Paved Paradise
Lorelai didn't get home until early the next morning. Christopher offered to go in with her but Lorelai refused when she saw Luke's truck in her driveway.
Lorelai kicked off her shoes, dropped her hand bag, and inhaled the wonderful aroma of Luke's coffee.
"Luke," Lorelai called out, "Luke, I'm here."
Luke, dressed in only his jeans, stepped out of the bathroom and went to Lorelai, taking her in his arms, "Where were you? It's almost six."
"I know," Lorelai said against his shoulder, "I had some calls to make and we needed to wait for the bodies to be released."
Luke tightened his hold on Lorelai, "How you holding up, Honey?"
Lorelai pulled away, "Wow! You never called me honey before."
"Sure I did," said Luke, "not a lot, but I did at least once."
Lorelai shook her head, "Nope, you never called me Honey or Sweetie or anything but Lor or Lorelai," she continued, "Geez, if this is what it takes to get you to be sensitive."
"Lorelai, come sit down and I'll get you some coffee," Luke told her, trying to check his temper and understand Lorelai's vulnerability.
"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm just really screwed up right now and Christopher is coming back at noon to take me to the funeral place."
"It's all right," Luke replied, "I could take you to the funeral place. Chris must have to get back to Sherri."
"They split," Lorelai told him as she accepted the travel mug of coffee, "She finally drove him crazy with her nagging," Lorelai took a long sip. Luke remained silent.
"Where's Rory and Jess?" Lorelai asked after a few minutes.
"Rory's asleep in her room and Jess is…"
"Right here," Jess grumbled wiping the sleep out of his eyes, "I'm up this early so I can open the diner for Luke," Jess replied to the unasked question.
"That's all right, Jess," Luke told him, "You stay with Rory, I got it."
Jess shook his head, "I talked to Rory about it. She's going to help out with the lunch rush, by then you and Lorelai should be finished with what you have to do, then Rory and I can…"
"Jess," Luke interrupted, "Lorelai is going with Christopher to do the planning."
Jess raised an eyebrow at Luke, "Okay," he said, "but…"
The phone rang on the table and Jess made leap for it, "Gilmore residence."
"Hello, Luke? It's Sookie…"
"Um, hi, Sookie. It's not Luke, its Jess," Jess said into the phone.
"Not funny, Luke," Sookie scolded, "I can't believe you'd be making up something like that at a time like this."
"Okay, I see we are still not the Queen of Normal here," Jess mumbled, then, Luke, "Luke! Sookie."
Luke took the phone from Jess, "Hey, Sookie. What's up?"
"That really was Jess," Sookie said surprised.
"Yes," Luke replied, "that really was Jess. He came in last night. What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to talk to Lorelai, see how she was doing. I heard about her parents," Sookie told him. Luke could be so protective at times.
"I'll see if she's up to it. Hold on," Luke said putting the phone down and going to kneel in front of Lorelai, "Lor, its Sookie, Baby, you want to talk to her?"
Lorelai stood up and Luke rose with her, "Not right now, Luke," she spat out quickly before jetting upstairs.
"Um, Sookie," Luke said picking up the receiver, "She's not up to it right now. I'll tel her to call you later, okay? Bye."
Luke hung up the phone and tried to follow Lorelai upstairs when the phone rang again, "Yeah," Luke barked into the phone.
"Luke, its Dean," the voice on the other end of the phone said.
"Dean, she's sleeping," Luke said flatly, not wanting to have to settle a Dean/Jess wrestle mania on top of everything else, "I'll tell her you called," Luke hung up and started up after Lorelai again, unplugging the phone as he went.
Meanwhile, Jess had gone to wake Rory before going to the diner. He pulled the curtains open and raised the shade.
"Rise and shine, Ror…" he gently greeted, "It's six-thirty."
"That better be pm," she grumbled.
"Nope, am. I got up early to help Luke at the diner. I wanted to see if you needed me here though," Jess explained. This felt awkward.
"If I say yes…"
"If you say yes, screw the diner, Luke can close for the day," Jess told her with firm gentleness.
"And if I say no…"
"If you say no, I'll do the breakfast rush; you help out with lunch like we talked about last night. Then when Luke gets there I make us a couple of Jess burgers," he said.
Rory thought a moment, "In that case, go to Luke's, help out. I want more sleep. I'll meet you at the bridge at one, okay? Then we can talk, we have to talk," she said snuggling down into the covers again.
Jess lowered the shade and quietly moved to leave the room, "Jess."
Rory's voice stopped him in his tracks, "Yeah," he replied.
"Thanks for letting me count of you," Rory murmured dozing off again.
"Now and forever," Jess whispered, "I promise."
Luke followed Lorelai up to the big bathroom and gently wrapped on the door, "Lorelai. Lorelai, come on out and talk to me. It's only me. Just Luke."
"Go away, please," Lorelai told him, her voice very even, eerily calm.
"Lorelai, come on. Open the door. You've been through a lot, let's talk," Luke tried again.
There was silence on the other side of the door at first, the lock unlatched and the knob turned. Luke opened his arms to receive Lorelai but instead she pushed him hard, out of the way.
"Lorelai…" Luke said, shocked.
"Luke, get out of here. I need you to leave here," she told him.
"No," he replied, "Lor, I know this is hard and it's a shock, and I know you're trying to be strong and keep it together for Rory, but it's me."
"Luke, I all ready asked you once. Please leave. Go home. Go to the diner, just leave me alone," Lorelai ordered. "This is why I didn't call you! Why I didn't call you when it happened! You smother m, Big strong Luke to the rescue, the big hero, well I don't need to be rescued and I don't want a hero. I want to be left alone! Please!"
"Lorelai, I can't leave you alone. You shouldn't do this all alone…"
"I won't be alone, Luke. That's why I called Christopher so he could be here with me. Luke, I really need for you to go," Lorelai said evenly. She knew if she got angry at him lashed out, hurt him, he'd leave; go off to lick his wounds. Then she could function, then she could hold on.
"Lor…"
She cut him off and covered her face with her hands, "Please, Luke. Go home. I don't need you here. I don't…I don't want you her right now. Please go."
Finally, Luke gave up and went down the stairs and out the door. His knees buckled as he sat down on the porch, head in his hands.
Jess heard the door slam and called out, "Luke!" When no one answered him, Jess headed for the porch where he found Luke sad and defeated.
"Luke," Jess said, "um, what's…why aren't you upstairs with Lorelai. I said I'd help Caesar out today."
Luke shook his head, "She doesn't want me there, Jess. She told me to go. She says I smother her. Of course I do, I love her. I'm going to marry her."
Jess listened to Luke's words. He knew how attentive Luke was to Lorelai, he also recalled how stubborn and independent Lorelai could be, "Luke that woman is stubborn and strong and tough," Luke didn't let him finish, he shook his head.
"That's a public face, Jess. Lorelai's able to…she can let go with me."
"Exactly," Jess replied, "you let her lose her control. She can't do that right now."
"But she should. She lost her parents, God, that hurts, and I know it hurts," Luke said with more emotion than Jess had ever seen from him, "But her not wanting me there hurts even worse."
"Well," Jess sighed, "You have two choices. Go back to the diner with me, lick your wounds, like she expects and wait until she comes to you. Or, you go back in there, tell her you get it, you understand and that when she needs you, you'll be there."
Luke smiled at Jess and gave him a quick hug, "When did you get so smart?" Luke asked.
"I read," Jess replied, "Go on. Tell Rory I'll see her at one."
Luke nodded and went back up the porch into the house.
"I thought I told you to leave," Lorelai said sipping a fresh cup of coffee on the sofa.
"Yeah, I heard you, but I couldn't…Lorelai, put the mug down and listen to me, then I'll go," Luke told her, "I know what you're doing."
"Luke," she groaned but he continued, "Lorelai, you are so strong, you are always so in control and together, with your best foot forward, and I admire that. But I also admire how you know you can let your guard down with me and you can now, Lor. I've been there, it hurts, it really, really hurts. I get that feeling," Luke paused, he was not used to heart to hearts, but with Lorelai it was right, "And I get that you feel you can't lose control now, that you're the reigning the Gilmore and I get you trust me enough to lose control. So, I won't push, but when you're ready I'll be here," he told her rising from the coffee table where he'd been sitting, "Resume coffee drinking."
Luke turned and headed in the directions of the kitchen, "Luke," Lorelai called out to him. He paused and turned to face her, "I love you for getting me," Luke smiled and his eyes softened, "I love you for being you," he replied before going out to the kitchen.