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. (JUST GIVE ME A JOB and we will call it even!)
This is a revised chapter… original was pubbed on… and this was pubbed on…
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: I miss you
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Chapter 19:Insert Fear of Commitment … Here
Come morning, with Luke's presence, Rory was so relaxed that she was comfortably spread out between the two adults in a large "X" on the floor. Luke had woken up later than his normal time due to the change in his schedule of having to protect Rory in the middle of the night, and when he first woke up, he found one of Rory's limbs in his face, as he removed it and as he sat up, his back hurt from sleeping on the hardwood floor. As he saw the Gilmores in his life, still sleeping soundly, he smiled, and with all things considered … he did have fun with the slumber party. It certainly had been intimidating, but he decided he wouldn't mind doing it again sometime… provided they avoided the scary movies for Rory's sake… and that they never tried to get him to braid their hair.
Quietly, Luke found coffee in Lorelai's kitchen to make her a pot, and as it brewed, he called the diner to check in with how the Sunday brunch was going with out him. Luke had already arranged for the morning off but he knew would have to close tonight to repay Caesar and Ben for accommodating his love life. As Luke hung up the phone, he felt arms snake around his waist, "Morning" he greeted the arms, feeling a warm cheek on his back.
Lorelai had thought Rory's position was so cute she let her be and sought out Luke. The sweet wonderful man was making her coffee, and for that deserved a hug… at least, "Hmmm Morning…"
Luke took advantage that Rory was a sleep and gave Lorelai a conservative kiss, considering neither had brushed their teeth yet.
"So how do you feel… the morning after…?" Lorelai teased, testing the waters of him spending the night.
"Well this is definitely not what I expected… but I do like waking up with you," he had to admit.
"Well, we will just have to try this again… minus the hard wood floor..." maybe… minus the daughter, she selfishly thought.
"Sure …next week maybe…" Luke shrugged.
"Sounds like a plan" Lorelai sighed, and cuddled with him before Rory woke up; relieved she would have amble time to slowly get used to Luke's increasing presence in their lives.
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However, that evening, Lorelai noticed as the sun went down Rory seemed to get nervous again on the couch. Rory seemed unable to focus on her book, checking over her shoulder, like she heard something and wanted to check it out, but didn't want to admit a sound was made. After watching this behavior for a few minutes Lorelai had to ask. "Is something wrong, Hon?"
"What? No, no, nothing is wrong…" and Rory casually asked… "Ummmm is Luke coming over? You know tonight?"
Curious by the question, Lorelai reminded her daughter, "We hadn't planned on it… remember you said he couldn't stay every night, sooo we all could… ease in to it."
"Right… right," Rory remembered, "well do you think… maybe… you could call him … and see if … maybe… he wants to come over…?"
"Rory? What is going on?"
"Nothing… Just thought … you'd like to see Luke. I was being considerate."
"Wow, you sound like my mother."
"Hey!" Rory was naturally offended, knowing how much her mother disliked Grandma Gilmore.
"Seriously, what is it?"
"Yesterday it was okay," Rory argued.
"For what?"
"For me to sleep with you guys"
"Yeah… well, Luke had planned on spending the night… "
"And it's nice to have a… male protector type in the house isn't it?" Rory pointed out.
Then Lorelai figured it out…"Are you still scared of the movie?"
"No!" Rory dismissed dramatically in a defensive drone.
"Rory?" Lorelai's tone conveyed it was okay and that she already knew the truth.
"Yes" Rory admitted in a small voice.
Lorelai sat with her daughter on the couch, finding the fictional fear cute, "Hon, it was just a movie…"
"I know… but it sorta hit close to home… I mean I wanna be a writer… who's to say I won't have a fan like that chasing after me…"
"Rory you have school in the morning… Luke can't come over on a school night… that is your rule."
"Well, I hereby amend it… for extreme circumstances… now please… make the call."
"You can sleep with me tonight… but I don't think Luke…"
"Luke has to be here too," Rory insisted. Rory had never needed a male protector before, but after spending so much time with Luke lately, Rory could see the added benefits of having a reliable "go to guy" who could take out a psychopathic fanatic.
"Rory…?"
"Luke is a guy and you said last night he could take Kathy Bates"
"Yes, he could but…"
"And he is your boyfriend isn't he supposed to protect you and stuff."
"Yeah I… guess," It was the first time Lorelai ever heard Rory refer to Luke as her boyfriend, and that was strange to hear from the 10 year old, suddenly seeing how attached Rory was getting to Luke.
"Well I'm part of you … I am your responsibility till I'm 18…I mean I understand if he has to close the diner. …But afterward … maybe he could…stop by…and well stay."
Lorelai soothed, "I'll ask…"
"Thank you…" that seemed to calm Rory and she went back to her book, but closely watched as Lorelai dialed Luke's number.
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"Luke's"
"You will not believe it."
Luke now knew the sound of Lorelai's voice and her habit of just jumping into a conversation, even if you weren't ready for it, "Is something wrong?"
"No, it's just you will not believe it."
"Okay what?"
"Rory has requested your presence … to spend the night."
"What?"
"She's still freaked out by the movie and wants you to sleep over again … to protect us." Lorelai couldn't help but appreciate the irony, since Rory was so against her mother dating at first.
"Protect you… from what?"
"Well from the crazed sledge hammer wielding, lighter fluid tossing Kathy Bates I have stashed in the closet ... of course… I knew she'd come in handy one day…" Lorelai was anticipating a "no", and winced when she asked, "So can you come over?" Lorelai had to admit; she was looking forward to the prospect of another night with Luke, so she forced aside her anxiety of what the town might think. Granted nothing dirty could happen …but that could wait… and would be rekindled in its own time, but Rory's peace of mind is more important. The slumber party had given Lorelai a warm complete feeling she had never had before, and Lorelai wanted to revisit that. "I mean, last night you two were talking pretty well without me … and I would just hate to see all the progress you two made go away…" yeah I'm doing this for the two of you…not my own selfish reasons of seeing you again…
Luke took a minute, "well if she wants me over…let me just tell Ben okay?"
"Oh you can close-up or whatever," not wanting to sound too eager, of course, "we sorta owe those guys … but she wants you here for bed time."
"Alright… after close it is…" he agreed.
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So for the following week, that was the insisted upon sleeping arrangement, Luke, Lorelai and Rory in the living room. Before bedtime, Luke would take Rory around the house and double-checked locks and windows; they would investigate the creaks in the stairs together, which Luke made a note to fix later.
The trio would get brushed and dressed for bed, and Luke had to get comfortable real quick with sleeping over, but Rory's insistence made it easier.
By Wednesday evening, Luke even showed Rory his mother's recipe for banana bread, as a way to practice for the dreaded layer cake in Miss Kelly's class.
On Saturday evening, Lorelai was about to make her way down the stairs when she heard Rory and Luke talking on the floor of the living room.
"Did it hurt?"
"Yeah, a bit… well quite a bit. I don't recommend you get one." Luke seriously warned Rory.
"Well, I'd have to ask my mom first any way."
Lorelai tilted her head to see them on through the banister railings and saw Luke was lying on his back, on his side of the indoor camp and Rory was lying on her stomach, legs crossed in the air, she had a book in front of her, but she gave up reading to be polite and talk to Luke while they waited for Lights out and Lorelai. Lorelai then deduced that Rory was asking about Luke's tattoo.
"Why did you get theses arrow… things?" Rory prodded again.
"Well, it was at a time in my life… I needed... direction… you could say… I saw this picture on the wall and it just sorta jumped out at me…"
"So you had it imprinted on your arm...forever?" Rory droned out dramatically. She was confused as to why someone would purposefully hurt them selves.
Rory was so inquisitive, and Luke wanted to be honest, but handle the subject gently, "Well, it was… right after my dad died… and … I don't know I just didn't want to think about it... and in a way… having to sit in a chair for a few hours … well it gave me something else to focus on…" with nothing but unbelievable pain to focus on…well a different kind of pain… "Would I do it again? No… if I could do it over… would I still get it… probably not"
"I'm sorry about your dad …" Rory said in a small sad voice, she could sympathize with Luke; because she knew what it was like not to have a father. See we have stuff in common, Rory told herself having felt better around Luke with the cooking lessons and his protection after Misery.
"Thanks…"
Lorelai made her way down the stairs, hoping she wasn't interrupting, "We all settled in? Had our fill of s'mores?"
Rory closed her book, "I'm ready…" and in an unexpected move Rory gave Luke a hug goodnight, "night Luke." Rory had known him for a few months now, and she felt he deserved it… having slept on the living room floor for a week.
"Night… Rory?" Luke was surprised but had to smile as he accepted the hug and patted Rory on the back. He figured she wanted him to feel better about loosing his dad, since that was the last topic they had been discussing. And he hoped the cooking lessons and sleepovers helped make her more comfortable around him.
"Mom, do you want to sleep next to Luke?"
"Ummm sure," Lorelai didn't know why "the hug" was so strange to her; it just was… seeing Rory hug a boy? A man? Someone that wasn't her father or Grandfather "… is that okay?" she asked her daughter and herself.
"Sure… this way I'm closer to the stairs and I can run up to your bedroom, out the window… climb down the tree and go for help."
As Lorelai settled in the middle and pulled her blanket over her, "Ummm sure because you are sooo athletic…" and Lorelai settled down beside Luke, her daughter huddling up close to her mother again, and Lorelai smiled at Luke and took his hand to hold all night, but still "the hug" replayed in her mind a few times.
A family trio tucked in the living room every night, Luke was happy to protectively watch over the girls … his girls.
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On Sunday morning, Rory woke up first… as she squinted over the stupid sun coming up so early she looked to her left and saw a sight that brought a smile to her face.
Lorelai was on her back, but was facing Luke, and Luke had his arms draped over Lorelai's waist. Rory quietly crept to her mother's room, now knowing which squeaky stairs to avoid, and she brought her mother's camera to document some of the relationship.
Rory knew she was taking an awful risk A) using her mother's camera without permission, and B) using a flash on sleeping subjects, but something told her she should do it. She knew in the long run having pictures of the two together would be worth it.
The flash went off a few times and Lorelai was starting to stir awake, Rory quickly ran upstairs put the camera away and flushed the upstairs toilet, as to not arouse suspicion. Good one Gilmore!
Lorelai sat up, with Luke's arm still across her stomach, "Rory?" she asked with a dry groggy voice, seeing her daughter on the landing of the stairwell, "what are you doing?"
"Bathroom," Rory pointed over her shoulder to the good bathroom upstairs.
"Awww…okay" and Lorelai settled back down on her side to face Luke.
And Rory thought that this shot was even better than the first… and she went upstairs to retrieve the camera again. Cool I could be a photojournalist, too…
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Babette and her cat, Cinnamon, were getting the morning paper for Morey, when both female and feline were witness to one Luke Danes leaving the Gilmore house very early in the morning. Good thing cats land on their feet, because Babette was inside and spreading the word like Armageddon before Cinnamon even hit the porch.
After that eyewitness account had broken on the gossip scene, there was a resurgence of interest in the small town's couple, and the latest craze in Stars Hollow became Luke and Lorelai watching. All eyes were on the trio, but the gossips had to be cunning and sly as to not tip off the three points of interest. An innocent comment at Doose's market between mother and daughter about their plans with Luke would quickly make its way through town to anyone who wanted to observe …or tag along in some cases.
For instance, if it was time for another absurd festival, despite Luke's long standing opinion on stupid festivals, with the Gilmore girls in his life, their enthusiasm some how infected him as well and he would look forward to the excuse to spend another evening with them. His improved moods didn't go unnoticed by his patrons.
One of the favorite sights of all the gossips in town was to see Rory walk between Luke and Lorelai, holding a hand of each adult, dragging them around to the attractions she wanted to see at the festivals or if they were simply going to the store. However, as time went on, the trio became alarmingly aware of certain characters checking in on them no matter how mundane their errand was, namely Kirk, Patty, and Babette, with Taylor keeping a close eye from a distance.
There was no escape. Every kiss was reported, every time Rory hung out at the diner after school, or if the three arrived together at a town meeting, all the sightings were whispered and discussed with great interest. The "little family" was under a microscope. The gossips were just happy to be observers to the "family's'" memories, and there was no doubt, the townies of Stars Hollow had taken the trio to their hearts, and hoped for the best. And that was, of course, the eventual wish of every nosey body in town, that before long they would have a wedding to speak of and plan.
They would be ever so careful not to disturb them at festivals or town meetings, but as it became more obvious to the trio the entire town was watching them, the constant attention was starting to get on Lorelai's nerves.
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After a month of being on under the microscope, Lorelai was at her wits end with everyone in town, even those closest to her. On her break, usually spent with Sookie, Lorelai almost regretted coming in the kitchen at all. "Sookie, I'm not tasting those" pushing the fork her friend offered out of her face.
"But I need an unbiased opinion… you know I can't make a decision to save my life, and you love my cooking… and this is cake…you love my cakes…" Sookie tried to entice again.
"No!"
"Please… you know my annual review is coming up…"
"…In 6 months" Lorelai rolled her eyes.
"…And this affects my hope for a promotion."
"I know what you are doing," Lorelai said sternly.
"Yeah, trying to impress Rafael with how organized and decisive I can be."
"Okay, you are anally organized, and in order to prove how decisive you are, you would have to decide this on your own."
"It's just a cake, one bite," Sookie pleaded.
"No, it's not just a cake Sookie! It's a whole line of sample cakes for my wedding cake!"
"What?" Sookie was suddenly lost.
Lorelai clarified "Luke and I have only been going out a few months and the entire town is ready to spring a wedding at a moment's notice."
And Sookie began to daydream, "ooooo a spring wedding."
"Stop it!" Lorelai shouted and stormed out of the inn's kitchen. She decided she needed air, and took off her heels to make her way faster across the lawn to the large pond, but spring fading into summer reminded her of birds and bees, and spring love, a spring wedding! Lorelai sank down by the shoreline, she was starting to doubt again, and wondered if she deserved to be in a happy relationship.
Sookie had followed her friend, concerned for Lorelai's sudden explosion, "Lorelai ... Honey… what's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," and she hugged her knees closer to her chest, "it's just… everyone needs to mind their own business."
"Honey…did you and Luke have a fight?"
"No… we didn't have a fight…" almost annoyed how the subject always found it's way to Luke. Lorelai rubbed her temples she really didn't know why she was acting this way.
"Then what is it?"
Lorelai sighed, and said plainly "She hugged him …" with a small shrug.
"What?"
"Rory… she hugged Luke goodnight when he spent the night during the Misery week…"
"So…"
"SO…" Lorelai tried to find the words to explain why it bothered her… "She's getting attached to him… "
"Well that's good… she likes him… "
"But enough to hug him?"
"This is ridiculous…" Sookie sat down with Lorelai on the ground, "before you were worried she wouldn't like him and now you are upset that she does?" Sookie shook her head wondering why Lorelai seemed to want to ruin the best thing to happen to her in ages, "Lorelai…you are not making any sense?"
"But what if … he leaves too… and we are both heart broken again?"
"Luke is not Christopher, the last few months should have proven that. I mean he goes to the festivals with you, did the protective sleep over for a week, he makes all your favorite foods…"
"But that isn't enough for a relationship."
"Then what is?"
"I don't know … something …more? I don't know something about this seems… wrong…" and Lorelai tried to think of what that reason could be.
"Lorelai you deserve to be happy… and I really think Luke could be the one for you."
Lorelai honestly didn't know what was gnawing at her about this perfect relationship with a perfect guy, who liked her perfect kid … but something in her gut wanted to sabotage the whole thing.
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When Lorelai came home she was very quiet, and Luke knew right away that was bad. It's a good thing he decided to surprise her and came over early, He hoped the homemade meal would distract her from her all the things she no doubt had weighing on her mind.
"Hey," he sweetly greeted, waiting for her end of the day rant over stupid guests, or any funny observations she had made during the day.
Instead Lorelai snapped and was almost annoyed to find Luke in her house, "What are you doing here?"
"We had a date tonight… remember."
"But you are here… early" she said emphasized harshly, "…I need time to get pretty."
"You don't need it… but I figured we could just stay in, if you wanted," figuring a rough day had put that look on her face.
"What if I wanted to go out? Our plans were to go out…" she continued to drill.
"Well, its just … well, you don't look like you're up for it…"Luke was getting uncomfortable with how uptight she seemed to be.
"Well I don't look like I'm up for it cause you're here already and I didn't have time to get pretty…" the harsh words were leaving her mouth a mile a minute and she couldn't stop herself. She knew she was making the situation worse and blowing things completely out of proportion.
Okay? Luke pulled out the chair for her, "You okay?"
Lorelai took the invitation to sit, trying to calm down, "Oh yeah, "she dismissed, "just peachy..." she sarcastically shot off, it's like we are playing house already, "Just… a weird day."
"Oh goodie, more tales from the independence inn to fill my night," thinking she was really sorry and was really going to let things go…"
"You don't like my stories?" Lorelai took quick offense… again.
Oh boy! "What? No, I mean Yes; I mean… that's not what I meant."
And Lorelai stood again ready to pounce…"Hey man, tact is for people who aren't witty enough to be sarcastic."
"I am very sarcastic…" Luke defended.
"I know it!" she shouted out of nowhere. Lorelai just stared at Luke unable to explain where her mood had come from… okay I know I'm not pregnant… we haven't… for a while…
"Lorelai…" Luke was dumbfounded, "Seriously… What's wrong?"
Lorelai took a deep breath, not even knowing why she was taking things out on him, why something told her to spoil this good thing they had and run away. Even if it was time to break up with Luke, Lorelai knew a shouting match wasn't the best way to go about it, she knew he deserved an explanation and that this could be a train wreck if she didn't get a grip, "Oh Luke, I'm so sorry, I'm just… I don't know…" I Just wish everyone would stop talking about us… if I wanted advice and ridicule I'd visit my mother, she saw the concern in his eyes, "can we start over?"
"Sure?" and he gave her a hug, not wanting her to snap at him again if he asked about her period. He had a sister… he knew things. "Lorelai you look exhausted."
Why does he have to be so wonderful, "I love when men say that to me."
"Seriously, talk to me…"
"Its… nothing… just stupid gossips, we can't go anywhere in town cause everyone is watching with a bucket of popcorn practically. And Miss Patty wants to know when you got that Tattoo, and I don't even know when you got the tattoo really, or how she would have known you had a tattoo cause I didn't tell anyone. And Sookie has me trying different cakes…"
"You like cake," he teased only wanting her to smile again.
"Sure for a birthday party or a midnight snack, not when she wants me to pick one for our wedding?" Lorelai laughed lightly.
"Wedding?" the word surprised Luke.
AW Crap! That was out loud, "ummm yeah, the town practically has our whole wedding planned out and you moved in … all they need to do is con us to showing up at the same place at the same time to spring it on us…" spring wedding.
"The town wants to ambush us for our own wedding?" maybe it was Lorelai's positive influence on him, but he appreciated the town's confidence in the relationship.
"I know… I mean ... can I have at least have a say in the colors? Or the guest list… or oh yeah if I even want to get married at all…"she sighed finally.
"Oh," and Luke pulled back, that's what's bothering her.
"What?"
"Nothing…"
True to form Lorelai persisted, "No, you 'Oh'd'… that was a poignant 'Oh'."
"It's nothing… forget it…"
"Luke…?"
Luke sighed, embarrassed to even be bringing it up, "Well, you just said that … you didn't want to get married."
Lorelai didn't understand at first, then, of course it hit her like Mike Tyson, "you are upset that … I may not want to get … married?" free spirit that I am…
"Like I said, forget it."
Oh God… Train Wreck, "well, I didn't mean… never…"
"Lorelai, its fine." Luke shook his head.
"Luke? It's too soon…to be thinking… like that… I mean we've only been going out few months."
"Yeah…I know," he agreed, "it's… too soon to even be thinking like that," Luke said unconvincingly. Even so... down the line… it might be nice… Luke could kick himself for saying anything. He was setting himself up for disappointment and he knew it. He did it with Rachel, had it all planned out… and she left him. What would he do if he lost Lorelai?
"Okay then…" Lorelai hoped they ended on a good note, but Luke just focused on dinner with his back to her, and Lorelai was left with this uncomfortable feeling that she blew the chance of ever getting a second marriage proposal, yeah, Chris was my first…. Before Lorelai could apologize or explain her self, Rory came home.
"Mom, Hey, Mom! ... Oh Luke! Good you're here," Rory smiled up at him, "look…" holding up her "dreaded project".
"What's this…?" Luke asked, but he could tell through the cellophane what it was.
"My cake" she smiled proudly, "I made it today at school and I brought it home, or should I say what's left of it," the little girl still beamed, oblivious to the tension between her mom and Luke.
"That's great, Rory" Luke forced himself to look at the girl, and was determined not to meet the stare of his girlfriend, which he could feel boring into him, "Good thing I hadn't made dessert yet."
Rory turned to put the cake on the table; "Mom, Miss Kelly said I was 'much improved'" she quoted.
"That's wonderful, Hon," looking briefly at her daughter, then back to Luke still wondering where they stood and if she could pull him a side and straighten everything out.
Luke decided, "You know what this calls for a real dinner. What do you say we go to Sniffy's? And come back here and have your cake"
"Really, you'll actually eat my cake?" Rory knew what a stickler for a healthy menu Luke was.
"Well you made it right …that's the rule."
"Right that's the Rule, Mom can we go to Sniffy's, please," still wanting confirmation from her legal guardian.
Lorelai really wanted to finish the conversation about wedding cakes, but apparently it would have to wait, "Let's go."
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Rory did most of the talking on the way to Sniffy's, and Maisy enthusiastically greeted the young girl with a hug at the door.
"Hey, there short stuff" the seasoned woman smiled.
"Hey Maisy," Rory liked Bud and Maisy, they were like the fun grandparents she always wanted, not stuffy and strict like the elder Gilmores. Rory heard the rumblings through town, how everyone wanted Luke to propose to Lorelai, so her and Rory would be taken care of. Like most gossip Rory seldom paid attention to it, and it was way too soon to think like that, but still, Rory couldn't help but wonder what would happen to her happy little trio should that particular question ever get asked of her mother. "…I brought you something, Maisy, but you have to share it with Buddy…" and she handed her an extra large piece of the cake.
"Oh if I have too," Maisy teased, "well lookiee here, is this one of those fancy cakes by that Stewart woman?"
"No, I made it."
"Well look out Martha, you'll have your own cooking show you just mind what Luke tells you, okay… I taught him everything he knows."
"Okay."
During this exchange Lorelai and Luke were uncomfortably quiet, but Rory's enthusiasm misdirected old friends from asking questions of the young couple.
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Luke dropped the girls off at their house, after he paid for dinner. Lorelai desperately wanted to take back what she said, but with out the aid of a time machine she knew she couldn't. Lorelai stood on the passenger side window, "Luke, please, come inside, we can talk… when Rory goes to bed."
"No thanks," he said coldly, "I've got deliveries in the morning."
Lorelai knew that wasn't the case, but accepted that as his reason and she took her hand off the truck's door and let him drive away.
Rory watched from the porch, and thought it was strange that her mother hadn't give Luke a good night kiss. "Isn't Luke coming in for cake?"
"No baby," Lorelai tried to hide her sadness "… he has deliveries in the morning…we'll save him a piece."
So Rory shrugged it off when her mother gave her that reassuring smile.
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A/N: I borrowed from Luvz Story about Luke's tattoo I like that one… ;o)
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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…