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!
Dialogue borrowed from 2.12 - Richard in Stars Hollow /written by Frank Lombardi /Directed by Steve Gomer
A/N: 2 chapters, so you know I didn't forget about ya!
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Chapter 28:
Call Me Electra
Lorelai came home after searching high and low at the in for her father. She figured he must have left the inn to meet up with Rory. As Lorelai entered the house she called, "Rory? Dad?"
Rory smiled as she met her mother in the foyer, "There you are. Oh My God, Paris was totally insane today. I have too many stories for one afternoon with her… " Rory trailed off when she saw her mother was alone. "Where's Grandpa?"
"I thought he was with you," Lorelai said surprised. "Didn't you meet up with him?"
Rory shook her head no, panic setting in her features.
By this time Lorelai was worried about her father and his heart condition, which Luke had so thoughtfully reminded everyone. "Where could he be? It's Stars Hollow! Do you think he went home?" she asked, trying not to sound too hopeful in front of her daughter.
"Last time I saw him he was at Luke's," Rory said, wondering if maybe he was still there.
"Luke's?" Again? Three times in one day…well that is nowhere near my record but still… Lorelai now was not only worried about her father but also for her boyfriend. Luke must be freaking out, unless he put his face to the grill to escape from the insane questions.
As the girls were leaving the house to pile in the Jeep when suddenly Luke's truck pulled up and both Richard and Luke came out seeming like the best of friends.
"This is a beautiful truck, Luke."
"Thank you, it was my dad's. I restored it myself."
"Well, you've done a fantastic job. You know I've been looking into antique cars myself. After all, I can afford the hobby. Thank you for the ride, Luke."
"Anytime Richard," Luke nodded and the men shook hands on the lawn.
Lorelai leaned over to Rory wondering if what she is witnessing is a mirage, "Luke is calling my dad Richard…"
"I know," Rory whispered, just as amazed.
"They are bonding over cars and shaking hands," Lorelai added.
"I know," Rory repeated with a wide smile, excited at the male bonding. If only they could get Emily to come around to liking Luke.
"Say, why don't you join us for dinner, I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind."
Lorelai was stunned the invitation, shocked that her father enjoyed being around Luke.
"I wouldn't want to impose," Luke said. "This is your day with them."
"No, no I insist, I'm sure the girls would love it."
The girls stood stunned and exchanged a look; Lorelai silently asking what was going on, while Rory could only shrug to her mother. Lorelai turned back to the men on the lawn, "Who'd have thunk a boyfriend of mine," Lorelai sighed to Rory as they went down the porch steps. Lorelai smiled as she approached her father, "Dad?"
"Hello Lorelai," Richard said cheerfully, "I was just getting to know...your friend," he emphasized, "a little better. We just got lost in our conversation then realized the sun had gone down."
"Hey, Luke," Rory waved.
"Hey, Rory," Luke smiled. "Umm is Paris here?"
"No, she found what she was looking for and left," Rory sighed about the impending article she had to bi-line about censorship in a small town and the embarrassing story of the "Rory curtain".
"Thank God," Luke was relieved. "In that case, I'd love to join you, if that is alright, Lorelai?" Luke seemed to seek approval from his girlfriend whose expression was hesitant.
"No that's fine, we'd love to have you," Lorelai smiled. Lorelai wanted to take Luke's hand, but Babette was home and no doubt already documenting all the goings on to divulge and speculate with Patty later.
"Wonderful, shall we?" and Richard gestured toward the house.
"Hey Luke, how do you feel about Chinese food?" Rory asked as she turned to go into the house.
Luke followed her, "Well, Al does make the best Egg Foo Young in Stars Hollow."
Richard turned to Lorelai, "He is fascinating, Lorelai. Between you and me, of all your boyfriends, I think I like him best."
"Well, you haven't met all my boy friends," Lorelai countered.
Richard considered that fact, "Maybe that's why I like him." Lorelai didn't have time to react as her father was already making his way into the house.
Rory figured Luke and Lorelai may need a moment alone, so she suggested, "Hey Grandpa, do you want to see my room?"
"Yes, I would," Richard smiled.
This left Lorelai and Luke alone in the living room. Now that she was out of her father's sight, Lorelai walked up to Luke and kissed him to make up for being subjected to her father for so long. "I'm so sorry, did he hurt you? Did he maim you? Are you ready to break up with me?"
"Lorelai, relax, your dad has been great."
"Really?" she said as though she didn't believe him.
"Apparently, the way to a Gilmore's heart is through their stomach; you, Rory, Richard. He had a turkey burger for lunch and downed about five of my strawberry smoothies. We talked a lot."
"Talked? About what?" Lorelai honestly was straining for subjects she and her father could discuss let alone her father and Luke.
"Well, you know, cars, my dad, how I opened the diner. He heard some of my more classic rants, though I avoided the one about the golf courses."
"Good plan," she giggled, "So, you are really okay with Chinese food?"
"As long as monkey brains stays off the menu…"
"Deal," she gently punched her fist on his chest.
"Then order and be sure they use the forklift," Luke said dryly.
Lorelai went to the take out drawer in the kitchen to pull out Al's menu and mark their selections. While Lorelai, Rory and Luke were in the kitchen, Richard was poking around the place, much like he had the last time he had come for Rory's birthday party. He was inspecting the chimney to see if Lorelai had gotten if fixed yet and immediately noticed the infamous snow globe on the mantel, the one Luke was telling Richard about at the New Year's Eve party. He could tell it was in a place of honor and decided to take a closer look at it. Richard recalled Lorelai's love of snow and saw how that love was perfectly captured in the snow globe, showcasing Stars Hollow in winter. He put his reading glasses on to see the small scene depicted in the globe and Richard's observation powers were almost overwhelmed at the intricate detail of the piece. The square he had just toured, Luke's diner he had just visited, the snowmen in a row that Rory told him about, and the sleigh, with an unmistakable pair riding through the streets. Richard recalled his own flirtatious sleigh ride with Emily, and smiled at the young lovers inside the globe. He turned the globe over, recalling something Luke had said about carving part of it himself. Richard smiled at the words etched in the wooden base; the words that Luke had carved in himself and Richard had to smile again.
"Hey Dad? Any entrée requests?" Lorelai asked as she came into the living room. Lorelai saw her father by the fireplace, handling her precious snow globe. Richard had carelessly flipped it full upside down and was smiling at the minute details on the underside of the base. Lorelai was very protective of the gift and as politely as she could warned her father, "Dad could you put that down please. It's like my favorite present ever and I don't want to have to hate you for breaking it," she said candidly while gripping her pen tightly.
Noticing his daughter in the room, Richard gingerly set it down on the mantle again next to a picnic basket and removed his reading glasses, smiling warmly at his daughter. "It's all right, Lorelai, I understand. I was just admiring the craftsmanship. I see you got the chimney looked at," he said, attempting to change the subject.
"Oh yeah, Luke knew a guy who helped him with it and as a result he gave us a price break," Lorelai was a little embarrassed to be talking about Luke so warmly to her father.
"He is quite handy then, is he?" Richard grinned.
"Yes, umm, very handy," Lorelai said, still uncomfortable talking to her father about her boyfriend. "So umm do you have a favorite entrée?"
"Well, when properly prepared, I'm rather fond of…what is it called…Bar-B-Q Pork… with snow peas, if they have it."
"I like the snow peas too," Lorelai smiled at another rare similarity between her and her father and added her father's choice.
Over her shoulder, Richard saw the sheer amount of food his daughter was planning to order, "My God, who could eat all that food?"
"Should I add the garlic chicken?" Lorelai asked Rory.
"Add it," Rory insisted.
"There are only four of us," Richard insisted.
"Yes, but we like choices," Lorelai stated.
"Lorelai, you cannot order all of that food. You're teaching your daughter wastefulness and gluttony."
"Don't even bother arguing, Richard," Luke interjected, "it's a lost cause. I've been railing on them for years…"
The similarity between Richard and Luke struck Lorelai again as she assured, "Um Dad, we do this all the time. We order way too much and then we eat like a third of it and live off the leftovers for a week and a half."
"A week and a half?" Luke challenged, "Please, I've served you guys for how long?"
"Luke, it's a finely honed system. Now let's order I'm starved."
"Me too!" Rory agreed.
For Lorelai, it was strange to have her father there for dinner it was even stranger to have Luke there for dinner.. However, she had to admit she was having a good time, the four them sitting at the table, chatting and gossiping. She didn't even mind when Richard offered to pay when the food was arrived. Richard was laughing heartily at Luke's comments and rants while the girls seemed to marvel how well Richard got along with Lorelai's boyfriend, to which Lorelai said in an aside to Rory, "I'm not sure how I feel about this." Although Richard didn't approve of the size of the portions they all enjoyed the variety; Luke even tried some of the Bar-B-Q Pork after Richard's recommendation.
Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by the contentious sound of a honking horn. Rory went into her bedroom to investigate out the front window, then very excitedly grabbed her jacket and ran out chanting, "Oh my God! Oh my God!"
"Who is it?" Lorelai asked before following her daughter out front, Richard and Luke close behind.
"Whatcha doin'?" Rory asked her thoughtful amazing boyfriend.
"Just standing here," Dean shrugged.
"Next to?"
"A car. Your car."
"No!"
"Finished it yesterday," Dean said, jingling the keys in front of Rory.
"YEY!" and Rory leapt up to her fella and hugged him.
"Now if you don't like it, I bet I can sell it to someone else," Dean teased.
"Don't you dare!"
Dean suddenly noticed the added company, "Oh um…hey Luke," finding it funny that he was over at the Gilmore's this time of night, granted he had heard the rumors about Luke and Lorelai in the check out line as he bagged groceries, but he didn't really believe them, because he had an in with the daughter of Lorelai. Luke's presence now seemed a confirmation of the budding relationship and it strange that Rory didn't tell him.
"Hey Dean, it looks good," was all Luke said about the car.
Even more surprising was Richard Gilmore was there, "Good evening, Mr. Gilmore." Dean wanted to be as polite as possible for Rory's sake, especially after their last in depth meeting last fall.
"Dean, that's amazing!" Lorelai exclaimed.
Rory was bouncing in place, so high she almost met the top of Dean's head when she jumped up, "Let's drive, can we drive, does it drive?"
"Does it drive?" Dean said sardonically.
"Well, no, I know it drives but. . .oh my God! I can't believe you finished it! You built me a car!" Rory hugged Dean again.
"Dean, now that you're done with that, will you build me a plane? One that looks like Shamu?" Lorelai joked.
Richard seemed aghast, "He made that car?"
"Isn't that incredible?" Lorelai was still all smiles.
"Well, she can't accept it," Richard said flatly.
"Oh Dad, its okay," Lorelai dismissed.
"It's not okay, he's a child. She's not driving a car a child put together."
"Excuse me sir," Dean tried to remain respectful, "but, uh, my father worked on cars and my grandfather worked on cars. I know what I'm doing."
"A car is not a model airplane, young man," Richard shook his head.
"I know that."
"It is a complex vehicle," Richard turned condescending.
"I know that too."
Richard straightened to his full height, "I will not have my granddaughter driving around in some contraption you put together in auto shop."
"Okay, can I just say something here?" Lorelai was glaring at her father, attempting to get his attention
"I did not make this in auto shop. I am telling you this car is safe," Dean assured.
"So, you are a certified mechanic?" Richard said with condescension.
"No," Dean admitted.
"But you had the assistance of a certified mechanic? Your father perhaps?"
"No."
"Well, then you drove it past a certified mechanic?" Richard spat sarcastically.
"Dad, stop it. This is a nice thing Dean did here. Remember, nice things."
Dean spoke up again, "Mr. Gilmore, I understand you want Rory to be safe, but so do I. I would not give this car to her if I did not know for a fact that it was a hundred percent safe. I checked it, my father checked it, and Gypsy at Hewes Brothers checked it. It has been checked."
"And I'm just supposed to take your word for it?"
Considering that Richard seemed to like him now, Luke decided to step in and defend Dean to Richard, "Look, Richard, I know the kid and he's a got it all figured. Surely you can see the he's crazy about Rory and he would never do anything to hurt her like give her an unsafe car. He's been working on this car for months. I have been working on my own car since I was 14. Do you want me to give it the once over before Rory drives it?"
"Well Luke, I appreciate your opinion, but I would rather a professional…"
Lorelai blinked at the statement, my father respects Luke's opinion.
"Fine, okay," Luke quickly negotiated. "Dean, you up for another trip to Hewes Bros.?"
"Sure," Dean agreed, surprised that Luke was going to bat for him.
"How about the three of go to Hewes Bros. and have a look. Is that okay by you Richard?"
"I don't think so. We're in the middle of dinner," Richard argued, not wanting to waste a moment of his precious time away from the girls.
Luke pointed out, "It's the only way you will have peace of mind."
Richard considered for a moment then strode proudly over towards his Jaguar, "Very well."
Luke turned back to Lorelai and absently kissed her quickly, "We'll be right back."
Richard called to Dean, "Drive behind me. I don't want that thing blowing up right in front of the Jag."
"No problem. Try to keep your electrical system working long enough to get there."
Richard countered, "They worked the kinks out of this electrical system years ago, young man."
Luke only shook his head as he got into his own truck.
Lorelai turned to Rory, "Don't you feel like one of us should've been standing between them waving a flag or something?"
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At Hewes Bros, Dean and Richard were scowling and silent while Luke helped Gyspy check over the car again.
"It looks fine to me," Gypsy said again.
"Check it again," Richard insisted.
"I already checked it. This was checking it again. I checked it earlier. That means this was checking it again."
Dean seemed egg Richard on, "Go ahead Gypsy, check it again. I've got all night."
"I don't," Gypsy grumbled.
Luke begged, "Gypsy, please be a sport."
"I was being a sport when Dean first brought it over! This is just ridiculous," Gypsy grumbled.
"Check the transmission," Richard suggested.
"I did, it's all good," Gypsy sighed.
"The carburetor?" Richard pressed on.
"All good."
Richard conjectured again, "Manifold pressure?"
"Best manifold pressure I've ever seen," she professed again.
"You've missed something. I insist that you go over this entire car again."
"But I'm telling you, there's nothing wrong with this car."
"I am paying you for a service," Richard commanded, " and I would like that service performed."
"Okay, I look again," Gypsy fumed.
Luke had to ask, "Richard, please, how many times are you going to make her do that?"
"As many times as it takes."
Luke realized where Lorelai got her stubborn nature from, it was possibly even worse when mixed with her mother's. Luke went to help Gypsy, leaving Richard and Dean to get to know each other.
Dean again argued, "Look, I know you think I'm not good enough for Rory, but do you have to take it out on my car?"
Richard raised his voice a little, "She's my only granddaughter. I have a responsibility to protect her. She's young, she's naïve."
"She's smart."
"Yes, she's smart about certain things..."
"Look, I'm not about to do battle with you here. You can hate me - whatever, I don't care," Dean shrugged.
Richard took offense to the assumption, "I hardly hate you."
"Really?"
Richard admitted, "I don't even know you."
"Well, I'm right here. What do you want to know? Besides what college I wanna go to or what I wanna do for a living, because I still have no answers for you on that front."
"Those are not ridiculous questions to ask."
"No, but you could've waited until dessert to get to them."
Richard inwardly admonished his quick temper, "Yes, well, perhaps the timing of the…"
"Interrogation?" Dean offered.
"Conversation," Richard corrected.
"Conversation," Dean almost laughed.
Richard recalled the look Lorelai gave him on the porch, how quick Luke was to defend the teen, how excited Rory was about the car. "Perhaps the timing was a little off." Richard decided this was as good a time as any to get to know the boy, "So, your father – what does he do?"
"Stereo systems," Dean informed.
"Installing them?" Richard assumed.
Dean clarified, "Selling them. He's got a shop a couple of blocks from here."
"And your mother?"
"She works part time transcribing medical records."
"Interesting, interesting. So, So, you like my granddaughter quite a bit?" Richard broached.
"No, I love your granddaughter quite a bit," Dean illuminated.
"See Dean, I was beginning to feel a little better about this until you said that."
"Well, I'm not trying to make you feel better; I'm trying to be honest."
"Yes, you are. It's an admirable quality," admitted Richard.
"Thank you."
Gypsy came up to them again, "Okay, I found something wrong."
Richard was surprised by his success, "You did?" Luke and Dean, in unison with Richard, exclaimed, "What?"
"The windshield wipers came right off in my hand, very dangerous. Thank God I check it again," Gypsy played up.
"Gypsy, you broke those off yourself!" Luke said, after watching her pull them off the car.
"Yes, I did," she glared at Luke.
Luke now yelled, "Put 'em back!"
"I can't look at this car anymore!" Gypsy sighed.
"Gypsy!" Dean cried.
"I miss my home," Gypsy whined.
Luke scowled, "Put them back." He turned back to Richard, "Richard, please, I saw her just break those off, they were fine, the car is completely safe. We've been over this thing with a fine tooth comb. Richard please, let's go back and finish dinner."
"I suppose," Richard conceded. When Luke went to help Gypsy put the windshield wipers back on that car Richard straightened up to his full height and noted to Dean, "I'm still not sure it's an appropriate gift."
"I understand that."
"How tall are you?" trying to size the boy up, noticing he nearly matched his own.
"Why, you wanna dance?" Dean droned.
"No, thank you. I appreciate the offer though," Richard had heard such humor before, in his unique daughter and granddaughter. He gave a kind-forgiving smile to Dean, and turned over to Luke, realizing that his Gilmore girls couldn't have picked better fellows for themselves.
They all got in their respective vehicles and Richard extended an invitation to dinner to Dean, "Dean, are you coming?"
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While Luke, Richard, and Dean were sorting out the car, Lorelai and Rory patiently waited for their return on the couch. Rory finally spoke up, "How long are they going to be?"
"I don't know," Lorelai shrugged. "Knowing my dad, he probably made Dean take the entire thing apart and put it back together again in front of him."
"Poor Dean."
"Poor Dean, he has to spend one evening with him. I share chromosomes with the guy. It is funny though…"
"What grandpa torturing my boyfriend? Bringing back memories eh?"
"No, just Luke and Dad. He seems to be putting out fires between my dad and me… I mean, going to Doose's for me this morning, entertaining my dad all day, and now with Dean and the car." Then Lorelai decided to ask her daughter a question, "Hey, have you… ever noticed a possible similarity between grandpa and… well, Luke?"
"What?" Rory turned to her mother.
"You have to admit there are similarities, the dry humor, the quick temper, unreadable at times, their honor to uphold decency and standards, the way they both kind of lecture me… like this morning with the grapefruit."
"What grapefruit?"
"Well, at Luke's this morning, I didn't order a grapefruit with my pancakes and my dad gave me a hard time about it, so I ever so nicely, browbeat Luke into going to Doose's to get me one, so I wouldn't have to hear about it from my father. Dad was just going on and on about grapefruits and how good they are for you and that even though we don't like things we have to endure them to make us stronger or something…I don't know his little speech reminded me of a Luke rant. They both are pestering me to take care of myself… I don't know…"
"So, you're afraid of marrying a man like your father?" Rory posed.
Lorelai jumped on that comment right away, wondering if her secret daydreams weren't actually a secret, "Who said anything about marriage?"
"What? No one…" Rory saw how her mother freaked at the "M" word, when she seemed so warm to it the other evening talking about the mausoleum with grandma. Rory had noticed how Lorelai would tune out with a small smile on her face.
Lorelai charged, "You said I was going to marry Luke…"
"No, I was discussing your comparison of Luke to grandpa, it's the classic Electra complex."
"What?"
Rory didn't want to disturb Lorelai with Freud's wackado, that is, unique theories, namely the perspective on penis envy in young girls, how a woman at first resents her mother then eventually turns into her mother. Rory figured it would hit too close to home for Lorelai. So she focused on the part of theory that applied to Lorelai's situation, Rory surmised, "In psychology, basically, like the Oedipus complex, a woman seeks to attract a man like her father…" by becoming her mother, glossing over the complications of Freud's theory, "…I didn't mean to imply that you and Luke were…"
"Good…" Lorelai said shortly, "because we're not."
"I was just comparing…" Rory defended.
"Stop, please." Lorelai didn't know if she would want to marry a man like her dad, but then why had she fallen in love with Luke. Maybe on some planes they are similar, but there are differences as well, distinct differences, like Luke is outdoorsy, likes to camp and fish, while her dad's idea of outdoorsy is walking on the golf course without the aid of a cart.
An uncomfortable silence took hold of the girls and Rory had to ask, "Mom."
"Yeah?"
"Do you think maybe…someday… you and Luke will…get married?"
Rory could tell Lorelai was considering a safe answer, From Lorelai's expression,but suddenly, before Lorelai could find her voice, the three men walked through the front door and Richard announced, "Well, we had it thoroughly checked and it seems perfectly safe. I don't see any reason why, with proper insurance of course, why you can't have that car."
"Really? Thanks!" Rory hugged her grandpa.
"Oh and in light of my… little outburst… as an apology, I invited Dean to join us as well. I hope that's alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, fine," Lorelai said annoyed, "Hey hon, why don't you show Dean all our choices before the mu shu congeals."
When the teens were out of sight, Lorelai glared at her father, "That is the absolute last time you come into my house and overrule my word."
"What are you talking about?" Richard said taken aback.
"I'm talking about Dean and the car," Lorelai said exasperated.
Richard scoffed, "I was only being pro–"
"You have no right being anything," Lorelai insisted. "Rory's my kid and I make the rules, so if she comes home one day and says, 'Hey, uh, I'm going to spend the weekend partying with the Klingons' and I say, 'Okay, don't get blood wine on your sweater', you just have to deal." Luke shot a look that Lorelai missed, her refs were still Star Trek heavy and Luke had to chuckle to himself.
"Who are the Klingons? A band or something?" Richard asked.
"If I tell her that she can have the car that her boyfriend made for her, then she can."
"I didn't think it looked safe," Richard defended his stance.
"You don't have to think it looks safe! I have to think it looks safe! I'm the parent!"
Luke decided now to intervene and defend Richard, "Lorelai, calm down before you go Wrath of Khan on everyone …" with his hands on her shoulders, keeping her from lunging at her father.
Lorelai's head snapped to her boyfriend, "Luke! Stay out of this!"
"No," he fired back. "Lorelai your father has already apologized to Dean, he admitted his was wrong about the car. Now we were having a nice evening, Dean is here to join us… just please… for once let it go…"
Lorelai now seemed to shoot daggers at Luke, which he was brave enough to withstand. Not breaking the eye contact, Luke said, "Richard, could you give us a minute?"
Richard backed away and watched for a moment as Lorelai turned away frustrated with the men in the house, looking out the window. Luke stepped toward her and after whispering something that was obviously the right thing to say, Lorelai turned and hugged her boyfriend. Richard decided to keep quiet for now about the Harvard paraphernalia he had seen in Rory's room and rejoined the teens in the kitchen where he was happy to discover like Rory, Dean didn't live in the death rock world.
Lorelai was fuming at Luke and her father; she couldn't look at either of them, so she chose a view of Babette's gnomes.
"What are you doing huh?" Luke asked as he came up behind her.
"It's just… I've been waiting for this all day…" Lorelai pouted with her arms crossed.
"What?"
"Dad, the judgment police…"
"Lorelai, honestly he's been great… do you think if your mother was here she'd have invited me over for dinner?"
Lorelai had to let out a mirthless laugh.
"Exactly. Come on, you still have your szechuan beef and those snow peas you love so much…I'll even try to use the chop sticks so you can make fun of me…"
Lorelai gave Luke half a smile and hugged him, if her father wasn't in the house she'd have taken him upstairs. There was a significant similarity between her father and Luke; both were good men, kind when they really tried, though she had to give Luke brownie points for being far more understanding. Lorelai and Luke rejoined the others in the kitchen all smiles again, with Lorelai putting thoughts of marriage and the similarities between Luke and her father far in the depths of her mind.
After dinner, Rory and Dean said good night on the porch away from the adults, who were still talking in the kitchen. 15 minutes later, Richard and Luke said their good nights to the girls and walk out together since Luke didn't want to give the impression that he ever slept over. Before they went their separate ways in their very different vehicles, Richard called, "Oh Luke?"
"Yes sir?"
Richard came to the bumper of his Jag, not wanting to shout across the street his inquiry. "Well, I asked Dean a question earlier and he gave me an honest answer… I hope you will do the same."
"Of course."
Richard paused for a moment, "Do you love my daughter?" Luke was taken aback by the question while Richard continued, "Now bare in mind, you've already owned to your little crush on her before you were dating, and I've seen what's engraved on the bottom of that snow globe. And there is the simple fact that I've seen the two of you together on several occasions…"
Luke knew he couldn't deny it with so much evidence in favor so he had to confess, "Since the day I met her."
"Very good son," Richard smiled and shook Luke's hand. "Have a good evening, I will see you soon, I am sure."
"You will sir, thank you."
Richard drove off in his new Jag and Luke drove off in his vintage Chevy truck. Lorelai had seen their handshake and wondered how they bid each other good-bye, as it seemed like they were the best of friends now. She went to bed; still shocked at her father saying he was proud of the life she made for herself here. Maybe this entire day was a dream. Tomorrow I am just going to wake up and it will start all over.
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Emily Gilmore was pacing waiting for her husband to return. It was nearly 10:30 at night, and she could not recall an occasion that would have her husband out past ten' o'clock at night without her.
Finally, Richard walked in the front door and Emily practically pounced on him, "Richard! There you are, sneaking in like that! Where have you been?"
"Hello Emily, it's nice to see you, too."
"Well, you seem very happy," Emily folded her arms.
"Well, I had a very nice day with the girls."
"Really?" Emily seemed surprised. Her husband certainly seemed the same; same grin, same observational gaze, and Emily was astonished that he hadn't driven the girls mad as he had constantly watch in her every move. "Would you like a drink?"
Richard considered, "Oh, no thanks."
Emily eyed her husband, "So, you had a good time?"
"Wonderful time."
"Wonderful?" Emily repeated. "Well, tell me about it."
"I saw the town, I saw Lorelai's work, ate at Luke's…"
"Luke's?"
"Yes, Lorelai's boyfriend's place…"
"I know who Luke is!" she dismissed impatiently.
"Well yes, he made me the most fantastic burger…"
"A burger?"
"Yes, and these strawberry smoothies, they were just wonderful, and healthy he created the recipe himself, low fat, low cholesterol because he uses real fresh fruit. You know his establishment reminds me a little diner a used to go to when I was in college, I was just telling Lorelai at breakfast…"
"Well, I must say I'm surprised…"
"Why should you be? Most diners are the same, what matters is the cook…"
"I meant that you had such a good time in Stars Hollow… with him."
"Well, I was there to see the girls, but Lorelai had work and she had quite a busy day, Rory was at school busy with the paper, and Luke was right at the center of town. Besides, he is seeing our daughter; my visit to the town gave me the perfect opportunity to get to know him further."
"And?" Emily was anxious for his assessment.
"I like him very much."
Emily was disappointed with how warmly Richard spoke of Luke. She had been hoping Richard had seen the little hovel that Lorelai and Rory frequented to eat would finally fuel Richard's outrage. Perhaps he would see the quaint little "apartment" or potting shed that Lorelai originally occupied back in 1985. Certainly, Rory was entitled to her first few loves of dating before settling down with some one proper, but Lorelai was nearly beyond marriageable age and it was Emily's worst fear that she would settle for Luke. Pushing those horrid thoughts away, she found that despite her pleasant shopping and her manicure, she had missed her husband, especially since he had such a grand time without her and with the very same girls she herself could hardly relate too. "Did you eat? Because I can have Heloise whip up something for you."
"Aw, no thank you, we had Chinese food."
Emily attempted not to show her hurt, "Oh, well, you love Chinese food."
"Yes I do. The girls ordered so much food, it's a good thing I invited Dean."
"Dean? You had dinner with Rory's boyfriend?"
"Yes, Luke and I insisted that he join us…"
"Luke was at dinner too?"
"Well, I thought it only fair to feed him since he had made me that wonderful lunch."
"Well, I'm thrilled that you had such a wonderful time," Emily said mirthlessly. "It was good for you to get out like that."
"Yes, it was," Richard agreed. "In fact, I've had such a busy day, I think I'll turn in…Good night."
Richard didn't seem to notice Emily's narrowed eyes now that she knew she couldn't rely on him to help her get rid of the diner man.
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A/N: I always hated that scene where Richard is a condescending ass to Lorelai at the Inn… I mean it's just so humiliating… I know it's good for the cause and effect thing but DAMN Richard think of what you are saying and whom you are saying it and where you are saying it…
A/N:
that even though we don't like things we have to endure them to make us stronger or something… like season 6? Possibly 7?
A/N: AW HELL, PURPLE RIBBON!
A/N: (Remember: BIG PLANS!)
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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...