Disclaimers: I don't own anything except for Hope, Faith and Dustin.

Memories

Chapter 9: The house

Rory is watching the construction of her new house, lost in thought.  She watches the foundation being poured, thinking that the size of that house will be four times bigger than the one she had with her mom.  Her eyes are filled with tears as she thinks about the fact that her mother would never come and visit her there.

"Tristan! You didn't have to buy four lots to buy one single house!  I already told you I didn't want a castle."

Tristan sits down beside Rory and whispers, "But I want a big house, I can afford it!  You didn't want a castle; you'll have a big house.  It'll even be smaller than the one I grew up it!"

Looking at the plan, Rory asks, "Do we really need five bedrooms for three people?"

Tristan takes the plan from her hand and starts explaining, "I need big rooms Rory," pointing to some selected area on the paper, he continues, "This will be our room, and this Leila's.  Think about the future, maybe we'll have guests visiting us.  If Hope comes and visit us, would you want her to in a motel?"

Rory sighs as she answers, "No but we still don't need five bedrooms, or a ballroom and an entertainment center and a heated pool, this too much Tristan!"

"I like to swim!  I've cut out the inside pool!  What about the future?  What if we have other babies?  Did you ever think about that?"

She had given in.  She had let him convince her but now, looking at the size of the foundation, she was getting scared.  She was scared of the reaction of the town.  An almost mansion in the town of Stars Hollow.  From her point of view, it would be a mansion.  She was scared that she would stop being the golden child of the town.

"So, I guess the rich boy decided to move in Stars Hollow!"  Rory turns around and sees Dean standing beside her.

She whispers, "We decided to live here together, Dean.  This will become my house."

Upon seeing her expression, Dean smiles and says, "But you don't look happy about it.  It's not because you had a daughter with him that you have to be with him!"

Anger courses through Rory's body when she starts speaking, "I don't feel obligated to love him Dean.  I never felt like I was.  But somehow, I fell in love with him because of that.  He never forced me into anything!  He was always there for me, even when we broke up the first time, he was there for me.  He was by my side when I despised him and if anyone forced someone to do something, it was me, not him."

Delighted, Dean decides to speak his mind out, "So, you look at what you could have around here and choose to take advantage of his money?"

Rory slaps Dean, once, then another time before she screams at him, "I didn't want a big house!  I just wanted to move out but stay in Stars Hollow!  He wanted it so I gave in because he does everything possible to make me feel loved!"  Rory starts running down the streets of Stars Hollow, running as fast as she can to get away from Dean.  She doesn't hear his shouted apologies, she just keeps on running.

Rory sits down on the bridge and let her tears fall freely.  She hears the footsteps coming closer to her but doesn't pay attention to it.

"What's wrong?"

Turning to face the intruder, she says, "Nothing Jess.  Dean was a jerk and got to me."

Giving her a wry smile, he asks, "What else is new?"

Rory looks at him and answers, "He said that I was with Tristan for the money.  Talk about not knowing someone!"

Jess hides his smile while he says, "Did you know that…me and Tristan got close while you were away?"

Stunned, Rory looks at Jess and asks, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Jess passes one arms around Rory's shoulder while he says, "That you chose him, he's a decent guy and that I won't ruin either friendship because you chose him.  I'll still be there, as your friend, and his."

 Rory looks at Jess and murmurs, "Thank you."

A couple of minutes pass by before Jess asks, "Tell me, why is it you don't want to marry Tristan?"

Rory is surprised that he knows but doesn't let it show when she answers, "My mom wouldn't be there.  Is it too much to ask for a girl to want her mommy there when she gets married?"

"Dean came by to see you.  He said you ran away from him crying.  Anything I should know about?"

Rory find comfort inside Tristan's arms before whispering, "That he was a jerk; he said I'm with you for your money.  I ran to the bridge, talked with Jess.  He said that he wanted to stay friends with the both of us."

Relief passes over Tristan features but it's not witness by anyone when he replies, "We became friends."

Rory's head leaves the comfort of his shoulder and looks into his eyes as she asks, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You've had enough to think about."

Rory is watching her future house.  You can now see the walls, and the levels.  In her head, she is thinking that it's true that whenever you are ready to pay for something, it comes to you faster.  The house is supposed to be completed by mid January, she wonders if it's going to happen since it already mid-December when she hears, "Leigh!  I never thought I'd see you again!"

Upon feeling arms around her, Rory turn around and sees Faith, she bends down and holds the little girls tight in her arms, whispering, "I would never leave you in the dark Faith.  I would have called."

The little girl asks, "Did you find your answers?"

"Yes I did!  Where are your parents?"

Faith says, "Well, they brought me here but when they saw you they said something about knowing where to find me in a couple of hours.  Where is Leila?"

"With her father."

"Can I meet him?"

Rory enters the house and motions Faith to follow her.  She comes inside the kitchen and sees Tristan waiting for the coffee to be ready.  She leans on the door frame asking, "I hope you made enough for the both of us!"

Not turning around, Tristan says, "I'd already be dead if I hadn't figured the Gilmore's addiction!"

Walking up to him, Rory slips her hand around his body and says, "I want you to meet Faith."

"Why won't you marry him?"

Turning around on the bed to face Faith, she asks, "My mom's not here anymore.  I don't want to get married without her."

"But, he wants to?"

"Yes, but what about my mom?  No one could replace her!"

"My mom! She can't replace her, but she could be a pretty good substitute!  Think about it, I think of you as a sister and that's because she thinks of you as a daughter."

The outside of the house is finished, in three days it's Christmas, snow still has to appear or else it will be a green Christmas.  Rory is looking at her house, Tristan is beside her when the first snow flake falls on them.

Tristan asks, "Ready for a fight?"

Rory starts running and screams, "Only if you can catch me!"

Authors note:  Give me some motivation, it makes my day and helps me fight writer's block! It also motivates my fingers to type!

Siaram.