A/N

So I know I only just updated yesterday, but I decided to post this one as well.

I hope you all enjoy it!

Please let me know what you think, I love all the reviews!

Thank you so much for your continued support!

x

"Can I go to school today? Please?" Rory begged, her face hopeful.

"You know that you are the only kid in the world asking that question right? Most children would love an excuse not to go to school," Lorelai responded, half amused and half exasperated.

"I'm fine now, 100% better," Rory pleaded.

Lorelai eyed her daughter, she knew that Rory was fine now, she had eaten normal food yesterday and had managed to keep it all down but she was worried about sending her to school too soon, "It's only been 3 days since you got out of the hospital, just take the rest of the week off school and go back Monday."

"I can't afford to miss any more school, not if I want to get into Harvard."

Lorelai felt herself wavering, just like she always did when Rory mentioned Harvard, it was their dream and they were working so hard for it, "Fine, but we are going to Luke's first and if you can't eat pancakes I'm bringing you straight home." Lorelai pointed a threatening finger at her daughter.

Rory squealed with excitement, dashing towards her bedroom and shouting over her shoulder, "Yes! We need to thank Luke anyway for all the food."

Lorelai laughed at her daughter, she definitely got an unusual one, she didn't know any other 12 year old kid that was so focused.

She headed to her room to get changed, feeling relieved that she was going to see Luke. They hadn't seen him since that day at the hospital and Lorelai felt guilty whenever she thought of him. He had sent Caesar along with a care package for them, three times a day, everyday since getting home, like clockwork, but whenever Lorelai had tried to phone the diner to talk to him, he had always been too busy. Today she was going to make him listen to her. She knew that she had hurt him by not telling Rory about his involvement in getting her to the hospital, but she hadn't wanted Rory to ask awkward questions. Questions like, "What happened on your date?" and "Why did you go to Luke's afterwards?" Of course the minute Luke had left, Rory had asked those exact questions and Lorelai didn't have a good enough answer for the second one. Why did she go to Luke's? She had just wanted to talk to him, he was safe and dependable and was quickly becoming one of her closest friends. When she had said this to Rory her daughter had pointed out that she could have gone to Sookie's instead, after all she was her best friend. Lorelai had had no answer to that and instead had told Rory to focus on getting better.

Lorelai sighed heavily and focused on getting dressed.

In next to no time the Gilmore girls were heading towards the diner, being stopped along the way by residents eager to check on Rory, "I'm going to be late to school if this carries on," Rory mumbled after they had managed to shake Miss Patty.

Lorelai laughed, "They are just concerned about you, crazy, but concerned."

Rory sighed dramatically, "I know they are, but I feel like I've been hugged by the entire town and school starts in half an hour. Oh, and have you noticed that we are being followed?"

Lorelai glanced over her should and sure enough Kirk was trailing behind them, he had said something about making sure Rory reached her destination safely before falling behind them. "Yeah, well it's your fault for being so cute. I can walk around this place on my own without getting any hugs or stalkers."

Rory flushed bright red, "I'm not cute. Besides, men drawl all over you all of the time."

Lorelai looked at her daughter with some surprise, it was the first time she had heard Rory say anything like that before, "Men do not drawl."

"Oh come on, all it takes is one conversation and they're in love with you, I mean, take Luke for instan-"

"Rory!" Lorelai said sharply, eyeing her daughter. She had gotten used to the whole town gossiping about her and Luke but she hadn't expected Rory to have noticed anything like that, "Men do not love me, and Luke certainly doesn't. What's gotten in to you?"

Rory stared at the ground mutinously, "I'm not stupid you know. I see the way he looks at you and I hear what the town says. So are you going to date him?"

Lorelai did not want to talk about this right now but needed to set her daughter straight, "There is nothing between Luke and me! We are just friends, there will be no dating."

"But why? We like Luke"

Lorelai stopped in her tracks and turned to face Rory. She was surprised, Rory never talked about the men in Lorelai's life, she didn't even know that they existed half the time, but if she didn't know better Rory wanted her to date Luke. "You want me to date Luke?"

Rory shrugged, "I like Luke and you like him too. He in nice and he can fix things around the house and stuff."

"Rory you don't date someone because they can fix stuff around your house. Well, you could, but it seems easier to just call a repairman if you ask me," Lorelai said with a smile, trying to make a joke.

Rory glared at her mum, "I know that. I just mean, he does stuff for us that no one else does. He makes us food-"

"He does that for every-"

Rory ignored her mothers interruption, "He made my bed and-"

"Because he is our friend Ro-"

"He drove you to the hospital-"

"Yeah because I was with him when I got the cal-"

"And he visited me the day after and-"

"Because he likes you ki-"

"He sent food for us everyday since I've been home. I like Luke."

Having finished her speech Rory tore off towards the diner, leaving Lorelai shocked and in her wake. "Rory!" she called.

Rory ignored her mother and headed into the diner, by the time Lorelai entered Rory was holding onto a muffin and was talking earnestly to Luke. Lorelai only caught the tail end of the conversation.

"-feeling much better thank you. Thank you for all the food too, it was all really tasty."

"Don't mention it. I'm just glad that you're well enough for school."

Luke smiled down at Rory, and Lorelai felt her stomach do a somersault, maybe letting Rory get this close to him wasn't such a good idea after all.

Rory turned accusing eyes on Lorelai, held up her muffin and said, "I'm going to be late for school, so I got this to go. I will talk to you later."

"If you feel even a little ill you tell the nurse and I will pick you up," Lorelai called to her retreating back. She had no idea how the morning had gone so awry and slumped into a seat at the counter.

Luke poured her a coffee without saying a word and Lorelai watched him as she took a sip, sighing in pleasure when it hit her tongue. Luke stomped around the diner, grumpier than normal and barely looking in Lorelai's direction.

"Yoohoo, Luuuuuke," she called out to him, waving a napkin in his direction.

She heard Luke sigh and watched as he made his way towards her.

"What do you want?" he asked gruffly, still not making eye contact.

"Pancakes. Lot's and lot's of pancakes."

Luke nodded and walked away without saying a word.

Lorelai continued to watch him, trying to figure out how to get him on his own so she could apologise without the whole town hearing, when he headed into the back room. Lorelai decided to follow him, trying not to giggle and feeling like a naughty school-girl as she crept around the counter, he was going to be so mad at her, but mad was better than cold.

He had his back to her, digging around in a massive box at his feet. Lorelai took in the room she was now in, she had never seen it before, and was surprised at how big it was, even though it was overflowing with stock. She gently closed the door behind her, glad when it didn't make a sound.

"Hey, Luke, I think we should talk," she said tentatively, watching as his shoulders tensed.

Luke swung around, eyes narrowed and spitting fire as he observed Lorelai, "What the hell are you doing back here? My insurance doesn't cover anyone who doesn't work here. If a can fell on your head and killed you then I would be in big trouble. Get out!"

Lorelai held up her hands in a placating gesture, "I promise to look out for falling cans."

Luke stalked towards her, "This is my diner Lorelai. My diner, my rules. Get out of here."

"We need to talk-"

Luke interrupted her harshly, "No! We don't, it's fine, we're fine, just go back out front."

"Luke-"

"There is nothing to talk about Lorelai, not a damned thing."

"I'm sorry ok?" Lorelai yelled before he could stop her.

"And I've told you there is nothing to be sorry for!" Luke yelled back, uncaring that the buzz from the diner had quietened significantly, meaning they were all listening to this exchange.

Lorelai was breathing hard, her anger getting the best of her. Luke was being obstinate. She made a concentrated effort to lower her voice, "Look, I just wanted to make sure that we were ok. I needed to thank you for everything that you did for me and Rory."

Luke ran a hand over his hat, "I told you we are fine. There is no need to thank me."

"There is every reason to thank you. You didn't have to do any of it!" Lorelai said emphatically.

Luke stepped closer to her, invading Lorelai's personal space, but she didn't care, she couldn't force herself to move away from him. "I did have to do it. I couldn't not help you. I would do anything to help you, to help you both."

Lorelai closed her eyes, "Luke..." she trailed off pathetically. The tension in the room had increased ten-fold, she was pressed up against the door with Luke hovering over her, she could feel herself brushing against him as she took steadying breaths.

"What do you want from me Lorelai?" he whispered softly.

Lorelai opened her eyes and locked gazes with him, he was so close that she could see every detail of his blues eyes. She tried to take a deep breath but her senses were flooded with the smell of him, he smelt fresh and clean and manly, she felt herself trembling, "I don't know" she whispered.

Luke closed the gap, crushing his lips against hers in a punishing kiss. Lorelai felt it in every fibre of her being, her heart skipped a beat and it felt like liquid fire was flooding through her veins. She moaned softly, bringing her hands up and around his neck, pulling him closer. He ran his hands down her back, sending electricity shooting through her wherever they touched. They were pressed together so tightly that it was hard to tell where one began and the other ended.

When they finally broke the kiss they were both breathing heavily. Lorelai stared at him in shock, she couldn't believe that she had just let that happen. She disentangled herself and smoothed down her clothes with a shaky hand. Luke took a couple of steps back and took a deep, steadying breath.

Lorelai didn't know what to think or what to feel, all she knew was that she had to get out of there. She opened the door, taking a final look at Luke before she fled.