a/n: wow I got like a million reviews in the span of two hours. You have no idea how much I love you guys. But that's why I'm posting another chapter for you today. Okay, I'm really bad at maintaining cliff hangers. I want you to know what happens as much as you do.

hand3: on the review thing, there should be a box you can check off if you want an author alert, it'll be emailed to you when my new chapter is posted.

katy: the song rory was singing along to was "Why Georgia" by John Mayer. It's on his first album room for squares

Thanks to everyone else who reviewed! Now on with the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore girls. Haven't you figured that out by now? And who checks this thing anyway?

Chapter Seven: Honesty is the Best Policy

If he had been driving down an empty residential street, Tristan would have slammed on the brakes at that moment. But considering he was on the highway and didn't want to cause a five- car pile up, he restrained himself from performing such an action. He also figured Rory wouldn't appreciate that kind of reaction, considering she had just bared what seemed to be a big piece of her soul to him.

"It's not as bad as it sounds though," Rory quickly explained. "It's not as if he's forty five with a wife and six children."

"Ah, but there is a wife," Tristan stated.

"Well, if you could call her that. He's our age. They got married a couple days after high school graduation. They've both agreed on getting a divorce."

Tristan nodded and switched lanes. He felt that maybe if he left that lane Rory's revelation would remain there too. He didn't know why, but he hated to think that Rory wasn't his Mary any more.

"And you told your mom?" Tristan asked.

"Not really. She was kind of there when it happened."

"She walked in on you?" Tristan asked, amazed. That had only happened to him twice. But he couldn't imagine that happening to a girl during her first time. Or, well, he hoped it was her first.

"No, no. She just kind of came home when he was leaving," Rory explained. "And then of course she wanted an explanation which I had to give to her. We don't exactly lie to each other."

"I'm guessing she doesn't approve," Tristan said.

"Which is understandable. It's not exactly a parent's dream to have their daughter sleeping with married guys. So of course there was an argument, and a lecture. She's cooled off a lot since it happened. But she still bursts into mini lectures randomly. And I catch her looking at me funny, as if she doesn't know what happened to her daughter. I mean, it's understandable. Her Rory doesn't sleep with guys, let alone married men."

"But you're not a little girl any more. What does she expect? Did she want you to be a virgin forever?"

"She must have."

"Which is a complete contradiction because she is the one that got pregnant when she was what, seventeen?"

"Sixteen. Through high school I understood what she was saying. Mom didn't want me to end up getting pregnant and dropping out of school like she did. But now it's different. I'm older. I understand the consequences of my actions. I know what I did was wrong. But it's not that simple. Mom thinks there's only black and white."

"There's always a gray," Tristan offered.

"I know that now. When I had enough of mom's lectures, I went to my best friend. But Lane was practically praising me and offering me awards for what happened. I understand that what happened wasn't all that simple."

"So your mom was telling you what you should hear, that it was wrong. And your best friend was telling you what she thought you wanted to hear, that it was all right. Now you need to have someone tell you what you need to hear."

"Will you do that for me?"

"Me?"

"Sure. You're kind of an expert in the romance department."

"Expert? Hardly. You could say I'm very qualified in the area of getting girls to come home with me after too much to drink at a bar. You can hardly call that a relationship."

"Well, have you ever slept with a married woman?"

"Engaged. And I've cheated on other girls. So I think I can understand both your perspective and his."

Rory noted the way Tristan said this without sounding boastful. The old Tristan would have bragged about his affairs.

"When I slept with the engaged woman, let's just call her Betty, I was doing it for the thrill. I didn't care about her, or her life, or her future. I just cared about that moment. I thought it was so cool that we were doing it behind her fiance's back. But I have a feeling your motives were much different than mine. I can't really say I know you well, because I haven't seen you in two years, and even when we talked every day our conversations didn't really lead me to understand the real you. But I know how I've always envisioned you.

"You wouldn't sleep with this married guy, let's call him Bob, unless there were extenuating circumstances. I always had the feeling in high school that you weren't one of those girls waiting to have sex until they were married. Which is exactly why I was always pursuing you. But I also knew you weren't going to throw everything away and sleep with just some guy. You wanted to wait until you found someone who was right for you. That was why I understood why you wouldn't sleep with me.

"Now, this Bob guy was obviously someone you cared about very deeply. Two things clue me off to that. First, like I already explained, I figure you're not the type to lose your virginity to just some guy. And second, this guy was not a regular, care free guy. He was a married, tied down guy. The only way I think you would sleep with a married man would be if you really and truly loved the guy. And I'm sure he really loves you back. Am I close?"

"Right on the nail," Rory said. She was completely amazed that Tristan had this all figured out.

"So you want to hear what I think? Well obviously affairs kind of suck. They're tricky situations, as you've found out. It was wrong that you slept with a married man. That's illegal and, if you're the type that pays attention to the Bible, I heard it's right up there with murder. But with the combined information that he was a jackass who got married after graduation, and also that you are most likely in love with him, I think it lessens the seriousness of what you did. Granted, it still wasn't the best idea. But when you're meant to be with someone, you're meant to be with them. Bob made a mistake by marrying his wife, one that he's realized and is in the process of changing."

"Wow. You get it."

Tristan shrugged.

"I guess I knew you would. I usually don't spill my heart out to strangers."

"Thank you for telling me. I'm honored you trust me enough. Look, we're here," Tristan announced, pulling into an empty parking lot. "Get ready for the most amazing sunrise you've ever seen."