Five Christmases
Description: Snapshots from five Christmases Lorelai and Luke spent together. Oneshot. Rated M. Holiday Fluff.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, or, sadly, Christmas. But I've asked Santa for both ;)
December 25, 2003
The first snow of the year was always magical, and this year's was no exception. It was a light powdery fall that flitted in the wind and landed in soft, supple drifts that glistened in the mid-afternoon light.
Having the first snow on Christmas Day was a special bonus. Lorelai always requested 'snow' in her letter to Santa, and this year he delivered.
Christmas morning had come and gone. The living room of the Gilmore residence had to be waded through, as bags and torn wrapping paper still littered the space hours after the initial hullabaloo. Lorelai was in no rush to clean up. The chaos felt like the way Christmas was supposed to be, not like the tidy holidays of her youth where maids were on hand to whisk away even the tiniest pieces of paper before they could hit the floor.
Yes, a living room in tatters from a morning of sheer glee, that's what made Christmas special to Lorelai. That, and her daughter curled up on the couch already a third of the way through her newest novel. That, and the steaming cup of coffee Lorelai had just poured into her thermos, and her warmest winter boots paired with her coziest jacket, gloves, hat and scarf. Yes, this was special. Her walk in the first snow of the year on Christmas Day.
"You sure you don't want to come?" Lorelai double-checked as she yanked on her boots.
"I can't put this down!" Rory exclaimed. Lorelai grinned. She loved her little nerd.
"Alright, I won't be too long." Lorelai pulled on her gloves and grabbed her coffee before heading out into the world.
She stepped onto the porch and inhaled deeply, an overwhelming freshness filling her senses, making her inner-child delight. There was nothing like that smell.
The snow crunched delightfully underfoot as she started down the well-worn path. She had taken the same route every year since they moved into their house. It brought her past Sookie's house and through the square, over to Luke's (just in case she could finagle a free coffee out of him), and then past the high school and toward the bridge.
The bridge over the lake was her favourite place to stop and enjoy the snowfall.
She greeted her friends and neighbours on the way. Many were out enjoying the gift of snowfall. Kids were building snowmen and forts, while parents shoveled driveways and walks. Some snowballs flew through the air, but none came for Lorelai. She wouldn't have minded they did.
As she rounded the high school it became quieter. The residential area gave way to a wooded path, and finally the bridge across the lake. An enterprising squirrel with cheeks full of acorns darted past her and up a tree, making her chuckle. There weren't many animals still scurrying about, but those squirrels would collect nuts until they couldn't find them anymore.
As she turned the corner and the bridge came into view, she stopped, taking in the lone figure standing in the middle, staring down at the water. A frown pulled at the corners of her lips. He didn't look as jovial as she was feeling. That was something she would have to remedy. Not to worry – she had enough Christmas spirit for the both of them.
"Hey, Stranger," she greeted as she stepped onto the bridge. Luke's eyes jerked up in surprise.
"Hey. I didn't hear you come up."
"I could tell," she teased lightly. He offered a small grin, but it faded soon after. Lorelai approached tentatively. "You mind a little company?"
"Sure," he said with his usual economy of words. Lorelai stepped into the space next to him and looked out at the water, which was covered in a paper-thin sheet of ice.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yup."
Lorelai peered up at him, taking in his demeanor. "You okay?"
Luke shrugged. "I'm fine." Deflecting, he asked, "You and Rory have a good morning?"
Lorelai smiled. "Yeah, it was great. It's nice to have her home. This whole 'Yale' thing is the pits."
"I bet."
"How about you? Anything special planned for today?"
"Nah."
"Nothing with your family? Nicole?" Lorelai prompted.
"Nicole went to visit her parents in Maine."
"You didn't want to go with her?"
"Her parents don't really like me," he told her.
"Well hiding out on the holidays is definitely going to endear you to them. Good plan," she joked. He chuckled.
"I'm sure it will." Luke's eyes drifted back to the lake and Lorelai watched him go, wondering what it was that had him so melancholic on this beautiful day.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"You'd be wasting your penny."
"Well let's give it a try anyway." She nudged his arm with her elbow. "What's up, Luke?"
He bit the inside of his cheek. Lorelai knew he was thinking about blowing her off, but he seemed to reconsider. She gave him a moment to choose to engage, sipping her coffee patiently while she waited.
"This is the first Christmas in a couple years that Jess hasn't been here. I guess I got used to having him around," he finally confided. He waved his hand dismissively. "It's stupid."
"That's not stupid," Lorelai said gently. "Have you heard from him?"
Luke snorted a laugh. "No."
"Well, did you try calling him?"
"Jess isn't real good at keeping a number for more than a few weeks a time. The one I've got is disconnected."
"What about your sister? She might…"
"I'm not calling him," he said lightly, but with finality. Lorelai bit her lower lip and nodded.
"Okay," she conceded, before moving on. "So is that all it is that's got you out here? Missing Jess?"
"I didn't say I missed him," Luke said in a low voice that belied the statement. Lorelai didn't feel the need to argue the point.
"What else are you doing today?"
He shrugged one shoulder. "Nothin'."
She frowned. "Nothing? You're not having dinner with anyone?"
"Who would I have dinner with?"
"Luke, you'd be more than welcome at anyone's table, you know that."
"Let me rephrase – who would I want to have dinner with?" he asked. Lorelai bit back a smile at the snark that seemed more in keeping with her friend's usual character than his previously gloomy demeanour.
"Well, let me see," she pretended to ponder. "I hear Bootsy makes a mean figgy pudding."
Luke huffed a laugh, and she went on. "Mrs. Kim's serving tofurkey with a side of begging the Lord for forgiveness. Babette and Morey are having some of her old girlfriends over for the holidays, who I know would love to get their hooks into you. And Kirk is having dinner with Lulu and his mother, and I'm sure they have room for a fourth," she listed. By the time she finished, a genuine smile graced Luke's features.
"Well geez, with options like that…" he joked.
"Or, you know, you could come home with me," Lorelai put out there. His interest was piqued, though he contained it.
"Let me guess: leftover pizza and Willy Wonka?"
"Um, wrong, my friend. Chinese from Al's and It's a Wonderful Life," she said with attitude. Luke chuckled.
"Of course."
"And for the record, the only reason we're staying home this year is because Sookie has to entertain Jackson's crazy family, and she decided to spare us the discomfort of being leered at by Beau Belleville."
Luke grimaced. "That guy's a creep."
"Yes, he is," Lorelai agreed. She hit him with a smile. "What do you say? Christmas with the Gilmore girls?"
Luke seemed to consider this for a moment before responding.
"Fine, but only if you swap out Al's for some real food," he proposed. Lorelai narrowed her eyes.
"Don't throw shade at Al's. He makes a mean kung pao chicken."
"I'll throw all the shade I want at a pancake place that serves 'ethnic' food," he grumbled.
"Okay, well if not Al's, then what? Everything else is closed, including the illustrious Luke's Diner."
"Listen, why don't you let me handle dinner?" he offered.
She scrunched up her face. "You're not gonna make us eat turkey burgers, are you? Because I have to tell you that is a bastardization of turkey and burgers, and you'll never be invited to Christmas at the Gilmores' again."
"No turkey burgers," he promised. Lorelai eyed him skeptically for a moment before relenting.
"Okay fine. One chance." Luke chuckled.
"So much attitude for someone getting a free meal."
"I'll drop the attitude when I know what we're having." Luke shook his head, his amusement chasing away his blues. For that, Lorelai inwardly patted herself on the back. He looked past her, toward town.
"I'm gonna head home. I'll see you around five?" She nodded and he smiled before stepping past her. Lorelai called after him just as he stepped off the bridge.
"Hey, Luke?" He stopped and turned toward her. She gave him a broad smile. "Merry Christmas."
Luke chuckled lightly. "Merry Christmas, Lorelai."
XXXX
Lorelai sat on the couch in between Luke and Rory. The credits were rolling on The Santa Clause, which was the third movie they had watched, after It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street. She told them it was essential to end with a lighthearted comedy, so the last thing they did on Christmas was laugh.
The evening started with dinner. Luke arrived at five-sharp toting three large diner bags. Inside, he had a homemade feast consisting of roast beef, sweet potatoes, cornbread, baked brie and two pies for dessert. He also included fresh coffee from the diner to satisfy the cravings he knew they had.
The trio crowded the food on the kitchen table and sat around spinning stories and telling tales of Christmases gone by. Laughter filled the space, including from the occasionally ornery diner man who supplied the feast.
After tidying up, the three made their way to the couch to settle in for their holiday movies.
Lorelai was the only one who made it through all three.
On her left, Rory had tucked her legs under her and was slouched over a cushion on the arm of the couch. On her right, Luke's chin had dropped to his chest and a small rumble of a snore came steadily. She took in the sight of him. It was the second time in just a few months that he had fallen asleep on her couch. She couldn't fully ignore the way that knowledge made her stomach flutter with butterflies.
Not for the first time that night, she had to consciously remind herself that Luke wasn't single, and neither was she.
He just looked so at home here on her couch, with her family. He belonged. He always had, but something about Christmas made it even more apparent.
She felt some sadness as she considered their respective partners, those they were not spending the holiday with. Those they had no desire to spend it with. She internally chastised herself for those thoughts, but they remained, stubborn and needling.
She squinted to see the time on the cable box. She wanted Luke to stay. Longed for him to stay. But he couldn't. She knew, he couldn't and shouldn't. She reached for his knee, giving it a little squeeze.
"Luke," she whispered. She shook the limb gently until his eyes slowly blinked open.
"Is it over?" he asked sleepily.
"It's over. Don't worry, you're not the only one who didn't make it." Luke peered past her at Rory's sleeping form.
"What time is it?"
"A little after 11," Lorelai told him.
"Guess it's been a long day for you two. I should get out of your way," he said, groaning a bit as he got to his feet. Lorelai followed him into the foyer.
"Thanks again for dinner. It's no Al's, but it'll do in a pinch." Luke rolled his eyes, not taking the bait as he pulled on his shoes and coat. Lorelai gave him time to get ready before speaking again. "By the way, you're never in the way, Luke. Not on Christmas, not any other time. Okay?"
He nodded his understanding, a small smile gracing his lips. "Same with you."
"Well, of course not. I'm a delight," she said grandly. Luke shook his head.
"Walked right into it."
"Every time." The pair shared a laugh as Luke put his hand on the doorknob. He seemed to think better of it before turning back to her.
"Hey, uh, thanks for… you know… getting me out of the house tonight. I think I needed it," he admitted, a little stilted. Lorelai smiled genuinely and moved in, wrapping her friend up in a hug. Luke reciprocated briefly before pulling away and opening the door. "Night, Lorelai."
"Night." With one last look, Luke stepped through the threshold into the cold, pulling the door closed behind him.
Lorelai sighed and looked around. The space felt much emptier than it had just a moment ago. She chose not to ruminate on that too much, returning to the living room to wake her daughter and start their bedtime rituals.
December 25, 2004
Luke didn't sleep well. He knew he wouldn't, but he stayed over because Lorelai asked him to, and it was Christmas Eve, and how could he deny her on Christmas Eve?
It's not because he didn't love sleeping next to his beautiful girlfriend. His preferred spot was in bed next to her. If he had it his way, and worldly obligations ceased to exist, he'd make a very convincing argument for why they should never leave the comfort that bed so they could make love whenever they wanted.
No, it wasn't Lorelai, or her bed, that made him uncomfortable. It was the girl – young woman, he reminded himself – sleeping downstairs.
He never spent the night when Rory was home. He didn't want to impose on mother/daughter time, he didn't want to awkwardly cross paths going to the bathroom, and he certainly didn't want to have to turn down Lorelai for sex because he was too uncomfortable to do it with her daughter under the same roof.
He figured he'd eventually have to get over some of those hang-ups, but today was not likely to be the day.
He slept. It was fitful and dreamless, but he did sleep a little. When his internal clock woke him up before five, he knew there was no chance he'd be getting any more rest. He also knew Lorelai had forbidden him to go in the living room before she got up, so he was more or less trapped in the bedroom until she was ready to wake up.
"I have to check and make sure Santa came!" she told him as they were preparing for bed the night before. Luke reminded her that he was pushing 40 and didn't believe in such fairytales, but she was adamant. It was her house and her responsibility to make sure the big man made his deliveries.
Luke had no idea whether that meant he would be waiting two more hours or five. Lorelai liked to sleep in, but she also had a childlike excitement about Christmas morning that would have even the laziest of teenagers hopping out of bed at the crack of dawn.
For once, he hoped her excitement would win out.
He swore he could hear the ticking of the clock, even though it was digital. The minutes passed with agonizing slowness.
At 6:45 the deep black of the sky turned to a deep blue.
At 7:10, he could hear the first signs of life outside – a woodpecker on a mission to get the grub.
At 7:25, Lorelai rolled toward him and sidled up against his body with a contented sigh, hugging his arm to her chest. He breathed his own sigh of relief that she seemed to be waking at a reasonable hour.
He peered down at her and watched as she blinked her eyes open, meeting his gaze.
"Morning," she greeted.
"Morning," he whispered back. She smiled sleepily.
"It's Christmas."
"Yes, it is."
"I'm impressed."
"What for?"
"You managed to stay in bed until after seven. I didn't think I'd see the day," she teased gently.
"Well, I was threatened with bodily harm if I went downstairs before you. I figured I'd play it safe," he reminded her with a small grin. She giggled and kissed the bicep of the arm she was hugging.
"How long have you been up?"
"Not too long." She watched him with amusement.
"Liar."
He huffed a laugh. "Yep."
"Okay, you've been a good boy. Let me get up and I'll see if Saint Nick agrees with me." She began to get up before stopping and turning back to him. "Unless you'd like one of your Christmas presents right now," she offered with a sexy grin.
"Let's save that one for later. Lower the risk of Cindy Lou Who making an unexpected appearance in the middle of it," he said in a low tone, which made Lorelai laugh.
"You really do see her as a little girl, don't you?"
"Until she's on Social Security," he confirmed. She laughed again and leaned in to kiss his lips gently.
"Fine, I can keep it in my pants until later," she surrendered. She pushed herself up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Luke watched as she stretched her arms over her head to wake up her limbs before putting on her housecoat and heading for the door.
When she left, Luke got up and dressed. Lorelai had given him a pair of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer pajama pants as a gag gift the night before, but he refused to be seen in them outside the bedroom.
By the time she returned, the jeans and flannel were in place. His hat remained on her dresser.
"Luke! You don't get dressed on Christmas morning!" she admonished.
"No, you don't get dressed on Christmas morning," he rebutted. "How's it looking downstairs. Am I allowed to leave this room now?"
"Well, I'm thinking of throwing out all the stuff with your name on it now, but yes, it's safe for you to come down."
"Wonderful," he said facetiously. "Lead the way."
"Hold up," she said, holding a hand up to him as he approached. He stopped in his tracks and hit her with a glare.
"What now?"
"We need to go over the Gilmore Christmas Morning Rules," she told him. He sighed heavily, but gestured for her to continue. "Okay, first of all, we take turns opening gifts. None of this running in and going hog-wild on anything with your name on it."
"Damn, that was my first move," he joked.
"Second, if you happen to get something that you totally hate, you're obligated to mock it. We are a mocking household. There are no fake smiles on Christmas here."
"So if I give you something you don't like, you're gonna mock it?" he asked, a little concerned.
"That is the rule," she confirmed. "Third and final rule: absolutely no picking up paper or bags until we're all done. We do not keep things tidy. Christmas morning is about fun, and there is nothing less fun than having a garbage monitor. Got it?" She finished this one with a finger pointed in his face. He swatted it away.
"Let the place become a pig sty – got it. Can we please go downstairs now?"
"You in a rush to get to your presents, Lucas?" she asked teasingly.
"No, just starting to feel a little claustrophobic in here."
"Okay, okay," she consented. "You're free to go. Follow me."
Luke let Lorelai lead him out and down the stairs. She called out as they went.
"T-minus five seconds, Lorelai Leigh!"
A voice came from the direction of the kitchen. "I'm locked and loaded, Lorelai Vee!"
"I'm in a nuthouse," Luke mumbled as they made it to the main floor. Rory came from the kitchen carrying a tray with three beverages – two coffees and a peppermint tea.
"For you," she nodded to the third steaming mug. Luke gratefully accepted the drink.
"Thanks, Rory. Merry Christmas."
Lorelai gave him the stink eye. "How come she gets 'Merry Christmas' and I got Grumpy Gus up there?"
"She wasn't the one keeping me confined in a small space," he told her, before gently saying, "Merry Christmas, Lorelai."
She mimicked his tone and returned the sentiment.
"Okay, let's not get too schmoopy here, it's time to get down to business," Rory cut in.
"Yes!" Lorelai exclaimed, going from sappy to loud in the blink of an eye. Luke actually reared back at her sudden exuberance. "Alright, Luke. Are you ready for your first Gilmore Christmas morning experience?"
"I'm ready." She gestured for him to sit on the armchair. He did so and set his tea aside, while Rory put the tray down on the coffee table.
"We have something special for you," Lorelai told him. There was a conspiratorial lilt to her tone that raised Luke's antennae.
"Oh yeah?" She nodded excitedly.
"Rory, hon, do you want to give it to him, or should I?"
"Me! Me!" the younger Gilmore exclaimed. Luke chuckled as Rory circled his chair, unearthing something, but keeping it concealed with a blanket.
"You ready?" Lorelai asked.
"I'm not sure," he said honestly. Rory and Lorelai came to stand in front of him.
"So before you get this, you have to know a little something about one of our most cherished Christmas traditions," Rory told him. Luke couldn't help but laugh. Of course there was a story.
"The year was 1988, and we were living in the potting shed at the Independence Inn," Lorelai began. "We didn't have much money that Christmas, but there was a rummage sale in town and I was able to find us some art supplies. I made stockings out of used t-shirts, and we decorated them to demonstrate each of our personalities and our special uniqueness. You with me?"
"I think so," Luke confirmed.
"Okay, so we made these stockings to reflect who we were at that moment in time, and every year since, we've added another element so they would reflect our changing styles and interests. This has been going on for 16 years."
Luke smiled, picturing the two of them sitting down each year to revamp their stockings.
"Now, as you know, you're the only person who has ever shared Christmas morning with us," Rory told him, a fact which warmed his heart. "We thought long and hard about what to do for your stocking."
"It couldn't just be any old thing," Lorelai jumped in. "It had to be unique. It had to reflect who you are as a person; as the man in our lives."
Luke grinned. He finally knew what was under the blanket.
"And what did you come up with?" he asked. The girls shared an excited grin, and Rory dropped the blanket, revealing something Luke could never have imagined in a million years.
The stocking was denim on the bottom and about halfway up it swapped to red and green flannel. There was a layer of faux fur, which he took to signify his unshaven face, which was topped with cream coloured fabric graced with two googly-eyes. A swath of royal blue – quite literally – capped it off.
"Oh… my god," Luke said, not sure what else to say. The thing was truly a monstrosity, but it was also, oddly, perfect. "You made..."
"We made Stocking Luke!" Lorelai exclaimed with glee.
He reached out and took the proffered stocking to give it a closer inspection. There was a tiny cotton order pad sticking out of the shirt pocket. A little patch that looked like a Luke's Diner logo seemed to be ironed on.
Luke suddenly felt an intense and wholly unexpected wave of emotion.
He hadn't had a stocking in years; not since his dad died. All of his family's Christmas stuff was packed away in storage and he hadn't had the heart to unearth it again.
He remembered opening stockings on Christmas morning with his family. His dad would fill his with treats, baseball cards, socks – always socks – and other bits and pieces. It was always his favourite part of Christmas, opening that stocking and seeing what his father had put together for him. It had been a long time since he thought of those days, but sitting there staring at this abomination of a stocking brought back all of those memories from years gone by.
Lorelai must have noticed his shift in mood, and she began nervously filling the silence.
"Do you like it? If you don't we can change it, it's no big deal. I know it's probably a little silly for you. It's just a fun little tradition, but you don't have to…"
"It's perfect," Luke cut in. He raised his eyes and both girls saw the glint of tears, though they were kind enough not to mention it. Luke cleared his throat and blinked back the offending liquid before it could fall. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's dig in."
Lorelai and Rory both seemed to relax.
"Let's dig in," Lorelai agreed.
The girls found their stockings on the couch, and they began their first Christmas morning as a family of three.
December 25, 2005
Things were changing; Lorelai felt it as she and Luke saw Rory off late afternoon. This was the first year she wouldn't be having Christmas dinner with her mom. She had agreed to write a feature article for the Stamford Eagle Gazette on a local soup kitchen that served turkey dinner for the homeless on Christmas Day, which meant she had to be in the thick of things to get the scoop.
Lorelai didn't tell her how much that bummed her out. She knew this was the logical next step for her baby girl, who wasn't such a baby anymore. But losing out on their Christmas tradition was a tough pill to swallow.
It didn't help that she had only just gotten her back. She was still feeling a little extra clingy after the nearly six months they had spent apart.
So seeing Rory go on a day they always spent together… that smarted, just a bit.
Lorelai and Luke stood on the porch as the Prius pulled away. A honk sounded her goodbye as she headed out of town.
Luke's arms circled Lorelai's waist from behind, and she leaned back against his chest and sighed.
"It's no big deal," she said, unconvincingly. Luke dropped a kiss to the side of her head, but didn't say anything to argue or agree. He just let her work out her feelings. He was good like that.
"Come inside. I've got something for you," he murmured in her ear. Lorelai smiled a little.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yup."
"A present?" she ventured.
"Something like that," he confirmed. She turned in his arms and slung hers loosely over his shoulders.
"I thought you said you we were done with presents this morning." He shrugged nonchalantly.
"I lied," he said simply. She grinned, already beginning to sense where this was going, and thankful for the distraction.
"Now why would you do something like that?"
He leaned in a little closer, although no one was around to hear. "Some things are for your eyes only."
She beamed at the insinuation. "Well, consider my curiosity piqued. Let's go!"
She let Luke lead her back inside and up the stairs to their bedroom. Their bedroom. It was still a new development, and although Luke hadn't officially moved in yet, that's what it was. It had a nice ring to it.
Luke situated her next to the bed as he closed and locked the door behind him.
"Wait there," he instructed. She clasped her hands in front of her and bounced on the balls of her feet in anticipation as she watched Luke disappear into the walk-in closet, and then reappear a moment later with a familiar looking pink gift bag.
"Victoria's Secret, huh?" she asked as he approached her.
"Just a little something," he said, a hint of bashfulness still present even now that they were engaged.
"Luke, do I need to call Santa and have him retroactively put you on the 'Naughty List'?" she teased.
"Probably. Don't know how I duped him in the first place," he said gruffly, holding the bag out to her as it dangled from an outstretched finger. She took it with unadulterated glee and yanked out the store-provided tissue paper, unearthing a deep red satiny number, slinky and lacy in all the right places. She peered up at him with a gleam in her eye.
"You vying for a fashion show?" she asked.
"Well I figured it's the least you could do after getting an extra present," he said with an air of innocence.
"Tell you what," she posed. "You lose the clothes and get on the bed, and I'll go try this on… just to make sure it fits."
"I can do that," Luke agreed. Lorelai got to her tippy-toes to kiss him, and ended up lingering a moment longer than planned before breaking.
"I'll be right back," she promised, heading for the ensuite bathroom to change.
Lorelai held the garment up before her, taking it in. It was short, might just cover her bum, and formfitting. The body was silk, but the sheer demi-cups of the bra and the trim were lace in an identical red. It was held up by barely-there spaghetti straps that would be all too easy to slip off her shoulders.
She could see why Luke chose it.
Once dressed, she spritzed on some of Luke's favourite perfume, blushed her cheeks, and painted on a fruity-flavoured, red-tinted lipgloss. It would be quickly lost to Luke's lips once they began to kiss, but she considered it a worthwhile sacrifice for the sake of the look.
With a quick fluff of her hair, she was satisfied with the results. She shot herself a sexy smile in the mirror to get the visual, and then pulled the door open to re-enter the bedroom.
When presenting Luke with new lingerie, Lorelai was accustomed to a few different reactions. Sometimes his eyes widened in shock, other times he was as a loss for words. One time he forwent all pleasantries and full-on mauled her.
This time, his eyes narrowed and a grin spread across his lips that could have almost been defined as predatory, if he was any other man. On Luke, it just looked sexy as hell.
"Well?" Lorelai prompted. She struck a pose, a hand on her hip, a leg out to the side to exaggerate her inherent sexiness.
"Not to toot my own horn here, but I have excellent taste," Luke said, making Lorelai laugh.
"It's a sexy outfit, I can't disagree."
"I was talking about the woman wearing it," he told her. Lorelai smiled at the unexpected compliment. "C'mere," he beckoned her to the bed, and she willingly went.
Lorelai climbed onto the bed on all fours and crawled to where Luke was sitting up against the pillows, already naked, per her instructions. She moved in to straddle his lap and brought herself flush with his chest, kissing him deeply as his hands circled her body, coursing easily over her silk-covered back as he pulled her in. Her bare crotch nestled comfortably over his burgeoning erection, made slick pre-emptively with a vanilla-scented lubricant she had snuck into the bottom of his stocking, just to see his reaction when he discovered it – and consequently tried to hide it from Rory. She knew the moment he found it by the crimson creeping up his neck, and the look of admonishment he threw her way.
She was pleased he chose to use it. Not that she was lacking any natural lubrication, but wetter was always better.
Lorelai's hips began to move as his cock stiffened and the shaft slipped between her folds, teasing her clit on each stroke. She opened her mouth to his tongue, and moaned around it as he gripped her hips to pull her down more firmly, enhancing their lower connection.
Luke pulled back from the kiss and allowed Lorelai to lead the motion as his hands coursed up her body, over the silk, to the flimsy straps that barely clung to her shoulders. Easily, they were pushed off, and he dragged them down her arms with his fingertips, grazing sensitive skin that pebbled in his wake. When he reached her cleavage, he slipped those venturing fingertips under the lace cups and eased them both down to reveal two perfectly rose-tipped breasts.
Lorelai cupped the back of Luke's neck as he descended, taking an already hardened nipple into his mouth and teasing it with gentle sucks and nips. He returned one hand to her back hold her in place, while the second claimed her other breast. He coursed over the sensitive bud with the pad of his thumb.
"Luke," Lorelai said in a whisper as he awakened every nerve ending with his gentle ministrations. Her clit ached at each pass along his shaft, and now with the attention to her sensitive nipples, she was craving the most intimate connection. She was wet and ready for him, and by the way he was laving her with uninhibited affection, she knew he was ready too.
Lorelai dragged her clit up his shaft, feeling his head passing over it on the way to her hot centre. When he was in line with her opening, Luke pulled back to watch her expression as she dropped down onto him, taking all of him as she settled fully in his lap. They let out low moans of pleasure as they became one again, feeling the kind of warmth and fullness they had come to associate only with each other.
Luke kissed Lorelai heatedly as she began a forward and backward motion that kept him sheathed deep inside of her, grinding her clit into his pubic bone, allowing the hair there to tease her most sensitive parts as she set a steady pace. Luke's hands migrated to her hips and helped her move as he pushed up into each of her backward strokes, filling her to the hilt with every one.
Lorelai broke the kiss but their faces remained close as their lovemaking increased in intensity. One hand clung to the back of his head while the other found purchase on his shoulder, allowing his strong body to anchor her as they brought each other ecstasy.
"Yes," she whispered with the first burst of pleasure as she felt herself beginning to fall into the beautiful abyss.
"Ung, Lorelai," Luke groaned, pushing harder into her, her pace speeding up with the assistance of his grip on her hips, a mutual decision to take each other to the brink.
"Oh fuck," she groaned as her core began to tighten. Her face contorted in pleasure and her eyes squeezed shut involuntarily. She gasped as she was overcome.
"That's it," he encouraged her as she rode him to her finish, hips moving wildly, dragging him to the precipice of his own inevitable end. As soon as she began to come down, Luke wrapped his arms tightly around her and lifted her enough to give himself some room, at which point he thrust upward in hard and fast strokes until he was filling her with his release. Lorelai cried out again at being taken from beneath in this way, and she clenched around him as her orgasm seemed to reignite and her breaths came in long, shaky gasps.
When Luke was fully spent, Lorelai eased back down to settle on him again fully, his member still hard, but waning inside of her. She felt no need to change their positions until he slipped out on his own; she was perfectly content wrapped up in him this way, and she dropped her head to his shoulder while they each caught their breath.
After a few moments, she dropped a kiss to the side of his neck.
"You have a very good distraction game, my friend," she tiredly whispered. She felt him chuckle more than she heard it.
"Glad to be of service."
"Oh you were, in more ways than one." He rolled his eyes, but grinned despite himself. He was a well-sated man; he couldn't find it within himself to admonish her for working blue.
"By the way," Lorelai said, lifting her head to look at him, "now that I know you've got the eye for lingerie, I may be expecting more gifts like this in the future."
He heaved a heavy, put-upon sigh. "If I must."
She giggled and looked down at him adoringly. "Is it totally cliché if I tell you that I love you right now? And that I can't imagine a better way to spend Christmas than right here wrapped up in your arms?"
"Totally," Luke confirmed. Lorelai hit him with a glare and he quirked a grin. "And ditto."
"That's more like it." She kissed him again gently, before whispering, "Merry Christmas, Doll."
"Merry Christmas, Lorelai."
December 25, 2006
It was a bitterly cold, dry December. Frost caked the grass and leaves, but no snow had fallen. The lack of sparkling white on the ground made the grey skies seem even duller.
Luke noticed all of this as he retraced the familiar path to the bridge on the lake.
There was so much on his mind this Christmas. How could so much change since last year when he was warmly snuggled up with Lorelai? Yes, he knew about April, but he hadn't yet decided what to do about her. That Christmas held so much potential.
How could everything fall apart in just a year? The whole life he had envisioned for himself, the life he held in the palm of his hand, crumbled through his fingers like sand. The tighter he tried to hold onto it, the faster it slipped out of his grip
And now – now after he had lost the love of his life – he risked losing his daughter too.
Fuck Anna.
It was bad enough that she didn't tell him he had a daughter in the first place. Now, after he'd managed to build a relationship with the girl, she wanted to take her away again.
Honestly, fuck her.
He had lost too much to not keep April. He'd sacrificed something he never intended to. Maybe that didn't have to happen, but it did. It did because they made bad choices. He made bad choices. Maybe this was his comeuppance. Maybe losing Lorelai to Christopher wasn't enough. The universe wanted to crush him, and so with one final devastating blow it would defeat him and take away his child too. Then he would truly have nothing left.
He chucked a rock he'd been holding at the lake, hard. It clipped the icy surface and caused a fisher to form, scales of cracks coursing out from each side.
He was still fighting. He hadn't given up, but it was seeming more hopeless than ever. His lawyer had given him one task. One simple task that any idiot should be able to accomplish: get a letter of reference from someone – anyone – who can vouch for him.
He asked Liz. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Liz wrote with the same grasp on the English language that one might expect from a sixth grader – that was about the time she stopped paying attention in school. She told crazy childhood stories about him, for what reason, he couldn't figure out. He didn't know why she felt the judge needed to know that he carried his baby blanket until he was 11, or that he used to pitch for little league, as if that gave him some sort of credibility with kids, even though he was just a kid himself at the time.
The letter Liz gave him was useless. Less than useless. It would probably endear him even less to the courts and paint him as an overgrown child who had accomplished nothing in his life to make him a suitable parent.
So here he was, sitting on the bridge on Christmas, wishing for the world to swallow him whole so he could stop berating himself for not having another friend he could call upon to write this letter for him. That kooky sister of his was all he had left, aside from Jess, but he didn't think it would benefit him to mention the kid he couldn't even get through high school.
He was distracted from his self-flagellation by the crunching of shoes on frost-coated grass. He didn't look up. He knew who it was. It was like a sixth sense, with her. He always knew she was there, especially when he didn't want to.
The bridge shook a little as she made her way to him. It stilled when she sat.
They didn't say anything for a few minutes, just looked out over the stillness of the frozen lake in protracted silence waiting for one or the other to break it.
"No April today?" Lorelai unwittingly picked at the scab.
"No Rory?" he picked back. He knew through the grapevine that the younger Gilmore wasn't in town.
"London called and she answered," Lorelai told him, unoffended. Luke sighed.
"Anna's got April. I'll call her tonight." He didn't bother telling her that the call was something Anna had only agreed to if she could listen in on the other end, and that it was to be no more than five minutes.
Lorelai peered over at him. "How's Doula? Liz?"
"They're good. Dinner at their place tonight." It was on the tip of his tongue to ask about Chris, but he couldn't. "What about you? Any plans?"
"No, we're holding off on our celebrations until Rory's home."
"That sounds about right."
Lorelai leaned back on her hands. Luke could see her settling in and wished she would leave.
"It feels different this year," Lorelai said after a moment. He turned to look at her, wondering if she would elaborate without prompting. She caught his eye for just a moment before doing so. "It's just weird to start new traditions." She offered a small shrug. "Growing pains, I guess."
Luke nodded his understanding. He missed their Christmases together, even though he'd never admit it to her.
"Change can be tough," he agreed.
"Yes, it can." She seemed to think for a moment before speaking again. "I found your stocking."
Luke's heart clenched. He hadn't even thought about the stocking. For some reason, he felt guilty for forgetting.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. I didn't even think about it, and then there it was, staring back at me."
"You're the one who put googly-eyes on it," Luke groused, making her chuckle. She shook her head, obviously feeling lighter after the admission.
"Change can be good, but you miss things that you don't have anymore. I think it's okay to miss things."
"I guess so."
"But new traditions… that's not so bad, right? We both get new traditions. You get to start new ones with April, and I…" she let the sentence go.
You have him, his mind supplied for her. It was tense for a moment before he finally asked her what was on his mind.
"What are you doing here, Lorelai?" his tone was not unkind, but his question was loaded. She smiled softly, showing that she understood why he was asking.
"I came to tell you something."
"What's that?"
She took a steadying breath and made eye contact as she said the words, "I want you to be happy, Luke."
He eyed her curiously. "Happy, huh?"
She smiled sadly and averted her gaze to look back out over the lake. "Yeah. Whatever that means for you, right now. I just want you to be happy."
Luke nodded slowly, taking that in. Happy seemed a million miles away.
"Okay. Thanks," he quietly accepted. She peered down at her watch to check the time.
"I need to get back to the inn."
Luke watched as she got to her feet, brushing non-existent dirt off her pants before heading away.
"Merry Christmas," he called before she was out of earshot. She stopped and turned, offering him a small smile.
"Merry Christmas."
He turned back to the lake and listened as she walked away. He stayed that way, stock-still, until he was sure she was gone. Then, he released a long breath, his shoulders hunching from emotional exhaustion.
He reached into his jacket pocket and unearthed the letter from Liz, flipped it open and read it again. It was truly dismal. In a fit of frustration, he tossed it in the lake. It soaked up some water from the ice, but didn't sink. Didn't matter to him. Some kid could fish it out of there if they wanted, it's not like it contained anything of value.
He thought back to what Lorelai said. She wanted him to be happy.
Well, one thing would make him happy – or at least a little less miserable. He needed to get partial custody of April. He needed his daughter in his life.
If Lorelai truly wanted him to be happy, maybe there was one way she could help.
December 25, 2007
Lorelai and Luke walked hand-in-hand through town. It was quiet. Early. Families were just starting to rise for the day; children were just starting to discover the treasures for them under their trees.
The morning light was still pale just shy of 7am. Luke had insisted on Lorelai rising early with him for this walk. It would be their only privacy that day, with April's flight arriving shortly after 9, and Rory's at 11.
They were thrilled to have both of their girls home for Christmas. It would be the first time they had gathered as a family of four. But even with the anticipation that brought, they still craved these serene moments alone.
Luke had an ulterior motive in taking Lorelai out that morning. She didn't know it yet, but he had a gift he planned to give her when they reached their destination. It was a special place for them, one he had come to associate with Christmas. Lorelai seemed to know the route they were taking as they wordlessly wound through town to the outskirts behind the high school, and finally onto the old wooden bridge that spanned the lake. They stopped in the middle and turned toward each other, hands clasped between them.
"It's so quiet," Lorelai acknowledged in a whisper, hesitant to break the silence.
"It's nice," Luke said. She smiled her agreement and the two watched each other for a long moment. Nerves roiled in Luke's gut. He was pretty sure this was going to go according to plan, but he wouldn't be totally at ease until the deed was done. He'd been practicing his speech internally for days, thinking about the perfect way to ask, the things he should say to make sure she knew this was it for him, she was it. There was no other life he wanted to lead than the one he shared with her.
"So I have something for you," Lorelai spoke before Luke could work up the courage. He was taken aback, slightly, at his moment being hijacked. He should have known his verbose partner wouldn't wait for him to fill the dead air.
"I thought we were going to wait until the girls were home to exchange gifts."
"We are, this is just a little something I wanted to give you while we're alone." He was slightly annoyed at the intrusion on his plan, but tamped it down. He offered a small smile.
"And what's that?"
"Close your eyes," Lorelai instructed. He shot her a questioning look before doing as he was told. "Hold out your hand."
He grimaced. "You're not gonna hand me something weird, are you?"
"Like what?" Lorelai asked, amusedly.
"I don't know. Something creepy or slimy that you think is a hilarious joke," he griped. Lorelai laughed.
"You think I stuck something slimy in my pocket so I could prank you on Christmas morning?"
"Like that would be out of character for you."
"It's nothing gross, I promise. Just hold out your hand." Luke hesitated. "Luuuke," she whined. He sighed and held his hand out. "Finally!"
Luke's brow furrowed as she placed what felt like a plastic bag in his hand.
"Okay. Open your eyes." Luke did so and peered down at what he was holding. It was, in fact, a plastic bag, containing a white stick.
"What's this?"
"Turn it over." He did so and brought it closer so he could see a small digital window with the word 'Pregnant' clearly marked, and a second window with two pink lines.
He felt like the wind was knocked out of him.
"Lorelai…"
"Merry Christmas, Luke," she said with a tremulous smile, tears brimming in her eyes. He looked down at the pregnancy test and back up at her.
"This is real? You're pregnant?" She nodded. "Oh my god," he said quietly as he wrapped his head around the concept. "We're having a baby?"
"We're having a baby," she told him. A sharp laugh left Luke's throat as a burst of excitement bubbled out of him. Lorelai giggled as he wrapped her up in a tight hug bear hug, only to release her abruptly.
"Sorry, sorry, I shouldn't squeeze you," he admonished himself. She laughed brightly.
"You can't squeeze it out, Luke," she teased. He shook his head, his broad smile going nowhere as he came to terms with this news. She took the baggy from him and tucked it back in her coat pocket.
"We're having a baby," he said in an awed tone. He met her gaze. "When did you find out?"
"Last week. I wanted to tell you so badly, but we were so close to Christmas, it seemed like the perfect time."
"You've known for a week?" she nodded. "Man, and here I thought you were the worst secret keeper in the world."
"Um, hello, I'm Lorelai Gilmore. I've been keeping secrets from my parents for the better part of 39 years. I'm basically CIA at this point."
"I can't believe this," Luke said.
"So I take it you're happy about this?" Lorelai questioned. Luke looked at her incredulously.
"How could I not be happy? This is what we wanted." He stopped himself, and then considered something. "Wait, you are happy about this, right?"
"Of course I am," Lorelai assured him. "I'm so happy, I just wanted to make sure you are."
He let out a relieved sigh. "Okay good. That's good. This is good."
"This is very good," Lorelai agreed. Luke's expression settled into a contented grin and he leaned in to kiss her gently. When he broke, he remembered the box burning a hole in his coat pocket.
"So, uh, you may not be the only who brought a gift this morning," Luke admitted, his nerves reigniting. Lorelai chuckled.
"I knew you couldn't stop yourself. You're very predictable, you know that?" she teased gently. He huffed a laugh.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," he told her.
She smiled amusedly. "Okay then. Surprise me."
"Well, this isn't exactly how I planned for this to go, but I can't say that's a bad thing," he said cryptically. Her eyebrow raised in question.
"What are you talking about?"
Luke took a steadying breath as he reached into his pocket, fingering the velvet case.
"Lorelai, I love you," he told her gently. She smiled softly, and he went on. "I've loved you for a long time. All I want is to be a good partner to you."
"You are," she told him, her eyes glistening at his words.
"You once asked me to marry you. Actually, you asked twice," he amended. "But what you may not remember is that I asked first, years ago. I played if off like a joke, but if you had said yes, I would have married you then. I would have married you eight years ago. I would have married you two years ago. I would have eloped with you last year. And if you'll have me, I intend to marry you now." He pulled the box from his pocket and flicked it open, retrieving the elegant vintage platinum ring that had once adorned her finger. Lorelai's eyes widened in recognition. "I want our middle, Lorelai. I want to be your husband. I want to be a family with you and Rory and April and our baby… and even your crazy dog. I want it all."
He steadied himself as he finally asked the question, "Will you marry me?"
Lorelai's hand was on her chest as she took in the picture of this beautiful man, her man, the father of her unborn child, asking her to be his wife on Christmas morning.
"Yes," she said, barely getting the word out as her voice filled with emotion. She nodded and tears began to fall in earnest. "Yes!"
Beaming, Luke slid the ring onto her finger, where it always belonged, and pulled her in for a deep kiss. She poured everything she had into the connection. Every ounce of love she felt for him. Every bit of excitement for the life they were building together, for them and their children.
When they broke, Luke wrapped Lorelai up in a hug and held her close as snow began to fall. It wasn't the first snowfall of the season, but as giant flakes peppered the landscape and landed in their hair and on their clothes, Lorelai couldn't help but feel it was even more special.
Wonderful things happened when it snowed – especially when it snowed on Christmas.
A/N – A little holiday fluff for you to enjoy. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone :)