Additional Coverage May Be Available

March 2001

She was a hypocrite and she knew it. She stood there in the foyer, stroking her baby's soft hair and murmuring words of consolation, but she didn't even know if they were the right words or not. Rory was heartbroken. Lorelai knew as she had never known before that she had never been heartbroken. She had never dared to give her heart to anyone; therefore, it couldn't be broken.

She tucked her daughter into bed, her movements slow and lethargic, weighed down by the certain knowledge that she was no real good to her. This wasn't a

boo-boo she could soothe with a spritz of Bactine and a healing kiss. This was way beyond her personal frame of reference. Oh, she knew she could formulate a plan. She was always good at thinking on her feet. She'd throw out a few platitudes, and offer some lame advice, drawing on her limited knowledge of such things as best she could.

But, a bruised ego and a vague sense of lingering disappointment were the best she had to offer. She had guarded herself well, holding every man that crossed her path at arm's length. Lorelai closed Rory's bedroom door and crept away, purposefully looking away as she passed the telephone, and cursing the cowardice that had rendered her completely ineffectual.

Lorelai changed into her pajamas, her muscles leaden and unresponsive as she stumbled through the motions of her bedtime routine. And as she crawled between the sheets, she didn't think about what she would have said to Max had he answered his phone. Instead, she thought of all the things she never said to Luke before she watched him walk away.

You have no idea what an amazing guy you are. Rachel has no idea how lucky she is to have a man like you love her. I'm sorry I kept you away. Thank you for taking care of us, for caring about us. I wish I could tell you how important you are to me. I wish things were different. I wish I was different.

April 1997

Twenty-nine. For some reason, Lorelai seemed to be having a harder time grasping the fact that she was turning twenty-nine then she did with realizing that twenty-nine meant that she was almost thirty. In a weird way, she wished she was thirty already, that way she could have kissed her twenties goodbye without a backwards glance. But twenty-nine meant that she had a full year to think about how lame her twenties had actually been.

Not that she hadn't accomplished anything, she had accomplished a lot. Rory was happy and healthy and thriving. They had a house. A home that they could call their own, and that Lorelai had made sure was a comfortable reflection of her and her daughter and the life that she chose to lead. Her career had exceeded her own nebulous expectations. When her twenties began, she aspired to becoming Head of Housekeeping. Now, as her twenties drew to an end, she was the Executive Manager of the whole enchilada. And recently, she and Sookie had begun talking, just talking; about how cool it would be to one day open their own inn. And it would be cool. Someday.

But, Lorelai couldn't help setting all of that aside as she tried to come to terms with where she was in the here and now. Here I am, facing the end of my twenties, my thirties just looming there, staring at me; and I'm practically a virgin. Okay, that might be stretching it a little, but I could apply to any number of area convents. Do they take non-Catholics? I mean, Episcopalians are close enough, right? Like Catholic-lite, she thought as she kicked a small stone along the sidewalk.

She tucked her hands into the pockets of her coat and looked up at the town square. The twinkle lights that outlined the gazebo were doing their job, challenging the stars that shone in the clear spring sky above. She smiled, allowing herself to be drawn to the weather worn structure as she had from the moment she first stepped foot in this town. Standing in the center of the gazebo, Lorelai turned in a slow circle, drinking in the sight of the town, her town.

She loved this town. She loved the way it embraced her and the way the slightly kooky denizens took to her Rory. Rory. That bright, beautiful little girl held this tiny town in the palm of her hand. It wasn't that she was the prettiest or the smartest girl in town, although in Lorelai's book she was. It was that shy sweetness that was quintessentially Rory. Lorelai could see it. She knew that her daughter possessed the quiet calm she could never quite find in herself, and it drew people to her. They liked having Rory around, and she didn't even have to say a word, and a tiny little part of Lorelai envied that.

Her eyes drifted toward the diner, as they so often did. Lorelai sank down onto the bench, recalling the day she recognized the raw power that her baby could wield.

It was a Thursday, not much different from any other Thursday. That particular Thursday fell about six months after she first stepped foot in Luke's diner, and about five months and three weeks after she gave in and finally introduced Rory to Luke's and Duke himself.

She had driven all the way to Hartford for her night class, only to find a note taped to the door informing her that class had been cancelled. When she got back to Stars Hollow, she came home to an empty house. Setting off on foot, Lorelai headed for the square, certain that she would find her baby girl either in the library or ensconced at a pre-revolutionary table in the cluttered antique shop. When the library proved to be devoid of Rory, Lorelai hurried down the steps and beat a path toward Kim's Antiques.

As she passed the diner, she happened to glance in, unable to stop herself, as usual. But instead of sharing a smirk or a snarl with her favorite object of torment, Lorelai spotted Rory sitting at a table in the corner, surrounded by open textbooks. She stopped dead in her tracks and gaped at the startling scene.

"What are you doing here?" Luke asked, jolting her from her stupor.

Lorelai turned, snapping her mouth shut as she took in the Doose's Market bag tucked in his arm. "What's Rory doing here?" she countered, pointing to the window.

"Studying, eating all my pie," he answered with a shrug.

"Pie? She doesn't have any money," Lorelai said, panic setting in as she began to pat her jeans pockets to see if she had any money on her.

"Don't worry about it, she works it off," he told her. "Aren't you supposed to be in class tonight?"

"Huh?"

"It's Thursday, shouldn't you be in Hartford?" Luke persisted.

"Class was cancelled," she said slowly. "How do you know about that?"

"Rory said you have class on Tuesday and Thursday nights, that's why she comes here."

"She's been coming here?"

"You didn't know?"

"She didn't tell me. I thought she was hanging out at the Kim's. What do you mean she 'works it off'?"

Luke shifted uncomfortably as he glanced through the window at Rory, realizing that he was stuck between a rock and a very concerned mother. "She came in one night a few weeks ago offering to sweep the floors in exchange for pie and some coffee. Something about flax seed muffins and letting them soak in tea before you can bite into them."

"So, you let her?"

"I gave her pie and milk. I draw the line on the coffee thing, she's too young," he told her as he stared at her pointedly.

"And she sweeps your floors?"

Luke shook his head. "I don't sweep until closing. I told her not to worry about it, but she insists on refilling the napkins and salt and pepper shakers once in a while."

"I'm so sorry she's bugging you, I had no idea…"

"She's not bugging me," he cut her off abruptly. "She's studying and not bothering anyone. She's fine."

"But she shouldn't be coming here. I mean, this is your business and she can't just…"

"She's fine," he said firmly. "She's not bothering me and she's not trying to choke down muffins that would probably reconstitute themselves in her colon. It's fine if she hangs out here."

"I make sure she has dinner at the inn before I leave." Lorelai couldn't help the defensive edge in her voice.

"It's just pie."

"I'll give you some money," Lorelai said quickly. "I mean, not right now because I don't have any with me, but I'll get some."

"Don't worry about it. I had the pie anyway."

"But that's pie you could be selling," she argued.

"I'm done talking about this," Luke grumbled as he turned and climbed the steps to the diner. "You comin' in?" he asked impatiently.

"Oh, uh, yeah."

Once inside, Lorelai scurried over to Rory's table as Luke placed the Doose's bag on the counter and reached for a coffee pot. "Uh, hey, do you have squatter's rights here or something?" she asked as she cast a nervous glance over her shoulder.

Rory jumped guiltily. "Mom! What are you doing here?"

"My class was cancelled," Lorelai explained as she slipped into a chair. "What are you doing here?" she hissed.

"Uh, I was," Rory stammered.

"Coffee," Luke said as he placed a mug in front of Lorelai. "Milk," he announced as he placed a glass in front of Rory. "Pie will be out in a minute."

"Uh, thanks, Duke," Lorelai said as she flashed him a quick smile.

"It's Luke," he grumbled as he moved away.

"His name is Luke. Why can't you just call him Luke?" Rory asked, a blush rising in her cheeks.

"I thought it was Duke," Lorelai answered with a shrug, frowning as she picked up her coffee mug, slightly disturbed by Rory's shifting allegiances.

"You know his name is Luke and he's really nice, Mom. He lets me study here, and I don't have to listen to Mrs. Kim go on and on about the wages of sin," Rory told her pointedly.

Lorelai sighed as she fidgeted with the edge of one of Rory's color coded folders. "I get it, Sweets, but this is his business. You can't just hang out here mooching pie off of the guy, and I can't afford…" she trailed off as Luke appeared at her elbow holding two slices of pie. "Oh, thank you," she murmured, jerking her arm back as his brushed against it.

"And here," Luke said as he pulled a worn paperback out from under his arm and placed it on the table. "Not your usual stuff, but I think you'll like it," he added gruffly and then quickly moved away.

Lorelai and Rory both stared down at the well-read copy of Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove for a moment. Rory looked up at the puzzled expression on her mother's face and said, "I loaned him The Last of the Mohicans last week."

"Oh." Lorelai sat back and picked up her fork, scraping the pointed tines over the latticed crust that topped her slice of pie. "So, uh, Luke doesn't mind you being here?" she asked quietly, looking over her shoulder to be sure the man wasn't hovering close enough to hear the use of his proper name.

"I try to help out," Rory said defensively. "And I don't ask for the pie. I mean, I did the first time, but he just brings it to me now."

"That's very nice of him."

Rory glanced over at the counter. "Listen, I know you don't like him," she began.

"That's not true! I like him," Lorelai said indignantly.

"You call him Duke and you mock him mercilessly," Rory said flatly.

"That's friendly banter! I don't give just anyone a nickname," she argued.

"You named your battery powered toothbrush 'Shakes the Clown,'" Rory reminded her.

"And I am awfully fond of that toothbrush. My teeth have never felt so clean," Lorelai insisted. "You notice that I've never named the water heater. Stupid water heater," she muttered as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Maybe Andy can look at it one more time before they move to Florida," Rory said sympathetically.

"No, I'll call someone," Lorelai assured her. "We just need to limp through to payday," she murmured as she cut off a hunk of pie with her fork. She popped it into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "This isn't blueberry," she commented.

"Boysenberry," Luke corrected as he cleared the table behind them.

"It's good," she told him, half turning in her chair.

"Of course it is," he answered with a smirk. Swaggering slightly, he carried a stack of plates toward the kitchen.

"Oh course it is," Lorelai mimicked under her breath. "He's so smug."

Rory grinned. "When you can make a pie this good, you deserve to be smug."

"Amen, sister," Lorelai conceded as she dug in.

After finishing their pie, Rory collected her books as Lorelai approached the counter. "Done?" Luke asked as he looked up from the stack of receipts he was sorting.

"Yeah, uh, is it okay if I settle up with you tomorrow?" she asked tentatively.

"Don't worry about it. Consider it a celebration of freedom," he said dryly.

Lorelai leaned on the counter and looked up at him as she spoke quietly. "Listen, are you sure you don't mind Rory hanging out here?"

"I'm sure," he answered gruffly.

"If you want to run a tab for her, I'm good for it. It may take me a decade or two to pay off, the way she's been eating lately," she added with a rueful laugh.

Luke put the receipts down and leveled his eyes on her. "I'm fine with it. It's better than having her home alone, right?"

Lorelai blinked, searching for the hidden note of censure she was sure must be lurking behind his words, but only able to parse out the sincerity in his tone. "Thank you," she said softly.

"She's a nice kid. Quiet. Smart," he said with a nod.

"Yeah, she is," Lorelai agreed, smiling at his succinct assessment of her daughter.

"I like her."

Lorelai's smile grew as she basked in the truth of his simple statement. "You have good taste."

Luke rolled his eyes and picked up the stack of receipts. "She's a lot easier to take than most people," he grumbled.

Lorelai laughed as she backed away from the counter. "Ain't that the truth, Duke."

Rory heaved an exasperated sigh as she gripped Lorelai's arm and drew her toward the door. "Thanks, Luke, the pie was great," she called out.

"You're welcome, Rory," he answered with a slight nod. "See you Tuesday."

Lorelai sat on the bench, shivering slightly as the memories washed over her like the cool spring air. As she stared at the diner, she knew that the decision she had come to the week before had grown from the seed planted that night. Okay, there may have been a little germination left over from that long-past night of passionate kissing in a darkened hallway nearly half a decade before, but that night it really began to sprout.

She could admit now that only thing more attractive than an attractive man who taking an interest in you; is an attractive man taking a genuine interest in your kid, who by rights, should mean nothing to him, but somehow did. Luke and Rory had a friendship of their own. There wasn't anything calculated about it. If there had been, Lorelai would have winnowed it out by now. There wasn't anything weird about it. If she had felt even the slightest bit of unease, she could say without hesitation that she would have packed Rory up and run for the hills. No, as it was, Rory's friendship with Luke became the catalyst for Lorelai to feel comfortable forging her own kind of friendship with the recalcitrant diner owner.

He was terse and surly, and she liked to bait him. He was gruff and opinionated, and she liked to goad him into teeing off on one of those delightfully shocking rants that tickled both Rory and herself. She called him Duke, and he called her crazy. She had a troublesome water heater, and he had a toolbox that was as big as their living room. Lorelai liked to think that this burgeoning friendship worked for both of them. The trouble was; she wanted it to work a little harder.

She had intended to keep him at arm's length. Unfortunately, Rory didn't know her reasons for that; and kept pushing that door open a little wider, much to her mother's chagrin. But still, Lorelai could admit that she felt a little rush whenever she turned around and caught him looking at her. She felt an unexpected tingle of pleasure any time she could coax a hint of that devastating smile out of him. She felt an almost overwhelming wave of raw desire on those rare occasions when he allowed her to meet his gaze directly. She would swear until her dying day that she saw the exact same desire reflected in his dark blue eyes.

And that is how she got to where she was that night. Not the shivering on a bench in the town gazebo part, but the moment. That moment when she decided that a woman needed to do what a woman needed to do when a woman has needs that were most definitely not being met.

Lorelai stood up, and buried her hands in her pockets once again as she descended the steps. She ducked her head and cut across the lawn in a direct line toward the diner. She jogged across the street and up the steps, panting slightly as the bells announced her arrival.

"Still open?" she asked breathlessly.

"Does it matter?" he answered as he turned toward the door, swiping the coffee pot from the burner in one fluid move.

"Ah, you know me so well," she said as she slid onto a stool and began to shed her coat.

Luke smirked as he filled a mug. "Doesn't take much."

"My predictability is what makes me so unpredictable," she replied with a brilliant smile.

"What are you doing out so late?"

Lorelai chuckled and said, "It's not even nine."

"I mean, you don't usually come in at this time," he said as he grabbed a rag and took a completely unnecessary swipe at the counter.

"Rory's spending the night with Lane, and there wasn't anything worth watching on TV, so I took a walk."

"I see." Luke busied himself by straightening the already neat countertop, and carefully avoiding looking directly at her.

Lorelai smiled, noting his obvious unease as she took a fortifying sip of her coffee. She cradled the mug in both hands and took a deep breath, inhaling the calming aroma as she took the plunge. "Do you remember that night at all?" she asked quietly.

He stilled, his hand tightening on the rag as his eyes widened in surprise. "I remember it," he answered gruffly, quickly swiping the rag in a tight circle.

"Oh, okay, uh, good," she mumbled as she took another sip to cover her discomfort.

The silence hummed between them for a moment, and then Luke said, "I wasn't sure if you did."

Lorelai laughed shortly. "I, um, that was the first time I ever really went out to a bar, so it was pretty memorable."

"Really?" he asked, looking up in surprise.

"When I turned twenty-one I had a five year old," she said with a wry smile. "Kind of put a crimp in my partying."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Lorelai set the cup down and stared down into its depths. "I'm turning twenty-nine next week," she said softly.

"Yeah?" Luke straightened up, frowning as he looked down at her bowed head. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks."

Luke watched her carefully, waiting for her to lift her head, but she never did. "Are you, you aren't upset about that, are you?" he asked with a perplexed frown.

"I don't know," she said with a careless shrug. "Kind of."

Luke planted his hands on the counter. "It's no big deal, you know."

"Easy for you to say," she grumbled.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm almost thirty and I haven't done anything," she complained.

"What do you mean you haven't done anything? You have a kid, you have a good job, a house, and apparently the metabolism of a hummingbird," he said pointedly.

Lorelai couldn't help but smile at his assessment. "I meant I haven't really done anything for me."

"You don't have the kid, the house and the job?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Lorelai shook her head. "No, I do, I know I do, and I am proud of that," she said quickly. "But when you have a kid to raise you do all that because you have to."

"You don't have to. There are lots of people who don't," he argued, crossing his arms over his chest. "Rory tells me she's going to Harvard. She can't get there on her own."

Lorelai smiled as she tuned into the challenge in his tone. "Duke, my friend, Rory can get anywhere on her own," she said as she took another sip of her coffee.

"That's not what I meant. You know what I'm saying," he grumbled.

"I do," she admitted with a faint blush.

Lorelai watched as Luke spun away from the counter and headed for the pastry stand at the other end. Without asking, he removed the cover and reached under the counter for a plate. He plated a slice of pie and carried it back to her, sliding it across the counter without comment. Lorelai's eyes followed his economical movements as he placed a napkin on the counter and set a fork on it. "All I have left is peach," he said with a shrug.

Lorelai stared down at the golden filling oozing from the pie and whispered, "I think about that night a lot."

Luke stepped back, his eyes locked on her. She lifted her head, and he swallowed hard as her bright blue eyes met his. "You do?"

"I'm not in a place in my life where I can handle a relationship," she said quietly, lowering her eyes again and speaking to the piece of pie on her plate. "I've never really had one, but I don't think I'd be very good at it."

"Okay," Luke said cautiously.

"But I think about that night a lot, and I was thinking, I mean, we're friends, right Duke?" she asked with a wan smile.

"Luke," he corrected automatically, his eyes widening as he started to catch her drift.

"And I don't, no strings attached, you know. If you wanted…" she stammered.

"What are you saying?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

"I want to know if you want to finish what we started, you know, that night," she said breathlessly.

March 2001

Luke was still strapping his watch onto his wrist as he pushed through the curtain, annoyed with himself for sleeping so late. He stopped short when he saw Lorelai hovering at the end of the counter, stunned by her early morning appearance.

"Oh well, uh, good morning sleeping beauty," she said archly.

Luke blinked, his head swiveling as he spotted Rachel moving around behind his counter wearing his apron. "Yeah, well you know Rachel thought I looked a little tired," he said gruffly.

"No, it's good. You need a little break," Lorelai said tautly.

"I guess," he mumbled.

"You do," she reiterated. "So, she seems pretty comfortable here, huh?"

"Yeah, well, she always could just fit in places you know. It's a talent of hers."

"She looks good in your apron," she commented with a knowing smirk.

"Yeah, well, can I get you anything?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject.

Lorelai glanced over her shoulder at Rory and then turned back to Luke. "Oh, um, do you think you could make those really crazy chocolate chip pancakes and go extra heavy on the chocolate?" she asked in a low voice.

Luke frowned, puzzled by her secrecy. "Yeah, sure, any special occasion?"

Lorelai sighed and winced slightly as she said, "Dean broke up with Rory."

"What?" he hissed.

Lorelai shushed him frantically. "Keep it down, she doesn't want anybody to know about it."

Luke's jaw tightened. "Oh I knew it! I just knew that kid was trouble!"

Lorelai grasped his arms and spoke calmly. "Yes, you did, you knew it. Pancakes please?"

"Oh God, he's got a nerve. I mean what does he think he's gonna do better than Rory?" he asked incredulously. "Is he crazy? Jeez. Alright, well forget it, okay? Good riddance, adios, bienvenidos, hasta la vista," he said, waving his hands dismissively.

"Could we get off the small world ride and start cooking please?" she asked desperately.

"How is she?" Luke asked, his voice breaking with concern.

Lorelai felt her impatience with him flutter away. "She's been dumped by her first boyfriend," she said sadly.

"Oh man, I swear I would love to…" he said menacingly. "Okay, I'm gonna put some whipped cream on the pancakes too," he promised, pointing at her emphatically.

"Thank you, Luke."

"Yeah."

"Not a word okay?" she cautioned.

"I got it," he grumbled as he headed for the kitchen.

He brushed past Rachel without seeing her welcoming smile, fuming inwardly at Dean, at Lorelai, at Rachel and at the world in general. He stomped into the walk-in, glaring at the shelves as he planted his hands on his hips. He hated that Rory was hurt. He hated that Rachel was waltzing around behind his counter as if she belonged there. He hated that flicker of uncertainty in Lorelai's eyes as he walked through the curtain almost as much as he hated the knowing smirk she used to cover it.

He gripped the edge of a shelf, feeling the cold seep into his fingers as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear the fog in his brain. It had been a long night. A night spent on a lumpy couch as a woman he wasn't sure he wanted anymore slept soundly in his bed. He finally gave up, silently pacing the tiny apartment until Rachel appeared at his side, her hand smoothing over his shoulder to his neck. He'd wanted to push her away, to reject her the way she had rejected him repeatedly. He'd wanted to tell her to leave, to tell her to pack her bag and hop the next plane out of Hartford. He'd wanted to pound on Lorelai's door and ask her why he couldn't sleep.

Instead, he ducked out from under her hand, mumbling something about a headache. He rifled through the medicine cabinet, desperately trying to unearth something that would put him out of his misery. When Rachel appeared in the doorway with a pill bottle and a sympathetic smile, he gave in. Luke swallowed the pills she gave him, and washed them down with a glass of tepid water from the bathroom tap, mumbling his thanks as he stumbled back to the lumpy couch.

And now, Rachel was out there refilling coffee cups as if she had any right, Lorelai was out there, worrying about Rory, and Rory was out there nursing a broken heart. Luke sighed, staring at a container of fresh strawberries as his hands fell helplessly to his sides. Rory, focus on Rory, he told himself sternly as he turned and stalked out of the walk-in and through the kitchen.

"Mix up some chocolate chip batter, will ya?" he called to Caesar. "Add extra chips."

He grabbed the coffee pot as he passed, walking directly to the table Lorelai and Rory had claimed. "More coffee?" he asked, pouring without waiting for an answer. He turned to Rory and said, "Pancakes are coming right up, anything else I can get you?"

Rory shook her head. "No thanks."

Luke scowled as he stared down at her worriedly. "Hey, I've got some strawberries back there, you like strawberries don't you?"

"Yeah I like strawberries, but…"

"I'm getting you strawberries," he said decisively, and then moved to the next table.

"You told him didn't you?" Rory hissed.

Lorelai's eyes widened innocently. "No. Miss Patty did," he heard her reply. Luke smirked as he looked up and spotted Dean crossing the street, heading for his diner. Without thinking, Luke slammed the coffee pot down on the table and rushed for the door.

Luke didn't know what came over him. He didn't know why he did it. The only thing he knew was that he saw that floppy-haired bag boy walking toward his diner as if he had a right, and he saw red. He came to with Lorelai's hands wrapped around his arms, and regained his senses as she pressed into his chest. Her lips asked him if he was a lunatic, but her eyes, those expressive bright blue eyes burned with a fire he knew all too well. Her lips may have ordered him to go inside, but her eyes thanked him. They thanked him for caring enough to put a sixteen year old bag boy in a headlock.

As he stood on the diner steps, his chest heaving with exertion, he watched Lorelai wrap her arm protectively around Rory's shoulders. She glanced back at him as she led Rory away from the scene of the crime, and Luke knew without a shadow of a doubt that he'd do it all over again.

April 1997

"What?" he asked dumbly, even though he'd heard her as plain as day.

"You heard me," she answered, lifting her chin defiantly.

"You want to…" he trailed off, staring at her in shock.

"Listen," Lorelai began as she shifted slightly on her stool. "Let's not beat around the bush here. I'm attracted to you, and I think you're attracted to me. We both know that neither of us has forgotten, you know, what happened that night, or what could have happened if we weren't interrupted."

"But," he sputtered futilely.

"We both know it," she stated firmly. Lorelai tucked her hair behind her ear, and looked down at her coffee cup. "I'm not like that, contrary to popularly held misconceptions about single mothers," she continued. "I haven't, uh, done that in a long, long time," Lorelai confessed in a low voice.

"No?"

She looked up, meeting his gaze steadily. "I'll let you guess how long."

"I don't wanna."

"You don't wanna guess or you don't wanna…" she prompted, circling her hand to signal her need for his response.

"I don't wanna guess," he answered promptly.

"Well, you've met the evidence," she mumbled as she took a quick sip of her coffee and set the mug down a little too forcefully. "Listen, I'm turning twenty-nine next week. You can consider it a mercy fu…"

"Are you kidding me?" he asked, cutting her off before she could finish the thought and tossing the rag down on the counter.

He saw her eyes widen as he circled the end of the counter, and then spotted the flash of wariness in them as she turned to face him. Luke planted his feet on either side of her stool and reached for her, his fingers curling into her upper arms as he pulled her from her seat. When she opened her mouth to speak, he quickly covered it with his, kissing her hard and fast.

"You are unbelievable," he said in a harsh whisper.

"Is that a yes?" she asked, a coy smile curving her lips as her fingers toyed with a button on his shirt.

"This is what you want?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"We can consider it a birthday present."

"For me or for you?" he asked with a breathy chuckle.

"Your birthday isn't until November."

Luke took a step back, his fingers sliding helplessly along her arms as he tried to put a sensible amount of distance between them. "Listen, I'm not a really good bet for this sort of thing," he began.

Lorelai blinked in surprise. "You aren't? Do you have a medical condition? I hear there's a pill for that now," she teased as he scowled at her fiercely.

"I'm just sayin', I'm not looking for complications in my life," he said gruffly.

Lorelai smiled, taking a tiny step forward and breeching the safe distance he had put between them. "I'm single, you're single. We're both healthy, red-blooded adults. I know you, you know me. I have an itch, and I think you'd really like to be the guy to scratch it, Duke," she said softly.

"Luke," he said in a low, dangerous voice. "My name is Luke."

"I know your name," she whispered. "I just like having my own name for you."

"Say it. Say my name," he said gruffly, his fingers closing around her wrists.

Lorelai smiled brightly as she tipped her face up to his. "Luke," she said quietly, drawing the single syllable out until it stretched taut between them.

He lowered her wrists, and stepped back, letting them slip from his grasp. He kept his eyes on her, pinning her to the spot as the electricity arced between them. Without turning around, he backed to the door and reached behind his back blindly, fumbling for the lock.

The minute the bolt tumbled, Lorelai's smile warmed into a mischievous grin. "This is going to be fun, Duke," she asserted as he walked silently toward her.

Luke reclaimed one wrist, pulling her behind him as he headed for the curtain at the opposite end of the counter.

"Ooh, up to the lair," she teased as she followed him through the curtain. "The big, strong diner man is taking me up to his lair to get laid," she added with a giggle. When he shot her a glare over his shoulder, she turned her hand and laced her fingers through his. "Admit it, Duke, you think this will be fun too," she prodded as she trotted after him.

"You talk too much," he complained.

"Well, there are two sure ways to shut me up," she countered.

"Two?" he asked as he dug his keys from his pocket and unlocked the apartment door.

"You lock your door? Are you hoarding plutonium up here? You got a secret stash of Sweet 'n Low you don't want people getting into?"

"I like my privacy," he said as he pushed the door open, and motioned for her to enter. "Two ways?" he asked her again.

Lorelai smiled as she walked over to the small wooden table and then turned back to face him. "Well, food, of course," she said leadingly.

"Of course," he said with a smirk. Luke closed the distance between them and fitted his hand to her narrow waist. "And the other?" he asked in a deep, raspy voice.

"You'll figure it out," she answered breathlessly.

"Yeah, I'm sure I will." Instead of kissing her, he lifted his other hand and gently brushed her hair back from her cheek, liking the way he could keep her a little off balance. Drawn in by the way her eyelashes fluttered down over her cheeks as she tried to mask the flicker of uncertainty he saw there. "We don't have to do this," he said quietly.

"I think we do," she answered bluntly, swaying into him, but keeping her eyes shut.

"I've thought about you," he told her as his fingers sifted through her hair. His lips twitched into a smile as a soft moan escaped her parted lips.

"Not as much as I thought about you," she challenged quietly.

Lorelai opened her eyes, and Luke smiled, unable to hold it back any longer. "So, that's how it's going to be?"

She nodded, her eyes lighting before her smile fully formed. "Yes, Duke, that's exactly how it's going to be."

His fingers closed in her thick curls, tugging on them gently and urging her to tip her head back. His mouth closed over hers, and he kissed her with all of the urgency he had felt that night in KC's, and then some.

Lorelai grasped his neck, her fingers pushing into his hair and dislodging his ever-present baseball cap. She hauled herself up against him, her fingers threading through his hair greedily as she parted her lips, taking him deeper. His hand slid up under the hem of her sweater, his fingers circling over the warm, soft skin of her back, matching the rhythm of his tongue as it circled his.

"Oh, this is going to be good," she whispered as his lips blazed a trail along her jaw.

"Good," he grunted in agreement.

"I want you," she whispered as her fingers sought the buttons on his shirt. She gasped as he pushed her sweater up impatiently, his busy mouth drawing the tender skin of her throat against his tongue.

"I've wanted you from the minute I saw you."

"The minute you scowled at me," she corrected as she let her head fall back, allowing him better access to her neck and throat.

"You drive me crazy," he grumbled against her skin.

"In a good way," she insisted as she opened another button.

"In every way," he told her breathlessly as he stepped back and yanked her sweater up over her head.

"Oh God, yes, want me in every way," she said boldly as she looked him straight in the eye.

Luke opened the clasp of her bra with a flick of his fingers, his gaze steady on hers as it slipped down her arms. Lorelai smiled as if she was the one to make that happen, and he had to laugh.

Her own laughter echoed his as he shook his head slowly. "What?"

"Nothing," he assured her as he lowered his lips to hers again, capturing them in a devastating kiss.

Lorelai clung to his arms, moaning into his mouth as his hands roamed restlessly over her back. "Are we having fun yet, Duke?" she asked with a breathy laugh as his palm covered one breast.

"You tell me," he answered as he nuzzled her ear.

Lorelai pulled his t-shirt from the waistband of his jeans, and then pushed both shirts up over his stomach, feeling the muscles quiver beneath her touch. "Oh yeah, we're having fun."

"We need to, uh… birth control," he blurted as her fingers danced dangerously close to his belt buckle.

"Not ready to give Rory a little brother or sister, Duke?" she teased.

Luke reared back, his eyes wide with panic until he saw the teasing smirk on her face. "No," he said tersely.

"I've got it covered, but there are condoms in my pocket if you're worried," she said with a laugh.

Luke shook his head in frustration and lowered his hands to her waist. Before she knew what was happening, he lifted her off of her feet, ducking down to throw a shoulder at her waist and rising as she doubled over. He smiled as she cried out in surprise, and crossed the room in four long strides. He dropped her down onto his bed like a sack of potatoes, and smiled down at her blinking in shock. "That's the third way to shut you up," he said as he stripped his shirts over his head.

Lorelai laughed as he dove for her, wrapping her arms around him and holding him to her as her body shook beneath his. "Oh, Duke, we are having fun now," she chortled.

Luke chuckled as he pushed back, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses to her neck, her collarbone, and down over the dusting of pale freckles that dotted her chest. "If you'd paid attention you would have seen my name in that bathroom," he said dryly as he moved between her legs.

"For a good time call…" she purred, plunging her fingers into his hair as he nuzzled her breast.

"Exactly," he growled as his lips closed over her nipple.

"Yes," she hissed between her teeth.

"Now this is fun," he murmured as he cupped both breasts in his hands and then teased the pouting pink tip of one with his tongue.

Lorelai moaned, arching up into him as he drew her into his mouth and suckled deeply. Her hips circled against his stomach, desperately seeking the friction she craved. "More," she whispered.

"Greedy," he mumbled as he moved to her other breast.

"Needy," she whispered. "Thirteen years, Luke."

He stilled as he heard his name tumble from her lips, and then drew her nipple into his mouth with renewed vigor. Lorelai bucked beneath him, rubbing against him shamelessly as a hard knot of need tightened deep inside of her. She felt his hand glide down over her stomach, smoothly seeking the button on her jeans as she writhed mindlessly. "Hurry," she whispered.

"No," he replied stubbornly, but opened her jeans anyway.

"Need," she whispered, curling her fingernails into the smooth muscles at his shoulders.

"Want," he countered as he kissed his way down her flat stomach.

"Dying," she panted.

"No," he said as he drew her zipper down. He parted the snug denim, pressing his lips to the swath of pink cotton he unveiled. "Not dying," he said quietly as he looked up at her.

"No," she conceded, smoothing her hands gently over the hard planes of his back.

"We're having fun," he reminded her as he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her jeans.

"So much fun," she agreed as she raised her hips, encouraging his progress.

Luke stripped her jeans down over her long, lean thighs, his eyes locked on the scrap of pale pink cotton that spanned her hips. He wet his lips as he pulled her shoes from her feet and stripped her jeans and socks off. "Rory's gone all night?" he asked hoarsely.

"Yeah."

"You can stay a little while?" he asked, looking up at her hopefully.

A tiny frown creased her brow as she answered slowly, "Um, yeah, I guess."

Luke nodded once, and then backed off of the end of the bed, reaching for his belt buckle. "Can we call this first time a draw?" he asked as he opened his belt.

"First time?" she questioned as she struggled up onto her elbows.

"If this is the only time, I'm slowing this down, but if you don't have to get home, I'll go as fast as you want," he told her.

Lorelai bit her bottom lip as she studied him carefully. "I don't have to get home right away," she said quietly.

"Good," he said, toeing his boots off as he tore at the button fly of his jeans. Lorelai stared at him frankly as he pushed his jeans and briefs down over his hips, impatiently kicking them aside. He froze as he saw her staring at him wide eyed, and then glanced down at his naked body self-consciously. "Okay?" he asked, suddenly uncertain.

"More than okay," she answered, a slow smile curving her lips.

"We don't…"

"Oh yeah, we do," she replied, flopping back against his pillows as she held her arms out to him invitingly.

Luke planted one knee on the end of the bed and bent forward, keeping his eyes on hers as he lowered his lips to the thin cotton that covered her sex. Lorelai's body twitched, jolted by the intimate contact, and heating as his warm breath seeped through the fabric.

"Sorry, I'll go slower," he promised, his voice deep and raspy as he nuzzled her gently, inhaling the scent of her arousal.

"No, faster. Slow later," Lorelai said as she blinked up at the ceiling, trying to harness the surge of desire coursing through her body.

Luke pressed his tongue tentatively to the damp cotton, and was rewarded with a low, primal moan. He blinked as it suddenly occurred to him that this could all be new to her. "Is this okay?" he asked as he traced the path his tongue had just forged with his fingertips.

"Please," she whispered, willing to concede anything that could help alleviate the ache in her belly.

"You're beautiful," he murmured as he slowly inched her panties down.

"You don't have to say that," she responded automatically.

"I know I don't," he replied tersely as he scooted back, pulling the twisted cotton over her feet. He ran one hand up over her leg, relishing the feel of her smooth, supple skin against his palm as he urged her knee to bend. "But you are," he asserted as he stretched out on his stomach, pressing his lips gently to her folds.

"Oh God," Lorelai moaned as his tongue tickled the sensitive skin. "Oh God!" she cried out, sitting straight up on the bed as his tongue brushed over her clit.

"No?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she hissed as she fell back once more. "Oh, yes." Lorelai pushed her fingers into his hair, holding him there as she felt his lips curve against her.

Lorelai undulated against him wildly, gasping and whimpering as his tongue parted her. He pressed one hand to her hip, calming her movements as he stroked her silky skin. "Relax," he whispered. "This is fun."

"So much fun," she panted as he circled her clit again. "Too much fun," she asserted as another wave of sensation crashed over her.

Sensing her capitulation, Luke pressed into her, drawing her into his mouth and sucking gently as she bucked against him. Her uninhibited response could have hindered his progress, but he decided to go with it, matching her ardor with each stroke of his tongue. He pushed her higher, driving her up. He felt her tense, groaning against her as she drew her other leg up, trapping his head between thighs as tense as steel. He plunged his tongue into her, stroking her as hard as he could as she cried out, her fingers fisting in his hair. He continued to stroke her, riding each spasm as they ripped through her body.

When she slowed, her legs falling open as she melted bonelessly into the mattress, he looked up at her and found her staring at him wide-eyed. She blinked, and he rose up, unwilling to break eye contact. "Okay?" he asked breathlessly.

Lorelai laughed, the sound bubbling up from her stomach until it erupted in a joyous tinkle, filling the room. Luke's mouth quirked into a smile as he pressed his lips to her stomach and kissed her gently. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Mm hmm," she hummed, arching into his kiss.

"So that's the second way to shut you up," he said, kissing his way back up to her breasts.

"Yeah."

"Good information to have," he murmured as he nipped gently at one beaded nipple.

Lorelai ran her hands greedily over his neck, shoulders and back. "How 'bout you? You ready to have some fun?" she asked softly.

"That was fun," he murmured against her breast.

"More fun," she corrected.

Luke kissed his way up her chest, showering her throat with hot, wet kisses, and then reclaimed her mouth, letting her taste herself on his lips as he settled against the cradle of her hips. Lorelai moaned, pressing instinctively into his erection, trapping him against her body as she circled her hips enticingly.

"Stop, or it'll be over before it starts," he growled as he pulled back, looking down at her pressed into his pillow as he held himself high above her.

Lorelai grinned. "What do you say, Duke, wanna have some more fun?"

One corner of Luke's mouth lifted in a smirk as he lowered himself onto her again, her teasing taunt giving him the control he so desperately sought. "Yeah, I am," he said as the tip of his cock brushed against her damp curls.

"Go for it," she whispered.

Luke's eyes closed as he pressed into her. He bit his lip as he sank a little deeper, a sharp reminder to take it slow and let her adjust to him. He opened his eyes, checking her reaction as he tried to muster the strength to utter a single word.

Lorelai's lips curved into a smile of pure female satisfaction. "More than okay," she whispered, answering his unspoken question. "You feel so good."

Taking her at her word, Luke drew back slightly, and then sank into her a little deeper. He kept his eyes locked on her face, watching vigilantly for a wince or a flinch or anything that would tell him he had gone too far, too fast. When she rose up off of the pillow and backed her words up with a soft kiss, he pressed forward, filling her completely as she moaned her appreciation in his ear.

She began to move against him, and Luke pressed his face into her neck. "Hang on," he whispered, pressing his weight into her to still her movements.

"Sorry," she apologized breathlessly.

He shook his head and forced himself to swallow past the lump in his throat as he pushed back to look down at her. Her dark hair fanned out over his pillow and her lips parted, plump, red and rosy from his kisses. He blinked, knowing that that image of her would forever be imprinted in his mind, trumping any pale fantasy he had managed to muster up in the past five years.

Lorelai smiled tentatively, and he felt his own lips twitch in response. He began to move slowly, gathering every shred of his control and holding them fast as her tight walls pulled him deeper and deeper. She pulled her legs up, wrapping them around him and holding him to her, tattering what little control he had left.

"Sorry," he apologized breathlessly as he began to thrust faster, unable to resist the pull of her.

"This is fun," she whispered as she closed her eyes, completely giving herself over to the sensations he reawakened with each stroke.

A strangled laugh caught in his throat as he shifted higher, pushing into her from above. Distantly, he heard her moan, and prayed that the change in position could give her what she needed. He drove into her mindlessly, surrendering to lure of her heat. Luke could feel her tightening around him, and instinctively thrust harder and deeper, needing to fill her as completely as he possibly could.

His guttural grunts of exertion were met with her tiny whimpers of need. His lips sought hers blindly, fusing her to him as he drove blindly toward completion. Vaguely, he heard her whisper his name. Not Duke, but Luke. The sweet sound of it catapulted him over the edge as he emptied into her in hot, hard spurts. Lorelai clung to him, urging him on as she moaned softly, eager to follow him into that mindless bliss. Without conscious thought, he continued to stroke her feeling her walls clamp down on him, tugging at him so sweetly he wished he had more to give. She cried out again, this time his name echoing off of all four walls as she clawed at his back.

He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her sweet scent as she gasped for breath under him. He shifted slightly, lifting his chest off of hers, but pressing deeper into her neck as she struggled for air.

"Holy crap," she whispered, her breath stirring his hair.

Luke chuckled helplessly, seconding her assessment of their situation. He pressed a soft kiss to her hair and then mumbled, "I can do better."

Lorelai laughed, the sound warming him as her body clutched around him. "Can you? Can you really?" she asked. "God help us both."

March 2001

Sometimes a girl just feels a little lonely, you know? Sometimes a girl just needs a little positive reinforcement. She especially needs it when everything is swirling around her like she's Helen Hunt caught in the middle of a twister. There was Rory and Dean and the breakup with no explanation. There was Rachel in Luke's apron babbling about long nights and Excedrin PM. There was the steadfast, stubborn and utterly baffling refusal to wallow exhibited by her daughter. There was a grown man putting a sixteen year old boy in a headlock because he dared to hurt Rory. And through all of that, Lorelai could think of nothing but the aborted phone call she had dialed the night before. There had to be a reason for that, right? It had to be more than just a little loneliness or the jarring realization that someone else would be sleeping in Luke's teeny tiny bed. There must be something deeper, something calling to her, some kind of pull she felt but didn't want to think about. That had to be it, right?

Lorelai told herself that the sudden urge to borrow Sookie's car and show up at Max's door had to be something bigger than a reaction to the cows, tractors, ex-boyfriends and wayward girlfriends swirling around in this vortex that surrounded her. Otherwise, that would just make her a pathetic woman who runs from one man to another seeking something she doesn't want to admit she wants, and hiding from something she knows might be there if she looks hard enough. No, there had to be a deeper meaning. But as she rang the doorbell, the speech she had carefully composed on the drive to Hartford completely escaped her.

Suddenly faced with Max Medina, she babbled on and on about breakups and healing and moving on, and then segued smoothly into fire eating, sword swallowing and contortionism. And then suddenly, a seedling of truth broke free from the morass.

"I'm an idiot, and I'm a hypocrite and I really miss you," she concluded at last.

April 1997

Lorelai smiled up at the ceiling, her head cushioned on his bicep, and the sheet pulled demurely up over her breasts. "So then, she marched up to the blackboard, took the eraser from the teacher's hand, and erased half of the sentence, proclaiming to all within earshot that you should never, ever end a sentence with a preposition."

Luke chuckled. "They tried to suspend her for that?"

"They tried, but they didn't succeed," she answered with a grin. "They didn't know what disruptive was until I blew into that principal's office."

"I bet."

Lorelai smiled as she rolled over and pressed a kiss to his bare chest. "You know, don't you?" she teased.

"I witness it every day," he said dryly. He turned to look at her, tightening his arm around her and trailing his fingers lazily over her arm. "So, Rory's dad?" he asked leadingly.

"Is also very disruptive," she answered, her smile fading as she rolled onto her back once more.

"He's not around?"

"Oh, he blows in and out every once in a while," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"And you're okay with that?" he asked, incredulous.

"It is what it is, Luke," she stated flatly.

"But, he should…"

Lorelai shook her head, cutting him off as she rose up onto one elbow. "That's the way it's always been."

"But, she's…"

Lorelai pressed her finger to his lips, effectively silencing him. "We were sixteen when Rory was born. He had a right to his life just as I had a right to mine." When his lips parted again, she shook her head. "He's not a bad guy, Luke. He offered to do the right thing, I said no."

"But, Rory," he protested.

Lorelai shrugged helplessly. "I don't push it, neither does he," she said firmly. Luke tried to blink away his chagrin, his mouth tightening in disapproval. Lorelai bristled for a moment, and then softened, recognizing the need to protect Rory in his eyes. "We're fine the way we are. He doesn't interfere, and we don't make demands he can't fulfill."

"Still, doesn't she wonder…"

Lorelai smiled. "Not anymore. It was harder when she was younger, but now she kind of gets it, I think."

"You think?" he asked doubtfully.

Lorelai pressed her lips together, stubbornly refusing to debate this with him any longer. She lifted her chin and forced a quick smile. "I guess it's my turn to find ways to shut you up," she said as she pushed the sheet down and clambered on top of him, straddling his hips and staring down at him triumphantly. "Promises were made in an attempt to keep me here," she reminded him.

Luke grasped her hips to steady her and then let them slide into the dip of her waist before slowly moving them up over her ribcage. He tucked his chin to his chest and looked up at her through his lashes. "You intend to hold me to that, huh?"

Lorelai smiled and answered, "Only if you intend to hold me here."

He let his eyes slide slowly down her body, watching as she flushed slightly under the heat of his gaze. "Are you asking me what my intentions are?"

"Only if they can be fulfilled within the next thirty minutes," she replied smartly, glancing at the ancient alarm clock on his nightstand. "The clock is ticking, Duke, at midnight I turn into a pumpkin."

March 2001

Luke looked over at the alarm clock on his nightstand, squinting as he tried to read the hands on the softly glowing dial. He felt unsettled. It was more than the uncomfortable springs of his lumpy couch pressing into his body. It was a weight, pressing on his chest. Something had changed. Something other than the obvious.

Obviously the tousled strawberry-blond curls spilling over the edge of his bed signified a change. It was a change he wasn't sure that he welcomed. He just didn't know why. There was no reason why he shouldn't crawl into bed with Rachel. He had made no promises to anyone, and he had not asked for any in return. Still, he felt that niggling tingle of doubt. Of course, he doubted Rachel's commitment to staying. Commitment was even more foreign to her than it was to him. Like someone else he knew.

Luke blew out a breath and covered his eyes with his arm, trying to block out thoughts of Lorelai as he blocked out the mocking glow of his alarm clock, just as she had blocked him out at every turn.

April 1997

She kept her distance as she gathered her scattered clothing from the apartment floor, chattering nervously about all that she needed to accomplish the next day.

Luke hung back, giving her the space she so obviously needed as he began to dress.

"You don't have to," she said as she nodded to his bed.

"I need to close up," he reminded her.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that," she said with a giggle as she shimmied into her jeans.

He followed her down the stairs, wordlessly pouring coffee into a to-go cup as she hurried to the other side of the counter and shrugged into her coat. He circled the end of the counter, passing the carry-out cup to her as he reached to unlock the door. Lorelai smiled gratefully, and then ducked her head as she stepped out into the cool night air. "Thanks, Luke."

"No problem," he answered as he followed her out, pulling the door closed behind him.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna walk you home."

"Oh. You don't have to…" she began to protest.

"It's late, I'll walk you home," he answered, the finality in his tone telling her that he would brook no argument.

Lorelai nodded as she ducked her head again, nodding shyly as she started down the steps. Luke fell into step next to her, making no move to touch her as they walked through the silent streets. Unable to stand the oppressive quiet, Lorelai began rambling about this year's Spring Fling festival; regaling him with a self-congratulatory story about setting a limit on the number of costumes she would be responsible for that year.

"I mean, daffodils? Really? The kazillion tulips I made last year aren't good enough?" When he chuckled in response, she glanced over at him with a wry smile. "Taylor said we had to have fresh flowers, so I capped him at a dozen."

"That's twelve too many," Luke responded as they turned down her driveway.

Lorelai stopped just shy of the halo of light cast by the burning porch light. "Well, thanks for walking me home. And for the coffee," she added, toasting him with the cup.

"Uh, yeah, anytime," he said gruffly. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he rubbed his jaw nervously.

Lorelai backed away from him slowly as flashed him a brilliant smile, still hoisting her coffee cup, gratified as she saw the corners of his mouth turn down in his customary scowl. "You probably will. Goodnight," she called as she turned away and hurried for her door.

"Night," he answered softly, watching until he was certain she made it safely inside.

March 2001

She kicked herself all the way home. Only the fear of wrecking Sookie's car kept her from pounding her head against the steering wheel as she sped away from Hartford. She didn't know what she expected when she rang Max's doorbell, but she certainly didn't expect to turn into the slut of the century.

"Two guys in one week, classy," she chastised herself. "When you break a dry spell, you really smash it to pieces."

A soothing female voice seeped from the speakers, telling her to love someone tonight, and Lorelai snorted. "I did, I did," she answered the disembodied voice. "I did, and now I have to go buy soup and talk to some guy on the phone and I'm not even sure that he's the guy I want to be talking to," she babbled. "Oh God, she groaned as she gripped the steering wheel tighter and slowed as she approached the town square. She stared at the diner steps as she coasted past, and whispered, "Three guys in two weeks. All of a sudden, I'm a harlot, Delilah. Is that what you wanted?" she asked the sultry voiced announcer.

Lorelai turned the corner, heading directly to Sookie's house. When she pulled to a stop in the driveway, she saw that the lights were already out. With a gusty sigh, she pulled the keys from the ignition, and trudged tiredly to the front porch; depositing them in the mailbox before pulling her jacket closed around her.

Looking up as she reached the sidewalk, she allowed herself one quick peek at the windows above the diner. When saw the lights from the square reflected in the darkened panes, she turned away grimly and started for home; determined to drown a multitude of regrets in a half gallon of rocky road.

April 1997

Luke looked up as he saw Lane and Rory walk into the diner the following morning. He interrupted their chatter long enough to convince them that orange juice would be a much better choice than coffee, and then retreated to the sanctuary of his kitchen. When the bells rang again, he didn't need to look to know who the latest arrival would be.

Cradling two cups of orange juice in one hand, he snagged a mug and the coffee pot with the other, and took a deep breath before turning toward the dining room. Lorelai's back was to him as he approached, giving him another precious moment to compose his features.

When he placed the mug and coffee pot on the edge of the table to distribute the juice glasses, she reared back, smiling widely as she leered at the pot comically. Then, she turned her smile up a notch as she glanced up at him. "Well, good morning to you too, Duke," she said as she reached for the handle on the pot.

"You wish," he grumbled as he batted her hand away, watching as she yanked it back and cradled it to her chest dramatically.

"Duke, you're breaking my heart. I thought we were friends," she said with a pout.

"My name is Luke," he snarled as he filled her cup and then turned away. "If you want food, you're going to have to learn it," he told her as he stalked away.

Lorelai watched him go, a tiny smile threatening the credibility of her pronounced pout. She snorted as she turned back to the girls, lifting her cup to her lips as she muttered, "That'll be the day." She took a quick sip and then leaned forward, whispering conspiratorially, "Hey, you call him Luke; order me eggs over easy, bacon, sausage and a short stack."

March 2001

"Hey," she said softly as she knelt next to his couch/bed.

Luke slowly lowered his arm and blinked up at her, his fingers tentatively reaching out to touch the riot of curls that framed her face. "Am I keeping you up?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly.

Rachel smiled sadly and shook her head. "Maybe I can help you sleep," she whispered, tracing the angle of his jaw with one finger.

Luke swallowed his pride along with the lump in his throat as she stared down at him, her dark eyes drenched with genuine affection. He nodded slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting a little as he stared back at her soulfully. "Maybe you can," he whispered.

Rachel's smile warmed as she took his hand in hers and stood up, pulling on his arm gently. "Come on. Come to bed."

tbc