Disclaimer: It's all Amy etc.

Author's Note: This story takes place a few weeks prior to the Dragonfly Inn's grand opening. Luke hasn't invested and/or loaned any money toward the enterprising business and he and Lorelai are just friends. Oh, and Jason is very much out of the picture – you can all breathe a sigh of relief now!

On a side note, the word hijinx is quite marvelous, isn't it though? With three dotted letters…three! I truly enjoy writing it, but saying it brings a pleasure beyond compare! If I can, I'll try to include that word in this chapter. OK – here's a game for everyone! Think of a word, funny, weird, dirty, etc…and I will choose one lucky word to include in each chapter! It's all about interaction!

Now, without further ado, let us begin our journey…

He could tell from the moment she stepped foot into his diner, that something wasn't right. Her expression was clouded, her vivacity cooled. Her ensemble seemed infinitely similar to the one from the previous day. This couldn't be blamed on a wardrobe malfunction. He watched as she took a seat next to the window and exhaled to her lungs capacity.

She glanced at him sideways, smiling warmly, pleading with her eyes for his liquid serenity. His coffee could drown out the world, at least for a little while.

"You alright?" Luke casually asked as he poured the steaming brew into her awaiting mug.

"Nothing a little caffeine can't cure," Lorelai shrugged off his concern with her usual remedy; humor.

"There's nothing little about the amount of caffeine you consume in a day," he smugly replied.

"And your business is booming because of it," she smartly returned. "Now shoo," she gestured with her arm, "let me have some peace."

Luke grunted in response and trudged back to his habitat behind the counter. He knew Lorelai better than she often gave him credit for. He could see right through her suit of armor.

Lorelai sat in silence for the best part of an hour, solemnly sipping on her wonder drug, eyes glued to the window. It was early evening and the streets were filled with Star's Hollow's finest, most likely on their way to Luke's for a bite to eat and a nightly dose of gossip.

The usual townies started slipping in around 5pm. Miss Patty, Babette and Morey, Gypsy. Sookie and Jackson were frequent nightly visitors. Perhaps feelings of nostalgia from their first date were motivation enough. And then there was Kirk. Kirk never really left the diner, except at bedtime of course. Mother was strict about that. Luke rounded the counter, coffee pot in hand. No wonder the whole town was crazy, he thought. They were all caffeine junkies.

Lorelai continued to stare out the window as Luke approached her table. "So, this is where you turn to me and at least acknowledge my presence," Luke grumbled as he topped up her cup.

His voice startled her. "I didn't ask for more coffee," she wasn't upset. She turned to face him.

"Merry Christmas. It wont happen again."

She laughed at that. "You know, this is probably the last place I should be right now," finally, she was opening up to him. "I have a million and one things to do…I just can't shut my mind off. It hurts to think. It hurts to drink. I've been milking this cup of coffee for an hour."

"I noticed," Luke agreed. "And I suppose food is out of the question?"

"I'm too tired to eat. Unless you feed me," she smiled naughtily.

"Now that's going beyond the proprietor/customer relationship, wouldn't you say?"

"But I'm hungry," she pouted. Truth be told, Lorelai hadn't been keeping up with appearances at the diner in the last few weeks. Preparations for the Inn were undoubtedly taking their toll. There was still so very much to do. Tom and the boys had fallen behind schedule and the back-up funds had all but dwindled away. She needed help.

"Then eat," he was firm.

"But I'm too tired to eat," she echoed.

"You're working too hard." He watched as her shoulders tensed.

She sighed. How did he always know? "Well, someone's got to. The Dragonfly is set to open in two weeks, and we don't even have paint on some of the walls. The doors have mysteriously disappeared and so has Tom's working crew. I know they're tired…hell, I'm tired too, but we have a schedule to adhere to and I'll be damned if we're late!" she was shouting to the entire diner now.

Sookie immediately rushed over to comfort her shaken friend and business partner. Luke looked on with sympathy. He had never before seen Lorelai this run-down, this overwrought. She wasn't as invincible as he'd once imagined, that revelation perhaps hit him the hardest.

"It's ok. I'm fine, just a minor freak-out. It won't happen again," she smiled bravely through her tears. Sookie hugged her tighter.

"Lorelai, honey – we're gonna make this work. Whatever it takes, we'll make this work," Sookie assured her.

Lorelai lowered her voice, so only Sookie and Luke could hear, "But what about the money Sookie? We're down to our last dollar. Tom's crew isn't going to work for free."

Sookie knew as well as Lorelai that they were in trouble. She needed to be strong right now – for the both of them. "We'll figure it out Lorelai. First things first, we need to get you home so you can rest. You've been running yourself to the ground for weeks. C'mon, Jackson and I will drive you home." Sookie reached for Lorelai's arm.

"Sook, it's a nice night. I can walk. But thanks for the offer. You go and relax with Jackson, enjoy yourselves. I'll be fine."

"Promise me you'll rest?"

"I'll rest."

Sookie nodded affectionately and returned to her table. The affairs of the Dragonfly Inn had long since been forgotten. Now the topic of discussion was the name of Kirk's underground band, "The Stars Hollow Hijinx."

Morey chimed in on that one. "That name is not cool. It lacks mystique."

"What instrument do you play Kirk?" Gypsy was infinitely curious…or was it skeptical?

"Uh, I play the tambourine," he begrudgingly admitted.

Everyone laughed.

Lorelai grabbed her purse and began to rise from her table. Luke, who'd been quietly observing her entire conversation with Sookie, finally felt the need to interject, "Who are you trying to fool?" he accused Lorelai.

"Excuse me?" she replied defensively.

"I know damn well you're not going home to rest. Why are you doing this to yourself?" Luke wasn't letting her go without a fight.

"You don't know anything," she put some change on the table. "There, I've paid, now I'm entitled to leave." He grabbed her arm. "Luke, what is your problem?" she shouted.

Now all focus had once more returned to Lorelai. Kirk's musical prowess would have to wait.

Luke sighed in defeat, releasing his hold on her, "At least eat something before you leave," he reasoned.

She rolled her eyes, "I'll take a doughnut…to go."

Luke walked towards the glass enclosure and removed the largest doughnut he could find. He wrapped it in a paper bag and turned around, just in time…

Lorelai took one step from her table, wobbled slightly and gripped the chair for support. She felt dizzy, weak, nauseas. Luke watched in alarm as she attempted to take another fatiguing step. He ran to her side and she collapsed into his arms.

To Be Continued…

Don't forget about the Word Game!