Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in update. I offer this next chapter as penance. I don't own Gilmore Girls or this lovely song, which is slightly cliché, but it fits so well...

Something to Talk About by Bonnie Raitt...

I feel so foolish, I never noticed

You'd act so nervous, could you be falling for me

It took a rumor to make me wonder

Now I'm convinced I'm going under

Thinking 'bout you every day

Dreaming 'bout you every night

I'm hoping that you feel the same way

Now that we know it, let's really show it, darlin'

Let's give them something to talk about

A little mystery to figure out

Let's give them something to talk about

How about love, love, love, love

Lorelai quietly crept down the stairs from Luke's apartment into the diner. She stood out of sight for a moment and took a deep breath. She knew that she was going to be accosted once again by the busybodies of Stars Hollow, but Luke had thrown himself on the sword for Rory so now it was her turn to return the favor. She heard the excited hum of everyone talking and reflecting on the Great Luke/Lorelai Kiss of 2004. She braced herself and emerged into the diner.

"Lorelai Gilmore," Miss Patty exclaimed rushing over to her. "You sly girl," Miss Patty took Lorelai's arm and pulled her through the diner. "How long has this thing with Luke been going on? It couldn't have been long. And how dare you keep it a secret from us!"

"We're so happy for you doll," Babette said joining Patty and taking Lorelai's other arm. "And Luke! That man is a little piece of heaven. If I wasn't deliriously happy with Morey I tell ya I'd give that boy a run for his money."

"Wow," Lorelai said walking along with them. "That's probably more information than I needed Babette."

"Honey, I'm just saying. You've seen the man," Babette replied giving Lorelai a knowing elbow to the side.

"Oh Lorelai you simply must tell us, how long has this been going on?" Patty pressed.

"Uh, not that long Patty really," Lorelai replied still inching toward the door.

"Not that long like a day, a week? Or have you two been holding out on us for longer than that?" Babette said with a wink.

It seemed everyone in the diner was invested in this conversation. It was so quiet Lorelai swore she could hear the hash browns sizzle in the kitchen.

"Of course it's been longer than that Babette. Those two have been making eyes at each other for years," Patty offered.

"Yeah, but how long have they been together is what I want to know," Babette replied.

"We have not been making eyes at each for years," Lorelai lightly protested pulling her arms out of their grasp. She conveniently forgot all the moments of unspoken affection that had passed between them throughout the years. "Luke and I have been dating for about a week and while we're really happy that you're all so excited for us we'd kind of like to keep things low key," Lorelai explained.

"Low key? With the hello kiss he just gave you?" Babette said.

Lorelai blushed a little. She wasn't shy by any means, but dating Luke under the scrutiny of Stars Hollow was a little intimidating. She suddenly felt like she had signed up to be on the next Big Brother.

"Oh honey you and Luke were inevitable," Patty said. "But don't worry we'll be discrete," Patty offered.

"Thank you," Lorelai replied tucking her hair behind her ears, which she had a tendency to do when she was nervous. "I'm sure Luke would really appreciate it if you didn't make a big deal about it either."

Lorelai was inching closer and closer to the door. She could almost taste the sweet flavor of freedom. Of course that was when it became obvious to Lorelai that Babette and Patty were also inching closer to the door with her.

"So Lorelai," Patty lowered her voiced as she moved closer to Lorelai. "Do tell, how are things with Luke?" The gleam in Patty's eye made Lorelai very uncomfortable as she realized she wasn't asking about things in general, but rather, specific things that couples usually did together.

"Oh Patty," Lorelai said taken aback. "Um, things are you know, uh, private and I really don't think Luke would want me talking about—those things with you and half the town," Lorelai tried to respond diplomatically.

"Oh come on Lorelai, just between us girls," Patty said pulling Lorelai closer. "It's just that Luke seems so handy around the house I was wondering if he was just as handy in other areas?" Patty finished with a sly grin.

"Okay that's it," Lorelai said holding up her hands in mock surrender. "I have to go to work. I will see you all later I'm sure," Lorelai said abruptly as she struggled with the door and rushed across the street to her car.

The diner broke into a frenzy of excitement once she left. Half the town stayed to discuss the Luke and Lorelai relationship, while the other half left to inform those unfortunate townsfolk who didn't witness the historic good morning kiss between Luke and Lorelai. Luke, for his part, decided it would be best to stay upstairs until the breakfast rush was over. He had heard their interrogation of Lorelai and he wasn't in any hurry to go under the lights himself.

"Sookie," Lorelai called ad she dashed into the inn.

"In the kitchen honey," she heard Sookie call back.

Lorelai pushed through the kitchen door and threw her purse on the counter.

"Hey sweetie, I'm so excited!" Sookie said enthusiastically. "We open tomorrow! Aren't you excited?"

Lorelai smiled at her friend. "I'm very excited, but I need to talk to you before anyone else does," Lorelai replied smiling.

"Okay, what's up?" Sookie said as she stopped chopping the onions in front of her.

"Well I wanted to tell you something and other people already know, but I didn't mean for them to know they just found out so I don't want you to think I was trying to keep it from you because I wasn't," Lorelai inhaled deeply.

"Uh, okay. Did Luke happen to put speed in your coffee this morning?" Sookie laughed as she went back to chopping.

"No, but the something big has everything to do with Luke," Lorelai said trying to suppress the smile forming on her lips every time she mentioned Luke's name.

The tone in Lorelai's voice made Sookie disregard the onions again and she looked up and perched herself on a stool not far from her. "What? What happened?" Sookie asked.

"I'm dating Luke," Lorelai said with the smile and gayety of five year old.

"You're dating Luke?" Sookie asked excitedly. "When did this happen? Is that why he brought you flowers? Is that why you were upset the other day? What about Jason? Oh my God he was at the inn!" Sookie began babbling excitedly as she had a tendency to do when excited.

"Sookie, whoa, calm down," Lorelai laughed.

"I'm sorry sweetie I'm just so excited," Sookie replied standing with a bounce in her dismount from the stool. She walked over to Lorelai and gave her a hug. "I'm so happy for you! Oh wait, are you happy for you?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm really happy with Luke," Lorelai said smiling shyly. "I never understood what everyone was always talking about, but now I get it. I was so stupid," Lorelai admitted.

"Oh, it's okay honey, we know you were stupid for a while, but you're not anymore. Luke must be ecstatic!"

"Thanks a lot Sookie. It's not everyday he gets a catch like me!" Lorelai joked. They both giggled for a moment and then when it was quiet for a moment Lorelai said, "I told him I love him Sookie."

"What? When? You did?" Sookie was shocked.

"I know it's crazy, but we were together and it just sort of slipped out. But then I thought about it and I know it's true. I've always loved Luke it's just now I'm in love with Luke," Lorelai explained.

"What did he say?" Sookie asked incredulous.

"He said he loved me too," Lorelai replied shyly.

"Oh honey I'm so excited. You and Luke! Luke and you. Luke and Lorelai. Lorelai and Luke. Hey your names sound so good together!" Sookie continued happily. "Mrs. Lorelai Dan--," Sookie was cut of by Lorelai's hand falling firmly over her mouth.

"Sookie I love you, but please don't say it," Lorelai interrupted.

"Oh come on, you know you've thought it," Sookie said waving her index finger in front of Lorelai's face.

Lorelai looked down and the ground and shuffled her feet. The movement was quick, but not lost on Sookie.

"You have! You have thought about what your name would sound like with his," Sookie was hyper with excitement. It was like a two-year-old on a sugar rush. There was no calming her down.

"Maybe I have," Lorelai mumbled turning away from her and rooting around in the refrigerator. She wasn't hungry she just wanted to hide the crimson in her cheeks from Sookie.

"This is so exciting Lorelai," Sookie continued. "You should both some over for dinner with me and Jackson. We can do couple things! I've always wanted to do couple things."

"What are couple things exactly?" Lorelai asked taking a relish tray from the refrigerator and popping an olive in her mouth.

"You know. We could join a bowling league or a bridge club!"

"Don't you have to be at least sixty to join a bridge club?" Lorelai asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I never really thought about it. I guess it doesn't matter because I don't know how to play anyway. But, you never told me the how and the when of this happening," Sookie prodded Lorelai for details.

"Well you know we went to Liz's wedding together and things were kind of different. I wasn't sure what it was. So at the end of the night he asked me to go to a movie. I still wasn't sure if he meant as friends or more than friends, but the weird thing is that even if he meant it as more than friends it didn't completely freak me out. So I still wasn't sure how he felt, but then at the test run,"

"He brought you flowers!" Sookie finished for her giving her a light slap on the arm.

Lorelai smiled at Sookie's excitement and the thinking of the flowers Luke brought her. "Right and then Jason showed up. I guess they had a talk and Luke thought I was still with him," Lorelai said.

"Not good," Sookie replied looking distressed.

"No, not good, but instead of being the usual Luke and not saying anything about it he confronted me," Lorelai informed her.

"Luke confronted you?"

"Yeah he was being very macho and overprotective and saying things like he thought we were on the same page and that I was single, but he must have been wrong. So then I was trying to tell him that I was single and that we had a moment at the wedding and all of sudden he's swooping down on me like the Red Baron!" Lorelai said energized.

"He kissed you?" Sookie asked incredulously.

"Yeah and he took me completely by surprise. So I'm all 'what are you doing?' and he's all 'stand still' and all of sudden there I was kissing Luke."

"Then what happened?"

"Well I was shocked I mean Luke was kissing me so I kind of pulled away and my mind was racing. I was confused. It's like when William Hung sings. You're not sure if you should laugh or cry or feel bad for the poor guy. So then I just moved forward and kissed him again," Lorelai finished.

Sookie clapped her hands together excited. "You kissed him back? Good for you. We were all worried that even if Luke got the nerve to tell you how he felt you might, you know," Sookie said ashamed to finish her thought.

"Thanks a lot Sookie!" Lorelai said knowing Sookie thought she would freak out if Luke ever made a move on her. She playfully threw a stick of celery in her direction. "I'm not that bad am I?"

"Well sweetie you do tend to freak out sometimes," Sookie informed her.

"Well I didn't this time. I don't know what it was but it just felt so right."

"I'm happy for you," Sookie smiled at her. "But you still didn't mention how the whole town knows."

"Oh," Lorelai said. Sookie didn't know about Rory and Dean and Lorelai couldn't very well tell her that Luke was trying to protect her from the town finding about Rory and Dean's affair. "Well Patty and the rest of them were all really hyped up about Dean's marriage falling apart and they were kind of swarming me with questions about Rory and Luke stepped in and saved me," Lorelai stated.

"He saved you?" Sookie questioned.

"He kissed me in front of everyone to get them to stop asking me about Rory," Lorelai said dropping her face in her hands for a moment.

"Luke?" Sookie asked. Lorelai nodded. "Luke Danes? Luke who hates gossip, hates public displays of affection and covets his privacy?"

"Yes Sookie that Luke," Lorelai said.

"He must really have it bad for you," Sookie responded.

"Yeah, well the feeling is mutual," Lorelai replied her tone warm and affectionate.

"Aww, look at how giddy you are! You two are so perfect for each other! But what about Jason?" Sookie asked suddenly extremely concerned.

"It's over with Jason but for some reason he went all Sleeping with the Enemy on me saying we weren't broken up and that he wanted us to stay together. I told him in no uncertain terms we were over and I think he finally got it because he left and I haven't heard from him since," Lorelai said.

"Is he still suing your Dad?" Sookie asked.

"He wasn't, but I didn't exactly let him down easy so who knows?" Lorelai asked to no one in particular.

"Well I 'm sure it will all work out," Sookie said soothingly.

"Yeah, for the first time in a while I feel like things might just work out too," Lorelai smiled crunching on a cucumber slice. She silently thought that things were starting to fall into place for her, but simultaneously crumble for her daughter. She tried to push the thought out of her head as she organized the inn for the grand opening.

TBC