Disclaimer : I don't have any right on Gilmore Girls, if I had, do you seriously think I would have kept Dean that long on the show?




Author's Note: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews I received. And a big thanks to Jayde, who is my beta, and who is my co-writer. we write under the name JayDI (Jayde & Didi).




To Remember You
Chapter 4: Rory & Tristan: The happy years.




Sitting in the town Gazebo, Rory closes her eyes while waiting for her mom to join her.




It's an unnaturally hot end of September night and the town looks deserted except for Rory who is sitting in the town Gazebo, tears falling down her cheeks not even trying to hide them. She doesn't feel like going home just now, knowing that Tristan will probably look for her there. She lies down on the bench, letting the pain flow from her eyes.

Tristan approaches Rory quietly, sits down in front of her head, "Rory, I've looked everywhere for you. Talk to me."

Not opening her eyes, Rory whispers, "Not now, Tristan. I don't want to talk to you right now."

Tristan gets up to Rory's short relief because instead of leaving, he forces her to give him some space on the bench. Gently, Tristan forces her head to rest on his legs. Neither says a word for a moment, Tristan plays softly with her hair while she tries to stop her tears.

"Are you ready to talk now?"

Rory shifts her position to look at him with sad eyes, ashamed of the jealousy fit she showed earlier. "Can we just forget it even happened?"

"No, we can't, because I think I know what this is about and I need to hear it from you. I want to be sure I haven't imagined things."

Rory blushes uncomfortably, not knowing how to explain herself. "I guess I got jealous when I saw you kissing Brooke."

Hope flickers inside his heart, "Why?"

Rory gets up and walks nervously around the gazebo, "Why? I don't know why? Maybe because for the previous four months we've been together all the time. Because usually when we go to a party I have your undivided attention. Because we've been kissing for the last month and you've never even tried to make out with me. Because she got to make out with you right there and you forgot all about me. Because I'm scared that you'll start dating her and forget all about me."

Tears falls down her cheek as she finds the strength to look at him only to realise that he's not on the bench anymore. Turning around to see where he went, she is hold in a tight embrace. Tristan brings his face close to her, kissing her tears away. "I didn't know you felt that way Rory. I'm sorry."

Feeling rejected, Rory tries to escape only to be held tighter against him. Tristan's lips meet Rory's in a lingering kiss, biting her bottom lips softly. Rory tries to protest but he takes this opportunity to invade her mouth with his tongue. Rory breaks the kiss after a little while, looking sadder than before, " I don't want you to pity me, Tristan."

Tristan laughs a little, his eyes sparking with a new light. Grazing her lips, "I didn't kiss you out of pity Rory, I did because I wanted to. I didn't try to make out with you before because you said that you only wanted to be friends and I respected that. I never wanted to be your friend but I figured it was better being your friend than being nothing at all."


Rory is sitting on her front porch waiting for Tristan to pick her up, not to sure of the way she should behave. Should she tell him everything she remembered during the day or simply show him that she remembers more? Lost in her thoughts, she is surprised when she hears, "Hey, are you ready?"

"Not yet." Tristan sits down beside her and out of habit he puts an arm around her shoulder. Her head falls on his shoulder instinctively. " You played my best friend to have me in your life. That's sweet."

A cloud of sadness covers Tristan's eyes, "How much do you remember?"

"First kiss, my first jealousy fight over Brooke, the first time you said 'I love you'."

Tristan smirks, stands up extending his hand to help Rory up also, "Does it means I'm aloud to kiss my girlfriend 'hello'." Rory closes the short distance to meet his warm lips. Neither of them sees Lorelai watching them behind the curtain with sad eyes.




"Where are we going?"

Concentrating on the road in front of him, Tristan answers softly, "Yale."




"How could you do that to me? You told me so many times that you didn't like Tristan that way and I believed you!"

Sitting on the couch with a bored look on her face, Rory explains, "Paris, that was five years ago and he wasn't interested in you then, what makes you think that he would be now. I don't see how I stole him from you."

Paris is pacing on the carpet with rage, spitting out her words, "If you hadn't come to Chilton, I might have had chance. But no, sweet and innocent Rory had to transfer and steal everything away from me! You stole Tristan, you became Valedictorian when I was supposed to be, Harvard accepted you instead of me, and the only way I became Student Council President was because YOU were my vice-president." Paris sprawls on the couch, softening her voice, "I tried to hate you but somehow I can't because as mean as I can be, you're always there."

"I didn't mean for it to happen Paris."

"Just tell me, when did you start seeing each other as more than friends?"

"Last week-end."

"But he was making out with Brooke!"

A soft smile appears on Rory's lips, "Brooke was what made me open my eyes."


Tristan and Rory are sitting under Rory's tree, "What are you thinking about?"

"Paris, I can't believe I had forgotten about all the fighting we did over you."

"Well, she was always a controlling girl."

Rory rests against the tree, closing her eyes, "I always loved this tree."




"Where are you taking me, Tristan?"

Guiding Rory tenderly across campus, "You'll see in a minute. Patience."

"But did you really have to blindfold me?"

Tristan turns Rory around, "Okay, we're here."

Tristan takes the scarf off of Rory's eyes. She is amazed by the view; at her favourite tree is a blanket with a circle of candles illuminating a picnic basket. Rory asks, "What…Wh-why?"

Leading her in the middle of the candles, he helps her sit down before taking place beside her. "It's our one year anniversary."

"No, it's our eight month anniversary."

"Last year, you gave me one dance and I gave you my heart and that's why it's our one year."

"…One year it is then."




Looking at the time, Tristan reluctantly picks up the left over of their celebration, dropping everything in the basket. Helping Rory to her feet, he takes the basket in one hand, Rory's hand in the other. They walk slowly to Rory's suite, not wanting the night to end. In front of Rory's door, Tristan asks, " Come with me, stay with me tonight?"

Rory blushes a little bit, "What exactly do you want?"

Placing the basket on the floor, he holds her tenderly, "I want you."

Raising herself on her tiptoes, she brushes his lips whispering, "Okay."


A single tear escapes Rory's eyes as she whispers, "I can't believe I forgot I wasn't a virgin anymore."

Tristan stays still, not saying a word, just looking at her, waiting for her to continue, "And… that night you were so sweet and tender. Do you still love me as much as you did then?"

Taking her hand, Tristan whispers, "No, now I love you more."

Walking across campus, Tristan feels some of his sadness leave him as Rory remembers. They reach the front entrance to walk in the street surrounding the campus. Tristan stops in front on a small Victorian building.




"Rory, when is your deadline to make the deposit check to reserve your dorm room?"

Rory takes a sip of her coffee, "Tristan, we just slept together, how do you know we can live together?"

"I want to wake up with you in my arms every morning."

"Don't you think it's a little fast?"

"If I'm with you, things will never go too fast."

"…I'll think about it."




"My baby is moving in with a man. I really feel old now."

Rory looks at her mom, still as radiant and beautiful as ever. She hugs her mom, "I'll always be your little girl mom, but I'm going to be twenty-two soon. I have to try it."

"Can't you wait a year Rory?"

"No, I want to be with him all the time."

"You're graduating in May? Won't it be an undesired distraction?"

"He's graduating also mom."


"I can't believe it!" Rory screams.

Tristan turns around and looks at her worried, "What is it?"

"We lived here for a year and we never fought."

"And you were washing the dishes while I dried it…"

"… I made coffee while you made breakfast…"

"… I told you all my secrets…"

Rory smiles in wonder, "… and you asked me to marry you."

Tristan raises his hand, a small object caught between his fingers, "And you said 'yes'"

Rory looks at the ring in wonder, a soft smile escaping her lips. Rory doesn't look at Tristan and is oblivious to the tears he lets escape.




Author's Note: Liked it? Hated it? Let me know.
Siaram