A/n: okay, this one is kinda long and really all over the place. and about sixteen, i will probably be rewriting it because i agree with the rest of you, it wasn't really that great. it was born out of writers block and we all know we should just take the day off when i can't think of anything to write. so anyway, the beginning of this kinda sucks, but just keep reading, you'll need to.
disclaimer: we all know gg isn't mine
chapter seventeen: The Accident
Rory walked into the house and set her books down on the coffee table. "I'm home!" she cried.
"In here," Tristan yelled. Rory followed his voice to the kitchen. "How was the first day back?" he asked.
"Long," Rory replied, sitting down at the bar stools at the counter.
"Are your professors okay?"
"Yah. Both of them were kind of young. But I still have three more classes tomorrow, so we'll see." She stopped talking and sniffed. "Are you cooking something?"
"A little dinner for the brilliant scholar."
"You don't have school until next week."
"Shut up, I was talking about you."
Rory laughed. "So what are we having?"
"Lasagna and garlic bread."
"When did you learn how to cook?"
"I didn't. It's take-out that's staying warm in the oven."
Rory laughed again. It had been a few days since Tristan's confession and they had been acting like it had never happened, like they were now. They were back to being friends.
"You know, Paris offered to move in with us and become a nanny," Rory told him as she picked at the salad Tristan was making.
"What did you tell her?" he asked, momentarily forgetting he was in the middle of cutting up a tomato.
"No. I think the house would be a bit too crowded with the three of us and the baby."
"Thank God," Tristan said, resuming his work.
"But I did tell her she can be Godmother."
Tristan stared at her. "You're serious?"
"Paris has done so much for me," Rory insisted.
"Fine. But then I get to pick the Godfather."
"That's fine with me. Who's it gonna be?"
"I can't think of anyone annoying now, I'll get back to you on that."
"Tristan!"
"Foods ready," he said, changing subjects. "The table is buried under boxes, do you want to eat in the living room?"
Rory agreed and they ate on the couch. After channel checking for a few minutes they settled down on a movie channel that was playing the movie She's All That.
"Must we always watch chick shit?" Tristan asked.
"Come on, this movie is right up your alley. It's about a popular guy."
"How is this right up my alley?"
"I don't know. Just watch it with me."
He sighed and put the empty plates down on the coffee table, knowing that she had won, knowing that he would always let her win. He settled back into a corner of the couch, leaving enough space for Rory on the other end. But Rory scooted over and snuggled up against him, catching Tristan by surprise. As she settled against him, Tristan's hands automatically found their way to her stomach. He absentmindedly began to stroke her soft belly that was only just beginning to grow.
Rory lay there, more comfortable than she had been in a long time. She didn't know what had possessed her to lie against him. Maybe it was the conversation she had had with Paris the other day about her having feelings towards Tristan. Maybe it was just a longing to be held and comforted. Suddenly a wave of guilt came over her. Here she was, lying in Tristan's arms. She felt like an absolute tease. Not three days ago she told him she didn't like him in that way. And now here she was in his arms.
Tristan didn't care what had motivated Rory to move into his arms. All he cared was that she was there, and that was a start.
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"You have to tell me."
"You said you didn't want to know," Rory insisted.
"No I didn't."
"You told me that it would be fun to do it the old fashioned way and not find out the sex of the baby until its born."
"Okay, maybe I did, but I changed my mind. Ror, you know. You can't keep it from me."
Rory changed the radio station and settled back into the passenger seat. Tristan was driving them home from a doctor's appointment where Rory had a sonogram.
"Fine. We're having either a boy or a girl."
"Very specific Ror."
"Thank you."
"Please tell me."
"Are you sure you want to know?"
"A hundred percent positive," Tristan replied.
"We're having a girl."
"A girl!" Tristan cried excitedly. He stole a quick look at Rory who was smiling excitedly. He turned back to the road. "Another Gilmore girl," he said.
"Another Lorelai."
"We're not naming her Lorelai."
"Why not?"
"I think the world is having enough problems handling two Lorelai Gilmores. A third would be catastrophic."
Rory smiled. "Then what are we going to name her Mr. Smartypants?"
"Tristina," he replied, smirking.
Rory laughed. "Tristina? What kind of name is that?"
"A damn good one."
She snorted. "I'm kind of thinking about the name Elizabeth."
"Elizabeth," he said, testing the name out. "Elizabeth… could we call her Bess?"
"I love it," Rory said.
He smiled. "Well, welcome to the world Bess." he reached out and patted Rory's stomach. "Geez you're getting big."
"Thank you," Rory said sarcastically.
"That's a good thing."
He put his hands back on the steering wheel. "What do you want for dinner?"
"Soft serve peach ice cream."
"You're kidding me."
"Nope."
"Rory, it's November. It's pouring rain. You can't possibly want ice cream."
"Yah I do. Please? Baby Bess wants ice cream."
"Well, when you put it that way. Anything for Daddy's little girl."
Rory laughed triumphantly, but quickly changed it to a scream.
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Tristan opened his eyes and groaned. His head has throbbing. His eyes came into focus and he saw bright blue and red lights flashing around, illuminating the dark street. He looked around. He was sitting in his car, or what he assumed used to be his car. The windshield was shattered and all he could see outside the car was smoke rising from the hood, illuminated by the flashing lights. He turned his head to see Rory beside him, trapped between twisted metal. She was unconscious and covered in blood.
He tried to move, tried to get to her. Pain shot through his right leg and his head.
"Sit still sir," came a voice. "We'll get you out of here in just a second."
"My fiancee," Tristan said to the voice he couldn't identify. "My fiancee's pregnant and she's losing a lot of blood."
"I know sir. We're trying to get her out as we speak. Can you tell me, have you been drinking at all this evening?"
Drinking? The man thought he was drunk. He would never put Rory and Bess at risk like that.
"No. No, of course I haven't."
"Were you drinking earlier today?"
"I haven't had a drink in months," he answered honestly.
"Thank you sir."
"Please, help Rory and Bess," he said weakly. He felt like he was floating on a cloud.
"We're doing all that we can sir."
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Tristan opened his eyes and groaned. His head was pounding. He was staring up into bright lights.
"Morning Sleepyhead," came a voice from the side of his bed. Tristan turned his head.
"Lorelai?"
"Hey hon."
He looked around. He was lying in a hospital room. But how had he gotten there? He remembered the flashing lights, the man, Rory covered in blood- Rory.
"How is she?" he asked frantically, trying to sit up.
Lorelai stood up and gently pushed him back against the bed. "She's doing fine. Her father Chris is with her."
"Lorelai, I was there. I saw her. Please tell me the truth."
She looked at the pained expression on his face and sighed. "She lost an awful lot of blood. She's still unconscious."
"Still? What do you mean still? How long has it been?"
"Two days."
"Two days?" he whispered to himself. "But I-"
"You have a pretty bad concussion," Lorelai answered, stroking his bandaged head gently.
"Is Bess okay?"
"Bess?" Lorelai asked, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Our baby," he answered hastily, remembering Lorelai didn't know the baby had a name.
Lorelai closed her eyes and sat back in her chair, sighing. "God, there's no easy way to tell you this. Tristan, honey, Bess…Bess is gone."
a/n: review please
