Presenting … Lucas Danes?
By GilmoreGirl1979 (the Reigning Quote Queen)
Provider of Quality FAN FICTION
Rating: let's say PG-13 with an ish?
R/R: yes please I love reviews; I wanna marry them (as previously stated, I have strange passions.)
Friendly disclaimer: I REJECT ASP's REALITY and SUBSTITUE MY OWN! NO HARM, NO SUE! Sneaky Luke and Sneaky Lorelai with creeping music by Sam Philips sold separately.
LUVZ: I miss you!
FEATURED BETA: Localizy, Wonder Twin Powers Activate!
A/N: Dialouge borrowed from 2.11 - Secrets and Loans / written by Linda Loiselle Guzik /directed by Nicole Holofcener
Chapter 25
What If God Were One Of Us?
With her shoes in hand, Lorelai crept into the house in the wee hours of the morning, exhausted from her evening. She had gone to bed all right, just not to sleep. Knowing the habits of her neighbors, she knew she had safely gotten in the house before anyone was out for their morning paper.
She was still wearing her dress from last night and about to take the first step up to her room, when a voice from behind her said, "Have fun?" Lorelai turned around to find her daughter lying on the couch, catching her mother sneaking into the house as if she a 17 year old.
"Hi," Lorelai smiled guiltily.
"Just answer the question…young lady," Rory teased crossing her arms in her robe.
Lorelai giggled in a high-pitched voice, "You called me young lady."
"Answer, please!"
"Yes," Lorelai said honestly, smiling coyly over the surprise on Luke's face when they were again in lucky number 7 and the realization that Lorelai had the room rendezvous planned since before he came to pick them up for the New Years Party.
"That's all I need to know, when's Luke coming over?"
"Oh well, we thought we'd save the movie for tonight, we're… kinda beat," Lorelai cleared her throat.
"Too much information. How about 7? Is that a long enough nap for you?"
"Aw yeah… plenty…"
"Well, you get your beauty sleep and I'm gonna run a few errands, maybe go to the book store. I'll tell Luke the time."
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Rory killed a few hours at the bookstore, and then on her way home stopped by the diner to bring her mother some coffee. Jess was working behind the counter and Rory politely approached him.
"Four large coffees, to go please."
"Four?"
"My mom had a late night…"
"Yeah, my uncle had a long one too… only he doesn't drink coffee as you know."
Rory looked slyly around, "Is this weird?"
"What?"
"You know keeping them under wraps?"
"Frankly I would have liked to have exposed them, pardon the choice of words, a while ago…but… well I thought a lot about what you said…"
"What I said?" Rory perked up.
"Yeah, about well, acting like an ass hole and Luke was only trying to help…doing his best…with what my mother dealt him."
"You're not so bad." Rory was happy her words seemed to have a positive effect on Jess.
"Yeah" Jess told her, "I figure he deserves the break too, and you know how I need discipline and to gain the self respect from a hard days work…. Or something…"
"Yeah."
"I still can't believe how dumb this town is… I mean, I didn't have to see… you know …them together for five minutes before I knew something was going to happen."
"Yeah, well what are we to do about those crazy kids?"
"Please dear God let them go public soon… then I won't be the only one suffering… You know…knowing what their doing…"
"Hey? I know too, I'm suffering too?"
"Yeah but you're a girl… you just see it as a romantic story…"
"Well I'm used to it…" Rory shrugged. "Hey we are watching a movie tonight… you want to come over with Luke…"
"No thanks."
"Come on! You've avoided the movie nights long enough… and you conned your way out of Christmas…this is a new year… new resolutions…a time to change your bad habits…" Rory smiled smugly.
Jess rolled his eyes, "We'll see…"
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Luke had thought about Jess coming with him to the Gilmore movie night all day. He just didn't know how to ask him, they had a nice bonding moment destroying the snowman together, then… nothing. True Jess helped out at the diner voluntarily now, and promised not to burn the place down so Luke and Lorelai could have their week alone. Jess excluded himself from Christmas, and they couldn't bring him along for the New Years party; the elder Gilmore's had enough trouble putting up with Luke's attendance.
"Jess come on, come over to the Gilmore's with me."
"No thanks."
Luke rolled his eyes, "Well, stop by later if you want… we usually watch more than one movie."
After his uncle left, Jess closed his book to consider if he should go over. His uncle had been great these last few weeks. Since Jess proved himself responsible to his uncle, Luke didn't ask so many questions, as long as Jess showed up when he said he would show up, and wasn't followed by cops, Luke seemed content to let him be a man and take care of himself.
And yet, destroying the snowman with Luke, was the first bit of fun Jess had with his uncle in stay in Stars Hollow. That, and debating and bantering with Rory Gilmore. Jess didn't know why he liked the girl next door, goodie two shoes that was Rory Gilmore. She wasn't like the girls he usually went for, she was smart, and driven, had goals, was funny and stood out no matter how she tried to blend in. At least she stood out to Jess. Jess decided he would finish the chapter he was on then pay a visit to the Gilmore's.
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Luke knocked on the door at 7; and Lorelai greeted Luke enthusiastically at the door again with an expectant smile, "Luke?"
"What?"
Only Lorelai's eyes looked to the ceiling.
Luke looked up, "For crying out loud…" she still had the plastic mistletoe above the door.
"Rules are rules… now pucker up!"
"You didn't have enough last night?"
"I'll never get enough of you," she promised with that sexy smile.
In a Déjà vu moment, Rory turned the corner, to find them all over each other again. "For crying out loud!" she rolled her eyes. "Am I gonna have to start wearing a bell so you know when I'm coming?"
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They settled in for the movie, and Rory liked watching Luke play with her mother's hair as they cuddled on their side of the couch. Smiling how a few months ago Luke wouldn't even hold Lorelai's hand around Rory.
Harry and Sally had just met up again after Harry's divorce when there was another knocking at the door. Lorelai was confused, "Could it be my wish came true? Two Lukes?" and she sprang up to answer the door only to find Jess standing there, "Jess?"
Luke turned to look back at the front door, "Hey, you made it!"
"Umm yeah, well, yeah."
Luke saw the surprise on Lorelai's face, "I hope its okay? I invited him…"
"Hey, me too!" Rory laughed.
Lorelai forced a smile, welcoming the hoodlum in her house again. "No, no, it's fine… the more the merrier, um… how are you, Jess?" Lorelai found it hard to let go of her first impression of the teen, despite Luke's assurances that Jess was better and settled down now.
"Umm, fine, sorry, I was trying to finish a chapter of the book you guys gave me… umm thanks by the way…"
"Aw well you're welcome," Lorelai said politely. "Umm Rory, why don't you get our guest a drink…"
"Sure, follow me," Rory lead the way to the kitchen, happy Jess accepted the invitation.
"I hope you don't mind," Luke whispered, "I felt bad you know…he's been alone so much during the holidays…"
As Lorelai settled next to her fella again, she reassured Luke, "No, it's fine… really… it's good that he's here…and you know not exiled… it's good really, maybe it will give me a chance to get to get to know him." Lorelai had never felt truly comfortable around Jess, but knew for Luke's sake she had to really try.
Jess pulled an easy chair near the couch beside Rory, but still far enough away from the canoodling couple on the other end. Noticing Jess' discomfort around Luke and Lorelai being so affectionate, Rory assured Jess, "You get used to it."
The relationship between Harry and Sally was poignant for at least three of the viewers.
The exploration of the long friendship, the obvious hidden chemistry hit very close to home for the love story still kept under wraps from the town. Rory thought her mom was more of the Harry character, always ready with the sarcastic jokes, but Luke as the Sally Albright was way less high maintenance. Lorelai smiled when Harry and Sally finally went to bed together, thankful that the awkwardness between her self and Luke lasted a mere 15 minutes between acts that first night. The similarities of how Luke was comforting Lorelai, how that closeness lead to so much more, finding it ironic that it was all Emily's fault that they ended up together that night of the ball. Well, that and the week of attraction leading to the big event.
"We should be going," Luke suggested after the second movie.
"Well, maybe you can come over again? Tomorrow? Both of you?" Lorelai invited.
"Well, I have some you know end of the year inventory to do, so…" Luke regretted.
"Alright, well we'll see you at the diner for breakfast. Umm, Good night Jess."
"Night," and Jess was already out the front door.
"Goodnight Luke," Lorelai said to her boyfriend, gazing intensely at him.
Luke smiled and only kissed her goodnight, then joined his nephew to walk home.
"You've got it bad," Rory observed.
"Well, duh!" Lorelai grinned broadly.
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The first Wednesday of the New Year, Rory was in her room talking with her biological father, Chris, as previously scheduled and agreed upon. "Now the only question is, what am I going to do with all these business cards?" Rory laughed."Well you could recycle them, pass them out as your own, really confuse people," Chris joked.
"Do you think I really look like a Stan?"
"Is it Stan or Stanley on the card?"
"Stan?" Rory said wondering where her father was going with this.
"Hello my name is Standra?" Christopher suggested.
"What?" Rory had to laugh at the absurd name.
"Hey, I meet a lot of people and I've heard worse."
"Nothing beats Dorcas."
"Dorkis?" Chris couldn't believe that was a real name. "I think I used that in high school to insult the chess club…""It's from Seven Brides For Seven Brothers."
"Aw, still on a movie kick?"
"Yeah, school doesn't start till Monday so Mom is taking full advantage of the free daughter/mom time. Actually Dorcas was played by Julie Newmar, you know the original Catwoman from the 60's Batman series."
"How'd she do with the seven brothers in the cat suit?"
"Ha, Ha. It's a western musical, Dad. She was in frilly long skirts. She ended up with Benjamin, I think, it's hard to keep track… that's a good trivia question, match the Seven Brides with the correct Seven Brothers. Actually, I'm amazed Luke sat through it; I think he liked When Harry Met Sally better."
"Oh, umm, Luke was there?" Chris said uncomfortably.
"Well umm, yeah," okay awkward, "he's been well very attentive to mom, you know, since I went to see you in Boston… he …wanted to make sure she wasn't you know… lonely." My God, Rory shut up! This was a weird situation for any teenager with estranged parents to be in.
"So umm? Did Luke go to the party too?"
"Umm yeah, he was sort of my escort too, since Dean was still in Chicago."
"So the three of you had a good time…"
"Umm yeah? We did…"
"You know I don't think I ever recall the Gilmores having a New Year's party before."
"Nope. I think it was just to size Luke up."
"Oh, Emily and Richard never met Luke before?"
"Well, yeah of course they have," Rory said quickly. "I mean at the. …Ball," she hated to bring it up to her father again since he had missed it. "And well the Bracebridge dinner mom had at the Inn…oh and when Luke took mom to see grandpa in the hospital last year…"
"So, why the need to size him up?"
"Well, I think that… you know… Grandma wanted to make Luke uncomfortable… you know with that ritzy world… Luke is not really used to that…"
There was a strange pause and both tried to think of what else to say about the Luke/Lorelai relationship. Chris finally spoke up, "Oh umm, hey Sherry and I have reservations… I gotta go.""Oh umm, well sure, can't mess up Sherry's schedule."
"Rory," Chris warned.
"I know, I know, I'm sorry."
"Same time next week?"
"Sure, bye," Rory hung up the phone and when she turned around she saw the pointed glare on her mother's face as Lorelai stood in the doorway. "What?"
"You're talking to Chris about me and Luke?" Lorelai accused.
"What?"
"You're telling Chris intimate things about me and Luke?"
"What? No, I'm just… having a conversation with him… the conversation turned to Luke…he asked a few questions, I answered them honestly."
"Why, why, why would the conversation turn to Luke?"
"Because I hang out with Luke and I'm telling dad about the things I've done over the last week."
"Oh yeah? Well, I'd like permanent moratorium on you discussing Luke's and my relationship with him?"
"What? Why are you wigging?"
"I'm not wigging I just don't want my daughter to become a spy for her father and his girlfriend!" Lorelai quickly defended.
"Mom? Do you hear yourself?"
Lorelai was uncomfortable with her daughter giving intimate details of her and Luke to her father, considering how Chris treated the both of them the last time he saw them. Was she flying a bit off the handle, maybe, but that still didn't give Rory the right to chat about private matters. Lorelai didn't want Rory to spill the beans that no one but family knew about the relationship yet. Lorelai feared that on that dreadful day Chris came to town to pal around with Rory, he would discover no one else in town knew, that they had kept it secret for so long, and he would make comments and assumptions about her feelings. "Just, don't tell him we're not public yet okay… I mean he doesn't understand the situation."
"I live here and I don't understand the situation…"
"Rory," Lorelai warned.
"Don't worry your secrets safe with me…" Rory soothed.
"So what do you tell your dad … you know about Luke and me…" since Lorelai only heard the tail end of the conversation.
"Oh the usual… just how well I get along with him… and that you two are totally in love …"
"Well, good… good," for some reason Lorelai was uncomfortable with Chris knowing that too.
"You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine…"
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There was a beautiful frost through town and New Year started with a bang when Rory got her PSAT scores back and even Jess was sociable for the celebration. However, both Luke and Jess declined the Rocky Horror Picture show aspect of the celebration Lorelai had suggested. Luke didn't know if she was only kidding or not, but when fish net stockings were involved, he knew not to take any chances.
Lorelai was certain that with how painful her three days without her daughter were, 2002 showed much promise. If the end of 2001 was so bad, well bad with an ish considering how her and Luke ended 2001, perhaps 2002 would start off positively perfect, like another stolen night with Luke at the Inn!
"Fifteen thousand dollars!" Lorelai's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at Kirk's estimate of the damage her apparent "termites" had done to her beloved home, considering Lorelai had yet to actually see one. Sure, she nearly lost her foot to the porch, but so what…she had another one right?
"We're never eating again," Rory was daunted by the number even more so than her mother. Rory had never made 15,000 dollars in a year working at the inn, let alone to have it just lying around for emergencies, apparently Lorelai felt the same.
"I don't have fifteen thousand dollars. I've never had fifteen thousand dollars. I'm trying to picture fifteen thousand dollars - I can't! That's how unfamiliar fifteen thousand dollars and I are with each other!"
Kirk, as usual, was no help, "Well, maybe you can just fix part of the house. Fix the part you like."
"We like the entire house Kirk," Lorelai grumbled.
"Really? Even that kitchen?"
Lorelai scowled at him, but it went unfelt and unnoticed by the monotoned Renaissance man. "Thanks for coming over Kirk," she said, gritting her teeth in anger and frustration.
"So what are you gonna do?" Kirk was curious as ever.
"I don't know yet," she sighed not wanting to think about it and the details.
"Oh, 'cause you don't wanna wait too long to address this."
Lorelai scowled again, and bitingly said, "Yeah, I get that Kirk."
"Thanks for the waffles."
"Thanks for the horrifying news," she yelled back.
"Any time," Kirk said through a bite of waffle.
"Look, at it this way. The day's all uphill from here."
"This is really bad," Rory had never really been let in on her mom's monthly financial trials; nothing ever really affected her before. The power was never cut off, they always had phone service, and food was always in the fridge or delivered to the door. Rory never knew of wanting for anything, but now their very shelter was being threatened and Rory was happy to somehow help her mother with whatever solution they needed.
"Honey, don't worry, I'll figure something out."
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Lorelai bounced in her daughter's bed in the middle of the night. "Rory, wake up."
"What's going on?" Rory sat bolt up right.
"I can hear them chewing," Lorelai whined.
"Who?" Rory was now leaning back on her elbows.
"The termites." Lorelai explained, "I hear them. They're everywhere, nibbling and eating and swallowing."
"You're insane," Rory groaned as she tried to roll over, but her mom was lying on her covers.
"I can't sleep here."
"What?"
"No, we have to go to Sookie's."
"You're kidding right?"
"Nu uh."
"It's eleven o'clock at night."
"Yeah, well, here. But somewhere in the world it's still Miller time."
"Mom, you're wigging. Go put on some imaginary earplugs to drown out the imaginary termite sounds and go back to sleep."
"But -"
"Bed."
"But -"
"Why don't you call Luke and ask him if he can hear chewing?"
"But - ugh. You really don't hear them?"
"No, and as soon as you're asleep, you won't either."
"Okay, fine. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Rory was left tin the quiet, and after a few moments, she heard them too. "MOM!"
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10 minutes later, Luke was at their front door, "Hey what's the emergency?" Luke asked as soon as they let him in.
"Come here, come here, come here," Lorelai dragged him in by his jacket, "stand right here." She placed him in the middle of the living room. And nothing happened.
"Okay? What?" He said but was promptly shushed. A few more moments passed and he asked, "What?"
"Do you hear them?" Lorelai whispered, looking around the room nervously.
Luke looked at Lorelai funny. "What the voices in your head?" thinking the voices had finally got the better of her and began to wonder if they had conjugal visits at mental institutions.
"The termites."
"Termites? Who said you had termites."
"Kirk. He inspected the whole house…" Lorelai defended the usually quirky source of her information.
"You're gonna trust Kirk at his word?" Luke argued.
"Four of them crawled up his nose," Rory offered.
"Ugh," Luke grimaced.
"They can't help it," Lorelai was now defending the termites, "To them, a nostril looks just like another hollow passage in the wood. They're not too bright."
"Lorelai, you called me over here in the middle of the night…"
They double-teamed him with, "We were scared," Lorelai pouted, hoping he'd forgive her.
"Luke, you have to help, our house is falling down," Rory begged.
"We can't sleep for all the chewing," Lorelai added.
"I feel like they're crawling all over me," Rory rubbed her arms.
"Well, there's not much I can do now…its dark out… unless you want the termites crawling up my nose…" Luke shot off.
"NO! And gross, but tomorrow? Please?" Lorelai pawed at his arm.
"Saturday, I'll have Jess to cover the diner…"
"Okay… thank you, thank you," and Lorelai planted a long kiss on Luke, to which Rory rolled her eyes and had to clear her throat like at Christmas.
Lorelai pulled away with pure admiration for her boyfriend. "Okay," she giggled, "Well, we have to get to Sookie's. We're having a slumber party of sorts…"
Luke suddenly wished he had larger place to accommodate the termite refugees himself and have another night with Lorelai beside him, since being with Lorelai was habit forming. "Well umm, I'll see you guys tomorrow," and Luke left.
Rory exclaimed, "Willing to get termites up his nose. That has to be love!"
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Lorelai got a minor stomachache from the milk shakes at Sookie's Slumber party, which was nothing, compared to the headache she got from calling all over Connecticut for a loan. However, the headache was nothing compared to the sheer migraine of Friday night dinner.
Lorelai tried to sneak an aspirin, but eagle eye Emily spotted it. "What are you taking?"
"Roofies," she misdirected.
"Aspirin," Rory corrected.
"Are you getting sick?" Emily asked her daughter.
"No, I just have a headache."
"Well, having a headache means you're sick. You think it's normal to have a headache?"
"No, I just have a tension headache."
"Well, what do you have to be tense about?" Emily interrogated again.
"Oh, well, I can't begin to think," Lorelai rolled her eyes. This conversation, being forced to come here every week out of gratitude and obligation, the simple fact that you know nothing about what normal people have to deal with in a day, like my house falling down around me, oh I could just go on and on…
"You should lie down," Emily suggested.
"I'm fine."
"You work too hard."
"No, I don't."
And Emily pounced, "So then you are sick? I knew it, what's wrong?"
"Consumption with a touch of the vapors. I'm going for a leeching tonight after coffee."
Even though before dinner Lorelai explicitly told Rory, "I'll find a way to fix it," and "Grandma and Grandpa are not an option", Rory brought it up anyway.
"She's got a case of exterminator-itis."
"What's that mean?"
"Nothing," Lorelai glared at her daughter.
And Rory confessed the whole affair, "We have termites. They're eating our whole house."
Lorelai quipped, "But they always say thank you."
Emily cocked her head to one side, "What does that mean, they're eating your whole house?"
"Rory," Lorelai scolded since she was going against her wishes.
"Well, we found out that we have all these foundation problems and it's going to be very expensive to fix and Mom can't get a loan."
"That is not true!"
"You've been turned down by four banks."
Emily immediately got up, and walked over to a desk and sat down, Lorelai followed her.
"Mom, uh, wait. What are you doing?"
"I'm writing you a check."
"No you're not. Okay, hold on here."
"How much do you need?"
"Nothing." Lorelai insisted,and after another drawn out argument Lorelai finally had to resort to holding Emily's pen hostage through dinner to keep her from writing a check.
Another mother daughter fight started between the Gilmore girls. "Okay, I get it, you're mad," Rory observed as her mother gave her the silent treatment on the ride home, into the house, and up the stairs to Lorelai's bed room.
"You were just being stubborn." Rory pleaded.
So don't wanna talk about this right now!
"Well, you didn't want to ask for help, so I did."
That snapped Lorelai's mouth open, "Hey, do you remember the conversation we had before we left this house tonight?"
"Yes, but –"
"I told you going to my parents was not an option."
"I know, but -"
"In fact, I told you several times that asking my parents was not an option. Now yes, I might have made a few quips to lighten the subject matter, but I still think I made my point pretty damn clear."
"Fine, but we have a real problem here."
"Oh, you think I don't know that? You think I sit around all day swapping witticisms with Robert Benchley at the Algonquin? No! I am thinking and worrying and using the computer and I hate using the computer!"
"Which is exactly why I brought this up."
"You had no right to bring it up!" Lorelai shouted.
"Why?"
"Because I told you not to, that's why!"
"But -."
"No, there are no buts! There will be no buts here! There's 'I'm sorry Mom', there's 'I screwed up Mom', there's 'I'll never do it again Mom', but there are no buts!"
"But -."
"Out!"
"Mom!"
"Go to bed. We're done." Lorelai slammed her bedroom door.
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"She's just being so stubborn," Rory complained again. She had been venting to Dean, but he had practice, so she recounted the whole story to Luke as well.
"Look, I know you're…frustrated, but you're mom is the head off the house and you have to respect that. I'm talking from experience here…okay… I wish I got half the respect from Jess that I gave to my dad."
"I know… but… she's…too proud too…"
"Hey, she already went to your grandparents for Chilton, right?"
"Well yeah?"
"And that took a lot out of her to do that…"
"Well sure…" Rory shrugged.
"So she doesn't feel like groveling back to them again… begging for money again if there is any other possible solution so she won't be under your grandmother's thumb forever…giving your grandmother more ammo on what a horrible mother she is… "
"Wow, you really know her…"
Luke looked around the diner cautiously, "Well, I've known her for years. And in my opinion she is a fantastic Mom."
Rory suddenly remembered they were in the diner and to be vigilant about what was said, "Luke can you talk to her… when you look at the porch."
"I don't know what good it will do…you both have tendency to dig your heels in."
"I hate it when we fight," Rory said quietly.
"I know."
"She was so mad," Rory looked at Luke with doleful eyes again.
"Well you'll make up. Here," and he gave her a refill. "On the house."
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Lorelai's mood didn't improve when Mr. Regalsky avoided her again. His assistant told her that he had gone on an extended trip to France to avoid Lorelai's pleas for a loan, even thought Lorelai had just spoken to the gentleman in question not five minutes ago.
After she was mercilessly teased by Michel about her desperate situation and the depth she would stoop to make some quick cash, Lorelai longed to see Luke and his assessment of the foundation, termites up his nose or not.
She had just put on her coat when Michel handed her the phone, "Your mother."
Lorelai dramatically sank, but took the phone. "Hi mom." As she expected her mood went even further down hill from there.
Emily had arranged a meeting for Lorelai at the First National Bank with Miles Hahn, who over the years of business with the Gilmores had become a very dear friend. Naturally, Emily relayed the whole of Lorelai's situation to Miles, and for about 5.2 seconds Lorelai was tempted to do it… but she didn't want to be trapped further in Emily land than she already was.
"Okay Mom, I gotta get back to work," she lied to get away and find Luke, problem solver extraordinaire.
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At Lorelai's house she was impatient for an answer from her fella. "Well, how's it look?"
"It's dark. Hand me the flashlight," Luke asked.
"Why don't you have one of those hats with the lights on them?"
"I flip burgers for a living." Then he crawled out of the space from her porch, "Okay. I think I've seen enough."
Lorelai was anxious to hug him, offer him a lap dance like she had Mr. Regalsky over the phone, which was probably why he went to France, but Lorelai was desperate for some good news. "Well how was it? Was there like a termite housing development under there? Golf courses and condos with rec rooms?"
Luke prettied it up, "It's actually not too bad."
"Well what do you know? You flip burgers for a living."
"I mean, there's definitely a little damage."
"Yeah, but Kirk says that the joists were totally gone."
"Yeah, they are."
"And that the foundation has lost all its structural integrity."
"That's true too." He couldn't deny it or she would know he was lying.
"Okay great, so I'm still screwed."
"Not necessarily."
She scoffed at him, "Luke, I need fifteen thousand dollars which I can't find, don't have, and if I don't find, the house is gonna fall down."
"I can help you with that."
"You can?"
"Yeah, I can get a couple guys, we can get in there and do the work."
"You can fix this?" It was too good to be true for Lorelai. Luke Danes, Miracle man.
"Well, I can help. I know a good contractor. He did some work on the diner."
"What about the money?"
"Um, you won't have to deal with that right away."
"I won't?"
"No, you can pay it out in installments if you want. Monthly, bimonthly, whatever - whatever you're comfortable with."
Now, it sounded like a trick to Lorelai. "So, let me get this straight. You and some guys who actually know what they're doing are gonna come over and fix my house, and I can pay them back whenever I want?"
"That's right."
"'Cause I'm Tony Soprano?"
"Only scarier."
"Now Luke, when I finally do make out this installment check, uh, who should I make it out to?"
"Well, you can make it out to me if you like."
"Oh, so basically you would be fronting me the money?"
"Well, yeah, but its no big deal."
"Luke, that's a loan," she pointed out with her finger.
"No, it's just a temporary exchange of money for services that will be paid back when you finally have the. . . it's a loan."
"Man, you suck as a liar." She gave him a small smile, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," he smiled, thinking she was going to accept the offer.
"I can't take it."
Ranting Luke was out of his cage again. "Why not?" he exclaimed exasperated with how stubborn she was. "Despite money falling from the sky, or Ed Macmon's prize van showing up, I don't know what other miracle you expect here. Don't think I didn't hear about the 'going to my parents is not an option conversation'."
"You heard about that?" Lorelai was surprised.
"Yeah well, Rory came in for coffee the other day…"
"So she put you up to this? I don't believe this she's still trying to fix this… God, after I told her no to asking my parents she runs to my boyfriend?"
"No…No," Luke clarified, "She was just…venting… I'm the one offering… Lorelai, please take it… I want to help…"
Lorelai turned away to go in the house, already considering the discussion over.
Luke turned her around and held her shoulders, "Lorelai, this is your house, your home. You can only be stubborn for so long! What? Are you so proud about making it on your own, that your house has to be falling down around you, the roof has to come tumbling down on your head to knock some sense into you."
Lorelai tried to speak again, but Luke cut her off, "You ever hear the story of the guy who lived on a flood plain waiting for God?"
"Is he related to Anne Heche?"
Luke narrowed his eyes, but continued, "A man lived on a flood plain and knew a flood was coming, but his faith was so strong he knew God would some how save him. One of his neighbors comes by with a truck and tells him to get in, the man says, 'Oh no, God will save me,' and his neighbor moves on. The water has now submerged the first floor of his house and then a man with a boat comes up to him at the second floor window and offers to save him, the man refuses again, 'Oh no, God will save me,' and the boat moves on. Then, the man is on the roof of his house and a rescue team in a helicopter flies over and lowers a ladder telling him to climb up. 'Oh no, God will save me," he says again, and the helicopter goes away. Finally, the man drowns and when he gets to heaven, he has a bone to pick with God. He marches right up and says, 'I had faith, why didn't you save me?' You know what God said?"
Lorelai forced his arms off her and spat, "Jesus Christ, this is a long story?"
"God said, 'I sent you a truck and a boat and a helicopter… and you refused them all. What more do you want?'"
"Luke, what are you saying? That you are God? Can you get me Bangles tickets?"
"I'm saying I want you to get in my truck, go to the bank and get a cashier's check so you won't drown."
"Luke, I…" but Lorelai saw Rory coming and clamed up about the money Luke was offering. "Hey, uh, Dean called twice."
"Rah, rah, rah," Rory said bitterly, shuffling into the house. Luke and Lorelai had no idea about her discovery that Lane had become a cheerleader or the new wedge that was between the friends.
"You two . . . are still fighting…" Luke figured.
"She's talking to you, she's talking to Dean, talking to Lane, every one in town but me…"
"Okay, so you fix the house and you will stop fighting… you don't even have to tell her where you got the money… you can say Jacko's called you back."
"Wow… her venting has details…"
"Yeah… well, she gets it from you." Luke could see that Lorelai had the debate going back and forth across her face, to accept or not to accept, that was the question. "Lorelai, what else are you gonna do? I mean…there's only one other option besides me…"
She knew he was referring to her parents, "Luke, I just… I feel weird...taking your money…"
"You aren't taking it… I'm loaning it to you… if you want we don't have to mention it to anyone… or if you prefer I could nag you about it," he countered, "if you want me to bug and pester you about paying me back, I will!"
Lorelai was amazed that Luke was willing to do this for her and didn't know how to not accept it. "Can I sleep with you instead?"
"How about you sleep with me as opposed to interest?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Good deal!" And Lorelai wanted to kiss him right then, but Morey and Babbette were coming down the street now. So she just settled on a hug to her boyfriend and best friend, and over Luke's shoulder she saw how Babbette nudge Morey. Maybe there would be whispers around town about them now. Maybe this tid-bit would spread through town like wildfire, and everyone would be watching their every move. And Lorelai knew they had to come out soon enough.
Lorelai pulled out of the hug, not wanting it to go on suspiciously long. "Hey, where did you learn that story? About the flood guy?"
"Well I was sort of … stubborn as teen…"
"Really? I can't imagine," she quipped.
"Well…my dad used to tell me that … when he knew I needed help."
Lorelai hugged him again. "Thank you for wanting to help," Lorelai said sincerely this time.
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There was a pep rally for the basketball team's new uniforms and upcoming game. Lorelai and Rory cautiously approached each other, with Lorelai offering her daughter a truce coffee from Luke's.
Lorelai broached, "So, um, I want you to know… the house is taken care of…"
"How?"
"I finally … got a loan," Lorelai said vaguely, not wanting Rory to know that Luke had lent her the money.
"Good, so then everything's okay?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry I told Grandma about the house," Rory finally apologized.
"Aw Hon, listen, there's gonna be a time in our lives where occasionally I'm gonna make a mistake. It hasn't happened yet, but it might. But I have earned the right to make that mistake and I have earned the right to fix any problems without interference."
"I just thought that they could help," the teen justified.
"But I didn't want their help," Lorelai said flatly.
"But –"
"Rory, have you ever been without food or clothes or books or book covers for that matter or anything else you ever needed?"
"No," she said quietly, knowing Luke was right. Even though most of the time they were a team, some times Rory had to step back and let Lorelai be the parent.
"No, and see the reason for that is me. I have a pretty good track record for keeping you alive."
"Yeah, you do."
"So when I tell you I can handle something, you need to respect that, especially since you have no evidence proving I won't. Understand?"
"Yeah, I understand. I'm sorry."
"I officially declare this fight over."
They toasted their coffee cups, "I'll drink to that."
Luke came over to them and said he needed to talk to Lorelai.
Away from prying ears Lorelai asked him, "What's up, Hon?"
"Well, Babette… may have seen you hug me? You know…at the house?" he said self consciously, feeling like every one was staring at him since he was talking to his costar of the recent rumors he overheard.
"Oh really?"
"She's been talking with Patty at the diner, you know… a lot of gesticulating… a lot of whispering… a lot of pointing; so … I just wanted you to know they might be on to us…" finally!
Lorelai considered it, she knew that was a possibility when she saw Babbette, "Well, good."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I mean, Rory's right, and you are right… this is just getting ridiculous and hard…if anything… they will be happy for us… happier than my mother… which is good enough for me…"
"Okay," Luke smiled, "So we're gonna tell the town …finally."
"Yeah, just… let me think about the how a little more… please."
"Okay, but before the end of the year?" Luke asked in all seriousness.
"Now that's a dead line I can work with knowing she had 10 months to break the news. "Besides, Christmas spoiled me."
"Yeah?"
"I got to wake up with you every morning for almost a week…"
"Well, we can't do that every day," he seemed to blush.
"Right, but once in a while… will do … for now," she promised. She knew she was well on her way to wanting him every night and every morning, every day ever after.
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"So Mom, they started work on the house yesterday," Lorelai offered to the sparse Friday night dinner conversation.
"Oh, good."
"Yeah, these guys come at like the crack of dawn and all of a sudden there's all this hammering, drilling, and dust flying everywhere."
"It's pretty impressive actually."
"They're a nice bunch too." Especially Luke …running around in his tool belt, "…And the best part is I've been out there like ten times to bring them coffee and I haven't seen a butt crack yet."
"How nice. They should paint that slogan on their truck. Excuse me."
"Where you going?"
"To get some more bread."
"I think I'll go help."
"I think that would be good."
Lorelai followed her mother into the kitchen, "Mom, I want to apologize to you."
"For what?" Emily said primly, putting more bread in the basket for the table.
"Well, for not wanting your help on this one… I mean… I came to you before… and I just … I didn't want to add to the burden…"
"Having to see your mother is a burden?"
"No mom…that's not what I meant… look you should know something of the Gilmore pride… I mean you married into it…and drawn on it beautifully…despite how much crap Gran gives you… and I guess you taught that same pride to me and I just… I couldn't come back to you so soon. I really do appreciate your willingness to help me… despite my pride and despite what a disappointment I am…"
"You're not a disappointment…" Emily said brusquely.
"Aw no, I am… it's okay mom, it's just us girls."
Emily admitted, "I may not… approve of some of the choices you made… but… I am proud of how you pulled yourself together and sacrificed everything for that girl," Emily said, referring to Rory. "It shows character and strength, possibly another Gilmore trait you learned."
Lorelai smiled genuinely at the first compliment Emily had bestowed upon her as an adult, "Soooo you're saying I'm not a total loss?"
"No, I have never said that."
"You know, mom… if you… ever need anything, some one to talk to… like when dad was being moody over Christmas…. I…" she couldn't believe her what was coming out of her mouth. "I'm here for you too."
"I'm glad to hear it…because, I was wondering how you would feel if I started having my DAR meetings at the inn from now on?"
Lorelai wasn't expecting to have to grant a favor so soon, not at least until the day of her daughter's wedding. "Oh ummm sure," she forced a smile, unable to believe that Emily got her to give in so quickly. She's good.
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A/N:
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?
A/N: Season 7 is approaching, Chocolate coating helps it go down easier
Purple ribbon for Lucky season 7
Where's Miracle Max when you need him?
Valerie: Bye Bye Gilmoregirl1979 and Localizy
Miracle Max: Have fun stormin' da castle.
Valerie: Think it'll work?
Miracle Max: It would take a miracle.
Localizy Sounds off: To ASP, the six-headed bitch, (because she's not a six fingered man... that we know of...)
"Hello, my name is Localizy. You killed my show, prepare to die."
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"That was all God given talent..." why thank you, NON POD 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 one 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...