Disclaimers and summary: See chapter one.
The Seventh Stranger
Chapter 2: In the eyes of a stranger
Rory Gilmore watched the crying man running wildly and was confused as to why would a grown man run and cry in the streets of London. How was he able to smirk at her and cry at the same time? And this man looked vaguely familiar, she was certain that she had already seen this smirk before. She also remembered these eyes but from where and when? Was it from the last time she had traveled to England? A voice echoed in her head.
"I'd kiss you goodbye but your boyfriend's watching. Take care Mary."
Rory dropped her book on the sidewalk running in the same direction that Tristan took, her now forgotten book resting open on the sidewalk. Exhaustion soon over took her but she kept on running. If anyone had ask her why she was running after a guy she had barely known, she wouldn't have any answer. After all, he had made her miserable during her first year at Chilton, always putting her blossoming friendship with Paris in jeopardy. Maybe it was because of his tear shocked face and red rimmed eyes or maybe because of the lost look in his eyes. She didn't know why but her heart told her to find him.
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Tristan ran away not wanting to face her, especially not her in his current state of mind. He hadn't seen any look of recognition in her eyes; maybe she had forgotten about him since she never really cared about him. The only thing he was certain of was that if he ever had to see her again, it shouldn't be tonight, not while he couldn't stop crying. He stopped running, exhausted and unable to run anymore. He turned around and wished she remembered him, that she cared just a bit, enough to see her running after him.
Joy burst inside his heart as he saw her panting and running in his direction. He hid in the shadows and sat down to wait for her to join him but she passed by him and never realized that she had passed him by. Tristan contemplated calling after her but decided against it. Not tonight, maybe another day he would be able to face her and act normal but not tonight. Today, he would scare her by holding her too tight and crying too hard in her arms without exchanging a word with her. It was not how he wanted her to see him.
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Tristan got up after what seemed like hours, dried tears covering his cheeks, slowly, he walked back to his hotel room where he would stay for another week. Stay there until he returned to Hartford and started working as a lawyer for his father's firm.
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Tristan entered his room and wished to fall asleep and forget everything about his day. The room was dark but he didn't bother to light it up, he walked to his bed and sat on the edge to kick his shoes off. The light suddenly blinded him as he heard, "God Tristan, where were you? I was worried sick about you! You were supposed to meet me back here three hours ago."
He raised his eyes to take in the beautiful woman standing in front of him, her crystal blue eyes and long curly dirty blond hair that fell over her slim body. Tiredly, he mumbled, "I got lost along the way."
The woman looked at him as she did so many times before and when she reached his abnormally red eyes, she screamed, "What did you do this time? Did you get drunk again? Or have you decided on taking drugs this time?"
Tristan lied down on his back and sighed before he answered, "None of the above Gabrielle. I just need to get some rest now."
Gabrielle lied down beside him and forced Tristan to face her. She looked into his eyes and saw tears slowly falling down his cheeks. Her anger soon replaced by sorrow when she asked softly, "What happened Tristan?"
Tristan gathered Gabrielle in his arms and he rested his head on her shoulder to murmur, "I told you Gabrielle, I lost myself on the way."
She held Tristan back, "But you never cry, I've never seen you cry before. And if you got lost, why didn't you call me?"
"I lost myself along the way. I wasn't lost in the city Gabrielle. I lost myself somewhere and I just don't know where. I don't even know who I am anymore."
Tears fell down Gabrielle cheeks making her beg to understand, "What happened Tristan? Please tell me."
Tristan sighed and held Gabrielle closer, he took a deep breath, "I was walking when I saw a fight that reminded me of something that happened to me six years ago. The girl started to cry, she was broken hearted but the happy couple never saw it, they didn't care. I saw myself in her and I ran in the streets crying and that's when I saw her."
Confusion clouded Gabrielle's eyes, "You're not making any senses Tristan. You have to be more specific than that! Who did you see?"
He closed his eyes and begged, "I just want to sleep. Can we just talk about it in the morning?"
Gabrielle made a movement to get up but two strong arms held her still as she whispered, "Whenever you're ready Tristan. Good night."
She heard Tristan's voice that sounded like the voice of a scared little boy, "Please Gab, just stay in my arms and hold me, just for tonight I promise."
Gabrielle answered by rubbing her fingers in Tristan's hair to lure him to sleep, switching roles with him for the first time because he usually was her rock in this world. He has always been the strong one, the one who would help her sleep at night, who would make the nightmares go away. A sad smile crossed Gabrielle's features as she realized that Tristan was sleeping and that for the first time, she was able to return the favor of protection. Her smile disappeared as the thought of losing Tristan flickered in her mind. Tristan, the only person she cared and loved deeply in the entire world.
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Rory entered her great-grandmother's mansion later that night to be welcomed by Richard Gilmore as he paced the entrance hall to diminish his worries while he waited for her arrival. He held her tight while he whispered, "I'm so glad that you're alright. I was so worried Rory. Where have been?"
She returned the hug and murmured, "I think I saw a ghost from my past running away from me. I tried to catch up but I lost him even though I knew he needed help."
Richard guided Rory to the living room and made her sit down before taking a seat in front of her. "What are you talking about?"
She smiled sadly at her grandfather before she explained, "The last time I saw him was the night that he was sent away. He looked so sad then and tonight I saw him again for the first time in six years. I've never really thought much of him back then and he escaped my mind ever since. But tonight, I saw despair in his eyes and when he saw me, he ran away from me. I felt that I had to find him but he just disappeared."
"Rory, who did you see?"
"Tristan, I saw Tristan DuGrey."
"I've heard that he changed a lot in the last few years. His grandfather is very worried that this fine young boy's heart is turning into a stone."
Smiling sadly, Rory replied, "He was a stone back then, but I think that the stone was breaking tonight."
Richard stood up to sit beside Rory and took her hand while he whispered softly, "It was bound to happen one day or another. You can't live your life hiding your feelings forever and this boy has acted as if nothing touched him for too long already."
Stunned, Rory looked at his grandfather and asked, "How do you know so much about him?"
"Janlan DuGrey and I play golf together." Then changing the subject, Richard continued, "Do you know how glad you made me by deciding to do your Masters?"
Rory tried to smile before she stood up ready to go to bed, "What can I say? I love studying too much to start working right away. Yale here I come, you'll have me for another couple of years!"