Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story idea.
A/N: For those of you hungry for Rory, I'm sorry. I don't feel as comfortable writing her as I do Lorelai so I try to stay away from
her as much as possible. Also, since this is a Luke/Lorelai fic based on Lorelai's emotional state after Rory leaves home, I think
it's sort of appropriate for Rory to be a tertiary character. With this chapter, though, you're in luck because of course she would come home for the Halloween party.
Also, sorry for the delay in posting. More thesis stuff has been going on, but hopefully, all that will be over with soon. I've got some ideas about future chapters that I think will be good. Next chapter will finally be the Halloween party. No, really. I promise.
Finally, thank you again to Jade-Tessier for all the wonderful and smart things you tell me to do. You rock!
~~
It was about four o'clock on the last Thursday of October and Lorelai and Rory were sitting at a table in the diner going over last minute details for the Halloween party the next night. Sookie couldn't take herself out of the planning process altogether, insisted that she still cater the event, leaving the girls to worry about things like decorating the house and the humiliating possibility that two guests might come in the same costume.
"So, how strongly do you feel about back-up costumes?" asked Lorelai.
"Back up costumes?" repeated Rory doubtfully.
"Yes. We have to be prepared for any eventuality."
"I don't know…." Rory looked uncertain.
"What don't you know?" Luke interrupted to refill their coffee mugs. "And how come you're not in school today?"
Lorelai smiled and thought to herself, He's so cute when he acts like a dad.
Rory answered him, "On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have class at eight and eleven, so I'm done for the day. My one class on Fridays is canceled for tomorrow so I'll definitely be here for the party."
Luke rolled his eyes. "The party. That's all your mother has been able to talk about for the last two weeks. You'd think she doesn't have a brand new inn to take care of anymore."
"You know," said Lorelai overly sweet, "I don't appreciate your tone of voice."
"Like it or lump it," he replied with a smile before walking away.
"So the honeymoon is over," Rory guessed when they were alone again.
"Nah, it's okay. He's just cranky because he doesn't like parties and I'm throwing one right in the middle of his life. He'll get over it."
"Nice attentive attitude there, Little Miss All-About-Me," Rory observed with a smile
Lorelai gasped in mock outrage. "Shut up! I can't believe you're taking his side."
Rory shook her head. "Hey, I'm not taking sides, I'm just saying."
"Well, say it somewhere else."
"Okay. So, is it okay if I bring someone with me tomorrow night?"
Lorelai's eyes widened. "You have a date?" she gasped.
"Well, sorta. He's this guy I met in my Medieval History class and we ended up getting into a debate about the manorial system and the rising middle class throughout Europe just prior to the Renaissance."
"Right, but is he cute?" asked Lorelai.
Rory blushed and said sheepishly, "Yeah. Totally."
"And this is a new guy, right? Not the football Adonis."
"No, he's yesterday's news," Rory answered casually. "In fact I can't wait to have this cast off so that I can forget about him completely." Rory gazed banefully at her arm still wrapped in plaster.
"Let me know when the appointment is for and I'll go with if you want."
"Okay, sounds good."
There was a comfortable silence and then Rory said, "So, are you ever going to tell me what happened with Grandma?"
Lorelai stiffened momentarily and then forced herself to relax. "Nothing happened," she answered shortly.
"I know you're lying. I can always tell, you know."
"Listen, Smarty-Pants, I'm not lying because nothing happened with your grandma. We had lunch that day and that was it."
"That was it," repeated Rory, not buying Lorelai's story.
"That was it," said Lorelai again, firmly.
"Then you'll be delighted with my news," said Rory with a sneaky smile.
"News? What
news?" Lorelai looked worried.
"Well, you know how we're switching nights this week because of the party tomorrow night? Well, I asked Grandma and Grandpa if they'd like to come and that way, we don't have to go there on Saturday."
Lorelai was floored. "Rory, I don't know if college has done this to you, or if you're just on a lot of drugs lately, but what were you thinking?"
"If nothing happened with you and Grandma, there should be no reason for you to not want them to come."
"Oh, other than the ten thousand reasons I could think of before The Lunch? Jesus, Rory, you're killing me." Lorelai rested her elbows on the table and put her forehead against the palms of her hands.
"Don't you think you're being a tad dramatic?" Rory suggested.
"Dramatic? Don't even talk to me about dramatic. You've invited the drama queen to our house tomorrow night for a costume party."
"It'll be fun. They've even agreed to dress up."
Lorelai did a double take. "Are you sure you've got the right Richard and Emily Gilmore?"
"They said so themselves."
"This isn't happening," Lorelai moaned.
"It'll be fine," said Rory reasonably.
"There's only one thing to do," Lorelai stated firmly.
"And what's that?"
"Call off the party."
"Hallelujah," mumbled Luke who was passing by their table.
Lorelai shot daggers at his back with her eyes. She considered growling at him but felt she should maintain her maturity level in front of Rory. She settled for sticking her tongue out at his retreating figure.
"That's stupid," replied Rory. "There's no reason to call off the party."
"No reason to call off the party? No reason?"
"None," said Rory, firmly. "At all. If nothing happened at The Lunch then there should be no reason for us all not to get along swimmingly. In fact, there's going to be a ton of people there tomorrow night, so you might go the whole time without even speaking to them."
Lorelai stared at the ceiling and plotted to herself, "Hmm, you're right. Things are starting to look up."
Rory tried to be stern. "Not that you'll try to avoid them. I'm just saying it's possible that you won't have to spend much time with them."
Lorelai said nothing and sighed. What a way to ruin Halloween: a special appearance by the Gilmores. That'll scare people.
~~
Later that night, Rory and Lorelai sat on the couch watching ER when Rory heard a key in the door, causing her head to snap around to the entryway.
"Relax," said Lorelai. "It's Luke."
Rory let out a sigh of relief and said, "I didn't know you'd given him a key."
Lorelai's forehead wrinkled. "I could have sworn I told you. Is it not okay?"
"No, it's fine, really. It just threw me for a second."
Lulu had jumped off the couch and was pacing in front of the door when Luke opened it. He scooped her up in one arm and she rubbed her head against his chest. "Hey, ladies," he said and sat down in one of the chairs in the living room.
"Hey, Luke," said Rory.
Lorelai stood up and walked over to give him a kiss. "Rob and Caesar are closing?"
"Yup. It's nice to be the boss," he answered with a smile.
She answered his smile with one of her own. He set Lulu down and started to take off his boots. Lorelai sat back down on the couch near Rory and said, "Isn't this nice? The three of us here together, just hanging out?"
"Okay, Emily," answered Rory with a smirk.
Lorelai blushed and realized Rory was right. It was almost verbatim what Emily had said to her the day of The Lunch. Too flummoxed to think of a good comeback, she settled for knocking a throw pillow into her daughter's head.
"Hey!" Rory yelped. "No fair! You have to declare a pillow fight before you can throw the first pillow."
"All's fair in love and war," replied Lorelai sweetly.
"Hmm," sniffed Rory. "I'm going to bed. You can beat me some more tomorrow."
"I look forward to it," answered Lorelai with a smile.
After she heard Rory close her bedroom door, Lorelai got up and walked to where Luke still sat in the chair and settled herself in his lap where she began to suck gently on his earlobe.
"So," she murmured, "are you feeling like one of the family yet?"
Luke closed his eyes and enjoyed her attention. "Getting there," he answered softly.
"Is there anything I can do," she asked as she slipped a hand into his plaid and scraped her nails against his t-shirt-covered chest, "to make the feeling really come alive?"
"I can think of a few things," he replied with a lopsided smile.
She giggled softly. "Wanna come upstairs with me and illustrate your ideas?" she asked suggestively.
Luke hesitated but then said, "It would be my pleasure."
Lorelai giggled again and after locking doors and turning off lights, they went upstairs.
~~
Later that night, after they had fallen asleep tangled in sheets and limbs, Lulu began to groom Luke. He couldn't think of another sandpapery tongue that would wake him up in the middle of the night scraping across his forehead. He pulled her down off his forehead and put her between the two of them, but of course, then he had to pee. Still only half-awake, he got out of bed, pulled on his boxers, and made his way down the hall to the bathroom.
As his bladder drained, he could have sworn he heard something out in the hall. He ignored it, assuming that Lulu had followed him down the hall. When he finished drying his hands, he pulled open the door to find Rory leaning against the wall, yawning. The sight of her startled him and he cried, "Ah! What are you doing?"
She looked at him, standing there in just his boxers and said, "Waiting to pee, Sir Peesalot. Good Lord, how much liquid do you carry around? I've been standing here for like an hour," she declared grumpily as she all but crossed her legs and did a pee dance.
Luke blushed fiercely, but then said dryly, trying to maintain some dignity, "Sorry for the delay, Princess Prissypants. It's all yours."
They parted ways and Luke climbed back into Lorelai's bed wondering, Does bickering in the middle of the night over the bathroom make me part of the family? He smiled to himself and though, It's definitely a step in the right direction.
