Hehe…I know you just want to read, so here you go…

***

"Dad?"

"Since when do you call me Dad?"

***

I'm cruel and evil, I'm going to cut off there and skip to Rory.

***

"HOW COULD YOU?!!" Rory screeched!  She stood alone in the center of the living room staring down at a sheet of paper.  She was in tears, and the collar of her shirt was soaked from the wet trails starting at her eyes and seeping down her face to her neck to her collar.

The paper read:

Dear Rory,

I've tried, I've tried so very hard, to make things the way they used to be.  To get rid of the awkward feeling that's hovered between us for the past ten years, but I just can't do it anymore.  It may sound very clichéd, but we're two separate people. We're not who we were back when Coral was a baby.  Don't think this is just because Tristin came back, we would have gone our separate ways anyway.  Back in our twenties we were just what each other needed, but not anymore. 

I'm going away.  You can reach me on my cell to yell at me, as I'm sure you'll want to, but we do need time away from each other.  I'm staying with Maddy and co. in Hartford. 

Sincerely,

Mark

Not "Love, Mark," not even "Yours truly, Mark," just "Sincerely, Mark."  It was as if they'd never been married, as if they'd stepped back into high school and they were just strangers apologizing for an accidental crash in the hallway or a broken project.  The passion was gone, Rory'd known that for a long time, but she thought they were still in love, thought that they still cared for each other. 

***

"What do you want, Tristin," Coral said through gritted teeth.

"I want to talk to you."

"About what?  I see no reason for you to talk to me.  After all, you didn't even exist to me until I was fourteen, and then you disappeared.  What could you possibly have to tell me?"

"That I'm sorry I wasn't there for you and I'm sorry I wasn't there for your mother.  That if I'd known about you in the first place I would have been there from the start.  That I love you and I love your mother and that's never going to change.  I'll get out of your hair now," and with that Tristin turned and walked out…AGAIN.

"Who was that?" Jeremy asked as he stepped into the apartment.

"My dad.  That was my dad," all she could do was stand there stunned.

***

"I don't want to talk, leave a message if you care."  *BEEP*

Coral could hear the tears that had clearly been falling as Rory put the message on the answering machine.

"Hi, Mom, it's me.  I was just calling to—"

"Coral?"

"Hey Mom."

"I'm sorry I'm just…"

"Out of it?"

"Yeah.  Your father, Mark, he, he left."

"He left?!"

"Yeah.  He's staying with Maddy."

"Why'd he leave?  I thought you guys were happy!"

"So did I.  So did I.  What were you calling about."

"Oh…it can wait."  Coral didn't have the heart to tell her mother what had happened.  Not today.  Not now.  Maybe not ever.  After all, Tristin didn't seem like he would be coming back.  He'd said what he needed to say, why would he stick around?

"It certainly doesn't sound like it can wait.  What's wrong?  Something about the wedding."

"No, no, that's not it."

"Well then what is it?  I'll find out whether or not it's you who tells me."

"Tristin was here," she blurted.  It was like pulling off a band-aid, and once she'd said it she felt a lot better.

"Tris-tris-tristin was there?  Tristin DuGray?  Your father Tristin?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"That's all you can say, oh?"

"No, it's just, I don't quite no how to process that."

"Oh."

"What did he say?"

"That he was sorry and that he loved both of us and that would never change."

"Oh."

"New favorite word, Mom?"

"I guess so.  He told you that he loved us?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

Coral couldn't hold back I slight giggle.  Maybe Tristin was just what Rory needed.

***

Meanwhile, somewhere in LA…

***

"Well if it isn't Tristin DuGray."

"Paris?  Paris Geller?"

"The one and only.  At least I assume so.  I've never met another Paris Geller."

"How've you been?"

"Good.  I'm a lawyer at Geller, Grant and Harrison."

"Grant as in Louise Grant?"

"Yes."

"Louise is a lawyer?" Tristin was trying to hold back a laugh.  Louise a lawyer.

"No, actually, she's the secretary, but she insisted on getting her name into the company name.  What choice did we have?"

"Point well taken."

"So, how've you been?"

"You know, don't you."

"Know what?"

"Oh, don't play innocent, Geller, you know about Rory."

"I haven't talked to Rory in years.  Why, not since Coral was fifteen."

"You know."

"Maybe."

"How is she?  I saw Coral the other day but—"

"You saw Coral?"

"Yeah.  Why?"

"Well, it's just, she wasn't too fond of you after you left, I wouldn't have thought she'd have let—"

"She, uh, she didn't.  I just, kinda, showed up.  She wasn't too thrilled to see me.  I'm surprised she didn't punch me in the nose."

"Yeah, well, it's a good thing you didn't surprise Lorelai instead.  She's been threatening to attach you too a flagpole by your earlobes since you left the last time."

"Oh, believe me, I know that.  I got fair warning from Mark."

"Mark knew where you were?"

"Uh, yeah, he promised not to tell Rory."

"Why would he protect you like that?"

"I haven't the slightest clue, but, hey, it's kept me with my ears in tact and my feet firmly planted on the ground, so I'm most definitely grateful."

"Have you seen Coral on TV."

"Are you kidding?  I watch her every week, she's got a lovely voice."

"Yeah, she certainly is good.  She starred in the Chilton school play three years in a row.  She played everyone from Sandy in 'Grease' to Roxy in 'Chicago.'  She's really gifted."

"I know."

"Well, I have to get to a meeting.  I'm already late.  We should have lunch some time."  She handed him her card.  "Call me!" she shouted while running off down the street.

"Paris Geller sure has changed," he said quietly to himself as he headed home.

***

Stars Hollow, Connecticut, one week later.

***

I'm tugging out my hair

I'm pulling at my clothes

I'm trying to keep my cool

I know it shows

I'm staring at my feet

My cheeks are turning red

I'm searching for the words inside my head

Rory took off her slippers and robe and slipped into her bed.  It had been a long day.  The entire town knew what had happened, and naturally, wanted nothing more than to comfort her, but they ended up driving her mad instead.  Sure everyone in Stars Hollow loved her, that wasn't the question, they just didn't seem to get that what she needed was sleep.

Just as she was drifted off into her dreams the doorbell rang.  "Great, just what I need, more people coming to comfort me.  Maybe if I stay like this they'll think I'm asleep and go away," Rory thought, but the doorbell kept on chiming.  Lorelai had long ago figured out how to make it play "it's a small world" whenever someone rang it, but she could never figure out how to change it back, so, when Rory got sick of the song, and knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep anyway because it would invade her dreams, she got back out of bed, and headed downstairs to answer the door.  ~~~~~

Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she pulled the door open.  "Tristin!" she said in shock.

--

Tristin had been standing outside the Gilmore house for the past half hour trying to work up the courage to ring the bell.  His talk with Paris had convinced him that he needed to talk to Rory.  He wanted her to know how much he cared about her.

He finally rang the bell.  No one came.  He rang it again, and again, and again, and again, and again.

He eventually heard someone coming and stopped.  Rory flung open the door.

"Tristin!"

I'm feeling nervous

Trying to be so perfect

Cause I know your worth it

Your worth it, yeah

He didn't have an option, if he didn't tell her now she'd never know, and he didn't know if he could live without her knowing.

They stood in silence for a few minutes, just thinking about what was going on.  Finally, Rory broke the silence.

"What are you doing here?"

"I-I needed to talk to you."

"I heard you talked to Coral."

"Yeah, that didn't go so well, but could you please, please hear me out?"

"She nodded and led the way into the house.

It looked the same as it had ten years before.  Messy, but with a homey, welcoming feel to it.

"Where's Mark."


At the name Rory began to cry.  Big, sloppy tears.

"Rory?  Rory, what's wrong?"  She grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.  Not a fierce hug, not a planned hug, not a sweet hug, just a comforting 'I need a friend' hug.  And both of them needed that hug.

If I could say what I want to say

I'd say I wanna blow you away

Be with you every night

Am I squeezing you too tight?

If I could say what I wanna see

I wanna see you go down on one knee

Marry me today

Yes I'm wishing my life away

With these things I'll never say

Tristin didn't tell Rory what he'd come to tell her that night.  She seemed to understand.  After they hugged for a while they sat down on the couch and Rory popped a video into the VCR.  "A Walk to Remember," one of the best cry movies she could think of.  Tristin sat beside her just holding her.  He didn't ask why she was so accepting.  He didn't ask why she was crying.  He just sat and held her.  They fell asleep on the couch only to be woken the next morning by a very javacized Lorelai.

It don't do me any good

It's just a waste of time

What you should say to you

What's on my mind

If it ain't coming out

We're not going anywhere

So why can't I just tell you that I care

Lorelai's initial reaction to seeing Tristin was to knock him upside the head, but then she saw the expression on Rory's face. 

Rory hadn't smiled like that in years.  Not since Tristin left the second time around.  And here she was, wrapped up in Tristin's arms, smiling like a crazy person, and she was still asleep!

"Up, up, up!"  Lorelai shouted, and the two woke with a start. 

"Mom!"  "Lorelai!" came the simultaneous responses.  Tristin seemed to be cowering behind Rory. 

"Oh, don't worry, Bible Boy, I'm not going to murder you.  No one's made my baby smile like that in years.

Rory turned bright red and turned away.

Cause I'm feeling nervous

Trying to be so perfect

Cause I know your worth it

Your worth it, yeah

Tristin and Rory still hadn't talked about it by lunchtime.  They had had breakfast at home, but due to the lack of food in the fridge, they had to go out for lunch, so, grabbing their jackets, they headed out the door and for Luke's diner.

If I could say what I want to say

I'd say I wanna blow you away

Be with you every night

Am I squeezing you too tight?

If I could say what I wanna see

I wanna see you go down on one knee

Marry me today

Yes I'm wishing my life away

With these things I'll never say

Lorelai was sitting at the counter torturing her husband.  "But I only want one more cup!" she begged, hoping that for once it would win him over.

"That's what you said three cups ago."

Lorelai pulled a deck of cards out of her purse.  "How 'bout we play for it.  I win, I get as much coffee as I want for the rest of the week, you win and I get as much coffee as I want for the rest of the week."

"O—hey, wait.  That's not fair.  You win and you can have all the coffee you want for the rest of the day, but if I win you don't get any coffee for the rest of the day."

"Deal."

Luke dealt them each five cards and they played.  Lorelai, somehow, managed to win…three hands in a row.  It was at that point that Luke realized she had been cheating the entire time.  "No, no more coffee for you.  And no more cell phones either.  Not at all.  They're giving you brain cancer."

"But Luke-ey!"

"No!"

"Fine," Lorelai grumbled as she hopped off her stool and headed upstairs.

Rory and Tristin sat down at a booth in the back and somehow managed to avoid the town eyes.

They ate a quiet lunch, but when they got home they decided to talk.

What wrong

With my tongue

These words keep slipping away

I stutter

I stumble

Like I got nothing to say

"Rory, we have to talk," Tristin said as they walked through the door.

"I know."

"First off.  Where's Mark?"

"He left."

"Left?"

"Yeah.  A few weeks ago.  He's staying with Maddy."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"No, you're not."

"Second, I need to tell you I'm sorry."

"Forget it, Tristin, I have."

"No you haven't.  I had no right to do what I did.  You were right, and I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

"What did you do?"

"I didn't follow my heart, and in the process I was unfair to Mark, Coral, You, and myself."

Tristan enveloped her in another hug.  This one was a hug about love, about a new life, and about hope for the future.

Cause I'm feeling nervous

Trying to be so perfect

Cause I know you're worth it

You're worth it, yeah

"I love you," Tristin whispered into her hair.

"I love you, too."

Yes I'm wishing my life away

With these things I'll never say

If I could say what I wanna say

I'd say I wanna blow you away

Be with you every night

Am I squeezing you too tight?

If I could say what I wanna see

I wanna see you go down on one knee

Marry me today

Yes I'm wishing my life away

With these things I'll never say

These things I'll never say

"Will you marry me?"

"I'm pretty sure I need an official divorce from Mark first."

"Okay."

"But then we can get married."

"Okay."

***

And there you have it.  Chapter ten.  Next chapter:  Coral finds out and we learn how Coral and Jeremy's relationship blossomed from one of hat to one of love.

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