TOP 'O' THE STORY TO YE
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
Written in the Stars
By Gilmoregirl1979 (the reigning Quote Queen)
Rating: PG-13
Hi this is your friendly disclaimer: I REJECT ASP's REALITY AND SUBSTITUE MY OWN! 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…?
FEATURED BETA: localizy, thank you for putting up with my compulsive persnickety changes…
Localizy, What Can I Say…
A/N: I hope this was worth the wait!
A/N: Dialogue borrowed from that damn Donna reed
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Previously on Gilmore girls:
They were now in love.
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Chapter 27:
The Love Bug
Rory woke up suddenly; afraid Kathy Bates almost had a grip on her long hair, it was just a dream. As she regulated her breathing, and calmed herself down in bed still waking up to remember what reality was. She still didn't like waking up without school to look forward to; but she also figured that maybe she was like her mother and just not a morning person. Then, Rory heard a strange noise from the kitchen that caused her to jump out of bed and start to search for a weapon thinking Kathy Bates was still after her and grabbed her hairbrush. Rory started to regulate her breathing as a way to calm herself down once she placed the noise as her mother's giggle. It was strange to hear her mother giggle considering how icy things had been between Luke and Lorelai the last few days, which made both of them rather quiet around each other. The would deny anything was wrong to Rory, that they were still happy and together, but just yesterday Luke and Lorelai seemed rather professional and all business, did you take out the trash, yes, did you install the extra towel bar, yes. Rory cautiously walked to the door to investigate what could have been so funny to her mother if she was on the outs with a man who, in Rory's opinion, was her mother's soul mate.
As Rory slowly opened the door separating her room from the kitchen, she was the first witness to the pair. Rory was already squinting, having just woken up, but she blinked a few times to make sure she was really awake. She saw her mother in her robe with her arms snaked around Luke's neck, and Luke himself was pinned to the range top. At first Rory thought her mother was some sort of Vampire and was eating Luke's face, but upon further inspection she deduced that they were just making out in the kitchen. Again, this was strange considering the cold shoulders from the last few days. Rory was curious at what could have caused such a transformation, now it was like Luke and Lorelai had just emerge from the tunnel of love. It wasn't that Rory minded the display; however, the activity was distracting Luke from transforming his pancake batter into fluffy pancakes. Rory emerged from her room and shook her head, "I can't keep up with you two" she dead panned, and she sat at the kitchen table, resting her head on her crossed arms.
Startled by her daughter's surprise appearance, Luke and Lorelai pulled apart with an embarrassing smack "Hey honey!" Lorelai smiled, wiping her mouth as if that would have erased the passionate display from her daughter's memory. Rory thought her mother was positively beaming. Only Lorelai knew the glow was from all the electricity created by the "I'm in love" butterflies now in her stomach. It was like when she and Luke had first started dating, the attraction, the butterflies, and the eagerness to touch each other. Everything was funny, and they really listened to each other, eager to learn about the other and discover new things. There would be no living with them now, Rory figured as she hoped this display would lead to a more permanent arrangement with Luke.
When Lorelai had woken up this morning, it was just before Luke, and she was happy just to watch him sleep, to stay in his arms a little longer, to keep that safe and warm feeling. She roused him from his sleep with kisses and said "I love you" again when he first opened his eyes, and in the early morning light, they stayed in bed and made plans for a very special "I love you, I'm sorry we missed out our original make up date due to Rory's chicken pox, and for scaring you that I may have been pregnant but I'm not so everything's okay…by the way, did I mention that I love you" date as soon as possible.
Sure, Luke and Lorelai were in love, and they now didn't care who saw it, but it was still a little embarrassing to be caught by the daughter, "Did umm you sleep well?" Lorelai asked Rory distancing herself from Luke and sitting at the table with Rory, I know I did!
Rory mumbled, "Yeah."
"You want some breakfast?" Luke offered.
"Most important meal of the day," Rory shrugged, resting her chin on her fists.
"What's wrong?" Luke asked.
"Aw, I finished my book list, now I have nothing to read," Rory sighed.
"Well, that just leaves the great out doors…" Lorelai tried to perk her daughter up and share her good mood, "or have you forgotten, its summer. Swimming, we could try a safer picnic this time; or we could look for fairy rings …"
"Yeah, I guess."
"I could teach ya how to fish?" Luke asked as he spooned batter into the pan, but he looked up from the pan when he heard nothing but silence, he saw the strange looks the girls were giving him. "It was only a suggestion."
"Umm no," Lorelai posed, "Actually that could be… fun…" figuring they were always doing what Lorelai and Rory wanted, it was only fair to let the man she loved have a turn too, "What do you think Rory?"
"Yeah, I guess," still trying to muster some enthusiasm for the summer day.
"But… how about we bring our swimsuits… we could fish… if nothings biting…we could pretend we are the fish…" Seeing the glum look still on her daughter's face "Aw, Hon, there will be another book soon; they publish them all the time. I promise."
"Yeah, I know. Mom, you don't mind if I spend the day with Luke, do ya?"
"If it's okay with, Luke" I'd spend the day with him if I could.
Figuring it was only polite to ask him directly, "Do you need help at the diner today?"
"Probably, if you want you can work the register again?" he smiled, as he remembered the last time she had helped him before her case of chicken pox.
"I like working the register", Rory confirmed, "It's got all that money!" now perking up because she had fun plans for the day with Luke. "How long till pancakes?"
"'bout another five minutes," poking at the hot cakes.
Still, Rory seemed to fidget, "I'm just gonna check if I missed anything on my 'haven't read' shelf."
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"Thank you, please come again!" Rory smiled brightly at the departing customer. She was perched on a diner stool behind the counter, since that was her only duty for the day Luke figured the loss of one seat at the counter was worth Rory being comfortable. That and the fact that it made it easier for her to reach the high vintage buttons on the old style register. She had a clear view of the entire diner and most of the square out the window, hoping she'd see her mom come in for lunch. Luke left her in charge of the cash register, but from time to time, Luke would come over and double check the receipts, which Rory was all too thankful for given the sometimes rapid pace of her ringing. Luke got a few compliments on how adorable and smart his daughter was and Luke could only smile at the ignorant tourists and say "thank you".
Luke went to check on Rory "How you doing?" he asked as he went through the mid morning receipts.
"The people of Stars Hollow are sure hungry; they must really like you, Luke," then to her customer, "Thank you, come again!"
"They like you…Hey Rory, can I ask you something?" and he leaned on the counter for them to have a powwow.
"Sure"
"Which of my summer help do you like the best?" Luke knew Rory was a good judge of character, and of course he wanted to make sure they got along with Rory. "I just, you know, want your opinion," because, God help him, Luke had come to value her opinion more than some of his fellow adults.
Rory didn't want to be a tattle tail per say, but since it was Luke, she knew she could trust him, so she was honest, but still chose to whisper, "Well, I don't really like Bobby. He keeps calling me the diner mascot… and that's annoying…"
"I agree, and you are not the mascot."
"Thank you," Rory nodded, and then considered the others, "Jen is nice… and Dennis hasn't dropped a dish, great balance!"
"Okay…thanks," he laughed, "You want some lunch?"
"I love working here! Free fries!"
"Well, you've earned 'em…" Luke smiled.
Lorelai entered the diner with her usual burst of energy, "Hello, Hello," smiling at the pair of them behind the counter, "Has he made you assistant manager yet?"
"No, but I am helping him decide who to fire when school starts."
"Wow, such power, such influence," Lorelai fawned, "Rory, Can you get me Bangles tickets?"
"We'd have to convince them to go on tour first…" Rory rolled her eyes at her mother.
"Well, now you have a good place to start…" Lorelai turned her attention to Luke, "Hey," she said with a devious smile and a different tone.
"Hi" and he kissed her across the counter. Many of the tourists thought it was just the sweetest display, though some local on lookers thought it seemed unusually longer than their normal greeting.
Rory now rolled here eyes, "When you two are finished!"
The love sick giddiness out of the way, Lorelai shifted to business, "Luke, do you think I can have lunch with my daughter? I came all the way from the Inn to see her… and you of course."
"It's 3 miles."
"Still I took the time and my jeep, to see her bright shining face…I almost didn't recognize her it's been so long…"
"You're just mad that I wanted to spend the day here," Rory piped up again from the register, the turn attention to her departing customer, "Thank you, have a great day!"
Luke relieved Rory from her register duties, "Okay, you're off duty… other side of the counter," he gestured with his thumb.
"Woo Hoo! Free fries!" as she hopped off the stool.
"Just put my lunch on her tab," Lorelai brushed her hair back, the way she did when they first knew each other but were still only flirting.
"You get your own tab," Luke warned playfully.
Lorelai narrowed her eyes, figuring she had to let him win some of the time, "Oh Rory look what I got…" and she pulled out a piece of paper from her purse, "It's your new class schedule!"
"Cool, let me see!"
Luke automatically placed a cup in front of Lorelai; I've trained him so well. As he poured Lorelai's brew of choice, Luke had to grin as Rory pored over the paper, "School's not for weeks" he concluded.
However, Rory didn't hear him, "Wow, sixth grade!" she said in awe of all the new classes, "It seems like only yesterday I was in first grade."
"Well you know what this means," Lorelai said enthusiastically, knowing of all the different kinds of shopping, Rory's favorite was "School supply shopping!"
"Yeah! Luke can I borrow your pad and pencil… I want to make a list!"
"I need my pad… I'll get you some paper" and he called over his shoulder, and went in to the kitchen, "…Ben!"
Turning to her mom, "I want Luke to come supply shopping with us…"
"Well, he doesn't really like shopping, he only buys food because Taylor won't let him hunt," Lorelai said sarcastically.
"Please… you can talk him into anything."
"Okay…I'll try," the butterflies in her stomach giving her more confidence in her abilities, well more than usual.
"Here you go..." and Luke returned with a blank paper, a pen, and a fresh order of cheese fries just for Rory.
Rory started thinking of all the things she'd need, "Mom, can we do the shopping this weekend?"
"Come on!" Lorelai exclaimed as if she was the child who didn't want to do a chore, "School's not for weeks, let's enjoy what remains of the summer," sneaking some of her daughter's fries.
"But I don't want to miss out; I want to shop while the displays are still fresh and not trampled on, and while everything is still in stock!"
"Okay, okay, but it will have to be Sunday though; I have to run a wedding and reception on Saturday," Lorelai was a little nervous about it, it was her the first in event she was completely in charge of, usually Mia was still there to correct and advise, but Mia was going to Santa Barbara that weekend.
"Ooo can I help!" Rory said very enthusiastically.
"Aw now you like the glitz and glamour of the hospitality business," Lorelai countered.
"I love weddings… is there anything I can do? Do they need a flower girl?" Rory figured this might be the perfect opportunity to help Lorelai see that she should marry Luke. After all, Rory did promise to make Lorelai come around to the idea. "Oooo, does Sookie need help in the kitchen? I am quite the chef you know ... I'll do hors d'oeuvres!"
"Sorry Hon, but we've got everything covered… I'll keep you in mind for the next wedding, okay?"
"Okay," even though Rory secretly hoped the next one would be Lorelai's and Luke's.
"Looks like you two will have to entertain yourselves…" Lorelai sighed.
"Huh?" Luke had just returned from a loop around the diner, not realizing he was supposed to still be following the conversation.
"Saturday," Lorelai repeated, annoyed he hadn't paid attention, "I'm running a wedding… at the Inn, so you and Rory will have to fend for yourselves, maybe he'll show you how to organize the storage room."
Rory laughed, as Luke double check, "You want your usual Tuesday special?"
"Please," Lorelai said with a smile.
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On Saturday morning, Lorelai was in bed, naked … again.
It seemed every night since she said those fated three words, they couldn't just quietly fall asleep; they couldn't just keep their hands to themselves. Lorelai didn't have to shift far, her and Luke would tend to stay close all night, and she pecked at his lips and cheek to wake him up. She seemed to be a bad influence on him because he started sleeping in more and more whenever he stayed at her house, and vice versa, Lorelai seemed to become more of a morning person because she got to wake up with Luke.
"Morning," he finally groaned, happy to be awake and with her.
"Morning" and she went right in to making a brilliant observation, "I don't know why I bother wearing PJs any more… I always wake up naked now…"
"Nah, it's more fun to peel them off of you…"
"Hmmm I like the sound of that…" and Lorelai kissed him again, but as usual she couldn't stop thinking, and pulled away "You don't think I'm a sleep stripper do you?"
"If you were do you think I would tell you?"
"Yes, because you wouldn't want me doing that if I was staying say at my parent's house…"
"Why would you ever stay at your parent's house?"
"Well duh if they kidnapped me…"
"Why would they kidnap you?"
"To brain wash me…"
Luke knew it was best to let her bits run their course.
"And why are you sleeping in, Mister?"
"Cause I have a beautiful naked woman next to me… and I'm not an idiot…"
"What about the diner?"
"I have the day off, remember. Rory and I are going fishing…"
"Oh that's right."
Luke countered "What are you doing up so early its 6:15 on a Saturday?"
"Hello I have to run a wedding… all by my self…"
"You have a staff of 25 under you."
"…but Mia is out of town. I'm on my own if I screw up it's on my head."
"You'll do fine," and he stoked her hair.
"I have to get to the Inn, and make sure everything is decorated, and keep Rafael on schedule…"
"You'll do fine", Luke repeated, and kissed her to melt away her worries and infuse her with confidence.
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Despite her vocal wish to take things slow with Luke, preparing the Anderson-Bennett wedding made Lorelai think about her own romance. As she decorated the Inn and arranged flowers, she would daydream of marrying Luke. What would it be like to be a wife? To be his wife? Probably like it is now… he sleeps over, we have fantastic sex, and he's a good role model for Rory… There's no harm in day dreaming, she convinced herself. After all, she does love him… could he be the one? Would she marry him eventually anyway? Luke was right there… in front of her for the taking… he was the first one to bring marriage up after only dating a few months, usually guys are terrified for the prospect of being tied down, but something still kept Lorelai dragging her feet, despite the delightful fantasies of what her wedding would look like. Maybe we could have it here… at the Inn.
Maybe it was the prospect of telling her parents… maybe because it will be really hard to hide Luke from Emily for a good 30 to 40 years. Maybe it was just the finality…of the ceremony, forsaking all others…
Lorelai pushed the thoughts out of her head, to focus on the couple that was getting married that day. Knowing her day would come… and just having that happy gut feeling, the lovesick butterflies quietly telling Lorelai Luke was indeed the one.
She smiled at how Luke and Rory were spending a day with out her, finding the perfect time to go fishing on the summer day.
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By Noon, Lorelai had finished preparations at the inn and had come home to change clothes. Just as she fixed her last piece of jewelry, and was gathering her purse and shoes together, Rory came in the front door.
"Hey" Lorelai greeted brightly, "Hon how was fish…"
Before Lorelai could finish her sentence Rory was in her room and closed the door, a few beats later Luke came in the front door and put his rods and tackle box down in the foyer, and breezed past Lorelai eager to speak with The Door.
"Rory… please open up… I'm sorry…"
"What happened?" Lorelai asked.
Luke looked as though reliving it for Lorelai's sake was the last thing he wanted to do, but he explained, "Well, I took her fishing… and she was pretty good at it… she caught two fish all by herself… but then…" Luke trailed off, gaining the courage to tell his girlfriend how he had upset her daughter, "Well I was showing her how to scale and clean the fish…"
"Oh Luke" Lorelai knew where this was going, and saw that maybe Luke still had a lot to learn about handling young girls.
"I didn't know she'd get so upset, and I told her that's why we don't name the fish…"
"She named them… and you killed and gutted them? Right in front of her?"
Luke defended himself to his girlfriend, "I didn't mean to..." and then he addressed the door again, "I didn't mean to upset you, Rory … Its part of the process… Please… come on open up…"
Lorelai didn't want Luke to shoot himself in the foot again, "Why don't you take a walk, I'll talk to her…"
"But you're gonna be late…"
"What's a few minutes" she shrugged, "…go… just once around the block…"
Reluctantly, Luke left, but iterated once more, "I am sorry, Lorelai."
"I know baby… just one lap is all I need."
Lorelai knocked, on the door, and tested the handle to see that Rory had left it unlocked, Luke had been so busy to apologize and was respecting Rory's space, he hadn't thought to try the door.
Rory was cuddling with Colonel Cluckers again.
"Honey, he was just trying to share… all aspects of fishing with you…"
"I know… I'm more upset over you know, the fish dying…than I am with Luke…you know" actually killing them "I mean, I know that has to happen… and I'm not gonna go all crazy vegan on you… it's just… I don't think I want to see that…ever again."
"Sure, who does… that's why we have fellas like Luke who are willing to do all the gross stuff for us," Which reminds me, I have to ask him to clean out the rain gutters.
"I like having him around," Rory hinted, hoping it was subtle enough to just creep into her mother's subconscious and have her make the arrangement more permanent.
"Yeah me too," Lorelai agreed. Lorelai waited with Rory for Luke to return from his walk. Lorelai smoothed her daughter's hair, "You know you don't have to like everything Luke likes. I mean you guys have common ground with you working in the diner… and with cooking…"
"Yeah, I guess"
Rory deduced, "Maybe I was trying too hard."
"Oh, I don't know… you're pretty likable," Lorelai smoothed Rory's hair.
Lorelai waited for Luke to return and the pair heard his heavy steps behind them a few minutes later.
Luke offered a shy "Hey" as he came into the room. He knelt in front of Rory, holding a book in his hand, "Rory… I am sorry… and you know… you don't have to like everything I like. I just … you know wanted to share something else with you, see if you did like it…it's always… you know smart to try new things."
Lorelai laughed at how that sound coming from a man so set in his was.
Rory smiled, "I liked hanging out with you… and the actual fishing… was sorta fun… I just didn't like… you know, fish guts…" Rory winced with a wrinkle of her nose.
"Well, I'll handle that from now on if you want."
"Okay…" and Rory came forward to hug Luke. Lorelai enjoyed the scene, and almost forgot that Luke wasn't Rory's father for a moment, for just a moment.
Rory sat back on her bed, "Luke."
"Yeah?"
"I don't think we should have fish for awhile…but I'll let you know… when it's okay to put em back on the menu…."
"Okay" happy he was off the proverbial hook.
Lorelai had to excuse herself, "Well since you guys are okay… I really have to go now…"
"Aw sure… well just hang out…" remembering the book in his hand, "Oh Um I got this for you."
Lorelai stayed to watch as Luke handed Rory the book, and Rory's face lit up.
"Persuasion! By Jane Austen?" Rory exclaimed.
"Yeah, you don't have that one… its sort of a … 'I'm sorry you had to see fish guts' gift…"
"Thank you!" and Rory hugged him again, almost knocking Luke over from his squatted position.
"Well, you're not Rory unless you have a book in your hand," Luke laughed happy she liked the gift. "You start that and I'll start Lunch."
"DEAL!" and Rory flopped back on the bed, "Okay… chapter one…Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage…"
Luke smiled that the 11 year old was reading out loud with a British accent. Luke turned and Lorelai caught his eye and she pulled him aside in the kitchen. "What do you think you are doing bribing my kid," she teased.
"What, you told me to go for a walk…so I happened to walk by the bookstore… she needed a book…." He reasoned.
"You are very thoughtful and sweet, and that is why I love you," and she kissed him slowly again.
Luke felt his chest swell at the sound of the words as Lorelai leaned into him.
"I have to go" she smiled, "We'll finish this later…" she punctuated with a wink.
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Seeing the white dress, first dance, and first pieces of cake, had Lorelai once again picturing it was Luke and her getting married. All the way home she was contemplating what song would be theirs.
"I'm home," Lorelai entered her house happy to kick off her heels, Ugh I don't care how great they make my legs look! Lorelai could hear the TV from the living room, and decided to yell over it, telling them all about the wedding, "Well, we had a bit of a scare, when we didn't know if the bride was allergic to nuts, and Sookie was all panicked and brown bagging it for a while cause she's the one who made the cake, but then we learned it was just the Mother of the Groom causing trouble. Speaking of which, the ringer bearer, ugh, what a little monster I kept expecting pea soup to spew out of him any minute…he was just…" she stopped in the living room entrance way.
The TV was on; some late night infomercial had a new improved product to sell the masses. The light from the TV flickered to show Rory and Luke on the couch, sleeping. Rory had her arms around Luke's waist, hugging him tightly. Luke's head was leaning on the back of the couch, lightly snoring, Lorelai had to smile at the scene, and crept over to Luke, closing in on his leaned back head, she kissed his open mouth.
That woke him up, "Hmm Lorelai?" Luke strained to see her in the darkness.
"Hey" she smiled down at him.
"How was the wedding?" he yawned.
"Nice, they made it through the cake so… I think its gonna last." Suddenly realizing he didn't hear anything about the nuts scare.
"Well good"
"You okay? With your blanket there?" referring to Rory hugging him, and the fish disagreement from earlier.
Luke looked down, "Aw yeah," as if Luke saw her for the first time, "she fell asleep during the movie…"
"Oh yeah? What did you watch?"
"Stalag 17"
"Huh, don't think I've seen that one yet."
"It's good, we may have to watch it again, you know," pointing to Rory, still huddled up against him. Lorelai smiled and watched as Luke shook Rory gently.
Rory inhaled sharply, "Is it time for school?"
"No, you fell asleep during the movie."
"Aw," rubbing her eyes, and squinting from the bright infomercial, "Is Sefton okay?"
"You told me before not to spoil it for you… we'll just have to watch it again tomorrow night...with your mom."
"…but she'll talk through it," Rory complained, as she rubbed her eyes.
Lorelai objected from not 3 feet away, "HEY!"
"Oh hi mom," Rory yawned, "didn't see you there."
"Uh huh," Lorelai nodded, "just for that, bed, unless of course you don't want to go shopping tomorrow."
The threat of her beloved schools supplies being dashed; Rory sprang up and went to her room.
With her daughter gone, Lorelai took the spot Rory had kept warm for her and sat in Luke's lap on the couch.
"Hi," she smiled as she kissed him again from her new position. Happy to take comfort in his arms, wanting to take advantage of their time alone, wanting to remember the good old days of making out like teenagers, but her body was too spent from a day of tulle, candles, and rice. "Oh jeez, I'm so tired," and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Well, you work hard," and Luke rubbed her back, "You want something to eat?"
"You are so good to me."
"Don't you forget it," he warned with a grin.
"This is not fair… we are alone, and I want to make out with my boyfriend, but I'm too tired."
"Maybe you're tired from …" Luke trailed off.
"All the other times we've done it this week," Lorelai finished with a half smile.
"You can just got to sleep you know,"
"I can't sleep here…"
"Rory did."
"Well Rory's like a rubber band…she's still growing, contorting is not problem for her."
"You contort just fine," and he kissed her neck.
"Hmmm, Luke… we need a date…"
"We have a date …for Monday…"
"Good" Lorelai was drifting off on his shoulder.
Luke took her upstairs in his arms, knowing she'd need her rest for their school supply excursion tomorrow.
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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...