Title: At Last
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything but the story idea.
~~
So they stood there, every day they stood there, sometimes sitting, but mainly they stood. He gave her coffee and she gave him the love he never imagined he could have. It was a simple compromise. They would flirt, rant and would have general musings about life, but never would they let the counter that separate them be removed. It was like a security blanket, so they would never have to commit to each other, and admit that they were madly in love with each other.
Love was not their scene. She had learned that long ago when a man had gotten her pregnant and then continued to break her heart. And he had learned it from a woman who had toyed with his heart- constantly moving in and out. Sure, they had dated around and she had many serious relationships. In fact she had almost committed to one man, but committing wasn't her game.
***
Luke and Lorelai stood there for a second- letting the rain soak their clothes. It hit the cement and then started to pour. It was dark, but they saw each other, they always saw each other. They just stared at each other- not smiling, but they weren't frowning either. For some reason everything seemed to stop as they inched toward each other, holding each other, trying to believe in the other. Maybe it was the rain wetting her lips, or maybe it was his lips touching hers. Hugging closer and closer as the kiss grew more passionately. A kiss that was 17 years of tension, 17 years of the question will they? Won't they? It was happening, and some would say all too fast, but really it was a slow relationship, of 17 years, and in that time it was just missing the kissing, the dates and eventually settling down. This relationship was in fact the slowest relationship ever. It was a slight blur to them what had happened that day, but it was fine; they were together.
*** Previously that day.
Luke swallowed his orange juice and looked down the stairs. It was 5 minutes to 5:30 and he had to open that morning. He really didn't want to open, he didn't want to stress one more morning.
He had realized long ago that he would leave Stars Hallow one day, hit the road and never come back. But that day was yet to come and he procrastinated for even a reason he didn't know of.
Or maybe it was her. Her black hair, the strong electric blue eyes that you could get lost it. He admired her, being so optimistic and raising a child so young. She was so independent- but the only way you could find her was when you least expected it.
Whatever it was he had to open the diner and she could wait; the diner could not.
***
The kitty had purred four times and the fifth Lorelai could not ignore. It was time to get up. But damn it was early, 7:30! She stretched for a second- just an excuse not to get out of bed. But she had things to do and she couldn't procrastinate until later. She got out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom.
At 8:00 Lorelai was finally ready. She hugged her coat tight to her as she walked to Luke's. Luke, a familiar face, she had known since she moved there. He helped her; he even helped her raise Rory, babysitting on numerous occasions. He seemed to be the one non- changing thing in her life and she liked it, she depended on him. That's why when Rachel came back she acted weird and protective of Luke, he couldn't just leave her alone with no coffee and no love.
She had considered telling him many times, but just couldn't. She wanted to tell him that she really did love him. Sub-consciously she knew he felt that way too, but she just wasn't sure. He was always there when she needed him, and she could always cry when he was there. But she was just too afraid. So she freely dated others, but not him.
By the time she had finished thinking, she was in Luke's, sitting down at he counter.
"Coffee!" she said as Luke walked over to her.
"Tea?" he said hopefully.
"How about you put a drop in with my coffee?" She replied wittingly.
"Fine." He said pouring her coffee. He set the purple mug in front of her.
"Food with your coffee?" he asked doing their daily routine of flirting.
"French toast please." She smiled angelically. "Extra powdered sugar!" He went to the back to start fixing her food. 10 minutes later there he was in front of her once again.
"French toast with extra fat." He said his voice dull.
"What's wrong?" Lorelai asked Luke who seemed to be a little out there.
"Nothing's wrong, nothing at all is wrong." He said convincing himself.
"There has to be something wrong. I've only seen you like this when Rachel left." She said not censoring herself and saying the R word.
"I guess. I've just had this feeling of emptiness lately y'know? I guess I'm missing something I just don't know what." Luke answered telling her like he always did.
"Oh my god! I've had the same feeling!" she said. Then a silence fell over the two, Luke's throat started to feel dry, they just stared at each other, not knowing what to say next. So Lorelai ended it. "I've got to go meet Sookie, but I want to talk you later."
*** Later.
Lorelai walked into the empty diner at about 9:00.
"We're closed." Luke said not looking up.
"It's just me." Lorelai answered.
"Oh sorry." He started poring her coffee and stopped when he realized that she wanted to talk to him. He continued to pour and then put it in front of her.
"Thanks, it's been a really hard day." She answered looking down, hiding something from her.
"What happened? Don't tell me that nothing is wrong because I know something is." Luke asked concerned, she seemed down.
"Chris called. He told me that he still was in love with me. I mean he left me, broke my heart and got another woman pregnant, what I am I supposed to say?" Lorelai said trying not to sound selfish.
"Have you ever noticed how fertile that man is?" Luke joked trying to make her laugh. Lorelai smiled.
"What do I do?" Lorelai said.
"You do what feels right. But now this guy has a family and a wife and a child. You don't want to be the woman who breaks a family." Luke said. Lorelai smiled.
"Thanks Luke." She said. She stared at him during a long silence. He tried not to stare at her, but he was drawn to her, like he was drawn to Rachel. But she was the one, he could tell, this was the moment.
"Lorelai I-"Lorelai put her finger on his mouth.
"Don't say it." She said starting to freak out, worry clearly in her voice. She grabbed her purse and ran out not wanting to hear what he was about to stay.
For a second he watched her run out, but then he realized he couldn't let Lorelai run out of his life, she couldn't run away from him this time. So he ran, to catch her, to find her and to tell her something that he should've told her long ago.
He caught up to her and for a second their eyes met. The rain started to pour, she dropped her purse not caring about anything but the moment she was in, a moment she had waited for so long.
So finally they kissed a still kiss at first, but grew even more passionately.
And suddenly life had gotten way more exciting. At last.