LUKE

For a week, our time together was about the most absurd thing in Lorelai and my life. We were so happy it was sickening. We had no fights, not even about April, and we had fun, no matter what we did. Lorelai always seemed to be beaming. Even Kirk and Taylor didn't bug me. But it all changed in one instant – in one act and I wasn't even there.

Luke had not seen Lorelai since their break up. He was miserable and angry. But mostly, Luke was beside himself with worry.

He hadn't even seen Rory since the break up. He didn't mind that too much because she was up at Yale and did not get down to Starshollow often. As his mind wandered, the bell above the door jangled. He looked up. It was Rory. "Hey," he said to her as she came over to the counter, "Where's Lorelai?"

Rory let her gaze drift so that she didn't have to look at Luke. "Hey," she said, looking at him, "I don't know where mom is. She just left."

"Why did she leave," Luke asked. His heart jumped into his throat and then it felt like it plummeted. He even felt a little weak in the knees and light headed.

"I can't say. I'm sorry. I wish I could," Rory said, sitting down.

Luke shook his head. "Do you want anything to eat," he asked.

"Coffee and a cheese Danish…to go," Rory said.

"You got it," Luke whispered and went to get the Danish and coffee.

That night, when he closed up, Luke went over to Anna's home. He knocked and tapped his foot. No one answered. He knocked again and waited. "Come on, come on," he whispered. Luke was about ready to knock a third time when April answered.

"Dad," she said stepping aside, "What are you doing here? Am I in trouble?"

"No, no. I need to talk with your mother," Luke said. He gave her a smile and she returned it, but weakly.

"OK. She's in the kitchen, making plans for our 'new life in New Mexico'," April said in a huff.

"Thanks for the warning, I think," Luke said as he went to the kitchen, "Hey, Anna."

"Luke? What are you doing here," Anna asked, sitting the pamphlet she was reading down on the kitchen table.

"We need to talk," Luke said, "Don't move to New Mexico. I know your mom. But listen, we can get her help. Just don't leave. Marry me Anna."

"Oh, Luke," Anna said, "I don't know what to say."

"Say yes," April called out from the living room.

"Go watch mindless TV sweetie," Anna called out. She looked at Luke. Tears were in her eyes. "OK, I will." Anna threw her arms around Luke and hugged him. She then kissed him.

Six years passed from that day. Luke married Anna two months later. But he never forgot nor stopped loving Lorelai. He wished she was still here, but never voiced his wants to Anna or April.

Anna and Luke didn't stay together for long. She passed away two years after their marriage from complications because of breast cancer. Nothing was the same after that. April was not the same. Because of her mother's death, April was in college, a year early, studying to become a doctor. She was in fact going to Yale and though he hardly saw his daughter, she called often.

Today, Luke was expecting a call from her. She had been waiting to hear if she was the president of the science club and had promised to call as soon as she found out. But, Luke was never expecting this call. "Luke," whispered Lorelai, "It's me. I know it's been a long time. I'm sorry I haven't called. I needed to get away after our fight. I should've called. I should've of told you sooner, but I couldn't. Ummm…Luke, you, we have a daughter."

Luke felt anger surge through his veins. How could Lorelai keep this from him. Slowly, Luke breathed through his nose. "What," Luke said as he sat down on the stool by the phone, "I have a what?".

"You have a daughter. Her name is Susanna. She's six and is so beautiful. She has blue eyes, like me, and she had your hair, except it was longer. She's really sick Luke. She's gonna die soon if I can't find a matching donor. I'm scared. I don't want to loose her," Lorelai explained.

Anger was to a boiling point. "I can't believe you didn't tell me! Why didn't you? Lorelai, I can't believe this! Actually, I can! Where are you," Luke shouted.

"Where am I? Oh, um, St. Jude in Memphis…" Lorelai said, but he cut her off. Luke had hung the phone up. He stood hastily. "We're closed! Out now!" He was so angry, Luke actually scared his customers away.

Luke reached Memphis around ten that night. He had taken a red eye to get there. He strode down the halls, searching for any sign of Lorelai. He found her, asleep in the cafeteria. When he saw her, all of his anger melted away. Quietly, he crept over to her and carefully picked her up. He walked to the nurses' station. "Where is Susanna Gilmore's room," he asked quietly. The nurse pointed down the hall and nodding, Luke walked silently. Reaching the room with a construction paper sign covered in glitter and "Susanna Gilmore", Luke went in.

He placed Lorelai in an empty chair and then looked around. He took in all of the items Lorelai had used to decorate the room. There were paintings in pink and blue and green and photos of Luke and Lorelai, Rory and Lorelai and Luke, Rory and Lorelai. There were streamers at the ceiling level and glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. A giant teddy bear was in the corner and a red wagon was next to it. He noticed a cd player, many The Bangles cds, and other bands Lorelai enjoyed. He stared at on of The Bangles cds; he then looked at Susanna, his daughter. "You were named for one of The Bangles," he whispered to his sleeping daughter.

Lorelai suddenly woke. She was looking around and then her eyes settled on him. "She's beautiful," Luke said softly. He smiled at her.

"Yeah, she is. I am so sorry Luke. I kept picking the phone up to call you and I couldn't. I didn't how to say that you had a daughter. As the years went on, it got harder to pick the phone up and tell you. I knew I had to tell you, when I found out she will die without a donor. I haven't even told Rory that she's sick."

"I know. Why did you leave though? I would've been there for you Lorelai," Luke asked as he leaned forward.

"I don't know Luke. I was so upset and scared. I just had to go. I panicked. What are we gonna do now?"

I don't know if things got better or worse after that day. I do know, things never stayed the same. I don't think either of us wanted things to go back to how they were. I don't know what is going to happen or how long Susanna will be alive, but I hope that she will get to live a full and happy life.

(Note, the next chapter will be Rory's POV.)