Dislaimer: Nope, sorry, don't own them.

Chapter 5

Lorelai waited up for Rory that night, bowl of popcorn and a movie in hand as her daughter walked in the door.

"Where's the pizza?" Rory asked as she headed back to her room.

Lorelai followed. "On it's way," she said. She held up the movie to show Rory.

Rory scrunched up her nose seeing the title. "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? Mom, seriously, what deluded you into renting that?"

"Well," Lorelai shrugged, a deviant smile on her face. "It was the only thing left in the movie store, shocker, and I like to make fun of the fact that the one girl looks so much like you. I had twins, and the hospital lost one," she joked and headed back to the living room.

Rory rolled her eyes as the doorbell rang. Poking her head out of the door to make sure Lorelai was busy with the pizza, she called, "Be there in a minute! Have to use the bathroom!"

Five minutes later, Lorelai had the pizza box open and the movie on pause as Rory emerged from the bathroom. "About time," she muttered with a mouthful of pizza. However, seeing her daughter distraught, white-faced, and on the verge of tears, Lorelai swallowed the hot lump of pizza and hurried over to Rory. "What's wrong, kiddo?" she asked, dropping her hands on Rory's shoulders and ducking her head down to look up into Rory's sad face.

Rory held up a small white stick. A couple seconds passed before comprehension hit Lorelai as to what it was making her daughter so upset. The look Lorelai held on her face wasn't one of anger or pity, but sad understanding because she had once been in the shoes her daughter was now standing in. The only difference - she had been sixteen when she'd become pregnant, and Rory was twenty-one.

As tears crept into her shockingly blue eyes, Rory brought her hands to her face and Lorelai wrapped her arms around her shaking form. And they stood there and cried together, for the breakups, the makeups, and the uncertain future for them both. But at least they were together now.

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"Are you sure it's Dean's?" Lane asked.

Rory nodded, though she knew her best friend couldn't see her through her phone. "Positive. The last time I slept with Logan was weeks before Dean, and that'd mean I was at least two or three months pregnant by now. No, it's Dean's alright," she said forcefully.

"Wow," Lane said. There was a pause before she asked, "Where are you, by the way? Didn't you promise to stop by and watch Hep Alien perform one of its last small gigs?"

"Sorry, Lane," Rory said as she manuevered her Prius through the traffic heading into Hartford. "I ran into Clara at the market and got Dean's address in Hartford. I'm heading to his apartment now, to tell him about everything."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, if Dean still felt the same, don't you think he would've looked you up in Stars Hollow?"

"I don't care how he still feels," Rory lied. "I have to tell him that he's going to be a father, Lane. It's only right that he at least knows."

Lane sighed, "I just don't want to see my best friend get hurt again."

"I'll be careful. I promise," Rory said. "I'm almost there. I'll call you later and tell you how everything goes, alright?"

"Alright. Bye."

"Bye." Rory flipped her phone shut and shoved it into her purse.

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She felt a rush of excitement as she acsended the stairs. Something about how wrong and right it felt to be pregnant… with Dean's child. She was unsure whether or not this would be good news for Dean. She didn't want to shatter the life he'd rebuilt for himself after Lindsay and then after her. Then again, she hadn't really planned to shatter the life she was rebuilding for herself. And they had both been aware of the consequences of their actions. It had just felt so free and right the way they felt together - moved together - in that storm.

Rory could hear the voices long before she set foot on the landing.

"God, Dean! How could you sleep with another woman?"

"What right do you have to accuse me of cheating on you, Sarah?"

A horrible sinking sensation settled in the pit of Rory's stomach, and her feet began to move slower as she headed for the door the voices seemed to filter through.

"I could smell her on you that night! And you hadn't come home either!"

"So? I told you I was caught up in the storm! I stayed at a friends house until the roads cleared!"

"What friend?"

"You don't know them!" Pause. "Sarah, I love you. I'm still with you. If there was anyone else, do you think I'd still be living here with you?"

Rory's heart and feet stopped several feet from the door. Dean's words had cut through her like glass. She couldn't breathe or blink, paralyzed with the understanding that she had been wrong. Again.

"I need some air. I'll be back later."

The door was yanked open, and a thin, tall, redhead came storming out. She could easily be another Lindsay, if she'd had blonde hair. She seemed ditzy and - loose - as she shoved past Rory and disappeared through the stairwell door.

"Rory… uh, hi."

Snapping her head back to the door the redhead had come through, Rory found Dean with his hand against the door frame. He looked a bit unnerved and frazzled, but flashed her a smile - as fake as it was - anyways.

Rory still didn't move though.

"You wanna come in?"

"Who was that?" she asked, changing the subject.

Dean sighed, knowing how well this would all end. "Sarah Williams," he said. Seeing the hurt look in Rory's eyes, he added, "That night, I'd been in a fight with her. I never meant for it to get as far as it did. I swear I never wanted to hurt you, Rory."

"Is that why you stayed away from Stars Hollow?"

Dean nodded.

Rory smiled sadly and nodded her head in understanding. "I hope you find happiness, Dean." And before either could say any more, she was through the stairwell door and running down the stairs. And Dean didn't run after her.

AN: Alright, I know, this chapter sucked. But I realized that Dean had disappeared in the four weeks that have taken place in the story, and I needed to explain his absence. Granted, I could've gone another route, but... oh well. As always, Read&Review, and tell me what you think!