"Luke?" Nicole called out tentatively while stepping through the threshold, "What's going -" She froze once she saw Luke and Lorelai, "On here?" Nicole glared at the two of them and demanded, "Am I interrupting something?"

Luke immediately took his hands off of Lorelai's arms and stammered, "Nicole…hey. No. Uh, Lorelai's inn got taken over by some guests and she needed a place to crash." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued, "I didn't think you were coming over tonight."

Processing what she saw in front of her, Nicole flatly stated, "Obviously."

Luke nodded as he continued in his defense, "I mean, I would have called, but I didn't really think it would be such a big deal, right?"

"You didn't think I was coming over tonight?!" Nicole echoed, her voice starting to rise.

Luke grimaced and responded, "Uh…yeah?"

She sarcastically remarked, "Oh? So you knew I wasn't coming here, so you invited your other girlfriend to stay the night?" She shook her head in disgust.

Luke, flabbergasted, replied, "No! What!? No, Nicole, it's just Lorelai! It's not like that."

"Then what is it like, Luke?" Nicole exploded, "Am I really supposed to believe your 'her house is being used by guests' story? Really, Luke, if you're fooling around behind my back, I'd at least expect a better excuse than that. Who in their right mind lets complete strangers stay in their house when they're not even there?"

Luke angrily replied, "Fooling around? I'm not cheating on you! You know I wouldn't do that. I'm just helping out a friend! What the hell is wrong with that?"

Nicole exploded, "Well, what's wrong is that I think it's more than helping out a 'friend' when I come in and see you all over her in our kitchen!"

Lorelai, feeling awfully uncomfortable at that point, not to mention oddly stung by Luke's 'It's just Lorelai' comment, lamely mumbled, "Uh, sorry Nicole. It's just…I thought you knew that I was coming over. But it's true—I just came to crash the night." Lorelai gestured to the door and continued, "Um…I think I should go…Check on those Poes and all…"

Luke turned towards Lorelai and replied, "No, that's crazy. You have nowhere to sleep at your place. It's fine that you stay." Annoyed, he glanced at Nicole, "Right?"

Nicole gave Lorelai a dirty look and replied, "Actually, I think you need to go."

Luke stubbornly refused, "This is my apartment, and I say that she can stay. And that is final."

"It's okay, really Luke, I think I'd better go…" Lorelai went to reach for her duffel bag, but Luke cut her off.

"Luke, I need to talk to you. Now." Nicole stormed to the door and motioned for Luke to follow. "Make yourself at home, sweetheart," She shot nastily in Lorelai's direction as she went down the stairs.

Luke mumbled a quick sorry to Lorelai, followed Nicole downstairs, and closed the door behind him. Lorelai bit her lip and wondered why she always got stuck in the worst situations.

A minute or two later, Lorelai heard screaming.

"Luke! You can't just invite some woman over without telling me!"

"It's just Lorelai!"

"That's even worse!"

"Dammit Nicole, keep it down!"

Their conversation quieted to whisper-yells, and Lorelai could no longer hear what they were saying. Against her better judgment, Lorelai tiptoed to the door, slowly opened it, and carefully listened to what they were saying.

Downstairs, Luke felt sick to his stomach. "Nicole, can we discuss this tomorrow?! Just let her stay the night, and when she's gone, we'll talk. It's rude to keep her waiting up there."

"Luke! You just don't get it do you?!" Nicole took a deep breath and more calmly stated, "You've known her for eight years. You see her every day—more than you see me, might I add. I'm not blind – she's pretty. I'm sure guys think she's gorgeous, and you flirt with her all the time. Don't you think I have a right to be suspicious?"

Luke hissed, "I do not flirt with her all the time. I don't flirt.And yes I've known her for-"

"Do you love her?" Nicole accused, "Just tell me the truth."

Luke hesitated, then responded, "Of course I love her! I've known her for eight years, I've watched her kid grow up, and she comes into the diner all of the time. She's one of my best friends. But I'm in this relationship with you, aren't I? Doesn't that count for anything?"

"No, it really doesn't! Do you know how hard this is for me? To see my boyfriend spending all of his time with another woman whenever I'm not around?" Nicole sighed in frustration. "It doesn't make me feel any better just because you are "seeing" me. To tell you the truth, you act more like her boyfriend than mine."

Luke hesitated and started, "Nicole…"

"You know what Luke? I'm tired of it. So I think you'd better figure out something soon, or else this relationship is going to be over."

"You're not being fair. You can't make me choose between you and her. I'm not going to cut her out of my life. And you know what? I don't know if I even want to be with someone who is that selfish."

Nicole replied, "Fine. Then I guess we're over." She stormed over to the door, yanked it open, and just before walking off she said, "You'd better tell her soon, or else you'll have ruined out relationship for nothing!"

Luke sighed, amazed at how quickly the night had gone by. As he was wondering if he was doing the right thing, he heard Lorelai's footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Lorelai?" He called out, and hesitated before reluctantly mumbling, "Uh…Nicole and I just broke up…"

Lorelai appeared at the steps and guiltily glanced at him. "Um, I kinda heard everything…I'm sorry Luke. But, the thing is, I think you just made a huge mistake."