In between contractions, Rory's delivery-nerves assuaged somewhat by a Buffy The Vampire Slayer rerun on TV, she heard a familiar voice outside her door. She sat up a bit, turning down the volume as she heard Paris Gellar bark, "I'm sorry, was my question too complicated for your online nursing degree? I asked you how dilated she is!"

"I told you, I can't give out information about patients to just anyone."

"I'm not just anyone. I'm a collaborating obstetrician and her best friend!"

Rory poked Logan's arm, who had fallen asleep, and when he stirred, she said, "You better go out there and save that nurse."

"Out where?"

Paris spoke again, her voice going up in both pitch and volume, and Logan said, "How did she even know you were here?"

Rory shrugged. "It's Paris. Who knows."

Logan stepped outside and said, "Paris, hi."

The nurse looked visibly relieved at someone else stepping in and said, "Excuse me."

She hurried off and Paris said, "They're really scraping the bottom of the barrel with their nurses here."

"What are you doing here?" Logan asked.

"I heard Rory was in labor," Paris said.

She walked past him into the room, and he trailed behind her, asking, "How exactly did you hear?"

"I told the Director of Nursing to call me when you were admitted," Paris returned easily. When both Rory and Logan looked at her with surprise, Paris said, "She had her twins through Dynasty Makers. She owed me. Anyway, your dolt of a nurse wouldn't give me any information. How dilated are you?"

"I think six centimeters," Rory said, looking over to Logan for confirmation. He nodded and said, "Yeah, Dr. Reynolds said six centimeters when he was last here."

"And you've been in labor for at least five hours," Paris said, not indicating how she knew that information.

Rory asked, "How did you-"

"That's decent progress," Paris interrupted. "And your contractions? How far apart are they?"

Before Rory could respond, Dr. Reynolds walked into the room. He was beginning to say hello but stopped when he saw Paris, his mouth pulling at a frown.

"Dr. Gellar, what a surprise."

"Dr. Reynolds," Paris said curtly. "I want to talk to you about Rory's primary nurse. She needs a new one."

"Nurse Helen is one of the best," Dr. Reynolds returned smoothly. "I can assure you, Rory is in good hands with her."

"Our definition of good must differ."

"So, Rory, let's see how you're progressing," Dr. Reynolds said.

Rory scooted down and put her feet up in the stirrups. She looked over at Paris and said, "Do you think you can…"

"Honestly, Rory, there's no reason to be a prude. I've seen it all before."

"Yeah, but not mine," Rory said.

"Fine, I'll be outside," Paris said. She pointed a finger at Dr. Reynolds. "But we are speaking afterwards."

Paris disappeared outside, and Dr. Reynolds said, "You know, you can tell me not to share information with her."

Rory noted the marked hope in his voice, and said, "Sorry, but that will only end poorly for both of us."

He sighed. "Fair enough. Okay, remember, just a bit of pressure now."

He began his examination, and after a few seconds, said, "Good, you're at eight centimeters now. And how are the contractions?"

"More frequent."

He nodded. "Given where you are in your pregnancy, I'm going to have you deliver in the OR." He saw the look of panic that passed on her face and said, "It's only a precaution. But, I'd rather be ready."

She nodded. "Okay."

"A patient tech will be here soon to transport you."

Dr. Reynolds walked out and was stopped immediately by Paris, who began peppering him with questions. Rory looked over at Logan and said, "It's really happening now."

"I know." He took her nearest hand and squeezed it tightly. "We're going to be parents."

"Parents," she said, wincing as another contraction hit. "I'm not prepared for this. Not even a little."

"I saw the stack of parenting books on your nightstand, Ace. You're going to be fine."

"No, but this is different. This is real. What if I can't do it? What if I can't be a mother?"

"Hey, you are going to be an amazing mother," Logan said. "I have no doubt."

"Yeah, well I do," Rory returned stubbornly. "Big ones."

Paris walked into the room and said, "This is the last time I recommend Dr. Reynolds."

Logan tightly responded, "Not now, Paris."

"He's a good obstetrician," Paris said quickly, noting the tense atmosphere in the room. "But a little short on the people skills. Although, I guess you can't have it all."

"How's my favorite daughter?" Lorelai asked, coming into the room with a large Styrofoam cup. "I brought you some ice chips from the cafeteria. I know they say they're no different than the ones the nurses bring you, but I beg to differ." She noticed Paris and said, "Hi. You're here."

"Of course I'm here. I'm Rory's best friend."

"Sure," Lorelai said. She looked over at her daughter, noticing the stricken look on her face, and asked, "Hey, what's going on?"

"I can't do this," Rory said. "I can't do any of this."

"Well, babe, I hate to break it to you, but you're going to have to."

"I don't know how to be a mother," Rory said. "And the delivery? I read that some women poop during their delivery. I don't want to poop during my delivery!"

"I'm sure you won't," Lorelai said.

"It's actually fairly common," Paris said, garnering glares from all people in the room. "What? It is."

"I don't want you there," Rory told Logan. "Not if I'm pooping on the table!"

"Come on, Rory," Logan said.

The patient care technician came into the room and cheerily said, "Are we all ready to have a baby?"

Rory's face screwed up and Lorelai told the tech in a low voice, "Yeah, that's really not the vibe of the room."

He nodded quickly and said, "Okay, let's get moving then."

As he rolled the bed out of the room, Logan staying behind per Rory's wishes, and she turned back and said in a panicked voice, "Why aren't you coming?"

Logan began to say, "But, you said –"j

"Just go," Lorelai said. "Trust me, it's better not to argue."

While Rory was in the OR, Lorelai stayed outside with Luke and called Emily to give her an update. The Gilmore matriarch was currently stuck in traffic on her way to Hartford because no flights were available. Lorelai told Emily that she didn't have to be there the day of the delivery, but Emily insisted.

"Just go around him, Berta," Emily said with exasperation. "Ah-round. Go - oh, for goodness sake, just pull over. I'll drive."

"Mom, you cannot drive," Lorelai said, overhearing the exchange on the phone. "You don't have a license."

"I don't care. Berta, pull over."

"Berta, do not pull over," Lorelai said loudly. "Mom, you can't drive without a license. When's even the last time you've driven?"

"I drive all the time in Nantucket," Emily said.

"Without a license?"

"It's just a piece of paper," Emily said drily. "Besides, I don't need to prove to some twenty-two-year old that I know what a stop sign is."

Lorelai shook her head, figuring it was no use to argue with her mother further, and said, "Anyway, I just wanted to give you an update on Rory. She's in the delivery room soon, so there should be a baby soon."

"And how is Rory?"

"She's nervous," Lorelai said. "But, she'll be okay."

"Well, I'll be there as soon as I can," Emily said.

"Okay. Bye Mom. And don't speed. I don't want to have to pick you up from jail after you smart off at an officer, okay?"

"I won't. Goodbye, Lorelai."

Lorelai hung up and Luke asked, "What was that all about?"

"My mother is insisting on driving up here without a license."

"Oh, sure."

Lorelai slipped her phone into her purse and said, "Although, if anyone could strong arm a police officer into thinking that a driver's license is unnecessary, it would be Emily Gilmore."

Logan never thought much about becoming a father. It always felt like something that would happen to him, rather than something he chose, especially after he and Odette became engaged. But then Rory called him, saying those three simple words that changed his entire life. She was pregnant. He would have imagined that he'd view parenthood with a good dose of trepidation given the trajectory of his life and his own upbringing, but with Rory, he felt none of that. While there were nerves, both due to the circumstances of her delivery and the monumental changes ahead, he also felt excitement, joy and weirdly enough, relief. He had settled so many times before in his life, but this time, he was choosing exactly what he wanted. He and Rory were going to be a family.

They put him next to Rory during the delivery, a partition thankfully keeping most of the show from view. In movies, the baby always cried when it was delivered, but for them, there was only silence. The doctors explained after that their daughter's lungs weren't fully developed, but she was strong on the monitors, fighting exactly how a Gilmore-Huntzberger would.

"We need to name her," Rory said as Logan wiped sweat from her brow. She was exhausted from the delivery, still in the OR, but determined, all the same. "Our daughter needs a name."

"Okay," he said. "What are you thinking?"

They hadn't talked a lot about names before, but Rory always secretly had a name in mind if it was a girl. "Charlotte."

"Charlotte," Logan repeated, smiling softly. "It's perfect."

Afterwards, she was taken back to her room and she and Logan waited anxiously for news about their daughter. Rory was thankful then for Paris, who strong-armed her way into information, telling them, "They are checking her vital organs now. Some are under-developed, but not terribly."

"Thank you, Paris," Logan said.

"I'll see if I can find out anything else."

After Paris left, Logan said, "I never thought I'd say I was grateful for Paris, but…"

"I can't believe it's over," Rory said, resting her hands on her sizably smaller stomach. "Although, I think I'll miss the pregnancy belly. It was really good for balancing things on."

"Like what?"

"Coffee cups. Plates. The occasional ice cream pint."

"Why am I not surprised?"

Outside the doorway, they heard Dr. Reynolds loudly say, "If you want to know how the baby is doing, you ask me. Stop going around and hassling people!"

"I'm asking one healthcare provider to update another," Paris returned stoutly. "How is that even remotely close to hassling?"

"You chased Dr. Barrowman down a hallway!"

"That's only because he was being evasive."

"Do not follow me," Dr. Reynolds said before walking into the room and determinedly closing the door behind him. For all of his annoyance, he settled his face into his usual professional visage before addressing Rory and Logan.

"Your daughter is currently being monitored in the NICU. She will need close observation in the NICU for the next few weeks to monitor how her organs develop, but I think right now we can safely be cautiously optimistic. You have a strong little girl there."

"Thank you, Dr. Reynolds," Rory said. "We really appreciate all that you've done for us."

"You're very welcome. Now, if you'd like to see her-"

"Yes," Rory said immediately. "We'd like to see her."

Dr. Reynolds nodded, smiling slightly. "If you feel well enough to get into a wheelchair, I can take you and Logan down."

Logan looked over at Rory and she said, "I can do it. I want to see our daughter."

Logan carefully helped Rory sit and scoot her legs over he side of the bed. With Logan and Dr. Reynold's help, she maneuvered herself into the wheelchair and Logan wheeled her out of the room, following Dr. Reynolds. Rory looked over at Paris, who grudgingly stayed outside along with Lorelai and Luke, and said, "I think I just want this time to be Logan and me."

Lorelai said, "Of course, babe. We'll be out here."

Dr. Reynolds led them to the NICU and they put on gowns, gloves and masks to protect the vulnerable patients. They were led to a room with bassinets encased with plastic, and then Dr. Reynolds stopped them at one in particular. Rory leaned forward, looking at the tiny infant. To anyone else, the baby would have been indistinguishable from any other, but Rory recognized her daughter immediately.

"Hi," she murmured, pressing her hand against the plastic. "Hi, sweet girl. I'm your mom."

"She's perfect," Logan said, crouching down next to Rory and putting his palm against the plastic. "I can't believe we made her. Can you believe that?"

Rory shook her head. "But she's ours."

Logan slipped an arm around Rory's shoulders and she leaned against him, letting her eyes close for just a moment when he pressed a kiss to her temple. But then they were open again, looking at their perfect little gift. Charlotte Gilmore-Huntzberger had only been in the world for less than an hour, and both of her parents already couldn't imagine a world without her.