Summary: JJ. She let herself fall for him, even though he was with someone else.
Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.
Author's Note: There's no excuse for taking this long to update. It's summer, I was just distracted. I hope there are still fans of this story, though. Also, just so you know, I went though the whole story and cleaned it up a bit. I didn't take anything important out, there were no major changes, so you don't have to go and read the whole thing over. Only if you want to, lol. Alright, hope you like this next chapter. FND!
Because She Cares
Chapter Nine: Grateful for You
"Are you serious?" She nods her head. "And there's no way I can back out?"
"Not unless you want to be sorry, my friend. Very, very sorry." Luke just sighs. "Ever see Inventing The Abbotts?"
"No."
"If only you had. Then you'd know how intense this sorry would be."
"Alright, enough. I'm not going to be sorry, because I'm not going to mess with your mother."
"Dir-"
"And that sounded really inappropriate, but I'm not allowing you to say 'dirty' because that's just too easy."
"Sorry. But after mentioning Inventing The Abbotts, the word dirty is on my mind."
"I know that I haven't seen a lot of movies, you don't have to remind me every day."
She could sense he was getting irritated, "Sorry."
"No, it's fine. I'm just - not looking forward to this."
"It's okay. Nobody looks forward to visiting Ava and Adolph." He just nodded his head. "Look, Luke, if you really don't want to go, you don't have to. I'll just say that it was short notice, that you already had plans."
Kirk interrupted, "Plans that you didn't already know about? How would that look to your mother?"
"Shut up, Kirk. No one asked for your opinion."
"You're right, Luke. Nobody asked for my opinion. But having experienced this sort of situation before, I am warning you; don't skip that dinner."
"Why?"
He emphasized the words, "Don't - skip- that - dinner."
Lorelai turned to face him, "Kirk, did something happen to you when you skipped dinner with Lulu's parents?"
"Yes, and I am forever scarred."
"Should I ask... or is that too personal?"
"Let's just say I'll never think of 'the Birds and the Bee's' the same way, ever again."
"Lulu's parents talked to you about the Bir- you know what, never mind..."
Luke turned to Lorelai, "Sorry you asked?"
"Yes, very."
Luke sighed. "So, according to Kirk, I shouldn't skip it."
"Yes, well, Kirk is Kirk, so..."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
"I'll just go. I mean, it can't be that bad, right? You're mother hates me, but other than that..."
"Things are just dandy at the Gilmore household."
"Sure, whatever you say."
"Don't even worry about it, Luke. We're a team. We'll just go in there and act confident. I got 'ya back." She gave him a punch in the arm.
"Thanks, that makes me feel so much better..."
"Getting whacked in the head with a baseball bat."
"Oh, good one."
"That was swung by Babe Ruth." he added.
"Even better. How about flossing with that really, really fine floss that cuts between your teeth like a razor?"
"Staring into the sun until you're blind."
"Getting brain freeze from eating ice cream."
"Watching a foreign movie without subtitles."
"Hitting your funny bone on a marble floor."
"Using a toothbrush that your sister previously scrubbed the toilet with."
"Ugh, gross! Did that happen to you?"
"Nah, it was the other way around."
"Luke!"
"She deserved it." Lorelai just shook her head and chuckled.
"You know? This is really great. Rory never plays the 'name all the things you'd rather be doing than this' game, with me. She's too nice to my parents."
"Well, not to take sides or anything, but it's probably a good thing Rory's nice to your parents."
"Yeah, you're probably right." She points to the next street on the left. "Oh, turn here." She begins to sing the Twilight Zone theme song as they pull into the driveway.
"Lorelai..." She continues to sing. "Lorelai, cut that out."
"Sorry, just trying to set the mood. I'd take one last look at this beloved truck of yours, you may never see it again." They climb out of the truck.
"And why is that?"
She shuts the door, "Cuz there's no way you're gunna make it out of this house alive."
"I thought you said it wouldn't be that bad?" He's getting nervous, this makes Lorelai smile.
"Aw, I'm just kidding, Luke." She waits for him to round the truck, and then she links her arm in his, "You're so cute when you're concerned."
He ignored this comment and just admired the house. "Jeez... you grew up here?"
"Yes, the troubled yet dazzling girl replies, as she cringes at the thought..."
Choosing to ignore her drama, "It's a mansion."
"It's a torture chamber."
"You're not gunna concern me, not after you called me cute." She laughs at that. "So are you gunna ring the bell or..."
"You do it. That way I can hold you responsible for getting us into this mess."
"I'll be held responsible because I rang the doorbell?"
"Yep."
"No way, you ring it."
"I don't think so."
"It's your house."
"Luke, ring it-"
Emily then opens the door. "Lorelai, is there a reason why you're just standing out here instead of ringing the doorbell, like a sane person would do?"
"I was just busy talking to my little animal friends. Thumper just ran into that bush over there."
"Right." She opens the door wider for them to come in. "Katia will take your coats." She paused and then turned around, "Oh, I'm sorry Luke, you must think I'm the rudest. How are you?"
"I'm great, Mrs. Gilmore."
"Please, call me Emily."
He nods as he hands the maid his coat. "The house is gorgeous, Emily."
"Thank you, Luke. You two can head into the livingroom, Rory's there now."
"Great, thanks."
Lorelai whispers to him, "See, you think that went well, but-"
"I think it was better than your Bambi reference."
"She insisted that I wasn't sane, she had it coming. And besides, everybody loves Bambi." Luke nodded, pretending to agree.
"Oh, drinks. Remember what we talked about earlier?"
"Yes..." Trying to avoid the subject.
"Ride the pink elephant, baby!"
After an hour or so of drinking in the livingroom, everyone made there way to the dining room. Luke took a seat next to Rory, who assured him that she'd 'sock anyone who gave him a hard time'. She was sure to encourage him throughout the night.
Overall, things were going well. Naturally, Emily threw in her subtle comments about Luke's 'inferiority' but she was sure to disguise it in such a way, that she sounded sweet. She never directly insulted him.
"The woman's evil, but talented." Lorelai pointed out. "Wait, wait, what was the beer thing? Oh, my God!"
"What? I wanted beer, she was considerate enough to anticipate that, that might be the case."
"The word beer, backhand slang for nitwit juice."
"Did you just call me a nitwit?"
"No, my mother did!"
"You're being paranoid."
"Luke, this is 1904 and you're against the DeWitt Bukater's."
"Please, don't compare me to that DiCaprio guy."
"Let's go upstairs - out my bedroom window - they'll think the maid killed us or something."
"I'm not running away from your parents. And neither are you. Besides, they're probably already suspicious seeing as you followed me to go to the bathroom."
"Luke, I'm telling you, things are gunna get worse. We should just leave now."
"Lorelai..." He gave her a look and she sighed.
"Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."
"I've been warned. Now can I please go to the bathroom?"
"Okay, okay. You can go to the bathroom. Watch out though, Johnny might get the axe." Luke just rolled his eyes.
-
"We're having terimisue, tonight, Luke. I hope that's not too fancy." Emily said as he returned to the table.
"Actually, mom, Luke can make a really great terimisue."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. He made it for me four Christmas's ago. Well, I made him make it for me, but he made it nonetheless."
"Oh, I remember that!" Rory spoke, "You threatened to perform your Louie Armstrong impersonation if he didn't make it."
Luke nodded his head, "It's always best to avoid her Louie Armstrong impersonation."
"And her Gandhi impersonation." Rory added.
Luke smiled, thinking about it, "That too."
Emily then spoke, "Four years ago. Back when Chris was in the picture? Or maybe it was Max. I can't quite remember, there's been quite a few men in your life; sometimes it's hard to keep track." Emily softly laughed at this, she wasn't aware of the hard stare Richard was giving her.
Lorelai scoffed, "Well, mother, that really doesn't matter now. Now, that I'm with Luke."
"Yes, wer're all aware that your with Luke, Lorelai. That was made clear at the test-run." She turned to Luke, "Are people still talking about the two of you?"
"Yeah - well - I'm used to it by now. That town's crazy."
"Yeah, they've always talked about us." Lorelai chimed in.
"They've always talked about you?"
"Let's just say they knew we would get together before we did." Lorelai answered.
Emily just shifted in her seat.
"Got your knickers in a twist there, mom?"
"This is wrong."
Lorelai spoke, confused "What's wrong?"
"You and Luke. This is wrong. You shouldn't have done this. Your friendship is now destroyed. Lorelai, you know this won't last."
"Nah, Luke and I are like pees and carrots." She picked up both vegetables with her fork. Luke just sat there, not saying a word. He was growing tired of Emily's 'comments' now.
"Honestly, Lorelai, must you joke about everything?"
"Sorry, I was just trying to spare everybody's feelings by changing the subject, mom."
"This is serious, Lorelai."
"Okay, then why don't you fill me in, cuz I really don't understand what you're saying."
"You know as well as I do that this conversation needs to be held in private."
"Clearly, I don't know as well as you."
"Lorelai, don't be a fool."
"Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of my daughter and my boyfriend."
Emily set her fork and knife down, "Alright, then. Fine, have it your way. I'll just remind everyone sitting at the dinner table that this is the Gilmore household. We take pride in our name, and we don't like to spoil it. So, when you waltz in here with you're not-so-serious boyfriend acting like your 'jolly self' don't think for one moment that everyone in this room doesn't know who you're supposed to be with right now."
"And who am I supposed to be with?"
"The father of your child."
"The father of my almost-eighteen year-old daughter?"
"Yes."
"Huh. Well, sorry, I disagree.
"I'm not surprised."
Lorelai looked down at the table, shaking her head. "You know mom, this conversation is really getting old. It ended eons and eons ago, and frankly, I'm not in the mood to bring it up again."
"Fine by me."
Not impressed by her response, "I don't get it, mom. There's absolutely nothing wrong with Luke. There's nothing wrong with our relationship, and here you are insulting it." She stood up, shrugging her shoulders and pushing her chair in. "I can't do this - I'll see you next week." Rory and Luke exchanged glances, before she went off to follow her mother.
Luke stayed behind, "Ask Rory about her so-called-father. See what she has to say about him. Then maybe you'll think twice about having your daughter linked to him." Neither of the elder Gilmore's said a word. "Goodnight Emily, Richard. Thanks for dinner." He then followed Lorelai and Rory out the door.
TBC
What do you think? Was that last comment by Luke too much? I kinda think it was, but I think it was needed.