Luke was freezing. Actually legitimately freezing. He wasn't one for hyperbole when it came to the elements. If he said he was cold, he was genuinely damn cold and he certainly didn't say he was cold all that often. He remembered one winter, when his dad had built him an ice skating rink in the backyard, he had stayed outside for three days and hadn't felt the cold at all. Liz had lasted a grand total of twenty-five seconds. She had spent the rest of the winter drinking cocoa and refusing to leave the house. Luke, however, loved every second of it. Even now, as an adult, he still enjoyed the season. There was nothing like a little cooler weather to keep his beer from sweating as he gulped it down at the end of a long day. He wasn't one for shorts, much preferring his well-worn jeans. Winter suited him just fine, thank you very much.

He was rethinking absolutely all of that right now.

In fact, he had decided that he rather despised winter. Winter was definitely the worst. Sure, the cold was one thing and he fairly certain the early stages of frostbite were developing in his fingertips, but the worst part was the constant fear and worry that had shrouded each second of his horrible trudge. He was fairly certain, it was only when he saw the soft light bathing the windows of the inn that he could actually take a breath. Even that was relatively strained. It wasn't until he'd shoved the door open, brushing away the foot of snow that the wind had pooled at the base of the worn wood and he saw the brunette hair poking over the edges of the armchair that he legitimately regained some control over his lungs. He tried not to dwell on it, he didn't really need to think too deeply as to why her wellbeing mattered more to him than even his own. He knew. He really knew. He just wasn't one hundred percent sure he was openly admitting it to himself just yet. It would, or at least it could, change everything. So, no, no dwelling for him…

"Lorelai!" he called, trying to tamper down the emotion in his voice whilst getting the volume he needed to be heard over the raging wind. He shuffled forward, achingly cold limbs preventing him from moving at speed. He towered over her sleeping form, a last vestige of fear forming as he found her unmoving. After a long moment, she blinked heavily up at him, confusion ebbing in her gaze. It left as quickly as he'd seen the flash of it, that soft, warm smile he liked to think she saved just for him taking its place.

"Coffee please," her eyes pleaded as her mouth did that alluring twist. He stared at her, absolutely dumbfounded. No, that seemed about right.

"Talk about priorities," he murmured to himself. He needed to get warm. Now that he had ascertained that she was in fact breathing with all her limbs intact, he could focus on himself for a moment. There was a second armchair in the corner of the room and he pushed it towards the fireplace. He shook his jacket from his shoulders, draping it over the back of the chair. It was soaked through. He'd be warmer without it. Her eyes followed him as he moved, he could sense it, but she was strangely quiet. He stoked the fire, adding a few more chunks of wood. She tracked him inquisitively as he lowered himself into the chair. She frowned at the move.

"Luuuuke," whiningly slipped from her lips. She pounded her hand onto the cushion of her chair. "Warm me up," she demanded. He could literally pinpoint the moment his pulse quickened. She was placating him with her gaze, not that he needed it. He was very, very open to the suggestion.

Lorelai, on the other hand, was utterly perplexed. Usually dream Luke was unashamedly affectionate. Dream Luke kissed her stomach and said good morning to Leopold and Loeb. Generally dream Luke was all over her like the best kind of rash. Gross. That was a bad analogy. Boy was she tired if even her dream genius wasn't quite up to scratch. Or maybe she was dying of exposure? Same, same. Best to make the most of this time with dream Luke regardless…

Luke couldn't deny her, hell, he'd be denying himself as well. What was some blizzard snuggling between friends anyway? His frozen limbs slowed his movements once again, but he rose gingerly from his chair and motioned for her to make some room. He slipped down beside her and she angled herself into his arms. He rearranged the blankets so that they were both sufficiently covered and wrapped his arms around her. She shrieked.

"Your hands are freezing!" she yelped.

"Sorr-sorry," he muttered, cursing himself a little for not just shoving them into the fire and really warming them up. He started to pull away. He'd ruined this little moment or whatever it was, dammit. But as he made to move away from her, Lorelai tightened her grip on him with a decided little pout.

"No, no, no. Stay." It was probably his favourite sentence that he'd ever heard her utter. Characteristically short and all. He secured her snugly in his arms once again. He pleaded with his body, he could feel his heartrate skyrocketing and he fought to rein it in. He sincerely hoped she couldn't fell his heart thumping and thudding in his chest, threatening to break away altogether and burst out from under his skin.

She stilled in his arms and he realised she was drifting back to sleep. Apparently, the few hours without coffee were taking their toll. He took advantage of the silence to mentally assess his – well, their – situation. He was pressed into the soft pillows of the armchair, Lorelai was somehow contorted all around him. Her head lulled into his chest and she was twisted onto her side so that her legs lay atop his lap. He was feeling just a touch content. This was a vast improvement on the crowded hall full of yabbering townsfolk. Oh damn. The town. He really should let them know, Sookie at least. She would be still be hysterical with worry.

He could see the radio peeking out from the pocket of his jacket. If he just leant a little bit forward… He reluctantly loosened his grip on Lorelai, trying not to jostle her with his movements. She grunted as he dipped forwards. The sound warmed him to his core. He was almost tempted to repeat the movement just to see if it would elicit the same response a second time. He stretched his fingers, the very tips of them just brushing along the cold plastic, not quite close enough to grab. He tightened his grip on Lorelai with one arm, flashing back to their interaction a few days before when she had pulled herself into his arms to ward off the poultry salesman that Sookie had sicked onto her. 'Don't touch my stomach,' she'd admonished after the unlucky guy had left. Now, here he was, left arm splayed even more possessively across her lower abdomen as her warm breath tickled his neck. No complaints this time.

With Lorelai tucked into his chest even more intimately – who would've thought it was possible? – he managed to manoeuvre forward the last inch and snagged the antenna of the walkie-talkie between his fingertips. Victory. He leaned back a little too hastily and felt Lorelai's body jolt with the movement. Whoops. He pressed his thumb onto the worn button and pulled the radio to his mouth, attempting to shift his head to the side just slightly so he wouldn't be talking right into slumbering Lorelai's ear.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

A tinny buzz of static emitted from the handheld radio and Miss Patty shushed the hall with flourish. Well, almost shushed the hall… Kirk materialised at her side.

"As Luke's trusted friend I demand you give me the radio, Patty," he asserted, holding out his hand for the device.

"Can it, Kirk!" Gypsy growled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I will not. Luke and I have a special rapport, almost our own language. I'm the only one who'll be able to understand him," Kirk added defiantly. "I am the man for the job."

"Hush Kirk," Babette contributed, forcing her way to Patty's side and closer proximately to the radio.

"As town selectman," Taylor started, closing his mouth after a withering stare from just about every inhabitant of the hall. "Uh, carry on," he motioned, clearing his throat.

The radio buzzed again and Kirk made a grab for it. It slipped from Patty's hand and skirted along the floor, bouncing and clattering as it went. By the time Kirk reacted and chased after it, Luke's voice was brokenly sounding from the speaker. A deep silence settled over the hall, shattered by only the patter of Kirk's feet as he lunged after the radio.

"..i..er…at…h..in…orela…o...y…," the town stared at radio in confusion.

"Well, Kirk, what did he say?" Gypsy demanded dryly. Kirk stared at the radio, now secured in his hand, with a pursed brow.

"If I know Luke, which I do," he nodded reassuringly. "He either said, 'send Kirk for back up,' or 'I'm at the inn and Lorelai is okay.' But I can't be sure which." Kirk shrugged and bellowed into the radio, "ten-four big buddy." The townspeople groaned a collective groan.

Assuming the conversation, or lack of it, was now over, hushed voices began filling the room once again. Patty and Babette began to argue about which memorable event constituted Kirk's biggest stuff up, with other townsfolk throwing in their two cents worth. Kirk, became significantly disgruntled and wandered back over to voice his own opinion.

"You're all wrong," he started, "I think it was worse when cat-Kirk…" He was cut off by the radio in his hand, blasting to life once again… Clearer this time –

"Luuuuke." Miss Patty leaned in, pulling Kirk's entire hand closer to her ear.

"It's Lorelai," she cried excitedly! Beside her, Sookie erupted into relieved sobs. Kirk fist-pumped the air.

"I knew it," he grinned. "Luke and Kirk. Always saving the day."

"Hold me tighter," the radio sighed longingly.

The hall descended into absolute chaos.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Lorelai shuffled in his arms as Luke stared in frustration at the radio in his hands. Literally nothing. Useless thing. It had crackled static for a second, after he had spoken, but there had been no real sign of acknowledgement from the rest of the town. Oh well. Tomorrow, when the storm settled and daylight broke he'd find a way to tell everyone that they were safe. He didn't see them sending out some sort of ill-fated rescue team so he figured it would be okay for now.

"Luuuuke," Lorelai murmured in his arms, "hold me tighter," she sighed, nestling the cold tip of her nose into the base of his neck. Luke shivered at the contact, all thoughts of the radio and the town forgotten. How could he do anything other than comply? The woman he lo–cared deeply for was encased in his arms. He tossed the radio back onto the empty armchair and pressed a chaste kiss to the crown of her head. He had finally started to warm up. It seemed as if the adrenaline from his hike was wearing thin. He rested his head back against the chair and felt his eyes slipping shut. A nap was probably a good idea…

He wasn't sure if it was minutes or hours later, but there was a sharp gasp and the lump of warmth in his lap starting moving frantically. He felt himself beginning to be tugged from the depths of his slumber. A musical voice twinkling to life in the very corners of his awareness.

"Oh god. Not dreaming, not dreaming, not dreaming," Lorelai muttered over and over again.

AN: Thank you so much to everyone who has read/reviewed/followed! You guys are the best! I'm going overseas for a month (Europe here I come!) in four days. I was hoping to have this story finished before then, but I'm not too sure how I'll go. Please forgive the potentially terrible updating… Hopefully I will get something up before I leave, but I'm not making any promises…