Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea for this story and any characters not recognized. All else is the property of Amy Sherman-Palladino. The quote in the summary is by George Bernard Shaw. "Crazy" belongs to KC and JoJo.
Author's Note: Thanks so much for your reviews. I hope everyone likes this chapter. I worked for awhile on it to evoke the right amount of emotion. Anyway, here's chapter 11!
Chapter 11: Crazy
Tristin put his arm around Rory as he led her to the gazebo. Tristin sat down and pulled Rory into his lap. She rested her head on his chest and laced her fingers through his.
"Hello," he said.
Rory yawned. "You owe me a lot of coffee."
"No problem," Tristin replied.
Rory smiled. "What's with this? I thought you weren't going to talk to me."
"I lied," Tristin whispered. "Don't tell anyone though. It would ruin my reputation."
Rory let out a small giggle. "You're crazy, Mr. DuGrey. Absolutely crazy."
Tristin smirked. "I may be crazy, but I know a lot of things."
"Like?" Rory asked, cuddling closer to him.
"You're the one I want to be with," Tristin responded. "Always."
Rory released herself from Tristin's grasp and scooted away from him. "Tristin…"
"Are you seriously going to tell me you don't feel the same way about me?" Tristin asked.
"I can't tell you that," Rory responded. "I won't lie to you Tristin. You know I care about you, but I can't be with you. I'm with Logan."
"You're not married to him, Rory," Tristin countered. "It wouldn't be the first time a couple broke up."
"It would be for us," Rory said. "And I don't know that I'm ready for us to break up. We've been together for almost two years. This is my first relationship and it's lasted for almost two years."
Tristin sighed. "I don't want to only be your friend, Rory."
"Then what are you doing here?" Rory questioned.
"You didn't let me finish," Tristin said. "I don't want to only be your friend, Rory, but I don't want to lose you."
Rory smiled at Tristin. "I don't want to lose you, either."
Tristin took Rory's hand and pulled her back over to him. "I say we try the whole friends thing again. It was working for us."
"I agree," Rory said as she situated herself in Tristin's lap. "But can we sleep first?"
"Sure thing, Mary," Tristin told her as she drifted off to sleep. "Sure thing."
"Love you," Rory mumbled.
Tristin kissed Rory's forehead. "I love you, too. More than you know."
She was asleep. Tristin smiled and held her closer. Paris would be coming to get them in a few hours, and there would definitely be yelling. Right now, though, all he wanted was to hold her.
Unbeknownst to him, all Rory wanted was for him to hold her.
"She didn't show up there?" Paris asked. "Think, Huntzberger, think!"
"She isn't in Stars Hollow, Paris," Logan said, holding the phone away from his ear as Paris's voice reached a new high.
"I can't find her, Logan," Paris stated. "I can't find her and no one is answering their phone."
"You don't say," Logan quipped. "It's only six o'clock in the morning on a Saturday. I wonder why no one would answer their phone."
"Now is not the time for you to be a smart ass," Paris replied. "Your girlfriend is missing and you don't seem to care."
"I care, Paris," Logan said. "Did you check outside? She may have gone out there with some coffee."
"I'll look," Paris responded. "But you are staying on the phone with me because if I can't find her I'm going to make you search Stars Hollow."
Logan yawned. "Okay, Paris. Just look."
Paris walked outside and saw a large shadowy figure in her gazebo. She walked quietly over to it and walked in. There, on the bench, was Rory. She wasn't alone, though.
"I found her," Paris declared. "She's in the gazebo."
"Is she drinking coffee like I predicted?" Logan asked.
Paris searched her mind for a good lie. "Uh… yeah."
"Let me talk to her," Logan said.
"She's… um… not alone," Paris replied.
Paris heard Logan sigh. "Tristin. Right?"
"Yeah," Paris said quietly.
Logan sighed. "She's not drinking coffee."
Paris gulped. "Um… she's sleeping."
"I'll be there soon," Logan said, and then all she heard was the dial tone.
"Gilmore!" Paris yelled.
Rory and Tristin jumped. "What?"
"Not DuGrey and Gilmore," Paris said. "Just Gilmore! Get dressed! Your boyfriend is onhis way here."
Rory looked at Tristin and he offered her a weak smile. Rory sighed and got up. She looked at Paris and the cell phone in her hand.
"You couldn't find me, and you called him?" Rory asked. "What were you thinking?"
"What were you thinking?" Paris retorted. "You're the one out here with Tristin DuGrey! I thought you two were fighting!"
Rory walked by Paris. "We'll talk later. I have to go get dressed."
"And you sure as hell better have a damn good explanation for being in my gazebo sleeping with Tristin," Paris called after Rory.
Tristin rubbed his eyes. "Morning, Paris."
"Don't 'morning Paris' me!" Paris exclaimed. "You are not good for Rory and Logan!"
"Excuse me?" he asked as he stood up.
"Rory, that girl who just pranced out of here," Paris explained. "She has a boyfriend. Granted, I don't know if that's going to stick now that he knows you two were sleeping out here unsupervised."
"Rory is a big girl," Tristin said. "I don't think she needs her boyfriend's permission to have friends."
"We all know you have more than friendly feelings for Rory," Paris replied. "It's common knowledge among the Chilton population."
Tristin shrugged. "Maybe we're just friends."
Paris snorted. "Right. Like that'll ever happen, DuGrey."
Tristin sighed and walked out of the gazebo. Paris shrugged and followed him.
Both knowing that the relationship with Rory and Tristin would never be as simple as friends.
Rory was sitting in Paris' driveway when Logan pulled in. She got up and walked over to his car to greet him.
"Hey," she said.
Logan got out of his car. "Hi."
Rory began fidgeting with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. "You talked to Paris."
"She found an interesting sight in her gazebo this morning," Logan said. "You and Tristin looking rather cozy."
Rory looked at the ground. "It's not what you think."
"That's the second time in less than twenty-four hours that I've heard you say that, Ace," Logan responded. "And yet again, it's still not convincing."
"You think I'd cheat on you with him?" Rory asked.
Logan shrugged. "Rory, I don't know. All I know is that there has always been a Tristin. I know that there always will be a Tristin. So I'm going to take Jess's advice this time."
Rory looked up at Logan. "What's that?"
"When you first came to Stars Hollow, Jess told me that you needed space, not a boyfriend. I think you need space again, Rory," Logan replied. "I'm going to give you space so you can decide whether or not you really want to be with me."
"But, Logan," Rory said. "I do --"
Logan put his fingers to Rory's lips. "Don't say that. I don't think I'll be able to walk away if you do. Just… think about it Rory. Don't just be with me because you feel you have to be with me."
Rory sighed. She held back tears as Logan kissed her forehead but finally began to cry as he drove away.
Tristin walked out to the driveway and saw Rory sitting down. "Rory?"
Rory cried as Tristin hugged her. "It's… over."
Tristin held Rory closer. "It'll be okay."
Rory curled up into Tristin. "I don't know."
He picked her up and carried her to his car. "Let's get you home."
Rory held tightly to Tristin. "Okay."
Paris watched from the window as Tristin carried Rory to his car. She watched them until Tristin's car was out of sight.
Tristin looked over at Rory, who was curled up in the seat. She was no longer crying, but looking out the window.
"You okay Rory?" Tristin asked.
Rory looked at Tristin and smiled, but her smile faded when she looked in front of them.
"Tristin, look out!"
That was the last thing he heard before crashing into an oncoming car.