Love Lost, Love Found, Love Lost, Love Found (Maybe)
Genre: Drama
Rating: T
Disclaimer:Rory, Lorelai, Dean, and all other recognizable "Gilmore Girls" characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions, and the WB. There is no profit from the copyrighted characters or infringement intended.
A/N In this story, Dean did not go out and get married to Lindsay after his breakup with Rory.
THEY MEET AGAIN
Rory thought back to when she graduated college four years ago. Her life was so full of promise. She just knew she was going to be a famous journalist. After three months on the Obama campaign, she realized two things. One that politicians of either party are basically power hungry individuals whose main passion in life was to get elected. Serving the people she found was secondary to them. The other thing she found out was that a lot of journalists were no better than whores. They would literally give their body for a story. She also realized that a lot of journalists put their own slant on the story. Rory knew that this trend came about during Watergate, when Woodward and Bernstein became part of the story, and no longer had an objective view.
Rory returned to Stars Hollow and landed a job with the local paper which published once a week. She had said no to Logan and he had moved on to California. Jess, she came to realize was a very flawed individual. Even though they could discuss books all night, that was the only thing they had in common and she could not stand his negativity and sarcasm.
Rory dated a few of the local men, but none of them lasted more than three dates. She did not know what she wanted. Then one day a tall Sailor strode into Luke's. Rory glanced up at him and went back to reading the New Yorker Rory figured he was one of the guys from the sub base at Groton who got lost. She heard Luke conversing with someone whose voice seemed familiar. Rory looked again and it was Dean. Rory could tell that the two men had no liking for each other. The Sailor said bullshit and walked out. Rory decided to follow him out.
Rory ran after the Sailor and tapped him on the shoulder, the Sailor wheeled around and yelled, "You better step off; I don't like anyone coming up behind me like that!"
Rory jumped back and stared at him. Dean's eyes focused in and he recognized Rory, "Sorry, I am just a little bit jumpy. How have you been, I figured you would be long gone by now."
"Things did not work out as I expected, and I have been back for about three years. What's with the uniform?"
"I could never get enough money to go to college, my parents weren't doing that well so I joined the Navy. They have programs where they will help pay for college."
"So you're out of the Navy now?"
"Not for a few weeks yet, I am on terminal leave, and it depends on which program I choose, I may still go back to the navy."
"Dean it's chilly out here why don't you call me and we can meet up tonight and catch up."
"Sure, okay, I will do that, I still have your home number."
Rory smiled at him and gave Dean a kiss on the cheek and walked back into Luke's diner.
Dean looked her departing form, a shiver went through him. He did not know if it was from the cold wind or the fact that he had struck out twice with Rory Gilmore, and was pretty sure he did not want to set himself up again. He turned away and walked down the windswept street to his truck.
Rory entered the cozy confines of Luke's diner, and before she could return to her table, Luke beckoned her over. "What did that jerk want Rory?"
"Nothing Luke, I followed him out. Why do the two of you dislike each other so much?"
"A lot of it is because of the way he treated you Rory, and he told me once that I would never be with your mother, because she is way out of my league and wants more than I can provide."
"Luke you and my mother do have an interesting relationship history, which I try to stay out of." With that said, Rory returned to her table and opened her book. She sipped her coffee which was now cold. She decided to go to the paper and start work early.
As she drove to her place of employment she thought of how Dean more or less got a raw deal. The very critical nosy town folks blamed Dean because he broke up with her twice. What they did not know was that she was already seeing another man both times and did not tell him. When he figured it out he broke up with her, now Rory felt guilty about it, but then she thought it was a good idea. Her mother used tactics like that.
LATE AFTERNOON
Rory felt weird, she could not put her finger on it. Oh well she figured, and walked slowly up the porch stairs into her house. Rory opened the door and there was her mother standing right in front of the door
"Gee Mom, nothing like scaring someone when they first walk into the house."
Lorelai looked at Rory for what Rory thought was the longest minute on record. "Why is Dean calling you? You need to go on with your life and forget about him. He is yesterday's news." Lorelai declared angrily.
"Why are you so pissed mom? I just ran into him at Luke's this morning, I asked him to call me and I figured we would meet and catch up."
"Well he did not leave a number, so I don't know what to tell you. I'm telling you, you do not to go down the Dean road again."
Rory shook her head, she knew her mother was lying. Rory knew Dean. Dean left a number. Rory looked around the house she shared with her mother, and sometimes Luke, depending on what was going on in the drama they called a relationship. She looked around at the cluttered, basically untidy house. I can't do this anymore she thought to herself. I just can't. Here I am twenty five years old, living with my mother and a dead end job. You could only take idealism so far. You have to eat, and Rory realized that if she stayed at her mother's house much longer, she would end up alone and living in a house with ten cats by the time she was fifty.
"Mom, I am going out."
"Where to, Rory? You just got here.
"Dean's mom, by the way he was my boyfriend for three years. I know he left a number."
"Rory, you should stay here. The reason I did not give you his number is because I want what is best for you."
Rory shook her head. "You ought to listen to yourself; you sound just like your mother. You have turned into your mother. You bitched about her controlling your life. Look at what you have been doing to my life - the exact same thing." Rory shouted and slammed the door so hard a picture fell on the floor.
DEAN FORESTERS HOUSE.
May Forester looked over to her husband. "Well it did not take long for the vultures to circle."
Her husband looked up from his paper, took off his glasses, "What in the world are you talking about?"
"Rory Gilmore," she spat, "she is coming up the drive way. I ought to tell that trollop that Dean is not home."
"Tell who what, Mom?"
"Rory Gilmore, what does she want with you?"
"I called her earlier, I guess instead of returning the call, she drove over. What is your problem with her?
"She is no good for you, son. She is just like her mother. The world revolves around her, she hurt you twice, why let her do it again?"
"Mother I am a big boy. I have been to three continents and about twenty countries. I will deal with it."
"Son, she called, don't let her in this house. I don't want her in here, do you understand?"
Dean looked back at his parents and shook his head, why the hate? He got to the front door and opened it before Rory could knock. "Let's go Rory; I don't want to be here." While walking down the gravel driveway, Dean realized he did not bring a coat or a sweater. He was outside in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt.
They got into Rory's car and she turned to him, "Dean it is freezing out there. Where is your coat?"
Dean turned to her with and with a mischievous grin said," Baby, when I am with you, it is so hot, no coat is needed."
Rory turned to Dean with a shocked look on her face, wondering about what happened to him. Dean never used to say things like that. Then she realized he was pulling her leg, "You jerk, Dean!" she said between fits of laughter.
"Really, Dean, why did you leave it?"
"Rory, I was tired of my parents running you down, so I just walked out of the house, but if you don't turn this car on soon and get some heat in here I am going to freeze to death. You're not that hot," he replied and they both started to laugh again.
They decided to go to a little restaurant outside of town that had a bar. Anything they did in Stars Hollow would be all over the town by 9 a.m.
The Salem Inn was a cozy little place, with good food and a very easy menu to follow. You could either have one totally awesome steak dish, or one totally awesome fish dish, and the rest of the menu was sandwiches. The drinks were reasonable and the beer cold. They ordered two beers and told the waitress they would look at the menu later.
Dean looked around at the pictures hanging on the walls, photographs of people long gone. The whole tavern radiated calm and relaxed intimacy. Dean also noticed that the average age of the crowd was about 20 years older than they were. "Rory how did you find this place?"
"Well Dean, I had a boyfriend of all of three dates and he took me here twice. Which was not a problem, but he tried to get me into the motel next door also, which was a problem. You actually know, if he had been more, how do you say it, cool, smooth, or friendly, I may have entertained the thought."
"No you would have not."
Rory laughed, "Okay Dean you were in the navy for four years, did you live like a monk?"
Dean turned bright red and tried to change the subject, but Rory was having none of it. "Come on, Dean tell me what you did for four years. Tell me about the mighty sailor man and how many of the seven seas you sailed."
"Rory cut it out, you don't really care what I did."
"But I so do, Dean, how would you like to be the subject of my next column?"
"NO, is that why you brought me here? I thought we were two old friends catching up. I'll pay the tab and then let's just go."
Rory clutched his hands in hers, "No Dean, please stay I did want to see you, to see how you have been. I know I did not treat you honorably, but you must know I did care about you, I still do, I often wondered how you were."
Dean stared at her for a long minute and put his hands on top of hers. He looked into the bluest eyes he had ever seen, "Rory I have thought about you also. Some good. Some bad, but mostly good."
They ordered a couple of roast beef sandwiches and talked and drank late into the night.
THE NEXT DAY
Rory awoke and she started noticing things out of the ordinary. First she was not in her bed, second she was naked, and third she had a sleeping naked man next to her. And fourth her head hurt like hell. She groaned and looked around the room then she came to a fifth conclusion. She must have exploded out of her clothes. Her sweatshirt was on the floor by the door. One shoe was by the bathroom the other on the night stand. Her slacks were on the floor by the foot of the bed, her bra was hanging off the mirror, and her panties were shoved in Dean's jeans pocket. Mixed in with this was men's clothing all over the room. I guess he exploded out of his clothes also, his shoes were one on the night stand and one by the door, his tee shirt was near her bra hanging on the mirror she had to think about that one for a bit, she and for some reason he had his socks on and his skivvies were hanging out of her slacks pocket.
The night started coming back to her slowly and as she thought about what happened that night. Rory turned a shade of scarlet that had not been invented yet. Oh God she thought I acted like a total whore. She shoved Dean, "Wake up! Come on, Dean, wake up!"
Dean rolled over and groaned, "Oh God what hit me?" Then he sat up and noticed Rory clutching a sheet and staring at him. Memories of the previous night started coming back to him. "Rory," he smiled, "have you read the Karma Sutra since the last time we did this?"
"Shut up Dean, how did this happen?" Rory said as she looked around in disgust at the disheveled clothing laying strewn around the cheap motel room.
"Dear, we were too drunk to drive, and the tavern owner suggested we stay at the motel. As soon as we walked through the door we started ripping each other's clothes off."
Rory was horrified and looked at Dean in denial and said, "NO!" She thought her insistence that nothing happened could magically make it go away.
"Oh yes, dear."
"Why are my panties in your jeans pocket?"
"I was kidding you at dinner at how the sailors would keep the panties of the girls they slept with and you told me to add yours to my collection, plus you wanted my skivvies for your collection."
"Dean, I did nothing of the sort."
"Then why are they in your pocket?"
Dean stood up naked and Rory adverted her eyes, "Come on Dean have some decency."
Dean laughed, "Decency? After how you acted last night. I thought I was with one of those courtesans from Paris."
"Shut up, Dean! Let's get dressed and go someplace to make this headache go away."
They walked out of the motel and saw that Rory's car was still at the tavern. The hung over couple walked the two hundred yards to the eatery. "Hey Rory, they have breakfast, let's get some. It will make us feel better.
Rory and Dean walked in sat at a booth. The waitress came over and handed them menus and asked them if they wanted Bloody Marys. "Rory, let's get a couple of those. They will make us feel better."
Rory nodded her assent and they commenced round two of drinking with the Bloody Marys. They also ordered eggs over easy, hash browns, link sausage and rye toast.
Two hours later they were still there. The young waitress turned to the older barmaid, "Those two are having a lot of fun." Rory and Dean were laughing and whispering in each other's ear. Dean rose from their table and walked to the bar, "Excuse me, ma'am, where is the Salem town hall?
"Make a right out of the parking lot, three blocks, then turn left at the Sunoco station and it will be on your right."
"Thank you, ma'am," Dean replied and settled up his bill.
TWO HOURS LATER
Mr. and Mrs. Dean Forester walked down the granite steps of the Salem town hall.
To Be Continued...
