A/N Ok, Here it is. Hope you enjoy it. I never thought that the wedding was the end. To me there are so many possibilities so if you're still reading and would like me to continue let me know.
I own nothing.
Ch 44 Something good
Luke and Jess got to the inn around two thirty. They carried their tuxes up to the groomsmen's room and hung them over the doors. Their personal toiletries they put in the bathroom and Luke set his suitcase that he would take for the honeymoon by the closet. Lorelai had put them on the first floor and the bride and bridesmaid's room were on the second so they shouldn't run into each other. After stowing their tuxes Luke and Jess went downstairs to see how things were shaping up. They were walking through the lobby when they ran into Tom and company.
"Mr. Danes," Tom said. "I'm sure you and Lorelai will be happy together. I know she's made a difference in your life."
Luke grinned widely, "Yeah, one immediate change is that when I hired you I thought all possibilities of me in a monkey suit would have gone out the window. Now I actually own one of 'em." Luke chuckled.
He introduced them to Jess and Annie, Paige, Don and Tom all wished Luke congratulations on the big day.
"Thanks, I feel people should be telling me what a lucky bastard I am and 'how could you possibly convince a woman like Lorelai to marry you.' At least they're probably thinking it" Luke chuckled.
"Hey Tom, you brought the car up from New York right?" Luke knew the driver was going to take Lorelai and him to the airport but he hadn't thought about sending the driver to pick up Lorelai et al and bring her over. That way they didn't have to worry about getting a car home. "I'd like to send it to pick up Lorelai unless you had other plans for it?"
"Sure Mr. Danes, not a problem. I know we're here for the evening."
Luke wrote his note and walked out to the car to find Henry. Luke smiled and said, "Henry, good to see you."
"You as well Mr. Danes and may I offer my congratulations?"
"Thank you Henry. What do you say you go pick up my bride and bring her here?" Luke handed him a note for Lorelai and Henry took off.
They all went to see what Michel had done with the place. They walked out into the main hall where the reception would be held. The six of them stopped just inside the door and Luke whistled low. "Wow."
Jess said, "Yep, I think that about says it."
The entire hall was lit by thousands of twinkle lights strung from the ceiling. All the tables were draped in white with three or four small bouquets of white carnations at all of the tables along with vines of white and light blue sweet peas surrounding the centerpieces. Each of the tables also had about six tea lights that would flicker warmly once they were lit. The centerpieces were glass bowls filled with some clear opalescent rocks that looked like ice. These were sitting on top of square pieces of mirror that reflected the lights in a thousand different ways. It reminded Luke of being outside in the moonlight after a fresh snowfall. He had never seen anything so beautiful and so befitting Lorelai.
The group continued outside into the large tented area. The tent had large plastic windows that you could see the twinkle lights in the trees through. Every one of the folding chairs was covered in a white fabric with a cushioned seat. Lorelai explained that if it was a cold night, which it turned out to be heading for, the added fabric would help keep the people warm. Just inside the tent was a place where the blowers were situated and they would blow heat into the tent right up until the groomsmen took their place. Then the blowers would be turned off but the heat would remain on. Luke was concerned about Lorelai being too cold during the ceremony.
"Me and my idiot wish to get married by the lake. Lorelai is going to freeze in her dress and it'll be all my fault. Hey Jess, do you think we can enclose the tent in any way? Make it warmer?"
"I don't think so Luke. Besides, I think Lorelai took into consideration what the weather was going to be like when she made her dress." Jess was looking up into the gray sky.
"She what!?!" Luke was shocked. "She told me that if she made her dress that she would get help. Damn it, she shouldn't have done that. She needed her rest!" Luke was gearing up for a rant when Jess knocked the wind out of his sails.
"Yeah, since her fiancé was sleeping so well that he carved a huge four pillar canopy just so she'd have something to stand under. No wonder you two are getting married, you're made of the same stuff; the both of you hard headed and stubborn." Jess walked forward into the tent to see the chuppah.
Luke was a bit chagrinned as Tom looked at the chuppah and said, "You carved this Mr. Danes?"
"Yeah, it's like Jess said. I had a difficult time sleeping in the new house alone so I needed something to do with those three o'clock wake-ups when I couldn't go back to sleep. I actually carved a chuppah, but since we're not Jewish and we're being married by a Christian minister, we're just calling it an arch." Luke ducked his head as they all chuckled.
As he walked forward he saw that Michel had done a good job with the chuppah. There're high quality silk sweet pea vines in white and light blue draped around all four pillars. He also had used sparkly white wired ribbon that shimmered in the dusk. There were pots of fresh flowers, those flowers that Lorelai liked; he tried to remember what she told him. They were spiky stalks with small white flowers; damn they were a simple name that sounded like a bird. Ah ha! Larkspur! They were spread around in pots and also attached to the ends of the first rows.
Luke heaved a sigh and really just wanted the day to be over so he could be married. It was a beautiful place to get married, he just wanted it to be five-thirty and see Lorelai. He looked at his watch and it said three fifteen. He wondered if the girls had gotten there yet.
"Hey Jess, do you want to check and see if the limo got back yet? I guess I'm not supposed to run the risk of seeing Lorelai." He grinned.
"Sure Luke, be right back." Jess ran off towards the inn.
Luke looked up in time to see Kirk walking towards him in a maroon usher's uniform complete with a captain's hat and gold cord on the shoulders. Luke shook his head as Kirk ran up to him.
"Luke, I just want you to know that no one's going to get into the ceremony without their golden ticket. I promise that I will throw myself on anyone who so much as tries to crash your wedding." Kirk stood at attention waiting for Luke to return his salute.
"Thanks Kirk but I'm not going to return your salute, I have no rank above you." Luke sighed.
Kirk took his hand down slowly and showed Luke the list Lorelai had left for him of wedding guests who had RSVPed.
"You know Luke I'm a bit concerned about this. I don't see your name on my list." Kirk eyed Luke suspiciously.
"For the love of Pete Kirk I'm getting married! Of course I wouldn't be on the damn list; I'm one of the people throwing this shindig!" Luke's blood was beginning to boil over.
"Luke, I'm not sure what you've heard before, but I don't love Pete. I'm looking for a nice girl to settle down with. Although little Pete is nicer looking than big Pete, I'm still not really interested." Kirk was trying to sort this out in his head when little Pete came ambling over.
"Don't worry Luke, I told Lorelai that I'd help out with this. We've got it covered. You just concentrate on getting married." Little Pete smiled reassuringly at Luke.
Luke sighed deeply, "Thanks Pete." He went off to his room to start getting ready to become a husband.
Just about that time the girls were unpacking in the bride's room. Sookie excused herself to go check on the ducks for dinner. Lorelai looked at Rory and got tears in her eyes.
"Mom, what's wrong? Are you having second thoughts?"
"Good Lord no!" Lorelai said emphatically. "I just realized that after today it'll all change sweets. It won't be just us anymore. Luke becomes a permanent fixture in our lives and maybe a little sister or brother for you on down the way. It's been just us for so long, I don't know, I guess I'm going to miss it. Even though having Luke is amazing. Does this make sense?" Lorelai was starting to tear up.
"Oh, Mom, don't cry you'll get puffy eyes for the camera and then for decades later you're going to be talking about how horrible you looked in your wedding photos."
"Thanks for the support kid," Lorelai laughed.
"I know, but I know what you're talking about with us. It was difficult for me to admit that Luke wasn't looking to take you away, that he needed you as much as I did. I know that I'm going to leave the house in just a few years and you'd be alone. Which for anyone else wouldn't be a tragedy, but you wouldn't have anyone to torment and who knows what would happen," Rory laughed.
"Hey! I'm perfectly capable of living on my own. Maybe. Well I can take care of myself even though I need someone there to tell all those wonderful jokes to and well maybe make something that's eatable. Ok, I'm willing to admit that I at least really need Luke in my life."
"Good. Besides Mom, Luke is one of the good guys. He lets you get away with murder; he lets us watch the movies that we want with very little complaint at least until the third chick flick in a row. He makes you food he wouldn't serve to children you may have together and you have him wrapped around your little finger. Actually Mom, if there's someone I have to share you with I couldn't think of anyone better than Luke." Rory got up and gave her mom a bear hug and they were standing there when Emily walked in the door.
"She's right you know. I have rarely seen a man so enamored of his bride as Luke is of you. He endures your father's mother," Emily smiled. "He endured your mother." Lorelai snorted.
"Lorelai, he will give you the moon if you asked him. I'm sorry I fought this union for so long. Even though you'll never come back to Hartford society and I know this now, as least I know he'll take care of you and Rory."
"Thanks mom. I should be grateful for what you've given me here, but I just have to know. Have you accepted Luke because of who his grandfather was?"
Emily looked thoughtfully at Lorelai. "I could see where you'd think that Lorelai. But actually his family standing and his money just allow me to hold my head up in public, which I know you don't care about. I never accepted Christopher for anything more than that. However with Luke I saw his generosity and goodness last night. We both know that if anyone deserved to be allowed to have egg on her face that would be me. But your groom took it upon himself to protect me from Trix's humiliation. I'm not sure I would ever do that for anyone, let alone someone who was unkind to me."
Lorelai smiled to herself at that last sentence, thinking her mom had been very kind to herself in her choice of words, but today was a day of happiness, not one to get into arguments. She got up and went over to her mom and hugged her. Emily was awkward at first and then she joined in the hug for a few seconds. When Lorelai pulled away Emily had shed a couple of tears.
"Thanks Mom. I don't know if you realize how important it is to me that you like Luke, not just tolerate him."
Emily smiled and thought about the talk she had with Luke and how he told her this about Lorelai. "Well, don't worry about that. Your Luke is quite a Lancelot."
"Yep he is. OK kids! Let's get this show on the road. Mom, didn't you say you were bringing the hair people?" Lorelai got a huge grin on her face.
"I brought the hair and make-up people they're waiting downstairs until you need them."
"Well send em on up!"
At five twenty everyone was ready. Luke and Jess and Jackson were waiting by the chuppah and Richard had gone upstairs to get the girls. He walked into the room and first saw Rory and Sookie in beautiful empire waist dresses that had a satin shift with the shimmering material as a long sleeve overlay. The material when it was a single layer looked like it was moonlight. There was a hint of blue, but unless it was still it looked almost white. The girls carried white roses with blue sweet pea tendrils as bouquets.
Then Richard saw Lorelai and she took his breath away. Her hair was loose around her face but pulled up a bit in the back to form a loose chignon. She was wearing the snowflake earrings Luke had given her at Christmas and her dress made her look like a snow princess.
The bodice of the dress had a sweetheart neckline in velvet and was fitted to the waist. The skirt of the dress was a body skimming velvet with a very small train in the back, the oversized bell sleeves that were attached at the shoulder, open to the elbow and then open to the cuff that fit around her wrist.
The huge sleeves hung down by her side as she held her bouquet. She had gone with Calla Lilies tied loosely with a sparkly white ribbon and she carried them across her as one would carry a baby. White and blue sweet pea vines gently hung towards the ground.
Her train was inspired by the velvet cape Luke had gotten her at Christmas. The detachable train was velvet, attached to her shoulders and fell behind her. The hood was oversized and flowed loosely about her head. It too was velvet and the entire train was lined in satin.
"Lorelai you're so beautiful. I have never seen you so radiant and you look like something out of a fairytale." Richard was having a difficult time talking. "I meant it last night when I said that no man would ever be good enough for you, although Luke has come very close."
"I know we've had our differences, but I guess it's because you had your eyes set on a very different life than your mother and I had. I want you to know that I've always been proud of the way you've taken charge of your own life, even if I didn't like it very much." Richard smiled at his little girl.
"Thank you dad, and thank you for accepting Luke even before you knew who his family was. That means so much to both of us." Lorelai was starting to tear up and she didn't want to ruin her makeup, so she turned it into a joke.
"Ok Daddy, let's get me hitched!" Richard just smiled. He knew how much his words had affected Lorelai and he also wanted to deliver a dried eye bride.
As Drella started to play Colors Dance by George Winston, Rory and Sookie walked through the tent that now had candle torches in hurricane lamps that gave a beautiful soft glow to the dusk of the evening. The twinkle lights had also been hung inside the tent giving everything a magical light. There were two spots up in front that were defused but allowed everyone to see the wedding party.
Luke was aware of how beautiful Rory was, but his eye was on her mother and grandfather who just came into view. When he saw Lorelai he felt his throat start to close up and he knew he was really close to tearing up. He had seen different Lorelai's dressed up before, stunning Lorelai, gorgeous Lorelai and sexy Lorelai.
All of them paled to this Lorelai, she was simply breathtaking. He had never thought about that word before as being an actual state, but he was having a very difficult time catching his breath. The hood surrounding her face reflected the candlelight in the tent and gave a luminous glow to her radiant skin. He felt the tears well up in his eyes and started to clench his jaw, bit the inside of his mouth and did baseball stats, but even that seemed sacrilegious for the moment. He knew that his entire life had been building up to this moment. Everything that had come before was a prelude to the beginning of his life with Lorelai.
Lorelai was concentrating on not losing her balance until she walked into the tent. There she caught her first look at Luke standing so handsome in his tux. At first she was worried because he wasn't smiling at her; he looked somber and serious like he was at a solemn occasion. It wasn't until that moment that Lorelai realized that while this was a joyful celebration, it really was also a solemn one. They were about to commit themselves to each other for the rest of their lives. Tears sprang to her eyes as she realized how much she loved this man who knew the importance of the moment as well.
Gripping her father's arm tightly Lorelai looked at him and nodded. Drella started to play the wedding march and all of their family and friends stood. Richard escorted Lorelai to the chuppah and Luke stepped over to her side. Reverend Hackett gave them a moment to greet each other.
Lorelai looked up into Luke's eyes and felt safe, secure, loved in a way she hadn't been before. Luke looked at Lorelai and once again felt breathless until he took her right hand in his left. He rubbed it a bit and whispered, "Wow."
Lorelai giggled and whispered, "Yep, you too."
The minister looked at Drella to stop playing. Eventually he was able to get her to stop. He then addressed the crowd. "Friends, we have been invited here today to share with Lucas and Lorelai a most important moment in their lives. In the years they have known one another their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured. Being together for many years, first as friends, now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife."
Luke smiled at Lorelai and took a deep breath to keep his emotions in check. Lorelai felt a single tear start to slide out of her right eye and concentrated on Luke's thumb rubbing her hand.
"We've been invited to hear Lucas and Lorelai as they promise to face the future together, accepting whatever may lie ahead. For the world that God has created for them, with its beauty and grace that is all around, with the strength that it offers and the peace that it brings, makes them truly grateful."
Luke was thinking of all the time they would have together and silently prayed that they would have a healthy family that would love each other.
"Lucas and Lorelai nothing is easier than saying words and nothing harder than living them day after day. What you promise today must be renewed and rededicated tomorrow. At the end of this ceremony legally you will be husband and wife, but you still must decide each day that stretches out before you, that you want to be married."
Lorelai looked at Luke and squeezed his hand gently. He silently acknowledged that he understood they would both work hard on keeping this marriage together.
"Real love is something beyond the warmth and glow, the excitement and romance of being deeply in love. It is caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your marriage partner as about your own. But real love is not total absorption in each other; it is looking outward in the same direction --together. Love makes burdens lighter, because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone."
Lorelai started to really tear up because she was concerned that Luke carried the burden in their relationship. Luke seemed to know what she was thinking because he leaned down and whispered, "We do share the load Lorelai some days you carry more and other days I carry more but we share it."
Lorelai smiled up at him and silently nodded unnoticed by the crowd.
The minister asked, "Who accompanies Lorelai to stand beside Lucas?"
Richard was watching Luke and Lorelai as he stood up there and he was overwhelmed with the love they had for one another so he almost missed his cue but he finally said, "Her daughter, her mother and I do."
Richard kissed Lorelai on the cheek and helped her remove the oversized hood from her head so the crowd could now see her face. He stepped back to where Emily and Trix sat. Lorelai turned to Rory and offered her daughter her bouquet. She caught Rory's hand, held it for a second and Lorelai kissed her on her cheek as well. Tears started to slip down Rory's cheek and she whispered, "I love you Mom."
Lorelai whispered back, 'You'll always be my first love." She smiled at her daughter and then turned to her future.
Rev. Hackett addressed the town, "Family and friends, are you willing, now and always to support and strengthen this marriage by upholding Lucas and Lorelai with your love and concern?"
Everyone responded, "Yeah baby, heck yeah, absolutely!" Along with a few, "We will."
He then said, "Then you may be seated."
The crowd sat and for once in this crazy town you could hear a pin drop.
Rev. Hackett said, "Please join right hands." Luke gently took Lorelai's hand and shifted it to his right as he smiled down at her.
"Lucas Buech Danes, will you take Lorelai Victoria Gilmore to be your wife? Will you love and respect her? Will you be honest with her always? Will you stand by her through whatever may come? Will you make whatever adjustments are necessary so that you can genuinely share your life with her?"
Luke swallowed hard so he could get his voice to speak, looked into Lorelai's eyes and said, "I will."
"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore will you take Lucas Buech Danes to be your husband? Will you be honest with him always? Will you stand by him through whatever may come? Will you make whatever adjustments are necessary so that you can genuinely share your life with him?"
Lorelai was smiling up at Luke with a huge grin and she nodded her head.
Rev. Hackett said, "Lorelai, the state of Connecticut won't let me witness this until you actually say something." Everyone started laughing, up until then they had all been tearing up and it was good to defuse the tension.
Lorelai startled and said, "Oh, sorry, of course I will." Luke squeezed her hand and smiled. He knew how she felt. He was overwhelmed that something so public could be so intimate as well.
Rev. Hackett chuckled and turned to Luke. "Lucas, what token do you give of the vows you make?"
Luke turned to Jess who gave him Lorelai's wedding band. "A ring."
He gave it to Rev. Hackett who blessed it and gave it back to him. Looking into Lorelai's eyes, Luke recited the vows they had rehearsed.
"With this ring I thee wed, and with my body I thee honor, and with all my worldly goods I endow; I take thee to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow."
He took a deep breath and slowly fit the ring on her finger. He was very concerned that it was going to get stuck but it slipped over her knuckle without a problem. He sighed with relief.
Rev. Hackett turned to Lorelai and said, "Lorelai, what token do you give of the vows you make?"
Lorelai turned to Rory and she handed her Luke's wedding band. "A ring."
She gave it to Rev. Hackett who blessed it and tried to give it back to her but Lorelai wasn't paying attention. "Lorelai," he whispered.
She still wasn't paying attention but looking out over the lake. Luke tugged her hand and she still was looking out. The people started to murmur when Luke whispered, "Lorelai are you alright?"
Lorelai turned to him with a really big smile and said, "It's a sign Luke."
Luke was really confused until the first flake hit his eye and he realized that it had started snowing. While it didn't mean anything to him he knew it did to Lorelai and so he smiled and said, "Yes, a very good sign. Now, do you have something for me?"
As Lorelai gave him a confused look he raised his eyebrows and indicated Rev. Hackett's hand that still held his ring.
"Oh, gosh Luke yes!" Lorelai giggled. "Sorry" Luke shook his head at her as he smiled gently.
Lorelai took the ring and held it as she looked into Luke's eyes and recited, "With this ring I thee wed, and with my body I thee honor, and with all my worldly goods I endow; I take thee to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow."
She struggled a bit to get it over Luke's knuckle and as she giggled he bent his head to kiss her gently on the nose. Finally together they were able to get it on his finger.
The feel of the metal on his hand was at once foreign and familiar. He knew that he never wanted to remove it, that he wanted to grow old with that symbol of the promises he made today. He smiled gently at Lorelai and squeezed her hand.
Rev. Hackett once again addressed them, "Lucas and Lorelai, we have heard you promise to share your lives in marriage. We recognize and respect the covenant you have made. It is not a minister standing before you that makes your marriage real, but the honesty and sincerity of what you have said and done here before your friends and relatives in the sight of God."
Luke and Lorelai looked at each other and took in the weight of the moment. Each had waited for the other, without realizing who it was they were waiting for. In their maturity they knew this wasn't going to be easy or quickly established, but that their lives were going to continue to unfold day after day. Some would be good and others would bring challenges, but they had promised to work at it each moment of their lives.
Rev. Hackett continued, "Forasmuch as Lucas and Lorelai have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, by the authority committed unto me as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I declare that Lucas and Lorelai are now husband and wife, according to the ordinance of God and the law of the State of Connecticut."
Rev. Hackett smiled broadly at Lorelai who giggled in return. "In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Whom therefore God hath joined together, let no one put asunder."
"Now the ceremony is over and the experience of living day by day as married people is about to begin. Go forth to meet it, gladly, love life so it will love you. May blessings of God be with you. You may now kiss the bride."
Luke grinned at Lorelai and lifted up her hood so no one could see him kiss her. The crowd booed as the newlyweds kissed deeply. Luke whispered to her, "I love you."
Lorelai also whispered, "I love you too." Tears that had been threatening her eyes freely fell at that last statement. "We're married!" She giggled as she wept.
Luke also chuckled and said, "I can't believe it. It's all I've ever wanted."
He put her hood back down and kissed her gently as the crowd cheered. He smiled at her and shrugged, "Good call on the hood. It's becoming one of my favorite styles."
Lorelai laughed and Rev. Hackett cleared his throat. They both looked at him and he gestured that they were to turn and face the assembly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is now my distinct honor to present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Luke Danes."
The uproar that ensued with that simple phrase threatened to collapse the tent from the noise. Lorelai actually had to cover her ears and she turned to Rory who was weeping openly. She gathered her in her arms facing the deafening sound in order to hug her daughter. Her mother was also crying and Sookie was a mess. Turning to Luke she laughed and took his hand as he led her out the tent towards the inn.
Drella might have been playing some song as they left, but all they heard was their friends and family rejoicing in their union. As they reached the back door of the inn Lorelai steered them to a small room to wait for the tent to clear so they could take pictures, They were going to receive the guests in the main hall afterwards since it was so cold. When they got to the room and closed the door, Luke took Lorelai in his arms and whispered, "My wife."
This sent shivers up Lorelai's spine and she answered, "My husband."
Luke finally let the tears fall that he had been holding back during the ceremony. As they escaped Lorelai brushed them away an asked, "Overwhelmed?"
Luke nodded and whispered, "I felt my mom and dad here."
Lorelai smiled and kissed him deeply. "Oh, Luke. I know they were with you. This is the most important day of our lives. They wouldn't miss it for anything."
Luke held her face in his hands and ran his thumb over her lips as he half whispered / sang, "Somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must've done something good." Then he kissed her, his wife.