Potential

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Gilmore Girls in any way, shape, or form. Although, if given the opportunity to be affiliated with them, I would not decline the offer.

Summary: A view of Lorelai's slow realization that Luke is The One.

Note: Reviews are always a wonderful thing to read… so, review away:

Chapter 1: The Light Begins to Shine

She wasn't sure when or how it began.

When the glances in his direction became longer, lingering, and more meaningful. When she began uttering his name away from his presence- and as part of her daily anecdotes.

She wasn't certain how she managed to finally see through his rough exterior to find a heart of gold. Or, when her flirty comments and gestures around him became more than just mocking. She wasn't sure of any of it.

Yet, it all must have occurred. Sometime. Somehow. Somewhere.

She must have begun to realize his Potential.

What he could be. Who he could be – to her.

The Potential of falling in love with the perennially flannel-clad, backwards baseball cap donning, dryly amusing man who was a staple in her life.

There must have been a moment of realization, right? Or, perhaps, there was more than one?There must have been a series of head-slapping moments.

Lightbulbs going off in her head.

Or, at least getting brighter at every turn.

There must have been…

"But, you're not going?" Luke looked at me with an intensity I had never seen from him before. For a moment- a tiny moment , I was caught completely off-guard.

"No… I'm not going." I glanced up and saw relief wash over his chiseled face.

But why? Why did it matter to Luke – the guy who serves my coffee – who I dated?

The question nagged me endlessly. The rest of that day, as I dealt with my mother – Mrs. Emily "Bain of My Existence" Gilmore, and with the Inn, and even through all of Rory's trauma from her first day at Chilton- I could NOT for the life of me stop thinking about Luke.

It felt so odd. To think about Luke, in THAT way.

But, was it… really so odd?

I mean, it's not as though I had never noticed how ruggedly handsome he was, like the male lead in a Harlequin romance novel no doubt. I was after all a woman- with a PULSE! I wasn't blind- except without my contacts. And, there definitely was NO question that Luke Danes was an attractive man.

Had I ever checked him out? Of course!

Did I ever have a really dirty dream about him? Sure!

But, to think that there was SOMETHING there – between us? Impossible!

Right?

Only, it wasn't.

The Potential began to show itself gradually, slowly, painfully almost. The constant one step forward, two steps back pitter-patter of their relationship had grown comfortable- convenient. And, it never ceased to amaze those who watched from afar.

Would they never discover what was plain as day to everyone else?

She started to include this man more and more in her daily life. Her visits to his diner weren't just for coffee and danishes anymore. At times she would go just for her daily "Luke Fix".

She enjoyed their ping-pong banter. The way he could read her so well. How he outwardly disapproved of her habits, yet was the one who provided her– however reluctantly – with her drugs of choice.

He always wanted to make her happy it seemed.

Sadly, she wasn't always so kind to him. Taking things out on him that weren't his fault.

And, she hated herself for it afterwards.

Hated to see him hurt. Because, for some reason she could not explain, she cared about him as more than just a friend.

Because... he was... More. Than a friend. If only she could see it.

"Go to Hell!" My mind was racing, and all I could think to do was unload all my anger and frustration on the one person who didn't deserve any of it.

"Right back at Ya!" He yelled in my direction, his voice resounding with a darkness I had never heard from him before.

As he turned away, I got a glimpse of the deep hurt in his eyes, and my entire body flinched in pain.

That summer was the longest summer of my life. My daughter was in Washington- away from home and from me for the very first time. My world had been turned upside down by Christopher – who had promised me the world in one instant, and then had promptly snatched it back in the next instant.

Yet, for some reason, probably the largest void I felt that summer was not having Luke. To talk to. To berate me for my general way of life. To listen.

I was a complete idiot, and I knew it. I had hurt Luke. I had questioned who he was. What he stood for. How much he cared about me. About Rory. I had questioned his very integrity.

And, in doing so, I had created this great chasm between us.

And, it killed me softly every time I walked by the diner, or inadvertedly bumped into him at Doose's.

I spent that whole summer missing him.

A lot.

But, even then, I didn't really know why.

I couldn't see it. Or smell it. Or touch it.

Whatever I felt for him. Whatever was between us... was completely intangible.

For now.

I know it's short! But, there's more to come!

Thanks for reading:)