I know the likely-hood of this happening is like three million trillion to point three, but I thought it would make an interesting twist of fate. I got the idea when I was listening to the radio and City High; "What Would You Do" was playing.
Tristan sat in his Mercedes Benz on the way to meet the boys. He was 23 and still hasn't found any girl that made him think twice about stopping the 'game'. Well, he found one, but she was gone. He was just about to graduate from college and was ready to start his life. But he had no one to share it with, yea a few girl with luke warm feelings for but nothing mind blowing. He had gone to Yale, just as his parents had always planed. He was about to take a top job at his fathers' firm. Life was good, or it should be at least. He pulled into a dark parking lot and got out of his car.
"Well, one last night with the boys...." He said walking into a strip club.
"Ahhh! Du Gray!" Ryan said as soon as Tristan walked in the door.
"What's up Ryan?"
"Notin' we got our normal corner..." pointing Tristan wouldn't know where it was.
"Hey boys..." He said setting down and taking off his jacket. It was apparent that some had been her longer then others, simply by how drunk they were.
"So ready for our last night in college? Tomorrow we graduate!" Sean said.
"Can you guys believe we nade it too?" Dan was starting to slur his words.
They all laughed. "Yea Dan, it's amazing." Tristan said.
"Just amazing Du Gray! It's a fucking miracle!"
"And here comes our reward..." John said as a few almost naked women walked over to them.
Tristan did, being a guy, did enjoy this, but not as much as the others. He was always called a 'player', but her that if her found 'Her' all his games would stop. All the walls he put up to keep people out would crumble. Only one girl had ever broken them down, Rory.... He managed to become friends, but she was never interested in him 'that' way. All though there was a lot of flirting every time they were together, she was still with her boy friend. She had never broken up with him. On there graduation day he was there. It was hard at first but he knew having her, as a friend was better then nothing. They kept in touch some but sometime in the middle of their freshmen year in college her letters and phone calls stopped. He continued to write and call, but never got an answer. After about 3 months he just stopped too. He always wondered what happened to her. And every once in a while when he wasn't doing anything his thoughts would go back to her.
"Hey Du Gray!" Ryan shook him. "Tonight you don't think! We've been thinking for five years, and now we just enjoy! So stop thinking!" Ryan always knew when Tristan was in his zone.
He came back. "Yea..."
"And hear is something to distract you...." He motioned, and a girl started to walk over. She was tall with brown hair. He could see her blue eyes from where he sat.
Wow, I've only seen one other pair of eyes that looked like that.... He thought.
"This ones on me..." Ryan said before walking away.
He grabbed his drink and waited for her to make her way to the place where he sat. As she got closer, he only thought how much she looked like someone he knew. He had dated a lot of girls, but was pretty sure that he would remember that one. She was a few feet away and it hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Holy Fuck!" He knew she hadn't recognized him or she would have run. He got up and started to walk towards her, he knew she recognized him at that point. She stopped cold in her tracks. He knew she would try to run, she he ran to get to her before she could. And sure enough she tried to. He grabbed her arm first. She just closed her eyes.
"Come on..." He said putting his coat around her and walking out side.
"Rory?" He knew it was her but needed to be sure. She didn't say anything just turned away and pulled the coat more over her self.
"Rory, I know it's you. I ... I...."
'You what? " She turned around tears had already come. She knew what people thought of her. She had left Stars Hallow for that reason.
"God, it's good to see you!" He just walked over and brought into a hug. He knew that she wouldn't want him to see her like this, but there was no way he was just going to say a quick 'Hey' and let it be over. They just stood there hugging for a long time.
"Rory...."
She couldn't look at him, she hated herself. And to let a person she loved, and who thought so much of her to see her like this, like nothing. She couldn't.
"Lets get you into some real clothes...." He walked her back into the building and into the back room. Normally there would be girls dressing, but he knew with his friends out there all the girls in the whole place would be out there.
She walked into a room and put some jeans and a tee shirt on. She threw her hair into a ponytail and took off all the make-up.
"You want to get out of here?" He asked
"Yea..." She said in a meek voice.
This cant be happening. God how can I tell him what I did! She thought as they walked over to his car.
"You mind if we go to my house?" He asked.
She just shook her head 'no' and he began to drive. The car ride was silent. He pulled into his condo's parking lot. He opened her door and they walked in together. He was on the top floor so they took the elevator up. He opened his door and she walked in.
"Can I get you anything? Water, pop, food?"
"No thanks..." She walked over and sat on his couch.
"Rory.... I.... I mean... Uh...." He didn't know what to say. I mean he was thinking how the hell did this happen but he knew very well he couldn't say that.
"I see time has taken some of your 'smoothness' away." He smiled. She was going to talk to him. "If I know you, and I do, you're thinking.... How the fuck did this happen?"
He smiled, she did know him. "Actually is was hell not fuck, but yea..."
She took a deep breath and exhaled. "It is a long story...."
"I got all night..." He got up and walked to the kitchen and threw on a pot of coffee. "Now I know you'll want some of this!" She smiled a real smile for the first time in a long time.
"So...." He said bring her a mug of coffee over.
She took a sip. "What it comes down to is I needed the money."
"Why? I mean aren't your grandparents still well off?"
"Yea, better then ever. But it was my choice; I had to get out of Stars Hallow. And fast."
"But why? I mean your grandparents were always supportive of you..."
"I just..."
"I mean, did you ever ask?"
"NO! I got pregnant! I COULDN'T ASK! I WOULDN'T!"
Tristan was floored. "I..."
"Just, if you want to hear my story, just listen and don't say anything...."
"Ok."
"I was 18 and it was the happiest day of my life. I was on my way to Harvard, I had just graduated Valedictorian of my class, and I had a boy friend that loved me. That night, it was just right, you know that feeling you get. And Dean and I had sex. We were careful and used a condom. But life had a different plan I guess. Because during my freshmen year, I went to the doctor, routine check up for the files at Harvard. And I was told I was pregnant."
She chocked on her words a bit, and had been crying.
"The doctor came back into the room, and I could tell by the look on her face that something was wrong. She told me I was pregnant. I couldn't believe it. One time, and my life was crashing down in front of my eyes. For the rest of the day I didn't say anything. The next day I drove home, sat my mother down and told her. We both cried and cried and cried. I knew who's it was. And when.... When I told him he just yelled. Saying it wasn't his, and that I was a slut who probley slept with someone else. And here I was 18 and scared out of my mind, for three years he said he loved me, but when it came down to it, he didn't. He even told me it was yours...."
Tristan again being more shocked then he was 10 seconds ago.
"Dean never liked you, or the fact we were friends. He said I must have been sleeping with you. I knew I could go to court and make him pay child support or a paternity test, but I didn't want him to be a part of my baby's life after he had said that. I died that day. I thought my life couldn't get any worse, but then I remembered my grandparents. And telling them petrified me."
"But why are you here and not there?" He asked.
"I knew that my family and friends never stopped loving me. But every time I walked by people in my town, I didn't see love anymore. All I saw was pity. And you knew me, I was a very proud person, and at that point I wasn't Rory smart girl who had her whole life ahead of her. I was Rory poor girl who was knocked up. My mom even looked at me differently. As soon as I saw their eyes I knew I would leave. But after I had giving birth. So about nine months later I did. A beautiful baby girl." She smiled a bit thinking about her baby.
"What's her name?"
"Hope Love Gilmore.... She was the only thing at that time that made me happy. I stayed in town for about a year and then I left. I didn't tell any one. I just left. I knew that I was going to cause a lot of pain. But I couldn't live in a town where I was loved, but more then that pitted. I couldn't take it. I left letters to all the people I love and just came here. I got an apartment and for a while I was fine. After 2 months Lane found me. She had told her mother off and was now banished from her family. So she came and tracked me down. I can't say that I was unhappy to see her. God with out her I don't think I would have made it this far."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tris, when we graduated what did you wrote in my year book?"
"Uh...."
"Lorelai Gilmore you have to be the only women who had escaped my charms. You are a strong, smart, charming, and most of all beautiful inside and out. I know that you will always be those things. You are the one person in this world I would bet money on, to make it. You'll be the doctor to come up with the cure for aids or the first women president or a janitor at a mall. But no matter how big or how small I will always love you and the friendship we shared. Never change Rory, never change. I do want to tell you something my grandmother told me before she died. 'No matter where you go or what you do always know you are Loved.' And the one thing that my father told me that actually stuck in my head was; 'Hope, is the only thing that will keep you going in life.' I know that you will always hope, and you WILL always be loved!" She recited. She had memorized that long ago.
"And that is where I got her name...." Rory told him.
Tristan smiled, just knowing he had something to do with Rory's life still made him happy.
"Rory, you don't know how happy I am to know you thought of me over the years. Because you have no idea how often I thought of you."
"But you never thought I would be 23 with a 5 year old...." She said lowering her head. He reached over and put his hand under her chin and brought it to his eye level.
"No matter how big OR how small. And Rory was you are doing takes more courage and strength then just going threw college and getting a job. You are making a difference in someone's life! God I have been going to college for 5 years, I doubt that in 2 years 95% of the people I talked to even remember who I was. But you...." She began to cry again. "And I didn't lie, you are still loved!" He brought her in to another hug and kissed her on the head. After a moment he added something. "And you still are the only women to escape my charms..." She laughed threw her tears and started to smile. It was 6:00 AM.
"I should take you home...." He said.
"Yea...."
~*~ In the car ~*~
They pulled into a small lot for a small apartment building.
"How about you come up and see her?" She asked him.
"I was waiting to hear that all night!" He got out of his car and they walked to her door. She opened it up to her kitchen to see Lane asleep on the couch.
She woke up as soon as the door opened.
"Oh my god Rory! Where were you, I called the club and they said you left with some guy, I thought you were dead or worse and then..."
"Lane! I'm fine...."
"Thank god! TRISTAN?" When Rory and he were friends he also became friends with Lane. Not nearly as close but still friends.
"Hey Lane." He said with his charming smile.
She walked over and hugged him. "God it's good to see you, but I mean why am I seeing you right now?"
They laughed. "I was in the club." The word club made Rory cringe. Tristan saw her. "And Rory and I have been talking at my apartment since 11:00 last night."
"And you are here to see a certain some one...." Lane said. "She's asleep."
"K, thanks!" Rory hugged her and lead Tristan into a small room. There he found a bed, with a small lump under the covers.
Rory walked over and lifted the covers away from her face. He smiled, he saw Rory in her so much.
"She beautiful.... Just like her mother..." He whispered to her.
Hope began to wake.
"Mommy?" She said rubbing her eyes.
"Hey sweetheart, I didn't want to wake you...." She sat on the bed and kissed her daughter.
"Who's he?" she pointed at Tristan.
"He is Tristan Du Gray, the man who gave you your name."
"Ohhh! The hot one!" Rory blushed and Tristan just chuckled.
"Nice to know one Gilmore thinks I'm hot...." He said setting on the bed next to Rory.
"Hey, I'm Tristan." He reached out his hand.
"Hope Gilmore. Nice to meet you!" She said shaking his hand. He just smiled.
"So hope, how about I take you, your mother, and Lane out for breakfast?"
"Yea Yea please!" She looked at Rory.
"You know you don't have to...." She said.
"I want to... So come on!" He said picking up Hope into the air and lifting her above his hand and brought her down to the ground. "You guys can get ready and I'll be waiting in your living room!" Hope was laughing and ran around getting her clothes.
"Lane? You want to come?" He asked her.
"I would love to Tristan, but I have to go to work. Maybe another time?"
"I wouldn't take no for an answer, unless you take a rain check."
"It was great seeing you!" She said and hugged him. "Rory! I'm leaving! Bye Hope!"
"Bye Aunt Lane!"
"Thanks Lane! Love yea!"
She left.
A few minutes later Rory and Hope appeared. He stood from his seat on the couch.
"So, Hope, any where you want to go. It's my treat!"
"Mc Donald's!"
"I offer her anything and she picks Mc Donald's? She truly is your daughter." He said to Rory as they walked out the door.
Tristan and Rory sat as Hope played in the Play Place.
"She a beautiful girl Rory."
"Yea, she is."
"I really wished you would have told me. I could have helped you."
"It really, I couldn't."
He smiled. "I understand. But now that I know. Will you let me help?"
She looked up at him, "How?"
"I want you, Hope, and Lane to come live with me."
"What!?!"
"I mean no offence but your apartment is so small, and the neighborhood isn't great."
"I know, but that's all you could affor..."
"But I cam afford more. And I am ALWAYS lonely. So please!"
"I don't know...."
"Fine! HOPE!" She came running.
"Yea?"
"How would you like to live with me? You would have your own room."
"Wow.... Mommy?" Her face was lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Now why'd you have to go and do that!" She said to Tristan. "Fine, if it's ok with Lane we'll come live with you."
"Great..."
"Woo Hoo!" Hope said before going back to the Play Place.
"I'm glad she's so happy about this." Tristan turning back to Rory
"Me too, but you really don't have to do this."
"I want to."
"Thank you."
When they came back to Rory's apartment.
"Lane?"
"Yea, I'm right here!"
"Lane.... Tristan wants up to move in with him!"
"What?" She came walking out.
"I want all three of you to come live with me." Tristan said.
"Uhh...I.... Rory?"
"I think it would be ok, as long as you want to."
"I take it you have a bigger house then this?"
"Yea."
"Then, when do we move?"
The next two days were packing and moving in. It was late, Lane and Hope had gone to bed and Rory and Tristan sat up talking.
"Rory, you know you got me hooked on coffee, I am almost as bad as you now!"
"No way you can be as bad as me!"
"Really? Come on!" He grabbed her hand and brought her over into the kitchen. He open to cabinet doors.
"Oh my god!" They were full of nothing but coffee beans.
"You are pretty bad!"
"Yea! You think?" They went back and sat down.
"Rory? Do you talk to you mom?"
"No really, we take the train in once in a while but I never told her where I was, or what I was doing."
"Rory, you and her were so close!"
"I know and that is one thing that made it so hard."
"Call her."
"What! No!"
"Call Her!" He handed her the phone.
"She'll know where I am!"
"And why is that bad! You live in a beautiful condo with me and Lane and you daughter! What is wrong with that!"?
"I.... I...."
"Rory, I know you. And it must be killing you inside not to talk to her. So you call her or I do!"
"You don't know the number!"
'Ohhh really! 452-3466." He said her mothers phone number like it was nothing.
"How do you still..."
"Remember? I called you almost every night for 2 and 1/2 years. I think I would still remember!"
"But..."
"Fine!" He started to dial.
::Ring Ring::
"It's ringing!"
"Tristan hang up!"
"Hello?" Lorelai answered.
"Hey Lorelai!"
"TRISTAN!" Rory said in a yelling matter but was sure to say it softly.
"Who is this?"
"Tristan Du Gray...."
"Oh... Hi... I mean, why are you calling?"
"I..."
"Oh.... Rory isn't here any more..." He heard the tears over the phone.
"I know, 'cause she's here with me...."
"WHAT!"
"TRISTAN!" Rory hit him.
"Tristan where are you? Is she there right now? Can I talk to her?"
"Calm down...." He handed her the phone.
She took a deep breath. "Mom?"
"Oh Rory!"
After 2 hours and 4 cups of coffee later Rory hung up.
"There now don't you feel better?" He said coming from the next room.
"Yea, thank you. For this.... For everything!"
"Rory.... I want you to do one more thing."
"Oh god, what?"
"You are quitting your job." He knew he was going to help her after he saw her cringe at the word 'club'. He would help her whether she liked it or not!
"But I need the money Tristan. God nothing I want more, but I cant."
"Yes, you can. I will support you and Hope. I have more then enough money, for once I want to use it for something worth while."
"Tristan I couldn't take your money!"
"Then work for it...."
She raised her eyebrow. "And what pray tell do you have in mind?"
"Weeellll..." She hit his arm. "Ouch! No, I'm just kidding. Like cooking for me and maybe clean up after dinner."
"So basically I'm a maid."
"No! I just would like a meal for once, not burger king...."
"Hm.... Sounds good to me."
"Great!" Rory let out a yawn.
"Time for bed Miss Gilmore!"
"Yea...." They two put their mugs in the sink and walked down the hall. Both at the same time and they got stuck. They laughed.
"Ladies first." She smiled and walked into her room. "Night Tristan. And thank you again...."
"No problem Rory...."
She still had it. Control over me. She'll probley never lose it.... He thought.
Rory lay in bed. Thinking.
After all this time... the heat.... It's still there. Every time he touches me... She got up to check on Hope. She walked out and into Hope's room. She saw a shadow in the room.
Oh My God! Someone is going to kill her!
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Came running into the room waving her hands and went for Hope. She gabbed her and then the shadow grabbed her arm.
"R...O....R...Y!" Tristan yelled.
"TRISTAN?"
"Yea!"
"Oh my god!" she put a awakened Hope back in her bed.
"What going on mommy?"
"Nothing dear go back to bed." She kissed her forehead and she and Tristan left the room. As soon as they were in the living room Tristan started to laugh.
"What is so funny about scaring my out of my mind!" She looked at him.
"Do you have any idea how funny you looked running into the room waving your arms!" He started to laugh harder. She was annoyed at first and then thought of how she must have looked and let out a small chuckle.
Tristan ran around the room once imitating her. This made Rory laugh. Rory ran to stop her and she tripped. Knocking her and him down. She landed on top on him.
"Uh... sorry..." she said try to get up.
"No problem, Crazy Arm Lady!"
"Come On! We will wake her up again!" She said laughing
"Yea... Better get some sleep..."
"Night...."
"Night Crazy Lady...." He said with just his head out of his door. Rory quickly picked up a pillow and threw it at him. He reacted quickly and closed the door then opened it again just after it hit.
"Haha!" He stuck out his tongue. She threw another pillow. This one hitting him smack dab in the face.
"Hehehe...." She closed her door and went to sleep.
~*~ Once Month Later ~*~
Rory did as she was told and quit her job. Things were going great, she had more time to be with Hope, she saw her mother a lot more often, and she had a great friend...well....er... she had a great Tristan. Lets put it that way.
Tristan came in the door.
"Honey I'm Home!" He said joking with her.
She just smiled.
"Mommy!" Hope came running from the bedroom.
"Hey what's wrong?" Rory picked her up.
"I had a dream!"
"About...."
"Daddy..." Rory's face turned white. Tristan dropped his coat and before case on the floor.
This cant be happening, she hasn't even seen a picture of dean! She thought.
"Uhh honey, when did you see... daddy?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You said you had a dream about daddy.... What did he look like?"
"Silly mommy. It was him..." She pointed to Tristan. This made Rory feel better and worse at the same time. "It was you and Tristan's big white day!"
Tristan and walked over and was now standing next to Rory. He shot her a 'what the hell' look.
"That's what she calls a weeding."
"I was the flower girl and you and Tristan got married and he was my daddy and we all lived really really happy!"
Rory just smiled, she didn't know what to say.
Tristan took Hope out of her hands. "Hey we can talk about this later. Go wash your hands for dinner."
"Ok." And she was down the hall.
Dinner was just small talk. It was over and Rory had just come back from putting Hope to bed.
"So..." She said.
"So...." He responded
"She has a very wild imagination...."
"Yup..." He began to walk to her.
She swallowed. "Crazy..."
"What's so crazy about it?" He was about 8 inches away from her.
"I think it's a great idea...." He moved in so his lips were next to her ear. "I love you...." He said. She pulled her head away and studied his face.
She smiled. "I love you too!"
"And I would LOVE to be that girls father, and even more. Your husband" He said taking a knee. "Rory will you marry me?"
"Yes!"
Tristan and Rory got married and are a happy family with hope and another on the way. Rory went back to school and finished college. They are happier then ever before.
"Who would have known taking a crapy job at a strip bar would make my life so perfect." She said leaning over and kissing Tristan.
"God...."
"Yea..."
He kissed her again.
"And fate brought us together. But it will NEVER take us apart!"
The End
Tristan sat in his Mercedes Benz on the way to meet the boys. He was 23 and still hasn't found any girl that made him think twice about stopping the 'game'. Well, he found one, but she was gone. He was just about to graduate from college and was ready to start his life. But he had no one to share it with, yea a few girl with luke warm feelings for but nothing mind blowing. He had gone to Yale, just as his parents had always planed. He was about to take a top job at his fathers' firm. Life was good, or it should be at least. He pulled into a dark parking lot and got out of his car.
"Well, one last night with the boys...." He said walking into a strip club.
"Ahhh! Du Gray!" Ryan said as soon as Tristan walked in the door.
"What's up Ryan?"
"Notin' we got our normal corner..." pointing Tristan wouldn't know where it was.
"Hey boys..." He said setting down and taking off his jacket. It was apparent that some had been her longer then others, simply by how drunk they were.
"So ready for our last night in college? Tomorrow we graduate!" Sean said.
"Can you guys believe we nade it too?" Dan was starting to slur his words.
They all laughed. "Yea Dan, it's amazing." Tristan said.
"Just amazing Du Gray! It's a fucking miracle!"
"And here comes our reward..." John said as a few almost naked women walked over to them.
Tristan did, being a guy, did enjoy this, but not as much as the others. He was always called a 'player', but her that if her found 'Her' all his games would stop. All the walls he put up to keep people out would crumble. Only one girl had ever broken them down, Rory.... He managed to become friends, but she was never interested in him 'that' way. All though there was a lot of flirting every time they were together, she was still with her boy friend. She had never broken up with him. On there graduation day he was there. It was hard at first but he knew having her, as a friend was better then nothing. They kept in touch some but sometime in the middle of their freshmen year in college her letters and phone calls stopped. He continued to write and call, but never got an answer. After about 3 months he just stopped too. He always wondered what happened to her. And every once in a while when he wasn't doing anything his thoughts would go back to her.
"Hey Du Gray!" Ryan shook him. "Tonight you don't think! We've been thinking for five years, and now we just enjoy! So stop thinking!" Ryan always knew when Tristan was in his zone.
He came back. "Yea..."
"And hear is something to distract you...." He motioned, and a girl started to walk over. She was tall with brown hair. He could see her blue eyes from where he sat.
Wow, I've only seen one other pair of eyes that looked like that.... He thought.
"This ones on me..." Ryan said before walking away.
He grabbed his drink and waited for her to make her way to the place where he sat. As she got closer, he only thought how much she looked like someone he knew. He had dated a lot of girls, but was pretty sure that he would remember that one. She was a few feet away and it hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Holy Fuck!" He knew she hadn't recognized him or she would have run. He got up and started to walk towards her, he knew she recognized him at that point. She stopped cold in her tracks. He knew she would try to run, she he ran to get to her before she could. And sure enough she tried to. He grabbed her arm first. She just closed her eyes.
"Come on..." He said putting his coat around her and walking out side.
"Rory?" He knew it was her but needed to be sure. She didn't say anything just turned away and pulled the coat more over her self.
"Rory, I know it's you. I ... I...."
'You what? " She turned around tears had already come. She knew what people thought of her. She had left Stars Hallow for that reason.
"God, it's good to see you!" He just walked over and brought into a hug. He knew that she wouldn't want him to see her like this, but there was no way he was just going to say a quick 'Hey' and let it be over. They just stood there hugging for a long time.
"Rory...."
She couldn't look at him, she hated herself. And to let a person she loved, and who thought so much of her to see her like this, like nothing. She couldn't.
"Lets get you into some real clothes...." He walked her back into the building and into the back room. Normally there would be girls dressing, but he knew with his friends out there all the girls in the whole place would be out there.
She walked into a room and put some jeans and a tee shirt on. She threw her hair into a ponytail and took off all the make-up.
"You want to get out of here?" He asked
"Yea..." She said in a meek voice.
This cant be happening. God how can I tell him what I did! She thought as they walked over to his car.
"You mind if we go to my house?" He asked.
She just shook her head 'no' and he began to drive. The car ride was silent. He pulled into his condo's parking lot. He opened her door and they walked in together. He was on the top floor so they took the elevator up. He opened his door and she walked in.
"Can I get you anything? Water, pop, food?"
"No thanks..." She walked over and sat on his couch.
"Rory.... I.... I mean... Uh...." He didn't know what to say. I mean he was thinking how the hell did this happen but he knew very well he couldn't say that.
"I see time has taken some of your 'smoothness' away." He smiled. She was going to talk to him. "If I know you, and I do, you're thinking.... How the fuck did this happen?"
He smiled, she did know him. "Actually is was hell not fuck, but yea..."
She took a deep breath and exhaled. "It is a long story...."
"I got all night..." He got up and walked to the kitchen and threw on a pot of coffee. "Now I know you'll want some of this!" She smiled a real smile for the first time in a long time.
"So...." He said bring her a mug of coffee over.
She took a sip. "What it comes down to is I needed the money."
"Why? I mean aren't your grandparents still well off?"
"Yea, better then ever. But it was my choice; I had to get out of Stars Hallow. And fast."
"But why? I mean your grandparents were always supportive of you..."
"I just..."
"I mean, did you ever ask?"
"NO! I got pregnant! I COULDN'T ASK! I WOULDN'T!"
Tristan was floored. "I..."
"Just, if you want to hear my story, just listen and don't say anything...."
"Ok."
"I was 18 and it was the happiest day of my life. I was on my way to Harvard, I had just graduated Valedictorian of my class, and I had a boy friend that loved me. That night, it was just right, you know that feeling you get. And Dean and I had sex. We were careful and used a condom. But life had a different plan I guess. Because during my freshmen year, I went to the doctor, routine check up for the files at Harvard. And I was told I was pregnant."
She chocked on her words a bit, and had been crying.
"The doctor came back into the room, and I could tell by the look on her face that something was wrong. She told me I was pregnant. I couldn't believe it. One time, and my life was crashing down in front of my eyes. For the rest of the day I didn't say anything. The next day I drove home, sat my mother down and told her. We both cried and cried and cried. I knew who's it was. And when.... When I told him he just yelled. Saying it wasn't his, and that I was a slut who probley slept with someone else. And here I was 18 and scared out of my mind, for three years he said he loved me, but when it came down to it, he didn't. He even told me it was yours...."
Tristan again being more shocked then he was 10 seconds ago.
"Dean never liked you, or the fact we were friends. He said I must have been sleeping with you. I knew I could go to court and make him pay child support or a paternity test, but I didn't want him to be a part of my baby's life after he had said that. I died that day. I thought my life couldn't get any worse, but then I remembered my grandparents. And telling them petrified me."
"But why are you here and not there?" He asked.
"I knew that my family and friends never stopped loving me. But every time I walked by people in my town, I didn't see love anymore. All I saw was pity. And you knew me, I was a very proud person, and at that point I wasn't Rory smart girl who had her whole life ahead of her. I was Rory poor girl who was knocked up. My mom even looked at me differently. As soon as I saw their eyes I knew I would leave. But after I had giving birth. So about nine months later I did. A beautiful baby girl." She smiled a bit thinking about her baby.
"What's her name?"
"Hope Love Gilmore.... She was the only thing at that time that made me happy. I stayed in town for about a year and then I left. I didn't tell any one. I just left. I knew that I was going to cause a lot of pain. But I couldn't live in a town where I was loved, but more then that pitted. I couldn't take it. I left letters to all the people I love and just came here. I got an apartment and for a while I was fine. After 2 months Lane found me. She had told her mother off and was now banished from her family. So she came and tracked me down. I can't say that I was unhappy to see her. God with out her I don't think I would have made it this far."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tris, when we graduated what did you wrote in my year book?"
"Uh...."
"Lorelai Gilmore you have to be the only women who had escaped my charms. You are a strong, smart, charming, and most of all beautiful inside and out. I know that you will always be those things. You are the one person in this world I would bet money on, to make it. You'll be the doctor to come up with the cure for aids or the first women president or a janitor at a mall. But no matter how big or how small I will always love you and the friendship we shared. Never change Rory, never change. I do want to tell you something my grandmother told me before she died. 'No matter where you go or what you do always know you are Loved.' And the one thing that my father told me that actually stuck in my head was; 'Hope, is the only thing that will keep you going in life.' I know that you will always hope, and you WILL always be loved!" She recited. She had memorized that long ago.
"And that is where I got her name...." Rory told him.
Tristan smiled, just knowing he had something to do with Rory's life still made him happy.
"Rory, you don't know how happy I am to know you thought of me over the years. Because you have no idea how often I thought of you."
"But you never thought I would be 23 with a 5 year old...." She said lowering her head. He reached over and put his hand under her chin and brought it to his eye level.
"No matter how big OR how small. And Rory was you are doing takes more courage and strength then just going threw college and getting a job. You are making a difference in someone's life! God I have been going to college for 5 years, I doubt that in 2 years 95% of the people I talked to even remember who I was. But you...." She began to cry again. "And I didn't lie, you are still loved!" He brought her in to another hug and kissed her on the head. After a moment he added something. "And you still are the only women to escape my charms..." She laughed threw her tears and started to smile. It was 6:00 AM.
"I should take you home...." He said.
"Yea...."
~*~ In the car ~*~
They pulled into a small lot for a small apartment building.
"How about you come up and see her?" She asked him.
"I was waiting to hear that all night!" He got out of his car and they walked to her door. She opened it up to her kitchen to see Lane asleep on the couch.
She woke up as soon as the door opened.
"Oh my god Rory! Where were you, I called the club and they said you left with some guy, I thought you were dead or worse and then..."
"Lane! I'm fine...."
"Thank god! TRISTAN?" When Rory and he were friends he also became friends with Lane. Not nearly as close but still friends.
"Hey Lane." He said with his charming smile.
She walked over and hugged him. "God it's good to see you, but I mean why am I seeing you right now?"
They laughed. "I was in the club." The word club made Rory cringe. Tristan saw her. "And Rory and I have been talking at my apartment since 11:00 last night."
"And you are here to see a certain some one...." Lane said. "She's asleep."
"K, thanks!" Rory hugged her and lead Tristan into a small room. There he found a bed, with a small lump under the covers.
Rory walked over and lifted the covers away from her face. He smiled, he saw Rory in her so much.
"She beautiful.... Just like her mother..." He whispered to her.
Hope began to wake.
"Mommy?" She said rubbing her eyes.
"Hey sweetheart, I didn't want to wake you...." She sat on the bed and kissed her daughter.
"Who's he?" she pointed at Tristan.
"He is Tristan Du Gray, the man who gave you your name."
"Ohhh! The hot one!" Rory blushed and Tristan just chuckled.
"Nice to know one Gilmore thinks I'm hot...." He said setting on the bed next to Rory.
"Hey, I'm Tristan." He reached out his hand.
"Hope Gilmore. Nice to meet you!" She said shaking his hand. He just smiled.
"So hope, how about I take you, your mother, and Lane out for breakfast?"
"Yea Yea please!" She looked at Rory.
"You know you don't have to...." She said.
"I want to... So come on!" He said picking up Hope into the air and lifting her above his hand and brought her down to the ground. "You guys can get ready and I'll be waiting in your living room!" Hope was laughing and ran around getting her clothes.
"Lane? You want to come?" He asked her.
"I would love to Tristan, but I have to go to work. Maybe another time?"
"I wouldn't take no for an answer, unless you take a rain check."
"It was great seeing you!" She said and hugged him. "Rory! I'm leaving! Bye Hope!"
"Bye Aunt Lane!"
"Thanks Lane! Love yea!"
She left.
A few minutes later Rory and Hope appeared. He stood from his seat on the couch.
"So, Hope, any where you want to go. It's my treat!"
"Mc Donald's!"
"I offer her anything and she picks Mc Donald's? She truly is your daughter." He said to Rory as they walked out the door.
Tristan and Rory sat as Hope played in the Play Place.
"She a beautiful girl Rory."
"Yea, she is."
"I really wished you would have told me. I could have helped you."
"It really, I couldn't."
He smiled. "I understand. But now that I know. Will you let me help?"
She looked up at him, "How?"
"I want you, Hope, and Lane to come live with me."
"What!?!"
"I mean no offence but your apartment is so small, and the neighborhood isn't great."
"I know, but that's all you could affor..."
"But I cam afford more. And I am ALWAYS lonely. So please!"
"I don't know...."
"Fine! HOPE!" She came running.
"Yea?"
"How would you like to live with me? You would have your own room."
"Wow.... Mommy?" Her face was lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Now why'd you have to go and do that!" She said to Tristan. "Fine, if it's ok with Lane we'll come live with you."
"Great..."
"Woo Hoo!" Hope said before going back to the Play Place.
"I'm glad she's so happy about this." Tristan turning back to Rory
"Me too, but you really don't have to do this."
"I want to."
"Thank you."
When they came back to Rory's apartment.
"Lane?"
"Yea, I'm right here!"
"Lane.... Tristan wants up to move in with him!"
"What?" She came walking out.
"I want all three of you to come live with me." Tristan said.
"Uhh...I.... Rory?"
"I think it would be ok, as long as you want to."
"I take it you have a bigger house then this?"
"Yea."
"Then, when do we move?"
The next two days were packing and moving in. It was late, Lane and Hope had gone to bed and Rory and Tristan sat up talking.
"Rory, you know you got me hooked on coffee, I am almost as bad as you now!"
"No way you can be as bad as me!"
"Really? Come on!" He grabbed her hand and brought her over into the kitchen. He open to cabinet doors.
"Oh my god!" They were full of nothing but coffee beans.
"You are pretty bad!"
"Yea! You think?" They went back and sat down.
"Rory? Do you talk to you mom?"
"No really, we take the train in once in a while but I never told her where I was, or what I was doing."
"Rory, you and her were so close!"
"I know and that is one thing that made it so hard."
"Call her."
"What! No!"
"Call Her!" He handed her the phone.
"She'll know where I am!"
"And why is that bad! You live in a beautiful condo with me and Lane and you daughter! What is wrong with that!"?
"I.... I...."
"Rory, I know you. And it must be killing you inside not to talk to her. So you call her or I do!"
"You don't know the number!"
'Ohhh really! 452-3466." He said her mothers phone number like it was nothing.
"How do you still..."
"Remember? I called you almost every night for 2 and 1/2 years. I think I would still remember!"
"But..."
"Fine!" He started to dial.
::Ring Ring::
"It's ringing!"
"Tristan hang up!"
"Hello?" Lorelai answered.
"Hey Lorelai!"
"TRISTAN!" Rory said in a yelling matter but was sure to say it softly.
"Who is this?"
"Tristan Du Gray...."
"Oh... Hi... I mean, why are you calling?"
"I..."
"Oh.... Rory isn't here any more..." He heard the tears over the phone.
"I know, 'cause she's here with me...."
"WHAT!"
"TRISTAN!" Rory hit him.
"Tristan where are you? Is she there right now? Can I talk to her?"
"Calm down...." He handed her the phone.
She took a deep breath. "Mom?"
"Oh Rory!"
After 2 hours and 4 cups of coffee later Rory hung up.
"There now don't you feel better?" He said coming from the next room.
"Yea, thank you. For this.... For everything!"
"Rory.... I want you to do one more thing."
"Oh god, what?"
"You are quitting your job." He knew he was going to help her after he saw her cringe at the word 'club'. He would help her whether she liked it or not!
"But I need the money Tristan. God nothing I want more, but I cant."
"Yes, you can. I will support you and Hope. I have more then enough money, for once I want to use it for something worth while."
"Tristan I couldn't take your money!"
"Then work for it...."
She raised her eyebrow. "And what pray tell do you have in mind?"
"Weeellll..." She hit his arm. "Ouch! No, I'm just kidding. Like cooking for me and maybe clean up after dinner."
"So basically I'm a maid."
"No! I just would like a meal for once, not burger king...."
"Hm.... Sounds good to me."
"Great!" Rory let out a yawn.
"Time for bed Miss Gilmore!"
"Yea...." They two put their mugs in the sink and walked down the hall. Both at the same time and they got stuck. They laughed.
"Ladies first." She smiled and walked into her room. "Night Tristan. And thank you again...."
"No problem Rory...."
She still had it. Control over me. She'll probley never lose it.... He thought.
Rory lay in bed. Thinking.
After all this time... the heat.... It's still there. Every time he touches me... She got up to check on Hope. She walked out and into Hope's room. She saw a shadow in the room.
Oh My God! Someone is going to kill her!
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Came running into the room waving her hands and went for Hope. She gabbed her and then the shadow grabbed her arm.
"R...O....R...Y!" Tristan yelled.
"TRISTAN?"
"Yea!"
"Oh my god!" she put a awakened Hope back in her bed.
"What going on mommy?"
"Nothing dear go back to bed." She kissed her forehead and she and Tristan left the room. As soon as they were in the living room Tristan started to laugh.
"What is so funny about scaring my out of my mind!" She looked at him.
"Do you have any idea how funny you looked running into the room waving your arms!" He started to laugh harder. She was annoyed at first and then thought of how she must have looked and let out a small chuckle.
Tristan ran around the room once imitating her. This made Rory laugh. Rory ran to stop her and she tripped. Knocking her and him down. She landed on top on him.
"Uh... sorry..." she said try to get up.
"No problem, Crazy Arm Lady!"
"Come On! We will wake her up again!" She said laughing
"Yea... Better get some sleep..."
"Night...."
"Night Crazy Lady...." He said with just his head out of his door. Rory quickly picked up a pillow and threw it at him. He reacted quickly and closed the door then opened it again just after it hit.
"Haha!" He stuck out his tongue. She threw another pillow. This one hitting him smack dab in the face.
"Hehehe...." She closed her door and went to sleep.
~*~ Once Month Later ~*~
Rory did as she was told and quit her job. Things were going great, she had more time to be with Hope, she saw her mother a lot more often, and she had a great friend...well....er... she had a great Tristan. Lets put it that way.
Tristan came in the door.
"Honey I'm Home!" He said joking with her.
She just smiled.
"Mommy!" Hope came running from the bedroom.
"Hey what's wrong?" Rory picked her up.
"I had a dream!"
"About...."
"Daddy..." Rory's face turned white. Tristan dropped his coat and before case on the floor.
This cant be happening, she hasn't even seen a picture of dean! She thought.
"Uhh honey, when did you see... daddy?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You said you had a dream about daddy.... What did he look like?"
"Silly mommy. It was him..." She pointed to Tristan. This made Rory feel better and worse at the same time. "It was you and Tristan's big white day!"
Tristan and walked over and was now standing next to Rory. He shot her a 'what the hell' look.
"That's what she calls a weeding."
"I was the flower girl and you and Tristan got married and he was my daddy and we all lived really really happy!"
Rory just smiled, she didn't know what to say.
Tristan took Hope out of her hands. "Hey we can talk about this later. Go wash your hands for dinner."
"Ok." And she was down the hall.
Dinner was just small talk. It was over and Rory had just come back from putting Hope to bed.
"So..." She said.
"So...." He responded
"She has a very wild imagination...."
"Yup..." He began to walk to her.
She swallowed. "Crazy..."
"What's so crazy about it?" He was about 8 inches away from her.
"I think it's a great idea...." He moved in so his lips were next to her ear. "I love you...." He said. She pulled her head away and studied his face.
She smiled. "I love you too!"
"And I would LOVE to be that girls father, and even more. Your husband" He said taking a knee. "Rory will you marry me?"
"Yes!"
Tristan and Rory got married and are a happy family with hope and another on the way. Rory went back to school and finished college. They are happier then ever before.
"Who would have known taking a crapy job at a strip bar would make my life so perfect." She said leaning over and kissing Tristan.
"God...."
"Yea..."
He kissed her again.
"And fate brought us together. But it will NEVER take us apart!"
The End