A/N: Huge thanks to our beta, FauxFrancie/George Eliot.

Lorelai stirred, breathing in deeply, feeling well-rested. Waiting patiently for her mind to clear, for her memory to fade back in and tell her why she was naked and why the sun was so bright.

She would've liked a few more minutes of mental sorting before hearing a soft knock at the door.

Luke stepped in, fully dressed, and handed her a cup of hot coffee. "Be careful," he warned, as she twisted herself into a sitting position, pulling the sheets along with her.

She blinked and smiled in the harsh sunlight. "Thank you."

Luke sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, hesitantly rubbing her thigh as he spoke. "I'm sorry I…" His eyes swept over the bed. "I had to go out and get more coffee."

She blew gently into the mug, steam rising into her face. "You didn't have to." She took a sip, then placed a hand over his. "Why are you so sweet to me?"

He shrugged awkwardly, then reached out to tip her face toward the light. "Your eye looks better."

"It feels better."

"Good."

Silence.

"Well," Luke cleared his throat. "I'm gonna go bring the rest of the bags in from the truck, I got some more stuff to put on that bruise. Should make it heal faster." He'd barely finished his sentence before he was out the door.

Lorelai stared after him. She hadn't expected an awkward morning-after.

She wasn't sure she'd ever had an awkward morning-after. Setting down the mug and wrapping the sheet around her body, she followed Luke through the main room and out the door. "Hey."

He looked up from the bed of the truck, where he had been sorting through paper bags. "Yeah?"

She squinted into the harsh light. "Are those Mallomars?"

He looked down at the package in his hand. "Yup."

Lorelai suddenly looked like she was on the verge of tears. "You got me Mallomars?"

"I…" He wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Yes. I got you Mallomars. Are you… okay?" He gestured with the package.

She laughed abruptly, then dropped her forehead into her palms. "I'm fine… I just..." She looked up, a bit puzzled. "I'm pretty sure this is the most white trash moment of my life. Look at me, I'm standing on a porch, naked and barefoot with a black eye, about to eat a package of Mallomars for breakfast with the guy I just slept with. Pretty soon I'm gonna start drinking King Cobra and calling you Wayne."

He put the bag down, walking up the steps to her. He rearranged the sheet around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "You are not white trash."

She sniffled. Luke sat down on the porch swing a few steps away, pulling her down onto his lap. "You sure you're fine?"

Nodding, she bit her lip and smiled feebly. Looked down. This was one of those moments. "You want to do this with me, right?"

One of those moments, by way of one of those questions.

Luke glanced away, looking in the direction of the spot he'd walked to earlier that morning. Sitting by the water. Thinking about her, about their situation.

He'd thought back to that first day, the first time she ever asked for his help.

Running into the diner, ranting about cold ovens and gooey cake batter, pacing in front of the counter and wringing her hands. Also the first time he learned she couldn't cook.

She'd been willing to sell her house to him, along with her CDs, her soul, and a fridge named Melvin. If he'd be willing to bake a birthday cake.

And for some reason, he did bake a cake, refusing any sort of payment. Alarmed when she'd started crying at the sight of the three-layered chocolate work of art on her doorstep, wondering what he'd gotten himself into with this woman.

But she'd eventually convinced him to join the party, staying by his side the whole night. Let him feel included in something for the first time.

He needed her, too.

In a different way, and certainly for different reasons, but he depended on her just as much as she depended on him.

All he needed to know, the only thing he was unsure about, the one thing that was making him so nervous around her now— was whether or not she was willing to be there for him, in the same way that he was willing to do anything for her.

Luke scooted her closer to him, holding her to him. Looked up into her face, kissing her softly. "I really do."

Her grin spread against his lips, his smile kissing her in response. "I was hoping you'd say that."

end.