Rory sat on her couch, staring at the phone. "He's not going to call" she though to herself. "Gosh, why did I ever think he liked me, he was just being… Tristan." She shook her head and tried not to remember the dance they had shared, and his offer for her to go to Manhattan. She had spent the past two weeks looking at journalism opportunities in Manhattan, and was trying to find one that would make sense to all the people she would have to explain herself to. She herself knew that what she really wanted in Manhattan, was a blonde boy, who called her Mary.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tristan hung up the phone again. He felt like a teenager again, except as a teenager he had never been afraid to call a girl. He reminded himself that this was not any girl, this was Rory Gilmore. He stared at his phone, wanting to speak to her, wanting to swoon over her, but trying not to let his absolute infatuation get the best of him. "Stop kidding yourself,:" he thought, "she was only being nice, you'll never see her again. Not on her free will, that is."

He jumped into the shower and tried to forget about her, but all he could see was her beautiful hair, her lovely figure, and the way her body had seemed to melt into her arms when they had danced.

He picked up the phone and dialed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rory heard her phone ringing as she was washing her hair in the shower. She was feeling anti-social. She ran her fingers through her hair, and let the machine get it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tristan heard the answering machine pick up. "Hello! This is Rory Gilmore, if you have a message leave it after the annoying beep. Thanks!" The sound of her voice made him smile, but he couldn't even leave a message. He hung up, sighed, and fell asleep on his expensive leather couch.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rory woke up, and got ready for work. She poured herself some coffee, and remembered her dream. Somehow she couldn't stop thinking about Tristan. She tried to remember him as the boy who had terrorized her in high school, but she kept remembering his sexy smile and cute hair. She remembered their dances and the conversation over dinner. She wondered if her latest "crush" although she pretended it was not one, would effect the story she was writing today, one on two High School Sweethearts celebrating their 60th anniversary.

She pulled up to the house, a small brick house that looked charming, and rang the doorbell. A woman, about 80 years old opened the door, "Well Hello," she said, "You must be the girl from the newspaper," she shouted to her husband, "Honey! The reporter is here!" An older man, in jeans and a button up shirt came out from a room. "Invite her in, sweetie."

Rory was firstly amazed by their pet names for each other, even after all this time. They invited her into the sitting room. She pulled out her tape recorder.

"So you guys are celebrating your 60th anniversary this Saturday."

"You know that's 21,900 days of marital bliss?" said Katherine.

"And we've been dating for even longer than that," said Thomas.

"How many years before you're marriage were you engaged and dating?" asked Rory.

"Well we went together the last two years of high school, and were engaged during college, got married right before our junior year," Explained Thomas, as he smiled at Katherine.

Their conversation continued, and Rory learned how they had once been childhood playmates, then best friends, and then had started dating. They had never been far apart their whole lives, and were still very much in love. She was amazed at the couple's enthusiasm. They showed pictures of their 12 grandchildren, remembering their names, ages, and hobbies precisely. They lived a simple life, but one adorned with complete love.

Rory left the house with a big smile on her face. She knew this would make a great piece, but she also felt happy to have been in the presence of such madly in love, and caring people.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tristan sat in his office at the Manhattan branch of his father's company. He talked on the phone with a few customers, griped at a few employees, and looked through some papers. Then his secretary rang his office. "Sir, it's your father."

Tristan sighed and clicked speakerphone, "Dad?" His father spoke, "Tristan. How's things up there?"

Tristan sighed, "everything is running smoothly."

The older DuGrey spoke, "good."

Tristan rolled his eyes, "Any good reason why you called?"

He said, "Your mother is getting worried about you?"

"Whatever for?"

"She's afraid all you do is romance non-important women, get drunk and live off the money you're making. That is not the life we want for you Tristan. You are to get married, and have a pretty wife to bring to the company's parties and cute little children to send to private schools. We do not want you to stain the name of the family. "

"Yeah, dad."

"You understand me then?"

"We cannot force you to get married, but just please find a nice young lady to date?"

"Dad, don't worry, I'm in love with a girl you would love."

"Oh really, who is she?"

"You'll meet her someday. Now I have to go. Goodbye."

Tristan sat down in his office chair and was stunned at the reprimand his dad had just given him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rory was sitting at her desk, and the printer was printing the rough draft of a story she had entitled, "Forever love."

She handed it to her editor, and after he read it he was praising her. She smiled and nodded. She was going to be nice in case the people she had sent her resume to in Manhattan needed good praise from her former employee. She didn't tell him that the resume was in the mail. She didn't tell him that she hoped to be out of here as soon as possible."

She left the office early, and left her edited draft on her desk to be retyped and ready for weekly edition. She walked into her house to hear the phone ring, she ran to it, hoping it was him.

"Hello!?"

"Well, you're sure excited to answer the phone."

"Mom, hi, I was just running in."

"Expecting somebody more exciting then you're old mom?"

"No."

"Rory has a crush!"

"Stop it!"

"I miss you."

"It hasn't been that long!"

"The house is lonely. Your room is crying. The pillows are like 'Rory! Where are you?'"

"Like you haven't already stolen my pillows."

"I can't believe you would accuse me of that."

"Are the comfy?"

"Very!"

"Good."

"So how was work?"

"Really good. I met this couple that's celebrating 60 years."

"Wow."

"How was your work?"

"The inn is normal, Sookie went crazy in the kitchen, we have like 200 blueberry muffins, and Mr. Grumps refused to answer the phone or talk to customers."

"Well normalcy is great sometimes."

"Did I say I miss you?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure."

"Definitely"

"Well I'm going to go wallow in my loneliness."

"Goodbye, you big baby,"

"Love you."

"You too."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Rory thought about how much it would hurt her mother if she moved to Manhattan. Especially if she didn't end up with Tristan, would it be worth it? But it was her mother who taught her to go out onto a limb for love, and even though the limb seemed shaky, wouldn't it be worth it if it was real?"

The phone rang again.

"Hello?"

"Rory, its Bradley."

"Oh, hi."

"Somehow, that didn't sound very enthusiastic."

"I wasn't expecting you to call."

"Yeah. Did you have a good time at your banquet."

He had no idea.

"Yeah."

"Rory Gilmore reduced to one word replies? Unimaginable."

"I'm sorry."

"Listen, I want to see you."

"I can't tonight,"

"Tomorrow?"

"It's looking like a really busy week," she lied, "Why don't you call me next week and we'll see?"

"Rory?"

"Bye."

"Bye."

She didn't know why she did that. She had liked him. She couldn't stop thinking about Tristan. Why hadn't he called? Would he call? He had seemed to like her back home. Surely he wasn't just pretending. Then again, he was Tristan. He had played with girls hearts before. She tried to forget that thought. She just fell asleep, her eyes on the phone, praying it would ring.