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…?
LUVZ: I miss you!
FEATURED BETA: Localizy, thank you for putting up with my compulsive persnickety changes…for this crazy PUB. She's the DAVID BLAINE of BETAING…and she's all MINE… MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Localizy, What Can I Say…
No seriously go read localizy's fic what can I say…. read this first… then go to her's!
A/N: in avoidance of the FINALE, we decided to treat you all with this MONSTER UPDATE!
you will be so overwhelmed you will forget all about the CRAP FOR CRAP! Courtesy of the Resistance! As Izy says, "for those that may not want to watch the drama of hell unfold; here are some distractions"
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Chapter 33:
Ach So!
When Luke came to Lorelai's house that evening, Lorelai wanted to share her epiphany as soon as he walked into the kitchen, "HA! I figured it out…a singular of panties."
Rory, who was sitting at the kitchen table with her mother, looked up from her notebook, "Mom… you mean a panty; that would be the singular…"
Now that Rory was in on the act, Luke begged, "Stop, please!" with a roll of his eyes.
Lorelai continued, "Hey, and shorts… pants? Why is there an 's' on the end. Again, its one item, I mean you say I'm wearing a skirt…shouldn't it be I'm wearing a short… or wearing a pant?"
"My head hurts," Luke grumbled taking off his ball cap and scratching his head.
"Don't worry," Rory told him, "I have dinner all ready."
"Aw yeah? What'd you make?" Then he saw the pizza box on the counter and shot Rory a look.
Rory innocently smiled, and she looked just like her mother, "I got half veggie for you…Joe was nice enough to put tomatoes, and mushrooms even some zucchini and broccoli on it for you…I like how the cheese melts into the florets," showing her plate was empty already.
"Oh hey, Joe!" Lorelai exclaimed, and nudged Rory's arm, "We should put him on the guest list… after all he did help feed you before Luke came along."
Rory copied the note down into the notebook in front of her.
"Guest list?" Luke asked peering over Rory's shoulder.
"Mom and I started working on my birthday plans," Rory told him, and yours, she thought, knowing that on the page now facing the table top was his party plan outline. When they heard Luke at the front door, Rory quickly flipped the notebook back to her own party plans and ideas, and both girls at the table adopted an innocent air.
"How many people are you inviting?" Luke raised an eyebrow, seeing how long her list had gotten on the page.
"Oh, this is just the first draft," Rory assured.
"Yeah, we gotta make sure we get rid of the losers. Oh speaking of parties," Lorelai looked up at Luke, placing a hand on his arm, "I wanted to run something by you."
"Yeah?" Luke was wondering if Lorelai was going to make him dress up like a clown for Rory's birthday.
"Well, your birthday like a week later, should we plan a joint bash for you and Rory? Or do you want a party of your very own?" Lorelai thought she could predict his answer, but she thought she'd be polite and offer anyway, maybe he would surprise her.
"Aw, I don't want a party," Luke waved off, as he got a paper plate and went to the counter for a slice of the veggie pizza.
Mother and daughter exchanged a knowing look behind his back. "I knew it," Lorelai sighed, somewhat disappointed, but they had planned on it. Luke was very reliable and predictable.
"Just have the one for Rory. It's not every day you turn 12."
"Well, it's not every day you turn 31," Lorelai argued back.
"Look, I don't like parties, okay. Please, just focus on Rory…"
"Okay, but we'll have a special celebration; just the three of us… deal?"
"Alright, deal," he conceded again.
Once again behind his back, Lorelai silently clapped her hands together, to signal to Rory that Luke had fallen into the plan beautifully. Rory smiled over her guest list, because she knew exactly what her mother had in mind for Luke's special celebration.
"You have a movie in mind tonight?" Luke asked, figuring he'd just wait for them in the living room if they already had it cued up.
Lorelai let out a heavy sigh, "She wants to watch Stalag 17 …"
Luke turned back to the kitchen table to look at both girls. Luke exclaimed "…Again?" in unison with Lorelai who nodded repetitively in confirmation, hoping to covey her mild irritation at her daughter's current favorite movie. She also hoped she wouldn't tire of the movie too quickly, this only being her second time, and Rory's third, but it seemed that it was always Rory's first choice when suggestions were asked for movie ideas of late.
Rory shrugged, "I can't help it, I like it." She did like it; she liked the special memory of watching it with Luke the first time. It was a new movie experience and one of the few times she had Luke all to her self. Rory liked how exciting and funny it was from the onset despite its being set in a POW camp in Germany; how suspenseful and intriguing it was to try to figure out who the stoolie was. Rory liked that first viewing, just her and Luke, how they could laugh at the same parts, how Luke made her feel perfectly at ease despite her mom's absence, so at ease he let her use him as a pillow and fall asleep feeling perfectly safe. Rory then understood why her mother liked having Luke sleep over so much, well she understood as much as an eleven year old could have about the adult relationship.
Rory decided to cling to the man who was in her life, the father figure who wanted to be there for her. As she had anticipated when she first got the post card from her father, Christopher had dropped out of contact again. The phone number was still active, but he never called or returned her calls or messages. Even though it was expected, it still hurt Rory to once again be ignored, but she pushed aside her disappointment and enjoyed her relationship with Luke. Whenever Rory came into the diner after school, Luke was always glad to see her. Rory loved it when she and Luke would cook together and try out a new recipe or make a new one up. When the three of them would play a board game or watch a movie together. If it was late enough, Luke would sleep over, and make breakfast the next day if he didn't have to meet a delivery in the morning. Rory just liked having Luke always around.
The trio halted the party plans to watch the movie, again. As Luke brought his plate into the living room he commented, "I thought you'd love this movie," he said to Lorelai, "it was the basis for Hogan's Heroes."
"No way!" Lorelai gasped in surprise, with a new found interest in the movie since it was now connected to a cult classic TV show, and she was awe that Luke knew such a behind the scenes fact.
"I know things," he grinned.
Luke settled in the middle of the couch with Lorelai huddled up on his right, Rory was bouncing on his left, anticipating the story of Sefton and the other POW's to unfold. Luke looked over at Rory; she didn't seem to realize she was humming the opening theme, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, as she bounced in her seat. Luke looked down at Lorelai who saw the same thing and smiled up at him with her head on his shoulder.
Luke whispered to Lorelai, "Wait till she sees The Great Escape."
"Don't you dare expose her to Steve McQueen," Lorelai returned with a poke in his ribs, all my hard work rearing her over the years, but only it was only in jest; she thought it was cute too.
To which, Rory hushed them both harshly, not wanting to miss a trick of the motley crew on the screen.
Rory had her mother's quirk of talking through movies at the same parts, and did the same bits she developed when she first watched it alone with Luke. She laughed at the all the antics of Shaprio and "Animal" to get to the Russian women's compound or at Cookie's witty narrative observations. Whenever Marko the Mailman said "at ease, at ease" to settle the soldiers down for announcements, both Lorelai and Rory were happy to join "Animal" in his sarcastic egging on, repeating a slow, mocking whine "at ease" every time. Rory loved and praised all of Bagradian's impressions of old movie stars from Gable to Cagney. Rory always swelled for sympathy for quiet Joey as he played his flute. Rory carefully watched for the signs of the traitor in their barracks, smiled as the true stoolie's identity was discovered, and raised an eyebrow with Sefton, "Ach so"; then finally cheered as Sefton made his escape with Lt. Dunbar to save the Lieutenant's life. As she helped Luke and her mom clean up the living room she talked about the movie, reliving all her favorite parts.
"It's a shame Cookie had to stay behind in that awful camp," Rory observed. "Do you think that Sefton wouldn't want to talk to him if he saw him on the street?" as William Holden's character had promised to all his bunkmates.
"Well, I think he would buy him a beer at least," Luke chuckled.
"Good, but those other guys …forget it. Every time I see it, I hate Duke more and more… what a hot head; always shooting off his mouth without thinking."
Luke broke into a smile, that's exactly how he felt about Duke when he first saw the movie as a boy with his dad, "I never liked Duke either."
"Oh and to see William Holden slap around Peter Graves, that was fun," Rory grinned.
"Peter Graves of Mission Impossible fame," Lorelai chimed in, but she was happy to let them discuss the movie, giving her a chance to just observe the special bond they had, the void Luke seemed to fill for Rory, and gather more ideas for Luke's birthday celebration.
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Rory and Lorelai were doing more party planning and decoration window-shopping the next day and Lorelai wanted to discuss location.
"Now, Rory I know we always have it our house but I was thinking this year we could have a special location," Lorelai always tried to out do the party from the year before and continue spoiling her wonderful angel girl daughter in her own unique way.
"I couldn't agree more," Rory had her own new locale in mind, hoping her mom and her were on the same page like always.
"Great, well the Taj MaHal was already booked, and some loser already bought out Disney World, so I was thinking about having the party at the Inn…" Lorelai smiled that her idea might be well received.
"…And I was thinking of the diner."
Both stopped and looked at each other and said in unison, "What?" It may have been the first time in their history as mother and daughter that they weren't on the same page, they didn't agree, that their mother daughter psychic connection had failed them.
"The diner?" Lorelai questioned.
"The inn?" Rory mirrored.
"Well, why do you want it at the diner?" Lorelai asked.
"Why do you want it at the inn?" Rory countered.
"Well, it sort of was our first home…"
"Well, isn't the Inn a bit … I don't know, grand for an 11 year old's party?" Rory said humbly.
"And you like the diner better?"
"Well, yeah… Luke has to work on my birthday…and well, it would be a way of seeing him and including him all day in the festivities…"
"You want to spend all day at the diner?"
"Well, I want to spend the day with Luke… and he will be at the diner, why not have my party where he's working… it is a restaurant... so there will be food I like there…"
"Well, I'm sure for your birthday we could convince him to take off," Lorelai shrugged, if that was what her little girl really wanted.
"But I don't want to be a bother…"
"…But you want to be at his side all day… spend the day at the diner…?"
"Well, it was just an idea…"
Lorelai saw how Rory's heart was set on the idea. "I'll ask Luke…"
"Really?" Rory perked up.
"Sure, like you said I can talk him into anything… maybe we'll save the inn for your sweet 16…"
"I'd like that," and Rory hugged her mom's waist as they walked down the street.
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Luke and Lorelai were at the counter in the diner the following afternoon, and while waiting for Rory to show up after school, Lorelai got Luke's attention, "Hey Luke?"
"Yeah?" he was poking around behind the diner in the cubbies, organizing his flatware.
Like a band aid, "Can we… use the diner… for Rory's party?"
"What?" Luke popped up like a wack-a-mole game.
Lorelai explained, "Well, we usually have it at the house, but well, I really don't want to have to clean up afterwards… you know…"
"So you want me to clean up afterwards instead?" Luke challenged.
"Well, I'll help," the glare Luke gave her showed he didn't believe her, "…really, I will. Think about it, it's never been done before… the location is in the center of town… so everyone can come and go as they please… if you get annoyed or bored your apartment is right upstairs… it's perfect." Lorelai then proceeded to pout, "Please, it would mean so much to Rory."
"Sure, use your kid against me…"
"Luke…she especially requested having the party here, please."
"She wants the party here?"
"Yeah, she wants to be with you… and to maximize the visit, maybe you could, oh I don't know…" she said as if she was just then pulling it out of the air , which told Luke she had it all worked out, "Maybe you could close the diner for the day… so you can enjoy the entire party with her."
"Lorelai…"
"Yes?" she flashed that million dollar smile.
Luke took a long moment to consider, he knew it was pointless to argue, "Fine!" he conceded, but he was touched that his diner would be chosen out of all the fun places they could have had Rory's party. One day won't break me…
"YAY!" Lorelai had a wicked grin as she sipped her coffee, triumphantly. "And you know… your birthday isn't far off… so you will be handsomely rewarded I'm sure…" she punctuated with a wink.
Not wanting to talk of the rewards her tone was suggesting in public, Luke changed the subjected as he blushed. "Is umm," he cleared his throat, to removed the previous topic, "Rory too old for teddy bears?" Since Rory was still in school, Luke felt he could ask his girlfriend for advice on what to get his favorite soon to be 12 year old.
"Well, all girls have some stuffed animals," Lorelai shrugged, "but she is almost a teenager," scary thought.
"What about Teddy Roosevelt? Does she like him?"
"You've been researching her birth date?" Lorelai had known for a while that her daughter and the famous president shared the birth date and was touched Luke was taking this seriously enough to worry about what to get her daughter. Lorelai then realized he had been worrying about this for nearly 2 months, "You're really doing your homework…"
"Well yeah… she likes history and stuff… I don't know… it made sense…I mean after… well what happened with her dad… I just want to cheer her up. I want everything…perfect."
"I'll see what I can come up with…" Lorelai smiled, and wondered if he even realized how close he and Rory had become.
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When Lorelai told Rory that Luke agreed to the party, Rory practically jumped on Luke to hug him in thanks. While Lorelai and Rory were deciding a theme, Luke took the responsibility of the menu, but without a theme he struggled for an idea on Rory's cake.
The days were winding down till Rory's party at the diner. Luke noticed there were glares being exchanged between Rory and Lorelai all through dinner. When he got up to get Rory seconds, behind his back he could hear fierce whispering, and what sounded like a gentle slap fight. When he turned around he saw Rory insistently nudging Lorelai, which resulted in Lorelai grabbing Rory's hand one she saw Luke was watching them, and making it look like they were simply holding hands, like loving mothers and daughters would. Luke's eye moved between the two as he placed the plate in front of Rory again.
Rory sent a mild scowl in Lorelai's direction, "I'm gonna finish this in my room," she announced. "I have to work on my invitations…and this will leave you two to talk!" she said pointedly to her mother. With that, Rory disappeared into her room.
"Okay, what's going on?" Luke asked his girlfriend.
Lorelai took his hand, and led him upstairs. Lorelai knew this required delicate strategy. Once in her room, she closed the door and crashed her lips to his, which caught him off guard, but he was always eager to kiss the woman he loved.
After a few moments, "What do you want?" he said figuring she was trying to seduce him and make him susceptible to her wishes.
"Damn it, you know me too well," she sighed playing with the collar of his flannel. "Okay, well Rory's party is on Sunday."
"Yes?" Luke listened carefully.
"And remember that you love me…"
"That I do," he agreed.
"And you love Rory…"
"Yes."
"Well," she delayed.
"Lorelai," Luke warned her to just get it over with.
"Well, we finally decided on a theme for her party."
Oh boy, "Okay?"
"So, she wants a Halloween theme," yeah its all about what Rory wants, it was Rory's idea, nothing to do with the perfect costume that you found that fits you like a glove.
"What?" Luke took a second to make the obvious objection, "You mean like a costume party?"
"Yes," Lorelai winced.
"So you mean to tell me I'm shutting down the diner, so the mental patients that reside in this town can dress up and parade all day long through my establishment in costume!"
"…and in honor of Rory's birthday!"
Luke stepped out of her arms, he was opening and closing his mouth over and over, wanting to say a flat out "no", even raising a finger to protest; but then only putting his hands on his hips to glare at Lorelai knowing he couldn't say no to Rory's wishes.
"Luke it could be fun… come on…"
"I'm gonna have to decorate…" he complained.
"I'll decorate… and I'll help clean up…"
"I have to redo the menu…"
"No, its fine… just the burgers and fries is fine, really."
"But what about the cake? She has to have a themed cake."
"Luke, I'm sorry we just got inspired today… we haven't done the costume theme in years and … she knew you were gonna freak out…"
"I'm not freaking out… its fine, that is what she wants … you know costumes and a theme…I'll do it, it's just…"
"What?"
"I want it to be … special… it's the first birthday I'm here for… and I want to make a good impression…"
Lorelai smiled sweetly, "You will, she'll be happy that you are there and that you remembered."
"I still don't know what to get her…" and Luke seemed positively desperate.
"It's okay… we have the rest of the week yet… it will be fine." Lorelai hugged him. "There is one more thing we need to discuss…"
"Yeah?"
"Well, she wants to include you in everything, so she was wondering if you'd mind…going…trick or treating with us?"
"What?"
"Well, she's gonna be 12 and this maybe her last year to go out like that…"
"What about handing out candy here?"
"Well, I don't usually give out candy here at the house; we usually hang caramel apples in the tree out front, if the kids take 'em … great; if not, I have the breakfast of champions for a week… as long as the apples don't rot mind you…"
"Lorelai," he rolled his eyes, already knowing she was going to win and some how get her way and make him look ridiculous.
"It's okay, I've got it all figured out. All you have to wear is a baseball jersey…you're jeans and ball cap are fine…"
"We're dressing up?" he seemed surprised; walking around door to door at night was one thing, but to have to do it in costume, "Aw Jeez."
"Umm, yeah, it's sort of tradition…"
Luke couldn't help his curiosity, "What are you going to be?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," she said in a flirty voice. "You just wear the jersey to the diner on Sunday, then for trick or treating…and you are done for the year…"
"Fine… but I'm doing it for Rory…"
"Let the record show Luke Danes is doing it for Rory," she smiled. "Do you have a baseball jersey?"
"Red Sox."
"No, a jersey…" Lorelai repeated thinking she had spoken clearly.
He didn't know how he was dating this woman sometimes, "I do, a Boston Red Sox jersey."
"Oh… okay great…"
There was a knock at the bedroom door.
"Come in," Lorelai called knowing who it would be.
Rory poked her head in, "Hi, how's it going in here?" she asked timidly.
"He agreed."
"To all of it?" Rory asked stepping in the room.
"All of it," Luke nodded.
Rory hugged both of them at the same time, "This is going to be the best birthday ever!"
"That's the idea," Lorelai smiled at Luke, at all he wanted to do for Rory, therein making his addition to the traditions most welcome.
"Hey kid, what do you think about a mud pie birthday cake? With gummi worms and everything…" Luke enticed.
"Ooo, can you make it look like a graveyard?" Rory latched on to the idea.
"It's your birthday, not your death day," he said a little unsettled by the morbid suggestion.
"But its Halloween," Rory pointed out.
"Alright," Luke agreed.
"Cool, I'm gonna make up funny names for the graves like they do on The Simpsons…" then she showed her mom the piece of paper, "Look here is my invitation."
Lorelai examined the colorful and drawn effort by her daughter, with Orange pumpkins and Purple Bats, "Wow, that 28 color marker set really was worth the money. "Now you have to do it 500 more times to get everyone in town to come…"
Daunted by the number, and since she still had school work to do, Rory asked, "Well, mom, could you help me?"
"Since I have no artistic capabilities, how about I do them on Clunker?"
"Clunker?" Luke asked.
"Yeah, my computer," Lorelai said simply.
"You mean the computer buried in the corner of the living room that I have never seen you use."
"Yeah, that's the one."
"She needs a new one," Rory insisted.
"Hey, for as often as I use it was a steal… I can barely use the computers at work."
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A/N: my Computer's actual name is Putter… cause he's slow… my computer at work is named Hal cause it's EVIL!
"Hal open this file."
"I can't do that, Debbie…"
A/N: regarding having party in the diner:
gilmoregirl1979: obviously i won't be tainted by the asp world, as I am not watching the show, but i fear being stoned for the similarity.
Localizy: tell them i made you do it
So there!
A/N: Featured Refrain: Planets
'Cause you can't see life living on my planet
But it gets so lonely here on this planet
That I would leave it
No hard feelings – Broken things mend
I'm not angry – Yes, just so disappointed
Not Paris, it's much too perfect
You are right, a long ride
Don't want it; we don't fit
You knew it'd never happen
Out here planets leave like lies from lips
How could you leave me alone on my planet?
I want to live with you there on your planet
I'd even believe you
No hard feelings - Broken things mend
I'm not angry – Yes, just so disappointed
No hard feelings - Broken things mend
Prob'ly won't die yet - Just so disappointed
You can't see life living on my planet
But it gets so lonely here on this planet
What could I do to live with you on your planet
And why with so many billion other planets
You had to leave mine?
A/N: You all know how I like to get on my soap box (because I have the high ground) and rant… well I have another STATEMENT that we must make TOGETHER, A plea really.
On that impending day when the Season 6 DVDs come out… PLEASE I beg you, my crack whores, my minions, my casual readers…if you loved GG ever! DO NOT BUY SEASON SIX OF GILMORE GIRLS
Reasons:
-Why would you want to shell out the dough to relive such an abysmal season, if necessary it will be syndicated in the fall I'm sure, watch it, if you HAVE TO, for free.
-Hit ASP/DP in the Royalties and DO NOT contribute to validating their HALF ASSED VINDICTIVE DRIBBLE
-IF you ABSOLUTELY MUST buy it to complete your collection… PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, if you have any love for me at all… please WAIT until Season 7 comes out (Buy season 7 FIRST then buy 6 a week later) … it won't go anywhere… it will still be there…
I want it to have the lowest preorder/first day sales of all the seasons…
Please be strong and make the STATEMENT with me… join the resistance!
I thank you for your time… my darling crack whores and fans
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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...