Title: A Perfect, and Somewhat Dysfunctional, Family
By: bokayjunkie
Summary: Luke and Rory has always had a special father/daughter bond that no one can break. But what happens when someone comes along to ruin that bond. Set in Season 1. Luke and Lorelai are not together…YET. And some RD also…sorry for that part.
Disclaimer: My life sux.
A/N: From the episode 1.07 (Kiss and Tell). Some scenes and dialogues will be altered for story benefits.
CHAPTER 8: Back and Forth
Rory ran towards the Video Store. Something she was not fond of. After her mother had complained about wanting Luke's, she was still not ready to face him yet. What does he think of me now? So Rory went to get the movie while her mother went to get her coffee.
She went to the children's section and took out Willy Wonka. After she rented the movie, she headed out and bumped into Luke. Her heart started pounding crazy. She hasn't seen Luke since this morning for breakfast. And he knows about the kiss, not just know about it but saw it. She was really afraid that he'd be angry at her. And kill Dean. She's still not ready to face him.
"Luke?" she said nervously.
He stared at her for a moment. He didn't say anything. He seems upset. His eyes mixed with disappointment and…love. No matter what happens he'll always love her. She'll always be his little girl. He sighed and turned and kept on walking.
"Luke." she cried, stepping in front of him so he wouldn't walk away from her.
Luke looked at her. He saw her eyes threatening with tears. Ah jeez. He didn't want her to cry, not because of him. Being mad at her wasn't worth it. He just wanted his little girl back. Before Rory could shed those tears, Luke hugged her tightly. Maybe tighter than Lorelai did last year when Rory started High School.
Rory hugged him back with much intensity. She just couldn't take it for him to be angry at her. He's never been angry at her. Upset sometimes, but not like this. Those times, she could just pull out the ol pout and puppy dog eyes, and he'd give in. but this was different. This was about a boy.
She sniffled into his chest a bit. Luke pulled back slightly so he could look at her. She gave him a small smile.
"I'm so sorry Luke. Please don't be mad at me." she pleaded. Tears slowly ran down her cheeks.
Luke gave her an assuring smile. He cupped her face, brushing the tears away with his thumb. "It's ok. Nothing to be sorry abut. I'm not mad."
She looked at him hopeful. "You're not?"
He chuckled. "No. I can never be mad at you." Rory broke into a huge smile and hugged him again. Luke was more than happy to return the hug. "I am however, upset that you didn't tell your mom about this."
Rory nodded as she pulled back slightly. "I know. We already talked."
"Good." he said.
"So, are we good?"
Luke smiled. "I'm still not happy about this." Rory nodded sadly. "But, you are growing up. And this comes with the package with a teen-age girl. You grow up, discover boys." Rory giggled a bit. "Just, be sure he treats you right. Ok?"
Rory nodded. "Will you at least give him a chance?"
He sighed. "For you, anything."
She beamed and gave him one last hug before leaving to go look for her mom. She found her, still in front of Doose's.
"So?" Lorelai asked expectantly.
"Got it." she said proudly, showing her the tape. "And, I talked to Luke." she said happily, as they walk.
"Really? Everything good with you two now?"
"Yeah. I apologized. He's not mad."
"Well how could he be mad with you? You're his perfect little angel." Rory giggled. "Oh, hey, I invited your friend." Lorelai said.
"What friend?"
"Dean."
Rory stopped, dead in her tracks. "What?"
"Yeah." Lorelai said. "I told him what we were doing tonight and he was totally into it so…" Rory looked horrified. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You invited Dean? To our house?" is she crazy?…Stupid question Gilmore.
"Why are you freaking?" Lorelai asked. Isn't she happy?
"Because we haven't even been out on a date yet. My first date with Dean is going to be with my mother? What is wrong with you?"
"I'm sorry. I thought you'd be happy about this."
"in what universe would I be happy?" she asked. "This isn't Amish country. Girls and boys usually date alone." I'd leave you alone for your date with Luke…eh maybe not. Probably only for the dirty part.
"I don't think of this as a date." Lorelai said, trying to calm her daughter. "I thought of it as a hanging out session."
"Well I don't want our first hangout session to be with my mother either."
Lorelai cringed. "Stop saying mother like that."
"Like what?"
"Like there's suppose to be another word after it."
"I can't believe you did this." Rory cried. "I'm so humiliated."
"You're totally overreacting. I invited him for pizza, not to Niagara Falls."
"He's the boy that I like."
"I know. I looked for one that you hated but it was really short notice." she joked.
"And now he's forced to come over and sit with me and my mother and eat crap and watch a movie." I will never have a boy like me again.
"Well, I just invited a friend of yours to hang out. What's the big deal. I mean what if Lane had done it?"
"You're not Lane." she pointed out. "You're my mother. You inviting him over is like Grandma inviting,…" Luke "…a guy you liked over."
Lorelai felt a stab in her heart. "You're comparing me to my mother?"
Uh-oh. "No, I just-"
"I'm Emily Gilmore? My how the mighty have fallen." she cried dramatically.
Rory sighed. "I didn't mean that."
"I wasn't trying to humiliate you." Lorelai said quietly, trying to convince her daughter that she means good.
"I know." Rory said.
Lorelai paused. "If I was Emily Gilmore I'd be trying to humiliate you." she said.
Rory rolled her eyes. "I just-"
"Look, I'm sorry ok?" Lorelai said sincerely. "I screwed up. I was trying to…look I'll go, I'll uninvited him. I'll…tell him that it's canceled on account of I just found out I am my other and I have to go to intensive therapy."
"No, you can't uninvited him.' she said. "He'll think I totally wigged out."
"Well, then…I'll disappear and you guys can be alone."
"And have it look like you arranged a date for me? No!"
"What do we do?" Lorelai asked.
Rory thought. "He has to come."
Lorelai gave her a somewhat sympathetic smile. "It wont be so bad. Ok? Just pizza and a movie and hanging out. I promise you wont feel like your mother is there."
"Ok."
"Ok." Lorelai smiled as they started to walk again. "You might, however feel like my mother's there."
Rory trolled her eyes. "Oh boy."
"Well…" she started. Then noticed Rory's expression. "You're still upset with me, aren't you?"
"Can you blame me?" she grumbled.
"No, I guess I can't." Lorelai said. "What can I do to make you forgive me?"
Marry Luke for one, and give me a brother or sister. "I don't know."
"Well, if you think up of anything, like auctioning off my underwear, make me kiss Kirk, or Taylor, whatever, just say it, I'll do it. All so you can forgive me."
Rory thought about it. And really thought about it. Then BAM. She had the perfect way for her mother to repay her. "Well..." she said, smiling at Lorelai mischievously.
"What?" she asked curiously.
"How bout we invite Luke?"
Lorelai's eyes went wide. "What?"
"Perfect. You invite Dean over I invite Luke." it was very perfect.
Lorelai tried to play nonchalantly. "And why would you do that?" oh, god. Please don't be serious. Please don't be serious.
"Well," cause you like him, "He's a guy. And Dean's a guy. It's perfect. That way Dean wont feel like he's stick with two girls. He'll have Luke to bond with."
She can't be serious. "But, what about being afraid that Luke will kill Dean?" yeah?
"Luke's fine with it." Rory said. At least I hope he is. "He told me he'll give Dean a chance. What a perfect way to give him a chance than by hanging out with us. On movie night?" kind of like a double date.
Lorelai narrowed her eyes at her. "You're bluffing." oh god she can't be serious.
Rory just winked at her and ran off towards the direction of the diner. Lorelai gasped and ran after her. It was times like these that she cursed herself for not having athletic abilities.
Where did Rory learn to run like this?
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Rory stood in her room, looking at all of her clothes, displayed on her bed. Come one, it can't be this hard to pick an outfit. Lorelai was also having trouble of her own. She didn't know which sweater to wear. She decided to ask Rory what she though. She brought with her two of her optional shirts.
"Hey, I…" Lorelai stopped as soon as she entered Rory's room and say what was going on inside. "This is good. Add some cold cream and some curlers and let him know what he's coming home to every night."
"This was suppose to be a simple night." Rory said, ignoring her mother's comment. "Watch a movie, eat junk, go to bed feeling sick. End of story. Now I'm suppose to look pretty and girly. Which is completely impossible because I'm gross and I have nothing to wear." she sighed as she sat down on her bed.
Lorelai gave her a sympathetic, yet assuring smile. "Do you want some help?" her own problems can wait later.
"No." she said stubbornly. "Yes." she finally gave in.
"Ok," she laid down her own shirts and looked for something Rory can wear. Then spotted a cute burgundy sweater. She picked it up and held it in front of Rory. "Here. This says 'hello, I'm hip and cute but also relaxed since this is something I just threw on even thought it looks fantastic on me.'"
Rory looked at her mother amazed. "How'd you do that?"
"What?"
"I've been staring at that top for twenty minutes." she said. "it was just a top. Then you walked in and in three seconds, it's an outfit."
"It comes from years of experiencing fashion brain freeze like the one you just had."
"How do you do it?"
"What?"
"This whole guy thing." Rory explained. "I mean, I've watched you when you talk to…" Luke. "…a man. You have a comeback for everything. You make…" Luke "…him laugh. You smile right-"
"I smile right?" Lorelai ask amused.
"And then you do the little hair flip." which can always get Luke to do anything you want.
Lorelai was confused a moment. "Oh, twirl. Hair twirl."
"And then you walk away. And… …" Luke "...he just stands there, amazed, like he can't believe what just happened."
"That's because I stole his wallet." Lorelai joked.
"I'll never be able to do that." Rory said sadly. "Trig I can do. But boys? Forget it. I'm a total spaz."
"Listen," Lorelai started, "the talking part, you just get use to. The hair twirl I can teach you. And the leaving him amazed part, with your brain and killer blue eyes? I'm not worried." Rory smiled. "You'll do fine. Just…give yourself a little time to get there."
Rory nodded. Then looked up. "Is half an hour enough?"
Lorelai smiled. "Plenty." Rory got up and hugged her mom. As they pulled back, Lorelai remembered her mission in the first place. "Ok, now you help mommy." she said, displaying her two optional shirts in front of Rory. "Which one do you think I should wear tonight?"
Rory looked at the shirts, one low, V-neck sweater, and another tight spaghetti strapped shirt, both very provocative, then back at her mother. Her expression was in disbelief. "Uh…mom? Don't you think that's a little too revealing?"
Lorelai looked at her blankly. "Soooo…..spaghetti strap or sweater?"
Rory had to giggle. "Mom. It's just movie night. With junk food and pizza. And it's only gonna be Dean and…" then she realized. "Ooohh." she said with a smirk.
"What?"
"Nothing." still smirking.
"Rory!"
Rory smiled. "Is it because of Luke?" she asked, trying to hide her eagerness.
Lorelai scoffed. "Noooo!" not so convincingly.
"Riiigghhhttt!" Rory just kept on smirking.
"Like you said it's just a movie night."
"Mh-hm."
"And it's only Dean and Luke."
"I know."
"So can you please help mommy pick out something to wear so she does not look like a fashion reject around the two boys who will be here tonight?"
Rory giggled again. "Are you suddenly back in high school where you need to dress up just so you can impress the star jock?"
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Nooo. But you are." she said childishly. "And besides, Butch dated Sissy."
Rory giggled harder. "I dare you to say that in front of Luke."
Lorelai had to giggle with her, then tried tog et back to business. "But seriously, what should I wear."
Rory tried to regain some seriousness for her mother. "Mom, I suggest you wear something nice, pretty, and something that doesn't say that my mother's Anna Nicole Smith."
Lorelai huffed in defeat. "Fine." she grumbled. "Come on." she said to Rory. "Dab on some lip gloss. Maybe a little mascara. Wear your hair down and your attitude high." Lorelai instructed.
Rory raised her brows. "You're like a crazy Elsa Klensch."
Lorelai smiled. "Why thank you. Come now, hustle. We've got men coming over."
REVIEWS!-yes, please, I would really love to hear what you think of this chapter/story. Good, bad and in between. And any SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS, and/or REQUESTS you want to see in this story, or any of my other stories for that matter, are totally welcome.
♠bokayjunkie♣