Disclaimer: I own it. I bought the rights from a cracked out ASP, a drunk, beaver singing DP, and the 'happy to be rid of it and its crazy internet fans' WB. I got it for a steal. $5.37 and a cup of venti coffee at Starbucks (DP had to sober up and drive the bitch home). It's mine now (sees lawyers in the distance). I bought it fair and square (the lawyers are getting closer and are brandishing cups of coffee). Okay, I give, just leave me my coffee. I said leave the coffee! I don't own, don't sue.

Author's Notes: I know, I said I would TRY (operative word being TRY) and have this up quickly, but I was having writer's block and life was getting in the way. Then, being the amazing (with an ish) Beta that I am, I needed to attempt and catch up on my assignments and duties. However, I think this chapter is well-worth the wait. It explains a little bit of the last chapter. It doesn't go really into the beginning of chapter 7, but, well you'll see. Oh yeah, I had some continuity issues between this chapter and the last chapter, so I fixed it in the last one. It is all amended now.

As I mentioned way, way, way back in the day I write when music inspires me. The earlier chapters were inspired by Brandi Carlile's song "What Can I Say", the chapter titles are her lyrics (not my own creation). That inspiration fizzled out because it is definitely a sad, angsty song. I needed new inspiration. Then I found it, the Goo Goo Dolls. I have always loved them and I bought their new album, heard the first song, "Stay With You" and it was as if lightning struck and suddenly I could write. So these next chapters are due to the Goo Goo Dolls. All chapter titles come from them and their amazing sound.

Finally, thank you everyone for reviewing, especially my loyal reviewers and readers. I appreciate the patience. Special thanks to GG1979 who once again completely assisted me and my dialogue. She gave me a direction and helped me find the compass. Now a song, clears throat: Did you ever know that you're my Hero! You are everything I wish I could be! I can fly higher than an eagle, you are the wind beneath my wings!

Thank you Debbie.

Chapter 8: I Can Feel The Storm Inside You

Lorelai woke up as the weak, early morning sunlight began to shine through her window. She was still snuggly secure in Luke's warm embrace; in fact it appeared that neither of them moved all night. She laid her head on Luke's shoulder and smelled the smell that was Luke. It was a comforting smell of burgers, coffee, and flannel; to her it was the smell of comfort and love, and no one but Rory knew how much that comfort meant to her. She watched Luke's face as he woke up and smiled at his groggy, confused expression as he fought from the world of dreams and slowly entered the real world.

"Morning," she said, giving him a brief, hard kiss.

"Hey, you feeling better," he replied, brushing the hair from her forehead.

Lorelai frowned as the events from last night flooded her memories. She knew she needed to tell Luke what happened last night, but it was hard. It was difficult knowing that her mother still didn't accept Luke, didn't accept her way of life, and still seemed to be determined to somehow have her finger in the pie that was Lorelai's life. With tears pooling in her eyes again, Lorelai looked up at Luke's face and saw the understanding, compassion, and most importantly, love in his eyes. She snuggled closer to him and began to tell him the dinner last night, in detail rather than the normal 'I came, Mom said something, I said something, we fought, I left.'

"Well, you know since we finally set the date for October, made all those plans for Maine, and you got custody of April all worked out, I wanted to tell my parents. Things were a little better between us and I thought they would want to know, first, before I even told Sookie. So Rory and I drove out there and I told her in the car that I was going to tell them about the date and ceremony and everything…"


Flashback to Friday Night Dinner

"Mom, it's good you are telling them now. They are the first to know after me and April. Grandma will be happy you told her first," Rory said, trying to pep her mother up.

"They aren't going to care. We want to get married on a beach, in the fall, with no society people present at all. Emily isn't going to like that. This is going to be bad. I can just feel it."

"Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves," said Rory with a smile, reaching out to ring the doorbell.

"Mulligan, you son of a bitch," replied Lorelai, grinning at her daughter.

Lorelai took a deep breath before entering the house attempting to shake off the feeling of a fight ahead, a fight that was soon to be classic Gilmore blow out.

"So girls, anything new?" asked Emily in an attempt to start conversation.

"No," the Gilmore girls responded together.

"Nothing new with Luke, Lorelai? How's his daughter?" Emily asked, slightly snottily, still angry that Richard allowed Luke to contact a good friend for assistance in his unseemly custody issues.

Rory glared at her mother and kicked her under the table. "Tell them!" she mouthed, hoping her mom would finally tell her parents about the wedding plans.

"Okay, Lord, it's like you're the mom." Lorelai whispered to Rory. "Mom, Dad. We actually have some news for you and you are the first people after Rory and April to know about it."

"Oh my God Richard. She's dying. Go quick call that doctor, the one in charge of that clinic in Minnesota," cried Emily, figuring that would be the only news Lorelai would tell her parents before anyone else.

"Mom! Jeez calm down. I am not dying. I am as healthy as an ox, or something not as ugly. This is good news. It's about me and Luke."

"Well, what could it possibly be?" Emily asked, hoping that maybe she decided that this insensitive diner man would finally be gone from their lives.

"Well, since the court finally declared that Luke and Ana share custody of April and Ana finally got over her issues about me being a part of April's life, Luke and I were able to set a date for the wedding," Lorelai said, praying that the gods above would grant her this one favor and make this announcement go smoothly. "We decided on October 14th in Maine. Liz, Luke's sister, knows this really beautiful beach inn, so we are going to go up there and have a simple wedding on the beach."

"You want to get married on a beach?" Emily asked softly, almost dangerously.

"Well, Luke loves lobster and we both thought it would be romantic…" said Lorelai, trying to remain calm.

"Really, he loves lobster? I'm surprised he ever had lobster…"

"Anyway," Lorelai continued, trying to keep up civility, "he wanted lobster as the main course and we thought a simple beach wedding would be fitting. It would almost be like a theme…"

"Why not serve fish and chips; I would think that would be more on his level," Emily looked to heaven, as if to get strength. "To think a daughter of mine, a Gilmore for heaven's sake, married on a beach like a hippie…"

"It isn't going to be like that Mom," Lorelai attempted to explain her plans, but Emily continued.

"I suppose you and Luke will walk down the aisle bare foot

"Of course not…can you imagine the rant that Luke could go on about sand between his toes," Lorelai attempted to defuse the situation

"Lorelai, how are you going to accommodate half of Hartford society on a beach in the fall? Are they going to sit in those little plastic beach chairs?"

"Well…" Lorelai trailed off.

"Well, what?" Emily looked pointedly.

"Well, they're not invited…"

"What? You are not going to let me invite my friends, your father's associates to your wedding? Lorelai, you are a Gilmore, even if you are marrying some unwashed ruffian. You still have a social obligation to let this union," Emily nearly choked on the word, "be witnessed by …"

"Mom! I have no social obligation, this is our wedding, mine and Luke's. We used the word simple on purpose, we want to be married as quickly, as romantically as possible. This is what we want!"

Richard, aware of the drama that is about to unfold attempts to engage Rory in conversation as a way to change the subject, anything to prevent the inevitable blowout. "So Rory-"

"Sometimes, Lorelai, you don't get to do what you want. You owe us this much for everything-"

"Mom, please, just stop it!" Lorelai interrupted, finally done with her mother and her comments.

"Stop what?" Emily says innocently.

"The verbal bludgeoning of criticism! This is my wedding day, why can't you understand that. We are taking care of everything-" Lorelai attempted to appease her mother.

"Are we even invited? Or are you just going to run off and get married? Is there even going to be a wedding or are you just going to run off like you did before!"

"That won't happen!" Lorelai had pushed back her chair and was standing up at the table, completely ignoring the aghast looks that her father and Rory were giving her.

Emily jumped out of her chair and faced her rebellious daughter. "You wouldn't marry that schoolteacher, a well-bred, intelligent man. You wouldn't-"

Emily was interrupted by the sudden strains of Rory's cell phone, which had been secretly changed by her mother to Aqua's 'Barbie Girl'. Rory, turning pink and cowering under the glare from her grandmother, quickly answered her phone to silence the ringer. "I can't talk now, Dad. I'll call you back."

"Rory? Hey, I just wanted to see how your new apartment is-" Christopher's voice came loud and clear in the silent room.

"I'll call you back," whispered Rory, aware of the disapproving glare from her grandfather, quickly hung up and turned off her phone.

Emily turned her fury back onto Lorelai, who during the course of the phone call had wandered into the sitting room. "Lorelai Gilmore! We are not finished talking about this."

"I don't know what else to say Mother. Luke and I are getting married in Maine on October 14th. We both want you to be there," Lorelai said softy, emotional drained already and dessert hasn't even been served.

"I just don't understand why you want to marry that man. He lied to you. He pushed you away. He isn't worth your time or notice. Christopher wouldn't do that and that just shows that you belong with him! Why do you insist on hurting us by going through something that won't even work out," Emily yelled, not seeing how much her words were hurting not only Lorelai, but Rory as well, who, along with Richard, followed the two yelling women into the sitting room, hoping that their presence would stop the impending fireworks.

"It will work out. We worked out everything that was wrong before. We talk, we understand each other, we don't keep things from each other anymore. We love each other Mom. Don't you get it?"

"You loved Christopher and you refused to marry him. How is this any different?"

Lorelai turned to her mother, tears streaming down her face. "I love Luke, Mom. Christopher and I are done, over; we went the way of the T-rex and Amy Sherman-Pallidino TV shows. Christopher and I will never, ever in this world or the next, be a family. If you can't understand that, if you can't be happy for me for finally finding someone who loves me for who I am; all my faults, all my sarcasm, all my obvious issues and still doesn't want to change me, then I don't want you at my wedding. It is for me and Luke, to celebrate us, our love, and the fact that we finally, after years of life getting in our way, are going to be together forever. It isn't for Hartford society, it isn't for Stars Hollow. It is for us." Lorelai wiped the tears off her face and walked over to her father, standing shell-shocked next to Rory. "Dad, I want you both to come, but only if you really want to be there without any fights and arguments. Please think about it. Rory, I'll wait for you in the car." With one last defiant look to her mother, Lorelai swept out of the room and once again walked out the front door without looking back.

Rory and Richard turned towards Emily after watching Lorelai walk out of the house, both still stunned into silence. Rory recovered first and decided enough was enough, Emily needed to let go of this demented dream she had of Lorelai returning to the world that she ran from.

"Grandma, what is wrong with you? Why won't you let go of this warped image you have of Mom and Dad together? They never could be together, he was never around," Rory told her, trying to reason with her angry and upset grandmother.

"He was never around because your mother never gave him a chance. She just walked away from everything, including him, after ruining all our lives," replied Emily bitterly. As soon as the words left her mouth, her angry, bitter expression turned to one of shock as she turned from the door to look at her angry granddaughter.

At that comment Richard started forward as if to block the words from Rory, but it was too late, the words and the meaning behind them rang loud and clear. "So I ruined your life," said Rory, tears already chocking her voice. "Fine, I won't ruin it anymore with my presence."

Rory turned to Richard, gave him a hug and kiss, and Richard held the trembling girl close, hoping to show that he didn't believe she ruined his life, all while glaring daggers at his remorseful wife. Emily, shocked at her words, attempted an apology, but no sound was able to pass through her tight throat.

As Rory, head held high, gathered her things and paused on her way out, faced away from her grandmother. "Just so you know Emily, Mom never refused Dad a visit, a phone call, or a letter. He was the one that never showed up and he was the one that never gave us a chance. Luke, though he may not be from Hartford or will ever be in a blue book, is always there for everything. He never once thought I was a mistake for my mother or that I ruined her life. If I had to choose between Dad and Luke, I would always choose Luke." With those last words, Rory walked out of the door, not once looking back, following in her mother's footsteps.


"So that is what happened. My mother will never accept you or us as a couple. She apparently believes that my beautiful, smart, intelligent girl downstairs ruined all our lives. She won't come to our wedding. She just doesn't care enough about me-" Lorelai broke down in tears again, unable to finish her thoughts.

Luke gathered her close, held her, and stroked her hair as she cried out all her anger and disappointment in her mother, her sadness that she didn't want to come to the wedding, and her fear that Emily would never accept her as she was. As she fell into a restless sleep, Luke continued to hold her, vowing that the minute he had a chance he would go give Emily a piece of his mind. They would get married and Emily would be there, smile on her face, even if he had to drug her to get her there.


AN: You know when you write the characters go their own way, sometimes they just want to do this thing and they do it and you have no idea where it came from. That is what the Rory/Emily fight is. I wanted them to fight, but I had no idea Emily was going to say that. More from GG1979 on that subject (she is quoting the Count of Monte Cristo, Richard Harris to be particular). Anyway, that is Friday Night Dinner, with my new inspiration of Goo Goo Dolls. Please leave your comments, negative or positive in a review.

GG1979: WhenI read the words out of Emily's mouth, I was like ... WOAW! then I stood to applaud, "BRAVO Edmond, BRAVO"