AN: A shorter chapter, I apologize. I had intended to write more but the chapter needed to end where it does. Trust me. Oh, and be afraid.

And then, a familiar voice comes from behind her, "I'll take care of it." She whips around surprised, face to face with Luke.

She was there to talk to him, and here he was. But words were far from her mouth. She hadn't even gotten a chance to pace!

She looked at him, trying to read his expression. He looked angry, sad, relieved. She felt her mouth opening and this was confirmed by Luke's subtle lean towards her, as if she was speaking in such a low tone that hearing required close proximity. She broke her gaze from his face and remembered her purpose. Then she felt the paper still clutched tightly in her hand. She stuck it out for him and he took it gently, folding it into his shirt pocket.

"Sorry. Apparently sympathy will get you no where." She tries to laugh but his intense gaze stops her. She looks down again. She knows what she needs to say, but how to begin without resorting to the unfavorable 'We need to talk'? Her mind races but no tangible thoughts come to her tongue. Had it been minutes? Seconds? She isn't sure, but she needs to say something. Her guilty mouth begins to open, and he breaks the heavy silence.

"So I guess Rory told you?" The vulnerability in his voice nearly shatters her and she almost stumbles, but her feet are currently housed in boots of concrete, and she silently thanks her stiff legs. And to her surprise, her mouth opens without permission.

"Thank you." What? Did she just thank him? She looks to his face embarrassed. He is understandably confused.

"What?" She wants to know the same thing. But in actuality, she knew she was thanking him for not yelling at her and telling her to leave and that he hated her. Her mind scolded her mouth, He doesn't know, yet. Yet.

Her eyes fix on the pavement again. Suddenly she feels a warm hand grab hers and she is moving. She nearly trips on the stairs as her mind races to catch up. Luke is dragging her confused body to his apartment. And as she registers this, she notices how gently he is tugging her. His hand wrapped softly and loosely on hers. The comforting touch causes her to grasp tighter, ensuring he not slip away. And at the top of the stairs he stops briefly to open the door, and pulls lightly at his hand, she doesn't budge. He opens the door and looks down at their hands. She realizes his circulation is being cut off, and releases his hand, embarrassed.

He walks into the room and turns around to find her still standing in the doorway. "I just thought..."

"No. You're right. Thank you." She visibly winces at her incessant mouth. He seemly chooses to ignore the wince and proceeds to turn towards the counter. She takes the opportunity to step inside of the apartment and close the door. She looks to him curiously. He is pouring a cup of coffee. He turns back and holds the mug out to her. She looks at him questionably.

He explains, "Liz made it a few minutes ago."

Liz.

She takes a few tentative steps and receives the coffee. For the thousandth time, her mouth opens and she stops.

He fills in the blanks, "Thank you?" He offers a smile, she accepts and returns the favor. The air thins in the room.

"So..." He begins, she sips the coffee and places it down on the table. She enjoys this moment, however awkward it may be. She fears it might be the last civility her and Luke will see for a while. "I've missed this coffee." Her voice is small and Luke smiles sadly.

He wonders if he should point out that Liz had actually made the coffee, but she knows that. So he decides on a more meaningful, "This coffee has missed you."

Her guilty eyes fall to the floor and her guilty feet start moving. She hits him with a force that causes him to stumble against the counter unexpectedly. And she has wrapped her arms around his torso, her face against his shoulder, her eyes clinched tightly shut.

He is caught off guard but gratefully accepts the hug, wrapping his arms around around her back. And he thinks he hears her murmuring "I'm sorry"s into his neck. But he smells her hair, and feels her breath on his neck and he kisses the top of her head.

It is when he finally hears her sniffling, when he gently puts his hands on her shoulders to try and look at her face. When her grip doesn't loosen, he dips his head towards hers.

"Lorelai?"

And he thinks he hears her say "Not yet." But he definitely feels her voice and is overcome with emotion. And places a lingering kiss on her temple, to assure her, he assures himself. But doesn't pull away as his lips slowly move to her cheek, and his eyes shut as he holds her in his arms.

And he breathes in deeply as his mouth unintentionally slips further down her face. And the sniffling has stopped, and so has both of their minds as he places a gentle kiss at the corner of her mouth. She turns her head and meets his lips with need and passion, and he accepts her need and raises her desperation. In a moment of weakness, their mouths open and desperately try to hold on to each other, avoiding the inevitable parting of bodies, words speaking, truths told. His lower back throbs as he feels the counter top forcing itself into his skin. And her hands are pulling his shirt so taught that he can feel the fabric pulling at his neck. He groans, partly in pain from the near death by flannel, partly because of how good it feels.

The guttural noise snaps Lorelai out of his arms and she flies across the room, saying "I'm sorry" several times nearly knocking over his bedside table. He is shocked and panting and straightening his shirt and watching her as she continues making the gap between them larger and larger.

"Would you stop saying that!" He comes off harsher than he intended but the words are coming off of a near-death experience, seeking air. And she stops, looks at him, and mutters the words she had been avoiding for the majority of her life.

"We need to talk."

AN: See I can be nice. Sort of. TBC