A/N: Insert Strong Bad voice:
Like a Phoenix, from the ashes

...she rises again!

Written in the Stars
By Gilmoregirl1979 (the reigning Quote Queen)

Rating: PG-13

Hi this is your friendly disclaimer: Once again, I don't own (DAMN IT!), No Harm No Sue. WE just use the Gilmore Girls dolls during our slumber parties…. It's fun (shirtless Luke: with coffee pouring action, and the "Fry it and Buy it" Luke's Diner Play Set sold separately!)

R/R: yes please I love reviews; I wanna marry them (as previously stated, I have strange passions.)

Summary/ The Q: What if LL hooked up when they first met? What if things had moved … a touch more quickly…?

Luvz: Miss you!

To my devil egg Brigade: Bryanna, LukeandLorelai4ever, luvablemilo, screaming truth (of course you can eat some of them I'm making like 600…),

I love you all thank you. I don't feel alone any more… to add to Bryanna's shopping list… we will need a really huge pot… ummm some paprika… eggs of course…

A/N: Sorry no time to beta… maybe a post post beta… you know what I mean…

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Chapter 17
You're Invited …

For the following week, Lorelai tried to find a time to extend Rory's invitation to Luke. She felt a little weird inviting a grown man to spend the night at her house. With her folks it was always hidden, "leave before morning, don't let the adults find out". Now Lorelai and Luke were the adults, and they had her daughter's blessing, to boot. The only question was … when.

Now that Rory was more comfortable around Luke and could hold a conversation with him, she invited him over more and more. Usually when Lorelai and Rory ate breakfast at the diner, Rory would kindly ask if Luke was free for that evening. If Luke was available, and didn't have deliveries in the next morning, he would stop by the Gilmore house for whatever chore Rory reminded him of… or for a cooking lesson to prepare for Mrs. Kelly's layer cake project. Having Luke and Rory spend so much time together was nice, but it was awkward for Lorelai when she wanted to ask Luke's opinion on Rory's sleep over suggestion. Every time she wanted to bring up the subject, Rory would whisk him to the kitchen or to her room for a final measuring of her new shelves he was building in the front yard. Luke was focused on keeping things positive with Rory, measuring and installing the bookshelves for Rory's room, and even painted little daisies as an accent decoration, per Rory's request.

While Rory and Lane were out purchasing CDs so they could strap them to Lane's body, in order to smuggle them into the Kim house, Lorelai took the opportunity to discuss Rory's new invitation. "Um, Luke? Can we… talk?"

The tone of her voice told Luke this conversation was about serious relationship stuff. "… Lorelai? You sure this can't wait?" He was a little uncomfortable having a serious "talk" in her daughter's room. Not to mention that he was in the middle of a project, knocking on the walls, listening for the proper studs to mount the shelves on.

With almost a week's anticipation, Lorelai just blurted out: "Rory wants you to spend the night…"

Luke's head shot toward Lorelai, and he dropped the hammer and he was about to strike, "What?" his arms now limp at his sides.

"Well, you know… she realizes we are adults and that we like each other and part of that is being together… alone time… at night…like in the movies," Lorelai finished lamely, glad that again the metaphor came in handy.

"You're suggesting that we …" with your daughter in the house!

"No, no, no, well not … right away…at least, um, maybe just … try it a few nights… before well, um, you know…" we make it all official.

"I don't know about this…I mean, we are trying to ease her into this…"

"Luke, she's an observant kid, she's done the math and she knows it's been awhile since you and I had an alone… adult type date."

"What?" It surprised Luke that Rory would keep track of such a stat.

"She's giving us her blessing to have … real dates… without her as a chaperon … you know, like going out to dinner… movies, like our first date… she's … considering our … feelings…"

"But she's just starting to like me… I don't want her to think … we are, you know… ignoring her…"

"Luke, she's always liked you…" to which Luke raised an eyebrow, "look…this was her suggestion… and it was only a suggestion. I mean, we haven't really been… together…" hoping he picked up the hint, "for a while…" he's a guy, of course he's picked it up.

"I know."

"And Sookie can still baby-sit…"

"Maybe…" Luke already had an occasion in mind for an adult date.

"So maybe we can try the babysitting… alone adult dates to start… then we will see how we do… with the spending the night… thing later on… but in the meantime… "

"What?"

"Well, you two have been building those CD boxes… maybe there is another sleep over at the Kims in the future… and maybe… we could… have our own sleep over? Here? At my place this time? Or yours?"

"I just don't know?" having spent so much time at the Gilmore house now it was hard to be in the place and not think of Rory.

"Luke … I miss you…" and she walked toward him to hug him.

"I miss you too."

"Okay then we'll play it by ear… and I'll ask Rory if there is any word on the floor board project okay?"

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Unfortunately, Mrs. Kim was expecting visiting relatives from Korea, so the sleepovers had to be put on hold, and Lane was ousted to the living room to accommodate the foreign guests. This was just as well since the girls were at a stalemate on how to best handle sneaking in the CD storage. However, Rory would still sneak French fries into school so Lane could get her hit of the addictive carbohydrates.

Rory was wanting for her mom at the diner after school. She was a low maintenance customer and as long as Luke kept her in French Fries she was happy to do her homework at the counter.

"Hey …. Rory… I wanna run something past you…"

"Sure Luke…"

"Well… you see… I was wondering if you'd mind … if I could… take your mom out to dinner …"

"That's fine, Luke… I told Mom I don't mind… really…"

"No, but see … well ummm Thursday… is sorta special… and I know it's a school night…"

"What's special about Thursday?" Rory cocked her head to the side. It's not mom's birthday… Easter already happened… and is on a Sunday…

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Luke had suggested that if Lorelai didn't have to work, and only if Sookie was willing to baby-sit that he and Lorelai could go out on an adult date on Thursday night. Sookie promised to tape anything worthwhile on the television so Lorelai could enjoy her evening with her beau.

Rory was almost more excited about the date than Lorelai … almost, "Wear this one…" and she pulled a seldom used, but very pretty blue dress from her mother's closet. "It's so pretty, and you finally have a reason to wear it."

"See it's a good thing I bought it at that sale," Lorelai approved of the garment choice, but had to ask, "Why are you so excited?" from her vanity as she finished her makeup.

"Well, you two are going out… on a date… a real date… and it's your anniversary… it's so romantic…" Rory said in passing as she laid the dress on her mom's bed.

The make up brush stopped mid stroke, "What?"

As Rory was trying to pick some appropriate shoe options for her mother to choose from, "Luke told me that it's been three months since your first date …"

"It has?" and Lorelai did the math, it has. Lorelai counted up the weeks that had flew by with the now comfortable routine. She realized how nice it was to see Luke every morning, and to have him over to fix things and hang out at night… how slowly he had become more and more apart of their lives now that Rory approved of the relationship.

"…And he that he took you to Snooggies … or something…." Rory continued.

"Sniffy's" Lorelai corrected.

"Yeah Sniffy's and that he wanted to do something special for your anniversary… even if it's only a three months anniversary … so it is important that you look your best for him …"

Rory squeezed past her mother to poke around her mother's jewelry box to find some appropriate accessories for the "three month anniversary" dress, as she continued, "… And like you said… this is just like the movies… It's like a novel being played out right before me! I want to see where the story goes."

Lorelai smiled, at her daughter's newfound enthusiasm and positive perspective on the relationship she was so resistant to before. She had to give her little girl a hug and kissed her forehead.

"Mom! Now you have to redo your lipstick!" Rory scolded.

"Sorry" and Lorelai still felt t he need to double check. " Are you absolutely sure you will be able to survive with out me?"

"Mom we will be fine… and we have your cell phone if anything requires your attention."

"But I mean it… I feel like… Luke and I… are well… abandoning you…"

"Don't worry… besides, Luke promised that the three of us could go to Sniffy's this weekend if I wanted…"

Ever-thoughtful Luke.

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Maisy insisted that they drink champagne since not only were they on a date, but also it was their anniversary. Lorelai asked Buddy to slip Luke a beer when Maisy went to great some incoming patrons.

Lorelai couldn't help but stare at Luke, he was so pretty, so thoughtful, but self-doubt began to creep in the back of her mind. Lorelai wondered if she really deserved Luke, and she felt even guiltier recalling how Rory had warmed up to him, and everything seemed to be falling into place… Lorelai began to wonder if it was all too good to be true.

He didn't seem to mind the unwavering gaze but Luke was curious and had to ask… "What?" as he reached across the table for her hand.

The concern in his voice, the touch of his hand, made Lorelai smile, "You remembered our anniversary…" she confessed in a whisper.

Now he was embarrassed, "Well yeah... I thought women liked that."

"We do… it's just…" and she confessed, "I didn't really even know when 'we' started with the whole Rory not knowing and all … I just… I didn't keep track. I don't even think Chris and I commemorated anniversaries…"

There was an awkward pause over the mention of the Ex, but Luke segued gracefully, "Well here's to a new traditions," Luke toasted, thankful for the beer Lorelai arranged.

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"This was nice, a chance to get out… be together," Lorelai observed, "It's been so long…I feel like it's our first date again…" she laughed as she went up the stairs.

"Yeah," Luke agreed, close behind her.

"I mean, it's been awhile, … this is not exactly like our first date... but you know, the cliché… a kiss good night… under the porch light," she smiled, and thinking of that impending moment of his lips on hers made her quiet. "ummm I rhymed …" feeling that giddy, stupid anticipation again.

Luke stepped forward, to keep her from babbling further, he kissed her. It didn't take long to fall into a different routine, and Lorelai realized just how much she had missed him, wondering why they hadn't taken advantage of the whole night to be alone, instead of going to a stupid movie or eating. When his lips went down her neck, Lorelai gasped "Oh man … we should have gone to the diner…" wishing she could keep up the necking the rest of the night. That would be enough to keep me perfectly satisfied… well almost. Only one thing would have made the anniversary more perfect, but they were already at her front door, and to back track to the diner would have tipped off the network of spies. You could say that the gossips of Stars Hollow had their own definition of "Neighborhood Watch".

"I should go, "Luke whispered in her ear, unable to believe how she could make him forget himself.

"Hmmm 5 more minutes…"

"Babette is watching," no doubt.

"Having an audience is the new trend, go with it…" and she tried to kiss him again.

"Lorelai…" Luke scolded with a smirk.

Lorelai sighed, "Good night Luke."

"Good night."

"Happy anniversary?" and she offered another goodnight kiss.

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Lorelai entered the house all warm and fuzzy, only to find Sookie and Rory sleeping on the couch, the TV on mute and flickering at them.

Rory heard her mom's keys on the desk in the hall… "How was it?" even though she was exhausted, she wanted details of the progressing love story.

"Nice," almost wanting a do over, were they got to the good stuff right away.

"Only nice?" Rory complained, "It's an anniversary, it's supposed to be special."

"It was. I had fun."

"That's good," Rory yawned.

"Come on, let's get you to bed…" and Lorelai picked up her growing girl.

Rory asked a mumbled, "Did he kiss you goodnight…" from her mother's shoulder, her legs hitched at her mother's waist, and Lorelai thought it was cute how she wanted the details now.

"Yeah…" to say the least and wishing there was a little more.

When Rory was in her bed, with Cornel Cluckers, "Mom… I'm really okay with it… if you want him to stay here…"

"I know kid… We'll see."

"He likes hanging out with us… Don't you think he'd like to stay the night?" Rory yawned again.

"Well that is a big step…for all of us."

"So is a three month anniversary… you never had one of those before…"

"I'll ask him again if you want…"

"Please… I want you two … to be happy" and Rory was asleep again.

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A/N: My beta put it best "I hope Chris crawls under a bus and just dies. … Failing that, Luke maims him for life."

To which I responded "why can't Chris just write a book and have a Kathy Bates #1 fan kidnap him and hobble him to live out the rest of his days in Colorado..."
FAV PARTS:

- You could say that the gossips of Stars Hollow had their own definition of "Neighborhood Watch".

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"That was all God given talent..." why thank you Luke!
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R/R: PLEASE, I like to better myself. To quote The Princess Bride,
"...Remember this is for posterity, ... so be honest."
Please be specific with R/R; name one (or as many as you can think of or want to mention..…) At least one specific thing you liked

Please! It makes me feel good...inside (Dirty!)

Hence the Rant option below.

Insert Rant here V
A/N: if not completely satisfied with this chapter, please return unused portion for a full refund …