Authors Note: That wasn't the ending I promise! More stuff to continue… be patient, I know you'll be happy with the way it turns out!
Lorelei was gone, and Rory had finally gotten out of bed. She walked slowly to the front porch and sat down on the steps, remembering and almost smiling. If she was a smoker, she would be smoking, if she was a drinker, she would be downing shots, but she was innocent, and she didn't know what to do. Unless, of course, crying counted. Her cell phone rang. She looked down at the name on the phone. * Tristan * was the name on the phone. She threw it, and almost hit a guy walking down the street. She called, "Sorry."
"You gotta be pretty mad to throw an expensive phone like that," said a familiar voice.
"Dean. Oh my god."
He sat down on the porch steps beside her and said, "Who's calling?"
"A jackass."
"I'm sorry."
"I am too." She paused, then continued, trying to make conversation, "how have you been?"
"Good. I have a job up in Hartford, but sometimes I come back to dear old Stars Hollow to visit my mom and dad."
She checked his fingers, "Not married? That's surprising."
"Girlfriend of 2 years, I might propose someday soon."
"She's lucky."
He looked away. "So I'm guessing that "nobody important" is a guy?'
She laughed, "You're going to think this is great.'
"Somebody I know."
"None other than Tristan DuGrey."
"You're kidding me."
"Nope. Been living with him in Manhattan. I thought he was the one."
"Wow. What happened?"
She blushed and started crying again, but softly.
"Did he hurt you?"
She buried her head in his shoulder, "We had sex. Next night he comes home drunk and says nasty things to me. I left, and here I am."
"Damn asshole. I could kill him."
"You never liked him."
"He always had a thing for you."
"Only because he couldn't get me, and when he did, well you see what happened."
He hugged her, "I thought you'd marry Jess."
"So did he."
"I thought we'd get married, ya know?"
She quietly said, "I know. Guess I'm not meant to get married."
"Don't say that, I'm sure there is somebody out there."
"I keep thinking I've found him, and I screw it up. Then I was so sure, and I finally got hurt."
"Wasn't there some guy named Brad?"
"Bradley. Left him for Tristan."
He looked into her eyes and said, "Rory, he's out there. I promise."
She was emotional, and they shared a tender, soft kiss. She pulled away.
"I can't do this. You have a girlfriend. You're going to marry her, have adorable kids and be the perfect daddy. I don't' deserve you."
He kissed the top of her head, and started to walk away, "I'm sorry Rory. He's out there, I promise."
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Rory hadn't answered his first cell phone call, and now it wasn't even ringing. He wanted to cry. He had screwed things up with the one girl that mattered. He lay silently on his couch, and everything, every inch of his apartment reminded him of her. He avoided the bed, trying to block out their tender moments. He didn't deserve her, he knew, he never had. His head still hurt, and he felt so sick. He never liked, never loved, a girl before, and he just had to mess things up just when things were good. She could never trust him again, and would probably never speak to him again. He had acted with the same asshole attitude he had when he had gone to school with her. The phone was ringing, and he didn't want to answer it, but he had to. It might be her.
"Hi Tristan, is Rory in?"
Tristan tried to place her name, Beth, Brianna… Bridget!
"She's not here right now Bridget. Did you try her cell?"
"Yeah, it's not working. "
"Oh. Well if she gets in I'll tell her to call you."
"Thanks so much."
"Your welcome." He said this all politely. They had only met a few times, mostly where she complimented him on taking such good care of her star writer. They were friends because the both loved Rory.
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Rory dialed Bridget, simply because she was a professional, and she expected to miss a few days of work.
"Hello?"
"Hi Bridget, this is Rory."
"I've been calling all over for you! Your cell phone is broken."
"Yeah, Bridget, see, Tristan and I are having some serious problems, and well I'm in Connecticut at my mom's. I'll still write and email you my articles, but if it's okay, I'd like to stay here for about a week."
"Honey, I'm so sorry! Is there anything I can do?"
"No, I'm just going to stay here for a little bit."
"Well that's fine. I'll deal with Darien, you just work on getting better. I'm so sorry."
"Thanks. Talk to you later Bridget."
"Bye, Rory."
The phone rang, and Rory prayed it wasn't Tristan.
"Hello?" she said, hesitatingly.
"Rory, this is Dean."
"Oh, Hey."
"I wanted to talk about this morning," he said almost nervously.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It's just…"
"It's our secret."
"Thank you. You never get over your first love, but I'm going to propose to Annette."
"Good luck with that. You deserve somebody great."
"So do you."
"Thanks."
"I'll talk to you later?"
"We'll see. Bye."
"Bye."
She hung up the phone, her emotions in a whirlwind. It was all to fast… her and Tristan, him being mean to her, leaving, kissing Dean. She felt like she would never be loved, or be able to have a good relationship. She would end up alone like her mother, although her mother had had her. That was when the concept that they hadn't used a condom, and that she might be pregnant hit her.
"Oh god. Oh god. Oh god." She repeated endlessly, sinking to the floor, crying again.