Written in the Stars
By Gilmoregirl1979 (the reigning Quote Queen)
Provider of QUALITY Fan FICTION!
Rating: PG-13
Hi this is your friendly disclaimer: Once again, I don't own (DAMN IT! DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT!), No Harm No Sue. (JUST GIVE ME A JOB and we will call it even!)
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
CRACK WHORES: for an explanation of "AT MY WITS END!", as it came to be known, please look in reviews, if you care to know what happened!
FEATURING BETA: localizy, this girl can read at like 200 WPM … I just want to put her on display and sell tickets! BABY, you're the GREATEST!
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Chapter 23:
Just Like A Dad
Even though Luke hated hospitals and since it was Lorelai last mandatory day off on Monday, Luke insisted that they take Rory to the hospital the next morning, but only after he made a special breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes for the patient and still slightly distraught mother. Rory got a quick x-ray to make sure that she was really okay, but Luke did mutter something to the extent of exposing kids to undo radiation. The health care professionals suggested some pain reliever and a reduction in any strenuous physical activity for the next week. Luke had to laugh at the nurse, "Man, you really don't know these two, do you?"
Considering the warm weather the typical fashion was shorts, so there were questions around town about Rory's bandage over the next few days. The trio all stuck to the story and told the concerned townies that Rory skinned her knee when she tripped on the front porch, and the townies were amazed that such an event went unnoticed with Babette living just next door.
Lorelai didn't want to call attention to the old ruins of the Dragonfly, for fear that would generate interest in the old place, and she wanted it for herself and Sookie. She was especially terrified that if Taylor Doose discovered the vacant location, he would instantly have designs of his own for the place, as he seemed to be slowly buying up Stars Hollow like Mr. Potter in Bedford Falls.
Overall, Luke felt he was going to enjoy his summer with the Gilmore girls. They planned on spending some afternoons at the lake, looking forward to what Movie themes Kirk would come up with at the Black White and Read bookstore, and Rory was already excited about the Fourth of July fireworks. Rory would trade afternoons between the Inn, helping her mother and Mia, spending time at the diner, reading at the counter or helping Luke, or hanging out with Lane, if Mrs. Kim was in a giving mood.
The mystery of the Dragonfly became Lorelai's new obsession. Lorelai would help Sookie with the research on the old inn after work. She was just curious and still in the early planning stages, she knew she couldn't afford an inn of her own yet, she was still only starting to save for Rory and Harvard, can you say Financial Aid. Even so, now that a location was in mind for "their" Inn, ideas came a mile a minute and the two future business partners were in daydreaming heaven, which meant more quality time for Luke and Rory to spend together at the diner.
If Lorelai was busy researching, Rory was content to hang out with Luke at the diner, or with Lane doing whatever. Luke and Rory also took the opportunities to stock the Gilmore kitchen and prepare for more cooking lessons as a way to fill Rory's free summer time and give her eyes a break from next year's book list and reading. On Thursday, while they wandered the isles of Doose's.
"Rory how's your leg?"
"Its fine, but I do need more bandages."
Luke made a mental note to add the requested item to the basket when they went down the appropriate aisle, and some pain reliever too… just in case.
Then Rory asked, "Hey Luke… you wanna pick the movies this week?"
"Why?" as he grabbed a loaf of bread for their basket.
"Well you never get to pick and mom's so busy with her inn planning, she hasn't thought of a theme for this week, so I say you pick and she will have to like it… or make fun of it," she added with a shrug.
"We'll see what they have," Luke smiled, but then Rory gave a mighty sneeze from out of nowhere. "Bless you," sure she avoids a cave in and now she gets a cold?
"Luke, can I have a tissue," Rory asked, feeling self-conscious about having runny nose in public.
"Ummm, I don't have one…"
"There goes your Boy Scout title, what about a handkerchief?"
Luke thought the idea of a handkerchief in his flannel pocket sounded funny, "Who am I, Walter Rolly?" and Luke opened a fresh box of tissues from the shelf, handed Rory one, "Here …" and he added the tainted merchandise to their basket, "You feeling okay?"
"Aww I think its just allergies from our picnic… my nose is all stuffed up and gross."
"You didn't catch a cold when you went swimming the other day did you?"
"I don't think so…"
"You know, you're hanging out with a lot of different kids, who only import disease each time they go in and out of the house, and then contaminate you by extension."
"Luke, you are gonna make me a hypochondriac and I'll never have a social life."
Luke was impressed that she knew the word "hypochondriac", but still took her down the cold medicine aisle, thinking he'd save himself a trip. "What does your mom usually buy?"
Never one to complain, Rory insisted "Luke I'm fine… all I need are the tissues… really" and so he wouldn't worry she added, "mom and I don't usually get sick."
This fact surprised Luke. "With all the junk food you two eat?" It's any wonder that your immune systems aren't shot to hell. "All right, but if you get any worse you let me or your mom know, okay?"
"Okay?" Rory agreed, pleased that he was concerned for her well being, almost like a dad, Rory knew it was dangerous to get her hopes up like that, but giving Luke the benefit of the doubt, he had yet to disappoint. With a huge smile on her face Rory took Luke's hand in hers, for all of Doose's customers to see, and pulled him toward the frozen foods to get some ice cream, since it was summer and ice cream is a staple summertime food and thusly a must have, and Luke had no choice but to follow and obey.
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Lorelai came home Friday evening and found her two favorite people already cooking dinner in the kitchen.
"Hey baby," and she greeted her daughter with a kiss on the cheek, "hey baby" Lorelai repeated, greeting her boyfriend with a kiss on the lips. "Wow, something smells crazy good…"
Luke decided to inform his girlfriend, "We had a major accomplishment today."
Me too, you first…Lorelai was instantly hooked and gasped "Really? What?"
"Rory… made up her first recipe," and Luke couldn't help but beam with pride.
"No way! What'd you make, Sweets?" trying to peek over her daughter's shoulder at what was in the pan.
"Okay…" and Rory was proud to introduce her mother to her creation, "Well I know you love tacos… when Luke and I went to the store I was inspired…. So I browned the meat… and drained it of the fat, of course… and then I added a seasoning packet and some vegetables to it, you know, corn, green peppers, onions and stuff, and when we were at the store… I saw a bag of Fritos… and I thought… 'Hey why not put the taco shells… in the meat… instead of the meat… in the taco shells,'" she explained slowly so the idea would come across properly.
"Inspiration hits in the most unexpected places," and Lorelai marveled at her daughter's new talent, to think a child of mine… cooking, and Lorelai shared a proud smile with Luke.
Rory mocked humility, and said with a shrug "I don't know how I do it. Anyway, I'm going to add the corn chips for a little crunch, throw on some cheese, and I give you tacos ala Rory…. but it needs a better name," Rory admitted shyly.
Lorelai considered for a moment, "how about… Rorio Tacio Supremo?"
Rory's brow furrowed a bit, "I think we'll work on it…" she said with a giggle. "You want to try some?"
"Of course… it's got corn chips and beef… mommy happy!"
"…And cheese," Rory enticed.
"Mommy happier!" and Lorelai went to hang up her coat and go through the mail.
Luke leaned down and whispered to his apt pupil, "nice move, not telling her you used ground turkey."
"Well hello, I want her to try it first." that was one of many things Rory learned from Luke, how to sneak healthy food into her mother's "it has to taste good" diet so she'd live an extra long time. Rory added the special touch of corn chips to the seasoned meat with a "momma didn't raise no fool," to her cooking teacher.
Lorelai came back into the kitchen, sighing with satisfaction, "Well, you guys aren't the only ones to have a productive day" Lorelai had news of her own, "You are never gonna guess who owns the Dragonfly…"
"It's not Taylor is it?" and Luke dreaded the challenge of getting the inn out of the megalomaniac's grasp.
"No," Lorelai was happy to inform, "It's Fran from Weston's."
"Sweet Fran?" Rory inquired, "You are sooooo gonna get it! She loves you…"
"Well we're not ready to make an offer yet…" like not for a few years…
"Unless…" and the wheels in Rory's head started to turn again, "she holds it against you for not going to her bakery anymore… since you and Luke have been dating… oh no … Luke is her competition…what if she decides to sell the Inn to someone else because…"
"Rory… it will be alright… we can go this week to Weston's if you want to help improve my chances…"
Rory was seeking permission from Luke, "Is that okay Luke? If we go to Weston's? Just once in a while…"
"Of course, I'm not the diner Gestapo keeping you from eating anywhere else…" he had to laugh at how Rory didn't want to offend him or Fran… or anyone for that matter.
"Okay then, let's eat…" Rory's dinner was ready, but she was already thinking of which cake she was going to try when they visited Fran. Since it was movie night, Rory went to set up Luke's first movie pick, Force 10 From Navarone, "Luke would you sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top, Oh…and don't forget the sour cream!" Mom needs her calcium.
"Okay" Luke was happy to be given a job since he had only been in an advisory capacity for the last 45 minutes while Rory insisted on cooking by herself… but if the flames got too high, only then he could come in and save the day. Needless to say, she did fine.
When Rory was out of the room, Lorelai sidled up beside Luke, "hey Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"I was thinking… we never really went on a … official…alone…make up date… could we… do that tomorrow night?"
Picking up on her more intimate tone, Luke cleared his throat "Ummm sure?" apparently having sex the night of their make up wasn't enough for Lorelai, she wanted to follow procedure and have another real date… no doubt with more make up sex. "Any thoughts… on where you want to go?"
"I have a few…in mind" thinking of the old Inn as a possible romantic location, despite its attack on her daughter barely a week ago. Miss Patty would be so proud.
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Our happy trio was in the living room of the Gilmore home; Luke and Lorelai were cuddled up on one end of the couch and Rory was sitting Indian style and squirming excitedly on the other end. "Oh My Gosh, that lady is a double agent! A Girl with a Gun, that's awesome!" then her excitement was pulled back a moment… "That's a funny line… 'do you expect me to go back with my hair combed'…why does she want Harrison Ford to hit her?"
Luke explained, "So Schroeder won't know she's a spy…"
Lorelai elbowed Luke, "will both of you shush" then she asked her daughter "and you stop fidgeting, it's distracting me from the movie."
"I'm not fidgeting…I'm itching…" Rory defended, as she craned her arm behind her to get low below the neckline of her shirt.
"We need more popcorn anyway…" and Luke got up to refill the bowl.
"Luke," Lorelai scoffed, mad that her pillow was leaving, "You are gonna ruin the flow of the movie!" but he still left, and she called after him, "Ummm I hope you know we aren't gonna rewind Buddy… you're gonna miss stuff and be lost…"
"You're missing stuff while you are yelling at me… and I've seen this one before…" Luke shot back.
"Rats… why did you let him pick the movie?" then seeing the struggle her daughter was going through on her end of the couch, Lorelai asked, "What's with you?"
"Nothing… just my unbearably dry skin… probably from when I went swimming with Lane the other day…"
"Mrs. Kim let Lane out of the house with a bathing suit? I thought swimming in the same lake as boys sent you to hell?"
"Well Lane wore a t-shirt over her suit… till we got to the lake of course…and we told Mrs. Kim that the boys were playing basket ball…"
"Smart girl…" then it hit Lorelai, "Oh God… you didn't get poison oak when we went on that picnic, did you?" hearing Emily's voice in her head again… Lorelai really, you didn't prepare for poison oak?
"If anyone could have gotten poison oak it's you and your boyfriend," Rory teased, referring to Luke and Lorelai practically rolling around on the ground during their picnic.
"You saw that?" Lorelai winced.
"Just before I went inside, actually that is why I went inside…to, you know … leave you guys alone", Rory suggested.
"Oh," Great, She wanted to give us privacy, and got hurt as a result, Lorelai's guilty conscience took hold again, with doubts of her abilities as a mother, to know everything going on with her kid, but Rory and her were always honest and forth coming. Lorelai remembered her plans for tomorrow night pushed aside the worry that one day Rory and Lorelai would be Lorelai and Emily, part two, "you know… umm Luke and I were gonna go out… you know tomorrow night… on a date…is that okay?"
"Sure," Rory said still distracted by her skin and the movie.
"'Cause you know…we haven't done the official… make up date…and tomorrow is sort of date night… you know…Saturday."
"It's fine, Mom, you two should go out more often."
"Funny you should mention that… ummm because I was wondering… you know… if you want Sookie to come over? Or… do you want to… will you… be okay here… by yourself?"
It was the first time it was suggested that Rory could be home alone, "Really?"
You have to gain some independence sometime I guess; I don't want you to be smothered like I was, "Sure…" Lorelai said brightly, seeing her daughter was excited by the idea "I mean you are growing up… and you have the battle scars to prove it…" referring to her daughter's knee, "you are well into your double digits… if you want… you could stay here… and if anything goes wrong, anything at all, or if you are scared of Kathy Bates again… you can… call me on my cell phone and we will come right home."
"Wow, mom that'd be awesome!" At home, by myself, maybe coffee isn't far behind; and Rory was wondering what she would do with the house all to herself. Ooo I could do laundry…my way… but she had to admit, now that her mom mentioned it, Rory was starting to have Bates anxiety again, why did she have to bring it up?
Still concerned over her daughter's wandering scratching hand, "Are you sure you are feeling okay?"
"Mom, I feel fine…" yet Rory kept on squirming.
"Okay Fidgety Figgerstien…"
Rory hadn't even realized how much she was absently scratching away at her skin. So she took a deep breath and stilled her hands, this is a case of mind over matter, "there… are you happy?" and Rory calmly placed her hands on her knees.
"Very… but do you want me to lotion you up before bed, miss dry skin?"
"No thank you… I will be fine," Rory was trying her hardest to resist the itching and focus on the movie, Mind over matter.
"Okay… but if anything is weird tomorrow… I want you to tell me…"
"I already promised Luke I would…but you'll be the first to know."
Luke returned to the couch, and Lorelai was happy to have her pillow back, and cuddled up with him again, still keeping an eye on Rory and her hands.
Luke asked, "So what did I miss?" referring to the movie.
Lorelai lifted her head from his shoulder and narrowed her eyes at him.
"I'm kidding"
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A/N: If you have a big one you don't need a small one? 23 and 24 were merged together… but with the help of my BETA, localizy! We broke it up… otherwise this chapter would have been like 6000 words… and while that is amazing (I don't know how I do it!) you may need a rest room break from time to time.
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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...