Lorelai didn't avoid the diner this time around.

She pretty much couldn't.

She now needed to feed her mother every morning. And living with her made The Coffee more necessary than ever.

And with the stress of the Inn's impending opening, her parents' separation, Emily as a roommate---for nearly a frickin' week already!, and whatever-the-hell it was going on with Luke, she also needed the reality check and normalcy of the diner too.

But, of course, it's not normal there. Not anymore.

Everything just feels weird and different. Not only because Emily is with her and Rory is not, but because of the kiss, because of the confrontation. And because Luke is different.

Something in him has changed.

He is polite and efficient as usual. And he and Emily are paradoxically extremely civil to one another. As if some sort of grudging respect had formed.

Nah, couldn't be that.

Maybe just a truce of some kind? Or, cease fire?

They did continue to eye one another pretty warily.

Creepy.

But Luke was changed toward Lorelai. It was hard to pinpoint just how as they all tread delicately around one another, but he was just no longer as warm and forthcoming to her as he had once been.

That much was clear.

Not that he ever had been warm really, but there had always been that 'Luke-thing' there for her before. She had counted on it in her life.

But since the scene at The Dragonfly, since the kiss it was... different.

For Luke's part, he just felt like he was biding his time. And though he kept telling himself that he would not renege on the promise he made to himself, (the promise to move forward) things had been getting increasingly complicated and confusing.

Maybe he should just forget it.

Lorelai only knew that the banter was gone. She didn't know what was turning over in Luke's head, and she sure as hell wasn't going to ask him.

Best to pretend everything is normal. For now.

And she knows too that she has not done right by Jason. And she is aware that somehow her mother knows this as well. She doesn't know exactly what Emily knows, or even how. But she knows all right. She knows something. She is, after all, quietly smug.

And that is damnably irritating!

Emily in turn keenly takes in Lorelai's world and, to her credit, actually heard Luke's words that night at The Dragonfly and has made a concerted effort to not be overly critical.

At least not in public.

She and Lorelai are into their fourth morning now, and therefore their fourth breakfast at the diner.

And now as Emily sipped at her coffee., it really was outstanding, she peered over the rim of her mug and watched the crowd, and Luke particularly, as he attended them, while Lorelai went through her notebook and sighed fretfully.

The list of tasks to be completed before the opening was growing exponentially.

Then Lorelai's cell rang and, as usual, Luke glared at her from across the room, something she now found oddly comforting for its familiarity.

Seeing that it was Jason, she went outside.

"Hey."

"Hey, how are things going with your roomie?"

Lorelai groaned.

"The first night we had a fight about which bed she should use. I wanted her to

take mine, she wanted to take Rory's. She took Rory's, of course, but then got on the phone to her furniture guy the next morning, and had three bookcases delivered for her books. Jason, the bookcases don't even fit in the room, so now they are standing in the kitchen, completely blocking the back door, presumably forever."

Jason laughed.

"And the second day, while I was at the market buying her Digestive Biscuits, she conscripted my neighbor Morrie from next door and re-arranged my living room. The poor guy had to move my couch three times."

"Efficient," commented Jason.

"And yesterday, she went through my closet and threw away my 'Porn Star' t-shirt and my Juicy Couture sweatpants. I got a deal on those, my friend. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a deal on Juicy Couture?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Jason laughed again.

"Hmm," said Lorelai, "Not going to ask on that one."

"Good idea," he agreed.

"So, how's my dad doing?" she asked then, dreading the answer.

"Not good," Jason had to admit. "He has been distracted, and he keeps wearing mismatched socks, but he hasn't mentioned a word about your mother."

"So he hasn't said anything? At all?" She's felt on the verge of hysteria now.

"Calm down, Lorelai, they've been married a long time. I'm sure they'll work it out. Hasn't your mother said anything to you?"

"You mean other than, 'What do you do---Paint your jeans on?"

"Yeah."

"No. She's a clam. She's a clammed-up, clammy clam! Whenever I bring it up, she just changes the subject."

Lorelai was pacing in front of Luke's now.

"Well, do you at least get a break when you go to the Inn?"

"No way! Do you think I'm going to leave her in my house unattended? God knows what she'll delete, decorate, discard, or ?" smiled Jason.

"Honey, my whole life is contraband in that woman's book," sighed Lorelai.

"Well, you haven't used that key I gave you yet...if you need a break..." Jason wheedled.

"Oh, Jason, that is probably the sweetest thing you've ever said to me."

"Yeah, well...I've got the jacuzzi tub, and the candles..."

"Pretty horny, huh?" she laughed.

"I think I'm offended!"

"Extremely horny, then?"

"Definitely."

Lorelai had to smile at that.

"I can't, Jason. I'd love to come over and... bathe... It sounds heavenly, but I can't. The Inn opens in four weeks, my mother has me under a microscope, and I haven't seen Rory in forever, and..." ...And I kissed Luke!

Oh, God, I kissed Luke! She remembers for the millionth time.

She just wants to scream and get it out and confessed and over with.

But she can't.

"And what?" prompted Jason, sympathetically.

"And, nothing," sighed Lorelai. "I've dumped on you enough already."

"Well, call me if there is anything I can do to alleviate your tension."

She laughed. He was being sweet.

"Okay, big boy. Thanks."

Lorelai hung up and walked back into the diner and sat as Luke walked over to top off their coffee.

"How was Jason?" smiled Emily.

"I didn't say I was talking to Jason..."

Luke put down the coffee pot and pulled out his order pad, decidedly not looking at Lorelai.

"Emily, the spinach is fresh this morning if you'd like another one of those omelettes..."

"Well, that would be lovely, Luke. I'll have bacon too, please, but only if you're making it. I don't want Ceasar's, his is far too greasy."

"Coming right up," he continued to focus on his pad. "Lorelai, the usual?"

"Yes, please."

Lorelai felt utterly deflated. Her world upside down. Like stepping through a mirror, or something. Some C. S. Lewis kind of Twilight Zone place where everything is wrong, or inside out or.. whatever...

She sighed and leaned her face into her hand.

"Luke," continued Emily. "I've been meaning to tell you how much I appreciate your 'No Cell Phone' rule. People are so rude with those things these days."

Luke nodded and left for the kitchen.

Lorelai could only stare at her mother in disbelief.

"Mom, can we talk, please?"

"Well, certainly Lorelai. What would you like to discuss?"

"Oh, I don't know. You being nice to Luke, perhaps? The end of the world? Which is surely drawing nigh as I speak. Or, how about You and Dad?!"

"Lorelai, I told you I don't want to talk about it. It is between your father and I. End of story."

"But, Mom..."

"Good morning, Patty!" Emily waved across the room then as the dance teacher came in.

Patty waved and smiled back.. "Hello, Emily, honey!"

"Such a colorful woman! And what a life she has lived." commented Emily happily. "Lorelai, this place is really rather quaint. I didn't remember it that way. I can see why you like it now."

"Mom, you aren't on vacation here... You aren't slumming..." Lorelai told her in exasperation.

"I know that, Lorelai."

"You just left your husband."

"I know that too."

"I'm worried about you."

"Lorelai, I know you are. But there is nothing you can do, other than extend your hospitality to me... Unless... Do you want me to leave?"

"No, Mom, of course not. That's not it."

"Is it the bookcases? Because I told you I'd have Gerard find some lower ones..."

"No, Mom! I just want you and Dad to work it out."

"I hope we will, Lorelai." said Emily sincerely then. "And I am planning to go back to the house tomorrow to talk to your father and prepare for Friday dinner for all of us. Does that

make you feel any better?"

"Yes, Mom, it does," admitted Lorelai, and she knew that this was all she was going to get for now.

"So, what's going on at the Inn today?" asked Emily with an eager gleam in her eye.

Lorelai smiled at her interest. It was sort of nice actually.

"Well, some more furniture is coming and hopefully the linens..."

"Oh, it's so exciting, Lorelai, it really is... "

And at that moment Lane arrived with their food.

"Hello Lane, it's so nice to see you again!"

"Well, thank you, Mrs. Gilmore. I put extra parsley on the plate just the way you like it."

"You are a sweet girl, Lane. I can see why you and Rory are such good friends."

"I miss her a lot."

"Oh, that gives me an idea. Come to dinner tomorrow night, Lane, as a treat for Rory. And you of course, too. It's just a little family thing we do..."

Having heard about these dinners for several years now, Lane cast a dubious eye at Lorelai.

"Well, Mrs. Gilmore, I don't know..."

"Mom, Lane probably has to work."

"Oh?" Emily looked disappointed. "Lorelai, go ask Luke if Lane can have the night off to come to dinner."

Lorelai and Lane exchange looks.

"Do you want to come, Lane?" Lorelai asked her.

For her part, Lane didn't want to be rude and she had been really missing Rory lately and, frankly, she was pretty curious about the whole Gilmore set-up.

"Yeah, Lorelai, that would be great. But I am supposed to work," and she glanced behind the counter where Luke was making coffee.

"See, Lorelai? Now go ask Luke. That man will do anything for you."

Lorelai glowered at her mother, but got up to cross to the counter.

They had to face each other alone at some point, she supposed.

Emily smiled as she watched Lorelai go.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke had retreated to the storeroom by this time, so Lorelai pushed the curtain aside and followed him in.

When she stepped into the room, she saw him slicing open a box filled with enormous jars of jam.

"Hey, hope you have some giant toast to go with that!" she tried lamely.

He looked up and stopped what he was doing.

"No giant toast," he said.

Was it her imagination or did he seem a little nervous too?

"Look..." --- "Look..."

They both began at the same time.

"You go ahead.."--- "You go ahead..."

Lorelai smiled at Luke, he ducked his head a little but then looked back and returned her smile.

"Luke, I know you're busy..."

"Lorelai, I want to apologize for the other night," he interrupted.

"Luke..."

"And, I want you to know that I also apologized to your mother."

"You did? When?"

"Just now, while you were outside on the phone. I should have done it sooner..."

"Wow. You really apologized?"

"Yeah," he looked away now. "It's just that I wanted to talk to you, Lorelai, that night.... I meanspecifically to you about some specific things. I had geared myself up for that, you know..." he looked at her hoping she would understand.

She did.

"And when I got there and you were flat on your back..." he paled a little at the memory.

"I did not faint," Lorelai put her hands on her hips.

He looked at her pointedly "...Well, when I found you resting on the porch there, it kinda freaked me out. I was worried about you. And then your mom was saying those things to you... I don't know, I just..."

Lorelai softened at all this, at his worry for her, his frustrated need to talk to her, his urge to take care of her, his anger when her mother lashed out.

"You felt like you needed to protect me?" she asked quietly.

"No," he demurred.

But when he looked down, Lorelai knew better.

"Oh Luke. I appreciate that. But with my mom... it's difficult to explain..." and, boy, was it ever. "I mean, odd as it sounds, I know she loves me."

He looked up at her now, listening, knowing this was difficult for her.

"The issue is that I'm not who she wants me to be... I know that sounds awful and, in fact, it kind of is... I mean, because of this I made a conscious effort for Rory to know that I only wanted what she wanted for herself, you know?"

Luke nodded.

"But, my mother does love me in her way, and she does want what's best for me. And yeah, I know, that it's only according to her definition of what's 'best' as you so gamely pointed out."

Luke flinched a little at the memory.

"But, we've actually come a long way, she and I. I mean I don't ever want to be her roommate for an extended period of time again, and I wouldn't admit it to her for all the coffee in Christendom, but the one thing I've learned about parenting as I've gotten older is that we're all just doing the best we can. And now I know that we've got to allow that leeway for our parents, too."

Luke caught his breath at all this from Lorelai.

"She's hurt and scared over this thing with my Dad, Luke. And just not dealing with it. It's like a little toddler who can't talk yet, so he hits his mom when he's angry. It's safe to hit her, see? He trusts that his mom won't hit him back or abandon him. Because she's his mom. And he's angry. And hasn't learned any other way of expressing it yet. So she lets him hit her until she can teach him to talk. I'm the mom in this scenario, by the way."

"Wow. How frighteningly mature of you," he marvelled.

"Yep," she agreed. "But, keep it to yourself. I have a rep."

"Right. But, Lorelai, I stand by what I did. I can't just be silent while things like that are said to you."

"I know, Luke. I know."

"It really wasn't any of my business. I know that."

"Luke, I hope I will always be your business."

And they looked at each other for a long moment.

"We kissed..." he finally said softly.

"Yeah, I know..." she nodded, her stomach tying up in a knot.

"Lorelai..." he tried, taking a step closer to her.

"No, Luke, not now... It's just all too much..." Lorelai felt tears forming. "The Inn.. my mom... everything's just so..." she lifted her hands a little trying to indicate just how overwhelmed she was feeling.

"It's all right, Lorelai," he said coming no closer.

"I am with someone. You are ending a marriage..."

He nodded.

"But here it is, Lorelai, here it is..."

"I don't trust it, Luke. I'm scared of it. I don't even know what it is."

They looked at each other again.

"So, Luke!" Lane suddenly popped her head into the storeroom. "Is it okay? Because I can work a double shift on Saturday if you like."

Luke and Lorelai both looked away.

As usual Lorelai rebounded first, "Luke, my mom was wondering if Lane could have tomorrow night off to have dinner with the Gilmores. She and Rory have really been missing each other."

"Oh, oops!" said Lane.

"No, that's fine, Lane. You don't have to work a double on Saturday, if you don't want to." said Luke, but he was looking at Lorelai again.

"Oh, thanks!" said Lane and went back to work.

"Luke..." said Lorelai.

"Never mind, Lorelai, maybe I'm just wrong," he tried to minimize the significance of everything

just said.

"No, Luke, don't do that. I just need..."

"I know," he nodded.

Lorelai nodded then too, hoping he understood that everything was just moving too fast for her.

"I better let you work," she said and turned to go.

Luke sighed.

Thinking of something then, she turned back, "So, what did she say, anyway?"

"Who?"

"Emily. When you apologized. What did she say?"

"She said 'Don't think a thing about it', and that she had been upset and had said things she didn't mean."

"Really? Huh. Guess my mom can be pretty smart sometimes. But if you repeat that, I'll have to kill you," smiled Lorelai. "So, are we good for now?"

"Yeah, we're good for now," but he couldn't bring himself to smile about it.

Lorelai turned to go anyway, but then quickly turned back one more time

"Hey. Thank you, by the way. The bathroom looks wonderful."

He nodded his acknowledgment then watched as she left.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And later as she drove Emily and herself to the Dragonfly, Lorelai reflected on what it meant to be on the brink of everything you've worked so hard for. Rory at Yale, Jason fun and attentive, and now the Inn too.

She smiled at that.

The Inn was going to be wonderful!

She just knew it was going to be a great success and not just in a business kind of way, but in the

deeper fulfilling way that only comes from creating something yourself.

There had been costs, of course. Her sanity among the prime contenders. And this thing with Luke was beyond puzzling to her. She didn't know what she was feeling. But things were stirring within, things that could only complicate matters. Things she really didn't want to think about.

"Gah! I don't want to think about it!" she barked aloud.

"You don't want to think about what?" asked a startled Emily.

Crap.

"Did I just say that out loud?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lorelai, Emily, Sookie, Jackson, and Michel spent the morning at the Inn, meeting deliveries and setting up what furniture and linens they had thus far. Lorelai had to admit that Emily really was a help.

Sure, she had to teach her how to make a bed and fold towels, but she couldn't have had a more enthusiastic student. Emily was willing to try just about anything, with varying degrees of success. Vacuuming the new area rugs; Not so great. Cuddling and entertaining little Davey while Sookie made lunch for them all; Surprisingly outstanding.

Then as they ate the plentiful lunch ('I have to break in my stove!' bubbled Sookie), they talked over the maid and gardener candidates that were coming in that afternoon, and those coming for the housekeeper position on Saturday. Michel was to interview them and was a little cranky that his office was not fully set up to conduct interviews in.

"I will be starting my position as manager at a disadvantage if all the relics of power are not in place from the get-go," he whined.

"Relics of power?" laughed Lorelai.

"Ignore her, Michel," Emily commiserated. And proceeded to give him tips on how to select staff that were actually quite helpful.

And while this was all going on, Emily advising Michel, Sookie bustling around, Lorelai cuddled a snoozy Davey and just took it all in.

And a sort of contentment spread over her.

It's really happening, she thought, as she watched the people she loved just as excited and involved as she was. And then she sighed a little. It would be just perfect if Rory and Luke were there too.

And she caught her breath at this.

Wait a minute... Luke?

Where did that come from? Why would it be perfect if Luke were here? Why not Jason? What was Luke to her?

He was her friend, she reminded herself. The dearest one she had perhaps. Certainly not Rory heights but definitely on par with Sookie.

Her friend. Her friend whom she had kissed. She felt her heart quicken a little.

She. Had. Kissed. Him.

And now Lorelai knew.

She realized that she was no longer panicking over the inappropriateness of the kiss, but was instead, excited by it. And it's possibilities. The possibility of it.

It with Luke?

Huh. Weird.

But she smiled anyway.

She got up from the kitchen table then and gently lay Davey in his Moses basket in the corner, looked over her shoulder and saw that everyone was occupied, and slipped out onto the back porch.

Michel's Chows got up lazily from the position they had claimed outside the backdoor and followed her down the steps and into the garden.

It was a beautiful day.

Warm and full of all the smells and sounds that make you feel good and breathe deep. Made you aware of the season's change. Made you think of flowered calico prints and cookies.

She walked over to the just-delivered teak bench that was under the soon-to-be-blooming cherry tree, and sat down to smooth a hand over each Chow's head and watch for awhile as Jackson worked on the herb and vegetable garden.

Then she reached in her pocket and pulled out her phone.

"Rory?"

"Hi, Mom."

It was good to hear her voice.

"Whatcha' doin'?"

"Staying out of the line of fire," said Rory darkly.

"Why? What's going on?"

Lorelai loved dish on the roommates.

"Tanna is devastated because she got a negative review on her Star Trek fan fiction piece."

"Oh, poor thing! Poor Geeky thing."

"Yeah, the reviewer said that the warp bending device she developed for her story was scientifically impossible, and that she writes character development like an adolescent cheerleader."

"Ouch. But I guess that makes the reviewer an even bigger Geek. Oh well, tell her they said the same thing about Einstein."

"But get this, the reviewer's name was 'French Metropolis' ."

"No!" shrieked Lorelai in delight. "I would have thought Paris would be more clever than that."

"I know and where does that girl find the time to do everything she does?" demanded Rory. "So what are you doing?"

"I am sitting at my beautiful Inn, missing my beautiful daughter."

"Oh, about that..."

"What?"

"Would you consider a tattoo a detriment or an enhancement to my beauty?"

"Well, if it is a tattoo of a delicious Twinkie, I'd have to say, enhancement."

"Oh, good. Made the right choice then!"

"Ha. Ha."

"I mean, I almost went with asparagus."

"An asparagus tattoo?"

"I just crossed the believability line, didn't I?"

"Yep, no turning back now."

"So, how's Grandma?"

"She's doing freakishly well, actually."

"Oh, wow."

"I know," nodded Lorelai.

"I went over to see Grandpa yesterday."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Mom, he's so sad. He won't really talk about it in a deep way, you know. But he said he's really been missing her."

"Oh, man," said Lorelai, knowing that this was quite an emotional admission for her father to make. "Rory, you are such a good kid. It must have meant a lot to him to have you there."

"Well, I'm worried about them."

"I know, honey, me too. But they've had a very strong marriage for four decades now, they even

survived me. Oh, but here's something cheery, or weird, can't decide which: Emily met Miss Patty and Babbette for lunch yesterday!"

"What?!" squeaked Rory.

"I know. I know. I don't even want to think about that conversation. But, apparently Emily is a 'real lady-like broad'; Miss Patty, 'quite colorful and exotic'; and Babette, 'a charmingly feisty little character'."

"Shut up! You are making that up!"

"Nope. All true. 'May the Coffee Run Dry, If it's a Lie," swore Lorelai solemnly.

"You are serious."

"Yes, I am."

"Still can't picture it."

"I know."

"Well, Mom, I gotta go. Paris is now looking up warp mechanics on the Star Trek site."

"Okay, see you tomorrow night, hun."

"See you tomorrow night."

Lorelai clicked off her phone. She always felt so much better after talking to Rory.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emily stopped at Luke's on her way to Hartford Friday morning.

It was the mid-morning lull, so the place was deserted. She walked to the counter.

"Good morning, Luke," she said with a smile.

If he would just shave and get some decent clothes.

"Emily, hey. I missed you and Lorelai this morning," said Luke looking up.

"Yes, Sookie wanted to try some breakfast items she's considering for the menu, so we had quite the spread at The Dragonfly."

"Well, that's good," said Luke as he poured her coffee. "You take cream, right?" he said, setting the pitcher down next to her.

"Yes, this is one Gilmore woman who is sensible about coffee," she laughed. "Though I can certainly see why yours is so addictive. It's a good thing I don't live around here all the time."

"So, heading back to Hartford this morning?"

Emily nodded and paused to sip the coffee.

"Luke, may I ask you a personal question?"

Luke looked like he wanted to answer in the negative.

"Sure, shoot."

"Is your marriage really over?"

"How did you know about that?"

"Patty and Babbette. And curiously, Richard's cousin Marilyn."

"What?"

"Nicole Leahy is her lawyer. She's contesting my mother-in-law's will."

"Oh," Luke shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't know."

"I'm sure you didn't. So, is it over?"

"What?"

"The marriage?"

"Look, Emily, I don't feel comfortable discussing this with you."

"It seems like a pretty impulsive thing to do, getting married on a cruise. Seems, perhaps, a little out of character," mused Emily.

"Still waters run deep."

Emily smiled in response. Cheeky, she thought.

"Did the break-up have anything to do with Lorelai?" she asked directly.

Luke sighed and looked at her, "Emily, I do not want to go another round with you."

"Is that your way of saying 'none of my business', Luke?"

He looked at her pointedly.

"Lorelai is my business, you know!" she snapped, miffed at not getting what she wanted.

He nodded, "I know that, Emily. But she is a grown woman and there are some things that are just hers to know."

"Mothers don't want to hear that."

"Yeah," he smiled. "Lorelai says stuff like that too. About Rory."

Emily took another thoughtful sip of coffee.

"Lorelai has done a great job with Rory."

"Yes, she has," Luke agreed.

"Seems that she had a lot of help through the years, from friends," she added pointedly.

"Don't know about that."

And a bit later when Emily stood to go, she tried a surprise attack just to keep him on his toes.

"Luke, why do you wear that baseball cap all the time?"

"We've got health codes in this state, Emily. Would you rather I wore a hair net?"

He had a point there.