Claim: I own Bella, Ryan and maybe a few short scene characters…

Sum it up: "I never cared that much," Rory stubbornly retorted, and watched as he sauntered out of her life…again.

Mental notes:

flash backs will be represented in italic

Less dialogue than most of my stories

More happened during Rory's time at Yale

I love Trory )

Warning: Short chapters…

Feedback: would be beautiful

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Rory relaxed in her hot tub, and sighed in relief. She was in much need of a nice hot bath, and maybe even a massage, but she wouldn't go that far today.

On any normal day she would happily call up her private masseuse (A/N: spelling mistake?), but today wasn't normal…Her husband had caught her in a lie, and he was very much upset. So Rory Gilmore wiped away any thought that she would enjoy a massage by her cute and talented masseuse, because Ryan would disapprove.

She shuddered, remembering his tight grip on her and his threatening words. He only hit her twice…years ago.

"Rory," Lorelai gasped, holding her quivering hand to her mouth, "what happened?"

All day she tried to avoid her mother, but she wasn't successful. "Nothing Mom," she turned away, hiding the large bruise that adorned her cheek.

Lorelai let her eyes fill with tears as reality hit her with what had happened to her precious daughter. "Sweetie," she managed to say, and grabbed hold of her daughters arm.

"Ouch," Rory winced, bringing her fingers up to rub where her mother had just touched.

"Oh god," Lorelai bit her lip, letting the tears flow as she lifted her daughters sleeve- revealing bruises in the form of finger prints. "This can not be happening…"

"Mom," she started, also letting the tears forming in her eyes hit her cheeks, and "it was my fault. He seen me kiss Dean Goodbye…It was only a kiss, and I never meant for it to happen. He was just upset, and he..." he voice shuttered, "he promised he would never do it again."

Lorelai shook her head in anger, but held her head high, "If I ever hear you say that a man putting his hands on you against your will is your fault, than…" she didn't know how to threaten her own kid, because she never had to do it before, and this thought brought an oncoming of rapid tears to her eyes.

"He promised Mom…" the younger Gilmore cried furiously, defensive of her boyfriend and alarmed at her mothers tone.

"Shut up," Lorelai raised her hand, and bowed her head low, "just shut up and listen to me."

Silence…

"I have never in my life let a man abuse me once and then again and again. I expect the same from you; because that's the way I brought you up Rory…" the tears deceased, and now she was hugging her crying daughter, "I love you sweetie, you know I'm only looking out for your best interests…"

Rory pulled away, tears in her eyes, "if you love me than you'll take my word that it won't happen again."

Lorelai let a low sigh escape her lips, and turned away in frustration. "Okay," she whispered and walked into her house, leaving Rory outside to cry the night away…on her own.

Rory wrapped her arms around her body as a single tear fell from the memory. She turned the hot water on again, wanting the heat to warm her cold frame… wanting to think about anything besides her mother, whom she hadn't spoken to in years.

Her thoughts went straight to her meeting with Tristan…What a weird moment it was.

He looked so good, and she wanted to hate him so bad. She wanted to hate him for looking good, for accomplishing his goals, and for not suffering in life- just like the way she suffered.

But she couldn't, because she was happy that he found tranquility…something that she may never have again.

Meanwhile…

Tristan paced the floor of his hotel room, occasionally making quick glances at the cell phone that sat atop his bed.

Years ago he would have flicked it open, read all of her text messages, heard her messages and scrolled her recent calls. He wasn't a untrusting guy, all he ever wanted was to know every aspect of her life.

But everything had changed, and he couldn't flick open her phone without her consent. He didn't have the right to look through her recent calls, and this thought brought him plummeting down on the bed in contemplation.

He had to call her and let her know that her phone was safe, and maybe ask her why she hurried out of the café so quickly, but he decided to do something else first. He looked through her 'contacts' and found the name with a smile.

Ring…

'Hello?' the voice on the other line answered quickly, her breathing seemingly heavy. 'Rory'

'Lorelai…' he let a small smile grace his lips.

She sighed, her heart starting to beat more slowly now. 'Who is this?'

He furrowed his eyebrows, she sounded stressed. 'Tristan…'

'Tristan Dugrey,' she squealed, and beamed brightly.

'The one and only,' he smirked, 'how are you?'

She sighed softly, 'I could be better, but that's life…'

'We think too much alike,' he chuckled, running his fingers through his tousled hair, 'I said the same thing to Rory earlier.'

'Rory…' her heart sped up upon hearing her daughters name spoken from someone else's mouth…it had been so long. 'How is she?'

He raised an eyebrow, 'you don't know?'

'Tristan…why do you have Rory's phone?' she asked suddenly.

'She left it at a café today,' he answered, confused, 'this is the first time I've seen her in years.'

'Oh,' Lorelai paled just a bit.

'Lorelai, I don't mean to meddle, but why haven't you spoken to Rory?'

She sat down, and sighed again. 'We haven't spoken in years. It's a very long story, maybe she'll tell you.'

He shook his head, the shock eating away at him. 'I just can't come to grasp with the idea of you and Rory not speaking for more than two hours.'

'Try two years,' she let a bitter chuckle fall from her lips. 'Every other month or so I drive by her house, making sure she still lives there…'

'Wow…' it was the only word his mind could formulate.

'Occasionally she'll call my mother to check up, so I know she's alright…'

'I must be dreaming.'

'Nope,' Lorelai smiled sadly into the phone, 'but hey, don't feel bad for me kiddo'…how are you?'

He scratched the back of his head, 'I'm alright…Med school.'

'Is it tough?' she asked, interested…she really liked Tristan before he left.

'Tiring, but I'm assuming all the hard work will pay off,' he nodded with a smile, 'I'm on break, I'll be down here for a while… maybe we could catch up?'

'Sure,' she said happily, 'stop by Luke's sometime…I'm always there.'

'Okay,' he agreed.

'It was really nice talking to you Tristan Good-looking Dugrey.'

'You too Lorelai Coffee-addict Gilmore…'

Done…

Now you have a little idea as to what happened between Lorelai and Rory.

I'll update very soon, but please review. I need input!

Love

-Me