Disclaimer: I don't own the series Gilmore Girls or the original characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.

A/N: Hey :-) I don't have a lot to say at the moment, believe it or not. :-) I just hope that you like this chapter and that you'll read the A/N at the bottom once you've finished. Alexia, my beta, thanks again for going through this for me. :-)


Beauty and The Beast

It was on the eve of Wednesday, heavens clear and sprinkled with stars surrounding a full moon, when two headlights threw their circles of glimmer upon the driveway, having the late hour as an advantage. Gravel dove away from the tires, though landing without barely making a sound. The engine was turned off immediately, cutting off its mechanic purring and abruptly dimming the lights. All was quiet in the town of Stars Hollow, its residents peacefully asleep, stirring only with bad dreams. Hooded by the night, he got out off his car, shutting the door with care. His footsteps were light, though his thoughts were heavy as he made his way over to the darkened window, his reflection tracing his every move. He searched with his eyes for a crack, but found none. With his eyes lowered, unable to look at himself, he let himself be led by touch as he ran his fingers over every inch of wood and glass, finding the smallest of openings, just big enough for the tips of his fingers as he slid them through to push up the glass plate.

Her eyes opened at the same rate, revealing the recognition in her eyes instead of fear, though it lingered close by. She listened to his unsure breaths, counting the seconds of silence before he dared to make a move. He slipped into her room with grace, the wind accompanying him with less care, making her shiver underneath the sheets she lay under. The sheets felt heavy, making her muscles ache with the strain it took for her to lay still. Her fingers were clutching at the chain around her neck, having the urge to pull it off and maybe courageously break it in her vulnerability, but she didn't. Instead, she toyed with it, sliding her thumb across the smooth silver material of the letter that rested alluringly within the dip of her cleavage, though it was discreetly covered by the shirt she wore. She listened for his next move, not missing a beat of his heart as well as her own. She easily detected his nervousness and sensed his guilty conscience and genuine regret effortlessly. Somewhat relieved, she allowed him to come even closer, shifting in her bed a little so he knew that she was aware of his presence, awake.

''Get out,'' she said.

He respectfully came to a halt, taken aback by how deep the sharpness of her words carved. Inwardly, he trembled and lost his balance, but on the outside, he stubbornly held his ground. ''No.''

''Please,'' she pleaded, tremors tainting her tone with a color she had found peace with these past days: blue, sadness.

His heart broke into even smaller pieces as he was pulled into an internal conflict, into an old fashioned game of tug-o-war. On one hand, he wanted badly to take a couple of steps back and just let her be, but on the other hand, he wanted for this bridge between them to be crossed and for things between them to be back to normal so he could crawl into bed with her and be there for her. He wished that the damage would have been caused by someone other than him so he would be able to look for the blame at something other than his own refection. In pain, he moved closer towards her, throwing his shadow intimidatingly on the wall across from her. ''Not until you let me explain.''

''I don't think you can...'' She briefly paused to recollect herself, to pull herself as together as she could, although she knew that she was failing miserably once a sob escaped her, fresh tears following, voicing her heartbreak. ''I don't think you can explain,'' she repeated, looking at his shadow through teary eyes. ''I don't think you can give me a good enough reason to why you did what you did.'' Another cry left her throat, muffled by the words that she forced out almost instantly after. ''I trusted you; you were my friend.''

He watched her body shake softly while listening to her cries. It hurt - hurt so much that once again he stood still. He looked at her, his eyes intently fixing on her figure. ''I am your friend,'' he said, though the words sounded weak even to him.

''No...no you're not. You embarrassed me.''

''Prince...Ror,'' he said, though pausing to bite his lip immediately after. ''Please, let me explain... Give me a second chance?''

She wiped her face with the back of her hand. ''You don't deserve one.''

''I know, Mary, and yet I'm asking for one.'' He took one last step towards her. ''I'm here now anyway so why not hear me out?''

''It's Rory,'' she said coolly.

''I know that, too, princess.'' He looked down at her, now standing right beside her bed.

''Don't call me that...don't call me anything.''

''Rory,'' he began, refraining himself from reaching out his hand and brushing her hair away from the side of her face so he could at least properly look at her. His hands lightly trembled.

''No. I'm not one of your girlfriends who you can play to your advantage. I'm not like them, I'm not supposed to be like them!'' Her voice raised itself slightly, frustrated at not only him, but also herself.

''You are nothing like them,'' he urged.

She ran her tongue across her lower lip. She could taste the salt, a flavor that caused for tears to appear at the corners of her eyes once again, stinging her with their reality. She opened her mouth, waiting for the newly formed tears to slip onto the tip of her tongue. She had trouble breathing only through her nose now that she was so upset, but yet she closed her mouth, pressing her lips together tightly, choosing to say nothing at all.

''Look,'' he said while lowering himself down onto his knees before uttering another word, thinking that if he was on her level, closer, she would hear him. ''I know that I don't deserve another chance, but I'm asking anyway because this might be the only opportunity I have in a while to get you to listen to what I have to say...okay?'' He lightly leaned upon her mattress, the sides of his arms resting only inches from her. ''You remember Matt, right?'' he asked, though not waiting for an answer. ''I know that he comes over as a nice guy, but he's the opposite from that. He's always looking for a game, something to entertain himself with. I know this because we used to be friends...until he decided to play a game that I couldn't refuse, simply because I felt that I couldn't and because I thought that I was doing the right thing, protecting you...from him.''

''Wh...why did you need to protect me?'' she asked, being hesitant with her question.

He sighed. ''Because he was jealous and was looking for some fun.''

''Jealous?'' She had never sounded more naive and innocent to him than now.

She heard him move, positioning his arms so that his elbows were now set upon her bed and his hands were folded, leveled with his face. ''He was jealous of my friendship with you, believe it or not,'' he said, his tone edging towards irony. ''I think he was mad that he couldn't come close enough, that I wouldn't let him come close enough to you.''

''I don't understand,'' she whispered, her words understandable.

''He couldn't have you like he could have all those other girls.''

''I never...I...I didn't like him like that,'' she admitted to his relief, his doubts finally settling.

''He knew, but he didn't care. See, guys like Matt...like me often use girls to show who is more popular. It's some sort of power struggle. My dad and Matt's dad play the same game, only with different rules.''

''I'm sorry,'' she said, partially comprehending.

He shook his head, a wavering smile present as he settled his eyes upon her again. ''No,'' he started, dismissing her apology, ''but I am. I should have never done what I did.''

''What did Matt want?''

''He...he made me somewhat of a deal. Either I would get close enough to you to...well, you know or he would.'' He sighed, his words fading as he was unable to say what he meant.

''So the pictures...''

''I'm so sorry. I just thought that if I could convince him that I...that I...'' He took a deep breath. ''I thought that if I could convince him that I slept with you, he would be satisfied. I never knew that he would take the pictures and put them on display like that.''

She suddenly shifted underneath her covers, turning over onto her back to look at him. ''What about my dizziness...was I really sick that night?'' Her eyes clashed with his.

He lightly shook his head. ''No.'' She nodded, casting her eyes downwards, away from him. ''No,'' he repeated. ''I spiked your drinks with alcohol so you would be cooperative.''

''Cooperative.'' The words slipped into the open with harsh difficulty as her eyes found his again. Her cheeks were streaked with the many trails of tears and her eyes were a deep shade of blue, stormy, full with emotion that she was unable to voice.

''I tried to do the right thing...protect you.''

She blinked a few times before looking at him again. ''I know that I might look naive in your eyes, clueless even, but do you honestly think that I would have let Matt hurt me like that?'' Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

''You let me hurt you like that,'' he said, not knowing what he was thinking.

Her eyes darkened. ''Because we were friends and I trusted you, I thought better of you.'' She turned her head away and even averted her eyes from his shadow that was still cast upon the wall across from her.

''I don't know what I was thinking,'' he confessed. ''I'm sorry and I know that my explanation sounds like bull, but I was trying to look out for you and be a good friend, ironically enough. I thought that if I hurt you instead of Matt, it wouldn't do as much damage or hurt as much, but obviously I was wrong about that.'' He waited for her to say something, but she still didn't speak or look at him. ''Princess,'' he started affectionately, ''I know that I may seem like some sort of monster right now and that you hate me, but...''

''I don't hate you.''

''What?'' he asked, surprised by her response.

She turned her head so she could meet his eyes. ''I don't hate you,'' she repeated, more slowly this time. ''And you're not a monster; you just made a mistake...you really hurt me, Tris.''

He nodded. ''I know and I want to make it up to you, just tell me how.''

His eyes stood afflicted and regretful as he took her in. She smiled at the light, almost gray color of his eyes and reached for his hand, letting him know that she would be able to forgive with time. ''You have to earn back my trust.''

He clasped her hand tighter between his, saying nothing as he tenderly pressed his lips against her knuckles.

The moment was beautiful in its sadness and relief, but wasn't allowed to finish as the door of her room flew open. He quickly let go of her hand while Lorelai stormed into the room, angry. ''Get out!'' she yelled.

''Mom...''

''Lorelai, I can...''

''Get out of my house now or I swear I will call your parents!'' Lorelai yelled, not caring much for an explanation at the moment.

This time, he obeyed, exchanging one last look with her before slipping out of the window like a thief in the night. Once he was safely locked in his car, he dared to bring his eyes back to the window... Lorelai had her arms around Rory, doing nothing but holding her, something she needed. With his eyes slightly lowered, he turned the key and started the engine.


REVIEW! Please:-) And once again we meet at then end of such a dramatic scene... :-) Well, I know that some of you might think that I didn't do this chapter justice because of how easily Rory seemed to forgive Tristan, but they have been friends for a long time and, of course Tristan still has to earn back her trust. Things won't just go back to the way they were just like that. Anyway, I'm hoping that you will give your honest opinion on this chapter 'cause I have spent a week working on it, editing pieces etc and I honestly think that I can't do any better so...let me know. Thanks :-) And thanks for the reviews you guys left me with on my last chapter. :-)