"So what are we suppose to take camping?" asked Lorelai as Luke was still mocking their choice of luggage. Luke was interrupted from answering when a large, expensive looking car pulled into the drive way. Paris got out of the car and Rory went over to help her friend with her gear.
"A pack like that would have been more appropriate" Luke replied as Paris pulled a large pack from the boot of the car.
"That pack says camping to me. Your suitcases on the other hand scream world travel or hotel accommodation"
"Ok Luke I get it Rory and I should have packed in a different bag. But let's not let this ruin our experience. It is what's on the inside that counts right? On the inside of our suitcases we have only things that roar camping."
"Yeah your right" Luke said gruffly "We best get going now if everything is packed in the jeep. The trip will take a little while and we want to be able to put the tents up and down a few times before lunch."
With that Luke and Lorelai walked towards the car. Paris and Rory had already got themselves comfortable in the back seat. Luke was making his way around to the passenger's side when Lorelai said "think quick" and threw him her keys.
"I think you should drive. You know where we are going so it would make thing easier" she explained.
It was around 10.30 when they arrived at the camping spot. The car trip had been fun, with Lorelai, Rory and Paris playing car games. Luke had joined in with the occasional short sentence to keep the girls happy.
The camp site was a beautiful clearing right next to a river. There was nothing domesticated about it at all. No toilets, no showers, no power, just a small flat piece of land. The river was on one side and light bush on the other.
"This is it?" Paris asked expectantly
"Yeah this is it" Luke replied gesturing to his surrounding.
"Ok we can work with this. We can use the bush to the right for a toilet area gather wood for a fire from over there. We can wash dishes in the river and the tents and a campfire would go perfect here." Paris said in planning mode thinking about all the books she had read.
"Well actually we should put the tents over there" Luke said pointing. "It is sheltered more form the winds and it is safer to light a fire over there away from the bush. Your best place to get fire wood is off to the right and that those two tall trees to the north are usually the designated toilet area."
"Ok great that works too" said Paris realising that this was meant to be a learning experience. Though this man may not seem scholar material he had been camping before. He looked like it too she thought.
Rory and Lorelai just stood and watched as the two organised the area. They were still in a little shock that there were on toilet facilities. They had both known they were going camping somewhere other than a camping ground and what that implied. Neither had really thought about the smaller details like the lack of facilities. Both were now quite pleased that they were only staying for one night. That by tomorrow night they would be returned to there warm safe beds.
With the organising done and the Gilmore's recovered from their shock, the team unpacked. It was not until now that Lorelai and Luke actually noticed how much stuff Paris had brought.
"You do know we are only here for one night, don't you" Luke questioned pulling her third pack from the car.
"Yes I just thought I better be prepared for anything. Do you know 17 of people who go camping forget to take something that could have saved them from illness or skin irritation?"
"Amazing" Lorelai chimed in.
After all the unpacking was done Luke set about showing the girls how to set up a tent. The tents Luke had were small two man tents. He had it on good authority that they were the same kind that Chilton owned and used. He stared by setting up one himself telling the girls what he was doing at each step. Once the tent was fully erect he threw them another one.
"Try doing this one by yourself. I will give you step by step instructions."
The girls set to work doing surprisingly well. Lorelai was happy to sit back and watch Luke and the two girls. He seemed completely relaxed in this environment even more so than he did in the diner. He was stranding tolerantly giving the girls tips and answering Paris very specific questions. At one Paris had asked exactly have many times a tent peg should be hammered so that it was secure. Luke had turned to Lorelai who was behind Paris back to give him a number. Lorelai had smiled widely at him and held up seven fingers. Luke replied Paris with about 7 times or until the peg is fully in the ground.
With Luke's help the girls had the second tent up in no time. Lunch was then prepared with Luke again passing on his knowledge to the girls. Again Lorelai watched wondering why Luke was being so helpful and patient. Then she realised nothing much had actually changed Luke was always like this with Rory. Luke was always patient and supportive of Rory and her, kindness replacing the gruffness when least expected.
Later that night the four of them sat round the campfire a lot had been accomplished that day and all were happy to sit by the warm fire under the stars. After lunch Luke had demonstrated how to take down a tent and putting up and down was then practised several times. Then sleeping arrangements had been sorted with the obvious tent parings of Rory and Paris and Lorelai and Luke. Tents had then been furnished (as Lorelai liked to put it) with small rubber mats that were apparently for sleeping on and sleeping bags. Dinner had then been prepared by Rory and Paris under the watchful eye of Luke who deemed the meal a success.
"Another marshmallow" Lorelai offered to no one in particular as she put another on her stick to toast on the now ember dominant fire.
"No thanks" was the common consensus with Luke making some remark that he thought Rory had had two many and that Lorelai had, had nearly double.
"I think I will go to bed now" Paris said looking up form her watch. "It is 9.30 now and the sun is set to rise at 6am. I don't think these tents will do a good job at blocking it out so I guess we will rise then too. I need my 8 hours. Goodnight all"
"Yeah I think I might turn in now too. Go for the whole camping experience of waking up with the sun. Goodnight Mom, night Luke." Rory said getting up to follow Paris.
Half an hour later Luke and Lorelai also set off to bed. They each said there goodnights and drifted off to sleep.
Lorelai woke with a start "Ahhhhhh" she yelled. She had woken to what she thought was a bear in the tent. With Lorelai's little outburst Luke woke too.
"What's wrong" Luke asked as Lorelai looked over at him with a scared look and wide eyes.
" I thought I heard a bear in the tent and it scared me"
"Lorelai I think all those marshmallows might have gone to your head there are no bears around here and we would defiantly know if there was one in the tent."
"But Luke I her a sort of grunt sound that was like a sniffing bear"
Luke laughed a little coming to a realisation "It wasn't a bear Lorelai. It was me I snore I am sorry I forgot to tell you."
"Don't laugh" she said offended " it wasn't funny I was scared"
Just then there was a loud hoot outside. Lorelai scared again rolled over close as she could get to Luke. Luke startled by her sudden movement put his arms around her knowing her move was a plea for comfort.
"What was that" she asked
"It's just an animal Lorelai I think it was an owl. It will be out looking for food. Like Paris spouted out before 45 of the animals in this bush are nocturnal. They are not out to hurt you and if they were I wouldn't let them. You are safe we me animals don't like my gruff, short sentence ways they find me scary. Not to mention the flannel it looks like hunters clothes and animals don't like hunters."
Luke said letting his brain say whatever it wanted. He just wanted to make Lorelai feel better, he didn't know why but whenever she needed his help somehow comforting words flowed from his usually speechless mouth.
"Thanks" Lorelai replied felling better relaxing into Luke's back as he held her and settled her fears. Each was silent for a few minutes Lorelai was thinking about how safe she felt laying this close to Luke. Other times she had been close to a man she had always been afraid they were about to make a move. She had always felt uneasy as if she needed to sleep with one eye open. Now though she felt peaceful, she knew Luke was just being her comforting best friend, he would never do anything she didn't like or that made her feel uncomfortable.
"Luke, I can't sleep will you play the 'would you rather' game with me'" Lorelai asked.
"No" Luke said
"Please Luke, pretty please I can't sleep at the moment and it would be fun. You might even enjoy it."
"What is the 'would you rather game'" Luke grumble. Now enjoying the feel of Lorelai in his arms with her head back so she could smile up at him. He was still holding her because neither of them had made any attempt to move from the embrace.
"Well we each take turns at asking each other questions like would you rather lose an arm or a leg. The other person has to answer and then there may be fun discussions so they can explain there reasoning. The only rule is you can not ask a question you have been asked the questioner can volunteer there answer though. So you better think of the good questions first"
"Leg" Luke said indicating that he had done the inevitable and given in to one of Lorelai's silly antics.
"Interesting, I guess then you could still run the diner and pour me my wonderful cup of coffee every morning. Good choice."
"Yeah then I could continue to poison you day by day with the liquid death. Would you rather get a tattoo or pierce your tongue" Luke asked interested to hear her answer.
"Get a tattoo" Lorelai replied "they are much classier and I could have it somewhere where guests at the inn couldn't see. A tattoo can mean a lot more. Though I would proberly never get one because I am a wimp and I hate pain. Will you give me an answer to that?"
Luke pulled up the arm of the t-shirt he had worn to bed to revel a tattoo on his arm. Lorelai studied it closely looking at the way it moved with the ripple in his arm.
"Wow Luke. How come you have never shown me that before? That is really cool. You look good with a tattoo not that I could have imagined you with one."
The questions continued to be trivial for a while Lorelai asking things like would you rather swim in jelly or noodles and would you rather have to wear a pink tutu or display a flyer at the diner. Luke asking questions like would you rather live in England or Scotland and would you rather have to eat a turkey burger or a chicken salad.
Then without really thinking about it the questions got more serious.
"If the man you loved asked you to give up something would you rather it be coffee or sugar" Luke asked
"Hmmmm" Lorelai thought looking for an answer finding it very hard. "Well I think if he was the man I loved he would not want me to change or give up either of those two things. He would accept me for who I am with my coffee and sugar addictions. Would you rather have to buy Tampons or a pregnancy test for the woman you love?" she asked not knowing what had possessed her to ask such a question. She knew Luke would not answer it was too personal Luke was not going to share this information with her. She had just ruined there fun little game buy asking something too personal, she had made Luke uncomfortable. Any moment now he would remove his arms from around her and make some comment about needing to sleep. But he didn't he thought for a little while and finally said "It wouldn't matter if she is the woman I love I would buy her either. I would proberly buy her anything."
Luke was thinking about the pink sleeping bag he now held in his arms. He would buy Lorelai anything he could afford. He didn't know why he had answered her question though. He was considering letting her go and rolling over to sleep but he couldn't he liked the feel of her warm back against his chest. If he had to bare a little bit of himself to her for it to remain there then so be it. The feeling was too great.
"It's your turn" said bringing him back from his thought.
"Yeah right ok um would you rather a man walk in on you naked or walk in on Kirk naked"
"Uhhhh gross Luke. It would be really embarrassing but I think I would be less affected if someone walked in on me. Man that question gives seriously bad images. Why would you ask such a question, are you trying to scar me for life."
"Sorry Lorelai." He apologised. The truth was he had, had many other questions he had wanted to ask her but he couldn't bring himself to. All of them involved her being with men and while he would have liked it to have been him, the man with Lorelai in his mind was not him. Luke didn't want to think of Lorelai with another man tonight. He couldn't bring himself to ask questions that would make her think about other men to decide the answer. He though one involving Kirk naked would be the safest, at least that didn't involve other men touching her. Tonight at lest she was all his to comfort.
"Ok I have one would you rather have the woman you love to just hold and comfort forever or one night of passion with her knowing you would never see her again." Lorelai asked again knowing she was pushing the boundaries of questions Luke would answer.
Luke just pulled her closer to him and gave his answer so Lorelai had to strain to hear.
"That is easy Lorelai. If I could only have one or the other I would want to hold her forever. I think that would be enough." He said taking a deep breath inhaling the intoxicating smell of her. He was sure it was making him drunk otherwise he would have never said that or continued his answer. "What could be better than getting to hold and comfort the woman you love forever? To smell her hair feel her breath rise and fall with yours. To know that she is yours to hold, that no other man can hold her like you. One night of passion would not be enough if you could have a forever of holding. Knowing that she wanted you to hold her. I mean of course it would be wonderful to be able to do more too but if that was all she wanted then it would be enough. One night of passion with her running off the next day to be with another man would be too painful."
Wow that was a really good answer Lorelai thought. It was so un-Luke-like but it was really good. Had he really pulled her closer before he answered and smelt her hair before he went on? Or was she just imagining this? This question had really screwed with her mind. Half and hour ago she had felt safe and content in the arms of her best friend Luke and now she realised she wanted to be the girl Luke was talking about. She wanted him to think holding him forever was better than one night of passion with her. She wanted to be the one Luke loved. Did she love Luke? Why did she want Luke to love her if she didn't love him? All this was too much for Lorelai to process all she knew was that she felt safe wrapped up in Luke's arms. Maybe she couldn't have it forever but tonight she could with that she closed her eyes and began to drift off the sleep. The small snores that Luke was now beginning to make now sounded comforting and safe. Not the scary bear noise she had woken to. So she fell asleep in his arms reasoning one night of being held by Luke and getting to see him every day after as her best friend, would come between being held forever and one night of passion.
So tell me what you think. This is my longest chapter ever and had a bit of trouble writing it. Thanks for all you reviews so far. This is not the end I still have ideas. It is just getting them on paper. Someone suggested I get a beta. I am not really sure what that is all about but if any of you would be willing to help out with that it would be great. I know my grammar can get a little random sometimes. I would also like it noted that in this chapter I used Mom instead of Mum. Please review and tell me what you think could be improved in the next chapter. Cheers!