Notes:

Thanks to all readers and especially reviewers! I glad you guys are liking this story so far!

uscrocks - I'm not sure you're ever going to know who Rory married. Rory will be in the story in some parts, but I'm not sure she'll ever talk about who she married.

LorLukealways - I assure you it will be worth the wait. Glad you're liking When Hearts Collide.

litizreal - Thanks for the compliment!

ACE5203 - I hope you will continue reading. Like I said, the concept is a little sad, but the story itself is not. Remember, things are not always what they seem.

GilmoreLover - All of your questions will be answered in this chapter. Thanks for the review.

sarahb2007 - Oh I have faith. They will get back together on the show. How soon is unclear but they will. I have no fear there. This is just a what if kind of thing, it's not at all what I think will happen. That's why I wrote Reparations first, I really think what we'll see in S7 will be closer to that than this story. Much closer. Maybe one leaves Stars Hollow for a time but not for this long.

flirtswithdisaster - Well of course it's not what I want to happen on the show or what I expect to happen. See above.

JJFanatic - I love the Way We Were. It was one of my favorite movies before I even started watching Gilmore Girls.

smileyGGfan - I didn't choose the name Larry. Sookie actually says a few lines later in that episode that she feels the other guy's name would be Larry. I wouldn't have chosen Larry, LG's dad's name is Larry. Coinkidink. Nicolas actually went through many many names in my mind, I'm not sure I can remember them all, but it took me forever to decide on his name. All the other names were just there for me. Note on Rory's husband is above. Glad you're liking it so far and that you're liking the flashbacks, I think that's been one of my favorite things about writing this fic.

Chapter 2: To Win Back Your Love Again

The Dragonfly Inn seems quieter than she remembered when Lorelai walks up to the door the next morning. She pauses on the porch remembering the night of the test run, the memory still strong as if it had just happened.

And I walked you home after the wedding, there was a moment. I thought there was a moment.

There was! There was a moment. What are you doing?

Would you just stand still?

Lorelai reaches up and touches her lips, still remembering how it felt, that first kiss, that first moment when she thought everything she always dreamed of was right in front of her. And it had been.

Shaking her head, Lorelai lets the memory go and walks in the inn. Michel is over at the receptionist desk, his back to her as he whines to someone on the phone, making it easy for her to slip right by him. She pauses only for a moment to smile, knowing that Michel had never changed.

She makes her way through the library and dining room to the kitchen, taking a wiff of the wonderful aroma of the food being eaten.

Taking a deep breath, Lorelai opens the door to the kitchen and walks in.

The five staff members are rushing around, finishing breakfast and trying to get started on lunch. Sookie is yelling directions at them all while decorating a three layered cake, for what Lorelai figures is an upcoming wedding.

"Sookie," she says solemnly, causing Sookie's eyes to fly open. Sookie glances over at Lorelai in shock.

"Lorelai!" Sookie squeals, throwing her arms in the air, dropping the frosting and almost knocking over the cake, which one of the staff members thankfully steadies. Sookie rushes over to Lorelai, throwing her arms around her. Lorelai hugs her friend back. "You're here!"

"I am!" Lorelai agrees.

"I can't believe you're here!" Sookie cries.

"Well you'd better because I'm no ghost!"

"Oh my God!" Sookie squeals, hugging Lorelai again.

"Well, it's nice to know I was missed," Lorelai says sincerely.

"Oh you." Sookie smacks her arm playfully. She takes Lorelai's hand leading her over to the cutting table and opens the refrigerator taking out a bowl of chocolates and sets it on the table. "Here, try these, I made them yesterday." Lorelai takes one and tastes it.

"Oh my God, that is amazing. Sookie you haven't lost your touch." Sookie smiles.

"I haven't, have I?" Sookie murmurs proudly. Lorelai takes another chocolate. "So, why are you suddenly here?" Sookie wonders.

"Well I was standing in the doorway and you grabbed my arm and dragged me over." Sookie hits her arm again.

"No, silly, I mean here, in Stars Hollow."

"Oh, well I finally decided to sell my house and I wanted to get it ready for sale," Lorelai explains for the second time in two days, knowing full well it won't be the last time.

"Aw, you're selling it? I thought you loved that house."

"I did, Sookie. I did. But I've lived in San Francisco for fifteen years. And it's been here all alone. Rory lived there for awhile and then Lane when she had that big fight with Zach and whoever Rory rented it out to but no one's lived there in a year and I hate to see that place be lonely. It needs to be lived in," Lorelai says.

"So why don't you live in it?" Sookie suggests. Lorelai sighs.

"I can't Sookie, I live in California," Lorelai reminds her.

"But you could move back, what's keeping you there?"

"Well Nicolas and Lucy are there."

"But they could move back too, oh I know they'd love Stars Hollow," Sookie says.

"Oh they would, they really would. Nicolas is so definitely a small town kinda kid and Lucy hates it in San Fran now that Larry's gone."

"Yeah, how's that going? You still doing okay?" Sookie asks sympathetically, laying a comforting hand on Lorelai's arm..

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've had some time to get over it, and it wasn't like we weren't prepared. It's just different. I mean, we were married for years…" Sookie nods.

"So why don't you move back?" Sookie asks again. Lorelai shrugs.

"Don't you think it would be weird?"

"For who? You? Or for…" Sookie trails off, leaving Lorelai to get her obvious hint.

She knows this is only the beginning. Everyone's going to ask. Everyone's going to wonder. For years town gossip swirled around the ups and downs of her relationship with Luke. Though fifteen years had passed, she knows there's no reason for that to change. They'll still be interested. They'll still want to know. And to think that at one point that had thrilled her, just knowing that she and Luke were the 'it' couple. They were Warren Beatty and Annette Benning. They were the couple that everyone wanted to know about. They were the couple that single members of Stars Hollow had wanted their future relationships to be like. But she just doesn't want that anymore. Living their relationship in front of the town was only one of the reasons that she had ended up hurt and confused and left town.

"Sookie," Lorelai says warningly. "I mean come on, I lived here for 20 years of my life too. And that house, I mean that was where I raised Rory. It would be odd to have Nicolas and Lucy grow up there now, especially because they're Larry's kids. He never even saw that house. No one ever lived there but me and Rory… and…" Lorelai looks down, hesitating on his name, remembering that technically he had never lived there.

"So it would be a little weird," Sookie recognizes.

"I don't know, Sookie. I'd have to think about it. I mean, I have a great job there."

"But you're still part owner of this place, we may have hired Leslie but you could always come back. I'm sure Leslie would like a change of pace now that she's engaged," Sookie says.

"Probably so. I remember how hard it was to run an inn and plan other people's weddings while trying to plan your own." Sookie raises an eyebrow.

"Are you talking about Max or Luke?" Sookie asks.

"What?" Lorelai shakes her head quickly. "Max, definitely Max. We planned my wedding to Luke at the diner in one day, remember?"

Do you know who I am?

Of course I know who you are

Who am I Luke?

You're Sookie.

No, Luke, I'm not Sookie. I'm Sookie BFOTB!

What?

Best friend of the bride!

"Have you been there yet?" Sookie asks. Lorelai shakes her head.

"No. I got here yesterday afternoon and I wasn't ready. I just straightened up the house some, started going through some things," Lorelai replies.

"Did you stay at your house?" Lorelai nods.

"Yeah my furniture was in storage until the last tenants moved out and then I had them moved it back in so my bed's never been slept in except by me." Lorelai purses her lips. "And Luke." She sighs again. Every moment that goes by, she's starting to realize how hard it's going to be to go into that diner.

"You should go over there," Sookie says.

"I'm going to."

"Now?" Sookie asks. Lorelai looks away. "Lorelai, you can't put it off forever. It's easier just to grab the band-aid and rip it off."

"But what if I bleed?" Sookie shrugs.

"At least you'll know you tried," Sookie says.

"Right." Lorelai nods. "Right." She eats another chocolate. "Well, I'm going to go run a few errands, call the kids and check on them and I'll come back later after dinner."

"Okay." Sookie nods. "Hey." Sookie touches Lorelai's arm. "Take the chocolates, they'll make you feel better." Lorelai picks up the bowl, dumping some into a plastic bag and putting it in her purse.

"Thanks." Lorelai hugs Sookie again.

"I'm glad you're back, I missed you."

"Yeah it's not the same over the phone," Lorelai agrees.

The bells above the door signal Lorelai's entrance into the diner.

She takes a moment and glances around the place, taking it all in. Of all the memories she had from her time in Stars Hollow, some of the best took place right in this diner.

She can still smell the paint from the time she convinced Luke to paint the diner. Though things named Christopher got in their way, Lorelai still painted the diner and was greeted with a thankful smile from Luke when he saw what she had done.

What do you think?

I think you shouldn't break and enter.

So what do you think?

Well I gotta admit- it looks pretty good.

She remembers the burger he made her on the night her father went into the hospital. The Santa burger she had called it. It looked absolutely delicious and disgustingly revolting at the same time. And that made her smile, that he cared enough to give make her food that he would never let anyone eat, much less take the time to make for anyone else.

No one has ever made me something quite this disgusting before. I thank you.

But the memory that burns brightest in her mind is the night that she proposed. She sat in the chair just to her right, looking up at him, knowing he was the only one she could depend on at that moment, loving him more than she ever had before. Realizing that the man in front of her was the most loving, dependable, caring, true, honest man she had ever known and he loved her and he loved her daughter. And he was the only one she had ever really wanted to marry. It was an incredible night. A night that included one of the worst moments of her life and one of the best moments of her life.

Luke, will you marry me?

What?

Luke, will you –

Yes.

Well you don't have to answer so –

Yes.

Well you can take a minute to –

No.

And a tear comes to her eye as she remembers that the night she proposed was the night everything began to fall apart.

Finally she lifts her eyes to the man standing behind the counter.

The bells in the midafternoon have caused him to look up from his toaster fixing, as it is unusual for someone to come in at that hour, unless the customer's name is Kirk.

"Lorelai," Luke whispers in shock, setting his screwdriver down on the counter. He struggles to maintain his stoic composure after his first glimpse in fifteen years of the woman he had once promised to cherish forever.

"Hi Luke," she answers softly.

"I didn't ever expect to see you again," Luke finally grumbles after a moment. Lorelai shrugs.

"I'm not sure I ever expected to come back," she realizes. Lorelai slowly walks up to the counter, settling herself on the stool in front of him as Luke is unable to take his eyes off of her.

"Coffee?" he finally asks.

"You remembered." Lorelai smiles, a little uneasily.

"Well your coffee fixation was hammered into my brain for 10 years, I think I can at least remember that." Luke sets a mug in front of her and pours some coffee in it. She lifts the mug to her lips, slowly drinking, her eyes closed as she tastes the familiar liquid.

"Mmmmm… still good."

"Coffee doesn't change," Luke remarks.

"So… how are you?" Lorelai asks.

"I'm doing well. How's… Larry?" Lorelai looks down, tensely playing with the rings on her finger.

"He…" She sighs and glances up at him, pursing her lips. She doesn't even know what to say, how to explain it.

"Sorry to hear that," Luke says softly, not needing to hear to the words to know what she's trying to say. He lightly touches her hand for a split second, quickly drawing his hand away as if he had touched a flame.

"It's okay. We were ready for it. He was sick for awhile. The kids had their time to say goodbye," Lorelai says.

"Well Mike and the Mechanics would appreciate that." Lorelai nods and then looks up at him confused.

"Luke, how did you know about Larry?" she asks.

"I don't know. Lane? Rory? I'm not completely shut out of the gossip mill." Lorelai grins. "Yeah, I heard you married him, Larry. And that you had some kids."

"Yeah, Nicolas, he's fifteen, and Lucy, she's fourteen," she replies.

"You always were a good mother." Luke's eyes smile back at her, reminding her of when he said that so many years ago.

You'll make a great dad.

You make a great mom.

"Thanks," Lorelai says softly. The moment of still silence causes each of them to tense.

"So how is Rory?" Luke finally asks as Lorelai drinks some more coffee.

"She's good. She loves it in DC and she loves being a mother," Lorelai replies.

"Which makes you a grandmother." Lorelai groans.

"Don't remind me. I detest that word. I try to get the kids to call me other things like Nanners or Big L, something hip, cuz I'm the cool granny."

"Big L?" Luke asks.

"Yeah, cuz Rory's eldest is also Lorelai. When Lily was first born, I flew out to DC and helped Rory out for awhile. I nicknamed her Lil L, which is where her nickname, Lily, came from," Lorelai explains.

"So couldn't they just call you Big?" Luke jokes.

"I suppose they could, but I really wouldn't appreciate it," Lorelai responds with a shake of her head. Luke grins.

"So, what brings you to Stars Hollow?"

"Oh, I decided to sell the house so I came back just to fix things up, you know…" Lorelai shrugs, already tired of telling the story.

"You're going to sell your home? But you love that place!"

"I did," Lorelai corrects him. "But it's been empty a year." She shrugs again. "Things change." They share a look.

"Yeah, they do," Luke agrees softly.

"I mean for some people, but you… not so much." Luke raises an eyebrow. "This place is exactly the same and I bet if I went upstairs your apartment would be the same."

"I changed the specials," Luke tells her, pointing. She looks over and notices that his new special is the tuna melt.

"Wow," Lorelai deadpans.

What can I get you?

You have a new special.

I sure do.

Nice. What is the special omelet?

You won't like it.

How do you know?

Because you've been eating here for years and I know what you like and you won't like it.

Lorelai glances back up at the chalkboard and smirks. She hated the tuna melt too. "And I live in a townhouse over on Spring," Luke adds, pointing with a thumb at the street behind him. "With my daughter." Lorelai's eyes go wide.

"Your… daughter? Oh, you mean April." Luke chuckles.

"No, Lorelai, fifteen years have passed, April's 27," Luke reminds her.

"Oh, right," Lorelai covers, blushing. In her mind April has always been that twelve year old girl having an in depth conversation with herself about whether she should put rice in the salt shakers.

"My daughter Loren. She's 14, like yours."

"Wow, I didn't know. Guess you're more up on the Hollow gossip than I am."

"Well I live here," Luke reminds her.

"Yeah, but you never knew anything." Luke smiles. "So… Loren… and your wife too?" Luke shakes his head, clearing his throat.

"No, uh, Mandy died, during childbirth."

"Oh Luke…" Lorelai shakes her head sadly, wanting to touch his hand, but afraid, remembering both of their reactions the last time. So she just gives him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry."

"Well, I miss her, but it has been 14 years so…" He shrugs it off.

"How is April?" Lorelai asks, changing the subject.

"She's good. She actually lives out in DC too. Well, Bethesda but it's close. She works at NIH." Lorelai looks impressed.

"Wow, that's cool. Glad to hear she's happy and doing well." They share a look, remembering Lorelai once shouting in the heat of an argument that she couldn't care less about April. At that point both of them knew that it wasn't true, but for Luke it hurt all the same. She looks down, drinking some more coffee. "So, you going to the festival tomorrow?" Lorelai asks. Luke sighs.

"I heard there was another one of those damn things. Jeez… you would think Stars Hollow would run out of money sometime," he grumbles.

"So I take it that's a no." He sighs.

"I'll probably have to. Loren loves those stupid gatherings of the insane."

"She can get you to go?" Lorelai asks, surprised.

"She's got amazing powers of persuasion, as once, did you."

"Ah a girl after my own heart," Lorelai teases and then realizes what she just said. She becomes flustered, both of them doing their best to make small talk while remaining stoic.

"Are you going?" Luke asks.

"I might stop by. I'm sure by now my arrival has made the Stars Hollow webpage so I'll be expected. I'm just not sure how many more times I can explain why I came, where the kids are, what I've been doing, what happened with Larry and more importantly why I'm back."

"Well that's what you get for staying away for so long," Luke remarks.

"If I remember correctly, you were the one who told me to leave," Lorelai retorts, harsher than she intended. A flaccid look comes over Luke's face. Lorelai closes her eyes, wanting just to put the words right back in her mouth. "Sorry," she whispers timidly looking up at him. Luke shrugs, as if he doesn't care.

"I did say that," Luke recalls. He shakes it off, taking a deep breath.

"You know I stayed away because things just happened out in San Fran. I met Larry. I had Nicolas. You know that I would have come back otherwise," Lorelai says, trying to placate him. She's not sure it's really the truth. She's not sure if she would have ever come back if Larry hadn't died. She's not sure how much she would have put herself through before ever walking in this diner again.

"Do I know that?" Luke asks, as if reading her thoughts. Lorelai looks down at her coffee cup. Both of them notice it's now empty. "More?" Lorelai takes a deep breath and shakes her head.

"No, I'd better get back home." They both realize that she called the house 'home'. She smiles nervously. "It was good seeing you. You look good." Luke grins. Lorelai rolls her eyes. "And we're back to 5th grade…"

You know you always look good.

Yeah?

I mean you always look healthy.

Okay.

But now you don't look healthy. You look..

Unhealthy.

Yes.

Okay.

Oh what? So I said you look good. We're not in 5th grade. 'You look good', big deal. Stop staring at me.

"You look good too, Lorelai. You always did," Luke says softly. They gaze at each other, Lorelai blushing at his words. But her cell phone goes off, interrupting their moment. Luke points behind him at the 'no cell phones' sign. Lorelai laughs as she takes the phone out of her purse.

"I was right, you never change." She sees that it's Lucy calling. "Well, kid's calling. I'll see ya around." Lorelai waves as she walks out, answering the phone. Luke watches her leave, his shoulders finally relaxing, wishing it could have been easier, wishing it hadn't been fifteen years, wishing for just a second that he had never let her go all those years ago.