Summary: JJ. She let herself fall for him, even though he was with someone else.
Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.
chmelms; suusje32; lilrabbitangell114; flirtswithdisaster; ProFfeSseR; Cherrykisses188: It's definitely your continuous reviews that keep me motivated. I appreciate every single one of them. Truly. Thanks a lot!
Because She Cares
Chapter Seven: A Passion For You
She stands in the kitchen of the Dragonfly, jaws clenched and chest heaving, her voice hoarse from yelling. She stands there, just staring at the swinging door her mother had walked through. "It's a fucking re-run every time we speak," she thinks, "I'm never going to be 'right', I'm never going to know how to run my own life."
The nerve. The nerve of her mother. Never considering for one moment, that an amazing man could be something more than a prosperous, insurance business owning, self-absorbed jackass. Well, jackass, that's a bit of a stretch. 'Filled to the top with pride' fits better.
"The town was happy for us... but her? Nah."
"It's funny, the town always accused us of being 'more than friends'... so did my mother..."
That was the big difference between the town of Star's Hollow and Emily Gilmore. She knew that Luke had feelings for Lorelai. She was always sure Lorelai felt the same for him. Yet, this made her sick to her stomach. She would rather grab a bucket and vomit than see her daughter with him. Hell, she would rather give up her seat in first class all the way to Europe.
And that big difference - that's what hurt Lorelai the most. Her mother hardly knew Luke, but she still had the right to judge him. After all, he owns a diner. He lives in Star's Hollow. He lacks a common fashion sense. He isn't Christopher. And he is hopelessly and completely in love with her daughter. In Emily's world, that was considered a crime. He wasn't good enough for their family.
And he never would be.
-
Sookie was beginning to worry over her friend's silence. She watched Lorelai's still body, just standing there. She heard Lorelai's nervous yet angered breathing. She could sense the tension, it was the kind of tension she sensed whenever Emily Gilmore entered a room. She could only imagine what was going through Lorelai's mind.
"Lorelai-"
"I swear, that woman... even when she's wrong, she's always right!"
"Lorelai, I am so sorry. I never should have said anything."
She turned to face her, "No... It's okay, Sookie."
"No it's not. I was so stupid. I don't know what I was thinking."
"It's not a big deal."
"I was just excited, you know? I didn't think it was a big deal..."
"It's not. Really Sookie, it's okay."
Sookie looked down with a sigh before she spoke again. "So... she's not too fond of Luke, huh? You're mother..."
"No, not really."
"Lorelai, you know... Luke is a great guy, and he's been into you... forever. And he's waited for you, forever. You have to give the guy a chance-"
"Sookie, you don't have to tell me that. I know Luke's a great guy. I don't care what my mother thinks."
Disbelief in her voice, "You don't?"
"Sookie... No."
"Promise?"
"Yes, I swear. Come on, Sookie..." "I want this... with Luke. I know I do. He knows it-"
"He does?"
"Yes. He knows. He knows. I mean, at least I think he knows... Oh my God, I hope he knows!"
"Well, talk to him!"
"I mean, I kissed the guy! He has to know, right?"
"Well, that depends... how was it?"
A smile crept on Lorelai's face.
"Was it fabulous?"
"Yes, it was more than fabulous."
Sookie spoke dreamily, "The image of you two kissing will forever be engraved in my memory..."
"Because there's nothing weird about that..." Lorelai sarcastically interrupted..
"Ah! I'm just so excited!" Lorelai just smiled. "This is good. This is really good."
"Yeah, I hope so."
"No hoping. No need to hope. It's good and I know it!"
"Oh, don't you know it!" They shared a small laugh.
"So, we're okay? You're not mad I 'spilled the beans'?"
"Nah, I like to flaunt my man."
"'My man'. This is getting so sexy."
The rest of the morning went well. Luke tried his best to get through the many inappropriate remarks thrown at him, and Lorelai laughed every time. It was better than she ever expected... being with Luke. It had only been a few hours, and she already liked the concept; 'Luke's girl'. He was still the same, grumpy, monosyllabic man, but he contained his share of sweetness. A sweetness he only shared with her.
When sitting at that table eating breakfast, he never forgot to smile at her. She loved the fact that he reserved this side for her. But after thinking about it, she realized he always had. From the beginning of their relationship eight years ago, he always treated Lorelai differently. She was always something special to him.
It hurt her to think she always looked past it, though. Everyone else knew how he felt, why was she so oblivious? To think they could have been together so many years ago... Sitting on the floor of his diner, hiding behind the counter. What happened? Why hadn't they gotten together then?
Chris happened. Rachel happened. Max happened. And Paul and Alex and Nicole...
Denial. They were always in denial.
But that was the past. She didn't need to think about then.
Now was too important.
It was five o'clock at night when Lorelai entered the diner, radiant and exhilarated.
"Coffee!"
"How many cups have you had today?"
"One." He looked at her, unconvinced, "Luke, I swear. I had one cup."
"You won't see the age of forty if you keep this up."
"Luke, I had one cup."
"I don't get it. You drink coffee all day long, how do you sleep at night?" Ignoring his question, she walked behind the counter, and started to fill a mug.
"Hey! You're not allowed back here!"
"Who's gunna stop me?"
"I am." She just raised an eyebrow, and continued to pour the coffee.
"You see that, Kirk? I got him wrapped around my little finger."
"Oh yes, I see it. Lulu has the same power over me. All she has to do is walk in the room, and before you can say 'supercalafragalisticexpealadocious', we're ripping our clothes off."
"Ah - jeez, Kirk!"
Oblivious to Luke's disgust, "I know, it's a bit aggravating, isn't it?"
"No, just disturbing."
Kirk just scowled and continued to eat his late, early-afternoon-lunch.
With a smirk and a little 'haha' towards Luke, Lorelai set the coffee pot down, and took a seat at the counter.
"So, Kirk, how has life been treating you?"
"Oh, why do you get him started?"
"Hush, Luke. I'm talking to Kirk."
"Oh, same old, same old... Mother's sneezing again. We knew she was allergic to Lulu, but once the constant running of her nose and clogging of her throat subsided, we thought the concoction I had made her, worked. Apparently not."
"The concoction you made her?"
"A little honey, a little Tylenol PM, a drop of booze. It was working for a while, of course she was walking around the house a little 'out of it' but we thought, 'Hey, just as long as we're saving the tissues!'"
"Oh... Kirk..."
"I know, it was a terrible idea. I feel just awful."
"Have you taken her to a doctor?"
"She doesn't believe in them."
"She doesn't belie- But... you have twelve siblings..."
"I know..." he turns to Luke, "Did your mother ever take you to the doctor?"
Luke turned to Lorelai, "How did this turn into my conversation?"
She just shrugged her shoulders, as Luke gave Kirk a look which meant 'you damn fool' and then focused back to Lorelai.
He could feel his cheeks heating up from the nervousness of finding her looking back at him. What the hell is wrong with me? I kissed the girl, and now I can't even look at her? He tried to focus on washing the counter, but he only found himself looking at her again. And she was looking back at him.
Her voice was soft when she finally spoke. Like she was trying to calm his obvious nerves. "Luke? Do you think I could talk to you... upstairs? For a sec?"
"Uh - yeah, yeah sure. Let's... go upstairs."
Kirk noticed this odd interaction and just smiled to himself as he shook his head.
"So, what's going on?"
"You know," Lorelai spoke as she shut the door, "You don't have to get all cautious and skittish around me..."
"I know... I wasn't, I was just-"
She walked closer to him, "I'm still... me. I'm still the same person."
"I know..."
"I mean, the circumstances are a little different now but... we're still the same people."
"I know. I know, I was just getting crowded, I dunno... stupid."
She nodded her head, understanding.
"So, uh- how did everything work out? With the test-run and everything?"
"Oh, good... good."
"I know I left kind of early, but-"
"Oh, that's fine."
They both nodded, and shared one of those all-too-familiar 'shifting uncomfortably' dances. Naturally, there was a lot of silence involved. You wouldn't want any distractions while your staring at your shoes.
"So, I missed you today." Lorelai said walking closer to him.
"Well, you could have called, I mean, I was busy but-"
"I missed you." She planted a soft kiss on his lips. "You diner boys are so dumb."
He slightly narrowed his eyes, but soon gave her a smirk and returned a kiss. He found himself relax as the kiss gradually yet doubtlessly, deepened.
She was against the wall, slightly heightened, and held up by Luke's hands firm on her waist. She bent her head slightly to reach down to him, her curls dangling around his head.
Tongues met, first with timidity but soon with force. The difference of a lonely hallway and an empty room became clear as their desire and need overwhelmed them. Regardless of his want, Luke broke the kiss. Maybe for breath. Maybe to tease her a little.
"I feel like a teenager." He admitted.
"Oh, Alfalfa, you melt my heart like a popsicle on the fourth of July." He just shook his head in that you-crazy-lady manner, and slid her down to her feet.
They stayed this way for a while. Never tearing away from the other's gaze. It was amazing, not a single word was spoken, but they were having the most meaningful conversation.
Until Lorelai decided her question needed to be answered. This time she needed to use words.
She played with the top button of his flannel while pondering this question. Just staring at the tiny object. He continued to look at her, amazed by her fascination of a button. Until he noticed her eyebrows were furrowed, there was something on her mind. He was about to ask what was wrong, when she finally spoke.
"Luke?" She paused for a moment and shyly asked, "Am I your girlfriend?"
It took him a while to comprehend, but the seriousness of the question suddenly dawned on him. He was entering a relationship - with her - Lorelai Gilmore. The witty, ambitious, sparkling, caffeine-addicted, 'danish day' lovin', incredibly crazy- Lorelai Gilmore.
The woman he had pined for, for eight long years.
"I want to be your girlfriend." She shined a shy smile, pulling him away from his thoughts.
"You're my girlfriend." He assured her.
Her smile grew as she leaned her forehead against his, "Good."
He gave her a tight squeeze.
"So, Luke? Are we gunna do this? For real?"
"I think it's a little late for mulling, don't you?" She smiled, but soon grew somewhat concerned when Luke turned serious. "Lorelai, this thing we're doing here, me... you. I just want you to know I'm in - I am all in."
He noticed the uncertainty in her expression, "Does that uh - are you... scared?"
"You're - you're gunna be here... no matter what, right?"
"Yeah... Lorelai, of cour-"
"Even if things get hard, we'll get through it. I mean, we have to, we've been friends for eight years."
"Lorelai, if this is about your mother... what happened today-"
"No, it's not just about her. I just - I don't want her to prove me wrong on this one. I don't want to screw this up. This is different, 'me and you' it's different from my other relationships." She sighed in frustration, " I guess I just - I really want this to work." Luke smiled at that comment, and continued to listen. "This isn't some casual thing for me... for us... It can't be."
"I know it can't be."
"Because we can't screw up our friendship, or our more than friendship."
"Our 'more than friendship'?"
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do." His voice grew low and hoarse, "And I'm not going anywhere."
"Even if my mother tries to put curtains in the diner?"
"Yup."
"Even if my mother tries to paint the walls pink?"
"Yup."
"Even if my mother-"
"Even if your mother calls me Alfalfa."
She smiled at that. "Okay. Just checking."
TBC