This update was a long time coming...over a year, actually! But I had finished this story and figured that maybe some readers out there might want to see the end - this is of course, still post-R&R and has nothing to do with Season 5 of GG. Thanks to everyone who have commented over the past year!

"Flirt with Disaster" by Romantique

The characters, quoted dialogue, locations, etc. are the creation/property of Amy Sherman-Palladino et al, as well as the property of the WB...the following work is my homage to the brilliance of the former and the faith of the latter in the former.

Chapter Three – Ring Around the Rory

Luke couldn't sleep. He wondered if it was because the bed seemed too soft or was just unfamiliar. In any case, he often fell asleep on his sofa anyway. He got up, pulled on a pair of jeans and walked out of his room. He paused at Kirk and Lulu's door, and heard nothing. Good and quiet. I hope it stays that way.

He decided to go get some fresh air and take a walk. As he walked downstairs toward the entrance, he heard someone crying out on the porch. When he got to the foot of the stairs, the entrance door opened and Lorelai walked in, her face streaked with tears.

"Lorelai, what is it?"

Lorelai looked up, surprised to see Luke. "Luke? What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep. Hey, come on and sit down." They sat down on a nearby sofa in the lobby.

Wait, she probably needs a tissue or something. Luke got up, and Lorelai said, "Wait, don't go."

"It's okay, I'll be right back. I was just going to grab you some tissues." He took a box of tissues from the reception desk and brought it over to Lorelai.

"Thank you." Lorelai took the box and smiled at him gratefully as she took a tissue and dabbed at her eyes.

"Having a rough night?"

"You could say that again." Lorelai stared at the carpet for a few seconds before she continued. "It's been a rough few months actually." She sighed deeply.

"You're being way too hard on yourself. The place looks great, the food's great – everything's coming together--"

"Thank you. I-I can't believe the Dragonfly's finally done, you know? But that's the thing…I've been so caught up with getting this place running that--" Lorelai sniffled into a tissue. "I mean, I've just been trying so hard not to mess anything up, that I haven't been able to see what's been in front of me all along. And now nothing's ever going to be the same between us. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do." She blew her nose into the tissue as she leaned her head on Luke's shoulder. Instinctively, Luke put his arm around her but wondered at her words.

What was she talking about…she couldn't be talking about…Luke cleared his throat. "Lorelai, you don't…I mean, I –"

Before Luke could say anything, he was interrupted.

"Lonely…I'm Mr. Lonely….I've got no-bodeeee…for my oh-ohhh-own…" Someone was singing Bobby Vinton with an obviously liquor-laced slur in another room.

Lorelai sprung up from her seat and looked at Luke in exasperation. "Oh no, it's Jason. I can't deal with him right now. Hurry, let's go upstairs before he sees me."

Luke followed her without a word, still thrown at what she had just said. "And now nothing's ever going to be the same between us." Well, she's right…nothing will ever be the same between us. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing, Lorelai. But if you're not ready for this…

Luke was determined not to let the subject slide because of Jason's interruption. After he followed Lorelai into one of the rooms and she shut the door closed, he cleared his throat. "Lorelai, nothing has to change between us – if you want to forget that kiss ever happened, I'll understand."

"What?" Lorelai turned to look at Luke in surprise as she turned on the light. "No, I wasn't talking about— are you kidding?" She stepped closer to him and took his hands, looking into his eyes. "That kiss is the only thing keeping me going right now. And there's no way I could ever forget that kiss, even if I wanted to."

"Wait – then what were you talking about before, about nothing ever being the same again between us?"

"Not 'me and you' us, I was talking about me and Rory, that 'us.'"

"Oh."

"Oh," repeated Lorelai teasingly. "I can't believe you were so prepared to pretend that kiss never happened. So how do you feel about that kiss?" She walked closer to him, so close that he could see the remnants of tears in the corners of her eyes.

Without saying a word, Luke took her into his arms and kissed her, and somehow it was even more incredible than their first few kisses. She kissed him back as her arms wrapped around his neck pulling him closer.

As he felt her reach beneath his sweater, he knew that this was not the way he wanted their first time to happen…and he knew that if Lorelai was in her right mind, she would feel the same way. Reluctantly, he gently took her hand away from his chest and pulled it down. "Whoa, one step at a time, okay?"

"What's wrong?" Lorelai looked at him, bewildered. "Don't you want me?"

"God, yes. You don't know how much. But not like this. Not now." He looked into her eyes and she looked into his.

Lorelai sighed and sat down on the bed and Luke sat next to her. "Luke, I'm sorry – I guess I got a little carried away there."

"We both did…almost. So, what happened tonight with Rory? Why were you saying that nothing would ever be the same between you two? It sounds serious." He reached out for her hand and she opened it for him to grasp.

She looked at him momentarily and opened her mouth to speak, but then closed her mouth again.

"That bad, huh?"

Lorelai nodded. "I want to tell you, but…" She stood up. "Look, you have to promise me that you won't do anything, tell anyone about it."

"You know I won't."

"You swear?"

"I have to swear?" Luke saw the look of genuine concern on Lorelai's face and sighed. "Fine, I swear. I won't do anything or tell anyone. You have my word."

Lorelai continued to look at him warily for a few moments, then continued. "After you ran off after Kirk, I went home to get supplies…Taylor cut himself and insisted on bandages, and somehow I forgot to have some at the Inn! So I went home to get those, and a camera and well…I walked in on Rory…and Dean."

"You walked in on them…" Luke almost didn't want to know…he couldn't even finish the sentence. Looking at the expression in Lorelai's eyes, he understood.

"Uh, not exactly. They were coming out of her bedroom, and they didn't even do a good job of trying to cover up. Oh, God, I barely remember what I said to her…I just didn't expect…I don't know."

Luke got up and wrapped his arms around her. "Stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault. Just wait until I get my hands on that good-for-nothing son of a…"

"Luke, they were in this together." Lorelai made Luke look at her. "Hey, I know your intentions are honorable and everything, but you don't need to go and beat up Dean. That's not going to solve anything."

"But it would make me feel a hell of a lot better."

Lorelai nodded. "You and me both. But it would just make everything so much worse."

"So what are we going to do?" Luke blurted out this question, and immediately wanted to take it back. Did I just say 'we'! "I mean, what happens now?"

"I don't know," said Lorelai. "That's what kills me. This is completely out of my hands."

"But she has to know she can't be with him."

"She always knew that, Luke. And she went ahead and had sex with him anyway. There. I finally said it out loud." Lorelai sat down again on the bed.

Luke forgot all about his anger at Dean, looking at Lorelai's face. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned her head on his shoulder, tears streaming down her face. Neither of them spoke a word.

After a long silence, Luke, feeling the need to change the subject, decided to pick something relatively safe. "So…the Inn looks fantastic, Lorelai. It really does. It's going to do really well. I know it."

Lorelai laughed and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Luke looked into her eyes and smiled. You're welcome. He was sure she understood.