It was the most uncomfortable half hour any of them had ever spent in a car. Lorelai had realised that she was responsible for making sure Dean got home safely and that meant not abandoning him in Hartford, however reluctant he might be to travel back with them. Realising that he was unlikely to listen to her, she'd sent Sookie to find him. It seemed safer- she was at least one step further removed from Rory and whatever meltdown was going on in her head. Of course, that didn't solve the problem of how to accommodate everyone. Lorelai thanked her lucky stars that at least, as driver, she didn't have to deal with the seating arrangements. They would have to sort that out between themselves.

In the end Lane drew the short straw, ending up wedged between Dean and Rory in the back. Sookie had the luxury of being front passenger. Lorelai wished she had a cab-like partition to block the teenagers out, though they weren't saying anything and it probably wouldn't really have helped. Rory was staring out one window, still looking as though she was in shock, while Dean was staring straight into the back of Sookie's seat. He didn't look so much shocked as deflated and resigned. Lane was sitting bolt upright , literally caught in the middle, her eyes darting from side to side. From time to time, though, she seemed to forget the current situation and they could see that she was thinking of Henry as her face would break into a goofy smile.

Lorelai wasn't exactly sorry for the silence. Dean's presence at least meant that she didn't have to say anything in the meantime. She'd never expected to have to deal with a situation like this with Rory, although she hadn't been naive enough to think that her first boyfriend would also be her last. It was just that she'd envisaged them drifting apart, drifting into friendship eventually. But not like this. Perhaps it was inevitable, she thought sadly. Even Rory had managed once to stay out all night with her boyfriend, unlikely though that had seemed. She sighed, forcing herself to concentrate on the road. After all, that overnight adventure had been innocent.

Thinking about that, she was sorry to see the end of Dean. He'd been a perfect first boyfriend. She trusted him. Trust and Tristan DuGray were not, nor ever likely to be, words that were synonymous. Shipping him off to military school was starting to seem like a great solution, even though she'd protested the idea to his father. In truth she'd always argue against that kind of punishment. She wondered if this wasn't the exception. It would remove his proximity to Rory. She sighed again, causing Sookie to look at her with some alarm. She wasn't looking forward to having to talk to Rory. She wasn't sure that either of them was ready for it.

At last they reached Stars Hollow. Dean was out of the car without a word at the first stoplight. Rory's eyes filled with tears as she watched him go and Lane took her hand in sympathy. What with the running after Henry, she'd missed most of the drama, though she'd caught the gist.

"Tristan?" she asked quietly, and Rory nodded, sniffling gently.

Not being ready to hear any confidences, Lorelai cleared her throat. "Regardless of tonight's little adventures, I for one am in need of food. And coffee. Who's in?"

"Not me, sweetie", Sookie said a little too brightly. "I have to get home to Jackson." Her smile lit up as she mentioned him and Lorelai, inwardly cursing her for desertion although this was something she'd have to deal with alone, softened. Sometimes she wished she had a Jackson. Christopher was too far away to talk to, too out of touch with Rory's life. Still, she supposed there was Luke. It wasn't the same though. He could offer all the friendship and support in the world, but he wouldn't be there when she went home at night, to hold her and comfort her and tell her everything would be all right. She should be used to not having that, but at times like this she missed having someone. Rory had been lucky to have Dean. She didn't care to think about whether Tristan would ever provide her with that kind of relationship.

"And I have to get home before Mama starts regretting letting me go," Lane added, giving Rory's hand a final squeeze as she too prepared to leave.

"Looks like it's just you and me, then," Lorelai said and Rory shrugged. She was even less prepared enthusiastic about any discussion than her mother.

They trudged into the diner, where Luke watched them with a certain degree of concern. True, they were there and no doubt demanding their usual fries, coffees and desserts, but there was something wrong that he couldn't quite pinpoint.

"What's up?" he whispered to Lorelai when Rory went to the bathroom.

"Rory broke up with Dean."

"Not again." She could see his jaw working, anger starting to boil up that anyone would hurt Rory.

"What is with that kid? Want me to sort him out?"

"Not exactly. This time it's definitely Rory's fault. And her new boyfriend. Tristan."

"The one you call Satan? You're going to let her go out with him?"

Lorelai shrugged.

"Well- yes. If he doesn't end up in military school."

Luke's eyebrows shot up and he opened his mouth to speak but Lorelai continued, almost to herself.

"It's not like I have a choice. I trust her- even if I don't trust him and if I stop her seeing him it'll only drive her straight to him. After all, I have some experience with challenging parental authority. And she'll see him at school anyway- if he's there. I can't stop that."

Luke frowned. He didn't much like the sound of this, but- "I see your point. Wait- you said military school?"

Lorelai tried to simultaneously nod and shake her head at him as Rory returned.

"I'll get your orders," he said, moving rapidly away. He'd never seen them uncomfortable together but as soon as Rory had come back there was an atmosphere between them that he definitely didn't want to share.

"So," Lorelai began having no idea how to begin.

"So," Rory echoed. Talking had never been this difficult.

"You and Tristan..."

Rory turned red. She simply wasn't comfortable discussing her love life with her mother, no matter how close they were. It had taken her ages to get used to talking about Dean, to being with him in her mother's company. She'd thought it hadn't helped that Lorelai used her discomfort to comic effect, hoping to embarrass both Rory and Dean. However, there was no comedy here and her level of discomfort was skyrocketing.

"He might be going to military school." She was sticking to bald statements of fact that didn't involve her personally. Maybe she could avoid this until she had it figured out for herself.

"I gathered that. It didn't explain anything about this evening. You've spent this whole week trying to make sure he didn't upset Dean and tonight you just seemed to forget that Dean existed. What's going on, Rory?"

Their food had arrived with little ceremony and no comment from Luke, who had pulled the "Closed" sign round and gone back into the kitchen. To give them privacy, or so he told himself.

Rory started pushing the food around her plate. She really wasn't hungry.

"I guess I realised I'd miss him when he said he was leaving."

She hoped Lorelai would leave it there. But her mother's anxiety was merging into anger.

"So you thought you'd give him a goodbye he wouldn't forget?"

"Mom!" Rory sniffled again and put down her fork, the pretence of eating gone.

"That is not what this is about. I don't want him to go."

"How long has this been going on in your head? You said the kiss was the biggest mistake of your life."

"I thought it was." She wanted desperately to end this conversation, hoped shock value would do the trick.

"But if I'd done nothing tonight, that would have been the biggest mistake of my life." She'd started to cry properly now.

Lorelai shook her head. "What exactly did you do, Rory? After all, this is the boy who calls you Mary. At least I knew where I was with Dean."

"I kissed him. That's all! And you knew where you were with Dean because he was safe and we both knew I'd never really do anything with him because I wasn't in love with him. And there's no point in us fighting because we don't know yet if Tristan's even going to be here on Monday. Dean and I are over. That's it."

She dropped her head, knowing that if Tristan stayed the argument would play out over and over again. Unless she really had just given in to him because she thought it was goodbye: unless he wouldn't care any more if he stayed. She'd gone further with him in the empty classroom than she ever had with Dean in the privacy of her home. Tristan was different. He held the promise of granting her wishes she hadn't yet coherently formed.

"I suppose we should wait and see what happens." Lorelai was trying hard to find the voice of reason. The waiting until Monday was going to kill her.

It arrived eventually, Rory leaving Luke's with her coffee and few words from her mother. She hadn't heard from Tristan. Neither she nor Lorelai knew whether that was a sign that was good or bad. Not that Lorelai, at least, had defined good and bad in this particular scenario.

She was taking her books from her locker when she felt, rather than heard, his voice behind her.

"You're still here," she said delightedly, spinning around to face him.

She wasn't good at playing games, at playing it cool. He liked that about her- it was so different to the other girls he knew. His heart soared as their eyes met and she blushed, memories of Friday night playing behind both their eyes. Unconsciously she shifted her books to act as a buffer between them, terrified of any display of affection. She had no desire to be known as another of his locker sluts.

"Don't worry," he said softly into her ear, leaning down towards her. The gesture was almost more intimate than any kiss. "I'm not going to do anything to make you run."

"And what about you?" she asked almost desperately. "Your father- military school- "

He sighed, taking a step back and running a hand through his hair in the gesture she found most appealing. The hesitation made her heart sink.

"I'm trying not to. But it won't be easy."

"How so?" She was curious, still concerned but less afraid. The imminence of his departure had at least been delayed. It had to be a good sign.

"My father's ten-point plan," he said bitterly, though the bitterness was reserved for himself as the author of his own doom.

"His what?"

He started to count them off on his fingers.

"I get one detention, I'm out of here. I drop one grade, I'm out of here. I miss one class or one piano lesson-" he smiled as she blushed at the reference- "I'm gone. I spend my afternoons with my grandfather, I have a personal trainer for military-style discipline, I have prescribed after-school activities. No car, no parties, no girls. Nothing."

"That's a lot," she said, almost surprised at how comprehensive it was.

He nodded. "Military school might have been easier."

"What made him change his mind?" She was trying not to blow his last comment out of proportion. Would he really rather have given up and gone away?

"You," he answered, with the smile that reassured her and made her melt. "And your mother. He actually gave me the choice, though."

"He did?"

"Yes."

"So why did you stay?"

He took her books from her hands and smiled. "Here, I'll carry these. Do you really have to ask?"

"Gilmore! DuGray!"

With a sigh they turned to face Paris, Rory wondering what exactly he meant.

"Paris." He made it sound like a statement rather than a greeting.

"We got an 'A'." She slowed down as she caught up to them. "What are you still doing here anyway? And the 'A' is no thanks to you, either of you, whatever was going on with you last night. Your behaviour beforehand was completely unprofessional. And afterwards- Louise and Madeline are telling everyone about how you made them leave so as you could be alone."

Rory blushed. This was not going to make things easier with Paris.

"I was being sent to military school, in case you missed that part," Tristan said sarcastically. "Rory helped to change my father's mind and I'm still here. Glad you're so happy about it. Now, Mary, we'll have to get to class if you want me to stay."

He ushered her in front of him, leaving Paris speechless. Rory wasn't exactly pleased that she wasn't complaining about him calling her 'Mary' anymore, but she was starting to accept it. To accept him, for whatever he was. And for whatever he could be to her. Fear started to build up as she realised that already she was in so deep that he could hurt her more than anyone had before. It was something she'd been determined to avoid with Dean. But then he smiled as he handed her back her books and she couldn't help but smile back. Maybe he was worth the risk.