Past and Present
Author: Sk8erGrl1
Summary: Rory's reflects on the years of her life leading up to her daughter's graduation.
Pairing Mentions of various different couples.
Disclaimer: If I owned Gilmore Girls do you really think I would be writing fanfiction?
A/N: I plan for this to be a one-part fic or at the most two parts. For the readers of Family Portrait and Tale Untold I am working to get you new chapters of both but right now I've got to get this story out of the way. I hope you enjoy. Please review and tell me what you think of it.
~*~*~*~*~
(October, 2006)
Rory Gilmore balanced her steaming cup of coffee on top of her books as she closed her dorm door behind her, skillfully locking the door before walking away. She slipped the keys in her pocket and reached to retrieve her coffee with her now free hand while still moving towards the exit. As she took a sip of her coffee she turned sideways to open the door with her hip but fell backwards, the door was already opened.
Strong arms wrapped around her waist just before she hit the ground. Her mystery man helped her up and Rory turned to face him. She realized then that she had spilt her hot coffee all over both of them. She blushed furiously.
"I'm so sorry," she apologized.
"It's no problem," he shrugged, "You were distracted." Rory noticed then he had beautiful blue eyes and that his black hair fell in front of his eyes.
"I should've been paying attention though," Rory shot back, "Now you're all full of coffee."
"It's just as much my fault," he admitted, "I wasn't paying much attention either."
"No, I was exiting the building," Rory wouldn't allow him to take some of the blame, "Coming in isn't as dangerous as going out. It's…"
"Never mind," he laughed, cutting her off, "My name's Seth."
"Rory," Rory managed a little smile for him.
"Nice to meet you Rory," Seth flashed her a dazzling smile, "How about this, why don't I take you out for a coffee seeing as I'm now wearing your previous cup."
"Sounds good," Rory nodded, without hesitation, "Do you want to get changed first or…" She was slightly surprised by her sudden fearlessness. She had always hesitated before when someone asked her out.
"Do you have a class now?" he wondered.
"No, I was just going out to study," Rory informed him, motioning to her pile of books.
"Then I'll meet you back here in five minutes," he told her.
"Alright," Rory nodded again and watched him head up the stairs. Once he was out of sight she turned back to her room to put her books back. She would have to put her studying off for an hour to two. A huge smile on her face she unlocked the door and stepped in.
~*~*~*~*~
(June, 2027)
"Seth, we're going to be late!" Rory shouted up the stairs.
"No, we're not," Seth shouted back.
"Yes, we're going to be late to our daughters graduation!" Rory grumbled, "Ryan left and hour ago with Lori and Scott! Why aren't you ready?"
"We're not going to be late," Seth laughed, coming down the stairs, "The ceremony starts in an hour."
"I know," Rory pouted, "But our baby's graduating."
"I know," Seth put his hands on her waist, "Think if we got rid of Ryan we could keep her for another two years?"
"Seth," Rory tried to sound scolding but laughed despite herself.
"Come on," Seth leaned over and kissed his wife, "We better get there before we really are late." Rory grabbed her purse and followed Seth out of the house, holding onto his hand. They had been married 19 years and Rory had never been happier in her life than she was with Seth. They had a wonderful marriage with four great kids.
They arrived at Chilton thirty minutes before the ceremony started. Rory rushed over to where Lane was saving them both seats. Rory smiled and hugged her best friend and her husband, Dave Rygalski, hello. She then looked around and saw her mother, Sookie, and Jackson at the front of the stage, their cameras clutched in their hands ready to snap pictures. Gil, Sookie and Jackson's son, sat with his wife and Luke. Then on the other side of the ceremony sat the eight-month pregnant Louise Grant.
~*~*~*~*~
(November, 2003)
Rory, Paris, Tanna and Janet sat in the living room of their dorm having another dorm-mates meeting. The same battle had been going on for two months and it only seemed to get worse by each passing day. Janet had even recently decided that she would start her morning jog and hour earlier, at four, sending Paris into a frenzy. Her craft corner had now become her biggest weapon in the battle.
The knock on the door had Rory on her feet in seconds as Paris and Janet continued to argue, ignoring that there was someone at the door. Rory rolled her eyes and swung the door open to reveal none other than Louise Grant with her perfect blonde hair disheveled and her usually shimmering blue eyes rimmed with red. Rory didn't know what to think as she immediately ushered Louise into the dorm. "What happened?" Rory asked, as soon as the door was closed and Louise completely inside.
Paris stopped bickering with Janet long enough to notice that her oldest friend looked unlike she had ever seen her before. Seeming to completely forget Janet and her completely annoying earlier morning jog routine and was at Louise side right away. Tanna had retreated to her room then, afraid that she would have to interact with this new comer and Janet had stormed off to blow off steam by doing some more exercises. "What happened?" Rory repeated.
"That stupid jerk!" Louise shouted, "And th-that slut! That's what happened!"
"Louise, you're going to have to explain better than that," Paris demanded, sounding more concerned than demanding.
"I was dating this guy at Harvard," Louise spat, "And I thought I was pregnant and he made me marry him and then I found out he was screwing Madeleine the whole time!"
"What?" Rory choked, "Madeleine Lynn?"
"Yes!" Louise nodded, "It's not like I love him or anything, he was just a good fuck, you know? But that she would do that to me? When we thought I was going to have that idiot's baby! When I was married to him!"
"Are you pregnant?" Paris asked.
"No," Louise shook her head, "Thank god. And I just signed those damned divorce papers. I can't believe that the one person I thought I could trust would do this! I should've known better. My mom told it to me all the time, I mean she was screwing her best friend's husband after she had me."
"You going to be ok?" Rory wondered.
"Me?" Louise wiped her eyes and stood up straight and tall, "Of course. I'm Louise the heartless sex goddess. Nothing can phase me."
"What're you doing here then?" Paris asked, disbelieving.
"I'm transferring to Yale," Louise replied. The two stared shell-shocked at her.
~*~*~*~*~
(June, 2027)
Rory smiled slightly. If Louise hadn't shown up that day at Yale life would be so different. Rory couldn't imagine not having Louise in her life. Louise was so different from the girl that she had known in High School, even in the first few months at Yale. Right now Louise was shifting in her seat, not wanting to be there. Rory couldn't blame her, she was after all eight months pregnant and they could run into someone they knew back in High School.
Next to Louise was an empty seat that Rory knew would soon be occupied by her husband who was likely waiting to the last minute to make his entrance. Rory felt a kick on the back of her chair and forgot about Louise and her husband for the moment and turned around. There was her five-year-old daughter Lori swinging her feet merrily. Her long, curly black hair fell just below her shoulders and she smiled up at her mother, next to Lori was her thirteen-year-old brother Scott.
"You guys being good?" Rory asked. Scott nodded sullenly while Lori shook her head joyfully.
"Mom, do I have to sit here with them?" another voice asked and Rory looked towards her eldest son, Ryan.
"Ry they're you're younger brother and sister," Rory reminded him, "Be nice."
"Yeah, come on Ry," another cheerful voice teased, "How often do you get to spend with them anyway."
"Abby," Ryan groaned and Rory smiled at her sixteen-year-old son's girlfriend. Abigail Rygalski was beautiful. She had brown almond shaped eyes that sparkled with mischief and delight; her hair was long and black. She was exotic and Ryan was so in love with her. Rory loved the girl too, no doubt, after all Abby's mother was her best friend.
"HEY!" Lori exclaimed pointing in the direction of aisle, "It's Uncle Tristan!"
Rory turned and saw none other than Tristan DuGray making his way towards the front, he was a bit earlier than Rory had expected him. Tristan caught her eye and winked before placing a hand on Louise's shoulder. The blonde bolted upright and hit Tristan's arm. "Where've you been?" Louise asked, "I've been sitting here for an hour waiting for you to bring that water! It better be Evian!"
"What else would it be?" Tristan smirked, handing his wife her water bottle. Rory laughed, she would never have thought she would see Tristan again after that day he got sent away to Military school nonetheless that he would end up married to Louise Grant.
~*~*~*~*~
(April, 2007)
Rory sat comfortably on the floor across from Seth in the dorm living room. They were studying for one of their exams and had their supply of coffee placed at a safe distance from their notes. Paris was pacing back and forth across the dorm arguing with Jamie, they had been having a lot of fights lately. Rory knew that Tanna was away for the weekend visiting her parents and Louise was probably out trying to find a party going on that night.
"Seth, come on," Rory groaned, "You've called a break every five minutes."
"That's because in five minutes you've had me doing work that most people would need hours to do," Seth pointed out, "You know your stuff Ror, you really don't need to study this."
"Fine, then what else is there to study?" Rory asked. It was Seth's turn to groan.
"I think I should've taken Louise up on that offer to go party searching," he sighed, "Maybe I could find new friends or get a girlfriend or something that will take up my time so you don't feel the need to consume my every second with study material. Rory, we've studied everything there is to study. You're ready for the test tomorrow."
"Fine," Rory pouted. She wasn't in the mood to study anymore, not after Seth had reminded her that they were just friends because that's all he wanted to be. They had known each other six months and Rory had even asked him to go out with her, on a date. He had turned her down and here they were, just friends.
The dorm door swung open and Louise nearly jumped into the room. Rory looked her friend over and noticed that Louise was smiling, genuinely smiling for probably the first time that Rory had know her. It wasn't a fake smile, or a seductive smile but a real, happy, childlike smile. "Hey," Rory greeted.
"While I was searching for a party I ran into someone," Louise began, "He was visiting a friend from military school and I dragged him back here to see you guys." Rory raised a curious eyebrow as Louise stepped out of the room and pulled in the infamous Tristan DuGray.
Rory nearly fell over in shock and Paris dropped the phone upon the sight of Tristan. Seth looked confusedly around the room and Louise continued to hold Tristan's arm and grin giddily like she was a three year old who had just received the best birthday present in the world.
"Mary," Tristan smirked at her. His blonde hair was longer than it had been when she last saw him, a strand fell in front of his face and Tristan tucked it back behind his ear. "And Paris."
"Paris," Rory turned to her other roommate, "Jamie." Paris' eyes widened and she scooped up the phone and disappeared into her and Rory's room.
"Jamie?" Tristan wondered.
"Her boyfriend," Louise shrugged, "They used to be all lovey-dovey, it was disgusting. They're going to break-up though."
"You don't know that," Rory reminded Louise. Louise gave Rory 'the look' and Rory sighed. She knew Louise was right. Paris and Jamie were going to break-up, but that didn't mean that Paris knew that and Rory wanted to hold hope for the couple. She had seen them go through so much together.
Seth coughed from where he sat on the floor and Rory remembered that she had yet to introduce him to the stranger Louise had brought home. "OH!" she exclaimed, "Seth this is an old friend of mine Tristan. Tristan, this is Seth."
"Boyfriend?" Tristan wondered.
"Friend," Rory corrected and looked to see Seth's reaction to that. She didn't like Tristan, not anymore, and even if she did she wouldn't have done anything about it. She hadn't seen Louise smile like that ever, and although she didn't know what it meant she wouldn't interfere in anyway.
Tristan nodded and then Paris returned from the bedroom and slammed the phone back down on the receiver. They all stared at her for a while before Paris stopped glaring at the phone and turned back to Tristan, "What are you doing here?"
"I found him!" Louise told her, "Visiting a friend." The 'I found him' was more a message to her friends than it was a statement. Louise was there in High School when Tristan was in love with Rory and Paris in love with Tristan. She was telling them subtly that this time it was her turn, that it was her turn to try and win Tristan's heart for her own. Louise had changed in the past two years. She still partied and flirted but she had begun to sleep around less, and she had admitted to Rory that she was ready to take a stab at a relationship that wasn't solely based on sex. "Anyway, keep him company while I got get changed," Louise demanded and went off to her room.
"We've got a date," Tristan mentioned to the two remaining women in the room, and Seth.
~*~*~*~*~
(June, 2027)
Tristan had taken his seat next to his wife and drew his ten-year-old daughter Kyra onto his lap just as the ceremony began. The graduation music began to play and the graduates of 2027 all strolled down the aisle. Rory spotted her daughter, Laynie, wearing her valedictorian gown. Rory reached over and grabbed her husband's hand. Then came Chris, Tristan and Louise's eldest child, grinning mischievously and Rory couldn't help but wonder what he had planned for the night. Chris had inherited his father's mischievous streak just as Laynie had her grandmother's.
The headmaster's speech seemed to drag on and to Rory is resembled suspiciously the speech that had been given at her own graduation twenty some odd years ago. Finally, it came time for the valedictorian speech and Rory braced herself as Laynie strolled gracefully across stage to the microphone. She gave her speech thanking her grandmother, Lane, Tristan, Paris, Louise, and her mother and father for everything they have given her, for all everything that had done for her that made her the person that she was now.
Rory felt her eyes tear up as Laynie told everyone in the audience how her mother and father were the biggest influences in her life. She told the world about her mother and how she had grown up as an only child with her single mother who had been her best friend and had graduated from Chilton as Valedictorian and had attended Yale. She talked about her father who loved her more than anything in the world and would do anything for her, her father who had also gone to Yale and who had always given her anything she needed.
Then, much to the dismay of Lorelai, Laynie strolled back to her seat gracefully, not a funny face or anything. Rory couldn't help but smile. She knew she would be hearing about this for hours after the ceremony. Lorelai often told Rory that she could've done a better job raising Laynie and taught her more of the 'Ways of the Gilmore Girls'.
Finally, after what seemed like ages later they were handing out the diplomas. Rory sat straighter in her seat, this was the moment of truth. If anything this finalized that her daughter had finally grown up. She clutched Seth's hand as tight as she could and focused on not crying.
"Laynie Gilmore-Brody," the headmaster boomed. Laynie strolled across stage once more to retrieve her diploma. She shook hands with the headmaster and whoever else was standing there and began to glide back to her place. Just when Rory though that she would be the perfect lady Laynie turned to face the audience, tipped her hat, transferred the tassel and then puffed up her cheeks, stuck out her tongue, pulled out her ears and crossed her eyes. It was her monkey pose; Rory had seen it often. It's the face Laynie pulled when she had wanted to make either Scott or Lori stop crying and smile when they were babies. She couldn't help but laugh; that was her daughter all right.
"Monkey face!" she heard Lori cheer, it was her favorite Laynie face, "Monkey Face Laynie!"
Rory caught Tristan's eye as she looked around for the reactions of the other parents. He winked at her. They knew who was coming up soon, Chris, and if the parent's thought that Laynie's stunt was unsuitable whatever Chris was going to pull would likely have them feeling embarrassed.
For the next few minutes the names slurred together in Rory's brain and finally it was time for Chris. "Christopher Janlen DuGray," the headmaster shouted and Rory could hear the dislike seep through his voice. Chris had acquired a bigger reputation than his father at Chilton had.
Chris strutted across the stage a smug grin on his face the whole time. He received his diploma and shook hands with the headmaster before starting back to his seat. His fellow graduates were already suppressing giggles and Rory already knew that he had pulled the classic open back gown with no boxers. But that wasn't the extent the prank. Chris grabbed the valedictorian, Laynie, by the hand and pulled her out of her seat and then kissed her. Slowly he dipped her back and revealed his rear end a bit better to the audience. Rory and everyone else who had watched Chris and Laynie grow up had burst into uncontrollable laughter and were receiving scornful looks from the other parents.
When they were done Laynie sat back down and Chris returned to his spot. Both seemed unfazed by the whole scene but the headmaster was furious but speechless. He couldn't do anything though but be thankful that he would never have to discipline either of them ever again.
~*~*~*~*~*~
(December, 2025)
"Hey mom," Laynie greeted as she passed by Rory on her way to her room, Chris in trail.
"Her Rory!" Chris nodded his greeting, Rory refused that anyone call her Mrs. Brody. It gave her the shivers, made her feel old.
"Hey, you two get back here!" Rory demanded without looking up from her paper. Chris and Laynie backed up three steps and turned to face Rory. Behind her stood Tristan DuGray fresh from work.
"Shit," Chris cursed.
"Care to tell us why we got a call from Chilton today?" Louise stepped into the room from behind them, Seth beside her.
"What is this an intervention?" Laynie asked.
"Whatever you want it to be," Seth told his daughter, "Now explain."
"It was nothing," Chris brushed it off, "Just a silly prank. The Headmaster just made a bigger deal out of it than it really was."
"Bigger deal?" Tristan laughed, "Like they made a bigger deal out of me putting together a car in the science wing than it really was."
"Exactly," Laynie nodded innocently, "And now we're suspended for a week. Isn't that great?"
"Laynie, you guys set the science wing on fire," Rory reminded her daughter, "On purpose."
"Come on," Chris groaned, "Nothing was wrecked and everyone got out of the school in record time."
"Someone could've been hurt," Seth pointed out, "This is serious you guys. It's a good thing that you're both among the top of your class or else you would've been expelled."
"I think it's stupid," Laynie grumbled, "They're only keeping us there because we're getting better marks than anyone else and it helps their standings."
"You two have two years left at Chilton," Rory sighed, "Do you think you can manage to be good until then?"
"Yeah," Laynie mumbled. She was a good girl but she had a wild streak in her.
"Didn't Lorelai set the Gym on fire once?" Chris wanted to know.
"Yeah," Rory admitted, "But you shouldn't do everything my mother does."
"But Grandma's super cool!" Laynie exclaimed, "And anyway, it's just this once that we've done anything wrong. Or, well, anything wrong that we caught doing."
"Just remember two years and you guys are out of there, okay?" Seth inquired.
"Yeah," they both sighed in unison. They began to sneak off to Laynie's room.
"Chris! Home!" Louise ordered. Chris groaned and headed towards the front door while Laynie continued to her room. Once they were out of earshot the four adults looked at each other with huge grins.
"I'm going to call Paris," Louise announced, "I'm sure she'll have a blast lecturing me about parenthood."
"I've got to call Lorelai," Rory laughed, "She'll love this."
"What are we going to do with them for a whole week?" Tristan wondered.
"Let's take them to the Firm," Seth suggested, "We could use some extra hands."
"Good idea," Tristan nodded. The four adults went their separate ways, wondering what they were ever going to do with their kids and their insistent attitude that they could misbehave as they pleased.
~*~*~*~*~*~
(June, 2027)
There had been other incidents after the fire but none as serious and Laynie had always kept her grades up. She had never failed anything and was always top in her class no matter how many classes she skipped or were suspended from. Rory shook her head, Laynie had a lot of all of them in her. Laynie had Lane's spunk, she had Paris no bullshit attitude, Louise style, Tristan's charm, Sookie's culinary skills, Dave's quirkiness and love of music, Lorelai's rebellious streak and so much more from Seth and Rory. Everyone in Rory's life had in some ways contributed to how her daughter had been raised and who she had become as a person.
When the ceremony was finally over and the parents began shuffling around to find their kids Rory finally let go of Seth's hand for the first time in what seemed like forever. She kissed her husband quickly on the cheek, "I'm going to find Laynie."
"Just don't keep her out that long," Seth told his wife, "Everyone's heading over to the house."
"We'll be right there," Rory grinned. Shoving her way through the crowd Rory made her way towards the grave building that was Chilton Prepatory School.
"Heading for the shortcut I see," a smug voice from behind Rory said.
"Well, would you rather have to stand and wait behind tons of gushing parents?" Rory asked without turning around,
"After all you wouldn't have found me here if you weren't heading there yourself."
Tristan DuGray stepped up beside Rory as they continued to make their way around the school and in through an open classroom window. Rory had watched this Window during the ceremony and knew that it was the easiest way to get into the school without having to deal with the parents of the other graduates.
"This was Mr. Medina's class wasn't it?" Tristan wondered looking around.
"I'm surprised you remember it," Rory laughed, "You hardly spent any time in here."
"Hey, watch it Mary," Tristan teased, and Rory laughed. It had been so long since he had called her that.
~*~*~*~*~
(August, 2009)
Rory sat in the doctor's office nervously wringing her hands. Tristan DuGray was seated next to her and his five months pregnant wife, Louise Grant, on her other side. She wished Seth were there and not cooped up at court dealing with his very first case as a lawyer. Rory had tried to get an appointment for a time when he would be around but this was the only appointment she could get.
"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore," the nurse called out, "the doctor will see you now."
Nervously Rory stood up and headed towards the back room. Tristan stood up, "Mary, you want me to come with?"
Silently Rory nodded and Tristan kissed Louise before taking Rory's hand and walking into the room with her. Automatically Rory was sitting on the long table where the doctor examined her patients. She felt awkward with Tristan in the room but she didn't want to be alone for this. Once again she wished Seth were there.
They waited quietly for the doctor to join them; Tristan didn't let go of Rory's hand the whole time. If anything Tristan's reappearance in her life had made things so much better for everyone. They got along a lot better now too, when they weren't with their significant other the two could often be seen together. He had become one of her best friends and closest confidant.
"Hello Rory," Dr. Kuroda joined them, "How are you going today?"
"You tell me," Rory sighed.
"Well why don't you lie down and we're see what's up," Dr. Kuroda suggested. Rory let go of Tristan's hand and took Dr. Kuroda's suggestion and lied down on the table. "So, is this the man who stole your heart?"
"Tristan?" Rory inquired, "No, he tried and failed."
"Then got shipped off to military school," Tristan finished, "By the time I got back someone had already stole Mary's heart."
"Mary huh?" Dr. Kuroda raised an eyebrow as she listened to Rory's heartbeat.
"As in the Virgin Mary," Rory explained, "It's what he's been calling me since we met when I was fifteen."
"They still say that?" Dr. Kuroda laughed, "Ok, well Rory as far as I can see everything's alright."
"Well I've been getting sick a lot," Rory announced, "And I took a pregnancy test, I came up negative but I just want to be sure..."
"Alright, I'll do an ultrasound first," Dr. Kuroda told her, "If that's inconclusive I'll take a blood test." Rory nodded and lifted her shirt to reveal her flat belly. It was hard to believe that a baby might be growing in there.
Rory and Tristan watched the little screen closely. Tristan had seen what the baby had looked like at this point when Louise had had her first ultrasound, so her knew what he was looking for. Rory on the other hand had no idea. Tristan smiled a little, "Should I tell her or should you?"
"Be my guest," Dr. Kuroda shrugged.
"Tell me what?" Rory questioned. Tristan ignored her question.
"Guess I can't call you Mary anymore huh?" Tristan smirked.
"Does that mean?" Rory wondered, sitting up a bit.
"Yeah," Tristan nodded, "Looks like Louise and I aren't the only ones having a kid."
~*~*~*~*~*
(June, 2026)
"Didn't Paris see your mom and Mr. Medina kissing in this very same class too?" Tristan wondered as they headed towards the classroom door.
"Yeah," Rory nodded, "I'll never forget that mess."
"I don't think anyone will forget that mess," Tristan smirked, "What do you think happened to good old Mr. Medina?"
"I think he still teaches here," a familiar voice echoed through the empty class. Rory and Tristan slowly turned around to find none other than Mr. Medina standing at the doorway now.
"Mr. Medina!" Rory exclaimed, she hadn't known he still taught here. Laynie had never had him and whenever Rory had returned to the school for some function or another she had never seen him.
"I'm not your teacher anymore Rory," Max reminded her, "Call me Max now would you?"
"Sure, sorry," Rory blushed a little.
"And if it isn't Mr. DuGray," Max turned to Tristan, "What are you two doing here?"
"We took a shortcut to get in," Rory explained.
"Got to get our kids somehow," Tristan shrugged, "Didn't want to wait with a bunch of gushing maniacs."
"Which one's yours?" Max wondered, "I already know DuGray."
"How could you not?" Rory wondered with a little laugh, "My kid's his accomplice and the Valedictorian."
"Ah, yes Laynie Brody," Max nodded, "Unfortunately I never had the pleasure of teaching her."
"Rory!" the familiar voice of Lorelai rang through the halls and they all stepped out of the class to find where it was coming from. Lorelai Gilmore appeared around a corner then, she wore a blue dress and her dark curls fell of her shoulders there were not a trace of gray. Lorelai had kept her hair dyed refusing to let herself feel old; she was only 57 after all.
"Mom!" Rory waved.
"I saw you two sneaking through the window I-" Lorelai stopped speaking upon seeing Max, his black hair was graying but he still looked good, "Max."
"Lorelai," Max nodded, "I was just catching up with Rory and Tristan."
"I didn't know you still taught here," Lorelai mused, "but here you are."
"And there you are," Max smiled a little, "How are you?"
"Good, good," Lorelai smiled, "I'm married."
"Me too," Max nodded and showed Lorelai his ring. Rory and Tristan watched them for a minute, amused before excusing themselves. They had been around long enough to know that Lorelai was about to launch into her life story mode and needed to find the kids before the end of the century.
They continued to where they knew that the Graduates would be saying their good-byes and hanging up their gowns. They spotted Chris and Laynie standing together, hand in hand, huge grins were spread across both their faces and they were chatting with some of their friends.
"Hey," Rory greeted her daughter. Laynie jumped into her mother's arms giving her a huge hug.
"We did it mom." Laynie grinned, "We made it."
"I told you we would," Rory laughed and hugged her daughter tighter, "You're all grown up."
"Good of you to notice," Laynie giggled, pulling away from her mother and giving Tristan a hug before turning back to her friends.
"Take your time babes," Rory told her daughter, "Your dad's already gone home."
"There's coffee over there," Laynie informed her mother, waving her hand to the left.
"Then that's where I'll be," Rory told her, dragging Tristan by the arm towards the table.
"I thought we were getting out of here," Tristan complained, "It was bad enough sitting through the ceremony but at least that was outside."
"Calm down DuGray," Rory ordered, "Give them some time to say goodbye."
"They're going to see them again," Tristan pointed out.
"Not here," Rory retorted, "Now suck it up and drink some of this coffee."
"Ror, I know better than to drink the coffee at this place," Tristan reminded her. Rory glared and Tristan took the cup from her.
"Rory? Rory Gilmore?" Rory heard an all too familiar voice calling her name. Taking a deep breath she turned to see none other than Madeleine Lynn standing there with a cup of coffee in her hands. Her black hair was cropped just below her chin and she had grown up quite a bit wearing suits that resembled something Emily Gilmore might wear.
"Madeleine," Rory said tonelessly.
"I thought that was you," she giggled, "Gosh, how long has it been? Twenty –five years?"
"Just about," Rory nodded and glared at Tristan who was keeping himself faced away from Madeleine.
"You didn't come the reunion," Madeleine sighed, "Neither did Paris or Louise? Do you know what happened to them?"
"Nope," Rory lied, shifting in her place wishing she was anywhere else at that moment.
"You know, Tristan DuGray has a kid graduating too," Madeleine told her, "He's the one who pulled that prank with the gown. Christopher I think his name was. You have a kid too?"
"Yeah," Rory nodded.
"Which one?" Madeleine wanted to know.
"Laynie Brody," Rory said proudly catching sight of her daughter smiling and greeting one of her friends' parents.
"So then you must have seen Tristan," Madeleine went on.
"Yeah, actually I think he's around here somewhere," Rory told her and jabbed Tristan in the ribs just then. Tristan turned around and glared at Rory. "Well, look there he is."
"Tristan!" Madeleine grinned.
"Hi," Tristan nodded, "Hey, Ror why don't we go get Chris and Laynie and head out?"
"Are you two married?" Madeleine wanted to know.
"No," Rory shook her head, "Tristan and I just live across the street from each other."
"Wow," Madeleine seemed just as airheaded as she had been in high school.
"Yeah, so we better go," Rory looked at Madeleine apologetically, "Bye."
"Bye," Madeleine smiled and waved at them.
When they were out of earshot of Madeleine Tristan turned to Rory and for once in her whole life since she had met Tristan she wasn't able to read his expression. "What is it?" she asked.
"I didn't know whether to yell at her or to thank her," Tristan mentioned, "If she hadn't hurt Louise the way she did we never would've gotten married. But she still hurt Louise."
"I know the way you feel," Rory sighed, "Thank god Louise was too hormonal to stay."
"Thank god Louise is Louise and wouldn't want to be seen pregnant," Tristan added, "Let's get the kids and get out of here."
"Here, here!" Rory agreed.
Tristan, Rory, Laynie and Chris arrived at the Brody home to find that Lane and Dave's band's CD was blaring through the house, and that Lane was already well into her story about the first time she got drunk and told Mama Kim that she was dating Dave.
"The Graduates!" Dave saluted upon seeing that the guests of Honor had arrived. Louise had pushed her way out of the chair she was seated in within a minute and had hugged her son before slapping him across the arm.
"Sorry, we got caught up talking to someone," Tristan mentioned and Rory glared. Sometimes Tristan didn't know when to keep his mouth shut.
"Who?" Louise wanted to know.
"Oh, it was no one," Rory shrugged.
"You know you're a terrible liar Gilmore," Paris spoke up from her spot on the couch. Her husband, Greg, was seated next to her. Their thirteen-year-old daughter, Amy, was over talking to Scott.
"She's right," Seth agreed, coming up from behind Rory and putting his arms around his wife.
"I couldn't agree more!" Lorelai laughed, stumbling in from the kitchen after Luke.
"Mom!" Rory exclaimed, "How did you get back here before us? You were busy talking to Max when we left you!"
"Don't change the subject missy!" Lorelai scolded as Luke gave Lorelai a look that made Rory regret opening her own mouth.
"We ran into Madeleine," Tristan told them, "Apparently she had a kid graduating this year too."
"OH," they heard the bitterness in Louise tone as she said that; "Did she know you were married to me?"
"It didn't come up," Tristan told her.
"She looked terrible, didn't she?" Louise questioned.
"She looked like a Chilton mom," Rory informed her friend, "She was wearing those ugly suits you hate."
"And her hair was graying," Tristan added.
"Thanks," Louise smiled appreciatively at them and Tristan kissed his wide lovingly.
Rory pulled away from Seth and took his hand, guiding him into the kitchen. Once there she threw her arms around her husband and hugged him tightly. "I love you," she whispered in his ear.
The giddy voices of the children echoed from outside. Rory heard the distinct voices of her Lori, the youngest of her children and the next bearer of the name Lorelai. She heard Scott and Kyra arguing with each other and Lorelai and Luke's twins, who were seventeen, Stella and Joey trying to get the younger ones to calm down.
Inside the living room she heard her friend and mother laugh at something Chris had been saying minutes ago. She heard Laynie sounding stubborn and precise. Somewhere in the house Abby and Ryan were likely either making out or talking about the newest band to appear in one of the Hartford clubs they snuck out to and thought no one knew about.
"I love you too," Seth whispered back. In that instant Rory's past flooded through her mind. Her short relationship with Jess that she thought would last forever, her year long romance with Dean that had ended with his marriage to Lindsay, her college years, her crush on Tristan, everything. The most important memories of the past flashed in front of her and she stood in the arms of her one true love. If Louise had never found Tristan roaming the halls of Yale that day, if Tristan's arrival hadn't sparked jealousy in Seth, it was likely that everything would be different. Rory smiled and remembered her first kiss with Seth
~*~*~*~*~
(June, 2007)
It was a beautiful night; Rory, Tristan, Louise, Paris, Lane, Dave and Seth sat outside one the picnic table outside of Sookie and Jackson's house. They had all been invited for a barbecue to celebrate Lorelai and Luke's recent engagement. Lane sat on Dave's lap so that there would be more room for everyone else. They all laughed and joked together, Rory and Tristan bickering every so often and Paris occasionally joining in on their banter.
"Okay, okay but you kissed me back!" Tristan argued. Somehow Rory had brought up their kiss at Madeleine's party as a retort to something Tristan had said.
"It's true?" Paris' eyes widened at this. Rory hadn't told anyone about the kiss between her and Tristan back at Chilton other than Lorelai and Lane.
"Unfortunately, yes," Rory nodded. She could feel Seth tense beside her. Maybe this was it, maybe he would finally admit that he liked her as much as she liked him. "But may I remind you how that kiss ended Mr. DuGray."
"How did it end?" Louise asked, nudging Tristan teasingly.
"She ran off crying," Lane mentioned, "Because she realized that she loved Dean." Tristan grimaced at the mention of Dean's name; Rory too felt a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach thinking about her ex-boyfriend who was off somewhere with his wife.
"Whatever happened to bag boy?" Tristan wondered, his curiosity getting the best of him.
"We broke up," Rory shrugged nonchalantly, "Then he ran off and got married to his next girlfriend."
"That guy was way too committed," Tristan shook his head.
"I ran into Clara the other day," Lane mentioned. Drunken laughter floated down to them from the house, obviously Lorelai. "She said that Lindsey got pregnant last year and dropped out of college."
"I-I'm going to go for a walk," Rory stood up brusquely tired of thinking about her ex-boyfriends. Images of Dean and Jess popped up in her head, reminding her of her failed relationships.
When she was halfway to the road she heard the heavy footsteps of someone jogging up to her, she stopped briefly to let whoever it was catch up to her. When they did she turned to surprisingly find Seth standing there and not Lane. "Hey," he nodded.
"Hey," Rory returned and paused a second before speaking again, "You want to see the bridge?"
"Sure," Seth nodded affirmative. It wasn't his first time in Stars Hollow but Rory had never taken him to the bridge. She had always considered the bridge was consecrated ground that had been shared by her and Jess. It was time to move on though, to put the past where it belonged, in the past.
They walked in silence and when they arrived at the bridge Rory hesitated a second, almost believing that she would see Jess sitting there on the bridge reading, just like old times. She was long over him, but being back in Stars Hollow, being here at the bridge it always made her think of him, think of how she didn't know anything about what had happened to him after he left. "My ex-boyfriend, Jess, and I we had our first date on this bridge. We even started our relationship here."
"What happened to him?" Seth wondered. Rory almost thought she heard a tinge of jealousy in his voice, but it was buried thick beneath curiosity. She had never really talked much about her ex-boyfriends, just mentioned them briefly.
"We had a fight one night," Rory sighed, "We both refused to talk to each other for a while. Then his dad showed up and one day when I got on the bus there he was, acting like everything was normal. The next thing I knew my mom was telling me that he was gone and that Luke didn't think he was coming back. He never said goodbye. He called though, just never said anything."
"Why didn't you and Tristan ever get together?" Seth wondered, and jealousy was definitely evident then.
"I had just broken up with Dean," Rory shrugged, "And I thought he was a complete jerk. I got back with Dean later and then Tristan went off to military school. I don't think anything could've happened between us then. Definitely not now."
"Because of Louise?" Seth raised an eyebrow.
"Because of Louise," Rory nodded, "And because of you." Seth leaned in then and brushed his lips on Rory's. Rory wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss; she had been waiting for this forever. "Seth?" she asked as they briefly broke apart.
"Hmm?" Seth managed as he kissed her once more.
"What took so long?" Rory asked.
~*~*~*~*~*~
(June, 2027)
She realized now how important these next years in Laynie's life would be. Maybe they would be less important than they had been to Rory, or maybe more so. Rory was happy, right now in the present. Happier that she had ever been before. She had everything she wanted. A husband she knew she would be spending forever and for always with, three wonderful kids whom would grow up and make something of themselves. She had five wonderful friends, Lane, Louise, Paris, Tristan, and Dave, who would be there for her no matter when.
"Seth," Rory lifted her head to see her husband's face, "Do you love your life?"
"I love my life," Seth assured her.
"Good," Rory grinned, "Cause you're stuck with it."
"Wouldn't have it any other way," Seth whispered and Rory leaned her head against his chest once more. They stood in the kitchen alone, in silence, for a few more minutes.
"We should get back," Seth pointed out.
Rory nodded, "Okay." They pulled away and Rory took Seth's hand. She turned to him once more right before they rejoined the crowd in the living room and said once more, "I love you."
END