The Grocer
AN: Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
Summary: Rory Huntzberger and her family stop at the local grocery store on their visit to Stars Hollow. Unbeknown to her, Dean Forrester still works there and takes a good look at his life after seeing that she has moved on.
Dean Forrester hated Stars Hollow, he hated the picture perfect little town where everyone knew everyone else's business. Most of all he hated the way the people of Stars Hollow worshiped their golden girl, Lorelai "Rory" Huntzberger nee Gilmore.
Huntzberger, the name left a bitter taste in his mouth at the thought. Logan Huntzberger was the in the eyes of Stars Hollow the only man good enough for their Rory. He had what Dean could only dream of; the charm, the looks, the money and most of all, the girl. Yet once a long time ago, Dean had the girl.
When Dean first moved from the bustle of Chicago to the little town of Stars Hollow he had thought it was perfect. He had craved the quiet neighbourhood life where people would stop on the street for a chat, a place where he would belong. His entire life, he had wanted the feeling of belonging and acceptance and with Rory he had that. By being Rory Gilmore's boyfriend people knew his name, stopped and said hello. And then there was Rory, from the first day he had set eyes on her Dean had known that this was the girl for him. She was intelligent, funny, caring and for a moment, only had eyes for him.
When he finally gathered the courage to ask Rory out and she said yes, he was over the moon. Dean had loved her from the beginning even going as far as building a car from scrap up for her. He was an attentive boyfriend; he held open doors for her, mowed her lawn, helped around the house and called every night to ask about her day. But, he could feel her starting to change throughout their relationship.
At first there was Jess Mariano, the nephew of Luke Danes. He was in Dean's eyes a passing fancy, or that's what he told himself. But, Dean could feel Jess driving a wedge between his relationship with Rory. Rory began to act disinterested in their daily phone calls, always making some excuse or another to end the call. She started spending more time with Jess and spending less time with him. The final straw was when at the Dance Marathon all she could do was talk about Jess. He blew up, and broke it off. When he got home he realised that he was being too hasty in his anger and that he still loved her but by then it was too late. He watched as her and Jess began a relationship and he stood helpless to stop it. But then Jess left, and Rory was free.
But in Dean's grief he had sought out another woman, Lindsay. Lindsay was in Dean's eyes the way to make Rory jealous. So he dated Lindsay and when that didn't work, he married her. But, when Jess and Rory finally did break up he realised this was his chance. It was now or never. So Dean began to talk to Rory more, he brought up their past relationship and spent more time with her. He was as attentive and loving as he was when they were together and she caved. She forgot about the fact that he was married and they slept together. He divorced Lindsay and they started dating again, he thought things were finally falling into place but he was wrong.
When he noticed Rory starting to drift away again he panicked. The last time he felt Rory start to change they had broken up and it had taken months for them to be together again. But, Rory started spending more time with her upper-class grandparents and less time with him. He felt history repeat himself instead this time he was competing with the glamour and money Rory's grandparents could offer her, a world that he far from belonged.
He was middle-class, born and bred while Rory had another world offered to her, a world of money and elegance that was simply out of his reach. Dean did not try to kid himself; he worked as a grocery boy and could not offer Rory that world. So, when he went to pick up Rory at her grandparents he realised that Rory had made a choice and it wasn't him. He waited for her outside in the cold and she was late. When she finally came out, she wasn't alone. Rory Gilmore came out in all her glory with her hair up, an expensive dress and a tiara on her hair. She looked like a princess, his princess. A group of well dressed laughing young men came out after her; they were all expensively dressed and all noticeable rich. And that's when Logan Huntzberger came out.
The first time Dean Forester saw Logan Huntzberger he hated him. Logan Huntzberger with his arms around his girlfriend, Logan Huntzberger with his sleek manners and aristocratic presence. Logan Huntzberger who grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth and had never experienced an honest day's work in his life. Logan Huntzberger had somehow changed his girlfriend and he knew that it was over. He couldn't compete with a Huntzberger who could offer her tiaras and expensive dresses so as much as it pained him, he left.
As Dean was stacking shelves at the local grocery store where he had worked since he was a teenager he heard the whispering. He was used to the snide comments of the townsmen by now, Stars Hollow had never forgiven him for tarnishing their golden girl. In their eyes she could do no wrong and yet their was fault in everything he did that involved her. They blamed him for tempting Rory into an affair while he was married to Lindsey and for making her the other women. Lindsey never forgave him for straying and the town looked upon him with discontent.
That's when he saw her, for the first time in 5 years Rory Gilmore stepped into his store and back into his life. In the middle of stacking the shelves he stopped, frozen in shock and disbelief. Oh, Rory came back to Stars Hollow for visits but their paths had never crossed before, until now. She looked just as perfect as he remembered in a stylish and obviously expensive flowing white dress. Her hair was the same rich chestnut brown colour but pinned up in an elegant up-do. Just as he was about to say something she walked straight past him into one of the isles not even noticing him. He told himself she must of not have seen him, she wouldn't have forgotten about him. But, she just kept on walking in that determined stride of hers that he used to admire so, not once glancing back at him. He stood there watching her peruse the isles until let out a sound of satisfaction and grabbed a selection of junk food.
He was busy watching Rory that he didn't notice the well-dressed tall blonde man walk in with a little boy that looked like a miniature version of the man. The little blonde boy with his shockingly blue eyes to his surprise ran towards Rory yelling those fateful word's, "Mommy!" He watched in horror as his Rory picked up the little boy with a laugh and whispered words into his ear. This wasn't right he told himself, he hadn't heard about Rory having children. Yet, he always blocked out the gossip about Rory and her perfect husband, deluding himself that she would come back to him one day. The blonde man whom once came closer, he recognised as Logan Huntzberger her husband.
"You know you shouldn't over exert yourself in your condition." Logan said, as he reached towards the little boy and moved him into his arms.
He then grabbed the little boy from Rory and gave her a kiss. Dean clenched his fists as he watched the casual and familiar action. He saw the love shinning from Rory's eyes as she glazed at her husband and son and he saw stars. This was meant to be his life he told himself, Rory was meant to be his and it should have been his and her children she was glazing at with that tender and loving look. Logan Huntzberger had everything that he had dreamt about and that bastard didn't deserve it. In his anger, Dean didn't give much thought towards Logan's comment.
Dean had heard all about how Logan had cheated on Rory with one of his sister's bridesmaid and had left Rory in a wreck. He had heard about how Logan had jumped off a cliff and had Rory tending him on his bedside and how he had declared how he couldn't live without her. His Rory had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Rory had run back into that bastard's arms and he had somehow convinced her to marry him.
The couple made their way to the checkout, not giving him a second glance. He could hear the gossiping of the other customers as they commented on how perfect his Rory looked with Huntzberger and how adorable their little boy was. Logan Huntzberger pressed the bell at the counter impatiently muttering about the useless help which shook him out of his reverie. He quickly made his way towards the counter and began scanning the numerous items of food, not daring to look up. When he finally gathered the courage to look up, towards the love of his life and her perfect family he noticed something. Rory was cradling her stomach lovingly and rubbing it with affection while her husband stood next to her with pride. Logan's last comment hit him like a bolder; Rory was pregnant with his child, again.
Without even taking another glance at him, Logan Huntzberger pulled out his wallet and paid the grocery bill taking his perfect family with him. All Dean could do was watch through the windows as the Huntzbergers walked into their stretch limo and sped off, leaving him in the dust. As they left, Dean Forrester had a good hard look at his life and realised something had to change. He had lived the last couple of years in blind hope that Rory would realise she had made a mistake and come back to him, but seeing her with Huntzberger he realised that she wouldn't. Rory hadn't even recognised him, while he had still held a flame for her. He was a fool but he wasn't blind, he could see the love and happiness she had with her life, without him. She had moved on and it was long time for him to move on too.