I know! I know! I have like fifty billion different projects that I'm supposed to be working on, and I just keep adding stuff! Well, this is just a quick little two-parter piece (haven't written the second part, but at least I know what's gonna happen in it!) that I came up with a couple of nights ago and I thought it was just rotting away while sitting on my computer...well, rotting and taking up much needed memory (heh).
So, yeah, this is taking place during the first season. It's sort of AU, it's taking the "what if Lorelai hadn't broken her engaement to Max?" road.
Enjoy.
One
"I pushed it all aside just stand next to you"
(Anonymous)
Lorelai twirled around for the second time, eyeing herself in the mirror as she did so, watching as the white fabric waved effortlessly around her. Her glee was undeniable. It showed in her smile like black panties underneath a white dress. Which truly was a note to self: don't wear black panties on your wedding day. The wedding night, however, is a completely different matter. Then, black panties were almost mandatory.
"So?" She asked, practically breathless from her excitement, "Whatda think?" She turned around again, this time facing a very emotional Sookie and an equally excited Rory sitting on Lorelai's bed that had been pushed all the way to the far side of Lorelai's bedroom.
"I think you look like a bride," Sookie smiled.
"You look beautiful, mom. I'd marry you!" Rory teased, "But that is illegal in like all fifty states, and probably most countries in the world."
"That's my emotionally stunted little girl," she teased, then she turned back to face the mirror she'd stuck up there a couple of days ago in preparation for the wedding. "This is it. This is the dress."
"How do you feel?" Sookie asked, "Nervous? Excited?"
Lorelai's smile fell for a moment, as she thought about Sookie's question. "I feel," she started, but no adjectives were coming to mind. Actually no feelings were really coming to mind. "I feel like a bride," she finally decided on. It was probably because of the nerves. Yeah, they were messing with her chatter box tendencies. Making her speechless. People who were nervous were usually speechless, right? Yeah. That had to be it.
"Alright, so, day before the wedding and you've finally picked out a dress," Rory commented, "That has to be one for the record books."
Lorelai rolled her eyes, "Oh, come on, it's not that bad," she turned back around to face her two girls. "And I'm not the only one! Sookie can never decide on a menu, then ends up changing it five seconds before hand!"
"Hey!" Sookie shouted, "I am not that bad. And that is so not the same thing!"
"Alright, six seconds. And yes it is."
Sookie just crossed her arms across her chest and stuck her tongue out at Lorelai.
"Ah, these are the woman that were my role models growing up," Rory said, "It's a miracle I turned out so normal and," she paused for dramatic effect, "Mature."
Lorelai smiled, "We tried to corrupt you kid, but you just wouldn't have it. Right, Sook?"
Sookie nodded, and pretended to get choked up, "You know, you think you're teaching this kid all this stuff, corrupting them to think just like you think, and then they go and turn out all normal on you. Shame really."
Rory began to mock cry, "I'm so sorry I've failed you, haven't I?"
Lorelai shook her head, continuing with the act, and feigned disappointment, "I pulled out all the stops for kid. You went out as a kid, but you were supposed to come back a star. I did everything I could to get you to turn out all immature and weird, short of course of naming you something like Apple, I mean I understand Gwen must have been all drugged up and stuff, but Apple? Was she just really hungry or something?"
"Again, I thank-you for not naming me after a popular snack food or drink."
Lorelai smiled, "Naming you Coffee was pretty was pretty tempting, but then this wave of feminism took over me instead,"
Rory held up her hands, "We know the story," she cut Lorelai off before she could start in one 'the day Rory was born story'. "You pelted the nurses with ice chips, named me after yourself, yaddy, yaddy, yadda."
"But it is a pretty good story, you must admit. Most kids don't get an entertaining birth story, they just get the 'it was the happiest day of my life' story," Sookie argued.
Lorelai pointed at Sookie, "Yeah! Listen to her next time you complain about me telling you that story too much!"
Rory just laughed and shook her head, "Whatever, whatever," she held up her arms, "I surrender. I do love that story, but it should only be told in the early morning hours of my birthday, as is the tradition."
"Alright then, I'll abide by the tradition and keep my mouth shut about that story on all days except for the early morning hours of your birthday, unless given permission to do otherwise."
Rory nodded, "It's settled then. Now, back on topic here. You need to get out of that dress before you ruin it, pronto missy!"
Lorelai smiled, "Yes, Mom," she dragged out her words like the spoiled little princess she was at heart.
"That's my good little mommy," Rory teased.
Lorelai turned back around, her unmistakable grin in full force. "Guess what? I'm getting married," she giggled out before escaping back into hallway and down to the bathroom where she had been changing for the improv-ed fashion show. She slipped out of the dress easily, and then placed it back inside the protective plastic covering for safekeeping. Then she laid it across the top of all the other wedding dresses she had tried on, which were placed carefully in the extremely dry (she, Sookie, and Rory had even gone as far as to towel dry it before setting any of the dresses in there) bathtub.
This what it. The dress was picked. The Chuppah was set and decorated with hundreds of yellow daisies, in honor of the engagement extravaganza they had gone through. The music was all set. The food was basically ready. Chairs were even set out in her front lawn.
So then why did she feel like something was missing?
She studied her face in the mirror, she didn't look any different. Should she? Was she supposed to be glowing in excitement or something? Or perhaps, shaking with nerves? But she just looked like Lorelai Gilmore. The same Lorelai Gilmore she'd been for the past thirty-two years.
Maybe it was something she couldn't see. Like when a person is sick, they can't feel their own forehead. Maybe only a person on the outside could see her glow or shake. Rory or Sookie would have said something if they thought something was off. Right? She was just over analyzing things or something. Or her nerves were just making her crazier then usual.
Yeah. That had to be it.
She smiled back at her reflection, nodding her head slightly in encouragement. The she turned back around and opened the door back out into the hallway. She could hear Sookie and Rory talking, even while she was technically still in the bathroom.
"So can you believe it, your mom's getting married?" She could hear Sookie say, "I still can't believe it. I mean, not the whole your mom getting married thing, but the your mom getting married," she put emphasis on the 'getting married' part, "Thing. Did that made any sense?"
Lorelai smiled faintly at her friend's antics, and decided to stay back a little longer. It was always interesting to hear what people said once they thought you couldn't hear.
"Yeah, I agree. I mean, we've been talking about this wedding since, like forever, it's just seems so weird to think that after tomorrow I'm gonna see Max everyday for the rest of my life. Well, maybe not everyday, but you get what I mean," she heard Rory respond.
She heard Sookie laugh lightly, "Yeah, I understand, kiddo."
Lorelai smile grew a little once she heard Sookie call Rory 'kiddo'. That had always been Rory's name, even while in the womb. And it had just kinda stuck. They both knew she wasn't a kid anymore, but 'kiddo' was just as much of her nickname as 'Rory' was. It had just become apart of her identity over the years.
Then Sookie's voice got really quiet, but not so quiet that Lorelai still couldn't hear. Sookie always had been a naturally loud person, "Is he coming?"
Lorelai felt her smile drop at the mention of him. She knew exactly who Sookie was talking about. Proper noun or not. There was only one him that it could be.
"Who? Max? Well I should hope so," Rory started, but then caught herself, "Oh, you mean Luke."
"Uh, yeah. Do you know if he's coming?"
Lorelai bit her lip. She'd invited Luke, twice actually. Sent him an actual invitation. Then last week, since she hadn't heard from him, went to the diner and asked him herself. He just made up some lame-o excuse about having to work, but would try to make it over in time for the ceremony, but he wasn't sure if he could so to not count on it.
She hadn't spoken to him since then. Her own best friend was planning on skipping her wedding. The most special day of her life, and he was "too busy" to celebrate with her.
"I don't think so." Rory finally responded, drawing Lorelai back into the conversation. "I think him and Mom got into a fight again or something. She keeps saying she's too busy with all this wedding stuff and just eats here."
Damn that kid was too perceptive. She'd have to somehow deny it some time during the day. She wouldn't want both of them on her case the next day about it. Luke was the last person she wanted to talk about right now.
"That sounds like a fight, but she hasn't said anything to me!" Sookie complained, "For once, I'd like to get in on this stuff first."
"Well not my fault I'm a double threat. I'm her daughter and her best friend," Rory said this part in a regular speaking tone, apparently this was not sensitive information and something Lorelai should already know.
It was probably a safe time for her to go back in there. They didn't need to know she heard. Then they'd just openly press her for answers, this way they could try and be subtle, try being the key word, and she could have a little fun pretending to not get the obvious hints they'd throw her way.
She closed the door loudly, "Who's a double threat, sweetie?" She yelled down the hallway, making her footsteps as loud as possible without being too obvious.
"Oh, me and Sookie were just kiddin' around, you missed all the stuff before that. Trust me, it made sense in context," Rory called back to her mother as Lorelai rounded the corner back into her bedroom, a fresh fake smile on her face.
"Oh really? Without me?"
Sookie smiled, "Yes, you party crasher," she teased. "Hey, me and Rory were thinkin' since we've finished up this whole wedding dress fiasco, how about we head over to Luke's for a celebratory cup of coffee?"
Lorelai almost had to applaud her sneakiness, trying to temp her with a cup of coffee, the crazy woman. "I can just make coffee here, and we really should keep working on the arrangements. We're really behind if you haven't noticed, we still have to clear out like half of our stuff from the living room so that guests can actually navigate their way through our house." Sookie may have been sneaky, but Lorelai was sneakier. Nobody messed with the master of sneaky moves.
"Oh," Sookie's voice fell flat.
"But if you guys really want that cup of coffee, feel free to go down there without me, I mean this isn't your guy's wedding or anything, and you both have done so much already. I could just try to catch you two down there after the massive cleaning spree of 2000."
"Ah, but nothing will beat the cleaning spree of '93," Rory commented with a slight shudder. "I thought we swore we'd never do that again."
"Sorry, Mommy has to break the pact."
"But it was a blood pact! Your gonna break the bonds of sisterhood!" Rory cried out in mock astonishment.
"Ya! Ya!"
Sookie just shook her head, "Alright then, I guess me and Rory will just go for that celebratory cup of coffee, for safety reasons of course, and we'll see you there later," she put emphasis on that last little part.
Lorelai nodded, "Yeah, yeah," she waved her hands at them, "Go, go! I'll be fine here, I just gotta clean and stuff."
"And you'll meet us down there later," Rory added again, staring her mother directly in the eye.
"If you don't meet me here first, sweets," Lorelai smiled. "Now go, before all the good seats are taken! Or before Kirk drinks all the coffee!"
Rory and Sookie nodded wearily, obviously not to keen on the whole idea of leaving Lorelai alone. And they must have thought their plan would be flawless. They must have thought they'd be able to definitely discern whether or not her and Luke were fighting again. But she had out witted and was about to outlast them like a true Survivor. Once again eavesdropping had paid off big time.
"Alright then, we'll see you later," Rory repeated, "At Luke's."
"I'll see you two later, sure thing, babe," Lorelai repeated, leaving out the little tidbit about meeting at Luke's. Ah, sometimes her genius even amazed herself.
Rory and Sookie nodded hesitantly, before both leaving Lorelai alone in her room, apparently either okay with her answer or just not wanting to appear too obvious. They still thought, humorously enough, that they had the upper hand.
She chuckled to herself quietly as she walked over towards her closet, Max would be moving in tomorrow and probably into the next day. She probably should have made room for his stuff weeks ago, but she had never really found the time, especially during that whole key debate thing. She had never quite figured out why he had taken such offense to the simple fact that she just kept forgetting about the key. He was just reading too much into the whole thing. It was like some book to him, and her forgetting about the key symbolized her not wanting to be with him or something crazy like that.
Had he never heard her talk? She was the most disorganized person, especially thought wise, in the world. She should call up the records place and see if she could be on top. She probably should anyways, if she wasn't there probably was a French judge involved and that would just screw things up entirely.
She opened up her closet door, clothes attacking her in the process, cleaning was also not her strong suit. No wonder it took her so long to pack all the time.
"Stupid clothes from Hades," she mumbled to herself, as she bent over and began picking them up angrily. "Now where am I gonna put you guys? I can't get rid of you, but Max needs to fit in here. I wonder if I could get Luke to build an extension," she felt her heart sink a little, "Max, you meant Max could add an addition. You don't need Luke over here fixing everything anymore. You have Max, remember? Mmmm-aaaa-xxx. MAX."
She felt something light hit her head, "What the?" She mumbled out in surprise. She thought she'd gotten all the clothes that she'd stuffed above the hanger rack already.
She looked down at her feet, right directly at the object that had fallen. It was something entirely unexpected.
She bent down, and picked up the slightly bent photograph from besides her feet, "Holy Mary Poppins-like moment, Batman!"
It was just a random, candid picture of her and Luke, right after she had broken her leg. He was just hanging around their house helping her and Rory out. Said he wanted to make sure Rory didn't starve or something, seeing as how she had issues getting to the diner. So he brought the diner to them.
And there they were, sitting together, him trying to take the coffee away, and her fighting desperately for the coffee. She had forgotten all about that picture.
"Dammit," she whispered to herself. "Dammit, dammit, dammit." She dropped the pile of clothes out of her other hand, leaving them just as they were supposed to be, a pile on her bedroom floor, and ran downstairs, the picture still clutched in her hand.
"Dammit!" She shouted this time, as she flew down her steps, into a pair of Rory's flip-flops, and out the front door at a dead sprint.
"Lorelai, dear, what's the matter!" She heard Babette yell at her as she dashed down her driveway.
"Nothing, Babette!" She yelled back, "Just watched Forrest Gump and got inspired, that's all!" She tried a good-natured Lorelai joke and another one of her genuinely fake smiles. They seemed to work wonders in these types of situations.
"Oh, all right then, sweets. Have fun!"
Lorelai gave a sort-of wave back to Babette, as she continued her now speed walk, because there was a reason Lorelai had skipped gym class all those years, into the center of Stars Hallow, barely stopping for as much as a customary hello to her fellow Stars Hallow-ians.
Lorelai marched into Luke's Diner, a slight cramp forming in her right side, and walked straight up to the counter, straight up to him. Luke just stood there, scrubbing the counter to within an inch of it's life, and ignoring every single customer that dared speak to him.
"I need to talk to you," she said forcefully.
"I'm a little busy right now, come back later?" He didn't even bother looking up from his counter, "Gotta keep to those heath standards, Taylor would turn me in a second."
Lorelai shook her head, and shoved the picture in his face. This got his attention. He stopped scrubbing the counter, and looked up at her, a confused look in his face.
"I need to talk to you. Upstairs. Now."
Luke shrugged, "Caesar, take over for a sec, would ya?"
Caesar just rolled his eyes, apparently Luke hadn't caught on to the fact that Caesar had taken over a while ago. "Sure thing, boss," he mumbled out. He knew Luke better then to make a smart-ass response at the moment. Only Lorelai would be so bold.
He dropped his rag down on the counter, "Let's go," he sighed before marching slowly up the stairs, Lorelai at his heels. No doubt by the time they'd get up there the entire diner would go quiet just to hear the conversation. This town was too nosy for it's own good.
Luke open the door to his apartment angrily, and stomped into the room. "I don't know what you're problem is," he turned around to face her.
Lorelai slammed the door shut behind her, "My problem?" Lorelai said with an almost laugh-like quality to it, "My problem?"
"Yes you're problem, and if you just made me come all the way up here to play the shadow game?"
Lorelai rolled her eyes, "Just look at this picture," she pushed it roughly into his hand.
His eyes soften a little when he saw the picture, "I remember this," he looked back up at her, "But what does it have to do with anything?"
"How can the guy that took care of me and mykid when I had broken my leg, also be the guy that refuses to come to my wedding?"
"I told you, I have to work," Luke held the picture out to her, "I'm sorry, but if you haven't forgot I run a diner."
Lorelai grabbed the picture back from him, "Yes, and you have other employees that could run it for a couple of hours while you watch your best friend get married! It's not like there's gonna be a major rush, practically everyone in town is coming!" Then as an after thought added, "Except for the person that I most want to be there."
"What about Max? I think it's pretty important he shows up."
Lorelai gave him a look, "Just give me one good answer as to why you can't come to my wedding, and I'll leave you alone."
"I told you, I have to work!"
"No you don't! You've taken off work hundreds of times, days when the town can actually come to the diner during business hours!"
Luke just looked at her, apparently trying to avoid one of his infamous Luke Rants.
"Listen, Luke, I don't know what the hell I did to upset you, but whatever it is it can't be as bad as what you're doing to me right now!"
"And what the hell am I doing to you?"
"Not coming to my wedding! The most important day of my life!"
"What about Danish Days?" Luke shot back at her, his voice reeking in sarcasm.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Is it my coffee habits? Have they finally pushed you over the edge? Because if they have then by golly, by gosh I'll give up coffee if that'll get you to come to my wedding!"
"I'm not mad at you!"
"Well you're doing a damn fine job at showin' it!"
"Well I'm not!"
"Convincing. Has Hollywood found out about you yet?"
"Look, I have to work. End of story. I don't get what you're so pissed about that."
"I'm pissed because you keep giving me the same lame-o excuse for why you can't come to my wedding! Just tell me the truth!"
Luke stared at her for a long time, mulling something over in his head, but his eyes were still caught up in the passion of the moment. "You wanna know the truth!" He finally shouted back at her. "Huh? You wanna know the truth?"
"Yes!" Lorelai shouted back at him, "What do ya think I've been trying to get you to do for the past ten minutes!"
"Fine I'll tell you the truth!"
"Fine! Why the hell won't you come to my wedding!"
"Because I'm in love with you!"
Lorelai felt her blood run cold. Her hand dropped to her side, and the picture that she had been clutching on to only moments before fell to the ground. "You what?" Was the only comprehensible thought she could put into words.
"I—Lorelai—God I'm an idiot,"
Lorelai started taking panic breaths, "Oh my God," she finally whispered, "I—just—I gotta go!" She shouted as she spun around, practically ripped the door off its hinges, and ran out of the apartment.
Suddenly getting ready for her wedding seemed a lot less important then it had in these past few months of her life.
Please Review.