Chapter 28
A month had passed since Tristan had asked Rory. She enjoyed having him there for her. She felt more secure. He was always there. He got her lunch at school; he carried her books to class; he went out at ten at night on weekends to buy rocky road ice cream. The wild Tristan had been tamed by Rory Gilmore.
"Ok, listen Tristan, there is an obvious difference between these two types of rock music…" Lane held two CD's out in front of her. Tristan had made a simple comment about how all rock-in-roll sounded the same, which had sent Lane on a rampage. She had retrieved various CD's from Rory's collection and been talking for ten minutes on the various styles, genres, and backgrounds of rock-in-roll.
"Watch out, you got her started." Lorelai put in as she watched in amusement from an adjacent armchair.
"Lane, I respect your opinion, but I just don't see the difference." Tristan retorted.
"What? How can you say that, Tristan. Look…"
"Aaahhh!" Rory yelped loudly. She was sitting next to Tristan on the couch. She had offered few words of support for either side.
"Rory?" Lane turned her head in surprise. She had gotten caught up in her dispute. She had spent many hours of her life arguing the exact conversation, and she never got tired of it. She had to protect her passion.
"Aaahhh!" Rory repeated.
Lorelai had realized the cry was one of pain and jumped from her seat and approached her daughter.
"Rory? Babe, what is it?"
"Pain!" she cried out.
"What kind of pain?" Lorelai asked, attempting to examine the situation.
"Oh don't know, really bad pain. I, I think it might be the baby! Aahh!"
"But you're only seven months along!" Tristan said with a slight tone of fear.
"That doesn't mean the baby isn't coming." Lorelai said.
"Ok, Tristan, help me escort Rory to the car. We're going to get Rory to the hospital. Lane, grab me my purse and phone, and the number of Rory's doctor. It should be right by the phone. Can you call everyone and tell them what's going on when we leave?"
"Yeah, no problem." Lane moved toward the kitchen to retrieve the requested items.
Tristan and Lorelai helped Rory to her feet and out of the house. The pain was intense, but she managed to get into the backseat of the car and lie down.
"Tristan, do you think you can drive?" Lorelai asked. "I don't know if I can drive right now."
"Sure, no problem."
Lane exited the house with Lorelai's things, and the three sped down the street toward the hospital.
Lane entered the house again and began her task.
"Hello Luke, yeah, this is Lane. Lorelai just left with Rory and Tristan for the hospital. She was having some bad pains, and they think it might have been labor pains. Yeah, I know she's only seven months. Luke, do you think you can pick me up before you leave for the hospital, I'd like to be there for my best friend. Ok, thank you."
Lane returned the phone to the receiver and quickly searched for the other appropriate numbers. After quickly phoning the Gilmore's and Rory's father, she waited anxiously for Luke.
A knock came at the door, and Lane quickly answered it.
"Hi Luke, thanks for picking me up. Lorelai, Rory, and Tristan sped out of here so quickly."
"I don't blame them. Did Rory seem ok?" It was apparent Luke was just as if not more anxious. Over the last several months he was beginning to feel more and more like her dad. He cared for Rory as if she was his own daughter.
"Yeah, but she was definitely in pain."
"Ok, let's go."
The two quickly jumped into Luke's truck and sped down the deserted Stars Hollow street.
The two pulled up in front of the hospital and sprinted inside.
"Yes, um, we're looking for Rory Gilmore. She went into labor?" Luke asked the woman behind the main desk between pants.
"Yes, go up to floor five."
"Thank you," he yelled behind him and he began to jog again. Lane followed quickly behind.
They stepped off the elevator and onto the sixth floor. They approached yet again, another desk.
"Yes, we're looking for Rory Gilmore."
"Yes, the doctor was just examining her. If you take a seat in the waiting room, I'll let her and her mom know you are here."
"Thanks"
Luke and Lane slumped down into two adjacent chairs in the small waiting room.
"I can't believe this is happening." Lane said, breaking the silence. "I mean, I knew she was pregnant and was going to have a baby, but I guess I never fully digested it."
"I know exactly what you mean. Its so surreal."
"Luke," Lorelai said. She had just come from an adjacent hallway.
"How's she doing?"
"She's doing ok. She is in labor. The doctor said she probably went into labor prematurely because of her age, and the stress, and all that, but it isn't too early so there's no reason to try to stop it. Besides, she's already too far along for that. She's still n the very early stages, it'll probably be many more hours, but this is it."
"Wow!" was all Luke had to offer.
"This is it?" Lane asked.
"Yep, this is it."
A/N:
Wow, this is it, the story is coming to an end very soon. I just want to thank everyone for all the amazing reviews. I never would have thought so many people would respond to it. Please check out my new stuff.
