A/N- I thank you beeetaaaa, oh yes I doooo.... I thank you beeetaaa and I'll
be trueeeeeee....... Okay, sorry, I'll stop singing. But really, thanks to my
beta reader for help with the last two chapters. Huzzah. And look, I
updated so speedy. I impress myself. Actually I cheated. Twelve and
thirteen used to be one chapter. Oh well....they'll never know. Mwahahahahah-
Except I just told you. I should really get some sleep. Oh well.
Enjoy...Hopefully. This once risks some wrath of frustration...but it's worth
it for later. Goooooo Character development! Aaaaaanyways.........
*******************************
"What is wrong with him!?" Lorelai exclaimed, dropping her purse and leaning against a saw horse. Sookie looked up suddenly from a set of plans and whacked her head on a passing 2x4.The construction worker moved the lumber immediately and apologized, but Sookie just smiled weakly and waved him on. Sookie turned back to Lorelai and rubbed the back of her head.
"Okay. One. OW. Two. What's wrong with who and can this story involve me getting an icepack?" She replied, rubbing the back of her head.
"Luke. That's what's wrong." Lorelai exclaimed.
"Ohhhh...So he's back." Sookie raised her eyebrow and winced.
"Oh...yes...He's back alright." Lorelai grumbled.
"I'm guessing not good back."
"He left! He said ' Oh, lets think about us. Oh, let's get your hopes up and then I'll mysteriously skip out of town for a week.' No call, no message. And he just comes back like its no big deal that he just disappeared. Not even a souvenir." Lorelai crossed her arms and stood up from the saw horse.
"That wouldn't have really helped you with the no warning thing though, would it."
Sookie said, accepting a cold, wet cloth from one of the workers.
"Yeah, but it would have helped his cause." Lorelai narrowed her eyes.
"Pinecones would make you less upset?" Sookie grinned.
"Jewelry or candy would take the bite off."
"You do know his cabin's in the woods, not a Neiman Marcus store." Sookie smiled.
"He drove through places. He could have found something if he wanted to."
"You're irrational."
"I'm angry. Maybe'll I'll call Jason." Lorelai said petulantly.
"Lorelai." Sookie gave her an amused, reproving look.
"What? Jason used to send flowers."
"Jason was......" Sookie avoided Lorelai's eyes.
"Jason was nice!"
"Yes...."
"And we had a lot in common."
"Uh....."
"We both have the same sense of humour, we like the same kind of music, and books-"
"Magazines?"
"Same thing. And we liked the same movies. And we both like peanut butter on bread, but not toast, because then it gets all melty, and no ice in our water at restaurants and have curly brown hair and we both have messed up relationships with our parents and-" Lorelai stopped suddenly and her face contracted."EW!"
"What?" Sookie asked, looking concerned.
"He's a memale." Lorelai said, as though this was both significant, and understandable.
"A what? And a who?"
"Jason."
"Okay, part two is answered. Still don't know the what."
"Jason. He's a memale."
"Which is....." Sookie intoned.
"He's a male me. He's a me male. He's me, except he's a guy."
"Well thank go-." Sookie rolled her eyes in relief.
"Sookie!"
"I didn't want to say anything." She said apologetically.
"You knew I was dating myself !?" Lorelai exclaimed.
"You seemed happy." Sookie tried halfheartedly.
"But....ew!"
"I know. It was scary. It freaked me out a little."
"Well, at least now we really know why my mother didn't like him." Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Let's get you a proper ice pack."
"Good idea."
"It's the least Michel can do for you. Michel!" Lorelai grinned.
"What?" He called across the front hall, looking impatient.
"Go get one of those ice packs, the hot/cold one that you can get at Doose's. Sookie hit her head."
"Do I look like your maid?"
"No, but a little costume, short skirt, a little white lace apron, some fishnets...." Lorelai said, looking over at Sookie, who nodded in agreement.
"You are not serious." Michel glared at them.
"No, you're right." Lorelai conceded.
"Yeah, you really don't have the legs for a short skirt." Sookie added sadly.
"Or fishnets." Lorelai added. Michel glared at them.
"I do too!" He protested.
"I'm sure whether that's impressive or scary." Lorelai replied, looking at Sookie, who grinned widely and shrugged.
"Shut up." Michel snapped.
"Get ice."
"Fine." He turned around and started out of the inn.
"Hmmm...He's right, he does have the legs. "Lorelai said appraisingly, watching him leave. "It's the butt that wouldn't work with the short skirt." She decided.
"But of course. The butt, not the legs. How could we have made that mistake." Sookie agreed, laughing.
**************************
Lorelai got home, feeling distracted, and looked in the fridge. Nothing. Even if there had been, she wouldn't have wanted it. She grabbed her coat, knowing exactly where she was going, and not wanting to.
**********************************
Lorelai paced across the pavement, glaring up at the sign in front of Luke's. Inside Luke glanced up every few minutes and scowled at her as she went back and forth in front of the windows. After fifteen minutes, he finally dropped the coffee pot off on the counter, strode up and opened the door.
"What the HELL are you doing." He demanded. Lorelai looked up at his and frowned grumpily.
"There's nothing to eat at my house."
"Go to Doose's." Luke, said slowly, his nostrils flaring.
"I don't want to make something." Lorelai scowled back.
"Order pizza." Luke suggested impatiently.
"I don't feel like eating cheese." Lorelai returned, continuing to pace. People inside the diner were staring as Luke crossed his arms and yelled at her from the door of the diner.
"Chinese."
"No."
"Al's." Luke suggested desperately. Lorelai stopped and glared at him.
"What, do you not like me or something?"
"Then just come inside and stop pacing before Talyor cites you for wearing a rut in the sidewalk." Luke shouted, feeling exasperated. Lorelai stopped pacing and crossed her arms.
"No." She stated stubbornly.
"What?" Luke looked at her disbelievingly.
"No." Lorelai repeated.
"WHY.....Why not?" Luke said, trying to take a deep breath. Lorelai started saying something, then stopped, then tried again.
"You-I-We-.....I'm angry at you!" Luke looked at her with disbelief.
"What?" He exclaimed, looking exhausted.
"You left!" Lorelai shouted back. Luke rolled his eyes and clenched his fist in exasperation.
"We've already gone over this!"
"I know, and yet you STILL don't seem to get this." Lorelai replied and started off towards the gazebo. Luke sighed crossed the street, and jogging after her.
"LORELAI. Come on. Stop walking." Luke called after her.
"Go away."
"Lorelai." He called again, rolling his eyes and jogging a little faster. He caught up to her and stopped.
"Luke." Lorelai mocked back. Luke looked at her for a minute, then shook his head and turned around, shrugging.
"Fine. If you don't want to-"He started back toward the diner. Lorelai shifted on her legs reluctantly.
"A---Luke! Wait. Stop. Please?" She called back at him. Luke stopped walking and turned around, crossing his arms and looking at her expectantly. "It's just.....You know this conversation would be a lot easier if you weren't twenty feet away from me right now. "Lorelai laughed awkwardly. Luke walked sullenly over to the bench that was half way between the two of them and sat down. Lorelai meandered over slowly and sat down on the other side of the bench. They both looked down at their hands, before glancing up at each other at the same time. Luke swallowed and looked back down at his hands on his knees.
"So..." Lorelai tried, attempting to crack the silence. Luke glanced at her sideways and rolled his eyes.
"I only did what we were talking about." Luke said defensively.
"Oh, okay then, well, I guess I just must have forgotten that part of our conversation where I told you to disappear and become an official hermit for a week." Lorelai retorted and Luke smirked at her. They both turned back away from each other and crossed their arms. "What the hell did you do that for anyway." She said, not looking at him.
"We were supposed to be thinking."
"Yes, we were. But why do you have to be in a forest to do that?" Lorelai shot at him, but Luke looked at her incredulously.
"I get up...at five in the morning. I work...until ten. I then eat, sit for half an hour and watch some sports or something and then I go to bed. Where in this schedule do you see me having time to actually sit down and think?"
"So you're saying you'd rather spend that free half hour watching sweaty men than think about me?" Luke clenched his fist in frustration.
"I'M SAYING that I needed to get away so that I could actually not be thinking about sixty five thousand other things at the same time."
"SO you HAD to go off to the woods."
"I always go there when I have to think about something. So yes, I did."
"You do know you could have told me you were going? You were at my house the night before." Lorelai pointed out. Luke rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.
"I know.... I just....I had to do this by myself."
"Yeah, but I didn't! I didn't want to do this alone." Lorelai exclaimed plaintively. Luke turned his head and looked at her, looking almost apologetic.
"Why?" Lorelai sighed at him and rolled her head around.
"I didn't want to do this by myself! I was confused! I am confused! I wanted to be able to talk to you while I was doing this! Talk about.....us. Instead, I go into the diner and Lane tells me you just up and left the day before, not warning, no message, no nothing at all!" Lorelai stood up and started to pace in front of the bench.
"I'm sorry about that okay?" Luke tried.
"No, not okay." Lorelai exclaimed, stopping and frowning at him.
"Look, there's nothing I can do about it now!" Luke yelled, frustrated at her. Lorelai glared at him.
"Don't yell at me!" She shot.
"Don't yell at me!" Luke returned.
"Go-You are so FRUSTRATING!" Lorelai clenched her fists.
"I'M FRUSTRATING?" Luke said unbelievingly, pointing at himself.
"YES YOU!"
"WELL THE FEELINGS MUTUAL!" Luke shouted back, standing up from the bench.
"FINE! THEN THERE'S NO POINT TO ALL THIS!" Lorelai shouted, her face falling. She turned around and wrapped her arms around herself and started walking back towards her house. Luke was breathing heavily through his nose. He shook his head.
"COME ON!" He shouted at her back. Lorelai stopped and turned back to glare at him. "I SPENT SIX DAYS IN SOME FRIGID PATCH OF TREES TRYING TO NOT THINK ABOUT YOU. AND TO BE HONEST, THEY WEREN'T THE GREASTEST DAYS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I REALIZED SOMETHING, AND I'M NOT GOING TO JUST LET YOU RUN AWAY FROM THIS NOW!" Luke continued, Taking half a step towards her. Lorelai's face contorted in indecision for a minute before she turned away from him again, standing still. Luke just stood his ground, staring at her. After a few minutes, Lorelai turned around slowly. Seeing Luke still standing there, his arms crossed, staring at her, she huffed in impatience.
"GO AWAY!"
"I'M NOT LEAVING." Luke replied obstinately.
"FINE!.....PLEASE GO AWAY." She tried, looking over her shoulder.
"NO!" Luke refused.
"YES!" Lorelai yelled insistently.
"JUST CAUSE YOU SAY IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!" Luke replied.
"YES IT DOES!" She insisted again.
"FINE! You wanted to talk to me while you thought. Well, I'm here now! What do you want to know!" Luke crossed his arms again and waited.
"It's too late now!" Lorelai stated unhappily.
"What's that supposed to mean!" Luke asked warily.
"I already found out without you!" She replied, trying to sound indifferent.
"Well....Fine!" Luke exclaimed.
"Fine!" Lorelai replied.
"Then why are we still fighting!" Luke yelled.
"Because....." Lorelai furrowed her brows. "Because you're important to me! " She replied stubbornly.
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"FINE! Well you're important to me too!" Luke admitted angrily.
"Fine!" Lorelai shot.
"Fine!" Luke shot back.
"FINE!....Well... Well....." Lorelai sputtered indignantly. "Well I think I like you!" She finally declared indifferently.
"Well I like you too!" Luke shot back, frowning.
"Fine!" Lorelai tossed her hair.
"Fine!" Luke turned around.
"What the hell are we supposed to do now!" Lorelai yelled at him over her shoulder.
"I have to get a divorce!" Luke replied shortly.
"I still have to talk to Jason." Lorelai continued. Luke raised his eyebrows at her."What! You're the one who's still married! And I've been preoccupied."
"Fine...... well...I have to go back to the diner now." Luke shouted, but a little bit more quietly.
"I have to go talk to Sookie......again" Lorelai half-shouted back.
"Fine. I'll see you later then."
"Yeah. You will."
"I'll see you then." Luke's voice was still louder than usual, but reluctantly so.
"Fine." Lorelai tried to lower hers a little.
"Fine."
"Bye."
"Bye." They both turned back around and walked off in opposite directions.
**************************
Luke walked back into the diner slowly. Things were fine now. And he had said that he ....but that was fine. Because she had said that she...Luke felt a little sick feeling in the top of his stomach, like he used to get right before a race. He used to take a couple Tums, but he had a feeling that wouldn't work for this. Not that he wanted it to go away. This was the good kind of uncomfortable queasiness. He...he liked Lorelai. Luke laughed to himself a little as he grabbed glasses off a table. And she liked him. But then why did they both still leave seeming angry? Luke frowned in concern and glanced out the window towards where Lorelai had walked off to.
***************************
Lorelai walked away quickly, but the farther she walked the slower she went. About halfway home she stopped completely and looked up absently at the tree next to her. Wait. Luke had agreed. He had said, out loud, in plain words, that he liked her. And she had left in a huff. Lorelai shook her head and turned around, walking quickly again. She sucked at this. Flirt with strangers. She was fine at that. But this, this she sucked at. She was already back at the diner. She could see him at the kitchen entrance talking to Caesar and smiled to herself.
***************************
Luke heard the bell ring behind him and grabbed the orders Caesar handed him.
"Just sit wherever you want." He called out, dropping the food off at the table right next to him and leaving a couple checks on tables. Luke quickly grabbed some menus and turned around to find the new table. "Oh." Luke drew the menus up to his chest defensively as Lorelai gave him a short awkward wave, glancing around the diner. "Was there something-"
"I just wanted to-"Lorelai started, then hesitated. They both looked around themselves subconsciously again and Luke nodded at the curtain, letting Lorelai pass in front of him. He pulled it shut behind himself and turned to face her, not quite sure what to say. They stared at each other for a while. Lorelai opened her mouth a little bit, almost about to talk, then shut it again quickly, furrowing her eyebrows. They kept standing and staring, listening to the clink of dishes and the muffled voices coming from the diner. Lorelai looked at Luke and sighed, then looked down at the ground. Luke nodded slowly, and turned around, about to pull back the curtain and go back into the diner resignedly. Lorelai looked back up and saw him starting to leave and cocked her head impatiently to one side.
"I--- I'm not angry!" She tried. Luke turned around and rubbed to back or his neck, glancing up at her.
"No?"
"No... I'm not angry. Not at all. I'm opposite angry. I'm anti-angry." She plied. "I'm a hippie, and angry is Vietnam." Luke smiled a little.
"Okay."
"You're not........are you?" Lorelai said carefully, urged on by Luke's expression.
"Angry?" Luke asked.
"Yeah."
"No." He shrugged, but he couldn't keep the corners of his mouth down.
"Good." Lorelai said with a little relief. She grinned at him. "I'm glad you're not Nixon."
"As am I." Luke frowned at the thought.
"So we're...." Lorelai nodded her head from one side to the other.
"Okay?" Luke supplied.
"Yeah. Maybe even good?" Lorelai grinned a little wider back at him, leaning against the wall.
"Maybe good." Luke nodded slowly in agreement.
"Okay."
"You should.......... probably go..." Luke said, looking at the clock on the wall behind him. Lorelai's face fell.
"Oh... yeah." Luke noticed this and shook his head quickly this time.
"No. No, I mean, I'm not trying to get rid of you for once." Luke said playfully, trying to calm her down. Lorelai scowled at him, but he continued. "It's Friday, so I thought you'd have to be at your parents's......" Lorelai's eyes suddenly opened wide.
"My parents...... With everything, and I forgot..... I will never live this down. I'm already going to be late, and I'm not even dressed yet or anything." She started to rifle through her purse for the keys to the Jeep.
"You look good in that." Luke shrugged, trying to be casual. Lorelai stopped and smiled at him.
"Thank you Luke." Luke shrugged, but was smiling a little. "Sorry to chat and bolt."
"Nah, I understand." Luke said easily, touching her arm lightly. "It seems to be a bit of a pattern with us lately anyways. I'll get you some coffee to go."
"Ugh. You're a god. Thank you." Lorelai grabbed the curtain, then turned back around to Luke, who was following her out. "I'll be back, after dinner. I promise."
"Couldn't stop you if I wanted to." Luke retorted, trying for irritable and failing profoundly as he walked into the diner.
"Not a chance...." Lorelai returned. "We'll figure things out, okay?" Luke nodded then, put his hand gently on the small of her back, pushing her past the counter and hand her a cup.
"Sure. Go. You're late."
"Ugh. I know." Lorelai groaned, slumping out of the diner and walking quickly towards her house. Stopping at the curb to cross, she turned around and smiled shyly. Luke laughed to himself as he waved reluctantly and she glanced back again, not looking in front of her and walking out into a stopped car. Lorelai looked up, startled, and apologized quickly before running across the street. She eventually turned the corner and Luke headed back to the kitchen. Caesar gave him a knowing smile and nudged him with his elbow, but Luke just tried to scowl and failed miserably. Eventually he headed back out into the diner, cut two slices of pie and took them to the nearest table.
"Uh, we didn't order pie." The guy said. Luke shrugged.
"Don't worry. It free pie. It's on the house." Another right next to them table perked up.
"Free pie?" Another guy asked curiously.
"Yeah." Luke shrugged.
"For everyone?" Kirk asked from the counter.
"Yeah, sure why not." Luke decided. "It's free pie day."
*******************************
"What is wrong with him!?" Lorelai exclaimed, dropping her purse and leaning against a saw horse. Sookie looked up suddenly from a set of plans and whacked her head on a passing 2x4.The construction worker moved the lumber immediately and apologized, but Sookie just smiled weakly and waved him on. Sookie turned back to Lorelai and rubbed the back of her head.
"Okay. One. OW. Two. What's wrong with who and can this story involve me getting an icepack?" She replied, rubbing the back of her head.
"Luke. That's what's wrong." Lorelai exclaimed.
"Ohhhh...So he's back." Sookie raised her eyebrow and winced.
"Oh...yes...He's back alright." Lorelai grumbled.
"I'm guessing not good back."
"He left! He said ' Oh, lets think about us. Oh, let's get your hopes up and then I'll mysteriously skip out of town for a week.' No call, no message. And he just comes back like its no big deal that he just disappeared. Not even a souvenir." Lorelai crossed her arms and stood up from the saw horse.
"That wouldn't have really helped you with the no warning thing though, would it."
Sookie said, accepting a cold, wet cloth from one of the workers.
"Yeah, but it would have helped his cause." Lorelai narrowed her eyes.
"Pinecones would make you less upset?" Sookie grinned.
"Jewelry or candy would take the bite off."
"You do know his cabin's in the woods, not a Neiman Marcus store." Sookie smiled.
"He drove through places. He could have found something if he wanted to."
"You're irrational."
"I'm angry. Maybe'll I'll call Jason." Lorelai said petulantly.
"Lorelai." Sookie gave her an amused, reproving look.
"What? Jason used to send flowers."
"Jason was......" Sookie avoided Lorelai's eyes.
"Jason was nice!"
"Yes...."
"And we had a lot in common."
"Uh....."
"We both have the same sense of humour, we like the same kind of music, and books-"
"Magazines?"
"Same thing. And we liked the same movies. And we both like peanut butter on bread, but not toast, because then it gets all melty, and no ice in our water at restaurants and have curly brown hair and we both have messed up relationships with our parents and-" Lorelai stopped suddenly and her face contracted."EW!"
"What?" Sookie asked, looking concerned.
"He's a memale." Lorelai said, as though this was both significant, and understandable.
"A what? And a who?"
"Jason."
"Okay, part two is answered. Still don't know the what."
"Jason. He's a memale."
"Which is....." Sookie intoned.
"He's a male me. He's a me male. He's me, except he's a guy."
"Well thank go-." Sookie rolled her eyes in relief.
"Sookie!"
"I didn't want to say anything." She said apologetically.
"You knew I was dating myself !?" Lorelai exclaimed.
"You seemed happy." Sookie tried halfheartedly.
"But....ew!"
"I know. It was scary. It freaked me out a little."
"Well, at least now we really know why my mother didn't like him." Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Let's get you a proper ice pack."
"Good idea."
"It's the least Michel can do for you. Michel!" Lorelai grinned.
"What?" He called across the front hall, looking impatient.
"Go get one of those ice packs, the hot/cold one that you can get at Doose's. Sookie hit her head."
"Do I look like your maid?"
"No, but a little costume, short skirt, a little white lace apron, some fishnets...." Lorelai said, looking over at Sookie, who nodded in agreement.
"You are not serious." Michel glared at them.
"No, you're right." Lorelai conceded.
"Yeah, you really don't have the legs for a short skirt." Sookie added sadly.
"Or fishnets." Lorelai added. Michel glared at them.
"I do too!" He protested.
"I'm sure whether that's impressive or scary." Lorelai replied, looking at Sookie, who grinned widely and shrugged.
"Shut up." Michel snapped.
"Get ice."
"Fine." He turned around and started out of the inn.
"Hmmm...He's right, he does have the legs. "Lorelai said appraisingly, watching him leave. "It's the butt that wouldn't work with the short skirt." She decided.
"But of course. The butt, not the legs. How could we have made that mistake." Sookie agreed, laughing.
**************************
Lorelai got home, feeling distracted, and looked in the fridge. Nothing. Even if there had been, she wouldn't have wanted it. She grabbed her coat, knowing exactly where she was going, and not wanting to.
**********************************
Lorelai paced across the pavement, glaring up at the sign in front of Luke's. Inside Luke glanced up every few minutes and scowled at her as she went back and forth in front of the windows. After fifteen minutes, he finally dropped the coffee pot off on the counter, strode up and opened the door.
"What the HELL are you doing." He demanded. Lorelai looked up at his and frowned grumpily.
"There's nothing to eat at my house."
"Go to Doose's." Luke, said slowly, his nostrils flaring.
"I don't want to make something." Lorelai scowled back.
"Order pizza." Luke suggested impatiently.
"I don't feel like eating cheese." Lorelai returned, continuing to pace. People inside the diner were staring as Luke crossed his arms and yelled at her from the door of the diner.
"Chinese."
"No."
"Al's." Luke suggested desperately. Lorelai stopped and glared at him.
"What, do you not like me or something?"
"Then just come inside and stop pacing before Talyor cites you for wearing a rut in the sidewalk." Luke shouted, feeling exasperated. Lorelai stopped pacing and crossed her arms.
"No." She stated stubbornly.
"What?" Luke looked at her disbelievingly.
"No." Lorelai repeated.
"WHY.....Why not?" Luke said, trying to take a deep breath. Lorelai started saying something, then stopped, then tried again.
"You-I-We-.....I'm angry at you!" Luke looked at her with disbelief.
"What?" He exclaimed, looking exhausted.
"You left!" Lorelai shouted back. Luke rolled his eyes and clenched his fist in exasperation.
"We've already gone over this!"
"I know, and yet you STILL don't seem to get this." Lorelai replied and started off towards the gazebo. Luke sighed crossed the street, and jogging after her.
"LORELAI. Come on. Stop walking." Luke called after her.
"Go away."
"Lorelai." He called again, rolling his eyes and jogging a little faster. He caught up to her and stopped.
"Luke." Lorelai mocked back. Luke looked at her for a minute, then shook his head and turned around, shrugging.
"Fine. If you don't want to-"He started back toward the diner. Lorelai shifted on her legs reluctantly.
"A---Luke! Wait. Stop. Please?" She called back at him. Luke stopped walking and turned around, crossing his arms and looking at her expectantly. "It's just.....You know this conversation would be a lot easier if you weren't twenty feet away from me right now. "Lorelai laughed awkwardly. Luke walked sullenly over to the bench that was half way between the two of them and sat down. Lorelai meandered over slowly and sat down on the other side of the bench. They both looked down at their hands, before glancing up at each other at the same time. Luke swallowed and looked back down at his hands on his knees.
"So..." Lorelai tried, attempting to crack the silence. Luke glanced at her sideways and rolled his eyes.
"I only did what we were talking about." Luke said defensively.
"Oh, okay then, well, I guess I just must have forgotten that part of our conversation where I told you to disappear and become an official hermit for a week." Lorelai retorted and Luke smirked at her. They both turned back away from each other and crossed their arms. "What the hell did you do that for anyway." She said, not looking at him.
"We were supposed to be thinking."
"Yes, we were. But why do you have to be in a forest to do that?" Lorelai shot at him, but Luke looked at her incredulously.
"I get up...at five in the morning. I work...until ten. I then eat, sit for half an hour and watch some sports or something and then I go to bed. Where in this schedule do you see me having time to actually sit down and think?"
"So you're saying you'd rather spend that free half hour watching sweaty men than think about me?" Luke clenched his fist in frustration.
"I'M SAYING that I needed to get away so that I could actually not be thinking about sixty five thousand other things at the same time."
"SO you HAD to go off to the woods."
"I always go there when I have to think about something. So yes, I did."
"You do know you could have told me you were going? You were at my house the night before." Lorelai pointed out. Luke rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.
"I know.... I just....I had to do this by myself."
"Yeah, but I didn't! I didn't want to do this alone." Lorelai exclaimed plaintively. Luke turned his head and looked at her, looking almost apologetic.
"Why?" Lorelai sighed at him and rolled her head around.
"I didn't want to do this by myself! I was confused! I am confused! I wanted to be able to talk to you while I was doing this! Talk about.....us. Instead, I go into the diner and Lane tells me you just up and left the day before, not warning, no message, no nothing at all!" Lorelai stood up and started to pace in front of the bench.
"I'm sorry about that okay?" Luke tried.
"No, not okay." Lorelai exclaimed, stopping and frowning at him.
"Look, there's nothing I can do about it now!" Luke yelled, frustrated at her. Lorelai glared at him.
"Don't yell at me!" She shot.
"Don't yell at me!" Luke returned.
"Go-You are so FRUSTRATING!" Lorelai clenched her fists.
"I'M FRUSTRATING?" Luke said unbelievingly, pointing at himself.
"YES YOU!"
"WELL THE FEELINGS MUTUAL!" Luke shouted back, standing up from the bench.
"FINE! THEN THERE'S NO POINT TO ALL THIS!" Lorelai shouted, her face falling. She turned around and wrapped her arms around herself and started walking back towards her house. Luke was breathing heavily through his nose. He shook his head.
"COME ON!" He shouted at her back. Lorelai stopped and turned back to glare at him. "I SPENT SIX DAYS IN SOME FRIGID PATCH OF TREES TRYING TO NOT THINK ABOUT YOU. AND TO BE HONEST, THEY WEREN'T THE GREASTEST DAYS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I REALIZED SOMETHING, AND I'M NOT GOING TO JUST LET YOU RUN AWAY FROM THIS NOW!" Luke continued, Taking half a step towards her. Lorelai's face contorted in indecision for a minute before she turned away from him again, standing still. Luke just stood his ground, staring at her. After a few minutes, Lorelai turned around slowly. Seeing Luke still standing there, his arms crossed, staring at her, she huffed in impatience.
"GO AWAY!"
"I'M NOT LEAVING." Luke replied obstinately.
"FINE!.....PLEASE GO AWAY." She tried, looking over her shoulder.
"NO!" Luke refused.
"YES!" Lorelai yelled insistently.
"JUST CAUSE YOU SAY IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!" Luke replied.
"YES IT DOES!" She insisted again.
"FINE! You wanted to talk to me while you thought. Well, I'm here now! What do you want to know!" Luke crossed his arms again and waited.
"It's too late now!" Lorelai stated unhappily.
"What's that supposed to mean!" Luke asked warily.
"I already found out without you!" She replied, trying to sound indifferent.
"Well....Fine!" Luke exclaimed.
"Fine!" Lorelai replied.
"Then why are we still fighting!" Luke yelled.
"Because....." Lorelai furrowed her brows. "Because you're important to me! " She replied stubbornly.
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"FINE! Well you're important to me too!" Luke admitted angrily.
"Fine!" Lorelai shot.
"Fine!" Luke shot back.
"FINE!....Well... Well....." Lorelai sputtered indignantly. "Well I think I like you!" She finally declared indifferently.
"Well I like you too!" Luke shot back, frowning.
"Fine!" Lorelai tossed her hair.
"Fine!" Luke turned around.
"What the hell are we supposed to do now!" Lorelai yelled at him over her shoulder.
"I have to get a divorce!" Luke replied shortly.
"I still have to talk to Jason." Lorelai continued. Luke raised his eyebrows at her."What! You're the one who's still married! And I've been preoccupied."
"Fine...... well...I have to go back to the diner now." Luke shouted, but a little bit more quietly.
"I have to go talk to Sookie......again" Lorelai half-shouted back.
"Fine. I'll see you later then."
"Yeah. You will."
"I'll see you then." Luke's voice was still louder than usual, but reluctantly so.
"Fine." Lorelai tried to lower hers a little.
"Fine."
"Bye."
"Bye." They both turned back around and walked off in opposite directions.
**************************
Luke walked back into the diner slowly. Things were fine now. And he had said that he ....but that was fine. Because she had said that she...Luke felt a little sick feeling in the top of his stomach, like he used to get right before a race. He used to take a couple Tums, but he had a feeling that wouldn't work for this. Not that he wanted it to go away. This was the good kind of uncomfortable queasiness. He...he liked Lorelai. Luke laughed to himself a little as he grabbed glasses off a table. And she liked him. But then why did they both still leave seeming angry? Luke frowned in concern and glanced out the window towards where Lorelai had walked off to.
***************************
Lorelai walked away quickly, but the farther she walked the slower she went. About halfway home she stopped completely and looked up absently at the tree next to her. Wait. Luke had agreed. He had said, out loud, in plain words, that he liked her. And she had left in a huff. Lorelai shook her head and turned around, walking quickly again. She sucked at this. Flirt with strangers. She was fine at that. But this, this she sucked at. She was already back at the diner. She could see him at the kitchen entrance talking to Caesar and smiled to herself.
***************************
Luke heard the bell ring behind him and grabbed the orders Caesar handed him.
"Just sit wherever you want." He called out, dropping the food off at the table right next to him and leaving a couple checks on tables. Luke quickly grabbed some menus and turned around to find the new table. "Oh." Luke drew the menus up to his chest defensively as Lorelai gave him a short awkward wave, glancing around the diner. "Was there something-"
"I just wanted to-"Lorelai started, then hesitated. They both looked around themselves subconsciously again and Luke nodded at the curtain, letting Lorelai pass in front of him. He pulled it shut behind himself and turned to face her, not quite sure what to say. They stared at each other for a while. Lorelai opened her mouth a little bit, almost about to talk, then shut it again quickly, furrowing her eyebrows. They kept standing and staring, listening to the clink of dishes and the muffled voices coming from the diner. Lorelai looked at Luke and sighed, then looked down at the ground. Luke nodded slowly, and turned around, about to pull back the curtain and go back into the diner resignedly. Lorelai looked back up and saw him starting to leave and cocked her head impatiently to one side.
"I--- I'm not angry!" She tried. Luke turned around and rubbed to back or his neck, glancing up at her.
"No?"
"No... I'm not angry. Not at all. I'm opposite angry. I'm anti-angry." She plied. "I'm a hippie, and angry is Vietnam." Luke smiled a little.
"Okay."
"You're not........are you?" Lorelai said carefully, urged on by Luke's expression.
"Angry?" Luke asked.
"Yeah."
"No." He shrugged, but he couldn't keep the corners of his mouth down.
"Good." Lorelai said with a little relief. She grinned at him. "I'm glad you're not Nixon."
"As am I." Luke frowned at the thought.
"So we're...." Lorelai nodded her head from one side to the other.
"Okay?" Luke supplied.
"Yeah. Maybe even good?" Lorelai grinned a little wider back at him, leaning against the wall.
"Maybe good." Luke nodded slowly in agreement.
"Okay."
"You should.......... probably go..." Luke said, looking at the clock on the wall behind him. Lorelai's face fell.
"Oh... yeah." Luke noticed this and shook his head quickly this time.
"No. No, I mean, I'm not trying to get rid of you for once." Luke said playfully, trying to calm her down. Lorelai scowled at him, but he continued. "It's Friday, so I thought you'd have to be at your parents's......" Lorelai's eyes suddenly opened wide.
"My parents...... With everything, and I forgot..... I will never live this down. I'm already going to be late, and I'm not even dressed yet or anything." She started to rifle through her purse for the keys to the Jeep.
"You look good in that." Luke shrugged, trying to be casual. Lorelai stopped and smiled at him.
"Thank you Luke." Luke shrugged, but was smiling a little. "Sorry to chat and bolt."
"Nah, I understand." Luke said easily, touching her arm lightly. "It seems to be a bit of a pattern with us lately anyways. I'll get you some coffee to go."
"Ugh. You're a god. Thank you." Lorelai grabbed the curtain, then turned back around to Luke, who was following her out. "I'll be back, after dinner. I promise."
"Couldn't stop you if I wanted to." Luke retorted, trying for irritable and failing profoundly as he walked into the diner.
"Not a chance...." Lorelai returned. "We'll figure things out, okay?" Luke nodded then, put his hand gently on the small of her back, pushing her past the counter and hand her a cup.
"Sure. Go. You're late."
"Ugh. I know." Lorelai groaned, slumping out of the diner and walking quickly towards her house. Stopping at the curb to cross, she turned around and smiled shyly. Luke laughed to himself as he waved reluctantly and she glanced back again, not looking in front of her and walking out into a stopped car. Lorelai looked up, startled, and apologized quickly before running across the street. She eventually turned the corner and Luke headed back to the kitchen. Caesar gave him a knowing smile and nudged him with his elbow, but Luke just tried to scowl and failed miserably. Eventually he headed back out into the diner, cut two slices of pie and took them to the nearest table.
"Uh, we didn't order pie." The guy said. Luke shrugged.
"Don't worry. It free pie. It's on the house." Another right next to them table perked up.
"Free pie?" Another guy asked curiously.
"Yeah." Luke shrugged.
"For everyone?" Kirk asked from the counter.
"Yeah, sure why not." Luke decided. "It's free pie day."