Chapter Fourteen
The next morning Luke woke up a lot later than he had planned. He dressed quickly and went in search of Edward and the others.
He spotted David first in the kitchen and was followed in by Kate holding a very cranky baby.
"Oh dear what's wrong," Luke asked concerned.
"Nothing, he's just not much of a morning person," said Kate.
"He gets that from Lorelai," said Luke thoughtfully.
"Here do you want to hold him while I get his bottle ready," said Kate handing him over before Luke could reply.
Luke looked a little alarmed at first as Teddy sobbed in his arms. He bounced him up and down and tried to soothe him as best he could.
Eventually Teddy's sobs began to lessen and he started taking notice of Luke. He rubbed his tear streaked cheek against Luke's flannel shirt and instantly he seemed to remember him.
"There, there," Luke cooed softly. "Did you get woken up, poor little guy," he lamented.
At his last words Teddy surprised everyone by giving Luke one of his biggest smiles.
Luke smiled back, captivated by the small bundle holding tightly to his shirt.
"I wish I could take you with me to the hospital, your Mommy misses you so much," said Luke.
"Maybe when her fever breaks the doctors will let him see her," said Edward as he wandered into the kitchen.
"Maybe," Luke replied.
"When do her folks get in," asked Kate as she warmed Teddy's bottle.
"Not sure, probably tomorrow. They said they'd call when they were close though."
"How's Lorelai dealing with there imminent arrival," asked Edward.
"Not well, I just hope they take it easy with her. They're certainty not the easiest people to deal with," said Luke.
"Is Rory coming too," asked Edward.
"I think so, her mother said as much but you never know," Luke replied.
He looked over at Kate and could see she was ready with the bottle, "Can I fed him," he asked hopefully.
"Of course you can," Kate said smiling slightly at his enthusiasm.
Luke took the bottle and gently offered it to Teddy, the baby immediately latched on and quickly began to empty the bottle.
"He gets that from Lorelai too," Luke joked as Teddy stared at him thoughtfully.
Later when Teddy was enjoying a mid-morning nap, Luke and Edward travelled back to the hospital.
The door to Lorelai's room was closed when they got there so Luke knocked gently in case Lorelai was asleep.
When they got no answer the pair poked their heads around the door and peeked inside. The room was empty and the bed had been stripped.
Luke rushed back towards the reception and asked where Lorelai had been taken. The woman looked back at Luke with a vague expression which only added to his uneasiness.
Edward spotted one of Lorelai's nurses and immediately asked her where his friend was. She looked at them both sympathetically and apologized that they had not been informed sooner.
"Where is she," Luke shouted getting desperate.
"She was moved in the early hours of the morning, I'm sorry but she was taken to the ICU."
"What," both Luke and Edward echoed.
"Please come with me and I'll take you to her doctor."
"ICU, but she was fine," Luke said as he struggled to keep up.
"Come in here," she beckoned as she led them inside a small doctors office. Luke and Edward walked inside and fell into the chairs she pointed out.
"I'll just be a minute," she said and was gone before they could ask any questions.
Five minutes later a man in a white coat arrived and sat down at the desk opposite to them.
"Hello I'm Doctor Morgan," he said cordially.
"Never mind who you are, what happened," Edward snapped.
"I'm afraid Lorelai's condition vastly deteriorated during the night. Her temperature spiked and her breathing worsened. She called the nurse and said she was feeling dizzy and then she collapsed," he said sympathetically.
"Why," Luke asked in a strange monotone.
"Lorelai's blood become infected from the pneumonia. It's a rare complication but it's very serious when it occurs."
"Her blood," said Edward dubiously.
"Septicaemia," said Doctor Morgan.
"But she was fine," was all Luke could manage to say.
"It came on quickly but I realise now that the fever was probably an early sign."
"A sign and you did nothing," said Edward harshly.
"Septicaemia is rare and I wouldn't test for it without additional symptoms. Last night Lorelai presented with them all and then I was able to diagnose her."
"Can I see her," said Luke.
"Soon but I need you to prepare yourself first."
"For what," Luke asked reluctantly.
"There are possible outcomes, addition complications. Lorelai is very unwell and the likelihood of her deteriorating further is very high."
"What complications," asked Edward.
"The septicaemia could damage Loralai's brain leading to meningitis. It could also damage her abdomen and cause peritonitis. Sometimes the heart can even be compromised and lead to endocarditis."
"In English, please," said Edward.
"Her heart, her brain and her other organs are at risk," the doctor concluded.
"What are you going to do," asked Luke.
"Right now Lorelai is on very high-dose intravenous antibiotics. She is also on oxygen therapy and is being kept under sedation."
"Can I see her," Luke asked once again.
"Come with me," said the doctor gently.
He led them up in the escalator and pointed them towards the ICU. "I'm sorry but I'm being paged," he said as he took them as close as he could.
Together they walked towards a nurse and she showed them to Lorelia's bed. Luke gasped at the sight of her and Edward staggered backwards.
She was pale and cold to the touch, which surprised Luke at first given the fever she had been fighting. He placed her free hand in his and gently kissed her knuckles.
She didn't move a muscle and the oxygen mask was obscuring her pretty face. Luke moved his face closer to hers and kissed her on the forehead.
Edward stayed back his hand gently resting on a blanket clad leg. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you," said Luke softly.
He bent his head and a tear rolled down his cheek, "You have to be okay," he whispered.
"I just got you back."