Disclaimer: All characters and situations from Gilmore Girls are properties of Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Hofflund/Polone in association with Warner Bros. Television. No copyright infringement intended.
A/N: A great "Thank you!" goes out to vakan who was so kind and explain some formatting issues to me. I'm html-wise challenged, I'm afraid and deliriously happy now that I know how to add those pretty grey lines. Thanks :)
I'd also like to thank avaleighfitzgerald, my stunning and wonderful Beta-reader. Thank you so much for all the effort you put into this.
PROLOGUE
Setting The Stage
(Stars Hollow; two years after Rory's graduation from Yale)
oOo
Like most life-changing events this too, did not announce itself with a bang but crept up on him through the back door, unnoticed until it turned into a problem.
oOo
"I smell coffee," Lorelai said by way of a greeting and slumped down at her table. She held up her nose, closed her eyes in concentration and sniffed, nostrils flaring. "Luke!" she called, "I smell coffee and I really want to taste it, too, because I have a horrible day ahead of me with that ridiculous group of amateur actors coming to the Inn today and…."
She stopped abruptly when the desired beverage was set down in front of her, a delighted smile on her face as she took the first sip. "Aaaaah, you are a good man, Luke Danes," she declared in a regal tone. "My life saver. Provider of coffee. Purveyor of everything that is good and tasty and aren't you a bit quiet today?"
Luke, who'd been standing by her table wearing a long-suffering expression, shrugged. "Didn't have a chance to get a word in."
Lorelai huffed and automatically held out her already drained cup for a refill. "It's not like that ever kept you from making your opinion known before."
He shrugged again, looking a bit too disinterested for her taste and turned to leave.
"Luke."
He stopped without turning. "Hm?"
She held out the cup and gave it a little wave. "The coffee."
"Hm." Turning slowly, Luke returned and refilled the cup. "Happy now?" He turned to leave again, movements unconsciously slow and careful as if he'd taken a massive beating the evening before.
Lorelai frowned, all levity forgotten, and tilted her head to the side. Something was off and she was determined to find out what. "No, actually I'm not."
"Making sense, you mean?"
"Not happy," Lorelai clarified. "Come and sit with me for a moment."
Yet again, Luke turned around, a definite note of annoyance in his voice. "You do realize that I have other customers."
"Kirk can wait," she replied, ignoring the indignant huff of protest coming from the other man. "What's wrong?"
"You mean, other than the fact that you're keeping me from doing my job?"
Lorelai nodded. "Yep, apart from that."
Luke rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Nothing. I'm fine."
She scoffed, her curiosity – and more importantly her worry – piqued. Lorelai took a sip from her coffee without really tasting it before it hit her. "You've lost weight."
"Only so I can pursue my dream and become a top model."
"And you move like an old man," she continued her assessment without paying too much attention to his reply. "Where does it hurt?" she added in a softer voice, holding his gaze for a moment.
Lorelai knew she'd won when his shoulders slumped in defeat, a fact that satisfied and simultaneously unnerved her. Luke didn't give in that easily. Ever.
"The joints," he replied, equally softly. "It'll pass. It always does."
She opened her mouth to reply but never had the chance to make it that far as Luke suddenly turned deadly pale, a cold sheet of perspiration covering his forehead. Before she knew it, Lorelai was at his side, instinctively holding on to his arm and not letting go until he was safely seated, a glass of cold water in his hands and a curious mixture of a mutinous, yet uncharacteristically insecure expression on his face.
"You're just peachy, huh?" Lorelai asked, worry evident in her voice.
oOo
None of them ever noticed the broken can of coffee on the floor.