AN: Wow – I can't believe how many amazing reviews I got…you all rock so much! THANK YOU J

The next few days were pretty uneventful except for Tristan's constant thoughts on how to get Rory and Paris's ideas to win Tristan. Paris realized that Tristan's feelings for Rory hadn't disappeared – he'd just pushed them away while he was in North Carolina. It was Friday morning and Rory had planned to bring Brian with her to Stars Hollow before going into Hartford for dinner with her mother.

"Paris, what am I going to do? I can't take my new boyfriend into Stars Hollow!"

"Why not?"

"Because my ex boyfriend is there!"

"He's also married, Rory. What's the big deal?"

Rory froze up as she did any time Dean was mentioned. Paris didn't want to pry into whatever Rory was hiding, but she knew it had to be big. There was something really bothering her friend and Paris wanted to comfort her.

"Ror, are you okay?" Paris questioned, "You know you can tell me."

Tears were forming in Rory's eyes and before either girl knew what hit, Rory was lying down crying hysterically. Everything from that night with Dean was repeating in her head. Everything from when he told her that it was all over with Lindsay to Lorelai comforting her on the front steps. That night jeopardized Lorelai and Rory's relationship – it was the first time Lorelai had truly been disappointed in her daughter. All of the events haunted Rory's dreams but this was the first time something real faced her. When she'd first heard that Lindsey was pregnant it seemed like the end of the world but now there was Brian in the picture. What would her new boyfriend think if he knew she slept with another girl's husband? He'd hate her for sure. Paris went over to Rory's bed and sat down looking her friend in the eye.

"Do you remember when my mom's inn opened?" Rory asked through her tears.

"Yes, it was all you talked about for months leading up to it."

"That night mom sent me home to get some CDs…when I got there…"

She paused; the words were all getting harder to say. Rory hadn't told anyone what happened, it was too painful – it could cause too much damage.

"What happened, Rory?"

"Dean was at the house," she continued. "He'd been fighting with Lindsey and he told me that it was over between them. He told me that neither of them were happy and that he could be happy again," the tears started flowing faster.

Rory didn't need to finish the story, Paris had figured out exactly what happened. This was by far one of the most shocking things she'd ever heard. Rory Gilmore was supposed to be perfect; this was her one flaw. Paris attempted to comfort her hysterical roommate, but nothing was working.

The phone rang and Paris answered since Rory wasn't in much of the position to talk to anyone.

"Paris. Let me talk to Rory."

"Hi Lorelai, I'm not sure she's too up for talking right now."

"What happened?"

"She was nervous about bringing Brian tonight and she told me about Dean."

Lorelai almost dropped the phone when Paris told her that. No one knew about that night except for the three of them…what caused Rory to tell Paris? Was she really that nervous about bringing Brian to Stars Hollow? Lorelai asked Paris to have Rory call her back when she was feeling up to it and hung up the phone. Lorelai felt as helpless as her daughter so she ran to the one person who could always cheer her up.

"Coffee…please."

"How much have you had today?"

"Please don't deprive me! You're my favorite mean old coffee man."

Luke filled Lorelai's cup and looked at the sadness in her eyes. He asked what was bothering her and when she said that it was nothing he accepted it. He didn't come close to believing Lorelai was okay, but he knew that she would go to him when the time was right. In the past couple of months Lorelai and Luke had developed a very good relationship…it didn't change much from what they had before. The whole town knew they were together the morning after the test run at the Inn and people were acting differently around them. Luke and Lorelai themselves though still had their usual arguments about her eating and coffee addiction. They never expressed their love to each other like most couples did; instead they showed it through banter and kisses. Lorelai had wanted to tell Luke what was going on while they were admitting their feelings for each other, but she knew that wasn't what Rory wanted. Rory wanted for everything to be kept just between them because as soon as something got out in Stars Hollow everyone knew. Rory Gilmore wasn't going to become the whore of Stars Hollow and she wasn't going to risk the well being of Lindsey's baby.

Lorelai had to go back to work as soon as she left the diner; she hoped that Michel's attitude could get her mind off Rory. There were still a few hours until Rory and Brian would be getting to Stars Hollow, although Rory only had one class on Fridays Brian had three.

"Michel, I told you that you couldn't bring your dogs to the Inn."

"But Lorelai, Paw-paw is sick and I don't want Chin-Chin to get it."

"I've told you before, find a Chow sitter. I don't need your dogs running loose in the Inn. What if someone's allergic? Do you want to cover the law suits?"

"You own the Inn, you'd be responsible."

"Michel, just get Chin-Chin out of my Inn."

"I despise you."

"Love you too."

Sookie walked into the lobby at the end of Lorelai and Michel's argument. She seemed concerned about something.

"Lorelai…"

"Yeah, Sookie?"

"Jackson couldn't get me what I needed so now I have to change tonight's menu. Everything's ruined – people are coming for my stuffed peppers, but I can't make them unless Jackson gets me the right ingredients."

"Calm down, Sookie. Do you have the ingredients to make something else just as good?"

"Yes."

"Then make something else, problem solved."

Lorelai couldn't fight the feeling that there was something else bothering Sookie, but she didn't have the time to find out. Rory was coming with Brian soon and she wanted to make sure that they didn't see Dean. Everything had to be perfect for Rory; she'd been through way to much.

Paris had run out of ideas on how to help Rory. There was nothing that would make things better short of going back in time. With a few jokes and some light conversation, Rory was smiling by the time Brian got to the room to pick her up. He took her hand and led her to his car…before she knew it they were off to Stars Hollow. Rory decided on the car ride to explain all the quirky characters of Stars Hollow to her boyfriend.

"Well there's Miss Patty, she's a dance teacher. She's in her 40s and will most likely hit on you. She tried to pick up my dad once and went onto some ramble about everyone in town being my parents. She's had a lot of husbands; the town sometimes jokes about her trying to beat Liz Taylor."

Brian laughed, where he was from was nothing like Stars Hollow. He'd grown up in a typical large suburb on Long Island. He had New York City at his fingertips – there was nothing small town about that.

"Then there's Luke, my mom's boyfriend. The first memories I have of him are when he denied my mother coffee…"

"Who would dare deny a Gilmore coffee?" Brian responded sarcastically.

"I know, it's a sin…but Luke still does it. He's always been like a father to me so I apologize now if he says or does anything. When my first boyfriend broke up with me, Luke was fighting him in the street…"

Rory's voice broke during that sentence. She remembered how happy she'd been with Dean when they first started dating and even when they got back together the first time. Her eyes were once again tearing, and then another memory came back to her. The night after Dean broke up with her…the same day as Luke was keeping him out of the diner, Rory went to that party. Madeline's party where Tristan's girlfriend broke up with him and she found him on a piano bench…the night her and Tristan kissed. How could she have forgotten that? That kiss made her cry over Dean for the first time…she really cried. Dean was her first boyfriend, her first kiss, her first love, her first…

Brian didn't know what to do when he saw Rory crying in his car next to him. They were almost in Stars Hollow and all he wanted to do was hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay. But he realized there was something in Rory that wasn't going to be okay. Something happened with her ex boyfriend that she couldn't deal with. As much as Brian wanted to know what it was so he could be there for her, he didn't want to pressure her into telling him anything. It seemed like she had a rough day so seeing her mother would be good. Rory pointed him the direction of her house once they arrived in the small town.

She got out of the car first then took Brian's hand and led him into the Gilmore house. One look at the couch where she'd slept most of the summer and the waterworks began again. Maybe taking her boyfriend home wasn't the greatest idea she ever had. Lorelai walked down the stairs to see her daughter in tears and automatically went over to hug her.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

"Being back here…having a boyfriend back here…"

She didn't have to say anything else, telling Paris had sparked something in Rory. Lorelai told Rory that there was nothing to worry about. No one else in Stars Hollow knew or was going to know and Paris was a good friend, she could be trusted. After a few minutes of Lorelai humor, Rory was back to her old self again.

"Mom, this is Brian."

"Hi, Ms. Gilmore."

"Didn't Rory teach you anything? It's Lorelai, if you call me Ms. Gilmore ever again I might have to castrate you."

"Noted, Lorelai."

"I like this one…he drinks coffee and listens to my threats."

Rory laughed and suggested taking Brian on a tour of the town. The first stop was of course Luke's for some quality coffee. When he watched Brian drink his at the same speed as the Gilmores, his face turned to a look of horror. It was a male version of Rory and Lorelai! The next stop was Miss Patty's where Patty of course was standing outside with a cigarette while the children inside danced.

"Hello Rory, who is your friend?" Miss Patty greeted them.

"Hi Miss Patty, this is Brian…my boyfriend."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said kissing her hand.

"Ooh…this one's a keeper. He's much better than that hooligan, Jess."

"Patty, please," Lorelai chimed in.

"I'm sorry girls."

"That's okay, Miss Patty, we're going to go now."

When the girls walked away, Brian asked Rory about Jess. It was a touchy subject and she promised that one day she would tell him all about the guys in her life. One day when she was ready to talk about all of it.

Paris went to dinner in the dining hall that Friday night where she ran into Tristan. He looked so amazing and he wasn't even doing anything. Paris walked over to him and sat down across from him and started a conversation. He noticed how much more outgoing Paris was and decided that since he was bored and without a date on a Friday night; he would give her a chance.

"So, Paris…what are your plans for tonight?"

"I don't know, Rory told me I can't go to any more parties," she laughed.

"I can understand why."

Tristan invited Paris to his room to watch a movie and she was more than happy to accept. After dinner the two walked back to Tristan's room where he pulled out Cruel Intentions. He didn't know why that was the movie choice, but decided that he was in the mood for it. Tristan decided to sit back against the wall and invited Paris to lie down with him. She wanted more than anything for him to put his arms around her so she pretended to be cold.

This is too easy; I've known her all my life, Tristan thought. He was a little sexually frustrated having only been with one girl in the week at Yale. The year before at UNC he had someone different almost every night. He hadn't been able to get into a relationship; in his mind no matter what it would be doomed. It was easy to tell that Paris was getting quite comfortable in Tristan's arms so he looked at her and kissed her very gently. Much to his surprise it was Paris who deepened the kiss. It was then that Tristan realized that he couldn't hurt Paris and he didn't have any real feelings for her. Chilton was happening all over again; Tristan was using Paris to get Rory's attention. Once again Rory had a boyfriend and wouldn't give Tristan the time of day. Throughout the week he'd put out a few sexual innuendos and Rory turned him down just as she had at Chilton. It seemed that between the two of them nothing had changed.

Paris knew exactly why Tristan stopped kissing her, she wasn't Rory. This was going way too far – Rory was not going to get Tristan's heart again. What Paris Gellar wanted, Paris Gellar got…her newest conquest was Tristan DuGrey. She swore to herself that she would do anything to get it.

Around 6:30, Brian gave Rory a kiss and headed back to New Haven while Lorelai and Rory left for Hartford. The ride to the grandparents had an awkward silence and both Gilmores knew exactly why. Lorelai waited for Rory to speak knowing that it had to come from her first. Rory knew Lorelai's plan, but didn't know exactly what to say. She'd been an emotional mess the entire day – that night with Dean was coming back to haunt her.

"I don't know," those were the only words Rory could say.

"I understand, Rory. What happened that night changed you a lot; do you think you're going to tell Brian?"

"I don't know. I should, I should tell him everything so he understands. What if he doesn't understand?"

"I think he will."

Dinner was quiet that night; Richard and Emily still weren't speaking and Rory wasn't in the mood for very much conversation. The topics were very simple: Yale, the Dragonfly, and Lorelai's relationship with Luke. Rory's love life wasn't spoken about because Lorelai didn't want to see her daughter cry again. Brian gave Lorelai a good feeling and she hoped that he could erase all the pain Dean caused and even more, all the pain that Jess caused.