TITLE: No Longer

PAIRING: L/L, L/D, R?

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, just this story and the made up stuff about this show…such as Tristan Dugrey this late in the show or them getting married.

SUMMARY: Tristan divorces Rory, but fate disagrees.

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The truth in the Open:

Rory sat at a table in Starbucks drinking a cup of coffee. She was stirring it around when Tristan came in the door. Rory had chosen her outfit that morning carefully. She was wearing stretchy shorts and a loose fitting t-shirt.

'Hey Rory. Everything okay?' he asked concerned. He sat down across from her.

'Umm, so what's up?' She asked changing the subject. He laughed quietly at her smoothness and then answered.

'Well Nothing, but I am kinda nervous of this sudden meeting you called today.'

'You want something to drink?' Rory asked. Tristan gave her a confused look.

'Should it be alcoholic or something with a lot of caffeine?' Rory laughed even though if you really thought about it, it wasn't funny.

'It doesn't matter. I just didn't know if you were thirsty.' Tristan gave her one more look before ordering himself the smallest frappuccino they had. Tristan finished it quickly and threw the plastic cup away while he watched Rory fidget.

'You know Rory, if it helps you stop fidgeting you can get another cup of coffee. I mean now that I know you weren't in rehab for your addiction.' Rory laughed and then went silent.

'I really shouldn't even have one cup with the stuff that's going on and this was my third.' She said finishing her coffee.

'Okay, your mom called it "this", Paris called it "everything", and you call it "stuff". I've tried to weasel it out of everybody but all I got was don't do anything stupid Tristan, or don't go anywhere to far…Rory needs you. I also got from your mom that you were really upset on your birthday, and that she thought you cried that morning.' Rory sighed and looked at her hands. Tears were on the edge of her eyelids.

'If I throw up, it's just a phase I'm going through. It's okay, nothing self induced.'

'Rory what's going on? Paris told me you had to be the one to tell me and your mom told me you were 90 pounds when you went into rehab. Why were you in rehab?' he asked with genuine concern.

'Malnutrition mostly. I was so upset that I wouldn't eat and what I ate was scarcely anything. My mom was scared.'

'I don't buy it. Are you sick? Rory no matter what happens...ever—I'll always care about you. Don't be afraid to tell me, because there's no way I could ever speak badly about you.'

'I don't know what to say.' Rory said blinking back her tears.

'Tell me what Paris meant when she said I will know everything when the time is right and that she couldn't tell me but you could.'

'When did you talk to her?'

'When you saw me and her at Borders. You kinda went ghostly on me before you ran off. We saw you leave with Aaron.'

'You've been thinking about this that long?'

'Yea.'

'Why didn't you ever come to me about it?'

'Because no matter what you thought, I did see your reactions when you saw me, and they kinda made me uneasy. I thought it was best to do what Paris said. Everyone knows your secret Rory, except for me. Yesterday, when you didn't go pale on me, I couldn't stop thinking about it. How's your hand by the way?'

'It's fine. I'm sorry about all of these things.'

'And there's another name. Now your secret has four names well five including the actual name.'

'I told Jess.'

'I know, he's one of the people who told me you needed me.'

'No, I mean…I know we promised we'd keep it to ourselves but I told Jess that we weren't able to have a baby.'

'Oh.'

'He's not gonna tell anyone, don't worry.'

'It's okay, your mom asked why we got a divorce.'

'She did?'

'Yea.'

'What did you tell her?'

'That we had a strong relationship but it was missing something important. I didn't tell her what I thought it was.'

'We're avoiding the reason I asked you to come this morning.'

'Wow, you actual brought us back to that topic.'

'Are you doing anything today?'

'Nope. Today I was just gonna sleep…until you called last night. But it's fine. It's better this way.'

'I'm scared Tristan.' Rory confessed.

'I don't wanna push you, but I have a strong feeling this has something to do with me. I have no clue in the world how I just have a feeling.'

'It's easier if we take a walk.' Tristan burrowed his eyebrows before getting up and following Rory outside. She threw her empty cup in a trash bin.

'My mom was right.' She said as they walked down the street.

'Right about what?'

'I was crying the morning of my birthday.'

'Why didn't you tell me?'

'What? That would have changed the whole evening!'

'You still left early.' Tristan pointed out.

'Don't remind me.' She said as they sat on a bench. It was a quiet day so they had a lot of privacy.

'Why it wasn't good? How about the night after?'

'Tristan, right now is not the time to joke!'

'Okay, I'm sorry.'

'It's okay, it was great—both times, it's just more than that happened that night.'

'I don't understand.'

'Tristan…' Rory looked away as tears came back. This time they were clear.

'I'm not exactly sure—' Rory stopped short and took a few deep breaths. Tristan sat quietly and patiently waiting for her to finish. She took one more breath.

'I'm just gonna say it.' She said.

'Go ahead.' She took the last breath.

'Tristan I'm pregnant.' She said her tears started to roll down her cheeks. She put her head in her hands. Tristan was quiet for a few minutes.

'Please! Say something.' Rory cried wiping away her tears.

'How far along are you?'

'About four months.'

'Were you gonna tell me?'

'Yes! I would've it's just we weren't able to have one when we were married, and now, now…' she trailed off.

'I have to say I wasn't expecting this.'

'What your not gonna accuse me of sleeping around? Your not gonna get a paternity test to make sure it's yours?' Rory yelled. Tristan looked at dumbfounded.

'Where the hell did you come up with that idea?'

'I don't know, I slept with Dean when he was married, I didn't have sex with the other guy but I was with him.'

'I'm really hoping that this confusing stuff your telling me goes away.'

'It was a dream. I had a dream last night that you accused me of sleeping around and being promiscuous.'

'So this is why you really went to rehab wasn't it.'

'My mom was scared for the baby's health and me but before I left we were both healthy. Please Tristan, don't be mad…' Rory said when Tristan got up.

'I'm not mad. Freaked and very shocked yes but mad at you, no. I mean you've had about what? Three months to think about this while I've only had like 3 minutes. I mean Rory, this is huge.' He said turning around.

'So I guess the fifth name would be "baby".'

'I guess so.' His voice cracking. He looked into Rory's eyes and saw sadness and that she was scared and unsure of life. He sighed and walked over to her. He sat down and pulled her to him. He wrapped his arms around her. His hand rested on her stomach and he realized that she was no longer flat.

'Rory…you're staring to show.' He said pulling away.

'I know. I knew I had to tell you soon. I thought it would be better for you to find out in person than from the papers.'

'Yea, I'd say so.'

'Tristan what are we going to do?' Rory asked resting her head on his chest.

'No idea.'

'Before you said that you explained why we got divorced. You said you didn't tell her what you thought was missing. Was a baby what you thought was missing?'

'Yea. I thought we went into it thinking we were gonna have kids and when we didn't…we started to look other places for things like that and we ended up being apart and being lonely and then we couldn't deal with each other anymore.'

'I hate to say it but I think you're right…completely.'

'Well the woman is ALWAYS right.'

'Oh how PC of you.' Rory said.

'No matter what happens though Rory, I'm here for you and I'm here for our baby. I'll do whatever I can.'

'Tristan?'

'Yea.'

'I've been thinking a lot and I don't know.' Rory said.

'No tell me.'

'Okay, well I was thinking…maybe we could live together for a while and see how that goes?'

'Where?'

'There's always the house. It does get lonely sometimes.'

'Are you sure this is a good idea?' he asked.

'It's worth a try.'

'Then let's try it.' He said.

'And Tristan?''

'Yea?'

'I know this is a strange time to tell you this but, umm, I think I still love you. No, I do love you and I don't think I could ever stop.'

'I love you too Rory, and I know I always have and I know I always will.'

'I like it like this.' Rory said referring to them sitting next to each other and holding each other. Tristan agreed.

'Me too.'

Well he knows! AAHHH! Hehe!