Disclaimer : We do not own Gilmore girls, nor do we intend to, but we do own any original characters. Also the titles for the next two chapters were taken from the Motor Ace song 'Carry On'

Rating: PG-13 though it might go as high as R. There may be some minor swearing in chapters.

Pairing: Trory of course!

Important Authors Note: This whole chapter is a flashback. It takes place where the flashback of Chapter Three left off so if you forgot what happened in there I suggest you read it over again.

Also this chapter is going to explain fully what happened between Tristan and Rory and why she broke up with him. There is also going to be a flashback within this flashback. I really hope that makes sense =)

Broken Road

Chapter Five: Foolish

Rory's room

With the lights closed and the room devoid of any noise, Rory lay awake as she continued to stare at the white nothingness of the ceiling.

She was never going to get to sleep. Not after what she just did.

Finally tearing her focus away, she rolled onto her side and furiously tried to blink back the inevitable tears.

Those spoken words… 'I don't love her. I wish I'd never met her '…played in her mind over and over again becoming like annoying broken record.

Abruptly, she rolled again back to her original position and subconsciously stared at the sight ahead of her. The previously white ceiling slowly filled with images in her mind from the events of this unforgettable day…

***

[ Previously that day ]

Rory halted her SUV with a resounding screech at upcoming traffic lights. The nerves she felt was evident as she continually tapped her jittery fingers on the steering wheel.

As the lights turned green, she pushed the accelerator and sped off. While she drove in a mechanical trance, her thoughts drifted elsewhere…her thoughts drifted to the sequence of events that led her to this position –and to the person who caused it:

Mrs. Charlotte Dugrey

She was the cause of Rory's out-of-character happiness.

She was the person who told her to give up everything Tristan and her had so that his future could go ahead according to plan.

To convince Rory, Charlotte repeatedly told her that she was an obstacle, a burden; if not to Tristan, then definitely to his family.

She gave her the unfair ultimatum that if she really, truly loved him the way she said she did, then she would give up her own happiness to secure the well-being of his future – and the fate of Dugrey Enterprises. The fate lay in the merger with Westmore Corporations and when that is complete it will undoubtedly become the most powerful company that could easily match the prowess of their rival Time-Warner.

All of that was explained to an initially disbelieving Rory. She felt no choice but to agree believing that she could seriously jeopardise his future.

From then on it was understood. Rory was to break up with Tristan without him knowing the real reason for if he were to find out, the outcome would be obvious. Both Charlotte and her knew that if he were to choose between Rory and his family, he would without a doubt choose Rory. She knew breaking up with him would be easier said then done.

And she was right.

A week had passed and she couldn't do it.

Two weeks had turned into a month and still she couldn't bring herself to utter those words that would lose him forever.

The invisible clock was ticking and as the time grew, so did Mrs. Dugrey's patience.

Yesterday, in fact, marked the 3 months since the agreement and still it wasn't fulfilled. Rory remembered the heated conversion that took place and it was then that she convinced herself that she couldn't drag it out any longer and that she had to do it soon. With surprising determination, she decided that she was to do it the following day – which of course it was now.

What she hadn't counted on was the surprise occurrence in the morning – that moment in the lake when she had solemnly promised Tristan that she would never do anything to hurt him.

Something inside her clicked and made her think nothing was going to stop her from keeping her word – not even Tristan's mother.

She realised what she was about to do was very selfish as she was virtually sabotaging 'the plan' by staying with Tristan – but she could live with the guilt if it meant being with the guy she loved.

Rory remembered that as they finally got out of the lake, she rushed into her car to take out her cell phone and then headed towards a deserted area giving Tristan a seemingly convincing excuse. Choosing a spot by the bushes, she dialled the number and waited for the other line to pick up. She wasted no time to get to the point when she was sure someone picked up.

"I'm not going through with it. I just cant do it "

Rory half-expected a proclamation of hatred but surprisingly she got the sound of a calm, slightly condescending voice, " I had a feeling this would happen…Luckily I was prepared. "

"You were ?" Rory questioned with a slight trace of fear.

" Well, I have a little something that might make you change your mind "

"Well that something is worthless because nothing will "

"Don't be too sure. Now, where can we meet so I can let you see what this little something is ?"

"Umm…" Rory hesitated, unsure if she should accept but the overwhelming feeling of curiosity made the decision for her, " Stars Hallow. 8 o' clock. Kirk's movie shop. You'll find it because it's the only store in town with those flashy neon lights. "

"Fine. I'll be there "

And that was what led her to the position she was in now; conveniently parked outside Kirk's store. As she saw a looming figure come out of a limo, she knew straight away that it was Mrs. Dugrey. As she too got out of her car and inched her way closer to her, a certain question played in her mind and raged her fears:

What on earth could she possibly have that can make her change her mind ?

***

Two women stood face to face on a deserted pathway. Anyone who was there to witness the meeting could have easily seen the obvious contempt they held for one another. When the older woman lifted her sunglasses to the top of her head, the conversation was ignited.

"This is your last chance to agree to break up with him," said Mrs Dugrey in a defiant tone.

"Nothing you can possibly do can make me change my mind," Rory steadily said, which in contrast, matched her serious face.

But it was all a lie.

Hidden beneath her calm composure lay a nervous wreck, vulnerable to whatever Tristan's mother had to show.

"So be it then," Charlotte said with a sigh. She reached into her coat pocket slowly to pull something out. Instinctively, Rory took a step back thinking it was a gun. It just all made sense to her. What better way to resolve the situation by eliminating the problem in the first place ?

Luckily, to Rory's relief, a weapon could not be seen but instead a black rectangular box was pulled out – a tape recorder to be exact.

Charlotte held it out in front of her, " Do you want to the do the honours of pressing play or shall I ? "

"You do it," Rory managed to let out in a whisper.

"If you insist. " At her instruction, she pressed play.

Rory strained to hear the muffled voices but she was sure that two people could be heard talking on the tape. One was obviously a female – she could tell by the high-pitched, confident voice.

And the other was Tristan—a very drunk sounding Tristan to be precise.

Finally the muffled sounds turned into clear voices. What she could hear was Tristan and the other girl talking about they wanted out of life. Tristan replied saying all he wanted was to be happy. To start a family with the girl he loves – and hopefully live up to his parents expectations.

Rory smirked at the fact that this was what Mrs Dugrey had to show her. Was this supposed to be affecting her? Because if that was the intention then Charlotte had considerably failed.

But then the tape kept on going.

The girl then haughtily refuted to Tristan's statement saying 'You cant honestly say you love this Rory girl can you? '

What Tristan was to say next, was going to send Rory's mind into a whirlwind.

' I don't love her. I wish I'd never met her,' came Tristan's adamant reply. And then, the tape stopped.

Shock understandably registered through Rory's emotions. 'He was drunk' she repeatedly told herself. But common sense got the better of her, 'Drunk or not, how could he say such a thing?'

In a completely mute state, she stared at the floor, determinedly avoiding Mrs. Dugrey's face for she was sure she would be able to see a smug grin plastered on it.

" I have to go " Rory hastily said, already heading towards her car. When she got in it, her shaky hands fumbled for the keys. Frustrated that she couldn't place it in the keyhole, she resigned to leaning back on her seat with a sigh.

Who was she kidding ? It was never going to work. If a plot like this was going to be used to continually try to break her and Tristan up then she would save everyone the trouble by going ahead with what was originally planned.

No matter how much they loved each other, they were never going to escape the powerful wrath his family held.

She knew it was time to break the news to Tristan who was still at her house, wondering where she went off to.

This time she was a hundred percent certain she was going to go through with it.

***

Rory's room

It was painful just thinking about what happened next. The look on his face when she gave him that petty excuse on why they had to break up was an image that she would rather forget.

She felt stupid that a drunken proclamation of his feelings for her was what finally gave her the nerve to break up with him.

She should have done it earlier. It would've avoided her from hearing what she did.

Although she would never admit it, she took the words to heart .She took it to heart because she couldn't help but feel there was some truth behind it.

Then unexpectedly, Rory abruptly sat upright to register her thoughts.

How foolish was she to think that after everything they've shared?

He would never say that. There just had to be something behind that tape and she was determined to find out what. She glanced at her alarm clock on the dresser beside her.

It was 2 a.m –but she didn't care. She was going to call Mrs. Dugrey and salvage the little truth the tape held. She felt that Charlotte owed her enough to be honest with her now that she had broken up with him. But even if she did it was never going to make up for what she made her do but at least she would be able somehow rest more easily then she had this night if she knew the truth.

Walking towards the phone and dialling the number she was a bit surprised to hear her immediately answer.

"Hello ?" Charlotte said with no trace of tiredness in her voice.

" Did you hire someone to impersonate his voice ? Or did you edit a few bits here and there to make him say that ? Whatever it is, I want to know," Rory replied fiercely.

"Oh, believe me, he said that alright. But you missed a little bit of the tape. You see, you were in such a hurry to get back to your car that I didn't get a chance to let you hear the end of it," said Mrs. Dugrey in a falsely innocent tone, " Would you like to hear it? "

Rory was about to agree straight away but the fact she was so scared that what was about to be heard was going to be negative, stopped her from doing so. Instead, she thought about it for a moment and realised if she didn't find out, she would spend the rest of her life what it could've been.

"Okay then…" came her belated reply. She heard the click of the play button and the familiar conversation,

'You cant honestly say you love this Rory girl can you?'

' I don't love her. I wish I'd never met her...'

There was a pause which made Rory think that there was no more to the conversation and that Charlotte only replayed it to hurt her even more…but then for the second time that day, the tape surprisingly went on…

' …I try to tell myself that every single day. I mean, it would just make life so much easier wouldn't it ? But – I cant…Shes everything to me. She's worth risking my whole business future for. She's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with…'

Even though he was influenced by alcohol, Rory could still hear the hint of soberness that made the words truthful. And its with that revelation, which made her go into a state of shock for probably the billionth time that day.

"Now I know you will never breath a single word to Tristan about any of this because if you do, then what will Tristan think when he finds out that you didn't believe in him --or his love for you. That you broke up with him because you thought he actually meant that. We wouldn't want that now would we ?" said Mrs Dugrey, filling the silence.

"no…we wouldnt " Rory replied, unable to mask the anger in her voice.

"I don't expect for us to be speaking ever again so I guess this is goodbye. Thank you Rory. You did the right thing. "

When she heard the other line hang up, she slammed the phone with the emotion of all the contempt she felt for that woman.

"That evil, manipulative, b-" but the sight of the ring beside the phone disallowed her to finish her sentence.

'I shouldn't keep things that's not rightfully mine' she thought with deep regret. She looked at it once again but this time saw it through a different light. She looked at it with the same amount of remorse she would only reserve for Tristan's mother.

The ring was another painful reminder of the mistake she would have to live with for the rest of her life.

***

Authors Note 2: I really hope that wasn't too confusing. Anyway I would like to take the time to thank everyone that has reviewed so far,

Char-chan, Apple-eye, Mandie, Alex, BlueBear Angel, lux, TristanLover, Hidden Identitiy, Carzy4Tristan, GirlyGirl, SapphireSkies, Louise, BabyBlue, Ellie, Samantha, SerpentireFire, Pippin3791, Marissa, Michele, SilyLily2003, m, butter, Maria, Anonymous, Jessica, Lauren, Silverbluewind, Ann, Kate, Jenna, Nazz, LilDevil, Isabel, Megan, BlackRoseAngel69, klm11a, supergirl101, MidnightSun, Debbie, Kay, KittyWhiskers, Ez, Steph, ShadowGoddess, KaylaW, Phoebe, me, spreeaholic, soconfused,coffeegal, anonymous , freakage and callie !!