Life on the fast track.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own anything remotely close to Gilmore Girls!
I've written the present time in bold italics and the parts where Rory is telling them her story in normal style and that's all you have to know, so enjoy.
Ok here is the deal, I know nothing about having a baby expect for the basic like you go into labour, get ten centimetres dilated, push and have a baby, so all the hospital stuff that happens in the following chapter doesn't necessarily have anything to do with reality, so please bare with me.
Chapter 11
"OMG. How did Mr Cool himself handle that?", Paris asks curious.
"He didn't. He spent the following ten minutes running around like a chicken with its head cut off all the while I got my things together", Rory replies chuckling at the memory.
"Feeling obligated here to defend my gender I can understand why he freaked. This isn't something you blur out like that".
"Oh please, he was more than a willing participant in getting me that way besides he knew it was coming sooner or later"
"The key word here is later", Jess bites back.
"Just ignore him", Paris says swapping Jess lightly on the arm" How did you get to the hospital anyway? I mean with a whimsy husband and all".
"Thankfully my first contradiction brought him back to reality and he got his wits together enough to drive me there".
"Oh this I want to hear", Paris expectantly look at Rory wanting her to continue with the story.
After arriving at the hospital I got a single room, something I suspect had more to do with Tristan's last name than anything else. I quickly settled in and before I knew it I was resting in the bed dressed in one of those flattering hospital gowns watching Tristan pacing the room.
"Tris, will you stop pacing already, you're making me dizzy!"
"Sorry, it's just what is taking the damn doctor so long?"
"We have been waiting for five minutes, so just relax and sit down before I...OW"
Fast as lightning he is by my side.
"Are you ok? Should I get someone? Are you ok?"
"I'm fine. Really Tristan I'm just in the first stage of labour so if you don't calm down I most likely will strangle you before this is over or better yet castrate you".
"You're right, calming down".
The doctor chooses this precise moment to enter the room with a calm exterior even a smile playing on his lips.
"Hello Mrs Dugrey, my name is Doctor Robinson", he introduces himself as.
"It's Rory and where is my regular doctor?"
"She is unable to assist you today since you're a little bit early, so you're stuck with me".
"Is that a problem? I mean the baby being premature and Rory will she be…" Tristan rambles off.
"TRISTAN! What did we just talk about?"
"You Jane, Me Tarzan?", he tries.
I send him a death glare to which he puts his hands up in surrender.
"Ok, ok I'll calm down before you do any bodily harm to me".
"You were saying…", I turn my attention back to the doctor after being satisfied with Tristan's answer.
"I think I'll start with answering Mr Dugrey's question. You see from week 37 the baby has developed all the organs it needs to survive outside the uterus and since Rory here is 38 weeks along I don't see any reasons why you shouldn't have a perfectly healthy baby".
As soon as Dr Robinson has uttered those words I can visibly see how Tristan is relaxing, slumping down on the chair next to the bed.
"Now when that is out of the way, I need to ask you some questions".
"Fire away".
"When did your water broke?"
"About 30 minutes ago".
"Have you been clocking your contractions?"
"I've tried and they're roughly 5-10 minutes apart".
"What's your position on receiving epidural and other pain relief?"
"You got it I want it".
"Ok, I think that is all I need to know for now. So why don't we get this show on the road huh? First stop I want to exam you to see how dilated you are so I'll get a nurse in here so I can do just that. Ok?"
"Ok".
"Good then I'll go and chase down a nurse, be right back", the good doctor says before he temporarily leaves my room.
"And I'll go and call your mom to let her know what is going on", Tristan says starting to get up from the chair where he slumped down, but I stop him before he gets up.
"No, I do NOT need two hyper people in here. We'll call her when it's over".
"Ok and what about your dad waiting at the restaurant clueless?"
"Screw him".
"I rather not",
"Ha, ha OW!"
Another contraction hits me, this one stronger than the last one but thankfully it passes relatively fast and I'm riding it out as Dr Robinson re-enters accompanied by a nurse who introduces herself as Carol.
Hours later I'm breathing through another contraction and Dr Robinson has just finished yet another exam with the help of Carol.
"Well Rory I have good news, you have only four more centimetres to go and have entered the second phase".
"Good news! How is that good news! Huh? Huh?"
"Rory relax", Tristan sooths.
"You try and relax when someone is ripping your guts out".
My face once again is overcome by pain and Tristan tries to get me to stop snapping at every which one that happens to be in the close proximity of me by practising his Lamaze knowledge.
"Just breath through it, breathe".
"Will you shut the hell up!", I get out through gritted teeth.
Fortunately for him and me since I rather like my baby to meet its father, he stays quiet until the contraction in question is over.
"As I was saying you're six centimetres dilated so soon and can give you the epidural and within a couple of hours you should have your baby here", Dr Robinson says when he gets something in word wise.
"Thank God for small things". Tristan mutters under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing"
"Aha"
The doctor leaves us bickering away with a promise to be back in half an hour and Tristan then does something completely unexpected.
"Will you dance with me?", he asks offering me his hand.
"What now? You're crazy".
"Quite possible, now come on".
With a frown on my face I take his outstretched hand and follow him to a free space on the floor where he takes me in his arms and we stand rocking to some imaginary music.
"Ah me like".
Tristan smiles at my choice of words full well remembering our summer together.
"You know when the baby gets older we have to do that again":
"Yeah I can just see it now, a family vacation cross country on a motorcycle. No matter how free spirit my mom claims to be that would give her a stroke".
"I was thinking more along the lines of a car. And Rory?"
"Mmm".
"I'm sorry".
"For what?"
"Everything, getting caught while having sex, causing you problems but most of all for being responsible for getting you in the state you're now".
"Don't worry about it. It's not like I was an innocent bysTANDER!"
Yet another contraction rips through my body but this time Tristan helps by drawing circles with his fingers on my lower back, never stopping our movement despite the fact that I must have crushed some rips because I was clinging on to him real hard trying to get through the pain I was experiencing.
"To fast forward for your pleasure because I can see Jess there is nodding off. This tactic helped me with my pain and apparently also with the progress of it all because half and hour later I was 8 centimetres dilated and was given the heavenly relief called epidural. Let me tell you that have to be the best invention ever well after coffee. Anyway another half an hour passed and I was ready to push."
"Rory, you know you can skip the gory details."
"I know", Rory smiles a little, loving to see Jess sweat." To get back to the hospital room".
Much to Rory delight Jess, Mr Rebel with a cause, actual squirm under her stare as she drags out the story a little for her own personal pleasure.
Some time has passed since I got the epidural and I'm floating on clouds...well that would be pushing it a bit too far but at least I'm not snapping at everyone.
"Ok, Rory, you're now 10 centimetres open and we need to move you to the delivery room , so breathe for me the next contraction, do not I repeat do not push until I tell you so". Dr Robinson instructs me before wheeling me out in the corridor,
I nod and start panting the next moment from the heaviest contraction I've had all day long. Panting like a cat in heat I'm rolled into the delivery room, where the personnel hustle about to get in position and Tristan drags some of those green scrubs on.
"Rory, now you can push your heart away at your desire".
"Gee thanks. FUCK!"
"And push!"
I do as told pushing for all I'm worth but it feels like nothing happens.
"Keep going Mary, you doing a great work".
"Just for the record Dugrey, you are NOT coming near me again EVER!"
"Don't worry they say that all the time" Dr Robinson reassures him.
Before I can protest my treasury's body is handing me some more pain and I have to push before I exhausted fall back on the bed.
"I can see the head crowning, just give me one more push Rory, One more", Dr Robinson encourage me.
"I can't"
"Yes Mary, you can".
"No Tris, this is too much, I can't"
"Yes you can, you're doing great, just one more, ONE"
"You aren't going to stop bugging until I do huh?"
"Not a chance", he smiles at my stubbornness.
Barely has the words left his lips before yet another contraction rips through my body, so with his help I lift myself up to push one last time, squeezing his hand with some strength I didn't even now I had in me. It suddenly seems worthwhile when the room is filled with a baby's cry.
"It's a boy. Congratulations".
With a laugh I fall back on the bed with sweat dripping from my face.
"Is he alright?" I immediately ask.
"He is fine. You want to cut the umbilical cord, dad?"
"Sure", Tristan replies awe struck and leaves my side to take the pair of scissors from the doc and cut the cord before our baby boy is placed on my now bare chest finding his way to my breasts.
"He is so tiny", Tristan says taking his hand in his.
"What where you expecting Big Foot?"
"No, it just he is amazing, our little miracle".
"That he is, that he is"
"Oh and Mare?"
"Mmm", I answer absentminded all the hours of labour taking its tow on me.
"Talk about a perfect birthday present. I can honestly say I'll never forget this birthday or his".
We look lovingly at each other and share a kiss before returning our attention to the bundle of joy on my chest and suddenly I know without a doubt what our son's second name should be.
"Welcome to the world Shane Tristan Gilmore.
TBS