Regretting Silence

Timeline: Post the kiss in 4.21-Raincoats& Recipies
A/N: Very short and quick! I had an urge so here it is. Please review! :)

Day's passed by quicker than usual. Part of the reason was because of the work load she had in her lane. Part of it was because she hadn't seen, let alone talked, to Rory in a while and she missed her like crazy.The air was growing thicker, and the leaves we're drying out. Time was passing and it's funny cause she didn't even realize it.

Maybe the real reason was because she hadn't seen Luke in over 3 weeks. Sure she's exchanged a few words with him while she got her daily cup of coffee to go some mornings, but she tried to stick to Sookie's coffee because Sookie's coffee doesn't remind her of him as much.

She hadn't talked to him since they first kissed. The morning after, he tried talking to her but she said she was busy. He called her that night saying his sister called and needed some help for a while. He left a message on her answering machine saying he turned his sister down because he wanted--needed to talk to her. To see her. To be with her.

She had other ideas.

Her idea of seeing him was running into him ocasionally at Doose's. Seeing him maybe once a week to get coffee, but deliberetlynot talking to him and he didn't dare to bring 'it' up. Her idea was to avoid him at all costs.

Avoid him because she was busy, right? Well if that were true, why would she need to avoid him? She doesn't. She know's that. But she won't act upon changing that unwanted status.

He had left several messages over the past three weeks. He even talked to Sookie and asked her if she could talk some sense's into Lorelai. But Sookie was on Lorelai's side, for whatever stupid reason that was...the reason nobody quite knew.

If she didn't want to be with Luke, all she had to do was admit it to him. But that would mean admitting it to herself first.

It was 7:00 and her alarm clock just purred. '10 more minutes won't hurt.' She hit the snooze button and drifted off into sleep again. When she heard the ring, she hit the snooze button one last time but the ringing didn't stop. It was the phone.

"Who in there right mind would call at 7:04 a.m?"

She rolled over and reached for the phone on the nightstand. She grabbed it and turned it on right before the 5th ring.

"You better have a good reason for calling so early." She said into the phone, eyes closed.

"I don't know what the experts would say, but I think I have a pretty good reason." Luke said seriously.

She shot up in bed. The voice damn near killed her. Surprised, you could say...or stunned...but whatever the hell the feeling was, she was feeling it.

"Luke." It was a statement, not a question.

"Lorelai."

"Uh, why are you calling me at 7? Is everything okay?"

"Sorta. I figured this would be the only time I could talk to you since you haven't answered any of the times when I've called at a respectable hour."

"Oh yeah, well...sorry, I've been busy."

"For three weeks?"

"It's a new business. You should know how it goes. You have a business."

"Yeah well, I never said I didn't believe you. I believe you completely."

Lorelai's heart sank, thinking that Luke believed her when all along, she wasn't that busy. Not too busy to call him at least. Too think he believes her...it killed her.

"Oh." She said lamely, quietly. "Good."

"I just, Lorelai I need to see you."

His words stung her. Stomach dropped, head racing for excuses though she seemed to be out of excuses.

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh. I need to see you. Tonight. Will you stop by after I close up? Or better yet, I'll just come to your place."

She thought. Not her house. Then there was no running. If it were to be at the diner, she could at least be the first to leave. Or not show at all. The diner was a much better idea.

"The diner. Tonight. 10."

"Make that 10:30."

"Fine. Bye Luke."

Ten thirty quickly approached. Quicker than wanted. She through on a cute shirt and a pair of jeans. As she walked out, she realized it was chilly out but didn't bother to wear a coat.

She approached the diner as Luke was retrieving something from his car. Her heart started beating rapidly as he turned around to greet her. Completely nervous, she turned to him smiling weakly. 'It has been a while...' Her smile grew a little larger.

"Hi." She said softly.

"Hey." He replied, looking at her...taking her in...trying to believe she actually came.

"How have you been." She asked considerately.

"Okay. You?"

"Been better." It was the truth.

"Yeah."

There was an awkward silence. Lorelai wrapped her arms around herself, warming her up.

"Let's go inside."

"No, no, I'm fine. Really. It's a nice night." She pleaded.

"Okay."

It seemed as if this was headed to nowheresville.

"So what did you want to talk about?" She asked.

"I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah, sorry about that. You know, the Dragonfly's killing me."

"Maybe you should take a break." He suggested.

"I don't think that's possible."

"Just a suggestion. So, the Dragonfly was nice when I was there. Three weeks ago." He said, rubbing it in her face.

Let the games begin.

"Thanks." She said nodding her head, rubbing her arms, warming herself up a little more cause all of a sudden it got much colder. To her at least.

"Lorelai, I'm just going to get this over with. Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't been avoiding you."

"Who are you kidding yourself? I've called you over 20 times. I never call people that much. I finally stopped cause I realized you didn't want to talk."

"20 times later..." she muttered. Luckily he didn't hear her.

"I mean, I kiss you. You see to have enjoyed it. And then you ignore me for three weeks. What was I supposed to do, call you once and forget it?" Maybe he had heard her..."So naturally I assume that you wanted something to happen between us after you kissed me that second time. But I guess I was wrong. And I don't want an apology...I really don't...I just want to know why you've been ignoring me!" His voice was raising dramatically.

She was getting frusturated and she had only been there for a few minutes. "I don't know. I've just been busy and--"

"--don't give me this busy crap. Just tell me Lorelai, have you been ignoring me because you don't want something to happen with us? You don't want to be more than friends? If that's the reason, just tell me, and I'll back away for good. Is that what you want?"

"Yes!" She said quickly. His face looked so hurt. She's never seen somebody look so hurt. Her words came out quicker and louder than intended. "Don't look at me like that!" She practically screamed. "Don't put me through some guilt trip. That's not..."

"Did I say something to you?"

"No, you...gave me a look." She said pathetically.

"I'm sorry my face got stuck." He sarcastically yelled.

"When did this turn into a fight?" She shouted back.

"You know what I'm just going to go. Have a nice night." He didn't want to see her. Talk to her. Be by her. Not after what she said.

"Why are you being like this!" She screamed. He turned around and looked at her like she was crazy.

"Lorelai," he turned around so he was facing her again, "I'm not being anything. I'm being myself. I'm tired and I've gotta go."

"No, I mean...why are you mad? Why can't we just go back to the way things were before? I miss you."

"Yeah well that's too bad." He walked back to her, his voice suddenly raising though he didn't intend for it to. "I don't want to go back to the way things were. As friends. I don't want to be just friends with you!"

"Why! Why is it so hard!"

"Because!" He shouted, gesturing with his hands. "Because that's not what we're supposed to be! Why can't you see that!"

A tear rolled down her cheek. "Because I'm scared!" She shouted, loudly. She threw her arm's in the air, gesturing towards the two of them. "Ever since you kissed me, I got scared Luke." Her voice softened.

"Of what? What are you scared of?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

"Scared of loosing you!"

He looked at her cusiously. "How are you going to loose me?"

"I don't know. I don't want to get into something knowing it won't work."

"It doesn't have to not work. It can work."

"It can. But what if it doesn't."

"I won't let it not work."

"How? How do you know that I won't get scared on the way of whatever the hell it is were doing? Or how do you know that you won't get sick of me while I'm slowly falling in love with you and then you'll break up with me and I'll be there, alone, all again, and we probably won't be friends this time! How do you know that Luke?" She was at shouting level again. "Tell me, how do you know?"

"Because what if I told you I've been slowly falling in love with you for eight years. I've watched you all this time. I've watched you be with other guys. I've watched you get hurt. I've watched you almost get married. I wasn't even going to go to that damn wedding because I was sitting there, watching the woman I've been crazy about for eight years slowly disappear for good."

She was actually crying at this point. He stepped closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I wouldn't let you disappear."

"I don't want you to let me."

She leaned up, kissing him softly on the lips. He took his thumb and wiped her tears away, smiling at her as she smiled back regretting the past 3 weeks--or really the past 8 years.

-End-

The end! I didn't intend on posting this...but I wanted to anyways! Thanks to my girlie Lindsay--this is for you! Please review! It would be greatly appreciated!

For those that are reading What Lies Beneath, chapter 2 will be up tomorrow!