Chapter 2 – Of Taylor and Paint

"I recognize the way you make me feel
It's hard to think that you might not be real"

Michelle Branch, 'Everywhere'

- - - - -

His words were in her head all night. Lorelai didn't quite know what he meant by them, but they were something to think on. 'You don't know how I feel…' She hated to admit it, but Luke was right. Lorelai had no idea what he was thinking. She didn't know that he was in love with her. She didn't know that kissing her was his dream. She didn't know how much she had hurt him.

She lay in bed, watching the red numbers of her digital clock blink forwards. It was near three o' clock in the morning and she hadn't slept a wink. Rolling onto her back, Lorelai stared at the ceiling. Seized with impulse, as it seemed she had been lately, she rolled back to her side and reached for the phone. Dialing the number she knew well, she tapped her fingers on the nightstand, sitting up so her feet were on the floor. The phone at the other end rang, and after about three rings she grew distressed and took the phone from her ear. A voice growled into the receiver, just in time.

"What?" Luke grumbled.

Lorelai froze. Apparently she didn't think this through. What was she going to say to him? It was three o' clock and she had made a move at him only a couple of hours ago. A sudden realization hit her. What had she been thinking? He was Luke, her Luke. Luke, her friend. She slapped her hand to her forehead, scolding herself for being so stupid.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, not realizing that Luke was still on the phone.

"Lorelai, is that you?" he asked. "Lorelai?" he inquired again when she didn't answer.

"Crap," she mumbled, rubbing her forehead.

"LORELAI!" Luke yelled into the phone.

She was busted. Putting the phone back to her ear, she paused before speaking with hesitation.

"Yeah, it's me. Who else would it be? I mean, nobody else would be calling you at three, no wait, three o' five, in the morning, would they?" she stopped, realizing how stupid she sounded.

"What do you want?" he asked quietly.

Taking a deep breath, she spit out the words as quickly as possible.

"I'm sorry, Luke, again. I know it was totally out of place. I was upset and vulnerable from Chris. I just needed a friend, and you were there. But then I had this dream, when you kissed me, and I was pregnant, and then I wondered what it would be like to really kiss you. I'm sorry… It was out of place, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I'm just going to forget it ever happened. You can too, if you want. I mean, I don't know what you meant when you yelled at me, but I'm sorry if I've ever caused you any pain that I don't know about. I'm going to go now," she rambled on, stopping only when she ran out of breath.

She half expected Luke to accept her apology, because she knew neither one of them could stand being mad at each other. Where would she get her coffee fix? Lorelai twirled the phone cord around her finger, awaiting Luke's response. When nothing came, Lorelai spoke again.

"Luke? I'll see you in the morning, okay?" she asked.

"Diner's closed tomorrow. I'm painting, remember?" he grunted in reply.

"Oh yeah…" she was supposed to be helping him.

"I'll see you at nine," se said with a sigh, slamming the phone down on the receiver.

Lorelai heard the click and shrugged. He still sounded mad, but at least he said he'd see her soon. She was still a bit confused as well. Although, when she tried to go to sleep this time, she was dreaming in minutes.

- - - - -

She had walked past the diner at least five times before she could muster enough courage to stand on the step. Lorelai looked through the door, past the 'closed' sign, towards the vacant counter. Taking a deep breath, she turned the handle, finding it unlocked this time. Luke had been expecting her. With a quick glance around the diner, she knew that he must be upstairs. Starting towards the counter, she stepped back behind and poured herself a cup of coffee. It was then that Luke plodded down the steps from his apartment. He stiffened at the sight of Lorelai, but quickly recovered and scared her from behind.

"What are you doing? You still aren't allowed to be back here, even if we're closed," he scolded.

She jumped, not having heard his approach. Fiddling with the coffee pot, she stuffed it back in its place, grabbing her mug and sliding from behind the counter. 'He didn't think that last night, did he Lorelai?' She quickly pushed that thought from her mind, giving him a half-smile.

"Good morning grumpy," she joked.

Luke gave her a glare. An uncomfortable silence enveloped them, and with a grunt and a nod, Luke removed himself to the kitchen to bring her breakfast. She relaxed when he left, not being able to ignore the tension between them. However, he returned too quickly, a steaming plate of pancakes and bacon in his hand.

"There. You'll need your strength for today," he stated.

Turning away, Luke started to gather the supplies for painting. The diner walls were bare, the furniture gathered in the middle. Luke covered the floor with a plastic tarp, pouring the paint that Lorelai had picked. He found some rollers and brushes, laying them out. He turned back towards the counter as Lorelai hopped from the stool, finished with her breakfast and finishing her coffee. Setting the cup back down as she drained it, Lorelai approached Luke and grabbed a roller.

"Come on mister, let's get started. I'm a wild painter, just to let you know," she grinned.

Slapping the paint onto the wall, she had the honor of putting the first new touches of color on Luke's diner. He rolled his eyes, grabbing a roller and beginning. They worked in companionable silence for a while, Luke watching Lorelai from the corner of his eye. He was tense and nervous; what had made her kiss him last night? He didn't want anything to happen again. Luke feared that this time he wouldn't be able to stop it.

Lorelai noticed that Luke was a bit quieter than usual. She dropped her roller into the tray, stretching her back.

"You're kidding me, right? You can't possibly be done already…" Luke questioned, seeing her head for the counter after only fifteen minutes.

Lorelai glanced backwards at him, faking a swoon.

"I need my coffee, and I need it now. One cup only lasts so long," she refilled her cup, leaning against the front of the counter as she watched him go back to painting.

Luke continued, aware of her gaze upon him the whole time. The back of his neck was getting hot and he stumbled, dropping the roller with its full load of paint. It landed on his shoe, splattering drops all over his pants. He glowered with anger, stooping down to pick it up. Lorelai smirked, burying her face in her mug. Glaring, Luke spoke for the first time in a while.

"What's so funny? You're lucky I didn't accidentally drop it on your foot…" he growled.

In response, Lorelai stuck out one of her own feet, almost daring him to. He started forward with a threatening look, but that smile was hidden in his eyes. She faked fright, turning away to scuttle behind the counter. He grabbed her arm without thinking, stopping her in mid-step. Surprised, she felt the forgotten coffee mug slipping from her hand. She struggled to recover it, Luke's hand still on her arm. Too late, though, for the mug hit the floor and crashed into a million pieces. Bending down quickly, Lorelai's head met Luke's with a bang, sending her reeling backwards. Apparently they both had the same idea.

She found herself on her butt on the floor, amidst the broken mug. She put a hand to her head, blinking the stars from her eyes. Luke dropped down to sit beside her, imitating her posture. Damn, that hurt! Lorelai was the first to speak. She leaned back against the counter, her eyes closed.

"Ow. You, Mr. Danes, have an iron skull," she grunted with pain, hands massaging her scalp.

The throbbing in Luke's head was nearly gone, so he figured she must be right.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

Luke scrambled to his knees, taking Lorelai's hand to help her up. She made it to her hands, or rather hand (seeing as Luke was currently holding the other one), and knees before a sudden pounding at the diner door interrupted them. Lorelai jerked Luke's hand, pulling him down behind her behind the counter, his head over her shoulder. Impulsively, he smelled her hair that tickled his nose.

They peered around the corner to see that a crowd of angry Stars Hollow residents was gathered on the step of the diner. Apparently the 'closed' sign didn't mean anything. Luke made a move to get up and tell them to bugger off, but Lorelai stopped him.

"No, they'll leave," she whispered.

She was right. Within seconds, the crowd, headed by Taylor, was in retreat. Luke gratefully relaxed, glad to be relieved of the duty of being mean so early.

"Thank you," he sighed in her ear.

She turned her head towards him, catching his gaze. Her heart skipped a beat and then lurched into her throat.

"You're welcome," she said softly.

It was then that they both realized the position they were in. Their lips inches from each others, both could only think about what had happened just last night. Lorelai tilted her head curiously, looking into his eyes, as if asking a question. Did she finally see what everyone had been saying? 'It's in the way he looks at you. It's in his eyes.' She looked away from his intense blue gaze, swallowing. Lorelai scrambled to her feet, backing away uncomfortably. Luke followed, but he did not move after her.

"I should clean this up," he gestured to the mess.

"Um… oh, yeah…" she stuttered.

Lorelai moved to sit on a stool, Luke finding a broom and pan. Once again, they were just Luke and Lorelai, friends on the opposite sides of the counter; although it was getting hard to pretend.