A/n: ooooh, it's a long one just for you. Haha that kinda rhymes. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. And there will be more Tristan in the next one. This one has lots of dean and lots of important plot stuff. So pay attention! As always, thank you for the awesome reviews. I'm actually supposed to be studying for finals. Funny how the first new story I post in months is the on the weekend that I have the most work to do! Just call me a procrastinator.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. But I do own my computer nerd kitty cat that's lying on my keyboard, making it almost impossible to type.
Chapter Three: Broken Promises and Re-forged Dreams
"Rory, he's not coming. Stop craning your neck like that. You're going to strain a muscle."
Rory stopped attempting to see down the street and settled in her chair. "I'm just people watching," she said casually.
"Yah, and I'm married to Johnny Depp," Lorelai responded. "Hon, you know he never comes into Luke's. Our friendly store owner made sure of that a long time ago."
"I'm not looking for Dean if that's what you think," Rory said in a whisper.
"Of course you are. You guys have an awful lot to talk about."
"Yah, but now is definitely not the time or the place."
"So why are you looking for him then?"
Rory didn't answer her mother. She jabbed a fork into her potatoes and sat quietly instead. The truth was she wanted to see him badly. Half of her wanted to run into his arms and, well, repeat the adventures from the night before. But the other half of her wanted to talk to him, even yell at him a little. She wanted to straighten the whole mess out. But Rory felt confessing all this to her mother was crossing her line. Though she was positive her mom would support the whole talking thing, she also knew that Lorelai wouldn't be quite as comfortable with the whole longing to run back into his arms part. Her mom was her best friend, but there are just some things that can't be shared with a mother, no matter how close their relationship.
She stole a glance across the street and the Kim Antique Shop caught her eye. What she needed was Lane. Rory could tell Lane everything, every last detail, and not feel like she was stepping over some delicate line.
"What time are you going back to the inn?" she asked her mother casually.
"Shoot. I told Michelle I'd be back fifteen minutes ago. I have to go, will you get the bill for me?"
"Sure," Rory said. "Do you need help cleaning stuff up from last night?"
"No, I think we got it basically handled," Lorelai lied. In truth she had been sitting all of breakfast dreading going back to the inn because there was so much work to do. All the guests were gone, but that meant rooms to clean and reviews to read. It seemed like the work would last days. Lorelai could use Rory, but she knew that Dean would be there with the rest of the construction crew, just to do final touch ups and make sure the doors had been installed properly in the rush of the prior evening. Lorelai knew that having Dean install bedroom doors while her daughter was cleaning said bedroom would probably not be the best of ideas.
Rory looked at her mother, reading her expression. "I won't be alone with You-Know-Who if that's what you're worried about," she said to her mom. "Do you think I'd let that happen twice?" She caught Lorelai's skeptical look. "Well let me tell you right now that I won't. Look, I'll bring Lane along."
Lorelai thought for a minute. "We really could use the help."
"I told you."
"Just promise me, well you're a big girl now, you don't have to promise me. But please, for Lindsay's sake-"
"SHHHHH!" Rory hissed, looking around.
"For The Wife of You-Know-Who's sake, please, please keep Lane with you."
Rory nodded. "Can you be any louder?"
"You got yourself in this mess, not me. You should have thought about all this before you-" Lorelai stopped when she noticed Rory staring unhappily at her feet. "Well, you know. Come on, let's go."
"You slept with him!" Lane cried, throwing the pillow she was holding up into the air in surprise.
Rory bit her lip and nodded. They were sitting on the bed they were supposed to be making, talking about last night.
"I mean, the other day when you were at my apartment I figured you might have feelings for him, but I never thought you'd…"
"I didn't either," Rory answered. "And now I'm torn because of course I feel so guilty and horrible. And I just keep thinking about how hurt Lindsay would be if she found out. It's tearing me up inside."
"But part of you wants to do it all over again," Lane said, plucking at the comforter.
"Yah, exactly," Rory said sadly. "It just felt so right, like we were meant to be together. Like the past two years have been a complete mistake. I feel like he's the one I'm supposed to be with. He should be my Dean."
"But he's Lindsay's," Lane said, agreeing. "See, I knew we should have stopped the wedding."
"Why would we have done that?"
"So you could profess your undying love for him and you could be married to him right now."
"I would not be married right now. It's completely stupid to be married when you're this young. Besides, I only figured out that I loved him like two days ago. How could I have known then that-"
"Hi Dean!" Lane said loudly.
"Lane, don't scare me-"
"Hi. I uh, didn't know you guys would be in here. Lorelai said you would probably be done with the upstairs bedrooms by now."
Rory turned on the bed so that she was facing him, her heart beating wildly in her chest. "Hi," she said.
"Hi." He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.
"You know what, I really have to go to the bathroom. I might be a few minutes, but please note that the walls here are thin and I can here everything. Oh, and keep in mind that I attend a Christian college, and I really shouldn't here anything sinful. Thanks." Lane ran into the bathroom adjoining the room and closed the door, leaving Rory and Dean alone to talk.
"So," Rory started, "last night was-"
"Wonderful," Dean said, taking a few steps towards her.
"Completely wonderful," she agreed, getting off the bed and stepping towards him. He immediately pulled her against him and began to kiss her.
Rory kissed him back for a moment, but then came to her senses.
"You have to talk to Lindsay," she said, pulling away.
"I told her I wanted a divorce this morning."
Rory looked up at him in surprise. "You did? Did you tell her about-"
"About us? No. That would kill her. And I don't want to hurt her any more than I have to. She's a nice person, she really is. But she's not you."
Rory smiled softly, but grew solemn again quickly. "What did she say?"
"She wasn't surprised," Dean said. "She said that despite the fact that she loves me she felt that we were growing apart. She doesn't want a divorce, but she says that it has bothered her how distant we've become."
Rory nodded.
"I want to be with you Ror," he whispered. "I know what we did was wrong. We committed the ultimate sin. But it felt more right than it ever did with Lindsay."
Rory turned her head towards the window. She didn't like thinking of Dean being with Lindsay. It was only logical, they were husband and wife. But it still hurt her.
"Will you wait for me? Will you promise to be here when the divorce is finalized?"
Rory turned back to him, a smile playing on her lips. "I'll always be here for you," she said.
"What happens if Jess comes back?"
"Jess was a mistake."
"You don't know how wonderful it is to hear that," Dean said. He pulled her against him. They stood there, holding each other for several minutes until they heard the bathroom door creak open.
"The door needs oil," Lane said. Dean and Rory separated. He walked over to his toolbox and began to rummage through it.
"We should get going on the other rooms," Rory said. "Mom's going to be mad we're so far behind."
"Bye Ror," Dean said kissing her forehead as he walked back towards the bathroom door.
"Bye," she said back to him, almost dreamily.
Lane pulled her into the hallway and closed the door.
She pulled Rory into a hug. "Only a few months and you'll be free to be with him!" she whispered excitedly.
Rory smiled. It seemed almost too good to be true.
