Lorelai dressed and was out the door in record time. She intended to get to the diner early enough to have enough time to eat breakfast and not just steal a cup of coffee to drink at work. She wanted to thank Luke for the pie and make sure he knew what he missed by not hanging around after he delivered it. But as she pulled onto the main street she noticed the yellow tape on the street cordoning off the building. The black stains up the front of the walls were unmistakeable and the fire chief's car with the red light still flashing as it was blocking some of the road made her heart stop still in her chest.

She parked next to the chief's car and jumped out and hurried over but a police officer stopped her from getting in.

"What the hell happened here? Luke! Luke!" She called out.

"He's not here. He's at the hospital."

"Oh god!" she cried out.

"He's fine, they took him in for smoke inhalation."

"What happened?"

"Electrical fire in the middle of the night."

"Oh that's awful."

She backed away from the diner and pulled out her cell phone to call the inn. Michel answered with his usual droll tone but she didn't wait for him to finish his greeting.

"Michel, it's me."

"Who?"

"Me!"

"Who?"

"Michel! It's me, Lorelai!"

"Oh, hello Lorelai. Candice has called in sick so we're short two maids for the bedroom service, Kurt broke a window in the dining hall and we need to call-"

"Michel, you need to take care of all of that. I won't be in for a few hours."

"What? It's Saturday!"

"I know Michel, I know, look there's been a fire and Luke was brought to the hospital and I need to go see him. I'll be in later, should make it before the lunch rush. Tell Sookie I'll call her later."

She ended the call and hurried back to her truck to make her way to the hospital.

Luke sat on the edge of the bed with his back to the door. He was wearing a hospital gown and waiting for the doctor to come in and discharge him so he could go to the fire station and talk to Chief Brody. He had gotten word that the report was complete and Brody would meet him at the station when he was ready.

He looked at the chair by his bed where his shorts and top were lying in a crumpled heap. He could smell the smoke off them from here and dreaded when he would have to put them back on. When the door opened he turned expecting to see the doctor but instead only saw Lorelai standing there. She looked worried and relieved at the sight of him and as she stepped into the room and came close to him, the worry faded and relief took over.

"Luke…" She stood beside the bed and for a moment he wasn't sure if she was going to hug him or not. She seemed to outstretch her arms but hesitated. He did the same and also hesitated and they both ended up in an awkward position of a half hug when the door opened again and the doctor walked in.

"Mr Danes."

"That's me." Luke dropped his arms and stood up to turn and face the doctor, realising only too late he had his back to Lorelai and there was a draft coming in the back of his gown. He reached behind himself and held his gown closed then half turned his back away from her with a blush. She smiled but averted her eyes.

"You are free to go. Take this inhaler, two puffs every morning and evening for the next three weeks."

"Ok, thanks."

"Have you used an inhaler before?"

"No, but its just point and shoot right?"

"Put the nozzle in your mouth, exhale deeply then as you inhale press the dispensing button, then hold it for 8 seconds." His voice was monotone as if he was bored handing out these instructions as he wrote on Luke's chart then turned and left the room without another word.

Luke turned back to face Lorelai. "Some bedside manner huh."

"What happened?"

"I dunno, I need to go to the fire station now and find out."

"I'll take you."

"No, you don't have to-"

"Luke…I'm taking you. Get dressed."

He grabbed his clothes off the chair and slipped his shorts on under his gown. She walked to the end of the bed and looked away, fiddled with his chart knocking it to the floor with a loud clatter. She bent to pick it up and when she stood up again he had pulled off the gown and was reaching for his top. She tried to look away but her eyes were glued to his chest. Red marks, and back streaks from what she guessed was his escape from the fire the night before didn't detract from the wide shoulders and broad chest, covered in a fine dusting of dark hair that taped off down his abdomen to the rim of his shorts. Only when he pulled the top on over his head did she break out of her gaze and thankfully he didn't seem to notice her staring.

"Ready?" He pulled his sneakers on without tying them, then grabbed his discharge papers and his inhaler and followed her out the door.

They drove in silence to the fire station. And he was surprised when she parked in a space rather than just pulled up outside.

"That's ok, you don't need to come in. I can walk from here."

"Walk? To where exactly?" She undid her belt and turned in her seat to look at him.

"Home, it's only a few blocks." He gestured out the window in the direction of the diner.

"It might only be a few blocks Luke but it's also covered in smoke damage and currently has no windows. And that's all I could see from the street."

"You saw?" He looked down at his hands in his lap.

"Yeah, I did." They were silent for a minute more but she couldn't take it anymore. She reached out and put a hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry Luke, I'm so sorry."

He nodded, not trusting himself to say anything. Instead he undid his own seatbelt and climbed out of her jeep. She sat in her chair not sure if she should go with him or wait out here but when he walked around her car to her door and opened it she climbed out and they both went in.

Chief Brody was waiting in his office for him. He had a print of the diner on the wall and was marking it with a red marker when they walked in.

"Luke, how are you doing?"

"Fine. How bad is the damage?"

"Actually not that bad at all."

"Really?!"

"A lot of cosmetic damage. About 80% of the downstairs will need to be redone in terms of cosmetics, the upstairs is not so bad."

"And apart from the cosmetic damage? What about the structure?"

"Over all the struts all seem to be very solid still. Foundation is strong in that building. They don't build them like that anymore. The ceiling in the kitchen will need to be replaced, the front frame too but I don't think you will be out of commission for too long."

"Oh man!" Luke sighed with relief and covered his face with his hands. "Thank god!"

"It's safe to work in. Water damage as you can imagine is quite extensive. Most of the kitchen equipment will need to be replaced."

"I'll have insurance for that."

"I have processed the report already and we should get a slip for you by Wednesday next week."

"Great, thanks Brody."

"Call your insurance guy and get them to come over before you do any work."

"I will." Luke stood and they shook hands. "Thanks for everything."

Back out in the street Luke got to the car and put his hands on the bonnet, then bowed his head and took a few deep breaths. Lorelai leaned back beside him and nudged him with her elbow.

He looked over at her and smiled.

"C'mon, let's go take a look."

They climbed into the jeep and drove to the diner. She parked behind his truck and they both hurried inside. The tables, chairs and counter were charred beyond use. The shelves were black with the paint peeling off them. Puddles of water collected in odd spots around the floor and in the kitchen nothing was barely recognisable.

"Wow…" Lorelai whistled low under her breath as she walked around after him.

Luke went over to the load bearing walls and nudged them. He shoved his shoulder against the arch and seemed satisfied at the result.

"Yeah…wow." He moved around the diner in silence and her heart ached at the sight of his slumped shoulders and furrowed brow. When he went upstairs she left him to it and waited by the counter for him. He was up there for mere moments before she heard his footsteps coming back down.

"How bad is it up there?"

"Not too bad. I'll need new windows and to give it a lick of paint. New linen and wardrobe too."

"Oh I knew you'd find a silver lining!" she clapped her hands together and smiled. "Just think of this as an opportunity to reinvent yourself Luke! No more flannel shirts or hats!"

"I like my flannel shirts." He spoke softly and coldly.

"Really? All of them?"

"I like my flannel shirts." This time his voice was louder but she missed the difference and kept pushing.

"Even that green one?"

"Especially the green one."

"The red one?"

"Lorelai. Drop it."

"Okay. Fine. It's just I can't remember a time when you weren't wearing a flannel shirt." He turned away from her and ducked behind the counter but she kept talking. "I think even on the first day I came in here you were wearing one."

When he didn't pop his head up or respond she looked over the edge of the counter to see him crouched by the wall behind the counter, and his hands brushed the black sooty dust off the side wall of the counter.

"Luke?" she came around and crouched beside him. "What are you doing?"

"My dad wrote this here when it was a hardware store."

She looked at the wall and saw an order for hardware supplies written in black marker.

"Oh Luke, I'm so sorry." She rubbed his arm and settled onto the ground beside him, to lean against him.

"You already said that."

"I know…I just…"

"I know."

They sat like that for a few minutes. He was lost in thought and she was lost in an attempt to just be with him. For a while he just let the memory engulf him but when he felt the stirrings of tears start to collect in his eyes he abruptly stood up and brushed the front of his top down, leaving streaks of soot all over it.

"Oh crap!" he tried to brush the soot off but only made it worse. "This is the last thing I have to wear!"

"Nothing upstairs is useable?" She stood up and watched as he made his top even blacker. "Stop! You're making it worse!"

"Ugh, what does it matter. It's going to get filthy from working in here anyway." He looked up at her with a crooked smile and she couldn't help but smile back at him. "So yeah… thanks for the lift."

"Anytime." They stood in silence for a moment and she watched as he looked around the room and avoided her. "So I guess I'll take off and leave you to call the insurance and all that."

"Yeah, thanks again."

She waved and walked out of the diner but before he could move to the phone on the wall she came hurrying back in.

"Luke!"

"Huh? What?"

"Where are you staying?"

"What? Here. Why?"

"No! You can't stay here!"

"Why? The Chief said it would be fine."

"No, he said it's safe to work in, you can't stay here while it's like this. Not with your chest like that."

"It's fine."

"No Luke. It's not. Come stay with me, or stay at the inn." He frowned at her suggestion. "Rory is in college so her room is there, all free and unloved."

"No I couldn't impose."

"Ok, you can rent a room at the Inn, I'll even give you a family discount."

"Lorelai, really, its fine."

"Okay, then its settled. I'll pick you up at 7. Or if you want to go back to my place before then, there is a key in the turtle on the porch." She smiled then turned on her heel and walked out without giving him a chance to respond fully.

Luke watched her drive off and walked to the door to keep her in view for a few seconds longer, then shook his head and smiled and turned back to his diner. He spent the rest of the day sorting out his insurance, calling contractors and arranging for a skip to be placed outside the diner for the next day so he could begin work. Loads of the townsfolk came by to talk and offer their sympathies and by the time the evening rolled by and he spotted Lorelai driving down the street he was ready to bolt away from the diner to get away from it all. He had gathered some personal effects in a small bag but no matter how he looked at it, none of his clothing would be useable again. All of it stank of smoke, some of it was singed as his wardrobe was placed directly above the kitchen and there was nothing salvageable at all.

He grabbed some toiletries, his wallet and keys and was sitting on the steps to his diner when she pulled up out front. She leaned over and opened the passenger door and called out to him.

"Hey hustler, how much do you charge for a whole night?" she delighted in the mixed look of embarrassment and annoyance that crossed his face as he grabbed his bag and climbed into the car beside her. "So? How did it go?"

"Work starts tomorrow at first light."

"Insurance company already came out?"

"Yeah. Fully covered, unless the report says something surprising."

"Oh that's great Luke, I'm delighted for you."

He nodded and smiled. They drove the rest of the way in silence but by the time they got to the house his heart was beating a little faster and as if she sensed his nervousness she filled the void with idle chatter. She opened the door and invited him in then spoke about her house as if it were the inn.

"We have a 24hr kitchen available to all guests willing to go in and cook for themselves. Though the ingredients you might see in there are like sighting a lion on the Serengeti. The living room is open to all guests all the time. We have several movie channels-"

"Of course."

"As well as the usual splattering of terrestrial channels. Feel free to peruse at your leisure. Now, sir, if you'll follow me I'll show you to your room."

To his surprise she showed him upstairs. He was sure Rory's room was downstairs. He remembered when he was in here fixing a broken lock she has been studying in the room next to the kitchen. He dismissed the thought and figured they had swapped rooms or something but then as she led him into a large master bedroom he knew instinctively that this was Lorelai's bedroom.

"This is your bedroom, with ensuite bathroom facilities. The shower is a little finicky where you need to blast the cold water for thirteen seconds, before turning it all the way to the right until the water is as hot as lava, and at that point, turn it back to the 7pm position for a normal temperature shower."

"Lorelai…"

"There are towels in the press in the hall, and pillows and blankets too if you need them."

"Lorelai…"

"I'll leave you now to settle in and if you need anything-"

"Lorelai!" He grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away. "Wait, this isn't Rory's room."

"Ha! She wishes!"

"I can't stay here, this is your room."

"No not at all, this is the guest room we have for an emergency just like this!"

"It's not, this is your room and I can't stay here."

"Luke, I came home at lunch to fix up Rory's room and I realised not only is the bed too small for you but I just didn't think she would be comfortable with someone staying in her room beside me."

"And you are ok with it?"

"Yes, of course!" She patted his hand on her arm and smiled. "You are welcome to stay here for as long as you like. Now go, take a shower, you stink!"

She turned and walked out leaving him in the middle of the room staring after her in surprise. He dropped his small bag on the floor next to the bathroom door and went into turn on the shower. He followed her instructions to find the right temperature and made a mental note to fix that before he left. He Pulled off his top and was relieved to get it off his skin. It was grimy and black and encrusted with soot. He did the same with his shorts and kicked off his sneakers before grabbing a towel and stepping into the shower.

He had the water as hot as he could stand it and let it work magic on his muscles to sooth his aching neck and back. He stayed in there for longer than he would have liked but was loving the sensation of the water pounding his tension away. Eventually he came to enough to soap himself down and wash his hair and rinse himself down fully. Then he turned off the water and climbed out. He grabbed the towel and dried himself off then wrapped it around his waist and walked back into the bedroom but only then did he realise he had nothing to change into. He picked up his shorts and top with a look of disgust and decided against putting that back on. He knew she had a washer drier in the back room downstairs and thought he could put these in now and they would be ready for the morning.

But that would mean walking downstairs in just a towel into her living room where she was probably lying on the couch. He could stay up here until she went to bed and then run them through the wash, but if she was sleeping in Rory's room the washer could keep her up. Luke sat on the edge of the bed and contemplated his next step. But realising he couldn't just do nothing he took a breath, checked the knot on the towel he was wearing was secure enough and made his way down stairs.

She wasn't in the living room or the kitchen to his utter relief so he hurried out to the washer and set it for a quick cycle, threw in some powder then went back to the kitchen, and turned to close the door softly.

"Oh it's like a living breathing levis ad in my own kitchen."

Luke jumped at the sound of her voice as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie drawer.

"Jeez, you scared me."

"Doing some housework?"

"Just putting the only clothing I own into the wash."

"Oh god, you are going to wear those again?"

"Yeah, what else can I do?"

"Take them out back and shoot them?"

"And then?"

"Buy more."

"While wearing what exactly."

Lorelai let her eyes linger up and down his body, and waggled her eyebrows making him blush.

"You don't like the towel?"

"Not while I'm out shopping."

He sidled through the kitchen, keeping a while knuckle grip on the towel and tried to keep his back to her. She sat at the table smiling at him, watching him try to make his way around her without getting to close to her.

"I have something you can wear."

"You do?" He looked her up and down. "I'm not sure I'll fit into your clothes."

"No, god no! And if you did I would have to kill myself!" She got up and patted his shoulder as she passed by him. "C'mon."

She hurried back up the stairs and into her room where she found a box in the wardrobe and tried to pull it down off the top shelf. She struggled with its weight and almost dropped it but Luke came up behind her and caught it. She found herself in the circle of his arms, her back pressed to his chest, his hands covering hers on the box.

"You have it?"

"I have it."

She ducked out from his arms and let him pull the box down and place it on the chair by the window. She couldn't help but notice how the towel he was wearing was riding low on his hips now that he had let go of it. The small curve of his back dipped beneath the towel and she could see the top of his ass. She looked away quickly and hoped he didn't notice but he was too interested in what was in the box.

"What's this?"

"A box of clothes."

She pulled the top of the box open and he looked in to see a collection of tee-shirts, shorts, jeans and sweats. All male items of clothing.

"Whose are these?"

"Remnants of all the gentleman callers I've had over the years."

"What?" Luke abruptly dropped all the clothes he was holding and looked at her but she was laughing and he realised she was joking.

"No, but you should have seen the look on your face. You are such a prude!" He rolled his eyes at her. "They clothes I wore when I was pregnant with Rory."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I couldn't afford maternity clothing, so I bought men's clothes instead."

Luke pulled out a large tee that he thought might even be too big for him and held it up with a look of confusion on his face. "I thought you were 16 when you had Rory."

"Hey! I was huge! Don't mock me!" She swatted his arm and he dropped the tee with a smile. "Look, take a look through there and I'm sure you'll find something that fits."

"Thanks, this is great." He smiled at her and their eyes locked. She felt a heat rising from her neck and hoped he didn't notice in the dim light of her room. He looked like he was about to say something but instead they were interrupted by the doorbell.

"Put some clothes on, you are positively indecent!" She said as she backed away from him. "I've ordered pizza. Come down when you are ready."

He smiled and nodded and she turned and left. He watched her leave then focused back on the box of clothes to find something to wear she wouldn't mock him over. He settled on a plain pair of elasticated navy sweats that were a little too short for him and a dark red tee with a yellow yoyo on the front.

He went down stairs and found her sitting on the living room with an untouched pizza on the table I front of her. She was fiddling with the report for the TV and was either rewinding or fast-forwarding a video.

"You waited?" he said with admiration. He knew she had little or no restraint when it came to food.

"Yeah, of course. Come. Sit." She patted the couch beside her and he walked over and sat down with a sigh. "Tired?"

He nodded.

"Here, have a slice." She picked up a slice with a napkin and passed it to him then passed him an open bottle of beer and held her own up for him to clink to.

"Thanks."

"So tonight's movie," she said after taking a gulp of her beer. "Is a little known Molly Ringwald movie called the Breakfast club."

"I know that movie."

Lorelai shook her head and turned to face him with pure shock written all over her face.

"Shut up. And press play." He gestured to the tv and bit into his pizza slice.

She stared at him for a moment longer then pressed lay on the video without looking away from him.

"Aren't you going to watch?"

"I am watching."

"You're watching me, not the movie."

"I'm watching you watch the movie."

"Lorelai."

"Okay, okay, I'll stop." She faced the tv but watched him from the corner of her eyes for a few minutes more.

He already felt out of place. He was sitting on her couch, she had her feet tucked under her but they had slipped towards him and were now resting against his thigh. He was wearing unfamiliar clothes. A tee that was a little too tight and stretched across his chest, and sweats that were too short and forced him to pull the legs up to just below his knees in a fashion that he thought made him look less stupid. So he didn't need her watching him all evening on top of it all.

The pain in his neck and shoulders was niggling after the day of work he had put in at the diner and all he really wanted was to go to bed, lie down and fall into the oblivion of slumber but he felt like he should sit up with her for a while longer. His eyes drooped closed more than once and he wasn't even sure for how long. He jerked himself away and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and dry washed his face.

"Tired?" she asked not missing how he dozed in and out of sleep.

"A little."

"Fibber."

"Okay, more than a little."

"Go to bed, I'll clean up here."

"No, let me help." He started to close the pizza box but she tugged on his arm to stop him.

"No Luke honestly. You've been through enough today."

Slowly he nodded his head and went to get up but stopped himself and turned to her.

"Thanks. Thanks for everything."

She smiled and patted his arm and slowly he stood careful to hide his discomfort from her but she didn't miss it.

"You're back ok?"

"Yeah, I just need to sleep."

"Oh wait," she jumped up and ran into the kitchen to grab his inhaler. "Don't forget to take this."

"Oh yeah, thanks." He took the inhaler from her flat palm as she handed it to him and made to go upstairs.

"Well?" she called out to him making him stop and turn back to her. "Aren't you going to take it?"

"Yeah. I was going to take it upstairs."

"Take it down here, so I can make sure you are taking it right."

"What? No!"

"Luke you've never taken one before."

"And you have?"

"No." She rested her hands on her hips and looked at him with her sternest expression. "But I've helped Rory take them when she was sick as a kid."

"Ok, fine." He turned to face her fully, took the inhaler out of the box and scanned the box for instructions. He was having trouble remembering what the doctor had said. Something about inhaling, exhaling and pressing the button. He lifted the mouthpiece to his lips and took a deep breath as he pressed the dispenser then held his breath for a few seconds. "Satisfied?" he said with a cough as he turned to walk back up the stairs.

"No mister! You need to take two puffs."

"Can't I just go to bed?"

"One more."

He rolled his eyes and lifted it to his mouth again, this time holding his breath for a little longer.

"Now, can I go to bed now?"

"Yes you may." She bowed a little before him and smiled as he hurried up the stairs.

She nodded again and let him walk away. He glanced back at her from the top of the stairs then smiled and disappeared around the corner towards his room.

She stayed up and had another slice of pizza then cleaned it all up. While she was in the kitchen she heard the dryer finishing its cycle. She grabbed his clothes and folded them then went to bring them upstairs but hesitated. She moved slowly through the house, conscious not to wake him but found his, or rather her, bedroom door ajar. She thought about pushing it open and depositing the clothes on the end of the bed but caught a glimpse of him in her bed.

He had discarded the tee-shirt and sweats and was lying with his back to her. The duvet covered his lower abdomen and his ass but his legs were free and his back was bare. She looked at him for a moment then feeling like a voyeur she left the clean shorts and tee she was holding outside the door and hurried back down to Rory's room.