AN: Thank you for all the encouragement on this first GG fanfic venture of mine. All of the aforementioned disclaimers remain true.
"Rules of Engagement" - Act Three
LOBBY OF THE DRAGONFLY INN
EMILY walks in and finds Michel at the front desk.
EMILY: Where is Lorelai? I need to see her.
MICHEL: She told me she is not to be disturbed. She is asleep.
EMILY: Asleep? It is nearly two in the afternoon! Isn't she supposed to be running this place?
Rory walks in from the sitting area and sees Emily.
RORY: Oh, hi Grandma. Mom said that you and Grandpa left...
EMILY: We did. I actually came back here to see your mother.
RORY: Well, she is out cold. She actually didn't get any sleep last night.
Luke walks down the stairs, dressed in his usual flannel, yawning.
EMILY: Oh really? Just why was she up all night? [looks directly at Luke] Good afternoon, Luke. Or should I say Good Morning?
LUKE: [surprised at seeing Emily] Oh, uh, hello, Mrs. Gilmore.
EMILY: Please don't call me that. Call me Emily. I didn't know you were one of the guests here, but I should have known. Did you have a good night's sleep?
LUKE: [rubbing his eyes] Not exactly. I just woke up.
EMILY: I see...
LUKE: It was a long night. [he yawns again] Excuse me.
EMILY: [crossing her arms] My, my, how interesting. Would you care to elaborate?
RORY: Grandma...
LUKE: [realizing the implication of her words] Mrs – Emily, I think you've got the wrong idea...
RORY: Grandma, most of the kitchen staff quit last night, so Luke helped us with breakfast and some other problems late last night, even though he has to get back to work himself right now. Sorry I had to wake you up, Luke.
LUKE: That's okay, Rory. [turns to Emily] Lane left a message with Rory and apparently the diner's short-staffed this afternoon, so I've got to go. Nice to see you...Emily. See you later, Rory.
RORY: Luke, thanks for everything! Tell Lane I'll call her later.
LUKE: Sure thing.
Luke leaves in a hurry. Rory pulls her grandmother aside to the sitting area adjacent to the lobby.
RORY: Grandma, you know that Luke has always been so incredibly generous to me and to Mom. I can't believe that you'd insinuate...
EMILY: Which room is your mother in?
RORY: I'm not going to let you wake her up. She's lost enough sleep as it is.
EMILY: Just how many men is Lorelai seeing these days?
RORY: Grandma! She broke up with Jason.
EMILY: So what was he doing here last night?
RORY: I don't know. But I know for a fact that they're not together anymore.
EMILY: So...she's gone straight from Jason to...to Luke?
RORY: You make it sound like she's on the rebound. She's not. Mom broke up with Jason because of the lawsuit and now she's dating Luke, because there's always been this...I don't know how to explain it, but I think it's great.
EMILY: Wait, she broke with Jason because of Floyd's lawsuit?
RORY: No. It was because of Jason's lawsuit against Grandpa. She asked him to drop the lawsuit for her, and he wouldn't do it. So she broke up with him.
EMILY: So Jason didn't have a room here last night.
RORY: No.
EMILY: Oh.
RORY: And Luke had his own room. Come on, Grandma, get your mind out of the gutter!
EMILY: I'm sorry. I'm just confused. Honestly, I don't know how you can keep up with the romantic entanglements of your mother, but...well, it was just entirely cruel of your mother to set your grandfather and me up like that last night. What was she thinking?
RORY: Mom was hoping you two would work things out. She didn't know what else to do. Maybe it wasn't exactly the right thing to do but...she was just trying to help. You guys weren't talking to us about what was going on...
EMILY: It is between your grandfather and me.
RORY: But it affects us too. She's just worried about you guys and so am I.
EMILY: So...Lorelai broke up with Jason for your father...
RORY: Well, I like to think of it more as Mom coming to her senses, but yeah, pretty much. If you don't want to talk about Grandpa with me, I understand. But you know, I'm not a kid anymore, and I'm a pretty good listener.
EMILY: [smiles] I know you're not a kid anymore [sighs] ...but I can't help but wish I... [a silent pause]
RORY: It's okay, Grandma. You're here now, and I'm so glad. [she hugs her, and tears come to both of their eyes]
EMILY: [pulling away] Rory, have you put any further thought into going to Europe with me? I was being serious.
RORY: I, well...
EMILY: You don't have to decide right now. I know that you're still trying to plan out what you'd like to do for the summer.
RORY: Actually, I have been thinking about it, and Europe sounds like the best plan. There's so much I didn't get to see last year, and well, it would be nice to see Europe with you, spend some quality time with you...
Emily embraces Rory immediately, and Rory is surprised by this spontaneous display of emotion.
EMILY: [still holding Rory] Oh, Rory, that is wonderful. This is the best news I've had in some time. Oh, you'll see, we'll have so much fun together. And we'll see my sister Hopie, in Paris...I cannot wait!
RORY: [muffled] Grandma, I can't breathe.
EMILY: [letting her go] Oh, sorry, dear.
CUT TO LUKE'S DINER.
The diner is filled with tourists, and there is a line of people waiting for tables. Luke is amazed at the crowd as he walks through the front door.
LUKE: Excuse me...
A TOURIST: Hey, the end of the line is over there.
LUKE: I'm Luke. I own this place.
Lane comes up to him, looking tired but happy.
LANE: Isn't this great?
LUKE: Great?
LANE: I don't think I've ever seen a crowd this big. It's good for business, isn't it?
LUKE: I guess so. Do you know what's going on?
LANE: I'm not sure. But Cesar's going to have a fit if you don't let him have a break soon.
LUKE: Tell him I'll be right there. I just need to make a phone call first.
CUT TO LUKE'S APARTMENT
Luke enters and sits down on his couch, grabs his telephone and dials a number that rings a few times before going to voicemail.
LORELAI'S VOICE: You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me during the test run? Eh, talk to the beep. [beep]
LUKE: Hi Lorelai. It's Luke. I know you're probably still asleep, and I know you had a rough night last night and...I understand if you don't want to...but I was just wondering if we were still on for the movie tonight. I'm working until seven, so we could just meet here at the diner then if you're up to it. Just...call me and let me know either way. Bye.
Luke hangs up the phone.
LUKE: I hate leaving messages.
He is about to leave the apartment when the phone rings. He quickly returns to the phone to pick it up.
LUKE: Hello?
LORELAI: [on the phone in a tired voice] Luke? You called me?
LUKE: Did I wake you? I'm sorry.
In her room at the Dragonfly, Lorelai is sitting on the floor next to her purse, which she dumped out in order to find her cell phone, still dressed in pajamas. The camera goes back and forth between Luke's apartment and the Dragonfly.
LORELAI: [sniffling] No, it's okay, I've been up. But what are you doing there? You should still be asleep. You promised me.
LUKE: Lorelai...
LORELAI: I specifically told Michel not to wake you.
LUKE: Rory woke me because Lane called her. But it's not a big deal. There's a huge crowd here at the diner and I had to come help out. In fact, I really should go downstairs right now and relieve Cesar.
LORELAI: But this is so unfair. Is there anything I can do to help? Please?
LUKE: Well...you can't cook...and after that spill Friday, I can't trust you to wait tables...
LORELAI: [covering her eyes in shame] Ugh, you remember that?
LUKE: You should probably just get more sleep. You were telling me all last week how you couldn't think of anything except the test run. Take a break for once.
LORELAI: Yeah, right. I was supposed to be downstairs an hour ago. And when are you going to take a break?
LUKE: Actually, I was hoping to take a break around seven. Are you...are we still on for a movie tonight?
LORELAI: Huh? [suddenly remembers, stammering] Oh, yes, of course. Sunday night. Uh, yeah, of course we are. Yes.
LUKE: [laughs] You sure? You don't have to stay at the Inn?
LORELAI: I said yes.
LUKE: Okay. Good.
LORELAI: Are you sure you'll still be awake by then?
LUKE: Sure I will. Plus...it'll give me something to look forward to in the next few hours.
LORELAI: [smiling] So I'll meet you there around seven?
LUKE: Is that okay? Or I could go over there.
LORELAI: Luke, I will meet you there at seven.
LUKE: And you can pick the movie.
LORELAI: I was counting on that! [there's a knock on the door] Oh, I have to go.
LUKE: So do I.
LORELAI: Too bad...our conversation was just starting to get really interesting. Well, goodbye.
LUKE: Goodbye, Lorelai.
LORELAI: Okay, bye Luke.
LUKE: Bye...hey, aren't you going to hang up?
LORELAI: No, you first.
LUKE: Fine. Bye. [but he doesn't hang up as he listens for her to hang up]
LORELAI: Liar! [there is another knock on the door]
EMILY: [behind the door] Lorelai, are you awake?
LUKE: Do we have time for this? Why can't you just...oh, all right, on a count of three?
LORELAI: Promise?
LUKE: Yeah. Ready? 1...2...3.
A quick split screen as Lorelai beeps her phone at the same time that Luke puts down his phone. She steps over the contents of her purse and opens the door. Lorelai's face is a mixture of confusion and surprise as the scene ends.