AN: Final part! I want to say thanks to my karaoke-loving friends (if you're sexy and you know it clap your hands) And Mikey and Nath, cos, although they'll never know it, I had Luke steal their moves.





VI





On Sunday night, the last night of Jess and Rory's visit, the entire town was at the karaoke festival.

"I don't believe this," Jess grumbled to Luke as they found some spare seats.

"Shh, they're about to start, don't worry, it'll be fun!" Rory promised.

Miss Patty announced that Kirk was the first one up, as he had 'something special' prepared.

"Uh Oh," Lorelai whispered.

Luke snorted, "this'll be good."

"What's he wearing?" Jess asked, "are those tights?"

Rory leaned in a little closer, "eew, I think they are," she wrinkled her nose, "not a pretty sight."

"Hey Kirk, whatcha wearing?" Lorelai called out.

"Tights give more flexibility for my dance routine," he yelled back.

Lorelai elbowed Luke, "see, watching Kirk make a fool of himself will be well worth the price of admission.

Rory appeared concerned, "a singing, dancing Kirk? I'll be scarred for life!"

"I know!" Lorelai agreed, "I still haven't fully recovered from that short film at the Stars Hollow movie festival, and that was like three years ago."

"Silence please, and I'll begin. This is my original piece, I call it 'A new beginning.'"

Kirk started with dramatic movements to the music

"I thought the whole idea of karaoke was to butcher someone else's songs," Jess whispered.

"This is...disturbing," Rory commented, "he looks like he's having an epileptic fit."



Suddenly the music became more cheerful and Kirk began to sing.

"Is that French?" Lorelai asked, "Rory, what's he saying?"

"Apple..moon...potato..river...love..."

"I know it's been a while Sweetie, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Maybe we can get Michel to translate," Lorelai looked around, but Kirk finished just then.

"I don't believe this," Luke muttered as everyone clapped.

"Sshhh, be nice," Lorelai told him, "he thinks he's artistic. We all have our little fantasies."



"Really, what's yours?" Luke asked, interested.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Lorelai raised her eyebrows at him.



After several more traditional karaoke performances everyone was relaxed and enjoying themselves when Miss Patty announced; "I think it's time we heard from the lovely Gilmore Girls. Lorelai and Rory, come on up!"



"Do you think we can make a run for it?" Lorelai asked Rory.

"Nah, we'd never make it, I vote for hiding out under the chairs," Rory replied, but Jess placed his hands on her waist and pushed her up.

Reluctantly, they made their was to the stage where Lorelai grabbed a microphone.

"Okay, since singing is one talent us Gilmores are NOT blessed with, we'll make this brief. Ready?" she looked to Rory who nodded her head in agreement.

"Da da da doo doo doo doo doo-do doo do-do......"

"Bought myself one of those keyboard axes

Wanted to get out and dance away from the piano

That could have been the beginning of the end

If I wasn't already in the middle

The crowd was confused - and then they cheered

My career it was back on track

I was relieved, full of love for the people"

"I said 'Thank you,'" Lorelai sang.

" each and every one of you," Rory interjected.

"For loving me at my worst"

They both continued;

"If this isn't love it's very close

Can you hear the world is waking up?

Can we be crazy for a few more years?

Have I got them in me?"

"Thank you!"

The audience cheered as Lorelai curtsied her way off stage after Rory and whispered something to Miss Patty.



"See? Crazy," Luke murmured to Jess.

"That's cheating," he said when the girls rejoined them, "you didn't sing the whole song."



"Well you can show me how it's done," Lorelai replied.

"Huh?"

Just then Miss Patty called for everyone to quieten down, "I've just been reminded of another two people who are yet to sing for us, the delectable Luke Danes and the edible Jess Mariano!"

Luke's eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights, "no way," he shook his head firmly.

"Edible?" Jess asked, his eyes pleading with Rory not to make him do this.

But the guys didn't stand a chance. Lorelai and Rory forced them up on to the stage.

"Well pick a song," Jess told Luke.

"You pick a song," his uncle replied.

"Fine, but you're starting," Jess insisted, pointing out a song to Kirk who was operating the machine.

"Let's just get this over with." The music started and Luke began to sing the first verse;

"she rolls the window down,

and she talks over the sound,

of the cars that pass us by,

I don't know why,

but she's changed my mind."



Wow, Lorelai thought to herself, who knew Luke had such a deep, sexy singing voice?



Jess joined in for the chorus;

"would you look at her she looks at me,

she's got me thinking about her constantly,

but she don't know how I feel,

and if she carries on without a doubt

I wonder if she'd figured out,

I'm crazy for this girl, yeah I'm crazy for this girl,"

Jess winked at Rory.



"Did you know Jess could sing?" Lorelai demanded.

Rory just shook her head and smiled, captivated as he sang the second verse.

"She was the one to hold me

the night the sky fell down,

and what was I thinking when,

the world didn't end why didn't

I know what I know now?"



"Go Lukey!" Lorelai screamed out, watching him turn beet red.

"Alright Jess!" Rory yelled, standing up to hug him as the pair rejoined the girls.

"That was great," Rory congratulated them.

"Yeah, well don't get used to it," Luke muttered.

"Aw, they're embarrassed, that's so cute. But you can't hide that kind of talent Luke, I think you should perform at the diner," Lorelai enthused, "'Coyote Ugly' style!"

"Don't even think about it," Luke warned her.

"I'll be your biggest fan."

Rory watched her mother and Luke banter and pulled Jess aside, "come with me," she grinned mischievously.

"And next up, Luke and Lorelai!" Miss Patty called several minutes later.

"What? Us?" asked Lorelai, looking around as if to spot another Luke and Lorelai making their way to the stage.

"Yes, you," said Rory.

"You're kidding? I've done my duty for the night already," Luke insisted.



When the song was announced it only got worse.

"Are you trying to torture us?" Lorelai demanded.

"Come on," Rory and Jess steered them firmly towards the stage.

"Roreeee," Lorelai whined, "you can't do this to me! I don' t just hate this song, I loathe it with a passion, detest it with the fire of a thousand burning suns," she declared.

Luke was being equally uncooperative, "Cummon Jess, I don't even know the words," he protested.

"That's why they have them on the screen," Jess replied helpfully.

"I'm gonna kill them," Lorelai whispered to Luke as microphones were thrust into their hands.

"Not if I beat you to it," said Luke.

"That's you," Lorelai hissed as the words appeared on the screen.

Luke shook his head in disgust and half-heartedly began to sing; "I finally found someone, who knocks me off my feet."

"I finally found the one who makes me feel complete," added Lorelai, "it started over coffee, we started out as friends; It's funny how from simple things; the best things begin."

Ah, thought Lorelai, sneaky Rory, this was why they were singing this particular song. It was supposed to mean something.

"Did I keep you waiting?" Luke asked.

"I didn't mind."

"I apologise."

"Baby, that's fine."

"Ya Know - I love your hair..." Luke sang.

"Are you sure it looks right?" Lorelai responded in a high, phoney voice, patting her hair.

The audience began to laugh.

"I love what you wear..." continued Luke.

"Isn't it too tight?" Lorelai acted self-conscious.

"Oh no, Baby, it's not tight enough," replied Luke.

"Hey that's not in the script!" Lorelai laughed, "you've messed us up now."

"Okay, chorus, ready?" asked Luke.

"Oh this is it! I finally found someone; Someone to share my life, I finally found the one; to be with every night..."

Lorelai put one hand on her heart and stretched the other out dramatically towards Luke, "Cause whatever I do, it's just got to be you - Hey that's dirty!"

"How?" Luke stopped to ask her.

"It's talking about doing you!"

"That's not what it means!"



"What did you write the song?"

Taylor cleared his throat from the sidelines, "are you two right there?"



"Hey no one's throwing stuff yet," Lorelai replied. The town was enthralled by their impromptu disagreement.

"Well this is romantic," Jess said to Rory, who was laughing so hard she leaned back against his chest for support.

Luke was eager to finish the song and get off the stage, "my life has just begun," he sang.

"I finally found someone..." they ended together.

The crowd erupted with applause.



On the way home, Lorelai and Luke were still arguing.

"It's just a general it. Like IT has to be you," said Luke.

"It's just got to be you? What's the IT? It's the DOING." Lorelai wasn't giving up.

"Doing it?" Luke was confused, "it's WHATever you do not WHOever."

"Yeah, so WHATever I do, like farm animals or musical instruments, I gotta do you."

"You are the only person who would think of that," Luke told her.

Jess covered his ears with his hands, "make them stop?" he pleaded with Rory.

"Enough!" Rory declared firmly.

"Rory can tell us who's right!" Lorelai declared.

Rory launched into a long, technical, literary analysis about uses of the word 'it' while everyone else tuned out.

"So we'll just let it go?" Luke asked.

Lorelai nodded in agreement, "but thanks for that," she said to Rory.

"Yeah, I love it when you talk smart," Jess said.



By this time they'd reached the Gilmore porch and Luke was at the front door, just about to go inside.

"Hey Luke?' Lorelai asked tentatively. She sounded nervous, almost shy.

He turned around, "yeah?"

"You mind sitting out here a minute? I want to talk to you."



"Sure."

Rory gave Lorelai an encouraging look as she and Jess said goodnight and went inside.

Lorelai and Luke sat down on the steps.



***



Inside, Rory peered out the window, spying on them.

"Come on, don't you want to witness history in the making?" she asked Jess, who was sitting on the couch, pretending he couldn't care less.

"I'm not an obsessive member of this town."

"Do it for me," Rory pulled him over to sit beside her.

"What are we, twelve?" Jess asked.

"Come on mom, you can do it," Rory encouraged as she watched Lorelai speak animatedly.



***



"So I've been thinking," Lorelai began.

"Sounds serious, what about?" Luke prompted.

"About the way the town's been acting since we moved in together, and about something Michel, of all people, said."

"You're taking something that putzy French guy said seriously?"

"I know, I must be losing it."



"I think you lost it a long time ago," Luke told her affectionately, "so what did he say?'

"He said that we were practically married already. Does it feel like that to you?"



"That we're married?"



"Like we skipped the dating, engagement and honeymoon and went straight to being the comfortable old married couple."

Luke paused a moment, "well you know I'd do pretty much anything for you. And I love Rory like a daughter."

"What about me? Do you love me?" Lorelai asked.

"Do you love me?" he countered.

"I'm sure I've told you that I love you."



"Yeah, right after I give in to your coffee request."

"So I do love you."

"In a you're-a-real-pal/great-coffee-supplier kind of way?" he asked.

"Yeah. And maybe sometimes in a wanna-jump-your-bones kinda way," she smiled at him.

"What about a wanna-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-with-you kinda way?"

"Definitely," Lorelai whispered, leaning towards Luke. Her heart was thumping as she slowly brought her lips closer to his. She stopped just inches before they met and flicked her eyelids up to look at Luke who was in turn looking at her expectantly.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked.



***



"Ah, so close! Come on, keep going," Rory prompted, pressing her nose against the glass.



***



"Just a dramatic pause," said Lorelai.



"You're kidding right?" Luke asked.

"Shh, you're spoiling the moment," Lorelai hushed him.

"They moment is passing us by!"



***



"Hurry up and kiss him already!" Rory cried impatiently.



***



Teasingly, Lorelai stuck out her lower lip so it brushed against Luke's for a fraction of a second.



***



"This is it folks, the moment we've all been waiting for," Jess intoned.



***



Lorelai licked her lips then let her tongue dart out to lash across Luke's lips. She gave him a mischievous grin.

"Come here!" Luke said impatiently. He crushed his lips against hers and Lorelai responded eagerly.



***



"Finally!" Rory sighed happily and pulled back from the window.

"You're a nut," Jess told her.

"But you love me for it!"



"Yeah, I do. Now can we concentrate on our own love life?" Jess pulled Rory onto his lap.



"Absolutely!" she kissed him soundly.



***



Lorelai and Luke broke apart, both smiling.

"So...." Luke began.

"So."

"Sooooo?"

"So what?"

"So what does this mean?" Luke asked.

"That IT, whatever it may be, has got to be you," Lorelai replied.

"That's good."



"Yeah, I think so."



"So, what now?"

"I have a couple of suggestions," Lorelai said with a cheeky grin.

Luke pulled her to him again and they shared an indecently steamy kiss considering their location.





And all was right in the world....



THE END



Hope you enjoyed.

And if anyone knows how to do italics pls let me know!!!



Songs:

'I Finally Found Someone' - Barbara Streisand & Bryan Adams

'Crazy for the Girl' - Evan & Jarron

'Thank You (for loving me at my worst)' - The Whitlams