Notes: I'm baackk!! So sorry for the delay! Writer's block is such a...okay, probably shouldn't go there. ;) Anyway, I'm finally finished with this chapter, and I've started the next. Enjoy!

More notes: Special thanks to my deeelightful beta, Anjel!

Spoilers: Run Away, Little Boy; Nick & Nora/Sid & Nancy

Disclaimer: This one time, at band camp, I didn't own anything associated with Gilmore Girls. Guess what...I still don't!

Chapter Five: Set-ups and Last Minute Saves

"Sookie, no!"

She couldn't really be suggesting this.

"Lorelai, come on. It wouldn't be that bad," Sookie commented as we worked -- well, she worked, and I sat, sipping a cup of coffee -- in the Inn's kitchen.

"Not that bad?! I'm sorry, do you remember what happened last time I went out on a casual date? No, wait!" I paused, "Even better, do you remember what happened when I went out with the last guy you and Jackson set me up with?"

"I don't remember it being that bad..."

"Are you kidding? He thought I was a tall freak with huge ears!"

Sookie frowned, as if she was just remembering. "Oh yeah, it was bad. Sorry, honey, I forgot."

I sighed. "That's okay. As long as you aren't going to make me do this."

"Lorelai, you need to get out there!"

"I will," I explained, "I'm just not big on set-ups. Or casual dating, for that matter."

"Okay," Sookie gave in, "I'll tell Jackson to tell him it's off. But only on one condition."

I narrowed my eyes. "What's that?"

"You can find the guy...but you have to go on a date within a week."

"A week? Why a week? Couldn't it be two weeks? Or better yet, two hundred?"

"Lorelai..."

"Fine!" I shouldn't be acting like this. How was she to know that the only person I really wanted to be dating right now was Luke?

God, this was frustrating. Four days. Four days of torturing silence; Rory was the only one who knew about my feelings, and she hadn't mentioned them since the night she first found out. I didn't really want to bring them up, either. I think there was a part of me that thought that if I didn't talk about them, then maybe, just maybe, they would disappear.

It hadn't worked so far. And the realistic side of me said that it never would.

You know, I really hate that side sometimes.

"See you later, Sooks," I said, standing from the chair.

"What?" Her voice was distant, coming from deep within the freezer where she was apparently looking for something. "Oh, yeah, bye, sweetie!"

I exited the kitchen, hoping against hope that Sookie had forgotten all about her little "You have a week to find a date thing." She really didn't know what she was doing to me. I turned the corner to the lobby, only to come face to face with the woman on the other side.

Alli.

That was it. The higher power that had been at work against me days ago obviously still held a huge vendetta. I gritted my teeth and forced something that might have resembled a grin.

"Lorelai, wasn't it? I didn't expect to see you here," Alli said, flashing me an equally false smile.

"Yes, I'm the manager. Was there something you wanted?" Even with all my years of dealing with people, I still barely managed to be civil. Something about the woman -- even beside the whole obvious fact that she was out to get Luke, which I didn't care to think about -- just rubbed me the wrong way.

"Yes, my colleagues and I are planning a meeting in a couple weeks, and I thought this place looked charming."

"Well, I can give you a tour if you like."

She stood ramrod straight, jerking a little, as if I had just offered to help her strip and run naked through the town square. "No thank you, I really don't think that will be necessary. It doesn't really have the vibe I was looking for. But thanks, anyway." She said with a brittle smile.

This was definitely a cream pie moment.

"All right. Please call if you change your mind; we're in the phone book."

"I will," the woman blatantly lied before tottering off in her fashionable stilettos.

Was it wrong that I pictured ripping one of them off her foot and then jamming it in her head?

Yeah. Thought so. But imagining it sure made me feel a hell of a lot better. I could no longer feel the vein throbbing in the center of my forehead.

Life was so much simpler when I wasn't in love. Why is it that when you're not in love -- or are at least oblivious to the fact that you are -- that you want to be in love...but when you are in love, it's hell on earth? Well, when you're in unrequited love, anyway.

That was it; too much love discussion for me. I had paperwork to fill out.

--

Five days later

"Hey, Sookie!" I announced into my cell phone as I sat at a table in Luke's, hiding behind a menu so that maybe there would be a slight chance he wouldn't see me.

No such luck. I was startled as the menu in front of me fell over -- courtesy of Luke's hand -- and he gestured toward the door, mouthing "Out."

And, of course, I would pick that moment to visualize those lips moving over mine. God, I bet they would be even better than they were in my dream.

"Outside," Luke commanded, snapping me from my catatonic state. Sookie's voice entered my other ear, but I really hadn't been paying attention since the moment Luke had materialized in front of me.

I obeyed his commands, shutting the door behind me as I left.

"...you have two left, including today. Have you found anyone yet?"

Two days? Found anyone? What was she...Oh God. Comprehension dawned, and it was not a pretty site. The date. That I had to go on. In two days.

There were probably ways I could have gotten out of it. Maybe. Possibly. But I didn't consider those; my mouth was too busy moving of it's own accord so speak the words "Of course."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so glad! I knew you could do it..." Sookie's ramblings continued, but I didn't really hear. Why, oh, why did my mouth never listen to me? This is the way I always get into trouble.

"...Who is he? When are you guys going out?"

"Sookie, do you mind if I catch you later? My food just got done, and I'd hate for it to go cold."

"No problem. But don't think you're getting out of this that easily! I want all the details this afternoon."

"Okey dokey," I said, pressing the "End" button as I reentered the diner. Oh, this was bad. It could be worse. I could get a guy from my business class...no, scratch that idea. Everyone in town knew what had happened last time I tried that.

Okay, so it was bad. In fact, it was worse than bad.

There was only one man I wanted to be on this date with, and there was no way in hell that was going to happen.

But what if...

An idea dawned on me, and my eyes snapped up to the man in flannel standing a few tables away. I could go on that date with Luke. Well, not a real date -- I had far too much to lose to even propose that idea -- but a fake one. One to get Sookie off my back for not dating. Not to mention the whole prospect of seeing Luke in a suit...

Don't get me wrong; I'm all about the flannel -- Well, not really, but I like it on Luke -- but there's just something about seeing him in a suit...I could practically feel the drool on my chin from just thinking about it.

Luke chose that moment to look up, and his gaze was questioning when he found me staring.

I blushed -- Yes, blushed, dang it, but if there was ever an appropriate time to do so, then that was it -- and looked away. I could see him walking towards me in the corner of my eye, and I took a mental deep breath.

"Did you want something, Lorelai."

Hell, yes. You, for instance.

Dear Lord, did that just come out of my mouth? Judging from his waiting expression, it hadn't.

Thank God.

"Do you mind if I ask you a favor?" I began, throwing caution to the wind.

"Such as..."

"Go out with me."

I watched as his eyes widened, and I was quick to amend. "Not on a real date. You see, Sookie was going to set me up with this guy, but I said no. And then she said that if I didn't go on that one, then I had to pick another guy to go out with. In a week." I took a breath. "And then I forgot about it, and I only have today and tomorrow, and I'm busy all day today, and might be tomorrow, and I figured since you're my friend-"

"Lorelai," he interjected, something of a smirk dancing around his lips.

"Yeah?"

"I'll do it."

I couldn't help it. I jumped up, and gave him a spontaneous hug.

Yeah, bad idea. It turns out that you're even more tempted to kiss someone when you're hugging them than when you're ordering from them.

I cleared my throat, stepping back a little. "Thank you so much, Luke."

"So, when is this supposed to be going on? And what are we doing?"

"Oh, I was thinking something basic. Just dinner, probably. And are you free tonight?"

I saw as his mouth opened to say something, but randomly fell shut as something entered his eyes that made him seem a bit distant.

"Actually, I'm not."

"You're not," I repeated dumbly.

"I...kind of made plans with Alli. You know Alli, right?"

Oh, I knew her. I tried visualizing the whole stiletto-to-the-head thing again, and it helped a little, but not much. Knots formed in my stomach as I thought about it. Luke. Alli. Luke and Alli.

I suddenly remembered that he had asked me a question, so I nodded. "Tomorrow, then?"

He nodded. "Sounds good."

Oh, yeah, tomorrow sounded fine. It was just his plans for tonight that were making me wonder if scientists had been very, very wrong when they proved that spontaneous human combustion wasn't possible.

"Are you okay, Lorelai?" Luke asked, preparing to turn away.

"Yeah," I smiled, albeit fakely.

Sure. The love of my life was going out with a woman I hated tonight. A woman he used to date, for crying out loud.

Oh yeah, I was just dandy.

TBC...