AN: I'm having so much evil fun with this story. I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am. Oh, the torture. I prefer to listen to Pearl Jam's "Nothing Man" while reading. Do it, for masochistic pleasure.

Luke had finished closing up around 9 o'clock. It was especially slow for a Friday night, but it was no surprise. Luke had successfully alienated all of his old customers, (excluding Kirk of course), and he was sure the new ones were at Weston's enjoying the less-than-stellar coffee after being thrown out on their asses. He walked up the stairs to his apartment, tired and angry, stomping as he went. He pushed the door open, and as he walked through he kicked it closed. He opened the refrigerator to grab a beer, and suddenly wished he had something stronger. He knew it was beer or nothing so it would have to suffice. He sat on the couch in a huff and opened his beer.

Just like the multitude of nights before, he settled into the couch his mind wandered to Lorelai. What was she doing? Would she ever come back into the diner? More importantly, was he a complete ass? He knew the answer to that. Of course he was an ass, and that was the problem. That's where the problem began and ended. He was stupid enough to think that she could've been it. Damn Christopher, damn the Gilmore's. She would always have that dark sided past, present, future. He tried to console himself saying that he did what he had to do, before either of them got in too deep. They could never have a happy ending, and why didn't he see that before? Hindsight is 20/20. And as much as it hurt, he knew Christopher was her one. He had been there all those years, watched him prance in and out of her life, her always letting him comeback. It was just a matter of time before he weaseled himself back in. And now, he was sitting alone in his dark apartment, sulking over what never could be.

And it wasn't that she lied to him, he could forgive that, it was that inevitably, he would get hurt. He couldn't ask her to choose between her parents and Rory's father, and him. He knew Rory came first and she could never cut off that part of her life. And she shouldn't have to choose, he scolded himself.

He was tired, tired of going over and over this in his head. Every night was the same and it was all getting too much. And Luke Danes never admitted needing someone, but he needed someone now. He needed to talk to someone, anyone. He needed closure, and composure, and release. His bottled emotions were slowly leaking out in spurts of angry outbursts, uncontrollable flailing of legs causing oven's to need repair, and stomps that invaded his footsteps. He hadn't always had to deal with upsets alone, he bitterly thought of his former friendship. He picked up the phone and dialed a number, sighing as he noticed his emotions coursing through his fingers, making them shake.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me, Luke."

"I know who this is big brother! How are ya? I'm so glad to hear from you!"

"Liz, are you busy tonight?"

"Not really big brother. Are you okay, you seem a little, upset."

"Could you come to Star's Hollow tonight? I know it's a lot to ask, but you could stay here. I jus-"

Cutting him off, "Of course. Is everything okay? Is it Lorelai?"

Luke grimaced. He had gone a month without telling her, and he knew he should have told told her earlier. But he knew what she would have said. She would have rightfully called him an ass. Well, better late than never.

"I'll take that silence as a yes. I'll be there in an hour or so." And with that, she hung up, leaving him defeated. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea. He hadn't gotten a chance to tell her not to bring TJ. As much as he annoyed him, he would rather not kill her sister's husband. And tonight, if TJ showed up, Luke knew it would probably end in bloodshed.

And after what seemed to be five minutes, a knock on the door drew Luke from him groveling. He opened it and Liz stood there looking concerned.

"You look like shit."

"Thanks. Nice to see you too sis."

She walked in and gave her brother a hug, and surprising both of them, Luke her hugged back. She lead him to the couch and turned towards him.

"So what happened?"

"I'd really rather not talk about it right now."

"Luke! Why'd you call me over here then? Of course you want to talk about it. Now spill!"

"We broke up."

"Well duh."

Luke gave her an annoyed look.

"Sorry. Continue."

"We went to this wedding thing, her parent's were re-exchanging vows or some shit like that."

"Aww, that's so cute. I love when couple's do that to reconfirm their love later in life. It's so sweet, like a fairy-tale!"

Luke abruptly gets off the couch. Liz looks at him questioningly as he starts pacing. "I knew this was a bad idea!"

She looks regretful. "I'm sorry Luke! Here I am going on and on about everything else. Just sit down, I'm listening now."

"I just don't know what to do Liz!"

"Well tell me what happened."

He continues pacing and starts talking, barely taking a pause, he needed to get this out and she wasn't going to interrupt anymore. And god-dammit, violence was not the answer.

"Well first she sees that her ex, Christopher, also know as Rory's father, jackass of the century, was there. And immediately confesses that she had stayed the night with him a few weeks ago, when his father died. Completely innocent, and I believe her, they just stayed up all night talking. And I was pissed, but wasn't ready to call things quits or anything. She apologized, and that's not even the point. It becomes painfully obvious that Christopher is trying his best to make me uncomfortable, and we get into this fight, and he says something about me and Lorelai being temporary, and that him and Lorelai belonged together and that her mother told him that and she just stood there, and, god Liz, it just sort of hit me. He was right. They do belong together. And I left, and she came and found me and I told her I needed time."

"How long ago was this?"

Luke looks down and meekly replies, "A month ago."

"A month! You needed a month of time!"

"Well not exactly. The next day she came up to me and tried to push me, so I told her I couldn't do it. I couldn't be in the relationship anymore." Luke stared at his shoes avoiding the wide-eyed, jaw-dropped looks he was sure her face held. He continues, slower and more deliberate. "I had to get out Liz. He was right, the son of a bitch was right. And I know it, if I didn't get out now, I would be even worse off later. And her mother told him that. Granted Lorelai doesn't exactly confide in her mom all that much, but surely her mom knows something about how serious she is, was, about me."

Gently, "Well what did Lorelai say?"

He sighs deeply, his words cutting through his stomach as he spoke them out-loud. "We never really talked. I mean, she pushed me, and I pulled away, told her I was out. And that was that, I've hardly seen her since."

"Maybe she could have explained..."

He gets heated once more, "There's nothing to explain!"

"Luke, I think that she probably is the authority on what she wants. Not this guy, not her mom. But her. You should have heard her out."

He sighs and sits beside her on the couch, head in hands. She continues, "This isn't the first time this has happened."

He breathes deeply. "What?"

"It's not the first time you let your insecurities keep you from being with Lorelai." Luke grunts. "Jess told me all about it, from when he was here."

"Jess!"

"Well when I told him that you and Lorelai got together he said finally and then proceeded to tell me how you had set your eyes on her long ago. And I'm not blind, I saw it too."

Bitterly, "Well it doesn't matter now."

"Luke, you are the most wonderful guy I know. You're the rugged prince that sweeps the princess off her feet."

"Look Liz, as much as that makes me want to gag, I appreciate it. But I'm not looking for a pep-talk. It's over, we're over. I just need to get over it."

"It's not too late Luke!"

"Oh it is Liz. You don't get two chances with a girl like Lorelai."

"You've always been too stubborn for your own good Luke Danes! Why don't you just go talk to her. Swallow the damn pride and just see what she says. You never know. And, who cares if you come up empty, at least you tried."

"You think she'll even talk to me? It's been a month and I hurt her Liz, I know that. I was never going to be that guy, but I was. I am."

Liz looked sadly at her brother, "Go."

Incredulously, "Now?"

"Yes! What are you waiting for?"

He gets up. "Are you sure?"

"Go!"

He runs his hand through his hair and walks out of the door.

He stands in front of the Gilmore house for an eternity. He looks up to her bedroom window, seeing the lights off. He carefully takes in the rest of the house. Lights on in Rory's room, in the den, and the porch light was shining obnoxiously bright. He took a deep breath contemplating on how to proceed. This is stupid! He turns to leave and hears the front door open. A hurried Rory stands locking the door, he's frozen in place, desperately wanting to run, hide, scream in embarrassment.

"Hi."

He stares frozen and then mumbles something about leaving, something about sorry, and he turns quickly and walks away. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He hears Rory's car pull out of the driveway and drive away. He stops.

She was going to tell Lorelai that he was there. Pathetically standing in their yard. He balled his fists in determination and turned back towards the house, walking with purpose.

He knocked tentatively at first. Nothing. He looked in the driveway and saw that her jeep was in the driveway. She had to be home. He knocked a little louder. And louder, and louder, until before he knew it, he was banging on the door. He stopped mid-swing, and dropped his fist, defeated. And then it hit him. She wasn't home. He turned quickly, and walked away, dully noting his suitcase of dignity lying open on the front porch.

"She wasn't there." His voice startled Liz who was deeply engrossed in late-night television.

"What?"

"She wasn't home. I mean her car was there, but she wasn't. Oh and I ran into Rory, who will surely tell her I was there. But more importantly, she wasn't home, and she wasn't with Rory. She was out."

"Not necessarily what you're thinking Luke..."

"What am I thinking?" He snapped at her. At her stunned silence, "Well you're obviously thinking it too! It's too late."

"Maybe she's working late?" She lamely tries.

Luke grunts and walks to the kitchen staring into the street. He's silent. She dared not to speak. He broke the silence when his ruthless leg kicked the cabinet. "God-dammit!"

She tried again, fruitlessly trying to soothe, "Maybe she was asleep?"

He grabbed the side of the sink and dropped his head low, softly repeating, "God-dammit."

At a loss for anything else, Liz gave in to an overused, and, in this situation, a short-coming, "I'm sorry Luke."

He remained at the sink for a while longer. Conan O'brien was causing audience laughter. Liz was rocking uncomfortably on the couch. Luke straightened, and without looking at LIz said, "You can take Jess' bed. Thanks for coming tonight."

"I can leave if you want me t-"

"No, take Jess' bed, or the couch, whatever you want." And he walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. Liz hears the shower begin to run and looks sadly to the closed door. Helplessness and sadness flush through her body, causing a sharp, dull ache in her abdomen.

By the time Luke emerges from the bathroom, Liz had re-positioned herself on the couch with a blanket, having returned to watching tv. She didn't speak as Luke threw himself on his bed, and slowly got under the covers. She turned the tv off and slowly drifted to sleep, trying to ignore the ache.

Luke wakes up, painfully early, another night of little-to-no sleep. Liz is sleeping soundly on the couch as Luke silently gets up and ready for another horrible life-without-Lorelai day.

His mood is no better today, much to Kirk's delight as he scoops the 'fishy smelling eggs' into his mouth. Luke is busy scooping coffee into a filter, as he hears a familiar voice. "Can I get some orange juice and a bagel?"

Sookie? What's she doing here? Luke sighs as he recalls his late night visit to Lorelai's house. Probably here to tell me to stay away. She clears her throat and he slowly turns around.

"Hey Luke." She says carefully. He grunts a little, and she continues. "I hope it's okay I'm here. I wasn't sure if I was banned from the diner or anything."

Luke takes an interest in writing her order and sighs. "No one is banned Sookie."

"Well that's good." Again, a grunt.

"So OJ and bagel?"

"Yeah."

He turns to go retrieve her order and she stops him. "Hey Luke?"

As he begins to turn towards him, a female comes down the stairs. Sookie stares wildly. Luke seems unfazed. "I'm going out okay hon?" Sookie's jaw drops further, but she seems invisible to both of them.

"Okay Liz."

Liz?

She walks out of the diner. He turns back to Sookie and sees her disbelieving look. He immediately explains, "My sister."

Relief floods through Sookie as she looks back at the retreating figure who had been stopped my a familiar face. Sookie squints and cocks her head at the woman hugging Liz. Who is that? Nothing comes to her so she turns her attention back to Luke. "So...sister."

"Yeah. Not that that matters." Bitterness slides off his tongue like venom.

"Luke, she misses you."

He scoffs.

"I think you should talk to her."

He scoffs again, bigger. "I tried."

She looks at him. "When? At Doose's? That was hardly talking Luke."

"No."

Sookie was confused. "Well when then?"

He sighs knowing no way out of this confrontation. "Last night."

Panic slightly starts bubbling. Nervously she spits, "Last night? When last night?"

"I don't know. Midnight? I doesn't matter, she wasn't home. She was out."

The previous night's events start flickering through Sookie's head. The meltdowns, the drinking, the kiss. "Luke, she was with-" She freezes. The kiss. She turns back to the two women on the street. That woman! Nervously she asks, "Luke, who's Liz talking to?"

Confused, "Crazy Carrie. Why?"

Crazy Carrie. The Crazy Carrie. Oh no! Her face, she was there last night! Sookie jumps off her stool and runs for the door, leaving a confused and annoyed Luke in her wake. "Sookie!"

TBC

So much bitterness! I need a thesaurus.