Reunion

Chapter Three – The Hospital

Okay, I am sick of the disclaimer! I am throwing a blanket disclaimer over the rest of the story! Sheesh! Okay… I don't own anyone! (Seriously, though, how much for Luke?)

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Lorelai, speechless, ran to Luke, who was lying on his back on the pavement. Everyone else in the town, it seemed, had stopped. To Lorelai, the world had stopped. It seemed to take forever to get to him. Like on Scooby-Doo where they are running so fast and aren't moving at all, that is what she felt like. When she finally reached him, she fell to the ground at his side.

"Oh my god, Luke, are you okay?" Lorelai cried. She reached out to touch him, but for fear of something unknown, she pulled her hand back. "Luke?" He stirred slightly, and then opened his eyes. "Oh, Luke!" Lorelai nearly screeched his name.

"That didn't feel so good." Luke sat up and rubbed his head. There was quite obviously a gash in it because when he pulled his hand away, his fingertips were covered in blood. Then, he quickly looked down at his arm, which was bent in an odd angle at his side. He tried moving it ever so slightly, but each time his face became contorted with pain.

"Luke, I think it's broken. We have to get you to the hos….." Lorelai started, but was cut off.

"No, no, no, no! I am not going to the hospital." Luke started his statement very proudly. He was trying to regain his dignity in the eyes of the onlookers. "You know that I hate them." However, as he finished his sentence, his voice became feeble and for the first time since he hit the ground, he looked up at Lorelai. Her breath became staggered for that moment that they held the glance for, but Luke quickly lowered his head.

"I don't care how much you hate them. You are going." Lorelai boldly stated. Luke attempted to stand, and eventually got to his feet. Lorelai reluctantly approached him and grabbed his hand. She looked up into his face to silently ask for permission to continue, and to her great relief, it was given. She swung his arm around her neck, and aided him towards his truck. Once he was seated in the passenger's side, Lorelai hurried to the driver's seat.

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The ride was silent. Hardly any words were spoken, until Lorelai couldn't stand the silence any more. She had to say something.

"So, that didn't look like it was too much fun!" She smiled weakly and took a quick glance at Luke, who was staring intensely out his window. "Yea, cause I know that being hit by a car isn't exactly thrilling. Well, I don't know know cause I have never actually been hit by a car, but I can imagine that it wouldn't be fun. Not that I would want to imagine anyone being hit by a….." Luke quietly cut her off.

"Lorelai, you don't have to." He looked over at her, and was met with her eyes.

"Look, I know my mother came to talk to you. Whatever she said about me, I swear, she is an evil and vindictive woman. I hate her, you know! I hate her." As Lorelai spoke, they pulled into the hospital parking lot.

"Lorelai, you're mother said…." He began, but this time it was Lorelai who cut him off.

"Luke, you need to get inside, come on." She turned off the ignition and hopped out of the car. Once on the other side, she helped Luke out of his seat and into the big building. They approached a desk and the lady behind it looked up at them. "Yea, hi! My, uh, friend here…" Lorelai chose her words very carefully. ".. was just hit by a car in Stars Hollow. He has a cut on his head and I think his arm is broken." Lorelai was frantically trying to not look at Luke at all. She was afraid that he hated her. Or that her mother had done something horrible. She was terrified. She loved Luke; with all her heart she loved him. She hadn't told him before, but it was true.

"I just need you to fill this out. You can sit right over there." Lorelai was handed a clipboard and she helped Luke into a chair. The only words spoken were questions about the paper. "Do you have a history of cancer in your family? No, okay. Um, have you broken any bones before? If yes, which ones?" Lorelai filled out the form for Luke. When she was done, she handed back to the lady behind the desk.

"Luke, I am going to get some coffee, I'll be right back." For the time being, she needed to be away from him. She found the coffee machine that was the farthest away. She slowly made her way back to the waiting room. On her way, she passed a patient's room. She looked inside and in the bed was an old man. He had tubes up his nose, and looked quite peaceful as he slept. In the room, beside the bed, sitting in a chair, was an old woman. She must have been his wife, because the look that she had on her face was filled with love. The woman stood and approached the bed. She gave her husband a quick kiss on the forehead, then started for the door. Lorelai turned back in the direction she was going. A single tear slid down her cheek. Then another. I will never have that. I would have had it with Luke, but it got ruined. Ruined. Over. Done. The one man that I loved more then anything in the whole world is gone, and yet he is right here. Lorelai finally returned to the waiting room, but Luke must haven gone in to see a doctor, because he wasn't there. She sat down with her coffee in her right hand and her head in her other and she cried.

"It's alright miss, your Husband will be just fine." The lady behind the desk said in a sweet voice.

"I know…" Lorelai replied. But I won't. As soon as she cleared her head, work popped back into it. "Oh, crap!" Lorelai reached for her cell phone. She dialed the number for the inn.

"Hello, Dragonfly Inn, this is Michel." came the heavily French voice on the other end.

"Yea, Michel, it's Lorelai. Look, I can't come in right now cause I am at the hospital with Luke. He got hit by a car, but it's fine. Just know that I won't be in today, and tell Sookie, alright! Thanks."

"Oh, do you mean to say that the diner man is hurt. Oh darn. I must convey my deepest condolences." Michel spat back.

"Yea, thanks, Michel. Just, tell Sookie not to worry."

"Fine. Goodbye, Lorelai." Michel hung up the phone and continued his work at the front desk.

Lorelai sat in the waiting room for what seemed like forever. She was scared about what Luke was thinking, and about what she was thinking and she couldn't handle it. She wanted to leave, but she couldn't. She couldn't just leave him there, alone. So she waited for him.

When he finally came out, he had a hot pink cast on his arm and a bandage on his head. Lorelai couldn't help but chuckle at the pink. Never had she seen Luke in pink, and now here he was with a giant pink cast on his arm.

"You know, pink and red clash. So I would recommend changing your shirt!" Lorelai laughed at her own joke.

"Haha, you are so funny." Luke said lamely. "Pink was the only color they had, so I didn't have much of a choice, okay!" Luke insisted that the color choice was completely not his own.

"Yea, okay! I believe you. But, come on, we have to get you home." And once again Lorelai threw his arm, (the good one) around her neck and helped him into the car. Luke knew that he didn't really need her help. In fact, he could walk just fine, but being this close to Lorelai felt right. It felt good, and he didn't want to take that feeling away just yet. They walked out to the truck, and Lorelai helped Luke into his seat and she once again took the driver's seat and put the car into gear.

This time, the drive was a little less intense than the one they had getting to the hospital. But, at the same time, it was very casual. Luke wanted to tell her that her mother hadn't been rude; she had insisted that they get back together. But Luke was afraid that he would get shot down again. I'll bring it up another time. He told himself. The ride home was odd. A false sense of normality filled the truck, but neither of them was willing to talk about it just yet.

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Okay, so. What do you think? I really need to know. You guys have gotta tell me. I mean, reviews are my sustenance!