Disclaimer: Not mine.
Archive: Sure
Summary: Luke has to go to the hospital.

Author rambling: It's really weird watching a show that doesn't have aliens or vampire slayers or genetically engineered superheros. You start getting normal ideas, from normal places, like listening to the djs on the radio. Anyway...enjoy.

Surgery
by Megan Reilly
[email protected]
February 28, 2001

"You're gonna have to find someone else to feed you tomorrow," Luke said as he set Lorelai's plate in front of her.

"Why?"

"I'm gonna be closed tomorrow, that's all," Luke informed her and started walking away.

Lorelai took a longing look at her lunch, because she was hungry, but got up and trailed Luke between the tables, behind the counter and into the kitchen. "You're never closed," she pointed out.

"Yeah, well, it's time then, isn't it?" Luke said, busying himself cleaning some obscure piece of kitchen equipment.

"Is something wrong?" Lorelai asked.

"You never quit, do you?"

"Then is something right?" she asked with a smile. Luke refused to answer. "Hey, I could be eating my dinner."

"Then go eat," Luke said, and he sounded like he was getting very irritated.

"No," Lorelai told him. "I wanna know what's going on."

"I have to go do something."

"Something like go to the beach?" Lorelai inquired.

"No. Now get out of here, you're not supposed to be back here," Luke told her. He took a step forward to shoo her away, but she didn't budge.

"I'll find out," Lorelai told him. "I have ways. I'll wear you down. Chinese water torture, bamboo shoots, they're nothing compared to what I've got."

"What have you got?" Luke asked her, still trying to get her out of the kitchen.

Lorelai frowned. "You're really not going to tell me?"

Luke shook his head.

Lorelai shrugged and went back to her burger, but suddenly she wasn't hungry. Why would Luke go to all the trouble of telling her there was something he wasn't going to tell her? He hadn't told any of the other people. He hadn't put a sign on the door saying he was going to be closed.

Rory came in dragging a book bag so full she could barely manage it. She kicked it under the table and sat down. "Where's mine?" she asked, taking one of Lorelai's french fries.

"I started without you," Lorelai told her.

"That's rude." Rory took another handful of french fries and shoved them into her mouth.

Lorelai kicked the book bag under the table. It was solid. "They're multiplying."

"They do that," Rory said matter of factly.

"Big test?" Lorelai inquired.

"Nope, just homework," Rory answered. "But that's boring. Tell me about your day."

Before Lorelai could reply, Luke appeared. "I have to go to the hospital," he said, then noticed Rory sitting there. "Hi Rory."

"Hi," Rory replied, looking at Luke strangely.

"Right now?" Lorelai asked. "Are you okay?"

"Tomorrow. That's why the place is gonna be closed," Luke informed her. "Are you happy now?"

"Of course I'm not happy. Are you all right?" Lorelai asked. "I mean, it's nothing serious?"

"If you can consider giving doctors the opportunity to kill me nothing serious, it's nothing serious," Luke said. "You want the usual?" he asked Rory.

"Yes, please," Rory replied.

"Good," Luke said, making a note on his order pad and stomping away.

"That was not normal," Lorelai stated, watching him go and then looking to Rory.

"No one in this town is normal," Rory reminded her.

"But that's why we like it," Lorelai reminded her. "It's like living in a sitcom."

"Only there's no laugh track," Rory pointed out.

"Wouldn't that be creepy," Lorelai agreed. "We could bring it up at the town council. I think the meeting's next week. They could put in speakers --"

Luke returned with Rory's meal. "You need anything else?" he asked.

"What are you going to do at the hospital?" Lorelai asked him.

"Ketchup?" Luke asked Rory.

Rory picked up the bottle on the table. "No, thanks." She shook it, took off the cap, and poured some on her fries. Luke turned away with a groan.

"What's the matter, can't stand the site of ketchup?" Lorelai asked him.

Luke glared.

"I want to know what is up with you," Lorelai said. "We're your friends, we're concerned."

"It's nothing to be concerned about," Luke told her, and walked away.

Lorelai watched him go, then groaned and put her head into her hands. "Argh." She could feel the curious look Rory was shooting in her direction, so she straightened up and set her coffee mug aside. "It's empty," she said, as though that would explain everything.

But Rory was used to it. "I got an A on my history paper," she offered.

"That's great," Lorelai smiled.

"I think it's getting easier," Rory continued.

"And just think of the muscles you're building carrying around the entire Chilton library," Lorelai pointed out, kicking the book bag again.

"It does a body good," Rory said. She picked up her burger and then put it back down. Lorelai looked at her. "I think Luke was in a hurry when he made this." She pulled off the cold bun and exposed the uncooked patty. "You think he's okay?"

"I don't know," Lorelai said, frowning now. "You want mine?" She pushed her plate toward Rory, who looked at it a moment and then shook her head. "I have to get back to the library anyway."

"You just got here!" Lorelai cried, but Rory had already hoisted her book bag and stopped to wave before pushing open the door and leaving the diner.

Luke was standing behind the counter. Lorelai walked over.

"Something's wrong," Lorelai said.

"Here. All the coffee you want. Take the whole pot," he told her.

"Luke," Lorelai said sharply. "You hate hospitals. You would never go to one if you didn't absolutely have to."

"It's embarrassing," Luke admitted.

"Luke," Lorelai said, in her I'm-a-mom tone as though he was two years old.

Luke glanced at her, then fixed his eyes on the counter. "I have to have surgery. Minor surgery. Nothing to make a big deal about. It's nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"You look like you're going to pass out," Lorelai told him.

"Because you're scaring me."

"That's bullshoes and you know it," Lorelai said.

"Did you just say 'bullshoes'?" Luke inquired.

Lorelai ignored the question. "Talking about it might make you feel better instead of bottling it up inside and waiting to burst out everywhere."

"It already did," Luke told her.

"What did?" Lorelai asked.

"My hernia. I have to have hernia surgery, okay? Now take your coffee and go away," Luke said, once again pushing the coffeepot toward her.

"Oh, Luke, I'm sorry," Lorelai said, but she undermined her words by poking him in the stomach like he was the Pillsbury dough boy.

"That's not where it is," Luke told her, straightfaced. "And if you try to poke me there, I'll have to hurt you."

Lorelai nodded. "You want company?"

"No."

"You want me to bring Sookie and watch the diner for you tomorrow?"

"God, no."

"You want a ride to the hospital?" Lorelai offered. Luke looked at her. He didn't say no. "What time do you want me to pick you up?"

"Lorelai, you don't have to do this."

"I want to," she told him. "You'd do the same for me. Come on, what time."

"Ten thirty?"

"I'll be here," Lorelai promised. "How much do I owe you?" She glanced back at the table.

"It's on me," Luke replied. She just looked at him. "Go on, before I change my mind."

Lorelai nodded and was on her way.

_ _ _

Lorelai looked at her watch as she stood outside the door to Luke's closed diner the next day at ten thirty five. Wondering if he'd ditched her, she went around back, but his beat-up truck was still there, which meant Luke was still there. Lorelai walked backward, looking at the windows up above the diner.

"What are you doing?" Luke appeared behind her.

"Finding a rock to throw at your window like in old movies. What took you so long?" Lorelai asked. Luke walked past her and put his key in the lock. "What are you doing?"

"I'm opening the diner. You hungry?"

"Luke --"

"I changed my mind."

"Chickened out is more like it," Lorelai said.

"You got no right to say that," Luke pointed at her angrily. Then he dropped his finger and his shoulders sagged.

"Bawk-bawk!" Lorelai made chicken noises at him.

"Stop."

Lorelai started flapping her arms like they were wings and pecking around in a circle.

"Fine," Luke said, slamming the door to the diner and locking it again.

"Good," Lorelai replied, dropping the chicken act and heading for the Jeep. Luke got in on the passenger side and fastened his seat belt, looking very pale. "You're very brave."

"I'm a total wuss," Luke informed her. "Drive."

Lorelai saluted and pulled out of her parking space.

"You're driving too fast," Luke told her.

"I'm going twenty-seven."

"Speed limit's 25," Luke pointed out. "This is a school zone."

Lorelai rolled her eyes and pointedly removed her foot from the gas until the speedometer fell to 25. She glanced at Luke as though to say: Happy now?

"I don't have to worry about doctors killing me the way you drive," Luke commented.

"This is a highway, Luke, if I drove 25 we'd die," Lorelai pointed out, calmly, just as she was driving -- calmly.

"I hate hospitals," Luke confessed.

"I know," Lorelai said as gently as she could. "Everything will be fine. People who work in hospitals are wonderful people. Who help sick people. When they're sick." It wasn't a very convincing argument. "When was the last time you heard about doctors operating on the wrong body part?"

"On the news last night," Luke informed her.

Lorelai closed her mouth.

"Turn around," Luke said. "I can't do this."

"You have to do this," Lorelai told him. "We're here."

"I told you you were driving too fast," Luke pointed out.

"Want me to come in with you?" Lorelai offered.

Luke shook his head, but didn't get out of the car. Lorelai pushed her door open and got out. "Where are you going?" Luke asked.

"To get a crowbar to pry you out of your seat," she replied. Very carefully, he removed his hand from where he'd been clutching the inside of the door. She opened the passenger side door and he looked at her, but didn't budge. "How long is this gonna take?"

"Twenty minutes. Maybe thirty. I don't know," Luke told her.

"I meant to get you out of the car," Lorelai said.

Luke got out. Lorelai shoved the door closed behind him and waited for him to move. "You're coming in with me?" he asked.

Lorelai nodded, and Luke almost managed to smile for a second before he realized what he was doing. "Somebody has to drive you home," she pointed out.

"Thanks, Lorelai," he said as though she surprised him.

"You're still not moving." She gave him a pat on the back and headed for the doors. A couple of steps later, she stopped and saw Luke still standing next to the Jeep. Lorelai walked back purposefully and looked him in the eye.

"I'm scared," he confessed.

"That's normal," she told him.

"I'm petrified."

"It's okay," she said, patting his hand and giving him a minute. "You ready?" Luke nodded and she took a step. He didn't come with her. "If you don't come with me, I'll tell Taylor my idea for installing a town laugh track," she threatened.

"You wouldn't."

She nodded. Luke started moving. Lorelai fell into step next to him. "I knew you could do it," she said.

"I hate hospitals," he told her.

"I know," she said. They were almost to the door.

"I'm such a baby," Luke apologized.

"That's okay," she said. The doors slid open and they walked inside. A blast of air conditioning hit them as they crossed the threshold, full of that patented hospital smell. Luke's knees buckled and Lorelai tried to hold him up. "I'll hold your hand," she told him.

"You'd do that for me?" Luke asked. She held out her hand and he grabbed it, hanging on for dear life as they wound through the hall to admissions.

A tall man in blue scrubs was standing by the desk, and he smiled when he saw Luke. "You managed to get him here," the doctor said to Lorelai.

"It wasn't easy," she confessed and looked teasingly at Luke, whose face was ghostly white. He swallowed hard. "You'd better sit down," Lorelai said to him quickly, pushing him toward the chairs along the wall. He took a gasping breath and put his head between his knees.

The doctor sat down on his other side and patted him on the back. "We talked about this, Luke," he said soothingly. "It's a simple procedure. I've performed it numerous times without complications. There's nothing to be concerned about." The doctor smiled comfortingly at Lorelai, since Luke's head was still down. "Now do you think you can do this?"

"She said she'd hold my hand," Luke told the doctor.

The man blanched at the notion, but recovered quickly. "That's highly unusual -" He looked nervously to Lorelai, then at Luke, who was beginning to add a layer of stubborn over his pallor of deathly ill. "I suppose we could arrange something -- if it would help keep you calm," the doctor offered.

Lorelai opened her mouth to protest, but the doctor had already gotten up to arrange it. Luke turned and looked at her. "You don't mind?"

"I had nothing else to do today," she told him. "Besides, might make for some interesting scenery."

"Oh, God," Luke cried like he was going to be sick and put his head down again.

She stroked the back of his neck the way she did Rory when she was sick. "It's going to be okay."

"I almost want to believe you."

"I've never lied to you before," Lorelai promised him.

"Thank you," Luke offered as the doctor approached.

"You're not going to let go, are you?" Lorelai asked.

"Not on your life."

_ _ _

Luke slumped against the window on the drive back to the diner. Lorelai wasn't sure if he was in pain or embarrassed or just exhausted. He didn't complain about her driving, and she resisted the urge to try to cheer him up. Silence lay between them like the gulf between twin beds in a 1950s married couples' bedroom until she parked on the street in Stars Hollow.

"You gonna be okay?" she asked.

Luke groaned something that sounded more like 'yes' than 'no' and pushed himself out of the car. Lorelai got out to see if he needed help with anything. "Thanks," he told her, not meeting her eyes.

"You in pain?" she asked.

He shook his head. "How's your hand?"

"It'll recover." She looked down at the spreading purple bruise in the shape of Luke's fingers.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said.

"I don't know what I was thinking."

"You're afraid. I understand that. I wish someone had been holding my hand when Rory was born," Lorelai told him.

Luke frowned. "You were alone?"

"If you can call four nurses and a doctor with his hand up my you-know alone," Lorelai replied. Luke looked at her strangely. "What?" she demanded.

He shook his head. "Nothing." He avoided her eyes, then looked at her. "You're the bravest woman I've ever met."

He was so serious, staring deep into her eyes, that Lorelai's mouth went dry. She didn't know what to say. So she played it off. "That's the drugs talking, slugger," she teased. "Take it easy."

"I will," Luke promised.

Lorelai nodded and headed back to the car.

"Lorelai," Luke said suddenly. She looked up, thinking he needed help. "I love you."

"Definitely the drugs talking, pal," Lorelai informed him and got in the car. She sat there, watching to make sure he got inside okay. Then she sat there another moment, thinking about what a weird thing that was for him to say. And wondering if he'd meant it, maybe just a little. "Nah," she decided, and drove off down the street.

- end -

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