Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story idea.
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Later, after Rory had gone to bed, Lorelai sagged against Luke, scrunched up her face and said, "I cannot tell you how difficult that was."
"What?"
"Playing it cool."
"What are you talking about?"
Lorelai shook her head. "When you came out the front door, I knew something was wrong and I did a flashback of that awful night when Jess…well, you know what happened."
Luke nodded. He remembered that night.
"But I told myself to breathe and after the initial shock of seeing my child broken in half, AGAIN, well, it got a little easier."
Lorelai was sitting sideways on the couch with her legs up on Luke's lap. His cap was off and his arms rested lightly on her shins.
"She's fine," he said softly.
"Thank you so much for picking her up."
He shook his head. "Please. It was nothing."
There was a comfortable silence and then, "Have I told," Lorelai sang playfully, "you lately, that I LOVE you?"
Luke rolled his eyes and let his head fall back against the back of the couch. "Please?" he tried.
"Have I told you there's no one else a-BOVE you?"
"Seriously. Is there anything I can do to get you to stop singing?"
"You don't like my singing voice?"
He paused just long enough to insult her.
"Luke you've wounded me to my very soul."
"Good thing your soul isn't breakable," he replied.
"If you want, I'll let you make it up to me," she smiled.
Luke made a face. "I don't know."
"What? Why?"
"You think Rory will wake up and need something?"
"What, like a glass of water? She's been getting them for herself for years."
"Still, what if we both get up for the bathroom at the same time?"
"Luke, the first time was cute, now it's just weird."
"I mean it. How many men have you ever had sleep over?" At her expression he held up a hand. "That's not what I mean! I'm guessing that it wasn't a lot, that's my point. I just wonder if she'd be more comfortable with me sleeping at my place when she's here."
Lorelai considered this. "But I wanted to get lucky tonight," she pouted.
Luke smiled, "Well, that'll make tomorrow that much better."
"I think this might be the first time in the history of man where a guy turned down sex."
"Look, it's not that I don't want to, I just don't feel completely comfortable. I mean we're not alone."
"Okay Greta Garbo. You vant to be alone. I get it."
Luke stood up. "Good. Now, I gotta get to bed. You need me to tuck you in before I go?"
She smirked. "I got something you could tuck."
He rolled his eyes. "It's like you're a teenage boy."
"And proud of it." She walked him to the door.
"So I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast?"
"You'll probably see both of us."
"Okay. Good night."
She leaned in and kissed him good night. "Night. Love you."
Luke returned the kiss. "I love you, too."
~~
A/N: Ha! I LOVE that evil Nicole likes the Yankees! It makes my Luke hating them absolutely PERFECT! HA!
And on a saner note, I'm glad you guys are still enjoying this story. For those of you who caught that Lorelai was a bit out of character for the whole broken arm incident, I was trying to show that she's trying to grow up a little. Rory is in college now and Teach Me Tonight happened in Season Two, so almost two years ago in Gilmore Years. I hope this chapter reflected all this. If not, hey, it's not like I do this for a living, right?
I think I've finally made up my mind about Halloween costumes, but first: Emily and Richard! Stay tuned!
