Disclaimer: I don´t own anything Gilmore.

Spoilers: none, just my imagination running wild

A/N: This is the first fic I wrote. Ever. I blame it on the hiatus that I suddenly felt the urge to do this. In the end it turned out totally different than I intended when I began to write and I´m still not completely sure if it´s a good idea to let someone read it. But since I already started to write a second fic (frightening, isn´t it?), reviews of any kind-good or bad- are highly appreciated.

A/N 2: If you notice any heavy spelling or grammar mistakes - well, that´s because English isn´t my first language. Sorry for that, feel free to point the mistakes out to me.

Size matters

A cardboard box stood on the table in the living room, huge and waiting to be discovered. Lorelai had no choice but to notice it when she bounced down the stairs. At the last landing the bouncing stopped.

„Hey, Luke?"

„Yes?" came his answer from the kitchen where he cooked dinner for them.

„Didn´t you say last month that you were completely moved in here?"

„I did. And I am." A smile spread across Lukes face. Everything went according to plan.

She came into the kitchen. Standing close to him, one hand on his back and the other holding a cookie they had made together earlier (with Luke baking and Lorelai nibbling at the dough and decorating), she asked „But wouldn´t that mean that all your stuff moved in last month as well?"

„That´s exactly what it means. And you shouldn´t eat so many cookies, dinner is ready in 15 minutes."

„It´s not my fault that the cookies are so delicious. So, if all your stuff is here since last month, what is in that box?"

„Which box?" Luke asked, trying very hard not to grin.

„That big one in the living room?" She looked at him expectantly.

„Ah, the one in the living room." He began to stir the sauce, very slowly like he would have all the time in the world.

„Luke?" He could tell that she was slightly annoyed now. Time to reveal the secret.

„This box is actually for you. You know, a present."

„Really?" There was the bouncing again, as Lorelai went back to the other room.

When Luke arrived there a few seconds later, she had already opened the box and peered into it with huge eyes. He couldn´t help laughing because of her childlike curiosity and enthusiasm.

„There are so many little packets! What´s in them? Are they all for me? You do know that Christmas is not before next month, right?"

„Well, it´s kind of an Advent calendar. You can open one packet a day starting tomorrow."

She looked at him like he had just told her that he was Santa Clause. „You made me an Advent calendar?"

„Yeah. It´s no big deal, really. I just thought it would be a good idea, because you like Christmas so much and..." He was interrupted by her lips that covered his for a long, passionate thank-you kiss.

„I have really no idea how I deserve you. All the things you do for me all the time and now this..."

„Lorelai, we already had this discussion. There are so many things that you do for me. And you have been great today, thanks for visiting my father´s grave with me. You are my light on my dark day."

„I love to be there for you, you don´t have to buy me something because of that."

„ I know. But it makes me happy to make you happy. So just enjoy your present."

„Ok. Thank you." She looked deep into his eyes. „I love you", she said radiant with happiness and kissed him again.

„I love you too." He took both her hands into his and moved towards the kitchen. „And now let´s eat."

After dinner Lorelai examined her Advent calendar thouroughly. „There are no numbers on the packets."

„That way you can decide yourself which one you want to open each day."

„This surprise gets better and better." she said excitedly. „So that means, if I would like to open this packet first" -she pointed at the biggest one- „it would be ok?"

„Well, traditionally the biggest packet of an Advent calendar is meant for Christmas day. But if you want to come up with your own tradition, go on." Luke said nonchalantly, like it wouldn´t matter to him at all which one she´d choose to be the first.

Lorelai beamed with anticipation. She wanted to open her present as soon as possible and since Luke unyieldingly put her off until the next day, they decided to watch a movie and stay up till midnight. During the movie Lorelai´s attention switched between watching the happenings on the screen and throwing glances at the box, which now stood on the floor next to the couch.

As soon as the end credits appeared she asked „Couldn´t we pretend it´s already tomorrow? Waiting another hour and a half is killing me!"

„You will be fine, trust me. Enjoy the anticipation."

„You´re mean." Lorelai pouted.

„To make waiting a little easier for you, why don´t you put in one of those extremely mushy 80´s movies you adore."

„One with Rob Lowe?" she asked with hope shining in her blue eyes.

„Again?" Luke sighed. „Ok, but only if you don´t make any comments about his butt this time."

„Deal." Lorelai stood up to change the tapes. „You won´t regret this. Have you ever seen ´About last night´? No? Rob Lowe and Demi Moore meet at a baseball game, get together, she moves in with him. They have great sex, but have problems to cope with each others habits and expectations. Lots of 80´s cliches, music and clothes. Plus several Demi nude scenes. Compared to this our whole relationship and our first two months of living together seem even more marvelous."

She sat back beside him and snuggled up to him. After kissing her forehead he said „I don´t have to compare us with Rob and Demi, I already know we´re lucky." He put his arms around her and they started to watch the movie. About one hour later Luke noticed that Lorelai had fallen asleep. He didn´t pay much attention to the screen anymore and watched his peacefully sleeping girlfriend instead. That´s what he loved to do almost every morning, when he woke up before her.

At 12 am sharp he gently stroked her hair and whispered in her ear „Happy first of December." Lorelai grumbled a little about the interruption of her sleep, but after she realized what Luke had just said she was instantly wide-awake and moved to pick up her present.

Sitting on the couch with the packet on her lap, Lorelai took a deep breath, looked at Luke and said solemnly „I can´t believe it´s finally time to open this. I hope it´s worth all the waiting."

„You had to wait less than 4 hours." Luke laughed.

„It seemed like an eternity to me ." She began to remove the wrapping, while Luke watched her nervously. He hoped she would like the content. As Lorelai lifted up the lid of the box and looked into it, she paused. Eyeing Luke suspiciously she asked „You really like to torment me, don´t you?" Accusingly she held up the smaller box she found in the other one.

Luke chuckled. „You can´t make it too easy for your girl." Lorelai frowned and quickly unwrapped the next packet. The result was the same as the first time. „You must be kidding me! You will let me open countless boxes and in the end I´ll find a tiny candy cane or maybe nothing at all. I should stop now before I get really disappointed." But her curiosity was stronger and she proceeded with her task. Two packets later Lorelai gasped, her eyes incredulously fixed on the object in her hand. Another box, but it looked completely different than all the previous ones. It was small, coated with a dark blue velvety material and embroided with a golden pattern on the top. ´Without a doubt a jewelry box´ Lorelai thought. ´It´s too small for a necklace. Earrings maybe? Or maybe not? He wouldn´t...? Or would he? What if he would?´

Luke watched how Lorelai touched the golden embroidery with her index finger, she seemed to be deep lost in thoughts. She hadn´t even looked up from the box since she found it. ´Is this a good sign or a bad one?´ Luke wondered. He shifted nervously in his seat. This movement brought Lorelai back to reality and she finally glanced at Luke. He gave her a smile, which he hoped would look encouraging. With butterflies in her stomach Lorelai plucked up all her courage and opened the box. When she saw the ring, simple and elegant with a small diamond surrounded by an irregular decoration, tears formed in Lorelai´s eyes.

„Honey, are you okay?" She could tell by the tone of his voice and by the fact that he had called her ´Honey´ that he was concerned. She wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to regain her composure.

„Yeah, I´m fine. I´m so sorry for behaving like an idiot. You must think I´m totally crazy. It´s just that I´m absolutely overwhelmed, I didn´t expect the evening to turn out this way. But it´s a good overwhelmed. Really. I just didn´t expect..." He stopped her by briefly putting a finger over her mouth and then kissing her softly.

„I understand that you are overwhelmed. And probably scared as well, because I know that I am. But I also look forward to spend the rest of my life with you. I feel like a different person since we are together. You make me so happy and I don´t think this will ever change. I would have never thought that it would be easy to live with someone, but since I moved in here I love you even more. I know we can drive each other crazy sometimes, but I wouldn´t want it any other way. Lorelai, will you marry me?"

Her tears had started to roll down her cheeks again at the moment Luke talked about spending the rest of his life with her. When he asked his important question she had an answer for him immediatly, the problem was to put it into words despite the lump in her troat. While Lorelai struggled for words, Luke waited with bated breath for her decision. After what seemed like forever Lorelai managed to nod her head and to breathe a weak „Yes."

That was all it needed to take a weight off Luke´s mind. He embraced her tight until she calmed down and he dried her tears. She smiled at him and could see that he was just as happy as she was. Luke took the ring out of the box, put it on her finger and then placed a gentle kiss on top of it. He held her hand in his and Lorelai looked at the ring and at their hands and at the mess she had created by unwrapping all the boxes. Suddenly she laughed out loud and said „You know, most people just put some chocolate or candy in an Advent calendar."

„It was a tie between that and the ring. But then I remembered all the unhealthy stuff you eat anyway and I didn´t want to add more sugar and fat to the mix."

„I had never thought I´d say that one day, but thanks for not giving me chocolate." She kissed him before she asked „Imagine I would have decided to open that particular packet later - wouldn´t you have gone crazy wondering every day when I´ll finally choose it?"

„I wanted you to open it today, I didn´t want to wait one day longer. And I knew I just had to make the packet really big to attract your attention."

Lorelai raised her eyebrows and a broad smile spread over her face. He knew exactly what she would say next, and she was aware that he knew it. The simple fact that they were so acquainted with each other made them share a moment of complete happiness. Eventually he could feel Lorelai´s breath tickling his ear as she whispered „Dirty!"

THE END