Christmas Eve at 10:00PM.
"I am starving" Lorelai said.
"I'm bringing your food" Luke said.
"Mom, don't forget I get to open one present tonight" Rory said.
"I know" Lorelai said. "Man, look outside"
It had started to snow really hard.
"Yeah we have a winter storm warning" Rory said.
The doorbell rang.
"Who the heck is out in this weather" Lorelai said.
"Don't get up, we really don't need you to go into labor" Luke said.
"Thanks, now that you've said it it's going to happen" Lorelai said.
Luke opened the door.
"Christopher" Luke said surprised.
"Lorelei, I need to talk to you" Christopher said walking into the living room.
"About what?" Lorelai asked.
"I love you Lorelai" Christopher said. "And I know I've made a lot of mistakes but that's all in the past"
"Christopher, I'm engaged to a man that I love with all of my heart" Lorelai said. "I'm sorry but I just don't feel that way about you"
"You don't really mean that" Christopher said. "You're judgment is clouded by all of the mistakes I've made. I'm sorry for them, please, marry me, not him"
"Get away from her" Luke said.
Christopher tried to punch Luke. They got in a fight.
"Dad! Stop it Dad!" Rory yelled.
Lorelai stood up.
"The both of you stop it now!" Lorelai yelled. "This is ridiculous!"
"I love you Lorelai" Christopher said.
"Well I love Luke" Lorelai said. "Not you. Ow, ow"
"Lorelai, what's wrong?" Luke asked worried.
"I think I'm having contractions" Lorelai said.
"This is bad" Rory said. "There's no way you can get to the hospital"
"Thanks for the confidence" Lorelai said.
She bent over in pain. Just then the power went out.
"Lor, it's okay" Christopher said.
"Get away from me" Lorelai said.
"Dad, go to my room and stay there" Rory said.
"But"
"Now!" Rory yelled.
Christopher left.
"Okay Lorelai sit on the couch" Luke said. "Rory start lighting candles and hand me your mom's cell phone"
Rory gave Lorelai's cell phone to look and then went to get candles from the kitchen. Luke dialed 911. When Rory came back into the living room Lorelai was squeezing Luke's hand.
"They're going to try to get an ambulance here" Luke said
"Try? What if they don't get it here in time?" Rory asked.
"Don't say that" Lorelai said. "Because that would mean I'd have to do this without drugs and I'm not doing that"
"Maybe we should call Babette or something" Rory said. "I mean we have to do something"
"Getting Babette freaked out wouldn't exactly help" Lorelai said. "Rory maybe you should go talk to Christopher"
"I don't want to speak to him, not after what he just did" Rory said.
"Rory, I'm sure he didn't mean it, now whatever problems there are they are between me and Christopher" Lorelai said. "I don't want you to lose your dad because this"
"I already have my dad" Rory said. "Or at least someone more like him than my real dad"
"Rory I'm happy that think of me somewhat like a father but your mom is right. You can't lose your dad over this because you only have one real father"
"I guess" Rory said.
"Go talk to him" Lorelai said.
Rory went to her room to talk to Christopher.
"I've never done this before, what do I do?" Luke asked.
"A wet wash cloth would help" Lorelai said. "I've decided I hate snow. It's just frozen water meant to taunt me"
"I don't think snow can taunt people" Luke said.
"What about yesterday when it got tracked into the house and then it melted and you almost wiped out on it carrying groceries into the house" Lorelai said.
"I did not almost wipe out on it" Luke said.
"So the cussing and yelling were because you were happy to be carrying in groceries?" Lorelai asked.
"You think being in labor would quiet you down" Luke said.
"Not until I get another contraction, baby" Lorelai said.
She squeezed Luke's hand tightly as she had another contraction.
"What will break first? Luke's hand or Mom's water?" Rory joked coming into the room.
"Laugh all you want till it's you screaming and breaking your husband's hand" Lorelai said. "Did you talk to your Dad?"
"Yeah, we're fine, back to normal" Rory said.
"Good" Lorelai said. "Luke, cold wash cloth"
Luke went to the kitchen and got the cold wash cloth.
"For the love of God!" Lorelai yelled as another contraction hit.
"Why don't you try the Lamaze breathing?" Rory asked. "Um, how does it go?"
Rory imitated the Lamaze breathing. Lorelai joined her.
"It isn't working!" Lorelai yelled. "Who in there right mind would ever want a natural birth!"
"Ewe, Luke I think Mom's water just broke" Rory said.
"It did" Lorelai said. "But the contraction is over"
Luke put the cold wash cloth on her forehead.
"If I ever say I want another child, you remind me of this day" Lorelai said out of breath.
Two more hours went by.
"The contractions are getting really close and that isn't good" Rory said.
Lorelai yelled and cussed.
"I know you probably hate me but can I do any thing to help?" Christopher asked.
"I don't really know" Rory said. "Um Luke, I think the ambulance just got here"
"Good" Luke said. "Rory, can you get your mom's coat, your coat, and my coat"
"Yeah" Rory said going off to get the coats.
"Christopher, get the door" Lorelai said.
Christopher opened the door and the paramedics took Lorelai to the ambulance.
"Dad, Mom says unless you want to get stuck at our house, come with us" Rory said.
"Are you sure?" Christopher asked.
"Yes, now come on before they leave without us" Rory said.
The got in the ambulance and an hour later they were there.
"Oh my god, the baby is coming right now" Lorelai said.
They raced her to the delivery room.
"Rory has to come with me" Lorelai said.
Rory and Luke went with her into the delivery room.
"Okay Ms. Gilmore, a couple pushes and you will have your baby" the doctor said. "Now push"
Lorelai squeezed both Luke and Rory's hand.
"One more push, you can do it" the doctor said.
Lorelai pushed and soon the room was filled with the sound of a crying baby.
"Congratulations, you have a girl" the doctor said.
Lorelai started crying.
"I have another daughter" Lorelai said smiling.
Luke wiped his eyes. Rory kind of snuck away into a corner and watched Lorelai and Luke fuss over their new baby. About twenty minutes later the baby was cleaned off and Lorelai was holding her.
"Rory come see your sister, Isabel Aubrey Gilmore-Danes" Lorelai said.
"I've seen her" Rory said. "She's cute"
"Do you want to hold her?" Lorelai asked.
"No thanks" Rory said.
"We're going to take the baby to the nursery now" the nurse said. "You can see her in a minute"
"Okay" Lorelai said. "Luke maybe you should go with them"
"Yeah" Luke said.
He and the nurse went to the nursery.
"Hey you, come sit here for a second" Lorelai said.
Rory came and sat down beside Lorelai on the hospital bed.
"I think I might know what's bothering you" Lorelai said. "Would it have anything to do with the fact that you're sharing me with another girl?"
Rory looked down for a second. Lorelai saw a tear roll down her cheek.
"Oh sweetie, don't cry" Lorelai said. "You still are my best friend and my first born daughter. Me having Isabel won't ever change that, nothing will"
"But you have Luke and Isabel now and they're your perfect family. I'm left on the outside. For sixteen years and had you all to myself and I was your only daughter. I guess I just feel kind of left out. I mean Isabel's going to get to grow up with both of her parents and I never got to do that" Rory said.
"Sweetie, I love you. The relationship that we share is a special kind it's a kind that I won't have with Isabel. I will have a relationship with Isabel and I'll love you both equally. I have enough room in my heart for the both of you. As for the perfect family thing, Luke, Isabel, and you are my perfect family" Lorelai said. "No one is left on the outside. Luke loves you as a daughter and Isabel is going to love you as a sister so you are already included. In fact, my perfect family for the longest time was you and me; that was it. Now a few more members have been added to that"
"I guess I just kind of felt left out for a second" Rory said.
"You are just as much of my so called perfect family as Isabel is" Lorelai said. "You don't have to worry about that"
"I know" Rory said. "I should probably tell Dad what's going on. Do you want me to call grandma?"
"It's 2:00 in the morning, so yes and I'll pay you ten bucks if you go and video tape their faces" Lorelai said smiling.
"So was that a yes?" Rory asked.
"I think hopefully they can make an exception since this is their grandchild's birth we're notifying them about" Lorelai said.
"After I do that do you think maybe I can hold Isabel?" Rory asked.
"Of course" Lorelai said smiling.
Rory went to the waiting room.
"Hey kiddo, how's your mom doing?" Christopher asked.
"She's doing great, it's a girl" Rory said. "Healthy, 6 pounds 13 ounces"
"Good" Christopher said. "Listen, I still love your mother and I want her to be with me"
"No, don't start this" Rory said. "Mom doesn't love you, she loves Luke and he loves her. He was there for her and me when you were no where to be found. Luke actually saw the birth of his daughter and is going to be able to raise her and walk her down the aisle and everything. He's going to be there for Mom no matter what, it's too late for you, you had your chance but you chose your freedom and money and everything over me and Mom. You could have been there but you weren't. You screw up, and sure that's okay once in while but you screwed up continuously for sixteen years. You blew it and it's nobody's fault but yours"
"Your mom ran away with you Rory, what was I supposed to do?" Christopher asked.
"You knew where we were and it wasn't like we hours away, thirty minutes at the most" Rory said.
Christopher was quiet.
"I've got to go call my grandparents" Rory said.
She went to the payphone.
"Whoever this is it's very impolite to call this late at night" Emily said answering the phone.
"Grandma, it's Rory, Mom just had the baby" Rory said.
"What?" Emily asked. "Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah, it was a little scary since we didn't know if we were going to be able to get to the hospital in time" Rory said. "But Mom and the baby are fine"
"Is it a boy or girl?" Emily asked.
"It's a girl" Rory said. "Isabel Aubrey. She weighs 6 pounds 13 ounces and was born at 1:25AM so she technically is a Christmas baby"
"Tell Luke and your mother congratulations" Emily said. "And congratulations to you on being a big sister"
"Thank you" Rory said. "I better get back to Mom and Isabel"
"Okay, we'll see you later" Emily said.
They hung up. Rory went back into Lorelai's room.
"Can I hold Isabel now?" Rory asked.
"Yes" Lorelai said handing Isabel to Rory.
"Isabel, that's your sister, Rory" Lorelai said.
"She's really tiny" Rory said.
Lorelai looked at Rory holding Isabel.
"You were that tiny at one time" Lorelai said.
"You know what?" Rory said.
"What?" Lorelai asked.
"I think this is the best Christmas present I've gotten yet" Rory said.