Author's Note: I always felt that the whole Rory/Dean thing at the end of S4 was just crap. I felt sorry for Lindsey, and really just thought the whole thing was wrong. This is going to be a S5 fic showcasing how it could have been for Rory/Logan & Loreali/Luke with the Rory/Dean element removed. Review, let me know what you think, if it should remain a stand alone, if it should be continued...

A/N: I don't own Gilmore Girls and that will eternally make me sad.

A/N 2: I have reposted this chapter because KelseyGS123 pointed out my Tiger Woods reference wouldn't have applied in 2005!

The Way Things Were Before

They were in her room; mementos of her childhood lay in various places around the pair. Such innocent items stood in stark contrast to the two adults standing once again in the same and yet altogether different place. Almost unconsciously, they moved closer to the other as the tension between the built. The same tension that had been building steadily for weeks was nearing its breaking point. This time, no one was around to save them both from the inevitable plunge, the culmination of their respective longings.

"Your room looks the same," Dean whispered, afraid to break the spell.

"Yeah, I tried that whole French revival thing, but it didn't really work for me." The humor was weak, but she was avoiding the feelings coursing through her.

Dean wanted nothing more than to simply haul her into his arms and kiss her, but knew that if he moved too soon, she'd spook and he'd lose his chance at happiness. "So, um, is it weird being back at home after being away for a while?"

"No, it feels completely normal." Her words were both true and false.

"So, um…today," Dean chuckled, effectively breaking their holding pattern.

"Yes, today."

"An interesting day."

"I'd authorize a case study if I could."

"You know, I could be wrong, but somehow I had the feeling that maybe if Tom hadn't have come in when he did – "

"Dean?" Rory asked, voice soft. Her mind was rapidly trying to catch up with her hormones. She thought things through, she made pro/con lists; she didn't blindly rush into things.

"Yeah?" Dean responded, hesitantly. He could feel the magic of the moment slipping away from him. He could feel her slipping away from him.

"Lindsey."

Her name should have been equivalent to a bucket of cold water, but it wasn't. She was Rory; he was Dean. First loves die hard. He knew she'd worked out some sort of list in her head and that he would need to reason his way past her logic. After all, he'd never stopped loving her, and clearly she still loved him.

"It's not working with Lindsey. I can't make it work. I've tried."

Rory felt the situation moving beyond her realm of control. Dean was her first love, and always would be no matter what happened in the future. Still, there was that annoying nagging voice in her head, her own Jiminy Cricket, warning her. She'd given Dean the chance to break off whatever this was, she thought that by mentioning Lindsey maybe he'd come to his senses and help her out a little.

"Dean – "

"Rory, don't," Dean cut her off, recognizing her tone. She'd managed to talk herself out of this, and he couldn't let that happen. He needed her; he missed her. She was always supposed to be with him.

She felt him pull her closer. As she felt her resolve begin to crumble, she forced herself to step back. "We can't do this, Dean."

"We've been doing this for weeks, Rory," Dean said, clearly irritated.

"And we shouldn't have. This isn't me. And I know this isn't you."

"I'm not happy, Rory. Neither is Lindsey."

Her heart broke as she heard the sorrow in his voice. She believed him; she wanted to help him. She knew what she needed to do.

"This," she gestured between the two of them, "won't make either of you happy."

"I was happy when I was with you," Dean pleaded, "and I can be happy with you again."

"No," Rory whispered, her voice breaking, "No, Dean. You can't be happy with me because you're married to her – you're married to Lindsey."

"That was a mistake; I never should have married her."

"Maybe, but that doesn't make this not a mistake. Dean, you're married. You chose her. You can't choose me, too."

"You called me, remember? You came to me upset about Yale, and not having your mom around. You called me when you got stuck on that lame date your Grandmother put you up to…you came to me. And like an idiot, I came to you. Even when I saw Jess at your dorm, I believed what you told me!"

"This has nothing to do with Jess!" Rory exclaimed. "You're married to Lindsey, that's the issue here. Maybe I shouldn't have called you – ok, fine…I'm sorry about that. But you could've said no, and you didn't."

"Of course I didn't! You knew I wouldn't , which is why you called me. God, Rory. I should have known. You did the same thing with Jess. When things went wrong, then you wanted to have me around. I was hoping maybe things could go back to – "

"Rory! Oh, my God. You're missing everything." Rory and Dean froze when they heard Lorelai.

"Grab those CDs and head back to the inn before you miss the cross-dressing midgets. That's where the night is headed. Oh! Things are happening - big things, wow things. I have so much to tell you." Frozen, and unsure of what to do next, both Rory and Dean stared at each other while Lorelai continued to babble.

"Let me just open with this little tidbit - Kirk running naked through the square. Of course, with all my careful planning and preparation, I forgot to bring Band-aids and a camera. I have got to learn that, always, without fail, Kirk equals camera."

Lorelai, a bit out of breath, came to a screeching halt when she entered the kitchen. Rory stood there, a guilty look playing on her face. "What's going on?" Lorelai asked, secretly terrified of the answer.

As Dean slunk out of her daughter's room, Lorelai felt as if the world had shifted beneath her feet. She watched in mute horror as neither would meet the eyes of anyone currently standing awkwardly in the kitchen.

Shifting nervously from foot to foot, Dean wanted the earth to swallow him whole. He knew his shot with Rory was gone. He was married to a woman he didn't love because he thought he could run from the woman he did. "I've gotta go."

Dean beat a hasty retreat out the back door. Rory didn't so much as glance his way as he did. She continued to stare intently at some indiscernible spot on the floor.

Heart pounding, Lorelai moved around her frozen daughter and looked in Rory's room. With a sigh, she leaned against the door jam. "What was Dean doing here?"

"Dean's not happy with Lindsey."

"Rory," Lorelai pushed, gently.

"I didn't know he was going to show up tonight. I mean, we sort of hung out a couple of times and he let me use a hammer, and there was this moment earlier with Tom and the door, but this tonight I didn't expect this."

"What happened, kid?"

"Everything's just so messed up. He's married to her. He doesn't love her."

"Oh Rory."

"He deserves to be happy, mom. He does, but not this – " Rory made some vague hand gesture. "And then he got mad at me? He's Frank Gifford, but it's my fault? Which would make Lindsey Kathy Gifford and me a woman paid by a tabloid - we could be our own really bad reality TV show. He didn't have to come to New Haven and Jess showing up was not my doing!"

"Frank Gifford? Fill in some of these blanks for mommy."

Rory slumped, boneless, to the floor. "Oh my god. I'm pretty sure Dean and I nearly made the biggest mistake of our lives."

"Nearly?"

"I almost went along with it." Rory's eyes snapped up to her mother's. "I was almost the other woman."

"Oh Rory," Lorelai said, as she moved to embrace her daughter.

"No." Rory jumped up and out of Lorelai's path. "I just need to quit thinking of him as my Dean. He hasn't been my Dean for what, two years? I'm not that girl. Mom, I can't be that girl."

"You're not that girl. You almost gave in, but you stopped yourself. And if we learned anything from Brandi, it's that almost doesn't count."

Rory smiled; it was a small smile, but hey it was an improvement. Lorelai smiled in return. "You did the right thing, kid."

"They why do I feel so crappy? Like I ruined everything? Like if I hadn't called him then this whole scene could have been avoided?"

"Dean was a huge part of your life. It makes sense you'd go to him when you're in crisis mode. You've just got to kick the habit."

"Think they make a patch for that?"

"I'll hire a team of scientists. We'll be rich and famous."

"Have our picture in the newspaper."

"You'll be okay, Rory. Dean and Lindsey will have to figure out their own lives. You don't get to play Dr. Phil to their drama."

Rory nodded once. "So, Kirk running through the town square naked?"

Knowing her daughter needed the time to process through everything, and beyond relieved she'd raised her girl up right, Lorelai nodded enthusiastically. "We could wander back to the Inn and see if Luke's caught Kirk yet."

"I'll grab the CD's."

"Oh no," Lorelai said as she saw Kirk, butt skyward, laying face down on the couch.

Knowing it looked worse than it was, or maybe just hoping, Luke responded. "It's ok."

"You weren't joking. Kirk is naked," Rory said as she walked into the main room of the Dragonfly.

"What happened?" Lorelai asked, concern lacing her voice.

Luke ran a hand through his hair. "He landed butt first in Taylor's rose bushes."

"Did he hurt the roses? Taylor will flip if he did," Rory commented.

"Oh, poor thing," Lorelai added.

"Didn't slow him down though," Luke continued. "I managed to tackle him as he headed toward the miniature goat pen, dragged him back here, threw one of your blankets over him, and, well, there he is – he's gonna be fine."

"Why was he naked in the square, and running?" Rory asked.

"They were after me, so I ran away," Kirk answered, his voice muffled from being prone on the couch.

"Who was after you, sweetie?" Sookie asked as she walked into the room.

"I filled her in after you left," Luke explained to a curious Lorelai. "And assassins. He thinks assassins are after him."

"They were under my bed in my room, so I ran, and they followed me down the hall, down the stairs, past Luke and Lorelai kissing, through the yard, over that fence," Kirk explained.

"Well, the assassins are gone now, Kirk," Sookie said with a smile, the laughter in her voice barely contained.

"I imagined them?" Kirk asked.

Sookie nodded, "I think so."

"What about Luke and Lorelai?"

Sookie looked between a very nervous looking Luke and Lorelai. She saw Rory's face, which was a mixture of shock, happiness, and a tinge of hurt.

"Over here, now," Rory ordered as she maneuvered the two adults into the reception area. "Spill now."

"You kissed?" Sookie asked. She'd followed the trio into the next room.

"Yes." Luke and Lorelai answered simultaneously.

She tried to keep her face stern, really she gave it the old college go, but she was just too happy. She let out an un-lady like squeal and threw her arms around her mother. "I'm so happy for you."

Luke motioned for Sookie. He leaned towards her and whispered in his ear. The two then made their way back to Kirk.

"Someone should check, see if he's ok."

Sookie nodded, "Someone should." She looked up at the pointed look Luke was directing at her. "You think me should be the someone?"

Luke nodded.

"I don't want to look at Kirk's butt. Why do I need to be the one to look at it?"

"Because you have a kid."

"So does Lorelai!"

"Yeah, but she's grown and can look at her own butt."

Lorelai eagerly returned her daughter's hug. "I know this isn't exactly the way to find out…"

"You mean naked Kirk didn't perform his role as herald of good tidings very well?"

"I should have been the one to tell you," Lorelai said with a small smile.

"You were a bit preoccupied with me and the whole Dean – Me – Lindsey thing. It's understandable that you'd completely forget to tell me possibly the most important event in your life, short of giving birth to this ravishing creature before you. I now expect all of the details."

"I kissed Luke."

"You kissed Luke."

That's it! Let me know what you think! Read the announcement at the top before you Review! Thanks!