Author's Note: This is my first contribution in the 'Gilmore Girls' fandom and in posting it I am flying totally blind. By that I mean I haven't read anything in this fandom-yet-and have no idea whether or not the scene this drabble is based on has been written about ad nauseum or if I am one of only a few to tackle it. Either way, I hope this tag to 'The Party's Over' does justice to Jared Padalecki's wonderful portrayal of Dean Forrester, who, in my opinion, is the one who is actually too good for Rory, especially since she cannot seem to make up her highly educated mind when it comes to men. And so, without further ado, here is my take on what Dean was thinking during those awkward, painful moments on the Gilmores' front porch...
She Can't See the Forrester For the Bees
by
Moviemom44
Dean watched as the door opened and Rory stepped out. Or at least, the young debutante walking toward him looked like Rory, same heart-stopping smile, same brilliant, breathtaking blue eyes.
Still, this couldn't be Rory. The real Rory—his Rory—didn't wear diamonds the size of kumquats around her neck or delicate, sparkling tiaras that probably cost more than he'd make in a year. But this girl, this poised and promising young lady not only wore them, she did it in a way that made it seem like she was doing the jewelry a favor by being seen in it. It was surprising, seeing her like this, but, he realized, it was in no way inappropriate. In fact, the longer he looked at her, the more natural, the more right this version of Rory became.
Then he saw the entourage, the all-male, Ivy League band of young studs with their thousand-dollar suits and hundred-dollar haircuts following her out onto the porch like drones buzzing around the queen bee.
He didn't need her grandparents' mansion to fall on him to see the truth. It was staring back at him from the face of every one of those trust fund babies trailing after Rory. He could see their curiosity turn to scrutiny and then to dismissal. He had been weighed and measured and found wanting. And the worst part of it was that Dean actually agreed with them.
Rory the Queen Bee would never be allowed to love Dean the worker bee. Not for real, not forever.
Of course, she didn't know that yet. He could tell by the hopeful look in her eyes that she still believed all things were possible, that paupers and princesses could fall in love and live happily ever after. He wished he could believe it, too, wished it with all his heart. But he knew better. He knew and she didn't, and that meant he had to be the one to say good-bye, because she wouldn't.
He hated watching the dream die in her eyes, hated making himself an accomplice in her grandparents' campaign to purge him from Rory's life. He told himself it was for the best, that in the long run, she'd be better off and so would he. But that didn't stop his heart from shattering into a thousand little pieces as he climbed into the truck and drove away.
~the end~
