Author's Note: Thank you to every reviewer, you made me happy. Jayde(coffeechick87) and I are writing a story together which will appear in the following days under JayDI, a mix of both of our names. For all the readers, read and review, it'll make my day and motivates me to write more!




To Remember You
Chapter 2: Echoes from the past




Tristan watches the road while Rory looks at him, trying to remember him. The only thing she is certain of is that she feels safe around him. She doesn't even know his name; he doesn't want to tell her.

Looking at the houses surrounding them, she whispers, "I used to live in this neighborhood!"

Stunned, Tristan looks at her and asks, "Where?"

She points to a big white house and says, "Right there! But I guess the loneliness of being alone in a house got to me. I ran back to my mom four months ago."

Tristan's jaw's muscles tighten as he recognizes his own house. His fists tighten on the wheel before he murmurs, "What happened to your belonging?"

Rory rests her head on the seat before saying her voice shaking, "I tried to go back to get it but something kept me away from going. I just don't have the strength to go. It's weird; it's as if something horrible happened in this house and I don't remember it. I even went once, I've reached the front door and I was ready to ring the bell when I got scared and ran away."

Tristan takes a deep breath, stops at a red light and when he turns to face her, he finally asks, "If I went with you, would you go?"

Smiling shyly she looks into his sad eyes and whispers, "I don't even know your name but somehow I know that you would give me the strength to go. It's weird, I feel like I have this strong connection with you but I don't even know you!"

A soft smile crosses Tristan features when he replies, "I feel it too."

Rory deciding to lighten the mood asks, "So, where are you bringing me?"

Tristan smirks at her when he says, "Where we first met and you first learned to hate me!"

Rory is about to reply, shocked by his revelation when a car honked behind them motioning them to move.




"Don't tell me you were one of those unknown guy in Chilton that sits by themselves at lunch, reading and listening to music!"

Tristan laughs at her, replying, "No! That was your job!"

She laughs as well as they enter the Chilton grounds.

Tristan brings her to her old locker, leans beside it. Rory advances, not to sure what she is about to do. As she tries to open the lock,




"You know what these are?" A sixteen year old Tristan asks Rory.

She barely glances at him when she replies still occupied in her locker, "Looks like concert tickets."

Tristan looks nervously around before offering, "One of them is for you!"

"I can't date you Tristan!"




"You can borrow my notes if you want!"

"That would be nice!"

Cornering Rory against the locker, he asks, "How nice?"




"You're odd, you know?"

"Thank you!" Tristan leans over Rory and kisses her. She responds for a while before she runs away crying.




"I'd kiss you goodbye but your boyfriend is watching."


"Tristan." She murmurs the name that she had learned from her memories, "Oh! My god! We kissed! You made my life here a living hell!" She starts walking away from him, tears flowing down her cheeks. How can he be cruel like that! Coming back to her after so many years and take advantage of the fact that she lost her memory! She starts to run, only to rest on a bench in Chilton's courtyard. She screams, "I left with my worst nightmare without any questions! I felt safe! I felt safe beside the biggest player of all time!"

Tristan sits down beside her, his eyes filled with sadness. When she is about to run away again, he takes hold of her hand whispering, "Let me explain Rory. I had to bring you here. If you want to remember everything, you need to start at the beginning."

Rory is not looking at him, she frees her hand and starts to walk away muttering, "As well as the end!"




Tristan is lying on the bench. Hoping she is going to come back. He is staring at the stars. Eyes filled with sorrow when he hears footstep coming closer to him. He doesn't move, letting her speak first.

"I called my mom to come and get me, but she said I had to deal with this." Tristan doesn't respond, he doesn't move.




"Mom! That was a trap with the devil! You have to come and get me away from him!"

On the other line of the phone, Lorelai sighs before asking, "So, you do remember him now?"

While talking, Rory walks up and down the corridors of Chilton, she responds harshly, "I liked him better when I didn't remember him! I hate him, mom!"

"Do you really hate him, Ror? Because hate is sure a big word and…"

"No, I guess I just loved hating him. It made my days interesting."

"Then go back to him, apologize and the way I know him, he'll forgive you. This is something you have to do Rory. For you." Not saying anything else, Lorelai hangs up the phone.


"Come on Tristan! You're my ride home!" Tristan is still not moving, she finally looks at him. Observing him, he looks sad, so sad as if he's about to cry.

She sits on the ground beside the bench and whispers, "I'm sorry that I was mean earlier. I didn't think that it would hurt you."

Still looking at the sky, Tristan murmurs, "There's so much you forgot about me Rory. Our story didn't end in Chilton. It's just that it hurts that you forgot all about me. It hurts that you came back hating me… That you still think I'm playing you."

She takes his hand and says, "I'm sorry, I'll try to remember you. Will you still help me?"

Tristan stands up, helps her up and asks, "Can I show you one last place before I bring you home?" Rory nods slightly. Tristan makes her follow him inside the cold corridors of Chilton until they reach they auditorium. He passes the entrance, bringing her in the direction of the main exit doors, making her stop not far from them. He bends down and points a spot in the wall. Rory bends down as well, instinctively reaching for his hand before reading what was carved on the wall,




"To my beloved Mary,

I made you mad, provoked you,

Now I'm leaving, please know that I think I was in love with you."


Rory raises her eyes to look inside Tristan's and asks softly, "You were in love with me?"

Tristan starts walking, never letting go of her hand. They exit Chilton, crossing the parking lot to his car. Once inside, he whispers, "I thought I was in love, but back then I didn't know what it meant."

Tristan starts the engine of his Porsche and start driving. Upon entering the highway branch, he hears a soft whisper, "And now, do you know what love is?"

Still looking at the road in front of him, a single tear falls from his right eye when he murmurs, "You're the one who taught me."

The rest of the ride was silent, Rory felt a weird urge to comfort Tristan, but not knowing how to, she refrained.




Upon entering the driveway, Rory asks, "What happened to us?"

Stunned, Tristan turns to look into her eyes seeking for answers to his internal questions. Not finding any, he replies, "I can't tell you Rory."

Rory starts biting her bottom lip, wondering how she can ever have the answers that she so desperately needs. She opens her mouth but closes it as fast. Tristan whispers, "I think we have to make you remember slowly, even if it kills the both of us."

Rory doesn't know how to put her feelings into words. She is scared of never seeing him again and at the same time she is scared to find out hurtful moments from her past. Deciding to follow her heart's wishes, she leans over him and brings her lips to his.




"Rory Gilmore! I love you so much I want to scream it to the whole world." Tristan whispers softly.

Rory looks at him and whispers, "Give me a little more time Tristan. Breaking the news to Paris won't be easy and I don't want to lose her friendship."

With pleading eyes, Tristan answers softly, "I never cared about Paris… Why does it have to be so difficult?"


Rory breaks the connection, sees that Tristan is devastated by the loss of contact. She whispers, "Oh my God! I fell in love with you! How did that happen?"

Tristan raises one hand to rest in the back of her neck, kisses her tenderly and replies, "You'll find out over the week-end. I'll come and pick you up tomorrow around seven."

Rory locks her eyes with Tristan's, fighting the urge to express the feelings in her heart when she leans for a last kiss and murmurs, "I'll be waiting for you."

Exiting the car, she runs to his side, covers both of his cheeks with her hand and continues with the same tone, "Somehow, in my heart, I know that I love you."

With one last kiss, she runs inside the house, without hearing his answer.




Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed!
Siaram