Author's Note: Last chapter before things come full circle and we're back to the 2000 Festival. So far everything fits in with canon, but I am trying to decide whether to go with a slightly AU version of Season 1 for the final chapter, keep it canon but extend it out past 2000, or just end on a bittersweet note with actual Season 1. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks for reading!
Founders' Firelight Festival - 2000
Lorelai watched Luke and Rachel make awkward small talk while trying to decide what emotion she should be feeling at the moment. Am I supposed to be mad at Rachel for leaving Luke? Or am I supposed to be happy for Luke that she finally came back? Mostly, however, Lorelai kept thinking about how beautiful and annoyingly put together Rachel appeared despite apparently having just arrived from the airport. Why doesn't she have plane hair?
As Luke attempted to stutter a response to Rachel's last comment, Lorelai finally saw her chance to break into the conversation. "He thinks you look good too. Right?" Lorelai said, turning to Luke.
"Right."
"And you do," Lorelai said. Elle MacPherson pretty, Lorelai thought, suddenly remembering how Sookie had described Rachel.
"Thank you."
Lorelai waited a beat longer than felt natural, to see if Luke would find his voice and make the introduction, before going ahead and introducing herself. "I'm Lorelai."
"Oh yeah. She's Lorelai." Luke was clearly still in shock.
"I'm Luke's friend," Lorelai said, again after a too-long pause, mentally urging Luke to remember how conversations were supposed to work.
"Yeah. She uh ... works at the Independence Inn," Luke managed to get out.
"I run it, actually," Lorelai corrected, unable to catch Luke's eye. He was staring straight ahead, too afraid to look directly at either woman.
"Wow, I love that place," Rachel said genuinely. "That must be a pretty big job."
"It is! It's crazy. There's always something happening. Like, we just put these coffee makers in all the rooms, but only half of them work. They just like shake and gurgle, like they're having some kind of a fit," Lorelai babbled, realizing about half-way through her anecdote how lame it must sound to a world-traveler like Rachel. Why am I so off my verbal game around her? New topic Gilmore. "Wh- Why were you in the Mideast?"
"I was doing a photo story on how Palestinian and Israeli families have been affected by the violence."
"Oh, well, so you understand about the job pressure," Lorelai said, still cringing about her coffee maker story. And now I have to leave before I embarrass myself anymore. "I'm gonna go," Lorelai said, glancing again at Luke. Luke had the exact same surprised expression on his face that he had when Rachel first entered the diner. Maybe a face can get stuck like that, Lorelai thought.
"Please, don't let me drive you away."
"That's okay, you're not. I have to go, um, sit in a closet or something," Lorelai finished weakly. So much for not embarrassing myself again. "So, it was really nice to meet you."
"Yeah, you too."
"Okay, bye." And Lorelai rushed out of the diner, hoping this day would be over with already. And that everything would return to normal by tomorrow.
Founders' Firelight Festival - 1999
Lorelai, Rory, and Lane were sitting at a table in Luke's Diner finalizing plans for the Founders' Festival that night.
"I'm so excited for my first time visiting the Firelight Festival!" Lane bounced happily in her chair while stealing fries off of Rory's plate.
"Lane, you go every year," Rory reminded her. "The only difference this year is that you'll be going with us."
"No, I am physically present at the Festival every year," Lane clarified. "But I've never actually visited the Festival. Unless you count passing out pamphlets retelling the story of Stars Hollow's founding as a 'cautionary tale about the dangers of disobeying your family's wishes' as visiting the Festival."
"Wait, how is it a cautionary tale exactly?" Rory asked. "The story has a happy ending."
"Stars. A romantic fire. Young love. And the founding of a town. Sounds like a happy ending to me!" Lorelai confirmed.
"Oh, in the pamphlet version, after running away from home and meeting in the Hollow, the two young lovers try to light a fire to keep warm. But there is a giant rainstorm that puts the fire out. Both of them die of exposure. Something about God punishing them for not honoring their parents."
"Sounds bleak," Rory intoned.
"Très, très tragique," Lorelai agreed in an exaggerated French accent, as Luke came over with a coffee pot. "S'il vous plaît Monsieur Luke, more of these delicious fried potatoes from my mother country," Lorelai ordered, continuing in the accent.
"Sure thing Pepé Le Pew," Luke responded, filling Lorelai's coffee cup and steadfastly ignoring Rory's cup, which she had pushed right next to her mom's.
"And here I was going for Catherine Deneuve." Lorelai said, flashing a quick smile at Luke.
"Luke, can I have some more coffee please?" Rory pleaded, this time raising her cup up toward the pot in his hand.
"One order of french fries coming up," Luke said, purposely avoiding looking at Rory's face, knowing she would have an impossible-to-withstand pout on it.
"Luke, pleeeease?" Rory asked again.
Luke sighed and turned to face the insistent girl. "You'll stunt your growth."
"You've been saying that every single day this year and I've still grown three inches!" Rory protested.
"Fine, but you know the rules," Luke said, gesturing to the uneaten salad on Rory's plate, next to what had been a cheeseburger.
"I'll eat the salad," Rory grumbled.
"And?" Luke gestured to the uneaten salad on Lorelai's plate.
"Please mom?" Rory asked, already knowing the answer.
"Oh no. I never agreed to this deal," Lorelai said quickly. "You're on your own kid."
"Half-caf it is then," Luke replied, filling Rory's cup half way and then going to grab the decaf pot, while Rory narrowed her eyes at her mom.
"Oh, I have to go!" Lane said after glancing down at her watch, breaking the staring match between mother and daughter. "I need time to brush my teeth before mama gets back or she'll know I've had food that wasn't made from soy. Hand check?"
Rory examined Lane's outstretched hands for any telltale signs of grease and then passed her a napkin. "One more wipe and you should be good to go."
"Great! See you guys tonight! Mama's bible study starts at 6:30, so I'll be in the square at 6:45! I'm so excited." Lane practically skipped over to the diner door before Lorelai called her back.
"Are you forgetting something?"
"Am I?" Lane paused.
"So Surfer Rosa must be one of the lesser known apostles, huh?"
"Oh! Thanks Lorelai!" Lane said, looking down at the Pixies t-shirt she had on over a Mrs. Kim approved white oxford shirt. She pulled the offending tee over her head and tossed it to Rory. "See you tonight!"
"Is there anyone you're not a bad influence on?" Luke shook his head while bringing over more fries and filling up the rest of Rory's cup with decaf coffee.
"I'm a regular Mae West," Lorelai winked, grabbing a fry and biting into it before Luke had a chance to set the plate down.
. . . . .
After finishing their second plate of fries and bargaining for another cup of coffee each (although Rory's tasted suspiciously like decaf), Lorelai went up to the counter to pay.
"So I was thinking..." Lorelai started.
"Uh huh."
"Well, Lane is coming with us to the Festival this year and since I am trying to be slightly more respectful of Rory's alone time with friends..."
"Really?" Luke cut in with a sarcastic tone and a raised eyebrow.
"I said slightly," Lorelai continued. "Anyway, I was thinking it might be nice to have someone who wasn't a 15 year old girl to talk to tonight. And since you're not 15..."
"And not a girl."
"Right, and not a girl, I thought you might want to come with us this year."
"But I don't go to the Founders' Festival."
"Amazing that for someone who doesn't go to the Founders' Festival, I still see you at the Founders' Festival every year."
"Only because they need me to light the bonfire every year."
"And then they need you stick around to warn people about dumping punch on the grass?" Lorelai countered. Luke couldn't help but smile remembering the moment. It was Lorelai's first Festival and, not so coincidentally, the first time since he was a kid that Luke had stayed at the Festival past the lighting ceremony. He had been hoping to get to know the girl with the blue eyes, caffeine addiction and a penchant for calling him Duke better. Hard to believe that was four years ago already.
"Come on Luke! It will be fun!"
"I have to run the diner..." Luke demurred, half-heartedly.
"You mean the diner that will be empty because the entire town will be at the Festival?" Lorelai questioned, brightening her smile, certain now that Luke would give in.
"What time?" Luke sighed, trying hard to sound annoyed but not quite able to mask the smile in his eyes.
"You won't regret it," Lorelai said triumphantly. "We'll meet you here a little before 7!"
. . . . . . .
Luke tried, unsuccessfully, to avoid thinking about the Festival. Although the diner was busy and he was able to distract himself with work for most of the day, every time there was a lull, his mind kept wandering back to the "non-date" he had with Lorelai that night. Because an actual date would not include Rory and Lane and a stupid town festival, he reminded himself again.
Still, he couldn't help but look forward to spending some time with Lorelai outside of the diner. Luke couldn't remember the last time he talked with Lorelai without a counter between them. There was a time, years ago, when he thought they were working toward having a relationship that didn't strictly involve baked goods and a pot of coffee. But then Rory ran away and Lorelai started calling him Luke and whatever banter they had enjoyed before became much less frequent. Luke hoped that at the very least Lorelai's invitation today meant that she wanted them to become closer friends.
At 7:10, Lorelai walked into the diner, trailed by Rory and Lane. The two girls were deep in discussion about a junior at Stars Hollow High with "the coolest taste in music," who Luke gathered Lane had a crush on. Luke was a bit taken aback by the topic of conversation. When did the girls get old enough to have crushes? Luke thought and, after exchanging a look with Lorelai, he could tell she was thinking something similar.
"You're not ready!" Lorelai pouted, looking around the diner, where one table still needed to pay their bill, only a few of the chairs had been put up, and the coffee pot was still on.
"You're early," Luke said with a shrug, pouring a cup of coffee for Lorelai, which she immediately began drinking. Rory and Lane settled down on stools at the far end of the counter and barely stopped talking to wave at Luke.
"Ten minutes late isn't early," Lorelai proclaimed.
"It is if you are usually twenty minutes late." Luke had started to bag up the leftover doughnuts, along with some muffins, and place them on the counter.
"So I said, I'll meet you before 7 and you heard...?"
"7:20." Luke rang up the last customers and gave them their change.
"So what, for you the whole concept of punctuality depends who you are meeting? Actual time has no purpose?"
"I guess not." Luke shrugged again.
"Fascinating. And this principle applies to everyone?"
"Not everyone. Just people I know." Luke switched off the coffee maker, refilled Lorelai's coffee mug, and began pouring the remaining coffee between two large to-go cups, which he placed on the counter next to the bag of doughnuts.
"And you know me?"
"Well enough to know you are always late to everything, yes." Luke moved out from behind the counter and started to wipe down the tables and put up the chairs. Lorelai followed him, still holding her coffee mug.
"What if Rory had told you she'd meet you at 7?"
"If Rory said 7, I'd hear 6:30 or 6:50, depending on the purpose of the meeting."
"Oh, she gets a range of times?"
"Sure, if it is school-related I expect Rory to be at least a half hour early. Unless it's the first day of school, of course, in which case I understand she is likely to be hours early. And for anything else, Rory is usually a solid 10 minutes early."
"That is... startlingly accurate."
"You guys do come in here every damn day, you know."
Lorelai was thoughtful for a bit before exclaiming. "So I was early!"
"Looks like."
"See, now why couldn't you have been my home room teacher?" Lorelai smiled, finishing the last of her coffee.
"Ready to go?" Luke asked.
"But we have to close the diner. And you have customers still!"
Luke gave her a funny look, which caused Lorelai to finally look around at the now empty, and fully closed, diner.
"Oh. Well, I did still want some coffee before we go."
Luke simply gestured to the empty mug she was holding, with a bemused expression on his face.
"Provisions for the road?" Lorelai asked hesitantly.
"On the counter."
"Wow, when did all of this happen?" Lorelai laughed.
Luke looked down at his watch and smiled. "Hmm, 7:20. You're here right on time Lorelai."
"Ugh, let's go before I start to feel even more like a Stephen Hawking lecture." Lorelai laughed again, while gathering up Lane, Rory, and the provisions, and heading out the diner door.
. . . . . . .
The group started making their way to the gazebo for the lighting ceremony, where they could see a thick plume of smoke starting to rise above the gathered crowd. And hear something that sounded an awful lot like Kirk screaming.
"Is the fire lit already?" Rory asked.
"No, it can't be!" Lane cried. "It's my first time seeing them light the fire."
"Inconceivable!" Lorelai said, in her best Wallace Shawn impression, turning to Rory expectantly. "Rory? Line?" But Rory was already pushing ahead with Lane, trying to make it to the front of the group surrounding the gazebo.
"Something about not knowing what the word means, right?" Luke said in a low voice, surprising her by how close he was behind her. She had to stop herself from gasping at the sensation of his breath against her neck.
"You're close," Lorelai said over her shoulder, blushing faintly at the double meaning but quickly collecting herself. "It's better with the accent. But, hey, you got the reference at least!"
"I do watch the occasional movie, you know." Luke smiled. "Maybe not enough to quote it from memory..."
"Oh, just wait until I make you do movie night with us. You'll be quoting along with the Gilmores in no time!" Lorelai took a step forward in the direction Rory had gone but reached back to grab Luke's wrist, pulling him along with her. Luke's heart skipped a beat. He wasn't sure if it was from the unexpected contact or the thought of a movie night with Lorelai. That sounds more like a date, he thought, allowing himself to be led by Lorelai to the front of the crowd.
The source of the smoke soon became apparent. Although the bonfire remained unlit, the town Fire Starter was still smoldering.
"Kirk, sugah, it's stop, drop, and roll." Babette was urging the man, who instead of rolling appeared to be performing the worm on the lawn in front of the bonfire.
"I don't remember this scene from Breakers," Lorelai said, not quite sure yet whether it was safe for her to laugh yet. Is he still on fire?
Meanwhile, Luke had already grabbed the blanket from Lorelai's bag and ran forward to smother any remaining flames. "Stop break dancing, Kirk," Luke grunted, trying to hold down the blanket, which kept flying off with each of Kirk's spasms. Groaning, Luke resorted to practically hugging the man with the blanket, finally putting out the last of the fire.
"What happened?" Lorelai asked Rory and Lane. Rory had the same expression Lorelai had been wearing earlier - half amusement and half concern. Lane meanwhile had a awestruck expression on her face. Lorelai remembered that the girl had never witnessed Kirk's antics at the Festival before.
"He was already on fire when we got here," Rory said.
"Oh it was awful, honey," Miss Patty explained. "Poor Kirk decided to use a blow torch this year to start the fire, only he got it all turned around."
"The idiot lit his sleeve on fire," Gypsy chimed in.
"And then, of course, we all scrambled to find some water," Miss Patty continued. "Only the cooler Taylor picked up was the one with my alcohol reserves for the Founder's punch."
"Oh no!" Rory exclaimed. "That explains the screaming."
"And why Taylor has been so strangely subdued during Kirk's performance of 'Great Balls of Fire,'" Lorelai added, nodding toward a chagrined looking Taylor, who was sitting on the gazebo steps.
"Well, Kirk looks okay now at least," Rory said. Luke was helping a charred, but remarkably unharmed, Kirk off the ground.
"I have conquered fire!" Kirk bellowed, in between coughs, raising a fist in the air. After a dramatic pause Kirk continued. "And you can too with my patented fire retardant spray - Fire Be Gone!" Kirk pulled out a basket full of cans that had been stashed next to the gazebo and began to move through the crowd to sell his wares. "Remember to fight fire with Fire Be Gone. Only $5 a can."
"This is a clear abuse of official town duties, young man," Taylor harangued, any lingering concern for his role in setting Kirk on fire disappearing along with the appearance of the Fire Be Gone cans. "And, might I remind you, that you do not have a permit to sell your spray at the Festival. This is a complete disregard of the town charter..." Taylor could be heard loudly objecting to Kirk's latest business venture, as he followed him through the crowd.
"Did Kirk set himself on fire on purpose?" Rory asked incredulously.
"Well, it is Kirk," Lorelai said.
"Better not to question it?" Rory asked.
"Exactly." And then turning to Lane, who still looked astounded by the events, Lorelai asked, "How are you holding up?"
"This. Is. Amazing!" Lane squealed. "I knew it had to be awesome. Everything the Kim family protests winds up being awesome. I can't wait to see it all!"
"Yes, well, sex, drugs, rock 'n roll, and small town Firelight Festivals. All the height of awesome," Lorelai said, smiling at the girl's enthusiasm and watching as Luke unceremoniously lit the bonfire, the crowd's attention still directed toward Kirk.
. . . . . . .
A half hour later, Lane was dragging Rory around to every single booth at the Festival and Luke and Lorelai had moved to the edge of the town square, taking in the festivities at a distance.
"Funny how the Festival can start off with such craziness, but end so perfectly every year," Lorelai sighed. "Has it always been this way?"
"Well, things haven't always started out so crazy. I mean someone setting themselves on fire is new..."
"Oh, well good to know there isn't precedent for the self-immolation."
"That's definitely a factor of Kirk's involvement," Luke chuckled. "But yeah, it's pretty much been the same since I was a kid."
"Did you used to go to the Festival willingly? Or did you always have to be dragged out here?"
"Participation in town events was mandatory in the Danes household." Luke smiled at the memory. "I always resisted, of course."
"Of course. A hermit at heart even then," Lorelai teased, playfully tapping Luke's chest over his heart, but letting her hand linger for a few seconds longer than necessary.
"Something like that," Luke said, growing thoughtful. "But it was nice. Having the whole family together like that. And I always had more fun than I let on."
"Still do maybe?"
"Perhaps..." Luke said in a low tone, looking down at Lorelai and noticing for the first time their proximity.
"Not so much a hermit after all then," Lorelai said, barely above a whisper, her mouth tilting up toward Luke as they locked eyes. Luke hesitated only slightly before starting to lean down for a kiss.
"Luke, Lorelai, could I interest you in some Fire Be Gone?" Kirk was suddenly next to them, hawking cans of the fire retardant spray from his still full basket. "I assure you that any rumors you may have heard about it causing asthma are almost certainly unfounded. I promise you my wheezing is from the smoke inhalation and not the spray."
"Oh, uh, thanks Kirk but I think we're okay." Lorelai took a step back from Luke, not sure whether or not she was grateful for the interruption. For the hundredth time she reminded herself of the promise she made Rory three years before - it's still me and you against the world kid. Why do I always forget that when Luke is around?
"I should have let him burn," Luke grumbled to himself, regretting not only the interruption but also his hesitation in kissing Lorelai. He was unsure when another moment as perfect as this one would present itself. And, seeing what looked something like relief in Lorelai's eyes, Luke was unsure whether he would have the guts to go for it even if the opportunity did come again.
. . . . . . .
"Hey, kid, did Lane go home already?" Lorelai said spotting Rory walking toward her and Luke. Kirk had left, finally convinced after his twelfth sales pitch that they were not going to purchase Fire Be Gone, and after Luke threatened to use a can of Fire Be Gone on Kirk in a manner that was definitely contrary to manufacturer's instructions.
"Yeah, she wanted to get back early so she could take a shower and get the smoke out of her hair."
"Makes sense. That girl has a future career in the CIA, I tell ya."
"Kim. Lane Kim," Rory giggled. "Hey, did you ask Luke to movie night yet?"
"Nah, I thought I'd let you do the honors."
"Ahem, Luke Danes, the Gilmores would be honored by your presence tonight for our annual post-Festival movie marathon."
"Very eloquent invitation, Rory," Lorelai praised.
"I thought so," Rory smiled. "So Luke, what'll it be?"
"Do I get any choice in the movies?" Luke asked.
"Oh how cute, he thinks he has a say in movie night," Lorelai laughed.
"You'll love it Luke, we have a great theme tonight!" Rory explained excitedly.
"Do I get a preview at least?" Luke raised his eyebrow.
"Well, I don't want to give everything away, but we start with a true 70's classic: The Wicker Man," Rory said.
"Oh, I just thought of something!" Lorelai gasped. "The ending..."
"Oh my gosh, no!" Rory sounded horrified. "With the bonfire... you don't think..."
"...that our movie selection caused Kirk to set himself on fire..."
"...as some sort of ritualistic sacrifice to the Stars Hollow Founders?"
"I knew we should have memorized those pagan chants the last time we watched the movie!" Lorelai laughed, linking arms with first Rory and then Luke, as the three walked toward the Gilmore house for movie night.
So I didn't get to kiss the girl tonight, Luke thought. This isn't so bad. In fact, it's kind of nice. Almost like having the whole family together again.