Okay this is chapter 20...I know some of you were mad at the way the last chapter ended and I'm sorry but I had to leave for work and I really wanted to post before leaving...don't you just love being left hanging?

Oh yeah and I still don't own GG.

Recap – 19

"Ror, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked her looking deep into her eyes.

The question kind of got her off guard. How did he know that she wanted to talk to him? Oh yeah, she'd told him when he had asked her to dinner. Suddenly she didn't know how to tell him. How was she supposed to start? What was she supposed to tell him exactly?

"Hey Rory, are you okay? You know you can tell me anything right?"

"God, Tris, I don't know how to start." She could feel the tears coming to her eyes but she held them back.

Looking across the table at her Tristan took her small hand in his. This was worrying him, why did she have tears in her eyes?

"Take your time okay? We have all the time in the world right?"

CHAPTER 20

"No we don't...Tristan...ummm...I have to leave North Carolina..." she was trying so hard not to cry but she knew that her eyes were full of tears so she concentrated on the candle in the middle of the table.

"Rory look at me. What do you mean you have to leave North Carolina? Is everything okay at home? Did I do anything? You've got to tell me more than that." He couldn't believe this. Sadness and anger took over him. What was going on here?

"I have to go back to Yale Tris. It's nothing you've done; actually you've been great. It's just something I have to do."

"When do you leave?" He wasn't really sure if he wanted to hear her answer to that.

"Well, since it's like July 20th now and school doesn't start before August 30th I think I should probably leave around August 20th. Like that I have some time to spend with my mom and get my stuff ready."

"When did you decide this? Are you sure it's what you want?" His voice was dripping with disappointment. "I made the decision last night actually. And I'm pretty sure it's what I want. School was always the thing for me. I loved my first year at Yale and I have to go back. This is my future...you do understand don't you?"

"I'm not sure how I feel Ror. I mean yeah school is important but I was looking forward to having you around."

"Trust me Tris, if things were different I would stay. I'm so happy that I found you again and it means a lot to me that we've become such good friends but for now it's what I have to do."

"I think I get it."

They sat in silence for a while both lost in thought. Tristan couldn't believe this. His Rory was leaving. Now what good would it do to tell her the truth? It would only make things worse and he knew that he had to let her go. Deep down in his heart he knew that if he told her and she decided to stay because of him that he'd spend the rest of his life thinking about what she'd given up and whether or not it was really what she had wanted. That wasn't the only problem to telling her, what if he told her he loved her and she'd stay only to resent him for missing out on her education from Yale? As much as it pained him he knew that he couldn't tell her now.

"You do?" Rory was happy he didn't freak out but was a little disappointed that he didn't try to stop her.

"But is there anything I can do to change your mind? You know you could always transfer here." He wasn't going to start begging her to stay he knew by the look on her face that this was hard for her to do and if he started to try and talk her into staying it would make things harder for her, he just had to respect her wishes.

"I'm pretty sure my mind is made up. Trust me this isn't the way I wanted things to turn out like but it's about more than just school."

"I know it's about being closer to your mom. I saw how close you two are and I understand that if you'd stay here as opposed to New Haven you'd never see her." It was the only ting he could say out loud but his mind was screaming –What about me??

"Thanks Tris, you know I'll miss you right?" she smiled through her teary eyes.

"We still have a few weeks. Did you want to go home now or is there anything you want to do?"

"How about we have some dessert and then go for a walk in the park?"

"Sure, anything for you."

So they had some dessert and then headed for the park. It was the same park where they had their "fun" day. By the time they had left the restaurant it was no longer daylight, the moon was out and the sky was filled with billions of stars.

Neither felt the need to say a word as they sat on the side of the fountain, Tristan with his arm around Rory's shoulders, staring up at the sky. Both were certainly thinking about what could have become of their relationship had the circumstances been different. The silence was comfortable just like they were comfortable.

When they got home two hours later Rory headed straight to bed while Tristan went to find his sister. If anyone would know what to say to him it was she. He was glad that she was there now.

"Hey Tris, how was dinner?" Kat asked him when he walked into his bedroom.

"Dinner was great...the conversation sucked." She noticed the tears in his eyes this couldn't be good.

"What happened? Did you tell her?"

"No I didn't. I just couldn't tell her after hearing what she had to tell me." He sounded like a wounded little boy.

"What did she tell you Tris?" she knew what it was about but she also knew that he needed to talk about it.

"She's leaving Kat. She's going back home to go to Yale and there's nothing I can do about it." A single tear had fallen from his eye and he made no move to wipe it away.

"You didn't try to convince her? Why not tell her how you feel? I bet that would make her stay."

"You don't understand. I have to let her do this. I don't want to be the guy she put her future and education on hold for. I would hate for her to resent me for holding her back." He was sad and a little angry. Why did he have to have feelings for the girl? He should have known that this would never turn out right.

"Yeah but Tris, listen to me here. What about the regrets that you might end up having? What about always wondering what could have happened between you two? What about the great future you could have together?" She knew that she was pushing it but how could she let him make that mistake?

"I just can't okay. I love her too much to let her make that mistake." Tristan had been defeated. He knew that there was no way he could get what he wanted. "Whatever you say little brother." It was no use; the guy had made up his mind.

"I'm going to go get some sleep. Thanks for being here as usual Kat." He hugged his sister and headed for the couch.

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Rory and Tristan both spent the night staring at the sealing. Rory was hurting but she knew it was the right decision. After all if they were meant to be they would find each other again right? She knew that she loved him with all her heart and it would absolutely devastated her when the time would come to say goodbye but she had to do it. As much as this goodbye would hurt she knew that a relationship with Tristan, or anyone else for that matter could be even more painful.

She knew that this wasn't only about going to school and being close to her best friends. It was also a little bit about being afraid of her feelings and what could eventually happen. None of her relationships had ever worked in the past, why would this one ever be different? She had to do this for herself, both for her future and to save her heart from the probability of it being broken again. Would this fear consume her life forever? Would it be the reason that she'd stay alone for a long time?

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In the living room Tristan was finally letting the tears flow. He wasn't one who cried a lot but at a time like this he had to let it out. His heart was breaking and had been since Rory had told him about moving away. What was he going to do without her around all the time? He was so used to seeing her everyday. Who would he make breakfast for? Who was he going to have movie nights with? Who would he share his days with? Would he ever be able to forget about her smile and her blue eyes, or the way she blushed every time he'd flirt with her? Maybe the thing to do was to return to being the "old Tristan". He'd just have to start dating other women again...it would take his mind off Rory for a while at least. He cried himself to sleep that night thinking about her beautiful smile and her sparkling blue eyes.

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It was incredible how time flew by quickly. It had already been a month since Rory had told Tristan that she had to go. They had spent every possible day together doing numerous things. When they weren't at work or asleep they were tied at the hip. Some nights they even slept on the sofa together but it was always just as "friends".

They spent days at the mall goofing around and days at the park having some fun. He took her out to clubs on some nights but most were spent in the apartment watching movies and eating junk food. To Tristan this had been the best summer of his life. He had Rory next to him, and he should have been the happiest man on the planet but their fun couldn't last because it was now August 19th and Rory was getting in her car the next day and leaving North Carolina for good. He imagined that he'd see her at Christmas or maybe even Thanksgiving and Easter but it wouldn't be enough.

He had held on to his decision not to tell her how he felt and it had been hard, especially right before Kat had left but he knew that it would end up alright in the end. Sure his heart was breaking and he was in pain but if fate had sent her there to him then why wouldn't fate bring them together again?

So on this August 19th Tristan and Rory were sitting in the living room watching a movie, or more like staring at the T.V. both lost in thought. They both knew too well what tomorrow was and neither one wanted to talk about it just yet. They needed this one last night of holding each other and being near each other because in their hearts they knew it would be the last time they'd sit that way. He had his arm around her waist and she had her head on his chest, his chin was resting on top of her head so that he could smell her fruity shampoo. And they sat there, all night, saying nothing, not even moving when the movie ended. The chances were that in the morning they'd still be in that same position, just holding on to something that had never even started.

A/N: I think I'll stop here for now. I do realize that I rushed things along big time here but I wasn't about to start describing every single day of that last month. There would be like 5 boring chapters. Anyway, the next one will probably be the most emotional, it being her last day and all... Please review.