A/N: I am amazed at the overwhelming response I received for this fic. Thanks, guys! I am not giving any promises on the prevailing pair (either R/J or R/T), because that would ruin all the suspense and everything. However, when I can tell you (or warn you, if it's not what you want, since the two competing pairs are popular ones), I will.

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: R/T, R/J

Disclaimer: I do not own "Gilmore Girls." That is owned by Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB. I do, however, own most of this storyline (some was taken from previous episodes), so steal that and I will haunt you for the rest of your life.

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Tristan DuGrey walked through the streets of the small town. It had been eleven years since he'd been there. Eleven years since he had regretted leaving the love of his life – and their then-one-year-old child. But at the time he had defended himself by saying that she didn't want him. But after eleven years … he realized that he should have been there, if not for Rory, then for their daughter.

Two weeks ago, lying in bed after a particularly rough day at work, he had realized he knew nothing about his daughter other than her name. Lorelai Gilmore the fourth. Lorelai Patricia Gilmore, Tricia for short. Lorelai after her mother, Patricia after his. He thought back to when he had first found out she was pregnant. It had been the last day of school…

Tristan was standing by his locker, packing everything up. Finally! No more school. No more boring classes, assemblies, no more nothing. He looked up from his thoughts when he heard footsteps coming closer to him. He smiled, looking at his girlfriend of more than one year. Rory Gilmore. Junior year, she had broken up with Bagboy – finally – and when he had found out, he'd asked her to dinner. They'd gone, and had fun, and she'd invited him to a movie night with her and her mother. He almost laughed, thinking of that night. He'd been threatened with bodily harm, not only by Lorelai, Rory's mother, but also by Luke, the owner of Luke's Diner, and quite a few other people when they'd realized that he was probably Rory's next boyfriend.

"Tristan?" Rory said, hesitantly. He narrowed his eyes. She was nervous. Really nervous.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"We need to talk…" She grabbed his arm and walked him into a supply closet, where she took a deep breath. Her eyes filled with tears, and Tristan pulled her to him, holding her close to his body. Rory sighed.

"What is it, babe?"

Rory's eyes filled with tears again. "It's that. It's babe. I'm … I'm …" She started to cry, and held onto his shirt, shaking. She took a deep breath, "I'm pregnant."

He froze. How? How?? "What? You're … pregnant?"

"Yes," she said forcefully. "I. Am. Pregnant. And don't you dare ask whether it's yours or not."

"But … we used protection."

"I know," she sobbed.

"Does your mother know?"

"Yes. I told her. I had to, since she wouldn't let me use the car, and NO WAY was I going to buy a pregnancy test at Doose's. It would've been all over town by midnight that Rory Gilmore was sexually active. So I took a home pregnancy test, then we went to the doctor, since it's only 95% accurate, and I wanted to be positive. And that's what it was. Postive." She started to cry again, "I'm so sorry, Tristan."

"But … we only … one time …"

"I know."

They were both thinking back to prom night, the night they had, unequivocally, given themselves to each other for the first time. But they hadn't repeated the experience. Only one time. But once was apparently all it took.

They had stayed in the closet for another half hour, just holding each other, before Tristan finished packing up his things. He helped Rory to his car and they drove to her house, where he left her with her mother, and he had driven back to Hartford. He'd spent a restless night before going down to talk with his father in the morning. Then, he had driven back to Stars Hollow …

She was in Luke's Diner. He pulled the car to a stop outside, and got out, trying to calm his racing heart. He put a hand in his pocket, to make sure the small box was still there. He walked in the door, the bell jingling above his head. Looking around, he realized that there were a lot of people shooting daggers at him. Jess was working behind the counter, talking to Rory, who was seated there.

"I really don't think that –"

Jess cut her off. "Oh, please. You know very well that's not what he meant when he was writing it. You can't take what he says at literal value, and –"

"Rory," Tristan paused as she spun to look at him. She looked surprised to see him standing there. "We need to talk."

"I don't think she wants to talk to you," Jess said threateningly.

"How about you let her decide for herself?" Tristan shot back.

"Jess," Rory sighed. "It's okay. We do need to talk." She stood up. "Where are we going?"

"Mantonelli's."

"Oh," she paused. They had gone there for their one-year anniversary. She smiled at the memories, then followed Tristan out of the diner. The car ride was quiet, neither knowing quite what to say. When they reached the restaurant, Tristan jumped out of the car and opened the passenger's door for Rory. She got out and smiled at him.

"Come on, Rory. The reservation is for two o'clock." It was five till. They walked inside, sat down. Ordered. Ate. But they didn't talk until they were done eating.

"Anything for dessert?" The waitress asked politely.

"Not for me. Rory?"

"No, I'm fine." The waitress left the couple and promised to be back in a few minutes with the check. "Tristan, why did you ask me here? We haven't talked …"

"Because I was waiting for the right time. Rory, I love you. I've never said it, but I like to think you knew. If you didn't, I'm sorry. But I love you. And I don't want you to have to face this alone." He stood up, then knelt down on one knee, and, pulling out the box he had fiddled with countless times in the last hour, he said with quit conviction, "Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, will you become my wife and spend the rest of your days with me?"

By this time, Rory's eyes had filled with tears. Now they spilled over onto her cheeks. As much as she loved him… "Tristan," she began, taking his hand and closing the box. She looked down at his hand as she continued, "I love you. But even so, I can't marry you. I'll forever wonder if you asked me just because I'm pregnant with your child. I love you so much, but if I can't be sure … I'll never be truly happy."

She had left it at that. He had tried to talk her into it, but she hadn't relented, no matter how hard he pushed. She was convinced, and the stubbornness she had been born with won over following her heart.

Tristan walked towards Luke's Diner. He was positive she would be there. It was eight in the morning, and, as he had learned, Rory would most likely be in the diner at this point. Drinking coffee. Or, more likely, begging some from Luke. He smiled, wondering what would happen when she saw him. If she would even care. If she still loved him. If she would agree to letting him into Tricia's life.

If she would let him into hers.