A New Day

By sacara

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. I just borrow them and promise to bring them back all well and happy.

A/N: Firstly I want to thank you for the feedback! I love it. I will try to make the chapters longer, as requested  -

To Nycgirl: Did everything else happen between Luke and Lorelai – Yes, they also had the moment in Luke's Diner when Lorelai painted the walls. I think Rachel left because she believed she was ready to settle down and yet wasn't. She may have sensed the feelings Lorelai had but she didn't say anything to Luke. The rest was very much like on the show. Luke's always there for Lorelai and they're close friends. Luke didn't have the dream of Lorelai before the cruise with Nicole. Lorelai had her flings and short affairs, and she had Max whom she believed was in love with, but she realized very early that Luke was the one she really truly madly deeply loved. ... I hope I was able to answer your questions :) ... I definitely will spend time on Rory and Sookie and of course will tell you all the details and the background and will describe Luke's thoughts. Just give me some time. I don't plan on finishing the story so soon:)

If you have further questions or suggestions – anytime :)

Thanks again for the interest.

Lorelai slept bad this night. She tossed and turned and woke every few hours to find out it still wasn't early enough to get up. She should try and sleep she told herself. It was Sunday after all and she was supposed to rest she reminded herself. It was no use. Finally at 2.30 a.m. she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

She awoke with the sound of someone roaming about the house. Either it was a burglar or it was Rory. It had more or less the same effect if you took her state of tiredness into account. Lorelai felt as if she was even too tired too sleep. She was exhausted and her whole body ached. Her head – did it still belong to the rest of her body?

It felt as if someone tried to pierce her brain with tiny hot nails. Had she been drunk yesterday and didn't know?

Well, it was definitely too less sleep and too much brooding and what good had it done anyway? Not a darn thing. She still was embarrassed as hell and felt as if she were sixteen again and had a schoolboy-crush which nobody was supposed to know of.

And if it wasn't enough she craved a cup of coffee and didn't know where to go to get it. He had the best coffee on the whole wide world. It did all go very wrong, but what had she expected?

"Mum?" there was someone knocking quietly on the door.

Well of course it was Rory.

"Yes, sweets! I'm awake. Come on in!" Rory entered and sat down on the edge of her mother's bed. She noticed the dark circles around her mother's eyes, and looked at her concernedly.

"Mum you look terrible! Are you sick?" Rory asked.

Lorelai sighed. It figured.

"No honey. I just don't feel well. It'll pass. So, what are you doing home? I thought you said you couldn't come this weekend?"

"Yeah, but I already finished the essay that's due on Tuesday yesterday evening and so I thought I'd spend the Sunday with my mother. I missed you mum. The last time we spend time with each other, I don't know. It was weeks ago, wasn't it?"

Lorelai was touched. She missed Rory as well and she needed her. She felt so grateful that her daughter was home. Tears welled up and she gripped Rory by the arms and embraced her forcefully.

"I missed you two my little darling!" Lorelai whispered.

Rory felt like she was being crushed and sensed that something definitely was wrong with her mother. She carefully wound out of Lorelai's grip and gazed at her anxiously.

"Mum, tell me what's wrong! I know you, you're not your usual self. You're starting to scare me!"

Lorelai looked at Rory kind of desperately. Should she tell her. It would help her state of mind for sure, but no, Rory had more than enough to worry about.

"It's okay baby. One day I'll maybe tell you. So what do you want to do today? Any requests or suggestions?" Lorelai tried to grin. It turned out to be a little bit too broadly. It looked fake.

Rory decided to leave it be. Perhaps she would try to talk to her later about it.

"I'm hungry and I like a cup of Luke's coffee. So let's go to Luke and then maybe watch some movies. I'm not in the mood to walk around a lot if that's ok. I'm kind of tired and lazy today!" Rory smiled.

Well this could be a serious problem.

"Uhm, no not Luke's – how about Chinese? No burgers today, yes?"

Rory looked a little bit suspiciously and a tad disappointed, but then she smiled.

"Okay, mhm sure. It's just that I hoped to see Lane. She's working today at Luke's. So can we go for a coffee and then order some Chinese at home? I think that would be great. And you hadn't have any coffee today anyway, did you?"

Lorelai shook her head slightly. This definitely turned out to be a tremendous problem.

"Uhm, honey, what about you'll go to see Lane and I'll wait here for you with the food? I'll just make some coffee here at home. How does that sound?"

Rory frowned.

"Mum – you'd never prefer your coffee to Luke's and anyway – I just thought you'd like to spend time with me, doesn't matter where! I almost get the feeling as if you're trying to avoid me. Funny!" Rory almost mumbled the last word.

"Rory, you know I'd never do that and why of all things should I be avoiding you? NO, I'm just not in the mood for that many people!"

Suddenly it dawned on Rory.

"Mum did you again have a fight with Luke?"

Lorelai paled extensively. "A fight with Luke? Whatever gave you that idea?" she said a bit too surprised.

"Well nothing. It's just that every single day you're complaining about me being at Yale and us not spending enough time with each other. And even if you're not feeling well at the moment. You normally would do anything to spend time with me and to get a cup of Luke's coffee, and this reminds me of that time when you two had a fight. Anyway you're acting really weird and by the way you turned as white as snow. And what dows that tell us?"

Lorelai put away the blanket and got up around Rory to dodge her and the her questions. She put a gown over her tiny shorts and tank top and went downstairs just ignoring Rory who still sat on her bed kind of speechless now.

Rory followed her mother into the kitchen and watched her making some coffee just like she said.

Lorelai suddenly turned around to look straight into her daughter's eyes.

"Rory I'm really not sure if I should tell you. I don't want you to worry about me. You're busy enough with your studies and everything…!"

"Mum, "Rory cut her off," I'll worry a lot more if you don't tell me. Believe me I will, and you know that!"

Lorelai opened her mouth, closed it, then put up her usual pout. She sighed deeply.

"Well alright. I will tell you, but it's something that might shock you. I've kept it secret for a reason!" Lorelai took Rory's hands and held them tightly within hers.

"I – I love Luke!"

Rory frowned again. "I don't understand. Of course you do, you're close friends!" Somehow she seemed to not want to understand.

"No, baby, I'm in love with him. I love him very much though. I do for some time now!"

"Okay – I see. But – but you never said anything. I never would have thought, never guessed. I never even noticed anything whenever we were at Luke's. You concealed it quite well I must say, mum. I thought I know you but I didn't sense a thing. It's kind of depressing you know!" Rory sounded almost somewhat reproachful.

"And why-ever didn't you tell me? I mean it's not as if it's forbidden to love Luke Danes. He's a nice guy. Okay it's strange to think of him as a possible 'Mum's Lover' - I mean it's Luke. I know him nearly all my life, but it would have been alright if you said something. I'm okay with it, at least I think so. I mean he is married isn't he? Why didn't you do something about it when he was still single? Now he's with Nicole. I don't understand mum. You must be very very unhappy. I'm sorry!" Rory wound her hands from out of Lorelai's grip and embraced her mother, then let go of her and looked at her. She waited for Lorelai to speak again.

"Rory that's not the problem! That's not it at all. I would have lived on with those feelings I have for him but yesterday morning I finally made a decision. I knew that Nicole would go on a business trip to Boston and I went to Luke and told him, just like that. I finally let him know how I felt!" Lorelai let out the breath she seemed to have been holding.

"Oh!"

"Yeah – that's what he must have thought probably. Oh Rory, he was so shocked, he was speechless. And he didn't even say goodbye to me when I went. Okay he called afterwards and tried to talk to me about it but I didn't answer the call! I couldn't – I was too ashamed. What good would it have done anyway? I think he felt sorry for me. And now I feel so embarrassed I can't look him in the eyes ever again!"

"Ever again. I don't believe it. And mum, even if I can surely comprehend your situation, aren't you a bit unfair. I think you're taking his reaction too negatively. You describe it as if he made fun of you or anything. He'd never do that. He likes you a lot, and you know that, and I think you don't have to be embarrassed for your feelings. Oh, I feel like I am the mother here. I think you'll do the right think and avoiding Luke doesn't do you any good now, don't you think?" Rory sighed and looked at her mother worriedly.

"Rory – I can't face him at the moment – don't push me, and anyway somehow I imagined this discussion differently. It's not how I thought you would react, and why are you taking his side?"

"Mum – I'm not taking his side – I'm always on yours. You know that. I just think you're being unfair! Anyway I'm hungry. Are you coming with me to Luke's?"

Rory took a step back and folded her arms challengingly.

Lorelai shook her head. She walked past Rory and upstairs.

"I'm taking a shower now. Maybe I'll get a sudden inspiration and then I'll accompany you to him, even if I don't think it would be a good idea!"

"Mum it would be the best. You should talk to him!" Rory shouted after her.

They walked slowly side by side. Lorelai's hands got cold even if it was a quite nice and warm spring day. Her stomach jumped up and down and she never in her life was so nervous, well maybe on the day Rory was born. She smiled in spite of herself.

They approached the diner and Lorelai thought about running into the opposite direction. How could she have agreed to go with her to Luke. What would he say? What would he do? Maybe Rory was right and she just overreacted.

Lorelai was chewing on her lower lip when Rory tipped her arm lightly. "Mum? I asked you something!"

"What? Oh I'm sorry Rory I was deep in thought. What is it?"

"Nothing, mum – let's go inside!" she linked her arm with Lorelai's and literally pulled her into the diner.

The doorbell jingled and they stood in the diner. Luke was just serving a young couple when he spotted the Gilmores. He raised his eyebrows slightly surprised.

"Hi you two – come on in. Sit where you want! I'll be right there!" Lorelai looked at him and said.

"Uh, hi – oh I forgot, I have to make a call!" She freed her arm from Rory's turned and rushed out of the diner.

"Mum!"

"Lorelai – wait!"

.to be continued.

A/N: Well – I know it's a terrible time to stop… but you know, so it gets a lot more interessing :) … thanks again for your interest and excuse any mistakes.