Okay here's the next chapter, it's a little shorter than the rest, but I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading...please review!

Chapter Ten Anything but Sweet

Work was going well for Lorelai, and she seemed to have her life on track. She had worked out a system, spending two days a week at the company's property in New Jersey, and the remaining days at the office. She'd gotten to know her coworkers and had settled in well, earning their friendships and respect. On the outside it seemed as if her life was going well, like she was happy again. She even had Rory fooled...most of the time, but Rory didn't know about her long nights.

Gradually those nights were taking a toll on her though. Lorelai just wasn't sleeping. Lying in bed at night, she couldn't stop her thoughts, like she could during the day. Night after night she stared at the ceiling, trying to keep from thinking of him. Eventually she'd either drift into a shallow and restless sleep, or she'd give up trying, choosing rather to get some work done or watch television. The nights she did sleep, she usually dreamt, and her dreams were anything but sweet. They always ended with her jerking awake, sweaty and sobbing. In the past few weeks she'd gotten to a point where she'd stopped even trying to go to bed. Instead she drank loads of coffee during the day, and wore make up to cover the circles under her eyes.

Eventually the nights took a more visable toll on her, making her unhappiness known to Rory and Julie. Between the two of them, they tried their hardest to keep her mind off of him, but there was always something that brought her back to Luke, simple things like a baseball cap or even a stupid jar of jam had the ability to send her into a depression.

As bad as she felt, and as much as she missed him, she had to admit that things were getting a little better. As the days went by, she was gradually returning to her former self. She was spending more time out of her apartment, cracking some jokes again, even venturing into the corner diner with Julie without turning pale. All of her progress was soon erased, however, in one moment, when she was hit by a sudden realization while lying in bed one night.

The next morning Julie was on the phone with her now steady boyfriend Danny Lambert, when Lorelai came rushing into her office, looking scared and worried.

"That would be gr- Oh. my. Danny, I'm gonna have to call you back." she said hurriedly and hung up. "Oh my God Lorelai, what's wrong!" She said worriedly as she stood up, ushering Lorelai into the office and closing the door behind her.

"I'm late and I just ate an apple." Lorelai announced, and promptly sank into the nearest chair, burying her face in her hands.

I know, I know cliffhanger...Review please!