Call him. Go apologize. Rory's words flickered in her mind as Lorelai tried to get to sleep. She couldn't believe it had only been hours since their fight, it felt much longer than that.

Lorelai had realized as she listened to her daughter that Rory had been right all along. She couldn't just date Luke, their relationship couldn't be casual. It was obvious to her that Luke's feelings ran deeper than she realized. Rory had said he was probably upset because Lorelai hadn't realized the extent of hers yet, they weren't in the same place.

But as she lay there, in a bed that had so recently been warmed by Luke, she ached for him--the way he would hold her close when she couldn't sleep, the look on his face as she would blabber on about nothing. She groaned and grabbed the phone on her nightstand.

"This is Luke's. I'll be out of town for a few days but leave a message." Out of town? What the hell? Lorelai couldn't wait. Her relationship with Luke, not to mention their friendship, was on the line. She rolled out of bed, pulling on sweatpants and a different shirt. Grabbing her keys, she stepped out on the porch only to realize it was sprinkling, but she was pressed for time and dared not go back and get an umbrella. However, as she walked briskly to the diner, the drops feel faster and heavier against her. Speeding up to a run, Lorelai was soaked in seconds but the diner was just in view. Luke's truck was parked out front and as Lorelai squinted through the rain, she could make out a figure near it.

Sure enough, it was Luke securing a tarp to the back of his truck.

"Luke!" Lorelai's feet slapped through puddles.

"Lorelai?" Luke squinted against the rain as it bounced off the shoulders of his green jacket. "You're soaked!"

"You can't leave!" She cried over the downpour.

"Why the hell not?" Luke opened his door but Lorelai grabbed his arm so he was forced to face her.

"Because you can't—I—I love you!" Luke let go of the door and caught her in a tight embrace, his wet lips meeting hers, their soaked clothes sticking together. Lorelai, caught off guard, allowed herself to sink into the moment. She felt the slickness from the rain on his face as well as the roughness from the scruff he always seemed to refuse to shave. As he ran a hand along her neck and into her hair, she could feel her skin prickle along her back, her heart was beating so fast she feared it would burst. Her hands slid from his chest and wrapped around his neck, wanting him closer. As they broke apart slightly, she could see the glow in his eyes and she knew this kiss was a very very close second to the first one they had shared. Luke brushed away the raindrops from her cheeks with his thumb as he cupped her face. "I'm so sorry, I don't know why the invitation--" She tried to catch her breath as she began to speak. She wanted to explain, wanted to tell him she was sick of being afraid.

"I love you too," Luke interrupted her and the worried look disappeared from Lorelai's face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss.

"Let's go inside," he murmured as they broke apart. "We're a mess." He opened the door of the diner and they tripped inside, laughing and soaking the floor. Luke started a pot of coffee and leaned across the counter to kiss her again, his hands catching hers.

An involuntary gasp emitted from Lorelai's lips as they broke apart again. Luke, one of his hands still twined with hers, poured two cups of steaming coffee and passed one to her. "Angel," Lorelai smiled. Luke broke their grasp for a second as he came around the counter and sat on the stool next to Lorelai's, their knees touching. "I understand why you were upset," Lorelai admitted after a minute.

"Do you?" Luke raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not—I wasn't taking it seriously, but then when do I take anything seriously?" She said sarcastically, continuing. "And I was so caught up in how I felt that I didn't even consider how you felt. Selfish." She shook her head in amazement and droplets of water landed on the counter.

"Lorelai?" Luke put a hand on her shoulder so she turned toward him. "I want this to be good. We always seem to be fighting."

"Mmm," Lorelai objected as she sipped her coffee. "Sign of a good couple." Luke had to laugh at that. Lorelai shivered and Luke put a hand on her knee.

"Hey, you're freezing. I've got clothes upstairs," he offered.

"That would be great." A minute later, as Lorelai towel dried her hair, she was amazed to find that she wasn't freaking out at what she had just admitted. In spite of her soaked clothes, there was a warming in the pit of her stomach and everywhere Luke had touched her in the last ten minutes seemed to tingle. Luke left to change, leaving clothes for her. When he returned, Lorelai was buttoning up one of his many flannel shirts.

"Feel better?" Luke asked as he admired her hair, curling slightly as it dried. His sweatpants hung loosely on her but still managed to accent her curves.

"Very cozy." Lorelai tucked her legs beneath her. "So, do we need to talk?"

Luke sank down beside her and she curled up next to him, her hand on his chest, feeling him sigh. "I'm tired, Lorelai. As long as you promise not to freak out again..."

"I'll try, Luke."

"You want to stay?" Luke asked a moment later, his chin resting on her head.

"If you'll have me." Lorelai lifted her face towards him and Luke kissed her softly.

"Thank you," he whispered as she just smiled. He studied her face as she laid her head on his chest—her hair curled carefully around her face and she wore no makeup, her blue eyes bright. "You're beautiful," he let the words fall out of his mouth.

Lorelai blushed and looked down for a second. "Luke..." She didn't finish her thought as she was caught off guard by Luke's kiss. Everything seemed to go still—Lorelai couldn't hear the rain falling outside—it was just them. As Luke tried to pull away, Lorelai refused and pulled him back onto the couch with her. Luke's hand slid to the buttons on her shirt, slowly undoing them as Lorelai planted kisses along his jawline and nipping at his ear.

"Lorelai," Luke moaned softly. Neither of them were in any rush and a few minutes later they stumbled across to his bed.

"Wow," Lorelai said awhile later. She looked at the clock. "Like wow wow."

Luke chuckled. "I agree." Lorelai smiled as she traced her fingers along his tattoo. "So you didn't say all those things just to get me in bed again, did you?"

"Luke!" Lorelai exclaimed but noticed the smirk on his face. "Oh," she said bashfully. "But I did mean it."

"I love you," Luke still couldn't quite believe who he was saying this too.

"I love you too," Lorelai laced her fingers through his and pulled his arm tighter around her waist. "I just knew I couldn't lose you."

"Me either," he whispered, kissing her shoulder.

He couldn't imagine this town without Lorelai. The first day he had seen her was in 1987 or '88. It was close to Halloween and as usual, they were having a parade in the square. Rory had finished the whole parade but skinned her knee on the curb outside. Lorelai, in a maroon coat and jeans, her long hair curled at the ends, had entered the diner with Rory on her hip.

Do you have something for her? She fell and skinned her knee outside.

Luke looked at the tears in Rory's eyes, her face streaked with makeup. From the striped costume, Luke could tell she was supposed to be a tiger.

Sure, hold on. Luke had run upstairs and found a band aid and dampened a wash cloth.

Thanks so much, Lorelai had looked so relieved when he returned. Luke watched Lorelai pat Rory's wound clean and smooth the band aid over her tiny leg, kissing it as she was finished.

Luke stuck a couple of brownies in a bag as Lorelai finished up.

Here you go, sir, Lorelai had called. Thanks.

No problem. She seems like a quiet kid—love the costume.

Oh thanks, Lorelai had shot him a gorgeous smile. I made it. And yeah, she's a wonderful kid. I'm lucky.

I'm Luke.

I figured, Lorelai pointed to a menu. He nodded.

Are you from Stars Hollow? I haven't seen you before.

I haven't been here long. We live over by the inn, I work there. I'm Lorelai. This is Rory. The little girl waved up at him. He smiled.

Lorelai?

I know, it's a weird name.

No, it's nice. She blushed.

Thanks. Well thanks again for—

Any time. Oh here, he handed her the bag.

What's this?

It's on the house.

She blushed again. Thanks, Luke. Maybe I'll see you around.

Yeah, sure. Bye.

Happy Halloween! Rory had called and the last sound Luke heard was Lorelai's laugh. It wasn't until a couple years later that Luke noticed Rory playing with Lane Kim in front of Kim's Antiques. But then lost track of them both over the years and was distracted by Rachel as she packed up and left. It had probably been around the same time that Lorelai reappeared in the diner, this time with Sookie.

"What are you thinking about?" Lorelai interrupted his thoughts, smoothing back his hair.

"You," Luke answered. Lorelai blushed, the pink creeping into her cheeks as it had that day.

They lay there, their arms around each other, as they allowed themselves to be lulled asleep by the rain.

Lorelai woke suddenly in the middle of the night. Adjusting to the light, it dawned on her where she was as she felt her back still pressed against Luke's chest, his arm flung over her waist. Her hip bone was jutting into the bed uncomfortably so she slowly rolled over to her back, surprised she didn't half hang off the bed. She smiled at Luke's peaceful face as he slept. His mouth was slightly open, but in a cute way and his hair wasn't hidden under his baseball cap. How had she never realized how attractive he was? She knew he wasn't traditionally handsome but she had to admit no one looked better unshaven. And when his hazel eyes lit up, usually when he was questioning something she said, it made her insides melt. Not to mention his shy smile. God, he was perfect. She put a hand to his cheek for a second and closed her eyes, a smile on her face.