As Day Flies From Moonlight By Dulcey

Pairing: Luke/Lorelai and Rory/Dean

Disclaimer: Pretty standard, I own nothing and have nothing worth suing for. Except a huge mass of student loans, so if someone did want to sue me and then pay my loans, I wouldn't be too distraught.

Lyrics are by Rodgers and Hammerstein, from "South Pacific". Which has nothing to do with the plot, this particular song just seemed to fit with the theme of the story. This is set post-finale, but will have more of a focus on Luke and Dean's perspectives. If you like it, please let me know so that I can write more.

One dream in my heart,

One love to be living for,

One love to be living for

This nearly was mine.

One girl for my dream,

One partner in paradise,

This promise of paradise

This nearly was mine.

Close to my heart she came

Only to fly away,

Only to fly as day flies from moonlight

Now, now I'm alone,

Still dreamin' of paradise,

Still sayin' that paradise

Once nearly was mine

---South Pacific, "This Nearly Was Mine"

He heard about it from Lorelai first. He would hear the story again many times over the next few days, in numerous variations and from many people, but there was nothing anyone could say that could make his heart stop like Lorelai's words.

It had taken Luke over twenty minutes to chase down Kirk and bring him back to the inn. He had stopped by his apartment on the way back, to get Kirk a set of his clothes to wear, and he'd spent another five minutes sneaking Kirk around the inn to the back entrance, so the poor guy could put off the town's stares and gossip for another few hours. Finally Kirk was settled safely in his room with Lulu, and Luke was free to look for Lorelai.

She wasn't anywhere around the inn, he realized after half an hour's worth of searching. She wasn't answering her cell phone, and Jason was also nowhere to be found. Either Lorelai had forgotten something at home and had gone to retrieve it, or her ex had talked her into taking him back, and they were together at this very moment. But she couldn't be with him, because she'd told him she wasn't, and because she'd kissed him back and even though Lorelai Gilmore drove him crazy and drank way more coffee than could ever be healthy for a human being, he'd believed her when she said that her relationship was over and he knew that she wasn't with him now.

So that left Lorelai's house as the most likely place where she could be. Luke hesitated for a moment, then started to walk. He'd come to far to stop now.

He found Lorelai sitting alone on her porch, huddled under a blanket and hugging her knees to her chest. Luke approached her hesitantly, and when he got to the porch stairs he could see from her expression that something was definitely not okay here.

"Hi," he said quietly.

"Hi," she replied. Her eyes were red, but her voice was level and he knew that whatever had upset her, she was done crying for the moment.

"Can I sit down?" he asked. She nodded and he sunk down on the bench next to her. "I've been looking for you."

"Rory slept with Dean." She said it so calmly, like it was something that happened every day.

Luke knew now why she looked so upset. "Whoa. What?"

"I came to the house to look for Rory and I saw her come out of her room," Lorelai continued in that same calm, level tone. "With Dean."

"Maybe it wasn't what it looked like," Luke suggested, still trying to comprehend the magnitude of what Lorelai was telling him. "Maybe—"

Lorelai shook her head. "They did. She told me."

Luke felt a surge of anger towards Dean, followed quickly by guilt. He suddenly remembered the night before Dean's wedding, and what Dean had said before he'd fallen into a drunken sleep. Luke had never told anyone about what happened, and he wondered now if he should have. Maybe if he had, this wouldn't have happened. Dean wouldn't have married Lindsay, or maybe he would have but things still would have been different enough so that Rory hadn't slept with her married ex, and Lorelai wasn't sitting here two feet from him with that awful hurt look in her eyes.

He realized that Lorelai was still waiting for his response. He didn't know what to say. "Wow."

She nodded. "Yeah. Wow is right."

"Is Rory okay?" He wanted to ask if Lorelai was okay, to get her to talk to him and let it all out because he could see she was hurting and that she didn't want him to know how much. And that hurt, to be here with her and to know that just an hour ago he had been kissing her, but she still didn't trust him enough to let him know what she was really feeling.

Although you're really one to talk, Luke Danes, he though to himself. How long have you loved this woman, and how long did it take you to tell her how you really felt?

Actually, he hadn't actually told her yet. He'd just kissed her. Not exactly the same thing. And he sensed that with everything that had happened with Rory and Dean, the last thing Lorelai wanted was a Hallmark moment where he declared his everlasting love for her.

She was talking now, about how Rory was obviously upset, and things were a little rocky between the two of them but she thought they would be okay. And Rory had gone upstairs to sleep in Lorelai's bed and in the morning they would talk some more, and although she could still change her mind Rory would most likely be going to Europe with her grandmother for the summer. "And I know it sounds crazy," Lorelai continued, "but I think I'm going to go too."

Luke felt his jaw drop. He hadn't expected this. "But you hate your parents!"

"I don't hate my parents!" Lorelai bristled, her tone becoming defensive. "We don't see eye to eye on a lot of things and yes, they drive me crazy but I don't hate them!"

Luke held up his hands. "I'm sorry. You just surprised me, that's all."

Lorelai sighed. "I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just been a stressful evening."

Luke took a chance and picked up her hand, holding it between both of his. "I understand."

"I know, you must think I'm insane," Lorelai continued. "I mean, if you asked me yesterday I'd have told you that I'd rather have brain surgery with a pickaxe than spend a month in Europe with my mother. But I need to get away and get some space so I can think about everything. I'm glad you understand."

Luke dropped her hand, feeling hurt. "I understand why you snapped at me. Not why you suddenly want to go to Europe. Don't you have the Dragonfly to run?"

"I'd be here for the opening, and Sookie and Michel can run it without me for six weeks," Lorelai argued. "They'll be fine."

Luke summoned all his courage. "Does this decision have anything to do with what happened with us tonight?"

Lorelai caught his eye, then looked away. "Luke, please don't take this the wrong way—"

"So it does." He dropped his head, hoping Lorelai couldn't see how crushed he felt.

"Luke, listen to me," Lorelai pleaded, placing a hand on his arm. "I care about you and right now I'm so messed up that I'd eventually do something really stupid or maybe a lot of little stupid things that would wreck everything between us. And then there's Rory. She needs me right now, Luke."

"I know she does," he said quietly. "And if that's how you feel, then there's not much else I can say."

"Luke, you mean so much to me," she said softly. "I'm not saying that I don't have feelings for you, I just need some time to think so that I don't end up ruining everything like I've done with every other relationship I've ever had."

"I understand," he said again. And he did. It was breaking his heart, but he understood why she needed to go. "So when are you leaving?"

Lorelai slipped her hand into his. "I haven't talked to my mother, but soon, I suppose. Maybe in a couple of days."

Luke squeezed her hand, then stood up to go. "I'll see you when you get back, then."

"Absolutely," Lorelai agreed.

He bent down and kissed her, wondering when or if he would be able to kiss her again. "Goodbye, Lorelai."

"Goodbye Luke," she whispered.

He smiled at her, then turned to leave. He didn't look back as he walked away toward his apartment, but he knew she was watching him.