Author's note: didn't plan to go that direction, but it didn't feel unrealistic to me that they'd stop at a rest area and have something like that happen. Bad things happen everywhere and anywhere. I have a vague outline in my head on how things go from here. Sorry if this is more dark than expected.
Hospital pages are sounding, people are criss-crossing in front of her. Lorelai is sitting in a small hospital ER waiting room. She has no idea where Dean is.
Time is either racing or in slow-motion. She couldn't decide.
Eventually, her scrapes are bandaged, and she is given scrubs because her shirt was shredded, her bra mangled in the struggle with that guy, and her leggings split in the seat. One of her ribs was cracked, and she felt like shit. What I am supposed to do now? I can't move. I don't have anybody to call.
"Dear, are you alright? Are you by yourself?" a frail elderly woman sitting in the room asked her.
"No, yes."
"Is there someone you can call?"
Lorelai put her head down. She mumbles, "Luke's Diner."
"Timothy, honey, use your cellular phone to find the number for Luke's Diner. Where is the diner dear?"
"Stars Hollow."
"Found it grandma. It's ringing, here."
A yawning sound comes through the phone, "This is Luke. Who is this?"
Lorelai tries to steady her voice, "Luke, I'm, I'm, at the hospital, this is Lorelai, and I'm at MidState Medical Center, in Meriden. Can you please get Rory and bring her here with you?"
Luke was trying his best to tamp down his anger and anxiousness when he heard her voice, sounding smaller on the phone. Did her date hurt her? She sounds so fragile. I can't raise my voice.
"Yes, I will get you, yes I will go to your house and get Rory. Please tell me you are okay?"
"Luke, (she sucks in a deep breath to steady herself) I am okay. I need you and Rory. I'm fine. Please hurry and come get me."
Luke grabbed his keys, stubbing his toe in the dark rush out the door.
DING DONG!
Whaaaat who is ringing the doorbell? At 3 in the morning? Is mom home? I don't want to get the door.
"Rory!" Luke called out in a harsh whisper.
Is that Luke?
"Rory it's Luke. I'm sorry to wake you, please open the door."
Rory goes to the front door, "Luke?"
"Yeah, Rory, please open the door. I need to tell you something."
Oh no! Mom's dead!
She opens the door and Luke sees the look of utter terror in Rory's face.
"I just got off the phone with your mother. She's okay, she's at the hospital in Meriden and she wanted me to get you to go with me to get her."
"O-okay, just let me get shoes and a sweatshirt."
Silence the whole way up there.
Why is mom in the hospital? In Meriden? Why did she call Luke but not me? Why is he taking me to get her?
If anything happened to Lorelai...Rory looks petrified. I better keep my mouth shut or I'll babble and eventually say something stupid that will scare her more. Meriden?
They park in visitor parking, and round the corner to find Lorelai wearing scrubs.
"MOM!" Rory rushes to her, hugging her as Lorelai sobs, heaving with sobs.
"Shhhh, mom, you're scaring me. Why are Luke and I here? What happened?"
Luke stood there dumbly, not knowing if driving Rory was his role and if he should give them privacy.
"This is going to sound crazy, but first, Rory, can you find out if Dean is at this hospital? Is this a trauma 1 hospital?"
Rory's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. WHAT HAPPENED? Mom looks shell shocked, and she was with Dean, and he requires level one medical care?
Rory took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and said, "Yes, mom, I will ask right now if Dean is here and what we do to go see him."
Luke felt sick. He couldn't remember the last time he vomited, but he thought he might do it now. Dean and Lorelai were together tonight? Here? Why? Were they...Lorelai looks awful.
Luke sat down next to her and hugged her close. Tears were streaming down her face but she was still. Motionless. He tipped her head to his shoulder and gently stroked her matted hair. He was starting to assess her appearance. She was wearing scrubs, so something happened to her clothes. Her cheek was scuffed up, wrists red and abraded, and her lovely hair was snarled in back. Her fingernails were dirt-rimmed. Wait, her left hand was turning purple and green. God, what happened to her tonight? Where were her shoes?
"Hey, mom," Rory spoke softly, as one would to an injured child. "Dean is not at this hospital. It's not level 1. I checked. He's at Hartford Hospital. Do you want to go there?"
"Yes. Luke, please, I promise to tell you both what happened. I need to see Dean."
Luke helped Lorelai to her feet and steered her to his truck. She climbed in and sat between Luke and Rory.