Chapter 7 – The maimed in Maine
A/N: Wow! Thanks for all the reviews! SO MANY! I mean REALLY! SOOOO MANY! Hehehehehehe I love you all! Thanks also to all you guys that read and reviewed my new fic 'The Whole Package', I will definitely be writing more of that one! But don't worry, this story will still be in the works, even though I'm on another one too. I've written quite a few more parts than I've posted, I just don't like to post right up to where I'm up to, because I like to go back and change things if I change my mind or whatever.
Kimmers: GO AUSSIE GO! Hehehe
ALIASobsessed89: hehehe I'm always up at indecent hours reading fan fic too!
GOThICsOCkMoNKeYs:she makes big deals out of the smallest things, doesn't she?! I just love it when she teases Luke. :)
Cordy18: thanks for the review!
Franala: Great song! Yes, I agree with you, the chapter was a little out of place, especially in the context of the whole 'what if', but this chapter should bring it together a little more!
Chelsea: thanks for the review!
Twiddleda134: yay, new reviewer! Thanks, and keep 'em coming!
ProFfeSseR hehehe I can't see him with MSN either, but it was still fun!
Cammie: DIRTY! Man I just LOVE saying that!
lady rosebit: never!
ocdwithlhg: you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?!
daisyduke947: new reviewer! Woohoo! Thanks a bunch!
preciousbabyblue: Ah, a very valid question! As of yet, I have not decided, but at some stage Lorelai will find out and WOAH will there be fireworks!
Julians Angel: I hate internet randoms!
thtrnmsclsrck: yeah, it's too much work to go through the episodes and the transcripts… and it's nowhere near as fun as just making them do what I want them to do!
x.kromediva.x: thanks for the multiple reviews! I'm loving you sick! One Tree Hill just started over here in oz, and I'm really getting into it (though I must say I HATE Peyton. I think Lucas should get together with that Hayley girl – unless he's her cousin or something… I'm not sure why she lives with him yet…) I can see Lorelai being down with the MSN lingo, but yes, you bring up a valid point!
screaming truth: yeah, Scrubs just started back up over here :S except at 11pm! It's driving me insane! LGlover?
bright-star4455: oh I love Luke when he's flustered!
Thanks again guys, I love you all! Just a random note – I am LOVING the song 'These Kids' by Joel Turner. He was a contestant on Australian Idol 1 but didn't get passed the first audition (coz he's a beat boxer), and now he's got an album and a single out and I love him! The song is on the add for Summerland over here, download it! Best song! I was listening to it while I was writing chapter 9… in fact, I'm listening to it right now!
On with the story!
Lorelai had just finished her burger and fries when the dinner rush had died down to only two or three customers. Luke was in the storage room, so Lorelai was sitting by herself. She pouted and then stood up.
"Luuukey, I'm going!" she called. No answer. Then the diner phone rang. She looked at it a little surprised. No one came to answer it. She looked at the few customers that were left, and none of them seemed to notice.
"Ah, Luke, phone!" Lorelai called. Still no answer.
"Ceaser?" No reply. Lorelai finally decided she would go and answer the phone herself. She picked it up cautiously.
"Luke's Diner, Lorelai speaking, how may I be of service?" she asked with a cheesy smile.
"Lorelai, hi! It's Liz! Luke's sister," came the reply.
"Oh hey Liz, how are you?" Lorelai asked.
"Not so good as it turns out, I've broken an arm and a leg!"
"Oh no! That's no good! I hope you get better soon," Lorelai responded.
"So do I. Say, is Luke there?" Liz asked.
"Ah… yeah he should be, I think he's in the store room, hang on a sec," Lorelai replied, popping the phone down on the counter. Not two seconds later Luke came out of the store room.
"Luke, Liz is on the phone," Lorelai said, handing the phone out to him.
"Oh, I didn't hear it ring," Luke replied.
"Obviously," Lorelai muttered under her breath. Luke heard that and scowled at her a little.
"Liz, hey," Luke said into the phone. Lorelai stood there impatiently, watching him, and tapping her foot. "Aha… yeah… oh no, are you okay?"
Lorelai looked around the diner and noticed that it was now empty. She smiled cheekily to herself as she walked behind Luke and wrapped her arms around his waist. He smiled to himself.
"Well I dunno Liz I just… okay… well, I suppose but…" Luke said as Lorelai began kissing his neck. He closed his eyes, trying to keep his focus on what Liz was saying and forget the gorgeous woman that was kissing his neck.
"Look I'll have to… well… okay, I'll see you soon… yep okay… no longer than that!... bye," Luke said before hanging up the phone. He turned around in Lorelai's arms and she smiled at him devilishly.
"You know, that's really distracting," Luke said.
"That was the whole point," Lorelai replied with a cheeky smile on her face. She brought her arms up around his neck and leaned against his shoulder.
"So what did Liz want?" she asked, her fingers fiddling with the hair at the back of his neck.
"She wants me to come to Maine," he replied simply. Lorelai immediately stopped what she was doing and pulled back to look at his face.
"Wha… wha… for how long?" she asked, searching his eyes.
"3 weeks," he replied, a saddened look on his face.
"3 weeks?! That's ages!" Lorelai protested.
"I know, but her and TJ each broke an arm and a leg and they need some help running the booth up at the Renaissance fair, and, well, I guess I'm stuck with helping out," Luke replied.
"But what am I gonna do for 3 weeks?" Lorelai asked, pouting.
"Well you have Rory," Luke reasoned.
"True, I do have Rory, but what about you?! How am I supposed to cope without my Lukey for 3 whole weeks?" Lorelai pouted.
"Do not call me that," Luke said sternly.
"Call you what Lukey?" Lorelai teased.
"You did it again!"
"Did what Lukey?"
"Stop it."
"Lukey."
"Stop it!"
"Lukey."
"Lorelai!"
"Lukey!"
Luke had no choice but to silence her by kissing her quickly. She smiled through the kiss and wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. They pulled apart and she shook her head disbelievingly.
"So you've finally found a way to shut me up," she said. Luke chuckled and pulled out of Lorelai's arms.
"It's getting late," he said, slightly uncomfortably, "I better close up and head off."
"You're leaving now?" Lorelai pouted, reaching out and taking Luke's hand in hers.
"Yeah, I probably better; things didn't sound too good over there."
"But it's too late to drive that far," Lorelai said, trying to get him to stay for a little longer.
"Nah, I'll be fine. I'm a big boy," Luke said.
"Dirty!" Lorelai smiled.
"Hey, I don't think that warranted a dirty," Luke replied.
"Oh, it did in my world," Lorelai sniggered. They stood for a moment, both letting out deep sighs.
"Well, I spose I'll see you in 3 weeks then," Lorelai said sadly, stepping a little closer to Luke.
"Yeah. 3 weeks. Geez that sounds longer everytime I hear it," Luke replied, wrapping his free arm around Lorelai's waist. He pulled her towards him and kissed her passionately. They stood there, kissing, for quite a while before they both decided that they really did need to go and pulled apart.
"I better get home to Rory," Lorelai said, bringing a hand up to Luke's face and gently running it over his stubble. She kissed him quickly on the lips before leaving the diner, stopping only to turn around and smile when she reached the door.
Lorelai leaned against her front door with a sigh. 3 weeks without Luke – and things were just getting started. She tucked her hair behind her ears and headed into the kitchen.
"Rory," she called, "Momma's home!" She expected Rory to come out of her room, but she didn't. Lorelai gave a little confused look and opened Rory's bedroom door to find her room empty.
"Hmm, that's a little weird," she mumbled to herself.
"Rory!" she called, "you home?!" No reply. She walked out into the living room and noticed that the answering machine light was flashing. She pressed the play button and Rory's voice filled the silent house.
"Mom, it's me. I'm sorry to leave without saying goodbye, but I decided to take grandma up on her offer after all. Grandma managed to get me a seat, and I'm on my way to the airport now. I know you think this is all a little weird, I'll explain it to you later, I promise, it's just… I need some time to myself and some time to think… and I think this trip to Europe is exactly what I need. I'm sorry mom. I love you," and just ask abruptly as Rory's voice had filled the room, it left it. Lorelai remained standing glued to the spot. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. She's gone. She's gone with my MOTHER, of all people. Oh my gosh, something really bad must have happened. Why couldn't I tell what it was? Maybe it was something I did, something that I said, and now she's running off scared. And I'm alone for the summer. No Rory, no Luke… oh God no Luke. I need Luke right now. I need Luke, I need Rory. Why did she just up and leave? I don't understand. What's going on? Lorelai sat down on the couch, her eyes welling up with tears. She hugged her knees and sniffled a few times. She let herself cry for a while before the phone rang. She jumped on it.
"Rory?" she answered hopefully.
"No, it's me," Luke replied from the other end.
"Oh Luke," she said sniffing. Luke could tell something was up.
"Are you alright? You sound upset," Luke replied.
"What? Me, no, I'm fine, I'm fine. I mean, my daughter's gone to Europe with my mother, but I'm fine," she said, trying to laugh at the situation.
"Rory went to Europe?" Luke asked, surprised.
"I got home and she had left a message on the answering machine, telling me that she was on her way to the airport," Lorelai said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Do you want me to come back?" Luke asked, more than happy to go back home to Lorelai.
"No… yes… no, no you have Liz and TJ to worry about, I'll be fine, I'll be fine," Lorelai said, sitting up straight and trying her best to regain her composure.
"Okay, but if you need anything… to talk or anything, call me, okay? I got a cell phone," Luke replied.
"Oh? Okay, hang on a sec," Lorelai said, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen.
"860 294 1986," Luke said as Lorelai wrote it down quickly.
"Okay," Lorelai replied.
"Look, I better go, I don't know how safe it is to be driving and talking on one of these things at the same time," Luke said.
"Talk to you tomorrow?" Lorelai asked hopefully.
"Tomorrow," Luke replied.
"Night Luke."
"Night Lorelai."
A/N: and that was chapter 7! I hope you enjoyed it ladies and gentleman… yes! hehehehe oh I'm having fun! Please review, you know I love it! It makes me… DIRTY! hehehe. PLENTY of big SHOCKING surprises coming up in the next chapter... you won't BELIEVE!
