Luke's Apartment
Lorelai wakes up the next morning, slowly opening her eyes. She glances at the now empty chair that Luke once sat in and tries to figure out what happened through the fogginess in her mind. She reaches up to rub her face and winces in pai, the bruise on her face is closed but still swollen and tender. Lorelai recalls the fight with Chris, the bruises on her face and arms and neck. She can now feel every aching part of her body and groans. She slowly brings herself to stand up, hoping that if she searches, she can find some aspirin around the apartment somewhere. The place is so familiar to her, although she's only been in the apartment a few times that she can remember just when Rachel was there and when she made him change for the school presentation.
Lorelai walks into the bathroom and looks at herself in the mirror. She frowns at her reflection seeing the purplish, swollen bruise on her cheek along with the gash left by Chris's hand, but she breathes a sigh of relief seeing that the actual imprint of his hand has faded. She reaches up and lightly touches her neck, seeing the deep red imprint left by Chris's hand has become a little lighter in the past few hours. Lorelai swallows hard, as the tears well up once again in her eyes. She opens the cabinet and finds a bottle of aspirin and knocks two into her hand.
"Lorelai?" she hears. She smiles softly, knowing the effect that Luke's voice has on her. She looks once again at her reflection and closes her eyes, forcing herself to erase this image from her mind. "Lorelai?" she hears Luke's call again. Lorelai sighs and walks out of the bathroom, holding the pills in her hand.
Luke stands near the door, a cup of coffee in his hand and she smiles, knowing that's all she needs. Coffee. And Luke. "I heard someone moving around up here and figured it was you," Luke says. Someone? Jess, she remembers, lives here too.
"Where's Jess? Did he stay here last night?" Lorelai asks, worried that if Jess saw her then he would tell Rory. Luke shakes his head.
"I called him and suggested that since he had an early shift at Wal-Mart in the morning, he should just stay with a friend out there," Luke tells her. Lorelai nods. "Coffee?" Luke walks over to Lorelai and she gratefully accepts the warm mug. She tosses the pills in her mouth, taking in a slow drink of coffee. Lorelai looks up into his face and sees the worry written all over. But as she thinks about Jess, she's reminded again of the promise she made, to let Luke move on with his life, not to use him as an escape route. "You okay?" Luke asks, not knowing how to read her poker face.
"I'm getting there," Lorelai replies. Luke nods. "Have you heard from Rory this morning?"
"Yeah, she stopped in for some coffee. She said she was on her way to school to work on some article for the newspaper, by the way Paris is a regular slave driver. Newspaper work on a Saturday?" Lorelai grins. "She said to tell you if I saw you that she'd be home for dinner." Lorelai breathes a sigh of relief.
"So I have some time," she figures. She shivers as she realizes what she must look like to Luke. "I should shower." Lorelai takes another sip of coffee, tryiing to get warm. The cold winter air combining with the numbness from last night's events causing the goosebumps on her arms.
"Go ahead, but Lorelai, that's not going to keep her from seeing," Luke says. Lorelai bites her lower lip, trying to think her way around it. Luke watches her, knowing what's going on in her mind. "I would suggest a turtle neck with long sleeves." She smiles gratefully. "But I'm not sure how to explain…" He motions to cheek and her hand instantly flies up to her cheek. Lorelai winces in pain at just the small touch of her fingers.
"Make up… or… well she knows I'm a klutz, I can come up with something," Lorelai says. Luke doesn't seem happy with her decision.
"Are you sure you don't want to tell her? She loves you," Luke says, trying his best. He knows that Rory would rather know now than find out later.
"I'm sure," Lorelai insists. She drinks a little of the coffee and thinks about a plan for the day. Then she realizes, "my car."
"Is it in Boston?" Luke asks. Lorelai nods. "I can take you there," he offers. Lorelai purses her lips thinking about this but also considering her promise to Jess. "Where are your keys?" Luke asks, thinking she's already agreed to his offer.
"At his place," Lorelai responds. "You know, I'll just have Sookie drive me there. You have a diner to run and take care of and you already had to close early last night."
"It's no problem," Luke says lightly. Lorelai knows full well he'd do it again and again for her, but also knows she shouldn't allow him to do that.
"No, Sookie can take me," Lorelai says, with a tone of finality in her voice. Luke sighs, wishing that he could do more.
"What are you going to tell Sookie?" Luke asks. Lorelai shrugs.
"The same thing I'm telling Rory," she answers. Luke shakes his head but doesn't tell her again that he thinks she's wrong. "I'll shower here and go home to change, put on that turtleneck." She smiles as if that's a joke, but Luke doesn't respond. "And go get Sookie." Luke doesn't seem happy with this plan and Lorelai knows it. She reaches out, taking his hand in hers. "Thank you. For last night. For the coffee. For understanding." With the last word, she stares him down, making sure he gets what she's saying.
"I'm always here whenever you need me," Luke responds. Lorelai smiles softly. Suddenly she wraps her arms around his neck, hugging him close. Luke wraps his arms around her waist, comforting her with all he's got. She leans back and looks up into his eyes with a toss of her hair. Luke swallows as he gazes into her eyes, wanting to tip his head and lock his lips with hers, but holding back with everything he's got.
"You're the best friend a girl could have," Lorelai tells him. She smiles softly and then lets go of him. Luke can do nothing as she walks into the bathroom to shower. Luke sighs in frustration, rubbing his head and walks out.