a/n: I hope you guys don't think this whole story line is over done. Sorry, but I was always kinda planning on doing this. I hope you enjoy this chapter even though it is a little short.
oh, and sorry it took me so long to update. for the next week or so i won't be updating as regularly as i usually do (usually a chapter a day.) so i posted two today to try to make up for it. sorry!
Disclaimer: I don't own gg or the characters on gg. Only little bess and she's gone. I'm just evil aren't I?
Chapter eighteen: Empty Inside
Tristan lay there in shock. His little girl was gone. Bess was gone before he had even had the chance to meet her.
"The police officer that questioned you when you regained consciousness in the car said that the car that ran through the red light and hit you was driven by a drunk driver. He had some insane level of alcohol in his system, I don't remember the number. God, some people are just so fucking stupid. Who the fuck is drunk at six in the evening?"
Lorelai was crying in the chair by his bed, and Tristan was lying there staring at the wall. He was too emotional for tears.
There was a knock on the door and Luke entered carrying two cups of coffee.
"Hey," he said to Tristan awkwardly. "How are you doing?"
"I feel like absolute shit," he said.
"I guess that was a stupid question," Luke answered. "Is she okay?"
Tristan looked over at Lorelai who was still sobbing in her chair. She hadn't noticed that Luke had come in and that he was rubbing her back comfortingly.
"I don't think any of us are," Tristan answered.
Luke nodded in response. "Lor, I have coffee."
"I don't want any."
"You haven't slept in two days. Please drink some."
She just shook her head.
There was another knock on the door and a doctor dressed in a clean white lab coat stepped into the room.
"Ah. I'm very glad to see you awake Mr. Dugrey. I'm Dr. Caldwell." He turned to Luke and Lorelai. "If you would all give us some privacy, I'd like to review Mr. Dugrey's case with him," the doctor said to Luke and Lorelai.
"They can stay."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"You suffered a rather severe concussion, but now that you're awake you should be fine. We already ran tests on you, and the results have returned positive. Your leg is broken in four places, so you'll have to keep off your feet for a while. We're going to keep you in the hospital for a couple more days due to the severity of you concussion. It's just a precaution. You should be free to leave by Friday."
Tristan nodded.
There was a third knock on the door, and a nurse entered. "Miss Gilmore, your daughter is awake."
Lorelai sprang up from her chair, wiping her eyes. "Is she okay?"
"She's asking for you and Mr. Dugrey."
"He shouldn't leave his room," Dr. Caldwell answered.
"Please sir," Tristan said, trying to sit up. "I need to see her after everything that's happened."
"You need to stay in bed."
"She's everything to me. I need her."
The doctor sighed and nodded. "Nurse, please help Mr. Dugrey into a wheelchair. No more than ten minutes."
Tristan thanked him as Luke and the nurse helped him into the wheelchair. Rory's room was just down the hall from his. The short trip down the hallway filled Tristan's ears with the sounds of monitors and machines. They were obviously in a hall full of people in critical conditions.
Lorelai opened the door and the small group entered Rory's room. She was lying in her bed looking very small and pale. She was attached to an IV and there were half a dozen machines around her bed. Chris was sitting at her bed holding her hand protectively.
"Tris," she whispered. The nurse wheeled him to her bedside, opposite her father.
"I'm here Mare," he said, taking her hand.
Lorelai walked up to her bed and kissed her forehead. "Hi honey. You had me worried kiddo. Thank God you woke up."
She smiled weakly at her mom, but her eyes were full of sadness. "Can I talk to Tristan for a minute?"
Lorelai nodded, stroking her daughter's forehead. "We'll be right out in the hall."
She nodded and watched as her parents and Luke left the room, closing the door behind them.
"You don't look too good," she told Tristan.
"You don't look so good yourself."
"She's gone isn't she?"
Tristan nodded sadly. "Yah. Our little girl is gone."
Rory drew in a shaky breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them tears were sliding down her cheeks. "I feel so empty," she whispered.
Tristan stroked her hand with his thumb, wishing he could take her in his arms and hold her. But he was completely immobilized. "I do too Ror. I do too."
When Lorelai looked in on them several minutes later she saw them both crying together. Lorelai closed the door, knowing it was best to leave them to their grief.
