Chapter 12 Decorations

It was 8 days before Christmas. Lorelai woke up from the sound of the door opening. It had been a very busy day at work and she had fallen asleep on the couch while she was watching tv. Luke had to work till 8 and they agreed on having dinner after that. Suddenly she heard a lot noise in the hallway. She sat up, turning so she could see what was going on. She smiled when she saw what Luke was doing. He brought home a Christmas tree. After a few seconds she decided to get up and see if he needed a hand.

"Hey Luke, need some help?"

"Oh hey." He looked at her. He managed to get the tree inside by himself at almost the same time. He went back to his truck to get their supper. She was watching the tree when he came back in. He stood next to her and asked: "So, what do you think?"

She looked at him. "It's perfect."

He smiled: "Really?"

"Absolutely. If I could choose from a hundred tree's this is the one I would pick."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She hugged him and kissed him. "Thank you."

"So, lets have dinner fist and get the tree in place after that?"

"Good idea, I'm starving."

"I bet you are."

She started walking towards the kitchen. "You want a beer?"

"Yes, please." He followed her into the kitchen. She took the drinks while he took the plates. "You want to eat in here?"

"Yeah sure," He set the plates on the table. She did the same thing with the drinks. After that he started to unpack the bags with their dinner. He brought her a cheeseburger and fries and a salad and a ham and cheese sandwich for himself. There was apple pie for desert.

She ate a few fries before she asked: "How was your day?"

"The diner was very busy. But it was slow for an hour or so in the afternoon. That gave me the time to get the tree. I placed it behind the diner for a while so you wouldn't notice. I wanted it to be a surprise." He smiled at her.

"It was a very nice surprise."

"Good." He took a bite of his sandwich. " So, how was your day?"

"Like hell." She sighed.

"Lorelai?" He asked worried.

"Just very busy. There was no time to slow down at all. It wasn't until 2.30 till I found some time to eat lunch. My back hurts from standing all day and I was so tired I fell asleep on the couch while watching tv."

"You should take it easy."

"I don't have time to take it easy. It's one of the busiest seasons of the year."

"You have to think about yourself first. And if you don't want to think about yourself, think about our child."

"Luke, I'm fine. I was just tired. I feel a lot better already. After I'll slow down after New Years okay?."

"Just promise me you'll listen to your body. If your body tells you to take it slow, you take it slow, no matter what okay?"

"I don't know if I can Luke."

"Lorelai." He looked her in the eyes. "You have to promise me."

"Fine, I promise, but only when my body tells me to."

"Okay."

After dinner Lorelai searched for the Christmas decorations while Luke got the tree in place. Lorelai once again had offered to help him, but he wouldn't hear about that. He was very protecting over her. Sometimes it drove her crazy, but she knew it was because he loved her so she sort of liked it too. He had the tree in place when she came back with a box of Christmas decorations.

"I just love the smell a Christmas tree brings along." She stand next to him, putting one arm around his waist.

He pulled her closer. Kissing the top of her hand. "Me too."

"You never even had a tree."

"Well, last year that was because I spent most of the time at your place anyway. I didn't needed one of my own."

"I still can't believe that." She had tried to get him a tree, but no matter what she tried he wouldn't give in.

"It's the truth. And from before that… I think that Christmas just wasn't so special for me before. But now all I want is to spend it with you."

"I'm glad." She turned a little so she could kiss him. "Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you have any Christmas decorations?"

"No."

"Not even from your parents. From when you where a kid?"

He thought for a while. "I think I have a box in my old apartment."

"Why don't you get it so we can use some of yours and some of mine?"

He thought for a while before he asked. "Would you do that?"

"Yeah of course. I want it to be our tree. It would mean a lot to me. The Christmas decorations I have, I collected them over the years. Rory and I added something every year. When she was younger it were things she made at school, later we went shopping to buy just one special thing. I think it's very special if we add some of your things this year."

"That's a nice thought. I think I like that."

"Good, if you go to the diner to get the stuff, I'll go trough this stuff and see what I have, try the lights and see if I have to untie them."

"Okay." He kissed her deeply. When he pulled apart he whispered "thank you."

She replied by kissing him again. After that she whispered "I love you."

"I love you too."

When Luke came back half an hour later she sorted out all the decorations and she was busy putting the lights in the tree. He helped her with it.

"I found one box. I have no idea what's in it. I haven't seen it in years."

"You never had any decorations in your apartment?" She still couldn't believe it

"No, not really."

"Wow… But you do like it now?"

"Yeah, it's different. Now I wouldn't do anything rather then spending Christmas with you. And everything that comes with it."

"Good."

After they finished the lights she said: "So, show me what's in your box."

He smiled when he took the items out the box. "I haven't seen these in years."

"Wow Luke, they are beautiful!" There where many Christmas balls in the box. They had to be at least forty years old, but most of them weren't even damaged.

He picked on up. "I forgot what they looked like."

"Well, they are really beautiful. I'm glad you picked them up."

"Yeah, me too. You know, my mother really loved Christmas. Just the way you love Christmas. I just, after she.. well, I just couldn't get myself to.."

She took his hand in hers. "I understand. But I'm glad you changed your mind."

He whispered "yeah, me too."

He looked at her stuff. He picked up on of her balls. "There's a story behind every thing you have?"

"Yeah. The one you've got there? Mia gave it to Rory the first Christmas we lived there." She pointed at some others. "She gave these to me." "And that one over there," she pointed, "Rory made it in kindergarten. Another one she bought for me when she was eight. She saved some money and went into the store all by herself. She was so proud." She smiled at the memory.

"Wow, that's really special. I never knew."

"I always thought it was a nice tradition. Rory loved it to. She just loves Christmas the way I do." Her smile faded when she thought about that. "I just can't believe that we're spending the Christmas apart."

He pulled her closer. "I know." He kissed her forehead and waited a few seconds before he said "Let's decorate the tree."

"Yeah, let's do that!"

They finished an hour later. They stood next to each other, watching the results of their work.

"Wow, this is one special tree."

"Yeah it is… thank you Luke."

"For what?"

"'For making Christmas special for me this year."

He didn't really knew what to say. After a while he said: "That's the only thing I want for Christmas. No, it's the only thing I ever want."

"What?"

"Seeing you happy."

"I'd like to see you happy too. I love it when you smile."

He replied by smiling.

"Just like that." She kissed him, feeling the smile during the kiss.

After a while he pulled back. "And now it's time to go to bed."

She wanted to protest but she suddenly felt how exhausted she was. "You're coming with me?"

"Yeah, you go upstairs, than I'll lock up."

"Okay, see you up there."

When Luke walked into their bedroom about 10 minutes later she was already asleep. He had expected that as he already took of his clothes in the bathroom. He slipped under the covers next to her. He kissed her forehead and whispered "I love you." Than he laid down on his side and put one arm around her. It didn't took long before sleep kicked in for him too.

A/n. First I want to say that I'm sorry that it took a while before I updated, but honestly I finished this chapters about two days ago, but with the trouble the website had I wasn't able to upload at the time I wanted to. Second, I promise the next chapter will be what you've all been waiting for. I just felt like writing this one first. I already started writing it!! Oh, and I don't remember Luke having any Christmas decoration in his apartment of even seeing his apartment around Christmas, but if it had happened and I forgot about it, just think of this as the truth in my story.