Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls isn't mine. I use the characters in my own evil plots. Etc. Etc. You all know the drill, so don't sue me.

A/N: Thanks a million for the reviews/encouragement. I hope yall are enjoying the story so far. If not, then you don't have to read it! Hehe. A big shout out goes to Christi, my wonderful beta! Huggles to you for all your help!

Rating: PG-13

Chapter 13: One is the Loneliest Number

3 p.m. Saturday

Sounds slowly began to work their way into Rory's subconscious as she began to emerge from her almost comatose state. Her eyes were still closed, but she could hear beeps and buzzes all around her. Voices began speaking, but she couldn't understand any of them. They sounded like Charlie Brown's teacher to her. The noises slowly began to get louder and more distinct, and Rory's eyes cracked open. She looked around and saw that she was in a hospital room. An IV was hooked up to her hand, dripping some liquid into her, and she was hooked up to several monitors. They were causing the beeping and buzzing she heard when she first awoke.

Glancing to her right, she noticed that she was not alone. In the chair next to her, Tristan was fast asleep. He looked disturbed even in his sleep, and worry was etched into his usual mischievous, carefree face. To Rory, he looked older. Much older. Even in sleep, his entire aura gave off a sense of sadness but also strong protectiveness.

Then a thought hit Rory. Why was she in the hospital? The night before was a blur to her. She remembered crying and screaming. Faces of her grandparents filtered through her head, but she couldn't make sense of any of it. What had happened?

8 p.m. Friday

Tristan and Chris were told to wait in the waiting room because the doctors were still working on Rory. Tristan begged to be taken to her, but the nurse apologized and said that it was against hospital policy. Lorelai was already in the waiting room and obviously a nervous wreck.

"What happened to Rory?" Tristan asked her quickly.

"I don't know," she said, quietly. "They tried to stop the bleeding, but it just wouldn't stop. By the time we reached the hospital, she had lost so much blood. I don't know what's going to happen to her."

Lorelai broke into a sob at the end, and Tristan had never felt fear like he was feeling at that moment. Rory could die. His Mary. The girl he loved could be dead because of him. Instead of crying, he reverted back into his old ways. He shut everyone out and went into a corner by himself and just sat there brooding in a stony silence.

That's the scene that Luke walked in on. Chris and Lorelai were crying and Tristan was sitting angrily in a corner by himself. There wasn't enough money on the planet to get him to say anything to Tristan. Luke had no idea what he was going through, and he decided that space was the best thing he could give to the kid. He felt awkward about walking up to the heartbroken parents, but that was much better than the alternative. Lorelai had her head on Chris' shoulder, so Luke sat on the other side of her and gave her hand a little squeeze. Lorelai didn't even turn to look at him, but she squeezed his hand back.

Richard, Emily, Janlan, and Carol DuGrey arrived at the hospital only a few moments later. They asked immediately how Rory was doing, and Lorelai sniffled and told them. The new arrivals took a seat next to Lorelai and Christopher, and knew all they could do was wait for someone to tell them more information. One glance at Tristan kept them at a distance.

In Tristan's head, all he could think about was Rory and their baby. Sure he wasn't thrilled at the prospect of becoming a father, but he hadn't really had a chance to get used to the idea. They would have had enough money, so it really wouldn't have been that bad. If the baby looked anything like Rory it would be beautiful. He just hoped that they would both be okay. Tristan didn't know how long he sat in that corner, but suddenly he could feel someone's presence approaching his solitary corner.

"Tristan, would you like something to eat?" Lorelai asked.

Tristan slowly came into focus, realizing that Lorelai was waiting on an answer of some sort. He had no idea what she had said, but he couldn't say anything. Hearing her voice, and seeing those eyes. They were the same eyes that Rory had when she wanted something. A tear slid down his cheek when he finally answered.

"What did you say? I didn't hear you. Or I was in my own world. I don't know."

Lorelai's heart actually went out to the kid. Sure she had hated him, but her daughter loved him and she could tell that he loved her.

"I asked if you wanted something to eat."

Tristan thought for a second. "I'm not really hungry. What time is it?"

Lorelai glanced at the clock hanging behind Tristan's head and replied, "Almost 2 a.m."

They arrived at the hospital at 8 o'clock, so Tristan quickly calculated that they had been there for six hours and not one person had come through the swinging doors to tell them what was happening to Rory.

"It's been six hours," he almost whispered.

"I know."

Tristan looked into Lorelai's eyes and her heart almost broke. "I'm scared."

This boy that Lorelai hated just hours ago now made her almost fall in love with him with those two little words. Silently, Lorelai wrapped her arms around him, and he accepted her warm embrace gratefully. Christopher watched the exchange and knew Lorelai had come to the same conclusion about Tristan as he had. The boy was one of them; a product of two rich parents who wanted a child to brag about. They both pitied Tristan because he was like a mirror into the past.

During their tender moment, a doctor finally appeared to speak to Rory's family. Tristan spotted him first and stiffened in Lorelai's arms. Lorelai took that as a hint to pull away, and as she did, she noticed the doctor as well.

"Hello, I'm Rory Gilmore's doctor. Are her parents here?"

Lorelai and Christopher stood up to follow the doctor. Tristan's face fell as he watched them follow the doctor, but Lorelai stopped and motioned for Tristan to follow them. He sighed in relief and stood up, nervously to find out about his girlfriend and their unborn child.

3 p.m. Saturday

Tristan had only been asleep for a couple of hours when he felt the bed shifting. He really didn't want to open his eyes, but something in his head told him he better. As his eyes cracked open he saw that Rory was awake. Her face was still very white, but her bright blue eyes surveyed the hospital room. Finally, they rested on Tristan, and she smiled when she saw that he was awake.

"Rory, you're awake," he said, quietly.

He quickly sat up and winced as he moved a very stiff neck.

"Yeah, how long was I out?" she asked, innocently.

"Uh, 20 hours or so."

"Wow. So how long were you out?" Rory asked, sleepily.

"A couple of hours."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Go back to sleep. I didn't mean to wake you up. I just woke up, and I didn't know why I was here. What happened yesterday?"

Tristan froze. He knew she didn't know anything that happened once they got to the hospital, but she didn't remember anything. He took a deep breath and began to tell the story. This was the hardest thing he had ever done in his entire life, but it was his responsibility. Tristan didn't know if he'd be able to get through it without crying, but he was sure as hell going to try.

2 a.m. Saturday

The doctor looked at the three people and took a deep breath. He was used to telling bad news, but in a way it never got easier. Every time he saw the flicker of hope twist into smoke, his heart broke a little. Over the years, he had built up a callus on that break, but it still hurt.

"My name is Dr. Wyatt. When Miss Gilmore arrived here, her body had already begun to reject the fetus. Stress and her young age contributed to the rejection, and then her young body just didn't know how to stop the bleeding. She lost quite a lot of blood, but luckily we were able to stop the bleeding. I'm very sorry, but she had a miscarriage. You may see her, now, but she's still unconscious."

Lorelai barely mustered up the courage to speak, but she had to know. "Does she know?"

The doctor shook his head. "If you would like me to be the one to tell her, I will."

"No," Tristan said, fiercely. "I'll do it."

The doctor nodded his head and left the three of them to stand there wondering what to do. A moment later, a nurse came by and took them to see Rory. As Tristan entered her hospital room, he saw her fragile, broken body lying in the bed. She looked so small. Lost among the monitors and blankets. Her face was ghostly white, and she almost blended in with the bed, except for her dark hair.

"Oh my baby," Lorelai sobbed, lifting her daughter's lifeless hand. "This shouldn't be happening to her. She's too young to deal with this."

Christopher put his hands on Lorelai's shoulders and gave them a quick squeeze. She let out a strangled wail and stood up.

"I can't be here, right now."

"Lorelai?" Christopher called, following her out of the room.

That left Tristan alone with Rory. The mother of his lost child. He hated himself at that moment. There must have been a way for him to save their baby. Save Rory all of this pain. She took the burden of the situation on herself. Tristan should have done something. Been more supportive. A tear trickled down his cheek, and Tristan sat down on Rory's bed and took her small, cold hand in his own.

"Rory, sweetie. I'm so sorry this happened. I'm so sorry you had to go through this alone. I wanted to be here with you. I swear I tried, but they wouldn't let me. Mary, I'm so sorry," he sobbed.

He leaned forward and kissed her, softly. He placed his hands on either side of her face and gave her the sweetest, most tender kiss. When he pulled away, he half expected her eyes to flutter open like sleeping beauty. Unfortunately, her eyelids remained shut tight. Tristan didn't know much at the moment; his entire world had turned upside down, but at that moment he knew one thing.

"I love you, Mary. I love you with all my heart. Please wake up."

"Lorelai, stop!" Christopher called.

His high school sweetheart spun around and faced him.

"I just can't look at her, okay."

"I know it's hard, but our little girl needs you. She's always needed you."

"It's all my fault. I put too much stress on her. She lost her baby because of me. I killed my own grandchild."

"What?" Christopher replied, completely confused.

"I pushed her away. I walked in on her taking the pregnancy test and I went ballistic. I pushed her away, and she didn't tell me how stressed out she was feeling. She didn't tell me because I was the cause of all her stress. I didn't like Tristan, and she knew that. It's all my fault."

Christopher grabbed Lorelai and held her as she sobbed.

"Listen to me, Lor. You are the best mom in the world. We both know I haven't been a very good father, so you've had to pick up my slack. You have done a wonderful job. Rory is a bright, beautiful young woman. This was not your fault. It just happened."

"It's not fair."

"I know," Christopher soothed.

3 p.m. Saturday

"… and then you passed out and the ambulance came. They didn't let me go, but your mother rode with you. By the time I got here, you were in the back and we didn't know anything. Finally, a doctor came out and told us that you were alright."

Rory noticed that Tristan said she was okay, but he hadn't even mentioned the baby. A tear trickled down her cheek because he didn't even have to tell her. Rory could feel the emptiness in her body. Even though she already knew, she needed Tristan to tell her. Just to make it finalized in her brain.

"Tell me."

Tristan could see the pained expression on her face, and knew in an instant that Rory had figured it out.

"Rory, honey. Our baby's gone."

Rory did not move. The tear that ran down her face was the only tear. Tristan almost shivered when he saw the cold, unfeeling facial features of the normally bubbly hyperactive girl. She didn't cry. She didn't scream. She didn't do anything.

"Mary? Babe, are you okay?"

He didn't receive any kind of response.

"Just tell me how you're feeling. Please. I promise it will make you feel better."

Rory turned her head and looked at Tristan with the coldest eyes he had ever seen. She looked at him and tilted her head to the side.

"I don't feel anything. My baby's dead. I'm all alone, and I don't care."

Tristan felt a tear slide down his cheek.

"That's not true. Rory, please tell me the truth."

A smile spread across Rory's face and she let out a dreadful laugh.

"I am. It's over. I'm not going to be a mother anymore. It doesn't matter at all! Don't you see? It doesn't matter!"

"What doesn't matter? I don't understand. Mary, why are you being like this."

Just then, a nurse entered the room. In her arms was a little pink bundle. Tristan looked appalled as the nurse brought the baby into the room and walked over to where Rory sat, looking shell-shocked.

"Okay, Ms. Roddy. You're baby girl is hungry. Now to breast feed you…"

Tristan cut her off. "No, that's not our baby."

"What do you mean? It says room 315 on her bracelet."

"Well there's obviously some sort of mistake. My girlfriend just had a miscarriage."

The nurse was horrified by her mistake and apologized quickly, turning to leave the room. The entire time, Rory had stared at the baby. She tuned out the nurse and Tristan and just focused on the little life in the snuggly blanket. Some woman had just given birth to this little tiny thing, and Rory's baby had just died. Her indifference disappeared, and in it was replaced with pure anger.

"Rory what are you doing?"

Rory didn't answer as she got out of bed. Tristan tried to stop her as she took her IV out, but she just pushed him away from her. He called after her, but she ignored him and waddled down the hall. She made it into the waiting room, and there she saw her parents, Luke, her grandparents, Sookie, Lane, and Tristan's grandfather.

"Rory? What are you doing out of bed?" Luke asked her, concerned.

"I… I… I…" she began, but tears threatened to fall.

Everyone watched in horror as her face crumpled into sobs.

"My baby's dead. It's not fair."

Tristan walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her, but she pushed him away from her.

"You don't understand!" she screamed.

"Baby, I'm hurting, too."

"Not like me! You didn't have our baby growing inside of you. You don't understand. Nobody understands. I'm all alone, now. I just feel so…. Empty. So hollow. How could my baby be taken away from me? I wanted to keep it."

"I know," Tristan said, quietly.

He reached for her again, and this time she just stood there and let him hold her. Rory put her head on his shoulder and wailed. Tristan scooped her into his arms and carried her to a chair in the waiting room and rocked her back and forth as she cried herself to sleep. When her breathing finally evened out, Tristan picked her up and carried her back to her room. He refused to fall apart until after she was safely tucked in. Then… he cried.

A/N: What did you think? I know a lot of you wanted the baby to be okay, but for this story, I wanted to go in a different direction. I've only read one other miscarriage story, so I thought this would be different. Please review!