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. A little RD also.

Disclaimer: lala-lala-aaaaa lala-lala-aaaaa

A/N: Sorry for the looooonnngg wait. I wanted to make sure there were no errors in this chapter.

I also want to give a shout out to my sisters Butter and Jelly!!!!

CHAPTER : The Avoiding Game

After making sure that Max had left safely, Lorelai went her way towards the diner. Wanting to see her daughter and possibly talk to her more. Making sure she's really ok with the recent event that just happened. When she got there, the place was already half full. She saw Luke running around the place, taking orders, but no Rory.

"Hey." he said as he passed her.

"Hey." she smiled taking a seat at the counter.

"What can I get you?" he asked.

"Coffee. Please." she smiled politely. And he poured her coffee. Which was odd. She expected a lecture.

"Anything else?" he asked. She looked at him curiously.

"Um…no. just coffee."

"Kay." then place the coffee pot back and started wiping the counter.

Weird. "Hey…have you seen Rory? She said she was gonna come here. And, she's not here. So…?"

Not looking up. "She's upstairs."

"Ok?" waiting for him to continueBut he didn't."I'm just gonna…" gesturing towards the staircase. Luke didn't say anything so she took that as an Ok.

Lorelai thought Luke was acting a bit weird. First off, he didn't give her direct eye contact, not once. He kept the conversation at a monosyllable way. Basically a conversation between proprietor/customer. Which was not them. They were best friends. He usually talked like that to his other customers. Not her. She was special…Or so she thought.

Lorelai entered Luke's apartment and smelt the faint scent of coffee and pancakes. She walked towards Luke's bed and saw an empty coffee mug and half eaten pancakes. She looked towards the bathroom and steam was coming out. She walked towards the bathroom and saw Rory, combing her wet hair in front of the mirror.

"Hey."

Rory jumped. She looked at her and sighed from relief. "Hey." she said dryly, then went back to brushing her hair. She didn't even smile.

Lorelai looked at her worriedly. "Hey, wanna tell me all about the rush this morning?" she jokingly asked as she leaned her back against the doorframe.

"I wanted to see Luke." she said, tying her hair in a pony tail, not even bothering to look at her mother.

"You could have seen him later."

"Well I'm here now." she said a bit harshly than intended.

Lorelai was really worried. "Are you-"

"I've gotta go help Luke." Rory cut her off, putting on her apron and walking past Lorelai. She picked up her breakfast tray and placed it in the kitchen sink. "Lock up when you leave." she said, throwing Lorelai her set of keys to the apartment. Lorelai lamely caught it. Then Rory walked out of the door.

Lorelai stared into nothing for a few moment. Wondering what happened to her daughter and best friend. Luke was acting weird. Rory was just the same. It's as if they were avoiding her. But Lorelai shrugged it. Rory probably had a little trauma from staying at her parents house, and Max sleeping over didn't help. And Luke was just being Luke.

Lorelai sighed and locked the door of the apartment and went downstairs. When she got down to the diner, the place was already filling up and her daughter was busy taking orders. While Luke seemed to be in the kitchen cooking.

"I'm gonna go to the inn." Lorelai said lamely as Rory passed her. Rory didn't even glance at her direction. Just kept on walking.

Lorelai sighed and left.

"It was weird Sookie." Lorelai went on as she drank her coffee in the inn's kitchen. "They were all keeping the conversation short. I mean, I understand Luke being like that. But Rory…she was so distant."

"Well, like you said, maybe she's still frazzled by the whole Max thing." Sookie reasoned. "Max really slept over at your house?"

"On the couch Sookie." rolling her eyes.

"But that's Luke's bed."

"Well Luke wasn't using it at the moment."

Lowering her voice, "So you mean to tell me…you guys didn't…you know?"

"No!" exasperated. Then sighed. "We were about to…" Sookie raised a brow. "Then Luke showed up."

"Oh no."

"Yeah. You should have seen him."

"was he jealous? Did he yell?" she gasped. "did he beat up Max?"

Lorelai narrowed her eyes. "No Sookie. He wasn't jealous. He didn't yell. And he certainly didn't beat up Max."

"Oh." confused. "Then what did he do?"

"Nothing. He just showed up, and he had this blank expression the whole entire time. I mean, I couldn't even read his feelings, or expression even if it was written on his face."

"Well what was he doing there?"

"He came cause Rory paged him and told him that Lane was at the house." she explained. "He came bringing comfort food for her cause it sounded like an emergency. And it was. Girl trouble."

"With a guy?" Lorelai nodded. "Ah."

"And, oh my god Sookie. I can't believe I actually did that. I mean, we were on the landing, for coffee's sake. And we were kissing and then Luke walked in on us. I mean, if he didn't we would have done it with Lane in the house." she groaned. "I can't believe I actually broke our rules."

"What rules?"

"The rules that Luke and I made when we bought the house."

The way Lorelai was saying it, it seemed as if they were married buying their first house. To Sookie's thoughts though. If she didn't know Lorelai at all, she would have thought that her and Luke were married.

"I mean," Lorelai continued, "We made up these rule, that we would separate our love life from Rory. Cause we wanted to set a good example for her. Meaning, no bringing a man home to the Crap Shack, and no hookers" putting much disgust as she said the word, " for Luke at the apartment."

"Ok, that's just ridiculous."

"What? Setting a perfect example for Rory?" what's ridiculous about that?

"No. Luke bringing home a hooker." she giggled. "Like he'd actually go to some dark alley and picking up women just to fulfill his sexual needs." that you are definitely not giving him.

This conversation was going to a very uncomfortable place for Lorelai. Talking about Luke having sex with another woman? The green-eyed monster was just a leap away from showing."Sookie. Please focus."

"Sorry."

"Thank you." she said. "Anyways, I told him, that the only man that I would bring home would be the one. You know? The one I'd be spending my life with. Who would love me and Rory. Who would do anything for us. Put up with us. And just let us be us."

Sounds like someone I know. "So…Max isn't the guy?"

Remembering her daughter's question from earlier. She shrugged. "I don't know." she admitted. "I really don't. Could he be?"

"Well honey, I can't really answer that for you." Sookie said in sympathy. "It really is all in your heart. Tell me, does your heart say he's the one?"

"I don't know." she said quietly. Actually, she did know. She knows that her heart wasn't set on being with Max. isn't this a sign? If her heart says no, then shouldn't she back out? It was perfectly clear, being with Max last night did make her a bit flustered at first. Kissing him made her anxious. It had been a long time since the last time she had sex with someone.

But seeing Luke sent all those butterflies fluttering in her tummy. But seeing him with his blank expression broke her. Crushed her. Made her want to die. She felt as if she betrayed him by being with Max. and being caught.

Now what does that say?

"You're late." Lorelai announced as Rory entered the house that night.

Rory stopped her tracks, and looked at her mother, who was sitting on the couch, looking straight ahead, with her arms crossed across her chest. "Sorry, I didn't know I had a curfew." she said dryly. Then walked in the kitchen.

Lorelai sighed, and followed her to the kitchen. She was standing in front of the fridge, looking inside for anything to eat. "Rory, we need to talk."

She looked over her shoulder. "What's there to talk about?"

"Rory.' in a stern voice.

Rory sighed. She closed the fridge door, and grudgingly turned around to face her mother looking irritated. "What?"

"Lets go to the living room." then left.

Rory sighed and followed her mother to the living room. Lorelai sat down on the couch, Rory sat next to her. Arms still crossed.

"Rory is this about Max?"

"Why would it be about Mr. Medina?" not looking at her.

"Rory!"

Rory looked at her. "I told you I'm ok about it."

"Well you're not showing it."

Rory looked down at her lap, then slowly looked up to meet her mothers eyes. "I just want you to be happy," she said sincerely. "You know that."

"Well I can't be happy if you're not."

"It's just gonna take me some time to get used to it. This. You and Mr. Medina." I'd rather you and Luke get together.

"I know it's weird for you. He is your teacher after all." she said. "But I promise, no pressure on you whatsoever. I'm not Queen nor David Bowie. I'm not gonna let him sleep here. Not until you're ready." not until I'm ready. "That was just a one time thing. An accident. And nothing even happened."

That's good to know. "Did you want something to happen?" she asked all of sudden, then fearing for the answer.

Lorelai stared at her. Something was about to happen. But it was stopped. "Honey." then sighed and honestly answered, "No." I just wanted it to happen to get rid of the sexual frustration I've been having for a while. I'd do it to anybody. I would have probably said yes to Kirk. (shudder) I take that back. "Not yet. It was too soon." that is true. It was only our first date. "And even if I wanted something to happen, we couldn't anyway, with Lane in the house. And Luke showing up. That would have definitely killed the mood."

Thank god for Lane. Her crisis may have been bad for her but it definitely saved the night. "So, you and Mr. Medina are officially dating?" again, fearing the answer.

"Only if it's ok with you."

Why does everybody always have to have my approval of everything? "Do you want to?"

Thinking back to her thought earlier, should she be dating Max? she admits that she had fun on their date last night. And she does want to be dating again. She forgot what it was like to date. So this wasn't a long term thing. Just dating. This isn't really a commitment kind of thing. "Well, it has been a while since I last dated anybody."

That is true. Rory had never recalled a time when her mother had dated. Maybe she had, only without her knowing. But, they didn't seem to go anywhere. If they did, then Rory would have known them. But now, her mother was gonna go out with Mr. Medina. Her English teacher.

"Whatever makes you happy." her voice croaked. "Will make me happy." she breathed.

Lorelai smiled at her daughter and kissed her cheek. Rory forced a smile at her. But on the inside she's crushed. Then, the phone rang. Lorelai answered.

"Hey Max." with a smile.

Rory stood up from the couch and went in her room. She closed the door, and leaned her back against it. Finally, for the second time that day, she cried. Quietly. She listened to her mother's muffled laugh. Everything was now falling apart. All that she worked hard. Her family. It's falling.

The next morning, Rory had woken up before six. She wakes up early on some occasions. Specially when she's sleeping over at Luke's apartment. Luke usually wakes up at five, waking her up in the process. So she's used to it. And she likes it. That way she can help Luke open the diner. Even if it is on a weekend. At least she gets to spend quality time with Luke.

Rory quietly showered, making sure she didn't wake up her mom. After she freshened up, she got dressed to go out, and made a pot of coffee. She drank a cup, then wrote her mother a note telling her she'll be at Luke's, then left. Her mother still asleep.

She didn't want to have an encounter with her mother. Not now. Not yet. Cause she's sure that her mother would want to gush about her talk with Mr. Medina last night. And she really didn't want to hear it. She knows it's a bit selfish of her to avoid her mother. But she couldn't take listening to her talking about her teacher. She loves her mom. And she liked Mr. Medina, despite the rough time she'd had in his class, she caught up.

But she just couldn't take listening to her mother gushing about him. Not only did it make her want to puke, but it hurt her to think that her mother was actually with someone else that's not Luke.

Lorelai woke up to the faint aroma of coffee. She looked at the time, it was a little before nine. She figured Rory had already woken up and started to make coffee and pop-tart for breakfast to get them through until they get to Luke's. she had to be at work by eleven. So she had better get up and start to get ready.

She first went into the bathroom to pee and then wash her face. She went downstairs, expecting to find Rory reading a book that she was finishing. But, she came to meet with an empty kitchen. The coffee pot was full. She checked it, it was a bit cold. She figured Rory was still asleep. That her daughter had gotten up in the middle of the night for a coffee fix. And then zoinked out.

She checked Rory's room. Empty. The bed was made. Her books were on the shelf. She started to get worried.

"Rory!" she called. Maybe she was in her bathroom. She checked there. Nothing. Now she was getting really worried now. She practically ran towards the hallway desk where the phone was. She was about to pick it up to call Luke when she noticed a note labeled Mom.

Mom,

Went to Luke's for work. See you there for breakfast.

Rory.

She sighed from relief. Her daughter was at the diner. She was ok. For a moment she thought that she was kidnapped.

"I am so gonna get her back for this."

Then the phone rang. She picked it up.

"Hello…Max hi…"

"So I was thinking," Rory started slowly, "Chocolate-chip pancakes, with whipped cream on the top, sprinkled with M&M's and chocolate shavings."

"Nice try kid." Luke said as he continued to wipe the counter.

"Oh come one. it's perfect."

"It's unhealthy."

"It's delicious."

"One taste at that thing and they'll die."

"At least they'll die with their taste buds happy."

"Besides, who in their right minds would want to at something like that?"

"I would."

"Well you are your mother's daughter." he smirked. "But no."

Rory shrugged, "Eh, can't blame a girl for trying." then picked up the coffee pot and started serving people.

"Where's your mom?" Luke asked casually as she served.

"Sleeping."

"Still?"

"Well, she's probably woken up by now. She has to get to work by eleven." she explained, walking around the diner that's pretty busy at the moment. "She'll probably stop by for breakfast."

"Kay."

Then as if on cue, the diner bell chimed and entered Lorelai. Luke looked up, gave her a half-hearted smile, then continued his focus on the counter. Rory didn't even bother to look at her.

"Hey there my beautiful daughter." Lorelai greeted her as Rory passed.

Rory cringed inwardly hearing her mother's cheerful voice. She could only guess why she was cheerful. She looked at her mother, with a forced smile. "Mom, hey.' and gave her a small kiss on the cheek.

Lorelai smiled at her and sat down at the counter. "And hello to you too Burger Boy."

Luke grunted in response, not even bothering looking up. He just filled her a cup of coffee then went in the kitchen.

That's two days in a row now that he didn't make eye contact with me. But she shrugged it off. Luke's always had PMS like these before.

"So," Lorelai said as Rory went back behind the counter, and continued Luke's cleaning process on the counter. "Loved your disappearing act this morning." she joked.

"left you a note." shrugging, not even bothering to look up.

She scoffed. "yeah, but for the first half of the minute I thought you were kidnapped or something."

"Left you some coffee too." she pointed.

"Cold coffee." she corrected. "When did you make it anyway?"

"Six."

"Six?" she gasped. "AM?" Rory nodded. "You have been spending waaayyy too much time with Luke."

"not enough.' she muttered.

Lorelai didn't hear. She felt her daughter's distance from her. The cold shoulder she's giving her. She was again, worried. "Rory, are you really sure-"

"Hey," Rory cute her off, "how does chocolate-chip pancakes, with whipped cream on top, sprinkled with M&M's and chocolate shaving sound to you?" she asked, interrupting her. She knew what her mom was about to ask her and didn't want to go down that road again.

She paused. Looking at her daughter curiously. Then said, "Sounds unhealthy and pleasurable. Bring it on."

"I'll go tell Luke." then she disappeared in the kitchen. Lorelai sighed.

"And she was just being all, monosyllabic on me the whole morning." Lorelai finished explaining.

"Well, she has been spending a lot of time with Luke lately." Sookie reasoned, "Add that up to the years she's known him and it's no wonder she sounds like him. I mean, she could practically be an exact Luke replica. Only with gender difference."

Which was freakishly true. Lorelai must agree Rory looked almost exactly like Luke. Just as much as she looked like Lorelai. With the hair, the yes, their personalities. Heck, Rory's even been drinking tea and liked it. She's also cooked, not so much that she could be considered a mini chef. But she doesn't burn down the kitchen. And, she has even been able to make coffee that tastes as good as Luke's. not exactly the same, but almost there.

How weird is that?

"I don't know Sookie, maybe I shouldn't date Max after all." Lorelai said. "Maybe she's probably freaked out because I'm dating her Lit teacher. Maybe I shouldn't do this."

"No!" Sookie cried. "You can't back out!"

"Why the hell not?"

"Cause…you have never been out for a long time. It's time for you to get out. You deserve it. And Max seems like a really nice guy. And you like him. He likes you and he likes Rory. Rory already likes him. Well, cause he's her teacher. And that maybe weird for her, but she can get used to it."

"But I don't want to do this if it'll make Rory uncomfortable."

"Honey, she loves you. She just wants you to be happy. And if going out with her Lit teacher will make you happy, then she'll let you go out with him."

"But what about…" Luke? She trailed off.

"What about who?"

"Nothing." she dismissed quickly. "Maybe I should ask her again."

Sookie rolled her eyes. "Lorelai, you have asked her already. Three times you've asked her. And each of those times, what did she say?"

"That she just wants me to be happy."

"And does dating Max make you happy?"

Lorelai thought about it. "Well, it has been a while since I last went out." she shrugged. "It would be nice."

"See! Just say yes to your next date. And if you like it, then go out again. Have a good time. And don't worry. Rory will be ok about it."

"Thanks Sookie."

That night. After dinner at Luke's, the girls went home very tired. Lorelai, having working at the inn the rest of the afternoon, and Rory at the diner.

Once at home, the girls took a shower and started to eat up some left over junk food in the fridge. This was as much time Lorelai got to spend with Rory that weekend. Even if spent in silence. She was about to speak when the phone rang. Rory started to get up, but Lorelai offered to get it.

"Hello?"

Rory heard her mother's voice from the hallway.

"Max hey…" and with that, Rory tuned her mother out and went in her room.

A/N: nothing really happened on this chapter. Next chapter maybe. But I hope it was long enough for you. I'm sorry if my other chapters are short. I have a tendency to write short chapters. I'm trying to break that habit.

REVIEWS!-yes. Please leave me a review and I will be forever grateful. And if any SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS, and/or REQUESTS that you have, they are welcome.
♠bokayjunkie♣