A/N Sorry for the long wait. Excuse me, the extremely looong wait. I was busy and my muse was low, and all you get is this pretty crappy chapter. I aplogise. Enjoy if you can
The tension in the air was thick, so thick it made the hair on Lorelais arms stand on end. She cleared her throat nervously, putting a hand softly on Lukes arm. She could feel his muscles tense under his flannel, and silently prayed he would put away the thoughts of murder that he was so clearly harboring, at least until Jack had safely passed. Jack almost looked as if he would run any second, and Lorelai for the life of her, could not figure out why she had been attracted to his scrawny frame in the first place.
"Lorelai, how are you doing. I see you have been busy, you dont waste time do you ?" Jack said with a cocky grin, though his gaze was transfixed on Lukes clenched fists at his sides. Lukes jaw soon clenched as well, and Lorelai tapped him with her index finger discreetly, hoping he would calm down some. Apparently the gesture only made Luke become more protective.
"You undeserving, no good, son of a.." Luke growled, as he took a menacing step forward, his azure eyes flashing a emotion that Lorelai could not remember if it had tainted them before."How dare you abandon her and then talk to her like that!" Lorelai was well taken a back by Lukes sudden protectiveness as well as his blunt statement. Jack glowered, stepping away from the blond with a low murmur. Luke surveyed him, licking his lips as he tried to calm his temper as his eyes roamed frantically from Jack to Lorelai. Lorelai took a step back from Luke, though that was the last thing she wanted do to at the moment, when she saw the look in Jacks eyes. If she knew anything about Jack at all, it was that he had a temper a mile high, that was quick as gasoline to ignite when a flame came near.
The next thing Lorelai knew, both men had stepped toward each other, trying to inflict as much injury as they could. She wasnt sure if Luke threw the first punch, or if it was Jack, but at the moment, all she could concentrate on was Luke. A sinking feeling pooled into her chest, as if she had suddenly realized something about him. Lorelai let out a muffled gasp, tempted to try and stop the fight, but not knowing if Jack would stop, or if Luke would just lunge back in after she got them apart.
"Luke !" Lorelai cried, as Jack landed a particularly harsh blow to Lukes side. Luke came back with a vicious jab to the face, leaving what Lorelai suspected would be a very painful bruise. People started to take notice, and began to form a half circle around the two men. With a exasperated sigh Lorelai grabbed Luke by the back of his shirt and pulled with all her might. Luke, caught off guard, spun right into her. Lorelai looked up to see his face mere inches from her own, his indiago eyes dark with anger that was slowly but surely cooling. His eyes had softened suddenly, and she saw another emotion that she could tell was familiar, but not as if she had overlooked it many times before. Lorelai was amazed that Luke had stopped fighting so quickly after she had pulled him back, almost as if he was anticipating her doing so.
Lorelai felt herself being drawn closer to his eyes, their lips millimeters apart. She felt his lips brush hers lightly, when Jack bellowed some obscene curse to Luke, and ordered him to finish the fight. Luke hesitated ever so slightly and that was all it took for Jack to grab Luke by the collar and haul him away from Lorelai, as she gave him a look that Luke had never seen her give him before.
Pleading, honest, and he swore he saw something else. His mind was in a fog, he could have swore his lips had touched Lorelais for the briefest of moments.
It seemed that look from Lorelai was all it took to cool the rage that had overcome him. With a slight glare he swallowed and shook his head adamantly. Jack ignored him and threw a punch right to the jaw. Luke lunged, seemingly getting caught up in his rage, and Jack scrambled to get away from the fury that was radiating from Lukes whole demeanor, Jack tripped and sprawled out on the floor, a trickle of blood seeping from his nose. His red hued hair was mussed, and the blond looked down at him from her position a few feet away with humiliation in her eyes.
"Your not worth it." he spat, his voice low with repressed rage. "Your not worth it." Luke repeated as if to make his point clear, his voice a low growl, his eyes so filled with hatred that there was simply no room for sympathy. Jack looked up to him, his hand frozen beneath his nose, and Lorelai was glad to see fear in his eyes. He got to his feet, his hands trembling. The blond came over to him and started reprimanding him, and she dragged him off in the other direction, giving him occasional slaps upside the head.
Luke turned and looked to Lorelai, his chest heaving slightly. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it, not quite sure what she intended to say in the first place. Luke swallowed and as one they both turned on their heel and walked toward the truck, each one wondering what they could say. Lorelai was flattered that Luke would protect her like that...but she was slightly wondering why he went so far. Her lips tingled where his had brushed them.
Luke was apprehensive, he was not sure if Lorelai still liked that jerk and if his actions were just a little rash. The walk to the parking lot was silent. An uncomfortable silence to boot, Lorelai could hear each step she took upon the asphalt, and each breath Luke took in. To say the least, it unnerved her a little. Lorelai Gilmore was never one for silence, no, she liked her days to be filled with mindless noise and chatter, anything but silence. Luke however, was the complete opposite. Noise annoyed him, clutter confused him, and he liked his days to be silent with minimal interruptions.
Both simultaneously drew in a breath of relief as the old green truck came into view, Rory already perched in the middle seat, her nose planted firmly in a book that neither Luke nor Lorelai had ever read, or most likely ever want to read. Rory gave them a smile, then immersed herself in the book once more. Luke and Lorelai both gave her a hesitant smile in return, then headed to opposite sides of the trucks to get in.
The drive to Stars Hollow was silent. Rory was taken with her book, so only Luke and Lorelai took the brunt of the awkward silence hanging about the cab like a storm cloud. When Luke pulled up to the Gilmores house, and put his truck in park, he was surprised that neither of them bolted right then. Rory looked up from her book and surveyed both adults with a raised eyebrow, but said nothing except that she was going to study as she climbed over Lorelai and headed into the house. The two adults shifted uncomfortably in their seats, nearly throwing out their backs trying to keep from making eye contact. Luke tapped the steering wheel with his forefinger, craning his neck to peer at the dashboard as Lorelai fumbled with the strap of her purse. After a few moments of utter silence, Luke started suddenly, as if realizing that he had not moved, and got out of the truck.
Lorelai followed, after a moment of confused reflection, and lift the lighter bags. Luke had not brought the crib back, because the crib company had said they would get some of the truck men to drive it over the next day and put it where Lorelai wanted it. He took the heavier bags, and the two started toward the house together.