Disclaimer- The only thing I have the rights for is to party. And I did have to fight for it. AKA, I own nada.

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" I should get going. Rory's getting food, and she should be here by now. I think I'll go take peek around, see if she's hoarding the candy apples or something." Lorelai smiled up at Luke. He looked down at her and back at the bonfire.

" Yeah, sure." Luke nodded.

" Walk me to the diner at least?" Lorelai grinned and Luke didn't say anything for a minute. He turned from the fire eventually.

" Do you mind if I just stay here for a while?"

" No, I'll go find Rory. I'll... see you tomorrow? Take care of that hand." Lorelai smiled sympathetically as Luke glanced at his hand sheepishly.

" Yeah, I'll do that." Luke turned back to the fire as Lorelai patted his arm softly and started to walk away. He took a deep breathe as he saw Liz close the door of the diner behind her and take T.J.'s, or Gary's, or whatever his name was, arm. He turned back around and saw Lorelai wandering away slowly.

" Lor?" Lorelai turned around, surprised. " Do you think that there's something wrong with me?" Her face went soft and she smiled at him.

" No, Luke there's nothing wrong with you."

" Yeah?" Luke scoffed doubtfully.

" You're just as screwed up as the rest of us."

" Comforting thought. Thanks."

" You're welcome." Lorelai grinned quietly and turned back away, fingering the earrings. They were pretty....it had been nice of Luke...'s sister. Luke turned back to the bonfire and sighed, frowning a little.

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Lorelai walked slowly along the sidewalk. Sparkly. They would match up perfectly with that shirt she had just picked up, the one, with the purple, and the green thing. Nice for a casual date or something. With Jason.

" Hey." Lorelai looked up from the palm of her hand.

" Liz, hey."

" Good festival?"

" As always."

" Try the punch yet."

" It packed a punch." Lorelai grinned back.

" As always. You heading out?"

" Yeah, we're back to New York now that the reunion's over."

" That's too bad."

" Yeah, it was nice being back here, seeing everyone....It was nice meeting you."

" Yeah, it's good to finally put a name to a face."

" Same here." Lorelai frowned, a little confusedly, but reached out her hand to shake Liz's. "Oh." Lorelai switched the earring so that her hand was free and Liz smiled.

" So he did give them to you. I thought he would."

" Uh, yeah." Lorelai frowned. " It was nice of you to make them."

" Well, I just put them together last night, so I decided to give them to Luke and let him decide on some one to give them to."

" Really?" Lorelai bit her lip back then smiled, glancing back at the bonfire.

" Yeah... Hey, take care of him for me will you?" Liz asked, looking concerned. Lorelai nodded.

" Sure."

" I hope I see you again." Liz offered.

" Yeah, me too." Lorelai grinned and waved good bye before starting back down the street. She smiled at little as she walked, and as she passed Luke's she opened up her hand and looked at the earrings. She felt her lips curl up and nodded to herself a little. She turned around slowly and started weaving around the stands.

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Luke stared at the fire for a while, slipping his hands into his pockets. It just felt like he was such a mess right now. Like everyone else seems to be more together than him. Hell, maybe Jess was right. Maybe he didn't need to help everyone. Maybe everyone else could just fix there own damn problems. Oh yeah, that's why you slipped the cash into Jess's car. Luke sighed. He was such a mess. And he had ended up drunk, climbing Lorelai's tree and then bleeding and rambling in her living room. Some how he always ended up at Lorelai's when he couldn't handle something. Maybe it's because she was always so good at taking care of everyone else. Contrary to his own apparent position, sometimes it felt good to let someone else take over. It felt better for someone else to take care of him for a while. He was tired. Not angry, or upset, but just tired that he couldn't seem to stop him self from trying to help everyone else out. Hell , even his job was taking care of other people. Maybe he just needed to hand things over to some one else for a little time every once in a while. Maybe...

" Hey."

" OH. Uh, hey." Luke turned around, surprised and saw Lorelai smiling at him.

" I couldn't find Rory."

" Oh."

" Yeah."

" Yeah." She nodded.

" I thought I'd come back here and wait for her with you. That okay?"

" Oh, yeah, sure. That's fine with me." Luke shrugged. Lorelai grinned at him.

" I'm going to go get some of that fun punch they've got going." She saw Luke wince at the thought and smiled sympathetically. " I'll get you some tea or something. You just stay here. I'll be right back."

" O...kay." Luke nodded slowly. Lorelai patted his arm again as she brushed past him gently.

" I'll be RIGHT back. Don't run away." Luke nodded and crossed his arms.

" Hey," Lorelai stopped and turned back around, squeezing the earrings into her palm.

" You want me to get you anything else?"

" Nah."

" Nothing I can do for you?"

" No, I'm fine...uh, get mint if they have it."

" I'll see what I can do." Lorelai grinned happily and spun back around.