Disclaimer This story is purely fictional. I own nothing. Please don't sue. Thank you.

A/N: For those of you who have not given up on GG and are avid Luke and Lorelai fans, this story is for you. I guess you can say it takes place in Season 4, but it's kind of AU. Just forget about all of the crap that's happening on Tuesday nights at 8, and let your mind go to that sappy place that we all love to see L/L in. M rating is for later chapters b/c I fully intend on going there. That's right folks, there will be whoopee. Wow, that's a lot of pressure. I may change my mind, but that's doubtful.

The Not So Huge Grey Area

The day had been long. It had been long and extremely taxing. Luke's patience was wearing thin, and his customers were going to be the first to find out when it wore completely out. After all, they were a big reason for the mood.

He moved throughout the diner with purpose. Long strides punctuated with a heavy thud when foot hit floor. It was an angry walk that he had perfected. He figured it was one sign that people could pick up on warning them of his no-nonsense disposition.

"Excuse me?" one guy asked. Luke was passing the man's table when his attention was requested. He looked down at him and determined quickly that he was a tourist. His radically decorated shirt was too much for even this town.

"What?" He answered strongly. The man paused briefly, a little dissatisfied at the service he was receiving.

"Do you work here?" he asked, attitude brimming around every word. Luke looked up and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. His grip tightened around the coffee pot handle in his hand. He tried to take a moment to compose himself before answering, but he began to speak before the process was completed.

"I have a coffee pot in my hand. Do you think that I would come here as a customer and decide, 'hey, I know what I'll do," his hands flailed about dramatically, "'I'm going to violate several health and federal laws, hop behind the counter and start serving annoying tourists who ask stupid, obvious questions'?"

The guy stared dumbly at Luke until he found his tongue. "I just…wanted…some more coffee." Luke let out an aggravated sigh and poured coffee in the man's mug.

"Anything else?" His tone was almost daring the man to answer affirmatively.

"No," he replied with haste. "Thank you." He smiled with scared eyes. Luke walked away feeling somewhat bad at how he'd treated the poor guy. That is, until he heard a low "Jerk" being said as he rounded the counter. He didn't give it a second thought.

The bell above the door jingled, and in walked Lorelai. Glancing up from the counter, Luke saw her and threw a barely noticeable nod in her direction before going back to his task.

Lorelai sat on the only available stool, coincidentally her usual. "Aren't we in a happy-go-lucky mood today?" she said toward Luke.

"What can I get for ya?" He asked. He had his pad and pen set to write. A small pout formed on Lorelai's lips since he usually took time out to at least humor her.

"You Ok?" she asked cautiously.

"Fine. Coffee?" His eyes remained on the pad.

She stared at him for a moment. "Coffee'd be great. Eggs would be too, scrambled of course. Sausage." She spoke slowly, waiting for any sign of life. "Lots of sausage. Pancakes with Jelly Belly pieces. Sprinkle it with bits of bacon too. A stick of butter with drizzles of syrup." He continued to write down her order and she glanced briefly at the upturned notepad. Her brow wrinkled in confusion as she wondered why she was not getting lectured. She decided that it was time to pull out the big guns. "A half of a grapefr—". Before she get the word out, Luke's eyes shot up to her.

"You Ok?" His voice was a few notches higher than normal. He wondered if she had gone temporarily insane.

"Are YOU?!" She asked even higher. "Man! It's like you no longer have concern for me killing myself. Albeit, a happy death…" she smiled at the thought, then quickly went back to frowning, "but still…"

"Has my concern ever stopped you before?" He asked, retreating back into his hole of grumpiness.

"No, but it's a part of the routine." She gestured between the two of them. "How am I supposed to enjoy my food if you haven't insulted it?"

He peered at her and reached down to retrieve her coffee mug. As he poured her coffee, Lorelai wondered what was going on with him. He was always petulant, but his reluctance to spar was just odd.

"Bad day?" She asked rhetorically.

"Look at all these people," he began. His eyes scanned the diner. "You'd think I was the only diner in town."

"You…are the only diner in town." Lorelai had a smile on her face as she said this. He looked at her tiredly.

"You know what I mean. Restaurant. Eating establishment. Another place they could get coffee…after coffee, after coffee, after coffee." A few of the customers took notice of Luke as he went about insulting their presence. Some mumbled their objections to their nearest neighbor.

"We're just rehearsing for a little play here," Lorelai said toward the patrons. "Don't mind us." Focusing again on Luke, she said, "You know, one day your charming attitude is going to put you out of business. And then what am I going to do?"

"Eat at home. And take these people with you." Two of the customers got up and angrily threw their money on the counter. They each gave an inflaming look toward Luke before heading out. Both were out-of-towners. It was easy to tell who the townies were because they were the ones who paid him no attention, having gotten used to the behavior and all.

"Oh, no tip?!" Luke yelled after one of the men. He sounded amused. The man turned around and started to say something but decided against it. Instead, he slammed the door much harder than was necessary.

"Putz," Luke mumbled. He picked up his rag and started to wipe roughly at the countertop. Noticing the unusual silence coming from Lorelai, he glanced up at her. She was staring doe-eyed at him as she brought her mug from her lips. "What?" He asked through clenched teeth.

"Is it that time of the month?" She asked considerately.

"Lorelai," he warned.

"What? I meant bill time. Geesh! I know I get a little grouchy around that time myself."

"No, it's not bill time."

"Then, what's wrong? And before you say 'nothing', I want you to notice the hole you're rubbing into the counter there." She pointed toward the spot that he was scrubbing furiously. He stopped and looked at her.

"My birthday," Luke said.

"Your birthday…" She repeated slowly trying to urge clarification. She suddenly slapped herself on the forehead. "…is next week!" She started to scan the countertop like she had lost something. "I can't believe I almost forgot. Some friend I am!"

"It's Ok," he said lightly.

"No, it's not Ok! You always remember my birthday. And, you give me 5 hours of labor, which let's be honest," she said with a knowing sideways look, "always turns into more like 8-10 free hours."

"Lorelai, calm down. It's next week; it's not like you forgot," he reassured her.

"Well, I would have! I plan presents weeks in advance. You know that. You think that flannel clad tool set I gave you last year was a last minute genius gift?" Luke's eyebrows furrowed a little as he thought back.

"You didn't give me a flannel clad tool set," he told her.

"Flannel clad tool set, a promise to actually pay for a week of coffee…potato, potata."

"Well, it's the thought that counts, I guess."

"Exactly," she said slapping her hand on the counter. "It is the thought that counts, and I didn't have a thought. I forgot."

"Don't worry about it, Lorelai," Luke said with exasperation. She sulked quietly for a moment wondering how she could make it up to him.

"So, your birthday is what's putting you in this wonderfully pleasing mood?"

"Pretty much."

"Why?" She asked.

He looked around both him and Lorelai, and once he determined that no one was listening, he leaned in and said quietly, "I found a grey hair."

Her eyes widened as a bright smile crossed her face. "Where?"

He stepped back and glared at her. "What exactly do you find funny about this?"

She feigned shock as a smile showed through her open-mouthed expression. "Nothing! I'm just trying to get to the bottom of the problem."

"Yeah, right," he said walking away. Caesar had called out an order that was ready, so Luke went and got the plate and brought it to the customer. When he returned, Lorelai resumed the conversation.

"I'm sorry, Ok?" She still had traces of a smile. "You were saying you found a hair." She clasped her hands together and sat up straight as if to show her seriousness.

"I was saying that I found a grey hair," he corrected.

"In your head?" She asked while eyeing his baseball cap.

He sighed heavily and set his jaw. "No."

"Chest?" She asked eyebrows raised. He shook his head slowly. "Stomach?" She broke out in another wide grin. He regarded her for a few seconds before speaking.

"Look, it doesn't matter where I found it, Ok? The point is I found a grey hair." He folded his arms across his chest.

"Luke, you're almost 40," she said stating the obvious.

"I'm sure you have a point in there somewhere," he commented.

"You're almost 40! Of course you're going to find signs that let you know that soon those Early Bird Specials are going to have your name all over them." She finished off her coffee. "I'm surprised that you're just getting your first," she added.

He narrowed his eyes briefly at her. "You know what? I don't want to talk about this anymore." He started to walk away, but stopped when Lorelai reached over the counter and grabbed his arm.

"Hey, this is obviously bothering you, so please," She got serious; "talk to me. I'm all ears." She sat back on her stool and tucked her hair behind her ears removing any blockades.

He wanted to walk away and forget about the whole thing. He knew that he was risking all of his sanity by letting her hear anything too personal about him. What made him stay was the realization that while she was childish and annoying, she was, above all, an excellent friend. He figured she may be able to offer some insight. He'd just have to wait for it…through all the mocking.

He turned back and brought his hand up to adjust his cap; that was just him trying to get his thoughts together. He leaned on the counter and started to speak. "I'm getting old," he said meeting her eyes.

"Well, you're only a few years older than me. If you're getting old, I'm getting old. And frankly, I refuse to accept that."

"Well, whether I accept it or not, it's happening." Lorelai nodded sympathetically. "And…" he drifted off shaking his head all the while.

"And what?" she asked softly.

"And…I'm boring!" he said frowning.

"What?" Lorelai's voice curled around the word as the full brunt of his statement came crashing down upon her. Luke looked around once more to make sure Babette, Miss Patty, or any aspiring Babettes and Miss Pattys weren't tuned in.

"I don't do anything. I wake up. Serve coffee. Go to bed. And, then do it all over again the next day."

"Come on, Luke," Lorelai said. "You don't just sleep and work. You shower too, right?" He gave her a stern look. "Ok, serious. Sorry."

He continued on like there was no interruption. "I'm annoyed all of the time. When I'm annoyed, I'm grumpy—"

"Noooo!" Lorelai let slip.

He rolled his eyes at her and continued. "I'm getting old, and all I do is surround myself with stress." Lorelai softened at his upset, but she allowed him the floor. "I've never done anything that I can look back on and say, 'I did that. It's Ok that I'm getting old because I've had my fun'. I guess," he glanced down at his hands, "I need a break or something. I don't know."

Lorelai placed her hands atop his. "Then, take one. If you're feeling that strongly about it, maybe you need to take a break."

He looked up from their hands and into her face. "No." He stood up and gently pulled his hands away. He shook his head and forced a weak smile. "I'm just talking. I just….freaked out after finding that grey hair on my…" He looked at her and looked away, changing the subject. "Thanks, Lorelai. Thanks for listening." He nodded to her and went about clearing customer's old dishes.

"Did I help?" Lorelai asked him as she watched him clean.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." He gave her a brief full smile that she would have missed if she were not looking directly into his face.

"Anytime," she said wondering if she should just let it go. It was obvious to her that his recent discovery had really bothered him. But, she decided to drop it for the time being.