Please Don't Tell Her
Summary: What if, instead of Lorelai seeking comfort from Chris, Luke is the one who goes to find comfort, and then tries to make it right.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my pretty new computer, and that isn't fully paid for yet, so in fact I own nothing.
Rating: Teen.
Trouble
Luke Danes has always hated hospitals. He knew that most people stepped inside the white sickly walls, never to step out again. It happened to his father, his mother and a mirage of people in his life. He wasn't burdened with death, thank god, but it had left its mark. He had inherited his healthy food love from his mother, and his mistrust of medicine from his father.
He had just sat there, and watched the strongest man he knew, crumble because of the inability to save Ellen Danes. And now he was sitting in probably the most uncomfortable plastic chair, training not to think about what was happening in one of the rooms of the hospital. Where his daughter lay, sick, injured, alone? He didn't know.
He also thought about what a horrible 24-hour period it really was. Could it only be a full day to have so many changes in his life? He had not been expecting the news when he answered his answering machine. A part of him wished it was another calls from Lorelai, heart broken, and at a loss how to live without each other, like she had done the last time they had been separated.
He glanced at the door every few seconds, hoping to see her run up to him and support him, but there was a chance that she would think again to what he had asked her to do. It was unfair and he knew it. But his daughter, his own flesh and blood, was somewhere bleeding, hurt, scared and Anna was nowhere to be found.
He didn't notice that time had gone by, he just kept picturing Lorelai running through the doors and hugging him and making everything all right. He had been there when the great Richard Gilmore was taken down by an 'episode'. Or that is what Emily had called it at the time. He had seen how devastated everyone was, and he felt that April should be given that same consideration.
But as each minute that flew by, he began to doubt whether or not Lorelei was going to come, or if she had even heard the desperation in his voice when he had called her. In fact he didn't really know why he called her. It wasn't like she was very involved in April's life, and he had wanted it that way. But there was something about her that made Luke feel like everything would come out well in the end. No matter the circumstances.
But only three hours after his call, a crazy haired brunette ran towards him, with concern and a little bit of uncertainty boldly apparent on her face. 'Hey.' Lorelei said simply and took his hand instantly, without hesitation. 'It's going to be ok.' Luke said as she tightened her grip on his hand.
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'Can I ask what happened? Where's Anna?' Lorelai asked, and it was only then, he could hear how hard this was for her. 'I don't know. I got a call from the hospital telling me my daughter was in PICU, and that I should come down. They think she was run over, and has massive internal injuries. And I couldn't think of anyone else to call.' Luke said and he could feel the wall he had erected the minute he walked into the hospital falter.
'Oh Luke.' She whispered and leaned into him and brushed his cheek with a simple kiss, and Luke had to stop himself from holding onto her to make it that her lips would always touch him. But it was an inappropriate thing to do, and he was in a hospital waiting to hear how his daughter was.
'Have you heard anything?' Lorelai asked after a five-minute break in silence. He shook his head. 'No she is in surgery, they said something about her spleen being pierced or something, and that she had a lot of internal bleeding, and they didn't know for sure, and would tell me more after the surgery.' Luke said and Lorelei nodded.
She looked around and saw that there was a sign indicating that it was ok for her to use her cell phone. She dialed a few number deftly and waited for the person to answer. 'Hey kid, can you get a hold of Paris, and ask her to come meet me at the Woodbridge Memorial?' She said and Luke looked at her shocked.
'Yeah, it's April, and neither of us speak doctor.' Lorelei looked over at Luke encouragingly and then smiled at whatever her daughter said. 'I will babe, I am sure he would appreciate that. Love you too kid.' Lorelai hung up the phone. 'Paris will make things much clearer for us, she is pre med, so she understands most of the stuff they talk about. And I will call my mother in the morning, and get her to enact her Queen mojo and get April the best room at the hospital.'
Luke was more than grateful but all he could do was grab Lorelai's hand for comfort and safety, and hope that his daughter would be ok.
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It had been almost ten hours after the doctor had first told him about the need for surgery, before Luke saw him again. Before the doctor looked untouchable, and superhero like, but now he looked worn out and sad. And Luke knew that there was something terribly wrong.
'Mr. Danes, Is this your wife?' the doctor asked, and before he could say anything Lorelai shook her head. 'No, I'm just the fiancée, now doctor tell us about April?'
The doctor sighed and took off his stethoscope and held it as he tried to explain what had happened in that surgery room. 'April has extensive wounds, some we were able to repair, but her gallbladder had been perforated and there was too much damage to save the organ, there is extensive damage to her liver, kidneys and lower intestines. Luckily we were able to save them, but we have to watch and see how everything heals, before we know for sure. I have to be honest with you Mr. Danes, it was touch and go for the whole surgery. But your daughter is certainly strong.'
Luke sighed. Paris began to ask a bunch of questions, and scare the surgeon a little bit, but he knew it was all to find out more information. In his shock at the good news he had grabbed hold off Lorelai and hugged her tightly, and she had let him.
Emily Gilmore, had intimidated the staff of the hospital, and made sure April Nardini Danes had the best room with a view in the Peds floor and everyone just waited for news about the little girl.
Rory came sometime after her morning class, and she went immediately to Luke and hugged him. 'Is there anything I can do?' She asked him and he shook his head no. He was amazed that even after his many mistakes, he still had his Gilmore girls wanting to help him. 'I'm sorry Luke, how about I go get you a change of clothes, I could go get some stuff for April, you know to make her feel more comfortable.' Rory had offered and Luke had felt like he should probably do that himself, but he didn't want to leave just in case.
There was still no sign of Anna, and even the police came to get a statement from Luke, and to check that he wasn't responsible. Lorelai had jumped into to defend him, when he was forced to confess to a perfect stranger, that he had slept with Anna the night before. That had surprised him.
Jess came mid afternoon, after April had been moved out of recovery and was still unconscious in her hospital room. He had gone to see Luke first, hugging him. Jess wasn't a hugger. He wasn't a free with the feelings kind of guy; no Danes man was, but Jess even more so. 'I'm sorry Uncle Luke; you want me to call Liz? Anyone in the family?' Jess asked and then told him that he was sure, that if April had any Danes blood in her that she would get through this.
Had it only been the day before, when he had questioned if he had anyone. The People of Stars Hallow all came by, to offer their well wishes and to make sure their Diner owner was doing fine. What amazed him the most out of all of this generosity was that, never for a second, did Lorelai leave his side.
She had gone int to check on April, when Luke himself couldn't do it. His daughter that he had known for such a short time was pale and drawn and invaded with plastic tubes and machines that were helping her live. He couldn't see that. He just couldn't.
'She is doing her best Luke.' Lorelai had said and held his hand tighter when he had expressed his fears to her. 'I lost you Lorelei, by my own actions, an to lose her too, I just..' Luke had said and she smiled. 'You won't lose either of us Luke.
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Luke finally left the hospital after the urging of his sister and nephew and of course after Lorelai threatened bodily harm. He walked slowly into the apartment, and immediately headed towards the shower. He kept hearing Anna's voice as he explained what he had done, and now he was convinced that his actions caused all of this. He was the reason his daughter was in the hospital, and her mother was missing.
The Police suspected Anna as the person who had run over his daughter, but he didn't quite believe that. Sure Anna had been upset about his revelation, but never could he imagine that Anna would harm April in any manner.
He collapsed onto his bed and fell into a dreamless deep sleep, while Chaos nipped at his heels.
TBC
Hey guys, I am going to update I think in three parts. I wanted to give you a long part (and ok, 6 pages on word isn't that long, but it's three 6 page parts. That's 18 pages of the story. That's pretty good isn't it? Hope you guys are liking this so far.
I leave for England on Wednesday, BUT I found a small internet café that I can hook up my powerbook to the internet, which means I won't have to email it to myself, and then find a computer in London (and for cheap) that has a printer so I can proof read and then retype the corrections and then post it. See that's how much trouble I go for you guys.
Happy upcoming Canada Day (woot woot) and Independence Day (wowzah)
PEACE
p.s sorry about how long it is taking. My sister steals my computer to play Sims 2 on it, and so I have to bribe her with Veronica Mars marathons just to let me have five minutes to check my msn occasionally. Geez.