A/N I hope you're still reading and that you'll enjoy this chapter. Probably two more and this story is done. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed.

I own nothing

Ch 48 Forewarned

Lorelai was in the waiting room outside of Richard's room when Luke came off the elevator. They had stayed what was left of the night at the mansion and early in the morning Rory and Jess had gone to the house in Stars Hollow to grab some clothes for them. Lorelai had let Luke sleep in since he hadn't gotten any sleep the night before in Richard's room. Jess had left the new Cherokee for him and Lorelai had taken Trix and the Jeep to the hospital.

Luke looked down on the table in front of Lorelai and shook his head. "Last night I must have dreamed you told me you were going to stop eating fatty foods."

On the table in front of her was a pile of candy. She had Red Vines, Tootsie Rolls, Laffy Taffy Chews, Skittles, Good n Plenty, Rolos, Junior Mints, Plain M&M's, Milk Duds and Raisinets.

"No, babe, really these are either fat free or low in fat but they still taste awesome!" Lorelai said gleefully.

"Only you could find the loophole to eating healthy." Luke shook his head and sank in the chair beside her.

"Did you raid the gift shop or the vending machine?" He was poking around and was surprised that technically they were either low fat or fat free. He wasn't going to bring up the sugar content.

Lorelai shook her head. "Gran wanted to stop at the grocery store to pick up some weird juice that she said mom never gets her and so I stood in the candy aisle amazed at the number of fat free or low fat candies there are."

Luke chuckled, "So does this mean that you're giving up red meat completely?"

Lorelai looked away and then down at the table. "I want to. But you know it's going to be tough for me. I've had your cheeseburgers almost every day for the past five years. I love those, especially that new spice you've added to them in the last few months. They're really addictive."

Lorelai's lip started to quiver as she struggled with the love she had with food and wanting to be good for Luke. Luke chuckled silently. He wasn't going to tell her he had been cutting her burgers with turkey meat the past few months. He figured if she knew she wouldn't want to eat it, so he'd raised the spices and added turkey to both her and Rory's burgers. So far neither had said anything except that they loved the new taste.

"Well, how about we try cutting down to say three a week? That way at least you can work your way into eating a healthy diet, not go for it all at once. So far you haven't had a health scare." Luke picked up her hand and Lorelai leaned into gently kiss him.

"You're the best husband ever!"

She wrinkled her brow and said, "Can I keep my four cups of coffee? I really love my coffee and four may be a lot for some people, but it's really cut back for me!"

Luke squeezed her hand, "Lorelai, I can never say no to you on anything. I'll keep hounding you about your eating and maybe by me doing that you'll be a little more aware of what you put in your mouth."

Lorelai opened hers to say it but Luke beat her to it. "I know, dirty."

"Extremely!" Lorelai giggled.

"But you do know that I do this because I love you and I do want you around, right?"

Lorelai nodded and she was about to say more when the elevator doors opened and Christopher got off.

"Shit." Lorelai was terrified about what was going to happen with Luke and Chris.

Luke looked where her gaze was and echoed her. "Shit."

"Hey Lor. I heard that Richard collapsed last night at dinner with my folks. I'm surprised that you didn't call me." Chris actually looked hurt and Lorelai was having a difficult time not throwing a chair at him. Luke kept a hold of her hand or she would have thrown something at him.

"Christopher, why would I call you? Your parents were there so they knew what had happened. Yes it would have been nice if you'd called Rory, but you and I have no relationship anymore." Lorelai had stood up and Luke rose to stand by her. Her voice had gotten louder than a normal tone and he wanted to help keep Richard from hearing this.

"Lorelai, why don't we go get something to drink in the cafeteria and continue this discussion down there? Christopher, I'd suggest you not see Richard right now, Lorelai was right about your parents arguing with the Gilmore's about you."

Luke reached out with his hand to point to the elevator and Christopher saw it as an aggressive move to harm him. Christopher grabbed Luke's arm and tried to wrestle him to the ground. Luke twisted and ended up on top of Christopher with Chris' arm twisted behind his back. Luke held onto it and between being sleep deprived and unceremoniously attacked was completely confused.

"What the hell were you doing? I was pointing to the elevator and suddenly you want to take me out? Are you insane?"

"I know when someone is about to jump me so I was getting my licks in first." Christopher whined.

Lorelai was shocked and finally had her voice come back to her. "Christopher what on earth made you think that Luke would want to hurt you. You have nothing he wants."

"He knows I'll always be Rory's dad and you and I will always be connected. That would be a good enough reason." Chris was still on the ground with Luke sitting on him holding his arm so Chris couldn't move.

"Chris, Luke and I got married last week. Somehow I think that connection is more secure for him, right Luke?" Lorelai looked at her husband who smiled back.

"Yep."

"So if you're willing to keep away from Luke I think he might let you up. Are you willing to do that Chris?"

Chris is devastated. "You got married Lor? But what about us? We're meant to be, I know you better than anyone else in the world. I'm your oldest friend."

Lorelai's heart is breaking and she doesn't want to hurt him any more but she is married and her first responsibility it to Luke. She taps Luke on the shoulder to get off of Chris and when he rises she helps a still processing Christopher to his feet.

"Chris, you knew me better than anyone else when we were kids that's true. But that's not who I am now. Now I'm not a kid, I'm a woman; a mother and a wife." Lorelai smiled softly at Luke.

"And Luke knows this woman better than anyone else. Maybe if things had stayed the same Chris you would've known me best, but things never do they always change. I wish you could see that Christopher. You and I, we were never meant to be."

Trix poked her head out of Richard's room and scowled at Christopher. "Lorelai, your father would like to see you and Luke. If you can pull yourselves away from the Hayden boy." Trix went back into Richard's room.

"Christopher, we need to get in there. I hope you understand why I won't tell dad that you were here. I don't want to upset him any more. If you want to see Rory she'll probably be here with mom shortly, so be prepared. Or you can call her later this week. Next week the kids are on spring break."

Christopher dropped his head and said, "I'd like to stick around Lor, but I need to get going. I wanted to tell you that I'm going to New Orleans for a new job. I'll keep in touch with Rory and let you know how things are."

Lorelai shook her head, still the same old Christopher. "That's fine Chris. I hope you find success there. Rory will really want to know where you land so keep in touch ok?"

Lorelai and Luke went into Richard's room and Christopher was stunned as he watched them. That's where he was supposed to be, with Lorelai supporting her in all the family crisis. He knew that she had to see it his way so before he went to Louisiana he was going to stop by his father's and enlist his help.

This Luke person couldn't be all he seemed. Christopher would find his weak spot and then he'd show Lorelai how supportive and successful he could be. He knew that if Lorelai would just give him a chance he'd be the success his father always wanted him to achieve.

Christopher went down the elevator and got into his car. He headed to his father's home to talk to him about Luke. His dad had used private detectives before to find dirt on his enemies surely he could use his influence to find out something on this hash slinger.

Later that day Luke and Lorelai finally returned to their house and went upstairs to collapse, Rory and Jess went to pick up Lane to see a movie at the BWR leaving the two grownups alone.

They were dressed in sleep-ware and Luke held Lorelai in his arms. She had fallen asleep quickly but his mind was still racing, reliving the nightmare that was his father's illness and death. He was so relieved that Richard was relatively ok and that he was going to be discharged on Wednesday if all proceeded according to plan.

He shook his head in amazement that so much had happened in less than a year. He was looking forward to some time of balance. They were now settled in their home, married. He looked at his ring and remembered the inscription Lorelai had told him about, hero, heart and husband. He knew he was over tired but he felt a lump in his throat when he thought about that.

Yep, he was looking forward to just learning to live as husband and wife for a bit. He felt himself drifting off to sleep grateful for all that had occurred and all that lay ahead.

The next few weeks were ones of small adjustments, and great joys. The bathroom seemed to be the big stumbling block for all of them. Jess and Rory seemed to time their showers at almost the same time which caused someone to always be without hot water and the decibel level in the house would go up considerably when that happened.

For Luke and Lorelai it was more about face time at the mirror when Luke didn't have early deliveries but had to get there before nine for the breakfast rush. Lorelai usually made it to the mirror about the time Luke needed the sink. For the adults the answer was a lighted vanity for the bedroom and for the kids Luke installed a water heater that heated the water as it was used so they always had hot water.

Mid April they experienced what Lorelai had warned him about when they talked about kids. One morning she woke up with a low level nausea and a mood and a half. Walking downstairs she saw that Jess and Rory had drunk the last of the coffee and Luke was outside in the yard weeding the flowers by the front porch. He came back in to get some water and saw her banging around the kitchen.

"Good morning." He went to kiss her and got a mouth full of hair.

"Oh? Which part of good do you think it is? The part where I have to make my own coffee because my kids didn't see fit to leave me any? Or maybe it's where I come downstairs to find my husband covered in dirt tracking it in my house? Or ooo, I know, maybe it's this damn feeling of being sick to my stomach but not quite enough to get rid of anything so it's going to stay this way all freaking day? How about that being the good in the morning?" Lorelai turned tail and stomped back up to their room and slammed the door leaving Luke in the kitchen confused.

"Ooooo-kay." He climbed the stairs and tried the door which was open. He turned the doorknob slowly and saw Lorelai crying on her bed.

"Lorelai, did I do something? If I did I just want you to know that I'm really sorry and if I know what it is I won't do it again. OK?" He eased himself down on the very edge of the bed waiting to see what else happened.

Lorelai was sobbing, "I'm so sorry Luke, I don't know how to control my anger right now. I didn't remember it being this intense but it must have been or else I wouldn't have gone to the doctor before. I'm such a bad wiiiiffffe." She sobbed out that last word and Luke was completely baffled.

Lorelai settled down until she was just quietly sobbing and she looked up at Luke with red rimmed eyes. "Are you sure you still want kids?"

Luke grinned and whispered, "Lorelai, are you pregnant?" Which he immediately realized was the exact wrong thing to say.

Lorelai wailed, "Nooooooo. I'm such a failure, one time without a condom at sixteen and wham knocked up. Married to the man I love and I can't get pregnant after all the time we spent trying on our honeymoon and when we got home. What if I never get pregnant again? We'll have lived through this crap for nooooothiiiiinnnngggg." Lorelai built up more steam in her wail.

Luke was confused. He had never lived with a woman who was PMSing on such an intense scale so he missed the signs. He did know to leave the conversation alone and he just held Lorelai as she cried until she pushed him off and ran into the bathroom to throw up. He was now very confused, he thought the throwing up part came with the baby part, but he didn't want to bring it up. Hell he didn't want to bring anything up right now. Lorelai crawled back into bed and eventually went to sleep. Luke went downstairs to find Rory and Jess studying.

"Hey, Rory, can I talk to you for a bit?" Luke called her into the living room. "When your mom and you lived in the shed, were there any bad days that you remember, ones where she seemed to change personalities?"

"Yeah, there was a time when I was in early grades at school where she was dealing with, um. You know. Those days were pretty bad."

"Rory, I hate to do this because you and I both hate talking about personal things, but your mom doesn't seem like herself and I really don't know what 'you know' is." Luke was almost pleading with her.

"Luke, I'm not sure that we're talking about the same thing, since mom hasn't had severe symptoms for years. Ever since she …"Rory looked at Luke and then a light-bulb came on. "Luke you and mom are thinking about kids right?"

Luke blushed and looked at his feet. He gave her a sharp nod as an answer.

Rory exhaled quickly. "OK, then you'll need to talk with mom in about three days. Do we have a heating pad in the house?"

Luke looked at her confused and said, "No. I don't think so."

"Then you're going to need to go out and get one by tomorrow maybe the next day. Has she gotten sick?" Luke again nodded.

"Yep, tomorrow then. Oh, wow. Life is going to be interesting here. I wonder if Lane has room for Jess too." Luke suddenly wondered if he should be afraid.

The next day Lorelai was curled up in bed moaning when Luke came back from his shower. "Oh, God Lorelai. Are you all right? Is it your appendix? Talk to me please."

Lorelai looked up at him and said one word. "Cramps." Then she curled up again and started sobbing.

Luke felt like his heart was being ripped out from his chest. He rand down to the kitchen for a glass of water and was going to get the heating pad from the hall closet when Rory came out and gave him the bottle of Midol. She saw his eyes filled with tears and she knew that he was going through this pain with Lorelai.

Rory called Sookie and let her know Lorelai wasn't coming to work that day maybe two. Luke spent the next two days with her keeping the room dark and giving her gentle backrubs as she clutched the heating pad to her stomach. He didn't know what to say to her and he felt like he was helpless in this situation. How could he ask her to continue to do this month after month and what happened when they wanted another child? At night he went down and made dinner for Rory and Jess and the first night he was on his way back upstairs when Rory stopped him. "Luke? Aren't you having any dinner?"

"Rory, I can't eat with your mom in such pain. I feel bad enough that she has to go through this because we want children, how heartless would I be to sit down here while she's in pain up there?"

Rory nodded and started to leave the room when she turned back. "Luke just make sure that you don't wear yourself down. Mom needs you healthy too."

Luke nodded and he said, "When she's able to eat, I'll eat too."

The next morning Lorelai woke up feeling a hundred percent better than she had the previous three days. Luke was sleeping on his side in his flannel and jeans on top of the covers. She was reminded of the care he had given her these past three days. She smiled and gently ran her fingertips over his jaw. He jerked awake and looked startled.

Lorelai whispered, "Luke it's ok, it's just me. I was just saying good morning." She smiled at him and he sighed deeply.

"You feel better." It was more statement than question. She nodded.

"I was so concerned for you, is this what you're going to go through until we get pregnant?" Luke gathered her in his arms and Lorelai nodded gently.

"Yeah, I'm afraid it is. That's why I got on birth control. The cramps are the killer for me, I think the mood swings were the killer for everyone else. I'm really sorry I yelled at you. At the time it seemed overwhelming."

"My God Lorelai, how can I ask you to do this? What if it takes the entire year to get pregnant? I can't ask you to go through this twelve times or even more."

"Luke you're not asking me, I want a baby as much as you do. It's so sweet that you are concerned, but this is nothing compared to actually having the baby. I'm going to be in pain in order for us to have a child. There's no way around this. But when it's done, we'll have a wonderful expression of our love; that sixteen years later could very well tell us to go to hell and run off to join a rock band." Lorelai grinned widely at Luke who also chuckled. He was so damn happy to see that smile back on her face.

"Well when you put it that way you make it sound so darn appealing." Luke deadpanned.

"Tell you what husband, why don't you go down and make your wife a huge stack of chocolate chip pancakes?"

"After this experience I'm making you bacon too."

Lorelai laughed and said, "Is there anyway I can get you to give me a rain check on that? Right now the sound of bacon or sausage really isn't sitting well. But I know that in the next few days I would love to be fed your guilt bacon."

Luke just shook his head and grinned at her.

May was also as difficult for Lorelai and to make things more intense her worse day happened to be on a Friday. Luke called Emily and told her that neither he nor Lorelai would be at the dinner that night but that Jess and Rory would appear as usual.

"Really Luke, what excuse did my daughter talk you into giving me this evening?" Emily had been dealing with the DAR all day and they had made her testy.

"Emily, Lorelai has severe cramps, she has thrown up twice and I need to stay with my wife when she is suffering this badly."

Emily knew that Lorelai didn't suffer cramps when she was a teenager so she didn't believe Luke. "Well give her some aspirin and bundle her into the car. She doesn't need to be a scintillating conversationalist; she just needs to be here."

Luke was really getting pissed at his mother-in-law and all the jokes he'd been told about them suddenly started to take on flesh.

"Emily," he said through gritted teeth. "My wife is in pain and I'm not going to subject her to a long car ride so you may view the amount of pain she's in just to send her home again. I can tell you without a doubt that she is neither faking nor exaggerating her symptoms. I'm sure she'll be well enough for next week but you'll not see her tonight. Do I make myself clear?"

"Very well. You said the children will be here on time though?"

Luke sighed heavily. "Yes they're on their way as we speak."

"Fine." Emily hung up without further interaction. Luke shook his head and went back up to his wife who was laying in bed awake but in pain.

Lorelai saw him come back into the room, he changed into his sweats and climbed in to bed.

"She get you at the knees?"

"Nope, I was able to keep her at the ankles." Luke cradled Lorelai from behind and stroked her hair as she held onto the heating pad. "Soon?"

"God I hope so." Lorelai was so happy he was with her. If she'd had him ten years ago she might have been able to live with the pain.