Thanks for all the reviews! I read every one, and am so glad to hear your thoughts and opinions on this version of Luke and Lorelai.
I hope you enjoy this chapter. They're finally tying the knot, in this universe at least!
"Hey, handsome, want to buy the bride a drink?"
Luke turned to look at Lorelai as she appeared at his side. "Sure," he said, looking pointedly around Sniffy's. "See her anywhere?"
Lorelai gasped and smacked his shoulder playfully. "It's not too late for me to back out, you know," she informed him.
"Yes it is," Luke smirked as he reached for her hand. "I know you'd never part with the ring."
"True," Lorelai smiled as she laced her fingers through his. "How about that drink?"
He led her across the room to the bar, and after she had a drink in her hand she commented, "I can't believe Buddy and Maisie closed the whole place down for us."
Luke glanced over to the corner table where Maisie and Liz were cooing over Doula. "I think they're shocked this day finally came," he admitted.
"And so grateful to me for taming your wild bachelor lifestyle," Lorelai nodded knowingly.
He took a sip of beer, then nudged her arm slightly with his elbow. "Check that out."
Lorelai followed his gaze to where Emily was cornered by TJ, an expression of horror and disbelief written across her face as he gestured towards her shoes. "I so hope he's offering to become her shoe guy," Lorelai said.
"With that small exception, everything's working well, isn't it?" he commented. "Both our families here together?"
Lorelai glanced around the room. Richard and Buddy were admiring the structure of the building, and Jess was engaged in a somber game of chess with April. Rory had wandered over to Liz and Maisie, and had tentatively taken Doula into her arms. "Yeah, I guess it is," she said.
"Was it weird for Rory?" he murmured. "Seeing Jess?"
Lorelai turned to examine Rory's demeanor, then shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. "I mean, it's probably a little strange, to have her mom marry into her ex-boyfriend's family, but it's not like she hasn't had time to get used to it. They've been broken up for years, and we're certainly not rushing into this."
He nodded, then turned to look at her. "And how are you?" he asked.
She flashed him a smile. "I'll be better in about twenty hours," she said.
"I'm serious," he said, his gaze holding hers. "The nightmares are worrying me."
Lorelai sighed and pushed her hair behind her ears. "I know, but I can't exactly control them," she said.
"It's been happening every night."
"I know, I've been there," she snapped, then took a deep breath. "Sorry."
"Don't be sorry," he murmured. "I just don't want you to be stressed on our wedding day."
"I won't be," Lorelai promised. "Really, Luke, I don't know what's bringing them on. But the fact that in nineteen hours and fifty eight minutes I'll be your wife makes me so happy."
"Good," he said. He offered her the small half smile he reserved only for her, then turned back to the dining room. "Do you think we'll be able to make it around the guards tonight?"
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "I don't think so, I overheard April and Rory using the words 'stake out' and 'preventative measures' when they were planning our separation," she sighed.
"We could make a break for it now, while they're all distracted," he said. "Hide out in my old apartment and lock them out."
Lorelai perked up and squeezed his arm. "We so could," she said.
"I was kidding."
"I wasn't," she said, taking his glass out of his hand and placing it on the bar. "Let's go."
"We can't just leave our own rehearsal dinner," Luke protested as she dragged him towards the door.
"Do you want to spend the night together or not?" Lorelai asked.
He stopped and tilted his head to the side. "Depends how sexy your underwear is," he deadpanned.
Lorelai rolled her eyes and dropped his hand. "I changed my mind, I'll enjoy my nice big bed at the inn tonight all by myself," she said as she stopped beside the door.
"Where do you think you two are going?" Jess appeared out of nowhere, arms crossed over his chest and eyebrows raised suspiciously.
"Just taking a smoke break, you know how it is," Lorelai shrugged casually.
Jess rolled his eyes, then nodded to the table where Rory was now challenging April to chess. "You should just be glad it was me and not those two that caught you crazy kids," he said. "They've got back up plans for their back up plans."
Lorelai frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "This is so not fair," she pouted.
"We're just going to drive back to the Dragonfly," Luke promised his nephew. "To exchange gifts."
"Nice save," Lorelai muttered.
Jess eyed them skeptically before he said, "I can buy you ten minutes. Don't waste them making out in the car."
"We don't do that," Luke retorted.
Jess reached out to pat him on the arm. "Not what my cousins are telling me," he replied, then nodded towards the door. "Go before they realize you're gone."
Lorelai giggled as she followed Luke out the door. "If only I were wearing my wedding dress, we could sing Mrs. Robinson and pretend like we're in the Graduate," she commented.
"You sure it's not rude that we left?" he asked as he pulled the truck onto the road.
"They came to watch us practice getting married, we practiced getting married," Lorelai shrugged. "Besides, I bet Rory and April will already have a helicopter waiting to take you away from me when we get to the inn."
"I hate that tradition," he frowned.
"Me too," Lorelai agreed. "Just so you know, if you sneak out the window by the closet, you can climb down the drainpipe by the laundry room without being seen from the kitchen."
Luke shot her a skeptical gaze. "Do I want to know why you've snuck out of your own house?" he asked.
Sadness flashed briefly in Lorelai's eyes. "Just some nights I didn't exactly want to be home," she said.
He could infer that her sneak outs had something to do with their time apart and chose not to comment. Instead, as he pulled the car off the highway and stated, "you might want to duck down."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Ashamed to be seen with me?" she asked.
"No, but knowing the crackpots in this town, they've got some sort of plan to kidnap you if they see you in my car," Luke replied.
"They wouldn't do that."
As he drove past Miss Patty's, she saw a figure running towards them and was blinded by a flash. "The frog has captured the princess!" Kirk's voice yelled across the town square. "I repeat, the frog has captured the princess!"
"Is Kirk referring to me as a frog?" Luke frowned.
Lorelai reached over to pat his arm. "Don't worry, tomorrow you'll become a prince," she said sweetly.
"I'm trying to contain my joy."
She laughed as he pulled up to the inn and shut off the truck. "Do you think Sookie will let you upstairs with me?" she asked. "Maybe we should have just escaped to the boat."
He let out a sigh. "I haven't been this frustrated since I spent that damn summer in Maine," he muttered.
"Just focus on the fact that tomorrow night King Arthur can come out to play as many times as he wants," Lorelai stated.
He rolled his eyes as they climbed the front steps of the porch. "This is where it all started," he stated.
Lorelai looked fondly at the spot where he'd first kissed her, years ago. "It seems like yesterday," she said softly.
"And a lifetime ago," he sighed.
"I'm glad you were brave enough to do it," she stated. "I don't know that I ever would have been."
He squeezed her hand, then gently pulled her through the front door. "Want to try for upstairs?" he asked.
She shook her head, then tugged him towards the library. "We'll have less privacy down here, but they'll probably give us more time," she said. "Wait here, I'll get your present."
Before she turned towards the door, Luke pulled her close and kissed her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, then reached to stroke her fingers over his cheek. "Not that I'm complaining," she breathed heavily when they broke apart. "But what was that for?"
He kissed her again. "I just figured the tradition police wouldn't let me kiss you goodnight the way I want to," he replied. "Thought I'd take the chance while I still had it."
Lorelai giggled. "If I'm not back in five minutes, assume they've taken me hostage," she said. "I left some dirty pictures in your nightstand so you won't forget me."
"Never," he laughed, watching as she walked out of the room.
He turned to poke at the fire that was burning in the fireplace, tossing another log onto it before he settled onto the couch. Part of him couldn't believe that this was really happening, that after eleven years of friendship, three years of fighting to survive as a couple, and six months of building a real, honest life together with their daughters, Luke Danes was finally going to marry Lorelai Gilmore.
He looked down at his left hand, wondering if it would feel strange to wear a wedding ring. He'd tried it on only once, to make sure it fit, and it had felt somewhat odd for the thirty seconds it had been on. If he was honest with himself, he knew that he probably wouldn't have even bothered to wear a ring if they'd stuck to their original plan of June 3. But now, after being without Lorelai and fighting like hell to get their relationship back, he wanted to advertise their marriage. Much like Lorelai had admitted her reason for taking his name, he wanted to show the world that he was her husband, that there wasn't anything that could come between them again.
"Okay, I think we're still safe," she announced as she walked into the room, clutching a flat white box in her hands. "But I did catch a news bulletin and I think the NYPD is after us."
"Our kids are insane," he sighed.
"But so pretty," Lorelai sighed as she sat down beside him setting the box in her lap. "Rock paper scissors?"
"What?" he asked.
She held her fist out on the opposite palm. "To see who goes first," she explained.
"No need," he said, handing her a flat manila envelope. "You can go first."
Lorelai offered him a smile. "I think I want to marry you," she informed him. She turned her attention to the envelope and unclasped the fastener, reaching inside to slide a single piece of paper out. She looked at it for a moment before she turned to him. "Your boat registration?" she asked with a frown.
Luke scooted closer and pointed to the paper. "Look at the name."
She turned her attention back to the paper and smiled fondly. "Independence," she said softly.
Luke rested his chin on her shoulder, looking down at the paper. "I wanted to…honor you somehow with the boat's name," he explained quietly. "But naming it after you seemed too cheesy, so I started brainstorming and I thought about the Independence Inn. I know how much it meant to you. You pride yourself on your own independence, and I've always admired that about you. Just because we're getting married, but I don't want you to lose that sense of what you can accomplish on your own."
She smiled as she ran her hand over the words. "It's perfect," she murmured. "Thank you."
He straightened and pointed to the bottom of the paper. "I also added your name to the title," he said. "You're half owner now."
Tears filled her eyes at the words printed at the bottom of the paper. Owners: Lucas Danes, Lorelai Gilmore-Danes.
It was the first time she'd seen her new name printed on any kind of official document. Other than when she'd filled it out on the name change forms and marriage license or doodled it for her own enjoyment, Lorelai hadn't seen her married name written out, especially on anything so formal.
"I can't believe this is finally happening," she whispered.
"Me neither," he sighed.
She slid the registration back into its envelope and placed it on the coffee table. "Your turn," she said, turning to face him as she handed the box to him.
He was surprised by the weight of the box when he took it, and he lifted the lid to see a large black book sitting inside. He flipped open the cover and saw a long letter written in Lorelai's familiar handwriting.
"Read it later," she requested softly. "I cried when I wrote it. I want to watch you look at the rest of it."
He glanced at her for a moment before he nodded, flipping to the next page. He saw a wedding picture of his parents, beaming happily outside the Stars Hollow church. The opposite page was filled with his baby pictures, and continued to include photos of him as a toddler with an infant Liz. He silently turned page after page, watching his story come alive across the pages. There was his first day of kindergarten, cooking lessons with his mother, and sports practices with his father. A newspaper clipping of his track record was carefully placed beside his high school graduation portrait, and pictures of him holding Jess as a baby surrounded a receipt from William's Hardware.
He gasped out loud when he turned the page to see a picture of a teenage Lorelai cradling Rory in her arms, a bus ticket from Hartford to Stars Hollow from 1985 pressed behind a protective plastic seal. He traced a finger over a flier advertising the diner coming soon to the corner of Stars Hollow's town square, and his breath caught in his throat when he flipped open an original menu. He couldn't believe she'd tracked some of these items down.
"Oh, Lorelai…" he breathed when he turned to the page that marked April's childhood. He'd missed those years, but on the pages he saw her newborn hospital portrait, her first steps, and her first haircut, complete with a lock of baby hair secured in a small plastic bag. His daughter beamed up at him on her first day of preschool, and eventually, each of his worlds began to merge.
He could see ten year old Rory clutching his hands as he dragged her around the frozen pond, and he let out a small laugh when he saw a diner napkin with a doodle that read "no turkey burgers." He remembered the day Lorelai had drawn it and left it in lieu of a tip after he'd hung the no cell phone sign in the diner.
April's first science fair ribbon was placed beside Rory's first published article, a review of Luke's Diner written for Stars Hollow High's newspaper, published before her transfer to Chilton. A lifetime of memories were secured on these pages, and he took the time to relive each one.
At a drawing of a Santa Burger, Luke recalled how he'd closed the diner to drive Lorelai to her father's side after his first heart attack.
A photo of the two of them at a Firelight Festival allowed Luke to appreciate the way her eyes always sparkled more in firelight, and he took a moment admire the fact that they were doing so right now while she watched him.
Seeing a photo of the golden chuppah he'd carved for her gave Luke conflicting emotions. He'd spent hours pouring his soul into that project for her and a man he'd known was wrong for her, telling himself that if she was happy, it would be worth his disappointment. Now that very chuppah stood yards away from him, on the other side of the fireplace, and in only hours he would be the one to stand beneath it and marry her.
When he saw a newspaper clipping of the basket raffle that featured a picture of the two of them picnicking in the gazebo he shook his head, remembering how she'd begged him to bid on her basket. It had been worth every ridiculous cent he'd spent on Pop Tarts and Slim Jims to eat lunch with her in the gazebo that day.
She'd included a program from the Poe Society reading of the Raven, and the receipt he'd left as a joke for her cashing out the five hours of housework he'd given her for her birthday. A photo of the two of them flanking Rory at her high school graduation made his throat tighten with emotion, and he traced his finger over the image. To anyone who didn't know them, they could have been a perfectly normal family.
He rolled his eyes good naturedly when he saw a receipt from the mattress company who'd finally come to pick up Rory's Yale provided mattress (after he'd stored it for a month), but smiled fondly when he saw a sketch of the two of them breaking the bells in the church. I cared because I missed you, she'd captioned the cartoon.
Soon, the pages became more personal. A copy of the letter acknowledging his investment in the inn was signed by Lorelai with a heartfelt PS: I couldn't have done it without you.
When he reached a page devoted exclusively to Liz's wedding, he allowed his fingers to trace the pink ribbon she'd worn in her hair that night as he admired the pictures of the two of them from various parts of the evening she'd managed to collect.
Next came a printout of his reservation for the test run of the Dragonfly, followed by several pages that now documented the letters they'd exchanged that summer when he'd been away. He saw a receipt from their first dinner at Sniffy's, and then turned several pages of pictures of the two of them, taken when they'd first begun dating. He'd protested her insistence at having their picture taking at the time, but he was now infinitely grateful to be able to revisit such a happy time in their relationship.
He was again conflicted when he saw a candid picture of the two of them, dancing at her parents' vow renewal. She'd looked so beautiful that night, and even though it had ended horribly, he had to admit that it had felt good to hold her close on the dance floor. He still remembered admiring her as she'd walked down the aisle during the ceremony, her gaze focused solely on him. It was the moment that he'd first known she was ready to take the next step with him.
On the following page was an advertisement for the Stars Hollow History Museum, followed by a picture of the two of them captured at the party he'd escorted her to in New York City. He then turned the page to see a picture of the two of them toasting their engagement in the gazebo, and then a series of pictures from the summer that followed. Paul Anka had his own page documented, and he shook his head when he saw a picture of the dog sprawled out beside him on the couch, both man and beast sound asleep. He wondered when Lorelai had managed to sneak taking that picture.
As that year progressed, Luke saw the focus begin to change. Lorelai was less present on the pages, but April was featured multiple times on every page. A copy of her science fair report proving that he was her father was offset by a rare picture of the three of them at April's birthday party. Eventually, he saw field trips and swim practices, but Lorelai disappeared from the pictures and momentos altogether. Fighting the urge to wonder what these pages would have looked like had he not been a complete idiot, Luke smiled again when he saw the presence of the only woman he'd ever loved slowly start to reappear on the pages.
He saw a sketch of their drive from the car dealership, each of them sipping a milkshake and the caption, I knew you were hungry. Luke traced a finger over an image of Lorelai's karaoke performance, followed by a program from Yale's 2007 graduation, and he turned the page to see Rory, surrounded by the town, at the going away party he'd planned meticulously.
Only good memories were present on the following pages, as he and Lorelai had started to rebuild what they'd broken. He'd been more willing to let her take pictures during that summer, and he could see everything from their day trips to his basketball lessons with Rory. He relived their evening spent mini golfing with April, saw carefully preserved movie tickets and dinner receipts, and laughed out loud at the printout from Kirk's blog announcing their engagement. The pages began to thin, but he did see the first picture of their family of four, taken by Liz in the town square only a few weeks ago at Thanksgiving and a photo of the two of them on the porch of their new house. The last page featured a copy of her name change declaration form and their application for a marriage license. A green post it marked the following page, "Wedding day," with an arrow indicating he should continue to the next page.
Another post it marked the next page, "Our future," and the page beside it was labeled, "Reserved for Victoria Danes, birthdate to be determined."
Luke slowly closed the book and turned to look at her, taking in the love and emotion in her eyes. She'd relived each moment with him, and he leaned over to cup her cheek, kissing her deeply. "I love it," he said, his voice choking with emotion. "It's perfect."
"I'm glad," she said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "I've been working on it for weeks."
"Where did you find all this?" he asked, fighting the desire to open the scrapbook again.
"Everyone," Lorelai said. "I can be very persuasive, you know."
He shook his head slightly. "Still, even for you, this goes beyond amazing," he said softly.
Lorelai smiled affectionately at him. "You're a pretty popular guy, Luke, despite your efforts to prove the contrary," she said. "All I had to do was ask around, uncover some archives from the Stars Hollow Historical Society, and raid my and Rory's memory boxes."
"But my parents," he murmured. "April…"
She nodded slowly. "Liz was easy to convince," she said. "But…well, I did have an especially large glass of wine after my conversation with Anna. I never exactly wanted to ask her for anything, but I had to swallow my pride for this. April had to be included. She's part of who you are."
"She is," he nodded. "God, Lorelai, you've really outdone yourself with this."
"I know you don't like getting sentimental, but I just thought it would be nice to have this story told," she said softly. "You, me and Rory, April…all these lives were led separately, but here they're connected."
"They are, it's incredible," he shook his head. "I want to look at it all over again."
She ran her hand over the smooth leather cover of the book. "I hope I wasn't presumptive with the ending," she said. "But I just thought our story's not over, and I've already named one daughter after myself, so why not do the same with the next one? Especially with your family's connection to the name. But that's why her name's on a Post It, in case you didn't like it. Or, you know, if she ends up not being a she."
"Her name is perfect," he confirmed, leaning forward to kiss her again. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," she said. "It was kind of selfish, though, because I really enjoyed making it."
"When did you find the time?" he marveled. They'd both scaled back their time at their respective business as they'd prepared for a wedding and a move.
"That desk you gave April didn't exactly build itself," Lorelai said. "Every time you went out to the garage I knew I had at least a good hour to work. Rory and April helped me pick out pictures when they were here for Thanksgiving, and April went through her baby box with her mom when she went home. She mailed everything to the inn so you won't be suspicious."
"I had no idea," he said with a disbelieving smile. "It's enough to make me want to marry you."
"Good, because otherwise that party we're throwing tomorrow night would be a huge waste of money," Lorelai said. "You really like it?"
"I love it," he said sincerely. "Really, Lorelai, it's the best gift I've ever gotten."
"Good," she said, settling into his embrace. "We don't have much time before the Montagues and Capulets intervene to keep us apart for the night."
He laughed and rubbed her back. "I'll listen for you calling out from your balcony," he said.
Before Lorelai could reply, there was a scuffle outside the library door and Jess all but fell into the room. He righted himself, then turned to the couple on the couch with a scowl. "Your daughters forced me in here to tell you to wrap it up," he reported.
"They'll have to come in here and tell us themselves," Lorelai argued, not moving from Luke's embrace.
"That's what I said, but there was something about traumatizing sights on Christmas," he shrugged. "I don't think I want to know."
"Half an hour more?" Luke requested, his hand stroking Lorelai's hair.
"Ten minutes!" April's voice shouted from the other side of the door.
"Twenty," Lorelai countered with a frown.
"Fifteen."
"Sold," Lorelai said, looking pointedly at Jess.
"Right, sorry," he said, moving towards the door. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, Uncle Luke."
"The door's staying open, so no funny business!" Rory called into the room.
Lorelai frowned as she turned to Luke. "Our next kid better not be as mean as the first two," she said.
He shook his head and pulled her into a kiss. "Want to get married tomorrow?" he asked when they both pulled away.
She sighed as she slid onto his lap. "Well, I'll have to check my schedule," she said thoughtfully.
"There will be coffee."
"Oh, well, if there's coffee, I'll ditch my plans and show up," she said, leaning down to kiss him again. "I love you."
"I love you too," he leaned up to meet her lips again.
"Next time you kiss me, I'll be your wife."
He sighed happily and pressed a kiss to her collarbone. "God, that sounds perfect," he said.
"Yep, by this time tomorrow night we'll be just a regular old married couple," Lorelai murmured. His gaze turned serious, and she frowned in response. "What's wrong?"
"Call me," he said. "If you have the dream again. Call me, even if it's the middle of the night. I don't like the thought of you being alone when you wake up so scared."
"I don't want to think about it right now," she said. "I'm so happy in this moment, I don't want to…deal with that now."
He squeezed her tightly. "Just promise me you'll call," he said.
She leaned down to kiss him. "I'll call," she said. She kissed him again, then whispered against his lips, "Hey, Luke?"
"Hmmm?" he asked against her lips.
"We could revisit that whole phone thing," she whispered. "Since our daughters are evil schemers, we can at least have one last late night phone date before we're never apart for another night?"
He smiled and rubbed her thigh gently. "Sounds perfect," he said.
"Okay, time's up," Rory's voice called and she eased into the room with a hand clamped over her eyes. "Is everything covered that should be covered?"
"If I said no would you go away?" Lorelai asked.
"Come on, it's almost midnight, you can't see each other anymore," Rory insisted, peeking through her fingers. Satisfied that she wasn't going to see anything inappropriate, she lowered her hand and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm giving you another ten seconds before I get Grandma in here."
Lorelai scoffed. "You're bluffing," she said.
"Nine, eight, seven…"
Luke laughed and kissed Lorelai's cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, beautiful girl," he murmured into her ear.
"Rory, cover your eyes," Lorelai requested.
"Why?"
Lorelai traced a finger over Luke's cheek. "Because I'm going to kiss my fiancé for the last time."
XXXXX
"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, what do you think you're doing, young lady?"
Lorelai froze, one leg already firmly planted on the Dragonfly's rooftop, the other lifted halfway through the window. "Uh, checking the rain gutters?" she suggested.
Rory sat up in the bed Lorelai had just vacated. "You're trying to sneak out," she accused, pointing a finger at her. "You think you're going to see Luke!"
With a dramatic sigh, Lorelai slid back through the window and crossed her arms over her chest. "You can't tell me what to do," she said.
"Yes I can," Rory said. "And if you think you're sneaky, you're totally wrong. It was like you were trying to wake me up."
Lorelai gasped in offense. "Excuse me, I am plenty sneaky," she said. "You owe your very existence to my sneakiness!"
Rory grumbled something, and Lorelai narrowed her eyes as she picked up the phrase, "lot younger."
She snatched her phone off of the bedside table and flipped it open, pressing a speed dial button before holding it up to her ear.
"Who are you calling?" Rory asked.
"Someone I like more than you," Lorelai replied.
"He's not going to answer," Rory informed her mother. "April stole his phone and disconnected the landline when Jess caught him trying to sneak out the side door. I swear, it's like we're the parents and you're the teenagers."
"Rory," Lorelai whined, collapsing onto the bed. "I don't like sleeping without him."
"Ew, gross."
An idea came to Lorelai, her eyes lighting up as she straightened and tapped Rory on the shoulder. "Hey, I bet if I gross you out enough you'll let me see Luke," she said.
Rory groaned and pulled her pillow over her head.
"Okay, so Luke does this thing with his tongue…"
"Oh my god, stop!" Rory shouted. "Gross, Mom, now I'm seriously going to need that lobotomy."
"Let me see him or I'll keep talking."
"It's the middle of the night."
"So? Call your co conspirators and tell them to let him go."
Rory threw her pillow at her mother. "Thank god Luke's taking you, twenty three years is way too long of a shift," she said.
Lorelai threw the pillow back. "I want to get married," she said.
"Then I suggest letting me sleep so I don't kill you."
"Rory, come on," Lorelai said. "If you're not going to let me see Luke, at least let me try my dress on!"
"Do whatever you want, just let me sleep."
"Whatever I want?" Lorelai asked. "Really?"
"Besides sneak out," Rory sighed. "You couldn't go anywhere anyway. Grandma put a tire lock on your car."
Lorelai frowned. "Does no one trust me around here?" she asked.
"You were just hanging halfway out the window, you tell me," Rory grumbled.
Lorelai opened her mouth to speak, but instead dove over Rory for her cell phone when it began to ring. "Luke?"
"Ugh, you're just as annoying as he is," April's irritated voice said. "I have a message."
"Message?" Lorelai repeated.
There was a pause, and then a scuffle on the other end before April cried, "Dad, stop!"
Lorelai giggled as she heard a door slam. "You know, if you'd just let him leave, none of you would be annoyed anymore," she informed her stepdaughter.
"Dad wants to know if you're sleeping okay," April said, her tone turning serious.
A small smile stretched across Lorelai's face at Luke's concern. "Well, I was until your sister decided to kick me," she said.
"I only kicked you because you stole my pillow," Rory replied sleepily.
Lorelai laughed and returned her attention to her phone. "Tell him I'm fine," she said to April. "But you know, you guys could successfully run a halfway house or something. I've tried every way to get out of this inn that I can."
"Go to sleep, stepmother," April said.
Lorelai frowned. "Never call me that again," she said. "Or I'll lock you in a tall tower and feed you poisoned apples while making you spin gold on a poisoned spinning wheel."
"I'm hanging up now," April stated. "If you call again, I'm going to disassemble Dad's phone and use the hardware for my spring robotics midterm."
"You totally would," Lorelai said, wrinkling her nose. Her tone turned serious and she said, "I'll stop. Night, April."
"Night, Lorelai."
Lorelai closed her phone and sighed, knowing that she really did have to get some sleep. Smirking to herself, she knew she wouldn't be getting much the following night.
"Mommy?"
Lorelai slipped into mother mode as she settled onto the bed beside Rory. In the dark, hearing Rory's childlike tone, they could have easily been back in the potting shed behind the Independence Inn, sharing a bed and planning adventures.
"Yeah?" Lorelai asked, feeling Rory shift closer.
"I'm happy you're happy."
Lorelai pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "Thanks, hon," she whispered.
"You're going to be a wife."
A happy smile came across Lorelai's face. "Yeah," she agreed.
"You'll still be my mom, right?"
Flashing back to the comfort Luke offered her during her middle of the night meltdowns, when she was the most vulnerable, Lorelai nodded as she stroked Rory's arm. "Oh, yeah," she said gently. "First and always."
"Good," Rory snuggled into her embrace. "Thanks for getting me a stepdad."
"Sorry it's so late," Lorelai sighed.
"Better late than never," Rory sighed.
Lorelai smiled up into the darkness of the room. "I guess so."
XXXXX
"I can't believe how beautiful you two are," Lorelai said the following afternoon, stepping back from the mirror to look at Rory and April.
"Mom, we're supposed to be saying that to you," Rory said.
Lorelai waved a hand. "I know I look good," she said. "But you two…April, you look so grown up without your glasses."
The teenager beamed. "Can I wear a little more mascara?" she asked hopefully.
"Sorry, but if I let you put any more make up on, I'll be in a reverse runaway bride situation," Lorelai said. "You don't need it, sweetie."
Rory reached out to run her fingers over the lace covering her mother's arm. "You're a real bride," she said.
"I know," Lorelai giggled as she turned to look at herself in the mirror, smoothing her hands over her dress. "I want to wear this every day."
April looked at the dress closely. "It's really my grandmother's dress?" she asked.
"It is," Lorelai said. "I added a layer of lace over the satin. But one day if you want to wear it, I'll alter it again so it's exactly what you want."
"I think it's perfect," April breathed.
There was a knock on the door, and Emily walked into the room. "We're ready to start whenever you are," she stated. "I suggest sooner rather than later so your guests don't freeze to death. An outside wedding at Christmas, honestly, Lorelai."
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Hey, you wanted a Russian theme, it's cold in Russia," she said.
Emily gave an eye roll, but her gaze softened as she seemed to take Lorelai's appearance in. "You look lovely, Lorelai," she said sincerely.
"Thank you, Mom," Lorelai said softly.
Emily cleared her throat. "April, Rory, could I have a moment alone with my daughter, please?" she requested.
"Sure, Grandma," Rory said, grabbing April's arm. The two of them scurried out of the room, and Emily turned to Lorelai.
"I want you to know that I truly am happy for you," she said. "Luke is a good man, and he loves you."
"He is," Lorelai agreed. "He does."
Emily looked at her carefully for a moment before she said, "I've always wanted what's best for you. And seeing the life you've built for yourself, here, first with Rory and now with Luke, I understand why you've fought so hard to keep it."
"It's been worth every second," Lorelai admitted.
"I'm proud of you, Lorelai."
"Thanks, Mom," Lorelai said. She bit at her lip, determined not to cry for fear of ruining her make up. "I should get down there before I'm declared popsicle and wife."
Rory was waiting at the bottom of the steps with Lorelai's bouquet as they descended the stairs. Emily offered Lorelai a small smile before she disappeared out the door to join the rest of the guests. "Where's April?" Lorelai asked Rory, taking the flowers.
"Last minute run to make sure Luke's still here," Rory replied.
Lorelai nodded and reached for Rory's hand. "Thanks for being my maid of honor," she said.
"You'll return the favor one day," Rory said confidently.
"You're always going to be my number one, you know that, right?" Lorelai asked.
Rory smiled softly. "I'm okay with being tied," she said honestly.
"Nope, you take the number one spot," Lorelai promised. "At least in the daughter column. There is also the stepdaughter and husband column."
"Let's go fill those," Rory said. She kissed Lorelai's cheek and then led her through the kitchen to the back door.
"Dad says you're supposed to stand still," April reported from the door.
Lorelai laughed. "He would," she sighed. "Okay, let's get this show on the road so I can start drinking with my husband. Group hug!"
She wrapped her arms around both Rory and April, who stepped into her embrace. "I wonder if this is what football players feel like," Rory mused.
"And…break!" Lorelai instructed. She gave April a gentle nudge forward, and looped her arm through Rory's as she watched her stepdaughter begin her short walk towards the garden. Lorelai couldn't see Luke from where she stood, but she was strangely okay with waiting her turn to walk towards him.
"You're sure you don't want a coat?" Rory murmured. "It's cold."
"I'm not cold," Lorelai said through her smile. "Your turn."
Rory nodded and squeezed Lorelai's hand before she began her own trek towards the group of townies that had braved the cold to witness what Patty and Babette had dubbed the wedding of the century.
Once Rory had disappeared from her view, Lorelai took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, taking her own steps towards her future. As she turned towards the separation of chairs that formed an aisle, Luke came into view and everyone around her disappeared. His eyes widened at the sight of her, and she could feel her heart warming as she took in his clean shaven appearance. With each step she took, another memory came to her, and she found it hard not to run into his arms.
You made me a Santa Burger…you're an angel…we should buy a house…marriage isn't so bad, if you find the right person…we were married, in your dream?...eat the carrots this time…he cheered my daughter on at her high school graduation...you just keep thinking like you would think…there she is, the woman of the hour!
When she finally reached the end of the aisle, she beamed at Luke. "Nice chuppah," she commented.
He smiled and stepped towards her. "You look beautiful."
Lorelai turned to hand her bouquet to Rory, who was already trying not to cry. Lorelai offered her a happy smile before she turned back to Luke and held out her hands. "I'm standing still," she informed him.
He offered her a rare grin as he pressed his hands against hers, lacing their fingers together. "And I'm all in."
XXXXX
Two hours later, Lorelai was nestled in her husband's arms as they swayed through to the soft crooning of Frank Sinatra. After the short ceremony, they'd taken pictures with their family before partaking in the buffet dinner that had been set up in a heated tent in the open pasture where Lorelai often rode horses. As promised, Lorelai had only made a little bit of a mess when she and Luke had cut the cake, and now that it was time for the dancing to begin, Luke had surprised her by not leaving the dance floor once. After their first dance, he'd let her go to dance a song with April, then one with Rory, after which he'd pulled Lorelai back into his arms.
"You're a very good dancer, husband," she murmured.
He smiled down at her. "I made you a promise to dance, wife," he replied.
"Yeah, but I didn't realize the promise to dance with me was a 'not going to leave the dance floor' type of situation," Lorelai said. "I'm going to have to get Zach to play the Electric Slide."
"That's not happening," he informed her.
"The Charleston?"
"No."
"Oh, the bunny hop!"
He sighed as he looked down at her. "It didn't work," he said with a shake of his head.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "What?" she asked.
"I thought finally getting you down the aisle would shut you up."
She laughed as she remembered his comment from years ago, when they'd just been friends. "Hey, technically you were the first one to propose," she said.
"And you never answered."
"Isn't the white dress and the ring enough for you?" she asked.
"I suppose," he said, then dipped his head closer to hers. "Although we do have to consummate the marriage."
She smiled and ran her hand over his shoulder. "If memory serves, you prefer I don't shut up for that," she commented.
Luke pressed a kiss to her cheek and held her tightly, the two of them more swaying than dancing as they basked in their first moments of marital bliss.
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too."
"I'm so glad we're here."
"Me too."
They held each other for a few more moments before the song changed to a more up tempo number and she sighed as he pulled back from her. "Dancing over?" she asked.
He pointed to the table where Rory and April were watching them closely. "Dance with them to this crap," he said.
Lorelai sighed and looked at him dreamily. "It's romantic comments like that that made me fall for you," she said. She watched as he retreated to the bar, then turned to the girls. "My husband refuses to dance with me," she reported.
Rory laughed as she pulled Lorelai onto the dance floor. "We don't need him," she said. "Let's show April how it's done."
From a table on the sidelines later that night, Jess dropped into a chair beside Luke. "Well, I've always told you it would happen," he said.
Luke glanced at his nephew and rolled his eyes, remembering the first words Jess had ever uttered to Lorelai. "Fortunately you have more tact now," he said.
Jess watched as Lorelai twirled Rory around the dance floor, both of them laughing loudly. "You're a damn idiot, you know that, right?" he asked. "For making her wait so long."
"Yeah, I accepted that a long time ago," Luke confirmed, sipping his beer. He glanced at Jess before he asked, "You okay? With being here?"
"We're good," Jess nodded, knowing exactly to what his uncle was alluding. "I've always wanted someone who could actually keep up with me intellectually in the family."
"Glad I could provide that," Luke nodded. "Twice over."
Jess nodded, turning to where April was engaged deep in conversation with her new step grandfather. "She charmed the Gilmores," he said.
"Not an easy task," Luke acknowledged.
"Neither of us could do it that quickly," Jess replied. They sat in silence for a moment before Jess turned to look at Luke carefully. "Don't mess it up again," he said simply.
Luke shook his head, a smile forming on his lips as he saw Lorelai and Rory approaching. "I won't," he promised before he stood and met his wife at the edge of the dance floor.
"Hey, cuz," Jess said as Rory collapsed in the chair Luke had just vacated.
"Dodger," she nodded towards him.
"Great party," Jess commented.
Rory watched as her mother wrapped her arms around Luke's neck and laughed at something he was saying. "A little late, but still good," she agreed.
Jess looked at her carefully. "You should have called me," he said. "I would have kicked his ass."
"Yeah, I guess I should have," Rory said. "I could have done more too."
Jess pointed towards April and Richard. "Looks like you've got some competition," he commented.
Rory smiled, but shook her head. "April and I are good," she said. "It's nice, to have someone to talk to. She gets me."
"Well, good, because the four of you have had more drama than the entire run of Dawson's Creek," Jess commented.
Rory smirked. "Dawson's Creek?" she repeated. "Really? You can do better than that."
He shrugged. "I'm out of practice," he defended.
Rory nodded. "Sure, Dodger," she said with a knowing smile.
XXXXX
Lorelai smiled as she watched Luke unlock the door to the honeymoon bungalow on the corner of the Dragonfly's property. "Thank you, husband," she said as he stepped aside to allow her to enter the room.
He smiled as he stepped into the room after her. "You're welcome, wife," he said with a smirk.
"I know you don't like champagne," Lorelai said with a sly smile as she moved to the small cabinet that housed a mini fridge. "So I got something I know you'll drink instead."
Luke let himself laugh out loud as she hand a bottle of Zima out to him, an innocent expression on her face. "You're something else," he informed her.
She grinned as she clinked her bottle against his. "You mean some one else," she corrected. She turned to her side and said to an imaginary person beside her, "Oh, Mr. and Mrs. Snuffernutter, I'm Lorelai Gilmore-Danes, have you met my husband Luke?" She turned back to Luke with a proud smile. "I've been practicing."
He smirked as he nodded towards the imaginary guests. "Get them out of here," he requested.
Lorelai gasped and followed his gaze. "I'm so sorry, but my husband wants to do dirty, dirty things to me now," she commented. "No, you cannot watch!"
"Okay, you're done," Luke said, pulling her closer.
She leaned up to kiss him deeply, her free hand running over his chest. "You looked so handsome today," she told him softly.
He trailed a finger over the edge of her dress. "And you looked stunning," he replied.
"Then we make a good pair," she whispered.
He turned to place his beer on the night table before he reached for hers and did the same. "That we do," he breathed.
"So what should we do now?" Lorelai asked. "Order a pizza?"
"No."
She pretended to check a watch. "We could catch the end of Late Night."
"No."
"Dial a random phone number and ask if their refrigerator is running?"
"No."
She smiled as he pushed her back so the backs of her knees rested at the end of the bed. "Well, then, what do you suggest we do?" she asked.
He reached for her hands and leaned down to kiss her deeply. "First, we're going to get you out of this dress."
Lorelai pulled her hair over her shoulder and turned her back to him. "Go for it," she requested.
Luke slowly slid the zipper down and helped her gently pull her arms out of the fragile lace sleeves. He carefully pushed the dress over her hips and watched as she stepped out of it. Clad only in her white wedding heels and sky blue underwear with a bra to match, Lorelai carefully turned away from him to hang the dress in the closet. After she'd kicked off her heels and turned back to face him, Luke felt emotion begin to swell at the sight of her before him.
She smiled softly as she reached for him, making quick work of the buttons on his dress shirt. As she pushed the shirt over his shoulders, he reached for her waist, kissing her deeply. "You're so beautiful," he murmured.
Lorelai's eyes were filled with joy when she looked up at him. "I love you, husband."
"I love you too, wife."
She beamed as she tugged his t-shirt out from his pants and quickly tossed it onto the floor. She ran her hands over his chest and stomach, letting her fingers comb through his soft hair. "You're perfect," she told him.
"Back at you."
"Luke?" she asked, raising her gaze to his.
"Hmmm?" he asked, brushing a hand over her cheek.
"Make love to me."
Luke responded by kissing her deeply, turning to ease her onto the bed. His eyes moved over her hungrily, taking in the sight as she made herself comfortable against the pillows. "God, my wife is beautiful."
"Luke…"
"So beautiful," he said softly, lowering himself on top of her to kiss her deeply. He pulled her forward gently, expertly unsnapping her bra before he tossed it onto the floor. Lorelai moaned when she felt his hand run over her breasts and fell back to the bed. "Lorelai," he sighed against her lips, pressing himself against her as he felt her shudder beneath him. He gently ran his tongue over her lips, seeking entrance, and his hand cupped her breast lightly.
"God, Luke…"
"Yes," he sighed, his thumb teasing her as he continued to kiss her tenderly
Her body was already heating as he kissed her. It still amazed her how quickly Luke could please her, just from his kisses. She'd never felt so wanted before. "Luke…"
"Lorelai…" he murmured her name as his mouth moved away from hers, down her jaw and neck.
"Oh...oh, yes!" she gasped, feeling herself grow more aroused with every kiss he planted against her skin.
"Yes," he breathed, his hips rocking against hers as he gently sucked at her neck.
"Please," she gasped, her hands trying to reach for his belt.
"We have all night," he reminded her.
"Please, Luke," she gasped as he rocked against her again, and she could feel him straining against his dress pants.
"I want you."
"Take me."
"Not yet," he breathed, lacing his fingers through hers.
"But…I…oh my god…oh…" she moaned as her eyes fell closed. Luke was sucking gently at the skin of her neck, and she knew he was going to leave a mark. In the moment she didn't care, her body already tight and ready for him. He was still half dressed, but she was already so close to falling over the edge. As he continued to nip gently at her skin, Lorelai arched her back, his pants rubbing her already over sensitized skin, causing an unbelievable sensation of friction that made her throw her head back with a sigh.
"Lorelai," he moaned, abandoning her neck as he moved his lips down over her collar bone.
"Oh god…Luke…" she whispered, her hands threading through his hair as he kissed his way down her stomach. "Luke….yes!"
"Perfect," he whispered, pressing one last kiss to the spot below her belly button before he hooked his fingers through her panties. She tried to lift her head, to watch him as he pulled the soft fabric over her legs, but when he let his lips follow his fingers down her right leg, all she could do was squeeze her eyes closed and moan in the way only he could make her. She couldn't believe that after all this time he could still bring about these feelings in her, and she briefly wondered if this would ever change, if they'd ever stop wanting each other like this.
She gasped out loud when she felt him trace a finger over her folds, and his mouth suddenly appeared on her neck again. "Luke…I'm…oh my god," she gasped, her hand moving to the back of his head, holding him in place.
"Let go," he breathed against her skin.
"Yes…yes!"
He brought his hand up to run over her stomach, the other grasping hers tightly above her head as she stretched beneath him.
"Oh my god."
"It's okay, let go," he encouraged her.
"Luke!" she cried, feeling her body become undone. "Luke!"
"You're so beautiful," he breathed, pulling back from her and slipping off the bed.
She propped herself up on her elbows, still panting heavily. "Come back," she pleaded.
"Just stand still," he smirked, reaching for his belt.
Lorelai's eyes remained focused on his task as she shook her head, trying to come down. She was still shaking, her body now covered in a fine layer of sweat, and as she watched Luke shed the remainder of his clothing she felt an intense wave of anticipation sweep over her. "Come here," she beckoned, rising to her knees as she held her arms out to him.
He wasted no time in stepping closer to her, wrapping his arms around her as she kissed him deeply. They remained in that position for several minutes before Lorelai gently pulled on his shoulders, tugging him onto the bed on top of her as she stroked his face gently. His hands ran over her thighs, and she gasped when she felt his hardness brush against her. "I need you, Lorelai," he murmured, pressing a series of kisses to her jawline.
"Yes," she whimpered in response. "Now…please, Luke."
He shifted slightly, his gaze holding hers intensely. "I love you so much."
"I love you too."
Luke sighed deeply as he pushed himself into her, her body immediately responding to him.
"Oh my god…oh!" she gasped, her head arching back as he grasped her hips, angling her so he could go deeper into her.
"Lorelai," he gasped. "Oh, yes…"
"Yes," she gasped, her hips rocking against his as he began to gently stroke in and out of her. "Oh, Luke…"
"Lorelai," he groaned, his fingers squeezing hers tightly as their hands found each other. He continued to move above her, savoring everything about her in this perfect moment.
"Don't stop," she begged, raising her head to rest against his shoulder. "Don't stop, Luke."
"Never," he promised, his hips continuing to rock against hers.
Lorelai let out a soft cry of pleasure as he dropped her hands, bracing his arms against the mattress on either side of her head. She dropped back onto the pillows, her hands gripping the sheets as pleasure surged through every part of her body. "Yes," she cried, her body rocking against his thrust for thrust.
"You're so amazing," he breathed, his pace increasing ever so slightly. "Incredible."
"So good," she gasped, throwing her head back as she felt the world disappear around her.
"God, Lorelai," his voice was rough with emotion and he reached between then, stroking her gently as he continued to move inside of her.
"Luke!" she let out a scream as her body tightened beneath him, holding him deep inside of her and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
He buried his face in her neck as he stilled his movements and she felt him begin to release into her. "Lorelai…"
"Oh," she gasped, starting to come down from her high.
"Lorelai…" he breathed, collapsing onto her and panting into her shoulder.
"Oh my god," she gasped, running a hand over his hair as she felt him press a soft kiss to her neck.
They were silent for a long moment, basking in the afterglow of the perfect moment before Luke finally shifted off of her. She pressed a kiss to his lips before she slid out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom. When she returned a few moments later, Luke had pulled the covers back and was sliding back onto the bed. Lorelai sighed happily as she settled in beside him, running her fingers over his cheek as she kissed him softly. "I love you," she breathed.
"I love you too."
"Let's never leave this room again."
"Okay."
She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder as she stretched her legs against his. She curled onto her side and smiled when his hand automatically moved to her knee. It was a habit, one that had started years ago, when they'd first started dating, and she'd never tired of it. She reached out to trace the length of his forearm with a single finger, beaming when she saw an unfamiliar glistening from his hand.
"It looks good," she murmured, reaching for his left hand. She stroked her thumb over the cool metal, holding the hand closer to her face for examination.
"It does," he agreed, turning his own attention to the ring.
"Does it feel weird?" she asked, meeting his gaze as she continued to twist his ring gently.
"A little," he admitted. He watched her toy with his wedding ring, wondering if this would become a new habit for her. He'd always loved touching her engagement ring, and he certainly wasn't going to complain if she wanted to hold his hand more. "I like it, though."
Lorelai smiled and pulled his hand to her mouth, pressing a kiss to his knuckle, just below where his ring rested. "Me too," she breathed. "I don't want this day to end."
Worry flashed through his eyes, and he asked, "Are you…"
"No," she said. "It's not that, I don't want to talk about it now. I don't want this day to end because it's been so perfect, not because I'm afraid to sleep."
Knowing she didn't want to disturb the sanctity of the moment with the nightmares that had been plaguing her, Luke allowed her to dismiss the topic. Until tomorrow, at least. "I read what you wrote in the book last night," he murmured.
Lorelai tilted her head to look up at him. "Yeah?" she asked.
He nodded, rubbing his hand up and down her thigh. "It was perfect," he told her.
"I meant every word."
"I know." He cleared his throat, and said softly, "I…you know that I love you, right?"
She smiled as she leaned up to kiss him. "I had a feeling," she acknowledged.
"Good," he said. "I know, before, when things were far from perfect, and you told me once you liked to hear it. I just want to make sure you know."
"Luke," she sighed his name softly, the way only she could. "Things are so different now. You tell me every day."
"Yeah, I know," he said. "But what you wrote, was so heartfelt and it meant so much. I just hope that you know how much I love you."
"I do," she said, snuggling into him.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Good." They remained silent for a moment before he murmured, "Will you do something for me?"
"I already married you."
"For which I'm very grateful," he acknowledged. He sighed, then asked quietly, "Will you read it to me?"
She remained still for a moment, then sat up. "My letter?" she asked.
"Yeah, as I was reading it I could hear your voice so clearly, and..." he shrugged, suddenly the self conscious man who'd hid behind his counter for years. "I don't know, maybe it's stupid. You don't have to."
She interrupted him, leaning forward to kiss him deeply, her hands balancing herself on his shoulders. "I will," she said. "And it's not stupid."
His gaze was uncertain as he looked up to meet her gaze. "It's not?"
"No," she shook her head, letting her hand trail down her arm as she slid out of the bed. She reached for the white button down he'd worn during their wedding, slipping it on and buttoning it as she walked to his overnight bag that had been stashed by the door hastily before the ceremony. She smiled as she slid the scrapbook she'd made out of the bag, clutching it to her chest as she walked back to the bed. She settled back against the pillows, smiling as Luke wrapped an arm over her stomach, snuggling closer. She reached a hand out to trace his forearm, offering him an affectionate smile before she turned back to the letter she'd penned for him only three nights before.
Dear Luke,
I hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane. I didn't know how to start this dedication, to tell you how much this has been a labor of love. These past few months, when we've really and truly sorted ourselves out and begun to build this wonderful life together have meant the world to me. For our wedding, I wanted to give you a gift that would celebrate not only our life together, but the people and places that formed you into you, the man that I could never imagine my life without.
I told you once that I had a dream, that we were married and I was having your babies. What I didn't share with you, or anyone, was that it wasn't just one dream. For that entire summer, I saw our entire life together play out in my sleep. Each night, the dream picked up where it had left off, like I'd put pause on a movie, and I found myself looking forward to going to sleep every night, eager to see what we would do in my dreams that night. It was like waiting for the next episode in a favorite TV show, but better because it involved you and me and a completely perfect life.
I cherished those dreams for a long time, but now I know that they were just that; dreams. As wonderful as they were, as beautiful as our children were, I realize now that the reality is so much better. Having you in my real life is so much better than escaping into a dream world at night. In this real life we've built together, we have two amazing, brilliant daughters, a house to fill with memories, and the promise of more to come. And in this reality, you're so much more than my husband. I'm so grateful that I can consider you my friend, my lover, and the one person I can turn to without fear of judgment.
Our road to this point in our life has certainly been unique. There was a time where I would have given everything to have that happy, trouble free dream life with you, but now I'm grateful for the journey we've had. Every moment, every fight, every kiss, every glance, has made me realize how lucky we are to have fought our way back to each other.
We have such life ahead of us, Luke. These pages tell your story, and I can't wait to add to them. It warms my heart to know that you'll be there not only to bake me birthday coffee cake, but also to cook me soup when I have a cold. And of course I know that you'll always feed my caffeine addiction, just like you have since the day we met. I know you'll be the one to hold my hand the day that Rory embarks on her own journey into marriage, and I promise I'll be there to do the same for you after you walk April down the aisle.
Thank you, Luke. I don't know if I've ever said that to you, but I owe you so much. For the extra large servings of breakfast and slices of pie when we first met and you knew I was a single mom with a new mortgage, for the countless home repairs you made over the years, for looking out for Rory and for talking me through so much heartache. Thank you for making me laugh and for showing me a level of happiness that I didn't even know existed in the world.
Mostly I want to thank you for loving me, for agreeing to share your life with me. It's been such a beautiful life, and I know that we have so much more to look forward to. I hope that I can make you as happy as you've made me.
I love you, Luke.
Lorelai
She smiled softly as she tilted her head to the side, fighting the tears she'd shed as she'd written it.
"Now we know where Rory got her way with words," Luke murmured into her hair, his grip on her stomach tightening.
Lorelai shook her head self consciously. "This letter was easy to write," she said. "I knew it was for your eyes only, so I didn't have to worry about anything besides being honest."
Luke was quiet for a moment, shifting closer to her and tucking one of his legs between hers. "I kept it, you know," he admitted.
Lorelai ran her hand over his forearm, where it was resting on her stomach. "Kept what?" she asked.
"The letter you wrote, before," he replied. "For April and me."
She inhaled sharply, remembering the hours of agony she'd put into writing that letter. "It was the least I could have done," she replied.
"It was so much more than I could have hoped for. After what I put you through, the fact that you were willing to defend my rights as a father meant the world to me."
Lorelai shrugged as she closed the scrapbook and placed it on the night table. "You should never have had to defend yourself in the first place," she said. "Maybe you weren't the best fiancé at that point in time, but you were doing what you thought was best as a parent. No one, not even Anna, should have ever contested that."
He shifted to sit upright, looking carefully into her eyes. "Your letter," he told her. "It was so honest and so heartfelt. It's what got me custody."
"Stop," she shook her head. "It really wasn't a big deal."
"Yes it was," he said. "I know you, Lorelai, better than anyone. I know how hard it must have been for you to write that letter. It truly was the tipping point in the custody hearing. My lawyer told me that the mediator was leaning in Anna's favor until your letter was read. You're the reason I have any say in April's life at all."
Lorelai smiled softly. "It's all worked out," she said. "Maybe a bit later than we wanted it to, but here we are, we're married, our girls are happy, and we've got a house. We did it."
He leaned forward to kiss her tenderly. "We did it."
She smiled as she pressed him back against the pillows, swinging a leg over his and straddling his lap. Her eyes were taking on a playful glimmer, and she leaned back to sit on his thighs. "I don't believe I've introduced myself," she said, holding her hand out to him. "My name is Lorelai Gilmore Danes, wife of Luke Danes."
A smile stretched across his face at her words. He reached out to take her hand, shaking it softly before he lifted it to his lips to press a kiss to her knuckles. "Nice to meet you," he said with a smirk. "I'm Luke, husband of Lorelai Gilmore Danes."
Lorelai beamed as she leaned in to kiss him deeply. She pulled back and ran her finger over his collarbone. "I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but I think we got married today," she told him.
Luke picked up her left hand and held it up for her inspection. "Explains the addition to your hand," he said, and she smiled at the wedding band that had joined her engagement ring.
"And here I was, thinking the diamond had just gotten lonely," she said. "Hey, I hope your wedding ring isn't lonely without its counterpart."
"It's a ring."
Lorelai reached for his left hand and held it up to her own. "But they've spent so much time together, maybe they don't like being apart," she said.
Luke sighed and rubbed his palm slightly against hers, smiling as the rings clinked together gently. "What should we do about it?" he asked.
"I think we should make sure that our rings get some quality time together every day," Lorelai said wisely. "That way they won't rebel and run away together while we're asleep."
"Fine."
"Luke, it's our wedding night!" she said, pouting slightly. "You have to say more than 'fine.' Can't you try to be romantic here?"
He smirked as he hooked a finger between two of the buttons of his shirt that she was wearing. "I didn't hear you complaining earlier," he said. "In fact, I think the words, 'don't stop,' and 'amazing' were uttered more than once."
She giggled as she smacked his arm. "There was more than one 'oh god, Lorelai,' moaned from your lips," she replied, tracing her fingers over the lips she was describing.
"What can I say, I have a sexy wife," Luke shrugged nonchalantly.
"And I have a sexy husband," Lorelai said. "What do think, Cool Hand?"
"About what?"
"Married life," she said.
"Well, considering all we've done is thrown a party and had sex, I'd say it's pretty damn good so far," he replied.
"Good," she said.
"Do you agree?"
"Dear god, yes," she replied with a nod.
He smiled as he began unbuttoning the shirt she was wearing. "Good, I'd hate for you to already be miserable so soon after the wedding," he murmured.
"Nope, no misery here," she shook her head. "But I do think we could improve one thing about our marriage."
Eyebrows raised, Luke paused his motions and looked up at her expectantly.
Lorelai's face was serious as she leaned closer. "I don't think we're having enough sex," she said gravely.
Without a word, Luke grabbed her hips and flipped her onto her back, causing her to squeal in a combination of surprise and delight. She kicked the comforter down to their feet as he continued to unbutton the shirt, his lips following his fingers in a journey down her chest and stomach.
"Hey," Lorelai said softly, causing Luke to pause and look up at her, his chin resting on her stomach. She smiled and reached down to run her fingers affectionately through his hair. "We're married now."
"Yes, that's been established," he confirmed.
"Let's work double time on getting a baby in here," she murmured, her hand falling from his cheek to her own stomach. She bit her lower lip as she waited for his reaction
Luke tilted his head down to press a soft kiss to where his chin had been resting. "I thought you'd never ask," he murmured, pushing the shirt apart and leaning back as she sat up to slide it off.
She smiled as she kissed his way back up her body, bracing himself on his forearms when he finally reached her lips. "You realize that we're going to have to have to do this a lot," she whispered. "Every day. Sometimes multiple times a day."
"I think I'll be okay with that," Luke murmured.
Lorelai giggled, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at him. "I'm really glad you're my husband," she whispered.
"And I'm really glad you're my wife," he said, gently brushing her hair away from her face.
"Let's make a baby."
It was all the encouragement Luke needed to kiss her deeply and fulfill her request.