People have either loved or hated this story. If you want more, just let me know, but just remember this is pure Rory/Dean done (hopefully) right. No Jess angst, no rebounds and no apologies.

CHAPTER 2

Later that evening

3:00am

Her cell phone rang and Rory waited a moment before answering. She was sitting on the couch in exactly the same position she'd fallen into after a prolonged argument with her mother.

"Hello."

"It's me."

"Dean," she replied with a sigh of relief. "I'm so sorry about before-"

"Please don't apologize," he said, "how could she have known. Hell, in a few hours the whole town's going to know."

"Where are you?"

"Hartford. Gypsy got me a room. It'll do for now. Tomorrow I'm going to check out a place."

"I can't believe you left Lindsay," she said sadly.

"Rory, don't," Dean insisted, "and please don't start blaming yourself for it. The marriage was a mistake that I should have never gone through with. It's nobody's fault but my own. Even if you and I-"

"Dean, you don't have to-"

"Let me finish, please."

"Ok."

"I would have still left. It was wrong of us to get married. Neither one of us was ready for that step."

"I'm so sorry Dean. I had no idea it was so hard for you."

"That doesn't matter anymore. I'll get through it, but what about you?"

"What about me?"

He took a deep breath before asking the question that had plagued him for hours.

"Do you want to be with me after this is all over."

"Dean-"

"No pressure. It's just something I'd like you to think about."

"Yes," she said very quietly.

"Rory, I don't need an answer right this second."

"But I'm giving you one. I do want to be with you and I'm not making a rash decision. I hated you being married, but I was too scared to push the subject with you. Being with you terrifies me."

"But why?"

"You and I. That was the real thing. I knew it all along, but I blew it first chance that I got. Love scares the hell out of me, you know that."

"Yeah, I do."

"But I've got something now that scares me even more. Imagining you not in my life....not with me. I know what that's like now and I can't go back to it. I won't. Dean,"

"Then you won't. Rory, I love you. I'm not going away. And I don't regret being with you. Never. No matter what happens next."

"No regrets?"

"None. You?"

"No," she said, "but it's not going to be easy. Everyone's going to have an opinion about us."

"I think we can handle it."

For the first time in months, she felt confident about something. There was no hesitation, no fear.

"Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"I do love you, you idiot."

"You better. I'll see you in the morning."

"Outside of Patty's. Seven?"

"Yeah. Apartment hunting it is."

================================

Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you
It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it
So tell me
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you
I'd love for you to make me wonder
Where it's goin'
I'd love for you to pull me under
Somethin's growin'
for this that we can control
Baby I am dyin'

(Why Can't I - Liz Phair)