Author's Note: Okay people here it is...the GRAND FINALE!!! I know this has been a very LONG fic...sorry about that but was it worth it? I hope so. Well, will this be the happily ever after you all hoped for or have you been a bad reviewer, forcing me to kill off one of these precious characters? Read and find out!

Chapter 6-Charming

"...and that was that. I didn't feel like doing anything the rest of the evening." Rory finished back in the present.

"So that's why you wanted to go home early." Lorelai realized.

"Yes, and I've been in love with him ever since, but I can't-I can't do that to him. I don't want to ruin his future and I know that if I let anything happen between us that's what I would be doing."

"Rory, Tristan's parents are stuck-up jerks! Don't let them influence you like that!" Lane urged.

Without a word Lorelai stood up and began to leave.

"Mom? Where are you going?"

Lorelai looked back. "I'm going down to the visit the DuGrey's and then I'm going to kick their asses until they feel every bit of pain they caused and continue to cause you and Tristan by keeping you apart." she said angrily, her tone conveying that she meant every word.

"Mom! Don't!" Rory begged. "It won't help any."

"It'll help me!" Lorelai argued.

Rory sighed and pulled Prince into her arms. ~Great, another reminder of Tristan and the night of the ball. He really was my prince that night~ she thought woefully, hugging the frog tighter.

"Face it mom, we weren't meant to be together."

~~~~~~~~

Stars Hollow, CT...

"Hey kid, everyone's been looking for you." Luke greeted Rory.

"Well, they found me." she sighed tiredly as she walked around the counter and hugged her step-dad, relishing in the comfort it brought.

After Lane and Lorelai left Rory knew they would be back but she didn't want to be there when they returned. That was a confrontation that she wanted to delay as long as possible. She knew that they would hound her about how she should forget about the DuGrey's and just be with Tristan regardless of the deal she made but her conscience wouldn't allow her to ruin his life like that. So, with every intention of cruising her way back to New Haven she found herself low on caffeine and opted to see Luke before she left. The second she stepped into town she felt a comfort of familiarity that made her nostalgic for the simpler days.

"Are mom and Lane back yet?" Rory asked cautiously as she drew back and walked back around the counter to sit on one of the stools.

"Nope, haven't seen them since this morning. Jess hasn't come back either." Luke answered, pouring a cup for his daughter, knowing that she was in need of a fix. "We're all still pretty torn up about the Tristan thing."

"So am I." Rory admitted.

Luke wanted to ask what she had meant by that but he opted to wait for Lorelai to tell him, knowing that Rory wanted only to escape the troubles, not receive the third degree from him. So instead he accepted her answer and focused on wiping off an imaginary stain on the counter.

"Are you hungry?" he offered.

"Um...could you just make the usual to go? I kind of want to get back to school today...I'm not on vacation yet so I'm technically playing hooky at the moment." she said sheepishly.

"No prob. Caesar!" Luke called. "Cheeseburger and fries for my kid and make it to go!"

He returned his attention back to Rory. Looking up at him with curiosity she couldn't help the words that spilled out of her mouth.

"Why do you like Tristan so much?"

Luke was taken aback. "What?"

"Why do you like Tristan so much? Why do you want me to be with him?" Rory asked.

"I don't know...I guess because he's a good guy. A man after my own heart, he'd die before he let anyone hurt you. He treats you with the respect that you deserve. I don't worry about him being with you because I know that you're safe with him." Luke answered honestly.

"So it's not just because he helped Jess get into Yale?"

Luke laughed. "Well maybe that's part of it. Not only does he love you but he also loves those close to you. Together you helped Jess want to excel at school but Tristan went a step further and helped him get into a quality school. They studied together, they quizzed each other endlessly about questions for the SAT's...they became great friends in the process."

Rory nodded thoughtfully, downing the rest of her coffee.

"He's great! He's perfect! He's every girl's dream!" Rory cried out frustrated.

"Whoa, whoa, Rory! Calm down!" Luke cried. "What's wrong?"

Rory covered her face with her hands. Looking back up she shook her head as if angry with herself.

"It's nothing Luke, it's nothing. I have to get going." she stood up to leave.

"Wait, what about your food?" he asked, coming around the corner to stop her from escaping.

"I'm not so hungry anymore." she moved past him towards the door.

"Bye...Rory." Luke sighed dejectedly.

Stopping at the door she turned back around and hugged Luke. "I'm sorry Luke, I love you but I just...I really need to be anywhere but here right now. Bye."

This time she left for real and Luke did nothing to stop her.

"Hey Luke, I got that order for you." Caesar put the bag on the counter.

"Thanks Caesar." Luke mumbled.

Turning around the diner own sat down on one of his own bar stools and eyed the bag hesitantly.

"Aw, hell." he sighed before reaching in.

~~~~~~~~

Hartford, CT...

"No damn it! This isn't how it's supposed to be!" Lorelai cried out angrily.

Rory had requested some time alone, unable to sit any longer with the anger they felt, Lorelai and Lane agreed to leave. Lane, knowing Lorelai didn't have any transportation offered to give Lorelai a ride, once they figured out where they wanted to go that is.

"Come on Jess, pick up the phone." Lorelai murmured as she listened to the ringing through the earpiece of her cell phone.

"Jess here." he answered.

Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief. "Hi Jess, it's Lorelai."

'Oh, hey Aunt Lorelai. So? How'd it go with Rory?" he asked eagerly.

Lorelai exhaled, clearly overwhelmed. "Jess, trust me when I say you don't want to hear this over the phone. Besides, I refuse to start story time without a caffeine fix, oh brother, do I need one right now."

"Well, I'm driving aimlessly around town and I swear that I just passed the same Starbucks for the third time, how about on my next loop around I actually stop there?"

Lorelai gave a small laugh despite her emotions at the moment. "I know the one you're talking about, Lane and I will be there in a few."

"Coffee will be waiting."

"You are so my favorite nephew."

"I'm your only nephew."

"Minor detail." Lorelai dismissed. "Bye."

Hanging up her phone she turned to Lane.

"Starbucks?" she asked hopefully.

"Where else?" Lane replied as she pulled out of the driveway.

~

"Look at this." Tristan held up a pack of cigarettes. "I used to blow away all my troubles with these things you know? They calmed my nerves, made me relaxed but now...I'm so sick of just...everything, even these disgust me."

Tristan threw the pack away in a nearby trashcan, not even moving from his seat.

"Two points." he mumbled under his breath.

Henry, being a good friend, listened in understanding for the entire half hour that Tristan poured out his soul. They sat in a private corner, semi- hidden from view, allowing Tristan to drop the rich façade expected of him amongst the Hartford people, and just be himself, broken and all.

"Well, then, at least you're going to quit." Henry offered, trying to be optimistic.

Tristan laughed bitterly. "Yeah, just great. I finally break my ties with tobacco while breaking my ties with Rory at the same time."

"Whoa, wait, back up. Break your ties with Rory?"

Tristan nodded solemnly, not meeting Henry's eyes. "It was killing me before when I couldn't be with her but there was always a glimmer of hope you know? But now, after this, knowing that there is no hope, it's twice as painful."

Henry sighed. "Tristan, I understand where you're coming from, I really do, but it's not like you can just walk away and never look back. You're ingrained in Rory's life now. She's my best friend too and the same goes for Lane. If you walk away that means walking away from me, Lorelai, Lane, all of us! For God's sake, her cousin is your roommate!"

Tristan winced. "Oh God, Jess."

He buried his face in his hands, cursing himself for forgetting.

"What?" Henry asked.

Tristan looked up, removing one hand, but resting his head on the other. "Jess went with me to Cambridge. I left without him. I am so stupid! I left him in another state! I took the car! How is going to get home?"

"Taxi maybe?" Jess interrupted.

"Jess!" Henry and Tristan cried simultaneously.

"What are you doing here?" Tristan asked.

Jess chuckled despite himself. "Don't you mean how did I get here?"

"Jess, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to leave you there." Tristan apologized profusely.

"Relax, I got a ride back with Uncle Luke and Aunt Lorelai, no big deal. Hey Henry." he nodded in his direction.

"Hey buddy, long time no see."

"Too long." Jess agreed.

"Pull up a chair, take a seat." Tristan offered half-heartedly. "What's with the three coffees?" Jess grinned and pulled up not one but three chairs and spaced out the coffee cups accordingly.

"Because, Lorelai and Lane are joining us. So much for breaking all ties."

Tristan shook his head, not at all surprised. "You heard that huh?"

"Yeah, I was looking for the right time to break in, figured when you started talking about me I'd make myself known."

A bell at the door, signaling an arrival chimed twice, once for the entrance and again when the door swung to a close.

"This sucks! I mean it! They are evil cruel people who should be denied all forms of coffee!"

"Lorelai, I doubt they take their coffee as seriously as you do so that's an empty threat." Lane reasoned.

Their rather loud entrance turned many heads towards the two women.

"Hey! Over here!" Jess called.

Lorelai strode over quickly, Lane following nervously behind.

"You." she pointed at Tristan. He leaned back in his chair, afraid of the anger that blazed in Lorelai's eyes and silently prayed that it wasn't directed towards him. "I hate your parents."

Breathing a sigh of relief he relaxed. "Trust me, so do I."

"No, I mean it. They are stuck-up jackasses that wouldn't know decency if it bit them in the behind and I don't care if you want to defend them because I am fueled by rage right now." she said angrily.

Tristan blinked in shock. Normally, he and Lorelai would joke about their dislike for their parents, sharing in the pain that came with being children of high society, but never had her words been laced with undiluted and sincere enmity.

"Lorelai, sit down, you're scaring me." he said in concern. "What happened?"

She sat down and fiercely downed the coffee in front of her before looking back at him. Lane's face expressed a mixture of anger and nervousness (rightly directed towards Lorelai's rage) as she sat down, taking Henry's hand in hers for comfort.

"You're parents better hope they don't cross paths with me right now otherwise I don't care how long they lock me up in prison, I will hurt them." she said forcefully.

"Aunt Lorelai? What did Rory say?" Jess asked tentatively.

"You went to see Rory?" Henry questioned.

Lorelai took a deep breath in attempts to calm herself. "Yes, I went to see Rory and I have to tell you she's a mess."

"What did you find out? Why'd she...you know, run?" Jess asked, careful to choose his words around Tristan.

Lorelai gave them all cautious looks before resting her eyes on Tristan, giving him a pointed look.

"It has something to do with my parents doesn't it?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

Lorelai looked down sadly and Tristan sighed, knowing that was the reason she was so mad at his parents. She looked up and prepped herself to tell the story she heard herself a few minutes ago.

"Remember back, not last Halloween, but the one before?"

"The one where Tristan's parents threw that huge masquerade party?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, that's the one." Lorelai affirmed. "Tristan, what do you remember about that night?"

"It was our family's turn to host the annual country club community Halloween party. That was the same party that Rory and I almost kissed at. God, I remember feeling so close to her that night, I mean I actually thought that she felt the same way about me but then after she went to the bathroom she started to feel sick. It was weird, all of a sudden she was so distant, far away...afterwards we got even more distant. Granted we're still close but, that was the last time I remember feeling like we were just...in sync with each other." Tristan remembered.

"But what you don't know is why. All you know of that night is the version that your parents want you to believe. Rory told Lane and I what really went down." Lorelai told him. "You're going to have to not interrupt me here." Taking everyone's silence as a sign to continue she did so. "Tristan, when your father cut in on your dance with Rory he, well, he outright told her not to see you anymore."

"What?" Tristan exclaimed.

"Don't interrupt. He called her a distraction to your future and told her to stop seeing you. That's when she stormed off, she was disgusted with his order and I don't blame her. Your mom found her in the library and basically told her the same thing. Tristan, Rory loved you, she always has and she was going to tell you how she felt that night. Your parents knew how you felt about each other, so they threatened her. They made a deal, she could remain friends with you but if you two became romantically involved with each other they would not only disown you and take away your inheritance but go a step further to pull a few strings and make sure that neither of you would have the happiness you deserve. They were ready to ruin your lives, your careers, if she let you two become more than friends."

Tristan, Jess, and Henry blinked in shock. Tristan felt as if he was caught in a mind game and suddenly a whole new piece of the puzzle landed in his lap, only adding to the confusion.

"Why? Why would they not want me to see her?" Tristan mumbled.

"Because, they don't think she's a good enough trophy wife for you. They'd rather you find yourself a brainless ditz who'll cling to your arm and smile pretty for the camera without complaint." Lorelai spat bitterly.

"She thought that money was more important to me than her?" he still couldn't believe it.

"Oh, Tristan, I don't think that was it. Maybe on some level yes but...Rory has always been so proud of you, ever since you came back from military school and worked hard to get into Yale. She sees such a bright future for you and she doesn't want to do anything to ruin that. I think she's afraid that if she takes that away from you, you'll resent her and everything will fall apart. I think that she'd much rather have you as a friend and see you happy than have you end up miserable and hate her." Lorelai explained.

"So that's why she got back together with Dean a few weeks after that night." Jess realized.

"Yeah, to push Tristan farther away." Lane concluded.

"And that's why the visits stopped, because she didn't want to be around him more than necessary, she didn't trust herself to keep the relationship platonic." Henry added.

"I don't think it ever was platonic. When they're together, she can't help but flirt with him, it's the closest she can get without breaking the agreement." Lorelai corrected. "Plus, I think it hurts to be around someone she can't have."

"That's why she ran every time they kissed. She was fighting her feelings." Jess said, the pieces of the puzzle now fitting in place.

Tristan shook his head, not paying any attention to the conversation being held without him. "They have no right. They have no right to do that to her! To me! They knew that Rory was weak like that! They knew that she cared about my well being and they used that to their advantage!"

Tristan stood up abruptly.

"Where are you going?" Henry asked in alarm.

"First I'm going to my parents to tell them the deal is off and then I'm going to go get Rory and never let her out of my arms again."

He stormed out the door, leaving four distraught people in his wake.

"Are we going to follow him?" Lane asked.

"Duh, get your keys, let's move!" Lorelai said quickly as they rushed after him.

~

Tristan couldn't believe his parents. How could they ruin his life like that? So that was what they were hiding. Looking back, everything made sense. They never really liked Rory, it was all an act and he was just didn't want to see it. Every time he came home, gushing over how great it was seeing Rory, or how he chose to spend holidays with her instead of them, or how they would get a disapproving look in their eyes when they tried to set him up with other girls and he refused to instead be with Rory...it was all because they didn't think she was good enough for him. Well, he had had enough.

Pulling up to the driveway and looking in his mirrors for perhaps the first time (he was silently thankful that he hadn't caused any accidents) he saw three other cars follow him up the path. Turning off his engine and stepping out he looked up at the house, suddenly he was as disgusted with it as everything else, even more so than he already had been. Lorelai, Lane, Jess, and Henry came to stand behind him.

"You're coming with me?" Tristan asked, knowing the answer.

"We won't say anything, we're just here for moral support." Lorelai encouraged.

"I don't suppose you'd let me do this myself?"

Lorelai pursed her lips in thought. "You can stop them from coming but you can't stop me."

Tristan turned around and looked at his three friends. "I really want to do this alone...well, alone as I can be with Lorelai at my back."

"It's okay, we'll be out here." Jess answered for them.

"Alright then, let's go wonder boy, time to let your parents have it." Lorelai pulled him towards the door.

Tristan pulled out his keys and held the door open for Lorelai, who immediately began searching high and low for the elder DuGreys. She narrowed her eyes towards the kitchen, hearing voices echo off the walls from that direction. She gestured to Tristan and allowed him to go first.

"Tristan, dear, you're back!" Mrs. DuGrey smiled only to falter upon seeing Lorelai. "Oh, Ms. Gilmore, always a pleasure to see you again."

"First of all, don't call me Ms. Gilmore, my name is Lorelai and second of all, you'd be more believable if your voice didn't sound so strained." she said in mock cheerfulness. "Really Francie, if you're going to lie through your teeth at least do it well."

Tristan's mom cleared her throat in stiff annoyance. "Well, Lorelai," she stressed the name, "I prefer you calling me Mrs. DuGrey and I'm sorry you think I'm, how did you put it? Lying through me teeth? I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lorelai smiled dryly and pointed a casual accusing finger her way. "See, there it is again, the phony lying thing. I'm surprised a woman of high society like yourself can't lie better."

"Lorelai." Tristan interrupted sternly.

"Right. Sorry, this is about you. I'll just stand back here and shut up now." Lorelai said sheepishly, leaning back against a counter, doing a double take at the posh coffee maker that looked as though it had rarely been used.

"Tristan what is this about?" Mr. DuGrey inquired.

"This is about you forcing Rory into staying away from me!" Tristan shouted, the anger that had been stewing during the drive had suddenly exploded.

"She told you about that!? Idiot girl." Mrs. DuGrey breathed under her breath.

"Excuse me? Did you just call my daughter an idiot?" Lorelai asked defensively.

"Did she tell you that? Did she lie to you and tell you that we told her to stay away from you?" Mr. DuGrey questioned.

"Oh, so now my daughter is a liar?" Lorelai cried.

"She didn't have to lie to me, mom over there just confirmed what you're trying to hide. What I want to know is why you think that you have the right to control my life like this?" Tristan ignored Lorelai.

"Because we are your parents and we know what is best for you." Mrs. DuGrey came up and laid a hand on his arm.

"No." Tristan shrugged her hand off. "No, you may be my parents, and I use that term in the widest sense possible, but you do not know what is best for me! This woman," Tristan put his arm around Lorelai, "this incredible mother and her husband, Luke, have been better parents to me than you could ever be capable of!"

"Don't talk to us that way! Not in this..." His father began.

"No! I am sick and tired of listening to you! It's your turn to hear me! I love Rory! Okay? Did you hear me? And no thanks to you she loves me too! I don't care what you think, I'm going to be with her."

"But she's not good enough for you!" Mrs. DuGrey protested.

"What is this? Pick on Rory day? First she's an idiot then she's a liar and you're saying she's not good enough?! I have so had it with you two!" Lorelai grabbed a meat tenderizer off the counter and held it up is striking position. Mrs. DuGrey screamed.

"Lorelai no!" Tristan grabbed her arm.

"Let me at 'em! I swear! I want to hammer their snotty little behinds to mush!" Lorelai screeched.

Tristan pinned her arms to her sides and held her tightly much to her chagrin.

"Are you telling me that this wild woman is better than us? That she raised a daughter worthy enough for you?" Mr. DuGrey questioned, his tone disbelieving.

"This isn't the Middle Ages dad! And if anything, I'm not worthy of her! So you can just learn to love her because I'm going to go find her and make up for all the time that you cost us!" Tristan announced releasing the now only mildly angry Lorelai as he turned to leave.

"You leave this house now Tristan and we will disown you!" Mr. DuGrey threatened.

"We will make sure you'll regret this choice!" Mrs. DuGrey added.

"You know what mom, dad, you can just go to hell." Tristan said surprisingly calm. "You may have been able to fool Rory with your empty threats but I've known since I was fifteen that you don't have a choice about taking away my inheritance. Grandpa, who by the way adores Rory, controls it all and he has enough influence to fix anything else you plan on doing. So go ahead, disown me, I don't care, because I love Rory. We'll be back to pick up my stuff later."

On that note he stormed out of the kitchen. Lorelai stood back, looking from the metal weapon in her hand to the DuGreys then to the coffee maker. With a determined glare she turned and smashed the coffee pot with all her might, then hit the body of the machine with even more force than the first hit.

"You don't deserve the delights of coffee." she said before throwing the tenderizer across the counter (in hopes of destroying something else) and following Tristan's exit.

~

"I hurt a coffee maker!" Lorelai whimpered. "I caused it pain!"

Tristan didn't listen as they opened the door to Luke's, the rest of the troupe followed behind him.

"I was just so angry and it was right there. I just lost it!" she continued, though no one was listening.

Luke stood at the counter and looked up upon their arrival.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Where's Rory?" Tristan interrupted.

"Huh?" Luke grunted.

"We've just been to mom's house but she said Rory left after Lane and I left. She said Rory came here." Lorelai answered.

"She did." Luke answered.

"Great, where is she?" Tristan asked eagerly.

"She left."

"What?!" Tristan exclaimed.

"Yeah, a little more than an hour ago."

"Did she say where she was going?" Tristan pressed.

"I think she's going back to school." Luke answered. "What's this about?" But Tristan was already gone.

"We'll fill you in on the way." Lorelai said dragging her husband from behind the counter. "Everyone finish your meals and get out! Taylor," she said to the man who sat at a table nearby, "lock up for us will you?"

"What?" he stuttered but she was gone leaving a set of keys to the diner in her wake.

~~~~~~~~

Cambridge, MA...

"Hey Kate! I'm back!" Rory called as she closed the door of the dorm room.

Kate emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed but drying her hair with a towel. Her eyes widened at the site of Rory putting her bags on her bed, getting ready to unpack from her mini trip.

"Oh my gosh! Rory! Oh, sweetie where were you! Jeez, you left in a hurry!" She ran across the room and threw her arms around Rory, hugging her tightly. "We didn't know where you went and you had taken some stuff with you! John and Drew covered your classes this morning."

"Um-yeah, Katie, oxygen is becoming an issue here." Rory choked in a strangled voice.

"Huh?" Kate pulled back and looked at Rory. "Oh, sorry." she apologized sheepishly, noticing Rory's labored gasps in attempts to return her breathing to normal.

"It's-it's no-no problem." Rory said in broken chunks.

Kate waited a few minutes while Rory (whose lungs were happily using oxygen now) unpacked her small duffle bag. Finally the agonizing silence got to be too much for Kate.

"Where did you go?" she spilled.

"I went to my grandparent's house. I was planning on staying longer but my mom found me and...I just, don't want to deal with them right now." Rory explained.

Katie stopped Rory's motions of unpacking and sat her down on the bed.

"Rory? Why did you run? Do you have any idea how crushed Tristan was? His eyes were just...empty." She looked Rory in the eyes and inhaled sharply. "Kind of like how your eyes are right now. In fact, exactly like how your eyes are right now. There's more to this than I know isn't there?"

Rory nodded sadly and braced herself.

~

"That is the biggest bunch of crap I've ever heard!" Luke yelled out.

"Yeah, no kidding." Lorelai agreed from the wheel.

"Bunch of stuck up socialites!" he continued on, angrily slamming his fist down on the dashboard of the car.

"See, this is why I didn't let you drive." Lorelai commented.

"So how did it go with Tristan's parents? You still haven't told us." Henry asked from the backseat.

He, plus Lane and Henry, shared the space in the back, opting to all take Henry's SUV as opposed to drive separately, mainly because Lane was driving her mom's car, Lorelai's Jeep was too small, Tristan was driving the car normally shared with Jess, and Luke's truck was not an option. Lorelai, the only sane one (by Gilmore standards at least), was elected to drive. So now, they recounted the tale once again all the while tailgating Tristan to Cambridge.

"To put shortly...Tristan's parents yelled, Tristan yelled, I yelled, Tristan told them to take a hike to hell then he stormed out, and well...you know about the smashing the coffee pot thing." Lorelai sniffled.

"Hey look, we're here." Lane pointed.

They all read the sign reading, 'Welcome to Cambridge, Massachusetts!'

"Oh boy, and the saga continues." Jess muttered.

"Except let's hope that Han and the princess get it together this time." Lorelai sighed as they pulled up to a spot in the visitor lot.

~

"That's awful." Katie breathed.

"Dude, that's cruel." Drew whispered.

"Unbelievable." John mumbled.

Drew and John had intruded on Rory's story time and had heard the whole bit. Rory crumpled down at her desk burying her head in her arms. Sighing deeply she sat back up.

"Listen, I'm going to go for a walk and grab some coffee." Rory said, getting up and leaving without a look back.

"Should we go after her?" John asked.

"No, she wants to be alone." Katie said. "I can't believe it. I can't believe that Rory would let something as stupid as that stand in her way of happiness. I mean, I know that she doesn't want anything to interfere with Tristan and his family, you can totally tell that she wants him to have what she has with his parents what she has with hers but...his parents are jerks."

"Maybe there's something more to it that she's not saying?" Drew suggested.

~

Tristan sprinted towards Rory's dorm building and was just at the door when it swung open.

"Kate! John! Drew! Thank God! Where's Rory?!" Tristan exclaimed breathlessly.

"Hold on pal! Take a deep breath." Katie instructed.

"Listen, I know you probably know about my parents and Rory and the whole thing at the party but the deal is off." Tristan said hurriedly. "I need to find Rory."

"She went to get coffee, um...probably at the courtyard in the center of the campus." Katie told him timidly.

"Thanks." Tristan ran off again just as Lorelai and the gang came up panting heavily.

"Oh dear God, was that kid on the track team or something? He just keeps running! It's impossible to keep up!" Lorelai complained.

"Oh my lungs...difficult to breath...going to pass out." Jess bent over gasping.

"Serves you right for smoking." Luke countered.

"Oh, hi." Lorelai looked up at the astonished faces of Kate, John, and Drew.

"Dude, this day is just full of surprises." Drew muttered.

"You following the Tristan-Rory saga too?" Kate asked.

"Of course. Who isn't?" Lane laughed.

"Follow us if you want to catch the finale." Kate said running off with the two guys behind her.

"More running!" Lorelai whined but followed all the same.

~

Tristan scanned the area. There. Rory sat, shoulders slumped, alone on a bench holding a coffee cup gazing down at it as if it held the secrets of the universe. Her saddened eyes did not go unnoticed as he stared at her unable to move. He was afraid. What if he had been wrong? What if she didn't love him anymore?

She looked up and met his eyes, beckoning him with her hand to come over. Swallowing a lump in his throat he stumbled forward sitting next to her. She had returned to observing the now empty cup as he willed himself to look off in a random direction. Finally he spoke.

"How'd you know I was here?"

"Tristan? I've known you for how long? I can always tell when you're near." she answered.

"Déjà vu." Tristan muttered.

"What?" Rory asked.

"Last fourth of July I kissed you and you ran away. I found you and you knew I was there without saying anything. You told me almost the exact same thing."

Rory nodded more to herself than to him. "I guess you're here because you know why I ran away that time. All those times."

Tristan sighed. "Why'd you let them win? Did you honestly think that I would care about the money? Or them disowning me?"

Rory looked up at him. "I just didn't want to ruin your life. Tristan you have everything going for you. I don't want to see that go down the drain. Plus, I didn't want to cause waves between you and your parents."

"Rory, you have to understand that nothing will fix my relationship with my parents. They want me to become just like them, cold and arrogant, unloving and indifferent to the things that matter most in life. And for a while I was...but then I met you and you showed me how to love, how to care...Mary, you humbled me."

The use of her nickname drew a small smile from Rory.

"I don't have everything going for me, I don't have you. Rory, I'm happiest when I'm with you but even that isn't complete because all this time I haven't been able to hold you the way I've wanted, I haven't been able to kiss away your tears, I haven't been able to tell you just how much you mean to me. I've been miserable all this time because of my parents. Don't you see? By keeping away from me you're doing more damage than good and I know that you feel it too."

Rory's eyes began to tear up. "I just wanted you to be happy." she croaked.

"Then don't let my parent's prejudice stand in the way." he cupped her face in his hands. "I'm going to kiss you now. Please don't run away." he whispered leaning in.

Just as he was about to make contact Rory turned her head away and bit her lip to stop a sob from escaping her throat. Tristan pulled away as if he had burned.

"I guess I was wrong then. I'm sorry Rory." he got up and turned away.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Lorelai screeched.

The rest of the group who had heard the whole exchange from a few feet away came up to rory. Rory ignored her mother's question and stared at Tristan's retreating form.

"You love him damn it! Don't let him go! What it the matter with you!?"

She grabbed her daughter roughly by the upper arms and shook her.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?! To him?!"

"I can't." Rory shook her head.

"Like hell you can't!" Katie scolded. "You love him! He loves you! Stop being so damned stubborn and admit it!"

Lorelai let go slowly as Rory hugged herself, rocking gently, crying freely. She backed away, shaken by her daughter's fragile state, worried that she had maybe pushed her too far. Jess, who was silent up until this point stepped forward and took a knee, leaning down in front of her. He reached out and lifted her chin.

"You're afraid aren't you?" he asked in a mix of wonder and understanding.

She nodded.

"You don't have to be. Just tell him. You never have to be afraid of him. He's not like Dean. He's different. He means something different to you. Don't be afraid anymore Rory, go after him while you still can." he said urgently.

To everyone else his instructions were cryptic and made little sense but his special connection with Rory allowed them to understand each other like no one else could. His message did the trick. Sitting up determinedly Rory kissed him briefly and hurried off in the direction that Tristan left.

~

Tristan was lost in his own world as he walked into the parking lot. His pain had hit an all time high. Nothing seemed to matter.

"Tristan!" he heard a voice calling him but it was distant and far off. It sounded angelic and yet pained at the same time.

That's all that existed. Pain. He didn't see the careless driver speeding through the lot. He didn't hear the horn sound or the tires screech. He didn't hear the angel screaming his name again in panicked, horror stricken, urgency.

.

.

He didn't even feel the warmth of a body push him forward onto the ground.

Rolling back over and sitting up his eyes finally opened. He saw the driver, visibly shaken, nervously drive on, more cautious after the near accident. He saw Lorelai and Luke run up to the edge of the parking lot, not daring to approach any closer, with worried faces, the rest behind them with matching expressions. Finally he looked at the hand that gripped his shoulder and followed the arm up to look into the owner's face.

"Tristan? Are you all right? That car almost hit you!" Rory asked concerned.

"I'm fine." he shrugged her hand off and stood up.

"Tristan wait!" she stood up and pulled him back. "You could have been killed!"

"Yeah." he said simply, his indifference laced with the slightest hints of anger.

"Yeah? I save your life and all you say is 'yeah'? You could have died!"

"I'm already dead." he whispered with a coldness that made Rory shiver.

"Don't say that." she said softly.

"Why not? It's true." he turned again, continuing as if nothing had happened.

"Tristan!" No response. "Tristan wait!" Not so much as a halt in his step. "You think you're quite the charmer don't you?" He stopped.

Rory waited expectantly for him to say something. Anything. He turned around.

"What are you doing Rory?" he asked, a tiredness in his voice, not physical tiredness but a mental tiredness, weariness from the game they played.

"I'm afraid of you." she said.

"What?"

"I'm afraid of you." she repeated.

"Why? Why are you afraid?" he begged her, pleading with her to give him an answer for once.

"I'm in love with you Tristan, so in love with you that I feel like a chunk of me is missing whenever you're not around. You have no idea how much you mean to me, how much power you hold over me. One look, one word, one touch can make or break me and that scares me. I'm so scared that someone has that kind of hold on me because I love you so much that I don't think I'd be able to live if you hurt me. I'm so afraid you'll hurt me." she admitted.

"I'd never hurt you Rory. I'd never want to. You have that same hold over me. I know exactly how it feels to have your heart in someone's hands totally and completely. It's you. You have my heart." he took a step forward and lessened the distance between them.

"I loved Dean. A long time ago I loved him and he had my heart and he hurt me. He got tired of me and it tore me up inside. He said the same thing. He told me that he loved me and that he'd never hurt me but he did."

"That's what you're afraid of." Tristan realized. "Deep down. The thing with my parents, it was part of it, it gave you a reason to stay away but underneath it all you were afraid that I'd what? Get tired of you? Stop loving you?"

"I loved Dean but I love you a thousand times more! Can you imagine how much more painful that would be? I'm not beautiful. I'm not some supermodel. I'm not anything special. I know that. It's only a matter of time before you realize it too and I can't bear the thought of having you crush me like that." she cried.

"God, Rory!" he took another step towards her and held her by the arms. "Do you really not know how incredible you are? Do you really not see how special and beautiful and stunning you are? I have been in love with you for years! Everyday I wake up thinking 'this will be the day I stop loving Rory' only to find that I can't and wouldn't want to if I could. I end up loving you even more. I could never and will never get tired of you. I'm giving you my entire being, please...just give me something back."

"What do you want?" she asked, sniffling slightly.

"Let me love you. That's all I ask. Just let me love you." he answered softly.

He searched her eyes looking for an answer, an indication to put his mind at ease.

"You never finished." she said innocently.

"What?"

"I said you were quite the charmer, you never finished the rest."

"Rory, where is this going?"

"Just finish it." she ordered.

He paused and looked into her determined eyes.

"Ask it again." he said in a husky whisper.

She swallowed and slowly brought her arms up around his neck. Unconsciously his hands travel around her waist, pulling her closer.

"You think you're quite the charmer don't you?"

"It's a gift," he began nervously, "although, there is one girl who has yet to fall for my charms."

She licked her lips and with an agonizing slowness pulled him down to meet her lips. It was a short, timid kiss. As if it were their first kiss as shy teenagers, new to the experiences of true love and soul mates. It was over almost as soon as it had begun but to them every second was savored and devoured carefully. Blue eyes met blue eyes as they stared, feeling the other's breath against their cheeks.

"She just fell." Rory said ever so faintly, changing the ending to their sacred mantra.

Tristan felt like he was the luckiest man alive as he pulled her into another, more intense kiss, not caring that their family and friends were watching, not caring that complete strangers were catcalling them. All he cared about was the girl in his arms.

~

"Dude, finally!" Drew exclaimed.

"Drew, for two seconds could you not ruin the moment with your Californian surfer guy lingo." Kate scolded, through it was not very threatening as there were tears of joy running down her face like at the end of a cliché filled romantic movie.

Overcome with emotion and caught in the moment Henry swept Lane into his arms, kissing her without a care in the world. Lorelai and Luke followed suit. Katie turned, trying to find someone to kiss to share in the joy of the moment.

~Oh well~ she thought. ~He's cute enough~

Seconds later Jess found his tongue entangled with hers.

John and Drew stood, the odd ones out. They looked at each other briefly.

"Nuh uh!" they grimaced simultaneously, taking side steps to widen the space between them.

~

"I love you Mary." Tristan whispered in her ear, pausing to kiss the skin just beneath that.

"I love you too Bible boy." she whispered back.

"So you really fell for the charms then?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Well, then I really am the ultimate charmer." he smiled cockily.

"Ugh, that ego again." Rory groaned.

"Would you have it any other way?" Tristan challenged.

"No, I need to banter to keep me on my toes until the next guy comes along." she shrugged.

"Hey!"

"Just kidding, honest. No other guy could stand a chance compared to you, there just isn't enough coffee in the world to bribe me with." Rory joked.

"I'm touched Mare, placing me above coffee of all things."

Rory smirked and Tristan bit his lip. Rory laughed when she noticed.

"We really have rubbed off on each other."

Tristan realized what he had been doing and laughed too.

"My smirk looks good on you, not as good as on me but..."

"Will you shut up?" Rory playfully smacked his arm.

"Gladly."

Anything that Rory might have wanted to say was lost forever as her lips met Tristan's again.

Oblivious to everyone else, Tristan and Rory continued on, not willing to let the other go. It had taken them years to get there but despite stubborn family and distance, hidden emotions and doubt, unfulfilling kisses and teasing, they had gotten there all the same...and they were going to enjoy every minute of it.

~

So? How does the rest of the story go?

In a nutshell: Lane said yes, Tristan bought a ring, Katie became an in- law, and Lorelai and Luke became grandparents.

Did they live happily ever after?

You bet. They wouldn't have had it any other way.

The End

~

AN: So? What do you think? I tried to scare you with the car thing (cuz of all my threats). Hey listen, you need to go check out the timeline for three reasons: one, I took the time to put it together, two, there are some extra goodies you may want to see, and three, that is where I thank all of you fantastic reviewers!

Click to the next chapter to see a Timeline of the story!!!