Chapter 6 – Of Firelight and Lu-Luke

"I don't even know if he still thinks of me
Once he got on board that unforgiving train"

Laura Pausini, 'Loneliness'

- - - - -

She arrived at the diner by 8:30, pushing the door open with a jingle. Sure, she was a bit late, but that was nothing uncommon. Turning around to pull the door shut behind her, she began to speak loudly.

"Hey Luke, sorry I'm late. Coffee, my coffee man?" she yelled.

Her eyes scanned the diner and she noticed that Luke was nowhere to be found. Instead, Rachel sat alone at the counter, sipping a cup of coffee. At the sound of Lorelai's voice she turned around smiled. Lorelai blushed a bit, for some unknown reason, feeling uncomfortable.

"Hey Lorelai. Um… Luke's upstairs," Rachel stated in welcome.

Lorelai started towards the counter, slinging her purse over the back of the chair next to Rachel.

"Hi Rachel… oh, okay," Lorelai replied.

She helped herself to a cup of coffee, entering the forbidden behind-the-counter area. Of course, it was then that Luke chose to come down from upstairs. Lorelai heard his footsteps on the stairs and scrambled from behind the counter. Not quick enough…

"Lorelai!" he growled.

She just flashed him a brilliant smile, settling down on the chair next to Rachel. The three of them talked quietly about nothing in particular while the Lorelai and Rachel finished their coffee. By the time they were ready to go outside, it was dark and nearing 9:00. The town square was lit up with brilliant lights and one of Taylor's special bands from the city was playing quiet music in the gazebo.

Lorelai was gone in a flash, off to grab some of the famous punch the town served on such special occasions. Rachel and Luke, left alone, wandered around the square for a moment. They walked side by side, shoulders nearly touching, and there was an air of electricity between them. Luke looked at her from the corner of his eye, smiling a bit. 'This is how it is supposed to be.' Rachel caught him staring and returned his gaze. Luke grunted and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking away. He was silent for a moment, but then something came to mind.

"Rachel?" he asked.

"Yeah?" she replied, curious.

Before Luke could get any words out, something had caught her eye. Rachel turned away from him, watching as a young couple danced. With a gesture to Luke and a quick apology, she was gone to take pictures. Luke just shrugged and found a bench. Sitting down, he leaned back and ran a hand across his face.

Rachel was back within five minutes, settling herself next to Luke. He idly commented on her photography.

"You getting some good stuff?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Rachel nodded, looking out across the square.

"Oh yeah, yeah, the firelight really changes people. You know, makes them seem happier, freer, all troubles of the world completely gone," she trailed off with a sigh.

"I don't think that's the firelight. I think it's the party punch they've been selling," Luke replied with a wry smile.

Rachel looked at him, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh yeah, that stuff is good," she commented.

They were quiet for a moment, sitting in companionable silence. Something was on Luke's mind, and for once he wasted no time.

"Okay, at some point, are you gonna tell me what you're doing here?" he questioned sharply.

Rachel, surprised, looked down. She was fiddling with her camera and had no trouble brushing off the question.

"I'm putting more film in my camera," she said.

Luke, exasperated, sighed quietly.

"Rachel…" he said.

Rachel looked up then, avoiding Luke's gaze.

"What? I told you, I was at the airport, now I'm here," she stated obviously with a shrug.

Luke was growing more and more annoyed by the moment. He sat up, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Oh well sure, when you put it like that," he grunted, irritated.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't sound all that happy to see me," Rachel stated with a tense look directed towards Luke.

This set him off. He turned to look at her, his eyes burning with something.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have a tendency to show up and then leave, quite suddenly. One of your more charming attributes," he sarcastically replied.

It seemed that Rachel, too, was reaching the point of annoyance with Luke.

"So you're not happy to see me?" her voice rose quickly but then quieted as she continued. "Luke, I don't know what I'm doing here. I just missed you. I wanted to see you. I don't know what else to say," she said truthfully, finally meeting his eyes.

Luke was surprised. He didn't know he was capable of being missed. Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment to calm himself down. When he opened them, he saw Rachel looking at him.

"I missed you too…" Luke quietly answered.

They looked at each other for a moment before Rachel broke the gaze. Her eyes traveled around the square, finally coming to rest on Lorelai, where she stood by the punch table. Turning back to Luke, Rachel spoke with a nod in Lorelai's direction.

"So since we're both being blunt, what's the deal with Lorelai?" she questioned.

Luke was surprised again. He followed Rachel's gaze, noticing how his heart leapt into his throat at the sight of Lorelai. Flustered, Luke looked back at Rachel.

"What are you talking about?" he said, averting his gaze briefly.

"I'm talking about Lorelai, the lady who runs the inn, the one you've told me absolutely nothing about, and been very careful to leave out of every story, anecdote, or gossip about the town," Rachel blurted out.

Luke for once knew what the proper thing to say would be. He continued with no hesitation.

"There is no deal with Lorelai. We're friends," he said simply.

"For now?" Rachel asked, wishing she could believe it.

"Yes," Luke said, supporting his answer with a nod.

"And in the future?" she inquired.

"Well, Lorelai is, she's just uh… I don't know. I mean, at times it seems like… I don't know. But I am happy to see you," Luke stated with finality.

Satisfied, Rachel nodded and rose from the bench.

"Good. I'm gonna get some of that party punch. You want some?" she asked.

Luke made a face, shaking his head no. Rachel smiled.

"Oh Luke, some things never change," she said as she left him alone.

Luke watched her walk away, silently cursing himself for becoming so flustered about her questions. Lorelai was just his friend. His friend. His friend.

Who was he kidding? She wasn't just his friend. She wasn't his friend. She wasn't his friend. He loved her. As if on cue, the one and only Lorelai plopped herself onto the bench next to him, a cup of punch in her hand.

"So, where's Rachel?" she teased lightly.

Luke looked over at her, shrugging.

"She's a party punch junkie," he stated.

Lorelai feigned shock, smirking as she commented.

"God, even the nice girls aren't safe," she said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, she's been running around here taking all kinds of pictures," he declared.

Lorelai held back a sigh, deciding on a safe response.

"She's having a good time," she said.

"I guess so. I hope so," was Luke's reply.

A silence enveloped them, feeling a bit uncomfortable for some reason. Lorelai searched her brain for a topic and decided on the inevitable.

"So?" she questioned.

Luke looked at her strangely, raising and eyebrow.

"Yes?" he replied.

"So, what's the haps with you two?" Lorelai questioned.

Luke looked a bit confused.

"The haps? Well, let's see. What is the haps?" he asked.

Lorelai, realizing that he didn't get it, was quick to explain, articulating.

"I mean, like, you know, what's going…" she clarified.

"I know what you meant by the haps," Luke said, a bit annoyed.

"Okay, well you're repeating it like a thousand times," Lorelai replied, frazzled and uncomfortable.

"I was pondering," Luke said, rolling his eyes.

"Well you ponder really slowly," Lorelai chastised.

"If I did it fast it wouldn't be pondering. Pondering by nature is a slow connotation," Luke replied with exasperation.

"Okay. Fine, fine," Lorelai shut up.

They sat there for a moment, neither one looking at the other. Lorelai was abnormally quiet, letting Luke do all the pondering he needed. Still, when he didn't say anything for quite a while, she grew curious and had to speak.

"Is she staying?" she questioned warily.

Luke looked at her, sighing. He didn't know if she was staying.

"I don't know," he sighed.

"Do you want her to?" Lorelai asked, on a roll.

"I don't know," Luke replied truthfully.

Lorelai went quiet again, thinking. With a nearly inaudible sigh, she continued.

"She seems to really like you," Lorelai said.

"Yeah, she does, but she doesn't have the greatest attention span," Luke replied bitterly.

"Yeah," Lorelai agreed.

"I don't know. You spend a lot of time debating things, you know… is it right, is it wrong, should I do this, should I do that. I mean, sometimes you should just jump in and take a shot. What's the worst that can happen? She left before, I lived. Maybe this time…" Luke trailed off, looking at Lorelai.

Lorelai's eyes were downcast and she fiddled with a ring on her finger. His words ran through her head, and she took a moment to sort them out. When she spoke again, it was with a genuine tone.

"I think that's really great," she said.

"You do?" Luke's eyebrows shot up with surprise.

"Yeah," Lorelai said softly.

"Thanks," Luke said, just as quietly.

"You're welcome," Lorelai replied.

The conversation was over. Both of them knew it, but neither seemed to know what to say next. Lorelai kept her eyes on her lap and Luke looked away. Gruffly clearing his throat, he started to rise.

"Well, I guess I'm gonna go check up on Rachel," he bid Lorelai goodbye.

"That's nice," she nodded, looking up at him.

"What?" Luke asked, confused yet again by Lorelai's attitude.

"That you have somebody you can go check up on. That's nice," Lorelai clarified.

"Yeah it is. Unless she's completely drunk and throwing up," Luke feebly attempted a joke.

"Still nice," Lorelai said with a chuckle.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Luke confirmed.

"Tomorrow," Lorelai nodded

As she watched him walk away, Lorelai felt her heavy heart beating in her chest. 'Lu-Luke, Lu-Luke, Lu-Luke…'

Something seized her the moment she got home. The house was empty and dark. Lorelai felt extremely alone and extremely tired. Perhaps there was something in that punch after all? Tossing her keys on the table and removing her jacket, Lorelai looked around for something to do. Her gaze fell on the phone. The impulse was back…

She dialed the number she hadn't dialed for quite some time, surprised that she still knew it by heart. Her palms began to sweat as the phone rang, and she idly tapped her fingers on the tabletop. When he answered, she spoke without hesitation.

"Hey Max, it's Lorelai. Can I come over?" she asked.

What's the worst that can happen?