After All These Years…
A/N: I just wanted to say THANK YOU!!! to all of you who reviewed; the responses were overwhelming. I won't name names, but somebody even said I changed them into a Trory fan. Thank you!!! I guess it's apparent that I am a Trory lover at heart. Don't get me wrong; I love Literati's too. But Trories have always held more appeal for me somehow; I don't know, I just never tire of the whole Mary/Bible Boy scheme. So again, thank you to all of you who reviewed. I hope you like this chapter! Enjoy!
-Ivy
After All These Years
Chapter 2: So Confused…
Tristan sank down into a chair, fearing that if remained standing, his legs would fail him. Had Rory just said what he thought she had said? Had the girl of his dreams just admitted that he was always on her mind? Could it be that Rory loved him even half as much as he loved her? For once, Tristan did not feel in control; he was powerless, he knew nothing. Well…almost nothing. He knew one thing: he sure as hell was going to find out what Rory had meant…
As Rory reentered her apartment, her anger began to subside and tears threatened to fall down her cheeks. After quickly thanking her neighbor for watching Rae during her little escapade, she sank down onto the couch and buried her face in her hands, the aforementioned tears falling freely.
"Mommy?" Rae said quietly, crawling onto the couch next to her mother. "Mommy?"
Rory raised her head from her hands and dried her tears, gazing upon the 6-yr-old who had come to mean so much to her. "Yes, honey?" she said, her voice wavering and not being able to even so much as fake a smile for her young daughter.
"Are you sad Mommy?" Rae asked, picking up on the older woman's pain.
"Yes, Mommy's sad." Rory replied, touched by her daughter's intuitiveness.
"Why are you sad?" Rae questioned, climbing into her mother's lap and hugging Rory with a tenderness that only a child could possess.
"I'm sad, because – I think I've ruined a really good thing." Rory said, taking comfort in her daughter's arms.
"Oh," Rae said, not quite understanding. Giving Rory another squeeze, she said "I'm sorry you're sad, Mommy."
"Me too, hon…me too" Rory said, stroking her daughter's hair.
Drying the last of her tears, Rory forced a smile and lifted Rae off of her lap. Reaching for Rae's hand, she started to walk towards the kitchen, "How about we get you some supper?"
An hour later, Rory was finishing her article at the kitchen table, while Rae was in her bedroom reading, and waiting to watch the movie until Rory was finished.
As Rory heard the door quietly open, she braced herself for what she knew was about to come, cursing the tears that were threatening to fall.
Tristan walked silently into the kitchen and set the finished laundry on the floor without so much as a sound, knowing that Rory was uncomfortable. Hell, he was uncomfortable too; but…he had to know.
"Ror?" he said softly, beginning to reach his hand out tentatively to touch her shoulder and then quickly withdrawing it, knowing that touching her was probably not a good idea right then.
"Rory?" he said again, but Rory remained silent. "God, I'm sorry, Ror," he breathed.
"Why couldn't you just let it go?" Rory whispered, not turning to face him. "Why couldn't you just believe me?"
"I'm sorry, Ror. I thought…" Tristan's words drifted off into the air, not quite sure of what he wanted to say.
"I told you it had nothing to do with him, Tristan, but you just wouldn't listen… Why couldn't you just listen?" Rory said, the tears that had been threatening her beginning to cascade down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry, Ror; you have to know that. But now,… now I also have to know what you meant back there," Tristan whispered, wishing she would turn around; at least then he would know how she was reacting.
Had Rory turned around, she would have seen the hope in his eyes, but she couldn't work up the will to face him. Not yet. "I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered, knowing full well what Tristan was referring to.
"Rory, please, I have to know… You said you compared everyone to me; and I want to know why… Please, Ror…" Tristan said, his voice brimming with agony and despair.
"Tristan, I can't." Rory said crying.
"Ror…" Tristan said, pulling up a chair next to hers so that he was looking at her from the side. From this view, he could see the tears running down her cheeks and the way that her hands were trembling. His heart yearned to reach out and take her into his arms and protect her from all pain; but he knew he couldn't. Not know; especially when he was the one causing that pain. "Rory, you know I love you with all of my heart. I'd do anything for you. I'd go to the ends of the earth…just to make you happy. But what I don't know is if you reciprocate that feeling… Please Ror, I have to know."
"You know I love you Tristan," Rory said, quivering, still unable to work up the courage to look at him.
"Yes, I know you love me. As a friend; your best friend. You'd do anything for me and are forever grateful to me; I know all of that. I know that you love me, at least in some way. But the question is; are you IN love with me? Because, to be completely honest, I fall more in love with you…every second."
"Tristan, it would ruin everything." Rory replied, afraid.
"Rory, look at me." Tristan said, taking her chin gently in his hands so that he could look into her eyes.
"You know, in your heart, that if we did this it would be…it would be…wonderful. We would be perfect together, Rory," Tristan paused, seeing the look of fear in Rory's eyes. "So the question remains, how do you feel about me?"
Rory stood up and turned away from Tristan, looking everywhere but at him, wringing her hands nervously. Finally, she threw them down in frustration.
"Tristan," she began, not knowing where to start, but yet fully aware that the truth had to come out. "Tristan, all those years ago when Jess left, I thought I would never be able to love again… But you were always there, and you kept me strong. And soon I came to realize that I was …I was falling madly in love with you. You amazed me on so many levels; and I fell for you…hard. And that just seemed so wrong; because I was supposed to be in love with Jess, you know? So I was terrified…I didn't want to ruin everything…" Rory said, her voice drifting off, drowned out by her sobs.
"Rory?" Tristan questioned, his voice hopeful. "What are you trying to say?"
"I guess what I'm trying to say, Bible Boy," Rory paused and turned towards Tristan, watching him smile at the beloved nickname, "is that, I think, that even after all these years, I am still falling hopelessly in love with you; that maybe…maybe I've always been in love with you…" Rory said, fearful of what this would do to their friendship.
Tristan walked slowly towards Rory, the love apparent in his eyes, and backed her against the counter, gently cupping her cheeks in his hands. "Mary…" he breathed, closing his eyes, his lashes wet with tears. Opening them, he gazed upon the girl he loved, watching a million emotions run across her eyes. "Mary, I'm going to kiss you now, okay?" he said hesitantly, beginning to lean towards her.
Rory nodded in consent, not being able to resist any longer.
Gently at first, Tristan brushed his lips against hers. Then, feeling her respond, he caught her in a passionate lip lock, only pulling away when he needed air.
He looked at Rory, aware of exactly how lucky he was. Smirking, he spoke… "So, Mary…how does this affect our moving plans?"