Variations on a Theme (2/4)
See Chapter 1 for all headers and disclaimers.
A/N: Thanks to everyone for the wonderful feedback on chapter 1. :) I usually respond to every review individually, but lack of e-mail addys here can make that difficult, so I just wanted to let you know it's appreciated.
Lorelai walked into the kitchen of the Dragonfly, and made a beeline for the coffee pot. Considering it was 6:30 a.m. and she hadn't slept much, she was thinking about chugging it from the carafe.
She decided against that, and grabbed a large mug from the cabinet in front of her.
Sookie came through the swinging door as Lorelai was pouring.
"Hey, sweetie, I didn't expect you to be up quite this early."
Lorelai just turned around and gave her a small smile before taking a sip of her coffee.
"Oh my gosh, you look awful, Lorelai! What's wrong?"
"Thanks, Sook."
"No, I mean, did you even sleep?"
"Not a lot, no. Sit down, there's stuff to tell you."
"Since last night?"
"Oh yeah," Lorelai deadpanned.
They both took a seat at the small table in the corner of the kitchen.
"Good news or bad news?" Sookie asked cautiously.
"Good and bad. But I should start with the good, since that's how it happened to me."
Sookie nodded.
"Luke kissed me," Lorelai blurted out.
Her best friend sat stunned for a moment before she broke into a grin. "Eeeeeeeeeeeee!" she squealed.
"I know," Lorelai laughed.
"But how in the world...?"
"I don't know, Sookie. He just... made a move, sort of out of nowhere after his sister's wedding. I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but apparently seeing Jason last night got him all riled up, and... anyway, he kissed me, I kissed him... we kissed... There may have been violins, I'm not sure."
"Wow," Sookie said in amazement. "It's about time!"
"Sookie!"
"It's just the truth, honey, don't 'Sookie!' me."
Lorelai just shook her head and all but guzzled her cooling coffee.
"So, how was he?" Sookie grinned while asking the inevitable question.
Lorelai sat her mug down and stared into space a few seconds. "He was amazing," she said finally, a faraway look in her eyes.
"You're gone, hon."
"Oh, you don't have to tell me. I've been a basketcase ever since he asked me out! Running into things... I crashed into a table at the diner the other day, for no good reason other than he walked up to me. Just like he's done a million times before, and hi! Suddenly I have no knees."
Sookie laughed.
"Then, I couldn't even talk to him half the time. He'd say something, and I'd go all Dory in Finding Nemo, and I could barely remember my own name, much less his, and... God, he must think I'm crazy."
"He knows you are, and he loves you anyway."
"Now, Sook..."
"He does, Lorelai. You already know that 'cause you love him, too. It's okay, sweetie, it's not like you just met."
"I know. It's just scary and weird and exciting... all at once. I can't screw this up, Sookie. What if I screw this up? I can't lose him, not him," she said, worry written all over her face.
"You're not going to," her friend reassured her, putting a hand over one of hers where it lay on the table. "We won't let you," she added with a wink. "Most importantly, Luke's not going to let you. You're gonna be fine."
"I am," Lorelai nodded. "For once in my life, I'm not going to mess it up."
"Good girl."
"Don't go planning any weddings, Sookie," Lorelai said with a playful warning tone and narrowed eyes.
"You know me too well," the redhead conceded.
Lorelai sighed, and got up to get another cup of coffee.
Sookie turned to look at her, afraid to ask, but she had said... "And after all that there's bad news?" she asked with a grimace.
"Afraid so," Lorelai said, sitting back down. "But I'm not sure how much I should say. It's about Rory," she paused, lifting a hand. "She's okay, or least she will be eventually."
Sookie looked perplexed.
"She and Dean went too far last night."
Sookie sucked in a breath. "Oooooh."
Lorelai stared into her coffee cup. "Yeah."
"I'm sorry, sweetie."
"Me, too."
"You gonna be okay?"
"We'll work it out. What choice do we have?"
Sookie nodded. "You know, if there's anything I can do..."
"I know, but I think it's all me and her," she sighed.
"I could kill Dean."
"Luke already offered."
"You told him?"
"Well, yeah. I only told the two of you, because I trust you implicitly and you care so much about Rory. He was waiting on the front porch last night when we got back, and I just fell apart. Poor guy. I'm always crying all over him."
"He wants to be there for you," Sookie reassured her.
"I know. He told me."
Sookie smiled, then sobered. "I'm sorry this happened all at once."
"I'm not." At Sookie's shocked look, she explained. "If it had to happen, at least I've got Luke, you know? I might actually keep what little sanity I have left with him around."
"Good luck with that," Sookie teased.
Lorelai slapped her on the arm lightly. "Better get ready for breakfast, partner."