Fades to Black

Chapter 15: A Vineyard Valentine

Disclaimer: I don't own the show or the characters; they belong to the wonderful creators of Gilmore Girls.

Summary: My version of what happens after the screen fades to black…

A/N: Great eppy! The I love you was so sweet.

Changed the title yet again. I just hated that last one. It bugged me. I'm still looking for the perfect title, though. Feel free to give suggestions!

She didn't seem him at all the next day. He was busy with April, she was busy banging her head on the wall, while on the phone with her mother. He called around 9, asking where she was, and she told him she had a headache and was just going to go to bed.

It was true, though. Her head was pounding. It was just that after effects of Emily Gilmore, that's all. She told him she'd be fine, and then they hung up.

It was Valentine's Day tomorrow. Well, actually, it was Valentine's Day in a few hours.

It's not like she wanted some extravagant evening, complete with $500 wine, 4lbs of rose petals, French food, and lame music. That's not what she wanted. That wasn't her. That wasn't Luke. That just wasn't them.

She just wanted her and Luke to be normal. To not have any distractions, just be with each other, even if it was only for a few hours, curled up on the couch.

She just wanted a simple card that he went out and bought for her, or a simple "happy valentines day hun," or an "I love you." She wanted him to kiss her in that 'stand still' kind of way. She wanted him to hold her like she was the most important thing to him, and he never wanted to let go. She wanted him to try and force feed her carrot sticks, and roll his eyes at her, the way he used to. She wanted him to smile at her, like he was proud or awed, or something. She wanted him to look at her in that way that makes her completely melt.

She didn't need the necklace, or an expensive meal or anything like that. She just wanted to spend some time with him. Especially after the day, she had.

She heard the front door open, and a huge smile crept across her face.

This was her Luke. The one that would come by to make sure she was OK. The one that can tell when she's not actually fine, like she says she is. The one that knows what she's thinking. The one she fell in love with.

"Hey." He said, and she turned to face him.

"Hi." She said, with a smile, and he crept into bed with her.

He kissed her forehead. "How's your headache?"

"Better." She told him.

"Good." He said, wrapping his arms around her, and she snuggled up against him. She wished she could just bottle this moment, and keep it forever, because it was truly a perfect moment.

"What'd you do today?" He asked her, after a few minutes.

"Slam my head against the wall repeatedly." Lorelai told him.

"That'd probably explain the headache." He told her.

"Nope, the headache was all doings of one Emily Gilmore."

"Your mother?"

"Know any other Emily Gilmore's?" She asked him. She knew she had to tell him. She had sort of told him two nights ago, in the Vineyard. She told him she had been holding out. He said it wasn't a stupid idea. But, she had a thought, that he was only saying that because she was flipping out on at the time. But, she knew she had to tell him. She just hoped he wouldn't be mad.

"What'd she say?" He asked.

"Well… um…"

"Lorelai?"

"So, I kind of never told her about June 3rd… not being June 3rd… Well, I mean, it's still June 3rd… just not our wedding June 3rd…" Lorelai babbled.

"OK?" Luke said, wondering where this was going.

"And uh, she sort of… Well, she sort of called all of our relatives and told them to save the date… and then, they called the answering machine… you know, congratulating us and everything… so, I had to call her today… tell her how the wedding was postponed… it was just… you know… my mother." Lorelai said, trying to find a reaction from him.

"Oh."

"I just… I didn't tell her because you know… she'd go off on me about how I fail at relationships and I can't commit… and I was never going to get married… and I really didn't want to hear that."

"OK." He told her.

"Are you mad?" She asked him.

"I'm not mad." He told her. And she knew that he was letting her off the hook, way too easily, but it was almost Valentine's Day, and she didn't want to fight.

She nodded, and snuggled closer to him. He reached over to the bedside table, and got something for her.

"Here." He told her softly, handing her a red rose.

She looked up and smiled at him, taking the flower and smelling it. It smelled good, and it looked really pretty, but she just didn't have the good feeling she thought she would have. She really wanted to enjoy what he was doing for her. This was what she wanted, but she just couldn't enjoy it. She knew why he was doing all of this for her.

"I know you like daises, but I figure, roses are more Valentine's Day flowers." He explained.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I just… I don't want you to feel guilty." She told him. "I don't want you to feel like you have to be extra nice to me or something… I just want us to be normal." She said. "Just us."

"This isn't guilt, Lorelai." He said, lifting her chin with his finger, so she would look at him. "This is me doing something nice for the woman I love on Valentine's Day."

He was back. This was her Luke.

She grinned at him, and kissed him, and of course, he kissed her back. Definitely in that 'stand still' kind of way.

She woke up the next morning, and he was lying beside her. She knew he had been watching her. He used to do that a lot. Not so much, recently, though. She smiled up at him, and kissed him good morning.

"Happy Valentine's Day." He told her.

She smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day." She told him, before pulling in for another kiss.

"Do I smell coffee?" She asked, pulling away with a smile.

He gestured over towards her night table.

She gasped. "Breakfast Santa! Twice in one week. I must have been a very good girl this year." She said, setting the tray in between them.

"Guess so." He told her with a smile, and one last kiss, before they dug into their breakfast.

So, some eppy, huh?

You know, in the end when the whole April thing came up again… Well, I think Luke thinks that Lorelai doesn't really want to be involved with April… I mean, if you look at his expression, he turns back to look at her, and he sees that she's all like upset… and his face gets all serious… and he's starts talking about the plans, waiting for her to say something, and then she just goes and says that she'll come by after April leaves. I think it sort of started out, Luke just wanting a little time to get to know his daughter, which you know, is understandable. Then he started thinking Lorelai doesn't want to be involved, because she never really made an effort at all… and I know she's trying to give Luke space, but like she barely ever mentions her, or asks about her, and when Luke talks about her bike being in the garage she's gets all like distant and everything… so, you know? It's just a spec

Also, I totally bet that Jess comes and tells Luke he should marry Lorelai, and then Luke tells Lorelai he wants to elope right then. Although… I don't know if I'm all for the eloping thing. Really, I just want them to get married, but I'd kind of like a real wedding… I mean, April just found out about Luke and stuff… and then he's just going to elope, come home and be like 'hey April, I eloped, say hi to your new step mommy?' Wouldn't that be weird?

Plus, I want Jess, and Liz to be there… Plus, Sookie. How can Lorelai get married without Sookie? And let's all think about the way Emily reacted in Season 2 when she thought Lorelai eloped with Max. God, she'd go ballistic. And I'd kind of like a nice townie wedding, with Kirk, and Miss Pattie and everybody. Man, would they be upset if they found of their #1 couple got married without them…

So, anyway… the episode… "I have a flare gun in the garage." I thought that was funny. I don't know why… just did. The I love yous were sweet… and I absolutely loved when they woke up and were talking in bed… "You would have distracted me from the snack boy and nobody ever did." I really loved that. Rory cooking and going to the gym was a little weird… Her and Logan are like married. The beginning, with Rory and that newspaper guy was funny… the whole "this is why I refrain from asking people about their social lives thing." I don't know. I like Rory in the newspaper room. I'm not sure why, she just seems more… something… whatever.

Man… and I really hope this whole London thing is setting up some "Rory, come to London with me." Haha, maybe the season finale with be like Lorelai finding out she's pregnant and then Rory saying she's thinking about going to London. She'd be losing one kid, gaining another. Yeah, I don't know….

Man, two weeks. Sigh. Then, after that we have to wait like months before another episode… Hiatus… Doesn't it feel like it was just hiatus a few weeks ago?

Please review.

Gracias