Author's Note: So, one more chapter after this, I hope you've enjoyed the ride. I want to really thank everyone who's supported me through out the writing and posting process, all the readers and especially the reviewers. You guys are what keeps me writing (as well as my need for these two to find get over themselves and just get married, but anyways this is not to reflect on the real show). I hope that you've appreciated what I tried to do with this story, I'm glad you beared with me through all the drama so that I can finally get Luke and Lorelai to next chapter's pinnacle moment.
The sequel I was talking about has been put on hold. It was supposed to be set 5 years after this fic. We will see about that in the future. Maybe. Maybe not. If you have an opinion, feel free to share.
A Strip Bar in Litchfield
Luke, TJ, Tony, Jess, Kirk and Jackson walk inside. Luke glances around at the place, not seeming entirely excited about being there. "Wow, this is a nice joint," Luke grumps. Tony slaps his friend on the back.
"Just give it a chance," Tony says. Luke gives Tony a disgusted look. "Hey, remember the place you took me to before I married Angela?"
"Oh, yeah," Luke recalls. "Why didn't we go there?"
"It was closed down at year later," Tony replies, smirking. Luke nods. "Come on, let's get a good table."
"There are bad tables?" TJ asks in amazement. Tony gives TJ a strange look.
"Okay, well, how about over here?" Luke suggests, waving an arm towards a table.
"You couldn't care less, could you?" Tony wonders. Luke shrugs. "Here I am, planning ahead, making sure I found the best strip joint for your bachelor party, and you would rather just sit at home drinking beer and watching the baseball playoffs."
"Well, you know me," Luke responds.
"But Luke, there's women here. Naked!" TJ exclaims.
"Yeah, I believe that's the point of a strip joint," Luke deadpans.
"It's your last chance to be bachelor Luke; to watch women strip and get a lap dance," Tony reminds him.
"Not really, I mean I have Lorelai."
"True. And that is one fine looking woman," TJ notes. Jess looks disgusted.
"TJ, you stay away from my woman," Luke warns. TJ raises his hands in submission.
"I'm just saying, Lorelai's hot. She's nice to look at. That's all I'm saying," TJ responds.
"Well I'm the only one who gets to do the looking. Stay away from her," Luke demands, shaking a finger in TJ's face.
"Okay, okay!" Tony exclaims, grabbing Luke's arm and pulling him away from TJ.
"Hey, I can't help it if he's threatened by my manliness," TJ insists. Luke snorts.
"Doubtful," Jess mutters under his breath.
"Come on, let's sit," Tony says, pulling out a chair and pushing Luke into it. He sits down next to Luke and the others sit around the table as well. "A round of beers," Tony calls over to the waitress. She nods and walks away. "The show doesn't actually start for an hour."
"Oh man, I'm gonna have to miss it," Kirk whines. Luke looks at him curiously. "I convinced my mother to set my curfew at midnight, an hour later than usual. How did I know that this thing wouldn't be starting until 11?" Jess shakes his head in amazement.
"Should I bother?" Tony mutters to Luke under his breath. Luke chuckles. "So you really don't like strip bars?" Luke shrugs. "Don't you think Lorelai's going to do something equal tonight?"
"Lorelai is probably going to get so drunk tonight that she won't even remember what she's seen so I'm not worried," Luke comments, folding his arms in front of him. The waitress walks over with a tray of beers and begins setting one down in front of each one of them.
"That's why you guys planned this a few days before the wedding?" Tony asks. Luke nods.
"Lorelai likes her alcohol," Jackson notes. Luke nods, glancing at his watch.
"She's probably halfway gone by now," he says, smiling to himself. Jess chuckles to himself into his beer. Tony smirks, shaking his head at Luke. "What?" Luke asks.
"You. You're getting married. You're settling down," Tony responds. Luke raises an eyebrow.
"So? You did it. Or was two beers enough to make you forget Angela?" Luke kids. Tony shakes his head.
"No, but you never seemed the marrying type." Luke looks down, trying to hide his smile. "You know, the night you brought her to my place, I could tell."
"Tell what?"
"That there was something different about this one. That there was something different about you," Tony answers. Luke grins. "She's really something, isn't she?" Luke nods.
"She really is," Luke agrees, shaking his head in amazement.
"She'd have to be after you pined for her for half a century," Jess mutters. Tony glances over at Jess and then back at Luke and smirks. Luke glowers. Tony chuckles, slapping Luke on the back.
"Man, you're taken," Tony says. Luke looks up at Tony, giving him a sobering look.
"Not. Yet," Luke responds, picking up his beer and drinking it down. Everyone at the table watches him, wondering what he could possibly mean by that response. Luke finishes his beer, wipes his mouth off with the back of his hand and glances at the stage. "So, still not time yet?" Tony grins.
"See, I knew you'd like it. It's a bachelor party tradition, right Jackson?" Tony says, glancing at Jackson, who shrugs.
"I wouldn't know. See we were supposed to go to a strip club for my bachelor party, but my brother Beau showed up, already drunk, and instantly puked all over me and that was the beginning and end of my bachelor party," Jackson explains. Jess tries to hide his smile by drinking.
"At least you got married, I don't think Mother's ever going to say yes to letting Lulu marry me until I turn fifty," Kirk complains, causing Jess to snort, almost choking on his beer. Luke lifts one eye over at Jess and they share an amused look.
"Well at my bachelor party, there were strippers. Boy were there strippers. Wrestling. Almost naked. Best night of my life!" TJ exclaims. "Including you two dueling," he adds, glancing first at Jess and then at Luke. Tony gives Luke a surprised look.
"You did what?" Tony asks. Luke shakes his head, not really wanting to talk about it. Just then Jess's cell phone goes off. He picks it up, looking a little confused at the number. "Come on Luke, tell me," Tony begs.
"No, I said no," Luke maintains.
"Luke," Jess calls from across the table, waving the cell phone in his head. "It's for you." Luke looks confused as Jess tosses the phone over the table into Luke's hands.
"This is Luke," Luke says into the phone. Hearing the voice on the other side, a smile spreads across his face. "One sec." He glances back at the guys, taking the phone away from his mouth. "Excuse me." He picks the phone back up and walks away from the table. Tony glances over at Jess, who answers Tony's silent question with a nod.
Meanwhile at a bar in Woodbridge
Sookie opens the door, allowing Rory and Lorelai to enter first. Rory has her arm wrapped through Lorelai's as Lorelai giggles incessantly, all thoughts centered on balancing the tiara on her head. Liz, Lulu, Patty and Babette file in behind. Liz glances around at the place. "What is this?" Liz asks in disgust.
"A martini bar," Sookie responds, leading the group over to a big table in the corner. Liz rolls her eyes.
"Yes, that was a obvious statement," Liz responds, waving her hand at the sign that reads The Dirty Martini.
"You asked," Sookie mutters and Rory helps Lorelai into a chair and sits down next to her.
"I'm just saying this is a bachelorette party. There should be strippers, naked men, that kind of thing," Liz insists.
"Oh, well Lorelai had that option, one of three," Sookie responds, raising three fingers. "Martini bar, stripper, or Atlantic City." Sookie points to a finger as she lists off each option.
"Atlantic City, now there's an idea," Patty notes.
"Can't," Sookie quickly replies. She points at Rory. "Too young."
"You're not 21?" Liz asks. Rory blushes, a sheepish smile on her face.
"In a year," she answers.
"Wow, you look older," Liz comments.
"That's cuz Lorelai was worried she wouldn't pass for 21, so she made us dress her up a bit," Babette answers. Rory covers her face with her hand, completely embarrassed now.
"And a stripper is useless because Lorelai drank 2 large margaritas before leaving her house," Sookie informs them. Patty laughs.
"That's our Lorelai," Patty says.
"I don't need a stripper, I have Luke," Lorelai claims, grinning. "And he looks good naked!" Liz closes her eyes, shaking her head. "Those long buff arms, his muscular chest, tight buns."
"Mom!" Rory exclaims, clamping a hand over Lorelai's mouth. But Lorelai just keeps smiling, her eyes twinkling as she thinks of Luke. Sookie shakes her head as the waitress walks over.
"Cosmo," Sookie says pointing to herself. "Cosmo, apple martini, chocolate martini, regular martini, virgin something, dirty martini," she finishes, pointing to Liz, Lulu, Patty, Babette, Rory, and Lorelai in order.
"Dirty," Lorelai hisses, giggling to herself. "Oh and extra cherries!" The waitress nods and walks away. "You know, when I was in high school, my nickname was dirty martini."
"That does not surprise me," Patty notes.
"Who called you that?" Rory asks. Liz reaches across the table and quickly grabs Rory's arm.
"You really want to ask that?" Liz asks.
"Ask what?" Emily wonders walking up to the table.
"Whether we should have ordered one or two martinis for Lorelai," Sookie answers quickly, giving Lorelai a settling look to keep her friend from answering. "Glad you could make it Mrs. Gilmore."
"Scoots," Lorelai says to Rory, who shoves over, Lorelai too, so that Emily can sit down next to Lorelai. Emily sits down stiffly, glancing around in abhorrence. She looks over at Lorelai who smiles wickedly. "Come on Mom, we're partying like it's 1999 and it's a damn fine time."
"Lorelai, don't be coarse," Emily responds simply. The waitress walks up setting the drinks in front of each of them including a large bowl of cherries in front of Lorelai.
"Can I get you something?" she asks Emily.
"Oh get her gin, straight, vermouth is unnecessary," Lorelai kids, wrapping an arm around Emily, who seems uncomfortable with this gesture. Emily looks over at Rory, who seems pleased that they're not fighting for once.
"I'll have a cosmopolitan, please," Emily tells the waitress. Lorelai snorts, folding her arms on the table in front of her, munching on cherries as she pouts.
"A cosmopolitan," Lorelai repeats in a stuffy rich person's voice. "So serious." Emily gives Lorelai a look. The waitress nods and walks away.
"Gramma, I'm glad you came," Rory says, trying to draw Emily's focus away from Lorelai. Emily forces a smile for Rory's sake.
"I was glad to oblige your mother's heartfelt request," Emily replies. Patty raises an eyebrow, glancing at Sookie.
"Emily, I think you haven't met Liz, Luke's sister," Sookie comments, pointing to Liz.
"Hi Mrs. Gilmore, Luke says your house is huge," Liz says, holding out her hand. Emily raises an eyebrow.
"Well I'm pleased that was the most important impression I've made on Luke," Emily responds. Liz quickly puts her hand down, glancing at Sookie nervously.
"Oh, I can assure that's not true, Mother. You've certainly impressed him with your ability to suck all the warmth out of a room," Lorelai says, smiling like it's a joke. "Seriously, I swear the room dropped 80 degrees the moment you stepped into it."
"Lorelai," Sookie warns softly. Rory casts a worried look at Emily, who is staring down at the table.
"What?" Lorelai glances at Emily. "Oh, Mom, I'm just kidding. Luke thinks you're the greatest, the best. He says that I-"
"Mom!" Rory exclaims, clamping a hand hard on her mother's mouth. "I'm urging you to stop right there." She and Lorelai stare at each other a moment, before Rory slowly moves her hand. Lorelai and Sookie share a look and then Lorelai quietly picks up her martini and downs it and pops a cherry in her mouth..
"I'm gonna go get another," Lorelai announces, standing up. She grabs her purse and the last cherry and drunkenly trips over to the bar. Rory and Sookie watch her for a moment before turning back to the conversation that has begun around them.
"You know what this party really needs?" Patty says.
"What's that Patty?" Babette asks.
"Michel. Dancing. With drag queens." They all laugh.
Lorelai glances over at them and takes out her cell phone and dials. Rory is still watching Lorelai and notices what she's doing. "I'll be right back," Rory says quietly, leaving the group with no one really noticing. Rory walks over to Lorelai, who's grinning as she chats on the phone. Lorelai glances over at her as she walks over. "Give me that!" Rory exclaims, taking the phone from Lorelai and shutting it closed.
"Rory!" Lorelai exclaims.
"Mom! What were you thinking?!" Lorelai scoffs.
"I just wanted to talk to your dad!"
"And that really helped during your last bachelorette party," Rory reminds Lorelai, who narrows her eyes in bewilderment.
"Talking to Luke?" Lorelai wonders. Rory gasps, her mouth dropping open. "Rory, please guide me through the labyrinth in your mind. How did Luke affect what happened with Max?" Rory looks down, ashamed.
"You were calling Luke," Rory realizes in a low voice. Lorelai cocks her head waiting for an explanation. "I thought you meant Chris."
"Hope you didn't bet it all on that one," Lorelai quips. Rory smiles softly, looking up at Lorelai proudly.
"You were calling Luke," she repeats pleased with the idea. Lorelai still doesn't get what Rory did, giving Rory a strange look. Rory shrugs. "You called Chris last time."
"Well, Rory, if you remember, there was a reason I didn't marry Max," Lorelai notes. "Max and I were like apples and oranges while Luke and I are like peaches and cream." Rory raises an eyebrow.
"Dirty?" Rory asks.
"That's my girl!" Lorelai wraps an arm around Rory's shoulder, squeezing her close. Rory shakes her head. She opens the phone and presses redial.
"Hi, I just wanted to say sorry, here's Mom," Rory says into the phone and hands it over to Lorelai, who gives Rory a grateful smile and takes the phone.
"Hey Doll," Lorelai coos into the phone.
"Hey again, what was that about?" Luke asks.
"Just my daughter letting me know she doesn't think you're Jerry Blake," Lorelai responds, winking at Rory.
"Good to know," Luke answers. He glances over his shoulder at Tony, who's motioning at him. "Anyways, glad to know everything's all right there. Try not to drink away all your brain cells tonight."
"Aw, it's so sweet that you care," Lorelai teases, blushing all the same.
"Well, if my kids are gonna use you as a role model, it would help if you appeared smart," Luke responds. Tony's motioning like mad. "I gotta go, the strippers are ready."
"Give 'em a dollar from me, will ya?" Lorelai says.
"Will do," Luke assures her. He hangs up. Lorelai closes the phone, curling her hand around it, holding it against her chin as she smiles to herself. Rory beams.
"Hey Mom," Rory says. Lorelai glances over at her daughter. "You seem happy." Lorelai nods.
"I am, Kid. I finally truly am," Lorelai says softly.