When Sookie and Lorelai got out of the elevator they saw Liz rush out of Luke's room holding her phone.
"Hey Liz," Lorelai smiled.
Liz held up a finger implying she needed a minute. She mouthed, "He's awake, go on in."
Lorelai led Sookie into the room. She smiled when she saw that he looked much better than he had a few hours ago. He had more colour in his face and he wasn't groggy at all. She rushed to him and gave him a gentle hug on his right side. "Hey, look. Sookie brought you real food instead of the hospital crap."
Luke smiled at Sookie, "You didn't have to do this."
"It was nothing really. Just a few dishes to get your strength up. A little bird tells me that you might be getting back together with this one, so I gotta build your strength up. She's a handful!"
Lorelai pretended to be insulted, "HEY!"
"There's no 'might' about it. I'm back with this one and it's for good. I'd rather get hit by an eighteen wheeler than ever be without this one again."
"Too soon for that kind of joke, Hon." Lorelai smiled sadly.
Luke took her hand, "I'm not going anywhere. See?" He gestured up and down his body, "A car couldn't keep me away from you."
"Still not funny," Lorelai insisted.
Sookie was giggling at their banter as she set up some food on the table for him.
"Oh Sookie," Luke smiled. "I hear congratulations are in order. I'm so happy for you and Jackson."
Sookie laughed, "Well Jackson owes you one, Luke."
"Why is that?" Lorelai asked before Luke could.
"You know this was a surprise pregnancy and I wasn't really happy about it. Well, getting the call about Luke put things in perspective. Life is always going to throw us these surprises and they can be good ones, like a third baby, or horrible ones, like someone you love was hit by a car and left in the middle of the road." Sookie was starting to cry but kept opening containers and getting utensils. "So I am choosing to be happy that my husband is okay and that the surprise we're dealing with is something that will bring us joy and exhaustion instead of stress and exhaustion."
The door suddenly flung open making Luke, Lorelai and Sookie jump. Rory rushed into the room. "Mom! Did you know about this!?"
"About what?"
Rory turned to Luke, "Is it true?"
Luke seemed confused, "Kid, slow down. Talk to me, what's wrong?"
Rory exhaled and took a bottle of water from Sookie. She was at the foot of Luke's bed and held on to it for strength. "I just passed Liz in the hall. She's on her phone and I heard her say that you saw the car that hit you."
Lorelai and Sookie gasped.
"Did you recognize it?" Sookie asked.
"Who's car was it?" Lorelai asked at the same time.
Luke had a look on his face that Lorelai had never seen before and she had spent years studying his face, every line, curve and movement told her what she needed to know. But now, he was frozen. He looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Luke?" Lorelai asked.
"It was raining and dark, maybe he didn't see me," Luke started.
"Oh my God!" Rory cried, "It's true!"
"What? What's true!" Lorelai shrieked in frustration.
"Yes," Luke said, trying to keep his voice calm, "I saw the car, I recognized it as Christopher's, and Liz is talking to the police now."
"What!?" Sookie and Lorelai said in unison.
"Do you think he did it on purpose?" Sookie asked.
"Whether he aimed at Luke or not, he had to know he hit someone, and then fled the scene," Rory said, "Not only that, he's fleeing the country!" She informed them.
"What?" Lorelai asked. "How do you know that? Where is he going?"
Rory took a breath, not seeing Liz entering the room, "I called Dad to let him know about Grandpa. I know that we kinda hate him for lying about the marriage, but he's always liked Grandma and Grandpa and they liked him. He was still technically family. But when we were on the phone he was at the airport in Atlanta catching a flight to Paris to be with Sherry and Gigi. He offered to come back, I told him to go and never come back." With tears in her eyes, Rory looked at Luke and continued, "I told him you are more of a father to me than he ever was."
Luke reached his hand out for Rory to take, she did and he pulled her gently towards him. When she got close enough she gave him a hug on his right side. "I love you too, Kid."
"I'll call the police back and let them know Christopher left the country," Liz jumped.
"NO!" Luke barked. "It's done. I'm fine. There's no permanent damage, my ribs and ankle will heal. He's gone. Lorelai and Rory should go and focus on Richard."
There was a knock at the door and Babette came in, "Hey kids," she smiled. "Lorelai, your Dad is coming out of surgery. You and Rory should go down there, I'll stay with Luke."
Lorelai looked at Lukem helplessly.
"Go," Luke encouraged. "Your parents are more important right now. I've got people here. I'm okay."
She leaned in to kiss him and when she started to pull away said, "I love you," against his lips.
"I love you too," he smiled.
Lorelai and Rory then headed down to meet up with Emily.
A few hours later Richard was settled in his room, he was tired and happy to let Emily do most of the talking.
Rory had fallen asleep on the couch in Richard's suite. Emily was busy getting better pillows and blankets, she was in and out of the room.
Lorelai remembered the last time her father was in the hospital and how scared she was, she couldn't go into the room then, and when she did she didn't know what to say. Now, her Mom had gone to talk to someone, Rory was asleep, so she was left alone with her Father.
Over these past years of having her parents in her life more she didn't realize how much she came to love them. She was even more scared this time, but of course had to hide it so Rory wouldn't panic. The moments where Lorelai ever fully gave into her fears or sadness and cried it out were very few and far between. She always felt like she had to stay strong and keep it together. Now especially, with both her Dad and Luke in the hospital, both her family and friends needed her to be upbeat and confident that everything was going to work out.
Lorelai sat on her father's bed and took his hand. She was surprised when he opened his eyes.
"Hi Dad," she whispered.
"Lorelai," Richard smiled. "How's Luke?"
Lorelai grinned, "Dad, I'm kind of worried about you right now. How are you feeling?"
Richard shifted on the bed to be in more of a sitting position. "Lorelai, I'm fine. I know I'm fine because I feel fine and because your Mother is not yelling or threats being made." He smirked when she laughed at his observation, "I know you and Rory love Luke. Your Mother filled me all in on the Christopher nonsense. I think your Mom is finally realizing what a mismatch you and Chris really are. He may not have been our first choice for you, but clearly Luke makes you happy, he loves you and respects you. He's also been there for Rory so what more could we really want for you?"
Now Lorelai had tears running down her cheeks, she smiled through them, "Thanks, Daddy."
"I'm proud of you Lorelai," Richard continued. "You stood your ground, you knew what was best for you and Rory and you didn't let anyone else sway you, even us. Life is short. I won't spend anymore of mine at odds with you. As long as Luke continues to make you happy and be the man he's already been, I will be happy for you and supportive."
For once in her life, Lorelai was speechless, she fell into her Father's arms. He stroked her hair as she cried. "Everything is going to be okay now. We're all going to be okay," Richard whispered.
Emily who had quietly entered the room and Rory who woke up and was on the couch, watched on both with tears in their eyes. It felt like their little family was healing from decades of old wounds.
