TITLE: No Longer

PAIRING: L/L, J/P, 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.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x- - - - - - - - - - - -

Introducing TC and Leigh:

'MOM!' fourteen-year-old Dana called from the bottom of the stairs.

'Ill be right down!' Rory called back.

'What's up your butt?' Tory asked walking past eating a granola bar.

'Well, I have a competition thank you very much!' Dana said back to her sister.

'Okay, let's roll!' Rory said at the bottom of the steps hopping and putting on her second shoe.

'Tory are you coming?' Rory asked.

'Do I wanna see Dana do cartwheels? No thanks.' She said and walked away.

'Okay, but no wild parties, no boys, and uhh the ice cream in the freezer is MINE!' Rory said smiling before shutting the door after her and Dana. Dana was a competitive gymnast. It was her fourth year coming down to Pennsylvania. For the last four years, she had been competing in gymnastics, and managed to join a hip-hop team. She wanted to join a band too, but Rory wouldn't let her.

The two arrived at the convention center, and Dana ran to the back to get ready while Rory walked in the front entrance. That day wasn't the big competition—which wasn't until the very end of September, as opposed to this one, which made her leave school a few days early in order to make it although Tory was able to finish out the year, fully.

Most of the seats that were supposed to be filled were filled. Occasionally one or two more people trickled in. She sat in the bleachers, and waited for her daughter's turn. She was in the later part of the second half and her hip-hop team would be performing during the half mark.

'Why did you want to make a proposal at your daughter's gymnastics meet?' Tristan Dugrey asked. He was sitting further up in the bleachers next to a client.

'Because, I thought you might like to watch the team. Her team is very good.'

'Cut the crap, Bill.' He said looking at him.

'I'm just busy with the divorce and all. It was the only time I could manage to fit a meeting in.'

'I'll make an exception, I'll stay late at the office when you can meet me, and I'll stay and watch the show, but I'm not going over your case at your daughter's gymnastic team's competition.'

'Thanks Tristan.'

'Yup. So which one is yours?'

It was now half time and Dana's team came on. Rory had noticed Dana looking a little pale but didn't think anything of it since Dana said she was fine.

They started the routine and Rory watched happily until she saw Dana start to slow down. The whole team stopped and one ran to Rory. Rory ran to Dana with her pocket book and handed her juice box. Dana sat on the ground and drank the whole thing. Her coach then came onto the mat and carried Dana off so she could check her blood.

'Hey Bill, what just happened?' Tristan asked.

'The poor girl's a diabetic. She just got really low. She's an amazing gymnast, my daughter is actually good friends with her.'

'And the woman?' He asked.

'Her mom. She's single you know.'

'I'm not interested in dating thank you very much.' Tristan said laughing.

Dana checked her sugar ate more carbs and went back onto the mat. Her other team member's—both boys and girls gathered around her until they all went into starting position, getting through both dances with excitement. Finally it was Dana's turn, and Tristan saw the woman run to her once again and hug her. Everyone laughed, and then she ran back to her seat. Dana was smiling and then started her floor routine when she heard the music start. Tristan watched her—she was clearly better than the rest of the gymnasts that were performing.

'Hey, what's her name?' Tristan asked.

'Oh her? That's Dana.'

'How old is she?'

'Uh she's a year younger than my daughter so she must be 14. Why?'

'She looks familiar.' He said racking his brain.

8888888

Dana finished her routine flawless. One 10.0, Two 9.9's Two 9.8's, and one unfair score of 9.5 making her get the highest score. She got a medal and ran to her mom and hugged her. After the meet Rory was walking to the car with some other people. Bill came up to her.

'Hey Bill!' Rory said hugging him.

'How are you?' he asked her.

'I'm doing good, that little episode with Dana wasn't to pleasant but—'

'MOM!' Dana said running, but bumping into a tall man.

'Oops, I'm sorry.' Dana said before running to her mom.

'Hey Mr. Thompson.' Dana said upon seeing Bill.

'Congratulations.'

'Oh thanks, nothing on it.'

'Only my daughter could say that, when almost everyone else got combined scores of 9.5. ' Rory said laughing. He joined her.

'Hey Mr. Thompson, can Jen come to pizza with me and the team?' Bill looked at Rory who shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

'Sure, go ask her.'

'Kay, cool.' She said walking away.

'Oh Leigh, this is a good friend of mine. TC meet Leigh, Leigh this is TC.' Bill said to Rory. Everyone here knew her as Leigh, and most knew Tristan as TC.

'Nice to meet you.' She said shaking his hand.

'Likewise.' He smiled. They didn't recognize each other because they were both wearing sunglasses and because of subtle appearance changes.

'So hey it was nice meeting you, and Bill nice seeing again.' She said smiling and walking away to the group of kids standing around her car waiting to be driven to the pizza place. Tristan watched her walk away.

'You're going to eventually regret saying that you don't want to date anyone.' Bill said to him. He gave him a glare and took his sunglasses off.

'Did I ever tell you that I could take away that exception I offered you?'

'Sorry—you'd only understand the position I'm in if you had kids.'

'Contrary to your belief, I actually have a daughter.' Tristan said. Seeing Dana—the girl and hearing the name brought back memories. Bill looked at him strangely.

'An actually one, or a doll?'

'An actual one—but things got very strange between me and her mom when she was born, so I've only seen her three times.'

'What?' Bill asked shocked.

'Yup, I was apparently believed to have ran away, but her mom actually wanted me to leave—in fact, I think both stories are a little twisted.'

'Talk to her.'

'Can't. She's not listed and I don't know where I would find her during the summer.'

'Huh, yup you're screwed.'

'Thanks.' Tristan said rolling his eyes.

'Anytime, buddy.' Bill said smiling.

-

-

-

I know it was short but I just wanted to get a chapter out that was present day for the rest of the story. REVIEW PLEASE! Thank you, Kiki