Author's Note: I still don't own Gilmore Girls. Thanks for all the
reviews. I love them! Here is the penultimate chapter of The Long Road
Home.
Lorelai visited her father briefly after her mother had said everything she needed to say. The doctors, Lorelai and Luke had finally convinced Emily to go home and rest. Emily grudgingly agreed, but reassured everyone she would return the minute visiting hours began the next day. Lorelai had to smile as she saw Emily snap into action making sure Richard had proper sheets, water, cable TV, etc.
Since Lorelai had driven her mother's car to Hartford Luke offered to give her a ride home. Lorelai desperately wanted to talk to Luke on the long ride back to Stars Hollows, but she fell asleep 10 minutes into the drive home. Luke watched her slowly drift off to the land of unconscious and just drove silently home. Every now and then he stole a glimpse of her. He had never seen Lorelai so quiet and he had to laugh to himself. It appeared the only time Lorelai would ever be that peaceful and quiet was in her sleep.
Luke pulled into driveway and got out of the truck. He had thought that the sound of the car door closing would be enough to wake Lorelai, but then he remembered her tendency to sleep through the kitten purring and he walked around to her side of the car. He opened the door and she barely opened her eyes. She only mumbled something about being home. Luke decided her day had been long enough and he quickly placed his arms around her and picked her up. Luke walked up to the porch and placed Lorelai on the bench while he fished out her house keys. He unlocked the door and scooped Lorelai up in his arms again. In her sleep she instinctively placed her arms around Luke's neck and placed her head on his shoulder. Luke kicked the front door shut and walked up the steps to place Lorelai in her bed.
Once he made it to her room he gently placed Lorelai on her bed. She woke slightly and grabbed Luke's hand.
"Don't go," she mumbled sleepily holding his hand.
"It's okay," Luke whispered pushing the hair off her forehead. "You're home in your bed now."
Luke went to pull his hand away but Lorelai squeezed it harder and pulled him closer.
"Please stay with me Luke," she said again. "Just until I fall asleep. I don't want to be alone."
Luke couldn't tell for sure, but he thought she was already asleep. But, never one to turn down Lorelai's requests he went to sit in the chair across the room, but still Lorelai wouldn't let go of his hand.
"Stay here," Lorelai said pulling his hand closer to her. She was clearly indicating that she wanted him to stay in the bed with her.
It was late, Lorelai was half-asleep and Luke knew it would just be easier to kick off his shoes and lay down with her until she fell asleep, so he did just that. Luke crawled over Lorelai and lay next to her in bed. Lorelai, still somewhat asleep, rolled over and placed her hand on Luke's chest and snuggled her head into the crook of his neck. Her body was so close to his. He could feel her heart beat. He could feel her breath on his cheek.
"Thank you for coming to the hospital," Lorelai said sleepily. "You're a good man Luke." She buried her head a little closer to Luke. Luke lay there and soon enough he heard her breath become more rhythmic and it was clear that she was asleep. Luke could smell her skin and her hair and he tightened his grip around her waist just slightly. If the events of the night hadn't been so horrible Luke would have thought it was one of the best nights of life. He yawned and realized how late it was. He knew he should go, but he couldn't will himself out of the bed. Instead he ended up falling asleep with Lorelai at his side.
At 4:30 a.m. Luke began to stir. He opened his eyes and, while they adjusted to the light, he scanned the room. Very quickly he realized that he was not in his apartment, but in Lorelai's house. In Lorelai's bed. He looked down and saw her, still sleeping, cuddled next to him. One arm draped over his stomach, the other pressed against his side. Their legs intertwined under the sheet. He tried to remember how they fell asleep. He got the distinct impression that neither of them moved all night. It didn't matter though. All Luke knew was that he had slept better than he had in weeks, months even.
Luke looked at the clock and he knew he should leave. He had to get to the diner. Caesar and Lane could probably handle opening by themselves but he had left them alone the day before and he knew he should do it himself. He moved slowly placing Lorelai's arms down on the bed. She stirred slightly, but remained asleep. Luke knew she needed her sleep after the day she had yesterday. He knew Richard would have to make some drastic lifestyle changes, but it appeared that he would be alright. Luke was grateful for that. Lorelai deserved some tranquility for a change. She had been pushing herself so hard with the opening of the Dragonfly and she had been worried about her parent's separation. Luke hoped that Lorelai would be able to relax for a while.
He sat down in the chair across the room. The one he intended to sleep in the night before. He laced up his boots and watched Lorelai sleep. Though it was still dark the full moon shown through the window and there was plenty of light for Luke to see. He took in the way Lorelai's hair glistened in the moonlight. 'Man, she's beautiful,' he thought to himself. After Emily's little "damn fools" lecture Luke thought he could tell Lorelai how he felt about her, but she had fallen asleep. Why did it always seem to be awful timing for them? Maybe they weren't meant to be after all. He thought about the dozens of times he almost told her how he felt. Then he thought back to that painful day that he told her exactly what he'd always wanted too. But he knew then that the timing still wasn't right. And now? Now, what was he waiting for exactly? He couldn't even remember. He knew that they were friends and things were back to normal. But suddenly Luke realized he was sick of normal. He needed Lorelai and he needed her know it.
Luke was never one for words. It had taken him four years to tell her how he felt about her. He knew he couldn't sit around for another four. Suddenly Luke grabbed the notebook and pen that was sitting on top of Lorelai's dresser. If he couldn't tell her verbally, then maybe he would tell her in a letter.
At 7:30 a.m. Lorelai began to wake. She felt so warm and secure wrapped in her blanket. She was suddenly very aware of the fact that she had slept extremely well. She slept better than she had in months. She moved her arms to where she remembered Luke being, but there was no one there. Her eyes were still closed as she stretched her arms out to find Luke, but he wasn't there. She lay there for a moment confused. She could have sworn he was there last night. Had it been a dream? If it was a dream she had to remember to thank the Sandman because she had never slept better. Finally Lorelai forced her eyes open and she saw that it was indeed only her in a mess of tangled blankets. She was wearing the same clothes she had on yesterday. She surmised that she Luke must have dropped her off and left. But she couldn't get over the feeling that she had been next to him all night.
She knew she needed to get up and go to the hospital. Even though the doctors said that Richard would be okay she wanted to make sure he was feeling better today. She also had to go pick up Rory from the airport that afternoon. She knew Rory would want to go back to the hospital and see her grandfather. Lorelai had to put all thoughts of Luke out of her head because it was going to be another long day.
She rolled over to one said and stretched and that's when she saw it. There, on the pillow next to her, was a single sheet of loose leaf paper folded over with her name on it. She immediately recognized the writing as Luke's draftsman-like penmanship. She reached over and picked up the letter. She opened it and read:
Lorelai,
I'm not good with words so I thought I'd try a letter instead. It's about 4:30 a.m. and I'm watching you sleep right now. It's not as creepy as it sounds, really. Anyway I know this might not be the best time, but it just never seems to be the right time with us. Your mother said some things to me yesterday that I can't ignore. She said we were fools and I'm inclined to agree with her. I know I told you I wasn't ready for us to be together and at the time I wasn't. But the truth is I've been lying to you, and myself, for weeks. I was afraid to say anything because we've been able to go back to how things were. I told you that's what I wanted, but it's not what I want. The fact is I am over my marriage. It's not an issue.
I don't know if this is even an option anymore but I'd love nothing more than to start over with you. I was going to tell you yesterday. Your Mom dropped some not too subtle hints about Jason and I realized I needed to tell you this now before it was too late. I don't want to be too stubborn or scared to tell you how I feel. I love you Lorelai. I love you as a friend, a mother, a businesswoman, a daughter, but most of all I love you for you. No one else gets to me the way you do and no one else ever will.
So there it is. You know now. I'm glad your Dad is out of the woods and I hope I haven't completely scared you off. I know how you get with too much emotion. We're alike in that respect. I hope I'll see you soon.
Love, Luke
'I love you Lorelai.' She must have read that line a dozen times before she fully comprehended what Luke was telling her. She couldn't believe after all this time he had finally said it, well written it anyway. It had been so long that Lorelai thought Luke had stopped feeling that way about her all together. He was there for her last night. He was always there for her, but all night she couldn't help but wonder what he was feeling. Now she knew. Unfortunately, it would have to wait.
Luke's head shot up every time the bell above the door rang. He knew he shouldn't expect to see her in the diner this morning. Her father was still in ICU for Pete's sake. He knew she had to go pick up Rory and go to the hospital. He could only hope that his letter didn't scare her. Lorelai was the type that would run away when she was confronted with something she didn't like or she wasn't ready to deal with. He didn't know where she stood with him. He thought he had a pretty good indication after last night, but she was asleep when she asked him to stay and who knew what she was really thinking?
Luke spent the morning cleaning, something he did when he was anxious. The grease pits had never looked so clean. He saw Sookie and asked her if she had heard from Lorelai. Sookie said she was in Hartford. Rory had gotten in from California and they went straight to the hospital. Sookie mentioned that Richard was doing better and was probably going to be moved from ICU that night. Luke was happy to hear it. Now all he had to do was wait to see Lorelai again. He didn't know how long that was going to be, but he knew one thing for sure. The diner would never look cleaner.
TBC
Lorelai visited her father briefly after her mother had said everything she needed to say. The doctors, Lorelai and Luke had finally convinced Emily to go home and rest. Emily grudgingly agreed, but reassured everyone she would return the minute visiting hours began the next day. Lorelai had to smile as she saw Emily snap into action making sure Richard had proper sheets, water, cable TV, etc.
Since Lorelai had driven her mother's car to Hartford Luke offered to give her a ride home. Lorelai desperately wanted to talk to Luke on the long ride back to Stars Hollows, but she fell asleep 10 minutes into the drive home. Luke watched her slowly drift off to the land of unconscious and just drove silently home. Every now and then he stole a glimpse of her. He had never seen Lorelai so quiet and he had to laugh to himself. It appeared the only time Lorelai would ever be that peaceful and quiet was in her sleep.
Luke pulled into driveway and got out of the truck. He had thought that the sound of the car door closing would be enough to wake Lorelai, but then he remembered her tendency to sleep through the kitten purring and he walked around to her side of the car. He opened the door and she barely opened her eyes. She only mumbled something about being home. Luke decided her day had been long enough and he quickly placed his arms around her and picked her up. Luke walked up to the porch and placed Lorelai on the bench while he fished out her house keys. He unlocked the door and scooped Lorelai up in his arms again. In her sleep she instinctively placed her arms around Luke's neck and placed her head on his shoulder. Luke kicked the front door shut and walked up the steps to place Lorelai in her bed.
Once he made it to her room he gently placed Lorelai on her bed. She woke slightly and grabbed Luke's hand.
"Don't go," she mumbled sleepily holding his hand.
"It's okay," Luke whispered pushing the hair off her forehead. "You're home in your bed now."
Luke went to pull his hand away but Lorelai squeezed it harder and pulled him closer.
"Please stay with me Luke," she said again. "Just until I fall asleep. I don't want to be alone."
Luke couldn't tell for sure, but he thought she was already asleep. But, never one to turn down Lorelai's requests he went to sit in the chair across the room, but still Lorelai wouldn't let go of his hand.
"Stay here," Lorelai said pulling his hand closer to her. She was clearly indicating that she wanted him to stay in the bed with her.
It was late, Lorelai was half-asleep and Luke knew it would just be easier to kick off his shoes and lay down with her until she fell asleep, so he did just that. Luke crawled over Lorelai and lay next to her in bed. Lorelai, still somewhat asleep, rolled over and placed her hand on Luke's chest and snuggled her head into the crook of his neck. Her body was so close to his. He could feel her heart beat. He could feel her breath on his cheek.
"Thank you for coming to the hospital," Lorelai said sleepily. "You're a good man Luke." She buried her head a little closer to Luke. Luke lay there and soon enough he heard her breath become more rhythmic and it was clear that she was asleep. Luke could smell her skin and her hair and he tightened his grip around her waist just slightly. If the events of the night hadn't been so horrible Luke would have thought it was one of the best nights of life. He yawned and realized how late it was. He knew he should go, but he couldn't will himself out of the bed. Instead he ended up falling asleep with Lorelai at his side.
At 4:30 a.m. Luke began to stir. He opened his eyes and, while they adjusted to the light, he scanned the room. Very quickly he realized that he was not in his apartment, but in Lorelai's house. In Lorelai's bed. He looked down and saw her, still sleeping, cuddled next to him. One arm draped over his stomach, the other pressed against his side. Their legs intertwined under the sheet. He tried to remember how they fell asleep. He got the distinct impression that neither of them moved all night. It didn't matter though. All Luke knew was that he had slept better than he had in weeks, months even.
Luke looked at the clock and he knew he should leave. He had to get to the diner. Caesar and Lane could probably handle opening by themselves but he had left them alone the day before and he knew he should do it himself. He moved slowly placing Lorelai's arms down on the bed. She stirred slightly, but remained asleep. Luke knew she needed her sleep after the day she had yesterday. He knew Richard would have to make some drastic lifestyle changes, but it appeared that he would be alright. Luke was grateful for that. Lorelai deserved some tranquility for a change. She had been pushing herself so hard with the opening of the Dragonfly and she had been worried about her parent's separation. Luke hoped that Lorelai would be able to relax for a while.
He sat down in the chair across the room. The one he intended to sleep in the night before. He laced up his boots and watched Lorelai sleep. Though it was still dark the full moon shown through the window and there was plenty of light for Luke to see. He took in the way Lorelai's hair glistened in the moonlight. 'Man, she's beautiful,' he thought to himself. After Emily's little "damn fools" lecture Luke thought he could tell Lorelai how he felt about her, but she had fallen asleep. Why did it always seem to be awful timing for them? Maybe they weren't meant to be after all. He thought about the dozens of times he almost told her how he felt. Then he thought back to that painful day that he told her exactly what he'd always wanted too. But he knew then that the timing still wasn't right. And now? Now, what was he waiting for exactly? He couldn't even remember. He knew that they were friends and things were back to normal. But suddenly Luke realized he was sick of normal. He needed Lorelai and he needed her know it.
Luke was never one for words. It had taken him four years to tell her how he felt about her. He knew he couldn't sit around for another four. Suddenly Luke grabbed the notebook and pen that was sitting on top of Lorelai's dresser. If he couldn't tell her verbally, then maybe he would tell her in a letter.
At 7:30 a.m. Lorelai began to wake. She felt so warm and secure wrapped in her blanket. She was suddenly very aware of the fact that she had slept extremely well. She slept better than she had in months. She moved her arms to where she remembered Luke being, but there was no one there. Her eyes were still closed as she stretched her arms out to find Luke, but he wasn't there. She lay there for a moment confused. She could have sworn he was there last night. Had it been a dream? If it was a dream she had to remember to thank the Sandman because she had never slept better. Finally Lorelai forced her eyes open and she saw that it was indeed only her in a mess of tangled blankets. She was wearing the same clothes she had on yesterday. She surmised that she Luke must have dropped her off and left. But she couldn't get over the feeling that she had been next to him all night.
She knew she needed to get up and go to the hospital. Even though the doctors said that Richard would be okay she wanted to make sure he was feeling better today. She also had to go pick up Rory from the airport that afternoon. She knew Rory would want to go back to the hospital and see her grandfather. Lorelai had to put all thoughts of Luke out of her head because it was going to be another long day.
She rolled over to one said and stretched and that's when she saw it. There, on the pillow next to her, was a single sheet of loose leaf paper folded over with her name on it. She immediately recognized the writing as Luke's draftsman-like penmanship. She reached over and picked up the letter. She opened it and read:
Lorelai,
I'm not good with words so I thought I'd try a letter instead. It's about 4:30 a.m. and I'm watching you sleep right now. It's not as creepy as it sounds, really. Anyway I know this might not be the best time, but it just never seems to be the right time with us. Your mother said some things to me yesterday that I can't ignore. She said we were fools and I'm inclined to agree with her. I know I told you I wasn't ready for us to be together and at the time I wasn't. But the truth is I've been lying to you, and myself, for weeks. I was afraid to say anything because we've been able to go back to how things were. I told you that's what I wanted, but it's not what I want. The fact is I am over my marriage. It's not an issue.
I don't know if this is even an option anymore but I'd love nothing more than to start over with you. I was going to tell you yesterday. Your Mom dropped some not too subtle hints about Jason and I realized I needed to tell you this now before it was too late. I don't want to be too stubborn or scared to tell you how I feel. I love you Lorelai. I love you as a friend, a mother, a businesswoman, a daughter, but most of all I love you for you. No one else gets to me the way you do and no one else ever will.
So there it is. You know now. I'm glad your Dad is out of the woods and I hope I haven't completely scared you off. I know how you get with too much emotion. We're alike in that respect. I hope I'll see you soon.
Love, Luke
'I love you Lorelai.' She must have read that line a dozen times before she fully comprehended what Luke was telling her. She couldn't believe after all this time he had finally said it, well written it anyway. It had been so long that Lorelai thought Luke had stopped feeling that way about her all together. He was there for her last night. He was always there for her, but all night she couldn't help but wonder what he was feeling. Now she knew. Unfortunately, it would have to wait.
Luke's head shot up every time the bell above the door rang. He knew he shouldn't expect to see her in the diner this morning. Her father was still in ICU for Pete's sake. He knew she had to go pick up Rory and go to the hospital. He could only hope that his letter didn't scare her. Lorelai was the type that would run away when she was confronted with something she didn't like or she wasn't ready to deal with. He didn't know where she stood with him. He thought he had a pretty good indication after last night, but she was asleep when she asked him to stay and who knew what she was really thinking?
Luke spent the morning cleaning, something he did when he was anxious. The grease pits had never looked so clean. He saw Sookie and asked her if she had heard from Lorelai. Sookie said she was in Hartford. Rory had gotten in from California and they went straight to the hospital. Sookie mentioned that Richard was doing better and was probably going to be moved from ICU that night. Luke was happy to hear it. Now all he had to do was wait to see Lorelai again. He didn't know how long that was going to be, but he knew one thing for sure. The diner would never look cleaner.
TBC