Tristan eased back in his lawn chair and watched the baseball game play out before him.

"How's Rory?" Fred Clemmens asked beside him. The twin's father.

Tristan almost winced at Rory's name, but he shrugged it off. "Doing okay."

"Haven't seen her around in awhile." Fred squinted his eyes against the sun. "The twins miss her."

Tristan nodded, "I know."

Fred decided it was a good time to change the subject, "Clara seems to like dance class a whole lot."

"I know, it's great. She put on a tap dance for me today in her baseball uniform." Tristan grinned when he thought of this.

"Ballerina one day and number one hitter for a boys baseball team the next." Fred shook his head in amazement, "I just don't know what to do with that girl."

"Let Aden take care of her."

This time Fred grinned, "Yeah, he's the only one who can really keep her in line. She would be a wild woman if it wasn't for him."

At the end of the baseball game, after Tristan had said good-byes to everyone, he made his way to his car. He was about to open his door when he froze.

There was Rory Gilmore across the parking lot staring at him.

She began to walk over, and Tristan stayed frozen in place.

"Hi." She said when she reached him.

Tristan shifted positions uncomfortably, "What are you doing here?"

The breeze ruffled her pony tail, blowing loose strands around her face. "I came to see Clara and Aden." Hurt swirled in her bright blue eyes, "I didn't think you would mind."

Tristan shook his head, "I don't. I just didn't see you."

"I was at the other end."

Tristan nodded

Rory nervously stuffed her hands in her pockets and stared at the trees behind him. "Could we talk?" She asked looking back at him.

He stared at him her for a moment, her blue eyes were so beautiful. Finally he said, "Sure."

They both leaned against the front of his camero. Rory whispered, "I was avoiding you that day."

Tristan stared ahead into the baseball diamond, gazing at the cleat marks that had been left behind. "Why?" He asked.

"Because I knew that'd you'd see that something was wrong." She stopped to take a breath, "And I didn't want to talk about it. I never want to talk about it."

"I think that you need to." He said.

Rory looped a tendril of hair behind her ear, "I know."

Tristan turned his head to look at her, "I don't like being left in the dark."

Rory nodded and a single tear fell down her face, "I hate leaving you in the dark." She quickly wiped the tear away with the back of her hand.

Tristan placed a hand on her cheek and she leaned into it.

"Please, tell me what's upsetting you."

She looked up at him, her eyes bright blue, "I want to."

They sat down on the curb together. He took her hand and held it tightly in his.

"I've been having dreams of her."

"What kind of dreams?"

"They start out fine. I'm back in Stars Hollow again and everything is normal. The way it used to be before . . . She isn't dead and I'm so happy because I know that she's supposed to be." A sigh escaped her lips. "And then a wonderful dream turns into a nightmare. Sometimes she just leaves me, she doesn't wait for me. I ask her to but she always walks away and I can never find her. Or we get into fights which always turn out badly. I'll wake up in a cold sweat searching for her or screaming at her and I just can't take it anymore. I hate it so much, all of it." She leaned into his broad chest searching for some kind of comfort.

He stroked her hair and kissed her temple, "How often do have them?"

"Only every now and then, but enough to destroy me. It only takes one dream to do that." Rory thought she would've cried talking about them but she was all dried out. "They got so much worse once we weren't talking. They happened every night."

He cringed at the thought that he had caused her pain. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

Rory shook her head, "It's not your fault. I should have told you."

"And I could have been more understanding."

"Tristan, I don't think you could have been more understanding." She paused to gather herself, "It's just that I'm never ready for them, they come so fast."

"You can never really be prepared."

"I know, but usually I can control my feelings. That day I couldn't."

"Maybe you shouldn't hide your feelings quite so much."

"I wish I could do that, but it's easier said then done."

He pulled away to look into her eyes, "Rory, she wouldn't want you to live like this."

"Like what?" She asked surprised.

"You've lost all your spark Rory. The hope has drained from your eyes, all that's now there is sadness. I hate to see like that and I know she would too." He cupped his face in his hands, "She would want you to move on with your life."

Rory nodded, "I know but it's so hard, it's so hard."

"And it's going to be for a long time. Tomorrow it will hard too and the next day. But a month from now it will become a little easier, it will still be hard but some weight will be lifted. A year from now you'll still miss her just as much, but it will get easier."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise." Tristan gathered her in his arms, "And I'll be there to make it easier."

"Promise?" She asked again.

"Yes."