Thanks for all your nice reviews. And BIG THANKS to debbie... she's a great help!!! wink
So okay, here's the next chapter. Enjoy! :)

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Chapter 9

A few minutes later, Lorelai parked in front of the Inn. Grabbing the steering wheel tight, she let her head fall down onto her arms. She remained in this position a few minutes before she looked up again. A tear found its way down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her purse and got out of the car.

When she entered the Inn, Michel looked up from the front desk. "Finally!"

Lorelai slipped out of her coat and made her way to her small office without saying anything.

Frowning, Michel watched her, "Lorelai, we have...".

"Not now!" Lorelai didn't look at him, gesturing him that she really wasn't in the mood to talk.

"Excuse me but there's a problem." Michel tried it again.

"Then fix it."

"I would, but I don't know how." He stopped for a moment before he continued, "We're overbooked."

Stopping in her tracks, Lorelai turned around. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Okay, I'll explain it to you in easier words, so that you're able to understand it too. Not enough rooms for too many people."

She planted her hands on her hips, "I know what that means.

"Then why..."

"How could this happen?" she lifted a brow as Michel slanted her a look. "What? Do you wanna say this is my fault?"

"Well, actually..."

"Not everything around here is my fault." She claimed upset.

"Do you remember the incident yesterday?"

Hesitantly, she nodded. "Yes."

"Your fault!"

She glared at him, "You're the front desk manager, Michel. So fix it."

"Oh right. I blink and here are the missing rooms. Sorry but I don't have those skills."

"Oh pleeeease!" she said and walked to the computer. "Here. Three rooms are closed because of defect radiators. How many rooms do we need?"

"Two."

"Good."

"Good? It's cold outside. Don't you think our guests won't like to heat their rooms?"

Lorelai closed her eyes and let out a sigh, "That's why you're going to call Tom to fix them."

"But the appointment is for Tuesday. And the guests are coming tomorrow morning." Michel told her.

"Tell him we need him today." She grabbed a pile of folders and headed to her office.

"It's Sunday. I'm sure he's not pleased to work today."

"Oh well. I don't like that either but I'm here, am I?" she glanced over her shoulder to look at him. "What are you waiting for? Call him!"

"The world would be so much better without you." He muttered and grabbed the phone.

"I heard that." Lorelai shouted back at him before she slammed the door.

"We're moody today, aren't we." Michel rolled his eyes before he dialled Tom's number.

xxxxx

An hour later Lorelai walked into the kitchen to get some coffee. "Sook, coffee!"

"Hey Lorelai. Oh I'm sorry. I totally forgot but wait, I'll make you some." Sookie threw the towel over her shoulder and filled some coffee into the machine. "Have you seen Luke's picture in the Stars Hollow Gazette?" she asked, giggling. "I wonder who made this."

The mention of Luke brought everything back. Miss Patty's words about Rachel. How they kissed. The picture of Luke kissing another woman gave her a direct stab into her heart. So she turned on her heels, "I'll be back when the coffee is ready." She said and left the kitchen.

Sookie looked up and shook her head. What's wrong with her?

Two minutes later, Jackson entered the kitchen through the backdoor with the ordered vegetables and fruits. "Hey Sookie."

"Jackson . Why you're so late? Do you have my cucumbers? I need them for my sauce."

"Sure. Everything's in there." He placed the box on the counter and turned back to her. "You don't believe what happened."

"Why? What happened?" Sookie asked while she chopped the onions.

"Rachel is back."

Sookie stopped and looked at him, "Rachel? Luke's Rachel?"

Jackson nodded, "Babette told me a few minutes ago."

"Oh no. When?" she asked and both didn't notice Lorelai standing in the doorframe.

"This morning. Suddenly she was in the Diner."

"She came for a visit, right?"

"No no. I heard from Babette that she's back. For good!" Jackson explained.

"No way!" Sookie protested with wide eyes.

"They even kissed."

"What?"

"Yes. Seems like he really missed her. And if you're asking me, I think that Luke still loves her. Oh, I'm sure he does. Do you remember when Rachel left and how devastated he was?"

"But that was years ago." Sookie shook her head.

"You never forget the love of your life."

"You can't say..." she stopped when she surveyed Lorelai in the door.

Looking from one to the other she walked in and filled herself a mug of coffee. And before she left again, she took a glance at Jackson . "Hey."

"Hey Lorelai." He said. When he and Sookie where alone again, he turned to Sookie. "She's not very talkative today. What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know." Sookie lied though she knew it. She knew that Lorelai and Luke were seeing each other and that Lorelai apparently had of feelings for him.

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In the afternoon, Sookie decided to talk to Lorelai. She found her behind the front desk on the computer.

"Hey honey. How's everything?" she asked, carefully.

"Great." Lorelai replied without looking at her.

"It's just..." Sookie started.

"Michel, check if we have enough tablecloths for dinner." Lorelai ordered and scribbled something on a sheet of paper while Michel walked away, muttering.

"The thing with you and Luke..." Sookie tried again but Lorelai interrupted her.

"Don't!"

"But Lorelai..."

"No, I don't wanna talk about it."

"But..."

"Sookie, please. There is no Luke and I, and I was stupid to think there could be. I should've known."

"Don't say that. What if this is all a big misunderstanding?" Sookie threw in.

"Misunderstanding? Misunderstanding?" Lorelai looked up at her friend. "What is there to misunderstand? Either they kissed or they did not. In view of half of the people of Stars Hollow they apparently did. So what do you want me to think? What?"

"I'm sure there's an explanation for all of this."

Lorelai let out a sigh, "You know, I really had the feeling that Luke and I..." then she shook her head and continued with her work, "Forget it."

"Lorelai, please..."

"I have to go and check on Tom." Lorelai said and walked up the stairs.

Sookie looked at her sympathetically before she headed back into the kitchen.

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"Come on. Don't tell me you're tired already." Rachel looked at Luke and grinned.

They were in a State Park a few miles away from Hartford .

"No but we should talk now." Luke told her, heading to a bench.

"Hey, we still have so much time. We should enjoy the sunny weather as long as we can. Afterwards we have plenty of time to talk."

"No we don't, because I have to go back to the Diner. Cesar is alone. I can't leave him alone with all the work."

Sighing, she skated to the bench and sat down next to him. "Okay, you're right. Let's talk then."

"Good."

"What do you wanna talk about?" Rachel asked smiling.

"I wanna talk about us."

"Yes, nice topic." Rachel grinned.

"Tell me why did you come back." Luke asked, looking at her.

"I told you already. I missed you and I wanna be with you now." Before Rachel could grab his hand, he reached up to his baseball cap.

"But things have changed now, Rachel."

"I know that and maybe it's a good thing."

"A good thing?"

"Yes. Now could be the right time for us. We've changed and I know it's going to work now." Rachel nodded, smiling.

Luke shook his head and sighed, "Rachel, look. There's someone..." but he was interrupted by Rachel's cell phone.

"I'm sorry. Wait a minute." She said and took the call. "Hello? Oh hi Cybill. How's everything?"

Luke let out a prolonged sigh and shoved his hands over his face. He had to tell her everything. That he was with Lorelai now. That they were seeing each other and that he was happy with her. Very happy. And it shouldn't be that hard to tell her that he moved on. Without her.

xxxxxx

It was almost six when Lorelai arrived home. A note on the kitchen table told her that Rory was at Dean's. So she grabbed a box of cookies and headed upstairs into her bedroom where she let herself fall on the bed.

Sighing, she rolled on her side and perceived Luke's shirt on the chair on the other side of the room. She sat up and ran her fingers through her hair before her eyes fell back on the shirt. Slowly she got up and reached for it before she slipped into it and noticed that the shirt still smelled of Luke. It had it's own special scent. And it almost felt if Luke was with her. Holding her.

She slipped out of her shoes and skirt. All she was wearing now was Luke's too big shirt. This is the last time, she thought. Tomorrow I'll throw it away.

When she heard the front door, she walked down the stairs. "Rory, are you..." she stopped when she saw that Rory wasn't alone. Luke was there too. "...home?" she finished, their eyes meeting. They looked at each other for a few seconds until Luke started, "Lorelai."

Without saying anything, Lorelai turned round and walked back up the stairs into her bedroom.

"Lorelai. Wait." He shouted after her.

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To be continued.... Please R&R!