Hey, thanks for the reviews, I appreciate them especially the ones that point out my mistakes, I haven't had loads of time to edit. I appreciate all opinions, especially criticism, but I have to point out that yes, this fic does seem rushed but when I contemplated the length I realized that something. I couldn't put in the effort or time to writing a 20,000-word fic that I wouldn't enjoy and most readers wouldn't enjoy. My largest dilemma was that realistically, Rory and Tristan wouldn't just get together. After knowing one another after a month, or a few months, and I hate starting in the middle of something, I have to start at the beginning, this fic is long enough as is. So I did a lot of cropping and I've left quite a bit to the imagination, letting you create your own scenes for yourself. Keep the comments coming though, I was trying a new style with this and I enjoy reading them, no matter what. This chapter will seem quite a bit rushed, but try thinking about what I said in this little commentary. Thanks for reading. *

Part Four

"I think about you all the time, but I don't need to think".

Goo goo Dolls

Tristan set Rory on the ground out side of her dorm room; carefully placing her head on his lap he reached into the pockets of her pants he retrieved her keys and unlocked the door. He carrier her into the room and lay her on her bed, taking her shoes off, he set her on the pillows and drew a blanket over her. Locking the door behind him he jumped he took her keys and headed down to the mini mart, there were a few things that he needed.

When he returned to her room, daylight was breaking and he didn't have any sleep in him. He plopped into the chair by her bed and set two coffees on her desk, taking the lip of one and licking the foam. He sat there staring, at her; she looked peacefully calm her eyes slightly closed, but fluttering. Her lips slightly parted, dark hair grazing her cheeks and falling, a tumultuous wave sweeping down her back. She was so… beautiful. He shook his head, 'no time for that Dugrey, you're friends. That's all, and ever.' He leaned back in the chair and was about to close his eyes to a blissful sleep when she stirred and sat up, yawning. When she noticed him sitting there she jumped, at his smile. Falling back onto the pillows and looking at him. "Are you ok?" He asked, she didn't answer. "I'm sorry." She nodded.

"Thanks," the whisper of gratitude made him feel so much at ease. She massaged her temples.

"Hangover?" He asked with a grin. She groaned in response. "It's time for Tristan's magical hangover cure." He pulled a can of beer, three Tylenol's, a two Vitamin C's. "Ok, drink half of this beer, take the Tylenol, finish the beer and take the Vitamin C. Finish it off with a coffee and a shower, you'll be ready for the day."

"Does that come with a song and dance?" She asked eyeing the beer. "Are you trying to get me drunk again?" He laughed and she popped the beer open, toasting him "Cheers." She plugged her nose and chugged half the beer, and took the Tylenol, finished the beer, took the vitamin C and tossed him the can. Standing up slowly she grabbed her shower things and left yelling behind her "you better be gone when I come back."

He stayed.

******************

Two weeks later

"Hey Paris," Rory called as she unlocked her door. "I haven't see you around."

"I've been busy." She replied curtly, turning to face her. "Some of us like to study."

"In case you haven't checked we both have a 4.0. I'd like to keep it that way." Rory retorted. Paris slammed the door in response.

"Ouch," a voice commented from across the hall. He smirked at her.

"I was just extending the hand of friendship to our fellow Chiltonite. Coffee?"

"As always," he replied grabbing his jacket. They hurried down the stairs and out into the snow. She kicked the second tree on the left as they passed it. "Why do you always kick that tree, has it angered you in some way?"

"It's lucky, why do you think I have a 4.0?"

"Because you study," he replied, obviously as they entered the coffee shop.

"Not as much as Paris."

"You expect me to believe that because Paris doesn't choose to maul vegetation, and you do, it's easier for you to get a 4.0?" She nodded sipping her drink. "You up for a movie tonight?" He asked, trying to take his attention away from her eyes. Concentrating on her…lips. 'You disgust me Dugrey' he thought.

"A rental, not a theater. I can't take another really bad movie."

"What movie should I get?"

"Something Oscar Worthy." He groaned.

"I shouldn't have asked."

"You got to pick last time, Remember. We watched all those people die, and then someone really greasy guy did the skanky blonde."

"I never thought I'd hear the word skanky, from you of all people." 'Not at the eye's don't get lost Dugrey.'

"I think you're a bad influence on me…Tristan, do I have something in my teeth?" She bared her teeth at him. He laughed.

"No, why?"

"Because you keep staring at them." He blushed, the blood rushing to his cheeks.

"Uh.." he stuttered "you have nice teeth." She shook her head laughing.

"Thanks Tristan, Thanks."

**********************

March, One month later

"Hey, Tristan can I borro, oh crap sorry." Unfortunately she'd just walked in on one of his and the new girlfriend, Katie, having another make-out marathon. She hurried out of the room and went to Paris, borrowing a bottle of white out. For some reason, the scene she'd just witnessed saddened her. She missed him, the banter, the conversations, his eyes, not that they didn't hang out anymore, they just didn't hang out as much. He was really, her only real friend at Harvard. 'That's it, Gilmore, get up, and call that guy.' A few days earlier a Josh in her Lit class had given her his number. She called and planned to meet him for coffee, satisfied, but still unhappy.

**********************

April, One month later

"We've gone our own ways and I know it's for the best, but sometimes I wonder

will I ever have you, a friend again?"

-Blink 182

"It feels like I haven't seen you in a really long time." She stated, standing in her doorway, he in his.

"Yeah we've both been really busy, how's what's-his-name?"

"Josh, is fine, things are good. How's Katie?"

"Good, its good. How was you're week off?"

"Fine, I slept a lot." She replied hesitantly, struggling with her bag to unlock the door. She noticed that he was still hanging around. "We should hang out, sometime." She closed the door behind her throwing her stuff down and falling into her bed, staring at the ceiling. She closed her eyes, but impatient knocking at the door interrupted her would-be-nap. She opened it, and Tristan was standing there, looking jumpy, his hand rubbing the skin behind his neck. She knew him well enough that this was his nervous face.

"Whats up?" She asked, "I need to talk to you." He stated. " Coffee." She looked at him, he looked a bit upset, but mostly nervous. Feeling needed she grabbed her stuff following him down the stairs and to the coffee shop in silence.

"There's something wrong, I can tell. Talk," she commanded sipping her drink, the warm liquid engulfing her mouth. He looked at her seriously.

"I think Katie is cheating on me, I was going to break up with her later this week but things have been really weird."

"I know what you mean, Josh has been acting really strange, I was going to break up with him, he's acting really mysterious." She drained the rest of her coffee in one gulp.

"No time like the present. Would you like to go first?" She looked at him, amazed.

"You're going to come with me to break up with my boyfriend?" She asked.

"And you're going to be there when I break things off with my girlfriend. We won't say anything we'll just leave a little to the imagination." Rory laughed.

"Let's go to Josh first." She slammed down her mug and they marched out the door, to Josh's dorm.

At Josh's Dorm

"This should be it," she stated standing in front of a door filled with pictures. Inside they could hear grunting and a bed hitting the wall over and over again. "Maybe it isn't his room," she wrinkled her nose. Tristan cleared his throat, and pointed at the sign with his name on it. "He just didn't seem like the type," she remarked sadly. Tristan knocked loudly on the door and she shouted "Josh, hey its Rory, can I talk to you for a second?" The moaning stopped and they could hear scuffling inside the room. Rory looked like she was going to cry. 'Don't cry,' he thought. To late, fat tears had begun to crawl down her cheeks.

"Do you trust me?" He asked, making her face him. She nodded, and just as the door opened, he leaned down and planted a kiss firmly on her lips. She was surprised at first but when she realized what they were doing she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening. Shivers racked her body, her lips tingled, she felt lightheaded but she held her ground, when they pulled back she shot Josh a quick glance.

"In case you haven't noticed, we aren't together anymore." Tristan pushed the door open to reveal a girl hastily getting dressed. His jaw dropped.

"Katie?" He looked up and saw him standing there. He shot her a glance and started laughing. "Oh well," He put his arm around her, she put hers around him and they ran down the hall together laughing. By the time they reached the steps of his dorm, silence had engulfed them. 'I can't believe I just kissed her.' He thought to himself as they trudged up the stairs. 'No point getting your hopes up, Dugrey. She was only trying to make him jealous, ' As they unlocked the doors she turned.

"Thanks, Tristan. For being there." Smiling, he nodded.

Anytime, Gilmore, anytime."

**************************

She let herself in and fell onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. That kiss, she kept running over and over in her brain. It had set off fireworks; her body had shaken with tingles. At the time she thought it was her anger and hurt but when she reached the dorm she knew. It was the kiss. It was he. It can't be," she thought to herself. There was only one way to find out. Standing up, still wearing her jacket and shoes, she hurried across the hall and opened his door. He stood up in surprise and she crossed his room, silently. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him to her, trying to duplicate the kiss, in the dorm hallway. Her mind reeled off lists explaining why she shouldn't be doing this; she went numb, shivers, racking her mind, shaking her hard. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. When they broke up apart, she didn't look at him, turned and ran.

Thankful it was a Friday, she jumped into her car, where to go. She had to talk to someone, anyone. Not just anyone. Not her mother, for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to drive to Stars Hollow. She didn't want to talk anymore, she was so confused, and something mindless would do, something that would make her think, not about him, but about the task at hand. She pulled out of the parking space and drove, nowhere. Tears, blurred her vision, they slid down her cheeks, stealing all attempts on her part, to hold them in. She took deep breaths and tried to concentrate on the empty road but found that task also impossible. When ever she tried to concentrate his face would find its way into her thoughts. Finally, unable to drive, she pulled over on the side of the road, reclined her seat and cried.

When she ran out, he'd stood there in awe, watching her run out of the room. He just stood there; time seemed to stand still. She'd just entered his room and kissed him, they'd probably just shared the most amazing kiss he'd ever experienced, second to of course, the first kiss at Madeline's party, and again, she'd run away. He sighed and sat back on his bed, staring at the ceiling, half expecting her to run back up those stairs and fall into his arms again. That was the stupid part of him, hope. Evil bastard. Well, he thought, drifting into a dreamy state, at least she hadn't cried.