Hello! Welcome to my story! It takes place in Season Four, when Liz and Jess are in Stars Hollow. The episode is called Nag Hammandi Is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels. The first few lines leading into the story are taken from there. I hope you like it. Please R&R if you want me to continue.

The Incredible Sinking Luke

"Today I found out what a big, dumb, idiot guy I am. Just an imposing, judgmental know-it-all who blows around yelling and complaining and screwing up everybody else's life," Luke said, his words slurred a bit

"I hardly think you're--" Lorelai started.

"I'm dumb. Yeah, not like Jess. Jess is smart. You know, he doesn't care about anybody else's life. He just takes care of himself," Luke interjected

"Did you and Jess have a thing?"

"He informed me that I am nothing but an unwelcome burden to everyone around me."

"Luke, that's not true. Liz thinks of you as her hero. Jess is just a kid. He's mad at the world and he's taking it out on you. Don't let him get to you," Lorelai said. She was still trying to clean out his hand so she could bandage it.

"No, Lorelai, Jess is right. I help people who don't want to be helped. Liz is one person. Look at everyone else I've pushed into letting me help them. I mean, I've butted into Jess's life, and yours-"

"Whoa, wait a minute here." Lorelai cut Luke off. What the heck is he talking about? she thought. She was so angry at Jess for making Luke feel like this.

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to function on a daily basis."

"Oh yea, you would just die without my specially made liquid death everyday," Luke responded sarcastically. Yea, great, I'm just the coffee man. 'Cause that's what I really want to be to her. Luke thought.

You've got to be kidding me, Lorelai thought, is that really all that he thinks he is?

"No, Luke, it's so much more than that. You're always there foe me, no matter how much crap I put you through. I mean, look at you here, fixing my window. As if you don't have much more important things to do. And you practically raised Rory with me. You're always a shoulder for me to cry on, instead of saying, 'I told you so,' because let's face it. Usually, you told me so. Not to mention, if it weren't for you, Rory and I would have starved to death long ago," Lorelai finished her rant with a small grin. She had finished bandaging his hand, but she was still holding it.

"Luke, I'm with Liz on this one. You're not just her hero. You're my hero too," Lorelai said softly. So softly, in fact, Luke wasn't even sure he had heard her right. As Lorelai said the words, however, she realized just how true they were.

Lorelai was looking directly into his intense blue eyes. He's so gorgeous. She thought. Lorelai had always had feelings for Luke, deep down. She just always pushed them aside. Luke was her best friend. She knew she wouldn't ever be able to live without him (or his coffee). They may be perfect together, but Lorelai knew that in the long run, she'd end up hurting him. She'd either ruin it, or she'd get scared and run. She was horrible with relationships, and she always had been. But she'd never been afraid to take risks.

Luke, however, was one risk Lorelai could not bring herself to take. She had fallen for him-hard-long ago. And deep down, she thought he felt the same way. But the way they were now was perfect. They would fight almost as much as they would flirt, but their hearts weren't too deeply involved. Lorelai liked what they had. Luke would never turn his back on her.

Lorelai suddenly realized it had been quiet for a long time. A really, really long time. Both Luke and Lorelai looked down at their joined hands. Their eyes met again. Both could feel the charge between them, and despite the thoughts Lorelai had just had, she felt herself leaning towards Luke. They were just centimeters away form each other when…..

BRRING!

"Ah!" Lorelai cried. She was so startled; she nearly fell off the couch. Luke, however, being in such close proximity and all, reached out and caught her.

"Thanks," Lorelai said sheepishly. She regained her balance and went to answer the phone.

"Hello?" Lorelai's voice was a little shaky from that close call with Luke.

"Hey mom!" Rory's cheerful voice came over the phone.

"Why, hello my wonderful daughter. To what do I owe this honor?" Lorelai had regained her composure.

"Well, I'm in town. Are you free to hang out with your favorite daughter tonight?"

"What? No keggers tonight?" Lorelai pretended to be shocked.

"Nah, I'm trying to cut back. Tame my wild ways." Rory replied, going along with the joke.

"That's my girl," Lorelai laughed. "Why don't you pick up some movies and meet me back here?"

"Kay, I'll see you later tonight," Rory said as she hung up the phone. As she was putting it back into her handbag, she slammed into something- or rather, someone, and was nearly knocked off her feet by a guy who was also not watching where he was going. He reached out to help grab Rory's arm before she fell to the ground. Rory regained her balance quickly.

"Thanks," Rory said. "I'm such a klu-" Rory stopped dead when she saw who she walked into.

"Jess," Rory stated, dumbfounded. She knew he was in town, but she didn't think she actually have to deal with him.

"Hey," he said in that deep, brooding was of his.

"Um, I gotta go," Rory spat out suddenly.

"Rory-wait," Jess called after her.

"Bye Jess," Rory called with a wave over her shoulder as she hurried away.

"Um, that was Rory," Lorelai explained to Luke as she hung up the phone, careful not to make eye contact with Luke.

Luke jumped up from the couch, also not making eye contact.

"I should get back to work on the window, he mumbled.

"Um…yea, ok. I'm just gonna…run out for- something. I'll, uh, see you later," she sputtered, Lorelai was tongue-tied, not something that happened to her very often. She quickly left the house and got into her car. She had to leave; drive somewhere. She had to gather her thoughts.

This wasn't they first time they'd almost kissed. A couple of years ago they'd come close when they were hiding behind the counter form Taylor when they were picking paint.

Luke was back to work on the window, but his mind keep wandering. Maybe it was the beer.

I'm her hero? he thought, dumbfounded. How can I be her hero? All I do is give her coffee everyday and feed her a bunch of greasy food. Technically, I'm killing her.

Everything will go back to normal tomorrow, Lorelai thought as she was driving around. It'll be just like it always is. Just harmless flirting. I hope.

TBC!

There ya go! I really hoped you liked it. If you liked it, you should review it, and then go read my other Gilmore stories. Actually, you should do that even of you didn't like it!