Chapter 7: Apologies

After all that, she was too late. He had gone. She felt her world crash down around her once again. She sat on the steps, unable to move. What have I done? If she had only realized how much she needed him a few hours earlier, would she have been here in time? Did it even matter anymore? Was it really over for good? She couldn't breathe. Her heart was still pounding in her chest from her long run, and her feet felt like lead. She had really ruined it this time. She should have told him sooner. She should have never run away in the first place. Why was life playing this cruel joke? Hadn't she suffered enough over the past year? Didn't she finally deserve some happiness?

Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, she caught sight of movement inside the diner, and her heart jumped briefly. But it was only Caesar. Forcing herself to stand, she got up and began to pound on the diner door to catch his attention. Caesar came immediately and opened the door.

"Lorelai?" He asked, clearly confused by Lorelai's appearance. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and she was still out of breath.

"Caesar, you have to tell me where Luke went. When did he leave? How can I contact him?" she asked desperately.

"He's still upstairs. He was just about to leave. I'm just closing up." Caesar replied.

Lorelai barely heard the last part of his statement. In a second, she was rushing up the diner stairs, almost tripping in her haste as she ran clumsily in her heels.

"Luke!" She screamed when she reached the door, pounding her fist on the glass. "Luke, please open the door!" She felt as if her lungs were about to go out.

The door opened and Luke stood on the other side, a duffel bag by his side.

"Lorelai?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry Luke." Lorelai said as she brushed the tears from her face. "I'm so sorry. For everything. I don't know why I ran. It was stupid. I was stupid. I didn't mean to. I was scared. I don't know why."

Luke stood there, surprised. He had clearly not expected this.

"Lorelai, you don't have to apologize. I shouldn't have kissed you. We should have talked about our relationship first, I shouldn't have pushed you."

"No, Luke. I need you to be in my life."

Luke was worried Lorelai was just saying this because she was afraid of losing him. "We don't have to be in a relationship if you don't want to. We can just go back to being friends. It's fine if you want to forget the kiss, really."

"No Luke, it was a great kiss. I don't want to forget it happened." This conversation seems familiar, Lorelai thought briefly

"Yeah?" Luke asked, smiling at her.

Lorelai felt herself smiling back. "Yeah. If one of us was a frog…"

She didn't get to finish her sentence. She felt his lips crash on hers, and she kissed him back. This was what she wanted. She knew that now, and she didn't plan on running again.

I just want to see you happy. Luke's words from the other night still rang in Lorelai's ears as they kissed. Unlike the night before, when they broke apart for air, the pain didn't come flooding back. She was happy. She rested her forehead against Luke's.

"God, Luke, we've been so stupid." She whispered.

"Never again." He whispered back as he kissed her again.

They still had things in their relationship to work out. Both of them understood that a kiss couldn't immediately mend all of their problems or heal all of their wounds. But this time they would be together, working them out. This time, no one would run.

The End.

A/N: Since this chapter was so short, I'm also posting a short epilogue at the same time.