. "Babette, are you home - it's Lorelai"
Babette appeared at the screen door. "Hello sugar, that was some shouting match, huh?"
Lorelai sighed. "Great, I guess the whole town knows by now."
"Lorelai, you know I don't gossip." Babette said with a wave of her hand. "Do you want to come in? I just made some scrambled eggs and coffee. I slept in today - I went to New York to see Morey play at the Blue Note last night and got back late. He's staying until tomorrow so I could use the company."
Lorelai accepted her invitation gratefully and came inside, ducking under Babette's front door. She couldn't say no to coffee and some grub. Babette's cooking wasn't on the level of Sookie's, but it would do.
"Thanks, Babette. I'm hungry but I also need to borrow your shovel so I can finish digging out my car."
"No problem. So do you want to tell me what happened between you and Luke?"
Lorelai groaned. "Not really."
"Oh C'mon sugar, a little girl talk will do you good." Babette prodded.
Lorelai relented. "Okay but Babette, I know you don't gossip, ahem, but can you promise me that what I say to you remains between us?"
Babette leaned forward with giddy anticipation. "I cross my heart, doll. I swear on the life of Apricot and the dearly departed Cinnamon."
Lorelai started eating her scrambled eggs that Babette just put in front of her. "Well, the other day you told me about Luke and Nicole moving in together, right?"
Babette eagerly nodded. "I remember."
"Well, ever since then I've been pissed off with Luke for not telling me himself. He's supposed to be one of my closest friends but lately whenever something happens with Nicole, he plays it so close to the vest. I mean I didn't even know he was seeing her again until I ran smack into her at the diner a couple of months ago. What, did he think I wouldn't notice that he wasn't living here anymore?"
"Oh doll, don't hate me for saying this but I think you should give Luke a break."
"Why? Why should I do that? He's the one shutting me out of his life!"
"Yeah, but he's obviously scared to admit that he's diggin' a deep hole for himself. He feels out of control with this Nicole situation - but you know men, they always want to be in control, or at least appear that way, especially someone like Luke. And you keep pointing out that he's not in control and he gets defensive and secretive. If Luke was truly happy with his choices right now, he wouldn't care what you think. But he does care, more than you know."
Lorelai was surprised by Babette's insight into Luke's behavior. "Makes sense, Babette, but what did you mean by he cares more than I know?"
Babette sighed - Lorelai was so blind. "Sugar, you do know that Luke has a thing for you, right?"
"Oh Babette, not this again. I thought this whole crackpot theory had been put to rest. Luke doesn't have a thing for me. And even if he did, then why is he with Nicole?"
"Oh, Lorelai, you have so much to learn about men. Luke is with Nicole because he's trying to convince himself that he doesn't have a thing for you. And he is a hunk of a man in the prime of his life - you can't expect him to live like a monk, do you? But if you opened your pretty blue eyes and gave him the word, he'd drop Nicole like a hot potato. You watch "Sex and the City," right?"
Lorelai nodded. "I never miss it, I'm so bummed it's going off the air."
"Me, too." Babette commiserated. "You're just like Miranda and Steve, except you and Luke don't have a baby together. Remember last season when Steve had that Debbie chick and Miranda was doing Blair Underwood? The minute they admitted their feelings, it was all over."
"Babette, Luke and I aren't TV characters. I appreciate what you're saying but I'm not believing any of this unless I hear it from Luke himself. And we're not talking so..." Lorelai sipped her coffee.
"Can I ask you a question?" Babette inquired.
Lorelai nodded. "You can ask but I don't know if I'll answer."
"How do you feel about Luke, I know he's a good friend and all that, but how do you really feel? Did you ever think that the reason you're so upset is that you feel threatened by Nicole?"
Lorelai nodded. "I guess I do feel a bit threatened, but so does she. She gets all territorial whenever the three of us are in the same room. She touches Luke or gives me dirty looks, as if to say, "He's mine, don't touch him."
"Ah, ha! If Nicole is threatened by you then she must sense the attraction between you two. I wonder if this move to Litchfield is really just a plan to get him away from you."
"Wow, who knew I wielded such power?" Lorelai asked. "Babette, I think you're onto something."
"Really, sugar? You admit that you have a thing for Luke?"
"I don't know. Anyway, I have Jason, who's great." She paused. "What I meant was, I really think that Nicole is doing this to get Luke away from me. Luke's admitted that I'm a sore point with Nicole and I'm pretty sure she's jealous of our friendship."
"And you are jealous of Nicole's relationship with Luke!"
"I don't know, maybe I am." Lorelai admitted.
"But just because I may be jealous doesn't mean I have those feelings for Luke. I'll admit that what I feel for him runs deep but it's complicated - he's been in my life for so long and I've come to depend on him for so much, and so has Rory. He's family. If he leaves Stars Hollow and stays married, then eventually he'll have his own family to look after and we'll be forgotten." Tears stung Lorelai's eyelids.
Babette noticed her tears and handed her a tissue. "Go ahead and cry, doll, it's okay. You know, I don't think Luke could ever forget about you and Rory."
Lorelai blew her nose and wiped her eyes. "Really? But what if Nicole gets her way?"
"If you go to Luke and ask him not to leave, I guarantee you that her skinny ass won't."
Lorelai laughed. "She is too skinny, isn't she?"
"Yeah, you'd think eating diner food would fatten her up a little. I can't understand how Luke can get it up for that bag of bones!"
"Babette!" Lorelai through her napkin at her in mock horror.
Babette laughed. "Oh admit it, sugar, you've thought the same thing!"
And on that note, Lorelai looked at her watch, it was after two and she decided it was time to borrow that shovel.
"Babette, thanks for the talk and lunch. I feel a lot better. Can I borrow your shovel now?
"Absolutely. Just promise me something."
"What is it?"
"That you'll think about what I said about you and Luke, okay doll?"
"I will." Lorelai smiled as she headed to Babette's garage to get the shovel.
TBC
Authors Note: Thanks for the kind reviews so far. I got my info from the spoiler boards at Forum for Fans and TWOP. I don't have the URL so just google and you should find what you're looking for.
I've never written Babette before, so I hope I did her justice. But how many times can I say sugar and doll? (
Author: Gluglug
Spoiler Warning/Timing: Fourth Season (Ep 4.11 In the Clamor and the Clangor)
Rating: PG-13 (for language)
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.
Lorelai knocked on Babette's door. "Babette, are you home - it's Lorelai"
Babette appeared at the screen door. "Hello sugar, that was some shouting match, huh?"
Lorelai sighed. "Great, I guess the whole town knows by now."
"Lorelai, you know I don't gossip." Babette said with a wave of her hand. "Do you want to come in? I just made some scrambled eggs and coffee. I slept in today - I went to New York to see Morey play at the Blue Note last night and got back late. He's staying until tomorrow so I could use the company."
Lorelai accepted her invitation gratefully and came inside, ducking under Babette's front door. She couldn't say no to coffee and some grub. Babette's cooking wasn't on the level of Sookie's, but it would do.
"Thanks, Babette. I'm hungry but I also need to borrow your shovel so I can finish digging out my car."
"No problem. So do you want to tell me what happened between you and Luke?"
Lorelai groaned. "Not really."
"Oh C'mon sugar, a little girl talk will do you good." Babette prodded.
Lorelai relented. "Okay but Babette, I know you don't gossip, ahem, but can you promise me that what I say to you remains between us?"
Babette leaned forward with giddy anticipation. "I cross my heart, doll. I swear on the life of Apricot and the dearly departed Cinnamon."
Lorelai started eating her scrambled eggs that Babette just put in front of her. "Well, the other day you told me about Luke and Nicole moving in together, right?"
Babette eagerly nodded. "I remember."
"Well, ever since then I've been pissed off with Luke for not telling me himself. He's supposed to be one of my closest friends but lately whenever something happens with Nicole, he plays it so close to the vest. I mean I didn't even know he was seeing her again until I ran smack into her at the diner a couple of months ago. What, did he think I wouldn't notice that he wasn't living here anymore?"
"Oh doll, don't hate me for saying this but I think you should give Luke a break."
"Why? Why should I do that? He's the one shutting me out of his life!"
"Yeah, but he's obviously scared to admit that he's diggin' a deep hole for himself. He feels out of control with this Nicole situation - but you know men, they always want to be in control, or at least appear that way, especially someone like Luke. And you keep pointing out that he's not in control and he gets defensive and secretive. If Luke was truly happy with his choices right now, he wouldn't care what you think. But he does care, more than you know."
Lorelai was surprised by Babette's insight into Luke's behavior. "Makes sense, Babette, but what did you mean by he cares more than I know?"
Babette sighed - Lorelai was so blind. "Sugar, you do know that Luke has a thing for you, right?"
"Oh Babette, not this again. I thought this whole crackpot theory had been put to rest. Luke doesn't have a thing for me. And even if he did, then why is he with Nicole?"
"Oh, Lorelai, you have so much to learn about men. Luke is with Nicole because he's trying to convince himself that he doesn't have a thing for you. And he is a hunk of a man in the prime of his life - you can't expect him to live like a monk, do you? But if you opened your pretty blue eyes and gave him the word, he'd drop Nicole like a hot potato. You watch "Sex and the City," right?"
Lorelai nodded. "I never miss it, I'm so bummed it's going off the air."
"Me, too." Babette commiserated. "You're just like Miranda and Steve, except you and Luke don't have a baby together. Remember last season when Steve had that Debbie chick and Miranda was doing Blair Underwood? The minute they admitted their feelings, it was all over."
"Babette, Luke and I aren't TV characters. I appreciate what you're saying but I'm not believing any of this unless I hear it from Luke himself. And we're not talking so..." Lorelai sipped her coffee.
"Can I ask you a question?" Babette inquired.
Lorelai nodded. "You can ask but I don't know if I'll answer."
"How do you feel about Luke, I know he's a good friend and all that, but how do you really feel? Did you ever think that the reason you're so upset is that you feel threatened by Nicole?"
Lorelai nodded. "I guess I do feel a bit threatened, but so does she. She gets all territorial whenever the three of us are in the same room. She touches Luke or gives me dirty looks, as if to say, "He's mine, don't touch him."
"Ah, ha! If Nicole is threatened by you then she must sense the attraction between you two. I wonder if this move to Litchfield is really just a plan to get him away from you."
"Wow, who knew I wielded such power?" Lorelai asked. "Babette, I think you're onto something."
"Really, sugar? You admit that you have a thing for Luke?"
"I don't know. Anyway, I have Jason, who's great." She paused. "What I meant was, I really think that Nicole is doing this to get Luke away from me. Luke's admitted that I'm a sore point with Nicole and I'm pretty sure she's jealous of our friendship."
"And you are jealous of Nicole's relationship with Luke!"
"I don't know, maybe I am." Lorelai admitted.
"But just because I may be jealous doesn't mean I have those feelings for Luke. I'll admit that what I feel for him runs deep but it's complicated - he's been in my life for so long and I've come to depend on him for so much, and so has Rory. He's family. If he leaves Stars Hollow and stays married, then eventually he'll have his own family to look after and we'll be forgotten." Tears stung Lorelai's eyelids.
Babette noticed her tears and handed her a tissue. "Go ahead and cry, doll, it's okay. You know, I don't think Luke could ever forget about you and Rory."
Lorelai blew her nose and wiped her eyes. "Really? But what if Nicole gets her way?"
"If you go to Luke and ask him not to leave, I guarantee you that her skinny ass won't."
Lorelai laughed. "She is too skinny, isn't she?"
"Yeah, you'd think eating diner food would fatten her up a little. I can't understand how Luke can get it up for that bag of bones!"
"Babette!" Lorelai through her napkin at her in mock horror.
Babette laughed. "Oh admit it, sugar, you've thought the same thing!"
And on that note, Lorelai looked at her watch, it was after two and she decided it was time to borrow that shovel.
"Babette, thanks for the talk and lunch. I feel a lot better. Can I borrow your shovel now?
"Absolutely. Just promise me something."
"What is it?"
"That you'll think about what I said about you and Luke, okay doll?"
"I will." Lorelai smiled as she headed to Babette's garage to get the shovel.
TBC
Authors Note: Thanks for the kind reviews so far. I got my info from the spoiler boards at Forum for Fans and TWOP. I don't have the URL so just google and you should find what you're looking for.
I've never written Babette before, so I hope I did her justice. But how many times can I say sugar and doll? (