Author: Sunday Rain
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Second season.
Disclaimer: Don't own em.
Summary: Rory has to deal with her past, while Tristan has to deal with the present.
A/N: Much love to all those who've given me great feedback & the ones who've just discovered it: Starbelly, Monica, Laine, Carrie, etc… Please continue with the criticisms and feedback, its really great.
Better Days
Chapter 6: Longing to Forget
"…Rory? Ror?" Lorelai's voice broke through the fog in her head. "Sweetie, is something wrong?"
Rory finally managed to get her voice back. "What? Sorry, uhm, mom, can we—can we talk later? I just… I have to… I have to go."
Confused, but being the understanding mother, Lorelai agreed and hung up.
Rory sat there, cradling the phone, as the dialtone came on. Still she did not move from her spot on the floor where she had sunk down to when she discovered the frame.
That photo frame.
That question.
All the memories that were brought on by these two things all lead back to one thing.
Colm.
Rory felt a tear trickle down her cheek. A tear that had not been allowed by her to escape; yet it did of its own accord.
Thinking of Colm always brought back feelings of a broken-heart, pain and regret. Pain that had lasted for the past six months, the broken heart that would last much longer and regret that would stay in her mind forever.
Eighteen months ago
"…Lorelai! I'm home!"
Rory turned around, eager to clear her teary eyes and be rid of the smell of onion she was cooking. She smiled widely. Hearing the familiar voice sent a happy flutter of excitement down her spine. "I'm in the kitchen!"
Top CNN photojournalist Colman Turner appeared at the doorway, an amused smile decorating his face as he took in the sight of Lorelai Gilmore (the third) cooking pasta. "Wow, well, what brought this on? Tonight was supposed to be my night to treat you special, darling."
"Well I decided it was you who deserves a special treat as you are leaving for faraway Kenya tomorrow…" Rory replied with a gentle sigh. She leaned up toward the man she had spent the past year with and gave him a deep passionate kiss.
"Hrrm, if the surprise is as good as this introduction I don't think anyone could convince me to get on that plane tomorrow," he replied, returning the kiss with as much passion. His hands strayed to the zipper on the blue dress that she was wearing.
"Oh now don't get carried away, you'll spoil my plans for supper," Rory said teasingly, slapping his hands away from their destination and pulling apart. "I have to get rid of this horrible onion smell, could you check on the sauce for me, darling?"
Unwilling to let her go, Colm kissed her slowly on her neck and inhaled. "Mmm… I think you smell wonderful… My Lorelai…"
"Colm, you had better stop now or else we'll never have any supper," Rory laughed and backed away. "Just… make sure the sauce doesn't burn okay? Please…" She blew him a kiss and left toward the bathroom.
"…Dinner was amazing, Lorelai. And now I feel quite bad because I had planned to give you a surprise…" Colman said, after supper had been tucked away and coffee and dessert were served. He reached across the table and took Rory's hand.
Rory blushed. She knew her cooking was less than up-to-par, but it was so sweet of him to have enjoyed it over cooked and all. "You don't have to give me any suprises to make me happy… Just being with you is enough."
Colm took in the sight of Rory, her hair glowing against the flickering flame of the candle. "Which is why I need to give you something…" He got up and walked over to his briefcase, retrieving something from inside. Then he returned with a wrapped gift in his hand. "For you, my darling."
"Me?" Rory squealed. "You didn't have to…" Without any hesitance, she opened the box. Upon seeing what was inside, she gasped. "Oh… Wow, this is a beautiful photo…" The photograph was in a white gold frame, with the words 'I Love You' engraved at the top.
The photograph was of her and Colm, which was taken that day that they went to the countryside for a weekend minibreak. She remembered him setting up the camera timer and rushing to her side, but she refused to be photographed, and he had tickled her into smiling, so the photo was of the two of them clutching each other and laughing hard… It was a beautiful moment.
"Its beautiful, thank you darling," Rory reached up and gave him a soft kiss.
"Wait," he broke away from her embrace. "That's not all. You have to turn it over…"
Puzzled, but excited, Rory did as she was told. She turned the frame over and there in tiny engraved cursive, was the question… The question she had been waiting all her life since she was a little girl to be asked. Rory's breath caught.
"Well, my love," Colm asked. He got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?" And he produced a white gold ring from his pocket.
Rory smiled… She knew the answer. She knew what she was to say. She had been waiting for this moment all her life. Yet, she couldn't seem to get the words out…
"Rory?"
She blushed. And slowly said, "Colm, you know I love you and you are an amazing man… But this… this is big… I have—would you mind it, if I thought about it and gave you an answer—"
Colman frowned slightly. "Later? But darling, Lorelai, I'm leaving for Kenya tomorrow! I… Is it so hard a question to answer? Just say yes…"
Rory hesitated. She didn't know what to say. What to do. She felt horrible. She—loved—she loved Colm. Right? But then why was it so hard? She kept her gaze on the floor, not daring to look up and see the hurt that was mirrored in his eyes.
After what seemed like an eternity, she felt him stand up and walk away. She heard the slam of the door to the bedroom. 'I guess I'll be sleeping alone tonight…' she thought.
Groaning, Rory turned over and slammed her fist on the annoying buzzer-noise of the guest bedroom alarm. That night before she had tried in vain to apologise to Colm but he refused to answer her. She remembered hearing him inside their bedroom packing for his trip—
His trip?! Rory sat up in bed with a gasp. Had he already left? She couldn't have slept through late today… What if he—no! Rory glanced at the clock. No! It was seven thirty. Too late… His plane had left at seven…
Rory groaned and fell back into the soft covers. This was not good. He left without waking her up—that meant he was really pissed with her.
Just then the phone rang. "Arrgh…" She tumbled out of bed and made her way to the kitchen. Typical, just when Rory had managed to find the telephone, it had stopped ringing.
"Mrrmph…" Slamming the receiver back on its stand, Rory proceeded to make herself a cup of strong java to get her out of her slump.
Slowly waking up, she looked at the kitchen clock and realised—and all thoughts of Colman slipping out of her head—that she was late for work!
Stumbling into the London office of CNN, Rory quickly composed herself and her somewhat disheveled appearance. She prepared herself for a smart comment from one of her British colleagues who loved to tease her about the fact that she was finally, for the first time ever, late, but however none came.
Rory looked around and it seemed as if everyone was trying to avoid her eye. She walked up to her good friend Abigail Rutherford's desk. "Hey Abbie," she smiled.
Abigail started. "Uhm, oh, hi, Lorelai…" She quickly resumed her study of the article before her. Rory frowned. This was not the usual hello she received from her enthusiastic, robust friend.
"OK, what's wrong?" Rory asked. "Why is everyone ignoring me?"
Abigail sighed and put her pen down carefully. Too carefully, Rory noted. "Abigail, tell me what's going on… Is there something I should know about—"
Abbie abruptly enveloped her in a hug and interrupted her. "Oh, Lorelai… I'm so sorry!" That's when Rory saw the slightly red teary eyes of her friend. She looked around. There were a few people sniffling and a lot more carrying around tissues and with red eyes but attempting to go about work as usual.
"What's going on?" Rory exclaimed, panicking, thinking of a dozen possible reasons why her whole office could be keeping something from her. "Somebody, just tell me…"
Jason Donovan finally walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You mean, you don't know?" Rory shook her head. Jason quietly led her to the TV consoles lining the far wall, where the video technicians were. He clicked on one TV and squeezed her shoulder.
Rory saw the images flash before her eyes and felt her body go soft. She collapsed on a chair. "No… No…" It couldn't be possible.
There had been a plane crash.
Colman was dead.
Moving to New York was to get away from it. She could leave all that behind. Yet apparently, Rory looked at the photo frame, she wouldn't escape it. No matter how hard she tried to forget.
