Same disclaimer applies.

Once again I want to thank the reviewers. Without all of you this story would never have been this long. I probably would have quit a long time ago. The story will be ending in a few more chapters. I just can't seem to be able to wrap it up.

Chapter 24

It had been almost two weeks since Rory had come back to Stars Hollow. School would be starting in three days so she had decided to head to her dorm now so that she'd get a chance to unpack and get settled in before classes started on Monday. It was Friday night and she had plans to stay in and read all night. Luke and her mother had moved all of her things on Thursday so she was heading to her dorm by herself. Just as she was about to leave her mom's house the telephone rang. She just knew it could only be one person.

"Hello?"

"Hey there beautiful." Came Tristan's voice from the other end.

"Beautiful huh? What do you want exactly?"

"Just wanted to talk to you and see what you were up to tonight. Is that a crime?"

"Well, I was just on my way out actually."

"Where to Mary, hot date?"

"Actually yes. With someone very interesting actually."

"Is that so?" There was jealousy in his voice now. Was she really going out on a date?

"Yep, I have a date with Mr. Salinger." She just had to laugh at this. Tristan had sounded so jealous just now. It brought a smile to her face thinking of the effect she had on him.

"Lucky guy. Wish it was me."

"We can go on a date in two weeks when you come for a visit. I have so much planned for us two." Her voice brightened with excitement when she thought of seeing his face again.

"Yeah, about that. I have some bad news."

"Oh no. Please don't tell me that you're not coming. You have to come. What's going on?"

"See, it's like this. There's this huge things with the store and I really have to take care of it. I'd let Mark do it but it has to be me."

"You really are canceling aren't you?" Her whole world suddenly felt like it was falling apart. She had been ecstatic only moments ago and now he was telling her that he wasn't coming. All of a sudden she believed that they would never get a chance to be together. Fate would not let them be with each other. Maybe things just weren't meant to be at all.

"It doesn't mean I won't be coming at all. It just means that it'll be longer than that. It might take until thanksgiving until I can make it, but I'll definitely try to go sooner. I'm really sorry." He knew that she was disappointed and so was he but he had responsibilities that he couldn't get away from.

"I understand. Doesn't mean that I'm really all that happy about not seeing you in two weeks but I know the store needs you. Hopefully I don't want to have to wait until Thanksgiving. It's not fair though." When she said that he knew that she was pouting. She looked so hot when she pouted. It was one of her best expressions.

"So, when do you go back to your dorm to move in?"

"Actually that's where I was going when the phone rang. All my stuff is there I just have to go unpack."

"Did you meet your roommate yet?"

"Nope. She won't be there until next week. She had this thing in Europe all summer and she has to miss her first week of classes. I don't even know who she is yet."

"So you'll be all alone all week huh? I guess we'll be spending a lot of time on the phone so that you don't get too lonely."

"I'd like that. You better call every night. You owe for canceling your visit."

"I promise I'll call every single night. You can't get enough of me huh?"

"I can't even see you so your voice will have to do right?"

They spent a few more minutes on the phone talking about school and the store but avoiding the fact that he wasn't coming. Neither one really wanted to hang up but after another fifteen minutes Rory knew that if she didn't leave soon she'd get caught in rush hour traffic. After all it was the last Friday before school started again and highways would be absolutely crazy. So once they had hung up she grabbed her last suitcase and headed for her car.

The drive wasn't that long but she knew that it would already be busy so she decided to stop by Luke's for a few cups of coffee.

"Hey Luke."

"Oh, hey Ror, all ready to go?"

"Yep, I have everything except for coffee. Can I get two cups please? It's going to be a long and busy drive, I need my caffeine."

"No problem Ror. So is your mom at work?"

"Yeah, she had all this stuff to take care of today. Have you noticed anything weird with her the past two days? She's acting kind of strangely and she won't tell me what's wrong. I mean she's always been a little crazy but now she's just plain weird."

"She hasn't said anything to me Ror." Luke responded.

"Okay, well I better go. I have to beat traffic. You know how busy the highways will be today? It's going to be nuts out there." She smiled at Luke before turning around to leave.

"Be careful out there kiddo. Have fun." He could still remember her when she was a kid. Boy did time go by fast.

Before starting the car and actually leaving Rory decided to give her mother a call. She had to say goodbye before heading to school. After all she wouldn't see her mom for another week or two.

"Hello, Lorelai speaking."

"Hey mom, what's going on?"

"Mini-me!! Where are you exactly?"

"I'm outside of Luke's. I had to stop for coffee before leaving and then I had to say goodbye to my mommy dearest."

"I thought you'd forgotten about your mommy and that you were gone by now. Why are you so late?" Lorelai thought for sure that Rory would have been in New Haven by then.

"Tristan called this morning, so it took a little longer than expected." Her voice had a sad tone to it that Lorelai couldn't help but notice.

"What's up babe? You don't sound so happy?"

"He's not coming as planned mom. Something came up with the store and now he's abandoned me and he won't be coming for like another month or maybe not until Thanksgiving, which completely and utterly sucks. Can you believe that he's not coming?"

"Calm down hun. You will see him again you know. So he can't come as soon as expected. He will come for a visit soon though."

Rory didn't much like the answer her mother had just given her. Wasn't she supposed to be supportive and be just as sad as she was? She was acting even more strange than she had been the day before. What was going on with her? It sounded like she was hiding something from her.

"Mom, is anything going on? Are you hiding something from me? Are you like pregnant or something." She didn't actually think that her mother was pregnant but you never knew right?

"Did you just say pregnant? I'm so not pregnant. And I'm not hiding anything. I'm hiding nothing at all."

"Okay, that was so not convincing. Come on just tell me? Please, or else no more coffee for a month."

"No more coffee? But I'm your mother. And I just can't say yet. Wish I could but I can't."

"Mo-om!! Fine, you asked for it no coffee."

"Ah! You won't even be here!"

"You win. This time. I really have to go now though."

"My baby's leaving me. How can you leave me? I'm going to miss you so much. Don't leave me hun." She was being silly and she knew it. It wasn't the first time she left home but it was still hard.

"Sorry mom. I'm going to miss you too. Love you. See you in a week or two. Bye"

"Bye hun."

Once she hung up she finally got on the road to Yale. It would be weird being in a dorm again. She was used to being away from home especially after being in North Carolina all summer but at least now she was closer to her mother.

After about 45 minte she finally arrived it the Yale parking lot. Her dorm was still in the same building so it wasn't that much different than the year before. When she got to her dorm room she noticed that the door wasn't locked. Had she forgotten to lock it when she had moved her stuff the day before? Maybe her roommate was there a week early. There was only one way to find out. She had to go in. When she opened the door she could smell the aromas of Chinese food and pizza. So, someone really was in her apartment, but who? After taking a few breaths she finally entered the suite. She was shocked when she saw the person sitting on her sofa. She could barely believe her eyes. What was going on there?

Sorry guys but this is the end of chapter 24. I know it wasn't a very good chapter but I had to update and keep you in suspense a little bit. Tell me, who is sitting in her suite's living room? I know there isn't much of Tristan in this chapter and for all of you who have been anticipating what is going to happen well, stay tuned. Now I want to hear what you have to say. Don't be nice, be honest. And for those of you who are wondering Mr. Salinger is actually J.D. Salinger, the author who wrote The Catcher in the Rye. (And I certainly don't own him, just his book)