Rory rushed into her mother's arms as soon as she stepped into the emergency waiting room, shaking as her sobs that had subsided to hiccups came back with full force.
Behind her, Austin and Matt stood in silence, knowing that they had to stay strong for both Rory and Tristan. Their promises to Rory of Tristan recovering quickly were empty, the really didn't know the whole situation, only that he had gotten in a car accident on his way to school by himself.
"What's going on, what is the doctor saying?" Rory managed to get out, taking a seat next to Eric Dugrey who gave her a small, sad smile.
"We're waiting for him to come out right now to give us the news sweetie," Chris Hayden said to his heartbroken daughter.
"What exactly happened?" Austin asked trying to grasp the information of the situation. "I know that he drove himself to school because he told us to go ahead, but T's usually a good driver."
"According to what the police came upon, he must have hit a patch of black ice and slid, totally spinning him off of the road and into a nearby tree," Liz replied trying to contain her nervousness and not frighten the kids.
"And he wasn't awake when they found him?" Matt asked realizing only now how serious this could really be.
Eric Dugrey shook his head. "But we have the best doctors on the staff son, Strobe, Francine, Emily, Richard, Violete, Channing, Arnold and Eliza all pulled some major strings and said they would be here in the blink of an eye if the hospital didn't act fast enough to our liking."
"Pays to be rich," Lorelai mumbled trying to lighten the mood. Rory was able to let out a small smile before a very somber looking man who was obviously a doctor approached the group. "Hayden's and Dugrey's?" he asked looking down at his chart.
"Yes," they all replied.
"Hello I'm Doctor Terrence Carter and I will be the in house doctor for Tristan Dugrey," he said smiling warmly.
"How is he?" Rory asked standing up next to Eric, hoping her knees wouldn't give out.
The doctor gave her a small smile and a sigh before giving them the status of his obviously beloved patient. "He's pretty beat up, and I'm not going to lie. His left leg is broken as well as his left arm, apparently the impact of the crash was mainly focused on that side of his body. He was unconscious when he came in, bruised up and cut up here and there from broken pieces of glass."
"Is he awake now?" Matt asked anxiously. Doctor Carter heaved a sighed and smiled solemnly. "No, right now we're having his transferred to a room. He's in a shallow state of comatose, but it's a coma nonetheless. From the damage that he received from the accident and the results of a CAT scan we ran, we were able to deduce he should be out of his state anywhere from two hours to two months."
At the word coma, the group let out a shared gasp, but as the explanation went on, their worry subsided slowly. Although Tristan was in a coma, the assurance that he would be out of it was somewhat comforting. But that wouldn't stop Rory babying the hell out of him, even if he was unconscious while she did it.
"Can we see him?" Matt asked.
"He's being moved up to a room right now, so you can just go to the front desk and they'll point you in the right direction."
"Thank you so much," Rory said gratefully, gathering up her purse in pursuit of the front desk, not realizing the several cameras snapping pictures of her distraught figure. Today, the paparazzi would have a field day.
"Finally the whore gets what she deserves," a voice said breaking the confused silence that filled the hallway as soon as Rory had left.
Everyone's heads whipped around to face the direction of the voice and found their eyes landing on a smug looking Summer. That was simply crossing the line and everyone knew it. The first one to react was Colin, which stuck everyone by surprise.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" he spat striding over to her. Her leer immediately disappeared to be replaced by a scowl. "Why do you care? Your best friend dumped that baggage like a six month old baby diaper."
"She broke up with me," Logan stepped in, "and it made me feel like shit and I made her feel like shit in return, which she didn't deserve. And I'm a jackass for doing that to her," he said more to himself but still audible to everyone that stood in the hallway hushed.
"So that's why you fucked a girl every different day of the week?" Josh's voice asked an arrogance evident. "Because you cared about her? Who you trying to fool Huntz? You can't get out of this one. You screwed this girl over… and the best part is we all expected it. We didn't buy the perfect boyfriend act one second. Everyone knew that you were going to screw up, and everyone knows now your words mean nothing. It's over for you playboy," he said just before the bell rang and he stalked off with his cronies, a giant smile on his face that read 'I win'.
The only students that remained were Logan and his 5 friend. Logan felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He had turned into the man he promised Rory he would never be, and the man he thought had gone away for good. A hand laid on his shoulder gingerly pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned to find Stephanie looking up at him with a tentative look.
"He wasn't right about any of that Logan. I hope you know that," she said softly with the rest of the group nodding in agreement behind her. Logan just shook his head and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Let's go find out which hospital she's heading to."
"Rory we have to it's not like we have a choice in the matter. Please don't make this any harder than it already is," argued Chris holding his daughter by her shoulders trying to level with her.
Rory shook her head furiously in disbelief. This couldn't be true; these weren't her parents she knew anymore. They were turning into society parents. "Tristan is in a freaking coma and you're leaving to go to a business meeting? Are you serious dad? Do you really expect me to be calm about this!" she yelled not caring the attention she was drawing from the nurses stationed outside of Tristan's room.
"Rory please, we tried getting out of this but we can't. You know what it would be like when we got this inheritance and there's nothing we can do about it," Lorelai said from behind him, her heartbreaking for Rory, hearing the pain in her voice and realizing how much she was growing out of their reach by the second.
"Whatever," Rory said shaking her head, "When your son wakes up, I'll be there for him to wake up to, and there to tell him where his parental figures are. Where is it again? Germany?" she asked bitterly turning her back on them and reentering Tristan's room, closing the door firmly behind her.
"We're turning into our parents," Liz said sadly as they turned to walk away from the room.
"No we're not," Lorelai defended, "Our parents wouldn't feel as guilty as I do."
Eric sighed and pulled an arm around his wife and his wife's best friend. "They're growing up… they have their own people now."
"He's right," Chris added, "they're going to have to get used to this. To the real world where sometimes all they have is themselves."
"You alright Rory?" Austin asked as soon as she reentered the room looking emotionally drained.
"Not really, but that's nothing new," she said plopping down on the chair between Austin and Matt while taking Tristan's limp hand in her own, giving it a kiss.
"Do you feel like talking about it babe?" Matt questioned. Rory sighed. "It's just, everything is changing so fast and I feel like I don't have any time to take one thing in before the next one comes at me. It's just too much."
Matt and Austin shared a concerned look. Austin nodded his head towards the door and Matt got the idea. "I'm going to get you some coffee hun, maybe it'll help to calm things down a little," he said getting up and kissing Rory on the temple before walking out of the room silently.
As soon as he was out of the door, Austin pulled Rory into his lap, her hand still clutching firmly onto Tristan's. "Pinky, you under estimate yourself," he said exasperated.
"What do you mean?" she asked turning her body to look at him.
"You think you can handle it, but here you are still alive and breathing fine. You're handling it Rory. You get through everyday thinking you can't do it, but then by the end of the day you're still here, stronger than ever. Don't even doubt yourself sweetheart," Austin said running a hand up and down her arm. Rory seemed to be in a daze but Austin was well aware she heard him loud and clear, and was processing the words.
"Just think about it Rory. I'm going to go find Matt and we're gonna get us some clothes and necessities from Stars Hollow," he said lifting Rory back into her chair and making his way to the door. "Austin?" she called just as he was about to exit.
"Yea babe?" he asked not turning around.
"Be careful. I might be handling it now, but with all three of my best friend in the hospital I don't think I'll be in as good shape," she said with a light joking mood. Austin turned and smiled at her and gave a mock salute before exiting the room, leaving Rory with Tristan.
Rory's eyes traveled up and down his body clad only in a flimsy hospital gown. His legs were covered with bruises and one leg securely placed in a cast. His one arm was also held in a cast and a map of undefined bruises and cuts littered his face. Rory sighed and ran a hand through his hair, kissing each bruise on his face. "Gosh best friend, didn't I tell you one day your taking forever to get ready would bite you in the ass?" she asked only to be responded by silence.
"You have to wake up Tristan, you just have to. No matter how much Austin says I'm doing good on my own, the fact is you're half the reason I am. I need you here, to get through all that's going on. I don't think I can survive without you here for two months, so please just wake up," she said kissing both of his eyelids, "I need you."
After what felt like another 5 minutes of silence Rory sighed and took a seat back on her chair, taking his hand in hers once more with a big sigh. Suddenly, a familiar husky voice filled the room. "I knew you need me Pinky."
Rory's head shot up to Tristan's face to see his damaged but still handsome face with his usual smirk plastered on it, eyes still closed. "Tristan?"
"No this is Jane Austen speaking through Tristan from the afterworld, here to thank you for all the money you contributed from buying all those copies of my books," Tristan replied opening his eyes slowly and looking down at Rory. Rory jumped up and almost tackled him with tears in her eyes before realizing his state and gently laying her body across his, hugging as tightly as she could without hurting him.
"You jerk, you scared the crap out of me," she scolded and sobbed, still clutching onto him for dear life.
"I vaguely heard that part of your speech to me. But I'm here now Rory, I'm really sorry for scaring you," Tristan said.
"Don't even apologize! I should call the nurse," Rory said pulling away and reaching for the buzzer only to be stopped by Tristan. "Don't yet Pinky. I just want you to lay with me a while… we have a lot of talking to do because it seems like you've been blocking me out lately," he said sliding over gingerly in the bed and pulling out the sheet from under him to cover the two of them as soon as Rory was settled next to him.
"I'm really sorry for that Tristan. It's just so much has been going on and I didn't know any other way to handle it."
"What do you think I'm here for?" he asked breathing in the scent of her hair. And that was all it took for Rory to spill her heart out and talk to Tristan about everything. From the problems with Logan, to the problems with herself, and last but not least the growing rift between them and their parents. At some point the nurse came in to check Tristan's vitals before the two fell asleep as they were, Rory feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
The two were fast asleep, not even waking up to hear the raucous when a camera man had gotten into the room, securing a few photos before the security came and roughly escorted him from the room. They didn't even wake up when 8 of their friends bound in stopping abruptly at the site that greeted them.
"Please just freaking give us the room number!" Logan urged pounding his fist on the desk with each word.
"Sir, I've told you time and time again that the room numbers of all patients are confidential to public and you must be an immediate family member to retrieve that said room number," replied the nurse frustrated.
Logan get out a loud grunt like sound and looked as if he was about to grab the computer from the desk and throw it across the room when Stephanie stopped him and nodded for Colin to give it a try. Lord knew that Colin was arrogant enough to make anyone feel below him.
"Hello," Colin started taking a peek at the plump woman's identification tag, "Linda."
"Don't even try pretty boy, you're not getting through, especially not to Dugrey's room," she replied turning her back to them to do some paper work. The group looked down defeated.
"Great, we came all the way here, and it took us over half an hour to figure out which hospital he's in and we can't even get into his room!" Louise whined worried about her two friends. Just then, two recognizable faces walked in through the rotating doors with two duffle bags.
"It's our lucky day," Finn said, "Mates over here!" he called out. The two men turned to the familiar voice and made their way over to the group looking solemn.
"They not letting you in?" Matt asked sliding next to Madeline and throwing a friendly arm around her.
"We're not family," Madeline replied with a pout.
"Whatever, come with us," Austin replied eyeing Logan bitterly and leading them the correct way.
"We don't need your help," Logan responded annoyed.
"Swallow your pride Huntzberger," retorted Matt shaking his head. "There's more at stake here. Or could you not tell by Rory bawling this morning?"
Logan scowled but kept his mouth shut which Stephanie decided was a good silence to be filled with the impending question. "How is he?"
Austin sighed and ran a hand through his barely there hair. "Shallow coma, but he's going to make it. I know he will." The group was surprised to say the least but kept on the light of hope Austin and Matt seemed to hold.
"How is she taking it?" Logan asked softly, not looking up from his feet as he did.
"She's… Rory, she's handling it," Austin replied honestly. "So what brings you all here?"
"Tristan's our mate too mate, and love needs us," Finn answered. The two nodded and the group walked the rest of the way in silence, only stopping when they walked into the room and found Tristan and Rory sleeping soundly in the bed, smiles gracing both of their faces.
Logan couldn't help the green eyed monster take over him but knew acting on it in the moment would only wound his dignity and pride that he had been trying so hard to keep in tact. Instead he stayed silent along with the 7 other people who entered.
"Should we wake her up?" Stephanie asked the group as a whole.
"No, she'll just get cranky," Tristan said opening his eyes with a smile. The group gasped in surprise, not knowing that Tristan had woken up from his state.
"Holy crap bro, you scared us for a while," Matt said striding closer to his side of the bed and giving him the best manly hug he could in the angle he was in. Austin nodded in agreement and copied the motion trying not to wake Rory in the process.
Tristan shrugged, "Lost control of the wheel. Just a little beat up." He looked past Austin and Matt and at the 6 extra figures in the room. "Thanks for coming you guys… even with the… circumstances."
"No problem mate, Rory love made quite a scene in the hallway and we knew things couldn't be good," Finn replied shaking his hand being serious for once. Tristan attempted to prop himself up higher on the bed with Rory still around him but woke her up in doing so.
Her eyes opened gradually and she stretched out her body, not yet realizing the 6 new inhabitants of the room until she had sat up and fully opened her eyes. The sight she was met with was not what she expected. A smile briefly graced her face that gave the 6 hope, which quickly diminished as her smile turned into a scowl. She got up off of the bed almost fiercely and kissed Tristan's forehead.
"I'll get us something to eat," she said softly before walking right past her friends leaving them looking after her.
"Shit," Logan sighed running a hand through his hair. "I'm going after her," he said determined.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Tristan asked looking up to where Logan once was. But of course it was too late, he was already out the door.
"She's going to eat him alive," Austin said shaking his head, "he needs to give her some space."
"Space?" Louise asked. "Don't you think that he's given her plenty of space already?"
"Yea, he has. But now's not the time to try and close it all up. She's definitely not in a happy go lucky mood," Matt answered. Tristan and Austin nodded in agreement.
"Does mate still have a chance at all?" Finn asked the three while taking a seat next to Tristan's bed.
"Don't ask me, I just got out of a coma, don't think I'm not ready for this drama yet," Tristan said in a dramatic tone that was only half joking.
"He still loves her you know," Colin said matter of factly.
"Of course we do," Matt said, "But he's not proving himself to us at all. Screwing every girl around isn't exactly the best 'win her back' maneuver."
The group just nodded in agreement before Colin asked, "Where are Lorelai, Chris, Eric and Liz?"
Tristan once again sighed and ran his unscathed hand through his hair. "Things are changing in our relationship, and it's one of the reasons Rory's so stressed out."
"What do you mean?" Madeline asked confused. It was hard for her to believe that the big happy family those 10 had formed was changing, if they couldn't last then there was no hope for her with her parents.
"They're off on a business trip right now," Tristan said spelling it all out of everyone.
"Oh," Stephanie said sadly with a sympathetic smile. "I never thought that anything like that could happen to your carefree parents."
"Neither did me and Rory, but apparently we were wrong," Tristan replied sadly, "I guess this is what growing up's all about."
"If growing up's about distancing yourself from your parents, then we grew up a long time ago," Louise answered sadly.
"Well, I guess it had to come sooner or later," Tristan replied with the same look everyone's faces had.
Their lives were changing fast, and they could do nothing to stop it. It was just the way things had to be. That was something that the group was slowly learning. This occurrence had made them all realize how quickly a life can be taken, and how quickly it could be restored. It made them realize how much they had to relish their time that was slowly coming to an end, the finale being graduation. It made them realize how much they had let drama take over, and forgotten just to have fun with possibly their first and last year together.
It made a certain blonde haired brown eyed hurting guy want to be there for his ex girlfriend, even though he wasn't sure if she wanted him to be there. It made him want to get down on his knees and just beg for forgiveness, even though he knew that it was she who asked for this. It made him realize that if it were her in the car instead of Tristan, he wouldn't be able to live knowing she was hurt. It made him realize, he still loved her, and how much his actions had only been in spite, trying to get her to say that she loved him back.
He needed her to love him back, even if it wasn't in the way he had been wanting. He just needed her in general back in his life, because without her he was straddling his limits without a safety net.
"Rory!" he yelled watching her stride as quick as she could into a closing elevator. She heard him, and he knew she heard him by the way she flinched. But she refused to turn around or look up from the ground, afraid of what she would do if she locked eyes with him.
The elevator doors slowly closed, and Rory thought she was out of the clear an arm reached in between the door stopping them from closing.
I wonder who it could be.
AN: Ok not a well written chapter I have to admit. But hey, pretty boy lives! Review! Keeping it at 35! Maybe some Rogan action next chapter... or maybe not! The faster you review the faster you find out! Love you all!