Thanks to all those who reviewed!
Disclaimer: Same as before - this is becoming quite tedious
*Meanwhile, back at the party:
"Sookie! What are you doing?" shouted a shocked and appalled Rory.
"Whadda ya mean hon? Sookie was genuinely confused.
"Hello, you're drinking! Aren't you forgetting something, like you're pregnant?!"
"Rory! Jackson swiftly interrupted. "Can I see you for a minute?"
"Uh sure, I guess." Rory turned her attention back to Sookie. "I'll deal with you later missy!"
Jackson led Rory to a quiet location on the Gilmore property, away from the hustle and bustle.
"Rory, let me explain," Jackson began. "Sookie is not actually drinking." Seeing Rory's bemused expression, he continued; "I mean, she's drinking, but she's not drinking-drinking." Still confused. "It's club soda!"
"Club soda? Then why is she acting drunk?" questioned Rory.
"That's precisely it! It's just an act. She's convinced herself that there is indeed alcohol in her drink, and I don't have the heart to tell her otherwise. It's all in good fun, I guess."
"I see," Rory replied, not entirely persuaded. "So what's everyone else drinking?"
"Everyone else is drinking genuine alcohol in the form of vodka. The punch packs a good punch!" Jackson was amused at himself. Rory too was impressed by his comedic hyperbole.
"Well good, I mean its good that there's laced punch. What's a party without laced punch? Heh heh." Rory was rambling.
"Yeah, well I'd better go check on Sookie, make sure she hasn't found the real stuff yet! I'm glad we had this talk." Jackson wandered back towards the crowd. Rory simply rolled her eyes in an effort to dismiss this peculiar behavior as typical of Star's Hollow inhabitants.
*And in another corner of the Gilmore grounds - Lorelai and Luke continued their conversation:
"You don't want me to marry Nicole?" Luke thought aloud. He was stunned, but in a good way.
"I guess not," Lorelai said plainly. Her expression was difficult to read.
"You're serious?" Luke was still in shock and so unsure. In all his life, he could never have imagined having this conversation with Lorelai.
"Do you want me to be?" Now it was her turn to ask the questions.
Luke continued thinking aloud; "Then I shouldn't go on the cruise. I can't lead her on."
"What are you saying Luke?" Lorelai's throat was dry, she was unnaturally nervous. Their conversation had become quite intimate and she was hardly prepared for it.
"I'm saying," started Luke, and without realizing, he continued; "I'm saying, that I'm not going to marry Nicole."
"You're not?" Lorelai still wasn't sure where this conversation was headed.
"No," Luke stated firmly and with an abnormal amount of confidence.
"Why?" Lorelai knew the reason subconsciously, but on a conscious level, she couldn't have been any more blind.
"Well, you can't marry someone - when you're in love with someone else, can you?" Luke surprised himself with this sudden burst of honesty. There was no going back now.
And then she saw 'it' - that look in his eyes. For the first time in her life she was speechless. She tried desperately to speak, to break the silence, but to no avail.
Luke took advantage of the unconventional silence and caressed Lorelai's face with his hand. Neither could breathe. The two were about to cross the point of no return, when suddenly, the beautiful silence was broken.
"Mom? Everyone's leaving mom, where are you?" Rory's timing was impeccable.
Lorelai vigorously pushed Luke away, his face merely inches apart from her own. "Uh, right over here hon," She struggled to finish the sentence, her heart pounding fiercely.
Luke was beyond embarrassed as Rory approached them and reality set in. He and Lorelai, the woman of his dreams, were finally in a compromising position, a moment so precious, only to be spoiled by an unassuming teenager. "Hey mom, hey Luke. Just thought I'd let you know that the party has officially ended. Everybody is going home."
"Ok hon - thanks. I'll be right over. Luke was just leaving - weren't you Luke?" Lorelai was being presumptuous.
"Oh, uh yeah-right. I was just leaving. Listen, Lorelai-
"Have fun on your cruise!" Lorelai interrupted. She and Rory waved goodbye and returned to their house.
Luke cringed at the sound of her words. How could she dismiss him like that? Had she not felt it, that magic, that electricity that pulsated through his veins? They had shared an indescribable moment that was sure to become intensely passionate had it not been interrupted. Was she going to pretend that it didn't happen? Was she ashamed that it had happened? Luke had so many questions and grew nauseous at the thought.
-He would go on the cruise
*Later that night:
"Mom, what's wrong? You hardly touched your pizza." Rory was concerned
"I think I've made a terrible mistake!" Lorelai was embarrassed to admit it. "Change of plans hon."
"What do you mean?" Rory was sure she didn't want to know.
"We're goin on a cruise!!"
*To be continued! R/R please
Disclaimer: Same as before - this is becoming quite tedious
*Meanwhile, back at the party:
"Sookie! What are you doing?" shouted a shocked and appalled Rory.
"Whadda ya mean hon? Sookie was genuinely confused.
"Hello, you're drinking! Aren't you forgetting something, like you're pregnant?!"
"Rory! Jackson swiftly interrupted. "Can I see you for a minute?"
"Uh sure, I guess." Rory turned her attention back to Sookie. "I'll deal with you later missy!"
Jackson led Rory to a quiet location on the Gilmore property, away from the hustle and bustle.
"Rory, let me explain," Jackson began. "Sookie is not actually drinking." Seeing Rory's bemused expression, he continued; "I mean, she's drinking, but she's not drinking-drinking." Still confused. "It's club soda!"
"Club soda? Then why is she acting drunk?" questioned Rory.
"That's precisely it! It's just an act. She's convinced herself that there is indeed alcohol in her drink, and I don't have the heart to tell her otherwise. It's all in good fun, I guess."
"I see," Rory replied, not entirely persuaded. "So what's everyone else drinking?"
"Everyone else is drinking genuine alcohol in the form of vodka. The punch packs a good punch!" Jackson was amused at himself. Rory too was impressed by his comedic hyperbole.
"Well good, I mean its good that there's laced punch. What's a party without laced punch? Heh heh." Rory was rambling.
"Yeah, well I'd better go check on Sookie, make sure she hasn't found the real stuff yet! I'm glad we had this talk." Jackson wandered back towards the crowd. Rory simply rolled her eyes in an effort to dismiss this peculiar behavior as typical of Star's Hollow inhabitants.
*And in another corner of the Gilmore grounds - Lorelai and Luke continued their conversation:
"You don't want me to marry Nicole?" Luke thought aloud. He was stunned, but in a good way.
"I guess not," Lorelai said plainly. Her expression was difficult to read.
"You're serious?" Luke was still in shock and so unsure. In all his life, he could never have imagined having this conversation with Lorelai.
"Do you want me to be?" Now it was her turn to ask the questions.
Luke continued thinking aloud; "Then I shouldn't go on the cruise. I can't lead her on."
"What are you saying Luke?" Lorelai's throat was dry, she was unnaturally nervous. Their conversation had become quite intimate and she was hardly prepared for it.
"I'm saying," started Luke, and without realizing, he continued; "I'm saying, that I'm not going to marry Nicole."
"You're not?" Lorelai still wasn't sure where this conversation was headed.
"No," Luke stated firmly and with an abnormal amount of confidence.
"Why?" Lorelai knew the reason subconsciously, but on a conscious level, she couldn't have been any more blind.
"Well, you can't marry someone - when you're in love with someone else, can you?" Luke surprised himself with this sudden burst of honesty. There was no going back now.
And then she saw 'it' - that look in his eyes. For the first time in her life she was speechless. She tried desperately to speak, to break the silence, but to no avail.
Luke took advantage of the unconventional silence and caressed Lorelai's face with his hand. Neither could breathe. The two were about to cross the point of no return, when suddenly, the beautiful silence was broken.
"Mom? Everyone's leaving mom, where are you?" Rory's timing was impeccable.
Lorelai vigorously pushed Luke away, his face merely inches apart from her own. "Uh, right over here hon," She struggled to finish the sentence, her heart pounding fiercely.
Luke was beyond embarrassed as Rory approached them and reality set in. He and Lorelai, the woman of his dreams, were finally in a compromising position, a moment so precious, only to be spoiled by an unassuming teenager. "Hey mom, hey Luke. Just thought I'd let you know that the party has officially ended. Everybody is going home."
"Ok hon - thanks. I'll be right over. Luke was just leaving - weren't you Luke?" Lorelai was being presumptuous.
"Oh, uh yeah-right. I was just leaving. Listen, Lorelai-
"Have fun on your cruise!" Lorelai interrupted. She and Rory waved goodbye and returned to their house.
Luke cringed at the sound of her words. How could she dismiss him like that? Had she not felt it, that magic, that electricity that pulsated through his veins? They had shared an indescribable moment that was sure to become intensely passionate had it not been interrupted. Was she going to pretend that it didn't happen? Was she ashamed that it had happened? Luke had so many questions and grew nauseous at the thought.
-He would go on the cruise
*Later that night:
"Mom, what's wrong? You hardly touched your pizza." Rory was concerned
"I think I've made a terrible mistake!" Lorelai was embarrassed to admit it. "Change of plans hon."
"What do you mean?" Rory was sure she didn't want to know.
"We're goin on a cruise!!"
*To be continued! R/R please