Chapter 5: ER (emergency room)

Rory opened the door and let the ambulance officers in.

"Where's the boy?" The woman asked kindly.

"He's right there." Rory pointed to Tristan, who was still lying on the floor.

The woman knelt down next to Tristan and checked for breathing and his pulse rate, while the second officer asked for the details.

"So what happened here?" The 2nd officer questioned.

"He was chasing after my friend and he lost his footing." Paris explained. "He blacked out pretty much straight away."

The 1st woman stood up and consulted her colleaque in a fairly long discussion.

"Well he's stable at the moment so we're gonna take him to the hospital."The 1st officer reported.

"What's wrong with him?" Paris queried.

"He's broken his ankle."

"And that caused him to black out did it?"

"No. When he fell he seems to have hit his head and caused a concussion. Um, well is anyone going to accompany him in the ambulance or do you want to just follow on?"

Paris turned to Rory.

"Rory, do you wanna go with Tristan in the ambulance?"

"Um, no. I think I'll follow on in the Jeep."

"In that case I'll go with him then." Paris told the ambulance officer.

"Well, we'll get going then." The ambulance officers placed Tristan on a stretcher and carried him out to the ambulance.

"Could you ring his parents for me?" Paris requested.

"Sure. What's their number?"

"I don't know it off by heart, so look them up in the address book by the phone in the living room. You'd better ring your Mum as well and let her know you'll be home late."

"Um, I don't think I bother."

"But she won't know where you are."

"It'll be alright."

"Rory, is there something going on between you and your Mum?"

"No we're fine. I just don't think I need to."

Just then they both heard the ambulance engine start and a voice call out to Paris.

"Suit yourself." Paris called out as she ran down the garden path.

"Don't worry I will." Rory muttered.

*********************************I hr later********************************

"Oh Paris!" A stylish blonde lady panted, "Where is my dear sweet son?"

Paris resisted the urge to giggle at the pet name Tristan's mother had given him.

"He's in bed No. 7."

"Thankyou." Mrs Dugrey responded and walked over to her son's bed.

Rory wandered up to the ER reception to rejoin Paris and keep her company.

"So that's the illusive Mrs Dugrey that everyone speaks so highly of." Rory commented.

"She's very different from her son you know."

"In what ways?"

"She's got neat hair, brown eyes and a lesser ego than Tristan."

"You left out nice, kind, good looking and sufferable."

"Um. maybe." Paris's good opinion of Tristan wouldn't allow her to talk of Tristan so.

"Ahhh, another Tristan fan hey?" Rory laughed.

"Me? That's ridiculous. I am most certainly not." Paris denied.

"So I guess you just wanted to ask him to the dance because he's your 'good friend'?"

"We're not even good friends Rory! Didn't you see me yell at him this afternoon?"

"Yeah whatever Paris. I've seen you staring at him before."

"I do not stare! Anyway, it's rude to stare." Rory tilted her head slightly higher and striaghtened her shirt.

"Oh come on Paris! I'm not blind!"

"Since when did you become the resident romance expert?"

"Admit it Paris! You like him." Rory teased.

"And you don't?" Paris mocked.

"Don't try and turn this conversation into one about me."

"I'm not blind either Rory, not that you really need to have eyesight to realise you to like each other so bad."

Rory didn't seem to notice what Paris was saying. Her eyes were drawn in the direction of the entrance to the hospital.

"What is it Rory?" Paris asked.

"How on earth did they find out?" Rory said in disbelief.

"Who?" Paris asked her, unable to follow Rory's chain of thought.

"Madeline and Louise."

"WHAT?" Paris exclaimed. "They're over there in the ER waiting room talking to someone I recognise from Chilton."

"Oh, that's Brett. He's like Tirstan's best friend."

"I can't believe they found out, and so quickly too."

"This is Hartford girl. It's the price you pay for being big on the social scene. News spreads like wild fire in this particular society."

"Sounds like Stars Hollow."

"So did you ring your Mum in the end?"

"Nup."

"It's 9pm Rory. She's bound to be worried so don't tell me that you think it'll be all right, because it won't. I dunno what's going on between you two, but I think this should be more important to the both of you."

"Fine. Where's the pay phone?"

"Round the corner near the toilets."

"Thanx."

"Oh crud! Here they come." Rory thought to herself as Madeline and Louise ran up to her.

"So how is he?" Louise enquired, "Is the poor guy alright?"

"Yes he's fine."

"What happened to him?" Madeline asked.

"He fell over and broke his ankle."

"And.?

"And what?"

"So what's going to happen? Is he gonna have it amputated or something?"

"He broke his ankle, falling over Madeline. He wasn't run over by a truck!"

"Sorry! No need to have a cow!"

"So what's going to happen to Tristan?" Louise questioned sensibly.

"He's going into surgery in about 30min. They're gonna put put a pin and plate in to set the bone right again and then they're gonna plaster it up."

"How long is he gonna be in here?"

"About a week."

"Now that is a shame. School's gonna be such hell without Tirstan around. No one to stare at or fantasise about." Madeline and Louise grinned at each other and broke out in giggles.

"You two are so imature sometimes."

Rory left Lousie and Madeline to get over their laughing fit and went to go make her phone call. She pulled her wallet out of her pocket and got out the right change. Rory put the phone to her ear and listened to the phone ring. Finally somebody picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi it's me, Rory."

"Rory! Are you alright?" Luke questioned.

"I'm fine. I just wanted to let you know that I won't be home for another hour or so."

"Where are you and where have you been?"

"I went to Paris's place to do some school work."

Suddenly Rory heard the phone drop to the floor and the sound of voices arguing.

"Rory!" an excited feminine voice exclaimed.

"Hi Mum."

"What happened?"

"I went to Paris's place to do some school work."

"Where are you now?"

"I'm at the hospital."

"Rory! What happened to you? Were you in a car crash, did Paris's roof cave in??"

"Tristan broke his ankle."

"Tristan? You, Tristan, hospital? Wo, wo, wo this doesn't sound good."

"Tristan's on the team for the Franklin. We were doing a story on the up coming inter school debate and he fell over and broke his ankle."

"You are there as well because.?"

"I just thought that since I'm kinda to blame I should come, to be polite and because I want to see how things go."

"But Rory I thougt-."

"Mum I don't wanna talk about this right now alright?"

"Ok then. So what time will you be home?"

"I told Luke I'd be home in an hour but I think I'll stay the night at Paris's, cause Tristan's gotta go in for surgery so I wanna see how thing go with that."

"Alright then. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah. Tell Jess I'm really sorry."

"Ok Babe. See ya, bye."

"Bye."

Rory put the phone back on the hook and walked back over to Paris.

"I was just thinking, why didn't you just use your cell phone" Paris asked.

"Never thought of that. Where are Madeline and Louise?"

"They were talking to Tristan's parents last time I saw them."

"I thought they'd be all over Tristan while they've practicly got him to themselves. It's not often they'll find themselves in that sorta position I'm sure."

"They've already done that."

"Oh."

Rory fiddled with her jacket zipper, zipping it up and down like a little kid.

"I think I'll just go say hello. I haven't done so yet." Rory said.

"Sure."

"Is he awake yet?"

"I think he woke up 10 minutes ago."

"Thanx."

Rory wandered over to bed no. 7 and opened up the curtains surrounding the bed. Behind the curtian Tristan was lying down in the hospital bed with his leg propped up and bandaged. Tristan looked up and saw Rory standing there in front of him. He suddenly felt anger build up inside him and before he knew it he was blurting out all sorts of things.

"What do you want now? I'm in hospital, I have a broken ankle, and I'm in pain. Would you like anything else? Want to make me suffer in any other way?"

"Fine then, be that way! I just came in to say sorry!" Rory turned and walked away.

"That obviously went well." Paris commented as a scowling Rory walked up to her.

"Yeah. It went real well."

"He's just annoyed you know."

"I know." But Rory knew she was lying.

"Once he's gotten over his annoyance, he'll finally decalre his love for you." Paris teased.

Rory just sighed.
Well once again, another chapter draws to another end. But there's always next time! :-)

~ME~