A/N: You know what? yeah screw it. After this chapter, I'm gonna update the rating to M and get smutty. :)

Sorry for anyone who isn't interested in that kind of thing. But it was difficult enough to stop it in this chapter. So fair warning.

Luke slammed the metal mixing bowl down onto the counter and gripped the edge with both hands, in an effort to hold his rage at bay. Another batch of pancake mix ruined.

After a sleepless night, spent on the couch, because he couldn't bring himself to lie back in that bed, he was up and in the diner by 4am. He set it up for the morning rush, and prepped his stockroom for the incoming deliveries. He started to work on preparing the food but struggled to keep focus and ended up churning single cream into butter, adding salt rather than sugar to his pancake mix and then salt instead of cinnamon to the oatmeal. He had also burned a tray of bacon and dropped another onto the floor.

Now as he looked down at the pancake mix he knew he was going to have to throw out, he wanted to pick it up and fling it at the wall. He looked over at the tiled wall beside him and felt the anger seep out of every pore. He dropped his chin to his chest and puffed a breath out past his lips.

"Fuck. This." Luke tossed the mix out and dumped the bowl into the dishwasher. The dusted his hands off and pulled the apron from around his waist. He reached under the counter for his "gone fishing" sign and just made it to the door as Cesar pushed it open.

"Whoa there boss," he said as he stepped back down the steps from the diner until he spotted the sign in Luke's hand. "You're going?"

"Sorry Cesar, last minute plans."

"Want me to keep the place open?" Cesar asked hopefully, knowing that if Luke left, he'd be gone for at least three days, and that meant three days less work for him, three days less wages, but all the same amount of bills needing to be paid. Luke looked over his shoulder as if assessing the diner under Cesar's tutelage, and Cesar recognised his moment. He stepped in and grabbed the sign off Luke. "Go, take your vacation, you deserve it." He went straight to the kitchen and dropped the sign behind a stack of pots. "I'll take it from here!" he called out as he tied on his apron.

"Alright, alright." Luke threw his hands up in defeat and went up to his apartment. He packed a bag with only the necessities, but as he looked around at the mess of the place he realised he couldn't leave it like this. He knew the thought of it greeting him on his return, would bother him the whole time he was away. He dropped the bag by the door and started to clean up the mess. He made short work of the kitchen, cleaning up the remnants of his lunch from yesterday then after only a moment's hesitation went over to his bed.

Without giving himself time to think he grabbed linen from the closet and quickly made the bed. He snatched up his discarded clothes from yesterday and tossed them into the laundry basket. He gave the room a once over and was about to leave when a flash bright blue caught his eye. Luke walked over to the side of the bed and knelt down on one knee between the bed and the bedside table, only to pull out a small bright blue clutch bag. He stared at it in confusion for a moment, wondering what it was and how it got there and with a defeated slump of his shoulders it all came flooding back to him in a hot wave of embarrassment.

"Shit."

A multitude of solutions flashed through his mind including just throwing it back under his bed and ignoring it. But from the weight of the bag he could tell her keys were in there, house and car, and her wallet. He briefly wondered why she never came back for them last night, and how she got into her house without them. But with a pulse of annoyance he realised she had probably just left the door unlocked anyway.

He decided he'd leave it down in the diner and she could come in and pick it up, if she came in. Which he was pretty sure she wouldn't, so he decided he'd ask Cesar to ring her after lunch and let her know it was here. With a groan, he put one hand on his thigh and stood up, but again, before he could leave, a flash of hot pink caught his eye.

"What the hell…"

From his vantage point Luke could see a scrap of pink material caught between the bedpost and the wall. Knowing full well he had nothing in his wardrobe that was that colour and even as his shaking hand reached out to grab it he knew what would be revealed.

And yes, as expected, he thought with a sigh. He looked down at his clenched fist where her panties were scrunched up. Slowly he unfurled his fist, as if he needed to see more to confirm what he was holding. The offending article in his hand was a small silky scrap of material with a white lace around the top and he vividly remembered pulling them off her and throwing them over his shoulder. It should have been a moment that made her smile, made him growl, but it wasn't. Instead all he remembered was her gasp as she fell back onto the bed and his anger not even subsiding a little bit.

Luke looked around the room as if a solution would present itself. His laundry basket? No, he had to be rid of these. The Bin? No he couldn't throw out her panties. Her bag? Yeah, he opened her bag and shoved them in then quickly made his way to the door to grab his own bag.

He was down the stairs and about to go through the arch into the diner when he realised he couldn't leave the bag there, what if it fell, what if the panties came out, what if Rory picked it up for her? No, he couldn't risk that. Instead he would just drop it over to her house on his way out of town. Afterall she would be at work, he could leave it on her porch, or her hallway table, knowing the door would be open anyway. Without trying to over think his actions too much, Luke shoved her bag into his then went out to chat with Cesar before he left.

Lorelai stepped out of her shower and wrapped her body in a thick, warm, soft, towel. She fastened it at her front and wandered over to the mirror to brush her teeth and apply cream to her face. Her hair was clipped up with loose tendrils falling around her neck and each delicate brush of her hair on her shoulders made her remember the sensation of his lips on her skin. She spat out the toothpaste and rinsed her mouth out before standing up straight again and looked at herself in the mirror.

Her skin, still shining from her moisturising, was a pale alabaster with only a hint of rosy cheeks peeking through. Her eyes, small blue circles framed with a frown. She leaned forward to get a closer look and her frown deepened. She never was a morning person. And especially not a morning person with literally no sleep, but that wasn't tiredness changing the colour in her eyes. It was worry. Worry and doubt. Her confidence had taken a knock last night she admitted as she stepped back from the mirror and rummaged in her drawer for her makeup.

It was hard not to take it personally when you're lying naked in bed next to a guy and he's not touching you. Lorelai scoffed. Or when you're lying naked beneath a guy and he just looks royally pissed off.

She took her makeup tray out and applied a light passing of blusher across her cheeks to let that rosy tint pop, then grabbed her eye shadow and carefully applied it. She reached for the eyeliner and mascara and tried to apply this too without getting to distracted. But every time she caught her own eye in the mirror her hand would freeze.

Why was he so mad in the first place?

Why did he respond to her usual flirting like that? She had meant it in a way to make him smile, not make him grab her.

Why did he grab her hips? Lorelai chuckled and dropped her hand that held the mascara brush. Well, she knew why he grabbed her hips. It was to pull her off the stool, and against his rock hard body. She felt a shiver of desire ripple through her again, but it was followed by a ripple of annoyance.

"Focus Gilmore." She applied her mascara and dropped it into the drawer then stood back to look at her appearance. No one would be able to tell she had lain awake all night. She grabbed the first lipstick she could reach and leaned forward with pursed lips poised to smear it across her lips.

Then she heard his truck. She knew it was his truck. First, who else would be up a this ungodly hour. She looked at her watch and saw it was just after six thirty. Second, the gentle but masculine purr of his engine was unmistakable. Masculine purr of his engine? Lorelai rolled her eyes at the "Dirty." that popped into her mind and turned to hurry out of the bathroom in time to hear the heavy truck door creaking as he pushed it open.

What the hell was he doing here?

Babbette would soon be up, to let out the herd of cats that lived with her and Morey, so there was no way they were going to battle it out on her porch. Rory was still asleep, so there was no way they were going to have it out in her living room or kitchen. She glanced over at her bed, the duvet rumpled and covered with strewn clothing. And there was certainly no way they were going to have it out in her bedroom.

She wondered if she should climb back into bed and pretend she was asleep, but then she remembered her makeup and realised it would be too obvious she was not asleep. But what would he be doing up here anyway? She thought. Without her invitation? She rested her hands on her hips and all but stomped her foot at the thought of his brashness, though quickly realised it was all imaginary.

She paused by the bedroom door and leaned out to spy down the stairs though the curve in the stairway blocked her view of the front door. She cursed the ridiculous architect who designed the crap shack and edged out along the wall towards the top of the stairs. She could see his shadow by the door, his hand raised, poised to knock against the window but something was stopping him.

Lorelai watched, hunkered down as if making herself smaller would make it harder for him to see her, despite the fact that he was outside her house, on the other side of a door behind a frosted glass window. But just as she pushed aside her trepidation at him seeing her, she watched, as if in slow motion as his hand moved lower and to the side. She saw the door handle turn ever so slowly and he pushed it open, like a cat burglar entering the house in the middle of the night. Lorelai's instinct was to jump up and yell at him for having the audacity for entering her house without knocking, but instead she froze.

Luke killed the engine in her drive and examined the house. The curtains were drawn, the lights were off and the house was still. Though he realised, that meant nothing. She could be in the kitchen, which was in the back of the house, or she could be upstairs asleep. He tried to remember if she ever drew the curtains and racked his brains for the memories of all the times he had been up in her room for one reason or another. Wobbly dresser, creaking door, broken headboard, that one he didn't ask how it got damaged, He didn't lecture her on household maintenance. He fixed the latch on the divan bed base and attached a new strut to the headboard to a fix it then left, as quick as he could, trying desperately not to notice the red silken scarf that was tied to the top corner of the headboard.

No, he couldn't recall the curtains ever being closed, which made him think they never were and she was definitely still asleep in bed. Up before 8? No, not Lorelai. Rory maybe, but not Lorelai.

Ugh, even saying her name in his head made a wave of hot embarrassment wash over him.

He pushed the truck door wide open and winced at the sound of the loud creak. He left it open as he quickly made his way across the lawn to her front porch. He climbed the steps quickly and quietly and stood in front of the door frozen. If he knocked and she was awake, she would answer. If he knocked and she was asleep she might wake up. If he didn't knock and entered and she was awake she should be mad. If he didn't knock and entered and she was asleep...she would never be the wiser.

His options flew round and around his head as he tried to make a decision and before he had his mind made up, his hand moved towards the door handle.

He cursed under his breath and the unlocked door as the latch slicked back into the door and he slowly pushed it open and listened to the stillness from within. When no one came out to check on what was going he pushed it open a little further then stepped in and stretched around the corner to put the bag by the phone.

Lorelai watched as he crept through her hallway, seeming to hit every creaky floorboard on the way in, then leaned a hand on the arch and curled around the corner to reach the table without taking another step. There was something in his hand but she couldn't quite tell what it was from this angle. The need to rush down stairs and yank it out of his grasp was almost as powerful as her need to stay hidden. Almost.

Then he paused. She watched with curiosity as he put the item on the table but didn't release it, then slowly took it back and stood up straight. What was he doing? What was in his hand? Her curiosity was killing her.

Luke looked down at the bag in his hand and bit his lip. What if Rory found the bag? And opened it? And saw her…um...panties. He glanced around as if to check if anyone heard his thoughts then glanced around again for a better place to hide it. Somewhere Lorelai would find, but Rory would not. He looked at the couch and thought of putting it behind a cushion. Maybe under the stack of magazines on the coffee table. In the kitchen, by the kettle. Ugh, dammit, he should have just left it in the diner. Without really wanting to, but resigned to the fact that he was going to, Luke looked at the stairs.

Lorelai watched him carefully and as if her survival instinct kicked in, the hair on the back of her neck stood up on edge and goosebumps rippled up her arms and across her shoulders as his head started to turn towards her.

Shit! She rolled back out of sight and crawled across the hall to her room. On tiptoes she dashed over to the bed and pulled the duvet back, only to remember her perfectly made face and instead, hurried over to the bathroom.

Luke had one hand on the banister and the other held the bag to his chest. He took one step and listened, then another and listened again. Was that movement up there? The thought alone was almost enough to make him race out of the house and back to his truck. But whatever sound he had heard was now gone. Luke took a few more steps then paused again, this time for sure he heard something. He was almost at the top now. He could see her bedroom door and it was ajar.

He held his breath as he ascended the last two steps and crossed the hall with one more. He wanted to press his ear to the door, listen for the soft sound of her snoring. Did she snore? Doubtful he decided but shook his head to dismiss the thought of her snoring, or asleep, in bed, his bed… dammit!

Luke pushed the door open and grasped the handle to stop it moving as he heard the shower start. His heart was hammering in his chest, his breath was stuck in his throat and a film of sweat broke out over his forehead. He didn't realise it, but he had a white knuckle grip on the bag he was clutching.

Lorelai stood in the bathroom with the shower running behind her and started to hum a little tune she had heard on the radio the other day. She thought it was an add for milk or yogurt or something but that was so not important right now. What was important was that he knew she was up, and awake, and singing in the shower, like nothing was wrong. Nothing had affected her and this was just a normal Wednesday morning for her.

Of course if he pushed open the bathroom door he would see that was all a facade. Her angry eyes, deep frown, wide stance and hands on her hips would certainly give the game away. But he wouldn't do that. Oh no, Lorelai decided with a self assured chuckle. He wouldn't have the guts.

He spotted the empty bed, the rumpled duvet and the indent on the pillow that he just knew would still be warm from her slumber and he stared at it. She had left that same indent on his own pillow. That same indent that held her smell. The same indent he had ruffled out of the pillow as he angrily pulled the case off and tossed it onto the floor.

Luke shook his head again and bent over to drop the bag onto the floor by the door. But realised if he left it there, she would surely know he was here. Instead he opened the bag, pulled out the panties and tossed them over to the general direction of the laundry basket, which was buried under a pile of clothes. His eyes watched them flutter to the ground, the pink material sticking out like a sore thumb against the darker clothing that was already there but he couldn't fix that now. Instead he put the bag onto the dresser by the door, then turned on his heel and as quickly and quietly as he could he hurried out of the room.

He took the stairs in twos but on the balls of his feet, wincing at ever creak. His breath was burning his lungs as he made his way back across the hallway and over to the door then as slowly as he had opened it, he pulled it closed, only releasing a lungful of air when the latch clicked back into place. Luke didn't take any time to relax and instead he bolted across the lawn, over to his truck.

Lorelai stayed poised in the bathroom until she heard the engine start and his truck pull away. She slowly relaxed her shoulders, dropped her arms by her sides and let her shoulders slump with relief. Relief? She pondered as she reached in to turn off the shower.

She stood in her bedroom and looked around to see what it was he was doing up here but nothing seemed to be amiss. She dressed quickly and hurried down stairs to see if there was something she could spot around there but still, there was nothing. Her brain was frazzled, from lack of sleep and running on pure adrenaline but she was sure this wasn't a social visit. Some reason brought Luke to her house at the break of dawn and she was going to find out.

When Rory woke she had coffee ready and was just slipping two pop tarts into the toaster. They ate and chatted about their day plans and Rory suggested meeting at Luke's for dinner. Lorelai instead suggested Als claiming a craving for a greasy burger without the lecture from Luke and Rory smiled and patted her hand.

"But Mom," Rory said putting on her tried and tested whining voice. "The lecture is like the condiment that goes on the side. It doesn't taste the same without it."

Lorelai smiled and finished her coffee. "Grab your bag, let's get going." She put their dishes into the sink, promising herself she would definitely, most likely, probably clean them up tomorrow as she started the daily hunt for her keys.

"Where did you see them last?" Rory asked with a bored voice.

"In my bag…"

"Where did you see your bag last?" Rory asked, this time allowing her book back to slide off her shoulders as she recognised this was going to be a long hunt for keys.

"No, no, don't take the bag off!" Lorelai pulled her bag back up her shoulders and started for the stairs. "You look around here, I'll check up stairs."

"Which bag was it?"

"The pretty blue clutch with the...oh…" she started to realise where she had last seen it. "...the daisies on the front." she said her voice tapering off to a whisper as she slowed her climb and stood at the top of the stairs.

"The what? The daisies?" Rory stood on the bottom step and called up to her mother who was standing stock still at the top. "Mom? You find it?"

"No, um not yet honey, keep looking!" Lorelai turned and flashed her a bright smile she wasn't feeling, as she hurried over to her room. "That's what you were doing in here I bet!" she exclaimed as if she had just solved a mystery. "Now where did you put it."

Now that she knew what she was looking for she spotted the bag on her dresser immediately. She tugged the latch open and spotted her keys and wallet and usual mess but frowned. Why would he drop it up here, in her room? Why not pop it into the hallway table like it looked like he was doing at first.

"You are an enigma Luke Danes," she muttered under her breath, then turned to hurry down to Rory when she spotted the flash of bright pink in the corner. Usually a flash of pink in her room was nothing to be surprised by, but this was in her darks corner, where she usually piled her office clothes, the darker suits she wore to family dinners, the longer skirts she wore to work.

Lorelai stepped closer and turned on the overhead light, her hand fumbling for the switch as she refused to look away. The second the light hit the pink material, a small gasp rattled through her chest. Her hand flew to her mouth and she couldn't help the smile that curled her lips.

She bent to grab them and held them up to confirm, yes indeed, these were the panties she was wearing yesterday. Lorelai stifled a laugh at the thought of Luke harbouring them in her bag, then launching them across her room.

"Mom!" Rory yelled from the bottom of the stairs. "Did you find them yet?"

"Yes honey, I got them!" she called back and she tossed the panties over to the coloured pile of clothing and hurried down to take Rory to school.