disclaimer: gilmore girls and the characters from gg are not mine. oh, and also, i'm warning you that this chapter is short! sorry!

Chapter 11: Revelations

Tristan woke to the sound of retching coming from the adjoining bathroom. The door was partially closed, allowing a stream of yellow light across the floor. He got out of bed and quietly pushed the door open. Rory was sitting on the floor leaning over the toilet.

"Are you okay Ror?"

She shook her head no. Tristan walked in and sat behind her on the floor. He held her hair back as she leaned forward and vomited again. He rubbed her back soothingly.

Rory wiped her mouth and leaned back against his chest. "I guess I had too much to eat," she said.

Tristan laughed a little and ran his fingers through her silky hair. It was so soft and smooth. He repeated the action. It was amazing that he was sitting here with her leaning against him, depending on him. It didn't matter that she had just vomited or that the room smelled. He thought back to all the hundreds of parties where his date had been puking in the restroom. All those times he'd just walked away, not wanting to be around it. But now was different. He needed to be here, needed to comfort Rory. He needed to have her in his arms.

And that's when he realized it. She wasn't just a friend who he connected with. She wasn't just a person who he could be honest with and expect honesty in return. No, she was more than that. As he held her he realized how perfectly she fit in his arms, how warm her body was against his. She made him want to be a better person. She always had.

He kissed the top of her head, his heart beating wildly. He was sure she could feel it pounding. This attraction he had to her was an entirely new emotion. It was completely different from the physical attraction he usually felt towards the girls he dated. Around them, he was always anxious to make out with them or just get straight to doing them. But Rory was different. Once again she was the exception. With her he was content to just hold her. The wild beating of his heart was enough proof that she was the one for him. This is where he was supposed to be.

She turned to look up at him. A single tear was slipping down her cheek.

And he remembered. It wasn't just him and Rory in the story. He was sitting between Rory and the ghost of "Bob."