Author's Notes:

As always, thank you to all my reviewers: smile1, Brandy, Nyla, Spuffyluvr, and Erin Kaye Hashet for your feedback and words of encouragement, as well as everyone who reviewed my odd little Lorelai/Christopher piece that I wrote instead of this chapter. But here it is, the next chapter, and it's up the night after! This is a Rory/Dean focused chapter, which I hope very much is in character for them. There's a Luke/Lorelai phone conversation that I might write as well for the next chapter if people want to see it, otherwise, I'll likely skip ahead a bit. Thoughts? Opinions?

Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!


The next afternoon, Dean was waiting impatiently for the phone to ring. He couldn't make up his mind whether he wanted it to ring so that he could finally talk to Rory, or hoping it wouldn't ring so that he could avoid speaking with Lorelai. There was so much he wanted to tell Rory, but what on earth was he going to say to her mother? At best he would get a much stronger version of the speech she'd given him four years ago when he'd first started dating Rory and Lorelai had threatened to have him chased through the streets by pitchfork-wielding citizens of Stars Hollow. And at worst...well, he didn't want to think about that. Intellectually he knew that it wouldn't be that bad, after all, Lorelai couldn't kill him. But if she didn't want him with her daughter, then he didn't have a chance with Rory.

The phone suddenly rang, much louder than Dean ever remembered it ringing. He paused by the receiver for a moment, allowing it to ring a second and then a third time. The suspense got the better of him and he picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Dean?" It was Rory, thank the Lord, it was Rory. "Dean, is that you?"

God, it was good to hear her voice. "Rory! Hi! How's Europe?"

"I know I was just here last summer, but it's amazing," she rambled in that way of hers that he'd always found adorable. "You wouldn't believe how much history they have here, and I can't even begin to describe the cathedrals. I wish you could see them, there's no way you'll ever believe how beautiful they are unless you've been to one yourself."

"Yeah, I bet," he agreed. "Maybe you could send me a postcard or something."

"I will, but it's just not the same," Rory sighed. "But I can bring you something else! Is there anything you want in particular? Because they have some really good candy here that you can't get back home, and there's a store I found that sells really nice art prints if you'd rather have those instead."

"You haven't given up on the art, have you?" Dean sighed. "If I had a dollar for every art book you made me read I'd be the one touring Europe this summer."

"Come on, I know you liked them," Rory teased. It had been so long since she'd teased him like this and he hadn't realized how much he'd missed it.

"All right, I did," Dean confessed. "It's really good to talk to you."

"You too," Rory agreed quietly. "I'm glad you called last night."

Dean laughed. "Actually, that was Luke. But I was there with him."

"Yeah, that's what my mom said," Rory told him. "She's in the other room talking to him now, actually."

That made Dean feel better for two reasons. He was happy for Luke, since he'd obviously missed Lorelai every bit as much as Dean had missed Rory. And, more selfishly, if Lorelai was talking to Luke then that meant she wouldn't be getting on the line to lecture him. "Did she tell you what's going on with them?"

"A bit," Rory admitted. "I think she really likes him."

Dean grinned to himself. "I'm willing to bet the feeling's mutual."

"So how have you been?" Rory asked.

He knew what she meant was, how were things with him and Lindsay. "I guess you could say they're pretty good," he answered carefully. "Lindsay's not going to sue for alimony, so I figured if I got a job that paid well, I could live at home and save up my money, and maybe go back to school in January."

"Do you think I'm a horrible person for being happy about that?" Rory asked, her voice suddenly soft and trembling a tiny bit.

He wished more than anything that she wasn't in Europe, that he could put his arm around her and tell her in person. "Rory, you couldn't be horrible if you tried."

"But I am horrible!" she cried. "I was so mean to you when we were together and then I ran off to Europe and left you to deal with everything by yourself! You're the nicest person I know and I keep doing awful things to you!"

"Rory, don't say that," Dean protested. "No one's perfect, and we both made mistakes. Lindsay and I wouldn't have worked out, regardless of what we did. We just weren't right for each other."

"I still feel awful that she was the one who got hurt," Rory said. "She didn't do anything wrong."

"It was my fault," Dean protested. "It wasn't fair of me to marry her when I wasn't over you."

There was a pause at the other end of the line. "Do you really mean that?"

He'd already said it, there was no sense in backing out now. "Yes, Rory, I meant every word of it."

"Dean, a lot has happened to us since we broke up," Rory began softly. "We're not the same people we were then. But...if you wanted to, then when I get back, we could start getting to know each other again."

He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this happy. "I'd really like that, Rory."

"I'm really glad you called, Dean," she told him. "It's good to—" She broke off, and Dean heard muffled voices in the background. "Dean, my mom wants to talk to you now. Is that okay?"

He gulped. If he had a choice, he'd rather put it off until a later date, preferably forever, but he didn't have a choice and at least he'd get it over with. "Sure. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Of course," Rory promised. "And don't be afraid. Mom won't hurt you. I don't think."

He would have preferred a more optimistic pep talk, but Rory was saying goodbye to him and then Lorelai was on the other end of the line. "Hello, Dean."

"Hi, Lorelai." So far, so good. He hoped that Luke had put her in a good mood.

"Luke told me to go easy on you," she continued. "He said you looked terrified when he told you last night that I wanted to talk to you."

"I don't know about terrified," Dean protested. "Nervous, but I wouldn't call it terrified."

Lorelai laughed. "I don't know whether to be hurt or flattered. I never knew I had that kind of power."

"Of course I'm nervous," Dean insisted. "Rory thinks the world of you and I'd never have a shot with her if you hated me."

"I'm not going to lie to you, Dean," Lorelai told him. "I think the two of you did something very stupid and irresponsible that night, and both of you should have known better."

"I know," Dean admitted. "I feel awful about hurting Lindsay like I did, and I hate that you're disappointed in her and hate me, but I want you to know that I've never felt toward any girl what I feel for Rory and I would never hurt her."

"Dean, I'm going to be honest with you," Lorelai began. "I liked you. I thought you were a good kid with a good heart, and I trusted you with my daughter. Now that trust is broken, and I don't know if I can get it back."

Dean's heart sank. "Lorelai, I'm sorry."

She sighed. "Dean, let me finish. I said that I don't know if I can get it back. Not that I'll never get it back. There's a lot you're going to have to prove to me, but you're what Rory wants and all I want is for her to be happy."

He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until now. "Lorelai, you're not going to regret this."

"Well, you're lucky," she told him, her voice slightly teasing. "You caught me in a good mood. I suppose I'll see you when Rory and I get back."

"Thanks, Lorelai," he replied.

"Goodbye, Dean." She hung up and he replaced the receiver, grinning to himself. This was turning out to be a pretty great day.