Clumsy Chapter 15: Warning: Hurricane headed for Hartford, a gilmore girls fanfic

Chapter 14: Red flag warning: Hurricane headed for Hartford

The intimidating double doors flew open once again and had the room filled with worried family members and sick patients, all looking up in unison. A nurse in her late twenty's called out a name and once again in complete sync everyone sighed. The far left corner of the room was taken up by seven frightened, puffy eyed teenagers who had arrived about twenty minutes earlier but had yet to hear anything regarding they're friend's condition. Being that Colin was still under age, they were refusing to give any information until a parent or guardian arrived. He had called his parent's four time's before getting an answer, and they were on they're way. His mother had promised to call Chris the instant she hung up with him but he knew how difficult it was going to be to get a hold of them while on the plane; there would be no contact until the plane touched down and he feared that by then it might be to late. He ran his hands over his face and saw Rory's face there, the large paramedic pumping her chest in an attempt to revive her. Jerking away from his hands, he opened his eyes wide, gaining the attention of the people around him, everyone except Tristan anyway; in a nervous compulsion, his left leg began to bounce up and down.

Tristan, Finn, Louise and Madeline had arrived just a minute after the ambulance had; Tristan had been the first one inside, asking him how she was doing and if she had woken up. Since the moment Colin told him that she was still unconscious, he had been sitting in the same chair in the corner, staring off into space as if he were trying his hardest to figure out a difficult problem. Madeline had called Paris, who showed up with Sean not even ten minutes later. Maddy and Paris sat silently across from Tristan, Paris had her good arm around the other girl's shoulders and Madeline had her head leaning against Paris's. Every so often Paris would clear her throat and sniffle, alerting everyone in the room that she was crying. Sean and Finn stood a few feet away from him, whispering to each other quiet enough that every now and then one of them would have to lean forward to hear the other. Like Tristan and himself, Louise sat alone, completely silent and staring at her twisting hands that laid in her lap.

The emergency doors slid open with a loud whooshing sound and a burst of cold air filled the room. Colin's heart jumped into his throat when his parent's came jogging into view. His eyes began to burn and without realizing it he sprang to his feet and met them half way across the room, hurling himself into his mother's arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and held him as his sobs painfully increased. A choking sob came from Paris and Madeline's direction, followed by the distinct sound of a girl sobbing. Not ready to pull away from the mother he usually claimed to not need, he ignored Paris's sobs, knowing that Sean would take care of her. His mother pulled away from him, just enough to take hold of his face and lock her red tear filled eyes with his.

'Honey what happened?'

He cleared his throat and wiped the blurriness from his eyes.

'We uh, argued and then she started crying, then when everything calmed down I thought she was just falling asleep but-'

His voice broke again and his mother dropped her hands to his side fully expecting his next words.

'She's taking pain meds again.'

Her eye's darkened and he felt a sudden burning on the back of his neck.

'Since when?'

'I don't know.'

'OK. OK, first things first we need to make sure she's ok.'

'They won't give me any information. We had to wait for you guy's.'

His eyes shifted between his mother and Father who stood at the check in, asking to speak with a nurse or doctor regarding his nieces condition, and ready to put up a fight if denied his request. Not even thirty seconds later a female doctor came through the double doors and shook his father's hand. Tristan, Colin and his mother were instantly at his side, with the rest of the group stopping a few feet back.

Before the lady had the chance to say anything, Colin's words fumbled from his mouth.

'How's Rory?'

The doctor looked at him curiously before glancing down at the clipboard in her hands. She shook her head then glanced back up at them apologetically.

'I'm sorry I must have the wrong family, I'm looking for the family of Lorelai Hayden.'

Her voice rose with the name as she glanced around them into the waiting room. Tristan leaned forward looking as if he were going to pounce on her if she didn't tell him what he needed to know.

'That's us. We're her family!'

Colin glanced at him quickly then shifted his eyes back to the doctor.

'Oh; ok then. I assume one of you is her legal guardian?'

She looked between Susan and Paul expectantly. He gave a quick nod, handed her a small stack of papers, stapled together and she continued with a small smile after quickly shifting through them.

'Well Mister and Misses McCrea, I'm Dr. Chea and first I just want to let you know that Lorelai is stable. Her vitals are strengthening and we pumped her stomach upon arrival so she is still unconscious as of right now.'

Colin jumped slightly when a cold hand wrapped around his and squeezed lightly. He glanced behind him and found Paris standing directly behind him listening to the doctor.

'Lorelai also had a very high amount of narcotics in her system, you're son told the paramedic that she's been abusing this substance for some time now. Is that correct?'

A sharp intake of air came from both behind and beside Colin. He felt Tristan's body begin to fall beside him, as if his knees were giving out on him. Suddenly a hand shot out and Tristan braced himself on Colin's shoulder.

'Yes that's correct. She's been clean for almost a year now.'

'So her parent's were aware of this?'

'Yes, my brother and sister-in-law sent her to rehab, and it seemed to have worked, but…'

Susan trailed off crying softly.

'OK. Also, Miss Hayden's Blood Alcohol Level was far beyond the legal or healthy limit. Do you know anything about that?'

Colin gave a short nod, knowing that the question was directed at him. He turned to his mother who stared at him with accusing eyes.

'She had a few glasses of champagne at the Country club and some hard stuff in the limo on the way home. But I was watching her Mom I swear. I would never knowingly let her hurt herself like this. I would have stopped her the moment I thought it was going to far.'

'Underage drinking is always to far young man.'

'I know Dad. I'm sorry.'

'Has anyone contacted Lorelai's parents?'

His mother nodded once again and sniffled.

'They were still in the air, but I had the airport send a message to the pilot, to be given to them as soon as possible,'

'OK. We're going to keep her over night for observation and she will need to speak with a psychologist. But other then that, we'll inform you when she is moved and if there are any further changes in her condition. You'll be able to see her as soon as she's in a room. Also her parent's will be notified upon arrival about whatever legal issues they're will be.'

'Thank you for speaking with us doctor.'

Dr. Chea smiled politely then returned behind the double doors.

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Tristan's POV

I had been sitting in the same spot for what seemed like hours, when Colin's parent's came rushing through the emergency room doors. I watched as Colin, finally letting his fear show, threw himself into his mother's arms and burst into tears. There's only been one other time that I've seen him cry, and that was they day Chris died. The fact that he contributed the same amount of emotion to this situation as to the death of his cousin - frightened me beyond belief. Something in me suddenly realized that he didn't think she was going to make it and my heart began pounding in my chest, my blood pulsing loudly in my ears. I couldn't hear anything except for the thump-thump thump-thump thump-thump, from somewhere off in the distance I acknowledged the fact that Paris burst into tears but I couldn't bring myself to look up, afraid of seeing in her eyes what I had seen in Colin's actions; hopelessness.

He was talking now, words I couldn't understand, words I didn't need to hear. Madeline had told me what she could in the car. Apparently Rory and Colin had gotten into an argument about something and she lashed out pretty viciously at him. Then everything else was pretty much a blur from there, Louise had said something about aspirin, Finn had said something about somebody yelling at Rory and then the rest I had seen with my own eyes. One. Two. Three! Breathe. One. Two. Three! Breathe. The image of the large paramedics leaning over her small body, one, pumping her fragile chest with his gigantic hands, looking as if he were going to crush her and the other pressing his mouth to her beautiful mouth, her body laying limp and unresponsive; it all made me light headed and queasy.

I don't know how long I had been staring at the Grey scuff mark on the white tiled floor, but when it began to move, my head began to spin again; I had to look up. As soon as I did the stupid electronic door that had been the cause of my heart stopping many times in the last twenty some minutes, opened once again and a doctor shook Mr. McCrea's hand. I wasn't even aware that I had stood up until I was at Colin's side. I could feel the anxiety radiating off of him, which once again made my heart race. I don't know what Colin said to the doctor, but she suddenly looked confused; she looked at the paper on the metal clip board in her hands then back up at us.

'I'm sorry I must have the wrong family, I'm looking for the family of Lorelai Hayden.'

'We're her family!'

The words left my mouth before I could form a coherent thought in my brain. I felt Colin momentarily look at me as if he didn't know who I was, and then he turned back to the conversation at hand. They were talking about Rory's legal guardians, and that's when it dawned on me that her parent's weren't here; they were flying over an ocean somewhere drinking champagne and completely unaware that the only child they had left was laying in an emergency room unconscious. The doctor looked back up and smiled reassuringly.

Something washed over me, a feeling I couldn't define; I suddenly felt like my world was being pieced back together. She was OK. She was alive, and getting stronger by the moment.

'Lorelai also had a very high amount of narcotics in her system, you're son told the paramedic that she's been abusing this substance for some time now. Is that correct?'

What the hell? Without warning the air emptied out of my lungs and my knees buckled. Reflexively I threw a hand over Colin's shoulder, in an attempt to hold myself up. Rory was using drugs? There had to be some kind of mistake. Why would Colin tell the paramedic something like that? I felt a piece of my world fall away; he would only say something like that if it were the truth.

'Yes that's correct. She's been clean for almost a year now.'

'So her parent's were aware of this?'

'Yes, my brother and sister-in-law sent her to rehab, and it seemed to have worked, but…'

A year, her parent's; Rehab? What the hell is going on? Why are they telling these lies about Rory? If Rory had a drug problem, I would know about it! Everything started falling into place, her disappearing last year on her trip to Paris. The freaky mood swings. Ditching school, cutting her hair, the vacant look in her eyes; it all made sense.

With another smile Dr. Chea disappeared behind the automatic doors; Colin and his parent's seemed to be discussing something rather important but once again all I could hear was thump-thump thump-thump thump-thump. Finding my strength through my anger I stood up straight and walked out of the emergency room without a word. I don't know fast I was walking, but the voice calling out to me was coming from pretty far back. Turning to unleash my anger on Colin, I knew that my face was probably the same shade of red as my puffy, blood shot eyes.

'Wait a minute!'

'Why didn't she tell me Colin? Why didn't you tell me?'

People were staring as I shouted at him. I knew this wasn't the right time or place but I couldn't stop the pain in my chest, the ball forming in my throat, burning and forcing the words out with the threat of depriving me of oxygen.

'She didn't want anyone to know!'

'But me?'

'Especially you man!'

His words hit me like a whip, what did he mean by especially me? Did she not trust me enough to share something of this magnitude with me?

'What … what do you mean especially me?'

He let out a sigh that told me he didn't want to be having this conversation, now of all times. But I had to know. He did the hand through the hair thing that everybody in the damn world seems to do when they're nervous, and then sat down on the wall of the huge water fountain in the middle of the entrance.

'You look at her like she's a freaking goddess man. Like she's perfect; nobody can live up to that.'

My head began to shake on its own, voicing the confusion I couldn't verbalize.

'Imagine letting down the person who's had you on a pedestal since pretty much the second you met. It's pretty fuckin scary trying to be perfect all the time.'

'Are y-you saying that this ...this is my fault?'

'No! Ugh!'

He did the hair thing again and groaned as if he had any right to be irritated with me right now; the nerve.

'I'm saying that she didn't tell you because she's terrified of letting you down. She can't handle seeing the look on you're face when you realize that she's just as flawed as everyone else.'

'That's stupid!'

'Hey I'm just telling you what she told me alright?'

'She told you this?'

The blows just kept on coming. How could she think … I think I'm going to be sick. I clutched my stomach pushing back the sudden burst of pain; winced as the burning acidy feeling of vomit rose in my throat. My body heaved forward and Colin jumped out of the way just in time for the contents of my stomach to miss his shoes.

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'I can't believe we're having this argument right now. In case you've forgotten Sean, our friend is in there sick and in a lot of trouble!'

'Paris I'm not arguing with you. I just need to know. Is there something going on between you and Colin?'

'I'm not doing this.'

She tried to make her way past him but he moved in front of her, placing his hands on both of her crutches and effectively stopping her. She glared at him but his face remained in the same soft, troubled expression.

'Please.'

The plea in his voice made her exhale a long thoughtful breath. Then just as she was about to give in and tell him the truth, that she didn't know what she felt for Colin, but it was more then just friendship - the emergency doors opened and Colin entered basically holding a pale, weak looking Tristan up. Her eyes widened and Sean automatically followed her gaze, upon seeing his friend's condition, he went over and took him from Colin and sat him in a chair. As everyone gathered around Tristan worriedly Colin went to the check in and asked for a nurse. Involuntarily, Paris's eyes followed his every movement, unaware that not only Sean, but someone else had taken notice. Sean shared a look with the person at his side, and they looked just as unhappy as he did.

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'Are you alright?'

The sudden break in the hour long silence had Lorelai jumping in her seat. She turned to her amused looking husband and smiled embarrassedly.

'Yes. I was just thinking about Rory.'

'Awe yes.'

The amusement was gone from his face and in its place was a mask of indifference. Lorelai's mouth set in a firm line as she took a sip of her champagne.

'You know Chris, you're really too hard on her.'

He laughed at her absurdity.

'Be serious Lore, the girl hasn't a care in the world. And in all honesty, you would call taking away her cell phone for a week, being too hard on her. So forgive me if I don't apologize for not treating her like a glass doll.'

'I'm not asking you to treat her like glass; I'm asking you to remember that she's not ... Chris.'

She had caught him off guard. Chris was a taboo topic for them, since the funeral they hadn't discussed they're son.

'Lore.'

There was an undeniable warning in his voice telling her to drop it now before he said or did something he'd later regret. But for once Lorelai found her self unable to indulge his needs and continued on with defending they're daughter.

'She's not as strong as he was; at least not anymore.'

'Lorelai stop.'

'Part of her died in that car with him. We're losing what little we have left of her and you just keep pushing her away.'

He looked away from her trying to control his temper; he couldn't lose it in an airplane.

'I barely survived losing one child; I can't lose her too.'

At some point in they're conversation tears filled her eyes and a lump formed in her throat, causing her voice to break on the last few words. Christopher stayed quiet, concentrating on his breathing and trying to erase the topic from memory. The soft knock that came from the other side of the curtain leading to the cockpit, caused him to sigh in relief. Lorelai cleared her throat and sat up straight with a polite smile on her face.

'Come in Sandy.'

The blonde stewardess peeked around the curtain and smiled brightly. She raised her shoulders as if she felt bad for interrupting they're time alone, and then smiled flirtatiously at Chris who returned it with just enough over enthusiasm to make her giggle. Lorelai rolled her eyes at the display and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

'Can we help you Sandy?'

'Oh right. There's a message for you.'

She handed a slip of paper to Chris who in turn handed it to Lorelai without so much as a glance. Sandy turned and walked back behind the curtain, thinking she had gotten away with the wink she gave Chris before pulling the blue material closed. Lorelai made a disgusted noise and Chris simply raised an eyebrow in her direction as he took a sip of his scotch and she unfolded the paper. As he swallowed he watched the different emotions wash over her face before she jumped up and ran behind the curtain, dropping the paper on the floor as she went. He stared after her frozen for a second before he picked up the slip off the floor. His stomach dropped as he read and he felt the blood drain from his face.

Rory's in the hospital. Something happened at
home, the kids called 911 & Colin went with her
in the ambulance. Call Susan or Paul A.S.A.P.