I know this is the moment when you still hate me for waiting for so long to update. but I'm a seriously depressed JJ that is suffering so much cause of ASP stupid, little jokes that are called episodes. I could go on and on about it, but you don't wanna read it, you're here for the story right?
This is the FINAL chapter! you're all as happy as me about it right!
again not beta read.. but... yeah well... life isn't easy right? ASP proved that to us!
Read and Review :)
She walked strange to the coffee maker and started to prepare a new pot when she heard the bell ringing. She turned around and her eyes went wide and smile faded.
"Hi Mom." Was the only thing she was able to say.
Emily looked at Lorelai in disbelieve seeing her daughter standing behind the counter. 'Yet another way for Lorelai to humiliate Gilmore's name' Emily thought
"Since when do you work here?" She finally asked her, trying to calm her nerves.
"I'm just lending a hand." Lorelai sighed. How was it possible that one word from her mother, could kill the bliss-mood she was in just a second ago after spending some.. "alone time" with Luke? 'Oh Luke…' She thought about him and his skillful hands and lips, almost felling them all over her body again. Then Emily's dead glare brought her back to reality as she tried not to blush at the memory of her wonderful time with Luke. "What's going on?" Lorelai asked.
"I went by the inn to work with Sookie on her wedding." Emily replied, looking with disgust at her "rustic" surrounding.
"Yeah?" 'Oh boy, and here we go…' Lorelai thought, knowing what was coming.
"And she fired me." Emily finally exploded.
"I'm sure she didn't fire you." Lorelai tried to calm her mother.
"She claims to have changed her mind on all the things we had planned."
"Well, maybe she did."
"No, she didn't. I know what's behind this. That is, who's behind this."
"Mom, it was getting to be too much for her and too much for her fiancé."
"I knew it."
"Mom, these are not wealthy people, do you understand that? They're saving for a home and your midgets were dancing between them and their dreams."
"You say midgets like it's so absurd."
"Do you hear yourself?"
"I don't see what was so wrong with my just helping Sookie plan her wedding." 'It's not that I will plan one for you, anytime soon' Emily thought
"Mom, come on." Lorelai glared at her mother. 'God we both know what you were doing, and for who you wanted to plan a wedding!' Lorelai thought frustrated.
"What, come on?" Emily asked annoyed.
"You weren't planning Sookie's wedding." Lorelai finally said
"Well, then, whose wedding was I planning?" Emily challenged.
"Mine." Lorelai sighed out. But the moment the thought of her own wedding crossed her mind, a little smile started toform in the corner of her mouth.
"Don't be ridiculous." Emily defended, even if she knew better that Lorelai was partially right.
"Mom, your vision for this wedding and all the over the top stuff and the gazillion dollar flowers and bunting and champagne fountain and the Haute Couture dress – who's wearing that wedding dress in your mind's eye, Mom? Is it Sookie or is it me?" 'But god help me, mine won't look like that. It will be small and beautiful. Only with friend and closest family. With flowers and chuppah… Luke's chuppah… and he doesn't even like champagne…' Lorelai's mind started to life it's own life.
"I wasn't planning your wedding, Lorelai." Emily's hash voice brought Lorelai back on earth.
"Right." Lorelai replied sarcastically.
"The wedding I was planning was for Sookie. The mushrooms and colors, they all seemed like fun. A little crazy, just like she is. It definitely was not for you."
"Okay Mom." Lorelai said still not believing her mother.
"I know that in a million years, you would never let me plan your wedding." 'And god only knows when you'll get married in the first place' Emily thought bitterly. "I gave up on that dream a long time ago. Yours was going to be a Russian winter theme – the Romanovs." Emily admitted dreamy.
"Before the firing squad, I assume?" Lorelai joked, trying to cover the nervousness she felt the moment "Luke" and "wedding" popped together in her mind.
"Snow white roses, trees with white lights and candles, snow everywhere, you arriving in a silver sleigh with white horses." Emily ignored Lorelai's comment, staying in her "white roses wonderland"
"Wow." 'God she planned everything! And this… and show.. maybe it wouldn't be that bad of idea…'
"You hate the idea." Emily deadpanned
"No, no, I just – ." 'Don't wanna think of wedding, and eternal commitments when Luke and I are still "hiding" from the world'
"You just hate it." 'Just admit it Lorelai! You hate everything I have in mind'
"No, it just doesn't seem like me." 'Or Luke.. Stop it Gilmore! No more Luke-wedding related thoughts!'
"Yes, well, it would've been beautiful."
"I'm sure it would've been." Lorelai smiled, she couldn't stop thinking about it. Damn her mother for bringing this thought up.
"Anyhow, it's obvious that wouldn't even be appropriate anymore being as I'm probably standing in your reception hall." Emily said sarcastically. When Emily Gilmore hit, she did that with all of her ammunition. Once again she couldn't ignore the fact that one word from that man and her daughter was able to throw everything and be there at his demand, doing God knows what.
"Excuse me?" Lorelai chocked out. 'Whoa! Don't even go there Emily Gilmore!'
"Burgers and fries for the dinner? The bride walks down the aisle with a ketchup dispenser in her hand." 'Another way to humiliate your name before all of our friends and family!'
"Please tell me what you're talking about." 'But please make it not be what I think you're thinking about'
"I'm talking about Luke." 'There I said it!' Emily had a little triumphal smile her face.
"Luke? Mom!" 'God! She's good! Did she use those DAR private agents to spy on me?'
"Well, it's obvious, Lorelai." 'Who is she lying to? Me or herself?'
"No, it's not, Mom."' I'm not THAT obvious! I even thought about naked Kirk- eeew- to not look that obvious'
"You're with him constantly." 'Doing god only knows what!'
"He feeds me." 'And all of my other needs. Dirty!'
"You bring up his name constantly."
"Once again, he feeds me." 'And makes me happy!'
"The moment he calls, you run to his side."
"He's my friend, he needed me, I had to be there." ' He's always there for me when I need him, and that's what people do when they love each other!' Lorelai was almost screaming inside, but then stopped, her eyes wend a little wide when she realized what she just thought. She couldn't give that thought more time since just then Luke decide to show up from behind the curtain and made his way to them, buttoning his flannel.
'Great Luke! Just throw the evidences of the act we did, just right into my mother's face since she still doesn't know about it' Lorelai thought frustrated, seeing Luke "re-dressing", trying to distract herself from the previous revelations of her mind.
"Yes, I know you did." Emily looked at her daughter as if she was able to read her mind.
"Hi." Luke greeted awkwardly seeing no one else but Emily Gilmore in his diner.
"Hello." Emily replied not so politely. "I have to go. I'll see you for dinner tonight, Lorelai. And Luke," she looked directly at him standing by the door. "I'm sure I'll see you again soon." She made a meaningful look. But just as she was about to walk out of the diner she stopped and turned around once again, seeing Lorelai and Luke standing side by side. It was so obvious for her, why Lorelai couldn't just admit it? "What do you think of the Romanovs?" she finally asked Luke, curious about his reply.
"They probably had it coming." Luke replied immediately, not even thinking about it a second.
"A match made in heaven." Emily rolled her eyes and walked out.
Luke ten looked at Lorelai confused, he had no idea what just had happened. But she just shrugged, turning around to take the coffee pot. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and her heart that beat so fast.
Two days later Luke and Lorelai stood alone at he cemetery at Louie's funeral. Only them, Louie's coffin and the Reverend.
"We're here, of course, to honor Louie, to pay our respects and to bid him a sorrowful goodbye." The Reverend proceeded with the ceremony.
"Are you okay?" Lorelai asked concerned, looking at Luke's blank expression.
"Yeah. I'm not big on funerals in general." Luke finally admitted. The image of his mother and father came back to him.
"Nobody is." Lorelai smiled at him.
"He passed away in his sleep, so the end came peacefully for Louie, which I'm sure is a great comfort to all who knew him." The Reverend continued.
"The passing away part was a great comfort for all who knew him." Luke couldn't help himself and whispered sarcastically.
"I didn't know him." The Reverend was on a roll.
"Good thing." Luke added.
"But I understand he was a fine man, destined to be missed by many." The Reverend ignored yet another Luke's comment.
"Especially ones that were suing him." Luke said, even after his death Louie still caused Luke way to many problems.
"Stop." Lorelai finally slapped Luke lightly on the shoulder. "Sorry father." She smiled with apology.
"Reverend." The man corrected her.
"Right."
"Now let us witness Louie Danes as he is interred and brought to the Lord."
"It was a nice service." Lorelai spoke as Louie's coffin ended under the ground. "Nice and, um, intimate." She tried to lighten the fact that they were the only ones present there.
"I guess everybody deserves something at the end. Thanks for coming." Luke looked at Lorelai and smiled, happy that he had someone like her by his side, but more in his life.
"I wouldn't have missed it." Lorelai reassured him.
After a few silent moments Luke finally spoke again looking at his uncle's grave.
"That ain't me, is it?" He couldn't help himself, but that thought was running inside his head since Taylor's little speech.
"What are you talking about?" Lorelai asked confused.
"What Taylor said about me being like Louie, a loner, never being married and stuff. I mean, I am getting crankier as I get older, he's not so far off." Luke breathed out. 'Not to mention the marriage part'
Lorelai looked at him shocked. She couldn't believe that one man's word could make Luke think of himself that way. It could be said about anyone, but most definitely not about Luke!.
"You are not your uncle." She stated forcefully. "I mean, would Louie ever build someone a chuppah, or help fix things around someone's house without being asked, or make a special coffee cake with balloons for a girl's sixteenth birthday?" Lorelai said in a heart beat, her eyes full of adoration looking at this amazing man. Her man.
"Rory told you about that?" Luke shook his head, almost laughing at his own naivety, that he believed Rory wouldn't tell Lorelai.
"Yes." Lorelai smiled shyly. "And would Louie have taken in his sister's kid without hesitating and without asking for anything in return?" Lorelai tried to sound reasonable, if it was up to her, she would have go to Taylor right away and kill him for making Luke doubt in himself.
"No one would've trusted Louie with their kid. He probably would've forgotten to feed him or something." Luke joked.
Lorelai had to laugh lightly at that.
"You get my point?" she asked.
"Yeah, I get it." He relied and there was a silent moment between them, a comfortable moment. They were staring in each other eyes.
"And.. and you still have me" Lorelai confessed, tilting her head to the side, smiling shyly at him. She just hoped he would understand the full meaning of her statement.
Luke looked even deeper in her eyes, seeing the feeling he felt himself
"That… I do" he told her just above a whisper. But then he took a deep breath and started: "Listen.. Lorelai.. I.. I l…" But then they both jumped a little hearing drumming from afar. „What's that?" Luke asked annoyed he was so close to finally say it and something had to stop him. The he looked up seeing one of the reenactors walking onto the cemetery. "Is that Andrew?" He asked confused.
"I believe it is." Lorelai smiled, happy that her ways of persuasion worked not only on Luke.
"That's all of them." Luke said is aw, as he saw all the reenactors walking up the hill. Just then they started doing their salute.
"Thanks." Luke smiled at Lorelai, still couldn't believe that she did that for him.
"It's what your dad wanted." Lorelai said quietly, hooking her arm with his and hugging it.
"Yeah. Oh, I know Louie would've hated this." He shook his head briefly, but still couldn't stop thinking of what he almost told Lorelai. '"Almost", being the operative word here' He thought.
"That's just a fringe benefit." She leaned closer to him, but they both had to grimace at the false sounds of the trumped.
Half an hour later they were both walking down the sidewalk, leading to the diner.
"Do you think he's in heaven?" Lorelai broke the silence.
"I hope so, just so my dad can kick his butt around the place." Luke replied playing along with her, as he fought with the tie around his neck.
"Can you kick when you're in heaven?" She couldn't help herself and smiled seeing Luke undoing the top bottom of his shirt. She had to slap herself mentally to not think about all the "goodies" that were under his shirt.
"It's probably frowned upon." Luke replied, not realizing what effect he really had on her.
"Yeah, plus you're all see-through and gauzy and your dad's foot could go right through him."
"This is a silly conversation." Luke groaned. "What's all this?" He stopped before the diner seeing almost half of the town inside.
"I have no idea." Lorelai replied as confused as he was, but still thought that maybe Rory had something to do with it. 'Oh my wonderful daughter!' she thought.
Luke finally opened the door for Lorelai to walk in first and then fallowed her inside. They immediately saw Rory, who walked to them handing them two cups of punch that Miss Patty brought with herself.
"Hi." Lorelai greeted her daughter cheerfully.
"What's going on?" Luke was still totally confused.
"It's kind of like a wake." Rory explained with a shrug, she was sure that it was all Lorelai's work.
"A wake?" Luke asked again.
"For Louie?" Lorelai looked now as much confused as Luke.
"I thought you set it up" Rory looked shocked at her mother. 'If not her then who?' She thought.
"I didn't set it up." Lorelai defended herself as if it was something bad.
"Well, it's going well, anyway. People brought a ton of food if you're hungry." Rory said.
"Huh." 'It looks like someone has more than once admirer' Lorelai thought.
"This is unexpected." Luke smiled happily
"Very." Loreai confirmed
"Don't you have wakes for people you like?" Luke tried "to find a hole in it all", not believing that the town would do something like that for Louie.
"I think it might be for you." Lorelai offered quietly
"Am I dead?" He joked' now totally relaxed with Lorelai by his side, Louie finally 6 feet under and the diner full of the townies.
"Face it, Luke, people like you." 'Some of them.. even.. love you'
"Shut up." He replied playfully.
"And with charm like that, how can they resist?" Lorelai teased in a high pinch voice. 'I know I can't' she thought
They both walked to the table where Sy, Babette and Miss Patty sat remembering the time when Louie was still alive and living in Stars Hollow.
"So, like I say, it's Halloween, right, and we're lucky Louie doesn't have razor wire around his yard, you know how he is. So finally one of the neighborhood kids, he gets all courageous and he goes sauntering up to the door and he goes 'trick or treat!' Louie finally throws the door open, looks at him and says, 'Did you get a Reese's cup tonight?' And the kid looks in his bag and he says, 'Yes sir, I did.' So Louie grabs it, says 'thank you very much,' then slams the door in his face." Sy laughed.
"I'm sorry I never met him." Lorelai admitted sadly, knowing that deep down inside Luke must feel sad about loosing his uncle. Yet another member of his family.
"He was colorful." Luke admitted drinking some of the punch from the cup.
"I never trick or treated again." Kirk said out of nowhere.
"So one day I'm at the post office, I'm in line when Louie just about knocks me over and he cuts in line." Miss Patty started. "I said, 'Louie, there's a line!' So he says, 'Kiss my butt!' and I said, 'You mind your manners!' and he says, 'Please kiss my butt!' and drops his pants!"
"Oh, I got one, I got one." Babette said cheerfully. "Louie was parked outside Al's Pancake World, and I was trying to pull in the space behind him, when all of a sudden, he starts to back up, so I honk my horn and he – it was just a little honk, no big deal – but he . . ."
Luke and Lorelai stood there together, side by side in the middle of the diner, listening to all of Babette and Miss Patty's stories about Louie.
At some point Lorelai couldn't help it but realized that no matter what, those people, those crazy town people, that always gossiped about everyone and every tight, did nothing more but cared about the others. In their own, original, crazy way they wanted others to just be happy. And then she knew.
Almost instinctively grabbed Luke's hand that was loosely by his side and squeezed it. At the feeling of that Luke immediately looked sow at Lorelai and saw her smiling brightly at him. He looked at her confused then motioned their joined hands with his eyes. Lorelai just made a tiny almost invisible nod with her head and he immediately knew what she had in mind.
Without any hesitation Luke let go of Lorelai's hand and put his whole right arm around her, bringing her closer to his body, as if it was the most natural think ever. Lorelai did the same hugging his midsection leaning against him, leaving no doubt to all the praying, wide eyed people gathered in the diner, that watched them as to who really was "Luke's secret, mysterious woman"…
THE END
Yeah I know.. cheesy and unsatysfying end... but I think that sometime it's beter when not everything is said...;)
So you like? or not?
Now I'm thinking about writting a new story. I have two ideas, still not sure which one to actually put into a fic, since I'm still writting my Scott/Lauren fic. I could go with a nother "woulda-shoulda-coulda" scenario like most of my fics, or write yetANOTHER fic about Luke and Lorelai dealing with their latest problems.. so it's prabobly all up to you and what you wanna read :)