Disclaimer : We do not own Gilmore girls, nor do we intend to, but we do own any original characters. The title from the last two chapters were taken from that Elvis song. I don't know what its called.* shrugs * Just know that A*teens did a cover of it.

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

Pairing: Trory

Chapter Seven: …Falling in Love with You

Tristan squinted his eyes, intent on making out what the increasingly larger sign said. As his car drove ever so closer, he was relieved to find exactly what he wanted to know: Hartford was only one more mile away.

Having the sunroof and driver window open did not even come close to relieving Tristan from the suffocating feeling he experienced from the moment he found out.

The lying.

The deception.

Everything he wanted to know. Everything he should've known a long time ago.

He could still remember the mute state of shock he was in when Viv explained to him what was going on behind his back. He didn't want to believe it. In fact, he was determined not to, but his mind was never going to rest easy until he got that extra bit of reassurance.

He needed to hear it from Rory.

"Is it true ?" he reluctantly asked. He then anticipated her answer as if what she was about to say was going to hold the truth: the truth, he hoped, that all of what Viv said was completely untrue. He comforted himself by having a repeated thought in his mind: 'His mother couldn't possibly do such a thing'. But then another thought could also be heard played out, threatening to overpower the more sensible one: 'or could she ?'

He then got his answer; an answer that would confirm all his worst fears.

"Yes it is," came Rory's barely audible reply but still it had enough vivacity to be heard from the disbelieving ears of Tristan.

At that moment, anger took over his initially shocked composure; his thoughts now averting to one thing and one thing only: to confront his mother. He then grabbed his keys and bolted out the door unable to hear the persistent pleas from the girls he left behind in the apartment.

Tristan shook his head and forced himself to forget about the previous events of the day. He then focused on slowing his car as he reached the expansive circular driveway of his parent massive mansion; the place that held all his childhood nightmares. He didn't know whether they were caused by the empty feeling the opaque, grey walls gave or the fact that it was the location that housed his parents' numerous, often-vicious fights.

He couldn't decide. But one thing he was determined to be sure of, as he got out of the car and reached the steps that lead to the door, was the imminent actions he was going to take as soon as he set foot in the house.

The thought of seeing Rory's hurt face when he asked her if all of what Viv said was true, added that extra bit of velocity when he pounded the elaborately designed front door, not even bothering to make use of the doorbell.

When footsteps could be heard, he then readied himself for what he was about to say. But then all his previous plans and his anger had to be temporarily withheld as he saw who the person was.

"Father," he said, glancing up at the middle-aged man who resembled him in almost every possible way: hansome, confident and unhappy. Only the signs of old-age from the older Dugrey could be used to determine the two apart.

"Where's Charlotte ?" he asked much to the surprise of his father, who had never heard him call her anything but 'mother' or the occasional 'mom'.

"Charlotte ?, " he repeated, " Don't you mean your mother?"

Tristan thought about it for a moment. "No, I don't think I have one…" came his emotionless reply.

Before his father could even ask what was going on, the sound of his wife's voice filtered the air.

"Jonathan, who is it ?" she asked her husband, coming down the stairs looking like her normal self with brown hair pulled up in a stylish bun with just a hint of makeup to mask the little blemishes of her still-beautiful face.

"Oh Tris –"

"How could you ! " he cried, pushing past his father to step inside the house. "How could you be so cruel?"

"Tristan! What's going on ? " intervened Jonathan, standing in between his son and wife. "Why are you so angry ?"

"Ask. her" he slowly replied, emphasising each word.

"wh- what are you talking about ? " Charlotte stammered; a rare occurrence as she was always so confident, never one to falter under pressure. Though that had no effect on Tristan and it showed by the way he continued to lash out on her.

"Oh you know exactly what I'm talking about. All those lies you told Rory and your so-called plan. Need I say more ?"

A shocked Charlotte was about to reply, but Tristan continued on,

"Oh wait. I can," he deadpanned, " How could I forget about the tape recorder ?"

"H-how did you find out ? " Mrs. Dugrey ended up replying after a momentary pause, unable to plead her innocence under the venomous glare her son was giving her.

"It doesn't matter how I found out. I now know and nothing can change that. Nothing can change what you did to Rory…and what you did to me. You knew she was the most important thing in my life and yet you had to take that away from me just so I can do what this family expects me to.

"But have you ever stopped and thought that maybe Vivienne can take over ? I mean, it is her father's company and she is more than capable in fulfilling the duty than I am! " Tristan cried, shaking his head in frustration, " I can't even believe that you thought I wouldn't find out about this one day. And for what you did, you have to know that I will never, ever forgive you …"

Charlotte Dugrey was never one to cry. But after hearing her son's angry proclamation, she was on the verge of doing just that. Luckily for her, she composed herself before she could fully let it show.

"You may hate me right now, but it cant change anything. The whole deal is still taking place. It's too late to back out now Tristan. You have to know where your loyalties lie. Is it to us…or is it to the girl who didn't believe in you…"

"She was under your influence! " he snapped. Although he was angry, he reluctantly admitted to himself that she was right. It was too late to change things.

" If you're trying to take some of the blame off you, well its not working."

"Im not! I know what I did was wrong but you have to realise that I did this for you—for the family. Unlike you, I know where my loyalties lie…I think its time for you to figure out where your's is"

Silence filled the tense atmosphere of the room. Jonathan, desperate to reconcile the two, decided to intervene once again. But before he could, he was interrupted by his son's hasty departure.

" I have to go " Tristan said already halfway out the door.

"Where are you going ?! " Jonathan managed to let out. But he was already gone.

"He went to Rory, " Charlotte quietly answered for him. "He chose her"

***

Rory subconsciously paced up and down her hotel room, dialling the mobile number that Vivienne gave to her probably for the millionth time that hour.

She was worried. Where could Tristan have gone to ? What could he possibly be thinking ? Why did she have to open her mouth ? Thoughts like these ran through her mind constantly, leaving her composed like a nervous wreck.

When the doorbell rang, the shrill sound sent shivers up and down her spine causing her to abruptly jump. She snapped out of it, then walked over to the door, oblivious to the fact that all her previous questions that invaded her mind were about to be answered.

A mixture of surprise and relief took over her previously jittery emotions as she opened the door to find a very weary Tristan, leaning against the doorframe, his eyes downcast onto the floor. He looked up and gazed straight into her eyes.

Rory now knew. She had her Tristan back.

No words were needed to be passed between the two. No words were needed to know what was about to happen next.

He stepped forward, unable to avert his gaze from her crystal blue eyes. He brought a hand up to place it on her cold cheek then slowly leaned forward, blocking out all his surroundings. All that mattered right now was her…

At such close proximity with him, Rory instinctively encircled his waist in a tight, locked embrace, not wanting to ever to let go. She too leaned closer, their lips now millimetres apart…

They both responded to the kiss with equal passion, relishing in the feeling that had become long-lost. It was slow at first, but gradually went deeper. They were lost in their own little world.

At that moment, neither could be happier.

But one of them knew that they wouldn't be for long.

As they broke apart to catch their breath, Tristan's content smile turned into a frown.

"I'm so sorry, " he murmured, unable to bring himself to say it out loud.

"What do you have to be sorry about?" Rory soothingly said, releasing her hold on his waist then entwining her fingers with his, " If there is someone who needs to be sorry, then it should be me. Im the one who listened to your mother…"

"No," Tristan said, decreasing in volume even more, " I'm sorry for what I'm about to do… "

Rory's previously happy face now turned into a look of worry. Somehow she knew what he was about to say even before it escaped his mouth.

"I cant be with you"

"No…" Rory whispered as she took a step back letting go of his hand. "No"

"I'm so sorry," he replied, "You don't know how much I want to be with you…but I just cant…it's too late to change things," he finished as he took a step forward in attempt to touch her.

Rory just responded by taking another step back. She couldn't believe what was happening.

She was going to lose Tristan once again.

"Please…" Rory trailed off as tears started to well up in her eyes. " Please, just…go "

"Rory, " Tristan said in desperation attempting once again to bridge the gap between them. But she held out her hand, signalling for him to stop.

"Please, " she said once again, almost pleadingly pointing towards the door. "we just have to accept things are just not meant to be," she continued, unable to believe her own words.

Reluctantly, he turned around to slowly head towards the door but it wasn't without declaring his feelings for her one last time.

"You know I love you"

When his back was turned, Rory placed a hand over her mouth to mask the uncontrollable sobbing that would soon follow. When he turned around to say he loved her she could do nothing but nod her head, for fear that she would break down in front of him- which was not what she wanted to do.

He gave her one last look, then slowly closed the door behind him.

He was out of her life again.

When she was sure he was gone, she released her hand from where it was and then let all her emotions flow.

She was sinking into that feeling she had experienced only once before. The feeling as if her world was crashing down on her.

***

Tristan had never even come close to crying before. That's one thing he had in common with his mother.

But there were those occasional times when his emotions were allowed to slip up.

This was one of those moments. Never had he felt so empty as he did right then and as he walked back into the apartment, later that night after some aimless wandering, he took his emotional baggage with him.

Vivienne was at his side almost immediately.

"Tristan ! " she cried, giving him a hug. "Where were you? "

It took a moment for him to reply but when he did, it came out all distant—as if he wasn't paying attention. "At my parents…then at Rory's "

"Oh," Vivienne said, sympathy evident in her voice. " how did it go ? "

All Tristan said was, "I think I have lost a mother but I know I have lost Rory. " But that one sentence explained it all.

There was a lingering silence, as Vivienne walked up and down the room, obviously in deep thought.

" What if I told you that I had an idea, a plan where we could eliminate our problems and live happily ever after or ride into the sunset-- whichever suits your fancy. "

"I'd say that's impossible, " Tristan replied sceptically, still in a melancholy mood.

"Trust me. I've done my research. This is going to work. "

"Then what is it ?" he then said, now starting to take her more seriously.

"I'm not sure that you'll like it but just keep in mind that we'll both get what we want in the end— in your case, you can be with Rory again"

"Me being with Rory again ?" he asked, a smile slowly breaking through on his lips.

Vivienne nodded her agreement.

"Then count me in "

***

Authors Note: Yes, another cliffhanger but it all has some purpose. This chapter right here is the second last chapter ever so that would make the next one *drum roll * the last chapter. Expect it to be sorta long. If it gets a bit too long then I might separate into 2. Well, ill just see how I go.

Anyway, thank you so much to everyone that has reviewed the last chapter! I would go through you all but time permits me from doing so. Thanks again!

Okay well a reviewer asked me to put these petitions up in my authors note . I don't normally read those sort of fics but I know I'd be upset if one of our stories got banned. So here they are..

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