Oneiromancy

Author's note/Title explanation: I love learning new things. Oneiromancy is the interpretation of dreams in order to tell the future. It comes from oneiric, which means relating to dreams. If Luke and Lorelai were cats and electrodes were stuck in their brain, they would exhibit, oneiric behavior. That is, start acting out their dreams. Brain surgery, anyone? *g*

Disclaimer: I have no claim to the characters or song lyrics that appear in this story.

Part One

I see your shadow on the street now

I hear you push through the rusty gate

Click of your heels on the concrete

Waiting for a knock coming way too late

It seems an age since I've seen you

Countdown as the weeks trickle into days

The bell on the diner door jingled, and he knew before even looking up that it was her.

"Luke!" Lorelai called excitedly, struggling in with three large backpacks.

Luke crossed the diner to help her dump the bags in a corner.

"Didn't you leave with only two of those things?" he asked.

"So we did some shopping." Hands now free, Lorelai pulled him into a hug.

"How was Europe?" Luke asked after they pulled apart.

"Amazing. Coffee?" Lorelai asked hopefully, sliding into a chair.

Luke poured her a cup without argument. "Where's Rory?" he asked.

"Oh, I lost her somewhere around Amsterdam. The stuff they serve in cafes over there…" Lorelai trailed off and smirked at Luke's disapproving look. "Relax, Rory's at Lane's."

"Did your parents pick you up from the airport?"

"No, they were supposed to but two days ago my mother made the last minute decision to accompany my dad on an business trip. The woman's never made a spontaneous decision in her life and decides to start now. So anyway, we had to catch a cab," Lorelai explained.

"You could have called me, I would have picked you up. You didn't go home first?" Luke indicated to the bags.

"We were driving through town and Rory and I both yelled for the cab driver to stop. We couldn't wait to see everyone. So how have you been? How was the Love Boat?" Lorelai asked.

Before Luke could answer, Rory, Lane and Sookie burst though the door, all talking excitedly at once. Sookie and Lorelai hugged while Rory threw her arms around Luke. Surprised, he hugged her back, somewhat awkwardly.

"Did you have a good trip?" he asked her.

"The best," Rory replied with a grin. "The coffee was incredible."

"Too good to ever go back to mine?" Luke asked.

"Never," said Rory and Luke brought her a cup.

"Tell me everything!" Sookie demanded of Lorelai.

"You realize we're going to have to retell our stories every time we see someone new." Lorelai complained to Rory.

"And I know how much you hate talking about yourself," Rory teased her mother.

"You guys should have a slide night at Miss Patty's after one of the town meetings," Lane suggested. "That way you can talk to everyone at once, complete with visual aids."

"That's a great idea," said Lorelai.

"But of course you have to give your best friends the highlight's first. Right now," Sookie insisted.

"And the presents," Lane added.

"Where do we start?" Rory wondered.

"Hey, Luke, are you going to sit down?" Lorelai asked. "We tell great stories, but War and Peace looks short in comparison."

"I have to get back to work," said Luke. "But welcome back."

"Thanks, we'll catch up later," Lorelai replied brightly and quickly resumed talking and laughing with the girls.

So you come in and put your bags down

I know there's something in the air

How can I do this to you right now?

You're over there when I need you here

My happiness is slowly creeping back

Now you're at home

"Hey, Luke." Twenty minutes later, Lorelai appeared at the counter to pay for the ten cups of coffee she, Rory, Lane and Sookie had consumed. "How much do I owe you?"

"Don't worry about it," Luke insisted. "Consider it your welcome home gift."

"You didn't bring me a souvenir from your trip?" Lorelai asked. "I was hoping for a snow dome."

"Sorry, I'm not big on souvenirs," said Luke. "Plus, I'm learning the dating rules and figured it would be bad form to buy a present for another woman while I was away with Nicole."

Lorelai nodded. "Smart man."

"So you're finally heading home now?" he asked.

"Yep, to sleep for a couple of thousand years." Lorelai looked over to where Rory was practically falling asleep at the table.

"Uh, before you go, can I talk to you a minute? In private." Luke added.

"Sure." Lorelai followed him upstairs to the apartment. "What's up?"

"Well, I just wanted to tell you, before you heard something around the town... Nicole and I are engaged." Luke said, nervously shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"Oh." And unreadable look crossed Lorelai's face. "Congratulations," she said.

An awkward pause followed until Lorelai spoke up again. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I thought you weren't going to propose?"

"I didn't. She did," Luke explained.

"Modern woman," Lorelai commented.

"Yeah."

"Well, that's great, right?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, Nicole's... great." Luke sounded anything but convinced.

"Okay, well I better get going," Lorelai said. "Pass my congratulations on to Nicole."

"I will," said Luke.

"Bye." Lorelai disappeared downstairs and Luke flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes.

Control well it's slipping right though my hands

These days turned out nothing like I had planned

When Luke woke up it was dark outside and someone was knocking on the apartment door.

"Hi," he greeted Lorelai. "I thought you were going home to sleep for a few million years?"

"Rory crashed as soon as we walked in the door, but I guess I must still be on UK time," Lorelai explained. "So I came here for something to eat, since we have nothing in the house but when I discovered Caesar was cooking I wasn't that hungry anymore."

"So you came up here to bug me to cook for you?" Luke guessed.

"No, I just thought I might as well say hi."

"Well, come in," Luke offered.

Lorelai looked around this apartment. "Things look a little different," she commented.

"Nicole..." Luke began.

"Right. Wow. So. Big commitment there."

"I know," said Luke, nodding his head slightly.

"Where are you going to live?" Lorelai asked.

"What?" Luke asked. This sounded oddly familiar.

"Well I can't imagine Nicole living here," said Lorelai.

"I guess not," Luke admitted.

"And doesn't she work in New York?" Lorelai continued.

"Yes, but…"

"Are you going to move there?"

"Of course not. You're awfully concerned about this. Nicole and I will work things out." Luke said.

"I don't think she's right for you," Lorelai blurted out.

Luke gave her a half curious, half hopeful look. "Why not?"

But Lorelai just turned and walked out the door.

"Wait, Lorelai..." Luke called after her.

…And then he woke up.

Lorelai had haunted his dreams constantly since Rory's graduation day. Luke was fairly sure he'd even woken up calling her name one night. Nicole hadn't said anything, but she'd been cold to him the next morning.

Checking the time, Luke groaned when he realized he'd left Caesar alone in the diner for over an hour. He quickly went into the bathroom to splash water on his face before heading back downstairs. Luke stopped and looked at his reflection as he toweled his face dry. What are you doing?

And it hurts me

To look into the mirror at myself

And it hurts even more

To have to be with somebody else

Part two will be out soon; until then, please review.