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…
No seriously go read localizy's fic what can I say…. read this first… then go to her's! PS THANKS FOR THE LAST MINUTE BETA on the afore mentioned persnickety changes!
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Chapter 28:
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Since Rory gave Luke her honest opinion about his help, he started giving Dennis and Jen more hours when they asked for it, and subtly was phasing out the annoying Bobby. Jen was a good sport, and after some last minute persuasion from Lorelai, she offered to cover for Luke so he could go shopping with Lorelai and Rory.
Rory stood in awe in front of the store, "Wow… a Staples."
Luke, Lorelai and Rory entered the chain office supply store in Hartford, for Rory's favorite type of shopping, School Supplies. "Come on Mom! School's only two weeks away now!"
"Is she always this excited?" Luke asked Lorelai, "it's like Christmas for her…"
"You should see her at Christmas." Then it hit Lorelai as they walked hand and hand through the aisles, trailing Rory. He will see her at Christmas, he'll be here for Thanksgiving…wow… and her chest filled with happiness again, having a partner, a friend, someone to love and share all these precious moments with.
Rory was bouncing through the aisle looking at all the different types of pens and notebooks and was obviously in heaven. Luke held the basket as Rory made her selections, since Lorelai knew how Rory would want to stock up, and Luke had the greatest arm strength of the three. Maybe we should have just gotten a cart.
Lorelai began to wonder if she was being silly, making them wait for marriage. Lorelai watched as Rory explained to Luke her reasoning of buying particular pens and certain notebooks over others. "See this type is perforated… I had one of these last year… and I almost lost all my notes… not a good idea for the big test."
Lorelai saw how he was really listening to Rory, how easy it was for Rory to take Luke's hand and lead him around the store; like they were any old, normal family, simply shopping for school supplies.
"Excuse me," a lady tapped Lorelai on the shoulder.
"Oh yes?" Lorelai had been so focused on watching Luke and Rory; she hadn't heard the woman's cart pull up beside her even with its squeaky wheel.
"It's just that … I need those makers," she pointed beyond Lorelai to show the display she had been blocking.
"Oh umm, sorry" and Lorelai moved out of the way.
The lady grabbed her twelve-pack but seemed to hesitate on leaving Lorelai. "I'm sorry, but I have to tell you your daughter is adorable."
"Thank you, I think so too… I think I'll keep her" Lorelai said proudly.
"And for her to take after both of you…amazing…" the lady admired.
"Both of us?" Lorelai looked back at Luke and Rory. How he was now reaching and stretching to reach the specific new pencil holder she wanted on the top shelf. How Luke had put down the basket to reach the item since Rory refused to let go of his hand.
"Okay got it… light blue…and look it has daisies on it!"
"Cool … can you paint daisies on my desk? It will match my dresser and bookshelves!"
"Sure" was all Luke said as he smiled down at Rory and put the new pencil holder in the basket.
As the lady walked away engrossed in her own shopping list, Lorelai tilted her head at the pair. Lorelai always thought that Rory had Chris' eyes, sure they were blue like Lorelai's but the shape reminded her of Chris'. When Rory was younger and Lorelai used to miss Chris, she would sometimes feel it was Chris staring at her… and not her daughter. Lorelai pushed aside the memories; she had new better ones with Luke to think of. Luke is here…not Chris. Lorelai rejoined the pair with a pack the markers for her daughter. "How about these?"
"MOM… the 28 pack offers more colors. Perfect for subtle shading and leading to an A plus display."
"Okay… 28 pack it is."
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When Rory had her perfect and persnickety school supplies, Lorelai insisted they get her some new clothes. However, Luke insisted that they save the clothes shopping for after lunch. He drove them to back to Stars Hollow, so he could stay at the diner and work and they could dilly-dally at their beloved mall without him.
As Lorelai sat and waited for her BLT cheeseburger, or the heart attack on a plate special, as she had dubbed it, she took in the familiar diner's décor. She just now noticed how faded and chipped the paint was in the diner, and since they were making changes, and preparing for the future, "Hey Luke?"
"Yeah?" he was distracted, since he was in the kitchen, and cooking, both Lorelai and Rory insisted that he cook for them, since Caesar was still learning Luke's secrets.
"Umm, the diner could use a spruce…you know…spring cleaning"
At her mother's observation, Rory began to look around the place wondering what was wrong with the diner, sure it was a bit cluttered, but in a nice way.
"Well it's almost Fall," he barked as he brought out their food, "you're a little late."
"Better late than never," Lorelai shrugged.
"It doesn't need a spruce," he growled, as he set their plates in front of them.
"Umm, yes it does…" Lorelai insisted.
"It's fine, now eat!"
"You mean my burger with a side of paint chips?" she dryly.
"Stop," Luke scoffed.
"Gee, I hope my kid doesn't get lead poisoning…"
"The place was tested for lead before I opened. Now stop," he asked again.
"Come on Luke… you like to inspire change, so lead by example… let me paint the diner."
"You?"
"Yeah, I love to paint!"
With a mouth full of fries, Rory chimed in, "She does. She's weird."
"Hey!" Lorelai defended, and Rory giggled.
"Maybe…okay, not now …"
"When?" Lorelai pushed.
"Not now… okay… just… maybe when the summer tourism stops… okay…"
"…But Luke" she kept pushing.
"ASK IN A FEW WEEKS, OKAY!… JEEZ!" Luke barked quickly.
"Okay?" Lorelai and Rory exchanged a look over Luke's sensitivity to painting. The girls continued to eat without talking, not wanting to upset him again, and attempting their mother-daughter telepathy to figure out what was wrong. Lorelai put money on the counter and they waved a silent good bye to Luke who was keeping busy with his other customers.
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After Lorelai and Rory returned from shopping, they found Luke in the kitchen with dinner already.
"Aw… good you're back," he said, looking a little shy and ashamed of his explosive performance earlier.
Lorelai smiled at the apologetic expression he wore. Rory nudged her mom, wanting her to check and see if Luke was recovered from earlier. Rory went into her room, to remove the store tags from her new clothes, but kept an ear out to hear what was going on in the kitchen.
Lorelai thought he certainly looked sorry for snapping at her earlier, with dinner all ready, in her house. Things were changing, Lorelai figured Luke now realized he couldn't withdraw and hide out above the diner every time something bothered him. He was here to explain and make up right away. "Luke?"
She didn't have to say anymore, and he confessed, as he leaned on the range top, "It's just that… the place hasn't been painted… since my dad was alive… he painted it when he first opened the place, and once more when the roof caved in one winter…everything is exactly as he left it… I've never … wanted it … disturbed. Well, instead of a workshop it's now a kitchen, and all the tables and chairs… and the mug collection instead of tools hanging… anyway… I just can't…"
"Hey, I know…" Lorelai snaked her arms around him to hug him. "I won't ask you to get rid of anything… that was your dad's," her tone seemed to tease that his own possessions would be up for debate.
"Okay," he smiled, "I have fried chicken?" he offered.
"Sounds good." She gave him a squeeze, "Are you up for a fashion show? Rory wanted to show you her new clothes."
"Sure."
"Rory…" Lorelai called over her shoulder.
Rory was out in a flash and hugged the pair at their waists, "I don't want to be left out of a hug!"
"Okay, dinner first, then Rory's modeling debut" Luke laughed.
"Please, we've been doing this every year since kindergarten," Lorelai smiled.
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Monday evening, Rory was finally going to be on her own for an evening just for a few hours. Rory was sitting on her mom's bed, as Lorelai was getting ready for her big date. Rory was there in an advisory capacity, and would look up from the book Luke gave her when her mother prompted her to look. Rory knew exactly what she was going to do with her time alone, she was going to spend the few hours sorting through her old clothes for donation, now that she had new clothes for herself.
Luke and Lorelai hadn't been out alone together nearly all summer, with pregnancy scares and chicken pox. Lorelai knew exactly what she wanted to do with her evening as well, but decided that she should keep up the pretense of dinner and a movie. Lorelai wondered if she could convince Luke to skinny dip on the summer night, or seduce him at the Dragonfly, which had been a nice fantasy since their first picnic of the summer.
Luke picked up his date and took Lorelai to Andoloro's, even though she wanted to go to Al's Pancake World for his South of the Border Special, which Luke wanted to avoid at all costs. It was almost like their first date again, except Lorelai was being a little forward with her foot under the tablecloth. Luke's expression when she first slid her foot in his lap had been priceless and she wondered if she could hold in her girlie giggles. Lorelai started a game of taking guess at what the entrees were based solely on their name, Luke would check the descriptions to see if she was right, naturally she wasn't, which was part of the laugh.
Luke had tickets for an 8:30 show, which Lorelai happily went to. Luke treated her to her usual junk food snacks, but after 20 minutes of breathing in Luke's musk. Lorelai wasn't interested in the movie any longer. She took Luke's hand, and smiled at him that certain way. She silently led him out of the theater, not speaking even to apologize for stepping on people's toes.
They went to the diner. After a "cup of Luke", Lorelai took him upstairs for what they really wanted, to be alone.
Still without speaking, they kissed fervently, undressing each other quickly.
Making love was easier, or better… or different, yet the same, all because they didn't have to be afraid of those three little words escaping in a moment of passion.
"I love you" Lorelai exhaled in a sigh, as she watched him on his side of Luke's new double bed. In the darkness she could see a smile twitching on his lips at her words. Then she added, "You are turning me into a nympho… you know that…"
"Me? You're the one who's a bad influence."
"I can't help it I'm irresistible… I was born that way," after a few more quiet moments, "Luke… I'm really happy."
"Me too."
Lorelai cuddled and observed, "This is where is all started isn't it; the diner, your coffee, you being all cute and sexy."
"I am not cute!"
"Yes you are…and you were when you made me dinner here… on our second date… and we… did this" Lorelai played with the hair on his chest "… for the first time"
"Happy Anniversary…" and Luke kissed her.
She smiled contently as he pulled away, "Six months…wow, it seems like only yesterday… but … so long ago…at the same time…"
Lorelai was now thinking of their perfect situation, thinking of Luke being there for her and for Rory… always. She wondered again if they should just do it and make things… permanent.
"Rory starts school next week right?"
Brought out of her thoughts, she confirmed, "Umm yeah… Now you have to admit, she is cute… she's already picked out her outfit for her first day from our shopping trip."
"…and her birthday is in October, right?"
Lorelai thought that was funny, "Yeah, the 27th"
"Okay"
Lorelai could tell he was thinking, "Luke…?"
"I just want to get her something she'll really like…"
"It's two months away…"
"I know… but I want get ready for it, I have to start thinking now cause she'll go through three books by the time school starts, and another three after school starts.
"Well, you seemed to do fine on your own…" Lorelai consoled.
"Hey she mentioned Persuasion and I skimmed the synopsis… it seemed okay…"
"Okay, but just remember I have to get her the best gift I am her mommy…"
"Alright…just start thinking…"
"Okay, and you know… your birthday is not far after that…"
"I don't want anything…"
"I'll be the judge of that…" Lorelai nibbled on his neck, and wondered if she could entice him for a round two, "Do you think we've had enough… quality time?"
"Yeah, I guess… we should get home"
Lorelai lifted her head, "Home?" Luke called her house "home", and suddenly she knew exactly what she would be getting him for his birhday, she had to hide her grin so it would be a surprise.
"Yeah… it's almost…" he picked up his alarm clock that he rarely used anymore since he now stayed over at Lorelai's most nights, "10"
"Wow… it's like a time warp with you… Who are you Michael J Fox? Does your truck have a flux capacitor and some plutonium?"
"Huh?"
"Back to the Future… we made you watched the trilogy during one of our first movie nights?"
"Oh yeah…" he remembered again. "I still don't understand if they saw him in like 1955, don't his parents wonder why he looks exactly like that their friend Calvin Kline or whatever…"
"Luke they only saw him for a week, like 30 years before hand … and the fact that it was such a long time span quells any doubts of whom Marty's father is," she had to explain to him again, "Okay…" Lorelai sat up, with the sheet around her, "Now, where are my clothes.?
Luke laughed as he ran a hand down her bareback, "I'm gonna guess on the floor," recalling how furiously they undressed.
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The final days till school flew by. Rory was still splitting time between the Diner and the Inn. Luke was now letting Rory double check her own receipts.
"Okay… Lunch time," Luke tapped Rory on the shoulder, she smiled as he delivered, a tuna melt to someone to the opposite side of the counter, and Rory thought about what she wanted for her own lunch. Definitely not Tuna.
"Could I have a burger, please?"
"With cheese and bacon, and a side of fries…" knowing she was just like her mother. "Hey, you wanna go to the book store while I cook? Maybe they have something new," he enticed.
"But I'm still reading Persuasion?"
"With how quickly you go through books…"
"…But school is starting up soon…I'll have to focus on that?"
"Well, you always have a 'recreational read'," As Rory called it, "You are just going across the square, by the time you get back your lunch will be ready…here" and Luke pulled out his wallet and gave her a twenty.
"Luke, I can't take your money."
"You've been helping me all summer, you've earned it…"
Rory still hesitated, "Umm okay…"
"Take 15 minutes look around the bookstore and you're lunch will be ready okay?"
"Okay…" Rory said in a small voice.
Rory walked quickly to the bookstore… and felt like all eyes were on her, like she was committing some awful crime and everyone knew it. I'm only doing what Luke told me to do… surely I wouldn't get in trouble for that.
She still quickened her pace to get the crime over with. She looked through the bookstore with a guilty conscience, the twenty clenched in her pocket and when Andrew finally asked if he could help… she blurted out, "Can I use your phone?"
"Umm sure…" and Andrew gestured behind the counter.
At the Independence Inn, Lorelai answered the phone, "Independence Inn, this is Lorelai speaking…"
"Mom, Luke gave me a twenty and I told me to go to the bookstore and buy a book and I don't know what to do!" Rory said in one breath.
"What? Rory…say that again?"
"Luke gave me money... and he said I earned it… and to buy a book since I was out of books at home, well not out but you know... I read them all… and I'm still reading Persuasion but I feel weird. You always give me my book money… and well I don't know what to do…"
"Umm, okay well… if Luke said it was okay… I'd say… buy a book…"
"…But it's weird. It's Luke's money… I know I work the register…"
"Well maybe he felt you deserved something for working so hard."
"That's what he said… but it's his money..."
"Rory it's okay, just pick out a book, let him… do this for you okay? You didn't mind with Persuasion… "
"But that was a gift… an 'I'm sorry' gift… this is … for no reason…"
"Rory there is a reason, he knows you are gonna be done Persuasion soon and he wants you to have a back up …"
"But I will have school soon."
"Then consider it back to school treat."
"Mom!"
"Rory, it's fine. It would be rude to refuse."
"Well, maybe you could pay him back…"
"I'm not going to pay him back for a gift he offered. Relax and pick out a book," Lorelai had to laugh as she hung up the phone.
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"What a day!" Luke exhaled as he plopped on Lorelai's couch.
"You said it," and Rory plopped next to him. "Thank you for the book Luke…"
Luke gave her a funny look, "You're welcome… again…" She had been thanking him all afternoon and wondered if something was up. She still was holding the book but she hadn't cracked it or Persuasion open all afternoon. "Hey Lorelai? I don't feel much like cooking …after today… is take out okay?"
"You have to ask?"
"Okay…hey there's some money in my wallet… I don't know how much you usually carry on you."
That caught Lorelai off guard, she was perfectly able to pay for food herself, but the mere invitation, the trust he had in her to go in his wallet and borrow money. "Oh ... okay?"
She saw his wallet on the desk; he had gotten in to the habit of removing it from his jeans when he came home…that is to Lorelai's house, and would put it on the desk by the phone.
"I'm just gonna … look through the menus…. and see what I feel like, okay? We can decide on the top three," and Lorelai grabbed his wallet and her purse and went into the kitchen.
Rory said he gave her a twenty. Lorelai pulled out a twenty from her purse and was going to put it in his wallet, to pay him back for Rory's book, and then she was going to pay for the take out herself. I can take care of myself and my kid.
She didn't know where these thoughts came from, if they stemmed from Rory's own fears of taking Luke's money, or from Lorelai's Gilmore pride, she just knew she had to do this. She opened his wallet and was about to put her twenty into his billfold when she saw something peeking out of one of the credit card sleeves.
With her money still in her hand, she slide out the small scrap of paper, and her heart ached. She saw her own hand writing on the piece of newspaper, you will meet an annoying woman today, give her coffee and she'll go away. It was the horoscope she had given him the day they met. He still had it, tucked in his wallet, as she had instructed, carrying it around for luck, for the last six months.
Lorelai took a heavy breath and was truly touched; as she looked in the direction of the living room, then back at the paper. She knew then she was being silly. Luke loved her… he wanted to take care of her and Rory… and sharing expenses was part of that… part of married life. There was no attack on pride or competency, just love and caring wanting what was best for their unique…family.
Luke suddenly came in kitchen, "Hey, can we avoid another pizza…?"
"Oh umm I was thinking Chinese…"
"Sure," seeing her staring at his wallet, "What's wrong?"
"Oh well, I saw…" she swallowed her honest sentence, "Umm, I thought we could you know split it…" uselessly holding up her twenty and his wallet.
"Sure… whatever…" seeing something in her eyes, "What's wrong?" he repeated.
Lorelai was still looking at the paper, peeking out of the small pocket, and smiled, "You kept it in your wallet."
"What?"
"The horoscope… the one I gave you …when we met."
"Aw yeah… you said it would bring me luck… and it has…" he leaned forward and kissed her.
When he pulled away, Lorelai's eyes were misty… "I love you… you know that right…"
"I think I got that impression…"
"Well, good," trying to keep stupid tears of joy inside, "so Chinese then?"
"Yeah sounds good…even better since I don't have to cook tonight."
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The first day of school had arrived, and naturally, Rory was the first one up.
"GOOD MORNING!" she burst into Lorelai's bedroom.
Luke and Lorelai both groaned as Rory opened up the curtains. "Come on get up or well be late!"
"It's 6 am…" Lorelai whined.
"Exactly so you both have an hour and 45 minutes to get ready."
Luke had thought Lorelai was kidding about how excited Rory would be, but now he was glad he had taken her advice and they had worn PJs to bed. Heaven knows he didn't want to scar Rory on her first day of middle school.
Luke made Rory a special breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes, and Rory pointed out to Lorelai, yet again, how she liked having Luke around. Come on mom, take a hint!
Luke and Lorelai both went to the school and Luke held back a grin when Lorelai introduced him to the teachers as her boyfriend and as a reliable emergency contact if she couldn't be reached.
The adult pair left Rory to the walls of learning, so Luke and Lorelai got back into his truck. Luke drove and Lorelai seemed awfully quiet. Luke parked the truck and turned toward her. "What's wrong?"
"My little girl is in middle school."
"Lorelai…"
"Next will be high school, then Harvard… then she will have forgotten all about me…"
"Lorelai…" and he pulled Lorelai over to his side of the seat.
"No, it's true… the more she learns the more she'll experience the more she'll see she doesn't need me…"
"She will always need you. Come on, I know what will cheer you up."
Luke led the way out of the truck, and as Lorelai got out, she saw Luke hadn't driven her to work… they weren't at the inn they were back at her house. "What are we doing here?"
"I'm the boss; I have the day off…"
"Well, that's all well and good for you, but I have to get to work."
"You have the day off, too."
"What?"
"I asked Mia for a favor…in return I have to be the handy man at the Inn for a few months… which I'm sure you don't have any problem with…"
"Me? Problem? I don't see a problem" Lorelai smiled at the added perk of seeing Luke at her work for a change, parading his perfect butt around in his jeans while he hung picture frames and fixed door hinges for the Inn.
They went inside hand in hand, and as soon as the door snapped closed. "Here we go with the nymphomaniac tendencies…" as she kissed him again, suddenly happy Rory was in school and they had the house to themselves.
Lorelai headed up the stairs backwards, but instead of heading left toward her bedroom Luke had steered her right. Lorelai broke away from the kiss, which led Luke to go down her neck. "Umm honey…"
"Hmmm…"
"We are in the bathroom."
"I know…"
"Umm okay…do you want to be alone?"
"No."
"Okay then…?"
Luke met her eyes, "You don't remember."
"Umm no?"
"Remember when Rory got chicken pox."
"How could I forget...the scratching, the door, and that horrible book."
"You said you loved the new shower head…"
"Uh huh?" a small smiled appeared on her face.
"…and when Rory was back in school you'd show m e how much?"
"Oh… is that what this is?" she said with a devious grin, and it was then that she loved discovering new advantages to having a boyfriend.
"Yup"
She raised her eyebrow at him, "…And you say I'm the bad influence?"
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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...