A/N I was able to finish this part of the story quicker than I thought. Some days it seems to write itself. Thank you for all who read and reviewed.
I own nothing
Ch 24 Paige Turner
The next week Lorelai is still unable to connect physically with Luke. Jess came back with him to Stars Hollow on Wednesday and the four had dinner at Luke's apartment. Then on Thursday Rory and Lorelai went shopping for a dress for Lorelai to wear on New Year's Eve.
"Mom, we have tried on every dress in this mall, can't we go home? Please!?!" Rory is ready to drop, every dress is either not sexy enough or makes Lorelai look fat, like that was a possibility.
"Please Rory, we need to find my dress, it needs to go with the cape Luke got me and this dress needs to make him want to see it on the bedroom floor. It has to be here somewhere." Lorelai felt an added pressure to find the perfect dress. Luke hadn't seemed to mind the distance at all and she was concerned that he was drifting away from her. She stopped in front of a store and in the window she saw her dress; a three quarter length, powder-blue knit long-sleeve dress with a deep v-neck in the front and in the back. It's simple and formfitting and Lorelai fell in love with it. "Rory, this will look amazing with the cape Luke got me."
"Oh, Mom, it's gorgeous!" Rory could just see her mom in the dress and she pushed her through the store door, "Go try it on and buy it! I don't think we'll find a more perfect dress anywhere."
Lorelai had the dress on in a second. She really fell in love with it because her normal size turned out to be too large so she had to go down one size. "What a marvelous dress this is! I feel ten times better already! What do you think Rory?"
"It's beautiful Mom. Luke will be speechless. Oh! Wear your new snowflake earrings with it and no other jewelry that would be amazing!"
"By George I think she's got it!" Lorelai giggled, the first real feeling of hope she has had in almost a week. "Snowflakes and the dress and the cape, what I need now is something spectacular underneath as well. Rory, go to Borders and keep yourself busy, I'm heading into Victoria's and I don't want too scar you any more than I already have." Lorelai grinned wickedly.
"Say no more, that's enough information, thank you!" Rory left her mom and headed into the bookstore.
Just under an hour later Lorelai and Rory were heading back to Stars Hollow. Rory asked her mom, "Do you think I could stay with Lane New Year's Eve? Dean wants to go out, but I'm really still concerned about the situation so I told him I might stay with Lane to keep her company."
"Rory, are you sure you want to cut ties with Dean so soon? You've only been going out for a couple of months and to subject yourself to Mrs. Kim's church group on New Year's Eve seems kind of drastic."
"I know Mom, but I just feel like I need some space. I know you don't think I'm going to get married to him but it seems kind of futile to date someone when you know there isn't a chance of going forward, right? Isn't that why you stopped after the first date with ALL those other guys?"
"Sweets, you're not me and I just don't want you to put your hopes on a relationship that can't advance for some time. Are you going to put your life on hold while you and Jess live in the same house?" Lorelai was concerned that Rory wasn't thinking about what that would mean.
Rory didn't want to hear about this and she lost control, "For heaven sake Mom I'm not pining for Jess! This has nothing to do with that situation and even if it did what's to say that you and Luke are really getting married anyway? You yourself said he probably doesn't want to marry you anymore so why should I worry about living in the same house with Jess?"
Rory realized what she had said to her mom and looked at Lorelai whose eyes were filling up with tears, "Mom, I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean that. You know Luke and you will get married and we'll all live in the same house. Please say something Mom, please?"
"Rory, I can't right now, OK? I know you didn't mean to hurt me and you were upset, but I can't talk to you right now." Lorelai's tears continued to slip down her cheeks and her small cup of hope crashed to the floor in a million pieces. Rory was right, Luke wasn't going to want to marry her so Rory and Jess didn't have to worry. "Tell Lane you can stay over."
When they got back to Stars Hollow Lorelai went to the Inn and told Rory not to wait up for her. "But Mom, aren't we going to Luke's for dinner?"
"You go ahead, I need to get some work done at the Inn. Tell Jess I'll try and stop by before he goes back to New York." Lorelai left and when she got to the Inn she told Tobin to hold all her calls no matter who it was. She was going to get some paperwork done.
Rory got to the diner about seven o'clock and Luke looked pass her shoulder expectantly. "Hey Rory, how's everything? Your mom coming by later?"
Rory's eyes filled with tears and she looked at the ceiling tile as she said, "I don't think so Luke. We had a pretty big fight and I said something to really hurt mom, so I don't think she wants to see me right now."
Luke knew that when these two fought it was big, so he did the only thing he could, "Well, you know fights with your parents automatically gets you a brownie ala mode and coffee."
"Thanks, Luke, but I don't know if I could eat it right now."
"Even if you don't eat it you get it, I don't make the rules, I just carry them out." Just then Jess came down from the apartment. "Jess, why don't you keep Rory company while I fill her order and then I need to make a delivery, so if you could keep an eye on the place."
"Sure Uncle Luke," Jess grinned wickedly as Luke sighed.
"Jess, it's just Luke, you know this, and yet you insist on baiting me don't you?"
Jess laughed, "Gotta go for some entertainment in Pleasantville, Uncle Luke."
"Fine, you have the floor?"
"Got it."
"Then I'm out." Luke was carrying another brownie ala mode and coffee and got into his truck. He called Lorelai's home and got the machine then he called the Inn and asked for Lorelai, Tobin told him she wasn't taking any calls, so he knew she was there. He reached the Independence Inn and at least this Tobin guy wasn't the putz Michel was, he let Luke go back to Lorelai's office. He knocked on the door and Lorelai's voice greeted him.
"Tobin, please go away, I really just want to be alone right now, OK?"
He tried the door and it wasn't locked so he stepped in, "It isn't Tobin, I was informed that you and your daughter had a fight today and that automatically calls for brownie ala mode and coffee so I brought yours here."
Lorelai sighed, "Thank you Luke, but I'm not hungry right now. Did Rory tell you what we fought about?"
"No, do you want to tell me what you fought about?"
"No."
"Lorelai, please, I know I haven't seen you that much since Jess got here, but I'm here for you and I want you to know that."
"Luke, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone except Rory. Now the person I loved the most has said things that she will never be able to take back because they were said in the heat of the moment. I don't want to do that with you. So please don't push this OK? Let me deal with it and there may come a time when I tell you what's going on with Rory, just not now and not today." Lorelai couldn't look at him while she was talking, she knew if she did she'd tell him and it'd just put him in an awkward position of reassuring her even though he may not mean what he'd be saying.
"Lorelai, I love you too and it pains me to see how much you're hurting. What hurts me even more is the fact that I know I've done the same thing to you that Rory has today. I'll never be able to take back things I've said to you and I know I don't deserve the forgiveness you've given me. I have to believe that Rory regrets her words as much as I do mine and she'll have a hard time living with this memory because it caused you so much pain."
As he's been speaking Luke has picked up Lorelai's hand and gently pulls her up out of her chair. As he envelops her in his arms Lorelai starts sobbing into his shirt. He continues to hold her as her sobs get louder and more violent, racking her body from the very depth of her soul. He knows that there is something more to this than just the fight with Rory but he can't figure out what it might be. He knows they haven't made love in a week and that realization shocks him. Could he've been so preoccupied with getting Jess situated that he didn't realize that they haven't been alone in a room since New York? 'Jeeze Danes, what an idiot you are!' Lorelai's sobs are decreasing and becoming small whimpers.
"Lorelai, do you think Jess and Rory would want to see a movie while you and I spend some grown-up time together?" Luke kisses the top of her head.
Lorelai still has her head buried in Luke's shirt and says, "I'm sure Rory would enjoy that, I just don't know how good an idea it would be to encourage that."
"Well, Jess and I had a talk and he knows that Rory is off limits or else he is going to a boarding school the second something starts. I figure that since we didn't start anything for five years it shouldn't be impossible for him." Luke grins.
Lorelai sighs, "So he does like Rory huh? Damn it. It would've been so much easier if he didn't."
"How could he not fall for a Gilmore girl? It's part of the Danes' genes. So, do you want to spend some grown-up time with me?" Luke held her even tighter rocking her back and forth.
"Where were you thinking?" Lorelai was starting to relax in Luke's arms and his gentle rocking was having a calming affect.
"There is so much to choose from," Luke grinned, knowing that they were moving in the right direction, "but I'm going to suggest that we look upstairs." He lifted her chin so he was able to kiss her gently, she returned the kiss and it rapidly deepened. Lorelai moaned with desire and Luke broke away breathless, "Call Rory and Jess and I'll take care of the room."
After all the logistics were taken care of Luke escorted Lorelai up the stairs. When they had reached the floor they were staying Luke swept Lorelai up in his arms and as she squealed he carried her to the door of their room. "You do realize that these rooms aren't meant for this sort of thing?" Lorelai teased.
"I would think it would be a very profitable side line for Mia, do ya think you could pitch it at the next staff meeting?" Luke teased back. He set her down inside the room and kissed her passionately. Slowly his hands crept up under her shirt and when he touched her warm skin Lorelai trembled.
"Luke I've missed you so much." She whispered in his mouth.
"I'm an idiot," Luke replied, "Having a beautiful woman in love with me and what do I do? Ignore her and leave her alone for an entire week. I can't believe that you waited for me." He was steadily working his way down her neck as he eased her onto the bed.
"I'd wait a life time for you Luke, but please don't make me." Lorelai didn't mean to let him see her so vulnerable and Luke was shocked by the plea in her voice.
"Lorelai, I'm here. You don't have to wait for me, I'll always be here."
"Really?" Lorelai wanted to believe that Luke meant it, but a small part of her still doubted.
"Dear God Yes!" Luke didn't know what to do to convince her, so he did what he did best.
Afterwards Lorelai sighed, "Actions speak louder than words, huh babe?"
"Are we good Lorelai?" Luke was really concerned as he held her in his arms.
Lorelai reached up for his cheek, "We're good, Luke. I love you."
"I love you too, more than you'll know." Luke stroked her hair out of her eyes. "Did I mention I was an idiot?"
Lorelai laughed, the first laugh she had let go of in four days, "Once or twice, but be kind to that idiot, he's my boyfriend."
"Thank God."
"Luke, I think my ice cream's melted."
Luke had to take Jess back on Friday and they were lucky to have gotten that little chunk of time before Sunday rolled around.
Sunday night Lorelai got dressed and Rory was getting ready to go to Lane's. They had reestablished a tenuous relationship. Lorelai wanted to let her guard down, but it was the first time Rory had used intimate information to hurt Lorelai and it reminded her of her mother. She wasn't sure what to say to Rory, but she wasn't mad any more, just hurt. As she added the finishing touches to her outfit she heard a sound and turned around to find Rory. "Oh, Mom, you look beautiful."
The powder blue dress clung to Lorelai's curves and the snowflake earrings caught the light so that it added a luminescence to her face. She has left her hair down and loose because Luke liked it that way. She picked up the cape and when she put it on she heard Rory catch her breath, "Mom, you look like a bride."
Lorelai looked in the mirror and the pure white over the light blue did in fact look very espousal. "Thank you Rory, I feel very free tonight. I've decided that whatever way I'm with Luke is better than not being with him at all. So if we wait years to get married, or just end up living together, I'm OK with that, because to not have him in my life just isn't an option. There are very few people who I'd say that about. He's the only person that I feel as though I need him in my life, I guess there's really no choice."
Rory wanted to make up in someway and she wasn't too sure how Luke would feel if she told her mom, but she needed something, "The first day Luke and you kissed, when I went to him to see if he could just go back to being friends and not go forward with your relationship he said, 'no, it's like breathing, I've no choice if I want to live.' He loves you mom, I'm really sorry that I said that about you two, I know Luke wants to marry you, he told Jess that he had to be ready to live in the same house with two coffee crazed women." Rory smiled tentatively at her mom.
"Thank you Rory," Lorelai went over to hug her daughter, "I know Luke loves me, I think he's had a hard time focusing on two things at once and it scared me. I think it'll probably be sometime after Jess gets settled before we talk engagement. So I'm going to go to work tonight and welcome the New Year with my fella. Have fun with the prayers circle at Mrs. Kim's."
"Night Mom, and Happy New Year," Rory hugged her back and then went downstairs to get her stuff to go.
At ten o'clock Luke enters the Inn wearing his navy suit and a navy and dark green tie with a crisp white shirt. He is carrying his new overcoat that Lorelai got him when he sees her across the floor, her back to him. She is breathtaking in her light blue dress, the curves of her body outlined so perfectly. Her hair is soft and fluid; he has an urge to run his hands through it at this moment. As she turns her head he sees the earrings he gave her and he smiles.
He's still concerned though, her posture is not the normal confidant stance she usually portrays, this one's more tentative, her arms wrapped protectively around her body, head slightly down, tipped to one side. His concern is that he's contributed to this, in some small way, and he makes a mental note to work on his awareness. Brian comes up and greets him, Luke tells him Lorelai and he are eating in the dinning hall and Brian takes his coat to the table while Luke goes up to get Lorelai. He slides up behind her and whispers, "Hey," before he wraps his arm around her covering her arm with his own.
She leans back into him and whispers, "Hey you. I was hoping you'd be your punctual self. This party's really taking care of itself so my job's been very minimal." She turns and leans in to kiss him. "Did I tell you that Rory is staying at Lane's tonight?"
Luke smiles and says, "I think someone mentioned that fact along the way, are you ready for dinner?" he says as he rocks her much like he did in her office the other day.
Lorelai leans into him and snuggles, "Hmm, we could or we could just stay here and pretend to dance as we hug." She smiles.
"Or, Brian is holding a table for us right now, how 'bout we come back and dance later?" Luke takes her hand and leads her into the dinning hall.
After dinner they danced a few slow dances where Luke was able to hold her tight until he felt her heartbeat through his shirt. As midnight approached Luke whispered, "Why don't we get our coats and go for a walk? I want you all to myself at midnight."
Lorelai got her cape and Luke had to catch his breath. "My God I'd no idea that it would be that beautiful on you. It's like the dress was made for it. Oh, Lorelai, what'd I do to deserve you?" Luke gathered her in his arms and kissed her deeply.
"Luke, you sure you want to go for a walk?" Lorelai grinned, "'Cause there seems to be growing evidence contrary to that."
"Give me a moment and, dirty." Luke laughed. "Yes, I want to go for a walk, with you alone, away from everyone. Clear enough?"
Lorelai laughed, feeling lighter than she had in days. "Lead on big boy, and do not say it, too easy." She shook her finger at him.
Luke took her hand as they walked out back and after a time they found themselves at the lake. Luke turned to Lorelai and reached for her hood, pulled it up and said, "Lorelai, whenever I look back on my life there are three moments that will stand out for me. One is the day I pulled up your hood to protect you from the wind and saw the love I had for you reflected back in your eyes for me. I was so taken with that look I didn't even think, I just leaned in and kissed you," Which Luke did again at that moment. "At that moment I knew I wanted to spend everyday waking up and kissing you good morning. I even wondered if you thought it would be possible to get married the next day." Luke laughed and Lorelai joined him, not sure where this was going.
Luke took both Lorelai's hands in his and held onto them, "Then I did a stupid, stupid thing, I tried to keep a very painful part of my life from you and I said things that hurt you,"
"Luke it's OK," Lorelai tried to stop him.
"Shh, no, I know I could've lost you that night and I'm not sure you know how much that scared me. When we went to New York it was another looks good on paper but when I looked at the reality, it also scared me. I really didn't put together that I was going to be in meetings all day so I wasn't going to be there to protect you. I'm not sure I could survive losing you Lorelai, of my own stupidity or by someone else's hand. So I went overboard to keep you safe, you interpreted it as controlling like your parents, and I'm not sure you were that far off. I think Emily and I have that in common, shock, I know." Luke grinned. "But I was so afraid of losing you, I wanted to know where you were all the time and that's why I asked Henry to take you around. At least I felt he could call for help even if he wasn't able to actually protect you."
Lorelai broke into his rant, "Oh, Luke, I've forgiven you and I know you didn't do it intentionally, I guess it really felt like an Emily move and that is what set me off. I do need you and I think that scares me too. This past week I have felt so vulnerable and that terrified me, I've always taken care of Rory and I never needed any one person like I need you."
"Well, that makes the next part easier for me," Luke grinned, and took Lorelai's left hand in his. With his right he brought out a ring from his pocket. "Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, I want to spend the rest of my life waking up with you, I want to have children, grand children and grow old with you by my side. Would you make this the second moment that I will always remember by agreeing to be my wife?" He took the ring out and placed it at the tip of her finger.
Lorelai gasped, "Yes, Luke, my answer is yes!" It was just like her dream, they were by the lake where they first kissed, and then Lorelai started to sob and collapsed into Luke's coat.
"Lorelai, if you don't like the ring we can take it back, are you all right? Lorelai, please answer me, I'm at a loss here." Luke was very confused, she had said yes, he thought, but now she is crying and not happy tears.
"Oh, Luke I'm such an idiot, I am so happy right now and I spoiled Christmas because…because." Lorelai was starting to hiccup and she couldn't finish her sentence.
"Oh, my God, Lorelai! You thought I'd propose at Christmas didn't you?" Luke cradled her in his arms. "That was why you seemed disappointed in what I got you right?"
"Maybe." Lorelai felt like a fool at this point. "Christmas is a time when a lot of couples get engaged, so I guess I thought you didn't want to marry me any more, maybe a little bit."
"Oh, Lorelai, Christmas is a time for presents and an engagement ring isn't a present it's a promise. This is our promise to each other for our future. I'm so sorry if I'd had any idea I would have given you this in New York. I just wanted it to be a special moment that we could share like our first kiss. I never meant to put you through this."
"Luke that was so beautiful and this night is magical, but when we tell the story can we keep the Lorelai's an idiot part a secret?"
"Hey, be careful who you call an idiot, that's my fiancée. You are my fiancée right?" Luke was still holding the ring in his hand waiting to put it on Lorelai's finger.
"Dear God YES! Wow, I have a fiancé. I've never had one of those before." Lorelai grinned widely as Luke slipped the ring on her finger.
"I've never had a fiancée before," chuckled Luke as he kissed her passionately. The kiss deepened and his hand found its way under Lorelai's cape and as his fingers dipped past the open neckline of her dress, they caressed the swell of her breast and Lorelai moaned Luke's name. "Lorelai, if we don't get to our room I'm going to make another memory for us out by the lake and I would rather be in a warm room when this happens." Luke looked at her wickedly.
"Luke, there aren't any rooms for tonight, it's New Year's Eve, remember? We're booked solid."
Luke produced a key to one of the rooms with a grin as he grabbed her hand. "Paige booked it for me when you said you had to work. I really need to get you inside, so let's get going OK?"
"Luke I didn't see a Paige Merriweather on the roster."
"She used her husband's card, Dan Turner. Come on, let's hustle." Just then Lorelai hit a dead stop.
"Your secretary's name is Paige Turner?"
"Now you know why she kept her maiden name." Luke, being impatient scooped Lorelai up, who squealed and carried her the rest of the way to the Inn. "Have I told you how much work you are?"
"But so totally worth it right?."
"You bet."
A/N Hope this helped put a bunch of stuff together. Thanks for those who have hung on. Hope it's been worth it. Peace. Sorry about the pun, it just came to me when I was trying to figure out Paige's last name.