A/N: Hey guys, this is just a short "preview" chapter of my next story. I'm waiting to hear back from my beta, so I figured I'd write a little something until then. Reviews are definitely welcomed. Also, you'll notice that this story is Untitled. That's not the name of the story; I just don't have a title yet. I'd love to hear suggestions.

…………………………………………………………………………………LL……...

Luke stood behind the counter of the diner, staring out the window. Every table of the small restaurant was taken, every seat at the counter filled. Luke just looked out the window. The roar of the people talking to each other sounded snowy to him. He focused on his thoughts. Lorelai went to Paris with Christopher. Yeah, so? Why should he care? He thought some more. What are they doing there? Why did they go to Paris? Lane hustled past him, plates in each hand and running up her arm. Luke thought. Did he do the right thing, telling her they should go back to being the coffee worshipper and coffee provider? He thought not.

The days since Luke had heard of Lorelai and Christopher's trip from Miss Patty have been lumped together, one rolling past after another. Nights were just periods of darkness, days were bright, except for when it rained and the sky got dark. Dark. That's what Luke wanted. To crawl into bed and hide under the covers. To protect himself from the harshness of the real world. It was unlike Luke to be afraid. He was usually the big macho man who lifted weights and watches football. Except when he was alone with Lorelai. No! Stop thinking about her, he told himself. Just stop it.

"Luke?" Kirk asked. Luke tore his eyes away from the safeness of the windows. Windows were like a view into another world. He could see everything from the diner. He watched people stroll by, hand-in-hand.

"What, Kirk?"

"Can I have some more coffee?" Kirk pushed his mug towards Luke, who had reentered the staring contest with the window. "Luke?"

"What, Kirk?"

"Can I have some more coffee?" Kirk pointed at his coffee mug, now resting in front of Luke.

"No! No coffee! No coffee for anyone!" Luke shouted out to the entire diner. Every pair of eyes turned to look at him. Luke turned to the coffee pot and emptied its contents onto the floor next to him. "There. See? No coffee." He dropped the pot as well, joining the pool of brown liquid on the floor.

It was her life, coffee. No one could have it until he kissed her over the counter and poured an unforgiving amount into a mug, just for her. Lorelai deserved the best, and his coffee was the best. He was the best. Chris was a good-for-nothing guy who only wanted Lorelai to hold onto memories of the past. Luke really loved her. She was a goddess in his eyes. She deserved to be worshipped. Chris couldn't worship her like he could.

Kirk got up from the counter and peered over the counter. "Luke, you made a mess." Luke glared at him.

"It doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore." He stepped over the intentional spill and disappeared behind the curtains. His footsteps pounding on the stairs and the slamming of the door caused each and every pair of eyes to jerk back to the spot where they knew the stairs were. Some people got up and left.

Lane stood awestruck, staring blindly at the counter. She pulled out her phone and dialed Rory's number in New Haven.

"Hello?"

"Rory. Good. Luke's having a breakdown. A Lorelai breakdown. Can you come to the diner and talk to him?" Lane asked. She tilted her head to lock the phone in place between her chin and shoulder, while easing a plate onto a table that no longer held it's customers.

"Now? Like, right this second?" Rory asked.

"Preferably. Did you hear the part about the breakdown? Or the part about it being about Lorelai?" Lane asked.

"Yeah, yeah. What happened?"

"He yelled. And dumped all the coffee on the floor." Lane replied.

"No way."

"Way! Are you coming?"

"On my way." Rory hung up the phone. Lane closed her phone and returned it to its rightful spot in her jeans pocket. She picked up the plate she rested on the table and carried it to Kirk.

"Free food?" She asked.

"You bet."

A/N2: So there it is. Like it?