HEY!!! A few words: Pearls24: I love you, you are incredibly sweet and I really enjoyed reading your reviews! Misty: that was an incredibly sweet review, thank you so much.

Songs: when R/T were dancing the song was 'Brand New Day' by Forty Foot Echo
The Linkin Park song Tristan was listening to was 'Easier to Run' from the Masterpiece that is 'Meteora'
The song at the end of the last chapter is in my top five list of all time, it is the amazing 'Lullaby' by Sean Mullen and that song is the inspiration behind this story!

They pulled up outside Rory's old house and got out of the limo. The front door opened and the maid came out to greet them. She was a middle- aged kindly woman that had always loved Rory and Rory had in turn loved her.

'Miss Rory!' she cried on her way over before embracing the girl.

Rory readily returned the hug, she had missed her.

'Hey Bessie. Let me introduce you to some people. This is Paris, Lane, Louise, Madeline, Brad, Alex, Mike, Henry and lastly our not so humble King Tristan.'

The teens smiled at her, it was a smile she returned. She was glad to meet Rory's new friends. She'd heard a lot about them from Christopher and in her eyes at least, it was about time Rory had gotten herself some good friends. The last batch hadn't been the best by any stretch of the imagination, Dean and Teri, poor Amy and worse that-

She was pulled from her thoughts by Rory who asked after her father.

'He's in his study. He decided to work from home today, he wanted to see you, see how you were doing. He's missed you honey, and your mom.'

'We're very missable.' Rory smiled.

'You won't find me arguing with that statement. Well come on inside, you kids must be starved, come in, I'll fix you something to eat and then I'll show you to your rooms.'

The teens followed Bessie into the house. It didn't go unnoticed by a single person that Rory took Tristan's hand in hers and led him into the house. They had asked Tristan on the plane and he had insisted that they weren't going out but as far as everyone was concerned it was only a matter of time now.

They went into the kitchen where Bessie's meaning of fixing them something was telling the cook to whip something up for them. Rory finally let go of Tristan and excused herself, wanting to speak to her dad. As Bessie had said, she found him in his study. He didn't appear to be working, just sitting at his desk, staring off into space. When she entered the room, a huge smile, tinged with sadness, broke out on his face and he stood up and hugged his daughter.

They hadn't seen each other since August and they had missed each other so much. Chris was even thinking about moving back east to be closer to both Rory and Lorelai. Rory had started crying into his chest when he hugged her. It was a combination of grief for Amy and of joy at seeing him again. She had missed him so much. She hadn't realised just how much until she had seen him.

Chris held onto his daughter wishing he never had to let her go; the one thing in his life he regretted was letting Rory go with Lorelai. There had been no custody battle or animosity or anything like that. When he and Lorelai had split up she had wanted to go home and they both knew that after what had happened to Rory it would be best if she went with her and to be honest, Chris had known Rory would chose her mother over him if it came down to it. He knew she loved him but he also knew that Lorelai and Rory were best friends.

*

The others, while Rory was having her emotional reunion with her father, had made themselves comfortable, sitting around the kitchen, leaning against counters, listening to Bessie as she talked about how much they had missed both Lorelai and Rory around the house.

'I've worked for them since they were eighteen and first moved here and I can honestly say I don't have a bad word to say about any member of the family. It was a shame about Christopher and Lorelai but it probably worked out for the best. Rory had to get out of here, after what happened and then the Dean thing on top of that, well she just couldn't stay. She had to get out.'

'After what happened?' Alex asked.

'Yeah, I thought the whole Dean thing was THE thing.' Maddy said.

Bessie looked away and pretended to really concentrate on the counter she was cleaning. Tristan noticed this but said nothing. So he had been right, there was something Rory wasn't telling them.

'What? It was I just meant on top of poor Amy and Lorelai and Chris had been fighting a bit, it was hard on her.'

The others seemed to accept this answer and Tristan just nodded along with them, deciding to keep his questions to himself, Rory would tell them when she was good and ready. Still, he couldn't help but be curious. The others asked Bessie about Amy but Tristan wasn't paying attention, until someone said his name.

'Hello? Earth to Tristan?'

'What? Sorry I was a million miles away.'

'We noticed.' Paris said dryly.

'Well I'm back now so what were you saying?'

'Bessie just asked how long you and Rory have been going out.' Alex grinned.

Tristan actually blushed slightly. Was it that unbelievably obvious to everyone that he was crazy about her? He cleared his throat and looked at Bessie.

'We're not going out.'

'She likes you. It's as plain as day.' Bessie smiled.

'Wish she could see it.' Tristan grinned.

'She will, given time. Rory has been through a lot and I won't lie, there probably is a lot she hasn't told you guys, not because she doesn't want to but she just isn't ready to talk about it in great detail yet, she doesn't trust herself.'

Tristan looked rueful.

'Once bitten, twice shy.'

'Exactly.' Bessie smiled 'She'll realise it soon enough.'

Tristan didn't reply but silently added 'I hope so.' A few minutes later the teens were eating a feast of bacon and eggs, it was after all, still morning in LA. Rory and a man that was obviously her father entered the kitchen.

'Dad, this is everyone, we have the girls Louise Maddy Paris and Lane and the guys Alex, Mike, Brad Henry and Tristan.'

Christopher did the rounds, shaking hands with them all and introducing himself. Rory had, in the meantime started making coffee. She looked at her friends and at her dad. Bessie whispered something to Chris and immediately he swooped down on Tristan. Rory went to rescue him.

'Dad, leave him alone, I don't know what Bessie told you but we're not going out.' She said.

Christopher looked mildly embarrassed, shortly after, he left the kitchen, saying he had to get back to work. Rory drank her coffee silently. She caught Tristan looking at her more than once and eventually she beckoned for him to follow her.

They stepped out into the backyard which was like a hidden paradise, there were pools and fountains ands mini waterfalls, Rory kept walking down past all of these things until she reached a well hidden pathway that led down onto a wooden deck overlooking a lake. It had been her favourite place in LA; she had never brought anyone here, not even Dean. This was her spot, where she went to think and where she went to not think, to avoid thinking.

'Wow.' Tristan said in wonder, coming up behind her.

'Yeah,' Rory agreed 'This is my haven, my place, no one else comes here.'

'I can see why you'd want it all to yourself, it's amazing.'

'Last pure thing I have, this place. I never showed anyone because then it wouldn't be mine. Does that make any sense? It's like as long as it was mine and only mine, I had something that nobody else could touch. It's stupid.'

'It's not, I have one of those places, I think everyone has, it might not be a place but just something that no one else can touch.'

'Exactly.' Rory said looking at him and then back out to the water. Tristan moved towards her and wrapped his arms around her from behind. At first Rory tensed up but then she relaxed and allowed herself to be taken into his embrace.

'I used to sleep out here, mom and dad still don't know about it, they never come here, they know it's mine but they never knew that I used to sleep here. I would go to my room and sneak out the window with a blanket a book and a torch.'

Tristan grinned at the visual or Rory trying to climb out of her window complete with blanket, book and torch and in his mind he could see her wrapped up, crouched over a book in her hands and a torch no doubt being held in her teeth.

They stayed that way for a while, standing in silence. Occasionally Rory would sigh but Tristan made no move to talk or move. He was perfectly happy to stay that way forever, well the foreseeable future anyway. Eventually Rory voiced the reason she had been sighing.

'Do you think I should call someone, let them know I'm here or will I just show up?'

'What option will cause less pain for you?'

'I don't know, if I turn up at the funeral unannounced they will have to be civil, even they have enough respect not to cause a scene at the funeral but if I call them then I don't know what they'll do or say.'

'Then just show up. We will all slip in at the back for moral support or whatever so you won't be completely alone when facing them.'

'You are a pretty great guy you know that?'

'I've been trying to tell you that for weeks.' He smirked.

Rory turned around and swatted his arm before he laughed.

'I feel I must commend you on your modesty Mr. DuGrey.'

'Why thank you Miss Gilmore.'

'We should probably head back in, the others will be wondering.'

'So let them wonder.' Tristan said, not wanting to have to let go her.

'We can't stay out here all day. We'll freeze!'

'I'll keep you warm Mary.'

'I'll bet. But as tempting as that offer is, we have to go in.'

'Okay, lead the way.'

Rory pulled out of Tristan's embrace and walked towards the pathway. Before she was out of reach, Tristan grabbed her hand. She turned to face him.

'Thank you, for bringing me here,' he said 'for showing me this place.'

'You're welcome.' Rory replied before turning away.

She continued walking up the pathway, Tristan's hand in hers. At that moment she felt like she could face her old friends without any fear, as long as Tristan was by her side.

A/N: not a lot happened in this chapter I realise but I think that it was important for the T/R element of the story. I hope you enjoyed!!!