I started laughing when I got ready to do a disclaimer for this story. Not sure which of my old stories it is, but I distinctly recall saying something to the tune of "I own all Gilmore Girls content from [Summer] 2007 on out. I'm rich, bitchessss!" Yeah. And now I'm probably going to be sued.

Let's hear it for that reboot! :D

Okay, here's the thing. It's been so long, and you guys probably don't want anything to do with me anymore. Not even sure who's still reading. WuiL was written quite a while ago, and I did consider what it'd be like to do it again with Lorelai in Luke's shoes, but I didn't care to do it. I have no explanation for why this idea came to me all these years later SO strongly. I could not get it out of my head, and I had to get it down. I haven't felt that way in a very long time. I started a story a couple years ago and couldn't finish it. I lost inspiration and was having to force it, so I stopped. This one, I had no problems finishing. The story is complete and if you remember how I do things, it's long and has no chapters. You don't have to remember WuiL to follow this, but it does help when the character of Grayson reappears. This story has ADULT RATED CONTENT. You've been warned.

Feels good to say this again: I hope you all enjoy the read.

Waking Up in Love Part II

"Crap."

Lorelai dropped to her knees and reached anxiously under the bed for her earring. She couldn't see a thing in the dark tight space, so she allowed her outspread fingers to be her guide. In the seconds spent searching, she brushed past so much hair. Found herself frowning as she wondered how she hadn't managed to be completely bald by now. Surely, given that sort of amassment, her rightful place should've been in Alien 3's auditioning room.

"Ah, gotcha! Wait, no, ew, what is this?" She pulled the object out before her, into the light of her bedroom. It was a small chunk of pizza crust, hard as a rock. She couldn't even remember when she'd last eaten pizza in bed. Disappointed, she pushed the stale bread back under the bed and continued her search.

She extended her reach and looked ahead of her in concentration. At the base of the nightstand, she spotted the earring. She erected herself on her knees, swiping her hands together as she leaned in to get the fallen trinket.

"Better get Magda over here, pronto," she mumbled while thinking of the extremely untidy area underneath her bed. She had no issues cleaning all of the things in the open, but when it came to the shadowy places where she'd convinced herself spiders took refuge, if Rory didn't clean it, it didn't get cleaned.

Lorelai got to her feet and rushed to the closet where she slipped on a pair of Chanel slingbacks. She grabbed a cardigan and checked herself in the full body mirror of her closet as she straightened clothing and got herself situated.

Finally, there came a moment of calm, and she took a deep breath and stared at her reflection.

"Not bad, Gilmore." Her eyes traveled down to her feet and back to her own eyes. "Honey, you are fabulous…" she whispered. She raised her brows, "…ly late," she finished with a dippy inflection as she moved away from the mirror, simultaneously sliding the dropped earring into her one and only empty lobe.

"Every morning: rush, rush, rush. Why can't I get up earlier?" she considered aloud. She took the stairs with a dainty dash. "Because sleep freaking rules, that's why. Silly question. Why would I ask such a silly question?" She made it to the bottom and grabbed her keys from the table by the landline. "I could always skip the shower. And the teeth brushing. And the putting on of clothes. And the hair-doing. All unnecessary luxuries. Consider it all nixed. Starting tomorrow, I'm going from bed to door to Luke's." After glancing around a bit, she came to stand in the middle of the living room. "Perfect solution," she ended with distraction. "I totally just uncluttered my life".

She looked from point to point. Cocked her head.

"Hm." Furniture had been rearranged. Two chairs were in opposite places, and the couch was at a weird and funky angle, which somehow seemed to compliment the placement of those chairs. It was nothing drastic but certainly noticeable.

"Guess someone had a busy morning," Lorelai dismissed, still with an air of perplexity. Of course, she knew Rory was the one responsible. And since Lorelai had been the last one to turn in the previous evening, she had to wonder why Rory would get the urge to feng shui first thing in the morning, before school.

She backed away and headed into the kitchen. As she walked by Rory's bedroom, she, for the second time that morning, tossed a glance inside at her fully made bed. That's the image she'd seen when she'd gotten up and headed downstairs earlier. She'd sobbed playfully upon realizing that Rory had taken off for Chilton early. She'd mentioned a group project 2 days ago, saying she and her peers planned to meet after school in the library, but Lorelai wasn't surprised to see her eager beaver putting in extra hours.

Lorelai planned to page her when she made it into work at the Independence, figuring anytime before then would still have her en route.

The coffee was ready. She took down her thermos and filled it. Checked the time over her shoulder and put her feet in motion across the floor as she twisted the lid in place.

She went from closet to foyer to couch, back to foyer, in search of her Tory Burch. The Coach was hanging in the foyer, and that's the one she planned to use for the day, but wallet, makeup, mints, and day planner, were all in the Tory Burch from yesterday.

The practice of shuffling items from purse to purse day to day just before heading out was far beyond routine. The scavenger hunt was not.

Lorelai took the Coach purse from the hook so it'd be at-the-ready when she finally located the missing purse. Feeling the weight of it, she opened it and peered inside to discover all of her things already inside. Confused, she closed it and stuffed it under her arm. She grabbed her coat, blindly swiped her phone, checked again for the thermos and keys, and opened the door to leave.

Her bewilderment remained.

"Was it last night?" she questioned as she drove into town. She'd been working on finalizing an engagement at the inn, and it'd kept her up later than normal. She wondered if she'd sleepily done the purse swap then. Rory wouldn't have done it. Not only did she not know which of the many purses her mom would use day to day, but the kid did have boundaries. She didn't just dig through her mother's purse at random.

No, it wasn't Rory. And it wasn't her, but she questioned herself, only because there was no other option. But she was sharp. She didn't forget actions.

She forced herself to drop it. It was so tiny.

Lorelai pulled up to the diner and hopped out with her mysteriously filled purse. She left the thermos behind. Usually, it's what helped her to get from her front door to Luke's diner, but she'd been preoccupied and hadn't thought to drink even a sip.

She stepped inside to a moderate crowd. Luke was at a corner table taking an order.

"Morning!" she sang, seemingly to no one in particular.

She received chipper salutations from much of the crowd and she smiled pleasantly as her eyes automatically went back to Luke. He'd looked up at the greeting. She caught his head nod and the small smile he offered in return.

Pleased, she went over and climbed onto an empty stool. She brought her purse to her lap as she crossed her legs.

"Good?" she asked Kirk of the pancakes he was devouring like there was no tomorrow.

"They're okay," he said with a packed mouth.

Lorelai laughed.

"Could definitely use more blueberries."

She could barely make out his words. "Got somewhere to be?"

"No, why?"

She shook her head, amused. "Is this a sacrificial Heimlich field test?"

"What?"

"Because I don't know it. And you're definitely taking a major chance in assuming anyone else here does. I mean, Mrs. Doubtfire isn't going to be available for every food esophageal emergency."

He stopped eating and chewed as he focused on her words. "I know the self-Heimlich," he shared.

"You need a chair for that," she followed.

"There are plenty of chairs in here."

"They're all taken," she said farcically.

"Not all of them," he said as he glanced behind them.

"They might be. When you need one. And what if they're far away?" she continued unblinkingly.

"I'll find one."

"Through your panic?"

"How do you know I'll be panicking?"

"And what if you fall?"

"Why would I fall?"

"Because I may accidentally trip you."

"Accidentally?"

"Accidentally, on purpose."

"But…why?"

"I like a challenge."

"That's cruel."

"That's life."

"I don't…u-understand how we got here," he stuttered.

"Friendship."

"Excuse me?"

Lorelai pointed to his half-eaten food. "If you eat slower, there's no need for a self-Heimlich. No Heimlich, no chair search. No chair search, no fall. See how I care?"

"I guess…"

She threw both hands up toward the heavens. "It's exhausting being this altruistic!"

Kirk didn't spend any time obsessing about the exchange he didn't entirely understand. He retrieved his fork and used it to distantly point to Lorelai's blouse that was on display as she removed her coat and repositioned her cardigan. "I love that color. Blue looks great on you."

Oh, compliments from a guy. Had been quite a while since she'd gotten that. Or anything else, for that matter. If Alex played his cards right, he'd be blowing off lots of cobwebs. Lorelai narrowed her eyes at Kirk in a comedic way. "Are you flirting with me?"

Kirk froze, taken aback. Those types of words from women who looked like Lorelai made his heart pound, pound, pound.

"He better not be," came Luke's casual warning as he approached unseen from behind. Lorelai felt a gentle squeeze to her shoulder as he followed that lighthearted threat with words said more intimately, more closely to her ear, "And yeah, you look nice."

And then it was Lorelai's turn to freeze. Goosebumps sprung up everywhere. What…in the hell was that? Her wide eyes rose to him when he was on the other side of the counter. "Th-thank you," she managed.

"You're running behind today, I know," he mentioned with a glance at his wristwatch. He grabbed the coffee pot and a to-go cup. "Coffee," he said bit by bit, stretching the word out to synchronize with the pouring. When the cup was topped off, he set the pot down and secured the lid. "And…" he followed as he met her eyes, "How about a danish?"

She still stared at him.

"What?" he asked.

"What?" she followed softly.

"You're staring at me."

She nodded with the barest movement. "Right…" She remained transfixed.

He laughed a bit. "Why are you staring at me?"

She moved beyond her questions of what he'd said, how he'd said it, that comfortable and affectionate squeeze to her shoulder. Figured she was reading too much into it. This was Luke. Not a playboy or a man with sneaky motives. Thinking he'd ever be that guy was unfair and improbable.

She swallowed deeply. "It's, uh…it's…" It took supreme effort to get the wheels of her mind turning again. "It's not danish day," she was finally able to say.

"What do you mean?"

"Danish day is on Wednesday."

His eyes narrowed. "Today is Wednesday."

She smiled. "You're really open to pretending for my benefit? Think I can't enjoy the danish unless it's made on schedule?"

"No…" He glanced at Kirk who was tuned in as well. "I'm saying that yesterday was Tuesday, tomorrow is Thursday, and that makes today Wednesday," he said slowly.

Lorelai met his eyes. Yesterday was Thursday. She'd spent that day dreading Friday night dinner at her parents' house the following day. Rory had even given her a pep talk as they wound down for the night.

Tonight, she and Rory would be in that fiery abyss at 7pm, sharp.

She looked from Luke to Kirk. Both of them looked at her questioningly. Okay. What was with everyone's weird behavior, she thought. Weird behavior on a weird day. Day had barely begun, and already, she was over it.

She gripped her coffee cup. "Danish would be great, thanks."

"Coming up." Luke tossed her another look as he prepared her pastry. She had returned to staring at him. "You okay today?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah. Why?"

She was back to being intrigued by the tone used in speaking to her.

Luke shrugged. "What time did you end up turning in?"

The question brought her up short. "Um…a-about one, maybe one thirty." She answered the question with a crease in her forehead. Since when did she and Luke talk about their sleep schedules?

He shook his head. "Which movie?"

"Excuse me?"

"What movie did you end up watching?"

For the first time ever, Luke's coffee did not have priority over her thoughts. He had her full attention. "I was…working on something," she clarified. "For the inn." She watched him smirk and shake his head. So weird. "Luke, why-"

"I knew it." He went to stand at the end of the counter, using his hand to motion Lorelai over to the stool nearest him, away from Kirk and anyone else. Lorelai was slow to stand, slow to move. But her eyes remained on him curiously and she followed his affable command.

She sat and crossed her legs in front of him and was completely stunned as he unabashedly watched that take place. From legs to hips, his eyes traveled. Her pencil skirt covered much of her legs, but the tight fit left few mysteries when it came to her shapely form.

Lorelai watched his eyes move from her legs, upward, and then his eyes were on hers, and there was not one trace of embarrassment in his features.

She brought her hand to her arm and pinched.

This wasn't Luke. It couldn't be Luke. This was a dream of some kind. It had to be. It'd certainly explain a lot. She pinched again.

Luke sighed and leaned on the counter with his elbow. "If you don't learn to delegate, you're going to burn out. You've got to do better. A movie til one when you have work isn't all that ideal, but at least with that, you'd actually be relaxing."

She was only half listening. Why was he so close? She was so confused. And that was the understatement of the century. She continued to pinch. Her mind was going a million miles a minute. The movement of her fingers drew attention from Luke, and then he was questioning her and then touching her fingers. She snapped out of her stupor and stood.

He stood straight up when she did. "What's with you?"

"Um."

"Lorelai, you dropped your coat," Kirk pointed out.

She looked down at it absently. Luke walked around the counter while eyeing her suspiciously, and he was the one to bend down and retrieve the fallen garment. He tossed it to a stool.

"Lorelai?"

Her eyes met Luke's. He took a step toward her. She felt fear, anxiety, anticipation. He wasn't a hands-on friend. She could honestly count the number of times they'd made skin on skin contact with one another. Luke didn't cross lines. He respected the space of others. He approached her now, and Lorelai knew he would place his hands on her body. He'd already done it twice in the five minutes she'd been there.

She couldn't understand what was taking place.

She couldn't understand this reality.

When he was upon her, she swallowed and her eyes dropped to his chest. "I-I have to go," she whispered.

"I know," he replied. "I know you're late. But are you sure you're okay? You're acting weird." His hands hung at his sides. His proximity was intimate. More newness. Another line being effortlessly crossed.

She stared at his chest and she could feel hers heaving.

"Here, come get your food." His hand went to the small of her back. It was brief. Just a soft touch, inspiration to get her moving. And then his hand fell away. Touch number three.

She moved to the counter on auto pilot and snagged her coffee. He passed her the bag containing her danish, and after slipping her coat on and shouldering her handbag, she found him on the customer side of the counter again, at her side.

"Uh, here." She extended a five dollar bill to him, and he waved it away as if it were an insult. He didn't even bother to make a discussion of it. She clutched the money and didn't push it, didn't argue. Her mind wasn't clear enough to argue anything at all.

He walked with her to the door of the diner. "Call you later, okay?"

Her eyes moved from the door ahead of them and over to him. "Call me?"

"Yeah," he answered easily. "To set up something later."

"Set what up?"

He opened the door for her. "I don't know. That's the purpose of the call." His eyes became slits. "You sure you're okay?"

There was a pause before she nodded. She swallowed. "We'll talk." Oh boy, did they need to talk…

"Okay. Try not to work yourself ragged," he ended in a lighthearted tone. He leaned forward. Her gasp was soft and subtle. Part of her expected this. It seemed so much was leading up to it. She was astonished, yes. But by the time his mouth made it to hers, her lips were closed, perfectly puckered against his.

Then it was over.

He smiled so genuinely. "For once, you don't taste like coffee. It's definitely an off day." He pressed a kiss back to her lips. Separated an inch. Went in for one more before he finally stepped back and gave her true space. "Alright, get outta here." He waved her out of the door with gruffness in his words and softness in his tone.

Lorelai stood there, eyes trained on him. Touch four, five, and six left her mind in shock, her lips ablaze, and her body immobilized.

Once, as a kid of 5 years old, she had gone into the backyard with no shoes on. Her mother was at her desk in the alcove. Emily had impressed upon her how young ladies were to behave. Wear dresses, sit properly, and remain indoors, unless engaged in physical exercise, an esteemed hobby, or an afternoon tea.

She'd slipped past her, through the open doors of the patio. After peering over her shoulder at a still occupied Emily, she took her slippers from her feet and held them to her chest as she delighted in the feel of the warm pavement. Feeling giddy and craving more, she scuttled over to the garden and squished her toes in the dark and damp soil. When she heard movement from where her mom was seated, she ducked behind the retaining wall right at the edge of the patio and sat with her knees at her chest. Never had she been allowed outside to play and discover. Never had she been allowed to get dirty. She moved her hands to the ground on either side of her and dug her tiny fingers deep in the earth. She flexed her toes in an effort to cover those as well. She giggled. It felt weird but good. She briefly wondered how it'd feel to submerge her entire body in that wet dirt. She knew what she was doing was wrong, in that her mother would not approve.

But it felt like something she was supposed to have been doing all along.

Her glee got the best of her, and it wasn't long before she became unmindful of her volume. Her sneaky venture came to an abrupt end when Emily discovered her and ushered her inside with disapproval and reminders about dignified behavior.

The nanny scrubbed her clean.

As Lorelai stood by the diner door, Luke's kiss fresh on her lips, that childhood feeling came to her in an impactful instance. Her fingers were back in the soil, and it felt weird and wrong... but good. Something she was supposed to have been doing all along. She didn't understand it. It felt like she'd been dropped in an alternate universe. Yesterday, Luke was the intriguing friend who she maintained a strange but platonic relationship with. Today, he was the friend who kissed her. Not only had he kissed her, but he'd implied that he had done it before – habitually, even.

Never had she entered a sleep this deep, this pinch-proof.

Only a handful of seconds ticked away before Luke questioned her lack of movement.

"You're really starting to worry me here." He started to close the door. "Maybe we should go upstairs and-"

"No," she answered quickly. Her hand flew to the door to keep it from closing. "No upstairs. Down here is fine. In fact, I have to go."

"I know…" he followed with worry. He'd only said that very thing close to twenty times. "But-"

"Bye, Luke." She made a move to leave but he caught her hand. She turned. Almost lost her breath at that touch. Nearly lost her damn breath.

"You're staying over tonight," he said, leaving no room for debate. "Miss you. To hell with bread deliveries." He held firm and kind eye contact. "Okay?" he ended softly.

Lorelai brought her parted lips together to swallow. Luke sought compliance and he received that in the form of a spellbound head nod. He released his gentle hold on her hand and she exited. One shaky step at a time, she walked to her jeep.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

It was shaping up to be a very clear and beautiful day, weather-wise. Though cold, the small Connecticut town was actually getting some sun.

Lorelai had the visor in her jeep pulled low to keep the rays out of her eyes. She sipped the rapidly cooling coffee from Luke's, while the thermos from home awaited its turn in the cup-holder. She planned to finish both servings. She needed it all. If completely honest, what she needed was someone to come and make both those coffees Irish.

She was focused on the deliverymen carrying crates of food into the Japanese eatery. They were almost done. She'd seen them when they'd pulled in the back of the large elegant business and started the unloading process. It hadn't taken them long at all. They were efficient. She found it refreshing to see an authentic ethnic dining establishment in the small town. If nothing else, it'd provide a small break to Al in his worldly cuisine attempts.

The shed was gone. But the lake remained. They hadn't drained it. She supposed the builders knew the scenic appeal formerly afforded to inn guests should remain with diners. Gone, however, was the former structure. Everything had been torn down and rebuilt. And since none of it was Mia's style, Lorelai knew she had no hand in any of it.

Lorelai stared through the windshield at the building and sipped coffee calmly. So far, there was no panic. There was just peaceful assessment. That would not last if the ten minute window expired without Rory answering her page.

Minute seven fell away.

The coffee cup shook as she brought it to her lips that time. She grasped the cup with two hands and finished her sip, trying to think of what her next step would be. She wanted to do that while she still possessed rational thought. Because in this anomalous existence, if ten minutes came and went without hearing from her kid, rationality would be a thing of the past.

Her phone rang suddenly and jarred her enough that she almost dropped her cup.

"Hello? Hello?" she answered anxiously, her words coming before the phone was fully at her ear. One second of silence preceded a third, "Hello?!" The phone only rang again. Lorelai took the phone from her ear and pressed the SEND button with a sigh of impatience.

This was not her phone.

She'd never even seen the techy LG on the market before. Before leaving the house, she'd grabbed it from the charger and thrown it in her purse so quickly that she hadn't noticed the difference. But she had certainly noticed as she dialed Rory's pager. Nothing was programmed. And she was currently noticing since, unlike her Motorola, the phone hadn't connected the call by simply being flipped open.

"Hello?" she said again, finally to an audience. "Rory?"

"No Rory here, miss," answered a deep male voice. "You paged?"

"Uh…yea," Lorelai answered in confusion. "My daughter. Who is this?"

"Not your daughter, that's for sure." He rattled off his number. "That the one you mean to page?"

"Yea, but-"

"Guess you have an old number for her. Gotta get back to work. Good luck." Click.

Lorelai lowered the phone and pressed her head to the headrest as her breaths quickened. 2004. That was the year. She'd seen it on her phone screen nine minutes ago. October 20, 2004. Two years ago was yesterday. It was too extreme to entertain. As far as she was concerned, she was in a wacky make-believe land with talking teacups and charming dancing candlestick holders.

So far, she accepted things with a semi-cool head. But she'd tear the storybook to shreds and turn it into a thing of nightmares if she couldn't locate her child.

The engine was still rumbling from when she'd pulled into the lot. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Lorelai put the jeep in gear while simultaneously flipping her phone to dial her carrier. If Rory was still on her plan, she'd get her information that way. She checked the gas gauge and was grateful to see a nearly full tank. It was more than enough to get her to Cambridge.

Before she could hit a single button, the phone rang in her hand. She slammed the brake where she'd only driven a few feet and answered the unfamiliar number.

"Hello? Rory, is this you?"

"Well, Margot, it sure isn't dear old hubby calling to signal Swann, fortunately for you both." Rory jumped into her reprimand without pause. "Mom, it's been a week already. Take ten lousy minutes and program some numbers in that phone."

Lorelai's hand went to her heart, and she could've cried, she felt such relief. "Oh, Honey, it's so good to hear your voice!"

"Been a tough twelve hours for you too, huh?" she mocked sweetly.

"On this day…" She put her jeep in Park. "…you have no idea." She ended up closing her eyes in concentration as she worked on not bombarding her with questions and details of her odd morning. "I need to see you, Sweetie."

"What's wrong?" she asked with worry.

'Where do I start?' She entertained a silent moment to consider her answer. "Nothing's wrong. I just miss you and would really like to see you. Where are you?"

Rory released the fear that'd sprung up at her mom's words. "Headed to class; you know the routine. Just called to tell you that you were right."

Lorelai shrugged. "Well…I usually am," she followed, true to form.

"This herbaceous scarf has actually grown on me. Can you believe it? I'm wearing it now. Just pulled it out and went with it. Before I left the room, the final once-over in the mirror got a 'not bad'. Even got a compliment on it right before I called you."

Lorelai smiled. "Wow, definitely sounds like a hit." Of course, she had no knowledge of the scarf, but she could only imagine Rory's distaste for anything covered in flowers. She'd think of it as an old lady look.

"Old lady chic is in," Rory followed on cue. "Let it be said."

"Let it be written. Let it be done."

"One of these days you're going to be wrong about me! You're going to say something is going to grow on me…and it won't! And you shall eat those words!" she declared with faux dramatics. "You shall eat them all!"

"With guac?"

"No."

"Because you know I'll eat just about anything if it's covered in guac."

"I know. But your words will be guac-less. Think I'm going to reward you with tasty words? Yeah right."

Lorelai was starting to feel the first bit of ease since Luke had grasped her shoulder, since he'd done all the things that followed. The unease returned. And suddenly all she could see was a flashback of him leaning in with his lips. She hadn't moved. She hadn't fled. She'd stood there and received the soft and pleasing kiss. Kisses. She literally shook her head to rid the memory. Then, she adjusted the heat because she was warming up just fine on her own.

"So, with mention of the second-chance scarf, I take it it's just as cold there as it is here?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

She chuckled. "Miles and miles separate us, kid. Don't take this as small talk. I actually want to know what the weather's doing there."

"Not much more than what it's doing there," she assured quizzically but with amusement. "And I see you're getting Rory-sick."

"What is that? A fever with a spiked IQ?" she joked.

"Play on homesick," she explained, though she knew there was no need. "Which is odd since I'm the one away from home. I'm the college kid, remember? Why are you stealing my shine?"

"Uhh, 'hello Earth, on your next rotation, when you make it to my rear, be a doll and fill me in on how my ass looks in this skirt. Thanks'."

Rory smiled. "Silly me. Must've forgotten."

"I don't see how."

"Total common knowledge. Learned it in elementary. Three main types of clouds, seven continents, five oceans, and the earth revolves around Rory's ever-so humble mother."

Lorelai took a breath, shook her head at the term that reverberated. "College kid…"

"Don't get wistful. Don't sound bummed. It's way too early for bummed."

"It's just…"

A long quiet preceded Rory's quiet, "I know, Mom."

The date told Lorelai that Rory was a sophomore. One whole year of college later, and Lorelai wasn't the least bit surprised that she could openly lament about Rory being grown and on her own as if it were brand new. Just so happened that for her, it so was. "Seriously, kid, you and I need to get together soon. I need to put eyes on you. ASAP."

"Before Friday night dinner? You know I'll be there. If I were going to be subpoenaed, that'd be the place to do it."

"Yea, that's definitely the place to pile on the devastation."

Rory chuckled. "Not what I meant, but okay."

"Friday night dinner is too far away. If you can't make it happen today, tomorrow then. I'll drive up to see you. Cool?"

"I can come home, no biggie. Tomorrow will work."

"Tomorrow it is. And I'm coming there. No argument."

Not only did she want to keep Rory from making the long trip down the road, but there was no way she was going to just not check out Rory's living situation and campus life. She made immediate mental plans to just stay through the weekend. To hell with work. Which worked out well since apparently, the place had been torn down and turned into a Japanese restaurant overnight. She and Rory would just go to Friday night dinner together and drive back to campus from there.

She felt sudden anger as she realized that her mother still expected Rory every Friday night even though she now resided in Massachusetts. She definitely planned to give Emily an earful, though she was certain she and her mom had gone many rounds on the topic already. There was absolutely no way they hadn't.

"Okay, you win," Rory acceded. "Whatever floats your plank, Rose."

"Oh, that was just morbid."

"Only a little."

Lorelai smiled. "I'll let you go. You've made it to class so learn lots, and I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"How'd you know I'd made it to class?"

"Your voice dropped a few decibels somewhere around the word 'subpoena', so I figured you'd made it into the company of others."

"Smart lady."

"Get it from my kid."

"No, you get it from your mom."

"All I get from my mother are migraines. Oh, and state-of-the-art quip training."

"I love you, Mom. I'll talk to you later."

"You and I are going to talk a hundred times today. Having a very needy day offspring-wise, so prepare yourself. I love you too, kid. So so much. Have a good class."

Rory smiled. "Bye, Mom."

Lorelai ended the call, feeling the biggest weight gone from her shoulders. She retrieved her coffee again, finally sedated enough to resume refueling. The contents were nearly cold now, but she didn't care. She gulped it down anyway.

Luke had changed quite a bit. But at least his coffee hadn't.

She twisted the lid off her thermos and started on that next. There was a major decline in quality from Luke's to homemade, but it was strong and hit the spot.

Lorelai put her jeep back in gear and pulled off. She had no clue where she spent her days, where she worked. But one thing she knew was that she'd never choose to make a career move without Sookie.

She set off for her best friend's house.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Jackson exited the house with a diaper bag in one hand and a baby in the other. He smiled in Lorelai's direction as he watched her pull up curbside.

Lorelai couldn't stifle her gasp. She fumbled with her seatbelt and even the door before her feet finally hit pavement. It took no time at all to make it from jeep to Jackson, and her attention was fully on the gorgeous baby in his arms.

"Ohhh my goooddd," she gushed with tears quickly filling her eyes as she plucked the little boy from Jackson. She held him up to her face to get a good look at him before she was cradling him to her chest in a warm embrace. "Look at you! You are so cute!"

Davey grabbed tiny stubby fistfuls of her loose-hanging hair and gurgled on happily with a genial bounce against her body.

"Approaching one year and I still haven't gotten used to my magical baby. When he's there, suddenly I disappear. No hocus pocus needed," Jackson teased.

Lorelai hadn't stopped smiling and hadn't taken her eyes from the child who seemed to know her and delight in her presence. At Jackson's comment, the unremitting smile was partly for him. She honored him with a glance only.

"Sorry, Jackson, how are things?"

"Do you really care?" he asked flatly.

"Of course I do," she said in a baby voice as she nuzzled Davey's nose. "I sure do, I sure do," she followed, inspired by the baby's ongoing joy.

Jackson could only laugh. He reached in and took his kid back. "Okay, say bye-bye to your godmother, Davey. We've got to get you to the babysitter's."

"Davey," Lorelai whispered, her gaze locked on him as his dad lifted him from her arms. She needed more time with him. Yesterday, Sookie had been a few months pregnant. Today, she had a one year old son. She couldn't believe Sookie was now a mother to a beautiful little boy. In Jackson's world, Lorelai had spent hundreds of hours with Davey and it was no big deal to grab him from her so they could get a move on. In Lorelai's world, he was the oblivious villainous sadist. But it was definitely for the best that Jackson had taken him away. Her uterus was starting to throb.

With her lip poked out, she took Jackson's diaper bag from him in assistance as they both walked to the minivan.

"Are you headed into work?" Lorelai asked, careful of her words. Everything was so different and so new. But only to her. She thought it best to not let on to how she'd clearly ridden shotgun with Doc recently.

"Yea," he answered. "I thought you'd be there too. Got the day off? Sookie didn't mention it."

She shook her head. "I just had some things to take care of." She swung the bag in her hand as Jackson strapped Davey into the car seat. "I…actually thought Sookie was going to take a day off. Must've gotten my days mixed up."

"Sookie? Take a day off?" Jackson laughed. "Sounds more like you got your people mixed up. She did say she'd try to be home by six tonight, though, so we'll see how that goes. You guys stay so booked. Good for the pockets, bad for us lonely pathetic husbands." With Davey secure, he stepped back and met Lorelai's eyes while taking the diaper bag from her. "And Luke, of course."

She blinked hard and immediately dropped her head. Luke had kissed her three times. So she had a pretty strong hunch that they were together. But to hear someone else say it was very surreal.

She didn't have many questions as to how they'd made it there.

She wasn't quite that naïve. There was no way to stand in the world she was currently standing in while continuing to act as if she and Luke hadn't been circling one another for years.

But still. Wow.

"You okay?" Jackson asked as he slid the door shut.

She looked up at him and smiled, preoccupied. "Yeah. I'm good."

He nodded his acceptance of that and then ran around and hopped in the driver's seat. He turned the car on and rolled down the window as Lorelai stepped closer to the vehicle.

With arms crossed, she asked casually, "So, if you had to guess, you'd say that Sookie was where?"

Jackson definitely felt the answer to that was clear. But he was kind and accommodating like always. "Show meeee Dragonfly!" he answered with an emphasizing point toward the sky while mimicking a Family Feud host.

"Dragonfly…" she repeated evenly.

"Chances are good," he followed with a lighthearted nod of his head.

"Dragonfly inn…" she went on to say, attempting to subtly wrap her head around the enormity of that information. "Where we both work… The Dragonfly… that we-we, uh, we own… B-because we own it. We own it…right? Me and Sookie?"

"Yeah, I guess that would be the show-your-work answer," he ended with a smile. He studied her. "You're turning really white."

She nodded absently before finally waving away his words with more consciousness. "I'm not going to hold you. You go on and get my beautiful godson, Davey, to the babysitter's, and I'm going to head in to work. At the Dragonfly. Where I am the owner." She nodded and swallowed. "Inn owner of a college-aged Rory and a, uh, a-a boyfriend who is Luke."

He stared at her for a long moment before pointing toward his house. "You can go in and lie down if you need to. You know where the key is. Or just grab something to drink. Ya know, hydrate."

She smiled genuinely. Last thing she needed was to be thought of as crazy. Realizing that she was failing at internalizing, she ceased effort on simplifying the labyrinth.

"I'll see you later, Jackson."

He returned her goodbye and ended with a goofy declaration as he pointed to the backseat. "The men folk are off. Gotta go hunt and provide."

Lorelai gave encouraging thumbs up to the purported alpha male in the minivan.

Jackson turned the volume dial to the far right and Apples and Bananas blasted from the speakers. He tossed a "rock on" hand gesture at her and peeled off, leaving a laughing Lorelai on the sidewalk.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Rachel had been the one to introduce the landmark to Lorelai. And in doing that, she'd given her flighty dreams, gravity. The Dragonfly had such potential and it accommodated Lorelai's vision perfectly.

After she called off her wedding to Max, she and Sookie made real plans to get started.

Money was an issue, though, and that's what had thrown things on pause. Given the rigmarole involved with securing a loan for termites, Lorelai was forced to lean heavily on faith when it came to her inn ownership dream.

Somehow, it had all come together.

After leaving Jackson and Sookie's home, she drove straight to the address that, last she'd seen, contained a ramshackle building, still charming in its antiquity. The long dusty road leading up to the building was now deliberately provincial, whereas before it'd been deserted and windswept.

She craned her neck, anxious to see the place that was no doubt permeated with her blood, sweat, and tears. At first sight of the inn, Lorelai was awestruck. She crept along slowly in her jeep, her eyes darting from the verdure of the landscape and shrubbery leading up the passageway, to the stylishly dated barn.

Two horses!

Giddiness overtook her for a brief moment as she watched two workers dutifully grooming the beautiful animals. She had no idea how she and Sookie had made all of that come true. It was far beyond amazing.

She continued around back, thinking of the inn in the springtime when gorgeous flowers would abound, lining the garden and porch rails, with greater quantities enhancing the window sills. And she got an even bigger burst of excitement at the thought of snow! That was right around the corner!

She pulled in next to Sookie's car, which was the same as it was in her version of yesterday.

She wasted no time heading for the back steps, but still, she hesitated at the door. Her tour of the previously dilapidated building had her knowledgeable about what room she was stepping into, but it hadn't even begun to sink in that she had full authority to enter there. She braced herself and stepped inside.

What she found was… Sookie's kitchen.

Absolutely no question as to whose territory she'd walked into. Not only did she spot her best friend and business partner in the center of the bustle, but the delicious smells that greeted her reminded her that Sookie was a master in her profession. That was one thing that would never change. She was as reliable as they came, in every way.

Lorelai closed the door behind her, suddenly feeling completely at home.

"There you are!" Sookie called out as she turned from the oven and spotted Lorelai. She carried a pan of scratch-made muffins to the center island. "I was wondering when you were getting in this morning."

Lorelai was by her side in an instant. "Very off morning, Hon. I'll have to fill you in some other time," she brushed off. She faced her, smile brighter than a thousand suns as she took to being completely captivated by the memory. "Davey," she said in one word.

Sookie had stopped and looked up at her. "What about him?" she asked with a lost smile of her own.

"He is beautiful, Sookie!"

"Thank you." Sookie accepted the random compliment and only laughed her confusion during the hug that Lorelai offered.

When they parted, Lorelai shared how she'd swung by the house and caught Jackson just as he was leaving. In a meager attempt to cover, she explained that the baby just looked well-rested and extra happy that morning. Sookie let her know that for the past few days, he'd actually been sleeping through the night. She'd been told by his pediatrician that it was normal for that to start months sooner than it actually had for him, but she and Jackson were just happy that it was finally happening.

Lorelai stepped away and was able to spot the modern coffee machine with a fresh full pot. She headed over for her 3rd helping that morning. By the end of the day, there'd be sloshing sounds with every step she took.

"I'm in love with him, Sook."

"Who, Luke? Tell me something I don't know."

She had located a mug and was reaching in for the pot when Sookie's words made her freeze. Sookie went on. "And don't think I haven't noticed the way you've been coveting your godson. Now you're even dropping by to see him before work?" She grinned. "It's only a matter of time," she ended, singsong.

Lorelai turned at that. "Only a matter of time before what?"

"As if I have to say it."

"You kind of do…" She said that even though it wasn't true. She knew exactly where she was going with that comment, but being with Luke was still so new and so weird. Now, suddenly, there was mention of being in love and having babies with him.

How long had they been together anyway?

Sookie had moved on to whipping up a glaze for the cooling muffins. "Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out the moment you walked in the door." She said that with amusement. "I was just teasing you."

Lorelai finally turned and poured her coffee. "You think I'm in love with Luke?" she asked quietly with her back still turned.

"Didn't hear you, Honey," came Sookie's much louder follow-up.

Lorelai tossed shy glances to the strangers around her. She counted five in the crew. Adding the two men she'd seen brushing the horses, that made seven workers so far, all under her and Sookie's employ. From the moment she spotted the inn, all the wanted to do was get inside, engage everyone she could, tour the grounds, and get a feel for the business that actually belonged to her.

She'd seen Sookie and had to mention Davey. Her best friend in the world had had a full pregnancy, her first childbirth, had made it through raising an infant, and was now mothering a near-toddler. That had quickly become the first order of business. But she was still anxious to familiarize herself with the new and improved Dragonfly.

In the blink of an eye, though, it all took a backseat.

"Um, Luke. You think I'm in love with him?" she asked again when she'd moved closer.

Sookie met her eyes. She was suddenly aware that they were treading on new territory. Wasn't exactly safe to mess with Lorelai on things like that. Last thing she wanted to do was spook her and send her running. Not only would Luke want her head on a platter, but it'd be more than she could handle trying to pick up the shattered pieces of Lorelai's heart after she realized she'd made the worst mistake of her life.

Sookie chose her words carefully. "I think you're happy. And that's enough."

Lorelai relaxed. Sookie noticed. It made her relax as well because seriously…that was a close one.

"Happy," Lorelai repeated.

Sookie matched Lorelai's sudden shy smile. "Yeah. That's all you can ask of any relationship, especially one that's only four months young."

"Four months," she parroted again.

"YES yes yes yes," Sookie playfully began as if her words were echoing across a valley of mountains; she did this to mock her friend. "HOW how how how WOULD would would would YOU you you you LIKE like like like A a a a MUFFIN muffin muffin muffin?"

Lorelai picked one up. "Hey, don't be mean to me. Today's shaping up to be a doozey."

"Oh yeah, how so?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Want to try me?"

"Later maybe."

"You sure?"

Lorelai nodded as she took a small bite of the delicious steaming muffin. "I talked to Rory a little while ago, and talking to you now is giving me the steady ground that I need."

Sookie looked up at her and quietly studied her after those questionable words. "Okay," she relented. "Well, you know I'm here. Everything's okay with Luke?" she asked suddenly in curiosity.

"Yeah," Lorelai reassured automatically. Then she shrugged. "I guess."

"You guess?"

She rolled her eyes at herself. "Everything's fine with Luke," she answered again.

"Oh, that's convincing."

Lorelai smiled. "We're good, I promise."

"If you say so." She returned focus to her task. "Just remember-"

"You're here," Lorelai interrupted. "Got it. Now, quit treating me like a basket case. At least until you start hearing Misty on repeat."

That gave Sookie a chuckle. "Michel's been looking for you, by the way."

"Michel?"

"Yea, some ridiculous exaggerated crisis, I'm sure. But he's come in here half a dozen times asking if you'd come in yet."

Lorelai laughed to herself, shook her head. She really should've known it wouldn't have been easy getting rid of the surly misanthrope. Of course he had chosen to join their staff at The Dragonfly. How else would her life maintain that spot of nuttiness?

She took a final bite of the muffin and set it to the side. "So good, Sook."

"You know how I do," she jested with a cool wink.

Lorelai drank more of her coffee before setting that aside as well. "See you in a bit, Business Partner." She said the last part quieter to Sookie, her joy apparent.

With the size of Sookie's smile, it was instantly clear to Lorelai that it was still very new for the both of them. "Nice ring to it, huh?" Sookie enthused.

"It's the sweetest sound I've ever heard. I can't get used to it. It's like it…happened overnight," she blurted absurdly. They shared a close laugh like high school girls before recovering and reclaiming their more mature personas.

Lorelai finally headed off toward the lobby door, shoulders square, just a hint of nervousness, but mainly so much happiness she could hardly contain herself.

This was one part of the dreamscape that she was ready to accept and receive with arms wide open.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Out of all of the daytime staff, Lorelai was the last one to leave the inn for the day. She stayed long enough to greet the few members of the night staff.

She'd seen both Sookie and Michel off, along with all of the maids, groundskeepers, and kitchen staff, all of whom she had learned by name. She'd made that a very high priority throughout the day, as she snuck peeks at name badges and listened closely as they called out to one another. She had jotted down names and brief physical descriptions and later paired them with the employee files in her office.

They all seemed to genuinely like her, which was excellent. Business ownership hadn't turned her into a carbon copy of her mother, so that was an incredible relief.

Lorelai had checked out every aspect of every job that went into keeping the inn functioning. She'd been spirited and eager, her energy only expanding the more she moved.

In the thirteen hours spent there, she'd taken 6 five minute breaks, 1 three, 1 ten, 1 fifteen, and 1 twenty.

The fifteen had gone toward programming her phone. The rolodex in her office aided that, and a few of the numbers, like Luke's Diner, came from memory.

All of the five minute breaks had gone towards checking in with Rory throughout the day. None of those exchanges had clued her in to Rory's Ivy League school swap.

The ten had gone toward a quick relaxing lunch, courtesy of Sookie.

The twenty had been a call to Mia. With the Independence gone, Lorelai needed to be sure everything was okay with her former mentor. She was grateful to see that things had worked out so wonderfully for her. She was still happy and flourishing and had even returned to the east coast.

And finally, the three minute call had been with Luke. He'd called her. Lorelai had strongly considered not even answering the call. She'd been walking on sunshine all day, dealing with things she could actually handle, and speaking with him would only complicate her thoughts once again. But she'd picked up anyway.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey, Me."

"You missed lunch. Grabbed something at the inn?"

"Yea."

"Oh. Thought you'd at least be by for coffee."

"No… got that here, too."

"So much for mine being irreplaceable."

"It just worked out that way. You're still irrepla—um, your coffee is still irreplaceable."

"Hopefully, I am too."

"…"

"You there?"

"Uh, yea… I'm here."

"Are you feeling better?"

"Better than what?"

"Better than you were this morning. You were sort of out of it."

"I'm okay."

"You don't really seem like yourself."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry; just…I want you to be good, so just talk to me. That's what I'm here for."

"…"

"Lorelai?"

"Yea?"

"Am I…catching…you in the middle of something?"

"Um, kind of. Just regular work stuff, ya know? I should probably be getting back, actually."

"Okay. I don't want to hold you. Just hadn't talked to you all day so I just wanted to check in."

"Thank you."

"…"

"Sooo, I'll talk to you later, Luke?"

"Tonight, right?"

"What?"

"You're still coming over?"

"Um…"

"Because I really want to see you."

"Right. Well…"

"I really…really need to see you, Lorelai."

"I, uh…"

"Ya know, I'm trying to think of what I did. I'm combing through conversations here and dissecting undertones and…you know, just all that stuff… that we clueless guys have to do, but I'm not good at that. I'm trying, though. Ya know? And still, I got nothin'. So, I need you to help me out. Please."

"I'm sorry…"

"Okay, well, guess that sums up-"

"No, I'm sorry, Luke. I mean it. I'm good. And we're good. I promise. I don't mean to act indifferent. And I definitely don't mean to act that way toward you, so to answer your question, yes. I'm still coming over. I'll…definitely be there."

"Really?"

"Really."

"My place, after work?"

"Your place. After work. Count me in."

"Okay, sounds good. I'll see you later, Lorelai."

"You too, Luke."

That had been five hours ago.

She had really put herself into a jam with that one. But the fear she felt each time she thought of things being so different between her and Luke, had inadvertently turned her into a laconic idiot. That was not a quality of speech that she could ever get away with. So, of course, Luke had picked up on it, and of course, he'd taken offense. For that reason, she'd given into his request.

She would sleep under the same roof as him, in the same room, and in the same bed.

She'd deal with it.

Nothing would happen that she didn't want to happen. That much, she knew. And the thought of hurting Luke and messing up whatever future they were obviously meant to have, wasn't an appealing option.

She gathered her things and stepped outside to her awaiting jeep. What replayed over and over in her head was the way Luke had said he needed to see her. He'd spoken of undertones in a different context, but the way he'd said that sentence, it was clear he had some undertones of his own.

This body – one that was two years than the one she knew – had been with Luke. Had been with him in the most intimate way, god only knew how many times…

Behind the wheel now, Lorelai sat in thought.

For months now – in the months that she knew – she'd been feeling the ache. The need. The feeling that always came when it'd been too long since. It wasn't an uncontrollable urge, but it was still an urge, nonetheless. The tiniest fleeting thought would trigger it.

With a strange desire to test her body, she thought about it now: that overwhelmingly satisfying feel of penetration.

The ache didn't come.

Something she'd been feeling daily for months-on-end was suddenly nowhere to be found. Which meant there was satiation.

A shiver passed through her as she dealt with the wave of awkwardness that revelation brought with it. She changed focus expeditiously.

Her thoughts moved to getting home, getting showered, getting packed, and then finally getting over to Luke's, where hopefully, he wouldn't find it out of the ordinary to allow her to spend the night on his couch.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

The Williams Hardware sign came into view as Lorelai cleared the staircase and rounded the corner.

She gripped the strap from her overnight bag tighter as it hung from her shoulder. When she had arrived at the diner, the sign had been flipped to 'closed' and the lights were off, but she had found that the door was unlocked.

His apartment door was partially ajar.

When she entered, she spotted Luke walking from the bathroom into the living room, dressed only in a pair of boxer briefs while brushing his teeth.

He was headed toward the TV that had the voice of a sports announcer blaring, but he caught sight of Lorelai and stopped in his tracks.

"Hey!" he greeted, voice muffled by a mouth full of toothpaste.

She smiled and offered a wave as she looked away.

"Just a sec," he followed before returning to the bathroom to finish up his oral routine.

Lorelai took the bag from her shoulder and carried it over to the sofa. She removed her coat and unzipped the velour hoodie that covered a thin snug tank top. Thinking better of it, she zipped it halfway back up and decided to leave it in place. She wore a comfortable pair of lounge pants and a cute pair of new Adidas. Well, new to her.

She sat and looked around. Everything looked the same as she'd last seen it. Other than Jess' things being cleared out. That didn't come as a surprise at all. She hadn't even thought to inquire about him to Rory because it was a given that a nineteen year old Jess would be out of the picture. His and Rory's relationship would have undoubtedly already run its course.

She only hoped that he hadn't left town with her kid's v-card.

She took notice of Luke's bedroom and the extra large bed. That was new. The bedding was turned down on both sides. At the bottom, there rested a pair of sweatpants and a shirt. She figured she'd arrived before Luke had had an opportunity to throw them on, though he'd seemed perfectly comfortable adorned only in his underwear.

Water was running in the bathroom sink, and no sooner than it stopped, did Luke reappear.

He walked right over to her, causing her to stop breathing.

"Hey," he said again in a whisper as he leaned down and kissed her lips. It was just a peck, and she still closed her eyes. She blinked them open with a deep swallow as he leaned away. She pulled her lips in and ended with the top one between her teeth as she looked up at him doe-eyed. He stood before her looking curiously down at her overnight bag.

Lorelai's eyes dropped to his eye-level crotch.

"What's with the bag?"

She met his eyes again. "I'm spending the night, aren't I?"

"Yea, but you've never brought a huge bag."

"It's just a small duffle."

"Still."

"Still what? It has stuff I need. A girl can't look good?"

He sighed, met her eyes, and ended up smiling. "Sorry."

His smile made her nervous, but it was captivating. It was intimate and beautiful. "Don't sweat it," she said easily. She tried looking away, hoping he would too, but when her eyes went immediately back to his, he was still focused on her.

When she found her attention dropping, again, to his eye-level crotch, she decided to stand.

"Um, I guess I better…"

Her words faded as Luke reached out and took hold of her hoodie zipper. He lowered it, no rush in his movement. Lorelai watched his hand for only a second before her eyes slowly rose to his. Their eyes met, and she was rewarded with a hint of another smile before his gaze dropped to what he was doing.

He inched closer, and Lorelai's eyes fell to his defined chest and muscular middle before the outrageous bulge poorly hidden by a pair of Hanes was, yet again, in her sights.

He stopped just short of pressing that part of his body to her.

He sensually slid the hoodie from her shoulders. "You came here with way too many clothes on." The hoodie hit the couch, and he slid his hands back up her silky arms. "And then you brought even more in an overnight bag?" Lorelai saw him lean in and she closed her eyes again. He kissed her mouth with slightly parted lips. She felt the tip of his tongue. She felt the tip of Luke's tongue. Her shaky hand went to his bare side. Her lips parted in the next second because how could they not? But she only breathed in air. He had moved to her jaw and then her neck. Further along her neck. And even further. There were soft, feathery kisses that made her commit to a firmer touch to his side then slowly up his back as the bulge came in contact with the area below her navel.

Damn, this was really happening…

She couldn't stop thinking of how it was Luke's hands on her back and Luke's lips on her neck.

She recalled her plans to sleep on his couch and found herself laughing out loud as Luke's erection grew against her and she felt wetness building up between her thighs.

Luke advanced upon her and she was being backed into a wall. "What's funny?" he whispered. His face lifted from her neck at the breathy question and he kissed her deep with no warning.

Laughter stopped and she was left whimpering and losing time. When consciousness returned, she and he were kissing one another with slow-moving and familiar tongues. Her arms were around his neck and she ran a hand along the back of his head and across his neck. They parted for air. Luke sought to take his lips elsewhere. Lorelai, eyes closed, breaths heavy, only brought his lips back to hers, and they were off again.

He lifted her and brought her legs around his body. His erection hit right at her center, and she felt it through both their layers. She broke the kiss with a perceptible gasp. She opened her eyes and looked around through hazy eyes as Luke attacked her neck and moaned, ravenous.

This was totally happening.

God, he was turning her on. His touch. His growls. The heat radiating from his skin. The fact that he had her pushed against the fucking wall.

There was no question as to why that ache was nowhere to be found.

"Luke?"

He set her back on her feet and held one of her knees at his waist as he continued to ravish her clean sweet skin. He preferred the taste of her body when it was wet with sweat, but he'd happily lick any and every part of her in every state. "Yea?" he finally answered.

She moved her hands to either side of his stomach and felt his winds against her. "Can we slow this down?" she whispered jaggedly.

"Like this?" His feverish kisses slowed. He cupped the back of her neck tenderly and gave himself leverage as he passionately sucked her neck. Lorelai's unintentional moan proved to be a remarkable endorsement and it drove his passion.

"Oh my god..." She felt dizzy and she desperately wanted his tongue back in her mouth. She swallowed thickly. "No…no, not like that," she whispered.

"Then like what?"

"Slow down as in…stop," she ended softly as she put light pressure against his body.

Luke stopped immediately as if it were easy. It wasn't. "What's wrong?" He asked the question with concern as his eyes scanned hers. At the same time, he stepped back and Lorelai was able to erect herself.

She moved away from the wall, stepping around him. She was craving him, craving Luke, and she couldn't wrap her head around that. Her fingers traced her lower lip as she looked down to the floor in thought.

"Lorelai?"

When she made it a safe distance away, she stopped and turned to him. "Wow. We're really good at that, aren't we?"

"At what?"

She shook her head as if to say 'nevermind' and lowered her eyes when she saw him mindlessly adjust his straining erection. "I'm really sorry, Luke. I'm just-"

"Why are you apologizing?" He turned and made it to the television in a few steps. He slapped the button and turned it off. Lorelai looked up at the sudden noise, and she feared she had upset him. Never would she tolerate Rory being fearful of upsetting a guy who wanted sex when she didn't. But this was Luke, and a near-decade had gone into a friendship where he expected nothing of her. She knew his heart. If he was upset, she felt he'd earned the right to be heard. But her fear proved to be empty.

"You and me, in bed. We're gonna talk."

"What? In bed? I don't-"

"Just talk," he clarified patiently. He'd been backing up toward his bed, and he reached it in that moment. He picked up his jogging pants. "Clothes on," he promised as he pulled them on. He couldn't do much about his erection but he tactfully aimed it toward his waistband to make it less noticeable. He knew if he didn't give it any attention, it'd go away. Eventually. He continued on, not missing a beat, "Things have been feeling off all day, and I just want to talk to you." He shifted uncomfortably and sounded extra gruff as he added, "And yea, in bed. Be nice to hold you for a while. If that's okay." Words out, he rooted himself and just studied her with a serious air from across the room.

Arms crossed, Lorelai had been looking intently at him since he'd moved away from the TV.

She smiled in the silence, though he remained serious in a way that only he could. It was fairly certain that she would never spend time wondering what she had ever seen in him.

"Okay," she assented in a bare register. Her accompanying nod helped relay her answer to him across the room.

Luke relaxed and waved her over. "You want me to wheel the TV around to the bedroom? I'll probably be knocked out before you will, as usual."

Lorelai sat on the couch and took a deep breath before removing her shoes. She looked over at him at his question. "No, you don't have to do that. If you fall under first, I'll find some way to entertain myself. On a totally unrelated note, where do you keep your shaving cream and feathers?"

"Fresh out. Plenty of warm water, though I'm sure you'll want to skip that one since it'll only backfire, given the sleeping arrangements and all," he responded lightly.

"You'd be surprised at what I'd sacrifice for comedy."

"Well after your sanity was humbly offered all those years ago, can't say much has surprised me anymore."

Lorelai took both shoes and put them neatly under the coffee table before she stood and looked over to Luke's bedroom area. She held her spot in front of the couch.

Luke took his t-shirt from the bed and tossed it on top of his dresser, leaving Lorelai to silently scold him for choosing to remain topless.

He approached his nightstand, and it only took one glance of confusion toward her before Lorelai figured it was time to stop stalling and stop giving Luke a reason to question her. She walked over to the bed, her eyes burrowing into it as if it were an obstacle she had to overcome.

"You want a shirt?" he asked casually as he sat on the bed, one leg bent on the mattress in front of him, half of a lotus position.

She had made it to the opposite side of the bed, near the bathroom, when his question came, and she paused. A shirt? She had on a shirt. In fact, in her bag was a winter pajama ensemble with a long sleeved top and long baggy bottoms. But she couldn't bring herself to put them on. Never had she worn something that conservative while sleeping next to a guy, and she couldn't assume that Luke inspired a different mindset. Hell, from what she'd experienced so far with him, she wouldn't be surprised if having on any clothes at all would raise a red flag.

Still, four months in a relationship was new territory for her, so she had no clue what her new normal was.

She had decided to just keep on the tank top. Under her pants was a pair of swim boy shorts. And what she hadn't quite decided on was if the pants would get removed before or after climbing under the covers.

She placed her hand over the stomach of her tank top. "Another shirt?" she asked.

Luke tossed a hand toward his dresser. "Yea, one of the ones you usually wear."

"Ones I usually wear…" she considered aloud.

"I mean, it's no big deal if you just want to wear that one," he said pointing toward the one she wore. "Just that you usually wear the other one."

She shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "Sure. Of course. I'll wear the one I always do." She looked over to the dresser he'd motioned towards. "And I uh…kept it here?"

He smiled a bit. "As opposed to stealing it for your own collection, yea, you kept it here." He stood up and walked to his dresser while shaking his head.

Lorelai remained curious for only a split second before she finally thought to take advantage of the moment his back was turned. She hurried to the bed, lowered her pants, and climbed in the bed, immediately covering her naked legs with the covers. Sitting upright against the pillows, she checked Luke's status and found that he was still at the drawer. After that desperate hustle, she allowed herself a calming breath as she took in the area.

She'd seen Luke's bedroom before but never from this angle. The awkwardness washed over her like a thrashing wave on the Pipeline, and she suddenly felt as if she could very easily slip into a panic.

It was all so much.

And she was so alone in an extremely confusing world.

Luke walked back over to the bed with the shirt in front of him. "Here you go," he said. Lorelai turned attention to him; thanks to her most recent thoughts, she had a quickened heartbeat and minimal focus. She saw the flannel in Luke's hand and the debilitating thoughts instantly dispersed as she listened for explanation. He sat next to her and passed it over. "Has the blue in it so, ya know…" He pointed to his eyes for only a second before looking over at her. "Y-yours, I mean. Not…mine. That'd be weird."

She stared at him for a long moment, her smile becoming more pronounced with every second. She'd been scared a moment ago. A swift distress, intimidated and befuddled by things she couldn't make sense of in that single instant.

But now, there was only Luke telling her he'd picked one of his flannels for her to wear. One that matched her eyes. He was pithy and familiar, nervous, even though apparently, he and she had gotten to know one another quite well in the biblical sense.

She'd kissed him, willingly and deeply. She was still coming to terms with that, but she had. She could attest that he was confident and skillful in that area.

But when talking about her eyes, he stuttered and blushed - skills that of a white belt adorning novice.

Lorelai was soon biting her lip to keep from smiling too hard, and Luke was left questioning that smile.

"What's with you?"

"Nothing," she answered.

"You're smiling over nothing…" he intoned.

She held the shirt up a bit, the smile only showing brighter as she released her bottom lip. "Thanks for grabbing this for me."

He rolled his eyes away from her odd surreptitious glee. "No problem," he answered. He started positioning himself to lie down. Lorelai watched him. Shirtless and comfortable being that. He was home and seemed to feel at home around her.

Four. Months.

"Gonna put that on or what?"

Lorelai's eyes snapped up from his arm tat. She'd seen it years ago when she'd spotted him swimming at the lake. After that, it spent the better part of six months as the first thought in her head each morning she saw him in the diner.

It was quite the discovery. Certainly added to his mystique. And it didn't exactly hurt his sex appeal.

"Uh, yea," she answered as she squeezed the flannel shirt in her hand. "Just um…" She glanced at him looking at her and then swiveled her legs from the bed to the floor, turning her back to him. "…one sec."

Facing the bathroom, she stared ahead at it, wanting so badly to go in there and change. But there would be nothing normal about that at all. Nothing.

She set the flannel in her lap, grasped the bottom of her tank top and lifted it over her head. She dropped it to the floor and quickly picked up the flannel, her ridiculously shaky fingers working to unbutton it. She cursed Luke for buttoning them in the first place, but she mostly cursed herself for not checking that before she took her shirt off.

"I'm exhausted," Luke said in a yawn.

"Oh, yeah?" she followed conversationally in a nervous tone. It came out breathy, and she hadn't intended that. To her own ears, it sounded sensual. With her bare braless back to Luke, she didn't need him to take it that way.

"Yea," he went on. "Something about colder weather makes people eat more. Saw Kirk three different times throughout the day. Who eats three different times in a day?"

She smiled. "Pretty much everyone, Luke."

"Not in the span of four hours, they don't."

"Oh. Well, yeah, that's a bit much. Unless you're me. And even I stretch it out to four and a half hours, maybe four and three quarters. Think he's challenging me?"

"He wouldn't dare. And each time, he ordered pancakes."

"You do make awesome pancakes," she had to admit.

Lorelai felt relief when she finally made it to the last button. But at that moment, Luke reached over and started softly caressing her back. Goosebumps sprung up like overzealous moles in the eponymous arcade game, and she sat up straighter with alert.

"Well maybe I should stop if they're going to be bringing Kirk into my life that often. Way too much Kirk for one day," he shared casually.

He stopped just as easily as he'd started. Lorelai worked on slowly slipping on the flannel, as if she wasn't in as big a hurry to get it on as she really was.

"Looks good," she heard Luke comment intimately from her rear.

"Feels good," she trailed truthfully, as she worked the buttons back together. It felt soft and familiar. It felt safe. She traced the fabric with her eyes, silently questioning its mysteries. She wondered when this had become a thing, wearing his flannels.

She liked it.

She turned and lay first on her side facing Luke. But she promptly dropped to her back when she came face to face with him. He was also resting on his side, his hand propped under his head.

"I like when you slum it for me," she heard him say.

Lorelai turned her head to him and met his eyes. He was smiling. They stared for a moment, and then she smiled too and looked away. "You smile a lot."

"What?"

"Today. You've smiled more today than I've ever seen you smile in a month."

He considered that and grew confused. "You're saying I'm usually not happy with you?"

"No," she corrected with haste as she met his eyes again. "Not just today. I mean, in this worl—well, since I realized we were…" She stopped, took a breath. Luke was looking down at her patiently, waiting of her to finish her thought. "Just compared to before you and I…happened."

"Oh." He continued to process that for a moment longer before he moved beyond it. "Well, of course I'm happy. There are perks to being with you," he said covertly.

"I can imagine…" she said in distraction as she watched him lean over and turn his bedside lamp off.

He settled onto the bed again, this time on his back. "Like," he continued with a deep exhale, "How you can always make my day seem so mundane when you tell me how yours went."

The curtains and blinds were open, and the streetlights shined in leaving the room lit.

Lorelai took the same moment Luke had taken to process words spoken as she regarded him. She'd foreseen a far more uncomfortable exchange after he'd mentioned 'perks'. He didn't accept her silence for very long. He interrupted her thoughts with a pat to his chest and a joking tone which only caught her further off guard. "Come on, you promised me a cuddle. Bring it in."

She laughed a short laugh, though she tried not to. Found herself sliding over to him without fuss or fast irregular heartbeats. She moved over freely.

"What do you think the chances are of me forgetting you just used the word 'cuddle'?"

"Hm," he considered as she came to gently rest her head against him. He wrapped an arm around her and applied gentle squeezes up and down her flannel-covered arm. "I'd say I have more luck getting you to permanently switch to decaf than I have at never hearing you bring that up."

"I'd say you were right," she said, her voice thin.

"Okay, let's hear it."

"Hear what?"

The question was genuine. She was breathing him in through no fault of her own. He had a clean scent tinged with an inviting musk that was well on its way to overpowering everything. She subtly combed his chest hairs with her fingernails. It was subconscious as she inhaled his very pleasing masculine odor. She had understandably forgotten what they were talking about.

Lying with him was so nice. Being held by him was so nice. She was comforted by the feeling but also by the knowledge of who he was. Yet another awkward realization that she wanted to shove aside but couldn't. Not with him taking over her senses like he was.

"About your day. I'm all ears. Dragonfly tales, chapter…what number are we on now?"

At those words, her mind finally found a worthy redirection. She recalled her day, and with it, came the unadulterated joy of what she felt being part of the dual ownership of The Dragonfly. She'd spent a whole day falling in love with her baby and learning it inside out.

She was more than happy to share that with someone who'd been well acquainted with her dreams – back when they were still dreams. She'd gotten away with periodic squeals of excitement with Sookie throughout the day, as she educated herself on The Dragonfly's daily grind, and she felt certain she could talk to Luke as if it were all still fresh as well. Thankfully, a lot was still passable with the months-old inn.

She jumped into storytelling mode, sharing feelings on everything from the décor to the staff to the actual events that had filled her day. He didn't question any of it and didn't seem suspicious of any of the details. Many days since The Dragonfly opened, Luke witnessed Lorelai just having to pinch herself to make sure it was all real.

Far as he was concerned, there was nothing hair-raising about her story.

Lorelai bounced between lying flat on his chest to raising her head to make eye contact. The latter took place when he spoke and definitely during the few times when he laughed. Her hand migrated from his chest to his arm and down to his stomach during conversation. His fingers massaged her arm, her back, and her hair.

A deep and contented breath punctuated her long narrative, and she rested against him again.

"This is really okay," she said after a moment.

"What?"

"You and me." She traced his navel with a finger.

"Were you thinking it wasn't at some point?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying," she said with a smile in her voice. "I'm just taking stock of everything. Seems a good day for that."

"Something special about today?"

She chuckled. "You have no idea."

"Okay." He was thoughtful for a moment. "So, are you feeling better?"

"Better than what?"

"Stop saying that."

She propped herself to look at him again. "Didn't realize it'd become routine. When did you ask me that?"

"Earlier."

"Sooo much clearer," she teased intimately. Still strange. But it had come naturally. And seeing him smile felt really important to her.

"You were just acting weird and standoffish in the diner and on the phone earlier. Had me worried."

She nodded her understanding. "I'm really sorry."

"And you're sure it's nothing I did?"

"Definitely sure. Just a really strange day."

"You keep saying that."

Her tone was sage. "It has yet to stop being true, babe." She turned her head away when the endearment effortlessly came from her mouth. She rested against him once again.

"You're just making me more curious, you know?"

"Don't be. It's okay now." She paused. "I've got the inn. Rory's okay. Sookie and Jackson have this beautiful baby. And you and I are really…good. This is such an interesting place."

"You sound like you're talking in riddles."

"As I was going to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives…"

"Lorelai."

"Thank you," she said quickly. "...for inviting me over tonight. That house is huge. It's never felt as huge as it did when I went home to pack. Rory's not there and…wow. That's huge. And add that hugeness to the house hugeness and I just couldn't stay there. Definitely needed to get out of there, and you're amazing company."

"Thanks…"

"She's at Yale," she added quietly.

"I…know."

"Can't wait to have that conversation with my mom and dad."

"About her being at Yale? Pretty sure they know, too…"

"Her wall is covered in Yale posters. Seems there was an Ivy League fight and Harvard got its ass kicked. Packed its bags and was left to thumb a ride alongside the highway while Lonely Man played. Like David Banner at the end of those Hulk episodes. Except David Banner as the Hulk won all his fights. Wonder if Hulk could kick Harvard's ass as easily as Yale did."

"Probably," Luke responded receptively.

Lorelai chuckled. "I have no clue how I managed to not get my foot stuck in my mouth this morning."

"With who?"

"Rory." She recalled their exchange silently. "God. It just didn't come up. I got lucky. It didn't come up. But if it had, I would have been so busted."

"Well, that would have sucked."

She smiled at him. "Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?"

"Not even the slightest clue."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"You're really great, you know that?"

"Just trying to keep up."

She was thoughtful for a long moment. "New Jersey isn't the worst place on earth. I mean, it's not the best but it's not the worst either, right?"

"What's in New Jersey?"

"Greystone Park."

"Mental Institution?"

"You'd come visit me, wouldn't you? I mean, I don't know if they allow conjugal visits, so we'd probably have to hammer out those details before they take me away. Maybe we can work out some kind of hall pass situation; although, the thought of having any say in your sex life is like woah."

"You don't think you should have a say in my sex life?"

She shifted off him, ended up resting on the mattress, propped up on her elbows facing him. "Well…yeah…but I-I guess I'm just saying I'm not the boss of you."

"Why not?"

"Why am I not the boss of you?" she asked chuckling at the absurdity of that.

He didn't see the problem. "Yeah."

She was thrown. "Well…are you the boss of me?"

He rolled his eyes. "Not like you're making it sound. But I can't answer that; only you can. I can only speak for me. And yes, you, Lorelai Gilmore, are the boss of me. Ya know, sexually," he added meeker.

Her confusion was clear but she was forming crazy levels of amusement.

"Are you serious right now?"

"Why wouldn't I be serious?"

"So…you're just saying thaaat-"

Luke cut her off while she was looking for a classy way to finish her thought. His intention was just to be clear. "That your name is on it? Yes, I am saying that."

Lorelai's jaw dropped causing him to flush, but he didn't care. He'd say it again because it was true. He didn't understand why it was even news. He'd more than made that clear to her through actions.

Her laughter filled the room, and his eye roll was immediate.

"I cannot believe you just said that!"

"I don't know why."

"I mean…"

"You mean what?" he asked annoyed.

"I love that you just said that," she admitted as the laughter finally faded. Her eyes dropped to her fingers as she remained propped on her elbows. Gee, Gilmore, what a loose tongue you have.

"Oh, really? Now you 'love' it?" he mocked. "You mean you don't think I'm whipped?"

Her eyes rose immediately and she grinned from ear to ear. "Oh god, Luke, you are totally whipped! Ganache aspires to be you."

"Jeez."

"But it's okay."

"I don't need you to tell me it's okay. I know it's okay," he said stubbornly.

She laughed softly. "You're…kinda bad, and I'm digging that." Her eyes went back to her fingers after those mindless words.

"So we've moved on to digging me? You dig me now?"

His farcical tone brought her smile back. "Yeah, there's some digging going on," she admitted.

"I'd hope so." Luke climbed from the bed, gaining her attention. He leaned down and got close to her face. "And I'm only bad when you want me to be," he whispered. "Just say the word."

He kissed her lips softly and then erected himself.

Lorelai took a settling breath and swiftly looked as far right as she could to watch him walk away.

Definitely some digging going on.

"Where you going?" she asked familiarly as he disappeared to her rear. She still lay on her stomach facing the headboard.

"Gotta pee."

Her instant laugh showed how she just hadn't expected that to be his very blunt answer. "Okay," she finally replied.

Lorelai took a huge breath and rolled over onto her back, more in the middle of the bed than on her side. Her side. So crazy.

"Oh yeah…" Luke began once he reached the door.

"Oh yeah, what? Mr. Readiwhip, whippopotamus, whip it good, whip whip hooray, whipwrecked, chips and whip…or whips and dip…" She laughed heartily to the ceiling. "Keeping a stiff upper whip-"

"Okay!" he finally interjected over her mirth.

"Sorry, sorry. You know how I just…shoot from the whip."

"Ha ha ha," he called dryly, cutting her laughter short. "Just wondering why you were talking about insane asylums," he finally inquired.

She held a bare smile now. "Yeah, you definitely skipped right past that before, huh?"

"Had every intention of coming back to it."

She went on teasing. "Mentioned sex and your male brain just-"

"Lorelai," he interrupted just to prevent another tangent.

"Weird day, Luke. What can I say?"

"That again?"

"It's all I've got, babe," she followed kindly.

Again, it came so naturally to shower him with that affection.

"Okay," he acceded while watching her. "But better now?"

"So much better now."

"Good."

"Thanks for listening to me ramble."

"Anytime."

She moved her eyes from the ceiling and over to him. They shared a smile. And then he stepped inside the bathroom. She turned back to the ceiling.

The clear sound of water distantly hitting water made her look back over.

"Really, Luke?"

"Really, what?"

"You couldn't close the door?"

"Why would I?"

She watched him standing at the toilet, feet apart, both hands down in front of him. Other than that initial splash, he was considerate in his aim, which Lorelai realized when she wasn't hearing the obnoxious splatter which was always a possibility when it came to a man and a toilet bowl. She couldn't look away. He was peeing, and still, she couldn't look away. The knowledge of what was exposed held her freakishly captive, and she felt like a curious middle schooler.

She'd seen it obstructed behind his underwear, and she'd felt it pressed to her. She was eighty percent certain that he was blessed in a way that intimidated both men and women, alike.

But the desire for visual confirmation was strong.

She could see nothing from where she was so she just watched to see if, when done, he'd turn before getting everything tucked away.

"No reason I can think of," she answered absently.

"Exactly."

He finished up and stayed facing away as he got decent and flushed the toilet. Lorelai sighed and turned back to the ceiling. Wondered what in the hell was wrong with her. She heard Luke turn on the faucet to wash his hands.

"You want some water or something while I'm up?" he called.

"Coffee would be good."

"Not happening."

She smiled. "Dictator much?"

"Caffeine this late is counterproductive."

"To?"

"Sleep."

"Sleep schmeep."

"No coffee."

"Got any chocolate?"

"I doubt it. Why?"

"Could go for something sweet, but I'll live."

"I could run downstairs and grab you a donut if you really have a craving. I'm sure I can find a chocolate one down there with sprinkles."

"Oh my god. How'd it totally escape my mind that you're the diner man? This is the diner! I can have a burger at 2am if I want!"

He turned the water off and rubbed his damp hands along his face as he looked at himself in the mirror. "Definitely wouldn't go that far," he said in monotone. He grabbed a towel and dried his hands and face before tossing it to the sink. "But let me know if you want that donut," he ended as he stepped into the doorway.

"You're sweet."

"Yea, whatever. You want the donut or not?"

She laughed. "No donut, but thanks."

"Suit yourself."

"Charmer."

En route back to his side, he stopped at the bottom of the bed and took note of Lorelai's position in the middle of the mattress on her back. He shook his head, smiled, and continued around to his side.

"Stepped in the bathroom for two minutes, and suddenly I have bunk beds."

"What do you mean?"

He made it to his side and climbed on top of her. He only hovered above her, positioned on his hands and knees around her body. Her eyes immediately went from the ceiling to his face when he appeared with no warning.

"You get the bottom, I get the top," he finally explained.

"Oh. Bunk beds. I get it now. Clever." Her speech lacked her normal vivacity as nervous energy took over.

He looked down her body. It was sufficiently covered with flannel and a comforter, but he made her feel naked. His eyes on her midsection, he started rocking nice and slow as if he was thrusting. His body wasn't touching hers in any way, and she felt that everywhere.

His voice was thick with lust when he spoke again. "Now that I think about it…" His head remained lowered. His eyes stayed trained on her lower body. "I could definitely go for something sweet, myself." He met her eyes and stopped rocking. "Mind if I go down for that, uh, donut?"

As she stared at him with complete paralysis, he reached over blindly and started pulling the covers from her body. He lifted one hand and one knee, another hand and another knee until all covers were off her and no longer beneath him.

Her short shorts made her look naked from the waist down.

With their eyes locked, he remained hovering, waiting for her to consent. She'd stopped him before in the living room, even though she was into it. He didn't know why. He didn't understand why. She was having an off day, as she'd explained. He didn't understand it but he respected it. If she wasn't with him every step of the way, it wasn't worth it. And it wasn't going to happen.

"Okay if I make you come with my tongue?" he whispered directly.

Lorelai noticeably lost her breath. This could not be happening. He was not saying these words to her. Luke was not saying these words to her. There was just no way. She focused on the disbelief to keep from focusing on how she damn near had a heartbeat between her legs. She was growing wetter and wetter, the fire down below only gaining strength from all the moisture.

Her head nodded and the word "yes" followed.

He kept looking at her. "Say it," he demanded in another whisper.

She swallowed. Her eyes closed. There was so much disorient. She heard movement from him, and then she felt his knee spreading her thighs. More movement and then both his knees were between her thighs. He moved in until the backs of her thighs were on the tops of his. He kept moving until there was nowhere left to go. Her legs were spread around him. "Open your eyes."

She did.

"Say it, Lorelai. Tell me you want to come on my tongue."

"Luke…" she gently protested.

"No. Say it."

"I wanna come…" she whispered.

"Where?"

"I-I want to come on your tongue," she ended in a bare and shaky voice.

He leaned down and met her mouth in a searing kiss. She participated fully. They kissed deeply for minutes. Minutes longer than he'd planned. She moved vigorously against his rock hard erection and felt herself nearing orgasm.

He pulled away. Fell back on the soles of his feet and had her reaching for him on instinct. He didn't allow himself to be pulled back in. Her movements had been presenting more desperately, and there was no way he was going to let her waste an orgasm on a mild precursor.

As soon as Luke pulled away, he started on the buttons of the flannel she wore. He only got it opened, not removed. And soon as he did, he placed an open eager mouth over her nipples while massaging each breast. He smoothly moved to her shorts next. He got them up and off her long legs without affecting their positions. He placed his hand to her vagina, fingers down. She was so wet that he could hardly keep his fingers in place. He ran his middle finger back and forth over her clit before slipping that finger inside of her, knuckle down, and then knuckle up. She was just so wet. He was out of his head, he was so turned on. He was anxious, and his mouth was watering like mad for a taste of her.

Lorelai was panting and moving to the rhythm of his fingers.

He took his hand away and both palms went flat against the mattress. He leaned closer to her as he told her, "Move up."

"What?" Breathy and so fucking distracted.

"Move up." She pulled herself higher on the bed. "More." She moved further. "Keep going." With her butt at the pillows, she looked into his face for further direction. He pulled her to her knees and allowed her to relax on her soles while he casually came to lie next to her. She watched him for understanding. As he placed his hand to her thigh and softly slid it back to her ass where he urged her toward him, she got it.

He reached down to his pants and pushed them low enough to where he could finish the job with his legs and feet. He was way too hard to be that restricted. He rubbed himself through his boxer briefs while waiting for Lorelai to settle her sweet spot atop his face.

Lorelai took a deep breath as she lowered herself onto Luke's mouth. She faced the headboard.

He wrapped one arm over her thigh to hold her in place. She was soon grasping the headboard and riding his mouth.

"Mmmm…" She tossed her head back and bit her lip as she moved. Luke possessed a magical mouth. She'd found his kiss to be hypnotic. And as she felt an intense orgasm building up inside of her, she attested that his hypnotic kiss applied to both upper and lower levels.

He still growled. Low and biologic. His thirst uncorked.

She came to release and she could feel the pulsating of her own sex as Luke's tongue continued to make her shiver. He kept going. Didn't seem he'd be getting his fill anytime soon.

More pleasure he gave, more she needed. Her libido was a hoggish beast at times, and it was to be fed at own risk. She circled her hips and caused the heat of his mouth to spread over her vagina. His tireless tongue dance continued. Using the tip of his tongue, he flicked her saccharine-like clit over and over. He knew how to make her moan.

Lorelai said Luke's name, elongated as she orgasmed again. And the surreal-like feeling hit her. Diner-Luke and friend-Luke was now boyfriend-Luke. And boyfriend-Luke was now head-between-her-thighs-Luke.

It'd taken only a single day to get here. To catch up to where he was. To where they were. It'd taken no time at all. Yesterday, she and Alex had been inching toward something. Luke had taught her to fish, and she had used those skills to hook a man. Another man.

One or two more dates, and she'd planned to end a very long drought with Alex.

But one night's rest landed her two years into the future where she and Luke were a thing. She'd learned that at daybreak, and now at nightfall, Luke's head was between her legs. And she was coming.

Again.

Feeling weak, she placed one hand behind her, on the bed beside his stomach. Luke firmly grasped her sides and lifted her to his chest. From there, he got a better grip and moved her to his stomach. She was able to move down to his thighs from there, and he was able to sit up.

She and he both winded, stared. He felt like solid steel between her legs. She rocked her clit against him unmindfully. She was still on fire and all her body saw was an opportunity for amazing stimulation.

She still wore the flannel. It hung open, leaving him at the perfect angle to take in all of her. Her hair framed her face and hung to her shoulders. The ends had started to dampen, courtesy of the light sweat on her skin.

Luke took hold of her sides under the flannel as Lorelai brought fingers to his face and tenderly wiped away the sheen around his mouth. When done, she leaned in and kissed him. They opened up and gave tongue.

"You tired?" Luke whispered to her when they separated.

"Not tired," she whispered back.

"You want my mouth?"

"As talented as it is…" She leaned forward and kissed him deeply once more. "…No, don't want your mouth."

"What do you want?"

She felt herself blush. This was still so bizarre. She answered him indirectly as she intentionally grinded against him. "What do you think?"

He nodded and his arm eased around her back. With that, her arms went up and connected around his neck as she sought to match the tender gesture. What she didn't expect was the moment he anchored her to him and rolled her to her back. Her surprise came with audible pants as his weight came down on her.

He knew what she needed. Her body had sent a message that he'd more than picked up on while tasting her. Tonight was a night for hard and fast release. He didn't mind. He loved her in that state. Loved to be the one to satisfy her when she entered that state. There was no greater feeling.

Luke was without preference. Sliding in and out of her was an unimaginable feeling, physically and spiritually. Each time felt like the first time. He'd never experienced anything like it. He got it while making love to her while she stared into his eyes with unspoken affection and tears that glistened. And adversely, he got it while he fucked her hard enough to rattle her soul.

Before she could speak, he kissed her with great intensity. She came to hold the sides of his face, and she ran her fingers over his scruff as she whimpered from the passion of his kiss. Luke felt her wrap her legs around the both of his and lift her pelvis lift and move. She was frantic for more friction.

He broke the kiss and dropped his mouth to her breasts. Then her clavicle. Then her neck. Then her breasts once more before he sat up on his knees, leaving her flat on the mattress squirming, wanting more from him.

"Get on your knees," he ordered in a soft but firm voice. With that, he lowered his boxers and Lorelai's eyes went from his to his exposed erection. She came up on her elbows to get a better view.

"Oh my god…" she whispered.

The eighty percent certainty she'd had before shot up and completely surpassed one hundred percent. While her brain was in the dark, she found it hard to believe that her body would even be capable of blocking out all that sat before her.

"Turn around and get on your knees, Lorelai," he repeated patiently. He leaned in on his hand to get his underwear over his knees and off completely.

She brought her knees to the side as she prepared to do as asked. As told. Her eyes were still locked on his Goliath. But in one swift movement, she went from her bottom to all fours.

She hung her head and clenched her jaw. She was so incredibly horny. She needed to be filled in the worst way, and if she had her choice of man – any man – she'd choose Luke right then. She'd choose him a thousand times. She'd claim him, steal him away from Lorelai of 2004 so fast, her futuristic head would spin right off.

God, he knew her well. He was a seer who held all her secrets.

She'd been prepared for slow and tender. It would've been fine and very likely satisfying since Luke definitely seemed to know what he was doing. Slow and tender was preferable sometimes. But not all times. It's what she was typically limited to with past lovers. And that was okay. It was fine. Doable.

But if the beast stirred, she had to subdue it. Patience, baby. Teaspoon by teaspoon, it got its fill.

Luke wrapped both hands around the tops of her thighs, at the bend in her body. He pulled her back, made her come to him as he simultaneously spread her legs more.

He massaged her clit with his fingers for only seconds. Her body responded to that. What he used next to massage that area definitely made her body respond. She knew what it was the moment she felt the thick head of his shaft.

He entered her, then. With a powerful thrust. Her eyes shot open, and her breath was cut short. He gripped her waist tightly, pushed her forward and brought her back to him with force. He gave her all of it. Every inch. And he hadn't wasted any time doing it. Lorelai gritted her teeth and whimpered as he kept that hard and fast pace. He was deeper than deep and touched every wall. She felt a touch of pain and so much pleasure. So much pleasure that she invited the pain.

She needed this. She needed it so badly.

His girth was remarkable to the eyes and empyreal in feeling.

Each stroke felt better than the last. She couldn't shake how it was Luke behind her, Luke giving her such bliss. His guttural groans turned her on more. Made her feel less desire to stifle her own sounds.

He grasped fistfuls of the flannel that she still wore, and he used that to pull her to him over and over, harder and harder. Lorelai cried out. His balls slapped her clit with every thrust and it felt so enjoyable, she moved her hand there and rubbed herself to an orgasm that Luke pounded his way through.

She dropped her hand back to the mattress and she rode him as much as he rode her.

He put his foot flat on the mattress beside her before bringing it in front of her thigh and locking it in place. His next thrust made her cry out again – louder, her voice strained and laced with emotion. He got on both knees again. Slowed it down and made his strokes long, slow, and deep. Leaned forward and ran a hand through her hair. He heard her choppy breaths. Luke took light hold of her hair and picked his pace up below. Her head rose with his grip that tightened gradually, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she came again. He released her hair, lovingly fingered her dark tresses and put it all to one side. He drug his fingers from her head to her neck, down her back, then finally to the hill of her ass before he grasped her hips and fucked her hard enough to negate that affection.

When he suddenly stopped and leaned around her, she used the break to collect her bearings. She watched him reach under the pillows at the headboard, but she was in a state of delirium. Didn't question him, didn't care. She just wanted to come one more time. One more time and then rest. She was so drained.

Luke took his position again and regained his speed. She moaned, reached fingers underneath her, back to that magical little button. Luke's hand came over hers. She winded her hips passionately as she allowed his hand to replace hers. Almost instantly, she heard buzzing, followed by a strong vibration on her clit. Her hand went back there and she felt the finger vibrator Luke was using.

She moaned her approval of that.

He signaled her to take it from him, and the tiny device went from his finger to hers. He erected himself on his knees and re-devoted full concentration to plowing into her sweet and snug, wet and warm slit.

Lorelai placed the vibrator against herself.

Took it away instantly when the feeling overwhelmed her.

Luke never slowed. For several uninterrupted moments, she took time to enjoy the feel of him quickly entering and exiting her body. Then, she tried again. The intense clitoral stimulation, coupled with his deep merciless penetration, caused her to spasm with intoxicating pleasure within the minute.

Dear god, a powerhouse stacked onto another powerhouse.

She did it again before exhaustedly lowering her finger, vibrator attached, to the bed.

Luke took notice of that energy reduction, and he slowed way down. Matched her body's lethargy. He went to another angle, leaned more to one side, lifted above her a bit as he smoothly worked his pelvis.

She felt amazing to him. Always so amazing.

He went to his back, and Lorelai finally slipped the flannel off and came to sit on top of him in a reverse cowgirl position. He needed her to take charge in order to finish. She mounted him with no hesitation. Rocked her body up and down, around and around as he grunted and lightly held her ass just to feel its movements.

When he came to release, it was powerful. His groans coincided with the spurts of his seed that Lorelai felt going inside of her. It was an incredible feeling. A new feeling. She didn't allow men to shoot inside of her. But there, with Luke, it didn't matter. She didn't care. She kept moving until he was trembling with sensitivity.

She broke their connection carefully and then turned. She chose to straddle him again, this time face to face. Her vagina rested against his flaccid penis, fruits of their labor mixing further. She kissed his chest, licked his chest, moved to his nipple and sucked and nipped at it gently. He chuckled and the vibration went through his body.

"I thought you'd be sleepy by now. I must not have done my job," he stated playfully.

"You did," she said between pecks as she made her way further up.

"You sure?"

She kissed up his neck and jaw, and then she placed her mouth over his and leaned down to kiss him there. She got him to part his lips and their kiss became deep and passionate. They parted for breath but only went in for another round. That one lasted longer.

"I'm very sure, Luke," she finally answered against his mouth.

He smiled. "Let me go grab a towel." He prepared himself to move from beneath her. She held him in place.

"Hey, you and me? We're solid."

"Okay?" He smiled further in his confusion.

"Just need to make sure you know that. I haven't been myself today, I know."

He nodded. "So, we're good. Good to hear."

"We are so good," she stressed. "And it's not only because you just totally rocked my world in this damn bed…"

Luke laughed.

"But because I care about you. I always have," she admitted effortlessly. "And I'm really looking forward to seeing where this goes."

He ran his fingers over her back as they held eye contact. Finally, he moved in and kissed her lips gently. "Ditto," he whispered.

She smiled widely at that and finally slid from his body so he could move. He stood and headed off to the bathroom. She sighed contentedly and picked up the tiny vibrator, bringing it up to her face to study. Ended up chuckling quietly to herself. She never would've guessed…

"Hey, Luke?" she called.

"Yeah?"

"I'm on the pill, right?" If she was, she'd certainly missed a day.

"I thought you had that thing in your arm. Why would you be on the pill?"

Lorelai immediately brought her arm up and felt around. "Oohh. Well, looka there," she mumbled quietly as she felt along the implant.

Curious about her question, he called out to her again when he received no answer. "Hey, you heard me?"

She lowered her arm. "Yes, I heard you, Burger Boy. Forget I asked."

"Sure," he dismissed.

She grinned to the ceiling. Figured she'd better make a trip to the bathroom to extract Luke's seed before she messed up the sheets. "Okay, Luke, coming in. Gotta pee."

"Knock yourself out."

"I owe you one anyway."

Luke finished wringing out his towel and started wiping himself down while facing the sink. He felt a light pinch to his butt cheek as Lorelai entered the tiny space as well. "I owe you like a hundred," he replied. "Be easier to count the days you actually wait until the bathroom is free before you sit on that seat."

She laughed. Didn't even know how to respond to that. Not like she made a habit of relieving herself in front of men she dated. Clearly, she was more comfortable with Luke than she thought.

"Just means I really like you," she teased.

He finished up, laid the towel on the sink, and turned to her. "Feeling's mutual." He leaned in and kissed her lips as the sound of trickling water filled the bathroom.

"It is so awkward for you to do that while I'm peeing."

He shrugged and exited. "Then, be less sexy," he said without care.

"On the toilet? Be less sexy on the toilet?!"

"Wherever."

That made her smile. "You weirdo."

She heard his grunt as he threw himself to the bed. "I'm a weirdo for being incredibly attracted to my woman?"

That made her smile harder. "Don't suppose I can fault you for that," she conceded.

"Hurry up. I'm cold."

"Then use a blanket."

"I'd rather use a Lorelai."

She rolled her eyes, grinned. He was on a roll. "I'm coming, Casa Nova. Hold your horses." She finished up, flushed the toilet, and proceeded to get a towel nice and hot under the faucet for herself.

Luke lay in bed reflecting over their sleeping arrangements. He hated the sporadic nature of them. Wished she could stay over so much more.

"I'd like to cook for you this weekend. Think we can make that happen?"

"You cook?" she called in surprise. She kicked herself when the question was presented. For all she knew, they'd already had that conversation. For all she knew, he'd cooked for her fifty times already.

"I run a diner. Of course I cook."

"Burgers and fries," she mocked. Judging by his reply, she'd determined the conversation hadn't come up before.

"Well, clearly, someone needs to be enlightened," he said nonchalantly. "How about it? Saturday night?"

"Can't, babe. Not this Saturday. I'm heading to Yale tomorrow." She cringed at the school name. "Spending a few days with Rory. I'm staying through the weekend." She'd originally planned to be driving much farther, out of state.

"Oh." He considered that. "The whole weekend? You're not coming back at all?"

"I know, I know. Yale's close. But we've planned a bit of a girls' weekend so we'll be holed up in her dorm. No work for me. No hunky boyfriends. Just time with Rory. I need it. Kinda twisted her arm to make this happen."

He sighed in disappointment. "Okay. Guess I'll live."

She finished up and came out of the bathroom, stark naked. Picking up Luke's flannel from the floor, she slipped it on and began buttoning it. She could see that Luke had slipped his jogging pants back on.

"Rain check?" she asked.

"Yeah, that can be arranged."

After securing the flannel, she pulled on her shorts and lay down next to him before snuggling in close. "Can't wait to see you cooking. That's pretty hot, you know."

"Yes, I do know. Women love it. It's my signature move," he revealed candidly.

She pushed his chest, and he smiled. He intertwined his fingers with hers, and then lifted her hand to his lips where he kissed it.

"That's a lot of days you'll be gone," he whispered. "I'll miss you."

She stared at their linked hands, now resting on his stomach. "I'll definitely miss you too, Luke."

He smiled. "Night."

She moved a leg over his, moving in closer. "Goodnight, Hon."

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Lorelai awoke to an empty bed.

She wasn't surprised. Luke's opened at the crack of dawn, and she supposed there had to be a Luke up, dressed, and ready to open it.

No, she wasn't surprised, but she was disappointed. She was new to this. New to them. Lorelai of 2004 had slept with Luke many times. Judging by what she'd experienced the night before, she knew he'd very likely made her into an addict. 'Many times' was a safe assumption. But for her, it was new. And waking up in a bed alone after sleeping with a guy wasn't the best feeling.

But she found the humor in it as she automatically checked the nightstand for crisp bills.

What she saw was better than money. Next to his worn clock was a thermos. She scrambled over to it so quickly, it was hard to believe she'd been fast asleep just forty-five seconds ago.

"Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" She whispered her extreme appreciation of the coffee's presence until she had the lid open. She drank a healthy sip of the perfectly hot coffee and wanted to do a cartwheel in the middle of the floor.

"Oh my god, yes."

Luke's coffee while still in bed. What a life.

She threw her legs in an indian style position giddily as she scooted back against the headboard. She smiled from ear to ear, admiring the flannel she wore and lifting the thermos to her lips again and again. Luke was thoughtful. He'd always been so thoughtful. She reflected on that.

As happy as she was in that moment with her coffee, she would've traded it for the chance to see his sleepy face next to hers upon waking.

The realization made her smitten. It also made her move. Sappiness never got much accomplished. In fact, she was willing to bet that it hindered more than it facilitated.

She secured the lid to the thermos and set it down on the nightstand. She immediately climbed from the bed and redirected focus to Rory. Her kid. Her heart. The true light of her life.

Sappiness totally didn't count there.

She certainly hadn't lied to Luke the night before when she told him she'd miss him. She would. One day with him and suddenly days without him seemed so strange... But above all, she missed Rory like nothing she'd ever experienced.

When she'd made it home last night, she'd told herself that Rory was at the Kims. Just a sleepover. With that illusion, she had avoided a panic attack. Because truth was, she wasn't at the Kims. She had left home and was in her second year of college. Acceptance of that came and went. It mostly went.

Lorelai was anxious to hit the road and see her, to be with her, to sit in her classes with her. She knew Rory wouldn't be a big fan of all of it. She could imagine she'd gotten over the first day I-need-my-mommy jitters quite some time ago. Unfortunately, though, the lesser known I-need-my-kid jitters were very much in effect.

She hurried over to her bag to begin her day's prep. Sooner she got ready, sooner she'd be on her way to see Rory.

Sooner she got ready, sooner she'd be on her way downstairs to see Luke.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

The campus was beautiful, as beautiful as it'd been when Lorelai and Rory had toured it with Emily and Richard. Lorelai remembered it like it was yesterday. Actually, she remembered it like it was a couple weeks ago because for her, it was.

On that day, Lorelai's father had used the harmless excursion as a ploy to charm Rory away from Harvard.

His duplicitous actions had apparently paid off.

Lorelai parked in front of Rory's dorm and scoped out the area. It looked safe enough. Just kids with backpacks and expensive Yale sweatshirts bopping around illustrating the perfect college scene.

She climbed from the jeep, dressed casually in jeans and sneakers, as she'd anticipated a day of activity.

She had gone digging for Rory's dorm information. She used to refer to her personal files and important paperwork, as an organized mess. Being two years removed from her own thoughts and then having to dig through that disarray, had forced her to a different conclusion: she needed an actual filing system.

She grabbed only her purse and left her bags behind.

As she approached the door, she actually grew nervous. She hadn't seen her kid since two days ago, and yet somehow, she hadn't seen her in two years!

For all she knew, Rory could have gained so much weight, she'd be unrecognizable. Or she could have succumbed to the stress of collegiate level academics causing bags under her eyes the size of hammocks. Or her feet could've grown two sizes. When she was four, they'd grown that much in only a month.

Poised to knock, her fist only hovered over the door as she braced herself. After many seconds, she finally rapped on the door and announced her visit. It swung open.

"Mom, hey!" Rory greeted.

Lorelai broke out in a smile as she laid eyes on an unchanged Rory. They embraced. Rory's hold only lasted a couple seconds and she attempted to disengage. She'd just seen the woman a few days ago. "Oh," she muttered in surprise as she realized Lorelai wasn't ready to release. She allowed the hug to continue for many seconds more, and finally, her eyes quizzically went side to side over her mom's shoulder. "Am I… being shipped off somewhere?"

Lorelai finally stepped back and looked at her some more. "Oh, Rory! You're still so pretty!"

"Thanks. I get it from my mom." She paused, smirked. "Have you seen my mom, by chance?"

Lorelai laughed instantly. "That's actually a really good question," she shared.

"What?"

She moved past it. "Ah! Your feet!" she exclaimed with a gesture down to them.

Rory looked down confusedly at her socks-covered feet. "Uh, yeah. I have two…"

"They're your feet," she continued happily. "Thank god you haven't turned into Matthew McGrory Rory."

"I can imagine that'd be a little awkward…" she followed stiffly.

"I'd say."

Rory stared, concerned. Lorelai beamed.

"I'm not crazy, I promise," she reassured, still with exuberance. Soon as the words were spoken, though, she wondered if that was even a promise she could keep. She was living the most realistic dream of her life, and she was the only one not plugged-in.

As if Rory could read her thoughts, she lightly countered, "don't make promises you can't keep."

Lorelai stepped inside of the dorm fully and closed the door. She grasped Rory by the shoulder and hugged her close. "Lovin' the digs," she announced as her eyes bounced around.

Rory nodded. "Yeah, last time you were here, that notebook was on the other couch cushion, I think. Moving it really opened up the space."

Lorelai continued to look around at the furniture. Her mother's name was all over it.

"Where's your roommate?"

"I have no idea where Paris is, actually."

"Paris?!"

Rory paused. "Paris…" she said again slowly.

"Of…Chilton?" Lorelai asked, horrified.

Rory rolled her eyes. "If you're trying to weird me out, it's working." She moved away from her and over to her satchel on the sofa. "Although, if I said I didn't wake up many nights last year totally freaked out at the reality of who was sleeping in the bed next to me, I'd be lying. Not so much this year. I'm sure the separate rooms with door locks have a lot to do with that."

Lorelai watched quietly as Rory started loading her books. She used the moment to properly adjust to that new piece of information. Rory and Paris both had plans to attend Harvard, and somehow, they'd both wound up at Yale. As roommates.

"Where's your stuff?" Rory asked, breaking her of her thoughts.

"Still in the car. Be a dear and summon the bellman."

"This ain't the Gramercy, lady."

"You mean to tell me I have to bring my own things in? I thought this was a big, fancy, important college!"

"May be big and fancy, but it's still a college. Lots of broke students. Wave a five out that door, and you've got a hired hand for the next 24 hours."

"Hm, not a bad deal. Can I borrow five bucks?"

Rory smiled. "Better run and get your things and throw them in my room. We'll be heading out in a few."

"Got it. Back in a sec, Hon."

Rory and her mom had spoken before Lorelai left Stars Hollow, so Rory had been made aware of her mom's plans to tag along with her to her classes. She didn't mind. She was actually surprised it'd taken her so long to suggest it. She'd been more prepared to deal with that as a freshman.

Rory figured her mom had been spending time going through photo albums. She did that every so often, and it brought on nostalgia. Usually, it resulted in more phone calls and maybe a surprise lunch visit or two. The days-long stay was somewhat new. Lorelai had strict rules for herself when it came to not encroaching on any of Rory's college experiences, reckless or non. So, her insistence on spending this kind of time with her made Rory want to question one thing in particular.

As Lorelai stumbled back through the door with bags in both hands and one over her shoulder, Rory called out to her. "Mom, be honest."

"About what?" Lorelai asked with worry. She'd just closed the front door, and Rory's words made her pause in the middle of the floor.

"Are you and Luke okay?"

Lorelai's brow wrinkled. "What makes you ask that?"

"The sudden desire to get out of town for a while," she answered in short. "Just wondering if you're running from something."

"Of course not," Lorelai averred.

"Remember I told you to be honest," Rory reminded. "I can handle it. You know I totally don't mind hanging out with you for as long as you want, but if we need to work a wallow session in the agenda, let me know now."

Lorelai smiled in amusement. "There's absolutely no need for a wallow session, Rory. Luke and I are great. This trip is only about you. I missed you. Simple as that."

"If you say so."

"Why would you ask about problems with Luke?" she thought to ask. "Is there something you've witnessed that'd make you say that? Something you need to clue me into?"

"No, nothing," Rory answered in honesty.

Lorelai relaxed. "You scared me."

Rory chuckled. "Why would that scare you? You know your relationship better than I do."

"Right…"

Unfortunately, that probably wasn't true. But Lorelai was open to learning all she could. Because what she did know was that she was into him. Into Luke. Her guy, her boyfriend. Four months in a relationship and as of yesterday, she was totally on board.

Lorelai peered into the room she was closest to and quickly spotted items that told her it belonged to Rory. She carried her things inside.

Rory continued. "I should probably apologize. Heading straight to the relationship is just a reflex. I guess I'm a bit cynical these days on the topic. Honestly, I've never seen you happier, so it was pretty stupid to ask."

Lorelai came out of the room, hands empty. "Cynical?" she inquired.

"Bitter at nineteen. How sad is that?"

Lorelai had the strongest desire to jump all over her with questions. Last she'd seen, Jess was still benefiting from Rory's bad boy phase.

"You want to talk about it?"

"Are you kidding? I'm all talked out. And I'm sure you're sick of hearing about it."

She was nearly shaking as she worked to stay calm and fight off eagerness. Never would she grow tired of hearing her daughter talk about anything or revisit any topic. But in this case, she hadn't even heard it once.

"No, that's okay. I'm all ears," she said as she struggled to remain casual.

She laughed. "Do you like me crazy? I'm almost there."

"Wow. Really? That bad?"

"That bad."

Lorelai hated to say anything, to give any insight to her incognizance. To the complete darkness that shrouded the last two years of life. But the ambiguity was driving her crazy. She leapt with the only thing she had.

"Any chance this has to do with Jess?"

"Jess?" Rory asked as if the name was foreign to her.

With that, Lorelai had her answer, and she smoothly responded. "In my experience, blasts from the past are pretty good at stirring the pot."

"Well, that part of my past has blasted pretty far; I promise you that."

"Just checking." With that settled, Lorelai figured Rory had gotten acquainted with a fellow Yale attendee. She and Rory would be spending days together, and during that time, she'd find out all there was to know about him. She'd make sure of it. She knew she could be patient for now. "You know what? We'll talk. Your class starts in half an hour, so let's get moving."

"Sounds good. I'll grab my shoes." She headed into her room.

Lorelai walked over to where Rory had been and unfastened her satchel. She studied the textbooks inside. That's where Rory found her when she came out. "Ready for some lectures?" she asked her mom.

"Get 'em every Friday night, so I'm totally primed." She stuffed Rory's books back inside and passed the bag to her.

Rory smiled and started toward the door, Lorelai in tow. "Just try to stay awake, please. And if you can't, just control your snores."

"Bite your tongue. I don't snore."

"Crapshack class of 2003 here. You definitely snore."

"But they're cute snores, though, right?"

"No such thing."

"I'll have to confirm this with my beau. My beau, Luke," she added with a smitten smile. It'd be a while before she got used to that.

"Just be sure you're clothed when you ask. So you get a truthful, non-hypnotized answer."

"So, not on laundry day; got it."

Rory secured the door behind them and checked the lock. "Try not to rub it in too much, by the way."

"Rub what in?"

"That you have a beau, and I no longer do. Although Dean definitely wouldn't have been big on the term. But come to think it of it, Luke wouldn't be either…" she considered thoughtfully. A cute and playful frown appeared. "Either way, have some respect for the miserable!" She stalked forward.

Lorelai remained in place. Had she said…Dean? Married ex-boyfriend, Dean?

"Mom?" Lorelai snapped out of her thoughts and realized that Rory had come back for her and was standing in front of her. "If we don't leave now, I won't be able to stop for coffee. No coffee in the morning? Are you forgetting that I'm your offspring?"

Lorelai smiled a simulated smile. "Sorry, Hon. Let's go."

They headed off together.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

The following night, Lorelai and Rory went from New Haven to Hartford in the Prius. Rory drove, and Lorelai rode shotgun. Lorelai liked the car. It was cute, safe, and thankfully, not ostentatious. Surprisingly, her parents had chosen well.

What carried them through much of the drive to the Gilmore mansion was residual conversation about Dean. Lorelai had encouraged Rory to lament further over her recent breakup throughout yesterday. She'd been able to piece together a version of events. Enough to know that Rory had had a big part in the breakup of Dean's marriage. Enough to know that their indecorous affair was short-lived and messy. Enough to know that it'd caused a temporary rift between her and Rory.

She'd learned enough to know that her perfect daughter was truly capable of making big mistakes.

Rory had grown. She could see that. She had not only crossed the threshold into womanhood, but she'd also had experiences that had shaped her for life.

They'd talked through Rory's feelings and her fears for the future, and Lorelai had done what she did best: offered perspective and helped her to navigate through it all.

There were still things that Lorelai wanted answers on.

"I'm trying to remember… how much did the town know about you and Dean?"

"With Lindsey and her angry spokesperson mom on the loose?"

"Guess that answers that."

"I'm just glad they've been so respectful of the whole thing, you know?"

Lorelai nodded thoughtfully. The ladies in the gossip mill didn't have many limits, but using Rory's dirty laundry as entertainment was a line she didn't feel they were capable crossing.

"Have you seen him since?"

"You know the answer to that."

"Humor me."

"No encounters since. Onward marches my sanity."

Lorelai smiled. "You'll be fine. And he'll be fine. You'll both be fine."

"What other choice do we have?"

"I know, Sweetie. Life can certainly overwhelm; that's one thing you can count on. Full of all sorts of surprises. I mean, who would've thought that after the dance marathon-"

"The dance marathon. Wow. Seems like a lifetime ago."

Lorelai looked over at her. "Yeah, I was just gonna say," she lied. The day before she'd woken up in 2004, she'd stopped by the dry cleaners to drop off the dress she'd worn to the event. "But I uh, never would have thought that you and Dean would've reunited. Really thought that was it for you guys. First loves are something else, huh?"

"You can say that again."

"What's going on with Connecticut State?" She was taking a chance with the questions, she knew. She hadn't stopped taking chances. But she was smart, and her mind was quick. She'd taken a questionable step or two the previous evening with her subtle interrogation, but each time, she had emerged without any signs of stress-sweat.

"It's still a possibility."

"A real one, I hope. He's too smart to give up on college."

"Yeah, he is."

"High school to real life isn't easy. I know that better than anybody. And not all choices have a reset button. You often just have to hold on and ride it out once things start moving." She paused, sighed. She loved her kid more than life itself, but she also cared about Dean. He was the best first boyfriend a mother could hope for. She'd told him that before, and she'd meant it. Marriage at eighteen. Infidelity and divorce by nineteen. Ambition nowhere to be found. She didn't want that for him. "I just want the best for him," Lorelai summed up.

Rory was quiet for a moment as she got lost in her own head. "I do, too," she agreed quietly.

Lorelai quickly cleared her throat and changed to a much more upbeat tone. "Good thing is, there are plenty of fish in the sea, as they say! There are all kinds of goldfish and…flounder and uh, starfish and…seashells…"

"You are totally drawing a blank on fish, aren't you?"

"I have no idea why I even put myself in these positi—ooh cod!"

Rory chuckled. "Puffer fish," she contributed.

"See, there you go. Puffer fish. There are so many puffer fish in the sea, Rory. You can easily get any one of them."

"Oh, joy."

"Think you're too good for the puffer?"

"I am totally too good for the puffer," she answered without shame.

Lorelai smiled. "No one at Yale has caught your eye?"

"Not even a side glance."

"Really? Lots of cuties there," she said as she recalled all the beautiful young men she'd seen in passing, both yesterday and today.

"Are you working for Grandma now? You sound a lot like her; better be careful."

"Consider the subject dropped. I won't bring it up again," she responded with urgency.

"Thought so," Rory followed with amusement.

"Seriously, if it even sounds like I'm broaching the topic, I want you to hold my eyelids open with your fingers, take a hot needle and just poke it-"

"We're here!" Rory purposefully interrupted as she turned onto her grandparents' property.

Lorelai groaned, frowned as she looked ahead at the large house where she'd grown up. "Nothing ever changes about this place, does it? Whether it's been one week or…two years, it's just total dread every time."

Rory cut the car off. "Well, you know the routine. Steel yourself, set your watch, and advance into battle."

"Catching a late movie after this, right? Something to look forward to?"

"Late movie after this."

"My choice?"

"Why your choice?"

"It's been years since I've seen a movie. Let me have this."

"We saw a movie last week together, Queen of Dramatics."

"I have no memory of that." It was the truth. "What'd we see?"

"Taxi."

"…Driver?"

"Are you kidding me? Taxi! With Jimmy Fallon and Queen Latifah."

"Never heard of it."

"Playing crazy to get your way? Not going to work."

"See, that's the thing, I don't have to play."

"We're going to see The Grudge."

"Says who?"

"Says me."

"Name one reason why I shouldn't challenge you to a rock, paper, scissors duel right now."

"Well, number one, I'm not dressed for it."

"You mean you didn't think to put your singlet on under your dress?"

"And number two, you chose Taxi. It's my turn to pick."

"Oh, fine."

"Thank you."

"The Grudge, you said?"

"Yes."

"What's that about?"

"It's a story of what a daughter forms against her mother after she relentlessly antagonizes her in the driveway of her grandparents' home."

"Sounds like a straight to DVD movie."

Rory finally opened her car door, prompting Lorelai to do the same. "Let's get inside. I'm actually starving."

"Would rather slurp a slug and have a 'slimy, yet satisfying' moment than step foot in this house."

They approached the door. "Big smiles."

"Don't push it." Lorelai rang the doorbell.

"Before I forget, I kind of lied."

"About what?"

"Well, not so much lied, as omitted."

"About what?"

"But to be fair, I'm still trying to figure out how I feel. He's sort of intriguing, at best."

"Spit it out, kid!"

"You asked if there was anyone at Yale."

"Yeah…"

"His name's Logan. Logan Huntzberger."

The door opened, and Emily stood there. "I was wondering when you two were going to come in. I saw you pull up ages ago…"

Lorelai and Rory shared a look before looking ahead at the eldest Gilmore lady with plastered smiles.

"Nice to see you too, Mom."

"Hey, Grandma."

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Midday Sunday, Lorelai rolled back into town.

In her day planner were plans to meet Rory at Yale on Tuesday for lunch and the following week on Wednesday for dinner. Rory had even agreed to spend the upcoming Saturday night at home in her own bed.

Lorelai was at greater peace with the new circumstance. She didn't anticipate many more spontaneous four-day weekends where she'd commandeer all of her kid's time, but she wasn't so foolish as to rule it out either. She was content with the lunch and dinner plans they had and that they'd continue to have.

After a lot of consideration, what she found truly surprising was how much she loved the idea of inflexible Friday night dinners in Rory's college years. It ensured that even if their schedules got wonky, they would still see one another once a week for a meal. Emily would never allow the arrangement to slacken.

What shocked her most was her newfound preference for her father's alma mater. Rory loved Yale. Lorelai had witnessed that strange new devotion with her own eyes. But as far as Lorelai was concerned, its upsurge was due to one main thing: location, location, location. Rory no longer lived at home, but her choice of school had her close.

Lorelai had planned to confront her parents and demand to know what they'd done to make a kid who'd dreamed of Harvard her whole life, suddenly change plans senior year of high school. She didn't care that it would undoubtedly be a duplicate conversation. She didn't care if she left everyone perplexed. She had full intentions of unleashing a fury.

Lucky for them, all of the enlightenment had preceded the Gilmore assemblage.

At Friday night dinner, she'd found that not much had changed with her parents. Except…they'd split up. Emily in the main house and Richard in the pool house. Even with marital woes, they were ridiculous.

"Where's dad? On a business trip?"

"No, he's in the pool house."

"Why?"

"Because unless you know something I don't, we're still separated. Now, go on through the patio. He's waiting for you girls."

From there, they'd had drinks with her dad and dinner with her mom. She'd kept her cool and had mostly listened to learn whatever she could. At Emily's dinner table, there'd been no shortage of backbiting, and for once, Lorelai had not been the target.

Overall, the whole thing was weird. Incredibly weird. But not earth-shattering.

On the return trip, after giving Rory the third degree about her new love interest, Lorelai had shifted focus to the separation. They'd talked about it a bit and had even shared thoughts about it the next morning as they lounged in their jammies.

Lorelai had deliberated on it, talked it out, and now, she was over it. Her parents' lives were their lives. It was two years into the future, and they were healthy and safe. She decided to let that be enough.

After four days away, she was happy to see the small town again.

She'd been in contact with Sookie and Michele, so she knew how things were coming along with the inn. Didn't make her any less anxious to get back to it, though. She planned to swing by later that evening and definitely planned to be there first thing in the morning. Lorelai knew she had worked her ass off to bring that business about. The four day hiatus pertained to Rory and therefore, had her heart and peace of mind deeply woven in the decision to desert her post. But now she was back and ready to work.

She planned to go home and unpack. Maybe start a load of laundry. That was set to be stop number two.

The first stop was the diner.

She and Luke had talked half a dozen times by phone while she was in New Haven. Brief conversations just to check in. He always asked about Rory. Had these pauses that she'd learned meant he was smiling in places, after something silly and irrational she'd said.

She thought about him. All the time. His friendship, his advice, his kindness – everything he'd shown her in excess over the years – got sufficient consideration. What he'd shown her four nights ago, was a constant reflection.

He was a great kisser. She'd wondered about that many times over the years, and now she knew. He was an amazing kisser. She wanted more kisses, more of being naked with him inside of her. Just more. More of him, more of everything from him. She got shivers even thinking about his fingers brushing her arm.

There was the inn. And there were things to do at home. But first, there was Luke.

She missed him and needed to see him. Absence really did take on the role of Geppetto when it came to emotions and feelings.

Lorelai spotted Luke through the windows as soon as she pulled up to the diner. Her smile was immediate. By the time she made it inside, he was behind the counter again. She walked over wearing a dark pair of blue jeans, lace-up boots, and a snug-fitting hooded coat with her flat-ironed hair hanging.

"Hey," she leaned in and said to his turned back.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled widely when he saw who it was. "Hey!"

She matched his smile, delighting in his genuine happiness at seeing her. He spun around and hurried to the end of the counter where Lorelai met him.

They embraced, Luke's hold tight and enveloping. Initially, Lorelai's cheek rested against him, but she soon turned her nose to his chest, then up against his neck. She breathed him in, sighed, smiled.

"I didn't expect you back until tonight," he said.

"No, I had some things to see and people to do." She looked up at him with a grin. "Scratch that. Reverse it," she ended with a wink.

He shook his head at her impish humor. With her lips turned up toward his and begging to be kissed, he followed through. He pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. Left her smiling so hard, it made him laugh a little.

They disengaged, and Luke returned behind the counter. Lorelai looked back at the crowd. Kissing Luke and doing it in a diner filled with townies. So many rules being broken.

"Can I see you upstairs for a second?" she asked him, moving slowly past the stools as she kept pace with his behind-the-counter movement.

"What's wrong?" He grabbed a plate and placed it in front of a customer.

"Taylor's pretty set on a rezoning initiative. Starting right here in the center of town. Can you believe it? He wanted me to run this past you. It's time sensitive so I really need to explain how this is going to play out."

"What? Are you kidding me? It's not going to play out at all! Who the hell does he think he is, the Sultan of Brunei? He can't just make that decision on his own! What is he even planning to do? And getting you to-"

"Not here, Luke. Upstairs. Decorum, babe."

"Screw decorum!"

"Luke," she said patiently.

He rolled his eyes. "Caesar, I'll be back."

Lorelai smiled amusedly at his frustration. She met him at the end of the staircase, got behind him, and lightly held the bottom of his flannel as she followed him up. He pushed open the door to his apartment with annoyance. Lorelai released his shirt and looked around, appearing to be in search of something as she slipped her coat off. Luke continued on to the kitchen.

"What the hell is he recruiting you to be his messenger for? Getting my girlfriend to do is dirty work now?"

"Don't worry, Luke. I lied," Lorelai said distractedly.

He turned away from the fridge where he'd grabbed a bottle of pineapple juice. "What?"

She walked into the kitchen where he was. "Do you have a rubber band in here?"

He gave her a confused regard before pointing to a kitchen drawer. She went and retrieved one from a big bag of them. "Ah, thanks." She put it on her wrist and set her focus on him as she smiled and approached him.

"What do you mean you lied? Why?"

"Wanted to get you alone," she admitted easily.

He set his juice down on the counter as Lorelai advanced upon him. He chuckled. "You didn't have to lie to get me alone."

"More fun that way."

"Oh, yeah?"

She nodded. His backside hit the counter, and her front met his. He leaned down and kissed her. Her hands went around his waist as he held her face. "Mmmm…" she moaned deliciously as his tongue glided across hers. As it got more heated, their hands switched places; hers went to his face, and his arms dropped to her waist as he pulled her tightly to him.

She pulled away from his lips, looked in his face as her hand went down his chest and down his stomach. She stopped at his crotch and gripped him through his jeans. His jaw clenched as both his hands went back to the edge of the counter. They held that eye contact. He was semi-hard when she'd touched him, and he became full steel in only seconds. She continued rubbing him through his jeans.

"Kiss me," she whispered.

He did with no hesitation. They kissed deeply for many seconds before she pushed lightly at his chest as a signal to disengage. Her hand left his crotch, left him tenting his jeans at an abnormal angle, and she unbuttoned his flannel. When she finished up, she went back to massaging his hard-on, leaving him to pull the flannel off. Her other hand went under his t-shirt and she rubbed along his stomach and chest, prompting him to take that shirt off as well.

With only his lower half covered, her hand left his groin again and she gently grasped the sides of his stomach and kissed all over his chest. She kissed her way down his stomach, around his navel, kissed until she was on her knees.

She looked up at him. He looked back down at her past his heaving chest.

She slid his belt from its loops. Brought her eyes from his and down to his waist as she unfastened his pants and carefully slid his zipper down.

She gripped his penis through a still present layer, but when she moved his boxers lower, she was able to see it and feel its heat. She pulled his pants to his ankles, did the same with his boxers. She grasped him lightly, leaned in and kissed the underside of that beauty.

And then she released him, looked back up into his lustful eyes as she pulled the rubber band from her wrist and made a ponytail.

Luke's jaw still clenched and unclenched as he held onto his self-control. He honestly wanted to fuck her silly in that moment. As he stared down at her, he envisioned himself going in and out of her wet, tight, perfect hole, listening as her moans got sultry until he could feel the intense contractions of her intimate walls around his lingam. He got carried away with his thoughts, and precum oozed onto his tip. It made it shiny before Lorelai's mouth had a chance to.

Hair contained, she moved in with an eager tongue and licked that moisture away. She licked once, twice, took that extended tongue and moved it in a slow circle. Did a full 360 around his tip with her tongue's tip. She toured the town, reversed and revisited. Her lips closed around his tip, and her head's motion brought him in and out of her mouth as she moved her encased tongue firmly from the exit point of his sweet secretions to below the head of his shaft.

Her eyes closed as she heard his breaths pick up.

She angled her head and took that sucking action to below his tip. Was positioned as if she were playing an instrument, like she was playing the flute. She worked her tongue against him. She slid down his pole with that same commitment. Got to his testicles and sucked one into her mouth. She did that repeatedly and felt as Luke had to steady himself. She heard the breathy "shit". She smoothly went to the other and gave it equal attention. When done, her mouth only went back to the first. Two healthy sucks, then the second. A wet, hot tongue over his boys before she licked a zigzag path up the underside of his male pride.

She slowed way down when she reached the top. Hovered there, teetered there like a roller coaster train at the top of the track. There was quiet and anticipation, Luke's racing heartbeat. He couldn't be more turned on, couldn't get any bigger. The slightest swell would have him classified as monstrous and Guinness would have to be alerted.

All of his blood was in one place, and he watched with a shaky breath as Lorelai teased him and delayed giving him the release he so desperately needed.

Mouth open, she slipped the back of her tongue over his tip as if to test the altitude. She smoothly folded her tongue back in place and descended with a speedy motion. Then back up, she went. She hadn't gone far. Her lips came just shy of leaving his body but then, she repeated that drop. She continued on that way, going lower each time. She created new dimples for herself as she suctioned him and encircled his heated organ tightly with her tongue, lips, and gums.

One hand lightly held his testicles. The other remained at the base, just helping her to maintain her equilibrium as she worked him over without pause. She had oral in mind. Wanted to suck him dry, not offer a handy. She didn't care for the watered down version.

And Luke definitely deserved the best.

Sounds of her wet mouth and delighted moans only added to the noise in the apartment. Luke's heavy, liberated moans and occasional bawdy commentary are what brought on the true din.

Lorelai faithfully continued. Once she had started sliding her mouth up and down his length, she didn't let up. Luke seemed on the brink of transformation, he was so over-stimulated.

When his climax finally came, it didn't arrive quietly at all.

He tossed his head back once the worst of it had passed. When he caught a better breath, he dropped his head down to Lorelai who was still knelt before him sucking. Only now, she only sucked the head with a much gentler suction.

Luke watched her. Small tremors passed through him as his very sensitive tip was tenderly polished.

Lorelai finally opened her eyes and looked up at him. She found his eyes already on her. Her lips inched back up one final time. She kissed the head of his penis softly and then smiled at him.

She got to her feet.

Luke followed her movements, eyes trained on her face. He was mesmerized.

"I really missed you," she said confidingly.

"I missed you too," he said seriously, still awed by her.

She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I'll head down first. Try to stagger it a little," she said with amusement. Then, she grabbed her coat and headed toward the door.

"Wait, that's it?"

She spoke over her shoulder as she pulled the rubber band from her hair and finger-combed it. "No, let's not spend another four days apart."

He rolled his eyes and quickly pulled up his boxer briefs and pants. "No, I mean…well yeah to that part," he corrected. "But I mean-"

She stopped at the door and rested her hand on the knob. "I'm dropping by the inn later, but after that… okay if I swing by, stay the night?"

He paused while buttoning his pants. Smiled. "I insist on it."

Her eyes dropped to his body. She smiled as she entertained naughty thoughts. She opened the door. "Keep drinking the pineapple juice," she said after spotting it on the counter behind him. She left him to his baffled expression as she exited. "I swear to god…it scares me how perfect you are," she commented aloud before closing the door.

Luke stared after, befuddled. But he determined pretty quickly that he liked what she'd said. He shrugged, chuckled a little, and then turned back into the kitchen to pick his shirts up from the floor.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

After Lorelai left lunch with Rory, she'd driven back to Stars Hollow. She'd called Luke on the way. Upon arrival, they had both gone up to his apartment.

"Wait, let me just take it off," Lorelai whispered.

She slipped her formerly hiked dress down her legs and left it on the floor beside Luke's bed. Next was her bra. She smiled in appreciation as Luke thought to follow her lead. He started with his boots. His pants had been around his ankles and his boxer briefs had still been on. He had just chosen to pull his full erection out, leaving them in place as he'd leaned down to fill Lorelai as she lay on her back.

Now that she was stripped down completely, he chose to do the same. She moved to the center of the bed and guided his naked body down onto her with a wide smile.

"Seeming less and less like a quickie," he told her with a gentle nip at her collarbone.

"Just works out that way," she said with arousal in her whispered words. She reached down and stroked him, found him so hard. She brought her hands to his face as her widespread legs wrapped around his calves and moved higher as he got himself into position.

Luke tested her readiness with his tip before he set himself at her opening and gently worked his way inside. Lorelai immediately attached her lips to his as he started to move.

Luke knew what she liked, knew what got her off in the way that she preferred. He attempted to move her leg, get it higher, set himself at a different angle. She stopped him.

"No, this is okay," she whispered. "Just like this."

"You sure?"

She nodded. They met eyes. She touched his face, smiled at him. Her words trembled due to the pleasing hardness going in and out of her. "Can a girl get a kiss?"

He leaned in. "You can get anything you want," he whispered seriously, completely under her spell.

There was immediate passion in her kiss. She held him securely.

There was something about having him on top of her, nonstop kissing. Feeling his weight and his every movement, receiving his heat, having him get overwhelmed and rest his forehead against hers as he moved his pelvis.

He broke their kiss and looked down between them as he fought the urge to change their positions to make sure he made those walls pulse in the most satisfying way.

"Still okay?" he asked.

"You feel amazing," she answered.

She pulled gently at his shoulders until his lips were back on hers, until his body was fully pressed back to hers. And they continued to kiss.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

It'd been two weeks.

Two weeks since Lorelai had awoken to find that the whole world had advanced while she'd been left on home row waiting in vain for someone to pop a six.

When she wasn't at work, she was mostly at Luke's, and when the day came where she took the whole morning off from The Dragonfly, she kept that theme going.

With Rory gone, the crapshack didn't hold the same appeal.

She sat on one end of Luke's sofa, dressed in fleece pants, an extra large hoodie, and socks. Her ankles were crossed comfortably in front of the coffee table, and both hands rested in the pockets of the hoodie. The Jerry Springer Show held her full attention.

The door opened, and Luke came in. "Hey," he greeted. "You're up."

"Yeah. Hey, come look at this guy, Luke. He's trying to marry a farm animal!"

He frowned deeply as he walked over. "What the hell are you watching?"

"Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!" she chanted.

He sat down. "That's one guy who will do anything for ratings."

"He's got my vote."

"That's because you're weird."

She flipped the TV off. "And you like me, so that means you're weird too," she proclaimed as she stuck her tongue out at him.

He smiled. "Can't argue that."

She moved her feet from beneath the coffee table to the top of it. "So, what's up, Lover? How's the old job treating you?"

"You know how it is. Boss is a pain in the ass, but it's a paycheck."

She chuckled at that. "You see what I'm wearing?"

He looked straight ahead. "Yep."

"You recognize it?"

"Yep."

"And you don't have anything to say?"

"Other than why are you going through my closet? Nope, nothing."

"I was cold."

He looked over at her with a smirk. "Could've turned up the heat, but okay."

"Turning up the heat is such a boring way to solve chilliness."

"Don't like effective solutions?"

"Hate 'em."

He shook his head with a smile. "Enter my old sweatshirt," he announced evenly.

"It's comfortable."

"I think I remember something to that effect."

"I've never seen you in a hoodie."

"I haven't worn it in a long time. Not really in a 'hoodie' stage of life anymore." He looked over at her again, lowering his eyes to the sweatshirt with the Red Sox design. "Looks good on you, though."

She grinned, dropped her eyes to it. "Thanks." She looked over at him with a suddenly sober expression. "Bodes well because it's mine now." She said it as if she expected to have to fight to the death for it.

He rolled his eyes. "You don't even like baseball." He reached up, took his backwards blue cap off, and placed it back on his head the proper way. He swiveled his bottom and brought is feet up to the sofa arm where they hung over. From there, he casually came to rest his head in Lorelai's lap.

She smiled down at him. He somberly stuck his tongue out at her and closed his eyes peacefully.

"You're right," she began. "I don't like baseball." She took the cap from his head and stared at his long gorgeous eyelashes as she brushed hair from his forehead. "But…I do like you."

He opened his eyes then. There was a moment of silence shared between them before he softly replied, "Back at you, sweatshirt thief."

She held her smile. "It still smells like you. So, that's a bonus."

He squinted playfully. "Are you getting sappy on me?"

"A little."

"Well, knock it off. I don't have the time or energy to sex you down right now, and if you keep talking like that, it's going to become mandatory."

Lorelai laughed. "Sex me down, huh?"

He chuckled at his own words. "Yeah, something like that," he said lazily.

She rubbed his chest with affection. "Hey, Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember the first time we kissed?"

They made eye contact again. "Yeah," he answered in question.

"Where was it?"

"You don't remember?"

She shrugged. Made an instant choice to bait him in order to find out what she needed to know. She hated the idea of being out of the loop on her own relationship's past. "Well, guys aren't great at the sappy memories. That's common knowledge. You all forget anniversaries and everything else. Total Neanderthals," she added playfully as she pretended to knock on his head. "Just wondering where you stand at four months in. Curious to know if you even stand a chance at remembering our tenth wedding anniversary," she said without thought.

She didn't seem to catch onto what she'd said before, during, or even after she'd said it.

But Luke did. He stared at her waiting for the panic. She only smiled, awaiting agreement to her impromptu relationship quiz. He moved beyond it, grateful. Lorelai was his dream. He'd be on board with anything with her: courting, dating, marriage… suspended animation.

"It was on the steps of The Dragonfly, at the test run," he answered monotonously. "I'd have to be senile not to know that. Ask me something else."

Lorelai grinned. "Challenge accepted."

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

The Dragonfly was at full capacity.

Lorelai's records told her the inn that she and her best friend had breathed life back into… had always been at full capacity. At least since its doors reopened. For three weeks, though, she had not had to rely on the records. She'd been able to confirm it with her own eyes.

She always conversed openly with the inn's guests and treated each of them like royalty. Customer service and satisfaction was an area she excelled in.

On this day, as Lorelai retreated into her office, one of the guests popped his head in before the door could close.

"Hey, there," he greeted.

Lorelai turned around, startled. "Oh, hey! I'm sorry; I didn't notice you behind me. I didn't mean to close the door in your face!"

The man smiled pleasantly. "It's no bother at all. There's no way you could've seen me coming," he ended cryptically with a greater smile. Still in the doorway, he asked, "Do you mind if I come inside?"

"Of course not. Please, sit." She ushered him in.

He was a tall man, over six feet. Lean with a runner's build. He wore thin glasses that made him look the part of a scholar. And there was an elegance about him, in the way he carried himself. He wore Stacy Adams, jeans, and a dress shirt.

Over that, a black trench.

He closed the door and took that offered seat, opposite of Lorelai's desk. She walked around it and claimed a seat as well. "O-kay," she began jovially. "What can I do for you, mister…?"

"You can just call me Grayson."

"Ooh, love the name!"

"Thank you."

"Would be even cooler if it were mononymous."

He smiled. "It is," he confirmed simply.

"Are you just telling me what I want to hear?"

"Not at all."

She smiled, delighted in that. "You know that makes you pretty bad ass, right?" She'd said what she meant to say but she still went through the formality, "Excuse the language."

"Not needed." He chuckled. "And that's an amazing compliment, thank you, Lorelai."

"Hey, it's your birthright. I have a last name, by the way. Totally not as cool as you."

"I know you do. Lorelai Gilmore. Just as cool, I assure you," he soothed in kindness.

He knew her name. Of course, he knew her name. Everyone knew it since she was the owner of the inn. Lorelai didn't think twice about it. She cleared her throat and prepared to get down to business. "I hope you're enjoying your stay with us, Grayson."

"No, I'm not a guest, Lorelai."

She cocked her head. "Oh. Okay. Sorry I assumed. What brings you here?"

"I'm just checking in."

"So you're a soon-to-be guest?"

His eye contact was very direct and unwavering. "I'm checking in with you," he clarified kindly.

"Excuse me?"

"What year is it, Lorelai?"

Lorelai fell silent as she looked at him wide-eyed. "Okay, um…" She stood and got behind her chair. More distance seemed necessary. "Why would you ask me that?"

"You're very smart, and you're very adaptable. But I felt confident that your daughter, Rory, would be the reason you could not handle this. I truly believed I'd be able to foresee your choice. You have surprised me greatly."

She shook her head, no. She'd started shaking her head while he was speaking, and she hadn't stopped. Finally, she did as she replied to him. "You're not making any sense."

He stared at her with intrigue. "I understand why you feel that way. And that's okay. I can explain enough." He paused. "You're not panicked. It's not typical."

"Give it a minute."

He smiled. "I've never not had to make someone… less panicked."

His gaze was intense. He was tuned into her, ready to act should the need arise. He couldn't understand why the need wasn't arising. Lorelai watched him study her, and she frowned, asked slowly, "You can mess with my head?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that."

"Un-complicate it."

He laughed a bit. "Yes, Lorelai. I can mess with your head."

"I'd prefer you didn't…"

"Okay," he said simply. He wasn't seeing the need.

Lorelai was able to relax as the image of the little tiny head alien in Men in Black suddenly faded away. "Now, what were you saying about my kid?"

"Doing this experiment on those who have kids never works out well. For you and your daughter, the potential for failure was exponentially worse. Your bond is unparalleled. Add to that a transition from high school to college…and my amazement is validated. I just really believed I could foresee your choice. I can't."

She'd been living a life she didn't understand for weeks. There had to be explanation for that. She accepted that he was that explanation.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Grayson."

"Grayson, who are you?"

"I'm someone who can take you back to 2002."

Lorelai's heart skipped a beat. To hear direct acknowledgement of the time jump that she'd experienced had a major momentary impact.

"Are you okay?" He asked the question for show. He already knew the answer.

"Just…stay out of head. Please. Give me a minute."

"Okay."

She took a moment and calmed herself. "Are you offering me a red or blue pill here?"

He smiled. "You're really different."

"Please answer my question."

"In a sense, yes. What I'm bringing you today are options. In most cases, there are no options. I come and clean up messes. This has proven to be an experiment that has failed on every occasion. Except with you. You've lasted for three weeks in a future you don't understand."

"I really didn't have much of a choice."

"Well, now you do have a choice. What you're standing in, is your future. I can take you back to 2002. You'll wake up in your own bed and continue with the life you remember. Should you choose to go back, your future will happen when it's meant to happen."

"And the second option?"

"I do nothing."

"I'd remain here? With Luke? With the inn?"

"Yes. You'd remain here and your reality would remain the same. Whatever you choose, I will no longer be a memory to you."

Lorelai closed her eyes for a moment at the absurdity of it all. Just more things that didn't make sense. "Am I supposed to make this decision right now?"

"Yes, Lorelai."

"And does it happen immediately?"

"Yes."

She looked away from him when tears formed in her eyes. She'd missed two years of her kid's life. Two years she'd never get back. She turned her back to him completely when she became overwhelmed and tears started to fall.

It was one thing to crash-land in a situation. It was another entirely to choose to remain there and have to deal with justifying it to yourself day after day. She'd watched Rory's graduation on a DVD. She remembered none of it. She'd essentially missed it. She'd gotten insight on how Rory had lost her virginity, how she'd broken up a marriage. It was a horrible reality, something one shouldn't mind forgetting. But she minded. It was her kid's life and she hadn't been there for it.

And now she was being given a choice to willfully miss it.

Either that… or give up Luke.

Lorelai hadn't realized how hard she'd started to cry until she saw Grayson round the desk in concern.

"It's okay," she said, but she only continued to cry.

He touched her shoulder, and she held out a hand to him. Spoke with so much annoyance and frustration toward him, she had to wonder if she hated him. "I said I'm okay. Give me a damn minute."

He refrained from touching her again, as requested, but he stayed close for comfort.

"I have to remind you, Lorelai…" he began in an extremely assuaging tone, "…that this," he said looking around the room with his eyes, "is your future. It's going to happen either way. The inn will happen. And-"

"I don't care about this goddamn inn!" she snapped.

That wasn't true. It wasn't true at all. But in that moment, that's exactly how she felt. She had cut Grayson off before he'd completed his thought. He continued with no hard feelings.

"And Luke will happen." When she didn't speak, he continued, "This is your future," he felt the need to stress. "You just had a chance to hit the fast forward button for a while, that's all."

Her sobs had quieted. Her hand shook fiercely as she brought it to her face to wipe away dampness. "I can't remember any of this," she told him with quaking words and fresh tears. She turned to him then. "If I remember any of it, I can't go back. I won't." She started breaking down again, and she hoped he had sense enough not to touch her.

She was totally ready to take on the messenger.

He leaned in and softly told her, "You know, you do get to say goodbye."

She looked over at him. "But you said-"

"We'll bend the rules."

She nodded. "How much time do I get?"

His hands went in his pockets as he looked at her. If she truly understood what he was offering her, she would have known that it wasn't worth it to even ask that question.

"Not much," he said quietly.

She chose not to respond. Any further info would only make her more upset. Instead, she pulled out her desk drawer and got some tissues and a compact.

He could see she was still upset. "Would you like me to-"

"Stay out of my head, Grayson," she interrupted with composure.

"As you wish." He backed away. "It does have to be here," he revealed carefully.

She dabbed her eyes, thankful for waterproof mascara. "Okay," she accepted.

When all signs of tears had been removed, she sat down and made the call to Luke. He couldn't see her over the phone, but he could hear her. If tears still stained her face, she was sure her tone would reflect that. Luke answered, and she requested a visit. She said what she needed to say to get him there quickly. Luke was walking through Lorelai's office door within fifteen minutes.

Grayson had stepped out.

"Hey," he greeted urgently when he walked in. "What's wrong? What did I have to rush over here for? Everything okay? You okay? Rory okay?" he asked all at once.

She approached him from the other side of her desk. "Yeah, Luke, Rory's okay. And I'm okay."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Then what's wrong?"

She reached him and ran her hands down his arms while smiling with reassurance. "I'm, uh, leaving in a bit. Just going with Rory to visit an old family friend in New York." She couldn't stay focused on his eyes as she spoke. It wasn't easy or fun to lie so blatantly. "Leaving today, coming back tomorrow, no biggie. Rory's picking me up any minute now, and I couldn't come to you because my car is doing something weird. Wouldn't start."

"Okay. Well, I'll look at the jeep on my way out."

"No need."

"But-"

"I just really needed to see you before I left. I should have told you this before."

"Okay?"

"Last week in your apartment, you were telling me about how we danced at your sister's wedding and about our first kiss and the horoscope and all this other stuff. It was all amazing. I was sitting there listening to you and I just thought… 'There's no way I don't love this man. It's just not possible'. And I know it's pretty damn accurate because standing here before you is a woman that does love you."

He started to speak, but Lorelai cut him off before he could. She moved closer, grasped both his hands in hers. "I just really need you, Luke, to… not forget me, to not stop wanting me. Because this needs to happen. We need happen. And I was so…stupid and blind. And now I have to go back to that. I have to go back to it because of Rory. I love my kid, and I need to do that for her. I can't miss her life. I can't get caught up on her life using a photo album or a stupid DVD. I know I'm not making a lot of sense right now. Just know that I really really don't want to go to….New York. But if Rory's there then I have to be there. Do you get that? Please tell me you get that."

Luke continued to stare for a moment. "You love me?"

Lorelai choked out a laugh in a very intense moment. She couldn't help it. All she'd said and that's all he heard. She accepted that. "Yes, Luke. I love you."

"I love you, too." He smiled at her smile "And of course I understand Rory comes first." He kissed her lips softly. Wasn't expecting it when she took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply.

They parted and she explained breathily, "One for the road."

He backed away. "I have to get back to the diner. I'll see you tomorrow night?"

She put on a smile and prayed for the tears to stay in place. "Looking forward to it."

He started on his way. "Looking at the jeep on the way out," he announced.

Lorelai nodded to an empty room. Grayson came in a short time later.

"Ready?"

She took a deep breath and clasped her hands in front of herself. "Nope," she said easily. "But let's do it anyway."

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

"Rory!"

Lorelai took the items from her Chloe purse and stuck it in the DKNY bag quickly.

"Roryyyyyyy!"

"I'm right here, Scream Abdul Jabbark."

Lorelai took notice of her coming up behind her. She did a once-over to be sure her school uniform was all put together and tidy. "Got your ridiculously heavy Bio book?"

"I'm not taking Biology."

"Well your ridiculously heavy whatever-subject-that-was-that-gave-your-mom-a-hernia book?"

"It's at school."

"You sure?" Lorelai pressed.

"Pretty sure."

"Pretty sure isn't sure, Hon."

"It's at school, Mom."

"Okay, but if you forget it again, we're not turning around this time. You'll just have to drop out of school or something."

"Deal."

"Okay, let's go, let's go, let's go!" she repeated in motivation. "Gotta book it if we want to be able to stop by Luke's."

"Book it…"

"See what I did there?"

"You're an inspiration."

Lorelai drove as quickly as she could to the diner so they'd be allowed time to eat before Rory caught her bus. Once there, Lorelai opened the door and immediately struck a supermodel pose.

"Oh Lucaaaas!"

"Have a seat and be quiet." He moved past her with dishes.

"I'm not even remotely familiar with that last concept."

"I suggest you get familiar with it fast." Luke made it behind the counter and started unloading the dish tray. "Speaking of unfamiliar things…" He called out to Rory who was seated at a table, "Rory, you left your book here yesterday." He returned to speaking to Lorelai who had walked up and was standing in front of him at the counter. "Damn thing feels like a brick, by the way."

Lorelai turned to taunt Rory with the new info. "Ha! I knew it wasn't at school. I certainly didn't recall you wheeling it on the bus with your hand truck yesterday." Lorelai turned back to the counter.

"We're going to need you to bring it home for us," she told Luke. "You're a big strong lumberjack of a man, and we're just little ol' women folk."

Luke reached under the counter and pulled it out. "Take it or it's going in the trash."

She frowned. "Okay, okay!" She reached in to take it from him, and their fingers brush.

Lorelai looked at him and he looked at her. They shied away just after.

"So, uh..." He cleared his throat. "What can I get you?"

She set the book in front of her. "Blueberry pancakes and bacon will be fine. For both of us, please," she answered without theatrics.

He ripped off the slip. "Coming up," he replied as he looked at her lowered eyes. She raised them, met his eyes again, and they both looked away.

"Alright, I'll uh…" She pointed behind her. "Be getting back," she ended.

Luke nodded. She got up and headed off in that direction.

"Hey!" Luke called. "Book!"

Lorelai turned back and scooped it up. She'd actually forgotten it, but she acted as if she'd left it there on purpose. "Girl can try."

"Girl always does."

They shared a third bashful glance on that note. Lorelai started her journey back to the table, a smile on her face and her eyes on the floor. Luke stared after her.

"I need to place an order to go, please."

Luke's eyes dropped back to his notepad as he broke himself of his thoughts. He approached the customer. "Alright, what can I get ya?"

-The End-

In all honesty, this completely changed directions when Grayson entered. I had every intention of letting Lorelai choose Luke, but I couldn't make it work. I couldn't make myself believe that she'd miss 2 years of Rory's life just to get a great life a little sooner. I tried to push through it, though. Ended up just deleting like crazy. No one is that selfish. I'm too much of a java junkie and I swear it's blinding. It was so much easier to do this with Luke haha.

Okay, that's it. I hope you guys enjoyed this. My love for Luke and Lorelai has never faded and probably never will. More stories? Who knows. But it's never off the table. Review and let me know what you think. Love you guys! :)