I don't own the Gilmore Girls...

A/N: Ok people... if I don't receive reviews, opinions, and ideas after this chapter the story ends here...

Chapter 7

As Rory was stocking shelves in the fiction section of the store on her eighth day of work she suddenly heard a very familiar voice coming from the adjoining aisle of books. It just sounded so much like someone she knew but she couldn't put her finger on which it was. Who did she know in North Carolina?

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At that moment her curiosity got the best of her. She put her feet on the first shelf of the bookcase so that she could look through the crack above the row of books. Just as she got a glimpse of very familiar blonde hair and amazing blue eyes she felt the bookcase start to tip in her direction. She looked up in horror as she saw the case sway and return to its regular, standing position. She let out a yelp of horror as books started to fall upon her.
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Tristan heard books falling in the aisle next to his. Him and Mark looked at each other and ran for the yelp they had heard. And there right in front of him was Rory Gilmore on the floor covered in paperback novels.
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"Tristan Dugrey, meet Lorelei "Rory" Gilmore, our new cashier." Mark said to Tristan.

"Rory, this is Tristan, the owner."

"Well, hello Lorelei Gilmore." Tristan said with a small smirk on his face. He didn't want to let Mark know that he knew Rory just yet.

"The owner? Hello Tristan." Rory replied. She was embarrassed as well as shocked. How could this be happening to her? She had just left home to put her past behind her and now this? She was going to have to put up with Tristan or quit her job. She needed this job. Maybe she'd give it a try.
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Tristan started putting away books and helped her stand up. He couldn't believe his luck. After all this time he was going to see Rory almost everyday. How much better could this get? Then another thought hit him. Rory hated him. Maybe she'd quit now that she knew he owned the place. That would shatter his heart all over again. Seeing her just now brought back so many old feelings. Finally he would be around Rory again. It was about time. "Okay Rory, since it's break time for you how about joining me for lunch so you can tell me about yourself?" Tristan asked Rory with a glimmer in his eyes.

"Um, well, um, I guess I could." Rory was unsure about this. Did she really want to let Tristan in? It was just lunch wasn't it?
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The pair headed off to a small diner two doors away. They sat in a corner booth where it was quiet and cozy. They looked at the menus in silence, only speaking when the waitress came to take their orders. Rory just knew that this was going to be an extremely awkward lunch. The silences were long, the conversations sparse.
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Tristan could have sat there looking at her all day, not saying a word. She was so beautiful. Her hair was shorter but she still had those piercing blue eyes that just turned him to mush. How he wished he could kiss her lips or just take her in his arms and never let go again. He knew that he had to say something, he could feel that she was feeling awkward in this silence.

"So, Mary you just had to come back to the store after seeing me there the other day didn't you? A glimpse of me wasn't enough was it?"

She had to roll her eyes at that. "Ah same ol' Tristan, as cocky as he was in high school." She replied with a smile.

"Oh Mary, how hurtful. You wound me!"

Rory couldn't help but smile at that. This was refreshing. She'd been having lunch by herself since she'd left home.

"What brings you to North Carolina anyway? You didn't come all this way just to see me now did you?"

"Actually no I didn't. I never thought you'd still be here. I didn't even plan on coming here. I just got in my car and drove away."

"Why though? That's not the Rory I know."

"It's a long story. Maybe I'll tell you some other time."

"Ok, where are you staying then?"

"I'm at the hotel across the street for now." She still hadn't been able to find an apartment.

"That's absolutely crazy, but perfect. I have a spare bedroom and was just about to start looking for a roommate. You can move in with me." He didn't think it would work but he had to try.

"Oh yeah right!! I could never stay with you. First you're my boss. Imagine what the people at work would say. And second, we haven't seen each other in almost two years. We're practically strangers."

He couldn't believe she had just called them strangers. To him it was like they had known each other for ten years.

"People would maybe talk but we'd only be rooming together not having sex together."
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They talked a little more about little things like family and friends. He couldn't stop laughing when she told him about rooming with Paris at Yale. They had hated each other in high school. Things really did change. Would he be as lucky?
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When Rory asked him about his love life he really didn't know what to say. He couldn't really tell her the truth: that he hadn't really had girlfriends because he had always had very strong feelings about her. On the other hand he didn't want to lie to her and tell her that he was dating a lot because then she'd think he was unavailable. He answered by telling her that he didn't have much time lately because he was busy at the store plus he hadn't found anyone interesting enough yet.

He wondered about her love life. She hadn't mentioned bag boy and he wasn't in town with her so he had to ask.

"What about you Mar? How's your love life? How's bag boy?"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth he regretted saying them. The look that crossed her face and the tears that welled up in her eyes broke his heart in a million pieces. He quickly tried to make things better.

"You know you don't have to answer that. I take it back. I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry about it Tristan. It's just a long story that I don't want to get into just now."

After that little conversation they had to get back to the store.

As they approached the door he stopped and looked at her.

"Have a good afternoon Rory. It's great to have you around again. Remember what I said. You can always move into my spare bedroom if you want. Just think about it. Anyway, talk to you later, I have errands to run."

"Thanks for lunch. I'll see you later boss."

She opened the door and went back to work.
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A/N: One more chapter done. Will she move in with him? Will they admit to their feelings? Please give me something...feedback, critics, reviews please! Should I continue or does it suck?