Chapter 15

"I'm sorry Luke. I'm so sorry."

"Lorelai…"

"Why didn't I go to work as usual? I wouldn't have opened that door and there would have been no fight and… and your shirt… why did I drop it there, I mean… I should've stored it in my room. Besides this… I so suck at lying. I really don't believe this… I mean, I lied to my parents like thousand times and it always worked. Well almost always. But today? I don't know… this whole situation… I…I couldn't even think… "

"Hey, would you please calm down?"

Lorelai sighed out heavily, "Luke, I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"No it's not. Nothing is okay, Luke."

"What are you talking about?"

Lorelai stayed silent and inhaled the scent of Luke's shirt. "This."

"What?"

"This whole thing, Luke. Maybe it's just wrong."

"What? Why are you saying this?"

"I have to go. Paperwork is waiting."

"Let's talk about this."

"I have to go. Bye." She said and ended the call. She curled up on the sofa and thought about Rachel's words.

xxxxxx

Luke looked at the phone before he put it back down.

What the hell happened over there?

"Cesar, can you do me a favour?" Luke asked.

"Sure, whatever you want, man."

"Good. You're in charge." Luke grabbed his car keys and hurried out of the Diner where he saw Rachel coming up to him but he ignored her. He climbed into his truck and made his way to Lorelai's house.

A few minutes later he headed up to her front door and rang the bell.

Groaning, Lorelai got up from the sofa and walked to the door. "You're better not coming back, Rachel." She opened the door and saw Luke. "Oh, hey."

"Can I come in?"

Lorelai shrugged and opened the door wider to let him in. "I was just busy. I don't really like this kind of stuff and I'm late and…" she said while she walked into the kitchen where she sat down on the chair, opening one of the folders.

"Lorelai?"

"I can't believe I have to do this. I didn't even finish my business class yet. I really should hire people to do that for me…." She flipped through the folder, avoiding Luke's gaze. "…otherwise I'll be the ruin of the hotel. I can see the headlines already." She shook her head with a sigh.

"Lorelai?"

"You want some coffee? No of course not. My mistake, you don't drink coffee but I really need one." She got up and walked over to grab the coffee pot and poured more coffee into her mug. Her hand was shaking slightly that half of the coffee spilled over the table and over her papers.

"Oh god, no no no." Immediately she searched for the kitchen towel. She soaked up the spilled coffee when she accidentally shoved her mug from the table and it shattered on the floor. "And it keeps getting better. Oh god, how stupid can one person be?" she asked, burying her face into her hands.

"Hey hey…" Luke walked over to her and turned her around to gather her into his arms. "Come here."

"Luke." Lorelai sobbed and glided her hands on his back, clutching his shirt tightly.

After a moment she pulled apart and looked on the floor, "Look what I've done, I have to clean this up." She was about to kneel down on the floor to pick up the pieces but Luke stopped her.

"No no, c'mon… let's go into the living room." He grabbed her hand to lead her out of the kitchen.

"But look at this. I can't…"

"I'll clean it up for you later." He walked with her to the sofa and gestured her to sit down.

Hesitantly she plopped onto the sofa where Luke joined her.

"Now tell me what happened?"

"You don't wanna know."

"I do wanna know." Luke nodded, raising his eyebrows.

"No, believe me. You don't."

"Lorelai, tell me."

Lorelai shook her head and looked away from him.

"What did you do? Strangle her and now you're hiding her dead body in the basement?"

"No." Lorelai shook her head, laughing. "I didn't."

"See, then what could be worse?" he asked, smiling.

"Well, let me think. Ah, yeah… me, lying dead in the basement for example?"

"Right. But as I can see, you're pretty much alive." He propped his elbow on the back of the couch while he was caressing her forearm. "So?"

She let out a sigh and turned to look at him. "Okay, good. Uhm... Rachel came and everything was fine. We drank coffee and then we talked and.. and the hint with the tool. Very clever. God, she enjoyed this so much."

"What?"

She ignored him and continued, "Later she asked me to use the bathroom where she found the shirt."

"What shirt?" Luke asked confused.

"Your shirt." She grabbed it and held it out to Luke. "This shirt. Remember? The one I wouldn't give you back. And she asked me all those questions and pointed out that it's yours because she bought it for you years ago. Can you believe this? From all the shirts in your closet I picked the one from Rachel. You could've told me."

"I don't even remember she gave me a shirt one day. What happened then?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, then? Well, I denied everything. But then she pointed out that we're having an affair behind her back and that I stole you from her. Can you believe this? God! And that's how the fight began because I couldn't let her say those things. Maybe I should've ignored her, but I couldn't. And I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about."

"Sure there is. It's all my fault. You know me. You know that I can't stop when I get angry."

"Hey, what are you saying. It's not your fault."

Lorelai nodded, "Yes, it is."

"No, it's my fault. I should've told her earlier what's going on between us. Then nothing of this would've happened."

Lorelai thought for a moment before she turned to look at him, "You're right. It is your fault." A slow smile was forming on her lips.

"See." He reached for her hand and intertwined her fingers with his.

"But there's more." She looked down at their hands.

"Okay."

"Uhm, after I told her that we're seeing each other and that we're dating..." she looked up at him, "...wait. Dating? We didn't even have a date yet."

"I know but we will."

"Really?"

"Sure."

"I mean, she told me that you're coming back to her anyway. And…and maybe she's right. She was your first love. And you never forget the first love and... and if there's a chance to go back to her, then you don't..."

"The fact that she was my first love doesn't make her my true love."

"No?"

"No!" Luke said, shaking his head. "Or what do you think? Is Christopher your true love?" he asked carefully.

He was right. Christopher was her first boyfriend and her first love. And maybe at the age of fifteen, she pictured how her life would be with him. But not today, not anymore. She barely saw him the last years, just when he came by for a short visit to see his daughter. And these times were so rare that she could count them on one hand.

No, these times were she pictured a life with Christopher were definitely over.

What Lorelai really needed in her life was something constant. Or better someone. And this someone was Luke. And he was it over all those years even if she didn't see it. Or wanna see it. But now she knew that she didn't want to lose this. Long years of friendship, where both were able to depend on each other, in whatever situation. In good times, or bad times. Yes, she definitely didn't want to lose this.

"Lorelai?"

She blinked and looked at him. Luke's eyes were focused on her, waiting for an answer. She could see a sudden expression of uncertainty on his face as she didn't answer him.

She lifted a hand on his cheek, running her fingertips slightly over his stubble. Finally she whispered, "No, he's not."

His expression softened and his lips twitched into a smile, "Good."

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Hold me, please."

Without saying anything, he pulled her close. Her head rested against his chest while his hands went around her waist, slowly rubbing her back.

After a few minutes Lorelai pulled apart to look at him, "I don't wanna lose you, Luke." She whispered.

"You won't."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I won't let it happen." He brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, still looking at her.

"But what if…"

"Stop being so pessimistic, Lorelai. That's so not you."

"I know." She sighed, looking down.

"And now smile."

"What am I? A dog?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure if dogs can smile." Luke pointed out.

She looked up and a slow smile spread into her feature.

"That's better."

"So, what are we going to do know? I mean, about Rachel?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, I'm going to tell her that I want her out of my apartment, as soon as possible. But I assume that she'll leave Stars Hollow anyway. I'm sure she doesn't want to stay now that she knows about us."

"I hope so." Lorelai said and looked at Luke, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"No, it's okay. I don't want her here anyway."

"You know what? I think it's better if we don't tell them."

"Tell what? And who?"

"The town. The people. About us. I don't want them to think that I'm the reason that you broke up with Rachel."

"In some way, you are the reason." he smiled. "But you didn't destroy anything. It was over a long time."

"Anyway, I don't want any gossip. Just for the next few days, okay?"

"Sure. I don't want that eiter." Luke nodded, smiling.

Lorelai nodded and looked at her watch, "Oh no, it's almost eleven and I haven't done anything. Michel is so going to kill me."

"And I have to go back to the Diner." He got up from the sofa.

"Do you have a few more minutes?" she looked at him.

"Sure. Why?"

"Just have to get dressed. I'll be right back." She headed upstairs while Luke walked into the kitchen to clean the floor from the shattered glass.

xxxxxxx

"You want me to give you a ride?" Luke asked her, while they walked to their cars.

"Nah, it's okay. I'll take my jeep." Lorelai said and opened the door of her car to climb in.

"Okay." He closed the door and looked at her through the open window. "You okay now?"

She turned to look at him and nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Good. Don't let this thing with Rachel get to you. Promise me that, okay? That's not worth it."

"I know." She smiled, "I'm glad you came to my house even if you should be at the Diner right now."

"You're welcome." He looked at her hesitantly.

"Now you see how irresistible I am." She said grinning.

"Definitely."

"Luke? When will be our first date?" she asked curiously, biting her lower lip.

"When do you want it to be?"

"Hmm…" she scratched her chin before she looked back at him, "…soon."

"Okay, then soon." Luke answered, smiling.

She looked at the clock in her jeep, "Okay, I really gotta go now. I'll come to the Diner later today."

"Okay, I'm waiting for you. And so is my coffee."

"Sounds good. And what about a burger? Fries? Pie? Pancakes?" she asked him with a little voice.

"Lorelai."

"Okay okay." She gave him her sweetest smile, "See you later."

"Yeah, later." He looked at her.

"Bye." She hesitated a moment before she reached behind his neck and pulled him down into a gentle kiss.

"Maybe we should…" he started after they pulled apart but Lorelai pulled him down for a second his. Luke grabbed the window frame of her car tightly while he was half leaning inside her car.

"Bye!" she grinned and started her car.

xxxxx

Around Lunchtime

Lorelai entered the Diner, "Luuuke, I need coffee." She began and watched him taking orders on one of the tables.

"Hey." He made his way into the kitchen and Lorelai groaned.

"Luke, where are you going? I need coffee."

"Just a second." He gave her one last glance before he disappeared into the kitchen.

"Hey Lorelai." Kirk greeted her. "Hold on. He'll be right back."

"Gah!" Lorelai let out and walked behind the counter.

"What are you doing? Luke doesn't want people behind his counter." Kirk told her, shaking his head.

"I know, I know." She grabbed a mug and poured some coffee into it.

"Hey, what are you doing back here?" she heard a voice behind her and turned round, watching him over the rim over her mug while she was drinking her coffee. When she emptied her mug, she placed it on the counter and looked back at him, batting her eyelashes ever so innocently. "Why?"

He couldn't help but smile at her expression but he tried to stay serious.

"Uhm, you wouldn't give me coffee."

"That's not true. I told you I'll be right back to give you your coffee." He watched her as she refilled her coffee cup.

"I just…" she glanced at him, "…I'm just trying to relieve you from some of your work. You should be thankful." She nodded and took a sip from her second cup.

"You do know that this…" he gestured around, "…is working area. My working area. Which means, you can come back here when you're working here. Not when you're a customer." He told her seriously because he knew that Kirk was watching them from the other side of the counter.

Lorelai grinned, "I know. But I'm not any customer. I'm your customer of the week. No, the month. No no no, the year. I keep this business of yours alive. Without me you wouldn't have that much income."

Luke rolled his eyes and tried to hide his smile. "Says who?"

"Well…" she looked around and then pointed at herself, "…me of course."

"Who would have thought it." He chuckled.

"So." Lorelai began.

"So?"

Lorelai took a quick glance at Kirk who was still watching them while he ate his piece of pie. "Uhm, I was wondering if…"

"The thing we talked about earlier?" Luke asked, curiously.

She nodded slowly, "Did you…"

"No. Not yet. I…" he shifted uncomfortably with his feet because he knew that Kirk followed their conversation, "I couldn't find… you know."

"Oh, okay." Lorelai nodded, "But today… you wanted to do it today, right?"

"Sure."

"Good." She smiled at him and after a few seconds of silence she continued, "I assume that you don't like it if I go into the kitchen and…"

"No." he shoved her away from behind the counter.

"Okay okay." She laughed, "Just joking. Cheeseburger and fries." She told him while she walked to one of the tables.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

She sat down on one of the chairs when the door opened and Rachel walked in.

It was right then, when Luke came back out of the kitchen to bring her more coffee when he saw Rachel. With a quick glance at Lorelai he turned to Rachel and began, "Finally."

Rachel saw Lorelai and rolled her eyes, "Is she always there?"

"Excuse me?" Lorelai looked up from her calender, frowning.

"Yes but that's none of your business." Luke told her, "We're going upstairs. I want to talk to you about something."

"About what?" Rachel asked him with her hands on her hips.

"Upstairs." he pointed with his head towards the stairs.

"If there's something you wanna tell me, then do it here."

"Rachel."

"What Luke? What do you wanna tell me that you can't tell me here, in front of all those people. What?"

Luke leaned forward and whispered angrily, "I warn you, don't make a scene."

Rachels eyes grew wide, "If I'm making a scene, then it is your fault."

Luke shook his head in frustration and took a deep breath, "Come upstairs and we discuss everything." He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the stairs to his apartment.

xxxxxxx

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