Title: Times Change

Chapter Title:

Author: Gimoregirl7878

A/N: Okay, so I love my feedback! Please, please continue reviewing! I'm going through a hard through a hard time right now. This chapter means a lot to me. The 16 year old version of Tristan is a lot like me. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

"TRISTAN!" She called again and caught up with him. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him so he was facing her. She looked up and was surprised to see what she saw.

Rory looked into his eyes and saw one thing. Anger.

"What...why...why are you avoiding me? What's wrong with you?" She asked unsure if she wanted to know at all. She debated just running away, then realized how silly she was acting.

"What's wrong with me? ME? What about you? Look at yourself, Rory! What happened to you, that girl that I remember? It's not you, you don't go around kissing guys who aren't your boyfriend. Bad relationships can't change you that much. I know that you've grown up a lot and I can't hold onto the sixteen version of you, but... you were so special. You were untainted by society. When I looked into your eyes I could see what you were feeling. Now, every time I'm near you they're the exact replica of my eyes when I was sixteen. Cold and empty. You're not that way with the other guys. Why me? Why... god, only you can make me question myself this much!"

He now looked tired and sad.

"You wanna know why? Why I hide myself? If people can't see the real you, they can't hurt you. They can't judge you. I hide myself from you and only you, because...because you're the one who can hurt me the most! 'Cause I love you, I've loved you a long time and I never knew it!

With that she rushed past him, all but running back to her dorm.

Tristan stood there. Shocked. She loved him. Him. He couldn't process that. He slid down the wall of the hallway that all that progressed and put his head into his hands.

Rory was now in her dorm pacing.

'GOD, I'm so stupid, why did I tell him that. You're only going to get hurt. Stupid, Stupid!'

Rory kept repeating that and pacing until a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She walked hesitantly to the door. Not knowing if she should answer it.

'If it's Tristan just shut the door. Yup, just shut the door.'

Rory opened the door and saw Tristan. She had known it was him before she opened the door. She looked at him and saw the hurt and confusion in his eyes. He looked into her eyes for a moment before talking.

"Why did you ru-

He was cut off by Rory crashing her lips against his. All rational thought out of her head. She pulled him into her dorm shutting the door with her foot. Never breaking contact with him while they backed up into her room and closed the door.

The later that night, Rory woke up distorted for a second. She couldn't remember why she was in bed. She went to get up and saw an arm on around her. That was not her own. Looking over at Tristan the memories of the night before came flooding back to her.

'OH MY GOD! Why did I do that. Christ, think Rory, think! You let him in, physically and mentally at that matter, but anyway, YOU'RE GONNA GET HURT! Get out of the apartment. NOW!'

Rory got up, being careful not to disturb Tristan, got dressed and went to the one of the few places she felt safe.

Rory knocked on the door to the Guys' dorm. Logan opened the door. Behind him she could see Finn and Colin playing Xbox. They had paused the game and were waiting for Logan to come back to play. Rory lifted her view from off her shoes to Logan's eyes and said the only thing that she could think of.

"I had sex...with Tristan," She mumbled before wrapping herself around Logan like he was about to disappear.

Logan shut the door and guided Rory to the couch where Finn and Colin sat eyes wide at what Rory had just said. Rory explained what happened to the boys and they were shocked.

"So, you two are together now, right?" Colin asked.

"What! No! Have you been listening to what I've been saying?"

Finn smacked Colin upside the head and rolled his eyes.

"You bloke, she's scared about getting hurt!"

Rory looked at Finn and shook her head, amazed that anyone could understand her right now.

"God I love you." Rory said.

"Love you to, Hon." Finn said.

"Listen, I don't even want to think about this, you know what I need-

"Is to get drunk." Finn finished for her.

Rory looked at him amazed..again.

"How...yes..again, Love you." Finn just nodded knowingly as they walked out.

At Rory's dorm, Tristan was just waking up. He reached to the other side of the bed looking for Rory. When he saw no one in the bed he knew that she had gotten scared. He quickly got dressed and pulled out his cell phone.

Meanwhile, at the bar Rory was doing shots while the guys sat staring at her. Suddenly, Logan's cell phone went off. He knew who it was before even looking.

"Logan."

"Where is she?" Logan looked at Rory and left the table and went to the bar so Rory wouldn't overhear.

"Man, what the fuck were you thinking?"

"I don't know, I went to tell her I loved her and kissed me and things kinda escalated."

"Obviously!"

"Where are you?"

"Why...?"

"Because wherever YOU are, SHE is! I have to talk to her!"

"Dude, I don't know if that's the best idea-

"Listen to me! I've loved this fuckin' women for six years! I might have just fucked it up so tell me where the fuck you are!"

Logan had never heard Tristan this distressed and mad. He quickly disregarded all other thought.

"The Pub."

Click.

Logan knew Tristan would get here as fast as possible. Logan went back to the table where Rory was telling Finn she wanted more shots. With one look at Finn, he knew who had just called Logan.

"Love, you might just wanna stay a little sober for a little while longer."

"But...why? I have way to many thoughts right now and I want to drown them out with alcohol really badly, and soon."

"A half an hour. Thats all I ask."

"Fine. But nothing is stopping me after that."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

They talked casually until she saw everyone at the table suddenly look at the door. Tristan. She looked at Logan who looked guilty as sin.

"You trader."

"Sorry babe."

Tristan, by this time was at their table.

"Rory can I please talk to you." Rory looked into his eyes and saw the pain and sadness. For the first time she felt kinda guilty.

"Okay, but, lets go back to my dorm."

On her way of getting out of the booth she slapped Logan on the side of the head. Finn and Colin started laughing while Rory walked out with Tristan.

They hadn't talked to each other the whole walk back to her dorm. When they walked around the corner to where her dorm was they were shocked to see who was waiting. Rory stopped short for a second and grabbed Tristan's hand subconsciously. However, two other people took great notice in this. She started walking again to confront the person in front of her.

"What are you doing here?" She said getting right to the point.

"I want to talk to you." He said.

"I don't want to talk to you, Dean."

"Rory ple-

"She doesn't want to talk to you Beav so just leave."

Dean looked at him for a second before recognizing him.

"Him! You're with the accountant?"

"Dean this isn't any of your business." Rory said.

"God, Rory, just give me a chance!"

"No! I've given you a chance. Three to be exact. I've given up on you. I love someone else now. I don't even know if I ever loved you! So just leave!

"Why so you can fuck him too? Would he still do that if he knew you were a home wrecker?"

Tristan lunged toward Dean but Rory pushed him behind her.

"Listen you little piece of shit, get the hell out of here before you make a mistake."Tristan growled.

"A mistake?" Dean said cockily.

"Yes, a mistake because I am about to call three other guys who would love the chance to meet you." Rory said.

For the first time Dean looked a little worried. He passed them purposely knocking into Tristan's shoulder. Tristan was about to turn around and fight Dean, but decided against it when he saw Rory's face.

Half way down the hallway Dean turned around and looked at Rory.

"I'll be seeing you, babe." He said with a wink and a kiss.

Rory looked really scared. Tristan gathered her into his arms. They stood like that for a few minutes until Rory turned away and opened her door, letting them both in. Tristan noted that she locked the door after they were inside.

"Do you regret it?" Were Tristan's first words. He couldn't help it, it just came out.

"I don't know," Rory said looking at the floor.

Tristan looked at Rory, unsure of what to say next. Until the perfect thing came to mind.

"I love you." At these words Rory looked up at him.

"I've always loved you." He continued "Since I first saw you at Chilton, I just didn't know it then yet. It took me until that night at the dance. When I saw you dancing with Dean and all I could think about was taking you into MY arms and kissing you senseless." Tristan finished with a slight chuckle.

Rory smiled wistfully.

"I wish you would have, it would have saved me a lot of time. I knew I loved you when you walked out of my life the first time."

"First time?" Tristan asked confused.

With this Rory looked into Tristan's eyes. He could, for the first time, see the 'old' Rory. He could see the scared, hurt. and what scared him and excited him, Love. Pure and simple.

"Are you leaving me again?" She asked biting on her bottom lip. An old habit she hadn't done in a while.

"Never again."With that he crossed the distance they had put between them and swept her up into a kiss.

The next morning Rory woke up in her own bedroom, alone. Tristan and her had kissed a little longer, but he decided to leave before anything else happened...again.

For the first few minutes, She was walking on air about her and Tristan, until the events of Dean came flooding back. She suddenly felt cold and scared. She quickly got dressed and headed over to get some coffee.

By her coffee stand, where she always went was Logan. Tristan had filled him on what happened the night before with Dean. When he saw her he scooped her up into a hug and gave her, her coffee.

"Tristan told me what happened." He said knowingly.

"Yea, eventful day wasn't it?"

"It certainly was, listen I know you have your first and only class soon, so after you class the Guys and I will be waiting for you ready to take you anywhere. So, where do you want to go?

Rory could only think of one place she would want to go at a time like this.

"I want to go home,"

"Then off to Star's Hollow it is! I hope you know the four of us will be joining you. Colin, Tristan, and I will go for you, but we both know Finn will also be going for your mother." Logan finished with a knowing smirk,

At one of Rory's Grandmother's parties Finn had met her mother and got down on one knee before professing his love for her. Lorelai was about ready to accept (jokingly) his profession before Luke cut in and threatened (jokingly) Finn his life. Now every time Finn saw Rory's mother he would ask her to leave Luke for him. Of course, he would do so whenever Luke wasn't around. Coincidently, he always persisted.

Rory knew that was just what the doctor ordered. She had to go down this week anyway to go over last minute plans for Lorelai's wedding. Luke had proposed to her mother almost a year ago and where getting married in a week. Rory was so happy when she found out she cried, her mother had cried, and Luke was left to keep the women in control.

Rory went off to her first class in better spirits, and couldn't wait to be back home.

A/N: Okay so, Its done. The chapter not the story. I will be skipping right to the wedding because I have some AMAZING ideas for it. I'm sure you can all imagine who is going to be at the wedding...wink, wink, nudge, nudge, anyway expect more soon as always!