A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, I was on vacation. Thank you so much for reading and for your comments!

Last time..."Luke," she sighed. "Let go of me. It hasn't been a good week. I just want to go upstairs and go to bed."

"Lorelai, why are you acting like this?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No, it's not! I realize I know you pretty well, Lorelai, but I'm not a mind reader!" Her face softened for a second and he thought maybe she was going to cave, but instead she swung around and stomped up the stairs. "I'm not leaving!" Luke called after her.

"Something's wrong with me, Sook."

"Oh no, hon. Feeling bad? You look a little peaky."

Lorelai shook her night, sitting down at the counter across from her best friend. "I don't mean physically. So I have this great man who's been pining after me for years, I mean, according to you and everyone else in the town. And then when he finally comes over I start freaking out. He was just trying to help and now I'm having all these doubts, and oh God, what is wrong with me? Why do I feel like I have to run away all the time?"

"You've been alone for so long." Sookie said quietly, squeezing Lorelai's shoulder. "I mean not alone, but you've been independent. It's just been you and Rory. But Luke is so sweet. You know that. And he cares about you so much, you just have to let him in. It'll turn out fine, I promise."

"God, you make so much sense. You know I hate you for that?"

"I know, that's what I'm here for." Sookie handed Lorelai a cookie to munch on. "So are you going to see him anytime soon?"

"Tonight," Lorelai said thoughtfully. "I was so awful last night." She put her head in her hands.

"He'll understand."

"I know, that's just the thing. He doesn't let me get away with acting like a child," she smiled in spite of herself and Sookie giggled.

"I think he's just what you need."

Lorelai nodded sadly. Then why am I so scared? She asked herself as she slipped out into the lobby of the inn.

When Lorelai returned home, Luke was sitting on her porch steps.

"I came to see if you were okay or if you wanted to yell at me some more." Lorleai cringed.

"I have a lot on my mind; I didn't mean to take it out on you. You don't deserve that."

"Maybe I should let you work out whatever you need before we—if we're--" Lorelai felt a pang in her chest at the thought of losing Luke. She had messed this up and now she had to fix it.

She dropped down beside him and shook her head. "No, I was wrong last night. The thing is, I do need you. Now more than ever," she sighed and wondered if Luke knew how much she trusted him. "I tend to run away from things a lot—my parents, situations I'm not comfortable in, love. I'm afraid Rory is the same way. I need to not run away from this—from the inn, from not being able to help my daughter be happy, and from you," she choked out.

"You can't run away from everything Lorelai, one day you're going to end up running away from something you really want."

Lorelai sighed in exasperation. "I know that. But I'm scared Luke. I'm more scared now than—Rory said something to me about how I couldn't mess this up because it was you. And I can't lose you, Luke. You're my friend, my repairman, my coffee man, burger boy--"

"And you don't think I'm scared about this? But what if we don't try? How do you know?"

"How do you know? Luke, we could ruin this!" She gestured to them and hit his chest.

"Because I've seen you mess up, Lorelai. That's how I know. And I know how I feel about you, okay? The flowers, the movies I don't do that for a lot of people! And you'd just give up on all that because you're scared, because you're not sure?" Luke stopped to catch his breath for a minute and was then suddenly all too aware of Lorelai's tear stained in front of him. "Oh God, Lorelai, I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "It's my—its okay." Luke hugged her close, her tears soaking the collar of his shirt.

"I've messed up too, Lorelai. But I think this is what I need. I at least want to try, alright?" He pulled back to look at her and she tried to smile up at him.

"Me too, I'm sorry, I do want to work through this and--" Luke cut her off, pressing his lips to hers. He wiped her eyes with his thumb.

Lorelai whispered, "If Babette catches us necking on the porch we'll never heard the end of it."

Luke groaned. "Necking? Is that like parking?"

Lorelai led him inside. "Hmm, I think it has a slightly different connotation." She wandered over to the fridge, which of course held miscellaneous items not fit for human consumption. "Why do I bother?" She turned back to Luke. "Hey, it's early. Did you close up already?" People might get suspicious, she thought. The last thing I need is for this to get broadcasted all over town.

"No, Cesar's closing up for me. And don't worry, I'm being extra careful about our situation."

"Our situation?" Lorelai mocked confusion.

"You know—that we're," he sighed in frustration. "That you're my girlfriend."

Lorelai smiled so big she thought her cheeks would fall off. "You are the cutest thing."

"I am not cute," Luke huffed. Lorelai pulled him towards her and gave him a long kiss. "Ok, maybe I could be." He grinned, bending down to kiss her again, her body pressed into his.

"Thank you," she said quietly as they broke apart. "I appreciate you trying to be discrete. I don't need everyone in town asking me about you. Not that I'm embarrassed," she covered quickly. "But I've had to dodge questions about Rory for about a week and it's already driving me nuts."

"You're already nuts." Luke responded without blinking.

"You know what I mean," she smirked. "So are you going to be a nice boyfriend and take me to eat or are we going to stand five inches apart in the kitchen that has no food?"

Luke stepped toward her for another kiss. "Well the kitchen is tempting, but I know you're cranky without food."

"You're such a good provider," Lorelai sighed as they left by the back door. She then noticed the absence of Luke's truck. "Wow, you really are being discrete. Did you hide it around the block or something? I always thought that was kind of obvious in spy movies when people park outside in a big van to bug your house or whatever. Wouldn't you notice?"

"Excuse me, Inspector Closeau, but no, my truck's at the diner. I walked."

Lorelai shrugged. "Oh alright, I'll drive then."

"God help us all." Luke climbed in beside her and buckled his seat belt tightly.