Quote of the chapter:
"Oh Luke, do not underestimate the complete and total lack of confidence I have in my abilities."
-I am a perfectionist… I only took so long because I care… I do not write crap for crap… well I try not to.
Presenting … Lucas Danes?
By GilmoreGirl1979 (the Reigning Quote Queen)
Provider of Quality FAN FICTION
R/R: yes please I love reviews, I wanna marry them (as previously stated, I have strange passions.)
friendly disclaimer: Chapter 1 once again, I don't own (DAMN IT!), No Harm No Sue. WE just use the Gilmore Girls dolls during our slumber parties…. It's fun (shirtless Luke: with coffee pouring action, and the "Fry it and Buy it" Luke's Diner Play Set sold separately!) dialogue BORROWED from 2.08 - The Ins and Outs of Inns (written by Daniel Palladino /directed by Michael Katleman some Dialogue and intentions have been altered by me, Gilmoregirl1979 (It's more Fun THAT WAY!).
Luvz: WE love you pixie oh yes we do, we miss you pixie and we'll be true, when you're not writing Fan fiction we're BLUE! Start typing Pixie … we love you. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU….. (how very Natalie Merchant of me.) you being there for me in my hours of annoyance and need mean a lot! You are a wonderful pixie pal who lets me vent and gets me to smile again, for this I love you PIXIE! And trust me your kindness has not gone unnoticed and shall be rewarded. (BIG FAT WINK)
And BTW ifyou don't review something soon I'm gonna throw a roll at you!
Hello My Little Crack whores! (And other shout outs):
jeepgirl259-thanks for the suggestions JEEPY! And for public knowledge
Willow825- that's what I like to hear, wow you felt the characters frustration, and their joy? And you did sequel, is that what that noise was… hehhee(PS I sequel at the monitor too, or curse or whatever the sitch calls for!…)
uhm.-what have we learned… (say it with me now) ALWAYS READ THE A/Ns they are half the fun of GG1979 fan fiction..
ProFfeSseR-okay seriously, give me an application, and I will fill it out, move to the other side of the country to work on GG. A pen any one got a pen ? Nicole? Come on I'll give it back I promise!
gidget89-they are still keeping it on the DL because they need to figure out the right set of circumstances for people to find out.
Rusty Bedsprings- hhehehehehe sorry your name and the MMS equals FUNNY!
teary-eyed angel-I've said it before I'll say it again, the Luke Danes Effect, we should ALL BE SO LUCKY! But then … he'd be really exhausted… poor man…
everwoodgirl04: How old are you, don't grow up too much cause then I won't be able to carry you around in my pocket! You are that CUTE!
noneya-I am NooNe and this is NooNe(SNL), I amdmire your dedication to my work, Nine hours…. WOW, I am so touched (no place dirty) that you would do that , now please go out for some air, stretch, and enjoy this next chapter… all 9,000 words of it...
you all are crack whores... you deserve it!
OY, WITH THE INCESSENT A/Ns ALREADY:
-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry this chapter took so long I was having continuity issues… my first chapters were so … DETAILED… and now I'm winging it… (how come other girls get planned dinners and I get wing it!)
-PLUS I'm a perfectionist; I want to give you … THE PEOPLE … Quality fan fiction. I can't have my crack whores dropping off because they get Drano instead of the GOOD STUFF!
If you rush genius you get CRAP FOR CRAP!
Previously on Gilmore Girls:
Luke and Lorelai were doing something Dirty at the Inn!
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Chapter 15:
Momma Mia!
The whole of the Independence Inn staff were concerned for their usually easygoing, fun loving boss. Lorelai was obviously stressed, had a meltdown and disappeared. She hadn't been seen for almost 2 hours, and the wedding party and guests were due to arrive at any time. The Staff diligently continued to prep for the reception, and prayed for decent weather so both the meticulous bride and their boss would be happy for the special day.
When Lorelai finally burst back into the Kitchen, her attitude had done a complete 180 from when they saw her that morning, "Okay everybody, we've got people to hitch!" She was positively beaming; once again, she was sunshine and lollipops.
"Lorelai?" It was like Sookie didn't recognize her best friend from the woman who had a triad about gift bags a few hours ago.
"Oh Sookie, this all looks wonderful!" then taking in the tall decorated cake "What's its name?"
Sookie was still confused, "ummmmm Amanda?" she informed.
"Huh … Melrose Place?" Lorelai guessed.
"Ummm yeah, … this bride has been driving us all nuts, so I thought …"
"Good Choice, Hey is there any of the sample cake left?" I just burned a lot of calories with my boyfriend … twice!
"Ummm Sure?" Sookie watched Lorelai as she poked into the fridge, found a fork and dove right in. In a low voice, Sookie wondered, "Uhh, did Luke find you?"
"Mm hmm," Lorelai's mouth was now full of cake as she nodded.
"So… you two have … made up?"
"Mm hmm," Lorelai confirmed with the smile she saved for when she did something slutty.
A smile Sookie recognized … "Oh My God, what happened?"
Lorelai grabbed an extra fork, the plate of cake and her best friend to go into her office, away from unnecessary ears, and told the tale of Room 7.
Hee hee, Lucky Number 7.
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Lorelai came home, her guests all settled, apologies and praise to her staff, and now she could think about when and where she wanted her second date. Does having sex at the Inn count as a second date? When she entered the house she didn't even realize she was humming. Finding her daughter on the couch, she practically sang, "Hey kid, brought you some cake," and Lorelai placed what was left of the sample cake on the coffee table for her daughter to enjoy.
"Well, you're in a good mood," Rory observed over her book.
"Yeah, well, Bridezilla is all taken care of."
"Oh did Gamera or Mothra come and fend her off for you?"
"No, everything that needed to get done got done," Dirty, Lorelai smiled and thought about the wedding again, "and the ceremony is on for tomorrow, as long as Bridezilla and the Groom don't take out Tokyo tonight."
"Dirty!" Rory dryly commented still studying her mother, "… You still need me to work the reception table."
"Only if you want extra cash." Lorelai was still beaming as she sorted through the mail.
"What's with you?"
"Nothing," Lorelai playfully scoffed as she put down the stack of bills and catalogs.
"Something's up?"
Changing the subject toward the blinking light at the desk, "why didn't you check the messages?"
"No one ever calls for me," Rory dismissed.
"I know a 7 foot someone that makes kissy noises that calls for you." Lorelai hit the play button on the answering machine, and the reason for her good mood filled the room.
"Hey Lorelai, it's Luke, … I'm really glad we … talked… and if you need any more… uh help this weekend… with the wedding, you know… just… give me a call, okay … ummm, bye."
Lorelai loved the sound of his voice, and how cryptic he was for Rory's benefit, that's so cute.
"OOH, so that's it," Rory deduced, "You made up with Luke," smiling triumphantly at having figured out the mystery.
"Yeah…" Lorelai confessed through girly giggles. I know something you don't know…
The way her mother was carrying on, "Did you make out, too?" Rory asked.
"Yeah" and the girlie giggles persisted.
Still curious by the fit, Rory raised an eyebrow, "Did you …?"
"Yeah," nodding her head and Lorelai's after glow shone all the more.
Rory was dumbfounded, "What? How? Where? When?" without the town knowing.
"Okay, do you really want me to go into the how?" giving her daughter a cheeky look.
Put off by that idea, Rory quickly recovered, and with a wince begged "Please skip the how…"
"Well, I've been a little crabby lately, I'm not sure if you noticed,"
"No comment."
"And Luke and I talked about everything."
"Everything?"
"Telling Jess, telling the town … AVA"
"Ahh yes the other woman."
"And well, I was setting stuff up in the rooms for the guests, and he was following me through the hall and the rooms. He was yelling at me I was yelling at him."
"… Like you do."
"And finally I was so upset and delirious I was telling him to just marry Ava, and then… he kissed me…"
"…To shut you up."
"Yeah", the broad giggly smile was back.
"So I take it one thing led to another…"
"Yeah,"
Okay, that is getting really annoying, "Mom, you and Luke …at the Inn?" and Rory realized, "Oh My GOD that was a Guest's room!"
"Hey, we cleaned up when we were done."
"UGH!"
"I meant we freshened up the room. He helped me remake the bed and everything."
"I gotta stop asking questions." Holding her head in her hands as her mother's love life was scarring her.
"Hey just be thankful that Luke gave you your charming mother back."
"I'm ordering the fruit basket after this chapter." Picking up her book again, Rory retreated to her bedroom.
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"How is everything?" Lorelai asked the mother of he bride.
"It's beautiful, you are a wonder. I know it wasn't easy, but thank you for all you've done."
She may have been a little tipsy, Lorelai couldn't be sure. "Well, thank you for the compliments, but I think you're new son in law would like a dance."
Now rid of Bridezilla's mom, Lorelai surveyed all her work, and she was proud. Waiters buzzing about the lawn, happy guests on the dance floor, Rory giving out seating cards. Then, she smiled as she saw across the lawn Luke, looking quite out of place in his flannel and jeans. She made her way through the crowd to greet him. "Hey."
"Hey," taken off guard by how beautiful she was in her wine colored dress. "You look … beautiful."
"Why thank you," she loved it every time he said that.
Suddenly realizing that they were out in public, both suddenly became very self-conscious about their company over hearing something.
"Quite the party you've put together," Luke nodded again feeling like a stupid teen around her.
"Yeah, thanks," seeing his faithful companion in his had, "oh good you brought Bert … again." Lorelai observed.
"Yeah …well, you said something was broken…?"
"Right, right, Ummm follow me." Lorelai led Luke inside.
"Isn't Jackson's cousin your handy man?" Luke asked.
"Ummmm yeah, but he's not as good as you are," grinning to her, as they went up to the second floor, "and you're taller."
Luke followed her up the stairs, to a secluded hallway, "what seems to be the problem?"
Seeing that he was still clueless to her ulterior motive, Lorelai suggested, "I think the baseboards over here are loose."
Luke put down Bert and squatted down to see where she had pointed, "They look fine to me."
"Me too," and she admired his posterior.
Realizing what she was doing, "Lorelai," he shot up from the floor.
"What? You have a great butt."
"You brought me here under false pretenses."
Lorelai kissed him, long and slow. "I don't hear any complaints?"
"You drive me crazy," he sighed.
"I know," and Lorelai pushed him against the wall, she had just wanted to see him again; to hold him, in any way she could, even if under false pretenses. She decided to nibble on his ear because she knew that would really drive him crazy.
"Lorelai … what if someone sees us? … I thought you wanted to keep it quiet still."
She could imagine how it looked, the wedding planner and the handy man having a romp in the hallway, a satiny dress pressed against flannel and jeans, but she didn't care. "I do, but A) all my guests are from out of town; B) most everyone is down there on the lawn getting drunk and dancing badly, and C) I needed to see you."
Touched by the final sentiment, "Now how do you argue with that?" Luke gave in, as always.
"You don't!" She smiled. Lorelai was due for a break anyway, so she decided to spend it here in the second floor hallway, making out with Luke. "And you know this is a tradition, someone is supposed to be hooking up besides the bride and groom." She hugged him, just happy to be near him, to play with his flannel shirt, "… Luke?"
"Hmmm,"
"We're alone," she teased.
"You wanna get a room?" he joked back.
"It's not that kind of hotel," and with that she completed their bit. However, gazing into those perfect blue eyes, she did want to take him up on that offer ... again. However, they settled for necking in the hall, but after a while, Lorelai regretfully acknowledged, "I should get back, I have guests."
"I have the diner."
"Thank you for coming to see me."
"Anytime", but neither made a move to separate, "you know you don't need to … make up a story when it's just us." Luke knew he should really get back to the diner "Alright, well Bert and I have to go."
"Well. Give this to Bert for me." And with her arms still tight around his waist Lorelai kissed Luke again, another long slow kiss, unable to get enough of him.
"You want me to make out with my tool box?" he dryly joked.
"If it's not too much trouble," Lorelai shrugged.
Then Luke realized, "wait a minute you're cheating on me with my tool box?"
"Why do you think he was at our house for so long?"
"I thought it was because you couldn't lift 'him'."
"Or so I would have you think…"
"Goodbye crazy lady." Luke kissed her one last time, picked up Bert and headed toward the stairs.
As Luke went down the stairs, Lorelai checked on the festivities through the second floor window, both were unaware their little rendezvous had been witnessed.
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By whom? DUN, DUN, DUN…
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The wedding went off without a hitch, well, except for the bride and groom that is, and Lorelai received many compliments from the family, wedding guests and staff about the decorations and the ceremony. Luke and Lorelai's frustration had been temporarily relieved. Now, Lorelai and Luke began to seriously consider how to tell the town that they were together.
"You know, the longer we wait the harder it will be to explain." Luke was under the sink in Lorelai's kitchen, installing a new disposal. One of the many perks of dating a handy man.
"Well, we can't tell them about the coming out, that was pretty high profile in Rory's life, and they were all out there in the front yard. They may be hurt that we didn't tell 'em right away." Lorelai was sitting with a magazine at the kitchen table, watching her man do his chores.
"You are afraid of hurting their feelings?" Luke tried to understand, as he wiped off the new disposal unit, "So what? You want to make something up? Like they won't be hurt to find out you lied to them."
"Well, I don't know…"
"Just so I know which story are we gonna tell the kids?"
"Well the real story is a little dirty don't you think." You see kids, when your father and I were first together; we had sex that very night… Then it hit Lorelai, "Kids? … Our kids? "
"Oh ummm, well," Luke became flushed and flustered, "could you hand me the open ended wrench?"
Lorelai beamed as she handed him the tool she thought was the one he wanted. He had been thinking of their future like that too. Granted she had dreams and little tailors suggesting their impeding marriage, but Luke had that vibe too, not that he would ever use the word "vibe".
To get back on track, Luke suggested, "Hey how about I just kiss you one day in the diner, for everyone to see, and we let them make up the story of how we got together. Then at least we aren't lying."
Lorelai thought that was a good idea. "We'll leave that as a plan b."
Rory entered the house, "Hey mom," hearing the clinking sounds from the sink, "Hey Luke."
A muffled "Hey Rory," came from under the sink since Luke was distracted by his project.
Rory sat next to her mother, and watched in awe, the sight of a man with tools. "We will never need a handy man again!"
"I know the benefits keep racking up."
"The coffee and pie," Rory counted on two fingers.
"The auto repair…" Lorelai added to the list.
"The light maintenance around the house."
Rory teased in a high-pitched voice, "oh Luke be my guy."
Lorelai followed suit, "no be my guy!"
"Just what I need … groupies" Luke rolled his eyes now getting up off the floor.
"But Lukey we like all you do for us," Lorelai still in a high-pitched tone.
"Don't ever call me Lukey again," He warned.
"Okay, well how about you stay for a movie?"
"Can't I've got early deliveries in the morning, how about tomorrow night?"
"Can't, Class."
Rory sighed heavily.
"Are we boring you Hon?" Lorelai shot her daughter a look.
"Why can't you just tell people?" still exasperated with the whole hiding plan, because she still hadn't told Dean.
"Hey, for your information we were just discussing how to let 'the People' know. But it has to come out right."
"Why not just kiss in public and let them make it up for themselves?"
"That's what I said," Luke agreed. "What about Friday?" as soon as he said it, he remembered.
"Can't, Friday night dinner"; Lorelai forced a smile to remind Luke of the obligatory dinners.
Luke shook his head, "Your mother doesn't even know about us yet, and she manages to keep us apart."
"Yeah, she's talented that way. Oh, I wanted to ask you a few business questions … you know like Luke my friend not Luke my boyfriend… how you started the diner, how did you buy the building… etc…"
"Okay, Come by the dinner some morning? And we can talk."
"Great."
Luke gave her a harmless peck. "I've got to go … Rory, "Luke nodded in the teen's direction.
"Bye Luke," Rory gave her mother a look as Luke left.
"What?"
It's easier for you to schedule a business meeting than a real date, "you two crazy kids, "and Rory went into her room to do homework, still unable to believe how these two intelligent adults couldn't find more time together, or just grow up and tell their wacky neighbors, who no doubt would all pitch in for the wedding, the good news.
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As promised, Luke and Lorelai were discussing her business plan. It was almost like a breakfast date with how much they were reminiscing and still getting to know each other better. "I'm terrible at coming up with names." Lorelai smiled, "When we first bought our house, Rory and I wanted to name it, you know, like Jefferson named his place Monticello, but all we could come up with is The Crap Shack."
"Nice," Luke had to smile, but then tried to play it cool as his nephew walked over with a coffeepot.
"Coffee?" the young hoodlum offered his uncle's regular.
"Oh, yeah, thanks." Lorelai forced a smile and a polite question, "How are you Jess?"
"Well, I'm not bleeding or anything."
"Well, then it's gonna be a good day, huh?"
"Yeah. It's 7:45."
"So?" Luke was little impatient with the infringement on his time with Lorelai.
"So do you want me to go to school or do you want to openly defy child labor laws?"
"Go. Stay out of trouble," Luke warned.
"Guess that means calling off the chickie run down at the salt flats."
"Out." the annoyed uncle commanded.
"Wow, so much love." Lorelai observed, "And I suppose you still haven't…" told him?
"No … I mean you do see what I'm up against… " Luke defended himself.
"He is a formidable foe, only, oh wait, he's not a foe he's supposed to be family… "
"Yeah supposed to be … I just need to find the right place and the right time," oh yeah and how to put it into words, Hey Jess not that you care, but I have a girlfriend now. "Speaking of right time…. You wanna… have that cup up stairs?"
Realizing his apartment was empty, "now how would that look? Luke Danes in his apartment when there pancakes to flip, coffee to brew, hashes to brown?"
"I don't care how it looks."
"Please… don't tempt me…" restraining the urge to play footsy with him under the table was hard enough.
"Alright," changing the subject, Luke asked, "So, you guys have a site in mind for the inn?"
"Yes."
"Great, where?"
"You've seen pictures of it. The Rachel property." she said absent-mindedly.
"Oh, right."
"Sorry." It was the first time Rachel had been mentioned since their first night together.
"It's okay …"
Lorelai wished she didn't bring up the EX, and she began to babble and stammer. "I just meant, Rachel took the pictures, and the pictures kind of got us into the place, so we started calling it the Rachel property 'cause it made sense at the time and then it became a habit. But now out of respect for you, I'm gonna stop repeatedly using her name and uh, think of another name to call it. Let's see, The Crap Shack's taken."
"It's okay. Call it what you want. Besides … I have girlfriend, remember." He desperately wanted to take her hand across the table, but suppressed the wish.
Trying not to blush so much in this public place, Lorelai gathered up her notepaper, to distract her from the way he was looking at her. "So, who taught you about all this business stuff? Your dad?"
"Please. My dad didn't even have a checking account until I finally got taller than he was. He bought this land with cash from working construction, built this place himself. Didn't have a bookkeeper, an accountant, or anything."
"Wow, so you had no one showing you the ropes."
"Nope, I figured I had to just dive in on my own, fail if that's my destiny, and forget what the experts say."
"That is exactly my philosophy. Exactly. Except I'm not diving in on my own, I'm diving in with Sookie, and, uh, failure is not even a choice of destinies, and I'm consulting any expert who will listen to me," Lorelai lowered her voice, "including my super hot sexy boy friend, Otherwise, it's identical."
"Well, I should get back to work. You gonna write this meal off?"
"Why?"
"Oh, we talked business. You gotta be thinking about these things.
"No, I mean, why? I'm not paying for it." Batting her eyelashes and Luke gave a heavy sigh, "Exactly." Lorelai smiled.
"You're gonna do fine."
Lorelai gathered up her note books and walked over to the counter, "hey Luke isn't a conflict of interest, us talking business when we… you know."
"Shut up and take your coffee to go!"
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After another Friday night dinner had been survived. "Please let me show you the Billy Idol!" Lorelai insisted on the ride home.
"No, the portrait is to cheer up Grandpa."
"And nothing says cheerful like a Billy Idol scowl?"
"No."
"What about a Luke scowl? He can scowl with the best of em?"
"No."
Emily had once again cunningly tricked Rory in to another extravagant gesture to cheer up her grandfather. This time an oil portrait for Richard's study.
Lorelai sighed, "Alright, but Art composition is not Emily's strong suit in college. She only learned how to bid on important pieces and buy ancient stuff you can't use."
"So you and Luke are still on the DL?" Rory changed the subject.
"Yes, it's hard to figure out the right time or way to tell everyone…" "
"A Town meeting?" Rory suggested.
"HA HA, … or explain how we ended up together."
"I'm telling you, town meeting it the perfect forum, you can tell everyone, tell the story of how it all happened …"
"How it ALL happened?" wanting to avoid divulging the details of their first night together, after all that was private, and only Sookie was aloud to hear that. Then Lorelai got disturbing images of Babbette and Patty hitting her up for details about Luke's butt and tattoo. Keep it quiet … for a little while longer.
"… And you can kill any rumors before they start with a nice session of Q and A at the end." Rory advocated for her brilliant plan. "Maybe have updates of how the relationship is going every week."
"No, No, and No, that kind of attention is exactly what we want to avoid! And it almost has to be like… I don't know, like they see it coming… like it just unfolds before them, they can ease in to it and it won't be such a shock."
"Mom they have seen this coming … for years now! There is nothing to ease into! I can guarantee no one will be shocked or surprised that you two got together… finally!"
"Right, right," Lorelai was almost tired of hearing about how everyone else saw it before she did.
"So you met with Luke this morning?"
"Yeah."
"To talk… 'Business'…" Rory intoned innuendo.
"Uh huh, I don't know how to start up my own business and he wants to help. He's being … very supportive."
"As if we'd expect less."
"… And it was the perfect excuse to see him."
"Mom you already have an excuse to see him, his coffee?"
"Well, that could just be an excuse to sleep with him."
"Lovely, so don't want to go there."
"Worth it every time."
"UGH! Just drive." Rory begged.
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As was the case now a day, Lorelai's morning visits to the diner were way too short, and her afternoon visits didn't come fast enough. Lorelai was still brainstorming how to tell the town, ways for Luke to tell Jess, and there was the always open enigma of how to tell her parents about her and Luke or IF to tell her parents about Luke. Maybe it's good that Rory do the portrait, keep Emily happy till I drop the bomb.
It wasn't until Rory came in to help out in the afternoon that she stopped thinking about Luke, well directly any way.
"We had a phony murder?"
"That's what the police said."
"Well the police also said that Bootsy was Taylor's son, I'm more interested in that as a story." Shuttering to think about how that could have happened. Of course Lorelai had her suspect for the phony murder, the little punk, which led her to thinking about Luke again.
Rory sat at the Inn's kitchen, and was going through Inn receipts for her mother. "Mom, you're not writing what you purchased on the back of any of the inn's credit cards receipts".
"Oh, well, just put cooking spray and sponges."
"Okay. And when an auditor wants to know why you need such large amounts of cooking spray and sponges?"
"Then I drop my pencil and I put the scoop neck sweater that I'm now making a mental note to wear to good use."
"I don't think Luke will like that, but okay," Rory said under her breath.
Sookie was still upset about learning Fran was the owner of the Dragonfly/the Rachel property, and that she planned to own it forever and ever. Sookie couldn't shake the foreboding feeling that "the In Inn" would never become a reality. "I had a dream last night about us and Fran … Well, it was in the future and we were all old, you and me and Rory and Jackson and Michel, everyone. Gray hair, walking around with canes, we're all kind of ailing, you know? I had those big cataract glasses on. You were hard of hearing and kept going, Huh? Huh?"
Lorelai smirked, "Oh, that's attractive."
"Its you kids with your rock and roll." Rory scolded as she started on another chronological stack of invoices.
Sookie continued, " But wuh-ho, here walks up Fran, and guess what. She looks exactly the same, even better."
"Ugh! That's not fair." Lorelai pouted.
"That woman is gonna live forever."
Rory chimed in "Hey Sookie in your dream did mom and Luke finally come out?"
Her mother took offense to that, "Hey!"
But Rory moved quickly to her point "And you guys have got to stop talking like that. We love Fran remember? Fran is great." The Cake is great.
Sookie gently explained, "No, honey, of course we love Fran. We just wanna know what God's little plan is for her, that's all."
Michel entered the kitchen. "Lorelai that man is here looking for you again."
"Antonio Banderas?"
"No," Michel droned out in his trademark "I'm so bored with your lives" tone, "the one who is a bad dresser."
"Kirk?" Oh Please, Dear God, No!
"No," Michel repeated, as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Okay I'm gonna need more of a clue,"
"The one with the flannel, he was here for the fashion show?"
"ummmm Luke?" Lorelai asked hopefully.
"Yes, why does he keep coming here, doesn't he know we already have a handy man?"
"Well Michel in your own words Rune is an 'imbecile'" Lorelai mimicked a horrible French accent, "so Luke comez and getz de jorb dune right, toot sweet."
"I hate you." and Michel was off in a pout.
Lorelai "ummm I'm just gonna see what Luke wants."
Sookie and Rory exchanged a knowing glance, and in unison teased, "uh huh."
Lorelai found Luke with Bert in the lobby. "If you keep bringing Bert to these little rendezvous people are gonna think we are into kinky stuff."
"If people even know that we are having rendezvous. So … where's the leak?"
"Right this way."
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This time she had surprised him with a real Leak, keeps him on his toes.
Lorelai was still smiling from her time with Luke. It reminded Lorelai of how she used to sneak around with a boy in high school, and we all know how that turned out. It's not like they had a full blown visit, just a little necking in an unoccupied room, a little alone time to say its been a long day, and I missed you. When Lorelai returned to the front desk with her broad smile, she came to find an unexpected visitor. "Mia?"
"Hello my darling" Mia walked up and hugged the young woman who was almost a daughter to her. "Why Lorelai, you look absolutely radiant!"
And I didn't even have sex today… Lorelai automatically felt guilty for using the guest room for her own special reasons a few days ago. The least she could do was pay for the few hours they used it. That's a little …weird this whole situation is a little weird. "What are you doing here?"
"What? I can't give my two favorite girls a surprise inspection?"
"Why no, I mean, of course you can … it's just… you usually call…"
"That would take out all the surprise…" Mia cheerfully pointed out. Rory came out of the kitchen, and saw the visitor.
"Mia!" the teen came over to greet their boss, friend, and owner of the independence Inn.
Upon seeing both of them, the seasoned woman's heart lifted "Uh! Oh there she is!" And she hugged Rory tightly." Just look at you, both of you! Oh, you're too thin as always."
Rory gave her wide innocent eyes, "But we eat."
"And you're both too beautiful."
Suppressing her guilt forcing her smile, Lorelai dramatically admitted. "Yes, that's true. We often feel guilty monopolizing the amount of beauty we're in possession of." Or using hotel rooms we shouldn't.
"And I don't see you enough which is entirely my fault, so you both pass."
"Aww." Lorelai touched by the compliment from the woman she admired and gave her a helping hand all those years ago.
"So, are you too busy to sneak out with me for a walk?"
"Not if it's okay with the boss." Rory had to smile at a woman who was part of her childhood family.
"It's a demand at this point."
"Well, Let's go." Still unable to believe she was caught off guard by her own boss, watch ye there, there for, you know not when the master of the house cometh, "Michel, hold down the fort? "Lorelai ordered.
Mia had an almost mischievous smile for the outing, "I know just where I want to visit first."
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Luke had needed the break from fiddling with his old toaster, and seeing Lorelai how ever ridiculous the circumstances was always welcome. He looked up from his project just in time to see Lorelai coming down the street, didn't I just leave you? However she wasn't alone.
The trio of ladies entered Luke's diner. "Look at this place, it's exactly the same," Mia marveled.
"Actually, I made him paint it a few months ago." Lorelai smiled proudly at her power over the diner man.
"Will wonders never cease, how ever did you manage that?" Mia grinned. Lorelai noticed an interesting tone with the question, but it was soon forgotten when Luke came to greet Mia.
"Mia hey," As he hugged her.
"Nice to see you, Lucas," Not being one to shy away when a handsome man was approaching.
"You're the only person in the world who can call me that, Mia." Well, Maisy too.
"I know this."
"I'm saying it for others who plan to try it later," eyeing Lorelai.
"Whatever Lucas," Lorelai teased, knowing she could get away with a lot more than that, hoping she didn't blush from seeing him earlier.
"Mia, you know anything about toasters?" thinking of the broken one on his counter.
"Not a damn thing."
"Well, you're no good to me then. Sit down and let me get you some coffee." and Luke went to check on the fresh pot he just brewed.
Lorelai eagerly wanting to catch up with her boss, "So, Mia, how's living in Santa Barbara?"
"Horrible. Did you know the damn sun shines all the time out there?"
"They've written songs about that." Rory nodded finding Mia's dislike of the weather amusing. Most people would kill for that weather.
"Well, no one told me that's how it was. Half of my wardrobe is obsolete."
"Aw, drag. Hey, you know that vintagey blue coat?" that Luke would so love me in.
"You're not getting it."
"Right." Damn.
Jess entered the diner and criticized Luke, who was taking another stab at that toaster as a fresh pot brewed.
"You're making that worse."
"Big help, thanks."
Mia nudged Lorelai, "whose that?"
"Luke's nephew."
"Hmmm, Looks dangerous", she offered as an aside to the girls, but when Luke came back to the table with coffee, Mia brightly asked, " Luke, that's your nephew?"
"Yeah, It's Liz's kid. Jess" calling the hoodlum over, "this is Mia, she owns the Independence Inn."
To which Monosyllable boy was his usual charming self. "Huh," obviously not impressed or just didn't care.
"That's 'Hello, nice to meet you' in slacker." Luke explained.
"You don't need me down here, do you?" and Jess left the table, and headed back upstairs.
"I'm sorry Mia. He's just…" a pain in the ass.
Mia waved it off, "Oh please, forget it. You weren't exactly a talkative boy yourself when you were his age."
This thought pleased Lorelai, "That's right, you knew Luke as a boy." Now she was gonna get dirt on her boyfriend, since she didn't have the sister or the mother to hit up for details.
Rory's brow furrowed, "I can't imagine Luke as a boy." He's always been … Luke.
"Can we change the subject?" Luke almost pleaded.
"He would help people carry groceries home." Mia recalled,
"Oh, how very Boy Scout-y of you." Rory smiled thinking it cute. That seems like Luke.
"For a quarter a bag." Mia eyed, the young man.
"Oh, how very John Birch Society-y of you." Wondering how well she knew her beau.
"He was never without his skateboard for a time."
Apparently I don't know him at all, Lorelai was impressed, "Were you any good?"
"I could hold my own."
"And there was that year you wore the same shirt everywhere you went," The details slowly coming back to Mia.
Oh Crap. "I don't remember that."
"Must have been something flannel," Lorelai shrugged.
"No, it was from that TV show. That famous one."
Luke tried to dismiss it, "It's not important." Please stop now, …
Then if came to Mia clear as day, "Star Trek, that's it!"
Lorelai could hardly control herself, "Oh my God, oh my God!"
"Stop it," knowing he'd never hear the end of it.
Rory couldn't believe it, "You were a Trekkie?"
"I was not a Trekkie." Luke rolled his eyes, hoping the other diner patrons didn't hear a Trekkie was serving them. FORMER Trekkie.
"Uh uh, I do believe that denying you were a Trekkie is a violation of the prime directive."
"Indubitably captain," Rory egged on.
Luke tried to dig himself out of the hole Mia threw him in, "It was a gift from my aunt, I wore it to make her happy."
"I've never wanted to make any aunt of mine that happy."
Mia gave Luke innocent eyes, "Did I say something I shouldn't have?"
"Oh no Mia, that's okay. I just have to cancel everything I have scheduled for the next three months 'cause I'll still be laughing my ass off."
It was nice to be catching up with Mia. They enjoyed a verbal tennis match between Taylor and Luke, to the entertain the lunch crowd, back and forth they volleyed in yet another argument about Jess' guilt or innocence in some hooligan escapade. The girls reminisced over their first meeting, old times, and to bring Mia up to speed on everything… well in Rory's life that is. Ever since Mia mentioned she would be lost with out Lorelai, Lorelai stayed very quiet. Lost, and she was selfishly plotting on leaving Mia high and dry with the Inn.
"Oh excuse me girls, I must… powder my nose or my true age will show..."
Lorelai forced a smile, hoping she could finally relax a bit with Mia gone, then noticed the grin her daughter was failing to suppress, "What?" but Rory couldn't answer, holing in the snickers "Seriously, what?"
It was just too perfect, and Rory couldn't stop laughing, "You're sleeping with a Trekkie."
"Oh My God!"
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Just another exciting town meeting. Where Luke blew his top because the entire business community, well, Taylor ganged up on him. But she had to smile at her quick defense of a flustered Luke.
- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Look, I've lived in this town my entire life, longer than most everybody here."
Bootsy butted in as always, "I beg to differ. I'm five weeks older than you, that means I've been here five weeks longer. "
Luke ignored him and ranted, because it's what he does best… well the second thing he does best. " I've never bothered anyone. I've kept to myself and I've done the best I could. I pay my taxes, and I help people when I can. I haven't pitched in on the decorative pageantry town stuff because it all seems insane to me, but I don't get in the way of that stuff either.
Taylor seemed bored with the topic now, "What's your point, Luke?"
Lorelai jumped in, "His point is…do you mind?"
"Be my guest", overwhelmed with the subject and happy to have someone on his side.
"His point is, that if there's a problem…"
"And I'm not saying there's a problem." Luke insisted.
"Right, he's not saying there is a problem, but if there it, give him time to deal with it before you storm his diner with torches and pitchforks. "
Luke was agreeing with what ever it was she said, " Right. What I'm dealing with, being a problem, that I don't necessarily agree that I even have." Not that he made much sense as mad as he was.
"Right." he is so cute when he gets flustered.
"I didn't get that last part. " Taylor was now confused.
"Lay off him because what you're all doing stinks."
Luke couldn't take it any more, he needed some air, "I'm done here. I'm done with all of you. Oh, and I was gonna stay open later in case anyone wanted to eat after the meeting. Forget that. "
- - - - - - - -
Heading home with Mia and Rory, Lorelai looked toward the diner and wondered if Luke was okay.
Mia's craving for small town drama seemed satisfied, "Well, I must say that was quite exciting."
"A little disturbing. I think the whole town needs a field trip," Lorelai was still thinking of Luke above the diner by himself.
"Do you think Luke's okay?" Rory was worried.
Touched how great minds thought alike, and desperately fighting the urge to go see him, Lorelai reassured, "I think he will be ... He just needs to cool off a little," but she was still looking back at the diner concerned.
"Hey, I'm gonna go check on Dean. He's been scraping that outline off the cement for two days now."
"Good idea. There's nothing like your face on his to make the cleaning process go faster. "
"She's all yours Mia." Rory shook her head and went off to find Dean.
"I'll take her." Mia hugged Lorelai as they walked arm in arm.
"Oh, I am just having the most wonderful time. And I am so proud of you and Rory. You both have just come so far."
"Yeah, we have." This was it the moment Lorelai was dreading. "Um, Mia, I need to talk to you about something."
"Of course. What is it, honey?"
"Well, um, it's really hard, and uh, I should've brought it up ages ago, but Sookie and I are thinking of making a change."
"A change?" the elder woman encouraged.
"We're going to open our own inn."
"Oh!" Mia was intrigued and surprised by the idea.
"I mean, we've talked about it for a long time and it seems like the time is right and…Oh Mia, I love the Independence Inn and Sookie loves it too and we both love you so much. "
"I know." Mia smiled almost wondering why they didn't move sooner.
"But it just feels like something we need to do and…you hate me."
"No I don't."
"I'm letting you down. I'm walking out. I'm being ungrateful."
"Lorelai, stop. Do you think I was naïve enough to think that you'd work for me forever? You and Sookie have more talent for this business than I do. And I'm very good. You're going to open an incredible place, and if you don't let me help you in any way I can, then I'll be very mad."
"Of course, we need your help. We'd be lost without your help."
"Good. I was just wondering, what's the time frame for this big move?"
"Well, we're waiting for this perfect location to free up, that's all that's delaying us. But I promise you'll have plenty of notice and I'll be there to find our replacements and train them."
"Oh yes, that's very sweet of you, but I'm wondering if you could possibly make it sooner rather than later?"
Lorelai was taken off guard by that suggestion "What?"
"Well, you see, your leaving gives me the perfect excuse to finally sell the place."
"Sell the place?" Lorelai felt like she had been punched in the gut.
"Oh, I get offers all the time, lucrative ones, but I never even considered it because. . . oh, of course I love the inn, but I just couldn't do that to you. And now that you have this big change coming up in your life, it might be time for one in mine."
"Oh. Good, uh, good. Then it all works out good."
"Actually, it's very good!"
"Okay. Well…good." Wondering how in wanting to avoid hurting Mia, Lorelai is the one that took the blow.
"Well I think I better inspect this boyfriend of Rory's, make sure he's up to our standards… good night dear. And why don't you check on that boyfriend of yours… "
"Huh?"
"Why, you and Luke?"
Double take number two, Lorelai was at a loss, and stammered, "what? … how did you?"
"Lorelai, it's obvious, you two fit so well together… how you play off each other, you compliment each other… how quick you were to come to his defense at the meeting tonight?"
Lorelai was touched by the nice, accepting things Mia was saying about her relationship. Is it really that obvious? Man I wish you were my real mother…
"That and I saw you two at the wedding," Mia admitted.
"You what?"
"… I believe you were calling it the Bridezilla party."
"You saw us? When?" please not during lucky number 7.
"I came in early for the wedding, I knew the family and knew this was going to be a big deal, so I thought I'd come in for support, but as always, you had everything well under control. I was just doing a walk through of the Inn, I turned the corner on the second floor, … and there you were…. With Lucas, shall we say … enjoying each others company?" the elder woman smiled.
Lorelai couldn't believe it, "you are a wonder?"
"I know, now as I said, go and … check on him, " Mia gave Lorelai a little wink.
Under strict orders, Lorelai turned back to the dinner ready to check on her man.
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Luke heard the knocking on the door, thinking it was Taylor wanting to continue the fight, "What?" when he saw it was Lorelai he instantly regretted his volume, "Oh, sorry, I thought …"
"That I grew a beard and would be wearing a cardigan?"
" I told you the diner's closed, and telling you where that spare key was is for emergency use only."
"This counts, my boyfriend is upset, and I'm a little upset, so I thought we'd make each other feel better." Lorelai suddenly realized where she was. "is Jess here?"
"Nah, he's out probably committing a real murder this time."
"Then can I come in? you can protect me."
"Sure," and he opened the door further to let her in. when he shut it again, Lorelai took his hand.
"Some one needs a hug."
"I don't need a hug." He rolled his eyes, " … I'm just … frustrated with him."
"I know."
" I mean I am trying, you can't say that I'm not trying."
"I know you are."
"…but every time I try to sit him down or talk to him he just… makes some snide smart ass comment and ignores me."
Lorelai pulled Luke closer to the couch, where this serious talk would be more comfortable.
"I mean, he doesn't respect me, … My dad had my respect, my dad had a way to make me listen, when William Danes spoke, I sure as hell listened."
"Well when Luke Danes rants I listen, now come on sit down."
"I don't wanna sit down…"
"You ready for that hug?" Lorelai teased again.
Giving her a half smile, "Sure," just wanting to be close to her again.
Lorelai slid her arms around him, Luke let out a grunt of a sigh, and then he remembered, "Why are you upset?"
"Oh it's … nothing… "
"Lorelai?"
This is what a relationship is, you each dump on each other what is bothering you… "Mia is selling the inn. She just told me, and that hit me hard, maybe harder than actually having to tell her I wanted to strike out on my own and open my own Inn. It's not gonna be … I'm gonna be without a home." And Lorelai buried her head in his shoulder.
" What do you mean? The Crap Shack is your home. "
Lorelai had to laugh at his remembering the pet name for her house, "No, I mean a home home. A memory home. The inn is where Rory took her first step. It's where I took my first step. It's more of a home to me more than my parents' house ever was."
He kissed Lorelai's forehead and gave her a squeeze, "You're just scared. Just like everybody else when they're taking on something big."
"Well, then what does everybody else do to get through this feeling?"
Luke sighed, "They run in the back, throw up, pass out and then smack their head on the floor. "
Lorelai pulled back to look him in the eye, "What?"
"That's what I did on the first morning I opened the diner." Lorelai had to smiled because she could see it in her head. "Look, there is no button to push to get you through this. You just gotta jump in and be scared and stick with it until it gets fun."
"How long 'til the diner got fun?" she liked learning new things about him.
"About a year."
"Wow. And there's no button?"
"Nope."
"How about a lever, can I pull a lever?"
"Nope. "
"Turn a knob?"
"Nope. "
"You just jump?"
"You just jump."
"I wanna do it."
"You should do it .. and I wanna help in anyway I can."
Lorelai took a deep breath, "you're really good at making a girl feel better."
"Well you're really good at making a boy feel better."
She cuddled up with him again. "so … Trekkie huh?"
"It was a long time ago…"
"In a galaxy far far away?"
"That is star wars…"
"He knows the difference… So, it goes beyond star trek?"
"Will you stop?"
"Okay…." Then she remembered, "Oh speaking of which, Mia knows."
"Knows what?"
"About … us?"
"What? How does she know…"
"Well, she sorta … saw us…"
"What? When?"
"At the Inn, during the Bridezilla wedding."
"Oh," recalling their hallway rendezvous.
"I know, I'm sorry, but she's like… family… " Lorelai shrugged with a smile. At least she knows before my mother… OH God telling my mother… ummmmm still a bas idea.
"Well you said we were keeping quiet for your sake. You want the town to see some … story book … thing unfold… I personally don't care. I just need to see you more… like this."
Lorelai smiled "Is that your way of saying you want me?"
"Why do you have to make every thing Dirty?"
"In general or Right now"
"Take your pick."
"Well, let me see I choose." And she pulled him in for a long kiss. The remnants of the town meeting stragglers would be none the wiser to what was going on right under their noses … or above rather, at the diner.
Just as Lorelai deepened the kiss, just when breaths became short, just when the couple was sure clothing would be the next thing to go, the door of the apartment burst open, the couple froze and almost hated to look at who had discovered them. They had to look and sure enough it was Jess, the only logical choice, who else would have business coming up here.
Some how Jess managed his expression to look both smug and shocked at the same time.
Luke removed his hands from Lorelai's ass, "Oh ummm hey? I thought you went out."
"Yeah, … finished my book ... I needed another one."
Luke only nodded in understanding, taking a few safe steps away from Lorelai. Not sure what to say about the situation he found his Uncle in, Jess decided to clarify, " I thought you were at the … town meeting."
"Uuummm, yeah, I left early, … uhhh you … remember … Lorelai."
Lorelai gave Jess a small wave, but she didn't know where to look, it was certainly not at Jess. She could hear the echo of his smart-ass assumptions his first week in Stars Hollow. The whole starry eyed 'you're so much better off, just give it a chance' speech. You're either really naïve, or you're getting some. And here she was proving that statement right.
"… Uhhhhh yeah … Uncle Luke? Is there something you want to tell me?" he said slowly, full of condescension as he crossed his arms.
"I'll call you later." He whispered to Lorelai.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, go,"
"uhhh okay? … ummm bye Jess." Still unable to meet the teen's gaze as she headed quickly for the door.
"Bye Aunt Lorelai."
The smug comment inspired a shy glance between Luke and Lorelai. With reassurance from Luke she left the boys alone. With Lorelai gone, Luke could try to handle Jess Man to Man. "sit down Jess."
"Don't tell me … she had something in her eye ..."
"Jess."
"…and you were only trying to help her get it out…"
"Jess."
"… one thing lead to another, and your faces just ended up like that."
"Jess!" now having his nephew's attention, "sit."
"You finally couldn't take it any more huh? … At least you could've put a sock on the door!"
"Shut up and sit down!"
Jess did as requested, unable to wait for this explanation, something about the birds and the bees… 'you see Jess, when a man and a woman love each other very much…'
"You may have noticed, Lorelai and I spend a lot of time together."
Jess had several unsavory comments to choose from, but since his Uncle looked so serious, Jess only crossed his arms in his seat as reaction and decided to stay silent in his seat.
"Now, you know I helped out to present Rory, right."
"Yeah, you only told me … after the fact. I could have sold tickets, sold the pictures of you in that tux."
"First off, you never tell me where you go or what you do, Every time you leave here I don't know what you're up to. It works both ways, okay, so, don't even try that card. Secondly, that statement tells me I was in the right in not trusting you with this information. BUT against my own better judgment, I'm going to trust you now, I'm telling you now, Lorelai and I are seeing each other."
"Congratulations, I'll get you a new toaster for the diner so you can stop tinkering with that old one…" not seeing what that had to do with him.
"Will you shut up! … Now, as I said I'm trusting you. I'm sure you've noticed the gossips in this town who have no life of their own apparently and just live through other people. Here's your chance to make your money back, all of them would just love to know about me and Lorelai, but for now we are keeping it quiet to avoid that attention."
Jess just sat there silent, and listened to his uncle.
"We just don't want to hear all the I told you so's, or the prying in what little time we can find together. As I said I'm trusting you with this, and you know trust works both ways, if you wanted to talk to me or tell me anything. I'm here Jess, believe it or not. I'm trying to help."
"Whatever."
"Okay fine, do what you want with your upper hand. I've got to go." He didn't really; he just went into the storage room and rearranged boxes till he thought Jess was asleep.
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A/N: as the old song goes… I know something you don't know, you don't know, you don't know. I know something you don't know and I'm not telling.
-it's amazing how a lot of this still fits even with them together makes you wonder why we had to wait so long!
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"That was all God given talent..." why thank you Luke!
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R/R: PLEASE, I like to better myself. To quote The Princess Bride,
"...Remember this is for posterity, ... so be honest."
Please be specific with R/R; name one (or as many as you can think of or want to mention..…) at least specific thing you liked
Please! It makes me feel good...inside (Dirty!)
Hence the Rant option below.
Insert Rant here V
A/N: if not completely satisfied with this chapter, please return unused portion for a full refund …