Kiss with Open Eyes

Chapter 17: Forget Me, it's So Simple

Disclaimer: You know it's not mine.

Summary: They just keep dancing around each other. He feels guilty, and she knows it's wrong, but the music is playing, and they can't help but dance.

A/N: Hello all, I know these chapters have been on the short side, lately… but that's just they way they've turned out. I mean, if you want, I could add a ton of pointless stuff in, just so you have more to read, but yeah… who wants that? Not me. The next chapter is much longer, I promise.

Right. Anyways… I'd love some pretty reviews, so be sure to leave some. Thanks.

"Hey Luke, it's me… Yeah, I just… haven't talked to you since the… accident. Just checking in… Call me back."

"Hey Luke, it's me… I just wanted to let you know that I get off of work at 7… I'll come by the diner. Bye."

"Hey Luke, it's 7:00 and I just got out of work, and um yeah… I'm standing outside the diner… with Kirk, and it's… closed? What's up? Call me back."

"Hey Luke, it's almost 8… Where are you?"

"Yeah, so it's 8:30… I'm still outside the diner… waiting… for you. And Kirk is still here… yep… Please call."

"OK, so it's 9 o'clock, and Kirk just went home… it's past his bedtime. Where are you?"

"Luke? Seriously, should I be worried? I guess you're just out… You weren't around this morning either… Maybe you just had a late meeting with the bank or something… Um yeah, I think I'll wait a few more minutes, just to see if you come by…"

"Yeah, it's 9:45… I'm going home… just thought I'd say goodnight… Night."

"Hey Luke… I'm just sitting here watching I Love Lucy. It's the episode where Ricky buys a new convertible for their California trip, and Lucy wants to learn how to drive it… and then she teaches Ethel how to drive… and of course we all know that won't go well, because… well, because, it's Ethel… hmm… Well, I'm not sure if you really know, because you don't like I Love Lucy… but anyway, I was just thinking of you… I haven't talked to you in a few days… I miss you. Please call."

"Hey, sorry I couldn't go by the diner today… The Inn was crazy, and then I had to go to speech and debate thing at Rory's school. She did great… really great… but anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, hopefully."

"OK, so I've decided that I really want to meet the man who thought up Cop Rock… I mean, the idea of cops just bursting out in song at the most random times… Who thinks of that? I mean, musical drama? Did they seriously think they could just make that into a TV genre? Man… I'd really love to meet this guy… He'd probably be my best friend. Of course, you would hate him… You'd probably punch him a few times… maybe even poke him in the eye or something… Yeah, but he'd be my best friend… Um, I'm driving to the Inn… come by if you want… or just call me, I miss you."

"Hey Luke… I'm at the Inn… I went to the diner this morning, but Cesar said you were out. He didn't know where you went… and yeah… if you get back, and you get this message, you should call me… or actually, you could come by the Inn. It's really slow today… Michel has a cold and I'm pretty bored, so I'd love it if you came by. Please, please, please call me back. I really miss you."

"So… I guess you're not coming by the Inn? That's OK, I know you're busy… with whatever it is that you're doing. You are one mysterious man, Luke Danes. Yeah, anyway, please call… I'll come by the diner after work."

"Um, yep… I just left the diner, and you weren't there. Where are you? Why are we always missing each other? Ughhh… Please call. Love you, bye."

"Hey, do you know who played Mr. Tuttle on Saved by the Bell… I can't figure it out. It's been bugging me… He was on the show for 3 years… God, who is it? Hmm… I guess I'll just google it… I was just really hoping I wouldn't have to get off the couch today… Oh well."

"Hey, just thought you'd want to know, it was Jack Angeles. Yeah… It's been 3 days… Where are you?"

"Hey… Did I um… do something? You haven't returned any of my calls. What's going on? Please call me."

"OK, so obviously you're mad… either that or you lying in a ditch somewhere, but Sookie said she saw you this morning, so I'm pretty sure you're just mad. Please tell me what I did, Luke, because I'm completely lost here. Bye."

"So… I'm pretty sure this is my 100th message… do I get a prize or something? I've always wanted one of those Chinese finger trap things… except I'd probably get my fingers stuck in it. That must be why they call it a finger trap, huh? Maybe I could just get a lollypop or something… That'd be nice… I like the grape ones. Yeah… You're never at the diner when I come by, and I just… I really want to talk. I miss you… a lot… Please call me."

"Hey Luke… Yeah… I know you're probably getting pretty annoyed with me… and all these messages I'm leaving you… but I… I just… really need to talk to you. We can fix whatever this is, OK? I don't want to lose you… OK, bye."

She was determined to talk to him, to fix whatever problem they were having, to do whatever she could to make everything alright.

He had been successfully avoiding her for the past four days, which wasn't very hard to do since he knew her work schedule. So, she decided the only way to talk to him would go to the diner when he least expected to.

She got out of the car, and checked her watch.

5:52.

God, it was way too early. He better appreciate this.

She crossed the street, went up the steps and opened the diner door. He looked up at her the second she walked in, and was, to say the least, completely stunned.

"Hi." She said, as she moved towards the counter.

"It's 6 AM." He stated.

"I know." She told him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"You've been avoiding me." She told him.

"I haven't been avoiding you." He told her, without much effort. "I've been busy." He added, and she sighed, telling him she knew better.

"We need to talk." She told him, flat out.

"I don't know if there's anything to talk about, Lorelai." He told her, not able to look her in the eye. He knew if he did, he'd give in, and he couldn't give in. It wasn't right.

"What? So that's it? You've just decided that we're over? Why don't I get any say in this?" She asked, raising her voice a little.

"Lorelai…" He began.

"No, I don't get it… What happened? I at least deserve some sort of explanation, Luke." She told him, demanding to know what was going on with him.

"I just… We can't do this anymore." He told her.

"What happened, Luke?" She asked him, again.

"I don't know…" He said, looking down at the counter.

"C'mon Luke… I need to know. I deserve to know." She told him, fighting the tears that were threatening to come.

"I just… We can't do this. It's wrong, Lorelai. You know it's wrong." He told her, pointing his finger in her direction.

"It's been wrong this entire time, Luke!" She yelled at him. "What happened?" She asked him, once more.

"I saw him." He said.

"What?"

"At the hospital… I saw him." He said, and she knew. She knew what happened, why he was backing out, why it was so much more wrong now.

"Luke…"

"No, Lorelai… I just can't do that… I can't." He told her.

"Luke… no…" She said, not sure what to tell him.

"I mean, I can't share anymore… I can't do this… thing with you, anymore. It's not fair that I have to share you… Maybe it's selfish, but I just- I want you to be… mine." He told her, looking up at her, when he was finished.

Her shoulders dropped, and she leaned against the counter. "I am yours." She told him.

"No, no… not really." He told her, shaking his head.

"Luke, I'm yours. I'm completely yours." She told him, almost begging him to believe her.

"No, Lorelai. You're not mine. You're mine during your 20 minute lunch break… You're mine for an hour or two after work… but the rest of the time? You're… his."

"I'm not his. I've never been his. It's always been you." She told him.

"We just can't do this anymore." He told her, trying to make her understand. "It won't work… You're married, you have a kid, a life… You're never going to give that up, and I can't ask you to… I just… I don't want to sneak around. I don't want to break up a family. I want to see you whenever I want, call you whenever I want. I want you to wake up beside me every morning… But, none of that can happen if you're still living in that other life." He told her.

"Luke…"

"No… I'm going to be the other man, the one that ruins your family, your life… I don't want to do that… this." He told her.

"But Luke…"

"Lorelai… Why haven't you told Chris yet?" He asked her, and she was taken back. It wasn't exactly something she was expecting, and it took her a minute to answer.

"I… I don't know." She told him.

"Maybe you don't want to divorce him… Maybe you still love him. Maybe you don't want to let go yet. Maybe you don't really love me." Luke said.

"No… no, that's wrong. I do love you." She told him, desperately, almost begging him to believe her.

"Look… You have some stuff to figure out, OK?"

"I've figured it out, Luke… I want to be with you. I'll tell Chris. I promise I'll tell him."

"I'm just going to make everything easier and… take myself out of this… this whole thing." He said, studying the counter again.

"Luke… no…" She told him, but he shook his head.

"When my mom died, my Dad told me that… if you love someone, you should let them go… set them free…"

"No… no, Luke." Lorelai said, giving into to the tears that had been threatening.

"It's hard to do… I guess that's why it's taken me such a long time to let you go. It's hard. It's really hard, but I have to do it… I mean, really Lorelai, if you think about… all that has been happening here is just a long goodbye."

"Luke, c'mon." She said, begging him to change his mind. But she knew…his mind was made up.

"It was always going to end up this way. You were never going to tell him, you were never going to give up that life. It was always going to be this way." He told her.

"I'm sorry." She told him, as tears stained her face.

"No, I was stupid to think this would ever work… How could it? Everything is so messed up. What were we even thinking? What the hell was I thinking?" He asked, raising his voice.

"That you loved me." She said, softly. He had never said the words to her. He had never told her that he loved her, but she always suspected. Why else would he go through all of this to be with her? It had to be love. What else could it be?

"No… not anymore."

I'm sure more angry reviews are on the way…

I'll say it again… Story's not over yet! Still got 4 more chapters to go. And I'm pretty sure they'll be longer than the last few have been… no promises though.

Anyway,

Next Chapter:

Your Lipstick, His Collar (May Change): She's lost Luke, and now she has to decide for real. She can only have one. She only wants one. Which one will it be? Also: Sookie does something surprising, and whose socks are those?

Please review! Only 4 chapters left… you gotta get 'em all in! Lol.