Just some dirty speculation….not going to happen this way… but its fun to fantasize while we are waiting. I own nothing.

AFTER

The applause faded and slowly the excited kids dropped their costumes off on Lorelai's table. She gathered the beards and threw them back into the shopping bag. She divided the clothes into piles; ones that needed dry cleaned, ones that needed washed and accessories that just needed to be put back in the prop room. Lorelai pulled her coat on and grabbed her sewing basket and all the extras she had brought. The sewing machine would just have to wait for the second trip. It was heavy and awkward and there wasn't anyone around that she would ask to help her. Well, Luke was still there but there was no way she would ask him.

After the little boys had dropped off their costumes, they surrounded Luke and started babbling. They thanked him for helping them build the sets and teaching them about the tools. Luke was secretly pleased but also saddened….there wasn't much chance that he would ever have a son now. He was getting older and his dating history screamed that he was going to be alone forever. It made him sadder than he expected because until this week he hadn't really realized how much fun little boys could be or how little girls could melt your heart by just looking up at you.

Luke gathered his tools together, grabbed his coat and headed out to his truck. He heard a faint laugh and was surprised to see Lorelai talking to one of the fathers. He recognized him right away. It was Matt Wilhelm, Attorney At Law. Luke knew this because he had used him for his divorce. Luke also knew that Matt was divorced and really wanted another woman in his life. They two men had discussed this one afternoon when Luke was in his office. Luke threw his tools in the truck and realized he had forgotten his saw. Angrily he got out of his truck and slammed the door muttering…..didn't take her long to move on. He practically ran into Crazy Carrie. She was holding his saw in her hands and had that stupid crazed look on her face. As if he would ever touch her again….yes it was true they had made out under the bleachers once. He'd been curious and a little horny and she was throwing herself at him. He was just seventeen for heavens sake.

Carrie handed him the saw and mentioned something about leaving his big tool around for just anyone to find…geez…and this woman was allowed to procreate?

Luke grabbed the tool and looking past Carrie he noticed Lorelai walking back into the school. "Thanks Carrie. Isn't that your little girl over there sitting on the steps?"

"Yeah, that's her. She's waiting for me to take her home." Carrie started to walk away but turned. "See you at the diner tomorrow Luke. Hey, if you ever need to talk or need a little cheering up, call me."

"Nah, I'm fine. I'm a big boy."

"Yeah, my point exactly."

Luke knew he'd stepped right into that one. He didn't watch her walk away. She was just too obvious and he wasn't that desperate. Hoped he never would be.

Luke threw the saw in the truck bed and headed back into the school. Lorelai was just walking through the door lugging her sewing machine.

"You shouldn't be lugging that thing around. It's too heavy."

"Too heavy for a defenseless woman." She spat back.

"You could have asked someone for help." Luke answered wounded by her tone.

"Kirk said it was too heavy for him and then Lulu offered but I'm perfectly capable of doing things all on my own." Lorelai spoke more softly this time, hurt more than angry.

"You should have asked Matt. He looked like he'd be willing to help you out with just about anything."

"Matt?"

"Yeah, the guy you were talking to out in the parking lot."

"Oh, that dad….the one who was telling me about the crush his son has on me."

"Yeah, as I remember you do like them young."

"Ouch."

"Sorry."

"I'm surprised you had time to notice. You and Carrie looked pretty cozy tonight."

"You have to be kidding. That woman, and I use the term loosely, is scary."

"Well, she seems to really like you."

"Yeah, well, there's no accounting for taste. Plus she has a husband, poor guy."

Lorelai grinned ignoring the pain she was feeling in her heart. If they were going to live in the same town somehow they were going to have to get used to running into each other.

Luke grabbed the sewing machine and carried it out to her car and placed it in the back.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Lorelai got in the jeep and drove off without another word. Luke felt stupid standing in the parking lot watching the back lights of the jeep fade away. He was just getting up his nerve to talk to her, really talk to her. He wanted to tell her to come back to the diner….hell, who was he fooling. He wanted to tell her to come back into his life.

Luke got in his truck and headed home but he had to take a turn down her street to make sure she got home safely. He saw her struggling a bit with the sewing machine and stopped to help.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Need some help?"

"Nope, I'm fine. I don't need help." Lorelai pulled the sewing machine out and headed toward the garage.

"Lorelai."

"I'm fine Luke really. Thanks anyway."

Luke started to get back in his truck when all the anger and frustration just hit him. He slammed the door shut and walked into her garage…the pink, the blue, the gold and flowers…it all just hit him. She was really walking away from him and anything that reminded her of him. And he wasn't going to take it one more second.

Lorelai looked at him and saw his expression and didn't know whether to be afraid or call 911. He looked confused and mad and irresistable all at once. And so they stood there in the garish garage and looked at each other; both holding their ground and not budging an inch. Until…one single tear fell from her eye.

Damn, she had been trying to hold back the tears, just until she could make it into her house. She had welled up during that stupid song…welled up because when they were talking about twenty-five years together and all of the ups and downs…well, she wanted those years with Luke. She wanted ups and downs, she wanted more children, she wanted it all and now she wasn't going to get it with him. And she wanted it with him and only him…she wanted twenty-five years, she wanted a hundred.

Lorelai felt his thumb on her check. He was rubbing the tear away and looking at her with such love. She caught her breath and put her hand over his. They stood that way for a few minutes and then Lorelai pulled away. It was just too painful and so she turned to head into the house.

Luke called her name, called it sweetly like he did when they were making love, sort of breathlessly. She turned and walked back to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. It all came so naturally after that….she kissed him, he kissed her back, they whispered words of love and pain and apology. She took his hands and led him into her house, up the stairway and into her room. She again wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips, separating them with her tongue. He pulled her tightly into his body and ran his hands down her back, resting them below her waist. They kissed hungrily…like they could never get enough. There was time to be made up for and passion to be met. Luke slowly undressed her and when she couldn't handle how slow things were going Lorelai hurried things along. Luke smiled at her lust and she smiled back and whispered a girl has needs.

Luke smiled and whispered back happy to be of service.

Lorelai laughed and playfully pushed him away. But Luke pulled her back not having any part of even the smallest separation. He looked into her eyes and spoke softly, "No more walls…I couldn't take it."

"No more walls I promise." She smiled through new tears.

"Lorelai I love you. I knew it before but I was afraid to say it. I tried to show it with my actions."

"You did."

"That song…you standing beside me but so far away….it broke my heart. I thought we were heading for those twenty-five years. I have all of this love for you and …."

"I love you too. The song….." Lorelai touched his face, "I want those twenty-five years too."

Luke smiled. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She answered in her sweet sexy voice…the voice that melted his heart every time.

Luke pushed her down on the bed and ran his fingers over the fullness of her breasts and the curves of her hips. . He covered her body with his and planted kisses down her neck. His lips found all of the same places his hands had just traveled. She caught her breath as he slowly took possession of her. He slipped into her and she held him tightly just wanting to enjoy this moment. The nights she had dreamed of him inside her again….moving like this….whispering her name…..bringing her to the absolute heights of passion…..and this was so much better.

Luke moved slowly and intensely. His body working hard in this labor of love and his eyes lost in hers. Pure passion swept over him and he closed his eyes as he caught his breath. So much like his dreams but so much sweeter….this had been earned and the words had finally been spoken. And they were finally really together….it wasn't a dream. Or maybe it was a dream come true….

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It's snowing and someone ask for something…..quick story….if you're checking for style don't bother…it's not here. Just a little something to get us through….