A/N: Wow, thanks sooooo much for all those reviews. Keep them coming. You guys are awesome.
Kadda (Yep you were the first one, lets see if you can repeat that), Kris (I´m happy too, I thought I will never start to write again, cause I couldn't find a first sentence, well I´m glad I found one, hehe, and glad to know the chars are great), Patty (thank you, hoe you enjoy the new chapter), tara, sbrry, true love, hanselel, Ally, Petra 79, madzia, Jana, Nicole and Christina Vourcos (I´m so glad you like the story), Laurence (thank you so much, you made my day), Barbara (haha so you think it's a good story, that's good to hear), Gaby (here is the awaited next chapter), Franzi (danke dir, schön das es dir gefällt), Michele (thanks –blush-), lukelaiandroryndean, JoEySaNgEI1534, Emmzy-Lou, KiNkErKsHoNeY247, Mrs. Scott Patterson and GilmoreGirlsFreakazoid (glad you like it, I will most likely update once a week), Elle (lol gut zu wissen, hehe und danke fürs Kompliment), LLfreak8285 (I hope the update was soon enough?), Anna ( I´m happy you like the way I write the feelings thingy), VeroSNM (thanks –blush-, It took me awhile but its great to write again), Becky (seems like you are right ;) ), John (thanks for the review, and I´m glad I caught the tension between those two, hehe and we will see with those "other" chapters), Mel (hey you, I will keep writing, don't worry, well except if I have a writers block, then you can beg as much as you want and it wont change anything, so lets hope that does not happen), Eva (aww thank you, glad you like it), and Lisa (hoffe das nächste Kapitel gefällt dir auch),
Disclaimer: see chapter 1
Thanks again to David for spending your time with beta reading this chapter.
So here is the new chapter of Whatever it takes. I hope you like it
- 2 -
Lorelai worked for hours, trying to get her mind off things. Why the hell did she feel so excited about Luke asking her out? And why did she feel disappointed when she found out that it was only a payback dinner? Lots of questions but no answers.
She decided to get a cup of coffee and have a little chit chat with Sookie. Moments later she entered the kitchen, walked right to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup of her liquid of life.
"Hey Lorelai." Sookie greeted her, stopping for a moment from chopping vegetables
"Hey." she replied exhausted
"Hard day?"
"Hmm not really, I´m just... confused."
"Confused? Why?"
"I, well. Luke asked me out."
"Ohmygod. Luke asked you out? Really? Finally!"
"No it's not like that Sookie." She answered sadly.
"It's not like what? He asked you out... I can't believe it." Sookie cheered.
"It's just a payback dinner."
"A payback dinner? For what?"
"Remember last week, when I took some time off from the Inn because Luke's uncle died so I could help out in the diner?"
"Uh, yes."
"Now he wants to thank me. With dinner."
"Oh... so... it's not a date?"
"No, its not."
"And you are… uh, disappointed? You seem disappointed."
"That's what confuses me, I am really disappointed but I don't know why."
"Oh Lorelai…" Sookie shook her head "Don't you see it?"
"See what?"
"You like him, don't you?"
"Sure I like him, he is my friend."
"No, I mean you like, like him..." Sookie said while using air quotes with the word "like".
"What do you mean?"
"Lorelai! You do like him… a lot... and not just as a friend,"
"Sookie, you're out of your mind. Used too much hairspray this morning?" She said as she turned away.
"Oh, you so like him Lorelai! You don't have to admit it to me, but at least admit it to yourself."
Lorelai swallowed. Maybe Sookie was right. Maybe there was more than simple friendship. But this wasn't right. Luke didn't have any feelings for her. Even if the whole town constantly repeated that he had "a thing" for her. She really didn't believe it. Luke never acted on that so called "thing".
"That's just not right Sookie. I can't."
"Huh? You can't what?"
"Fall in love with him."
"Why?"
"Because … he's not in love with me."
"Are you kidding me Lorelai? He's loved you for years!"
"Oh yeah? Well he never told me anything... and the only time he asks me out is to a payback dinner… that's all"
"But honey, I´m sure there is a lot more."
"I don't know Sookie, I just don't think so"
"Just wait and see, 'kay?"
"All right, Sookie."
"And I want to hear all the details." Sookie grinned "Especially if it was on a table."
"Haha, funny" and with those words she left the kitchen.
xoxoxo
"Uh, Luke?"
"What the hell do you want, Kirk?" Luke asked annoyed, his eyes fixed on the counter.
"Nothing, but you've been wiping the counter for almost half an hour now, I don't think it will get any cleaner."
Luke looked up. He hadn't even notice that 30 minutes had passed. His thoughts were on Lorelai. He saw her face appearing in front of his eyes again and again. The surprised look when he asked her out, and the disappointed look when she found out it wasn't a date.
"Anyway, do you want anything else Kirk?"
"Just a refill, please."
Luke grabbed the coffee pot and filled Kirk's cup.
"Thanks."
"Yeah, and now get out of my way."
Eyes wide, Kirk left the counter and searched for a free table, far away from Luke.
Luke didn't want to be that grumpy with Kirk. He just was confused with all the things going on. Did Lorelai want to go out on a date – with him? Maybe he should find out.
xoxoxo
Still thinking of Luke, Lorelai left the inn. She couldn't get him out of her head, his face when he approached her table this morning and his eyes sparkling down at her when he asked her to dinner. One single moment she thought that was it, the moment of truth, the moment when he finally admitted that he had feelings for her. But no, it was only dinner, a payback dinner to be exact. Lorelai didn't know if she wanted to go to that kind of dinner. She didn't want a payback for the help she gave him. Friends help each other, that was the natural thing to do. For her anyway, and she knew that Luke also thought like this. God! If she paid him back everytime that he helped her, she would be broke, that's for sure. So why did he ask her out? Was it really a payback dinner, or was Sookie right and there was more?
She hoped that Rory was at home. Lorelai desperately needed to talk, so she got into her car started the engine and left.
Just a few minutes later she parked the Jeep in her driveway killed the engine left the car and headed for the front door. She saw light coming from the inside and noticed some noises. When she opened the door she heard the television and Rory laughing.
"Hey, Hon," Lorelai said when she walked into the living room
"Hey mom, you're late."
"Sorry, hard day"
"So… I´m watching Sex and the City, care to join me?"
"Actually, I need to talk to you," Lorelai mumbled, plopping down on the couch next to her daughter.
"About Sex?
She shook her head.
"No, not about sex, about Luke."
Rory's eyes grew wide.
"Spill!"
"He… umm, kind of asked me out."
"Can I use an 'I told you so' now?" Rory asked with a smirk.
"No. He only asked me to dinner because he wants to thank me for last week when I helped him with the diner so he could arrange the funeral for his Uncle Louis."
"Oh..."
"Exactly."
"But, uh, did you want it to be a date?"
"I, I don't know, maybe" She couldn't look her daughter in the eye.
"Oh my god! Mom, you wanted it to be a date! Oh my god!"
"Stop squealing, Rory," Lorelai whispered sadly.
"You know he has a thing for you, right Mom?"
"Oh right. That 'thing.' Everyone is telling me about that 'thing' but nothing's ever happened. He's never asked me out, or done anything to make me think that he wants anything more than friendship."
"Oh right, did you forget about the Chuppah?"
"What do you mean?"
"He built you a Chuppah."
"Yeah for me and Max, for the wedding."
"I think he built it because he wanted to show you how much he cared, how much he wanted you to be happy, how much he loves you."
"It was only a Chuppah, Rory."
"Yeah and after he made it you realized that you couldn't marry Max. C'mon Mom, that had something to do with Luke, admit it."
She banged her head knowing that Rory was right.
"We talked that afternoon, and he said a few things that made me realize that I didn't love Max the way I should and that … I was attracted to Luke."
Rory swallowed.
"And why did you never tell him?"
"I… I just called off the wedding and .. I didn't think it was right to run to Luke and tell him. Then, after some time had passed I thought that maybe I was wrong, that I don't have feelings for him and I kinda buried those left over feelings. Until now."
"Tell him."
"What? I can't do that!"
"Why not?"
"Because… it's embarrassing."
"It is not! Luke has feelings for you, trust me on this."
"Sure, enough feelings to invite me to a payback dinner."
"Maybe the payback dinner was only a lame excuse, maybe he wanted to ask you out but didn't know how."
Lorelai thought about Rory's words for a moment, then nodded.
"Maybe, but I don't know for sure."
"You should find out then."
"How?"
"Go to the dinner and see what comes out of it."
Again Lorelai nodded, a small smile circling around her mouth.
"Oh by the way, when is this so-called payback dinner?"
"Tomorrow." Lorelai answered hesitantly.
"Wow, that's… soon."
"I know, I´m trying to think of what to wear."
Rory laughed "That's my Mom."
They hugged and settled back on the couch focusing on the TV and Sex and the City.
TBC
A/N2: that's it for now. I really hope you liked it. Please press the "go" button if you did. ;)Next chapter will be up next week most likely.