A/N: As much as I hate to say it this story must come to an end someday soon. But I am unsure of when it's going to be exactly. I've heard from most of my faithful readers who have done all but beg me to not let Audrey take the path that Lorelai and Liz took in life. Now I'm not going to say yes and I'm not going to say no all I am going to say is: Wait and see. Things in the Danes household need to have some happiness in it.
Anyway, I am so grateful for all my readers who love this story so much. I had no idea that when I started it so long ago that it would be this popular. Here we go. On with the show.
Chapter 52: The Day the World Came Crashing Down
The fall semester had been in session a month when Audrey, who had never been sick a day in her life, was out sick. She had woken up with a fever and was throwing up. Lorelai was concerned that the constant trips to and from New York for appearances after the pageant had finally taken their toll on Audrey. Ususally when Audery was sick she would only want mashed potatoes and chicken soup, just like her mom and sister, but that day all she wanted was Honey Nut Cherrios. What she found the most distrubing was that she hated Honey Nut Cherrios. Something wasn't right.
Audrey thought back to the times she and Ryan had been together. She remembered their first time in the treehouse last summer, beofre she became Miss America, before Holly died, before Tarah had gotten hurt. They had used protection but she wasn't so sure about the night before the pageant. Audrey was panicked. There was no way she could be pregnant. She was not sure if they had that night. Things had been so crazy that week.
The next day she felt better so she went to school. Halfway through second period she had to excuse herself because she felt her breakfast of Honey Nut Cherrios and bananas coming back up. Nothing tasted right to her. When she came out of the bathroom Ryan was waiting for her.
He had been doing that a lot lately. Waiting for Audrey to call, waiting for Audrey to get back from yet another appearance on the Today Show, plain just waiting for her. Things still weren't 100 percent for them after their fight in Atlantic City. But he was going to try everything he could to keep her. He loved Audrey and had resolved to stand by her no matter what happened.
"Audi, I know you haven't been feeling great these past few days," he said. "Baby, talk to me."
"I know. I have to talk to you, in private," she whispered.
They ducked into an empty classroom. Audrey was unable to look Ryan in the eye. She couldn't believe that this was happening to her. Her, Audrey Avery Danes, golden child of Stars Hollow. She was Miss America for God's sake. There is no way she could be pregnant. Could she be Miss America and a teen mom at the same time?
"Audrey, talk to me," Ryan said lifting her chin to make her look at him.
"I think I'm pregnant," she whispered.
"What? Are you sure?" he asked, not taking his eyes of hers.
"I've been sick. I'm craving Honey Nut Cherrios and I hate Honey Nut Cheerios. My body is trying to tell me something," Audrey said. "We have to tell my parents."
"When will you know for sure?" Ryan asked, turning away from her.
"I'll take the test at Tarah's this afternoon and I'll let you know," Audrey replied, trying to hide her fear and anexity.
"Audi something else is bothering you. Please, baby, talk to me."
Ryan sat down at a desk chair and pulled Audrey onto his lap. He played with a curl that had fallen in front of her face. He traced her features softly. A small tear escaped from Audrey's eye and ran down her cheek.
"How am I going to tell my parents?" she whispered. "Daddy's going to be so mad. I've let him down."
"You? Think about me, Audrey. I have to tell Luke Danes that I got his precious baby girl pregnant. There's going to be nothing left of me except for maybe a footprint," Ryan joked trying to lighten the mood.
"You'll go with me when I tell them right?" Audrey asked.
"I wouldn't let you go by yourself. We're going to be fine Audrey. I'm in this with you."
Ryan helped Audrey to stand and walked her out to her car. This was not how Audrey imagined her senior of high school. She wanted it to be perfect. Now she was in the same postion her mother and aunt had been in. She was a pregnant, unwed, teenage mom to be. She drove to the nearest drug store and stared at the several take home pregancy tests. She bought four and accepted the dirty looks from the sales lady. She drove over to Tarah's house and carried in the plain paper sack.
"Audrey what are you doing here?" Tarah asked.
"I need to take a test here," Audrey said quietly. "Please Tarah I can't go home yet."
"Audrey you once helped me out no questions asked until later and I'll return the favor. Come on in. Mom's not home yet," Tarah replied.
Tarah and Audrey went up to Tarah's room where Audrey went to the bathroom immediately. She shut the door and didn't come out for a long time.
"Oh no!" she heard a very distraught Audrey cry from behind the door. "No, no, no."
Tarah knocked softly on the door and opened it slightly. Sitting on the counter was four pregnancy tests. From what Tarah could see they were all positive. Audrey sat on the floor crying. Tarah went to her friend and eveloped her in her arms, in the same way that Audrey had so many days before. Audrey sobbed into her friend's shoulder. This was by far the worst thing that could have ever happened to Audrey Avery Danes.
"Audi, everything is going to be fine," Tarah said, trying to be supportive. "You love Ryan, he loves you. This is good."
"How am I going to tell my parents? I'm doing the same thing my aunt Liz and Mom did at my age. Both my aunt Liz and Mom got pregnant young and everything changed for them. Daddy's going to be so angry. I can't face him."
"Audrey you have to. You have to. The longer you put this off the harder it's going to be to tell him later on."
"I know that. Tarah I'm so scared. I never wanted this. I didn't want to be my mother."
Later that afternoon, after crying it all out on Tarah's shoulder she got in her car and drove over to Ryan's house. She parked next to his car and stared at the house that was so much like her grandmother's. How could she ruin Ryan's life like this? How could she make him have to becomea father? She walked up to the door and rang the bell.
"Hello there Miss Audrey," Maggie, the Turner's housekeeper said, answering the door. "Mr. Ryan is in the den. His Red Sox are playing."
"Thank you Maggie," Audrey replied.
Audrey made her way through the expansive house trying to figure out how she was going to tell Ryan that she was pregnant. She came into the den and saw Ryan's precious baseball team attempting to beat the Yankees. She let out a small sigh that caught his attention. He could see the sadness in her eyes. She did not have good news.
"Audrey? Are you ok?" he asked turning off the game.
"Nothing is ever going to be the same again," she whispered. "I'm so sorry Ryan."
"We'll figure it out, together. I'm in this with you." Ryan paused a second. "When are you going to tell Luke and Lorelai?"
"The sooner the better. If I wait too long and Daddy finds out from one of the blabber mouths in town it won't be pretty, for either one of us."
"But not until you know for sure. There's no need in upsetting them for no reason, right?" Ryan asked.
"I'll make an appointment at Planned Parenthood tomorrow and have a doctor check it out," Audrey said, going to the door. "I'll call you later. I love you Ryan."
Audrey left Ryan's house and made the drive home to the Hollow. As she drove she thought about all the ways the converstaion with her parents could go. She knew that her father would be angry, upset and about ten thousand other adjectives for angry. Lorelai would understand that mistakes and accidents can happen. She imagined the rumors that would fly around the school. She was just very glad that she and Andie were getting along or this could be a total nightmare. If she was pregnant she would have to contact the Miss America people and give back her crown. There was no way in good faith and integrity continue her regin as Miss America.
She arrived at the house and went right to her room. She wondered how on earth she was going to tell her parents if it were true. Lorelai knocked on her daughter's door and peeked her head in.
"Hey kiddo, is everything all right you didn't stop at the inn like you usually do after school," Lorelai said.
"I'm fine, I was studying with Tarah," Audrey replied. "I was thinking that umm, DADVSC could host a carnival here in town. Do you think I could Kirk to agree to it?"
"All you have to do is bat those Gilmore-Danes blue eyes in his direction and you can basically get Kirk to do anything. If it was Taylor still in charge of everything it would take weeks of begging and getting permits. It would be a total headache. I'll help in anyway I can."
Lorelai can tell that her daughter is withdrawn and not telling her something. She knew better than to push, because she remembered what happened so many years ago with Rory. Lorelai sat down on her daughter's bed and sighed.
"Audi, you'd tell me if anything was bothering you right?" Lorelai asked. "You can tell me anything."
"Mom, when did you know for sure that you were pregnant with me and Chip?" Audrey asked quietly.
"I don't really remember, Audrey. Why are you asking?"
"Please don't tell Daddy until I know for sure but I think I'm pregnant, Mom," Audrey whispered.
"Oh my God," Lorelai gasped.
A/N: Ok I know I am evil and must be punished for leaving it like this but I think I've teased you with this idea for too long. Anyway there it is and I hope you like it. Check out It's All Coming Back to Me Now. It's a song fic I wrote about Luke and Lorelai's make up in So...Good Talk.
Next time on Collide: "What do you mean you think you're pregnant?"
"Let's just take a look and see what's going on. Well Miss Danes you're..."
The pretty purple button is calling to you!