I love all of your reviews. You guys rock. And for those of you who feel stupid that you were confused, please don't. Here's two reasons why: 1) you're smart enough to be reading my story (haha that's a joke) and 2) I meant it to be a bit confusing because (it may not be apparent to the reader yet) but these people are all very confused themselves. I love you all for my lovely reviews!

This one's a little short and I apologize. I just am really busy tonight.

Chapter Four: Salty Soup

The house was bustling with activity that it only experienced once a year; tonight was the annual Gilmore Spring Dinner, the party that fell the first Saturday in April every year.

Lorelai hadn't eaten all day. The apple truffles that were to be served were her favorite food in the whole world, and she wanted to make sure that she had plenty of room for them. She had spent all day in her room with Rory, talking, laughing, the way she only did when she was with her daughter. But now it was less than three hours until the party and Rory had left to bathe and dress for the big occasion. Lorelai , dressed and ready to go, felt her stomach grumble, and decide to go in search of those delicious tarts that she knew were hiding in the depths of the kitchen under Luke's watchful eye.

On her way down she tripped over the maids who were polishing the banisters one last time. The footman carrying a flower arrangement nearly spilled the water from the vase down Lorelai's gown. Near the dining room, a young girl almost dropped the fine china she carried when she saw the jewels hanging on the beautiful woman's neck. Lorelai cursed under her breath and wondered why she hadn't taken the back stairs.

Safely in the kitchen, Lorelai noticed that things were just as chaotic. Luke's assistants were flying around with spoons of dripping liquid, concoctions were bubbling on the stove, and smoke was drifting in from the smaller kitchen down the hall. Sookie rushed in, her hair coming out of it's tight bun, and Lorelai noticed a bandage wrapped around two of her friend's fingers.

"Are you alright?" she asked, taking Sookie's hand.

"Lorelai? What are you doing down here?"

"I came in search of the apple tarts."

"Apple tarts?" Sookie wailed. "We forgot the apple tarts! LOOK OUT!"

Sookie threw herself against Lorelai and pinned her against the wall.

"What?" Lorelai asked, struggling out from beneath the crazed looking cook.

"Watch it Lucille!" Sookie scolded. Lorelai noticed a girl carrying a pot of sticky liquid. The young scullery maid lowered her head in shame and muttered an apology. "How many times do I have to tell these people to watch where they're walking?"

Lorelai smoothed her gown, grateful that it was free from the caramel concoction. "Look Sookie, don't worry about the tarts."

"I'm so sorry Lor. Your mother will be so mad. It's just with Luke sick-"

"Luke's sick?" Lorelai repeated. She took another look at the chaos around her. Everything was became clear. Luke never let his kitchen get so noisy.

"He's been in bed for several days," Sookie said. "He has some cold. Every few hours he hobbles out of bed with some type of instruction, but I always send Jeremy to take him back to his room."

"He's here?" Lorelai asked, her voice rising in surprise.

Sookie knit her brows in a confused expression. "Where else would he be?"

"Home?" Lorelai suggested.

Sookie looked at the woman standing in front of her and for the first time realized how little Lorelai knew about her friends personal lives.

"This is his home, honey," she said.

Lorelai let out a sarcastic laugh. "of course it is," she said, rubbing her forehead. "I don't know why I assumed otherwise. All of the-" Lorelai broke off before the word 'servants. ' She hated to bring up the status difference between herself and her friends. "All of you live here," she said instead.

"Would you like me to get you some tea honey?" Sookie asked.

"No Sookie, I'm fine. But maybe I'll bring some to Luke."

"I wouldn't do that Lorelai," Sookie replied. Lorelai looked at Sookie with widened eyes. She rarely protested Lorelai's actions. Despite their relationship, it wasn't her place. "He might be contagious," she suggested.

"Well, has the doctor been by to see him?"

"Luke's refused to send for one. You know how stubborn he is."

Lorelai did know. "Well has he had anything to eat today?"

"He sent back the soup we made, saying he wasn't hungry and that I put too much salt in it."

Lorelai smiled. "Heat up some of that soup Sookie, and bring me some bread and tea. He'll eat for me."

Sookie chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, but did not object. She sent some of the kitchen girls to do the desired task, and set to work fixing a nice tray.

With Jeremy carrying the tray and leading the way, Lorelai entered part of the house she had not been in since she played there as a small child. She rapped briskly on the door and entered the room without waiting for a response.

"Wake up Luke," she said, not bothering to lower her voice. The shade that covered the window was drawn tight, and Lorelai carefully crossed the dark room to open it. The window was level to the street, and all that was visible was the feet of passersby and the carriage wheels rolling along the cobblestone road. But it wasn't an unpleasant view. The room flooded with light and revealed a bare but comfortable room. Luke was head chef after all. His room was the largest of the staff next to the head butler's.

A groan sounded from the corner and Lorelai turned to see Luke huddled in bed, the blankets over his head.

"Leave me alone," he growled.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Lorelai answered. She remembered Jeremy, pointed for him to set the tray on the table across the room, and motioned for him to leave them alone.

"What?" Luke said in a sleepy tone. "Is that you Lorelai?"

"Yes sir, it is."

"Christ," he muttered softly, not so soft that Lorelai didn't miss it.

"No I'm not the Christ child, but I did bring you hot soup and some of Sookie's bread."

"What the hell are you doing down here?"

Lorelai was momentarily taken aback. They may not have had the normal servant-mistress relationship, but manners were manners. She recovered quickly, however. Lorelai, though unaccustomed to it, did not greatly mind rough language. She had always suspected that were she not always under the scrutinized eye of her family and acquaintances, she would talk like a sailor too.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Luke sat up in bed, completely flustered at the sight of the woman standing in his room. She was dressed in silk the color of summer leaves and diamonds ornamented her body. He watched as she walked across the room and picked up the tea table. The light flooding in from the windows caught her earrings which sparkled brilliantly in the afternoon sun.

He shook his head. Though some may say she looked charming dressed in her finery, Luke found the vision painful. Having Lorelai standing in his room like that only reminded him of how different they really were. His dreams seemed unobtainable.

Together in his kitchen, with Lorelai dressed in her simple dressing gown, he could at least pretend she did not belong upstairs and he in this plain room. Lorelai had once again crossed their unwritten boundary.

She placed the tray on his lap.

"Will you eat this soup for me?"

"It's too salty," he grumbled.

"Your soup is never too salty."

"It's not my soup, it's Sookie's soup."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Sookie makes delicious soup. Won't you try some for me?"

Luke opened his mouth to protest and Lorelai took the opportunity to shovel a spoonful in his mouth. He swallowed it reluctantly.

"It's still too salty," he complained.

Lorelai just smiled and laughed slightly. Luke forgot about diamonds and boundaries and just delighted in her soft expression.