Gilmore Girls: After the Year

Stupid

"Luke, come onnnn..." Lorelai groaned.

"Lorelai, our flight isn't for another five hours. We are not going to be late."

"Yes, but half of the fun of going on a trip is sitting in the airport."

"Says who?"

"Says me."

Luke rolled his eyes. "If we go now, I won't be wearing a shirt."

Lorelai looked him up and down. "That's fine with me."

Luke huffed. "Give me just five minutes."

"Fine. But you owe me..." She crossed her arms.

"Alright, how about I get you some of my coffee to go since you hate airport coffee?"

She smiled. "You do know the way to my heart!" Just then the doorbell rang.

Before she could even get to it, Christopher has opened her door and let himself in. "Lor, I need help."

Lorelai was stunned to see him. "Christopher, what are you doing here?"

"I just said it. I need help."

"Lorelai," came Luke's voice. "Who's at the--" he came out and saw Christopher standing there.  "Oh."

Christopher looked Luke over and quickly looked away when he realized he was shirtless. "Luke,"

"Christopher," Luke responded, annoyed. "What are you doing here?"

"As I was trying to tell Lor, I need help. I've run into a bit of a pickle with GiGi's babysitter... See, she just quit and I'm trying to get to a business meeting in Tokyo."

Lorelai crossed her arms. "Why'd she quit? The babysitter, why did she quit?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "See, the two of us kind of had a thing going... It ended badly and she quit."

Lorelai scoffed. "God, you're despicable." She crossed her arms and stepped closer to Luke.

"Fine, I'm despicable, Lor.  But I'm also desperate.  Come on... You can't say no to me, after everything we've been through."  He gave her that smile that always used to melt her but this time she felt nothing.

"Well, I'm sure GiGi will enjoy Tokyo.  Give her my love, because she's sweet and doesn't know yet that her father is a worm.  Now if you'll excuse me, we're going on our honeymoon."  She tried to shove him out the door but he stood his ground.

"Honeymoon, huh?  I knew it.  I knew you left me for him."

She shrugged.  "Maybe I did.  So what, Chris? We were over before we even started.  I've moved way on... Now it's your turn.  Goodbye."  She pushed him out and locked the door behind him.  Once it was shut she put her head against it and sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Luke... I swear, I thought he was out of my life for good..."

Luke shook his head.  "Not your fault..." He came closer to her.  "But either way, you stood up to him... You defended me... It felt nice."

"It did feel nice, didn't it?" She smiled a bit.

"Yeah..." He put his hands on her waist.  He searched her eyes.

"You know what would be even nicer?" She whispered.

"Mm... What?"  He started to lean in.

"Getting to the airport.  Let's go, mister."

He groaned. 

////////////////////////////////////////////

A half an hour later, Lorelai and Luke were walking into the airport.

Lorelai grinned. "I love airports."

"Gee, I never would have guessed," teased Luke.

She took his hand.  "Come on.  Let's go stake out our seats before we explore."

She led him all through the airport until they found a completely empty area way on the other side.  "Perfect!" She announced, plopping her bag down on a seat.

"What constitutes a perfect airport waiting spot?"

"See, we've got the vending machine just over there.  The coffee is around the corner, along with the little shop that sells the really cheesy tourist gifts.  Also, we're the first ones here so we can be the ones who cast disapproving looks when people start to invade our territory."

He looked at her like she was crazy.  "You've really thought this out, huh?"

"Obviously.  I had plenty of time to think this up because it took you forever to get dressed.  Now let's go buy junk we don't need."

They went into the little gift shop and Lorelai fell in love with every tacky Hartford keepsake she could find.

"Luke! Oh, Rory would love this one..." She held up a shirt that said 'we put the HEART in Hartford.'  "I've got to call her."  She quickly pulled out her phone and dialed Rory's number.

In no time, three rings had gone by, and then four.  For the first time in what seemed like forever, there was no answer. 

"Huh..." Lorelai looked at her phone, concerned and a little hurt.  "She didn't answer."

"Don't worry about it too much, Lorelai... I'm sure she just didn't hear it.  Maybe she's in the shower?"

"My daughter? No, that phone is with her at all times... If she were taking a shower, it would be on the counter and she'd get out to answer it."

"Okay... But, remember... They're just moving in today.  I'm sure things are just a little crazy.  If you don't hear back from her by the time we land, I'll call Jess.  Is that good?"

Lorelai nodded.  "Yeah... That's probably it.  Thanks." She sighed and leaned against his chest.

After a minutes of him just holding her there, she whispered, "I'm sorry I'm like this."

"Like what?"

"Like... I get so worked up over Rory not answering her phone.  I know that she's an adult now, and I know that I don't have to worry about her every move, but I can't help it."  She wrapped her arms around him.

"Lorelai, Rory is a part of you... I knew that from the beginning.  I know that I will never be Rory."

"And thank God for that, mister, because otherwise things would be creepy."

He rolled his eyes but continued.  "I just mean that I'm not trying to replace her.  You two are best friends... Nothing's gonna change that.  I know that I have you in my own way, and that's good enough for me."

Lorelai looked up at him through her lashes.  "How did I get so lucky to have you?"

He shrugged.  "I don't know, maybe I'm just really stupid or something."  He grinned.

"Oh yeah, that's definitely it."