Title: So Much More

Author: Filesfreak4life

Disclaimer: I'm poor, so even if you did sue me, you probably wouldn't get anything… and you'd also be depriving the children of tomorrow from a teacher cause that's what I'm studying to be...so there you have it!

She entered the diner, gently placed her purse on the counter, and plopped into the closest stool.

"I'm assuming you want to take year off your life?"

All she did was nod a bit. There was going to be no banter today about her healthy eating habits, so he grabbed a mug and put it in front of her, filling it to the brim.

A few minutes later, she stands up from her seat, still not saying a word. As she is placing some change on the counter, he comes up behind her to place his hand on her shoulder. She turns around and meets his gaze.

"Lorelai..." he says with a questioning whisper.

Without a word, she places a hand on his chest, and another over her mouth to catch the small gasp that escaped, and tears welled up in her eyes. He springs into action, grabbing her hand to lead her upstairs.

"Ceaser, I'll be back in a bit!" he screams, and then leans down to Lorelai's ear, "Come on, let's go upstairs."

As they enter the apartment he stops her, and turns her body to face his. Until now, he hadn't noticed that she was hiding her face, avoiding a look in his eyes. He tipped her chin up to look at her, and she crumbled.

Minutes go by as he holds her limp body, sobbing against him. She still won't look at him as he continues to rub circles on her back.

"Lorelai, you have to tell me what happed. I can't help if you don't tell me..."

He waited until she was just reduced to silent tears before talking again. "Lorelai?" he says, still whispering.

She shakes her head in response.

"Lorelai, look at me, talk to me."

As she looked up at him, and pushed her hair behind her ear, he winced. Growing on her left jawline was a welt that had to have been from a pretty heated blow.

"Oh my God, what happened?" he said while tilting her face to better examine her injury.

"Luke...I" was all she could get out before breaking down again.

"Lorelai, how did this happen? Who did this?" he said, trying to stay calm, but really wanting to go kill whoever did this.

Sniffing, she replied, "Jason…um…he…"

"I thought that you two were over"

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us" she answers with something between a laugh and a scoff.

He waited patiently for her to get her bearings, and continued to hold on to her loosely.

"He just came to the house earlier this morning, and I told him that I was too busy to talk, and really had nothing to say to him. So, I went to the Dragonfly to do more work on the decorating, not thinking about it at all. When I got back to the house, his car was still there, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I got into the house, and was playing my messages when all the sudden he was there."