Rory rolled on to her back and clutched the sheet to her chest. Despite having her raw sexual tension relieved, a niggling sensation crept at the back of her head. She stared at the ceiling, thankful that the recessed lights didn't catch the quick rise and fall of her chest.

Tristin exhaled loudly as he rolled on to his back. "That was not what I was expecting."

"Hmm," Rory hummed.

"That," he said, "Isn't the usual reaction I get." He chuckled softly. "Pray tell, did I not meet or exceed your expectation?"

"You know that's not the issue," Rory replied, blushing as she responded. "You are more than adequate."

"That isn't boosting my ego, Gilmore," he teased.

"Stop fishing for a compliment. It's very ungentlemanly," Rory suggested.

"Oh, I see. You've gotten to nirvana, and I wasn't the one to get you there. I get it," Tristin egged on.

Rory thwacked him on the chest with the back of her hand. "Be serious."

"What could be more serious than this?" he asked, raising himself on one elbow to face her.

"The fact that we knowingly broke our only cardinal rule," Rory stated. She threw her arms over her head, almost regretting what she had done. Almost. "This... complicates things."

"Rory," he started. "Everyone expects us to be an Animal Planet special."

"Which one? The 'Black Widow Eats Its Mate' edition?" Rory retorted.

"Well, I wouldn't say no to a little nibble here or there," he hinted wickedly.

Another frustrated groan slipped past Rory's lips.

"Alright, what gives?" he finally asked seriously.

Rory sat up and thought about their predicament. How could she express herself without betraying her feelings?

"Because from my point of view, what just happened is normal," Tristin justified. "I am your husband, and I see nothing wrong in finding my wife so attractive that I want to bed her."

"That's not fair for you to say," Rory said softly. "Our arrangement... ."

"Is a contract I am very blessed that you agreed to fulfill," Tristin quickly responded.

"Religious now, are we?" Rory tried to lighten the mood. Tristin shot her a dirty look. "I'm sorry... ."

"Ugh, these are the moments that make me often wonder why I want you so badly even though you drive me to drink," he said, exasperated.

"Oh is that how you want to play this game? What about Katherine?" Rory got out of bed, pulling the sheets off the bed, walking the sliver of carpet on her side of the bed.

"What about her? Oh my God, you bat her name around like she's supposed to be a repellant!" he said, frustrated.

"But... ."

"No buts," he said a little harsher than he intended. "Get this now because I am not repeating this again. She and I are done. Finito. Ended."

"She did not hide the fact that she still wanted you tonight," Rory replied, panic suddenly eating her from the inside out.

Tristin rolled back on to the mattress and took a pillow to his face. He muffled his groan. He did not really know how to make her see reason; or if not, give her a reason to just commit and let go of his baggage- the kind that he alone could carry and do away with as he pleased.

He got out of the bed and took the duvet off the bed. As he wrapped the sheet around his waist, he wondered why they bothered with modesty when they were just skin-to-skin moments ago.

"Let me ask you, who shared my bed in the last hour?" he asked.

She feebly replied, "Me."

"Whom did I just make love to?" he asked again with urgency.

"You didn't have to call it that," Rory meekly countered.

"Just answer the question, Gilmore," he abruptly interjected.

"Me," she answered, her voice reverberating through the room.

"Remember that," he said, lowering his voice a notch. "Rory, I don't know what happened to you or who screwed with your brain, but I can guaran- damn- tee you that I didn't pretend for one moment that you were Katherine or any girl I've ever been with."

"You don't have to justify anything," Rory replied.

Tristin crossed the room and stood in front of her. He cursed her for looking so vulnerable in front of him. He romanticized about this moment with his high school self , and for some odd reason, now that the moment had presented itself, the memory and the moment are worlds apart and for reasons that were different from what he expected.

"Look, I don't regret what just happened, but I know you're going to have to go through your pro/con list," he said. "You are welcome to share my bed for the rest of the night. Heck, I'd be lying if I don't admit that I think I'd be missing you now that we've shared my bed."

He gently tilted her chin to have her face him. "I don't want to pressure you if you're not ready... yet."

He was a little disappointed when she smiled at him and yet, he saw that the eyes that stared at him didn't quite reflect the emotion.

Rory took his hand into hers and kissed his palm.

"I am not gonna lie, Tristin. I am out of my league here. I don't run with the fast crowd. I am still the dorky nerdy girl you've pestered in school. I am the girl that prefers movie nights over club-hopping, who is still a little afraid of the world because my mom isn't shadowing me. I rarely get drunk because the last time I got publicly intoxicated, I ended up wearing an orange vest courtesy of a court-mandated community service. But that moment in Vegas was a moment of weakness. But I couldn't allow Lane to drink alone. She needed a drinking buddy after all that she'd gone through with her band... But that doesn't matter now. I promised to help you. I am going to stand by you in any way you want me to. But I am only human, Tristin. I... I am trying to get to know you past the prejudices of Chilton and what The Huffington Post writes about you and your company.

"I've been burned badly because I took a chance. I don't regret what happened, but I am not hurrying back to relive that part of my life any time soon."

She let go of his hand and stepped away. She quickly grabbed the clothes that had been strewn in the heat of the moment. As she grabbed the doorknob, she said, "Thank you for letting me leave with some dignity, Tristin." She chuckled softly. "You'd think that doing the walk of shame wouldn't be as hard when you live in the same house."

"I take it you weren't in a sorority?" he said playfully.

Rory turned around and smiled genuinely back at him. "No, but in a fraternity of sorts."

"Good night, Rory," he said, as he rubbed the shadow forming on his chin.

"Good night," she breathed back.

Rory promised herself that when morning came, she would come clean. She felt a full confession was necessary. Unfortunately, the only priest, or priestess that mattered at this point was Lorelai.

"Nothing puts perspective to life like going back home," Rory thought to herself. Leaving New York traffic, Rory made it to Stars Hollow in less than two hours. Only two hours, and yet, the trip felt like a cross-country drive.

Her return to the quaint little town made her shiver despite the early summer making an appearance. Like the movie, Pleasantville, she felt like one of the characters that had just turned Technicolor while the town was still rioting in black-and-white. Who was she kidding? The maelstrom known as the Gilmore-DuGrey nuptials changed everything. Even her short affair with Dean Forrester did not make waves this big.

"Rory... Hi!" Luke greeted her when the bell to Luke's Diner chimed. He was surprised to see her that Friday morning.

Rory gave him a smile as she took a seat by the counter. "Good morning, Luke. Has my mom been over?"

Luke took a quick glance at the clock. He flashed a crooked smile at her. "Was that meant as a joke?"

"I still often wonder why she comes over when I know she has an Impressa J5 at The Dragonfly," Rory teased as she took a sip from the mug placed in front of her.

"Watch it," he teased back. "The one thing that thingamajig can't do is make coffee the way your mother likes it."

"True enough," Rory replied.

"Let me take care of these plates and I'll take your order," Luke excused himself before leaving the counter.

Rory's gaze followed Luke as he served up orders. She had a soft spot for the flannel-loving man. Growing up, he was the closest she had to having a father. He fed her. He answered her questions when her mother danced around the subject. He became a shoulder to cry on when she was infuriated with her mother. Their relationship has been unconventional, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

In fact, the relationship she had with Luke was one of the reasons why she was upset when her biological father, Christopher, came back to their lives. His return rocked the foundation built in Stars Hollow. Although ecstatic upon her father's arrival, Rory knew Luke's unrequited love at that point would remain that; Christopher would always remain Lorelai's one true love.

"So... Wow... How's the married life? Is... Tristin... that's his name, right? He with you?" Luke asked as he set a plate of toast, eggs and sausage in front of her.

"No, no. Tristin's not with me. He had to finish things up," Rory replied with a sigh. She tucked her hair behind her ear when Luke commented again.

"Whoa, is that the gross national product of Africa?" Luke stared at her rings.

Surprised by his comment, she quickly tucked her left hand between her legs. "Uh..."

"I'm sorry. That was glib of me," Luke muttered. "It's beautiful."

"Thank you," Rory mumbled.

An audible "Oh thank God" escaped Luke's lips when he heard the elder Gilmore enter the facilities.

"Oh my God, I need a gallon of coffee. Stat. If you can infuse the caffeine through IV, I would be so grateful. I'm late; I have a meeting with my linen guy... ." Lorelai spoke as she elbowed her way in through the breakfast crowd. "What? What are you waiting for?"

Luke just straightened up and shifted his gaze from Lorelai to Rory.

"Rory? What are you doing here?" Lorelai sat on a stool next to her daughter. "Is everything alright?"

"Uhm... Yeah," Rory replied, setting her coffee mug down. "I just thought I'd come visit... You know, talk, rather than leave cryptic phone messages and texting."

"You mean 'TTYL' isn't an acceptable form of communication?" Lorelai sarcastically responded.

"I do apologize. My life has been quite hectic recently. And at that, I do not recall receiving any notes or phone calls apologizing for rude behavior displayed during grandma's dinner," Rory retorted.

Lorelai was ready for a comeback but held back. Unbeknownst to the Gilmores, Luke was watching the mother-daughter volley words at each other like their verbal sparring was a tennis match. When no one responded, he threw his bar towel down.

"You know, I thought that I would be happy when you guys stopped arguing. Just goes to show that I actually missed it," he confessed before disappearing through the doors to check on Caesar.

Rory and Lorelai drank from their mugs in unison. Both were oblivious to the diner noise behind them.

"By the way, mom is upset that you didn't tell her that you won an award at some gala last night. She hated hearing from Bitty Bowman that you were being lauded without her knowing it," Lorelai finally spoke. "And I'm sorry. I should've called earlier to apologize to your Gap ad model looking husband. I should have been more supportive."

A beat later, Rory replied, "You think he looks like a Gap model? I was thinking Hollister."

Sipping from the mug, Lorelai responded, "Do I take that as an acceptance to my apology?"

Rory nodded.

Lorelai stirred a spoon in her java. "Good. I hate the fact that we haven't talked in a while. But before we can get on with our lives, I have to put in full disclosure that you can't blame me for my Margot Kidder moment. It's my job to be loony when it comes to you and your welfare... It's my job to do the stupid things for you not to repeat."

"I didn't come back for confession time, Mom," Rory said. "I came because I need your help in putting some perspective in..."

"Say no more," Lorelai said as she faced her daughter. She decided that Rory's impulsive visit was a good enough excuse to play hooky herself. "Come on. The meetings can wait. We've got a lot of catching up to do."

The short drive to the Dragonfly Inn was filled with small-town gossip, a recap of the drama at Richard and Emily's, and Lorelai drooling over the shiny bauble adorning her daughter's ring finger. Upon their arrival at the Inn, Lorelai announced that she had more pressing issues to deal with and everyone had to wait or do the Inn business themselves.

"Oh goody. The prodigal daughter comes home and we are left to take care of more presing matters," Michel responded snarkily.

"Hmm, bitterness like that is what's causing the wrinkles on your forehead to deepen," Lorelai replied without missing a beat.

Rory laughed at the quippy banter. This is what she missed: the comfort of the familiar. All of a sudden, she felt a little ache in her heart for forgetting the simpler things in life.

Rory decided to treat Lorelai to the new ice cream shop in town. The lack of customers that morning made the setting ideal for Rory's divulgence. Three cups of coffee and a large chocolate sundae later, Lorelai was given full disclosure of her daughter's personal affairs.

"Let me get this straight: you accidentally got married, you're pretty much held hostage in this situation due to some legal loophole, and now you've developed accidental Stockholm's Syndrome?"

"I am Patty Hearst to Tristin's SLA," Rory muttered. "Only you can prove to me that I am a soap opera waiting to happen."

"Better than the crap that's currently on TV. Well, maybe not quite Real Housewives of Orange County, but close!"

Lorelai nodded her head and took another sip of her coffee. "I never thought I'd see this day, but I have to give it to you, honey. You've rendered me speechless."

"You can't be speechless! I need advice! I need direction!" Rory started panicking.

"Why can't you just tell him?" Lorelai asked. "From what you've told me, he seems genuine. Anyone who has enough gumption to face our family is either certifiable or dim-witted."

"This just seems too much, too soon," Rory moaned. "I don't want him to think that he's indebted to me when we both screwed up. I also don't want him thinking that he has to settle with me."

"What makes you think that being with you is considered settling?"

"You have to admit, he and I really don't run around the same circles. He's the prom king kind. I'm the dorky bandmate," Rory said.

"Honey, love of my life, if you were in the band, I think music would be outlawed," Lorelai quipped. "Anyway, what makes you think that you don't have the right to belong in whatever world you would want to hang around?"

Rory bit her lower lip. "It's more complex than that."

"Really? I think you've convinced yourself that you don't have the right to be happy in a relationship, kiddo," Lorelai stated.

"Easy for you to say. You're married to your job!" Rory teased.

"The one thing I've learned in all these years is that you need to be happy with yourself first before you can really commit to a relationship. Neither your father nor Luke could give that to me during those moments in my life. I was hoping that when you were with Logan you would've learned that," Lorelai said.

"About that relationship... ." Rory said.

Tristin was infuriated and he didn't know why. There were multiple reasons that could explain how he got into this predicament and those reasons involve Rory. One was the unnatural way he gave into chivalry. Not imposing himself on Rory last night was now making him want her more than he thought he ever would. And now that she had left early in the morning before they could talk was giving him a panic attack. Was she having second thoughts about their roll in his bed?

If he was honest with himself, he knew that he should be infuriated with himself for being weak. After all, Rory was right. Before he and Rory spent the night together, he almost gave in to a moment of weakness when Katherine offered herself to him with no strings attached... or so he thought.

He looked at his phone. Seven messages: three of them were naughty text messages and the rest were threatening voice mails from his former girlfriend.

He ran impatient fingers through his short untamed hair. This was getting more complex than he thought.

One by one, he deleted the messages. Much that it pains him, he has realized that he had, indeed, fallen out of love with Kat. He might still harbor some carnal feelings for his former bedmate, but he felt that things had changed. He still was not sure if it was for the better, but it definitely was for the unknown.

He was used to getting what he wanted, and usually, when he wanted it. Last night's events had thrown him off his game. He kicked the wall hoping he could get some satisfaction out of the tantrum. Unfortunately, all he did was leave a scuff mark on the spot he kicked.

Grinding his teeth, he decided to call Rory. One ring. Two rings. Eventually, her voice mail picked up. Faking an airy voice, he left a message saying he just wanted to make sure she was alright and if they should go out for dinner that night.

Then, he decided to do the unthinkable. He was going to tell Katherine to back off.

He was on the phone with her when Amy walked in, leaving a folder on his desk.

"What's this?" he asked while the phone was ringing.

"The McCrae account. Mr. Lott has informed him that you were handling this file. Mr. McCrae would like you to call him back... ."

Tristin held a finger up to her to pause for a moment.

"Hi! Hey, I got your messages last night... Yeah, I... I understand... Thanks for the offer, but I would like to decline the invite. I will call you if the need arises, okay?" Tristin said before hanging up.

Looking at Amy, he asked, "Where were we?"

Livid. Katherine Lloyd was livid. It was bad enough that she was rejected last night. For a second, she was led to believe that Tristin still had feelings for her. That's what she got for relying on her oversized ego. Would things have changed if the guy sharing a smoke with him wasn't there?

She couldn't think like that.

But the humiliation did not end. She had to be bombarded with questions after the gala that evening as to what she thought when she saw her former flame and his current love interest that evening. Then there were the photos. TMZ was at her heels, hounding her and taking unflattering photos of her and her date.

And now, Marc Lott. Here. Pretending to dine with her when all he was really doing was berating her about her failure to prove that Tristin's marriage to Rory Gilmore was a sham. She didn't know whether she should curse or thank her phone for ringing during Marc's demeaning speech.

"I know you're not taking that call, young woman," he said through gritted teeth.

"Watch me," she said. When she was at the entrance of The Greenery, she responded cooly, "Tristin."

"Hi! Hey, I got your messages last night..." he started.

"Listen," she said in a clipped tone, "what you did to me was embarrassing. I don't know what I was thinking but you're despicable."

"Yeah, I..." he tried interjecting.

"I don't know what I was thinking last night but I think this is good-bye," she said, trying to hold back the bay of tears that are threatening to fall.

"I understand," he said almost automatically.

"Understand? Screw you," she yelled on the mouthpiece louder than she expected.

"Thanks for the offer, but I would like to decline the invite. I will call you if the need arises, okay?" Tristin replied cooly.

Katherine replied with a crude remark before terminating the phone call. She took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. The Maitre d' walked over to her and asked if he could assist her in any way. She asked him to hail her a cab.

She walked back to her table where Mr. Lott was still steaming at her for leaving the table mid-conversation.

"This was not our agreement, Miss Lloyd. I can always withdraw my contribution to your bleeding-heart cause," he said.

"You know what, Mr. Lott? Take your money. I don't need it," Katherine replied.

"I thought you wanted DuGrey back?" Marc Lott argued.

Katherine mulled over his query before replying. Surely, she wanted Tristin back. However, if she took him back, he would have to beg. Like a dog.

"I thought I did until I realized you wanted him more than I ever would. Let me know when the wedding's taking place. I'll make sure I don't send my RSVP," Katherine replied before leaving the old man gaping at her as she walked away.

-XX-

It was a little past ten when Rory finally got back home. Rory entered the house quietly. She was headed for the steps when she heard rustling from the living room.

She tiptoed toward the leather couch. She found Tristin asleep. The papers he once held had long since slipped off his grip. She smiled as she picked up the sheets and laid them on the coffee table. She was about to pull the throw blanket over him when he stirred.

"You're home," he muttered sleepily.

"Yeah," she said. "I'm sorry I didn't call. I didn't know my ringer was off."

"Hmm," he said. He stood up and pulled her against him. "I'm just glad you didn't run away and permanently hide."

"Why would I do that?" Rory asked, unconsciously wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Because I'm a hazard to myself?" he replied, resting his chin on her head, reciprocating her hug.

Rory smiled, not bothering to verbalize her response.

"Come on, let's go to bed," he said, nudging her toward the staircase.

Rory paused. "You mean our respective beds, right?"

"Only if you want," he responded. "But I was hoping you'd indulge me tonight."

"No hanky-panky?" she queried as her heart skipped a beat.

"Even if I wanted to, I don't think I'll have the energy tonight. So, no."

"Come on then. Let's get you to bed," Rory replied as she turned off the lights.