What ARE Friends For?
Okay, this is my first attempt at Gilmore Girls fiction, and only my third fanfic ever. So, now that the excuses are out of the way, I just want to explain about the timeline and situation of this story. The first chapter is obviously after "In the Clamor and the Clangor," but in the story a phone call from "A Family Matter" has already taken place. Also, I want to establish that Lorelai and Digger have been dating longer than they were at this point in the actual show. It is more effective for later chapters. So, that's all I've got. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own the show, wish I owned Luke, blah, blah, blah.
Chapter 1: Confusion and Complimentary Muffins
Marjorie happily walked over to Lorelai's table to refill her coffee for the third time that afternoon and offer her the first taste of a new double chocolate muffin that she was considering adding to the bakery's selection. Because it was still a prototype, the sample would be free of charge. Lorelai enthusiastically replied in the affirmative and watched Marjorie move back to the counter.
"That bitch," Lorelai thought.
Of course, Lorelai immediately felt horrible for thinking such a thing and quickly reminded herself to leave a generous tip for Marjorie to make amends for her internal slight.
The truth was that Lorelai could never truly enjoy her trips to Weston's ever since she had begun going there about a week ago to feed her infamous caffeine addiction. She was always uncomfortable in the bakery. Whenever she ordered her coffee, Marjorie would gladly oblige. As she poured, Marjorie would sweetly ask about the progress of the Dragonfly or Rory's progress at Yale or sometimes just comment on the weather. Marjorie would notice Lorelai's practically lustful glaze at the contents of the display case and recommend the sweet she believed Lorelai would enjoy the most. At last, after their transaction was completed, Marjorie would leave Lorelai to enjoy her coffee and pastry in relative silence.
Lorelai had to wonder what the hell kind of establishment was this place? The server was polite, talkative, and encouraging of her gluttony. She filled her order without argument or negotiation to change its contents. And once Lorelai was served she went back to her other customers.
No, everything was completely wrong. This was nothing like…
It was at this point in her thinking that Lorelai remembered why she began coming to Weston's one week ago. That was the day that the town was stunned by the silence which occurred at the top of every hour. The day after Luke and Lorelai had broken the bells. Perhaps more accurately, the day after Luke broke the bells and Lorelai's mind stopped functioning properly.
After they left the church, barely a word spoken between them following Reverend Skinner's interruption, Lorelai trudged home with a look of utter confusion plastered on her face. She spent most of that night, and the following week questioning herself and her reaction to Luke's news.
'Why didn't Luke tell me about the move sooner? Do I pass too much judgment on his relationship with Nicole? Why don't I want Luke to move?'
Actually, Lorelai had avoided that last question like the plague. It was placed in the file cabinet of her mind under "Things to never think about again" along with her brief thought that she should exercise more and the knowledge that, in order for her to be created, her parents must have had sex at least once.
Finishing the damn complimentary muffin, Lorelai said goodbye to Marjorie and walked out to the jeep. On the drive home, Lorelai continued thinking about the same issue that had been occupying her mind for a whole week now. She kept going back to the one conversation that she had had with another person about the Luke situation since the night in the church.
Rory had been home the previous weekend and noted her mother's desperate attempt to avoid going to the diner at all costs. She knew it was time to address the issue when Lorelai suggested getting food from Jo Jo's even though they were planning on eating it immediately. Clearly, her mother had lost the will to live.
Lorelai explained about Luke's move to Litchfield, his failure to share the information, and her confusion as to what that said about their friendship. Rory listened intently, but never allowed her feelings about the situation to show in her face. She did not interject to ask questions or comment, which was quite unusual for a Gilmore analysis session.
Once the explanation was complete, Rory sat silently for a few moments to let the information digest before she spoke.
"I can't believe Luke would do that- keeping such a big part of his life from you."
Lorelai's eyes narrowed. She knew what her daughter was doing. That was not authentic indignation. That was, "I'm going to agree that the other person is doing something wrong, right before I slam you with something that you don't want to think about because you know it proves you have been doing the exact same thing." And then Rory did just that.
"That would be like if you were hiding your relationship with Jason from him."
"Just because I didn't tell Luke about Jason does not mean that I am hiding anything." Remembering a phone conversation in the diner from a few weeks ago, Lorelai knew exactly what Rory's next piece of evidence was going to be.
"Right. You're right. I mean, it's not like you, say, bring conversation about Jason to a screeching halt when Luke is around because you're afraid he will hear and find out you're seeing someone."
Damn, she was good at this.
"What am I supposed to say, Rory? 'Luke, I need coffee before I go see my boyfriend, Jason. Jason, my boyfriend loves coffee, too. Have I mentioned I have a boyfriend named Jason?' Is that what you want, Rory? You want me to be Kirk?"
Lorelai silently hoped that her daughter might drop the subject entirely if she raised her voice and spoke like a raving lunatic. However, upon looking at Rory's face, Lorelai knew that her plan had not worked. Rory sat looking at her mother completely unafraid and unmoved. She merely raised her eyebrows and gave her mother a look that said, "Ready to try that again without the Sybil impression?"
Lorelai let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. "It's just weird talking to him about that stuff. I just don't want to drag him into it."
"But he's your friend, and, right now, you're keeping him in the same box as Grandma."
Lorelai swallowed that piece of analysis and suddenly wanted to smack herself. She knew that her relationship with Luke was better than the one with her mother, which went without saying. Yet Rory was absolutely right. In regards to her love life, Lorelai placed Luke in the same category as her mother, a woman she viewed as lacking compassion and understanding in that area. Lorelai knew that those labels did not fit Luke and knew that she needed to make things right.
However, it had been three days since her conversation with Rory, and Lorelai was still suffering through her pleasant coffee trips to Weston's. The Monday after the talk with Rory, Lorelai drove to the diner, ready to save her friendship. Instead of finding a parking spot as she approached the diner, she drove by and went around the block. She told herself that she was going to figure out what to say. After four trips around the block and more odd looks from townspeople than she could count, Lorelai finally turned past the diner and kept on going until she reached the inn. She just couldn't get herself to face Luke, fearing that the damage already done could not be fixed.
Remembering all of this, on what felt like the longest drive across town ever, Lorelai arrived home to find a truck in front of her house. An old, dirty, beautiful green truck parked in front of her house.
Luke was sitting in the front seat, looking tentative. He took a deep breath as he got out of the truck and approached Lorelai as she exited the jeep. Luke assumed that she would need to see the coffee he was holding before any trace of happiness would be found on her face. But she never even glanced down at his hands. She looked him right in the eye and smiled. He gave her his best smirk before holding out the Styrofoam cup.
"I figured you would appreciate this as a peace offering. Whereas, if someone gave me a cup of coffee, I would think that it meant they wanted me to die."
'Now that's the kind of charm that Weston's is missing,' Lorelai thought to herself.
More chapters soon