Disclaimer: I own nothing. I took that library book back... and I chewed the gum, so I have nothing. Sue me. Actually please don't. ;)

I'm sorry this chapter is so short. But I'm starting a new one as soon as I post this, so don't worry. I changed the rating cause I swore a couple times.

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"Luke..." Lorelai said, "I can't-"

Luke sighed, letting out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. He knew that this would have been too good to be true. "Never mind Lorelai. Never mind."

Luke turned his back and acted as if he was concentrating on something really important back there on the counter. Lorelai was near tears. How could he just give up on her? He knew how difficult this kind of thing had been for her in the past. Maybe he really didn't feel anything for her. Maybe it had all been her imagination. Stupid Sookie. Stupid Mom. She turned to leave, but realised that giving up wasn't going to get her an answer.

"Luke..." She started. He turned around as Lorelai's phone rang. Luke sighed and pointed to the "No cell phones" sign. She frowned at him as he turned away.

"What?" She said into the phone.

"Woah Mom, what's wrong?" Rory's voice came over the line.

"I'm sorry hun," Lorelai said, a little bit offhandedly. "I'm just...not having the best of all days." She looked pointedly at Luke's back.

"What happened?" Asked the younger Gilmore.

"I'll tell you about it later. So what new and exciting things has my daughter who heartlessly deserted me all summer been up to? Ready to come home yet?"

"Almost. I love it here, and Paris and I are getting along well, but I miss you. I miss everything! I miss Sookie and Grandma and Grandpa, and I miss Luke and Jess... I'm almost starting to miss Taylor."

"Oh, sweetie, you'll be home soon..."

"I know. Oh! Hey I've got to go! I'll call you before we leave tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok sweetie. Bye!"

"Bye!"

Lorelai clicked the off button, temporarily forgetting the little diner drama she was living. Then she saw Luke.

"Luke..." She started again.

"Lorelai, I hate to say this, I really do. But maybe you should figure out what it is you're feeling before you drop this whole thing onto me. You never know! It could just be a phase or, or something. But I don't want you going and saying all these things unless you mean them, ok? It would just be..." He sighed. "Too much."

Lorelai looked at him. He looked at the floor. She turned on her heel and walked out of the diner. Luke brought his head down on to the counter. Hard.

On the way home, Lorelai called Sookie.

"Sook?"

"Hey! How'd it go?"

"Horribly." Lorelai said, a lump growing in her throat. "It was a bad idea. Could you just tell Michel that I'm not coming back to work? That would be a great help."

"Honey, what happened?"

"I'll tell you later. Not now." Lorelai was crying now.

"Ok, I'll tell Michel. You go home."

"Thanks Sook." Lorelai said. "Bye."

"Bye" Sookie replied, hung up the phone and promptly made her way to Luke's.

When Sookie walked into the diner, Luke was standing at the counter with his back turned to her.

"What did you do?" Sookie said, furious.

"I was an asshole." Luke didn't turn around.

"Well DUH... a little more specific please."

"I was for her own good. And mine."

"Our best friend is probably at home crying right now! You say it was for her own good? Luke,-"

"I made her cry...?" He asked quietly.

"Damn straight you did!" Sookie said to Luke's back. "What did you say to her?"

"I said I didn't want this to just be a phase, I told her to sort out her feelings before she dumped them onto me." He turned around. "Sookie, I don't want her to... I don't want to get involved with her if she's just going to discard me. I wouldn't be able to handle it. You know that."

"But... you love her."

"That's the point."

"Luke-"

"I'm an asshole."

There was a long pause.

"I think you should talk to her."

"Sookie, no matter how harsh I might have sounded, I... I still think I'm right. I can't... I've been..."

Sookie looked at him. He looked so sad. She felt for him, she really did.

Luke continued. "I've just... I've been... you know... for so long and for her to just decide out of the blue that I wasn't Rory's dad so I can't be the one for her, I don't know. I just couldn't handle it. It would be too much. I want to make sure she's sure."

"I think she is."

"I'm not sure that's enough, Sookie." Luke smiled ruefully.