AN: Hello! I might be putting the chapters up a bit more slowly now just
because I'm really busy, but please keep reading! I hope you enjoy this
chapter, I'm thickening the plot a bit. Enjoy!!
!!!!
The sun was glowering down upon the baseball field of Star's Hollows. It was Lorelai's second game and already she was considering quitting due to the heat. She had peeled off her flannel and was standing impatiently in outfield wearing shorts, a tank top and his green baseball cap as Luke pitched yet another unsuccessful ball. In the bleachers, she could see Rory, pop tart in hand. She waved at her daughter and Rory returned her greeting. Lorelai lifted her hand over her eyes and watched Luke pitch another ball, smiling foolishly to herself. He had taken off his flannel too, and now was sporting a tight grey t-shirt. She caught sight of his muscular arms as he threw a fastball and giggled lightly as she noticed the mutual expression on Miss Patty's face on the sidelines.
"Finally!" Lorelai exclaimed as a town youngster jogged towards first base. It was the most interesting thing that had happened in the last fifteen minutes. The kid dodged for second and Andrew, searched hopelessly for the ball around him.
"By your foot!" Lorelai hollered. She rolled her eyes at Andrew's stupidity. This was worse then sitting through one of Emily Gilmore's lectures. As the kid who had hit the ball made a stop on second base, smiling proudly, Luke called a time- out, and the team gathered around him. Lorelai jogged over from her position.
"Hey Luke, ever consider getting a mascot or something to lighten the mood here? I think that Sookie and Jackson just left this to go and stare down a well."
He glared in frustration at Lorelai, but addressed his next comment to the rest of the team.
"All we need is strategy."
"Or a diversion! Who here can strip dance?" Lorelai interjected.
Kirk, who had switched teams, yet again, raised his hand, smiling ruefully. Lorelai turned to him, but Luke spoke before she had a chance to question him.
"Your negative attitude isn't going to help us win."
Lorelai stared at him, "My negative attitude? Last time I checked Luke, you weren't exactly the court jester yourself."
"I'm trying my best as a member of the team, not just standing in outfield wishing I was home painting my nails."
Lorelai gasped, "Who told you that?"
"It's obvious that you have other places you'd rather be, no one needs to tell me that, so if you don't want to play then leave."
She was shocked and hurt. She had never expected Luke to take her whining so seriously.
"Fine!" she replied, matching his tone, "I'll leave."
"Don't forget the after game party at my house!" Oliver, the postman, yelled after her as she threw down her glove and started to march angrily away. Luke muttered "Good riddance," under his breath. However, once he saw her stomping off to the sidelines, a frown evident on her face, even from a distance, he instantly regretted his short temper.
Lorelai edged over to Rory on the bleachers.
"What was that all about?" Rory asked, concerned.
"Luke yelled at me. So, I left." She took a seat beside Rory and put her head in her hands.
"He yelled at you?"
"Yup. Yelled. Starts with y, rhymes with felled."
"Whoah. Someone's grumpy."
"No. I'm just p-oed. I mean- who does he think he is? This is a free country. If I want to complain about our fabulous winning streak, then I will. He can't just tell me to leave."
"Mom, he's the team captain."
"So, if he's a captain, then he should be nice. Captains are leaders and leaders are supposed to be kind and caring and approachable."
"You're in your whiny mode again."
"So what? Let me whine! I never get to whine and I feel like whining."
"Ok, but I don't think that this situation really calls for whining, I mean it's not like he kicked you out of the big leagues or anything, this is a small town baseball game. The worst that can happen at one of these is that a UFO lands right in the middle of the field and abducts all of the players."
"I wouldn't hate that so much right now." She replied, smiling devilishly.
"Trust me mom, after this game, we'll go over to Luke's, you'll beg coffee from him and this will all be forgotten as you banter back and fourth like your getting paid for it. You guys always fight. That's what friends do."
Lorelai sighed and stared out at him sharing a high five with Andrew who had finally caught a ball. When since was her kid able to judge her and Luke's relationship so well? She sighed and turned to Rory with a smile.
"I guess you're right hun."
!!!!!
She felt like making amends, and as she entered Oliver's house, she realized that right now would be the perfect time to do so. This was stupid, crazy stupid. When Lorelai had gone to Luke's for coffee, a little while after the game, he had just fumed at her and said that it was too hot of day and that he wasn't making it. No banter, no sarcasm, not even one comment about how she was going to die at a very young age. She didn't understand how something so little had caused Luke to act so distant towards her.
She snaked past Miss Patty and Taylor Doose, who fit the scene like a cat in a dog kennel. She was greeted instantly by the man who was hosting the party himself.
"Hi!" Oliver said. "You missed it, we tied the game, but at one one!!!"
Lorelai smiled charmingly in response. "Oh no, I was there, I just wasn't as thrilled as I would've been."
"Oh yeah. Luke was pretty mean to you, hunh? Well, he's upstairs watching the t.v. if you want to talk to him."
She laughed nervously. "Why is he upstairs if the party's down here?"
"We dragged him here, against our better judgment, but I told him that he could go and watch baseball upstairs to avoid the crowds and loud music."
"Ah. Well, that's Luke."
"Yup." He turned around to greet some more people who had just entered, and Lorelai made her way up his wooden stairs and down a floral wallpapered hall to a door that had a crack of light peeking out from it. As she approached the door, she heard the drone of cheering fans. She knocked tentatively.
"Come in." responded Luke's voice. She opened the door and saw him perched on a quilted bed, beer bottle in hand, an empty and a full one beside him, peering at the screen of the t.v.
"Hi Luke," she greeted quietly.
"Oh. Hi," he said abruptly, turning to her, and then quickly flicking the t.v. off. He scooted over on the bed, so that she would have room to sit, and she obliged to his indistinct offer. The last thing he had expected was for her to show up.
"What are you- what are you doing here?"
"Partying. You know, because that's generally what you do at parties."
"Oh right." He replied forlornly, "Well, I was just up her watching baseball-"
"Because that's what YOU do at parties."
"Ever since my first one in grade 9."
Silence descended, they both went to break it, "Listen-"They said at the same time, and then laughed clumsily.
"Go ahead." Luke offered.
"Uh- well, I was really babyish today, I mean, I never realized how important winning this was to you, and if I did well, I would've taken the games more seriously."
"It's not about winning." Luke murmured.
"Um- baseball's not about winning? Well, my reason for tuning in has always been the guys in tight pants, but I really think that the town committee would frown on you doing so for the same reason."
Luke chuckled, but then began to talk, in a sentimental tone, one that Lorelai hardly ever heard him use. His voice was distant, exploring old memories, but it betrayed emotion that glimmered in him at the strangest of times.
"My dad- he was the one who taught me how to play. Every day when I came home from school, he'd be out in the front yard, bat in hand, baseball cap on, a smile on his face, waiting for me to take off my backpack and pitch. It was one of those things we did together, you know? He was on the town league too. God that man loved to win. I used to cheer for him on the sidelines. He was never very good, but I couldn't help feeling proud of him as he sent that ball flying. I always wanted to be just like him. Now, whenever I play, I think of him, and I can't help but thinking whenever I send a ball flying, that that one was for dad."
Lorelai was moved almost to tears. Luke was staring at the quilt work, blushing furiously. She wanted so much to make him know that she understood. She reached for his hand, took it in hers and squeezed it. He looked up at her.
"Pretty stupid, hunh?"
"No. Not stupid at all."
He glanced down at her hand and then returned the squeeze and they laughed together. It was one of those moments where Lorelai felt the heavy weight lift from her heart, and finally knew the reason why everything seemed a lot clearer. But, the moment was interrupted by a loud shout from downstairs. Lorelai, embarrassed, unlatched her hand from Luke's.
"What were you going to say?" He asked her.
"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to ask if we were still on for Tuesday."
He smiled brightly at her. "Yep. Your session's not over yet. And we still haven't discussed that payment plan."
Lorelai laughed.
"Hey. Pass me a beer. Let's watch some little men in tight pants running around after germ sized balls!"
"Ok." He switched the t.v. back on and passed her the unopened beer that he had at his feet. She made herself comfortable on the bed beside him, and watched him watching the game. Neither spoke, they just sat and watched, although if asked later, neither would know what the score had been.
!!!!!
AN: Hi! I wanted to add a sentimental note to this after all of the humor. I hope you liked it! Please review!
!!!!
The sun was glowering down upon the baseball field of Star's Hollows. It was Lorelai's second game and already she was considering quitting due to the heat. She had peeled off her flannel and was standing impatiently in outfield wearing shorts, a tank top and his green baseball cap as Luke pitched yet another unsuccessful ball. In the bleachers, she could see Rory, pop tart in hand. She waved at her daughter and Rory returned her greeting. Lorelai lifted her hand over her eyes and watched Luke pitch another ball, smiling foolishly to herself. He had taken off his flannel too, and now was sporting a tight grey t-shirt. She caught sight of his muscular arms as he threw a fastball and giggled lightly as she noticed the mutual expression on Miss Patty's face on the sidelines.
"Finally!" Lorelai exclaimed as a town youngster jogged towards first base. It was the most interesting thing that had happened in the last fifteen minutes. The kid dodged for second and Andrew, searched hopelessly for the ball around him.
"By your foot!" Lorelai hollered. She rolled her eyes at Andrew's stupidity. This was worse then sitting through one of Emily Gilmore's lectures. As the kid who had hit the ball made a stop on second base, smiling proudly, Luke called a time- out, and the team gathered around him. Lorelai jogged over from her position.
"Hey Luke, ever consider getting a mascot or something to lighten the mood here? I think that Sookie and Jackson just left this to go and stare down a well."
He glared in frustration at Lorelai, but addressed his next comment to the rest of the team.
"All we need is strategy."
"Or a diversion! Who here can strip dance?" Lorelai interjected.
Kirk, who had switched teams, yet again, raised his hand, smiling ruefully. Lorelai turned to him, but Luke spoke before she had a chance to question him.
"Your negative attitude isn't going to help us win."
Lorelai stared at him, "My negative attitude? Last time I checked Luke, you weren't exactly the court jester yourself."
"I'm trying my best as a member of the team, not just standing in outfield wishing I was home painting my nails."
Lorelai gasped, "Who told you that?"
"It's obvious that you have other places you'd rather be, no one needs to tell me that, so if you don't want to play then leave."
She was shocked and hurt. She had never expected Luke to take her whining so seriously.
"Fine!" she replied, matching his tone, "I'll leave."
"Don't forget the after game party at my house!" Oliver, the postman, yelled after her as she threw down her glove and started to march angrily away. Luke muttered "Good riddance," under his breath. However, once he saw her stomping off to the sidelines, a frown evident on her face, even from a distance, he instantly regretted his short temper.
Lorelai edged over to Rory on the bleachers.
"What was that all about?" Rory asked, concerned.
"Luke yelled at me. So, I left." She took a seat beside Rory and put her head in her hands.
"He yelled at you?"
"Yup. Yelled. Starts with y, rhymes with felled."
"Whoah. Someone's grumpy."
"No. I'm just p-oed. I mean- who does he think he is? This is a free country. If I want to complain about our fabulous winning streak, then I will. He can't just tell me to leave."
"Mom, he's the team captain."
"So, if he's a captain, then he should be nice. Captains are leaders and leaders are supposed to be kind and caring and approachable."
"You're in your whiny mode again."
"So what? Let me whine! I never get to whine and I feel like whining."
"Ok, but I don't think that this situation really calls for whining, I mean it's not like he kicked you out of the big leagues or anything, this is a small town baseball game. The worst that can happen at one of these is that a UFO lands right in the middle of the field and abducts all of the players."
"I wouldn't hate that so much right now." She replied, smiling devilishly.
"Trust me mom, after this game, we'll go over to Luke's, you'll beg coffee from him and this will all be forgotten as you banter back and fourth like your getting paid for it. You guys always fight. That's what friends do."
Lorelai sighed and stared out at him sharing a high five with Andrew who had finally caught a ball. When since was her kid able to judge her and Luke's relationship so well? She sighed and turned to Rory with a smile.
"I guess you're right hun."
!!!!!
She felt like making amends, and as she entered Oliver's house, she realized that right now would be the perfect time to do so. This was stupid, crazy stupid. When Lorelai had gone to Luke's for coffee, a little while after the game, he had just fumed at her and said that it was too hot of day and that he wasn't making it. No banter, no sarcasm, not even one comment about how she was going to die at a very young age. She didn't understand how something so little had caused Luke to act so distant towards her.
She snaked past Miss Patty and Taylor Doose, who fit the scene like a cat in a dog kennel. She was greeted instantly by the man who was hosting the party himself.
"Hi!" Oliver said. "You missed it, we tied the game, but at one one!!!"
Lorelai smiled charmingly in response. "Oh no, I was there, I just wasn't as thrilled as I would've been."
"Oh yeah. Luke was pretty mean to you, hunh? Well, he's upstairs watching the t.v. if you want to talk to him."
She laughed nervously. "Why is he upstairs if the party's down here?"
"We dragged him here, against our better judgment, but I told him that he could go and watch baseball upstairs to avoid the crowds and loud music."
"Ah. Well, that's Luke."
"Yup." He turned around to greet some more people who had just entered, and Lorelai made her way up his wooden stairs and down a floral wallpapered hall to a door that had a crack of light peeking out from it. As she approached the door, she heard the drone of cheering fans. She knocked tentatively.
"Come in." responded Luke's voice. She opened the door and saw him perched on a quilted bed, beer bottle in hand, an empty and a full one beside him, peering at the screen of the t.v.
"Hi Luke," she greeted quietly.
"Oh. Hi," he said abruptly, turning to her, and then quickly flicking the t.v. off. He scooted over on the bed, so that she would have room to sit, and she obliged to his indistinct offer. The last thing he had expected was for her to show up.
"What are you- what are you doing here?"
"Partying. You know, because that's generally what you do at parties."
"Oh right." He replied forlornly, "Well, I was just up her watching baseball-"
"Because that's what YOU do at parties."
"Ever since my first one in grade 9."
Silence descended, they both went to break it, "Listen-"They said at the same time, and then laughed clumsily.
"Go ahead." Luke offered.
"Uh- well, I was really babyish today, I mean, I never realized how important winning this was to you, and if I did well, I would've taken the games more seriously."
"It's not about winning." Luke murmured.
"Um- baseball's not about winning? Well, my reason for tuning in has always been the guys in tight pants, but I really think that the town committee would frown on you doing so for the same reason."
Luke chuckled, but then began to talk, in a sentimental tone, one that Lorelai hardly ever heard him use. His voice was distant, exploring old memories, but it betrayed emotion that glimmered in him at the strangest of times.
"My dad- he was the one who taught me how to play. Every day when I came home from school, he'd be out in the front yard, bat in hand, baseball cap on, a smile on his face, waiting for me to take off my backpack and pitch. It was one of those things we did together, you know? He was on the town league too. God that man loved to win. I used to cheer for him on the sidelines. He was never very good, but I couldn't help feeling proud of him as he sent that ball flying. I always wanted to be just like him. Now, whenever I play, I think of him, and I can't help but thinking whenever I send a ball flying, that that one was for dad."
Lorelai was moved almost to tears. Luke was staring at the quilt work, blushing furiously. She wanted so much to make him know that she understood. She reached for his hand, took it in hers and squeezed it. He looked up at her.
"Pretty stupid, hunh?"
"No. Not stupid at all."
He glanced down at her hand and then returned the squeeze and they laughed together. It was one of those moments where Lorelai felt the heavy weight lift from her heart, and finally knew the reason why everything seemed a lot clearer. But, the moment was interrupted by a loud shout from downstairs. Lorelai, embarrassed, unlatched her hand from Luke's.
"What were you going to say?" He asked her.
"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to ask if we were still on for Tuesday."
He smiled brightly at her. "Yep. Your session's not over yet. And we still haven't discussed that payment plan."
Lorelai laughed.
"Hey. Pass me a beer. Let's watch some little men in tight pants running around after germ sized balls!"
"Ok." He switched the t.v. back on and passed her the unopened beer that he had at his feet. She made herself comfortable on the bed beside him, and watched him watching the game. Neither spoke, they just sat and watched, although if asked later, neither would know what the score had been.
!!!!!
AN: Hi! I wanted to add a sentimental note to this after all of the humor. I hope you liked it! Please review!