Disclaimer: I’m
fully aware that I don’t own any of these characters -- so don’t sue. Please.
Rating:
PG-13
Pairing:
Jess/Rory. Luke/Lorelai.
Genre:
General (Romance/Humour/Drama)
Created:
October 27/02
To Be
Why had she done it?
Why had she kissed him?
Even after six weeks the
questions wouldn’t escape her. And thoughts of him wouldn’t leave her
mind. She was going home in one day and she still didn’t know how she was going
to face him.
It didn’t take a brain
scientist to figure out that she cared for him. But there was Dean. And she
loved him. She did. Didn’t she?
It was all so confusing and
frustrating. She didn’t want or need all these complications in her life.
Things had been so much easier before Jess.
…
“Mom, please get off me.”
Rory said trying to catch her breath as her mother squeezed her tightly.
“Nuh uh. I’m going to hold
you and squeeze you and never let you go.”
Rory laughed as Lorelai,
her arms still wrapped around her, made her way to the house.
“So, tell me everything.”
Lorelai said finally letting her go to unlock the door.
“You know everything. I
called you everyday.”
Lorelai waved her hands in
front of her. “I don’t believe any of that, missy. Tell me the good stuff. You
know – the drunken carousing with Paris, both of you causing all kinds of
ruckus with men named Bud and Romeo.”
Rory paused for a minute.
“Oh right. Romeo. Now there was a man.” She nodded seriously before looking
around. “I’m so glad to be home. I missed everything so much.”
Lorelai gave her daughter a
brief squeeze before letting go. “Not as much as everything missed you, babe. I
don’t know what I’m going to do when you go off to school. I’ll die. I’ll
surely die. I just know it, Rhett!” She said the last part in a drawling
southern accent and pretended to swoon.
Rory snickered. “Crazy
woman.”
“Why thank you!”
“Ok, so I’m going to go
unpack and then why don’t we do something wild and crazy.”
“Oooh. Now we’re talking.
What should we do? Spring a heist at midnight? Sneak into Luke’s and steal all
his coffee? Oh. Oh. Smack your dad with my five-inch stilettos? Oh I like that
last one.”
Rory frowned. “Hey, how are
you? Seriously.”
Lorelai shook her head. “I
don’t know. It still...It still hurts but it’s all become kind of – I don’t
know. Chris and I have never been at the same place at the same time in our
lives. I don’t think we’ll ever be. I think I’m just starting to accept that.”
“I’m still mad at him.”
“I know. But Ror, he’s your
dad and even with all this remember that he loves you. And just because I’m not
ready to let him back into my life doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t.”
“I’m not ready for that.
Anyway, I’ll go unpack and when I’m done we will…?”
“Go to Ming’s for coffee.”
“Ming’s? Why not Luke’s?
Wait – are you still fighting with Luke?”
“Uh…fighting is such a
strong word. I prefer – not communicating with each other because of personal
differences.”
“Mom…”
Lorelai sighed. “Rory, I’ve
tried. I have. I’ve apologized to him like a million times. But he won’t hear
any of it. He’s being so unfair.”
“Ok that’s it. We’re going
to Luke’s.”
“No, Rory.”
“Shut up. We’re going and
that’s final. I’m going to go unpack my bags now and you better be ready when I
finish. And that’s final. No ifs, ands or buts about it.” She nodded her head
briskly at her mother before heading back to the car to get her suitcase out.
Lorelai shook her head but
smiled. It was good to have Rory home.
…
“Mom, stop peering through
the window and let’s go inside.” Rory said before pulling Lorelai by the arm
and dragging her into Luke’s.
They made their way to
their usual table and sat down. Rory looked around inconspicuously for Jess,
but he wasn’t around. She wondered how her mom had reacted to him coming back.
She wasn’t going to bring it up though. Bringing up Jess always led up to some
argument and she really wasn’t in the mood to defend him or herself.
As soon as Luke came up to
their table, Rory could feel the sudden tenseness of the air around them.
“Hey Luke!”
“Rory. How was Washington?”
“Pretty good. Yep.” Rory
nodded and looked at her mom.
Lorelai wasn’t looking at
either of them.
Rory glared at her mother’s
bent head before turning back to Luke. “Can we get two cups of coffee, please?”
“No problem.” He turned and
walked away.
Rory slapped her on the
arm.
”Ow! All this violence.
Why?”
“Because you’re being
stupid. Talk to him. I don’t want to lose him as a friend. Do you?”
Lorelai sighed and shook
her head before getting up and walking to the counter where Luke was taking
money for a bill. When the customer left she approached him.
“Luke—“
“I’ll bring over the coffee
now.”
“No, that’s not why I came
over. Look, I don’t want it to be like this. You’re way too important a person
in my life. I’m sorry, ok. I’m so sorry. I was mad and upset and I took it out
on you and I shouldn’t have.”
She continued as Luke
looked at her not saying anything just listening. “I’ve had a bad few weeks.
And the worst part about it is that I couldn’t come over here and talk to you. I
miss you, Luke. I don’t want to lose you.”
Luke looked at her
seriously before nodding politely and turning away. Lorelai gritted her teeth
in annoyance before stomping back over to the table. “He’s unbelievable.
Un.Be.Lievable. I practically lay my heart out there and then he skewers it,
chops it up, adds tofu and serves it to the dogs. Bastard.”
Rory having witnessed the
whole thing didn’t know what to say. That had been pretty horrible of Luke. Her
mom had really put everything out there and he hadn’t even responded.
Luke came over with the pot
of coffee and two mugs. “I don’t know why I continue to enable your addiction.”
He set the cups on the table and poured the coffee.
Lorelai looked at Rory and
Rory shrugged in confusion.
“Umm thanks.” Lorelai said,
bewildered by the sudden change in his disposition.
“Yeah, yeah. Just don’t
come crying to me when you’re dead at the age of thirty five.”
“Ah but what a way to go.”
Luke smiled at her for the
first time in weeks and was about to walk away before he turned back. “And
Lorelai…I uh…I missed you too.” He briskly turned away and headed back to the
counter.
Lorelai grinned at Rory and
Rory grinned back.
It was going to be ok.