Wow…all I got to say is thanks to my beta LoVe23…without her…there would be so many errors. Thanks to all my loyal readers as well. You stuck through this story and I am going to try my hardest to update more often.
He waited anxiously for himself to wake up from this nightmare, but the more he hoped the more he realized this was all reality. He blinked letting the breath he'd been holding go. A stinging sensation spread itself across his chest. His breathing started to become ragged…
She had been dreaming…because come on, no one can fly. She felt the wind graze her face and her fingers play with the breezes. But suddenly her vision wavered and she felt a hard surface beneath her. She cracked an eye open…but her sight was still sleep ridden. She slowly pushed her self up into a sitting position. She rubbed her eyes and when she opened them again, she saw Stars Hallow. She slowly stood and looked around. She felt the fear begin to grow inside her stomach. The town was empty without a soul in sight. The fear was now gnawing at her insides. She noticed she was bare feet when she took the first step and that's when she looked fully at herself. She was in white sundress; she pulled on the fabric seriously confused. But before she could examine it more; a headache came bringing tears to her eyes from the intensity. She ran blindly hoping her legs would take her home. No sound came to her ears but the sound of blood pulsating through her head.
Tristan took slow steps feeling his chest burn. The sun shined ironically right above his head. He bit his lip as he felt a shock of pain splinter across his chest. His bag was dropped at his feet. He looked up at his driver to say goodbye; but before he could the driver had already turned and walked back to his car. Tristan shook his head. He was going to reach down for his bag when he noticed a foreign phone sitting on top of it. He furrowed his brow in confusion as he picked up the sleek black object. It began to vibrate in his hands and by reflex he checked the name first. He recognized that number—and by god he did not feel like talking to his father right now… or ever. He picked up his bag and slipped the phone into his pocket. As he made his way to the doors, he felt the phone give a lasting vibration. It signaled to him that he had a voicemail; he couldn't believe that his father would actually leave a voice mail for the first time in his life. He chuckled as he opened the castle like doors.
She felt the familiar grass underneath her feet. Memories of dancing and butterfly wings came to mind. She slowly made her way up the rickety steps. The first one she felt the splinters begin to cut into her feet. She tried to open her sore eyes. Little by little she moved her eyelids and felt the burn against her cranium. Tears began to pool in her eyes again. The door began to open and she looked up hopefully. Her mother's tired eyes looked at her. She smiled sadly when she noticed her.
"Rory…baby……" she reached out to her. Rory closed her eyes again and let her self take in the feeling of her mother's sweet embrace. When she opened her eyes again the pain was gone. But another vision surprised her…she now stood in the old family home… the old shed at the Independence Inn. Her mother lost years to her appearance now… the laugh lines were gone…the small crows feet were gone… she was once again, the young single mother.
"I'm sorry…." Her mother's eyes would not stop tearing. "I'm so sorry baby."
"Mom," she cried; "What's going on…"
"I'm so sorry baby; you deserve so much more…" she shook her head furiously. "I wanted you out of there though… I wanted you far from all that made me feel invisible in my own home." She dropped to her knees and grabbed her head letting the sobs rack her body. Rory followed her to the ground. "I wanted to give you a family honey."
"But you did mommy, please don't cry!" She exclaimed, reaching out to her mother.
"I'm so sorry baby…I'm so sorry…" The young Lorelai continued to sob.
"Mom, no you are wonderful…you're everything to me!" Rory cried out.
She looked up at Rory with serious eyes.
"Honey…that's why….that's why I will only love you…I won't love again…not anyone…not ever…" Lorelai said with a determined look in her eye.
"Mom…" Rory whispered, taken aback.
"Luke…Luke understands…" she nodded sadly. Something ticked in Rory's mind…something she finally understood…
She went to hug her mother again and closed her eyes to feel that same feeling she had a moment ago. But it was someone else she was hugging…someone else's homey smell. This person smelled of breakfast food and coffee…especially coffee.
She opened her eyes again, the shock of pain ran through her head again…
Luke smiled a lopsided smile at her.
"I'm glad you're happy now?" he walked behind the counter…Rory looked oddly up at him. "Your mother…" For a moment Rory saw his eyes fill with love, but then the sad smile returned. "Your mother told me the news…over coffee…" Luke put the rag down…the look returned… "Stuffs gonna hurt her…" he took his cap off and ran his hand through his hair… "I love you two…if you ever need……" he bit his lip. "If you ever need anything…" Rory stepped closer too him feeling his heartbreak.
In Rory's dream world mere minutes passed. But in reality it was already day two of Tristan's imprisonment. His squadron had been running the obstacle course. Currently, they were going over the wall climbing section, over and over. The sergeant really had it in for him.
Here men were meant to be left behind… As Tristan made his way up the wall he glanced down to see his roommate losing his grip. One of his hands slipped. Tristan quickly reached down and grabbed it. This kept him from falling but Tristan was another story. He lost his equilibrium and with the force he used to keep his balance he felt pain shoot through his chest as he grabbed onto the wall again.
His breath began to get short as they reached the top. As they made it down the other side he felt the sweat burn his eyes making his vision waver even more then it already was. The finish line was steps away. He had to keep going for only just a minute more. The pain was becoming more and more apparent. It felt like his lungs were going to tear right through his chest. Short bursts of breath were all he had left. But as soon as the squadron was all at the finish line the whistle sounded.
"Do it again DuGrey…" Tristan was in so much pain he knew if he looked up at him the pain would intensify.
"Do-it-a-gain!" the order came again. Everyone new better than to argue…no one wanted to earn his punishment. Tristan slowly nodded and made his was over to the wall. He grabbed onto the rope and awaited the signal. He knew the faster he could get this done the sooner he could rest. The signal came and he swore that it echoed 20 times louder in his ears. His chest burned…burned so bad he didn't know how long he would last. He begged his legs to push harder than before. Thankfully he made it…he made it…
"You call that a good run?!" the voice was screaming right by his ear. The black corners in his vision began to merge into the middle. His roommate saw him waver and became concerned.
"Sir!" he stepped forward.
"Was I talking to you maggot!?" The Sergeant yelled, in barely contained rage.
"But sir, he doesn't look good!" he ran forward. "Tristan?" The blackness won…Tristan let himself be taken away…he was so tired, so damn tired and the burning in his chest wouldn't stop.
