Ok, so I'm pretty sure I fell off the face of the earth, but I just can't think of anything for my other stories...so this came to me one night and I was like...hmm...sounds good. It's COMPLETELY AU, and like most of my fics...it starts out with a wonderful prequel to give you background info...hope u like it

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Prequel – But I Can't Be

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Disclaimer – I don't own anything, except for Aiden, it all belongs to someone else.

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This takes place during mid-October during Rory's freshman year of college.

Rory Gilmore walked out of her last class of the day, which was also her last class of the week. It was a nice fall day so she went and sat in the little park located next to her dorm to catch up on her homework. It was just easier for her to go out and have fun over the weekends if she knew she could just lay back and relax on Sunday.

As soon as she began to feel the chill of the fall breeze, she packed up her bag and finished her way back to the dorm.

When she opened the door to her suite she had to look twice to make sure she was seeing right. Tristan DuGray was sitting on her couch with Paris. To her recollection, the two never got along, and when Tristan left, he'd angered Paris.

"Hey Rory," Paris said, giving a slight glance to the door.

Rory started to walk towards her room, "Hey Paris," nodding at the girl and then to the guy, "Tristan, good to see you again."

"You too Rory, it's been too long."

"Yeah it has," she said, turning around in her doorway, "well, I guess I'll be in my room if you need me Paris. Tristan, you'll have to stop by more often."

"Will do Rory," Tristan said, just looking at her.

"Hey uhm, actually, Tristan's going to be crashing here for about a week. He's in the process of transferring to some Cali school, but he can't move in until next week. And I have to go home until Wednesday, and he leaves Wednesday afternoon, so I told him he could crash in my room, is that ok with you?."

"Why do you have to go home?"

"Because my grandpa's having heart surgery and he wants the whole family there just in case something goes wrong."

"Oh, I see, good luck with that."

"Actually, I should be going now, I was just waiting for you to get back so I could tell you instead of you just finding some guy in my room instead of me."

"Ok, yea, sure. Send your grandpa my love."

"Thanks Rory," Paris said, running over to hug her, "I'll miss you."

"Eh, you'll get to spend the rest of you school year with me, but I'll miss you too."

Later that night

They sat their in silence for a while, neither sure of what to say to each other.

"So, Tristan," Rory started out, trying to make conversation. "How've you been these past few years?"

"Well, after Military School, I hung out in Carolina. I was sure that U of NC was the college for me, but I guess I was wrong. Turns out it just didn't suit me. I couldn't take any of the classes I wanted to, and I just couldn't pursue my major there."

"Well, what is your major?

"Engineering, I've always had a liking for math, and I wasn't much into the accounting, so I figured it'd work for me."

"Interesting, I actually got into Economics with a minor in Creative Writing. It's what I was destined to do, and I love to read, so I figured writing wouldn't be any different, and its not."

"That's good, I guess it all works out in the end then."

"Yeah, I guess it does. Ya know Tristan, I really would love to talk more, but I'm tired, I can't think of anything else to talk about, and I have an early class tomorrow. You're welcome to Paris' bed, and well, I guess that's all I have for now."

"Alright, I'm kind of tired myself, it's just been one of those days. So I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yea, do you want to get lunch or something?"

"Yeah, that sounds good, I don't know much about this place, so it'd be nice to know where to get the good food."

"My last class gets out at 11, meet me here at 11:30; I'll give you the college lunch of your life."

"I'll look forward to it."

Rory laughed slightly, "You should."

"G'night Rory," Tristan said as he leaned in and kissed her forehead, "Sweet dreams."

Rory just kind of stood there for a moment, "Yeah, you too, g'night."

Rory spent the night in a dreamless sleep, she wasn't going to let herself dwell on the guy she never really knew in high school, and really didn't know now. She fell asleep thinking about how her mother would probably not approve of her letting a boy she really didn't know stay with her.

The next few days went by quickly, and Rory and Tristan's relationship went even quicker. Neither would admit that they felt something really truly deep, but they showed it. Make-out sessions were quite common during the movies they watched but never finished. They went out clubbing and were permanently attached to each others side. Finally, their last night alone came, and they celebrated by going out to a nice fancy dinner."

"So, Rory, are you sure you're happy with Yale? I mean, there's a wonderful school out in California that's just screaming, LORELEI LEIGH GILMORE, it wants you bad."

"Along with a certain blonde who will be attending the same school."

"Well now, that's just a coincidence."

"Sure it is, and yes, I'm perfectly content with Yale, its all I wanted and more. Plus, I don't think I could handle being that far away from my mom. I thought going to Harvard would be just horrible, California just wouldn't be good."

"Well, I can't say I didn't try. I will miss you though Rory, this week has been amazing."

"I know, it really has been. At first I thought you were just going to be cocky and arrogant, but you've changed, and I like the new you."

"Thank you. It wasn't easy changing, but you try being a chick-magnet at an all-male school."

"Doesn't sound easy."

"It wasn't," Tristan said, laughing as he finished his drink, "So are you about ready to head back?"

"Yeah, thanks for supper, I had a nice time."

"You're not the only one."

When the got back to the room they immediately hit Rory's bed, hands and mouths roaming. Before they knew what was going on, they were both shirtless.

"Wait," Tristan said, partially sitting up, "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"Positive," Rory said as she leaned up to capture his lips, "Never been more sure."

Tristan woke up the next morning and saw Rory sitting on Paris' bed ready for the day.

"Early class this morning?" Tristan asked his voice groggy.

"Bingo, I just thought I'd say goodbye before I left, since I won't be able to see you off."

"Come here," Tristan said, calling her over to his arms, "Last night was great."

"As Rachel said to Ross, it was the perfect way to say goodbye."

"I just wish it wouldn't have had to be goodbye we were saying, why not, hello, nice to know I'll be spending the next week with you."

"Because that's just the way things work out."

"I know, I can wish, can't I?"

"Yeah, you can, but I have to be off, class starts in 15 minutes."

"Alright, bye Rory."

"Bye Tristan, I'll miss you," she said, hugging him one final time.

"I'll miss you too."

With that, Rory was off to class and Tristan was off to packing.

Two weeks had gone by and Rory hadn't been feeling well ever since Tristan left. At first she just thought she really missed him, but after it wouldn't go away, she started to worry.

She told Paris all about what she did, leaving out the fact that it was Tristan she slept with, she simply referred to him as 'this one guy' and left it at that.

"Did you ever think you might be pregnant?" Paris asked

Rory's head shot up, "No, I couldn't be, it was just one time, once. No, I can't be pregnant."

"Maybe you might want to check it out; it's very possible you could be."

"No Paris, alright, there's no possible way."

"Rory, I know you're probably right, but wouldn't it be better to know for sure."

Rory just sat there for a few minutes, not saying anything, "Rory, if you want, I'll go out and buy you the test. Just to be on the safe side, alright?"

"Fine Paris, but I'm not pregnant alright, I can't be."

"Alright Rory, I'll be back in about twenty minutes."



Rory just sat there staring at the wall while Paris was gone. There was no way she could be pregnant. That's not the way things are supposed to work out. She had sex once, that was it, you aren't supposed to get pregnant after your first time. You aren't supposed to get pregnant when the father lives across the country.

"I'm back," Paris said as she walked in, "Lets just get this out of the way now, alright?."

"Fine."

After the three minutes were up, the two girls looked at each other, "You go look Paris, it was your idea."

Paris walked over to the sink and looked at the stick and her face paled, Rory knew what that meant, "It's positive, isn't it?"

Paris swallowed, "Yeah, it is. Rory, what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know, I'll have to talk to my mom, I'm going to keep it, if that's what you mean."

"Are you going to tell the dad, Rory, this is a major change in your life. Are you going to stay in school? How will you get by?"

Rory sighed, "Paris, calm down alright, yes, I'm going to stay in school. I'm not too sure about telling the dad, I never talk to him, I don't know where he lives. He's an engineering major, so we have no classes together. If he finds out, then he does, I probably won't go asking for help though, I won't screw his life up too."

"Rory, I'm worried about you."

"Paris, I'm going to be fine, don't worry about me."

Paris got up to give Rory a hug, "You want me to leave you alone to call your mom?"

"No, I think something like this needs a face to face visit."

"Alright," Paris said as she sat back in her chair, "Sounds fair enough."



Four years later Rory had graduated and was living a very successful life in Seattle with her son, Aiden. Her mother had been there the entire time and she had never had to take time off of school. Everything was going great until Paris announced she was getting married. There really was nothing wrong with that, Kellan was really a nice guy, but Paris insisted that Tristan be invited, and that was something Rory wasn't ready to deal with. She never knew exactly where he went to, and since Paris never knew about how close they got that week they were together, she didn't want to raise suspicion by asking her. He still didn't know he had a son, and she wasn't sure if he would ever.

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Alright, there we go, beginning prequel as always, I feel future AU's just need that to clear things up. That last paragraph was kind of rushed. I hope you like it, cuz I do. I'm a slacker and I finished this while I was supposed to be studying for finals, but I'm free after that. Expect Unexpected Reunions and Wrong Turn to be updated within the week, I really promise.

Until then...me