Tristan slowly opens his eyes and feels Rory laying on his chest. He looks down and smiles. This is such a great life he thinks to himself.
He rubs his hand up and down her arm and he pulls her closer to him. He loves her intoxicating scent she smells like strawberries and vanilla.
Rory slowly stirs and opens her eyes. She looks up at her husband and smiles. I love waking up in his arms every morning. She snuggles closer to him as she inhales his scent of sandalwood and Calvin Klein cologne.
"Good morning beautiful."
"Good Morning handsome."
"So what do we have planned to do today?"
"Nothing but relax. I got all the books unpacked and the movers unpacked everything else. I can't believe we have been in our new home for two weeks. I have had you all to myself for two whole weeks."
"I know and it feels so good. I may never go back to work again. I love being able to stay at home with you. I keep waiting to have to go back to school. I am not going to work until maybe mid-summer next year. I want to spend as much time as I can with you and Michael once he is born."
"I am so happy that you decided to stay home for a little while with me and the baby. I am really scared to become a mom. I mean I don't even know how to take care of a baby. How are we going to take care of our son?"
"Hey baby, calm down. I promise we will get through this I mean I am a little scared of being a parent myself. You had a great mother and so did I they will help us figure this out. You are going to be an amazing mother to our son. I just hope I can be a decent father."
"Oh baby, you are an amazing husband and I know you are going to be a great father. I know you will always be there for me and our son. That is the only thing that matters to me is, that you are here beside me."
"I will always be here. I will never leave you or our kids. You are stuck with me for life baby girl." He leaned down and kissed her. "I love you forever and ever, you are and will always be the only woman for me."
"I love you Tristan and you are the only man for me now and forever. I need breakfast our son is hungry. Feel how much he is kicking."
Tristan placed his hand on her stomach and smiled at her as he felt his son kick. "Hey, there buddy daddy is going to make you and mommy some breakfast. So, will you be good for mommy while daddy cooks some breakfast?" He kissed her stomach and helped her up.
He fixed chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and eggs. He sat her plate in front of her and handed her a glass of orange juice.
He sat down beside her and they ate their breakfast. He watched her as she took each bite and smiled because she was enjoying her breakfast.
"Why are you looking at me like that for?"
"I just love to watch my wife eat. I love seeing your enjoyment with each bite."
"Your cooking is so good. Me and Michael are enjoying daddy's breakfast. Huh, buddy?"
Just then the baby kicked. "See I told you we are both enjoying breakfast."
After breakfast, they lay down on the couch and watched tv. She had organized the nursery before they moved in. She really loved the decorations we chose for the nursery.
Two days later:
Tristan woke up to sweat on his chest. He realized Rory was running a fever and was shivering. He got up and grabbed the thermometer.
"Rory baby, I need you to wake up for me. Baby, we need to check your temperature you are burning up."
"I don't want to get up. Tristan everything hurts." She reluctantly sat up and he put the thermometer in her mouth.
When it beeped he pulled it out and it read 103.5. "Rory I am calling the doctor your temp is really high and you are shivering. I am really worried."
He pulled a card out from his wallet and dialed the number. It rang twice before the doctor answered.
"Hello, Dr. Adams."
"Hey, Dr. Adams it's Tristan Dugray Lorelai Dugray's husband. She is running a temperature of 103.5. I woke up to her sweating and shivering. She said everything hurts. She was fine when we went to bed last night. I am just wondering if I should take her to the emergency room with her temp that high?"
"Mr. Dugray I would suggest you take her to the emergency room as soon as possible. I know you just moved to Hartford and I will contact the hospital and let them know what is going on. I will also call the doctor I sent your records to and inform her of the situation."
"Thank you. I will get her dressed and then go straight to the hospital. Is she going to be okay?"
"I believe she has the flu that is what it sounds like to me. Just get her to the hospital a temperature that high this far in her pregnancy can be very dangerous."
"Yes, sir thank you. We will be there in less than twenty minutes."
They hung up and Tristan grabbed some sweatpants and a shirt from the drawer. He dressed himself and then dressed her. He carried her out to the car and buckled her up. He started the car and drove to the hospital. He called Lorelai and Emily letting them know he was taking her to the ER.
They arrived at the hospital and he walked in carrying her. "I have Lorelai Dugray Dr. Adams was supposed to call ahead. She is running a really high fever and is really lethargic. She has no energy and she is thirty-four weeks pregnant."
The front desk nurse picked up the phone and spoke to the person on the other end. A nurse came out and ask Tristan to follow her. She directed him to lay her on a bed. They started working on her.
They gave her some liquid medicine and an IV. They hooked her up to a fetal monitor and oxygen. A few minutes later the doctor came in.
"I am Dr. Long. I spoke to Dr. Adams this morning. It is good you called and got her here as quickly as you did. It does seem like she has the flu we have taken a flu test and will let you know the results once we receive them. We will admit her and keep her to ensure the baby is fine."
"So, she will be okay. How long will she have to stay?"
"She should be just fine and maybe three or four days. We want to ensure your baby is safe. The flu can be very dangerous during pregnancy especially as far along as she is. If her temperature doesn't drop in a few hours we may have to do an emergency c-section and your baby will be born early."
"Will our son be okay if you have to deliver him?"
"He may have to be in NICU for a few days. His lungs may not be fully developed and we don't have time to do an amniocentesis test to see what the baby's lung development is."
"Thank you Dr. Long for everything."
Just then his cell phone rang it was Lorelai. "Hello."
"Tristan, where are you at?"
"We are in the Emergency room. Are you here?"
"Yes, I am in the front waiting room by the ER."
"Okay give me a minute and I will come to get you."
"I am going out to the waiting room to get my mother-in-law. I will be right back." He told the nurse and he walked out to the front desk.
"How is she?"
"They believe she has the flu. They are going to admit her and if her temp doesn't drop in a few hours they will be doing an emergency c-section to deliver the baby."
"What happened? Has she been sick for a few days or anything?"
"No, she was fine yesterday and last night. I woke up covered in sweat from her head. I got the thermometer and then fought to get her awake to take her temp. It was 103.5 so I called the doctor from New York and he said to bring her in. I got us both dressed and carried her to the car and carried her in here."
Lorelai wrapped him in a hug. "She will be fine Tristan. Now, let's go back and see Rory."
They walked back to her room and Lorelai walked in and saw how pale Rory was. She walked over and placed her hand on her head.
"It feels like her temp is dropping. She isn't sweating anymore so maybe she will get better. I hope they don't have to do a c-section."
Tristan stood on the other side of her bed rubbing her head. He grabbed her hand and held it between his, "I love you so much Rory you have to get better baby."
Lorelai and Tristan both fell asleep beside Rory. Tristan was holding her hand and had his head laid on her lap. Lorelai was sitting in the other chair.
Rory's POV:
I open my eyes they feel so heavy and my entire body hurts. Where is Tristan and why is it so noisy? I slowly open my eyes and notice I'm not at our home. Why am I in the hospital? What happened?
I see Tristan asleep with his head on my legs and holding my hand. I shake his shoulder to wake him up.
"Hey Tris, what is going on? Why am I in the hospital?"
Tristan's POV:
I feel someone shaking me and then realize it's Rory's voice. I open my eyes and look at my wife.
"Hey baby, I brought you to the emergency room last night because you were sweating, running a high temperature, and shivering. They admitted you into the hospital and you will be here for a few days."
"How are you feeling?"
"A little better. I remember everything hurting and you waking me up and that is pretty much it."
"Yep, you didn't wake up when I dressed you or when I carried you to the car and into the hospital. I am glad to see you awake." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"I am going to go let the nurses know you are awake. I will be right back. Your mom slept here too last night." He pointed to Lorelai in the other chair asleep.
He walked out to the nurse's desk and informed them she was awake. He walked back into the room and she was talking to Lorelai.
The nurse came in, "hello, Mrs. Dugray I am Tiffany your nurse. Your temperature came down below 100 so the doctor has agreed to a clear liquid diet. Would you like some broth, jello, and maybe a sprite?"
"Yes, please. I am starving. Can I have a couple of bowls of broth and jello? A sprite sounds great thank you." The nurse left to get her food.
"Thank you, baby. I am sorry for this happening and for you having to take care of me."
"Don't apologize for that you got sick that isn't your fault and I am only doing my job as a husband by taking care of my wife when she is sick. I love you, Mare."
"I love you too Tristan."
The nurse brought her food in, "now take it slow don't try to eat or drink too fast. We want to make sure you can tolerate it."
Three days later:
Rory is getting discharged to go home. She was able to eat solids today her temperature is back to normal and it seems the flu is gone.
I wheel her to the car and help her in. "Thank you Tristan for everything. You have been so good to me during my stay at the hospital."
"You're welcome baby but that is my job no need to thank me. I love you and all I did was take care of my wife. I am just really glad you are better and we are finally going home. I do want you to take it easy at home until you are back to a hundred percent."