A/N; Thanks for all the support on my stories, JavaJunkie has such a special place in my heart, I am glad it does in so many other people's too.
Just Hold Me
Chapter Sixteen
April woke up because the sun was shining in her eyes and stretched before looking around. She saw she was lying above the covers in a hospital bed and there was a gap next to her that had been slept in and Rory was on the other end of the bed asleep. She remembered she had fallen asleep next to Lorelai the night before and now sat up, crawling out the bed and grabbing her glasses off the bedside table, she went to the bathroom and saw it was empty which surprised her as she didn't know where else Lorelai could have gone, after using the bathroom she returned to the room, seeing it was only eight-thirty. Rory had her eyes opened as she entered.
"Hey, where's mum?" Rory asked confused.
"I don't know, she wasn't here when I woke up, I thought she was in the bathroom but she isn't, they properly had to take her for more tests or something or they moved her" April replied logically. Rory jumped up, stiff from sleeping in a cramped bed with two others all night and saw a nurse walking down the corridor, she beckoned the girl to follow and walked to her.
"Excuse me, I am just wondering if my mum has been moved or is having tests, she wasn't here this morning" Rory explained. The nurse smiled.
"What's her name?" the nurse now asked
"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore" Rory replied quickly
"I haven't got a Gilmore, I have a Hayden, a Lorelai Victoria Hayden" the woman replied looking at the list in her hands.
"Oh yeah that's her, she only just got married I forget" Rory replied, "So what room has she been moved too?" Rory asked
"She hasn't she's been discharged" the nurse replied.
"What? You discharged a woman who has stitches who could barely stay standing yesterday?" April questioned amazed.
"No, she discharged herself at seven this morning" the nurse replied. Rory gasped.
"Isn't it illegal for her to do that in her state?" Rory asked
"No, we can't legally stop someone discharging themselves, even against medical advice, it's part of their rights," the nurse told them and then wished them a good day before leaving.
"Why would she...?" April asked. Rory rushed down the corridors so fast the younger struggled to keep up, when she arrived outside Rory was dialling a number.
"Hey Kid," Lorelai told her wincing a little
"Mum you have done some stupid things but this is the stupidest you have done," Rory told her amazed "Where on earth are you?" Rory asked.
"Just driving past the town square" Lorelai replied calmly
"Well come back, you are in no fit state to be out" Rory replied worried and annoyed at her mum's recklessness.
"I will do, I am going to the house quickly then I will come back I promise," Lorelai told her.
"YOU'RE WHAT?" Are you crazy? Dad could be there!" Rory replied feeling her heart racing.
"He hid that bag of evidence, I know his work schedule he won't be there, I need to find that evidence to release Luke then I will leave as soon as I find it" Lorelai replied
"What if he is on holiday, day of? Finishes early?" Rory questioned clutching her chest.
"He won't be, I am sure" Lorelai replied
"Mum turn around now, you can't take that risk, what if he sees you? If he tries to attack you again there is no way you will be able to stop him, you are weak right now" Rory told her, worried about what will happen, she didn't figure her body could take another attack. There was silence for a few moments.
"Just pulled into the driveway, don't worry he won't finish until late today, talk later lovely, love you bye," she told her before hanging up
"Please tell me she is not doing something as stupid as going back home," April said as she put the bits of the conversation she had heard together.
"She's doing something as stupid as going back home" Rory replied. "Come on we need to get there," Rory said turning around to walk to the car and walking right into her grandparents.
"Rory you nearly ran me over" Emily stated the way she once did to Lorelai
"We have to go, mum's gone home, she wants to find that evidence and dad might be there" Rory yelled louder than she meant to
"He is her husband" Emily replied, still believing he was innocent
"Regardless if you believe he is guilty or not, do you want to take the risk of your daughter been attacked again? Or her stitches coming out from overdoing it, because if that is a conscience you can live with then don't come but I most certainly am not leaving my mum to be hurt again" Rory replied
"I am coming," Richard said starting to leave with the young girls
"Richard," Emily said shocked to the core for once he wasn't on her side
"We have to go, Emily, make a choice," he said having a bad feeling Christopher was guilty he didn't even know why he felt that way, just a feeling in his gut.
"Alright I am coming" Emily replied as the family got into Richard's car, Rory would go back to get hers later.
During the drive April received four strange phone calls from a hidden number that had no-one on the end just a loud buzzing noise, she wondered if her dad was trying to call her and told her worries to Rory.
"I am getting them too" Rory replied but she didn't believe they were from Luke, as after all he would only be allowed one.
It took Lorelai a good ten minutes to get in the house and up the stairs to her bedroom, walking caused her to hiss in pain, she was slow and kept feeling dizzy so had to take breaks, once she was finally on the landing she sat on the floor, thankful she no longer had to stand before she started pulling random things out the wardrobe, looking for the bag. She just hoped Christopher hadn't thrown it out.
She pushed the wardrobe back slightly seeing nothing there, so he had moved it and started opening drawers and everything she could find, hoping it would be around. When this failed she sat back, thinking about everything she knew about the man and where he would put it if she was him. She gasped remembering something and stood up walking to the bed. She pushed against it trying in her weak state to move it slightly and was thankful when it moved a little. She fell back to the floor, lifting that loose floorboard she hadn't had a chance to fix after Luke and her broke up. She smiled, seeing a white plastic bag in there, she was reaching in to get it when she felt her heart stop as she heard the front door slam. She ducked her head as she heard footsteps when she saw them coming towards her she crawled towards the bathroom.
"Hello, Lor, nice of you to drop in," Christopher said leaving the woman's blood to run cold as she realised Rory had been right saying she was been foolish and now she was, literally trapped in a corner, injured, weak and unable to fight him off.