Disclaimer: I don't own anything the show, the characters; I only own the ideas to this story! Now just a note- this story was up before but I've changed a lot of things and added the chapters together-so don't give bad reviews just because you may have already read this! Anyways-enjoy!!!

Setting: At Yale, everything with Dean has happened, anything else, has not. That includes any Gilmore Girls episodes past October 27th. The Logan thing is going to be written a different way-so forget about any episodes seen recently and enjoy the story!

She sat at a small cafeteria table sipping her second cup of coffee for the day-she was just starting and was nowhere near her usual amount. This was unusual considering her early morning start-but she wasn't in the mood. She read through her books, reading over the same sentence when she was suddenly startled by a voice behind her.

"Well, isn't this something new, Rory Gilmore reading a book, drinking coffee!" she cringed at the voice but was somewhat excited. She slowly turned around to face him and cracked a smile to see his blonde hair the same length, only more golden.

"Hello Tristan, long time no see! Wish I could say it's a pleasure but-" Rory began but was cut off by Tristan's usual interruptions. Only this time it was different-she was usally met with a sarcastic remark but was completely caught off guard when his lips crashed against hers. She wanted to pull away but old temptations and hatred had turned into longing for the old torment of her high-school days.

Rory pulled away and stared at Tristan half shocked-half happy.

"I have wanted to do that since I left Chilton-too bad Dean was watching!" Tristan smirked and took a seat beside her.

"Miss me much?" Rory smiled softly and threw her head back in laughter.

"What?" Tristan turned his head in confusion, his lips pouting.

"It's just that, I missed you too and I never thought I would. Up until this moment, and I'm not trying to offend you, but I completely forgot about you!" she laughed again and his eyes softened.

"Not surprising. So are you still with the mean old Dean machine?" he asked sarcastically.

"Um, well... That's complicated!" Rory answered with a smile.

"How complicated?" he asked slyly.

"I don't want to talk about it-subject change! What are you doing here?" she said almost annoyed, back to her usual self.

"I, uh, okay, so I was in military school, as you know, and I graduated!" he lied.

"I bet you did- no really, why are you here?" Rory asked.

"Okay, so I've tracked you down, is that such a crime?" he blurted out.

"Hmm, unusually sweet for your usual self. What's up with that?" Rory sat back in her chair and stared into his big blue eyes.

"I've changed...a little. Why, am I more tolerable for you now?" Tristan asked flirtatiously.

"No- I just was... wondering...you know?" she answered her face blushing slightly.

"Right, my little Mary-is that a blush for me?" he sat looking at her cockily and she was immediately turned off.

"Just when I start to be able to stand you...you turn all cocky with that bullshit! G-d Tristan!" she shouted and left the table leaving her books and her coffee. Tristan noted her direction and grabbed her books, walking confidently faced behind her.

"Rory! Rory wait-you forgot your books!" he shouted. When this didn't work he yelled again, "and you're coffee!" Knowing she would turn around to come get it, he stopped and seated himself on a bench. As she came rushing back he held onto her books and coffee tightly and she sat down angrily beside him.

"May I please have my coffee Tristan!" she snarled as she grabbed for her textbooks and coffee.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," he began to hand her the books but pulled back the coffee, "you didn't think it would be that easy did you?" Tristan smiled with his usual arrogance, the smile she loved and hated at the same time.

"What do you want?"

"Hmm, wow, so much I could want...let's see..." he sat wondering for five minutes, purposely angering Rory all the while. Just as she was reaching her peak of anger he pulled her into a deep kiss that lasted a good five minutes. Surprisingly, to him, she didn't pull away, so he did and walked away. She sat on the bench stunned, beside the books and coffee he had left. She tried to call his name but was for once speechless. He turned around giving her a smirk and she blushed. He strolled off towards the parking lot and was gone behind a corner.

After a good ten minutes the chilly bench got to Rory, so she grabbed her books and headed to her dorm. As she unlocked the door, she heard laughter and walked in with a smile. She was shocked yet again when she saw Paris and Tristan chatting happily on the couch.

"Oh Rory, look who cam to visit, Tristan!" Paris said excitedly. Rory's head fell as she put on a fake smile to bug him-he didn't get to her, not the great Tristan Dugrey.

"Hello Mary, come sit!" he beckoned and like a puppet she followed sitting beside him. He pulled his arm around her shoulder comfortably and she pushed him away.

"Rory, that's so impolite!" Paris barked and gave Tristan a smile.

"Sorry I've never had a good lesson in manners to jerks!" Rory screamed and stormed off to her room. She wasn't sure why she was angry, but it just seemed fitting. Maybe she and Tristan could have a secret romance, one that no one knew about. Tristan-just thinking about him made her crazy! She wanted to scream but knew she shouldn't. A knock came at her door and she answered unwillingly.

"Oh, it's you again. Go away!" she mock shouted and fell back on her bed.

"Paris left, finally! I actually just came to see you, but then saying that would have been impolite considering she dragged me in here. So, where were we?" he sat down on the bed next to Rory.

"What do you mean whe-" she started but he kissed her passionately and pulled away as her face turned into a stunned expression. "Oh, there..." she continued to kiss him as they fell back onto her bed and began to kiss more feverently. It was only ten minutes later when Rory found Tristan's shirt to be on the floor, his hands trying to pull hers off and their lips still attached. She pulled away quickly stopping Tristan from going any further and sat up.

"What? Did I do something wrong Rory?" Tristan asked looking into Rory's eyes.

"No, it's just the Dean thing! I don't !" she sat glumly with her knees pulled to her chest. He put a comforting arm around her shoulder and scooted closer to her.

"What is it, tell me Rory," he pleaded softly; he wanted to know what was keeping him from the girl of his dreams.

"I...well...Dean's married and...we...we...had sex, and are in the process of dating-but he's still married-kind of," Rory stated trying to explain but embarrassing herself.

"Oh, I get it. But he's married? So then just leave him to his wife," Tristan answered.

"I know-that's the logical thing. Dean and I have been through so much though-I can't stop now! I want to-I mean, I can't be "the other woman" all my life. That's not who I am!" Rory said mostly to herself for motivation.

"Right! You are so much better than that Rory!" he cheered her on.

"So I'm going to drive back to Stars Hollow right now and tell him that!" she finished standing up.

"Right now? Well, let me drive you, my car is right outside." He offered waiting for her to answer.

"Yea, sure!"

"Okay, let's go!" he said pulling his shirt back on.

"But one thing first," she smiled slyly and walked over to Tristan. Slowly and teasingly she pulled him by the collar and kissed him passionately then released him. "Thanks for your understanding!" She skipped off happily out of her room leaving Tristan stunned and over-heated.

They walked to the car holding hands and Tristan, like a true gentleman, opened her car door happily. He shut the door and strolled over to his own door. As he tried to open the door, he realized it was locked and saw a smirking Rory with obvious mischief across her face.

"Rory, open the door!" he commanded playfully forgetting he had the keys to the car. She sat their smugly and after a few minutes gave in and unlocked the door.

"Um, Tristan," she began looking over and beginning to laugh.

"Yeah?" he turned towards her smiling.

"You had the keys the whole time!" Rory broke into a peal of laughter and he blushed slightly.

Tristan's POV

Why am I so stupid around her, I can't help but act dumbly around her. She's so perfect and everything I say doesn't seem to match her intelligence. She makes my knees week and my heart flutter-how un-cool of me. Tristan Dugrey does not caught by a woman-he is the one who usually chases them. Well, that is for sexual adventures. But Rory is more than an adventure-she's like a life long journey.

End of POV

Tristan started the car and they drove to Stars Hollow chatting about old times they had in high school and the day he left.

"Did you really have a crush on me in high school?" Rory asked curiously.

"No way-I just wanted to make you think I did," he responded trying to act like his usual self. Too bad he was usually a jerk!

"Oh," she answered staring into her hands.

Tristan realizing he was denying the inevitable responded whole heartedly, "of course I did! I was obsessed with you!" then added, "-in a non-stalker way. How could someone not be in love with you, Rory?"

Rory blushed, "Well Mr. Dugrey, this does indeed surprise me. There's something about you-you're different-it's weird,"

They sat in silence and listened to the radio the rest of the drive to Stars Hollow. Following Rory's instructions, Tristan drove up to the supermarket where Dean worked.

"Did you want me to come in with you?" he asked looking over to her anxiously.

"No, just have the get-away vehicle prepared for take off so we can run!" she called as she left the car and headed into the market.

Rory stepped into the market and immediately spotted Dean by the Nacho Machine. She contemplated what to say and was preparing to turn around but he had spotted her. "Rory!" Dean called as he saw her. He was really happy to see her and greeted her with a tight hug and a tender kiss. One she did happen to pull away from. "Rory what's wrong?"

"I can't do this anymore Dean!" she cried staring at the floor.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't be the other woman! It's not who I am. My mom was right-this is awful. I'm sorry Dean, you need to be with your wife-that's who you belong with-not me." Tears dripped from her face and Dean's face turned somber.

"You don't mean it Rory!" he said quietly looking her in the eyes.

"Ye-yes I do. For once in my life, I do mean it-no jokes this time. I'm serious Dean-I don't want to be known as the town slut and frankly-I don't love you!" she screamed steadily and left the store running into Tristan's car and they sped off down the street without stopping.

A good ways down the street, Tristan pulled over and turned off the engine. Turning to Rory he said, "Are you okay?"

"I think so, I had to do this-it was the only way! I needed to get that out of the way-we didn't belong together-I'm tired of all the roadblocks!" she smiled then-which was unusual considering what she had just done.

"Now what?" Tristan was very confused-he had never seen such a moody Rory-ever-changing from sad to happy; he was becoming scared of the next possible mood she'd be in.

"I'm just really glad that it's over-I feel so much freer and I can go around town not feeling like I'm hiding something or that everyone's watching me! I've never felt better!"

"Rory-do you want me to take you to your mom's?" he asked comfortingly.

"No, let's go back to my place-I'll let you sleep on the couch!" she laughed and they sped off to the direction of Yale.

A/N: I realize that Tristan came on really fast and strongly to Rory-but he's always full of surprises-why wouldn't he finally push his feelings. And after all these years she finally just let the right things take their course! Please review!!