Luke bounded down the stairs as fast as his legs would carry him. An old blue Thunderbird lay in the exact spot where two large windows had sat overlooking the town just the last time he passed through his diner. Kirk, he should have known Kirk had something to do with this, got out of the car with trembling legs. Lifting his hands into the air, he shouted to the crowd gathered outside, "I'm ok! I'm ok!"

The overwhelmed diner owner was in a daze as Taylor was in the process of explaining in the most pompous voice he could muster the situation that had led to this unfortunate accident. Truth be told, Taylor had been nervous since the beginning of his narrative because Luke had yet to explode on him as he always did. In fact, Taylor was willing to bet (and he was not a gambling man) that Luke hadn't even heard a word he had said. Indeed, he wasn't even completely sure if Luke had noticed that there was an actual car in his diner.

"So, Luke. I'm assuming here that since it was technically your building that did the damage to my car that your insurance is going to cover the cost of the destruction here?" Taylor weaseled, hoping that Luke's distraction would get him to agree.

"So, um, Luke. What do you want me to do here buddy? Do you want me to pull the car out now; or do you want to wait for the insurance guy to get here? You're the property owner, so you need to make a decision- and you need to make a decision now, 'cause otherwise I need to get out of here."

"Luke!" Taylor chastised, "Are you even listening to me? You could show some sympathy here. After all, it is my car here in your diner, my most prized possession…"

Luke had finally had enough, "All Right!" he yelled, "Listen up! I don't care what the hell you do with the car or the damage. Somebody close up the diner for me, throw a tarp over the hole…I don't care. I don't care! My fiancée, my future wife is missing, damnit, and I have to go and find her!" With a final nod for emphasis, Luke grabbed his keys and rushed out of the diner. Unfortunately, it took him about thirty minutes of wandering around the streets of the town before he realized he had no other place to look for her. She wouldn't have told her parents where she was going, especially if she hadn't even told Rory. Then Luke was suddenly struck with a horrifying thought.

What if she went back to him? No, no it's impossible. Luke was unsure of many things at the moment, but he was sure that the relationship that he and Lorelai had shared meant more to her than that. She was the one that had stayed by his side and remained faithful to him all those months despite the pain it was causing her. No, Lorelai had not gone to Christopher. She was the strong and true one of this relationship. He could not doubt that ever again. But he did always seem to show up when he and Lorelai were at their worst, didn't he?

Luke drove by Babbette and Morey's house to pick up Paul Anka before returning to the diner. He carried the dog up the stairs as he thought of how dark and lonely Lorelai's house looked. It was amazing how everything he knew and loved could change in a day. After settling Paul Anka into his new surroundings, he managed to call April and explain as much of his situation to her as he thought appropriate.

"No, no Dad, it's fine. I like Lorelai. You do what you have to do to get her back. I'll be right here when things settle." She had said to him after carefully listening to his predicament.

Luke had already missed so much of his daughter's life. He knew he couldn't stay away for too long. "I promise, we'll have you back here visiting as soon as everything is cleared up."

As they were saying their goodbyes for the evening, Luke felt the sudden urge to tell her. The abruptness of his estrangement with Lorelai made him realize that he should voice his feelings now before it was too late. "Hey kid?"

"Yeah Dad?" she replied simply.

"You know I love you, right sweetie?"

"Aw, Dad… I love you too."

And that was all he needed to hear from her.

Luke struggled with the sheets as he tossed and turned that night. The glistening sheen of sweat that covered his body shone in the moonlight and forced the sheets to stick to him all the more. Paul Anka lay reassuringly beside him, reaching his soft, wet nose out from time to time to comfort the troubled human beside him.

"Sorry, Luke," Lorelai leered at him, "My parents were right. Christopher is the better man for me. At least he isn't afraid to ask me to marry him."

She shoved a gold band into his face as she gazed longingly up at the man that had her in his arms. Christopher smiled down at her. Lowering his head, he pulled her into a rough, sloppy kiss- being sure that Luke saw his tongue glide smoothly across her lips. He smiled up at Luke and gave him a cheeky wink.

"Looks like I'm the one that got her this time, huh buddy?" Christopher sneered as he possessively draped his arm across Lorelai's neck and chest. "It just goes to show you- you can't marry outside of your class. She's beautiful, poised, of good breeding, and very wealthy. Why would she want to marry someone like you? It was only a matter of time before she returned to her parents' way of thinking. They like me better, you know."

"No!" Luke cried as he sat up suddenly, almost knocking the startled dog out of the bed. "No," he whispered to himself. "I haven't exhausted all the possibilities yet. I have to find her."

Despite the early hour, Luke threw on a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt, grabbed Paul Anka's leash, and prepared to search for his Lorelai until all the possibilities of her whereabouts had been explored.

Nearly 12 hours later, Luke placed the dog gently on the floor after carrying him up the stairs to the apartment and collapsed on the bed. It was over; he still couldn't find her. Thinking that perhaps she had gone to Yale despite Rory's absence, he had driven past every dormitory and apartment complex in the area hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Hell, he had even explored the town and driven past Hector's taco place. His emotional state had led him to believe that she had perhaps driven to Harvard, land of broken dreams and perhaps lost opportunities. He had thought of going to Maryland to look for her, but where on earth would he look? He couldn't exactly have combed the entire state looking for her. It was even possible that he was missing her in the places he was driving. Leaving her Jeep at home made her more difficult to find. Did she take a cab? Did someone pick her up? He figured while he was near Boston, he might as well drive past Christopher's place.

He had anxiously jammed the button of the elevator as the door closed. A queasy jolt in his stomach as the elevator ascended had reminded Luke that he had not eaten since the day before yesterday. Unconcerned, his thoughts had once again returned to his missing fiancée. No way in hell am I going in there if she isn't there, he had thought nervously. Oh baby, please don't be there. Don't be there. Please don't be there. Don't…

He had breathed a sigh of relief as he poked his head out onto Christopher's hallway and saw the very object of his loathing locking his front door and holding hands with the toddler beside him.

Crap, he had thought to himself as he jammed the "close door" button as fast as he could, come on…close!

Fortune was with him. For just as Christopher had turned around to head towards the elevator, the door closed and began its descent. Luke had leaned against the rail and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

That luck had continued to follow him to her parents' house. The maid had assured him that the Gilmores' were in Europe for the next couple of months and that no one else was staying at the estate besides the staff. While a part of him had wished that she had been there, he was most certainly grateful not to have to encounter the elder Gilmores' interrogations.

Luke adjusted his pillow and turned to stare at the dog laying beside him."Well, Paul Anka," he said with despair in his voice, "what do I do now?"