This is my take on the last scenes from "Red Light on the Wedding Night". What was going through Lorelai, Luke, and Rory's minds in the few hours before"The Road Trip to Harvard"?

Three chapters, each from a different character's perspective. Each chapter recounts the events from the day Luke delivered the chuppah, and a little AU that I wish had happened.

The stuff about goats is actually a thing, I read about it and that inspired me to start this fic.

Character thoughts are in italics, flashback memories are italics in parentheses :)

Disclaimer- I do own anything, but I sure do wish ASP had let me write LL in the revival.

Chapter 1- Lorelai

Lorelai sat thoughtful at the kitchen table for a few moments, contemplating the conversation she had just had with Rory. She hoped that she had successfully deflected the whole mess up of her call to Christopher, and what it might mean about her impending marriage to Max. She herself didn't even really know why she had called Chris. It wasn't like she even considered being with Chris again, not really, but he was so familiar and he knew her…. really knew her. But did he? He had always been a go to call when she was feeling insecure and reckless, especially when there was alcohol involved. Was it the history, the shared childhood, heck the shared child…but why did she call him and not…. ? She shoved the end of that question quickly out of her brain. The questions and doubts rolling around in her mind had been whispering to her for weeks, and were now increasing in mental volume as the wedding date approached. She replayed her exchange with Rory over in her head, blocking out the obvious lack of enthusiasm as they discussed her upcoming wedding..

(…Don't I seem happy? I guess. Okay then…. )

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his truck outside….surely he wouldn't be here now, after the awkward exchange at the diner yesterday morning, and his subsequent rant in the street during the unveiling of the traffic light. But sure enough, she opened her door to see Luke's giant green truck parked out front. She tilted her head at him curiously as he maneuvered a large carved wooden arch type thing out of the bed of the truck. What is he doing here? What on earth is that thing? Lorelai stepped out onto to the porch and eyed the scene unfolding before her.

"What is that?" she asked.

"Oh, it's a chuppah." Luke replied, giving no other information.

What is the world is a…..."A what?"

"A chuppah. You stand under it, you and Max. It's for your wedding." He said this as though it was the most normal thing in the world to be pulling an enormous chuppah out of the back of his truck, as if he were delivering a pizza, like Luke Danes would ever eat a pizza.

A realization dawned on her. "Did you make that?"

"Yeah, I had some time, so…here, give me a hand, huh?"

She stepped off the porch and got a first close up look at the detailed carvings as she helped guide the wooden arch the last few inches off the truck and into her yard. " Luke, it's beautiful." she gasped. This must have taken him forever, she thought. The worrisome voices in her head stirred to ask those nagging questions again, but she shoved her thoughts deep in to the back of her mind.

"Yeah, well, I saw a picture in a book. The picture looked better."

"It's got carvings. Birds and flowers." Her widened eyes roamed over the intricate carvings on the posts, stunned at the amount of detail on each swirling post of the chuppah. What had possessed him to do this? For her? For her wedding to Max?

"Yeah, there's also a goat." Luke seemed just the slightest bit proud of this fact, as he gestured to one post she had yet to examine.

Lorelai gasped. " A goat!"

"Yeah, I don't know what it stands for, but it was in the picture, and you like goats, right?"

Lorelai nodded approvingly. "Yeah, goats are good."

"Okay, so there you go." He agreed, and left it at that, although it was obvious he was pleased by her reaction.

One of the voices in her head slipped out the question. "What on earth inspired you to do this?"

" You're getting married. You can't just stand in the hot sun in the middle of a lawn that hasn't been mowed in weeks. I guess he doesn't mow." He frowned as he looked around at her moderately overgrown yard, with a touch of the disdain from the previous day creeping into his voice.

"No, Max isn't a mower." She commented, distracted as she examined her gift. Max was not, in fact, a mower, or particularly handy at all for that matter. To the best of Lorelai's knowledge he didn't even own a toolbox, much less the skills to build such an intricate and beautiful thing. She caught a sigh before it escaped. Careful Gilmore! You are letting the voices and the questions swirl around again!

"Okay, you needed something. Here it is. I'll mow it if you want." In typical Luke Danes behavior, here he was, offering to mow her lawn (dirty!) after spending countless hours working on the chuppah for her. The night he and Max had met in her foyer flashed into her mind as the demons in her brain compared the two men.

(I just left my toolbox from when I was here earlier FIXING things. I do a lot of little things around here for Lorelai)

(Doesn't matter what time. I'm always around.)

She raked her mind for a response for him- what the hell were they talking about? Mowing? Right, okay. "We got a guy who does that. One of the Pete's from the nursery."

"Big Pete?"

"Little Pete."

"He's the better of the Pete's."

"We've always thought so." A random thought occurred to her. "Hey, aren't chuppahs Jewish?" They both backed slowly form the chuppah, still examining its craftsmanship as they eased their way onto the porch steps.

Luke considered this briefly. "Maybe."

"Is it okay that Max and I aren't Jewish?"

"It's okay by me."

"No, but I mean to stand under it. God won't smite us or anything?" Good God, what was she TALKING about? Lorelai was borderline babbling now, not that Luke would particularly notice since it was her normal behavior. The thought briefly occurred to her that God would surely smite her if he knew about the the fluttering feeling that was rising in her stomach sitting close to this man on her porch that wasn't her fiance. He was just close enough that he could smell the faint scent of sawdust and burgers on him. Their jean clad thighs grazed each other as they sat closer on the steps than they really needed to. Does Max ever smell like sawdust, sweat and hard work? Stop it!

Luke continued talking, seeming not to notice the crazy that was swirling just under the surface in her mind that she fought so hard to conceal. "I highly doubt it. Plus God would probably have to get a license from Taylor to do any smiting in Stars Hollow on a weekend, so I'd say you're safe." He paused and then added, "You know, I wasn't putting down Max. He seems like a really good guy." He seemed sincere as he said this. Lorelai could tell when he was being open with him by the way his voice lowered ever so slightly. It was a subtle detail in his personality that most people wouldn't even notice, but Lorelai knew him so well. She picked up on the caring tone in his voice and it snapped her back to face her friend Luke. Good, this is good. He's a good friend, Max is my future.

She grinned at him. " He is, and you were putting him down."

"Yeah, well, I didn't mean to." His voice was back to the easy warm tone he used with her when it was just the two of them. She loved the deep sound of his voice, even he wasn't as good with words as Max., the things he did say and the husky timbre of his voice made her feel safe and warm, like being wrapped in a pair of warm, strong, flannel clad arms... Oh shit… MAX!

Another question slipped out, although she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer, from him or from inside the mess that was her head. She looked at him cautiously and timidly asked, "Did you mean all those things you said about marriage?"

"What things?"

"You really want me to repeat them to you?" She wasn't letting him off that easy, and they both knew it.

Luke bowed his head sheepishly, clearly embarrassed by his earlier outburst. "No. I mean, I guess, for some people marriage, you know, isn't the worst thing in the world. I mean, it's probably better than being hobbled or something like that."

She pushed him further, needing answers. "And people can evolve together, don't you think?"

"Maybe." He relied thoughtfully, she could tell he wasn't ready to say more. Lorelai gave him time to consider this thought as she babbled on to lighten the conversation. She wasn't sure if she did this on purpose to give him time to think and digest things in his head, but it was part of what gave their friendship its rhythm, and Luke didn't seem to mind her incessant talking.

"Yoko and John Lennon did. They just got closer and closer as the years went by. At the end, they had the same face."

"Yeah, it got a little spooky." She could tell he was still thinking by the far away look in his eyes.

"But cool." Damn it Luke I'm running out of things to say about John and Yoko you need to say something!

Finally, he drew a breath and then spoke. "Yeah, they were lucky. I guess if you can find that one person, you know, who's willing to put up with all your crap, and doesn't want to change you or dress you or you know, make you eat French food, then marriage can be all right. But that's only if you find that person." His head dipped slightly as his gaze met hers though his lowered lashes. Lorelai's heart skipped a beat as their eyes met.

"Yeah, if you find that person." Was she dreaming or was there a moment? She suddenly remembered a thousand other moments in an instant. An instant that seemed to last forever.

(Please Luke, please, please, please)

(Wow, you look… nice….. really nice)

(You know you always look good)

(Good how?)

Lorelai was unsure who broke the spell of the moment first, it didn't really matter, it had happened a thousand times before. This is good, we are just making things right. Luke is happy for me. For us, me… and Max. She stood up slowly and Luke followed her to stand under the chuppah together.

Unsure of what to say next, Lorelai grasped for her next words."No one has ever made me a chuppah before." she finally got out.

"Well, you only get married once. Theoretically." He smiled at her warmly.

"Yeah, you only get married once."

They stood side by side under this gorgeous creation that Luke had made for her, not speaking as the late morning sun streamed across the yard. Lorelai dropped her arms to her sides, not knowing what to say next. There were too many questions in her head, they were all but shouting at her, demanding answers. She told herself again that it was normal to have these feelings of doubt, it was just pre wedding nerves. Everything will be okay once I marry Max, she thought. But Luke's presence at her side was comforting, reassuring, and she reminded herself that he was her best friend, nothing could change that, not even marrying Max. Without thinking, she moved her hand ever so slightly so that she could grasp his long fingers in hers gently. "Thank you." Her voice was just above a whisper. She may of imagined it, but she thought Luke startled just a bit at the feel of her hand on his. Lorelai stopped breathing, the connection of their hands sending a shockwave through her, and all at once the voices and doubts in her head were stilled.

"I should go." His quiet response sent her reeling back to the night they planned the paint project, behind the counter in the diner, his shoulder up against hers as they crouched down, hiding from Taylor and various other Stars Hollow townspeople who had gathered outside the darkened diner. Her mind locked on the moment, she was sure he had been about to kiss her, but she got spooked and broke the magic by uttering the same words he just said to her. He gently pulled his hand away from hers, and the electricity that passed between their fingers was stilled. Lorelai shook her head nervously and let out the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "Right, of course. So….. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah." Luke looked at her with his head cocked slightly to the side. She couldn't read his face, but he was looking at her strangely. What? What is going on under that baseball cap? Stop looking at me like that!

(You're pleased that the iceman looked at you like a porterhouse steak.)

She bowed her head, embarrassed, as Luke rounded the truck and climbed inside. As she watched him pull away, she felt the nagging doubts and uncertainty creeping back up in her head. Time to put and end to this once and for all, she thought. With a renewed sense of determination she darted back inside for her keys, shouted out to Rory that she was going to run out for a minute, and climbed into the jeep.

7777777777

Lorelai burst into the kitchen at the Independence Inn. "He made me a chuppah!" She cried, forgoing any greeting in her moment of need.

A startled Sookie whipped around, still holding the electric mixer she had been using, splattering cake batter all across the kitchen. The kitchen staff expertly moved into action, removing the sputtering appliance from her outstretched hand, simultaneously beginning the systematic cleanup in the wake of hurricane Sookie. Sookie rushed toward Lorelai, slipping on the spilled batter and nearly taking the both of them down to the floor.

"Whoooaaa! Easy there Sook!" Lorelai grabbed her friend to stabilize them both as Sookie's arms flailed wildly.

"I'm ok! OK! Wait, are you ok?" Sookie giggled. "Wowzer, that could've been bad. I mean, not as bad as the time I set set my bangs on fire but definitely worse than the time I knocked and entire batch of peach sauce over onto the…. wait, what's a chuppah?"

"It's an arch, you know, you stand under it when you get married."

"Awwwww…. that's so romantic! Max made you a Chuppah for you to marry him under! That's just the sweetest!" Sookie gushed, clasping a wooden spoon to her chest.

"No, Luke." Lorelai corrected her.

Sookie frowned, not understanding. "Max built you a chuppah to marry Luke under?"

"No Sook, Luke built it. Luke built me a chuppah!" She stood frowning, tapping her fingers on the counter as she waited for Sookie to catch up. She anxiously poured herself a cup of coffee and watched Sookie's face closely as the pieces fell into place.

"OH! Oh, well, that's sweet, right? He wanted to you to have something nice for your wedding." Sookie said unconvincingly. "To Max. For your wedding. Your wedding to Max." She sounded less and less convinced the more she talked it out. "Wait, aren't chuppahs Jewish?"

"Yeah."

"But you and Max aren't Jewish."

"So not the point, Sook!" Lorelai was getting frustrated now. She paused for a moment. "It has a goat on it." She added, a weak smile crossing her face.

"Male or female?"

"What? What difference does that make?"

"Well, I'm remembering this from this groom's cake I made once… male goats are supposed to be a symbol of virility." Sookie waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Ummm… I guess it's male? It has horns, I don't know!. I doubt Luke knew that when he carved it, though."

"You like goats, right?" Sookie looked at her quizzically, not sure where this was headed.

"Yeah. I like goats." She stared at her friend pointedly, not believing that was the second time in an hour she had been asked that question. "What on earth would possess him to do something like that?"

Sookie sighed and looked at Lorelai sadly. "Come on Lorelai. You know why."

"No, I don't."

"Lorelai, yes you do. You know. Everybody knows. Babette knows, Miss Patty knows, hell, even Kirk knows, and Kirk is not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, if you know what I mean."

"No, Sookie, I don't. Why don't you tell me this big news that supposedly all of Stars Hollow knows but me." She pouted, stamping her foot slightly, like a spoiled child.

"Aww Honey, everyone knows Luke is crazy about you. He has been for years. Surely you can see it?" Sookie spoke to her friend gently. "It's probably killing him that you are getting married this weekend, but he's Luke, so well….. he built you a chuppah."

Lorelai sighed. She knew of course that there had been some heated tension between her and Luke, but she honestly thought it was mostly in her head. Now her head hurt, she was confused and scared, so she shook her head vehemently and firmed up her resolve. None of this is real. I love Max, and I'm marrying MAX.

"Well, there may have once been a small thing there… a thinglet, really. But even if there was it is in the past. Luke and I are just friends. I love Max and I'm marrying him this weekend. With Gilbert as my witness."

"Gilbert?"

"The goat, silly." Lorelai grinned over her cup, happy in her resolve that she was doing the right thing.

77777777

She retreated to her office to answer some emails and work through some invoices. Her work was a good distraction from her earlier panic, and questioning voices in her brain seemed to be quieted. The longer she plowed through files and paperwork, the more she was calming down. This is good, she thought. Just a moment of panic but it's over. She did not let herself think about Luke, but she did catch herself absently doodling a goat on her desk blotter. Blecchhh! She shoved a pile of mail over the sketch and dove back into her work.

Lorelai felt much better on her way home that evening, having worked late in her frenzy to calm herself. Talking out her problems with Sookie always helped. Work always helped. She was just nervous. Everyone gets nervous before their wedding. At her bachelorette party Emily had gone on and on about how nervous she was before she married Richard. Clearly this was more of the same, what else helped….. coffee? Junk food? Coffee always helped, Red Vines and Pop-tarts helped. She pulled out her cell and made a quick call to Rory, but got the answering machine. She left a message for her daughter to get ready for a movie marathon, and drove into town. She would have to hurry, Doose's was closing soon and she needed movie night supplies.

She parked in the town square and headed towards Doose's to stock up on Red Vines, fully intent on sacking out for the rest of the night with Rory, pizza, and a movie. She couldn't help but noticing Luke's familiar shape through the windows of the diner. He was closing up, wiping down tables and turning off the little lamps he used on the tables during dinner service. He glanced up and spotted her across the street, watching him work. His eyebrows raised slightly as he moved towards the door.

Luke stepped out onto the steps of the darkened diner, a half smile on his face. "Hey, you want to come in? I still have some coffee on…" He gestured toward the counter.

"I… ummm…. yeah sure, of course. I never say no to coffee." She made her way across the street and past him as he held the door for her, flipping the sign on the door to 'CLOSED".

He pushed a large mug across the counter toward her and reached for the coffee pot in one fluid motion. "So, everything ok? You, uh, seemed kind of anxious earlier, and Rory called over here looking for you. She said you had been gone a long time, she was worried."

"Yeah, I was getting caught up on some work at the inn and lost track of time, I called and left her a message a few minutes ago." She placed her hands around the outside of the oversized mug, allowing the heat to warm her fingers that were chilled from the cool night air. Luke reached for a rag and began cleaning the counter, something he did to occupy himself almost to the point of obsession.

"But… you're ok, right?" His voice had a hint of concern as he glanced up and studied her face carefully.

Lorelai nodded, but did not meet his gaze. "Can I ask you something?"

"Ok."

"Why did you make me that chuppah? I mean, I know what you said, but why, Luke?" Her voice had a nervous edge to it as she looked at her cup, uncertainty washed over her face.

"I told you why." His hand stopped wiping the counter, but he didn't look away. He sighed and added softly, "I just like to see you happy."

Butterflies raced in her stomach as she allowed herself to look up at him finally. She may have imagined it, but his eyes seemed to darken as he moved around the end of counter until he stood in front of the stool she was perched on. Without realizing what she was doing, she moved her hands from her coffee to grasp both of his. His strong fingers felt cool after clutching the hot coffee cup, but here it was again. Electricity shot through her as she rose from her spot at the counter, not letting go of his hands. He slowly raised their joined hands as he stepped closer to her. When he dipped his head close enough so she could feel his breath on her lips, he released her fingers and glided his hands to her waist, brushing the warm skin above the waistband of her jeans. When he barely whispered her name she shuddered involuntarily.

"Lorelai…."

"Luke… do you…I mean…."

His lips brushed over hers gently, and she lost herself in the softness of his mouth on hers. The fluttering in her stomach grew into a heat that spread throughout her torso as she leaned in to deepen the kiss. He teased her lower lip with his tongue and she instinctively opened her mouth to receive him. As their tongues tangled desperately together the kiss intensified, and she pressed herself against him, sliding her hand up his chest until her arms were around his neck, feeling his warm strong muscles through the soft flannel shirt he always wore. His hands had begun tracing circles up under the hem of her shirt and hoodie, gliding over her ribcage until his thumbs brushed the undersides of her bra, and a soft moan escaped her lips. His rough hands slid around to her back, grasping her back, then her shoulders and he pulled her closer. Lorelai gasped at the intensity of his touch, until he pulled back suddenly.

"I'm… I'm sorry." He sputtered, stepping away from her quickly.

"What…. no! Oh my God, Luke! I'm sorry! What am I even doing here?" She asked herself more than him. She smoothed her hair nervously and gathered her purse into her hands, her eyes flitting around desperately, trying not to look at him. "I have to go…. I have to…. I have to go!" Lorelai quickly hastened toward the exit, jarred by the sound of the bells as she yanked the door open. She was almost certain she heard him call her name as she raced across the street and climbed quickly into the jeep. She started the engine and gunned it for home.

She parked the jeep under the tree in her yard, leaning back with a sigh. She peered through the windshield at the chuppah, and the carved goat seemed to be staring at her accusingly. She groaned and slumped forward until her head rested on her arms against the steering wheel. What am I going to do now?

77777777

Lorelai burst into Rory's room in a rushed frenzy and began opening drawers and her wardrobe, pulling out clothes as Rory jumped up off the bed from the book she was reading.

"Pack!" Lorelai cried breathlessly as she emptied the contents of one of Rory's drawers onto the bed.

"What?" Rory sputtered. She clearly looked confused by Lorelai's manic movements. She had no time to waste on Rory's questions.

"Pack." Lorelai repeated with more determination in her voice.

"What's going on?" Her daughter questioned, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"We are hitting the road." More clothes hit the bed.

"What?" Rory watched in disbelief. Lorelai knew she was on thin ice here. As long as I keep moving…..

"Pack everything. Traveling light is for girls." Lorelai was on a mission, moving frantically around the room.

"What's going on here? Why are we hitting the road?" Rory was clearly trying to pull information out of her, peppering her with questions she didn't want to answer right now. Keep moving Gilmore…..

"We haven't taken a road trip in forever and the weather is perfect!" Lorelai said excitedly, her smile sparkling, hopefully enough to convince Rory, who knew her all too well.

"We can't take a road trip. You're getting married this weekend." Rory stated flatly.

"Do you have my blue swimsuit?" Lorelai ignored her questioning as she rifled through her belongings.

Rory raised her voice a little in an attempt to stop the frenzy that was her mother. "Mom, stop!"

"What?"

Lorelai felt the tiniest crack in her resolve. She silently prayed her daughter would read her emotions and just go with it. Please kid, please please don't make me go there right now….. I can't go there right now or I will break.

Apparently Rory wasn't buying it. She rephrased her interrogation to a more direct question. "Are you and Max getting married?"

Lorelai stopped at this and met her daughter's eyes, her resolve beginning to crumble. "No."

"Why?"

The cracks in her emotions began to spread like a spider's web. Lorelai stood still, shaking her head a little as the tears she had been holding back began to flood her eyes. She nervously met Rory's insistent gaze as she spoke, silently praying her daughter would understand the meaning of her next words.

"Because..." She paused here, not wanting to reveal too much. The taste of Luke was still on her lips, she could still feel his hands on her skin. She couldn't see Max's face when she closed her eyes, only Luke and his stupid, god damn chuppah. God damn that stupid GOAT!

"Because…...I didn't want to try on my wedding dress every night."

And with those words, she shattered.

A/N- this is my first fic so please please please be gentle with me.

Next chapter coming soon...

Rory.