MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

PS. I redid the ending of this chapter because I didn't like the way it ended. The storyline's the same, though!

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed: gilmorgal669, klm111a, girldevil, Lexie, mandie, CaffineLFNDGG, Sarah V, swt cheerleader, myra.

Note to 'Not Telling': Yes, I do know that Chad Michael Murray left Gilmore Girls and will not come back, thus there cannot be any trory action. I'm not dumb y'know… but a girl can dream, right?

Chapter 3

It was Rory's first time at chemotherapy. The night before she couldn't sleep properly, she was always turning and tossing, worrying about the day ahead of her. However, her husband ran his fingers through her hair, whispering soothing words which he knew would calm her. Eventually, it did and she fell asleep.

The gown that she had to put on was paper thin, and she was freezing. She was worried and scared that something would go wrong. Thank god Tristan was with her. Although he couldn't actually go into the radioactive room with her, it was a comfort that she knew he was outside, waiting for her.

After her first session of chemotherapy, Rory was amazed at how easy it went. It didn't really hurt her; she just felt a fleeting sensation of pain and then, nothing. It was made a lot easier for her by knowing that two of the people she were most closest to in the world was outside, waiting for her. She has to go through three chemotherapy sessions a week.

Tristan was pacing back and forth outside the room. His little angel was stuck in that room, being ravaged by god-knows-what and he could do nothing about it. He was just human after all. He couldn't take away the pain that he knew she must have felt, or take her place. All that he could do was wait. And hope for the best.

Her first month of chemotherapy had just gone by. The best news of all was that Rory is getting better. As a matter of fact, her cancer was almost gone. Almost. Now all she had to do was surgery, which was freaking the hell out of her.

Lane was sitting cross-legged on the patchwork quilt, and answering the questions that her nervous patient, Rory Dugrey, was firing at her. It was just like the time when they were sixteen, young, and naïve, but different it it's own way. This time, the decisions that they were facing were life changing and there are no second chances, unless you make them for yourself.

"Lane, are you positive that I can walk around eventually after the operation?" asked Rory nervously.

Lane looked at Rory as if she had grown another head. "Yes, Rory."

Rory bit her lip, trying to think of a way of rephrasing her question so that Lane did not think she was a total idiot. "I can… I can still drink coffee, right?" She paused, then began on a tirade that made the Gilmore girls famous. "I mean, some snotty doctor might forbid me to drink coffee because I've already drank too much, or maybe someone's discovered that coffee rots the inside of your body so I might slowly die without knowing anything. If I can't have coffee, I might as well die anyway. It'll my fountain of youth, I'm forever young because of the amounts of caffeine I take in. Oh no, what if he forces me to take decaf?"

A serious look came over Lane's face. "Ah, that's the thing y'see… I don't think you can drink any coffee after that."

A stricken look came over Rory's striking features, and she moaned. "My life is over."

Lane jumped up on the bed, taking along a bolster with her. She started to hit Rory with it, laughing gleefully whilst she did so. "Of course you can drink your elixir of life, doofus."

The operation was successful; it took Rory Dugrey only a week and a half to recover fully from it. It helped a bit that the hospital room she stayed in was constantly overflowing with get-well cards and bouquets of flowers that brightened up the normally dreary room. Rory and Tristan Dugrey were informed that they could have children, and they were only too happy to make up for lost time.

~***~

2 months later

Lane sat in her chair, staring at the figure in the patient's seat.

"I didn't really want to come here, but I was forced to because Tristan thought I must be sick," whined Rory. "I was onto this really hot scoop as well, but did he listen? No. Men, they are all alike."

Lane nodded, not really listening to the never-ending chatter. "So, what happened?"

"Nothing, I kept on puking in the mornings the last few days. That's all…"

A look of understanding dawned on Lane's face. "Anything else that seems abnormal to you?"

Rory thought hard, and then said," Well, I had this weird craving for pickles the other day." She paused. "And you know how much I hate pickles, the taste just puts me off."

Lane smiled. "Okay, Ror. Just do this test, and hand the stick back to me afterwards. The instructions are on the piece of paper."

She handed Rory a blank box, and Rory went inside the toilet to do the test. A few minutes later, Rory came out and handed Lane the stick.

Lane glanced down at the stick and gave her verdict. "Well, Rory. You're pregnant!"

Rory jumped up excitedly. "Oh my god, you know how much I wanted this to happen! I have to call Tristan, he'll be over the moon." She paused, then sat down again. "Oh yeah, I forgot, he's in a very important meeting so I can't disturb him."

Lane nodded towards her phone and nudged it over to Rory's direction. "Well… there's always Luke and Lorelai, Jess and Paris, and your grandparents to call."

Rory nodded, and reached out to pick up the phone. Before she did so, she asked Lane a question.

"I know that this is a hospital and all… but do you have any pickles?"

~***~

3 months later

Rory and Tristan Dugrey had moved out of their penthouse apartment, into a double story house with 6 bedrooms that seemed more appropriate for a nuclear family. They had also hired a maid, whose name was Gina. It was the weekend, and the both of them had worked hard to furnish and perfecting the house for their coming child.

Rory sat down on an armchair, out of breath. She was dusting the house. She had been feeling pains in her lower abdomen, she knew that it must be a bad sign. She could tell that she was hyperventilating. She tried to remember all that she had learned from the yoga classes she had taken, but couldn't remember much as Lorelai and her had quit after the second class. Breathe in, breathe out… She didn't want to disturb Tristan. After all, it could just be a false scare.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tristan come into the house for a glass of water. He had been out in the garden, fixing the awning and planting some new trees.

Rory muttered," Tristan…"

Tristan turned around, only to see Rory writhing on the armchair she was sitting on. He ran over to her.

"Are you alright?"

Rory forced herself to nod. She was only four months pregnant; the baby couldn't come out yet, right…? She glanced down, and stared in shock at the sight before her.

She was bleeding, and she felt quite certain that her water had broken. Tristan followed her gaze, and immediately lifted her into his arms.

"Okay, we're making our way to the hospital. Don't worry." He got her into the car, and he started driving.

Rory choked out," Tristan, I…"

And that was the moment she collapsed.

To be continued… REVIEW PLEASE!!!