"'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

-Alfred Lord Tennyson

Lorelai lie in bed staring up at the ceiling as the events from the past few days knocked around inside her head. It was like one of those screensavers where the words bounce from corner to corner, changing colors each time it hit a different side of the screen.

A week ago Luke was Luke. He was simple, but not in a boring way. There was no real baggage that he brought into the relationship aside from his divorce. And even that could hardly be construed as baggage considering the marriage was not taken very seriously from day one. Still, watching him squirm when she questioned why he couldn't make it to Miss Patty's party was something Lorelai was not expecting. Luke had a secret?

Now, to be fair, everyone has secrets and Lorelai knows this, but it still came as a surprise. She's known Luke for eight years. But knowing of a person and actually knowing them are two different things. Their friendship is what made that transition from being just an acquaintance to being intimate a lot easier. And that was something Lorelai had never experienced. Sure she knew Christopher since they were kids, but they didn't really start to hangout until they were teenagers. And it was only a few months into hooking up when she became pregnant. With Max, it was mostly physical chemistry and not much talking (at least not about anything meaningful like coupon drawers or joint checking accounts) and with Alex, it was a lot of talking and no real physical chemistry. Jason was his own species. A lot like Lorelai verbally and from the same type of family. He wasn't overtly affectionate, but he did care about her. And she cared about him. When Jason came to her after he found out what her father had done, Lorelai was heartbroken. The heartbreak was more for him and seeing him in pain, not so much for herself. And she tried to make it go away by talking to her father, but in the end, it was not worth fighting for.

Luke, however, was totally worth fighting for. His pain felt like her pain. When he sat in her Jeep and finally explained what it was that made his Dark Day so dark, Lorelai's heart twisted. His words to her "I've never told anyone this before" were oddly comforting despite the gravity of the situation. She couldn't quite place her finger on this new feeling. This feeling of wanting to care for and protect this other person who is not her child. This feeling of wanting to make this person happy and for them to never feel pain. This feeling of…

"Oh, shit," Lorelai whispered. She sat up slightly to check the time. 12:15 a.m.- Luke's Dark Day was officially over. She reached over to grab the cordless phone off of her nightstand but stopped when she realized she didn't know what to say even if he did answer. She rolled over and stared at the wall, willing herself to fall asleep.

Luke felt a shift in the air and immediately knew this awful, terrible day was over. The one day a year he absolutely dreads. The one day a year when it's perfectly acceptable to be the town curmudgeon and everyone knows not to question it. But this year was slightly different. He didn't feel that urge to leave town and disappear. He didn't cut off all communication with everyone he knew. Something kept him a little more grounded this time. Or better yet, someone. Lorelai.

He was being honest when he told her that she was the first person he explained his Dark Day to. Most of his relationships either ended before that day or weren't serious enough to have to explain why he all of a sudden disappeared without notice. But there was something about her presence. Her caffeinated yet calm presence that made him want to confide in her. And it felt good. He knew she didn't need her glasses tonight to go to that party, but he couldn't help himself. He needed a dose of her positive energy even if it was for a tiny moment. Of course, all the positive energy in the world couldn't keep him from blowing up at her over that damn boat. It was more emotionally-charged than anger but still. It would be his luck that their very first fight would occur on this already awful day.

Now he lies awake mentally kicking himself for leaving her standing there looking absolutely beautiful in his favorite black dress. This woman who has become such a bright spot in his sometimes dark world. This woman who he wants to spend more and more time with despite her endless energy and disgusting eating habits. He sits up and checks the clock. 12:15 a.m. There were no early deliveries scheduled for today and he had already asked Cesar to open since he normally leaves town. He stood and made his way to his desk before he lost his nerve.

Lorelai was coming back from the kitchen with a glass of water when the phone started ringing. She quickly set her glass down on her nightstand as a panicky feeling took over her. No one ever called in the middle of the night. And being that she watches way too much t.v., Lorelai automatically assumed the worse.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice quavering somewhat.

"Hey," said Luke, low and gravelly. "Did I wake you?"

Lorelai immediately relaxed. "No. I couldn't sleep."

She sat down on the edge of her bed and sipped her water. They sat in comfortable silence for a few seconds before she asked, "Luke?"

"Can I, uh, do you mind if I…" he stammered.

Lorelai couldn't help but smile at his shyness. "Come over? I'll go unlock the kitchen door."

Ten minutes later she heard the back door open and close with a soft thud and Luke's now familiar tread on the stairs. He was removing his jacket as he entered her bedroom and couldn't suppress the grin from spreading across his face as he took in the sight of her. She wasn't naked or wearing dirty lingerie (he'd be lying if he said the thought hadn't crossed his mind). She was simply waiting for him. How did he get so lucky?

"Hey there," said Lorelai softly. She scooted over so that Luke could sit on the edge of the bed. She smoothed her hand down the back of his head and to his shoulders as he untied his boots, toed them off, and placed them next to her nightstand. "I'm glad you called."

"Yeah?" asked Luke as he turned to lay on his right side facing her.

"Yeah." She scooted down from her seated position so that she was lying eye level with him. "I almost called you, but I didn't think you were awake." She studied his face for a moment. He still hadn't shaved so his face was dark and scruffy, but his eyes were no longer clouded with pain. There was something else there. Something that made Lorelai's stomach flutter and her pulse quicken a tiny bit. She went to speak, but he beat her to it.

"We had our first fight tonight," mumbled Luke.

"We did," she whispered. "Although, it felt more like a disagreement. Our fights are usually the both of us screaming at each other."

Luke winced. She was right. It was he that did all the shouting. "Potato, po-tah-to. It still wasn't one of my finest moments."

"I hate to break it to you babe, but couples fight. Especially two people who are as stubborn as we tend to be. All in all, I think we handled it pretty well."

"You think?" asked Luke as he tucked a curl behind her ear and softly stroked her jaw with the pad of his thumb.

Lorelai grinned. "I do, but there is one thing we didn't do to officially put an end to our first fight as a couple."

Luke's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "What do you mean? We both apologized and—"

Lorelai leaned in and kissed him on the lips. The kiss lingered for a few seconds before she pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes. She raised one eyebrow suggestively and knew they were on the same page when Luke gently cupped her cheek and leaned in to kiss her deeply.

They stayed like this for what felt like hours. Lying on their sides kissing softly. Neither one of them feeling rushed to get to the finish line. They felt connected in a way they hadn't before which said a lot considering they've been sleeping together regularly since their first date. Something between them had shifted in the last few days and it felt good.

Lorelai was absolutely sure now that she was in love. She was over-the-moon, wholeheartedly, crazy in love with Luke. The thought had occurred to her earlier, but she wasn't 100% sure. These feelings were completely foreign to her. Feelings she knows she has never had for any other man. Feelings that couldn't possibly be explained even if she tried. It has to be love. But what now? Does she tell him? Does she wait to see if he tells her first? What if he doesn't even feel the same way? What if this "connection" was born out of anger and hurt and pain and lust and not about love at all? Yes, on their first date he said he was all in, but that didn't necessarily mean love, did it?

Luke noticed that their kisses went from being deep and intense to soft, quick pecks. He pulled back to read her expression and saw the worry in her eyes. He exhaled loudly as he sat up. "I knew it. I knew you would get the wrong idea about me coming here."

Lorelai quickly sat up. "Luke, what are you talking about? I didn't even say anything."

"You didn't have to! I saw it. I saw the look in your eyes. Like you were doubting my intentions." He looked down at his hands, playing with them nervously.

"Your intentions?" Lorelai asked and at that moment she understood his freakout. She placed her hand on top of his to get his attention. When he finally looked at her she asked, "Did you think that I thought this was a booty call?"

When his gaze shifted back down towards his hands, Lorelai knew that was the reason. She fought back the urge to laugh at the irony of the situation. Here she was thinking about her intense feelings for Luke and he sees worry and regret in her eyes. She sat up on her knees and turned to straddle his thighs. Without hesitation, he placed his hands on her waist.

"I never, for one moment, thought you were only coming here for sex. And even if you were, I would have totally understood. Sex with us doesn't always have to be about love, Luke. If you have frustrations you need to…" Lorelai trailed off as she realized what she had just said. And judging by Luke's wide-eyed expression, he realized too. She closed her eyes tightly, willing time to rewind by ten seconds.

"Lorelai?" Luke's voice was so soft she barely heard it.

She slowly opened her eyes and met his gaze. She gently pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, grazing it softly with her teeth. There was no turning back time. There was no backtracking the conversation to twist it into something it's not. It was now or never. She took a deep breath and exhaled as an odd feeling of calm washed over her. She shrugged and said, "I love you."

Three words. Three, little words that he has been waiting so long to hear. Three words that only Lorelai Gilmore could make sound as real as it all felt. He knew before he asked her out six months ago that he was ready for a serious relationship and he wanted that relationship to be with Lorelai. He didn't, however, expect to quickly fall as hard as he did for her. And not just the image he had of her in his mind, but the real her. The sweet, honest, care-free Lorelai that not a lot of people get to see. He was well aware of her track record with relationships. Hell, he was no better. He spent over a year with Nicole and even married her without ever having uttered those three words. What a waste of time. But despite both of their pasts, Luke still knew he wanted to give it a shot.

He can't recall the exact moment he knew he loved Lorelai. Telling her he was all in on their first date meant that he was serious about the relationship they were embarking on. It meant that he was committed to her and only her. And maybe, deep down, it meant that he had already loved her. Knowing she feels the same way left him speechless, which is nothing new for Luke: King of the Monosyllable.

Luke tightened his grip on her waist slightly as he leaned forward, wanting to be as close to her as he possibly could. With their faces just inches apart he whispered, "I love you, too."

Lorelai released the breath she didn't realize she was holding as happiness mixed with relief flooded through her body. She cradled his face in her hands and placed a soft kiss on his lips. After a few seconds, she pulled back to look at him.

"Is this really happening?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes. It is," Luke answered before touching his lips to hers. His hands went from her waist to up her back until his arms were wrapped completely around her.

Lorelai moaned softly as Luke slowly kissed his way across her jawline and down her neck. She was on sensory overload. Between their proclamations of love and his lips working their magic on her neck, Lorelai couldn't stop the tears from escaping. A sob caught in her throat, startling Luke.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked as he used his thumbs to wipe the fallen tears from her cheeks.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just really happy."

She slid off of his lap and onto her back, pulling Luke down with her. She kissed him deep and slow as his hands skimmed underneath her shirt to find the soft, warm skin of her stomach. Luke sat up to pull off his t-shirt as Lorelai did the same. He placed hot kisses on her neck, breasts, and stomach as he slowly made his way down her body. Lorelai trembled with a mix of excitement and anticipation as Luke paused briefly to discard her pajama bottoms as well as his own. After several minutes of sensual torture, Luke kissed his way back up Lorelai's body. Both of their eyes were drowsy with arousal as she smoothed her hands down his scruffy cheeks.

"Love me, Luke," she whispered breathlessly.

"I always have."