LUKE, LORELIA and RORY

It has been six years since we had been in the same room together. Will we be the same? Or have we changed so much that we don't recognize ourselves?

Lorelai looked at Luke. Tears trickled down her cheeks. Her breath came out in short and sharp gasps. "Luke," she whispered. Her voice was tight and strained. She could hardly talk. When Luke came over to her and wrapped his arms around her, she buried her face into his chest and sobbed.

Luke looked down at Lorelai's head. What had happened? "Lorelai is everything all right," he asked. His voice was soft and comforting.

"Rory was pregnant with twins. She lost them," Lorelai whispered after a few minutes, "She wanted to come to St. Jude's to see me. I told her it wasn't safe."

Luke sucked in his breath. He felt sick. Luke had known that Jess and Rory had been looking forward to having their twin girls. "She shouldn't be flying. You said the right thing," he agreed.

Lorelai suddenly stood. She looked at Luke. "My life is a mess! I can't do this anymore," she cried, "One of my kids just lost their babies and my other is dieing! Does that sound fare? Does it? My life's some Alfred Hitchcock film!"

Luke watched Lorelai. "Listen, you can do this. If anyone can, it's you. Here's what we're going to do, we're getting Susanna well and we're going to go to Philadelphia to be with Rory. What's Susanna's blood type?"

"O positive," Lorelai said. Confusion was in her eyes. What was he thinking? She sat down in a chair and put her head in her hands.

"I'm going to go have my marrow tapped. She'll live," Luke said, going to the door. "Everything's gonna be just fine."

Two days later, Susanna had a marrow transplant. A week later, they were out of the hospital. "I will be seeing you in six months," Lorelai said as she buckled Susanna into the car. Luke waved to the doctors and said, "Thank-you." He got into the drivers side as Lorelai got into the passenger side and they drove all the way to Philadelphia.

They had started out at 8 AM and reached Rory and Jess's apartment at midnight. Luke carried their bags while Lorelai carried a sleeping Susanna. Luke and Lorelai climb the steps without saying anything. They look at each other and then Lorelai knocks.

Rory yawned. "Who could that be," she said through a yawn. She gets her bathrobe and goes to the door. "MOM," she shouts, opening the door. "Luke," she says looking at him Tears were in her eyes.

"Oh honey. I am so sorry," Lorelai whispers as they come in. She goes over to their couch and lays Susanna on it. "That's your sister," she says hugging Rory.

"She's pretty. She had cancer? I knew she was sick," Rory said, "But didn't know it was that bad."

"Yeah, she did, but she's OK now. I didn't want to worry you. Luke gave her a bone marrow transfusion," Lorelai said looking Rory over, "You look beautiful."

"Thanks," Rory whispers, hugging her mother tightly. Luke came over and gave the two women an awkward hug. All three had no idea what would happen next – the future was unknown and vast.

Fin

Note: Luke's part is mixed in with Lorelai's part.