How will Luke answer Lorelai's huge question?- Short fanfiction
[Lorelai come into the closed diner with watery eyes and a tired expression. Luke is wiping off the counter. He turns around as he hears the bells of the door.]
LORELAI: Rory dropped out of Yale.
LUKE: What?
LORELAI: [She sits down at the nearest table. calmly, slowly, dissapointed:] She dropped out of Yale, and she moved in with my parents who I went to for help, and they stabbed me in the back. Everything we've worked for all these years. Her whole future. She was supposed to have more than me. She was supposed to have everything. That was the plan. We had a plan.
LUKE: Okay, I'm sorry. I just have to jump in here. Uh, I know you think you have this thing handled, but I can help. [starts pacing] First of all- we call Yale, and we tell them something like uh, ...Rory had a chemical imbalance, and she was medically out of her mind when she told them she was dropping out, and then we get her out of your parents' house whatever way we can. We lock her up in her room with you, 'cause you can talk her into this. You can talk anybody into anything. [Lorelai is slightly grinning with tears as she watches Luke rant.] And then, if worse comes to worse, we will drive her to school everyday, and we will follow her to class, and camp out there to make sure she goes. [Lorelai's grin slowly drops, and she has a fairly serious thinking expression on.] I'll take morning classes. You take afternoon classes or the other way around if it works out better for your schedule. And I know there's a few kinks to work out, and the kidnapping thing might be a little problematic, but either way, she is not quitting school. This was her dream. [Lorelai is grinning- barely grinning- up at Luke meaningfully.] I am not going to let this happen. [He sees her expression]... What?
LORELAI: [eyes watering again] Luke, will you marry me?
LUKE: What?
Note-When it Luke says "What?", it is the same "What?" that is ended with above.
LUKE: What?
LORELAI: Will you marry me?
LUKE: Now?... Lorelai, I love you. You know I love you, but I don't think now is the right time especially if you're going to run off and sell your inn. I don't want you to propose to me just so we'll be tied to one another when you decide to come back.
LORELAI: I'm not selling my inn. I'm finished mulling. I've decided that I want to stay here with you. You're right. We should ask ourselves, "What about the kids?" Even if I did sell my inn, you wouldn't turn into Humphrey Bogart. I'd come back for you. I love you too, Luke.
LUKE: And that's why you're asking me to marry you? [she nods] I guess I'll have to try to get Taylor to give me back the house.
LORELAI: Did Taylor steal your apartment and not give it back, Honey?
LUKE: I bought a house.
LORELAI: What's that now?
LUKE: For us. I bought a house for us. The Twickham house.
LORELAI: Luke, I don't und--
LUKE: It was supposed to be a surprise, but, um... here [hands her a small, red, velvet box]
LORELAI: No way is this... [she opens it] Oh my god. Luke, when were you going to ask me?
LUKE: Well, you said you might take the job, and then I made a fool of myself and the children so I withdrew my offer on the-- [looks shocked with relazation] Are you pregnant?
LORELAI: No.
LUKE: Oh. [seems slightly dissapointed] Sorry, I just thought that maybe that's why you had-- but it wasn't why you had...?
LORELAI: I asked you to marry me, because I want to be married to you. I think it'll be-- would be fun.
LUKE: It will be.
LORELAI: Does that mean--?
LUKE: If you take the ring.
[Lorelai kisses him passionantely expressing her "yes"]
...It could also go...
LUKE: What? ...What was that? [voice getting a little louder] Did you just propose to me? I just took back my offer on the house that I had planned on us- [gesturing between them] you and me- to live in [Lorelai stares back confused and on the edge of tears]. I withdrew that offer. Kirk is probably already moving in his Batman posters and his Garfield wallclock. I go through all this to try to start some sort of a life with you. I thought I could depend on you to be there. Then you give me the impression that our relationship isn't as important to you as it is to me by telling me you might be getting a new job and traveling with important hotel people [Lorelai has tears running down her cheeks]. I went through so much work to try to start a life with you, and now you're the first one to make an actual move. I put so much time into my buying that house. Time and effort that was hard to earn. And money, money too. Speaking of money, didn't I also loan you money to start that inn that you're selling?
LORELAI: Stop it! I'm not selling my inn. I just wanted to get married to my best friend, because I love him, and I wanted to have a promise that he would always be there for me.
LUKE: [sees that she's crying] I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to react like that. I-I just can't stand the thought of losing you so much I just reacted to the possibilty of you leaving me very badly.... You're not selling the inn? [she shakes her head.] I love you too, ...and you really are the one thing that I can depend on... other than Kirk being weird and Taylor being annoying. [he kisses her] Yes.
LORELAI: Really? [He kisses her again] We're getting married?
LUKE: And- if you want me to beg Taylor to give me the house back- moving in together.
LORELAI: I'll go pack my Garfield wallclock now.
...or...
LUKE: What?
LORELAI: Please, Luke. Please [starts sobbing]. Please.
LUKE: [sits down beside her, and hugs her. She is crying into his shoulder.]It's okay. It's okay. We'll figure this out.
[she continues to cry as he has a confused, worried look on his face. Her sobbing fades, and she squeezes him tightly, meaningfully.]
LUKE: It'll be okay. [he hugs her back]
LORELAI [sniffling]: Please, marry me, Luke. I love you so much it hurts. [begins to cry more] Luke, I love you. I love you so much.
LUKE: Well, I love you too, Lorelai.
[they sit in silence as he attempts to console her broken heart.]
LUKE: Are you still mulling?
LORELAI [muffled chuckle]: No.... I can't imagine leaving you now. I wouldn't have anyone if I didn't have you.
LUKE: Same here. [they hug once again, and Lorelai wipes her tears away.] You'll be okay?
LORELAI: If you promise to always be there for me.
LUKE: What happened to "Will you marry me?"?
LORELAI: Same thing.
LUKE: I promise, if you promise.
LORELAI: I promise.
LUKE: Well then, so do I.... I'll always be here for you, Lorelai [gazing into her eyes].
LORELAI: [kisses him passionately; pulls away with a grin on her face.] Thank you.
...or...
LUKE: What?
LORELAI [watches Luke's reaction carefully]: ...Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that was a retorical question. You really didn't understand what I said? I'll repeat myself. Luke, will you marry me?
LUKE: ...Is this like that time where I asked you to marry me just to get you to be quiet?
LORELAI: You remember that?
LUKE: Vividly.... I was actually serious cause I was so infatuated with you [Lorelai begins to smile], but after seeing your reation I backed out. You're not backing out.... Are you serious or do you just want to change the subject?
LORELAI: I'm serious,... and I want to change the subject.
LUKE: I think we should really talk about this Rory thing first.
LORELAI: Um, okay.... You're not ranted out?
LUKE: No, I am, but usually you come in with an equally good rant. This time not so much.
LORELAI: Can't we talk about this later? We have the whole summer to get her back into going to Yale.
LUKE: Why do you want to rush the subect of us so much?
LORELAI: I'm so sorry. I should have known that you would feel like you are being rushed. I just--
LUKE: No, no. Quite the opposite. I thought you would think that we were taking things too fast, so I was surprised when you asked... what you asked.
LORELAI: I just want to know that you will always be there, because no one else seems like they can.... That's why I asked you... what I asked you.
LUKE: I understand completely, but--
LOREALI: I hate that word.
LUKE: But I think it is unnecessary to get married. You can trust me Lorelai. I will always be here. I promise.
...or...
LUKE: What?
[silence for a few seconds, seemingly more... Taylor comes storming in the door.]
TAYLOR: Kirk just tripped on that pothole. I need band-aids. Luke do you have band-aids?
LUKE: ...Yeah, Taylor. Let me get 'em.
TAYLOR: Why, thank you, Luke. [Luke dissappears to the back]... [Lorelai is still staring off into the direction of the place Luke was standing before] Lorelai? You're sure quieter than ususal.
LORELAI: Give him back the house.
TAYLOR: What? How do you--
LORELAI: You should have never let him back out.
TAYLOR: Your boyfriend can be very forceful at times- Probably part of why you like him so much. Women seem to like that scruffy, manly man type of thing, and I don't know why that is.
LORELAI: Kirk told me. I told him not to tell me, cause I was busy, but he told me he might be getting the house that Luke gave up. So I was like "what are talking about?" And he was like, "Luke bought the house that I wanted, but he backed out, so now I can probably get it back." "That's just great, Kirk."... Why would he do that to me?
TAYLOR: He's as much of a wonder to me as he is to you, Lorelai.... I didn't give Kirk the house back. I didn't get Luke's withdrawal in writing. It would have been illegal to let Kirk take the house without written permission. [places a hand on her shoulder] Does he know you know?
[Luke comes in with a package of band-aids in hand.]
LUKE: Tell him he can keep the whole thing. He always needs 'em.... [Taylor takes the package, but doesn't leave.] Taylor, we were kinda in the middle of somthing here. So if you could...
TAYLOR: Oh, yeah sure. Good luck, Lorelai [Taylor leaves]
[Luke's expression is tense as he stares at Lorelai angrily.]
LUKE: Does he know what just happened?
LORELAI: No.
LUKE: Then why did he just say "Good luck"?
LORELAI: Taylor's a gretting card- not a very good one but--
LUKE: --Lorelai, you just proposed to me.
LORELAI: Well, you bought a house.
LUKE: Are you tryng to one-up me now?
LORELAI: Why did you do it? ...back out?
LUKE: I don't even know anymore. First, it was becuase I didn't think you would be ready for such a big step. I saw your expression when I mentioned kids, and it wasn't too great--
LOREALI: Thanks.
LUKE: You know what I mean. You just didn't seem like you were ready for the whole big moving in together thing. Then you said you were still mulling on the job offer. Actually, that was before the kids, but you know what I mean. Mulling on the offer means there is something to think about there. You're the most important thing in my life- more important than my job, so I thought maybe it could be the same for you. I shouldn't have thought that in the least bit though, because I know how important your job is to you. You've worked all your life towards this--
LORELAI: Exactly why I'm not selling my inn.
LUKE: Now you've proposed. Why- I don't know. I mean look at me. I'm not good enough for you, Lorelai.
LORELAI: and visa versa.
LUKE: ...You're the only woman I've ever really loved... other than my mom and Rory, but those are both different.
LOREALI: I would hope so.
LUKE: How can I say no to you? Eventually, I will marry you, but right now doesn't seem like the right time. [Lorelai's eyes water with loss and reret] I don't want to think that you are doing this to get back at your parents, which is awful to think, but even if it's just subconsciencly--
LOREALI [voice breaking]: No, You're right. I'm using you. This is the most I think I've ever hated my parents, and I would do anything right now to get back at them. I'm so sorry, Luke [crying]. I'm so sorry for everything.
LUKE: It's okay.... Maybe we can go T.P. their house later if you want.
LOREALI [small chuckle]: Okay, and thanks, for... everything. I may not be ready for marriage, but I want to live with you, be with you.
LUKE: I want that too [grinning].
LOREALI: You better go catch Taylor.
LUKE: and get a lot of toilet paper, cause your parents' house is huge.
LOREALI: Come here... [pulls him in for a kiss that turns quite passionate.]
LUKE: You know I was serious about the T.P.ing thing.
LOREALI: Oh, so was I.